May was filled with many mini kick-offs to summer. We celebrated annual events: Mother's Day at Pike Place Market, Mr. Fleece's birthday with chocolate cake, and one of my favorite days of the year, the West Seattle Garage Sale! We also enjoyed some seasonal firsts: releasing salmon into Fauntleroy Creek with NLW's pre-K class, hose showers in the backyard, and an inaugural al fresco dinner at our new picnic table :)
Other Recent Joys:
- Sunny weather and beach visits
- Discovered Gatewood Elementary Playground
- Kid drawings and maps
- EDW "going to work" with her toy laptop and backpack in tow
- Our Paw Patrol era
- Our rainforest era
- NLW beginning simple mental math addition
- Telling "group stories" where each kid basically fills in a made-up madlib I facilitate
- Julia Donaldson books
- Time with friends
- Swing time...giving underdogs and underpenguins and underjaguars, and undercows, etc.
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| One of our best family photos! |
We ventured to Tacoma over Memorial Day weekend to explore the area, tour the Children's Museum and Zoo, and visit with friends. The zoo/aquarium is phenomenal and we loved Wright Park. Plus, we chose the perfect Airbnb in terms of space, location, and charm. We also took the children to Dairy Queen for the first time and had a sweet interaction with an elderly couple -- the wife shared she had a twin brother.
My favorite type of travel blends new adventures and sights with old friends, and this vacation brought us both. Overall, it was such a lovely time and just our speed. I was so proud of us for not allowing the stress of packing up the whole house and leaving "on time" get to us. Hoping to carry that attitude forward into a busy summer of travel and camping :)
Watching | Gossip Girl
When in a reading rut, I tend to turn to TV, and with the number of Gossip Girl episodes I've been binging, it's no wonder I haven't had time to turn pages. The quippy dialogue, dramatic characters, luxurious fashion, and soapy soappppy plot lines can't be beat. Dorota and Blair scenes are chef's kiss.
Eating & Drinking | Strawberry Vanilla Olipop
A friend introduced me to this refreshing drink and Mr. Fleece and I have been hooked. I don't usually like carbonation but it's undeniably delicious.
Reading | Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman
I love thinking about friendship so this book was a no-brainer for me. It made me reflect on and appreciate all the wonderful friends I've made and kept over the years. It also had me daydreaming of a girl's trip.
Listening | Olivia Rodrigo
I forgot how fun it is to listen to fun music :) Great voice. Great lyrics. Great mood.
