A few weeks ago, we travelled to Malta, where Brian still has family; his mother's parents immigrated from Malta after their wedding. Malta is 1/10th the size of Rhode Island, so a very small country! We had a wonderful week, during which Brian's cousins drove us all over the islands of Malta and Gozo, seeing so many beautiful sights and eating lots of Pastizzi, a local savory pastry. It seemed that each piece of coastline we saw, and every town was more beautiful than the rest. The natural wonders of Malta are truly stunning.

We swam in the Mediterranean Sea, visited historical sites, cooked with the cousins, and spent a lot of time visiting with the relatives. Though Brian had been to Malta as a child, it felt like a brand new experience, and we really enjoyed exploring this "new" place. And to add an extra bonus, Sarah's cousins from Sicily came to visit as well, since Malta and Sicily are so close to each other. 

We are still full from Sunday's annual NYC Wine & Food Festival. We went for the first time last year, and continued our newfound tradition over the weekend. We arrived an hour early to line up and try to beat some of the crowds. It was a great decision, as we were able to be some of the first people to reach a French tent, where we tried four different preparations of duck, french macarons, and even escargot! Each one was delicious and set the tone for a great day. From enchiladas to jerk chicken, vegan cheese to Thai curry, as well as cooking demonstrations and some delicious samples of wine... we were in heaven!

If you've read anything else about us, you know how much we love to try new foods and spend time with family, so having Brian's parents and sister join us, made the event all the better! Plus, we had beautiful weather, which was a surprise after a very rainy season, lately. We can't ait to go back next year!

Sarah just returned from a trip to Montreal and Quebec City with her mom. It was the 2nd Annual Mother-Daughter Trip, which is a tradition they started last year. In 2022, Sarah turned 30 and her mom turned 60. To celebrate, they decided to take a trip togethr to Newport, Rhode Island, which was the filming location for a show they enjoyed. This year, they decided on traveling to Quebec City, which is known for feeling like Europe, but without the overseas journey. They stopped over in Montreal to split up the journey by car and train. It was four days of chatting, tons of walking, and lots of great food! They are excited to keep this tradition going for many years to come, always remembered by the purchase of a new Christmas ornament. Now they just have to pick where to go next!

Meanwhile, Brian held down the fort at home, before heading out for his own time away, in the Catskills, for the bi-annual fishing club weekend. Brian's grandfather co-founded a fishing club many years ago, and the guys still get together at least twice per year for fishing, card games, and great food. Brian and his dad picked up Brian's grandmother along the way, as the Catskills used to be her primary home, and she misses spending time up there. Brian is holding out hope that he will catch the biggest fish of the weekend and come home with a trophy.

We spent a fantastic week out in Montana. Every year, for the past 19 years, Brian's family has gone to the same horse ranch near Yellowstone Park in Montana. It's a family run horse ranch, on a beautiful property, surrounded by national forests. It has to be one of our favorite, and one of the most beautiful places in the world.

We spent the week hiking, paddleboarding, fishing, horseback riding, and enjoying nature and good company. It's a true vacation from daily life. No cell service, and only spotty wifi really makes you disconnect and enjoy the moment, enjoy the people and beauty around you.

Already, we are looking forward to next year's trip, which will be 20 years in a row for Brian's family. We can't wait to return to the ranch again.

We had a great weekend with a visit from Sarah's Brother, Sister-in-Law and their daughter. Our niece, Freya, is 16 months old, and just so much fun to spend time with. She is in such an exciting age, where everytime we see her, she has learned so many new words, quirks, and favorites. Her favorite words remain "Ball" and "Wow!", while she has learned a new little dance we call her Happy Feet. Our living room has a high ceiling fan, which provides Freya with endless fascination, turning it on and off.

On Friday, after their arrival, we went to the brand new playground in town, exploring the obstacles with other kids, spending time on the swing, and playing with the big xylophone. We stopped by our favorite cidery in town, to try a new flavor and grab an afternoon snack. In the evening, we played some basketball in the driveway, complete with a mini hoop for Freya.

On Saturday, we woke up to a random power outage in the area. Without the ability to shower or cook breakfast, we went to a cafe for some breakfast sandwiches, before heading over to the pool, for a beautiful day in the sun. They even had a petting zoo that day, providing some extra entertainment. Luckily, by the time we got home, power had been restored. That evening, we went back to the cidery to play cornhole and listen to live music. 

Sunday morning was all about playing around the house. By this time in the weekend, Freya was totally comfortable in our home, and happy to crawl into Sarah and Brian's laps with a book or ask to be picked up to turn the fan back on. It makes us and Sarah's brother so happy to see her feel safe and happy around us. We are her only aunt and uncle, and she our first niece, so it will always be a special relationship to us all. 

This past weekend, we took a long weekend in Chicago. It was Sarah's first time traveling there, and Brian had only been there previously for work. Not only do two of Sarah's cousins live in Chicago but also two friends from college. 

We started our trip with lunch at an amazing Mediterranean restaurant, trying some of the best, most unique food we've had in a while. That evening we, met up with our cousins and friends for a wine tasting at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Afterwards, while walking home, we got caught in a downpour, and we ran through the city, soaking wet, laughing our heads off. 

