Who needs snow to ski when you have this cutie crew to hang with?
Happy almost April, friends! We’re back to school after our week-plus-one-day spring break, and it was a blast! Sure it was a snowless desert in Steamboat and our ski-in/ski-out was no longer a viable option, but we managed to make the most of it!
Before we headed to Steamboat, we had the best time at the STEM day that took place before the Nuggets game last Sunday. It was sponsored by the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and it was so much fun!
We had actually never been to a Nuggets game before, so we were really excited for our first experience (despite Grace’s face).Getting to geek out with science stuff before the game was just the cherry on top of an already fun day!There were so many booths, we didn’t even get through them all! But the ones we did make it through were so much fun.And then the Nuggets won!
Now back to Steamboat. We booked this trip back in September when we had no idea how crappy and sad this season would be. I’m really glad we got to spend the weekends in Winter Park that we did in January, because that was way better skiing/snowboarding than this trip provided. Still, it was enough snow for Emilia to practice on, and the weather was in the 60s which, if you don’t consider the fact that you’re trying to keep snow around, was delightful.
We met our neighbors/friends/the illustrator of my second book there, and it was so much fun to hang out with them. I’m so happy that our kiddos are getting to grow up together.
Pretty bleak for early spring skiing, but still quite beautiful.Love this cutie group!At least we got to wear our Halloween costumes again! We were appropriately complemented for our efforts by several fellow skiers.I mean … am I right??Little monkey. I mean … dragon 😉These two cuties.We made ample use of the pool too, of course.The Millers were tired on Friday so we skied/snowboarded with just our little crew, but we still had the best time.Snowboard showoff Dad 😉We took a short little hike on Saturday morning to Fish Creek Falls, which is where we took Lotte on her first-ever vacation to Steamboat at three months old <3Cutie crew!These kids were such troopers. A ski vacation isn’t exactly relaxing, but they were such good sports. (For the most part.)After a couple hours at the pool on Sunday, we headed out on the town, and no Steamboat town visit is complete without a stop into F.M. Light & Sons.Goes to Steamboat, becomes a cowgirl <3We found potatoes at our steakhouse dinner! They weren’t purple (just wait until Halloween this year to discover why purple potatoes are the best), but they sure did make us happy.You cook your own food at 8th Street Steakhouse. Some were better at this than others 😉Our last ski day was a great one.Just a Bandit & a Chili with their Bluey <3These little lovies absolutely rocked it.Thanks for an amazingly fun time, Steamboat. We made memories for a lifetime.
And that was it, friends, our trip in a nutshell! It was a really fantastic spring break. It felt long and full and refreshing(ish), and now April is crazy and we’re ready! Bring it on spring. We’re here for ya.
If you happen to be local, feel free to stop by and say hi to me and Taylor at any of the below events! We’d love to see ya <3
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!
Hello, friends! Welcome to my final Europe installment … Ireland!
It is so hard to believe that this trip has come to an end. All that planning and booking and prepping is over. And holy cow was it fun 😉 We stayed in this Airbnb about 30 minutes outside of Dublin, and the view was spectacular!
We stopped in at Rolling Donut before our Little Museum tour, and it was so good! They even had vegan options for Emilia!This tour was so good! They really catered to the kids — although it was amazingly fun for adults, as well — and was less than an hour, which was a really good amount of time for us.The U2 room was a hit 😉St Stephen’s Green Park was so pretty. Tons of greenery. Lots of fountains and lakes and ducks. It was quite lovely.Pretty.A Guinness in an Irish pub, obviously!We have thoroughly worn these girls OUT.The self-guided tour at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral was really interesting, and the church was beautiful.So pretty.We walked past the Dublin Castle on our way to dinner, which has a beautiful garden, too.Boeuf and Frites was a delightful steak house in the Temple Bar neighborhood, although there were ZERO options for pescatarians. Hah! I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for non-steak lovers.The Temple Bar neighborhood was bumpin!And so, so very pretty!The Ha’penny Bridge was fun to walk across.And back home to a nightcap. It was a great day.
Pretty and calming waterfall.The girls had a lot of fun exploring in this area for a bit.The Sally Gap Drive was incredible, and you go past this P.S. I Love You Bridge, which is in a very picturesque area and was used in the filming of the movie.How pretty!The water was freezing, but fun to dip our toes in 😉Then it was off to the beach! We had such beautiful weather while we were here, so of course the beach was packed. So much fun, though!Soft-serve with sprinkles on the beach. Summer made.Johnnie Fox’s had the most fun atmosphere. There was live music, tons of people, the funkiest decor and really good food.Yum.Did not regret this pasta with salmon and shrimp at all <3
And that, my friends, is that. Our trip. Done and dusted. Four weeks. Ten countries. ALL THE FOOD AND DRINK. So many memories. It was honestly the best time. And the fact that we had the grandparents with us just pushed it over the edge to amazing.
And now, excuse me while I sleep for the rest of the summer.
My babies in the Germany town where I was born. The absolute best.
Hi friends! Welcome to the insane drive portion of our summer in Europe. We left the Dolomites around 6 a.m. on Friday to begin our journey to Paris, which would take us two days and include several stops along the way.
Most of the time the drive was stunning.
Our first stop was Innsbruck, Austria, for a park runaround and some sugar to wake us up.
Rapoldi Park was so much fun! It was huge, had beautiful gardens, a cafe, duck pond, and two playgrounds.Duck pond!Back at it!
Our second stop was the Chinese Beer Garden — located in the English Garden — in Munich. Chris and I had been here with his parents the last time we were in Munich, and Chris had such amazing memories of the food that we had to go back!
So pretty!YUM.This girl truly came into her love of meat on this trip!The merry-go-round was a hit!
Then we were off to our final stop of the night: Nuremburg, where I was born! Hotel Victoria was so perfect. Right at the beginning of the town center, and with a beautiful breakfast included in the price.
I couldn’t believe I finally made it to my birthplace with my girls!
It meant so much to me to be in Nuremburg with my babies! I hadn’t been back since I lived there as a kid, either, so it was truly a special night.
Oh Germany. I love you.We walked up to the Imperial Castle, which had amazing views of the city.Emilia basically ate pretzels the whole time. Le sigh.Twinning <3Core memories made, for sure.
After a 6-hour road trip back in the car on Saturday, we arrived in Reims, France! Our Airbnb was super close to the town center, so we went exploring right away.
Watermelon in our French courtyard.Reims, you are so super cute <3Obviously this carousel was a hit!Grace is a bit over photos. No one tell her we have two weeks left …Dinner at Brasserie Le Gaulois was SO GOOD. Breakfast was obviously of the bread and pastry persuasion.We toured a little bit around the Champagne region on our way out to Paris.Such a beautiful area of the world!
And then it was a little under two hours to our next stop … our Airbnb in France! But, that’s a story for another time 😉 Until then, bis bald, friends!
Hello friends … welcome to the gorgeous Dolomites, part of the Italian Alps in northeastern Italy.
It is stunning here.
Hello, beautiful.
The drive from Venice takes a little over three hours, and it was a gorgeous drive, but definitely mountain driving. And that’s coming from someone who lives in Colorado. Hairpin turns are frequent, and it was pouring when we drove in, but even so, we could tell that this place was special. By the time we arrived the rain had vanished and the sun welcomed us.
View from our front door. I mentioned on my instagram account that I don’t know how many countries we’re at that I’ve visited with my in-laws, but it’s been plenty! I feel so lucky that we all travel so well together. It’s so special for the girls, too.I mean, look at this cuteness <3I live here now.Look at this cutie crew <3We found the sweetest little spot to sit for lunch while we waited for the gondola to reopen on Tuesday.The view from the top was stunning.Framer.And this one.
On Wednesday we drove into Ortisei — about an hour from where we are staying in Valongia — which is just about the cutest town that ever existed in this world.
Have you ever in your life seen anything cuter?This shirt felt appropriately festive 😉Lunch at Four was so incredibly delicious.This girl is soaking up her grandparents’ time <3We took this adorable family walk into Anna Valley, which is easily accessible from the town center.They had hammocks along the trail, as well as this adorable area where you could walk through fresh stream water piped into a little walkway. It was the most fun!AND it ended up at a little playground!There were water fountains throughout the village that piped in fresh water, too!Look at this gelato, but also LOOK AT THIS BACKGROUND.We passed by this insane lake on our ride back. Incredible.My cute little troopers. We spent approximately 12,000 hours in the cutest little mini golf place that ever existed. Look at these views!They also had the best activities for the girls while the adults mini-golfed!Livin’ that high life 😉Just a couple of cheesers.Toys, toys, more toys!Inside was super cute, too!Em’s dairy and egg allergy has, at times, been hard while traveling. Good thing she loves bread :/It’s a great spot for drinks with a view!10/10 WOULD recommend!We spent the afternoon at Dolaondes Canazei, an indoor/outdoor spa that was about 20 minutes away from where we were staying and was incredible. They made everyone wear these caps. We thought it was hilarious.
And that, my friends, was our Dolomites trip in a nutshell! Chris & I don’t often say that we’d like to revisit places, only because our to-travel Bucket List is so long. But the Dolomites? I could come here over and over and over again.
Tomorrow morning we start our long journey from the Dolomites to Paris! We’re doing it in two days, stopping in Nuremburg (where I was born!) and the Moet valley region of France along the way. Our little (well, huge, really) van is chuggin’ some miles for us.
