Colorado fun

This year, we finally decided to head to Colorado to go skiing. We hadn't done this in about 5 years and when our friends in IN asked if we wanted to go (and offered to babysit our kids while we skied), we jumped at the chance (I mean really, how can you turn that down?!). Then....I started to think about the hassle with a new baby, the travel arrangements and such and started to think about backing out. Scott wanted to drive to save money and so we could bring our own gear and tried to convince me that Blake could handle it if we split the drive up two days there and back. I wasn't convinced--I just couldn't do that to Blake--it was too far. I said that if we drove, we definitely weren't taking a bouncing toddler with us.

 

So, we searched for flights leaving from Chicago and Milwaukee b/c those would be the most reasonable, but the Milwaukee flight left so early...so did we get up super early with two kids and make the flight, or go spend the night in Milwaukee, thus defeating the purpose of why we were searching out of Milwaukee and Chicago. Then I decided to check Madison flights (for some reason, it didn't even cross my mind to do this b/c Madison is so small), and found out they were the same price as Milwaukee!!! Yea!!! I was still a little hesitant to buy them since I was pregnant and had not yet met our new baby and didn't know if he/she would be fussy, premature, etc.

 

Well, turns out our Sadie is wonderful, and turns out flying with two kids isn't great either, but we made it work. Actually, I can't complain about the kids--they did great. It was my packing style that created the most stress. Blake is 2 now, so we had to buy him a ticket and with that comes a free carry-on and personal bag--yay! Also, diaper bags and car seats are free carry-ons. "Load 'em up!!" was my philosophy when packing b/c we were allowed 3 carry-ons, 3 personal bags, 2 free diaper bags, and 2 car seats! That makes for 8 bags and two car seats. Well....I found out that Denver doesn't allow the carts past security and even though we can get all that CRAP to the gate, doesn't mean it is easy to get it on the plane. The luggage was definitely the biggest stressor for me. It was so much stuff, so heavy, and all done trying to keep track of a toddler and carry an infant. Blake was great, but dang his fear of escalators and moving sidewalks!!!!! I actually had to carry him, along with this other stuff, while we rode the escalator. By the way, forward facing car seats are not easy to lug around!! Found out later that car rental agencies rent them out...should have checked that out!

 

Through all of this, we found that there is definitely some pity for cheapskates like ourselves. People lifted Blake onto the Tram between Denver terminals, held his hand so Mommy could take the moving sidewalk, held elevator doors (yes, we got smart about avoiding the escalators), offered to help carry luggage, didn't count or measure our carry-ons, and let us put his orange juice on their tray table b/c there wasn't room to put mine down while holding Sadie.

 

Fortunately, in Madison, we were the last people on the plane, so they had to check 3 of our bags (yay!!).

Unfortunately, the plane was unbearably hot, had turbulence, and didn't have the barf bag in the seat pocket of the seat in front of me. Yeah, thanks Frontier. Sorry about your blanket, Sadie!!

 

Fortunately, we didn't miss or have any of our flights canceled, like our friends in IN who ended up driving through the night to get there!

Unfortunately, I forgot Scott's cell phone in the rental car and we didn't have time to go get it before our flight left (they are charging an arm and a leg to send it to us though, so that's awesome). :)

 

Fortunately, we had new powder our second day of skiing and had an awesome day!!

Unfortunately, our last day of skiing gave me a glimpse of what a winter storm in the mountains could be like and that was the only day I brought my camera, so with the blowing snow and cold, I didn't pull it out, so...no beautiful mountain pictures :(

 

Fortunately, we had no major injuries!!

Unfortunately, I took a hard fall the last day and ended up with a pretty elbow and leg :)

 

Blake on the plane. He is actually whining here and starting to lean forward to escape the camera, but hey, it looks like a smile :) This was near the end of our flight back to Madison and it was definitely past his nap time!

