2025: A Year in Review

Published on December 31, 2025December 31, 2025 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

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

Chris ran his marathon in three hours and eight seconds. LEGEND.

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 checked out the Bubble Planet Immersive Experience in Denver!

Lotte, Steph & Ro got their ears pierced!

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.

Pottery at the Imagine Children’s Museum was an unexpected delight.

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!

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!

June & July

You guys. June and July were epic. We met up with all three grandparents for a month in Europe that did. not. disappoint. There was the press trip at an insane resort in Portugal. All the culture and food in Barcelona. Italy. (More specifically the Dolomites and Venice. Enough said.) Driving from the Dolomites to Paris, with a stop at the city where I was born. Paris and the French countryside. The shocking adorableness of Brugges. The out-of-this-world salty attitude of Amsterdam. And the gorgeous, glorious greenery of Ireland. It was the trip of a lifetime, to say the least.

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!

We 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.

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.

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.

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

Hot cocoa and cocktails in a cozy igloo by the Bryant Park ice skating rink? YES PLEASE.

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?!

Then we spent Christmas in Hawaii with Chris’ parents, and it was SO FRIGGIN’ WONDERFUL!

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!

Christmas 2025 in Hawaii

Published on December 30, 2025December 30, 2025 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Oh Hawaii, you beautiful beast, you. We had the most amazing Christmas holiday with the grandparents here.

Happy Wednesday, friends, and happy “I-don’t-care-what-day-it-is-or-what-comes-next” time of year!

Actually, for those keeping score, it’s New Years Eve. So three cheers to another 365 days well lived (well, most of ’em, at least) and trips traveled and friends and family made/cuddled/loved and books read and things seen.

All the things.

We arrived back from our Christmas in Hawaii early yesterday morning and spent the day fighting off the jet lag/overnight-flight-no-sleep thing. But now that I’ve had a nap, I thought I’d get this blog post in. Although we specifically said when planning for Hawaii that we wanted to literally do nothing, literally doing nothing looks a little different with three kids. We stayed at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa, which was entertaining enough with its multiple pools, lagoon, outdoor movie nights, early morning yoga classes, hulu lessons, and more.

Throw in a few fancy dinner reservations, a Christmas luau and a whale watching tour and we had ourselves quite a busy vacay! No matter, though, because it was all incredible and exactly what we needed. The fact that Chris’ parents met us there was the cherry on top.

Here’s a bit of what we got up to!

Let’s start with the weather. Upper 70s/lower 80s and barely any rain? Yeah. I could get used to that.

Hey, you know what’s festive? Hawaii during the holidays!

We arrived on Christmas Eve and had our first meal at Fresco Italian Restaurant. Their gluten-free Spaghetti Alla Pescatora was the perfect introduction to fish on the island (I think we had seafood for every single meal, often with breakfast being sushi from the ABC Store for Grace, who became obsessed) and the Mai Tai’s we ordered began our weeklong crusade to have as many as possible.

(Please see our trip to Europe this past summer for another example of ways we incorporate drinks into our travel experience. Ahem…. Aperol Spritz.)

My first Kona Coffee of the trip was from Chee Hoo Patisserie. I made it a cold brew with Macademia nut flavoring and never went back.

Look at this pastry! (Also from Chee Hoo.) We certainly did not starve on this trip.

Emmy had a malasada every day. She was livin’ the dream.

We spent almost the entire day on Christmas at the beach/lagoon/pools! We rented … whatever these things are … and napped and snacked and sunbathed and splashed. It was pure heaven.

On Christmas Night we attended the resort’s luau, which was even more than I could have asked for.

The food and drinks were so good, and the entertainment and stories told were so fascinating. FIRE DANCING. ‘Nuff said.

Then Nan & Poppa paid $60 for the images they took at the beginning of the event. So here is each. and. every. one 😉 Enjoy!

The girls even ended their Christmas Day with a night swim at the resort pool. Not too shabby, if you ask me.

The next few days were beach, pool, lagoon, repeat. We bought snorkel gear and the girls saw tons of fish, too.

Just the literal best in-laws anyone could ever ask for in the world ever.

We did take a boat out one day to go whale watching!

Sadly, this boat ride made me feel sick, which has never happened before!

We did, however, see SEVERAL INCREDIBLE WHALES. So a little upset tummy was totally worth it!

We had a fantastic meal at the Bali Oceanfront restaurant on Friday night and had front-row seats to their Friday fireworks show!

Lotte also discovered her love of Boba Tea.

I discovered that there is no end to my love of poke bowl consumption.

Chris & I left the kids with the grandparents one night and grabbed an early anniversary dinner out. We went to YA!! Sushi, which is this tiny, unassuming restaurant in the front of a hotel with the MOST INCREDIBLE SUSHI. We had the chef’s tasting and it was absolutely incredible. Even better than some of what we had in Japan.

We also discovered our love of the ABC Stores on this trip 😉 They had sushi, shirts, sandals… everything you could possibly need for an incredible vacation!

Ice cream on vacation just tastes different, doesn’t it?

Dinner our last night was take-out on the beach. This also hits different than it would sitting at your kitchen counter at home.

I even managed to drag myself out of bed for the 6:30 a.m. yoga session on the last morning we were there. It was hard! And I was so proud of myself.

Red fruit pastries for the absolute win.

Of course I had a turn, as well. Well, I guess I should say *I l*et Gracie give me a turn around the lagoon.

And that was our trip in a nutshell, friends. The perfect mixture of adventure and relaxation, and we will absolutely be back to Hawaii, that has definitively been decided. For now, though, we’re back in the mountains and we head to Winter Park this weekend for the girls to start their ski lessons, which they have every Saturday in January.

Life keeps movin’ friends, and we’re just along for the ride.

Until then, bis bald, loves!

A Knoxville Weekend for Some Track & Field Championships!

Published on December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Santa in Knoxville! Well obviously. He’s everywhere 😉

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had lovely weekends filled with rest.

Ours was not restful! But … it was amazing. We flew out after school on Thursday to Knoxville, Tennessee, where Lotte ran with her team — the Colorado Coyotes — in the AAU Youth Track & Field National Championships races! She has worked so hard this year, and we could not be more proud. We can’t wait to see where running takes her. (And if it takes us on some fun trips like this past weekend along the way, we won’t complain.)

Knoxville was incredible! It didn’t hurt that it was decked out for the holidays, which you know I’m obsessed with. We stayed at a Hampton Inn (a major thank you to Gpa and his hotel points!) right in downtown, so we could walk to pretty much everything.

Chris worked Friday morning, so the girls and I went exploring. We hit up the Convention Center (which was the former spot of the 1982 World’s Fair and currently houses the world’s largest Rubik’s Cube, if that excites you) and the Sunsphere (Santa was there!), before heading over to the Knoxville Museum of Art (which was totally free and had the cutest little kids’ specific craft room) and then grabbing lunch at The Tomato Head (Santa recommended) in Market Square.

The Convention Center was all decked out for the holiday.

