little black journal

October!  Juliette and I came back from Savannah to a couple of open-armed boys.  Isaac was asleep by the time our plane landed, but his reunion with Sister the next morning was exuberant.

The rest of the month was fairly quiet – we stayed close to home, enjoyed our Fall rituals.  Juliette rocked the school Move-A-Thon and ran 22 laps around the school parking lot in just under 20 minutes!

Shane turned another year older on the 19th and while he didn’t get the Southern fine dining birthday experience that I enjoyed with Juliette, he did get a new pair of flannel pajama pants.  We’ll call it even?

We spent our Saturdays on the soccer field, cheering on Juliette in between our own sideline shenanigans.

And we spent our Sundays at our favorite parks, soaking in the autumnal colors.  Volunteer Park is an October must – Juliette’s hair matches the leaves!

My girl is such a champ, eager every time to climb the 100+ steps to the top of the water tower.

(Her hair goes well with brick tones, too…)

Goodness, how I love a good Fall romp with these kids.

Playground pay-off for letting Mom take 200 photos under the trees…

Isaac is so fun at the playground these days, independent and just the right amount of adventurous.  Spread those wings, Buddy…

Now someone buy these kids a hot chocolate or something!

(Done.)

Juliette and I brewed a couple of cocoas and picked up Isaac a little early on a Friday for a walk through Camp Long.

This little grove is a slice of Fall magic.

“Wait, Juliette!  WAIT!”  This boy does not like to bring up the rear.

Can we talk for a minute about how good he looks in the flannel that his Auntie bought him last year?

These walls push the limits of Isaac’s climbing skills (and my nerves), but Juliette is an excellent backstop.

My parents came to town at the end of month and settled right into our day-to-day.

And oh, the Halloween festivities!  The neighborhood was decked out with pumpkins and skeletons and giant spiders.  Isaac and I relished our evening “Spooky Walks”.

Isaac would hold the flashlight from the stroller, illuminating our way, and then yell “MOOKY!” (spooky) every time he saw a skeleton or ghost.

We ate croissants and carved pumpkins with the Chens on a gray Saturday morning.

Get it, girl.

And then…the costumes!  I bring you Mario (upside-down mustache and all) and his beloved Princess Peach.

I was thrilled to find that Isaac’s blue jumpsuit came with a built-in belly.

Who’s that creeping out of our house?

Juliette cringed a little…

But Isaac had nothing but pure adoration for his buddy Luigi.  Way to be the fun dad, Shane.

We spent the Friday before Halloween at Juliette’s school for the Monster Mash, which was festive and loud and chaotic, but also a wonderful chance for me to get some sunset Peach pics.

Halloween itself was WET.  We pushed through and trick-or-treated anyway, because that’s what Seattle kids do, but the rain was relentless.

Isaac really got the hang of trick-or-treating this year and wanted to hang as late as the big kids.  I couldn’t say no.

Eventually though, we called it and headed home to turn on the fireplace, put Harry Potter on the TV, and take inventory.  Soggy bags of M&Ms were discarded, but there were still plenty of plastic-wrapped sweets to go around.  HAPPY OCTOBER.

We’re in the thick of Autumn – it’s raining outside as I type and the kids are watching Coco in the background, snuggled under a pile of blankets.  Summer is a distant memory…  But I’m leaning into the change of seasons, finding some comfort in the way we’ve settled into our Fall schedule and thankful for the sun breaks that graced much of September and October.

We spent a September Saturday up in Duvall, running through fields of sunflowers.  We paid our entry fee to Lora Lee’s and went through the gate, expecting to see acres of gold.  Instead, we found a patch of dahlias, which were beautiful, but not quite what we’d imagined.  We followed the signs to the sunflower maze, hopes held high.

And then there they were, just past the corn.  ENTER!

I’d imagined the sunflowers would be several feet tall, but I’m so glad these were minis, given that Isaac took off like a lightning bolt and I counted on being able to keep an eye on his blond bobbing head from a distance.

Top day.

Shane’s mom was with us for nearly two weeks in September and joined us for donut runs and soccer games and morning walks to school.  And lots of evening games of Hearts, once Isaac went to bed.

She celebrated her birthday with us, with drinks at Salty’s…

And apple pie at home.

We still spend as many golden hours as possible outside, at Alki or Lincoln Park.

I spy…a couple of runners.

