little black journal

Halloween pics coming in hot, but first, our final summer snaps.  For posterity.  For the Grandmas!

And speaking of grandmas (and this blog’s most faithful readers), Shane’s mom came to visit in June for Juliette’s fifth grade graduation. For bonus fun, we squeezed in plenty of park visits and a quick trip to Vashon Island.

To the isand!

I love how my kids so eagerly lean into their ferry faves – Juliette bee-lines for the puzzle table and Isaac heads right for the deck.

Vashon was charming as ever.  We discovered a perfectly packed used bookshop connected to the Coffee Roasterie.

And then said hello to the Vashon Troll.  This guy’s name is Oscar the Bird King and he’s lovely.

Isaac spent half an hour in his driftwood fort burying his beloved Sonic action figure and then frantically digging it up.  There was a moment when we thought we’d lost him, but crisis averted.

We capped off our visit at Dragon’s Head Cidery for the requisite picnic lunch, hammocking, and cold beverages.

Fourth of July found us back on the ferry, this time headed toward Marrowstone Island for a holiday with our buddies.

We settled into Jack and La Verne’s place, pulled out the whiffle ball and bat, and let the festivities begin.

A quick romp through the woods / beach…

And then an evening on the lawn at Marrowstone Winery, for food and drink and music and laughs.

Happy Fourth!

These wide-open roads were made for morning scootering…

Juliette has become obsessed with the card game Piles and builds her fan base wherever she goes.

In other random highlights, our family spent a morning at an alpaca farm in Duvall, petting bunnies and feeding (then being chased) by a variety of barnyard animals.

This is her Can We Get A Rabbit? face…

These creatures…  Goofy-looking as all get-out.

But those eyes!  I love them.

Juliette did not love the slobber factor.  Put out a handful of feed and these alpacas get EXCITED.

Thanks to Shane for humoring me.  This trip was not on his summer bucket list, but I had a blast.

Plus, Lake Sammamish was conveniently located on the way home.  Beach day!

With some Rusts, to boot!

Felt so good…

But time to pack it up.

Juliette spent a few nights away from home at summer camp on Vashon Island.  I took her to the drop-off point via the water taxi and the goodbye to Brother and Dad was tough.

I connected her with her buddies and we hugged goodbye and we both cried a lot, but I was excited for her upcoming adventure.

And then Juliette was gone and our house felt not-quite-right without her.  Our reunion on Vashon Island several days later was awfully sweet.

SO SWEET.

Finally, there was plenty of joy found right at home.  The Jarrells came to visit for a weekend and the kids reveled in cousin and grandparent time.

On the weekends we weren’t camping or island-hopping, we were cycling through our West Seattle favorites.  Good Society, Coleman Pool, Alki Beach, rinse and repeat.

(A special shout-out for sunset walks down to the water with my girl – this is when we have our best chats…)

Our summer home base continues to be our backyard, for reading and water balloons and sprinklers.

Shane thinks he looks like Johnny from the Karate Kid.  I think he looks like utter delight.

I was gardening one evening and noticed a rustle in the ground where I’d just pulled out a scraggly rosemary bush.  I gently nudged aside a clump of dried grass and discovered a nest of several baby bunnies!  Juliette got her wish!

Shane set up a bunny cam as I’d seen no sign of mama and feared I’d scared her away with my poking around.  But early the next morning we got a motion notification and there she was!  Giving them breakfast and then tucking them back in.

I got a little obsessed with these dang rabbits, trying to get a peek every few hours but not wanting to scare them away.  I’d lay awake at night worrying about raccoons, googling home-rigged predator protection strategies.  A few days later, as I was showing Nance our sweet little nest, a bunny darted out of the hole and across the street.  He was tired of my meddling, I guess.  An hour later, the other two were gone.  Ah well, it was fun while it lasted!  And to be honest, I needed my life back.

Summer’s final blackberries…

Perfect to the very last drop.

 

Tuesday in Minnesota dawned sunny and warm.  Isaac hit the ground running, as per usual, begging for a game of dodgeball while we sipped our morning coffee and chai.  We made a game of standing on the porch and trying to peg him with a foam ball while he darted back and forth across the (quiet) street.

Juliette loved this game almost as much as Isaac – a rare chance to throw something full-force at her little bro!

More porch play…

And then the grownups rallied and we all hopped in the car to check out Itasca State Park.  We went for a short trail walk and then waded in the water.  THE headwaters of the Mississippi River, to be clear.  The kids were unimpressed by the geographical significance of this, but Shane was pretty pumped.

We decided to see how far the shallows went.

(The shallows went on for awhile!)

Admittedly, it got a little deeper than we expected in some places, but Isaac’s shorts were quick-dry!

The waters eventually got deeper and the mosquitos got thicker, so we bailed in search of lunch.  It was a fun little adventure, though.

