mexico :: what we packed

When it comes to packing for recent trips, I've felt like a fish trying to swim upstream. I try so hard to pack minimally, but still we end up taking what feels like WAYYYYY too much stuff. Usually, I blame carseats. When we were planning a family vacation for 2016, our first thought was to do a trip entirely without carseats. We thought through a lot of itineraries, but couldn't come up with one that made sense for us. When we decided to go to Tulum, we pondered whether or not we could make the trip work without a car, but in the end we opted for a rental car. It was the right choice.

But still, even with the carseats, packing light had to happen. How much do you really need for a beach vacation anyway? I was thankful I could reference what we'd taken to Costa Rica a couple years back, and I tried to pack even a bit less since this trip was shorter and we had to use the same size suitcase for one extra human. So anyway, here's what we brought (minus Dan's clothes, but he packed about the same as I did, perhaps a tad less).  This list is mostly for my reference in the future, but maybe someone out there will find it useful, too?

willa's clothes
2 pair leggings
1 pair shorts
2 tank tops
2 t-shirts
2 dresses
1 beach cover-up
1 hooded sweatshirt
1 swim shirt
3 bathing suits
1 pair sandals
1 pair moccasins
2 pair socks
1 sunhat
1 pair sunglasses

cameron's clothes
1 pair pants
2 pair shorts
1 full-piece pjs
1 long-sleeved onesie
1 long-sleeved shirt
2 t-shirts
1 hooded sweatshirt
1 tank top
2 swim diapers
1 swim shirt
1 pair sandals
1 pair moccasins
1 pair socks
1 sunhat

toys + other kid items
Cheer Bear
3 books folder of coloring/art materials
2 matchbox cars
2 stacking cups
2 small plastic spoons (for sand play)
1 small ball
AquaDoodle
1 book of puzzles
1 BrainQuest
1 pair earphones
kids' camera
Ergo
Solly Baby Wrap
2 life jackets
2 carseats
1 travel crib

my clothes
2 short dresses
1 pair lightweight pants ("vacation pants!")
1 pair cropped legging
2 pairs shorts
2 t-shirts
1 lightweight cardigan
1 long-sleeved shirt
3 tank tops
1 beach cover-up
3 bikinis
1 swim shirt
1 sports bra
1 regular bra
2 pairs socks
1 pair running shoes
1 pair flip flops
1 sunhat
1 pair sunglasses

non-clothing items
2 bags of toiletries (lots of sunscreen; minimal make-up)
laundry soap
travel knife
12 Lärabars
fruit leather
canvas bag
4 water bottles
2 snack containers (plus a few we used as sand toys and then recycled there)
Steripen to purify water
2 books
2 magazines
2 iPhones + 1 charger
iPad + 1 charger
1 camera
2 headlamps

reflections on our week in tulum, mexico

We're just back from a trip to Tulum, Mexico. As Denverites, we feel a to need to get ourselves to a large body of water from time to time, and all the better if it's in a tropical locale. We somewhat spontaneously booked this trip a few months ago, and were so excited to take the whole family south for a week.

Traveling with the kids is challenging for sure, but I think it's only by getting out of your comfort zone that you learn and grow. That goes for both the little ones and the adults. The challenges are part of what make it fun and memorable. (They're also what can make it momentarily miserable, but you do your best to just move forward, right?!) Making memories and having experiences together as a family always outweighs the inherent difficulties of embarking on an adventure with little ones in tow. (If it sounds like I'm giving myself a pep talk here, that might be somewhat the case.)

When Willa was 20 months old, we traveled to Costa Rica. After that trip, I wrote a "things we learned" post. Looking back at it now, all those things are still true, and definitely applied to our trip to Tulum. But with this trip fresh in my mind, here are a few reflections I want to remember:

Just because you travel well with kids doesn't mean your kids travel well. That might be a bit harsher than I really mean, because, actually, I think our kids do travel pretty well. But what I sometimes need to remind myself is that I can't control my kids or their feelings. It is possible that they won't like traveling. They might not like sand (Cameron). They might miss Denver way more than I do (Willa). I can't make them have fun. I can give them the opportunity and guide and teach them to the best of my abilities, but that's it.

