First day of renovation

Cindy and I took a couple days to head over without the kids to the new house and put in some manual labor. We did a lot of painting and installed a new light fixture. Here are some before and after pictures of day one. 

Before 

After (really during...bye burgundy and old light)

Living room before 

During

After 

Rainbow transition

We visited the beach house yesterday with the current owners. It has been quite a lovely transition, even greeted with a rainbow off of Cape George to end the day. 

Writing!

Ermias put this entire sentence on paper by himself!

We closed today!

We officially own the Port Townsend house! Woot!

FaceTime

I'm in Utah for a work retreat. I love the fact that we can FaceTime, even if it is just a couple of days. 

These guys crack me up. 

Seahawks are going back to the Super Bowl

The first three quarters of the playoff game weren't looking good for the Seahawks. I had been publicly stating that I was hoping for a blowout because we had and appointment with the current owners of our Beachhouse starting only two hours for the game. I got my wish and left the Port Townsend bar sad and resigned to a Seahawks loss. Seahawks were down 16 to nothing. 

I felt my phone vibrate several times, but it wasn't until I finally took it out of my pocket that I realized they were tied at 18. With no TV and no other adults who appreciated football, we quietly took text updates from friends. 

But when the Seahawks finally won in overtime we both screamed and it wasn't until we got in the car that Cindy fully expressed your disappointment. Hahaha. Oh well. We have a new house and sometimes you have to make choices, or at least that is my story. We missed the best part of the best game ever, but we did get to enjoy a very nice evening with the current owners of the house that we close on Tuesday. We also got to meet many of the neighbors. 

On the way back across the water on the ferry Seattle was beautiful. My former building was lit up in a 12.

Our next dilemma is January 31, which is our 25th anniversary, and, coincidentally, the day before the Super Bowl. We are going over to the beach house, but somehow have to figure out how to stage an epic Super Bowl viewing. 

We are growing teenagers

Man of the Match

When Masons soccer team plays a scrimmage Coach Michael announces who is titled Man of the Match. Mason received the honor at the last match. Michael got the guys together and said "Mason is the man of the match but do you guys know why?" 

Each kid raised their hand and said things like "Mason was hustling all over the field," and "even if we made a bad pass he would say 'good try, let's get it next time.'"

After everybody raised their hand Mason asked Michael what he could do to get on the A team. He told him "you keep doing what you're doing. You drive, you drive for it. Other people just try." 

Opposites

Sports Saturday

Mason and Ermias had basketball games, Kenzie had her first indoor soccer game. We were late to two out of the three, as I am just back from a five-day New York trip, and one day away from a Utah trip, and we are otherwise in a mild state of chaos as our living room is a staging area for everything going to the beach house (that becomes ours on Tuesday). Regardless, we made it and the kids are each playing great and having fun. 

Ermias understands the game of basketball! He smiles the whole time as he guards his guy, watches the ball, and makes a bee line for the hoop when he gets a chance. We are amazed at the difference a year makes!

http://youtu.be/4miRm8B1FgA

Sounders camp

Mason and his buddy Tyler are spending the week at a Sounders soccer camp. As more time goes on I wonder if he is better sized for football, but we are still holding out hope for soccer.

Kenz is seriously outnumbered

Purple Hippos

Mason helped name his team "Purple Hippos." I never thought about it much until today. While Mason's team is almost all big and tall, the other team had a few small players. One of them has played soccer with Mason and is the size of many of the smaller soccer kids. He and Mason defended each other for one quarter and it was pretty physical, with Mason having the advantage of body mass. Later in the game the same kid lost a rebound and ended up at the bottom of a pile of Purple Hippos. They had to stop the game while the kids mom came onto the court and helped him up. After the game the mom came up to me and said "Purple Hippos huh? Is that because they're all big? And bruisers?" I am not quite sure if she was joking...