September was full of highlights, from a quick San Diego getaway to new projects at work and the start of softball season. The kids are thriving with school and activities, and we’re heading into October ready for more family fun.
We kicked off the month with a quick but memorable Labor Day weekend in San Diego, spending a couple of days with Auntie Dana and Uncle Brad. I would have loved for the trip to be longer, but I had some softball coaching commitments that kept us from extending our stay. Even so, we made the most of the time and took the kids to Moonlight Beach in Encinitas for a full day of boogie boarding. San Diego has always been one of my favorite places, so any visit feels special; even a short trip is worth it, especially when we get to enjoy it with Dana and Brad.
After that, it was back to business for everyone. Jessica has been juggling work and school as always, and I’ve been just as busy with my own commitments. Our fall softball season kicked off, which keeps me on the field, and work has been equally demanding. I’ve really grown to love my new role and have been taking on more responsibility; with one of our managers out on parental leave, I’ve been covering much of his workload. On top of that, I was invited to attend our AI Bootcamp in Boston next week, where I’ll be leading a 45-minute training session on using AI in web user experience. It will be my first time in Boston and a great opportunity to connect with company executives, so I’m really looking forward to it.
This time of year is always the busiest for my side hustle, Cappers.ai. Devin and I decided to push things a little further by advertising on VSiN, the Vegas Sports Insiders Network. We’ll be running one commercial each day throughout October. VSiN airs on more than 350 radio stations nationwide, and since their programming is dedicated to sports betting, their audience is exactly who we want to reach. With any luck, the campaign will bring in more subscribers; if it does, we’ll definitely look at continuing the ads beyond October.
The kids are thriving with school and activities, and with the cooler weather, they’ve been spending more time outside with friends in the neighborhood. Ava’s progress in softball has been incredible to watch; she’s now the starting third baseman on our team and is playing the position with confidence. Her hitting has also taken off, and since she’s put so much work into the sport, it’s been a real joy to share it with her. She even had the chance to go to the Benson Boone concert with friends at T-Mobile Arena last night, which was a big highlight. Elise is settling into seventh grade and loves playing violin in the school orchestra. She also continues to keep the busiest social calendar in the family; today alone, she has two birthday parties to attend. Enzo is making the most of his final year of elementary school. Right after our San Diego trip, he joined the fifth-grade class at the Pali Institute, a rite of passage for kids his age, and had an absolute blast doing science experiments, practicing archery, and exploring the outdoors.
Looking ahead to October, it’s shaping up to be a busy month for all of us. I’m looking forward to coaching plenty of softball games and enjoying the perfect fall weather here in Las Vegas. Halloween is always a highlight in our neighborhood, and this year we’re extra excited since our friends Jodi and Miles will be visiting from Washington. It also happens to be Nana’s birthday, which makes the holiday even more special. That’s all for now—below are a few photos from our beach day in California, along with the girls’ latest school pictures.
This summer was full of adventures, from trips to Mexico and Iowa to afternoons at the pool and visits with friends. Now that school routines are back in place and Fall is on the horizon, we’re grateful for the memories and excited for what comes next.
Although the calendar tells us there are still a few weeks of summer left, for our family, the season has already come to a close. Jessica and the kids have been back in school for three weeks, and the cooler mornings are starting to hint at Fall. We still have one last quick trip to San Diego planned, but looking back, it is clear this was a summer to remember. If you asked our kids, they would probably all say it was the best summer of their lives. It began with a flight to Mexico on the very first day of break, followed by a two-week RV adventure with Grandma and Grandpa Martin. We celebrated a lively 4th of July, then welcomed the Palmers for their annual visit. Jessica and the kids made their way to Iowa for family time, returning home on Elise’s 12th birthday, and soon after, they reconnected with Avery, their close friend from Washington, who joined us for the third summer in a row. Along the way, there were countless afternoons at the pool, water park outings, batting cage swings, and plenty of meals at new restaurants. It truly was a season filled with joy, adventure, and memories that will stay with us for years to come.
Tomorrow afternoon we’ll be heading to San Diego for a quick visit with Auntie Dana and Uncle Brad. Over the past few years it has become a tradition to spend time at their beautiful home in Fallbrook, and the kids always look forward to a beach day. I wanted to give them one more chance to enjoy the ocean before summer is officially behind us. Originally we had planned to leave Friday morning and turn it into a long weekend, since everyone has Monday off for Labor Day. That plan changed when softball tryouts were scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 pm. As Ava’s head coach I have to be there, so instead of three days we’ll only have a day and a half in San Diego. I told the league I thought holding tryouts over a holiday weekend was poor planning, but they insisted it was the only time that worked. It’s a little frustrating, but we’ll make the most of it. Sunday is set aside for the beach, the forecast looks great, and the kids can’t wait to get back on their boogie boards.
On top of all our summer adventures, Jessica has been working incredibly hard, both as a teacher and as a student. She continues to earn straight A’s in her Master’s program at UNLV, and she is already three weeks into her first year of teaching. The time and effort she poured into preparing her classroom over the summer was inspiring, and a reminder of how much teachers do behind the scenes for their students. Her dedication has not gone unnoticed either, as she was recently named a LifeChanger of the Year nominee. Here is what they wrote about Jessica:
Ms. Pellegrini believes that a positive classroom environment starts with belonging. She teaches in a third through fifth-grade self-contained SLD classroom, and many of her students come in already feeling like they are on the outside of the school community. They notice that they are not in the general education setting. They notice when their class is treated differently.
Her goal is to change that narrative from the moment students step into her room. She wants each student to feel safe, seen, valued, and proud of who they are. This begins with relationships. She works hard to build trust and a connection with every student.
Ms. Pellegrini greets them warmly, learns what matters to them, and creates routines that give them structure while still honoring their individual needs. She also teaches with patience, humor, and high expectations. Ms. Pellegrini believes that students rise when they feel respected and when they know someone believes in their potential.
Her classroom environment is intentionally designed to reflect the students in it. That includes the books on their shelves, the visuals on the walls, and the language they use when they talk about learning. She includes multicultural materials, diverse authors, and visuals that affirm different cultures, languages, and family structures.
Many of her students are neurodivergent and come from families that do not match the dominant culture of the school. They need to see themselves represented in what they read, write, and talk about. That representation builds identity, confidence, and connection.
Ms. Pellegrini also celebrates progress every chance she gets. For some students, that may mean reading a new word without support. For others, it might be asking for help instead of shutting down. Every success matters. She wants her students to understand that growth looks different for everyone, and that their path is just as important as anyone else’s.
Most of all, Ms. Pellegrini works to create a space where differences are not just accepted but embraced. She and her students talk openly about how everyone learns in different ways and find joy in discovering how to support one another. In her classroom, every student has a voice, and every student belongs.
Her education journey began because of her daughter Ava, who has a learning disability. After witnessing the challenges she faced in receiving an appropriate and supportive education, Ms. Pellegrini knew she wanted to be part of the solution, not just for her daughter, but for students like her.
In her time as a school employee, she has received only exemplary evaluations and has been recognized by both colleagues and administrators for her work. She was honored to be named a 2024 Starlight Award Honoree, which acknowledges outstanding support professionals in special education. At the time, the award was in only its second year of existence, and she was proud to be part of a growing recognition of the vital work they do.
As a graduate student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Ms. Pellegrini was nominated and accepted into the Advanced Studies Pilot Program in Early Childhood, Multilingual, and Special Education. After speaking with the director of special education, she decided to defer her participation until after completing her master’s degree in spring 2026. These experiences reflect her commitment to the field and her ongoing efforts to grow as an educator.
Ms. Pellegrini is dedicated to building inclusive, student-centered classrooms that meet the needs of all learners and to becoming a leader in the special education community.
In just another week I’ll hit the three month mark in my new role as Principal Engineer on the Experience Platform Team at HealthEdge. The time has flown by, and I’m really enjoying it. I feel fortunate to have joined such a strong company and an even stronger team. Before this year I hadn’t heard of HealthEdge, but their growth over the past five years has been remarkable and shows no signs of slowing down. The opportunities here are exciting, the culture is a great fit, and I get to work alongside talented and supportive colleagues. My scope continues to expand, and I find the work both challenging and rewarding. Even in a time when AI tools are changing the landscape of the tech industry, I feel confident in the role I’m filling and the contributions I’m making. I’m grateful to be here and see this as the start of a long-term chapter with plenty of professional growth ahead.
That’s the latest from us. Everyone has settled back into their routines and is doing well. With school back in session, extracurriculars are in full swing again; another softball season is here, and Elise has returned to figure skating. Fall has always been my favorite time of year, and I’m looking forward to cooler mornings, crisp evenings, and everything the season brings. This summer wasn’t the hottest we’ve had in Las Vegas, but I’m still ready for the heat to ease up so we can enjoy the kind of weather that feels like summer in other places. While the kids weren’t exactly thrilled to see vacation end, being back in school has been good for them. It’s hard to believe Ava is already in her last year of middle school and Enzo in his last year of elementary. Clearly, time slows down for no one.
Enzo, ready for his first day of 5th gradeElise on her first morning of 7th gradeAva on her first morning of 8th grade
Our family recently returned from an incredible week in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico—a trip filled with beautiful beaches, unforgettable meals, and some of the kindest people we’ve ever met. From spontaneous adventures to meaningful cultural experiences, it was everything we hoped for and more.
Last week, Jessica, the kids, and I returned from an unforgettable trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico—a journey filled with vibrant food, warm people, stunning beaches, and rich local culture. We had high hopes going in, but the experience surpassed every expectation. This was our first family vacation involving a flight since our Disney World trip in May 2021, and it marked the kids’ first time visiting a country where English isn’t the primary language. Now that they’re older and more able to engage with the world around them, we’re hoping to make international travel a more regular part of our lives, both to create lasting memories and to broaden their understanding of different cultures.
As I sat down to write about the trip, I realized a day-by-day recap wouldn’t do it justice. Instead, I want to share the experience by highlighting the key aspects that made it so special. Let’s dive in.
