. . . and a Happy New Year!

Well, we made it to the cabin in Bear Lake - barely.

Let me explain. On Saturday the 29th, much to my pleasure, Jeremy, Ellia and I went to his sister's basketball game at Utah State. I wish we could have spent more time there but it was so fun to be back. We stayed for part of the boys game and in the spectrum it is really hard not to start cheering so I got to cheer for the Aggies again, and we even got a picture of Ellia with Blue. It was amazing she didn't get scared - or maybe she is just meant to be an Aggie! (ignore her Y shirt this once!)

After the game Jeremy's sister and her husband, Mallary and Greg, came with us for traditional chili cheese fries from A&W (traditional for me) and a snowy slow drive through Logan Canyon. A slow pace kept us safe enough, but Jeremy and I were leading and then one truck passed but three others stayed behind Greg and Mallary. We were actually hoping they would pass us so we didn't have to lead, but instead they followed us all the way to Garden City. The worst/scariest part was when the wind blew so hard the snow drifts made it really hard to see anything for brief periods of time. No worries though we were plenty safe the whole time.

Once we made it to the bottom of the mountains with the cabin it was a different story. We headed up but discovered on our first little hill that the Camry's weren't going to make it to far. On one of the hills Greg got a pretty good start, but Jeremy and I didn't so we that slowed Greg down and we both had to let our tires spin a bit before summiting. Luckily our friend Jared (whose cabin we were retreating to) came to the rescue in his truck. We parked the cars, loaded the stuff and after a short and much easier drive arrived at the cabin. We were all pretty tired the first night so we just visited and went to bed - all but Ellia who was so excited to be at the cabin, or maybe she was just thinking about Blue, that Jeremy and I had to take turns with her until about 1:00.

The next morning was VERY windy but we went to the cabin to do a few things and we weren't going to let that stop us. We bundled up, put Ellia to bed and got the slickest sleds we could find to sled straight down the hill outside the cabin. Jeremy and I have sledded there before and it is honestly the best sledding EVER! The trail is really long and twisty and turny and someone meets you at the bottom on a snowmobile so you don't even have to walk back up! That's were the snowmobiling comes in. I drove one! I think it was my first time unless I tried it there last year. I was going pretty slow in the powdery stuff, but got going a normal pace once we were back on the packed stuff. While there were a few minor bruises, including a nice purple one on my knee from hitting a rock while Jeremy and I were sledding double, and some white toes, the sledding and snowmobiling were awesome!

What's better to get warm after a day out in the snow but a hot tub. The outdoor hot tub was protected from the wind and by that time it was mostly just snowing. It was so peaceful to sit in the hot tub and watch it snow on the pines and aspens. What wasn't peaceful was getting all suited up, and trying to get in the hot tub when it was WAY too hot, then jumping back out and trying to cool it off with - what else - snow.

Early the next morning Jeremy decided to take on the piles and piles of light fluffy powder and make a snowshoe trail up the hill to a great overlook of Bear Lake. He said at the top he just collapsed for a minute while he regained his stamina. Later that day Heather and I went with him and although it was still a bit difficult his trail made things way easier. On top it the wind was biting cold so after a breather, a good look at the lake, and a few pictures we retreated into the refuge of the trees. On the video below you can briefly see the cabins as Jeremy sweeps the camera over the landscape.


Over the next few days, including New Years, we played some games, watched some movies, took a tour through "M Town" Montpelier (way off on the spelling?) got a shake and brought in the New Year by getting to bed somewhat early! Jared wasn't feeling well and Ellia hadn't been sleeping well so we were all tired. All in all it was definitely a Happy New Year, so we hope you all had one too!