Vail 2011

My parents took us and my sister Amy and her boyfriend Jim to Vail CO for a week.  And it was AMAZING.

Before we headed out and before Willa started wigging out.

Juice Box

Our new best friend Jim.

Pool Time at the Hotel!

Willa had a tough week.  Her ears (we later find out she has a double ear infection) were bothering her the whole time.  Here we caught it on film.

The Pirate Park is awesome.

Mommy and Willa on the plank.

Down at the stream by the Pirate Park which was a highlight of the trip.

Mommy and Fay onboard.

First night in town.

Everyone all together.

Aunt Amy and her twin Willa.

Happy Couple

Happy on his shoulders.  I think they look so much alike here..

Pool time in our awesome flap hat.

My goal was to get a picture of all four of us every day of the trip.  It almost happened.

Lunch with just us four at the pizza place in Lion's head.  This was a great lunch.

Drinks before dinner at the hotel.  The fireside lounge at the Four Seasons kind of became our own private hang out.  The staff was really fun and we hung out there every night before and after dinner.  Steve the beer guy and Tommy Wommy really helped make the trip.  The choclate sniper lives supreme.

Sushi Night.  Yama Sushi...so GOOD.

Post dinner Fireside Lounge.

Breakfast at the hotel

There were these really cool bears made of wire right under our balcony and they were huge!  Really cool art.

All four of us and Jim and Amy loaded up in the loaner car from the hotel and headed to Crazy Mountain brewery.  These were our flights.  The view from the brewery tasting room was awesome and they had lab dogs every where which the kids adorded and hula hoops!

Italian Dinner night

GRAPPA!!!

Willa was NOT herself on this trip.  She really was so fussy and we finally had to take her to the Dr. at Valley Medical.  Here we are waiting for Dr. Newman.  Her ears were making everyone miserable even though she looks happy here...she was not!

Lunch in Lions Head at the bottom of the gondola.

Fay playing on the steps in front of the gondola while we waited for our food.  

Lions Head gondola.

Lunch

More pirate park.  I love this picture.

Pirate Park!!!

And we had our own pirate!  This guy was there with his girlfriend.  I had to document it.

Jazz night in Lions Head square.  So fun and then dinner at Montauk.

Our 45 minute date alone which was cut short by my dad coming to find us in vail village because beaner was having a total melt down.  Did I mention that Willa's ears where bothering her!

Last night.  Top of the moutain at Eagle's Nest look out.  Breathtaking.  There was live music, trampoline bungee, rock walls, BBQ and STUNNING 360 degree views.  It was an amazing night.  AND I did the trampoline bungee after dark (that's why I don't have a picture.)  and it was so scary and fun and really out of character for me.  I am glad I did it.

After our last dinner at the top of the mountain we came home and took a picture with Caitlin.  She was our babysitter every night of the trip and did a great job.

Fireside lounge....long range baby monitor.

Trip home and it was like Willa knew.  This baby likes the flatlands.  She never cried.  Who knew someone could prefer Midland to VAIL!

It was a great trip and something we look forward to every year.  We swam, we ate, we hiked, we ate, we explored, we ate and we played...and then ate! The weather was spectacular and it even rained a little bit which we welcomed.  Jim and Willa were great additions and I think Vail is going to be somewhere we go for a long time.  

Most Days

I just want to document for myself what a day in life is like for our family these days.  I know it won't be long before a new phase comes.

8AM-The Girls Wake Us Up
Dave gets Fay and takes her into the kitchen to start the coffee, she normally eats a nutrigrain bar or a pop tart, and we watch Dinosaur Train on PBS, while I give Willa her bottle back in her bedroom.

When Willa and I hit the kitchen things are already going and both girls are EXCITED for the day.

Normally we head outside or run to the store before Willa's morning nap.

10AM-Fay has to go play in her crib for a few minutes while I give Willa a bottle in her room and then I put her down for her morning nap.  Willa can't have Fay in the room or she assumes it is party time.

Then Fay and I have some fun one on one time playing and start getting ready for the Y.

11:30AM-We head off to the Y so Mom can workout and the girls get to eat their lunch with all the other Y kids and play really hard.

1PM-We head home from the Y and Fay always falls asleep on the way home and goes down for nap when we get there.  Willa gets to play while Dave and I eat (he normally comes home for lunch).  Then Willa and I get a little one on one play time.

2PM-Bottle and then bed for Willa bean.

Mom finally gets to shower and have some down time too.

4PM-Most days everyone gets up from their nap around this time and we try to get out of the house either outside, over to my parents, the Hammonds, or errands.

5:30PM-Dinner

6PM-Bath

6:15PM-Dave or I give Willa her last bottle and then lights out.

Fay gets to stay up and play a little while longer in her PJs.

6:30PM-Fay and I watch a little kid TV so she can wind down in our bed.

7:15PM-Fay bed.

These days life is pretty predictable which I am thankful for.  They are both incredible people with a zest for life and we are down right happy!

Park

We went to the park early this morning so the swings wouldn't be too hot for the girls to sit in, and it was going to be Willa bean's first time to swing like her sister at the park.  They both LOVED it!  Fay is really into Willa and she wants her to do everything she is doing, good thing because that is exactly what Willa wants to be doing!  They have become best buddies and it is really sweet.  They don't like to be apart.

Self Time Out

Today Fay put herself in time out for throwing rocks.  We have a bowl of river rocks that we keep on the bookshelf in the den and Fay loves to take the rocks out and organize them in different locations around the house.  Lately she has been getting them out and then wanting to throw them, sometimes at her sister, and sometimes just for the sheer joy of it...well needless to say this is a punishable act in our house.  She has been put in time out the past two days for this very crime.  Today we warned her, "If you throw the rocks we are taking them away and you have to go to time out."  So, she looked directly at me and Dave and threw the rock.  Then before we could punish her she picked up her sippy and goldfish, walked over to the corner put her nose in it and then started to be mad about being in time out.  Except we didn't put her there!  It was like she had decided throwing the rock was worth the punishment and she was willing to take it...here is the video.

Dave and were trying SO hard not to laugh.

Oh, and Willa is a total party animal with her waving!!!