18 years (142 lbs. 5'9" tall)

 Hudson is 18 and officially an adult!!! 

Hudson is in the last few weeks of his Senior year at Tahoma High School. He has had an epic year with XC in the Fall, Track this Spring and NINE AP classes (8 tests plus a Research presentation). In addition to his athletic and academic load he's also been heads down working through college applications, writing essay's and submitting scholarship applications. Plus, he's had two girlfriends who he's enjoyed spending time with. He took Kennedy to Homecoming and Tanya to Prom so it has by far been his wildest year yet!

XC: Hudson had a good season. He PR'd at Hole in the Wall by 23 seconds for a 15:59 finish (sub 16!) in the Varsity Elite race. He competed at the State competition in Pasco and while the team didn't finish as well as they hoped he still enjoyed the experience and Beckett got to ride over w the team so they were able to share in that experience for the first (and only) time. This year both nana/papa AND Aaron came to watch him run as well as his girlfriend (at the time), Kennedy! 

Track: Hudson had a decent season. He was healthy for most of the season (although he had to bow out of the South Sound Classic due to a cold). Again, he tried several different races (800, 1600, 3200, 4X400). Leagues is this week and he'll probably be competing in the 3200 only. He hasn't been taking iron or beets supplements anymore so not sure if that has affected his performance in a good/bad way. It's wild to think that after this Friday his running career will come to an end.

PRs: 800 is 2:03. 1600 is 4:41 (*unchanged), 3200 is 10:07, and 4X400 split is :54.7.

We're going to officially celebrate Hudson's birthday with a low key dinner at the house (Ribs) when he gets home from school/practice. We're padding his account w $, getting him a new Apple laptop, and some delicious dried mangoes, and of course his sugar cereal for breakfast, Crunchberries! 

Academics: Hudson's academic year has been all over the place. Due to a heavy # of AP classes his overall GPA has been diluted as it's a crushing load to undertake. It's been a challenging year to try to maintain good grades, participate in XC/Track, navigate through all the graduation requirements, and then college process. It was a pretty emotional first 6 months trying to recognize and prioritize his focus. I think it's fair to say he's feeling the Senioritis and just ready to be done....with EVERYTHING!!

WTP: In addition to everything else a huge portion of Hudson't time this year was spent in his Civics or US Gov class and the We The People program. He had study groups twice a week, sessions at law firms on several Saturday's, and competitions in Olympia and then Washington DC (a week) at Nationals. They ended up coming in 7th out of 47 teams so quite an achievement. He wants to go into law!

HUDSON IS GOING TO WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (WWU) in Bellingham. He applied to the Honors College and was accepted. We went up for a family weekend and learned a lot about college life, honors program, financial aid, abroad programs, and scouted out his dorm and type of room. Plus we got to eat at one of the cafeterias and browse the bookstore for some early swag! He will be living in a dorm exclusive to the Honor program in a quad room that has an adjoining bathroom. He will have 3 roommates and has started conversations with two of them. He doesn't know who the 3rd roommate is yet. At this time Hudson would like to pursue a law degree as he was really inspired by the WTP curriculum and everything the class taught him. We'll see if that becomes his reality. He starts school mid-late September so we'll move him into his dorm mid-September. Oye! It's going to be here before we know it. 

We did several fun activities over the the last year: 

• Traveling: Europe (London, Barcelona, Florence, Rome, Paris); XC Camp (Steamboat, CO), Road Trip into Canada (Nelson, Banff, Kelowna) White Fish to ski during mid-Winter break, Mexico for Spring Break, Japan & Korea (graduation gift) and finally Greece in November for a 2 week study abroad trip w WWU.
• Running: Hudson has run in a variety of cities while traveling London, Barcelona, Florence, Rome, Paris, (SUPER HOT TEMPS!!!) Nelson/Banff/Kelowna (CAN), and Mexico. 

Hudson is between 5'9 and 5'10 and has been the same for a couple years so I think he's done growing. He is filling out a little bit in terms of his shoulders and his body as a result looks really good in clothes.  He, like the rest of us enjoys an occasional scooter ride when he needs a brain break in between studying. 

Hudson Gray, what an incredible person you have become. We love your sweet smirky smile, your quiet/tender nature and your gentle spirit. You are a diciplined person with a calm confidence that is admirable and respectable. It's such an honor to be your parents and you have made us so proud. While it will be a hard transition to not have you living under our roof I have no doubt that you are prepared to move into this next phase of your life and will go on to be successful in your pursuits.

We look forward to watching your journey continue and will always be in your corner cheering you on. 

We Love You to the Moon and Back <3

Hudson's Current Favorites:
What do you want to be when you grow up: Attorney | Judge | Congressional Staffer

Color: Gray
Book: America's Unwritten Constitution by Akil Amar
Song | Artist: Don Tolliver
Breakfast Food: Oatmeal Bake
Dinner Food: Sushi
Number: 50

Closest Friends: Sam, Colton, Nick, Tanya (girlfriend)

17 years (142 lbs. 5'9" tall)

Hudson is 17 and just a year away from officially being an adult!!!!!!

Hudson is in the last few weeks of his Junior year at Tahoma High School. He had a very busy year with XC in the Fall, Track this Spring and EIGHT AP classes (3 of which he self studied-English Languor, Macro and Micro Economics) plus he's taken the SAT test twice. He might take it one more time in the Fall but we'll see what his results are from this second test in a week or two. He got 1260 the first time.

XC: Hudson had a good season. He was competitive as a Junior and ran the season with less injuries than last year. He lettered as part of the Varsity. He got to compete at the State competition in Pasco. While he's been to state the previous two years, this was the first year he actually ran. Nana/Papa came over to watch him race which was great.

Track: Hudson had a decent season. He wasn't plagued with as many injuries this year and ran some different races throughout the season to include the 800 and the 4X400 relay. Leagues is coming up and while his mile time isn't fast enough, he'll likely run the 800 and 3200 and maybe the 4X400. Ironically, he curbed his supplement intake which doesn't seem to be having a drastic impact on his performance.  This season he didn't run the 3200 very often in favor of the 800 and 1600 so it's interesting that it's the 3200 that he has the most competitive time of all 4 races going into Leagues. 

PRs: 800 is 2:04.99. 1600 is 4:41, 3200 is 10:20, and 4X400 split is :55.

We're going to officially celebrate Hudson's birthday next weekend since he shouldn't eat cake, sugar cereal, wings, etc right before Leagues. It's hard to believe he'll be considered an adult in 1 quick year.

Hudson continues to get good overall grades despite his massive course load. He is learning valuable time management skills and seems to be doing a good job balancing his studies, sports and social life. 

At this time he hasn't started applying for colleges so I think the plan is to cast a decently wide net and see if/where he gets accepted which will inform his more finite options. M&D are pushing for Western in Bellingham but we'll see where this all nets out.  

We did several fun activities over the Winter/Spring: 

• Traveling: San Francisco (last Summer), XC Camp (Mt Baker), Schweitzer to ski during mid-Winter break and Scottsdale for Spring Break
• Running: Hudson has run in a variety of cities while traveling San Diego, San Francisco, Scottsdale, Hawaii, Helena in 12 degree temps. Brrrrrr!!!!

Hudson is still about 1/2 inch taller than Beau so it's probably safe to assume he's done growing. He has been hitting our home gym and his arms are starting to look more defined. He's been enjoying getting on dad's scooter lately and doing some solo rides.  

