Ciao for Now!
July 19, 2025
Ciao for the last time from Italy! All twelve of the DOL 3B kids are truly incredible young adults with such bright futures. It has been a joy to watch them form long-lasting friendships and memories they will certainly cherish for the rest of their lives. From the first day we knew this group was special; they’ve operated just like a family and we couldn’t be more proud of the growth they’ve each had thanks to the support they show towards one another. It’s hard to articulate just how special these last two weeks have been, but we will do our best to capture the final moments we’ve shared. Back to day 11!
On Wednesday morning we had the pleasure of waking up to the spectacular panoramic view at Rifugio Tissi. Tissi is an alpine refuge at 7,000′ on Col Reàn and overlooks the incredible rock face of Monte Civetta. Famously nicknamed the “Wall of Walls,” this rock is one of the most beautiful natural cliffs in the Dolomites. It is nearly 3,000′ tall and over 2 miles wide. The sheer limestone cliff is truly majestic! Tissi was opened in 1963 to honor mountaineer and political Attilio Tissi. This family run rifugio is famous in the area and a truly traditional hut experience. We are really grateful for the opportunity to stay in such a remote, beautiful destination. At Tissi we got to share another mega room, this time with mega bunks that slept 4 across! It was a fun (and funny) experience; we all slept well, even with the whispers of late night Gin Rummy by AB and Paige. Breakfast was quick, we said our goodbyes to Paola, the kind woman who runs Tissi, and hit the trail. Today we hiked all downhill, which our lungs greatly appreciated after several strenuous days prior. In total we descended 3,775′, all of which was gorgeous. From Rifugio Tissi, we hiked to the Val Civetta over the Col Rean. The open green meadows met with the narrow valley of Val Corpassa. We were all blown away by the beauty and even more stunned to hear that people frequently rock climb the surrounding cliffs. We are certain that our master climber of the group, Charlotte, could scale these routes with ease! Along the hike we once again ran into our friends who we shared a room with two nights prior. Graydon was thrilled to see them, greeting them with open arms (literally, he hugged them all!). We took a few group photos and rested our legs for a bit. Our guide Paul led us in a fun game of human knot where we all had to unravel ourselves. We finished out the 6-mile hike strong where we rested our legs at Rifugio Capanna Trieste. After a quick lunch, we hopped into two vans to drive towards Clauzetto where we go canyoneering. Upon arrival we were greeted by our wonderful hostel host, Eva. Eva is truly a character-just ask your kids and they will tell you all about her. We think she and her husband may have once been professional dancers but couldn’t fully tell…. They have tons of family pictures scattered around which we all found super entertaining. We explored the town and channeled our best elementary school energy at the playground nearby. We were all taken back to recess with the mega swing where we entertained ourselves for a while! Back at Hotel Corona, Eva made us fantastic homemade pizzas. Each pie had a variety of slices including cheese, pepperoni and veggie. We devoured them all! It was such a treat and a great new meal in the rotation of Italian cuisine. LODs Caroline and Robert planned an excellent Moonup outside. It was drizzling a bit, so we sat inside a gazebo to stay dry. It fit our group perfectly. Tonight we shared about some of the most challenging situations we’ve been through and what we learned from it. It’s really remarkable how close we’ve all gotten with one another and that everyone felt comfortable sharing. It is so powerful how much we can come together to support each other, and learning more about the hard times in each of our lives really bonded us more as a group. Taylor and Emily are so proud of the kids for all opening up.
On Thursday we went canyoneering! Today we got some extra sleep, despite the 10-minute bell tower at 7 am. Eva prepared breakfast for us and our guide Ennio met us to head out for the activity. We had a short ride to Grotta di Pradis. As the group got all geared up in our water socks and wetsuits we played a few games, including Shake and Pop. This is a favorite of the group and gets the vibes high for the day! Peter was given a particularly funny wetsuit that actually came in two pieces for a complete look. It sort of resembled a wrestling singlet. For those who are unfamiliar, canyoneering includes a combination of hiking, climbing, rappelling and splashing through the water. We started off the activity with a bang as we repelled straight down a mini waterfall into the canyon below. It felt like some sort of natural water park. It was Dylans first time canyoneering and we all shared some laughs as he repelled down. Although he was slightly terrified at first, he quickly came to love the adrenaline rush. We all had so much fun canyoneering and it felt fantastic to cool off in the water after the last few weeks of hiking. In the canyon, the sun shone in beautifully and created several photo ops. Paige captured it all on her GoPro, adding to the hours of footage she has curated. She could make a movie out of the trip by now! There were several thrilling water features all throughout the canyon, including our final slide into a huge pool of water. We ended the activity just as strong as we started and the students of DOL 3B changed from master hikers and became fish as our group swam around after cliff jumping off a nearby rock. Of course, all safely facilitated by our guide, Ennio. The kids all lamented that this was one of their favorite days of the trip. After a short hike back to the van we de-issued our gear and drove back to Hotel Corona. Taylor, Robert, William, Peter, Dylan and Stephens had a fun car conversation filled with their love for Harry Potter, building Legos, and superpowers. For lunch, we had a much appreciated break from sandwiches; Eva whipped up some delicious bolognese pasta and a caprese salad. The afternoon was full of town exploring, let by our master adventurer Olivia. The kids also visited the only store in town where they bought tons of snacks and treats to sustain them until dinner. This group loves soda and candy! Guy even bought a liter of Fanta and managed to crush the whole bottle before dinner. Needless to say, he did not feel great afterwards. LOL! The day flew by and we can’t believe our last day of activities has come to an end. We finished off the day with Moonup at a beautiful lookout overlooking the Italian countryside. Tonight we shared our death row meals and happy places, two great Moonup questions where we had the chance to learn more about some of our favorite foods and destinations. Many shared that Chipotle and Chick-Fil-A would be part of their last meals. Clearly we all miss American fast food! To close out, Guy and AB passed the LOD torch back to Emily and Taylor for our final day in Venice tomorrow.
