How has your weekend been? Yesterday, we spent most of the day watching Hadley play in a sand volleyball tournament which was really fun. We also had dinner out with friends. I’m hoping for a little more downtime today…and maybe we’ll even “beat the heat” and go to the pool.
Today, I’m sharing another…
…and I’m talking all about s’mores. To me, nothing says summer more than s’mores. Of course, we’ll make s’mores in the cooler months as well, but summer and s’mores also go together.
My mom made this patriotic s’mores dip…(I’m not sure the exact recipe she used, but these seems like the directions she told me)…which got me thinking about s’mores recipes I have pinned on Pinterest.
How do you like your roasted marshmallow? I think I’m a “B3” girl.
This meme made me laugh….(if only it was that easy to burn calories!)…
…this one made me chuckle too!
Anyway, here are a few s’mores recipes I have saved on Pinterest. I haven’t made these yet, but maybe I can try a few new s’mores dessert recipes before the summer ends.
How was your week? Ours was pretty good, and it included a little bit of everything.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Last week I was in KC to help my dad after his knee surgery. While both legs of the trip to and from KC were long thanks to delays, on my flight from Lex to Chicago, I got bumped to first class. I don’t think I’ve ever sat in first class on a flight.
I won’t let it go to my head, but I did enjoy my Diet Coke out of a real glass! Oh the little things…
…and even though the flight from Chicago to KC was delayed, this was my window seat view once we finally took off. I don’t love to fly, but I’ve gotten better about being less anxious when flying. It is kind of amazing to be up in the air and above the clouds.
Ok this is random, but we haven’t had cable for a few years, and one thing I do miss about not having cable is all of the random channels like Lifetime, TLC, and Nickalodeon, etc.
Well, while at my dad’s, we watched a lot of “Me TV” last week.
I’m an old soul when it comes to TV shows…I could watch Green Acres, Leave it to Beaver, and The Beverly Hillbillies all day long.
Also, when I left, the Major made me bring home this pack of 72 pieces of bacon for Hayden. haha
Trav’s birthday was Sunday, and I didn’t get home until five hours past my original flight’s scheduled arrival time…and I ended up flying to Louisville instead of Lexington. Anyway, we didn’t get to Lex until after midnight!
After a week away, I was happy to go out to dinner with these guys to celebrate Trav….even if it was a day late.
We ate at one of our favorite restaurants: Carson’s.
We had dessert at the restaurant, and it hit the spot.
I was able to go to the pool two afternoons this week which was nice.
I shared my July trackers on Instagram, and they are saved in a highlight. Feel free to use them and tag me!
Favorite Clothing Item:
I bought the “Sally” set from SSYS at the beginning of the summer, and it’s been one of my favorite things to wear. I have their crepe set from last summer, and it’s one I wear often as well.
We were at Walmart this week, and Hadley picked up these“Athletic Works” shorts. They are less than $7, and so soft! She’s worn them to sleep in as well as to the pool with her swimsuit.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Funny story. The past few vacations, I’ve given the kids a list to use when they pack. I’ve told them many times to figure out exactly what they need. So, if I write “t-shirt,” they decide if they need three shirts or five. Anyway, Hadley, who is often wearing a sweatshirt, and for sure has too many sweatshirts, packed one sweatshirt on our recent vacation….to the Pacific Northwest…where you might actually need a sweatshirt even in the summer.
Well, joke’s on me…of course, she ended up buying not just one but two sweatshirts on our vacay.
Weekly Recap:
I’ve been a busy blogger lately. Here are my posts going back to last weekend:
What are your weekend plans? We don’t have too much going on. Honestly, it’s been a while since I’ve been home on a weekend, so I hope to do some “regular” things like meal plan, place my Kroger order, stay caught up on laundry and more!
I do have a Summer Sunday post planned, so come back then!
I hope you’ve had a great week. I finally feel like I’m getting my feet back under me after being gone. The kids have had a few things this week, but I also got to go to the pool and start chipping away at some of my “to do” lists for the summer.
A few weeks ago, I shared a ThrowbackThursdaypost about the first time Hadley went to camp, and today I’m sharing another post about the first time we took the kids to the beach.
Sharing my trip recaps has had me thinking about the first vacation we took as a family of four. Wow! Traveling with kids has definitely gotten easier!
In July of 2010, Travis and I went to Folly Beach, SC to celebrate our five year wedding anniversary. We left on a Thursday and came back on Monday, and the drive was only about eight hours to the Charleston area.
The following summer, we decided the eight hour drive seemed doable…even with the kids being 18 months old. We went on vacation with friends who also have twins (two years older than my two).
Anyway, we found a house in Folly Beach, and we arrived late afternoon/early evening. Our house was on the second row, so we just had to cross the street at the beach access point. As soon as we got everything unpacked, we decided to check out the beach.
Hadley has always been more outgoing and assertive whereas Hayden has always been more quiet and hesitant.
