Christmas in Franmenmuth, MI

My parents recently moved to Frankenmuth, MI after living in Indiana for nearly all of their lives.  Web, Alexis, and I headed to the Frankenmuth, Michigan's Little Bavaria for the holiday season.  We really had no idea what to expect, but this ended up being a nice little vacation in what seemed to be a Winter Wonderland.  Aside from getting some much needed quality time with the extended family, we also spent a good deal of time at the Kaffee Haus, ate some delicious chocolate fudge (well, I did anyway), watched a good deal of football, and managed to maintain a tough workout regimen over the Holidays.

Looking back, I believe we did a couple hundred overhead squats, several hundred pull-ups, ran at least 8 miles, and managed to complete our workouts in a globo gym, containing 1 single kettlebell weighing in at 86lbs; in a basement, with a 7' ceiling; and in a garage, with banisters to act as a pull-up bar.  Needless to say, it was awesome having my best friend along.  There were several times that "just going for a run" seemed like the more reasonable option in my mind, but my training buddy for the week helped keep me focused.

This pic above was taken on a date night we took to the Frankenmuth Brewery, which surprisingly had some of the best wine either of us had ever tasted!  We both actually found the time to read as well, which was a rare change of pace.  I took the time to read Left To Tell, while Web's nose was buried in The 4-Hour Body.  While they couldn't be more radically different in content, both books left a lasting impression.  I am sure Web will share more on his new found phenomenon on his blog soon.  I am still digesting all I learned from Ms. Immaculee Ilibigaza's story and will share more in an upcoming post.  Until then, I would highly recommend you pick up this powerful book of a woman's faith who lived to tell of the Rwandan Holocaust.

All in all, it was a great week.  I am happy to be back in the comfort of our home and looking forward to returning to all the smiling faces at school next week.  I will always miss my family dearly, but I cherish the memories we make when we are together.  2011 will be a great year for The Smith Fam, I am confident that God is working in our lives.  Happy New Year!!  I look forward to seeing what lies ahead.