I would say that each of us embraces each season in our own best ways...
For Rick, he's the guy with the hobbies and passions. When the snow is fresh, he lives and breathes skiing, wants to talk to everyone he meets about skiing, spends hours on YouTube perfecting his skiing, and shares his love with his family. When the snow melts, the skis are waxed and stored, traded for bikes and golf clubs. Rick once again passionately embraces- organizing group mountain bike rides, encouraging his family up the hill on bikes, and filling in any gaps on the golf course, again with his family and friends. We camp, we kayak, we do all the summer mountain things. And when there's a crispness in the air, Rick has a sense of urgency to get in "that one last bike ride" or "that one last round of golf." Not to fear because when the snow hits, we do it all again- hiking up to find that first special stash of new white powder, long before the resorts even officially open.
Oh yes, he actually still works, too. Quite a bit, just like always. But our mountain life gives him that work-life balance that he dreamed of from an urban downtown office and makes work more manageable when his bucket is more properly filled with the great outdoors, too.
For Palmer, his passion is just as great. His love for the snow, whether finding the best jumps and powder or skiing race gates, is true. He and Rick found snow in the summer and trained at a camp on a glacier in Oregon in July. Again, they kicked off the winter season with another camp in Colorado. Palmer is burning the candle at both ends these days between a full middle school schedule and training for ski racing five days a week. We are carefully watching this love for the sport and quietly making plans for the next few years as the demands on his time grows. In Palmer's "free" time, he still loves to read and play with his sister and is so helpful around the house.
Grace is an all around bundle of joy. She loves to dance, sing in the mirror, flip endless cartwheels, and tell tall tales to anyone who will believe her. She's a true entertainer- going for the shock value when at all possible, for better or for worse. Grace is also interested in ski racing and is going to give her first season a go this season. Time will tell if this will be a fit for her, too, but for now, we know she loves her pink and green racesuit and she loves "impressing" people with her tales of going on double black diamonds (actually true.)
I manage the seasons and am leaning into travel when I need to get away. Not as in love with the winter as the rest of my family, I enjoy it for a bit and then live for planning trips away in the strategic times when the snow is too much for me. I love to build travel itineraries and especially enjoyed a trip to the Pacific Northwest this summer and Kauai in the spring. We had the chance to take Palmer to NY solo for his birthday and Grace to Chicago for a quick musical weekend of Six. These trips fill my soul and then I love retreating to our mountain for the quiet again. I spend a lot of winter weekends on indoor tennis courts while the rest of my family is out skiing. I also enjoy hiking in the summer and fall, with girlfriends or family.
We love when friends and family come to visit and love to share our little mountain life with visitors when they pass thru. Texas remains in our hearts and we aim to visit and get our share of tacos as often as possible.
Love,
Bethany, Rick, Palmer, and Grace Jordan
