Upstate New York Archives - Weary Wanderer

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 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!

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 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 …

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 😉

We’re backkkkkk! G had an ear infection earlier in the week last week, so I wasn’t sure this trip would happen. I’m glad we ended up decided to go, though. It was pure delight, as per usual <3

Grandpa picked us up at the airport and we stayed with him for the first night. The bond between this man and my girls makes me very happy.

Our surprise visit was a hit! Rosalie had no idea we were coming, and she was so excited to see her cousins. Lotte & Grace loved being the objects of a big surprise, too. It was off-the-charts adorable.

On Friday night the girls went to a movie/pizza/dance party night at Rosalie’s preschool. They wore pjs and watched Trolls and had a great time!

Meanwhile, Steph & I got to have some one-on-one sister time while they were preoccupied. It was a win-win.

The twins are getting so incredibly big! They were both working real hard on their first steps while we were there.

On Saturday we headed out to The Castle Fun Center, which was a HUGE flashback to my youth!

Grandpa came, too, and Steph & I got to hang with him for a bit while Uncle Bri mucked around with the big kids.

These two are SO ALIKE. Sometimes … that causes problems. Hah. But mostly, they’re so super cute together I just can’t stand it.

I cannot believe Rosalie is five! Kindergarten, here we come!

We spent the last day building forts, having movie nights, snuggles and playing tag.

And that was our trip in a nutshell! Next up: Spring Break Road Trip to the Grand Canyon! I am so excited. Until then … bis bald, friends!

2023: A Year in Review

Published on January 5, 2024January 5, 2024 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Not a bad way to spend the beginning of October <3

Another one bites the dust, my friends! So here we are, with 2023 in the rear view mirror, and what a year it was. Travelwise, it was simply stellar. Things in the world, of course, continue to throw me (and everyone paying attention) off kilter. With that always in my mind, I continue to be forever grateful for the opportunities I have with my family to explore and enjoy what’s beautiful about this great big earth we all live on.

So, without further adieu, here’s what we got up to in 2023!

January

Celebrating 10 years married (!) in New Zealand!

At the beginning of the year our family was still on the other side of the world. Chris and I rang in the New Year (ahead of everyone we know!) on our anniversary trip in New Zealand, then finished up our Australia visit with a trip to Chris’ families’ favorite beach, Forster. The girls got to check out the Sydney Harbor area for the first time, too!

The girls and dad at the Sydney Harbor Bridge.

Forster with the fam. We love you Auntie Sare-Bear!

Once we were back in the states, Emilia and I packed our bags (again) and turned around fairly quickly for a trip back east to meet my new twin baby niece and nephew!

February

In February we had a visit from some of our New York besties, so we did our best to show them the Colorado sites!

We also checked out Meow Wolf, which was so trippy!

March

In March we celebrated “spring break” with SO MUCH SNOW at Grand Lake! We stayed in a tiny cabin, walked on a lake, rode sleds off our roof and traipsed through Rocky Mountain National Park up to our knees in fluffy powder. It was a delightful (if somewhat cold) time!

April

April was a big month, what with ME TURNING 40 AND ALL! We celebrated with a tick off my bucket list: A trip to Glacier National Park in Montana. She was all that I could have hoped for and more. So stinkin’ beautiful!

You can’t go wrong with a hot tub in nature!

Polebridge Mercantile was an extra-special treat, especially with the puppies we played with outside!

Thanks for making my bday extra special, Montana. She was one I’ll never forget <3

June

The Museum of Natural History was such a highlight on our kick-off-the-summer trip to NYC!

Right when the girls got out of school we hit the road! We headed back to one of our favorite spots — New York! — but this time with a twist. We stayed in one of my bestie’s Brooklyn brownstone basement apartments and let our family come to us! We traipsed around the city and took in so many sites (blogged about here, here and here). It was the trip of a lifetime, and so much stinkin’ fun!

Meeting up with the fam in Cold Spring was a big perk <3

We love the Museum of Natural History whale!

But really … it was about being with our loves <3

July & August

I blogged about making the most of summer here (because we really, really did!), and our three amazing press trips (to Grand Colorado on Peak 8, the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek and C Lazy U Ranch outside of Granby) all definitely helped!

Second baseball game for the girls! Seeing the Rockies play in Denver, this time.

Rode the gondola up to the mountain resort above our hotel.

August

Meeting up with my oldest friends from elementary school in Savannah Georgia!

To celebrate the big 4-0 for all of us, three of my besties from elementary school and I met up in Savannah, Georgia, for a weekend filled with fun and walks down memory lane! We had the best time catching up, checking out a new town, and just generally cheers-ing to life!

We took a historic tour and a nighttime haunted stories tour, both of which I would highly recommend!

September

For Labor Day weekend we headed back to New York (as I was fond of saying, New York was needy this year!). My little twinsies were baptized — and Chris & I were the godparents! — and we got to see all our fam again, which is always the best. I even went back to New York at the end of September — all my myself — for my cousin’s adorable and delightful wedding.

Always reminded of how very, incredibly blessed I am <3

Such a fun time watching my baby cousin get married in such a beautiful place!

October

Oh, October, how delightful were thee! I consider October to have been split into two EPIC events — the first was our trip to Disneyland with Grandpa! and the second was Chris’ 40th birthday adventures with ALL HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY IN TOWN FROM AUSTRALIA!

Look. The joy I felt in Disney — watching the absolute love on my kids’ faces — was very, very real.

Thanks, Grandpa, for joining in on the fun/mayhem!

We were home from Disney for two days before Chris left for a work trip to Disney World, and then his parents arrived two days after that! Little did Chris know, though, that the rest of his siblings — all four of ’em — were also Colorado bound. It was so. much. fun!

Happy birthday babe — thanks for giving us another reason to all be together <3

December

We started our holiday season with a quick trip back to New York (yup, again!) for Grandpa’s surprise 60th and a delightful visit with our besties in the city for some holiday shenanigans!

The girls saw their first Rockette show!

Bryant Park is a delight during the holidays, even in the rain 😉

To close out our holiday season — and the year! — we took an EPIC European holiday trip to Germany and France, Switzerland, and Iceland with Chris’ parents. We visited Christmas markets, ate delicious food, soaked in a geothermal hot tub and just generally had the time of our lives.

