We dragged Grandpa to an 8-year-old’s roller skating birthday party. You KNOW he loved it <3
It’s almost the end of February, friends!
To be honest, January flew by (because we spent every single weekend in the mountains, so that helped), while February has felt somewhat slow. Having Grandpa visit us from New York for the past week has been a blast, though, and helped us break up those mid-winter (I mean, WHERE IS OUR COLORADO WINTER, THOUGH?) blues.
Here’s a bit of what we got up to!
We went to check out the “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” exhibit at Center for the Arts Evergreen, and although I wasn’t sure what to expect, it was fantastic! (And free!)I definitely wanted to buy this Berthoud Pass painting!We ate lunch at Willow Creek Restaurant at Evergreen Lake afterwards, and it was the cutest spot with the most delicious food. I will be back, for sure.I mean … right?!Chris & I snuck out for a date night on Friday to Ash’Kara, a three-time Michelin Bib Gourmand award winner in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood. It was the hummus dinner of my dreams. The big girls started their ice skating lessons at the Apex Center on Saturday, which was so fun to watch!Grandpa was served up a heavy dose of Instagram advertising on the Museum of Illusions in Denver, so we went! It’s super creepy that our phones are spying on us, but also super helpful when they actually suggest fun things to do. It’s basically 50/50. I’d say plan for about 45 minutes to an hour, but it’s on the 16th Street Mall, so it’s a really fun spot to check out if you’re with visitors, anyway.Half Lotte, half Grace … full creepy!We ate at Sam’s No. 3 after the museum, which has basically every single food item that has ever been invented on the menu, as well as Bloody Mary’s the size of my head, so that was a lot of fun. The main reason Robert flew out was to watch Lotte perform the Star-Spangled Banner with her choir at the CU Women’s Basketball game on Saturday night. It was SO SWEET (and emotional for me!), and the game was so much fun, too!Makin’ friends everywhere she goes 😉We had so much fun at a birthday party for one of Gracie’s little friends at Skate City! Chris finally got to use the roller blades he begged his parents to bring with them from Australia about a million years ago, so that alone made it worth it. Emilia skipped school on Monday to hang with Grandpa at the Denver Zoo. Hey, you know when’s the best time to visit the zoo? When everyone else is at school. The new art installations they’re putting up all around the zoo are incredible!
Thanks for helping us get rid of our winter blues, Grandpa! Next up … spring break!
A very, merry happy New Year to all you lovelies 😉
It’s that time again. An introduction. A blank slate. A chance to start over, continue being amazing, set new goals, or aim to keep the old ones. AND …. it’s reflect-on-the-past-year time, too. 2025 was a good travel year, for us, with lots of love, laughs, cuddles, and adventure. Here’s what we got up to.
January
In January, Chris and I booked it to Florida for a quick 48-hours so he could run his 10th marathon. We hadn’t been away from the girls overnight in about two years, so it was really quite fun to take that time <3
HOT TUB TIME!Chris ran his marathon in three hours and eight seconds. LEGEND.I was quite proud, to say the least<3
February
In mid-February, Steph, Rosalie and Robert flew out for President’s Weekend to celebrate Valentine’s Day and Rosalie’s 6th birthday. We had such a blast!
We saw Lyle the Crocodile!We checked out the Bubble Planet Immersive Experience in Denver!We went swimming at the Apex Center!Lotte, Steph & Ro got their ears pierced!We went to the Science Museum!Lotte sang the National Anthem at a CU basketball game with her school choir!
March
In March we headed off to Taos, New Mexico, for spring break! It was a new state for the girls, and we had such a blast.
New Mexico!We stayed in the most beautiful spot!Spring skiing is the best!Pottery at the Imagine Children’s Museum was an unexpected delight.Such a gorgeous trip <3
April
I posted an ode to winter at the end of April, with highlights including lots of Lotte choir singing at fun events, art exhibits, author events (both mine and other authors!), plays, fancy tea services, tons of skiing .. and lots more!
The Maurice Sendak exhibit at the Denver Art Museum!Lotte singing at a Rockies game!The Wiz at the Buell Theater in Denver!Easter tea at The Brown Palace in Denver was delicious!Lotte performed with her choir for a festival and we got to hang at Elitch Gardens!
Madeira Island, PortugalBarcelona, SpainVenice, ItalyDolomites, ItalyNuremberg, GermanyReims, FranceParis, FranceDisneyland ParisBruggeAmsterdamIreland
As if that weren’t enough, when Lotte and Grace had their horse camp canceled last-minute, I booked a quick trip back East for the week before Lotte’s birthday! Grace was meant to come, too, but after a month in Europe, girl needed some R&R at home, which was totally fine. She’ll catch NY next time round!
Solo NY trip with my girl <3We had a lot of good food and drinks AND a lot of time to chat, which was so much fun and so different from how it usually is. My brother-in-law was a doll and watched the twins a bunch, and Lotte & Ro entertain themselves, which left my sis and myself to our own devices on several occasions. I do not take those times for granted.Lake swims!Fun at the fairground!
August
I wrote a farewell to the Summer of 2025 covering the final few weeks of our break before we were back-to-school. It included a birthday, camp, a visit from our NY loves and one final out-of-town trip.
Phew. What a summer it was!
Just a couple’a cuties at the Denver Zoo.The Frisco Bay Marina always hits. Rainbows in the mountains? Can’t beat that.You also can’t beat a National Park. This one — Rocky Mountain National Park — is near and dear to our hearts.
September
September started with a bang when we celebrated Labor Day in our own Colorado backyard. Sunshine. Hikes. Moose. Bear. Glaciers. Lakes.
Oh, Colorado. You beautiful beast, you.
Gem Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park
November
In November we hopped on the earliest flight possible to high-tail it to New York for the Thanksgiving holiday! We saw Wicked, had tea at the American Girl Doll store, drank hot cocoa in an igloo in Bryant Park, hung out with Bluey, deep fried a turkey … and so much more <3
Core memories, ya’ll.Hot cocoa and cocktails in a cozy igloo by the Bryant Park ice skating rink? YES PLEASE.Nothing beats it.
December
Less than one week after getting home from our New York Thanksgiving, we were back on a plane! This time, it was to Knoxville, for the AAU Youth Track & Field Championships, which Lotte ran with her team, the Colorado Coyotes. We were so stinkin’ proud of her, I could cry. Oh and also … how cute is Knoxville?!
Santa at the Sunsphere!SO PROUD OF LOTTE!Ice skating for the win!
And that was our near in a nutshell, friends! We had pretty amazing travel experiences and I never stop being grateful for all of it for even just one second.
I hope you all had a wonderful year … and cheers to an even better new one!
Yes, friends, this past Saturday Lotte, Grace, and two of Lotte’s friends got to snorkel with mermaids at the Denver Aquarium. It was epic. They got a behind-the-scenes look at how the Aquarium runs with a personal birthday host, 45 minutes of snorkeling in the Aquarium exhibit with fish and eels and stingrays and mermaids, admission into the aquarium, lunch and cake in their own little private party room, feeding the sting rays, and goodie boxes that were seriously stuffed with goodies.
The birthday girl in all her glory.Adults who are along for the party can watch from the top of the tank, or they can head down into the Aquarium for the views that you see in the videos above and below.Look at that cute cake! Having our own little section to eat and sing Happy Birthday was the best <3Then we ran through the Aquarium, which is always the most fun.And ended the day with a sting ray feeding.
It was the best. Chris and I (and Emilia!) had a great time, too. 10/10 would recommend for a smaller, more intimate party that your kids (and you) will never forget.
Okay friends, that’s it for now! October is chock-full of all the things (my second book comes out THIS WEEK! Be sure to follow What_Cheryl_Writes for updates on all the fun events that my illustrator and I have planned), then we head to New York for Thanksgiving and we’re rounding out the year with a last-minute, super-fun Christmas trip. More to come later, but for now … bis bald, friends!
Any weekend that begins with a double rainbow is bound to be a good one.