We grabbed a bite at the WoodShed in La Porte and then the kids asked if they could play a quick game of tag out front before getting back in the car.  When on vacation…

These goofballs probably criss-crossed this lawn 25 times, then they made a game of rolling down the edge of the ditch as quickly as possible, laughing all the way.  I tell you, THIS IS THE STUFF.

For the record, these two very often drive each other crazy, but I haven’t got the photos to prove it.  Just believe me.  But also believe they love each other a whole whole lot:

Afternoon pool time…

And then a golf cart ride to the clubhouse for ice cream, which turned out to be a bust as the clubhouse was closed, but Isaac took it in stride.  He still got a golf cart ride out of it.

Shane kicked off Wednesday on the golf course.  Again, Isaac and I waited for him at the last hole with bated breath.

They’re back!

Juliette got in a few good swings as well.  Three cheers for cheap, casual golf.

We packed a lunch late morning and headed over to Walker City Park to spread out some blankets and maybe play in the water.  I say maybe, but Isaac’s mind was made up the moment he saw the dock.  This spot was made for jumping!

Again…

And again.  And again.

I finally wrestled Buddy out of his floaty so that we could chill and eat our sandwiches in the shade, but the quiet time was short-lived.  To the playground!

This girl, though.  She is quickly learning the art of beach towel lazing.

If you want Isaac to sit still, you have to pin him down.  Literally.

I told Isaac he could play in the shallow water and he found a spot to sit and gently splash around with his new Sonic toy.

Then sitting and splashing turned to running and splashing, and I said, when on vacation...

I’ve never seen six inches of water look this fun.  Way to bring the party, kiddo.

We went back to the camper in the afternoon and I took a solo walk.  While the day had been chock-full of highlights already, watching my boy run up the street toward me as I rounded the bend home was probably top three.  I was only gone 30 minutes, but he turned our little reunion into an all-out hug-fest.  I ate it up.

Evening golf!  Shane was in the groove!

And then evening cards on the deck.

Whatever Shane’s bluff was, Juliette wasn’t buying it.

Isaac and I took one last walk down to the lake, this time with his high-tech “moon-finder”.

Those pink cheeks!  The sign of a top-notch lake day.

I know I go on and on about reveling in the chance to go slow and follow my kids’ leads, so I’ll give it a rest and just say I’m so thankful for these few days by the water.  Thankful for dandelions…

For paper telescopes…

For pastel skies…

For screened-in porches and family members that make us feel so at home so far from home.

Until next summer, Minnesota…

 

A Minnesota Summer!  We made it happen!  Let’s go back in time a couple of months…

Shane, Isaac, I boarded our plane with even more anticipation than usual, as Juliette had traveled to Minnesota a few days earlier to spend some extra time with Shane’s mom and we were eager to see our girl.  Let’s GO!

Together again and it felt so good.

Plus, this sweet boy!  Little Brexton, Hayden’s baby, was so much bigger than when we’d seen him in March.  Juliette had spent the full day prior snuggling him to pieces and he was attached to her hip.

THE SWEETEST!

Isaac was mildly curious about the baby…

But was fully enamored with the golf cart.  That’s my boy!

Shane spent our first morning of vacation out on the golf course with Jason.  It’s been years since he swung a club, but he quickly got his groove back.

It helped that he had the very best caddy.

Isaac was obviously a bit young for golf, but we made the most of waiting at the final hole for Dad, Sister, and Uncle to appear.

The anticipation!

The rest of the day was spent bouncing from Pat’s porch to Tiff’s porch, right across the street.  It’s rare that all the Minnesota and Seattle cousins are in one place, so we made the most of just catching up.

I remember when this guy was just a little babe, even smaller than Brexton.  And now he’s taller than Shane!  Time…

One of the chillest, happiest little guys I’ve ever met.  He was so content to be passed from one lap to the next.

That said, at some point Isaac was like, “Enough with the baby already!”  Let’s go play!

We laughed a lot that day…

And we realized upon unpacking that we’d left Isaac’s goggles at home, so we made an emergency run into town for backups, knowing the pool would eventually beckon.  Isaac picked out a pair from the sporting goods store and insisted on wearing them the whole way home.

These are some of the best moments of vacation, just running errands without any rush.  Time to be goofy, to wander off-route.  To pop over to Dairy Queen for pre-dinner Blizzards.

We ate dinner on the porch, courtesy of Chef Tiff, the Hostess with the Mostess, and then Isaac and I took a walk down to the docks to get his final wiggles out before bedtime.

Hunting for hot dog plants became an evening ritual.  Like I said, it’s the simple, silly things.

Let the games begin (again)…

Monday dawned a little gray and misty, but Isaac warmed his tush by the fire and all was well.

