Hello loves! I decided a good old fashioned update post was long overdue, so here it is! This was my son Bixby's first year in a new school, in a new state, on a new coast, and it went really well. Phew! As a mom, I was really nervous at the beginning of the year — for all the usual reasons — but also because we had just moved from the east coast and he was still recovering from a broken arm that refuses to heal and with an end-of-June birthday, he would be one of the youngest in the class. I feel so lucky that we ended up with a wonderful teacher who made this sensitive transition as easy as pie. Teachers are the best! More updates and random thoughts ahead...

- Over the weekend we went to Pinnacles National Park with a few other families to celebrate Father's Day. It was gorgeous, but so hot! The kids ran wild, got bitten by fire ants, and chased each other with water guns - so, good times! We're already thinking of a trip next year in April when hopefully the weather will be more mild. I would love to visit all of the National Parks with my family before Bixby grows up!

- Lately we have been loving Charlotte's Web as a read aloud, and as we approach the end with (spoiler alert!) Charlotte's death, I find myself walking that delicate line between having a rich discussion about a big topic, yet also wanting to protect him from all of the awful things in the world.

- With so much horrific news lately, I feel more than ever the need to teach him about how all of us humans are the same underneath, and deserving of respect and safety and love. I've been eyeing this book lately, it looks like a wonderful resource for children's literature from around the world. 

- And now...my adventure boy is turning SIX! Birthdays are a BIG DEAL around here. I love my own birthday, and I am happy to stretch out family birthday celebrations for as long as possible. We had a chemistry party with his friends a little early, and he has requested lobster (!) and refrigerator cake for his family birthday dinner. I'm feeling the urge to spoil him rotten this year because last year was such a hard one: we had just sold our house and were living out of suitcases when he broke his arm...two days before his birthday party, which meant he was recovering from surgery instead of playing with his friends.

- To encourage his adventurous spirit - and learn some new wilderness skills along the way - I've signed us up for The Wild Explorers Club. Have you heard of it? It's sort of like scouting, but it's online! You get weekly assignments, a monthly kids' adventure magazine, and then you earn animal badges (which they send you in the mail) when you complete a level. It sounds fun! We can't wait to get started.

- Also: it's summer! I enrolled in Artful Parenting 101 to inspire more creating + making around here this summer, since we have some extra free time. We are in week 2, and so far I'm loving it! I'm also compiling a great big Summer List to share with you later this week, so stay tuned for that. :-) 

I would love to hear from you - what have you been up to lately? What's on your mind? Are you home with kids this summer, or is everyone as busy as ever with work and summer camp?