The Peppermint Trail was a cute holiday-themed scavenger hunt that some businesses participated in. There would be a little sticker outside their door alerting kids to their participation, and they usually had something hidden inside (an Elf of the Shelf, for example) and free peppermints or candy canes for kids who asked.

The Sunsphere was a lot of fun! It was pretty cloudy and overcast on Friday so we probably didn’t have the best view, but it was still fun to read all about the World’s Fair and see some of the memorabilia and get a birds’-eye view of the city, and …

See Santa! Emilia was smitten <3 I’m not sure if she really remembers much about seeing an in-person Santa from previous years, so this was pretty darn cute.

The Knoxville Art Museum was totally free and totally worth checking out! Besides the cute kids’ room (which had arts and crafts, toys, games, etc.), it was small enough to be very do-able with Littles, and the room with the miniature rooms was a big hit. They even gave us a paper when we arrived with a scavenger hunt to find things in the teeny tiny rooms. So much fun!

The Tomato Head was a fab suggestion! (Thanks, Santa.) I had their special — an eggplant parm pizza, made with gluten-free crust — and it was a delight!

We loved the sculptures and street art that you can find all over the place in Downtown Knoxville.

Lotte’s coaches organized a team dinner Friday night, and seeing Lotte with all her little running buddies was so cute! But let me tell you … don’t let these adorable faces fool you. These girls can RUN! There were some insane times in the race the next day from some of these ladies!

Saturday was race day! Lotte ran in the 9-10 girls heat, which was at noon. We had a chill morning and headed over to the field around 10:30.

Lotte was nervous, which made sense, since she was literally running with the top kids in the country.

But she held her own — despite the muddy course! — and ran the whole thing!

One of the main reasons we wanted Lotte to join. These cuties will have bonds for life if they all stick with it.

I couldn’t love this picture more. Not only for Lotte and her look of determination, but for Coach Dad Chris rooting her on in the background <3

FINISHER. You deserve all the accolades, little lady. So proud.

We waited around to watch one of Lotte’s friends run in her heat before heading back to the hotel to shower and rest a bit. After that we hit the town again! We went ice skating (ONLY MY FAVORITE EVER), and ate at Soccer Taco (so good!). Then we hit up the candy store, did a bit more of the Peppermint Trail, and took in some twinkling lights on the walk back to our hotel.

Pre ice skating! When I tell you how much I love this picture because we NEVER HAVE EVERYONE LOOKING … it’s a real gem.

I honestly can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get my girls on the ice! Emilia enjoyed it but gave up after about two laps. These girls, though, loved it! It was hard to get them off!

Knoxville, you really know how to do the holiday!

And that was it, friends! Our incredible trip in a nutshell!

Knoxville was an unexpected gem, and Lotte, you continue to blow us away. Overall, we couldn’t have asked for more.

And now we continue with the insanity of the season. TWO birthdays. Book events. Holiday schiz. Oh, and … Hawaii for Christmas.

No biggie 😉

But until then … bis bald, friends!

A New York Thanksgiving Never Disappoints

Published on December 1, 2025December 1, 2025 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Nothin’ like a little early morning run/walk to kick off your Thanksgiving day of eating!

Happy Monday, friends!

I hope you all had a fantastic holiday filled with food, friends, and festive feels. (See what I did there?)

We were in New York and it was fabulous. Our flights were smooth sailing (I guess the trick is leaving on the first flight out in the morning, even if that means waking up at 2 a.m. to do it), we spent two fun-filled days in the city seeing the sites and hanging with friends and fam, and Chris got to tick off deep-frying a turkey from his Thanksgiving bucket list.

It was one for the memory books, friends.

Here’s a bit of what we got up to in photos.

No Thanksgiving trip back East is complete without a viewing of *Wicked!* What did you guys think? I know it got mixed reviews, but I thought it was fun and beautiful and a good way to spend an afternoon.

We spent the afternoon after Wicked at Aspire Brewing with my aunt, uncle, and cousin’s daughter. We didn’t get a chance to see my cousins on this trip, but seeing those three was an acceptable substitute 😉

The American Girl store in Manhattan was a VIBE. I think we spent something like four hours there on the Monday of Thanksgiving week! The dolls got their hair done (as dolls do), we wandered around and shopped, and we had tea at the cafe. (Which was shockingly good, I must say!) I mean look. Is it incredibly overpriced and silly? It sure is. Will the girls remember it for the rest of their lives? They sure will.

The city was just getting set up for Christmas, so of course we toured around a bit, too <3

Who could pass up a candy cane display AND free candy canes?

The Rockefeller Tree wasn’t lit yet and the Saks Windows weren’t decorated, but the things we did get to see were enough to make me very happy.

While the big girls and I were in the city during the day on Monday, Chris & Emilia stayed back in Newburgh so Chris could work. They decided to grab dinner before heading into the city to avoid traffic, which meant that Chris finally got to achieve one of his dreams … dinner at the Alexis Diner. Hah! It’s an institution in Newburgh, so I’m glad he and Emmy both got to experience it, even if I wasn’t with them.

We slept in the city Monday night at my friend’s Brooklyn brownstone, and then we hit up the Bryant Park holiday booths on Tuesday, including drinks and snacks in a Cozy Igloo at the ice skate rink! Look. Was it overpriced and was the food pretty terrible? Sure was. Was it incredible and super fun and something I would do over again in a heartbeat? YOU KNOW IT.

Spending time in Bryant Park allowed us to stop into the New York Public Library, which is gorgeous and worth a visit no matter what, but the reason we were there was to see the original Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal (the one that inspired the beloved books and movies) and all of Pooh Bear’s friends!

No visit to midtown is complete without Chris’ patented Grand Central Tour, which he taught to Grace and she can now give, as well!

Then it was onto Emmy’s early birthday surprise .. Christmas with Bluey! CAMP has set up shop with an immersive experience for kids and it’s all decorated for the holidays, which was a lot of fun.

Then we high-tailed it back from the city to be with these monkeys … the REAL reason for our visit <3

My brother-in-law’s co-worker hosted an informal Turkey Trot the morning of Thanksgiving, which was great because Lotte has some training to do!

She even bought medals for all the participants, which I thought was the sweetest added touch.

Then it was back home and time to prepare for a deep-friend turkey Thanksgiving! I don’t eat meat, but rumor has it this was without a doubt the best way to cook a bird.

Three little monkeys, sittin’ in the fold-out chair …

New York just gets better and better as the girls get older and start to remember all the small details of our trips. Like, I’m sure Lotte and Grace will always remember visiting the American Girl Doll store (and are both still playing with the dolls I gave them more than a year ago even after we’ve returned home), but they’ll also remember the ladybug we found on Thanksgiving morning. Trying deep-fried turkey for the first time. Piling into the pull-out bed downstairs to watch a nature documentary. The slime they spilled all over Rosalie’s dresser and carpet. (Okay, maybe that’s not the most fond memory.)

I treasure these trips, not only for myself, but for my kids and the memories we’re creating.

