We’re in the thick of Autumn – it’s raining outside as I type and the kids are watching Coco in the background, snuggled under a pile of blankets. Summer is a distant memory… But I’m leaning into the change of seasons, finding some comfort in the way we’ve settled into our Fall schedule and thankful for the sun breaks that graced much of September and October.
We spent a September Saturday up in Duvall, running through fields of sunflowers. We paid our entry fee to Lora Lee’s and went through the gate, expecting to see acres of gold. Instead, we found a patch of dahlias, which were beautiful, but not quite what we’d imagined. We followed the signs to the sunflower maze, hopes held high.
And then there they were, just past the corn. ENTER!
I’d imagined the sunflowers would be several feet tall, but I’m so glad these were minis, given that Isaac took off like a lightning bolt and I counted on being able to keep an eye on his blond bobbing head from a distance.
Top day.
Shane’s mom was with us for nearly two weeks in September and joined us for donut runs and soccer games and morning walks to school. And lots of evening games of Hearts, once Isaac went to bed.
She celebrated her birthday with us, with drinks at Salty’s…
And apple pie at home.
We still spend as many golden hours as possible outside, at Alki or Lincoln Park.
I spy…a couple of runners.
Isaac is enamored with the barrage of skeletons and inflatable ghosts that have popped up around the neighborhood this month. He calls them “mookies”, which is his pronunciation of “spookies” and we love an evening spooky hunt.
We found ourselves with a wide-open Sunday a couple of weeks ago and felt very much in need of a family reconnect after a hectic month, so we shoved aside our to-do list and boarded a ferry for Vashon Island.
We found the smallest, sweetest pumpkin patch at the south end of the island and loaded up our wheelbarrow with a pumpkin for each of us.
Score, Buddy!
Smile, Isaac!
Or…don’t, you little goofball.
I know, this just keeps going, but the pumpkin patch photo ops!
Post-pumpkins, we grabbed some treats at Vashon Coffee Roasters and headed to KVI Beach to get some sun and look for shells.
The weather was so good that day. Some of us shed our sweaters. One of us took off our pants.
Juliette and I read our books while Isaac brewed shell soup.
Our final stop was Dragon’s Head Cider – this place is heaven on earth on a sunny afternoon. Hammocks and orchards and Adirondack chairs and crisp, cold drinks…we made ourselves right at home.
Isaac is far from “easy” these days, but we are finding ourselves with some several-minute stretches where we can sit back and watch the kids play without having to worry that Isaac’s going to hurt himself or run away or eat something unsavory. It feels good.
I favored the Kinsgston Black, but Isaac thought my Columbia Crabapple was particularly nice on the nose.
A dream, I tell you. Huge shout-out to Shane for being the mini-adventure mastermind – we drove back to the ferry sun-kissed and happy and reminded of just how much we all like each other. Island time does a family good.
Happy Autumn, friends.
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