little black journal

Yesterday was my birthday, but we did the bulk of our celebrating today, with brunch and two park visits and a little me-time and then dinner with friends.  It was a great day.  Such a great day, in fact, that I couldn’t limit my snapshots to just 10 favorites…thus, here’s 16 on 10!

Volunteer Park Cafe might be a new go-to breakfast spot – such a cozy vibe in there.  Juliette was clearly a fan!

Who’s that guy out there?

Fall is in full-swing.  And I love it.

Park fix.

Buddies!

Her hair matches these autumn leaves so perfectly.

Walkin’.

I slipped away this afternoon for a little treat.

Such a luxury these days…

Liking this color combo.

Kubota love.

SERIOUS Kubota love.

Higher, dad, higher!

First-ever ride on papa’s shoulders.

No hands!

Dinner with the gang.

With that, I’ve got a salted caramel macaron and a cup of mint tea calling my name…  Over and out.

Another ten on ten (which is actually nine on ten this month, as I came up one photo short!):

Breakfast at our favorite neighborhood joint.

Followed by swinging and teeter-tottering at the playground.

Shane’s training for a 100-mile bike ride and spent the morning giving his Trek some extra love.

Beach baby.

The water was warm today! (photo by Shane)

Back porch lounging during afternoon nap.

Evening trek to Jefferson Park.

Pull-ups.

Sun going down on a perfect day.

The ten on ten challenge slipped my mind last month, but today was a great day to have my camera in hand!

I pulled out all my tricks to get Jules to hang out in bed with me as late as possible today.  Late, as in 7:15 am.

It’s Bakery Thursday!

Bright, bright blue.

Snack time with her best bud.

Beach baby.

Blue part two.

Totally tuckered out.

Dining al fresco.

Summer dessert.

Camera shy.

Another ten on ten – ten photos over ten hours on the tenth of the month…

Best bedhead ever.

Embracing the baby clutter that usually drives me crazy…

Our yard has exploded with springtime color this month.  Shane thinks our planters are an overgrown jungle – I’m calling them “perfectly lush”.

These two blue-eyed pig-tailed girlies enjoyed a snack together at Brian and Nicole’s garage sale fundraiser.

Gryff was pretty stoked about his 50-cent ball cap.  Looks so good on you, bud!

Stopping to strike a pose on our way inside.

Nap-time craft-time (more on this one later!).

Post-nap swing-time.

Gray day.

Baby in bed, dinner eaten, table cleared, day is done…

Time for another ten on ten!

Now that Jules is eating more solid food, I’m loving the fact that we can have a meal together.  But I’m seeing now that her carrots with oatmeal look a little sad next to my tea, eggs, brussel sprouts, and yogurt…  At least she doesn’t know what she’s missing yet?

Morning stories.

Naptime (for both of us)!

Post-nap walk in the sun.  So thankful when the stars align and we get weather like this on my days off.

Favorite walking buddy.

Playtime at the park – we spread out a blanket and I unpacked my bag full of books and toys, but Jules was much more interested in watching the big kids run wild on the lawn.

Coffee, cookies, and Colbert during nap #2.  I’ve really missed this extra me-time since returning to work.

Had a boba craving and was excited to discover that Ambrosia opened a store just one lightrail stop away from us.  We shot out the door on a milk tea mission the minute Jules woke from her nap.  I sent La Verne a “boba?” text and she and Nico were also there in a flash.

On our walk home from Ambrosia – the way these dandelions glowed in the evening light made me feel like we’re on the cusp of summer (I know, I’m foolishly getting my hopes up).

The joyous nightly reunion.

Giving the ten on ten challenge another go – ten photos over ten consecutive hours:

Thankful for the extra daylight in the evening, but dang, it’s hard to get out of bed on these dark, gray mornings.

Realizing it will soon be time to pack away Juliette’s 3-6 month clothes.  I’ll miss that bunny onesie.

Taking a tea break while my mom attends to the should-be-napping baby upstairs…

Calling naptime a bust and hopping on lightrail to head downtown for lunch.

And, in the midst of bustling Pike Place Market, she sleeps.

Good coffee shop weather.

Signs of Spring in the midst of all this gray!

A flower for Juliette from a very thoughtful friend.

Sweet potatoes for dinner.

And pork stew for our dinner, prepared by my mom from a box o’ meat shipped to us from Shane’s mom and dad.  We have the best parents.

Goooooood night, folks.  This was fun.

I wandered down a mom blog rabbit hole yesterday during Juliette’s afternoon nap and stumbled upon a bit of sunshine’s ten on ten photo project.  The challenge is to take a photo an hour for ten consecutive hours on the tenth of each month.  My photography skills can always use some practice, and I like the idea of capturing the little details that make up life as I know it right now, so here’s February’s ten on ten (which is actually nine on the eleventh – wow, I’m off to a roaring start!):

 morning snuggles

daily dose

so happy to see mama after a good morning nap

will she love shoes like i do?

peek-a-boo with juliette’s little buddy

sophie the giraffe gets to ride shotgun while jules is stuck in the back seat

picking up my knitting needles for the first time in almost a year

chewin’ on stuff while we wait for dad to get home

ahhhhh, these two.  so blessed.