When we decided to try homeschooling the kids this year, one  benefit to that decision was our ability to make really good use of our season’s passes at Sun Peaks. 

We wanted to push ourselves and the kids on the trails and to see some health benefits to pushing hard.  Since really committing to this in early January, we’ve begun to see some progress.  Four of us are experiencing looser clothes while we still try to stuff Stephen full of more food.

It’s had it’s ups and downs.  A few viruses held a couple of us up for a week so getting back at it seemed like re-building the progress we’d made.  Also, some of us are really enthusiastic about sking and some of us aren’t. (You’ll notice I’m being rather vague here…privacy thing).

We’ve been timing how fast we, as a family, can ski from the top of the Holy Cow, down to the Moose Track and then back up to the warming Hut.  In the beginning bout three of us could do it in 65 minutes while the remainder needed an extra 10 minutes.  I’m happy to say that today we all made it to the hut in less than 50 minutes.  While not always singing on the trails, those of us who were unenthusiastic are pushing harder and lasting longer.  Great stuff!  We are now stopping for lunch and a rest, and tackling the trails above the hut. 

At the same time we sat down with the kids and looked at Canada’s Food Guide.  We talked about the food groups and portion sizes.  We’ve all been watching that.  After following the recommended amounts on the guide and GAINING weight, even with our exercise regimen, Chris and I have scaled back portion sizes for all of us.   I’d sure like to hear if anybody else thinks the servings are both too large, and too numerous.  We both understand the portion sizes and have not been overestimating what they indicate.  We seem to have found a balance to healthy eating and giving ourselves and the kids treats.

All in all we are sking at least three times a week; sometimes four.  School takes up the other times;however, the physical part of school is reining supreme right now.

Here are a few photos of us on the trails.