little black journal

Another one of those campground reservations I made so many months ago rolled around at the end of June and again, we carpe’d the diem, loaded up the car, and made it happen.  Coho, here we come!

Juliette is now legitimately super-helpful when it comes to setting up camp.

Isaac…not so much.  But he sure tries.

I eventually asked Isaac to “help” by lining up all his cars on the picnic table.  THAT, he could most definitely do.

Tent up, sleeping bags unrolled, hammock strung, juice boxes unearthed from the bottom of the cooler…cheers!

We spent the evening getting the lay of the land, traipsing through the campground in search of the closest water spigot and the best lake access.

Found the lake!  Too cold for swimming, but perfect for rock-throwing.

S’mores…

And the after-party.  I need to seriously rethink pumping the kids full of marshmallows before bedtime.

But there was an awful lot of pre-sleep laughter, so I rolled with it.

We slept in a bit on Saturday and emerged from our tent to find sunshine and salmonberries.  Worth getting up for.

That morning was the stuff of camp dreams.  We lingered over our coffee and hot chocolate.  We snacked on bacon and croissants and got a little fire going and I scooted my camp chair extra-close to Shane’s while Juliette read in the hammock and Isaac scrambled over tree stumps.  And that morning light streaming through the evergreens…

 

We took our time getting to the breakfast dishes, but eventually cleaned up and then headed out for a short stroll down a nearby trail.

This “hike” clocked in at just under a mile, which was the right distance for Isaac.  We were only a couple of minutes from camp when he tired to the point of wanting to hitch a ride on sister’s back.

Lunchtime lounging…

And then what I thought would be a short stint in the tent for naptime.  It started sprinkling just as Isaac fell asleep, which I figured was the perfect window for the sunshine to take a quick detour, but then it kept raining, and kept raining,  And so we hunkered.  Cozied up.  Waited it out.  Isaac did a lot of tent gymnastics and then resorted to tormenting his sister.  I brought chips and canned wine and juice boxes into the tent and we happy-houred in there, then ate our hot dogs in the trunk of the car, the tail gate serving as a makeshift canopy.  

Finally I decided rain be damned, we needed to stretch our legs, so we pulled up our hoods and walked over to the lake, searching for blue skies along the way.

We didn’t find any.

There was an easing-up of raindrops around 7pm and Juliette and I bee-lined to the boat launch to inflate our paddleboard and get out on the water.  The rain stopped completely as we climbed on the board and the lake was glass.  So still, so pristine.  Juliette did most the paddling while I sat back and soaked it all in.  This was worth waiting out the weather.

Sunday!  I do love rolling over in the morning to the sight of these two.

These next couple of photos make my laugh – Isaac so clearly wakes up with MUCH more energy than the rest of us.

Everything was still pretty damp that morning and I couldn’t get a real fire going, so we decided to go ahead and pack it in once we’d polished off our muffins.  We’d scratched our camping itch.

When I say “we” packed it in, Shane actually did the packing while I took the kids for a paddle.  He’s the best.

Shane met us down at the water with a loaded-up car.  We deflated our board, tossed it in the rooftop carrier, and hit the road.  Rain be damned, we rocked Coho.

We’ve done very little camping these past four years, because of COVID, then pregnancy, then having a baby, but I decided earlier this year that come summer 2024, we’d be ready.  I spent a January evening making a handful of reservations, knowing not all of them would pan out but wanting to give ourselves some options before everything filled up.  Our first option rolled around in mid-June and while I almost cancelled due to the fact that Juliette had a soccer tournament that same weekend, I decided instead that Isaac and I would give it a go on our own.  Bring on the mother-son time!

I loaded up the car with our two-person tent and a pile of snacks, picked up Isaac early from daycare on a Friday afternoon, and we hit the long, traffic-filled road to Deception Pass.  We listened to Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts 14 times over (“More Lightning McQueen song, Mommy!”), burned through the iPad’s battery, stopped at McD’s for a potty break and chocolate milk, and made it to our site with no tears and plenty of remaining daylight.  Victory #1.

We set up camp in no time and Isaac was very excited by the tent, zipping and unzipping the door, poking his head out each time to flash a big grin and say, “I see you!”.

