the ferry.

Last summer I spontaneously took the kids on the ferry over to Kingston for the day. Matt was out of town and we were up for an adventure and it quickly became one of the highlights of our summer. There was nothing overly magical about it but a beautiful summer day combined with a ferry boat ride and wandering around a charming little town made for some special memories. So much so that the kids were begging to do it again, this time with Matt included!

So last weekend after breakfast we drove down to Edmonds to catch a morning ferry. It was absolutely beautiful and the ferry is just the perfect length of time for the kids to be excited about a boat ride without getting bored while they wait for the trip to be finished. 

 Everyone was in good moods laughing, watching the other boats go by and tickling each other to pass the time.

 We walked off the ferry and headed straight for the little park nearby to check out the local farmer's market. They have these oversized chairs that the kids could have probably played on all day.

 Then we walked around some of the local shops (the candy store was a big hit!) before having our picnic lunch and playing tag in the grassy field.

 Next up...ice cream at Mora!

 We walked through a local antique shop admiring all the old toys before boarding the boat back to Edmonds and coming home in the afternoon. Simon crashed on the couch for awhile to recover from all the fun. Simple Saturdays spent together are my favorite summer memories.

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buy me some peanuts and cracker jack.

Last weekend we headed down to Seattle for a beautiful afternoon at Safeco Field. Every year our church goes to a Sunday day game together so it's the perfect opportunity to get discounted group tickets, sit with friends and enjoy a great baseball game.

 We decided to take the light rail down this time and it was perfect! Free parking at Husky Stadium, the kids loved riding the train, we saved a ton of money on parking and were able to avoid all the crazy traffic and crowds by the stadium. Definitely taking advantage of this in the future!

 We did our usual walk through the Seattle Team shops and visited the freshly painted murals of our favorite Seahawks players.

 And then we headed into the stadium. I'm always so impressed with how well the kids do in big crowds and long lines. Honestly, it all goes back to Disneyland. If they can happily wait for 70 minutes to ride Space Mountain they can handle anything! All 3 of them are so good at sticking together, patiently waiting and understanding the chaos that can ensue in a crowded public place.

 We went to the 100 level to visit the Mariners Hall of Fame. Carter loves sports history and soaks up any fact he can so he spent most of the time reading all the plaques and posters with sports trivia. Simon adored seeing all the bats and balls. This was probably one of his favorite days of the entire year!

 Our seats were great too! Right on the 1st baseline but up high enough to be in shade the entire time. We actually got a little cold for a few innings even though it was 80+ degrees outside!

 The most gorgeous view. I just love this city.

 After the game the kids got to run the bases. Again, dreams come true for all of them, but especially Simon. He was wide eyed and kept saying "wow!" over and over again. So fun for him.

 And they were off!

 We had such a fun family day and can't wait to go to another game soon. Go Mariners!

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July recap.

Because I love this season and all the fun it brings I try to mix up adventure days with relaxing at home. I'd say we've had a pretty great July.

Matt took the kids bowling again and Carter beat him in both games! 

 We went back to our favorite beach with some friends. This time an extra walk to the touch tank and a stop for ice cream made for a pretty fun afternoon.

 Matt and I got to go out and celebrate his birthday by spending the evening wandering around downtown Edmonds. It's such a charming little city full of local shops and delicious food.

 These cinnamon sugar ricotta donuts with salted caramel sauce were ah-maz-ing!!

 The next morning we went out for brunch with Matt's family to keep the birthday celebration going as long as we could! I always love when I can get the boys out of athletic wear and put them in a polo, even for a few short hours. Carter actually asked to wear matching outfits too. Loved it!

 Summer wouldn't be complete without epic trips to Costco to stock up on snacks and fruit. It feels like we spend half our paycheck there each week but we couldn't live without it!

 Even though it's been so hot we are still baking as much as we can. Lucy found this recipe for chocolate madeleines all on her own and whipped up a batch. They turned out delicious!

 Swimming at McMenamins was on our bucket list too. Between swim lessons, beach trips and the pool they are turning into little fish.

 It's always hard for me to find time to just sit and relax but when I do my new go-to books are food memoirs. I'm loving this one from a local author and now can't wait to visit her restaurant soon.

 My best friend from college stopped by for a fun swim play date last week. These girls are only 5 weeks apart and are the cutest little friends.

 Another trip to the beach!

 And another nap on the couch. Poor guy. He's such a trooper on these long days when we are out and about.

 And yet another picnic dinner. I pride myself on meal planning but it's been so hot and our appetites have been pretty nonexistent most evenings so a simple dinner of cheese and crackers, fruit and veggies was perfect before running around a shaded park.

 And finally, homemade blueberry crisp for dessert. Nothing says summer more like fresh fruit crisp! It was a pretty wonderful July.

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