Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas & an even better new year.
Christmas hits differently with kids. Their magic adds just that much more specialness to Christmastime. Even with a bout of stomach bug hitting Rost late on Christmas Eve, it was still a great holiday season with much to be thankful for.
  Brian, Rost, & I spent Thanksgiving this year in North Dakota with Brian’s parents and brother’s family. The newest family member being baby Jett! This was our first time meeting Jett, Rost’s newest and smallest cousin. This was Rost’s longest road trip by far (13 hours drive time spread out over two days) & has given me some great ideas for future road trips!
Autumn is setting in in northwestern Montana so our seasonal projects around the property are coming to a close. I’ll have another post coming regarding all the work we’ve put in over the last two years but this post is dedicated solely to my big helper. I’m not sure how Brian & I managed to get so much done before we had his assistance.
A nearby farm opens its doors for only two days a year. Admission is free and includes farm animals, games, and a tractor ride. Rost and I regularly ride by this farm on our bike rides so I’ve been looking forward to checking out this little slice of heaven all year. Rost and I had so much fun on Friday that we had to drag Brian, Don, & Michele back there on Saturday. Also, someday I will be bringing home one of the kunekune piglets!! Also, now I want to grow a pumpkin patch.
Rost and I were lucky enough to travel back east to Pennsylvania again for two weeks to visit with family and friends.
My dad set up an amazing day for Rost on two nearby farms where he got to feed baby cows and ride many, many tractors.
Of course, we spent as much time on the water as we humanly could.
Rost was old enough to truly appreciate the amazing Idlewild theme park. It’s designed for children and anyone young at heart. This was easily one of the best days of my life; sharing an incredible day with my son straight out of my childhood.
I’ve been promising my brother for roughly 10 years that I’d come home for a Groff family reunion. I finally made good on that promise.
Now that we’ve successfully made it back two summers in a row, this is considered an annual event, right?
What event could possibly hold so many of Rost’s favorite things in one place? Why the Northwest Montana Fair, of course! Tractors, cows, horses, ice cream, and even more tractors!
Rost turned 19 months old while he and I were visiting my family & friends back in Pennsylvania. Don’t worry, you’ll only be getting these monthly updates until he turns two, then posts will resume back to life events.
The air was filled with the sweet scent of pine as we arrived at the campsite, surrounded by towering trees and a babbling stream nearby. Rost had spent the first two nights camping with Grandma & Grandpa while I took my first vacay from momming in well over a year (48 bittersweet hours – a ridiculous amount of stuff was accomplished).
Brian & I joined in on the fun Friday night to enjoy a couple of days relaxing at the lake.
This unforgettable experience marked the beginning of countless adventures for my little explorer, creating cherished memories to last a lifetime.
Here we go
Come with me
There’s a world out there that we should see
Take my hand
Close your eyes
With you right here, I’m a rocketeerWhere we go, we don’t need roads
And where we stop? Nobody knows
To the stars if you really want it
Got, got a jetpack with your name on it
Creeping towards a year and a half – 17 months have come and gone. Rost is ever the great helper and making big moves in life over the last month. Enjoy the photo dump from over the last month. Xoxo.