We cannot believe how quickly Day 13 snuck up on us! Time sure does fly when you’re having a blast, and that is exactly what everyday feels like with this group! On Friday morning we all got to sleep in and woke up to head to Venice for our town day. We were all SO pumped to explore the timeless Italian city. After packing up and consolidating our belongings, breakfast included warm, jam filled croissants and fruit with cappuccinos and fresh fruit. We said a final goodbye to our incredible Hotel owners, Eva and her husband. They have definitely been a highlight of our summer and made our stay nothing short of fantastic! We rocked out to music along the way on our transfer to Venice and the vibes were high when we arrived in the city. For most of the trip we’ve been staying in remote areas, so it was really exciting to have the opportunity to explore a bigger city together. The kids were troopers carrying our bags through the city to get to our hotel. The weather was excellent and ideal for some exploring! Once we dropped our belongings at the hotel we quickly headed back out to hunt for gelato. The kids had a goal to consume as much Gelato as possible throughout the day. Our needs were met and the whole group relished the delicious icy treat that refreshed our restless taste buds. Emily led us to the iconic Piazza San Marco, where Taylor shared some fun facts about the city and Saint Mark’s Basilica. From here we divided for lunch. Emily took Caroline, Paige, Charlotte, Olivia, and AB to a the Illy cafe where they enjoyed Caesar salad, pasta, and coffees, of course. The ambiance was beautiful, coffee tasted so great, and the food was a big hit. Meanwhile, Taylor led William, Stephens, Peter, Guy, Dylan, Robert, and Graydon to an authentic pizza restaurant. We each took down a whole pizza by ourselves and the pies hit the spot! Everyone spent the afternoon exploring and shopping. The girls shopped till they dropped and Caroline and Olivia picked up new books to dive into on the plane ride home. Both groups had to stop for more gelato to refuel for more city exploring. The boys stocked up on souvenirs and gifts for family and friends. William is now the proud owner of an awesome Italian fedora and he wears it very well. Guy and Robert also picked up new Venetian Captain hats and the nautical vibe really suits their style. After stocking up on candy the boys took on a new adventure: finding Dylan a barber shop to get a fresh cut! The perfect place jumped out at us soon and Dylan bravely got a rad new Italian hairdo. He had been saying he wanted a haircut in Venice all trip and the group was impressed by his follow through. We walked back along the canals and thoroughly enjoyed people watching. It was a super fun afternoon! For banquet dinner we went to an amazing restaurant where we sat outside on the water. Most of the kids had margarita pizza for dinner, importantly soaking up every last bit of the Italian food while they can. It was a perfect evening, just warm enough but not too hot as the sun set. Golden hour on the canal is beautiful. After dinner we hunted for more gelato and found our best yet! Then we had our final Moonup in the plaza right next to St. Mark’s Basilica. We discussed what we will take away from the trip; it is evident that we all learned so much in just two weeks. Everyone wants to continue embracing Moondance’s “LITMO” mentality-the importance of living in the moment and being present. In other words, being where our feet are and embracing every single moment without being too rushed. Over the span of our trip, we shared so many incredible memories that we will all cherish for a very long time. Emily and Taylor surprised the group with superlative paper plate awards. Stephens received the “king of hacky sack” award and Graydon was given “most likely to start a dance party”. We talked about our favorite funny moments and gave endless nugs. Discussing these moments at Moonup was an excellent cap on the night and trip as a whole. We headed back to our hotel, skipping through the streets of Venice. It was such an amazing final day of our trip!
Today sadly concludes the end of our epic Italian adventure. We rose early to the sounds of Venice warming up for another bustling day of tourism and Venetian magic! After a quick bitter sweet last morning together, breakfast was grab-and-go-style Nutella B-Ready’s. We of course had to celebrate our special birthday girl Charlotte on her big day! Everyone had written super sweet words on her birthday card the night before and we were excited to give her the card. It should be a fun read on the plane. Charlotte wore the birthday crown we gave her like a queen! After packing up bags we went downstairs to the hotel lobby to depart. Dylan’s dad picked him at the hotel to continue on their own travels, and Dylan was able to finally show off his new haircut to his dad. We said our goodbyes and it hurt to already start parting ways with the tightly knit group members so soon. Soon after, we brought our bags to the water taxi pickup point near the water. We jammed out to American music to remind us of our homeland soon to come, all while we took in the views from the water. Paige was excited to be back on a boat, reminding her of her lake back at home. Despite the early wake up call, our crew was not short of energy as we glided away from the magical floating city of Venice. We can always count on this group to bring the fun! At the airport, we got boarding passes printed and the group all checked in and ready to go for a long travel day home. Following rounds of hugs and sweet words, we said our final sad farewells and sent the group off through security and on their way back home to you. We are sad to see them leave us but excited to send them towards a reunion with y’all, who we know love and appreciate them just as much as we do! We hope you are all so excited to have them home and hear all about the trip, the stories are countless…!
It has been such a wonderful pleasure to get to know Paige, Stephens, Charlotte, Graydon, Caroline, Guy, Robert, Olivia, Dylan, Peter, AB, and William in the breathtaking backdrop of the Dolomites! This group has something special and the magic of this third session will be something we will never forget. We both miss your children already, and are so insanely grateful to have spent these past two weeks all together. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to meet and
LOVE your kids!
