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
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 the end of our Summer break, including a road trip to Los Angeles, plus our first week of the new school year.
Tomorrow the kids and Jessica will already be beginning their second week of the 2022 / 2023 school year. It still feels too early to me for school to be starting, but that’s how they do it here, so we just have to adjust. They did a full 5-day week last week to kick off the new year, which I think is a bit much for the first week, but they were troopers and got things off to a great start! Not surprisingly, each of them is already making new friends at school, and overall they are loving it.
Ava is in Jessica’s class and, as a 5th grader, has instantly taken on a leadership role. She was selected to represent the class in the student council, and she has already made remarks to Jessica about her increased sense of self-confidence since starting there. Obviously, we couldn’t be happier about this and just hope the positive momentum continues. This is going to be a very important year for Ava because it’s her last year of elementary school. Jessica is doing everything she can to prepare her for middle school, and having Ava in her class each day is the best way to do that.
Ava’s first day of 5th grade
Elise is off to a great start in 4th grade, although she’s so hard on herself with the way she compares herself to her peers that she would tell you she’s behind. I can heavily relate to that type of sentiment and feeling; I just hope she uses it as fuel and motivation. Jessica basically hand selected each of the kids’ teachers this year and has already spoken to Elise’s new teacher to see how the first week went. Not surprisingly, Elise did great in her first week and doesn’t appear behind in anything. Her teacher seems awesome, and Elise loved her instantly, so things look really good for Elise this year.
Elise on her first day of 4th grade
Enzo is off to a great start in second grade. Like Elise, he tends to be hard on himself when comparing himself to his peers. I think the annual change in schools has a lot to do with that for both of them, but again, he’s doing totally fine in school and just needs to get more comfortable in his new surroundings. He’s actually doing excellent in math, so we’re very encouraging of him to keep pushing in that area. There’s a little boy sitting next to him that he quickly built a friendship with, plus he and Elise both get to see Mom and Ava at different points each day (recess, lunch, special classes).
Enzo on his first day of 2nd grade
I think they were all exhausted after the first week, but the first week is always the hardest. Each week will get easier and more routine from here on out. It’s been strange having the house so quiet all day long again, but considering that I’m working, that part is kinda nice. One thing I love about working from home is that my kids get to have the same vision of me working at home that I had of my own Dad. Obviously, our jobs are a bit different, but that part doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re there to say goodbye when they leave in the morning, and you’re there to greet them when they return in the afternoon. I don’t take that for granted at all either, because it wasn’t that long ago that I was commuting an hour plus each way and then feeling bad when the kids tell me I’m barely around. Knowing that working from home is a permanent thing for me gives me a lot of peace of mind in that sense.
Wrapping up Summer break
Jessica and I wanted to make one more fun little trip to finish off our Summer break, so we planned a visit to Los Angeles for 2 nights. It actually almost didn’t happen, so let me expand on that part first. The plan was to leave at 6:00 am on Sunday, July 31st, and drive straight to Santa Monica so we could have a day at the beach. The day before that was my birthday, and since it fell on a Saturday, we decided to have a little pool + pizza party at the house with our friends.
I haven’t had a birthday party in many years, but it made sense this year, so Tiko brought both of his daughters over, plus Devin and Bridgette came. We swam for a couple of hours, then took a break to eat pizza. After finishing our pizza, people were slowly migrating back toward the pool. Most of us were just sitting around with our legs in the water, but Enzo was getting up on the ledge above the pool, jumping in, then climbing out and repeating. This is nothing new – all 3 of the kids do this regularly, but as he was running around the back side of the pool to get back up on the ledge, he tripped on the pole holding up the basketball hoop and slammed his forehead into the concrete ledge above the pool.
I didn’t even see it happen, but I heard him scream, so I ran over to him. By the time I reached him, there was a big gash on his forehead, and his entire face was covered in blood. He was screaming, and it felt like we were living in the scene of a horror movie. I picked him up and started running back to where everyone was. I think I yelled out something about having a serious problem, and I remember all the girls (ours plus Tiko’s) were in the pool; when they saw Enzo’s bloody face, they all started screaming in terror.
Luckily all of the adults jumped into action. Bridgette immediately got a towel on Enzo’s face and started cleaning him up, while Devin and Tiko took care of the girls so they wouldn’t see anymore. Jessica ran in to get her keys, and within a minute, we were on our way to the emergency room.
I didn’t even get to say goodbye to my friends, but I can’t tell them how much I appreciate them stepping up. They stayed at home with Ava and Elise while Jessica and I went to the ER with Enzo. Unfortunately, things were pretty busy that night at the ER, which is probably common for a Saturday night. Even though I had a child with a head wound in my arms, it still took nearly 30 minutes for us to get checked him checked in. I have to give Enzo a ton of credit because he did remarkably well staying calm. I guess to a certain extent, he’s used to this, having been through multiple similar situations, but he still deserves credit. It was a nasty deep gash on his forehead, but he was such a little trooper.
After getting Enzo into a hospital bed and figuring out the plan with the doctor, I sent Jessica home. I didn’t want our friends to have to stay there all night, and a lot needed to be picked up at the house. It was a very slow process, but he ended up getting 6 stitches in his forehead. I thought our trip would have to be canceled at this point, but I asked the doctor about it and received permission to go. We just had to keep the stitches dry, so no swimming or showering for a few days. I was a little bit surprised they gave him permission to go on rollercoasters at Six Flags, but they did, so the trip was back on! This wasn’t exactly how I envisioned the night playing out, but there’s no question we will always remember my 42nd birthday.
Waiting for stitches at the ERSix stitches! He’s a tough little guy.
A quick trip to Los Angeles
We got off to an early start as planned, and even with stopping for gas and food, we still arrived at Santa Monica beach by 11:00 am. We still have our beach tent from the San Diego days, so we found a good spot to set that up and then just hung out for a few hours. Enzo could only get his feet wet, and Elise isn’t that into cold ocean water, so they mostly played on the beach, building sand castles.
Ava, on the other hand, is a California girl at heart. She loves getting out there in the water, and I love watching her. It reminds me of my childhood, out there thrashing around in the Pacific ocean waves. The water is cold, and we’re especially spoiled now that we’re used to swimming in our heated pool, but she doesn’t care. She jumps into and over those waves with so much energy; I just love it.