Isaac is enamored with the barrage of skeletons and inflatable ghosts that have popped up around the neighborhood this month.  He calls them “mookies”, which is his pronunciation of “spookies” and we love an evening spooky hunt.

We found ourselves with a wide-open Sunday a couple of weeks ago and felt very much in need of a family reconnect after a hectic month, so we shoved aside our to-do list and boarded a ferry for Vashon Island.

We found the smallest, sweetest pumpkin patch at the south end of the island and loaded up our wheelbarrow with a pumpkin for each of us.

Score, Buddy!

Smile, Isaac!

Or…don’t, you little goofball.

I know, this just keeps going, but the pumpkin patch photo ops!

Post-pumpkins, we grabbed some treats at Vashon Coffee Roasters and headed to KVI Beach to get some sun and look for shells.

The weather was so good that day.  Some of us shed our sweaters.  One of us took off our pants.

Juliette and I read our books while Isaac brewed shell soup.

Our final stop was Dragon’s Head Cider – this place is heaven on earth on a sunny afternoon.  Hammocks and orchards and Adirondack chairs and crisp, cold drinks…we made ourselves right at home.

Isaac is far from “easy” these days, but we are finding ourselves with some several-minute stretches where we can sit back and watch the kids play without having to worry that Isaac’s going to hurt himself or run away or eat something unsavory.  It feels good.

I favored the Kinsgston Black, but Isaac thought my Columbia Crabapple was particularly nice on the nose.

A dream, I tell you.  Huge shout-out to Shane for being the mini-adventure mastermind – we drove back to the ferry sun-kissed and happy and reminded of just how much we all like each other.  Island time does a family good.

Happy Autumn, friends.

It’s Fall!  Like full-swing Fall.  But I’ve got a cache of August snaps I just finished going through, so here’s one last glimpse of summer…

I took a few extra days off after we returned from Neskowin to tackle some house projects and spend some extra time with Juliette.  It was bliss – I crossed a handful of longstanding items off my to-do list and relished my afternoons with my best girl.  We drank boba and watercolored and strolled Alki together.  Turns out Seattle is an ideal place to take a summer vacation.

We took a Saturday spin on the West Seattle water taxi to grab a waterfront lunch with my dad.  Public transportation at its best.

Shane and I took the kids to the Sammamish Animal Sanctuary in Renton to visit their goats and llamas and bunnies.  This place was wonderful – they give a home to neglected or unwanted barnyard animals and we had the best time doling out lettuce leaves and carrot sticks.

We spent a weekend on Bainbridge Island for one of Juliette’s soccer tournaments, but the weather was decidedly un-summery.  It rained and rained and rained and we shivered through her Friday afternoon game.

Thankfully, our AirBnB was warm and comfy and the perfect place to enjoy a post-game nap.

And the Harbour Public House!  There is no cozier place to enjoy a cup of beer and a bowl of chowder on a drizzly evening.

It stopped raining just as we were leaving the restaurant and we all felt a little giddy at the break in the weather.

My word, though – Saturday morning was even wetter.  The girls pushed through.  Isaac and I hunkered down in the tent.

And then enjoyed coffee and macarons at Coquette Bake Shop.

The sun came out just as the girls finished warming up for their third and final game.  They ended the tournament 0 for 3, but they kept their heads up and learned a bunch.

It felt nice to take it slow on Sunday morning.  Couch snuggles and cars.

Isaac was smitten with this little recycling truck he’d found in the house’s toy bin and had a very hard time saying goodbye.  Finally, though, he gave it one last kiss, murmured “I love you, truck”, and walked away.  Parting is such sweet sorrow.

And Poulsbo donuts make things brighter.

We took a short walk along the Poulsbo waterfront and I made a mental note to do some more exploring around here, when we have more time and less rain.

We capped off our weekend with brunch in Gig Harbor.  And SUN!

Labor Day weekend was quiet – we decided to spend the last weekend of summer break close to home and ventured no farther than Jefferson Park when we felt a bit antsy.  It scratched the itch – new grass to run around on!  Bigger slides on the playground!

And dandelions as far as the eye could see.

Shane’s mom came to town the day after Labor Day and folded right into our family hub-bub.  We loved having her around – cheers to Grandma time!

Ah, summer.  It’s so hard to see you go.  So long, spray parks…

And spontaneous evening sprinkler runs.

We loved our sunny drives in the big blue car (though Isaac may insist we keep these up through Fall)…

And especially our front yard water fights.

