Snowboarding (slow updates)

One Thing I Am Good At

"We are almost at the top guys, and watch me not fall," says Shawn. The chair reaches the top, and all four of us stand up and glide to the top of the bunny slope leading to the next lift. 

All three of us sat down to strap into our snowboards. "Wow Shawn, you actually didn't fall, I was sure you would," Ali says, punching Shawn in the arm. 

"Well don't act so surprised, I told you guys I would be fine." "Let's go, meet at the bottom of Snowbowl lift."

"Okay, you guys go first, I will bring up the rear," says Dad. 

Shawn went first. I wanted him to fall so bad. Then Ali went and then I followed, with my dad in the back. We reached the bottom and got in line.  "Told you I was better than you Haylee," Shawn scoffs. 

"Um, just because you didn't fall getting off the lift and didn't fall down the BUNNY slope, emphasis on the bunny, doesn't mean you are better than me," I argue back. 

We move to the front of the line and get on a chair. "Haylee, just admit it, I am better than you."

"We will see about that Shawn, we will see about that. I bet that at best we are the same level."

"That's enough guys, you are both good at it," Dad says. The rest of the way to the top we are quiet. 

I look at the trees, full of snow, with bright green needles as we pass them. I let my mind wander as we sit, not speaking. I wonder what the others are thinking about. I wonder if the others notice how stunning the trees are. I wonder what Ali is thinking about. I wonder if he notices the trees. 

We reach the top and get off, everybody getting off without falling. "What run are we doing now?" I ask. 

"Let's do one of the blues, and then meet at the bottom of the same lift," Shawn answers. 

"I will follow you, bro," Ali says to Shawn. 

"Okay Shawn lead the way," Dad says, ready to move on. We stand up and follow Shawn. Halfway down the slope, Shawn got a little too confident, attempting to do a small jump. He did the jump but the landing? That was another story. He caught his front edge, face planting in the snow. 

"Are you good?" Dad yells down. 

Shawn flips himself around so that he is in a sitting position. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Ali and I start to laugh at him. "Watch this," Ali tells me. He snowboards towards Shawn and then stops, spraying snow all over him. I laugh even more. 

"HEY! What was that for?" Shawn scowls, unamused. "I am going to get you back for this."

"Whatever you say." Shawn got up and we continued all the way to the bottom of the lift, getting in line, and getting on a chair. 

We ski and snowboard together until 12 and then turn in for lunch. We go to the lodge at the top of the Snowbowl lift. We take off our gear, put it on a rack, and then head inside. We get inside and it is way more crowded than the lodge we went to yesterday. 

My dad finally spots a table with people leaving. As the people leave, we put our stuff down. My dad gets the backpack with lunch in it and puts it on the table. We grab the sandwiches we had made in the morning. Before I eat, I get up and go the bathroom. 

I leave the bathroom and walk back towards the table. I pass Ali as I walk. "Running," he says to me. "You're good at running." 

"What?"

"I told you I would tell you 5 things you are good at, running is one of them," he says and then continues to walk to the bathroom. I get back to the table, sit down, and start to eat my sandwich.