I am so thankful that the SUN peeked out this weekend! It has been raining like crazy in Central TX so I was ready for some Spring like weather and to see the sun.

Recently, my husband and I went skiing in COLORADO and I know many of you may be off on a skiing adventure for SPRING BREAK! While, I am ready for warmer temperatures, it is also nice to play in the SNOW!!

For the past 8 seasons, my husband and I have skied in COLORADO either during February or on Spring Break when I taught!!

Before leaving for any trip, I always make a list...I am the queen of TO-DO lists and I think it important to write out everything you need. You can refer back to it when packing and then you will also know what you need to purchase.

For actual skiing it is important to have....
A ski jacket
Ski Pants
Boots for after skiing, believe me those ski boots are little torture chambers!!!
Ski socks
Base layers (I typically just wear a tshirt and a NIKE/Calia by Carrie Underwood heavier top.)
Gloves or mittens
Glove liners
Sunscreen
Chap stick
Goggles
Gaitor
Hand Warmers
Feet Warmers
Helmet Women
Helmet Men


My husband and I always rent equipment when we get to the mountain so we don't have to haul boots or skis! It is expensive to fly and now bags are 35 plus to get on the airline!

We like to rent also because they store all the gear for the evening and typically have lockers so you can leave things like beanies, gloves, hand/feet warmers, etc. all in one place.

I bought my ski jacket 8 years ago in Beaver Creek, CO. It is the KJUS brand, I love all the pockets exterior and interior (this is important) and it is super warm. When we spring ski I just typically leave it unzipped and wear a lighter layer underneath.

https://www.kjus.com/us/en/

 

Jackets

Ski Pants 

This year I got new pants...they are also KJUS! In the past I had bright orange pants but this year I made the switch to a slimmer fit and they are black.

Boots

For after skiing I love my SOREL boots. My particular pair isn't available anymore but they are so cute, comfy and warm! They feel like a glove on my foot! I even wear them with pants and dresses when we go to dinner after skiing.

Ski Socks

Base Layers

Gloves/Mittens

Glove Liners

Sunscreen

Chap stick

Goggles

Gaitor

Hand/Feet Warmers

 



Helmet

We personally bought helmets this ski season! I loved my Smith helmet and it had a spot so I could put my goggles on top of my helmet also.

My husband got a GIRO helmet and he liked his also.

WOOHOO for lots of snow, fresh powder and blue bird skiing. This past week the hubby and I enjoyed snowy CO.

We typically have visited CO during Valentine's/Presidents' Day weekend for the past 8 years!!

Here are some of our tried and true tips....We have skied Breckenridge, Vail and Beaver Creek. My husband grew up skiing Vail and I have to say it truly is our favorite. We have flown into both Eagle and Denver.



My suggestion is to fly into Denver and get a car. Flying into Eagle can be tricky with snow, time delays and the like.

Rent your skis, boots, and poles in advance. This saves a ton of time. We have rented from various places on the mountain year after year. But it is so convenient at the end of the day to just hand your skis, boots, and poles to someone and have them stored vs wearing them around town, carting the heavy skis and your feet hurting.


The best feeling after skiing for me personally is putting on my SOREL boots!!

Book dinner reservations in advance!!! We have our tried and true favorites and they fill up quickly. We like to sit at the bar but getting a reservation is key. We typically book the first few evenings and then see where else we want to eat.

Day 1

When we first get into Vail, we like to either visit Red Lion or Garfinklel's. They have lots of seating and a wide variety of menu options! We like to either get a fish sandwich or burger. We personally have noticed that it is so easy to split a meal in Vail. The portions are huge and we don't want our bellies too full while skiing.

Day 2

Day 3

Today, I am linking up with Erika, Narci and Andrea for Friday Favorites. WOW it is already February...I don't know about you but January also seems to drag by for me. I think it is the hype of coming down from having constant events, activities, and all the excitement of the holidays to keep us busy.

We being January thinking we need to organize, eat healthy and go to the gym!!

This week has been busy as we begin to prep to leave for a full week of skiing. I always like to lay out all the major ski equipment about 2 weeks in advance to make sure we have all the gloves, beanies, goggles, helmets, and layers we will need for skiing. As a TEXAN I don't have much cold weather gear so it is important to make sure we haven't lost anything.

It seems we always have because we have loaned out ski equipment that hasn't been returned. AHHHH

This year we each had to get a new set of goggles and hubby needed new gloves.

