YOLO in Utah

When asked if you would like to take a private plane to a beautiful ski resort in Utah for a weekend with your sweet friends the answer is always YES. Always. Even if you are deathly afraid of flying in any size of plane. Even if you are known for being a doofus on skis. The answer is always YES. In the words of Matt Harrington...."YOLO." We sure did YOLO it up in Utah. I must tell you about it! 

As we all pulled up in our separate cars at the Woodward airport last Friday morning I got out of the car, stretched for a moment and hollered out a big "it sure is a great day to die." You can tell that I hadn't fully embraced the plane ride yet. In fact I'd fretted about it for a good month in advance. Although looking back I realize what an idiot I was...if I were really that convinced that we would die on the plane then I should've made out a will. Ha! Jai shot me a "you stop with that negativity" look and I immediately recanted my statement. "A beautiful day to fly!" Not die. FLY!!!! ;) And ski. A beautiful day to ski. Well, if that's what you can call the sort of moves I have on snow...but more about that later. Let's get to the part about how insanely excited us girls were!!!

 

Excited face #1.....

Excited face #2.....

Excited face #3.....

In all seriousness, the flight was wonderfully smooth, without a flaw and as beautiful as could be. We watched the sun rise as we flew west.....

We also watched these two in the front of the plane ransack the "snack cart".....

Next was the Rocky Mountains in all their glory. Snow-capped and looking gorgeous.....

I won't lie and say that I was anywhere near calm, cool and collected...but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised by the smooth ride but very glad to be on the ground once we landed in SLC.

The guys in the front found a funny way to respond to my frequent gasps as a loud buzzer would sound. "Sausage biscuits are done!" Show me this microwave...I need proof. ;) Matt was in the rear of the plane with Riley snoozing in front of him. It seems as though there was a drastic difference in temps from the front to the back of the aircraft.....

Extra chilly

We had left Woodward at 7:30 and landed at 9:30 mountain time. I was feeling a bit spoiled at that point....quick flight time...no airports mess to deal with...no checking luggage. Nice. Riley sat next to the door and was ready to hit solid ground when we landed too....

It was a short forty minute drive from the airport to The Cliff Lodge where we would be staying the weekend. Jai and Ryan had rented two cars for the eight of us. Oh yeah, now's a good time to mention who all went. Matt & Heather, Ryan & Jai, and Ryan's cousin (Dillon) and coworker (Michael). It was obvious from the get-go that we were all going to have a darn good time together. We began our drive in some pretty hard rain and ended it with some pretty huge and heavy snow falling as we climbed our way up the mountain. We checked our bags at the bell desk and finished grabbing what we needed for our afternoon on the mountain. We had all dressed in our ski gear on the plane to avoid having to change when we got to the hotel. Jai, Heather, Matt and I filled up one car while the rest of the crew filled up what we will refer to as the NASCAR. We had a two mile drive/race from Snowbird (where our hotel was) to Alta resort. It was still beautiful and snowy when we arrived at the resort....

We didn't waste any time and had our passes for the weekend, skis rented and were on our way to grab a bite to eat in less than thirty minutes. My first few minutes on skis were very similar to our trip to New Mexico in January. Wedge city! Most people say things like "skiing just comes naturally" or "it's just like driving...ya never forget how." Well....it's not that I doubt these lovely people...it's just that I fear I wasn't born with the winter sporting gene. It just didn't make it into my DNA. Although the first time down the mountain was not pretty AT ALL, it wasn't a wasted effort by any means....I learned a lot of good tips from Heather and took time to notice the incredible beauty that surrounded us. The trees were stunningly tall and covered in snow...BEAUTIFUL! Our second trip down the mountain I had two coaches, Jai and Heather, by my side making certain that I was going to get IT! And I did! I DID!! I GOT IT! It finally clicked and for a good hour I made it down twice without any falls. With my new-found confidence the whole crew (guys and girls) all headed back up the mountain to ski down together. Here comes Ashley (seemingly in control but secretly lacking the ability to stop) flying past everyone and quickly ending up in a ball of snow and mangled pride. That right there was the moment that the lightbulb switched back to off. All confidence flew right out the window. I went back to looking like a weirdo wedging down the mountain. I consider it a miracle that I returned with all of my knee ligaments intact. Buuuuuuuuuuut.......despite the difficulty.......Friday had plenty of fun, fun, fun mixed with the falls, falls, falls. The girls were my saving grace and beyond patient helping me get the hang of things. Here are some pics from our first day on the mountain....

