Long Overdue

January and February just don't seem to hold much for blog-worthy moments. January is mostly consumed with finals and starting a new semester at school, so an intense work month. Nate ended up working a few weekends in January too. Also, we are in the dead of winter here, which means holing up at times during -20 temps or cold, blustery days. We hold steady to the routine of school/daycare, swim lessons, a few playdates and get togethers with friends, and find little things to breathe a little fresh air: homemade salsa and fish tacos for the Super Bowl, a happy hour with rum and tonics, attending a few Three Forks basketball games, and, for the last few weekends, ski trips around Southwest Montana.

We are lucky to live in a central location that allows us to ski a variety of mountain ranges all within an hour to an hour and a half. In the photo below, we were trying out a new set of trails in the Big Belt Mountains to the northeast of our house. Claire received some handmedown skis and is starting to get coordinated enough to move along without holding our hands. After skiing this trail, we stopped at the hot springs in White Sulpher Springs for a soak where Claire showed off some of her progress from swim lessons.

The next weekend we headed to one of our favorite spots, Mount Haggin; these trails are southwest of our house, outside the mining town of Anaconda. Since Claire fell asleep in the backpack, we were able to complete the 10 K loop. The Soup Shack, located across the road from the trail head, helps one recover after a long ski with amazing homemade soup, bread, and desserts.

Yesterday we heading southeast into the Gallatin Canyon to ski just outside Yellowstone National Park up a trail called Teepee Creek. The weather was actually quite Spring-like, but there's lots of snow and great open views on this trail.