skiers AND snowboarders welcome

I'm back! The recent computer hiatus was necessary though I currently feel completely out of the blogosphere loop. A few mugs of coffee, some good music with Hugo and Mathilde (cute pup belonging to our incredible friend Tom) at my side and I'm sure I'll be back in the thick of things. Christmas break has been amazing, a little stressful yet comforting, and just an all together good time thus far. As soon as we were released from class on Friday, I packed up my things and was on the road to Dallas. There was traffic as usual, joy, but I made it with enough energy to throw some things in my ski bag before catching a few hours of sleep and my 6am flight to Denver. My brother and sister-in-law arrived just a couple hours after us in Denver and we made the 2-ish hour drive out to the mountains.

I love mountains and nature and the outdoors and cold weather when there's tons of snow around you and running into a warm house and sitting by the fire and snuggling up with a good book and any delicious warm beverage.

Moving along...I had been incessantly checking the snow reports for Vail and Beaver Creek for weeks before the trip. Lets just say things were looking less than favorable. Instead of powdery slopes that resemble giant pillows if you were to fall we were greeted by icy trails with the occasional rock and shrub poking out ever so sneakily to destroy any ski or snowboard that came in their path. Me, bitter, because my never-before-skied-on pair of Dynastars are now covered with wide gashes and scratches? No way.

All the negative commentary aside, the trip was great. I couldn't have asked for better weather, there was abundant sunshine for 3 out of the 4 days with temperatures ranging from the high teens to mid twenties. And just as a helpful aside to all the men reading PLSB-pair a scruffy look with a nice warm hat, add some edgy ski gear and a smile *BAM* you're instantly good looking. It was unnerving at times the number of attractive men walking around the ski resort...I'm sorry I have no documentation of this part of the trip.


My brother who will forever be the best ski companion was with me the whole way. Dialogue between us usually consisted of him finding and convincing me to journey down some ridiculous double black diamond slope that was roped off with a sign displaying a skull and cross bones warning skiers that only experts should venture beyond and me grumbling under my breath what a stupid idea it was yet following anyway. It's all fun and games, right? I'm pretty sure my brother thinks he is invincible and that attitude is contagious, I can't help it!



Evenings were spent walking through the Beaver Creek Village one night, the Vail village another night (fantastic Italian at Campo de Fiori if you're ever there), but usually we were at the condo, cozy by the fire playing persian card games. Though my brother, his wife and I love board games, the usual hits such as Taboo or Cranium just never seem to go well when your parents don't speak english as their first language.




It was such a fun trip and the best part is that I still have a week of vacation left! Yesterday involved talking and laughing with great friends, giant Jenga and a chiminea! Hopefully there's going to be a lot more of that for the rest of my break from school. And of course, New Years Eve pictures and recap to come.