little black journal

By Thursday the kids and I were feeling ready to mix up our beach routine, so we hopped in the car and headed north for a mini-adventure, just the three of us.  As we drove down country roads en route to Blue Heron Dairy, Life is A Highway (Isaac’s pick) and I Will Always Love You (Juliette’s pick) piped through the speakers.  We sang, like really SANG, Isaac always a couple of words behind Juliette me.  The road trip vibes were strong that morning.

We rolled up to Blue Heron just as they opened and spent an hour sitting in tractor seats and feeding goats and patting the resident donkeys.

Such friendly little dudes!

Such slobbery little dudes…

Once we’d fed all the animals and given our hands a thorough washing, we walked/ran to the candy store for a treat.

Isaac was thrilled with his Super Mario Pez dispenser.  Juliette went for the Mambas.

It was a short drive to Tillamook Creamery from Blue Heron.  When in dairy country…

Our stint at Tillamook was short, as the free cheese samples couldn’t compete with the well-stocked candy store at Blue Heron, so we did just a quick tour and then popped across the street for green smoothies and a cinnamon roll.

Next stop: the Garibaldi Train Depot for a ride on the old-timey rails.  The 30-minute ride from Garibaldi to Rockaway Beach was scenic and sweet and the perfect way to do some seated sight-seeing.

Isaac bounced from Juliette’s lap to mine and back again.  Turns our seated sight-seeing isn’t so much his style.

My word, kiddos.  Laying it on THICK, these two.

We had a short layover at Rockaway before we needed to catch the train back to our car, so we briefly hit the playground and the beach.

Get those wiggles out, Isaac!

I’m certain there were moments on this day when Isaac whined or wouldn’t listen, but I can’t remember them.  I just remember how much damn fun the three of us had together.

We thought about calling it a day after the train ride and heading back to the house for Isaac’s afternoon nap, but he fell asleep in the car just two minutes into our drive, so we let him doze and slowly moseyed over to Oceanside Beach for one last stop, figuring he’d be ready to go again by the time we got there and parked.  He was still pretty groggy when I lifted him from his carseat, but Sister offered to give him a carry, because she’s the best.

We explored the tunnel and collected a few rocks…

And then once Isaac had wiped the last sleepies from his eyes, it was time to twirl.  Juliette made a game of spinning at top speed, arms stretched wide, until she was so dizzy she collapsed in the sand.  Isaac followed suit and they fell again and again, the sound of their laughter mingling with the waves.

Juliette and I made our own sand-shard jigsaw puzzle and then Isaac stomped on it and now I remember there was definitely crying and whining from both my kids that afternoon, but it passed quickly.

Holding a grudge just isn’t in this girl’s DNA.

We eventually brushed the sand from our feet and headed back, eager to see the rest of our crew.  Morgan welcomed Isaac with open arms and let him help with dinner prep.

We drove down the beach that evening for a fire and s’mores.  It felt good to have everyone together.

We savored our treats and then the kids went for a run, because they’re unstoppable.

Isaac ran up and down the sides of this sandpit, at one point collapsing just over the edge so that all we could see were his little legs sticking straight up in the air, kicking as he struggled to roll onto his back.  We laughed a lot.

The Isaac Henry Show, coming soon to a beach near you…

Friday was our last day there, and Shane took the day off.  It was nice to have him with us for our morning walk.

Oh, Buddy.  These beach-run smiles are the stuff of my dreams.

Once again, Isaac couldn’t resist the frigid water, and once again, his shorts were soaked.  We rolled with it.

When Shane asked how I wanted to spend our last day there, I couldn’t think of a better place than our favorite stretch of beach, so he dashed back to the house for our beach chairs and snacks while I continued to roam with the kids.

Flipping through these pictures, I see image after image of Juliette leaning over so she can show or tell Isaac something.  ISAAC HENRY, YOU ARE SO LUCKY.  Often it feels like he has no idea how big he struck the sister jackpot, but someday it’ll sink it.  I know it.

The rest of our crew trickled down to join and us and we spend the afternoon reading and splashing and eating and lounging.  All my favorite things.

This driftwood fort was a good find.  No bears in here, either, though!