Dump truck car washes…

And beach ball shenanigans.

What a beautiful season, in so many ways.  But on with the business of September.  And school!  Juliette started fifth grade and I realized as I was snapping these pics that we were memorializing her last first day of elementary grade.  Our walks down the street to our neighborhood school suddenly feel numbered.

Although I suppose in a couple of years Isaac will be a sporting a backpack and we’ll do this all over again!  That makes me feel equal parts comforted and exhausted.

“One more hug, Juliette!”

And then, with a final wave goodbye, summer break officially came to a close.  Bring on the pumpkins.

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.

 

 

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!

 

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.

 

December…more plaid jammie time, more morning snuggles.

We decided to skip the formal Santa photo op this year, as Juliette’s getting a bit old for it and Isaac is a bit timid for it, but it was fun to run into Saint Nick on an evening walk near the West Seattle Junction and I did convince Juliette to cozy up to her hat twin for a quick pic.  We were in the neighborhood to grab a couple of gifts and it was so festive that night, with roaming Santa and carolers in front of Bakery Nouveau and the Better as Brass crew tooting out All I Want for Christmas Is You.  Just a typical December Thursday…I love the holiday season.

Juliette’s Winter break began on December 15^th and we celebrated with the opening of a single Christmas gift.  I knew she would want something fancy to wear over the coming couple of weeks and this new dress from Grandpa and Grandpa went straight from the gift bag onto her body!  Girl loves a good outfit.

We also celebrated the onset of break with another Christmas tree slumber party.  I never sleep quite as well as I hope on these nights, yet it’s never a disappointment.

And the mornings after!  I love a good Saturday morning blanket nest.

December 16^th!  Recital day!  Juliette started in-person piano lessons with a new teacher a couple of months ago and we’ve been anticipating her first real recital ever since.  It’s a great motivator to practice, plus girl loves the spotlight (whether she’ll admit it or not).  After many at-home rehearsals and a multitude of nervous butterflies, the big evening arrived and Juliette strode up to that stage with such grace and bravery.  She played O Christmas Tree and Square Dance without a hitch and I couldn’t have been prouder.  She’s a star.

We relished the rest of that weekend at home to be quiet and cozy, as we knew we’d be Portland-bound early the next Saturday.

We keep a couple of Santa hats in a basket by the tree and I get a little giddy every time the kids pull them out.  Isaac’s Santa impression includes a booming HO, HO, HO!, shouted while he swings his arms and scratches his armpits like a monkey.  It works for him.

Juliette and I baked cookies…

And then she got very crafty with this mobile Mistletoe holder, which she dangled over Shane’s and my heads with a plea to “Kiss!  Kiss!”  Then Shane kissed me and she promptly told him to stop.  Parents can be so gross.

I worked most of that week before Christmas, but signed off a little early when possible to hang with Juliette, as she did a lot of self-entertaining during the day.  We picked up Isaac early on a foggy afternoon for a coffee shop date.

Visiting neighbor Dave’s driveway menagerie of inflatable characters became a regular part of our day.  Isaac would look out the window on the regular to see if the dinosaurs were “awake” (inflated).  If yes, he was desperate to go give them pat-pats.

What a mini wonderland…

Juliette and I requested a return trip to Bellevue’s Snowflake Lane parade, as it had been a few years, and Shane obliged and drove us all over there on a free evening.

It was crowded, but Isaac had a seat with great sight lines.

(Shane, meanwhile, couldn’t see anything!  Hehe…)

The parade was as cheesy and glittery as ever and Isaac ate it all up, getting particularly giddy over the dancing polar bear.

Plus, the people dressed as Nutcrackers hand out lollipops?!  Score.

It was…a lot.  I’m not sure this scene is totally our jam anymore, but we went, we saw, we survived.

ASTRA LUMINA, however!  This is a traveling light exhibit that recently landed in West Seattle and I snatched up tickets for Juliette and me on a Thursday night.  We got to saunter through the different installations at our own pace, hot cider in hand, and it was all pretty magical.

It looks like Juliette could start levitating at any moment…

This giant disco-looking ball was my favorite and we stood near it for several minutes, watching it shimmer and change color.

Top night.

I took off the Friday before Christmas so that Juliette and I could make our final holiday preparations together.  We picked up our last couple of gifts, baked pumpkin bread while watching the Winona Ryder version of Little Women, and joined Isaac in his classroom for craft time and treats.

