Bopril

2011 Year In Review

2011 brought us a lot of adventure and fun, and we're at least a tad sentimental to have already said goodbye, but we are equally excited for 2012 and all that lies ahead. For whatever reason, 2011 was also they year when writing on the blog was fairly light and photos with the fancy camera were exceptionally so. I have thousands of photos from my iPhone though, so pardon the mish-mosh of small and large, good quality and not-so that you'll see below, but at least the good times were captured, whatever the medium. 

I write this from our final day of holiday vacation, with work and all the trimmings of the real world waiting for us tomorrow. The last couple of weeks have been exceptional, packed with family time and my favorite combination of soul-soothing awesome: sun on my face and sand in my shoes. We rang in 2012 in our living room, enjoying a feast of appetizers that husband whipped up. It was enough food for 20, and we enjoyed a quiet evening reminiscent of years (way) past alternating between New Years Rockin' Eve and the bevy of movies featured on every cable channel. We fell asleep well before the ball dropped, but did manage to wake just long enough to see the East Coast clock slip from 11:59 to 12:00 and to whisper happy new year before conking out for good. We're wild and crazy these days, and the truth is that we love it. In fact, it is without question my favorite way to ring in a brand new year.

But before we trudge headfirst into 2012, herewith, our 2011 in review. I've decided to forgo links this year since the writing was light to begin with, but feel free to click through archives if a particular topic strikes your curiosity. 

Best wishes for an amazing 2012, from our family to yours.

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We usher in 2011 snuggled into MIL's cozy lake house surrounded by family, game playing, champagne sipping and loud conversation. New Years Day brings a trip to a nearby park where we race up a million stairs to fly down steep tracks on sleds, shrieking and laughing our way into a brand new year. We embrace four years of marriage, and four years of Cooper with equal elation and gratitude and celebratory antics.

We enjoy a getaway to ski in Utah, encounter a record breaking blizzard in Chicago, celebrate Valentine's Day and I turn 32.

We scratch the travel bug in a pretty significant way, spending much of March touring Italy and falling head over heels for Rome, Florence, Tuscany, Venice and Cinque Terre. We stand literally in the center of history, toss coins into the Trevi fountain, eat gelato and pasta and drink wine to the point of gluttony, climb to the top of the Duomo, gape at the majesty of the Vatican, get lost in a sea so blue it is blinding, tour a private castle and make friends with its owners while enjoying their much cherished wine, enjoy a gondola ride just as the sun bathes the Grand Canal in the most stunning light. Life is exceptionally good, and we vow to come back, to always remember, to cherish a very special trip.

The Easter bunny visits our boys, and we make our annual trek to Kentucky for the Derby, donning hats and suits and all variety of finery to represent Southern roots and our family's favorite weekend of the year. My very best friend --- she's my sister more than my friend --- has a beautiful baby girl she names Everly and my heart bursts open in a brand new way. I scoot to Connecticut as quickly as I can and I snuggle and rock and bounce and love her within an inch of her life. I marvel again and again at how I can love something so small so fiercely. A lifetime of girl talk begins.

We (slowly) welcome Spring, and then Summer and with it, plenty of opportunities to fill the house with fresh flowers, cook all meals and lots of fruit on the grill, visit the dog beach, and spend ample time soaking up the sun (and the rain) at the lake. Jack turns six, and we celebrate every sweet furry inch of him. I rock the fedora as much as possible, and make a long overdue trip back to Kentucky to celebrate a very special birthday for a very special Aunt. We enjoy our very first sail on Lake Michigan, and after I take a turn at the wheel, we enjoy fireworks high above Navy Pier to close out the night. We take in the Air and Water Show from another boat on Lake Michigan and enjoy a marvelous weekend with Mom and family friends checking out all that Chicago has to offer. Our great love of music returns, and we spend a weekend at Lollapalooza rocking out and drinking cold beer against the scorching cityscape of Chicago's summer.

We say goodbye to summer with an awesome lake weekend, walk in the rain for our furry friends at PAWS, and spend as much time outside as possible as we welcome the most spectacular fall Chicago has seen in years. We walk again for our furry friends at the annual Mutt Strut and Husband runs his very first marathon. We make signs and run all over the city screaming for him, and we're so very proud. We're thrilled to usher in the holiday season with Halloween, and we take our little lamb and duck to the neighborhood block party and to trick or treat festivities across the city to celebrate.

