little black journal

Wednesday in Maui dawned with lazy snuggles before a walk to the market for spam musubi and malasadas.

Isaac’s breakfast came with a side of monster truck.  Lucky boy…

We staked out a couple of chairs at our hotel’s beach that morning and checked out a volleyball from the pool desk.  I settled in with my book while the kids played.

We walked back up to the market for lunch and matcha – we traverse this beach path several times a day, every day, but I don’t mind the back and forth in the least.  There’s no better place to travel by foot…

Swing detour…

And always, the quick photo op.

We debated getting in the car and trying someplace new for dinner, but at the end of day, the poolside picnic won.

Our last full day in Maui!  Rise and shine, Isaac.

Thursday found us back at Makena Beach, this time with lilikoi croissants from Momona Bakery (thanks, Shane!).  Deeeeeeeelicious.

Isaac and I hunted for crabs and minnows while the sun fully rose.  Beachcombing is the perfect way to work up a sweat.

And then, into the water!  Both kids loved swimming in the ocean more this year than they ever have in the past.

The water was extra calm that morning, but Juliette played up the drama of even the smallest approaching waves.  Isaac ate it up.

Tuckered.

From the beach to the pool!

The world is basically his runway.

We made a reservation at one of the hotel restaurants and gussied up just a little for dinner – sometimes it’s nice to eat someplace where shirts and shoes are required.

The kids slurped pasta while Shane and I feasted on fresh fish.  The sun set in the distance, the breeze was warm, I was feeling just a tad blue at the thought of leaving…but more than anything, I was so thankful for those few days in paradise.

Heart rock!

Good night, Maui.

Friday was go-day.  Soak in that morning view, kiddos.

Thankfully, we had time for one last market stroll…

One last spam musubi…

(With a side of acai…)

One last ocean dip…

And one last cannonball.

The wet-haired boy wrapped in a beach towel, worn out and content, is an image I’m freeze-framing in my mind forever.

Juliette made her annual departing wish at the fountain and then we loaded up our bags and said our mahalo’s.

A little tired.  A little sun-kissed.  A lot happy.  Until next year, Maui!

 

Wailea!  We made it!  We couldn’t have been happier to be back at our old stomping grounds, healthy and 100% waterslide-ready.

We ate dinner poolside, because the thought of trading our swimsuits for real clothes felt entirely unappealing.  In this current phase of life, making the most of Maui time means spending as much time as possible in or directly adjacent to water.

On that note, to the beach!

We played a raucous game of tag and splashed in the surf.  I just finished reading a memoir written by a woman who talks about the joy she gets from watching her pack of dogs run unleashed in the wide open desert as they all live into the wildest, most free versions of themselves, and I am definitely not comparing my son to a dog, but I mean…

Run, family, run!

Juliette and Shane worked up a sweat in trying to keep up with Isaac, so they dipped in the ocean for a cooldown.

Buddy and I hung back on the shore.

Gosh, he was amped up.

Can we talk about how this place always rolls out the red carpet for us upon arrival?  This was the best sunset we saw all week.

We watched the last streaks of pink fade to gray from our favorite hot tub, perched above the pools, and then we called it a day.  We’d swam our damn hearts out.

Monday morning started with a stroll through the resort and along the beach path to Island Vintage for coffee and acai.

No one makes a prettier breakfast bowl.

We took our time moseying on back, stopping for some sidewalk air guitar, a few requisite snaps at the Aloha sign, and a quick round of corn hole on the Mariott’s lawn.

And then to the beach, because our daily Wailea ritual goes: breakfast -> beach -> lunch -> pool -> dinner -> beach, and if it ain’t broke, we don’t fix it.  We made the short drive down to Po’olenalena and scored a shady spot with plenty of tree coverage to keep us cool through the morning.  Money.

From one body of water to the next…

We walked up to Island Market for a simple picnic dinner and I wondered for a moment as Isaac asked for a carry if he’d make until sunset.  Buddy was wiped.

Woop!  He’s up!

A top notch treat from Honolulu Cookie Company to cap off a top notch day.

And because the beach always seems to be “on the way” back to the room…

Tuesday dawned with an action figure patio duel.

And a vanilla steamer from the hotel cafe.