Friday on the slopes came to an end around 4:30. We stored our boots and skis, loaded up in the cars and followed Jeff Gordon and his posse back to the Cliff. Things looked a lot different driving back since the snow had stopped falling and we were able to take in the mountains and scenery. Breathtaking. Absolutely. The lodge was pretty fantastic as well. The view from our room window was both unexpected and beautiful. We finished checking in, got settled in, showered and got dressed for dinner. After a day on the mountain (ok, maybe just me and my horrible form) we needed a delicious steak dinner to take the place of all the calories we burned. Or at least that's the way I looked at it. ;) We found just the right place....well, after doing a bit of searching and hiking through the snow to find it....

We trekked from the Cliff over to the adjacent resort, Snowbird. It was well worth walk. We found ourselves at a place called The Steak Pit where the steaks were spectacular and the laughs were abundant.

Lots of heavy eyes at the table forced us back to our rooms very early that night. Matt and Heather headed back to the hotel right after dinner and Jai and I attempted to hang with the guys but were unsuccessful. What happened after that was very simple: SLEEP. Sweet, sweet sleep. I sleepily wandered to our door to put a towel in between the door and the wall so that Riley would be able to get in without calling me since he didn't have a room key. Once I fell asleep there wasn't going to be any getting up. Dead to the world. The guys say they finished up their pool playing around 10:30 and I feel like I vaguely remember him coming into the room. He was pretty interested in figuring out why I thought it was safe to keep the door propped open while I was sleeping. Like I said...dead to the world. The next morning we woke to THIS......

Saturday was my momma's birthday and I thought "what better place to be than up closer to the clouds?" I think she may have even put in a good word with the big man to paint an extra beautiful sky that day. I'm almost certain.....

My main man and I joined Michael and Jai down in the atrium for breakfast. Heather and Matt had grabbed something quick that morning and Ryan was relaxing in the room with room service. I'll admit I was a little hesitant about putting my skis back on and probably would've sat all day at the hotel taking in the company of my friends and enjoying the view. But alas, we layered back up and off we went....

Day #2 on the slopes was a mix of sun and snow. Sunny until the end of the day and that's when a blinding snow began to fall. From the lodge we weren't able to see a thing looking out the window. I must confess there were some tears this day...mostly related to some hard falls...one after which I was sure I lost the lower part of my leg. ;) My nose also had an unpleasant meeting with the snow. I think by that point I had just become a liability to the group and the icing on the cake was when I bit it while riding the tow rope across the resort. Who falls off a tow rope?!?!?!?! Sheesh! Luckily Matt was behind me and grabbed my poles for me and I got back up and grabbed on for the ride. After one last trip down an unexpectedly daunting trail (relatively speaking, of course) with me using a mixture of side stepping, sliding on my butt and simply sitting on the side of the mountain trying to find the courage to get back on my feet, er, I mean skis, I figured it was time to call it a day. Matt and Heather were my angels in the blowing snow as they made sure to keep me within sight. Definitely time to hang up my skis after that trip down. I suppose my perspective is not the best for describing how lovely the resort really was. I should probably have Riley relay his experience. I know he had a blast and didn't stop! I barely saw the guy the entire two days on the mountain. He was busy being a daredevil with the guys....and Jai....I here she is a beast! I realized that my husband, as well as the rest of my friends, are awesome on skis. Here are a few pics from day #2......

We found the perfect spot on the top of the mountain for a group pic.....

I couldn't talk Riley into a goofy pose but settled for a cheesy smiley one with my love.....

Saturday night called for another delicious group meal at El Chanate....

We dined on some stellar Mexican food and let Ryan and Dillon do the entertaining for the evening with their cousin comedy show. We realized this weekend what Jai has known for quite some time...there is never a dull moment when those two are in the same room. Lots of laughs as Dillon jokingly told our waiter "thanks man, that was the best 20th birthday I've ever had!" after serving him quite a few margaritas that night. Though you would've thought the guys were 20 year olds if you had spotted them racing in the arcade.....

