sweet 2016
...can some one pinch me? i swear i was just writing my 2015 recap. every year seems to fly by faster than the last. i suspected that 2016 would be less eventful than 2015 and i'm happy to report that was indeed the case. not that 2016 was boring - quite the contrary! it was a fun year with tons of travel and way fewer life changing experiences than 2015. it was just what we needed, a sense of normalcy.
this is my seventh (holy crap!) yearly recap on the blog:
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015
this is my seventh (holy crap!) yearly recap on the blog:
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015
january
we kicked off the new year with a trip to golden gardens with our friends chrissy, zach, and eli to watch people throw their christmas trees in bonfires and run into the freezing cold sound. we drove into the cascades to see the snow (so much snow!). we spent a weekend in portland hanging out with our friends ian, joanna, and kyla who were in town from minneapolis. we went to the model train exhibit at the pacific science center, and got to meet our friends mark and tina's new baby emily! flowers started coming up from the ground at the end of the month (what the?!). winter in the pnw does not suck! :)
february
february 1st marked 6 months since my dad's death. later in the month, i got to see ladysmith black mambazo in concert thanks to my friend chrissy having an extra ticket, azalea and i went to her friend elliot's 4th and audrey's 5th birthday parties, ashford had his 2 year check up, uncle anders visited for a few days, then went to laos where he proposed to his girlfriend nith (yay!), we celebrated valentine's day with the kids, we visited the children's museum for the first time and uncle anders came back through town again once again.
march
in march, we visited richmond beach for the first time and fell in love with its beauty, our friends chrissy, zach, and eli left for their 2 year move to germany (sad face), thatcher and azalea went to see the cherry blossoms at uw and the new light rail station, azalea turned 5 and celebrated her birthday with preschool friends at the children's museum, easter was the day after that and we celebrated with our friends mark, tina, and baby emily at their house in bothell.
april
in april, we went to the tulip festival at roozengaarde and then went up to bellingham for lunch, we had some very warm days (80 degrees!) spent at the beach and wading pools, azalea started a dance class at the community center, we took day trips to kirkland and edmonds for the first time, thatcher's aunt and uncle came down from alaska and we did a full day of ferry rides and island exploring with them, other visitors this month included our friend sarah k (who was in town for work), our friend rachel and her son andrew (who were in town for her husband's work), and my brother. thatcher was gone for a work conference in philly for 4 days and my brother was here during that time, so it was great timing for me! azalea had her 5 year check up.
may
i had a pedicure/brunch date with my mama friends, our family celebrated mother's day with a delicious breakfast and a morning at carkeek beach, azalea had her mini dance recital, we did a date night swap with my friend vanessa and her husband (which was awesome), went to a brunch potluck at my friend heather's house, thatcher took the kids to carkeek for his co-worker's daughter penny's 3rd birthday, we went to our first syttende mai parade in ballard, my mom visited and we took her around to lots of different places and restaurants, including richmond beach on memorial day. our friends kathy and garry also came up from portland for a visit when she was in town.
june
june was non-stop fun! we watched the bike race in our neighborhood, checked out myrtle edwards park for the first time. we traveled back to minneapolis for 9 days (filled with spending time with friends and family, celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary and my 10th work anniversary, thatcher's 34th birthday and my brother's 30th birthday, and hitting up our favorite restaurants). it was a wonderful trip! the day after we got back was father's day and we went to richmond beach, ashford turned 2.5, and a few days later was azalea's preschool graduation. the last weekend of the month azalea had a 5th birthday party for her friend juniper and we took a day trip to deception pass state park and whidbey island. whew, june!
july
on july 1st we went to canada day party thrown by our canadian friends vanessa & matt, i celebrated my 32nd birthday with happy hour with my mama friends followed by cake and presents with thatcher and the kids, we rode a miniature electric train and went hiking in mt. baker-snoqualmie national forest on the 4th, we explored south lake union and thatcher went on a day hike in the mountains with two of his co-workers, we watched thatcher's co-worker sing in her cover band in issaquah with the kids, we took a trip down to portland (the drive took forever!) and stayed with kathy and garry. we also spent time with thatcher's cousin lloyd and his wife jammie. our friends becky, jeromy, linnea and britta came from minnesota for a week and stayed in an airbnb just 2 blocks away from us. we had an amazing week showing them our favorite places around seattle and spending lots of time together. azalea started swimming lessons.