The beach du jour was Makena Beach, just a couple of miles south of us.  This is Shane’s seafront of choice, as we’re always able to land a shady spot and there’s a nice mix of rocky zones for exploring and open zones for swimming.

Isaac spent most of the morning digging a giant hole, scooping and tossing and scooping and tossing.

Then jumping!

When this boy puts his mind to something…this crater was large.  I stretched out comfortably at the bottom of it while the kids took turns jumping over me.

Chill, Bud.  You earned it.

We lunched at Maui Brewing and then it was straight to Ululani’s for our most treastured island treat.  Green tea + passion fruit + guava for me, just like every year.  And perfectly sweet + tart + smooth, just like every year.

And then on with the regularly scheduled programming…

We picnicked and sun-setted at Makena Cove and I’m aware of how many times I use the word “favorite” when speaking of Maui, but truly, this tiny little stretch of beach at golden hour is IT.

The kids spun in the sand, arms stretched wide, until they toppled over, dizzy and giggling.  Eventually I joined them and we all landed together in one sandy pile of limbs and laughter.   It was all so unabashedly delightful…I wanted to bottle it up so I could sip from it later.  And maybe I did in fact bring some of that joy back to the mainland; just flipping through these photos now gives me all the warm feels.

Pooped, arms still outstretched…  (Also, Buddy, scoot over!).

Maui recap!  Three months ago we boarded a plane for our favorite island…

That special touchdown kind of feeling – vibes were high.

This year we mixed it up just a tad and booked three nights up in Ka’anapali prior to our requisite stay down in Wailea.  After a quick stop at Costco for the essentials (sparkling water, trail mix, Pocky), we checked into our hotel, quickly traded our travel clothes for swimsuits, then hit the pool, white bellies and all.

And then the beach beckoned.

We laid out our towels on the sand, grabbed poke and chicken strips from a nearby beach cafe, and settled in for a golden hour picnic.

Cheers, Buddy.

I love going to bed our first night in Maui, knowing the long day of travel is behind us and we have several days of sun stretched out before us.  The promise of it all!  But dang it if Shane didn’t wake me up at midnight, asking if I’d packed any Iboprofen, because he felt awful.  Fever and chills and aches all over – Isaac’s cold bug from earlier in the week had found another victim.

SO, on Friday morning while Shane stayed in bed and tried to sleep off his sickness, I took the kids to the beach for a swim.

But first, ACAI.

Napili Bay was gorgeous – soft sand and aqua water and gentle waves.  Our family has a particular allegiance to the beaches at Wailea, but this place was turning out to do juuuuust fine.

Ready, set…

Jump!

We spent the full morning strolling up and down the beach, dipping deeper and deeper as the sun rose higher and higher.

The beach has a way of bringing out the very best in their relationship.  Silly…

And so stinking sweet.

We eventually shook the sand from our towels and headed back to the car.  We made a run into town for cold meds for Shane.  And a black robot for Isaac, because his Spiderman action figure needed someone to duel against.

Post-lunch pool…

And then a drive up to the north shore of the island to check out the Nakalele Blowhole.  It was a rockier trek than I expected to get down to where the water crashed on the rocks, but the kids scampered the terrain like champs.

We sat for awhile on a pair of rocks to watch the spray, but kept our proper distance.

Honestly, this was one of those attractions where the journey to and from was better than the destination.  No complaints!

We all felt like we’d earned a treat after our mini-hike, so I made a hard left when I saw a sign for shave ice.  It was close to dinnertime and I recommended that we be responsible and share rather than overindulge, but…

This thing could have fed a family of six.

Dig in, kids!

Shane was feeling the tiniest bit better that evening and joined us for a walk over the food trucks for dinner, but then it was early to bed for all of us.  We needed to be up early the next morning.

Early as in, rise and shine at 2:30am, kids!  Every year that we go to Maui, we debate making the drive up to Haleakala for sunrise, and every year we decide that we just can’t swing the middle-of-the-night wakeup that it requires.  But since we had an extra day on the island for this trip, and since Shane had snagged a last-minute Saturday morning reservation that granted us access to the mountaintop, we decided this was our year.  Carpe diem.