Happy Tuesday, friends! I hope you had a safe and fun-filled Labor Day weekend. We considered camping, then decided not to. We thought about Great Wolfe Lodge. Then x’d out the email.
Instead, we hung around home. And it was wonderful.
Besides getting caught up on lots of life (turns out, back-to-school is hectic), Chris took the girls on a couple of dad/daughter adventures, and then we hiked as a family to Gem Lake on Monday.
Chris took the girls on Saturday to Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, which was a cool, new-to-us urban refuge that has an awesome visitor center, hiking trails, and an 11-mile scenic driving route that is rife with bison!They spent hours in the visitor’s center.Hitting the trails! They saw bison on their drive, plus white-tailed deer, and tons of different birds.Sunday was St. Mary’s Glacier day! They were supposed to drive up Mt. Blue Sky (formerly Mt. Evans), but the road was closed. This was a back-up, which was a bummer, because I definitely would have joined. Not only am I so incredibly proud of my babies for hiking two very rocky miles, but THEY SAW A MOOSE. I mean, I’m happy for them. But … I’m jealous. More happy than jealous. But still. So jealous. Waterfalls! Glaciers! Lakes! Oh my!Colorado. You are so incredibly beautiful.
Then on Monday, we all headed to Gem Lake, a gorgeous but fairly difficult 3.2 mile hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. The girls did amazing! They hiked the entire time (Emilia included) with nary a whine.
I mean, there was a small whine here or there, but really, I was whining too, so who am I to point fingers.
How gorgeous is this place?!The terrain is super rocky, too, so even more reason to be proud of these ladies.We fed chipmunks on the way in! Don’t worry, it was just (unsalted) seeds and nuts. Nothing they wouldn’t eat naturally in the wild.Just a couple of gal pals 😉The last time we did this hike, Lotte was eight months old and Grace was in my belly, but I didn’t know it. Oh man, time flies!On the way back!Done!Hey, bear!
And that’s it in a nutshell, friends! It was the perfect way to celebrate the first two weeks of school and prepare to head into the wildness of the rest of the year. We booked our trip back to New York for Thanksgiving, and are really looking forward to that. But until then … bis bald, friends!
But I’m also pumped! We definitely made the most of our summer, this is going to be a fantastic school year for the girls (a mother just knows these things) AND Emilia is finally is school full-time.
Holy hell.
Here’s what we got up to the final few weeks of summer before we are in the back-to-school-grind tomorrow!
My littlest baby turned nine. Insert sob face here.She’s a nature lover, so she requested a day at the aquarium. We happily obliged. We love you so much, sweet babes.The big girls loved their two weeks at Majestic View Nature Center camp! They went on hikes, learned about bugs, went bird watching, built tunnels, did crafts. Heaven in a nature center.Loves grasshoppers.Loves grasshoppers.Loves grasshoppers. Even though this is a caterpillar.Our NY cousins came to visit!We had the best time showing them some of our favorite spots. Including, of course, the zoo!These cuties got to spend some quality time together while Lotte and Grace finished out camp the Friday they arrived. I like to think it helped bring them a little bit closer <3These two, obviously, are too much cute to handle.Here’s a hack if you have littles who blast through the aquarium and make you feel like it’s not worth the price tag: Book lunch reservations at the aquarium restaurant! They have a super cool tank with all the best fish and it’s just as good as the aquarium if, like us, you run through it in about five minutes flat.We even made it to the Frisco Bay Marina one day!The kids had the best time building sandcastles and splashing around in the water.Just a couple of flower girls.We had lunch and drinks at Outer Range Brewing, right down the street from the Marina. We even managed a very amateur photo shoot at Standley Lake <3All the ladies <3<3<3<3<3We had the best, most chaotic time. Love this crew so much.
We spent the last weekend before school started on a press trip at the YMCA of the Rockies — Snow Mountain Ranch. Since it was a press trip I can’t share a ton here. What I will say is that it was a delightful way to spend the final few days before the chaos of the 2025-26 school year descends.
Look at this cutie little cabin! Rose was my Grandma’s name, so we saw it as a sign that it was going to be a great weekend.As if a cabin named after my Grams wasn’t enough, the rainbow on the way to dinner was ANOTHER sign.We spent Saturday morning hanging out with some of the same sled dogs that drove our sled when we came to visit Snow Mountain two years ago in the winter!We went fishing! So calming …We hiked to a waterfall! So beautiful …We went tubing! So wild and fun and NOT AT ALL CALMING!We crafted. We visited Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday morning, since it was only 30 minutes away. We didn’t spot any moose, but we sure had a lot of fun trying!It was a delightful final summer weekend spent in nature.
We definitely don’t take for granted that we live in a gorgeous place in the world. We’re so grateful for trips like the YMCA of the Rockies and visitors like my sis and her crew, all of which help remind us that to be out in this beautiful world is to be reminded what it’s all about.
We’re small, my friends. And we’re here for a short time. Leave some big (but environmentally friendly!) footsteps 😉
Until next time … bis bald, friends! Welcome to the school year!
The weather in Denver has been less-than-springlike. (Well, with the exception of just this past weekend!) We’ve had snow two of the past three weekends, and it’s barely gotten above 60 degrees for more than a day or two at a time. Not that I’m complaining.
(Okay. I’m complaining a little.)
I’m just sayin’ … spring, if you ever feel like showing up, we wouldn’t be sorry!
In the meantime, here’s a bit of what we got up to over the winter.
Ski, ski … & more ski! The girls and Chris skied more than 10 times this season, and Lotte & Grace even did their first black diamond runs! I’m so proud of how hard they’ve been workin’ on their skin’ skillls <3I even managed to get out with the fam a few times, which was so much fun!Emilia completed four ski lessons this season, but has yet to decide if she actually likes it. Her instructor recommended snowboarding, so maybe we’ll try that, next.We skied with our neighbors/friends a bunch, too, which was always the most fun <3Back in January we went to a Maurice Sendak exhibit at the Denver Art Museum.It was so cool! We particularly loved the interactive elements.I love these curious little kiddos <3In February, Lotte sang The National Anthem with her school choir at a CU Buffs women’s basketball game.AND she made it to the jumbotron!In April, she sang The National Anthem with her school choir for an opening weekend games for the Rockies!Some cutie friends joined us for the game <3And we stayed at an amazing hotel for a press trip for the weekend … stay tuned for more info 😉Just this past weekend, Lotte sang in the Choir in the Park festival and we got to hang at Elitch Gardens. We had never been, and it was so much fun!This was one of the few springlike days we’ve had lately, and we were HERE. FOR. IT!I had so many amazing events for my kid’s book, “Grace Retraces Her Day”! This is me at the Junkyard Social Club in Boulder …At the St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Olde Town Arvada …Getting ready to read at a story time for My Gym …Reading to the animals (and kids!) at Lil’ Buckeroo’s Petting Zoo in Erie, CO …Reading to all the classrooms at the Kiddie Academy …And us at the 20th Anniversary Kite Festival in Arvada!I took the big girls to an event sponsored by the Boulder Bookstore where we got to hear cartoonists Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud talk about their new graphic novel, The Cartoonist Club.We saw The Wiz at the Buell Theater in Denver!We had afternoon tea at The Brown Palace for Easter and it was so yummy!Same girl. Same.We do fancy well 🙂
And that’s about it, friends. It’s been … busy. To say the least 😉 But such a blast.
I have another book event coming up on May 7th at the Boulder Bookstore. If you’re local, I’d love to see you there! Sign ups can be found here.
And now, we focus on the end of the school year (four weeks left!) and our epic summer plans. It’s been real, winter … see on the flip side! Bis bald, friends!
Lotte performed the National Anthem at a CU Boulder women’s basketball game with her school choir!