Now we’re off to Knoxville, Tennessee on Thursday so that Lotte can run in the Youth National Championships for track. We’re so proud of the effort she’s put in this season. Whatever happens with the race, she’s already a winner in our minds.

Wah wahhhhhh.

Bis bald, friends!

A Birthday Party Fit for a Blog Post

Published on October 6, 2025October 6, 2025 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Just a couple of cuties who did something I could have only dreamed of at their age …

Happy Monday, friends!

Here’s a question for ya: What do you do when your birthday falls smack dab in the middle of summer and no one is ever around?

Well, if you’re Lotte, you wait 2+ months to celebrate with a birthday to end all birthdays. This is an appreciation post for two things:

My aquatic-loving kiddos.
The Downtown Denver Aquarium for offering a Swim with the Mermaids Package that is every sea-loving kids’ dream!

Yes, friends, this past Saturday Lotte, Grace, and two of Lotte’s friends got to snorkel with mermaids at the Denver Aquarium. It was epic. They got a behind-the-scenes look at how the Aquarium runs with a personal birthday host, 45 minutes of snorkeling in the Aquarium exhibit with fish and eels and stingrays and mermaids, admission into the aquarium, lunch and cake in their own little private party room, feeding the sting rays, and goodie boxes that were seriously stuffed with goodies.

Adults who are along for the party can watch from the top of the tank, or they can head down into the Aquarium for the views that you see in the videos above and below.

Having our own little section to eat and sing Happy Birthday was the best <3

Then we ran through the Aquarium, which is always the most fun.

And ended the day with a sting ray feeding.

It was the best. Chris and I (and Emilia!) had a great time, too. 10/10 would recommend for a smaller, more intimate party that your kids (and you) will never forget.

Okay friends, that’s it for now! October is chock-full of all the things (my second book comes out THIS WEEK! Be sure to follow What_Cheryl_Writes for updates on all the fun events that my illustrator and I have planned), then we head to New York for Thanksgiving and we’re rounding out the year with a last-minute, super-fun Christmas trip. More to come later, but for now … bis bald, friends!

Labor Day in Our Own Backyard

Published on September 2, 2025September 2, 2025 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Any weekend that begins with a double rainbow is bound to be a good one.

Happy Tuesday, friends! I hope you had a safe and fun-filled Labor Day weekend. We considered camping, then decided not to. We thought about Great Wolfe Lodge. Then x’d out the email.

Instead, we hung around home. And it was wonderful.

Besides getting caught up on lots of life (turns out, back-to-school is hectic), Chris took the girls on a couple of dad/daughter adventures, and then we hiked as a family to Gem Lake on Monday.

Chris took the girls on Saturday to Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, which was a cool, new-to-us urban refuge that has an awesome visitor center, hiking trails, and an 11-mile scenic driving route that is rife with bison!

They spent hours in the visitor’s center.

Hitting the trails! They saw bison on their drive, plus white-tailed deer, and tons of different birds.

Sunday was St. Mary’s Glacier day! They were supposed to drive up Mt. Blue Sky (formerly Mt. Evans), but the road was closed. This was a back-up, which was a bummer, because I definitely would have joined. Not only am I so incredibly proud of my babies for hiking two very rocky miles, but THEY SAW A MOOSE. I mean, I’m happy for them. But … I’m jealous. More happy than jealous. But still. So jealous.

Colorado. You are so incredibly beautiful.

Then on Monday, we all headed to Gem Lake, a gorgeous but fairly difficult 3.2 mile hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. The girls did amazing! They hiked the entire time (Emilia included) with nary a whine.

I mean, there was a small whine here or there, but really, I was whining too, so who am I to point fingers.

Did you know that all fourth graders in the states get a free National Park Pass for their entire family? How cool is that?! Get on it, fourth grade families!

The terrain is super rocky, too, so even more reason to be proud of these ladies.

We fed chipmunks on the way in! Don’t worry, it was just (unsalted) seeds and nuts. Nothing they wouldn’t eat naturally in the wild.

The last time we did this hike, Lotte was eight months old and Grace was in my belly, but I didn’t know it. Oh man, time flies!

And that’s it in a nutshell, friends! It was the perfect way to celebrate the first two weeks of school and prepare to head into the wildness of the rest of the year. We booked our trip back to New York for Thanksgiving, and are really looking forward to that. But until then … bis bald, friends!

Farewell Summer 2025!

Published on August 18, 2025August 18, 2025 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Happy Monday, friends! My girls are … back in school tomorrow!

Say what?!

This summer was INSANE. We did so friggin much (please see Portugal, Spain, Venice, Dolomites, driving from Dolomites to Paris, France, Bruge, Amsterdam, Ireland, and New York for reference). Then, because we hadn’t done enough, we closed out the final weeks of summer with two weeks of camp, a visit from our favorite New York people AND one final trip to the mountains.

Tired. I’m oh-so-verily tired.

But I’m also pumped! We definitely made the most of our summer, this is going to be a fantastic school year for the girls (a mother just knows these things) AND Emilia is finally is school full-time.

Holy hell.

Here’s what we got up to the final few weeks of summer before we are in the back-to-school-grind tomorrow!

My littlest baby turned nine. Insert sob face here.

She’s a nature lover, so she requested a day at the aquarium. We happily obliged.

The big girls loved their two weeks at Majestic View Nature Center camp! They went on hikes, learned about bugs, went bird watching, built tunnels, did crafts. Heaven in a nature center.

Loves grasshoppers. Even though this is a caterpillar.

We had the best time showing them some of our favorite spots. Including, of course, the zoo!

These cuties got to spend some quality time together while Lotte and Grace finished out camp the Friday they arrived. I like to think it helped bring them a little bit closer <3

These two, obviously, are too much cute to handle.

Here’s a hack if you have littles who blast through the aquarium and make you feel like it’s not worth the price tag: Book lunch reservations at the aquarium restaurant! They have a super cool tank with all the best fish and it’s just as good as the aquarium if, like us, you run through it in about five minutes flat.

We even made it to the Frisco Bay Marina one day!

The kids had the best time building sandcastles and splashing around in the water.

We had lunch and drinks at Outer Range Brewing, right down the street from the Marina.

We even managed a very amateur photo shoot at Standley Lake <3

We had the best, most chaotic time. Love this crew so much.

We spent the last weekend before school started on a press trip at the YMCA of the Rockies — Snow Mountain Ranch. Since it was a press trip I can’t share a ton here. What I will say is that it was a delightful way to spend the final few days before the chaos of the 2025-26 school year descends.

Look at this cutie little cabin! Rose was my Grandma’s name, so we saw it as a sign that it was going to be a great weekend.

As if a cabin named after my Grams wasn’t enough, the rainbow on the way to dinner was ANOTHER sign.

We spent Saturday morning hanging out with some of the same sled dogs that drove our sled when we came to visit Snow Mountain two years ago in the winter!

We went tubing! So wild and fun and NOT AT ALL CALMING!

We visited Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday morning, since it was only 30 minutes away.

We didn’t spot any moose, but we sure had a lot of fun trying!

It was a delightful final summer weekend spent in nature.

