Life Wright Now | July 2023

July was a stay-in-Seattle-and-live-up-summer kind of month! We decided semi last minute to celebrate our anniversary with a "staycation getaway". Essentially what a West Seattle weekend might look like without children -- seeing Asteroid City at the Admiral Theater, going on a short-notice double date to Marination, going out to eat at Cactus and running into neighbors, grabbing an after dinner drink at The Beveridge Place, swimming at Colman Pool, and lounging at our out-of-town friend's home that overlooks the Puget Sound. A dreamy way to celebrate 11 years! We love our three-children life, but sometimes it's nice to just be the two of us for an uninterrupted stretch of time :) 

So Many Highlights:
- Cheering on the Fish Sticks baseball team on the 4th of July
- Getting the twins on balance bikes!

- Watching CCW master the scooter
- Evening concert at Hiawatha
- Exploring low tide at Carkeek Park
- Connecting with another twin mom who had "3 under 3"
- Reading so many graphic novels
- Getting a robot vacuum "little Sebo"
- Hosting AB and sharing the hidden gem of Lowman Beach with her
- Seeing M, J, and J back in Seattle
- Getting a babysitter last minute so we could join the Barbie craze!

- Booking flights to Austin to see the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8

        

        

This last picture captures so much about our children -- in the running for favorite photo of the year!

Watching | Pan Am
Pan Am has been a fun one-season-only show to watch. I've been taking my time through the series -- enjoying the acting of Christina Rucci and pre-Barbie Margot Robbie. Low commitment, high reward, especially if you like a period piece with retro fashion :) 

Eating | Popsicles 
Nothing fancy, but when I think about what we've been eating recently, popsicles make the top of the list. We only offer treats on weekends and special occasions, and these have become our go-to summer pick-me-up! 

Reading | Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands
This is a book I'd seen for ages on our "Peak Picks" library shelves that I finally picked up as part of my graphic novel month. I went in blind and really liked it...eager to chat with anyone else that's read it too, as it's a unique story, made more unique by the illustrative format. Won't be for everyone, but the humanity, humor, and compelling storytelling/artwork won me over. 

Listening | Anna Karenina
One of my book clubs selected Tolstoy's Anna Karenina as our summer novel. We enjoyed the lengthy "Count of Monte Cristo" last year and decided to repeat the prompt. Unfortunately, this was a classic that dragged for me. While I enjoyed the themes, literary components, and specific scenes, as a whole this fell flat because the premise, the pacing, and stilted plot didn't work for me. I shifted to audio to help me move through the tome and it was in my earbuds for almost all of July. For a book that got mixed reviews from our group, our conversation was 10/10. It's a book ripe for discussion!

Cheers to good health and spontaneity, 

- SJW

Missouri Vacation | Kansas City

The third and final leg of our Missouri trip consisted of a one-night stay in Kansas City. We caught up with my college friend MM and her family, a welcome kid-centric finale to our midwest trek. Our time together was so relaxed, it honestly felt like we lived in the same city and were spending a normal weekend together just hanging out. Nothing beats new toys and other kids to play with :) 

Westwood in particular is darling -- I loved getting a glimpse into their daily life, seeing their home, and all the walkable destinations in their neighborhood. It's such a treat to visit someone who loves their city and is happy to play tour guide/ambassador :)  

Highlights:
- Lunch from The Mixx
- Dinner from Lulu's Thai Noodle Shop
- Gelato from The Flying Cow
- An overnight stay at The Embassy Suites :) 
- Union Station and Science City 

Party of nine with one more on the way :) 
-SJW

Missouri Vacation | The Farm

Every summer of my childhood we drove 12 hours from Texas to my Papa's farmhouse in Jefferson City, Missouri. We'd spend several weeks on the farm, visiting family and relaxing. After a dry spell of seven years, it felt so right to be back...this time with three children in tow! It's hard to capture how special it was to be there with my parents and watch my kids experience all the magic of the farm for the first time -- epecially their first jump in the pond :) We had so many highlights, but I'll let my mom's poem capture the extent of our stay:

First Farm Visit - 2023

This was the grandkids first time to the farm

To discover all of its rural charm.

Living in Seattle, it’s city scapes they seek

Here in mid-MO they were country kids for the week.

With the barn as their backdrop, they ran wild and free.

Such a wonderful sight for their Mirma to see.

Jumping with abandon off the farm pond dock,

Climbing and playing on the old sand rocks.

Spotting turtles, snakes and fireflies,

Watching the wide wonder in their eyes.

We collected rocks, feathers, and sticks,

And pulled off a number of pesky ticks.

A Whippoorwill’s call and woodpecker’s knock,

We listened to birdsongs as in the hammock we rocked.

From the field we heard a wild turkey call,

From down in the pasture came a young calf’s bawl.

Hiking a trail through the woods,

Eating corn on the cob and summertime foods.

On the 4 wheeler with Poppa for ride alongs,

Pounding the old piano with their made-up songs.

Water balloons, bubbles, and sprinkler play,

Were all in the course of a summer day.

In my hometown we visited favorite sites—

The Capitol, nature center, and Central Dairy for ice cream bites.

Visits with uncles, cousins and aunts,

Checking the growing garden plants.

The kids loved just digging in dirt.

Mirma was happy they didn’t get hurt!

Roasting hotdogs over the fire,

Yelling”Be careful of the electric wire!”

We hold this special place in veneration,

Passing our traditions to a new generation.

I’m sure my parents were smiling from above

To see these kids at the farm they so loved.

So very thankful for this place to gather,

Though it’s rustic and simple, there’s no place I’d rather.

One of my favorite places in the world,

-SJW