Happy Saturday, friends! The fam and I just spent a couple of days in Taos, New Mexico, for spring break. It was such a delight! This was a new state for everyone except me. (I was there for a press trip several years back and fell in love!)
We stayed at a remote little adobe Airbnb house set in the most gorgeous surroundings. For the girls, the hammock in the living room was a hit. For me, it was the glorious bathroom. For Chris, the plants everywhere were a joy.
We stopped in Pueblo, CO, so that the girls could run around on a playground for a bit and to grab some lunch. We ended up at Brues Alehouse, which was so yummy!The riverfront area was so sweet, with lots of historic markers, a little playground area, restaurants and breweries.Made it to our beautiful place! It was such. a. windy. drive! We saw at least four semi-trucks turned over on the side of the road … yikes!This bathroom … I MEAN…..The girls were obsessed with this hammock. They even took turns sleeping in it overnight <3It’s a beautiful little spot in the world.
On Wednesday we went skiing in Taos, which we really enjoyed. It was so quiet and laid back, especially for spring break, and there were plenty of hills for every level. We had the best time.
The village had the cutest European vibes, which of course we loved.Such a cute little town <3Ready to hit the trails!Emilia did a couple of magic carpets and a bunny hill and called it a day 😉 Still proud of her for trying!Chris & I took turns with Emilia while the other parent skied with the big girls. They are getting so good!Same girl. Same. After a long day, we grabbed dinner in the town at Antonio’s The Taste of Mexico.So. Stinkin’. Good.What a sunset from our backyard!
We went skiing on Thursday, too, and then Chris took the girls to a fun play and discovery place called Twirl, while I had a hot second back at the Airbnb to myself.
Ready for another day on the slopes!This cheetah-dragon wasn’t quite into skiing this trip. Oh well, we tried. Hopefully one more go-round of lessons and she’ll be there.My little buddy <3That teeny tiny face with the big ole’ goggles. Too much for Momma.A trip worth cheers’ing!A little Twirl playground action!Every good day ends with s’mores.
We drove home on Friday, but not before stopping off at Imagine Taos, the amazing (and totally free!), hands-on children’s museum in downtown Taos. They had rooms with sand and water, paints, pottery, sewing, and even a cute little room where kids could make fairy gardens. It was so sweet.
Investigator Emmy <3The girls even made pottery bowls that they got to keep!Grace in particular really enjoyed this room, which was very sweet <3We stopped in one of our favorite pit stops — Buena Vista — on the ride home. It’s such a gorgeous area.Cheers’ing to a beautiful trip. I’m so grateful for every adventure I get to go on with these cuties I get to call mine.
And that was our trip in a nutshell, friends! I highly recommend Taos (and New Mexico, in general), to anyone looking for an adventure. And until our next trip … bis bald, friends!
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!
After one final morning with Kate & Tom in Canberra, our little fam loaded up for the hour-long flight from Canberra to Melbourne.
As a side note, the Canberra airport was a dream!
We landed around 3 p.m. on Wednesday and checked into our Airbnb (which had THE MOST spectacular view!), checked out the neighborhood a bit (this is such a great spot!) and grabbed sushi dinner from Sushi Jiro (which was phenomenal). Not a bad way to start the third leg of the trip.
How amazing is this view?? One of the tall buildings in the corner even put on a light show every half hour in the evening. Spectacular!Sushi with a view!There’s street art down every Melbourne alley, and it’s so much fun to spot!I won’t post every photo I took because, as you can imagine, it was quite a few. BUT HOW FUN?!Some of my Mom’s fam met up with us at the Queen Victoria Market, which was a lot of fun. I love this family <3Just look at these cutie kiddos!It just goes to show that distance can’t keep family apart.We had the sweetest first full day in Melbourne!I sure do love my sweet travel buddies <3<3<3Riding the City Circle Loop (the free tourist tram) was a real hoot.Federation Square was a very cool spot for artwork, food, drinks and to check out the Yarra River.
Friend meet-up in Torquay!Torquay was about an hour from downtown Melbourne, and such a fantastic first stop on our trip!Poppa!We saw the most insane competition at Lorne between elite search & rescue teams. It was seriously impressive.And got our toes wet on the beach, of course <3Look at this gorgeous drive!Apollo Bay was cold but so, so beautiful.So. Beautiful.After about four hours of driving, we made it to the 12 Apostles!What a gorgeous view.Two cuties <3<3This was the idyllic view from the deck of our cabin in Port Campbell.The Bay of Martyrs was our first stop on Sunday morning.The London Bridge was also so. cool. Part of it fell several years ago — the part that connected the two rock formations — so it was pretty special to see what’s still up.The Grotto was my favorite, I think. What an insanely cool spot!Gorgeous.Then it was back to the 12 Apostles beach area for a bit more sandy toed fun.
After spending a few more hours on the Great Ocean Road, we headed back to Melbourne, and had dinner with my Mom’s amazing family. I hadn’t seen them in over 10 years, but it was as if I see them every day.
My cutie Italian Melbourne fam <3But how cute are all these kiddos, though?!My grandfather passed away years ago, but what an absolute treasure to spend time with his 94-year-old sister, Rosina.On our last full day the girls wore ALL THE SWAG they got from my wonderful family the day before <3We stopped at the Caldermeade Farm and Cafe on our way to see the fairy penguins at Phillip Island, and it was so much fun! Cute farm animals. A fun playground. Watching an assembly line of cows getting milked. What’s not to love?!Grace and Lotte’s abilities to sit through photos really started to wane about now. Fair enough. These kids have been AMAZING!We made it to the Phillip Island Fairy Penguin Parade! Phillip Island is about two hours from our Airbnb, and totally worth the drive! The penguins make the trek every evening around sunset from the ocean to their resting nests, and it is absolutely one of the best things I’ve seen in my life!You’re not supposed to take photos of the penguins or the march after sunset, but just trust me when I say that it’s incredible and well worth a visit.We <3 penguins!The penguin count for the day!
Grace’ face in that last photo says it all. Melbourne — we’ve done so much! It has been amazing in every possible way. And now we’re onto the tropical part of our trip. Airlie Beach, here we come! Until then … bis bald, my friends!
After our Grand Canyon adventures, we loaded up to head to another new National Park for our list: Bryce Canyon. Grandpa had been here before, but Chris and I hadn’t, so we were really excited to be hitting up this park on our ride back home. We were surprised how much snow was on the ground when we arrived, but luckily it was just enough to slightly cover the hoodoos (the amazing rock formations you’ll find in Bryce Canyon), but not to cover them completely.
Before we arrived in Bryce, though, we stopped off at Horseshoe Bend, which was only about two miles total to walk there and back, and was totally worth the stop.
Look at that beauty!Hello, Horseshoe!Just the cutest little adventurers! Also, Chris found these shoes for Emilia in a secondhand store in Moab and, to be honest, they were one of many MVPs of the trip 😉
Horseshoe bend was about 2.5 hours from our hotel in Williams, Arizona, and we had another 2.5 hours to go before we arrived in Bryce. It had taken us longer to get out of the hotel that morning than we originally planned, and the stop took longer, too, so we decided to rearrange our planned hikes. This turned out to be necessary anyway when we arrived and saw how much snow was on the ground!
Our original hike in Bryce — the Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden — was going to take about 1.5 hours to complete, so we figured we would get to it the following morning. Of course, that was before we did the Sunset Point to Sunrise Point walk and came upon the (very muddy, very steep) entrance for the Navajo Loop. We quickly realized that wouldn’t be happening for us, particularly with the three littles and the muddy/icy conditions. What we ended up doing was great, but I do hope to get back to do the Navajo Loop at some point, since it seems beautiful.
For our tired, hungry group of travelers, though, the (mostly chill, not too steep, but yes still muddy) Sunset to Sunrise Point walk was just perfect.
Don’t mind if we do!The first time you see the hoodoos it takes your breath away.Insane.Did I take 1,000 photos of them? You know I did.
After our walk, a check of the general store and dinner, we were about ready to crash. It was the perfect dip of our toes into this gorgeous National Park.
When we realized the Navajo Loop wouldn’t work for us, we stopped into the visitor center Thursday and asked a ranger for a suggestion. Turns out, the Southern Scenic Drive was perfect. It would take us to Rainbow Point (the highest point in the park) and past the Natural Bridge.
Rainbow Point sits at 9,100 feet. So yes, it’s high … but not so high for these Colorado mountain lovers!These signs cracked me up. As if I wasn’t anxious enough already, thank you very much!The Natural Bridge was SO BEAUTIFUL.
And that drive took us through to the end of our Bryce Canyon adventure. We headed back to Grand Junction, Colorado that day, but not before stopping at our fourth (if you don’t count Monument Valley, which is technically a Navajo Tribal Park) and final National Park.
Considering that I had never heard of Capitol Reef, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But holy crap was this park gorgeous! It wasn’t small, either — it took us quite a while to drive from end to end. The hike we attempted — the Hickman Bridge Trail — would have been gorgeous had we finished it, I’m sure, but it was pretty steep and rocky, and a storm was setting in. Plus, we were just ding dang exhausted after nearly a full week of travel! Still, we were able to get out of the car and stretch our legs a bit, which was all we really needed.
Just keep hiking. Just keep hiking 😉Such a trooper <3
And then, just like that … we were back in Colorado!
One brief stay in Grand Junction and lunch in Frisco later, and we were … home!
Phew! Thanks for coming along that journey. It was a great trip from start to finish, thanks largely to awesome planning (the writer takes a bow), amazing weather and the best company a gal could ask for.
