₣ẸBƦỤẠƦ¥

Let me channel my inner Britney Spears and say, "OOPS, I DID IT AGAIN!"

Kidding... but seriously, you might have to get used to these monthly recaps. So here goes February....As we are already 5 days into March! Yikes!

So this was actually the very end of February. The Jayhawks were in a rough patch...we were running out of "lucky shirts" so for the Kentucky game, we switched it up to hats. I started with this hat...at halftime I switched to my sparkly hat, and toward the end of the game I threw it on the floor. So Jake, Riley and I lost our hats out of frustration. However, Reece picked up my sparkly hat and put it over his lucky hat and we won!! So he's literally worn both hats for every game since!

Showing off his lucky hats... what a relief!

Reece got to go up to Snowmass for a ski field trip. They learned about avalanche danger then got to ski after lunch.

Reece played a lot of basketball in February.

We spent Valentine's Day at the Iron Mountain Hot Springs. It was a nice day... kids stayed in the loud, pool area and Jake and I hopped around from tiny hot springs pool to tiny hot springs pool. 

The next day was my birthday. Here is the sweetest card from my boys.

"Love you mom with all my heart" I'll cherish this forever!

I got to ski with Sasquatch. That's me... He makes me look tiny!

We watched the big game with some BIG Broncos fans. Reece was a good sport, even though we were all in Steelers gear.

Oops! Out of order... my birthday brownies. Brownies are my weakness!

KU was playing, so we squeezed in dessert during halftime. And some goofy pictures.

Notice the 2 hats! Rock Chalk!

More Lucky Hats! Seriously!! We haven't lost a game since... 

Blue bird day! It was beautiful! Love Mt. Sopris!

Reece and I on the lift...cheesing it up!

It's a wrap! Basketball season is over... sadly Reece's team got knocked out of the tournament the first game. They were up most of the game, but Basalt hit a couple shots at the end of the game to win. :(

I chopped my hair off. And started a new business. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Plexus and I honestly will never be without Plexus and will share it with those that need it.... buuuut, I needed help with my skin... I was "blessed" with adult acne. So I've jumped in to RODAN + FIELDS after using the products for a few weeks I could tell I really loved them, so I'm also helping others with skin care. Whether it's acne, scarring, sensitive skin, sun damage, aging or preventative... R + F has something for you. I don't do selfies, but look what I just posted!! If you don't have any concerns maybe you know someone that does and can let me help them!

Here's a unique tool to help you decide what products might suit you best!

https://jacquemcmillan.myrandf.com/Pages/OurProducts/GetAdvice/SolutionsTool

This was a picture Reece made for me on my birthday. What an artist!! It's now at work so I can daydream about hiking season...which is right around the corner!

Lucky hats = 11 straight wins and 12 straight Big 12 Conference titles! Woo hoo!!!

j̤̈ä̤n̤̈ṳ̈ä̤r̤̈ÿ̤

What??? It's the last day of January???

Oops... I have no excuses. And what's worse is I'm posting just a recap of our first month of 2016.

So we skied... a lot!

It was a semi-sunny day! Check out Mt. Sopris!
So this has been a great winter to start skiing...we've had so much snow. El Nino has not disappointed.

Just a snowy morning in Glenwood. Loved how it landed on our tree.

Reece became a Steelers fanatic! He rode an emotional roller coaster during a couple of the playoff games.

Sporting a Steelers cap in Bronco country up on the mountain.

Ski, ski, ski... Riley is a great mentor. He helped me survive (and not fall) on a new green run,

Reece spent a good amount of birthday money on his very own Steelers jersey...Jake was a big supporter in this purchase.

Reece started his basketball season up. This is he first year to play on 10 foot goals...a little adjusting to do.

This handsome man had his first guitar concert in Basalt.

Bowing after his solo. :)

We celebrated another anniversary. In Aspen. Watching a very delayed game of 5th/6th grade basketball.

We skied some more... Jake surprised me with the funny boot-gloves. Although they are silly looking, my feet are staying so much warmer. There is nothing worse than cold feet!!

More basketball.

More skiing... I wasn't especially smiley on this day. Jake took me on my first blue run. It really wasn't terrible, but not being good at it was not easy and I was exhausted by the time we were done.

