2020

What a doozy of a year!

To remember our many blessings and focus on the positive, we started a new family ritual.

Each night, as we gather for dinner as a family,
we ask our kids and ourselves to share two reflections on the day,
one of gratitude and one of pride.

And then Zoe says something silly and makes us all laugh.

As we look back on the year and forward to the next,
we share what has brought us gratitude and pride and look forward to hearing from you!

GrATitude

Marshall is grateful for:

the health of our family and friends and for those who faced risks to care and provide for so many others.
the presence and spirit of Alice and Zoe who remind us to “put down the phone” and recommit to our family’s growing traditions of Thursday family cleaning tasks, Friday pizza and movie nights, Saturday outdoor adventures, and Sunday evening fancy dinners (complete with a red carpet, confetti, and a post-dinner dance party).
the long overdue conversations and incredible political engagement in response to events that reminded more of us that our brutally racist and sexist past still very much infects our present.
the blessing of being able to do work focused on issues we care deeply about.

McKenna is grateful for:

fast wifi and virtual tools that have helped us stay connected to friends and family during this isolating time.
the beauty of the Pacific NW and the grounding, healing power of the great outdoors.
our wonderful nanny (Ki) and all the educators and childcare providers working hard to keep childhood joyful and engaging for our girls and for all children.

Alice is grateful for:

the books and people helping her learn to read (thanks Aunt Pem, Nana, Mom, and teachers!)
getting to spend time outside playing with friends and in nature.

Zoe is grateful for:

the earth.
her sister.
the ability to be outdoors with friends at school.

PRIDE

Learning to ride a bike

Within days of getting the magical “Woom” bike, the girls both turned a challenge into a joy.

Sisters and friends

Alice and Zoe grew closer together as they found ways to adjust to the shutdown and less time with friends.

Paddling adventures

Two trips to the San Juans and more family excursions to Greenlake, Lake Union, and Lake Washington meant more time on the water to go paddle boarding and kayaking.

Cousins, frousins & friends

While we missed getting to spend time with so many friends this year, we cherished the times we were able to safely connect with a few. Alice and Zoe cherished spending precious time with cousin Lyla, close-as-cousin friends (frousins), and a few dear friends in Seattle who made the year so much more manageable.

Working towards safety and justice

Marshall celebrated his 15th year with the Council of State Governments Justice Center, currently as the deputy director. One big problem in criminal justice: data is scattered across agencies, submerged in ancient data systems, and usually stale by the time it is reported. This year, he helped design and launch new efforts to help states analyze data they collect in real-time, create a national set of core metrics, and help report what we do know more quickly to inform policy discussions.

Building a playhouse

When the parks shut down in March, Alice and Marshall fast-tracked long-term plans to build a playhouse together. Within 8 weeks, the old chicken coop was demolished, posts were set in concrete, and Alice helped frame walls, screw down decking, and help with painting and roofing.

9 nights of camping

We upped our camping game this year big time and fell in love again and again with the beauty of the PNW. Millersylvania, Lost Lake, Scenic Beach, and Lake Wenatchee.

Traveling by imagination

Instead of flying somewhere warm, we got extra creative at home. Alice and Zoe’s favorite toys this year: cardboard boxes. A castle, cabin, pirate ship, RV, trolley car, theater, poster bed, and (in November) a replica of the White House were all constructed.

Quickly growing up

Zoe is relishing time outdoors with friends at preschool this fall 3x each week; Alice is making friends remotely and becoming a reader in 1st grade thanks to her school iPad, resilient teachers, and lessons with her Nana, Bubbie, and mom.

Researching & reimagining how we recycle packaging

McKenna led a year-long effort with Cascadia Consulting to study and recommend ways to transform how we think about managing plastic packaging at the county and state level. Legislation she helped author will be considered by the Washington legislature in 2021 that would increase recycling rates through a first-in-the nation extended producer responsibility for packaging.