Ever since we moved to Colorado I have wanted to drive through one of these ranch gates, which are located throughout the state. The second weekend in August was my time to make that dream a reality 😉
Welcome back to press trip summer, friends! I already talked about Breckenridge and Beaver Creek, and today’s post is about our third and final trip out to C Lazy U Ranch.
Believe it or not, a trip out here is not about being lazy. (As I learned on our ranger ride tour, a “lazy” U is a U that’s turned on its side). Being at C Lazy U Ranch actually means doing all the things. The girls attended camps in the mornings and afternoons where they made friends, played on the playground, did crafts and rode ponies (G) and horses (Lotte). We had Emilia with us, of course, but for parents with kids over three (the age when they can join the camps), being here means attending summer camps with your kids. Sending them off for large chunks of the day (plus dinner!) to have the time of their lives while you do the same, and reconvening for an evening activity (plus breakfast and lunch). It’s really the best of both worlds.
Here’s a bit of what we got up to in our Thursday to Saturday visit.
For the girls, dressing the part was half the fun!Anywhere that Lotte can practice the monkey bars is amazing in her book.On our very first night there the girls had dinner with complete strangers (who they became great friends with) and performed “Let It Go”, again in front of complete strangers, to much amusement and obsession. It’s safe to say that we have never had a more fun first night on a trip.Friday was our first full day, and we started off wit a short tractor ride up the mountain where we were met with fresh homemade donuts, coffee and a full breakfast with the most amazing view.Enjoying her view with a side of hot chocolate.Too stinkin.We had the most glorious morning for it, too.The best.After breakfast Chris had to work, but the girls and I got a ranger ride — which is basically a ride in a humongous and very powerful four-wheeler — all around the ranch. Grace even found this horseshoe! (Lotte was not thrilled to have not found one, hah.)There were just gorgeous views everywhere we looked!A little bird watching.Emilia was too young for the camps — they start at three — but we had the best time anyway!The driver let Grace and Lotte sit in the front on the last 10 minutes of the ride, so we obliged Emilia with a quick tour of the front seat, as well <3The girls really fell in love with horses on this trip (and have since asked to get one), and to be honest, so did I.I EVEN went on my first ride! Look at me up there, all calm, cool and collected!That night Chris escorted the girls to a Barn Dance, where they listened to live music, ate ice cream, rode a mechanical bull and just generally had a blast.Emilia had a grand time at the morning Cowboy coffee <3On Saturday morning the girls set off for their morning camp session …And it was Chris’ turn to ride!Grace rode a pony that she and her campmates decorated to look like a unicorn!Can you even? She had the best time! Emilia and I were on the playground nearby so I happened to catch her ride, and she kept calling out, “Hi Emilia! See me riding a pony, Emilia!”And Lotte rode a horse ALL BY HERSELF! I was so proud of her!In the afternoon, the “Showdeo” allowed the kids to show off the skills they learned all week. For Grace’s group, that was how to hone their cuteness.Lotte was in a horse/cherry eating race, and she came in 2nd and had a blast!Maximum cuteness.
And that was that, my friends. I would HIGLY recommend this place to anyone who has kids over the age of three (and a lot of money. It was … quite pricey!)
Anyway, I’m so incredibly grateful for having had all these adventures with my family this summer, and for my editor who continues to have faith in my travel testing abilities 😉 Keep ’em coming, Karen … I think we can handle them 😉
Beaver Creek is the sweetest little mountain town you ever will see.
Happy Thursday, friends! As I already mentioned, we were so lucky this summer because we got to go on THREE press trips that took us to awesome places in the mountains.
There’s plenty to love about Beaver Creek — its quaint, safe feel, gorgeous views and friendly people, to name a few — but the Hyatt offered its own set of amenities to treasure.
Views from every window!The cutest kiddie toys in the suites!The best location! The middle of the town is right outside the door, with tons of restaurants and shops, an ice skating rink in the winter and this huge play area in the summer.And holy moly the food. So. Much. Good. Food.So many tasty drinks!That includes 24-hour-a-day room service.Nutella pancakes for the win 😉You can also grab a s’mores kit from the front desk and make your own at their outdoor fire pits, surrounded by the glorious mountains.
You can catch the gondola or ski lift right outside the door and take it to the top of the mountain. There you’ll find a lodge with lots of fun games, tons of hiking trails, or plenty of spaces to just sit and sip and relax, if that’s your preferred mountain activity.
We love a gondola ride!Views from the top.Look at these cuties <3Our hike was cut short when Grace fell and skinned her knee, but until then it was glorious!Rides back down!
The town itself has tons of restaurants and shops, like I mentioned, plus a cute creek and, if you walk a short distance, a playground.
This cutie loved the creek!Hiking around town.
And obviously no trip of ours is complete without trying out the pool & hot tub situation. Both options at this hotel scored a 10/10 on our scale.