One last photo with the littles before Hayden and fam hit the road…

The sun broke through in the late afternoon, so we threw snacks and towels in bags and boarded Tiff and Jason’s pontoon for a family cruise.  The lake was calling!

This little sand bar is one of my favorite places in all of Minnesota.  I have memories here of Shane catching frogs, Juliette and her cousins jousting on a floating raft, Denny and Pat watching it all with total delight.  This is Leech Lake…

The boat ride back was sweet, the kids sun-kissed and damp-haired, content to sit back and listen to the country tunes piping through the radio.

We showered and ate and took our sunset stroll.  You know, golden hour and all…

We played a game of tag in the grass near the docks, because, well, ISAAC.

This kid is a tornado…

But then there’s the calm after the storm.  Rest well, Bud.  There’s more playing to be done tomorrow…

Juliette’s birthday came quick on the heels of her brother’s.  Again, it was a multi-day string of celebrations before and after her official 12th, as she had an out-of-town soccer game on September 14th.  We planned her friend party for the weekend after her birthday, but declared her Birthday Eve family fun day.  Her pick on activity and food.

She suggested Family Fun Center and we were off to the races.  Literally.  Go Kart time!

We played a round of mini golf and Shane taught Isaac the fine art of putting.

Buddy got a hole in one!  I kid you not.

At least he was humble about it.

Bumper boats were declared the family favorite.  Partly because the splash of cold water felt good on a warm day, but also because my husband and children found it hilarious when my boat got stuck on spin-mode in the middle of the pool after the ride was over and every one else had parked their boats and exited the gate.  Silly old Mama…

We hit the arcade for awhile for extra kicks and Isaac lived out his dream of being a race car driver.

Lunch was also Juliette’s choice and she of course chose Din Tai Fung for soup dumplings and rice cakes.  I felt so lucky to be along for the ride, partly because the food was delicious, but also because she’s the very best company.

We spent her birthday morning up in Bellingham for a soccer game and while the score didn’t end in our team’s favor, at least Juliette was spending her day doing what she loved most.

That evening was a quiet dinner at home, rounded out with a birthday fruit tart and one extra-special gift.

Birthday girl and her mama are going to NEW YORK CITY!  (We just got back, actually, but that’s another blog post…)

Juliette’s other gift from us was a ticket to the Haim concert on the following Thursday night.  It was a gift to us all, actually, as Shane and I are also huge fans.

The show was incredible – they played all of our faves and we sang ourselves hoarse and danced ourselves silly.

God, these sisters can rock.

This definitely felt like a leveled-up kind of night, hanging with our grown-up girl at a rock concert until 11pm.  We had a blast.

Juliette’s friend party was the following weekend, but in ultimate contrast to her brother’s bounce house, she requested a fancy dinner party.

We had great fun planning the menu and setting the table.

It was a lift, pulling this all together, but Juliette helped a bunch and thanked me effusively for each little detail.  Gratitude is one of her super powers.

As the kids arrived and got settled in their seats, Isaac brought bottles of fizzy lemonade to the table.

Table games to break the ice (not that it really needed breaking…):

And then hors d’oeuvres were served.  By a handsome man in a suit, no less.

Jack asked as he was dropping off Nico if he could do anything to help and then he spent the next hour plating crostinis and making sure the spaghetti was perfectly al dente.  We were so grateful for the extra hands…

Hand-shaved parmesan, Mademoiselle?

This might have been his sixth glass of strawberry basil bubbles.  My boy knows how to party.

Oldest, dearest buds.

Juliette was lavished with lip glosses and squishmallows galore.

This  Survivor t-shirt from aforementioned oldest, dearest bud took the cake.

Or…the macarons, I mean?

It was a beautiful night for a beautiful kid.  Juliette Grace, you are in fact grace personified.  You are thoughtful and bright and kindhearted and I’m so thankful be your mom and your pal.  Happy Twelfth, Boo.  It’s going to be a grand year.

 

It’s time for an ode to Isaac, as my favorite little guy turned FOUR a few weeks ago.  Isaac, Isaac, Isaac…Smily and silly and charming as all get-out.

The kid’s got charisma.  I mean, pulling in the garbage bins on a Monday evening shirtless and shoeless, still looking this good?

And he makes us laugh an awful, awful lot.

Isaac has become and increasingly picky eater as of late, but of course, he’s always up for a treat.  Very occasionally we’ll make a run to Top Pot before school to grab a window seat and watch the cars go by while ploughing through a pair of lemon-filled powdered donuts.  Between mouthfuls, he narrates the traffic situation:  Struction worker! (any kind of work truck.)  Zoomie car!  (Tesla.)  And sometimes his very favorite vehicle, to all our chagrin, CYBER TRUCK!

Donuts are for mornings.  Scoops from Molly Moon’s are for evenings.

