"If you don't see the book on the shelf, write it." ~ Beverly Cleary
This is what our June looked like. Lots of time outside playing with the water. What isn’t pictured is all the sprinkler play and sidewalk chalk we’ve been doing…..or the post-sprinkler popsicle mess, or our friends that we’ve had wonderful play dates with. Anywhoodle, we’ve been up to no-good, making messes and having a grand ‘ole time. We’re off to meet up with some friends at the beach for some celebrating of “Norf ‘merica’s birfday,’ as Maggie likes to say it. Happy 4th, Peeps.
At the start of the month Barry went to Boston for a week for work. We typically tag-along with him for work-related travel, but this time there were a few factors that made the cross-country trip seem less desirable than being home and single parenting for a week. I split the week in half and headed up to Anacortes for the second half, and I’m so very glad I did. Single- parenting, specifically bedtime, was not one of the easier things I’ve done. I jokingly warned my mom and dad that they might want to have a glass of wine poured for me upon my arrival at their house. It wasn’t half bad, but I really did come to realize that even on the longest days that Barry is at work, those hours that he is home are very, very crucial to our family dynamic.
Not every household is like this, I met a woman recently who has a husband that travels Monday thru Friday almost all time. Call me a wimp, tell me I’m spoiled, but that sounds utterly exhausting.
The following pictures document some of our time in Anacortes. My mom was able to spend most of the time with us, which I am thankful for. The weather cooperated and we got some good time outside…
As a kid, one of the things that our family did occasionally on Christmas Eve was go on a hike or a walk together before dark. I wanted to rush though the day so we could open presents and SANTA could come the next morning. During college, because I was working a retail job in my hometown, I often worked Christmas Eve to earn the big bucks and missed out on this time. Over the last decade or so Christmas Eve and the walk that precedes our crab feast has easily established itself as one of my very, very favorite traditions. I can’t explain it, but the time together very much feels like the calm within a storm. The clock stops ticking for us – when do we need to leave, what time do we need to get there, did we pack everything up, have the girls napped, we forgot to bring the wine, or the presents, can you call ahead and say we’re going to be late, unplug the tree before we leave, why are you grumpy, i’m not grumpy, where are we going, what are we doing – all those thoughts and conversations stop and we can just BE and take it all in. And then we eat crab and my heart, soul and tummy all are happy.