Until next time … BIS BALD, FRIENDS! And happy spring!
We spent the morning exploring the grounds a bit more, having breakfast back at the restaurant and, naturally, buying 10,000 gorgeous Navajo momentos.
Hope Gpa didn’t think this was a REAL vacation!What a view!Thanks for the mems, Monument Valley <3
Afterwards we loaded our trusty Heidi the Highlander back up again and hit the road. This time we made sure to stop at the Arizona sign.
Hey there, Arizona!
The ride from Monument Valley to our hotel near the Grand Canyon was a little over three hours, so we broke it up with two stops.
The Navajo National Monument was a short and beautiful walk to a beautiful, historical spot.Not gonna lie, we were a bit skeptical of these dinosaur tracks at first, but everything we’ve read about them seems to be legit!Besides being insanely cool, it gave the girls a chance to run around and get their wiggles out 😉
After a few hours and a few adventures, we finally made it to our hotel!
Woop, woop … a new hotel awaits!
Here are some of the details of our stay.
Monday & Tuesday
Where we stayed: Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel Where we ate: We opted for the buffet restaurant at the hotel for two dinners and two breakfasts while we were there. That, and the train ride from the hotel to the Grand Canyon, could all be purchased for a 10% discount if you bought them together with your rooms. Where we hiked: The South Rim Trail
After resting up a bit on Monday night, we were ready to hit the train on Tuesday! The train ride includes a very cute “shoot-out showdown” before you board, and the ride itself is about 2.5 hours. There’s a cafe car and entertainers and tour guides onboard to answer all your questions. It was honestly the absolute best way to do the Canyon with three littles and for our first time. We barely had to figure anything out for ourselves (they even took care of our park entrance tickets!), and we got to relax and take in the scenery. If we ever make it back we’ll probably stay in the park, but for this adventure, this option was magic.
I’d like to take an additional second here to thank … THE WEATHER! We’ve gone places for our kids’ “spring break” before, and it’s been less-than-springlike. This time was so wonderful. Besides one random snow squall while we were driving, we had such delightful weather. Breezy and cool, with sun and … NO CROWDS. I don’t know how. I don’t know why. But the National Park Gods shined down on us this trip, and we were HERE FOR IT.Absolutely insane.Incredibly gorgeous.Not to be believed.Emilia, you won’t remember this. But hopefully these photos will help <3Thank you, train, for being amazing <3
Having two nights in one spot was much-appreciated by this point in the trip, so we were all too happy to head back to the hotel after our train ride, straight back to the buffet, to the swimming pool for a bit and then to bed. The next day was on to Bryce Canyon. Until then … bis bald, friends!
Happy Friday, friends! Welcome back to the Grand Canyon Road Trip Heard Round the World, and our Day 2 Adventures. On Sunday we were already in Moab, so we hit up Arches National Park (National Park No. 1 of this trip!), then drove to Monument Valley, which is a Navajo National Park.
Along the way we also hit up the Mexican Hat and had some fun at Forrest Gump Point, the point in the movie where Forrest is running, running, running and then, suddenly, decides to stop.
Here we go!
Sunday
Where we stayed: A premium cabin at The View Hotel Where we ate: The gorgeous (with mediocre food) restaurant at The View Hotel Where we hiked: Arches! Plus we did the 17-mile Monument Valley Scenic Loop
Rock scrambles and terrifying cliff drops got nothing on these girls! (Despite Emilia’s face looking otherwise!)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again … my girls continue to shock and aww me. The Delicate Arch trail in Arches National Park is a “moderate,” 3.2-mile out and back trail that covers scrambling rock and terrifying cliffs. When I say that these girls rocked it, I very and truly mean it. I remember my first time doing this hike, and how difficult it was for me to complete, and I’m just so impressed with the way these girls handled it like pros.
Rock album cover.Totally worth the hike. I mean …We even dragged out kids out even further on the hike, so that we could take this precarious photo under the arch. I told Chris later that I had visions of never seeing them again the whole time we walked over … but when in Rome????Cute hat twins <3Another pair of cuties.
So, so proud of these loves. (You too, Grandpa!)
After our hike it was back into the car and on over to Arizona (new state No. 2 for the girls!) and Monument Valley. On the way we saw a few other cool things.
Mexican Hat!The Forrest Gump Point! You just KNOW Chris had fun with this one 😉
Then it was on to Monument Valley. I’m not going to lie — I didn’t know quite what to expect here. But man oh man was I blown away. This is such an insanely gorgeous spot in the world, and staying in the cabins overlooking the monuments themselves was an amazing experience.
The 17-mile loop is driven, so that makes it easy to check out all the gorgeous spots. A lot of the reviews say it doesn’t matter what type of car you have, but I would beg to differ. An all-wheel drive that’s not directly on the ground is, I would say, optimal. She bumpy!Couldn’t have asked for a cuter crew <3I would allow for about two hours to drive the loop, depending on how often you want to stop and get out.This was the view from the porch on our cabin. Absolute perfection.
That was Sunday in a nutshell, fam! The night included an incredible sunset and star-gazing. More cabin pics to come in the next post. Until then … bis bald, friends!
Hello friends — happy Thursday! Here I am, blogging from the road of our epic Spring Break Road Trip from our home in Arvada, CO to the Grand Canyon and then back. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve blogged from the road. Maybe … never??
All told we spent approximately 23 hours in the car and drove approximately 1,420 miles. We stayed in 6 hotels, visited 4 National Parks and 4 other places of interest. I am so proud of how these girls handled this trip. They were rockstars on our (pretty difficult!) hikes, and they handled the car rides like a pro. We planned the trip so that we were never in the car for longer than 4.5 hours a day, and on those days we planned decent stops halfway through. Our legs included:
Friday: Driving from Arvada to Glenwood Springs, CO Saturday: Driving from Glenwood Springs, CO to Moab, Utah Sunday: Driving from Moab, Utah to Monument Valley, Utah Monday: Driving from Monument Valley, Utah to Williams, Arizona/the Grand Canyon (we stayed here for two nights) Tuesday: Visiting the Grand Canyon! Wednesday: Driving from Williams to Bryce Canyon, Utah Thursday: Driving from Bryce Canyon, Utah to Grand Junction, CO Friday: Driving from Grand Junction home!
It was a trek, to be sure … but I wouldn’t have done one single thing differently. Here’s what we got up to on Saturday!
Entering Utah, a new state for the girls to scratch off their maps when we get home!The Corona Arch Trail was so much fun, but definitely not for the faint of heart!
The drive from Glenwood Springs to Moab was about three hours, and we headed straight to lunch at The Trailhead Public House and Eatery when we arrived. This cutie restaurant is right in the center of town and super close to a bunch of hikes. Plus the food was really good. I would highly recommend it if you’re in the area!
From lunch we headed straight to our first hike of the trip — Corona Arch! This trail is about 2.3 miles out and back, and definitely includes some rock scrambling and pretty steep climbing. The girls did so amazing, though, and had the best time! You don’t have to hike the full trail to get a view of the arch, either, so it’s definitely worth it even if you can’t do the full trail.
These cuties came ready to hike!Emilia spent the majority of this trip on Dad’s shoulders, which was A-Ok in Mom’s book 😉The two big girls ended up climbing a very treacherous rope with Dad to make it a little bit farther up the trail. I was simultaneously terrified and incredibly proud.Corona Arch … worth the hike!Moab, you are a pure delight <3
That was our first day in a nutshell, friends! Sunday was Arches National Park in the morning and then onto Monument Valley. Until then … bis bald, friends!
Heading into downtown Denver for the show brought me right back to my days attending events as a junior editor at different magazines in New York. Ah, to be young again.
Happy Monday, friends! When I got an email the other day about the upcoming Denver Travel & Adventure Show, I knew I would be attending. I hadn’t been to an Expo like this in years, and I was looking forward to the excitement of being around hundreds of other people who share the same interests.
I skipped most of the booths (not my thing), but did take in three talks. They were:
Pushing the Envelope: The Secrets of Becoming – A Road Warrior, given by Peter Greenberg
The Ultimate Guide for Better Travel in 2024, given by Angel Castellanos
With my trusty computer at my fingertips ( I really was reliving my older reporting days!), I gathered a couple of tips from each talk that I’ll share here. Hopefully they’ll help you when planning your next getaway.
Some good roadtrip resources include: AAA (for all your basics, included printed maps … remember those!?); Roadside America (for odd tourist attractions along your route); Atlas Obscura (more hidden wonders to hit!); Historical Marker Project (if that’s your kind of thing); Roadtrippers (you’ll need a membership for this one, but it helps you plan our your entire trip); tollguru and tollsmart (to avoid ’em and plan for ’em); gasbuddy (cheap gas!)
When it comes to travel insurance, never buy it without reading the fine print, and without checking what coverage you have with your credit card, first. Third party options — like travel insurance companies — often offer more full coverage options than what you would get from the airline or hotel itself. If you travel often enough, you might also consider researching a yearly option that you pay an annual fee for, but that covers you in any instance. For example, Greenberg mentioned being on the lookout for “medical evacuation and repatriation insurance.” It’s not fun to think about, but this covers you in the case that you get sick or injured overseas and need to be stabilized at the original location and then flown somewhere else. In that case, you’d be allowed to pick the hospital and doctor of your choice.