Phew … what a year! And now, blink, it’s 2024. We can’t wait to see what unfolds.

Bis bald, friends. Thanks for being here 😉

Big Birthday Surprises & Bringing in the Holiday Back in NYC

Published on December 4, 2023December 4, 2023 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Hello, friends … welcome to December! With the holiday and the end of the year right around the corner, things are insane! Which is why we were so lucky to get the chance to shoot back to New York one last time to see all our loves.

(Mind you we’ve visited our favorite state quite a bit this year, documented here and here and here and more!).

To start, my sister & I planned a surprise 60th birthday bash for our stepdad, and it was so much fun! He was so surprised!

These little cuties were so excited to surprise grandpa!

We had 40+ friends and fam waiting for him — he thought he was just having lunch with us, his immediate family. Quite the reception 😉

I love how much time we’ve been able to spend with family this year. It truly means the world.

These cousins will grow up with such a special bond, despite our geographic distance.

The girls got to spend time with family they haven’t seen in so long!

We capped off Gpa’s surprise party day with a big cousin sleepover. So. Much. Fun!

After our day upstate celebrating Grandpa, we spent a quick few hours in NYC on Sunday before flying back that night. We met up with our forever besties, took in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City, and walked the Bryant Park holiday shops in the glorious rain.

It was the girls’ first Rockettes experience, and it did not disappoint! Even Emilia stayed entertained 🙂

I kept looking over at all three girls throughout the show to see their expressions. Absolutely priceless.

My girls are all getting so big, so celebrating these special milestones (and seeing your first Christmas Spectacular in NYC IS a milestone!) with them means so much to me.

Carla and Ryan and Fiona and Jake joined us! We got a amazing view of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree on the way out!

Faye & Miles & Stella met up with us at The Perfect Pint after the show!

Then we walked to Bryant Park in the rain. It was still wonderful.

Bryant Park is one of my all-time favorite places in the city, and especially during the holidays.

Thanks for trudging through the rain with me, guys!

The skaters were literally skating through puddles. That’s what I call dedication.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

And that was our trip, friends. It’s always too short — even when we stay for weeks! — but always very sweet. Until next time, NY …

Now it’s on to our next adventure … Europe for Christmas in JUST. TWO. WEEKS! We’re meeting Chris’ parents for a winter adventure in Germany, Switzerland and, hopefully, Iceland (if a certain volcano can make up its mind). We are very excited, but also ready to relax for the two weeks until then.

Until those updates … bis bald, friends, and happy holidays!

Labor Day Weekend in Upstate New York

Published on September 4, 2023September 4, 2023 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

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.

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 …

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 <3

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!

Babies (Times Two!) in New York!

Published on January 28, 2023January 28, 2023 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Happy Saturday, friends! Emilia and I just flew back from our first-ever solo Mom/Daughter trip 😉 We headed to New York to visit our brand new TWIN COUSINS and they COULD NOT have been cuter!

The trip didn’t go exactly as expected (thank you, Covid, for continuing to ruin plans THREE YEARS LATER), but we definitely got to do what we went to do … get. twin. baby. cuddles.

Additional highlights included one-on-one time with my own baby, plus visits with my aunt and uncle and Grandpa Robert.

Hope you guys are having a delightful start to the year … and staying healthy!

Travel with a 2-year-old is never breezy … but I’m ALWAYS happy to have done it.

Tried my hand at double-feeding. It is … not as easy as it looks!

I’m in awe of my sister and brother-in-law’s strength <3

Being back in the snuggle bunny phase was pretty delightful for me.

Emilia wasn’t quite sure what to think at first ….

Em also got to spend some one-on-one time with my aunt and uncle — who essentially helped raise me — so that was very special, too.

Then, all too quickly, we were headed back to the airport :/

In the first month of 2023, this little one has been in Australia, California, Colorado, and New York. And she has been, for the most part (!) an angel.

We’ll be back, babies. You can count on that.

Bis bald, friends … until next time <3

Some NYC Action, a Surprise Sprinkle, And So Much More

Published on October 3, 2022February 20, 2023 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

This weekend we celebrated my baby sis and her TWINS, arriving this December!

Happy fall, ya’ll! With the arrival of cooler weather and all things pumpkin related, my mood is uplifted. The fall signals new beginnings, in my mind, so I was thrilled to be able to add “throw baby sister a baby sprinkle” to my fall to-do list!

To that end, I have been in New York for the past NINE DAYS while Chris held down the fort with the kiddos at home. (Kuddos to you, my love!) I spent five blissful days in the city, visiting with friends and old co-workers and just generally traipsing around and eating all the things.

I stayed at my friend’s Brooklyn townhome while I was in the city, and spent no small amount of time in these comfy chairs, with this adorable dog, reading my book and people watching the passers-by on the street below.

Dinner at Chela on Saturday night included a lot of laughs and a lot of margaritas 😉

The delight of walking around the city, listening to music and in your own little world, is pretty unmatched for me.

Got to meet up with these cuties — my friend’s kids — at J.J. Byrne Playground in BK, which is a must-know spot if you have kids in the area.

Took the subway in Manhattan on Monday and spent some time wandering around my old fave haunts, including, obviously, Bryant Park.

From there I walked over to the High Line, which I hadn’t visited in years! It was such a pretty day for it!

My walk from the High Line to meet a friend for lunch took me through the flower district, which was so fun at this time of year.

A delight of flowers in the middle of the concrete jungle.

Lunch was pizza at Posto near Union Square. Could you not just reach in and eat this picture??

I spent Friday through Tuesday in the city, and then grabbed the train from Grand Central Tuesday morning to head upstate for the second half of my trip, including surprising my sister with my visit and, on Saturday, her baby sprinkle 😉

These statues outside of GC are new … and delightful.

It doesn’t matter how many times I have been here. (Chris and I even took wedding photos here!) Grand Central is always magic.

The views along the Hudson Line are spectacular, too.

I got off in Beacon for a night with my stepdad who is absolutely rocking his recent heart surgery!

We got breakfast at Beacon Bread Company in Beacon, and were lucky enough to spot a glute-free cafe, Kitchen & Coffee, down the road to pick up THE MOST DELICIOUS gluten-free treats for my sister’s shower! (The theme was ‘Twin Buns in the Oven’ and we had all the sweets and treats you could possibly want!)

