Can I Come Out and Play?

Isn't it funny how as adults we have to force ourselves to stop and take time to "play"? What's worse, is that we spend even less time playing outdoors--or at least that is the case for me.

When I was a kid, I used to love to play outside. I would ride my bike, make mud pies, swim at friends' houses, explore the neighborhood, run around with my dogs, climb trees, etc. Every now and then, when I see kids in my neighborhood playing outside, I get a little jealous. I miss the simplicity of those days.

However, there is relief in sight! I have a "play date" scheduled for myself and ALL of the playing will take place outdoors. I am about to go and play in the snow in Colorado. And by "play in the snow", I mean downhill skiing.

Here are just some of the reasons why I love skiing so much:

A) It takes place in a beautiful setting. The views are gorgeous. The air is crisp. There is a pristine blanket of snow over everything. It doesn't get much better. God is truly an artist and He didn't hold anything back when He was designing the mountains of Colorado.

B) It's exhausting. You are working the biggest muscles in your body all day long. 8:00am - 4:00pm. After a day of skiing, it's a whole new kind of tired and sore--but it feels SO good. I know it sounds strange, but I love that feeling of working your body so hard that you are completely spent when the day is through.

C) Fabulous calorie burning. You can eat a nice, hearty dinner every night and not feel too guilty about it.

D) Soaking in the hot-tub after skiing. Aaaaahhhhh. It's especially fun when you soak outside in the hot-tub while it is snowing.

E) Having a good night's sleep after skiing, soaking in the hot-tub and topping off the evening with a cocktail. Bombs could go off in the next room and I wouldn't stir.

F) The skiing itself. Once you do your stretches, put on all your layers, get into your big, heavy boots, snap on those skis and get on that lift, it's the start of an adventure. There is a whole mountain to explore. You have control over where you go and how fast you go and how you get there. When you do something a little more challenging and your pulse races, you feel so alive. Or sometimes it's just fun to go down a nice, long, easy run and just take in the beauty of it all at a nice, relaxing pace.

G) It's kind of romantic when you get to ride on the ski lift with your sweetie.

This will be the fourth consecutive Valentine's Day week skiing trip that we have planned. In February of 2004, we still lived in Pennsylvania, so we drove to Greek Peak near Ithaca, New York. 2005 was Breckenridge, Colorado. 2006 was also Breckenridge. 2007 will be our first time in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

I can't wait to explore a new mountain! See you when I return...I'll be sure to tell you all about it.