As you’ll likely recall if you’ve been here for a bit, last year we had the most amazing holiday plans. We met up with my in-laws in Europe for what affectionately came to be called,… More
Road Trip to the Grand Canyon Part 3: Monument Valley to the Grand Canyon
Happy Monday, friends! Welcome back to my Grand Canyon road trip diary (Arvada to Moab is here and Arches and the first half of Monument Valley are here). On Sunday we woke up in Monument Valley to this view <3
Courtesy of our super cute cabin.
We spent the morning exploring the grounds a bit more, having breakfast back at the restaurant and, naturally, buying 10,000 gorgeous Navajo momentos.
Afterwards we loaded our trusty Heidi the Highlander back up again and hit the road. This time we made sure to stop at the Arizona sign.
The ride from Monument Valley to our hotel near the Grand Canyon was a little over three hours, so we broke it up with two stops.
After a few hours and a few adventures, we finally made it to our hotel!
Here are some of the details of our stay.
Monday & Tuesday
Where we stayed: Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel
Where we ate: We opted for the buffet restaurant at the hotel for two dinners and two breakfasts while we were there. That, and the train ride from the hotel to the Grand Canyon, could all be purchased for a 10% discount if you bought them together with your rooms.
Where we hiked: The South Rim Trail
After resting up a bit on Monday night, we were ready to hit the train on Tuesday! The train ride includes a very cute “shoot-out showdown” before you board, and the ride itself is about 2.5 hours. There’s a cafe car and entertainers and tour guides onboard to answer all your questions. It was honestly the absolute best way to do the Canyon with three littles and for our first time. We barely had to figure anything out for ourselves (they even took care of our park entrance tickets!), and we got to relax and take in the scenery. If we ever make it back we’ll probably stay in the park, but for this adventure, this option was magic.
Having two nights in one spot was much-appreciated by this point in the trip, so we were all too happy to head back to the hotel after our train ride, straight back to the buffet, to the swimming pool for a bit and then to bed. The next day was on to Bryce Canyon. Until then … bis bald, friends!
Road Trip to the Grand Canyon Part 2: Arches National Park & Monument Valley
Happy Friday, friends! Welcome back to the Grand Canyon Road Trip Heard Round the World, and our Day 2 Adventures. On Sunday we were already in Moab, so we hit up Arches National Park (National Park No. 1 of this trip!), then drove to Monument Valley, which is a Navajo National Park.
Along the way we also hit up the Mexican Hat and had some fun at Forrest Gump Point, the point in the movie where Forrest is running, running, running and then, suddenly, decides to stop.
Here we go!
Sunday
Where we stayed: A premium cabin at The View Hotel
Where we ate: The gorgeous (with mediocre food) restaurant at The View Hotel
Where we hiked: Arches! Plus we did the 17-mile Monument Valley Scenic Loop
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again … my girls continue to shock and aww me. The Delicate Arch trail in Arches National Park is a “moderate,” 3.2-mile out and back trail that covers scrambling rock and terrifying cliffs. When I say that these girls rocked it, I very and truly mean it. I remember my first time doing this hike, and how difficult it was for me to complete, and I’m just so impressed with the way these girls handled it like pros.
So, so proud of these loves. (You too, Grandpa!)
After our hike it was back into the car and on over to Arizona (new state No. 2 for the girls!) and Monument Valley. On the way we saw a few other cool things.
Then it was on to Monument Valley. I’m not going to lie — I didn’t know quite what to expect here. But man oh man was I blown away. This is such an insanely gorgeous spot in the world, and staying in the cabins overlooking the monuments themselves was an amazing experience.
That was Sunday in a nutshell, fam! The night included an incredible sunset and star-gazing. More cabin pics to come in the next post. Until then … bis bald, friends!
Road Trip to the Grand Canyon Part 1: Arvada to Moab, Utah
Hello friends — happy Thursday! Here I am, blogging from the road of our epic Spring Break Road Trip from our home in Arvada, CO to the Grand Canyon and then back. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve blogged from the road. Maybe … never??