Reece had his first Maroon Bel Canto Children's Choir concert in Aspen. It was awesome. And the venue is amazing... Harris Concert Hall is spectacular. Aspen draws world famous musicians to perform here and Riley had his very first guitar solo on this stage. Pretty cool!

Reece is center stage...his very blond hair gives him away!

And that's our January... Stay tuned for February!

IT'S SҜI TIMΣ

This year Jake literally forced me up the mountain. I had a terrible first time experience years ago, and really had not desire to do it again. Jake had other plans...I was kinda dreading snow.

Reece's cute face and full lips!
 

Riley worked up an appetite on day one.

Heading up the lift with Reece...this may have been a forced smile.

I spy Jake and Riley... nearly the same size! Well...Jake is a little wider.

Day 2... Riley and Reece in front of us.

The boys took me to the top! Yikes!

Day 3 was just Jake and I... Mt. Sopris was out! (It was hiding yesterday behind the ONLY cloud in the sky.)

My skis... I definitely broke them in.

So overall I'm not a natural skier. I like to be in complete control and it's super hard for me to relax while flying down the mountain. I like to go sloooooow. The first day I took a group lesson. I did not enjoy it, there were only 4 of us, but there is always that 1 person that needs all the attention.

Day 2...I really didn't want to go back. I went ahead and took a private lesson. It didn't go too badly, but I still hated going fast. The problem is, when you go slow it actually tires your legs out quicker.

Day 3... I REALLY didn't want to go back at all. Not ever again!! But I forced myself knowing that if I didn't get out then, the next time wouldn't get any easier. So Jake and I went out (the boys opted to stay home in the warmth.) Jake went slow with me on the easiest run. We did it over and over and over... I still had issues with speed. Our last run we went up top again. I didn't fall once! My legs still tired, because I made myself go slow, although I went much faster than I had been. So baby steps. I didn't give up, but I will be a work in progress to get much more comfortable on skis.

ʍɛʀʀʏ ƈɦʀɨֆṭʍǟֆ

We had a WONDERFULLY quiet and white Christmas!

We woke up fairly early...which is normal. Even as an adult the magic of Christmas keeps me from sleeping in. Had the most amazing Cinnamon Roll French Toast Bake and settled in to open gifts.

Santa brought the boys some new Jayhawk gear and cool Colorado mugs...Reece insisted on having hot chocolate first thing to test out his new mug.

Good morning!! We all look like we could use a few more zzzzzz....

The boys' cousins got them some new games to play. Yay!

Some Star Wars action figures
Reece also got some new clothes and Steelers gear.
The boys got some video games.
Riley got new clothes, guitar books, a new basketball, and new clothes (He's growing out of his clothes too quickly!)
His real gift is the gift of going to Washington DC in the spring with the 8th graders.

The mug at room temperature.

The mug with a hot beverage in it. Fun!!

We spent the rest of Christmas playing board games and I managed to squeeze in 2 naps!! That never happens... we had a nice dinner and just enjoyed our family time. As much as we miss family we sure do enjoy not rushing around and taking it easy once in a while.

ʂɬ∆Я ῳ∆Яʂ ῳ∑∑к∑и∂

I did it! I've officially watched the Star Wars series... it was crunch time because I had watched the final episode the night before the road trip to Denver began. We chose to watch the movie in Denver because we wanted a real theater experience...something the Western Slope doesn't offer. We got IMAX and 3D and it did not disappoint.

One of the silly signs along the way... When we arrived to Denver we met up with the Scruton, Shaner and Juuls family. The grown "boys" were way more excited than most of the kids. It was quite funny. Then it was a late dinner at Brio Tuscan Grill... it was amazing!! Then it was back to the hotel for some late night swimming and eventually bed. 

We woke up VERY early on Sunday and pigged out on the yummy breakfast  provided by the hotel. We quickly packed up and headed to the theater at 9am for our 10am viewing.

Um, Reece...the 3D hasn't started yet.

Just an okay picture of our group...we took half rows. 

Celia, Reece, Abby and Riley

The entire gang. We ALL had Star Wars shirts...the movie did not disappoint. And I believe this was the best 3D/IMAX experience I've ever had. Two thumbs up from this gang.

Proof I had on a Star Wars shirt. My vest was hiding it...
Good friends, good times, epic memories! Guess we need to start planning for the next movie.