❤️💙
Emily and Taylor
Dominating the Dolomites
July 16, 2025
“I have heard many theories about why we are here on this planet, but I think my favorite is that we are simply the universe wanting to experience itself. We’ve made life so complicated and stressful, but maybe we are just the stars curious about the earth. A little piece of the galaxy wanting to feel the dirt beneath its feet. Wanting to fall in love and feel its heart beat. Maybe our purpose here is to simply be and enjoy what unfolds.” – Unknown
Friends and Family of the DOL 3B Family,
It’s hard to believe that today is already day 11 of our time together. This group has become so tight-knit and every day just keeps on getting better. We could not be more proud of all twelve of the kids for pushing past their comfort zones to conquer their fears. They have done an excellent job cheering each other on, truly operating as a team to accomplish all of the physically challenging climbs and hikes on our Italian adventure. Turning back the clock to a few days ago…
On Saturday morning, we woke up at Rifugio Averau, a mountain hut above the Cinque Torri which means “five towers.” These towers rise abruptly from the mountain top meadows, beautifully juxtaposing the grassy landscape that surrounds them. The rock faces stand alone and are naturally occurring on top of the slopes of Falzagero Pass above Cortina d’Ampezzo. They are really unlike anything we’ve seen before! Up on Averau we woke up in a cloud, but the fog lifted into a beautifully crisp morning. We woke the kids up to Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson, a classic song to ease them out of a long slumber. We got extra sleep last night thanks to a later starting time today, so everyone felt well rested! Before hitting the trail, we scarfed down a delicious breakfast spread including tons of great fruit which Charlotte thoroughly enjoyed. They also had a self-boil station for hard boiled eggs; several of us learned the hard way that you need to cook eggs for longer at such high altitudes! We grabbed our packs, strapped up our boots, and hiked down to Rifugio Scoiattoli where we met Michele and Marco. Emily and Taylor played some music along the way to get pumped up for the climbing (shhhh… don’t tell Michele because he does not approve of trail music). We had a little bit of extra time, so Taylor got a game of Hacky Sack going to keep everyone warmed up and energized. Then we had a quick walk to the first climbing spot where our guides set up three warm up routes. Guy and Robert quickly volunteered to climb first, showing us all how it’s done. The rock was a little chilly from the rain overnight, but that didn’t stop anyone! We have a super strong and physically capable group, so everyone reached the top of all three climbs without even breaking a sweat. AB, Paige and Peter are all afraid of heights, and we are incredibly proud of them for conquering their fears. Also, it was Dylan’s first time rock climbing, but he impressed us all with his natural climbing skills. We spent a couple of hours at the first routes, cheering each other on and lapping the lines, before heading to our second climbing spot. We moved to a new, bigger tower where our guides set up three longer routes on the dramatic rock face. Olivia helped to belay and kindly encouraged everyone while they climbed. We all agreed that she was the best belayer and made us feel extra safe when rappelling. Caroline and Charlotte are both incredible climbers, quickly completing even the hardest of the routes. The group consensus is that we preferred the second wall of the day, mostly because on one of the climbs there was a hole in the rock face that we could sit inside when climbing up. It was a memorable climbing challenge that we all loved! After tiring out our arms we headed back to Rifugio Scoiattoli to devour some post-climbing treats. Robert, William and Guy learned about affogatos-coffee and ice cream-so they’ve been ordering them at every opportunity. After refueling on some sweet treats, Taylor and Emily led the group on an afternoon hike to Rifugio Nuvolau. Reaching the summit was straight uphill for about a mile. Not that it’s a competition, but the girls totally cooked the boys and arrived at the top way before them! The views were truly spectacular. Off to one side we could see the Cinque Torri towers we’d climbed just a couple hours prior. On the other side, we looked out at Passo Falzarego. Led by our AB, our handstand queen, the girls (safely) did handstands in unison while Taylor captured the moment on his camera. An afternoon storm was forming and clouds were looking more ominous, so we decided to head back down to our warm and cozy rifugio. There is a lovely covered porch that we sat at playing cards and making friendship bracelets. Meanwhile, Peter and Graydon led a bible study with some of the group. We had some well-deserved rest time before dinner where we scarfed down another fantastic meal. As always, we shared our Rose, Thorn, and Buds from the day. Everyone loved rock climbing and agreed that it was one of our favorite activities yet! Following dinner, Caroline and Dylan led a great Moonup. For tonight’s serious question we all shared about our best friend and the qualities we love most about them. It is evident that we all feel so grateful to have such incredible friends in our lives who we appreciate immensely. It was raining outside and we were all exhausted, so we headed to bed in our mega room to rest up for another big day to come!
How could it be day 8 already??? Time really flies when you’re having as much fun as we are! LODs Guy and Robert helped make sure we all had two full water bottles and the right gear for the day. It was a chilly morning, so we all bundled up before heading down to breakfast. As always, Caroline and Olivia were the first ready for the day and joined Emily for coffee before breakfast. The buffet spread at Averau is seriously the best of the trip! We all filled up and got pumped for the day ahead. Today our guides suggested we do a Via Ferrata, which the group was super excited about. Michele, Marco and Francesco met us at the rifugio where we set out on our hike. We walked for around 10 minutes uphill and then got clipped in to our climbing groups. At the front of the pack with Michele was AB, Olivia, Stephens and Guy. Each guide roped in four of the kids for the climb. Team Francesco included Paige, Peter, Graydon and William. Last, but certainly not least, was Marcos group: Caroline, Charlotte, Dylan and Robert. We ascended up through the “chimney” to reach a hiking trail just below the Averau summit. The Via Ferrata was challenging, but nothing this group couldn’t handle! All of the climbing groups worked super well together to cheer each other on and reach the top. Somehow team Marco make it to the front of the pack and beat us all to the summit. As we hiked higher the clouds stared to come in, engulfing us. William had an excellent observation that the clouds looked just like two curtains closing. When we made it to the cross at the top of the summit it was super foggy. We’ve been blessed to reach a summit nearly every day on this trip and greatly appreciate the 360-degree views, but it was super special to enjoy this moment with just our group in the clouds. As we descended back down the trail, the clouds remained above us and we could see the five towers in the distance. It was spectacular! After making it back to Rifugio Averau, we hiked further downhill towards the five towers where Emily and Taylor led the group in exploring the WWI memorabilia. Fun fact, the Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and full of so much rich history. The area has been well preserved, and we enjoyed exploring some of the exhibits that taught us more about the war on the Italian front. After our educational session for the day, we hit up Scoiattoli yet again for some coffee, soda and grub. Paige, Charlotte and AB discovered the mini personal pizzas here and decided that they’d rather order pizza for lunch than eat packed sandwiches. We don’t blame them! Stephens suggested starting a game of Hacky Sack, so we played a few rounds right next to the five towers. It was such a picturesque backdrop. We needed more space as the rest of the group joined in, so Taylor and Emily led everyone up to the helly-pad to get two games going. Once we could get to 8 Hacky Sack hits in a row, we switched to “Poison Sack”. This version of Hacky Sack is more competitive, thus even more fun! You have to hit the sack three times and then catch it and peg someone. If you get pegged, you get a point, and the goal is to have as few points as possible. We all joined in one big group and had a ton of fun playing. Taylor was targeted by Robert and finished in last place with the most points. The kids are getting much better at this game by the day, and it has become a group favorite! Back at Rifugio Averau we played our second big group game of the day: Code Names. Caroline and Guy were the code masters, firing off excellent clues for their teams. The rest of the afternoon was mellow-some of the kids napped, read, journaled and made bracelets. Every day is so active, and we love how packed the mornings are and relaxing the afternoons can be. This group is especially great at being energetic all day and taking time to rest once we’re back “home” for the night. Our dinner was another 3-courses of incredible Italian cuisine. We shared stories from back home and a great meal. Staying three nights at Rifugio Averau has allowed us to try many different dishes on the menu. The group consensus is that the spaghetti bolognese is a favorite first course choice, followed by speck and eggs for the second course. For dessert, Averau has soft serve vanilla ice cream with caramel, chocolate or raspberry syrup. YUM! Robert and Guy led a great Moonup tonight, full of a lot of laughs. The nug jug stories have been getting better and better, and the jug has been overflowing with positive affirmations every single day! We always give nugs to our guide, Michele, and the views. Today we gave nugs to the beautiful cloud formations and Poison Sack. It was a great night cap on an awesome Day 8!