The People
Before the trip, my expectations were centered on food and beaches, and while those certainly delivered, the most memorable and unexpected highlight was the people we met along the way. Nearly everyone we encountered was genuinely warm and welcoming. There was a clear sense that visitors are not just tolerated but truly appreciated, and that hospitality is taken seriously across the board. That spirit of kindness wasn’t limited to restaurants; it extended to drivers, airport staff, and even strangers on the street who offered help when we were clearly a bit lost looking for a bus. Life in Puerto Vallarta moves at a slower, more intentional pace than what we’re used to back home, with a greater emphasis on presence, relaxation, and enjoying the moment, especially when it comes to dining out.
Our favorite people we met during the trip worked at restaurants just down the street from our hotel. The first was Christian, our server at Melissa’s, a seafood restaurant. We arrived in Puerto Vallarta on the afternoon of Saturday, May 24. After checking into La Siesta Hotel, we decided to head down to the Malecon, the city’s famous boardwalk, to explore a bit. On our way there, we noticed Melissa’s and made a mental note to return later since we knew we wanted seafood during the trip. We walked around for a while and even had an appetizer at another restaurant near the water, but when it came time for a proper dinner, we made our way back to Melissa’s.
We sat upstairs on their outdoor terrace, and at first, we weren’t sure we would stay. The kids were having trouble deciding what to order, but Christian, who was born and raised in Puerto Vallarta and now lives just seven blocks away with his wife and mother, stepped in and offered to help. Elise really wanted a seafood quesadilla, so Christian spoke with the kitchen, and they were happy to prepare a shrimp quesadilla just for her. What followed was an incredible meal, with service that exceeded our expectations. Jessica and I both spent years working in restaurants, so we know good service when we see it. It was clear that Christian was making a sincere effort to take excellent care of us.
Around sunset, the evening took a magical turn. Christian pointed out a nightly ritual where a family of bats flies from a nearby building to a mango tree across the street. First, the father bat emerges alone to scout the area; then, the rest of the family follows, circling a few times in the air, almost as if putting on a show, before settling into the tree. Rooftop cats watch their every move from above, completing the scene in a way that felt almost surreal.
As we were watching this unfold, a full mariachi band in traditional attire made their way upstairs, performing as they went. Another table was celebrating a birthday and had hired the band to perform during dinner. We had no idea what was happening at first, but within moments, we found ourselves in the middle of a spontaneous concert. The music was incredible, Christian started dancing, the kids joined in, and Jessica and I couldn’t stop smiling. We assumed the band would play a song or two, but they ended up performing for nearly thirty minutes. It was completely unplanned, completely unforgettable, and an incredible way to begin our trip. Christian brought us complimentary drinks, and we sat back and soaked it all in.
The experience was so special that we returned to Melissa’s on Thursday night, our final night in town, to see Christian again. We went all out for that last meal. While there was no surprise mariachi band this time, the connection we had built with Christian was more than enough. We stayed late, talking with him about his life in Puerto Vallarta. He told us how he and his wife had moved in with his mother to help care for her, and how much he loves living in the neighborhood. He even said that next time we visit, he wants us to come to his home. That kind of warmth and generosity speaks volumes about the people we met during our stay. Whether we return to Puerto Vallarta or not, none of us will ever forget Christian.
Family selfie with Christian
Our other favorite people from the trip were Daniel and America, servers at Si Señor Garden, which was also just down the street from our hotel. The hotel was perched on a hill with a courtyard and a series of steps that led down toward the Malecon and the beach. Si Señor Garden sat near the bottom of that courtyard, so we passed it frequently. One of the things that made the restaurant so unique was its resident green macaw, Lola. She was essentially the mascot of the place, which makes perfect sense, since the Spanish word for “pet” is “mascota.”
Lola is 25 years old, and for the past 14 years, she has lived with Daniel. The two of them were often outside in the courtyard, and whenever Lola spotted Daniel holding a bag of pistachios, she would begin squawking loudly in anticipation. He noticed right away how much we enjoyed her, so he invited us over to feed her. At first, we fed her by hand, but then he encouraged us to hold a pistachio in our mouth and offer it that way. Jessica politely declined, but the rest of us tried it—and did so multiple times throughout the week.
Later in the trip, we sat down for an excellent traditional meal at Si Señor Garden, and both Daniel and America were our servers. Just like Christian, they were genuinely warm and attentive, going above and beyond to make the evening special. They knew we planned to come in for dinner on Wednesday night, so they surprised us by arranging for a local musician to perform tableside. It was such a thoughtful gesture and made the evening even more memorable.
Throughout the meal, Lola continued to be part of the experience, stopping by our table and hanging out for a while. It is the kind of thing that would never happen in a restaurant back in the U.S., but it added a personal and unexpected charm that made the evening unforgettable. Every time we walked by the restaurant during the week, either Daniel or America would spot us and come out to say hello.
Feeding our friend Lola
While these stories about Christian, Daniel, and America stand out, they also reflect a larger truth about our time in Puerto Vallarta. The people we met were consistently kind, gracious, and sincere. I didn’t expect that to be the defining feature of our trip, but in the end, it was. And it is exactly the kind of experience that would bring us back.
Before an amazing meal at Sí Señor Garden
The Animals
While I’ve already mentioned some of the animal encounters from our trip, there’s more to share. Lola was certainly our favorite, and we ran into her constantly in the courtyard. Sometimes I’d be walking up the steps without noticing her, only to look up and find her perched right in front of me on a railing. I’ve never been that close to a bird like her before, and it was an incredible experience.
We saw the bat family performing their nightly flight ritual several times, and it never got old. There was also a surprising number of cats in our neighborhood. We rarely saw them during the day, but once the sun went down, they would appear everywhere, quietly moving along rooftops and alleyways.
One regular animal encounter I could have done without—at least at first—came courtesy of the neighborhood rooster, who let everyone know it was morning with a loud chorus at sunrise each day. It became oddly endearing as the week went on, a quirky part of the local rhythm.
During our first excursion, we stopped along the road above Mismaloya Beach, made famous by the 1964 film The Night of the Iguana starring Richard Burton and Ava Gardner. There, the kids had the chance to hold a real iguana named Luca, which was especially exciting since they all love reptiles. On our second excursion, to Las Caletas Beach, they got to interact with a macaw, a hawk, and a monkey as part of an animal attraction on site.
Our final excursion was a private boat tour that included snorkeling and beach stops. We visited Los Arcos, a marine preserve with towering rock formations, where we snorkeled among schools of tropical fish.
Whether it was these planned animal encounters or the spontaneous ones that unfolded naturally in our neighborhood, each added something special to the trip. They gave the experience even more texture and character, making it that much more memorable.
Elise with Luca the Iguana above Mismaloya beach
The Food
I had high expectations for the food going into this trip. I knew the beaches would be beautiful, but as a self-proclaimed foodie, I was especially excited to explore the local cuisine. Even with those expectations in mind, the food we enjoyed throughout the week far surpassed anything I had imagined.
Most of our meals were traditional Mexican dishes, as you might expect, but not all of them. Some of the biggest surprises came from the simplest items—like a club sandwich or a tuna sandwich—prepared with such care and fresh ingredients that they became standouts. We would walk into tiny restaurants where an older woman was cooking over a stove, and every single time, the food was outstanding. The use of fresh, local ingredients gave every dish a unique identity. It was common to see unexpected additions like lime, cucumber, corn, or peas, creating combinations that felt both inventive and deeply rooted in local flavor.
We also went out for pizza twice during the week, and both experiences were excellent. One place served traditional Neapolitan-style pizza, while the other offered something more creative, almost like French bread pizza cut into squares, with bold and interesting topping combinations.
Of course, the traditional Mexican food was exceptional. While we all have some familiarity with these dishes through restaurants in the U.S., the versions we had in Puerto Vallarta were on a completely different level. Freshly made tortillas, an array of house-made salsas, time-honored recipes, and locally sourced ingredients came together to create meals that felt both authentic and elevated.
While the warmth and kindness of the people were a pleasant and unexpected highlight, the food was every bit as incredible as I had hoped it would be. I cannot speak highly enough about how well we ate throughout the trip.
The Language
I felt fairly confident about communication going into the trip, thanks to my background with Spanish. I’ve been doing daily lessons on Duolingo for the past 11 months, had two years of Spanish in high school, and also studied Italian for a few years, which shares many similarities. I also made sure each of us had the Google Translate app installed on our phones, but we rarely needed it. Because Puerto Vallarta is such a popular tourist destination, most people speak English, which made things easier. Still, I made a point to speak Spanish whenever possible and only switched to English when absolutely necessary.
Jessica studied Spanish in high school and lived in Italy for six months, so she was able to follow much of what was being said around us. What really surprised us, though, was how quickly the kids began picking up the language and adapting to the culture. None of them had studied Spanish before, yet within a day of arriving, they were already using basic words and phrases. By the end of the week, they had learned quite a bit, simply through immersion.
I left Mexico feeling more motivated than ever to continue studying the language. In fact, when Elise and I went to pick up lunch at a local restaurant after we got home, I almost placed my order in Spanish out of habit. I had to catch myself and switch back to English. That moment stuck with me—it was the first time I truly felt how natural it can become when you’re immersed in a new language and culture.
The Beaches
Naturally, we were all excited to explore the beaches around Puerto Vallarta, and they absolutely lived up to our expectations. We were lucky to experience a wide range of them, from beaches within walking distance of our hotel to more remote spots located farther south, accessible only by boat. One of the excursions we had planned well in advance was a day trip to Las Caletas, a private beach operated by a company called Vallarta Adventures.
Las Caletas is a stunning series of small beaches connected to a larger complex that includes an adventure park, restaurants, and an animal exhibit. We boarded a boat at Puerto Mágico, the main cruise port in Puerto Vallarta, and spent most of the day enjoying everything the destination had to offer. Lunch was included, served buffet-style, and while it wasn’t bad, it was probably my least favorite meal of the trip. The food reminded me of what you’d find on a cruise ship—prepared in bulk to please a wide audience, but lacking the flavor and authenticity of the meals we enjoyed at local restaurants throughout the week.
Despite that, the day itself was a lot of fun. The overall setting had the feel of a vacation theme park, with activities and attractions tucked throughout the area. We spent much of our time at the adventure park, where the kids loved the water slides and zip lines that led directly into the ocean. One of the biggest highlights was riding the banana boat, a long inflatable raft towed by a speedboat, which had all of us laughing and hanging on tight. The kids still talk about this day as one of their favorite parts of the trip.
