Skiing Into 30…The Trip Rewind

Last weekend in Colorado celebrating our friend Nick’s 30th birthday was one for the books…from fun alias names for everyone to go by, to nonstop action on and off the mountains to some amazing food experiences, there wasn’t a dull moment… which could be why I need a vacation from my vacation. You know the feeling, right?
For anyone thinking about checking out the Rockies firsthand, run, don’t walk to the airport… I have been to Denver numerous times, snowboarded in Breckenridge way back when during high school, but this excursion to Beaver Creek, Eagle, and Vail knocked me out of my socks!
Here’s a little trip recap, including highlights and fun memories I sure don’t want to forget:
We arrived Wednesday afternoon after an early morning flight and hit the road to take the 3+ hour drive from Denver to Eagle… with tons of traffic as well as crazy snow weather, it took us longer than expected, but we arrived to Beaver Creek village and headed to get our ski rentals in order. Afterwards, we headed to the Coyote Cafe for lunch and cocktails before heading to the house we were staying at. Jocelyn’s family friends were kind enough to let us use their vacation home and it was nothing short of spectacular… really felt like home away from home and the accommodations were incredible! Since the 2015 Ski Championships were going on while we were there, there were tons of people, both locals and internationals so it was fun people watching during our downtime, too. That evening, we took it easy, picking up pizza from a local eatery and hitting the bed early since we had been up since 3AM.
Thursday morning, the boys headed to the slopes while we took our time getting ready. Meg and I had a ski lesson that afternoon and boy were we thankful we took the time to learn the right way to ski…starting from the basics! We did well (mastered the french fry and pizza moves) and after our three hours on the bunny slopes, we were ready to dominate the greens… the next day at least. That night, we met up with our new arrivals who had traveled in on Thursday and then went to Vendetta’s in Vail for dinner. P.S. the veal lasagna was out of this world good and our company was even better.
Friday morning, we headed back to Beaver Creek to ski the day away! I was so proud of us and we were “watched” by the boys to make sure we were safe as they giggled through our falls, bumps, and amusement down the slopes. I’m sure our GoPro footage could mean blackmail if I’m not  careful! Jeff thought it would be a good idea for me to try out a blue run, to which I later informed him that wasn’t my best decision making… a few falls made for some sore legs and after that, I stuck to the greens. Oh well, I tried…that’s half the battle! That afternoon, we ate lunch and then did some shopping so we could get an ornament for our travel tree. Our fancy birthday dinner celebration for Nick was at Sweet Basil and it didn’t disappoint… I had the pork belly and we ordered a bottle of Brunello wine, which was remarkable! Suffice to say, after we wrapped up dinner at midnight, this lady might have had a little power nap as we drove back to the house.
Our last full day was spent at Vail, which was WAY intimidating for a first-time skier like myself. We were up on the mountain by 9:30 which was great to avoid some of the rush from so many skiers. A few scary greens (yes, greens) but we managed to get down intact and after lunch at The Red Lion, Chelsea and I headed back up with the boys to finish up the day… bad decision on my part as I was SO tired after we made it down again. That meant it was time to do some more souvenir shopping in the village where I stocked up on shirts for us and the girls as well as another ornament and a travel book for my babies. That night, we fixed a relaxing dinner at the house and stayed up late playing Cards Against Humanity and having way too much fun. Sadly, the next day we packed up, drove back to Denver, and headed home… though I cannot lie, it was GREAT seeing my sweet nugget’s faces bright and early Monday morning when they woke up. Best feeling coming home is knowing there will be two little angels excited to see mommy and daddy. So thankful for a fabulous weekend with some amazing friends God has blessed us with. Quality time together is SO good for the soul and thanks to Joceyln and Nick for a once in a lifetime trip!