Okay, folks, time to let me know if, when, how many and who. BEST method of contact is email, lorraine@morrisoncustombuilders.com , 2nd best is telephone 970-879-6252.
If you have passed the invite on, please give them my contact info and request that they RSVP.
Kids, please make sure your folks contact me too!
15.12.10
14.12.10
Dining
I love to cook, but I'd rather hang with guests! So, below are some things you can help with. To avoid double purchasing, you can comment on this post to let all know what you're going to be reponsible for. Everyone can help with the everyday items mentioned, but we don't need 20 cans of marinara and 60 lbs of shredded cheese...Also, notice at the bottom a list of utensils that would help me out.
Snacks for every day: Sweets, salty, fresh fruits, raw veggies, etc.
Gingerbread house: We'll need a kit per every 3-4 kids. Available at most grocery stores. OR you can make it from scratch. Bring fixings to share. If you're so inclined, bring your cake-decorating equipment and create a masterpiece.
Drinks: Hot cocoa mix (two to four large cans of Swiss Mix would probably be enough for all,) hot cider mix, etc. Our water is central water and safe to drink, but I think it has a bit of a salty taste. Bring bottled water for yourself if you are afraid of ours. I'm covering the coffee (Folgers,) cream & creamer, and a good variety of tea.
Breakfast every day: cans of frozen juice, breakfast breads (i.e. cinnamon buns, muffins, banana bread: whatever your specialty is!) yoghurt, fresh fruit, cold cereals, etc. We'll do a buffet style breakfast each morning. I'll take care of the protein/hot dish, milk, butter, etc.
Thursday lunch: Cream can dinner. I'll take care of veggies. We'll need cooked sausage links; one to two per family. (large links, normally near the hot dogs, weighing around a pound each.) The lower fat sausages are just as tasty.
Thursday supper: Mexican gumbo. I'll make the gumbo base (meat and broth), and you bring your favorite additions. Guacomole, various salsas, roasted bell peppers, roasted corn, roasted onions, canned beans, etc. We also need a large (32 oz) bag or two of shredded cheese and a few bags of tortilla chips. I'll take care of sour cream and cooked rice. Brownies, anyone? If no one cares to haul them pre-made, we can whip some up in my kitchen. I've got all the ingredients.
Friday lunch: Hobo soup. This is a project for the kids. We adults are going to let them fix it. I'll provide a couple of chickens and instructions for the stock; the kids can each donate something to the soup. I'll also provide bread dough for homemade pretzels.
Friday supper: (New Years Eve) bring hors d'oeuvres, healthy snacking, and sweets.
Saturday Lunch: sandwich meat (pre-cooked ham, turkey breast, etc. Either non-sliced meats or deli style are fine,) snacks (granola bars, cookies, trail mix, jerky) chips, pickles, apples & oranges, and anything else you like in lunches. We'll pool the provisions and fix our own lunches. We'll need several thermoses to send hot chocolate in. I'll buy a couple of cases of bottled water and provide cups for hot chocolate. I'll also take care of mayo, mustard, and bread which doesn't pack well!
Saturday Supper: Homemade pizza. I'll make pizza crust dough, breadsticks and a large green salad. You bring canned marinara (ragu spaghetti sauce is what I use; one jar per two families should suffice, or bring your favorite) and toppings. Meats, veggies, and a large bag (32 oz) or two of shredded mozzarella for all.
COOKING UTENSILS: If you can fit them in, we could use extra
1. thermoses
2. a large soup pot
3. an electric griddle or two
Snacks for every day: Sweets, salty, fresh fruits, raw veggies, etc.
Gingerbread house: We'll need a kit per every 3-4 kids. Available at most grocery stores. OR you can make it from scratch. Bring fixings to share. If you're so inclined, bring your cake-decorating equipment and create a masterpiece.
Drinks: Hot cocoa mix (two to four large cans of Swiss Mix would probably be enough for all,) hot cider mix, etc. Our water is central water and safe to drink, but I think it has a bit of a salty taste. Bring bottled water for yourself if you are afraid of ours. I'm covering the coffee (Folgers,) cream & creamer, and a good variety of tea.
Breakfast every day: cans of frozen juice, breakfast breads (i.e. cinnamon buns, muffins, banana bread: whatever your specialty is!) yoghurt, fresh fruit, cold cereals, etc. We'll do a buffet style breakfast each morning. I'll take care of the protein/hot dish, milk, butter, etc.
Thursday lunch: Cream can dinner. I'll take care of veggies. We'll need cooked sausage links; one to two per family. (large links, normally near the hot dogs, weighing around a pound each.) The lower fat sausages are just as tasty.
Thursday supper: Mexican gumbo. I'll make the gumbo base (meat and broth), and you bring your favorite additions. Guacomole, various salsas, roasted bell peppers, roasted corn, roasted onions, canned beans, etc. We also need a large (32 oz) bag or two of shredded cheese and a few bags of tortilla chips. I'll take care of sour cream and cooked rice. Brownies, anyone? If no one cares to haul them pre-made, we can whip some up in my kitchen. I've got all the ingredients.
