Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Grandma and Grandpa have been getting into geocaching lately, so we joined them on an adventure today, on the way home from paying some Memorial Day respects with the extended family.

Geocaching is a great family activity. It's like a treasure hunt! How fun is that? The kids have a great time combing the countryside, looking for some special little trinket.


The closest spot was near the Wolf Point Bridge (about five miles outside Wolf Point, Montana), so we trekked over there to see what we could find.

I have to admit, I was surprised at how beautiful the area was! I have driven by it thousands of times, and never stopped to take the time and notice this pretty little spot along the Missouri River.

In this case, we were looking for a magnetic key holder stashed near the bridge. 


Once we zoned in on the coordinates, we read the hints. We decided "en guard" meant it was probably on the guard rail. But after over an hour looking for it, we couldn't find it!

We decided it must have been moved (all the hints called it "easy") and decided to go on to the next location, which was in Poplar, Montana. Now that we had the guard rail trick figured out, it was no time before....Success!

What a great way to spend an afternoon hanging out as a family.

Monday, May 20, 2013

I was blessed this week to host a retreat gathering a small group of women at Riverview Estates by Brophy. Jason (the manager) was an amazing host, even taking the ladies on a tour of the grounds and sharing all kinds of great tips about the area. He and his staff were always eager to jump to meet our needs -- it was clear they took great pride in their work.

The Riverview Estates is located near Hancock, New York, a little over two hours from New York City. The drive is  a beautiful trek through winding mountains, with trees, rivers, and so much more. Even though we were so close to the city, it felt like we were days away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

There are three houses on the estate, each offering its own special features that makes it stand out beautifully. Comfortable, quiet, and snuggled into the mountains, you couldn't find a better place to get away with your family or large group.

The main house features an opulent master suite, a hot tub (which the ladies took full advantage of), and beautiful views of the river. Just up the hill is the spectacular entertaining house, with a well-appointed professional kitchen, dining area, pool table, and lots of space to kick back and get to know each other. A third building - the guest house - offered space for the ladies to get away from the crowd and enjoy some time in comfortable quarters with crisp linens and cozy spaces.


And just a short walk down the road, the views only get better. The Delaware River is pretty majestic, I wish I had set aside extra time to just sit and enjoy it for hours. I don't fish, but I was a little jealous of the anglers I saw up and down the river!
 And the night sky? Clear and gorgeous. Breathtaking. Still. We gathered around a fire, enjoyed a glass of wine and a Tarot card reading (thanks Lauren!), and just drank it all in. Amazing.



Thank you ladies for a beautiful time! And huge thanks to the lovely and talented Beja B Photography for the pictures!