Tag Archive for big bear lake

Big Bear Vacation Recap

Well, it’s official. I’m BACK. Big Bear was SO much fun and I so wish I was still there! I’m already trying to figure out when I can go back.

This past week was FULL of activities, so I’ll get right to it.

We arrived in Big Bear last Monday around 2pm. Luckily, we didn’t hit any traffic, so it only took us just over 2 hours to get there. The drive up the mountain was gorgeous, as always.

bigbeardriveSince we arrived a few hours before we could check in, we decided to start our vacation right away with a hike up Pine Knot Trail!

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Charlie and I did this hike last year and loved it, so we knew we wanted to do it ventolin-albuterol. It’s about a 7 mile hike round trip. We didn’t quite go to the top this time because Oscar was pretty hot and my brother was ready to go down as well. We did about 5.5 miles total of this hike, and it was still amazing!

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After the hike, we headed to the cabin to check in. We had such a great view from the cabin! You can see why I want to go back….

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We spent some time down by the lake for the rest of the evening, which Oscar LOVED. I have never seen him so happy. It totally warmed my heart to see him sprinting around on the sand and running through the water like that. He was in total doggy bliss!

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On Tuesday morning, Charlie and I got up super early to head out for some wakeboarding! The early morning is when the water is best, so we traded sleep (which we got hardly any of) for some fun on the water!

IMG_8762After wakeboarding, we headed to a local favorite, Grizzly Manor. They’re a hole in the wall breakfast joint with really good food! I had 2 over easy eggs on an english muffin, sausage, and hash browns.

We spent the rest of the day checking out the village, riding the Alpine Slide, relaxing at the cabin, and finally BBQ’ing. Instead of dining out most nights, we actually opted for BBQ’ing at the cabin, which turned out to be an excellent choice! We made grilled chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers and corn and enjoyed it while looking out over the water. It was absolutely perfect and delicious!

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IMG_8805The rest of the trip was spent doing a mixture of relaxing and activities.

We hiked 2 other trails, including part of the Pacific Crest Trail. (This trail goes from Mexico all the way to Canada!!!)

IMG_8849One of the other highlights of the trip was taking Oscar out on the paddleboard! He was super scared at first, but after we were out on the water for a while, he started to enjoy it. He even tried walking around the paddle board, which made balancing really difficult for Charlie (haha!).

IMG_8855IMG_8859I can’t get over how cute he looks out there!!!

Overall, this was the best vacation I’ve been on in a LONG time. Big Bear Lake has quickly become one of my favorite places I’ve ever visited. I am a lake girl through and through. Couple that with the gorgeous views, endless hiking, and a fairly un-plugged town, and its everything I could ever want or need.

This trip also did more for me than I expected. I’ve taken many short weekend trips or longer family trips over the last 4-5 years, but no real vacation. This vacation changed something in me. It was the first time I had truly unplugged and just enjoyed nature in a longgggg time. I came back with a renewed sense of “living” and what it really means. I’m feeling more inclined to say YES to many things I turned down in the past. I want to experience and explore more than I did before. I feel like a new person and I’m so, so glad we took this trip!

Now I just need to figure out how and when I can get back….

Until then, here are some more pictures from the trip:

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Question of the Day

1. When is the last time you took a real vacation? Do you have anything planned for this summer?

Big Bear + NOW Foods Review!

Hey guys!

Sorry for the disappearing act! Work got really busy + I was getting ready to head out for vacation, so the blog got pushed to the wayside. Tis’ life! But I’m here now, so let’s get right to it!

I’m currently on my first REAL vacation in about 4 years and I couldn’t be happier. Yes, I do lots of quick weekend trips, but this time we decided to really relax and get out of town for a whole week. We went to Big Bear Lake last year for a day and a half and I basically fell in love with it instantly, so we’re back!

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How could I not with a view like that? Wakeboarding, hiking, beautiful weather, gorgeous lake, and with the people (and pup) I love! I love the mountains and being outdoors, so this is the perfect place for me. It’s also only about 2 hours away from Los Angeles, so it’s a quick and easy trip.

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Whenever I head out for a trip, I like to bring a mixture of bars, protein powders, and of course, necessary items like sunscreen and lotions. Per this post, it helps me in a pinch and it’s nice to have some healthy stuff with me wherever I go.

