Calzone

 Noah made a calzone last night with the extra pizza dough. Two weeks in a row, we have invited people over for pizza making, but bad weather prevented our guests from attending. So, Noah used the extra dough for breadsticks and calzone. 

Icicle

 Flagstaff received a lot of snow this week. The benches in our backyard look like little hills, and the patio table provides a good view of the depth of the snow. Noah captured an icicle and remarked how he and Lukas used to sword fight with these.. 

Note the L-shaped icicle....

Heading Home

 Noah drove all the way back from Durango. This gave Christina plenty of opportunities to take photos, especially of 'our' mountain. Despite having many miles still to drive, once we caught the sight of San Francisco Peaks, it felt like we were almost home. 1400 miles, four days, three states - unforgettable memories.

Moguls

 Noah used his season pass to ski one more day in Purgatory. He spent most of the time on the mogul slopes while Christina completed business calls in the sun. 

And Back Again

 On Tuesday morning, we woke up to more snow. Although the roads were clear, so we pressed on to Golden to see Colorado School of Mines. Since the weather in Golden was less than stellar, gray sky, snow/rain/sleet, and parking was hard to come by, we opted for a drive-by tour. Fortunately, the entire campus was drivable and provided the sense for it that Noah was wanting. He headed over to the bookstore and visited the Union before it was time to head back west to make it over the pass in daylight. 

Although we saw a fair amount of wildlife, the only ones we managed to capture on film were the Big Horn Goats. 

Noah drove all the way back to Durango. Going over the almost 11,000 ft pass when there was still a bit of daylight was a lot easier. Early to bed, to be ready for one more day of skiing before heading back to Flagstaff. 

Purgatory

 On Monday, Noah and Christina had the opportunity to ski Purgatory, CO. The drive up was beautiful, with a bit of snow, but the sun tried to break through. We enjoyed the powder and the many runs we could choose from each time. Gaining confidence, we opted for a Black Diamond run. It ought to have been marked Double Black Diamond, but we live to tell everyone about it. The steep decline, 36 inches+ powder, no groomed trails, lots of large trees, and some interesting drop-offs. Fortunately, we had stocked up on Marabou chocolate to fuel up between runs. What a fun day of skiing. 

After a full day of skiing, it was time to head towards Golden. Not checking the weather (it sure looked good), we ended up doing a white knuckle drive over a high pass. Noah mastered putting on chains, and Christina got an excellent arm workout, grasping the steering wheel with all her might. 

Needless to say, once at the hotel, we headed straight for the hot tub. The air was 14 degrees outside, but the hot water was a balm to our tense muscles even though it was al fresco. We are grateful we made it over the pass safely and without incident. It will be a tale we will not soon forget. 

What a Difference

We woke up on Sunday morning to a fair amount of snow. Since Noah and Christina were headed out to Colorado, they moved up the departure time to ensure most of the driving was in the daytime. We had a lot of snow; once on the east side, there was a significant difference—microclimate on display.

The drive to Durango was uneventful and culminated in the hot tub and hanging out before an early bedtime, skiing is waiting, and it is good to be rested. The drive offers an incredible variety of vistas and gorgeous scenery.

Funny Titles

Barb gifted us a fun puzzle for Christmas. Books in a bookcase, with titles that caused continual chuckles. Laughter and puzzle making - a great combination. 

Snowy Walk

 Bob and Christina enjoyed a walk in the snow on Sunday. The view never ceases
to amaze us. 

Quite, I am Fishing

 Noah and Lukas pooled their money and purchased a VR headset. Since Lukas is at school, Noah has full use of this new gadget. Although it does look like he is just sitting in a chair, he claims he is fishing. Unfortunately, any fish he catches is virtual and therefore is not suitable for dinner. 

Appetizer

 Our Friday tradition involves homemade pizza. This past Friday, Noah decided to make an appetizer pizza to enjoy while his main course pizza was cooking in the oven. It would have been a triple pizza meal if he had managed to make a dessert pizza. Maybe next time? 

The Snow Kept on Falling

 The snow kept on falling. The view out of our dining room windows is beautiful.