{colorado}

My trip to Colorado was lots of fun, but if I would have to do it over again, I doubt that I would... alone that is. It took a lot out of me and by the time the week was just over half done I was ready to go home.

My mom and her husband drove me to the airport on Saturday morning and waited with me until I got through security. I have to say, out of the whole trip, that was my most nervous part because FFA regulations state that your boarding pass must match your ID 100%. Well, my driver's license has my first and last time and my middle initial. When I printed off my boarding pass at home, it just had my first and last name and no middle initial. I won't deny that this freaked me out just a little bit. Worst case scenario, they would turn me down. Thankfully, apparently they don't pay much attention to that middle initial thing because I had no problems with security at all!

The flight to Denver went fine. It only took about two hours and I slept for some of that. I got there in time to make the bus that the hearing aid company provided to the resort and so I didn't need my shuttle. I was then of course out the money it cost for the shuttle that I reserved because it was less than 24 hour notice, but at that point I didn't care because I had needed a back up plan incase I didn't get there in time and I didn't think I was going to make it. Once on the bus, it was another two hour drive to the resort before we were able to get settled in.

There was a schedule for each day of our classes and free time. The hearing aid company did not push their agenda at all. The classes focused on supplementing what we were learning in our classes at our respective classes and I felt like I really learned a lot. They also paid for pretty much all of our food and boy was it some good food! I tried not to gorge myself on the food too much so that I didn't gain a lot of weight while I was away.

I was originally supposed to go on this trip with a fellow classmate from the Madison campus, but a few weeks before the trip she backed out. I don't know the reason why she backed out, other than something had come up and she could no longer make it and/or no longer wanted to go. Either way, I was still going because I had already paid the money. So, I headed out to Colorado by my lonesome. That was an adventure in and of itself because I am such an introvert. I won't deny that it was difficult for me at times. I don't just open up to people and become buddy buddy right away, but I did come away from the trip with some new friends. The majority of the reason why I would probably not go again (alone) is the effort that it took on my part to go outside of my comfort zone and be more extroverted. It really got tiresome and by the end of the trip I was just ready to be at home with my family alone and without 80 people around me all of the time. It didn't help any that a lot of the students were coming with classmates from their schools and the ones that didn't were roomed with someone and they almost always buddied up. Me... I got my own room because my roomie backed out. I loved having my own room, that part was nice, but I think it would also have been nice to have someone to room with. Who knows?!

I think my favorite part of the trip was the rafting experience. I wouldn't really call it white river rafting because the rapids that we went through were very limited and they were at most class 2 rapids and that might even be pushing it. But... it was still A LOT of fun and I would do it again in a heart beat! Although, we did get soaked on the boat and it was cold and one of my feet fell asleep so bad that I couldn't even wiggle my toes to get the blood moving! It took me a good five minutes of bouncing my foot up and down to be able to move my toes again. Guess I listened to the guide a little too well when he said that we were supposed to keep one of our feet jammed under the seat in front of us for stability... I shoved it in there pretty hard, haha!

Here are just a few pictures of the gorgeous mountains. I could probably write a lot more about my time in Colorado, but I’d rather let the pictures speak for themselves… that and I don’t really feel like writing a lot more about it at this point in time.I've decided to start working out again. My cousin, Amanda, inspired me to get my workout on! She's been faithfully working out with Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred for the last three weeks and seeing her post each day on Facebook about it has kicked me into gear. I made it most of the way through Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30 DVD the last time I did it, so I know that I can do it again this time. I was rereading some of my old posts about when I did it the first time and can’t believe that I also worked out on the elliptical most days as well. This time I am going to just stick with the DVD and continue to eat better like I have been. I picked the right day to start because I will finish up my four weeks the day before classes start. I worked in about three days ‘off’ where I will be gone for the entire day and not have access to a DVD player to work out. Jillian’s 30 day programs are really nice because they are so short. I know that I can make it through the 20 minutes even if I am about to die. It is only 20 minutes, anyone can do 20 minutes! This morning was day 2 for me and even though I didn’t want to continue about halfway through I just kept telling myself that it was only 20 minutes. I know that I haven’t lost all of my stamina from the last time that I did the program though because the first time I did the program I had to stop multiple times throughout the workout. This time I’ve made it through day one and day two without having to stop (although I’ve wanted to). I am a little sore today, but I was expecting it and know that by the end of the week that it won’t be so bad.

I am excited about my family camping this weekend. I can only hope that we have some good weather and don’t get rained out like we sort of did at Hoerth camping.

Off to watch the season finales of White Collar and Covert Affairs tonight!

CIAO! LOVE ME!