This year for his birthday we're going to pad his checking account with $200 so he can spend it on whatever he'd like.  Nana got him a running plaque, Gma and Nana Nan sent him checks and Chris sent him an Amazon gift card. 

Hudson Gray, what an incredible person you are becoming. I love your sweet smirky smile and your quiet nature. You are a diciplined person with a calm confidence that we adore. It's such an honor to be your parents and you have made us so proud. It is with mixed emotions that we think about the last year+ we have left with you before you soar into your next adventure away from us and out from under our roof. 

We look forward to watching your journey continue and will always be in your corner cheering you on. 

We Love You to the Moon and Back <3

Hudson's Current Favorites:
What do you want to be when you grow up: Rich Business Man or CIA Agent

Color: Black
Book: --
Song | Artist: Rihanna
Breakfast Food: Oatmeal Bake
Dinner Food: Sushi
Number: 44

Closest Friends: Cooper, Nick, Caleb

16 years (132.8 lbs. 5'8 1/2" tall)

Hudson is 16 and has his DRIVERS LICENSE as of TODAY!!!!!!

Hudson is in the last few weeks of his Sophomore year at Tahoma High School. He had a very busy year with XC in the Fall, Track this Spring and two AP classes (Psychology and European History) plus Honors English. He just had two BIG AP tests the same week as Track Leagues. 

XC: Hudson had a good season. He was competitive as a sophomore and ran with both Varsity and JV. He lettered as part of the Varsity. He came in 1st of 120+ runners at one of the invites in Federal Way which was super exciting!!! 

Track: Hudson had a tough sophomore season. His energy level seemed low early on so at the urging of the coaches we had his ferritin (iron) levels checked by his doctor and discovered they were extremely low. We immediately got him on supplements and while his overall times improved, it wasn't at the same rate as his buddies. The supplements helped bring up his levels but not to where we had hoped. He dealt with some injuries as well (shin splints and sort ankle) which hurt his overall performance. He started to pivot away from the 3200 and focus more on the 1600. Now that his season has ended, he's agreed to not train for a few weeks and just stay off of his feet to allow his shins some much needed recovery time.
His PR for the 800 is 2:17. PR for the 1600 is 4:49:83, and his PR for the 3200 is 10:40.

Hudson continues to get good grades despite his mammoth course load. He is learning valuable time management skills and seems to be doing a good job balancing his studies with sports and time w friends. As parents we never feel the need to check Skyward or follow up to ensure he's staying on task and completing assignments in a timely fashion. 

Hudson got his driver's license and is now officially an independent driver. Man, has it been a long road to this point and we're so excited for him to have this new found freedom and to exit out of carpool for him ;)

We did several fun activities over the Winter/Spring: 

• Traveling: East Coast (last Summer), XC Camp (Bend), Sun Peaks, CAN to ski, Whitefish Mtn to ski for Mid-Winter Break and Hawaii (Big Island) for Spring Break
• Activities: Skiing: (Jan &Feb), Snoqualmie w Nick & Caleb (Apr)

Hudson is about 1/2 inch taller than Beau. He still maintains that he's the same show size as when he was in grade/middle school so not sure if that's indicative of his future height potential. I'd love to see him be a bit taller but that may not be in the cards. We'll see... 

This year for his birthday we went down to the DOL to get his license then to North Bend to do some shopping at the Nike outlet store. We enjoyed an incredibly warm day (80 degrees) playing some lawn games outside and plan to hit Sumo sushi for dinner!  In terms of gifts, he got the Subaru (on loan) and then $150 from us plus the Nike shopping spree and a fanny pack for bike riding. Gma gave him $100 as did Nana/Papa and Nana Nan. Nana also got him a cool navy "Runner" sweatshirt. 

Hudson Gray, we are so incredibly proud of the young man you are turning out to be. You have such a gentle spirit and quiet determination about you. It has been such a thrill to watch and support your journey into young adulthood. We hope you enjoy this new stage of freedom and independence as you become an independent driver on the road. We're so lucky to have you as our son. You continue to make our hearts sing w gratitude and appreciation. We will cherish the next two years we have with you in our home and as part of family. We couldn't be more proud! 

We Love You to the Moon and Back <3

Hudson's Current Favorites:
What do you want to be when you grow up: "An Old Man"

Color: White
Book: --
Song: --
Breakfast Food: Oatmeal Bake
Dinner Food: Sushi
Number: 17

Best Friend: Nick, Caleb, Kjell

15 years (120 lbs. 5'8" tall)

Hudson is 15 and has his DRIVING PERMIT as of TODAY!!!!!!

Hudson is in the last few weeks of his Freshman year at Tahoma High School. He has had a very busy year with XC in the Fall, followed by Orienteering in the Winter (plus daily runs w team) and then Track this Spring. He has had a fairly heavy course load for his first year in a massive high school. He is in Honors English and AP Human Geography and doing well. He just had a BIG AP Human Geo Final that's a nationally recognized test and gets 3-4 college credits for completing. He had a couple study group sessions with friends as well as two different practice tests leading up to the final.

XC: Hudson had a stellar season running XC. He was competitive as a freshman (1 of 4 freshman to letter) and made for a great introduction into high school sports and new friendships. He has two good buddies, Nick & Caleb, that he developed throughout the season and have carried through the Winter and Spring into Track.

Track: Hudson has focused primarily on the 3200 meter race as his dominant event. He has flirted with the 1600 towards the end of the season but shines brightest in the 32. It's so much fun watching him run and continue to improve as well as be a part of a team and establish relationships. 

Hudson continues to make huge improvements in ownership of his grades staying on task and organized in a way that keeps his grades at a consistent A/B level. As parents we rarely check Skyward to ensure he's completing assignments - phew, what a relief that is for everyone! 

Hudson has such a full plate with school and sports but finds time to do work at the neighbor, Joan's house. He communicates with her directly and goes over w regularity to help her with minor outside household chores - a great opportunity to make some money $! We opened a BECU account for him so that he has debit card and learns how to keep both a checking as well as a savings account to earn that interest!!

We did several fun activities over the Winter/Spring: 

• Traveling: Kellogg, ID to ski Silver Mtn; San Diego for Spring Break; Lake Chelan (May)
• Activities: Skiing: Bachelor (Jan), Silver (Feb), Snoqualmie w Nick (Apr)

Hudson is the same height as Beau and while he's been in the same shoe size for awhile, we're hoping/anticipating that he'll continue to grow even taller. 

He got his braces off and has his final appt in Oct and then NO MORE ORTHODONTIST APPTS. He has a retainer he's supposed to wear at night indefinitely but I'm not sure how often that's actually happening ;)

This year for his birthday we'll have a quiet family evening carb loading w mazythra so Hudson is competitive and ready for his 3200 league race tomorrow night. He opted out of the sugar cereal and dessert tonight in order to stay as fit and dialed in health-wise in preparation for his race. He plans to go bowling on Saturday with Nick & Caleb at the family fun center and we'll do sugar cereal and dessert then. In terms of gifts, he's getting a go-pro as his big birthday gift and then a couple smaller things for running to round it out.

Hudson Gray, you have certainly had an AMAZING past 12 months. You are turning into one of the best people that I know. You are patient, sensitive, conscientious, funny, smart, dedicated and just a pleasure to have around. We love watching you continue to become an incredible young man and citizen of life. Although they are few and far between, we love the moments we get to share w you. You have taught us so much and we are so lucky to have such an incredible human, like you, as part of our family. 