Before the trip, we only booked two excursions and decided to leave the rest of our schedule open. We knew we wanted another full beach day, and after doing some research, I thought Playa Mismaloya would be a great choice. We had seen it earlier in the week from a lookout point when the kids got to hold Luca the iguana, so we decided to spend a day there and see where it led us.
To make the experience a little more adventurous, I suggested we take public transportation. This put both my Spanish and navigational skills to the test, but everything worked out in the end. We had to take two buses to get there. After we got off the first one, we struggled to locate the correct stop for the second. A local woman noticed our confusion and kindly stepped in to help, pointing us in the right direction. It was yet another example of the warmth and generosity we experienced throughout the trip.
When we arrived at Mismaloya, we were greeted near the beach by a man named Jose, who offered us a private boat tour. Since we didn’t have a fixed plan for the day, we decided to hear him out. We told him we were hoping to go snorkeling, and he recommended visiting Los Arcos, a nearby marine preserve. He explained that we could snorkel for as long as we wanted, then take a tour of several private beaches that are only accessible by boat, spending as much time as we liked at each stop. His father would be our captain for the day.
Knowing this would likely be our final excursion of the trip, we decided to go for it. After a delicious lunch at a beachfront restaurant in Mismaloya, we boarded the boat with Jose’s father, Marin, and set out for Los Arcos. Along the way, we passed a stretch of dramatic coastline dotted with stunning homes, including one owned by Sylvester Stallone.
Snorkeling at Los Arcos was incredible. Even that far from shore, the water was warm and inviting. We saw vibrant schools of fish and explored the towering rock formations up close, making the experience feel both peaceful and awe-inspiring. After nearly an hour in the water, we climbed back into the boat and continued south with Marin.
Our first stop was a small, quiet beach where the kids played in the water while Jessica and I relaxed. After about thirty minutes, we traveled farther south and arrived at what turned out to be our favorite beach of the entire trip—Las Animas. It was absolutely breathtaking, with soft white sand, crystal-clear water, and a row of restaurants lining the shoreline. We spent over two hours there, swimming, playing in the waves, and jumping off the dock. We even grabbed a table at one of the restaurants so the kids could enjoy sodas while Jessica and I had a cold beer.
Everything about the setting felt perfect, from the water to the relaxed energy of the beach. By the end of the day, Jessica and I both agreed—it was our favorite day of the trip.
Summary
Looking back on our week in Puerto Vallarta, we’re filled with gratitude for such an unforgettable experience. We had so much fun exploring the city, relaxing on stunning beaches, and enjoying some of the most delicious meals we’ve ever had. From traditional Mexican dishes to surprisingly memorable takes on everyday classics, the food was a highlight in its own right. But what truly made the trip special were the people we met along the way.
Their kindness, generosity, and warmth left a lasting impression on all of us. Whether it was a server who went out of his way to make our meal unforgettable, a stranger helping us navigate a bus stop, or a friendly face welcoming us back to a restaurant, these small moments of connection became the heart of our trip.
We’re especially grateful that our kids now have a meaningful first experience with international travel. They not only saw new places and tasted new foods, but also began to understand and appreciate a culture different from their own. That exposure, we hope, will stay with them and shape how they see the world.
Puerto Vallarta gave us more than a vacation—it gave us memories we’ll always carry with us. And for that, we couldn’t be more thankful.
After a couple weeks on the road, I’m back home and reflecting on a busy start to spring—work travel to Microsoft HQ, family time in Washington, and a snowy Spring Break in Colorado. Jessica has exciting news about her teaching role, and our summer calendar is already packed with trips, visitors, and more adventures to come!
After two straight weeks of travel, I’m finally back home and settling into my regular routine—and honestly, it feels pretty great. The first leg of my travels took me up to the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington, for an annual Microsoft Research event called Project Green. It brings together researchers from all over the world to share ideas, collaborate, and learn from each other. Since I had just joined my new team a few weeks earlier, it was the perfect opportunity to meet everyone in person and get a better sense of the work going on across the org.
Being back on the Microsoft campus after several years away definitely stirred up some nostalgia. As I walked between meetings, I found myself remembering the various buildings I used to work in and the people I met along the way. This was actually my first full five-day, in-office work week in five years—no surprise I was completely wiped out by the end of each day! I’ve gotten pretty comfortable working from home, so running around all week for meetings and events was a real shift.
Since I don’t make it up to Western Washington very often, I tried to pack in as much time with friends and family as I could. My cousin Kristy picked me up from the airport and graciously let me crash at her place the first night. The next morning, we met up with her parents—my Uncle Jim and Aunt Brenda—for a delicious brunch at a new Mexican spot. It was a great way to kick off the week, and even better, they called later that day to let me know they’re planning a trip down to Vegas in June! We checked our calendars, locked in some dates, and now they’re all set to visit us—and finally see our new house. We’re all really looking forward to it.
On Sunday night, I got to catch up with one of my oldest friends, Michael—my best man from our wedding—and his wife Kirsten. We hung out at their beautiful home in Burien with an amazing view of the Puget Sound, then headed out for dinner. Later in the week, I squeezed in a few more visits with friends and family, though I didn’t get to see everyone I had hoped to. The workdays were packed, but I made the most of the time I had. All in all, it was a great trip, and I’m really grateful for the experience. Jessica and the kids would’ve loved being there too—hopefully next time we can all go together. For now, I’m just happy I had the chance to reconnect with so many people and have such a productive week.
Spring Break in Colorado
Jessica and the kids picked me up from the Vegas airport on Friday night, and—true to form—the Seattle rain must’ve hitched a ride with me, because it was raining in Vegas too (which almost never happens). It felt amazing to sleep in my own bed again… even if it was short-lived. Saturday flew by with a full schedule: laundry, some work for Cappers, a quick house project, and coaching softball practice. Then, bright and early Sunday morning—like 4:30 a.m. early—we hit the road for our Spring Break trip to Colorado.
The drive to Grandma and Grandpa Martin’s house took about 11 hours, which is pretty typical. Traffic was light, weather was clear, and honestly, with adaptive cruise control and lane assist, Jessica’s Odyssey practically drives itself at this point.
Compared to last year, there wasn’t much snow on the ground at first, but as we climbed Ute Pass, it started to thicken up. Once we got settled in, we spent the week doing all kinds of fun stuff around the house: sledding, riding 4-wheelers and snowmobiles, baking cookies and pies, building fires, and playing lots of Yahtzee. The kids had never played before, but they picked it up fast—Elise and Enzo each rolled three Yahtzees in one game, scoring 440 and 441! I’ve been playing that game since I was their age and still haven’t come close to that.
I was working remotely during the week, so I couldn’t join every activity, but I made sure to get out with Jessica for a long walk each day to enjoy the mountain air. One afternoon, everyone drove down to Granby for some outdoor ice skating—I had to miss that one, but it sounded like a blast.
My favorite part of the trip was Friday night. We all went to see a local high school production of Mean Girls in Frisco. I’ve always had a soft spot for theater (I did a few plays growing up), and I was really impressed by the kids’ performances. They did an awesome job.
Saturday was super low-key—we mostly hung around the house while the kids built snowmen in the yard. I cooked dinner most nights during our stay, and that afternoon Jessica and I caught up on the latest Top Chef episode. Since the show’s set in Canada this season, the challenge was to make poutine. I’d never made it before, but I was inspired to give it a try—and it actually turned out pretty great. Definitely adding that one to the rotation.
We hit the road again early Sunday morning, around 6:00 a.m. Fresh snow meant we had to take it slow coming down the mountain, and traffic on I-70 was crawling at first. But once we got past Vail Pass, things opened up. The scenery through Utah was stunning as usual, and by late afternoon we were back home in Henderson—trading snowy roads for sunshine and 80 degrees!
We braced ourselves for a rough Monday, thinking the post-trip reset would be brutal, but surprisingly, everyone bounced back like pros. Enzo had rock climbing on Monday night, Ava and I were back at softball Tuesday, and Elise jumps into figure skating again later this week. Breaks always go by too fast, but we’re super grateful to Grandma and Grandpa for hosting us. It was a great trip, full of memories—and maybe a few new traditions.
Exciting Times for Jessica
Jessica finally got the official news she’s been waiting for—she’s going to be the head teacher in her classroom next school year! It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster getting to this point, and for a while we weren’t sure if everything was going to line up, but thankfully it all worked out. Even though she still has some time left in her master’s program at UNLV (she’ll graduate in December), that won’t stop her from stepping into her new role at the start of the school year.
I couldn’t be prouder of her. She’s been crushing it—still pulling straight A’s—and I’ve never seen her this motivated. It’s so clear she’s found her calling. The kids at her school are lucky to have her, and I know she’s going to bring so much heart and energy to the classroom.
In the short term, she’s gearing up for a little well-earned getaway. This Friday, she’s heading to Tucson for a girls’ weekend with a few friends from Washington. One of them has a timeshare down there, so they’re planning to spend a few days hiking, relaxing, and catching up. It’ll be her second time making the trip, and she’s really looking forward to it.
She’ll be back Monday evening—but with a quick turnaround, since she’ll be heading straight from the road to her in-person class at UNLV. While she’s gone, I’ll be holding down the fort with the kids. We’ve got our first softball game on Saturday morning, and on Sunday I’m planning to take them to a Japanese anime convention. I’m sure we’ll find a few more things to keep us busy too. Should be a fun weekend all around!
Plans for a Busy Summer
Our summer calendar is already starting to fill up, and I have a feeling it’s all going to fly by in the blink of an eye. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we’re kicking things off with a trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico—literally the day after school gets out. A few days after we return, Jim and Brenda will be coming down to visit us in Vegas, which we’re really looking forward to.
Then, the same day they fly back to Washington, Jessica will be loading up the car and taking the kids to meet Grandma and Grandpa Martin in Utah for a big RV adventure. They’ll be spending a week exploring National Parks like Arches and Bryce Canyon, followed by another week hanging out in Colorado with the Tom’s grandson, Cole. It’s going to be the longest the kids have ever been away from us, but they’re super excited about the trip. I’m a little bummed I won’t get to spend Father’s Day with them this year, but we’ll make up for it when they get back. While they’re off adventuring, Jessica and I are planning a little weekend getaway of our own—maybe Zion or the Grand Canyon, we haven’t decided yet.
