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Well.  May, June, July you sly little bastards.  You sure snuck in and out without so much as a hello or goodbye!  It's been a while, ol' blog.  Here's a quick { yeah, right.  lengthy } recap of what's been going on in my little neck of the woods!

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I've been baking.  A lot.  This is new territory for me.  I can throw together a Thanksgiving dinner for 13 and barely break a sweat, but ask me to bake muffins / a cake / cupcakes and I tend to spiral out of control.  The thing about running a bed and breakfast is...people expect { rightfully so! } freshly baked goods.  I'm too frugal to go out and buy pre-made muffins / scones / sweet bread every week, so it leaves me with one option, and one option only.  Baking these baked goods myself.  Thankfully I was at my parents house a few weeks back and I was able to get several recipes that my mom made all throughout our childhood.  This has helped me get over my fear of baking because I know what they are supposed to taste / look like so I have a pretty good idea if I'm navigating through the recipe okay.  Scones though?  Uncharted territory for me.  But I loved making them!  I am working on perfecting my bagel forming technique, which you won't find us Madfields upset about.  I've made 3 batches of bagels in 7 days  { enter oinking noises here }, though many of those bagels were used for breakfast sandwiches and served to our guests so technically we haven't ate three batches of bagels.  Technically.

I've been going to LiftUp.  A lot.  LiftUp is our main thrift store in Steamboat and I was afraid of it for the first 12 months I lived here.  Why was I afraid of it?  I'll be frank.  It's a smaller building with tight congested corners and to be honest, more often than not smelled like a giant fart.  However - a few months back I needed to find a few little things for the b&b and refused to pay inflated Steamboat prices in buying these items new, so I took a stroll through LiftUp and hit the jackpot!  I've continued hitting the jackpot week after week since then.  The way I justify this { mostly } weekly visit is that seeing how we've just moved, I will find one or two things I want to get out of the house and donate and oh ok while I'm here dropping these things off I suppose I'll take a stroll through the retail side.  It's ridiculous justifying spending $25 on several boxes of items { they often have 50% off all item specials } because it's been a really fantastic way of filling up our new unfurnished home, which is more than double the size of our last furnished home btw, on a budget.  The second to last time I went, the cashier said "Oh my.  Well don't you have quite an eclectic group of items?"  I wasn't too sure how to respond to that comment, so I just didn't say anything at all.  For being a small establishment, I really have been finding some fantastic finds that add the perfect touch of decor to our home.

I've been drinking iced coffee.  A lot.  What is my method for brewing iced coffee you ask?  It's quite scientific, actually.  I simply bring home the leftover pot of coffee from the bed and breakfast most mornings and pour what is left in the glass pitcher in our fridge that has been designated our iced coffee pitcher.  Sometimes it's with a little cream and sugar.  Sometimes with some Kahlua but mostly just straight coffee and ice.  I chuckle now at Beth 8 months ago who would toy with the idea of giving up coffee and/or having just one cup of coffee each day because Beth now essentially drinks bottomless coffee on the mornings that she works the breakfast shift.  Cooking breakfast for groups morning after morning, I knew it would be easy getting into the routine of making just a little extra frittata or baked french toast to reserve for myself...but I also knew it would add { haha - when I first typed that I accidentally typed ass.  Quite fitting. } up quickly and I would have to kiss my jean size goodbye.  I've gotten into the good habit of just snacking on the fruit if I'm hungry in the AM's, then eating a more balanced and healthy breakfast once I get home.  But coffee?  All bets are off.  There are some mornings where I'll admit to drinking half a pot of coffee before the guests even get out of bed.  Soon I will work to correct that habit, but it's really the furthest thing from my mind right meow.

I've been eating watermelon!  A loooooot!  As in averaging buying one watermelon a week....and Hunter doesn't snack on it nearly as much as I do.  I can't even help it though - I feel like City Market's watermelon's are especially good and juicy + sweet this year and I won't even apologize for it.  When we lived in Washington, fresh watermelon juice with lime was my go-to afternoon drink.  I continue buying watermelon and limes with the intention of making that juice again but sadly both ingredients don't last in our house long enough to hit the juicer.