Friday lunch: Hobo soup. This is a project for the kids. We adults are going to let them fix it. I'll provide a couple of chickens and instructions for the stock; the kids can each donate something to the soup. I'll also provide bread dough for homemade pretzels.
Friday supper: (New Years Eve) bring hors d'oeuvres, healthy snacking, and sweets.
Saturday Lunch: sandwich meat (pre-cooked ham, turkey breast, etc. Either non-sliced meats or deli style are fine,) snacks (granola bars, cookies, trail mix, jerky) chips, pickles, apples & oranges, and anything else you like in lunches. We'll pool the provisions and fix our own lunches. We'll need several thermoses to send hot chocolate in. I'll buy a couple of cases of bottled water and provide cups for hot chocolate. I'll also take care of mayo, mustard, and bread which doesn't pack well!
Saturday Supper: Homemade pizza. I'll make pizza crust dough, breadsticks and a large green salad. You bring canned marinara (ragu spaghetti sauce is what I use; one jar per two families should suffice, or bring your favorite) and toppings. Meats, veggies, and a large bag (32 oz) or two of shredded mozzarella for all.
COOKING UTENSILS: If you can fit them in, we could use extra
1. thermoses
2. a large soup pot
3. an electric griddle or two
21.11.10
Food
Hmmm. Please check back for more information here. I'm waiting to see how many people are coming.
20.11.10
Recreation
What are we going to do for four days?
Friday (New Years Eve): Bring candy and decorating supplies for gingerbread houses. We have a request for a team competition. On Friday evening, we'd like to do some ice-skating on a pond near our house. Bring any skates you can round up, including some to loan if you have them.
Saturday: Ski day! Not everyone will be skiing. There will be enough adults going to escort the older kids. The main resort, Mt. Werner, is expensive. Unknown to visitors, we have a local hill, Howelson Hill, that is only $12/lift ticket for teens, and not much more for adults. It's a small hill, but on top of pointing out that it's a great buy for beginners, let me also point out that Howelson Hill is where the US Nordic Ski team trains. Yup, that's right. AND they took silver at the last Olypmics. (Todd Lodwick is our dentist's husband, Johnny Spillane's mom is a local teacher...) Howelson Hill is also the oldest operating ski hill in the U.S. Unlike the old days, we now have a small chair lift and and a motorized tow rope! We also have a small terrain park, and some really big jumps. (If you are accomplished, you can jump several hundred feet on them. Otherwise, you just die.)
Shopping: Steamboat has a really fun downtown shopping area. Old fashioned main street, but incredibly modern prices. However, the most important shops are reasonable, (Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, for instance.) and there is a lot of really fun window shopping. Yummy coffee shops.
Hot Springs: Two choices. Downtown Steamboat is a really nice hot springs. $7/kids, $10/teens, $15/adults. $5 unlimited slides or $2/slide. http://www.steamboathotsprings.org/ . There is also a really nice, rustic hot springs north of Steamboat: http://www.strawberryhotsprings.com/ . In the winter, it's required to use chains or snow tires, or take a shuttle, which is pricey. Pool entry is $3/kids, $7/teens, $10/adults.
Or, a hot air balloon ride...
We're trying to be super budget conscious. There are a few things listed below that take a little funding.
Thursday: This will be a snow day. The subdivision we live in is an LPS, which stands for "Land Preserve Subdivision. Between land jointly owned by HOA members and leased state land, we have over 2,000 acres to play on. We have some great sledding hills. BRING YOUR SLEDS, SNOW SHOES, and CROSS COUNTRY SKIS. We have two snow mobiles to use for transporting gear, but we will discourage using them for recreation (i.e. injuring ourselves on home-made jumps...)
Friday (New Years Eve): Bring candy and decorating supplies for gingerbread houses. We have a request for a team competition. On Friday evening, we'd like to do some ice-skating on a pond near our house. Bring any skates you can round up, including some to loan if you have them.
Saturday: Ski day! Not everyone will be skiing. There will be enough adults going to escort the older kids. The main resort, Mt. Werner, is expensive. Unknown to visitors, we have a local hill, Howelson Hill, that is only $12/lift ticket for teens, and not much more for adults. It's a small hill, but on top of pointing out that it's a great buy for beginners, let me also point out that Howelson Hill is where the US Nordic Ski team trains. Yup, that's right. AND they took silver at the last Olypmics. (Todd Lodwick is our dentist's husband, Johnny Spillane's mom is a local teacher...) Howelson Hill is also the oldest operating ski hill in the U.S. Unlike the old days, we now have a small chair lift and and a motorized tow rope! We also have a small terrain park, and some really big jumps. (If you are accomplished, you can jump several hundred feet on them. Otherwise, you just die.)Anyone who wants to get out and do some exploring on their own is free to go (adults, that is. We aren't sending the kids to town alone.) Check out:
Shopping: Steamboat has a really fun downtown shopping area. Old fashioned main street, but incredibly modern prices. However, the most important shops are reasonable, (Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, for instance.) and there is a lot of really fun window shopping. Yummy coffee shops.
