I just got off an extremely refreshing weekend that I didn't even realize I needed. Does that ever happen to anybody else, or is it just me? I don't know. But I do know that, like a boiling frog, there were a number of things that had been building up some stress lately without me noticing. Kid extracurriculars seem really busy right now. They are also in the middle of testing at school and that tension has carried over into the home. For me, work is slamming with a number of somewhat complicated cases, and last Friday was particularly demanding. Skiing is not a thing any more on the weekends, which I had come to really look forward to. I know these are all small first-world problems, but they have added up a little bit.

And then the weekend happened, and it was like a big reassurance from the universe that spring was here and we could just move ahead, and sure, all those same little things were still things, but there was a new sort of energy in the air that made them seem very tamable. Sort of like when a child (or adult) lies awake at night worrying about monsters and boogeymen, only to laugh at themselves in the morning about how insignificant their concerns actually are.

So, what did we do this weekend? Well- one thing we did NOT do was take pictures. But that's okay, because it gives me a chance to tell our activities as a series of "written photographs." Challenge accepted. It's not an easy task, as they say a picture is worth a thousand words. I'll try to be a little more succinct though. 

Photo #1:

It is Friday night, and our whole family is on our way into the high school production of "Into the Woods." I am still dressed in a button-down shirt since I am running in straight from a busy day at work, but I have at least managed to take off the tie and loosen the collar. Rachel is composed, as always, although her smile might betray a slight concern about the amount of energy that is running through the kids at the moment. Addy and Lindsey are looking really exited- the first because she is really into musical theater, and the second because she just walked in and saw Rapunzel. We grab a quick student-made playbill and Jackson holds it up in front of us, probably blocking his face in the process. I pull out my phone, tell everyone to look, and snap a family-selfie before we all walk in and find our seats.

For the record- it was a great night out. 

Photo #2:

I am in Leavenworth with Eric. We have been driving almost four hours, but it was still morning as we got our climbing stuff sorted and started walking up the approach trail. The air is brisk and we have our sweaters on, but our faces are rosy from the exertion of the short hike. Before starting his first lead I tell Eric to look over at my phone which is held in front of me. His face is probably still registering confusion as he realizes that I am about to take a photo. As for me, I have a tight close-lipped smile that makes me appear smug and overly pleased with myself. That's just how I smile though. 

Photo #3

Probably a photo of a perfect splitter crack on pitch 2 that nobody except for climbers would appreciate. Being fully aware of this, I include it in the blog anyway. 

Photo #4

It is now late afternoon on a beautiful sunny day, which means I have weird shadows on my face. My expression is one of utter relief, with lingering hints of the terror I was feeling just moments ago. My mouth probably has a crooked frown on it, slightly parted lips, and teeth clenched tight. Like a ninja turtle when they realize that Master Splinter has been taken captive. My helmet is probably a bit askew, and my face is flushed from effort, and I am hanging from a belay anchor looking down. The caption would read: "No real danger, but I just finished one of the most terrifying pitches I have ever led. Body is stronger than ever, but my mind is in a coma from a winter of bouldering."

Seriously though- that was a scary pitch.

Photo #5

I went back and forth for a while in my head trying to decide which photo to use here- the selfie with me in it, or the one that was just the scenery. I ended up with the selfie, because I feel like photos with people in them are always better, and because there was no real way to capture the essence of the place anyway. How I wish that you could put feelings into a bottle for later use, although perhaps its their ephemeral nature that makes them so meaningful in the first place? Anyway, what you see here is a photo of me crouching down in the lower right-hand corner, puffy jacket and green beanie pulled tight, making myself small in order to accentuate the beauty around me. The angle is from the ground, looking upward slightly since I have perched the camera against a rock in the middle of the trail. The pathway is wide- an old forest-service road that is no longer in use, and is littered with fallen leaves. On either side of the path are a thousand different shades of green, from the low lying ferns, to the moss-covered alder, to the towering red cedars. There is a mist rising up from the ground, and the perception is that of an enchanted forest where one would not be surprised to come across mythical creatures from childhood fairytales. Though you wouldn't know it from the picture alone, I am just about to go back to the truck where we had spent the night in a rooftop tent. Being me, I had woken up early and gone on a five-mile jog through this spellbinding wonderland of the Pacific Northwest. I can smell coffee brewing at camp below, and my face exhibits anticipation and excitement to climb at one of the greatest crags in America. We are at Index.