Well, upon seeing the beach and the ocean, Hadley was the hesitant one, and Hayden was all in. I will always remember her pointing at the water and just seeming so uncertain. Hayden, on the other hand, went from running to the water’s edge to playing in the sand. He got so wet that we had to take his shirt off so he could play and not get as messy.
Obviously, with each passing day, Hadley became less timid, and Hayden had the time of his life. It was so nice not having to walk too far with all of our beach gear.
Target was my “go to” for their swimsuits for years and years. Hadley still loves Target for her swimsuits. I would always put one or two swimsuits in their Easter baskets.
Hayden loved the water gun at the beach! Hadley…”diva mode” activated!
They loved sitting in these little chairs for snack time while looking out at the water.
We went out to dinner most nights. We’d also head to the beach after dinner to catch the sunset.
I still have this pic framed….it’s one of my faves!
I always loved dressing the kids up in cute little summer outfits.
Many of our afternoons looked like this:
(and this is one of my favorite photos of all time of Trav and Hadley)
It was nice being so close to the house as sometimes my friend and I would stay at the beach and the dads would take the kids back for nap time. Other days, we’d switch off.
We had our house Saturday to Saturday, and on the Friday that was our last day, it was very overcast, and it was going to be rainy. The other family stayed, but we decided to go on home a day early. We were tired, and the kids were fussy.
My kids have always been great sleepers, but always the first couple of days anywhere were rough. Once they got in a routine and settled it, it was always ok.
Even now, Hayden is still kind of a sleep talker/fitful sleeper the first couple of nights not at home.
On the second night of our recent vacation, at 3 am he hopped out of bed and was talking to us in the hotel room. haha!! He never remembers doing these things.
Anyway, the kids were tired, and I was just ready to be home. That next Monday, I remember taking Hadley to the doctor and he said that when the kids are little, it’s a “trip” and not a “vacation.” This was a lightbulb moment for me…haha
Hadley had an ear infection which might explain why she was out of sorts even at the end of that trip.
My friend took this pic of the kids and me as we said goodbye to them and Travis packed up the car.
It was a really great vacay even though it was a lot of work to be away from home. We had a lot of fun with our friends, so that was a bonus too. That trip to Folly Beach was the start of a few summers visiting the Charleston area.
In 2013, we stayed at Wild Dunes on Isle of Palms which provided two more pics that make me smile when they pop up in my memories:
We went back to SC in 2014 and 2018 and we most recently went back in 2021.
It’s crazy to think that traveling has gotten quite a bit easier. The kids can entertain themselves on a long car ride, they can pack their own suitcases, and they can even have a little more independence and freedom when we travel. It’s true—the days are long, but the years are short!
South Carolina is a great place that’s pretty convenient for us to visit.
How’s your week going? Y’all, my long travel day on Sunday and then hitting the ground running on Monday caught up with me! Yesterday, I woke up from a dead sleep at 9:30! I got almost 11 hours of sleep. I can’t believe it…but clearly I needed it.
I also can’t believe that it’s already the second Wednesday of the month which means I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for Let’s Look.
This month’s topic is let’s look at…podcasts and shows we binge.
Podcasts:
Well, I still don’t listen to a lot of podcasts. That being said, I finally reconnected my phone to my car, so maybe I will start listening to more podcasts when I have time.
On the podcast app on my phone, I do have downloaded random episodes of:
Absolutely Not (you know I love Heather McMahan!)
Hey Dude, the 90s Called (I love that Christine Taylor and David Lascher interview so many actors from the 80’s/90’s!)
I’ve Had It (Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan are hilarious!)
Let’s Be Honest (Kristin Cavallari doesn’t hold back!)
Two podcasts that I listen to regularly are:
Calm Down (Erin and Charissa talk about sports, news, travel, gossip and more!)
& …New Heights with the Kelce Brothers.
Just FYI – I was listening to this podcast before Travis and Taylor started dating! These two are also fun to listen to.
Audio Books:
I’ve just gotten into listening to audio books thanks to a few road trips and travel.
I listened to these two audio books last month:
This month, I’ve listened to Matthew Perry and Matthew McConaughey’s books, both narrated by them. I will share more in my July book review, but I really enjoyed both. There were definitely parts of Perry’s book that were hard to listen to knowing of his now untimely death.
I could listen to McConaughey’s voice all day long…just not on 1.50 speed like I usually listen to books and podcasts. haha!
Shows:
Recently, I watched Twelve Final Days about Roger Federer’s final twelve days before retirement. It’s on Amazon Prime, and I think it was just under two hours long. So, it’s not episodes, but a short documentary.
He’s definitely one of my favorite tennis players, and I loved seeing him off the court with his family as well.
On Netflix, I’ve been watching America’s Sweethearts about the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, and I’ve really enjoyed it. I watched it last week when I was in KC, and I still have one episode left.
Also on Netflixis Sprint about the US sprinters in the year leading up to the Olympics. Of course, this is a family favorite.
My summer guilty pleasure is always the Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip on Peacock. It’s been fun to see the NY ladies again.
