2025 Christmas Ski in Crested Butte

 For the third winter in a row, we returned to Crested Butte for Christmas skiing. We hit the road Friday afternoon right after school, leaving at 3:30 p.m., and spent the night at the Hyatt in Amarillo. Along the way, we tried a new Greek restaurant, Hibiscus Café, in Wichita Falls. The wait was a bit long—even with an advance order—but the food was good.

After another full day of driving, with stops at Hive in Trinidad and City Market in Gunnison, we finally arrived at our condo around 7 p.m. We stayed in the Columbine Condominiums, a true ski-in/ski-out setup perched above the Red Lady Lift, with a direct view of the lift from our balcony. I had been looking forward to this ideal ski accommodation for a long time, and it did not disappoint.

Our condo had a skylight above Norah’s bed. On clear nights, we lay beneath it, gazing up at the stars. Norah saw her very first shooting star. We also squeezed in a relaxing evening in the hot tub.

During our stay, the snow on the mountain slowly retreated. Locals said it was the worst snow condition in the past 40 years. With limited runs open, we adjusted our expectations and focused on skill-building instead. I worked on carving turns, while Will practiced skiing backward.

For five overlapping days with the Vehiccione family, we skied and sledded together. The kids came up with endless ideas for dramatic wipeouts on the local sledding hill, filling the air with laughter. We also shared a dinner at Bonez, a Mexican restaurant, one evening.

The forecast promised snow on Christmas, but it arrived as a mix of rain and snow instead. We decided to take a break from skiing and hike the Cement Creek Trail. After Norah complained about how easy it was, we switched to the Caves Trail. The hike was treacherous, with slick ice and steep terrain leading up to the rock formations. We returned muddy, our ski gear thoroughly baptized by the trail.

On Saturday night, December 27, we were finally rewarded with eight inches of snow. Sunday morning delivered a joyful first hour of fresh powder skiing.

Monday morning, we woke up at 6 a.m., left the condo by 7, and arrived home at 9 p.m.—tired, happy, and carrying another beautiful ski memory to add to our books.

Hiking in Sedona December 2025

This was a long-anticipated trip, one we began planning back in August. Six women in our forties—who met at TI in our twenties and are all still working there—finally made it happen. With kids and toddlers, business travel, and Deep Dives, it felt almost miraculous that we could align our schedules. Given the many layers of commitments in our lives, the first weekend of December was the only one that worked.

Sedona and Joshua Tree are often recommended for cold-weather hiking, and we chose Sedona for its convenience and abundance of lodging options.

Five of us flew from DFW to Phoenix on Friday morning, while one arrived from Houston later that night. The two-hour drive flew by as we listened to each other’s favorite songs and caught up. I chose our house for its proximity to the trails, and it turned out to be perfect—right at the start of the Teacup Trail, with four bedrooms, a jacuzzi, and an outdoor fire pit.

That afternoon, we jumped straight onto the Doe Mountain Trail to catch the sunset. The hike was steeper than some of us expected, and the rocks were a bit slick in regular shoes. Still, we all made it to the top, and the sunset was spectacular. The evening ended with the jacuzzi and a sky full of stars.

Saturday began with a lovely breakfast at Casa Sedona Restaurant, followed by a hike to Devil’s Bridge. Priya and Rajani lined up for their turn on the bridge before we continued on to Boynton Trail in search of the energy vortex. Six women and one young boy sat together for an outdoor meditation. Later, we drove to Airport Mesa for sunset. Sandy, Wenjia, Rajani, and I hiked down to the base of the mesa for a few extra steps. 🙂

The viewpoint was buzzing—bands playing, incense burning, and a sea of people pausing in awe of the expansive view. The sun brushed the mesas in deep reds before slowly fading, and we stayed until twilight.

Dinner was at Angel Kitchen, a Japanese eatery. The food was good, though the prices were steep. We ended the night with a long fireside chat that stretched late into the evening.

On Sunday morning, we headed out early for a final hike on the Teacup Trail. Priya, Rajani, and I even squeezed in a group psychic reading. Reluctantly, we said goodbye to Sedona and drove back to Phoenix, already missing the magic of the weekend.

2025 Thanksgiving at Broken Bow

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with the whole family. We laughed and swam, cooked and carved, rode one-wheels and hiked. It was a nonstop, joy-filled holiday spent with the people we love.