We ushered the kids from their beds into the car, pajamas and all, and mapped our route.  Isaac slept through most of our two hour drive; we arrived at the top of the mountain by 5am with time to spare.  We put on every bit of warm clothing I’d packed (sweatshirts and the handful of beanies I’d grabbed on our way out the door in Seattle), wrapped ourselves in our hotel blankets, and settled in to wait for the show.  And shortly before 6:00, the sky lightened from black to navy, with the boldest streak of orange right at the horizon.

Unreal.  Totally worth the obscenely early wake-up and the cold-temp shivers.

The kids were such good sports.  Isaac whined a bit about the cold but hung in there with the rest of us. Juliette was supremely validating with her exclamations of, “Wow…wow…WOW” as the sky changed color.

Super troopers.

Now let’s crank up the seat warmers!

We reached the bottom of mountain as the island’s cafes and bakeries were just opening their doors.  We stopped in the charming town of Makawao for coffee and guava-filled malasadas.

While I would have happily napped the afternoon away, the kids had other plans.  Pool time!

And then a trip up to Whaler’s Village for burgers and lemonade.

I was eager to show Shane the turquoise water at Napili Bay, so we hightailed it over the beach for sunset.

So happy to have him back in the land of the living.

Rain showers drove us back to the car before the sun fully set, but Isaac enjoyed watching daylight wane from our patio, all while jamming out to the live band playing 70’s rock covers from the bar below.

On Sunday we packed up our things and said goodbye to Ka’anapali.  We’d had a fun little stint there, minus Shane’s bug, but we were eager to get down to Wailea.

That said, we had several hours until check-in at our next digs, so we took our time heading south, stopping first at Baby Beach for swimming and sand play.

The water here is remains shallow way off-shore.  Isaac kicked around in his floaties and then joined Shane for castle-building while Juliette and I walked out to see just how far the shallows extended.

We moseyed on out and then a turtle swam by, not ten feet in front of us!  Another checkmark on the Maui magic list.

We decided to grab lunch in Paia but then I saw the sign for Leoda’s Pie Shop on the way and figured we shoud probably check it out…reviews raved about their key lime pie and both Juliette and I love a good, tart dessert.

Followed by a Mopsy pizza at Paia Flatbread.  Every time we visit this place I wonder if we should try something new, but that pulled pork pizza is just so good.  The heart wants what it wants…

And then our hearts were set on Wailea.  Next up!

Winter is OVER.  We did it!  We made it through the darkest, coldest months of the year.  With a heap of happy memories, no less.  December, January and February held plenty of sweet, cozy moments indoors.  Couch snuggles:

The joy of new Christmas toys:

The joy of old toys rediscovered:

Lots of hot chocolate:

LEGOS:

And a bit of baking – Juliette’s buttermilk biscuits were a staple during soup season:

We got outside when the weather allowed, for swings:

And pickleball:

Piggy-back rides:

And time with buddies:

Isaac and I upped our coffee shop game and made a point of getting out for a latte and a cocoa most weekends while Juliette was out at soccer or with friends.  To sit across the table from this kid while he chatters and sips is pure joy.

We ventured outside of West Seattle for the occaional mini-adventure.  This water taxi ride to downtown Seattle was the perfect way to pass a few hours on an otherwise lazy weekend.

The new playground near the aquarium was a hit with both kids.  Lots of challenging climbs, even for Juliette.  I do not take for granted that she still loves a fast slide.

Warm piroshy’s post-playground:

A pop into the prettiest home goods store for Juliette’s 2026 calendar:

And a round of drinks at Zeitgeist, my favorite Pioneer Square coffee shop:

(Yes, twinning, and yes, on purpose!)

City kids…I love this series of them strolling Pioneer Square:

Pooped.  Such a good day.

We spent a sunny afternoon out in Kirkland at Juanita Bay Playground and again, found something for everyone.  This two-person swing was the favorite:

And for me?  A waterside stroll.

Pure mischief, this boy.

He looks like he just might push her in.  (He didn’t.)

Reeling in a big one!

Take One:

Take Two:

Take Three.  Nailed it.