We let the kids open a few gifts from their Minnesota family that evening to lighten the load we’d carry down to Portland.  Isaac didn’t entirely understand the gift-opening concept last year, but this year…he’s on it.

Thanks, Aunt Tiff and Uncle Jason!

(And thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!)

That smile…and so much more fun to come, Buddy.  So much more.

The holiday roundup!  It’s been a merry few weeks and I’m fighting a pretty fierce case of the post-Christmas blues, but I’m also feeling immensely thankful for home and family and health and for the spirit of wonder that lives in both Isaac and Juliette.  I don’t take for granted this cozy cocoon we’ve woven.

The gratitude meter officially kicked into overdrive on Thanksgiving Day – we spent a lazy morning on the couch, watching the The Grinch and eating the pumpkin bread that Juliette and I baked the night before.

And then we got on with the business of meal prep – Juliette took her usual post as cranberry sauce maker and pie glazer while I chopped veggies and peeled potatoes.

Desserts complete, we took an outside break to enjoy the sunshine and kick the soccer ball around.

And then a nap break, because we believe in giving ourselves in the gift of rest on holidays.

Shane kept the kids out of the kitchen after naptime so that I could finish up the potatoes, Brussels, and salad.  It’s amazing what I can pump out when I don’t have a toddler underfoot!

A quick pre-dinner cocktail break…

And LET’S EAT.  We’ve made a tradition of picking up BBQ from Peco’s the day before Thanksgiving and warming it up as our meat main.  Easy-peasy and a bigger crowd-pleaser than turkey.

Turns out Isaac was more thankful for yogurt and applesauce than anything else this year.  More ribs and mashed potatoes for me!

I’m mostly thankful for his multitude of facial expressions.  We laughed extra-much that evening.

A post-dinner stroll, to let the food settle and to visit the neighborhood bear.

Dessert hour…

And more snuggles while the kids finished The Grinch.

Shane, Juliette and I watched Little Women after Isaac went to bed, as we do every year, and Juliette and I cried our eyes out when Beth died, as we do every year, and I felt like holiday season couldn’t have possibly gotten off to a sweeter start.  What a perfect day with my favorite people.

I’m a stickler for tradition, but sometimes I can be flexible, so when Shane asked if I’d be interested in trading our annual pilgrimage to Mountain Creek Tree Farm for a fuss-free artificial tree, I said I’d think about it.  We found a lovely prelit fake fir at Costco and Shane promised a mountain hike in lieu of the tree farm, and so it was a done deal.  We bundled up and drove out to Gold Creek Pond the day after Thanksgiving for our consolation mountain time.

No regrets.  It was frosty, but so beautiful.

Once we hit the sunny side of the lake, we stopped shivering and were able to kick back a bit to throw rocks and explore.

Not too bad, huh?

We grabbed a brewpub lunch on the way home and Shane raised a glass to the fact that he didn’t have to stress about securing a tree to the top of our car.

That afternoon we unboxed our tree and pulled out our Christmas bins.  I love watching Juliette discover our treasure trove of decorations year after year.

Isaac learned the word “snowman” and has been toting around this mask on the regular.

Eggnog toast while we tree-trim and listen to Charlie Brown Christmas!  Some traditions live on.

I’m a fan of simple white lights, but this tree comes with a color option and an option to flash from white to color every few seconds, which Isaac loved.  He stood there for several minutes yelling GO! over and over, convinced he was changing the lights on command.

Shane got to work on the rooftop while Isaac shouted “Daddy!  Get down!”.

And then Juliette and I slept by the light of our tree.  Let the Christmas vibes roll.

Morning brought reading time in our living room blanket nest…

More shouting at the tree (the remote has since been hidden)…

And Isaac’s first viewing of The Polar Express.

Evening walks are so much fun at the holidays, complete with snowman hugs and Santa high-fives.

My mom spent the first week of December with us and Isaac really loved the evening Facetime calls with Grandpa.

And the Menashee House!  Such a wonder.  Isaac could have spent a couple of hours here, counting the Santas and watching the toy train run its tracks.

What a gift this family gives to West Seattle each year.  Talk about sparking joy!

That first weekend in December brought craft time with Grandma (homemade gift tags for the win!)…

More loving gazes at the Christmas tree (I love it too, Buddy!)…

And a living room piano recital, in preparation for Juliette’s first real recital later that month.  Juliette learned a whole smattering of Christmas tunes and it made me so happy to hear the tinkle of O Christmas Tree and Deck the Halls and We Wish You A Merry Christmas during her evening practice.  Sweetest-ever soundtrack as I folded laundry or read Isaac his bedtime stories.

