Another vacation is in the books. After several summers of enjoying Lake Michigan, we decided to switch things up and enjoy Michigan in the winter. We drove up north for three days of skiing.

The weather was almost perfect. We spent the first morning on the practice slopes, getting used to our skis and the feel of the equipment. It was 90 minutes of new experiences and fleeting frustration. Heavy rains filled the afternoon hours, keeping us together in the cottage and giving our minds time to process the lessons of the morning.

Benedict had a ski lesson for 2.5 hours on the morning of Day 2. I did a YouTube ski lesson, courtesy of REI, and spent the same period of time practicing my skills. After a total of about two hours on the skis between the two days, I was ready to take the lift and give the beginner courses a go.

Throughout the day, bands of lake effect flurries moved through the mountain. They created the perfect atmosphere for the winter fun outside. It was bitterly cold, but the only parts that felt it were my fingers and exposed face. Not bad for mid-February up north.

Alison and I skied a few runs together, some more successful than others. Like learning to fly, each repetition offered a chance for more practice, and to reinforce good fundamentals. I fell many times, but the more I focused on maintaining speed and suppressing panic, the better I did.

Gliding through the open forest, on a wide path of snow, was fun. Although the course designers did a poor job of keeping beginners separate from experts, getting into the super wide avenues where multiple runs converged was beautiful. Each skier and snowboarder weaved in and out of each other, at different speeds, rhythmically and melodically. If it was possible to take the scene and set it to a musical score, it would win many Grammys.

After his morning lesson, Benedict was confident and ready to play. As we rode up the training magic carpet together, he told me that skiing was now, “All fun and games!” Time after time, he’d ride to the top, ski down the slope, cut a sharp u-turn to the magic carpet and repeat. He loved to do it with his family, but he was also content to go alone. Many times I’d look at the magic carpet and see a short little boy, standing alone, waiting patiently for his next run.

Felicity had a lesson in the afternoon, and Lucy even let herself have fun. It was hours in the training park. Although the adults were skilled enough to enjoy more challenging runs or ready for a change of scenery, it was lots of fun skiing with the kids.

After dark, with the kids in bed and in the care of their grandparents, Alison and I did some night skiing. The thrill seekers were all racing down the difficult trails, leaving Alison and I alone to enjoy the quiet beginner trails.

It was bitterly cold, so Alison and I enjoyed a few minutes warming up by an outdoor fire before heading back to the cottage.

The time went by fast, but we made good use of it. We spent most of Day 2 in our ski boots, practicing and playing in the snow.

I always aspire to spend more time outside, but it’s easier to reach that aspiration when there’s an activity to engage me. Although winter lends itself to spending days indoors enjoying the warmth of our homes, it’s good to get outside and play, too.