Christmas for Cowboys

Christmastime is always such a special time of the year for my family.  We have started a tradition of spending the holiday out in Colorado; less gifts and more time spent together in God’s glorious creation as our gifts to one another.  We of course hit the slopes.  My husband and I are avid skiers and now we get the chance to take our children along for the ride and teach them as well.  My parents and sister and her family went and we shared nights drinking cocoa, playing checkers, tending to the fire, listening to John Denver and watching the snow fall. I don’t blog much about my personal life during my high time of year with work, but I do like to take time to reflect on the blessings from the previous year.  My two kiddos I think will be naturals on their skis.

Last year was their first year to give it a shot and they both loved it! My daughter skied down double blues with us; she did amazing.

Our condo was nice and cozy, right on a ski run.  My sister’s baby enjoyed his evening baths and playing with his cousins.

Early mornings I would awake to the glimmer of distant Christmas trees light.  Dawn crept into our valley slowly, and soon gave way to the snow flakes and chill of the newest winter’s morning. A hot cup of coffee and snuggling time coupled with reading to my kids on the couch always followed.

One other mountain sport passion I have is snowshoeing.  My mom really enjoys the workout also, so many days we’d snap on our shoes and head out into the wild open mountain air.  We came across a beautiful old abandoned homestead where we set up my tripod and got several shots and video.

This old barn was one of my favorite finds.  It stood, tattered by the relentless mountain winds and weight of the annual snows, yet remained so well built and maintained.  We really enjoyed exploring it.

Having lived in the hight country of Colorado previously, my husband and I used to have the luxury of picking and choosing which days to to out and either ski or snowshoe.  When it’s -20 out, you know it’s best to stay in and keep warm by the fire.  When you are vacationing however, your days are few so you get out no matter what the elements hold.  This day, we ventured up to McCoy Park for a few hours of snowshoeing.  It was so brutally cold that I thought we all three were going to get frostbite.  It made for some fun memories but boy was it cold that day.

One evening we got to sneak away to one of our favorite spots to hang out and eat, the Park Hyatt.  My sister and her husband were married on top of Beaver Creek’s mountain and then had the reception at the restaurant at the Hyatt.  We got to hide away without kids to enjoy a double date, eating at 8100 Grill and talking by the outdoor fire.

Beaver Creek Village is magical.  It’s private, remote and rarely crowded.  It’s a cross of a European meets the old west feel.  It remains one of our favorite get aways anytime of the year.

On Christmas Eve we all went on a sleigh ride out at an old ranch.  It was such a special night!  Despite the cold, the kids loved the experience and it was truly a special way to celebrate the season.

Wyatt, the lone horse who stood tentatively by the barn and watched us, had called the mountains home for years.  He was older but still had strength and soon would start pulling the sleighs once again.

A babies first Christmas, so magical and sweet.  Little eyes taking in the world around him as the world of white around him captivates all.

“A campfire for warmth as we stop for the night,
The stars overhead are Christmas tree lights.
The wind sings a hymn as we bow down to pray,
It’s Christmas for cowboys and wide open plains.”

As our night of sleighing through meadows white came to an end and dusk began beckon in the Christmas eve night, I was stunned and fixated by the glimmer of light coming from the old barn.  There are some moments that are so perfectly crafted, you know that only the Creator himself could paint such a vision.  The mountains at sundown are that moment of perfection for me.  I stopped and I gazed; the glow of a warm yellow light; a cowboy preparing his horse for the long winter’s eve and Christmas morning quietly approaching; edging out yet another year of memories, love and laughter.  It was a beautiful way to end our evening.

Our last full day in the mountains, my husband and I got to sneak away for a day of skiing.  Tree runs down blacks blanketed with aspen trees and fresh powder, steep bowl runs and jumps.  We of course will never outgrow the wonder and delight the mountains bring us.

One of my favorite spots in Beaver Creek is the Beaver Creek Chapel that runs along the river where the 5 Senses Trail begins.  It is a stunning chapel and always takes my breath away.

This year I have so much to be thankful for and I wish you and your loved ones a year of blessings to come.