One thing Blake loves to do is watch videos our ourselves on my camera, so I recorded him on the plane for him to watch over and over to pass the time while he had to have his seat belt fastened (which he HATED). Here is the video :)

 

Blake on the plane

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We started our trip spending the weekend (and a good part of Monday) with David and Kristi and Clara. The guys gave us gals a break and we headed to the gym for some swimming for me and cardio/weights for Kristi. It was really nice to get to the gym--it's been way too long! Then, we got the brilliant idea to give each other a date night! Scott and I went out on Saturday night while David and Kristi watched our kids and they went out on Sunday night while we watched Clara. Wish we lived closer so we could do this more often! We enjoyed our stay, David's hummus, Kristi's cooking, our date night, workouts, independent films (...or not :) ) and believe it or not, but we are one step closer to solving the health care dilemma, right David?? ;) j/k

 

When we got to the mountains, we found our bedroom and while I was feeding Sadie, Blake found his own toy. Here are a couple videos with Blake using Sadie's pacifier. We just got such a kick out of it, probably b/c Blake with a pacifier, even as an infant, is something we never really saw.

 

He doesn't even really know how to suck it--see his cheeks sucked in as he tries to hold it in his mouth, haha!

 

Yeah, this wasn't our only shot--Scott was obviously loving this :)

One of our babysitters :) LeaAnn loved to hold Sadie while she was crying and fell asleep with her a couple times :)

John making breakfast--him and LeaAnn kept us well fed in the mornings!

Debbie, our fellow gamer, and Scott

Mindy getting ready to hit the slopes!

Blake running around us while we got ready, Teddy Bear was along for the ride :)

Tasha getting ready--Blake is slightly obsessed with Tasha...well, at least Tasha on video. In person, he thought Tasha, Mindy, and Ariel were all Tasha. I guess you guys all DO look alike :)

Blake gave her a big hug, but then wouldn't reproduce it again for the camera, so Tasha grabbed him for the camera :)

Scott and his senior picture pose :)

Bonnie took over the lower kitchen to produce a fantastic meal on Thursday!!

 Scott and I took a day off from skiing to show Blake the joys of mountain snow. This was a serious sledding "hill" and with the thin mountain air, we were quite out of breath at the top. Scott took Blake up and this was his reaction:

Blake sledding in CO

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Yeah...we weren't surprised. Two things that Blake has refused to budge on are his fear/disdain for vacuum cleaners and sleds. Oh well, we'll definitely try again!! :)

Trying to get a smile out of the kid

Our sledding "hill"

Our lodging

There's a smile!!!!!

Wheee, Mommy is having so much fun!! (Not :) )

Scott making his way up. First time down w/o Blake, Blake was upset that Daddy was sledding. After that, we made a big deal about going down and how fun it was, and then he laughed as we went down. Still wouldn't budge on getting on the sled himself, though.

Scott going over the jump. See, Blake's not stupid. :)

Making a huge deal about it for Blake :)

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Me and my Blakers

My turn down!

Snow sucks. I'm getting out of here.

Debbie with our little Sadie :) Sadie got a little spoiled here...:)

Ariel's first time using a gas stove!! Had to document this. Her first meal on the gas stove? French toast, Whitsitt style.

Me and Mindy in front of an ice sculpture

Me and Ariel in front of the ice sculpture train. Too bad Blake wasn't here! This was our last day skiing when it was too cold and windy for me to last long, so we checked out the Keystone shops.

In the evenings, we played games, had devotionals with some singing, and just enjoyed each other's company. Several people really struggled with the altitude, so that was unfortunate, but by Wed people were starting to feel better, as long as they kept hydrated. Scott and I skied Keystone and A-basin, with several of the others hitting up Breckenridge. The snow was a little sparse the first day, but then we got a few inches and it was great the rest of the time!

It was a great bunch of people and we hope to do it again! When we arrived in Madison, there had been some ice, snow was a few days old, so really dirty, and lots of leafless trees. A far cry from the beautiful CO mountains and evergreen trees with freshly fallen snow, but it was still good to be home :)