it's official -

I AM A SKIIER!

i will be very honest and say that, while i was looking forward to coming to France, i was NOT looking forward to skiing. at all, really. i haven't skiied in over 10 years, but did some snowboarding a few years ago - badly, i might add - which took place in Duluth, Minnesota, which has no mountains of any sort, and just a really big hill that you can ski down in 3 minutes. we arrived in Geneva, Switzerland last Thursday night, and let me tell you - these mountains are freaking HUGE. the next day we went and rented my skis and i kept wondering...how are we going to get to the chair lift from the house? cause here's what i'm thinking - i haven't skiied in at least 10 years. we won't all fit in the Land Cruiser to go down to park and THEN get on the lift. the lift is downhill from the house.

do you see where this is going? my first day on skiis in a long, long time i had to ski all the way down the mountain to the chair lift. i think i fell about 53 times in a 1 mile stretch.

but, it got easier, and i took private lessons with Pascall - yes, he was French, and i kept wanting to call him Gaston - and there is currently a CAT in this hotel lobby, umm... - but i took the lessons, and six days later, my friends -

i was on the black slopes! you can bet i have been BRAGGING. thing is, though, they're not that hard. they're just a bit steeper and longer. in fact, my three kids have been going down them, including Sixten, the 4 year old. he snowplows the whole way down, it's so adorable to watch his little body go careening past adults on these slopes :)

i guess you could say that's been the good part of the trip - i've gotten to see a different part of France, rediscover skiing, and see some incredibly gorgeous scenery. but on the downside, it's also been one of the MOST boring weeks of my life. no kidding. the family's house - which is like something out of a magazine, the decorating is beautifully rustic and cabin-like - was supposed to have the Internet, but it turns out it wasn't turned on yet. i finished the ONE book i brought by Tuesday, and i've also read every.single.magazine in the whole place. the TV is constantly occupied by Kasper and Joakim, who have been playing Need for Speed nonstop. so, that really doesn't leave much...

i discovered a really gorgeous lodge down the street from the house that has wireless internet, though, so i've been coming here to sit in their lobby and drink vin chauds (hot wine) and check my email. it's actually pretty relaxing, despite the fact that i have to walk 2 miles uphill to get back home.

i've taken lots of pictures, so i should have those up by next week. i hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!