Confession: I'm a cnotrol freak

I always knew this but I suppose I try and hide it. I am very much like this when it comes to planning events, trips or vacations. I seem to worry that unless I handle every minute detail, things won't go as planned... or as I desire. So I take charge, I plan, I ask questions and more times than not... the trip is a success. But I know I step on toes... I know I take over what someone else has already tried and done... but to me, they'd done it only 1/2 way. I like to do everything 110%.

I hope that the people appreciate it instead of get annoyed at it. I know I hate when people step on my toes. woops!

For now, my stepping on a buddies toes, may be landing us a great rental house for a super fun weekend and for not too much money. I'm pretty sure they are okay with my toe stepping at least this once.

Wedding Video Trailer

We had the most amazing videographer. Calling Tim Sparks a videographer almost seems like we are selling him short... he's an artist.

He didn't do the usual wedding video... filled with boring scenes with bad editing. Instead he captured the most important part... the feel of our wedding. He artfully put it together in something that even the most grinchy family member can enjoy. Here is our wedding trailer... just to give you a taste:

Paul + Lilia Trailer from Tim Sparks on Vimeo.

Riding Log: Day 23 (Hunter)

Today we got up bright and early... no small feet after going to the beer garden... and headed upstate to pick up the kids then go on to hunter for some spring riding... only it was freezing and cloudy and only ice in site. We still had a blast... the kids showed Paul how good they got and he was really shocked at their progression.

Amanda took a hard fall that set her back some... even adults suffer some bad falls that get in there head... Amanda is no different. She's getting there and I'm really proud of her. Not all of us can have the bullet proof confidence of a 6 year old... sometimes Paul forgets that... and I forget to be patient with his impatience. He channels his inner Dad... or his father in general... who is quick to criticize and slow to encourage when speaking of athletics. He's also critical of things he doesn't grasp. I hope that Paul finds the balance with pushing in a positive way and just plain pushing before we have children. We all have much to learn, but when it comes to this specifically, he has more to learn than most.

Anyway, after lunch the sun came out and the snow got softer. It was more fun from there... we did a few tougher runs together and generally just kept having a blast. I'm really glad to have a family so skilled on the snow and with a passion just as strong as my own.

Birthday Wishlist

So for my birthday I'd love a dozen things... a happy family, a move, a husband with a great job that he loves in a great location we love... and for an easy job search in that location. But I do want a few material items as well...

For starters, I want to buy myself a new camera lens and I have this one in mind! It's basically a copy of a canon lens that saves me tons of money. It's faster than the one I have with a bit more zoom. It doesn't have the image stabilization but since it's faster, that may be all right.

I also want a tripod. I don't care which but I hope it's lightweight, compact, tall yet strong enough to hold my camera!

And I want a flash... which I don't know. Research must ensue.

I'm loving my camera... and I've gotten some great pictures out of it. Here are a few of my favorites!

Riding Log: Day 22 (Pico)

Today we decided to hit Pico instead of Killy if nothing but to check it out. We had gotten some snow during the night and it didn't look like it was quitting any time soon. We checked out of the hotel and drove over. We quickly hopped on the lift and strapped in... and just then my strap popped right off. Yep - the ladder broke... at the TOP of the lift. I talked to the lifty who called ski patrol. Here is where I was utterly shocked....

#1 Ski patrol took forever
#2 He came and politely told me he could zip tie my foot to my binding
#3 When I asked how I'd get my foot out - he had no response
#4 He didn't follow me down to ensure the zip ties would hold, that I'd be safe, or that I'd manage to remove my foot from my binding at the bottom.

For all these reasons, I think this man should have a speaking to... but I was so anxious to get on this fresh snow... I just wanted my binding fixed!

After finageling a burton ladder to fit in my rome binding, I gave the man the $5 it cost to fix and headed to the lift again where Paul and I began waiting... then got bored and got on the lift. Soon after we collected our group and headed to the summit. Wow - the snow was amazing up top. There was terrain everywhere and it was just tons and tons of fun. White stuff for ever! I couldn't have been happier. We all kept going until our legs ached and we all were starved and had to use the bathroom. After stopping for lunch we headed back. what became a ... lets just take a few runs here and see... became an all day event. We never did make it to Killington... and there was more than enough to keep us happy at Pico... and shorter lift lines too!

Towards the afternoon - that terrain became moguls and it was so much fun! Such a challenge... my legs were jello and I loved it!

Riding Log: Day 21 (Killington)

So somehow Paul managed to convince me to pack my stuff, take it to work, take the train to my Mom's, grab a car, drive to Killington... and ride all weekend. Well it didn't really take much convincing... I wanted to see him. He's my husband after all.

Driving up was miserable... I was tired but worse the roads were a sheet of ice by the time I got within an hour of Killington. I managed to get up though and that's what counts.

