For spring break, we took Everlong on a cruise down the Hood Canal. We based our days on the weather predictions, which were okay, but not glorious. Our first day we had a  somewhat rough crossing from Seattle to Poulsbo. Because of the winds and waves, we had to go diagonally, rather than straight across so we didn’t get rocked every which way. This, along with the chop, made the trip longer. The wind blew our burgee off, but we eventually made it to Poulsbo. The town was so cute and fun we decided to stay two nights (especially since we got in just before dinner the first day). There were lots of great restaurants and shops. The second day we met up with Avery’s friend, Henry, and his family briefly at Sluys bakery. They had taken the ferry over and happened to be heading there at the same time as us!

Just arrived in Poulsbo

“What is this oddity?!”

“A time machine?”

Movie night: The Theory of Everything

Skittish seal friends

These skies are looking better!

Getting pizza

At the maritime musuem

Sluys baked goods

There was a fun playground close to the marina

Truer words never spoken

These military planes didn’t show up on radar, so we came up with a secret mission they must be headed out on

Arriving at Pleasant Harbor Marina, a cute little place to visit. Has a shop, restaurant, pool & hot tub.

Exiting the marina at low tide. The channel was pretty narrow and shallow but we fit!

Next destination: Alderbrook, at the bottom of Hood Canal. We had the whole dock to ourselves! Jonathan and I had a dinner date there one evening and it was SO good!

Starlight, the starfish friend we found.

These seals were very curious

Our friends, the Greens, have a cabin just across from Alderbrook. The tide was super low, so we anchored on their side and took the dinghy over to visit for dinner one night.

DeAun, Matt and us

With Luke, Logan & Bennett

Our crazy kids jumped off the dock in to the frigid water!

Heading home. What a fun and memorable spring break!

Nana and Frank  visited over Easter weekend, which fell unusually early, March 31st this year. We lucked out and had beautiful weather. Jonathan had to teach skiing that morning, so the kids and I did eggs a la golden rod in the morning, and then Nana and Frank came and we dyed eggs. After Jonathan got home, we had an egg hunt and then we took Everlong to Bainbridge Island for some Proper fish and chips!

Making eggs a la goldenrod

Avery went to church with Erika, so it was just the four of us in the morning

Hot game of Uno!               

Trying out Daddy’s saxophone

Baking cookies
    

Egg hunt time!

Opening Easter baskets from Nana

Daddy’s birthday gifts from Nana

To Bainbridge we go!



 

An Eagle outside Eagle Harbor
 

At Proper Fish

The weekend prior, Silas and Layla did the pool egg hunt

Layla got the egg with a bunny in it, which meant she got one of the two Easter baskets!

With their loot

A few pics that were shared from Easter in Pullman

Here’s what we were up to in March:

Silas rocked it at his piano recital. We love his teacher, Jeanine!

Layla played at home, but did not want to go in front of an audience yet.

Silas had another season of basketball

Silas made quick work of the Lego car he got for his birthday

Layla loves her aerial silk

Pupacinos for Phoebe & Lucy

Kieron had fun at his buddy’s paintball birthday party

With friends, Becky, Heather, Dave & Laura

Layla had her first official gymnastics meet, the Bunny Hop   
  

High School Track kept us busy with meets

We took this pic to share with Avery’s ankle surgeon. So glad he’s up and running again!

Silas’ band performed along with the high school and other middle schools

Jonathan and Silas went Snowboarding together

We went to Dueling Pianos at Saints & Scholars with friends

Kieron and Silas had a Boy Scout campout

Layla and I had a girls weekend. We did spa treatments, listened to Taylor Swift, and had a fire of our own complete with s’mores

Avery being silly 

Layla loves playing with Avery’s girlfriend, Erika, when she comes over

Layla and Silas, plumber apprentices

Caroline and I went to see a comedian, Gary Meikle, in Tacoma
  

Gymnastics banquet celebrating their meet

Avery’s friend took this picture of him in photography class

These two had a date at the Daddy Daughter Dance

Another day, another track meet        

In March, we went to see Tim McGraw at Climate Pledge Arena with our friends, the Stryjaks. It was a great show!

Opener, Carly Pearce
  IMG_6330

My favorite

He ended with this one

It’s crazy to think Avery turned seventeen this year and has less than a year until he’s an adult. I feel like we were just bringing our first-born home from the hospital not so long ago. At seventeen, this kid makes us so proud. He is such a hard worker and really pushes himself academically. He’s a great teammate, and participated in cross country, swim team, and track this year. He’s got lots of great friends who we also enjoy having over, and he helps us with errands and driving his siblings around. Avery is also great to talk to and is known for writing the sweetest things in cards. Senior year is going to be a whirlwind, but we intend to soak up every minute of it before this boy spreads his wings and flies!

With Erika

An All Blacks jersey from Nana
 

Doing one of his favorite things

We celebrated with a party/sleepover with a few of Avery’s closest buddies

Lucas, Eli, Taylor, Dalton, Jones, Avery, Preston, Ethan, Parker, Ronnie, Crosby, Jacob, & Dallen

Last night as a sixteen year old