The relationship of Hollywood's hottest couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt went downhill fast recently - but it was definitely in a good way!

The stars took their four children away to the California slopes and it was a big hit with the little ones, who were ironically
all born in hotter parts of the world.

Maddox, the most stylish six-year-old on the planet, was almost unrecognisable bundled up in his ski gear. He and his siblings Pax, four, Zahara, three, and Shiloh, one, were taking big tumbles just like every other kid learning the ropes.

Although it was a full family adventure with all four kids making the trip, the boys spent most of the day with Brad, 44, while Angelina, 32, and the girls cheered them on.

Family bonding was clearly the couple's priority during the weekend, with the kids lapping up their famous parents' attention.

When they visited the same Mammoth Mountain ski resort earlier this month it was Angelina who took the kids to ski school - but this time she sat it out, caring for little Shiloh and Zahara.

'A few people recognised Angelina and said hi,' one onlooker says. 'But she didn't seem to mind and she was very friendly.'

The couple kept their snow holiday low-key and focused on the kids. Brad and Ange enjoyed cosying up in their cabin, lunching at the lodge's cafe and cheering on the boys at the tube park.

But onlookers were surprised the star of the Lara Croft action film series wasn't more of the daredevil she's known to be, expecting to see the famous mum racing down the mountain at breakneck speeds.

One observer on the slopes noted: 'Angelina was happy to sit back and watch.'

The Oscar winner has also cut back on her flying and although the family travelled to the ski resort in their private 14-seater aeroplane, neither Brad nor Angelina were in the pilot's seat.

'Brad is super protective of Angelina when she's pregnant,' a friend says. 'When she was carrying Shiloh, she sometimes found it difficult to have him fussing over her so much and she used to rebel against it.

'But now she understands he's just acting the way any loving father should, and as long as he doesn't try to lecture her she's happy to take it easy and look after the baby.'

Despite reports that Angelina is expecting twins, none of her friends have heard anything about a multiple pregnancy from Angelina and one pal says the claims Angelina had IVF is 'ludicrous'.

'Angelina is a perfectly healthy 32-year-old woman who has never had any problem getting pregnant,' the friend says. 'Why
on earth would she want or need IVF?

'They already have four kids and although she and Brad want more, they're not in some desperate race for children.'