A perfect start to 2010

I can't believe I left that depressing post at the top for so long! The holidays passed pleasantly uneventful. Pre-holidays I had agreed to go to one of the 3 holidays with my in-laws (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years). My husband picked Thanksgiving, since my parents were going and my SIL's in-laws were also going. My nephew (SIL's son) was a crazy, spoiled brat as usual, and my MIL was as polite as she knows how to be, so it was fine. Of course, come Christmas I was going to look like a big a-hole if I didn't go. B didn't pressure me to go, just asked nicely if I would come.

2010 we were determined to start in a better way. 2009 was a bumpy year for us with 3 new jobs between us, a new house, in-law (and parent) issues, sickness, surgery, and general stress. For 2010 we decided to head out for a much-needed 3 day getaway to our favorite bed and breakfast 4 hours away.

Let me count the ways I love Cricketwood Bed and Breakfast:
1. Fresh baked chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies (as many as you want) each night at 7, accompanied by your beverage of choice, delivered to your room.
2. An entire PACKED menu for breakfast each day, and you can pick whatever you want. Baked apple pancakes, custom omelets, chocolate chip bread pudding with rum sauce, french toast, fresh fruit, eggs any style, homemade toast with 5 jelly choices, any breakfast meat imaginable, breakfast casserole.........and on and on.
3. Breakfast is at the time of your choice.
4. Hot tub outside, under the stars (it's in the country).
5. Jetted bathtub in the room.
6. Gas fireplace in the living room, perfect for snuggling up to.
7. Snacks available 24/7 (beer, wine, water, soda, popcorn, biscotti, chips and salsa, nuts, granola bars, mini candy bars, coffee, ice cream).
8. Beverage of your choice delivered to your room before breakfast (coffee, tea, chai, water, milk, oj, etc).
9. Massage tables and video in your room (yet we've never tried it!).
10. Huge TV with satellite cable.
11. An entire closet of DVDs - current ones!
12. A disc golf course on the property.
13. The most lovely couple that runs it.
14. HUGE rooms! Our favorite room has a king-sized bed, two double beds, a full recliner sofa, a dining table, and still has tons of room.
15. The owners put together a very through binder, with maps and reviews, of the best local restaurants.

I could go on forever. We LOVE it there! At $130 a night, it's pretty reasonable considering all that you get. This trip we decided to give snowshoeing a try at Mt. Bachelor (about 25 miles from the B&B). We ended up getting there 15 minutes before the free forestry snowshoeing tour (score!) so we got to try it for free and learn facts about the mountain. The weather was beautiful! Sun trying to peak through, not too cold, but 5 new inches of snow in the last day. We had such a great time, and it was a fantastic way to start 2010!