If you’re planning on a day trip from one location to another (like when my sister and I took the train from Rome to Florence for a day, for example, or when we drove from Germany to France for a day on our recent European adventure), be sure that the place you’re visiting doesn’t charge a fee to enter for the day if you don’t have a hotel reservation to stay overnight. Apparently some places — like Venice — are doing this now in an attempt to cut back on over-tourism.
Quite a few countries have signed on to the Working Holiday Visa program, which allows Americans to travel for up to a year, in some cases, and work while visiting a country. Age and other stipulations apply, so be sure to check with the specific country you’re interested in visiting.
E-gates! These electronic gates are automated passport control systems that use biometric technology to authenticate traveler information. Find out if the country you’re visiting has these, because it can save you from standing in long lines in customs when you arrive.
CLEAR also uses biometric data that allows you to get to the front of TSA or pre-check.
Make sure you visit the specific websites for places that you’re visiting. This obviously helps with hours and closures and ticketing, but it’ll also provide a list of thing you can and can’t bring in. (No backpacks are allowed in Mets Stadium, for example, and the Vatican has limited tickets for 2024, and strict clothing policies.)
Be sure to use a VPN to mask your online identity when using public Wi-Fi. I had my data stolen at YMCA of the Rockies and it was not fun.
Some helpful travel apps include: Tripit (for help organizing); MyTSA (for all the TSA information you could possibly want); FlightAware (for up-to-date flight status); App in the Air (for help planning, booking and tracking travel); Mobile Passport Control (submit travel documentation ahead of time through the app to skip the line and reduce passport inspection time)
Always check for sightseeing passes in the places you’re visiting. Ask your Airbnb owner (the owner of our Airbnb in Switzerland hooked us up with a BaselCard, which got us free local transportation and a discount at museums), the hotel concierge, or hire a guide. One of my favorite Peloton instructor’s swears by this travel company, which helps you plan trips based off recommendations of local guides. Airbnb has a similar option for suggestions locals.
If you must check a bag, throw an Apple Air Tag in there so you’ll be able to track it in real time if it gets lost. (I also used Apple Air Tags to track my own children when were in Disney. They’re great for peace of mind in crowded places.)
Eagle Creek luggage offers at “no matter what” luggage warranty. Just sayin’ ….
And that’s it, friends! I had fun boppin’ around at the Expo, so I’ll definitely be on the lookout for similar opportunities in the future. Until then … bis bald, friends!
Happy Monday, friends! I’m comin’ at ya from the arctic tundra of the Mountain West. Weather.com currently says that our temp feels like -6 degrees.
That’s cold.
All three girls started their ski school lessons this past weekend (there are four total), and when we learned that it was going to be warmer in the mountains (by a whole 20 degrees, almost), Chris and I made a last-minute decision to book a house in Georgetown for a Saturday and Sunday stay. Georgetown is about halfway between our home and Arapahoe Basin, where the girls would be skiing. A winter storm dropped about seven inches of snow in the mountains heading into Sunday (with more falling throughout the day), so the drive to and from lessons — and even more so the drive home on Monday morning — were a bit scary. But we did it! And staying over the Sunday night after lessons was clutch, since everyone was tired!
Now we just need to figure out what we’ll do for the next three Sunday ski lessons 😉
Bis bald, friends!
We did a little helmet practice in the days leading up to Em’s first lesson. Girl does not like headgear! But she approved of the helmet! The other gear was a different story.Ready to rip! Actually, Em didn’t even get her skis on for her first lesson. It was all about prep this lesson (which I could have skipped paying the astronomical fee for, if I’m being honest). Next lessons, they’ll be strapping in.On the road again! I sure do love my little adventurers. They are up for anything.We stayed in a little 2-beddy in Georgetown, which was perfect for us. It even meant that ….All three girls slept together for the first time! After some initial kerfuffles, they did great 😉Lotte did so great! She’s starting off on greens, and I can’t wait to see where she lands when ski school is over!Grace is working hard on the basics. She’s desperate to do the chairlift, so hopefully she’ll get there after her lessons this season.Thumbs up!Is there ANYTHING cuter than a 3-year-old in ski gear?! I think not. Emilia was NOT into her lessons to start, and we definitely questioned how it was going to go for three hours. Her instructor had all the patience in the world, though, and I think she’ll do great things over the next three lessons!The cheeks. The lips. The vacant “what the heck is happening” stare. It’s all too much.Exhausted but happy 😉Red face, happy heart <3 (I promise they were warm enough. Dad had them in allllll the gear!)
It was an awesome little last-minute get-away for a snow-filled, holiday ski weekend. Chris got in a few runs, too, which he said was awesome. I need exceptional conditions for snowboarding … inches and inches of falling snow isn’t my thing. But I will get on my board before their lessons out!
Bis bald, friends! Hope you’re staying warm, happy and healthy!
Welcome back to my Very Merry Christmas in Europe round-up! First up was Germany and France. Today, we move on to Switzerland!
Basel, Switzerland was about an hour and a half drive from our Airbnb in Germany, and although we only planned for two nights and one full day there, we had the best time! Switzerland was a new country to me, and color me obsessed. The neighborhood of our Airbnb was quiet and residential, but super close to a bunch of fun restaurants, bars and stores, and the train made it very easy to get into the city center. Our Airbnb host even hooked us up with a BaselCard, which got us free transportation and discounts at certain places throughout the city.
On our day in the city we got coffee at a local shop, rode the train into the city center, visited the Toy Museum (which was SO MUCH FUN!), walked passed the super cool Tinguely Fountain, saw the gorgeous City Hall all decorated for the holiday, went on a wild goose chase for fondu and ended up with (still delicious!) Italian for lunch, walked over the Rhine River, bought a fancy bauble at a local jewelry store and, after the kids were home, fed and bathed, Chris and I had wine at a neighborhood wine bar.
We sure can pack it into a day.
Here’s what it looked like!
We arrived after the sun went down and our neighborhood was lit up and pretty.We went for a walk when we first arrived to pick up some essentials. We bought cheese, pastries, milk, pouches and local wool socks, and I knew this was a special place 😉Poppa having brekkie with the kiddos in our cute little kitchen.Our neighborhood in the morning.The coffee from that local shop was out of this world!Notorious for their neutrality, the Swiss people had lots of “No War” signs hanging from windows.Riding the local transport, when it was available, was such a highlight for the girls!And off we went!On our way to the Toy Museum we walked through the Christmas Markets being taken down, and we could tell how magical they would have been.The Toy Museum! And I mean … COME ON. Europe is SERIOUS about its holiday decor!This place was great! Our host had told us it wasn’t worth going, but based on some of the details he shared, I have to think they’ve remodeled recently. There are four floors with thousands of toys in intricate scenes behind glass (so no worries about touching!), and they give you an iPad to put around your neck. There are scanning codes throughout the museum and when you point the iPad at them, virtual tour guides pop up and tell stories about what you’re viewing. So much fun!We accidentally hopped off the train one stop early, but that was awesome because we just walked right over the glorious Rhine!Chris did some googling and found an awesome-looking fondu spot that was too awesome for its own good … aka PACKED TO THE GILLS. We eventually found an Italian restaurant that was right on the river and gave us everything we needed.My girl — in the scarf she bought from the Christmas Market in Baden-Baden — exploring the Rhine River. I hope these girls never stop exploring and never lose their curiosity about culture and the world.This City Hall is to-die-for!Inside was even prettier!They had a guest book you could sign, so you know the girls took advantage of that <3Walking back home we came across some street performers playing music. Emilia’ delight was palpable 😉
And that was it for Switzerland, loves! We had to leave super early the next day to get back to the airport to fly to our fourth and final destination … ICELAND! Switzerland, you were an absolute delight, and something tells me we will definitely be back.
Bis bald friends! Until tomorrow, and the last of our European adventures …
Happy New Year, friends! How it’s 2024, I’ll never know.
Okay, full disclosure before I get into this post: It was really hard for me to narrow down photos 😉 Like, harder than it usually is, which is already usually very hard. This European Christmas Trip of ours was EPIC, and it was made even more epic by the fact that we were able to do it all with Chris’ parents. Any time that we and the girls get to spend with them is special. To spend that time on vacation over Christmas in Europe?? I mean. What can I say?
To start, our place. We stayed at this sweet Airbnb in the Black Forest, and it surpassed my wildest dreams. The house itself was huge, with plenty of space for four adults and three kiddos. Plus, it was filled with so many games and toys that even if we never left the house, the kids would have stayed occupied for days. There was also a hike directly accessible from the back of the house that had breathtaking views. It was the perfect spot for us, and the best place to begin our European journey and spend Christmas.
How sweet is this cute little covered outdoor picnic area, too?! Here is poppa, hosting his ladies to a (brief but very sweet!) afternoon tea.The outdoor hut was also the perfect spot for housing some of our Christmas Day necessities 😉Our host even decorated for Christmas, leaving us a live Christmas tree and all her ornaments to adorn it with! It was the sweetest touch on her behalf.Here she is on Christmas Eve, fully decorated and ready for celebrating!Here’s one happy Grace, with a little of the view from our house behind her.Two of my little loves on Christmas Day <3Another two cuties on Christmas DayThe absolute best.Also the absolute best <3Even my mom came to hang for a bit. This was by far one of the most incredible moments of the trip, and trust me, there were many. IYKYK.There were tons of balconies, which made for amazing sunrise/sunset viewings!Cheers to this amazing spot in the world.
