Ski Breck

While most people go somewhere warm for spring break, we escaped the heat and met up with my parents and sister's family for a ski-cation in Breckenridge, Colorado.

 Everyone keeps asking me how it was and I can only describe it in one word -- AMAZING! It was seriously perfect. So perfect that I've decided that Dustin and I are becoming ski instructors (you only have to be a level 5 skier, I checked!!) and our kids are going to grow up as ski bums. There was nothing cooler than being at the top of the mountain with my whole family.

After we drove up in a storm that caused the interstate to get shut down, we headed over to get all of our rentals for the week. 11 people getting skis, poles, boots and helmets. 5 of them under 12 and a baby running around in all of this. It was a crazy house. So much so that I lost Sadie at one point and in my search for her left my purse without realizing it until 9 pm that night (luckily it was all there the next morning -- thank you for that tender mercy).

It took two trips to get it all back to the check-in place at the condos, but we ordered pizzas, got unpacked and all was well in the world.

The Marriott condos are right at the base of the slope, so we could ski in and ski out. It was the cushiest set up ever. Plus there was always a hot chocolate bar, popcorn, fresh baked cookies, movie and ice cream nights for the kids, games and DVDs galore. Everyone who worked there was so sweet and kind to all the kids and our families. They even offered to go pick up our dinner for us.

The next morning we were up bright and early to get everyone suited up and all the kids into ski lessons bright and early. My parents spoiled us all by putting the kids in with private instructors. The kids learned to ski and the parents got time to go ski by themselves. It was perfect. Ellie, Nate and Sadie had Abe for two full days and Luke and Livy went with Miss Sarah for 4 days.

 

Words cannot describe how much we loved our ski instructors. They told jokes, ate lunch with us, sent pictures throughout the day, taught the kids to ski so well that we don't even have to worry about them, but more importantly -- made the kids love skiing. Luke keeps asking if Miss Sarah can come and visit him in Arizona.

 

The great thing about Breck is that there really is no bunny hill (unless you're Luke and Livy size), so the kids went straight up the mountain. Dustin and I got to tag along with them after lunch (and cut in all the lines). I couldn't believe how well they were skiing after just a few hours.

The second day everyone was excited to get back on the slopes. We ran into the kids at the top of one of the lifts and got to grab some hot cocoa with them. We finally ran into my parents that morning and did some runs with them too. They were amazing. I hope I ski that well when I'm 60!

After lunch we skied with the kids again for awhile. They showed me all of the fun kid's parks with tunnels and bridges.

 

By the third day the kids were ready to ski with us, while Luke and Livy were ready to tackle the mountain. They were so excited to go up on the "flying couch." It took them an hour to get down the mountain, but they made it!

Dustin and I had so much skiing with our oldest 3. They never fell and got on and off the lifts like pros. We went on tree runs and through some steeper trails to get them ready for skiing blue runs.

Nate was dying to try so I begged Dustin to take Nate later that afternoon.  Ellie and Kathleen headed in, so it was just me and my Sadie girl for a little bit that afternoon.

 

 It was so much fun to listen to everything she had to say while we rode up the lift. Meanwhile, Nate was getting ready for his first of many blues. He did great, didn't fall once and became an addict. He was obsessed with riding the "Mercury Super Lift." He told me, "I just like the way it sounds. Mercury. . . SUPER. . .lift."

After 3 full days of skiing and a snow storm coming in, we decided to take Saturday off. We went sledding in the morning and to see a movie in the afternoon.

Sunday we were on babysitting duty for Kyle and Kathleen's girls, so we took all 6 kids swimming. It was all kinds of gorgeous to be swimming outside at the base of a mountain surrounded by snow. I actually stayed in the hot tub most of the time despite the pool being heated.

We spent the afternoon in the game room pulling out every possible game possible and getting out every.single.game.piece.

As a thank you to my parents for all their planning and spoiling, we took everyone out for dessert and to the Ice Castle that night.

 We actually went when it was light out to explore and take picture and then came back after the sun went down to see it all lit up.

Monday was our last day skiing. It was slightly sad, but the best day of all. Luke and Livy made it down the mountain three times and even got to ski with Ripperoo!

We saw them a few times and I just about died at their cuteness. I am obsessed with the thought of putting Luke in non-stop school so he can be one of those 5 year olds skiing like an expert down the black runs.

My parents ended up taking the girls on a few runs, Dustin and Nate went off to do the blue and Kyle and I headed off to do our own skiing.

But in the end, it was Nate that outlasted all of us. He is officially the biggest ski fan of all of us. It was one of those trips that you never wanted to be over and everyone was sad when we had to drive home. Perhaps us most of all because we had a 14 hours drive ahead of us. I already cannot wait for next year.