And lots of cuddles and love, of course 😉
Brought these cuties to the airport with me to pick everyone up. We took our welcoming committee duties very seriously <3Love my sisterrrrrrrrrrrrr !And Grandpa, of course 😉Lyle the Crocodile at the Arvada Center was so cute! The play was adorable, and they had a little “how we make it come together” session afterwards with two of the actresses, and then they answered questions, too. Lotte & Grace got picked to ask questions and theirs were very good ones … if I do say so myself 😉Sunday was Rosalie’s birthday, and we had a Wicked-themed party that was so fun!Emilia couldn’t come with us to the Bubble Planet because she had ski lessons at A-Basin, but she made her own fun on the bunny hill 😉The Bubble Planet was great! The girls tore quickly through it, but it was still a really fun way to spend an hour on a cold day.Grandpa, takin’ one for the team!I’m a very cool aunt. This was probably our most favorite room.To infinity and beyond with this girl <3Trippy!Lots of love in this pic. They ended with a $10/person VR experience, which was sort of annoying. But Lotte, Rosalie, Grace & Grandpa really enjoyed it!Afterwards we went swimming at the Apex Center to say farewell to swim before Rosalie and Lotte got their ears pierced on Monday. It was SO BUSY, but the girls had a blast.This ropes course in the water was a particular hit 😉We ended the big birthday with a screening of Wicked in our movie theater room. The perfect topper!Lotte, Ro and my sis got their ears pierced on Monday! To be honest … Lotte was terrified 😉 She needed lots of pep talks and cuddles, but eventually, she did it!We requested to have it done at the same time. I wasn’t sure if she had one ear done at a time that she would actually get them both pierced!I was so proud of her for working through her fears! (Ro didn’t even flinch, hah!)Just a couple of pierced ear ladies <3Paddington (which was very cute) to celebrate!
The girls went back to school on Tuesday, but after we picked up Emilia from her half-day preschool class, Rosalie, Steph, Grandpa, Emilia & I headed back to Denver and to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
I’m glad that Emilia & Rosalie got to spend a little one-on-one time together while the big girls were in school <3The Science Museum is always a blast!The ladybug was of course a hit.We stopped by the new In-N-Out on the way home, too!Grandpa said it was only so-so 😉A quick hair salon sesh at night and that was it!
Rosalie and Steph left early Wednesday (tears), but Grandpa hung out one more day to catch Lotte sing the National Anthem with her elementary school choir at the CU basketball game!
So proud of these cuties!Jumbotron cuteness!
And now, it’s back to just us. Wah wahh. We miss our family, but so glad to have these memories.
Happy New Year’s Eve, friends! With the near arrival of a new year comes my favorite part of keeping up with this blog: Reminiscing about our adventures from the previous year.
It was a good one, friends. A real good one. Here’s what we got up to 😉
January
Ringing in the New Year in Iceland!
I love this blurry photo of the five of us, chillin’ in a hot tub in Iceland the morning before flying back to the states. Rounding out our European holiday adventure (and here!) with a last day in Iceland on Jan. 1, 2024 was the perfect way to start the new year. The rest of January was spent heading to the mountains each Sunday for the girls’ ski lessons (we made an entire weekend out of it here and here!) and reliving my reporter days with a travel event in downtown Denver.
These girls ROCKED their ski lessons this year! Lotte was even riding lifts by herself by the end. (Insert Mom’s terrified face here!)Drinking booze back at the lodge was a big hit for Mom & Dad during lessons 😉Snow tubing in Frisco was so much fun!I loved heading to the Convention Center in downtown Denver for the travel expo. It made me feel like I was young again, traipsing around NYC to report on events for my editors at various mags.
February
The absolute joy of a cousin’s get-together <3
In February I snuck away to New York with the two big girls for a surprise 5th birthday treat for my niece, Rosalie. We all had the best time. The girls got to run wild, stay up late and eat an insane amount of treats. I got to see my little baby twin niece and nephew who are growing up way too quickly, and my sister and I even snuck away one night for dinner/drinks on our own. Amazing.
The best <3We love a good surprise in this family!Someone wasn’t very happy to be leaving …
Delicate Arch trail!Mexican HatForrest Gump PointMonument Valley!The Grand Canyon!Horseshoe Bend was a stunning, last-minute addition to the trip!Bryce Canyon, in all her glory.And Capitol Reef National Park, which turned out to also be such a fun surprise addition!
April
My birthday month arrived so quickly! We started the month off with a bang, heading to Steamboat Springs for a press trip that was truly a delight.
Such gorgeous snow!Lotte & Grace had the best time skiing the fun runs on the mountain! Emilia … not so much 😉 We have faith that she will get there!
At the end of April, Chris took Lotte and Grace on his first-ever solo trip with them! They headed back to New York to visit LEGOLAND! Too much fun was had by all.
I’ll never get over this amazing photo 😉I’m so glad they got this special time!Those are some tired but happy kiddos!
June was such a special month for us, as we headed Down Under for the entire month. We started out in Sydney, headed to Canberra, flew to Melbourne, checked out Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island, met friends in Brisbane and then were back in Sydney for a few days before heading home. We even had a couple hours layover in Vancouver on the way home.
What. an. epic. time.
Cutest cousins on the beach!The Vivid light show was on while we were there, and it was so beautiful!Such a special place to be. The gang is all here for Auntie Kate’s wedding party <3Canberra, AustraliaVisiting the Australian War MemorialQuestacon was so much fun!An initial Melbourne fam meet-up at Queen Victoria Market.Melbourne street art!The Great Ocean Road was so wonderful. All the beaches were gorgeous, but the 12 Apostles were particularly delightful.Dinner with my Melbourne family was such a highlight <3We even checked out the fairy penguin parade on Phillip Island!Airlie Beach, AustraliaBeach Baby in the Whitsundays. No biggie 😉Ready to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef!Gorgeous, gorgeous Whitehaven beach.Hamilton Island was a dream!We swam with sharks and sting rays!Then it was onto Brisbane!Where we had a lot of fun <3We even got to meet up with my bestie from 2nd grade — and her mom! — when we flew back to Sydney before heading home. So. Amazing!Cheers to an amazing, amazing trip <3
July & August
We made the most of the rest of our summer after returning from Australia, that’s for sure 😉
We racked up the activities after getting back from Australia — concerts, camps, visitors and lots of swimming topped the list — and before we knew it, we had a 3rd & 1st grader, and little Emilia starting 1/2-day preschool!
We saw Billy Joel and my life was made!The kids loaded up on fun camps, including this one at a horse farm where they got in lots of riding.My sister and niece came to visit!So did Grandpa and Mojo <3Some of our NYC friends came to visit for a week, too, and the kiddos went to Muddy Buddies camp together, which was adorable!We swam a bunch, too <3
September
Hello, Hamilton!
In September I took a trip back to New York to see Hamilton with my sister for her birthday, and we went to Mexico as a family on a press trip. It was one for the books.
Taking in the sights the first night I was there.Spending time alone with my sister was definitely one of the best parts of the trip.One of my many NYC happy places — Bryant Park.
Just a couple of gals, lovin’ Mexico!Gorgeous beach.Delicious food.Fun features. ‘Nuff said!
October
We very much made the most of fall in Colorado this year. We went to the mountains a couple of weekends, visited Great Sand Dunes National Park and really just Halloween’d out. It was a delight.
Frisco fall.Right in our own back yard <3St. Mary’s GlacierGreat Sand Dunes National Park was gorgeous.Great Sand Dunes National ParkZapata Falls, CO
November
Such a fun start to the holiday season!
In November we headed out on our last trip of the year — back to New York to spend Thanksgiving with our friends and family. We had so much fun! We spent time in the city (including seeing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in person and checking out the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Lightscape with friends), and upstate, with stops on the Polar Express (oh hey there, Santa!), seeing Wicked the movie and having a lovely holiday. We hope your holiday season was bright, as well!
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape with our crew.The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!Upstate with cousins!More family love!All. The. Family. Love!!!!
And that’s a wrap on the year, friends! It was a jolly lovely one, filled with so much friends and family … and travel!
We sure did manage to live it up for these 7ish weeks, though 😉 Here’s a bit of what we got up to after heading back from Down Under.
Camps!
I feel like we really hit our stride with camps this year. Rather than sticking to the same exact one, we switched it up.
