Steamboat--downtown, tubing and night skiing!

We took a day off on our third day in Steamboat.  Did that mean we sat around watching TV or reading a good book?  Not a chance.  We had to get out and explore!

We got everyone up and dressed by 8:30 and were out the door.  Surprisingly, this wasn't hard at all--mostly because Lila got up around 5am every day and Cami was never too far behind.  Someone needs to fill them in on the genius of sleeping in.

 

 

We rode the shuttle to Winona's in downtown Steamboat for breakfast.  Not just any breakfast, either.  I can honestly say that it was the BEST breakfast I have ever eaten.  In 34 years.  Yes.  It was that good!  We feasted on cinnamon rolls the size of dinner plates, thick cinnamon French toast, omelettes, pancakes, and even a waffle surprise that had bacon cooked inside the waffle. 
It was divine!

 

After breakfast, we did a little window shopping while we waited on a ride.  Jackson actually found a souvenir to buy with his own money (thanks, Memaw!) and got real silver and gold. 
He was stoked!

 

 

We took the shuttle to Gondola Square so the rest of us could do a little souvenir shopping, too.  J got this cool toboggan and Lila got those cute earmuffs.  We found a few shirts and were good to go.  We had to be quick.  Shopping without a stroller is highly overrated and my left arm almost fell off.  No joke. 

 

 

While we were waiting for our ride, the kids climbed this small snow hill.  I think that's part of what made this trip so great--they could find neat things to do wherever we went.

 

A few hours later it was time to go tubing at Saddleback Ranch!  It was our first time doing this and we didn't really know what to expect.

 

 

First, we got loaded into our tubes and then pulled up the mountain.

Cami was too little to tube all the way down the hill, but she sure did like sitting in the snow.  We waited on everyone to come down and cheered as they zoomed by us.

 

Daddy and Lila came down together...

followed by Gigi, who got some air going over this bump!

Boom did, too--so funny!

Over the next 90 minutes, we took turns pulling Cami around in this tube, while everyone else came down the hill.

Daredevil Dad even came down with no hands one time--yeehaw!

 

We got back just in time to make spaghetti dinner and then get dressed for night skiing.  Our ski team didn't take any pics that night, but we looked a lot like this, just without the sun.  It was our first time for night skiing and we loved it.  We went down Lil' Rodeo 14 times in a row and the kids did the jumps and skied the half pipe like nobody's business.  Such a fun memory, and one they won't soon forget.