Colorado Adventures Part III: Granby*

*A fair warning: this post is picture-laden. There were just too many beautiful moments from this part of the trip! 

On the last full day of our trip, husband and I headed out to Granby for a more serene outdoor adventure at Snow Mountain Ranch. We arrived at the park around 9am to rent our gear, then headed out on snow shoes to explore the seemingly endless trails, ridges and peaks. A mere few minutes into our trek, the buildings were small in the distance and not a sound could be heard. No cars, no people. Just a little bit of wind... and then we happened upon two moose! 

After winding around some of the flat trails we decided to make the climb to the top of Coyote Tooth and get a view from the ridge. The trail narrowed and steepened, and it felt like we walked into another world. The trees were so still and perfectly laden with snow. The sky was a brilliant blue that allowed the sun to cast perfect shadows on the untouched snow. It was magical.

The view from the top of the ridge was worth the short climb. We decided to brave the slightly chilling breeze and eat lunch atop the ridge. Once we were almost frozen, we decided to head back to the camp and try our luck with cross-country skis. I'll have to say that cross country skiing was not my forte. We only attempted it for about 45 minutes or so, definitely not enough time to figure out the right technique, so it's on our list for the next winter trip we take.

As much as I love downhill skiing, I have to say that this adventure was my favorite. There was something so special about being atop a ridge with untouched snow and feeling a million miles away from anything and anyone. There is a part of my soul that longs for solitude and a closeness with God, and I truly believe that I find that most in His vast creation, in nature.

xoxo

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Cheddar-Dill Scones

In light of the recent three-day snow/ice storm and a long weekend, I decided to spend some time with one of my favorite chefs, Ina Garten. Baking was definitely on the weekend agenda, but sweets were certainly not. I'm still detoxing from all of the Christmas goodies. So I pulled out this book and flipped through until I found the recipe for cheddar-dill scones. They were the perfect companion to a bowl of soup and also worked well with my favorite egg recipe for Saturday brunch.

Happy Baking.

xoxo

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Snow Day(s)

Although it rarely snows here in the south, we were blessed this week with a few days of true-ish winter*. Universities and businesses were closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, so our winter break joyfully extended another three days. I took full advantage of the time off to sleep in, wander around the snowy park, take lots of pictures, drink warm hazelnut coffee, watch multiple movies, bake savory scones, and spend much-needed time with my husband.

{Anyone???}

*I know all of you who live north of the Mason-Dixon line think this southern "snowstorm" is a bit ridiculous. Granted, it is. However, it is important to note that there are a mere ten snow plows available for the entire state, and I'm not even sure all of them work. Which amounts to all roads outside of the perimeter maintaining a constant icy layer. But I'm not complaining. I'll gladly take the three days off.

xoxo

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vancouver or bust

i love the winter olympics, {snowboarding, ice hockey, alpine skiing, downhill races, and figure skating? yes, please} so i have been in heaven lately with all the olympic coverage on the news.

some of my favorite moments thus far:

{shaun white winning gold in men's halfpipe}
i really enjoy watching men's halfpipe snowboarding because it is something that i would never be able to do. the thought of doing three or four flips over six feet in the air with a snowboard attached to my feet sounds like absolute fear to me, but it's just another day at work for shaun white.
image credit

{lindsey vonn winning gold in women's alpine skiing}
because hers is just a really good story {overcoming an injury and being thought of as a "pin up girl"} & because she is a girly girl who is also outdoorsy. {she fits right in here at hiking in stilettos.}
image credit

{shani davis winning gold & apolo ohno winning silver in speed skating}
because i really like speed skating for some reason & because shani davis supports an organization to bring speed skating to inner city kids in dc.
image credit davis
image credit ohno

 

{the tango by russian ice dancers oksana domnina & maxin shabalin}
as a dancer myself, {although not of ice}, i really appreciated their grace and poise. one of my pet peeves with dancers of all types is closing in of the upper body {ports de bras for you dancer types}. the reason that this team displays such ease on the ice has a lot to do with their open & lifted upper torso. in short, it was a beautiful tango.
image credit


it would take too long to list all of my favorite moments from this year's winter olympics. perhaps i will make it out to see some of the events in 2014....

what are some of your favorite events or olympic moments?



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snow day in the south

it rarely snows in my corner of the country, so when we got 6 inches of snow this weekend, the city basically shut down. husband and i played a bit, made a snowman, took some pictures, and then holed up inside with a warm fire and a good movie.


hope you had a happy winter weekend.
xoxo


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{happiness is}...

playing in the snow with someone you love.


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baby, it's cold outside

i love cold weather.
i love the chilly air and the snow it brings.
i am also incredibly cold-natured.
as in, i take a light cardigan to the beach, cold-natured.


so i know you must be thinking,
"how in the world did you survive colorado?"
well, my dears, i did a lot of layering.


i also wore a lot of hats.
this one is actually a headband,
but it is big enough to cover my ears.
i love the bright blue and the fun crochet flowers.

vest, american eagle; cardi & boots, target; jeans, the loft; headband, charming charlies; scarf, from a friend <3


do you layer up against the cold, too?
what do you wear to stay warm in the cold weather?
xoxo


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The Fashionista's Guide to the Great Outdoors: Vol. III: Skiing

It is that time of year again when snow flurries begin to fall and ski slopes begin their seasons. It's around this time of December that I long to live in places like Breckenridge, Vail or Lake Tahoe. Not only would some snow make the season more festive, the skiing in those cities is phenomenal. Although West Virginia does have its perks for those of us living in the southeast, there's just no comparison to the mountains of the west.

Like most of you, I simply cannot peruse through ski towns or carve down the slopes looking drab and dull. Among my favorite places to find ski apparel that fits my style are Urban Outfitters and Target for base layers and hoodies and Anthropologie for great scarves, hats, and non-ski gloves. You can also find some fun things at REI, especially warm socks, toboggans, ear warmers, etc.

Every layer is important when dealing with such frigid temperatures, but those layers can also be fun to wear. As I have mentioned before, your base layer is vital, so choose something along the lines of Under Armor. As long as you have something that will absorb water without letting heat out, you'll be golden. When it comes to skiing, I would definitely add long underwear beneath your ski pants and a layer of waterproof socks. If you are cold-natured like yours truly, I would suggest a layer of tights, then long underwear, then ski pants.

If you want something more fun and colorful, choose two to three colors and play with your layers. Honestly, not many people will see your base layers, but I personally like them to be as fun as possible. Also, bright colors show up well on the slopes and can help your friends identify you, so choose scarves, hats, and gloves in colors that you like. Another important accessory is goggles or sunglasses. If it is snowing, I would go with goggles, but if the weather is clear and sunny, sunglasses will do the trick.

When it comes to actual ski clothes such as insulated pants and jackets, I would definitely check places like Moosejaw, REI, and a local ski and sport store (Peter Glenn for you Georgians). Brands to look for include Roxy, Volcom,and Burton for some of the more fun colors and patterns. As for skis and snowboards, you really need to go have the bindings fit to your shoe size and board/skis fit to your expertise level.

Happy winter to you all and happy skiing to those of you who share my love of snow!

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