Dancing Daughter and Dad's Day

Katelyn performed in her dance recital on Father's Day weekend. As always, it was a joy to watch her dance and take in the whole recital scene. Even though her weekly classes consisted of tap and ballet instruction, her class only performed a ballet number in the recital.

Turn the music up, and this tiny dancer gets down! (And so does little sis ;) 

Her song this year was "Georgia On My Mind" by Ray Charles. Katelyn's class had five girls and one boy it in, so it was quite a bit smaller than her previous dance class. The performance was very cute, if I do say so myself!

She loved it and we had a great time watching her and many other dancers. Kendall lasted the majority of the show, but did have to take a break to get some of her own wiggles out halfway through. We are proud of our little dancer and all of her hard work every week preparing for the show.

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We loved celebrating this guy for Father's Day and of course he loved celebrating the girls that gave him that name! We enjoyed a family dinner out on Saturday night, church service on Sunday, a stop at the ice cream shop that afternoon, followed by playtime at a park, and then a picnic. He said it was exactly how he wanted to spend the day.

As part of the gifts for Michael, I did a little Father's Day interview with each of the girls separately. When asked to name something Dad always says, they both gave the same answer without hesitation: "I love you no matter what." And that's precisely the kind of dad he is. 

We are incredibly blessed by this man and the active role he takes in leading our family and making us the best we can be!

Our Preschool Graduate

Hearing your 5-year-old say, "I've been practicing my graduation walk" is so sweet but also so strange! It made me smile, but I envisioned a "flash forward" 13 years from now (which will feel like a month) with a teenage girl donning her high school graduation gown but seeing that little preschooler's face and hearing her high-pitched voice. We'll try not to blink…

We had a special day celebrating our preschool graduate with her teacher, classmates, and their families. Before we left for the ceremony and picnic, it was only appropriate to document Katelyn's final day of preschool...

It seems like just yesterday she embarked on her preschool journey. And what a wonderful one it's been.

The celebration was at a nearby park and it was a perfect day for it. First up was the ceremony where the graduates were honored on a stage and everything, but before that: the graduation walk with the traditional song. (Suddenly there was something in my eye ;) 

The main teacher, Monica, planned such a nice celebration with lots of special touches. She said she wanted the kids to know what a big deal it is to graduate yet still be lifelong learners.

Kendall had fun hanging out with our friend Kristin and her daughter Nyla, while I was taking pictures. 

Each graduate was given a special award for their unique abilities and personality (a few examples were fabulous friend, awesome artist, teacher's helper, etc.). It was fun to watch Katelyn receive the "Super Leader Award." Teacher Monica noted that Katelyn jumped right in halfway through the year, made friends with ease, and encouraged others.

Seeing her grow, gain confidence, and thrive at Eastgate Co-op Preschool has been such a blessing. We are so proud of her! 

(Receiving her award from Teacher Monica)

If you want to know what an amazing, incredible, genuine, loving, caring, invested preschool teacher looks like, look no further...

Teacher Monica is absolutely awesome and we're so grateful to have discovered this school! 

Following the awards, the students did a celebratory dance and then the classic cap toss came next. And let me tell you, these kids were excited about it!

Then it was picnic time and playtime. The highlight was definitely the playtime at a new park with all the preschool friends. Kendall had a great time too. Katelyn's buddies are her buddies as far as she's concerned and likewise, they've been inclusive and warm to Kendall all year long. 

Ryla, Katelyn, Sophia, Nyla, Caroline, and Kendall

It was a great day celebrating all that Katelyn learned and accomplished this year! And I can hardly believe it myself, but we've got a Kindergartner in the hooouuuuuse!!

This 'n That and Mother's Day

We've got a little bit of everything going on in this post, so dig in. Potluck-style!

Katelyn's preschool was such a great experience this year (more on her official graduation in a future post, once I dry my tears!). One special event held at preschool was called Robot Night which gave a chance for the other parent (the one not as able to help out in the classroom due to work) to see the classroom and spend time with their preschooler. We collected supplies for the weeks leading up to the event and that night the two of them created this masterpiece...

Katelyn named him (her?) "Bot" which is a nickname for Robot :) They had a great time together!

Along those lines, one thing that we have been trying be more intentional about is one-on-one time with each child. Of course we love experiencing things together as a family, but equally important to us is building the bond and connection individually with each of our girls. For example, on a recent Saturday Michael and Katelyn went to a science fair while Kendall and I played games and went to the library. Another day, Michael and Kendall went to Costco (productive dates are helpful :) and then out for ice cream. And Katelyn and I went to watch one of her preschool friends perform in the Bellevue Children's Theatre production of Rapunzel. There's been a peppering of Starbucks and Jimmy John's dates in there with each of them, too.

We have found it to be so good for everyone. The girls are thrilled about the dedicated time and we always have great dialogue. While it takes intention and some orchestrating, it's undoubtedly time well spent.

