Terumi Pong

Happy December 1! Aren’t you thankful for kind strangers who offer to take photos? Are you this type? I don’t think we’d ever get as many family photos otherwise. (So thank you out there!) And I’m hoping to get our tree and decorations up this weekend too. It is pouring rain in Seattle for the first time in ages and I’m trying not to feel instantly gloomy so I’m planning on heading out for a bit of a shopping morning and also just wishing for snow in the mountains. Do you like snow too? And I’m starting to miss my pup-Scout has been hanging out with his grandparents in Canada and the house feels a little empty while he’s on his adventures. Scout absolutely loves it when it snows. Can you believe we’re into the last month of the year?

Sometimes we think we need to document just the milestone moments but I’m thankful for all the times that lead to our cozy at home moments too. #ad Like a mom and me trip to Bartell Drugs. We can easily schedule our vaccinations before our visit and that helps so much as a mom with busy teenagers. And I love that my teens still like to shop with me here. We always find locally made and cool, unique things when we shop together. This time my son and I found a @boeing puzzle, @lovepipsticks unicorn stickers (my niece and I both love unicorns) @marketspice tea (this is a tea shop in Pike Place Market), @la_panzanella crackers and chicken noodle soup, @skinnydipped almonds and I know some @starbucks hot chocolate with marshmallows made it into my basket as well. This time of year is perfect puzzling weather in the Pacific Northwest and I’m thankful that scheduling our vaccines here @bartelldrugs helps keep our family members safe and cozy this time of year too. (Vaccines are subject to availability. State, age & health restrictions may apply. Ask your pharmacist for details.) #bartelldrugs #bartelldrugspartner

I still find it so wild that we can just sit on a chair in a plane and find ourselves whisked to the other side of the world and back again and now that we’ve gotten home it feels like it almost didn’t happen as it has been so busy it still feels like I’m only getting ready for Monday again even though half the week has nearly blown by. Has it felt like this for you too these past couple days? But it’s still gloriously bright and clear in Seattle so I’ve been trying to take in as many of these sparkly moments as possible to fill up my bank of them to get myself through the darkest shortest days next month. Little pops of festive decor are starting to fill the city too. Do you have a bit of trouble with the dark days as well? Especially the really dreary wet ones we often get here this time of year. Those looming days are my inspiration for getting out and about like my life depends on it and I’m always hopeful that maybe we won’t have as many of them this year. 🤞🤞🤞(ps today is supposed to be a good weather one too.)

London in November with teenagers and unexpected sunshine and I am sad to leave so soon but I’m also thankful that we took a chance on a really short trip. (We are also seated by parents with a small baby on the plane who have gotten up 15 times while I watched a movie and have all the accoutrements that come with traveling with a new human and maybe because I’m feeling sentimental or because it was Thanksgiving or because I’m realizing more and more that we don’t get a ton of moments like this in life, I just want to whisper to them “it’s worth it” like the parents of teens that would often jump scare us from out of nowhere and tell that to us as sleep-deprived new parents but don’t worry I’m keeping my cool.)

Are you feasting and maybe watching football today? It’s apparently one of the driest Thanksgiving’s in Seattle that we’ve had and we’ve also had such gorgeous mornings in the city the past week for sure! I was brought back in time this week when @fujibakery sent me the sweetest message asking if I would like a few pies for the holiday and I thought about when we first visited-we’ve been stopping there since our time at Kelsey Creek Farm preschool when the boys were so tiny and Fuji Bakery was right near by (at the spot where @sandwich_house_tres is now-a place we also go to and love ) and it’s incredible to think about how small local businesses become such a big part of our lives. (And how we should remember them over the holidays too.) I’m so thankful how so many of you have also become a part of my days and memories and also my family’s lives. I am thankful that sharing stories and photos and ideas together makes the world feel smaller and safer and we learn so much from each other. We were lucky enough to spend a bit of time with my dad this week too (our family is all in Canada so we had Thanksgiving there last month) but if you happen to be in @visitcoquitlam at all this weekend, my mom has an art show happening there as well. We only have a few free days together as a family during the school year with our boys’ school schedules so we hopped on a plane on what we thought might be the busiest travel day we’ve ever experienced and it turned out to be so calm and enjoyable (thank you @flysea ✨✨) . We even managed to have a delicious holiday meal at the airport. It was unexpected and that made it all the more special and I hope that whatever you are doing this holiday and weekend you have a heart-filling one too. I think we all need all the joyful moments we can possibly find right now especially in this season and I feel so hopeful seeing my insta feed filled with so much good food, love and happiness the past couple days. Bring on the joy! Happy Thanksgiving!