Do you really want to eat out for every meal?Some people like to. I don't. Even before kids, I don't enjoy eating all my meals in a restaurant environment. Most days we ate the continental breakfast at the hotel and went out to dinner. We went to the grocery store and bought fresh fruit and snacks to eat throughout the day. However, our cabana didn't have a fridge, so our options were limited. (This also resulted in some beers consumed earlier and faster than necessary after purchase since we lacked refrigeration.) We know we like having a kitchen, but there were a few reasons it didn't work out this trip. We need to make sure it works out next time.

Strollers can be great. I've been known to be a bit anti-stroller. For a long time, I didn't travel with one. But, now that we have two kids and Willa is older but not a solid long-distance walker, it's often really helpful to have a stroller. We used it in the airport on our travel days, for exploring Mayan ruins, and for walks down the main roads in Tulum. Willa enjoyed a nap or two in it, and Cam occasionally took a turn rolling.

Baby carriers are the best. At the last minute, I packed my beloved Solly Baby Wrap. (Actually, I put it on as a scarf on our way to the airport.) It was so nice to have a lightweight wrap to wear Cam in the heat, and we were happy to have two carriers so we could walk along the beach with both kids. Perhaps we're doing a disservice to them by not mandating marching, but we enjoyed covering some ground with the sand between our toes and the waves crashing against our legs.

Research how you'll pay for things at your destination. Duh, right? Tulum was totally "cash only." I knew many of the smaller restaurants would be, but we were surprised how many places, including our hotel, wouldn't take credit cards. Even the large gas stations on the highway back to the Cancun airport were cash only (or so the attendants said!?). We failed to plan ahead for this as much as we should have, and it caused a few wrinkles in our trip. Lesson learned.

Plan some adventures. But not too many. Before we left for the trip, I booked myself a morning outing to stand up paddle board. I knew if I didn't have it scheduled, I'd probably not end up going. It was a great decision; SUPing was fantastic and easily doable during our week-long stay. Likewise, Dan spent a morning golfing. As a family, we took a day trip to the Mayan ruins at Coba.  But otherwise, we mostly stayed at the beach. I often feel compelled to do a bunch of side trips and outings when we're in a place where there's "so much to do" but then I remind myself that staying in a hotel right on the beach is an outing in and of itself. It's always important to balance relaxation with activities, and that balance likely shifts on each trip for a variety of factors. But for us, it's been important to just "be" on vacation.

skiing and sledding in steamboat springs

A few weeks ago, Dan's mom and brother flew into town and we all made our way up to Steamboat Spring for a weekend of wintery fun. We rented a house on the shuttle line, and thanks to Grandma's babysitting, we were able to get on the slopes for a full day of runs! We also drove out to Saddleback Ranch, which was even more fun than I'd anticipated; us "big kids" had a blast tubing while Grandma kindly watched the littles! Cameron worked hard to walk in the snow while his sister contemplated tubing for a moment but opted to climb a snow "mountain" instead.

In between outings, we enjoyed laughs, the hot tub, wine, cinnamon rolls, card games, enchiladas, beer, walks... It's always nice to "get out to the mountains." My, how Coloradan we've become.

^^beautiful view from our hot tub, where we enjoyed many a soak over the three days.^^

^^we were all quite happy to be on the mountain. blues all day!^^

^^this little lady loves fire hydrants and she was especially excited to see how tall they were in steamboat to clear the snow pack.^^

^^snow + blue sky. and tubing. a good combo!^^

drink up :: new york sour

Friends! It's Friday night. Cheers? I'm currently drinking some red wine, but often I like to make things a bit more spicy. And you know who else fancies a fancy drink? My mom. In recent years, she's upped her cocktail game and makes a mean one herself.