Ava playing at the beach in Santa MonicaElise was quite the little builder at the beachEnzo had fun in Santa MonicaJessica always loves a beach day
After a few hours down on the beach, we took the kids up to the Santa Monica pier to walk around. There were all kinds of little shops, people fishing everywhere, there were acrobats and even a magician! It was a trip walking around there, but they loved it.
Family selfie near the end of the pier
After leaving the pier, we walked along the boardwalk towards Muscle Beach and Venice Beach. A bunch of people were working on different types of tightropes and practicing balancing acts. It was fun to watch, and there was a playground for kids, so we posted up there for a bit just to take it all in. There was a fruit stand on the boardwalk, so we got a big bowl of fresh fruit and sat there eating all these delicious fruits (mango, pineapple, watermelon) while we watched all the interesting things going on around us. It was a really fun afternoon. When you combine this with their experiences in San Diego during Spring Break, I think it’s safe to say that the kids get the whole California beach thing by now. I actually made a video about our day at the beach for the Pellegrini Kids YouTube channel – you can check it out below.
From the Pellegrini Kids YouTube channel
A scenic tour of Los Angeles
We took the long way getting to our hotel, which was up in Santa Clarita near Six Flags. I wanted to show the kids a bit of Los Angeles, so we ended up cruising through the UCLA campus, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, and all the way down the Sunset strip. They’re used to Vegas glitz and glamour, but Los Angeles has a different vibe to it, and they were eating it up. As a kid, I always had a strange love for Los Angeles, so it was cool taking them on this little sightseeing tour.
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Monday, we spent basically the entire day at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Enzo isn’t tall enough for some of the rollercoasters (the 54” ones), but he could do everything else, so that’s what we did. Honestly, plenty of the rollercoasters he was big enough to do were still able to scare me to death. I think we were all pretty frazzled after going on X2. Except Elise, of course, because she was the only one smart enough not to go. Poor Ava started crying when it was over. Enzo and I were looking at each other all wild-eyed, like what just happened? Here’s a POV video somebody made on it a long time ago.
This was probably the scariest rollercoaster I’ve been on
By the time we left Six Flags that evening, everyone was exhausted. It was a full 8-hour day of rides, lines, and walking. We found an awesome little SoCal Mexican restaurant for dinner, crashed hard, then made our way home in the morning. As usual, we stopped at the Lenwood exit in Barstow for gas and food. As we were exiting the parking lot to head back to the freeway, we ran into our neighbors (including Elise’s best friend), who were on their way to San Diego. Such a small world.
Back to Business
I’m so glad that the trip worked out because it ended up being a big highlight of our Summer. The kids have been getting asked a lot in school about what they did over Summer break, and the L.A. trip has been one of their top things to call out. With that behind us, we’re back to our routine but still enjoying the warm weather. After last Summer’s record-breaking heat wave, this Summer has been very mild for Las Vegas standards. It’s still very warm out, but the difference between 95 and 115 is huge.
Enzo got his stitches out a few days after the trip, and he was immediately allowed to get back in the water, so we’ve been swimming a lot. I’m trying to stress to him the importance of not running too much and paying attention to where he’s going. He’s not a clumsy kid, he just gets ahead of himself because he’s running or wants to be in the lead. I’m hoping we don’t have any more injuries soon because each of the kids will soon start their new activities. Ava is going to check out volleyball, Elise is joining a girls running group at school, and Enzo is getting into more advanced swimming lessons.
The downtime for Summer was great, but I’m excited for everyone to start getting busy again. Fall, which is my favorite season, is just around the corner. I’m ready for some football and some beautiful Las Vegas Fall weather. See you in September!
A recap of our recent visit to Seattle, exactly one year after moving away.
Jessica and I recently returned home from a great trip to Seattle. This was our first visit back to the Seattle area since moving away exactly one year earlier. We chose this week because the kids were on their annual Summer RV trip with Grandma and Grandpa Martin. While the kids explored parks and canyons in Utah, Jessica and I were able to visit several friends and family members. Of course, you’re never able to see everyone in one trip, and if we didn’t see you, I apologize. We’re just thankful for all the hugs, conversations, and quality visits we could have in those few days we were in town.
Getting to Seattle
I have to admit that the trip started off a little rocky. First, our flight was delayed, then we arrived in Seattle and had to sit on the runway for another 20 minutes or so. It was literally 50 degrees colder than what we had just left in Vegas, but worse than that; it was very cloudy and rainy.
We didn’t check a bag at the airport and just had our carryons with us, but at the gate, before boarding the plane, they asked passengers to gate-check their bags due to limited overhead space. We have done this in the past, but we always received our gate-checked bags on the other end at the gate. Maybe that was related to us having a stroller at the time, but either way, we volunteered to gate-check these bags, and it turned into a major mistake.
Instead of picking up our bags at the SeaTac airport gate, our bags were sent to baggage claim. Long story short, it took about an hour and 20 minutes to get our two bags at baggage claim. I was so salty waiting for those bags and swore never to gate-check anything again. Some woman from our flight came to me asking if I knew where the bags were, but I glared at her until she walked away. This was precisely why we didn’t want to check any bags. Even people working at the airport spoke about how much of a joke SeaTac airport can be.
Getting the rental car was also a surprisingly slow process, but eventually, we were on the road heading for Bellevue. Unfortunately, it was raining pretty hard, which is something we haven’t seen in Southern Nevada since last Fall. We stopped for food at Taco Time, which has always been a favorite of ours, then met up with Kallan at the Bellevue house.
A night out in Bellevue with Kallan
I knew my salty mood would disappear as soon as I started seeing people we were there to see. Kallan had just finished a hectic week at work (he joined T-Mobile as a Software Engineer about a year ago), so we all decided to head out to downtown Bellevue for food and drinks. We hung out for quite a while, bouncing around to different places. I couldn’t believe how cold and wet it was! Seattle has had an epically bad Spring in terms of weather, so everyone was hoping for some sun to come out during the trip.
We ended up getting some more quality time with Kallan throughout the trip. He took us on his neighborhood walk and pointed out all the interesting real estate facts about properties in the area. We were both really impressed with how grown up he is and how his career is starting out. I’ve always been very close with Kallan and am so proud of him.
Saturday Night in Seattle
The daytime on Saturday was the only quiet time we had during the trip. Jessica drove by our old Bellevue house, which is the one we first moved into when coming back from San Diego. It was Saturday night, however, that turned into one of the highlights of the trip.