Pool ready!What better way to wake up the guests than with squeals of delight from the pool down below?!
And that was it in a nutshell, my friends. We love you Beaver Creek! My only wish is that this place is slightly closer (it’s two hours in good traffic). If it were, we’d be there much more often, I can promise you that 😉
Bis bald, friends! I’ll be back tomorrow with our third and final press trip of the summer — C Lazy U Ranch!
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!
It was the surprise of the century when Chris’ siblings showed up from Australia for his 40th birthday!
Happy end of October, friends! I just finished pulling off a MASSIVE surprise that I’ve known about since we were in Australia in December. All four of Chris’ siblings flew out to surprise him for his 40th bday bash, and it was epic and wonderful and all the things.
After our trip out to Disneyland earlier in October, these two big events made for a super fun month. I hope you’ve all been making the most of fall and gearing up to head into a holiday season filled with love and festive activities.
Here’s a bit of what we’ve been up to lately <3
Nan & Poppa were the first of our Aussie fam to arrive, and the girls were so excited to show them around a day-in-their life!They came to gymnastics and swim lessons, school drop-offs and bus stop pick-ups. No rest for the weary!We were so lucky with the weather the whole time the Connors were here! It was fall in all her splendid glory!The grandparents arrived on Tuesday while Chris was out of town for work (which was so super helpful for me!), and the girls had off for fall break on Thursday and Friday, so that worked well! Obviously the Denver Zoo was on our must-visit list 😉It was all decked out for Halloween, which was an added delight.This bond. Just goes to show that distance doesn’t matter, if you put your heart into it.We had a picnic in Majestic View Park and took Nan & Poppa for a visit at the Majestic View Nature Center!We took advantage of the scenery to have a little photo shoot, of course.Surprise! The rest of the Connor clan arrived the Friday before Chris’ birthday party/birthday, and he had no idea. It was so wonderful <3The girls also had no idea, which was even MORE fun!I love, love, LOVE these people …I mean … they couldn’t be any cuter if they tried <3Grandpa flew in as a surprise for the party, as well!The girls don’t get much one-on-one time with their Aussie aunties and uncles, so that was a super special element of the trip, as well.Saturday was party time! We threw Chris’ 40th bday bash at the upstairs tiki bar at The Arvada Tavern in Olde Town Arvada. It was so. much. fun!People really leaned into the Hawaiian theme, which was amazing.We had food and drinks and 80s music … what’s not to love?!Sunday was Chris’ actual birthday, and he requested steak, of course 😉 So we all headed over to The Fort Steakhouse in Morrison. I had never been before, but Chris was there for a work dinner a few years ago. It was so much fun!There’s a ton of history associated with the place, and the food is top-notch. 10/10 would recommend!Love this crew <3Grace was sick for a few days while the Connors were here (a bummer, for sure, but she bounced back!), but Lotte managed to head into downtown Denver with the crew on afternoon after school. They visited the Mile-High step and grabbed pizza and checked out a bit of the city.Exactly one mile above sea level! (Allegedly 😉We headed into Fort Collins one day while the big girls were in school and, despite the weather being SUPER foggy, we took on the Horsetooth Reservoir hike. Uncle Ben even did it with Emilia on his back!I think they both enjoyed it <3Despite the fog, it was so, so pretty!Uncle Paul was desperate to try In-N-Out Burger, so we did that on the way home. Emilia thoroughly enjoyed it, as well!Our last meal with the fam before they flew home was at Jack’s, naturally.
And that was it in a nutshell, my loves. We’re so sad it’s over, but so happy we got to be a part of it at all. Life sure does move fast, friends. The only saving grace after saying goodbye to our loves was our first snow of the season.
Happy October, loves! This month is the best kind of chaos for us, beginning with a solo trip for me back to New York for my cousin’s wedding at the end of September/first weekend in October, followed a few days later by …. drum roll, please …. OUR TRIP TO DISNEYLAND!
I’ve only been to Disney World, and the girls had never been to anything Disney related, so this was very special. Sadly Chris couldn’t get away from work to join, but we did manage to drag Grandpa Robert along, so that was very lovely, as well.
We stayed at the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and splurged for the Genie+ passes, so this was not a cheap trip. Still, I wouldn’t have done it any other way. With a 7-, 5- and 2-year-old, I wanted to do as much as I could to make this trip as “easy” as possible for myself and Grandpa. Staying in a hotel that was walking distance to everything we needed and paying to skip the lines whenever possible was absolutely worth it. Even though we all stayed together in one room, Grandpa and I each got a Queen bed, Emilia slept in a travel crib that the resort had, and the girls slept on a (very large) hide-away bed. It was delightfully comfortable. I also booked the majority of our meals prior to the trip. This turned out to be a smart move, as well. As you can imagine it was insanely busy, so knowing where and when we were eating was an essential step in avoiding hangriness (myself included) all around.
