it's that time of year...

End of summer, heading into fall-- that means:

filling up on produce from the local growers--especially Allred and Harward Farms learn how to cook corn properly here

baking: the perfect snickerdoodle from my favorite food blog, OURBESTBITES

cooler runs--and amazing skies like this one (day after a storm)

it also means watching out for trouble on the trails: rattlesnakes love the fall, basking in the sun on the trails, and this foreboding sight caused me to cut my run short, turn around and head back home: coyotes--thought at first they were wolves!

It also means our basement apartment is for rent--Nate, Mindy and Holden are back East (Boston) for graduate school.  It will be a huge adjustment without waking every day to the sound of Holden's pitter patter...sad sigh...

but we found great renters: mindy's bff, katie and her cousin are moving in this weekend

it's been said that change is as good as a rest.  sometimes it's hard, but there is always lots to gain from the change of  a new day :)

weekday getaway

the view from our Bed and Breakfast, Inn on the Hill, in SLC

Brian and I planned an overnighter to set some goals, make some plans, reconnect.  We started at this place: The Kura Door (check it out) then had a fabulous lunch at this fun place in Sugar House.  Then we checked into our bed and breakfast and headed to City Creek. We at dinner at the Copper Onion (highly recommend) and finished off with the Salt Lake Film Society.  The next morning we went to the temple then headed home.  Believe it or not, we managed to get all our goals set, and make plans for the coming year: Josh comes home, Clark starts culinary school, Amy takes the ACT, Nate and Mindy and Holden are off to grad school in the East and Colin begins his junior at BYU. We've welcomed a foreign exchange student, Elisa, who Amy is excited to have as a roommate and buddy. We had some  goals to set, plans to make! Empty nesting is busy!!

On the SLC historical register, the Inn on the Hill (Capital Hill) was fashioned after an English manor. The living room walls were, and still are, covered with leather and canvas hand painted by then famous local artist, William Culmer

...this is us sneaking in the front door late at night after the film festival...shhhhh...

I thought I should take a picture of the door, since, well, it's named for it:  The Kura Door.. I have heard and read so much about this place, and yes, it lives up to the reputation--really an amazing experience.

Breckenridge

Family reunion number two: The Gill Family this time at the Walker's new cabin in Alma Colorado

we stopped first to "smell the roses" in Vail--last time for a while for Nate, Mindy and Holden, who are moving to Boston in the fall

lots of smelling...and stopping

we took the gondola up to do some geocaching--this stroller is not made for hiking...

works for napping though

we got into a bit of a summer storm at the summit. it was COLD

unearthing the treasure

gondola ride back

could this little man be any cuter!!?

knock knock

then we headed to alma colorado near breckenridge to meet up with the rest of the family

who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?

great gma mary and eli on a "hike"

to the backyard play set ;)

we all saddled up and went for a morning ride on the mountain--all 20 of us!

ride 'em cowboy

just horsin' around

heading out to do some fishin'

can't have a post of a family reunion without showing brian's favorite activity

time on gpa larry's boat--miss those days..

tube wars!

lunch with clark at the town centre park in denver

its always hard to leave denver.  our hearts are there.  but we know it is never too long before we visit again.