We headed to downtown Seattle, eager to have dinner at our friend Michael’s restaurant, 84 Yesler. But before dinner, we had to stop by and see the new El Gaucho. The old location on 1st and Wall was very special to us, playing a significant role in our lives for many years, so seeing the new one was a must.
As soon as we walked in, we were greeted with big hugs from old friends. We weren’t sure how many of our friends from the old location would still be working at the new one. We hadn’t seen any of these people since before the pandemic, so it was a lovely surprise to see so many familiar faces.
I immediately saw my old buddy Luca, who came over and gave me the biggest hug. He gave me a tour and took me back into the kitchen. I couldn’t believe what an upgrade everything was! Not that there was anything wrong with the old place, but they had clearly done several things to upgrade.
We ended up hanging out for about an hour, just catching up with old friends and telling stories. We shared a bowl of truffle soup, which was delicious, but there wasn’t a whole lot else we could eat. Jessica was able to get together with a couple of our Gaucho friends for lunch once more during the trip, while I was at the office, but this was my only opportunity to connect with Gaucho friends.
Checking out the new Gauch!
I always consider my first few years at El Gaucho to be my glory days. Some of my closest friends to this day are people I met during that time. Luca, who I mentioned above, was there, and so was my friend Leon, who is bringing his wife and son to stay with us in Henderson next week. Michael Don Rico, who was my best man at our wedding, was also there, and it was his restaurant we were off to next.
Dinner at 84 Yesler
84 Yesler is not only the restaurant’s name but also its address. Michael has been a managing partner for several years, but this was our first opportunity to dine there. Before I get into the dining experience, I will just say that it’s always very special to me whenever Michael and I get to spend time together.
Once upon a time, MDR introduced me to the city of Seattle. He was, and probably still is, the most well-known guy in the entire Seattle dining scene. Every door was open, and every bar stayed open late. When we first started hanging out, I wasn’t even old enough to drink, but it didn’t matter when I was with him. We had some of the most epic experiences of my lifetime, and it all comes back instantly whenever we get together.
Outside of my long-standing friendship with Michael, Jessica also has her own. She worked with him at Branzino for several years, right around the time we got married, and they became close. As mentioned, he was the best man at our wedding, so there was no way we were coming to Seattle and not seeing him.
Visiting with Michael outside 84 Yesler
As luck would have it, the same night we were having dinner at 84 Yesler, so was Michael’s fiance Kirsten, who was there with her Mom and brother in celebration of her Mom’s birthday. Kirsten and I also go way back, more than 20 years, because we became friends while working at El Gaucho. She and Michael plan on getting married in Italy next year, and we will be there once the date is set. I hadn’t seen Kirsten in so long, and it was such an unexpected surprise getting to catch up with her.
There were also two of our old Gaucho friends working at 84 Yesler. Victoria, a wine captain, worked with me at El Gaucho for years and took me under her wing to teach me the restaurant business when I was young. Justin, our server, also worked at El Gaucho for years while Jessica was there. So everything comes back to El Gaucho for us.
Everything about our meal at 84 Yesler was exquisite. The service is top-notch, the food was unbelievable, and the professionalism with how that restaurant is run, both in the front of the house as well as the kitchen, was a sight to see. We have never seen such a calm and well-run kitchen in all our years of restaurant work.
The chef stood there silently, observing each cook in the kitchen meticulously crafting their dishes. The food coming out looked like art on a plate, yet the flavor profiles were so rich. They modified several menu items to become vegetarian for us, and we were simply blown away by each course.
The homemade pasta was especially delicious, and the tomato gnocchi was unlike anything we’d had before. Each piece of gnocchi tasted like tomato soup. The cauliflower steak had the char and grill markings of a beef steak, and the puffs of olive oil beneath our sorbet made me feel like we were in Willy Wonka’s candy factory. I love it when food can be playful and unique. We also love being exposed to new flavor profiles or new ways of presenting classic dishes.
I really can’t speak highly enough about 84 Yesler. This is the place to go if you’re looking for an outstanding dining experience in Seattle.
First course – Fiddle Head FernsSecond Course – Spring Herb SaladPasta course – Tomato GnocchiPasta course – Fine herbs PappardelleEntree course – Cauliflower steak with roaster turnips
Father’s Day
Sunday was Father’s Day, and although I was a little bummed not to be spending the day with our kids, I was very happy to be able to resume our Father’s Day tradition with Jim, Brenda, Kristy, Tito, and Madi, at the car show in Burien. Tito wasn’t able to join us this year at the car show due to work, but we were still able to visit with him later that day.
We have done this car show on Father’s Day for many years, but the pandemic broke the streak, so it was really special for everyone to be able to do it again this year. Going to car shows with Jim and Brenda was a big part of my teenage years, and to this day, there is no one beside them who I’d rather go look at classic cars with.
Camaros and Chevelles tend to be our favorites, but as always, we loved walking all around and seeing this year’s variety. One thing we had never seen before was a McClaren. This was a 2014 McClaren MP4, and it was incredible. Living in Vegas, we get spoiled by supercars. Seeing Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s, and Bentley’s is practically a daily occurrence, but not so with McClaren’s. Those are like another level of supercar, and seeing one parked with the doors wide open was pretty impressive.
After walking around the car show for a bit, we all sat down at a nice little Italian restaurant for lunch. I knew Jim and Brenda would be heading home after that, so it was great to sit down for a meal together. After lunch, Jessica and I headed south to meet Kristy and Madi at their new home in Federal Way. They purchased the home almost the same time we bought our new house last Summer, so we were excited to finally see it in person.
Visiting the Father’s Day car show in Burien with Jim, Brenda, Kristy, and Madi
As usual, with our visit’s to Kristy’s house, we hung out the entire day. The weather was pretty nice that day, so we hung out in their backyard, playing with the dogs and grilling up all kinds of delicious veggie skewers and Beyond burgers. Tito got home from work in time for dinner, and I honestly couldn’t believe how much of our Vegas Showbiz video catalog he was familiar with.
I know my Mom, Jim and Brenda tend to watch all of our videos, but beyond that, I’m never sure who sees what. I know everyone is busy living their lives, so I don’t expect anyone to watch our stuff, and therefore was blown away when Tito started talking about all the things we’ve done in our videos. It was so cool and humbling to hear someone talking about how much they have enjoyed our content! I really appreciated it.
