Well. This summer was one FOR THE BOOKS. Neither Mike nor I would have ever guessed in one million years the crazy twisty turning road this year has been. I know the entire globe is feeling that way. What I can also say is that the Spead family decided to ‘lean into’ the crazy and do what Mike says best: made COVID lemonade. We saw a window of opportunity and pushed ourselves through it. After losing Mike’s mom this year, both of us took a pause. Did some reflecting. Thought about what matters most and how the choices you make shape your ‘one wild and precious life.’ And now here we are. In a brand new state. With brand new neighbors, climate, and culture. Surrounded by family who drop by unannounced, sometimes to pound a wooden turkey into your front yard. Why?? Because they CAN. They live 8 minutes away. (Thanks Kay Kay!!) So how did we get here? Two rational, risk-adverse people who just up and moved? Yup.

But to back up…

In May…

We had a baby, hosted Mike’s family at our house, started parental leave, and got used to being a family of five.

We enjoyed our sweet (simple) life with our park picnics, after dinner popsicle walks through our ‘secret garden,’ and sunny afternoons in our tiny backyard pool.

Caroline and Mike painted the train table ‘colorful green’:

Harrison got showered with love and kisses by these two. Think they’re fascinated??

Nowhere to be and nowhere to go. Play, nap, snuggle, repeat.

Best buddies, these two.

Thank you May for our sweet new family member and our (relative) calm!

In June…

Harrison got his first sink bath and a lot more snuggles. We took the entire family to a drive through zoo safari and I loved it…the kids liked the bumpy road on the way to the zoo the best. We went strawberry picking (and bonus! Got to chase chickens!). Harrison grew and grew each week in true newborn fashion. The girls loved to hold him.

Why, hello there llama. Vivi wanted nothing to do with this guy.

First bath! Don’t judge that it took us so long…third baby 😉

Vivi enjoyed the hot-as-blazes strawberry picking farm we drove to one day…

And Caroline enjoyed the picnic part and the chicken chasing part…here she is explaining why she should get a special treat…

She chased chickens for an hour then actually caught one!

Vivi preferred to hide from the chickens. Feathered friends indeed!

We spent lovely ordinary summer days around our house and neighborhood:

Our new normal. I guarantee it took 27 minutes to even get out the door for this picture to happen. And we probably lasted 10 minutes.

I love this yard and the sweet smelling grass and squeals of laughter that happens when the sun starts to set and the big red ball comes out.

Caroline doing “science” AKA mixing oil and water in Mommy’s wine glass…gahhh.

Third child. For sure.

Things got crazy in mid-June. We wanted Harrison to meet Kay Kay and Pa, Matt & Tommie, and Louis…so we decided to drive (15 hours!!) to FL. Yes with our 3 week old baby, because we are nuts like that. Can’t you just see the excitement on Mike’s face?? Hee hee.

The long drive was worth it the minute we saw this scene. The first people to hold Harrison aside from me, Mike, Suelen, and Grandpa Harry.

And this, too…nothing like cousins.

It was so great to see everyone. Matt and Tommie are the most amazing hosts. We planned to stay for two weeks. Then we talked about renting a house for all of July, which would have been pricey and Matt and Tommie generously offered to continue hosting. We tried to show our appreciation by keeping Matt’s bar well-stocked. It was a tough job!

We spent a LOT of time in pools. And drinking. And drinking in pools 😉 The kids spent a lot of time on this awesome slide.

We celebrated all the dads in our bubble on Father’s Day (Louis came down to visit too!) with Donut Breakfast, a feast at The Meat House, and by renting the most fantastic blow up water slide and going down it 873000 different ways and that many times.

Father’s Day Morning breakfast pictures! We love Daddy! Yes, even in spite of Vivi’s face 😉 She was trying to scheme her way into a second donut I’m sure.

There we go. You’re welcome, Dads. #bestfathersdayever

And who can forget fine dining??

Meet the esteemed Meat House staff. Head maitre’d Preston and his loyal apprentice Caroline. She even flawlessly delivered her one line, “Watch your step.” Yes the bows were her add. However did you guess??

We did family pictures on the beach where tears happened and tiny marshmallows were doled out as bribes to stop said tears. We went boating, spun Caroline (and eventually Suelen!) around the lagoon on ‘Big Mabel Label Maker’ and did many diaper float drinking nights off the back of the boat.

Meanwhile, Harrison turned 1 month old and earned the nickname “the Littlest Wee” since he is the youngest cousin. Caroline calls him Little Buddy and Wee One. 🙂

Vivienne became obsessed with Baby Beluga and wearing goggles on her head.

Each and every day was an adventure at Betancourt Resort Daycare and Academy of Excellence. Reading, crafts, bike rides, pool time during the days. Days were broken up with naptime, Happy Hour, Kid Dinner, Kid Bedtime, then Adult Dinner. Everyone pitched in and made it work!

There were just so many children! Where did they all come from and when are the parents coming to take them home?? 😉

June in FL was amazing. Being around family was amazing too. So then…we then decided to MOVE here. Yes, that’s right. To FL. I was drinking a lovely vodka lemonade in the pool when Mike showed me a house for sale here. He does this all the time and I always laugh it off. This day, I didn’t. This day I said let’s go take a look. I think we should move here. Tommie said, “let’s have another cocktail!” And Matt yelled “It’s a PANDEMIC!” And thus the wild ride began. We started house-hunting, and the rest, as they say, is history. Not to say it was easy–it wasn’t. But it was happening…