Friends all over the floor

You may have heard Max or I talk lately about needing a garage with a studio apartment above.  All of this chatter about a garage is because we have had so many fun visitors over the winter months! We absolutely LOVE having people come and stay with us and we absolutely LOVE entertaining.  There is only one small problem...our house is small...very small! You can only get people to come and visit and stay for so long if all you have to offer is comforter and a single couch :(
Lucky for us Zach, Sara, and Liam Kittle didn't care about our small living quarters and they came for a long weekend visit anyway. 

It was so much fun wathcing Zach and Max play with Liam and Chance.  They boys played together so well.  Liam and Chance even had their first slumber party.  They had to share a room and they both did very well and slept all through the night. 

Liam loves playing with little power tools! So cute!

Zach and Sara had family in town so they headed up the mountains a few days early to be with their family in Breckenridge. 

Max, Chance, and I (as well as the rest of the gang) met back up with the Kittle's in Beaver Creek on Saturday for skiing.  Some people will tell you that this ski season has been a total bust.  You shouldn't believe them for second! Skiing in 45 degree weather when the sun is shining is the most fun of all. 

Bret and Cook were all smiles on the mountain and loved soaking in the sun!

Tom was in a playful mood too!

I had an amazing morning skiing with Lauren and Katie.  Skiing with these girls for a few hours is the perfect thing to help clear my head.  They help me talk out all of life's little complications.  All I need is 120 minutes with these girls and I am ready to take on the world again!  I love these two ladies. 

We decided to head in from skiing ealry so that We could play in the sun with Chance. 

I love my two little mountain boys!

We decided to apres ski at the base of Arrowhead at Beaver Creek.  I had never ended the day at this base before, but I definitely will again! This base is apparently where all of the locals hang out.  Everything is very low key and there are kids, dogs, drinks, music, and smiles everywhere you look.  Max and I have decided that this is our kind of place :)

Can you imagine a more perfect place to watch your baby turn into a toddler (how did this happen)? 

The live band was excellent and brought the perfect mood to the scene. 

Lauren and I decided to try out the famous bloody's! They were worth it. 

After some apres ski, we decided to meet back up with Nick and the Kittle's at Gore Range Brewery.  You've got to love sunny days in the mountains on the patio. 

We had a blast talking with old friends and watching our babies play. 

They LOVED crawling all over the patio cushions. 

Sara Kittle who is expecting her second child, even got to relax in the sun for a while. 

It's always nice to have friends in town.

We ended the night with the gang heading back to our condo to order pizza and watch some conference basketball games. 

I love all of our friends gathering in the mountains on the weekend. 

I guess ski days, friends, and pizza at home are a few things that never get old. 

Old Friends and New Faces

Max has a dear friend Peter Chase that he has been friends with for a very long time.   Max and Peter went to school together at MacArthur Elementary School in Fort Leavenworth and have kept in touch ever since. Peter recently emailed Max and said that he and his family were coming to the mountains for a week long ski vacation.  He wanted to get togehter for a while in Denver so that he could catch up with Max and introduce us to his daughter, Alice.  


Isn't she the cutest! We spent a few hours talking and catching up with the Chase family and watching the babies play on the floor.  I was very impressed with little Miss Alice.  She was so happy and content!! She played on the floor quietly insepcting every new toy and never made a peep.  Meanwhile, Chance ran laps around the house and babbled constantly.   

The Chase Family
Peter, Alice, and Jenny

We had so much fun visiting and catching up with Jenny and Peter that we decided to meet up with them in Avon at the end of the week and do it again. 

The following Friday we both snuck out of work a little early so that we could meet the Chase family in the mountains for dinner. 

The following day we all met up on the mountain at Beaver Creek.  Scott Seglie was also visiting from Atlanta and Jerad was in town from Wyoming.  It was an amazing day!

