Thanks to the groundhog, we have at least another five weeks of winter ahead of us. And we also have a depressing snow record in the works here in Iowa (it's growing every day). For this very reason, Mr. Shaf and I couldn't have been happier about the timing of our miniature mental-health vacay to Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

We met up with my college friend Brie, her husband Ryan, plus Ryan's brother, Keith, and his wife Amber. For four wonderful days, the six of us soaked up the sun, ate the local guac, felt the sand on our feet, and let relaxation set in. It was muy bien!

Me and Brie with a guy wearing some scary warrior-type outfit.

All the couples on the downtown Playa beach. We called ourselves the Playas.

Our trip to the Mexican Walmart was quite the experience!

Dinner at our favorite restaurant of the trip - Ajua Maya. We had yummy Mayan barbecue!

And ... there's no place like home?

The Super Crock made its debut this weekend. Chris' mom gave us the mother of all slow cookers for Christmas this year - it's a 3-in-1 buffet style crock, perfect for situations like the Super Bowl. So it was appropriately released at Laura and Mike's Annual Super Bowl Party Extravaganza! Super Crock was filled with meatballs, queso dip, and buffalo chicken dip. She received all kinds of nice comments from people admiring her ability to take on multiple projects at once. Thanks Kathi! Super Crock was a hit!

Last night we attended the first ever RAGBRAI Route Release Party. Our good friends Bob and Penny came down for the day to attend the party with us. It was a great evening to celebrate cycling in Iowa and the fabulous history of RAGBRAI - and we all got free jerseys out of the deal. We voted on the overnight towns and ended up getting 4 out of the 8 correct. Penny and I even had our photo in the Des Moines Register!

We can't wait to ride this summer. We hope you'll join us! Here are the overnight towns this year:

• Sioux City
• Storm Lake
• Algona
• Clear Lake
• Charles City
• Waterloo (whoopeee!)
• Manchester
• Dubuque

 Jessie Shafer, 29, of Des Moines, and Penny Gerholdt, 39 of Cedar Falls drop their raffle tickets in a box labeled Rock Rapids indicating they think the RAGBRAI route will stop there this year during the RAGBRAI route announcement party Saturday night at Hy-Vee Hall in downtown Des Moines. 

We just completed our "senior year" of marriage, and it was a tenure I'd repeat again and again.

Frequent readers of this blog should know by now that I love my hubby. He's my favorite thing to talk and write about. After four years married and a total of 12 years together, I feel so lucky to call Chris my husband and best friend. 

We started our 4th anniversary with chocolate chip pancakes, then we met for lunch at a fun restaurant downtown, then we had dinner at one of the oldest Italian restaurants in Des Moines. In other words, we kind've pigged out all day!

Remember the birthday plate tradition? Well, this time it was Chris' turn to feast, and this is what he ordered up:

• T-bone steak (I got him a big daddy 12-ouncer and sauteed some onions and mushrooms, too).
• Mashed potatoes (I made garlic mashed potatoes, let them chill, then rolled little balls of potatoes in seasoned panko, then sauteed them to crisp the outside and warm the potatoes. These are called croquettes, and they are AMAZING!)
• Pesto green beans (He didn't order these, but I threw them it to get something green on the plate.)
• Good beer (I picked out a Samuel Adams dark seasonal)
• Mint chocolate chip ice cream (This I purchased and topped with some fun sprinkles)

I'd say that he liked it!

Once in a Blue Moon

Then, for New Year's Eve the following night, we welcomed Laura and Mike to town for the Blue Moon Ball. We got all dressed up, downed some fancy appetizers, enjoyed a steak & lobster dinner, drank a champagne toast, and quenched our thirst with lots of Blue Moon beer! We totally missed the ball drop but we recreated it at our table just a few minutes after midnight, so it was all good. 

P.S. We won't have another blue moon on New Year's Eve until 2028!