Case in point: the New York Sour.

Deb's New York Sour

2oz bourbon 1oz lemon juice ½-1oz simple syrup ½-1oz fruity red wine (such as Malbec or Shiraz) regular ice cubes + large ice cubes for each drink

1. Shake bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and ice cubes in a cocktail shaker (or jar!).

2. Pour over large ice cube.

3. Slowly pour red wine onto other ingredients in the glass, using a spoon as a barrier to slow the flow and to keep the wine at the top.

doughnuts! donuts! in los angeles!

To start, apologies for the grammatical situation in this post's title. When it comes to two acceptable spellings of a word, you're supposed to pick one and stick to it. But I have trouble doing that with the word "donuts." Because, you see, even if I pick one, then I'm going to go eat donuts at a place like Sidecar Doughnuts (or Johnny Doughnuts!) and there I've gone and contradicted myself. Just one of my many donut problems. That's not really the point, though. What I want to tell you about is: Sidecar Doughnuts in Santa Monica. We went while we were in Los Angeles in January, and it was phenomenal. So good!

Before our trip, I'd researched donut places in Los Angeles, and didn't come up with much. (It's highly likely that I was interrupted by one of our smaller family members and then didn't get a chance to resume my search.) I'd heard about a place in Koreatown, but as soon as I saw a picture of a donut with Fruit Loops on it, I was out. When our plane touched down at LAX, I didn't have a donut shop on our agenda.

But. Driving from the airport to my brother-in-law's place in Santa Monica, we happened past Sidecar Doughnuts. It looked legit. A quick internet search returned promising results. A few mornings later, we found ourselves there at 7am. (They open at 6:30. Plus one for them. Early opening time is high on my extensive list of donut-shop criteria.)

DSC00531

DSC00550

DSC00532

I probably should create my own donut-rating system, but let's save that for another day. For now I'll just say these are solid donuts. Lots of options of both the cake and yeasted varieties. Their flavors bordered on what I'd deem too dessert-like, but stayed mostly in safe territory. Their "daily" options were a good bet, while the monthly specialities seemed to get a bit fancier (sweeter). The Saigon Cinnamon Crumb and the Huckleberry were my favorites.

DSC00540

DSC00541

They have two locations in Los Angeles, so if you're ever there, check them out! Also, Stumptown Roasters coffee. Nuff said.

hello, L.A.!

We headed to L.A. last month to visit Dan's brother for a long long weekend. We had a delightful weekend packed with several fun activities. Both kids were terrified of the ocean's waves, but they loved the beach, so we enjoyed our fair share of sand in our hair and between our toes. We hiked in Malibu, and I hit up a Dailey Method class in Venice. Combine all that with family bonding, and it was an all-around great trip. Thanks so much for hosting us, M&S!

^^first trip with her very own suitcase. she was so excited.^^

^^post-flight beach walk: getting our wiggles out + thrilled to see the ocean.^^

^^afternoon at santa monica beach followed by piggyback snoozes and smoothies.^^

^^tree pictures: can't stop. won't stop.^^

^^venice, i like you. after taking class at the dailey method there, a teacher recommended i try the bulletproof coffee at another kind of sunrise. it did not disappoint.^^

^^ICYMI: homemade fries are AMAZING. look at cam salivating.^^

^^in this moment, at venice beach, we learned that willa can write her name!^^

^^i was so excited to check out salt & straw since it's kinda a big deal on the national artisanal ice cream stage (that's a thing, right?) and i'd never made it to the portland location. venice to the rescue. i ordered a kids' size, per usual, but it was a legit small portion, so i had to indulge and order a second flavor. totally worth it.^^

