Chad & Rob's Visit

So sorry for the delay in updating my blog. Chad and Rob came to visit us at the beginning of February and we had a BLAST! They were only here 5 days...but we had a fantastic 5 days skiing during the day and partying at night. We skiied 2 days and had some really good snow while they were here...WINDY but lots of snow. I think the mountain got blown down one of the days due to such high winds. I really enjoyed having them visit...they were the first friends from home to come out to Jackson and I really loved showing them around the town and sharing with them what I love so much about this place. Here are a couple pics from their trip. I am waiting on more pictures from them...but they haven't emailed them to me...so, Chad and Rob, if you are checking this...EMAIL ME MORE PICS!!! Enjoy!

All of us getting ready to go out for their first night in town!
Rob, Jenny, and Tori at the Brew Pub...great local brews :)

Updates...

Last week I was able to attend the Pedigree Sled Dog Tour on the town sqaure in Jackson. This event was a ton of fun! We walked to the square to watch the start of the race which was pretty cool...they started one at a time and only went 2 miles but it was still very fun to watch. This was the beginning of many stops for the Pedigree Sled Dog Tour...sort of like a kick off ceremony. Anyway...here are some pictures from the event...enjoy :)

The track where the dogs ran

One of the racers

The start line

Some of the dogs getting ready to start

Megan, me, Tori, and Simpson at the dog sled race

A big thing to do on the weekends is go the hockey game...our team is The Moose and they are pretty good. We usually go on Friday nights and have a few brewskies and watch the game. In this picture it is Simpson, me, Megan, and Marti. So much fun!

Also, here are some more pictures from another fantastic day of skiing!

Megan, Jon, Tori, and I at the top of Sublet lift

Jon and Tori on the lift heading up Sublet

Megan, Tori, and I under Corbet's...and nope I didn't ski it but hope to one day :)

Jon getting ready to head down Saratoga Bowl...also a really neat picture!

And...some FANTASTIC news...Jenny is finally home!!! She arrived back in Jackson last Wednesday and is loving getting settled back in to her life here in Jackson. Everyone is so happy she is back...especially me :)

Our "Welcom Home" celebration for Jenny...so happy she is home!

I know that was a lot of updates in one blog but I hope you enjoyed anyway :) Everything else is going really well here...we had 12 feet of snow in January which is close to one of the largest snow falls in history for January! I feel like it snows almost everyday...and I am loving it...it really makes for some amazing skiing! I am getting ready for Chad and Rob (friends from home) to come visit. They arrive this Wednesday and are staying till Sunday. And Mom and Dad will be here on the 23rd of this month!!! I can't wait for my friends and family to see what I love about this place and experience it with me. Well, that is all for now. I love and miss you all sooooo much and I am thinking about you often. See ya :)

More Snowshoeing Adventures

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go on a guided snowshoeing tour for FREE thanks to Megan and Justin! A guided tour is different because the guide has an immense amount of knowledge about the area, the geography, and nature. Cathy, our guide was great and showed us a fantastic time. The day was really really cold...about 5 degrees...its hard to notice sometimes though while hiking and working up a good sweat. The group included Megan, Justin, me, and four others from New York who were visiting Jackson. It was a great day...I think I am really liking the snowshoeing thing! Here are a couple pics from yesterday...enjoy :)

Megan and I starting out our hike...being silly :)

Stoping for a minute...

Taking in the view!
Megan and Justin on top of the ridge...it was beautiful up there and brrrr cold!

Megan and I on the ridge showing off our snowshoe's :)

Other than snowshoeing, I am still skiing as much as possible...though believe it or not, today was too cold for me to ski! I think at noon it was -8...brrrrr! They actually cancelled school for the little ones because it is so cold. Today would have been a great day...a blue sky day...but I decided to take it easy and run some errands around town and take a day off from skiing. I always feel so guilty if I don't ski...but some days just aren't good for it. Other than skiing, I am working and enjoying life in Jackson. Jenny is set to come back on the 30th of this month...we are all so very excited for her return!!! I hope all is well with everyone...I miss you all bunches and bunches!!! Talk to you soon...see ya :)

