And off we go....

     As is true for all of us, when the year begins we never know where our paths may lead us.  To start 2013, the Colorado Rockies were our first stop.  Born and raised in Indiana where the terrain barely undulates , I am always in awe of any "mountains", even what some refer to as foothills.  My soul always sings when I find myself in the Rocky Mountains.  This trip was no different.  Since the extremely low temperatures deterred us from skiing, we hopped in the well heated car to enjoy the many beautiful views from scenic by-ways.  The sunshine and deep blue skies accented the peaks and valleys of our trek.

The delightful town of Breckenridge welcomed us the first day, with its picturesque main street of great shops and great beer.  We enjoyed warming up and sharing a few laughs at the brewery in town.  Kevin had to pose below for a classic "Eric" shot for our son.  Turns out this place has impressive pizzas too, which is always a bonus in our book!

The following day we meandered up, down, and through mountains, stopping in Steamboat Springs for lunch where the temperature had reached a balmy 3 degrees. The skiers who happen to dine with us radiated frost as they sat down.  Brrrrrh!

Eventually we arrived at our next destination, the Winter Park Zephyr Mountain Lodge.  It's always a lively spot with assorted shops and refreshment locales.  The view was spectacular, but the -17 degree temp was not.  We did enjoy our standard jaunts, Carver's for breakfast, Deno's for drinks and dinner with friends, and both are highly recommended if you find yourself in the area.

From Winter Park it was on to Boulder, Colorado, where Kevin wanted to show me the town and some of his old haunts.  The scenic long way (Highway 119) was well worth the travel time.  It was definitely the road less travelled, but the scenery was incredible.

This picture can hardly do it justice.

We strolled the Boulder shopping promenade, The Pearl Street Mall, and checked out the University of Colorado.  Maybe if you attended school here the views would get boring, but somehow I doubt that.

So all in all, a wonderful weekend get away was enjoyed in spite of the temperatures!

Until next time, blessings!

Hello 2013!

Happy New Year!  As 2013 gets under way, we are enjoying some "mandatory family time."  We already have ten times the amount of snow we had last year, so the snow blower purchased new last year has finally gotten broken in.  (The driveway sure looks nice, doesn't it?)

December was a "wild ride" for us.  Kevin and I got to enjoy some Christmas cheer in NYC, with all the hustle and bustle of Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, and Times Square, all so pretty during the holidays.  

Then it was off to Florida for me to make the drive north with Eric.  He might refer to this as some "mandatory mother-son time," but I really did enjoy it.  A few days of beach walks and wildlife is always good for an Indiana girl's soul in the midst of winter.

The real December fun began, though, with reuniting the siblings under one roof and then adding the family in from Memphis.  Many laughs were shared, although Cousin Lauren was missed!  Grandma and Grandpa's house is full of extra energy these days with the recent addition of "Fanny," whose antics keep us entertained.

After quick trips to Richmond and Chicago to visit the other family members, it was back to the pretty snow and all the work that goes with it.  All too soon these two will be heading back to their campuses, where Sarah will be finishing her undergraduate studies. (so hard to believe how fast that went!)  We wish her best of luck with her final Track season.  Go JUMBOS!  The ocean awaits Eric upon his return, but so do his Engineering classes, with which we wish him luck too!

 

So from our family to yours, we wish you a very Happy 2013.  Enjoy each day and all it brings.