These are my new ski boots – Tecnica Dragons. I was a little disapointed to learn that they put me in the “intermediate skier” version, but I am not looking to seriously injure myself. Chris got new Dalbello boots, but I can’t find the right version for a picture. (Hint: they look like ski boots.)

We also had to get hiking boots for me — untested due to the foot of new snow we got this weekend. And, a roof rack for the skis. Skis are yet unpurchased while we try out rentals.

This weekend, we headed out to Breckenridge to test the new boots. Chris again took me down a trail with moguls. I kinda looked like this:

New boots made for a much more enjoyable ski trip. Other highlights of the weekend include:

• Taking four hours to get to Breckenridge and four hours to get back due to the traffic (everyone else had the same idea we did).
• Having an awesome dinner at Katie and Micah’s apartment on the way home.
• Katie and I kicking Chris and Micah’s butt at Trivial Pursuit (great birthday gift!).
• Closing the garage door on the car after we got home (no major harm done).

View the full slideshow of our family hike at Kay’s Picasa Gallery.

This weekend, we had a family outing to finally see “Up in the Air.” Of course, Chris never heard of the flick, but my relatives had him outnumbered.

Four of the four moviegoers liked the move — although Chris wished for a happier ending.  (I know, a little strange.)

The New York Times calls the movie: “an assertively, and unapologetically, tidy package…”

I would agree with this assessment. It was a very good movie, although a little predictable. The national economy plays as subplot and refuses to give us a happy ending. If you’re optimistic about the economy, a happier ending would have appropriate. Having never been accused to be optimists, Dad and I agreed that maybe there’s not a happy ending to be had.

This week, rather than immediately delete to lessen my guilt for not being a consistently adventurous cook, I scanned the message to find this:

Of course, Michael Pollan is the author/activist behind The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and he has infected F&W, a glorious celebration of all things that taste good. Where you must buy “4 pounds meaty ham hocks” to make a salad.

The Pollan cheat sheet F&W provides is not entirely meat free, but take his rule #23 to heart: “Treat meat as a flavoring or special occasion food.”

This is measure of how far into popular culture the Pollan followers have gone. I doubt F&W will remove all its tasty meat dishes, and I fully expected them to twist any food fad to sell more magazines and obtain more click throughs.

Now, Pollan is not just an activist with a book, he’s creating a diet like South Beach or The Zone – which have thousands of followers each. A warning: The next article to show weight loss and shinier hair by way of the Pollan diet will no doubt show an impact on the meat industry.

View entire “Where the Buffalo Roam” album at Kay’s Picasa Gallery.

View entire “Ryan Ranch Snow Pics” album at Kay’s Picasa Gallery.

Even more importantly, we’ve moved to a whole new city! We’re settling into our second month in Fort Collins, Colorado. We hope to post our comings and goings more regularly now that we’re settled.