Getting to spend that afternoon at their new home was really special and exactly why we made the trip. We loved their new home and were thankful for the time spent together that day.
The fountain in Kristy’s backyard – we sat back here all-day
Working in the office
I decided before the trip that I would like to spend some time with my team in the office. Although half of my team is based in Canada, we recently got a new manager who works out of the Bellevue office in Lincoln Square, so I ended up working there Monday through Wednesday. A couple of other team members in the Bellevue area also came into the office, so for a minute there, it felt like the old days.
This was my first time working in an office building in more than two years! It was very quiet, with nowhere near the same number of people you would have seen pre-pandemic. I enjoyed being there, and it was great meeting my teammates in person, but the honest truth is that I work more hours when working from home. The hardest thing about working from home is knowing when to call it a day, but when you physically leave the office at a certain time, chances are your work day is then complete.
While I was working at the office, Jessica was able to meet up with several old friends. She even got to join her old workout group for a couple of classes. After work on Monday, I met up with my friend and old next-door neighbor Jim. We went out for Mexican food, and then he took me to the new home they purchased last November in Snohomish. It was beautiful, and I was so happy to see how things had worked out for them. Jessica, who was already in Snohomish with her friends, was able to pick me up and also see their new place.
On Tuesday, I was able to have lunch in Bellevue with my friend and old neighbor Erik. It was so nice catching up and hearing about the old hood. This was basically the theme for our entire trip; we know we left in a hurry last year so it was important to us to see everyone and catch up after the hectic move was well behind us.
Tuesday night at Julie and Bardi’s house
Tuesday evening was another highlight of the trip. This was our last night in town, and we went out in style! Our good friends Julie and Bardi live in a beautiful home directly on the water in Shoreline. It was the Summer Solstice, and Julie had prepared a delicious meal for us to enjoy out by the water.
Julie & Bardi’s back porch in Shoreline – views for days!
Bardi broke out some of his fancy whiskey that he had been holding onto, and we had a beautiful evening sitting outside, telling stories, learning about nature’s kingdoms from professor Bardi, and watching the kids play. It’s these types of visits and experiences that we were hoping to have on our trip. Dinner on the water is so quintessentially Seattle, but doing so at your friend’s house is on another level.
Summer Solstice Sunset in Shoreline, SeattleA great evening with friends!
Wrapping the trip up
Wednesday was the final day of our trip. Once again, I worked at the Bellevue office while Jessica visited with friends. She picked me up from work, and we walked around Bellevue for a bit before heading south to SeaTac.
We ended up having dinner at 13 Coins, which felt very fitting, then returned the car and headed to the plane. Once again, our flight was delayed, but we learned from our previous mistake and did not gate-check our bags.
Arriving home at 1:00 am, our cats Peach and Spencer were so happy to see us. A neighbor had been taking care of them while we were away, and they were all over us the minute we walked in the door. On Friday, Jessica and I drove to St. George, Utah, to meet Grandma Amy and the kids. They had been camping further North, making visits to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.
Before heading back home, we hung out and had lunch at a really cool park in St. George. It’s about 2 hours each way, but you end up going through three states because 27 miles of that drive goes through the northeastern corner of Arizona. The canyons in that Arizona portion of the drive make it worth it, and Southern Utah is also very pretty.
Home Sweet Home
It’s great having everyone back home together. Summer is already nearly halfway over, and we haven’t even reached July! We’re looking forward to the 4th of July; then Miss Elise will be turning nine a little more than a week later. Grandma and Grandpa Rudd will be coming for a visit in mid-July, so we’re also looking forward to that.
Thanks for sticking with me on this long-winded post. I wanted to do our trip justice. If we recently saw you in Seattle, all I can say is thank you! We very much enjoyed the trip and look forward to doing it again. Hopefully with the kids next time.
On a recent hike with friends in Mt Charleston, NevadaLunch in the backyard
A breakdown of the Pellegrini family’s Spring Break 2022 road trip to San Diego. We had a blast visiting family, going to beaches, and visiting the SD Zoo!
After spending several days with Auntie Dana and Uncle Brad at their beautiful home in Fallbrook, California, we recently returned home to Henderson. The occasion was Spring Break, and this was our first time leaving Clark County since moving here last June! Before I get into the trip’s details, I want to thank Dana and Brad so much for their hospitality. They took terrific care of us, and we had the best time seeing them, their house, and reconnecting with Southern California.
Driving to San Diego
The trip began for us on Friday evening. After picking the kids up from school, we packed our final few things in the van and hit the road. Traffic wasn’t an issue for us because not many people are leaving Las Vegas on a Friday evening, but the traffic heading to Las Vegas from California was awful. I highly recommend not driving to Las Vegas from Southern California on a Friday afternoon or evening.
We made great time, and even though we stopped twice, it still took less than 5 hours to get to their house in Fallbrook. If you’re unfamiliar with Fallbrook, it’s in North County, just a bit east of Carlsbad and Oceanside. It has a small-town feel, even though it’s only 45 minutes from the beach. I actually bought a car once in Fallbrook, back when I was first living in Las Vegas. I’ve always loved how it’s known as “The Avocado Capital of the World.”
It used to take us about 5.5 hours to drive from our house in San Diego to my Mom’s house in Las Vegas, but we were much further south. Driving to North County is a lot easier, and even the kids agreed that the drive was no big deal. They’re road trip pros at this point.
Beach Day in Carlsbad
We knew from the weather forecast that Saturday, which was our first full day in town, would have the warmest weather of our trip. Based on this, we decided to make Saturday our beach day. Of course, we would still visit other beaches during the trip, but this was the only day where we would change into swimsuits and play in the water.
Although the water was cold, it was still so much fun splashing around and playing in the sand. It feels weird to say this, but the kids had never been to a sandy beach before. Technically, Ava did when she was a baby, but that’s it. They always loved going to beaches in Washington, but there’s nothing but rocky shores unless you’re going out to the coast (which they were not).
Seeing the kids having a blast at the beach gave Jessica and me a lot of joy. We moved from Seattle to San Diego almost exactly 12 years ago, and we were essentially starting from scratch. There weren’t many extra luxuries in our lives at that time, but one thing we always had was the beach. Going to the beach in San Diego was a huge part of our lives during our first couple of years of marriage, so this experience with the kids felt like we had come full circle.