Juliette wrote our initials on the doorway with a piece of charred wood.  Love Wuz Here.

I had been promising the kids ice cream all week and finally made good on my offer.

One last game of tag for the road…  We love you, Morgan.

We went back to the house to gather our things and say our good-byes.  Juliette sniffled a little as we pulled away – what a good week, filled with laughter and play and rest and beauty and family.  Neskowin has our hearts.

Tuesday!  Isaac and I happily settled into a morning routine of walk -> coffee -> beach while Shane got his work day started and Juliette slept in.

Donut zoomies…

That morning was sunny and gorgeous, so we stretched out our beach time and headed to the south rock faces to do some exploring.

Isaac Henry, you’re too much sometimes.

As we drew near to end of the beach and saw the smattering of little caves in the rocks, our little stroll morphed into a full-fledged bear hunt.

Here we go, Bud!

Isaac gasped when we reached the first cave, then put on his scariest face, growled his most threatening growl, and yelled, “No thank you, Bear!”  Small but mighty, this boy.

Hello?

We didn’t find any bears, but the search was awfully exciting.  Time to head back.

The beach is still a pants-optional zone.

We splashed in the waves for a bit, Isaac’s little legs skittering over the surf.  He played chase with the water and squealed with glee each time it caught it up to him.

Detour for sea anemones…

And then we hoofed it back up the hill, Isaac giggling while I struggled to catch my breath.  Buddy is heavy and that climb is steep!

Morning cozies…

Afternoon backyard games…

And an evening in Pacific City, because the sand hill was calling.

Isaac started his climb up the dune with such vigor…

But then needed a little help.

And then a little more help.  Sister is a STUD.

Made it!

We all collapsed in the sand at the top, wanting to just chill for awhile and take in the view, but guess who popped up after 30 seconds and wanted to run around?

Down we went.

We tried again to sit and view-soak, but Issac Must. Keep. Moving.

Eventually I buried a little stick in the sand and Isaac made a game of trying to find it.  We did this over and over.  Whatever works!

Again, the waves beckoned and the kids answered.

WE DID IT!  I think we finally tuckered him out.

We spent the rest of the evening back at the house, eating and drinking and playing games.

Wheelbarrow shenanigans.  We laughed a lot that night.

Good night, sun.

On Wednesday, Juliette joined us on our morning walk.

Errrr…jog, I mean.  Keep it moving, Isaac said.

Just as I was about to suggest we head back, Isaac fell in the water and completely soaked all of his clothes.  Whoops.

Thank goodness for the dry sweatshirt I found in the stroller!

Blackberry pitstop.

And then our quietest day of the week – I helped Kathryn with a house project while the kids played in the backyard.  Isaac and I took an epic nap.  There was some evening pickleball and a pizza run.  It was slow and wonderful and gave me all the energy I needed for a Thursday adventure with the kids.  Up next!

It’s the first day of Fall, which means I’ve got a slew of Summer photos to post before we’re all in the thick of sipping our pumpkin spice lattes.  Here we go:

We decided to forego our annual Summer trips to Idaho and to Minnesota and to Hood River this year, because of busy schedules and Shane’s limited vacation days, but I’d be damned if we didn’t mark my favorite season with some sort of family getaway, so we asked my brother if we could crash at their beach house for a few days in August.  We hadn’t been to Neskowin since the summer I was pregnant with Isaac, so it felt like it was time to introduce our boy to that magical stretch of the Oregon Coast.  First though, a night in Portland to break up the trip and to enjoy the city we’ve seen too little of these past few years.  Iced coffee!  Books!  It was vay-cay time.

Of course he found the one Super Mario book on the paperback carousel.  Powell’s has something for everyone!

We ate dinner at Mitch’s and then settled into our downtown hotel – I had a free Hilton night that was set to expire, so we figured we’d make use of it and lean into urban life (with a heated pool to boot).  Sunday dawned bright and sunny.  Brunch time!

Screen Door was bustling and cute; Juliette’s lemon curd pancakes were perfection.