Two weeks at the Arvada Center — for four camps total — was just the right amount of time. Even Emmy got to join in on the fun!Horse/riding camp at the Community Farm was a huge hit! The girls loved farm life, were obsessed with all the animals and, according to their instructor, were amazing at riding. The big girls did a week-long bike camp with Pedalheads. Lotte improved on her skills, went on road and trail rides, rode to the park and the library and just generally had an amazing time.And Grace finally learned how to ride! Turns out, with the proper instruction, she picked it up super quick 😉The big girls finished out their camp excursions with some awesome visitors <3 They attended “Muddy Buddies” camp at the Majestic View Nature Center and TKTKTKTKT. Which brings us to ….These cuties <3<3<3<3
Visitors!
We love our summer visitors. This time we were SO LUCKY because we had Grandpa and Mojo, Aunt Stephie and Ro, and our New York friends Carla, Fiona & Jake (who did camp with the girls). We sure do have the best time showing our loves around our Colorado home.
I love when my sister is here <3Steph & Ro & Gpa were here for Lotte’s birthday, which was so. much. fun!On Lotte’s birthday, one of her friends from school was having a birthday party at a local pool that Lotte wanted to go to. That made it super easy on us!Ro & Em got some quality time alone when the girls were in camp. It was predictably adorable.We went to Big Soda Lake one day, which was SO HOT, but also lots of fun!Sister <3We had lunch at the aquarium restaurant the day before Steph & Ro flew out.And walked through the downtown aquarium itself as well!Having a dog in the house — Grandpa’s Mojo — was a lot of fun, too!Besides going to camp together, we showed Fiona & Jake some of our favorite spots. That included, of course, the Butterfly Pavilion.
Miscellaneous
When we weren’t camping it up or entertaining guests, we managed to have a lot of other fun, too.
Grace’s first concert, and Lotte’s second, was BILLY JOEL at Coors Field!! How cool/fun is that?!We had so much fun with these cuties <3We spent a weekend at Auntie Moe’s where we rode the Buckhorn Northern Railroad train and visited that quintessential summer institution … Dairy Queen 😉Dad had a date with Lotte at Meow Wolf!Dad had a date with Grace … at Meow Wolf 😉Mom & Emmy celebrated her last day of camp with a date at McDonald’s 😉We had neighbors over for the sweetest little birthday celebration for Lotte <3We continued our annual tradition of testing books for the Good Housekeeping Kids’ Books Awards. So many great ones this year!I took Emilia to what was likely her last-ever toddler story time. She was pretty over it. That is absolutely the end of an era for me. I CAN’T EVEN!Tie-dying tees was a huge success!Who doesn’t love an outdoor/backyard summer movie night situation?!
And now, we welcome the next season of this year. So far, it’s been a pretty great one, and I have a pretty good feeling about this school year, as well. We still have quite a few fun adventures planned before we say goodbye to 2024, but until then … bis bald, friends.
Not a bad way to spend the beginning of October <3
Another one bites the dust, my friends! So here we are, with 2023 in the rear view mirror, and what a year it was. Travelwise, it was simply stellar. Things in the world, of course, continue to throw me (and everyone paying attention) off kilter. With that always in my mind, I continue to be forever grateful for the opportunities I have with my family to explore and enjoy what’s beautiful about this great big earthwe all live on.
So, without further adieu, here’s what we got up to in 2023!
January
Celebrating 10 years married (!) in New Zealand!
At the beginning of the year our family was still on the other side of the world. Chris and I rang in the New Year (ahead of everyone we know!) on our anniversary trip in New Zealand, then finished up our Australia visit with a trip to Chris’ families’ favorite beach, Forster. The girls got to check out the Sydney Harbor area for the first time, too!
Views from Skyline Queenstown dinner!Love you, boo!The girls and dad at the Sydney Harbor Bridge.Forster with the fam. We love you Auntie Sare-Bear!What a cute crew!
Once we were back in the states, Emilia and I packed our bags (again) and turned around fairly quickly for a trip back east to meet my new twin baby niece and nephew!
We do love ya, NY!There is literally nothing better.
We love you, Miles & Stella!The Butterfly Pavilion always hits!We also checked out Meow Wolf, which was so trippy!Meow Wolf Denver
March
My three cuties <3
In March we celebrated “spring break” with SO MUCH SNOW at Grand Lake! We stayed in a tiny cabin, walked on a lake, rode sleds off our roof and traipsed through Rocky Mountain National Park up to our knees in fluffy powder. It was a delightful (if somewhat cold) time!
Glorious lake views!Rocky Mountain National Park!Grand Lake, CO
April
Glacier National Park!
April was a big month, what with ME TURNING 40 AND ALL! We celebrated with a tick off my bucket list: A trip to Glacier National Park in Montana. She was all that I could have hoped for and more. So stinkin’ beautiful!
You can’t go wrong with a hot tub in nature!Polebridge Mercantile was an extra-special treat, especially with the puppies we played with outside!Thanks for making my bday extra special, Montana. She was one I’ll never forget <3
June
The Museum of Natural History was such a highlight on our kick-off-the-summer trip to NYC!
Right when the girls got out of school we hit the road! We headed back to one of our favorite spots — New York! — but this time with a twist. We stayed in one of my bestie’s Brooklyn brownstone basement apartments and let our family come to us! We traipsed around the city and took in so many sites (blogged about here, here and here). It was the trip of a lifetime, and so much stinkin’ fun!
Love, love, love this stinkin’ crew!Meeting up with the fam in Cold Spring was a big perk <3We love the Museum of Natural History whale!We had tea at Alice’s Tea Cup!We saw a Mets game!We went to the Color Factory!Dumbo, BrooklynBut really … it was about being with our loves <3
Red Rocks, ColoradoLotte’s first concert at Red Rocks!Grand Colorado on Peak 8, BreckenridgeSecond baseball game for the girls! Seeing the Rockies play in Denver, this time.Rode the gondola up to the mountain resort above our hotel.C Lazy U RanchIt was a memory-filled summer, indeed.
August
Meeting up with my oldest friends from elementary school in Savannah Georgia!
To celebrate the big 4-0 for all of us, three of my besties from elementary school and I met up in Savannah, Georgia, for a weekend filled with fun and walks down memory lane! We had the best time catching up, checking out a new town, and just generally cheers-ing to life!
But how cute are we, though?We took a historic tour and a nighttime haunted stories tour, both of which I would highly recommend!Just love this crew <3
September
Back in NY!
For Labor Day weekend we headed back to New York (as I was fond of saying, New York was needy this year!). My little twinsies were baptized — and Chris & I were the godparents! — and we got to see all our fam again, which is always the best. I even went back to New York at the end of September — all my myself — for my cousin’s adorable and delightful wedding.
Always reminded of how very, incredibly blessed I am <3The three littlest <3<3<3Grandpa and some of his littles.Such a fun time watching my baby cousin get married in such a beautiful place!
October
DIsneyland!Happy 40th, babe!
Oh, October, how delightful were thee! I consider October to have been split into two EPIC events — the first was our trip to Disneyland with Grandpa! and the second was Chris’ 40th birthday adventures with ALL HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY IN TOWN FROM AUSTRALIA!
Look. The joy I felt in Disney — watching the absolute love on my kids’ faces — was very, very real.Thanks, Grandpa, for joining in on the fun/mayhem!Simply the best!
We were home from Disney for two days before Chris left for a work trip to Disney World, and then his parents arrived two days after that! Little did Chris know, though, that the rest of his siblings — all four of ’em — were also Colorado bound. It was so. much. fun!
Celebrate good times, indeed!Look at this cute crew!Happy birthday babe — thanks for giving us another reason to all be together <3
December
We started our holiday season with a quick trip back to New York (yup, again!) for Grandpa’s surprise 60th and a delightful visit with our besties in the city for some holiday shenanigans!
Happy, happy birthday to the BEST Gpa!The girls saw their first Rockette show!We had lunch with our besties!Bryant Park is a delight during the holidays, even in the rain 😉
To close out our holiday season — and the year! — we took an EPIC European holiday trip to Germany and France, Switzerland, and Iceland with Chris’ parents. We visited Christmas markets, ate delicious food, soaked in a geothermal hot tub and just generally had the time of our lives.