Getting to experience all of this with Dana and Brad made it that much more special too. I got some great footage of Enzo and Brad playing catch on the beach, and Dana was super helpful with the kids, filming, and keeping everything in order. On our way home to Nevada, we talked about our favorite days of the trip. Although the girls chose the zoo day, Enzo and I both said the day at the beach in Carlsbad was our favorite.
In my opinion, nothing else could replicate the pure sense of joy everyone had during that first beach day. I think you can clearly see it in our video, but I also love this group photo. The funny thing about this photo was that I was doing all the manual settings on the camera to get the exact exposure I wanted, then I had to arrange everyone. Once the whole thing was set up, we posed for the photos on 10-second timers. I took a couple of pictures and thought we were done, only to realize that I had accidentally been recording video the whole time and had taken zero pictures. So then we got to do the entire thing over again.
Elise, Enzo, Ava, Brad, Dana, Jessica, & Michael (L to R, front then back)
Visiting Pacific Beach and Mission Beach
Dana and Brad decided to lay low at home on Sunday, so the 5 of us headed down to Pacific Beach to see our old stomping grounds. First, we rolled through La Jolla and showed the kids the famous cove on the way there. Then, we cruised through Bird Rock on our way toward Pacific Beach, and it was at this point, Elise declared how much she loved beach houses. Although, I think her opinion changed a bit after seeing the type of beach house we used to live in. Let’s just say it was nothing like what she had just seen in those posh little neighborhoods.
Luckily our favorite old pizza spot, Woodstock’s Pizza, was not only still there but open for lunch. So we took the kids there, and most of us really enjoyed our pizza. Unfortunately for Enzo, he accidentally received some type of sweet dough for his pizza, although he didn’t say anything until it was nearly gone, so we didn’t feel like we could ask for another.
Getting ready for Woodstock’s Pizza!
After finishing our lunches, we stumbled upon a cool-looking hat store as we walked toward the beach. Jessica and I have a bit of history purchasing hats on vacation, and the trend continued with this trip. Ava got a pair of sunglasses, but the rest of us walked out with new hats on our heads.
Family photo with our new digs
Feeling extra stylish, we walked down the Pacific Beach boardwalk as it turned into Mission Beach, then eventually turned around and made our way back to the van. During the walk, Ava kept commenting on how many people seemed to be showing off for my camera. It’s funny how people react in the presence of a video camera; some try to do something silly or funny, some try to show off, and some try to hide their faces. Ava is very aware of how people react when they see me filming, and the stuff she says in the video cracks me up.
Ava, Enzo, and Elise on the Pacific Beach boardwalk
Taking the kids to Coronado Island
We weren’t ready to call it a day after our boardwalk stroll, so we drove out to Coronado Island and showed the kids the hotel we stayed in on our honeymoon. If you’re not arriving by boat, visiting Coronado Island involves driving over a tall bridge. Think the West Seattle bridge times three. Once you get there, it feels like you’re on a movie set. The neighborhood streets are the most picturesque thing you’ve ever seen.
On the beach at Coronado Island
We watched the sunset while the kids played on the beach, then made our way back north to have dinner with Dana and Brad.
A change of plans on Monday
Monday was originally going to be our Zoo day, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. Instead, I woke up in the middle of the night was a splitting migraine headache. Migraines have become more common for me over the past few years, and I was prepared for this. I took migraine medicine right away, but it didn’t work, and I couldn’t go back to sleep.
By the time everyone else was getting up for the day, I was a wreck. I couldn’t make it to the zoo, so Dana and Brad took the kids out for the day while Jessica stayed home with me. I was really bummed out about messing up our plans, but we were able to shift some things around and do the zoo on Tuesday instead.
Visiting the San Diego Zoo
Tuesday was our last full day of the trip, and we made the most of it. We spent the whole day at the San Diego Zoo, and as previously mentioned, it was Ava, Elise, and Jessica’s favorite day of the trip. As expected, we saw a wide variety of animals throughout the day. The monkeys were wildly entertaining, although I liked watching the flamingos as well. In addition, we saw a peacock on the roof, but oddly enough, I’ve seen this before when visiting the zoo in Seattle.
The most memorable part of the day came near the end inside one of the aviary exhibits. I was zooming in on a peacock when I heard Jessica yell out that she had just been pooped on! The same thing had recently happened to my Mom while holding parrots with Ava at Pirate Fest. Unfortunately, I wasn’t there and couldn’t capture that incident on video, but not this time.
I was rolling video the whole time during Jessica’s incident and found it pretty hilarious. It soon became clear that the birds were aiming at us because poop was coming down everywhere. We had to regroup under a small covered area and then make a run for the door. Jessica got hit again as we ran, and I couldn’t stop laughing. For once, it felt like I was filming at the perfect time.
I accidentally used the wrong camera setting here, putting myself in focus and everyone behind me out of focus. I still like the photo though. Sorry family.Elise bought a lion’s mane headband with her own moneyAva looking cool at the zoo with her new shadesEnzo looking as colorful as everEnzo and Dad taking a selfie break
Back to Henderson
Driving back to Henderson, or “Hendo” as we call it, was just as easy as our drive on Friday night. Again, we picked the right time and benefitted from the fact that not many people are driving to Las Vegas on a Wednesday afternoon. Like our drive on Friday night, we stopped twice yet still made it in less than five hours.
Our cats were as excited to see us as we were of them. I need to give my Mom a big shout-out for coming to our house twice while we were gone to check on them. As always, it’s good to come home, but this was our first time coming home to our house in Henderson. As I said earlier, we hadn’t left the county since moving here last June, but one of the things we liked about moving here was that it was a central location for road trips.
There are so many more places we want to drive to, but it felt fitting for our first road trip since moving here would be to San Diego. Obviously, our family has a history there, and introducing our kids to the area was special for us. I hope it won’t be long before our next road trip, but this is one we’ll never forget. Check out the video above to see more of the trip, plus here are a few more photos.