Here’s a bit of what we got up to 😉
Day 1: Arrival & Downtown Disney!
We were so lucky that we got to visit during the 100th anniversary of Disney and during the height of their Halloween festivities. I LOVE Halloween, so seeing all the decorations and visiting the special attractions was so much fun!
There was direct access to Adventure Park from our hotel (which we didn’t visit on this trip), as well as to the Downtown Disney District, which is steps to the Disney entrance. Be prepared to open all your bags and walk through a metal detector to get into Downtown Disney. Part of the Disney experience is knowing you’re safe from weapons. Because that’s the world we live in.
Halloween decor at the Disney entrance!The Disney attention to detail is SO REAL. No stone is left unturned when it comes to delight.The Storytellers Cafe — where characters hang out with you during breakfast and lunch services — was in our hotel. Sadly breakfast and lunches were booked out while we were there, but we did do dinner one night. The girls wore their princess best 😉The buffet was great! Honestly the food everywhere was amazing, which is a good thing because that ish is EXPENSIVE 😉
Day 2: Our First Disney Experience!
Hello, Disneyland!
One of the best things about this trip was the fact that the girls had no idea what to expect. Yes, they knew we were going to Disney, and they obviously know who most of the Disney characters are, but outside of that, they couldn’t grasp the experience. How could they?
It’s safe to say they were blown away.
Guests of any Disney resort get early access to the park at 7:30 a.m. (it opens to the general public at 8), so we were there bright and early both days, and had good spots to check out Mickey & Minnie’s opening act. Not too shabby 😉Grandpa hadn’t been to Disneyland since he was a little kid, so this was basically all new to him, as well!The Disney app is AMAZING, including the photo feature. They had professional photographers located around the park who would take photos that got loaded automatically to your app. Genius.The girls’ first ride was DUMBO … a very solid choice! Emilia in particular was IN LOVE.It’s a Small World was another hit. We went on it twice!We hung with so many characters! Goofy was our first <3I obviously bought special Disney shirts for our trip, and Grace was disappointed in mine because she said it wasn’t “Disney” enough. So I was very happy when we came across this statue with the same phrase!Captain Hook!Aladdin!Mickey’s Toontown was so cute! The girls and I got to walk through Minnie’s house and then meet her, and then Grandpa did Mickey’s house with them. (All this while Emilia slept through the chaos around her!) We also rode the Runaway Railway, which was so fun, although a bit more roller coaster-ey than I expected! Emilia seemed to enjoy it all the same!Grace was right at home at Minnie’s House <3How cute is Minnie’s kitchen?Minnie was a delight!And Mickey, of course!We even managed to catch the ending of the parade on Main St., which was so much fun! It was the perfect topper to the perfect first day in the park <3
Day 3: Finding Our Disney Mojo
By Day 2 in the park I figured out how to use the Disney app and Genie service a bit better, so we were able to take advantage of shorter lines more frequently. Our first stop was Pirates of the Caribbean! It was a dark and “scary” ride, but I was so proud of Grace for challenging herself to do rides that scared her! She ended up enjoying (most of!) them.The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh <3 The Jungle Cruise was so cute, and the guide was hilarious!Peter Pan’s Flight had one of the longer lines we waited in (about 30 minutes), and the ride itself was fairly short, but it was definitely cute and worth doing. Lunch at Jazz Kitchen Costal Grill & Patio was back in Downtown Disney — so about a 20 minute walk from Fantasyland in the park, where we were — but I enjoyed having lunch in a more laidback setting, away from the insanity of the park. Plus, it was SO GOOD!Our first ride after lunch was the Haunted Mansion from The Nightmare Before Christmas. We scored a Lightning Lane entrance from the Genie + app for this, which got us in at about a 15 minute wait, as opposed to about an hour. SCORE!After the mansion we booked it back over to Fantasyland to meet some princesses, and on the way we ran into Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh!Mulan!My heart <3Cinderella!Ariel!We had tried to do the Snow White ride our first day in the park and the ride broke down. Oops. We caught it after the princesses, though, and it was worth going back!The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage was so much cuter than I expected! Totally worth a visit. Before heading back to the hotel after an insane day, we managed to snag this photo at the pumpkin in the main square, as well as see the Disney Band play as they lowered the flag for the day.Back at the hotel we took advantage of the pool and hot tub, which the girls are thoroughly obsessed with.
Day 4: Headed Home
Our final breakfast was Mickey waffles — obviously — at the GCH Craftsman Bar in our hotel. A fitting final meal for a simply delightful trip.
And that was it, friends! As I type this we are back home, awaiting our next adventure — Aussie Nan & Poppa coming to visit in four days! They head in for Chris’ Big Birthday next week, and we cannot wait! Until next time, bis bald, friends! Hope your fall is off to a fabulous start!
Happy September friends! I hope you all had amazing, restful Labor Day weekends. We spent ours back East with our beloved NY fam for my sister’s twins’ baptism, of which Chris & I had the honor of being anointed their grandparents at.