On Monday, day 9 of the trip, we woke up in the morning, ate a hearty breakfast and packed up for the day. It was strange to be packing up after 3 nights in the same Rifugio. The night before, the group had stayed up talking with one of the local Rifugio employees named Alexander. He is only a few years older than the kids and has an impressive dream to move to the US and become a boxer. He speaks excellent English and even taught the crew some phrases in Italian! The kids adored this funny character. After breakfast we said a bittersweet goodbye to Rifugio Averau and our new friends there and set off for the day on foot, following Michele and Paul. To get warmed up for our big day of trekking, Emily and Taylor led DOL3B in a game of shake and pop. Graydon said he loved the dancing game and it was a great way to get moving. The beginning of the day was pretty steeply downhill and we were up against some slippery terrain. Per usual the group prevailed and crushed it. Right before we reached Passo Giau, all of a sudden who should come sprinting up from behind us but Alexander! It was a funny surprise, he had been sent on an important mission to recover a pair of hiking boots from a man in front of us who had accidentally mixed his up with another pair back at the Rifugio. The group was thrilled to see him again! While passing through Giau, Paige and AB finally succeeded in taking the perfect cow selfie, as the majestic creatures grazed all around us on the trail. The trail led over the Forcella Giau with plenty of ups and downs; here the views of the Tofana and Lastoi de Formin are inspiring, not to mention the mountains on display to the south: Monte Fromin, Cernera, Pelmo and the upswept flank of Monte Mondeval. Robert, Taylor, and Paige played a few rounds of 20 questions. The views were spectacular and we were once again reminded of how lucky we were to be in Italy. It was a long day of hiking and we passed the time playing games like 20 questions, categories, and celebrity. We hiked over lush alpine meadows, and even spotted some wild edelweiss. Olivia had an epic solo moment with a horse, snagging some great photos together in the process. We hiked through an uphill stretch, then all of a sudden, the Pelmo was incredibly close. We could now easily understand why it was dubbed ‘Throne of the Gods’. Caroline, Dylan, Olivia and Emily were at the front of the pack to cheer the rest of the group on as they reached the top of the biggest uphill push. Peter, Taylor, AB, and William played a long game of celebrity as we walked. For lunch, we walked down into a sweet little meadow full of cows. It was crazy how up close and personal the cows got as we walked by. Charlotte in particular expressed how cool the cows were and how she had never seen anything like it! Charlotte is our animal lover of the group. For the last part of the day we hiked below Pelmo’s North Face to our comfortable little mountain Rifugio at Passo Staulanza, our home for the night. The hiking in total was close to 10 miles. The group impressed us with their strong hiking abilities! At the Rifugio, we were reunited (at last!) with our personal duffels and it felt great to have all of our belongings back in one spot for the night. It felt like Christmas Day as we went through the goodies in our bags that we had forgotten about. Before reexamining our belongings, we had spent the afternoon downstairs sitting outside playing cards, hacky sack, and bracelet making. Guy and Robert have impressively mastered the art of making bracelets. Then the whole group wrote postcards home to y’all back in the States! We had the privilege of sharing our mega bunk room with two men from Korea. They ended up being a hilarious part of the trip and the kids kept them laughing and very entertained. They loved Graydon and even asked to take an adorable picture together with him. After showering, it was time for dinner. We were joined by our guide Paul. He joined in on our nightly dinner routine of sharing our Rose, Bud, and thorn of the day. However, this time we changed to High, Low, Good Deed, and Goal. The kids surprised themselves by recalling all the good deeds they had completed throughout the day without even realizing it. We had a mini dance party in our room with our Korean friends before realizing that there was a massive, Rifugio wide dance party going on downstairs. Of course we had to join in and bring our American Moondance flare; we absolutely burned the dance floor down with our fire moves to the Cupid Shuffle! It was electric and we had the whole Mountain Refugio bumpin’! After catching our breath, Olivia and Dylan led Moonup on the Rifugio side patio. Dylan kept us majorly entertained with his spur of the moment Nug-Jug story about a donkey hunter in Florida! It was a perfect way to end another great day in Italy.
Yesterday morning, we woke up early to sounds of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” to set the tone for our last tough hiking day! We packed up and said goodbye to our beloved personal duffles once again. Downstairs, breakfast greeted us. We set off with Michele and Paul, on foot again, and the daily hike began at 7:30 AM sharp! This days hike anchored one end of the famous Monte Civetta, one of the most impressive Dolomite formations. Shaped like an enormous trident and likened to a set of organ pipes, it rises majestically between the deep-cut Cordevole river valley and the smiling pasture of Val Zoldana. It was a push to conquer the steep uphill so early in the morning, however, with no surprise, the kids attacked the challenge. We hiked all together in unison, with Charlotte leading the pack behind Michele. Caroline was our hype woman and we can always count on her to bring the consistent energy and cheer us on. Meanwhile, Olivia offered encouragement to Charlotte in front of her. We took a quick break at the beautiful Lago Coldai. The lake is a stunning ombré from blue to green and was a pleasure to feast the eyes upon after hours of looking down at the rock underneath our own feet. After breaking we continued on to the Col Negro di Coldai that looks over at the towering west face of Monte Civetta. This “wall of walls” extends for over 4 miles! We stopped for a well deserved lunch break in the valley between the steep rock face and the mountain leading up to our rifugio. Guy and AB soaked up the rays emerging from behind the clouds. We munched on our sammies and fresh fruit. About midway past this wall, we climbed steeply to Rifugio Tissi, perched on mountaintop looking out at the Val Civetta, down the Alleghe Valley and west to the Marmolada Glacier. This Rifugio is super memorable. The days hike was around 7 miles and pretty much all uphill. The hour or so after we reached our destination was filled with napping, snacking, chatting, and playing cards on the porch. Peter, Paige, AB, William, Guy and Robert had an intense few rounds of Uno, with Peter ending victorious in his epic win. The sun came out for the afternoon and inspired us to get outside and play some Hacky Sack. The game is a favorite of Stephens and he helped get the game going. Dylan has also developed quite the hacky skills over the course of the trip. For dinner we refueled on pasta and eggs. Turns out Italians only eat eggs for lunch and dinner, something we’re all still getting used to but really enjoying. We layered up to Moonup outside and made a quick climb behind our Rifugio to a spot that overlooked the steep cliff and the valley below. The view from up top was incredible. The dramatic drop off made for a perfect Moonup backdrop! Graydon and Charlotte led us as we went around sharing a personal character trait about ourselves that is important to us. It was a very memorable Moonup and LOD duties were passed to Caroline and Robert for the following day. We once again got cosy in our Mega bunk room and sleep found us quickly.