Travis and I have been watching Presumed Innocent on Apple TV. I think we’ve watched the first four episodes. Our viewing has been kind of sporadic as we watched the first episode before vacation, and then watched a couple more before I left for KC. A new episode comes out every week, so hopefully we can keep the momentum going.
Right now, Hadley is re-watching all of All-American before the next season comes out…
…and Hayden’s been watching Friday Night Lights. Travis and I used to watch that show together when it was on TV. We were telling the kids how we used to look forward to watching it live every week…and that went over their heads. haha
Travis and I both stop and watch some of the episodes when Hayden has the TV on. Who doesn’t love Coach Taylor and Tammy?!?
Movies:
On our flight home from Seattle, I watched The Boys in the Boat, and it was SO good. I’d wanted to see it when it was in the theater, but that just never worked out. Now I want to read the book. I highly recommend it.
I love having extra time in the summer to watch shows that aren’t normally on during the year, or finding the time to get caught up on shows or movies that I’ve missed out on. Usually, my reading time dips a bit in the summer, but I’ve been good and keeping that up too!
Do you have any suggestions on shows I should watch? We have Netflix, Prime, Peacock, and Apple TV.
I hope your week has gotten off to a great start. I was sluggish yesterday thanks to a long travel day on Sunday, but it was nice to sleep in, unpack, do laundry, and run a couple of errands. Of course, the kids had places to go too!
I’ve shared parts one and two of our trip to the Pacific Northwest, and today, I’m linking up with Joanne for…
…to share all about part 3.
I apologize but this post will probably be the one that has the most pics 😂…and please note that I actually have narrowed down what I want to share. haha
Once we left Eugene, we had about a three hour drive to the Oregon coast. Travis had found this really cute house in Rockaway Beach, and we were excited to go there.
To be honest, Travis planned these couple of days to “appease” me in the sense that he knows how much I love a beach. Of course, I had to manage the kids’ (especially Hadley’s) expectations that this isn’t the same kind of beach and ocean water that they are used to when we go to Florida.
I am glad that we took the two days here, and honestly, the timing was perfect because we were tired! We’d been busy and the time change had officially caught up with us.
Anyway, the details of the house were so cute, and I even loved the front door as it is one of my favorite colors!
The living room picture window was, well, picturesque. The cute little gate open with the ocean view…we were ready to get the lay of the land.
This little nook was perfect for sipping coffee and reading.
This little window with the view was too cute as well.
The view from the kitchen:
The details throughout the house were just perfect. I’d never seen this before, but this little hatch opened to allow in the breeze, and you could hear the ocean! There was one in each of the bedrooms.
After unloading the car, Hadley and I headed to the beach.
The short walk was perfection...
…as were the views.
I was surprised at how warm it actually was there. It was in the high 70’s, and with the sunshine, it felt warmer.
Once Hayden and Travis got to the beach, I took a little walk.
It was such a lovely day. I ended up walking about half a mile and spotted a restaurant on the ocean that I’d seen as a dinner option. I just didn’t realize how close it was to our house. So, I walked back and told my family that I’d spotted it.
We hung out on the beach for a couple of hours, and then we walked to the Sand Dollar restaurant. There was a bit of a wait, but we ended up being able to sit on the patio for dinner. We had amazing views as well as delicious food. I had clam chowder, and it was so good.
Then, we walked back to our house. I had Hadley take my pic with Trav since we didn’t get one on our anniversary the day before.
Then, I persuaded the kids to let me take their pic since I said the next day the weather forecast called for rain…which meant that we’d most likely not have a sunset session. Hadley wanted a couple of pics too.
The kids headed back to the house, and Trav and I watched the sunset. I love a beach sunset…even for just one night!
While Travis and I watched the sunset, the kids walked a couple of blocks to the market to get marshmallows to roast. Truly, the town seemed kind of “sleepy,” but it was nice that our location was close to some restaurants and markets. They kids are the perfect age for a bit of independence…and they have no trouble using a debit card. haha!
Anyway, once they got back, we sat on the back patio and roasted some marshmallows.
Hadley perched herself up on the chair outside the patio. She had quite the view of the ocean.
After the fire extinguished, we came inside and got ready for bed. We’d had a great first day on the coast.
We’d checked the weather, and we knew Wednesday seemed like it might be overcast and rainy…and it was. I’m really glad we hung out at the beach the day before, since this day was more of what I assumed Oregon weather to be like.
We slept in, and then I went to the beach to read and sip my coffee. It was 57 degrees…and I loved it!
Hayden ran while Hadley slept in. Around 12:00, we got moving and decided to drive about a half hour to Cannon Beach.
We’ve all seen The Goonies movie, but Hayden and I definitely consider it a favorite. So, we made our way to Haystack Rock once we got to Cannon Beach. This is definitely a popular tourist spot, but it wasn’t too crowded. The weather was pretty chilly!
