Weekend Getaway

We took a trip over to the mountains this past weekend, primarily to learn to ski and snowboard at Sunshine Ski Village. I have no action shots, as we were all in our respective lessons at the same time, and weren't anywhere near each other. I would have taken a self portrait, but I was too busy trying to keep from wiping out. Andy and Sam really enjoyed the program they were in, and Otto has so much fun he started trying to figure out when we could go back before we even returned home. I actually enjoyed myself, too. I far surpassed the expectations I had about what I might accomplish in one lesson. That's not to say I don't need a few more lessons; I think I had a little thought in the back of my head that I wouldn't get it, at all, ever.

Here the boys were after we picked them up from their lessons. Going down on the gondola.
Sam was wiped out! And on the way back to the hotel, they both took a snooze.
The next day we stopped by the Banff Springs Hotel to see all the pretty decorations, and to walk around a little because we had never been inside before.
This was a candy/food replica of the hotel. Pretty cool. The boys just wanted to eat it. We found some snowy areas in the back of the hotel to run around in. After working up an appetite we and had lunch at Magpie&Stump. I had eaten here many years ago. I like the food, and they play groovy music - Coldplay and Crowded House's live album while we were there. Sippin' on a Coke. We've cut back on soda consumption around here, so I think they were both savoring their beverages. We strolled a little more up and down Banff avenue after lunch. Here were some ice sculptures advertising the annual ice sculpture event they have at Lake Louise. And here was a parting shot of the mountains from the front seat of the car as we rolled out of town. Otto already found a way to go back. Some fellas from work are driving over for the day on Friday to ski and invited him along. He's ready! My tailbone, on the other hand, needs a little more recuperation time.