Vermont 2006

It's been a while since I've added any new photos, so here are few of our weekend trip to Vermont. Got the girls on skis again - second time for Ava, third time for Madison. Really only Madison's second time if you discount her first experience - a "children's program" one frigid February day (2005) that saw her make a handful of runs down the kiddie slope in abject misery before bailing on the snow in favor of the juicebox, processed meat lunch and indescriminate "craft project" waiting in the lodge with the gaggle of runny-nosed kids whose parents had dumped them there for the day so they could go out on the mountain and simultaneously pretend to be Bode Miller and to have never had children. Since then we have opted for one-hour individual lessons for the girls, and chosen more moderate temperatures, and the results have been terrific.

We're determined to do this a couple more times this season to begin to reinforce some of the things they are learning. Madison is already getting the hang of the snow plow. Ava, true to form, is happily going "straight to parallel" in the words of this weekend's instructor.


Girls, meet Sandy, one of Stratton Mountain's finest. [Ava leads, as usual]


Waiting for a ride on the "Magic Carpet" lift.


Madison, getting the hang of it already.


Ava, "straight to parallel" and "fearless," according to instructor Sandy. We were not surprised.


Found time for a little sledding, too.