Black Forest, GermanyBaden-Baden, GermanyGengenbach, GermanyStrasbourg, FranceThe Rhine River in Basel, SwitzerlandBasel, Switzerland City HallGlorious Iceland.Northern Lights from the hot tub!So beautiful!Icelandic horses … also beautiful <3
Phew … what a year! And now, blink, it’s 2024. We can’t wait to see what unfolds.
It was the surprise of the century when Chris’ siblings showed up from Australia for his 40th birthday!
Happy end of October, friends! I just finished pulling off a MASSIVE surprise that I’ve known about since we were in Australia in December. All four of Chris’ siblings flew out to surprise him for his 40th bday bash, and it was epic and wonderful and all the things.
After our trip out to Disneyland earlier in October, these two big events made for a super fun month. I hope you’ve all been making the most of fall and gearing up to head into a holiday season filled with love and festive activities.
Here’s a bit of what we’ve been up to lately <3
Nan & Poppa were the first of our Aussie fam to arrive, and the girls were so excited to show them around a day-in-their life!They came to gymnastics and swim lessons, school drop-offs and bus stop pick-ups. No rest for the weary!We were so lucky with the weather the whole time the Connors were here! It was fall in all her splendid glory!The grandparents arrived on Tuesday while Chris was out of town for work (which was so super helpful for me!), and the girls had off for fall break on Thursday and Friday, so that worked well! Obviously the Denver Zoo was on our must-visit list 😉It was all decked out for Halloween, which was an added delight.This bond. Just goes to show that distance doesn’t matter, if you put your heart into it.We had a picnic in Majestic View Park and took Nan & Poppa for a visit at the Majestic View Nature Center!We took advantage of the scenery to have a little photo shoot, of course.Surprise! The rest of the Connor clan arrived the Friday before Chris’ birthday party/birthday, and he had no idea. It was so wonderful <3The girls also had no idea, which was even MORE fun!I love, love, LOVE these people …I mean … they couldn’t be any cuter if they tried <3Grandpa flew in as a surprise for the party, as well!The girls don’t get much one-on-one time with their Aussie aunties and uncles, so that was a super special element of the trip, as well.Saturday was party time! We threw Chris’ 40th bday bash at the upstairs tiki bar at The Arvada Tavern in Olde Town Arvada. It was so. much. fun!People really leaned into the Hawaiian theme, which was amazing.We had food and drinks and 80s music … what’s not to love?!Sunday was Chris’ actual birthday, and he requested steak, of course 😉 So we all headed over to The Fort Steakhouse in Morrison. I had never been before, but Chris was there for a work dinner a few years ago. It was so much fun!There’s a ton of history associated with the place, and the food is top-notch. 10/10 would recommend!Love this crew <3Grace was sick for a few days while the Connors were here (a bummer, for sure, but she bounced back!), but Lotte managed to head into downtown Denver with the crew on afternoon after school. They visited the Mile-High step and grabbed pizza and checked out a bit of the city.Exactly one mile above sea level! (Allegedly 😉We headed into Fort Collins one day while the big girls were in school and, despite the weather being SUPER foggy, we took on the Horsetooth Reservoir hike. Uncle Ben even did it with Emilia on his back!I think they both enjoyed it <3Despite the fog, it was so, so pretty!Uncle Paul was desperate to try In-N-Out Burger, so we did that on the way home. Emilia thoroughly enjoyed it, as well!Our last meal with the fam before they flew home was at Jack’s, naturally.
And that was it in a nutshell, my loves. We’re so sad it’s over, but so happy we got to be a part of it at all. Life sure does move fast, friends. The only saving grace after saying goodbye to our loves was our first snow of the season.
Happy August, friends! Man, oh man, did that summer fly by! I mean, I know it’s technically still summer, and for most of the country, kids are still out of school. Here in Colorado, though, we’re gearing up for the return of the school season (TOMORROW!), and all the insanity that comes with it.
Traditionally speaking, summer has never been my favorite season. I obviously loved having the time off from school when I was a kid, but as an adult, the heat and humidity, long, lazy days … it’s just not really my thing. So, after returning from New York at the start of the girls’ summer vacation, I vowed to make this year different. I vowed to say yes. Yes to more concerts and more shows. Yes to more swimming and more adventures. Yes to being out in the (hot!) world more. The older girls would be in summer camp for the majority of the break, but I also wanted Emilia to have a stellar time. I enrolled her in swim lessons and a couple half days of camp. I made an Emilia Summer Bucket List and slowly ticked things off as the weeks went by. We took more walks, went to story times at the library and got her a scooter.
All of this is to say … this summer, I changed my own personal narrative. Don’t get me wrong. I was still very tired and had moments of absolute stress. We had illnesses and bumps and bruises and fought boredom (and each other), for sure. But overall, this was a summer for the books, and we didn’t even travel until the last few weeks of it. We made fun in our own backyard, as it were, and I’m here for the results, experiences and memories.
I hope you’re all making the most of any breaks that have come your way, as well!
Library Story Time!
The first-ever toddler story time visit for Emilia was a huge hit! We made it back a few more times throughout the summer and she walked in like she owned the place. I can’t with this little one. I simply. Can. Not.
The Denver Zoo
I took Emilia to the zoo by herself for the first time, and the way that she loved setting our agenda was a delight. Highlights included picking up dirt, eating snacks and watching construction vehicles 😉
We went back to the zoo for Lotte’s birthday because Chris’ parents got us the Feed the Giraffes Experience, and it was EPIC! So much fun!
Look at those magnificent animals!Look at those tongues!
Taste of Fort Collins
We made a trip out to Fort Collins in early June to celebrate my bestie’s Big Birthday! We went to the Taste of Fort Collins all together, and I returned later that night with Moe to watch The All-American Rejects perform.We also made our own pizzas in Moe’s sister’s outdoor pizza oven, and now we can never go back to boxed!
Red Rocks, Red Rocks & More Red Rocks!
I hadn’t been to Red Rocks as much in my eight years of living in Colorado combined as I have this season … including one more to come in September that I’m SO EXCITED FOR!
Chris and I saw the Barenaked Ladies perform at Red Rocks (with openers Del Amitri and Semisonic) and it was SO WONDERFUL! They were awesome performers, and it was really fun to relive my high school days with Chris <3I went to Yoga on the Rocks (which is exactly as it sounds … performing a yoga class on the stairs at Red Rocks!) with some friends in July. I had been once before with Chris’ sister a few years ago and O.M.G. it is a delight. Red Rocks is always wonderful, but to be doing something so calming and meditative while you’re out in this gorgeous venue in nature … it’s really something else.My baby is growing up. I took Lotte to her first Red Rocks concert this summer. We tailgated with PB & J in the parking lot and hung out until 9:30 listening to Tori Amos under the stars. It was a magical night.Red Rocks at night with my big girl <3
Swim Lessons For Em
Emilia started swim lessons and she has been loving it. As she’s gotten further into them it’s gotten harder for mom (lots more going under the water … yikes!), but I have so loved having this experience with her while I’m still an active part of her lesson. We didn’t start the big girls in lessons until they were old enough to go in themselves. This feels so special.
Junkyard Social Club
We visited the Junkyard Social Club in Boulder, a very cool cafe/play area that takes junk from around Boulder and turns it into fun play structures for kids!
Playdates, Playdates & More Playdates
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again … we got SO LUCKY with our neighborhood.
Father’s Day Delights
For Father’s Day we took the girls to their first movie — Elemental — at The Alamo Drafthouse. The movie was super cute, but more than that the experience — sitting in an amazing theater ordering food and drink DELIVERED TO YOU — was so much fun! That was definitely NOT how I went to the movies with my parents as a kid … but then again, nothing is the same from when I was a kid…We had Father’s Day dinner at Freedom Street Social, a cool food hall that opened in Arvada with lots of different restaurant options in one spot. Look at these cuties that I get to call my own … <3
Camp, Camp & More Camps!
