The Wrong Idea

 If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this post is worth five thousand words. Believe that? Me either. But in keeping with tradition, I do have a few words to add.

Pictures are great! Pictures are awesome! Pictures are deceptive. Pictures never ever ever tell the whole story. That's why, although pictures do contain an intrinsic narrative, they usually need some actual words to go along with them so that someone does not get the wrong idea. So that's what I am going to do; I am going to explain the photos. Wow, that sounds really boring. I'm actually amazed your still reading this. That was so boring I just fell asleep typing it. Snore.

WAKE UP!!!

 Okay, now that I have your full and undivided attention (actually I am fully aware that you just tweeted six times in the time it took me to type that last sentence. I get it.), Let's take a look at a couple of photos. As background, let me start with the fact that our family has been skiing together for a couple of years now. This is Trinity's fourth and Teagan's second ski season. It is a waiting game for sure, a process that will test the patience of even the most laid back person in the world. But the kids are coming around, one chairlift ride at a time. Now, on to the photos!

Picture #1: Teagan

Picture #2: Trinity

Before you read on, please think about these two images. Compare them. Contrast them. See what I mean? You have NO IDEA what these pictures are about. Okay, yes. They're about my kids skiing. You got me there. But did you know, for instance, that picture #1 is Teagan in the meadow below the lodge at our local mountain (Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort) after a pretty successful run? Did you know that picture #2 is of Trinity right in the middle of a run, about halfway down the mountain? Ha! I thought not.

But here's the thing, unless you have been following me on social media, you would likely have the wrong idea. A child at the end of a successful run is likely to be happy. A child sitting in the snow smack dab in the middle of a run is likely to be frustrated. That's where you'd be dead wrong. It is interesting though (and maybe only to me) that they both have the same body position and posture, making it very hard to tell what the heck is going on.

In fact, Teagan made a pretty successful run down the mountain, with minimal crashing and not much assistance from me, only to unravel once the run was complete. He refused to move. He refused to get up. He refused to ask for help. It was a 10 minute standoff (with an audience I might add, we were in full view of the lodge. Thanks kid.) that ended with me taking his skis and walking back to the lodge alone, leaving him to make his own way into the warm lodge.

It all had started out so well...

On the flip side Trinity was skiing a harder run through powder, dodging small trees and the like. She was whooping and hollering most of the way. Picture #2 is actually her just taking a break because her legs were tired from skiing the "pow-pow". She was happy as a clam!

Some tracks are deeper than others...and more fun!

So there you have it, a good lesson about leaving too much unsaid. Come to think of it, I should apply that lesson to my marriage. Wait, that is DEFINITELY for another time. Mind your own business! Wait, I digress. Talk about your photos. Don't make me guess. I'm a horrible guesser with a vivid imagination. Bad combination to be sure. Just for fun though, I'll leave you with one more picture:

Yes, that's my wife shoveling snow in her running shorts. Yes, it was really cold. Yes, I took the photowhile sitting inside the warm house in my pajamas drinking what is likely my third cup of coffee. Don't judge though, I've never been much of a morning person...and she volunteered!