"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29
I am a little behind in my blogging for the week, so I decided to do a family edition to cover everyone at the same time. On Monday, we went skiing with the youth group at our church. Tanner and Faith Wrenn had never been snow skiing before. Fortunately, our youth minister requires anyone who has not skied at least twice to take lessons. What a wise man!
The last time I went skiing was almost 15 years ago on my honeymoon. Shawn and I skied the Matterhorn in Switzerland - you know, when we were just a little younger. Shawn has been skiing a time or two since we've been married, but it has still been 8 or 9 years ago. We were feeling brave.
One thing I noticed was how skiing brought out our different personalities. Shawn was patient and hung out with me on the easy slopes during the morning. Then, after lunch, his adventurous side took over, and he went with some of the other dads to the more difficult slopes.
Tanner did well with his lessons and learned the basics. He then proceeded with caution and stayed in the beginners' area to get lots of practice. He wasn't feeling 100% but that didn't stop him from skiing. WAY TO GO T-MAN!!!
Faith Wrenn completed her lessons, practiced, and then took off to the regular slopes without a second thought. When she got off the ski lift, she was GONE down the mountain! Did I mention she learned to ski without poles??!!!
As for me, my least favorite part of skiing is getting off the ski lift. I have a tendency to fall, and then be in other people's way. My spiritual gift of mercy has me concerned about others even when I'm about to break my own neck!!! This has to be the Holy Spirit! lol
Anyway, some things never change, even after 15 years - I'm a creature of habit! The first lift Shawn and I got on actually went to the top of the mountain, but it had a place for "beginners" to exit along the way. Unfortunately, this exit consisted of a steep hill, a wall, and me on my backside! But, don't worry, the nice gentleman who was working the ski lift drug me out of the way before anyone else fell too! I found a different ski lift after that. I must mention that my husband didn't even laugh at me (at least where I could hear him!) Thanks honey!!!
These first 3 pictures are from our honeymoon 15 years ago. In Switzerland, we took a tram up the mountain, not a ski lift!!! 11/94
Shawn at the Matterhorn in the clouds 11/94
Me (Nancy) getting ready to ski the Matterhorn 11/94
Shawn and I at Sugar Mountain, NC 2/16/09
Tanner practicing his new skills
Tanner learning how to stop the old fashion way
Tanner skied from the top of the beginners' slope to the bottom without stopping
Faith Wrenn skiing down the beginners' slope - "Look Mom! No poles!"
Faith Wrenn skiing down the regular slope
Shawn and Faith Wrenn at the bottom of the slope
Your mama might be
a redneck resourceful if she uses duct tape to patch up a hole in your ski bib!!!
P.S. I did see another girl about Faith Wrenn's age wearing a hot pink ski bib accessorized with a little duct tape down the seam of her leg! Another resourceful mama in town!
One of Faith Wrenn's favorite ways to study her spelling words is to write them in shaving cream. We usually put the shaving cream on a baking sheet to make it easy to write on. To avoid the usual mess, I decided to use the bathtub this time since it can be cleaned up easily. As you can see in this picture, Faith Wrenn sometimes gets a little carried away with the shaving cream. She got really creative this time and covered herself and the bathtub. Then, she literally started skiing back and forth in the tub. 
And what does our laundry area have to do with modesty??? Well, the day we had Faith Wrenn's birthday party at our house, she told me at least 3 times that I had to be sure to put away all of our clothes, both clean and dirty. She said she did not want any of her friends to see her clothes like that.
