Family Portraits and Favorite Pictures - 2015

We enjoyed a Wizards-Bulls game in early January.

Andy and Charlie enjoyed an impromptu birthday party.

A week later, they had a more formal party at Sportrock.

Andy is doing very well on the Chantilly Youth Association (CYA) Travel A-Team for basketball.

We enjoyed seeing Gigi at the Kennedy Center in mid-January with Aunt Cathy.

Steve could not stop laughing at the stick Tank insisted on trying to carry.

Andy had a lot of fun with his travel basketball team.

His FPYC Fury soccer team won the Liberty Cup tournament.

Andy was confirmed toward the end of March.  Here is Grandpa Bill helping him get ready and tying his tie.

Andy really, really had fun on his school trip to Costa Rica over spring break.

Meanwhile, Lexi went to Boston with Aunt Cathy for her spring break.

With the kids going their separate ways, we headed to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Here is Andy playing in the annual Franklin MS vs Rocky Run MS basketball game.

We enjoyed a day in the city with a bike ride along the Potomac.

Here is Andy's school portrait from the spring of 2015 and Steve's official photo.

Andy's soccer team, the Fairfax Police Youth Club (FPYC) U14 Fury) has had a great spring so far.  They've moved into first place in the EDP league, took third in Regions 1 Champions League (losing only to last year's national champions and the team currently ranked #1 in the nation, both by a score of 0-1 with both goals coming off set plays, meaning it was even during the run of play), and qualifying for the Virginia State Cup Final Four.

Andy's team advanced to the semi-finals of the FC Delco tournament over Memorial Day.

Andy's soccer team won the State Cup and are now the 2015 Virginia U14 State Champions.

With Steve retiring from the Air Force in June, most of our family was able to come to town.

Shortly after, Steve, Andy and Grandma headed off to West Virginia for the US Youth Soccer Region 1 Championships.

Lexi and Steve headed off to Mason Neck State Park to go kayaking in the middle of the week in July.  What a wonderful day.  We had at least 8 bald eagle sightings likely of at least 5 different bird including four adults and one juvenile.  We also saw four huge herons and several ospreys, including watching one dive out of a tree and come up with a fish.

We all had a great time at King's Dominion

Here were are hiking in Shenandoah in White Oak Canyon with Tank.

We really enjoyed paddling on the Potomac in early August.

Then zip-lining in Shenandoah River State Park the next day.

We've had several trips to King's Dominion.

A weekend escape to Deep Creek Lake was a lot of fun.

Yet another trip to King's Dominion

Steve got to go to this thirty-year high school reunion in Chicago.

Lexi and Nancy were able to head to Missouri over Labor Day weekend to help with the church picnic.

She even got to drive grandpa's truck.

Andy spent a lot of time this summer at a pool (even if it wasn't always in Franklin Glen).  Tank was glad he got a turn at the end of the season.

Yeah, I don't think they look ready for the first day of school either.

Of course, fall means soccer season has begun again.

Here are the kids' school portraits from fall 2015, and a team portrait Steve took for Andy along with his football team picture.

Steve, Lexi and Annalise ejoyed the air show at Joint Base Andrews.

Here is Andy doing what he loves in a game in early October when the Fury beat the Loudon Black team. 

We had a lot of fun picking apples on a beautiful day in early October.

That night, Andy went to homecoming with Erin and a large group of friends.

Despite some ugly losses, Andy continues to kick well for the Chantilly HS Freshman Football team.

Andy and the boys had a blast at King's Dominion before Halloween.

Tank enjoyed a walk and swim at Burke Lake, despite the cold water.

Here is Andy kicking-off after his team scored against Robinson HS.  Unfortunately, they went on to lose the game.

He clearly enjoyed cheering for the varsity, maybe a little too much.

It seems like the soccer season will never end, but Andy's sure having fun.

It's about time for Steve to look for a job, so he had Lexi take a picture to put on LinkedIn, then took off for some fun with Tank.

Lexi turned sixteen in November.  Oh My

Andy got called up to dress for the last Chantilly varsity football game of the regular season, then played in three playoff games taking all the kickoffs.

We were delighted to join Steve's Uncle Denny and Aunt Cindy on the island of Hawaii to celebrate Denny's 70th birthday.  Steve's mom was able to join us, and we all had a wonderful time.

We went snorkeling with Captain Zodiak on our first day.

A horseback trip through Waipi'o Valley was fun, even in the rain.

A luau that night was awesome.

Andy and his soccer team had an amazing experience playing in the National League as one of the top 16 teams in the country.

Lexi put a lot of work into her science fair project, even if much of it was at the last minute.

We headed to Florida for the second round of the National League, which was held as part of the Disney Showcase.

While we were in Florida for a soccer showcase, we had a lot of fun in the area, even while avoiding the parks due to the holiday crowds and surprising heat (it was over 85 degrees).

2015 was sure a great year!