Not long after the kids get back from their grandparent road trip, our good friends the Palmers will be arriving for their annual summer stay. And on Elise’s birthday (July 14), our longtime friend and former neighbor Avery is coming down for her yearly visit. The kids don’t know about that one yet, but they’re going to be so excited—especially Ava, who still considers Avery her best friend.
We haven’t nailed down the details yet, but we usually sneak in a late summer trip to San Diego or somewhere else in Southern California before school starts up again, so I’ll do my best to keep that tradition alive.
All in all, it’s shaping up to be a packed summer, but that’s how we like it. The goal is to keep the kids active and off their screens as much as possible. With Jessica taking summer classes, she won’t be able to do quite as much with them as usual, so we’re trying to make the most of the time we do have together.
That’s about it for now. Below are a few recent family photos. See you next month!
Our girls are growing up fast!Jessica and Enzo at the school’s Lego Family NightEnzo and I making Chinese dumplings at home. He says he wants to be a chef when he grows up, so I’m doing my best to train him early.Carrying Elise into the high school play so she wouldn’t get her shoes all muddyBuilding a snowman at Grandma and Grandpa’s houseNo one loves snow more than Ava
August has been another great month for our family. Jessica and the kids got back to school a couple of weeks ago, meaning it’s just me and the cats at home on the weekdays. It didn’t take long before everyone was settled back into their schedules, and so far, they’re all doing great. Jessica is now officially a student at UNLV, meaning she works during the day, then comes home and focuses on her schoolwork. She’s very busy but has been taking everything on like a champ. It’s hard to believe that we’re less than a year away from her taking the lead role in the classroom.
Elise has probably had the biggest transition this month, as she is now a middle schooler, but so far it’s been a smooth one. She is making new friends, as expected, and is loving her classes. She joined the orchestra and is now learning to play violin, which makes me proud because we now have another stringed instrumentalist in the house!
Ava is off to a great start in 7th grade. The transition to middle school a year ago was hard for her but this year has been such a positive change. She is sticking with the trumpet in the school band and is excited for another softball season to get started in the coming weeks. Enzo is now our only child left in elementary school but he is enjoying 4th grade, mostly because he landed in a class with all of his best friends. It’s also nice that he gets to ride to and from school with Mom each day.
Work has been busier than ever for me lately, mostly because football season is just getting started. The two biggest sports betting markets in the United States are the NFL and college football, so I have been working for months to prepare Cappers for this season. We only supported NFL betting last year but this year we’re also supporting college football, so there was a lot of preparation required. Business has already started picking up and we’re about to raise our prices for the first time. We’re continuing to get more traffic with our daily videos across social networks, and yesterday was actually our best day ever. Devin and I are optimistic about the future of our company so it will be interesting to see how things go over the next few months.
A Long Weekend In San Diego
Although our Summer break was officially over, we still had one more trip to do before Labor Day, which was to pay Auntie Dana and Uncle Brad a visit in San Diego. It’s been nearly 2.5 years since we were down there, which is far too long, so we were all excited to see them and get some quality time at the beach. While San Diego is lovely all the time, this is the absolute best time of year to go there, especially if going to the beach is on your agenda.
We drove to Dana and Brad’s house on Thursday evening after I finished work. It’s only about 4.5 hours door-to-door, which is nothing for us, so it wasn’t even very late when we arrived. Friday was all about the beach, so after hanging out around their house that morning, we all hopped in the van and headed over to Carlsbad for a day of boogie boarding, body surfing, and walks on the beach. It wasn’t that crowded because of it being a weekday after school had resumed, so we spent the entire afternoon there.
It was the warmest water I’ve ever experienced in San Diego, but I guess that shouldn’t come as a big surprise considering it’s been the hottest Summer ever recorded. The waves were also much bigger than expected so it took a bit for the kids to feel comfortable. Everyone got thrashed a bit in the shore break, myself included, but by the end of the day, Ava was catching waves on the boogie board without assistance! Uncle Brad did a great job teaching each of the kids and a day later Elise and Enzo were also catching their own waves.
Each day was basically the same in the sense that we would have lunch somewhere in San Diego, hang out at the beach, hit the grocery store on the way home, and then relax at the house while I made dinner for everyone. Several epic games of Uno were also played. Jessica and I loved watching the kids in the water. Seeing them fly by on the boogie board with the biggest smile on their faces brought me so much joy, mostly because it reminded me a lot of my own childhood. I always loved playing in the waves on the coast of Washington, and there’s no doubt that this was the trip where our kids solidified their love for the ocean. It certainly wasn’t their first time playing in the ocean but I feel like this was the trip where they really ‘got’ the whole SoCal vibe.
We left San Diego on Sunday already talking about when to return. Our general plan is to try and make it to Colorado and Southern California at least once (but hopefully twice each) per year. I love the fact that we can make that happen without having to put everyone on an airplane. It was a quick trip but we’re so thankful to Dana and Brad for hosting us. I’m also excited that we made plans for them to come and stay with us this year for Thanksgiving!
We don’t have any other trips scheduled for this year, but in another few weeks, the weather will cool down enough that we’ll be in that sweet spot of perfect Las Vegas weather. Combine that with all the sports and new TV shows for the Fall and we’ll be living our best lives at home. We’re looking forward to a nice Labor Day weekend, and with all of our Summer trips behind us, we can now officially settle into our Fall schedules.
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading, and here are some recent family photos.
Elise on her first day of Middle SchoolAva on her first day of 7th gradeEnzo on his first day of 4th gradeJessica’s first day of the school yearThe girls before school one morningDana and Brad have lots of orange trees on their property and Enzo LOVES making fresh juice with themEnzo playing on the beach in Carlsbad. Notice Ava riding a wave in on the boogie board.Ava strikes a pose on the beachElise and Mom after a walk on the beachEnzo playing on the beach with Auntie Dana looking onAva rides a wave all the way to the shoreElise at the Self-Realization Fellowship Meditation Garden – one of Auntie Dana’s favorite spotsAuntie Dana with the kids at the meditation gardenObligatory family photo
Celebrating Elise’s 11th birthday in Phoenix, Arizona! Food, Concerts, Swimming, and more…
Today our sweet Elise turns 11 years old! Although Summer break is winding down, we have been staying quite busy, and as of yesterday, another road trip is in the books. We spent the past few days in Phoenix, Arizona eating delicious foods, hanging out at the pool, and attending a show by one of our favorite bands, AJR! Before I get into the details of our weekend getaway I just want to say how proud Jessica and I are of Elise. She’s growing up fast and will enter middle school in a few short weeks.
Elise has grown up a lot over the past year; she has a great crew of close friends and always seems to be busy with one activity or another. She takes school seriously and enjoys various extracurricular activities like “Girls on the Run,” drama, fundraisers, and more. Like most kids her age, she is nervous about entering middle school, but I’m proud of the way Ava keeps building her up via pep talks. Elise is also our little beauty queen; she loves makeup, skincare, fashion, and painted nails. Although summer break isn’t over yet, she has very much enjoyed her time off this year and is already referring to her birthday weekend in Phoenix as the best present she has ever received. We all love her to the moon and couldn’t be more proud of the young lady she has become!
Phoenix 2024 Road Trip
Our weekend in Phoenix was outstanding and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more Arizona visits in our future. The trip came about because AJR, one of our favorite bands, was playing Friday night in Phoenix and we knew the kids would love to go. We saw AJR last year at SEMA Fest in Las Vegas and, as far as we were concerned, they stole the show. Once we saw they would be playing nearby on Elise’s birthday weekend we knew we had to make it happen. This meant that Elise would have to forego a traditional birthday party, but she was more than willing to make that consolation.
We drove down on Thursday morning, and now that we’re conditioned to doing 11-hour drives to Grandma’s house in Colorado, the 4.5-hour drive to Phoenix felt like a walk in the park. The kids had never been to Arizona before, other than the sliver of it that we pass through when heading to Colorado, so this was a fun new experience for us. Jessica had also never been to Phoenix, and my only experience there came via a work trip years ago when I was at Amazon, so this was my first time getting to actually enjoy it.
We knew upon arriving in Phoenix that our hotel wouldn’t be ready for check-in, so we drove straight to Pizzeria Bianco. Devin told me that he hadn’t been there, but it was once called the best pizza in the country, so we had to check it out. It’s a traditional Italian Neapolitan pizza, which is our favorite, and we all loved our meal. I won’t go so far as to say it’s the best pizza I’ve ever had, but it was delicious, plus the atmosphere was nice and it was the perfect way to start off our trip. Here we are at their next-door lounge having a drink while we waited for a table.
After lunch, we checked in at our hotel, the Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak, and spent the rest of the afternoon at their water park. It was so hot outside that their lazy river was warmer than bath water, but we still had a nice time. Later that evening we went back to downtown Phoenix and had a nice sushi dinner at Harumi Sushi and Sake.
We slept in so late on Friday morning that we missed breakfast, but it worked out for the best because our lunch at the Fry Bread House was the highlight meal of the trip. I came across this place while reading an article about the Phoenix dining scene. While I had never had fry bread before, or dined at a Native American restaurant, the reviews sounded amazing, and once I saw it was a James Beard award winner, I knew we had to go. While it wasn’t a fancy place at all, the way they built burritos out of fry bread, rather than a traditional tortilla, was incredible. We all agreed it was our favorite meal in a long time and will definitely be returning next time we make it to Phoenix. Friday afternoon was spent at our hotel’s water park, and then that evening we had a big pasta meal at Babbo’s Italian Eatery before heading to the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns, for the AJR concert. The concert itself was so much fun; the kids knew the words to every song and we were so impressed with the entire production. It was so much more than your traditional live show where the band simply comes out and plays their songs. You could tell a lot of time and effort went into creating this show and we loved every minute of it. Here’s the video I made of my favorite songs from that night, as well as a few photos from before the show.
Driving home on Saturday was smooth sailing the entire way. The desert in Arizona is much prettier than what we have in Nevada, mostly because they get much more rain than we do. We loved looking at all the cacti and various other forms of plant life. It was a quick trip but we all enjoyed Arizona and look forward to going back. While the climate isn’t any different from what we’re used to, it definitely has a different vibe to it. While Vegas is fast-paced and glitzy, Arizona is much more laid-back, and I love how they lean into their old Western heritage. Phoenix, in particular, had an excellent dining scene, and that’s always a draw for Jessica and me. We’re now thinking about visiting other Arizona hot spots like the Grand Canyon, Scottsdale, and Tucson.