We definitely don’t take for granted that we live in a gorgeous place in the world. We’re so grateful for trips like the YMCA of the Rockies and visitors like my sis and her crew, all of which help remind us that to be out in this beautiful world is to be reminded what it’s all about.

We’re small, my friends. And we’re here for a short time. Leave some big (but environmentally friendly!) footsteps 😉

Until next time … bis bald, friends! Welcome to the school year!

A Surprise Quick Trip Back East!

Published on July 25, 2025July 25, 2025 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Happy Friday, friends!

What do you do when your kids’ horse camp is canceled last-minute?

Plan a quick trip back East, obviously!

Lotte and I are currently on our way home from a last-minute trip to New York, which is always the best time. Grace was meant to come with us, but after a month of traveling in Europe, my little homebody needed some R&R in Colorado. I promised her that she and I will have a Mommy-Daughter trip another time. Since Lotte’s birthday (!) is on Sunday, though, a trip for just the two of us worked out well.

We had such a great time.

We hadn’t been on a Lotte-Mom solo trip in so long. It felt so lovely <3 Love my girl with all my heart.

Upon landing, Lotte’s first order of business was to get a Nathan’s traditional hot dog. Which she hated. Best laid plans.

Then Grandpa and Mojo picked us up and we were off to upstate NY!

My older niece didn’t know that we were coming. Seeing these two together is the sweetest thing.

My sister had a reading for her book at the Gardiner Library on Tuesday, so Lotte and I got to see her in action! I even donated my own book to the library. I’m so happy to have a copy in New York!

My brother-in-law’s parents have a pool, which we put to good use on Tuesday afternoon. We had the best weather on our trip!

I had a lunch date with my stepdad at Piccolo, which was so fun!

Spent a lot of time getting this little nugget to love me, too <3

Lotte went to camp with my niece on Wednesday and they drew these PERFECT self portraits of themselves 😉

Dinner at Bone Yard Cantina Mexican was so good! And this Sangria was one of the best I’ve ever had. Hands down.

The coffee at Callie’s Cocktails were so good, too!

We visited High Point State Park in New Jersey and swam in the lake.

These girls are never not finding frogs!

My sister got the cutest penguin cake and penguin decorations to surprise Lotte with a little birthday celebration. It was so sweet!

The Otisville Country Fair was a lot of fun! They had animals and rides and food trucks and local craft vendors. The kiddos had a blast!

Lotte & Ro had a great time running amok on the rides. I can’t get over what a little dare devil Lotte (and Grace!) has become.

And that was our trip in a nutshell! We had such a great time. We always do. Thank goodness Steph and the entire crew will be out to Colorado in less than two weeks. We sure do miss them.

Until our next trip … bis bald, friends!

Manifesting Spring With a Denver Winter Wrap-Up

Published on April 28, 2025April 28, 2025 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Happy Monday, friends!

The weather in Denver has been less-than-springlike. (Well, with the exception of just this past weekend!) We’ve had snow two of the past three weekends, and it’s barely gotten above 60 degrees for more than a day or two at a time. Not that I’m complaining.

(Okay. I’m complaining a little.)

I’m just sayin’ … spring, if you ever feel like showing up, we wouldn’t be sorry!

In the meantime, here’s a bit of what we got up to over the winter.

Ski, ski … & more ski! The girls and Chris skied more than 10 times this season, and Lotte & Grace even did their first black diamond runs! I’m so proud of how hard they’ve been workin’ on their skin’ skillls <3

I even managed to get out with the fam a few times, which was so much fun!

Emilia completed four ski lessons this season, but has yet to decide if she actually likes it. Her instructor recommended snowboarding, so maybe we’ll try that, next.

We skied with our neighbors/friends a bunch, too, which was always the most fun <3

Back in January we went to a Maurice Sendak exhibit at the Denver Art Museum.

It was so cool! We particularly loved the interactive elements.

In February, Lotte sang The National Anthem with her school choir at a CU Buffs women’s basketball game.

In April, she sang The National Anthem with her school choir for an opening weekend games for the Rockies!

Some cutie friends joined us for the game <3

And we stayed at an amazing hotel for a press trip for the weekend … stay tuned for more info 😉

Just this past weekend, Lotte sang in the Choir in the Park festival and we got to hang at Elitch Gardens. We had never been, and it was so much fun!

This was one of the few springlike days we’ve had lately, and we were HERE. FOR. IT!

I had so many amazing events for my kid’s book, “Grace Retraces Her Day”! This is me at the Junkyard Social Club in Boulder …

At the St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Olde Town Arvada …

Getting ready to read at a story time for My Gym …

Reading to the animals (and kids!) at Lil’ Buckeroo’s Petting Zoo in Erie, CO …

Reading to all the classrooms at the Kiddie Academy …

And us at the 20th Anniversary Kite Festival in Arvada!

I took the big girls to an event sponsored by the Boulder Bookstore where we got to hear cartoonists Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud talk about their new graphic novel, The Cartoonist Club.

We saw The Wiz at the Buell Theater in Denver!

We had afternoon tea at The Brown Palace for Easter and it was so yummy!

And that’s about it, friends. It’s been … busy. To say the least 😉 But such a blast.

I have another book event coming up on May 7th at the Boulder Bookstore. If you’re local, I’d love to see you there! Sign ups can be found here.

And now, we focus on the end of the school year (four weeks left!) and our epic summer plans. It’s been real, winter … see on the flip side! Bis bald, friends!

Spring Break ’05 in Taos, New Mexico

Published on March 22, 2025March 22, 2025 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

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!

The girls were *obsessed* with this hammock. They even took turns sleeping in it overnight <3

It’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.

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!

After a long day, we grabbed dinner in the town at Antonio’s The Taste of Mexico.

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.

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.

That teeny tiny face with the big ole’ goggles. Too much for Momma.

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.

The girls even made pottery bowls that they got to keep!

Grace in particular really enjoyed this room, which was very sweet <3

We 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!

February Fun with Our New York Crew

Published on February 20, 2025February 20, 2025 by Cheryl Lock2 Comments

Happy Thursday, friends!

We just spent the past week with some of our New York hearts, and we were livin’ it up! Activities included:

Seeing Lyle the Crocodile performed at the Arvada Center
Celebrating Ro’s 6th birthday, Wicked style!
Checking out the immersive Bubble Planet experience in Denver
Swimming at the Apex Center!
Rosalie and Lotte GOT THEIR EARS PIERCED!
Checking out In-N-Out Burger
We saw Paddington in Peru at the Alamo Drafthouse
Lotte performed the National Anthem at a CU Boulder women’s basketball game with her school choir!
And lots of cuddles and love, of course 😉

Brought these cuties to the airport with me to pick everyone up. We took our welcoming committee duties very seriously <3

Lyle the Crocodile at the Arvada Center was so cute! The play was adorable, and they had a little “how we make it come together” session afterwards with two of the actresses, and then they answered questions, too. Lotte & Grace got picked to ask questions and theirs were very good ones … if I do say so myself 😉

Sunday was Rosalie’s birthday, and we had a Wicked-themed party that was so fun!

