Vacation: Day 3

Day 3 was a fuuuuuuunnnn day! We got up early to get to the ski chalet 2 hours early thinking that would be plenty of time to get us all ready for a day of skiing. Wrong. Ha! It took a long time to get all our gear rented and put on. This was the first time skiing for any of us so we decided to sign up for lessons and stick to the bunny slopes. Harper was too young so she had to go to the daycare. I felt guilty dropping her off in daycare while we were on vacation and all having a blast, but when I picked her up she was all smiles and told us how much she loved her "school." That made us feel a little better.

Pulling in to the ski area

Harrison at ski school (he's in the orange jacket with yellow cover)

too late to turn back now!

his "tough" look because skiers don't say cheese

after lessons, Harrison gave us some tips

he skied down the whole way doing this and said, "my coach didn't teach me this trick but I teached it to myself."

Giving a thumbs up and trying to steal my pole

Not bad for his first time skiing! (Just ignore the part where I almost eat it going 0 mph):

Every time he fell down he would just lie there...we finally figured out it was because he was eating the snow

He told us all the tricks he was taught. How to make an "A" and "close the front door and open the back door" to slow down or stop. We were going down the mountain and I told him make an A. He didn't. Harrison, make an A. Buddy, MAKE AN A!!!!!! He didn't.

 

 

Right into the side of the building

I asked him why he ignored me and his response? "I didn't want to make an A because that slows you down, and I want to go fast!"

After skiing, we went in to pick up Harper to do some tubing. I wasn't sure if she'd be scared or not since it was pretty steep. She LOVED it. Both of them did. We went down at least a dozen times. Mom & Dad definitely got their work out that day.

I didn't realize Rick was taking a video so that's why I keep awkwardly smiling at the camera and telling Harper to say cheese. Lol.

We tubed and laughed and played until Harrison was sure his hands were frostbitten and Harper faceplanted and gave herself a bloody nose. Then it was back to the condo to change and get ready for dinner.

 

warm and toasty again

singing Christmas carols...wish he had a little more personality. :)

In hindsight, we probably would have brought more food with us. I just assumed there would be a grocery store we could shop at locally and didn't want to cart an ice chest with us. They did have a little market, but it was little and it was priced for tourists. So we ate out more than we had hoped to...which sometimes isn't really the most fun with tired little kids in tow.  Especially this night. We had to take each kid to the restroom for a few time outs because they didn't want to use their restaurant manners. Then there was the super fun moment when Harrison's gag reflex caused him to throw up all over his plate in the middle of dinner. Super. Fun. The silver lining of eating at a gross Mexican food restaurant when you are spoiled with delicious tex-mex at home was that they did have delicious complimentary sopapillas. I put a little honey on Harper's plate and she threw a fit because she was adamant that she hates honey...and then I looked over and she was doing this. Guess she changed her mind. :)

Then it was back to the condo for baths and PJs. Aren't these the cutest? Exchanging Christmas PJs is one of the traditions we have at our house so I was excited when I saw these this year. Rick and I also got the coordinating lounge pants and I had them monogrammed so we could get in on the cheese as well.

Then we got out our advent wreath that we made at church this year. It's a tradition that hopefully we will carry on for many years. It is meant to do once a week for the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas, but we opted to do it the 4 nights we were in our condo instead. Each night you light a candle that represents different things (hope, love, joy, & peace) and then you light the center candle on Christmas that represents our savior's birth. Each night there is a devotional reading, bible passage, prayer, and Christmas hymn that you sing together.

 I love these sweet pictures of my babies hugging and singing together. But I would not be keeping it real if I didn't include some of the video I took. Nothing says Christmas more than fighting kids and a nagging mom. Hahaha.

Such great memories made on this day!