little black journal

Summer is slipping through our fingers, as it does every year, and I’m snap-shotting as many moments as possible, wanting to freeze-frame joys big and little.

We’ve felt a little short on buddy-time these past couple of months due to by-passing travel schedules, but have squeezed in a couple of hangouts, like this evening with the crew at Lowman Beach.  It’s so apparent from these photos how much Juliette loves being the presence of these people.

We skipped our annual Idaho trip this summer and leaned into a West Seattle Fourth of July, complete with a curbside viewing of the neighborhood parade, which is really just a single fire truck followed by hundreds of families taking a walk together in their red, white, and blue.

We picnicked with friends in the afternoon on the Fourth, with popsicle appetizers and a burger bar and eight varieties of chips…

And then spent the evening at home, doing sparklers and fireworks with our neighbors.  This is the first Fourth that Isaac has been old enough to hold his own sparkler!  Such pride.

The fireworks were a bit confusing for him, initially.  Why were we making so much noise?  And such a mess?

But soon he got into it.

REALLY into it.

We only made it to Coleman Pool once this summer, on an 80-degree day that proved to still be too cool to enjoy a long swim.  But the bikeride was beautiful, our quick dip was fun, and the beachfront burritos were superb.

When temps climbed toward 90 later that week, we hopped in the neighbor’s pool for some more drawn-out swim time.  What a treat.

On the rare occasion that we found ourselves with a free Saturday, we headed toward open water with our paddleboard and squirters in tow.  I forgot how good Chism Beach is!

(Don’t jump, Isaac!)

(JUMP, JULES!)

It took Juliette ten minutes to get up the gumption to make the jump and swim to Shane on the floating dock, but once she leapt, her dad was all cheers.

Back at shore, Isaac eased into the water a bit more gradually.  Cold, Bud?

But he quickly acclimated.

Juliette showed him how to load the water squirter and once he got the hang of it, he was dangerous.

Popsicle break…

And then lunch at Dough Zone, where this cool kid drank half of my mango iced green tea.

We ordered a second paddleboard last month so that we could get out on the water as a family, but our first paddleboard popped (on land, thankfully) as we were loading up for a sunset SUP at Lowman.  The best-laid plans…  Isaac and still got out on the new board for a quick test drive.  It floats!

Miscellaneous playground snaps, of wading pools and spray parks and climbing walls…

We took in (part of) a Mariners game at my office’s summer picnic.  Snacks, lemonade, and matching pink hats for the kids.  I don’t even recall if the M’s won, but we certainly felt like we came out ahead!

Juliette has been extra fitness-focused since getting her Apple watch and is always game to accompany me on my evening walks.  I LOVE these walks, this dedicated catch-up time with my girl.  Often the highlight of my day.

If I’m working from home and can step away from my desk a little early, we jog to Isaac’s preschool to pick him up, then catch the bus home.  Something for everyone!

Front yard hangs continue to be another simple summer pleasure.  So many giggles during my evening watering.  Pants optional.

Finally, Isaac and I capped off July with a berry-picking spree at Bybee Nims while Juliette was at a soccer tournament.  It was cloudy that day, but Mount Si was no less beautiful and the blueberries were no less sweet.

Isaac ate about 10 berries for each one he dropped into our bucket.

And for the record, I told him not to eat the green ones!  This will teach him to listen to his mama.

Back to the blues…

These slow, sweet summer days with my boy…we’re eating it all up.  Every last bit.

 

 

I know, more pool pics?  Indulge me.  I want to remember every last dip.

By Wednesday Isaac and I knew right where to beeline for the best sunrise seats.

The architectural details at the resort were a treat to explore – crisp, clean, nice.

Isaac and I finished our morning coffee and found the rest of our crew at the gym.  Big kid boot camp!

A post-workout feast…

Buddy and I chose the pool in lieu of the gym.

And then suddenly the endless pool time and early mornings hit him hard.  He fell asleep poolside late morning and didn’t stir for a couple of hours.

Wakey-wakey Bud!

And right back at it.

When Isaac takes his first real swim strokes, I think it will be under the tutelage of his sister.  She’s already showing him the basics.

Poofy hair, don’t care…

But gosh, what a cool kid!

Every so often we would wonder if we should venture outside the resort, but ultimately we circled back to the same conclusion…how can this be beat?!

La Verne and I did, however, spring for a short beachfront horseback ride with the kids before dinner.  I was surprised by how vulnerable I felt once I hopped in the saddle, completely at the mercy of my horse’s whims, but all our animals were gentle as gentle could be.

We went our separate ways for dinner, as the kids wanted sushi and Shane wanted tacos (MORE TACOS) and Isaac wanted (needed) to go to bed early.  La Verne took N and J out for Japanese, Shane and Jack chowed down at the mercado, and I snuggled up with my boy.  Win, win, win.

Thursday!  Our last full day.  I felt due for some solo morning time, so I grabbed some coffee and walked on the beach while Shane hung with Isaac.

We did rustle up the gumption later than morning to venture into Cabo San Lucas for a waterfront stroll and a boat tour.

It took us a few minutes to find our way through the tourist traps and connect with our scheduled captain, but eventually we found our guy and set off.

We saw fish and a little peek-a-boo rock portal and then the famous arch.  Our guide was wonderful.

Isaac was feeling very relaxed on the cruise back toward the dock.

A brief wildlife sighting…

And then we were back to our happiest of places for smoothies and lunch.

And margs.