Although hanging out in the house would have been enough, I had specifically formulated the plan for this holiday with one goal in mind: CHRISTMAS MARKETS! Europe is known for them, and I wanted in. So … are you ready to market it up? Here’s where we went.
Thursday, December 21: Freiburg, Germany
Lotte looks fairly miserable in this photo, but that was after what was, trust me, a very fun night!
Our first Christmas Market was in Freiburg. Since this was our first one (well, Chris’ parents had already been to a couple by the time we arrived, but it was my first one!), I didn’t realize that the market is actually spread around the city. We kept stumbling on different sections of it as we walked around, which was a really nice surprise.
As a person who thoroughly enjoys holiday decor, these markets were MY JAM.We started in early on the treats, and did not stop.We went on every ride we saw!We drank ALL the Glühwein (hot wine!) we could find!I couldn’t love this holiday hopping crew any more <3
Friday, December 22: Baden-Baden, Germany
As you can see, in Baden-Baden, we weren’t messing around!
Next up was the Baden-Baden market, and the fondu igloo lunch I had booked us weeks before. This felt like the perfect excuse to don the matching Christmas sweaters that Nan had brought for us 😉 The day was chilly and rainy, but snuggled up inside our heated igloo with our fur blankets and tasty treats (you rent the igloo for three hour blocks and are welcome to walk around the market during that time and then go back to the igloo whenever you like) was the perfect way to spend this day and see this particular market.
The coziest!The cutest!Despite the weather — or perhaps because of it — this particular market felt so magical and festive. The girls loved checking out the ornate booths, and Nan loved teaching them how to shop!So much fun!The absolute best.We had the sweetest time! Nan & I have vowed to make a special trip back to Baden-Baden, which means “bath” and is actually known for its amazing spas!
Saturday, December 23: Gengenback, Germany
Such a beautiful spot!
We had a tough decision to make this day: Travel 3.5 hours each way to visit the Nuremberg (where I was born) markets, or head about 25 minutes away, to Gengenbach, to see their world-renowned life-size Advent Calendar. Ultimately we decided to stay local and head to Gengenbach, which I think was the right decision. All the more reason to make another trip back to Germany in the future to hit up my birth spot. Perhaps when we have a little more time.
This was the smallest of the markets that we visited, but it was also the sweetest town with the cutest Advent Calendar Town Hall.Each day leading up to Christmas they perform a short play with live music in front of their beautiful Town Hall building, then they lift the one (hand painted by a different artist each year!) window that corresponds to the day. We were there to see the 24th window get lifted — a fish for the Feast of Seven Fishes! — which felt extra special.Smiles all around <3
Sunday, December 24: Strasbourg, France
Glorious Strasbourg, France!
We classed it up on Christmas Eve and decided to head out to FRANCE. Strasbourg was about 45 minutes away, and it was easy to drive, park, and hop on a quick train to the Christmas markets. This event was sprawling, and so, so beautiful. We were even lucky enough to catch the tree lighting, accompanied with Christmas music, of course.
The markets were gorgeous, but even the buildings in the area were so ornately decorated.More Glühwein! You could get a small refund if you returned the cups that the wine was served in, but you best believe we kept all of them!When a picture says it all.Such a gorgeous area! They say this is the biggest Christmas tree in the world … but you know 😉More gorgeous buildings. I honestly could have spent days here wandering the streets and been quite content.This girl clung to her dad like glue the whole trip, which was super annoying for him but VERY nice for me! I didn’t have to carry her AND I always knew where she was 😉Insanely beautiful …Everywhere you looked …Thank you Strasbourg for a very special, unforgettable Christmas Eve!
Of course there are a very many more Christmas markets in Germany (and France and everywhere else in Europe, really) to visit, but these were centrally located to our house and I had read great things about them. After having now actually been to them, I can agree: There is nothing like Christmas in Europe. It stands alone. Nowhere else compares. The end.
After spending a relaxing Christmas Day and Boxing Day eating, drinking, hanging at our house, watching movies and playing games, we spent our final day in Germany checking out a bit more of the view around our town and heading to Lake Mummelsee, a beautiful lake with a quirky story.
Glorious views (and sun!) on our final day in Germany!Driving through the Black Forest to reach the lake also provided for some gorgeous views! Don’t forget the Dramamine! We’ve arrived!So pretty!Every day in Germany was fabulous, and the last day was no different.
I’ll be honest, friends … I had a lot of anxiety leading up to this trip. I worried someone would get sick or get hurt, and as our friends started dropping like flies to illness as our departure date got closer, I only got more and more nervous. Once we were on our flight to Germany, though, I realized … there’s nothing you can do about that. I could spend the trip worried, or I could relax and enjoy and know that we would handle whatever came our way.
Luckily, I can now say that other than a few coughs here and there, we were all GREAT. No illnesses to note. So see that? All that worrying was for naught. Wouldn’t a crystal ball be great so we could know all ends well ahead of time?
Anyway, that was about it for our Germany (and France!) expedition, friends! I’ll be back tomorrow with the second installment (third country!) of our adventure: SWITZERLAND!
Happy fall, friends! Back in July of this past summer, we were lucky enough to check out Grand Colorado on Peak 8 in Breckenridge for a press trip. I couldn’t share our adventures until the story came out, and now that it has, I’m so excited to drop some mountain love here, as well.
We stayed at the resort from Friday night through Sunday afternoon. And even though we hit some gnarly traffic on the ride home, it was definitely worth it. Other than a small accident that put Emilia in urgent care on Saturday night, we all had a blast.
Friday Night
We arrived to our suite late afternoon on Friday, and holy hell was it impressive! Our living room had amazing views of the mountain, the Adventure Park activities and the pool area down below. In general, the hotel was very well suited for families, and the girls had the best time exploring.
Kid-sized games galore!So much people watching!Dinner at Robbie’s Tavern, located in the resort, was so yum. As were the drinks 😉
Saturday
On Saturday we explored the resort a bit more (pools, kids’ crafts & cafe), and drove into town to check out the Breckenridge Alpine Garden.
Is there anything better than a blue-sky mountain day??The Alpine Garden was the perfect substitute when we discovered that the hike we wanted to take was closed, and the other had no parking. Small enough to enjoy at a kids’ pace, and the kids love being in nature.Downtown Breck is such a delight <3The girls and I caught the free gondola from town back to the resort!More fun games with a breathtaking backdrop.After a morning spent exploring, we picked up some crafts to paint back in our room while we had some lunch.Chris & I switched off on having amazing massages in the afternoon while the girls rested, then we hit up the pool. We had evening plans to head back into town, but after Emilia’s accident and urgent care visit, we decided to lay low back in the room and let her rest. Rest assured she was totally fine and back to her adorable, rambunctious self in no time 😉
Sunday
Sunday begin with pancakes in our suite and a trip to the second indoor/outdoor pool.We were given passes for the Epic Discovery Adventure Park, which the girls made great use of, starting with this amazing bungee jump trampoline!Look at that pure joy!We also opted to ride the ski lift, which was so beautiful and only about 75% terrifying with littles!Emilia was unphased by Mom’s anxiety, particularly after her head trauma the day before!After checking out we headed back into town for lunch at Breckenridge Tap House and ice cream at Higgles. The girls got to ride the Gondola with Chris this time <3Mint chocolate chip all around!After filling up on treats, it was off to find the Breckenridge Troll! (Please know that you can easily park in the huge parking lot near the troll and walk about 400 feet. We started off trying to hike there from the downtown area, and this was so. much. easier!)Troll spotted!The hike to and from the parking lot is short but beautiful. My favorite kind 😉
And that was it, friends! 10/10 recommend this place for adventurous, outdoor-loving families looking for a fun getaway! Until my next press trip post (we had THREE!) … bis bald, friends!
The secret to smiling faces? Skittle bribes, all dang day long.
Happy August, friends! The month started out on not such a great foot for us, so we weren’t in our normal headspace when heading out on this quick getaway. (Well okay, I wasn’t!) At the end of the day I’m so glad we did go. It’s always a good idea to take some time to get out of your own head, recognize what’s so special about your life, bond with your kids, show them new things and, as one friend put it, nature is always healing 😉
The Details
Lodging (Price: $692for 3 nights)
We stayed at this Airbnb in Cañon City, which was a sweet little three-bedroom place with a large dining area and kitchen. It might have been a tad overpriced for the location (it was about 20 minutes from the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, which was our main point of interest for this trip), but we still had a blast. It was all one floor (no scary stairs for littles!), and the layout actually allowed us to put Emilia in her Pack and Play at the back of the house so Lotte and Grace could have separate rooms if they needed them (which one night they did).
The backyard was cute, too, with a grill and little table area under a covered patio, where we grilled out and had dinner on our final night.
Entertainment
The kids have a book called Good Night Colorado, and the Royal Gorge Bridge makes an appearance as one of the MUST SEE places in Colorado. When we were planning a final farewell to summer trip (the girls start school on August 16th!), we knew we didn’t want to go any farther than 2.5 hours (exactly how far Royal Gorge is from us), but that we wanted adventure on a low-key, kid-friendly level which, despite the RIDICULOUS photos, the Royal Gorge offers.
This is an amazing place for families … as long as no one is afraid of heights! Travel tip: Most of the attractions, the playground and the visitors center, etc., open at 10 a.m., but the bridge itself is open at 8 a.m., and tickets are cheaper then. (We paid $83 for the four of us over 2 years of age.)
There was also no one there early in the morning, which was delightful, and the weather was so lovely. By the time we ended up leaving around 10:30, it was getting pretty busy and incredibly hot. Honestly, it wouldn’t have been the amazing experience it was if we waited until 10 a.m. to get there.
