Family Day Vacation 2013!

I think we kind of started a tradition last year, by going away for the long weekend in Kalispell. We had fun and decided to do it again this year. This time, my parents came, again, and Megan, David, Brent, Tiff and Keira and Cody and Emily and their cute little family. I packed up Friday morning and went and go the girls from school at around 10:30am. Then we were off.

We drove down with Cody and Emily. Once we crossed the border we did a little switch a roo! Mary came with us and Abbi went with them. Then later, Cadence went in with them too. Mary and DJ had a little snooze together and then had fun coloring and talking to each other! So cute!

We did a little shopping and then met up with Brent, Tiff, Megan and Keira. We then headed to Meadow Lake Resort. The kids were beyond excited about going swimming. So we had a quick supper of hot dogs and then we went swimming. The pool was cooler then I would of liked, but it didn`t slow the kids down. The hot tub was outside. We swam for about an hour. Oh funny thing. When we got to the club house we walked in together with Cody and Em. The guy stood there and was like, `Holy cow, did you guys come in a bus or something, that`s a lot of kids!` We laughed. It was a kind of funny. There were four adults and 7 kids 7 and under!

We had rented out 3 units. We had one that we shared with mom and dad (they got in later that night, with David). Then Cody and Em had one with David and Megan. Then Brent and Tiff had a little studio unit that was attached to Cody and Em`s. So it worked out perfect.

The plan was to wake up early Saturday morning and be on the road by 8:15am. It worked out perfect. We were all on our way to Black Tail Mountain. It was about an 1hr and 15min drive. We got up there and hurried to get the kids into some skiing lessons. So we got them outfitted first and walked them out to their instructor. Our girls and Ali were in the same class. DJ was having a moment and didn`t want to try. Cadence was crying and didn't want me to leave her. Richard stayed for a bit and I left. Then she was fine.

Ali, Abbi, Cadence and Brianna meeting their ski instructors.

My 3 cute girls ready to learn to ski!!

We took off and skied for the morning. Cody, Brent, Richard and I were all on skis, and Megan and David were snowboarding. So we had fun skiing together. I can`t remember the last time we all did that together. There were a lot of laughs! It was a good time. Emily joined up with us in the afternoon. She spent the morning in a lesson for a refresher course!

Cody and I went and checked on our girls. Then we skied a few more runs. They were all doing so good. I was shocked at how well they caught on. They were having a blast. It was funny to see them skiing together. At one point Abbi and Ali and another random kid ended up in a dog pile at the top of the tow rope. It was pretty funny. An instructor had to run up and untangle them!

Abbi going up the tow rope.

Cadence grabbing onto the tow rope.

Ali, Brianna (in pink), and Cadence (in purple) all on the tow rope. Abbi is at the very top ready to come down.

Abbi going up the tow rope and the other 3 waiting in line with their instructor.

Abbi and Cadence standing in line for the tow rope. I love their happy smiles! Especially Cadence's toothless grin!

The girls were all excited to show off their stuff! Brianna would fly down the hill and then do her snow plowing to stop. Cadence was very cautious, but was in control and did very good. Abbi would just take off then wipe out and get up and do it again. She was a bit crazy. The instructor came up and told me that they were all doing awesome. She said that Abbi and Brianna would probably be ok to try the bigger bunny hill. But she would leave Cadence on the tow rope. It was fun to watch and cheer them on! They loved it too!

Abbi coming down.

Cadence on her way down, with Ali following behind her.

Here comes Abbi and Ali!

Brianna coming down the hill. They taught the girls to always have their hands out in front while they are skiing. Brianna always had her hands out.

Love Abbi's happy smile here! She was so happy and wanted to show everyone how she was skiing!

Brianna was so excited to be skiing, can ya tell?! So dang cute!

Cadence was a little more calm and cautious but she still had a lot of fun!

Abbi and Brianna coming down the hill.

We all went in for lunch and Richard`s parents surprised us! So they ate with us and then Eric came skiing with us. We took the girls back out to the tow rope hill, where my dad was there to help them and Shelly went out too. They weren`t in a class for the afternoon. But they pretty well had it mastered. I went to go skiing and DJ attached himself to me and started crying. I tried to leave and he started screaming his head off. So I went back into the lodge with him. I got him settled down with a cup of hot chocolate and playing a game. Then I was able to sneak out.

Cadence was getting so tired. I gave her hug and had her go finish her lesson. She had 10 minutes left!!! Thanks Megan for taking a couple pictures with me in them!! ha ha!

This was when DJ wouldn't let me leave. So we walked out to watch the girls for a minute. Mary and Grandma came with us!

Brianna and Cadence heading down the hill!

