Hey there, friend! I hope this post finds you enjoying this sunshiney Monday — it finally feels like summer out there, and I am loving it!

If you follow along on Instagram, you saw that Chris, Ryan, and I took a weekend trip to Cleveland, Ohio this past weekend! We spent our first three years of marriage on the west side of the city, and it will always hold such a special place in our heart. There’s nothing quite like the vibe of CLE, and we loved getting to catch up with friends and take advantage of the amazing weather!

Some highlights from the trip (+ iPhone photos, too!)…

• Visiting my old high school and getting to introduce Ry-guy to a lot of my favorite teacher friends! It was so fun seeing the renovated building, and while most of my former students were in finals or graduation practice, I loved getting to hug a few familiar faces & hear how their lives are going! I think a lot of non-teachers don’t realize how close you grow to your classe over the course of a year — it’s always so sad saying goodbye, especially when a move to a new state is part of the mix, too!

• Spending lots of time with our second family: the Vickers!! I nannied two of the best kiddos around for about six months during our first year in Cleveland, and we have stayed so close ever since. Toni is one of my favorite people in the world, and I always love getting to catch up and spend time with them!! And seeing Ryan play with Nate, Layla, and Ava is just the best!!!

• We spent Friday evening at the Bohnenkamp’s, which meant lots of PJ playtime for Ryan & Lucy…aaaand we may or may not have given them a bubble bath together!! Haha!!! The boys rolled their eyes at us, but it was 100% worth it!! Lucy has the coolest room, and the two of them jumped and played themselves silly after bathtime! Ali is also a photographer, and she grabbed some super cute shots of them (include the cutest one of them holding hands standing up in the tub…buuuut it’s a bit revealing for the blog. haha!!!).

And some iPhone photos…LOVE the one on the right of Ryan holding Graham, Lucy’s little brother!!!! Best buds!!

• “Meet the Trucks” at Lakewood Park!!!! Ryan was obsessed with all the trucks, and he got his first tattoo, too! :) We met up with both the Bohnenkamps and Vickers, and it was absolutely BEAUTIFUL outside!!!

• After our park adventure, we hung out with Nick & Jaclyn while Ryan attempted to nap (#fail). Oops! Once we realized he wasn’t going to go down, we all played in the backyard and set up for the cookout that evening! I busted out my camera for a few shots of the boys playing….love these so much!

Nick making fun of Ryan’s catching pose….LOL!

Bad parenting? Maybe? Hahahaha!

• We also did a quick trip to check out the newly renovated Edgewater Park! Chris and I lived right by Edgewater for two years, and we would always run/walk/hang out there. It’s one of our favorite places in the city!!

Overall, I’m thankful for a beautiful, beautiful weekend with amazing friends. It was the perfect break during wedding season — and I can’t WAIT to be back in action this weekend to celebrate Jenna & Jeremy‘s wedding!!! :)

Happy Monday!!

Love love love,

Sami