Way Back Monday: Ghost of New Year's Past

For New Year's 2002, we planned a trip to Colorado to see Jason's friend Jenny. It started out really promising because we had a really pleasant trip and ended up being one of the best New Year's and also definitely the one of the worst. We saw Garden of the Gods, which had signs everywhere strictly forbidding climbing on the formations. That didn't stop Jason, as you can see in the top photo. We also saw Manitou Springs and some other really fun things. We went skiing in Winter Park, though I realized I hate skiing with every fiber in my being and we haven't been since. But I was still glad we went because I had previously wanted to try it.  We had a really great time touring that area, and since it's not so far, I would love to take the kids there sometime.
Then we went back to Jenny's place to celebrate New Year's Eve. Jason was really excited about this pink champagne that I am holding in the photo (because he got it for me, and I loved pink. Not because he was excited to drink it for him). I noted in my journal that it cost $5 so I am guessing it was the good stuff. We thought that was quite the bargain and I kept the "cork" which is totally white plastic. But I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, we spent the new year in the emergency room since one of the people at the party got alcohol poisoning and had to be treated and I was not drinking much that night so I drove. It then became the worst New Year's Eve ever since I hate hospitals and driving in the snow and my night ended up involving both. He was totally fine after receiving IV fluids and made a completely recovery, though I would question if having bad judgment can be recovered from. We have not seen him since though, so maybe he is an upstanding citizen now, who knows. I am not sure we have had another holiday that matches that spectrum of highs and lows.
[Edit - From Jason] - Being the word nerd that I am, one of the things I remember most from that trip is playing an acronym-based word game that night.  The mechanics of the game itself weren't all that fun, but I really enjoyed trying to guess the acronyms.  Meghan left out one other notable detail of the hospital trip: the guy threw up on her the leg of her jeans, so she had to wear those on the way to the hospital, which made it even more wonderful for her.