Photo #6

Probably another photo of a rock. Maybe Eric and I are smiling in the foreground  and making "hang loose" or "thumbs up" signs as we revel in the perfect granite of Index.

Photo #7

This is one of Rachel and me with a sunset low over lake Coeur d'Alene in the background. We are at a table, and you can see an acoustic guitarist in the background which is the only sense of movement that you get in an otherwise completely quiet image. What I am trying to do with this photo is capture the mellow laid-back feel that predominated the evening. Nights like this are why I moved here in the first place. This particular musician happened to be one of our favorites, and enjoying that night on the waterfront with Rachel dressed in all of her elegant charm was a wonderful way to welcome in the spring. Once it got dark, we walked to the resort where our fireside conversation lingered long into the night.

Photo #8

Another one of Rachel and me. I am flexing and making an exaggerated "strong-man" face while Rach is trying her best not to laugh at me. After less than thirty minutes of work I had just made a clean ascent (no falls) of a climb that I had thought would take me several sessions to do, and I am somewhat surprised and proud of myself. This climb represents my current top-grade ever, and to do it so quickly makes me think I might still have a lot of potential for improvement. This means a lot to someone who, as Evelyn loves to calls me, is "a middle aged man who thinks he is still living in the 90s." I guess it's fitting, then, that as I am about to turn forty, I hear the soundtrack of my youth:

So here I am,

Growing older all the time,

Looking older all the time,

Feeling younger in my mind

Here I am, doing everything I can

Holding on to what I am,

Pretending I'm a superman

   -Goldfinger "Superman". 1997

Photo #9

Hey, look- a real photo! While I was away on a climbing trip, the rest of the family went and got Gooeys (large ice-cream sundaes). 

It rained this morning, and as I drove to work the distinct music and aromas of spring filled the air- budding trees, petrichor, singing birds, and a sense of newness. 

I feel refreshed.

Have a good week!

This was a bittersweet week for the Hazard family. On the one hand, weather was great. Spring is definitely in the air and it seems like the neighborhood is coming back to life. From buds on the trees to children on bicycles, it looks like the transition has finally happened. I am climbing more outdoors, yard projects are starting, and we will soon be making regular trips to the lake. It's an exciting time.

Spring is here!

But...

Ski season is officially over, and it will be very hard to say goodbye. It was, for me personally as well as for the family as a whole, the most amazing winter ever. We skied at fourteen different resorts this year and each person got between 30 and 40 days on the mountain. Besides the actual skiing, we have spent hundreds of hours together in the car, in hotel rooms, on chairlifts, and exploring different ski towns. We have strengthened bonds as a family, as well as with a few dear friends. All of us have experienced moments of frustration, as well as those of euphoria that are such a part of the activity. It is difficult to describe, but I really get the sense that this year was a defining year for us.

Anyway- I feel at a loss for words. Characterizing an entire season in a single paragraph seems like an injustice. And yet, how is a person supposed to describe all the sensations, tell all the stories, or render all the emotion using language alone? It can't be done.

Maybe hard to see what is going on here: To clarify, this is us on the floor of the living room with maps taped up of all the different ski places we went this year.

To wrap up the year we took a trip to British Columbia to ski at Revelstoke and Panorama. The scale of the mountains is Canada is simply unreal. With runs that are over 9 miles long and a drop approaching 6,000 vertical feet it is easy to feel small. Personally, I don't think it will ever get old allowing gravity to simply take over to the point that the mind can no longer process what is right in front of it, and then to stop and realize that you just spent less than four minutes covering ground that would take hours, if not days, to turn around and climb back up. It is simply amazing.