On Saturday, we saw the downtown, touristy part of the city, where you really get a sense of the city's motto, City in a Garden. Milennium Park and all the other green spaces are so beautiful. Our dinner that night was another phenomenal meal at a Peruvian restaurant. Our walk home was thankfully dry, and we were able to see Chicago all lit up for the evening.

Our last day was spent with Sarah's cousins. We all went to brunch, and then took the architetcure tour, by boat. It was a such a unique way to see the city, and appreciate the diverse architecture. It was a wonderful weekend exploring new places and cuisines with some of our loved ones. 

This past weekend, Sarah's childhood friend came to visit with her husband and two sons. With a 5 and 7 year-old in the house, things became loud and chaotic very quickly! Sarah and her friend took the boys to the stream to search for frogs, while the men cooked up some burgers and hotdogs on the grill. We watched the soccer world cup match to end the evening. 

On Saturday, we all ventured to Legoland, as we had been promising the boys for 2 years. Several hours later, after 12,000 steps, with pictures of amazing lego scultpures and some souvenirs in tow, we headed home. We made delicious miniature pizzas for dinner, resulting in lots of shredded cheese on the floor. Before the kids' bedtime, we took another venture to the stream, and played some basketball, with the hoop lowered all the way. The adults ended the night playing cards before we were all too exhausted to keep our eyes open any longer. 

It was a jam-packed, tiring, but extremely fun weekend with old friends. 

Recently, Brian took a trip to Canada to celebrate his Dad's 60th Birthday. Along with his brother and one of his sisters, the four of them flew to Montreal, and then out to the province of Newfoundland to go fishing out in the wilderness. Each day, they would either boat or take a plane that lands on the lakes, out to their fishing location for the day. They spent about a week catching some of the biggest brook trout they'd ever caught by day, and playing cards, enjoying each other's company by night. Brian's dad had an amazing time, a trip worthy of celebrating his big birthday.

Meanwhile, Sarah stayed home, and filled her week with friends and family. She babysat her niece who is now running around and learning all sorts of new words, visited with a new friend they met at the local Run/Walk Club, and invited her parents to come stay for a few days. Sarah spent the afternoons strolling around town with her mom, while her dad worked. But she and her dad did manage to get in a round of golf (Sarah's first round in many years). They golfed terribly, but had fun, nonetheless! Brian's mom even came for a visit, since she was also by herself while Brian's dad was away. 

Stay tuned for more summer adventures coming soon... Sarah's childhood friend and her family are coming for a visit, Sarah and Brian will take a trip to Chicago, and later to Montana for the annual family trip to the Dude Ranch. 

It was a beautiful weekend for an adventure! We traveled to the Finger Lakes, where Sarah's Aunt and Uncle have a cottage. On Friday, after driving several hours, we enjoyed a walk at the lake, tossing toys in the water for their dogs to fetch, before having a delicious meal in town. And ended a relaxing night by the camp fire, chatting with the neighbors.

On Saturday, we drove down to Watkins Glen racetrack, where Brians cousin was racing that day. We were also able to see Brian's Aunt and Grandma who had traveled to watch the racing. Though the race ended early due to a crash (everyone was okay), it was still an exciting experience, since we had never seen a race before. With an unexpectedly open afternoon, Brian went for a round of golf with his cousin, while Sarah strolled town and chatted with Brian's Aunt and Grandma. After heading back to Sarah's Aunt and Uncle's, we once again ended the night around the fire pit. 

Though we had a long ride home on Sunday, we had to take the kayaks out onto the lake before heading home, fulfilling Sarah's Aunt's birthday wish! A new experience, enjoying time with family, and spending a morning in the outdoors is a perfect weekend for us!          

This Spring, we celebrated our 30th birthdays (a year late) in style! We each turned 30, Sarah's mom turned 60, and Sarah's Grandpa turned 90 all within a few weeks of each other last year. We planned a 30-60-90 Decades themed birthday bash! Every guest dressed up in the decade of their birth or the decade of their age. We chose food and drinks that coordinated with our decades, created a playlist with the top songs of each decade, and decorated our venue.

It was so amazing to be surrounded by family from around the country - all dressed in their decades attire - many of whom we hadn't been able to see in over a year. 

Recently, we traveled with our local Run & Walk group to participate in the Maine Coast 5K & Half Marathon. 

Though Brian has been a runner for many years, this was his first Half Marathon, and his longest ever distance. For the last several months, he has been training every week to meet this goal. Waking up early, eating even healthier, and sometimes running in sub-freezing temperatures. Sarah is not a runner, but supported him in his training, often walking or biking pieces of his running routes. 

The day of the race was a beautiful day, with views of the ocean in Maine. Over a dozen members of our Run & Walk team participated in either the Half or the 5K, creating a fun and supportive environment for us all. Brian ran his 13.1 miles in under 2 hours, while Sarah finished the 5K in under 1 hour. We had such a great time with our group, exploring a new town, and enjoying the weekend getaway. We hope to participate in another race this fall!