Life Lately {August}

{all 3 reading on the couch together – swoon! // craft projects + a podcast in the afternoon // Fitz figured out if he stood on the play microwave like a stool, he could swing from the playhouse…}

{took the kids to the Zoo! finally saw the penguins – who were just out of quarantine – and a big sleeping bear // dinner at our weekly Play Street block party, celebrating E’s birthday with friends + neighbors}

{headed out to Seabrook for a trip with my family // celebrated E’s birthday, F’s upcoming birthday + D’s half birthday}

{the kids “golfing” with Fitz’s new golf clubs // this WA beach may be my favorite place on Earth}

{playing in the sand // the kids in the big beach chair // Daphne lost her first tooth!}

{Fitz wanted to “swim” in the tiny pool – this lasted about 15 minutes // Eloise got her ears pierced for her birthday! // a final birthday party at the Laurelhurst Beach Club}

Phew! The last month of summer. We kicked off August by celebrating our 12 (yes, 12!) year wedding anniversary. It does not seem like it’s been that long, though SO much has happened in our lives in that decade. We didn’t get to celebrate with a date night out (which we have promised ourselves once we have a good child care option) but a dinner date in with some of Seattle’s best sushi enjoyed after the kids ate!

The girls had their two camps in August which all went well. We celebrated Eloise turning EIGHT and spent some time out on the WA coast in my favorite little town on the planet with my family. I tried to get the kids outside as much as possible (when it wasn’t too hot – we’ve had a few streaks) to just enjoy the nice summer weather. And lots of late mornings and post-dinner family walks as we continue to enjoy our laid-back summer schedule.

Now we are coming out of Labor Day weekend and are saying good-bye to summer! Eloise is supposed to be starting school tomorrow (Daphne starts next Monday) but the school district board and the teacher’s union have yet to finalize their contract, so a strike is looking likely. Just over here trying to get the kids ready for school AND support our teachers, but also needing to know how much (if any) childcare we’ll have this week. Brightly though, Fitz starts school on Thursday no matter what the public school is doing. Plus, we are in the final countdown towards Fitz’s SECOND birthday. What?!

Wish us luck this week. And some good mediation for the adults running the public schools.

Happy September!

M

 

Life Lately {July}

Oh July! When Seattle actually started to feel like summer (June was just SO wet and cold)!

{the girls in our neighborhood Fourth of July parade (after it being cancelled the past two years) // a family hike in Twisp // the beautiful Methow Valley in the North Cascade mountains}

{in downtown Winthrop – the cutest little town!}

{more of Winthrop where we explored a bit}

{Eloise’s favorite place at the cabin // such a beautiful spot on the river // the kids outside the bakery in Twisp}

{checking out the local playground // spent the afternoon at the local pool which was cold but perfect for the kids // driving home through the North Cascades}

{the kids were (mostly) asleep in the car since it was the evening + Aaron and I were in awe of the beauty of the mountains while we were driving // I even snuck out of the car for the view of Lake Diablo}

{kids playing in the water table – love that it occupies all 3 of them! // Daph started weekly soccer for the summer after loving soccer camp // these kiddos!}

{we spent a fair amount of time out on the back deck reading + playing with kinetic sand // a giant box! the kids played “The Boxcar Children” for a few days // Eloise started a summer session of ballet at the Pacific Northwest Ballet school + everyone was excited for her to be all dressed up!}

{these two down at Seattle Center while we waited for Eloise’s ballet class // so proud of Daph for climbing all the way up the ropes on this playground and making her way over to the big twisty slide! // at the International Fountain}

{Aaron + Fitz with the Space Needle // a FOAMY play date! // coloring on the back deck – and Fitz in glasses, eep!}

{the girls had “The Nutcracker” ballet camp // Fitz + I found some water to play in during the heat wave // everyone practicing stretching}

{the one week the girls had ballet camp in Bellevue and it didn’t make sense to drive home + back just happened to be the HOTTEST week in Seattle // we got to see the floats for the Seafair Parade down at Seattle Center while we were down there for Eloise’s ballet // Daph got an invite to a birthday party at Laurelhurst Beach Club + the weather was gorgeous!}

July was really the longest month so far, if I’m being honest. Not having consistent childcare and a regular schedule is really challenging for me. Plus the heat – we’ve never been so thankful to have A/C which was installed in the spring!

