I am excited to report that Ted and I (along with his coworker Halim and Halim's girlfriend Jamie) are taking snowboarding lessons at Mont Cascades every Tuesday night for seven weeks!

Since moving out of Texas and back to somewhere with a real winter and HILLS, Ted and I have been excited about the ski season and hoping we would be able to get out. We thought about doing the "one-night-a-week" pass like we used to do at Cypress in Vancouver.

We were very excited and grateful when our friend Tina offered to babysit for us so we could do the one-night-a-week skiing. Ted and I have been saying since Peyton was born that we should try to go out one night a week, but finding a babysitter was the problem. For one thing Peyton has been very difficult to get to sleep at night ever since she was born, and has only recently improved to the point where I wouldn't feel too guilty asking someone else to try to get her to bed. For another, it is difficult to find someone you trust, and someone who seems willing or even happy to do the babysitting. So thanks, Tina!

Halim talked us into doing the snowboarding lessons instead of just getting a ski pass. I was doubtful at first. We tried snowboarding once before, when we rented snowboards one day at Cypress just to give it a try. It was awful! It seemed so hard, and scary, and we were getting hurt, and we were sore for days afterwards. The whole day of snowboarding I was regretting it and wishing I had just brought my skis.

However, we had our first lesson last Tuesday, and it was great! It really makes a difference having an instructor show you what to do. And, it feels like we are going slow enough, and taking small enough steps, that it is not too dangerous and we are not too likely to get hurt. The lessons make a huge difference and I will recommend that to anyone who wants to start snowboarding!

We have really only seen the easiest run at Mont Cascades so far, so I can't tell how it compares to the western Canada skiing. For our friends in BC who are scoffing at the idea of skiing "back east", yes I'm sure it doesn't compare to the BC skiing. But, we are just thrilled that we can get out at all, and I think it'll be a fine place to learn.

Our next lesson is tomorrow and I can't wait!