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Our spring schedule of events has now come to an end, but I just have to say it's been such a fun-filled several months. After the initial dust settled from our move, we were excited to get some regular events scheduled into our weeks. This is what a typical week looked like for us this spring:

Monday: YMCA in the morning for exercise and weekly playgroup in the afternoon. (My friend Shannon has been so gracious in welcoming us into the playgroup she's a part of with some friends. We just each take turns hosting each week, the kids play, and the host makes a simple, kid-friendly meal for the little ones, so that no one has to worry about dinner on Monday nights. It's been a great way to make new friends!)

Tuesday: Bible Study in the morning at a nearby church (not the church we regularly attend but another great one). Technically, it's not a bible study, but we do study scripture on some weeks. The group is called MOMS which stands for Making Our Mothering Significant. Again, it's been such a perfect way to connect with other moms, spend some time with God, and allow the kids to make new friends too. The girls LOVED going to their respective classrooms and doing a craft, learning songs, playing, reading books, etc. They said their favorite day of the week is Tuesday because of bible study. This group was such a gift!

Also on every other Tuesday evening, I attended MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) at our church which included a variety of speakers, table time with a small group, and other activities.. It went from 7-9 pm, so Michael was always gracious in taking on the bedtime routine so that I had a chance to connect with other moms. It's fun to see familiar faces at church now that I'm a little better connected!

Kendall walking out of bible study one day with her friend, Nyla.

Wednesday: Preschool for Katelyn in the morning and YMCA for exercise in the afternoon. While Katelyn was busy playing and learning at school, Kendall and I were usually running errands (a grocery store run with just one kiddo is a breeze!) Other times we would come home and play games, color, or watch Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood together.

Thursday: Preschool for Katelyn in the morning and Kendall and I would sometimes do a Toddler Time class at the YMCA together, go to the library, or meet up with a friend to play. 

Friday: Preschool for Katelyn in the morning and again Kendall and I enjoyed our time together. Sometimes we would squeeze in one more visit to the YMCA in the afternoon.

Our weekends look something like this, whenever possible:

Footloose and fancy free!! We love going to our favorite parks and more often than not, we pack a picnic lunch. I find that it's a great investment to throw some lunch items together because we get to be outside together, filling hungry tummies, and when we get back home there are no dishes to do. Winning!

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Katelyn's preschool hosted a "Mother's Day Tea" and it was such a fun day to enjoy lunch together. The kids had been preparing a little singing performance and showered the moms with all kinds of handmade gifts and creations. It was such a treat! They even had a photo backdrop for a picture of all the moms with their kids because they know moms are usually the ones taking the pictures!

The preschool theme for the week leading up to Mother's Day was superheroes, so the crafts and gifts centered on all the Super-Moms. Katelyn's responses to what makes me a super-mom are as follows:

My mom is a superhero because… she finds things!

My mom is faster than a… bike!

My mom cooks the best… toast and pasta. (Clearly, cooking skills are rockstar level!)

My mom saves me when… I'm on the street and a car is coming.

My mom's superpowers are… she takes me to the doctor.

My mom's super car is… the car that we ride to school.

My mom's costume is… a superhero costume.

I love it when she… hugs me!

It was fun to see all the moms get celebrated by the sweet little preschoolers!

Our Mother's Day weekend also included, naturally, a trip to the winery?! Yep, we have been wanting to check out the wineries in Woodinville (which is 20 minutes north of Bellevue - there are over 100 wineries in this city!) and we figured no better time than mama's day! We had wine, the girls had suckers, and everyone was happy :)

JM Winery was highly recommended to us, so we checked that out first. We really didn't need to go anywhere else. It was so pretty, the people were friendly and inviting, and we even chatted with the winemaker. It was a great experience. Behind the winery is a beautiful walking path. Michael and Katelyn were ahead of us and I happened to get this picture of them (not posed, completely candid). Be. Still. My. Heart. (She was more than likely begging for a lollipop, but hey!)

We made it down to this landing near the water and took a few pictures.

Photo credit: Katelyn

We stopped at one more winery after this one and then decided it was time for dinner. We went to the Red Hook Brewery which has a restaurant attached to it and it was great! We hope to make it back for a tour of the brewery sometime soon. It was a fabulous family outing and fun to see more of what makes the Pacific Northwest unique.

As I reflect on motherhood, it's a job so full, so rich, so important. But the truth is, it can be so challenging too.

To me, motherhood is simultaneously chaotic and soothing, ordinary and extraordinary, draining and life-giving. And for all of it, I am grateful. I'm grateful for how these two lives have shaped mine and continue to do so day in and day out.

Family, Friends, and Full Hearts

It's been a month since I've updated the blog - whoops! Life has been FULL lately - in the best possible way - which means we have much to catch up on.

Being thousands of miles away from the friends and family we've known for years, decades, and lifetimes, means there is nothing sweeter than a visit from them! We've been so fortunate to have made some wonderful friends out here in Bellevue, but there's just something so wonderful about family and old friends. It's nourishment for our souls!

