TAKE ME BACK TO COLORADO

Hello again blaruefit family! I am FINALLY bringing you my Colorado blog post and I am so excited to share my experience with you. I am going to give you a quick synopsis on each day from the trip and then let the photos do the rest, because let's be real here it is those Colorado views that truly steal your heart. DAY ONE:

After a quick 3 1/2 hour plane ride we arrived in Denver, CO. After grabbing bags and the rental car we were off to Silverthorne (1 1/2 hours away) which is where our cabin for the week was located. This was my first time seeing the Rocky Mountains and man were they beautiful. Once arriving in Silverthorne we picked up rental skis, grabbed some groceries, and headed back to the house for the night.

DAY TWO & THREE:

We spent two whole days skiing in Breckenridge, CO. This was my first experience on skis EVER...I was a professional already (thats a lie). Luckily, I was signed up for two days of ski lessons which ended up being sooooo beneficial! I found my home on the bunny slopes and had such a blast. We were blessed with two days of bright blue skies and sunshine, which made adjusting to the cold weather a little more bearable.

DAY FOUR:

Tuesday we woke up to an absolutely beautiful snow storm, the entire world was white! I was so happy to experience such a beautiful site of the fluffy snow just falling onto the mountains. This was the first day we decided to drive to Vail, CO. Vail was a really cool place to visit because it is a little village filled with lodges, shops, and dining. It is definitely a luxurious part of Colorado. A lot of people visit Vail so it is filled with all types of cultures from around the world. Even though it was freezing (and snowing) we spent the day visiting shops and then posted up at an adorable restaurant called The White Bison that has couches with fur pillows and huge glass windows to watch the snow fall.

DAY FIVE:

Wednesday was a pretty big day.  I took a break from skiing and chose to have a little pamper yourself day. My first adventure was a massage at Elan-Life Spa that was located just down the street from our cabin. When I was finished I was so relaxed and rejuvenated, it was the best massage I have ever had! If you are in the area I highly suggest you go and visit Karen, she has hands sent from the heavens. After that I posted up at a super cute local coffee shop (I love finding local coffee) and enjoyed a DELICIOUS orange latte and caught up on emails and work. That afternoon I went to the grocery store and did some veggie shopping. It was so fun exploring all by myself, I felt like one of the locals! Just before the sunset the whole crew went to a lookout spot called Sapphire Point that looked over Lake Dillon (can you say stunning). It was there that my boyfriends brother proposed to his girlfriend! Sending a huge congratulations to Tyler and Melissa, it was such a special moment and I am so happy I could be a part of it. That night we went to a restaurant in Frisco called Prost. This was a pretty cool little hangout spot. It is a german style bar that serves german beer, homemade sausages, and all types of mustard. Even though I could not partake in the beer and sausage eating...I brought my own chicken and dug into all of the mustards! I am pretty sure I tried at least 8 different kinds of mustard, pretty much a bikini girls dream.

DAY SIX:

On Thursday I decided to put my big girl pants on and venture back out onto the mountain. We chose to ski Keystone, which is a great place for beginner skiers. I took my first trip down a mountain without a teacher and although I made it to the bottom...it was quite rough. I decided to hang out at the Mountain House for a while eat some lunch and enjoy they magnificent views, the sky was bright blue and the mountains were covered with white snow. It was beautiful! After my first run down the mountain I was quite intimidated but the Mountain House was at the top of the mountain and to get home I needed to be at the bottom...obviously. So to finish the day out I popped in my headphones, got in my zone, and skied the entire mountain all by myself! Let's just say this was a pretty proud moment for me. I conquered something that I was uncomfortable and unsure about which is such a rewarding feeling!

DAY SEVEN:

Vail was a fave spot for the whole family so on our last full day in Colorado we decided to go back to Vail Village. The whole crew decided to go ski...except me. :) I wanted to do some exploring of my own so I went on a little personal adventure for the day. First stop, coffee of course. I found a cozy little spot at a coffee shop called Yetis Grind, enjoyed a delicious espresso and worked on some good old blogging. After my coffee I went and did a little shopping. I came home with two new staple items from this trip, a Helly Hansen zip up jacket and a Patagonia puffer vest. Both I am totally obsessed with. It just so happened that while we were visiting Vail was hosting the Burton US Open! They had a huge tv screen set up in the middle of the village so I got to watch some of the action taking place. Derek was even lucky enough to meet Shaun White on the slopes! To finish the afternoon off I went and visited the Vail Vitality Center. This place was absolutely beautiful and had such a nice relaxing atmosphere. I went to the fitness center  and got a little cardio/workout in. Then I went to the spa area where they had outdoor hot tubs...talk about RELAXATION. I lounged in the hot tubs and looked out to the most beautiful mountain views. That evening we went to visit family members of Melissa who lived close to Beaver Creek, CO. They were so welcoming and invited us over for dinner to celebrate the new engagement. Dinner was an absolute treat, the house was beautiful, and the evening was filled with smiles! It was a fantastic way to finish out a phenomenal vacation.

DAY EIGHT:

We were up and at it early early Saturday morning. Drove back to Denver, returned the rental car, ate some breakfast, and we were on the plane back home quicker than I can blink. I am so overly grateful to have been invited on this family vacation, it was a true experience. I want to send the biggest thank you to the Reavis family for welcoming me into the family and creating so many great memories. My eyes were opened to a piece of the world that I have never seen and my heart is filled with so much joy to have had the experience! Colorado I will be seeing you very very soon.

SIT BACK, RELAX, & ENJOY COLORADO