Jan update

I believe in a past blog post I said that I loved cold weather. Let me rephrase. I love cold weather for about 2 weeks, or when it produces snow you can ski on. That being said I am soooo ready for spring/summer. Today was pretty nice but I know it's gonna get cold again. I am really looking forward to bring back the flip flops. Washing so many pairs of socks is getting old. The only time I have to wash my socks in the summer is when I work out/wear tennis shoes and at the rate I am going there will be no socks to wash...shame on me. I also know that Ben is ready for the warm weather. He keeps on wearing his Red Bar shirt and talking about Destin so his mind is definitely at the beach.

We have been pretty busy since we got back from the trip. Ben is coaching the Huntsville JV lacrosse team. I know he's so excited about it and he will do a great job. Guess this means I get to spend my future Saturdays being the coach's supportive wife at tournaments. Does that mean I have to bring juice boxes and orange slices?? Last week I worked at the Huntsville Hospital apparel show and it wore me out! Over 50 hours in 4 days! But I was just grateful to have the opportunity to work. I still have not gotten a job. I interviewed for a position at an urgent care but never heard back from them. The interview went well and I felt confident leaving so it was discouraging not to hear back from them. Keep praying! I am also working on applying to a bunch of different programs, nursing and others, to start in the fall. I am so ready to go back to school. Actually, I am so ready to be finished with school and have my degree. We also are in the new members Sunday school class at Church and really enjoying it. I have been so blessed to have grown up in a church with solid doctrine and theology and it's exciting to continue that at my new church.

Last weekend we went to Birmingham to stay with Meredith and see Sean McConnell perform. Sean is one of my absolute favorite singers. I have no idea how such a powerful voice can come from a guy about my height. It was so fun to spend time with everyone. It was me, Ben, Meredith, Alan, Chris and Meredith's friend Jessica. She was cool, but I wouldn't expect anything less with a name like that! Unfortunately the place was not the best venue I've ever been to. I never actually feared for my safety but I sure was glad we had three boys with us. It was so good to spend time with Meredith's family. I enjoy our good breakfast talks every time I stay with them.

Last night we went to the UAH hockey game with the Calverts (minus Ben's mom). I should have counted how many mighty ducks references Ben and I made throughout the night. Everything from "it's knucklepuck time" to "make them make the first move Charlie". I also thought they were going to do a flying V every time someone had the puck behind the net. I wish! We also assigned names to the players according to which character they reminded us of. It was a good night.

Tomorrow is Superbowl Sunday and I don't have a huge opinion either way. I am choosing to go for the Cardinals because Caylen and David just moved to Phoenix. Unless Peyton Manning is playing then I usually don't care about the NFL. Hope everyone enjoys watching!

Days 6 & 7

Sorry it's taken me to long to update you guys on the last few days. I had carefully thought out and written the blog a few days ago but somehow lost it before I could post it. How annoying is that??

The last two days of skiing were my favorites, because Ben was with me the whole time! Like I have been saying, he's a natural. We went exploring over pretty much the entire mountain and did some hard blues. I almost took us down a few blacks that we probably would not have survived, but we made it!

One thing I love about Crested Butte is the Adaptive Sports Center. Towards the end of the week we started seeing more blind skiers with their guides and paralyzed children pretty much flying down the mountain. I love that! What a great program! I would love to work with a program like that one day and if it happens to be in Crested Butte...I wouldn't hate it! You should check it out. http://www.skicb.com/cbmr/mountain/adaptive-sports-center.aspx

Traveling home was a disaster. Never fly through Chicago in the winter. Delays, and then more delays made our travel time a good 13 hours on Saturday. Leaving was depressing enough, we didn't need that. But we made it and we are home!

Sorry, I realize this was not a very informative post but I am still angry about losing the one I wrote earlier. Keep up the prayers on my job situation!

Day 5 (revised edition)

Whoa...wait just a minute! I don't know where Jess ever got the idea that Narnia was a "non-manly" place.  I mean, it's only played host to a number of epic battles between the forces of good and evil. And...for the record, driving through the beautiful back country of the rockies looked just like Narnia before Aslan came and regulated. So what if I was pretending to be King Peter on his way to kill the White Witch. That being said, today was definitely the best day of the trip. Last night it snowed almost a foot, blanketing the forest in fresh powder. Perfect conditions for snowmobiling. We also got to eat at this awesome restaurant in downtown Crested Butte called Timberline. For any of you have ever seen the show "The Hills," it's the restaurant that Heidi's parents own. Jess ordered an awesome looking steak while I tried to venture out and order one of the house specials. It was really good but I couldn't help but wish that steak would somehow transport across the table to my plate. Oh well, there's still several more nights for me to satisfy my steak desires. 

Day 5

Ben said today was "the best day EVER!"  We went on a snowmobile tour and it was amazing!  We were in a group of about 10 people, and we had the honor of being the caboose.  The views were beautiful, and it was fun to experience this with Ben.  He makes everything more fun, or should I say funny?  When he had the snowmobile going as fast as possible he turned around to say something to me.  Now I thought he would say something super manly since he was taking the mountain by storm, but the words that came out of his mouth were..."This looks like Narnia!"  Gotta love him...

Days 3 and 4

After a few more days of hanging out in Colorado we're finally adjusting to the altitude. However, the soreness refuses to go away. They say that if you have good form then you won't feel any soreness in your thighs or calves...guess I really don't have good form! Anyway, we've had a great time skiing and enjoying the mountains. We've seen a lot of awesome wildlife, included a giant porcupine that was the size of a basketball. It was just sitting in the top of a tree early yesterday morning as we road past on the ski lift. We also saw a red fox running around, playing in the snow. 