I recently pushed our post-dinner walk to the ice cream shop a little too close to bedtime and Buddy fell asleep in the stroller on the way home.  I moved him carefully to his bed and he slept the whole night through – it reminded me that he’s still got so much growing up to do.  Play hard, crash hard, little one.

Still so little, right?

We celebrated Isaac’s big fourth in phases, as Shane was traveling for work on August 24th.  On his Birthday Eve Eve, we did a small family celebration, with backyard decorations and presents and cake.

I work hard to make my kids feel special.  I mean, ideally year-round, but extra-much on their birthdays.

He took his usual birthday throne for gift-opening, with Juliette at his side to help with any tricky bows or taped-up boxes.

This age!  Such joy over each and every surprise.

We’re firmly in the era of Spiderman and Sonic the Hedgehog.  The four year old heart wants what it wants…

And then preparations began for the next day’s festivities with Isaac’s buddies.  This is the first year we’ve thrown him a kid-party and so we went a little big.  Bring on the bounce house!

Isaac’s Birthday Eve dawned sunny and full of excitement.  He discovered the cache of party favors as I was chopping strawberries and quickly claimed his own mask and cape.

This gave him ample time to get into character before his friends arrived.

And now, let the mayhem begin!

It was a great party.  Bouncing and donuts and so much utter delight.

Juliette and Isaac made good use of every last minute of the bounce house rental.

Pooped.

Even after bathtime that evening, our Energizer Bunny insisted on donning his costume for an evening scoot.  He had a theory that the cape would make him go extra-fast.

He was right!

Finally, finally, his energy waned.  We did our books in the gray glider and then I swung Isaac’s legs over the arm of the chair and tucked his head in the crook of my arm.  I rocked him and we talked about what a special day it had been and his eyelids grew heavy and I let him drift off in my lap.  It’s silly, I know – he’s such a big boy.  But if the lap fits…

Sunday was Isaac’s actual birthday, but we kept things relatively chill.  My parents came over and there was backyard basketball, some sprinkler running, leftover cake.  It was nice to sit back and watch our boy bring his next-level joy to even the simple things.

Happy Fourth to my favorite superhero.

One last camp trip to blog on this last day of summer.  I won’t let myself be blue about the changing of seasons – we seized the heck out of Summer 2025.

This ended up being another Mama-Isaac trip, as Juliette had a soccer tournament and I couldn’t bear to let go of the Salt Creek site I’d booked back at midnight sharp on New Years Night.  It was a trek to get out there, more than three hours on the road, so Isaac bounded out of the car begging to scoot as soon as we rolled into camp.  Tent setup could wait.

We scouted the full series of overlooks and eyed the beaches we’d explore once the tide receded.

TO THE PLAYGROUND!

Eventually, we landed back at our site for setup and dinner.  Isaac laid claim to the tent stakes, which he insists on using to ward off incoming monsters.

They’re maybe not the wisest toy for for a three year old, but I mean…that face.

I bought a new pair of walkie talkies and spent several minutes trying to teach Isaac how to hold down the button and talk, then let up on the button to listen.

He could not get the hang of it at all, but had plenty of fun trying.

We scooted a bit more after dinner and sat for awhile on what would become our favorite rock.

And then, as we were heading to the bathroom with our toothbrushes, deer!

Isaac tried to follow close behind them, but he’s not really the kind of kid that can sneak up on a wild animal.

Yes, yes, bedtime, but…beach!  We’d walk past a staircase and Isaac would ask, “Can we go look?”.  Absolutely.

We cozied in after dark and Isaac did his typical first-night somersaults for about 30 minutes, but then we both conked.

Friday!  Up and at ’em!

The tide was extra-low that morning, so we took our coffee and hot chocolate down to the beach to explore this whole new world that had been hiding under high tide the evening before.

Kelp bubbles are called “pops” and Isaac can’t walk by one without stopping to give it a squish.

This was meant just to be a quick scouting mission before breakfast, but it turned into quite the expedition.

Sweet boy:

Scary boy:

He really is the worst at hide and seek, but I can’t break it to him.

We went back to camp for breakfast, but then Isaac asked if we could go find more crabs and I said I’d love nothing better.  First though, POPS.

Score!

He loved scampering over the rocks and more than once I asked could I please help him get down from a particularly sharp, barnacle-covered boulder, but he assured me that he could do it.  Turns out, HE COULD.

Two thumbs up for Salt Creek thus far.  This place was magic.

The tide started rising mid-day, so we traded the tide pools for a visit to the general store.

Isaac spent several minutes at the toy table when I told him he could pick just one thing to buy.  The agony of decision-making!

Surprise!  He picked a car.  I could have saved him seven minutes and handed him that out of the gate.