A panoramic picture at Panorama! Addy was super stoked about this picture because of that. Also, it is impossible to do justice to this place. These mountains are incredible! We were lucky to have two amazing days of sunshine to take in these magical views.

Maren is so funny. Every time we ski, she starts out suuuper slow and cautious. We have learned that if we push her too fast too soon, it only results in frustration. If you give her time to warm up though, then watch out world because Maren transforms into a speed monster!

Addy can often be seen slowly flapping her arms- not for balance, but because it "makes her feel like she is flying." She brings a contagious playfulness to the day that makes it hard to take things too seriously.

And then there is Evelyn. She came into her own this year when she discovered the bumps. Yeah- those pesky little things that so many people avoid. She also hates powder. It's weird, but like with other things I have come to expected the unexpected with her. This girl has turned skiing on its head, and she is so fun to be with! 

Jackson can be hard to get a photo of, because usually when I ski with him I am legitimately focused on just getting myself down in one piece and I don't think to pull out the camera. He likes skiing the biggest, baddest, toughest runs on the mountain- the steeper the better. For his last run of the year he went off the largest drop he has ever sent.

...Yet.

...But there will be many more drops for this guy in the future. Of that, I am certain. When I want to ski hard, I take Jackson along with zero hesitation.

Lindsey. Has. No. Fear.

Though she is still perfecting her turns, she knows she can keep up with anybody by simply pointing her skis downhill and screaming at the top of her lungs. It usually works too! We all found ourselves on a steep run early in the day that was so iced up you could see your reflection in places. As the rest of us gingerly picked our way down these treacherous conditions, Lindsey simply let out her warrior scream and blazed past everybody at near-terminal velocity. Moguls? No problem. Who needs to turn? On a powder day, I'm pretty sure you can track where this girl has been by just looking for the straight lines. It is scary to watch, but she always ends with a smile- even when she falls. 

*****

It has been amazing. Let's do it again next year.

Have a good week!

Mom Trip

A few months ago my mom approached me with an idea. What if we took a trip together with just the two of us? This led to multiple conversations about possible destination spots. We wanted to visit a place that we had never been. Enter Glenwood Springs Colorado. My brother, Brandon, had visited with Kendra and had rave reviews.  After a plane ticket and hotel reservations were in place we were ready! Last week I flew to Utah for a week and spent time on the Wasatch Front with my family, then my Mom and I took a 3 day trip to Glenwood Springs. The week was relaxing, spontaneous, and fun! I am back feeling refreshed and with the sense that my relationship with my Mom blossomed more than it has in years.  The best way to tell a story is through pictures. So here we go!

Glenwood Springs

We drove into town, checked out our options and made a fantastic day plan . On Saturday I had a morning workout, then we headed up the mountain side in a little orange Gondola.  The top of the mountain held many secrets in the form of caves, and many not so secret tourist attractions. Our plan was to go up and enjoy the two cave tours, but the rides looked pretty fun and we do what we want! We ended up enjoying a zip line, a 4D movie, and an alpine slide that I may or may not have giggled for the entire ride down! We did that one twice just for kicks! 

At the hotel we met a gentleman who referred to himself as 'Mr. Tap,' He was very friendly and invited us to an afternoon tap dance performance he was hosting. My mom did tap and clogging at BYU on the Folk Team and this sounded like great afternoon entertainment. It did not disappoint! I love watching people doing what they love and being completely in their element. On the way out we realized that the keys were in the car and it was locked. This was serendipitous because I went back in the library while we waited for AAA and I found out there was a college production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile. We quickly bought tickets, headed to the sauna, then took off for the play. Who needs to eat???  The play was loosely based on the idea of 'What would happen if Picasso and Einstein met at a bar?' It was a fun comedy written by Steve Martin. I wish I had a bit more time to delve into the background of the story because I am sure some of the jokes went over my head. We ended the night with a small dinner at a local Mexican place. It was a perfect day!  Here are some pictures, plus a few other activities we did while in Colorado.