For the 3+ hours we spent at the soccer fields today it was cold, wet and rainy but then on the way home we were met with gorgeous views from the highway and even a shimmery peekaboo view of the space needle as we drove through the city. It almost feels like we had two completely different days in one which also seems to happen often in our city. And because one of the games was also near @shopuvillage I managed to stop at @sezane and they had croissants and chocolat chaud for customers while we shopped. I love how magical this store makes shopping feel again and isn’t this the type of shopping we’re all looking for? Also @josnowbear who I was lucky enough to meet through this app surprised me with some delicious persimmons that she grew (and homemade baked goods too-thank you!) and the very same day @njooyounkim posted a persimmon pudding recipe from @nytimes and I’m a firm believer in kismet so I tried the recipe this weekend for my family and even though I exploded it a little in the oven it was ✨✨✨. (I also had no idea you could grow persimmons here. But I have memories of eating them with my grandparents this time of year as a child and they always felt very special.) This is the first time in years that my guys don’t have a full week off of school for the holidays. But I’m absolutely thankful we have next weekend free from sports. Did you spend time on some chilly sports field somewhere this weekend too?

Today we passed through the market when the light was so golden and Scout also got a haircut.

Mountains, family, friends, walks, puzzles, yummy food, market time, museums and soccer. (I should also mention it was one of those magical weekends where we walked into Fran’s chocolates and all of us got samples. ✨aren’t chocolate stores with samples the best kind of stores?) And how are weekends so soul-filling yet so incredibly short? PS we are getting the first bit of snow in the mountains if that kind of thing keeps your heart full in winter too.

Who are my afternoon tea fans? Reservations just opened for a festive holiday afternoon tea at @cafefloraveg in Seattle and this is such a dear to me spot in our city and I think you’ll find this such a special tea too. ❤️ I was invited to preview the menu and I’m hoping to revisit with my teens-we’ve been such fans of afternoon tea since they were small and this is a tradition I want to continue throughout our lives. (We head to London in a few weeks and tea is one of our plans there too but I haven’t had a lot of time to research. If you know where we should go I’d love to hear about it👇) The reservations at @cafefloraveg are for Dec 11-15 and December 18-22nd with seatings between 12-4:30pm and there are children’s tea options and vegan/gluten free options as well. The scones were scrumptious and the homemade jam reminded me of summer. And there were so many tea choices-I always choose creamy Earl Grey, but was tempted to try a few others. Also the wallpaper and decor here is so dreamy, it makes me feel like I’m on a holiday. I love thoughtful designed places like this that have beautiful, delicious food. Do you love afternoon tea too? #seattlefood #seattlefoodie #seattlemom #seattlefamily #seattleevents

Two sweet unexpected things that literally showed up in my life along with today’s sunshine (can you believe how sparkly it is outside today in Seattle?) @seattlechoc has the cutest Destination Holiday collection of chocolates this year and it was such a surprise to find them on my doorstep (thank you @seattlechoc 😘) and I think this is a great gift idea if you are also looking for made-in-Seattle gifts. I think I’m most excited to try the Holy Canoli truffle bar and I love all the art by @bodiljane it is so uplifting and colorful. And also if you are looking for a fabulous read I just finished a book by @njooyounkim called “What we Kept To Ourselves” and Nancy was part of the @real_simple weekend I went to a few weeks ago (and she is so dear in real life too btw) and I had no idea we would be getting her book before we went and then we even got a make-your-eyes-water preview read from @real_simple editor @laureniannotti so I was definitely intrigued. I don’t read many actual books these days, I’m more of a listening book reader now, but this one I stayed up late sneaking pages and so much of it spoke to my heart. I love the way some things just pop into our lives unexpectedly, just like the sun today or chocolates in the mail and make it for the better. (Have you read a book like this lately, or has something lovely happened that you weren’t expecting? We all need to hear a bit of good news and joy. How else do we carry on?) #madeinseattle #shopseattle #seattlechocolate #seattle_igers