^^dan and i snuck out for a late night dinner at cassia in santa monica. it calls itself a southeast asian brasserie. i love the things restaurants come up with! (seriously, i do.) to me, it had a definite LA vibe. luckily i'd packed one fancy outfit, ha! the food was really good and the martini i had was fantastic ("gin, imbue vermouth, blanc vermouth, lemongrass tincture, orange bitters, smoked quail egg" - the quail egg scared me at first, but it was just on a toothpick like an olive would be, and it was delicious!). the whole grilled sea bass was the best thing we ordered. fresh herbs!^^

^^there is an awesome playground at tongva park in santa monica. when we walked by it the first time, the kids were asleep, but we knew we had to go back. indeed, they loved playing there. there was also a water feature for hotter days. wish we had more of those in denver!^^

DSC00581

^^beautiful, BEAUTIFUL hike in malibu to round out our trip.^^

go-to recipe :: sweet potato tacos

A few times this week, dinnertime has been less than ideal. Kids crying. Short tempers. No fun. It's definitely not always that way chez nous, but those hours at the end of the day can frequently be trying. I don't think it's necessary to spell it out here; I'm sure lots of you know what I'm talking about.

That time of day can be even harder when I have no idea what I'm making for dinner. Usually, I'm pretty good at meal planning. However, sometimes, it's 5pm and I realize that I haven't even thought about what I'll make for dinner. Oops. So for times like that, it's good to have a few go-tos in my back pocket. These are my number one. I make them probably twice a month. You should make them too. I mean, if you want.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Pesto

SWEET POTATOES: 2 large sweet potatoes, roughly peeled olive oil 1T ground cumin 1/4t cayenne pepper 1-2 cups black beans

CILANTRO PESTO: 1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled juice of 1 lime 1 serrano (or jalapeño) chile pepper 2/3 cup olive oil

TO SERVE: tortillas feta or jack cheese lime wedges green onions hot sauce

1. Cut sweet potatoes into 1cm cubes. Toss to coat with olive oil, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees until they reach the desired softness. About 30 minutes.

2. A few minutes before sweet potatoes are finished, toss the black beans into the pan to warm.

3. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, make the cilantro pesto. Mix all ingredients in a food processor or with an immersion blender. Add more olive oil if needed to reach the desired consistency.

4. If you're feeling fancy, warm or char your tortillas on the stove or microwave.

5. Assemble tacos with desired accoutrements and enjoy!

january highlights

So far, 2016 has been go go go. Great great great. That's cheesy way to summarize, but it's totally accurate. We've had a lot going on so far this year, but it's been all good things. No better way to summarize than in pictures:

^^fancy clothes + family pizza night to ring in 2016.^^

^^new year's day walk around sloan's lake. it was COLD. cam had a busted lip from falling on our shoe bin.^^

^^my parents came to visit mid-month. we went to the western stock show. willa had new boots from texas thanks to her aunt and uncle. she got a light-up hat courtesy of her grandparents. she was thrilled about all of the above.^^

^^lunch at osaka ramen. i was sick and probably shouldn't have even been there, but willa was full of energy!^^

^^i'm not sure i've expressed my love for it on here yet, but the chariot is an absolutely fantastic piece of baby/life equipment. we bought it previously-loved from another family and even though it was far from retail price, it was still an investment. but it's been worth every penny. i like to fully maximize it's capacity on the regular. on this day, after a trip to the grocery with my parents, cameron had to ride home in the ergo on my back.^^

^^lunch with my mom at sushi rama. conveyer belt sushi is always fun. not the best sushi ever, but the speed, options, and portion size make it worth the visit. they did, notably, NOT have highchairs, which to me makes a certain statement. however, willa didn't notice the vibe and happily selected a few choice sushi plates off the belt.^^

^^our family needs, conservatively, 5 slices of pizza for dinner. the price of a whole pizza at atomic cowboy is roughly the same as 5 slices. so you're basically getting 8 for the price of 5. plus the staring eyes of everyone sitting around you. what can i say, we like pizza?^^

Happy February, folks! I have more January pictures to come though...always a bit behind these days.