As we write we are sitting at Tissi, a very special Refugio perched on a mountaintop overlooking the Val Civetta. We’re about to depart for our final day of trekking. It’s hard to believe how quickly the days have flown by. We feel bittersweet, but excited for the final days we have together. We adore all of your kids and feel so appreciative for the two weeks we have together. Thank you so much for sharing them with us!
Love,
Emily and Taylor
💙❤️
SHOUTOUTS!
Charlotte – thank you for sending me on this trip! I really thought it was a bad idea at first. Since I got here I have changed my mind. Everyone is so encouraging and kind, they always take great care of me and make sure I’m enjoying my trip. Thank you! And I really want some chick-fil a when I get back home pls? Also tell raymond I said happy birthday! And I know he’ll do great in his baseball tournament!
Caroline – mom and dad I can’t even begin to express my gratitude to y’all for sending me on this incredible journey through Italy! I am having an amazing time with these unique people and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to travel too new places to gain insight and knowledge about the world! Thank you so so much and I love y’all and I am so excited to hug you both when I get home!
AB – Hey guys!! This trip has literally been unreal. I cannot wait to tell yall literally everything. Thank you so so much for making this happen, it has been absolutely life changing. I’ve been surrounded by the sweetest and most caring people who never ever let the convo die. I’ve made friendships and memories that I’ll remember forever. I can’t express how grateful I am for you guys making this happen. Thank you for everything! Be safe and careful always! I miss Carter too! See ya 🔜🔜🔜🔜🩷🩷🩷🩷
Peter- Hey Mom and Dad! This trip has been amazing. These mountains are beautiful and every day has been so fun. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip I can’t even begin to thank y’all for this. I can’t wait to tell you all the stories and things we did. Miss you and see you guys soon!!
Graydon- Hey y’all. Thank you Mom and Dad for this amazing trip. I’ve had so many unexpected, amazing experiences that I cannot wait to tell you about, so many answered prayers. I’m so grateful for the experiences I’ve had and it’s all due to your generosity. Still, I’m very excited to get back home and see you two and William. Hope all is well, love you guys more than you know.
Guy- hey mom and dad I hope y’all are doing well. Moondance has been so fun and I love everyone on my trip. The Dolomites are super cool and I love the views and hikes. I’m so grateful for the this so thank you so much. I love and miss y’all so much.
Olivia- Hey yall I’m having a great time and so thankful that I got to go on this trip I loved going through the mountains and seeing beautiful places thanks again. Love,Olivia
Stephens- Hi mum and dad! I’m having a great time right now on this trip and I would just like to thank y’all for this once in a life time opportunity. The views continue to amaze me. Thank yall so much for letting me hike these amazing mountains. See yall in 3 days! Love your favorite son, Stephens
Dylan- Hi everyone! All is going great, this trip has been very fun and full of hiking like I have never done before. Thank you very much for sending me on this trip and giving me this opportunity. I hope everything is going good with you guys and look forward to catching up when I see you all soon. I really miss Winston and can’t wait to meet you all in only a couple days! Bye, love you and thank you very much
William- Hey guys! I am having so much fun and thank yall so so much for letting me go on Moondance. I am so grateful for getting this opportunity and I’m making the most out of it. Can’t wait to see yall when I get home and tell you all the stories and adventures I have been through! Thank you!
Robert- Hey Mom and Pops! Thank you for pushing me to go to Moondance with really no people I have met before. I had even more fun than I expected too it was a blast and I am really going to enjoy the last couple days I have left. I saw views that will stick with me for my whole life and experiences I will get to tell my kids. I came in to the trip not knowing what to expect but I had so much fun. Thank you for pushing me to go and have such a wonderful experience.
Paige- HEY FAM (again!!) Thank you so much for this trip!! I am having the time of my LIFE! I am so grateful for all the experiences y’all work so hard to give me and I will never take it for advantage because I know how blessed I am! I love y’all so much and this is seriously a trip of a lifetime that I can not wait to tell you all about till you get sick of hearing my voice. I love the way these trips push me to do hard things so I can reach my full potential! See you guys soon!! Love y’all sm!! 💕
Emily- Hey Mom and Dad! It feels super weird to be saying goodbye to the Dolomites in just a few days. It really is such a special place. I’m so grateful for this experience and the opportunity to lead for Moondnace. Thank you for always encouraging me to persue rich experiences and instilling such a sense of adventure in my life. I’m super excited to see y’all soon and miss you so much. Looking forward to being in Park City for a couple of weeks! Love you both so much. And I miss Miles too but guessing he won’t see this! Xo. Ems ❤️
Taylor: Hey Brown fam! Last time I’ll be writing y’all this way! I can’t believe the 3rd session is almost over. This summer has flown bye and I appreciate all of y’all’s support in this incredible opportunity! I love you to the moon and back and I am pumped to be back with my people so soon! I have loved every minute of this summer and can’t wait to tell y’all every detail! -T💙
Dang Good Times in the Dolomites
July 12, 2025
CIAO from the absolutely spectacular Italian Dolomites! What a fun-filled week we’ve had with your twelve incredible kids. The Dolomites are a really special place- full of history, magnificent views, rewarding hikes, and the best food. We feel beyond grateful to share this time together. The group has formed into a family right before our eyes, and we are so excited to tell you all about it. Let’s kick it off from the first day!