Camp chairs were also a big hit.

Once we were settled, we headed out to do some exploring.  I let Isaac set the pace – if he wanted to stop to climb up and jump off off a rock or pick a handful of daisies or wave to his shadow, I let him.  No rush.

We found the beach at the end of the road and my goodness.  The driftwood to climb on and the endless supply of rocks to throw and the early-evening sunshine.  Best playground ever.

Who was I kidding with those rolled-up pants?  Just ditch ’em altogether, Buddy.  Be free.

The luxury of having nowhere else to be…  I suggested that we look for a special rock to take home to Juliette and we both sifted through the smooth stones, Isaac exclaiming all the while, “I’m looking, too!  That’s special, Mommy!  Ohhhh…so special!”  SO SPECIAL.

Eventually, Isaac’s legs did get cold and we both got a little hungry, so we walked back to our site for a campfire and an easy dinner.

Isaac’s first s’more!  He dug it.  Obviously.

We felt the first rain drops fall as we were finishing our dessert and hustled to put our things away and get ready for bed.  We zipped ourselves into our sleeping bags just as it really started to come down outside.  Cue cozy-time!

Cozy-time does not necessarily equate to sleepy-time, however.  Isaac was buzzed, with new-adventure excitement and a side of marshmallow wiggles.  I let him play with the flashlight and do his somersaults and sing his silly songs until he eventually conked out at 10 pm.

Buddy slept great, snoozing through the downpour that kept me up much of the night, and woke up with a fresh boost of energy on Saturday morning.

I felt less than bright-eyed and very much needed a few minutes to savor my morning coffee by our smoky fire while Isaac sipped his warm milk from the paper to-go cup I snagged from the car (add sippy cups to the packing list).

This kid most definitely gets moody, but he’s often so delightfully goofy.

A few camp chair snuggles while the fire petered out…

And then we set out for some more exploring.  We made the short drive up to the Deception Pass Bridge, but it was too windy to enjoy the view for long from up there.

Instead, we hiked.

Our ‘hike’ was more of a slow stroll / faux bear hunt, but Isaac had fun.  Give a boy a long stick…

We didn’t make it far, but we played several rounds of raucous hide and seek and found many interesting things.  “A rainbow, Mommy!”

It was a short(ish) walk down to the north beach from the parking lot, so we detoured before heading back to camp.

I was feeling pretty kaput by this point, between the sleepless, stormy night and the cold I seemed to be coming down with, so I was thankful that Isaac just let me chill on the warm rocks while he hunted for treasure (that boy loves popping those kelp bubbles).

The trip down to the beach felt short, but the trek back to the car felt long.  Thank goodness for the emergency Dum-Dum I keep in my fanny pack.

We ate lunch in our tent, too tired even to unfold the camp chairs I had stowed in the car in case of more rain.  Naptime came easily and we both dozed to the sound of the wind whooshing through the pines.  One of my best-ever naps – so sweet, so cozy, so needed.

Rested and refreshed, we drove into Oak Harbor in the afternoon to grab a chai and a vanilla steamer and to play at a nearby playground.

This two-person swing was fun, but I think we’d both still take driftwood and rocks any day.

We moseyed on back toward camp in the late afternoon, but got sidetracked by a farmstand advertising cherries and ice cream.  Dinner, Schminner…

Given our ice cream appetizer, we were in no rush to prep dinner once we got back to camp, so…to the beach!

We found a sunny place to perch over the water and threw rocks for a bit.

A park ranger stopped us as we were walking back to our site and asked Isaac if he’d like to earn his Junior Ranger Garbage Collector Badge by picking up 15 pieces of garbage and turning them in at the ranger station.  Challenge accepted.

I got us a little turned around as we were walking back to our site and we ended up needing to do quite a bit of back-tracking.  Isaac was a good sport.

But man, it felt good to put our feet up at the end of the day!

I feel ya, Bud.

We had hot dogs for dinner and another round of s’mores.  Sleep came easier that night.

And on Sunday morning, we broke down camp in 20 minutes flat and high-tailed back to Seattle to spend the day with Shane and Juliette.  We’d missed them.  But also, we had rocked Isaac’s first camp experience.  So proud of us.  So thankful.  So tired.