After spending the night in Newburgh, I hopped in my stepdad’s Mini Cooper and drove to Middletown to surprise my sister. Even though she says she had an inkling of the sprinkle to come after I showed up, it was still so. much. fun. keeping things a surprise! I even got to go to an ultrasound my sister had scheduled for Friday and see my newest little niece and nephew 😉 😉

Surprises — and sisters — are the best <3

After the ultrasound on Friday, Steph & I stopped at Hudson Taco in Newburgh for lunch. I had never been, but it did NOT disappoint!

More margaritas! (For me, obviously not for the preggs …)

Saturday was the day of the sprinkle, and when I tell you that I was stressed out trying to find a venue, believe that to be true. Luckily, a little deep dive Googling came in handy, because I was able to find the cutest little venue — a vintage barn with the sweetest owner you’ve ever met — in Wallkill. It’s called R&W Farms, and it was exactly the set-up I would have wanted for my sister’s sprinkle. We brought in treats from The Bakery in New Paltz and decorated the Thursday ahead of time (while my sister was at work!), and it turned out so beautifully.

And that, as they say, was that, my friends. It was the sweetest of trips with the best of people and I had a grand time, but really ….

There’s no place like home 😉

Bis bald friends — AND HAPPY FALL!

Short & Sweet Trip Back East (the Mommy/One Daughter Version)

Published on July 1, 2022July 1, 2022 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Fresh off an awesome visit to see our lovies!

Happy Friday, friends! Lotte & I just got back from the sweetest little trip back east where we got to do so many fun things! Some of these fun things included visiting Lake Wallenpaupack, pool lounging with family and meeting more family out for dinner … Steph & I even snuck into the city where we met up with some of my friends for brunch before seeing Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick in Plaza Suite.

It’s been a rough couple of …. years?! Honestly. With our last trip back to New York being the roaring success that it was (ahem…it was not), it was nice to head back this time, even with just the two of us, to see our beloved friends and fam.

Ignoring the news for a few days provided a much-needed reprieve, as well.

Anyway, friends, here’s some of what we got up to …

We met up with my friends at Valerie, which was the perfect location for seeing Plaza Suite after, and very tasty, too.

The play was so cute! The tickets are pricey (we sat at the very tippitty top!), but even just to see those two act together was totally worth it!

It rained Monday morning, so we headed to Billy Beez (similar to our Urban Air) to let the girls get their jiggles out 😉

Tuesday was gorgeous, so we hit up the pool at my bro-in-law’s parents’ house … the girls had a blast!

Couldn’t let the girls have all the fun …

Dinner Tuesday night was with family we didn’t get to see over Christmas because of Covid, so this was pure delight.

Wednesday was also gorgeous, so we headed to Lake Wallenpaupack in the town where Steph & I hope to find a family lake house we can buy together. Until then, frequenting the area to get to know it better is lots of fun!

Because my sis is the cutest, she even planned an early surprise birthday celebration for Lotte, who of course was floored.

And that was our trip in a nutshell, friends! I’m so glad I got to spend this time with my little love, who ….

… is the best dang travel companion around <3

Bis bald, friends — I hope you’re all hangin’ in there this summer and finding yourselves some happiness 😉

2021: A Year in Review

Published on December 30, 2021December 30, 2021 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Welp, friends … there goes another year. As the photo above indicates, we’ve had our highs and lows. I think the year didn’t quite pan out the way most of us were hoping it would, but still, there were bright spots to be found.

Here’s hoping 2022 brings you and your family all the happiness and cheer that you deserve! And here’s what we were able to get up to in 2021 …

April

We dusted off our travel boots for the first time in more than a year (!) this past April for a trip to the mountains. We headed to one of our favorite low-key spots — Granby Ranch — and the older girls even tried their hand at skiing for the first time.

Lotte, Grace & Emilia cuddled up on our couch in the cabin.

Chris and the big girls posing on frozen Grand Lake.

They look a little weathered here because this was after their lessons … but I HAD to get a pic of the two of them with their adorable little set of skis!

We wrangled the kids to take a quick selfie when we got out on the lake in Grand Lake.

June

By the time June rolled around, Chris and I were fully vaccinated, and we were able to start hosting some of our favorite people at our house again. We also went on a fun mountain/lake hike, Lotte continued her adventures in skiing and started running (well, that was pre-June, but I blogged about it in June!) and we continued to find adventures everywhere we could in the great Colorado outdoors. We also spent Father’s Day in one of Chris’ favorite places.

Grandpa came for his first visit in more than a year!

July

The end of June and beginning of July was a busy time for us, as we packed up the car and hit the road for our trip out East! We started in Colorado and made out way out to New Jersey and New York and then back, stopping in a number of states along the way. (You can find all the gritty details here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.)

Staying at a real, working farm in Pennsylvania was … interesting!

entering Colorado on the way home — Colorado State Line

Then, at the end of July, our firstborn turned FIVE!

August

We hosted more of our besties in August, Lotte started kindergarten, Grace returned to preschool and we managed to make it to Frisco for one final summer mountain visit.

September

We hosted one of Chris’ good friends in September, and they hiked a 14er (a tradition they started years ago). We also spent Labor Day at Standley Lake with friends.

October

We spent October in our traditionally favorite way … with all the fall activities!

December

As the holidays rolled around, we were really looking forward to spending Christmas and New Years with family back in New York. Unfortunately, Covid had different plans for us. Perhaps we’ll have better luck next year. Still, we managed to get a day in Manhattan, and we did get to spend actual Christmas Day with family, which was an upgrade from last year, so we’ll call it a win.

Grace was very taken with the Rockefeller tree 😉

And that’s 2021, my friends. We’re looking forward to a quiet New Years Eve (and wedding anniversary, for myself and Chris <3) and planning for (hopefully) some fun travels to come in the New Year.

But until then … bis bald, friends!

The Drive Back: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Colorado

Published on July 13, 2021July 13, 2021 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

After a glorious farm wedding on July 3rd, we were back in the car on the 4th to start our trip home!