We go to Connecticut where I make my godmother role official at sweet Everly's baptism. She is amazing, and I rock her to sleep while she holds onto her little bunny and I know for sure that there is nothing in the world I wouldn't do for her. We celebrate Thanksgiving at the lake and we're so grateful for so much; there aren't words or time or photos enough to really express how much. MIL reinstates her annual Christmas party, and we have such fun catching up with friends and family and gobbling yummy food. Husband turns 33, and we toast to him and another great year to come. And then, of course, we eat cake. There is always cake. We wind down the year with a week in Charleston with my family, and even though it is cliche to say so, it is divine and awesome and exactly what I need. Walks and yummy meals and sunshine and my favorite holiday with my favorite people all in one place fills my heart to bursting and reminds me yet again that my blessings are rich and many. It goes too fast, as it always does. I miss them immensely, as I always do. It's a very merry Christmas, indeed.

This is but a mere sampling of the amazing minutes and moments and events that make up a year, and I'm sure that I'm forgetting a few here and there, but all in all, this exercise is a lovely reminder of how lucky and loved we are. Each day brings a blessing, and I'm humbled at year's end to collect them all and relive their magic for a little while before we open the door to see what lies ahead.

Thank you for stopping by, for reading and encouraging and sending love our way. We send it right back.

ReMEMEbering 2011

As I mentioned when I did this exercise last year, I'm of a reflective, nostalgic bent and the end of the year always kicks that up a notch, so this helps me send out one year with a bang and welcome another with open arms.

I can hardly believe another year is coming to a close, but I'm grateful as hell for all that 2011 brought and am so excited to jump feet first into 2012 and all that it holds.

I'm posting this as I leave what has been an amazing week of holiday fun with family, and while I'm sad to see it end, I am aware of my infinite blessing to have these people to create magic with again and again.

Happy New Year, friends! May 2012 bring you much health, happiness, peace and so much joy.

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1.  What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Traveled to Europe. Achieved a couple of milestones (more to come on those later, and sorry in advance for the tease).

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Honestly, I didn't really create much in the way of resolutions last year, but hoped to embrace every opportunity to live better, and while I made my fair share of mistakes, I think overall, I committed to this in a satisfactory way. More to come in 2012 for sure! 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? My very best friend, who is truly more sister than anything, had a precious baby girl in April. I am her Godmother, and I love her fiercely. Many other good friends welcomed babies this year, and I've had way too much fun shopping for them, and wish I had infinitely more time with each to snuggle the day away. Babies are amazing, the end.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No, and the fact that this is the second consecutive year I've been able to type that is a blessing for which I am immensely grateful (and aware. oh, so aware).

5. What places did you visit? ITALY! We saw Rome, Venice, Florence, Tuscany, and Cinque Terre and each of those places captured my heart in a way I didn't know was possible. We closed out 2011 in Charleston, SC and it is without question the most charming place I've visited within the US in quite some time.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? Honestly, not a thing. I'm ridiculously blessed, aware of my good fortune and grateful every day for the embarrassment of riches that colors my life.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? October 21, 2011, and November 5, 2011. There are a couple more days that do stand out, but these two will be tough to beat. I'm pleading the fifth on the why for now, content just to acknowledge that they were terrific days. :)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? As cliche as it sounds, taking a deep breath before responding more times than not. I don't do it every time, or probably even enough, but I think I've done it more this year than ever before, and that is something. It's amazing what perspective those few seconds and breaths can bring. They are powerful.

9. What was your biggest failure? Fitness, blah blah blah. So tired of this answer, and really need to do something about it longer term. I had hoped to be better about sharing in the responsibility of preparing healthy meals for our family, but without a doubt, Husband bore the brunt of this responsibility for yet another year. But the good news? 2012 awaits, and I can face this goal another day.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing too major --- colds and bouts with sinuses and minor bumps and bruises aside --- we have been mostly healthy, and I thank God for this daily.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Honestly? I'm not sure. Perhaps this means I need to be more aware of and purposeful with spending? Something to work on for sure.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Husband's as always. The man is kind of a saint. 

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? There are way too many obvious directions to go with this question, and I just don't want to dwell on a depressing topic as I wind down my year, so I'll just say Congress and leave it at that. I mean seriously, is there another job in the world where you can fail so consistently without repercussion?

