Just Call Me Lefty (aka New Year's in Colorado)

Due to the following events, as you will soon understand, I am writing this blog post with one hand (my LEFT hand at that!). Therefore I will have to keep it short and probably not very funny...please bear with me.

HANGING OUT IN DENVER

We arrived in Denver on Tuesday afternoon.  Marc and Nicole were nice enough to pick us up at the airport along with Pradeep, Sarah, Mike and Sophia.  We spent the next couple of days hanging out with them and their adorable puppy Polly at their cute new house in downtown Denver.  We spent most of the time just hanging out - talking, snacking, and playing catch phrase and mario cart (my favorite...).  Wednesday morning we did venture out for a nice walk at one of their favorite places - Washington Park.  Here is the group enjoying the stroll.

The weather was surprisingly mild until Thursday morning when it snowed. It was their (and our!) first snow of the year.  This is a view off their porch down their cute little street.

On Thursday night we were expecting a snowstorm so we decided to hit the road a little early and go ahead and get up to our condo in Winter Park, where we would be spending New Year's.

The condo was amazingly nice and just down the street from the ski resort. There were 12 of us total including Schuler, Jess, Ryan, and Lainey. And the pup Polly made 13. I don't usually like touching animals but she was adorable!

In anticipation of New Year's Eve and skiing the next day, we just took it easy that first night. We just relaxed, cooked a massive amount of tacos, and played Uno.

A VERY MEMORABLE NEW YEAR'S EVE

The next morning we all woke up early to get ready for a day full of skiing in -10 degree weather. We all wore everything warm thing we owned plus some.

Here we are waiting for the bus. Everyone was still all smiles and non-crippled.

Everyone was skiing except me and Joey. We were the lone snowboarders.

Here is me and Sarah on our ride over...so optimistic.

Joey and I split off from the group early and tried to warm up our rusty Atlantan snowboard skills. I was surprised how easily it came back to me and I was flying down the mountain doing S curves before I knew it. I was even better than the last time I went. Joey was very impressed!

Apparently though, I was doing so well that I got a little too aggressive and ended up hurting my tail bone from a cartwheel style fall. It hurt so bad that I got really scared to fall - which of course made me fall more. Around lunchtime we took a break and I was scared to go back out because I was really afraid I would get hurt. Here I am pouting...

I decided to take a long break and I just hung out in the lodge for 2.5 hours while Joey went out with Marc. I was seriously contemplating going home but I figured the best way to overcome your fear is to face it. So I decided to go out for one last run to prove to myself that I could do it so I could be brave and come out again strong the next day. I met up with Schuler, Marc, and Joey and headed up the lift. I had an awesome run and was building up my confidence. I decided to go one more time and head in...

The boys were going to keep going so we split near the bottom. Not even 100 feet after I split off on my way in did I fall. I'm not quite  sure what happened but somehow I slipped and (not wanting to hit my butt again) tried to catch myself with my arm. As soon as I fell, I knew my arm was not ok and some nice skiers stopped to help me.I was a little afraid I was just being a wimp and thought maybe I should just ride down but luckily I didn't try that.  They called the ski patrol and I got a nice sleigh ride down the mountain. Luckily Joey showed up in time to take this money shot. 

They whisked me away to the clinic and the fun began. I was so horribly cold that my arm was numb and i was shaking violently, not to mention incredibly nauseas. Long story shorter - the warmed me up, calmed me down, cut off my gloves, x-rayed and medicated me. 

It turns out I wasn't being a wimp and I broke two bones in my wrist and they were all out of whack (my RIGHT wrist...yes I'm right handed!). Here I am in a finger trap device that they were using to loosen up my arm before pushing (yes, pushing!) them back into place.  

That did not feel good. I was a champ though. I stayed very optimistic (or you might say loopy) and was laughing and cracking jokes the whole time. Joey was very supportive but was clearly freaked out by the whole thing. Oh and they gave me two bowls of goldfish crackers (see the pink bowl!?) - that was definitely a perk!

Finally we got the arm wrapped up and made it back to the condo in time for the New Years celebration.  Here I am sporting my new accessory...

We celebrated New Years for each time zone.  Here we are celebrating the Eastern Time Zone with Sarah's crazy chocolates and prosecco.  

The happy engaged couple kissing at midnight (and Joey trying to get in on the picture).

And Joey kissing his newly crippled wife.  Happy New Year!

NEW YEAR'S DAY

The next day half the group (not deterred by my experience) hit the slopes again.  

The rest of the guys celebrated New Years day in true couch potato style watching football all day.

Nicole, Pradeep, and Sarah went out and did some sledding.  I really wished that I could go...maybe next time.

Lainey started cooking some traditional New Year's day food - collard greens and black eyed peas (which we ate with frozen pizza...)

Hopefully the meal will bring us luck in the new year!

After dinner the girls gave Lainey a little gift to celebrate her engagement.  We are so excited about her and Ryan getting married!

We ended the night with an intense game of Cranium.  Joey has gotten to be quite the expert at games like this.  He's learned well from all those Pictionary training sessions!  I even got to play too - everyone was nice enough to humor me and let me play left handed.  Thanks guys!

So that wraps up a fun trip and a fun year!  Tune in in 2011 to find out how I cope with being a lefty in the workplace and other fun adventures!

Happy New Year!