Mixing our own night caps.  A lot! { hence the limes disappearing before it's time to make juice }....well not a lot because it is quite rare that there are a lot of evenings where Hunter isn't on call or I don't have to wake up at 6am the following morning.  But I declared the summer of 2015 as the Summer of the Night Cap.  We are such beer + wine drinkers that it's really all we've ever kept in our house.  When we moved into our new place we had the perfect spot for a little bar, except the only liquor we had to put on the bar was a nearly empty small bottle of Absolute Vodka and Sailor Jerry's from when I made homemade spiked apple cider last winter.  To remedy this "problem", we made a few trips to the liquor store to stock up on various liquors and have been having fun coming up with different night cap drink recipes.  We typically bring the dranks upstairs to the bedroom and just sit with the windows open and fan on high chatting about our days and the week ahead.  It's a new routine for us and I'm totally loving it.  We've been making Manhattans { and have seriously stepped up our game per Hunter's suggestion on what we use for Manhattans.  I'd been doing it the poor girl way of using Bullet Bourbon with a little maraschino cherry juice, but now we have bitters and vermouth and I will admit they taste far more authentic. }, White Russians, G+T's, mojitos { with the massive amount of fresh mint we grow at the b&b }, vodka sodas - the list goes on!

I've been making lists!  A lot.  Holy heavens, so many lists.  It feels like there are endless things to keep tabs on lately, all b&b related, between schedules, both cleaning and breakfast, menu planning, grocery lists, to do lists, guest check ins/outs, social media lists etc.  My life is one big piece of paper right now and secretly?  I love it.  I've always loved running errands and grocery shopping, which sounds strange when I type it out, but I really do.  I tried a system of list making on my phone to save paper, but I couldn't keep everything straight so I'm finally using up some notebooks I've had for a few years.  I feel like I have a good system down, so we'll see how long that lasts. ;)  A lot of my lists look the same seeing how I do a lot of the same things every day - but if it isn't on that to-do list, it won't get done.  Ha!

Watering our gardennnn!  A lot!  But maybe not as often as I should.  Our landlord's son built us a garden and we've had so very much with planting and watching our little babies grow.  I've come to terms with the fact that I am that person who sits outside with her cup of coffee talking to her plants.  It is so fulfilling watching those little seeds sprout and form plants!  I remember being thrilled beyond belief when not only did our greens come up, bit I could see the shape of kale leaves take place.  Gah.  Proud parents right here!

We've been la-a-a-oving our new house!  We had our eye on renting this house for a few months before we knew it would be available { our good friends live right across the street and gave us the tip to stalk the landlord to keep tabs on when his renter was moving out. }  { Ok, they didn't tell us/me to stalk the landlord necessarily - that was something I decided on all on my own.  But we are here!  Moved in!  Loving life!  So it all worked out.  heeheehee. #stalkerrenter } and the timeline of moving out of our last place and moving into this place worked out pretty perfectly.  It's a really lovely 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house in old town Steamboat with a great yard, right across the street from a park with access to mountain bike trails which anyone who knows Hunter knows he HATES the quick access to mtn biking { wink }.  It's only about 5 blocks from the b&b so the mornings when I don't have a strata/waffle mix etc to bring to work with me, I'm able to bike to work!  The size of our house is perfect for what we need - spacious with room for guests (YAY!) with the added bonus of actual privacy when there are more people than just Hunter and I in the house.  In our last house, there was just a sheer curtain separating our room from the kitchen/living room.  Which was charming, for sure - but got a little old.  In this house we have room to spread out if, let's say, one of us wants to take a nap, and the other one wants to catch up on watching Teen Mom 2 online while indulging in the last bit of last night's ice cream.  I MEAN THAT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE.  Yeah, an "example".  ;)

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I feel like I could go on and on { shocking }, but the moral of the story is that life is good right now.  Really good.  I have an amazing circle of friends, both in Steamboat and my long-distance besties.  I have my mom, dad and sister only a 3 hour drive away now that they moved to Denver about 2 months ago.  I have a loving, handsome, driven and supportive boyfriend.  I have a job that challenges me and allows me so very much creative freedom.

 

Ketchup!

