Sun Valley Getaway

August 14, 2014 by

After a nightmare 29 hour trip back home (total time since leaving Utah, not drive time), we are BACK!

Jake and I both agree that we are either:
A) NEVER driving during the day with the girls again
or
B) Flying from now on.

Anyway, we made it! Instead of unpacking our epic amount of luggage, I’m going to procrastinate by continuing the recap of our vacation.

After spending a couple days in Utah, we drove up to stay with Jake’s brother, Jarom, and his family in Twin Falls, Idaho. The girls slept most of the trip, but woke up the last hour. Needless to say, it seemed like the longest hour of our lives (FORESHADOWING!)

After spending the night in Twin, we drove up with Jarom’s family to their vacation condo in Sun Valley, Idaho, (about an hour and a half from their house). The twins were awake for this drive, but one of Jake’s nieces, Cate, drove up with us and helped entertain the girls. I told her she’s hired to drive with us on every future road trip. Not having to turn around and give the girls their toys, sippy cups and snacks after they throw them every second was AHHH-MAZING!

Jarom and Jen met while working in Sun Valley during college, and it’s still one of their favorite places to go with their kids. We went with them a few years ago, pre- Samantha and Amelia, so I was a little nervous about bringing the girls on this vacation.

Fortunately, our stay was very toddler-friendly. We spent most of our stay in Sun Valley hiking, shopping, swimming, eating out, and playing board games at the condo. Besides the last day when the girls got a bit cranky, they enjoyed all the sights and didn’t drive everyone crazy!

In fact, far from annoying everyone, the girls were basically celebrities, and even had their own private entourage shadowing them 24/7.

Jake’s three nieces, Emma, Claire and Cate were constantly at the twins’ beck and call. If one of them dropped her Wub, one of the girls was always there to pick it up and wash it off. If one of the twins needed a drink, one of our nieces was right there with her sippy cup. We felt like royalty!

Sun Valley Day One: We went for a walk on the trails, hung out at the condo and went window shopping in Ketchum, which is the little town next to the resort (Fun fact: Ernest Hemingway committed suicide in Ketchum in the 60s).

My sister-in-law, Jen, and Samantha and Amelia’s cute cousins, Emma, Claire, Britton and Cate. 
Britton was awesome at entertaining the girls with puppet shows!
All the kids wanted a picture with the twins, but Samantha just wanted to enjoy her cheese stick in peace.

Finally, some snack time alone on the stairs. 
Amelia had car keys in hand and ready to go!
For dinner, we decided to grab some German food at The Konditorie, but the twins started to melt down right before our spatzle and schnitzel arrived. Our nieces and nephews saved the day by taking the girls for a stroller ride around the shops so that the grownups could eat in peace.  Ah, the perks of having older kids around!
We must have shopped in this toy store several times a day. I was obsessed!
Cate made these queenly crowns for the girls that read “Amils” and “Sammy.” 
Playing games with the big kids before bed. 

Sun Valley Day Two: Man Date!

Jarom, Jake and his nephew, Ethan, rode Jarom’s dune buggy up a mountain to the Boulder Lakes for a few hours while the rest of us hung out at the condo.

Enjoying some manly man time. 

  

The only Man Cave Jake will ever get. 

Later, the kids went ice skating while Jake and I took Britton and the girls up the gondola. Note the two puppets in Britton’s hands– he seriously entertained the girls everywhere we went!

Just a few years and we’ll be back up here with the girls on skis!

Time for the twins’ first diaper change inside a gondola! Sorry to whomever used our gondola next…

The hills are aliiiiiiiiive with the sound of muuuuusic!
#realmenmaketwins
#lifeofadadoftwins
We told him the stroller was heavy, but Britton insisted…
…And then gave in and let us help him. 
The Roundhouse (the restaurant on top of the mountain) was closed by the time we got up there, but that was fine with the girls since their favorite pastime is climbing on top of tables. 
Talk to me. 
A climber after their own hearts. 
Samantha has a serious moment of reflection. 

Back to the toy shop in the village to test out this cool rider. 

I’m Super Samantha! Ka-POW!

Playing in the creek while waiting for dinner. 

Celebrating Emma’s birthday with dinner at Bald Mountain Pizza in Ketchum. Moments after this photo was taken, Samantha flung an entire piece of pizza at the family sitting next to our table. 
Sun Valley Day Three: Since the boys had their Man Date the day before, Jen and I decided to have a girls morning. We left the kids with Jake and Jarom and drove to town to do a yoga class at Lululemon. 
Even though there was supposed to be a class scheduled, the store wasn’t open when we arrived. Plan B was to grab a smoothie from Jen’s favorite juice bar, which also turned out to be closed, along with every other shop in town! It seemed like no one got up before 10 a.m. in that place! 
Determined to get in a work out anyway, we ended up jogging with the twins on one of the trails. I am not used to running at high altitude, so this was not easy for me! 
Lunch time! We went out to eat a ton during our stay and since the twins’ attention span is approximately 4.5 minutes at a table, we would spare the other diners the screaming and take the girls to run around while we were waiting for our food. They took a liking to this statue and barked like dogs every time they saw it.
Side note: I’m pretty sure Samantha and Amelia think every animal is a dog. 

Feeding the ducks and swans at the Sun Valley lodge. 

The girls are used to heated pools and weren’t exactly pleased with the temperature of this one.

Emma, Claire, Cate and Britton had fun doing swim relays with the twins for a few minutes before we pulled them out of the cold water. 

Lunch at Gretchen’s while watching the ice skaters at the Sun Valley Lodge. 
Jake’s family stayed a few extra days in Sun Valley, but we took off the evening of our third day to head back to Utah. On our way, the girls kept making “neigh neigh” noises, so we finally stopped to pet some horses on the side of the road. The twins were ecstatic!
We kept hearing “neigh, neigh” all the way home! 

Sun Valley was beautiful, and we are so glad Jarom’s family invited us up. Samantha and Amelia had a great time with their cousins and miss them already. Here’s to Sun Valley 2014!
Lots of love, 
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