14. Where did most of your money go? Rent, food, travel.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Travel, discovering the unknown, and the art of anticipating/embracing what's to come. Honestly? I'm just thrilled for 2012.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011? God, I never know how to answer this, but the first thing that comes to mind is Adele, so I'll go with that. What a voice that woman has, am I right?!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? No real measure here, I am a happy girl, then and now. I choose it, always. Even when it isn't easy.

b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. No comment. 

c) richer or poorer? Is it terribly cheesy to just say that I feel richer every year? Because, truly, I do. And this year is no exception.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Writing. Picking up my camera (and actually learning to use it). Going for walks. Stretching (literally and not so literally). 

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Worrying about things beyond my control, second guessing myself, complaining. 

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2011? In Charleston, SC where my brother moved last year. We've walked on the beach, eaten so much yummy food, explored every nook and cranny and soaked up the sunshine and each other. It's been so awesome, and my heart will be heavy when we fly away tomorrow. We have such amazing families, and I hope we see a lot more of ALL of them in 2012.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011? I've been in love for years, and it got stronger in 2011 as it does each year. That happens when you're smart enough to marry the most amazing man in the world. 

22. What was your favorite TV program?  Modern Family. Homeland. Up All Night. The Good Wife. Friday Night Lights.

23. What did you do for your birthday in 2011? Shared dinner with Husband, blew out candles, snuggled my fur babies, talked to friends and family far and wide, and gave thanks for another amazing year.

24. What was the best book you read? Overall, I wasn't great at reading this year, but I did discover a few gems along the way. Bossypants. Unbroken. Discovery of Witches (sue me, I like the vampire stuff), Let's Take the Long Way Home. Bird by Bird.

25. What did you want and get? So much more than I can ever deserve.

26. What did you want and not get? Not a damn thing. I know many of you will roll your eyes at this answer, but all I can say is when I sat and thought for a minute, NOTHING kept sounding loud in my ears, and I'm smart enough (and aware enough of my blessings) to pay that truth its due.

27. What was your favorite film of this year? We watch SO many movies and I'm at a loss to remember them all at year's end, so I'll just list a few I loved and call it a day. Bridesmaids. Crazy, Stupid Love. Drive. 

28. Did you make some new friends this year? Absolutely! Online and off, and I'd like to do much more of this in the year ahead.

29.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Again, I have to go with nothing. Things are as they should be, and I've learned to embrace that.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? I hate this question, and find it stupid, so I'm going to ignore it, ok?

31. What kept you sane? Husband, family, close friends (you know who you are), the internet, fine wine, and those aforementioned deep breaths.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? As each year goes by, I care less and less about celebrities. YAWN.

33. What political issue stirred you the most? Last year's answer still applies, so I'll let it stand: Anything pertaining to rights and choice and acceptance---from health care to education to matters of equality for my gay and lesbian friends. 

34. Who did you miss? Again, tough to beat last year's answer, so samesies it is: Family and my best girlfriends---especially Ash and Beck and Robin---who are too often separated from me by state lines, but always always front and center in my heart.

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011. I learned a lot in 2011, but I think I can best summarize it with two words that have applications in almost every life area that matters to me: have faith.

One more time, wishing you a happy and healthy new year, friends. Thanks for reading!

Quietly Festive

Sorry for the quiet of late, and for those of you that have asked, there's no special reason for it. I've just felt a little quiet, I suppose.

All is well, and we're enjoying another lovely holiday season, marveling at how in the world it can be possible that Christmas is just a few weeks away. Every year, I think it is impossible for time to go any faster, and then the next year arrives, and I realize that it isn't impossible at all.

We have been enjoying a twinkly, festive home for several weeks now, and all of my various channels have long been tuned into holiday music. I've made a good dent in the shopping list, and our holiday cards are ready to be stuffed, addressed and sent to all of the corners that hold our loved ones.

Our calendars are sprinkled with holiday parties, Husband's birthday looms on the horizon and a fun Brock family Christmas beachside in Charleston promises to end the season on a high note and with plenty of relaxation and good weather.

There are a few activities I'd still like to pack in --- a visit to the North Shore to see the houses adorned with lights, a walk through Zoo Lights in Lincoln Park, a stroll around the Christkindel market in downtown Chicago --- but even if none of those happen, it will still be a lovely holiday season that I've enjoyed immensely. Sometimes, it is nice to take what comes, slow down the mania, and just enjoy the path as it unfolds. I am finding this holiday season to be one of those times.

