Decade Re-cap: 2010-2019

What a decade it has been! Here are some stats for the Moore/Gordon family.

Jeff: Competed in one Bloomsday, two triathlons at Cottage Lake, finished Run of the Mill 5k three times, did four Aquafest Quadrathons, rode in four Obliteride races, restored a 1968 Ford F100 short bed truck, became involved in his Interlake Mountain Man club, celebrated 10 years at his job at Seattle Genetics, learned to leathercraft, sew, build a loom and weave, make his own bows and arrows, and generally continue to be the Renaissance Man/jack-of-all-trades that he is. We try to keep him from picking up roadkill to make into hats and so far, he's complied.

Mary-Leah: Participated in three writing retreats,won a writing contest, took five trips to Boise solo or with Hannah to visit family, celebrated 20 years with the local school district, lived in one house for 19 years which is a record, raised four kids through the teenage years, read a lot of books, took a lot of photos, found her happy place in kayaking and spent another ten years doing a lot of the same old stuff. Perhaps it's time for her to shake things up a bit.

Hayley: Started out the decade as a sweet 16 yr old and is now 26. Showed her acting chops in The Wild and Woolley West, SeussOdyssey and The Wiz in high school, went to homecoming, Prom, graduation, college and Seattle Pride since 2013. She got her first apartment, her first cat, got engaged, married, and moved to Vegas. Lucky for us, she's broke so we don't have to worry about a gambling habit. She took trips to San Diego, Indiana and Boise and started her own business, Lemon Drop Wraps making wire-wrapped jewelry. Look for more awesome things to come in 2020!

Hannah: Started the decade as a 14 yr old. Performed in Dramafest, The Wiz and worked on The Wedding Singer in high school, went to homecoming and Prom, graduated, became a nanny, went to college and will graduate next quarter! She had jaw surgery, went on a writing retreat with mom, took trips to San Francisco, Boise, and the WA and OR coast, as a willing travel buddy with Jeff and I. Currently applying for her adult job after graduation, and rewatching old episodes of The Office. 2020 is a year of big changes for Hannah!

Arlie: Started the decade as a 12 year old and will be 22 on Feb. 3. Still in elementary school at the beginning of the decade, she is now in college, set to graduate in 2020 and already working in her field of choice as a behavior technician. She also nannies! Arlie participated in gymnastics and cheer, got Matilda kitty in 2011 and Benjamin and Beau in 2013. Benjie sadly passed away but Beau is Arlie's one true love, and Theo is the new black cat in the house. Arlie also enjoyed a theatre presence, participating in Storybook theater, Alice in Wonderland, Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls and The Sound of Music. She went to many tolo, homecoming and Prom dances and kicked a few boyfriends to the curb. She had a brief blue hair phase in 2014, but we try to forget that.

Harrison started the decade as a prepubescent 11 year old and will be 21 next week! What? All the kids are of legal drinking age now (also, cannabis...because, Washington). Harrison started and ended a band this decade called Bushwhack. They played 14 concerts in their seven-year tenure and were pretty amazing. Alas, they grew up and went to college. Harrison enjoyed many years of acting, beginning with his first lead role as the Cowardly Lion in On the Road Again in 2012. That was followed up with 13 The Musical, Storybook theater, One-Act plays, Legally Blonde, Alice in Wonderland, Guys and Dolls, for which he was nominated for a 5th Avenue theater award, Much Ado About Nothing, Sound of Music, Cabaret, and his final leading role in Young Frankenstein. He hasn't done any theater since 2017, though, being busy with online college (ASU) and working at Starbucks. He is set to graduate in 2020 as well and is not sure what his path will be. Perhaps he will try out the stage again or head up the corporate ladder at Starbucks. He never brings us free drinks, though, so we're pulling for the stage.

As a family we took a lot of trips and kept up a lot of traditions. We traveled to Boise at least once a year if not more, Chelan, Spokane, Coeur d' Alene for Pig Pickin's, Disneyland, Portland, Leavenworth, Cannon Beach, Westport, Seabrook, San Diego, Montana, Oceanside, New York, Pacific City, Florence, Bend, Maui and Long Beach. We went to Camp Killoqua four times, camped in Grayland, Leavenworth and River Meadows, had six Ugly Sweater Parties, survived two Snowmageddons, and made it to the pumpkin patch every single year this decade! We lost three beloved doggies - Charlie in 2011, Shade in 2012 and Georgette in 2017. We adopted Junie B. in 2017 and she's awesome! We went to Lights of Christmas five times, and the Tulip Festival four times. We don't make it to everything every year, but hey, we do our best.

Jeff and I have spent a lot of the last decade traveling - mostly for work-related things and to care for his now-departed grandparents. We slept away from home in the last decade in: San Francisco, Potlatch State Park, Grayland State Park, San Diego (nine times!), Leavenworth, Spokane, Ohio, San Francisco, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Newport, CA, McCall, ID, Winthrop, Cape Disappointment, Baker City, Yakima, Oceanside, Moclips, Seabrook, LaConner, Goldendale, Boston, Maine, Oroviille, Orlando, Port Townsend, Corvallis, Lake Crescent, and Forks/LaPush. Whew! We love our getaways even if they are working vacations and look forward to maybe leaving the country in 2020. Not permanently.

We lost Jeff's grandpa Vern McAtee in August 2015 and his grandma Jo McAtee in December 2018. My Aunt Laurie also passed in December 2015 and Jeff's stepdad Tom passed in December 2018. We miss them all!

it's been a chaotic ride the past ten years. We've raised kids, changed jobs, spent ridiculous amounts of money on home repairs, and adventured all over our beautiful state. We look forward to making more memories in 2020 and wish you the same!