All told we spent approximately 23 hours in the car and drove approximately 1,420 miles. We stayed in 6 hotels, visited 4 National Parks and 4 other places of interest. I am so proud of how these girls handled this trip. They were rockstars on our (pretty difficult!) hikes, and they handled the car rides like a pro. We planned the trip so that we were never in the car for longer than 4.5 hours a day, and on those days we planned decent stops halfway through. Our legs included:
Friday: Driving from Arvada to Glenwood Springs, CO
Saturday: Driving from Glenwood Springs, CO to Moab, Utah
Sunday: Driving from Moab, Utah to Monument Valley, Utah
Monday: Driving from Monument Valley, Utah to Williams, Arizona/the Grand Canyon (we stayed here for two nights)
Tuesday: Visiting the Grand Canyon!
Wednesday: Driving from Williams to Bryce Canyon, Utah
Thursday: Driving from Bryce Canyon, Utah to Grand Junction, CO
Friday: Driving from Grand Junction home!
It was a trek, to be sure … but I wouldn’t have done one single thing differently. Here’s what we got up to on Saturday!
Saturday
Where we stayed: The Wingate by Wyndham Moab
Where we ate: The Trailhead Public House and Eatery and Canyon Pizza Co.
Where we hiked: The Corona and Bowtie Arch Trail
The drive from Glenwood Springs to Moab was about three hours, and we headed straight to lunch at The Trailhead Public House and Eatery when we arrived. This cutie restaurant is right in the center of town and super close to a bunch of hikes. Plus the food was really good. I would highly recommend it if you’re in the area!
From lunch we headed straight to our first hike of the trip — Corona Arch! This trail is about 2.3 miles out and back, and definitely includes some rock scrambling and pretty steep climbing. The girls did so amazing, though, and had the best time! You don’t have to hike the full trail to get a view of the arch, either, so it’s definitely worth it even if you can’t do the full trail.
That was our first day in a nutshell, friends! Sunday was Arches National Park in the morning and then onto Monument Valley. Until then … bis bald, friends!
Fort Collins Staycations with Best Friends
Happy Friday, friends! I’m way late to this post because honestly … life. Phew.
But I’m here now to share a bit about our fabulous Fort Collins staycation from last weekend. While Chris was off snowboarding for a couple days with a friend at Copper and A-Basin, the girls and I used it as an excuse to catch up with my best friend from high school — Auntie Moe. We hadn’t seen her since Thanksgiving (!), and hadn’t been to her place in even longer, so a girls’ weekend was way overdue.
We love our Auntie Moe so much, and she planned the sweetest time for us all, including birthday and Christmas presents (no visit with Auntie Moe is ever complete without presents. She spoils us.), a trip to the very cool Twin Silo Park, dinner at Totally 80’s Pizza, ice cream sundaes and a Trolls movie viewing, then a pancake breakfast before we headed home Sunday morning.
If you must pull single-parent duty for a weekend, recruit a bestie to do it with you, I say 😉
We’re sure glad Chris had fun on his snowboard trip …
But we’re also super glad we got to use it as an excuse for a ladies’ weekend full o’ fun.
Bis bald, friends! Next up … our Great Grand Canyon Spring Break Road Trip, taking place the week after next! See ya soon!
5th Birthday Surprises & Long, 4-Day Weekends
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 😉
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!
Snow Tubing & Skiing in the Colorado Mountains
Happy Monday, friends! This past Sunday was the final ski lesson of the season for all three girls. So we decided to stay up in the mountains and make a weekend out of it, like we did for their first lesson. Since we would be leaving right after their lesson on Sunday, it made sense to stay closer to A-Basin, rather than halfway between our house and the mountain like we did before.
We picked this Airbnb in Dillon. Although it’s less than 20 minutes to get to the mountain from the Airbnb in normal traffic, a big storm blew in on Saturday (we were staying for the weekend, so of course it did), and the mountain traffic was heavy. It ended up taking us about 45 minutes to get there on Sunday. Still, we were so grateful we didn’t have to drive all the way from Arvada, which would have been a nightmare. Mountain traffic. It’s a thing 😉
The Airbnb was the perfect size for us, and we had outdoor access to a little backyard that the girls played in for a bit while we finished packing up to leave on Sunday.
On Saturday a fairly hectic snowstorm blew in, but we knew if we didn’t get out of the house we would all go crazy. Chris had been snow tubing with visiting family at Frisco Adventure Park a few years prior, and he knew the girls would love it. The short 20-minute (less when it wasn’t storming out!) drive away was also appealing.
