One last football pick this season

Of course, now Rich and I have to make our football pick with the Superbowl. Can you say Superbowl? The Big Game? Whatever, you know what I mean.

I'm hesitant to choose Arizona. I know he'll go with the Steelers. What should I do? If we both choose the Steelers, then we're going with total points? Looking for help here? mary@champrocks.com

Oh, what are we choosing for? I THINK, the loser will be jumping in this years penquin plunge. OUCH! But you get a towel.

Snowboarding

I haven't blogged since we stayed at Smugglers Notch! What a blast, really! The rooms/suites are unbelievable! I had a hottub in the bathroom next to my room. Our suite had two bedrooms/two baths/kitchen/dinning and livingroom with wrap around windows so you could see the beautiful mountain. There wasn't a spot without a view.

I attempted to snowboard with their learn to ski/ride program. I LOVED it! Big fan! Of course, I have quite a way to go before I can be considered a true snowboarder, but I'm willing to take the time to get it!

I watched the "We Are One" inaugural concert yesterday online, cuz we didn't have cable where I was hanging out yesterday. So, a group of us huddled around the computer full of emotion while another group of us was watching the Cardinals/Eagles game on TV in the other room with a different kind of emotion.

I really liked Sheryl Crow with Bob Marleys One Love. U2 was spectacular too, I didn't recognize their second song? Also, Garth Brooks with "American Pie' that as fun, and Bruce Springsteen with Pete Seeger finishing up with "This land is Your Land" Well, they were the ending act, everyone got on stage at the end singing, was it America the Beautiful? I think so. I'm sure it will be on DVD. It was truly and amazing event, and the amount of people who were there, simple unreal! or, surreal I should say!

Broken Skiis

It's been a great winter for winter sports. Lots of snow and cold temperatures to keep the snow on the ground. I thought I would take advantage of it over the weekend and take out my new Cross Country Skiis.

I went to Smugglers Notch, hooked up at their Nordic Center for a day out on the very nicely groomed trails. I guess it was a bit too cold and I took a couple face plants. The surface snow was frozen and I ended up with broken bindings. Mind you, this is my second time on these skiis. Well, at one point, near the end of my day on the trails, I couldn't get my boot back into the binding and I had to walk back to the lodge, skiis in hand! Good Times!

A big thank you to a very nice gentlemen at Eastern Mountain Sports who helped me out with those bindings and some great words of wisdom in my cross country ski infancy!

Smiles
Mary

It's a New Year...big deal

Really, is it a big deal? Well, it could be if you wanted it to be. It's the beginning of "I'll start tomorrow". It's a good time to reflect on what could be different with the way I"m living?

Some ideas I had for making this year different then last year? See more movies and remember the titles. Take more time to call my family and ask how THEY are instead of talking about myself. Remember birthdays, now there's a resolution! AND, give myself less of a hard time!

I enjoyed Marley and Me at the movies yesterday, sweet movie about the typical families life with a dog! I also enjoyed the best pizza I've ever had! (well, best I've had so far, I am willing to challenge that statement). From Chicago, Giordanos....stuffed pizza. Stuffed with cheese...yeah, I'll say! It was shipped frozen and they ship anywhere, Iwill be ordering from there again! OH YEAH!

And, I don't make a good redhead! Here I am with half the Buddy the Elf costume the I had to wear to our holiday party because I lost the football pick that week.

Smiles

Mary

My Kitty - Milo had a tough christmas

"Is that all"

Back from Vaca

Back from Vaca and I'm done with Bing Crosby christmas songs and am back to Ipod, right now listening to Cinderella Gypsy Road. I have an 80's thing going on right now. Honeymoon Suite, Motley Crue and Cinderella. Mary, come back!

I had a terrific time with Mom. We spent christmas eve and day at the Waybury Inn in Middlebury and met friends of ours there. One couple from South Dakota and one couple from Oklahoma. I felt like a tourist in Vermont with them. They love our convience stores that look like general stores, oh, I do too, now that I realize it! They love the different variety of restaurants we have. What? Thats news to me, but, oh yeah, we do have some pretty awesome choices. They love our candy...yep, couldn't agree more. They love our maple syrup, I have to admit, I take that for granted! Fresh maple syrup whenever you want it. They love the view of the mountains at every turn, That for me never grows old, I love that too!

It's really fun to see Vermont through new eyes! I appreciate home more and more each year!

Happy New year,

Smiles
Mary

Beautiful Vermont Morning

It's Saturday Morning, my vacation has just begun and I am waking up to one of the many reasons I love Vermont, its beauty!

Dawn is about to peak, the trees are painted with thick fluffy snow, the sky in the back drop is grey and there's a sweet crisp fresh air smell creeping through my window.

It doesn't matter how long I've lived in Vermont, I will always appreciate the beauty of a vermont morning after a fresh snowfall!

I'm enjoying a freshly brewed cup of Green Mountain Spicy Eggnog coffee pondering on which winter sport I want to go out play today. At the same time feeling blessed that I have that choice. Snowshoe, cross country ski, snowboard, downhill ski? I'm feeling mellow, I may simply crosscountry ski today.

I hope if you're in vermont that you will have the chance to feel like a kid and go out and play in the snow today, even if its just to make a snowangel.

Smiles
Mary