Broomﬁeld Baby Blog: 24 Weeks: Skiing and Such

Rocking the Rockies with a Bun in the Oven
Last week, Bridget and I drove to Telluride, CO for some Rocky Mountain skiing. As predicted by anyone who knows about skiing in America, it has ruined us for skiing in the East. I'm not saying we won't ski in the East ever again -- Ben would be heartbroken, for one thing. I'm just saying that we will make a huge deal about how much awesomer it was to ski in Colorado.

Here's a picture of Bridget just being mellow:

O HAI -- I'M ON YR MOUNTAIN, SKIING YR SLOPES

In case you couldn't tell, she is standing on top of a mountain. At 11,000 feet or so. Where is the whipping wind? Where is the arctic gear just barely protecting her from lethal frostbite? Where is that look of abject misery that seizes Bridget when a light breeze brushes her exposed flesh on, say, a beach? Nowhere to be found. It was just balmy up there. Here's a poor attempt to include the view in a portrait:

Some of you might be surprised to hear that I chose to ski without direct Heersink-applied duress. But it's true. After December's rainy letdown in Franconia, NH, I actually found myself wanting to try skiing again before the spring made it impossible. There was another reason, too....

Oh, yeah! I remember now -- it's going to be a lot harder to dash off to the slopes for a carefree ski getaway for two once a baby arrives. So this is probably our last vacation as an unaccompanied couple for, I dunno, let's say 15 years or so. SO WE SKIIED OUR FACES OFF. It turns out I am getting much better. I didn't fall down at all, not even once, over the two days in Telluride, and we were not just on the bunny hill, thanks. Ask Bridget.

Sue and Debby Come to Visit
Okay, so we got back to Sedona just in time for Sue and Debby (Bridget's mom and aunt, respectively) to come for a few days of horseback riding, hiking, and Red Rock adventure!

Then this happened:

Cathedral Rock

Backyard

Back patio

It's rare for snow to stick overnight in Sedona, but it did. Horseback riding was out. So the ladies set to work on the nursery:

And although it's hard to fit the whole thing in a picture, I assure you that it is an adorable, gender-inspecific nest for a tiny baberton.

THEN WE SKIIED SOME MORE!!!!!!!!!

That's Debbie, Bridget and Sue at the Arizona Snowbowl in nearby Flagstaff, a miniscule ski area that got 56" of snow over the three days before we went there. It was also twofer Tuesday at the already affordable locale, so everyone and their mom (and aunt?) decided to hit the slopes with us. Which wasn't great, considering there was one lift worth using. But just in case you thought you could get smug about it, ("That doesn't sound so great!"), get this: the cost for a lift ticket PLUS ski and boot rental was only $60/person.

AND WE SNUCK IN A FETUS FOR FREE.

Anyway, that's probably enough for today, but here's Bridget, her belly, and the dog on the back patio, a sunny 70° today: