Spring Break 2009!

Family ski vacations are alot of work.
Honestly, as I was clunking around in my ski boots, trying to get 5 kids into their own boots & gloves & helmets & goggles..........I couldn't help but think, "Why am I doing this?? We could be relaxing on a beach somewhere with only flip flops & sunscreen to worry about?!!!"
But.......I reminded myself of my vow to teach my kids to ski when they're young.......and this is probably Brian's favorite vacation........and what could I do about it now? We just drove 10 hours to get here!
Despite my inner groanings, we had a fabulous time.............even for a ski vacation.

Our rented cabin in Heber, Utah. It was dreamy. Basement game room & secret playroom under the stairs and a sweet sledding hill!!!

On the way to the Christensens for dinner, we had to pick up some of these babies. Ben's cookies. If you're ever at Gateway in Salt Lake, pick some up. It's a must!

Max catching some serious air.

Gus loved to sled..........as long as he could cover his eyes.........like this.

Post face-plant. Poor guy.

We're really into Risk these days.

Brian & I crack up at how Jake & Max have no killer instinct. They're so worried about making a move that will hurt someone else's feelings. They'll sacrifice themselves to not bum someone else out.............It's sweet, but I just don't think it's normal. We'll find ourselves saying, "Just look out for yourselves!" and "Don't worry about anyone else!" when normally you'd urge the opposite. Too funny!
Notice how I didn't mention Marlee. I think she got everybody else's killer instinct.

Don't mess with Mars.

No, really. Don't.

Look at what happened to my poor little Zane on the sledding hill.........

He was trying so hard to keep hold of this snowball that he lost control. Poor guy!

The annual St. Patrick's Day green pancakes!!!

.....with candy syrup (buttermilk syrup-our fave!)

We hung out at the cabin the first couple of days and played games & sledded & read & did an entire 1000-piece puzzle in one night! It was awesome!

Then we got three days of skiing in before we drove back home. Deer Valley, Alta, and Solitude.

Mars ripped it up!

She totally out-skis me.........which isn't too hard, I guess.

I see Zane with his ski school group, and I yell over to him, "Zane! How's it going?!"

And he yells, "Mom! You lied to me to get me out here!! J.R.'s not in my class!"

A bunch of instructors look at me & start laughing.

He's not a fan of ski school......or skiing for that matter.....yet.
So we had "mistakenly" told him his cousin J.R. would be in his class............and he could have his own box of Oreo Cakesters...........if he didn't cry or whine & did what he was told.

He did earn his Cakesters though. I was proud of him. The last day he & I skiied together the whole time & he was getting on & off the lift by himself. Big improvement.

Last year he got kicked out of ski school. They got a hold of us on our cell phone to tell us we need to pick up our child because "he won't cooperate & we don't have enough staff to deal with him." So you see why the bribery was necessary.

My little darling!

My favorite part of skiing! LUNCH!! Especially at Deer Valley.

Gus's first ski day.

He loved it!

He seriously cried when we took his boots off at the end of the day. And he called it "skeeting".

"I want to go skeeting!"

Taking a ride down the Magic Carpet.

We saw major improvement in Max over the 3 days. He can totally hang with the big people.

It is so fun to ski with these kids. I loved how Max would see me watching him ski & give me a big huge grin. Good times.

And Jake is becoming an awesome little skier.......and maybe a little too daring going through tree runs! He loves them!

The last day we met up with the Garns at Solitude & Marlee decided to try snowboarding for the first time. She caught on pretty quick, of course, and can't wait to do it again.

After our third ski day, we piled in the car & drove all the way home, pulling in at 3 in the morning........I wouldn't recommend it.

But a family ski vacation.......I would absolutely recommend it!

Long post, I know. One of these days I'll figure out how to do collages.