Jessica after the bird poop incidentBack on the boardwalk after all these years!Grabbing a coffee at Better BuzzElise loving the first beach dayAva on the beach at Coronado IslandOne last little walk in Fallbrook before heading home
On Saturday night, after about 18 hours of travel, our family returned home to Washington State after spending a week in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World resort. It’s a trip that Jessica and I have been planning for two years, which was originally supposed to take place in April 2020 for our tenth anniversary, but ended up being rescheduled three times due to the pandemic. As expected, it was an amazing week that I’m very excited to talk about, but first I need to give the utmost credit to Jessica for making this happen. She spent so many hours planning things out, getting up at 5:00am to call Disney customer service to make reservations, and making sure every last detail was covered. Above all that, she had to do everything multiple times due to all the rescheduling that went on. She really went above and beyond to make this special trip happen for our family, and we’ll never forget it.
Our trip started on Saturday, May 8. I dropped off Peach and Spencer with my sister Dana and nephew Kallan to spend the week at their house in Bellevue, then late that night we headed to the airport. We had an overnight flight which didn’t leave until 11:00pm and arrived in Miami at 7:30am. The kids were able to sleep a little bit on the flight but no luck for Jessica and me. Overall the flight was fine, but poor Enzo started getting sick to his stomach and ended up throwing up in the bathroom on the plane. It got worse for him once we touched down in Miami, and he started throwing up all over himself in his seat while we were waiting to get off the plane. Luckily there were several moms nearby who started handing us wet wipes and baggies to get things cleaned up.
We had an hour layover in Miami and our primary focus was to get Enzo changed into new clothes and nurse him back to health. Luckily we were able to do that, and our flight from Miami to Orlando was uneventful, but it was a crazy way to start the trip.
Any Disney trip is going to involve waiting in lines, and for us the lines began at the airport. The line to get onto the bus to our hotel was pretty insane, but they moved it along pretty well and we were on our way in no time. We learned on the bus that Disney World is 44 square miles, which is the same size as San Francisco! It was a hot muggy day when we arrived and I think Enzo put it best when he said “the air feels different here”.
After arriving at the Art of Animation hotel and getting settled into our room, which was themed after the movie Cars, we went down to the pool for a swim. We were all tired and hungry, but the pool was calling and the kids would have nothing else. We spent an hour in the water, but I think everyone started hitting their breaking point, so we ended up going back to the room and taking a 3 hour nap.
We spent the rest of that evening exploring different properties via the Skyliner, then had dinner at our hotel. It wasn’t our usual way of celebrating Mother’s Day, but it was special and memorable nonetheless. We were also immediately impressed by how gracious and friendly the staff, I mean “Cast Members”, was to our whole family. They would take time out of their day to talk to us extensively and tell us how much they appreciated us coming. There’s something so special about the experience you get from Disney properties and we felt that from day one.
Monday was when the trip kicked into high gear, as that was our first day visiting one of the parks. We spent the day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is one of their newer parks, and it ended up being one of the best days of the trip. Several of our favorite attractions were there, including Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad, the Tower of Terror, and Star Wars Rise of the Resistance. The Star Wars attraction was a special one that not everyone can get into. They only release so many passes per day and you have to be on the app at exactly 7:00am to make your reservation. The spots all fill up within 15 seconds and you have to use an atomic clock to request it at exactly 7:00am. The clock on your phone is liable to be off by a few seconds, which can be the difference in not getting a pass, but we did everything right and ended up getting passes for that afternoon. I’m so glad we did too because Rise of the Resistance was Jessica’s favorite attraction of the week, and mine as well. It was such a cool combination of traditional ride, human interaction with actors, and a huge set to walk through.
We had a really fun lunch at Hollywood Studios that was themed after an old drive in theater. Each table was designed like a car from the 1950’s and the movie screen was showing all kinds of old sci-fi movie clips. The food was great and the kids had never seen anything like it before. They couldn’t believe people used to get in their cars to go watch movies, which was funny, but when you grow up in the on-demand tablet era it makes sense.
That night we were all exhausted and everyone slept really well. It was a very hot and humid day, and we walked 8 miles throughout the day, so we crashed pretty hard. Hollywood Studios ended up being Jessica and Elise’s favorite park of the trip, so it was a great way to kick things off. Luckily we were able to sleep in the next morning because Epcot Center, our next park, didn’t open until 11:00am.
We arrived at Epcot Center a few minutes before opening and ended up spending about 10 hours there. It was an all-day thing, and for Enzo and I, it was our favorite day of the trip. It’s more old school compared to Hollywood Studios, but it had some awesome rides, and I really loved visiting all the countries. The ‘Soarin’ over the World’ attraction was our first one of the day, and it was definitely my favorite thing we did that day, but Mission Space and the Chevrolet Test Track were family favorites as well.
We had our only character meal of the week at the Garden Grill at Epcot Center and it was really fun. Mickey, two of the chipmunks, and Goofy all made multiple appearances at our table, which everyone got a big kick out of. The dining room sits on a slowly rotating surface, so you’re constantly moving around in a big circle. By the time we finished our meal we were exactly back to the point where we had begun.
By the time we left Epcot Center that night it was nearly closing time and we had walked 10 miles. We visited every country, the kids got stickers from each one, and did basically everything the park had to offer. It’s a bit more of an educational experience compared to the other parks, but it still had some really fun rides and attractions. Overall it was a hit for everyone, but Enzo and I loved it the most.
Wednesday was our rest day, so we slept in and spent the rest of the morning at the pool. Later that afternoon we took a bus to Disney Springs, aka Downtown Disney, for shopping and dinner. We ended up getting caught in a crazy rainstorm unlike anything you’d ever see in Seattle. It came down incredibly hard for about 30 minutes, then cleared up and the sun came out. We walked around shopping for a while, then had dinner at an Irish restaurant called Raglan Road. It was fun because there were dancers doing all kinds of traditional Irish dancing, plus they had traditional live music being played. It was a fun experience and the kids got a huge kick out of watching the dancers.
Thursday we spent the day at Magic Kingdom and started the day off with Space Mountain, which has always been one of my favorites. We ended up doing all the famous attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, the teacups, the Swiss Family treehouse, and Big Thunder Mountain. It was a nostalgic day for Jessica and me because it reminded us of our childhood, and the kids had a great time as well, but oddly enough it wasn’t anyone’s favorite park. Compared to the other parks, Magic Kingdom is more old school, but still has all the Disney charm. We were there for 8 or 9 hours and once again everyone was exhausted by the end of the day.