Jack and La Verne made reservations for us that evening at Flora Farms, a farm-to-table dining experience outside of Cabo.  And the whole thing was just so utterly perfect.  The food and the drinks and the adjacent lawn that the kids ran wild on while the adults lingered over our meal.

 

I love this picture, N and J deep in conversation in the foreground while Isaac flops around on the grass in the distance.  Classic.

Top night.

And then…it was Friday.  Go-day.  You know where I spent my last morning…

Oh, those mornings.  To stroll at our own pace, to pick flowers and debate whether we wanted to put our feet in the pool or the ocean.

The ocean won.

I gave Isaac’s clothes my best shaking before we packed up, but still, I brought home a good handful of Cabo sand.

Ocean or pool?  Why pick just one?!

I dropped Isaac with Shane and then hit the breakfast buffet with La Verne and the kids.  Pozole, breakfast tacos, pastries, fresh fruit, gimme all the things!

Last dip!

We really made those final couple of hours in the pool count.

We reluctantly grabbed our towels and headed back to the room to shower and pack.  Isaac shouted Vamanos! as we hustled out and I made a mental note to thank his daycare teachers for his growing Spanish vocabulary.

And then…we were off.  Adios, Cabo!  Adios (and GRACIAS), Chen fam.  Those few days were so good for our souls.

Summer is here (!!) and I better get our Spring Break trip to Cabo on the blog, before I’m buried under a backlog of sunny PNW pics.

Jack and La Verne generously asked if our family would like to join them at their Cabo timeshare for a few days in April and while Shane wondered for a hot second if we should go to rural Texas instead to catch the solar eclipse from the Path of Totality, the pull of friend time and pool time and taco time was just too great.  We were IN.  It was an easy flight – the kids simul-streamed Harry Potter, snacks were eaten, no one got sick…we were off to a good start.

We were greeted by our lovely hosts when we rolled up on Sunday afternoon and had ditched our travel clothes for swimsuits before you could even say “Margarita”.

Or…”Mango Smoothie”.

Living their best lives, right out of the gate.

This pool.  Perfect temp, perfect views, perfect swim-up bar.

We’d had a tough March and while grief can’t necessarily be tucked in a closet and left at home, there was certainly relief in having time to focus on just being together.

My desert palette girl…

Monday!  Guess who was up first?

I’ve come to love our quiet vacation mornings together, where we rustle up some coffee and feel the sun warm our cheeks.  Isaac and I put our feet in the pool and had a snack and eased so wonderfully into vacation-mode.

I think his little red Lighting McQueen covered just about every square inch of the resort’s sprawling property during our five days there.

Big kids are up!  Pool time!

Occasionally the N and J would ask, “What should we do now?” and we’d come up with a race or a challenge or an underwater game and off they swam again.  Happy fishes.

The solar eclipse happened later that morning and while this photo looks totally staged, the wonder is real!

Back to business.

When we needed a sun-break, we hung out on our private patio.

What a treat to have so much time to catch up.  Long conversations with old friends are too infrequent these days.

We spent a little time at the beach before dinner and while the silky sand and turquoise water was a feast for the eyes, the warmer pool temps ultimately won out.

Taco time!  We had dinner a nearby mercado and tucked into enchiladas and tacos and kid-sized burritos.  Isaac dug it.

Buddy and I spent Tuesday morning sipping coffee on our favorite patio and then playing on the beach.

He’s such a sweet little pal sometimes.

Shane and I took turns working out at the gym and then we all convened at the pool for another day of luxe lounging.

We drove into San Jose del Cabo for lunch.  Poor Juliette had come down with a brief stomach bug in the night and was a little low-energy that afternoon, but still felt good enough to peruse the shops and galleries with me.

Lunch was…TACOS at La Lupita.  Like, a lot of tacos.  Big tacos.  Shane may have set a new PR on amount of food consumed in a single sitting.

A different kind of pool time after lunch…

But then back to the real pool.

We ate dinner that night at one of the resort’s on-site restaurants and I saw the color come back to Juliette’s cheeks as we were waiting for our food.  She devoured her meal and laughed a lot and I felt so grateful to see her fully back in action, able to revel in the magic of it all.

Even our guacamole felt extra-special!

Eat up, Isaac.  We’ve got more swimming to do…

We cozied up back at the apartment after dinner and watched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with the big kids.  I’m bottling up the memory of the way they laughed when Jennifer Grey’s character kicked the principal in the face.  It’s the little things.  And the big things.  All the Cabo things.  

One more summer trip to log on the blog, before we get to a humdinger of an October (humdinger in THE VERY BEST WAY)…

We had such a fun family reunion with our buddies at Hood River last summer that we declared it an annual event.  We reconvened on the Oregon/Washington border this past August for another long weekend of eating, drinking, and playing; this time we stayed on the Washington side and booked a bundle of rooms at Skamania Lodge.  Isaac was like an un-penned animal after four hours in the car and immediately set out to explore every inch of the wide open grounds.

Meanwhile, Shane and I explored the bar menu.

This place was going to do juuuuuust fine.

Our friends trickled in throughout the course of the evening and the gaggle of children grew and grew.

Isaac wanted so badly to be counted among the big kids.

His sister did a pretty good job of including him.  Along with that blonde red-shirted boy, who had no affiliation with our group but made himself right at home!

Speaking of big kids…it still blows my mind we’ve got teenagers in the group.  I mean, this guy’s not drinking age, but he’s old enough to pour for the grownups!

