Chaos.
It always takes hours longer than we think it will.
To get out the door. In the car. On our way.
Away.
“Are we there yet?”
“It’s taking FOREVER!”
A chorus from the back seat.
Harnessed in with blankets, books, water bottles and supreme excitement.
And then silence.
Two moon-faced daughters asleep behind two sun-warmed parents who enjoy listening to nothing at all for many miles.
The sun dips lower as the road narrows.
My phone alarms messages from friends who wait for our arrival.
Pizza, beer, hugs on a mountain surrounded by mountains.
A sleepless night. Tiny bodies tossing in our bed.
They didn’t feel tiny. More like buffalo. A herd. On the move.
Exhaustion cured by thick coffee and bright sun.
Gear placed on eight bodies that will glide over snow under the biggest sky.
The youngest, Ruby, has no fear. Why should she?
She is always caught. Always safe.
My thighs, hips ache happily from fetching and chasing and carrying.
She spends the afternoon on my back, little mittened hands wrapped around my shoulders.
We fly.
The second youngest, Margot, skis with the big boys who are like brothers.
The kindest, best brothers a mama could ever dream of.
She’s proud, sometimes frustrated.
Eager to be faster, bigger.
I am not eager for either.
I like now. Freeze.
Tired bodies moan out of hard boots and fleecy layers.
Into the warm sea at the summit.
Soup and wine never tasted so good.
Scrabble for grown ups, movie for kids.
Sweet dreams for all.
A plan to rise with the sun and head home, interrupted by swimming and laziness.
No hurry.
Home.
Back to big blue expanse on a day to honor a remarkable man who had a dream.
Found lipstick, long walk, color, pizza.
Ignoring all that needs to be put away, washed, done.
For just one more day of fancy free.
:: :: ::
In this week’s mamalode column I wrote about tidying up the girls’ room, making some new rules, purging unused things…and one used thing that Ruby won’t let me forget. Click to read mama digs: blue bear bye bye.
I keep looking at that view from the hot tub and blinking my eyes!…is it real?. it is no wonder you were in no hurry to leave….looks like a whole lotta lovin fun! x
Haha, you, me and everyone I know has those socks! Looked like a lovely trip, Big Sky sure is photogenic!
Santa stuffed those socks in my stocking! I had no idea I was part of a movement. I love them!
I am in love with the short, free-verse-y prose of this post. Crisp, vivid and just perfect, like descriptions between the breaths you’d take to tell it. Word choice, right on!
Skiing with babes takes all we’ve got, but it’s worth the journey and the packing, for sure.
Still dreaming of our five blondies on the slopes together one day.
takes all we’ve got but worth it
there’s the subtitle to this post!
xo
When did Margot become a teenager?
Love this.
I was looking at those first two photos, smiling for a long time, feeling the sweetness of your family and how you all fit together so well, even in a car.
This post is so wonderful, Nici. You really are an amazing writer. I could feel that 48 hours of fun and adventure like I was there.
I loved the style of writing in this and OF COURSE all of the pics. I see a lot of them on Instagram and never tire of looking at them!
One of my very favorite posts. Beautiful!
This is such a beautiful post, the pictures are stunning!!!!
Ditto on this poem-like post. Love the lipstick too.
I love the writing, too. What an epic trip.
-Angie
enchanting words. blessed life.
just love this! every post makes me more and more envious of your life!
Sometimes I want to climb inside your life for a while.
And you’re SO good in a fuchsia lip.
Oh I’d love to do a Freaky Friday switch with you!
Bright lips make me happy. The color: Besame RED.
The lipstick cracks me up! Margot is starting to look JUST.LIKE.YOU.
You think? People keep saying that Margot looks like me and I don’t see it! Actually, I don’t think either of our kids look much like either of us!
Beautiful. xox
Love it!!! Amazing photos. Thanks for adding to my day dreaming.
There’s no where like the mountains. This was just beautiful. I love how you painted the picture of a weekend trip with kids. Raw, fleeting, perfectly imperfect, overflowing with love and chaos. Heartbreaking in its happiness.
I adore the pace of this prose. There’s a rhythm – like riding a horse on open trails and hills. Reminds me a lot of Jen/Baby by the Sea. And that’s quite a complement.
Beautiful post! Definitely makes me want to hit the slopes. The photo of your girls in the hot tub with that view…breathtaking!
I loved this whole post – love and beauty and fun and joy. Thank you for sharing the happiness.
Hello
It’s a nice Cool post.