Can I pack an entire season’s worth of photos into a single blog post?  Why, yes I can.  Enjoy this smorgasbord of photos from March, April, May, and June…  The highlights.

Springtime brought sports season – our weekends were largely planned around softball and soccer games, and I was there for it.  Watching Juliette out on the field is one of my most favorite pastimes, and she grew so much as an athlete and teammate this Spring.  Plus, she’s adorable in a visor.

Her on-base percentage was off the charts, tallying at .949 by the end of the season.

Number 1 fan…

Second Number 1 fan…

Ok, let’s be real.  Girlfriend has a whole fan club.

Isaac is awfully good about cheering from the sidelines, but I also spent plenty of games chasing him around the out-outfield, letting him play his own version of softball.

The Storm closed out their season with a doozy of a game that went into extra-extra innings and while they didn’t walk away with a win, they kept their heads high.  Class acts, these girls.

And then there was soccer.  Let’s gooooooo Chile Peppers!  Juliette has leaned into soccer as her favorite sport and laid it all on the pitch week after week.

Side note:  thanks to Grandpa for taking Isaac on numerous ‘bear hunts’ during Juliette’s games so that I could really watch her play.  Much appreciated!

Juliette’s beloved PE teacher came out to watch a game and we welcomed her to the fan club with open arms.

The season ended in early June and there was much shedding of tears as Coach Dan gave his final post-game speech.  Juliette decided in May to try out for a higher-level league AND MADE IT and so this chapter with these particular girls is coming to a close.

Seriously, though – the tears!  This team is something special.

We’re not sure yet what Isaac’s future holds in terms of athletics, but…pickleball?  He’s got the stance down!

Other Spring highlights include a ladies weekend getaway to Vashon Island:

We hiked, then we ate and drank and did facials and laughed till our stomachs hurt.

Morning coffee was essential.

Then Easter!  It came early this year.  Candy-filled eggs, church, family, food, a lot of gratitude.  A very very good day.

The much-loved Hickory family spent a weekend with us in April and these freckled beauties were the best of buds during their time here.

Twins!

That brings us to May – look at me go!  Once again, Shane made Mother’s Day magic happen with a sunny backyard French toast brunch, followed by a bike ride and beach time with the kiddos.

These stinkin’ kids, man.  I’m so lucky.

Side note / fast forward…I kind of dropped the Father’s Day ball in June as we had all sorts of other things happening that weekend, but Shane did score an awesome shirt from Isaac!

Shane and I celebrated our 18th Anniversary in May with a bottle of Veuve and an ice cream date with the kiddos down at Alki.  Elegant.  Simple.  Perfect.

We’ve spent a lot of time with family over the past few months.  My parents have rented an apartment nearby and spend about a third of their time in the neighborhood.  The kids are big fans of their roof deck.

And the lobby coffee / hot chocolate machine.

It’s been a treat to fold my mom and dad into our day-to-day, partly because we can use all the help we can get, but also because it’s a joy to watch them watch the kids grow.  They were around for Isaac’s first pee in the potty and several of Juliette’s softball games.

My brother’s family came to visit over Memorial Day weekend and the cousins got along splendidly.  Lots of basketball at our neighbor’s hoop.  Lots of couch cuddles.

And Grandma Schnell came to visit!  Bearing gifts, no less.  She gave Juliette one of Denny’s fishing poles and Juliette was pumped to open it up.  So special.

Get it, Grandma!

Bikes and baking and brunch – we loved having her here.

ISAAC!

June brought all kinds of festivities, like Juliette’s second piano recital, in which she played my favorite song from Little Women…

The school performance of Imagine a Dragon, in which Juliette played a bold princess.

And the last day of school!  It made me so happy that even in fourth grade, she still revels in a classroom pajama party.  Complete with stuffies.

Next stop, fifth grade!  Queen of the school.

Lots of park time in the Spring.  Dropping this photo here just because I miss Isaac’s uneven bowl cut.  He looks so little!

Lots of golden hours down at Lincoln Park…

And beach time, Seattle style.

Lowman is such a happy place for us.  I love where we live.

