blend 2015 {saturday & sunday}

Welp.  I’m back for another recap post.  If I don’t keep typing, I’ll forget everything that happened and that’s no bueno since I kinda need to document these amazing weekends.  If you missed the first recap post, go here.  Since Saturday and Sunday are the biggest chunk of the weekend, you might need to go grab a snack; this could take a while.

Saturday, May 16th.

Saturday morning started bright and early as we kicked it off with a 7AM Gnarly Nutrition bootcamp.  My good friend and trainer, Kindal led the 100-person bootcamp on behalf of Gnarly (each person received a shaker bottle with protein powder samples – one of my favorites as they source their high quality whey from New Zealand and sweeten with STEVIA!).  Being out on that front lawn brought back so many memories of when Tina Reale and I co-led the 2012 Blend bootcamp.

Kindal created a “Bump & Go” workout – everyone partnered up and then traded off exercises for X amount of rounds.  I partnered with Janetha and Lizzy and we worked our way through all sorts of fun supersets (traveling burpees, plank taps, walking lunges, one-legged race, etc).  It was the perfect way to start the morning – good sweat!

After bootcamp, we walked right to the dining hall for breakfast.

Saturday’s breakfast did not dissapoint.  We had Justin’s nut butters, Love Grown’s Mighty Flakes and a new Carrot Spice Flapjacked Protein Pancake (plus eggs, bacon and sausage!!).  I left extremely full and satisfied – my kids too!

(my twin even showed up and surprised everyone!)

After a quick stop to nurse Porter and brush my teeth, I left Travis with Henry and Clara and put Porter in the Kelty pack.  Detour Bar sponsored our hike this year and hooked everyone up with their newest, minimal ingredient Simple bar.

We hiked an easy/moderate trail but I could definitely feel the altitude (and the 26 pounds of Porter-chunk on my back).  I can’t get over how breathtaking it is out here.

We got back just in time for the Earth Balance Snack Break (they sampled out this P.B. Popps Popcorn that I still can’t get out of my head – I have to find it in Franklin!).  The expo also ran from 12pm-2pm so everyone filled the room, interacting with brand reps and just mingling.

Around 3pm, I was DONE and crashed hard into a nap back at the cabin.  I can’t remember what woke me up but it was some needed sleep.  Travis and the kids must have needed the sleep too because I woke up to a completely silent cabin.  I quickly freshened up and then met Lauren and Janetha down at the expo room to help clean up and get things ready for the next day’s events.  Around 5pm, Janetha, Marshall and Fox came with my family to dinner.  We’re old and happened upon the Happy Hour at Centro – half priced chicken enchiladas and a mojito caught my eye.

 

We walked to dinner and when we were finished, it was POURING cold rain so we speed-walked back to our cars.  I knew right then and there what I wanted to do with the rest of my night – just crash.  So we did.  Travis and I drove back to Chautauqua, packed up the cabin and drove back to our condo.  I was asleep by 9pm.  No regrets. 

Sunday, May 17th.

(Geez this is long)

The last day kicked off with an 8am yoga class with Bhakti Chai.  We couldn’t have asked for better weather!  Bhakti was generous enough to provide us with 100 yoga mats (as well as some hot chai) and we practiced yoga on the front lawn.

I wanted Janetha and Travis to catch some great action shots so I opted out of yoga and instead watched the kids and checked in on the progress of breakfast.  Fox and Porter became best buds.

Sunday’s breakfast was another goodie (I swear – the food was amazing this year!).  We had FOUR breakfast sponsors: Barbara’s, Epic Seed, Baobab and GoodBelly.

I tried my hardest to mingle more at breakfast – it’s amazing how distracting kids can be at these events.   I had enough time to talk to a few old and new blends and then change into my Retreat shirt for closing ceremony (sponsored by NestFresh).

We raffled off some amazing prizes and I think everyone left with a smile on their face.  A quick group shot (of about HALF the attendees because so many had early flights) and we all hugged and said our goodbyes.

Blend 2015, you were one for the books.

(a special, special thanks to Janetha and Lauren.  My partners.  The best.)

Phew.  If you made it through all that, I applaud you.  I’m hoping to pop in again this week with some more pictures of our time out here.  Today (Monday) has been spent inside – it’s cold and rainy.  A needed rest day after this huge weekend.

splendid…lindsay