What else?  We cruised:

And crafted:

Ate yummy things:

And visited grandparents:

We huddled together under the umbrella for a couple of particulalry wet soccer games, but felt ok about it because Juliette and her team are THRIVING and it’s a blast to watch them click:

It randomly snowed on a day in March and we built a scrappy little snowman:

And then Juliette played soccer on a field that was more white than green:

Isaac and I discovered the “new playground” at Lincoln Park, which is actually a couple years old, but we somehow have missed it as we’ve always boogied to the “old playground”.  He is at peak climbing age and the ropes course was just his speed.

The Lincoln Park beach on a sunny Winter late afternoon is the perfect way to summon Spring vibes.

So long to bare limbs and 4:30 sunsets.  Happy April.

I’ve got some catching up to do around here!  We’ll start with our annual MLK snow-cation back in January.  We opted for Suncadia again this year, but mixed it up a bit by staying in a house rather than at the lodge.  And the house turned out to be a veritable party pad, complete with a ping pong table and a hot tub and a post-holiday Christmas tree, to boot.

We didn’t get the fresh powder we always hope for, but still, waking up to any version of snow on the ground on Saturday morning was a thrill for the kids.

But before sledding, gaming.

And then the outdoors called.  Our house was right on the golf course with easy access to several sled-ready hills.

Giddy up, Isaac!

The snowball situation was dicey, as each ‘snowball’ Isaac picked up was actually a loose chunk of packed-hard ice, but I told him very gentle tosses were ok.

Did he listen?  Kind of.

Best to stick to sledding.

And tag.

We visit this little pond every year and every year Shane terrifies Juliette by stepping out onto the ice, which was of particularly questionable thickness this time around.

Isaac was also wary.

But Papa couldn’t resist.

Juliette really can’t stand her dad’s shenanigans sometimes.  She was convinced he’d crash through the ice like Amy March in Little Women and she couldn’t bear to even look at him.

Clearly, he felt terrible about it.

Amends were made.

We made it to the lodge for coffee and smoothies and cozied up on the window seat while Shane walked back to the house to get the car and pick us up.

We spent the afternoon reading and napping.  My favorite part of vacation.

Plus, HOT TUB.

This picture might be more Isaac than any photo I’ve ever taken.

Isaac rose bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on Sunday morning and played cars while I blearily sipped my coffee in the overstuffed chair.  Shane, Juliette and I had stayed up too late the night before watching the final episode of Stranger Things, and then I had Vecna dreams to boot…  But this boy was all sunshine.

We ate a slow breakfast and then headed out for our daily round of snow play.  Juliette carved her classic heart-shaped snowball in the 10 minutes it took me to wrangle Isaac into his snowpants and boots and gloves.

Ready!

Conditions were truly not great – the snow was hard and icy and patchy and I bummed out for a minute about not getting the fresh, fluffy white blanket I wanted, but these photos are a reminder of my family’s ability to find big joy regardless.

The kids ended up in a bush or two…

Isaac scavenged for golf balls…

And then we went to our other favorite pond, where we tossed snowballs and watched them skitter across the glassy ice.

Can’t stop, won’t stop.

Juliette sat on a big rock for awhile, intent on a craft project.  When I peeked over her shoulder, I spied this…  Sweet kid.

We went into Roslyn for lunch and after sandwiches at Base Camp, hit up the new arcade in town.

Sadly, the Roslyn Cafe has closed, but the mural lives on.

Back at the lodge, we decided to brave the outdoor pool.  We never know what version of the pool we’re going to get, as some years it’s too cold to enjoy, but this year was perfect.

We had a 10:30 am check-out on Monday but managed to squeeze in several rounds of ping pong and another visit to the pool before packing up.

And then a pop by the playground on our way out of town for a couple of final sled runs.

Isaac ate a lot of snow.  Old snow.  It was white at least?

 

Cheers, Suncadia!  You always manage to be just what our family needs in the middle of what feels like the longest month of the year.

Christmas 2025!  We kicked off our annual visit to Portland with much fanfare in the form of a ride on Santa’s own Polar Express.  Kathryn bought tickets for the kids to ride this Christmas-themed locomotive on the evening of our arrival, and festive vibes were high.

We settled into our seats and the kids cousin-ed around as the train left the station.  We soon heard excited murmers from the back of our car…”Santa is coming!”  Isaac turned around excitedly:

And then nerves got the best of him.  This photo cracks me up.