Emilia couldn’t come with us to the Bubble Planet because she had ski lessons at A-Basin, but she made her own fun on the bunny hill 😉

The Bubble Planet was great! The girls tore quickly through it, but it was still a really fun way to spend an hour on a cold day.

This was probably our most favorite room.

To infinity and beyond with this girl <3

They ended with a $10/person VR experience, which was sort of annoying. But Lotte, Rosalie, Grace & Grandpa really enjoyed it!

Afterwards we went swimming at the Apex Center to say farewell to swim before Rosalie and Lotte got their ears pierced on Monday. It was SO BUSY, but the girls had a blast.

This ropes course in the water was a particular hit 😉

We ended the big birthday with a screening of Wicked in our movie theater room. The perfect topper!

Lotte, Ro and my sis got their ears pierced on Monday! To be honest … Lotte was terrified 😉 She needed lots of pep talks and cuddles, but eventually, she did it!

We requested to have it done at the same time. I wasn’t sure if she had one ear done at a time that she would actually get them both pierced!

I was so proud of her for working through her fears! (Ro didn’t even flinch, hah!)

Paddington (which was very cute) to celebrate!

The girls went back to school on Tuesday, but after we picked up Emilia from her half-day preschool class, Rosalie, Steph, Grandpa, Emilia & I headed back to Denver and to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

I’m glad that Emilia & Rosalie got to spend a little one-on-one time together while the big girls were in school <3

We stopped by the new In-N-Out on the way home, too!

A quick hair salon sesh at night and that was it!

Rosalie and Steph left early Wednesday (tears), but Grandpa hung out one more day to catch Lotte sing the National Anthem with her elementary school choir at the CU basketball game!

And now, it’s back to just us. Wah wahh. We miss our family, but so glad to have these memories.

Until next time … bis bald, friends!

48 Hours in Florida & a 10th Marathon In the Books

Published on January 27, 2025January 27, 2025 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Just a couple of happy parents … on a vacation without any kids 😉

Happy Monday, friends! Chris and I just got back from a less than 48-hour quick trip to Celebration, Florida, where Chris ran his 10th marathon.

I know, right? My legs hurt typing those words.

Well he crushed it, obviously. Finished in three hours and eight seconds (who does that?!), and we got to spend some much-needed alone time (in the sun and warmth, no less!), while Grandpa held down the fort back at home with the girlies.

It was a fabulous way to spend a January weekend, if I’m being honest 😉

We stayed at the Melia Orlando, which is a wellness-focused hotel with lots of health-focused amenities. What we really cared about, though, were the pool and hot tub…

The race was Sunday, but on Saturday we got to chill. I rented a bike from the hotel and tagged along while Chris did an easy 2-mile run. We ate yummy food. Checked out the town. Saw a crocodile. Went in the hot tub. AND ALL WITHOUT CHILDREN!

This was too close for comfort for me. Chris, of course, loved it.

We had lunch on Saturday in town at Avocado Mexican Grill, which was so yummy, and this was our burrata appetizer from our dinner at Reggiano’s. It was *so good*, and they had all the gluten-free options you could want for pasta and pizza.

Then Sunday was race day! Luckily the course passed by the hotel twice — once at the 2-mile marker and the second around mile 14 — so I got to catch my running man there twice. Then I walked a short (and so pretty) 30-minutes into the town center to catch him again at the finish.

Finished! Everyone laughs at this picture of the man in front of Chris who is lovin’ life, while Chris looks … tired. Let’s be clear: This was a half marathon AND a marathon. Mr. Heel-Clickin’-Good-Time had just completed the half in the same time it took Chris to complete the full. Still impressive. Not quite the same 😉

Then it was back to the airport and home to the kiddos! We had originally thought the whole family would make this trip, and that we would throw Disney into the mix, as well. When that turned out to be astronomical, we ditched the kids and came ourselves (courtesy of Grandpa’s watching the girls, of course.) I sure am glad we did it this way 😉

And that was it, friends! A quick and lovely time in warm and sunny Florida. It was a delight, especially as we landed back to 19 degrees and snow on the ground in Denver. Blurgh.

Until our next adventure … bis bald, friends!

2024: A Year in Review

Published on December 31, 2024December 31, 2024 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

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

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 😉

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.

Someone wasn’t very happy to be leaving …

March

March was a super fun month that included a Fort Collins staycation with one of our faves and … drum roll please … OUR NATIONAL PARKS DRIVE FROM ARVADA TO THE GRAND CANYON!

These girls are super lucky to have you in their lives <3

I blogged about our Grand Canyon road trip adventures from Arvada to Moab here, from Arches National Park to Monument Valley here, from Monument Valley to the Grand Canyon here & from the Grand Canyon to Bryce Canyon —and then on home! — right here.

Horseshoe Bend was a stunning, last-minute addition to the trip!

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.

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 LEGOL AND! Too much fun was had by all.

I’ll never get over this amazing photo 😉

May

I was so lucky to snag the opportunity to grab a girlfriends’ getaway weekend in Breckenridge with some of my neighbors. These ladies are simply the best.

June

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.

The Vivid light show was on while we were there, and it was so beautiful!

The gang is all here for Auntie Kate’s wedding party <3

An initial Melbourne fam meet-up at Queen Victoria Market.

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 <3

We even checked out the fairy penguin parade on Phillip Island!

Beach Baby in the Whitsundays. No biggie 😉

Ready to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef!

We 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!

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!

The kids loaded up on fun camps, including this one at a horse farm where they got in lots of riding.

Some of our NYC friends came to visit for a week, too, and the kiddos went to Muddy Buddies camp together, which was adorable!

September

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.

In mid-September, we took a long-weekend trip to Punta De Mita in Mexico, and I was delightful!

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.

Great Sand Dunes National Park was gorgeous.

November

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.

And that’s a wrap on the year, friends! It was a jolly lovely one, filled with so much friends and family … and travel!

Until 2025 … BIS BALD!

Thanksgiving in New York (& the Macy’s Parade with Littles!)

Published on December 2, 2024December 2, 2024 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Happy Thanksgiving, from our loves to yours!

Happy Monday, loves! I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving break. We sure did. Our holiday started with a 2 a.m. wake-up call last Saturday to catch our 5 a.m. flight to New York.

We love New York.

To be honest, landing at 10 a.m. NY time was delightful. Sure getting up early was annoying. But there was zero traffic to the airport. The airpot was *slightly* less crowded than normal (lots of people, it turns out, like traveling early), and the whole experience just felt less stressful. Landing early meant we were less stressed out about quickly grabbing our car and racing upstate to get the girls to bed. Instead, we had the whole day ahead of us.

Delight.