I met the folks from NOW Foods at BLEND this year and they were nice enough to send me an AWESOME package with some really useful stuff! It’s great for every day life, but has made my vacation so much easier too!

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Check this out:

  • Plant Protein Complex
  • Probiotics
  • Garlic Infused Coconut Oil
  • B-12 Energy Packets
  • Vitamin D-3 lotion
  • Toffee Caramel Fudge Whey Protein Powder Packets
  • Bug Ban
  • Energy Nut Mix
  • Organic Toasted Hemp Seeds
  • Farro
  • Avocado Oil

So much good stuff, right?! Here’s what I’m loving so far on this trip:

The Probiotics and B12 Energy Packets

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These are so, so convenient! They are in powder form and easily mix with a glass of water. I’ve been mixing the B12 energy packets in my water first thing in the morning. B-12 has many benefits, but what I like most is that it helps keep a steady level of energy + keeps you alert and awake! I’ve been mixing the Probiotic packets in my water bottle that I carry around with me as well. It’s flavorless too, so it’s an easy drink and a great way to keep my gut in check while I’m eating my way through Big Bear!

Bug Ban

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ROOKIE MISTAKE. We are staying at a cabin right along the water and if you’ve ever been up in the mountains, you know that BUGS are EVERYWHERE. Our first night here, we left the patio door open all evening long (order cymbalta). We walked back in the house to bugs flying around everywhere! We tried turning the lights off in the house and keeping them on outside, but it didn’t really help much. Being the huge bug-phobe that I am, I sprayed this stuff generously all over myself so that at least if they were in the house, they’d stay away from me! I was surprised to see that it actually worked! Ha! SO glad I brought this with me! #lifesaver

 

Raw Energy Mix

IMG_8645When we got into town on Monday, we had a few hours to go before our check-in at the cabin. I suggested we go on a hike. We brought some of this with us and ate it at the top of the mountain. It was a hit! The bag may or may not be almost gone already.

Vitamin D-3 Cream IMG_8648This has been another lifesaver out here! I’ve been in the sun basically since we got into town, and have been lathering this on throughout the day. It smells AMAZING (it has a light citrusy scent) and really has been keeping my skin nice and moist, even though it’s pretty dry up here.

Toffee Caramel Fudge Whey Protein Isolate

IMG_8646This is hands-down one of my favorite protein powders now! As you may have noticed, I don’t discriminate and I like to try different brands and flavors. This one is definitely going into my rotation! I have now used it for a protein shake and protein pancake, and it was delicious in both cases!

Garlic Infused Coconut Oil

IMG_8743I’ll be honest, when I saw this, my first reaction was that I wasn’t sure what to do with it. I always associate coconut oil as a “sweet” flavor, so I was a little bit confused at first. I decided to try it with some chicken (pictured on the left above), and I’m so happy I did! The garlic flavor is light and you get a really good “sweet and savory” flavor combo with this coconut oil! This is definitely staying in my kitchen!

Overall, I’m so, so happy with these products! Everything seems to be well thought out, their ingredients are good, and the company is constantly coming up with new products for their customers.

If you want to check out more NOW products, visit their website or follow them on Twitter and Instagram (@NOWFoods)!

I’m going to get back to enjoying this amazing weather and view. I’ll have a full recap of the trip when I get back. Having so much fun! Catch you guys later!

Questions of the Day

1. Have you ever been to Big Bear?

2. What’s your favorite vacation spot?

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AMAZING Big Bear Weekend in Photos

Wakeboarding!!!!

Wakeboarding!!!!

Panoramic View of our 7 mile hike in Big Bear!

Panoramic View of our 7 mile hike in Big Bear!

The Alpine Slide!

There are 2 pet ducks at the Pleasure Point Marina. They let you pet them and are seriously the cutest!

There are 2 pet ducks at the Pleasure Point Marina. They let you pet them and are seriously the cutest!

Charlie & I at the Alpine Slide in Big Bear!

Charlie & I at the Alpine Slide in Big Bear!

Another gorgeous hiking view.

Another gorgeous hiking view.

Intense hiking faces!

Intense hiking faces!

Climbing a big rock.

Harry, we've reached the top!

Harry, we’ve reached the top!

Charlie & I after a sweaty Sunday workout!

Now…..how do I convince Charlie that we need to move to Big Bear??? (seriously….)