With our big weekend behind us, the plan for today is to lay low at home. We might do a little swimming later, and Elise has requested homemade fish tacos for dinner, so I’m looking forward to making them for her. Oh, and one more thing, Ava and Elise are both past the 100 consecutive days mark of daily foreign language lessons on DuoLingo! I’m so proud of their dedication that I decided to get back into it and am now doing daily Spanish lessons. I figured nothing could be more useful around here than Spanish and it’s so similar to Italian that I find it rather easy. The three of us are now regularly encouraging Mom and Enzo to get on board so we can all have some type of foreign language influence in our lives.
That’s about it for now. We have friends coming to visit next weekend, then we will be visiting Auntie Dana and Uncle Brad for a long weekend in San Diego next month. Here are a couple more photos from our trip to Phoenix. Happy 11th birthday Elise, we love you to the moon!
All about our Colorado Summer 2024 trip, plus a few more fun things going on in our worlds.
At the beginning of this month, our family enjoyed an amazing trip to Colorado. We were gone for 10 days, which was the longest we had ever been away from home as a family. Before getting into the details of the trip I want to thank Grandma and Grandpa Martin for being such gracious hosts. They made sure we had all kinds of fun things to do at their house, and having their RV to camp in was very nice. They showed us places that the kids and I had never seen before, let the kids take four-wheelers and other vehicles out whenever they liked, and I even got to go out on a motorcycle ride with Tom one afternoon. It was our first time visiting Colorado outside of winter and turned into a trip that we will never forget!
The plan was to spend the weekend camping in Estes Park, which is just outside of the Rocky Mountain National Park. Each day we would go into the park for hiking and sightseeing, and then most evenings we would go into town to shop and eat. Estes Park is a charming little town that reminded me of my childhood summers at Lake Chelan. It’s probably most well known as the home of the Stanley Hotel, which was the birthplace of the Stanley Steemer and was featured prominently in the cult-classic movie, “The Shining”. Jessica spent a lot of time there as a kid and was so excited to show these places to us that she frequently got choked up. Her grandparents used to own multiple properties in Estes Park, so it was reminiscent and special for her to now be there as an adult with her own family.
We drove up to Colorado the previous weekend on a Sunday, then I worked from their house Monday through Wednesday before taking Thursday and Friday off for our camping excursion. Grandpa Tom had the four-wheelers, dune buggy, and mini bike all ready to roll as soon as we got there. By day two the kids needed no help in firing each one up and taking off around the property. It would always crack me up when I’d look outside and suddenly hear them roaring up towards the house, chasing each other on one motorized vehicle or another. They’d be screaming and laughing the whole time, living their best lives and making lasting childhood memories.
On Tuesday afternoon, Tom and I took their Harley’s out for a 60-mile ride through the canyons. There was a winding river next to us on one side and sheer vertical mountain walls on the other. It was also my first time riding a motorcycle in seven or eight years and was easily one of the most beautiful rides I have ever done. At one point a gorgeous red Ferrari passed us in the canyon going the other way. It certainly reinvigorated my love for motorcycles, so I made sure to tell them that if they ever decide to part ways with one of those Harley’s to please let me know.
On Wednesday afternoon everyone but me spent the day at Grand Lake. I had to work and wasn’t able to join them but they had a nice time at the lake, as well as exploring the town. The pictures were beautiful and they enjoyed some delicious pizza for lunch, so I hope to be able to check it out next time.
On Thursday morning we drove the RV and our van to Estes Park. The town is located just east of Rocky Mountain National Park, so getting there means we had to enter the park on the west side and go all the way up a mountain pass, then descend that mountain on the other side. At one point we were up at 13,000 feet elevation! Some of those windy and narrow mountain roads make me nervous because there’s a huge drop-off only a few feet away, but we took it slow and careful. The views up there were incredible, so we stopped a few times to take it all in. Here’s a photo from our first stop, near the top of the mountain.
Once we were settled in our campsite we decided to check out the town of Estes Park. We had a nice lunch, then split up for some shopping. I felt like this was a perfect time and place to get Enzo his first pocket knife, so that became our mission for the afternoon. We bounced around from shop to shop until we found the right one. I thought of it as a right of passage, and it reminded me of similar experiences with my own Dad. I still have the first pocket knife he got me from a small town on the coast of Washington, and I’m sure Enzo will always keep his as well.
He learned how to flick his knife to open the blade and spent much of the remainder of the trip showcasing his newfound skill. The knife has “Colorado” branded on it, and there’s a cutout of an elk with big horns in the blade. Here he is practicing with it on a hike.
The next couple of days were spent hiking and sightseeing in the park. There were so many wild animals to enjoy, including tons of elk, birds, chipmunks, deer, and even a moose or two! Our first day of hiking took place at Bear Lake, which is one of the most popular attractions in the park. It sits at a high elevation so you have to take a bus up there, then once you arrive there are various trails to explore. We first did a short hike around the lake, then took on the vertical portion and headed up the mountain. It wasn’t a particularly hard hike, especially for someone as experienced as Jessica, but the rise in elevation combined with that thin mountain air is enough to get a little burn going in your lungs.
It was immediately apparent to me why this is such a popular attraction. Whether you were near the lake or going up the mountain, the scenery was incredible. I had my camera out and tried to get as many good shots as possible. There was a surprising amount of snow still around, but it didn’t feel cold at all. We stopped several times to rest and view different rivers, waterfalls, and scenic outlooks. We had lunch at the top, took a few more photos, then made our way back down. It was easily the best day of hiking I have ever experienced and I’m glad I was able to document it with so many photos. Here are some of my favorites.
After leaving Bear Lake we visited a beautiful waterfall with the cleanest mountain water I have ever tasted. We had a bit of a scare when Ava started hiking up the mountain and disappeared for a while. Jessica and I had to go up there looking for her and eventually found her at the top of the waterfall. We were not pleased in the moment but it’s another one of those things that we won’t forget. Here are a few photos from that portion of our day.
We did another hike on Saturday morning at a much less populated trail. It wasn’t as scenic as Bear Lake but we did see some nice rivers and rushing rapids. Our timing was excellent because a big rain storm rolled in right as we were ready to head back to the campground. While there were intermittent rain showers throughout our trip, this one was by far the biggest. It really poured down on us, so we spent the afternoon napping and reading in the RV. That evening there was a little concert at our campground’s lodge so we all went to check it out. It was a trio of older musicians who sounded good and were clearly having a blast performing, so it was a nice way to spend our Saturday night.
On Sunday morning we rode the Mustang Mountain Coaster, which was a blast. It’s a new attraction that Jessica found online and we decided we had to check it out. Enzo was the only one who couldn’t ride alone, so he rode with me. As we were ascending the mountain our adrenaline started pumping and he asked me if he could swear. I would normally always say no but due to the circumstances I said yes. Little did I know he would be cursing like a sailor the whole way down the mountain. I didn’t even know he could speak that way and kept telling him to stop because I was filming the ride, but it added to the humor of the situation. It kinda sounds like I’m swearing as well but I wasn’t. That was just me screaming out in a combination of terror and joy. Here’s the video we made.
After the mountain coaster we drove around for a bit. Amy and Tom took us to an old country store who is famous for their cinnamon rolls. We then got to see the property that Jessica’s grandparents used to own in the 1990’s. It was a bit emotional for Jessica to be back there, but again, also quite special to be there with the kids. After that we had to split up because they had the campsite for one more day but I had to get back to the house so I could work on Monday.
Jessica and I drove the van down to Boulder and spent the afternoon shopping in the Pearl Street pedestrian mall. It was a perfect afternoon to walk around. We were stopped by a monk and chatted with him for a while, then purchased one of his books. There was also a Jewish food festival going on. I got a new hat and necklace while Jessica got a really nice hiking backpack. That evening we drove to Golden, home of the Coors brewing company, and had an excellent dinner at an Indian restaurant, then made our way back up to Amy and Tom’s house.
Monday was our final day before heading home on Tuesday, but we managed to do one more special thing before leaving. Tom let me take the Jeep out and teach Ava to drive! There’s plenty of open space out there, and the roads are private, so it was the perfect setting. I have fond memories of learning to drive with my Mom, Uncle Jim, and my sister Dana, so it was great to come full-circle and be the teacher. I stayed calm, and honestly, she did a great job. It was something that we’ll never forget and I’m glad to have it captured on video.
Overall, it was an epic trip that we will always remember fondly. I loved getting to experience Colorado outside of Winter and I feel like I finally got to see the true beauty of the place. Certainly Winter is beautiful as well but for me, this was really special. We’re already thinking about when our next visit will be, and again, a huge thanks to Amy and Tom for going out of their way to make this such a special experience for us! Here are some more pictures from our trip.
Jessica Prepares for Testing
Jessica has been working hard during Summer break to prepare for her entrance exams. Her masters program begins in September and she has three tests to take, so she sets aside daily study time and will soon be taking the math test. Reading and writing tests will soon follow, but the good news is that the tests don’t have to be completed before classes begin, and there’s no limit to how many times you take the test. It’s all about putting in the work and she has already proven that she is more than willing to do that.
Family Biking Adventures
Ever since Jessica got a new bike on Memorial Day we have been going on regular bike rides. There have been a handful of rides which have included at least one child, and one or two where all five of us went, but more recently it has become something that Jessica and I do together. We have done at least a 10 mile ride on each of the last 3 weekends, and yesterday’s 12.5 mile ride was our longest yet. Living in Henderson is great for bike rides because there are so many trails, paths, and bike lanes available; you just have to time it right with the weather because it has been extremely hot lately.
Michael’s New Job
I have been working at Unabated Sports for about a month and a half now and I’m loving it. After spending 12 or 13 years working in corporate America it’s so nice to work in an environment that is totally non-corporate. I love the team I’m working with and can say with confidence that I have never been a better software engineer than I am right now. Not only am I learning new things at work, but my workflow has been revolutionalized by the use of AI. It’s basically a requirement for us to use AI in our workflow and they provide us with a Claude.ai team membership. It’s similar to Chat GPT, but better in my opinion. Now, whenever I run into code that I don’t understand, or when I’m stuck on a coding problem, I just ask Claude about it. Also, when I’m working on any type of repetitive task I give the details to Claude and it finishes it for me. I even use it for stuff in my personal life. The AI revolution is in full effect, and if you figure out how to harness it, you’ll be amazed at the results and productivity gains.