We Love You to the Moon and Back <3

Hudson's Current Favorites:
What do you want to be when you grow up: Fire Investigator

Color: Orange
Book: currently reading 'Think Again' by Adam Grant
Song: --
Breakfast Food: Waffles
Dinner Food: Mazythra
Number: --
Best Friend: Nick & Caleb

14 years (116 lbs. 5'4" tall)

Hudson is in the last few weeks of his Middle School career at Maple View. He has registered for his High School classes and attended 'Future Freshman' night to get tours of the school and learn more about the schools programs, clubs, etc. It's so hard to believe that our baby Hudson will be in high school this Fall. He will be taking two AP classes (history & english) as well as running on the XC team.

Hudson has turned a corner a bit in taking initiative to stay on top of his grades the back half of this year and is leaning into missing assignments by reaching out to the teacher proactively which is GREAT to see.  He has all A's with one or two B's so he really is doing well. We're just pushing for all A's. 

Hudson wrapped up his year with Valor soccer (year round) and also did a little 2 week XC team through the school. He really enjoys running and likes to go over to his school track and run time trials. Beckett enjoys doing it with him which is super cute. He even took nana/papa and Aaron over there when they were recently here staying with the boys. He's trying to get faster than a 5.45 mile. He will spend the Summer training whenever possible by doing trail runs each day in preparation for meets in the Fall.

We did several fun activities over the Fall/Winter: 

• Traveling: Seaside, Twisp (Tripod), Hawaii, Scottsdale 
• Activities: Skiing @ Mt Baker, XC mini season

Hudson has definitely surpassed mom in height and is creeping up on dad. He wears the same shoe size as dad and we're thinking a growth spurt is in his near future so assuming he'll surpass dad but time will tell.

He still has braces and is back to wearing rubber bands but only on one side. We have no idea how much longer he'll need to wear them but it's now been 1 1/2 years so hoping it's sooner rather than later. He's fairly diligent about wearing the bands and keeping his teeth clean and using flouride. 

This year for his birthday we opted for a quiet evening at home. He started the day with a birthday breakfast cereal of Crunchberries and then we went out for sushi for dinner that evening after playing a family game of HORSE. He opened his presents and ate cake (lemon with white frosting). He got a nice chunk of $ from Nana Nan, Nana, Gma, and us which will help him save for that Apple Watch he wants. 

Hudson Gray, you continue to impress us with your gentle spirit, your conscientious nature, your are kind, compassionate, creative, smart, athletic, and an all around great person. At the risk of jinxing things, the last few weeks have been a wonderful time of back and forth dialogue and less teenage angst. I love being with you as much as you allow me to be. I love listening to what you have to say and what you think about. You are my baby boy turned young man and we love you SO MUCH. 

Hudson's Current Favorites:
What do you want to be when you grow up: Fire Investigator

Color: Yellow
Book: ---
Song: Drake
Breakfast Food: Oatmeal bake w blueberries
Dinner Food: Sushi or Chinese
Number: 89
Best Friend: ---

13 1/2 years (103 lbs. 5'3" tall)

Hudson is in 8th grade and finally back to in person learning on Maple View's campus after remote learning for almost 18 months. He seems to be thriving both with his grades and social appetite. His electives for the first quarter include Spanish and Space & Flight. It's been fun to see him utilize some Spanish vocabulary as he explores the language and how to use it.

Hudson has started off the year doing a much better job at staying on top of his assignments although oversight is still needed to ensure the grades don't slip too much. He recently got an iPhone so part of the deal was that his grades need to stay up or he's in jeopardy of losing his phone.   

Hudson is playing Valor soccer (year round) and also did Track & Field this Fall where he placed well enough in all 3 events (400m, 800m and 1600m) to make the season end Invitational. He received an email from the HS XC coach inviting him to join the team next year if he's interested. I think this is a huge boost to his self confidence and a great compliment to a well deserved season. 

Hudson has also joined a school club called Band of Brothers. The club is lead by 2-3 male teachers who seek to provide an environment where young men learn about integrity, values and enjoy bonding over games and food before/after school. Hudson seems to really enjoy it which is all that matters!

Hudson is now fully vaccinated. We hope to get him the booster shot within the next few months when it's available for kids his age. 

We did several fun activities over the Spring/Summer: 

• Traveling: Bellingham w Simons, Tulip Festival, Big Summer Road Trip through California, Costa Rica w Gma (Road Scholar), and Montana Man
• Activities: Tennis Camp, Sounders Game, and Dude Perfect @ the Tacoma Dome

Hudson is fully in the middle of puberty and all that entails. The moods, the smells, the "exploration" is in full swing and we are just along for the ride. His voice continues to get lower, he's wearing the same size shoe as his dad, is taller than his mom and enjoys his sleep and 'alone' time!

He still has braces but was told in his last ortho visit that he doesn't have to wear rubber bands anymore (or at least until his next visit). He's now had braces for over a year so I'm sure he looks forward to the visit where they tell him he's ready to get them removed! 

Hudson recently arranged a meet up with friends to play football at Summit Park. I got the ball rolling via text and then once he got his phone he managed it from there. The fact that he has a phone will be a huge game changer and make logistics much easier on mom! 

Hudson Gray, you are continuously evolving into a kind young man. I think you may be the strong and silent type reserving your opinion and inserting it when necessary. I love watching you continue to grow into the person you are going to be and fully embrace any time you are willing to engage in conversation and let me get a peak into your world.  

We love you to the moon and back >3 

Hudson's Current Favorites:
What do you want to be when you grow up: Engineer or Architect

Color: ---
Book: ---
Song: ---
Breakfast Food: Eggos
Dinner Food: Sushi
Number: ---
Best Friend: Sam

13 years (97.8 lbs; 62" tall)

Hudson is in the home stretch of 7th grade and is now attending school in a hybrid model where he is on campus T/F and remote learning the rest of the week. 

Hudson has done a better job at staying on top of his assignments although oversight is still needed to ensure the grades don't slip too much. Ironically his favorite subject last year was Math and this year it's his least favorite and his grades reflect it. It might be the content and might be the teacher....who knows. He is getting A's and B's as we attempt to step back from monitoring and let the last 6 weeks ride.  

There is discussion around the vaccine being available to kids 12+ which is exciting. I think if/when that happens we will definitely make an appt for him. His soccer game was canceled this past Saturday because a kid on his team tested positive. So, knowing he'll be back in school full time in the Fall (hopefully) and playing Valor Select soccer (maybe) I'd feel a lot better if he was "immunized". 

We did several fun activities over the Winter/Spring: 

• Traveling: Gig Harbor w Simons, Skiing @ Mt Baker, Blue Lake in March, Arizona for Spring Break, and the Methow for a quick visit to see nana/papa
• Hikes: Cedar Mountain

Hudson is not reading much in spite of really getting into the Mysterious Benedict Society a couple months ago. He read the first two books but since iPads are gone until the school year is over, the reading has tapered off. Bummer!

We decided to switch over to Valor's Rec soccer program for this Spring and it's definitely a change of pace. I think Hudson was challenged more in the Covington league. So after much convincing by Corey, Hudson is going to try out for Valor Select this week. While we have mixed feelings about the commitment level, the boys need to be more challenged if they're ever going to get any better. 

Hudson has started to style his hair and wear deodorant consistently. Yep, we're at that phase! 

Hudson has had a couple friends over recently which has been nice for him post COVID. These boys are into metal detecting and have developed their own discord app detailing a business model and key role/positions of each person in the group. It's pretty creative actually! 

Hudson has started to help out much more with house chores. Between he and his brother they are pretty much capable of doing everything from dishes to sweeping/vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, taking out the trash/recycling and even doing their own laundry. Mom is finally getting more of a break!!

