Hi-ho, hi-ho it's up to the mountain we go!

Last weekend, I was invited up to the mountain to snowboard for the day with my brother in law Chris, my nieces Addy and Livy, an awesome kiwi gal Chris works with named Kylie, and family friends Brandon and Alexis.  Our initial "plan" (I use air quotes because the Buzos rarely plan out something so extensively as they did this trip lol). I'm talking sandwiches and snacks PRE-MADE the night before! Chris and Sunny get a major kudos for this master planning:) The plan was to meet at the Buzo's casa at 6:45 a.m. and be up at the mountain in time to put the kiddos in a lesson at around 9:00 so the adults could get some quality time on the slopes! Sounds amazing right?

Well about 15 minutes before I'm about to leave the house I get a call from Mr. Buzo. Bad news bears. Livy has been up all night with the major sickies and thus my nieces are no longer accompanying us to the mountain. Oh and also, we are not leaving until 8:00 now. Frick on a stick! I'm totally bummed the girls are not going AND that I'm up and ready at 6:30 a.m! Asa, Brandon's son, was going to spend the day with auntie Sunshine, but guess that can't happen now that the girls are all sicky so they are out for the day too. The small positive note is that Chris, Kylie and myself now have the entire day to hit the slopes!

We made amazing time up the mountain, however, none of us bothered to check the weather before hand and as we're getting geared up by the car it starts snowing cats and dogs. Does this saying work for snow as well as rain? Anyhow, it was quite the blizzard made worse by the continuing gusts of sharp wind. Can wind BE sharp? Well it FELT sharp on my unprotected face! The snow, on the other hand, was glorious!! I'm talking about thick, white, powdery goodness! If the wind could have just let up a teeny bit I would have been in my snowboarding heaven! But no. Did I mention I also don't believe in wearing goggles? I have fogging up issues and I tend to become majorly frustrated when I can't see as I'm flying down the mountain. FYI, this is something I took major flack for ALL THE LIVE LONG DAY! Kylie and Chris were constantly asking if I was ok, genuine concern for my open, wind-wacked face lol. I even tried wearing Chris' sunglasses for a bit, but AGAIN with the fogging up!! WHAT THE WHAT?! So annoying! Strangers would sit next to me on the lifts or ask me in line as we waited, "where are your goggles? "How are you up here in this weather without goggles?" Everytime I answered with a, "uh, I don't actually know." Real great answer huh? Makes me look like a first time boarder and a complete LOSER lol. Instead, I squinted and went for it each time, real hardcore like. My speed was severly hindered due to the fact that I'd have to slow up everytime I got going too fast...I can only handle so much snow in my eyes!! I also haven't quite figured out boading off the trails. In places where the snow was too powdery I got stuck and soon there after oober frustrated!

We took an intermission, so to speak, around 11:30 to grab something warm to drink and thaw out. The lodge up at Timberline is one of my favorite places:) So warm and cozy! Boy oh boy did we need that thaw out! LOL each of our faces was quite rosey and red! We ended up boarding for another hour or two, Kylie and Chris lasted longer than I did. I drove down the mountain to pick them up after they took the trail connecting Timberline to Government Camp. I've never been so grateful for pre-made snacks! Thanks sis! We also made a stop at the brewery at the bottom of the hill for a few yummy brews. Mine tasted like coffee and chocolate:)

All in all, even though the weather wasn't perfect it was a day well spent on the mountain! I may have to resign to getting a pair of decent goggles for those surprise weather days and to save face in front of all the other boarders lol. Thanks mother nature for showing me who actually IS the boss of me!