A few weeks ago, I crowd-sourced on IG stories. This is, far and away, my favorite use of Instagram. And, as always, you guys came through when I asked Where is there a watering hole, stream, waterfall, child-friendly hike in Stowe?! Some of you said, “I’m going to visit Vermont! Please share what you find out!” So here I am, here’s the post, here’s the hike + waterfall! (And here’s one from our last visit too.) So thank YOU to those who shared Bingham Falls with me. Or shared anything with me, really. 
picnic at the park.
There’s a park nearby, I’ve mentioned it before, that boasts the greenest, cleanest lawn in town, some of the prettiest water views, and, most surprisingly, is the quietest. Once we were its only guests and the next time, just a photographer and the husband and wife she was shooting. It’s a bit tucked away and out of sight. No playgrounds or splash pads, the only activities are the ones you bring.
a (magical) stay at Stowe Mountain Lodge.
Oh, Stowe. You’re such a green, peaceful oasis in the Northeast. I love your hills, your mountain views, your long, winding roads, your bubbly streams, and your nature-loving people. This is only my second time there and it’s already so high on the list of places I want to return to again and again. It’s serene. Have you been? No? Go!
weekend links.
Well this is not the ideal way to end your summer vacation, but alas here we are. My poor buddy was running (overtired; I was moments away from putting him down for a nap.) away from Anders who wanted his toy. I was reading to Quinn and Nora (and simultaneously asking that he stop running!!). Instead of opening the baby gate, he climbed over it so Anders couldn’t follow, and he caught himself funny when he fell. We didn’t even know at first! He wasn’t crying much. But looking at it, it was obvious. Broken bone. Man. We’re thinking about wrapping him in a bubble now. He was so brave at the hospital when they had to set it and cast it (with anesthesia; and we couldn’t be right by his side for all of that…hardest part!!). Send us all your well-wishes for enduring the last month of summer with a broken bone!!
And here’s some weekend reading.
A week in Amsterdam.
We’ve been back for over a month, and now here I sit to finally recap this beautiful city while also forgetting the exact names of the places where we were. What kind of a blogger am I anyway? Time to pack it in, I guess. No, this city deserves a bit of time, from me and you, because it really is so lovely. What stands out most? In a word… CHARM. I think of Amsterdam now and I see the most beautiful, tall, skinny canal houses, bikes zooming past, and rows of restaurants with tables placed outside their doors just so. Amsterdam is really charming.
weekend links.
My little firemen. They take this so seriously and it is so entertaining to just follow them around and watch the looks on their faces, listen to the things they say. The one Anders is wearing was Parker’s birthday present when he turned 4, and then Nathaniel just bought Parker the new red one. Dress ups, all day long.
Some weekend reading…
five things I’m loving right now.
1. Summer humidity… if for no other reason than summer hair. Instead of blowdrying and trying to fight it, I’m just working with the humidity and letting it air dry. I’ve had a bunch of you direct message me like, “woah, curly hair?” and yes! I guess I do have sort of curly-ish hair–particularly in this weather. Others have asked what I’ve been using. Over the years it’s changed a bit, but what I’ve been using pretty exclusively this summer (and one of my favorites for the smell alone) is this sea spray. I just towel dry, spray it, scrunch, and go. That is truly it. It’s nice because doing my hair is probably my least favorite thing about the getting ready process. If I ever drag my feet to shower it’s because inevitably hair comes next. (Second least favorite getting-ready activity is doing my eyebrows. Is that weird? I hate doing them.)
2. This Instagram account. I so appreciate IG accounts that have a pretty sweet setup but are also transparent about the tough stuff and how all is not as it seems all the time (while also admitting that it can be and is often pretty awesome). This fits the bill, plus some crazy beautiful scenery too. Have I mentioned I am quite literally chomping at the bit to get to British Columbia? I’m pretty sure I have.
3. Probably these pajamas that we all need that are also on sale. I’ve wanted a pair like this–the sort of two-piece old school pajama forever and I still don’t own any. Almost yearly, usually wintertime, I put them in my cart at J.Crew and then decide against them because they’re too expensive and I can’t spend that much on pajamas.
4. The Alex Somers Captain Fantastic soundtrack. Will I stop talking about this movie? No. Never. Don’t ask again.
5. This zucchini ricotta galette. I usually stay away from anything dough/baking related in my cooking. Even when I make a chicken pot pie I use puff pastry. But this looks so good and I love zucchini in the summertime. Should I attempt it? How hard is this dough? Better question, who will make this for me?
happy 6th birthday, parker!
He’s six. Somehow, somewhere, enough days have passed to make this once pudgy little thing a tall, lanky six year old. Six. Six! When it was enough years to fit on one hand, it still made him my little guy. Now I feel like he’ll start rolling his eyes when I call him that, or not taking my hand as we walk into a new place. So far, he’s still taking it. And every time he does I think, “Oh, I’m so glad he’s still holding my hand.” It’s such a sweet, intimate act. We don’t say anything. My hand falls to my side, opens, and he takes it. Being a Mom is magic.
weekend links.
A friend and I met at our favorite farm yesterday for some raspberries and blueberries. It was so hot, but we did our pickings, and then got outta there. This weekend we’re celebrating PARKER’S SIXTH BIRTHDAY. I’ll refrain from going on about it now. Anyway, hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Some weekend reading…
lately.
It’s been forever since I’ve done a lately post, and they’re such a nice way to capture a whole bunch of things that we’ve been up to these days. We’ve been really busy, good busy, but really busy. I climbed into Parker’s top bunk the other night and started looking at a book on the planets with him. He starts rattling off the planets, “Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn…” in the correct order. He can’t read yet. So he’s reciting them because he just knows them. When did that happen? I asked him. “Parker, when did you learn these?” It’s strange when your kid goes to school and you realize that they’re learning things from other people not on your watch. I asked if he learned it there. He didn’t confirm. It’s a mystery. But it also was evidence of this: Time’s moving fast. A lot’s happening. Good stuff, but a lot of it.