Snowshoeing Grand Teton National Park

So I had my first snowshoeing experience on this past Wednesday. It was so much fun and a fantastic workout! Tori and I went up into the Grand Teton National Park. We were not really sure where exactly we wanted to go so we started at Granite Canyon trail head and ended up trail blazing our own trail which was a lot of fun and made us feel very adventurous! We finished our day with some snow angels in waist deep snow...amazing. We realized how effective the snowshoe really is when we took them off and fell to our waist in snow...pretty fun! Also, as a side note, us girls are participating in a snow shoe race in Salt Lake City to benefit breast cancer. Here are some pictures from mine and Tori's snowshoeing adventure...enjoy :)

Starting our hike

The trail head for Granite Canyon

An insanely beautiful and perfect day for snowshoeing!

ME!

Tori and I taking a quick break


Tori starting to make her snow angel but once she stepped out of her snow shoe's she fell to her waist in snow!

Tori's snow angel :)

My snow angel :)

Finishing up our hike...a truly great day :)

Well, I hope you enjoyed the update and the pictures (which honestly do not do the landscape justice)...guess you all will just have to come see it for yourselves. Love and miss you all soooooooooo much! See ya :)

Top of the mountain and Corbet's

Here are my pics from the other day when I went to the top of the mountain to check out Corbet's Couloir. It was a blue sky day which is very rare this time of year so the views were amazing! Enjoy the pictures :)

View of the Grand from the top of the mountain


Me at the top!


Jesse at the top!

Looking down into Corbet's...crazy people ski this! And I want to ski it someday too :)

Looking out into the valley...so beautiful!

Me with the view of the valley in the background...truly a gorgeous day to be skiing! I am in love with this place :)

Love to all...see ya :)

Corbet's Couloir...WOW!

After checking out Corbet's yesterday...I was pretty excited about it so I thought I would share with you guys what the big deal is! Check out this video and you will see...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zwUBMrRbSo

Never too Late

So these pictures were before I came home for Christmas but I haven't had a chance to post them...so here they are...enjoy :)

This is our "Charlie Brown" Christmas Tree...Tori actually went into the woods and chopped it down. Thanks to our Mom's sending us decorations, we were able to load the tree down with some beautiful ornaments and lights!

I got to put the star on! P.S. I had just finished working out...hince the shorts!

Tori, me, and Jenny with our beautiful tree!

In Jackson, we don't get dressed up often...so when our friends decided to have a Christmas Cocktail Party...we couldn't resist! So much fun :) From left top: Kristy, me, Lauren, Tori, Simpson, and Megan

Megan, me, and Tori at the cocktail party

Sorry for the late updates but I hope you enjoyed anyhow. Yesterday January 3rd, I went to the top of the mountain for the first time (elevation 10,500)...AMAZING! It was a blue sky day...which is rare this time of year so the view was absolutely beautiful! I got to walk over to Corbet's Couloir which is the hardest place to ski on the mountain...people travel from all over to ski this one spot...needless to say it is pretty intense. It was my end of the season goal to ski it, but after seeing it first hand...I am not so sure anymore. But we will see :) I did get pictures with a friends camera so I will be posting those very soon.

I guess that is all for now. Missing you and loving so much! See ya :)

Home Sweet Home

I headed out December 19th...destination Atlanta, GA...HOME! Only my Dad knew I was coming home so I was able to surprise my Mom and sisters which was so fun! If I had only had a video camera to film Mom's reaction to me standing in the kitchen as she came around the corner brushing her teeth, we would have won America's Funniest Home Videos. My trip was short but I had the pleasure of seeing my entire family and all the little ones and some friends too. It was really nice :) I also ate lots of white cheese dip from Mexican restaurants because they don't serve white cheese dip in Jackson...weird I know. I also enjoyed some Chick-Fil-A with my Dad! I got to spend some time with Jenny R while I was home as well. And to update that situation...Jenny had surgery Friday and all went well...she is home and on the road to recovery. She is very eager to get back to Jackson and continue enjoying her life here!

It was really great seeing everyone...especially my family! The little ones are getting so big and growing up sooooo fast. But they still remember me so I was happy :) I mean I am their favorite Aunt ;) We had Christmas Breakfast on Sunday morning before I left. We cooked french toast and opened presents...so much fun! I am truly blessed to have such an amazing family and to be surrounded by such genuine and caring people.