how to see santa at union station

The most anticipated event of our advent activities last month was to take the train to Union Station to see Santa. Willa had been asking to take the light rail for a long time, and while driving to a station outside the city to ride downtown didn't make tons of logistical sense, it still sounded like a fun family adventure. So. That's what we did. Only, it wasn't that simple. Here's how it went down:

^^step 1: buy tickets.^^

^^step 2: ride the train. arrive downtown.^^

^^step 3: realize the "real" santa isn't there on the sunday before christmas. WHAT!?^^

^^step 4: have lunch while you try to regroup. mercantile dining & provision.^^ 

^^step 5: try to make up for your parenting fail by buying your children sugary treats. throw in some adult holiday drinks as well. wreak havoc in the middle of union station when hot cocoa is spilled (why is the "kid's size" so damn big!?).^^

^^step 6: check the santa's schedule online, and then go to union station again. this time, by car. observe santa and families in action for several minutes. try not to feel too weird that you're just watching.^^

^^step 7: go eat lunch at zoe mama. because, the best. and what else would you want to eat on christmas eve?^^

^^step 8: ice cream. because the line for that is much shorter than the line to see santa.^^

Hurray! That's our story! Live and learn, friends.

burmatown, california

Last month, I went on a trip ALL BY MYSELF to California. I was there for some work stuff, but also as a mini vacation and a chance to spend time with family.  And I was so lucky: they really made sure I had a fun and restful stay. On my first night there, they took me to Burmatown in Corte Madera.

Obviously, I love an Asian restaurant! And San Francisco boasts numerous exceptional ones. During a previous visit, we went to Burma Superstar in the city, but I dare say Burmatown was better. It was sensational. From the ambiance to the food, everything was divine. The service was exceptional too. And the tea leaf salad! Who doesn't love tea leaf salad? Well if you haven't had one, you probably don't know you love it...But you should try it. Preferable this one. (Although I imagine one in Burma would probably be pretty darn good too...)

Anyway! Everything about Burmatown was delightful. Perhaps I was influenced by the profound enjoyment of dining without little kids to wrangle. But, it doesn't really matter. A fantastic eating experienced is colored by several factors, and the stars all aligned that night. Thanks so much R + B for such a wonderful dinner and visit!

advent activities!

There's no denying it: the access to information provided by the internet has a definite influence on my parenting. Between blogs and Instagram, I inundate myself daily with glimpses into other families' lives. What other kids are wearing, eating, doing. You could argue that this tendency of reflection is maddening and depressing.  A futile way to spend time. But, I find it to be a comforting sense of community. A village of sorts. We're all trying to do the same general thing: create family memories as we try to raise our little ones to be our definition of "good kids." In their matching Hanna Andersson pajamas.

A few years ago, during my online perusing, I noticed some parents doing advent activities with their kids during the holiday season. It sounded (and looked!) like a fun way to add a little excitement to each day in December. I was keen to give it a go. It took me a couple of tries to get it together, but this year I managed to organize 24 index cards on the wall with Washi tape. I've had to rearrange them a bit (covertly, of course) but so far it's been a huge success. Willa's loving it, and we are too.

^^decking the halls! decorating the tree whilst eating eggnog and spinach balls. cam ate most of them.^^

^^easy and exciting advent activity: "at home facials" ^^

^^trip to the hammond's candy cane festival in an amazing "merry christmas" sweatsuit i found at goodwill: not an officially sanctioned advent activity but fantastic nonetheless.^^

^^slow morning with breakfast by the tree. three cheers for trader joe's pain au chocolat!^^

^^ice skating at skyline park and treats at the christkindl market. i had relatively high hopes for the outing, but they were still exceeded. willa LOVED ice skating. she didn't want to stop and got much better in just the hour we were there. and the market was really fun! we enjoyed mulled wine in the beer tent with festive music. we'll definitely go back again next year if not before!^^

wish list + wise purchases

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

(Actually that was in October when we had friends visiting and went hiking above the snow line. But still. It's currently snowy in Denver. Promise.)

