The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are getting ever-so-slightly cooler – summer has begun that sad, inevitable process of waning… But we haven’t pulled out our sweaters and holed up just yet. Rather, we’re doing our best to seize the 82-degree days, hitting our favorite hot spots and doing some quality outdoor exploring.
We still love our Thursday evenings at Jefferson Park, where Shane meets us after his post-work bike ride and Juliette romps in the splash pad.
And Saturdays at Lincoln Park – an oldie but a goodie! Shane and I used to come here a lot for summer sunsets before we had Juliette. Now that she’s in bed by sunset time, we’re hanging here in the mornings instead, eating donuts with the Rust clan or reconnecting with our community group. Shane borrowed Brian’s paddleboard and took Jules out on a very short tour of the Sound a week ago – they didn’t make it more than 20 feet from shore before Juliette was asking to turn around, but we’ll try again some other day.
Shane and Jack logged their annual Redhook ride out to Woodinville last weekend, but this year we introduced a twist – La Verne and I met our biker dudes up at 192 Brewing in Kenmore with the kids, and Shane pulled them the remaining few miles up to Redhook in the bike trailer.
I guess this is what a pub crawl looks like for us these days…
Beer, burgers, bikes, success!
We made it! (A celebratory hug.)
The weather was a little cooler last Thursday and Juliette and I opted to stay closer to home, taking our afternoon treat across the street to the greenbelt. This girl will be sorely disappointed when popsicle season comes to a close.
La Verne texted me as we were leaving the greenbelt and asked if we wanted to meet up with her and N for a walk/bike ride at Seward Park. The kids have matching balance bikes and we figured the wide-open path there would be perfect for trying out their new wheels. Plus, it was just a tad too cool for them to take their usual dip in the water.
Or…not. They darted into the lake before we could even strip them down – I managed to fish Jules out of the water long enough to pull of her soaked pants and salvage her mostly-dry shirt, but then she and N were off to the races again, reveling in the late summer rays hitting their pale, bare bellies.
Shane and Jules have done some quality cruising on the bike this summer, taking regular spins to the grocery store or along Lake Washington Boulevard. Despite Shane’s urging that I get a bike so that we can make this a family activity, I’ve resisted, happy to play the part of the spectator. But on Saturday the lure of afternoon sun and time with friends was hard to turn down, so I borrowed Nancy’s bike and we all set out along the Green River Trail for a slow, easy spin. And you know what? It was kinda great. Easy, breezy, perfectly paired with a mid-ride picnic dinner. I might put a bike on my wish list after all.
And Jules was pretty stoked about our matching helmets. “Mama ride bike? Mama ride biiiiiike?!”
Yesterday morning we drove up north to check out St. Edward State Park – I had been wanting to check this place out for awhile and am so glad we made the trek. After a quick go on the huge playground, we hit the trail down to the water.
The forest fires in Eastern Washington have been terrible it was hazy even in Seattle yesterday, the smoke hanging in the air like fog.
Juliette crashed in the stroller before we reached the water, so Shane and I had a few rare, quiet moments to ourselves.
Just as I spread out my blanket and reached for my book, though, she was up, wanting to come say hello to the ducks that had waddled onto the shore.
She lays it on so thick when she wants to.
Those few freckles on her nose have gotten darker with each passing weekend. I’ll miss them if they decide to leave the premises come rainy season.
We headed back up the hill and through the forest once we’d had our fill of rock-throwing and pretzels. Green, green, GREEN. So good.
We spent the evening at Seward Park with the Chens, this time more prepared for a swim in the lake. Jack lifted weights while the rest of us sipped wine on the lawn.
We packed up our things as the ultra-orange sun began to set, wondering what on earth we’ll do when it’s 40 degrees and dark at 4:30 pm. I mean, I don’t want to sound too gushy about summertime in Seattle, but dang…it’s magical.
