I’ve got a change of scenery for my blogging time tonight…..I’m in my parents living room next to the fire place with a glass of wine. Just got done with work and came out for dinner……and their TiVo 😉 I’m hooked on the show This Is Us, but haven’t been able to watch any of the episodes this season. After we finish salmon and salad, my mom and I are going to have a This Is Us marathon. Here’s to hoping I can stay awake past 9:15!

Another perk of having a random sleepover at my parents house is having a gym buddy tomorrow morning! My mom and I are waking up early for a 5am cardio session together and I honestly can’t wait. Morning workouts really are my favorite way to start the day, I just need to get myself back into the habit of setting my alarm so dang early again.

Plus with all the social plans lately, 5am is about the only time in my day I can fit in a sweat sesh. Last week we left off my blog post as I was meeting my parents, boyfriend and another couple of friends for a brewery trivia night. We shared fried pickles (which was an odd pair with my Chardonnay). Neither one seemed to help with my trivia skills and I’m pretty sure the only contribution I made for our team was getting everyone else refills…

The rest of the week was just a loop of work, sleep and errands until the most beautiful weekend getaway in the Idaho mountains!

A close friend that I met at the beginning of 2017 (a fellow trail runner!) had a wedding in Sun Valley on Saturday afternoon. The formal occasion meant balancing a thin-strapped evening gown with the threat of snow. The bride was ahead of the game though and welcomed us all to the outdoor ceremony with a fleece blanket, personalized with the wedding details. So cozy 💕

Those aspens! Stunning is an understatement. It was the most picturesque setting you could imagine and I soaked in the mountain air. I lived in a small mountain town for 4 years during college, and I’ve missed the aspen and pine and dark clouds over peaks. It was beyond lovely.

The snow and rain held off until the couple walked down the aisle together and led us all to the reception inside a heated tent. I laughed out loud when I saw the rainbow sprinkle and funfetti wedding cake. Vanilla is too boring!

My drink of choice lately, when I feel like a splurge on something a little more fun and sugary, is a Kentucky mule. I love love love the flavor of ginger, the carbonated fizz, and the hint of bourbon rather than vodka. Cocktail hour flew by as I got to know the wedding guests I was seated with. The rest of the night was a blur of toasts and speeches & dancing to the live band. When the party was over, we decided that the party was NOT over. A shuttle took the group to downtown Ketchum, Idaho.

The Cellar is a cute little basement dive bar, conveniently only 1000 ft from the hotel I stayed at. I decided to call it a night around midnight because I wanted to take advantage of the mountain trails and get in morning run before I checked out of the hotel in the morning.

“The trails are my church” is how I describe the feeling I get on a scenic Sunday long run. These pictures have not been edited:

Obviously I couldn’t leave Sun Valley without hitting up a local coffee shop. I walked to Bigwood Bakery in downtown Ketchum for a hot coffee on my long drive home. I really don’t mind long drives by myself. I really enjoyed having time to just think and relax and listen to music and sing along when I wanted to. Idaho in the fall is a very pretty place to take a road trip 🙂

The rest of the week has been packed with plans after work, so I’m really happy to have to slow-down moment in my parents living room finally. Sunday night, my boyfriend and I met another couple and their puppy for a long walk along the river. Monday night I had happy hour and dinner with my friend Alissa, and Tuesday night I had a “book club meeting”….aka excuse to get together with girlfriends, drink wine, and talk about boys 🙂

It’s officially time for This Is Us!

Until next time,

xo, Kenz