The view from the patio at Blue Moose Pizzeria

We headed in from skiing early becasue we needed to get cleaned up for Lauren's birthday dinner.  We made reservations at E-Town in Edwards because we knew we were going to have a big group (and I not so secretly didn't want to be a party pooper but I knew Chance had already had a big day and I wanted to get in and out of dinner quickly).

 
I love the vibe at E-Town.  Their food is always so spot on!

Lauren (the birthday girl) and Bret at E-Town

Doing our best to entertain Chance during dinner

Scott Seglie showed up right around the end of dinner and completely loved playing with Chance.  I am very grateful that Chance has so many positive amazing people in his life.  I guess Max and I are lucky in that way too!
Thanks to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to come and visit! We are loving every minute of it. 

What happened to January?

I think all we did was work, ski, and watch football.

Let me take a quick look at my pictures to review. Hmmm, yes that pretty much sums it up.

Except, I forgot to tell you one thing. Max has been working like a mad man and building a ski press over the past several weekends. Apparently, Max is going to start building his own skis.

Maybe his own ski company. Who knows? This could be a fun adventure. All I know is that I am in some serious trouble. Max actually found a hobby that uses all of the great things he loves to obsess about (skiing, carpentry, and engineering)!

Check out the pics below of last weekend.

Chance and I went to ski Winter Park with Cook and the Grier's for CU alumni day while Max and Nick stayed home and worked on the ski press.

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Supporting AC at Winter Park on a ski day. 

The beautiful view from the top of a run. I liked that all of the runs had gambling names. 

Lauren, AC, and Chance at the base of Winter Park

Bret and Chance slope side for Apres ski. 

The name and one of the logo's of the dream ski company.  

Chance and daddy working in the ski shop. 

Another pitchfork logo

And finally the ski press that Max designed.  

Luckily we still have time to play "chase" with Chance.  I will never get over how excited Chance gets every time Max catches him.  

Hope you all are having a great week!

Stay tuned for the Friday photo fix. 

Adrian learns to SKI

On New Year's weekend, Brad, Ashley, and Adrian made the drive out to Colorado to spend the weekend with us in the mountains.  We are always really excited when Brad and Ashley come to visit, but this past time was extremely special because it was the first time that Adrian was going to try to ski.
I so wish that I could have documented the whole thing for everyone! Adrian had a team of personal ski instructors (Brad, Max, and Cook) circling around him the entire time.  The goal was to get Adrian out on the kids magic carpet before taking him up any lifts so that he wouldn't be scared and so that he could learn to balance.

Here he is on top of the magic carpet.  

Learning how to position his skis. 

And he's off!

Max would point him in the right direction at the top and then Cook and Brad would be waiting at the bottom to catch him because Adrian didn't yet know how to turn or stop!

I'll have to admit...I was biting my nails at the first run, but Adrian did great and the boys were so careful and gentle with him!

Adrian said he was having "SO MUCH FUN"

Ready for his personal push up the hill again. 

Giving me the thumbs up to let me know that he was still feeling okay and ready for more.  

A push up from Daddy!

Adrian with his dad and uncle Max...

I'm sure they are teaching him all of the proper techniques 

Looking good little buddy!

Adrian and his mommy! Ashley was so proud of him.  

Brad, Ashley, and Adrian

The cutest little family ever!

Poor Chance had a cold and did not feel well the entire weekend! To be totally honest I took all of these photos in about twenty minutes and then went back to the condo with Chance because he looked so miserable.  

 I had no idea that he looked so pitiful until I went through these photos :(  

I feel so guilty for taking him to the mountain now.  

I'm glad that I didn't miss Adrian's first gondola experience though! After a few runs on the magic carpet, Max and Brad decided that Adrian was ready for the kids bunny hill.  So we all hopped on the gondola together for Adrian's favorite part of  the day "riding in the glass box"

Once at the top, Max went over some quick pointers again to teach Adrian how to slow himself down and stop. Very important to know!

Another quick lesson about how to turn. 

and away they went!

Proud mom and dad!

Adrian did such a good job and was absolutely fearless in true Lehman style.  

I hope they come back and visit us again very soon!