(What Isaac lacks in technique, he makes up for with style.)

More evening light walks…

And a few final snaps with Grandma before she headed back to Idaho.

I spent the second weekend of December with Nance and La Verne on our annual Ladies Getaway.  This year we opted to venture a little further than our usual digs at Cedarbrook in SeaTac and booked a room at Suncadia Lodge.  We almost bailed on our plans when we saw the dumping of snow in the forecast at The Pass, but we pressed on and I’m so glad we did.  Cue the Cozy!

We lunched at Basecamp Cafe in Roslyn and spent a couple of hours chatting over our soups and sandwiches while fluffy flakes fell outside.

Quick market stop for chips, canned wine, and chocolate…

And then we got settled in our room, where we lounged and laughed.  We took a short walk to see the grounds and then ate dinner at the Lodge, but my favorite memories of that weekend are the time we spent sprawled on our beds, telling stories and eating chips.

These friends…I hope this tradition lives on forever, no matter where we live or how old we are.  I believe it will.

Whew!  Made it to mid-December!  And plenty more joy (and so many photos) still to come.

November!  I know the seasons officially change today, but November very much felt like the closing of Fall and the beginning of Winter.  We started the month with our annual Harry Potter Night, complete with friends and treats and sorting hat cupcakes.

Pink frosting means…House Gryffindor!  Perfect for our little Hermione…  My cupcake, on the other hand, was filled with green.  Yikes.

And to keep the good times rolling, the Chens invited Juliette and I on a walk-through of the Harry Potter Experience a couple of weeks later – we convened in Bellevue and chased our kids past Platform 9 3/4 into the Potions classroom and then onto the Quidditch pitch.  The magic lives on.

November brought the end of soccer season, and Juliette went out with a bang.  We spent our open Sundays kicking the ball around at Hiawatha…

And then watched the practice pay off on Saturday game days.  Juliette had three killer games in a row, scoring three (then four, then FIVE!) goals in each game.  She’s a beast.

Rightfully proud of herself.

Isaac is chomping at the bit to join the team.

But in the meantime, he’s an awfully good cheerleader!

Another parent captured these action shots on the girls’ last game, and these pics say it all…

Congrats on a stellar season, Fuchsia Fighters!

Fall park days!  Get the leaf-peeping in while it’s good!  We spent a lovely Sunday afternoon at Volunteer Park, basking in Capitol Hill’s golds and oranges.

THIS KID HAS SO MUCH LOVE TO GIVE.

And then more traipsing through the leaves near Hiawatha while Shane and Juliette did soccer drills out on the fields.

Requisite November Lincoln Park pics:

And a crisp Saturday afternoon on the West Seattle water taxi.  Shane dropped us off at the West Seattle dock, we sailed to downtown, then strolled through Pike Place Market where Uber-Dad picked us up.  Thankful for a guy that chauffeurs our mini-adventures.

(Hat hair, don’t care!)

And some backyard fun to round out our playtime…

Finally, November meant the official onset of Cozy Time.  Lots of hibernating done last month.

(Isaac’s snuggles are sweet, but often devolve into a wrestling match.)

MATCHING JAMMIE SEASON!  We’re ready for ya, Holidays.

Again, what starts out sweet…

Later, Fall.  Winter is so definitely here.

October!  Paris was of course the major highlight, but Shane and Isaac deserve some airtime, too.  We kicked off October with a quick weekend trip up to Bellingham to finish up Isaac’s passport/Nexus pass application at the Blaine Custom’s Office.  Plus…pumpkins!

Apples were actually the main attraction at Bellweather Farms, so we bought a bag to fill and boarded the tractor trailer for a ride out to the orchards.

His little hand on her leg…

So, about U-pick with a toddler…works much better with raspberries than apples!  He filled our 9-pound bag in about two and a half minutes, wonderfully proud of himself and also confused when we told him he was doing too good a job.  Make it last, Bud!

Since our apples were picked in under five minutes and we had a couple more hours until our passport appointment, we took our time saying hello to the cows.

And then ran same extra laps in the Gala aisles.

Boy down!

Sampling the merch…

Juliette said it was the best apple she’d ever had.  I agreed it was perfectly juicy and crisp, but also, the whole of experience may have added some extra flavor.

