So Good To Be Back Home

Hard to believe it is almost April and we are home from our long long journey. So good to be home. Yet so many great memories created.

It started way back over a week ago, with an early morning trip to CT to see the folks. Sick as a dog, sporting a fever, I braved the road anyway. I just couldn't wait to see the family. The kids were awesome in the car, so nice to have mature teenagers I have to say. As soon as we arrived in CT, the extended family started dropping by. I so love that about my parents' house - family is so close and so willing to drop in to say hello. We laughed and joked and played some games. Mommy had to go to bed too early for the Easter Bunny to arrive. But lo and behold, the Easter Bunny came anyway. Hmmm, maybe b/c teenagers sleep in and the Easter Bunny awakens early. 61 eggs in all were discovered throughout Gram and Grandpa's house. Perhaps a few too many for just 2 kids, but the Grandparents had a hoot watching the teenagers seek and destroy...

Nope, no pictures of the Hunt - the kids said please no, not the pJ pictures...

And I just realized I left all the Easter Pictures behind at Mom's. I made a CD of the skiing photos, but neglected to copy the Easter photos. duh. Will have to get Gram to send the obligatory photos of the kids all dolled up and posing with the family.

Anyway, after the Hunt, we went off to church, then to lunch with the entire clan. Then back to Gram's for some games and visiting and planning for the big Trip.

Monday morning a certain teenage boy arose early and quickly - I guess thoughts of slopes and snowboarding are enough to arouse the teenager when it is still dark outside! we were on the road by 6:15a.m. and on the slopes by noon.

The slopes did not disappoint. We had an unbelievable room right on the village center, truly ski in-ski out. And ski in ski out we did. 4 glorious days of nothing but snow. See for yourself....

Au On the lift

SH says "Stop playing with the camera and let's SKI"

Mom poses at the top of Madonna...such a gorgeous view

Au boarding in the terrain park

Sh on the lift "WHAT do you WANT?!"

We borrowed Gram's little digital and had a ball - lots of photos from the lift, some at the top of the mountain and a few from the slopes. Mom has decided maybe she needs a nifty camera like that! We truly had a ball - long days on the slopes, nights cooking in our room, which was more than big enough for the three of us, a night of tubing, the kids went swimming one night (!), dinner out one night, games of Boggle and Mario on the DS. My cell phone did not work at the resort, so I was forced to have a 5 day vacation - so unbelievably relaxing once I let go and realized the world would continue to turn without me. The first true vacation in a very, very long time. Oh it felt so good.

We've come home to cherry blossoms and tulips and daffodils. Such a change from the 6 inches of new snow we left on Friday...

It is good to be home. Good to be getting ready for spring, for the 10 mile race next weekend, for life..

and here, more photos of our vaca...

Looking out our balcony into the snow village. Yes truly ski-in ski out

Snow tubing gets high ratings...

Mom clearly likes snow tubing, too.

Yeah, we skiied that. (OK We skiied/boarded EVERYTHING)

A long way down? Not when you're 15 and going all out - and not when you're mom chasing 2 fifteen year olds down the mountain. We averaged 15 minutes up on the lift and 15 minutes to get down - they ski fast with no breaks (and no respect for an old lady's sore quads...)

Warming our wet bottoms in our room during a lunch break (lifts were wet from overnight snow. We're not complaining! We love snow!)

Yes we skiied/boarded that, too. All of them. (Have I told you I love having teenagers?!)

Yep and we skiied that, too. lots of little runs through the woods. They have this crazy thing called "Glades" where you can ski through the woods. I agreed to do that....once. What a dumb idea. Truly only for the experienced skiers/boarders. Which mine are but I am not. I took a break on my back with my skis on one side of a tree and my head on the other side, and my body wrapped around the tree, contemplating my navel and making an upside-down snow angel, while the kids waited at the bottom wondering what the heck mom was doing in the woods....

Trying to get a photo of the top of the mountain from the lift going up, but it's buried in clouds and snow. Beautiful glorious snow.

The top of Morse Mountain - the smallest mountain - from our balcony. We'd ride the lift to the top every morning, then ski over to the bigger and more challenging mountains. Such fun.