A year ago, Rob was getting ready to make the move to Minnesota and we had no idea what to expect. We knew it would be cold, and we knew there'd be snow, but I don't think we had any idea how much of a different world it would be from Virginia. He packed his things and went, and I immediately began romanticizing the thought of living in a strange city together, with a new climate and considerable lack of familiarities.

Now that I am here and away from my friends and my family, there are certainly days that feel lonely for us. But last weekend, I walked out onto a frozen Lake Harriet and stood there, looking around, trying to comprehend that what I was standing on was not earth, but water. I felt equal parts excitement and fear, and soon was just overwhelmed with complete gratitude for the opportunity to be here right now.

Until Minneapolis, there has never been a time in my life where I have found myself in a completely unfamiliar place doing completely unfamiliar things. Before I left, I thought I would be afraid, but now I'm here and I'm not.

So why don't we go somewhere only we know?--

Those were the words that comforted me in the six months that Rob and I lived in different time zones, where he was alone doing his first winter and I dreamed of snowy roads and an unfamiliar city waiting for me. I wrote them down and sang them and prayed that this new life of ours would become exactly what we wanted it to be.

We've had some family come to visit us here, but sometimes it feels as though we haven't shared Minneapolis very much with the people back home. It really does feel like our place--the city where we lived as an engaged couple, and the first place we'll live as newlyweds. Our favorite coffee shops and restaurants and lakes are just that--ours. One day we will move on and go somewhere new, but we'll always have Minneapolis.

Photo credit: V.A. Photography

[A favorite shot from our trip to Wild Rumpus over the weekend.]

Watching Weeds. I don't know, you guys. It's entertaining, but a lot of the time it annoys me. I'm excited that Girls has started again, and I want to catch up on Downton Abbey. And I'm beyond excited for a new season of Game of Thrones this spring. 

Thinking about how hard it is to balance everything. I recently started a part-time job but with training it's been closer to full-time than I had anticipated. I'm thankful to be working right now but I really had a good routine going and I just can't seem to fit blogging, exercise, reading, cleaning/doing laundry, and cooking dinner into one day anymore. I guess I didn't realize how much time I was putting into my blog and other creative projects these past few months. I need to get more organized.

Listening to the soundtrack from Rent a lot. I usually watch that movie once a year but I haven't seen it in a few, so I've been listening to it when I run on the treadmill lately.

Reading hardly anything. I want to read more in 2014 and actually have a list ready to go, but sometimes I'll start a book, put it down, and not pick it up again for weeks. It's a bad habit and it irritates me, but seriously The Hobbit might always be known to me as the book I just couldn't finish.

Loving winter in Minnesota. I love the snow and I love the cold and I love that life here doesn't stop because of the weather. Ask me again in April, though, and maybe I'll have something else to say.

Drinking so much lemon water. Every morning I drink a big mug of hot water with lemon, and then throughout the day I've been really good about keeping my water bottle full. A few slices of lemon definitely make water a little less boring.

Eating almond butter with coconut oil every night as a bedtime snack. Sometimes I'll dip apples or celery in it, but most of the time I just eat it with a spoon. My favorite way to have it is with a sliced up banana.

Missing Rocky so much. I can't believe it's already been a month since he passed away. He was just the sweetest dog.

Looking forward to Alt Summit next week, my brother's visit to Minnesota in February, our fifth anniversary in March, closely followed by my bachelorette weekend in DC, a Roanoke bridal shower and marriage license pick-up in April, and of course our wedding at the beginning of May! These next three and a half months are going to be pretty spectacular.

What are you up to currently?

As always (even though it's been a while!), thanks to my sweet blog-friend Dani for inspiring these posts.

I've been a little busy (and so not feeling creative) these past few days, so today I wanted to share some pieces I've written lately for The Eighty Twenty. This magazine has been such a pleasure to work on and it's really exciting to see such positive response from our readers. I hope you've been enjoying it as much as we have.

On Love and Makeup-less-ness

Tips for Staying Paleo (ish) When You're Under the Weather

Tips for Managing Stress

Let's Talk About the Diva Cup

How to Peel a Pomegranate