Hudson and Beckett continue to do a great job at creative play. They are always coming up with games or contests or things to do downstairs or outside which is great! We've been playing a lot of horse, 4 square, kickball, spike ball, Molkky, corn hole, and bocce as the weather gets nicer and we can be outside more.

Hudson Gray, I can NOT believe you will officially become a teenager tomorrow.

You are conscientious, kind, patient and generous with your things and your time. It has been such a cool journey to watch you develop from a baby to a toddler and from a little boy to a young man. 

We love you to the moon and back >3 

Hudson's Current Favorites:
What do you want to be when you grow up: Engineer or Architect

Color: Cyan or Orange
Book: The Mysterious Benedict Society
Song: ---
Breakfast Food: Crepes
Dinner Food: Sushi
Number: 4 or 8
Best Friend: Sam, Evan, Henry

12 1/2 years (87.4 lbs; 60.5" tall)

Hudson is in the 7th grade and has been homeschooling since the beginning of the year due to COVID. 

We had a bit of a rocky start to the year in terms of accountability for his work and turning assignments in and on time. However, in the past several weeks, we're getting a good rhythm/routine and staying on top of things in a new way and it seems to be proving mostly effective as Hudson currently has straight A's!!!

Due to the pandemic, Hudson did not trick-or-treat this year and instead opted for a movie night at home with mom buying a bag of candy he could split with his brother. There is talk of a vaccine that is 90% effective so while our fingers are crossed, I assume Hudson will homeschool the rest of this school year.

We did several fun activities over the Spring/Summer before going back to school: 

• Traveling (Chelan, Blue Lake X2, Vegas/Sedona, Montana, Cle Elum, McMenamins, Twisp X 3 where we played putt-putt golf, kayak @ Patterson Lake, and rode horses at Sun Mtn)
• Hikes: Tradition Lake, Taylor Mountain, and May Valley Loop

Hudson is currently reading Endurance about Shackleton's shipwreck in Antartica. He doesn't love reading so we definitely have to dangle the 'screen time' carrot in order to get him to read. I hope this changes.

Fall soccer canceled its regular season but offered a clinic style practice. Hudson wasn't interested so we're taking yet another season off from sports. When the weather was nice the boys would play football a lot in the yard as well as some basketball (basically horse) and a little baseball. We spent time doing a few new local hikes as well as biking, and kayaking during our travels earlier in the year. 

Hudson now has BRACES!!! He got them a couple weeks ago and is getting used to eating with metal in his mouth and adjusting to his new normal. He's been doing a really good job brushing his teeth and doing fluoride afterwards. I actually think his teeth have never looked cleaner!

Hudson and mom decided to do a 1:1 overnight trip over on Bainbridge Island. We took the ferry across the Sound, hit the Poulsbo bakery and then checked in to Pleasant Village Inn. We got burgers, late night snacks and watched movies in bed. The next day on our way home, we hit Woodland Park Zoo and then came home. It was a great time being together and bonding as we see this window of opportunity closing sooner rather than later as he evolves from a boy to a young man. 

Hudson has started to help out more around the house as he continues to look for ways to make money. He is getting better and better at washing pots and pans and cleaning sinks/toilets. It's so great for mom to have more help around the house especially while we're all home together so much of the time. 

Hudson is moving towards adolescents and will be 13 in the Spring. He is moving away from articulation and we often say we have to be fluent in the language of 'grunt' as that is primarily what we get out of him when responding to questions. He is a normal pre-teen and we understand that he is testing/questioning his autonomy and boundaries which is exactly what most kids his age are doing. Oh boy, here we go...the TEEN YEARS!!!

Hudson and Beckett continue to do a great job at creative play. They are always coming up with games or contests or things to do downstairs or outside which is great!

We love you SO MUCH Hudson Gray! It's so hard to believe our baby will be a teenager next year!


Hudson's Current Favorites:
What do you want to be when you grow up: Historian

Color: Orange
Book: Endurance (latest read book)
Song: ---
Breakfast Food: Pancakes
Dinner Food: Sushi
Number: 15
Best Friend: Sam, Evan, Ryan, and Greg

12 years (84.2 lbs; 59 1/4" tall)

Hudson is on the home stretch of finishing out 6th grade via home school given COVID-19.
In addition to his weekly assignments from his teachers, we have been supplementing his curriculum by learning to type (typing.com), play the guitar (fender.com) speak Spanish (rosettastone.com) paint (Bob Ross videos), Khan Academy and of course read, read, read. Hudson recently finished the Count of Monte Cristo. Once he finished it we watched the movie - such a great story!

Due to the pandemic, Hudson was not able to have a birthday party this year as people have been asked to socially distance and not gather in groups. So, he decided he wanted a "yes" day. Basically he wanted to eat a bunch of junk food and play his iPad so that is what he did. He was extremely generous and used half of his allotted $ to buy Beckett a list of treats in addition to his own. This year, mom made the cake which we were able to share with a few people we saw over the weekend.
He got an upgraded mountain bike and a War Robots t-shirt & mug from mom and dad.

We did several fun activities over the Winter/Spring before we had to shelter in place:

• Black Diamond Open Space bike trail
• Duthie bike park (w Steph, Chase & Cru)
• Sledding at Hyak Park
• Cougar Mountain Zoo
• Hindu Temple
• Game Night (Bingo)
• X-Country Skiing & Luge in Methow
• Ski trip to Bachelor in Bend

Hudson is currently reading Animal Farm, a book his dad had and he seems to be enjoying it. It's an allegory so good food for thought and conversation.

Spring soccer season was canceled due to the Corona Virus so unfortunately we were unable to watch Hudson lead his team, which had some good returning players like Tucker, coming back. Darn!

Hudson continues to be a thoughtful, generous, cautious, and slightly shy personality depending on who he's around. He is definitely becoming a teenager and testing his boundaries and limits when it comes to authority/rules. He also is getting more and more brave when it comes to trying new things and talking w people. He's doing an amazing job w home schooling and being way from his friends and a conventional school environment. I know it's not easy to be separated from routine and he and Beckett are doing a great job w creative play and recently made tickets for a "home zoo" and invented a fun game of whiffle golf which we've all been enjoying. They are also working on an elaborate paint by number canvas and seem to be enjoying that creative process as well. We recently got a basketball hoop and have been practicing shots and playing a lot of HORSE.
At this time he wants to be an INVENTOR when he grows up.

We love you SO MUCH Hudson Gray! It's so hard to believe our baby will be a teenager next year!


Hudson's Current Favorites:
Color: Turquoise
Book: Count of Monte Cristo (latest read book)
Song: ---
Breakfast Food: Sugar Cereal
Dinner Food: Sushi
Number: 5
Best Friend: Sam and Evan

11 1/2 years (78.4 lbs; 57 3/4" tall)

Hudson is in 6th grade and started this year at Maple View Middle School!!!
He has a block schedule which means he goes to classes 1, 3, 5 on M/W and 2, 4, 6 on T/Th. He attends all 7 classes on F and has a homeroom (called "stretch") class where he starts his day.

It has been an adjustment getting used to multiple assignments, homework, and tests. We are finding that we need to be pay really close attention to the school website and all required work. We are learning that middle school is definitely a different ball game and much more is expected from the students in terms of workload and communication between teacher/parent.

