Benziger babes

Pre-COVID-19 I was a busy mom. I worked every 4-5 weekends and was traveling for work at least once a month to various conferences around the country. That only left 2 weekends each month at home and inevitably once of them we would travel to the Twin Cities to visit my family leaving only one weekend at home not working. So how would I spend it? Here was my "typical" Saturday at home when I didn't have to work or travel. Pre-COVID-19 Saturday: 5:45 A.M. - alarm goes off, google assistant says, "Good morning, Catherine." 6:00 A.M. - meeting running group behind the Holiday gas station to run along the Duluth lakewalk trail for 8 miles 7:30 A.M - say goodbye to friends and head home 8:00 A.M. - say good morning to kids watching Pokemon on Netflix, shower 9:00 A.M. - do a water color painting project in the playroom with the kids 11:50 A.M. - pack up and leave for cub scout pack bowling event at Incline Station 2:00 P.M. - return bowling shoes and say no...

Mexico City by the numbers College buddies - Katie, Annie and Cara - in Mexico City 4166 - Miles flown round-trip from Duluth, MN to Mexico City 2240 - Meters (7382 feet) above sea level is the Central Mexican Plateau where Mexico City was built 1985 - The year of a deadly earthquake in Mexico City that destroyed 412 buildings (many historic) and the   city suffered major damage due to its large magnitude (8.0) and poor building foundations because the city was built on an ancient lake bed (and is currently  buried  beneath Mexico City from Aztec times) 1935 - The year Diego Rivera completed the "History of Mexico" murals in the grand staircase of the Palacio National  building 1907 - The year the Palacio de Correos de Mexico was inaugurated  by President Diaz dropping two postcards in the bin under the golden staircase  1519 - The year Spainards (and their diseases) arrived in Mexico City. In August 1521, Hernan Cortes and the Spainards conquer...

Family pic at Big Sky, MT (pre-COVID19) Despite being a short month, February is a big month for our family. Winter break typically falls around Valentine's day (14th), Seth's birthday (18th), our wedding anniversary (19th) and President's day weekend so we usually take a vacation. For Winter Break 2020, we decided the kids were old enough to go skiing out West. I signed up for the American College of Cardiology Big Sky Cardiology Conference and we booked our tickets. Then Marit broke her leg (see January post). Writing this in April after a month of social distancing and Stay at Home due to the COVID-19 pandemic seems a bit surreal but alas, at least we can reminisce. Sunrise in Big Sky, MT Taking a quick break on a black diamond (steep) in Big Sky! Families that play together, stay together Theo got stuck in some pow-pow! View of the peak from the bowl  The "Big Sky State" is Montana's motto for a reason, the vastness of the...