As you can see from that first photo, most of us were unhappy about this …

Actually, Chris and I went back and forth quite a bit about extending our trip. We had booked refundable places to stay on the trip back, exactly for this reason. Ultimately, though, we decided to keep things as they were. We had jobs and summer camp and track practice and a home to get back to, as much as we would have liked to have stayed for longer.

It was Em’s first Fourth of July, and she spent it in the car! She didn’t seem to mind 😉

The Long Road Home

Rather than driving straight through — like we did on the way out — we planned for three stops on the way back home. We stopped at a Comfort Suites in DuBois, PA, an Airbnb in Vandalia, Ohio and a Sleep Inn in Oakley, Kansas. We would also be making some touristy stops throughout, to break the trip up even more.

After saying goodbye to our family (we hope to see you soon!), it was a “short” four-hour trip to our hotel in Pennsylvania. Even though we arrived late, a super-wired Grace caught some fireworks at the end of the night with Chris. The next day we took advantage of the awesome indoor pool and grabbed some breakfast before heading out.

One of my favorite photos from the trip was taken at a gas station on our way to a hotel … go figure.

This random pic at another quick rest stop was another gem <3

We love hotels! (And are also very excited to be out of the car!)

After pool time and breakfast in PA, we loaded up the car again and headed to our next stop — a playground/picnic and then a splash pad, both in Ohio.

This playground in Ohio was so cute, and totally empty!

We only stayed here for a quick run-around and to have a picnic, but Emilia approved.

We drove about an hour from the playground to this random splash pad in Ohio. It was on the smaller side, but on a 90+-degree day, it definitely got the job done!

Splash pads and playgrounds really take it out of ya!

World’s Biggest Things — The Stop We Never Knew We Needed

The rest of the trip — about four hours — to our Airbnb in Vandalia — was a bit rough, if I’m being honest. We were all pretty over the car, somehow both tired and wired, at the same time. Luckily, about an hour outside of Vandalia, we saw a sign for some of the Big Things in the Small Town of Casey, Illinois, and made the split-second decision to pull over.

Man, oh man am I glad we did … because how much fun are these?!

Who knew big things could be so much fun?!

It was late, and starting to get dark, so we couldn’t see everything, but what we did see was so. much. fun!

World’s biggest rocking chair! (Allegedly …)

Then onto the world’s biggest mouse trap?! I don’t know, but we loved it all!

What would it be like to write with the world’s biggest pencil?

I don’t think this was part of the actual attractions, but at this point in our trip I sure didn’t mind seeing my kids contained somewhere I wasn’t 😉

Checking out the world’s biggest mailbox!

There was a fountain behind the mailbox where you could throw in coins and make wishes. Bet you could guess what my wish was! (Hint: Getting to our next destination quietly was involved …)

Such an adorable town, and definitely worth a stop on your way by it!

Coffee, Dragons and Arches

After our pit stop in Casey, we still had a couple hours to our Airbnb in Vandalia, but luckily the stop did what it was meant to do — wear the kids out! They all fell asleep on the ride to Vandalia and, luckily, this Airbnb was glorious. Three bedrooms, two full bathrooms and a fully stocked kitchen with drinks and snacks. It was exactly what we all needed after a full day of travel.

This cutest little drive-through coffee shop — Shimoji Coffee — on the way out of Vandalia was so lovely!

The Kaskaskia Dragon is easy to visit on your way out of Vandalia! You can grab some coins at the store across the street to make him actually breathe fire!

About an hour later, we were at The Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

Chris and I visited the Arch on our drive out to Denver from New York when we moved here, but it has since gotten an upgrade to National Park status. The museum is amazing now, and the grounds have even gotten an upgrade. It’s definitely worth revisiting if you haven’t been back in a while!

There are a lot of fun things for kids to do and see, too.

After our Arch pit stop, it was back in the car for a few hours, until we stopped for gas and went for a quick detour for treats at the Ozarkland General Store…

After Ozarkland it was on to Topeka, Kansas, where we stopped for dinner at The Pennant. This restaurant was perfect, because it had games and bowling and plenty of run-around space for the girls. Plus, it was right downtown, which was fun to check out!

After dinner we had a couple hours to our hotel in Oakley. We picked that particular hotel because it was just a few hours from there to our home in Colorado, and we needed to leave early Wednesday to get back.

Grace, exhibiting perfectly how we all felt waking up early on Wednesday to head home after our whirlwind trip.

And that, as they say, was that, friends! After countless miles, five hotels/Airbnbs and 11 states, we were back where we started! Being home felt lovely and completely odd, all at once. We are so grateful that we were able to have this experience, to see our people and to check out so much of the U.S.

At the end of the day, we wouldn’t have done anything differently … except maybe pay more attention to the rules of Dramamine earlier on in the trip. Sorry, Grace!

The Details

Here’s a quick look at all the places we stayed, visited and ate at during this leg of our trip:

We stayed at three different places in three different locations: This hotel in DuBois, PA; this (wonderful) Airbnb in Vandalia, Illinois; and this hotel in Oakley, Kansas
We stopped at a number of tourist spots along the way: World’s Biggest Things in Casey, Illinois; Shimoji Coffee in Vandalia, Illinois; the Kaskaskia Dragon, also in Vandalia, Illinois; The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri; Ozarkland General Store in Kingdom City, Missouri; The Pennant Topeka in downtown, Topeka, Kansas

The Finances

Now for the super fun part … the money! We likely would have spent less money on this trip had we flown, even factoring in the cost of the flights. Gas is incredibly expensive right now, which was one factor. We also decided ahead of time that we didn’t want to scrimp on this trip. After not traveling for more than a year, we wanted to stop where we wanted to stop, eat what we wanted to eat, and stay where we wanted to stay.

And it worked out because, like I said, we wouldn’t have changed a thing. Here’s how our finances broke down. We spent:

Hotels: $1581
Gas/Tolls/Parking: $770
Food/Groceries/Entertainment: $1112
Miscellaneous: $250

The grand total on this trip was almost $4,000 which, of course, is a lot of cash. Considering everything we did, though — including places stayed, food ate, things visited — for five people, it really wasn’t all that bad.

Plus, as the kids say, YOLO, my friends … YOLO.

And that was our trip! I hope each and every one of you — who has made it this far in this post! — has something equally as adventurous and amazing planned for the summer. Until next time, friends … bis bald!