Wine and pizza and crispy Brussels sprouts were passed around…

And before I knew it we were talking under the stars.  We never run out of things to say to one another.

I’ll give you one guess as to who the earliest riser of the bunch was on Friday morning!

I forgive you though, Isaac, for getting me up with sun.  This golden light at 6:30am was pretty magical.

We strolled down the hill and toward town in search of breakfast, stopping every so often to take in the view.

We found yogurt and fresh mango slices at the supermarket and then took our fare down to the riverfront to eat.

This kid’s playground radar started beeping and suddenly we stumbled upon these couple of random slides.

And then we found Sister!  (She and her Uber-Dad offered us a ride back to the hotel.)

We took over the hotel lobby late morning…

Played a little disc golf…

And then hit the pool, to Juliette’s utter delight.

Isaac’s delight, too!  He’s loving the water more and more.

Strike a pose, ladies!

While the big kids perfected their cannon balls, I was happy to walk laps in the shallow end with Isaac in my arms.

Lucky kids.

I felt like I’d lived a full day by noon, but we were only getting started…  We walked back into town after swimming to find lunch, then convened at a park to bat the volleyball around and play various lawn games.

At some point the fathers disappeared.  I found them at the whiskey-tasting room next to the park and asked Shane if there was room in their circle for one more guy.

Isaac fit right in.

At some point we strolled up the street for ice cream, again completely overtaking the place – traveling in a pack of 24 is no joke!

There were plenty of times during the weekend when Shane and I had to divide and conquer, one of us hanging back on Isaac-duty while the rest of the group partied, but there were also plenty of times when Isaac folded right into the mix, thrilled by the presence of so many adoring playmates.

Tech break.

And then to the local fair!  It was a quick little trip, but enough time to get our fill of tractors and farm animals.

We spread out at the picnic tables at Walking Man Brewing for dinner.  The grownups drank beer and the kids played corn hole and all was right with the world.

How ’bout them Friday Night Lights?

Saturday!  Morning!  Sunrise!

Isaac and I spent more mother-son bonding time down by the river, this time finding a little dock to lounge on.

I filled my empty coffee cup with rocks from the shore and he tossed each stone in, one at a time, until the cup was empty and he asked, More?  More?  More?

We were here for awhile.  I didn’t mind.

Finally, though, I coaxed him off the dock and into the stroller in search of breakfast.

We found a train on the way, which was very exciting.

We found smoothies and cinnamon rolls and espresso at The Cabin Drive Thru.

And we found this late riser!  Glad you could join us, Jules.

The gang headed out on a hike late morning (sans Isaac and Shane) to Wahclella Falls.

Here comes the party bus!

The hike to the falls was a mild climb, but the kids hardly complained and the payoff was real.

Paparazzi children…so weird to be on the other side of all those lenses!

The more adventurous of the fellas couldn’t resist taking a dip.  I wish I had audio of their high-pitched shrieks as they collectively dunked.

These two got along so swimmingly all weekend, despite the fact that they only spend 2-3 days together each year.  Some friendships just work.

That’s how I feel about all these folks, actually.  We just work.

(Back at camp, Shane and Isaac were partaking in their own form of bonding.)

Juliette, luckily, had plenty of fun uncles on the trail to fill in for Shane.

We cooled our dusty heels that afternoon at a little swimming basin in Hood River.  VIVA LAKE LIFE!

This game made for some laughs and some very good action shots.

Give yourself a couple of years, Isaac…

We floated and jumped and lazed around for a couple of hours, collectively keeping an eye on each other’s kids.

Isaac wasn’t feeling great that afternoon, but the paddleboard did pique his interest.

We migrated a quarter-mile down the road to convene on yet another lawn for a picnic dinner.

Juliette and S were very into their cartwheel practice and suddenly the grownups were challenging each other to headstand competitions (Nance for the win).

And then there was much cajoling and cheering as the adults showed off their own cartwheel skills.  Some people stuck the landing.  Some really didn’t.  In either case, we laughed a lot.

16 years of friendship and counting…

We high-tailed it back to Seattle on Sunday morning, as Isaac’s fever had spiked in the night and we were eager to return to the comforts of home.  But man OH MAN, we left with boatloads of good memories.  Cheers to Year 17.

July is slipping through our fingers like sand (warm sand!), so best get the June photos logged before I’m in over my head with pics of my kiddos in swimsuits and sunglasses…

Shane, Juliette and I found ourselves with a toddler-free day on Juneteenth, as the three of us had no school or work, so we dropped baby bro at daycare and headed northeast toward Wallace Falls for a family hike.

It was overcast that day, but the cool felt good as we climbed toward the falls.

This hike pushed our limits at six miles round-trip, but it was dotted with intermediate lookouts that broke up the journey.  Plus, we felt extra light on our feet without Isaac in tow.

When Juliette’s feet started to drag, we made a game out of seeing how many Harry Potter characters we could name, from A to Z.  Answer is:  88!  We’re into HP World deep.

The money shot / turn-around point…

A few more minutes to contemplatively take in the view / catch our breath…

We made record time on the return trip, each of us motivated by the promise of Blizzards from the Dairy Queen we’d passed 10 minutes from the trailhead.  Whatever it takes!

Three feels nice sometimes.

We spent the following weekend out on the Olympic Peninsula with the Rusts for a pickle ball bonanza in Sequim.  Let tournament season begin!  Shane and Jason talked strategy on the ferry deck while a pod of Orcas played in the distance.

Our AirBnB was farmhouse-y and cozy and the scene of much backyard game-playing.

