Although Nathan was fighting illness the whole time, we had a great time in High Ridge with Alex’s family. We got them a trampoline for Christmas and the weather was nice enough that we could get it set up and let the wild monkeys test it out. They are energetic boys and it’s a great way for them to work out some wiggles. We really enjoyed the regular agenda of bikes, swings, books, and building (from Lego to trains) along with the new additions of trampoline and exploring the storm drain. Alex had a business trip to Orlando, so we were happy to be able to lend some extra support to Hanna while he was gone. Big shout out to Alex for finishing up the long process to become a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA). He’s a graduate! Congratulations, Alex!
Now that we are back in Utah, we can regroup and plan for what’s ahead. Nathan got some antibiotics yesterday, so hopefully he’s on the mend. He’ll stick around here for a few weeks and help Margaret with some work on her current house and with plans and selections for her new house. We are also on baby watch for the next couple of weeks as Lauren and Bo will be welcoming a new daughter soon. I will be hopping on a flight back to help out there for a bit. Once I return here, we have big plans for travel for the spring, so stay tuned!
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.