January began under the palm trees in Florida and ended being surrounded by snowflakes in Wisconsin. After thawing poolside for a week, I needed an adjustment period to cope with the cold. Bundled under layers of thermals, I ventured back into the thick of winter and tried to build up my tolerance. By the end of the month Ian and I were enjoying long walks in the park and attended an outdoor festival. Needless to say, we got back into our winter routine without too much moaning about the cold.

Soon after we returned from Florida, Ian needed to travel to Eau Claire for work. Neither of us have spent much time exploring Eau Claire, so I jumped at the chance to tag along on this mini road trip. We stayed at a quirky boutique hotel, The Oxbow, and took an evening trip to Leinenkugels. Our drive home took longer than expected due to a snow storm, but I was grateful for the time we were able to spend together.

The rest of the month was spent with Mother nature playing games with us. One day all the snow would melt under a heat wave, then the next day we would be under a winter weather advisory. In years past, my heart would sink when I woke up to snow. This year I’ve made a conscious effort to embrace the cold and get outside. Having this mindset has led to magical walks in the woods, snowball fights, and enjoying the first outdoor festival of the year – Mittenfest!

January was definitely a busy month, but I’m glad we were able to kick off 2018 with so many wonderful memories!