The Rusts brought their net for some pre-game warmups.  The inclusion of Isaac added a whole new level of complexity to the game.

Game day!  Good luck, Daddy!

I didn’t watch many of the matches, mostly because I was chasing Isaac around the nearby playground, but also because I found I don’t have the nerves for it.  It’s just a game, but oh, I wanted those wins!

Leveraging the beloved bottle to get brother to sit still and watch for a moment…

And a high five for a won match!

Isaac and I were both tiring of the same slide run on the playground by mid-afternoon, so I put the kids in the car and we drove out to a nearby dairy to visit some cows, pet a cat, and eat some ice cream.

Isaac isn’t quite ready for a solo cone, but not to worry – Juliette is an excellent sharer.

One last pat-pat goodbye…

Back at the courts, we found that our crew unfortunately ended the day medal-less, but not without a handful of wins.  Super proud of you, Shane, Nance, and Jason!

Back at the house, Shane clocked in for Isaac duty while Juliette and I did our own dinking in the driveway court.

Dinnertime tickles…

And then more backyard gaming once Isaac was in bed.  We played Spike Ball and lounged in the Adirondack chairs and Juliette brought out her jump rope to school Gryffin and Isaiah on how to do a double-under.

G and Z are teenagers and wanting more and more independence, but there are times when they’re still Juliette’s goofy big bros.  What a joy to all grow old(er) together.  We laughed a lot that night.

Early-morning front yard bird-watching with Buddy on Sunday…

Bacon and cinnamon rollss..

And then a short family hike out at the Dungeness Spit, as Shane didn’t have to leave for the courts till noon.

We only made it as far as the start of the actual Spit, as we’d left our stroller in the car and Isaac walks slooooow, but it felt good to get out together.

Driveway b-ball while the adults loaded the cars…

And then Shane and Jason took to the courts for mens doubles while I took to the beach with the kids.  The Spit was calling us back and this time we made it down to the sand.  The full stretch is five miles long, but we were happy just to cover a bit of it.

Juliette discovered that beached kelp bubbles make a very satisfying pop when stepped on, so the kids spent the better part of an hour racing up the beach, looking for kelp.

Keep up, Isaac!

Seriously though, this game was a thing.

Isaac was quite proud of himself with each and every one.

QUITE.

We hung out for awhile at a pile of driftwood, the kids picked out a couple of perfectly-sized walking sticks for the trek back, and then we zoomed toward the car to watch Shane’s and Jason’s final matches.

Top day.

And pro tip – use the stroller to get as far as the beach!

Back at the courts, Isaac got some skating lessons…

And we found that Shane and Jason were dominating the 4.0 mens doubles scene!

Last year they played this same tournament at only 3.0, so this was a significant jump for them.  They held their own, though, and after a couple of nail-biters walked away with bronze metals!

The last week of June was packed with end-of-the-year festivities at Juliette’s school.  There was her jump rope club performance, where she showed off her months of hard work with a series of double-under/skip-hop/fancy-pants moves.  I didn’t even know such things were possible!

And there was the annual Move-A-Thon, where kids run as many laps as they can around the school parking lot in the space of 20 minutes.  I volunteered as a lap counter and was very proud of Juliette’s get-up-and-go, despite the heat.

Girlfriend was flushed!

There was an outdoor movie night for third graders at the school playground, but when kids realized it was still too light out to see the movie screen, most of them opted for the playground.  Juliette and this sweet, freckled red-head often call themselves sisters.

And the last day of third grade!  I paused at the gate when I dropped Juliette off that morning and reveled in the sight of her stopping to chat with her favorite teachers aide while her friends ran to greet her with a hug.  These school with these kids has been good to our girl.

DID IT!

Isaac toasted to his sister with a backyard popsicle and then we got down to the serious business of summering.

We’re comin’ for you, Idaho!

There’s quite the random smattering in here – June was good, full of small simple pleasures and slightly grander getaways.

We wrapped up May and kicked off June with a visit from my parents – Isaac served up heaping helpings of his homemade broccoli stew to Grandma while Juliette played the part of the card shark with Grandpa.  So fun to have some new playmates in the house!

Sunday morning snaps…

And more playtime!  Plus a free haircut.

My parents are diligent about doing their morning exercises and Isaac was eager to join their routine.  Work those muscles, Bud.

We spent most of Memorial Day weekend in the backyard – almost felt like summer!  Juliette found an old football and learned how to run a handful of plays under the tutelage of Shane and my dad.  Her joie de sports is unending.

We celebrated the high-70’s weather with Isaac’s first Fudgesicle.

He was a fan.

Kudos to Juliette for devouring hers without a trace of chocolate left on her face.  My girl is growing up…

We romped around Lincoln Park for a bit on a sunny evening…

And gave my parents a West Seattle culinary experience when we picked up Pecos bbq to pair with our beer from Ounces.

A water balloon toss with Grandpa…

Followed by another round of Fudgesicles (I bought the big box!).

We had one last dinner al fresco before my parents packed it up early the next morning to hit the road.  It was such a lovely, light few days with them.  We stayed close to home, but loved folding them into our day-to-day.  It was nice to have extra hands on-deck to coax Isaac out of his evening crankies with a silly game of catch or a couple of books.  There were evenings we all just sat around the living room and chuckled over his myriad of facial expressions and admired the way that Juliette sisters him with such grace.  Seattle is beautiful in the Spring, but those kiddos were definitely the main attraction.