It seems like most of the people staying here had to go back to work or school and left us to have the mountain pretty much all to ourselves. It's really unbelievable. We never had to wait for the ski lift and were usually the only ones on any of the trails. 

We had another great meal last night, so good that Jess is already dying to go back to the same restaurant. We ate at this small sushi bar in downtown Crested Butte that "has the best sushi ever... even better than Fuji." If you know Jess at all then you'll understand just how good this place must have been. I, on the other had, hate sushi so just sat with Jess at the sushi place while she ate and then made her walk across the street to the mexican place and sit with me while I ate. It's all about compromise. 

Tonight we had some awesome barbecue beef brisket at this great barbecue place on the mountain. Tomorrow we're going on a snowmobile trip so stay tuned to see if Jess gets her sled stuck in the snow!! 

Days 1 & 2

*explanation of pictures:  the second one is the Silver Buffalo from The Wooden Nickel that we always talk about in my family, and the third picture is our hotel*

Hello from the best place on earth aka Crested Butte.  It's freezing, it's snowing, and we are windburned, sore and tired.  It's AWESOME!  I am about to go into more detail than most of you care about, so just warning you.  I am only doing this because I know several members of my family are living vicariously through me and want every detail.  If I don't write them down day by day then there is noooo way I will be able to remember everything I want to tell them.  I am also hoping to have a few new pictures every day.  

Yesterday we woke up at 4:45 am to head to the airport.  Ben said he had never seen me wake up so easily (I'm not the best morning person) but that morning was the exception.  All of our flights were on time and everything went as expected.  Ben listened to his ipod and I read a book cover to cover.  Sounds about right.  On our flight from Dallas to Gunnison, CO we were on the same plane at the Texas Tech coach, Mike Leach.  Every male on the plane was talking about it.  Ben wanted to give an Ole Miss rebel yell to rub in his recent loss.  Fortunately he kept his mouth shut, but Ben did make us stand close to him at the baggage claim to try to take a picture with his phone.  I felt like that was an okay compromise.

The hour long shuttle ride from Gunnison to Crested Butte is beautiful.  The road follows a river most of the way with mountains on both sides.  We saw a bunch of deer and some elk as well.  We also saw about 100 houses we would love to own.  Yeah right...

Once we got to Crested Butte we settled in our room, which is perfect.  It's a newer building so it's really nice and there are plenty of places to sit/scatter all of our gloves, hats, socks, etc.  If anyone ever comes to Crested Butte I recommend this place, the Lodge at Mountaineer Square.  It's right by the ski lift, all the shops and steps away from the bus stop for downtown.  (hint hint Dad)  Then we went to rent our skis and eat dinner.  We ate at the Avalanche for dinner since we were tired and we didn't want to go far.  Unfortunately we both felt the effects of being in the higher altitude, but we are drinking so much water and keeping hydrated so it's all good.  

This morning we woke up really early to the sound of the snowcats grooming the slopes.  Someone told us that is was -15 when we first went outside.  I'd believe it!  We both took lessons, mine was a half day and Ben's was a whole day.  Mine was supposed to be a group lesson but I was the only one not taking beginner lessons so I was alone with the instructor.  The idea made me nervous at first, all the attention would be on me and I had not skied in 3 years, but my instructor was hilarious and really easy to get along with so I had a great time.  We practiced the cool "hockey stops" because my instructor really wanted me to spray snow all over Ben during his lesson but I was a good wife and didn't do it.  I was really pleased that I did most of the blues on the mountain on my first day back.  It's amazing what I can do when someone is forcing me, haha.  Ben was awesome!  He looked like a natural out there.  He was easily the best person is his class.  I got to watch him come down the mountain when I was waiting for his lesson to be over and he was so good!  I can't wait to take him on a few trails tomorrow!  

Tonight for dinner we went to the Wooden Nickel.  Ben and I both had steaks (Ben's addition - U. S. D. A. Certified Prime New York Strips).  One of the best meals of my life.  It's so fun to go back to places where you have special memories with your family.  I was thinking of all of you guys the whole time!

More updates to come!  Pray for our terribly sore bodies!

Holiday Update

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, we sure did! Lot's of quality time with family! My friend Caylen came in town from Phoenix so it was great to spend time with her, even if it was too short. We are planning on visiting them in the summer and we can't wait! And Mrs. Terry gets a shout out for the best ornament EVER! We had Christmas morning at the Calvert's and spent the afternoon at my parent's house. Two Christmases are fun! I am so thankful that we all live in Huntsville for times like these!

The day after Christmas I drove to Memphis to stay with my friend Amy for a few days. She lives in New York now, so I figured I better take advantage of her visit home if I want to see her in the next year. Why did my friends have to be all adventurous and move far away? Come on guys, you're killing me! It was so so refreshing to spend time with her, and I even got to hang out with Kurt too! So fun! But I missed Ben while I was gone, and I was excited to come home and see him. And thanks to the new ipod the road trip was really easy, and I sang all of Jill Phillips parts from the Behold the Lamb of God cd. There is a reason I don't sing for a living so it's a good thing I was alone in the car...

For New Years Eve we went to Outback for dinner with Jen, Kristin and Andrew. We waited for so long but it was worth it. I understand that their cheese fries are the worst food you could possibly buy for yourself but I still crave them just about every other day (the other days are sour patch kids. How healthy am I??) After dinner we went back to our apartment to hang out, and Doug joined us. We played The Office trivia game that I have been waiting to open until Jen could play. That was a mistake cause she won. I hate losing, but my feelings were torn. I have never been more proud of her. As her big sister I taught her about the important things in life, the main one being The Office. So congrats Jen, and I am still mad that I didn't remember Kelly's sister's names. It was good to spend time with everyone!