The Sweetest Farm Wedding in Upstate New York

Published on July 12, 2021July 12, 2021 by Cheryl Lock2 Comments

This was the gorgeous view from the hilltop at the wedding we attending on July 3rd.

The night before we started our trip home, we attended my brother-in-law’s sister’s wedding at her fiancee’s family farm.

Wright’s Farm is the sweetest little family run farm in Gardiner, New York. They don’t typically hold weddings there, but they do have a brewery, apple and pumpkin picking and a farmer’s market. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area.

Cute as it is normally, attending a wedding there is next level! Unfortunately they don’t normally do events, but fortunately for us, we were able to attend this one because the bride just happened to be my brother-in-law’s sister. Lucky us!

The cocktail hour started at the bottom of the farm in the brewery, which is run by the groom (and his now-bride!). They had live music throughout the day, which was very on-brand 😉

After the cocktail hour, guests were sent up the hill to the tent for the ceremony. Although the forecast for the day was dreary, the afternoon/evening ended up being gorgeous, with no rain and, maybe even better, no beating sun. It was a perfectly lovely, overcast evening for a perfectly lovely wedding.

Wrights Farm wedding view — There’s nothing like a beautiful wedding with some of my favorite people.

Every last detail of this wedding was so pretty, from the location and music on down to the table settings and the food.

My younger sister was in the wedding, and my older one attended as a guest, as well.

The perfect ending to a wedding that takes place the night before the Fourth of July? Fireworks, naturally!

That, my friends, was the farm wedding in a nutshell. There were so many more amazing details I could have captured, if I weren’t too busy having fun 😉

Bis bald, friends! I’ll be back tomorrow with this road trip finale … our 3-day car ride back home!

Our Road Trip Continued: The Pennsylvania and Upstate New York Edition

Published on July 11, 2021July 11, 2021 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Paddle boats on the lake behind our Airbnb in Pennsylvania were definitely a perk.

Welcome back, friends! After our delightful stay in Brigantine, we were ready to hit up our next destination — an Airbnb attached to Billy’s New Hope Barn in Honesdale, PA.

I should start by saying that the ride out to the farm was less than optimal. (Think lots of things going wrong, including traffic and car sickness … it wasn’t our best ride …) So by the time we arrived, we had all about had it. The farm itself was very sweet, with lots of rescued animals for the girls to fawn over and fall in love with. I, however, was ready for a delightfully decadent shower, or perhaps even a lovely bath.

That wasn’t going to happen here.

Staying on the farm is a unique (and ultimately worthwhile) experience, but it’s important to know what you’re getting into. I’d liken this stay to “glamping,” since there was a roof over our heads and running water, but it wasn’t fancy by any means (nor is it advertised as such … that’s just what I was hoping for at that particular moment in my life.)

Once we started to get over the effects of our gross ride, things got better. It was actually very sweet to see the girls react to the animals, to eat a picnic dinner on the table by the lake, to watch the fireflies outside next to a campfire and to fall asleep to the sound of bullfrogs, and all the other nature surrounding us.

The farm is right next to the cabins on the property, so we walked over pretty much as soon as we arrived.

After this trip Grace won’t stop asking for a cat, while Lotte has her heart set on a dog. Either way, I’m not ready for a new pet, so here’s hoping they forget soon!

There are a ton of animals on the farm that are being rehabilitated from less-than-optimal settings. The girls loved being able to feed and pet them all.

This was the view right outside our cabin, and the girls couldn’t wait to get out on the water with Chris the next day!

I made Chris stay near the cabin on his run that night (hah!), but this view wasn’t too shabby!

Like I said, the girls were ready to go the next morning!

In all honesty, we decided to stop off in Pennsylvania — and in this area in particular — because my sister and I are considering getting a lake house together and we’re scouting spots. We love the idea of getting a place together where our kids can grow up and visit throughout the year. Living far away from family is hard, but if we had a place like that — and a trip like that — to look forward to every year, it might be just a little bit easier.

After our one-night stay in the cabins, we decided to check out Hawley, PA and the cute zoo — Claws “N” Paws Wild Animal Park — in the area. We only got to spend a couple hours in Hawley, but I can tell it’s a very cute area, so we definitely plan to be back!

Lotte was thrilled they had lions, as they are her favorite animal 😉

After the zoo, we were finally on our way to upstate New York, where we would be spending the rest of our trip. That included a stay at Grandpa Robert’s in Newburgh, one night at my sister’s in Middletown and one night at my aunt and uncle’s in Goshen. My aunt and uncle were kind enough to watch the girls for us while we attended a wedding, and we were forever grateful!

I’ll post separately about the wedding — because the beauty of it deserves a post all its own — but for now, here’s a bit of what we got up to in New York …

No visit to New York is complete without a stop in Equilibrium, Chris’s favorite brewery.

Our stay with Grandpa Robert was delightfully chill, filled with barbecues and walks with Ranger.

It was love at first sight for Emilia … not so much for Ranger!

Grace and Ranger, on the other hand, had a love affair going on!

Our last morning before leaving Grandpa’s.

The girls had THE BEST time at my Aunt and Uncle’s!

It was so sweet seeing them together, especially with Em, who they were meeting for the first time!

Seeing Em with my sister for the first time on this trip was pretty special, too <3

These photos were actually taken on the night Chris and I went to the wedding and my aunt and uncle watched the girls. I mean … look at that face!

My aunt and uncle planned such a fun night for the girls — including cooking and campouts! — and we were so grateful.

Taking fabulous care of our kids AND making homemade scones for us the next day? I mean … why did we ever leave?!

We always have the best time when we head back to New York, but it’s usually really hard to fit in seeing everyone who we want to see. Even though this was a quick trip, we got lucky and were able to cram a whole heck of a lot of visiting in. I am so grateful for all the memories we made with so many people we love. This was one amazing trip that we won’t soon forget.

The Details

Most of this portion of our trip included stays with family, but we did visit a few noteworthy places:

We stayed at one Airbnb that was part of Billy’s New Hope Barn
We visited the Claws “N” Paws Wild Animal Sanctuary in the Poconos, and got coffee and breakfast at Cocoon Coffee House & Bakery in Hawley, PA.
The Hawley Silk Mill is a cute little indoor shopping area that’s right next to Cocoon. After many iterations as a textile factory, silk factory and antique center, the factory has been repurposed into the shopping center that it is today.
Equilibrium Brewery is a fun place to check out if you’re in the Middletown, NY area (and if you like meat, which I don’t, but everyone says theirs is great!).