Back in April, my parents visited us for about five days. Katelyn happened to be off school that week for spring break, so we had more time to spend together. We had a great time playing at nearby parks and visiting some popular spots for the first time.

Check out this throwback re-creation! I took a picture of Gramma and Katelyn at the park that day and then remembered that I took a similar one almost three years ago (Katelyn was almost 2 1/2 - Kendall wasn't even born yet!). How fun is it to see them side-by-side?! Katelyn definitely looks older, but my mom continues to defy the aging process! (I hope I get hooked up with those genes :)

On Saturday, we took a day trip (our maiden voyage) to Bainbridge Island, WA. We rode the ferry there from Seattle (our car was transported on the ship, too) and it was about a 30 minute ride and one that commuters make into and back out of Seattle everyday. Not only was it fun to ride on a huge ship, but the views of downtown Seattle are second-to-none.

It was a beautiful, sunny day and just perfect for a little exploring. We enjoyed a walk along the water, looking at all the docked boats. 

Then we had lunch at a restaurant on the water, took a little hike (while Kendall napped in the car), and made our way to the main street area with shopping, more restaurants, and a popular ice cream spot called Mora. Yum!

 And these two couldn't resist the cutest little purple bench we ever did see!

The next day, we visited Snoqualmie Falls, which is a 30 minute drive east of Bellevue. It's a popular tourist spot that we had yet to check out. We packed a picnic lunch and enjoyed the sights and sounds (ahh, serenity…) of the huge waterfall.

As always, it was so nice to see Gramma and Papa! Considering it was their third visit in six months, we're feeling grateful and happy that the distance between us doesn't feel so far.

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Our next visitor was such a sweet surprise! One of our babysitters from back in Minnesota took a road trip out West and made it all the way to out to Seattle for a few days before heading back. She drove. By herself. She's in her early 20's. Did I mention she's independent and ambitious?!

We all had so much fun re-connecting with Marisa! The girls of course loved playing with her, sharing all about our life in Washington, and she even got to visit Katelyn's preschool. The first day, we took her down to Pike Place Market and had a girls-only dinner right on the waterfront (Michael was at work). We also visited Kerry Park lookout point with views of the Space Needle and the Puget Sound. 

The next day we took on Alki Beach in West Seattle for a morning visit and that evening Michael put the kids to bed while Marisa and I went to an event at our church called "Nights of Generosity" which included some amazing speakers (Russell Wilson of the Seahawks!), great music, and an inspiring message. We went out for dinner afterwards too - it was fun!

We also took her to Snoqualmie Falls. It's fun to visit the touristy spots time and time again with new people. I think we've taken each and every visitor to Kerry Park and it never gets old. Marisa and I also went on a little hike that afternoon and by evening, Michael and I were getting ready for a night out as Marisa graciously offered to watch the girls - just like old times :)

It was especially fun to go out that night because my cousin Patrick and his wife Sarah were in Seattle for the weekend! We met up with them downtown for some dinner and drinks. We had a blast catching up and the best news is it will hopefully happen again soon… they just moved here from Denver and we couldn't be more thrilled for them (and us - having family close by is such a treat :)

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The following weekend was Memorial Day and we were so excited to have two more special visitors: my dear friend Katie and her husband Luke all the way from Edina, MN! You might recall their wedding last year. They were celebrating their one-year anniversary with a trip to Vancouver, BC which is just three hours from Seattle, so they stayed with us for a couple days before heading north. I cannot tell you how thrilled I was to be able to see Katie in person. After nearly 16 years of friendship, this was a record-shattering 6-month drought since we had last seen each other. Needless to say, by the end of the weekend, my heart was full and quenched! We loved and cherished our time together.

On Friday, we stayed home and made our own pizzas for dinner and enjoyed some drinks, but most of all their company. The girls had fun making a human playground out of Luke and all of us had a blast catching up. Katie and Luke had spent the day exploring on their own, so they saw most of the traditional Seattle sights. The next morning we made our way downtown and took the ferry to Bainbridge Island. Here's a picture of all the kids :) before leaving the port.

It was cloudy, cool, and windy on the boat, but still a lot of fun. We had lunch on the island and then made our way back to Seattle. 

We had a sitter arriving around dinnertime for the girls and the rest of us had reservations at a restaurant right on the waterfront in Ballard (a neighborhood in Seattle). We made a quick stop at Kerry Park (surprise!) for some pictures and then were on our way to dinner. 

We sure had our share of laughs, as you can see!

Dinner was so special - not only was the company some of our favorite people ever, but the food was incredible too. A lovely, memorable night and weekend!

We feel so fortunate that our family and friends have supported us in this move and continue to do so as the months go by. It means the world that they would take time out of their (already busy and demanding) lives to come see what ours is like out here in Washington state. Life is made richer and fuller with friends and family in it, there's no doubt about that!