Beyond all the workflow stuff, I’m just truly loving the work I do. Literally every day now has a component of sports and sports betting for me. I’ve never been more successful betting on sports, but more importantly, I’m one of the lucky ones who wakes up literally 7 days a week excited about the work I’ll be doing that day. On the weekdays it’s all about Unabated work, then on the weekends I focus on Cappers. I’m already taking so many learnings from Unabated and applying them to Cappers, so it’s a very exciting time for me.
Enzo and Michael’s Final Baseball Game of the Season
Part of the reason I waited until the last day of June to do this post was because today was our final baseball game of the season. There’s actually one more game on July 14th, but that’s Elise’s 11th birthday so I won’t be able to make that one. It’s been a blast out there playing for the past few months, especially since Enzo joins me for almost every game. He doesn’t have any other activities going on these days so I think he looks forward to the games just as much as I do. I know the guys love having him there to kid around with and he seems to eat it up.
Today was the first time Jessica, Ava, and Elise came to a game, so it was great having them there to cheer us on. I started the game at catcher, which was a first for me, and I played the first 3 innings there before they switched things up. No one plays a full game at any position these days due to the heat, but I did pretty decent behind the plate and it was a cool way to finish the season.
While I very much enjoyed myself this season, I’m not totally sure if I’ll be playing next season or not. On one hand, I have made friends on the team and love getting out there every weekend, especially since it’s a special thing that Enzo and I get to do together, but on the other hand, I’m about to turn 44 years old and playing baseball is hard on my body. Not surprisingly, I have a variety of little nagging injuries that I’m constantly dealing with, and I know from my experiences playing hockey years ago that something more serious could happen at any time. It’s also about a 4 hour time commitment when you factor in the time to get there, warm up, play the game, and come home. I know that if I decide to stop, that will be it for my baseball career, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I commit to playing again in the Fall, but I also have the option of playing on my friend’s slowpitch softball team, so I might consider that. Obviously it would be easier on my body, but again, if I quit playing hardball that’s going to be it, so I may tough it out for one more season. Only time will tell. Here’s a picture with me and the kids after today’s game.
Exciting Stuff Coming Soon
We like to stay busy during the Summer, so it seems like there is always something, or several things, to look forward to. First up, we have Grandpa Rick coming out to visit next week for the 4th of July. He will be in town for several days and we have some fun stuff planned during his stay. The following weekend we will be heading down to Phoenix for Elise’s birthday weekend. Our plan is to leave on the morning of Thursday, July 11th, then head home the evening of Saturday, the 13th. It’s only about a 4.5 hour drive so that’s nothing for us. The AJR concert will be in downtown Phoenix on Friday night, so we have Thursday and Saturday to do whatever we want.
Originally we were considering staying at a hotel in downtown Phoenix, but once we discovered the Hilton Phoenix Resort at The Peak, which is about 15 minutes north of downtown, we decided that would be a better fit. The resort features a water park, lazy river, mini golf, and more, so it gives us plenty of things to do if we wish. I’m sure we will spend at least one afternoon at the water park, but we don’t have any concrete plans other than attending the concert on Friday night.
The week after that our good friends the Palmers are coming down from Washington for their annual Summer visit, then a couple weeks later we will be heading to San Diego to visit Auntie Dana and Uncle Brad for some much needed SoCal beach time! We have lived in Henderson for 3 years now, yet this is our fourth Summer, and it’s definitely shaping up to be the best one yet. Not a day goes by that I don’t realize how fortunate we are to be able to live the lives we live. Thanks for reading and we’ll see you next month.
Overall, March has been a good month for us, but I’ll go ahead and get the bad news out of the way first. Jessica’s Grandma Sherry passed away at the beginning of the month, which is about 9 months after the passing of her husband Larry. The two of them were married for 67 years and the family always said once one of them goes, the other won’t be far behind. This turned out to be true.
Obviously, it was very sad news to receive, and the timing was especially difficult because Jessica had already made plans to visit her in Iowa. She knew the time was coming and wanted to get one more special visit in, but unfortunately, Sherry couldn’t hang on long enough. Jessica decided to keep her Iowa plans and will be flying there this Friday. She’s looking forward to spending time with her Dad, as well as driving over to Illinois to spend some time with her friend Laurel. From my perspective, I will always have fond memories of Larry and Sherry spending Christmas 2010 with us in San Diego. It was our first year of marriage, as well as our first Christmas in San Diego, and having them spend a week with us in our tiny beach shack was something I’ll never forget. My condolences go out to Amy and family; she was a great woman and always played a special role in Jessica’s life.
Now that the sad news is out of the way, we’ve got a lot of good things to get into. At the beginning of March, the kids and I attended the NASCAR race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. None of us had ever attended anything like this but we had a great time. I never used to be a big NASCAR fan but after seeing it in person I feel like I totally get it. It’s hard to describe the sensation of seeing those cars go thundering by at 160 mph! The sights and sounds are very exciting, and since then I have watched every race on TV. There’s another Las Vegas race in late October and we have already made plans to attend it with Grandma and Grandpa Martin, who will be driving down from Colorado at that time.
Our Colorado Roadtrip
Speaking of Colorado, we had an excellent Spring Break vacation there and are already planning another visit in June. We drove up on a Friday, and without meaning to, ended up stopping at all of the exact same places we stopped at during our first Colorado road trip for Christmas 2022. It was unbelievable and totally unplanned.
We stopped at the same little gas station in Joseph, Utah with the cleanest bathrooms and an excellent candy selection. Then we stopped at the same rest stop with a scenic view in Central Utah. We even had lunch at Starvin Arvins again, which is a little diner in Fruita, Colorado. The first two-thirds of the drive was perfect and gorgeous. It was a beautiful sunny day and I can never get over how beautiful the scenery in Utah is.
Shortly after lunch, as we were just beginning to ascend the Rocky Mountains from the west side, we started seeing signs saying I-70 was closed at Vail Pass. It sounded like there was a snowstorm up there but we later learned that a pair of semi trucks had jackknifed, causing a massive slowdown on the interstate. Jessica immediately started researching alternate routes and then got on the phone with Grandpa Tom to get his advice.
We ended up getting off I-70 and took a little two-lane highway for the remainder of the trip. Around 90 minutes before sunset we started noticing a lot of deer out and about. They were eating plants and we ended up seeing hundreds of them. It was an awesome sight to see, but my biggest concern was that one would come onto the highway. A while later we came around a bend and about 150 yards ahead I could see a deer on the highway. It wasn’t in my lane, but this was a two-lane road so I started slowing down.
Beyond the deer, I could see a blue Subaru sedan approaching and it seemed like it had plenty of time to slow down but it didn’t work out that way. They slammed on their brakes but it was too late. Right as we were approaching they hit the deer and all I can say is that it was an awful thing to see. I have never seen something like this before and also never witnessed so much carnage. It all happened so fast but I could see there were two adults in the car and that they were able to safely pull over on the side of the road.
For a second I thought maybe I should stop but there were multiple factors that caused me to keep going. First, I had no idea where we were so I didn’t think I could be of much help. I knew there were two adults in the car so it wasn’t like someone was dealing with this alone, and their car wasn’t totaled so they were in control after the collision. I also didn’t want to expose my children to that type of carnage, plus we had already been on the road for 11 hours at that point. We were getting tired and I felt like my number 1 priority was to get them safely to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. I felt bad about not stopping but based on all those factors it seemed clear to me that I needed to stay the course. It was hard though, and I can still vividly remember exactly what that collision looked like.
We arrived safely at Amy and Tom’s house about an hour later but it was a little strange because they weren’t there. As soon as they knew Sherry was close to passing they had to get back to Iowa as quickly as possible. This was a Friday and Sherry’s service was scheduled for that Monday. Their plan was to fly home on Monday evening after the service, so we knew we would see them on the back half of our trip, but for this first night, it was just us in their beautiful mountain home.
On Saturday morning we let the kids play in the snow for a bit, then we made the drive down the mountain and into Denver. Although I have been to Colorado several times, those trips have always been up in the mountains, so my only Denver experience before this was related to the airport. We arrived in Denver before our hotel was ready for us to check in, so we ended up hanging out in this really cool little neighborhood on Tennyson St. Our lunch at Vital Root was excellent, and then we enjoyed walking around for a bit.
The hotel was nice because it was right in the heart of Denver and we had a corner suite on the 12th floor. There were two bedrooms so we gave the kids the room with all the windows. It was so cool seeing them lying in bed with an expansive view of Downtown Denver.
That night the five of us walked to the Summit Music Hall for the Moon Taxi concert. We arrived right when the doors opened, which was an hour before the opening band was scheduled to go on, and immediately made our way to the front of the stage. Enzo and Elise were right on the rail at the very front, while Ava, Jessica, and I were directly behind them. We held our ground and kept that spot for the entire show, even when it started getting crowded. Small venues like this are the absolute best way to see a concert and the kids had never experienced anything like it, so we had a lot of fun.
Moon Taxi played all of our favorite songs and also did some unexpected covers. At one point the drummer had to replace the head on his bass drum so the singer started playing “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes. Immediately the whole crowd joined in and we all sang together. It was such a fun show that we will never forget, but my favorite part was when the singer reached down to Enzo near the end of the show to give him his guitar pick and a fist bump. It was amazing. Enzo was afraid he would lose it so he gave it to me to hold onto. Every few hours for the next two days he would say “Dad, do you still have my guitar pick?”
The walk back to our hotel was a little chilly but we stopped at a pizza food truck for a few slices, and then made our way back to the room to talk about our favorite parts of the show.
On Sunday, we had a free day to explore Denver. We lucked out with beautiful sunny weather in the mid-60s and bounced around to a few places. We visited a little art walk, then took the kids to play at a park. You could tell the locals were loving the weather because everyone was out walking a dog in shorts and t-shirts.
Denver is a really cool city with an interesting mix of old west history and modern eclectics. They have a great food scene and it seems like everyone has a dog. For our Sunday afternoon, Elise and Jessica went to Meow Wolf while Ava, Enzo, and I decided to take advantage of the nice weather by playing 36 holes of mini golf at an outdoor course.
That evening we enjoyed some of the best pizza of our lives at Red Tops Rendezvous. It’s Detroit-style pizza and was easily the best deep-dish pizza we have ever had. We have already decided that any time we return to Denver we will have to eat there again.
