TRISTEN ANN

Adjusting to colder weather was not easy. I never thought I’d miss sweating on a daily basis, but here we are. I was so excited to fly back to the States, especially because my mom was waiting for me. She came up north to visit for a few weeks so we could soak up the last bit of good weather before winter fully set in.

We kicked things off with a road trip, because after six months on the back of a scooter, I was more than ready to be behind the wheel again. We headed north into Michigan, hiking around Ottawa National Forest, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, and Potawatomi State Park. The aspen trees were at peak season—highlighter yellow—making the forests glow in the sunlight. Chipmunks and squirrels were busy gathering their last supplies before winter hibernation, and the air was perfectly crisp, creating ideal hiking weather.

Along the way, we chased waterfalls, including Manabezho Falls and Great Conglomerate Falls, and spent time soaking in the beauty of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. Since tourist season had long passed, we had these stunning places all to ourselves—quiet, peaceful, and exactly how we like it. One morning, we woke up to thick fog that turned our drive into something straight out of a twilight dream.

As the colder weather crept in, we made our way south to hike at Devil’s Lake, where we met up with Alaric to celebrate his 25th birthday. What we didn’t expect was a full-on ladybug migration. Hundreds—maybe thousands—of ladybugs gathered everywhere to find shelter for winter. We could barely walk without worrying about stepping on one. Fun fact: “ladybugs” were originally called ladybirds in the UK, and Americans later popularized the term “ladybugs.”

After my mom headed home, Alaric and I settled into a slower routine, spending time with his family and friends, going on walks, working out, and doing a lot of cooking and baking. We started a “Shredded in 90 Days” workout program, and after the first week, walking felt optional. At the same time, it felt great to move every day and actually feel strong enough to carry the tanks I haul around at work.

To balance all that effort, we fully leaned into baking and cooking. Some favorites included butter chicken, Italian wedding soup, berry bourbon cheesecake, strawberry cupcakes, and—shoutout to my mom—sourdough bread. “It’s only four ingredients, and one of them is water,” she said. We baked nearly a loaf a day, and it was usually gone by dinner. I also got back into sketching and reading, which felt grounding and refreshing. At 27, I briefly felt retired.

I obviously had to make time to visit my bestest friend in the whole wide world, @shelby. We spent the week doing exactly what best friends do: cuddled up on the couch with her furry babies, trips to the dog park, eating way too much sushi, and going out on the town while drinking out of the most ridiculous Christmas mugs imaginable. And yes—I had to get bean and cheese tacos because breaking news: they apparently do not exist anywhere outside of Texas. I spent years away dreaming about those tacos, so finally having them again felt incredibly satisfying. One of the greatest things in life is a friendship that lasts through every phase—through every version of yourself you grow into. I’m endlessly grateful to have that kind of friendship with Shelby. Love you, dude. Until next time.

The world really is a small place, because many of you may not know this: my very first gymnastics teammate, longtime friend, and someone whose dad practically helped raise me—Rachael, along with her dad Darryle—just so happened to be in a tiny town right next to the tiny town I was living in up north. Completely by chance. We met up for coffee one morning and caught up for the first time in over three years. It was one of those moments that reminds you how funny and full-circle life can be. Shoutout to Rachael—friends since 2006—and proof that some connections never fade.

We made several trips to Chicago, not just for foodie adventures, but also for comedy shows, museums, holiday parties, and exploring—our favorite way to spend time together. For those who don’t know, I love stand-up comedy, so getting to see the Kill Tony lineup at the Chicago Theatre (which is stunning) was a highlight.

I also loved the Shedd Aquarium—I could have spent hours watching the otters and beluga whales. The Field Museum was another favorite, especially their exhibit on plants. If you know me, you know how much I love them. It was fascinating learning where the food on our plates actually comes from. Would you recognize an almond tree? Do you know how edamame grows? Chicago museums truly deliver. Highly recommend.

I got to carve pumpkins (photo below—try to guess which ones mine) and decorate Christmas cookies. I took decorating very seriously, aiming to create a cookie masterpiece, only to look up and see Alaric and his parents joyfully mixing sprinkles and colors like it was a 5yr old’s birthday party gone wild. I died laughing.

At one point, we had so much snow that we were sledding in the backyard and building a snowman that is guaranteed to make you smile. I also went tubing on a proper hill for the first time since I was about five, which was an absolute blast. Doll and I picked up impressive speed together. I even got back into snowboarding with Fred and Alaric. It had been three years, but it came back quickly—just like riding a bike.

Somehow, we also randomly got into bowling, leading to family bowling nights that were far more competitive than expected. We’re thinking of becoming a competitive team so watch out 😉 

Overall, the three months I spent in the States were filled with laughter, family time, small adventures, endless kitchen moments, and plenty of downtime to either learn something new or slowly go crazy. I’m deeply grateful for the break and for being welcomed so warmly into the family. The time flew by, and just like that, I was packing my life back into a single backpack—already eager for whatever adventure comes next.