A sunny Sunday at Camp Long…

The kids and I found ourselves with a wide-open day on Juneteenth and headed out to Kelsey Creek Farm in Bellevue to see the animals and run around in the grass.

Post-farm fro-yo and with a side of spray park.

And through it all we eased into backyard weather.  Magnolia blooms and rhodies and sprinklers, oh my.

And today marks the beginning August?!  MORE POPSICLES!

 

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.  

We’re down to our last full day in Maui…I set out on my own on Wednesday morning for a solo beach walk.  I sat for awhile in the sand and said my prayers of gratitude.  The past few days had been such a treat for family.

Hi, kids!  Isaac’s face in this pic makes me smile, like…”What the heck, Mom?  You went to the beach without me?!”

All was forgiven.

We decided that morning beach time was really our jam, before it got too hot.  It was nice to feel the sun come up while we played in the sand, then take an ocean dip before heading over to the pool.

Little boxes of yogurt-covered raisins are Isaac’s favorite special treat when we travel – he calls them ‘eggs’ and gets giddy when I pull them out.  Shane missed the memo and picked up regular raisins from the market.  Isaac was very sweet in hiding his disappointment.

Isaac truly believed he could stop the waves with an outstretched hand a grumpy face.

Didn’t work.

Naptime seemed to lengthen a bit with each passing day – fun fatigue is a real thing.  We loved those quiet hours back at the room, though, reading and resting and hanging on the patio.  We’d all pile into bed when Isaac woke up and ponder how we should spend the afternoon.

I mean, was there ever really any question?

I know Shane’s arms were tired 14 rounds into this game, but Isaac kept shouting, “More, Daddy!  MORE!”

Who can resist?

Sister wanted in.

We knew our pool time was waning and did the slide circuit several times, then spent awhile cruising the lazy river, Isaac on Shane’s shoulders and Juliette on mine.

Side note: palm trees just don’t make sense proportionally, do they?

We had dinner that night at Monkeypod – Juliette and I wanted to try their famous Mai Tai’s with Lilikoi foam (sans alcohol for the kiddo).

YUM.

We bolted back to the beach after dinner for one last sunset.  Oh, to lounge in the warm sand.  The luxury of this leisure was not lost on me.

1, 2, 3…pants OFF.

Never give up, Isaac.

We walked back to our room pink-cheeked and a little buzzy from Mai Tais and golden skies.  Another top day.

Rise and shine, kiddos!  It’s go-home day…

We staked out our beach chairs and did the mental math on how long we could possibly wait before checking out and heading to the airport.

These footprints were all ours.

Shane and Juliette took a dip while Isaac and I watched from our usual knee-deep spot.  They heard whales underwater and sheesh, could this place be more magic?

Chlorine rinse and one last rousing game of keep-away.

And then we blitz-packed and headed down to the lobby to toss our coins to the wish-granting mermaid.

Oof.  Saying good-bye is hard.  But how lucky are we?!  Mahalo, Maui.

Maui, Days 4 and 5…

I was up before the sun on Monday morning so that I could grab some coffee before my 7am beach yoga class.  I thought I would just quietly slip out of our room unnoticed, but who was I kidding?  Isaac was up, which meant everyone was up, so I had company for my walk to the market.

I laid out my towel on the beach with several other resorters and we warrior-ed while whales played in the distance.

Yoga was fun, but I could see the kids playing down the beach with Shane and couldn’t wait to join them.

ISAAC!

We lounged in our chairs for a bit before going full-bore on sand play.

I thought I had plenty of pictures of Isaac in Shane’s hat, but then he flipped it around and I needed one more.

The kids loved having sand piled on top of their legs, but Isaac’s wiggly toes never stayed buried for long.

Time to rinse off!

Isaac picked out that orange car from the gift shop next to the shave ice place on Saturday and he clutched it close at naptime and bedtime all week.  It’s almost as cuddly as his favorite deer.  Almost.

We drove up to Paia after naptime for a late lunch at the Flatbread Company.  We visited this place a couple of years ago and remembered loving the Mopsy, their signature pie topped with Kalua pork and pineapple.  It’s as good as ever.

Pizza, then pool.  Isaac leveled up on the waterslides and started doing the little ones on his own.

