Heyyy, friends!
Summer is in full swing and we’re having so much fun bouncing around all of our favorite local parks / playgrounds. We’re so fortunate to have so many green space options to choose from! If you’re local to the Greater Seattle Area (specifically the Eastside), I highly recommend following @bellevuewithkids on Instagram because she shares so many great spots that we would have never discovered on our own! We so appreciate her recs and they’re saving our summer. 🤪
Today’s Five Things are items that have piqued my interest or things that have been on my mind / going on in my life recently!
McDonald’s Snack Wraps
McDonald’s brought back a taste of my youth in the form of their Crispy Ranch Snack Wraps earlier this month and “I’m lovin’ it!”. 🤭 They’re just like I remember and give a good ol’ dose of nostalgia.
I’m not someone who loves heat so I haven’t tried the spicy wrap version, but the classic ranch is delicious! I wish they’d keep the wraps on the permanent menu because they’re sooo good! Such a fun treat to enjoy every now and then — grab one (or two!) before they’re gone!
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The Girls’ Birthday Party
We threw Sophie and Chloe’s joint 4th and 1st birthday party last month and it was so much fun! If you’re looking for some party inspiration, I shared posts for both Sophie’s Ballerina 4th Birthday theme and Chloe’s Bow 1st Birthday theme. They had such a great day and we loved celebrating them.
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SUMMER BEAUTY FAVES
I’ve been really leaning into a simple beauty routine for summer — heatless hair styling, simple skincare, [mostly] melt-proof makeup, and my anti-chafe favorites.
I just can’t be bothered to make any extra effort in the warmer months, and this goes for any tropical vacations as well. Well cared for, but minimally styled.
You can find the everything in my summer beauty bag here!
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NEW MACRINA BAKERY LOCATION
If you’re local to the Seattle area, you are likely very well aware of (and love!) Macrina Bakeries. I was THRILLED to find out that hey had expanded a bit closer to the Eastside by opening a Mercer Island location!
It’s a great little café — delicious coffee, excellent bakery / pastry offerings, and lots of indoor (and outdoor!) seating… including high chairs for those of us with littles! It’s so lovely and a perfect spot to work, chat with friends or even have an informal business meeting. Highly recommend, especially if you’d like to support local!
You can visit them at:
3051 78th Ave SE, Mercer Island, WA 98040
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COMMUNITY BUILDING
Right now, more than ever, it’s really important to get plugged into a local community group to help support one another with the resources we have available to us.
Due to the withholding of / changes to SNAP benefits, it’s made food even less accessible to those in challenging circumstances. If you are in a position to, please donate to your local food banks — in the Greater Seattle Area / King County we like to support Hopelink.
Donating to larger organizations (such as Feeding America, No Kid Hungry, and Blessings in a Backpack) is definitely helpful since the funds can be distributed across the country, but supporting your more immediate community is even more crucial right now. And while donating goods is perfectly fine, funds can go a LOT farther because food pantries can buy in bulk and receive discounts so please consider a monetary donation if you are able.
Additionally, if you have any goods to share with your community / neighborhood (garden-grown produce, fresh chicken eggs, etc), maybe you can donate those or even trade for other items and services.
No one is coming to help us — WE are the helpers.
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I hope your July was a good one, friends!
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie
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