one thing i miss about the midwest

while i do not miss the snow and cold weather, i miss the fact that you can ski really easily there.

i was reminded today, via this blog http://mom2my6pack.blogspot.com/ about the ease of going skiing in the state of IL. when i was growing up my parents enrolled me in a program called Trolls. for about 10+ weeks during the winter, every saturday from dec - feb basically, you would meet a coach bus with all of your ski gear, while it was still dark outside, and you'd be driven up to Wilmot Mt. in WI. a lot of kids i went to school with were in the program with me. it was soooo much fun!
you'd ski all day long, have lunch, hang out, make friends and more. if you were good you were on your own, if you weren't you had lessons. it really was the best way to spend saturdays during the winter. fun and great exercise too!!!

while i LOVE the north shore and would love to raise my family in glenview or wilmette the winters are too cold, too snowy and too long for me. i can barely stand our VA winters ( and i mean barely). but i really do wish i could move back to chicago JUST to raise my kids with skiing. i would love to be able to take them to the scandinavian ski shop https://www.scanskishop.com/ ( next to the pancake house, YUM!!!! http://www.walkerbrosoph.com/ ) to buy their boots and poles and skis, and all of the special coats and pants and socks :) and then drop them off while it was still dark, so that they could learn how to ski down black diamonds without fear, manage mogels, and do jumps :).

skiing was a huge part of my life till i had an accident my freshman year of high school. i never really went back after that. tried once, but it was really hard on the knee that i injured. i wish it could be a part of our lives now. sigh :)

dawn, thanks for the memories. :)