There are some activities that the idea sounds fun until the work begins and then I question whether it is really fun or not. Skiing is one of those activities. I like the idea of it, I hate the getting ready and putting away of it. The actual activity of skiing is fun. I don't like to drive up there but love being a passenger.  It's a three day activity at our house. One day to get ready, find the gear, check out the gear, organize the gear, clean out the car, pack the car, and grocery shop. The day of skiing, getting dressed, make the lunch and possibly dinner, loading the car full of kids, driving, skiing, and unloading is the next day. Finally day three or four, is unpacking, drying out the gear, organizing the gear, putting it away, and cleaning out the car and cooler. It sounds like a lot of work and it is. The trick is to get the kids to do most of it. If they want to ski, then they need to be doing the work. That said, John and I are still overseeing to make sure that it is all done properly.  We can't be going up to Mount Baker and realize that Isaac's diabetes set doesn't work and we need to come home or that the bindings on the snowboard don't fit the child's boots or even that there isn't a pair of extra gloves because the first ones are wet. However, when the days on the volcano are beautiful and you can almost ski without a coat because it's 45+ degrees up there and everyone is happy and come home exhausted, it makes all that work worth it.