My Week In Review (otherwise known as WIR) posts are just that: a review of my past week. I post an update here every Tuesday sharing some tidbits of my previous week as well as an accompanying photo recap with selections from my Instagram. Here’s the buzz from my week:
I spent our last week at the family vacation home in Utah savoring some of my most favorite things to do. With a reduced posting schedule (I should be back on track for fall soon!), I took advantage of my free time with lots of yoga, walks enjoying the mountain air, knitting on the front porch, and of course, time spent with loved ones enjoying laughter and conversation over good food. While it’s still technically summer for a few more weeks until the autumnal equinox on September 22, the last week in August always feels like the last week of summer, especially when for the past few years it is traditionally the end of our summer stay in Utah. Plus, the weather in the mountains is quickly turning to fall, as I mentioned in last week’s WIR. You wouldn’t believe how quickly those mountains are turning a burnt orange color with the leaves changing!
For a reason that is a bit difficult to explain because the origins are unclear, even to us, the women in the Ross side of the family refer to each other as “Melissa” even though no one is actually named that. It’s a pet name we all have for one another. Every summer we have a Melissa Day where we go to Deer Valley and ride the chair lift up the mountain and stop for lunch at Silver Lake Lodge. It was so much cooler this year than it has been in years past, but we still had a good time and managed to laugh about it when we got stuck in a very chilly rainstorm up on the chair lift. It’s traditions like these that make for beautiful memories.
It wouldn’t be a WIR post without talking about food! You know we like to eat in this family, especially when we are all together. I was so happy to be able to spend some time with my friend Kristina (an amazing graphic design artist and paper crafter you can find on YouTube and at her website), who lives in Utah. Kristina made an amazing fresh salsa for dinner with the family. I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful friend in my life!
In other food news, Don’s new mega smoker and possibly most favorite thing ever arrived mid-last week and we all enjoyed the delicious smoked meats he made with it for the last half of the week. Just look at that smile…that’s one happy guy! It is the MMS-48 from Myron Mixon Smokers, which is a vertical water smoker, if you’re curious. It’s a special gift that Don’s Dad, Keith (or Poopsie, if you watch our vlogs 😉 ) purchased as, in his words, a gift for himself since it comes with an operator (aka Don). It arrived on Tuesday and between then and when we left on Sunday, Don smoked ribs, pork shoulder, and brisket. It was definitely a meat heavy week for us as the Ross household and we were thrilled to be able to share Don’s tasty BBQ with our local friends.
Don and I also went out for a date one night to Edge Steakhouse, a restaurant neither of us had been to before up at the Canyons Resort in Park City. We were not expecting such large portions and ordered quite a bit to get a well-rounded sense of the restaurant. The pace was set by the massive popovers in lieu of bread (seriously the size of my face), starters that could easily feed two to three people, followed by juicy steaks and sides that we enjoyed as leftovers for the next several days. We had a wonderful time and highly recommend it, but plan on keeping the portion size in mind next time we go.
Hooray for Swiss Days! I first had the delightful experience of visiting this huge crafts fair last summer and was super excited to be in town for another visit this summer. Once again, I was blown away by the amazing creativity and gorgeous handiwork on display! My mother-in-law, Suzanne, and I arrived bright and early on Friday morning with a quick pitstop at our favorite coffee place, Filler Up Coffee Station. We walked around the entire fair, warm beverages in hand, oohing and ahhing over everything. We both bought a few things. I picked up a gorgeous wind chime from Up-Cycled Antiques made from an antique creamer and sterling silver spoons. How cool it that! I also bought a gorgeous bangle style bracelet made from antique silver flatware from Zions C.I. Lastly, I purchased a couple of therapeutic flaxseed paks by Homewerks by Deb. You can use these for heat therapy by microwaving them or cold therapy by placing them in the freezer. I use these warmed up quite a bit since I have a tendency to get cold (they’re great to lay over your feet even!) and they’re super effectove for me during that time of the month. I like that these have a mint scent as opposed to the usual lavender one. I bought one to leave out at the Utah house and one to take home with me. Deb doesn’t have a website but she does list an email address on her business card, so you can contact her there if you’re interested. We had a wonderful time at the fair and I hope to be able to go back again next year.
We threw one last party on Friday night to bid farewell to our local friends with Don’s amazing BBQ. We spent all of Saturday packing up the house and getting ready to go and flew home on Sunday. Leaving Utah is always sad, but coming home is always nice so there is a balance there. I miss the mountains so much already and hope we can return soon.
If you’d like to see more from my weekend, check out my vlog:
I think of Utah as my *heart home,” a place where I feel very content and more at peace than anywhere else. I feel so blessed to be able to spend so much time there. Of course, Chicago holds a special place in my heart as well, and I love living so close to my family. Is there anywhere that you think of as your heart home? It could be where you live, someplace that you visit, or even just a small special spot. I would love to hear about it if you care to share. I hope that wherever you are, your heart feels at home. Take good care…
* This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. *