Our holiday traditions are still very much on track, anchored by our annual visit to Santa Paws, where the boys were on their best behavior and whispered all of their wishes to the man in red. I will never tire of watching merry pups of all ages and sizes enter the store full of exuberance, only to resort to terrified wiggles and trembles when Santa is in their sight. What is it about jolly old St. Nick that sends kids and pups alike into freak out mode? On the bright side, it always makes for an excellent photo opp:

The "I'm pretty freaked out by this guy, Mom" face remains impressively consistent from year to year. Don't believe me?

2010:

2008:

For some odd reason, we don't have 2007 or 2009 in electronic form, but they're displayed proudly on the fridge and they feature the same expressions, believe it.

Ah, holidays. I wish they came around more often, but then again, that would probably dampen the magic, at least a little. Here's hoping you're in the thick of your own holiday magic, friends.

Merry, Merry!

Weekendings: Sick, Sick, Sick

I feel like I spend a lot of time --- perhaps even an inordinate amount --- attempting to avoid germs and sickness. The thing is, I HATE being sick. I realize that being sick isn’t something that anyone in the world aspires to, but my hatred for it really does go the extra mile. The older I get, the harder I fall when I finally do succumb to sickness. What once took a few days to kick will linger for weeks, sometimes months. The unpleasant nose blowing and head throbbing and throat burning aren’t enough of an annoyance, no. I have to also have literally ALL of the energy sucked from my person too. When I say that I’ve been sound asleep by 9 more nights than not recently, I am not exaggerating. When I say I have combined that early bedtime with impromptu naps at odd hours, that isn’t coy talk either. It’s fact.

And while I have recently (as always) washed my hands like a maniac, buried my face in my scarf at even a hint of a sneeze or cough and done my best to change out toothbrushes, sterilize every surface, wash and rewash sheets and pillowcases, I still could not outrun this cold.

And I am sorry to be blunt and perhaps also profane, but this cold is a real asshole.

So I wish that I had an awesome and glamorous weekendings recap for you, but alas, I do not. Because my weekend looked very much like Wednesday, Thursday and Friday looked --- which is a little something like this:

• A daily race with myself to see how many popsicles I can consume. For the record, grape is currently my favorite, but at times in the last week, each of the three flavors has held top spot.
• Constant trips to the microwave with my sinus mask --- a very comforting solution during sinus pressure and cold ugh-ness, with the unfortunate side effect of a slight burned rice smell when you heat it up. But there is a bonus, and it is that I cannot smell the mask due to Mr. Cold. Win!
• Using up an entire jumbo pack of Charmin (the double rolls) as my own personal Kleenex, and quite literally filling three kitchen sized trash bags to the brim with them in as many days. (side note: I used to just pile them up on the coffee table, nightstands, etc, but around day two, I realized that habit is really rather gross. So out came the trash bags)
• Amusing myself with a semi constant rotation of liquids: shall I have Gatorade? How about Vitamin water? Just regular water? Perhaps Pellegrino? Oh wait, I haven’t had orange juice today!
• Embracing the “yep, I’m going to drown” feeling twice a day minimum in favor of temporary relief via my trusty sinus wash contraption.

I started going a bit stir crazy on Friday, and by Saturday, even though I wasn’t feeling great, I made it my mission to get out of the house. I accompanied Husband for a few errands, we managed dinner out, and then it was right back to bed by 8:30ish for me. Sunday was much the same; I made it to the grocery store and the movie theater, but still managed to spend the majority of the day on the couch or in bed.

I’m back at it today, and I do feel better, but I still don’t feel anything close in proximity to good. This morning, Husband woke up with a sore throat. Sigh. Lucky for him, I will share my popsicles.

The only awesome thing about the last 5-7 days? Constant and adorable fur baby snuggle action. They are the best nurses around, no question.

Here’s hoping you’ve all escaped this miserable, asshole bug, friends!

Weekendings: Furry Friends and Showers at Night

This (not so) lovely Monday morning, I was simultaneously awakened by the shrieking alarm clock and lulled to dreamland by the world's most soothing sound, rain falling outside my window. This combination, or rather contradiction, continued for about 45 minutes of snooze button indulgence before I finally gave in and threw back the covers to start another day.

It's still pretty wet and dreary out there, so I am content to revel in our weekend at least a little longer. So then, let's do a recap of sorts, shall we?

Friday was one of those days when you look up at the clock, notice it is after 3pm, and realize that you've yet to have a sip of water or a bite of food apart from your morning bowl of cereal. Work was a blur of conference calls and urgent deliverables and the day flew by at warp speed as a result. Suffice it to say I was more than ready to head out for a quick dinner and a movie date when Husband made his way home from the 'burbs.