I went and asked Abbi if she wanted to go down the big hill with me. So I put on the harness I borrowed and away we went. We fell a few times but she did awesome. I was so excited. I learned quickly not to yell out, `you`re going to fast Abbi, snow plow. Because then she would just sit down and I almost ran her over the first time. Good thing I can stop fast! So I was showing her how to go back and forth. By the 2nd time she was doing better and was little bit more in control of herself. It was a lot of fun. She was pretty wiped by the time we went down twice.

We got back up to the top and went to go find Brianna. They had just come into the lodge from skiing. I asked if she wanted to come. I was a bit excited to try with her. But she was done. She finally folded her arms and stuck her little lips out at me and told me NOT TO ASK AGAIN! Ok, I got the message! Ha ha! They were all very tired. So I did a few more runs with Eric and I called it good too. We all had a good time!

The girls were all busy coloring.

A bunch of us hanging out in the lodge.

More of our big group.

A family picture just as we were leaving the hill.

A crazy picture of us.

We started driving back down the mountain and DJ fell asleep right away. It was only 3:30pm. So I didn`t think it was a big deal. I`d wake him up when we got back to the condos. We got there around 4:30 and I couldn't wake him up. I kind of did but then he just started freaking out and screaming for me. He wasn't awake. So I sat on the bed with him and he fell back to sleep. So I let him sleep. But by the time 6:30pm came around I was a little bit concerned. This is not like my DJ to sleep so much, he doesn`t even have naps anymore. I woke him up and had to deal with his screaming for about 10 mins. Then he was fully awake and as happy as ever! We ate some pizza for supper and then took all the kids swimming.

This boy was so tired!!

Abbi and Brianna watched a movie in the back, and Cadence played on the Ipad.

Brianna and Cadence snuggling with Grandma Spencer, while we waited for our pizza.

My girls were wiped. We got back from swimming and gave them some showers and did their hair. Then it was bed time for them. They were gone within 5 minutes. It was pretty cute. DJ was NOT tired.....at all! He wasn't tired for a very long time! I went to bed before he did. Crazy boy. I took him over to Cody and Em's and we played some games with everyone. He just hung out with us. He then went back and watched some slam dunking contests on TV. He thought that that was the best thing ever! He kept showing us, days after, how to slam dunk a ball! He finally went to sleep just before midnight.

On Sunday, we had a relaxing morning, and a yummy breakfast. Then we all got ready and went to Sacrament Meeting in Columbia Falls. All my girls were complaining that their arms and back hurt. Every time Abbi went to put her arms up she would grab them and say, "Oui"! It was cute. They all had sore muscles from the day before.

We hung out as a family afterwards, and finished eating all the pizza for lunch. We talked and laughed. Then we took the kids swimming one more time. I was the only adult that went in the water. The kids all had so much fun swimming around. The girls are getting so good and swimming. DJ had a blast too. That is, till it was time to go. Then he freaked out, over his shoes. He started screaming his head off. That's how we left with him. We got back at the condo and he was still screaming. So Richard stayed in the truck with him, while I took the girls in and got them dressed and myself dressed. Then I went out to help. The crazy kid screamed for at least 20 minutes. He kept telling me that he was too tired. I got him dressed and then we went out to dinner. We all met at Famous Daves for dinner. It was yummy and the service was great.

DJ loved the big cold pool. He refused to go in the hot tub!!

Our 3 girls swimming around.

Abbi showing us her cannon ball!

Brianna jumping in. This is a first, she always refused to get her head wet. So I'm not sure what changed, but she was jumping in and going under the water! Yeah Brianna!

DJ ready to go back to the condo!

It was a really fun trip. Monday morning we packed up right away and were out of there before 9am. We stopped at Shopko, and then Costco. The kids had a blast running around the stores. They were super excited about the movie projector that we got for a super deal in Shopko!

Abbi and DJ being silly in ShopKo!!

Brianna and Cadence wanted to join in on the fun!

We got a few things and then headed for home. The roads weren't the best, but not too bad. It had snowed during the weekend. It made the drive home really pretty though. We stopped in East Glacier for gas and potty break. Cadence was crying for a bathroom about 10 minutes before, but there was no where to stop. She made it though!

When we got home Richard had to pack up for camp and took off for Ventures camp till Wednesday. So it was me and the kids at home. We unpacked and cleaned up. Then I made supper and told the kids that if they helped clean up we could have a movie party afterwards. We bought a movie projector. They loved it. I put it on the wall and they all watched their movie. They all went to bed so good in their own beds.

Our cute little clan all comfy with their popcorn watching the movie.

We found out that Smurfs is a bit scary when its really big! They did fine till the end, then it was too much. I had to turn it off. It was one of the new movies we bought to watch!

It was a really fun weekend. I'm glad that everyone was able to make it. It was a blast. The girls still talk about skiing. I really want to take them skiing one more time before the season is over. It was a lot of fun!