From Joyce, we drove over to Lake Crescent to check out the Devil’s Punchbowl hike.  I’d heard the terrain was easy and I had a fanny pack stocked with Mike&Ikes to coax Isaac along the two and a half mile route.

After making our way through the tunnel, we headed to the shoreline to find a place to sit and wowsers.  The colors of this water!  Incredible.

I got a text from Shane that Juliette had scored two goals during her game that afternoon and I was thrilled for her, but also, I really really missed them in this moment.  They would love this lake.

The last half mile back to the car was a slog – Isaac rode piggy back for awhile and then we made up a song to pass the steps and finally we arrived.

He earned his noodles.

Back to our favorite rock for post-dinner Teddy Grahams and a little sun-gazing.

This scooter covered all kinds of terrain it was never meant to cover.

Saturday dawned with our usual scoot to the bathroom, followed by the long loop back to see if the little boy Isaac had been eyeing as prime friend material was at his campsite.  He was there and shy hello’s were exchanged, and then we went back to our site for pancakes and sausage.

That fifty-cent general store car was money.

It was another ultra-low tide morning.  To the beach!

We explored the tide pools for awhile, but found we were much happier and much more sure-footed on the sand.

We really let ourselves just go where the wind blew us.  It was perfect.

I wish I could personally thank whoever built this driftwood fort.  Isaac played in here for a good 30 minutes, serving me pretend breakfast from his makeshift tabletop.

Time to tidy up…

Bedtime!

We each had our own bedroom and I got in trouble for not keeping my eyes closed.

Back to camp…

I loved Lake Crescent so much that we jetted back over there mid-day to spread out a blanket for a picnic lunch and an afternoon of water-gazing.

 

Isaac ran his cars up and down this log while I read my book and for a hot minute I thought, “Look at me, relaxing on a camp trip with my three year old!”

We packed up our things and then walked a couple of the nearby forest trails before hitting the road.

What started as a walking stick soon turned into a monster-poker.  Whatever keeps him moving…

One last sit.  I had a hard time wanting to leave this place.

Eventually, though, dinnertime called.  We stopped at a little diner on the road back, scarfed down our burgers, and then ordered up a couple of heavily-sprinkled soft serve cones from the ice cream counter.

We savored our last Salt Creek sunset that evening from the rocks, then played tag on the grass.

We were both pooped and got ready for bed before the sun officially dipped, but again, Isaac asked to head down the stairs on our way back from the bathroom, and again, I stuck our toothbrushes in my pocket and said “When at camp…”  It was windy that evening, so I wrapped us up in the towel we were carrying and we watched the sun go down, down, down.  I’m so thankful for these chances to follow his lead.

I wanted to head home relatively early on Sunday to spend the afternoon with Shane and Juliette, but also, Isaac awoke all smiles and I couldn’t pass on some extra morning cuddles.

Isaac did a couple of scoot loops with his new camp buddy, I tossed everything in the car, and then it was time to head home.

Were there moments during the weekend when Isaac whined or didn’t listen and I lost my patience with him?  Of course.  On Saturday morning, when I wouldn’t fetch his cars because I was focused on keeping the pancakes from burning, and then he threw a fit, did I put him in the car for a timeout?  I sure did.  And then did the pancakes burn, anyway?  They sure did!  But there were so many more smiles than tears that weekend.  Joy won out.  By a landslide.

Fall is in the air, but you KNOW I’ve got a boatload of backlogged summer pics.  Stick with me.

We spent a weekend in mid-July camping at Kachess Lake, happy to have the family all together for this trip with a bonus four, as the Rusts had agreed to join us.  We landed at camp late afternoon and checked off our setup tasks one by one.  Lounge chairs,

Tent,

Beverages.

I took the kids down to the lake to scope out the shoreline while Shane stayed back to string the hammock and dig into his weekend reading.

The water was little mucky, but not too cold.  And the backdrop couldn’t be beat.

Really should have changed into those swim trunks…

We dined on beef tacos, our tried and true camp stove favorite, while the rest of our gang got settled.

The Rust pups were a welcome addition to camp life.

One of my favorite things about camping is the ability to walk in the woods at any given moment.  Did we just walk to the lake before dinner?  Yes, we did.  Did the kids want to go back right after dinner?  Yes, they did.

And did we opt for another walk to the lake before bedtime, the whole bunch of us?  Yes, we did.

Saturday morning!  Ube pancakes!  Sausage!  Pups!

Post-breakfast lake stroll: the colors out here at this time of day were on point.

The kids and I played a game of hide and seek and Isaac was convinced that he was fully invisible if he laid down in the foot-high grass.  I SEE YOU, BUDDY.

This boy left so many footprints in these long dusty roads over the course of the weekend.

Juliette set off on a separate path and challenged her brother to a race back to camp.  With that, he was OFF.

I huffed behind him, barely able to keep up.