We explored for a bit…
…and then we made our way to Pelican Brewing Co. for lunch. Travis has a real knack for knowing if there’s a brewery nearby. Travis and I split the fish and chips, and it was a delicious lunch. Hadley had the clam chowder, and she loved it.
Honestly, this afternoon was one of my favorites. We had nothing on the agenda, so we explored the town of Cannon Beach. I found the library, and the kids found the candy store. We walked around for about an hour going in and out of shops. I ended up getting a sweatshirt, and it’s now one of my faves.
Then, it really started to rain, so we made our way back to the car.
The drive on Highway 101 is unreal. Again, it was nice to have the time to just pull over at the scenic stops. I couldn’t get over the fog…
…and Hadley is always up for a little walk.
It was so pretty, and the pics don’t do it justice. I felt like everywhere I looked was a Bob Ross painting!
Hayden was really wanting to watch the NBA draft, and due to the time difference, that meant he wanted to be home around 4:00. We made it back in time, and while he watched the draft, I read.
We had a lovely, lazy evening at the house. We were all pretty full from lunch, so we just ate sandwiches and other leftovers at the house. I baked cookies too.
That night, we watched Stand By Me. It was a really great way to end our day.
Thursday morning, I went to the beach for about thirty minutes. It was chilly, but I loved it. If I’m near the water, I always say “goodbye” to the ocean.
“Until we meet again…”
Then, it was time to pack up and say goodbye to this cute little house.
After we packed up, we made our way to Astoria. My brother had been there many years ago, and again, like him, we love The Goonies.
We drove about an hour and a half, and made it to Astoria. The Goonies house was easy to find (thanks to a Google search for the address!)
We parked and walked up the gravel driveway to the house.
This was the view looking out from Goonies house:
Hadley snapped our pic, so I could send it to my brother. (He gives me grief for not following his suggestions when we are traveling…haha!)
After we left the Goonie house and walked to our car, I looked up and saw this view, so of course I had to take a picture.
As I took that pic, my brother texted back and said I had to go see the elementary school from Kindergarten Cop. Right as I read this message, I turned around and saw an playground and wondered if I was looking at the back of the elementary school. Well, I was! I walked around to the front to send him another pic as proof. I was telling the kids about it, so now we have to watch that movie too.
After that, we got back in the car, and drove a bit, crossing a beautiful bridge into Washington. Even rest stops in Washington have views:
We drove a couple of hours making our way to Olympic National Park, and the Lake Quinault Lodge.
We couldn’t wait to explore the national park and this property!
So, that’s part three of our trip! I’m so glad we added in these couple of “beach” days as they were perfectly timed to relax a bit and have a different beach experience.
I’m not trying to be negative, but I only have four more Mondays (counting today!) until I go back to school. I swear summer feels shorter and shorter every year.
Did you catch my posts on Saturday and Sunday? My Saturday post was all about our time in Eugene, OR at the Olympic track trials. It was such a special part of our trip. Sunday, I shared a few pics from our 4th of July…I was in KC while the kids and Trav were at home in Lex.
Anyway, it’s already the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting this month’s link up with some of my favorite bloggers:
This month’s topic is…day in the life: summer edition.
Well, I’m glad that I looked ahead at this topic because I decided to go ahead a document a day a couple of weeks ago knowing we were about to go out of town for vacation, and then I’d be in KC for a week. I wanted to choose a somewhat “normal” day when we are home.
Honestly, we’ve yet to have two days a like this summer which can be both good and bad.
Anyway, here’s a peek at Tuesday, June 18th.
I got up at 7:30 but forgot to screenshot the time. I did so around 8:30.
After I got up, I settled in my with “dream team” team of eye gels and coffee.
Hayden has been here….
He ate some coffee cake before his run.
Knowing we were about to be gone, I wanted to make sure my Kindle was loaded up with good books:
Of course I made my bed…
…started some laundry…
…and did my morning skincare routine.
Around 9:00 is when the HVAC guys arrived. This was the day we were getting our new a/c and furnace.
Just in time! It had “cooled off” to 82 that morning.
Hayden was prepping for his run while Homer and I snuggled.
Then, I went to unload the dishwasher only to realize that Trav had unloaded it before work… but he did it wrong…(haha!)
There…that’s better 🤣 To me, I don’t care where the forks and spoons go (although, they should go side by side)…the butter knives have to go to the far left…at least that’s what I think!
I looked outside and realized that Hayden was still home. He takes forever to get started…and was out front warming up.
I didn’t have to go to school for summer school this day, but I did have some stipends to approve. I grabbed a second cup of coffee and did that.
While I was at my computer, I decided to go ahead and work on the next day’s blog post.
Around 10:00, I put on a little makeup, finished getting ready for the day, tidied up and changed out the laundry.
Sleeping Beauty, Hadley was still sleeping at 10:30, so I woke her up.
Then, I took Hayden to his doctor’s appointment.
Once we were finished with that, I dropped Hayden at home and filled up my tumbler with water.