The girls have mostly gone to camps at the YMCA, but they took a break from the Y for a week to attend two different camps — drama and art — with friends at the Arvada Center and they loved it!Here’s Grace in front of some of her artwork on display at the end of the week. My little love.
Ralston Central Park & Splash Pad
I finally took Emilia to the Ralston Central Park & Splash Pad! It was PACKED with camp kids (as were most of the places we visited this summer), but she had so much fun.I’ve so loved our adventures this summer, little one. Please stop growing up.
Touristing With Visitors
Chris had a cousin come visit near the beginning of July, and so the girls got to do some adventuring with Matt, as well.We sure do love our visitors!When Grandpa came to visit we checked out Immersive Disney, which was so cool!The girls had the best time running around and listening to some of their favorite Disney songs. (So did the adults, to be honest!)The girls even got to check out a Rockies game — on Stars Wars night, so less — with Grandpa!
Birthday Parties!
We’ve had a couple of summer birthday parties to attend, including this one which took place at Clear Creek Valley Park, a new-to-us spot that is definitely a place we’ll be revisiting. It was so cool!
Camp for Emilia, Too 😉
Emilia’s first camp! She went for four morning sessions at My Gym and had a great time! It was the first time I ever dropped her off somewhere and left and it was … hard. But I made it through 😉
The Book of Mormon
Chris and I saw The Book of Mormon at the Denver Center for Performing Arts and it was SO GOOD!Parents gone wild.
Children’s Museum of Denver
Emilia and I visited the Children’s Museum of Denver on a rainy day in the summer. Translation: IT WAS PACKED! Adventures were still had.More like amazin’ Emilia <3
Milestones & Makin’ Memories <3
This has nothing to do with saying yes to adventure, but it’s worth noting that Grace and Lotte lost a collective FOUR TEETH (two each) this summer! They kept the tooth fairy busy.Chris’ version of a “yes” summer was trying out lots of new recipes. His family was happy to oblige him in his efforts. This was the lobster roll and homemade coconut oil chips he made for July 4th. Yes and yes, please!Grace read ‘Dragons Love Tacos’ before bed one night and asked for tacos the next day. Dad made it happen 😉Don’t worry. We made sure to have plenty of down time for snuggle sessions, as well.I took the girls out for dinner and ice cream to celebrate the last full day of camp. We love The Golden Mill for its multiple restaurants and live music and festive atmosphere. It was the perfect way to celebrate a camp-filled fun summer!
Urban Air
Dad took the big girls on a trip to Urban Air, which is always a big hit.
Our Neighborhood Block Party
Our neighborhood had one of its twice-annual block parties the night before July 4th. It’s always so much fun to see everyone, especially ….All the cute kiddos <3 This is like a third of them!
The Indigo Girls in Fort Collins!
I saw so much amazing live music this summer, including the Indigo Girls at New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins with Moe and her sister. I was truly reliving those glory days of high school this summer!
Mordecai Children’s Garden (the Denver Botanic Gardens)
I took all three girlies to visit the Mordecai Children’s Garden — a separate section of the Denver Botanic Gardens — when the big girls were off of camp during the week of July 4th. We hadn’t been in years (and Emilia had never been!) and they had the best time!
Big Soda Lake in Bear Creek Lake Park
Emilia and I finally got to tick Big Soda Lake in Bear Creek Lake Park off our to-checkout list! Park entrance is $10 for a daily pass (that usually gets you in and out, unless it’s a particularly crowded day), and the lake area is so cute! The beach part is on the small side, so I’d suggest going early, but there is a great sectioned-off area for little people, a playground, free life jackets to borrow and a snack stand. Plus, you can get really adventurous and rent (or bring your own) canoe to paddle out into the lake on. So pretty … you can even see Red Rocks in the background on the other side.
Yard Sale Sunday!
We had a yard sale! Made a couple bucks, sold some of our fave things to some cute families, taught the girls some solid lessons and donated a LOT of stuff to Goodwill. It was a solid way to spend a Sunday 😉
We were lucky enough to be able to go on not one, not two, but THREE press trips this summer. I can’t write a lot about them just yet, but once the story is out, I’ll post more details. For now I’ll just share the where ….
The first was Grand Colorado on Peak 8, which was a pure delight. We got to visit the Breckenridge Troll on this trip, too!Our second stop was the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek! We’ve only been to Beaver Creek once before but we LOVED it, and this hotel was STUNNING. So. Much. Fun!Mountainside s’mores by the fire pit. Like I said … Too. Much. Fun!Our third and ALL TIME FAVORITE was C Lazy U Ranch outside of Granby. The extent to which we loved this place — and the extent to which it was incredibly difficult to only include a few photos here — was a whole heck of a lot <3Breakfast Friday morning was a real highlight …And we all (except for Emilia) got to ride horses!Am I a little bit proud of us? Why yes, yes I am.
Tiny Town
When my stepdad was in town for Lotte’s birthday, we took Emilia to check out Tiny Town, a cute little kids’ play area in the mountains that has a bunch of small, kid-sized buildings that make up a “town” they can play in, plus a playground and a train. So cute <3
Such teeny tiny cuteness!These two <3 They sure are cute together!
Lair o’ the Bear Park
Taking Emilia to visit Lair o’ the Bear Park was the final tick I needed to complete her Summer of Fun Bucket List. It was even better that the girls had the week before school started off and the four of us got to visit together <3
These cuties had a blast exploring on a beautiful Monday morning.Dipping our toes in the creek was a highlight!I love, love, LOVE adventuring with my little ladies.
PHEW! And now, the girls start school tomorrow. We’ve bought backpacks and new clothes, gotten haircuts and had our doc check-ups. I don’t know what to say about the fact that time keeps on flying. Except that I’m sure glad I said yes to this summer, and that we’ve all had these experiences. Starting the summer in New York with our loves was the absolute best, and we did our best to keep the party going all season long. It’s been a summer I won’t forget.
Happy Monday, friends! We celebrated the holiday weekend with a visit from one of my oldest friends and her husband and kids. Another one of my high school friends moved to the area recently, and this little mini-reunion between the three of us — along with my kids getting to hang out with Faye’s kids — was everything my soul needed.
Highlights included sledding in Majestic View Park, a trip to the Butterfly Pavilion, checking out Meow Wolf Denver, lunch at Avanti in Denver … and of course all the extra special bonding time. It’s sappy but true — old friends make the best friends.
It snowed quite a bit the day our NY friends arrived, so hanging in our back yard and having snowball fights was a highlight, as well.The cuteness between these two is off the charts <3Love this girl.And this whole gang!
Here’s a bit more of what we got into — hope you all are having a happy weekend, as well!
Majestic View Park Sledding
Sledding down slick hills is THE BEST!Snow cuties.<3 <3 <3
The Butterfly Pavilion
My friend Moe is not a fan of butterflies, but she faced her fears for the sake of the kiddos 😉Lotte held a tarantula ….Grace gave her a “high five”!This place is so interactive and hands-on, it’s amazing for kids.Butterflies!This particular butterfly was in love with us and kept coming back …Such a friendly butterfly!
A Day in Denver
On Saturday we headed into the city to check out the interactive Meow Wolf experience (AMAZING, if not somewhat overwhelming!) and have lunch.There were four floors (I think, it was honestly hard to keep track!) and SO MANY interactive, amazing things to check out!The exhibits all bled into each other so you spend the entire time in these realistic “worlds”.I can definitely see how it would be overwhelming for some, but our kiddos all loved it!This was OBVIOUSLY my favorite room … BOOKS!We had a big group and we got separated for most of the visit, but we all met up for the lunch after and agreed that it was well worth the trip!I told them to make faces like aliens were coming to get them.My loves <3Lunch after was at Avanti, and the weather was so wonderful we were able to sit on the roof with views of the city.
It was a fun visit with some very sweet moments that we’ll always treasure.
I can’t even <3We had a birthday celebration for Faye’s husband after our Denver day, and the mini cowboy hats were a big hit.So were the moustaches.Come back real soon, friends <3
Peak fall is happening over at Anderson Farms right now!