We spent a lot of time at the upper pool this year – it seemed mildly warmer than the big pool down down below and it was away from a lot of the hub-bub.  Our family often had this area all to ourselves and Shane, Juliette and I played several rounds of Monkey in the Middle with our water-ball while Isaac happily bobbed around nearby.  There was a moment when Shane lunged at me to block my catch and I was struck by the volume of my own laughter – I guess we made our own hub-bub.

She’s going to have this boy swimming on his own next year.

The kids reluctantly changed out of their swimsuits in the evening and then we spent awhile playing more Monkey in the Middle, this time on our favorite lawn.  The kids ran and ran, then stopped for a snuggle.

We walked back after sundown and took a peek at the resort’s luau before calling it a night.

Goodnight, moon.

Tuesday!  Up bright and early again.  Shane headed out to play some pickle ball and I took the kids to the market for acai and coffee.

We stopped to look at some bugs and I reveled in how good it felt to be on island time.

CARS.  Always with the cars.

We took our acai bowls down to the beach and munched and read and played.

When the ocean roars, Isaac roars back.

ELEVATOR BUTTONS.  Another simple pleasure in the midst of paradise.  We made a lot of extra stops that week.

Suit up, kids!

Shane joined us for some volleyball and a poolside lunch.

And then we did the tired march to naptime…

Naptime over.  Right back to the pool.

Hot tub?  Don’t mind if we do.

We gussied up for dinner and it’s like this kid was auditioning for Miami Vice, the way he strutted through the lobby.  He clearly knew how good he looked.

Maui Brewing was all we hoped it would be – beer and nachos and cornhole, to boot!

I love a restaurant where Isaac can run free.

Shane’s got the best aim in our family when it comes to lawn games, but Juliette has the best style.

We jetted down to Makena Cove after dinner to catch the sunset.  This little stretch of beach is pure magic at golden hour.

Isaac soaked and shed his shorts within five minutes of our arrival.  Juliette gave me kudos for packing her swimsuit.

I know I’ve said this before, but gosh, watching my kids play tag with the tide is one of my most favorite things in the whole wide world.

Isaac really expanded his repertoire of facial expressions on this trip.  This was a new one – he’d look at Juliette and me, wide-eyed and a little confused, then bust into a cheesy grin.

The sand here is some of the softest I’ve felt.  Isaac spent a long time burying and then searching for a little stick he’d found, just for the feel of the sand running between his fingers.

Magic, I tell you!  Magic!

Juliette and I were buzzing from our perfect sunset and felt too amped to call it a night, so we grabbed some ice cream from Loulou and went down the pool for a night swim.

We sat in the hot tub and chatted till we couldn’t take the heat anymore, then walked back to our room by the light of the moon.  Top day.

Goodness, I’ve got some catching up to do around here.  We’ve had not one but TWO beautiful sun-cations with a grief-filled March in between.  Life has been full, to say the least.

I’ll start with Maui, because that happened first and because it feels good right now to reminisce about those few days at our favorite place.  Maui.  Maui, Maui, Maui.  We have built a precious handful of annual trips and traditions into our family calendar, but our February trip to Wailea takes the cake.  We book our room nearly a year in advance, before the points-per-night rates skyrocket, and we look forward to it all winter long, religiously swallowing our zinc and vitamin D in an effort to ward off any bugs that could waylay our trip.  I was feeling especially anxious this last time around, as Juliette and I were both so traumatized by the five hours of puking she did on our 2023 trip to Maui, but as we inched down the jetway and Isaac tried to board with a family that was not his own, we laughed and my shoulders relaxed.  The kids felt great.  Our bags were packed.  We were making it happen!

Isaac is becoming such a good little traveler.  IPads help, as does a flight that spans naptime, but also, he’s just generally a more reasonable little human these days.  Way to hang in there, Bud.  Good things to those who make it through flights without throwing fits!

We landed on Maui, snagged our suitcases and rental car, and bee-lined for the hotel.  Our room wasn’t ready, but we rummaged in our bags for our swimsuits and passed the afternoon in the pool.  ALOHA.

We walked over to the beach as the sun started to set and the kids played in the sand and splashed in the waves.