I’ll be honest — I had my doubts! It was freezing and windy and I didn’t know how long the girls would last. And at $32/hour/person, I didn’t want to waste that kind of money on one run.
My girls, as usual, surprised me. And although yes, there was some complaining about the wind/cold (who could blame them?!), they did great. Even Emilia! All three of them loved it. Lotte even went by herself once, because apparently I have a daredevil on my hands.
The thing that I love about the mountains is that you go hard on all these activities — skiing, snowboarding, tubing, what have you — and then you crash hard. We all ended up taking naps at the same time after we had lunch when we got home. I mean … AMAZING. That never happens.
Sunday was the girls’ last ski lesson of the season, and Chris and I hung back and had a leisurely, boozy (for me, the non-driver, at least) breakfast at the restaurant. It was so wonderful. Even if the girls learned nothing in their lessons — which they did! — having that non-kid time for four Sundays in a row would have been worth the price tag alone 😉
That was our mountain weekend in a nutshell, friends! Now that the girls are finished with their lessons, we can go up to the mountains and ride with them whenever we want, which will be so. much. fun! Hope you guys are making the most of the season, whatever weather that brings you 😉
Bis bald, all!
12 Things I Learned At the Denver Travel & Adventure Show
Happy Monday, friends! When I got an email the other day about the upcoming Denver Travel & Adventure Show, I knew I would be attending. I hadn’t been to an Expo like this in years, and I was looking forward to the excitement of being around hundreds of other people who share the same interests.
I skipped most of the booths (not my thing), but did take in three talks. They were:
- Planning the Perfect Road Trip, given by Theresa Goodrich
- Pushing the Envelope: The Secrets of Becoming – A Road Warrior, given by Peter Greenberg
- The Ultimate Guide for Better Travel in 2024, given by Angel Castellanos
With my trusty computer at my fingertips ( I really was reliving my older reporting days!), I gathered a couple of tips from each talk that I’ll share here. Hopefully they’ll help you when planning your next getaway.
- Some good roadtrip resources include: AAA (for all your basics, included printed maps … remember those!?); Roadside America (for odd tourist attractions along your route); Atlas Obscura (more hidden wonders to hit!); Historical Marker Project (if that’s your kind of thing); Roadtrippers (you’ll need a membership for this one, but it helps you plan our your entire trip); tollguru and tollsmart (to avoid ’em and plan for ’em); gasbuddy (cheap gas!)
- When it comes to travel insurance, never buy it without reading the fine print, and without checking what coverage you have with your credit card, first. Third party options — like travel insurance companies — often offer more full coverage options than what you would get from the airline or hotel itself. If you travel often enough, you might also consider researching a yearly option that you pay an annual fee for, but that covers you in any instance. For example, Greenberg mentioned being on the lookout for “medical evacuation and repatriation insurance.” It’s not fun to think about, but this covers you in the case that you get sick or injured overseas and need to be stabilized at the original location and then flown somewhere else. In that case, you’d be allowed to pick the hospital and doctor of your choice.
- If you’re planning on a day trip from one location to another (like when my sister and I took the train from Rome to Florence for a day, for example, or when we drove from Germany to France for a day on our recent European adventure), be sure that the place you’re visiting doesn’t charge a fee to enter for the day if you don’t have a hotel reservation to stay overnight. Apparently some places — like Venice — are doing this now in an attempt to cut back on over-tourism.
- Quite a few countries have signed on to the Working Holiday Visa program, which allows Americans to travel for up to a year, in some cases, and work while visiting a country. Age and other stipulations apply, so be sure to check with the specific country you’re interested in visiting.
- E-gates! These electronic gates are automated passport control systems that use biometric technology to authenticate traveler information. Find out if the country you’re visiting has these, because it can save you from standing in long lines in customs when you arrive.
- CLEAR also uses biometric data that allows you to get to the front of TSA or pre-check.
- Make sure you visit the specific websites for places that you’re visiting. This obviously helps with hours and closures and ticketing, but it’ll also provide a list of thing you can and can’t bring in. (No backpacks are allowed in Mets Stadium, for example, and the Vatican has limited tickets for 2024, and strict clothing policies.)
- Be sure to use a VPN to mask your online identity when using public Wi-Fi. I had my data stolen at YMCA of the Rockies and it was not fun.
