The West!

Snow is awesome, even when there isn't much of it.  Mainly I like snow because that means I don't have to roller ski anymore.  That's what I kept telling myself on my last roller ski at home, where it was cold and hilly and I'm pretty sure I managed to find a headwind going both directions (yuck).  But I got myself through it (mental battle) and the next day I flew West to meet up with the rest of the SMS team in Bozeman!  It was so nice seeing everyone, and Erika's dad and his fiance were kind enough to let us bum at their house in Bozeman before we headed West. Highlights of our time in Bozeman:

Well technically this wasn't in Bozeman yet, but on the airplane Taylor Swift was the featured celebrity in Sky Magazine (BIG deal).  Her new album recently came out, if you haven't heard it, well get on it.

This dog.  This is Lucy, one of Erika's puppies.  She is big and goofy but really nice.  She sort of has a hurt paw so she has to be careful, and we have to be sure that she doesn't try to eat the bandage off. 

This was on the first run we did on our first afternoon in Bozeman.  It was COLD.  I had forgotten how cold the winter is, and I was only wearing ankle socks.  Ankles were not pleased.

This.

The HUGE teddy bear from Costco, where everything is bigger.  And where pictures are not allowed as we found out later.  Whoopsies.

This.

Other highlights of Bozeman not photographed included shopping with Sophie.  We went to this really cute store, both went in saying we were not going to get anything but both came out with some choice purchases.  Also we saw the new James Bond movie which was exceptional.  Although the first time we went to go see it I was the only one who got a ticket because then the movie sold out.  I felt like Charlie from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory because I had the golden ticket, but I gave it back so I could see it with everyone.  I don't see myself ever really enjoying going to the movie theater by myself. Skiing wise, we skied most days up at Bohart (where NCAAs was and my favorite place to ski), and then one day in town we did "L3" intervals.  The "L3" was more like low level 4, but we all learned about pacing and recovering at altitude, which I still need some work on.

I learned that lesson again today while doing some L4 intervals up at the Plateau in West Yellowstone.  Recovering up high is not easy, and that is a good thing to get ingrained in my mind before the first set of races.  Pacing has never really been my thing, but definitely worth trying to improve.

Turns out being photogenic isn't really one of my skills either.  Soph and I preparing to take what was supposed to be a nice picture.  Unclear what I'm doing (maybe giving a half hearted thumbs up), but it looks awesome.

I guess Erika's not good at photos either.  Super unclear what she is doing here, but needless to say she looks super intimidating, world watch out.  Erika the super snow plower coming in for the win.

I guess I'm also not that good at jumping.  Or timing, maybe both.  Part of our new strength is just doing a ton of one legged hops, and obviously I need to work on those if only to master the jump picture. This shot is awesome none the less.  At Dartmouth there is a tradition that the first snow fall of the year we do a bikini ski on the green.  So us Dartmouth girls (look Isabel is here (on the far right)!!!!!) did one in West.  We got some weird looks.

Prepping for the ski.

And now we are just sitting by the fire (which Soph sat too close to yesterday and managed to burn a nice hole in her new puffy), relaxing and recovering until the next workout (strength, which means jumps which means mehhh ouch).  Then back to Bozeman for what will hopefully be a beautiful ski tomorrow!

hugz and kissez

home!

I arrived home about a week ago, and my time here has been quite relaxed.  I pretty much train whenever I want, and because this is a recovery period in preparation for West Yellowstone and Bozeman, the training has been pretty light.  What was not light were my bags coming back from Canmore.  One of my bags was 66 pounds, and the other one 55.  But I only paid overweight baggage for one of them, and then got karma for the one I didn't pay for.  See below.

This is how my ski bag came off the plane....whoops.  At least they did a stand up tape job, I don't think anything's missing (although I haven't unpacked the bag yet so I guess I actually have no idea).

 Also when I got home I got to meet our new cat, Boss, for the first time.  Boss is mischievous, and thinks he is super cat.  He got himself stuck in the vent in my room the first night.  We used a piece of steak to lure him from his hole.  Henry and Val treat this cat like he's a real person (which is probably why Boss thinks he is a real person).

Boss in the vent

I've been a little bored at times this past week at home, as evidenced by this shot of Hobo....It's not photoshopped at all, I promise...

Meow

 One of the best parts about being home is going back into St. Paul.  I love all the little towns we've been too, but I do enjoy being in an actual city.  If not only because I love people watching.  This man had an umbrella up in the store, I'm pretty sure that's the worst bad luck you can ever wish upon yourself.  But he' probably enjoying a fabulous dessert, because this place (Bread and Chocolate) has the best desserts ever.  I had a snicker doodle cookie. It was good.

Bad luck for life

The worst part about getting old is not being able to trick-or-treat (or if you do it is awkward because you know every person is wondering what you are doing).  And the worst part about Halloween at our house is that we rarely ever get any trick-or-treaters.  I don't think there are even any more kids in our neighborhood, and Val left us to go trick or treating with her friends in St. Paul. So, naturally, I made grilled cheese. With jack-o-lantern faces.

Halloween dinner! Jack-o-lantern grilled cheese with blood (tomato soup).

 In lower school, coloring was probably my best skill (self call acknowledged). The grocery store always gives out Halloween coloring pictures, and while I may be too old to trick-or-treat, I am never too old to color.

In addition to coloring to use up some time, I also went through a whole bunch of pictures I found from back in the day.  A selection of my favorites...
Flashback Sunday:

Ghosts (or a princess and a Dalmatian) of Halloween pasts.

I used to take serious advantage of the fact that Henry was younger than me by 2 years.  For example, we used to play monopoly together and I told him I was the banker, and therefore I had all the money in the bank.  He would run out of money really quickly, and I would not only get all his money but keep all the money in the entire game.  I also used to lick the oreo filling and then put the cookies back together and give them to Henry.  It took him quite some time to realize that most oreos have filling on the inside.  Sorry Hen.  Or in this pictured instance, I made him play dress up with me.  And hold my purse.

I think this picture was for my Aunt Charlotte's wedding.  All I remember from the photo shoot was that Val was being a little sassy (although she looks really cute and happy in this picture, trust me she was not like this for all of them).

So today I have a long run, and then tomorrow is off!  I think I'm going to the big Mall of America with my mom, so that will be an adventure (and maybe a level 1 workout).  And then to Bozeman on Friday!  I miss my SMS buds and can't wait to see them!!!!

hugz and kissez