Keystone, CO Annual Trip 2012

Stuart and I watched from our tiny window in the sky as blackness turned to spots of light and finally transitioned into the glittering city of NYC as we flew in last night from Keystone, CO. This is the first trip we have taken where flying "home" means flying into NYC. We have not flown anywhere since moving here, and coming home here was the first time it sunk in for both of us...about where we are and where we live. We both looked at each other as we rode into the city in a cab and both agreed, it felt good to be coming back to the city. I think it is starting to feel like home a little more each day. The streets were empty last night as we were driven to our house in the sky and I just starred out the cab window as if I had never seen it before, the city was enchanting. I thought to myself, "I made it to the place that used to be a flicker of a dream", it was a surreal feeling. New York has not been an easy place to live by any means, it is a lot of work, and I will write a post on that soon, but I know why people love it, you become addicted and there literally is no place like it.

The day after vacation is always hard, but today is extra hard because it wasn't just a vacation, it was a gathering of the best of friends, new and old, surrounded by the most beautiful mountains and glistening snow, it was the definition of bliss. I cannot express how much I LOVE my friends. It is so hard to find special friends now that you are not surrounded by people your age like in college, but Stuart and I have hit the million dollar jackpot of friends and I will hang on to them forever.

Some brief highlights from our Keystone, CO annual 2012 Snowcation!

• Accidentally left phone at home and realized it in the taxi ride to JFK- turned out to be the best gift the vacation gods could give me.
• Arrived at the airport too late to check my bag (30 min. before flight), so Stuart rescued me and took a later flight with my bag while I ran to catch my flight.
• Meal times together with friends: Cooked Chili, Chicken Tacos, Brownies, Breakfast Galore, made Snow Cream, took an annual trip to the Mexican Food place in Breckenridge, CO.
• Hot Tubed while snow flakes fell and froze to my head.
• Skiied in 18 degree temps with 30 mile winds blowing through my hair. My nose snot froze. :)
• Snow shoed down a mountain trail which included some fun face plants in the snow.
• Lots of "All in the Family" and "Thumper"games.
• Took an annual trip to 9280 the ski lodge bar where we always meet colorful characters.
• Took a day to curl up by the fire and chat it up with the girls...best day ever. Definitely planning an all girls getaway for the summer.
• Enjoyed time by the fire de-thawing and sharing stories with friends.

Stuart and I will be forever grateful for being invited on such a special trip. An enormous thanks to Haley Bryant and her family for letting us stay in their mountain house. It was our third annual Snowcation and I really think they are getting better every year. We miss the Snowcation crew already and wish we could all just go back and do it again next weekend.