2013 in 51 pictures at 3 a.m.........

 I didn't send out a Christmas letter this year, mostly because I just ran out of time and it wasn't the best year for us. A lot of things happened this year that tested us. And, as the old adage goes, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, so we're pretty unstoppable at this point. But here, in a random assortment of pictures, is a synopsis of our year. The good stuff. The picture-worthy stuff.

January

 Harrison was a king in a school play!

Harrison turned 14 and celebrated with a celebrity-themed party. 

February

 Arlie turned 15 and had a sleepover party - footie pajamas required!

 We spent a weekend in Westport where the kids almost got carried away by the ocean!

We spent a weekend in this cozy cabin at Kayak Point. 

March

 Took my monkeys to the zoo!

Spent Easter Sunday on Camano Island, soaking up the sun with the grandparents and the kids' dad. 

April

 Took my beautiful girl's senior pictures!

Went to the tulip festival in Mt. Vernon

Jeff visited Grandpa Vern in San Diego

May

Hannah went to her senior prom!

 Hannah received recognition for working on the musical "The Wedding Singer"

 Harrison was in another play "Check, Please!"

 Harrison, Arlie and Jeff did the Color Run. 

We went camping at Camp Killoqua. 

June

 Jeff went on his annual "guys only" camping trip - he's photoshopped into this pic because he had to leave early!

 Hannah graduated!

 Arlie went on her 9th grade cruise. 

 My boy and I went on our first trip together - just us - to Boise for six days!

 Arlie, Jeff and Hannah went to San Diego to visit Grandpa Vern again. 

Hayley went to her first Pride Festival in Seattle with her friends Lynne and Steph.

July

 We went to the 4th of July parade in Bothell. 

 Jeff ran in the Run of the Mill 5K in Mill Creek and got his picture taken with Bill Iffrig, the runner who was photographed during the Boston Marathon bombings. 

 Hayley turned 20 and got her first tattoo!

 Harrison got a pie in the face at VBS!

 We got a rare picture of the whole family together at the Mill Creek Festival. 

 We went on a hike in the North Creek forest on a very hot day. 

 We enjoyed some music in the park. 

 Jeff and I went to a wedding high on a mountain top in Boise, ID. 

We went to Jackson and Lila's baptism. 

August

 Hayley moved into her first apartment!

 Hannah celebrated her 18th birthday with many of her Gordon relatives. 

 We went to another pig pickin'!

 We visited our friends, the Kuntz family, at their lake cabin on Lake Coeur d' Alene. 

We went camping at Flowing Lake and did a lot of kayaking. 

September

 Back to school! Harrison started 9th grade and Arlie went to 10th grade.

 Jeff and I caught a bunch of salmon on the Snohomish River from the kayaks. 

 We adopted two kittens, Benjie and Beau. 

Hayley adopted a kitten, too! Meet Penny. 

October

 We went to the pumpkin patch!

 Jeff finally finished restoring his 1968 Ford truck!

We had a beautiful fall. 

November

 We celebrated Thanksgiving in Spokane with the cousins and grandparents. 

We got dressed up for a party. 

December

 We decked the halls.

 We had a party. 

 We went to see "Oliver!" for my birthday. 

 Harrison played a fortune teller in another play. The highlight was breaking a crystal ball over the villian's head, captured in this picture. 

We all went to the Macklemore/Ryan Lewis concert!

 Christmas morning - Santa came!

We went to Lights of Christmas with friends. 

Tonight, we wrapped up the year with good friends and neighbors. We had good food, entertaining conversation, lots of laughs, and counted down to 2014. We can't wait to see what the new year has in store for us! We're ready. 

Wishing you happiness to fill your heart, love to surround you, hope for new beginnings and peace within. Happy New Year 2014 from our family to yours. Thank you for being a part of our chaos! :)