Dinner was a major hit while the movie was an equally major miss - you can't win 'em all, right? We see a lot of movies at Casa Carretta - we typically visit the theater at least once per weekend, sometimes twice (and on rare occasion, three times) - and I have to say that this was the first movie I've ever deliberately walked out on. I expected a scary, perhaps borderline slasher film, but I did NOT expect a very disturbing and dark portrayal of life in the deep South. I also did not expect to see Vampire Eric - who even though pretty garish and dark on True Blood, is an all time favorite character - in a role so awful that I may never be able to look at him, or enjoy his performances, in the same way again. Obviously, I'd recommend skipping this flick and the hauntingly disturbed feeling that follows you out of the theater. Moving on!

Saturday involved running and retail therapy and fur baby playing and reading, and I am happy to report that my Fall "must-have" list is getting shorter all the time. This has been perhaps my best season to date in terms of making strategic purchases here and there to give my closet a little "kick." Now I just need to stop procrastinating the big seasonal overhaul so I can organize and actually see what I'm working with. Next weekend, perhaps?

We had a shared sushi craving on Saturday, so we visited the old neighborhood for spicy tuna and flaming maki before attending our first ever at-night baby shower. Is this a new thing? I'm not sure if it is a trend or a one-time happening, but I actually quite liked it. No silly games, no cliche anything, just friends catching up over appetizers and wine, and a little oohing and aahing at tiny pink things sprinkled throughout as gifts were opened and advice was exchanged. Oh, and I made a mental note to copy the mini fries for our next party, as they were beyond adorable. I'd share a picture, but I was too busy devouring them to take one.

Sunday was all about the furry ones with the annual PAWS walk. It's always such fun to watch the hundreds of dogs interacting with one another, and the owners enjoying each others company and trying (sometimes in vain) to control the larger pups of the bunch. Our guys are hesitant at first, preferring to be carried until the crowd thins out a bit, but then they embrace it fully, walking along and pausing for treat infused photo-opps along the way. This year the sky opened up and dumped rain on us about halfway through, so it made for a bit of a muddy and sandy mess, but we had fun nonetheless and were so happy to contribute to an amazing organization while enjoying the day lakeside with our favorite furry munchkins.

And now, the hunt for the perfect fur baby Halloween (or Bow-Wow-Ween as we refer to it) costumes!

Hope you had a lovely weekend too, friends.

Weekendings: Best When Water-Filled

It seems as though life might interfere with our annual 4^th of July plans at the lake, and so we made a last minute decision to head there for a relaxing weekend. I had taken Thursday and Friday off work in a sad attempt to use up my vacation days before they expire, and the weather promised to be kind to us, and so we went.

Thursday evening we road tripped for the second time in as many months---just us and the open road, guided by a late-night moon, the beat of our tunes and the quiet created when each of us surrendered to the pull of our thoughts. The trip began with animated conversation and laughter as we devoured the impromptu picnic I’d prepared to avoid gut-rot courtesy of the food available at rest stops between our destinations. But eventually, we settled into that comfortable place that comes after years together, when you can enjoy silence---alone, and yet so completely together.

Friday was chilly and a bit dreary, but perfect for lakeside reading wrapped in cozy towels with a fur babe snuggled on each side. I tore through three books and adored every minute of it.

Saturday and Sunday gave us bright blue skies and gentle breezes and we checked out the lake by pontoon boat and by wave runner and by kayak. I think if I could begin every morning greeting glass-surfaced water with the left to right rhythm of a paddle, I’d be infinitely more relaxed and would happily boast well toned arms. There is a lot more kayaking in my future, is what I’m saying.

A rogue wave tried to abscond with Jack when he got a little too close as I was attempting to gracefully exit the kayak, but I quickly grabbed him after only a few seconds of furious swimming with all four paws. Husband showed quick reflexes and Hero worthy moves when he deftly scooped Cooper from the water between the dock and the boat lift where he slipped in after running a bit too close to the edge. And we also took an unexpected dip while pausing astride the wave runner to take a closer look at a new-ish house on the lake’s perimeter. A lean too far in one direction dumped us both in one quick flip, but miraculously we were able to drag ourselves back onto the seat without much fanfare.

Unexpected dips into the lake aside, it was the sort of weekend that wraps up every summer staple into the perfect package. The sort of weekend where the Sunday sads came much later than usual, if they come at all. The sort of weekend that you just want to live again and again.