Emily and Taylor were so excited for everyone to arrive at the airport. Graydon was our first arrival, full of energy and an excellent conversationalist. Shortly after, most of the rest of the group came in off the Atlanta flight. They were a little jet lagged, but that didn’t stop anyone from chatting and immediately getting to know one another. We crushed some muffins and baked goods for brunch while we waited for our final arrival. Last, but certainly not least, Paige rolled in from Paris with a huge smile on her face. Emily and Taylor were so excited to have the whole group together! It’s always such a joy to meet the group for the first time, especially a crew like this who is so excited and energized about what is to come. We piled on the bus to head to Corvara away from the floating city of Venice. Along the way, we told stories (AB wins the prize for best story) and listened to some tunes while we soaked in the stunning views that emerged. As we winded into the mountains, we passed through small farming productions in the Veneto plains, full of low-rise, stucco homes and renaissance-era churches. In fact, we even passed one of the Refugio’s that we will stay in about halfway through the trip about an hour away from our hotel in Corvara. We will reach this point by foot and not by car, so it is really incredible to think about how much ground we will cover trekking to reach these remote, unique destinations. The drive itself was really windy, and we were all ready to get off the bus and start exploring. Upon arrival in Alta Badia, Taylor and Emily took the group on an adventure down into the town of Corvara. The Stella Group and Sassongher Mountains were surrounding us, and we were all blown away by the beauty. In town, we stopped into some boutique sports stores and had our first of many ice cream treats. Who doesn’t love dessert before dinner?? We certainly do! The group decided that instead of getting personal cones, they wanted to share pints of Nutella ice cream. This was a huge hit! Thanks to Graydon for the suggestion. It started to rain a little, so we headed back up to Hotel Costes for dinner. Four courses of delicious Italian cuisine was waiting for us; our taste buds were ecstatic to experience such wonderful flavors. The chef here is especially incredible and whips up some truly one-of-a-kind dishes. Following the build your own salad bar, we enjoyed gnocchi as the first course and steak as the second. After dinner, we gathered for our first Moonup.
Moonup is a time where we all come together at the end of the day to reflect and learn more about each other. The structure goes as follows: opening ceremony, quote, nug jug, silly and serious questions, passing of the Leader of the Day (LOD) responsibilities and closing. We give “nugs” to parts of the day that stand out as memorable and special. For example, tonight we gave nugs to the beautiful views, to Nutella ice cream, and to Corvara. We also talked about goals we have for the trip. Many mentioned that they are excited to get out of their comfort zone and make long lasting friendships. Emily and Taylor selected the first LODs-Graydon and Paige. They both jumped right in, asked excellent questions of the group, made fast friends, and we know they will be amazing as our first Leaders of the Day!
On Tuesday, our first official day of activities, Taylor and Emily woke the group up to “Walking on Sunshine” to get everyone hyped up for the day ahead. Taylor introduced the kids to his favorite phrase to say all day, but especially during wake ups: “Do you know what today is??? A great day to be alive!!” Everyone packed their day packs and had a quick breakfast before meeting our guide, Michele. Michele Barbiero will be with us throughout the whole trip, so we think he deserves a proper introduction. For over 30 years, Michele has been exploring the mountains of Italy, guiding hiking, climbing and skiing expeditions. He led the inaugural Moondance trip to the Dolomites, and has been guiding trips with Moondance ever since. He also loves to travel and explore peaks in far away countries. We are overjoyed to spend these two weeks with him! Our LODs Graydon and Paige helped everyone get packed up and led a stretch circle before heading out for our first day hike. We arrived at the base of our hike to a huge surprise-Hayes, Chris, and MK!!! All three of them were fresh off the plane from Moondance HQ in Nashville and we were thrilled to see them. It was such a special way to kick off the trip by meeting those who work so tirelessly to create the Moondance magic that we get to experience together. We talked for a while, took a great group picture in front of the spectacular mountains, and said our goodbyes as they headed on the rest of their adventures. Our first hike began from La Villa, a town where the World Cup races were held. The hike started off pretty steep as everyone quickly realized it may take a day or two to get acclimated to the altitude. The kids all did an incredible job pushing through, and quickly proved to be amazing hikers. As we made our way up above the tree line, Emily and Charlotte chatted with a really kind local and her two dogs who kept us company. Before we knew it, we’d reached the Refugio at the top. Based on everyone’s strong abilities, Michele suggested that we hike a bit further to reach a higher peak for lunch. The group was all in and quickly scaled the rest of the mountain! We all chowed down on our sandwiches at the top while taking in the view. Stephens, Dylan and Graydon led the way down and talked the entire time. Everyone in the group is so inquisitive and really made a great effort to get to know each other. This was pivotal during our first days, as the whole group is now so tight-knit. Much of the afternoon was spent swimming in the pool and playing Code Names-a favorite game that Emily and Taylor introduced to the group. While AB, Paige, Olivia, Charlotte, and Caroline crafted friendship bracelets, the boys all went into the hot tub. They felt incredibly relaxed and warm until the tub began to drain at 7 pm. It was a great bonding experience and a funny scene to walk up to. At dinner tonight we all went around the table sharing our Rose, Thorn, and Bud of the day. This has become a fun nightly habit within the group, as we love to hear about everyone’s highs and lows from the day. Graydon and Paige led an excellent Moonup. They asked the group to share about one person who they look up to as a role model. So many of you were mentioned and it was so clear how much these kids love you and appreciate you. Our first full day was a huge success. We feel so lucky to share this time with your kids; they are all rockstars!!!
Day 4 of our Italian adventure began with a delicious breakfast buffet spread from Hotel Costes. We “duffle-shuffled” this morning to prepare for our multi-day trek-transferring the clothes and items that we needed into our day packs and shared duffle. Olivia and William helped to facilitate this process, ensuring everyone had the packing list and didn’t forget any essential items. We put on sunscreen, tied our boots up, and hit the trail. Today Michele was joined by Paul, another fantastic local guide. We began the hike up the Pralongià Pass, a tough ascent to start the day but so worthwhile thanks to the jaw-dropping, 360-degree views that emerged. We hiked through the forest which quickly opened up to rolling alpine pastures. In the distance we could see the Marmolada, also known as the Queen of the Dolomites, the highest peak in the Dolomites. Along the hike we spotted some edelweiss flowers, iconic in the Dolomites. These small, silvery-white flowers only grow in high-altitude alpine meadows and rocky limestone slopes. In fact, they are protected in many places and considered a symbol of bravery and love. Olivia, our fearless LOD, led the pack and was at the front of the group all day. She pushed the pace well, keeping us warm since it was on the chillier side. We took a needed rest behind a beautiful white church where we were protected from the wind and chowed down on some gummies. As we continued, the terrain shifted again-becoming more rocky and a little steeper as we hit the limestone mountains at a higher elevation. In the distance we could see Refugio Valparola, our home for the next two nights. We hiked along the slide of a cliff, passing by a super cool WWI trench. We even saw some cows, which Paige, AB and Peter excitedly ran up to, trying to capture a selfie. Turns out when you run towards cows they aren’t super happy about a photo-opp, so they were unfortunately scared off! They decided to continue the mission of getting a cow selfie in the days to come. Today’s hike is no small feat; it took us around 5 hours as we hiked nearly 10 miles to our Refugio. We were elated to finally arrive at this incredible mountain-hut. The downstairs area was popping-off with visitors enjoying lunch and soaking up the views. We had some well deserved down time, and the girls continued making bracelets. Charlotte already completed the one she started the day prior. She is super creative and impresses us all with her drawing and crafting abilities! Meanwhile, the boys room spent at least two hours talking enjoying one another’s company. The Refugio cleared out, so we headed downstairs to play cards. AB and Paige are avid Gin Rummy players and they had several competitive rounds of cards. As much as we loved the first place we stayed, there is something so special about being in the mountains, removed from civilization. We really made this place our home and thoroughly cherish the time we get to spend at Valparola. They prepared an excellent dinner for us, including spaghetti and chicken. We all devoured all three courses and bundled up to head outside for Moonup. The sunset was incredible and the perfect backdrop for our nightly ritual. William and Olivia asked the group a favorite silly question: “If you could shoot five liquids out of your five fingers, what would they be?” We had some creative answers, including gasoline and liquid gold! After Moonup, Olivia had the excellent suggestion to venture up a nearby peak to watch the rest of the sunset. Emily and Taylor blasted music on the speaker and AB brought her camera to capture the moment. We can’t lie, it was a pretty steep climb to reach the lookout, but super rewarding and stunning from the top. Our evening adventure was the perfect cap on an amazing day in the Dolomites. We are having so much fun!!!
