Ah summertime — it always swoops in so quickly and then feels like it is gone in the blink of an eye. Despite a full calendar we try to make the most of every summer-soaked moment we get.

One of our first trips of the summer was to Eugene, Oregon. We went to the University of Oregon for the collegiate track championships (the 2022 World Track Championships are happening in the same stadium this week!). We went for 5 days and brought the whole family, plus Asha’s friend Parker who also runs track. We checked out the school (Asha’s first college tour), went paintballing, enjoyed all of the lush greenery that coastal Oregon has to offer, and loved every minute!

Back in town we’ve been enjoying lots of time spent outdoors in addition to a jam-packed sports schedule for both girls. Asha has 6 practices a week between soccer, track, and pole vaulting. She had a stress fracture this spring that prevented her from doing too much, so she is just so excited to be back at it, even though it’s keeping her busy! A lot of her social scene also revolves around her sports and it’s great seeing her have these deep friendships that will last a lifetime. Kyra has been wrapped up in lots of soccer and gymnastics — Otis has been enjoying getting to be a part of the games and practices too!

Both girls are also working this summer, which has been great. Asha is working in the studio, learning to edit— which has been really fun. And Kyra, who is 11 is helping out at Little River Pre-School, having a great time and learning a lot!

I love to road bike and am always on a mission to try to get the girls out biking with me. During the pandemic, Gurmeet managed to get the whole family outfitted with road bikes, which was quite a feat, given how hard bikes were to come by! It’s a rare morning when I can get the girls to go with me before they start their summertime activities. I’m not hardcore about biking by any means, but I love the speed and having the quiet time it grants me. It’s the perfect hobby for a busy summer — especially here in the Valley where you can hop on the Wood River Trail right from the house, cruise the rural backroads, or enjoy the scenery the gulches provide.

To add to the excitement of this summer, Asha gets her license in a couple of weeks! In the meantime, we’re getting used to the idea of her having her own set of wheels. Her uncle gave her his old car, which is fabulously bright yellow. It’s a manual transmission, and I’m so proud of her for learning - it’s an invaluable skill (especially because it means she can also drive Gurmeet’s cool Jeep around too!). It’s both fun and exciting yet nerve-wracking watching her take one more step on her journey as an independent human.

Between sports, shoots, weddings, and the general business of summer, I’ve been relishing some quiet moments tending to our garden. I’ve always loved gardening and can never spend quite enough time out there. Every moment I get feels precious — it’s calming, grounding, and adds balance to the craziness of life.

We also went camping this weekend and it was absolutely perfect (so much so that I forgot to stop and take even one picture!). We went out Trail Creek to meet up with some friends who already had a site. It was perfect — simple, easy, and turned into a kind of staycation. We went to the Arts Festival, we played putt-putt at Sun Valley, went swimming at the Elkhorn pool — it was fantastic! It felt like we were far away, but by the time the weekend was over, we only had to drive 15 minutes back home.

I’m looking forward to more summer adventures as they come our way, and hope you’re out there enjoying this very special season too!