First let me just say a big THANK YOU to all of you that have been supportive of me and my blogging adventures. As a result of your continued support I have been able to become an Amazon and Lulu’s Affiliate. What does that mean? It means when you click on a link to a product on a my site or in a post and purchase something I will receive a commission. It is pretty exciting to be growing in the blogging world and to actually be do something that I enjoy while being able to take care of my family from the comfort of my home.
As many of you know we have struggled with some evil sicknesses over the last few months. My poor babies just could not get well. My youngest ended up in the hospital over night and was finally diagnosed with Sapovirus, RSV, Flu and MONO! Thankfully before all of this sickness began my husband and I booked a ski trip because we needed a break from the hectic day to day life of work and school.
Several years ago we took a trip to Washington, D.C. and we rented a 
house through VRBO. After that trip we were hooked and we decided that renting a house at our destination was the choice for us. Our best friends and my sister in law were going to be joining us on this adventure so we needed a house big enough for 6 kids and 7 adults. Of course my bestie Beth found the perfect house and you can check it out here!
When booking a house you need to to check with the property owner/manager and ask for local specials. Through the property manager we were able to get discounted lift tickets for everyone, take advantage of deals that tourists would not know about, and put us in touch with a local nanny service. We are able to have someone come to our house everyday and stay with the littles so we did not have to drag them to day care. They were able to take naps, have snacks, maintain a schedule, roam in their own 
environment., AND besides being convenient for us it was actually much cheaper than child care that was offered through the resort!
Preparing for this sort of adventure is not for the unorganized, mentally unstable or fear ridden parent. Did I really just say that? LOL I was clearly mentally unstable when I decided this trip was a good idea and lets not mention the panic attacks and anxiety I had about flying, loosing a child on the mountain, injuries, sickness, etc.
Before any packing can even begin we needed secure our equipment. Winter Park Resort was offering a fantastic deal. For every premium adult snowboard or ski rental you got a kids rental for FREE! Yes Free! We had three adults in our family so that made the boys equipment all free. I encourage you to call ahead to the resort you will be visiting and see what specials they have and book your equipment in advance.
Be sure to pack your Go Pro because they do have helmets with mounts for your Go Pro so you do not miss out on any of the action!
After weeks of buying gear, making reservations and planning…it was time to get ski gear for 7 people packed and still have enough 
room to ride in the van. While gathering all of the clothing and sorting through it on the table the “Space Bag” infomercial from the 1980’s popped in my head…I totally had to have one of these! I had no idea if they still existed but guess what?! They do! Ziplock now makes them in all sizes. You can make your traveling life easier and purchase yours here! These are also great to store blankets, bedding, winter clothes, baby clothes that you just can’t rid of, and so much more.
Ski gear costs a pretty penny, let me just tell you. I will also tell you that with kids the reality of having to buy new stuff every trip is a reality because they will most likely outgrow it! I found out that Columbia makes an
“outgrown” line for kids that will extend the size of the pants and the coat so your child can wear them for multiple winter seasons. My kids will be able to wear their ski stuff for a while and of course they can and will pass it down. You can buy your kids’ gear here!
The packing was complete, but where were all of these bags going to go? The boys and I were flying to Denver and my husband and daughter were going to pick us up from the airport. They were going on a little daddy daughter adventure. Even though they took all of the bags to Denver in an empty car we still 
needed enough space to fit everyone once we arrived and to travel into the mountains. My husband found this easy to use bag that fit just perfectly on top of the van. It is water proof, spacious, durable and easy to store once you are done using. You can buy one here!
The car was packed and my husband and daughter were headed to Denver! My plan after they headed out was to get the house clean and ready for us to return home. I hate coming back from vacation to a dirty 
nasty house. When we headed to the airport I was leaving behind a nice clean house.
I have not flown on an airplane with a child in probably 5 years. The last time I did I only one had child. This time I was taking 4…all by myself. I was definitely stressed out about this. That morning I woke my littlest one up a little earlier than normal and I made sure he did not get a nap before we got on that plane. I packed back packs for each boy 
and I filled them with surprises, snacks, iPads, headphones and a change of clothes. The BEST item that I packed in their back packs was Crayola Color Wonder! Not only did it keep them entertained on the plane but throughout any other down time we had during our trip. You can buy it almost anywhere but Amazon does have the best selection and you can buy them here.
I also got myself a back pack for this trip to make navigating through the airport easy. I needed something to pack all the baby essentials in but 
something that was also easy to carry. I found the perfect backpack made by Swiss Army and you can purchase it Target! It has a pocket for everything and is really like a suitcase on your back!
The stroller I used is perfect for traveling and I have had it since my oldest was born. It is not a cheap one but let me tell you it is worth every single penny! I can run with, use it as a high chair, add a bassinet, turn facing me or outward, set it up high 
or down low, and of course it holds a car seat. The best part is that I COULD PUSH IT THROUGH THE SNOW…EASILY! If you looking for an extremely versatile stroller you can buy one here!
We finally made it to the ticketing counter. When I approached the counter to get our boarding passes the man at the counter said, “Ma’m 
would you like to go ahead and check in or wait for your husband.” I started laughing. He just stared at me. I said,”no sir I am alone today! Let’s get those boarding passes rolling I have to get through security with all of these kids.” He smiled and told me he would be right back. He came back and had a fun pair of Southwest sunglasses for all of us and he handed me a coupon for a free drink. He said,” Ma’m I don’t know if you drink but if you do, you will 
need this coupon once you actually make it on the plane.” It was no joke. Navigating through airport and especially through security was certainly rough and without a doubt it tested my patience as a parent.
As we navigated through the airport people stopped me to tell me just how well behaved my boys were. I was asked how many times they had flown because they were doing so well. I had to stop and take minute and realize that my boys were doing exceptionally well. I just had a heightened level of stress and anxiety and really seeing that for this being their first time and being extremely excited they were doing very well.
Before we got on the plane I reached down and gave each boy a hug and told them how I proud I was of each one of them. The gate was open and we were headed down the ramp and ready to get on that plane! We made it to our seats. People do not want to sit by kids on the plane. I know, I get it. If I were kid free I probably wouldn’t want to sit next to kids either.
The plane was filling up and there were not many seats left. This woman stops at my row and asks,”Do you mind if I sit next to you? I would love 
to help you with your kids if you need it.” I told her I wold love to have her sit next to me. What a blessing this lady was. We had so many things in common and it was nice to have someone with a calm presence about them sitting next to me and really taking my focus off of the things that were giving me serious anxiety.
As the plane took off my sweet Judah fell right to sleep, the boys were having so much fun, and I was enjoying that free glass of wine! The flight was a quick one and my boys did great the entire time. As we began to land Joseph says rather loudly,”SAVE YOURSELF!” Everyone around us could not help but 
laugh and I must admit he was quite the comedian. The wheels hit the ground and he bursts out again and says,”Well that was fun!”
As we begin to exit the plane we were stopped by several people and the boys were told how well behaved they were. A stewardess walked by and said,”Ma’m I have done this job for many years and there are not many well behaved kids these days. Your kids did amazingly today and you should be proud of yourself as a parent.” That boosted my confidence and really made me feel good. My boys really are pretty spectacular and if our adventure is already going this smoothly and we are already having fun then we are certainly headed for the trip of
This is just the beginning of our EPIC family vacation. I would love for you to subscribe so you will be notified of my next post which will be all about our adventures in Denver and our trip into the mountains! Thank you again for stopping by and taking the time to read!
