spring break (part 1)

Dave’s Dad (in the middle above) grew up in Sun Valley, Idaho. 

His parents didn’t ski, but the elementary school provided a way for kids to get to the slopes and he took them up on it.  Later he was on the ski team in high school and has really become a phenomenal skier.

Providing for nine kids as an entrepreneur was no cake-walk for he and Dave’s mom, but they made a lot of sacrifices to made it a priority to get all nine of those kids skiing.  And in turn, they are now all amazing skiers.  I love to watch them all ski…especially Dave.  It is almost like a beautiful dance and he does it so well.

Needless to say, he has made skiing a priority for our family as well.  (by the time we took this picture Max was back home for volleyball practices and Lu was tucked safely back home with my mom…thanks mom!)

As many of the families (Dave’s siblings) who can usually gather in Utah for spring break to ski it up together. 

Some of the cousins have gone to “the dark side” and taken up snowboarding, but everyone skis.
Here’s Dave’s Dad with some of the many grandkids he has patiently spent so much time on bunny hills with through the years and taught to ski:  It was so fun to get to ski with him this year.

And it was an extra bonus that his brother was able to join us as well:Love those two brothers.

Especially since they taught me a little more this year and I actually started falling in love with skiing more than I have before. 
It is pretty fun that all those kids can ski independently and that we adults got to take off really ski it up together.  They even cajoled me to do a few black diamonds that I fell in love with.
At one point we got lost, but it was the most gorgeous “lost” I have ever experienced.
At night a couple of the families stayed with Dave’s little sister.  It was a serious party, especially with 23 of us trying to get ready for church together on Sunday.  I love chatting with all these good folks.
And the cousins cannot get enough of each other.
Lots of eating with that big group…
Teenager clean-ups are always good…
…and more skiing:
Dave and his awesome Dad:I wish I had a picture of his amazing Mom with Lucy who she took care of (along with a couple of the other little kids) for two days while we skied.  She is a hero.

We then transitioned into friend time. 

We met up with a whole slew of friends who either live in Utah or came there for Spring Break (most of these people meet up with us in CA for the 4th of July so it was kind of a reunion).
We met at Training Table because a trip to Utah without cheese fries is a travesty.

These kids love each other so much!
Tomorrow I’ll continue on with some other adventures, but that’s enough of a picture overload for today 🙂

(Part 2 is HERE)