My apple tree

It's been said that the wind must have been blowing awful hard in Russia to carry that little apple from a tree WAAAAYY over there to the apple tree here, because it seems like my little apple didn't fall far from my tree.  I've always been "that girl".  The one who played with the boys and got scraped and bruised in the process but came home to dinner time tales of having beat Danny in a bike race down "killers hill" or climbed the highest in the pine tree playing hide and seek.  For me trying my best and going as fast as I could has always been my forte.  I didn't always win and the bruises might have been to my ego from time to time but I learned to be a modest winner who loved sport for love of the game and the feeling at the end of the day.  Whatever I did I did with a smile and the best prize was my coaches hand on my shoulder thanking me for working so hard. It's been that way with the little Russian since he's been home.  He just trys so very hard and those around him never go without noting the amazing smile constantly plastered on his face.  Nothing makes my heart soar more than seeing him smile and enjoy the things I love and his huge smile gets even bigger when I tell him how proud I am of him.

Corbin strapped on his skis for the first time before Christmas and it's been down hill from there.  Never without a smile, he tries his best every time out.  He's skied with me and took a set of lessons that culminated with me in happy tears as I watched him, his teacher Ed, and his ski school buddy Ian ride away from me on the chair lift.  After that came a crash course in me loading Corbin on and off the chair as I got to ski on the big hill with my boy.  I'm so very very proud of him.  Sorry for the video that might make you a little dizzy at times - my backwards skiing is coming along.  The only thing you'll miss seeing is the matching smile on MY face.   How did we end the day??? With PIZZA of course!  Me and C... we're going to make some incredible memories and miles in this life - I feel like we're off to a spectacular start!
Oh yeah - footnote: the term "Making Pizza" for kids learning to ski means pushing their heels out while keeping the tips of their skis together resulting in the shape of a slice of pizza which helps them to control their speed and turn.  ;-) otherwise known as a "snowplow".