Snow !

On Thursday night (Dec 8) we got a bit more than a dusting of snow overnight. Most of the local school districts were either closed or two-hours late, but Bellevue was strong and was able to open on time! Yea!

A few flakes falling from the sky on Thursday night

First Day Skiing Winter 2016

Snow came right on time this year, with a big storm dumping on the Cascades. We went up to Mount Baker on the day after Thanksgiving with lots of snow on the ground. Jack and Henry got a lot of runs in, from Blues to Blacks. A great first day of skiing!

Thanksgiving 2016

Joseph returned from his first year at Ann Arbor for Thanksgiving weekend. We had our usual busy Thanksgiving day - Turkey Trot in Issaquah in the morning, followed by lots of cooking and our family football game, Rodgers Bowl.

Start of 2016 Issaquah Turkey Trot

Canyoneering and More in Arizona

Over Veteran's Day weekend, Dad, Jack, and Henry flew down to Phoenix to do a bunch of fun outdoor activities.

The main activity was canyoneering on Friday, where we had a guide take us into a canyon, where we repelled down four different areas, ranging from 30' to 70' down, and then hiked around, and climbed up. It was a beautiful 70-degree day and the canyon was beautiful.

The second day in Arizona we went down to Saguaro National Park, which has a large concentration of cactii and also some petroglyphs to hike to.

Jack rappelling down the first canyon wall, about 30' down

Henry rappelling down the same canyon

Henry getting ready to rappel down the second wall

Walking through the canyon

Beautiful view

Nearing the end of the canyon

Saguaro National Park

At Sagauro National Park

Parents' Weekend in Ann Arbor

Eight weeks in to his college career, Joseph is doing great in Ann Arbor. All four of us flew out to Michigan for a long weekend to visit. There were some organized activities from the University (we toured the Engineering School), we got to have some nice family dinners, and did some fun things around town (nice bowling alley and arcade), and of course we attended the Michigan football game. Michigan is the #3 team in the country, and easily beat Maryland 59-3.

Touring Central Campus on a beautiful Fall day

"The Big House"