Wow, I can’t believe how fast this spring flew by for our family! It was full of end of the school year activities and travels to Utah and Florida. We loved getting to watch Abby’s preschool program and how much she has learned this past year. Ethan finished 1st grade, and one of my favorite things is how his love for reading has developed. Now that the school year has ended, we are getting into our new routine and enjoying a quieter pace but have still made time for some fun adventures. Here are a few Things I’m Loving Lately:

1. The Lights Fest

The Lantern Festival in Thailand is on my travel bucket list, so when I heard that The Lights Fest was coming to our area, I got tickets as fast as I could. The kids stayed up waaay past their bedtime, but we had so much fun playing with glow sticks and eating our snacks while we waited for sundown. And the lighting itself was absolutely magical! Watching the lanterns float gracefully up into the sky all around us was so beautiful! If it’s in your area, definitely make a point to go!

2. Strawberry Picking

One of the benefits of living in the country is being close to farms to get local fruits and vegetables. It’s a summer tradition to visit a farm about 15 minutes from us to pick strawberries. We were able to pick quite a few in just half an hour! And as much fun as it is to pick the strawberries, it is even more fun to enjoy fresh strawberry shortcake!

3. First Loose Tooth

Abby recently announced that one of her teeth was wiggly. We didn’t think that much of it since Ethan’s first loose tooth lasted months. However, she wiggled it constantly for a few days and less than a week later it popped out with one pull! The Tooth Fairy was kind enough to stop by and leave her a little something. Although it seems like she must have been on vacation the first night as she didn’t make her stop until the 2nd night… #MomBrain 😉

4. Apple Blossoms

My family and I love picking apples in the fall at Stevens Orchard & Bakery, and their pies are amazing. Making pie crust is definitely not something I’m very good at, so it is a treat to eat their apple pies each fall. This year I did some Apple Blossom sessions when the trees were in bloom, and they were so much fun! I also had to squeeze in a few pictures of my kids too!

5. Salt Lake City

This spring I had the chance to travel to Salt Lake City for a photography retreat. It was special for several reasons. First, I was born in SLC and lived there for several years. I have a few hazy memories from our family’s time there, and it was surreal to see the same landscape as I remember from pouring through our family photo albums. It was also special because I got to meet some photography friends that I have gotten to know over the past couple years. Some I met through Instagram, and others through Clickin Moms. Finally, it was absolutely amazing to shoot along side photography friends and mentors. We went to Antelope Island for a gorgeous sunset session, and the next night we photographed a family on a nearby hillside with panoramic views of the city and lake. Check out my Facebook or Instagram pages for more from those sessions!

I’d love to hear what you’ve been Loving Lately and your favorite places to travel! To see what I was Loving last time, including one of our family’s favorite recipes, read here, and to see more of our Schanely family fun head over to Instagram and follow along:
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