On July 10th, day 5 of our Italian expedition, we woke up to the clouds rising above the mountains on the beautiful Thursday morning. After a great nights rest, the cool crisp morning air was a welcomed shock to our systems and helped invigorate us for the day ahead! Today we geared up for our first Via Ferrata climb! DOL3B was pumped to finally get to see what the Italian style of cable climbing was all about! After nibbling on a delectable breakfast spread, we packed and met our awesome guides, Michele and Marco, outside to begin our trek. From the ‘Forte Tre Sassi’ WW1 Museum, we hiked along the Goiginger gallery – once an active military post with artillery directly aimed at the opposite ‘Cengia Martini’ (Martini ledge). The trail was well marked as guides roped us in to climb along the Via Ferrata. Peter was determined to crush the mountain climb, overcoming his fear of heights! Guy lead the first pack of climbing crews, confidently setting the pace for his peers behind. Graydon was our cheerleader, calling out words of encouragement to the rest of the group behind. Despite the chill from the cold mountain rock, the team crushed this activity! We climbed for about an hour to reach the trenches above. Charlotte, leading the second roped group of DOL3B climbers, absolutely rocked the route and exclaimed that it was her favorite activity so far. The Via Ferrata ended beneath a summit. If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that Michele, our beloved guide, loves a summit. If there’s a nearby mountain to climb, we’re hiking to the top! We made it to the Sass de Stria summit for lunch. Along the way, we got to climb up ladders that are built into the mountains. It’s so interesting how well preserved the history is here, and especially amazing that we get to experience it. At lunch we shared riddles and Taylor stumped the group with an especially difficult one. Leader of the Day AB was the first to crack the code! She helped continue the riddle and helped William and Stephens decipher the secret code too. AB then pulled out an even greater perplexing word-puzzle about a grandmother and her likes and dislikes. Emily and Taylor still can’t figure it out! Vibes were high for our group picture at the summit next to the giant cross and then we headed back down towards our Refugio. The way back was steep but the kids all crushed it and helped lend a hand to each other as needed. While chilling back at the Refugio, Emily took the girls out on the roof to relax and soak up the sun. The group was impressed with Caroline’s tanning skills and ability to sit so still! Meanwhile, the boys kept busy in the room next door by building a massive fort out of mattresses. The great collapse of said fort did not stop these boys from having a good time as they quickly switched to a game of rock poker once their pillow fortress fell. Later, Emily and Taylor took the group to go explore and hike to a nearby summit. Olivia fearlessly led the way and has been crowned our most adventurous of the group! Robert and Guy prepared for our upcoming rock climbing days and practiced their skills along the way up. On top of the summit there were gorgeous views and we commemorated the breathtaking beauty of the area with pictures and a game of hacky sack. Paige was a natural and her years of soccer skills definitely shown through! We played some cards, journaled, and spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out and laughing. We shared our Rose, Thorn, and Bud of the day at a lovely dinner before Moonup out in front of our sweet Refugio home. AB and Stephens headed a great Moonup that was capped off with a game of poison dart frog and some stunning sunset photos. Exhausted but content, we hit the hay early to rest up for our next day of adventures!
We cannot believe we are already on day 6 of this session! The time has flown by! On Friday, we yawned and stretched and packed up our belongings for another amazing day in the Dolomites. At breakfast we chowed down on bread, yogurt, and a meat platter laid out all buffet style. After, we were sad to leave Valparola and all the good times there but, as always, we were ready to embrace the new adventure ahead! After reuniting with our amazing guides Michele and Marco, we had a challenging hike from the Rifugio as we passed the ‘Forte Tre Sassi’ WW1 Museum on the side of the mountain. Emily kept the group entertained with funny stories on the hike up to the entrance of the World War I tunnels. Guy was excited to explore the tunnels, something he had been looking forward to all trip! With headlamps and helmets on head, we made our way up the Galleria del Lagazuoi, a fascinating open-air WWI museum carved into the mountains. William expressed how cool it was to be in same tunnels as the soldiers of the Italian and Austro-Hungarian armies that dug out the mountain shelters from the rock, transforming them into an impenetrable 20th century fortress of tunnels, trenches, and machine gun posts. Numerous routes took us on a
behind-the-scenes tour of dramatic, high-altitude battles that are unique in the history of mankind. Caroline and AB talked about how much they appreciated the unique experience of the tunnels and how rewarding type 2 fun can be! We emerged, blinking, back out into the daylight on the other side of the tunnel. With no rest for the weary we continued our push up to the summit and the cross nearby. The mesmerizing panorama from up top lived up to everyone’s expectations and we could actually see all the different places we had been on the trip so far. Making our way down from the summit to escape the wind, Dylan got the whole group laughing with his hilarious comments! We enjoyed lunch on the deck at Rifugio Lagazuoi, surrounded by more breathtaking views. While at Lagazuoi, Charlotte majorly impressed the group with her artistic ability, sketching the mountain range with uncanny detail. DOL 3B soaked up the sun and our last few minutes chilling on the Lagazuoi porch before getting moving again. We then took a gondola back down to the base from where, you guessed it, we continued our hike! The hike there was a challenging one, a challenge that the group took on headfirst and embraced. They are becoming quite the little hikers! The views along the way were spectacular per usual and the beauty of the surrounding Cinque Torri area helped quiet the ache in our legs. We made it to Rifugio Averau, our home for the next three nights. The Rifugio overlooks the Cinque Torri down below. Cinque Torri, meaning “Five Towers”, a group of towers that lies on the south slopes of Falzarego Pass above Cortina d’Ampezzo. It is part of the larger Averau-Nuvolau group in the Cortina Dolomites. After some downtime, Taylor, Robert, Guy, and William took off up the nearby mountain for some extra exploring. We jammed out to music and took in the stunning scenery. Joined by Emily, Dylan, and Stephens, the crew had a blast making our way back down the mountainside. Graydon and Peter held a special bible study back at the Rifugio. A delicious dinner of pasta, fish, and eggs followed by Charlotte and Peter’s excellently led Moonup was the perfect way to end day 6! At Moonup tonight we discussed times that we’ve been pushed beyond our comfort zones and what we learned from the experiences. Many of the kids shared that their Moondance trips have shaped them, teaching the importance of enjoying the outdoors and living in the moment. Even on really challenging hikes, similar to the one we completed today, there is such a sense of accomplishment that follows. As humans, we must reach beyond what is familiar to experience growth. Taylor and Emily could not be more proud of the group for adopting such great attitudes and absolutely crushing every single activity so far.