I’ll be back tomorrow with one of the most beautiful weddings we’ve been to. Until then … bis bald, friends!

Solo Mother-Daughter Dates Back to New York

Published on February 17, 2020February 17, 2020 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Welcome to mid-February, friends! This year, as expected, is already breezing by. And this year, as expected, has already been filled with its fair share of ups and downs, highs and lows. Sadness and happiness. This is life, am I right?

On one of the happier notes, Lotte and I just returned from a solo mom/daughter trip back east to celebrate my niece Rosalie’s first birthday. I can’t believe how quickly that year flew by, so I can only imagine how her parents must feel. This trip was super quick — just Thursday night through Sunday — but it was so amazing. We got to celebrate Valentine’s Day with the fam, I got to visit my grandmother, we celebrated Ro at her first birthday party and saw so many friends and family<3 Going back east is always a whirlwind, but it’s never not worth it. And this solo trip with Lotte — our first since Grace was born, our third in total — was so much fun. At 3.5, Lotte is at, I believe, the perfect travel age. Despite the fact that she’s traveled quite a bit, flying on an airplane is still magical to her (as it should be!), and she has the best time eating snacks, watching shows, coloring, reading … basically all of her every day activities are made that much more fun when they’re done mid-air.

Continue reading “Solo Mother-Daughter Dates Back to New York” →

Sunflowers, Friends & Family, Farm Animals and Unbeatable Views in New York

Published on July 30, 2019August 21, 2019 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Happy Tuesday, friends! We’re still here in New York, where we’ve been since last Wednesday, and we have done all. of. the. things.

We flew in. Rented our car. Drove to Liberty State Park. Spent one night at my sister’s before driving to stay with my friend at her place in Woodstock. Threw Lotte a third birthday party. Drove back to my sister’s. Visited my grandmother in the hospital. Took family photos at an amazing sunflower farm near my sister’s house and, today, I babysat all three babes while my sister, Brian and Chris worked.

Phew! And we aren’t even halfway through!

Continue reading “Sunflowers, Friends & Family, Farm Animals and Unbeatable Views in New York” →

Making Memories on Memorial Day in Upstate New York

Published on May 29, 2019August 21, 2019 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

If you are looking at that above picture and thinking, “Stop it. Just ding dang stop it right now,” then you know how I feel about my new adorable niece.

Before I get any further, let me start this post by stating that I have a fabulous husband. As a surprise birthday treat, he booked a little New York getaway just for me — sans children! — for this past Memorial Day weekend. I flew in on Friday and got to spend a glorious three and 1/2 days with Steph and Ro and Brian (and a whole cast of other amazing people, as well), before flying back (and landing at 3 a.m. – thank you hurricanes, tornados, thunderstorms and hail … oh my) on Tuesday.

Continue reading “Making Memories on Memorial Day in Upstate New York” →

Life Recently: A Sad Farewell to Auntie Kate

Published on March 27, 2019August 21, 2019 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Well friends, yesterday we said good-bye to Auntie Kate. That’s right. We packed her up, had a final day filled with fun, and sent her on her way back to Australia.

We always knew this day would come, but man oh man did it come fast! While we are incredibly sad to say good-bye, we’re also super excited to see what fun and adventures await Kate when she gets back to Australia.

Plus, our basement is always open to more visits 😉

So, here’s to sisters-in-law that are more like sisters, and aunties that are more like second Moms. Our two little ladies sure will miss you, Kate — and so will we <3

Continue reading “Life Recently: A Sad Farewell to Auntie Kate” →

Cousins Are for Life

Published on March 17, 2019August 21, 2019 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Is there anything in the world quite like holding your baby sister’s first baby in your arms? I’ll go ahead and answer that for you — no. No, there is not.

I just got back this past weekend after nine days out in New York, the purpose of which was to do just that — hold my baby sister’s first baby in my arms.

And, you know, help out, however I could.

Continue reading “Cousins Are for Life” →

2018: A Year in Review

Published on December 18, 2018August 27, 2019 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Well friends, somehow — and I’m really not sure how — this photo was taken on New Years Eve ONE YEAR AGO. 2018 is coming to a close, and since we leave for Australia the day after tomorrow, I figured I should put together my Year In Review post before we head out, and then just add Epic Australia, as I will from now on be calling it, once we’re back.

So without further adieu, here is a bit of what we got up to in the year that started with us expanding our little family ….

Continue reading “2018: A Year in Review” →

Ticking Things Off Little Lotte’s Bucket List

Published on August 28, 2018 by Cheryl Lock2 Comments

Happy Tuesday, friends! The above video is of my little Weary Wanderer, about to explore her world. We just got back from a trip East for a whole bunch of fun reasons. We celebrated my sister’s 30th birthday (only a month early, no big deal), visited with my Grandma, saw all the cousins, and of course, ticked one big thing off Lotte’s bucket list – seeing the Statue of Liberty in person.

I don’t know how it started, really, other than the fact that Lotte has about five New York City books, but she has really become obsessed with the Statue of Liberty, and it’s the most adorable thing ever. So, when we flew into Newark, we hopped in our rental car and drove to Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, with a fantastic view of the Statue of Liberty and downtown Manhattan. It was a really fun time for us, and Lotte was so in awe. It’s definitely something Chris and I will never forget.

The rest of the weekend was amazing, as well. We spent two days at a mountain house that a friend of ours was renting near Woodstock, and Lotte had an amazing time playing in the pool and running around with my friend’s daughter, and Grace had the best time playing with her son, who is one month younger. We also visited a whole bunch of new locations (like Weeds Orchard and Brown Barn Farms) and on Sunday, we met up with Robert for breakfast at Chadwick Lake Park before hiking a trail near the lake that was built and dedicated to my Mom by an Eagle Scout neighbor of hers. They had been close and he was so upset when she passed, that this was something he wanted to do for her. The trail was beautiful, and being there with the girls meant so much to me. I’m glad this place will be there to be able to take the girls for years to come.

