2019 Year In Review

Published December 7, 2019

A year of transition

When I look at the milestones of 2019 — settling into a new home, exploring new places, and creating new projects — I suppose I could sum up the year in one word: transition. Here's a look at the moments which made 2019 one heck of a ride.

The long cold winter

It's rare that the Seattle area gets noteworthy amounts of snow, but this year we got walloped. I was living 40 miles north of Christina and the kiddos, so I couldn't join in the snow-related fun. But they were sweet enough to build me a snowman — with a top hat no less!

Reinstallin'

I'd been searching for video projects to tackle, so Reinstallin' was a perfect way to combine my love for parodies, Tom Petty, and filmmaking. Oh, and we all had a blast running around Seattle in steampunk outfits too.

The move to Maple Valley

In March my realtor suggested I put my Bothell home on the market in (gulp!) three weeks. The whiplash-inducing process of staging, selling, and buying followed. We fell in love with what we nicknamed "the yellow house" (despite it not being yellow), and after dramatic negotiations we eventually sealed the deal. Initially we only had beach chairs, an air mattress, and Daphne the Cat, and that was enough. We still look at each other and say, "I love this house."

Anything but a cruel summer

Summer was filled with all the work and play we could handle. Concerts included Carrie Underwood, Pentatonix, Rachel Platten. We also fit in camping trips, fireworks, bike-riding, home improvement projects, and a phenomenal mini-vacation in Hood River/Cannon Beach.

An unforgettable fall

The fall was a celebration of so many things, starting with each other at our anniversary dinner. We celebrated great music with two concerts in a week, first Caravan Palace at the Showbox then Big Wreck at the Crocodile (life milestone: we shook Ian Thornley's hand at the end). The first Halloween celebration in the new house was truly a hoot. And the best part: Christina's six months of hard work paid off, she passed the realtor exam! Celebrate good times, come on!

Maui Christmas

The first Christmas I've ever spent outside mainland USA and it was a beauty! We had an unreal view from the heights of Hyatt Regency Maui, spent many days snorkeling and swimming with sea turtles, and even flew over Hana via Hang Gliding Maui. A surreal way to spend the holidays and an unforgettable trip!