Tell me there is something cuter than these babes. I’ll wait.Any time we can all get together like this feels pretty dang special. And lucky. And all of the feelings.The priest let whoever wanted to come up to the pulpit to watch while the baptism happened, which was pretty special, especially for the littles.After the baptism, Steph & Bri threw a party back at Brian’s parents’ place, which was so much fun.Nothin’ but smiles <3
The baptism and afterparty were the main events of the weekend, but we snuck in some quality hang time at Grandpa’s, some quality pool time at my brother-in-law’s parents’ house, and some quality drinking/relaxing time at Angry Orchard, as well.
Mojo the dog is definitely a main event at Grandpa’s <3 He’s good value, as Chris would say.Grandpa’s Epic Breakfasts are a main event, as well! You better come hungry …I cannot. Cannot. Cannot. <3Water babes.Em snuck in some quality Uncle Brian time.
Steph had never been to Angry Orchard — an orchard that distills hard apple cider — but it’s well-known throughout New York so it was fun to go and check out where the magic happens.
They know how to get those instagram posts.These orchards had me dreaming sweet fall dreams…Have I mentioned how much I <3 my sister?I am obsessed when our babies get together <3Thanks for a fun time, Angry Orchard!And thanks for hosting this stone-cold group of crazies, Gpa!We DO <3 you NY, and we’ll be back real soon!
Well I, specifically, will be back at the end of September for my cousin’s wedding, which made this goodbye sad, but not as sad as it would have been had I not had that to look forward to.
Because plans are what keep me going, friends! So until then … bis bald, my loves!
Happy Tuesday, friends! I just arrived back from the best trip down South — to Savannah, Georgia, to be exact — with three of my closet friends that I’ve known since our 2nd grade Balmville Elementary School Days in Newburgh, New York. 2023 marks 40 years on earth for all of us, meaning 30-plus years of friendship.
If that’s not something to celebrate, I don’t know what is.
We stayed at this Airbnb, which was the perfect location for us. We were walking distance to so many restaurants, bars and shops, not to mention the water and the Savannah and ghost tours, both of which we took full advantage.
Since I knew I’d be mostly catching up with my friends, I didn’t spend too much time researching what I might want to do while in town. Seeing my friends, checking out some gorgeous trees and eating delicious food was about all I had on my list. Luckily, my friend Laura did do her research, and she guided us through the most magical and perfect couple of days in (holy crap it was hot!) Savannah. Some of our highlights included:
Our tour of the city was hop-on/hop-off, and we hopped off at Forsyth Park to take in some of the gorgeous Spanish Moss (neither Spanish nor moss, mind you) trees.
Dinner at The Olde Pink House. This place was SO. STINKIN. COOL! It’s actually an old house that turned naturally pink when the sun baked through the white paint to expose the brick underneath. You can check out the entire house — which is gorgeous — after you eat and, of course, they say it’s haunted.
On Sunday we drove out to Tybee Island, which was about 20 minutes and totally worth the drive. It was the cutest little beach town.
Arco Lounge had the yummiest (and prettiest!) craft cocktails.
The breakfast at Little Duck Diner was so good (even if the service was so incredibly slow).
Besides all the eating, drinking and site seeing — which was an integral part of the trip, don’t get me wrong — it was so amazing to catch up with these lovelies. We live in Colorado, upstate New York, Florida and Arizona, respectively, so as you can imagine we don’t get together that frequently. Upon leaving this trip we made a pact to do this every five years.
I surely hope we can keep that promise.
Here’s a bit of what we saw, friends!
Even the Savannah airport was adorable! Look at these cute rocking chairs outside!Love Lock Bridge was something else <3Savannah, you sure are cute.So many treats! Such amazing pralines! This place is a gold mine for candy/sweets lovers.Look at this Treylor Park breakfast insanity! I ate more grits on this trip than I did probably the entire time I was in college in Virginia. And I’m not in the least bit sad about it.Touring around Forsyth Park. Look at these trees!!! (Don’t touch ’em, though! Tiny little bugs called chiggers live in them. They used to be used to make pillows, though, which is where the phrase “Don’t let the bed bugs bite” comes from!)Look at this gorgeous room at the Olde Pink House!And this creepy cellar that was actually incredibly cool. Tybee Island was such a tucked away gem of a spot!I hadn’t been in the ocean since we were in Australia, so this day was long overdue. And to be there with these besties was even better. A little Chamacos humor 😉Dinner at Huey’s.Drinks at Arco.And a super cute ghost tour to round out our last night.
I sure do love these muffins. Best friends are hard to come by. People who stick by you through thick and thin are hard to come by. Finding people who have been with you from the beginning is a nearly impossible feat. My luck to have been found these friends is off the charts.
Bis bald, my friends. I hope you’re soaking in the last days of summer, too!