While Shane went back to the hotel to grab the car, the kids and I did a walk-about of the Pearl.  I do love me those Brewery Blocks…

We made it to Neskowin mid-afternoon and Juliette settled right into her little reading nook.

But I quickly got the beach itch and rallied the crew to head down to the sand.  No time to waste!

You’d think the whole “they’re growing up so fast” thing would wane over time, but El is 16 and still growing up so fast.

We spent the whole afternoon playing our hearts out, and it felt so good.  Sand pails and baseball bats and frisbees, oh my.

Sporting goods are fun and all, but the waves always win.

Settle in, Bud.  Welcome to home for the next few days!

The house’s earliest risers convened on the couch Monday morning while I sipped my first cup of coffee.

And then we booked it down to the market for my second cup of coffee.  Isaac drank his weight in hot chocolate.

I love these coastal misty mornings.

We spent the rest of Monday morning getting settled, running to the store for milk and yogurt and a few other essentials…

And then once that afternoon sun popped out, we staked out a spot at what came to be our favorite little stretch of sand, on the shallow waterway near Proposal Rock.

We paddled and splashed for hours, slowly watching the tide rise.

Isaac is the kind of kid that generally manages to live his best life wherever he goes, but truly, the I think the beach is his very best life.

Uncle Mitch shows NO MERCY.

And Morgan’s even more ruthless.

Isaac’s a good sport, though.

Juliette found a use for the hole in the bottom of our sandcastle cup…

And then we toasted to her creativity.

This was the first of many “bear hunts” that occurred over the course of the week.  This beach has so many fun nooks and crannies to explore.

BEAR!  RUUUUUUNNNN!

We shook out our towels, wiped the sand from between out toes, and then golden hour was enjoyed from the deck.  Cold wine with a side of Hotwheels.

Happy Vacation, Buddy.

Back at camp, again.  We embarked on our third camp trip of the season last month, this time at Kachess Lake.  We settled into our sweet little site on a Friday afternoon and then bee-lined for the lake, ’cause it was HOT.  

The lake was perfect for paddling, with knee-deep waters for quite a ways out.  Plus, those mountain views…

I strapped the kids into their life jackets and we ventured beyond the shallow waters, so Juliette could go for a real dip.

These may be some of my favorite snaps of the summer – the adoration these two feel for each other is real.  Most of the time.

We kept putting off heading back to camp for dinner – it was still so hot and the water was still so good.

Finally, though, we toweled off.  Dinner time.

Juliette loves helping with meal prep when we camp and I’m more than happy to delegate.  Slice those peppers and cook that rice, girl…

Campfire hangs…

I tell you, even a walk to the bathroom or the water spigot can be sweet when we camp.  Nothing is easy, but most of it is beautiful.

G’night.

And good morning!  Happy Saturday, Bud.

It was nice to have a camping trip with no rain, but ugh…the dust.  This boy was dirtier than dirt after a morning of playing with his cars on the ground.

I mean…

At some point I recommended he play on the picnic table rather than the ground, but too late, Mama.  The damage was done.

These two, meanwhile, stayed cool and clean in their shady little nook.

Alright, Bud.  Time for a dip!

We spent the rest of the morning on the water, bouncing between paddle board and inner tubes.  Isaac really liked draping his body over our mermaid floatie and kicking his legs for all it was worth.  I liked the feeling of washed feet!  

Watermelon, water, kiddos.  Love, love, love.

We ventured out of the shallows for a little bit to do some exploring.  Gosh, that turquoise water.

We came back to shore and Shane rigged up a new sort of watercraft.

More floating…

And then it was naptime – we all needed a sun-break.  Our tent was a sauna, so we hopped in the car and sought refuge from peak heat at the air conditioned Dru Bru a few miles away; Isaac fell asleep just as we were parking and I gently scooped him out his car seat, found a comfy booth inside, and he dozed with his head on my chest while I drank my Saison and ate French fries.  He’s a big boy, but in that moment, he was very much my baby.