As we write this, we are enjoying the morning at our beautiful Rifugio. The lovely mountain home comes complete with 360 views that look like something out of a movie backdrop! Today, we embark on our first of two days of rock climbing. DOL3B is hyped up to climb and we cannot wait to attack the day per usual! We are so grateful to be adventuring in this spectacular part of the world and could not be more excited for all to come. We’d like to say a huge thank you for sharing all twelve of your awesome children with us. We adore this crew so much!!!
Love,
Emily and Taylor
💙⛰️
SHOUTOUTS!
Paige – HEYYYY mom and Dad and Davis!! I miss y’all soooo much!!! I am having the best time in the Dolomites and the views we have everyday can’t even be compared to anything I’ve seen before. Thank y’all so much for everything you do for me and I am so grateful for getting to have these opportunities given to me!! I love my group so much and I am making friends for life!! Tell Bruce and Sunny I miss them sooo much!! 🩷🩷
AB – hey guyssss!! I miss y’all so so much!! This trip is literally unreal. Never seen views like this, you would die. This group is so so sweet and so funny and my fav people ever! I love yall so much and couldn’t be more grateful for this trip!! I can’t even describe how beautiful it is here, I’m having soooo much fun!! Miss and love you porter! Give the pups a hug for me! Love y’all and talk to ya soon!
Olivia- Hey yall I’m having a great time exploring the beautiful Italian Dolomites. I loved getting to go through the world war 1 tunnels. Can’t wait to tell yall all about it when I get home. Love y’all home Texas isn’t too hot.
Caroline – hey guys!!! Italy is absolutely amazing and I am so incredibly grateful to be here! The views are absolutely breathtaking and I am having so much fun with this incredible group, every minute is full of laughs! I miss and love y’all so so much especially Ella and Cooper! See you soon! XOXO
Charlotte- Hello mom dad and the animals(that includes ray). Everyone in my group is so nice and encouraging. They always make the hikes worth it when they cheer me on even when I’m far behind them. This is a great experience and I love you!
Stephens – Hey y’all! I’m having so much fun up here in the Dolomites. I hope you guys are managing well without me. I’ll see y’all soon. Love and miss y’all!
Dylan – Hi everyone! This trip is so much fun and I am meeting great people! The hikes and rock climbing have been very rewarding and fun and I am having a great time! I will see you guys soon and especially miss Winston! Love you bye!
Robert- Yo mom and dad!! Big T is the best and big E who should totally get a promotion. This guy named Stevens has a wonderful voice. I know my presence is missed, you don’t even need to tell me. All jokes aside I’m having a great time everyone is awesome. Love and miss you!
Guy- Hi mom and dad I’m having so much fun my group is great and I love my leaders. We’re doing a bunch of fun stuff and the hiking is awesome. Love all of y’all the trip is great.
Graydon- Hello Mother and Father, Your presence is greatly missed in my life as I’m sure my presence is missed in yours. We have been trekking far and wide, east to west, north to south. I once again would like to venture to thank you both for a stupendous trip to Rome, Florence, and Venice, your generosity shines through your souls. This group has uplifted and fulfilled my joy! These humans are so wonderful. I miss my bro bro, my dog dog, my giwlfwiend, and my fwiends. And to all the other parents reading this, I would like to congratulate the human being that raised
Dylan (AKA Florida man)-. I love my squire Robert, my bible study friend Big Pete, my clueless companion Guy, and then the girls are alright… just kidding their pretty chill. God bless my family, this trip!🦅🦅 P.S. I miss y’all a whole lot.
Peter- Dear parents, I would first like to extend my gratitude for allowing me to experience this stupendous adventure. Do not weep in my absence, for I am having a splendid time here amongst the large towering rocks. I greatly miss my homeland and its wonderful citizens. Much Love from ya boy.
William- Hey guys, I’m having so much fun and have an awesome group. My leaders are super nice and very adventurous. The hikes have been so much fun but the climbing has been my favorite part. Can’t wait to see you when I get home!
Taylor- Hey y’all! I miss y’all so much and I’m pumped to see y’all so soon. DOL3B has been a blast and we are just warming up! Excited to see these kids rock the rest of the session. I can’t believe the summer is winding down so fast. Mark, looking forward to visiting you in Gville! Keep grinding that 9 to 5! Big Det, I hope your big hiking camping trip is going well! Stay safe, can’t wait to hear all about it. Mama I sure do miss you and can’t for a Mom and T summer when I get home! Y’all love on Maxy boy for me! Talk when I can. -T 💙
Emily- Hey guys! I’m having the best summer of my life and loving every single day here. This group is awesome, such strong hikers and they all have the best attitudes. I’m having a blast with them! I still can’t get over how beautiful it is and am soaking up every second. Miles, I hope you are having the best time ever in Japan. Mom and Dad, I can’t wait to see you both in just a couple of weeks and hang out in Park City. I miss being home and am super excited for a few weeks together. Let’s do some hikes, pickleball, and play lots of games on the deck. Y’all would really love it here and I want to come back in the winter and ski. Sending SO MUCH LOVE! Xo. Ems ❤️
The Journey Begins!
July 7, 2025
Hello Dolomites Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Venice! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
