We'd all been looking forward to a weekend getaway in the mountains with some good friends. Adam had a hard month of work leading up to this week, but he finished (and won!) his trial and three other major deadlines just in time for us to spend four days together, playing in the winter wonderland that is Colorado in February.
After a week of packing, planning food, and taking care of last-minute details (there are so many for a family of four people and two animals!), plus trying to pull together a present for a mom from Isaac's school who has cancer, a snowstorm hit Denver the day we were supposed to leave. The mountains were sadly not getting much, but as the light faded and the first of two feet of snow piled up on the roads here, we decided we'd better leave the next morning.
So we met our friends a day late, but we made it. When we arrived after stopping for sandwiches in town, a few friends were out skiing and Adler was just waking up from his nap. He and Jonah were very happy to see each other, and we sat at the beautiful kitchen booth and ate pumpkin muffins.
The house was in more of a development than our family might choose if going alone, but we wanted to be near the runs for all the skiers in the group. And it was the best kind of development - beautifully built with fine materials and high-quality construction, surrounded by 100 acres of open space. Or, as Adam pointed out, 100 acres that included a few more blocks of future home sites probably postponed until the economy improved a bit. Either way, we had a gorgeous view of a snowcapped peak and lower mountains ringing the valley, and there was enough snow for beginner snowshoeing and a variety of hills nearby for sledding. The layout was amazing - the eating nook for the kids, a long dining table at the edge of the kitchen for the adults, and lots of room for us to all be together and yet spread out. There was even a hot tub outside, which we all enjoyed - though maybe the kids enjoyed it most of all.
Our first outing was to the little sledding hill, once everyone was at the house for the day. Thanks to Shawn and Albert for capturing this beautiful afternoon in the snow:
Each family took care of one breakfast and one dinner. Shawn had prepared make-your-own pizzas with an assortment of toppings for the first night we were all there. Yum...it was a hit.
Our boys, as usual, were the first ones to the table and probably the last ones to leave too.
Isaac's favorite pizza these days is spinach, pepperoni, mushrooms and olives.
Jonah had the same thing without the olives.
After pizza, there was hot chocolate and also homemade cookies for the kids, while we parents enjoyed our pizzas and a few glasses of wine in relative peace. The boys played loudly but happily, running through the house, while we got to talk and relax. The dinners might have been my favorite part of the trip.
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