As it was, we had the best time.
Grace and her insects 😉 She was besides herself to find two HUGE butterflies on the way in!Despite our children’s faces here, we all had fun <3Makin’ herself right at home <3Man, oh man.This girl was spottin’ tiny green frogs in the grass and slithery lizards running in the opposite direction. She’s a gem at this age, and so easy to please!Feeding the fish.They have every kind of adventure activity you could imagine here — zip lining across the gorge, climbing the gorge, white water rafting in the gorge, riding a train through it, etc. We didn’t do any of those with the kiddos, but the Gondola is included in your entry ticket price, so we did take that, and it was thrilling!
We give Royal Gorge Bridge a big ole’ thumbs up! They have a campground, “glamping” cabins, a dinosaur museum … honestly, we could have spent a week here and not been done exploring. We definitely hope to get back!
Our Friday afternoon was spent hitting up Centennial Park, which had a fantastic splash pad and playground and access to the Arkansas River and was about a mile from our Airbnb. Then it was ice cream at You Scream Treat Emporium.
On Saturday we hit up Skyline Drive — a very narrow 2.6-mile drive with the most amazing views and … wait for it … DINOSAUR PRINTS! — and then did a short hike — the Royal Gorge Overlook Loop — to take in the Royal Gorge bridge from a distance.
Nothing to see here, just a mom trying REAL hard not to drive off a cliff!More skittles bribery in action.Dinosaur prints! (And yes, Lotte does have dinosaurs on her outfit and she is also holding a stuffed dinosaur, so you can imagine the happiness this activity brought!)Chris ran up a steep, short trail to snap this pic. (Insert Wow emoji here.)We accidentally ended up taking the road for drivers for our hike (the hiking trail runs right next to it), but it turned out for the best because there was no way our double stroller would have fit on the other trail.This girl lives for a Dada snuggle <3This gorgeous view. So humbling.Back at the parking lot we had a quick picnic — with this ridonc view — before packing up and heading home.My crew. They super cute.
We stopped for coffee at The Bean Pedaler in the cute little downtown area before heading home. All-in-all it was a very successful — and beautiful — trip, and I’m so glad we did it. It’s a good reminder that it’s often worth doing something to get yourself out of your head. And travel memories are, for the most part, never a bad idea.
And now it’s back-to-school mode over here! This is the girls’ final week before heading back, and I’m so grateful for our summer trips to Seattle and New York, plus this one. I’m grateful the girls had fun experiences with camps and playdates with friends and neighbors and lots of unstructured playtime at home.
We also celebrated a 6th birthday.
The birthday girl requested a trip to the Denver Aquarium on her special day.
It was one for the books. Hope you guys are having an awesome summer, as well <3
Back to our second day in Seattle, where we rented a car and hopped on a ferry (with our car!) to head on over to Olympic National Park.
If you’ve been a visitor of this blog for a while, you already know that we’re big fans of National Parks! (See Great Sand Dunes, Rocky Mountain National Park, Moab, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Sequoia!) It’s always a goal of ours to introduce our kids to these beautiful places in America, and to help them gain an appreciation for nature and their surroundings.
We sure are lucky to have these things available to us.
Anyway, back to Day Two. It’s a trek to head to Olympic National Park from Seattle. We caught a 30-minute ferry to Bainbridge Island and then drove another 90 minutes to the visitor center and then to do the Moments in Time Interpretive Trail. That’s a lot to do with three littles, but the car we got was comfy and they snacked and watched videos (and, shockingly, napped on the ride back to the ferry at the end of the day) and all was good. We almost bailed on the trip when the weather looked iffy (it turned out perfect!) and seemed like too much effort, but I’m so glad we didn’t!
Chris and I were discussing how, in most cases, the things we almost bail on usually turn out to be some of our favorite memories. It’s a life lesson, for sure.
Anyway, here’s a bit of what we saw!
Back on the ferry!And back in the car!And a short two hours later, we arrived!Grace’s love of insects is contagious, so these slugs on the way to the visitor center were obviously a highlight!The visitor center at Olympic National Park is so kid friendly and amazing — it’s a must-hit!
After the visitor center it was about a 30-minute ride to the Moments in Time Interpretive Trail, which was unbelievably gorgeous. (And, by the way, FREE! Entry into the park was totally free, too, but you can — and should — make a donation online!) The bluest water, the mossiest rainforest, and all the bird chirping you could ever want in life.
So incredibly serene.
Nothing better … am I right?!Oh it’s just Emilia, livin’ that ferry life 😉
Back at home we made dinner for the girls to eat out on the deck, while Chris and I ordered sushi from Umi Sake House, which was every bit as sensational as advertised.
After Emilia was down, Chris took the older girls for a jaunt on the pier (which we could literally see from our living room window), where they took in the sunset view and played a bit of soccer.
And that was our Day 2 in a nutshell. Our third and final day is comin’ at cha tomorrow … and it was also a big one 😉
We’re back from our long-awaited trip to Seattle and Olympic National Park, and I can confirm … if you’ve had Seattle on your bucket list for a while, BOOK THAT TRIP NOW!
We had the absolute best time on our little 3-day stay. We planned to fly in late on Wednesday, after the girls got out of what was supposed to be their last day of school before the summer. The school ended up closing two days earlier, though, for renovations. We tried switching to an earlier flight but they were booked out. So we didn’t end up getting in until around 9 pm (on what was NOT our best flight), but luckily the Airbnb where we stayed was only about 20 minutes from the airport.
The Details:
Accommodation: We stayed at this Airbnb, which had very many amenities. It was right on the water, and was walking distance to literally everything a tourist could want. There was a 24-hour doorman, garage parking, a pack and play and highchair and childproof locks on the doors. There was a small balcony facing the waterfront, a shared hot tub and a rooftop. All the things you could possibly want for an awesome stay. Price: $1990 for four nights
Airport transfer: We set up a car service from Starline Town Car & Limo Service to pick us up at the airport and drop us back off, and it was totally and absolutely worth it. With the five of us, three carseats, a double stroller and all our bags, it was a lot less stressful knowing that we’d have door-to-door service in a car that would definitely fit all of our things, and that we would definitely have a ride for our 5:30 a.m. pick-up to head back home. Price: Approximately $300 (this included tip, taxes and other fees.)
Car rental: We rented a car on Friday to drive into Olympic National Park. We had to get a big one, obviously, so that’s always a bit more pricey. Price: $260
Food: We spent about $500 for food,most of which was coffee. (Not really, but we did do a bit of a “coffee crawl” around the city, which I would highly recommend.)
Coffee from La Panier in Pikes Place.Fresh ingredients Chris picked up from Pike Place Market to make ….This insanely delicious meal!
In other words, it wasn’t the cheapest trip for three days, but we were prepped for that going in and had saved up. We knew we didn’t want to scrimp, since neither of us had been before, and knowing that ahead of time helped us not feel guilty spending while we were there.
It was also the first time the girls traveled with their own money from their allowance. This was clutch when Lotte would point to a $20 useless trinket and I could say, “Sorry, you don’t have enough money for that!”
Day One:
You know who doesn’t sleep in after a late travel night? ALL THE CHILDREN!
We knew we’d all be dragging a bit on our first full day, so we decided to take the morning slow and walk around the neighborhood, including seeing the waterfront and Pikes Place Market.
Seeing the original Starbucks is like a celebrity sighting 😉There is a lot of construction happening around the waterfront right now. We definitely want to head back in a few years to see how it all turns out!
After a short rest (and Chris shopping at the market for fresh ingredients for our dinner), we grabbed a ferry to walk to Alki Beach.
We took a bit of a detour on our walk back to the ferry from the beach, but we did get to head down this gorgeous road, so bonus?!Emilia discovered her love of ferries on this trip <3
After our afternoon walk/beach trip, it was back to the Airbnb, where Chris cooked up his delightful pasta dish for dinner and the girls hit the hot tub with Chris. Friday morning we would be heading out to Olympic National Park … can’t wait to share that adventure with you tomorrow!
This past weekend was my birthday, and Chris really stepped up the celebrating. We’ve had a visit to the Paint Mines Interpretive Park in El Paso County on our bucket list for a few years now, so we used my birthday as an excuse to finally make it happen. After all the fun we had over the past two weeks with the Connors visiting, I wasn’t sure we had it in us to keep up the celebrating, but boy was I wrong 😉
The Farmhouse Airbnb
We started the festivities on Friday by staying at this farmhouse Airbnb which included, much to the girls’ delight, a bunch of farm animals (Starling the Goat was a family fave), a hot tub, a pool table and a swing set. It was the perfect spot for cupcakes and revelery.
Starling the Goat was so happy to greet us.The girls discovered a love of hot tubs when we stayed at the Airbnb in Winter Park, so it sure was lucky this place had one, too.Happy birthday to me! Love these cute faces the most.
Paint Mines Interpretive Park
Saturday was my actual birthday, and we were up early to have breakfast, take the hot tub for a spin, pack up and get on the road for the Paint Mines, which was about a 30 minute drive from where we were staying.
