We started the week in Utah, spent a few days regrouping in Missouri, and now we’re in West Virginia.

After an eventful two weeks in Utah with family, it was time to move on. It takes us two days to travel from Centerville to St. Louis. We have it down to a pretty good routine these days: tacos for lunch in Cheyenne, overnight in York, Nebraska, bbq for lunch in Kansas City. It works well for us. We listen to a lot of podcasts, music, and audiobooks. We started David McCullough massive biography of Truman, since we visited the Presidential library recently.

It was good to get back to Alex’s house and to see Hanna and the two little boys again, since they didn’t get to come for the funeral. Things are back to the new normal there, since mom is back in charge. That meant Nathan and I had more time to take care of our own projects. We were also able to start some planning for the rest of the season. Although we are missing him, Max’s death has taken some of the guesswork out of the coming months. We continue to take advantage of our “homeless” state, seeking out unique experiences, new adventures, and precious time with family.

One fun thing that we got to do this week (besides just hanging out with the boys) was that we went to the Ulysses S. Grant Historical Farm. There is a big commercial part run by the Busch Family, since they bought the farm and operated it for decades. They have different animals that you can see from a tram ride (Peter’s favorite part, since he’s a choo-choo guy). Then you can walk around and see other animals, including the Clydesdales, feed goats, etc. But then there is the actual museum and historical site for Grant. It was beautiful and peaceful, since everyone else was over at the other side getting their free beer samples :). 

We feel lucky to be able to visit the grandkids more often now. The weather is finally turning toward Autumn and cooler days are certainly welcome. We are spending the week with Lauren’s family in West Virginia, soaking up time with Huck and Piper and Hugh.

 

Paradise

Paradise

Happy October! We hope you are enjoying this beautiful time of year! Some people dream of paradise on a quiet tropical beach, listening to the surf with a drink in hand. Not this girl! Give me mountains, especially drenched in autumn color, bursting with new spring leaves, or covered in snow. We are spending October in one of our favorite places–Big Cottonwood Canyon just east of the Salt Lake Valley. We are loving the gorgeous golden aspen with the deep pine greens. Hiking is great and so is the smell of fresh forest! Nathan’s sister, Liz, and her husband, Christian, joined us one morning for a lovely hike through the woods. We got to experience a powerful thunderstorm and then a full day of snowfall. Our condo for the month is just right for us and we love having access to a pool, hot tubs, sauna, and workout facilities. We especially like that we can pop back to the valley to do some shopping or see family and friends. So far, so good!

Fun Family Time

Fun Family Time

We have had a lovely couple of weeks in Utah. We’ve been able to rest and recover from five months of travel, help Nathan’s mom at her house, and spend time with family.