Well hello there friends!  Let's play a little game of catch up, shall we?

My day to day looks so very much different than it did 4 weeks ago.  { Alex or Laura, if you ever read this blog I apologize for this next statement } It was so much easier for me to write + post blog posts when I had a few minutes of downtime Mon-Fri while working at my desk jobs.  I could keep a tab open and go back to it a few times throughout the day to add to the post and proof it before posting!  Now, I really only sit down to the computer is to send quick emails for the Mariposa and to read blog posts a few times a week.  I've certainly enjoyed not being glued to the computer 24/7 but of course that means this little ol' blog of mine has been neglected!  Whoopz.

I recently found Cookie + Kate which is my new favorite vegan + vegetarian Instagram account and blog!  I've made her soba noodle salad and hummus so far.  They've both tasted incredible and were easy to put together without intimidating ingredients or processes.  I want to make her west africian peanut soup later this week and her mango spring rolls maybe even this afternoon!

When Hunter and I lived in Bremerton, we had a green smoothie for breakfast and some sort of juice every afternoon, no questions asked.  Once we moved back to Colorado and both of us had one or two different jobs, our daily routine got so screwy.  Since leaving the newspaper, I have quite a bit more flexibility in my day which means setting aside time for daily smoothies and juices has been made a priority again!  Hunter has always been the smoothie lover, while I am the juice head.  Our smoothies have basically been either spinach or kale with frozen bananas, frozen fruit with some agave to sweeten it up.  I've been topping the green smoothies with chia seeds, hemp seeds and raw cacao nibs.  They have really been deeelicious!  Our juices vary but usually are carrots + apple/pear + ginger, beets + carrots + apples + ginger or celery + cucumber + kale + ginger + apple.  I've been adding more chia seeds to them because chia seeds cure all as far as I'm concerned!

It's been snowing pretty consistently since Thursday and even though I'm a little itchy for Summer, it's nice having a few days of cuddling up with tea + hot coffee again.  I know we'll be basking in blue skies and tulips soon enough, so this little snow storm hasn't phased me much.  Before this little bit of snow, we were lucky enough to have a few weeks straight of sunshine, green grass and sun-kissed afternoons.  I know we aren't too far away from having that weather here to stay!

We've been enjoying/suffering through mud season here in Steamboat for a few weeks now.  It's lovely because we finally can go to dinner without having to drive around for 10 minutes looking for a parking spot and can actually get a table at your favorite restaurant, but it's a little crummy when your job thrives off tourists and mud season leaves you twiddling your thumbs waiting for the phone to ring for a reservation!  Thankfully, I've been repainting the entire interior of the bed and breakfast, so I have been busy as a bee with that but I will be anxious to get some guests filling up those rooms again!

I really want to learn calligraphy.  Really, really want to.  That is all.

This past Monday, Hunter and I along with his entire family had plans to fly to Red Lodge for a two day, one night trip.  The morning of the flight, we had to have a change of plans due to weather.  Hunter and I were already up at the Steamboat airport with our bags packed, and did not want to have our 5:15am wake up call be entirely in vain.  We decided to fly to Grand Junction for the morning!  We had an absolutely stunning flight there - Hunter took the long way and we had quite the scenic flight.  He took us over the canyon where the Green River + Yampa River meet up.  It was incredibly breathtaking, though I'll admit flying in the canyon spooked me quite a bit!  After we landed in GJ, we took the crew car to grab breakfast and had hoped the trip would be a quick 2-3 hour trip. Welll, it turned into about a 6 hour trip due to some small (pretty big) plane malfunctions.  We were fortunate enough to be able to take the crew car out on the town again while the mechanics were working on the plane.  I was in the middle of reading Girl on the Train, so I didn't mind the slow and relaxed day one bit!  It was a really wonderful day of adventure with Hunter.  Trips like that with my love really make my world go round.

Speaking of Girl on the Train, did any of you read it?  What did you think?  I wanted to like it, I loved that it was a thriller and kept you reading more and more and more, but the plot line.  The plot line!  It reminded me so much of Gone Girl, which is another book I read within 48 hours.  At the after finishing of both of those books, I realized that I didn't really like either all too much.  Ha!  The plot line of both of them are rather grotesque and kinda foul.  I need to spend more time picking uplifting and inspiring rather than gruesome and foul murder stories.

