Brian and I enjoyed a much-needed date night, immersing ourselves in a Halloween-themed Candlelight String Quartet performance. It was such a unique and memorable experience!
While we were out, Rost had his own special evening at a friend’s house—a playdate complete with dinner and flowers.
Tractor Supply opened up a store nearby & since opening day, there has been a zero-turn power wheels sitting near the front door. Every time we go into that store, we talk about the little lawn mower & how cool it would be to bring it home. As Grandpa mowed one morning, I sent Brian to Tractor Supply to do just that. Brian ran into town while Rost & I worked on some chores outside. When he returned, Rost was equal parts surprised and stoked to start mowing with Grandpa on his new mower.
It’s embarrassing (for me) how quickly Rost picked up the controls of the Zero-Turn mower in comparison to how many weeks it took me to get the hang of the adult size mower.
We finally found a family dentist in Kalispell that we absolutely love! Since switching to Kalispell Family Dental, Rost has been a champ at keeping up with his six-month cleanings. So proud of these milestones as he grows.
Another summer has arrived, and with it, our annual trip back to Pennsylvania to visit my side of the family. Before Rost came along, I used to make this trip every four years or so, but now I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the tradition of going back every year.
Rost needed a haircut before our travels and specifically asked to visit Nate the Barber—his friend’s dad.
Our journey from Kalispell to Pennsylvania involved two flights. Rost charmed the Delta flight crews and got the royal treatment along the way. We landed in Pittsburgh, slightly exhausted but excited to start our adventure.
Rost soaked up the humid country air and loved spending time in nature with my parents. I, on the other hand, relished having someone else cook for us (huge thanks to Rost and Gimmy).
The next day, we picked up a rental car and headed to a small town near Hershey for a big family celebration. First, we attended the beautiful wedding of my cousin Nathan and his lovely bride, Rachael. Then it was off to Hershey Park for family time, complete with rides, laughter, and, of course, a chocolate-induced coma.
On our way back to my parents’ house, several of us stopped at a park near Harrisburg to play a real-life game of Chutes and Ladders. Not to brag (okay, maybe a little), but I won—and didn’t let my family forget it!
Back in Confluence, I had the joy of reconnecting with one of my favorite people, Mrs. Ruppel. She was my 1st and 2nd-grade teacher and has been a cherished family friend for years. Catching up with people like her is one of the best parts of these trips.
My brother surprised Brian and me with a rafting adventure down the Lower Yough. Even though I grew up near the Youghiogheny River, I’d only ever floated the Middle section. It was an amazing day filled with laughter and some fun new friends. While we were on the river, Rost was thoroughly spoiled by the family, so he didn’t miss out on the fun either.
Pappy planned a special outing for Rost and his cousin Parker at a nearby farm we’d visited last year. Rost was over the moon with all the tractors—some new ones had even joined the lineup since our last visit. Needless to say, we’re already looking forward to going back next year.
Before nap time that day, Pappy pulled over by a creek and made sure both Rost and Parker reeled in a fish. It was such a sweet and memorable moment.
Our next stop was Washington, D.C., to meet Brian’s Uncle Tommy and Aunt Tina at the National Zoo. Despite the humid heat, Rost kept up his boundless energy. Ironically, his favorite animal at the zoo turned out to be a cow—something we could have easily seen right next door to our house in Montana!
We wrapped up the day with dinner in D.C. with one of my former teammates from Parnall Law. We’ve both moved on to new roles but have stayed in touch. It was great to catch up before heading back to southwestern Pennsylvania.
The timing of our trip was perfect, as we got to celebrate my sister-in-law’s 50th birthday. The intimate family dinner on Friday night was actually a decoy for a surprise party the next afternoon, which was a total hit.
Before heading back to Montana, we squeezed in one last big event—cheering on my oldest nephew, Ben, at his football game.