But candy canes were distributed and Christmas wishes were shared and Isaac decided this guy is actually alright.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

Wednesday, Christmas Eve, was maybe less adventurous, but decidedly more cozy.  We lounged around the house in the morning, reading and doing puzzles and sipping warm drinks.

But because Isaac short-circuits if he doesn’t leave the house before noon, we set out late morning for pastries and a walk in Lake Oswego.

Turns out he short-circuited anyway, but we rolled with it.

We lunched back at the house and then the ladies headed out for some shopping at Bridgeport Village.  I picked up one final gift for Shane at Vuori while Juliette and her cousins perused Brandy Melville.  We all convened at Barnes and Noble, because…books are apparently the middle ground between crop-top baby tees and luxury athletic wear.

Isaac hung back with Bina.  These two have a funny kind of affection for each other built on an unspoken agreement that neither should get too close to the other without plenty of fair warning.

We squeezed in a round of cookie decorating before dinner.

Isaac got caught sampling the merchandise several times over.

And then, after a taco feast with the full fam, jammies were donned for the main Christmas Eve event…

Our viewing of The Polar Express by the fire is essential.  Not to be missed.

Finally, finally, after the movie was finished and cookies were set our for Santa and Christmas Mouse was read aloud, the youngest kiddo was tucked in for the night.  Juliette lingered on the couch past 10pm, at which point I shooed her to bed.  The Santa jig is obviously up with this girl, but still, it just doesn’t feel right to let her see me hang the stockings and set out gifts labeled “From Santa”.  There’s something to be said for still pretending.

Christmas morning dawned with excitement from kids and grandparents alike.

We had established 8:30 am as official stocking-opening time and Isaac and Juliette started right on time.

Isaac was mildly perplexed by the Lightning McQueen underwear in his stocking, but I reminded him that Santa knows not just what he wants, but also what he needs.

An apron from Grandma and Grandpa…

And a new truck from Mom and Dad.  Happy kids.

Santa came through with the Paw Patrol Zuma car…

And Morgan was stoked when she unwrapped Ariana Grande’s new fragrance.  I love these glimpses into what’s hot with the teens these days.

Isaac’s reaction was lackluster when he unwrapped the platypus Squishmallow Juliette had picked out for him, and yet…he’s insisted on sleeping with it every night since.  Sometimes gratitude takes him a minute.

Guess who’s headed to college next year with a fancy new laptop?!

Footwear was a theme this year.

New shoes for everyone!

I love the post-gift quiet, when we flip through the pages of our new books and nibble on treats from the kids’ stockings.

While Luke Skywalker takes a ride on the semi truck.

Charcuterie time…

Snuggle time…

OUT OF THE HOUSE time.  Let’s go for a walk!

(Turns out Starbucks is open on Christmas.)

Christmas afternoon was a fog of board games, floor puzzles, and couch naps.

Juliette served as sous-chef to Morgan for the cheddar biscuits and homemade mac and cheese.

They made a great team.

We savored our traditional country ham for dinner, watched National Lampoons while polishing off the rest of the sugar cookies, and called it a day.  Merry, Merry Christmas, family.

December…I always find that this is the hardest calendar page to turn, as on New Years Eve I’m left wanting more.  More twinkle, more time with friends, more sweet traditions, more cozy.  But also, I’m so thankful.  Last month was rich with celebrations and beauty, indoors and out.

We spent the day after Thanksgiving (November was rich, too!) walking through the misty woods at Old Robe Canyon in Snohomish.  It was hard for me to forfeit our annual trek to the North Bend tree farm when we bought our fake Christmas tree a couple of years ago, but we’ve instituted a winter hike in its place and this trail was perfect.  Not too steep, not too long, a scenic place to rest mid-way for a snack…it checked all the family-friendly boxes.

Braver souls might have forded this section of trail that was standing in a couple of inches of water, but we decided it was just the right place to turn around.

In case I haven’t said it in awhile…northwest is best.

Snack break!

We spent a couple of hours post-hike in the town of Snohomish, checking out the diner and bookshop scenes.  Pancakes: huge.  Bookstore: charming.