Here’s a bit of what our trip looked like …

^^ Lots of photos even before we left airport, because that’s what a one-hour delay will do to you.

^^ And there she is, in all her glory! Lotte literally whispered “Statue of Liberty!” when she first saw her … she was so blown away. We spent about two hours at the park, which is so amazing, and let the girls run around and get some energy out before heading on over to my sister’s.

After spending the night at Steph’s on Wednesday, we headed to Woodstock to hang with Carla and her daughter and son at their summer house. It was so much fun to spend time with them, playing in the pool, barbecuing, drinking and chatting.

^^ This moment where we spotted a frog in the grass and let Lotte hold it was pretty special to me, too. The extent of her knowledge about frogs up to that point had been seeing them in books and knowing that they say, “ribbit, ribbit.” To watch her see and touch one in real life was a super fun moment.

^^ This crew <3

^^ Linus and Grace were having a little love affair with each other all weekend long, and it was kind of the cutest.

^^ Brown Barn Farms was the cutest little spot! The drinks were good, the view was glorious, and the food truck served up some tasty dinner, too.

^^ Heading out to Aunt Stephie’s early birthday party at Weeds Orchard with the fam.

^^ On Sunday morning we met Robert at Chadwick Lake Park to have a quick breakfast and then head over to the trail that was built in my Mom’s memory. It was a great day.

^^ This is such a crazy picture for me. So this tree is a part of a larger tree that used to live near my old elementary school, Balmville School, and this was the Balmville Tree. It was the oldest tree in the U.S., and when it started to rot, they decided to preserve parts of it and put it in Chadwick Lake Park as a memorial. I hadn’t seen it in this spot before, though, and to see my daughter standing in a tree that is so synonymous with my childhood, it was a little surreal.

^^ Love, love, love this crew <3

^^ And later in the day it was back to my sister’s to meet up with my Grandma and have a little barbecue before we headed out super early on Monday morning.

And that was our trip in a nutshell. It went by super fast and was jam packed, but the girls had a really great time, I think, and I loved spending that quality time with all the people we were able to see. Trips back east are always busy, but they’re also always amazing, and being able to bring my girls along for the ride … it really means so much to me.

The plane ride back home was not our best, since both girls were entirely exhausted and yet not interested in sleeping (Grace napped for about 20 minutes and Lotte not at all), but we pulled out the big guns with all the toys and books and snacks and “TV School Bus” (aka videos), and we made it through.

And just like that, we were back in good ole’ Denver. And also just like that, it’s almost September?! How in the how did that happen? I do love Fall, though, and we have our big Australia trip to look forward to, so big, good, fun things ahead, my friends.

I hope you all have had wonderful summers, and until the next time … bis bald!

A Trip Back East & Little Grace’s First Flight

Published on April 25, 2018 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Happy Wednesday, friends! Lotte, Grace, Chris & I are back from a quick trip to Pennsylvania and New York, and we had the best time visiting with friends & family there. This was Grace’s first plane ride, and she did so great! Lotte was slightly antsy for about the last half hour of both rides there and back, but I guess that’s to be expected from an almost-two-year old, right? All-in-all I’d say they both did amazingly well.

We mostly flew back so that we could attend the second annual MS fundraiser that my sister and I threw in honor of our mom, which was a yoga session we held at Stone Wave Yoga in Gardner, NY. That event was amazing—with about $1,500 raised and counting!—but we also tacked on visits with my dad and stepmom, Jen & Kev and the boys, my grandma and aunt and uncle and cousins. It was a lot of driving back and forth for the girls, but they are true travel champs, and I honestly think they had the best time. I know I did.

Here are some of the highlights from our five-day, quick trip back east.

^^ This was Lotte’s 7th flight (14th, if you count back and forth!). Quite the little traveler for only almost-two 😉

^^ We picked up some kids’ pieces from the Love Taza Luggage Collection at Target for the trip, and while Lotte wasn’t sure about the headphones prior to the trip, she really seemed to enjoy them on the actual flight. The activity set was clutch, too!

^^Mommom & Papa’s house has allllll the toys, so Lotte was one happy girl once we got there!

^^ Saturday morning we had breakfast at my parents, then we packed up their car and headed to New York to stay at Steph and Brian’s for Saturday and Sunday.

^^ This was the first time Grace met my Grandmother (along with most of my other extended family!), and it really was such a special day for me.

^^ My grandmother with my children. I mean … it doesn’t get much more special than that <3

^^ My grandmother with all three of her great-grandchildren!

^^ Lotte is pretty obsessed with dogs lately, so getting to meet and hang out with Linus, my sister’s pup, was pretty fun for her, too.

^^ A friend of mine from college brought her son, Jacob, to the fundraiser on Sunday, and he was born exactly one month after Grace. How cute are these two together?!

^^ My girls, all dressed up for their grandma’s fundraiser.

^^ We had such a beautiful day for our event on Sunday, and Stone Wave Yoga provided such an amazing backdrop.

^^ Back at Mommom & Papa’s on Monday, we got to hang with Jen & Kev and the boys for dinner and a mini birthday celebration for me <3

^^ These two! Jude was born about two months before Lotte, and he was the first baby Lotte met when Jen flew out to Colorado when Lotte was first born. I hope they are always bonded.

^^ Can you even with these four?!

^^ And just like that, we were back on the plane Tuesday morning heading back to Colorado. Lotte was not into turning away from the window for this family shot 😉

My little Weary Wanderers! Traveling with kids is never not an ordeal, with all the stuff you have to bring and (occasionally!) all the whining you have to endure, but to me, it’s also never not worth it. There hasn’t been one trip that I’ve been on with the family that I have regretted. I hope that even though the girls are too young to likely remember these trips, having these photos will mean the world to them as they get older.

And that was our trip in a nutshell, friends! I hope everyone else is having a great start to the spring season, as well <3 Bis bald!

A Week of Firsts in New York

Published on July 25, 2017 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Lotte and I just flew back yesterday from our quick trip to New York, and as much as we missed dad (sorry Chris!), we had so much fun. Lotte had a ton of firsts (first trip to the beach! first first birthday party!), we celebrated my Uncle’s retirement, we met my sister and bro-in-law’s new puppy, and just pretty much rocked out on our trip together.

