Once Upon a Time I Survived My First Year

This is a couple weeks late but I did it. I made it my first year in Coldorado. How did I celebrate? I tried snowboarding! I bought a season pass and got a season gear rental so I knew I was going to force myself to go fall down a mountain at least 5 times this season so I could get my money's worth. (Because falling down a mountain is usually something people pay hundreds of dollars for). That, and I was really proud of how I bought all of my snowboarding clothes/things to keep me warm for less than $300. That's right. Thanks to Steep and Cheap and The Clymb and REI rewards cards I got quality stuff for way less than I anticipated! I should get paid for this.

I've been twice now to Keystone Resort and it has been...interesting. I have this pattern of getting really frustrated with myself in the morning and snapping at the boy handsome bearded man who is trying to teach me, then breaking for lunch and a beer, then having a more successful afternoon so I leave for the day feeling like I have a shot of actually being able to do this one day. Not to mention the bearded man has learned to keep a pocket full of treats (chocolate, gummy sharks and/or bears, etc.) to reward me when I do well or to comfort me when I suck. This weekend I am moving on from the magic carpet...although I will miss all of the adorable little kids learning how to ski/snowboard. They are seriously so cute, except for the one who seemed to always fly past me when I fell...I sensed he was judging me big time. Show off.

Oh - and I'm also proud to say that I attempted the chair lift last weekend and NAILED IT. I didn't fall getting off, and didn't chicken out and sit down on my board to slide down the little hill AND I didn't hit the people at the bottom (kind of like an obstacle course that I killed...in a good way). Afterwards I of course started double-fist pumping declaring myself champion of the beginner chair lift but the bearded man cut me off to be all "that's great, but you have to move out of the way of the person behind you." I just assumed he was jealous because of the attention I was getting from other people acknowledging my feat staring at me and it probably took him awhile to get the hang of chair lifts. They're tricky...especially if you haven't quite mastered the awkward glide with one foot strapped in...which I almost-ish have.

Ooh well it's my feeding time. I also learned some snowboarder phrases this weekend so maybe conversation tonight will lend itself to my using them because telling someone "I'm going to shred the gnar" and "slay some pow pow" will sound completely natural coming from me.

Once Upon aTime Colorado Actually Did Something Right

It's snowing right now. Like, a lot. Soon it'll start looking like this:

I'm so excited. I know you're thinking but Kayleigh, you don't like the cold and don't care much for the snow because snow is often closely related to cold...and I say "mostly" because when you visited Harry Potter world in Orlando last week they had snow on the roofs of the shops of Hogsmeade but it was still 70 degrees outside which is your kind of snow conditions.

Well, I have to accept that it is going to snow in Colorado. Until I am able to hit the slopes on my journey of transforming from awesome surfer chick to even more awesome snowboarder chick (it's a new concept for a movie that I want to pitch...people will be drawn in as I struggle with my new environment, surrounded by haoles who think me and my hawaiian ways are weird, and I'm going to have dad issues that will be resolved by a tearful moment where we have no choice but to pull together because we're family and that's what's important. But don't take my word for it!) I'm not going to be the biggest fan. Except this time.

This is probably the most perfectly timed snowfall I've ever experienced. We're all pretty much banking on a snow day tomorrow. I haven't had a 5 day work week since maybe mid-December. Last week was a 1 day work week, and this week has been dragging and I blame it on the fact that I'm expected to show up every single day. These "regular" work weeks have got to be eased into. So, tomorrow I'm really hoping I can stay curled up on my air matress for a couple extra hours no matter how badly I need to pee or want cheez-its. (note to self: keep cheez-its in arms reach of air matress tonight).

Second, I didn't have any real plans this weekend for snow to interfere with! Sure, it would've been nice to get a hike in or set up camp at the movie theatre to be first in line for the next Twilight movie (spoiler alert: apparently Gandolf has an exclusive club of friends and he won't let Hagrid come hang unless he does the truffle shuffle!) Next weekend I'm going to hang in Buena Vista in the mountains, so lots of snow would suck then. This weekend however I was hoping to be motivated to get some stuff done around the apartment and if snow keeps me at home and I have yet to get appropriate snow apparel to play in it then I'll have no choice but to stay inside and catch up on my shows on Hulu  get my "to do" list done.

I also managed to go grocery shopping last night so I even have food to eat. The dog dodged a bullet there. (kidding...the dog doesn't seem to have much meat on him so I think it'd hardly be worth the effort) (but seriously, I love dogs. Not in the "I love to eat dogs" kind of way...you get what I'm trying to say)

Basically the point of this rambling: where can I pick up some flavored syrups so I can set up an Ono Shave Ice stand once we get all of this snow? I hear organic is really in...and what's more organic than a cone filled with snow from heaven itself? And it's cheaper than Whole Foods.

Colorado Springs score: 2 (I never thought I'd give promerits for snow this early in the game. Well played, Springs)