He seems to be doing well in Math and Science so we are focused on pulling up grades in both English and Social Studies. He just completed a group presentation project where they talked about Mesopotamia and he presented a couple slides. In Science, he is learning about the phases of the moon and how this affects tides and our exposure to light. He completed his Art elective and just recently started his 2nd elective, Choir. He has the option of a final test at the end of the quarter or to sing in a choir performance and he's opted for the latter. He has two more electives before year end.

We did several fun activities over the Summer/Fall:

• Tacoma Rainiers Game (amateur baseball)
• Seattle Reign Game (women's professional soccer - we saw Megan Rapinoe & Carly Lloyd) 
• Jewish Synagogue
• Lake Wilderness pedal boats
• Berry Picking
• Seattle Chocolate Tour
• Haunted Forest
• Mormon Church 

We plan to visit St James Catholic church next month during the holiday season!

Hudson is currently reading a series called Funny Kid. They are not really up to his reading level so I put Diary of Anne Frank on hold for him at the library. We've discussed WWII and the Civil Rights movement as a family so I think he's ready to read a first hand account of a child's perspective during that time period. Nana also sent him a book called The Long Walk to Water which he read quickly and enjoyed. Beckett is reading it as well. Nana always has the best book recommendations!!

This Fall in soccer, Hudson played in his own 5th/6th grade group. He and the team had a more challenging season which is perhaps partially due to the fact that many of the players are actually younger than 5th/6th grade. I think they only won 1 game all season which was quite a departure from dominating last season. We were excited to see them win their first game at the tournament before going out. Hudson's friend, Sam Nardella, played for the first time and I think he really enjoyed it. We have registered for Spring season but I think next Fall we will play him in the correct grade level. Their team name this year was Orange Justice as they donned neon orange jersey's.

Hudson continues to display a stubborn side to his personality which doesn't come as a surprise given his mom/dad ;) He still oftentimes "knows more" than mom/dad and walks the line in understanding the equity of his relationship with his parents. He continues to get braver and is more inclined to try things with less trepidation which is nice to see. He is a typical big brother and likes to tell his brother what to do, but is also very helpful in teaching him new things. He loves his iPad time and playing tackle football in the yard with his brother. He told me the other day that he wants to be either a race car driver or a professional NFL football (not soccer) player when he grows up.

We love you SO MUCH Hudson Gray! It's so hard to believe our baby is in junior high!


Hudson's Current Favorites:
Color: Orange
Book: Funny Kid
Song: Panini (Lil Nas X)
Breakfast Food: Pancakes
Dinner Food: Sushi
Number: 4
Best Friend: Sam & Evan

11 years (75 lbs; 56 3/4" tall)

Hudson is in his last 6 weeks of 5th grade and his career at Shadow Lake Elementary School.
In math he is focusing on area/volume, in science they're learning about stars/space and in history he is learning about the Oregon Trail. He recently had a field trip to the middle school and has another field trip to the high school in a couple weeks. There was a parent info night at the middle school so we had the opportunity to walk around the campus and learn about the block schedule that will dictate his schedule. We even picked his electives already. It's definitely going to be a new chapter for him with exciting opportunities to explore.

Last month in school was particularly busy for Hudson as he went to Camp Casey for a school sponsored sleep-away camp. He was gone for three days and two nights. He met several boys from neighboring elementary schools and all in all had a good time. He also had to create, present, and showcase a science project. After a little suggestion from his dad he chose to do his on concussions. He was initially intimidated by the thought of speaking to adults about his project and practiced on his family members. I think he was definitely glad to have it behind him but learned a necessary and valuable skill through the process.

We did several fun activities over the Winter/Spring:
We skied 5 different times at Snoqualmie (West & Central), Loup Loup, and Crystal (twice). Hudson is not afraid to go to the top and work on his turns. It's so fun to ski all together as a family! We also had another day in the city and started by touring the Int'l District and enjoying Chinese food (dimsum was the original plan but long lines prohibited us). We did a stadium tour of Century link, toured the downtown library and explored the Olympic Sculpture Park. We also went to a Buddhist Temple and plan to visit a Jewish Synagogue and St James Catholic church later this year.
We just celebrated Hudson's 11th birthday with a flag football game at CCP. This may be the last birthday where we have a bunch of friends with balloons, cake and favors. Moving into junior high may bring with it an evolution of what future birthday parties look like.

Hudson really enjoys Diary of a Wimpy Kid as far as casual reading goes. In terms of serious books he recently finished Treasure Island.

This Spring in soccer, Hudson played down again in order to play with the Shadow Ninja's again. Hudson is definitely emerging as the clear leader and dominant player. It was so exciting to watch him score the only goal to tie the game against a select team in the season ending tournament. We could NOT be prouder of the progress he has made over the last several years. Not only with regard to his skill but also as a leader and team player.  The Shadow Ninja's donned the black jersey's again!

Hudson's independence continues to emerge as well as the influence of his peers. He oftentimes "knows more" than mom/dad and walks the line in understanding the equity of his relationship with his parents. He is getting braver and more inclined to try things with less trepidation. He is a typical big brother and likes to tell his brother what to do, but is also very helpful in teaching him new things. He is currently really into his yo-yo and has learned a variety of tricks. He spends a lot of time playing catch and flag football in the yard now that the weather is getting warmer.

We love you SO MUCH Hudson Gray! It's hard to believe you'll be in junior high THIS Fall!


Hudson's Current Favorites:
Colors: No
Book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Song: No
Breakfast Food: Crunchberries
Dinner Food: Sushi
Number: No
Best Friend: Sam

10 1/2 years (72.2 lbs)

Hudson is in the 5th grade and has Mr Kostohris again as his teacher which means little to no homework except for reading. He is learning about decimals in Math, ecosystems in Science, and free writing in English. His classroom is in a portable and he swaps rooms for reading which is taught by Ms McKutchen (Sam's teacher). His parent/teacher conference is this week so we hope to learn more and get a good report.

Hudson took a week long Robotics camp the first week of summer break w Sam. After going through an interesting Summer and hardly seeing Sam at all, they seem to be back on track and spending more time together. It's too bad they're not in the same grade. He (and Beckett) did a sleepover a couple weeks ago so mommy/daddy could enjoy a date night.

We did several fun activities over the Summer/Fall:
We raced in three different 5K races, went to a Strawberry Festival, geocaching, emerald downs, swimming at the pool, drive-in movie, disc golf, museum tour, wild waves (twice), franklin falls, the fair, and the pumpkin patch. Hudson's birthday was a soccer party at the park!

Hudson has been reading Cameron's book "Chasing Rumor" and seems to be enjoying it. This is a good thing as we can't seem to find any series that he's open to and willing to invest time to read.
I'm fine w this since he finished reading Lord of the Rings this Summer which was over 1000 pages.
He still goes through stages of semi-enjoying reading and feeling like a slave to it.

This Fall, Hudson played down in soccer (13th season) in order to be with the usual suspects and coach Corey. They had an amazing season (undefeated w only one tie until the final tournament) and Hudson has improved SO MUCH. It seemed like every piece of the game came together for him. From dribbling, passing, shooting, and looking for opportunities to set up assists to strong defense and team leadership. He was the best player on the team and so much fun to watch. I'm glad I didn't press pause this season like I thought I might given Skyler's transition. This season his jersey was Black and their team name was the Shadow Ninja's. He played w Chase S, Matthew, and Dylan.