Welcome to October, friends! Technically, it’s been October for a while, but this past weekend was the girls’ fall break from school, so it really feels like we’re in the midst of the season now! Over the past four days we’ve really laid it on thick with all the quintessential things. We managed to:
Finally attend the Fall Festival at Anderson Farms, out in Erie, Colorado
Hit up the girls’ favorite park — Paco Sanchez Park — for a Mom/daughter date with Lotte
Get in lots of outdoor time for scootering and bike riding
Pick up some supplies from the local library for a marathon afternoon of Halloween movie watching (and, while we were there, checked out Lotte’s kindergarten artwork on display!)
Have I mentioned we love fall?
Day 1: Anderson Farms Fall Festival
Thursday was Day 1 of the girls’ fall break, and we met up with my cousin and her three cuties at Anderson Farms for their fall festival. This placewas awesome, and I have a feeling that it’s a pretty good thing we went on a weekday (tickets are cheaper on weekdays, too!). I imagine weekends might be a madhouse. But we got lucky, and on a random Thursday there were no lines for things like duck races, hay rides, bouncy castles, corn mazes, barrel rides and so much more.
I HIGHLY recommend this place if you’re looking for something fun to do with the kids!
Ready for all the fall activities!I have truly never seen such fun pumpkin displays, except for The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in the Hudson Valley.Duck races!There was a long and spooky corn maze for adults, and then this shorter, kid-friendly version for the littles.Ask me how much I wanted to jump on these inflatables?!The tractor ride out to the pumpkin patch was definitely a big hit!This cutie loved it all <3Pumpkins, as far as the eye can see!And … the best part … they were already picked! At our usual pumpkin patch (which I still love), you have to cut the pumpkins yourself, which can sometimes be tricky.Grace took her pumpkin picking very seriously.It was the first time this little one visited a pumpkin patch and, as no surprise to anyone, she rocked it!Our cute little crew.One of these things is not like the other.Chris enjoyed this ride as much as the kids, I think.
Day 2: Paco Sanchez Park
On Friday, Lotte and I stole away from the rest of the crew for a bit to visit a park that Chris had introduced the girls to, but that I had never been to before. According to their website, “the giant 1950s microphone-inspired tower heralds the horizon, but the built-in play value is what really makes this park honoring local radio DJ Paco Sanchez truly extraordinary.”
Well, no kidding … take a look at this place!
I won’t lie — the first time Lotte started doing stuff at the playground I had a quick momentary thought of, “Can she handle this?!” I mean I’m her Mom, I worry, okay!?I quickly learned that she was more than capable, though, and it was so amazing watching her climb, swing, run and slide.
I love some good family time, of course, but it’s also awesome to get away with just one girl every so often.
One quick note: If you do come here, the playground is recommended for kids from five to 12, but of course it’ll be up to you decide if your kid is ready for the dexterity that all the play equipment requires.
Day 3: Boo at the Zoo!
On Saturday, we met up with one of Grace’s preschool friends to check out the Halloween decorations at the zoo. We didn’t actually spend a lot of time paying attention to the animals, but the kids had a great time together, and it was so lovely getting to know Judah’s parents a bit better, too.
Can’t even take this one …Grace, never not running places.The “strolley,” as we lovingly call our foldable Radio Flyer, turned out to be quite the draw!It’s become a tradition to hit up the train (which only lasts about five minuets, if that) while we’re at the zoo, and Judah was happy to oblige.The girls had their first Carousel ride (at this particular zoo, at least) AND their first fruit roll-up on this trip! Not a bad day …This guy was certainly creepy, but Em didn’t seem to mind!This spot is always a crowd pleaser.My girl <3Too. Much. Cuteness.The new penguin exhibit proved very exciting!
And that, my friends, was our fall break in a nutshell! Oh, plus a photo of Lotte and her dot at the library, because, duh …
Bis bald, friends! Hope you’re all getting into the festiveness of the season, as well!
One of our favorite spots in Colorado — the Frisco Bay Marina
Friends. How is it that no one told me how hectic life gets when you have kids in school?! And in activities?!
O.M.G.
Lotte started kindergarten a few weeks ago (sob!) and Grace is back in preschool, while little Em continues to delight us from home. Lotte also started ballet/tap, and Grace is starting up with swim lessons and music classes in the month of September. And honestly, at this pace, I’m not sure how long I can handle it!
Sweetest little dancer, who forgave me for the fact that I didn’t have her ballet outfit ready in time for her first class 😉
I mean, I know we’ll get used to this as our life, and so-on-and-so-forth, but sheesh, I’m way more exhausted than the kids. I think the fact that we’re still coming out of a pandemic (which is so not over yet) adds to the exhaustion.
Anyway, I’m rambling. The point is, life is crazy busy right now, so when we get a chance to break away from the madness, I’m all-the-more grateful. This weekend we took a day to head into the mountains. We hadn’t been to Frisco in years, and I’m dying over the photos of itty bitty Lotte and Grace in this post! It was Em’s first trip to Frisco (only second trip to the mountains ever, actually, with this trip to Granby being her first), and it was an all-around success, I’d say.
I’m not usually one to climb on the playground equipment with the girls (I have Chris for that!), but something about that mountain air changes me, friends 😉We adore the Frisco Bay Marina — it’s the perfect, low-key spot for families!It’s also the perfect spot to live vicariously through people who rent things there, like kayaks and canoes. Just look at that happy Frisco face!Em is happiest checking out her surroundings … the older girls are happiest when snacking.Checking out new places is exhausting!
After hanging in the bay for a while, we walked into town and headed straight for our favorite outdoor lunch spot, right next to Foote’s Rest Sweet Shoppe (because ending a trip to the mountains with ice cream is a must, obviously).
Em has started standing (with help), and even though it literally pains me how quickly she’s growing up, I’m so, so proud of her.Like I said … ice cream! It’s a must …Ending the day with laughs.
After our busy Sunday in Frisco, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about actually getting out the door on Monday with all three girls like I planned, but Lotte happened to have the day off, and I was determined to make it work. So we packed up the car, and I headed to the Denver Zoo with my girlies.
Lucky for me, Lotte was more than happy to help push Grace, since I had Em strapped to me the whole time.
We had our ups and downs on this little outing, but overall, I’m so grateful that I have a flexible job that allows me to do fun and spontaneous things like this with my girlies.
Heading to the Zoo first thing in the morning is without a doubt the best time, we’ve found. It’s less busy, of course, but also the animals are always out and about!We did something new on this trip, which was to feed the Lorikeets! So. Much. Fun!Gorgeous!We road the train, too, which as you can probably tell by these faces is one of our all-time favorite Zoo activities.Happy place.
Anyway, a very happy and healthy start to the week to you, my dear friends! I hope whatever craziness you’re getting up to right now, that your able to take a beat and enjoy the little things, too.
This gorgeous little girl is no longer so little …
What is it exactly that you feel when your firstborn child turns five? Is it wonder at the amazing little person she is becoming? Is it sadness for missing the baby that was so sweet and cuddly?
Whatever the feelings are that you’re supposed to have when your first child turns five …. I’ve got ’em! I have all the feelings, friends! Lotte turned five this past Tuesday, and while she’ll probably never, ever read this, I just want to say … it’s not possible to love someone more, little muffin. You are sweet and sensitive, smart and silly. I cannot wait to see everything you have in store for this world.
Lotte had a “no rules” night on Monday night — aka a campout in the basement with Dad! — while we set up her bedroom for her birthday surprise. She got a big-girl bed for her birthday, and I set up all the gifts from family and friends in her room, as well. It was the most fun to see her come in and have everything laid out, and I dare say we’ve created a new birthday tradition.
We hit up the Denver Botanic Gardens — and the accompanying Mordecai Children’s Garden across the street — that morning, and it was so much fun. I had been to the children’s garden with Lotte and Grace years ago, but heading back with them at these ages was great. I think there’s probably a limited amount of time that I have left before Lotte starts to grow out of these things (or perhaps not … what do I know?!), so I’ll be soaking it all in as much as I can!
