Monday, March 14, 2011

One of My Favorite Places on Earth

We made it. We're here, we're skiing, and it is awesome.



We flew in yesterday, met my parents and siblings at the airport in Denver, and drove to Keystone. We picked up our ski rentals, loaded a cart full of groceries to make all of our meals, and unpacked in my dad's co-worker's beautiful condo (ski-in/ski-out, something we've never been privileged to experience before; it's spoiling me). JP and I took my family out for pizza as a thank you for providing the lift tickets, and then we went to bed early with plans to hit the slopes as soon as the mountains opened.



(JP, me, and my baby siblings)


And we did. My family skis hard and skis fast, and I was a little concerned that I'd lost my touch after 6 years off the slopes, 2 babies, and a 4 years out of the gym. But I need not have worried. I can still hack it, and while I won't go through the trees anymore (it makes my heart pound to think of some of the stuff we used to do), I can handle black diamonds just fine.



(me and my sis after hiking up the Outback)


We hiked up to the Outback and skied down the South Bowl. It's steep and ungroomed and I had a huge wipe-out which resulted in a nearly runaway ski. It was captured and I got it back on, even with the steep incline, but I skied pretty slowly until we got back onto normal terrain. JP did the bowl again, but I decided groomed runs are a better place for me now.



I've been asked a few times if it was so hard to leave the kids, and while it probably makes me sound bad (please see pretty much every post since 2008 to see how much I love them), the answer is, "No." It was not hard at all. They're totally healthy (thank goodness), they're being doted upon by a loving great-aunt and uncle, and everyone is fine. Is anyone as good at caring for them as JP and I are? Probably not. Are they being cared for with all the love my aunt and uncle have for them? Yep, and they are doing great. I think it's nothing but good that they can be so comfortable in another's care, and it's nothing but good that JP and I can spend a whole day racing each other down a mountain, flirting on a ski lift, and having a blast pointing out every single thing we know Landon will just love as soon as we can take him skiing.

I miss them. I can't wait to bring them here. I know I'm going to want the plane to fly extra fast once we're on our way home to them. But I'm having a really wonderful time hanging out with JP, my parents, and my now grown-up siblings (siblings I can actually hang out with because I don't need to get up early with my kids). My body is so exhausted it feels almost numb, my shins are beaten and bruised from my ski boots, and I'm having the time of my life. This is my first "original family" vacation since I was 20 and I'm so, so glad JP and I can be here with them.

8 comments:

  1. It sounds wonderful! You're making me miss CO for sure. I had a friend in high school who lived in a ski in/ski out condo and it was awesome.

    Just curious, is JP a snowboarder?

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  2. Glad you're having such a great time!

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  3. Enjoy darling! Loving your babies does not require being with them 24/7. They are in good hands, and your uncle and aunt gave you a wonderful gift by agreeing to take care of them.

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  4. I've gone on some longer business trips (~1 week), and i've felt the same way about leaving my baby. I love him and i'll miss him when I think about it... but knowing they are in good hands provides peace of mind to let go of any mommmy-guilt! I'm so glad to have someone else say this, it makes me feel like i'm not a terrible person.

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  5. That sounds like so much fun! Enjoy your well-earned vacation! :)

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  6. Thanks everyone! And yes, Chiconky, JP is a die hard snow boarder. We had quite a discussion today on one of the lifts regarding whether Landon would start out learning to ski and then switch to snow boarding if he wanted (my idea) or just start out on the board because it's so much better and why would anyone want to ski anyway (JP's contribution). The decision is at least 2 years off, but it seems to me that the little guys do better on the skis at first.

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  7. Hi LL! That scenery is absolutely stunning and you look like you're having a wonderful time!

    I am a beginner skiier but I'm in my late 20s, so I am unfortunately beyond being fearless :) Did you start out skiing as a kid? Any thoughts or advice for an adult beginner regarding how to conquer fear? Wish I had started out when I was really, really young like Landon will... :)

    Thanks and enjoy your trip!

    -D

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