We made it back to the site (before Juliette, no less), loaded up our car with chairs and water toys and a cooler full of lunch fixings, then drove down to the lakefront to set up shop for the afternoon.

Tuckered.  He slept over an hour on this rocky beach, a thin picnic blanket for a bed and a life jacket for a pillow.  When at camp…

While Isaac dozed, sister and I paddled.

This girl will forever be my favorite first mate.

We drifted back to shore to find Isaac up and ready to romp.

Pink cheeks, big grins, sunny vibes.

We spent the rest of the afternoon bopping around the campsite, snacking and gaming and reading.  The Rust boys continue to play the role of surrogate big brothers to my kids – they are as kind-hearted and patient as teens come.

We all took a walk after dinner and I led the crew on a very circuitous route to the same stretch of lakefront we’d been hanging at all weekend.

Long live family camp…

We decided on Sunday morning to pack it up early and grab a hot breakfast at a nearby diner.  Isaac said good morning to the dogs and then I took him for a walk while Shane and Juliette got on with the business of breaking down the tent.

Just a boy, sitting on a log with his warm milk and his mama, reveling in how good summer can be.  It’s one of my greatest hopes that my kids do not take this place we live in or these people we live life with for granted.

One last look, Bud.  Let’s pack it up.

And with that…back to civilization a la The Pancake House.  I do love camp life, but clean tables and flush toilets are nice, too.

Round 2!  My reservation at Deception Pass unfortunately fell on the same weekend as Juliette’s first summer soccer tournament, but since Isaac and I had such a good time at this campground last year under the same circumstances, we decided to stay the course with our plans and cheer on sister from afar.  I scooped up Isaac from daycare early on Friday afternoon and we hit the road, stopping just once to go to the bathroom and pick up a bag of gummy Smurfs.

Our little two-person tent is a breeze to set up and we were all settled within a half hour.  Welcome to your weekend home, Bud!

Hot dogs for the win, every time.

After dinner, Isaac hopped on his scooter and we went down to the beach to do some exploring.

A lone crab claw!  Total score.

This place has the best rocks for scampering.

We zipped ourselves into our tent much later than Isaac’s normal bedtime, and he still spent 45 minutes doing summersaults in our little tent, but finally darkness fell and he quieted.

Rise and shine!  I warmed Isaac’s vanilla steamer, made myself a cup of coffee, and then we took our morning beverages back down to the beach.

Isaac found another crab claw and placed it in a shallow pool of water to see if it would come back to life.

(It didn’t, but I adore his curiosity!)

We sauntered for a couple of hours, drawing in the sand and throwing rocks and dipping our toes in freezing cold tide pools.  I know I say this often, but ahhhh…the luxury of going slow.  We don’t get to explore at Isaac’s pace often enough, so I really leaned in and let him take me along for the ride.

 

By the time we got back to camp, we were ready for a second round of warm drinks – three cheers for the coffee cart!

Isaac put out our morning fire while I cleaned up, and then we hopped in the car to explore a little further afield.

We started at Rosario Beach, to do some dock-walking and tide-pooling.

And then drove over to Bowman Bay for a quiet beach walk.

The sun felt so good after our gray morning on the beach; I found a cozy spot in the warm sand and kicked back while Isaac drove his Paw Patrol motorcycle up and down the driftwood logs.

Isaac challenged me to a race and I managed to stay ahead of him for about 15 seconds before he left me in his dust.

It’s so easy as an adult to lose sight of the joy that can be found in running.  I remember now…

We grabbed lunch in Anacortes and then Isaac fell asleep on the short drive back to camp.  I unbuckled him from his carseat and laid him down in the tent, his body limp as he slept off the prior night’s shenanigans.

If you can’t wake ’em, join ’em.  This was a snooze.

Finally, though, he woke!  In time for a golden hour walk to North Beach!

We spread out our towel and our array of snacks.

CHEERS, Buddy.

Gosh, that evening was one for the books.  Warm and gorgeous.  Isaac bounced between being so sweetly, independently absorbed in castle-building, and then wanting me to come along to find special rocks or grab another scoop of water for his sand mixture.

We went back to camp for dinner, but then soon bounced back to the beach to catch the sunset.

Late nap meant late s’mores.  It’s rare in June for this kid to stay awake till dusk, but when at camp…  Isaac graduated to roasting his own mallows and was very proud of his golden brown finish.

We wanted to get an early start back home on Sunday to catch Juliette’s final game, but first…one last little walk in the woods.

Since there wasn’t anyone at the bridge’s overlook parking lot when we crossed at 8am, I pulled over so Isaac could see “the big green bridge” up-close.

And then we walked across, because my kid not only has no fear of heights, but apparently loves them.

I mean, at least watch where you’re walking, Buddy!

