Fresh Powder

Every February, my family packs up all their ski gear and heads West to Colorado. It's something I look forward to every year ... a little getaway in the mountains with my husband, daughter, parents, and brother (who lives way too far away in Charleston, SC). This year, the weather could not have been more perfect. Warm with lots and lots of fresh powder. For the first time in a long time, we didn't have to drive through ice or snow on I-70. We made great time and Ella was a rockstar during the long car trip.

The skiing was absolutely wonderful. We had resort daycare arranged for Ella on two different days so the adults could all ski together. In daycare, she got to play outside in the snow and go on a snow wagon ride. She loved it! On one of the other days, my mom took her to a local children's museum while the rest of us skied.

I love this ... Dr. Bumblebee Ella

Next year she will be old enough to take ski lessons and practice her skills on the cute little mini bunny slopes - we can't wait! Here's a little preview of what she will look like going down the mountain.

Here's some ski pics. Sorry for the quality of some of these ... way to scared to take my good camera up on the slopes, so my iPod touch had to do. I need to invest in a good point and shoot camera!

Over the year, helmets have turned into the new ski hats. If you don't wear one, you are definitely in the minority. Not only do they up the safety factor, but they keep your head/ears nice and toasty! Mine has the added advantage of having built in speakers for my iPod. There is honestly nothing better than flying down a mountain on a beautiful day, jamming to some sweet alt rock. The only pain is having to pull out the cord when I am in the lift lines and riding up the mountain with my family ... otherwise, I'm like "huh?" or talking WAY too loud, basically driving everyone crazy.

My goofy husband.

In between ski days, we took a break to experience a new mountain coaster in Breckenridge. Ella got to be "three" for the day so she could ride with us ... she loved it (especially the Gondola ride to the top)!

Here it is in all its glory! About 3 minutes of pure thrill (and you control the speed and just how much thrill you are hoping for). I probably should have gone first, because Eli and Ella weren't as thrill-seeking as I was. I about ran into them before Eli realized that he could lean forward and go faster.

One of the best parts about our trip was all the SNOW we got to play in .. finally! No such thing as that in Kansas this year.

Enough snow to make a snow fort and tunnel ... wahooo!

When you can't find a sled, a snow shovel will have to do. As you can see, Ella wasn't too disappointed. Notice that Eli has plastic bags on his shoes. Crazy boy doesn't own a pair of snow boots!

An annual tradition is a trip to downtown Breckenridge for homemade crepes. Honestly, these are amazing and something everyone should experience while they are here. There is a huge selection to choose from - sweet or savory - and you can even create you own.

Funky French Monkey = YUM

Downtown Breckenridge is so cool, especially at night. Here's a drive-by shot.

What a fantastic trip. As I write this, Eli is back in Colorado again with his aunt, uncles, and cousin who live in Alabama. I'm not at all jealous. Guess I'll have to suck it up and wait until next February ...