Spring Break in Beaver Creek, Colorado

We took the kids skiing over spring break. Several families from our neighborhood also booked in Beaver Creek, CO, which made the location even more fun. Having friends in ski school was nice.

along with the taylors and all our carry ons, we took over our favorite restaurant at the denver airport.

We stayed at the Park Hyatt,  which was amazing. It was just a few steps from the ski school, which was a big priority and luxury when you've got four kids 10 and under. And it became even more convenient after the hubs separated his shoulder and could only use one arm.

they refilled the humidifiers for us each night, very appreciated by me

i am so used to arkansas humidity, and when i'm in 

colorado, my nose is not happy

putting on all the gear is a workout

snowboarding shoulder injury on last run of the first day.

he has snowboarded for years and never been hurt.

first time for everything. 

i was just grateful it wasn't a serious injury... and for ski school.

daily cookies and lots of apres ski fun every afternoon

scouted out the kids with their ski instructors. they caught on so super fast. unlike me as a kid.

jane lauren stayed on the bunny slopes which was perfect for her.

thank goodness for a boot room and great service, this hotel made the mornings a lot easier

daily smores after the daily cookies

this girl loved it even more than i expected

 despite the shoulder injury, this was a near perfect trip. i'm more of a beach person, so i had low expectations.
yet i loved the ski school and nearness of everything. loved the hotel and having friends around. loved finding cute ski suits and the gorgeous snow.  we will be going back. soon hopefully.

Summer trip to Aspen

We escaped the Arkansas heat and headed to the mountains. This was our first time to Colorado in the summer.... and not ski/snowboard.  Isaac was itching to board on the lifts up and down the mountain.

We went to ride horses at a small ranch near the famous maroon bells peaks. 

The kids showed no nervousness riding for the first time. 

We walked along with the kids as they rode. 

Guides helping us find some beautiful meadows, creeks, and wild raspberries. 

This was a big highlight for me. The trails seems almost untouched, no one but us and the guides were around. The kids were not complaining. Perfect activity. 

We went to see the Maroon Bells and it's true. You cannot describe how beautiful they are to see in person. 

We had a little picnic, the boys skipped rocks, and found moss along the paths to throw in the creek. Charlie and Ike and I could have stayed all day, but our other three family members were tired quickly. 

We also went to a rodeo in Snowmass, 20 mins away, but I didn't bring my big camera there. That was one of the most fun activities. Those pictures are on my phone and Instagram. We went to the top of Snowmass another day and rode the alpine slide, climbed some rock walls, and fished for a couple of hours. 

I discovered that I love Colorado in the summer, and that my crew is getting easier to enjoy on trips. 

Hope we get the chance to do this again next summer.

anniversary trip; paris

we took the chunnel from london to paris. easy ride.

our first stop was to cafe de flore, which was within walking distance from our hotel at relais christine.   yummy quiche and their version of a grilled cheese?

laughing at isaac's jotted notes with 'sleep in' at the top of each day.

we did sleep in almost every day. a luxury that is important to us on trips. even in disney we slept in. rule breakers, us smiths.

we spent the afternoon exploring Luxembourg gardens

for dinner, monsieur blue. very hip place with beautiful view of the eiffel tower. i had the best white fish of the trip with a curry sauce to die for.

we went to montmartre the next day. i loved the little square with artists painting. i brought home a few drawings and one little bitty oil painting. 

a cruise on the seine river before dinner at frenchie

this was a big highlight for me. i love a boat ride. 

i didn't get any pics at frenchie bc the lighting was so dim. i found my favorite white wine there. 

the next day we had breakfast at le bristol. wowsers. that place is gorgeous.

went to the louvre and then to dinner at yamtcha. which was the best meal i've ever had in my life. no exaggeration. i've been wanting to go here for over a year. they were featured on chef table ; france. a great documentary series to watch if you love interesting food. 

 a fabulous way to end our stay in paris