Crazy it’s been a couple years since my last blog post.  What has happened….well, a PANDEMIC!  

    Who would have thought.  Not too long after my post about snow days and family time, there we were having complete family time in quarantine.   Regular life came to an abrupt stop.  All of the sudden there was no in person school, no sports, no theater, no work…there we were having to stay 6 feet apart from everyone no knowing if being outside around people was ok or even social distancing w a mask was ok.  It was hard not going to stores or seeing friends and especially not hugging my parents (except through a plastic shower curtain – and man, that felt so good after not hugging them for so long).  I’m not going to lie, I’m conflicted on many levels because there were so many people sick and struggling but I felt like it was truly a gift in many ways for us.  The memories are coming up on FB now and I can actually say we made the most of it.  

What’s new in the last couple years?  

We moved from our little place downtown and in with my parents.  It’s great, we’ve been looking for a house that would work for us all for many, many years and found the perfect one.  My folks moved in first and we waited until the remodel was done (created a private bedroom/office/living space for them that is ADA compliant for my dad.  I am loving the family dinners each night and having a cup of coffee with my mom in the mornings.  Everything seems to run smoothly and I know it’s the best experience for everyone.  There’s just something special about getting this time with my parents and I’m soaking it all in and I know the kids are also.  I feel quite blessed that it all worked out.  We are finally feeling settled.  Moving isn’t fun AT ALL.  My OCD makes me crazy and living w moving boxes/clutter all over the place really got to me.

Dee and I are busy with projects around the house – well, mostly I have a vision, make the to-do lists and buy the stuff that needs to be installed and Dee does the actual work to make my vision a reality.  I did build some outdoor furniture the other day…  She’s been working tirelessly on painting the exterior of the house and it is stunning.  She will be so happy when that project is done!

As for the kids….Levi earn his Eagle Scout, is a graduate and is now working full time as an electrician apprentice and learning the trade.  He enjoying it and comes home excited about what new thing he did almost every day.  He’s finding ways to balance work and fun and it’s pretty weird to have him leave before everyone else in the mornings to work instead of heading to school.  I’m so proud of his hard work and trying something new.  I think he’s going to like it and I’d be happy to have an electrician in the family.

Carlos is starting his senior year at BHS.  He’s commuting over to Bellevue 3x per week for soccer training (plus traveling all over for games) and still has soccer as a major passion.  He was the top goal scorer for his high school team – they went to state this year!  He worked for Clark Construction all summer in their internship program and loved it and is now interested in flipping houses.  He’s hoping to get a roster spot on a college team next year and work toward a business degree.

Trey is a Junior at Hyla High and made the Varsity Ultimate Frisbee Team at BHS.  He absolutely loves ultimate and is making some great friends and having a blast.  He’s also working at Starbucks and enjoying that.  He got to go to the Bahamas on a school trip last year and hopes to return at some point to intern there.  What an experience!

Erin is now a middle schooler – gasp!  Where does the time go?  It’s crazy that we had someone at Island School for the last 13 years and now that era is over.  She was nervous to start a new school, but she loves it.  Lots of her Island School friends are also at Hyla so it made the transition a bit easier.  She is an avid reader, always a book or two or three in hand.  She’s also gotten into bike riding around the new neighborhood and she can’t wait for spring softball to start.

That’s a wrap!  Now I won’t have to write a Christmas letter.  😂