On Monday morning we drove back up to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. The kids spent the day playing in the snow, and then later that night Amy and Tom arrived from Iowa. We then spent the entire day on Tuesday outside in the snow. The kids did a bunch of sledding and built two snowmen, plus we got to ride four-wheelers. It was a perfect way to end the trip and we’re looking forward to getting back up there in June.
We drove home on Wednesday and ran into every type of weather imaginable. A big storm was coming in and we’re lucky we left when we did because parts of Colorado got up to 3 feet of snow! It was their biggest storm in 3 years and we barely made it out in time. We made our way through the beginnings of the snowstorm as we were heading down the mountain on Wednesday morning, which then turned into a heavy rainstorm once we got to a lower elevation.
Shortly after making it into Utah, we found ourselves in a big hailstorm, then as the day progressed there were two strong windstorms. Despite all this crazy weather we still made it home in 10.5 hours, which was record time. We opted not to stop for lunch and just eat in the car, which saved time but still managed to once again stop in all of the exact same places for gas and bathrooms as we did on the previous trip. It was unbelievable.
Since getting home from Colorado things have been great. Ava is busy with softball and I’ve been an assistant on the team, while Elise has been doing choir, running club, and acting classes. She is also interested in playing softball and is currently planning on joining a team for the Fall season. I’m going to work with her between now and then to get as prepared as possible. We’re still looking for some new activities for Enzo to engage in so hopefully that happens sometime soon.
This week Jessica and I will celebrate our 14th anniversary, although we’re holding off on the actual celebration until she returns from Iowa. She leaves this Friday and comes back on Monday, so my Mom will be coming to the house to hang out with us for the weekend. Another exciting thing for Jessica is the fact that she was nominated for Support Professional of the Year for the Clark County School District! I’m so proud of her and it goes to show that she found the perfect thing after moving down here. We will be attending the awards ceremony in April, and regardless of how it turns out, she has a lot to be proud of.
Easter Morning
Today is Easter so we did our annual egg hunt. Normally we would do it in our backyard but it was rainy yesterday so we decided to do it indoors this year. Jessica did a little homage to her Grandma this year by including a scavenger hunt for the kids. Sherry used to do this for the grandkids back in the day and our kids loved it! The rest of our day will be pretty chill but Jessica and the kids had Friday off school, and they have tomorrow off as well, so it’s a nice 4 day weekend for them. Here are a few photos from this morning.
Upcoming Plans
As I have already mentioned, we will be going back up to Colorado to stay with Grandma and Grandpa in June. We’re still figuring out the dates but I’m excited because it’s a nice getaway for us and we can drive there in a day. All of my Colorado trips have been during the winter so I’m excited to see it during the nicer weather.
Our other big plan for this summer is that we will be spending a weekend in Phoenix for Elise’s birthday. Once again, we’re traveling to see one of our favorite bands perform. We love a band called AJR and had a great time seeing them in Vegas at SEMA Fest, which was a big part of Ava’s 12th birthday last November. We were looking at AJR’s tour schedule and saw they were playing a show in Phoenix two days before Elise’s birthday this July, so we decided to go. It’s only about 4.5 hours to drive down there and we’ve never spent time there, so it should be a lot of fun.
That’s about it for now. Here’s a little video collage I made from our Spring Break trip to Colorado.
An update on our 2023 Spring Break, including upcoming activities, preparing for a new family pet, and a few other exciting bits.
Since today is the last day of Spring Break, I wanted to give a quick update on how we’re doing and what we’ve recently been up to. We had plans to visit the Grand Canyon for Spring Break this year but unfortunately, that didn’t work out for a couple of reasons. That’s okay though; we live in a fun place with all kinds of things to do, so we decided to stay near home this year.
I don’t want to dwell on this, but part of the reason we didn’t go anywhere for Spring Break was that I ended up getting Covid-19 and had to quarantine from Jessica and the kids for about a week. That was no fun but I’m thankful that it wasn’t worse and most importantly, that I didn’t give it to Jessica and the kids. It’s possible that I got it from Jessica because she was experiencing similar symptoms about a week before me, but she never took a test so we can’t be sure.
The most disappointing part about getting Covid was the timing. Our good friends Tiko and Tina were married on Monday and I wasn’t able to join Jessica and the kids at the wedding. I also wasn’t able to attend Tiko’s bachelor party a couple of days before the wedding. I was pretty sad about this but there was nothing I could do besides stay home and rest. Luckily I was able to watch the ceremony online from a webcast provided by the chapel, so at least I can picture it, but I really wanted to be there with my family and friends. I managed to avoid Covid for three years, then it finally caught up to me at an unfortunate time, but all things considered, I can’t complain too much. I’m feeling totally fine now, and again, the kids never got it, which I’m most thankful for.
Since I was home quarantining, the kids spent several days of their Spring Break at my Mom’s house. Once again, having her help with the kids has been huge for us. She takes them on so many fun outings that Ava is now planning on writing a book about her adventures with Nana. My Mom often takes them to pet stores to view and hold various animals, but this time she took them to a full-blown farm where they were able to feed and play with all kinds of animals. She also took them to one of our favorite indoor trampoline places for a day of jumping and exercise. Ava smacked her face on a wall and has a bit of a black eye, but she’s fine.
School starts back up tomorrow, then we have several activities beginning shortly after. Unfortunately, Ava’s softball season was canceled due to not enough kids signing up. I tried to get her into another league but it was too late. We were all bummed about this, but we found some other activities to jump into. The kids are all resuming swimming lessons on Friday, plus Jessica and Elise will soon be starting a boxing class. Elise has been interested in trying out boxing for a while now and we thought doing it with Mom would make it even better.
Here’s a video the kids made for their YouTube channel taste-testing a few drinks from Starbucks.
Ready for the wedding!The wedding reception was held at the Cosmopolitan Buffet. This was their first buffet and let’s just say the kids were big fans.
Preparing for a new family pet
We’ve been taking care of Jessica and Ava’s class pet, a leopard gecko named Mochi, during Spring Break. This is Mochi’s second time staying with us and we really enjoy having a lizard at the house. I’ve been wanting a bearded dragon for well over a decade at this point and I’m now happy to say that we have decided to get one! Jessica was never into the idea of having a reptile but after caring for Mochi she has changed her tune a bit. It’s still going to be my pet and I’ll be responsible for most of its care, but I’m cool with that. I look forward to having it on my shoulder while I finish up my work days at home.
I’ve been doing a lot of research on caring for “Beardies” and today I bought a home for it. It’s a 120-gallon tank, which is 4’x2’x2’ and we’re going to put it in Enzo’s bedroom. He has a huge room and loves the idea of keeping the dragon in there. I look forward to providing more updates on this soon, but at the moment we’re just starting the process.
Ava holding her buddy Mochi
A football game with Uncle Bob
Earlier this month I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with my Uncle Bob at the XFL football game between the Seattle Seadragons and the Las Vegas Vipers. Bob and I have had a lot of great times over the years but for a variety of reasons, we haven’t been able to spend that much time together since my family and I moved to Nevada. I reached out to him at the end of January for his birthday to see if we could set something up and he got back to me a couple of weeks later once he saw Seattle was going to be playing Vegas.
Bob is the biggest Seattle Seahawks fan I know and has gone to great lengths to prove it. His whole SUV is covered with Seahawks paraphernalia and is even painted Seahawks colors. Based on his love for Seattle he has adopted the Seadragons as his favorite XFL team, but he pulls for the Vipers as well. Once he saw Seattle was coming to Las Vegas, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for us to catch a game.
We had a great time, especially during the fourth quarter when Seattle made an incredible comeback to win the game in the final minute. Not to sound dramatic, but as we get older I try not to take experiences like these for granted. No one knows what the future has in store, but that day was just like old times. It was a day we’ll never forget and I look forward to doing more things like this in the near future. We’re already planning a Las Vegas Aviators baseball game for this Spring or Summer. Here’s a video I made for the Vegas Showbiz YouTube channel about our experience.
Ready for the game with Uncle Bob!
Starting a small business
Another piece of exciting news that I have to share is that my good friend Devin and I have decided to start a business together. Back in September, I started getting interested in sports gambling. Obviously, considering what my Dad did for a living, this was something that I had a lot of familiarity with from my childhood. I never got into gambling while living in Washington, but here in Nevada it’s hugely popular, and more states are legalizing it all the time.
What I realized very quickly was that I’m not interested in gambling large amounts (my average bet is only $10), but what I am really into is the handicapping process. I started researching sports handicapping methods and gambling systems, but what I soon found out was that handicapping a game is a time-consuming process. A lot of research is required to see how teams have been performing, then a lot of math is required to crunch all the numbers and see if an edge can be found. Based on all of my programming experience, it was immediately obvious to me that I could significantly speed up the whole process by building a website that would consume all the data for each team and run all the math formulas.
I started building the website back in November and have barely missed a day of working on it since then. Even when we were in Colorado for Christmas break I was working on it daily. I didn’t initially intend for it to be a business; I just wanted to speed up my own handicapping process, plus I love doing web development but don’t get a chance to do that type of work anymore during my day job.
It didn’t take long, however, before I started seeing the value of what I was creating. What started out as a single NBA handicapping system soon started growing into much more. I was buying books and reading articles to learn new gambling systems. Before I knew it I was adding NHL gambling systems, then getting ready for baseball season.
Devin and I are very similar in many ways, and one of those ways is that we both like small-stakes sports gambling. I was regularly sharing my progress on the site with him and soon enough we decided to sit down and talk about the idea of turning it into a business. He is the most successful entrepreneur I know and the timing was right because he was just getting ready for his next venture. He’s been a Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of two startups, so his goal as the next step of his career was to take on the CEO role for a startup. This made perfect sense to me because I’m not ready to take on that kind of role, and I really wanted to stay heavily engaged on the coding and technical side of things. Thus, we’re 50/50 partners, with Devin being the CEO and me as the CTO.
We made the official decision to start a company earlier this month and have been very busy getting things going. Obviously, I can’t leave my day job anytime soon, so I’m working day and night to make this happen, but it’s worth it for me. We haven’t finalized a name for the business yet, but we’re doing our research and should be settling on that very soon. Part of that selection process has to do with whether a name can be trademarked and incorporated, and if a website domain name is available. Devin is focusing on all that stuff while I stay busy making updates to the website. Our goal is to have a soft launch before the MLB All-Star break, then have things fully up and running by the start of the next NFL season.