Thanks for all the fun and memories, East Coast. We’ll see you again next summer! Xoxo
Turning 38 is a solid milestone—a reminder of how much has been accomplished and how far there is still to go. At this age, there’s a good mix of experience and ambition, with enough lessons learned to appreciate the wins and handle the challenges. Here’s to more good times, fewer worries, and plenty of memorable moments ahead.
To celebrate the day, I rallied my friend Breanna, her son Rocky, & Rost, & we set out for a part of Glacier I had never explored before – Two Medicine. This was my first time venturing into this part of the park, but it won’t be my last. I’m so grateful to live close to such a beautiful, majestic place.
40 is on the horizon… should it be something extra special?
I’ve been on the hunt for a toddler-sized backpack ever since Rost decided he was done with the hiking backpack and wanted to fully embrace hiking on his own. After some searching, I found the perfect option—plenty of fun character designs to choose from—and let Rost pick his favorite. To my delight, he surprised me by choosing the tiger!
The backpack arrived earlier this week, just in time for our upcoming trip to Pennsylvania. Now, Rost is all set to carry his own snacks and toys.
He absolutely loves his “packpack,” and I can’t get over how adorable he looks wearing it!
The curse has finally been broken! First, my Seester’s trip was canceled (something about her having Breast Cancer & a double mastectomy), then my parent’s trip was canceled (something about helping said Seester during chemo), and lastly, my cousin Amanda was going to visit, but her trip was canceled thanks to the CrowdStrike Outage stranding her in Texas. I was convinced 2024 was doomed to be a year of no visitors.
Thankfully, my cousins Heather and Kris had a wedding in Bozeman to attend last week. From Bozeman, they traveled to Kalispell and spent the last few days letting Rost and me tour them all over Glacier.
I had two full days to show them why I am so in love with this place & needed to make the most of our time. Since they’ve had the pleasure of touring Alaska with us before, they knew to expect full days on the road.
We spent our first day primarily on the iconic Going to the Sun road & walked about the Many Glacier area a bit. While Heather & Kris broke my 2024 no-visitor curse, they also broke my “Never been to Many Glacier & not seen a bear” streak as well. I can sadly no longer boast the fact that I’ve never been to Many Glacier & not seen a bear.
Day two required a bit of sleeping in, so we got a late start to the morning. Our first stop was the Old Steel Bridge by the house to show Heather that the colorful rocks of Lake McDonald were, in fact, present outside of that lake despite social media’s content creators saying otherwise. It was here that I was relentlessly attacked by a rogue Canada goose. While Heather was mostly concerned about grizzly bears while walking about, it was a wild goose that sent us running back to the truck – all the while holding a laughing toddler above my head.
After a quick trip through Kalispell, we headed north through Polebridge & up to Bowman & Kintla lakes. On our drive, we spotted migrating Sandhill Cranes, swimming beavers, adorable baby deer, fresh wolf tracks emerging from a stream, & the only bear we saw on the entire two days of driving – the gummy bear!
With any luck, my first visitors of the year won’t be the last, but they set the bar high. Rost & Kris are now the best snacking buds & Rost has decided to call both Kris & Heather “Taco” rather than their given names for some reason. I guess Taco is easier to remember.
Rost and I took a tram ride to the top of Big Mountain for a ranger-led hike. I have only hiked to the top of Big Mountain once before, many years ago, and the Tram is a much more pleasant way to get there. We took a nice little hike, picked (and ate) as many wild strawberries as we could find, and enjoyed the views as best we could. This trip might have to become a yearly tradition.
My friend Becky visited us from the Missoula area for a day of sightseeing in Glacier and around Kalispell with Rost and me. The weather was absolutely perfect for our adventure. Rost adores his “Aunt Becky,” and I cherish both her and the special bond they share.
This season has been exceptional for huckleberries in NW Montana! Not only have they been abundant and easy to find, but they’re also larger than I’ve seen in previous years. I’m especially grateful that my in-laws prefer to pick them by boat—it’s definitely the best way to do it!
