Washington Vacation | Hood Canal

A month ago we were on our first family road trip to the Hood Canal, a great vacation spot about two hours west of Seattle, located on the Olympic Peninsula. It was our first time away from Seattle since the beginning of the pandemic (that wasn't to visit our family) and I forgot how incredible it feels to get away, unplug, and be in nature! We went with Mr. Fleece's parents which definitely made the trip possible and more enjoyable :)

The Giggle Fish House served as a wonderful home base and a destination in itself. Stocked with everything we needed and even outfitted with a separate guesthouse for the grandparents, I particularly loved the safe fenced-in yard and water views from every window. Our binoculars got a good workout with the daily seal and bald eagle sightings. It was like a mini summer camp with story time, toy airplanes, a fire pit (that doubled as a makeshift sandbox), private access to our very own rocky beach, and nightly dessert! 

Each morning we loaded up our snack backpack and bundled up the children in a million layers to face the rain, sleet, wind, and snow. Somehow we managed to time all our outings really well and enjoyed a rain-free hike along a riverbank, a magical mossy forest dusted in snow, and a sunny lunch at the famous Hama Hama Oysters. Other points of interest/activites include:

- Potlatch State Park
- Goldsborough Fish Ladder Trail
- Kneeland Park 
- Meandered *very short* distances on a few trails and campgrounds in Olympic National Park
- Drove along Lake Cushman -- would love to go back on a sunny summer day!
- Drinking Hoodsport Coffee

While traveling with three young children certainly brings its challenging -- loading up half our house for a four-night stay...frantically child-proofing the bedrooms...trying to maximize sleep in a new space -- we're so glad we did it! We made incredible memories and kick-started our exploration of the incredibly beautiful PNW as a family of five!

Side note: We've definitely evolved into a family that ends their vacation on a Friday so we still have the weekend to relax and regroup :)

Next up: Southern Washington in late June!

- SJW

I Love You More Everyday

Today marks my 33rd year of celebrating Mother's Day. It's always been a day to appreciate, thank, and honor my wonderful mom, but it now holds the added meaning of being a mom myself. 

It's become a day I want to spend with my children, enjoying them, remembering milestones, and reflecting on the task of motherhood. No pampering or praise required, just give me some park playtime -- preferably with swings :)

Last year:

2020:

2019:

2018:

Two final notes:

1) I'm thankful to be experiencing motherhood with three healthy children, an engaged and helpful spouse, safety, shelter, food, finances, and supportive friends and family. My heart goes out to all the mothers who can't say the same thing. 

2) A tremendous cheers to all the woman choosing compassion, delight, wonder, calm, playfulness, patience, patience, and patience with their children. 

"I love you more everyday"

-SJW

Life Wright Now | March 2022

Our "mellow March" was full of free evenings and open weekends. The unscheduled approach allowed for ample reading time, family adventures, and impromptu neighbor visits -- three of my favorite things. This month we discovered several West Seattle gems including the Seattle Chinese Garden and adjacent student-initiated arboretum on the South Seattle College campus. Both have great little trails that are perfect for the children...so much so that we made back-to-back visits. We did another twice-in-one-week visit to the Seattle Aquarium (in order to make the most of an expiring membership). When we like something around here, we like it on repeat. And to top things off, we got library cards for the twins! 

Watching | Bridgerton
I binged Season 2 in a weekend and not sure I'm the better for it. It was fun to watch and drama-filled, but the plotline got a little repetitive and drawn out. Popular opinion: Eloise remains my favorite character by far. I loved her lines as well as the pall mall scene, and the surprise outcome in Portia Featherington's storyline. 

Eating | C&P Coffee Company
This community coffee shop is just darling with its bungalow layout, charming patio, and warm, colorful interior! We tried the barista's recommendation of an oat milk latte with strawberry syrup, both hot and iced. Mr. Fleece and I found the odd-sounding combination quite tasty!

Reading | Crying in H Mart 
I'm trying my ear at audio books, a first for me. I decided memoirs fit the bill, especially when they're read by the author, which made Crying in H Mart a great pick. Her book's had a bunch of buzz and I wasn't sure what to expect. I found Zauner's writing style poignant and enjoyed her straightforward yet lyrical, almost poetic descriptions of recipes. She celebrates family, explores loss, and highlights the tie that food brings through it all. Her article Love, Loss, and Kimchi won an essay contest and serves as a good indicator as to whether you'd enjoy her full memoir. 

Listening | Novel Pairings
Anyone I spoke with in recent weeks likely got an unsolicited review of my new obsession, the Novel Pairings Podcast. Two English Lit gals discuss a classic book and each pair it with three contemporary titles that tie to the themes, plot, style, retelling etc. I loved it so much I joined their Patreon and have added way too many books to my summer reading list! I don't drive a ton, but when I do, Novel Pairings is my go-to listen. Ebony's even benefited from extra walks because I'm so eager to tune in!

Spring in Seattle is so underrated, 

- SJW

Life Wright Now | February 2022

After a doldrums winter including a bout of Covid for the five of us, February served as a nice pick-me-up for our family. Along with bigger changes -- the return of our beloved nanny and twins officially walking, there's been doses of silly things too. Nugget couch forts, Valentine's Day outfits, beach adventures, sandbox play, daily Wordle puzzles & their corresponding text conversations, and finally learning the board game Azul. Azul was fun, but tricky -- a game I immediately wanted to play again and improve my strategy. 