We packed it in on this trip! Some highlights were:

Sleepovers at Aunt Stephie’s house, Grandpa Robert’s house and Fiona and Jake’s house in the city
The Polar Express train ride in the Catskills
Seeing Wicked, the movie
Checking out the holiday lights at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
SEEING THE MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE IN PERSON!
Spending a relaxing Thanksgiving afternoon with family upstate
Brunch with more family on Friday

Our flight home on Saturday was at 6 a.m., so it was another early day for us. But landing at 8 a.m. MT meant we had all day Saturday and all day Sunday to rest and rejuvenate. Honestly, everything went as smoothly as we could have possibly asked for (including a broken down Christmas train and pouring rain Thanksgiving Day parade), particularly for the busiest travel week of the year.

Here’s a bit of what we got up to 😉

Gorgeous city views on our flight in, including …

LGA is by far our favorite airport. It’s hard to get the girls to leave! We also saw a bunch of the marching bands arriving on their flights for the Thanksgiving parade, which was so much fun!

We surprised Ro with our visit on Saturday, and let the girls know they’d be heading to the Polar Express on Sunday with a cute hot chocolate bar my sister set up. Because she’s super cute.

The Catskill Mountain Polar Express train ride is so cute! The staff sings and dances, you get chocolate cookies and hot chocolate, and the decorations are top-notch. Yes, our train broke down. Hah! But even so, the staff did a great job keeping the kiddos entertained, and although we never made it to the “North Pole,” Santa did make it onto the train, which was really all the kids cared about.

The holiday season has officially begun!

My sister worked a half -day on Monday, and then we grabbed Ro early from school and headed to see Wicked, the movie, with Lotte and Grace. I wasn’t sure how they would do with the 2 hour and 45-minute run time, but they loved it! We’ve been listening to the soundtrack ever since.

Wednesday was so much fun! Chris and I headed into the city early to hang with our loves Fiona & Jake (and their parents ;), and then my sister and Rosalie and Robert met up with us later to check out the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape. We had the perfect weather, and the kiddos loved running through all the beautiful lights.

The show wasn’t too long, but it also was long enough that it felt worth the cost, since our kids basically ran through the entire thing.

Definitely take time to stop and smell the flowers.

And drink hot chocolate with snowman marshmellows!

Thursday was Thanksgiving! We had another early wake-up call — 5 a.m. — to leave Carla’s by 5:30 and be into the city by 6. It was absolutely pouring, but we got so lucky to find scaffolding that kept us warm and dry, and there was even a little ledge that the girls could stand on — away from the crowds — and get a good view of. A couple of tips from the day, if you’re ever thinking of doing this yourself:

Book your parking ahead of time. We found a garage at 60 W. 30th for $20 that was perfect.
Head to Columbus Circle/Central Park West, if you can. It was, we read, a less crowded spot, and had great views.
Get there by 6:30 if you want to be up-close. If you don’t care about that, getting there when it starts is fine if you’re willing to stand back behind the crowd and catch the floats from afar.
We read that strollers and umbrellas were not recommended, but having my sister’s double umbrella stroller was an absolute life saver for us. People also definitely did have umbrellas. Just something to think about.
Potties. Plan for them. They can be few and far between!

There was even time to catch a nap on the ride back upstate 😉

We spent Thanksgiving afternoon with my brother-in-law’s family. It was super low-key and relaxing, with a tasty Thanksgiving dinner thrown in the mix.

I spent a lot of time on this trip trying to get this little girl to love me. Theo seemed to think I was okay. Arabella took a little bit more convincing!

Brian’s sister Meg brought gifts for all the girls and made it into a fun little game. It was the sweetest thing <3

It was an incredible Thanksgiving, and one I am very grateful for <3

Friday was our last full day, and we spent it with a family brunch at my aunt and uncle’s place, followed by dinner at Grandpa’s.

Uncle Brian made special muffins for Emilia, now that she can eat baked goods with milk and egg in them. All the kids were obsessed!

Such a special day, hanging with our fam.

More. Cutie. Cousins. How lucky are we to have so many loves?!

And that was it, friends. Our trip in a nutshell. We all headed back to Grandpa’s for one final dinner and to say our goodbyes.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! That was our final trip/flight of the year, which is unbelievable. Now we settle in for the birthday/Christmas season, and all the craziness that brings. We’ve got our eyes (and wallets) set on the year ahead, and some hopefully super-fun things.

Until then, though … bis bald, friends, and happy holidays!

A Beautiful Fall Break Spent at Great Sand Dunes National Park

Published on October 21, 2024October 21, 2024 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Hello, friends! Welcome to my fall break post.

Just nuts.

I cannot believe we are here, staring down the barrel at Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas & the end of the year. It’s coming friends, whether we’re ready or not.

Anyway, I digress. We spent the girls’ fall break in the most glorious place — Great Sand Dunes National Park. The last time we were here, Lotte & Grace were so teeny tiny. I’m talkin’ Grace in a baby carrier teeny tiny. It was so much fun to be back with all three girls, and to have them a bit older to really enjoy it. We also stayed at an Airbnb that was about 10 minutes from the park entrance. That was clutch.

Just a little muffin, thoroughly enjoying her mountain morning.

After exploring a bit and having breakfast, we headed into the park. It costs $25 for a 7-day pass, and it’s worth every single friggin’ penny. This place is magic.

Don’t sleep on the visitor center. It has all the info about how the dunes were formed, plus gorgeous views to boot.

The juxtaposition between the fall colors of the trees and the beige sand was incredible.

The girls did great! I mean, walking in sand ain’t easy!

We played on the dunes for about 45 minutes, then stopped for a snack in the sand before heading home for lunch.

Life is always an adventure with this guy.

Our little explorers were such troopers! After a morning at the Dunes and then lunch back at our Airbnb, we decided we had more in the tank and headed to Zapata Falls, a .5-mile hike to a waterfall that includes traipsing across slippery rocks in the water. The girls — while slightly terrified — were so amazing.

Such a sweetie and always game for an adventure.

Initially Lotte held back on the last little (water-soaked) bit to the waterfall. But after we told her how cool it was, she went back with Chris.

We slowly made our way back home on Saturday, with one more stop at the dunes visitor center and lunch at Eddyline Brewing in Buena Vista, which is so amazing in the fall.

The neighborhood around the brewery is so quaint, with a rocking climbing wall, the riverfront walk, a coffee shop and more.

After lunch we checked out the river for a bit.

And that was it, friends. Back into the car we went, for the 2-hour ride from Buena Vista back to the Arvada. And now we await our next adventure … New York for Thanksgiving! Until then … bis bald, friends! Keep livin’ that gorgeous fall life.

Falling in Love With Colorado Fall

Published on October 14, 2024October 14, 2024 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

You guys … it is FINALLY fall in Colorado!

I mean, today is still supposed to hit 80 degrees. But the weather is slowly changing, and we have made the most out of the past few weekends, with multiple trips to the mountains (peak fall foliage!) and a gorgeous run/bike along the trail behind our old house. It’s been glorious.

This Thursday & Friday is Fall Break for the girls, so we’re off on another adventure. But until then, enjoy these fall photos from our past few days.

Last weekend we spent our Sunday in Frisco, which was truly the first time we felt like we saw fall colors this season.

We grabbed lunch at Highside Brewing and sat outside while the kiddos entertained themselves.