Christmas is about so many things: Making memories with my family. Remembering memories of past holidays. Hugging. Eating. Eggnog. Spinach Balls. Joy. Surprise. LOVE.

But it's a little bit about gifts too. Try as I might (and honestly I'm not able to try that hard) you can't completely eliminate materialism from Christmas. And I'm not sure we should. Exchanging gifts is part of the spirit of Christmas. Reciprocity is an important part of our culture. And desire is human nature, no?

That said, here's my Christmas list. Things I've been lusting over. And after my desires, I'm listing some of my favorite products. Things I've been given or bought in the past couple years that have literally changed my life. If you need gift ideas, they'd make someone very happy. Promise.

DESIRES //

A new Patagonia fleece. I had this one in brown for a few years, but I made a mistake and got the wrong size. So I never really enjoyed wearing it. It was always too small. I finally accepted the reality, and passed it along to a friend, but I've been missing it. It's so warm and perfect for those not-super-cold winter days that Denver has a lot of. I'm not loving the options Patagonia has on their site right now, but perhaps REI or another retailer has some other options. Also, investing in a brand like Patagonia that prioritizes repairing products (that are already made to last in the first place) instead of buying new ones, has my vote. Great company that truly values sustainability.

Slip-on sorta-winter boots. Not very specific, I know, but I'm not sure exactly what I want. Maybe someone can suggest some for me? I have a pair of Sorels that I love for real snow boots, but I need want some that I can slip on when it's just a little bit snowy or slippery. I suppose my Uggs from 2002 fit this purpose...but they're Uggs. So 2002.

"Get to Work Book" planner.Here's a very specific one. I want this exact planner to get my life in order in 2016. I've thought a lot about my goals, big and small, and researched books. This one is what I want. If you don't buy it for me, I'm buying it for myself. You might want to buy it for yourself too?

My Mom's gold star necklace. My mom has a beautiful star necklace. It looks a lot like this one. Ever since the first time I trolled through her jewelry box, I've wanted it. Now I'm making it public. Mom, fork over your necklace! Kidding. But think about it? I love you!

Frame Jeans - Flares. Flared jeans are finally back in style. Hallelujah! I like these. Now I just also need sewing lessons so I can hem them myself. Therein lies the problem with non-skinny jeans...

Something from Kit + Ace. Technical cashmere seems like something I should probably have in my life.

LOVES//

Minnetonka Fringe Boots.I got these in black a year or two ago, and there are not words to express how much I love them. They are so comfortable. It's basically like wearing slippers. They also have the effect of making me feel like a youthful teenager and a hip thirtysomething simultaneously. That shouldn't even be possible, but it is and it's a good feeling. Get them.

Casio Watch.This is the ultimate parenting watch. The top right button sets an alarm for 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 minutes (one press is 1 minute, press twice for 3 minutes, etc.). I use it about 75 times per day. "Willa, we're leaving in 3 minutes." Or, I set it for myself: "When the alarm goes off I better be putting on my shoes or we're f-ed." It's good for cooking too. It has a stopwatch and alarm function too. It does not, however, have Indiglo, so it's not so good for night wakings with babes. Thankfully, that is very recently no longer an issue for me.

Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine. We saved and saved for this and finally splurged right before my birthday last year. That was also right after Cameron was born. It perhaps sounds ridiculous, but this machine has seriously improved the quality of my life. It's easier to wake up in the morning knowing I have a coffee shop quality latte in my near future. The built-in grinder feature is key.

Cuppow drinking lids. Make any Mason jar a travel cup. Ditch plastic and single-use cups.

Car phone mount.I'm all kinds of against using your phone while driving. But let's face it, no one's buying a new Garmin when their iPhone has the capability of providing directions. This mount makes your phone easy to view while driving and it's nice and small for travel too. Just set up an app to block messages, and you're good to go!