The main street has flags at each intersection that people can carry across for pedestrian safety.  Isaac temporarily declared himself the town crossing guard and took his job very seriously.

Also, Christmas decor at the shops on First Avenue is on point.

And for a real holiday decor bonanza, we met up with my mom and dad at Watsons Nursery in Puyallup to sip hot cocoa and peruse their Christmas wares.  I walked out with only a pair of bow-shaped earrings and a small houseplant, but it took restraint.

Everything just feels cozier in December…Isaac and I grabbed an extra-special soda and plate of fries at a neighborhood brewpub while Juliette was at her piano lesson one evening.

And the holiday performances!  Juliette is in the middle school choir this year and I loved every minute of their winter concert.  Walking in the Air from The Snowman?  So dreamy.

Isaac had his first go at the stage for his preschool concert and while he offered scant details beforehand on what he would be singing or wearing (on the way to the event, he told me, “Hmmm…I think I’ll be a red fox…”), he proved to be a pro in his angel outfit.  His class’s rendition of Go Tell it on the Mountain was more enthusiastic than any I’ve scene before.

My mom and dad came up for Juliette’s winter piano recital and I grabbed a couple of festive pics before we all headed out.

Nailed it!

We had a party-per-weekend in December and Juliette’s soccer team potluck won the award for most kids packed into a single living room.  These girls and their families have become such a lovely part of our community.  Kudos to the coaches for building something real, real special here.

Isaac was invited to a birthday party in which the main event was a cuddle-sesh with bunnies and guinea pigs and chinchillas and oh, my boy…while all the other boys squealed with delight, he wasn’t sure what to make of this furball being plopped on his lap.

Eventually, though, he warmed up.

And then the snakes and lizards came out and he got real into it.

No thank you.

Our small group Christmas potluck is the only event that garners 100% attendance each year – it’s kind of mandatory, as in it’s too good to be missed, and it’s always packed with good food and lots of laughs and a raucous white elephant gift exchange.

Isaac scored this penguin stuffy that evening – it was almost swiped by one of the older boys, but then Isaac’s lip quivered and his eyes watered and mercy was eventually shown.  He has named it Kevin, after Kevin McCallister, and he won’t go anywhere without it.

And perhaps the warmest and coziest of all gatherings is our annual brunch with the Rusts and Chens, where we eat and give gifts and remember that sometimes family can be chosen.

Juliette’s Gilmore Girls-themed sweatshirt was proof that Nance knows my daugther through and through.

Spicy chips and Mod Pizza gift cards for the big kids, because as much as I love these boys, hell if I know what to buy a teenage guy these days!

And finally, cue the Christmas sights, like Santa at our neighborhood gift shop.  This guy is wonderful – warm and easy-going and there’s never a line to see him.  Isaac hopped right into his lap and declared that he would like a Paw Patrol Zuma car for Christmas.  Santa took notes (I listened in).

But then…Isaac decided he really really wanted a pair of red Nike tennis shoes for Christmas, so he asked if we could go back a couple of weeks later so that he could let Santa know.  We were in the neighborhood for a pastry run, anyway, so I said sure.  Santa took notes and I listened in, again, for backup of course.

It’s possible that Isaac loves seeing Santa for the free candy canes?

The Christmas Ship with its cast of carolers docked near Alki Beach one evening and Juliette and I headed down to sip our hot chocolate and listen to the songs.

The twinkle-meter was high that night.

And the beloved Menashe house…kitcshy and joyful as ever.

We cozied in a lot last month, particularly due to the unending rainfall, but we found our indoor fun the form of gingerbread houses and Christmas movies and board games.

Isaac watched part of Home Alone from behind the bookshelf, unable to face all of the booby traps head on.

Juliette and I made a dried orange garland and it became my favorite fireplace accessory.

Speaking of which, the power went out one evening and our fireplace came in clutch.  Max cozy.

And then the annual Mama-Jules slumber party by the Christmas tree to celebrate the first day of winter break.  Two full weeks of no work and no school on the horizon!  Peak merry and bright.  Christmas is (was!) right around the corner.

Today marks the last official day of fall, so it feels like a good night to get November booked and blogged!

