Summer Update I

About a month ago, I shared our summer bucket list. We've ticked a few things off of our list and had a few non-list adventures as well. Here's a look at how our summer is shaping up so far:

• ZOO: We took Madeleine to the zoo for her birthday. She slept in that morning, so we didn't get as much pre-nap zoo time as we had anticipated...and we got caught in an utter downpour (unusual for Seattle and very unusual for Seattle in summer) as we were trying to make our way back to the car. We came away without a single photo, but it was really fun and somewhere I expect us to revisit...maybe during maternity/paternity leave time. (Ok, now I'm getting really ambitious, huh?)

• FIVE YEARS OF MARRIAGE: George and I celebrated our anniversary with our annual dinner at Canlis. Each of us had independently contacted the restaurant to make special arrangements, so I was greeted with a beautiful long stem rose at table number 1 and the pastry chef had prepared a unique version of pavlova (filled with berry compote!) for our dessert. Perhaps the most special moment was the one that we couldn't possibly have planned - it happened when my eyes filled with tears because the pianist was playing Forrest Gump Suite, the very same notes to which I walked down the aisle and married my one and only five short years ago. 

• HAVE A NIGHT AWAY: We decided a while back that our anniversary would be the perfect time to take one night in the city while our babysitter stayed home with Madeleine. I can't speak for George, but I found it remarkably easy to fall back into our couple (rather than family) dynamic with constant chattering and plenty of doing nothing at all. Because we were downtown on the night of the super moon, we went back to Kerry Park (where we took some of our wedding photos) to join the hoards of people checking out the best view in the city. Of course, we were both happy to come home to a very happy toddler the next day...and even happier to learn that she had no separation anxiety from us (after a rough week in childcare). 

• LAVENDER FARM PHOTO SHOOT: I chose the hottest part of one of the hottest days of this hot summer to suggest we head down to the lavender farm for photos, but it was still great fun. As soon as we opened the car doors, the beautiful lavender aroma filled my nostrils. We had a nice time wandering around the lavender before enjoying some ice cream in the shade and then running through the sprinkler, and we even got to share it with Grandma Pat! This is truly one of Woodinville's hidden gems! 

What does the bee say?

• BAKE A PEACH/PEACH-BERRY PIE: Peaches are just now in season enough to make a pie, and this past weekend was the perfect time to do so as we had Kiwi cousins visiting from Australia. I'm still hoping to make another one before the end of the summer. 

• MADELEINE'S HORSE ENCOUNTER: The day before her birthday, I took Madeleine to the barn where our friend, Jessica, boards her horse. Jessica graciously showed us around the barn and introduced us to all the horses. Madeleine wasn't quite ready to sit on any of the horses, but she was happy to touch the gear (saddle, reins, stirrups, etc.), learn about what they were eating, master the proper way to pet a horse's nose, and practice talking to them. I caught this cute video of her calling horses, though I was too busy keeping her from getting too cuddly to take any other photos. 

• HOST GRANDMA PAT: Madeleine's Grandma Pat came to visit for her birthday, and she got to enjoy lots of cuddles and Grandma reading time. It wasn't on the list, but it sure has been one of the highlights of Madeleine's summer! 

• PLAY AT ALKI BEACH: Also not on the list but a summer highlight was the morning we spent at Alki Beach playing with our friends, Kelly, Cooper, and Nicholas. The day was far cooler than we anticipated, but that didn't stop Madeleine from wanting to dive into Puget Sound. I was really fortunate that we went on a day George had off from work so that he could chase her and swoop in after her just before she got completely drenched. 

How are you spending your summer thus far?