my wisconsin winter wonderland!

...there's never really such a thing as bad weather in northcentral wisconsin :) just different types of GREAT weather to embrace! we've had a pretty mild winter so far this year, so it's only natural to take advantage of the hoodie-appropriate temperatures - here, it's anything above zero degrees farenheit, lols - and enjoy the cool crisp air under the bright blue skies! yes, today was definitely a treat considering it has been nothing short of a gloomy season!

snowshoeing, just another way to get outdoors and inhale! i am truly blessed to be surrounded by such awesomeness year round. there's just something so humbling about the untouched wilderness that pulls at my spirit! :) it's not lucky people who are grateful, but grateful people who are lucky. om.

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas!

i'll never outgrow the excitement of looking out the window and watching the snow fall...

"the first fall of snow is not only an event,
it is a magical event. you go to bed in one kind of world
and wake up in another quite different,
and if this is not enchantment
then where is it to be found?"

snowshoeing on the wisconsin river.

valentines day just passed and although we planned to spend the day setting tip ups, we instead got stuck in the snow on the ice trying to get out there and spent all afternoon trying to shovel out the truck instead... atleast we made it on time to our dinner reservations! lols.

...like the seasons change in wisconsin, so do we as individuals. when it's hot and humid, we wish it were cooler; when it's sub-zero and snowing, we wish it were warmer. and while we do what we can in anticipation, we are never quite prepared enough for its reality once it hits.

here are some photos from an adventure taking my vday gift out for the first time; snowshoeing. pssst... it is really just walking on snow with things on your feet. for the venture capitalists out there, there's an untapped potential for grasswalking, sandwalking, even waterwalking! ;P you're welcome!

a heinritz-starr wedding!

what an eventful holiday weekend! first and foremost, big congratulations to n&j on their holy matrimony and letting me celebrate this very special occasion with you and your families. the welch center on the stlawrence campus is a stunning venue boasting some incredible views of appleton and the wolf river that runs through it... overall, it was a beautiful winter wedding and i had so much fun! 

as if that weren't enough, this christmas was also definitely one to remember! i must've been a very good girl because i was spoiled rotten, surrounded by so much love! i've been fortunate enough to meet many great people in this last year... and hearts have been opened that i'm so grateful to be welcomed in. so from the bottom of my heart, thank you and know i am truly appreciative for the crossing of our paths. seasons greetings and happy holidays to you and yours... and always remember to count your blessings!

that said, and in light of the new year quickly approaching, remember that the wrapping up of this year is not an ending nor new year's day a beginning... but a going on to making new advances with the wisdom we've acquired regardless of mistakes! let's continue to "be the change we wish to see in the world" and "write it on our hearts that every day is the best day in the year!" cheers!

snowmobiling on the wisconsin river!

a new city, a new body of water. strapped the auger, flasher and poles onto the sled and in no time we were mobile on the ice on our way to exploring this particular flowage. in the recent weeks, i've started to find myself frequenting the stevens point area more and more... and never having fish this stretch of the wisconsin before, it was nice to get a proper tour of the backwaters from someone who knows it like the back of their hand.

taking the edge off snow days..!

it's no secret i start get excited about the arrival of old man winter once thanksgiving begins to approach; to me, that means the season for snowboarding is right around the corner, and we're lucky to have granite peak, one of the best destinations in the midwest for snowboarding and skiing, so conveniently located to us.

as a girl from northcentral wisconsin with an affinity for everything the great outdoors, i've come to make my peace and you can only imagine how much better our relationship has gotten!

"...au milieu de l'hiver, j'ai découvert en moi un invincible été." - albert camus
 (translation: in the depths of winter, i discovered there was in me an invincible summer!)

 i'm a firm believer in that "there's no such thing as bad weather, just different kinds of good weather!" and taking advantage of what's readily available is exactly how i've survived winters in typical wisconsin style! in an area whose culture celebrates the great outdoors, there's really no excuse to suffer from any degree of the winter blues! after all, the snow and sub-zero temperatures take up a sizeable chunk of the year and what better cabin fever cure than to shift mindsets and instead learn to dress for the cold and just enjoy getting out and under the sun!

shhh... la vie est belle!

and once again, the seasons click. i woke up to the first snowfall of the season here in northcentral wisconsin! it's indeed beautiful :) what an absolute difference a little white makes. i even enjoyed a hot cup of homemade chicken & carrot noodle soup out there this morning, to the backdrop of big, fluffy snowflakes taking it's sweet time!

let it snow, let it snow... let it snow. oh, the beauty you can find if only eyes were closed and hearts open. listen carefully, the silence is eye opening!