Alex and Ani earrings. I wear these almost every day. Love their bangles too!

a skunky halloween

Halloween is old news, so I'm not going to bore anyone with a long synopsis of events, but here's the bullet point version!

• I made Willa's skunk costume with a borrowed glue gun and the creative advice of a good friend. Overall it turned out well. (There was a small hiccup when Willa realized skunks are indeed black and not pink, but she overcame that relatively quickly.)
• We first hit up the neighborhood's trick or treet street, and then later regained our focus for a few block of after-dark trick-or-treating. Willa was all about it this year, even venturing up to a few doors all by herself.
• Cam was a lion. He wasn't that into keep his mane on, but he was cute nonetheless.
• Bryna was a "dog-tor." Credit to a child on the street who named her that.
• I did not dress up. Some year I'll feel inspired?
• We played a rousing game of Cards Against Humanity after the trick-or-treaters went to bed. We should consider making that a tradition.
• There was some unfortunate illness in the aftermath of Halloween. It was more than just too much candy and whiskey. The count of GI bugs since having kids is absurd.
• Willa wants to be a skunk again next year. That sentiment probably won't last, but I take it as a sign that Halloween was a success!

cameron is one!

"The days are long but the years are short." TRUE STORY, my friends.

Last weekend, Cameron turned one! One year old.

Time is funny. In some ways it seems like he's always been a part of our family. But the year also seems to have passed quite quickly. Willa seems so much older now that she was when Cameron was born (yeah, a whole year older, obvi). Point is, it's been a good year. A really memorable year. Cameron has brought us all a lot of joy, and it was wonderful to celebrate him with family and friends on his first big day!

^^sprinkle pancakes have become a mainstay of any celebratory morning chez nous.^^

^^cam's big sis is all about a good party. especially the cake part of it.^^

^^happy birthday to you! - poor buddy got a bit freaked out when he realized everyone was looking at him. but he felt better moments later when he dove into his piece of cake.^^

^^love these guys.^^

a cape cod wedding!

After our fun time in Boston, we made our way out to Cape Cod for MY SISTER'S WEDDING. They'd decided to get married in Truro, Massachusetts. (Side note: why is Massachusetts so hard to spell? Seriously. It is so hard.) We were delighted to stay in a big house my parents rented in Truro. It was so fun to all be together in an old Cape Cod house. The house was a bit quirky, but delightful and roomy. The kids each had their own room, as did the adults. And it had an outdoor shower! And a beautiful view of the water. What more could one want?

The wedding was on Saturday, but the days prior to that there we lots of festivities. Family dinners, a bachelor party, a bridal shower, the rehearsal dinner, etc. etc. SO MUCH FUN.

I am so happy for my sister, and so grateful for the chance we had to make so many family memories. It was truly a trip to remember.

^^en route from boston we stopped in plymouth to eat some bahn mi sandwiches and to take in some american history. it was difficult to get this shot because so many people were waiting to pose in front of the mayflower II!^^

^^as soon as we arrived in truro, we checked out the wedding venue. gorgeous. also, i like overexposed photos!^^

^^the first night in town we had a dinner with the bride and groom's families. it was also my dad's birthday. cam was a bit of handful but then he won over the crowd with his coy smiles. that boy!^^

^^love.^^

^^cape code beaches. sand dune hiking. family time.^^

^^rehearsal. willa was on it.^^

^^rehearsal dinner! willa ate a ton of fried clams. dan ate two lobsters. we all had fun.^^

^^woo hoo! wedding day!^^

Alison and Jakob have tons of beautiful pictures from their special day, but those are theirs to share, not mine. It was such a special day. Everything was perfect. They were so happy; and we were so happy for them. I feel so lucky to have been a part of their day, and we are so happy to welcome Jakob into our family. And on top of all that, they live in Denver! Down the street! How did we get so lucky? Life is good.