1/1/11

I know I'm a numbers nerd, but I think the non numbers fans will even admit that today is an awesome date! Speaking of awesome, that's a new word that Dylan learned on this first day of the new year.

We just got back from a great couple of days in the mountains. With great snowfalls from our big storm last weekend, some time off work, some warm weather (by winter in the mountains standards) and fun friends, we had the perfect recipe for a fun ring in to 2011.

Our friends Tamara and Ross, along with their cute daughter, Elsa, and energetic dog, Trucker, joined us at our NH condo on Thursday afternoon. After we all go unpacked and settled, we had dinner together, spent some time getting the kiddos to sleep in a foreign place and then stayed up late playing games.

Dylan and Elsa

Friday we did something none of us had done for a couple of years - hit the slopes! Since each of us individual couples normally are each others ski\snowboard buddies and we've had very young babies or have been pregnant the last  winters, skiing hasn't really happened. We were bound to make it work somehow. Thursday night we came up with a plan. The boys would go for the morning and then we would do a noon switch over.

After a late night, Tamara and I were happy to have a low key morning at home with the babes (though our ambitious plans to snowshoe that morning didn't happen). Around 11, we packed up and drove to the mountain. As we had planned, well hoped really, both kiddos started naps on the way there. We met the guys at the mountain, who had enjoyed 3 plus hours of snowboarding, switched cars and car keys (they got the one with the kids in it) and then the gals geared up to spend the afternoon skiing. The conditions were great, the temperature perfect and even though it was a holiday weekend, the crowds weren't too bad. It was truly exhilarating to get comfortable on skis again and have some fun in the snow.

So our ski day was new years eve. The unfortunate part with our timing was that we had such a great time staying up late the night before and had such a physically tiring day...it made for a tired four adults on new years eve. Like many new(ish) parents, we didn't make it to midnight. Around 10:30, we justified it being the new year just a couple of time zones over, had a nice toast and then all headed to bed for some much needed sleep.

The next morning, we started out the day with our favorite local breakfast spot, the Sugar Shack. After stuffing ourselves silly with great breakfast fare, we headed back to our place so that Elsa could have a wee little nap.

A few years ago, Tamara and Ross were up at our place for new years day and I went snowshoeing with them (I think Mike opted for some R&R on that trip). To continue the tradition (or maybe just start it back up), we strapped on the funny contraptions to our feet, as well as kids to our bodies this time, and hiked the trails behind our condo. And, as we usually do, we took the nice loop that passes by our property's waterfall.

Me and Dylan

There's a Waterfall Under There...I Promise!

Trucker, the Alaskan Husky Doing What He Does Best...Frolic in the Snow

With the Waterfall

Our Family at the Waterfall

Tamara, Elsa (Yes, She's Really in There Somewhere) and Ross

With us all sufficiently pooped out, we started packing up to head home. Other than us all still getting used to this whole kid in the mix thing with trips like these....especially with two from different families...the 2 night stay went pretty well. By the end of two nights with not great sleep by the kids, and therefore not good sleep for the adults, adding physical exhaustion to the mix and perhaps too much celebration, it was a long packing up process. Dylan and Elsa had found the cranky pants that none of us remembered packing for them and the parents were using the very last shreds of patience left to keep them sated while trying to get the cars loaded up for the ride home.

The weekend was filled with lots of fun, great conversation, tons of laughs, new games (for some), good exercise and lots of juggling of little ones. Definitely great memories and I'm hoping for a good night of sleep to recuperate from it all.