It's Cold in Gunnison...But We're Still Alive!

I rely on Facebook and blogs to keep tabs on friends and family, because I'm not much of a phone conversationalist (to be honest, I have a hard time understanding people over the phone).  Though, recently I haven't been very good at updating my own blog.  I guess I just don't have a lot to talk about right now...and I'm sure people are tired of hearing about my dog (I can't help it!  She's just so cute!).

So, to catch up...not a lot is different.  It's been four months since I last blogged.  I'm still working as a receptionist for Natasha's veterinarian...and Peter is, well...he's actually not working because he's on furlough, but he should start working again sometime in March.  We're gettin' by for now, though it's certainly tough without our main source of income.  Christmas was a lot of fun, but I wish we could have spent more time with family and friends.  Natasha was a little nervous, but she did really well considering she met a lot of new people including three really little ones.

I don't even remember what we did for New Years...I think I made dinner and we watched a movie...yup...we're officially boring.

So, let's see what else have we done...well, I went cross country skiing for the first time.  We drove up to Saratoga, WY and met some friends of ours there.  We stayed at a Forest Service cabin one night and soaked in some hot springs the next day.  It snowed the entire time we were at the cabin and it was so picturesque and beautiful.  Natasha had a BLAST!  I think next time I will get her a sled and a harness so that she can pull all my stuff in, that way I don't have to.  Here are a few pictures of our trip.


I love how the road signs are nearly buried because the snow is so deep.



Natasha hates her backpack, but she looks so cute in it!

We met Nick and Kelly the summer of 2009 when we were all working for the Evanston district of the Forest Service.  Nick and Kelly started dating that summer and it was fun to watch their relationship grow.  Now they're getting married this summer, and we couldn't be happier or more excited for them.  I'm so glad we still keep in touch and get together for fun adventures even though we live in different states.

That's pretty much all for us.  We're trying to get through the rest of winter, and I think we're pretty much past the coldest bits.  I have survived the winter in Gunnison, but it hasn't been easy.  Poor Natasha went weeks without getting walked because there was a serious risk of frostbite if we went outside for extended periods of time...-30 will do that to you.  Temperatures have been in the upper 20s and 30s this week and it has been an immense relief, but even though it's been one of the coldest winters I have ever experienced, I have seen the sun more often here than I ever did during the winter in Utah because we don't get the icky inversion that they do.  That has actually been pretty fantastic.

I hope you all are doing well and surviving the winter.  Hopefully the groundhog's prediction was correct and we'll have an early spring.  I sure hope we do!  I'm itching to get outside!