Happy 45th Birthday, Jonathan! We celebrated with friends on Saturday night. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a group shot at The Club, but I did get this of some of the guys hanging out at our place afterward. Zach, in the middle, has a birthday a couple days before Jonathan’s so we did a joint celebration.
Lunch at Paseo, in Issaquah
Marionberry pie!
We ran into friends during happy hour at Saints – where everybody knows your name!
We now have another adult living under our roof! It’s hard to believe eighteen years have come and gone since we became parents, but it’s true! Avery’s birthday was an emotional day for Jonathan and me. We woke up before any of the kids and each wrote Avery a heartfelt birthday letter, then looked through old pictures together.
We couldn’t be prouder of Avery. At eighteen, he is a good friend, a hard worker, driven to do his best, and a lot of fun to talk to! He balances school with sports, work, a girlfriend, personal interests and spends a lot of time with friends.
Avery’s favorite band is the Red Hot Chili Peppers, favorite solo artist is Kendrick Lamar. He enjoys following football, and of course, roots for the Seahawks. He doesn’t care for TV much, though he does play some video games with friends. Avery spends a lot of time in the gym or outdoors hiking, skiing, running, swimming and backpacking.
He is excited for college and has not decided what he wants to study yet, though he’s giving a lot of thought to the medical industry.
Happy birthday, sweet Avery Liam. We love you so much!
French toast for breakfast
Dalton stopped by to hang out and wish Avery a happy birthday.
We took Avery to 12 Moons Sushi at the Snoqualmie Casino, for birthday lunch, thinking he could do some slot machines on the way. We didn’t realize you have to be 21 to gamble at this casino because of all the bars, but he loved the sushi!
It’s ironic that Avery work his Red Hot Chili Peppers shirt to lunch. Kieron took a bite of the Thai Chili Pepper on his plate, and then Avery decided to eat his whole pepper, seeds and all. He subsequently started sweating, sniffling and drank all his water. Fortunately, he had creme brulee on the way to cool things down!
Last day as a seventeen year old!
It’s getting real!
A few old pics!
February is a short month anyway, but it went by fast. Jonathan and the kids did a lot of skiing! Layla and her friend, Millie are both fearless and do Black Diamonds together!
Mount Si High School Class of 2025! (Avery is in the middle, sort of in the upper left quadrant.)
Layla is playing rec basketball and loves it! She gets pretty aggressive on the court too!
Layla and I went to see Sleeping Beauty at Pacific Northwest Ballet
At the Boat Show
High school swim team was well underway and Kieron enjoyed his first season. This was senior night, where they recognized Hayden & Colin.
We had some late start days due to snow
Silas had a great season of middle school basketball
I went to Pullman to celebrate Papa’s birthday
We went out to Rico’s for birthday dinner
I volunteered to help at the school during a Pacific Science Center event. It was pretty cool!
Valentine’s Day 
Avery and I went to Bellingham for a college visit day 
My old apartment is still there! (It’s the one in the middle.)
We visited our friends, the Stryjak’s, at their new home in Arizona for mid-winter break. Silas and Layla came with us while Avery stayed home and watched over the pets. Kieron went to the Big Easy with Nana.
Niki and I walked most mornings
There was lots of pool fun! They just finished their pool a couple weeks before our visit.
Lunch at The Olive Mill while the boys work
San Tan Flat had a very cool, southwestern vibe
We spent an afternoon Revel Surf Park, a water park in Queen Creek. They had a man-made beach and surf lessons, but the big hit with our kids was jumping off a set of high jumps.
Jonathan had people cheering for him!
Go karts!
A little more fun at the pool before heading back to rainy Washington
Kieron and Nana went to New Orleans for his double digit trip. Here they are before they left.
The Muddy Mississippi
Trolley
Memorial for victims of New Year’s car attack 
They went to a WWII museum – P51 Mustang
Artillery Shell
Enigma Machine
M4 Sherman
Battle of New Orleans
Beignets at Cafe Du Monde
Steamboat Ride
They did a cooking lesson together. Kieron’s favorite was the artichoke and shrimp bisque
This is an online pic of an abandoned hospital they saw that is said to be haunted.
Jonathan and the kids were excited to get on the mountain in January. I can’t even count how many times they’ve all been up. Jonathan teaches on Wednesday evenings, Avery goes up at least a couple days a week with friends, and Jonathan tries to get the rest of them up a couple times as well. It’s fun hearing about all their progress how confident they are becoming.
Silas, Ethan, Layla & Clare met up one day.
I snagged these pics Scott posted from Andrew’s seventeenth birthday.
Avery, officially accepting WWU’s offer
We got together with our high school and college friends, Heather & Taber (and Heather’s hubby, Tim).
Avery took his brothers up one evening to go night skiing. They’re so sweet!
Kieron has had quite a few swim meets. His favorite events are freestyle and backstroke. 
Layla is quite the little basketball player and has no problem getting aggressive on the court!
Silas and his buddy, Ethan M, on the chairlift
Layla went up with her friend Shelby the other day
Look who became an American!
Putting together the Lego Nana gave her for Christmas,
Layla and Shelby snuck into my closet to try on high heels
Our friends who frequently watch Phoebe when we are out of town adopted this cute, Dottie!
Another swim meet