It was back to the lake as soon as we returned to camp, droplets of sweat gathering on our backs as grabbed our towels and floaties.  We found the lake to be particularly mucky where we settled and I wondered if I was really down for a dip, but then our beloved mermaid inner tube started drifting away and I was all-in, swimming after it like a golden retriever fetching a stick.  I did not catch said floatie in the water, but it landed in a little cove where I eventually was able to recover it after a shoreline scramble.  The windfall was that I discovered a new stretch of beach backed by the most golden grasslands.  I hustled back to the family, grabbed our things, and we resettled at this gorgeous spot.  

The sun was setting and temps were finally cooling – Juliette stretched out on the blanket with her book, Isaac attacked imaginary monsters with a big stick, and Shane and I sipped our Moscow Mules.  Respite, in so many ways.  Our moment of zen was short-lived, as Isaac needed to make a run for the bathroom, but on our hustle to the outhouse we came across two spotted baby deer, which felt worth stepping away from my canned cocktail.  

 

I love this state we live in.  These people I get to explore it with.  It takes a lot of work to get out here, a lot of planning and packing and schlepping and asking Isaac to please stop whining, but gosh, it’s worth it.

We broke down camp early on Sunday, eager to get home to our bathtub and our portable AC unit.  I took a walk with the kids to scope out next year’s prime sites while Shane did the final loading of the car (thanks again, Shane!).

Requisite goofball pics…

Adios, Kachess.  In looking at our calendar, I’m thinking this was our last camp trip of the year, which brings on a bit of melancholy, but also, what a note to end on.

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

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

Isaac…not so much.  But he sure tries.

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

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

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

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

S’mores…

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

Lunchtime lounging…

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

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

We didn’t find any.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Camp chairs were also a big hit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A few camp chair snuggles while the fire petered out…

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

Instead, we hiked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I feel ya, Bud.

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

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

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

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

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

Breakfast first, Buddy.  Pancake time!

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

Post-pool chai tea latte…

And naps.  You KNOW I love a vacation nap.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday morning!  More in-room shenanigans…

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

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

Ahhh…to have feeling in his fingers again!

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

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

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

Then Isaac wreaked his usual havoc.

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

Isaac, you’re a trooper.

Eventually, though, we called it.  Chai time!

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

Roslyn Cafe, take 2!  Perfect Sunday lunch.

And then back for naptime and snuggles.

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

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

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

Thanks, Shane!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meanwhile, Shane and I explored the bar menu.

This place was going to do juuuuuust fine.

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

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

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

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

Wine and pizza and crispy Brussels sprouts were passed around…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We took over the hotel lobby late morning…

Played a little disc golf…

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

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

Strike a pose, ladies!

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

Lucky kids.

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

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

Isaac fit right in.

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

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

Tech break.

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

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

How ’bout them Friday Night Lights?

Saturday!  Morning!  Sunrise!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here comes the party bus!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Give yourself a couple of years, Isaac…

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

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

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

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

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

16 years of friendship and counting…

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

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

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

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

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

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

The money shot / turn-around point…

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

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

Three feels nice sometimes.

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

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

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

Game day!  Good luck, Daddy!

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

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

And a high five for a won match!

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

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

One last pat-pat goodbye…

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

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

Dinnertime tickles…

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

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

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

Bacon and cinnamon rollss..

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

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

Driveway b-ball while the adults loaded the cars…

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

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

Keep up, Isaac!

Seriously though, this game was a thing.

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

QUITE.

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

Top day.

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

Back at the courts, Isaac got some skating lessons…

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

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

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

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

Girlfriend was flushed!

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

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

DID IT!

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

We’re comin’ for you, Idaho!

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

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

Sunday morning snaps…

And more playtime!  Plus a free haircut.

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

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

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

He was a fan.

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

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

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

A water balloon toss with Grandpa…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Isaac still helps me water…

And has mastered the art of drying off.

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

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

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

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

Isaac is convinced he’s part of the team.

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

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

(Coach Dan is THE BEST.)

More backyard meals…

Look at those matching grins!

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

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

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

Made for some good laughs, at least.

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

His oblivion is charming.

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

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

 

Cornhole:  Dads vs. Kids.

(Buddy’s awake!)

The grounds at this place are perfect for roaming.

Make a wish, Juliette!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cold, schmold!

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

One more woodsy walk…

And a porch pic of the Dads of the Day.

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

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

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