A Day in the Life on a Family Ski Holiday

When I asked a few friends what they would most like to know about going on a family ski holiday, the most common answer was what the average day looked like.  How did we balance skiing and being with the children, how did we make the holiday fun for all of us? So on the Friday of our trip, I decided to record snippets of video from our day to show you what an average day on a Snowbizz ski holiday looks like.

It isn't perfect, but hopefully it gives you an insight into our trip! I have also recorded below how the day went if you are curious!

Sometimes between 7 and 8am the children wake up, too tired to really be awake and too awake to go back to sleep.  The creche lends out DVDs and we have borrowed a few so they can have some quiet time on the sofa before the day really starts.

8.30 I pop to the bakery to grab some fresh croissants and pain au chocolats and we get everyone dressed into their layers.

9.00 Finn, Cora and I head over to the creche.  They run all the way and go in asking for puzzles / dress up / train tracks or whatever they fancy that day

9.30 I take the big boys downstairs to the Snowbizz lounge where they get their ski boots and helmets off and go outside to play in the snow

9.45 Ed and I are free until 1pm to do as we like.  We usually ski for most of this but sometimes we have a lazy hour first or go and watch Finn's lesson which is 10-11am.  The big boys ski from 11 -1 and we sometimes bump into them on the slopes

1.00 We collect the children from their various clubs and on this Friday we took them up on the 4 man lift to the lovely restaurant at the top which you can't access any other way.  The snow up there is deeper and less trodden so we go away from the runs after lunch to play in it.

3.00 Four of us got the lift back down but Ed and Archie stayed out for a bit more skiing.  At the bottom the children asked to have a little time in the creche rather than sledging as they wanted to do some art, so I dropped them in and had an hour or so for myself to just chill out.

5.00 Friday was awards night so we gathered to receive certificates and see everyone together.  Dylan, Archie and Finn got their skiing awards and Finn and Cora won creche awards for being two peas in a pod.

5.30 Everyone is exhausted so I pop to the shop for fresh bread and cheese and we have an easy dinner and a little bit of a film as quiet time.

7.00 It was Disco night for kids club (available for children 4 years upwards) and they are letting Finn go as he is so close to four, so I drop all 3 boys downstairs (It is in the same building as our apartment so nice and easy).  Cora has a bath and goes to bed.

9.00 It is time to collect the boys, have a story and get them in bed as they are all shattered! I would love to say that we enjoy some apres-ski but the truth is we are as exhausted as them and are not up for much longer ourselves!

Saturday - repeat!

Our days out there are busy, full of fresh mountain air, time in the snow and a mix of time together as well as time apart.  We each get so much from our trip and the children are loving watching our little video and remembering everything!

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A day in the life on a family ski holiday

Ever since we first flew out to the French alps four years ago we have been hooked and we spend the year looking forward to our family ski holiday.  We find the perfect balance for us between family time, time as a couple and getting out in the snow and we take every day as it comes, deciding what to do with our afternoons depending on the weather and how we feel.  

This is an average day on a family ski holiday for us though . . . 

8am - We wake up.  The bedrooms are fitted with black out blinds which is brilliant as holidays should not mean early mornings! The children eat cereal and drink milk and then we start getting everyone dressed.  The snow means layers and the boys put on thermals and a fleece zip up and everyone wears outer layers.

9:30 - I take the little two to the creche, it takes about 5 minutes door to door and Finn wants to run the whole way as he is excited for the day.  The nannies greet them with huge smiles and ask what they want to play with.  I say goodbye and grab a couple of croissants from the bakery next door to the creche - I can't resist the smell!  At the same time, Ed is taking the big two boys down to the lounge which is on the ground floor of our apartment building.  The nannies help them get their ski boots on and they line up their skis outside.  They choose whether they want to play an indoor game or go outside where there is plenty of snow to play in and the perfect hill to slide down.

9:45 - We have freshly baked breakfast, a view of the resort from the balcony and an hour until we have to start getting ready for our lesson.  Some days we head straight to the locker room to put on our boots and get an hour on the slopes before it starts but today we want to take it easy so I grab a book and sit in the sunshine enjoying the peace and quiet.

10:45 - We head down to the locker room which is inside our building to get our boots on and skis ready

11:00 - We meet just outside the locker room and put our skis straight on ready to start our lesson.  Dylan and Archie are doing the same thing right next to us and we watch them ski off behind their instructors towards the first chair lift.  We all have a 2 hour lesson and we love spotting them as we ski.

1:00 - Our lessons finish and we change back into our normal boots before heading down to the creche.  Finn and Cora are excited to see us and we dress them up with the help of the nannies.  Just outside the creche building are a selection of restaurants and we find a table outside the Brown Bear and order some lunch.  The children play in the snow next to the table whilst we wait.

2:00 - We pop back into the creche to pick up some of the sledges and toys that are available all week, we borrow a stroller too as Cora is looking sleepy. There is a great sledging field just next to the nursery slope so we all walk over.  The children all love sledging and Cora giggles as she goes down on one of our laps.  When they want a change they can play in the little playground next door although with the amount of snow we had, the slide isn't much fun as the bottom of it is pretty buried! They love climbing and hiding and the views are spectacular!

4:00 - Everyone is getting a bit chilly and we know exactly what will warm us up so we cross back over and sit outside the Creperie with a hot chocolate.  No hot chocolate will ever taste as good as the one you drink after 2 hours of sledging in the snow.

5:00 - We cook some pasta for the tired children as it is the perfect energy food.  The kitchen in our apartment has everything we need and we all sit around the table to eat it.  We eat cakes that we bought from the bakery after we returned the sledges for pudding and the little two get into their pyjamas for some quiet time.

6:00 - The big two are off to kids club and tonight is a treasure hunt.  They are all dressed up in their warm winter gear as they will be outside a lot but they are really excited for the pirate games and the hunt.  This is always their favourite night and it changes every year.  I head back to the locker after dropping them off to get my boots back on.  I meet a new friend whose children are also at the kids club and we ski down to the first lift together as it is night ski today and the slopes are flood lit so we can stay out even later.  

7:00 - I head back exhausted and put the little two to bed.  It is pretty easy to settle them as the busy days mean they are out like a light!

8:00 - I collect two little pirates complete with treasure from the lounge and bring them back upstairs and get them ready for bed.  They had the best evening and have so many stories to tell me but they can barely keep their eyes open!

10:00 - At home we are always up super late but out here with all the fresh air and exersize we are ready for bed pretty early! We have games in our apartment as well as a TV and there is free wifi too but mostly we want to get a good night's sleep as we are planning on doing a bit of skiing in the afternoon tomorrow as well.

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We received a discount on our holiday but all thoughts and opinions are my own

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A Day in Our Life - The Hospital Edition

This may not be a typical day for many and two weeks ago it was not a typical day for us.  For the next few weeks though, this is our reality and I thought I would share a day in the life of Dylan, Archie and I.

Our alarm clock goes off around 6am, and by alarm clock, I mean the first of the little people that we share a ward with wakes up, in turn waking us all.

A little chat and a cup of milk and possibly a cheeky episode of rhyme rocket on the laptop whilst Mummy adjusts to the bright lights and noise of a busy bay.

It is 7am

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A day in the life of a nine month old

Ever wondered what goes on in a 9 month old's life?  Dylan and I took some photos today to illustrate his.

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