Speaking of books!  Since painting the bed and breakfast, I've turned to audiobooks and podcasts to keep me company during my 6-8 hour long painting days.  I've so far listened to All the Light we Cannot See and I'm 80% of the way through Me Before You.  I've listened to probably a dozen This American Life podcasts.  I also want to dive into Undisclosed, Startup and The Moth podcasts.  I have 2 more bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a sitting area, a sunroom, the kitchen and potentially the living room + front entry left to paint so needless to say....I've got a lot of time on my hands for listening to books/podcasts!  Recommendations are welcomed and needed.

Did I mention on my blog that Hunter accepted a new job, too?  Hunter accepted a new job!  He's still working in the ER at the hospital here in Steamboat, but he is also working for Classic Air Ambulance as a flight for life nurse!  Say whaaaaat?!  I'm crazy stupid proud of him and how much work he's put into growing his career path.  As of right now, he's been working on the road almost as much as he's been working at home.  We are growing into our new routines day by day, week by week!

I've been working on social media for the bed and breakfast. Both the Instagram account and Facebook page aren't exactly where I want them to be with content quiteeee yet but they are getting there!  If you felt so inclined to follow our Instagram account and like our Facebook page, I would be so grateful!  Everything is a work in progress, right?  ; >

I could go on with more.  And on and on but I will hit pause on Ketchup for the time being.  I'm sure in the next few days more pointless facts will come to me and I'll feel compelled to post about here.  Plus, since I've sat down to write this post the snowfall has disappeared and the sun is peeking out!  It's about time to head out for a run and enjoy some fresh air.  Thanks for making it through this post....if you made it through the post that is.  ; >

HEAR YA LOUD AND CLEAR, WANG.

I know.
I know.
I know.

Big promises of catch-up blog posts, and no follow through.  It doesn't help we spent a week in DC immediately after publishing that blog post.  But no excuses.  My dear friend Phil is always the first to remind me that I've fallen short on my blogging promises.  Naturally it came as no surprise when I received comment in my inbox today:

Heydoyouremember when you used to give me shit for never updating my blog? Looks like the shoe is on the other foot, sucka. 

Thanks, Phil.  MISS YOU TOO.  And thanks for rubbing it in my face you have been a Master Blogger lately.  BUT, little do you know that we were supposed to take a quick trip to Lake Powell today, but because the weather wasn't cooperating I planned to use today as my catch up day!  HA!  Joke is on you!

Not really, because I haven't wrote/posted any of my catch up posts yet.

I'm going to publish this before I keep typing random words.

Ketchup!

I have some serious catching up to do on this here blog.  Some trips, some beer related news { which really, isn't that the best kind of news? }, some of my favorite charlie + hunter photos and a few things in between.  Here is a little peek at what sort of blog posts you can expect in the next week or two!

New Hampshire Trip
This post will have far too many ka's, inside jokes, stories probably no one but Amie and I will understand, but I can't wait to relive my week long trip out to New Hampshire and gush over how incredible it is to have a best friend 15 hours away, or 8 hours away { what is that I read?  Foreshadowing possibly? } and have the speed of your friendship stay exactly the same.  She's a keeper that Cmie.

Snowy Play Date
You'll get a little peek at what happens when you live at a ski area after the hill is closed up and happen to have a copious amount of ski bikes/sleds to play with.  Spoiler Alert: Someone ends the night pantsless drinking hot chocolate and playing with a toy snow cat, but you didn't hear it here first.

SRB

Why is this man, or should I say Head Brewer, drinking out of a tap handle and getting away with it?  Stay tuned...

Happy Birthday, Hunter!

How we celebrate birthday's Snowy Style { check out this party girl!  hello, life of the party! } and also Montana Style.

charlie + hunter

Some of my favorite day to day snap shots of these two little rug rats!  In this particular photo, I believe Charlie was playing the drums { foam roller }, and talking on the phone { ipod }.  

Surprise, SLC!

A quick weekend road trip to surprise the sweetest of all sweet women for her very special birthday weekend!