We grabbed breakfast in La Conner and recapped our favorite parts of the weekend.  I put beachfront happy hour on the top of my list while Isaac declared scootering his most favorite pastime.  I don’t know that I’d ever felt closer to this boy, more certain that I was living into my deepest dreams.  My dusty, tiring, sun-soaked dreams.  This is the stuff.

I had big dreams for Schnell Family Camp Season 2025 and spent a lot of hours on campground websites last winter, looking at campsites and mapping drive times and making reservations, keeping my fingers crossed that weather and schedules would allow us to follow through come summer.  And WE DID IT.  Mostly, I mean – there was a forest fire that nixed one weekend’s reso, and Juliette had a couple of soccer tournaments that required Isaac and I to trek on without her and Shane, but no regrets.  We’ve been living our best PNW lives these past couple of months.

We got right down to business the day after school let out and headed to Lake Chelan for our inaugural trip.  Shane upped the ante and reserved a boat for a couple of hours; we drove straight to the dock, strapped on our life jackets, and let ‘er rip.

Faster, Daddy, faster!

Juliette Grace, you look good on a boat.

Our boat came with an inner tube and I was the first to take it for a spin – Juliette wanted to see how it was done.  Shane took it easy on me, keeping the boat slow and steady.

And then Juliette took a turn, timid for just a moment but soon giving Shane the thumbs-up signal that we had agreed would mean GO FASTER.  Isaac and I watched from the back of the boat and he laughed as Juliette whipped around behind us.  Isaac turned to Shane and said, “Juliette is so happy, Daddy!”  That grin…

Swim break…

One last full-speed blitz before heading back to the dock…

Brilliant idea, Shane.  What a beautiful way to let the festivities begin.

We rolled into the campground late in the afternoon, pleased to find our site was tucked back from a lot of the hub-bub, perched over a small river whose bubbling sounds would be the soundtrack of our weekend.

We got settled, ate our hot dogs, and then capped off the day with our most favorite camping delicacy.

Isaac played drums on our skillet with the hot dog skewers while I finished doing dishes.  Toys schmoys – this is fun stuff.

Friday started with coffee, cinnamon rolls, and a morning fire.

Isaac’s yellow scooter was so clutch that weekend – we were able to make back and forth to the bathroom in record time.

Shane took the kids to the playground while I dragged my camp chair down to the river to read and drink a second cup of coffee.

Dang it, though – I soon wanted in on the playground action.  I mean…

Back at camp, hammock gold fish…

And riverside smoothies.

Isaac climbed up and down this hill a dozen times a day.  I do not take for granted the sure-footedness that comes with him getting older.

That said, he took a spill on his scooter after lunch and kind of lost his mind over his skinned elbow.  I laid down with him in the tent and his whiny whimpers soon mellowed to a quiet snore.  Bud was beat.

While Isaac slept, we enjoyed more grownup camp vibes.

I had hopes of paddleboarding that afternoon, but it was windy and the water was choppy, so we settled for a lakeside snack.

Back at camp, Juliette cozied up in the hammock while Isaac and I reveled in golden hour by the river.

And then Isaac joined me on a scouting mission to check out the lakefront sites.  Scooter for the win again.

This lake’s colors!  The temps were a bit too cold to want to take a dip, but we did plenty of water-gazing.

Juliette ate ramen while I made tacos and we dined all out of sync that night, but we were together and no one complained and I called it a win.

Good morning, bud!  Thank you for the sleep-in!

Again, who needs toys?!

Saturday morning was cloudy, but the lake was quiet and we took advantage of the glassy conditions to get out for a paddle.

In lakes as large as Chelan’s, where paddling across the lake is impossible, we pick our own mini-mini destinations.  As in, “Hey!  Let’s paddle over to that floating pinecone and pick it up!”  Almost the same sense of accomplishment.

Taco leftovers for lunch…

And then tent shenanigans during a passing drizzle.

We were all a little antsy by late afternoon, so we drove into town for burgers and a stop at the local toy store/candy shop.  Juliette picked out a tub of orange cream cotton candy and after much agonizing, Isaac selected a furry bouncy ball with the face of his favorite Bluey character on it.  The heart wants what it wants…

These two did plenty of getting on each other’s nerves that weekend, but also, they made each other laugh a lot.  It’s a package deal, parenting these two, and most days the scales tip toward joy.

Isaac was up early-early on Sunday, but after a quick trip to the bathroom, we snuggled back under our blankets.

And snoozed.

And snoozed.  Felt so good.

Those couple extra hours of sleep did my boy good!

One last tent romp before we packed it up…

I took the kids down to the lake while Shane broke down camp.  The sun came out in full force that day and we dosed up on Vitamin D before hitting the road.

I feel ya, Buddy.  The disappointment of a now-empty campsite…

We did a final sweep to collect our odds and ends and then shared a round of hugs, as Shane and Juliette were headed off on their own father-daughter five-day adventure in Winthrop.

