So I'm back from vacation in Mexico and wanted to check in now that fall is in full bloom - this was actually our first vacation without kids since Skye was born, which was over two years. My dad and his girlfriend actually came in and took care of our kids, which was heaven. We actually ran into a tropical storm in the very beginning but it was nice - we got to watch a movie. That's something we can't do with toddlers running around. I'm sure you'll all agree... it's good for parents to get away and reconnect with each other have some downtime. My family is off the charts incredible. I'm just so thankful that my parents and Erik's parents are so involved with our kids' lives.

My husband finally got home from training abroad a couple of weeks ago, just a fantastic day in this household. He's here until mid-October then he takes off for Europe for a few weeks. He'll spend early November in Colorado, basically just following the snow. His first race of the season is October 26 in Solden, Austria and I honestly think he's in the best shape of his life. He's the old man of the team, the oldest guy by far, but he's just been on a mission this year because he takes it year by year. He's been on the team for 18 years, got two kids at home and if he's not top 15 in the world at the end of this season, he's going to say 'that was an awesome career' and call it a day. He's not scared to move on to other things, but he wants to give it everything he can and he still wants to win a World Cup. I'm all for him playing his sport as long as he possibly can. To make a living playing the sport you love, it doesn't get any better.

Last I left off, Skye was just starting school. Here's the deal with school right now with a two-and-a-half year-old. We talk about school all the time, but on the morning of a school day, she crying starts. She's not really big in the drop-off part of it, but she's great once she's there.

So yesterday, we were playing outside - she's really into make believe - and she was pretending she was at the rodeo, and then out of nowhere she sits on the ground and starts singing some grey squirrel song. I don't know that song, we don't sing it, so it must have come from preschool. It's like, 'oh my gosh, you are learning stuff in there!' It's hard dropping them off when they're crying, but I do think that persistence and sticking with it and having a schedule is really good for her.

When I was in preschool, I was kind of the same way. Nowadays kids go to school so much earlier. I don't think I was in preschool when I was two-and-a-half -- I just went to daycare a bunch. When I started to go to preschool I cried because I wanted to stay home, but once I was there I had a great time. I think all kids are like that. I chose to do it with Skye because she's just really verbal and gets to be around other kids. I think that is just valuable to have that experience. I think I was similar at that age.

My mom said I came home from preschool one day and I was just speaking Japanese from a woman who would come in and teach us Japanese. My mom told me I would just rattle stuff off. So it's just amazing and extraordinary how children's brains are like sponges.

Speaking of, I think Spider's up from his nap...gotta run!