Austria

Dec 26-30 we were in Innsbruck and able to ski 3 days.  It was wonderful and the girls got a chance to really improve their skiing skills.  I did too - finally able to turn with straight skis - it's only taken me 35+ years!   Innsbruck is a beautiful city and the Christmas market was still going on. After Austria we drove to back Kristin's for New Years and then flew out from Frankfurt on Jan. 1.  Fireworks are legal in Germany and we had fun blowing up a few!

Hotel Pub where we ordered dinner a few nights after long days of skiing

Can't see the awesome breakfast buffet - but they did have the hard round bread rolls that I remember my brother and I would secretly dig holes in the bottom, scoop and eat the inside and then put them back in the basket hoping they would be served to another table.  ha ha!

even the view from the parking lot where we caught the shuttle to Axam Lizum resort was beautiful

still making good use of a ski outfit my mom bought Morgan years ago!  

Morgan nailing her turns.  What you don't see is a video with me getting repeatedly caught on the T-bar!  Years ago my brother and I sat on the T-bar going up the lift and fell off.  It was traumatizing.  We had to quickly scoot out of the way and then decided to side-step to the top of the mountain where the instructor was waiting.  This time it took me at least 5 times to not get the bar stuck between my legs, behind my thigh, on my ski coat and slam me into a huge snow bank.  

And here is the stud that can ski all the runs - not just the bunny beginner hills where the girls and I played.  He was surprised at how fast the runs were - and even beginner runs have moguls!  

leaving Austria the snow was coming down in huge flakes!  good thing Kristin knows how to drive in it.  she also knows how to drive on the autobahn without speed limits.... speeding!  :-)

Carmen and Max came over for NYE.  Kristin made moltashin - a traditional German dish - which was good.  

the 'kid' fire works we burned on Kristin's balcony.  the big battery one we lit off at the school.  should have warned Bella it was going to be huge - and it was.  70 flares shot up 30 meters high