Dear World,

Last week I had the pleasure of spending four days in Vermont with my Dad’s side of the family.  The trip was officially a birthday celebration for my grandparents (the dates fell halfway between their 80th birthdays) but was a fantastic reason for all of us to check out from the real world for a few days and enjoy each other’s company.

Two grandparents, four grown siblings plus three spouses, 11 grandchildren plus two spouses, and four fabulous dogs all staying under one roof… it was quite the experience!  We played hard, ate well, and just spent some quality time together.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever been so active in such a short amount of time… I hiked a mountain, swam in a pond, did a 3 mile trail run and 4 mile road run, played whiffle ball, played tether ball, taught my cousins how to do yoga… the list just goes on and on!  

My sister, Brady, wrote an excellent post about how lucky we are to have grown up in the family we did and this weekend only reinforced that for me.  My family (immediate and extended) is the reason I’m the person I am today and I am so lucky and proud to be able to call them mine. :)