I had a 12:00 dentist appointment for my six month cleaning. Fun fact about me is that I never had a cavity until I was thirty years old…and then I had two! I got them right after I had the kids. I’ve never had another cavity since! Another fun fact about me is that I love going to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned.
How cute is their summer tree?
I was home around 1:00 and had lunch. I still love a little plate of snacks for lunch in the summer.
Then, I walked around the house and fussed at my kids to pick up up their ish!
Around 1:45, Hadley and I picked up my niece for our 2:00 nail appointments. I wanted to get a pedicure before vacation, and I usually let Hadley get a manicure before vacay too. Layla had a birthday in late May, and I hadn’t gotten her a present yet, so she tagged along for a mani too!
Then, of course we had to get ice cream…
…and see Layla’s updated room!
As I got home around 3:30, the a/c guys were finishing up.
Hadley said our new thermostat is “bougie” because it has the time on it haha
I found Homer was cooling off in the sun room.
I decided to have a little snack and watch some tv in the basement. During the summer, I find myself watching King of Queens,227,Golden Girls and other shows from my childhood. It’s a great way to pass the time. Sometimes I doze off if needed too!
I lounged for about an hour before finally getting my workout in around 6:00. I almost didn’t “press play,” but I’m glad that I did.
Then, I put dinner in the oven. I decided to do something easy and make a store bought quiche for dinner.
While it baked, I read for a bit.
Then, I picked up Hadley and her friends from pool party at 7.
Since the house was still hot, I enjoyed dinner out in the sun room, and Homer kept me company.
After dinner, I always get the coffee pot ready for the next day…even in the summer.
I still hadn’t gotten in my Bible study for the day, so I did that.
Then, I showered and did my PM skincare routine.
Around 9:00, Travis and I watched the first episode of Presumed Innocent on Apple TV. We were hooked…but tired…
…so we went on to bed. I had the Royals game on in the background as I read my book.
I read and watched TV for a bit before going to bed close to 11:00.
In the summer, 11:00 seems to be my typical bedtime instead of 10:00 during the school year. It’s nice to stay up about an hour later and sleep in about an hour later.
So, that was a summer day for us! Some days, I’ve been at school for a few hours, taken the kids to other appointments or activities, gone to the pool, ran errands and more. I guess I just try to make the most of each day and have a mix of productivity and downtime.
Next month we’re discussing least favorite activities. We hope you’ll join us.
I love reading “day in the life” posts, so I can’t wait to read other bloggers’ posts today.
I’ve enjoyed these Sunday posts this summer because I seem to have a bit more time on the weekend in the summer to get these written.
Well, it would be unnatural of me not to do a 4th of July recap, so that’s what’s happening today.
4th of July used to look more like this:
or this:
This year was definitely a different kind of 4th of July. I was in KC with my dad after his knee surgery (I’m head home today), so Trav and the kids were left on their own. haha!
Like last year, Hayden ran the Bluegrass 10,000. He stuck with his uncle for the race. Here’s a pic at the starting line:
Hadley sent me an “action shot.” She was really thrilled to be at a race at 7am!
They just hung out the rest of the day, went to the pool, and grilled out. Hadley ended up hanging with some friends before Travis played chauffeur and took the girls (and Hayden) to our favorite spot for fireworks.
I did miss seeing a big fireworks display this year. The 4th is one of my favorite holidays.
Again, Hadley provided a few pics!
‘Merica, y’all!
While they didn’t have my traditional red, white and blue waffles, I think they survived the holiday without me.
On the 4th, I did go to my aunt’s house for dinner, so I was able to see my mom, Gma and uncle. We had pork chops, watermelon, and “Corn Jumble.” As I was eating the jumble, I was conflicted because I loved it but just knew there was mayo in it…and you know how I feel about mayo. My aunt told me there was just a bit in it (and sour cream), but truly…it was so good. I even had seconds.
She said the recipe is from a cookbook called Beyond Parsley.
Here it is:
My mom made this cute s’mores dessert, and I thought it was for our 4th of July dinner….but it was for her monthly dinner with her neighbors.
She has Hershey’s chocolate on the bottom and then layered marshmallows (some of which she rolled in colored sugar) and then you just bake for a bit to melt it…and dip with graham crackers.
We did have key lime pie for dessert at my aunt’s, so I wasn’t too upset…but…
…I pouted just enough that she made me a small version of the s’mores for my dessert Friday night at her house.
I’ve spent this week binging America’s Sweethearts on Netflix. Is there anything more American than the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders? haha
Today, I’m headed home. My dad is about a week out from knee surgery, and definitely in better spirits.
I just counted, and in the past 16 days, I’ve slept in my bed two nights. I’m ready to be home and find some kind of routine for the rest of July.
Also, I can’t end this post without giving a “happy birthday” shout out to Trav. Today is his birthday.
He’s been holding down the fort this week which I’m sure he’s done with ease (and apparently without eating many of the meals I planned out for them. haha!)
Hopefully, we can celebrate him a bit tomorrow.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and come back tomorrow for our monthly Share Our Lives link up.