Directions to our house:
Don't trust your navigator OR Mapquest as soon as you get within a few miles of our house! They will invariably take you through a gated subdivision (not ours) to get to our house! The main entrance is kept open, but after you spend ten minutes driving through their poorly maintained winter roads, you will reach the back gate which is kept locked.
You can contact me via Facebook, or the usual channels (look for us in the phone book) or you can leave a comment with your contact information below and I'll get directions to you, customized according to where you are traveling from.
You can contact me via Facebook, or the usual channels (look for us in the phone book) or you can leave a comment with your contact information below and I'll get directions to you, customized according to where you are traveling from.
Guest House
Photos of the guest house. Bedrooms and family room are on the lower level. We reserved the lower level exclusively. Other HOA members may access the upper level between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. I doubt anyone will, but if they do, they are friends of ours anyway.
Sleeping accomodations:
For the adults:
Our house has 3 bedrooms. Currently finishing basement, and should have two more bedrooms by New Years. May be a little rustic. Also have a couple of storage rooms that could be converted to sleeping rooms temporarily.
Also rented a guest house about a mile from our house. The guest house has two more bedrooms and a family room on the lower level.
Kids:
Kids get the floor. This is why you need to bring cots, mats, air mattresses, etc. Anything you have available. If you have extras, bring them to share.
Moms and Dads: if you prefer, you can reserve a room in town. However, they are quite pricey during the holidays. Our goal is to keep this trip affordable for all.
Our house has 3 bedrooms. Currently finishing basement, and should have two more bedrooms by New Years. May be a little rustic. Also have a couple of storage rooms that could be converted to sleeping rooms temporarily.
Also rented a guest house about a mile from our house. The guest house has two more bedrooms and a family room on the lower level.
Kids:
Kids get the floor. This is why you need to bring cots, mats, air mattresses, etc. Anything you have available. If you have extras, bring them to share.
Moms and Dads: if you prefer, you can reserve a room in town. However, they are quite pricey during the holidays. Our goal is to keep this trip affordable for all.
Gear to bring:
Be prepared for SNOW! We have 8 - 12 inches sitting on the ground. By New Year's it could be a few feet. Bring snow clothes! And also...
Kids need a sleeping bag and pillow, and a sleeping mat or camp cot if you have it. Parents may need bedding, and definately pillows.
Towel and washcloth.
A pair of house shoes or comfy socks... outside shoes need to come off at the entry. Otherwise the snow melting all over the floor means those of us that go barefoot will have WET SOCKS! Ish.
MUSIC AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS! We LOVE music. If you play something that will fit in your car, bring it along! Bring music! We'll be spending some time singing and making music!
Games--make sure your name is on it. And don't bring anything irreplaceable, just in case.
Ice skates, skis, snowboards, snowshoes, etc. Whatever you have for playing in the snow. If you don't have them, they can be rented in Steamboat.
HELMETS!!! Absolute necessity, even for sledding.
Sleds.
Kids need a sleeping bag and pillow, and a sleeping mat or camp cot if you have it. Parents may need bedding, and definately pillows.
Towel and washcloth.
A pair of house shoes or comfy socks... outside shoes need to come off at the entry. Otherwise the snow melting all over the floor means those of us that go barefoot will have WET SOCKS! Ish.
MUSIC AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS! We LOVE music. If you play something that will fit in your car, bring it along! Bring music! We'll be spending some time singing and making music!
Games--make sure your name is on it. And don't bring anything irreplaceable, just in case.
Ice skates, skis, snowboards, snowshoes, etc. Whatever you have for playing in the snow. If you don't have them, they can be rented in Steamboat.
HELMETS!!! Absolute necessity, even for sledding.
Sleds.
Driving Tips
Thousands of tourists survive the roads here every winter. If you aren't accustomed to winter driving, a few recommendations:
Try to arrive before dark. If you are caught in snow after dark, use your flashers and keep your lights on dim to improve visibility.
If you don't have snow tires (preferred) make sure you have chains in your car.
A front-wheel drive car with good tires/chains does as well as a four wheel drive with good tires.
Always carry a FLASHLIGHT, SLEEPING BAG, SHOVEL, SNACKS and WATER. Make sure winter clothes are accessible, NOT in the trunk.
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL: Use a buddy system. Make sure someone knows what time you are leaving a location and when they can expect you at the other end. DO NOT expect your cell phone to have service in the mountains. (Text may work when calls don't.) If you don't show up at the expected time, someone can look for you.
Try to arrive before dark. If you are caught in snow after dark, use your flashers and keep your lights on dim to improve visibility.
If you don't have snow tires (preferred) make sure you have chains in your car.
A front-wheel drive car with good tires/chains does as well as a four wheel drive with good tires.
Always carry a FLASHLIGHT, SLEEPING BAG, SHOVEL, SNACKS and WATER. Make sure winter clothes are accessible, NOT in the trunk.
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL: Use a buddy system. Make sure someone knows what time you are leaving a location and when they can expect you at the other end. DO NOT expect your cell phone to have service in the mountains. (Text may work when calls don't.) If you don't show up at the expected time, someone can look for you.
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