august
august 1st marked one year since losing my dad. i went out for dinner with friends becky and vanessa, who both understand the heartache of losing a close family member to cancer. thatcher went on another day hike with co-workers, we went to a kindergarten meet up at the park, azalea and i had a 'back to school' shopping date, my grandma gin passed away at age 94 and unfortunately i was not able to make the trip to nj for her funeral, my college roomates sarah and heidi (and heidi's husband chad) came from minnesota for a long weekend, my cousin lindsey got married in georgia but i was not able to make that trip either, i co-hosted kelli's bachelorette weekend in seattle, azalea took a trip to the er after falling off the couch and cutting the back of her head open...and started jumpstart kindergarten the next morning (what a trooper!). thatcher and i got a date night thanks to another swap with vanessa and matt.
september
we kicked off labor day weekend with a trip to bellingham, whatcom falls park, and apple picking at jones creek farm. we also got to see our friends mark, tina, and emily after way too long. azalea started kindergarten (and soccer!) and has loved it from day 1, we went to my friend allison's daughter's 4th birthday party at ella bailey park & my friend heather's son's 4th birthday party at carkeek park, ashford and i started parent-child swim lessons with our friends vanessa and ewan. we went to "back to school night" at azalea's school, thatcher took the kids on a special train ride from everett to downtown seattle, thatcher went on another day hike with co-workers, my mom came to visit for 5 days and we took her to swanson's nursery, ella bailey park, and volunteer park, snoqualmie falls, and gold creek pond. thatcher and i also got to have a date night at a nice restaurant downtown on one of the waterfront piers when grandma was in town.
october
october was another crazy month! ashford peed in the potty for the first time ever (but we still haven't officially started potty training yet - soon!), thatcher traveled to san francisco for work and re-connected with his old roomate nick, i took the kids to open swim at ballard pool, went to a pumpkin patch called "the farm at swan's trail" with vanessa and family, i went away for a weekend to the suncadia resort with my mama friends where we relaxed and enjoyed every second of our freedom, we all attended my friend erica's son's 4th birthday at their house, thatcher's mom came into town and i traveled to minnesota by myself to be matron of honor in my best friend kelli's wedding, i got back the day before halloween and we celebrated with a "harvest party" in azalea's class room and trick or treating with our friends in phinney ridge neighborhood for the second year in a row.
november
we went to a pta-sponsored party for azalea's school at the community center, took the kids ice skating for the first time, we were delivered the depressing blow of donald trump being elected president (i'm still worried about what it will mean for our country's future), ashford and i met up with last year's preschool mom friends at a royal drummer coffee shop, i traveled alone to new jersey for the first time in 4 years to visit my family on my dad's side. it was so healing to see them all after not being able to attend my grandma's funeral in the summer. we always have so much fun together, it makes me sad i don't get to see them more often. thatcher left us for 11 days to travel to southeast asia for his brother's wedding. he had an amazing time and i was a little jealous i did not get to experience it myself, but it was not possible logistically. my aunt cindy was my hero and came out to seattle for 5 days to help me with the kids. azalea was off the whole week of thanksgiving, so there was lots of time to fill. we enjoyed having cindy with us for thanksgiving and i even made a small turkey dinner for us. the weekend after thanksgiving we decorated for christmas and i took the kids to see santa (in a yurt!) at swanson's nursery. they both loved him :)
december
oh december, you are my fav! we were so happy to start the month with thatcher back in town, i went out for a holiday dinner with my mama friends at bramling cross, we went to the seattle aquarium for the first time as a family thanks to free passes, i took azalea to her buddy tyler's 6th birthday party (bowling!), it snowed a couple inches in seattle for the first time in years - school was delayed 2 hours, and the snow lasted all of 24 hours, azalea attended "parents' night out" at her school and thatcher and i took ashford out for dinner, we went to a christmas choral concert that thatcher's co-worker chris performed in, i celebrated my friend erica's 40th birthday with a karoake party, the kids and i traveled to mn for 6 days where we experienced 20 below temps, saw lots of friends and family, and celebrated ashford's 3rd birthday. we got back just in time for some last minute christmas prep (and squeezed in as much chistmas everything as possible). we celebrated christmas eve with appetizers and how the grinch stole christmas movie, and christmas day with santa gifts, a trip to carkeek beach for thatcher and ashford (and a nap for azalea and me) and a ham dinner with a side of family skype dates :) my heart was full! the only thing left to cross off on our 2016 list is new years eve with our friends vanessa, matt, and ewan.
