tales from a far-land

August is a bittersweet month.  It means that summer is coming to an end, but it is also filled heartwarming celebrations, new beginnings and connections to family and friends we haven't seen all summer.  This August proved to be filled with all of those things and more.  This August we also had crazy monsoon weather which created some unexpected challenges.  But, despite those challenges, we still had amazing memories that will be forever etched in our hearts. Cousin Time with Mina The month started with a splash as we enjoyed some much-awaited cousin time with Mina. The kids were able to spend some time with their cousin.  They swam, shopped with Grandma, enjoyed a movie night, and a fun sleepover.  I am so glad the kids created lasting memories with their cousin that will be cherished for years to come. Crazy Monsoon Weather Nature's whims were in full display as a crazy monsoon weather brought unexpected twists to our routine. A landslide muddied our be...

Summer travels and unforgettable memories continued for our family in July.  We road-tripped to explore new mountainous cities.  We had the opportunity to visit out of state family members.  The kids returned back to their happy place, Camp Stein, for almost the entire month of July.  Josh and I took advantage of not having any kids at home and explored Cannon Beach, Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest.  We also enjoyed a little wine tasting in Cottonwood, Arizona, with my fellow BGA co-workers.  These experiences made the hot summer pass by more quickly and provided us cherished memories. Family Road Trip ~ Colorado After Aiden's lacrosse tournament in Salt Lake City, we continued the family road trip to Colorado for Josh's grandfather's 100th birthday party (six months early).  We decided to stay in Ft. Collins to explore a new mountain city.  We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  We explored the charming downtown.  We spoiled ourselv...