I wish I could remember the context of these few photos of Juliette, but no matter…they’re such a good semblance of her striking beauty and delight in life.

We saw softball season come to a close in mid-June, which was bittersweet – I loved watching Juliette on the field, loved sitting on the sidelines with Isaac (when he’d actually sit), but napping on the go has its challenges…

Such focus!  I think he actually spotted a dog in the distance, but we’ll pretend he’s watching his sister warm up in the bullpen.

That’s a wrap!  Proud of you, West Seattle Storm!

In other miscellaneous goings-on, we finished Book 7 of Harry Potter last month, hitting a major milestone in Juliette’s Hogwarts journey.  I initially felt a little sad as we heard the narrator of the audio book utter those final sentences, but this wasn’t the end – the magic lives on as we talk about the books and their characters all the time (like…all the time).  It’s fun to see your kid so immersed in something so magical.

Isaac still helps me water…

And has mastered the art of drying off.

I had a solo Saturday afternoon with the kids while Shane took a pickle ball lesson and we found ourselves at Lincoln Park.  The weather had cooled that weekend, but it was still more than adequate for rock-throwing and crab-hunting.

And snacking.  Boy loves him some freeze-dried mangos.

Soccer season ended a week after softball season and I was left with the same mix of disappointment and relief.

Definitely sad to see this season end – Juliette’s confidence on the field and the communication among her teammates skyrocketed these past couple of months.  We just signed up for Fall league!

Isaac is convinced he’s part of the team.

Shane also found his footing as assistant coach this season, though you can see some kids are more keen than others to study the lineup!

The final game ended up being a zero-zero tie, but we called it a win.  Defense like I’ve never seen from these girls before!

(Coach Dan is THE BEST.)

More backyard meals…

Look at those matching grins!

In farther-from-home goings-on, we spent Father’s Day weekend on Marrowstone Island with the Chens.  When Jack asked how early we could arrive on Saturday, we said we could easily make the 6:45 am ferry.  Very occasionally pays to have an early riser in the family…

We pulled up to the house by 8:30, breakfasted, and then headed out for a walk along the beach.  It was chilly that weekend, but these PNW kids know how to beach in any weather.

Shane found himself on a little island and though he could jump to the rocky bank without getting his feet wet.  Want to take a guess at how that went?

Made for some good laughs, at least.

As in soccer, Isaac had no clue he was on the sidelines while the big kids did their thing.

His oblivion is charming.

Though Juliette is awfully good about bringing him into the fold.

We lunched at Finnriver Cidery, slurping ramen noodles and wolfing down hot slices of pizza while Isaac napped in the stroller.  Such a treat!

 

Cornhole:  Dads vs. Kids.

(Buddy’s awake!)

The grounds at this place are perfect for roaming.

Make a wish, Juliette!

I don’t know who came up with this game, but it’s funny every time.

We spent the afternoon cozied up inside, playing video games and chasing Isaac around the house.

When baby boy really started bouncing off the walls, we ventured out for a pre-dinner walk.

Isaac loves the sound of birds and becomes very surprised/excited when he actually spots one in a tree.  It’s the little things with this kid.

Isaac was up with the sun on Sunday, so I put him in the car, picked up a coffee, and we cruised around the island.  You know we got an early start when Buddy is grabbing his first nap before 8am…

Once he was awake, we pulled up to a nearby beach for an early romp while the crew back at the house rubbed the sleep from their eyes.

He had that puddle-jumping look in his eyes, so I stripped off his socks and shoes before they could get too soggy.

Cold, schmold!

Back at the house, I made chilaquiles for breakfast while the guys opened their Father’s Day cards from the kiddos.  Juliette’s card said “Happy Baller’s Day”.  She’s got Shane pegged, for sure.

One more woodsy walk…

And a porch pic of the Dads of the Day.

It started to rain as we were about to head to lunch, so we instead called it a trip and high-tailed it to the ferry (where the sun came back out, of course!).

Father’s Day afternoon was cozy and quiet, with couch naps and golf-watching and takeout burgers for dinner.  These are few of Shane’s favorite things…

June Part II (HELLO SUMMER!) coming up next…

I just took the stockings down and cleared my collection of bottle brush trees from our mantle this week – the holidays were a little hard to let go of this year (as in all years, to be honest).  They were just so slow and sweet and packed with time with my favorite people.

We came home from Portland to a couple of unopened gifts under the tree, which the kids made quick work of tearing into…

And then we laid out a game plan for the rest of the week.  Isaac’s school was open, but Juliette’s was not, so we took advantage of the three-of-us time to do some cross-country skiing at Cabin Creek.

It was snowy that day and we loved gliding through the fresh powder.  This course really pushed the limits of Juliette’s and my Nordic downhill skills, but we did it!

The uphill slog:

And the downhill glide.

Proud of you, Kiddo!

Juliette has passed my shoulders and is approaching nose-height – this kid is going to be taller than her mama in no time, it seems…

On Thursday, Shane and Juliette headed out for a downhill day at Snoqualmie with a couple of Juliette’s friends.  They had a blast, zipping down the slopes.  I had a blast, binge-watching Bad Sisters back at home under a pile of blankets.  It’s rare that I have the house to myself, and I made it count!

We did pick up Isaac a bit early from daycare those days, so that he wasn’t completely left out of the fun.

And we checked a couple last things off our holiday bucket list, like a visit to the Menashe House (Juliette missed round one last month).