We didn’t really know what to expect with this visit, but it turned out to be even better than we could have imagined. There are multiple loops to pick from, and even though I wouldn’t call the trails stroller “friendly,” per se, Chris was able to use our beloved Strolley (aka the off-road Radio Flyer) throughout, which was especially helpful since Grace isn’t necessarily into 2.5-mile walks these days 😉 I carried Emilia in the Ergo, and we had tons of snacks and sunscreen and water at the ready. We got there around 10:30 in the morning and ended up leaving around 1, which seemed to be when the park was really starting to get busier. Admission is free, so I can imagine it would be quite the destination. My advice would be to get there early if you plan to go.
Here’s a bit of what we saw …
Always up for adventure, this crew of mine.Just the most gorgeous, open-air, expansive views!I was all too happy to snuggle up with this one for a couple of hours <3 Lotte’s poses are all some version of dances from her ballet class, which I thoroughly enjoy.Grace wasn’t quite about the posing for most of the day, but Lotte was all too happy to oblige her mother on her birthday.Despite her sassiness during our visit, Grace said that the Paint Mines was her favorite part of our trip. Oh, preschoolers — try to figure ’em out, I dare ya!According to the website, “The Paint Mines are named for their colorful clays that were collected by American Indians to make paint. Brightly colored bands, caused by oxidized iron compounds, are found in varying amounts throughout the many different layers of clay.”The next photos are part of a series I like to call: “Me and my Emilia” <3Chris really took his role as picture-taker very seriously for this trip, and I’m not mad about it!
You guys, if you think this was too many photos … well I really did my best to edit down what I posted, which was HARD! If you’re in the area and have the time, a visit to the Paint Mines is well worth a stop. It’s free and beautiful and can take as long or as short and you’d like. It’s kid-friendly (enough!), and will provide with you the backdrop necessary for 12,000 awesome photos. Go, I say, and be prepared to leave in awe.
And that was my birthday weekend, my friends. I’m sad the past two weeks are coming to end, because they have just been so much fun. Luckily, we have a trip to Seattle coming up at the end of May that we’re very much looking forward to.
Welp, friends … there goes another year. As the photo above indicates, we’ve had our highs and lows. I think the year didn’t quite pan out the way most of us were hoping it would, but still, there were bright spots to be found.
Here’s hoping 2022 brings you and your family all the happiness and cheer that you deserve! And here’s what we were able to get up to in 2021 …
April
We dusted off our travel boots for the first time in more than a year (!) this past April for a trip to the mountains. We headed to one of our favorite low-key spots — Granby Ranch — and the older girls even tried their hand at skiing for the first time.
Rocky Mountain National Park, ColoradoLotte, Grace & Emilia cuddled up on our couch in the cabin.Chris and the big girls posing on frozen Grand Lake.They look a little weathered here because this was after their lessons … but I HAD to get a pic of the two of them with their adorable little set of skis! We wrangled the kids to take a quick selfie when we got out on the lake in Grand Lake.
Grandpa came for his first visit in more than a year!Lotte started track!Evergreen Lake, Evergreen, ColoradoMe and my JMU girls 😉We sure do love a good splash pad!Just a dad and his trio of ladies.
July
The end of June and beginning of July was a busy time for us, as we packed up the car and hit the road for our trip out East! We started in Colorado and made out way out to New Jersey and New York and then back, stopping in a number of states along the way. (You can find all the gritty details here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.)
Cody Park, NebraskaThe Bean in Chicago!Brigantine Beach, NJThese cutie cousins <3With Atlantic City in the backgroundStaying at a real, working farm in Pennsylvania was … interesting!One of the best stops on our trip home!The Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MissouriColorado State Line
As the holidays rolled around, we were really looking forward to spending Christmas and New Years with family back in New York. Unfortunately, Covid had different plans for us. Perhaps we’ll have better luck next year. Still, we managed to get a day in Manhattan, and we did get to spend actual Christmas Day with family, which was an upgrade from last year, so we’ll call it a win.
Times Square is never not entertaining!Grace was very taken with the Rockefeller tree 😉Snow on Christmas Eve was a perk!Christmas Day cutiesMerry Christmas to you and yours!
And that’s 2021, my friends. We’re looking forward to a quiet New Years Eve (and wedding anniversary, for myself and Chris <3) and planning for (hopefully) some fun travels to come in the New Year.
Christmas Day was surprisingly joyful, considering what came before and after …
As the final days of 2021 wind down, I’m hoping that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. Our trip to New York for the holidays got disrupted by an outbreak of Covid within our family (extended family, at least, so far the five of us are still Covid-free), so we ended up cutting it short by a week. Still, we managed to pack in a lot of celebrating before things turned ugly.
While I’m grateful for the positive things that came this year — vaccines, three healthy daughters who turned five, four and one, a husband who loves me and takes care of us in this roller coaster of a life, a career that I really love, and so much more — I also won’t be sad to see it go.
Here’s hoping there’s even more to look forward to in 2022. Bis bald, friends … and happy New Year!
The “Calm” Before the Storm
The week heading into our trip was crazy for us, as well, with my stepdad flying in for a visit, Grace turning four and Emilia turning one. We managed to get in a lot of partying before we even boarded the plane.
My sweet, sassy middle daughter. I hope you never, ever change <3She insisted on having her dinosaurs with her in this picture. Just one of the many reasons I love her so.My last baby. Emilia turning one has been bittersweet for me. It’s the most fun to watch her grow, and also the saddest to leave the baby phase behind.Never. Not. Happy. We took the family to see the holiday lights at Chatfield Farms before we flew out to New York, which ended with freezing cold kids and lots of tears … but it was pretty while it lasted!Early Christmas at home before we left meant another excuse to wear our matching Christmas pajamas … not that I ever need an excuse. Thank you, Denver Airport, for having all the fun holiday entertainment! Emilia hadn’t met Santa yet, so this helped me tick that item off my bucket list 😉As a surprise to no one, Emilia is a champion traveler.At Grandpa’s …. pre-Covid confirmations :/
New York City for a Day
We had always planned to head into the city for a day during this trip, but we got spooked by Covid numbers the morning we were meant to catch the train. So we ditched the public transport idea and decided to rent a car, instead. I’m so glad we did, because it ended up being a highlight of the trip. It was the first visit for Emilia, and seeing the city we love all decked out for the holiday … well, there’s really nothing quite like it.
We stuck to the touristy parts of midtown — Grand Central, Bryant Park, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and the Saks Fifth Avenue holiday window displays — and seeing these things through the kids’ eyes, for the first time, was so much fun.
Ah, the allure of a mini-van. I won’t lie … it was definitely nice having this extra room! We love our Highlander, but a mini-van … let’s just say I get it now.There is nothing like that skyline.This is the building where it all started for me. My first real job in magazines — an internship at More and then a full-time gig at Parents — was right here, and I must have walked these streets hundreds of times. To be back there, taking a photo with my girls, really meant a lot to me <3Of all the places in the city to visit on a holiday trip, Bryant Park is my absolute favorite.And of course no NYC trip is complete without a big ole’ street vendor pretzel! Times Square was freezing! But the ball was up, and the girls thought the craziness was so much fun!Grace was very excited by the Rockefeller Christmas Tree 😉We spent a lot of time in front of these window displays, and Lotte would have stayed even longer! She was so thoroughly entranced by them, and it was the cutest thing in the world to see.We ended our visit with a trip to Grand Central, where Chris showed the girls the parabolic curve (where you can talk to people on opposite sides!) and the pretty main hall.And the Grand Central Market for treats, of course!Love ya, NYC. Until next time …
Christmas and the Days Before It
We learned the day after we got back from the city that my stepdad had Covid, so we hightailed it out of his house and went over to my sister’s (after we all got negatives on our rapid tests, of course). This ended up being futile, since our Christmas morning tests were negative again, and by the next day my brother-in-law and then sister had it, as well. Still, for those couple of days, we continued on, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Chris and I had already decided that we would be leaving early, and we had already cancelled our Airbnb trip to a lake house in PA (THANK YOU AIRBNB FOR ISSUING A REFUND!) and had moved our flights up by a week to return home (THANK YOU SOUTHWEST FOR ALLOWING US TO DO THIS FOR ONLY THE COST OF THE FLIGHT CHANGE, A MEASLY $150!). We figured if we’re going to get sick, we’d want to be at home when that happened.
Plus, we had nowhere to stay. We officially had Covid cases in both of the family homes where we could go.
I know a lot of people had their holidays ruined or changed due to Covid this year, and I can only hope that by next year, we’ll be in a better place. Who knows, really, but for now, like I said, I’m counting my blessings …
At least there was snow on Christmas Eve!Christmas Eve gifts from elves, courtesy of my sister <3At-home manicures were a big hit!The cutest.Also the cutest!Christmas morning cuties!Grace’s face pretty much says it all … does it not?!
And that was our trip in a (shortened) nutshell, friends. We made it back home in one piece, which is pretty much all that I can ask for at this point, and we’ll be ringing in the New Year together as a family of five <3
As you can see from that first photo, most of us were unhappy about this …
Actually, Chris and I went back and forth quite a bit about extending our trip. We had booked refundable places to stay on the trip back, exactly for this reason. Ultimately, though, we decided to keep things as they were. We had jobs and summer camp and track practice and a home to get back to, as much as we would have liked to have stayed for longer.
It was Em’s first Fourth of July, and she spent it in the car! She didn’t seem to mind 😉
After saying goodbye to our family (we hope to see you soon!), it was a “short” four-hour trip to our hotel in Pennsylvania. Even though we arrived late, a super-wired Grace caught some fireworks at the end of the night with Chris. The next day we took advantage of the awesome indoor pool and grabbed some breakfast before heading out.
