Last year right around this time, I put together an end-of-summer bucket list.  I wasn’t ready to part with summer and still felt like we had a lot more to pack in before the cool weather and rains set in.  This summer of seemingly endless sunshine has been a little different, and instead I’m feeling like a need to hold on to the memories we’ve already made.  So since August is the 8th month & our youngest’s 8th month in the world, I’m preserving 8 random memories worth celebrating and sharing from our full & glorious 31 days! Even if we’re now in the middle of September.

1. Happy Birthday to Slaed!

We celebrated the best dad and husband in the world with a hike around Discovery Park, plus lunch and peach slump at our beloved Chinooks restaurant.

2. New found stability with the Gorilla Pod!

Thanks to my awesome sister-in-law, I’ve had this tripod since last Christmas.  I’ve tried it out here and there, but really got to down to using it on our hike in Discovery Park.  It’s amazing what a little stability will do for a photo, and I’m hoping to continue to use it more.  Also helps me get into the picture!

3. Happy Anniversary to US!

To celebrate 6 years of marriage, Slaed and I got to participate (mainly just by eating) in a farm to table dinner out in the country in Carnation, Washington.  We met farmers who are part of the Experience Farming Project, a program designed by Sno-Valley Tilth to mentor and support beginning farmers.  The setting, situated among farming plots was dreamy, and the food both beautifully put together and as fresh as it could get.

4. Water play, refreshment & preschooler chores with the Aquabot.

Some time in July we received this curious looking water bottle from the folks at Lunatec.  The Aquabot allows you to spray your water, opening up a ton of possibilities for play and refreshment. I thought we’d have a bunch of water fights, messing around on hikes and in the backyard (we did), but the best outcome was seeing Bergen lend a hand in our garden.  The spray mechanisms makes watering the plants super fun for him, but also limits the amount of water that comes out in the most perfect way–the plants aren’t drenched, and no water is wasted from him spilling because the watering device is too heavy.

5. Happy Birthday to Bergen!

Our little man turned four on August 17th.  For months he talked about “Ride the Ducks”, and how much he wanted to take a trip around the city on the vehicle that travels on land and water, so instead of a party, he got to bring a friend (plus Gramma) along for a quintessential Seattle experience. The boys were completely enthralled, and us adults actually learned a few new things about our city. Did you know that Bill Gates paid for the mortgages of his neighbors? A Sounders game, Mexican food, and a raspberry chocolate cake were also a part of the festivities.

6. Scooters Rock!

Bergen received a this mini scooter from Micro Kickboard for his birthday, and it’s opened up a whole new world for us.  It took him just a day or so to pick up the new skill, and he’s been off on his own, “doing tricks” ever since.  Our almost daily afternoon walks are so much more pleasant because Bergen can travel faster and he’s not as distracted by every rock, stick, and flower along the way.

7. A precious small moment with Gramma & dahlias.

A few days after Bergen’s birthday, we were out exploring Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.  We visited St. Mark’s Cathedral and picnicked in Volunteer Park.  As we were leaving the park, we sneaked past the dahlia garden one last time.  Bergen was ahead of us, and as we turned a corner we were faced with dahlia blossoms strewn all over the ground–they were all in tact when we walked by at the beginning of our visit. My heart sank, and in a horrible mother moment, I thought Bergen (in his 5 seconds of lead time) had yanked the stems off the plants and thrown them all over! Not so.

Luckily I quickly realized that a master gardener was hard at work thinning the lot to make way for more blooms.  What a relief! And to top it off, she allowed us to take as many rejected flowers as we desired, so each of us put together a bouquet, and they brightened up our home for several days.

8. Soccer.

We attended several Seattle Sounders Soccer matches in August per our usual routine, but the soccer activity as a whole was turned up a notch with Bergen attending a week long day camp run by Sounders FC.  To cap off the experience, all campers were invited to Century Link field to sit in on a Sounders practice session, plus meet and greet and autograph signing with the players!

Fall is nearly here and we’re loving the cooler weather, but we’d love for you to tell us about one of your favorite August or summer memories!

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