Don’t get me wrong … traveling alone with a little one is super hard. The flight? Hard. Doing everything yourself for five days straight? Hard. Ummm … major shout-out to all the single parents out there who do that every. single. day. I honestly am in awe of you.

On that note, I want to publicly thank the staff at Delta for being amazing on our flight out to New York. When the woman giving me bag tags for Lotte’s car seat and stroller saw that I was booked in a middle seat, she moved us so we had a full aisle all to ourselves.

What luxury!

On the flight, the flight attendants were so super helpful and sweet. They held Lotte for me while I went to the bathroom, gave me free food from the menu you’re supposed to pay for, and were so supportive when I walked her up and down the aisle for about 20 minutes until she fell asleep (for about 40 minutes :/). All-in-all, it was the best flight I’ve had with her so far, and this was Lotte’s fifth time flying. Thanks again, Delta!

Anyway, enough of that. Here’s what we got up to!

^^ Lotte loved Linus, my sister and Brian’s new pup. He was pretty good with her, too, even though you could tell they both were a little confused about who (and what) exactly the other was 😉

^^ On Friday my sister took off from work (thanks sis!) and we headed to Rye Beach, which was Lotte’s first beach experience. I would definitely recommend this beach, especially to people with kids. It was clean and had plenty of bathrooms, the water was super calm and it’s near an amusement park as well, if that’s your thing. It does cost a bit to go ($15 to park and $10/person for admittance), but if you stay long enough it’s definitely worth it. At first Lotte wasn’t so sure about the water and kept holding her feet up when I tried to put them in, but she got the hang of it and really loved hanging out under the umbrella. Carla and Fiona met us there and we actually got a good couple of hours out of the babes. I was pretty impressed!

^^ Saturday was my Uncle’s retirement party, which was a really fun time. They had it at Limoncello’s Restaurant, which always has good food, and we danced and ate cupcakes and had a merry, jolly good time!

^^ Every single time my grandmother and Lotte get to see each other it’s pretty much my favorite time ever.

^^ On Sunday Steph and Brian hosted a first birthday bash for little Lotte at their house! We had about 15 people and got lots of delicious food, and my sister ordered the most adorable cakes you’ve ever seen in your entire life. We had a swing and a little pool for the kiddies, and Lotte got some amazing presents. She’s one lucky gal, my daughter is!

^^ I ordered the sandwiches from Hannaford’s, and we were pleasantly surprised with how tasty and sizable they were. Would definitely recommend!

^^ My sister’s hydrangea bush is insane, so she brought some inside to decorate. How pretty are these?!

^^ Lotte sure does love a good splash around!

^^ These three <3

^^ Look at this cake! This was Lotte’s “smash” cake, which she was meant to just smash her hands into. At first she wasn’t so sure what to do with it, but once I gave her a taste of frosting with my finger, it was all I could do to stop her from eating the whole thing.

^^ And these bunnies, which are actually made of cupcakes, were the cutest! Our theme was “Some Bunny Is One,” and Steph smashed is out of the park with her surprise birthday cakes. Love you little sis!

^^ Facetiming Dad (who couldn’t take time off work for this particular trip) while we sang happy birthday!

^^ Success!

^^ Loves everything about it.

^^ Gift opening wasn’t necessarily Lotte’s favorite part of the party, but it was (one of) mine! Look at this adorable doll my sis and Brian picked up for Steph while they were on their honeymoon in Italy! The. Stinkin’. Cutest. Now I just have to hide it from her so she can’t actually play with it.

^^ The greatest family who made Lotte’s first first birthday party oh-so-special. I can’t thank you guys enough!

Lotte’s actual birthday is this Thursday, so my dad and stepmom are arriving tonight and my stepdad tomorrow, and we’re basically just going to have a week of Lotte fun time. Because you only turn one once, right?

Bis bald!

Spontaneous Trips Back North Are the Best

Published on June 6, 2017 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

This past weekend was so. much. fun. My stepdad — in all his loveliness — decided last-minute to treat my little family of three to a trip back to New York for my brother-in-law’s 30th birthday bash at Warwick Winery. It was really great because my dad and Judy and Jen and all her fam were also there, along with my aunt and uncle and cousin Nicole, plus a ton of Brian’s family. The weather was gorgeous and the kids had a blast. It really was the loveliest. Then on Sunday we surprised my grandma at dinner at my aunt’s. She didn’t know we were coming into town, so that was pretty much the best 😉 Watching her with my daughter … I mean there’s pretty much nothing I love more.

Here’s some of our weekend in photos. Thanks again for the awesome gifted trip, Robert!

^^ Weather over LaGuardia kept us in the air for an extra hour on our flight into New York, but at least we got these views of the city …

^^ This ladybug neck pillow was a gift to Lotte from Grandpa, but Mom & Dad like using it, too 😉

^^ This little lady never falls asleep on me anymore, but on both flights she fell asleep on us because she was just too exhausted to do anything else. It’s pretty much the best.

^^ Hesitantly curious about Ranger the first night home.

^^ Bedtime book routine!

^^ Happy birthday Uncle Bri!

^^ There’s a huge private house up the hill from the winery, and apparently the owners have a private helicopter, because it was parked outside their property and Rory was fascinated by it!

^^ And thus begins a photo series of my daughter wearing a backwards baseball hat.

^^ Gah! Sometimes (most times) we seriously cannot with her.

^^ The gang’s all here!

^^ Dressed to the nines to surprise GiGi at Sunday dinner.

^^ These two <3

^^ By the time dinner rolled around Sunday night, Lotte was pretty sure she and Ranger were besties.

^^ Final morning with Grandpa before heading back to Colorado :/

^^ Ready to fly!

^^ Not gonna lie, it took a lot to get to this photo. This was by far the hardest flight we’ve had with Lotte. She’s older now, so she’s not as interested in sleeping/breastfeeding/hanging out on our knee. Despite tons of snacks and toys and books, there just isn’t enough to distract a 10-month-old in four hours of flying. She had a seriously major freak-out when she reached her peak tiredness and didn’t know what to do with herself, but as soon as the seatbelt sign went out Chris was able to walk around with her and she passed out in his arms. Thank goodness! Then of course he passed out 😉 Two sleeping babes.