Happy August, friends! Man, oh man, did that summer fly by! I mean, I know it’s technically still summer, and for most of the country, kids are still out of school. Here in Colorado, though, we’re gearing up for the return of the school season (TOMORROW!), and all the insanity that comes with it.
Traditionally speaking, summer has never been my favorite season. I obviously loved having the time off from school when I was a kid, but as an adult, the heat and humidity, long, lazy days … it’s just not really my thing. So, after returning from New York at the start of the girls’ summer vacation, I vowed to make this year different. I vowed to say yes. Yes to more concerts and more shows. Yes to more swimming and more adventures. Yes to being out in the (hot!) world more. The older girls would be in summer camp for the majority of the break, but I also wanted Emilia to have a stellar time. I enrolled her in swim lessons and a couple half days of camp. I made an Emilia Summer Bucket List and slowly ticked things off as the weeks went by. We took more walks, went to story times at the library and got her a scooter.
All of this is to say … this summer, I changed my own personal narrative. Don’t get me wrong. I was still very tired and had moments of absolute stress. We had illnesses and bumps and bruises and fought boredom (and each other), for sure. But overall, this was a summer for the books, and we didn’t even travel until the last few weeks of it. We made fun in our own backyard, as it were, and I’m here for the results, experiences and memories.
I hope you’re all making the most of any breaks that have come your way, as well!
Library Story Time!
The first-ever toddler story time visit for Emilia was a huge hit! We made it back a few more times throughout the summer and she walked in like she owned the place. I can’t with this little one. I simply. Can. Not.
The Denver Zoo
I took Emilia to the zoo by herself for the first time, and the way that she loved setting our agenda was a delight. Highlights included picking up dirt, eating snacks and watching construction vehicles 😉
We went back to the zoo for Lotte’s birthday because Chris’ parents got us the Feed the Giraffes Experience, and it was EPIC! So much fun!
Look at those magnificent animals!Look at those tongues!
Taste of Fort Collins
We made a trip out to Fort Collins in early June to celebrate my bestie’s Big Birthday! We went to the Taste of Fort Collins all together, and I returned later that night with Moe to watch The All-American Rejects perform.We also made our own pizzas in Moe’s sister’s outdoor pizza oven, and now we can never go back to boxed!
Red Rocks, Red Rocks & More Red Rocks!
I hadn’t been to Red Rocks as much in my eight years of living in Colorado combined as I have this season … including one more to come in September that I’m SO EXCITED FOR!
Chris and I saw the Barenaked Ladies perform at Red Rocks (with openers Del Amitri and Semisonic) and it was SO WONDERFUL! They were awesome performers, and it was really fun to relive my high school days with Chris <3I went to Yoga on the Rocks (which is exactly as it sounds … performing a yoga class on the stairs at Red Rocks!) with some friends in July. I had been once before with Chris’ sister a few years ago and O.M.G. it is a delight. Red Rocks is always wonderful, but to be doing something so calming and meditative while you’re out in this gorgeous venue in nature … it’s really something else.My baby is growing up. I took Lotte to her first Red Rocks concert this summer. We tailgated with PB & J in the parking lot and hung out until 9:30 listening to Tori Amos under the stars. It was a magical night.Red Rocks at night with my big girl <3
Swim Lessons For Em
Emilia started swim lessons and she has been loving it. As she’s gotten further into them it’s gotten harder for mom (lots more going under the water … yikes!), but I have so loved having this experience with her while I’m still an active part of her lesson. We didn’t start the big girls in lessons until they were old enough to go in themselves. This feels so special.
Junkyard Social Club
We visited the Junkyard Social Club in Boulder, a very cool cafe/play area that takes junk from around Boulder and turns it into fun play structures for kids!
Playdates, Playdates & More Playdates
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again … we got SO LUCKY with our neighborhood.
Father’s Day Delights
For Father’s Day we took the girls to their first movie — Elemental — at The Alamo Drafthouse. The movie was super cute, but more than that the experience — sitting in an amazing theater ordering food and drink DELIVERED TO YOU — was so much fun! That was definitely NOT how I went to the movies with my parents as a kid … but then again, nothing is the same from when I was a kid…We had Father’s Day dinner at Freedom Street Social, a cool food hall that opened in Arvada with lots of different restaurant options in one spot. Look at these cuties that I get to call my own … <3
Camp, Camp & More Camps!
The girls have mostly gone to camps at the YMCA, but they took a break from the Y for a week to attend two different camps — drama and art — with friends at the Arvada Center and they loved it!Here’s Grace in front of some of her artwork on display at the end of the week. My little love.
Ralston Central Park & Splash Pad
I finally took Emilia to the Ralston Central Park & Splash Pad! It was PACKED with camp kids (as were most of the places we visited this summer), but she had so much fun.I’ve so loved our adventures this summer, little one. Please stop growing up.