Very similar to Friday night, we left the guys down in the arcade and went to change into our swimsuits. Well, Heather, Matt and Jai changed into their swimsuits. I just spent a while kicking myself for not packing mine. I decided that I'd join them and just stick my feet in the hottub to stay warm. It wasn't long before I realized I didn't mind having a sopping wet shirt and shorts if it meant I could get in the water and stay warm in the snow. YES, the SNOW! It began falling tiny pretty flakes while we were on the deck.....

We begged Riley and Ryan to join us but they said something about it being "too cold outside"....pssshhh. Cold, schmold....it was a YOLO moment. ;) Sunday morning came much too soon and I quickly realized upon waking that I was most definitely going to buy a house in Utah and someone would need to make arrangements to bring my daughter to me ASAP. But after talking to Riley I realized just as quickly that this wasn't an option. ;) But we had one more day to soak up the relaxation and scenery. Heather and I kicked the vacation into overdrive while the others headed back up to the mountain for one final day of skiing. We had appointments at the Cliff Spa and a lunch date planned. I may have looked composed on the outside but inside I was bursting with happiness and excitement about the day and was extra thankful for a partner to join me. The two of us grabbed a bite to eat and sat for a while and chatted before it was time for our massages. Into our robes we sunk and of course had to snap a quick pic.....

It was hard to stay awake while waiting for our names to be called. We kicked back in the atrium waiting area and spent most of that time ooo-ing and ahh-ing over the view in front of us.....

From our viewpoint we could see all of the skiers coming all the way down the side of the mountain. After a massage, facial and a shower we returned back to the view for a few more minutes of daydreaming. Then my belly reminded me about what time it was. We discovered a yummy place called The Fork Lift at Snowbird where we could watch people "ski in" to the commons area for lunch and had a beautiful view of the trees and mountains on the other side of the restaurant. The food did not disappoint....in fact I ate much more than I had planned. Belly full and in a state of complete relaxation...is there a more peaceful state??? No. Nope. Definitely not. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon just catching up on life and resting at the hotel. The rest of the crew returned back around 3:30 and changed before we all loaded up for the airport. We enjoyed the drive back to Salt Lake City because we could actually see the mountains this time....

The pilot was waiting for us at the airport when we arrived. I can't not mention the pleasure Riley and I got from knowing we wouldn't have to go through security, arrive two hours ahead of time and wait in lines at the airport. We pulled in thirty minutes before we were scheduled to leave so the rental cars could be checked in and our bags could be loaded. The flight home was a very quick two hour flight as we were flying with the wind. The mood on the plane was definitely a mix of happy/sore/relaxed. Oh and a few moments of slight panic. What is slight panic, you ask? It's what happens when the latch on the door pops open while the plane is landing. I loved the look on Riley's face as he held the latch down tight....

It turned out that it took much more to open the door than just the little latch...slight panic not necessary. ;) Before we knew it we were back on solid ground. Well, some of us knew it for sure as their ears (Heather and Dillon) felt like they were going to explode due to the rapid descent. Popping of latch and ears aside....the flight was fantastic! Check out the beautiful sky we returned to in good ol' Oklahoma.....

I really can't explain how perfect the entire trip was. I also can't thank Ryan and Jai enough for letting us share in the fun. Making memories is what life's all about!!!



P.S. - What was Hal gal doing while we were gone playing?
I've got a separate post for that!!!

Dining and Dancing with Daddy (well, sort of)

For nearly a month we've been talking ALL ABOUT this special event. She'd tried on her dancing dress at least five times....her shoes had gotten plenty of practice dancing....and her and her dad even practiced handing me their tickets to the dance and pretended to eat dinner at the coffee table. We'd been through it all....SHE. WAS. READY. Kinda.

This tricycle had quite a bit to do with her less than desirable attitude the evening of the dance. Ya see, she had picked herself up a shiny new pink helmet during our shopping trip that morning. It quickly grew became attached to her head. So instead of getting primped and pretty for the dance, she had a date with her tricycle and she wasn't backing down.....

It didn't help that she's stubborn like her momma and she had an abundance of rest after a nearly four hour snooze that afternoon. I tried my darndest to sell the whole getting ready process but she was clearly in tomboy mode. It's a wonder she let me splash some shimmer on her pretty cheeks and her fancy shoes on her feet. While I curled her hair she took some classic shots with the big camera. Trust me, they were quality shots.....

