I Think They are trying to tell me something...

I reckon Giz ain't National Pageant material.
Now, I'm pretty objective, but apparantly I have lost that particular capability.

but..anywho before I get into that.

The last week or so has been INSANE.

Three weeks ago we had to go out of town for a family outing. My 90-year-old Aunt (who is like a Grandmother to me) was thrown a birthday bash by my parents and my mother's cousins to celebrate the event - and it was very much a family reunion as well. I happen to really hate these things, because I only see these people once every 8 years, and I'm expected to act "like family." Who the hell are we kidding? Once we all go home, does anyone write? Email? Or even send those stupid mass chain mail messages? No... It's like when you go back to a 20 year high school reunion and act all chummy with people you didn't get two words in with in four years of that educational cesspool of hormones and social torture. But as always, I digress.

The next weekend we were supposed to go on vacation, but Giz had a modeling event to go to, and the weather in North Carolina for skiing was crappy, and I had a raging case of bronchitis. The executive decision was made, and the lodge was more than accommadatinig, so we put vacation off a week. Much to the disappointment of the kids, but hey, I didn't want to ski unable to breathe and on grass at that....

Well, we end up leaving on the following Saturday and traveling halfway to the mountains to stay in a very small, but comfy Comfort Inn in Marion NC. I highly recommend staying there on a Saturday night if you are going into NC to ski from the South, it's HALF the price of the hotels close to the ski areas on a Saturday night, and only about 45min away. They even had a decent indoor heated pool and continental breakfast. It was about $80 for the night, vs $150 at the Banner Elk Best Western!

Did I mention one of the problems with a ski vacation is that you really don't get much REST.

We got up at 6am Sunday, so the ski school nazis wouldn't refuse my child entry. If you don't get there by 9:15 they turn up their nose at you (and your money, go figure, even with a crappy ski season and lord knows the area needs all the cash they can get this year!) But I respect the rules, and keep my opinions to myself when dealing with people directly, suck it up and deal. Nonetheless, since we have all our own equipment, we had to lug all that crap into the motel around 7pm and then back out at 6am (couldn't leave it, no way to lock it up in the cab of the truck.) Oh, and did I mention, that evening I got Giz not one but two pairs of the cutest snow boots at the local Wal Mart across from the hotel (one pair for this year and one for next) for only $7 each!!!

But back to Sunday... we get up early early... leave to ski... we usually go to Beech Mountain since we like the family vibe and the ski school staff is familiar with my family since we've put both kids through the program over the last 10 years. Problem is, to get ANYWHERE at Beech it's like 5 flights of stairs to get UP to the lockers, then 2 flights DOWN to the bathroom, then 2 flights back UP to get to the skis (all the while walking in ski boots and hauling tons of equipment...) So by the time you get ready to actually ski, you're EXHAUSTED. And especially when you are out of shape like I am!!

We had a good day on Sunday, and Giz loved her ski school class - she had a young lady with a tongue piercing (with which she was fascinated by) from Lees-McRae college with whom she instantly clicked.

Monday.
Giz got up, and she didn't look so good. And then she started throwing up.

I can't tell you the last time she was really sick, to be honest, but since the stomach flu was going around town severely, we knew we left for vacation with a bit of a gun to our heads that someone might come down with it. So the deal was, if I stayed in the room with Giz all day, I'd take Firstborn back for night skiing. So I cleaned out my purse, and I made calls into the office etc. for something to do. Thankfully about 4pm, Giz started feeling much, much better and hope was re-instated that she would make a speedy recovery for Tuesday's ventures.

Now, I do NOT recommend night skiing when the weather is unpredictable in NC. We ended up hauling all the gear in, get dressed etc. Well, on the second run down, Firstborn crashes and busts his binding. (Thankfully no significant injury!!) But still, we ended up packing up, loading up, drive BACK down the mountain for repairs etc. It was probably a blessing, the mountain was like skiing on bricks that night.

Tuesday. Back to normal, and the mountain was good, but the wind was terrible and you couldn't see squat. Thankfully, Miss Tongue piercing was back, and since Giz was the only kid in her class, she got private lessons ALL DAY!!! Yippee for her!!

Wednesday. Long faces. Beech was nothing but a soggy mess. So we figured we were done for the day, but we decided to stop by Sugar and see.... they had a 30-70 inch base!! But Giz wanted NOTHING to do with their ski school. I wasn't sure how it would go, but after skiing off and on with my husband and I, she ended up skiing from the very, very, top of the mountain with everyone. At this rate, I guess she'll being skiing the black slopes and leaving her poor ol' mom in the, er, powder??

We drove home and got back very late Wednesday night. No rest for the wicked, I had to make sure all the homework they had done on vacation got in the bags, get together lunch money, unpack the important bags etc. WHEW.

Valentines was flown through, for I had counted on my husband to cook supper, and even though I took all day off, I had to get my hair done, buy shoes and bows for Gizmo's pageant interview outfit, and finish unpacking the ski stuff and pack all the boxes for the pageant, rent the car, etc. And when I got home late that afternoon, expecting hubby to have supper ready and help me get the car loaded etc for the next day... I found him in a heap in a chair, with, THE STOMACH FLU.

Well, needless to say, I had to do all of it, MYSELF.

Oh yeah, never mind we were leaving for NASHVILLE on Friday??

Well, on Friday, we were supposed to get up at 5:30, and ended up oversleeping. I hate that - it's never a good way to start your day... hollering and panicking trying to get up, and get out the door. Thankfully hubby was feeling better, so I rabble-roused him and Firstborn and shoved them out the door as best and as fast as I could.

So now I'm staring down a 7 hour drive to Nashville on a bad wake up morning. And now I'm feeling queasy. Not queasy over nerves, but stomach flu queasy.

... To be continued.