When we took Isaac to the beach here a year ago, initially he hesitated to even put his feet down in the sand – it took him awhile to come around to the feeling of it squishing between his toes.  But this time around, he ran and rolled until he had sand in his hair and his shorts and his ears.  No time to waste!

We walked back to the room at sundown, feeling like Maui had rolled out its very finest welcome mat.

Saturday!  Rise and shine!  We walked to the market for our morning acai bowls and then it was right to the pool.

Isaac’s blue arm floaties proved to be the best thing we packed.  We’d click that buckle, toss him in the pool, and he’d happily bob and bob, the sweetest little buoy you’ve ever seen.

We took a break from pooltime to complete our annual scavenger hunt.

I appreciate that Juliette pretends like it’s all still a big mystery, even though she knows the location of each landmark backwards and forwards by this point.

Scavenger hunt over and prize claimed!  Back in the pool!

Pooltime -> NAPTIME.

We drove to Kihei in the afternoon for shave ice at Ulilani’s.  I really didn’t want to share my green tea / guava / passionfruit bowl of goodness, so I let Isaac get his own.  It was as big as his head.

And he ate it all!

We spent the evening at our dreamy little stretch of beach, digging and sunset-gazing.

Inevitably, Juliette couldn’t resist the pull of the waves and wished she’d left her swimsuit on.

Inevitably, Isaac followed sister into the tide and ended up with soaking wet clothes that were stripped off by sundown.

All in a day’s work.

We ate dinner in our room that night, too pooped to put on real clothes and read a restaurant menu.  Isaac threw the fit to end all fits before passing out way past his proper bedtime, then we woke at midnight to the sound of Juliette sleepwalking into the balcony sliding glass door.  She was fine, we were fine, all was fine, but sheesh!  Did we overdose on sunshine?

Sunday was another wide-open day, kicked off with yogurt and fruit from our beachfront cafe, then some lawn antics with the kiddos while Shane went for a run.

We settled into our beach chairs mid-morning and played in the surf.

Some of us played further out than others!

God, I love Beach Jules.  Freckly and smiling and wrapped in a cozy towel.

Pool Jules!

These photos are Isaac in a nutshell.  Silly as all get out, sometimes aggressively so (that second pic!).  I can always count on this boy for a good laugh.  It’s such a gift.

Juliette looks like she’s taking a mid-day Zoom meeting while her brother naps…

How many photos of my kids playing in the pool are too many?

Is there such a thing?

We walked over to Waikiki Brewing for cocktails and dinner.

Followed by ice cream at Lapperts.

Juliette left for a minute to use the restroom and Isaac spent the full time she was gone on a fierce lookout for her return.

She’s back.

We played for awhile on the lawn while the sun went down, twirling in the wind and tossing the ball around.

CLASSIC.

Does Isaac bug the crap out of sister sometimes?  100%.  But at the end of the day, do they have the sweetest, loving-est sibling-ship?  100%.

We walked back to our room as the sun dipped below the horizon, Isaac pointing up the sliver of moon brightening in the sky and exclaiming “MOON!” every few steps.  Even in one of the loveliest places on earth, it’s sometimes still about the simple pleasures.

Goodnight, Maui.

Our annual MLK weekend snow-cation has become a staple in our annual family calendar – I’ve come to count on those couple of days as a guaranteed fix of January cozy.  We will forever love Winthrop for its mountain views and expansive cross-country trails, but lately we love Suncadia Lodge for its proximity to home and expansive hallways, perfect for early-morning wanders.

We arrived at the Lodge on Friday evening, thrilled with the fresh dumping of snow.  Less thrilled with the zero-degree temps.  It was COLD.  But we bundled up and booked it down the twinkly path to the Inn for dinner, our extremities numb by the time we arrived.

Thankfully, the Lodge has a handful of indoor amenities that don’t require 17 layers of outerwear.  Isaac had his goggles on at 6am on Saturday, eager to check out the pool.

Breakfast first, Buddy.  Pancake time!

We did make it to the pool right when the doors opened at 10:00 and the kids mostly loved it, though we wouldn’t have minded if the water was a few degrees warmer.  Juliette pretended like it felt great, but the chattering of her teeth was a dead giveaway.