It’s hard to believe that just a few weeks ago we were raking leaves and putting our patio furniture away for the year.  Currently our backyard is soggier than ever, with not a single leaf to be found on any of our deciduous trees or shrubs.  I forgot for a minute – we used to have a lot of fun out here!

Our family spent an afternoon at Volunteer Park in early November and I took some of my favorite photos of the season.  Sunshine and golden leaves and the kids running wild.  I love this place in autumn.

Isaac made a game of throwing a chestnut as far as he could and then immediately going on a hunt for it, kicking leaves left and right to find where it landed.  Fetch for one.  I got to sit back and just watch.

And then the age-old game of “stick as fishing pole” – he poked me in the back a lot with this small branch, pretending he was hooking me.  I would have been irritated if not for this goofy grin.

He’s got a keeper on the line!

Sticks, rocks, and nuts make the best playthings, but slides and swings are cool, too.

We cozied in a lot last month, with leisurely weekend mornings spent coloring and eating TJ’s chocolate croissants (our go-to breakfast treat).

This kid loves a good homework assignment…

We started decking the halls in late November; I made my own Christmas wreath for the first time ever and might never go store-bought again.

When setting up the Christmas tree, egg nog is essential.

Opening up our Christmas bins is some kind of wonderful – the number of times Isaac literally jumped for joy over a beloved-but-temporarily-forgotten book or ornament…

Halls decked!

These damn, fragile strings of C9 bulbs that tangle and shatter each time we pull them out of the box…it’s a shame they’re the ones that give off my favorite hues of light!  Worth the effort once they’re strung.  And Juliette is such a great little elf.

Shane’s mom came to visit the week of Thanksgiving and we loved having her here, as always.  She and Juliette baked and watched Wicked and caught up like old friends.

Isaac loved having an extra reason to go out for treats.  Grandma won’t say no to Molly Moon’s ice cream!

Thanksgiving day was comfy and chill.  We spent the morning enjoying the tree and the Macy’s parade – I’m a believer in a slow, slow start to the holiday.  Our menu is always planned around a desire not to spend the full day stressing in the kitchen.

That said, if Juliette wants to make the cranberry sauce while still in her pajamas, by all means!

Isaac was overjoyed by the number of familiar faces he spotted on the parade floats.

I mean…Paw Patrol?  Super-sized?  Mind blown.

The final touches…

And dinner is served.

And this pic says it all.  Make a spread of your favorite foods, set it in front of your kid, and he’ll frown and ask for a hamburger.  Isaac is still learning the art of gratitude.

That sparkling cider, though – he had no notes on beverages…

Three pies for seven people?  Too much?  Nah…

Juliette joined me and Isaac in his bed for books that night and Lordy, THANKSgiving hardly begins to capture it.  I couldn’t be more grateful for these kiddos.

And yes, that’s a black eye – Isaac slipped and fell on the playground at school earlier in the week and earned himself one heck of a shiner.

Tank filled.  On with the business of December!

We’re deep into autumn and barrelling toward winter, it seems.  The day after Halloween Isaac asked, “Is it Christmas yet, Mama?”.  The aisles of Target would make us think so!

But I’m hanging onto fall vibes for at least a couple weeks longer, as this past season has been particulalry good and we seem to have found a particular groove.  The kids have settled into their schools with grace and positivity.  Isaac started at a new preschool in September and is digging his big-kid classroom with weekly visits to gym and chapel on the larger church campus.  Plus, a Spiderman water bottle?  Psshhhh…

Juliette is a Middle Schooler and made quick work of learning how to navigate her new world, complete with class changes and locker combos and homework.

Isaac brings home a letter worksheet and some coloring pages a couple of times a week and feels so self-important when he declares that he has to do his homework.  Sister lends a hand when he’s stumped.

He’s got ‘X’ down pat.  And Buddy writes his name now!

Fall is also for soccer and we’ve been watching lots of it.  Juliette plays on both her club team and the school team, so she’s on the field for four practices and two games per week.  She’s a more confident, skilled player with each passing month and I’m her biggest fan.

I mean, we wouldn’t spend a Saturday afternoon sitting in the rain for just anyone…

We’ve also become big fans of the Seattle Reign and took Isaac to his first big-time sporting event last month.  He liked the action on the soccer field, but loved the Red Vines and Sprite.  When at Century Link…

Shane’s and my birthdays come right on the heels of our kids’ and while I celebrated my big day in NYC with my best girl, Shane was happy with a lower-key hurrah.  Drinks and pizza at Mioposto, some wiffle ball at Hiawatha, apple pie at home.  It was just his style.