We took a couple trips to Bellingham this Fall as a family and had a really nice time all in all. The boys did lots of swimming, walked all around the WWU campus and the arboretum and the historic district of Fairhaven. We visited several breweries, played disc golf and visited a farmer's market. One night after dinner we had a dance off and watched a scary Halloween movie w the lights out. Hudson's costume for Halloween this year was Tony Hawk. More a factor of what we had lying around than his level of interest in skateboarding. (Beckett was a Parisian painter)

This Winter, we hope to get Hudson back on the ski hill at Crystal Mountain. He left last season looking really good and feeling pretty confident so I look forward to seeing what this year brings.
We hope to ski at Great Divide in Helena this Xmas so optimistic he'll be open to it.

Hudson has a strong personality. He is opinionated and stubborn, decisive and strong willed. At the same time he is also still sensitive and sweet. He definitely has a love/hate relationship w his brother but when they are getting along it is the sweetest thing to watch. I love that they have each other and that they're close in age.

We love you SO MUCH Hudson Gray! It's hard to believe you'll be in junior high next year!


Hudson's Current Favorites:
Colors: Orange
Book: Chasing Rumor (Cameron's book)
Song: 5 Seconds of Summer
Breakfast Food: Pancakes
Dinner Food: Sushi
Number: 8
Best Friend: Sam

10 years (66.8 lbs)

Hudson is on the final stretch of 4th grade. He's had a good year and developed several relationships, particularly with a new neighbor Sam. Sam's parents have become good friends as well so it's a win/win.  He was unsuccessful attempting sleepovers @ Colton and Aiden's homes but has slept over @ Sam's multiple times. There was a strange incident that happened on the bus and then on the school grounds where Hudson and another kid were called into the principal's office. He was a bit emotional at school the next day. After talking w him and exchanging emails w his teacher I think we dissolved the issue and moved past it. In Math he is learning fractions and decimals. He has 4 days of assessments coming up at the end of the month and we're optimistic he'll do really well.

Hudson spent the Spring playing soccer (12th season) with coach Skyler and the usual suspects. This season may have been the end of an era as I think coach Skyler will hang up his coaching cleats and move Chase into Select. Initially, the thought was that Hudson would take a break from soccer this Fall but he seems to want to play again and have his new buddy Sam join his team. This season his jersey was Kelly Green and perhaps the best color yet. Their team name was the Thunderbirds.

This Winter, Hudson went up to the Pass and had a great day skiing with Dad. It started out a little rough but he worked it out and they ended up having a great day. A couple months ago, while in the Methow Valley, Hudson went to the Loup Loup and skied with Mom. He started out on the poma and eventually went to the top of the mountain skiing both the Loop and the Ridge. He had a big crash at the bottom so got really frustrated. After a little cocoa break, he pulled himself out of it and got back on the junior poma. Mommy was really proud of him for pulling himself up and getting out of his funk to try again.

Hudson has been working on reading Lord of the Rings. It's a huge 1000+ page book so it's been a work in progress. He goes through stages of enjoying it and feeling like a slave to it which is totally understandable. Mommy got some alternative books at the library but he refuses to read them. go figure.

Hudson continues to enjoy his friendship w Sam. They are at each other's house probably once a week (oftentimes including Beckett) and have done sleepovers at each others homes as well. It's so great to have a friend nearby and someone whose family is so much fun!

We did a couple fun activities over the past couple months. We went up to the Pass and went inner tubing, to the Seattle waterfront for Wings Over Washington, and then to Pacific Raceways last weekend to watch drag races. Upon coming home, Hudson "decided" that this is what he wants to do as a profession and started sketching out designs to build his own dragster. Good thing his main gift from mom/dad this year is a drill. He also got a light up skateboard from Beckett!

Hudson is coming into his own and becoming more opinionated and inquisitive. He has a strong sense of justice and is frustrated by lack of fairness. He is incredibly inclusive of his brother which is really sweet and always wants Beckett to come along to Sam's house. He even shared his Captain Crunch birthday cereal with B this morning! He had a dentist appt this week and had no cavities which makes mommy really happy.

We love you SO MUCH Hudson! It's hard to believe you are 10 years old.

Hudson's Current Favorites:
Colors: Pink
Book: Harry Potter series; Swindle Series;  Lord of the Rings
Song: I Like to Move it Move it
Breakfast Food: Pancakes
Dinner Food: Sushi
Number: 5
Best Friend: Sam

9 1/2 years (63.6 lbs)

Hudson recently started 4th grade and his teacher is Mrs. Dye. She's new to Shadow Lake but we really like her and it seems like Hudson does too. We were very proud to learn that he was selected as the FIRST Student of the Month in September. Way to go Hudson!
In Math he is learning multi-digit addition, subtraction, and multiplication and how to apply those skills to real world problem solving scenarios. In Writing they are working on fictional narratives where they are focused on writing powerful leads and endings and developing meaningful characters through the use of dialogue, feelings, thoughts, and actions. We're going to work on elaboration strategies for Hudson to move his grade from 2 to 3. In terms of "Future Ready" skills he is excelling in being a community contributor, collaborative teammate and conscientious worker.

Hudson spent the Fall playing soccer (11th season) with coach Skyler and the usual suspects. The overall dynamics have changed a bit and I think Skyler might be willing to coach one more season (fingers crossed).  After Spring '18 we may give soccer a break for awhile. This season his jersey was a mustard yellow...AGAIN (as was his brother's) and they're team name was the SuperSounders.
We went to a Sounders game as a family and the boys had a good time watching Professionals real time.

Daddy got the boys outfitted for the ski season this year and we anticipate getting them on the hill to work on some basic ski skills this year. Mommy is jealous that they'll be on the mountain mainly when she's at work :( We hope that adding skiing into the mix will add some dimensionality to their activity repertoire. Especially now that both boys have graduated from swim lessons!!! Hudson is a strong swimmer and can do all the main strokes gracefully. I have no apprehension of him near water. Yah!

Hudson is growing a bit weary of Harry Potter and is newly into the Swindle Series. He is reading them in his classroom. Ironically, he finished the 5th Harry Potter book and only has two more to go to wrap up the series but I'm not pushing it. Since we don't have the Swindle Series at home he has been reading Old Yeller. *This makes mommy very happy*

Hudson is continuing to develop new friendships and this year it's Sam. Sam is our neighbor and his dad is an anesthesiologist at Valley Medical and a colleague of Dr Ichiro. We did a fun "play date" with Sam and took him up to the city to Discovery Park, the Troll and the Aboretum. It was the perfect day and the boys had a lot of fun. I think they were worn out by the time we got home.
Hudson is asking about having Sam and Graham over for a sleepover in the loft.

Hudson is becoming more articulate and independent. He no longer likes mommy to put her arm around him, hold his hand or smother him with kisses. Mommy is adjusting...slowly.
We can't figure out if he's more left or right brain as he seems to do well in both science and math but also enjoys writing, drawing and creating games and stories.
Hudson recently started practicing the electric guitar and learned how to play Happy Birthday by heart just in time for mommy's birthday. What a treat!

He has adopted the family iPad and enjoys playing Minecraft and some old school games like Mario Brothers, PacMan, and Qbert. He is a typical first child and loves to provoke his little brother but never with deviant or ill intent. He's also extremely kind and doesn't let his brother stay mad very long before he reaches out to bring him back into the fold. He is stubborn, opinionated, generous, and funny.

We love you SO MUCH Hudson! It's hard to believe you are 9 1/2 years old.

Hudson's Current Favorites:
Colors: Blue
Book: Harry Potter series "Swindle Series" by Gordon Korman
Song: Learnin' to Fly (Tom Petty)
Breakfast Food: Vegan Pancakes
Dinner Food: BLT's
Number: 50
Best Friend: Graham & Sam

9 years (61.6 lbs)

Hudson is on the home stretch of 3rd grade and has a field trip to the Pacific Science Ctr on June 1. His school year was extended by a couple days due to snow closures so his last day is June 16.