Still T minus 90 minutes to appointment time…corn maze it is!

Isaac passed his global entry interview with flying colors, we grabbed a quick bite, and then settled into our hotel for swimming and movies.  Mission accomplished.

We breakfasted early the next morning at Old Town Cafe, where the pancakes, mimosas, and toy-packed play area were all a hit.  Something for everyone!

We drove over to the waterfront after breakfast to throw rocks and have a go at the playground.

The previous day’s tank top weather was already a distant memory…we jumped back in the car and then Isaac fell asleep as I was giving Shane directions to a coffee shop where we could warm up, so we decided to quit while we were ahead and hightail it back to Seattle.  Quick trip.  Easy-ish trip.  Good trip.

October brought more soccer, and more time on the sidelines with my favorite fan.

It’s great when Grandma comes and can take a turn on toddler-duty so that I can focus on sister.  Juliette snagged the ball with just a few minutes to go and ran it down the whole field for a goal.  Isaac did 47 laps on this log / balance beam situation.  They’re both winners.

Lately Saturdays are for soccer games, and Sundays are for kicking the ball around with Shane and Isaac at Hiawatha.  Juliette’s got soccer fever and I think her brother is catching it.

My parents spent some time with us in October between a couple of east coast trips – it’s nice to live near an Alaska Airlines hub.  Isaac taught my dad a few things on the art of accessorizing.

And both kids lapped up the time with extra playmates.

Shane had a birthday and we got out to Fonda la Catrina for tacos and laughter with our crew.

We saw the Taylor Swift Eras movie and all loved it in equal measure.  Or maybe Shane loved it the most?  Anyway, it was fun.

And we did our usual park circuit.  Lincoln in October is such a gem.

I spent the last weekend of the month in Florida with my parents attending my grandma’s memorial service.  She passed away in August and I’m so thankful I had to the chance to spend time in the presence of people that loved her so dearly.  I met some distant family members for the very first time and connected with cousins that I haven’t seen in decades.  Nothing but the kindest things were said about Grandma that weekend and it was all true.  She was resilient and kind-hearted and open-homed.  She was entrepreneurial and courageous and hopeful in the face of challenge.  She WAS the goodest and faithfullest servant.  She loved seashells and flowers and even when dementia robbed her of her memories, her kind-hearted nature prevailed.  Love is her legacy.

I have fond childhood memories of my Florida beach visits.  I took a long solo walk one afternoon at Indian Rocks and felt sad and thankful all at once.  Rest well, Grandma.

The end of October also brought Halloween season, complete with giant spiders on the neighbor’s fences and trees…

(Isaac wasn’t a fan at first, but when he felt how soft this one was, he tried to pull it down to give it a hug.)

We picked up a couple of pumpkins from the corner market after one of Juliette’s soccer games and then got down to the business of carving.

Isaac was given a marker and a packet of stickers rather than a blade and told to make his pumpkin pretty, but he wasn’t buying it.  What Juliette was doing looked way more fun.

Or did it?

Such drama!  Get in there, girl!

She pawned off the dirty work on her little brother.  And he loved  it.

Seriously.  I couldn’t get his arm out of there!

At some point Isaac started putting the guts back into the pumpkin so he could pull them out again, and I let that go on for awhile, but eventually we needed to get down to business.

Mission accomplished!

When it came to Halloween costumes, Juliette rejected all of my cute woodland-animal ideas, but her eyes lit up when on a whim I suggested Cruella Deville.  I think it was the promise of red lipstick that had her hooked.  Isaac was a Dalmatian and of course was adorable, but somehow, so was his evil villain of a sister!

We did the neighborhood with Isaac and it took all of one stop for him to get the gist of the gig.

TRICK OR TREAT!  MORE PLEASE!

My dad wasn’t intending to trick or treat himself, but when a neighbor offered him an IPA, he wasn’t about to turn it down.

The porch with the cackling witch statue was not so much a hit.  Isaac still points to that house out our front window every couple of days and says, “keery!!!” (scary).  I assure him that the witch has left and then he brightens up with, “all done keery!”.

Again, we quit while we were ahead.  Isaac was trying to eat his candy as quickly as it was being dropped into his bucket, so we called it after just a few houses.

Juliette, though, was just getting started.

She met up with her buds and the moms and I spent an hour or two drinking tea from our travel mugs while our girls ran from door to door.

Happy end of October!

…and happy December?!  How did that happen?!