Touristing With Visitors
Chris had a cousin come visit near the beginning of July, and so the girls got to do some adventuring with Matt, as well.We sure do love our visitors!When Grandpa came to visit we checked out Immersive Disney, which was so cool!The girls had the best time running around and listening to some of their favorite Disney songs. (So did the adults, to be honest!)The girls even got to check out a Rockies game — on Stars Wars night, so less — with Grandpa!
Birthday Parties!
We’ve had a couple of summer birthday parties to attend, including this one which took place at Clear Creek Valley Park, a new-to-us spot that is definitely a place we’ll be revisiting. It was so cool!
Camp for Emilia, Too 😉
Emilia’s first camp! She went for four morning sessions at My Gym and had a great time! It was the first time I ever dropped her off somewhere and left and it was … hard. But I made it through 😉
The Book of Mormon
Chris and I saw The Book of Mormon at the Denver Center for Performing Arts and it was SO GOOD!Parents gone wild.
Children’s Museum of Denver
Emilia and I visited the Children’s Museum of Denver on a rainy day in the summer. Translation: IT WAS PACKED! Adventures were still had.More like amazin’ Emilia <3
Milestones & Makin’ Memories <3
This has nothing to do with saying yes to adventure, but it’s worth noting that Grace and Lotte lost a collective FOUR TEETH (two each) this summer! They kept the tooth fairy busy.Chris’ version of a “yes” summer was trying out lots of new recipes. His family was happy to oblige him in his efforts. This was the lobster roll and homemade coconut oil chips he made for July 4th. Yes and yes, please!Grace read ‘Dragons Love Tacos’ before bed one night and asked for tacos the next day. Dad made it happen 😉Don’t worry. We made sure to have plenty of down time for snuggle sessions, as well.I took the girls out for dinner and ice cream to celebrate the last full day of camp. We love The Golden Mill for its multiple restaurants and live music and festive atmosphere. It was the perfect way to celebrate a camp-filled fun summer!
Urban Air
Dad took the big girls on a trip to Urban Air, which is always a big hit.
Our Neighborhood Block Party
Our neighborhood had one of its twice-annual block parties the night before July 4th. It’s always so much fun to see everyone, especially ….All the cute kiddos <3 This is like a third of them!
The Indigo Girls in Fort Collins!
I saw so much amazing live music this summer, including the Indigo Girls at New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins with Moe and her sister. I was truly reliving those glory days of high school this summer!
Mordecai Children’s Garden (the Denver Botanic Gardens)
I took all three girlies to visit the Mordecai Children’s Garden — a separate section of the Denver Botanic Gardens — when the big girls were off of camp during the week of July 4th. We hadn’t been in years (and Emilia had never been!) and they had the best time!
Big Soda Lake in Bear Creek Lake Park
Emilia and I finally got to tick Big Soda Lake in Bear Creek Lake Park off our to-checkout list! Park entrance is $10 for a daily pass (that usually gets you in and out, unless it’s a particularly crowded day), and the lake area is so cute! The beach part is on the small side, so I’d suggest going early, but there is a great sectioned-off area for little people, a playground, free life jackets to borrow and a snack stand. Plus, you can get really adventurous and rent (or bring your own) canoe to paddle out into the lake on. So pretty … you can even see Red Rocks in the background on the other side.
Yard Sale Sunday!
We had a yard sale! Made a couple bucks, sold some of our fave things to some cute families, taught the girls some solid lessons and donated a LOT of stuff to Goodwill. It was a solid way to spend a Sunday 😉
We were lucky enough to be able to go on not one, not two, but THREE press trips this summer. I can’t write a lot about them just yet, but once the story is out, I’ll post more details. For now I’ll just share the where ….
The first was Grand Colorado on Peak 8, which was a pure delight. We got to visit the Breckenridge Troll on this trip, too!Our second stop was the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek! We’ve only been to Beaver Creek once before but we LOVED it, and this hotel was STUNNING. So. Much. Fun!Mountainside s’mores by the fire pit. Like I said … Too. Much. Fun!Our third and ALL TIME FAVORITE was C Lazy U Ranch outside of Granby. The extent to which we loved this place — and the extent to which it was incredibly difficult to only include a few photos here — was a whole heck of a lot <3Breakfast Friday morning was a real highlight …And we all (except for Emilia) got to ride horses!Am I a little bit proud of us? Why yes, yes I am.
Tiny Town
When my stepdad was in town for Lotte’s birthday, we took Emilia to check out Tiny Town, a cute little kids’ play area in the mountains that has a bunch of small, kid-sized buildings that make up a “town” they can play in, plus a playground and a train. So cute <3
Such teeny tiny cuteness!These two <3 They sure are cute together!
Lair o’ the Bear Park
Taking Emilia to visit Lair o’ the Bear Park was the final tick I needed to complete her Summer of Fun Bucket List. It was even better that the girls had the week before school started off and the four of us got to visit together <3
These cuties had a blast exploring on a beautiful Monday morning.Dipping our toes in the creek was a highlight!I love, love, LOVE adventuring with my little ladies.
