Winter Get Away

This year our Pass of all Passes included free skiing and free snowboard or ski rentals.  We decided to take advantage of that and plan a ski trip with our neighbors the Hintze's.  We love the Hintze's.  Their kids match up perfect with ours and they all get along great.  The Stott's also met us up there on Wednesday.  I didn't have my camera out when they were there, but it was so fun meeting up with them.  

We had an amazing time.  I was so nervous beforehand because I've never been skiing before.  However, Amber was super sweet to teach Ashlyn and me and it ended up being so much fun.

This is the magic carpet that the beginners started at.  Ashlyn spent most of her time here.  She got so good that she could go up and down all by herself.   Funny story about the magic carpet.  My first time on it, I fell backwards while trying to get on.  I could not pull myself back up.  So I rode it up flat on my back.  I felt kind of dumb learning with the little four and five year olds.  But oh well, better late than never!!!

 Mickell and Aubrielle

 Kell is a natural.  By the end of the first day, she was going on all the big hills.  She loved being with her friends!!!

 Tanner and Braden

 Our cute friends, Amber and Chris

 Ashlyn did awesome.  For the most part she was super patient and had a great time.  There was only one meltdown on one of the days when her boot was hurting her.  But, nothing a quick break in the lodge didn't solve.

 Tanner did amazing on the snowboard.  He is definitely a fan.  Most of his conversations include the word "snowboarding" now.

                                                  

               
                                     
I'm proud to say I conquered my life long fear of getting off ski lifts.  The first time I was so sick to my stomach as I rode the lift up.  I had the person at the top stop the lift for me.  But after that, I was totally fine and didn't even fall once!!!

 Hailey was such a trooper.  We have a snowboard her size so she spent one and a half days trying to learn that.  She was so patient.  Baylen would take her up the lift and then try to teach her.  He said that she never got frustrated that it wasn't coming to her.  She would just sit down, eat a little snow, and then get back up again.  Part way through the second day, we decided to rent her some skis.  She went down the magic carpet hill once and then never looked back.  Within 10 minutes she was going up the lift and down the hills all by herself.

 We found an amazing deal on an awesome condo.  We got it for $75 a night with NO TAXES OR CLEANING FEES!!!  It ended up being perfect for our two families.   It had three bedrooms and a couch bed.  We ended up putting all the girls in the master suite.  They had a TV and king sized bed.  So, at night when we wanted to watch a grown up movie, they were set in the basement with their own movie.  We played lots of games, ate tons of yummy food, and spent time in the huge hot tub each night.  

Hopefully this trip will become a yearly tradition.  January and February tend to get a little dark and depressing, so it was a fun way to get a break and enjoy the outdoors and being with friends!