Mountain Glory

Yesterday we went to the mountains with our friend from the FHI camps. She rented a small bus and took us to her home town and then up the mountain from there. When we arrived in town we first went to a small museum that held local Ukrainian art and trade crafts, things like jewelry, carved boxes, clothing, and much more. The items were amazing, they were final projects for trade schools used to graduate.

Then the driver took us to the base of the mountain were we walked the rest of the way, it was a difficult task for Richard and myself, we have already decided we are going to have to change our fat and lazy ways to keep up with our growing family. The walk up the mountain was probably about a mile or maybe a little more ( it seemed more like 10 to Richard and me but we may be bias). At our destination our host's ( family of our friend) had a large meal prepared, 4 courses not including bread and a meat platter, they had a 5th course but we were able to delay that one a few hours. We rolled away from the table and out to a different part of the cabin were our friends sister in law was making Ukrainian Easter eggs, this is a long and detailed process requiring dye and wax and several stages.

We then proceeded 10 feet to a small ski area were we rented snow boards, boots and acquired lift tickets for all 5 kids for around 3 hours for the equivalent of $50.oo. The biggest issue the kids had was the lift was an older style that they were not used to, it required you pulling down on a red circle tied to a cord, placing the circle between your legs and leaning back so the circle worked as a seat and pulled you up the mountain. It seemed like such a basic concept but the kids just couldn't grasp it. Josh did manage to get up the mountain after a few small tumbles, Zac was next and when we switched Danny to skis he managed to get up, the girls opted to climb up the mountain after many failed attempts.

A journalist from a local publication was there and seem to take great delight in taking pictures of our children slamming face first into the snow, our childrens 15 minutes of fame may very well be in Ukraine as the silly Americans who can't work a ski lift. We apologize to America now for not representing you well on the ski slope.

After the skiing we ate our 5th course and had tea and then walked down the mountain ( the trip down was much easier then the way up) and drove to our friends brothers house for tea ( we have never eaten so much, you would have thought they were Italian ) Tea was fruit, bread and butter, pastry, nuts, cake and tea all in very large quantities.

Our day ended with dragging ourselves up our 5 flights of stairs ( we figure the elevator will start working the day after we leave) and falling into bed. It was a very good day.