So, here we are. It’s been 90 weeks since we drove out of our driveway in Sandy, bound for new experiences and a unique chapter of our life by moving to Europe. We started another chapter when we returned to the U.S. last summer. A LOT has happened since then, and we have been blessed to spend tons of time with family and friends across the country. The last ten months have been such a precious season to reconnect, to celebrate, and to mourn with those we love. Now, it’s time to close that chapter and open another — time for another adventure!
WV
We had a great week visiting with Lauren’s family in West Virginia. The weather was virtually perfect, we got to play a lot with the kiddos, and we enjoyed good food and good conversations.
Apart from the regular visits to their house to play in the woods and build with legos, we did a couple of outings. One day, we went to the library in Parkersburg to play with their fun toys and to check out a pile of books. The kids enjoyed the marble run, fish tank, and legos. Then we went to lunch at a great local place, Der Dog Haus. Another day, Lauren had some business to take care of in Columbus, so we rode along. In addition to the errands, we took time for the Legoland Discovery Center and the kids loved playing and building. Huck liked climbing in the play area and riding the amusement ride. Piper did not like the person dressed as a Lego minifigure.
We took a scenic drive on a Scenic Byway through the beautiful autumn colors and saw some covered bridges. Then, we were lucky to be around for the ward’s Fall Festival. The Primary Presidency was in charge, which is pretty much a pack of Bauserman ladies, so it was fun to help them get set up and then watch the fun commence. They had a bounce house, pony rides, and games for the kids. Everyone enjoyed hot dogs and the like for lunch. It was a real treat to visit the site of our niece Sarah’s future house, since they hosted the party in the field there.
Today also happened to be the final practice for the Primary children before their Sacrament Meeting Program next week, so we got the sneak preview. Huck knows pretty much all the words and did a great job on his part. There was a great little string ensemble consisting of kiddos (2 violins and 5 cellos) accompanying a song, so that was fun. Piper even got to sing for that one, too. So cute! Lauren and Bo cooked up a feast of bbq ribs for Sunday dinner and it was delish.
Now it’s back to St. Louis for a few weeks. We have our own place booked for a bit so that we are close to Alex’s family without being too disruptive to their regular groove. We are looking forward to seeing them! Have a great week!
Closing This Chapter
Mountains and More
Another fun week in Utah with family and friends doing some of our favorite things!
Utah!
I missed doing a post last week because we were en route to Utah from St. Louis. We really enjoyed our last week with Alex, Hanna, and the boys. We had a great time playing outside with the kids, going to the library and the St. Louis Science Center.
This week we have been in Centerville staying with Margaret (who is such a kind and accommodating host) and having a good mix of family time, outdoor fun, and working on sorting through Nathan’s dad’s office/studio. Our daughter, Lauren, flew in from West Virginia yesterday to ski with her dad. We are enjoying the beautiful, snowy mountains and the relaxed visits with family and friends. We will be here for three more weeks, so if you want to meet up, send me a message!