Speaking of quality shots.....I die over this one.....

The red curls....the shiny lips....those blue eyes....um, those CHEEKS!!! She received plenty of kisses from her adoring momma before she left for the dance. Might I add that there was PLENTY of time for kisses seeing as how dancing queen's daddy was stuck in the closet acting like a female with nothing to wear. Except that he has a closet full of dress clothes and plenty to choose from. So while he changed shirts and ties ten times we went out in the front yard for a photo shoot. We had an unexpected item make its way into the picture. In true Hallie fashion she had a hankerin' for some crackers and took it upon herself to go grab two packs: one for daddy and one for her. She told me "I wait til da dance to eat dese." Mkay.....

Try as I might, she would not part with her snack while she posed. But pose she did.....

Just a side note here: where did she learn to do the whole foot crossing thing??? Who has been giving my daughter diva lessons????

Once I was pleased with the pictures I had captured of my princess (and her crackers) we went inside thinking that surely her prince would be ready. Ummmmm......no. Still searching for the perfect tie, bless his heart. I couldn't tell if it was a good stalling technique since he was exhausted and had just walked in the door from work or if he really didn't know what to wear. I gave him some fashion advice (scary) while Hal kicked back and watched some Mickey Mouse.....

"Hey dad!!! Hurry it up a lil!..."

Once we saw Riley emerge from his staging area it was time to make some final preparations. Purse with strap tied up to accommodate a height deficit, tickets in purse, crackers in purse....all that was left was the pinning of the boutineer and the donning of the wrist corsage....

She'd been keeping an eye on these puppies for a whole month now

"Wait dad, let me make sure I got the crackers...."

One would imagine that I was tearing up while watching these two prepare to leave. And one would be right.....

Hallie became the youngest person to ever pin a boutineer on her own. Ok, I lie. She had quite a bit of assistance with it. Because of the height deficit...remember. She loved her pretty wrist corsage with a fresh white rose and a bracelet of pearls.....

Hal was being squirmy and crazy and honestly looked like she'd just drank a gallon of coffee. But just when I thought I wasn't going to get a decent picture of the two together because she was ready to put the camera away and go boogie....THIS. HAPPENED.......

Yeah....that happened. I haven't decided if I want a giant wall mural of it yet or if a lifesize print for each room will suffice. ;) So what happened after that magic moment? This happened. 

Ya see, we were balancing on the curbing stones (naturally) and scratched our leg. Tears and sad faces happened....

This sassy moment could have so many captions I just won't even attempt......

Finally after some coercing, we got her into the car after explaining all of the reasons that I couldn't go with them. I'd been looking forward to a night alone since the day I heard about the event. But that wasn't the reason I gave her. I repeated back to her something she'd told me a couple weeks prior: "mommy, you can't go, you not a daddy or a daughter."

The daddy and the daughter ;)

During my alone time I spent approximately one minute relaxing, five minutes changing into my running clothes, ten minute contemplating going for a run, fifteen minutes of stuffing my face with the spaghetti I made after I decided that running was stupid, and seventy-eight minutes staring at the photo of Riley kissing Hallie. I can't really say much about what happened on their special date except that it went nothing like I'd imagined. They didn't even enter the dance for quite some time because she had some important balancing to do on the concrete wall outside. When I opened the video of her sitting on the table in the entry way at the convention center I immediately knew that she was bound to act like a caged wild animal. I think Riley would agree that that's a fair assessment.....

Reorganizing the backdrop for the professional pictures

Standing outside of the dance...thinking about actually going in

Hal ran into her bestie, Marleigh

Waiting outside....wanting to play instead of eat

Agreed to eat....as long as Papa Bill was holding her

I know, I know, I know....you don't even have to say it....."why would you think a two-year-old would do well at a daddy/daughter dance?" Well, you live and you learn. And we learned that this was a silly idea. But it sure was fun dressing her up, curling her hair and teaching her how she's supposed to be treated on a date.

The carriage pulled in the driveway around 8:30, the princess had lost her slippers, the prince had lost his patience....BUT they lived happily ever after....