After posting sporadically lately, I’m trying to find my blogging groove. I had time to do it, so I’m picking up where I left off yesterday and sharing part 2 of our trip today.
As I said in yesterday’s post, this vacation was planned because of the track and field Olympic Trials at the University of Oregon. Travis had been to Eugene once before when our nephew had a race years ago, and he knew Hayward Field is a special place.
Of course, both my kids run track and follow quite a few athletes, so this was really special for them.
Travis did the best he could choosing two days with races that the kids would specifically want to see. He chose Sunday because of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was slated to run the 400m, but she decided to focus on 400m hurdles which ended up being a different night. We still got to see many amazing races including Noah Lyles in the 100 and a few University of Kentucky athletes compete as well. Keaton Daniel is an outstanding UK pole vaulter, and he came in 4th and was named an alternate.
There was a fun area behind the track with photo ops, the merch tent, food, and a stage where the top three athletes would go for Q&A after the races/events.
Welcome to Track Town!
Hadley signed the (cardboard) “Olympic Torch,” which she thought was so neat.
We made our way to our seats which were on the second level, and we had an amazing view.
The weather was amazing too!
There’s Noah Lyles in the red after his 100m run:
Sunday night, we saw: men’s pole vault, men’s 100m semi and final, women’s 800m semi-final, men’s 400m semi, women’s 400m final, among other events.
Afterwards, we snapped a couple of pics…
…and then a lovely woman asked if I wanted to hop in a pic…which I appreciated 🙂
Afterwards, the kids wanted to go down a level to see some athletes. Sunday night they got selfies with Fred Kerley (men’s 100m) and Noah Lyles (men’s 100 and 200m) and then Monday night with Allie Wilson and Juliette Whittaker (both women’s 800m).
Going into these races, I didn’t realize how accessible these athletes would be after the races. It’s super cool that the kids saw so many of their idols up close!
After the races, we walked around a bit and then made our way to catch our Uber back to the house.
We were hungry, and Travis went out of find some food while the kids hung out in the hot tub.
Then, it was bedtime.
The next day was Monday, June 24 which was our 19th wedding anniversary. Travis is known for his bubble letter cards, and he tries to be artistic. Of course, this is my name looking like Hayward Field track. haha
Travis and Hayden left for Hayden’s workout, and when they got back, I woke up Hadley and we went to “Pre’s Rock,” which is where Steve Prefontaine died. If you aren’t familiar with him, he was an amazing distance runner from the University of Oregon who ran in the 1972 Olympics. At the age of 24, he died in a car accident near the university.
Runners leave items at the rock. Hayden meant to bring a medal or racing bib but forgot. I’m glad we went and visited this memorial.
After that, we made our way to the University of Oregon bookstore. Everyone wanted to get a shirt or sweatshirt, and I love a university bookstore. What we saw of the campus was really pretty.
Hadley loves a mascot!
Then, Hayden wanted to see the football field. We figured it would be pretty locked up, and it was, but he was able to get a peek at the indoor football facility.
Then, we went back to the house for a bit, before getting ready for night two of the Olympic Trials. We decided to leave early and get some dinner beforehand. We drove instead of taking an Uber, and we ate at Wild Duck which is a popular place near campus.
Then, we walked over to the field, and the kids watched some of the athletes on the warm-up track.
On Monday night, our seats were on the first level near the finish line which was so cool.
Hayden was so excited to watch the men’s 1500. The men’s 400, women’s 800 and women’s 5 k were also exciting. We also paid close attention to the women’s high jump as University of Kentucky’s Charity Hufnagel was jumping, and she won gold. The men’s long jump was right in front of us too.
Monday night, we were able to watch: men’s 110m hurdles, women’s high jump final, men’s long jump final, men’s 1500m (Hayden was so excited!), men’s 400m final (one of the finalists was 16 year old Quincy Wilson!), women’s 5000m (such an intense finish!), and the women’s 800m final (with a heart-breaking trip up by Athing Mu!). It was such a great night of racing, and we were so close to the action!
After the races, the kids wanted to go back over to the area they went the previous night where the athletes enter/exit the track. We stayed put and told them to meet us back in our seats. We got a text that included my mom asking if GG had seen them on TV. She looked back on the track coverage, and lo and behold…there were the kids on TV right behind Mike Tirico. haha
We finally caught up with the kids after their time on TV. haha
We had to get a pic in their Oregon/Olympics merch. I joked that the only thing faster than the men’s 110m hurdles that night was Hadley finding the merch tent!
Afterwards, we got ice cream while Travis went to pick up Chipolte. Both nights, most things were closing around the time the trials were over…at least where we were staying.
We headed back to the house, ate, relaxed and went to bed.
On Tuesday morning, Hayden went for a run, and then we packed up the car. We had breakfast at the highly recommended Pancake House. While we ate our delicious breakfast, we spotted Noah Lyles with his mom, then Travis noticed Michael Johnson (who famously wore his gold spikes for the 200m race in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics) in a booth. On our way out, we spotted distance runner Craig Engles who Hayden looks up to. It was quite the place to be!
