A-hunting we will go...

Winter Park, Colorado

We made our annual trek to Winter Park with our fabulous friends, The Bayons, for a Christmas tree.  

It was a beautiful day up in Winter Park!  We left Longmont early and got our permits not long after the office opened.  We were the first cars at the trail head on Vasquez Rd!  

First thing's first:  family pictures.  How can we not take advantage of the gorgeous scenery and snap a few family photos?!  Maggie and Molly were ecstatic to play in the snow, but sat well for pictures.  I think this is the first family photo we have with both dogs in it!  

Onward ho!

The kids piled in sleds and were hauled a little ways up the trail.  Gabe got the full ride, cause, well... there are advantages to being two years old!  We didn't have to hike far to find a good patch of trees.  The dads headed off into the woods with the big boys on their heels.  After just a little bit they emerged, huffing and puffing after climbing a hill covered in fresh powder, triumphant!  Each had a very nice tree in tow.  

Back at the car after an awesome sled ride down the hill, the boys had hot cocoa with marshmallows and Lil Debbie snacks while the dads tied the trees to the cars.  At this point we were all warmed up and the cold wasn't so bad.  While we enjoyed a sip and a snack, other folks had the same idea we did and the parking area that was empty when we arrived was hoppin'!  So we vamoosed and stopped at BeauJeau's in Idaho Springs for a delicious pizza lunch and headed home.  

Later that evening the boys were bursting at the seams to decorate their new tree!  Josh strung the lights up and I helped them sort and hang their ornaments.  

Someday these traditions will cease and just be wonderful memories.  I hope the boys cherish them as much as their parents do today.