For the last ten years (a decade!!!), we have done our annual Whistler ski trip. We ski, we eat tons of food, we play Settlers of Catan, we laugh, and we have an amazing time. It's a tradition.

But now the economy is bad. And the dollar is bad. And Whistler...well, it's expensive. So we decided to break from the known (gasp!) and embark on the unknown - Breckenridge, Colorado.

The trip got off to somewhat of a rough start. First, we decided not to bring Bryce. He had a horrible time during our recent long-weekend trip to Tahoe, and Felix and I felt that he'd be equally miserable (if not more!) across an entire week in Breck. Instead, he was dropped off in LA to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa Lin. I know that he had a good time, but it was still difficult to realize that he wouldn't be coming along on our grand family vacation. I think he knew it, too, as he cried and cried when he was left behind...which was heartbreaking because he NEVER cries when he's separated from us. Ah, Brycee! Not to worry; the big man will come with us next year for sure.

Then, we arrived at our townhouse late in the evening...only to discover another family already living in our unit! So our first night was spent crashing in a random, empty unit. And boy, they weren't kidding about Denver being the "mile-high" city. Adjusting to the altitude was challenging for everyone. Lots of breathlessness, headaches, desperate attempts to stay hydrated, and tons of lotion to keep moisturized.

Fortunately, the incredible snow, beautifully sunny weather, and opportunity to spend time with George, Lisa, and their family more than made up for the challenges. Many of our beloved traditions also stayed the same - food, laughter, and, of course, Settlers.

Yet as I finish packing up to depart tomorrow morning, I realize that there is one significant difference. After Keira was born, we had worked hard on transforming Whistler from a personal tradition into a family one. But the truth is, Whistler has always been more about the adults. Breckenridge is the first time that I've genuinely felt our family coming together to enjoy the full experience. From taking the girls skiing on the slopes, to lounging together over breakfast, to building snowmen in the local park, I have had the time of my life, and I can't wait to include Bryce as a part of that as well.

So are we going on our annual ski trip again next year? You bet. I'm glad we tried something new, and while I don't know that Breckenridge will be our destination for another decade, I certainly know that we'll be back.