Bis bald, friends — I hope you’re all having amazing summers!
The fact that we can all fit together on Lotte’s big-girl bed is such a perk!Everyone knows that little sisters get some gifts on big sister’s birthday, as well 😉I still have one more print to get, but those Trailblazer on the wall behind Lotte’s headboard are my favorite. They’re from a sweet little company called Piccolina, and I am obsessed.The traditional balloon pose is a must!Pancakes with strawberry ice cream for breakfast … it must be a birthday!The rooftop children’s section is so sweet, with plenty of spaces for the littles to run and play, things to touch and small, and even a small stream to splash in.I can’t even imagine the upkeep for a place like this, and they do SUCH an amazing job!May you always stop to smell the flowers, my love.It was super busy on a Tuesday morning, but still a lot of fun!Cutest sisters <3We brought a picnic as well, of course! Having a picnic in a garden is just about the best summer activity there is.See … we all enjoyed it!The regular, adult section of the Gardens was looking so good this year, too! I love how curious these girls are. I never want this phase to end.Halfway through, I remembered that I had taken a photo in this entrance when I was quite pregnant with Lotte, so we had to get a cuddle photo in the same spot on her fifth birthday, obviously. A little baby Lotte, all ready to come out and take on the world!Chris’s birthday cake tradition continues! Lotte requested a strawberry Owlette cake from PJ Masks, even though she hasn’t watched the show in about two years.
Welcome to Friday, friends! This week felt … long! As I mentioned in this post about returning to normal, the more things we tack on to our calendar, the more time just flies by. Seriously. End of June, where did you come from? Summer? What happened to Spring?! But I digress.
Drinks and dinner at a new-to-me restaurant — American Elm, in Denver — with a friend earlier this week felt surprisingly normal and refreshingly wonderful.
The biggest thing we have coming up — other than Father’s Day this weekend … happy early Dad’s Day to all your wonder fathers and father-figures out there! — is our road trip out east, which commences next Thursday. I will be using this weekend to do all. the. things. That includes making approximately 1,000 lists and ticking each and every thing off methodically as I go along. Any other list-makers out there? It’s the only way I can seem to get everything done these days! (This Smarter Travel packing list is a good place to start …) I’ll head back over here soon to list out our actual plan for the trip — kid-friendly (hopefully!) stops we’ll be making on the way out and back, what we actually packed, etc. — but for now I wanted to hop on and say happy Friday/happy weekend/happy Father’s Day/happy Summer/and happy Juneteenth! However and whatever you’re celebrating this weekend, I hope you make it a great one.
Last weekend we tried out Westminster Center Park — also referred to as Peter Pan Park — for its playground area and splashpad. Even though the splashpad was smaller than we were expecting, the girls had THE BEST time, and the playground — modeled after the movie Peter Pan — was so adorable!Em enjoyed it, too!That itty, bitty face … gets me every time <3It’s been 90+ degrees here all week, which has meant lots of backyard, blow-up pool time for us!Chris planted two rose bushes the other weekend — one for my Grandma and one for my mom — and they are starting to bloom.Somewhere along the way, this little one turned six months old. It was Dads and Donuts morning at Lotte & G’s summer camp this morning … no better way to celebrate, if you ask me!
Happy October, friends! Oh my goodness — sometimes life just requires that you take a break from blogging … am I right? This is, without a doubt, one of the busiest seasons so far in my life. We’ve got the two babes and work and some big changes coming in the next few weeks … but despite all the madness, we always, always, always have room for a little fun. Enter … Nan & Poppa. These amazing, wonderful, generous in-laws of mine decided that they missed their grandkids, they found a decent flight, and they hopped on it and flew around the world to see them.
Sometimes, my friends, it’s as simple as that.
So for the past week and 1/2, we’ve been livin’ the high life with Aussie Nan & Poppa (and putting them to work, for sure, because of those forthcoming changes I mentioned earlier). Between the work, though, we went to three pumpkin festivals. We visited the Denver Zoo and the Butterfly Pavilion (both firsts for them), took G to a dance party at the library, dropped off and picked up Lotte from preschool, crafted, read books, watched favorite shows … and just oh-so-much more. There was also lots of snuggling since, of course, Lotte got strep throat for the last few days of their visit. Le sigh. Kids man. School man. Winter man. I’m not ready for it!
Here’s the thing about grandparents, though: The best ones can make the world a brighter, better place. Nan & Poppa do that for our kids, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
There is a lot to love about living in Colorado, but to be honest, it took me a while to realize that. When we first moved here from New York City, I couldn’t help but compare Denver to Manhattan, and it just wasn’t the same. In our first few months in Colorado I missed the hustle and bustle of the city. I missed living three blocks from Central Park and walking down 3rd Ave. to my magazine job every morning. I missed the museums and the culture, the electricity and the craziness. And although I grew to like Denver as time went on, it wasn’t really until we moved to Arvada — and especially when we had Lotte, and then Grace — that my love of this place really flourished.
Happy Monday, friends! This past weekend I was hosted by The Source Hotel + Market Hall, where I got to stay in a King suite (and soak in the glorious tub), shop at Market Hall, eat at their different restaurants and attend Bacchanal, a New Orleans-style wine, food and music festival that was held in the parking lot of The Source. Besides the fact that having a full weekend in a hotel all by myself was glorious (love you Chris & kids!), it was also a great opportunity to see all the ways that this particular Denver neighborhood — called RiNo — is really developing.
Happy Thursday, friends! So my research for a fun new client continued today with a visit by myself and the girls to Lair o’ the Bear Park. We had actually tried to do this hike a couple months back, but by the time we got there, the parking lot was completely full and there were tons of cars waiting, and with two antsy little girls in the back seat, it didn’t make sense to wait it out.
I mean, is there anything better than a picnic by the lake after playing in a new park … like, at all?!
I’m doing some research for some stories I’m working on and it’s just been the most fun, because it’s been bringing me all around to new places the girls and I haven’t been. I do feel a little worried when Lotte wakes up in the morning and is like, “Where are we going today?!” I love that she’s excited, but also … like, it’s okay to hang at home sometimes, too 😉
Anyway, I guess we’ll leave the hanging at home for bad-weather and winter days. For now, there’s much to explore. Yesterday it just happened to be Washington Park (which somehow I had managed to never visit in my 4.5 years of living here). We tested out their playground and sandpit (amazing) and had lunch by the lake.
It was a glorious Monday, friends, and I wish they all could be like this.
As part of my continued effort to keep these kids of mine occupied and busy during this summer (and, in all honesty, to keep myself from going bonkers as well), we hit up the Denver Botanic Gardens — and more specifically the adorable and amazing Mordecai Children’s Garden — yesterday. There were plants galore — that they could actually touch and smell — and a sand box and a bubbling brook and multiple ecosystems. The girls had a blast getting as dirty and wet as possible, and I had a blast watching them. I had packed us a lunch as well, which we ate over in the “adult” side of the gardens, which I will from now on be referring to the main gardens as.
If you happen to be in the Denver area over the summer and you’re looking for some outdoor fun to be had with your kids, you really should check out the Mordecai Children’s Garden. Kids under three are free, too, which means I’ll be taking Lotte there again at least one more time in the next few weeks so we can get her in for free at least one final time.
I have a secret to share, friends … I’ve never really been a huge fan of summer.
There, I said it. Anyone who actually knows me is rolling their eyes right now and thinking, “Duh, who doesn’t know that?” but to others, this might come as a surprise. As a curly headed woman who didn’t grow up near water but did grow up in a home without air conditioning for the longest time, the only things I had to look forward to when the weather got warmer was frizzy hair (okay, I admit, that was a year-round problem) and just the most awful humidity. These days, though, I’m making a concerted effort to change my ways … for the girls.
I mean … G is barely even in this photo, but you get the gist — Colorado is amazing in the summer, and summer is right around the corner! I mean, it’s pretty amazing all of the time, but the summer is a great time to check out the mountains, lakes, hikes, breweries … and everything in between.
To help you out if you happen to be in the hood, here are a few of our fave hangouts when the weather gets warmer:
