It's Christmas Morning, and I send my boys Owen (9) and Leo (15) on a scavenger hunt.

They open boots, gloves, balaclavas, and wool socks.

Huh?

I mean, it was going to snow in New Jersey, so I guess this made sense. No, no kids, we are going to Colorado January 1st. You, me, a cabin, and a brightly colored jeep. They know nothing else.

We decided to opt out of staying up to watch the ball drop because going to Colorado was way better than watching an anticlimactic ball slowly descend from the sky. We wake up bright and early, my partner, Kyle, drives us to the airport and then a snow squall hits. Blinding conditions for Kyle on the drive home, and taxiing us on the airplane for an hour and a half.

But, it's okay, we are still going to Colorado.

We arrive in Denver and boy, what a beautiful day, sixty degrees and Sunny. You know that sound that plays on cartoons or in your head when you see something you love, it felt a lot like that.

From there we catch a train, a shuttle, and our brightly colored Jeep we rented on Turo (don't worry I had never heard of it before either). It's is basically like an airbnb, but for cars.

After we hop in the jeep our first thought is "but first, food". I decided to bring them to in-n-out burger because listen, New Jersey has a lot of good food, but they do NOT have in-n-out (insert Homer Simpson hungry gurgle here).

After our quick stop, we hop back in the jeep and make another pit stop at Red Rocks Amphitheater.

With all of my concert-going, I still haven’t made it to a show there. Leo, my music-loving teenager, was obsessed with reading about all the artists who have played there. My nine-year-old was equally obsessed with taking photos using the film camera he got for Christmas.

Then onward we go. Two more hours until our final destination.

Buena Vista, Colorado.

Man if you have never been to the Rocky Mountains before, I HIGHLY recommend it. Every corner you turn it's just one wow after another. If my kids can put their screens down, you know it is impressive.

To get to the cabin, we have to go through a tunnel that looks like it's hand chiseled out rock, then down dirt roads, passing mule deer after mule deer. We are OUT THERE.

Excuse my french but WHAT A FUCKING VIEW.

I mean maybe you get used to it, but I never did. The air felt fresher, the coffee tasted better, and my body felt calmer.

Day one done. Time for bed. Lets cozy up in our cabin and get some sleep.

Around 11, we head to a cute little town called Salida. We walked down by the river, skip some rocks, and wander into a few unique little shops. Hunger sets in, and my trusty gluten-free app leads us to the most delicious gluten-free pizza of my life at Amica’s.

That evening, I surprised the boys with a visit to Mt. Princetons Hot Springs. We arrive close to sunset and spend the next three hours soaking under the stars, floating between pools and warm streams.

No Photos. Just memories.

People ask me often if I ever get tired of taking pictures.

Short answer, no.

But i'm not one for short answers so here is the long one.

Even though my brain is always whispering, that would make a great photo, sometimes it’s better to just be in the moment. If you need permission to not document every moment of your life, here it is.

It’s okay.

These kids already have more photos than we ever did. The digital age makes that wildly different.

Anyway. Back home for coffee and dinner.

What a day.

Colorado was experiencing an extremely dry and unseasonably warm year. If you don't believe in climate change, just talk to some long time residents of Colorado.

Most ski resorts were not running unless they could make snow, and even then, it was minimal. Thankfully, skiing was not on our agenda, but dog sledding was.

Before I left, I had tried day after day to book dog sledding. They were either not running because of the temperatures, they were full, or lack of snow.

On a whim, I decided the night before to check one particular place in Breckinridge called "Good Times Adventures".

THREE slots open for a 9am ride. One solo spot in a sled of 6. And another with two slots.

A quick check with Leo to see if he would be okay with riding solo followed with an emphatic "YES".

This meant an early morning since Breck is a haul from Buena Vista, and any snow can make for a tough drive.

We scarf down some bagels, and peanut butter and jelly's in the car, and make our way. We arrive with finally actual snow on the ground, because that will happen at 10,000 elevation.

We arrive early, hop out of the car and the cold air in our lungs and the sound of barking dogs greeted us.

A quick rundown of the safety measures, a photo op with the dogs, and away we go.

And guess what? They let you DRIVE the sleds.

What an experience that was. Riding through the snowy mountains, standing on a dog sled, and then stops to pet and snuggle the pups.

And let me tell you this. If you, for a second feel bad for these dogs, DON'T. They are incredibly loved and cared for. And when I tell you they cannot wait to run, THEY CANNOT WAIT.

But I have to give the guides a bit of spotlight.

They somehow manage to have one foot on a snowmobile pulling four people, are missing trees, following trails, directing dogs, directing guests, telling us what was happening, tell us about the dogs, talk about themselves, and the tell us about the landscapes around us. All at once. Effortlessly.

When we were leaving the kids were in the back seat talking about how awesome it was, what an experience they had, and my eyes filled with tears.

I've been a single mom for a long time. I have never been able to single handedly take my kids on a vacation like this. I saved up for years to make something like this possible.

Man, was every penny worth it.

Was cutting out coffee stops, take out, and other little things worth this experience?

Yes, yes it was.

I don’t even need to tell you about the rest of the day, because this, this was everything. Though an unexpected drive through South Park and a quick photo stop definitely didn’t hurt.

Our last full day here in sunny Colorado.

We decided we wanted to do something, but nothing big.

I find a hot springs spot with pools at different temperatures, a cold plunge river, and a sauna.

Three more hours of soaking up time together.

We hit Amica’s again, make a few final stops, head home to pack, do laundry, and play games.

Our hearts are full.

We leave early the next morning, but not before one last coffee overlooking the mountains.

I loved every second of this trip. Even the stressful parts.

I hope my boys left feeling like the world is big and meant to be explored.

That experience beats things every time. That nature can do the heavy lifting.

I hope when they’re forty, they say, "Remember when Mom took us to Colorado and we went dog sledding?"

I hope something in this trip lit a spark. Something bold. Something adventurous.

I hope they remember the warm sun on cold days.

I know I will.

Thank you Colorado.