SUMMER!  It arrived with a bang.

Another photo blitz, to catch up on the last bits of Spring, and then it’s going to be a camp trip bonanza on here.  In May and June, there were playgrounds…

And scooters…

And spray parks, oh my.

Dates at our favorite neighborhood  pub…

And a visit to our new favorite ice cream shop…

And so much time at Alki.

Lowman Beach is still our favorite place to spread out a blanket and a picnic feast.

I’d like to give a special moment to Isaac’s little button-down…

And Juliette’s Coffee Coffee Coffee shirt, gifted to her by a friend’s mom when she learned how much Juliette adores Lorelei Gilmore.

In April I chaperoned Juliette’s Fifth Grade Camp and had the best time with my girl.  While all the other kids with parent chaperones asked their moms and dads to sit at the front of the bus, Juliette saved me a seat, insisting we buddy up.  I couldn’t say no.

And I got ALL the 11 year old scoops.

These were my cabin mates, sweet as could be.  While the fifth grade boys were stealing latex gloves from the first aid kids and turning them into makeshift water balloons to be launched at cabin windows, these girls were stringing twinkle lights on their bunks and arranging their bookshelves just-so.  Don’t get me wrong – girls can stir up their own types of drama, but these particular kiddos were such a pleasure throughout the weekend.

We had an activity-packed couple of days.  Campfires…

Beach walks…

And a squid dissection!

A squid ink signature to prove she completed the assignment.

The kids played some form of tag in which they were all different animals in the forest food chain and Juliette dominated, gazelle that she is.

Our last morning brought shelter-building, fire-making, and a surprise salamander-sighting.

And to cap it off, the climbing wall.

It was pretty special, to watch Juliette scramble up that wall with her classmates spotting her and cheering her on.

I’m so glad I got the chance to tag along.  And I’m so glad I won’t be asked to do it again for another eight years (I’ve got you, Isaac!).

Mother’s Day was spent enjoying our usual backyard French toast brunch.

Tastes goooooood…

We went down to Whale Tail Park to test out Isaac’s new rocket launcher and he picked me the tiniest, sweetest daisy bouquet.

With a hike up through Schmitz Park to cap it all off.

I spent a weekend in Bellingham with a few lady friends, drinking foofy drinks and eating good food and laughing till we cried.

We went for a walk through the neighborhood and were accosted by a herd of goats.

This group spreads out a taco bar like nobody’s business.

Shane and I celebrated the evening of our 19th anniversary at Cactus Grill with the kiddos.  Maybe a tiny bit light on romance…

But big on love.

The romance came a few days later, when we snuck away for a night on Whidbey Island while my mom and dad watched the kids.  We drank our canned wine and ate our fancy cheese and streamed the Daily Show while waiting for the ferry at Mukilteo.  There was no passing of snacks to the backseat, no pleas for Paw Patrol, no interrupted conversations.  Just us.  It felt good.

We perused the plants and housewares at Bayview Garden before checking into our little cabin for an afternoon of reading and dozing.

We spruced up for dinner in Coupeville at The Oyster Catcher, where we treated ourselves to oysters and pork belly and creme brûlée.

I just asked Shane if he could remember what his favorite thing was at dinner that night and without missing a beat, he said, “looking into your eyes…”.  19 years and we still got it.

Morning reading time in our backyard…

And then a hike at Ebey’s Landing.

Woooo!  This place!  I could have watched these grasses wave in the wind for hours.  But alas, we missed our mayhem back home – time to roll out.

Mid June brought all the end-of-the-school-year happenings, like Juliette’s piano recital, which she rocked.

She played a duet with Nico and the two of them stole the show, tearing through their piece without missing a beat.

Shane and I were invited to an assembly the week before school let out where Juliette was presented with a Seymour Kaplan award for her exceptional attitude of kindness, consideration, and generosity.  To hear that auditorium erupt with cheers when her name was called, to listen to her principal talk about her one-in-a-million spirit, to watch her bound to the stage with pride and still, humility.  How’d we get so lucky?

There was a fifth grade picnic at Lincoln Park…

And then the big event!  Graduation Day!  Juliette donned her finest, hugged her grandmas, and said, “enjoy the show!”.

There was a dance performance and poetry readings and the essential presentation of diplomas.  SHE DID IT!

Her teacher is a gem of a human and challenged Juliette in all the best ways.

Juliette Grace, I’m so freaking proud of the person you are.

The next day, I walked her to elementary school for the very last time.  She looked back with a smile and waved goodbye, trotting back to me for one final hug.  I was a little sad, of course, but mostly thankful.  What a gift this school has been for my girl.  She’s so ready for what lies ahead.

Bring on middle school!

BUT FIRST:  we summer.