Thoughts On Skiing

I do have a recipe to go along with this post.  I've decided every memory happy or sad in my life comes along with a food.  Now I hope no one is disappointed that it will not be the recipe for Spam sandwiches, but that will be mentioned later in  my thoughts.  Sat. we had a spectacular day skiing with the gang.  Our family (James, Lisa, Jed, Emma, Jake and Seth) Grandpa Garner (Rod), Uncle Eric, and Josh's family (Josh, Lizzy, and Tyler).  Luckily Josh and Katie just brought home their new babe Andrew from almost 3 weeks in the NICU and they were finally able to just enjoy some normal life.  

The day was beautiful, and sunny, and suprisingly uncrowded at the Beav.  The first run of the day really made me think about the joys of skiing with the family.  As we were heading down with all the kids and Grandpa, you could hear someone whooping, and yelling and enjoying every moment of their run.  As I looked up the hill, down came a paralyzed kid in a sled of some sort with a girl "bulldogging" behind him.  The girl was a volunteer with a group called Common Ground in Logan, that provide outdoor activities for people with handicaps.  They were zooming down the hill and I'm sure the speed and freedom that boy felt was a lot like flying.  He was experiencing more freedom than he ever gets.   I have a friend, who I rode the LOTOJA bike ride with a few years ago, and I remember coming out of Blacksmith Fork canyon once with her.  We had climbed the first 25 miles of the ride, so the last 25 miles were down hill.  We were all loving the feeling, but she really put it into words.  She screamed, "I know why birds sing!!" Flying really does make you sing, and that is what this paralyzed boy was doing as he was sailing down the hill.  It made me smile.  The rest of the day I too had a few loud whoops and wah hooooos.  I couldn't wipe the grin off my face.  I love it when you get going so fast that your smile becomes somewhat of a grimace, as you make a Suzie Chapstick turn, and wonder if your going to crash and burn.  What a feeling.  

The kids too, loved the day.  Everyone was a little braver with cousins, and grandpa around. Lizzy and Tyler did fantastic, and we all loved reminiscing during lunch.  Now did I tell you lunch is the best part of skiing. Eric says playing in the parking lot was always his favorite.  My mom would say the ride home was the best, and my dad would say the nap during lunch was his favorite time.   I have never tasted a better tuna fish sandwich, or Spam sandwich in my life except for when you're skiing.  My mom used to make Spam sandwiches every Sat. for us, and we all loved them.  I tried making something with Spam once when I was first married, and it wasn't such a hit.  Sorry James!

Skiing for me as a kid was love on wheels, (or should I say skis).  I had two favorite ski buddies that were there every Sat. too.  Merideth, and Kim.  Great gals!  I remember a lot of skiing with my Grandma Roberts too.  She dropped me off the lift a time or two, but she was still so fun to be with.  My aunt Jill used to come too when I was young and it was always a treat to have Jill and my grams with us.  I remember skiing at Jackson Hole resort with Grandma and Jill in some horrible weather. The wind was blowing so hard that the chairs on the lift would swing hard enough that they would hit the poles going up the mountain.  Jill actually rode the tram up to the top that day and couldn't get down.  She was an expert skiier, but the clouds were so thick and the storm so bad she couldn't see how to get down.  She had to follow some nice ski patrol man down the hill back to safety and the bunny hill with me and Grandma.

I love a ski day with just me and James.  He makes me go so fast, and my legs just burn as I go down the hill and try to keep up.  A day with the kids is amazing too.  Jake loves having everyone together, and just smiles, and wants to hug us all.  He has told me that he loves skiing all together mom.  It's awesome!  Maybe it isn't really skiing that makes me happy, as much as it is being with those that I love and doing something together.    Maybe it's tradition, or just a rambling sentimental gal who loves her family.  Who cares, but I love skiing and everything that goes along with it!  Thanks for the great day to all those who were involved Sat.  That was a memory for sure.  Hollie's coming down with her kids in a week or two and I'm sure we'll make another great ski memory.  The more the merrier.  

This is what we ate Sat.  A pulled pork BBQ sandwich with homemade coleslaw.  It's the slaw that makes the sandwich.  There were lots of yummy sounds being made during lunch, but that could just be that Eric was with us.  Poor kid.  He can't help it, but he's been making yummy sounds his whole life while he eats.  I hope his future wife doesn't mind:)  She won't.  Eric's going to be a catch for someone.  Yummy sounds and all!  So here is the recipe for the coleslaw. Now remember to only tell you favorite friends, and to tell them to only tell their favorite friends, because this is a bakery recipe.    I trust you all.  Enjoy a ski day or any other tradition with your fam.  Nothing is better!!

Beaver Mountain Coleslaw (Catchy new name huh!)

1 lb. shredded cabbage

1 carrot shredded (or just buy a bag of coleslaw mix)

1/2 c. mayo

2 T. dried minced onions

1 t. mustard

1/4 c. sugar

1 t. salt

1/4 c. buttermilk (a must!)

2 T. dried dill weed (secret ingredient)

Mix at least 20 mins ahead of using.  It may seem dry at first, but the cabbage will release a lot of water in those 20 mins.  It should be perfect.  We love the slaw on BBQ sandwiches, fish tacos, Rachel sandwiches which are like Reuben's, but instead of pastrami, it's turkey and instead of sauerkraut it's coleslaw.  Delish!!