April was a month of hearing my children yell "bus" and "cherry blossoms" in equal measure every time we drove. The pink and white trees along with the daffodils and tulips astonish me every year. Even though most of the month was spent in puffy jackets and knit hats, the bright colors help me transition out of the winter doldrums and welcome people and activity into our lives in greater volumes. It wasn't until this weekend that we finally broke out the bucket hats, sunscreen, and balance bikes. Three beach days in a row and a biker gang...what a fantastic glimpse into the summer ahead!
Highlights:
- Bouldering gym and Jack's BBQ date with Mr. Fleece
- Signing my new contract and receiving my Business License!
- Annual Easter Egg hunt through our neighbors' yards
- Taking a wellness half day and hiking Rattlesnake Ledge with Mr. Fleece
- Animal watching at the Woodland Park Zoo and our neighborhood Duck Pond
- The Ballard Farmer's Market and Locks
- Eating at Pizzaria 22 with friends
Watching | Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
This movie! It's quirky and such an iconic classic. One of those films I don't recall watching a ton as a child, but when revisiting as an adult, all the scenes feel familiar. The absurdity really shines through and I loved seeing how many scenes were word-for-word from Road Dahl's writing. As usual, we started with the book before watching the movie and have been listening to the soundtrack at breakfast ever since.
Eating | Mezzanotte
We celebrated my friend's 40th birthday with a family-style dinner at Mezzanotte, an Italian restaurant in Georgetown. They served the thickest, puffiest, most delicious focaccia bread I've ever eaten. It was an incredibly delicious and memorable meal with friends (made possible by babysitters :)).
Reading | The Anthropocene Reviewed
Familiar with John Green's "The Fault in our Stars" and his "Crash Course" YouTube series, the premise of his first non-fiction book sounded interesting -- short essays on various niche topics that he rates on a five-star scale. From the QWERTY keyboard to Halley's Comet and "Auld Lang Syne" to Piggly Wiggly, the chapters themselves don't always seem to connect. However, Green skillfully weaves together interesting facts and personal stories touching on history, anthropology, climate change, pandemic reflections, mental health and more. I was entertained while learning, and appreciated his vulnerability, humor, reflections, and research. He brings a contemplative perspective that centers on the beauty of our world, the impact humans have on it, and the importance of art, music, and sports that can connect us. A wonderfully heartfelt listen -- the audiobook is the way to go. I give 'The Anthropocene Reviewed' five stars.
Listening | The Girl Next Door Podcast
Recommended by a friend, I just started listening to this feel-good podcast. With a ten-year backlog of episodes, it's been in my earbuds a lot recently. Hosted by two neighbors living in Gilbert, AZ, they share reflections on personality, friendships, reading lives, equity in marriage, calm parenting, and navigating the toddler years. I particularly love the structure of their show -- the opening cocktail, a succinct topic with joyful conversation, current obsessions, endearing/funny neighborhood news, and the sign off of "be neighborly."
- SJW
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