Watching | Miss Fisher's Modern Murder Mystery 
This is such a fun series and deserves a post of its own (coming soon!). Even amidst the backdrop of murder, it's a feel-good romp. Geraldine Hakewill's character is really fun to watch and her fashion and hairstyle can't be beat. I recommend both seasons, although the pacing really improves in Season 2 -- ten 45-minute episodes as opposed to four 90-minute episodes in Season 1.

Reading | Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Although I can't remember reading this as a child, the scenes and animal cast certainly feel familiar. NLW has thorougly enjoyed hearing the adventures of Mole, Ratty, Toad, and his favorite, Mr. Badger. Inga Moore's abridged version was our starting point, but we've also picked up the classic version, illustrated by Robert Ingpen. Either way, NLW's story-loving self is in full swing, acting out the "Wild Wood" and the "Open Road" chapters. 

Eating | Top Pot
The only craving we had while quarantining as a Covid-positive family was Top Pot donuts. Once we were in the clear, Mr. Fleece drove to downtown (we are still awaiting the day when they re-open along Alki!) to purchase their sugary goodness. We tried the "Pershing" donut for the first time and it's a new favorite! It reminds me a little of Shipley's, a childhood favorite in Texas :) 

Listening | Mister Rogers on Spotify
The best of the best, I love that my children are hearing and singing along with lines like: You are my Friend, Be Brave and then be Strong, I'm Proud of You, You are Special, and It's Such a Good Feeling. Also, his re-telling of Goldilocks and the three Bears is so endearing and thoughtful. 

And the three bears made their beds, and fixed Baby's bear's chair, and divided the lunch that was left. And talked about the girl with the yellow hair who came to their house in the forest...and as they talked together and ate together, they were more and more glad that they were the family of the three bears.

Loving those simple pleasures,

- SJW

Life Wright Now | December 2021

December was a lively month filled with several playdates, a few parties, and the arrival of grandparents! We rounded out our year with the following highlights: 

- Watched the children play in a mini ball pit. CCW was at an all-time happy :) 

- NLW's first time at The Little Gym 

- EDW took her first steps!

- Built a bunch of nugget couch forts

- Attended a "Favorite Things" party with friends

- Had drinks with our neighbors

- Opened presents with my parents on Christmas

- Watched The Wizard of Oz with NLW (his first movie!)

- Enjoyed multiple days playing in a snowy wonderland

- Ate homemade snow ice cream

- Organized my recipes before the New Year, a project I've been trying to tackle for a while

Watching | I relaunched my Netflix account in order to watch Arcane with Mr. Fleece. It's a recent hit made by Riot Games that follows characters from League of Legends, one of the computers games Mr. Fleece plays. Coming in blind with no context, I still really enjoyed it -- to the point of watching the final four episodes in a single night!

Eating | We recently discovered the children's book, What's Cooking at 10 Garden Street and decided to try some of the recipes illustrated in the book. It was a fun and engaging way to cook together in the kitchen, especially after NLW had familiarized himself with the characters and dishes. We made the Meatballs, Little Trees, Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Cookies, Green Rice, and the one we would add to our (now organized!) recipe collection -- Coconut Dahl. 

Reading | After all the biography/memoirs this fall, I took a quick detour to self-help lane with The Lazy Genius Way. It was a perfectly fine read with lots of common sense, take-a-step-back practical advice. I liked how she framed things and my favorite takeaway was this perspective about self-care: Self-care is a practice of remembering what you care about and should be a regular practice of doing what makes you feel like yourself. 

Listening | Per my sister's recommendation and birthday gift, I finished Code Name Verity which tells a fictional story of a female friendship in WWII.  It was my first fiction audio book (maybe ever?) in a while and a good one to start out on -- the voice actors were great! I probably enjoyed the story more because of the listening experience, but undoubtedly missed some details along the way. 

Holidays and Happy Times,

- SJW

A Yummy Month

My daily life often feels like a daycare. Lots of children. Lots of toys. Lots of reoccurring and cumulative messes. Coming off the heels of an eventful and celebratory October, I rebranded November as "Slow-vember" for our family and tried not to initiate plans, meet ups, or play dates. The thought was to embrace a slow-cooker approach to my calendar and let my socializing simmer. I wanted a quiet schedule (if not a quiet house :)) and was mildly successful. Even when weeks turned out busier than I anticipated, I'm glad margin and downtime were on the original menu. It helped that I garnished my days with the best spice out there -- Gratitude. Because no matter how fast, full, slow, or monotonous life seems, thankfulness is the perfect dish. Here's what our family is grateful for this season: 

- the library

- garbage trucks

- dishwasher

- pockets of sunshine

- stroller walks

- Hiawatha Park

- swings

- Mrs. Meghan

- pajamas

- peanut butter

- fire trucks

- toys

- pacifiers

- time to read

- Ebony

- hugs and giggles

- muffins

- work from home flexibility

- Google home :) 

Pondering a far-less-catchy "Decelerate-ember,"

- SJW