The Alpine Mountains

Hello everyone, and YES you read that ^^^ correctly... 

Today, I went with my two little cousins, host dad, and uncle to the Alps in a city called Madesimo! 
IT was soo incredibly gorgeous. I just stood there for a while looking at all the different levels of the peaks. I was a little sad while going up the ski lift thinking about how this is my grandparents dream and how I got to live it out. Here's to you Grandma Dee and Grandpa Gary to teaching me to rough it ;) I love camping and hiking and the wilderness because of you guys! :) <3 And for all you other readers out there who aren't in my family, check out my grandma's blog at ndeewoods.blogspot.com

So, anyway, back to skiing today! It was so gorgeous, but since I have only skiied twice in my life, one being when I was around 7 and the other two years ago, I am not that skilled of a skier. I fell many upon many times. I have a bruised but and some very sore knees. But despite the many falls, I had a great time. At the end, my host dad to me up to the highest point we were allowed to go (it was very windy, so we could not go any farther up) and I was very afraid of the next hill because it was very very steep and I didn't have my ski-legs yet ;)

Now, the slopes here are a little different than I have skiied before in Michigan and California. In America, the slopes are more compacted (the snow) and for the most part flat. Now before I have skiied red, blues, and a black, today, I was having trouble on both red and blue. The snow here is not groomed. It is icy in some areas and loose in other areas with a lot of bumps Very very difficult for the first time out. 

However, like I said before, despite the multiple falls and extreme fear, I always kept getting up and I hope that I will be able to go again to practice more and hopefully be able to go down without fear. <3 
Now some pictures...

 Gorgeous morning. Woke up at 6:15!!

 Ricardo, me, and Lorenzo :) <3 Love my little cousins!

 There they are. The Alps. 

 The slopes! :)

 Waiting for the food to come! :D

 My flag and my mountains <3

 I'm lovin' this <3 And yes, I got a haircut :) This year is supposed to be about change, right?

Going up through the clouds. I believe the highest I went for the day was about 2,589 meters :) Wowzers!

Well, Thanks for reading and looking at all the pictures!! <3 

~Shelby Janae