2017, here we come!
august
august 1st marked one year since losing my dad. i went out for dinner with friends becky and vanessa, who both understand the heartache of losing a close family member to cancer. thatcher went on another day hike with co-workers, we went to a kindergarten meet up at the park, azalea and i had a 'back to school' shopping date, my grandma gin passed away at age 94 and unfortunately i was not able to make the trip to nj for her funeral, my college roomates sarah and heidi (and heidi's husband chad) came from minnesota for a long weekend, my cousin lindsey got married in georgia but i was not able to make that trip either, i co-hosted kelli's bachelorette weekend in seattle, azalea took a trip to the er after falling off the couch and cutting the back of her head open...and started jumpstart kindergarten the next morning (what a trooper!). thatcher and i got a date night thanks to another swap with vanessa and matt.
september
we kicked off labor day weekend with a trip to bellingham, whatcom falls park, and apple picking at jones creek farm. we also got to see our friends mark, tina, and emily after way too long. azalea started kindergarten (and soccer!) and has loved it from day 1, we went to my friend allison's daughter's 4th birthday party at ella bailey park & my friend heather's son's 4th birthday party at carkeek park, ashford and i started parent-child swim lessons with our friends vanessa and ewan. we went to "back to school night" at azalea's school, thatcher took the kids on a special train ride from everett to downtown seattle, thatcher went on another day hike with co-workers, my mom came to visit for 5 days and we took her to swanson's nursery, ella bailey park, and volunteer park, snoqualmie falls, and gold creek pond. thatcher and i also got to have a date night at a nice restaurant downtown on one of the waterfront piers when grandma was in town.
october
october was another crazy month! ashford peed in the potty for the first time ever (but we still haven't officially started potty training yet - soon!), thatcher traveled to san francisco for work and re-connected with his old roomate nick, i took the kids to open swim at ballard pool, went to a pumpkin patch called "the farm at swan's trail" with vanessa and family, i went away for a weekend to the suncadia resort with my mama friends where we relaxed and enjoyed every second of our freedom, we all attended my friend erica's son's 4th birthday at their house, thatcher's mom came into town and i traveled to minnesota by myself to be matron of honor in my best friend kelli's wedding, i got back the day before halloween and we celebrated with a "harvest party" in azalea's class room and trick or treating with our friends in phinney ridge neighborhood for the second year in a row.
november
we went to a pta-sponsored party for azalea's school at the community center, took the kids ice skating for the first time, we were delivered the depressing blow of donald trump being elected president (i'm still worried about what it will mean for our country's future), ashford and i met up with last year's preschool mom friends at a royal drummer coffee shop, i traveled alone to new jersey for the first time in 4 years to visit my family on my dad's side. it was so healing to see them all after not being able to attend my grandma's funeral in the summer. we always have so much fun together, it makes me sad i don't get to see them more often. thatcher left us for 11 days to travel to southeast asia for his brother's wedding. he had an amazing time and i was a little jealous i did not get to experience it myself, but it was not possible logistically. my aunt cindy was my hero and came out to seattle for 5 days to help me with the kids. azalea was off the whole week of thanksgiving, so there was lots of time to fill. we enjoyed having cindy with us for thanksgiving and i even made a small turkey dinner for us. the weekend after thanksgiving we decorated for christmas and i took the kids to see santa (in a yurt!) at swanson's nursery. they both loved him :)
december
oh december, you are my fav! we were so happy to start the month with thatcher back in town, i went out for a holiday dinner with my mama friends at bramling cross, we went to the seattle aquarium for the first time as a family thanks to free passes, i took azalea to her buddy tyler's 6th birthday party (bowling!), it snowed a couple inches in seattle for the first time in years - school was delayed 2 hours, and the snow lasted all of 24 hours, azalea attended "parents' night out" at her school and thatcher and i took ashford out for dinner, we went to a christmas choral concert that thatcher's co-worker chris performed in, i celebrated my friend erica's 40th birthday with a karoake party, the kids and i traveled to mn for 6 days where we experienced 20 below temps, saw lots of friends and family, and celebrated ashford's 3rd birthday. we got back just in time for some last minute christmas prep (and squeezed in as much chistmas everything as possible). we celebrated christmas eve with appetizers and how the grinch stole christmas movie, and christmas day with santa gifts, a trip to carkeek beach for thatcher and ashford (and a nap for azalea and me) and a ham dinner with a side of family skype dates :) my heart was full! the only thing left to cross off on our 2016 list is new years eve with our friends vanessa, matt, and ewan.
2017, here we come!
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