- Some helpful travel apps include: Tripit (for help organizing); MyTSA (for all the TSA information you could possibly want); FlightAware (for up-to-date flight status); App in the Air (for help planning, booking and tracking travel); Mobile Passport Control (submit travel documentation ahead of time through the app to skip the line and reduce passport inspection time)
- Always check for sightseeing passes in the places you’re visiting. Ask your Airbnb owner (the owner of our Airbnb in Switzerland hooked us up with a BaselCard, which got us free local transportation and a discount at museums), the hotel concierge, or hire a guide. One of my favorite Peloton instructor’s swears by this travel company, which helps you plan trips based off recommendations of local guides. Airbnb has a similar option for suggestions locals.
- If you must check a bag, throw an Apple Air Tag in there so you’ll be able to track it in real time if it gets lost. (I also used Apple Air Tags to track my own children when were in Disney. They’re great for peace of mind in crowded places.)
- Eagle Creek luggage offers at “no matter what” luggage warranty. Just sayin’ ….
And that’s it, friends! I had fun boppin’ around at the Expo, so I’ll definitely be on the lookout for similar opportunities in the future. Until then … bis bald, friends!
Three Cheers for Last-Minute Mountain Getaways!
Happy Monday, friends! I’m comin’ at ya from the arctic tundra of the Mountain West. Weather.com currently says that our temp feels like -6 degrees.
That’s cold.
All three girls started their ski school lessons this past weekend (there are four total), and when we learned that it was going to be warmer in the mountains (by a whole 20 degrees, almost), Chris and I made a last-minute decision to book a house in Georgetown for a Saturday and Sunday stay. Georgetown is about halfway between our home and Arapahoe Basin, where the girls would be skiing. A winter storm dropped about seven inches of snow in the mountains heading into Sunday (with more falling throughout the day), so the drive to and from lessons — and even more so the drive home on Monday morning — were a bit scary. But we did it! And staying over the Sunday night after lessons was clutch, since everyone was tired!
Now we just need to figure out what we’ll do for the next three Sunday ski lessons 😉
Bis bald, friends!
It was an awesome little last-minute get-away for a snow-filled, holiday ski weekend. Chris got in a few runs, too, which he said was awesome. I need exceptional conditions for snowboarding … inches and inches of falling snow isn’t my thing. But I will get on my board before their lessons out!
Bis bald, friends! Hope you’re staying warm, happy and healthy!
2023: A Year in Review
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
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!
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!
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!
June
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!
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!
August
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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 😉
A Very Merry Connor-Lock European Christmas: The Iceland Edition
Happy Thursday, loves! My third and final installation in our European Holiday Adventure is brought to you by the frigid, fantastic land called Iceland. (For the record, Chris and I had already been a number of years ago, and our obsession was already grand.)
This time we decided to do things a bit differently, though. We stayed at this Airbnb — rather than right in the city of Reykjavik — which was off-the-beaten path and totally in the Icelandic wilderness.
This log cabin was so glorious, and its geothermal hot tub was even more glorious. We frequented it quite a few times during our two-day, three-night stay.
Okay, enough about the hot tub. (Even though it was awesome.) Here’s what else we got up to.
Rock ‘n’ Troll!
This place has a lot to offer — a hotel, cafe, library, etc. — but the short walk up to the troll statues was why we made the visit.
Hot Springs!
We stopped at the Deildartunguhver Hot Springs — which also had a lot to offer, including a restaurant, hotel, geothermal baths to bathe in, greenhouses during the summer, etc. — but showing the girls some hot springs in Iceland was our main draw.
Waterfalls!
I joke, but seriously, this place is not for the faint of heart. The Glanni Waterfall was glorious and I’m glad that we visited, but I was also super happy to snap a few pics and get my children the hell away from the tiny gate that separated them from a rocky free fall as soon as possible.
So pretty though!
A Day & Night in Reykjavik!
Nan & Poppa had a super early flight back to Germany on our final day, so they spent the night in a hotel in Reykjavik the night before. That meant that we got to spend the day and some of the evening in the city on New Years Eve. We hit up Fly Over Iceland (an interactive, AI experience that takes you “flying” over all the main attractions of Iceland), Chris and I had an anniversary dinner at the coolest restaurant — Fjallkonan — and the girls got to have dinner delivered to them in bed while they watched a (funnily enough, French) movie at Nan & Poppa’s hotel, Berjaya Reykjavik Marina Hotel.
