Rocky Mountain Christmas

Well, we're officially back home now for a week and have had plenty of time to reflect on what was a terrific Holiday week in Colorado. The trip provided us so many fun times and memories that the kids are already wanting to go back!

We started the week off on Dec. 23 when Holly and the kids met up with Kevin (already out there for work), Amy and the girls. We packed into the Williamsmobile and headed up the mountain from Denver to Winter Park. It was roughly 90 minutes and included some not-so-fun turns - of the hairpin variety - for Holly.

We arrived that afternoon at a beautiful rental pad that we would gladly call home for a week. There was plenty of room for the 8 of us and particularly lots of space for the four kids to play, watch movies and play air hockey.

We went straight to the ski slopes on Day 2 and couldn't have had better weather. There weren't a ton of people skiing on Christmas Eve so that meant no waits in the lift lines. Neither Holly or Kevin had skied in years, so we both were a bit nervous to venture downhill with the Colorado natives. Meanwhile K and B headed to their full day of Ski School to learn the art of snowplowing and occasional turning.

It was a great day for all, but the night was even better. Around dusk, the Resort had a huge bonfire and Christmas Carols booming at the bottom of the mountain. A few minutes later a group of 150 ski instructors came swerving down the snow-filled slopes with road flares instead of poles. It was quite the scene - complete with fireworks, too.

Christmas morning, despite being in a totally different environment, brought surprises from Santa, plenty of the white fluffy stuff falling from the sky and another day of skiing. This time we ventured upwards in elevation with K and B in tow. Talk about a work out.

The Haugstad-Keckler family tradition on sitting on the stairs before seeing what Santa brought.  This year they waited at the bottom of the stairs before coming up.

We rotated adults taking B down attached to a harness. While this is meant to help teach a newbie to turn and stop, it turned into more of a "Let's go straight down the mountain and you do all the work" from B's perspective.

Kari started off doing great, but the adults collectively pushed her too far, too fast and before lunch she had lost confidence and became scared despite the early success. Following a short afternoon on the slopes, we returned to the house to welcome Gran and Beep to our vacation abode. Their drive from Indy wasn't short, but ultimately they made it and got to enjoy celebrating Christmas with the rest of us.

We took a day off of skiing on the 26th and then went back at it for one more day on the 27th. This was a combo of kids getting more experience and adults trying to tougher runs sans kids. All in all, a tiring but great time skiing.

A little bit of wildlife right at Gran and Beep's window

The 28th brought about the much anticipated tubing courses. This. Was. Awesome. Four different pre-carved "runs" where you had major speed AND climbed the walls. It was like being in the Olympic Bobsled competition yet substitute the mode of transportation to a plastic circle with Coca-Cola tattooed on it and no medal ceremony at the end.

 Gondola ride to tubing.

We finished up the trip with a sleigh ride through the woods for the kids and a pub crawl for the parents. Equal amounts of fun for both, this I'm sure.

Ultimately this trip was made possible thanks to the thoughtfulness of Kevin's Grandpa Keckler who passed away last February. He wanted each of his kids to take their families on a vacation together and this worked out for perfectly for all of us even though it meant Christmas away from our standard comforts of home.

We remembered Pappy fondly each day with a story or stories of him that each of us recalled. Certainly it was not the same had he been there with us, but I think he'd be quite proud of how his great grandkids got along singing Christmas carols, playing together, encouraging each other to conquer personal fears on the slopes and ultimately love spending time with one another.

So, thanks for arranging the trip, Amy! Thanks for making the drive out West, Gran and Beep! Thanks for being the skiing expert and constant helper, Jason. Thanks Keira and Audra for being awesome cousins to K & B - along with up and coming professionals on the slopes. And thanks most of all to Great Grandpa/Pappy for being so amazing to us during our many Winters growing up back in the day.

We hope you all had a Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Year's.