I needed some new layering pieces...I stopped into Dick's Sporting Goods yesterday and have to say what is NIKE thinking. I am not a BARBIE. I typically wear a size small but goodness me even the Medium felt super tight and no thank you. With all the bulky gear anyways I don't want something feeling skin tight on me.

I continued browsing around the store and ended up with two Calia by Carrie Underwood tops that were on sale!! Win Win

I got one in this pretty plum and then another in black. They are the perfect weight for skiing or some colder weather days!


We are gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday at our house and I am so excited to share SuperBowl commercial bingo from Coffee, Pancakes and Dreams.

I think this will be super fun for kids and adults alike. We also are doing a SuperBowl pot and I can't wait to see who wins. The Eagles or Patriots...I truly just watch for the commercials.

What is on your menu for SuperBowl Sunday? I think these recipes from Mix and Match Mama are super easy and fun if you are still looking to add something to your menu!

What are you planning to get the extra special person in your life for Valentine's Day?

If you need some jewelry...be sure to check out stellaanddot.com/kelliwbeason

Happy FRIYAY! Today I am linking up with Andrea, Narci and Erika for Friday Favorites.



If you haven't visited their blogs you SHOULD! Andrea is a school teacher and has great recipes, and fashion/home ideas. Narci is a photographer in the Dallas area and also a fellow Stella and Dot stylist and Erika share a lot about everything from fashion to football, babies and just life in general.

I can hardly believe that January is almost over but I am so excited about February! January is all about fresh starts, losing weight, and organizing but February is all about football and love. The two things make this girl super happy.

We are back to hosting our annual SUPERBOWL Sunday at our house and I cannot wait. While I love football, I truly don't care about who wins. I enjoy the food, company and commercials of SUPERBOWL Sunday.


Having lived in Louisiana for several years we always celebrated Mardi Gras and have a King Cake at our party. OMG this yummy cinnamon goodness is what keeps people in Louisiana happy among many things. Mardi Gras is huge in Louisiana, there are Mardi Gras balls and parade throughout the whole month. It is truly something everybody should experience.

Whoever finds the baby in their slice of King Cake is supposed to bring the King Cake the following year!!

I am also looking forward to our annual skiing trip in Vail, CO. My husband grew up skiing Vail and we have returned every year for the last 6 years. I am now skiing moguls and black runs right along with him. The hubby has been skiing since he was 2 years old off and on. This past year he even invested in his own pair of boots.


 We have stayed several places in Vail, but our favorite is the Tivoli lodge. It is only 5 stories and the local mascot puppy is always there to greet us!



I just love the town and all the wonderful restaurants. I have already begun talk of where to eat for Valentine's Day and throughout our trip. We typically make reservations on Open Table because it is easy and we get a reminder of where we are eating each day. Reservations book up quickly during Valentine's Day and the President's Day weekend.

What are you Valentines' Day plans? Do you prefer an evening at home or to go out?

Welcome everybody, as you can see Classy Southern Texan has ungone some changes in the last few weeks. I wanted to take a minute and introduce myself and share 10 Random Facts you may or may not know about me.

Hi, my name is Kelli yes spelled with an I. Not an ie, y or ey....My mom is Shelley with ey and my dad is Kenny with just the y. Believe me no one ever spells our names correctly on an invitation. Too much confusion. Why Why Why


1) I am an only child and love all things girly, Lilly Pulitzer, pink and bright!!!


2) From the time I was 2 years old I was a dancer until my 8th grade year! I did ballet, tap, jazz and hiphop at a local studio in Killeen, TX.

Yes, I grew up in a military town home to Ft. Hood the largest army base in the free world. However, my family is not military.

In middle school I started cheerleading and my freshmen year of High School I was one of only 3 freshmen to make the Varsity cheer team. To this day I still cannot do a back handspring!!!


3) I was 16 years old before I got my ears pierced!!!


4) I originally went to Stephen F. Austin in Nacgdoches, TX for my college degree. I am an education major. Stephen F. Austin is the number 2 school in the nation for education degrees. I was so fortunate because there I became a Tri Delta and met lifelong friends.

5) I transferred to Baylor University as a sophomore and meet my husband. My cousin set us up and thought they were actually dating at the time. He asked me out on our first date and we have been together now 12 years.



6) I originally taught 3rd grade in Shreveport, LA for three years and then I was a K5-5th grade librarian. I love children's books and so enjoyed the library because I was able to create my own curriculum. I can tell you about all the Dewey Decimal system.

7) I now live back in TX and adore our modern/mid century home!!