I had postponed my annual getaway to Cedarbrook with Nance and LaV earlier in December, but we made up for it on New Years Eve Eve.  There was shopping and movies and dinner at the hotel bar and ice cream in bed and lots of overdue catching up.  Life gets busy, but it feels good to know we can count on this tradition to stitch us back together!

And then New Years Eve!  The big bash!  Our nearest and dearest came over that evening after Isaac was in bed, and we ate tacos and drank all kinds of things and told lots of stories.

(Story time with Aunt Nance in action!)

We struggled to find a playlist that appropriately matched the vibe of the evening and so I put out a call for 90’s song requests; suddenly we were embarking on a three-hour dance party, bopping to REM and Offspring and Warren G.  Jason’s got moooooooves.

Juliette looked at us like the crowd of tragically un-hip 40-somethings that we are, but couldn’t resist getting in on the Boot Scootin’ Boogie.

Kris Kross makes you jump-jump?  Things got progressively sillier as the night went on.

There was a 10:30 pm Domino’s order and some intense debate over Nirvana vs. Pearl Jam and then we toasted at 11:15 pm as the nine year olds’ energy was waning. 

People split and the house was suddenly very quiet and then suddenly not-quiet as Isaac started crying while I was brushing my teeth.  He must have sensed that he just missed out on an epic party, so I ended up rocking my dozing boy as the clock struck officially midnight.  I think I got the best of both worlds.

New Years morning brought the annual Polar Bear Plunge at Alki Beach.  Juliette was feeling extra-bold again this year and decided to join her dad.

All smiles pre-plunge!

But then reality hit…

And then my poor girl really wasn’t happy.

Isaac was like, “What were you thinking?!”

It took a hot minute, but once Juliette was re-bundled her smile came back.  She’s much braver than her mama!

Cheers, polar bears, to a fresh new year!

We got a bonus break day as school and work were closed on January 2nd, so we decided to give Cabin Creek another go, this time with Buddy on board.

Isaac fussed a little as we were getting him strapped in, but once Shane started to cruise he fell silent and zoned out in the very best way.

The snow was icy and super-fast that day; Juliette and I both took a couple of falls and there was a moment when I wanted to chuck my skis into the woods and just walk back to the car, but we stuck with it and eventually re-found our joy.

Sweet dreams, little boy.

We spent our final afternoon together cozying down at home, having tickle fights and doing puzzles and playing piano.

One last nap together, and then it was back to business with a vengeance.  January has felt a bit nuts, work-wise, but oh, those lazy holi-daze.  They were awfully good.

December felt full and quiet all at once – Lord knows Juliette and I lean in hard on holiday traditions, but we’ve curated our list to activities that can largely be done in our pajamas by the warmth of our fireplace.  Occasionally, though, we braved the cold for the sake of sparkly lights or fluffy pines.  We took Juliette and two of her buddies down to Alki one evening before a sleepover to sip hot chocolate and listen to the carolers sing on the Christmas Ship.  It was the perfect way to get the festive vibes flowing.

(Isaac liked it, too.)

Seattle got a dusting of snow in early December and it was fun to see Isaac’s awe over a world covered in white.  He stood by the window, excitedly pointing outside for a good portion of the morning.

It was a frosty walk to school…

The excitement was short-lived, as snow gave way to rain all too soon.

Oh, the PJ time this month!  So much PJ time, with lazy Saturdays and Sundays spent watching the World Cup.

 

Isaac really amped up his soccer spectating game.  I can’t tell if he’s overjoyed or in agony over whatever play just happened, but he’s feelin’ it!

We headed east the first weekend in December to visit Mountain Creek tree farm in search of our Tannenbaum.  This is one of my most favorite super-special holiday rituals, and Juliette accessorized accordingly.

The snow had stuck in North Bend, making this place more idyllic than ever.  We wandered among the trees, going through the motions of our annual Grand Fir / Doug Fir debate while Juliette introduced Isaac to a small snowman someone had left near the path.

Finally, we found it – a seven-footer that looked just right for for our living room.  Have at it, Shane!

While Shane worked on tying the tree to the top of the car, the kids and I grabbed hot cider from the gift shop and headed back out for some snow play.  Isaac didn’t love the snow, finding it a little slippery on his waddly legs, until Juliette showed him how to “throw” it by knocking it out of her hand, at which point she would yell, “Whoa!!!” and he would laugh hysterically.

This went on for awhile.

Eventually, the tree was secured and our toes were cold and so we hopped the car to get home and on with the business of decorating.

Juliette and I did our usual oohing and ahhing over our treasure trove of ornaments while sipping egg nog and listening to A Charlie Brown Christmas.  We discovered early on that any breakable ornaments must be hung on the top half of the tree.

(Brother feels left out when I get too close to Sister – see him trying to get in on the snuggles?!)

We put the rest of the house in holiday order, lining the mantle with my collection of bottle brush trees, finding a home for Stanley and Samuel, our Nutcracker brothers, and setting up Juliette’s own little bedside tree.  Isaac was into all of it (literally into, with his little hands all over whatever was in reach), so anything precious was placed high up and we let the rest be fair game.

Juliette and I did our annual sleepover by the tree on the first day of winter break…

With an early-morning visit by our favorite third wheel.

We did a part 2 the following night, because we love a twinkly slumber party that much.

We made evening visits to the menagerie of inflatable figures in our neighbor’s driveway.

And then on an evening when Juliette was with friends and Shane was out of town, Isaac and I drove down to the Menashe house to do some gawking.

