Ski week 2011 is over now, and I am sad. This was the first time we did a full week and I wasn't sure if we had the stamina and interest enough for 5 straight days of skiing, but we did!
The weather was just OK for the first 2 days. There hadn't been much snow up until then, so snow was actually a good thing, even if it did hide the mountains and make seeing where you were skiing a bit tricky. We definitely needed goggles to find our way down the mountain! Luckily, the kids were just on the small slopes or in the kindergarten area these days, so no worries about them getting lost or falling off a mountain.
Here is Jason all ready to do the "Bärnet" blue! It was tough going to see where the piste was at times, especially since there weren't so many skiers out there.
After 2 cloudy days, we were blessed with 2 of the most beautiful days you could ever wish for. Sunglasses came out along with views of the mountains. Standing at the top of the slope, I wanted to bust into a song like: "The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music" or "Hallelujah"! Majestic is the only word to describe the mountains on a bright clear day. This is what skiing is all about!
Baby and Mama Ski Bunnies
Ready for the best day of skiing yet!
Jason and I took full advantage of the glorious day by skiing into a on piste bar for lunch. After skiing all morning, we lounged outside with a warm coffee before lunch. I think this is what I love most about skiing. It's great exercise that keeps you warm in the winter, you see amazing views that you just don't see from down below, and on a sunny day you can even sunbathe! I'm not sure if you can tell exactly how happy I am in this picture, but this was definitely one of my favorite days ever!
After lessons and some fun in the kids' fun park, Kirsten and I skied a bit longer after the boys took the kids home for a nap. We took our time coming down because I was stopping to take pictures every few minutes! We left our ski boots at the top of the mountain and walked back to our apartment to enjoy the sun a bit more.
This piste runs from the highest point at Madrisa down back into town! We did most of it, but it turns black at the bottom, so we skipped that part. It was seriously one of the most beautiful and serene days of my life.
Poor Jason didn't get to ski much this perfect weather because his boots were hurting. He did spend lots of time with Lainey sledding, though. These sleds are really fun!
Our 2 day stretch of perfect weather came to an end at a bummer of a time. Thursday night, we were supposed to go into Davos (20 mins away) to see a snow sport show. Aidan and William were so excited to see the snowboarders doing tricks, and so were the adults! Unfortunately, just before we were to leave it started snowing buckets. Driving was too rough over the mountain and we had to head back. Aidan was really disappointed, but he drew a picture of a snowboarder instead.
The snow and fog stuck around for Friday, too, unfortunately. The kids had their ski races that morning and although the powder was great, visibility was not so good. The kids didn't seem to mind. They both were very confident and controlled doing their slalom. Neither one fell down or looked wobbly. I'm happy they didn't come in first or second, because I don't really want them hurtling down a mountain. Slow and steady is much better, I'd say! Delainey earned her second Blue Princess badge and came in 10th in her race. Aidan didn't quite make Blue Star, but did make "excellent" at Blue King. He raced against Blue Stars and came in 12th. He was not happy, he wanted to win. Poor guy was also confused because all week his teacher had been telling him to slow down and learn how to stop quicker and that he'd have his whole life to go fast and that now was the time to learn control. So, that's what he did in the race. He said he could have gone faster, but tried not to, and so he was mad that he didn't place better. I think he did brilliantly!
Neither of the kids were happy to be done with skiing. Aidan especially would have happily skied another few days, and so would I! I think we are really addicted. But it's such a great thing and something all four of us can enjoy together. At least, until the kids are a few years older and tear off to the black slopes and leave us to the blues and reds! Bode Miller and Picabo Street better watch out for the Barnett kids :) These 2 are getting stronger, more confident, and braver on these hills every day!
The day we had to leave was beautiful again. I almost cried when we had to go! Lainey told me she wants to live in the mountains so she can ski all the time and see the pretty views. Me too, I think!
Here's a picture of the apartment we rented from friends in Zürich. We had the top 2 floors on the left of the building. It was such a great location, right in the middle of town with a short walk to the bus or gondola. Much easier than last year in Mürren!
Well, we didn't run in to Princes William or Harry like I had hoped since we heard they were skiing in Klosters too, but we met up with our old upstairs neighbors, the Victorias. They were one of the first families we met in Zollikerberg and at school. It was like old times having coffee with Lena and another old neighbor, Annika, who also has a place in Klosters, while the kids played. Lainey was thrilled to see their girls, and they even came to watch the kids at the medal ceremony. Lainey would not stop hugging or holding Ellen's hand. She wants this picture to be framed and put in her room :) Ellen and Scarlett and Lily have always been so sweet to Lainey. It was so good to see them and to hear that the middle daughter, Scarlett is singing in Evita in Zürich! She has a solo part! Not bad for a 10 year old. And we can say we knew her when...
This picture says it all for Aidan. He and William were just so happy to be together all week. I really hope we can see them semi-often when we move back to the US. I think it is going to be a hard move back for Aidan in this sense. England is not exactly next door to Michigan, no matter how hard those 2 boys try to make it!
Even better for Lainey than seeing Ellen, skiing, or playing with Teddy all week, was what we surprised her with on our way home. I found out that her best friend, Sara, who had moved to Slovakia last year, was going to be visiting another of Lainey's friends, Molly, this weekend. Lainey has not stopped talking about Sara since she moved last February. We have had the girls Skype a few times, and Lainey names all of her new toys Sara. So we told Lainey we had a surprise for her and didn't tell her what until we pulled up at Molly's house. Lainey remembered it and said "This is Molly's house, do we get to go in? Really???" She was all smiles. Then she sees not only Molly, but Sara come outside to meet us and she says "Sara, you are so big now!" and gives her the tightest hug ever! The three of them did not stop smiling or hugging for the whole 3 hours we were there. The princess dresses went right back on as they always did and it was like no one had ever moved away. They worked with Sara and Molly's older sisters to put on a concert before we left, and Molly's brother James was so happy for some male companionship from Aidan that we didn't see them for hours. They hid out in the basement man-cave.
I am really not sure if I have ever seen Lainey has happy as she was when she saw what her surprise was. She was absolutely beaming. I hated having to leave after just a few hours, but she sure got the royal treatment of tons of hugs, a few tears and a bunch of kids running after our car as we drove away.
The best and worst part of being an ex-pat is meeting so many great people. We've got friends all over the place, but unfortunately someone is always going somewhere else.