Check out the views from the gondola. The red mountain was spectacular! This picture also shows why we are often mistaken as sisters! I hope to age as gracefully as my Mom.

I have been on cave tours before, and this one did not disappoint! We had a great time. 

This is Oscar. He has a drip that helps him grow. I thought this was a cool picture that captured his life source in action. 

Did you know that some rocks glow in the dark? Shine a black light, or use a black light laser pen and the glow is real. We may or may not have had a rave party in a cave that involved pen lights. 

The best local taco dive! I love hole in the wall places, and this did not disappoint! Excellent taco menu with drinks in a mason jar! I might go back to Glenwood Springs just for the tacos.

This was my favorite part of the vacation! We visited these vapor caves that use the hot springs to create a natural sauna. It was an exceptional experience.

A good recommendation led us to Coloradough- a donut joint in town. I have now officially tried a 'cronut.' 

Around Town

Our time in Glenwood was just the beginning! The week was full of activities from gardening, home painting projects, birthday celebration (for my mom), card games, and more! I saw a lot of my sister Shannon and her son Nathan, and Brandon and Kendra.  I also enjoyed some time with Eric, Brandon and Kendra's new baby boy!

Gardening time. Happy Spring!

Eric was a sweetie!

Park City

Mom and I set aside a full day to to spend in Park City. We checked out the outlets and I introduced her to her new favorite cycling store, Pearl Izumi. She didn't even know that was missing from her life! She bought a new cycling kit that she loves. We then headed to Main Street to check out local art galleries and other fun offerings. We had good conversation, enjoyed the art galleries, and tasted some unique truffle flavors.  Good times!

Obligatory Main Street photo.

Obligatory food photo.

Monday

On Monday everyone had to return to work, so I took a day for myself. In the morning I headed to The Front to get some good climbing in. This is one of our favorite climbing gyms in the SLC area, and it did not disappoint.  After climbing I headed to a little local deli to meet Adrian for lunch. Due to his work schedule I wasn't able to see him when the family got together. We had a pleasant lunch followed by some more delicious truffles! I always enjoy good conversation with him, and we had a nice relaxing lunch together. Later that night the family got together at Mom's for a great homemade meal with good conversation.

The week was full of good conversation, fun new stories, and great activities. I feel refreshed and thankful for the relationship growth, new memories, and fun stories about  both my Mom and my Dad. 

Shout out to Logan who rocked it at home with the kids! I came home to a clean house and happy kids. That was a great end to a wonderful vacation. 

Have a good week!

 

After a fairly eventful start to Spring Break, we came home from Montana ready to rest for a couple of days. We took it pretty easy for most of last week. Spring is definitely in the air, and it's nice to spend time in the yard, with friends, or at the park. Rachel and I got out for a couple of dates. We skied twice, and I went climbing outside with some friends. Rachel ran a 10k and beat her goal by quite a bit. We did things- just not any big road trips. It's been nice.

As I write this, Rachel is driving to the airport. She will spend the next week or so with her mom. I'm not really sure what their plans are, but I'm sure she'll come back with all sorts of fun and exciting stories to share.

In the meantime, have a good week!

The kids all had friends over and made "gingerbread" houses, because...why not?

The barrel room of Arbor Crest. This was a fun night out and we were able to meet up with some friends we made a couple months ago.

Just a picture of Evelyn on top of a roof. I don't think there is any story or anything to go with it. That is all. 

Actually, just posting this picture reminded me of something. The other day, Evelyn asked for a band-aid because she scratched herself while climbing a pine tree. At first I didn't think much of it, and mostly just to make conversation I asked her which tree. She said it was one she saw while she was walking home from school, and it just needed to be climbed. Turns out that this happens pretty regularly. I guess Ev really does like climbing after all.

Here's Rachel after her 10k with her cheer squad. I don't even know when she registered for this. She said she did it just to force herself into building some base miles before she starts doing races that she actually cares about. Nevertheless, she went into it with a goal, and she beat that goal by quite a bit, so...Go Rach!