Hudson wrapped up Spring soccer (his 10th season) with coach Skyler and the usual suspects. There were a couple new kids on the team who had never played before which changed some of the dynamics. They didn't have a winning season but I think the kids had fun overall which is what it's all about. His jersey color was teal and his team name was the Sounders.

Hudson transitioned from Soccer right into Swimming. He is in level 5 for the month of May and June after which we'll see if he graduates to level 6 (last level). If he passes we may stop. He's in the deep end of the pool working on all 4 strokes for 100 meters plus deep angle dives.
We will take July/August off from sports. We are going on a 2 week road trip to Utah in July and the boys will be in the Methow for a week in August and at Montana Man Days for another week.

He continues to read Harry Potter and is currently reading book #5 "The Order of the Phoenix". He enjoys writing, drawing, and doing creative things like building lego mazes.
Mommy decided to expose everyone to a variety of experiences including watching classic movies,
going on several hikes (Rattlesnake Ledge, Poo Poo Point, Cougar Mtn - we hope to go to Rainier next month), doing crafts at Michaels, Family Fun Center for mini golf, bumper boats, and go-karts, Trampoline Nation, Ice skating, Roller skating, Peter Pan Ballet, Museum of flight, and a movie.

Hudson is celebrating his birthday this year with a "Camping" theme. Since we'll be at Dash Point over Memorial Day weekend we thought it made sense to celebrate his birthday while there.
We sent out cute camping invitations and asked his friends to bring their bikes. We have nylon camouflage bags for each kid that will have glow sticks, mini flash lights, compasses, and trail mix.

We did a small family birthday celebration on his actual birthday and he got a remote control boat (which he'll use @ Blue Lake in a few weeks), a Star Wars ship and some Pokemon cards. Nana got him a drone, Gma gave him $60 and Nana Nan gave him $40.

Hudson is doing much better with his anxiety. He went tubing at the Pass all day w his friend Graham. We were so proud of him and couldn't believe he did this on his own. He walks over to his swim lane and onto the soccer field on his own and seems to be fine with his picture being taken.

Hudson is getting taller and smarter every month. He continues to enjoy creative endeavors and is doing well in all subjects in school. He's been spending a lot of time in the new garage loft daddy made him and his brother. He is gentle and kind, stubborn and opinionated. A chip off the old block.

We love you SO MUCH Hudson! It's hard to believe you are 9 years old.

Hudson's Current Favorites:
Colors: Blue
Book: Harry Potter series
Song: Wip and Nay Nay
Breakfast Food: Pancakes
Dinner Food: Ribs
Number: 5
Best Friend: Quinn

8 1/2 years (59.4 lbs)

Hudson has started 3rd grade and has a male teacher (Mr Kostohris) for the first time.
He seems to really like him and has a lot less homework (so far) than last year. Go figure.

Mommy got to chaperone his Fall field trip to the Salmon Hatchery, bring treats into his Harvest party on 10/31 and attend their Open House to see their classroom, his desk and current projects.
He also had a "folk song" music performance lead by Ms. Tolliver.

Hudson just wrapped up Fall soccer with a new team and coach. It was a very tough start to the season transitioning onto a new team with kids he didn't know and a coach who wasn't familiar. The first practice was the roughest but we eased into it and before long he was friends with the kids on the team really enjoyed the coach and his wife (Jen). Needless to say, I'm sure Spring season will be much easier when he's back with the usual suspects. It's hard to believe he's played for 9 seasons already. His jersey color was burnt orange and their team name was the Onyx's.

We start swim lessons in a week and Hudson will be in Level 3 (2nd time) so we hope to advance by the end of repeating this class. He's leary of being in the deep end so looking forward to exposing him to this fear so he can conquer it and move forward.

We spent the whole Summer trying to find a book series that Hudson would gravitate toward. We weren't successful until school started when we encouraged/forced the first Harry Potter book. It was a little challenging for him for the first half of the book. But now he's really into the series and has started the 2nd book. He's actually such an advocate that he has encouraged Beckett to start reading them and Beckett is reading the first book. (crazy!) We incentivized him by saying he could watch the Harry Potter movies once he completed the book. So he's now watched "The Scorcerer's Stone?
He still enjoys writing and drawing which has been consistent with him. Hmmm....right brainer?

This year for Halloween we had to pull together some last minute costumes. Hudson ended up being a "bear'ista". He wore a green Starbucks apron and had a bear hat with bear slippers on his hands.
Beckett was a scuba diver named "Deep Sea B" and Beau made him little plastic tanks to wear.

Hudson watched "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" last night. I'm hopeful this drives interest in the Chronicles of Narnia series but we'll press pause until he's done with Harry Potter.

Hudson has some anxiety and we've identified ways of working through it. Casey encouraged us to talk about "what's the worst thing that could happen?" and then go from there. It sneaks up on us so we try to warm up to new things early by talking about expectations and being open to questions.
This ranges from fear of taking team/school pictures (sensitive eyes) to new kids/teams (Sounder soccer camp - getting separated from Chase; new Fall soccer team with unfamiliar kids/coach). It's a delicate balance of parental encouragement and realistic expectations we have of him at his age.

Hudson is up to mommy's chin and almost able to wear the same size shoe. He is gentle and considerate, sensitive and stubborn. He is creative, serious, and an introvert. He likes to ride his bike, ascend the new climbing wall in the garage, play in the creek and outside with his brother. He also likes to sit quietly and build lego's in the playroom, draw, and create little games/plays.

It is so interesting to watch the person he is becoming. There is so much to love about Hudson and we feel so blessed to have such a healthy, helpful, and conscientious member of our family.

We love you SO MUCH Hudson! It's hard to believe you are 8 1/2 years old.

Hudson's Current Favorites:
Colors: Blue, Green, and Gray
Book: Harry Potter series
Song: Eminence Front (The Who)
Breakfast Food: Waffles
Dinner Food: Coconut Shrimp
Number: 5
Best Friend: Colton, Graham, Tyler, Sam, Juan

8 years (55.8 lbs)

Hudson is turning 8 this week!

We just celebrated Hudson's birthday a little early with a LegoCity theme. We hosted it at our home and got the Kent Fire Station bouncy house. Hudson welcomed kids from both school, soccer, and our closest friends. In keeping with tradition, daddy made him a cake in the shape of "Emmett" from the Lego Movie. We will have another simple celebration on his actual birthday but mommy/daddy leave for a 2 week trip to Europe the same day so Gma will take the reigns.

We recently attended a curriculum fair/art walk for his school and got to see the variety of projects they have made and what they're learning. Their current focus is on Central and South America. Hudson has a music program at the end of the month where they will perform folk songs indigenous to this part of the world.

Hudson just wrapped up Spring soccer and it was great to have him back with his usual crew. He really has fun playing with the same kids that he first started with. He had a couple amazing goals this year which was really exciting to see and confidence boosting for him at the same time.

We have started initial consultations with orthodontists for Hudson and learned something very interesting. He has 3 teeth that do not have a permanent tooth behind them. We need to schedule an appointment with an oral surgeon to have a couple teeth pulled and will start ortho work in a couple years.

This year for Spring Break we took a ferry to Victoria. The boys had fun riding the Black Ball ferry out of Port Angeles and exploring the city. We had our car so we spent one day in the city and one day venturing beyond. Interestingly enough, out of everything we saw, I think they enjoyed the beach the most. That, and eating at Spaghetti factory!