Friday was our final day of the trip and we spent it at Animal Kingdom. We weren’t really sure what to expect but were pleasantly surprised. It turned out to be Ava’s favorite day of the trip, but we all loved it. There were a variety of fun rides and attractions, but definitely ‘Flight of Passage’, which is an immersive experience based on the movie Avatar, was my favorite. Regardless of whether you’re a fan of the movie or not, if you’re at that park it’s something you have to do. The other thing that we really loved doing was the Safari, which was by far the closest thing to a real Safari any of us had ever experienced. They have so much open land for the animals to live on that you could fit all of Magic Kingdom just within the Safari area. We saw hippos, rhinos, giraffes, ostrich, elephants, and many others. Unfortunately the lions were sleeping but it was still an awesome experience.
By the end of the day everyone was exhausted once again. The days are really long and you’re on your feet all day, but we were very proud of the kids. There were times when everyone had a bit of a breakdown, but overall they did great and it was a trip we’ll never forget. The only thing I would change would be Disney’s mask rule, which was as strict as I’ve seen anywhere. You literally had to have a mask on at all times unless you were stationary eating or drinking.
I had an experience where I was drinking a cup of coffee while in line for a ride, which was fine because I wasn’t moving, but as soon as I started walking forward without my mask on I got called out by some kid working in the park about having to be masked up if you’re moving. We also had experiences where we would walk into a store in a Disney park wearing our masks and would be reminded by people not to remove them. It just felt a bit overboard at times, and we’re saying this as residents of Washington State, which is pretty strict already when it comes to Covid protocol.
The most ironic part of the whole mask thing was that right after we got on the bus to head back to the airport, Jessica pulled up a news article on her phone saying that as of that day, Disney was no longer requiring guests to wear masks while outdoors. The new rule was literally being instituted as we were leaving, and it was like the old mask rule was rolling out of town on the bus with us. You couldn’t script this stuff! The masks were especially rough outside too because of how hot and humid it was, but there’s nothing we could do but comply. We knew what we were getting ourselves into and weren’t going to let it ruin our trip.
Saturday ended up being an incredibly long travel day for us. We were up at 6:30am and on the bus at 7:45, but our flight wasn’t until 11:20. You had no choice on when to board the bus, so it was an earlier than necessary start, but it was beyond our control. We flew from Orlando to Los Angeles, which is a 5 hour flight, and I had the pleasure of sitting with Enzo and taking him to the bathroom every 20 minutes. He kept thinking he was going to throw up, even though he never did. He’s never had motion sickness before but perhaps this is something for us to be aware of when flying with him.
We got to Los Angeles and then had a 5 hour layover until our flight home. This was especially annoying because we didn’t book our flights this way, but the airline shuffled our flights around and that’s how it all ended up. It was a bit eerie at LAX airport; even on a Saturday afternoon it felt like a ghost town and practically everything was closed. The flight from L.A. to Seattle that night was nice and easy but everyone was exhausted. By the time we landed around 9:00pm, we had all been up since 3:30am Pacific time, so all we wanted to do was get to our van and go straight to Auntie Dana’s house. We were very excited to see Peach and Spencer, then we crashed hard. Unfortunately we were all still on East Coast time, so the kids and I were up at 5:30am on Sunday.
We couldn’t go home Saturday night because our house went on the market on Thursday and they were going to be showing it all weekend. We had an agreement with our realtor that we wouldn’t come home until 6:00pm on Sunday, so we spent the whole day hanging out with Dana, Kallan, and Anna at their house. It was a beautiful day so we spent a couple hours at a park that morning, then hung out for the rest of the afternoon at the house while the kids played soccer in the yard with Anna.
That evening was when a new type of excitement set in, as we were finally able to go home and talk with our realtor to evaluate offers on our house. It took basically all night to settle on an offer, but his strategy of listing low to get a lot of eyes on the property and encourage a bidding war worked out like a charm. In the end there were two families trying to outbid each other and I’ll just say that we could have never imagined things working out the way they did. We feel beyond fortunate with the way things worked out and owe all the credit to our realtor Bunsong Pumma.
The only downside to our home selling experience is that we were hoping to be able to stay in our house until the end of June, but instead we’re going to need to be out by June 16. This means that the next four weeks are going to be pretty crazy for us but we’ll be fine. We’re just trying to get everything wrapped up, scheduled, and figured out. We still have family and friends we want to see but we’ll make it all work.
Having the trip behind us was a major checkpoint on this whole journey and now that we’ve accepted an offer on our house I feel like these next few weeks are going to fly by. We’ll be on the road heading to Las Vegas before we know it, and it’s crazy that we’ll be there before Father’s Day. My mom is already going well out of our way to help us in any way she can and she can’t wait for us to arrive.
We took a ton of photos on our trip, and I’m so glad we got the Disney photo package, so here are a bunch of our favorites.
Celebrating Mother’s Day, Disney styleElise exploring the Art of Animation hotel groundsEnzo getting wild at the hotelAva getting ready for some adventureHaving fun at Radiator SpringsChecking out the Star Wars exhibit at Hollywood StudiosEnzo showing what ‘Disney Tired’ means after day oneGetting started at Epcot Center. Each of those characters behind us is made entirely of flowers.Visiting Epcot JapanSomeday Jessica and I will go to Italy together. For now Epcot Italy will do.Visiting Mickey at our character meal. Elise couldn’t be bothered to remove the bread from her mouth.Enzo the Viking. This one kills me.We weren’t allowed to remove our masks at the photo studio. Oh well…We found Enzo’s Hideaway at Disney SpringsGetting started at Magic KingdomAva had a trick up her sleeveGroup hug at the castleThe kids enjoyed this rollercoaster so much we did it twiceLove this one of the girlsLook who we ran into in Animal Kingdom!Animal Kingdom was a blast
All about our family trip to the Silverwood theme park in Northern Idaho, August 2020.
Yesterday we returned home after spending a few days in Northern Idaho visiting the Silverwood theme park. Although the kids had already been there a couple times on previous Summer road trips with Grandma and Grandpa, this was our first time going as a family, and it was the first time Jessica and I got to go.
We left on Sunday morning and basically just drove east on I-90 all the way to Coeur d’Alene. That day ended up being the hottest day in Seattle in 11 years, so it was the perfect day to be in our nice air conditioned van. Even though we stopped a couple times we still made really good time and ended up arriving in Coeur d’Alene too early to check into our hotel, which was about 10 minutes north of the lake. We had heard good things about the public park at the lake, and since we had time to kill, we decided to go hang out there for a bit. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, but honestly it was a bit shocking because not only was it packed with thousands of people, but literally no one besides our family was wearing a mask, even though there were signs everywhere telling you to do so. It was culture shock for us because we’re coming from Western Washington, where everyone in public is wearing a mask, and now suddenly it’s the exact opposite.
