Happy New Year!
We love putting together this annual blog post, reviewing all the highlights of the year, both in pictures & video. It reminds us of just how lucky we are, and it’s a welcome reminder, especially here at the end of the year when each day rushes by so fast. Hope you enjoy our video and some quick words about our family in 2019.
Logan (13)
OMG – we have a teenager in the house! Once Logan turned 13, Eric remarked, “Not a big deal. He’s been acting like a teenager already for years!” Ha! We love his free spirit, and we can see him growing in so many ways right before our eyes. He had a fun year of soccer, baseball and Junior Guards in the summer. Had a new experience with his first sleep-away camp which was on Catalina Island (we think he’s now got the bug for more). Of course, being a teenager, he’s increasingly wanting for more independence, and his favorite activities might be roaming the neighborhood on his scooter, eating in the Village with his friends or, no doubt, sleepovers. If you’re ever in a car ride with him, he’ll delight you with his singing at the top of his lungs (and we apologize – in advance – for some of the lyrics).
Vaughn (9 ½)
Baseball, soccer, flag football, basketball, baseball, baseball, baseball. Did we mention that Vaughn really likes baseball? It’s taken hold, and it’s super-fun to watch him play…any of the sports, really. Still loves his crazy socks, and he used to care about everything matching, head-to-toe. Not so much anymore, and the weirder the better. He’s helped Emily a bit with her murals which may have, in some part, inspired him to customize his own pair of Vans shoes! He loves his crew of friends, and if only he could have a play date…every day. Like Logan, he loves to scooter, looking-up new tricks on YouTube to perfect as quickly as possible.
Other Quick Hits
We finally got the kids to the snow this year, trying snowboarding for the very first time. I think they liked it just about as much as throwing snowballs at each other…and at us!
Emily has become a muralist for hire! Two years ago, she hadn’t ever painted a mural, and now she’s a registered vendor with Torrance School District, recently hired to paint her 3rd at Riviera. It’s inspired her art in so many ways, not to mention the desire to just do more of it. It’s helped push her into launching her new website which was a lot of work and, we think, a really nice result for the effort. Check it out at havetocreate.com.
Eric has become a bit of a Peloton addict, but that’s gotta be a good thing – right? (His doctor thinks so; but, in the spirit of full disclosure, he’s also an addict.)
He’s struggling with the depths that USC football has sunk to, while reveling in the glory that is Liverpool at the moment.
He’s trying to balance the reality of not a lot of time to play guitar with – like every guitarist – the never-ending desire to acquire more guitars (so far, it’s been held in check for almost 4 years now!).
We’d like to close this year with a nod to the “village” that helps us every day. As our kids expand their circle of friends, we are continually reminded of how grateful we are for the wonderful parents who are constantly having our kids at their houses, coaching them in sports, carpooling them, helping us divide & conquer as best we can. We’re fortunate to have a group of friends who have created a neighborhood that, indeed, feels like a village of people looking out for our family. We love you for it!
Here’s our annual video . . .
Cheers,
Eric, Emily, Logan & Vaughn