Back in 2023, I was training for the Paris-Brest-Paris, a grueling 1,200 km bike ride across France. Unfortunately, I got injured during my final qualifier. But since our flights were already booked, we pivoted and turned the trip into a French vacation instead.

For 4th of July weekend, we rented a house on a small island in Crystal Lake in Gray, Maine with some friends. It was a great place to relax, enjoy a fire, play some board games, and relax on the water. The first couple days were filled with ear-piercing toller screams from Sandy, wanting so desparately to go into the water but didn’t have the courage to do it. Finally, on the last day, she went all in, and once she did, she wouldn’t stop! Unless it was a different side of the dock.…

Last weekend, Sandy thoroughly enjoyed the great outdoors, going for a long walk with family around Fawn Lake and playing in Somerville with Addie and friends. She also started sitting in the backseat of the car all by herself! Another big upgrade - girl got a queen size bed! She took to it immediately, including turning it over to scratch the hell out of it. She may be getting bigger by the day, but that doesn’t stop her from trying to hang out in her favorite cubby. Won’t be long…