Amateur Video Edition: Oregon in a Nutshell
I am still having a difficult time processing our time in Oregon. There is so much I want to share. So many stories and memories. But it is hard to come up with new words and phrases to describe yet ANOTHER place that we've been to that is so remarkable. This one, however, blew our socks off. So far off that they're still stuck in the trees dangling somewhere (and no, not because it's windy there). Maybe that means part of my heart is still there. I think it might always be.
For now, I will leave you with a video summary of our time in Oregon. Just little snippets, nothing too exciting. Later on in the coming months I'll whip out my dictionary and thesaurus to help me with all those fancy descriptive words I'll need in order to explain Oregon more in-depth. To us though, it was a dang near perfect 30 days spent in that state.
Is there anyone else out there that feels me?? Anyone been to a place that completely surprised you and took your breath away? A place where all those words "breathtaking," "beautiful," and "unforgettable" just don't do it justice?! Think about YOUR place and comment below if you're feeling it. I'm curious where else people are in love with (and also need more places to add to my bucket list).
But first, enjoy the little video (it's not long, I promise)...
It's funny how hard it is to choose destinations when you're sitting comfortably behind a computer screen at home, scrolling through Instagram and reading travel blogs. Tiny photos and carefully curated videos can only tell you so much. But the scale of a place, the mountains, the color of the sea, the old cities has to be experienced with my own eyes, and Split absolutely delivered as our first stop in Croatia!
Our summer adventures are back! Just like last year, we're exploring Europe. This year's route looks a little different: Tallinn, Estonia, a ferry across the Baltic Sea to Helsinki, Finland, then three weeks exploring Croatia before wrapping everything up with a 72-hour stopover in Dublin. On both ends of the trip, we squeezed in some much-needed family time. First in Minnesota with my family, then we'll finish in Indiana with Chip's family.
After celebrating an unforgettable Fourth of July in Minnesota with enough fireworks to last us a lifetime, we boarded our first flight and headed to Tallinn, Estonia.
It was that time of year again! The end of October a.k.a when flights are dirt cheap from the USA to Europe. My girls and I couldn't resist the opportunity to embark on another girl's getaway. So for the second year in a row, we gathered, we researched, we picked dates, and we booked the trip. This time to Prague, Czechia!
Venice has always felt like one of those places that lives more in imagination than in reality. A city built on water, with no roads, no cars, and centuries of history rising straight out of the canals—it’s romanticized, photographed, and talked about endlessly. And yet, nothing quite prepares you for what it feels like to actually be there. Our family trip through Italy had already been filled with unforgettable moments, but Venice was the destination I had been quietly saving space for—the grand finale. We only had 48 hours, which felt wildly insufficient for a city this layered, but also just enough time to fall completely under its spell. Venice isn’t a place you “do” quickly; it’s a place you wander, observe, and let wash over you. What we didn’t know at the time was that we’d be entering Venice in the most unforgettable way possible—not by train or car, but by water, just as travelers once did centuries ago. Those final two days would become some of the most magical of our entire trip, filled with early mornings, quiet canals, bustling afternoons, endless bridges, and the kind of beauty that stays with you long after you leave.
There are places you visit because they’re beautiful.
And then there are places that completely rearrange your sense of scale.
The Val Gardena region of the Dolomites was that kind of place for us.
After weeks of coastal towns and lakeside views, we traded water for peaks — and stepped into a landscape that felt almost exaggerated in its beauty. Jagged limestone spires. Electric green meadows. Tiny wooden huts perched perfectly against vast alpine backdrops.
What we found in the Dolomites wasn’t just scenery — it was perspective. It was slower mornings, accidental adventures, mountain reunions, and the reminder that sometimes the best days are the ones you don’t over-plan.
Some places instantly slow you down—in the best possible way. After two sun-soaked weeks on the Basque coast of France, we were excited for a new adventure. When a spontaneous 30-euro flight carried us from Biarritz to northern Italy, we followed the pull without overthinking it. Lake Garda became our first taste of Italy as a family, and it turned out to be the perfect place to land: blue water, charming towns, ferry rides, and just enough adventure woven into long, lingering days by the lake.
Sometimes I can’t believe it took me 40 years to get to Paris—and now, in just two years, I’ve been three times. It might officially be my favorite city in the world. This trip felt especially meaningful because we finally experienced it with Chip’s parents. His mom has always loved Paris and the Eiffel Tower, and we always dreamt of sharing that moment together.
They met us just an hour after we landed, and just like that, our Paris reunion began—with an unforgettable Uber ride from Charles de Gaulle to Montparnasse, complete with ambient lighting and just enough flair to match the excitement we were all feeling. We were finally all in Paris together.
We had just 72 hours in Iceland—but somehow, it felt like we lived a whole adventure in that short time. From soaking in the milky blue waters of the famous Blue Lagoon to strapping on crampons for a glacier hike, every moment was packed with awe. We chased waterfalls that seemed to pour straight out of the sky, explored landscapes that looked like another planet, and ended with a thrilling zodiac boat tour through a lagoon filled with towering icebergs.
Iceland was dramatic, raw, and absolutely unforgettable. Here's how we made the most of three whirlwind days in the land of fire and ice.
To any future girl trips: I’m sorry, but you’ve got some serious competition. Our week in Barcelona wasn’t just a vacation—it was a chapter of pure magic. I didn’t realize how transformative eight days with these incredible women would be until I looked back and saw how much we laughed, bonded, and grew together. It was one of those rare trips that etches itself into your soul.
So if you're wondering whether to rally your closest girlfriends and book that flight—don’t wonder. Do it. You won’t regret it.
Now buckle up for an insanely fun, wildly feminine ride through Barcelona: think La Sagrada Familia tours, sunny rooftop bars, a medieval day trip to Girona, Park Güell strolls, a rowdy Barça game, and more burrata than you thought humanly possible—all washed down with copious amounts of cheap and cheerful Spanish wine.