Post-pool chai tea latte…

And naps.  You KNOW I love a vacation nap.

I was feeling antsy by mid-afternoon, so I asked Juliette if she wanted to brave the cold with me and try out our new sled.  She was game, frosty eyelashes and all.

Gosh, I really do have the best time with her.  Between the below-freezing temps and the surprise remodel that had put the Lodge’s lobby and bar out of commission, I was feeling a little funky about our magical weekend.  But how could I have forgotten about Juliette’s ability to always bring the party?

We headed into Roslyn around dinnertime to hunker down for awhile at Basecamp Books and Coffee and then get some food at the Roslyn cafe.

Isaac’s mind was blown when he discovered that they also had a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Turns out his copy isn’t the only one in circulation…

Once Isaac stopped resisting the bundling-up and allowed me to outfit him in boots and hat and gloves and puffy coat, he actually seemed ok with the weather.  In very small doses.

Roslyn Cafe was closed due to the extreme weather, so we grabbed a booth at the nearby Mexican joint instead.  Look at us, rolling with the punches!

We were tucked back into our room by sundown and again, we made our own fun.

Sunday morning!  More in-room shenanigans…

And then a stroll over to the sledding hill.  The temps had warmed into the (low) double-digits and we were ready to seize the snow!

(Isaac was back to refusing his gloves.  He learned real quick the folly in his ways.)

Ahhh…to have feeling in his fingers again!

Juliette showed up with the inner tube and brother hitched a ride.

And then these two flew, down the hill and over the little jump, giggling all the while.

We walked out onto the frozen pond and left our footprints all over the untouched, pristine snow.  Juliette’s prints were neat and sweet and lined up just-so.

Then Isaac wreaked his usual havoc.

Juliette kept falling back into the snow, remarking at how perfectly it formed to the curve of her back, how comfy it was and wishing aloud that she could just lay there all day and take a nap.

Isaac, you’re a trooper.

Eventually, though, we called it.  Chai time!

We did some lounging in our room and I wish I could remember what it was Shane was saying that held Juliette so rapt, but I know it was good.

Roslyn Cafe, take 2!  Perfect Sunday lunch.

And then back for naptime and snuggles.

We went back out in the late afternoon and found that the Lodge’s sledding hill was packed, so we drove over to the playground to do our rollicking.

We had a pizza dinner in our room and blitzed through a couple more episodes of the latest Percy Jackson series.  Juliette is hooked.  Isaac almost certainly had no idea what was going on, but if sister is into it, he’s into it.

Bedtime was a bit of a bear that weekend, requiring infinite levels of patience from Shane and I as we struggled to coax Isaac to sleep, but on Sunday evening Shane said, “I got this” and sent Juliette and me out to enjoy campfire s’mores and a twinkle walk.

Thanks, Shane!

Monday was go-day and while we didn’t need to rush home, I think we felt ready to break free from our close quarters and return to saner climates.  First, though, a few final sled runs.

And raisins.  Some things are worth taking off the gloves for.

The kids and I took our time walking back to the Lodge while Shane loaded up the car.  They were so cute romping and falling in the snow together that I almost forgot how cold I was.  Almost.

And with that, we jumped in the car, cranked up our seat warmers, and were homebound.  Thankful for a family that rolls with conditions we didn’t quite plan for.  We didn’t do the skiing or the snowman-building I’d imagined, but oh, those endless games of airplane that Isaac and Juliette played on the bed while our fireplace flickered in the background.  That’s the good stuff.

One last homage to the 2023 holidays!  We arrived home from Portland the day after Christmas, quickly unpacked then repacked our bags, then headed to the airport early the next morning to catch our flight to Minnesota.  Schnell clan, here we come!

We had asked Shane’s parents what they wanted for Christmas and when they said, “Just a hug from our grandkids”, it felt awfully good to respond with, “YOU GOT IT!”.  Isaac and Juliette made themselves right at home.

It was a bit too cold to do a lot of playing outdoors, but we managed to get out for a walk to the mailbox on Thursday.

Isaac appreciated the chance to get some wiggles out.

Buddy refused to keep his mittens on and bravely rolled a snowball with his bare hands.  He’s tougher than I am!

