Part 2 of our Sundance trip

Good morning friends!! 

Our trip to Sundance over Presidents Day weekend came and went in a blur of snow, five-star food, and time spent with my mom, dad, and Ellen. It was over before before any of us were ready!

One morning after haning out in our cabin for a while we walked down to the resort for breakfast.  Our cabin wasn't affiliated with the resort, but was within walking distance, so we ended up there every day. It's so beautiful and we all loved it there!

We figured they would be doing something for breakfast, but couldn't have anticipated the grandeur that went along with what they had set up. It turned out to be the most fabulous breakfast of my life!

Matt, Ellen and I all decided it was actually the best breakfast any of us had ever had. :)

I mean, the unlimited options, the opulent display, the cupcakes... (when your breakfast buffet serves cupcakes you know you chose the right one) ;) Haha

It was THE best!

I ate more red velvet cake balls than was probably healthy (they were SO GOOD), and Matt had a good time at the deli/meat counter which offered prime rib, sirloin, and more. We decided it wasn't rude to get seconds (thirds for some!) as long as we didn't stack up plates on our table. Haha. 

We enjoyed every SINGLE bite, and as soon as we'd given ourselves time to digest (or maybe even before), we were off to our next activity - snowshoeing!

Matt knew of a trail near our cabin where we could snowshoe through deep snow up the side of a mountain to a waterfall called Stewart Falls. Our cabin happened to come with enough snow shoes for all of us, and the trail was dog friendly so Barkley could run free, so it was perfect!

It turned out to be one of the highlights of the weekend. :)

I love their expressions, plus Stewart Falls in the background! Frozen and pretty :)

We learned that Barkley can catch snowballs in his mouth, and that Ellen can catch it on film :)

After the huge meal and big outdoor activity we were all tuckered out. The rest of the afternoon was spent in the cabin, reading magazines Mom brought from home, and putting together dinner (a LIGHT dinner. I think we were still full from breakfast. Haha). We watched Olympics on mute in the background and eventually started playing Apples to Apples! Which the cabin also had. Seriously, we loved that place.

It didn't take us long to realize that Mom either had the game rigged or was a total NATURAL. There were five of us and at each round we all had an equal chance of winning (except the judge), but Mom won over half of the rounds. With that kind of luck, we told her she should start playing for money! :)

Meanwhile, my cards... haha

I should have taken a picture becasue she got SO many cards!

The next morning was our last one in Sundance. :(  It was amazing how quickly the weekend passed, probably because flight problems took away from most of our plans on Friday, and plus we'd been anticipating the trip for a while. 

Before Mom, Dad, and Ellen drove back to Salt Lake City to catch flights to California we walked to Sundance one last time for quick breakfast. 

We were there before the ski slopes opened, so it was pretty quiet and the only others around were grounds keepers and ski patrol. It was lovely :) 

Dad met us at the resort when it was time to go with the car packed, and from there we said our goodbyes!! No one was ready for the weekend to be over!

I'm already looking forward to the next time we all get together! After Mom, Dad, and Ellen left, we still had the cabin rented for another night. Because Matt didn't have school on Monday (Presidents Day) and I can work from anywhere that has internet, we got to stay at the cabin just the two of us!

It sounded great at first, but actually when we got back to the cabin it felt super empty and lonely. It just wasn't the same without my family! Matt actually said "this place is lame without your family" ;) We hung out for the afternoon, worked and did homework, and watched the American Olympic figure skaters win a gold medal.

We also went back to the resort in the afternoon when it was packed and high-energy, which was fun!

World class view from our lunch spot!

In the evening we went back to the main ski area one last time for dessert, which turned out to be absolutely fantastic (not only the food but the whole experience) - really, one of our top date nights ever!! Wish we could go back. Seriously, Sundance does a great job of EVERYthing and I can't recommend them highly enough. :)

I like the trees and snow out the window

The chef put Matt's together specially because Matt requested it,
since he rememberd loving it so much at our big breakfast.
Yes, they had that chocolate cake at breakfast. I'm telling you, it was the best :)

At dessert we decided we should drive home that night instead of the next morning. We only live 30 minutes away and it was just way too weird staying there alone... So home we went!

All in all it turned out to be a really great weekend, even though I miss everyone now!! And obviously, those were the highlights of our week! But here are snapshots from the rest of the week :)

Ever since we got back it's felt like springtime. It's been so beautiful that we've had the doors and windows open and took Barkley out to play frizbee one day! It feels more like April than February, and you won't hear any complaints about that from us!

...which put me into spring cleaning mode :) We took a trip to Home Depot to pick up a few things for our patio 'remodel,' and I left wanting more things than I did when we first got there. That store is so fun :)

Like, for example, glitter wall paint?!?! Yes please!

We've been experimenting with salads that we can make ahead and eat all week. The latest is HERE and we thought it was pretty good!

 Dinner at Mountain West Burrito :)

It was a pretty good week for running! I covered 20 miles total and am feeling really good about it!

Excirted about running 9 miles without stopping. :)

Barkley almost always comes with me, but the wear and tear on his feet from running on pavement got to him. His poor paws were rubbed raw! He required 'doggy band-aids' with socks on top. But he's better now. :)

The definition of puppy dog eyes

 Finally, on Friday night I got to work at an adaptive fitness event at the Provo Rec Center! They had an open house-style event when people with physical limitations and their families could see what we have to offer them so they can continue living healthy, active lives despite perceived setbacks. I got to help in the adaptive strength training area for a few hours, where I worked with visitors, showing them how to use weight machines and set personal workout routines. Very inspirational!

At the same time, Matt was volunteering at a wrestling match for the BYU wrestling club, so we were each out and about in the community that night. 

The next morning was the second longest run of my life, plus teaching a full yoga class right after - tough but rewarding :) 

That's about it for now! Have a fun rest of your weekend!