back in iowa

So happy to be back in Iowa!  I have one final post in the works about our two week European vacation - but that will have to wait a bit.  Today I have to do something I haven't done in over three weeks: WORK.

Today also marks day 1 of my Fargo Marathon training schedule.  I still don't have a plan in place yet, but did manage to slip out of bed this morning for a 5.2 mile run, followed by a 30 minute weight session at the Y (NROLFW style).  Even though I am sick as a dog right now, this run + weight session is just what I needed to start my week back at work.

Another thing to check off my list is to come up with some goals for 2011 (as well as to re-visit my 10 in 2010 list).  One thing I have been thinking about for 2011 is making a move towards becoming a vegetarian. The past year or so I have dramatically decreased the amount of meat I have been eating and when I do eat it, have been trying to eat organic/locally grown meat.  Not sure how set on this I am yet, especially since I am planning on running as many races, if not more, than I did in 2010.

What do you guys think?  Anyone out there a "No Meat Athlete"

highlights from Paris day 7

Another day done in Paris.  Maddie and I headed out for an awesome 60 minute run in the morning and ran out to the Tour Eiffel (about 11.5k total).  Awesome.





Nic, although he tried, decided to stay in bed for our last full day in Paris.  Bummer - but we still have another week of vacation left, so better to fully recover then continue being sick.

Ike, Maddie and I headed out to breakfast at what promised to be a wonderful treat - Breakfast in America. Holy YUM!  A bottomless cups of Joe, thank.you.very.much!









After we had our fill of coffee and carbs, we headed to the Catacombs and stood in line for about 1.5 hours.  Clearly, this is the story of our last 2 days in Paris - lines.  However, long lines promise good sites.





People with a nervous disposition were advised not to tour the Catacombs.  A 45 minute, 2k tour of remains might freak some people out.

Catacombs were morbidly awesome.  I mean, take a look at how they laid these people to rest (for the 2nd time) - such care and attention to the design.









We headed back to the apartment to check on Nic after the Catacombs - still sick and in bed resting.  A quick lunch of, you guessed it - bread, cheese, meat and dessert, and we headed out to do some shopping and see the Arc de Triumph.





The one souvenir Nic wanted from Paris was a t-shirt from an outdoors store.  Well, we found one, but after looking in their 14 different stores spread across a 2 block area (seriously) we left empty handed.



A view of the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triumph







This is how we started off celebrating the New Year - just how we should do back home.


Maddie watching TV



Me reading.



Nic sleeping.


Ike skyping with his GF.

Back to the apartment to warm up and wait a few hours until we headed back out to celebrate New Year's Paris style!  There was supposed to be a great fireworks show at the Eiffel Tower, but it was pretty cloudy so we could only hear them...kind of lack-luster, oh well.







See the guy on the corner selling light up Eiffel Towers?  Yeah - they were all over the place!  They would shake things at you and say 1 euro buy for 1 euro.  We didn't.





A quick cleaning at the apartment and we were off to bed for an early wake up call.

Happy New Year!!

highlights from Paris day 6

Versailles.  Amazing lovely Versailles.  Yet, another gloomy cold day cut into our scheduled day trip and we decided we could also tackle a trip to the top of Notre Dame in the afternoon.  Way too cold to spend all day wandering the amazing gardens are Versailles.

This place was incredibly amazing. Huge. Beautiful.  I want just a room that somewhat resembles this house.  This green one wouldn't be so bad...





How huge is this house?  Just take a look at this fireplace - those are whole logs in there, taller than me!





The hall of mirrors where we found another lovely piece of art...



The entire P-S Family!





But again, what grabbed my attention was the details - the window latches in particular.







Way overexposed, but still a great shot.







The gardens.  You could seriously get lost in there a million times.  This is what Maddie came to Paris for.











Doing our best to a crepe restaurant - A la Cote Bretonne.



Found it!  It was such a great place and maybe the most authentic place we ate.  The awesome server who spoke English (without giving us a second glance) made our lunch very enjoyable.  The creepy French man watching Maddie and I take every.single.bite did not.



On our way back to the apartment we stopped at Notre Dame, stood in line for at least 2 hours so we could take the 400 step climb up a spiral staircase to the top.



The views were worth the wait.











Another day done in Paris!