Growing Up Grigsby : It's All About Summer

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Summer is a fleeting season here in the Pacific Northwest. Sometimes not showing up until late July, but other times, the weather turns warm as early as late May!

This year, we were still a bit chilly right up until the end of June, but finally, the skies have cleared, and it's sunshiny and warm enough to enjoy the season!

I love summers here. It's rarely hot, which is perfect for fun outdoor activities. Hiking, swimming in one of the many lakes, or taking a walk along countless miles of either sound or coastal shoreline are favorites for us.

Our yard is too small for a pool, so my favorite local swimming spot is Silver Lake, just about 2 miles from our home. It has a sandy beach, grassy area for playing, a large playground, an ice cream stand, and clear water perfect for cooling off on warm afternoons. I've already taken Sara, and she had a great time!

Sara discovering sand for the first time.

Heading out to the beach alone with an almost toddler can be daunting, but I made sure I had enough supplies packed for a few hours, and hoped for the best. And sure enough, everything worked out great! Sara loved discovering sand, throwing it everywhere, and then splashing in the lake water! We had so much fun, we'll be sure to go back several times this season!

Yum! She loves her cold food pack!

Easing into the still chilly water!

She's decided that this is fun!

My parents have a house on the Olympic Peninsula, which is great, and conveniently located next to tons of fun summer activities! The Olympic National Park is just a few minutes away, offering anything you can think of! Mountain hiking at Hurricane ridge, the Hoa Rain Forrest, Sol Duc hot springs, and my absolute favorite place on the peninsula, Lake Crescent!

A very large and deep mountain lake, Crescent has crystal clear turquoise water, as blue as the Caribbean, and perfect for boating, paddling, swimming, and everything in between! We took Sara a few weeks ago, but sadly, the weather hadn't turned yet, and it was still cold and rainy.

First time at Lake Crescent, she's quite amazed!

Taking it all in.

Discovering new sights on her first ferry ride!

Now that it's warmer, we'll have to make a trip, or several back to the peninsula! And this is the time of year that the lavender fields bloom, so we'll have to visit some of the many lavender farms in the area. I'm thinking a stay of several days will have to be on the itinerary with so much to see and do!

And of course, Summer is a time for vacations, and we have one coming up soon east of the mountains that we're so looking forward to!

Although our summers here can be short, there's so much fun that we can pack into these short, warm weeks, and I'm so looking forward to sharing Sara's first full summer with her!