Yayyy my computer is fixed (thanks to Brandino <3) AND I have fixed a couple weird bugs on ze blog that cropped up after my old domain expired last month. RIP collegegraduette.
Per usual, I am super behind on blogging what is new in my life. I think the last time I did a good roundup of recent goings-ons was JANUARY. I’ll try to do a quick rundown and try to keep it to less than a million pictures.
Back in February, Brandon and I had the most AMAZING trip to Steamboat Springs, CO with his parents, his brother and his fiance, and 2 other couples.
Steamboat is one of Brandon’s favorite mountains to ski, and since I’ve been brushing up on my skills the past few years (in Winter Park earlier this year, Utah last year, and Jackson Hole in 2010), I couldn’t wait to visit after hearing such great things about the hill and the ski town.
Highlights of the trip included getting some newbies in the group on skis, spending our day off soaking in the natural hot springs, and even a little fresh snow on the slopes.
We loved taking in Steamboat’s Winter Carnival with the Lighted Man – a really cool show of skiers speeding down the hill right near the town center with their bodies covered in lights – and a view of some fantastic fireworks from a great table we scored at E3, which is a chophouse partially owned by the Duck Dynasty family! I also got to see a friend who I have known since college orientation – she moved to Colorado last year and it was so great to see her and get her tips on the best après ski in town (which, for the record, is at T-bar. Check out that beef teriyaki hot pot! :))
After a week-long ski vacation, life went back to normal for a minute with work and friends.
I took in a couple shows at First Ave with my gf Emily (Arctic Monkeys was THE best I’ve ever seen! and it was so chill to see Atmosphere on their hometown stomping grounds).
I also had a fun trip with my high school BFFs to the Wisconsin Dells for some water park antics and met for a much-needed reunion with my college clique in Madison, which, among laughing, dancing, daydrinking, and reminiscing, included PIZZA. So much pizza.
Then, I found out the first week of March that I had the opportunity to travel to PARIS for work! I jumped at the opportunity and although the week went so quickly, I enjoyed gorgeous weather while I was there and spent almost the entire day of Sunday (3/10) strolling along the river, people watching at the entrance of the Louvre, walking up the first few levels of the Eiffel tower, and staring in awe at the incredible architecture and pristine parks and flowerbeds.
I stuffed myself all week on gorgeous desserts, quiche, delicious sauces, and LOTS of cheese. The night before flying back home, we had a chance to do some light shopping and see the city lit up at night before a final dinner in Paris. I feel so lucky to have had the chance to see Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower illuminated in all their glory, not to mention a nearly FREE week to soak in all I could of France.
And one final little travel update – the day I returned from France, I hopped off my 9 hour plane ride and straight into an 8 hour car ride with our good friends up to Copper Harbor for one last ski trip to Mount Bohemia, another one of Brandon’s favorites.
We were lucky to get a little bit of snow on Saturday but I really pushed my skills to the limit since we ended up venturing into the trees to find the best snow at the no-frills resort.
I can say I am now ADDICTED to skiing the trees and am actually looking forward to future winters, which I have never been able to say before!
In the meantime, though, I am more than ready for spring to come to the Midwest and it’s looking like it will officially be here tomorrow with sunshine and temperatures near 60, just in time for my 10 miler tomorrow morning 
I started my training for Grandma’s Marathon the last few weeks of February and I’m now heading into week 7 of the beginner training program. By mid-April I will be halfway through… it’s coming fast!! And after a great tempo run outside yesterday, I can’t WAIT to be running outside more often after many miles on the treadmill and tiny indoor tracks. I’ll have to do a more in-detail post on training along with that juice cleanse review I’ve been promising.
I have some yummy recipes I’ve been cooking up lately, too – more of those have made it onto my Instagram account (like the Italian Wedding Soup above) but I made a really delish homemade miso soup with shiitake mushrooms this week that I’d love to share as my most recent veggie creation! I have been traveling more than usual and have been slacking on my goal of one vegetarian meal per week, but I am still having fun trying new recipes when I can make the time and ensuring I get a steady dose of fresh veggies in my increasingly-carnivorous diet. On that note, I really want to read Mark Bittman’s new cookbook to help us eat vegan before 6pm and apparently we should all try it before we kill all of the endangered species. Gulp.
Hope you are having a lovely weekend and enjoyed this little update… and GO BADGERS!!!!!