Here’s to lazy days of bright blue skies and yellow kayaks, and evenings full of smoky scented s’mores. Happy summer!

The Horses of Derby

Happy Weekend!

I know that I still owe you the final few stops from our Italy trip as well as our Derby fun from last weekend. I am working on all, and will post them in short order, I promise.

But in the interim, best wishes for a happy weekend. I'm powering through my workday with my trusty Friday office mates and the gorgeous peonies I picked up last week that are still going strong. I've always loved peonies, but they are currently making a run for the title of my very favorite flower. Aren't they stunning?

We're getting organized this weekend, attacking closets and drawers and any excess space that is enabling clutter. No area will escape my wrath and by Monday, we'll be fully ready to (finally) transition into a new season at Casa Carretta. I'm hoping to get a little planting done as well so that our front and back balcony and patio will be spring and summer ready too.

Have a lovely and relaxing weekend, Internet. I hope it is filled with all the things you love to do and the people you love to do them with. TGIF.

Weekendings: Outside Again At Last

Our weekend was glorious, and I even gave considerable thought to making up with Chicago for good. We finally saw our old pal the sun, and temps soared well into the 80's. Our upstairs heated up quickly, forcing us to open windows and doors to beat the stifling heat. We were giddy about this---when we were home, that is, which actually wasn't much at all---and we dug through our closets to find our flip flops before heading out to enjoy our day. We went for walks, we ran outside, we sat in the sun, we ran errands with car windows rolled down, we turned our faces to the sun and we remembered the joy of spending the majority of our free time outdoors.

And, we returned to the park at last. We spread a sheet in the grass and enjoyed a picnic lunch. Jack ran and ran and retrieved his green ball and Cooper played for a bit before taking a nap in the sun.

I had forgotten the power of sunshine and a few days of good weather and time outdoors. It's restorative, and we were beyond ready. Fingers crossed it continues well into the weekend ahead.

My Windy Valentine

Hello, there. How have you been? Did you have a nice Valentine's Day? Did Cupid sweep into your home or office or car and impale your heart with his aimless arrow? I hope that he did.

We went to Utah for a long weekend, and I had my annual fix of zooming down mountainsides with sticks strapped to my feet. Snow Basin is a gorgeous mountain---as is every part of Utah that I've seen---and it features breathtaking peaks and sweeping views of valleys and lakes and other assorted outdoorsy fare at every turn. As I exited each chair lift or gondola, I caught my breath at the sheer beauty of the place. And once, I caught my breath at my own stupidity: it appears I was so obsessed with my surroundings, that I failed to notice I was willingly loading myself onto a chair lift that would deliver me at the top of the "expert only" mountain. I have skied a lot of mountains in my day, and "expert only" means different things in different places. At Snow Basin, it means precisely what it says. An alternate title might be "turn back now, April, for you have no business being up here. None whatsoever."

Several very tense heart-pounding-in-my-ears moments later, I had made my way down the steepest section of the mountain and was able to exhale at last. From there, I stumbled upon the most amazing, wide-open snow bowls I've ever seen. I was essentially alone up there, seeing maybe 10 skiers during the entirety of my ascent via chair lift, anxiety ridden survey of my surroundings at the mountain's crest, carefully negotiated descent down STEEP terrain and continued coasting along the remainder of my chosen trails. As always, music kept me company (and likely also prevented panic), and those hours on that particular mountain were exhilarating and freeing and the best form of stress relief I've experienced in a long time.

Up the chairlift I went, ducking my head against the wind, and then down the mountain I zoomed, grinning like the proverbial cheshire cat, oblivious to the whipping wind thanks to my helmet and goggles, reaching the bottom and stopping at last, laughing and panting and groaning at the burning in my thighs and knees.

I saw dogs everywhere, watched tiny, well-bundled children navigate those expert hills as if they were born doing it, which I guess they actually kind of were. I sat with my husband on a sun drenched deck and enjoyed a cold beer and fine people watching. It was so lovely to reacquaint ourselves with the sunshine, and it immediately prompted Spring fever to set in with a vengeance. 

Yesterday, we traveled home and scooped up the fur babes, who we missed terribly. And we celebrated Valentine's Day over takeout Italian food and yummy wine in the candlelit glow of our living room. It was our fourth Valentine's Day as a married couple, probably our eighth or ninth as a couple, but every single year, I think to myself "this one was my favorite."