I’m not sure when I lost track of documenting our adventures here, but when I opened up this blog space today, I saw a back log of drafts, pictures uploaded and ready to go, with no words. Scrapbooking, or documenting, has never been my strong suit. And I realize there are so many easy, instant options today that I could be utilizing better, perhaps.

Fall in Germany is one of my favorite things now. The leaves begin changing and hold on to their bright yellows, oranges and reds all the way through mid December which give me so much time to enjoy it. I love the slow roll of it over the quick intensity of the Rocky Mountain Falls I grew up with, and the lack-luster brown falls of the desert living in New Mexico. It feels like I really have a chance to savor it.

When a friend asks if you want to join them for a weekend in Paris, you say YES! My amazing friend Emily was going with her adult daughter to take a bread-making course at Le Cordon Blue cooking school near the Eiffel Tower and wanted to know if Emme and I would like to join them. There was no hesitation, except that Emme wasn’t old enough to do the cooking school course. Such a bummer, but I still wanted to go and share lodging and some memories together.

I can’t believe it! Emme, my first girl, my second child, my easiest labor and delivery, my spunky and dry-witted girl turned 16. Living in Germany means this milestone of a birthday is missing the usual milestone things that came for myself and Matt when we turned 16. There’s no Driver’s License to celebrate, and dating is the furthest thing from Emme’s mind and she’s not thrilled with the dating pool, yet. She also absolutely refused a surprise party, so there wasn’t any fanfare there.

We love Disneyland and Disneyworld and now Disneyland Paris too. This was our first time going and experiencing both the Magic Kingdom Park and Hollywood Studios and we had so much fun. We stayed in a small apartment in Serris, just 1 mile from the entrance and enjoyed two days doing all the rides, falling in love with our favorites, and planning to come back.

Maria the great and beautiful and kind (a friend here that I adore) is gifted with the ability to plan trips and bring people together in ways that really matter. She planned the temple trip to Bern, Switzerland, last year that I was able to attend, and this year she put together an amazing weekend to attend the Frieburg Temple.

I booked the cutest chalet apartment in Lauterbrunnen early this year because it’s such a popular destination, right in the heart of the Swiss Alps, that seems to always be booked and have limited options. I knew this was a place I really wanted to experience with the family and it turned out to be the best getaway.

My amazing friends, Dawn and Shannon, and I were determined to have a fun day out with all of our kids together this summer and Legoland was the perfect spot! We live just one hour away and all of our kids are obsessed with Lego.

The kids have learned to distinguish between two things: a vacation and a trip.

A trip is a lot of walking and site-seeing. Still fun, still enjoyable, but it usually means waking up early, staying out late, and not a lot of relaxing or any relaxing at all.

A vacation is where you can just melt into somewhere with no agenda except to rest and recharge.

Croatia for us was a vacation, finally. And when I told the kids it was a vacation they cheered, and then cheered even more when I told them we were going to an all-inclusive resort.

Here I am, in November, finally compiling our summer adventures for us to remember...just the first five weeks anyway. It was a profoundly busy, beautiful, exhausting, memorable and sweet summer! Just scrolling through the 500+ pictures and videos makes me tired. We covered so much ground (and all ranges of emotions) in the five short weeks that my parents were here to visit and travel with us. The best way for me to remember all the details is by sharing my travel outline that kept us all on track.

Our first jet-lagged days in Germany when we arrived last year were a blur, but I still remember being invited to a delicious dinner in a new friend’s home and noticing her beautiful dishes. There was something about the mismatched blue and white patterns that felt so welcoming and special.

When my friend Lindsey announced she was planning a trip to Morocco and asked if anyone wanted to come, I didn’t hesitate for even a second. It’s a place I knew I wanted to experience and I knew that traveling with her would mean experiencing the people and culture beyond a typical tourist adventure. I am so glad I went!