Santa was strolling the sidewalks that night and I found him to be ultra-friendly, but Isaac was not so much of a fan…

Mama-Jules hot cocoa Christmas lights drive…

And buddies!  I was solo parenting for a weekend and Nance and LaV came over for a cozy breakfast while Isaac ran circles around us.

We gathered at the Rusts for our chosen-family Christmas brunch the following weekend, where Nancy’s homemade almond tart was devoured and gifts were opened and stories were shared.

I always walk away from gatherings with this crew with the fullest of hearts.

We let the kids open a couple of family gifts early, partly so that they’d have some new toys to keep them occupied while we packed for our trip to Portland, but also to stretch out this season of receiving (and also of being grateful!).

Pierced ears was at the tippy-top of Juliette’s wishlist, so I set aside her Christmas money from Grandma and Grandpa and booked her an appointment at a local jewelry shop, coordinating a rendezvous with the mom of two of her best buds, who were also begging to get pierced.  The few days leading up to the appointment were a mix of excitement and nerves for Juliette.  Each day brought a new split:  “Mama, today I’m 70% excited and 30% nervous!”  We landed at 80/20 day-of, which seemed promising, but the minute Juliette sat down on the stool, the tears started flowing.  I’m so glad her friends were there to cheer her on.

As each girl took her turn, the other two gave enthusiastic thumbs-ups and said, “You got this!”  The sweetest.

And the fanciest.  

Now let’s get this kid and her sparkly lobes to Portland!

Hood River has been on my PNW bucket list for a few years now, but I somehow always fizzle when planning the trip.  Too far, too many other things to do, too many excuses…  This year, though, I tossed out the idea to the Rusts, as they’re Hood River regulars, and then our friend Jordan wanted to join to celebrate his birthday and soon this getaway had taken on a life of its own.  The text thread grew and calendars aligned and soon a whole gaggle of us had booked a few nights down there in mid-August.  Best Western or Bust!  We settled into our hotel room on a Wednesday afternoon and Juliette spent several minutes pretending that the phone was ringing, then picking it up and saying, “Hello there!  Juliette Schnell speaking!”  Corded phones…the novelty.

But when I offered to take her to the pool, the phone was quickly tossed aside.  And look who we found there!

We laid low in the evening, eating at the hotel and then taking a soft serve sunset stroll.

More of our buddies trickled in late Wednesday night – we’ve missed these girls like crazy since they moved to Colorado a couple of years ago and it was so good to be reunited over Thursday breakfast!

Want to guess how Isaac slept that first night?!  Naptime couldn’t come soon enough.

We settled into vacation mode with pool time and park time.

And then afternoon nap / hotel bed shenanigans.

Everyone convened at the river before dinner for a paddle and a swim.

Our crew took over this little cove and goodness, it made me happy to see us all together again.

Isaac, Mama needs a canned wine sometimes!  You stop with that judgey look.

We picnicked at the nearby park for dinner, doing more catch-up while the kids frolicked on the playground.

The first baby of the group (who just turned FOURTEEN!) and the last baby of the group make for some very cute bookends.

I walked Isaac back to the hotel for bedtime and while I would have loved to hang out for ice cream with the gang, I did cherish this riverfront stroll with my boy.

Friday!  Group breakfast…

More pool time…

And an afternoon hike to Tamanawas Falls with the little mountain goats.

These kids were such good sports – I didn’t have to bust out the gummy worms until we were over two miles in!

I hear water…

Made it!  And so worth the trek.

We made record time heading back – these girls were pooped, but still smiling.

We all met at Ferment that night for hard-earned beers and burgers.

THE BOYS!  The best of the best dads and sons.

It was back to the playground after dinner, as it proved to be a great place for the adults to chat while the kids roamed freely.  Though let’s be honest, some kids (one kid) needed a bit more supervision than the others…

Isaac won’t ever have a biological big bro, but I gotta say, Gryff and Isaiah are the sweetest surrogates.

 

I took the morning shift on Saturday and Isaac and I got out for a sunrise stroll.  We walked along the river for a bit and then decided to head into town in search of coffee.

Found it!

Post-breakfast pool time…

And then a jaunt out to the Gorge White House for berry picking, cider, and a stroll among the dahlias.

This kid definitely isn’t a great nighttime sleeper when we’re not home, but bless his heart for still being able to nap on the go.

Jack and La Verne invited me to tag along for their 2pm wine tasting, and while I initially declined, saying I should really hang back with Isaac, Juliette nearly pushed me into their car, saying “Go, Mama!  You need a break!”  I mean, if she says so…

We spent another evening at the river, doing all the water things.

How many kids can you fit on a single paddle board?  A lot.

These kids have literally been hanging out since birth and are all of the age now that they want to/get to choose their own friends, but they still get along so splendidly.

Uncle Jordan won “Most Fun Adult” that evening, for sure.

We drove over the bridge to While Salmon for another picnic dinner.  The kids rabble-roused…

Gryff played airplane with Isaac while Nance did backup…

And we just…hung, in that easy-going, fun-loving way we have of being together.  We met these people in 2007, when we were all relatively new to Seattle and looking for community.  None of us had family in the Seattle area and we quickly became each other’s support system, holding each other close through highs and lows and lots of kids.  I still remember the night that Jason showed up at our small group wearing a sweater vest, looking extra mature as he shared the news with all us childless 20-somethings that Nance was pregnant.  We were having a baby!  And now that baby is a teenager and it feels like some of our other littles are well on their way…  And yet, the adults haven’t aged a bit.  😉

I took another morning shift on Sunday, wanting to soak in one more walk along the river.  I tucked Isaac into the Ergo and he fell asleep steps from the hotel.  We walked for miles, his face nuzzled into my chest; I watched the sun come up and highlight his wispy blonde hair and sheesh, traveling with a baby is hard but sometimes so, so good.