So, I headed home Christmas Eve early in the morning. Little did I know I wouldn't actually make it home for 3 more days. Due to bad weather, I ended up stranded in Denver, CO. Our plane was unable to land in Jackson so they returned us to Denver. I thought no big deal...they will just put us on another plane later that day...but noooooo...there were no flights til the 28th!!! Very very very fortunately, my best friend Mary Berry lives in Denver and was able to let me crash with her til I could get out of Denver. Her parents were in town which was great...they are like family! I spent Christmas at Mary's boyfriends Mom's house...which was fantastic! I ended up getting out of Denver on the 27th with minor delays but none-the-less I made it home finally!

Michael (Mary's Mom), me, and Mary in the car


Mary and I with our favorite puppies, Bella and Reese!


My best friend Mary Lauren and I in Denver...thank goodness for her :)


Reese's first big snow experience in Denver!

Mike (Mary's boyfriend) and Mary with all the puppies...Zoe, Bella, and Reese...she was so kind to let us stay for 3 nights...love her :)

Mary and I getting ready to head out for some yummy Christmas dinner :)

Being back in Jackson is great...it has been snowing like crazy since I arrived back in town. I think we have gotten something like 2 feet over the past day. So needless to say...skiing is amazing right now! I also have a new addition here in Jackson...Reese...she came back with me! I absolutely love having her here...she makes for great companionship :) She is adjusting to the climate change and seems to be doing well!

I guess that is all for now. Hope all is well...love and miss you all bunches and bunches!

Big Time Bummer :(

A few days ago Jenny was up on the mountain skiing...finally feeling comfortable and confident when she took a bad fall and injured her knee. It wasn't just a strained knee or anything simple...it was really bad...she couldn't even walk. For most, this may not be a big deal, but for Jenny it was devastating. She knew how bad it was and knew it wasn't going to be an easy recovery. She ended up needing to travel back to Georgia to see her doctors there so she booked a flight and left Thursday. Needless to say, it is not the same with out her here :( She is very very very bummed about having to leave but is very optimistic about returning soon!!! Her MRI is scheduled for Monday so we will know more then but her doctor feels confident that it is a complete ACL tear and will most likely require surgery. I will keep you updated on her status. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. All of us in Jackson are wishing for a speedy and healthy recovery so she can get back here SOON!!! Love and miss you all...thinking about each of you so often and wishing you could be here to share in this amazing experience! That is all for now...See ya :)

Birthday's Continued and Other Adventures

This blog covers everything from my birthday to the Smith Party to skiing Grand Targhee..so much fun over the past week! With Megan's birthday and my birthday, I feel like we have been celebrating birthday's for weeks...which is awesome...just like home :) We finally had some significant snow fall Tuesday and Wednesday! So...I headed to the Gee (Grand Targhee) yesterday which was amazing! Here are some of my pictures from the past week...enjoy :)

Jenny and I in the Village on my birthday...it snowed!!! So beautiful!!!

Opening birthday presents from home! Thanks family :)

More presents...so FUN!

Best of all...Mom's Cookies...YUM!!!

Jenny wrote "Happy Birthday Rach!" in the snow on our front porch!

At The Wort for some Bluegrass music and drinks with great friends...Megan, Jenny, Robbie, Me, and Tori...they truly made my birthday soooo special :)

The girls on my birthday...love them!




The Smith Party at the Moose!


The Smith limo outside the Moose




Travis wearing Megan's jacket...I laughed til my checks hurt!

Jason and Jenny at the Moose.

Grand Targhee...skiing for the first time this season...so GREAT!



Looking down on Idaho from the ski lift.


Looking up the mountain from the ski lift...great first day of skiing!

So, that is all for now...more to come for sure! I am at work right now...pretty slow...but the mountain does open today which is very exciting :) Things are still going great out here in Jackson...I am continuously meeting new people and experiencing new things! Life is great! Love and miss you all bunches and bunches...thinking about you very often. I will be posting more pics and updates soon...see ya and love you :)