Winter Wonderland

It looked gorgeous outside this morning!  The clouds were gone and the sun was shining...but that didn't mean it was warm!  I don't think the temperatures ever got over 8 degrees today!  Brrrrrrrrrr!  The wind made it feel brutally cold outside.  I'm glad this wasn't a planned ski day.  It would've been miserable sitting on the ski lifts!

Caleb and Audria had to drive back to Texas this morning.  They have a wedding to film tomorrow night, so they needed to leave this morning to make sure they're home and rested in time for the wedding.  We were sad to see them go...and it was a reminder that our vacation in the mountains is almost over.

Mid morning I braved the cold to rush outside and take a few pictures.

 

Seeing Mommy go outside made 2 little boys itch to get outside and (you guessed it) sled!  Mike, Tyler, and Daddy Steve agreed to brave the cold with them.
Barrett and Tyler bundled up to brave the cold.

Before sledding they got out the football and played snow football (one of Brody's dreams come true).

Barrett found that he was warmer when someone was holding him.  Looks like he's asking Daddy Steve to pick him up.

 

The big hill had a lot more powder on it today and they were all excited to sled. 

After sledding for a while Barrett started to cry.  Mike finally said to me, "Stop taking pictures and get this boy inside!  He's freezing!!!"  It wasn't hard to convince me to go inside with him.  He was all smiles when Namaw fixed him a hot cocoa in his souvenir New Mexico mini mug.

 

When the house got quiet this afternoon for nap time, Mike and I hopped in the car and drove into Red River.  We drove around sight seeing for a while, stopped at a fudge shop, marveled at how many crazy people were on the slopes when the temperature in our car read 4 degrees (that doesn't factor in the crazy windchill!), and stopped by the grocery store to get supplies to make a delicious Italian dinner. 

Now I love Jason & Ines and our New Years Eve tradition, but I much prefer seafood alfredo, garlic bread, and salad to sushi!  Olive Garden is opening by our house this year.  Maybe we should eat there 12/31/11? (hint, hint!) 

After dinner we played cards for a while and then put the kids to bed.  The adults stayed up (or tried to stay up) to watch The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.  I'm not sure that any of us made it to midnight! 

Falling asleep on the couch in front of a fire in the middle of snow covered mountains...now that's the way to ring in the New Year!

Face Plant

One of the many reasons Brody loved Red River, NM.....

 

 

I need chapstick!

The account of our NM vacation wouldn't be complete if I didn't blog about Barrett's chapstick OBSESSION.  Yes, it was definitely an obsession.  I'm not sure if it was because his lips were dry...or if he just became obsessed...but he couldn't go more than a few minutes without chapstick!  I think he actually used up a few tubes of chapstick!  He always wanted everyone elses chapstick (not his own).  We preferred that he used his own because after he'd apply it to his lips, he'd stick the tube of chapstick in his mouth and lick the end of it!  Gross!  Barrett even woke up multiple times during the night crying because he'd misplaced his chapstick (this from a kid who doesn't normally wake up during the night).  Once I'd find it and hand it back to him, he'd tuck it under his arm and fall right back to sleep.  Thanks to Namaw for figuring out an ingenious way for him to keep up with his chapstick while he was wearing his long underwear (which didn't have pockets).

 

It's SNOWING!!!!!

The views out the window this morning were vastly different than the sunset views we had yesterday morning.  There were times where it was snowing so hard we couldn't see the road!  Thankfully it wasn't -17 degrees (like it's forcasted to be tomorrow morning), so Mike, Caleb, and I headed for the ski slopes.

I absolutely LOVE THIS PICTURE!!!!!  Brody was kissing me bye and telling me to have fun skiing.

Tyler and Daddy Steve ventured outside to (you guessed it) sled with the boys.

It looks like Tyler was having just as much fun as the little boys :)

 

This afternoon Audria and Ann had massages at a spa in Red River.  Tyler and Ann walked around town while Audria was getting her massage and enjoyed a day date together. 

Barrett and Brody spent more time inside today...but that doesn't mean they didn't sit there and long to be out in the snow!

Namaw taught Brody how to play Crazy Eights.

Back in Red River, Mike, Caleb, and I spent the morning skiing/snowboarding and then we stopped for lunch at little Mexican restaurant called Tia Buena.  The restaurant owners had bold personalities.  We nicknamed them the "seat Nazis".  Granted it was a small establishment, however, when a new patron came in the door and ordered, the "seat Nazis" told them which seat would be best for them to sit it.  It was pretty funny to watch.  The food was good (even though they nuked it in one of the 3 microwaves we could see) and it was warm and dry inside!   

Caleb snowboarding...

 

Mike snowboarding...

On one of the falls that Mike took, his busted his ski goggles.  NOT a good day to have to ski without goggles!  There were times where we were in a white out and had to stop and wait for the wind to die down before we could continue down the mountain.  When we got back to the lift one time (after Mike's goggles had broken), I looked up to see that balls of ice had formed on his eyelashes (click on the picture below to see it up close)!

Caleb...

Staci (in my cute new hat!)

 

Awwww.  LOVE this picture (too bad it's kinda grainy)

We had so much fun skiing together today.  I can't believe that this was the first time in over 11 years of marriage that we've gone skiing together.  We decided that we need to do it more often.  It was fun! 

We headed back to the cabin around 2:30 or 3 and then hunkered down for the rest of the night.  It was beautiful to watch the snow fall out the window...but it felt heavenly inside by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa!

Hunting without a License

Late afternoon we got a call from a family friend who is also in Red River with his family this week.  He invited the guys to go snowmobiling with him.  The snow started just before they left, so the rest of us huddled inside by the fire.  All of the sudden Audria hollered out that she saw a deer out the window.  Brody ran and grabbed his toy rifle and then ran out the front door (thank goodness he at least had his house shoes on!) 

 

Sledding on Wednesday

Any guesses as to what Brody & Barrett wanted to do this afternoon?!?

 

What a view to look at as you sled down the hill!!!

Mike and Caleb go in search of a more dangerous hill to sled.

 

Caleb looks like a ninja!

Mike caught some air and then flew off the sled as he hit the ground!

Barrett started to get cold, so he wanted Daddy Steve to hold him so he didn't have to stand in the snow.

 

Exploring Red River

A big snow storm is supposed to roll in late this afternoon, so we decided to wait until tomorrow to go skiing again (so we'd get to ski on fresh powder!)  That meant we could all head to town and walk around Red River today. We took a few family pictures before we headed to town.  (Have I mentioned that the cabin is 5 miles up in the mountains outside of Red River?)

Caleb & Audria

Tyler & Ann

Mike, Staci, Brody, & Barrett

 

Daddy Steve & Namaw

It took us a while to get ready this morning, so by the time we got to Red River we were ready for lunch!  We ate at Texas Red's Steakhouse (recommended by a friend of Tyler's). 

As always, a sit down lunch takes some time.  By the time we were done eating, Barrett was ready for a nap!  I drove Mike and Barrett back to the cabin while everyone else headed down the street to check out the shops.  By the time I got back to town the wind had picked up and the clouds came out and everyone was chilled to the bone.  Daddy Steve, Namaw, and Brody said they'd stay with me and walk around Red River, but everyone else was ready to head back to the cabin for a nap in front of the fireplace.

 

 

I found a few souvenirs and then we headed back to the cabin to rest.