Our Annual Utah Ski/Snowboarding Trip

Every year for a few years now, the Skousen family has gone on a ski/snowboarding trip to Utah the week after Christmas. We barely have time to even gets the presents put away and off we go on our trip! Most of the family goes. Even Grandpa and Grandma... Jessica didn't go with us this year - she hates the cold and is moving to Provo in February, so she didn't want to have any extra "cold time". The rest of us all started our drive to Salt Lake City early on the 26th of December. We don't usually get there very fast - lot's of different cars with lots of people needing to go potty - makes for kind of a long trip. But, the kids all have a fun time riding in eachother's cars.
We got there on Wednesday night, and Thursday morning we were off to the slopes at Brighton! Courtney and Tatum wanted to learn to snowboard this year, so they were in a lesson - for the first time in a while! Rachel, Kyla, Max and Maggie were also signed up for lessons!

Courtney and Tatum - first time on the chairlift on a snowboard.

Maggie in her "skiiving" lesson...

The first day at Brighton was so freezing cold, we could hardly stand it...(the parents anyway) The kids seemed to be just fine - they happened to be the very last ones off the hill that day.

Rachel, Kyla, Alli, Emma, Dillon & Courtney - the last to leave the hill. Kyla & Rachel
Dillon & Rachel

Emma, Alli, Rachel and Dillon going on the chairlift Courtney - 2nd Day

Rich, Dillon, Tatum, Courtney, Kelli, Alli & EmmaDave the "Abominable Snowman"

Courtney & Tatum - 3rd Day

Max on the "Magic Carpet"

Dillon and Max

Tyler, Haley, Robert & Shannen

We pretty much only saw Tyler if he was hungry or too cold. On the last day, he was out all day with Robert, Shannen, Richie, & Haley. They had a great time and didn't want to quit at the end of the day, even though it was snowing so hard you could hardly see.

All of the families stayed at the Hilton in Salt Lake. It's really fun for the cousins to be together up at the mountain and at dinner at night and to just hang out together. Probably one of the favorite parts was the swimming pool at the hotel. The kids loved swimming after a long cold day and I for one "needed" the jacuzzi! Dillon dared Tyler to go outside and get some snow - after that, they didn't stop. They were doing snow angels outside and running back into the pool. Looked like total fun! I'm sure it was more like total crazy! I hope we didn't leave that door propped open!!