Mino is too young to shred!

The cold in Minnesota prevented Mino from experiencing his first extreme sport viewing experience, which every child really should have under their belt by 16 months.  Whoops.  The Red Bull Crashed Ice event came back to Saint Paul last weekend but the frigid temps prevented Mino from viewing live.  My pictures didn't turn out at all, but it was pretty cool to see especially with the Cathedral all illuminated and no deaths due to downhill ice skate crashes.

Mino is all about books right now, and has a rather (fungal) inflamed booty so has been free ballin' around the house hold taunting the pets. 

Then we went on our first winter vacation to Colorado to visit Aunt Chill and Emilio and Auntie Em and Uncle John for a "conference" in Frisco to eat, drink and ski.  Mino is a bit more difficult to manage on the plane now that he is ambulatory so it was a bit of a trying flight on Thursday night after work, but we made it safe and sound, and one self selected upgrade into a Chevy Suburban later we were rolling into Winston's condo in Frisco.
We checked out what daycare would cost us so both Martin and I could go skiing but that was more expensive than a lift ticket at Vail, so we opted to take turns.  Aunt Chill informed us that the previous week had welcomed the first real significant snow to the ski area in our part of the Rocky Mountains so we were in for some amazing fresh powder and lots of crowds.  It was fantastic though!  Martin hit up Vail while Min and the ladies chilled out adapting to altitude and touring Breckenridge.  We found that Mino rather enjoys being pushed around in a box.

 There happened to be the World Championship Snow Carving (or something to that effect) competition so we took it all in.

 I went with the crew to Beaver Creek the next day sans the Min.  I did look into it and I learned that beginning at 20 months( ? !!!!! ) the wee ones can strap on some skis and hit the snow.  I even saw one little dude, no older than 4 on a snowboard.  Mino can be just like his dad!

 Then Martin and I opted for a more Nordic experience and cross country skied the next day while the crew returned to the fresh powder at Vail.

 Mino took a great nap in this space ship contraption but needed to work his jollies out after he woke up.  I don't know if there is much cuter than a tiny child completely covered and sausaged in to winter clothing attire trying to walk around.

We met up with Prego Auntie Em for lunch in Vail

 
 before returning to watch the worlds longest Superbowl with the halftime specatacular by Beyonce which happens to be Auntie Chills Idol little to my prior knowledge :)

 Touchdown Ravens!

The one picture that I did not take and am kicking myself is Mino pointing at a bear hide that was mounted on the wall. From the first second we arrived we could ask Mino to show us the bear and he would waddle over and point at the bear.  Emilio taught him that bears were bad and he liked to shlap the bear.  Oh, and I think he learned how to run.