Mountain Mom and Tots

Discovery Gateway Museum, Salt Lake City, Utah

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Big E’s preschool planned a fun field trip to the Discovery Gateway Museum located at the Gateway mall in downtown Salt Lake City. I had never been here before, but as a teenager I volunteered at a Children’s Museum in Wisconsin so I’m a big fan of teaching kids through play.

We started on the upper level of the museum where lots of hands on exhibits let kids play with science. Gears, magnets, wind tunnels, and life size marble races had Big E and little g exploring, building and engineering in no time.

The main floor of the museum housed a massive beehive where kids can feed the pollen (brightly colored plastic balls) through tubes, wheels and vacuum suction hoses and watch their progress through an interconnected two story maze.

After that was the kid’s village where a construction site, gas station, grocery store, farm and water works let Big E and little g play imaginatively on their scale. Little g’s favorite activity was to carry around a black baby doll, which reminded me of the Brown v Board of Education court case I learned about in college and the experiments involving presenting children with cross racial dolls. That’s a side note, I know but it felt good to use my brain for something other than explaining basic concepts like how to use a bathroom to my tots.

The Discovery Gateway Museum was a great outing with my kids. They loved to explore and play, and hopefully they learned something along the way. Right now the museum is offering $5 Fun Day admission for Friday and Saturday nights and all day Sunday. Check it out at www.discoverygateway.org.

INFO:
Discovery Gateway Museum
444 West 100 South, Salt Lake City, UT
801-456-5437
HOURS:
Mon – Thurs 10 am – 6 pm
Fri and Sat 10 am – 8 pm
Sunday Noon – 6 pm

Snowboard Season is at an end.

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It’s time to say goodbye to my favorite past time – snowboarding. Sundance Resort – my home mountain closed for the season last Sunday but I got to go with my tots one last time before the lifts stopped running. Unfortunately this happened.

Little g is only two and half, and unfortunately her little feet are smaller than the smallest boot at the rental shop. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem since she just glides between my skis anyway, just cinch it up tight and wear big socks. Too bad I left this ski on the loosest notch and when Big E and little g started knocking their skis together on the lift, it was too much for the tiny boot.

Thankfully the ski dropped in a relatively easy to reach place, just off the main drag so nobody was in danger of being impaled from above. Also on the list of things to be grateful for – her favorite bow shoes were in the backpack, she doesn’t weigh much, and Big E was a big help.

Our last time on the slopes was an adventure all its own. Now it’s time to look forward to warm weather adventures – planting a garden (my tots love to help with this), visiting National Parks during National Park Week, maybe even going on an epic trip. Whatever our upcoming adventures may be, I’m glad to share them all with you.

Sundance on Dwellable

5 Tips for Spring Skiing with Tots

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I know for most of the world winter is over. Everyone’s thinking about spring and enjoying the sunshine. But at our home we still love the snow, especially since I know we only have a week left to enjoy the downhill slopes.

Spring is the best time to teach young kids to ski because the weather is sunny and warm, making the snow soft and slightly slushy. Next to powder skiing, it’s my favorite time on the slopes too. The crowds are nonexistent since everyone except the serious skiers are caught in spring fever. The weather is either warm and sunny or pounding fresh powder in a spring storm. It’s the best time.

A few weeks ago I wrote about taking two-year-old little g on the slopes for the first time. After that dismal beginning I vowed not to try it again, but being cooped up inside while the snow melted outside inspired me to take the risk again. It was worth it.

This time Little g, in the smallest skis and boots available at the rental shop, laughed and squealed with delight as we went down the slopes, instead of crying the whole time like last time.

I positioned my skis on either side of hers, controlling our speed and direction while holding her up with my arms. “Faster mama! Weee!” she cried as we slid down the slope. My attempts to have her slow herself down or even stand without leaning against me were futile.

She did not grasp the idea of making a triangle or pizza slice with her skis (turning the tips toward each other to stop) and all she wanted to do was “GO!” Although her ski abilities continue to be sketchy at best, we were able to do three runs with me hunched over her, carrying her, and finding the safest path down.

I consider it a triumph that we could even go at all. skiing with one young kid is tough enough, but two is extra difficult. It is only possible because Big E took a lesson at the beginning of the season and through practice is now able to handle any challenge a beginner or intermediate run can dish out. Since he can handle his own stopping, starting and shuffling all I have to help with is jumping onto the chair.

Skiing aids can help. I forgot our Edgie Wedgie which would help little g’s skis stay in good position. Next year I’m looking forward to using a hula hoop to teach her self balance, assuming I could learn how to ski backward well enough that she could hold one side of the hoop while I ski in front of her down the mountain. You gotta remember, I’m a snowboarder at heart.

Of all the skiing aids available, however, my favorite is candy. I bribe my kids to get their skis on, or do a good run or stop crying, whatever it takes to keep us all happy.

Mostly I want my tots to have fun skiing. Having children is a constant lesson in patience, but I’m okay with little g taking it slowly as long as it lets me get out and enjoy the outdoors.

Tips for Teaching Tots to Ski

Go when the weather is warm and everyone is happy. I like teaching kids on sunny spring days after we’ve all eaten and taken any necessary naps.
Invest in lessons. My first time skiing with Big E left both of us tired and frustrated. After a lesson he was able to stop and go on his own, leaving both of us much happier. Little g is too young for lessons this year.
Skiing aids can help. Edgie Wedgies, hula hoops, child harnesses can all keep kids from careening out of control, but don’t forget the easiest of all ski aids – bribery. My kids like chocolate.
Focus on fun. Forcing someone to do something they don’t enjoy is torture for everyone. Have the number one goal be for everyone to have fun.
Take it slow. Skiing with tots takes more time and patience than skiing alone. Sometimes taking a break to have a snowball fight or eat a snack is the fastest way down the mountain.

Here’s a link to a similar post I wrote last year.

Team Utah/Sundance Resort Banked Slalom Snowboard Race

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This last weekend I competed in my first ever snowboard race. Sundance Resort and Team Utah host a banked slalom event every March and this year I was one of the ninety nine participants.

Banked Slalom is similar to boarder cross races, with banked turns, jumps and features to maneuver around. The difference is that in banked slalom you must pass each flagged gate and boarders run the course one at a time instead of in a pack of four or six.

I don’t know why I was surprised to feel nervous. It was my first snowboard race after all, but my tight chest, quick heart, and fear caught me off guard. Feeling anxiety is not something I experience in my daily life and although I didn’t like that I DID enjoy the race.

After falling on the icy track three times during a practice run I realized my strategy would have to be GO SLOW AND DON’T FALL. Unfortunately going slow is not a great strategy for winning races. Although I did not place in the top three women racers, I was able to complete the course without falling and improve my time from 90 seconds to 82 seconds. That’s good enough for me.

The race ended with an award ceremony where I won a cool sweatshirt (Thanks Nitro!) just for participating. I met some cool people, tried something new and realized I may not ever make it to the Olympics. Oh well!

NOTE: Although I wish I looked as cool as the people in these photos, they are not me.

Sundance on Dwellable

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