Vashon High School Senior Prom

 Avery's senior prom was in downtown Seattle at Court in the Square.  

Vashon scholarship ceremony

 Each year a committee of volunteers looks through senior notebooks to match seniors with scholarships.  Any senior that completed a notebook showing their accomplishments, a resume, transcripts and photos gets at least one scholarship.  This year the class was the biggest they've had so far and they were able to give away $300,000.  They match businesses and donors in the community with the seniors.  Avery received the Tech Curious scholarship ($1,000), Mellen-Robinson Blue Sky scholarship ($2,500) and Science and Math Innovation Award ($1,000).  He also got a scholarship from our credit union on Vashon.  Two seniors were awarded  $5,000 each.

The Tech curious scholarship is sponsored by a group of tech-adjacent people on Vashon and is dedicated to those individuals who allow their curiosity and inclination toward invention to lead them into new territory, who contribute of themselves for a larger and bolder purpose.  It's for the innovative problem-solvers, the fearless deep-divers, and the thoughtful, artful communicators, who understand that there is no end to the ways the world can be improved when the heart and mind are aligned.  

The Mellen-Robinson Award is from Rick Mellen & Jo Robinson and it honors a graduate who has achieved a high level of academic excellence, along with a desire to positively impact the world around them, especially in the areas of health care, science and the environment.  Blue Sky=optimism and opportunity.  

The Science and Math Innovation Award is from the Loveness Family- Ghyrn, Colin and Elizabeth.  It is awarded to a student who is strong in science and/or math and shows an innovative entrepreneurial spirit.

I spot a yeti

 When your favorite Seattle artist is looking for places to paint his yetis, you sign up!  Ryan Henry Ward is trying to paint 1,000 yetis this summer.  He came over to our house and painted a yeti holding a bird on our shed.  He said he made the bird match the rhododendrons.  It's so fun to come home and see him everyday.  It took him less than 30 minutes using spray paint.  

Salt Creek Camping

We were long due for another adventure in Glenda so we decided to explore Crescent Beach near Port Angeles this weekend.

There were really neat tide pools to explore once the tide was out.  This was the bottom side a chiton. 

I decided to carry Maia since the rocks and barnacles were so sharp.  She did not mind at all.

This rock is completely underwater when the tide comes back in.

Cool sea anemones in different colors.

Pink coral

The best pools were closest to the moving water.

Looking for Easter baskets.  Can you find Avery's?

Exploring Camp Hayden which was part of Washington's coastal defense system during WWII.

Happy Birthday Scott!  We celebrated with homemade peanut butter cookie dough ice cream and Oreo ice cream.  

Life with teenagers

Alia is in track this year.  She has been running the 1600 and the 4x4 relay.  

2nd place in the 4x4 relay.

 The ice bucket challenge is back.  Atticus nominated Alia and Alia nominated Avery.

Avery and around 85 other seniors on Vashon played Senior assassin.  It's a game where each kid gets assigned someone they have to get out with a water gun or gel gun.  They have a week to get their target.  If they succeed they get another target the next week.  If they don't get their target, they are eliminated by the end of the week.  Avery was unable to get his target before we left for our trip. The game finishes with one winner.  There are safe zones like school, work or home except on purge days.  You are also safe if you wear googles.  Avery wore them every time he left the house.  You can see your target on a map which sounds easy to get except most kids hid in the safe zones.  Avery's friend Anden had him and he decided to camp out in our neighbor's bushes to try to get Avery on the way to work.  Little did he know, our neighbors were watching out for Avery and we were immediately alerted.  Avery decided to let Anden get him so Anden wasn't eliminated as well because we were leaving for the weekend.  

The stand-off

The cherry blossoms were beautiful at this park in Tacoma.

Pet sitting Bonnie and Clyde