My "Soup-er" Bowl

I've done the football thing. I've done it for years upon years. Rarely do I care who is playing (I'm a 49ers fan...we rarely see that big of a stage these days). So why waste a perfectly good Sunday pretending I care? 

This year I didn't. This year, I celebrated my first sober "Soup-er Bowl" instead. 

And I even traded in all those scrumptious party snacks for some hearty, made with love SOUP.

This year the Women and Children Free Restaurant and Community Kitchen celebrated their 13th Souper Bowl snowshoeing event on Mount Spokane. And I was lucky enough to be a part of it!

My friend Melissa and I boarded a bus downtown at 7:45am and up the mountain we went. I was rocking my event shirt (a gorgeous long-sleeve in bright purple) and my "Pray for Snow" beanie REI was nice enough to gift to the event go-ers. Once we made it to the Selkirk Lodge we rented our snowshoes (also from REI) and started the Great Souper Bowl Sasquatch Search and Poker Snowshoe! A 4.5 mile trail through the tallest of trees and most magical of places as the wind blew snow and low clouds through the forest. It was almost fit for a unicorn but we only found Sasquatch.

As we meandered through the snow we collected playing cards for our poker hands from random super heroes (this year's theme being "Be an Everyday Hero, Get Outside!"). Sadly, even with Melissa and my hands combined we couldn't beat the woman who came back with four of a kind - ACES. Needless to say she walked away with the super cool gift bag! 

We made our way to the Nova Hut Cafe, enjoyed some hot cocoa and cookies and dried our hats and gloves before returning to the lodge for lunch.

After two hours of playing in the snow we made it back for SOUP! You guessed it - made by the WCFR. I enjoyed a bowl of Santa Fe Chowder and went back for some delicious Black Bean Chilli. SO GOOD. With warm bellies and happy hearts we made our way back to the bus for the ride back home - and a much deserved nap and hot bath! 

Sorry New England and Philly. You ain't got nothin' on the WCFR! 

Get information on how to donate or volunteer at the WCFR HERE.