I am gearing up to run the Apex Center’s Trick or Trot 5K the weekend before Halloween. So we grabbed the kiddos and their bikes and hit up the trail behind our old house on Saturday morning. So much fun. So many memories.

It’s easy to forget how pretty this place is when you don’t live 15 feet away anymore. We had the best morning!

Yesterday we packed up the car and headed back to the mountains. This time for the St. Mary’s Glacier hike.

Did Emilia spend 99.9% of the hike on Dad’s shoulders? Sure did.

Emilia had never been to St. Mary’s Glacier, and Lotte & Grace were last here when they were teeny tiny.

It was some kind of special to be back this time <3

Never not picking the more adventurous route.

A stranger took this picture, and it’s probably one of our best ever.

In four days we’re off to Great Sand Dunes National Park, which is yet another place that Emilia has never been to and Lotte & Grace only visited once when they were very little. Call this an unintentional revisiting of our past … whatever it is, I’m here for it.

Happy fall, ya’ll!

Bis bald!

Life Lately: Summer After Australia

Published on August 15, 2024August 15, 2024 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Holy cow don’t ask me how, but THE 2024/25 SCHOOL YEAR STARTED TODAY!

I think because we started the summer off on such a high note with a month in Australia (Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island, Brisbane and back to Sydney before flying home!), it made the rest of the holiday go that much more quickly.

We sure did manage to live it up for these 7ish weeks, though 😉 Here’s a bit of what we got up to after heading back from Down Under.

Camps!

I feel like we really hit our stride with camps this year. Rather than sticking to the same exact one, we switched it up.

Horse/riding camp at the Community Farm was a huge hit! The girls loved farm life, were obsessed with all the animals and, according to their instructor, were amazing at riding.

The big girls did a week-long bike camp with Pedalheads. Lotte improved on her skills, went on road and trail rides, rode to the park and the library and just generally had an amazing time.

And Grace finally learned how to ride! Turns out, with the proper instruction, she picked it up super quick 😉

Visitors!

We love our summer visitors. This time we were SO LUCKY because we had Grandpa and Mojo, Aunt Stephie and Ro, and our New York friends Carla, Fiona & Jake (who did camp with the girls). We sure do have the best time showing our loves around our Colorado home.

Steph & Ro & Gpa were here for Lotte’s birthday, which was so. much. fun!

On Lotte’s birthday, one of her friends from school was having a birthday party at a local pool that Lotte wanted to go to. That made it super easy on us!

Ro & Em got some quality time alone when the girls were in camp. It was predictably adorable.

We went to Big Soda Lake one day, which was SO HOT, but also lots of fun!

We had lunch at the aquarium restaurant the day before Steph & Ro flew out.

And walked through the downtown aquarium itself as well!

Having a dog in the house — Grandpa’s Mojo — was a lot of fun, too!

Besides going to camp together, we showed Fiona & Jake some of our favorite spots. That included, of course, the Butterfly Pavilion.

Miscellaneous

When we weren’t camping it up or entertaining guests, we managed to have a lot of other fun, too.

Grace’s first concert, and Lotte’s second, was BILLY JOEL at Coors Field!! How cool/fun is that?!

We spent a weekend at Auntie Moe’s where we rode the Buckhorn Northern Railroad train and visited that quintessential summer institution … Dairy Queen 😉

Dad had a date with Grace … at Meow Wolf 😉

Mom & Emmy celebrated her last day of camp with a date at McDonald’s 😉

We had neighbors over for the sweetest little birthday celebration for Lotte <3

We continued our annual tradition of testing books for the *Good Housekeeping* Kids’ Books Awards. So many great ones this year!

I took Emilia to what was likely her last-ever toddler story time. She was pretty over it. That is absolutely the end of an era for me. I CAN’T EVEN!

Who doesn’t love an outdoor/backyard summer movie night situation?!

And now, we welcome the next season of this year. So far, it’s been a pretty great one, and I have a pretty good feeling about this school year, as well. We still have quite a few fun adventures planned before we say goodbye to 2024, but until then … bis bald, friends.

A Sweet Retreat to LEGOLAND, N.Y.

Published on May 8, 2024May 8, 2024 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Ignore the tired faces of children in this photo!

Chris took the big girls on a trip to New York back in April to visit one of his bucket list places … LEGOLAND! Here’s what he had to say about their adventures.

When Dad is a huge LEGO nerd, and you have family that only lives 15
minutes from the new LEGOLAND in New York, you make a special trip to “take
your kids” to LEGOLAND! This is how it went down:

While we were visiting for Grandpa’s surprise 60th last year, it
dawned on me that I had never taken my oldest ladies (Lotte and Grace)
on a trip by themselves. They are six and seven now, so traveling is A LOT
easier with both of them … and I had always wanted an excuse to visit
the new LEGOLAND theme park. So I put two and two together, and we
found a Friday that Lotte and Grace didn’t have school, and booked the
trip!

As we were planning our adventure, our team of three LEGOLAND
enthusiasts snowballed into a crew of 13 covering three generations,
including grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and best friends. When
visiting a theme park, the more, the merrier! We had such a blast with
everyone.

The girls got a little treat by getting out of school early the
Thursday before and we took an afternoon flight to New York. To say it was fun
traveling with my two adventurers was an understatement. It also felt
like a wonderful parenting transition — away from the stressful,
exhausting travel with young kids into a new type of travel that felt
so much more free and easy. It was truly one of those moments like
losing a first tooth or seeing your kid ride a bike for the first
time. I highly encourage it. I felt closer and more connected with
both of them after we got home.

We landed around 9:30 pm ET, but were able to get into
our rental car by 10:15 and got to my sister and brother-in-law’s
just before midnight. The girls slept in the car and fortunately
settled right back down to get a decent night’s sleep.

We intentionally picked a Friday early in the season for both better weather
and lesser crowds. The weather was spectacular — 55 F and sunny — a perfect day to
spend outside. The crowds were really light as well. Getting there
right as it opened at 10 a.m. helped. We waited maybe a combined 30
minutes for all of the rides we went on. I am glad we chose the day we
did to check it out.

The park itself is a blast! It is certainly geared towards younger
LEGO fans, but I (a 40-year-old man-child) had just as much fun, both
watching them experience it and also getting to experience it myself.
Grace’s highlight was the Dragon Rollercoaster, and Lotte loved the
pirate ship. My personal favorite was the Mini-land, which had
realistic recreations of so many beloved U.S. landmarks. The detail and
interactivity were incredible. New York and the singing Mt Rushmore
really stood out.

It isn’t a huge park, and you can certainly cover it all in a single
day. But there are a lot of stairs and hills, so the energy was
starting to lag after lunchtime. We made one more loop on the
rollercoaster, built custom mini-figures, and called it a day around
3:30 pm.

After some pizza and playing with their cousins, our ladies crashed
for the evening. We then went to watch our cousin play soccer on
Saturday and headed back to LGA for an early evening flight home. LGA
is so fantastic now that it has been updated. The girls even wanted to get
there early to play at the playground and see the fountain.