I was hoping for a fresh couple inches of snow while we were there, but Juliette made do just fine with the dusting that was left from earlier in the week.

The rest of the day was spent rolling matchbox cars up and down Isaac’s makeshift box ramp, baking Grandma’s famous sour cream cookies, and playing cards with Aunt Tiff and Uncle Jason.

The sun came out on Friday and so Isaac and I hopped in the car and drove to the park while Juliette and the other grownups went to see Wonka.

It was a beautiful afternoon, but still frigid, so we did a quick tour of the playground equipment, ran a couple of laps on the lawn, and then bolted back to the car.

We warmed up at Caribou Coffee with a steamer and a latte and I very much enjoyed sitting across the table from Isaac and just taking in his array of facial expressions as he sipped his milk (mmmmm….nommy!) and flipped through his animal flashcards (lion…roooooaaaar!).  This felt like one of my first real sit-down dates with my boy and I believe he’s on the way to becoming a pretty respectable cafe companion.  Oh, the places we’ll go, Bud.

Back at the Schnell homestead, we walked through Grandpa’s corn field and then the kids took a spin with him in the side-by-side, which Isaac lovingly calls The Tractor.

We eeked out one more Christmas lights visit that night and walked through a display in town, stopping to pet the glittery deer and pose with blinking Santa.

Back at the house, we ate fried chicken and wrapped our arms around Hayden, who had just rolled into town with her boyfriend.  Cousins together and it felt so good!

Saturday was wide open – plenty of time for card games and matchbox cars and laying low with loved ones.

And laughing.  These three had the giggles.

Shane whupped us at Polish poker.  And was not so humble about it.

Juliette stopped laughing!

After much pleading from Isaac, we got out for a family ride in the side-by-side that afternoon.  We just went up the street and back, but Isaac treated it like the adventure of a lifetime, grinning throughout.

We made a quick run into town to peruse the toystore – Grandpa had slipped the kids some Christmas money and we picked out a sweet stuffed deer for Isaac and a stuffed fox for Juliette as mementos of the week.

Ok, I thought we were done with lights for the year, but Tiff pitched a visit to another big display outside town and you know I’m a sucker for the twinkle!

Back at the house, we played more games, ate more cookies, and savored our last snuggles.

We got an early(ish) start on Sunday and said our sad goodbyes to Denny and Pat, but then said a happy hello to Shanay near Minneapolis before checking in at the airport.

We’d done a lot of coming and going that week, but Isaac and Juliette were such troopers.

This was Isaac’s best flight yet – he had a snack, ran his orange Hotwheel car up and down my arm for a few minutes, and then crashed out on Juliette’s lap while watching Star Wars.

MADE IT!  Happy New Years Eve, folks.

Our NYE evening was quiet – we were tuckered and turned in well before midnight.  Felt good to wake up at home on New Years Day, turn on the fireplace, and bust out the train set.

That said, we did have places to be later that morning.  These two were polar plunging!

Juliette nearly bailed at the last minute, but I pep-talked her pretty hard and she peeled off her sweatshirt and beanie just as the first folks waded into the freezing water.

Isaac looked on from the shore, intrigued and a little bit concerned.

Wouldn’t be a true polar plunge without a few tears!

I’m sorry she cried, but I’m proud of her for pushing through.  You’ve got more gumption than your mama, Juliette Grace!

Isaac asked to go in the water, so I peeled off his shoes and socks so that he could understand this wasn’t really a Maui situation.  One toe in, and he got it.  “No thank you, Mama!”

For the record, she was quite proud of herself as well.

We’d had rain-checked our family brunch with the Chens and Rusts due to Isaac being under the weather in mid-December, so we gathered after the plunge for our makeup festivities.

After tucking into Nancy’s famous almond torte, the kids did some very serious house-building with gingerbread and frosting.

And then, presents!  Always so much laughter and gratitude when we gift-give with this crew.  Isaac got to go first, as we went youngest to oldest, and he was thrilled with his squishy dinosaur from the Chens.

No stuffies for these teens…skate shop gift cards and light-up drumsticks it is!

Ahhh…cheers to the coziest of kick-offs to a brand new year.