Buddy slept all through breakfast.  Making up for lost time, I guess…

He’s up!

We squeezed in one last pool session before hitting the road.

We kept saying, “We should go.  We should really go.”  But dang it, good byes are hard!  Such a special group of people in such a special place.  There’s comfort in knowing we can always pick up right where we left off, though.  Also comfort in knowing how fun we still are!  Some things never change.

Ah, May – back when we slept in our real beds rather than on air mattresses on our basement floor (that June heat wave was INTENSE!).  Back when we cooked on a stove in our kitchen rather than a hot plate in our basement mud room (in-progress kitchen remodel has further upended our lives).  Back when our backyard was filled with colorful spring blooms and we wore sweaters during Saturday brunch.

May was good (though summer still holds plenty of promise).  Mother’s Day 2021 was extra-special this year, as Shane and Juliette thoughtfully schemed a day that struck the perfect balance between activity and leisure.  After a quiet breakfast and the presentation of a sweet card from Juliette in which she called me “her treasure”, Shane and Jules told me to get dressed because we were headed OUT for a Mother’s Day surprise. 

Shane tossed a few fancy groceries in a cooler and then we made the short drive to the West Seattle ferry terminal.  We were island-bound for a day of bumming around Vashon.

With friends, no-less!  It was so fun to see the Chens and the Rusts in the parking lot as we rolled up to the Island Center Forest for a hike (I use that word generously).  We sauntered through the woods and spotted salamanders and baby chicks in the pond and took our sweet time winding our way back to our cars.

We ate a picnic lunch at sunny KVI beach, played games, and lounged to our hearts’ content.

Not to gush, but while some moms want a spa day to themselves on Mother’s Day, I’ll take all the bonus time with these two that I can get.

We rounded out a perfect day with rhubarb pie and gin rummy and damn, I felt loved.

With the onset of warmer temps we felt the itch to be outdoors as much as possible each weekend.  We drove east one Saturday to drop off Shane in North Bend so he could do a long bike ride with some friends and then Juliette and I headed to Gold Creek Pond for a springtime hike.  But…snow?  It was 70 degrees out there!  The trail was too slippery to navigate in our tennis shoes, but we found a picnic table by the lake where we could still enjoy the view.

Vitamin D joy…

We met up with Shane at the tail end of his 30-mile bike ride and then Juliette hopped on her own wheels to do 12 miles of the Iron Horse Trail with her dad.  Their journey started with a two-mile ride through this abandoned train tunnel, which was pitch black and freezing cold – headlamps and jackets required.  I’ll catch you on the flip-side, guys…

Shane took this picture of Juliette at the other end of the tunnel – she later told me that she was freezing and scared through the whole thing, but that she told her dad it was fun because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings.  Sweet little trooper.

I did a nice little solo hike at McClellan Butte and then offered my weary bikers a ride home.

We don’t head east too often anymore, what with the hassle of getting around the closed West Seattle Bridge, but when we do, we make it count.

We rounded out May with a couple of days on Marrowstone Island with the Chens.  There are few better ways to kick off a weekend than with a sunny ferry ride.

Much as she likes a ferry ride, Juliette can think of few things better than settling in for a long weekend with a buddy.

The Chens’ vacation home is tucked along a quiet edge of the island (actually, all edges of Marrowstone are quiet) and we loved mellow evening strolls followed by plenty of kicking back in their water-view Adirondacks.

Jack booked us a tour of a goat farm on Saturday morning and it was a definite weekend highlight.  Look at these baby goats!

(But watch your dress, Jules!)

After wearing out our welcome in baby goat pen, we wandered out to the idyllic field to see the grown-ups.

I love this guy – look at his smile!

Our tour guide was a 12 year-old girl who lived on the farm and knew every intricate detail of raising and milking and caring for her animals.  She answered all of our questions with striking maturity and then we got to taste the cheeses produced right there at the farm.

Ok, just a couple more baby goat pics, because…baby goats!

The kids and the dads biked to the beach that afternoon while La Verne and I met them there with the cars.

And then the rest of the day was filled with Nintendo-time, some intense Lego-building sessions, and delectable pizzas a la Jack.

Plus, s’mores!  With a little pre-game action in which the skewers were wielded like wands by these two Harry Potter fans.

Careful with that thing, Juliette…

Goodnight, guys…

Sunday’s most important agenda item was to celebrate the birthday boy, who turned the big EIGHT while we were there!  Juliette couldn’t wait to watch him open the Nintendo game she’d been waiting to gift him for months.

Post-waffles, we drove over to Fort Flagler for a late morning hike.

How do you coax a couple of kids through the woods when they really just want to go home to play Mario Odyssey?  Like this:

We spent our last island evening at Finnriver Cidery, sipping cider and doing the limbo and running through the open fields.

And finally, cake and Clue.  Such a good day.

Juliette and I were up before the rest of the house on Monday morning and drove into town for coffee and donuts before heading to the beach for an early Mama-Jules stroll.

Back at the house, there was one last hangout on the bunk beds…

One last go at lawn games…

And one last huddle with friends we’ve sorely lacked time with over the past year.

Time to board that ferry.

And say a cool farewell to the marvelous month of May.