We got home around 9:30 pm on Saturday with two busted-but-happy
little ladies. It was a short but very sweet trip and something I will
certainly repeat in the future.

What’s not to love about water features?!

Kid-sized LEGO figures throughout the park were a real treat.

This is by far Mom’s favorite picture from the trip. Grace’s face is priceless.

I am so glad that some of our Manhattan besties got to join us!

Bis bald, friends! Until next time …

When Neighbors Become Family (the Girlfriends’ Getaway Edition)

Published on May 7, 2024May 7, 2024 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

I’m going to just put this out there … moving to the neighborhood that we currently live in changed our lives.

I was unhappy when we first moved to Denver. I expected it to be exactly like Manhattan. I missed my friends and family back in New York. I didn’t work in an office, have colleagues to chat with or feel particularly like joining any clubs or activities. I was lonely and depressed, and I didn’t know how — at the ripe old age of 32 — I would ever make friends again.

Wah wahhhhh!

Cut to the next year, when Chris & I bought our first house in a Denver suburb. We lived on a small street in a house that we loved, and we quickly made friends with our neighbors across the way. It wasn’t until our move into our second and current home, though, that we found our tribe.

I’m talking about those people you can text to ask, “please pick my kids up at the bus stop, I can’t make it!” or “please come to my house because my daughter got a pea stuck in her nose and I can’t get it out!” or “could you please come stay with my child while I bring my other child to the emergency room?” The women in the above photo — my neighbors — have sent all of those texts/calls to each other and then some. They have become my very good friends, my in-a-pinch-sitters … my backup family.

In other words, I adore them.

So when our one neighbor — whose husband works for the luxury travel company Inspirato — suggested that we book one of their properties for a girlfriends’ getaway, we were all too happy to jump at the chance. We picked a gorgeous place in Breckenridge (with a hot tub, obviously), and spent Friday through Monday of this past weekend having just the best time. I had one of the best meals of my life at the Blue River Bistro (so delicious, and so gluten-free friendly!), we never stopped chatting, went shopping, had margaritas at Rita’s and checked out the Breckenridge Troll.

You don’t usually know how your neighbors will be when you move into a new home, and it’s always a gamble.

Gosh darn are we grateful we got so lucky.

Bis bald, friends!

Road Trip to the Grand Canyon Part 4: Grand Canyon to Bryce National Park … Then Home!

Published on March 25, 2024March 25, 2024 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Hey fam! Welcome to Day 4, and my final blog for this road trip adventure. (Arvada to Moab can be found here, Arches National Park to Monument Valley here & Monument Valley to the Grand Canyon right here.)

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.

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!

Wednesday

Where we stayed: The Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel (not to be confused with the Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn, which is right across the street is has way more things to do in the actual hotel!)
Where we ate: Ruby’s Inn Cowboy’s Buffet & Steak Room (this is right inside the Ruby’s Inn Best Western that was across the street from where we stayed)
Where we hiked: Sunset Point to Sunrise Point

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.

The first time you see the hoodoos it takes your breath away.

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.

Thursday

Where we stayed: Home2Suites by Hilton Grand Junction Northwest
Where we ate: We ordered Mexican to our hotel in Grand Junction when we arrived 😉
Where we hiked: We drove the Southern Scenic Drive to the highest point in Bryce, and did part of the Hickman Bridge Trail in Capitol Reef 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!

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.

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!

Road Trip to the Grand Canyon Part 3: Monument Valley to the Grand Canyon

Published on March 24, 2024March 25, 2024 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

The Grand Canyon is everything they say it is. Unbelievable.

Happy Monday, friends! Welcome back to my Grand Canyon road trip diary (Arvada to Moab is here and Arches and the first half of Monument Valley are here). On Sunday we woke up in Monument Valley to this view <3

Courtesy of our super cute cabin.

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!

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.

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!

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.

Emilia, you won’t remember this. But hopefully these photos will help <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!

Road Trip to the Grand Canyon Part 2: Arches National Park & Monument Valley

Published on March 22, 2024March 22, 2024 by Cheryl Lock2 Comments

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.

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????

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.

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!

I 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!

Road Trip to the Grand Canyon Part 1: Arvada to Moab, Utah

Published on March 21, 2024March 21, 2024 by Cheryl Lock2 Comments

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!

Saturday

Where we stayed: The Wingate by Wyndham Moab
Where we ate: The Trailhead Public House and Eatery and Canyon Pizza Co.
Where we hiked: The Corona and Bowtie Arch Trail

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.

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.

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!

Fort Collins Staycations with Best Friends

Published on March 8, 2024March 8, 2024 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Happy Friday, friends! I’m way late to this post because honestly … life. Phew.

But I’m here now to share a bit about our fabulous Fort Collins staycation from last weekend. While Chris was off snowboarding for a couple days with a friend at Copper and A-Basin, the girls and I used it as an excuse to catch up with my best friend from high school — Auntie Moe. We hadn’t seen her since Thanksgiving (!), and hadn’t been to her place in even longer, so a girls’ weekend was way overdue.

We love our Auntie Moe so much, and she planned the sweetest time for us all, including birthday and Christmas presents (no visit with Auntie Moe is ever complete without presents. She spoils us.), a trip to the very cool Twin Silo Park, dinner at Totally 80’s Pizza, ice cream sundaes and a Trolls movie viewing, then a pancake breakfast before we headed home Sunday morning.

If you must pull single-parent duty for a weekend, recruit a bestie to do it with you, I say 😉

Emilia spent pretty much the entire time at the playground right here, being pushed by Auntie Moe <3

I’m not going to lie, this playground intimidated me at first. There are lots of things for kids to do that require them being out of your eyesight. The girls had THE BEST time, though, and once we were there for a while and I realized they could handle it, I came to enjoy it as much as they did <3 I mean, look at that joy!

Lotte has been working on her monkey bars, and it’s really paying off!

We love ya lots, Auntie Moe. Sure are lucky to have you in our lives.

Next up was Totally 80’s Pizza, which was such a trip! There was SO MUCH 80’s memorabilia and they played 80’s music and hi, I could live here!

Moe’s sister, sister’s partner and nephew all met us for dinner. It’s always so much fun to see this crew and watch the kids hang and bond.

Any time ice cream is involved, we’re on-board.

We’re sure glad Chris had fun on his snowboard trip …

But we’re also super glad we got to use it as an excuse for a ladies’ weekend full o’ fun.

Bis bald, friends! Next up … our Great Grand Canyon Spring Break Road Trip, taking place the week after next! See ya soon!

5th Birthday Surprises & Long, 4-Day Weekends

Published on February 20, 2024February 20, 2024 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Happy Tuesday, friends! Lotte, Grace & I got back last night from a long-weekend whisk away to New York, where we surprised my niece, Rosalie, for her 5th birthday. This trip was full of Mom/Big Daughter bonding, cousin cuddles, family fun and lots more. The girls had the sweetest time together trashing houses, playing with puppies, and just generally eating way too much sugar and staying up way too late. Birthday treats galore! Movie nights galore!

What’s not to love about that 😉