While I certainly understand the concept of distancing while outdoors, and not needing to wear a mask when doing so, trust me when I say this definitely was not happening. Not only were people all packed together around and in the water, but there was a country music concert going on in the park with hundreds of people gathered around to watch. Being literally the only people wearing masks meant we were receiving a lot of stares. I’m normally not that aware of people around me in public but this was blatant, and I’ve never felt like such a minority in my life.
In addition to the lack of masks, there was an entire family (kids included) selling Trump t-shirts in the park, and the singer of the country band kept making remarks about “free country” and “honky tonk”. I’m certainly not passing judgement on anyone and was just there to relax for a bit after driving all day, but it was so drastically different from what we’re used to that it was hard to believe. It wouldn’t have been bad if it weren’t for all the blatant stares we were receiving, but whatever. As it turned out this would end up being the most uncomfortable portion of the trip.
After an hour or so at the park we made our way to the hotel, the Triple Play Resort, and were instantly impressed with all the attractions. There was a Go Kart track, bumper boats, mini golf, an indoor water park, a ropes climbing course, laser tag, laser maze, a bowling alley, video arcade, and more! We already had a free day planned for the middle of our stay and we instantly decided that we would be spending that entire day at the hotel taking part in all these activities. Also, since we had nothing to do that first evening, we decided to spend it at our hotel’s water park. For that entire evening we were going down water slides and swimming in the wave pool. Definitely a fun way to start things off.
It was 100 degrees on Monday, which was the hottest day of the trip, so we decided it would be the perfect day to spend at Silverwood’s water park. We got there right when they opened at 11:00, found a nice shady spot under a tree to spread out our stuff, and proceeded to spend the next 7 hours going down slides, floating in the lazy river, and swimming in the wave pool.
The girls made a friend that ended up hanging around with us off and on throughout the day and everyone had a blast. We were diligent all day with the sunscreen and consequently no one got burned, even though we were out in the intense heat all day long. It was the perfect Summer day, and overall probably my favorite day of the trip. I grew up going to water parks every Summer so they will always hold a special place for me.
Tuesday was our day to chill at the hotel, but there was so much to do we certainly never felt bored. I loved taking the kids out in the Go Karts, and was so impressed with how well they all did on the ropes course. There was an interactive 3D video game that we ended up playing 4 or 5 times throughout the day, and we even made it back to the hotel’s water park that evening. Other than getting lunch and dinner, we never left the hotel that day, but it was still a super fun day and everyone was exhausted by bedtime.
Wednesday we were back at Silverwood, this time at the theme park for a day full of rides and roller coasters. It was a bit cooler that day, although it still reached a high of 92 later in the afternoon. Once again we found a shady spot under a tree to spread out a blanket and leave our stuff. That way we had a home base for snacking and relaxing throughout the day.
We started things off by letting the kids go on some little rides, then we made our way over to the roller coaster park for the big stuff. Ava, Elise and I did a ride called the Panic Plunge where you get strapped into a seat and taken straight up about 300-400 feet. As soon as you reach the top you hear a click and immediately you start falling down so incredibly fast. Ava says she screamed the whole way down but honestly I have no recollection; I was too scared to scream. Jessica says the look on my face once we came to a stop was priceless. All I know is everyone in line looked at me and busted out laughing, then after the laughter subsided this teenage kid who was waiting in line said “I’m not going”.
We spent the rest of the day doing all the rides, sometimes multiple times each. Once again we were there for nearly 7 hours, so it was a very full day. As promised, we took the kids shopping at the gift shop and they were each thrilled with what they picked out. Elise got a stuffed goat whom she named Toby, Enzo got a Silverwood hoodie sweatshirt, and Ava got two little things: a mood ring and a pair of BFF necklaces – one for her and one for Elise.
That night we had dinner at this great little Italian restaurant near the hotel called Radici Italian Bistro. They put us in a private room and we ate like kings. Calamari, caprese salad, pizza and chicken for the kids, eggplant parmesan for Jessica and I. Each of the kids loved the calamari and Enzo discovered a new love for fresh mozzarella cheese and balsamic vinegar. It was the best restaurant meal we’ve had this entire year and was the perfect way to finish things off.
Yesterday morning we got packed up fairly early and hit the road. It was an easy drive home, and even with more stops than we made on the way there, we were still home within 6 hours. The best stop was at the scenic view looking over the Columbia River. Overall I was very impressed with how well everyone handled the road trip. Certainly there were some “Are we there yet?” moments, but overall it was great and I expect us to be doing more of these in the future. We have the perfect van for it because the kids can relax in the back watching movies while Jessica and I talk up front. Getting our new cartop carrier was a game changer as well because we now have so much space for our stuff.
The only part of the trip that was a little off putting was the initial experience at the park in Coeur d’Alene. In looking back at it my feelings are torn; on one hand it felt a lot like our overall national attitude towards the pandemic, which is if you just ignore it then it won’t exist and there’s nothing to worry about. On the other hand, the whole point of this trip was for us to get away and have a little fun. We’ve been playing by the rules for 6 months, have barely left our house, and deserved a getaway like this, especially considering our Disney trip is on hold until at least Spring 2021. Ultimately I’m glad we went, and nothing could make Jessica and I happier than seeing the kids having so much fun. We felt like we needed this, and that we deserved it, so it was great to finally come through for once this year.
Now that the trip is over, for all intents and purposes, our Summer is done as well. Monday Jessica will be resuming home school with the kids, but we’re going to ease our way into it over the first couple weeks. We’re now very much looking forward to our kittens coming home, which should be in the next 3-4 weeks. We took a lot of photos on the trip, so here are our favorites.
Ready to hit the road!Tree climbing at a rest stopSetting up their stuffies in the roomAva enjoying some Dippin’ Dots at the water parkReady to race!Facing our fears on the ropes courseAva was amazing up thereElise did so good on the ropes course. She was pretty scared but the guy behind her was so helpful. We were very proud of her.Ready for some bumper boats“Dad, you drive and I’ll shoot” -EnzoElise had so much fun on the carouselVisiting the Columbia River lookout on our way home
