Summer Closeout | 2026

We've had three phases to our summer: phase I was weekly summer camps, phase II was grandparents + an Oregon road trip, and phase III has been all about nature adventures. With no childcare other than yours truly, we've had plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors and explore beyond our typical Seattle radius. Here's some of what we did:

• Farrel-McWhirter Park
• Cougar Mountain Zoo
• Denny Creek Trail 
• South Park Playground and Spray Park (local, but a new renovation we had to check out!)
• Rattlesnake Lake
• Newcastle Beach
  
• Arboretum bike ride

Summer also brought slower mornings, al fresco dining, game playing, dog walking, and movie watching. While Mr. Fleece was out of town, we watched a Muppet movie every day. :) 

• The Muppet Movie (1979)
• The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
• Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
• The Muppets (2011)
• Muppets Most Wanted (2014)—hilarious and fun. My favorite!

We also planned a "last hurrah" long weekend to Mt. Rainier National Park as a family. I was determined to make our way there this year and wanted to go in the prime season: summer. However, the tail end of August is synonymous with almost fall. We got some rain spritzes and major cloud coverage, and Mt. Rainier enjoyed playing hide-and-seek on the day we drove through the park.

Regardless, we were joined by one of our favorite couples, K+C, so even if it had been pouring, we would have had a good time. :) The trip was the perfect endcap to a fun and full summer.

Waterfalls and magical forests,

- SJW

Ski Report | 2026

We did it! We got three children on skis for the first time this winter. With historically low snow and only one mountain open, we made a good showing. Similar to swimming, our kids approached the activity at their own pace in their own way. Hot chocolate, jellybeans, and McDonald's on the way home were all helpful tools :) 

I'm proud of my instructional skills and patience with the twins -- "put the cookie in the oven and stomp that bug" -- and really impressed by how quickly NLW picked it up. He was doing rounds up and down the magic carpet independently while we tackled our "lessons" with the twins. In total, we went to Snoqualmie five times, wrapping up our season on Easter Sunday! It was great to end with some wins...amazing parking spot, no lines, extra candy, and most notable, NLW's first time on a ski lift! 

Love these little snow bunnies,

-SJW

Ordinary Joys | Fields & Forests

During our family spring break trip, we ventured north of Camano Island to visit the one-of-a-kind tulip fields in Mt. Vernon. No matter how many times I visit, the stunning scenery blows me away—I just love the natural beauty and pops of color, especially against the mountain backdrop. Our blue-sky day made for some picture-perfect photos. You'd never guess we were among crowds of tourists, haha! It certainly felt like we took a mini trip to the Netherlands :) 

Drive east instead of north, and you'll wind up in an old-growth forest! We kicked off our first hike of the season at Oxbow Loop Trail, chosen for its proximity to Seattle, 1.8-mile loop, and lack of elevation gain. We wanted an easy win for our crew, and this fit the bill! The kids blazed the trail, which makes me hopeful we can build up to more challenging hikes. I'd love to try Garfield Ledges and Twin Falls this year. For now, I'm feeling grateful we were able to explore, take in the mossy tree trunks, and enjoy the sights, sounds, and animals along the way!

The greatest outdoors, 

- SJW