❄️ January 2025 – Frigid Ovary 🥶

As the title says, here in Minnesota it’s so frigid cold ❄️🌬️ I didn’t realize my ovary was already sending me signals — the tumor growing inside me quietly preparing to thaw 🩺🌡️ sometime soon.

🗓️ January 10, 2025 - ❄️ Friyay Feels in the Frozen North

It was so cold 🥶, and I was getting antsy working from home while the chill outside made everything feel frozen. Going out seemed out of the question… yet our friends’ group chat was buzzing with plans — ice maze, ice palace, snow sculptures… you name it. ⛄❄️ Just pick one!

You’d think that in this frigid weather no one would want to leave the house. But nope — we’re Minnesotans! 💪🧣 First on the list: celebrate Friyay! 🎉 We decided on one of our favorites — Kyuramen, the cozy Japanese spot in Eagan. 🍜

After parking the car, I remembered how much of a struggle it was to get out — shortness of breath, my belly area feeling tighter under my snow jacket, and that uncomfortable squeeze from the cold. 🧥 Still, once inside, we had such a great time chatting about random things and sharing laughs over warm bowls of goodness. 🥢💬

I tried to enjoy my meal, but after just a few bites I felt full (and no, I’m not on a diet 😅). I even made two trips to the bathroom before we left. 🚶‍♀️

 January 11, 2025 – Breathless in the Mansion (Literally)” ✨🏛️

I got tickets for Mike and me to visit the James J. Hill Mansion, and we arrived around noon. I’m always amazed when we stroll along Summit Ave in St. Paul — the mansions are massive, with such stunning architecture! 🏰

We parked outside the Cathedral, and just walking through the mansion gates felt magical. ✨ The wood paneling, intricate carvings, grand fireplaces, elegant rooms, and dining areas were absolutely beautiful. We also watched a short film about the life of James Hill — how he amassed his wealth and built this incredible home — which was fascinating. 🎥📜

Mike enjoyed the tour too and found James Hill’s story especially interesting for that era. As I walked up the grand staircase, the massive mosaic window and sparkling chandelier took my breath away — quite literally, since I ran out of breath climbing the stairs and made two bathroom trips during the visit. 🚶‍♀️💨

After the tour, since we had parked across from the Cathedral, Mike and I decided to step inside. Another breathtaking sight — the soaring ceilings, intricate details, and sheer scale left me in awe. ⛪ Even though it was freezing outside, it felt wonderful to spend the day out and about, soaking in such remarkable architecture. ❄️💙

❄️🔥 “Frost, Fire & a Side of Snow Pants” – January 17, 2025

Our group chat has been so busy lately that I got completely confused when Luisa called asking for directions to the Ice Palace. I thought she was talking about the one at Viking Lakes, not realizing this was at the State Fairgrounds — oops, I clearly wasn’t following the conversation. 🙈📱

Mayet, Randy, and Luke picked me up, and I called Luisa again to make sure we had the right address this time. During the car ride, I felt so uncomfortable — my belly already felt big. I thought, maybe I’m just bloated because my period is near, but since January I’ve only had light spotting. I brushed it off as pre-menopause stuff and kept it moving.

When we parked, I asked Mayet to wait while I put on my snow pants because it was cold. 🥶 But the dang things wouldn’t zip up — my belly was too big! Still, I managed to squeeze myself into them.

The Ice Palace was amazing — towering ice walls, slides, and even fire blazing out of the snow. 🔥❄️ We went down several slides, explored the whole place, and took tons of photos and videos. It was literally cool in every sense.

Then I spotted the coffee, hot cocoa, and donuts — impossible to resist. 🍩☕ I got in line, treated myself, and enjoyed every bite and sip… until I suddenly felt full, almost like I was going to throw up, even though I hadn’t had dinner.

We had such a great time, even though by the end, our feet were frozen solid. 🧊👣

Ice Palace

❄️ January 25, 2025 – Stillwater Snow Sculptures

This was a pretty cool event—literally and figuratively! 😄 Mike decided not to go, so Mayet, Luke, and Randy picked me up again 😊. I always have such a fun time chatting with Luke in the backseat—he’s effortlessly hilarious and thoughtful.

Once we arrived, we were amazed by the snow sculptures from different countries 🌍. Every piece was stunning! Our favorites were the ones from the U.S. (not to be biased 🇺🇸) and Canada 🇨🇦. The ice sculptors clearly poured their hearts into these creations. It had been –29°C the day before, so thank goodness the weather wasn’t too bad. We dressed warmly and embraced the chill—it was the coolest! 🧣🧤

We strolled around, soaking it all in. Mayet and I decided to grab coffee at a cozy bookstore café ☕📚—such a lovely combo! At that point, I was walking slowly, feeling bloated, and went looking for a bathroom 🚻😅. After that pit stop, I dropped by the popcorn and chocolate shop 🍿🍫 and picked up some caramel corn and chocolates for Mike—my little pasalubong after being gone nearly the whole day 💝