And that was Iceland in a nutshell, friends! I do need to take a moment to thank the Icelandic horse — whom I have affectionately named Buddy — who came right up to me when I was taking photos of his group on the side of the road. He seriously made my trip.
We’ll definitely be back to Iceland again as well, perhaps in the summer to catch more of what this awesome place has to offer in different weather.
And thank YOU for following along. Until our next trip — a road trip to the Grand Canyon over the girls’ Spring Break! — bis bald, loves!
A Very Merry Connor-Lock European Christmas: The Switzerland Edition
Welcome back to my Very Merry Christmas in Europe round-up! First up was Germany and France. Today, we move on to Switzerland!
Basel, Switzerland was about an hour and a half drive from our Airbnb in Germany, and although we only planned for two nights and one full day there, we had the best time! Switzerland was a new country to me, and color me obsessed. The neighborhood of our Airbnb was quiet and residential, but super close to a bunch of fun restaurants, bars and stores, and the train made it very easy to get into the city center. Our Airbnb host even hooked us up with a BaselCard, which got us free transportation and discounts at certain places throughout the city.
On our day in the city we got coffee at a local shop, rode the train into the city center, visited the Toy Museum (which was SO MUCH FUN!), walked passed the super cool Tinguely Fountain, saw the gorgeous City Hall all decorated for the holiday, went on a wild goose chase for fondu and ended up with (still delicious!) Italian for lunch, walked over the Rhine River, bought a fancy bauble at a local jewelry store and, after the kids were home, fed and bathed, Chris and I had wine at a neighborhood wine bar.
We sure can pack it into a day.
Here’s what it looked like!
And that was it for Switzerland, loves! We had to leave super early the next day to get back to the airport to fly to our fourth and final destination … ICELAND! Switzerland, you were an absolute delight, and something tells me we will definitely be back.
Bis bald friends! Until tomorrow, and the last of our European adventures …
A Very Merry Connor-Lock European Christmas: The Germany & France Edition
Happy New Year, friends! How it’s 2024, I’ll never know.
Okay, full disclosure before I get into this post: It was really hard for me to narrow down photos 😉 Like, harder than it usually is, which is already usually very hard. This European Christmas Trip of ours was EPIC, and it was made even more epic by the fact that we were able to do it all with Chris’ parents. Any time that we and the girls get to spend with them is special. To spend that time on vacation over Christmas in Europe?? I mean. What can I say?
To start, our place. We stayed at this sweet Airbnb in the Black Forest, and it surpassed my wildest dreams. The house itself was huge, with plenty of space for four adults and three kiddos. Plus, it was filled with so many games and toys that even if we never left the house, the kids would have stayed occupied for days. There was also a hike directly accessible from the back of the house that had breathtaking views. It was the perfect spot for us, and the best place to begin our European journey and spend Christmas.
Although hanging out in the house would have been enough, I had specifically formulated the plan for this holiday with one goal in mind: CHRISTMAS MARKETS! Europe is known for them, and I wanted in. So … are you ready to market it up? Here’s where we went.
Thursday, December 21: Freiburg, Germany
Our first Christmas Market was in Freiburg. Since this was our first one (well, Chris’ parents had already been to a couple by the time we arrived, but it was my first one!), I didn’t realize that the market is actually spread around the city. We kept stumbling on different sections of it as we walked around, which was a really nice surprise.
Friday, December 22: Baden-Baden, Germany
Next up was the Baden-Baden market, and the fondu igloo lunch I had booked us weeks before. This felt like the perfect excuse to don the matching Christmas sweaters that Nan had brought for us 😉 The day was chilly and rainy, but snuggled up inside our heated igloo with our fur blankets and tasty treats (you rent the igloo for three hour blocks and are welcome to walk around the market during that time and then go back to the igloo whenever you like) was the perfect way to spend this day and see this particular market.
Saturday, December 23: Gengenback, Germany
We had a tough decision to make this day: Travel 3.5 hours each way to visit the Nuremberg (where I was born) markets, or head about 25 minutes away, to Gengenbach, to see their world-renowned life-size Advent Calendar. Ultimately we decided to stay local and head to Gengenbach, which I think was the right decision. All the more reason to make another trip back to Germany in the future to hit up my birth spot. Perhaps when we have a little more time.
