Just a quick check in, since I missed last week. We are having an absolute blast visiting kids and grandkids.
We spent just over a week in Missouri visiting Alex, Hanna, and their boys. We played outside, we made cookies, we went to see the Christmas lights at the botanical garden, and we built lots of marble runs, train tracks, and Lego creations. Now we are staying in Marietta, Ohio so we are in close proximity to Lauren, Bo, and their kids. We’ve been enjoying playing in the snow, hikes up the hill, reading stories, and baking Christmas goodies.
I’ve been working like mad to sew some special quilts and bedding for all the “big” kids. We also took the kiddos to pick out fabric and they each helped sew their very own pillowcase for a new pillow. Presents from Grandpa and Grandma came early this year so that we can enjoy seeing their excitement. Grandpa did a great job of wrapping the gifts. One present that will have to wait for better weather is a new play structure at Alex’s house.
We’ve also had some down times. Hanna and the boys were all sick and Nathan came down with something too and has had some rough days. Everyone is on the mend now. We’re also in the thick of the super cold weather in the east right now and we had a good bit of snow last night. The roads were a bit slick and the cold temps weren’t a help in melting anything, but nothing bad enough to keep us away from the kids. We’re here for several more days and we have plenty more fun planned. Have a good one!
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
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.
Full Circle
Five months ago we flew to Rome from Utah. We had a summer of trying new places and experiences and revisiting old favorites and now we’re back where we started. Since we get the question a lot, I thought I would share some of our favorites from our travels in Europe this year.