Isaac has baseball fever and asks every hour on the hour if Shane will throw the ball around with him.  On a sunny fall day, it’s an easy yes.

Time to head home for dessert…

Happy birthday, Shane!  You’re so damn good at loving us.  We love you back.

We’ve play-grounded hard this season.  We spent a Saturday afternoon romping on no less than three separate playgrounds near my mom and dad’s house.

And Isaac and I made the most of the October golden hours by getting outside while Juliette was at piano or soccer.  This stretch of Beacon Avenue near Jefferson Park on sunny fall evening is magic.

And Camp Long with a chai and a vanilla steamer at 4pm on a Friday, when you have the full weekend ahead of you?  SO GOOD.

I love that a game of uber-obvious hide-and-seek still brings him so much joy.

To be able to walk and talk with my boy now!  I mean, it’s a lot of chatter about Paw Patrol and Spiderman, but he’s got stuff to SAY and I’m here for it.

Isaac and I paid a visit to our most favorite tree at Lincoln Park on one of the last pre-time-change evenings.

Buddy loves the zip line these days.  Faster, Mama, FASTER!

And then, of course, there were all things pumpkin.  We spent a sunny afternoon down at Carpinito Farms picking our perfect pumpkins.

I told Isaac he could get whatever pumpkin he wanted, as long as he could carry it to the wheelbarrow himself.  Challenge accepted.

I’m trying to pull out my big camera more often these days, but it gets sideswiped by my budding photographer.

We carved our pumpkins the weekend before Halloween and Isaac got a huge kick out of scooping out the gooey guts.

It’s so satisfying when your spoon comes out of there with a big ol’ heap of mush.

Isaac asked me to carve the face of his favorite Paw Patrol character and I admit, it came out a bit more…abstract…than I anticipated.

Juliette kept it simple and sweet.

Isaac has had his Halloween costume locked down since September (Costco starts stocking them early!) and was thrilled when his classroom Halloween party rolled around.  It was a Wednesday and he and I had a playground date that evening, so he got extra mileage out of his racecar uniform by wearing it to zip through Mount Baker Park.

We hunted for chestnuts and then spent 20 minutes sending said chestnuts down the playground slide, to see whose was faster.  My nut had a flat spot and lost every single time, but Isaac encouraged me to just keep trying.  Mr. Positivity, this kid.

And Juliette Grace!  We bought this dress at a garage sale a couple of years ago on a whim because it was beautiful and only five dollars.  On Halloween we finally made good use of it.

Halloween evening was rainy as all get-out, but we still took the kids around the block for some trick-or-treating.  Isaac was tentative at the first couple of houses, quietly mumbling, “trick or treeeeeeating…” when neighbors opened their doors.

But Sister showed him the ropes and his confidence grew with each house; at one point he happily helped himself to two full-size candy bars when a kind lady held out a tray full of Snickers bars and M&M’s.  Juliette was mortified.

THIS RAIN.  Time to head home and sort the bounty.

Finally, October was for cozying in.  Yes, we got out a lot, but we also spent a lot of time racing Hotwheels across the coffee table and reading books under a pile of blankets.

Saturday mornings are my favorite time of the week.  Coffee, fire, a day of soccer and and playtime ahead of us.

Isaac and I are always the first ones up and we like our Mama-Buddy time, but it’s a treat when Juliette rolls out of bed.

He is almost legit at Jenga now and needs very few hints on which pieces are non-structural.

Also, when he does knock it over, he laughs rather than cries.  Which means we all win.

Play hard, rest well.  Words to live by.

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

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

To the isand!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A quick romp through the woods / beach…

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

Happy Fourth!

These wide-open roads were made for morning scootering…

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

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

This is her Can We Get A Rabbit? face…

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

But those eyes!  I love them.

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

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

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

With some Rusts, to boot!

Felt so good…

But time to pack it up.

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

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

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

SO SWEET.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Summer’s final blackberries…

Perfect to the very last drop.