The riding was okay... it was fairly icy but you could just keep an edge. I rode my reverse crew in the AM and my SMF after lunch. I got to meet a bunch of Paul's school buddies which I'm sure made him happy... and we generally had a good time. The morning was slow moving with the fog, slow riders and inability to figure out a good flow... but soon enough we had found it. Paul and I hit he park a few times and I managed to take a few jumps which I'm sure made him happy. I hit the box and the rainbow rail before the day was through. I know I was pumped about it.

It was a great day even with the crap conditions.

Vacationing

I used to go on many family vacations. It was fun and my Mom was adventurous. I experienced a lot of cool things. As I got older I began dating a person who had hardly left NY. We traveled a bit domestically and it was an eye opener for him. The lack of both time and money ... and maybe spirit hindered travel beyond our coveted east coast.

Now I'm married to a seasoned traveler. HA - Just kidding. But he's far from being a noob. We have both traveled more than most, but less than a lot of others. We both love to travel but have been way too caught up in traveling for the sole purpose to snowboard. Don't get me wrong, I love snowboarding. It's beyond a passion... bordering on obsession for the both of us. But my desires go beyond the white-caped mountains of our world.

I was thinking of trips I'd love to take... domestically. Something with a short flight, nothing too expensive, and nothing that would take too much time to plan and my brain instantly thought of 3 things I'd love to do. So here they are....

#1 - Backpacking in the local State Park (Any)

I'd love to take my 1st real backpacking trip. With nothing on my but the essentials. I big overnight pack on my back, the correct gear and good company. Unfortunately, backpacking is a dangerous thing. You may think that it's easy... but it takes a little bit of knowledge. You are essentially going into the wilderness where you can easily get lost... and with only a few essentials with you - can potentially get hurt, injured, starve, etc... before you find your way. So if I were to do this - a class or experienced company is definitely a must. Anyway the equipment is expensive and I'd definitely buy it if I knew I was going to be on a trip, but if not, I'll save it till it happens. source

#2 - Mammoth Cave, KY
I've been... twice actually but I was just a kid. I want to go back and I want to camp out while I'm there. I want to camp in a more remote setting such as: http://www.mammothcave-adventures.com/camping.htm or here http://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/camping.htm

and I want to do the wild cave tour that I was never quite old enough for in the past: http://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/gocavetours.htm

source

I want to go on the hiking trails and kayak or canoe on the river. I want to spend a week there... or at least 5 days!

#3 - I want to go to Alaska but I want to do more than just snowboard. I want to go in the summer and do one of these tours:
http://www.getupandgotours.com/documents/tdsAlaskaExplorer.pdf
http://www.getupandgotours.com/documents/tdsMountainsGlaciers.pdf
or
http://www.getupandgotours.com/documents/tdsKenaiExplorer.pdf
or at least something similar!


I want to do at least 1 or 2 of these things in the next two years. These are the types of trips you don't really do easily with small children. I can go on a snowboard trip to Breckenridge, Mt Hood, Park City, Whistler or the like with small children. I can stay in a condo and take care of the babies while my husband takes a few runs... then maybe trade for the afternoon. I could even bring a babysitter to help take on the load so that we can both ride at least a couple of days together. I can bring them to a soccer game or leave them with family for the 3 hours. I can bring them to a hotel near the beach... all I'd need was some shade, sunscreen and a swimmie diaper. What I can't do is carry them on my side with a day pack on my back... or bring them into a dirty cave, hook them to a rope and climb up a rock face with them... or slip them into a carrier while I try and trek a glacier. So yeah... I want to be a little selfish and do these things... before kids, before my bones are brittle... like now!

Yoga & Training

About a month ago, I took my 1st Yoga class. It was harder than I thought and holding poses definitely took effort. You had to engage your core muscles in ways only my trainer has gotten me to do. The positions were awkward and hard to accomplish but week after week I keep going back and week after week, it keeps getting harder (the poses that is). The actual effort is the same... as the classes have gotten harder. But for me, it's gotten easier. I know what to expect. I know what she's talking about. I, with practice, will hopefully be able to do these things on my own.

Around the same time my trainer came back from Brazil and I was back to a fairly normal routine after my Grandma's illness and the wedding. So back at it we went. She hadn't been doing the pillates inspired training with me in a while and the new stuff wasn't what I liked. Pillates was hard... like really hard. But in a good way. I struggle and I'm sore in ways I can't explain after. Well yesterday, we started it up again. I told her how much I loved doing it even though it seemed 10 times harder than all the other stuff. She encouraged me to keep doing it - even on my own at home. Now that I have the yoga mat at the office and one at home ... maybe I will. At least 15 minutes of a core pillates workout a day... that can't hurt right? The hard part is ... motivation after taking the train home, to visit your grandma, eating dinner, getting home late and knowing that your bed is waiting.

I'll find the balance... especially as the days get longer...

Positivity

I miss when people truly had something positive to contribute... something positive to say - instead of always talking about how they were the type of people who wouldn't be negative, and wouldn't be the drag.

Them constantly talking about the drag - makes them the drag.

Them constantly saying they will be positive - is not actually being positive.

Just some food for thought. We need to practice what we preach. And we all need to remember that actions AND inaction ALL have consequences.