Before we left Eugene, Travis asked Hadley if she wanted to go to the Nike store as he’d taken Hayden the day before. As we walked up to the store, one of the employees asked the kids if they wanted to try to “Nike Experience” they were putting on that day. They signed in, were given the latest Nikes and then got to run down about 20m. When they were at the beginning of the “track,” they announced their name, blew smoke and said, “runner, take your mark!” and then as they ran, one of the employees snapped professional (ish) photos that could be sent to my phone.
They had a good time doing that.
After the Nike store, we got in the car and drove a couple of hours to Rockaway Beach, Oregon. We had the cutest house, steps away from the beach.
So, that’s a recap our the second part of our trip. It was a very memorable experience that we all loved. Honestly, I loved everything we did on this trip, but so far, when people have asked my favorite part, the Olympic Trials were definitely it.
Like I said on Monday, July days just hit different. As Friday is already rolling around, I’m trying to savor these summer days!
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea (assuming they are hosting today) for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Well, one of my favorite things to do is to see new places, and Travis planned a really fun and different vacation for us, and I’m going to share a part 1 of this trip when we were in Portland.
This vacation began because of my family’s love of track and field…and the Olympic trials were being held in Eugene, Oregon. Travis took that idea and ran with it planning a little bit of everything: Olympic trials, outdoors time, hikes, beach time, and city sight-seeing. While I’m not trying to drag out these posts, we did visit Portland, Eugene, Rockaway Beach (and other cute towns), Olympic National Park, and Seattle. So, I could see this vacay recap being quite a few parts.
My apologies in advance, but I do think of these posts as a scrapbook of sorts. Anyway, here we go!
So, we were supposed to leave on Saturday, June 22, but about a month before our trip, they changed our flight which made us have a seven hour (or so) layover in Dallas. So, when Travis got online, he was able to schedule better flights on Friday, June 21. By going this route, we still had a layover and would still be arriving late, but at least the layover was quick, and then we’d have a bonus day in Portland that we weren’t necessarily going to have. We knew we could use this day to sleep in and do whatever we wanted.
As we pulled out of our driveway to head to Cincinnati, Travis got the text that our 7:30 PM flight got pushed to 8:30. We went ahead with the hour and 15 minute drive and made a stop for an actual dinner at Cheddars since we knew that would be our last meal of the day. We did leave at 8:30, but in Denver, our quick layover turned into a delay. Originally, we should have landed in Portland at 11:00 PM (PST), but instead we landed at midnight (PST).
Honestly, I guess not bad overall. We rented a car, drove to the hotel, and fell asleep at 2:00 am…that’s 5:00 am EST (woof!).
Travis always gets up early, but he likes to get the lay of the land…and honestly, I’m grateful for that. I woke up at 9, and we got the kids up around 10.
We got ready and walked to breakfast at Grits and Gravy. We were ready to fill up on some good food. We had all the good stuff: bacon, eggs, French toast, biscuits, gravy and more!
After that, we went back to the hotel and got ready for the day. Travis had found some hiking trails about 45 minutes away on “Waterfall Alley.”
The first waterfall was Latourell Falls, and it was so pretty.
A kind lady offered to take our pic. The kids had so much fun exploring.
Then, we got back in the car and drove a bit to another stop, the Vista House, and this was the view with the Columbia River down below.
We got back in the car and drove to another stop: Bridal Veil Falls. At this stop, we did quite a bit of walking…
…and the kids were more adventurous. “Hi, mom!”
Then, we made our way to “Horsetail Falls,” and that was a very pretty way to end our waterfall trek.
Hayden jokingly said, “I’m in my hiking era!” haha
Of course, Travis can find a brewery anywhere, and Oregon has many great ones. The good thing about breweries is they tend to have great menus, so the kids were happy.
We stopped at Thunder Island Brewing, and this was our view:
We got a table looking at the beautiful scenery. We had a few apps, and then the kids walked to get ice cream.
After that, we drove about forty minutes back to the hotel, rested, and showered before going to dinner. Of course, we were tired, so I was thankful for the early dinner.
We walked to Midtown Beer Garden because Travis had read about their food trucks. The weather was so nice, and it was great that there were so many options. Hadley got shrimp fried rice, Hayden and Travis got burgers, and I got some sushi. We all thought our food hit the spot.
Then, we walked back to the hotel, watched TV and went to bed by 10.
Sunday morning, Travis and Hayden got up early to drive to Beaverton, Oregon, so that Hayden could get his workout in at the Nike Headquarters. The Michael Johnson track is there…
Hayden had a great workout, and a fun experience. He can be a boy of few words, but he smiled as he told me about the track and how it’s built in the woods.
While Travis and Hayden were gone, I hit up the hotel gym to get on the elliptical since I knew we’d be in the car driving to Eugene for quite some time. Then, Hadley and I walked over to Starbucks.
