![Mike and I frozen on Mt. Lafayette](http://lauraferioli.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/36287_489222617073_6017971_n-375x500.jpg)
OK, so it’s pretty obvious how AWESOME I am at keeping my blog up-to-date, right? Yeah… Here it is, August 6th and I’m about to bring you back, waaaayyyy back (OK, maybe not that far back…) to Christmas break, 2010. It was the first time in my life that I ever had to travel to get back home for the holidays… Let me just say this, that is not fun. It’s totally worth it to spend time with your family and such, but that still doesn’t make it fun. Anyway, Mike and I had a solid two weeks to spend back in MA with our families and boy did we enjoy ourselves. One of the highlights of the trip was an overnight hike with Mark. The three of us hiked Mt. Lafayette in New Hampshire and MAN was I not ready for that!! OK… first off, I live in a state where stinky chicken coops far out number mountain peaks… a state who’s highest elevation stands at a whooping 2,307 feet and who’s average temperature in the winter months stands somewhere in the mid-50’s… Let’s compare shall we? Mt. Cheaha, 2,307… Mt. Lafayette, 5,260… Enterprise in the winter, 55?F… The summit of Lafayette in the winter, -15?F (with the wind chill)… Let’s just say I was a little unprepared… Ha ha ha! You know what though, I still had FUN and I’d do it all over again and again and again! I’m not sure that Mark or Mike would want to do it all over again and again and again with me, though… I’m quite certain that Mark was freezing his jingle bells off hiking up at my sloth-pace (sorry Mark). 😉 Mike was my saving grace on that hike! He put on my snowshoes in blistering cold temperatures so that I didn’t have to take my hands out of my gloves (he’s the best guy ever!!). It was an amazing trip and I hope we can do something similar this Christmas! I’ll just have to plan some training a few months beforehand! Ha ha ha! 😉
![Our campsite on Lafayette](http://lauraferioli.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/166662_489222917073_2483267_n-500x375.jpg)
![Me and my Bro](http://lauraferioli.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/162687_489222367073_1502131_n-500x375.jpg)
Christmas Eve at the Fiat’s was AWESOME, per usual! Mike was able to stop in for a little bit and take part in some of the craziness. Every year I look forward to that evening with my family, drinking, eating and laughing my ass off! I really don’t think it gets much better than that!
![Auntie JoJo and Uncle Jim and I at Mt. Sunapee](http://lauraferioli.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/168627_489222437073_8112656_n-500x375.jpg)
A few days after Christmas my Mom and I drove up to my Aunt and Uncle’s in Nashua, spent the night and the four of us got some skiing/snowboarding in at Mt. Sunapee! I love, LOVE, LOOOVEEE snowboarding/skiing and I was STOKED that I was able to fit that into my schedule! Not only was it great to spend some extra time with my Mom, AuntieJo, and Uncle Jim, but it was a great day to hit the slopes!
Amazingly enough, I was able to fit some work into my busy schedule and I was therefore able to visit all the people at work who I miss dearly! I was also able to see some great friends too! 🙂 And on top of all that, we got hammered with snow (my Christmas wish came true!!)! All and all it was an excellent trip and definitely worth the frustration of traveling that time of the year!!