SKIING, SOAKING and STAFF PARTIES

The weekend was very busy.
I took the two girls and a friend up to the ski hill on Saturday morning. Our son stayed behind to go to work with his dad.

I almost forgot to bring my skis!
As it turned out, I did forget my ski boots...
No worries, the ski rental shop had a complimentary pair that I was able to use. They weren't as comfortable as mine, but they worked and we had a good day on the hill.
My older daughter and her friend disappeared as soon as we got there - no being seen snowboarding with Mum!
My younger daughter and I took a warm up run down below. It was COLD!
The sky was as clear as a bell, with not a single sign of a cloud. The sky was a deep blue, complimenting the thick layer of snow on the trees.
I had heard there was a bit of an inversion, where the air temperature is warmer at a higher altitude, so we headed straight up to the summit for our next run.
It was cold riding the three lifts to get there, but we were rewarded. It was about ten degrees warmer at the top. We stopped in at the summit hut and shared a large chocolate chip cookie and a cup of hot cocoa.
The views were spectacular, a real view of one thousand peaks, to be sure!
After warming up, we headed back downhill. The snow was nice and easy to ski.
On the way, we met up with one of my friends. My daughter headed all the way back to the bottom to go play on the bunny hill and my friend and I headed back up for another run in the sun!
By the time we reached the bottom, it was time for me to gather the kids and head home back down the mountain.

My husband and I packed for overnight. I had to pack lots, because I'm a girl...
Well, I had to bring all my makeup, good clothes, bathing suit and another change of clothes.
I brought a duffel bag, my husband had his stuff in a grocery bag...
Doesn't that say it all?

Our eldest looked after her two younger siblings. It was her first overnighter. They all did great!
I rented "The Fabulous Four" and "The Polar Express" for them to watch, so that helped keep everyone occupied before bed.

Our soak in the hot springs was delicious! The air was cold and the snow lay all about. The water was hot and steamy.
What a wonderful way to end the day!
But, it wasn't over yet...

We met in the hotel dining room for cocktails, followed by a great meal of roast beef, ham and all the fixings!
After dinner we carried on with music, dancing and a game of poker!
It was after midnight when we made our way back to our luxurious room.
In the morning we met in the dining room for a big buffet breakfast. The spread was marvelous.

We got home just before noon.
The rest of the day was spent watching Christmas shows on TV.
We had pizza in the living room for dinner before going to bed.

What a nice weekend!