Once we all got back to the hotel, we walked to the famous Voodoo Doughnuts. There was a short line, and we went ahead and picked up extra donuts for Monday morning too. I got the “Homer” which had strawberry frosting and was delish!
We walked back to the hotel, showered and packed up to head to Eugene.
We stayed at the Dossier Hotel, and it was beautiful and very convenient to places for us to walk to.
Before we left the hotel, Hayden mentioned that parts of Stand By Me were filmed in Brownsville, Oregon. Travis had looked on the map, and it was basically on the way. We drove about an hour and a half and arrived. We parked the car by Carlson’s, and walked around. Hayden was so excited. We even walked into a store that was filled with pictures from the filming. The ladies were so kind, and they even took us to the crosswalk where the put a penny every year as a nod to when Vern finds a penny.
After we left that store, we walked past the Coca-Cola sign, and then on to the bridge.
This was a cute little pit-stop in a sleepy, cute town. I was glad that Hayden added that to our agenda.
We drove about another hour and a half to Eugene. Travis found a cute house (duplex) for us to stay in. The owners were right next door and really nice.
This is where we stayed for our two nights in Eugene:
We got unpacked, and went to a nearby pizza place for an early dinner. After dinner, Hadley and I checked out a few stores while Travis and Hayden went to the grocery store. It was nice knowing we had a fridge and appliances for a couple of nights.
Then, we came back to the house to change and head to Hayward Field for the Olympic Track and Field Trials.
I will pick up there next time…Eugene was a cute college town, and the kids and Trav were so excited to be there. Me too…but as we all know, I’m the only non-runner in the family. haha!
Share Our Lives:
We have our monthly link up on Monday, and of course we hope you’ll join us.
This month’s topic is…day in the life: summer edition. I always love sharing and reading day in the life posts, so I can’t wait to read what others have to share on Monday.
Speaking of posts, I might try to get part 2 of our vacay posted tomorrow as well as a Summer Sunday post on Sunday. We’ll see. I’ve had a bit more downtime this week because I’ve been in KC helping my dad after his knee surgery. He’s kept me busy too…haha…but not as much as being home, running errands, taking the kids places, etc.
Anyway, I hope you have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend!
Well, before we get too far into June, I want to share my workouts.
I’m proud of my effort in June for being such a busy (summer!) month for us. This month’s workouts include a mix of Bodi as well as some of our days on vacation where we went for hikes or days I got lots of steps in!
Here’s my Bodi tracker for June:
Here are my workouts this month:
June 2: Sure Thing: Lower Body Power
June 3:Bomb Body: Power Punch (This was a new workout I stumbled upon, and boy was it tough!)
June 4:Sure Thing: Hybrid Strength Circuit
June 5: 45 minute walk while in KC
June 6: 45 minute walk while in KC
June 10:Job 1: Start Strong: Shoulders, Arms and Glutes
June 11:Sure Thing: Combination Strength
June 12:Sure Thing: Strength and Stability
June 15: Fire and Flow: Lower Body Fire 1
June 18: Job 1: Start Strong: Shoulders, Arms and Glutes (As I was doing this workout, I was thinking, “This seems familiar,” and I realized I did it the week before. Oh well.)
June 19: 21 Day Fix Extreme:The Fix Challenge. Let me just say this was one of the hardest workouts I’ve ever done. Each round we’d learn a new move and then continue to add it to the rotation. This was non-stop for the 30 minutes. I’ve completed the entire 21 Day Fix Extreme program a few years ago, and I don’t remember that one!!
June 20:Sure Thing: Power Strength Circuit
June 21:21 Day Fix: Dirty 30. (This was the day we were leaving for vacation, and since I didn’t know what to expect for vacation workouts, I wanted to get one in before we left. I’m glad that I did.)
June 22: Busy day in Portland, including some hikes on “Waterfall Alley.” What a pretty way to get my steps in.
June 23: I did the elliptical for 30 minutes at the hotel gym, and then that day I got 15,000 steps in thanks to the elliptical and sightseeing.
June 24: Thanks to sightseeing in Eugene and walking around during the Olympic Trials, I got 10,000 steps.
June 27: I got over 10,000 steps in on this day, most of which thanks to a hike in a rain forest in Olympic National Park.
June 28: We had a full day of sightseeing in Seattle, including going to Pike’s Place Market and the Space Needle. I got in over 12,000 steps, and I was tuckered out!
Overall, I’m glad I made a point to be active wherever I was. I started the month visiting family in Kansas City, and we ended the month being gone for eight days visiting Oregon and Washington.
I’m halfway through the year, and I’ve logged 92 official workouts (either Bodi, the gym, hikes, or getting my steps in.) So, 92 workouts in 181 days = 51%…I’m happy to be a smidge over my 50% goal. (I think my math is “mathing.”)
I’m just doing the best that I can. I hope to have a more regular July before the hustle and bustle of back to school starts in August.
I should have a post on Friday, and I hope you have a great 4th of July.
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