And a great time was had by most...

We've been skiing 3 times in the past week and a half.  The first time out on Christmas Eve was freezing but we got in a few runs.  The second time on Dec. 26th Drew whined that she didn't want to go until I said that she could invite her friend Isabelle, and suddenly she was excited. They took off and skied gleefully all night together without whining.  Gav had fun with me and Darren.  But the real fun was yesterday.  At least we have season passes so I don't feel too guilty about not skiing until my legs fall off.  Gillian cried and whined the WHOLE time.  Well, maybe not the whole time but it sure seemed like it.  First she wanted poles, we rented poles. She cried that she couldn't hold the poles with her gloves.  "Why didn't you get me new gloves!!!"  Then her hands were cold, she was hungry, she needed to go to the bathroom, she wanted to ski with Natalie and Natalie wasn't waiting for her.   Apparently riding the chair lift with mom and dad is lame.  And skiing with mom and dad is tedious.  "All dad says is make more turns, good job Gilli!  It's annoying mom!"  And I guess she doesn't want me to complement her either, "You keep saying I'm doing great, can't you say something else?"

I sent Darren off skiing with Norm, Gavin skied with Joel, and Drew was with Isabelle.  That left me to the constant streaming complaints from my sweet youngest child.  At one point outside the ski lodge with Gill and my friend Rebecca I kind of lost it.  Gillian was crying about her foggy goggles, her too small gloves, how she just wanted daddy, more tears.... I took off my goggles, helmet, gloves and threw them down on the snow, not caring who saw.  I muttered something about the d@*# poles that Darren had rented while Rebecca practically peed her pants laughing at me.  Maybe she was laughing with me, but I wasn't laughing.  By the time Darren got there I was too emotionally traumatized to ski but I gave it a go.  Truth is is that it was a very cold and windy night and I think that didn't help my grumpiness.  But at least Darren, Gavin, and Drew got in some nice skiing with friends.  There's always next time.