Snapshots of Spring Break

We're back!

Actually, we've been back since Thursday, but I spent Friday doing laundry, running errands, and snuggling my children, and we went to the Rodeo on Saturday, and then there was this new series of books I started when we flew to Denver last Sunday and thanks to the instant gratification of a Kindle I was able to finish the fifth and final one this morning after church (yes, the irony of returning from church and immediately putting your children to bed so you can dive back into a book about demons... also ironic? singing Rihanna's "S&M" under your breath as you walk into the sanctuary only to stop abruptly when you realize what you're saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me..." - actually, that's more inappropriate than ironic). Anyway, so what I'm saying is I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted, but I've been half busy and half hiding from the world (and my blackberry) until both are forced back on me tomorrow. This week has been awesome- almost in the same league of awesome as maternity leave. I've been able to really unplug, forget I'm a full-time attorney, and just ski, read addictive books, and sleep. Possibly one of my best Spring Breaks ever- at least under my new, post-college definition of awesome spring breaks.

The rest of the adult family ski trip was fabulous. My only fall was the one on the South Bowl that first day, reinforcing my decision to stay on groomed runs (and avoid moguls- I hate moguls, they make me think too hard when I just want to ski).

the original three, in birth order

My ski boots beat the crap out of my shins the first day- it was so bad that the first run on the second day actually made me cry halfway down and I do not have a low threshold for pain. I sucked it up, but let myself quit a little early that afternoon, curling up in a chair in the empty condo to finish off the 2nd of my demon books. I'd never thought I'd be okay with leaving the slopes early, but I still see that afternoon as its own kind of success.

at Starfire, a very fast, favorite run

By the third day, my shins were better, and I skied with the group until the end when I splintered off with JP to watch him do a jump at the terrain park. A jump he swears he had mastered that morning, but which he fell on, hard, as I watched from about 5 yards away. I was close enough to see his face twist in pain as he landed on his neck and then skidded several yards down the slope. I was frozen until he stopped sliding, sat up, and punched the snow- I think he was mad that he messed up the jumpy thing while I was watching, but I was so relived he wasn't paralyzed that I skied over and nearly punched him for scaring me like that. We skied down the rest of the mountain together and called it a day.

Danger.

On that final night, my dad surprised everyone with a trip to the top of the second mountain for dinner at the "highest AAA four diamond restaurant in North America" - the Alpenglow Stube. A surprise I had helped coordinate before we left (I'm the details person in my family, not sure who I got it from). It was a fancy, fabulous meal and a great way to cap off the trip. Dinners like that are a very special treat in my family and I was so happy it was every bit as good as we'd been promised.

full group, one more gondola ride to go before dinner

We got home at 4:30 on Thursday, in plenty of time to pick up the kids from daycare-- a pick-up that I think we were more excited about than them. Oh, they were excited, Landon raced over for a hug as soon as he saw us. But then he turned around and raced back to the playground to finish whatever superhero game he was playing with his friend. Claire was also super excited, before squirming out of my arms to continue crawling fast and furious around her room. We forced a few more bear hugs on them and headed home for dinner and unpacking.

After all that was done and the kids were in bed, I turned on my big camera to find a few pictures my aunt and uncle had taken while we were gone:

My uncle, engineer, Air Force Academy grad, and pilot, making sure he understands all
the intricacies of Candy Land before playing

After crazy hair day at daycare

My grandparents (my mom's/uncle's parents) came to visit

I think this is my aunt trying on The Shoes; thank goodness my feet are way bigger than hers
because their allure is strong and she might have had to take them back to Atlanta with her.

The kids had a great time with their great aunt and uncle (or "my parents" as Landon keeps calling them; I've tried to explain that JP and I are his parents, but he quickly corrects me with, "no, you're my mommy and daddy" and then shakes his head and moves on). And seeing as how we came home to happy kids, a clean house, and freshly laundered linens, I'd say his "parents" did a pretty fantastic job taking care of their temporary children. They insist the kids were "so easy" and they had a lot of fun spending 5 days with them in Austin, and I hope they're telling the truth, because that means I don't have to feel guilty for having such a great time!