Sunday, December 24: Strasbourg, France
We classed it up on Christmas Eve and decided to head out to FRANCE. Strasbourg was about 45 minutes away, and it was easy to drive, park, and hop on a quick train to the Christmas markets. This event was sprawling, and so, so beautiful. We were even lucky enough to catch the tree lighting, accompanied with Christmas music, of course.
Of course there are a very many more Christmas markets in Germany (and France and everywhere else in Europe, really) to visit, but these were centrally located to our house and I had read great things about them. After having now actually been to them, I can agree: There is nothing like Christmas in Europe. It stands alone. Nowhere else compares. The end.
After spending a relaxing Christmas Day and Boxing Day eating, drinking, hanging at our house, watching movies and playing games, we spent our final day in Germany checking out a bit more of the view around our town and heading to Lake Mummelsee, a beautiful lake with a quirky story.
I’ll be honest, friends … I had a lot of anxiety leading up to this trip. I worried someone would get sick or get hurt, and as our friends started dropping like flies to illness as our departure date got closer, I only got more and more nervous. Once we were on our flight to Germany, though, I realized … there’s nothing you can do about that. I could spend the trip worried, or I could relax and enjoy and know that we would handle whatever came our way.
Luckily, I can now say that other than a few coughs here and there, we were all GREAT. No illnesses to note. So see that? All that worrying was for naught. Wouldn’t a crystal ball be great so we could know all ends well ahead of time?
Anyway, that was about it for our Germany (and France!) expedition, friends! I’ll be back tomorrow with the second installment (third country!) of our adventure: SWITZERLAND!
Bis bald, friends!
Big Birthday Surprises & Bringing in the Holiday Back in NYC
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!
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.
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!
Summer Weekends in the Mountains Part III: C Lazy U Ranch
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.
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 😉
Until next time … bis bald, friends!
Summer Weekends in the Mountains Part II: Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek
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.
I blogged about our first trip here.
Our second was to the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek. We had only been to Beaver Creek once before (when Lotte was itty bitty and I was pregnant with Grace!), but we had loved it so much that time, we were more than happy to get back.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Summer Weekends in the Mountains Part I: Grand Colorado on Peak 8
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.
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.
Sunday
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!
Life Lately: The Rest of October, 2023
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
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.
Bis bald, friends! And Happy Halloween!
Early October in Disneyland!
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.
Day 2: Our First Disney Experience!
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.
Day 3: Finding Our Disney Mojo
Day 4: Headed Home
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!
Labor Day Weekend in Upstate New York
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.
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.
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.
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!
Celebrating Birthdays and Friendship in Savannah, Georgia
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:
- Vic’s River Grill for dinner on the Friday we arrived.
- Visiting the Love Lock Bridge.
- Treylor Park Restaurant for breakfast on both Saturday and Monday … that’s how good it was!
- 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.
- Lunch in the beer garden at Moon River Brewing Company.
- 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.
- Chamacos Tacos and Surf for lunch on the way back was so fun, especially when combined with Rita’s Ice after.
- Dinner at Huey’s On the River before our ghost tour was so tasty.
- 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!
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!
The Summer of Yes
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 Denver Zoo
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!
Taste of Fort Collins
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!
Swim Lessons For Em
Junkyard Social Club
Playdates, Playdates & More Playdates
Father’s Day Delights
Camp, Camp & More Camps!
Ralston Central Park & Splash Pad
Touristing With Visitors
Birthday Parties!
Camp for Emilia, Too 😉
The Book of Mormon
Children’s Museum of Denver
Milestones & Makin’ Memories <3
Urban Air
Our Neighborhood Block Party
The Indigo Girls in Fort Collins!
Mordecai Children’s Garden (the Denver Botanic Gardens)
Big Soda Lake in Bear Creek Lake Park
Yard Sale Sunday!
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Press Trips x 3!
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 ….
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
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
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.
Bis bald, friends … until next time!
Kicking Off the Summer in NYC: The Final Installation
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Kicking Off the Summer in NYC: Part II
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:
- Tickets to the American Museum of Natural History (including the awesome Invisible Worlds exhibit and the Worlds Beyond Earth show at the planetarium). Keep in mind that tickets are still required in advance for timed entry, so check out the website before you head over.