PHEW! And now, the girls start school tomorrow. We’ve bought backpacks and new clothes, gotten haircuts and had our doc check-ups. I don’t know what to say about the fact that time keeps on flying. Except that I’m sure glad I said yes to this summer, and that we’ve all had these experiences. Starting the summer in New York with our loves was the absolute best, and we did our best to keep the party going all season long. It’s been a summer I won’t forget.
These ridiculously adorable subway shirts were courtesy of our besties, Fiona & Jake.
Welcome to the final installation of our time in NYC — Days 4, 5 & 6. They were chock full, and I will do my best to edit, but honestly, we all know I love a good photo. Here’s what we got up to.
Day 4: Prospect Park, Pizza & Baseball
We had tickets to see the Mets play (and beat!) the Phillies on Tuesday night, so we had a bit of more relaxing day. We took Simon the Pup to Prospect Park, had stoop-side pizza for lunch and even managed short catnaps.
We felt like a real Brooklyn fam, with our wagon and our cute pup.Poor Simon sure would have loved a romp. Of course there was no way I was letting that happpen!Pizza!! Now that G has discovered her love of hot cheese pizza, it’s literally allllll she wants to eat.And who can blame her.A favorite activity on this trip was sitting on Carla’s stoop, waving and saying hey to everyone passing by. Not one of them didn’t smile and wave back <3YUM!
After a quick rest, Chris ran over my friend’s place to pick up their car so we could drive to the game. We paid about $50 for parking up in the VERY front, but it was worth every. single. penny. No regrets at all. The ride was about an hour there and 40 minutes back (minus the traffic), and being on our own schedule was priceless. We weren’t sure how long we’d be staying. Turns out … the girls love baseball! Or at least the fanfare involved with it.
We’re off! We’ve arrived!It was such a beautiful night for sitting out and watching some baseball.Ice cream was a big hit, obviously.As was Emilia’s slushy.She was blue for days after!Nosebleed seats were the way to go with this gang. We didn’t feel bad getting in and out 20,000 times, the kids are up and down and all over, and it was pure delight.Thanks for putting on a great first game for these girlies, Mets!
Day 5: Playgrounds, Fiona’s play, Lunch dates with Mom, DUMBO & Jane’s Carousel
Grandpa came back into the city to see us Wednesday night and we headed over to Dumbo for Grimaldi’s pizza, rides on Jane’s Carousel and to check out the Time Out Market. Before that, though, Chris took the girls on a playground hunt, Lotte and I saw Fiona perform a play at her school, and I took my three little ladies out for a special lunch in the neighborhood.
City playgrounds just hit better.Love for Fiona after her school play.Lunch with my best ladies <3We went to Sweet Chick which, once I figured out how to use the online menu, was SO GOOD.That night we stopped at Grimaldi’s to pick up our pizzas before heading over to Jane’s Carousel.Which was every bit as magical as I imagined it would be.I mean … look at that face!It was way too much.And my <3 explodes.The Time Out Market was also very cool, and had a ton of great food and drink options.Besties for life.And look at those views!There’s always room for ice cream.And the sun set on our second to last day in the city.
Day 6: The High Line and the Color Factory
Thursday was our last full day, since our flight out was 7 a.m. Friday. Sadly, Chris had to work, but I took the girls to visit the High Line, we met up with Fiona and Jake at their favorite place, the Color Factory, and Faye and her kiddos and my sister and Rosalie met us back at Carla’s for a farewell dinner that night.
The High Line never disappoints.Finding a food truck nearby with vegan smoothies that Emilia could also eat was a total score!These cuties walked a ton this day, I was so proud of them!Come for the nature vibe, stay for the food and artwork.Oh and the views. Definitely also come for the views!
After the High Line we walked about 2.5 miles (with Grace and Lotte swapping out of the second seat of Carla’s double stroller, but really, Grace basically walked the whole thing!) to the Color Factory. This place is crack for kids. They had the best time running around like crazy and, of course, I didn’t mind the opportunity for super cool pics 😉 They actually give you a card with a QR code on it when you enter, though, and there are spots to take pictures throughout that get emailed to you. For free. Can’t think of any other place that does that!
A riot of colors from the very entrance!Drawing their partner on the other side.As you can imagine, the confetti room was a big hit!A blur of color!This is the quiet dance room, where everyone puts on headphones with the same music and dances around <3Lotte is in a big dancing phase, so this room was definitely a favorite!The photos from the Color Factory in this room — shared later — were amazing.And the final room. The ball pit. OBVIOUSLY another huge hit!Even though Emilia couldn’t even stand in it without being completely submerged, she was in love.Plus ice cream to round out the visit — what an awesome place!Ball pit photo via the Color Factory <3Confetti room photo via the Color Factory <3More confetti!The Wheel Room!More wheels …Ugh with these cuties!Final wheel photo … I swear 😉Such a fun experience, and so great we got to share it with friends!
