2024 Year in Review

Here we are at the end of the year. I feel a bit like Spotify or Google Photos or something like that trying to summarize a whole year in one go. But, it's a good time for me to reflect and remember all the things we did and hopefully it will be a fun little trip down memory lane for you too. I'll try to be brief.

January

You started playing basketball. I wasn't sure you would like it but even from your first practice you had so much fun! You went on a field trip to Good Cheer Food Bank to deliver collections from the ASB food drive.

February

We got snow! I helped plan (and you got to enjoy) the PTA Glow Party. You helped raise money for Camp Kirby sweatshirts for the entire 5th grade through a series of bake sales (too many bake sales, some parents might say).

March

You turned 11 and received a letter from Hogwarts. We celebrated with a camping themed birthday party with your friends. We also celebrated Ares' 2nd Adoption Day and (theoretical) 5th birthday.

You were named Rookie of the Year by Coach Jenny & Weston. You played in the basketball Tulip Tournament in Mt. Vernon, and Dad helped coach. You and I went on an HCL field trip to the state capital in Olympia and even got to meet Governor Jay Inslee!

And we both supported Dad in his recovery from 2 herniated discs (ouch!).

April

We had a fun and fancy tea at our neighbor Kris' house. You and I were both very busy with Whidbey Children's Theatre's annual fundraiser, Raise the Curtain. Dad and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary.

We spent 3 days with the 5th grade at Camp Kirby and had a great time!

May

Grandma Tami came to visit! You completed your first official science project where you tested how much weight various liquids would hold.

June

You finished your HCL puppet show and got to perform it for your peers. You had your last day of elementary school (I only cried a little) and celebrated with your friends (the United Dragons of Whidbey, or UDW, a self-titled group) at the beach. A perfect end to a great school year!

July

We hosted your UDW friends and their families for the 4th of July. This is the first year the Freeland fireworks over Holmes Harbor were brought back and we were excited to watch from our deck!

You were named one of three winners (out of over 1,500 entries!) in a national creative writing contest for your story, Joseph and the River.

We finished out the month with a great run of Shrek, Jr., starring the best Ugly Duckling I've ever seen.

August

We traveled to Springfield to visit family at the Tolivers' house and had a great time! We got to swim, craft, visit some Abe Lincoln sites, and mostly just spend time with everyone.

I got a lot of great quality one-on-one time with you this month. We went back-to-school shopping, visited the Kleven family on Guemes Island, and took a short little overnight getaway to Bellingham!

September

First day of 6th grade AND middle school! You immediately dove right into all the activities you could handle and are staying busy with HCL, ASB, Math Olympiad, and Reading with Rover. I think you were ready for this change. You are loving the extra freedom of changing classes and managing your own schedule. After a slightly rocky start, you are now a seasoned pro with lockers. You have excellent teachers and, most of all, you are excelling in all your classes.

We also got a quick visit with Charlotte Gray and her family as they headed off to South Korea for two years. What a fun surprise since we hadn't seen them since 2020 in the California desert!

October

We had a fun, yet windy, visit to the pumpkin patch at Whidbey Farm & Market in Oak Harbor. For Halloween you dressed as The Enchantress from the Land of Stories, and I was the Queen of Hearts. We went trick-or-treating with Camden, as usual, then went to Nakota's house for dinner and trick-or-treating with the UDW families. It was rainy. It was cold. We were soaked. But everyone had fun (for the most part).

November

We endured another disappointing presidential election. You designed our family Christmas card. You had your first sleepover at Leah's house and had a blast. We enjoyed hosting Thanksgiving with Dad's friends Eric and Carissa. And you spent a lot of time (too much?) watching hamsters eat tiny foods on YouTube.

December 

You were the best Narrator 1 Frosty the Snowman has ever seen, and Grandma and Grandpa surprised you with an unexpected visit to come see you perform! You had a fun UDW gift exchange (during a power outage) with hot chocolate, cookies, and popcorn. Dad got me my biggest Christmas present ever: a new driveway. Leah came for a sleepover at our house. And The Britz Family rang in the New Year with our annual NYE dance party, or the two of us did anyway, Dad wasn't really feeling it this year.