- Tea at Alice’s Tea Cup! (Our party was so large, we scored a private spot in their Raspberry room!)
- A walk/play through Central Park
- A walk through Rockefeller Center to the Top of the Rock NYC Observation Deck (timed ticket entry also required)
It was the sweetest of days with some of our besties <3
American Museum of Natural History
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!
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.
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
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.
Until next time, friends … bis bald!
Kicking Off the Summer in NYC: Part 1
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:
- Seaglass Carousel at The Battery ($5.50/ride or $50 for a 10-pack)
- The Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty! (FREE!)
There is also a fun playground in this area, too, if you’re looking to spend more time there.
Back in Manhattan my friend ordered up some pizza and we ate it on her rooftop. It was the perfect ending to the perfect first day in the city.
Sunday
We had plans on Sunday to catch the train from Grand Central into Cold Spring to meet up with our family for lunch at the Cold Spring Depot. That also meant that Chris got a chance to give the girls his world-famous Grand Central tour when we arrived back 😉
And those were our first two days in a nutshell, friends! They also included Grace discovering that she does, in fact, like cheese on pizza (duh), and only a handful of tantrums and slight frustrations 😉
Next up … a packed Memorial Day! Until then … bis bald, friends!
40th Birthday Bucket List Trips
I feel like I should start this post by writing: “And just like that, I was 40.”
It’s what almost everyone says about turning 40, but it doesn’t actually feel that way. On the one hand yes, I feel like I turned 21 just yesterday. But on the other hand … holy hell a lot of work has gone into reaching this decade!
Between 30 and 40 I became a whole new person. I entered into my first year of marriage, started my business and moved across the country. I added countries and states and continents to my travels, bought a house, sold a house, bought another one. I had two miscarriages and three babies. I lost and gained friends. I lost my Mom.
It’s been a ride, friends!
Anyway, all of this is to say, entering my 40s does feel like a milestone, but not in a “oh my God I’m so old!” way. More in a, “Wow, that was a whirlwind. I wonder what’s next?!” kind of way.
So to kick off this new and exciting decade, I thought it would be nice to celebrate in a place that’s been on my Bucket List since I wrote a geography report about it in 8th grade: Glacier National Park.
And I was right — she did not disappoint.
Although traveling at the end of March/early April meant that most things (restaurants, hotels, sections of the main road) would be either closed or covered in snow, it also meant that we literally had the entire place to ourselves. It was magical, friends. When I tell you the park was our playground, what I mean is that we probably saw about a dozen people the entire time we were there, and the majority of those were on the final day when we visited one of the most popular lakes in the entire park.
We’ve already made plans to go back when the weather is nicer, now that we got to have our initial trip all to ourselves.
Here’s a little bit of what we got up to on my 40th birthday trip.
Day 1: Arrival
We didn’t arrive until mid-afternoon on our first day, which was a nice way to ease into the trip.
We knew we wanted to get up early on Friday to start the exploring, so after dinner we hit the hay (the girls did enjoy their loft beds in this Airbnb, that’s for sure!) and called it a night!
Day 2: East Glacier
On our first full day in the park, we hit the road! We were staying near the West Glacier entrance, but we wanted to head over to the East side to check out Two Medicine Grill for breakfast on our way to St. Mary Lake.
Day 3: Polebridge Mercantile
On our second day in the park we traveled over dirt roads and through rivers (basically) for … HUCKLEBERRY BEAR CLAWS!
The Polebridge Mercantile & Bakery is a Glacier institution, and we were so lucky that it just happened to open for the season on April 1st!
Day 4: WELCOME TO 40!
And then there was the One Where I Turned 40 …
Yikes!
It was honestly a good day, friends, filled with Facetimes and family and fun and Huckleberry things. I felt very loved and special on this day, and there wasn’t anything else I could have possibly wanted.
Oh, Montana, you stole my heart. This was the trip of a lifetime, and I’m so happy I got to spend it with my crew.
On Monday it was …
That was my 40th birthday adventure in a nutshell, friends. I hope you enjoyed following along.
I can’t wait to see where my 40s take me in this crazy beautiful world, and I can’t wait to bring you along.
Bis bald, loves!