We finally made it up to the mountains (Daph’s been asking since 2020) and stayed at our neighbor’s cabin in the North Cascades. It was really fun and SO beautiful, but a humbling reminder of how hard it is to travel with littles. Then we came back to some actual SUMMER weather (which we all promptly complained about just a few days in, typical of the true Seattleites that we all are now) and had a mix of camp weeks for the girls as well as the start of some activities for the girls (after a two year hiatus).

And now it’s August (what?!) and we are cruising into our last half of summer. It’s so wild that everyone else in the country (it seems like) is heading back to school – the kids don’t start until after Labor Day which, honestly, is amazing. Aaron and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary on the First, if you can believe it, and while we haven’t had a date night since February 2020 (unless you count driving to the hospital when I was in labor with Fitz!) we have been tremendously grateful of our lives together + the family we’ve created. We are celebrating with some fancy sushi (take-out) on Friday night after the kids go to bed!

We’ve got a packed few weeks to round out the summer: Eloise’s EIGHTH birthday, a trip out to Seabrook with my family, one last week of summer camp, and a smattering of get-togethers with friends!

Happy August!

M

Life Lately {June}

{the girls watching the Zamboni before skating lessons // Fitz’s bedhead from one of his many (sicky naps) // FINALLY feeling better + this kid loves the swings}

{Daph with a tiny flower behind her ear // crazy hair day at school for Eloise – there were about 9 ponies! // Fitz was trying to get “in” this little Barbie jeep (our friends have a “real” Barbie jeep like this and the kids ADORE it) and he kept saying “IN! IN!”}

{Fitz has never met a sandbox he doesn’t like + will also 100 percent steal all available shovels // riding in a car // mini golf!}

{mini golf with our nephew Teddy (visiting from Indy) // enjoying some cotton candy at a school play date // the mini golf crew}

{CHEESE! // oh these two – do you think we’ll end up with three kids in glasses? // summer is for bubbles}

{on our first official day of SUMMER I managed to get all three kids to the Zoo! it’s the first time I have been with them by myself because of the pandemic + I’m not gonna lie I was pretty proud of myself!}

{finally getting some sun in Seattle! // this bub got his first COVID vaccine + was the bravest // lunch on the back deck}

{Fitz + his beloved broom – he loves to “sweep”! // these littles doing coloring together while Eloise was at Girl Scout Camp // holding hands by their favorite garage door in the neighborhood – can you be any cuter?}

{cousins! this is the first time Fitz has ever met one of his cousins – hello pandemic baby – and he was OBSESSED with Teddy who came out to stay in Seattle for a month. Teddy mostly stayed with Ben (his other Seattle uncle) but for his last week, he got to stay with us + the kids were SO excited!}

Holy moly, I can’t believe June is over. And also, it only finally feels like summer since we had so much rain and cold though the entire month. The girls really only got out of school half-way through June, so summer is still hoppin’ around here!

And we managed to survive our first week of summer camps for the girls (I sprinkled a few throughout the summer so we can make sure they still have a chance to be bored!) and it was such a success! Other than the stress of needing to get both of the girls to camp by 9 am on different sides of town with one car, it went swimmingly. Daph was so excited about soccer camp that I signed her up for soccer lessons starting at the end of this week, and Eloise adored Girl Scout camp which provided her with endless activities for an entire week (she starts Girl Scouts this fall with a Troop and is pee-in-your-pants excited!).

This past month has felt more normal than any other month since the Before Times. Which, as much as it brings me (social) anxiety, it’s been really great for everyone, including me. We have been so isolated for so long that seeing friends + neighbors and engaging in the community has been the best. Looking forward to the rest of summer!

Happy July!

M