Because nothing says “Happy Anniversary” like hiking 17 miles with your teenagers We had it all planned out for our 20-year anniversary trip: hike down the South Kaibab Trail, spend two glorious nights at Phantom Ranch (with real beds and lemonade on tap), then hike out via Bright Angel Trail with a night at Havasupai…

Four Days. One Island. A Family’s Journey Across the Trans-Catalina Trail. Every mile had a view, and every view had a price. From Avalon to Two Harbors, we hiked 24 miles of steep ridges, ocean views, and rolling hills. We found everything we were looking for: unforgettable memories, amazing scenery, aching knees, cold plunges, and…

A Race Through Open Terrain and Slot Canyons Orienteering is always an adventure, but when you take it to the vast, open landscapes of the Anza Borrego Desert, it becomes something entirely different: a test of strategy, endurance, and navigation where both your brain and legs get a serious workout. We signed up for two…

A Swiss Tradition That’s Non-Negotiable Every winter, we pack up our lives for a week and embark on a journey that defies all logic, especially to a Swiss mind. Driving 6–9 hours to Mammoth for our skiing fix is not just a trip, it’s a necessity for us as SoCal Swiss. Snow is in our DNA. Sure,…

A Summer Where the Fun Never Ends and the Sand Never Leaves Despite the sunny California beach and sparkling waves under a flawless blue sky, there’s a special kind of panic that comes from watching your kids swim toward a buoy that looks like it’s in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. They were pumped…

The Swiss Alps are stunning, but let’s be honest, dragging kids up a 3,280-foot elevation gain over three miles? That’s an uphill battle of its own. So, as all clever parents do, we got creative. To motivate our kids, we turned the hike into a grand adventure through Four Nations, inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender.…

With turquoise waters, hidden waterfalls, and epic family adventures, Havasupai has it all. If you’re looking for breathtaking beauty, a little challenge, and the kind of memories that stick, this is the place. When I first signed up for our Havasupai trip, my kids were six and eight years old, and we were far from…

Finding the funny in family life, just to keep me sane! The Broken Record Mom If I had a nickel for every time I’ve said, “Close the door!” “Go get dressed!” or “We don’t eat in our underwear!” I’d probably own a private island by now. But life with a teenager, a tween, a golden…

Tips, humor, and stories from the trail that will make you want to pack your bags The Journey Begins We decided to do an overnight backpacking trip on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). It’s like a day hike but with more gear, more effort, and way more opportunities to laugh at ourselves. Since this is a…

Before the Trail: The Art of Family Hiking Prep The Hardest Part: Just Getting Out The Door They say the hardest part of any adventure is just getting out the door. I don’t know who they are, but after years of family hiking trips, I think they might have been watching my house. Picture this: it’s hiking…

If you ever find yourself in a house where puberty and menopause are happening at the same time, good luck! Buckle up! It’s a wild ride. On one side, there’s my teenager, pumping out hormones like a fire hydrant on full blast, growing taller overnight, eating everything in sight, and effortlessly getting stronger. On the…

Caught Between Cultures and Generations and Always Out of Sync We land in Switzerland. Our bodies step off the plane, but our brains are still somewhere over the Atlantic, wondering what day it is. But the first test comes immediately: greetings. In the U.S., it’s hugs. In Switzerland? Two cheek kisses. Or sometimes three. But…

The Chaos of Love in the Kitchen At the beginning of our relationship, my husband told me, “You only eat out of necessity. You don’t know how to enjoy food.” I laughed it off at the time because, well… food is fuel, right? I still stand by the idea that food is for nourishment. But after years of…