One of my favorite photos from the trip was taken at a gas station on our way to a hotel … go figure.This random pic at another quick rest stop was another gem <3We love hotels! (And are also very excited to be out of the car!)I mean, look at this awesome pool!So fun!Naturally, I enjoyed from afar 😉Fun with luggage trolleys.
After pool time and breakfast in PA, we loaded up the car again and headed to our next stop — a playground/picnic and then a splash pad, both in Ohio.
This playground in Ohio was so cute, and totally empty!We only stayed here for a quick run-around and to have a picnic, but Emilia approved. We drove about an hour from the playground to this random splash pad in Ohio. It was on the smaller side, but on a 90+-degree day, it definitely got the job done! Splash pads and playgrounds really take it out of ya! And we were off … again!Thanks Ohio … we’ll see ya later!
World’s Biggest Things — The Stop We Never Knew We Needed
The rest of the trip — about four hours — to our Airbnb in Vandalia — was a bit rough, if I’m being honest. We were all pretty over the car, somehow both tired and wired, at the same time. Luckily, about an hour outside of Vandalia, we saw a sign for some of the Big Things in the Small Town of Casey, Illinois, and made the split-second decision to pull over.
Man, oh man am I glad we did … because how much fun are these?!
Who knew big things could be so much fun?!It was late, and starting to get dark, so we couldn’t see everything, but what we did see was so. much. fun!World’s biggest rocking chair! (Allegedly …)This is the world’s biggest wind chime!Next was the world’s biggest golf tee!Then onto the world’s biggest mouse trap?! I don’t know, but we loved it all!What would it be like to write with the world’s biggest pencil?I don’t think this was part of the actual attractions, but at this point in our trip I sure didn’t mind seeing my kids contained somewhere I wasn’t 😉Checking out the world’s biggest mailbox!There was a fountain behind the mailbox where you could throw in coins and make wishes. Bet you could guess what my wish was! (Hint: Getting to our next destination quietly was involved …)Such an adorable town, and definitely worth a stop on your way by it!
Coffee, Dragons and Arches
After our pit stop in Casey, we still had a couple hours to our Airbnb in Vandalia, but luckily the stop did what it was meant to do — wear the kids out! They all fell asleep on the ride to Vandalia and, luckily, this Airbnb was glorious. Three bedrooms, two full bathrooms and a fully stocked kitchen with drinks and snacks. It was exactly what we all needed after a full day of travel.
This cutest little drive-through coffee shop — Shimoji Coffee — on the way out of Vandalia was so lovely!The Kaskaskia Dragon is easy to visit on your way out of Vandalia! You can grab some coins at the store across the street to make him actually breathe fire!About an hour later, we were at The Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Chris and I visited the Arch on our drive out to Denver from New York when we moved here, but it has since gotten an upgrade to National Park status. The museum is amazing now, and the grounds have even gotten an upgrade. It’s definitely worth revisiting if you haven’t been back in a while!The museum is so much fun!There are a lot of fun things for kids to do and see, too.
After our Arch pit stop, it was back in the car for a few hours, until we stopped for gas and went for a quick detour for treats at the Ozarkland General Store…
One of each, please!After Ozarkland it was on to Topeka, Kansas, where we stopped for dinner at The Pennant. This restaurant was perfect, because it had games and bowling and plenty of run-around space for the girls. Plus, it was right downtown, which was fun to check out!
Downtown Topeka, Kansas fun!
After dinner we had a couple hours to our hotel in Oakley. We picked that particular hotel because it was just a few hours from there to our home in Colorado, and we needed to leave early Wednesday to get back.
Grace, exhibiting perfectly how we all felt waking up early on Wednesday to head home after our whirlwind trip.
And that, as they say, was that, friends! After countless miles, five hotels/Airbnbs and 11 states, we were back where we started! Being home felt lovely and completely odd, all at once. We are so grateful that we were able to have this experience, to see our people and to check out so much of the U.S.
At the end of the day, we wouldn’t have done anything differently … except maybe pay more attention to the rules of Dramamine earlier on in the trip. Sorry, Grace!
The Details
Here’s a quick look at all the places we stayed, visited and ate at during this leg of our trip:
Now for the super fun part … the money! We likely would have spent less money on this trip had we flown, even factoring in the cost of the flights. Gas is incredibly expensive right now, which was one factor. We also decided ahead of time that we didn’t want to scrimp on this trip. After not traveling for more than a year, we wanted to stop where we wanted to stop, eat what we wanted to eat, and stay where we wanted to stay.
And it worked out because, like I said, we wouldn’t have changed a thing. Here’s how our finances broke down. We spent:
Hotels: $1581
Gas/Tolls/Parking: $770
Food/Groceries/Entertainment: $1112
Miscellaneous: $250
The grand total on this trip was almost $4,000 which, of course, is a lot of cash. Considering everything we did, though — including places stayed, food ate, things visited — for five people, it really wasn’t all that bad.
Plus, as the kids say, YOLO, my friends … YOLO.
And that was our trip! I hope each and every one of you — who has made it this far in this post! — has something equally as adventurous and amazing planned for the summer. Until next time, friends … bis bald!
I should start by saying that the ride out to the farm was less than optimal. (Think lots of things going wrong, including traffic and car sickness … it wasn’t our best ride …) So by the time we arrived, we had all about had it. The farm itself was very sweet, with lots of rescued animals for the girls to fawn over and fall in love with. I, however, was ready for a delightfully decadent shower, or perhaps even a lovely bath.
That wasn’t going to happen here.
Staying on the farm is a unique (and ultimately worthwhile) experience, but it’s important to know what you’re getting into. I’d liken this stay to “glamping,” since there was a roof over our heads and running water, but it wasn’t fancy by any means (nor is it advertised as such … that’s just what I was hoping for at that particular moment in my life.)
Once we started to get over the effects of our gross ride, things got better. It was actually very sweet to see the girls react to the animals, to eat a picnic dinner on the table by the lake, to watch the fireflies outside next to a campfire and to fall asleep to the sound of bullfrogs, and all the other nature surrounding us.
The farm is right next to the cabins on the property, so we walked over pretty much as soon as we arrived.After this trip Grace won’t stop asking for a cat, while Lotte has her heart set on a dog. Either way, I’m not ready for a new pet, so here’s hoping they forget soon!I do love a cute barn scene.There are a ton of animals on the farm that are being rehabilitated from less-than-optimal settings. The girls loved being able to feed and pet them all.Too cute. This was the view right outside our cabin, and the girls couldn’t wait to get out on the water with Chris the next day!That quiet life.Taking it all in.I made Chris stay near the cabin on his run that night (hah!), but this view wasn’t too shabby!Like I said, the girls were ready to go the next morning!
In all honesty, we decided to stop off in Pennsylvania — and in this area in particular — because my sister and I are considering getting a lake house together and we’re scouting spots. We love the idea of getting a place together where our kids can grow up and visit throughout the year. Living far away from family is hard, but if we had a place like that — and a trip like that — to look forward to every year, it might be just a little bit easier.
After our one-night stay in the cabins, we decided to check out Hawley, PA and the cute zoo — Claws “N” Paws Wild Animal Park — in the area. We only got to spend a couple hours in Hawley, but I can tell it’s a very cute area, so we definitely plan to be back!
Livin’ her best life, always!Lotte was thrilled they had lions, as they are her favorite animal 😉These cuties <3So much to explore!
After the zoo, we were finally on our way to upstate New York, where we would be spending the rest of our trip. That included a stay at Grandpa Robert’s in Newburgh, one night at my sister’s in Middletown and one night at my aunt and uncle’s in Goshen. My aunt and uncle were kind enough to watch the girls for us while we attended a wedding, and we were forever grateful!
I’ll post separately about the wedding — because the beauty of it deserves a post all its own — but for now, here’s a bit of what we got up to in New York …
No visit to New York is complete without a stop in Equilibrium, Chris’s favorite brewery.Our stay with Grandpa Robert was delightfully chill, filled with barbecues and walks with Ranger.It was love at first sight for Emilia … not so much for Ranger!Me and my girl <3Grace and Ranger, on the other hand, had a love affair going on!Our last morning before leaving Grandpa’s.The girls had THE BEST time at my Aunt and Uncle’s! It was so sweet seeing them together, especially with Em, who they were meeting for the first time!Seeing Em with my sister for the first time on this trip was pretty special, too <3Cousin love. These photos were actually taken on the night Chris and I went to the wedding and my aunt and uncle watched the girls. I mean … look at that face!My aunt and uncle planned such a fun night for the girls — including cooking and campouts! — and we were so grateful. Taking fabulous care of our kids AND making homemade scones for us the next day? I mean … why did we ever leave?!
We always have the best time when we head back to New York, but it’s usually really hard to fit in seeing everyone who we want to see. Even though this was a quick trip, we got lucky and were able to cram a whole heck of a lot of visiting in. I am so grateful for all the memories we made with so many people we love. This was one amazing trip that we won’t soon forget.
The Details
Most of this portion of our trip included stays with family, but we did visit a few noteworthy places:
The Hawley Silk Mill is a cute little indoor shopping area that’s right next to Cocoon. After many iterations as a textile factory, silk factory and antique center, the factory has been repurposed into the shopping center that it is today.
Equilibrium Brewery is a fun place to check out if you’re in the Middletown, NY area (and if you like meat, which I don’t, but everyone says theirs is great!).
I’ll be back tomorrow with one of the most beautiful weddings we’ve been to. Until then … bis bald, friends!
