Saturday, Mar. 17
Happy Saint Patrick's Day! I forgot to wear green, so Reese found every opportunity to pinch me today! I decided not to try for the early flights to Salt Lake City because of spring break, they are so full, so we got to sleep in a little. Instead, we ended up flying from Atlanta to Memphis, from Memphis to Minneapolis, and finally, from Minneapolis to Salt Lake City!
My mom was also trying to fly standby because we gave her a buddy pass to attend my niece's wedding in California. She was planning to fly from Little Rock to Memphis and then to Los Angeles, but all the flights from Little Rock were full, so I booked her on the Greyhound bus to Memphis. She rode the bus to the Memphis airport and arrived the same time that Brooke, Reese, and I were in the Memphis airport; so we got the pleasant surprise of visiting with Grandma for a little bit before we had to board our plane to Minneapolis. Here we are in the Minneapolis Sky Club, waiting for our flight to Salt Lake City.
We can't believe it... we made it to Salt Lake City today--yea!... it took us all day, but the price was right. Bruce will hopefully arrive tomorrow, so in the meantime, we're planning to meet Bruce's high school buddies and their families up the mountain in Deer Valley. One of Bruce's buddies, Kevin, is able to stay in a 7-bedroom, multi-million-dollar winter house for a week each year. Kevin has invited us to join him!
Here we are in the rental car, ready to drive up the mountain to Deer Valley. It's raining, and it's dark, and snow is in the forecast.
We met everyone for dinner and then drove to the house where we'd be staying all week. Reese and Brooke have their own room on the lower level (the kitchen is on the main level) and Bruce and I have our room on the upper level.
Sunday, Mar. 18
Jordan is officially home alone in Saudi Arabia... actually, she's staying all week with her friend, Danielle, and she's been looking forward to it. Bruce didn't have any trouble getting on his flight from Dammam to Amsterdam and he only had to wait for five hours before he caught a flight to Boston. He was a little worried that he might get stuck somewhere because of the full flights everywhere, but he caught the last and only flight to Salt Lake City and will be here tonight. Here I am with the girls in the lodge, ready to rent our skies.
Here is Reese on the ski lift. Reese and I skied together mostly on the green slopes. It snowed all day and was like a winter wonderland in March!
Bruce arrived late in the evening after we were all lounging around in our pajamas. He took a shuttle van from the airport, which would only take him to the guard shack about a mile down the road, so when he called, I grabbed my boots and hopped in my car to go get him. Without thinking about how it had been snowing all evening, I didn't realize how deep the snow was on the street, and how the snow plow couldn't have gotten to it yet. I was so glad Kevin hopped in the car with me as I ran out the door! From the picture below, you can tell what it looked like as I pulled out of the garage... the gates were already open, but it was dark, and as I drove down the driveway to the cul-de-sac, my headlights shined on the street and I panicked when I saw all the snow! I didn't know if we could even drive in it--and I was in my PJs! Kevin lives near St. Louis, so he encouraged me the whole way. We drove very very slowly, and finally got to Bruce. It was still coming down pretty heavily, but Bruce got his suitcase in the trunk and we followed our tracks back up the hill to the warm house with no trouble.
Monday, Mar. 19
This picture was taken from the upstairs window in the morning when the snow plow started to come around. I think a lot of these homes have heating under the tiles, so the snow will melt faster.
This is just one of the many beautiful stone decks in the back of the house. You can see one of the ski runs in the distance.
This is the upper game room.
Here Bruce is helping Brooke get her gloves on.
Here is where we begin our skiing -- we just ski down from the patio and catch a lift from there or go all the way down the mountain to the ski lodge to buy lift tickets... it was amazing -- the house, the location, everything!
Isn't this the coolest trail around the back of the houses? It leads to one of the runs.
We're on the lift that heads back up the mountain to where the house is.
We skied home for lunch, and this is the view from the back of the house.
Isn't it amazing?
Bruce and Brooke are ready to go out after lunch.
Reese is zippin' along.
Denise and I are enjoying the hot tub after skiing.
This is the Silver Lake lodge, which is half-way up the mountain.
Here Bruce is skiing in for lunch.
The gang is skiing in for lunch too.
Reese and Connor (Kevin and Leslie's son)
Wednesday, Mar. 21
The following pictures are the sunrise (seen from the dining room). Bruce and I were jet lagged and would wake each morning before dawn (we also went to bed hours before everyone else).
I ended up twisting my knee and couldn't ski anymore. I was chasing Reese, trying to tag her. They almost put me in the first aid sled, but I convinced them that I could get home okay. Reese took good care of me the whole way up to the house. I had to slide sideways the whole way home! I'm limping quite a bit, but if I keep it elevated, it feels better.
This monstrous TV rose out of the breakfast bar (it wasn't rising, so they are fixing it.)
Brooke and Reese have decided to try sledding in back of the house.
I think Reese lost a boot!
There she goes... look out!
Kevin, Bruce, Denise, and Steve are relaxing in the sunshine after a day of skiing.
Thursday, Mar. 22
Jordan has been having a good time at Danielle's house. Today is desert Saturday, so Danielle's family took her to Bahrain to see the very first showing of the Hunger Games (there aren't any movie theaters in Saudi--I think they're against the law--except we have one on camp for all of us westerners, that plays reruns. Jordan was so excited. She thinks she may be one of the first people in the world to see the Hunger Games!
Here we are on our last day of skiing. The snow has stopped falling and the sun has begun to melt the snow and make it slushy. I drove the car to the lodge and met the gang during their ski break.
Sue, Kevin, Leslie, and Bruce
Brooke and Reese have decided to dig tunnels.
Brooke has made a snowman.
Isn't this house gorgeous? You can see the snow is melting next to the patio.
This is the pool, but since it's not heated, it stayed covered.
They're still working on their tunnels.
Brooke is ready for a snowball fight!
Sue, Kevin, Bruce, Leslie, Steve, and Denise. There was another family with 2 boys that left earlier in the week.
Friday, Mar. 23
We enjoyed spending our last day shopping in the quaint little town and relaxing with everyone at a restaurant.
We had a fabulous time skiing with Bruce's buddies, as usual! I'm going to spend the evening looking for a flight to California so I won't miss my niece's wedding tomorrow! Bruce will spend the evening looking for a flight back to Saudi!
- Pattie -
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