After the Color Factory we met everyone back at Carla’s for our final dinner. It was the perfect way to end our perfect NYC trip.
Watermelon outside for all!The love I have for this gang is … a lot.
And that was our trip in a nutshell, friends. It was full of so many amazing and fun things. We had the perfect weather. And Grace found/was covered in no less than five ladybugs, so my mom was absolutely there in spirit.
Until next time New York …. we sure do love you!
We’re onto summer things now (camp, swim, play dates, etc.), and we have a press trip coming up in August that I’m super excited about. Then we have an awesome Europe trip planned for Christmas. I’m trying not to wish the year away for that trip to arrive, but it’s hard because dang I’m so excited! But until then, you know what I say … bis bald, friends! I hope you all have wonderful summers planned.
Welcome back, friends! After our first day of welcoming summer by galavanting around New York City, we really kicked it up a notch for Memorial Day. Adventures included:
It was the sweetest of days with some of our besties <3
American Museum of Natural History
With so many amazing museums in NYC it can be hard to pick just one for kiddos, but I’m sure glad we went with this one. We only had time for our two extra experiences, the dinosaur exhibit and the Room With the Whale, but gosh was it worth it.This Invisible Worlds exhibit was giving Meow Wolf vibes, but with a much better story and on a much more tame scale.How small do your problems seem in an exhibit like this, though. I mean, really.The girls LOVED it!Dinosaurs were a huge hit too, obviously.Rawwwwwring like dinosaurs!Even Em was intrigued <3I wasn’t sure how the 30-minute planetarium show would go over, but the girls loved it! And Carla, Fiona & Jake were able to join us, too.The whale room never disappoints.Cuties.
Alice’s Tea Cup
After the museum we walked over to Alice’s which, while thoroughly expensive (it was a full tea service that, let’s be honest, mostly got thrown out) was a true NY experience, as well. I’m really glad we did it!
“What’s this stuff?!”The whole gang. And how gorgeous is this room?!
Central Park
We left Alice’s around 2:30 and had reservations at 4 for Top of the Rock, so we took our time wandering through Central Park to get there.
Good ole’ Uncle Brizz.Enjoying live music at Strawberry Fields in Central Park.
Top of the Rock
This is one of Chris’ favorite spots in the city, so it was fun to take the girls there to experience the city the way that birds do <3
Walking through the Rockefeller Center area is always a joy, too.Chris had some extra help pulling the baggage.Gotta love a girl who only loves her snacks, no matter where she may be!More cuteness <3So much love for this girl of mine <3And this one <3And all of them!Plus this one. Carla. My freshman year roommate at JMU, whom I’ve known for 22 years (yikes!). We’ve been to Germany & Salzburg & Nashville together, survived college and our first years as babies living in NYC. She’s a doll and I love her immensely <3
After a very long day, it was back on the subway to head to our home away from home.
Seeing the sites is one thing, but catching up with your loves … that’s everything.
Ah friends, welcome to summer! Or at least, it’s summer for us! The school year ended the week before Memorial Day, so we decided to head on out! For as often as we visit New York state, we had yet to actually stay for multiple days in the city itself.
So we decided to change that.
Through the incredible generosity of a good friend of mine from college, we were able to stay in an awesome Brooklyn apartment for free, and spend our money on all. the. activities. And we did activities, friends. Boy, did we do activities 😉
I’ll break down our days into a couple of different posts so as to not overwhelm, but here are a few overarching highlights:
We miss our friends and family in New York like crazy. Trips like this are beyond memorable, especially now that the girls are getting old enough to remember them.
Taking the subway with three littles is … interesting. Hah. One day is was just me and a double stroller and three children. When Carla joined it was five children. We got onto the subway at one station and the (heavenly) woman who gave up her seat for the kids turned to me and Carla and said, “You’re doing amazing” and I could have kissed her right then and there. Or cried. Or probably both.
Both older girls really loved their time in the city (so did Em, but you know, she can’t talk a lot yet, soooo …), but I foresee a future where G goes to school there, or lives there after school … basically makes the city a bigger part of her life story.
On our last full day Grace must have walked over a mile from the High Line to the Color Factory, while she played a game of “veterinarian” with Lotte, who was in one of the double stroller seats. Em was napping in the other. It was an amazing moment I’ll never forget, and damn was I proud of her!
Without further adieu, here was our Saturday and Sunday, Manhattan Style!
Saturday
Because of multiple snafoos that I won’t get into, we didn’t end up arriving in Brooklyn until around 3 on Saturday morning. As such, I didn’t have the highest of hopes for our Saturday plans … but as is usually the case when it comes to my kids, I was proved wrong! These girls slept a cool four hours and woke up ready to explore! My friend Faye and her two kiddos met up with us. On the agenda were:
