This weekend Dick, Rachel, Dallin and I got a little taste of opulence, enjoying employment perks with a staycation at Sundance Mountain Resort. Each couple had their own spacious cabin (subdivided into two or three units) perched to overlook the snowy forests below. As an extra bonus, our fridges were supplied with charcuterie and gourmet pastries. Paths from the cabins to the shops below tunneled through snow piled higher than our heads, but it was surprisingly pleasant weather as we walked around the little ski town. Dallin taught me some rules of chess, since I'd never played before, and the four of us competed in a round of Settlers of Catan before heading to the Foundry Grill for an elegant dinner.  All I'd had was a share of the appetizers and a quarter of my dinner before my belly was fit to burst -- this baby takes up so much room! Later that evening we climbed over a literal hill of packed snow to access the hot tub, warm enough to relax in the freezing weather but cool enough to be safe for the babe! We chatted quietly and, after we were done, hoped that the view of our pale legs in the window wouldn't scare any downstairs guests in the bathroom as we climbed back over the hill of snow to reach the front door. It was a cold walk back to our own cabin, so Dallin lit the fireplace and we turned on the TV to snuggle for just a bit before bed.  Then in the morning, after sleeping in, we made breakfast together and packed up to go.  It was a short but fun and relaxing trip I would love to do again before Rachel and Dick leave for Alaska this summer!

 



After church, we went sledding! If I'm being completely honest, I enjoyed watching the men "just send it" down the hill more than I enjoyed actually sledding, because they gave us quite the show!

Matt trying to tackle Danielle down the hill.

    Studying can only bring us so much happiness in life, and when a week is spent working hard, sometimes the soul can use some fresh air.  So, rather spontaneously, we rounded up a group and headed past Spanish Fork with hopes of visiting the hot springs. We drove along windy roads past rusty red mountains and discovered the four mile stretch leading to the trail head to be blocked off to vehicles.  Oh well, isn't that what adventures are for? The rivers were crested with icicles and the forests around us sprinkled in snow, but it was a surprisingly beautiful day.
    Everyone who passed us warned us about the icy trail ahead.  We took the risk.  And then, upon passing the trailhead, we attempted to climb up a hill only to have three of us fall flat on our bums.  Maybe we weren't as tough as we thought-- but the hike to the hotsprings just wasn't going to happen. Of course, we didn't make our way back until we made a slippin-slide out of the path! Joy in the journey, right?