I’m just now easing back into a normal week after an extended weekend with my two favorite people, and it included a ridiculous amount of walking and a necessary amount of wine ;)

Since we live in different states now, I only see my mom about once a month and it’s even more rare that the three of us are together at the same time. Enjoying these moments!

One of the (many) upsides of being an only child: my parents have become two of my best friends. We are so close, and I’m so thankful that now our weekends together are like hanging out with friends. This weekend was divided between relaxing with a little wine and a lot of new healthy recipes, and lots of quality time outside walking MANY miles.

On Saturday morning, we needed to vacate our house for 5-ish hours while our realtor held an open house. We gladly escaped to one of our favorite local coffee shops and walked around the more scenic parks in our area. We grabbed a late lunch and ate outside at my dad’s favorite Italian deli and picked up some snacks and drinks at my second home a.k.a. Target. :)

“Golden Hour,” or the period of time after sunset but before it’s totally dark out, is my favorite time to walk. I mentioned on Instagram last week that I’m prone to mid-run photoshoot breaks because the lighting is too flattering. This barn is one of my favorites:

We finished up our Golden Hour walk and headed home to make a healthy dinner and watch the new movie The Intern. Loved it and it just might make the top 5 for this week’s Thursday Things…

Sunday morning was a usual mix of tidying up, grocery shopping and random chores before we stopped for brunch at The Soup Shoppe, a cute local breakfast and lunch spot. We were fueling up for another full day out and about while our house was on display for other realtors so we took our time enjoying plenty of coffee, scrambled eggs, blueberry pancakes and hash browns. :)

Mt. Rubidoux is one of the most popular “hiking” trails in our area and we were among several hundred other people who decided to kick Sunday off with a hike. It was gorgeous outside with blue sky, white clouds, and a slight breeze. We hung out on top for a while with a view of downtown Riverside before heading back down for a trip to the only remaining book store in Riverside (so sad) and, you guessed it, iced coffees. ;)

Once we were finally settled at home for a while after a long day of walking and sunshine, we made an amazing smorgasbord of healthy and not-so-healthy treats – grapes, apples, bell peppers, baby carrots, hummus, cheese, crackers, chocolate and wine. My mom and I played some card games while my dad watched his Nascar race, just relaxing and resting our legs!

Introducing my mom to Snapchat filters after 1.5 bottles of wine….a very entertaining idea.

This was a much-needed weekend for our family. My parents are right in the thick of relocating, finally able to pursue their dream of leaving Southern California behind for a slower pace of life in Idaho. However there are a couple major hurdles to get through before relaxing in potato fields, most of which they have successfully conquered. Selling our house (where I was brought home from the hospital 23 years ago!) is one of the last major tasks, and I’m sure many of you know how stressful and long that process can feel. My parents have worked hard and earned everything they have; they have made our house into such an amazing home for me – now they finally get to start focusing on their own goals, and I don’t know anyone else more deserving of a fun new fresh start adventure! These two have taught me about work ethic, generosity, and character – I’m so excited to follow them on their Idaho adventure. :)

Aaaand now we’re moving on from wine and chocolate to Boot Camp class and laundry – reality! :)

P.S. Yesterday my mom helped me make a brand-new healthified baked falafel recipe for pita pockets and they were an instant success. Be on the look out for that soon!