There’s a ton of work to do, but we see the potential and think it will be very successful. Devin is so bright with business ideas and has already come up with some great strategies. I couldn’t be more happy or lucky to have him as a partner, but our friendship always comes first. We’ve been close for a long time and we don’t want to let any of that change. It’s going to be a fun road and I look forward to sharing more about it as things progress.
I also want to stress that Vegas Showbiz isn’t going anywhere! The girls are already asking when they can take it over, but that won’t be for several years. We’re still regularly posting videos and just today we reached 500 subscribers.
That’s about it for now. I’m looking forward to our next monthly post because I assume there will be a lot to share. We have two different families who we are friends with that will be coming for a visit in April, so that should be fun. Jessica’s birthday is coming up at the end of April and I’m taking her to see Chelsea Handler’s comedy show that night, then the next day she’s heading off to Sedona Arizona to spend a weekend with her girlfriends from Seattle. Hopefully, by the next post, I’ll have more information to share about the business, as well as our bearded dragon. Here’s a few recent photos.
All about our Christmas 2022 road trip to Colorado. We spent a week at Grandma and Grandpa’s house in the mountains, playing in the snow and enjoying the season.
Our family recently returned from a week at Grandma and Grandpa Martin’s home in the Colorado Rocky mountains! We hadn’t been to their place in a few years, and the kids were really hoping for a white Christmas this year, so we decided to make a road trip out of it. Most of our time up there was spent playing in the snow, sledding, ice skating, and lounging around the house.
It’s a 725-mile drive between our homes, and I was able to do it in about 11 hours both times. We left our home in Henderson at 3:45 am on Tuesday, December 20, with the goal of arriving at Grandma and Grandpa’s house before dark. The drive was surprisingly easy until you start ascending the Rocky Mountains. You basically just take I-15 north out of Las Vegas, which then dips through the northwest corner of Arizona for about 20 minutes before taking you into Utah. Once you’re halfway up Utah, you get on I-70 East, which takes you all the way up into the Rockies.
We’ve never done this drive before because almost all of our road trips involve going to California, but I have to say, this was one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever experienced. Central Utah has the most incredible natural rock formations I’ve ever seen, and that was just what was visible from the freeway! I have to say; I really like Utah. Every time I’m there, it seems like they have the friendliest people and some of the cleanest public bathrooms, plus the roads are always empty, and gas is cheap. We couldn’t believe how little traffic there was in Utah on both ends of our trip. The same could not be said for Colorado or Nevada.
Once you get into Western Colorado, it’s still a couple hundred miles before you get into the Rocky Mountains. This was our first time ascending the Rockies from the west side because we normally always fly into Denver, then drive up into the mountains coming from the east. This was my first time seeing Vail, which looked beautiful. By the time you reach Grandma and Grandpa’s house, you have crossed four or five mountain passes, so you really need to be alert for the final stretch of that drive. They live 15 miles up a private mountain road, and that stretch of driving is by far the most intense part of the trip. That’s why I insisted on leaving so early and arriving before dark. It worked out perfectly, too; we arrived right at sunset, and just over 24 hours later, a major snowstorm rolled through.
Taking in the beautiful sights of Utah during a quick rest stop
Getting Settled at Grandma and Grandpa’s house
Our first full day in Colorado was spent at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Actually, every day except one was spent at their house because it’s a bit of a production going into town was this big of a group because you have to take two cars down (and back up) the mountain. On that first day, we mostly just went sledding and played in the snow. They have an epic snow hill on a private road adjacent to their property. Since it’s not a county road and no mail/delivery trucks will go down it during the snowy season, the neighbors all regularly groom it for sledding.
From the sledder’s perspective, the best part about it is that you don’t have to walk back up the hill after each run. We bring four-wheelers over there and give everyone a ride back up the hill, which became my defacto job the whole time we were there. I enjoy riding the four-wheelers in the snow and spinning around, but I have to admit, there were times when it would lose traction and start to slide down the hill, causing me to slightly panic because it reminds me of the time I totaled my car in the snow. Everything was fine, though. We had a few sledding collisions at the bottom of the hill, but nothing serious.
Doing my four-wheeler duties during a sledding session.
Besides sledding, another activity we did several times throughout the week was taking a hay ride around the neighborhood behind Grandpa’s tractor. Tom is a very talented mechanic who loves to keep busy with various projects. He found this old tractor abandoned in the woods. It didn’t run and was in pretty sorry shape then, but he brought it home, fixed it all up, and painted it; now it runs like a champ and looks great!
The whole area around their property is like a private winter wonderland. We really enjoyed riding around and getting a tour of the whole area. The key is to do it in the right weather. Obviously, it always appears cold out there due to all the snow, but the temperature swings that we experienced during our week there were extreme. After the big storm hit, we experienced night-time lows that were about five below zero. The day after the storm, it was in the single digits all day, and it was way too cold to do anything outside. Ava and I went sledding for a little bit, but within an hour, we had to come inside because of the extreme cold.
For comparison’s sake, we had other days during the trip that reached the mid-thirties. I realize that also sounds cold, but when you’re dressed for an outdoor winter outing, anything above thirty degrees feels pretty warm. Those were the days when we spent a lot more time outdoors.
The view from a hayride on Grandpa’s tractor
Ice Skating at Keystone
Our one big outing of the trip came on Christmas Eve when we went to the Keystone ski resort for some outdoor ice skating. They have the country’s largest outdoor ice skating rink, and this was our second time going there. We went there during our last Colorado Christmas trip, and at that time, I was playing hockey regularly, so we skated a lot more, and I was able to get into a pickup hockey game.
This time we took it a lot slower because we were out of practice with skating. That said, I was impressed with Ava’s skating, considering she hadn’t been on the ice in about a year. All the years of hockey practice have done her well, and it was great seeing her out on the ice again. We’re still holding out hope that she decides to get back into hockey, but we wouldn’t force it on her. That last team was too intense, but maybe we can find a better option.
Elise and Enzo aren’t as comfortable on the ice as Ava, but they both did great out there. At first, Elise used bars to hold onto, but I couldn’t believe how fast she would get going with them. Eventually, she started skating without the bars and did very well. Enzo also had a lot of fun out there, but I think his favorite part was to get going fast, then drop and slide on the ice as far as possible.
Skating out there on a frozen lake is way different than skating in an indoor ice arena. First of all, lake ice is much harder than arena ice, and you can feel the difference in the blades of your skates. Next, and this is actually the bigger differentiator, is that the lake ice has big divots where chunks of ice are missing. I ended up falling once out there because the toe of my skate went into a divot. You really have to watch where you’re going, but the divots are easy to miss, and if you hit one the wrong way, you’re definitely going to fall. I was skating pretty carefully due to the fact that I was out of practice and not wearing any protective gear besides a helmet, so I felt lucky coming out of there with only one fall.
I’ll admit it can be a little scary because the lake ice has these huge cracks going all the way down. You can see that the ice is about three feet thick, and obviously, falling through would most likely be fatal, but they groom it with a full-sized Zamboni. Those things probably weigh more than a car, so if the ice can hold that thing, I don’t think there’s too much to worry about.
We should start going skating as a family more often. We were doing it regularly for a while back in Washington, and there are plenty of options now that we live in Nevada. It’s a fun, healthy activity for everyone, and it’s safe as long as you wear the appropriate gear.
Ava and Mom out on the ice
Christmas morning
We were up early, as expected, on Christmas morning. Grandma had picked out matching pajamas for everyone, we had a nice fire going, and the kids were super excited to open their presents. Everyone was very happy; the kids each received some new clothes, Pokemon trading cards, and a big Pokemon wallet to hold all their cards. Elise got a hoverboard, then Ava and Enzo got attachable seats for their hoverboards. There were several other things as well, but the biggest gift for each kid was a brand-new iPad.
They had been using the kids’ Kindle Fire tablets for the past two years, and we felt like it was time for them to graduate onto a premium device. We got each iPad engraved with their name and an emoji that suits them. Ava’s has a heart, Elise’s has a unicorn, and Enzo’s has a thumbs up. They were thrilled with them and continue to thank us daily. These are by far the nicest devices they have ever used.
The rest of the day was spent hanging around the house, getting into our new stuff, playing games, and cooking. My Mom got me a really cool drone for my birthday this year, so I brought it along for the trip. On Christmas afternoon, I went out to fly it around their property and got some great footage of their property. Once again, Ava helped me by controlling the camera from my phone while I controlled the drone. The whole time we were there, I was working on a family Christmas video, which you can find below, and the aerial drone footage ended up being the end of my video.
Matching pajamas!I swear I didn’t Photoshop myself into this picture
Heading back to Nevada
The day after Christmas was our last full day in Colorado. It was also the warmest day of the trip, so we spent several hours outside sledding, riding snowmobiles, hiking, and taking tractor rides. It was a very fun and fitting way to end the visit. Then, like the week before it, Tuesday was our day of driving.
I honestly think I could have been a long-haul trucker because I love road trips. Just like on the way there, I had no problem driving us the whole way home in one day. I like being out there on the highway, taking in all the sights, and I like truck stops. You don’t realize how vast and empty much of our country is until you get out there and drive through it.
Getting out of the Rocky mountains was the hardest part of the drive, only because you don’t want to wear out your brakes as you descend the mountain, so you have to be comfortable with downshifting and engine braking. Once again, we had the Utah highways mostly to ourselves. The roads and highways were much busier in Colorado and Nevada than those in Utah.
We were home a bit after dark, and our cats were so happy to see us. We missed them a lot, but they were fine while we were gone. We had a neighbor come over a few times, and my Mom was nice enough to make the drive to check on them once.
As always, you enjoy the trip, and then you’re happy to be home sleeping in your own bed. We all don’t go back to work/school until Tuesday, January 3rd, so it’s nice to have a few days at home to get stuff done before getting back into the routine.
To all our family and friends, happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and happy new year! Here’s the video I mentioned about our trip, as well as some of my favorite photos from Christmas 2022. See you next year!
Opening stockings on Christmas EveAva and Enzo on a hayride with GrandpaStockings!Thank you for hosting us, Grandma and Grandpa.
