Lately

What we've been up to during these winter weeks:

M: Working on taxes
M: Drinking coffee - A lot of it.
M: Getting excited for grilling
M: Helping others to plan their travels
M: Always researching one thing or another (taxes, budget, traveling, and so on)
M: Teaching A travel technology (ITA matrix, Flyertalk, Award Wallet)

A: Reading Under the Tuscan Sun
A: Drinking chai tea lattes
A: Finally cleaned the shower
A: Making freezer meals for when we arrive home after traveling
A: Taking lavender and chamomile baths
A: Wanting to open the windows to bring fresh air inside
A: Loving the warm sunlight that comes in the windows
A: Not wearing makeup and loving simplicity

M+A: Trying new recipes - A cooking them. M eating them.
M+A: Enjoying winter walks around the neighborhood and the snow
M+A: XC Skiing
M+A: Planning travel for the coming year (including some trips with family and friends)
M+A: Drinking smoothies and kombucha
M+A: Carpooling and early mornings
M+A: Eating gluten free as much as possible - A by choice. M because A does the cooking.
M+A:Watching the Olympics
M+A: Going to chiropractor appointments
M+A: Shopping J. Crew, Banana Republic, and Ann Taylor Loft.... at Goodwill :)

Stay warm friends!

Ten Years

Elementary Years.
Watching him mow the lawn in circles to make a putting green.

[picture proof thanks to my mother-in-law]

7th/8th grade.
Running sprints with him in track practice.

10th/11th grade.
Admiring him from afar in sports.
Watching him help others with their geometry homework during study hall.
And seeing him eat an incredible amount of World's Finest Chocolate during homeroom across the hall.

[football 2004]

I couldn't help but notice him.
His humor.
His humility.
His character.

February 21, 2004.
Our first date.
A movie with our friends, Katie and Mike.

March 6, 2004.
He asked me to be his girlfriend.
I said yes.
He asked to kiss me.
I said yes.

[prom 2004]

Little did we know or dream then, about where we would be now.
Ten years later.

[golfing 2005]

[Jennifer Bishop Photography 2013]

All of those letters wrote in the early years, all packed up.
And the years have flown since.
It's fun to read through and reminisce once and a while.
Young love.

[2007?]

Our friendship has grown.
We are thankful.

[2009]

Thankful for the years pre-marriage to grow in friendship.
And ever so thankful for the years, love, and adventures that have followed.

[fall 2009]

[March 2010]

"Very soon the shadow will give way to reality. The partial will pass into the perfect. The foretaste will lead to the banquet. The troubled path will end in paradise. A hundred candle-lit evenings will come to their consummation in the marriage supper of the Lamb. And this momentary marriage will be swallowed up by life. Christ will be all and in all. And the purpose of marriage will be complete."

"To that end, may God give us eyes to see what matters most in this life. May the Holy Spirit, whom He sends, make His crucified and risen Son the supreme treasure of our lives. And may that Treasure so satisfy our souls that the root of every-marriage-destroying impulse is severed. And may the marriage-watching world be captivated by the covenant-keeping love of Christ."

-John Piper

Sea Caves

Yesterday, we left at 5:30 a.m. and drove north to see the sea caves at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The last time the sea caves were accessible in the winter was five years ago (2009), but thanks to the cold temperatures, they have been open for a few weeks now. 

The early morning drive to northern Wisconsin was beautiful. 

The entry point to the caves is off Highway 13 at Meyers Beach.

We did some research ahead of time and knew to arrive early to avoid the crowds. The sea caves have become quite popular in the last couple of weeks. We arrived at about 8:50 a.m. and got a prime spot on the highway. According to the Apostle Island National Lakeshore Facebook page, there were 8,500 visitors to the park yesterday alone - a new record.

The lot (approximately 50 spots) and the road leading to the lot (below) were already full when we arrived. There is a $3 fee to park in the lot, but the road and highway are free. [Watch Matt's video later in this post to see what parking looked like around noon.]

At the far end of the parking lot, there is a staircase that leads down to the lake. It is a little slippery, but not bad.

Once on the lake, it is a 1.1 mile walk to the start of the mainland sea caves.

The sea caves continue for another two miles, so we hiked the full length, stopping often to take in the unbelievable beauty of winter along this stretch of shoreline. The colors against the rock formations were stunning.

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! ... 

He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes. 

He casts forth His ice as fragments; Who can stand before His cold? 

He sends forth His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow. 

Psalm 147:12-18

"All that looks like reality to us is dependent on God. 

There is creation and Creator, nothing more. 

And creation gets all its meaning and purpose from God." 

-John Piper

If you have a chance, go see these sea caves. They are absolutely incredible. Just make sure to call the ice hotline first before making the trip (715-779-3397 ext. 3).

We left just before noon, and it was amazing to see the parking situation on Highway 13. Matt took this video.

It had been a few years since our last stop in Bayfield. Even in the winter, this small, friendly town did not disappoint. If we had more time, we would have drove on the ice bridge over to Madeline Island. Instead, we settled for coffee/espresso/chai at Big Water Coffee Roasters and lunch at Maggie's Restaurant. We needed energy after the 7 mile hike and for an afternoon ski.

The day ended with a 10km ski on the famous Birkie hills. Great way to finish a beautiful winter day in the Northwoods.