This summer has had a mixture of highs and lows -- Who knew the "three toddler summer" would be synonymous with "the summer of sickness"? Barring runny noses and Mr. Fleece's lingering sore throat, we've had a lot of fun!
In June we made our family road trip debut to the Columbia River Gorge for a friend's wedding. The four-hour drive went smoothly enough and we fell in love with Hood River, Oregon. The wedding festivities were a delight and we definitely hope to visit the area again. On the 4th of July we saw every West Seattle family we know at the neighborhood kid's parade (think decorated bikes and wagons) followed by the summery-est BBQ with friends. We ate watermelon, burgers, and homemade cheesecake while the children splashed around on a giant slip and slide. Peak summer mood!
In mid-July we squeezed in a 24-hour trip to our friend's amazing log cabin and enjoyed jumping in the lake and roasting marshmallows around the campfire. My favorite feature of their cabin is the stunning paint by numbers gallery displayed in their kitchen. A few days later, Mr. Fleece and I celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary with a 48-hour getaway to Vashon Island. It was restful and sublime!
In late July I hopped on a red-eye to join my sister and cousin in New York City for a Broadway Blitz trip -- three shows in two days. It was such a treat and I'm really grateful for the time together and shared experience of witnessing spectacular art! Our trio of shows included Hadestown, Dear Evan Hansen, and Into the Woods with an all-star cast.
Hotel Wright has been in full-swing -- we hosted my parents for two weeks, a visit filled with classic summer items like blackberry picking, wading pools, low tide, bike outings with NLW (he loves his balance bike!), and almost daily trips to Hiawatha Park. We love having them in town and appreciate all the help they bring! We are now hosting our friend, JH, who went above and beyond and reserved an evening of fine-dining at Canlis for the three of us! And by the end of this week we'll be on the East Coast to visit more family.
Watching | Disney Movies
We aim to limit screentime and have mostly accomplished that by reserving movies for the weekends. I pick two Disney movies to watch a month and we repeat them for two weekends in a row. I like using the weekdays to listen to the soundtrack and often introduce the characters through a book first. The Aristocats, Jungle Book, Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp have been strong favorites. Hearing NLW sing the "bear nah-sesames" is pretty darn cute!
Eating | Pumpkin Pie
NLW loves my dad's pumpkin pie and asks for it each time Poppa visits. It was so sweet to see them baking together in our kitchen -- a new tradition we'll happily continue! My dad likes to wear a towel over his shoulder to have something to wipe his hands on, and also "to keep his shoulder dry" per NLW's logic!
Reading | 84, Charing Cross Road
This is such a heartfelt, poignant, feel-good little book. I loved Helene, loved that it was a true account, and loved the epistolary format. Though some of the references went over my head, the author's voice, humor, and writing really shine. It's a slim book, short enough to read in a sitting or two. I read it, my mom read it, and my dad read it -- each one day after the other! They enjoyed it too and recently watched the movie adaptation starring Anthony Hopkins.
Listening | The Count of Monte Cristo
My book club selected this tome for our summer read and I immediately decided I would listen to it on audio. I acquired it through libro.fm, a service that allows you to support an indie bookstore with your purchase. The first chapters are fast-paced and so well written -- I love how Dumas sets the stage and builds to his themes of judgment, virtue, and happiness. It's very theatrical and made me want to rewatch the movie :)
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