Ski Utah!

Just recently we went on a little mini-vacation to Utah with 3 other couples from college- The Skows, The Ksiondas and The Andersons. We had such a great time being away from work, responsibility and the humidity! Utah was gorgeous- everything that you hear about it is true. The snow is powdery, the weather is great and everyone is very friendly.

My good friend Susan opened up her family's townhouse in Eden (you can see pics of it here), which was more wonderful than I had even imagined! It was awesome- the location was perfect for what everyone wanted to do and was super nice.

Our view from the living room in the condo- it was rough

Brrrrrr! What the temp was when we woke up...


The first day we were there, the boys said they would make breakfast EVERY morning...ha! I think they maybe regretted their decision after the second day...

Ben and Jeremy cookin' some pancakes and bacon for the group

The first day everyone went to Snow Basin, which happens to be where a lot of the Olympic skiing events were held when they were in Utah in 2004. Needless to say, their runs were more challenging. You'll notice that I'm not in any of the ski pictures...that would be because I got sick. I started running a fever the night we got there and wasn't really feeling up to skiing, especially when I KNOW I would have spend the majority of the day with my face in the snow!

Snow Basin's ski lodge was seriously the nicest ski lodge I have ever been in- it was huge and so pretty. You could watch the skiiers and snowboarders come in from the dining area and there were HUGE fireplaces all over, so it was nice and cozy


Ben and Ashley (the Skows) in front of one of the huge fireplaces

Ben and I in front of a fireplace

Ashley is VERY excited (or nervous!) about skiing!

Ben, Michael, Natasha, Ben and Ashley on the slopes

Beautiful view on top of the mountain with the lake in the background

Everyone meeting at the moose! Skows, Ksiondas, Bayles, and Andersons

The second day, a group of us went to Park City and a group went skiing again at Snow Basin...our camera and Ben went skiing and I went to Park City. You'll notice Ben is wearing a helmet in the picture below because...

HE SNOWBOARDED.

For those that don't know, in 2003 Ben was in a very serious snowboarding accident that landed him the hospital with serious internal bleeding and major surgery to remove his spleen, which had ruptured. We came very close to losing him and I was NOT in favor of him snowboarding this trip. It's not that I don't think he can do it, I just know that he is a very good skiier and has more control over that than snowboarding. So, he chose the day that I would be in another city to snowboard. Sneaky guy. He did fine, and I'm glad that he at least wore a helmet.

His partner in crime, Michael (and his signature face), Natasha, Ben, and Ben

The hot tub, where we spent pretty much every night discussing important topics, like what gameshow we all want to go on and would you rather have sand in your eyes constantly or kick a wall with a toothpick jammed in your big toe. We're very deep and philosophical.

Sledding by the condo- fun, but quite a hike UP the hill. I have a new appreciation for anyone that had to walk "uphill in the snow..."

Ben sledding

Snow Angel!

Utah, you were fun!