Hudson occasionally enjoys reading although he seems to be hot/cold. He found a new series at the library called the "Stink!" series. He has a pile of them in his room and when we can get him to pick one up, he'll enjoy the story and the time spent reading. Otherwise, it's a bit out of sight out of mind. He does seem to enjoy writing and drawing which has been a constant. He definitely lives in his imagination to a certain degree and enjoys the art of creating. I wonder where he gets that from?

We recently watched the original Star Wars movies and Hudson is all of sudden, REALLY into it. He sings the theme song, pretends to be an Ewok, and flies his ships around quoting the movie. His little brother is really into it too which makes it even more fun to pretend to be Luke and Han Solo.

Hudson is growing taller and will most likely eclipse mommy by the 4th or 5th grade. He is a compassionate, sensitive, stubborn, creative, curious and serious boy who seems to enjoy his friends, his time at school and his little brother. Well, they are BFFs at least 50% of the time.

We love you so much Hudson! It really is hard to believe you're turning 8 years old this week!

Hudson's Current Favorites:
Colors: Red, Blue and Green
Book: Stink! series
Song: Ghostbusters
Breakfast Food: Oatmeal & Cereal
Dinner Food: BLTS and hates Stir-Fry!
Number: 86 zillion
Best Friend: Colton

7 1/2 years (53.5 lbs)

Hudson started 2nd grade this Fall and his teacher is Ms Mondul. He seems to really like her and we do too. We have his parent teacher conference this Friday!
The curriculum is currently focused on learning about Native Americans, states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and doing double digit addition and subtraction. We went to an Open House and got a chance to see his classroom, meet his teacher (again) and learn more about his daily routine(s).

Summer 2015 was full of fun experiences...
In June, Hudson enjoyed a family road trip where we visited 3 Nat'l parks (Yellowstone, Glacier, and Banff/Lake Louise). He had a great time camping and seeing new sites regardless of some long hours in the car. He even found a big horn sheep toy in Yellowstone which quickly became the center of many campsite games throughout the rest of the trip. He saw a lot of wildlife in their natural habitat (Elk, Bear, Mtn goats, ground squirrels) which was educational. He also hiked a glacier in Montana that was covered with snow. This made things interesting in sneakers. He had fun playing in various swimming pools, walking a lot, and getting lots of mountain fresh air.

In July, Hudson got to take an Amtrak train ride with Gma and Mariah from Montana to Seattle. They got a sleeper compartment as it was an overnight trip. I think it's safe to say he had a GREAT time!

Later that month Hudson spent a week in Starfire Soccer camp with Chase Burreson. They got to play on the same practice field as the Sounders and even met a couple of the players during camp. He had a great time especially having a buddy with him!

In August, he got to spend some time at nana/papa's house. However, the visit was cut short due to massive forest fires that ran rampant through the Methow and Okanogan county. It was quite an adventure as they had to evacuate nana's house and load up the dogs to spend the night at nana Laurie's before heading back to Seattle.

September issued a new soccer season. Due to his age, Hudson was forced to move up to the U7 league playing with all boys (no co-ed) age 7+. The players were all new to Hudson except for Jayveer (a teammate from season's past). The coach was a first time coach and we really missed Skyler and his old team. However Hudson had a good season regardless. He easily made friends with the other players and continued to improve his soccer skills. Mommy got a great game video of Hudson dribbling around players, down the field and scoring a goal!!!

This year for Halloween Hudson was a ninja. We went to the MV Community Center's "Truck or Treat" where the boys got to explore all kinds of large utility trucks. Hudson participated in his first ever cake walk and actually won a cake! They also tried cotton candy for the first time!

Hudson continues to enjoy reading Geronimo Stilton books (off/on). Mommy read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe which he seemed to like initially but interest seemed to wane in the end. He really enjoys using his imagination to create. He makes fantastic structures with lego's and forts and is currently inspired to create clues for treasure hunts. He is getting more and more independent in his personality. We continue to see an analytical side to him and a curiosity for the reason behind things.

Hudson is a great person. He is kind and considerate. He is responsible and funny. He is sensitive and clever. We love you so much Hudson Gray!!!

7 years (48 lbs)

Hudson is turning 7 in one week!!

Mommy/Daddy will be in New England on his actual birthday so we celebrated it early. Hudson really wanted to go up in the Space Needle so we had a "day in the city" birthday weekend. We stayed @ Inge's condo in Ballard and had adventures through Seattle Center (Space Needle ride to the top), downtown Ballard, and the Ballard Locks. It was a packed weekend w great weather!

Hudson is on the home stretch of 1st grade and is now doing double digit addition/subtraction. He has recently taken huge strides in ENJOYING reading. He is obsessed with the Geronimo Stilton books and reads them constantly. He prefers reading over playing his Kindle which mommy/daddy particularly appreciate. His reading speed and comprehension has taken off which is great to see.

Hudson spent Jan/Feb taking swim lessons and is getting much more confident with his strokes in the water. We took the train to Portland for Spring Break and Hudson swam around in the Crystal Hotel soaking pool w/o issue. It's so nice to see the practiced skills paying off.

Hudson just wrapped up his Spring soccer season. He really improved this year. He was much more aggressive and confident getting into the middle of play. He was probably in the top 3 goal scorers!

Hudson's appearance is starting to change as he has lost two more teeth. His top middle teeth. Yes, he is now that kid with two front teeth missing. However, we practiced saying his "S's" yesterday and he doesn't sound funny. This last tooth was knocked out while playing @ Emly's dinner club yesterday. Fortunately Christy found the lost tooth in the grass! Needless to say, the tooth fairy made another visit to our house last night.

Hudson has a field trip to Point Defiance Zoo in two weeks. He's always jealous that Beckett gets to do little field trips/party's in his class so I'm sure this will be fun for him.

Spring Break was spent taking the train to Portland. The boys had a lot of fun experiencing a real train and what it's like to be inside one. We toured the viewing car, dining car, etc. They played their Kindles most of the time but it will be a good memory I'm sure.

Hudson has been learning about Australia and Marine Life. He is still required to do about 4 pages of homework a week in addition to a weekly spelling test (which he almost always gets 100% +3 for bonus words). I think we find out who his 2nd grade teacher is sometime in August.

Hudson continues to migrate toward that stage where he thinks he knows more than his parents. In general he asks a lot of questions and has an observatory nature. He is calculated and cautious. He is tender and gentle. He is stubborn and particular. He is a great boy and we love him to the moon!

6 1/2 years (45 lbs)

Hudson is now in 1st grade. His teacher is Mrs Loescher and he seems to like her although not as much as he liked his Kindergarten teacher(s) Mrs Belmondo and Mrs Boyle.
He has homework each week and in addition to improving his reading/writing skills, he is getting quick at solving single digit addition and subtraction math problems. He seems to be making friends both in school and on his bus. He keeps asking for a playdate with William who is actually not in Mrs Loescher's class nor on his bus. We met up with him and his brother once and need to again.

Hudson wrapped up Fall Soccer with daddy acting as asst coach again this year. While he is still most comfortable just on the outside of the immediate playing area he did have a few aggressive games where he was right on the ball and had several shots on goal. It was great having many of the same players from last season return to the team again this year. I think it helps the kids feel more comfortable and contributes to overall team collaboration and comraderie.

Hudson got a clean bill of health recently at his 6 year well child visit. He had no shots and actually doesn't need to go back until he's 8. Outside of a vision test which the nurse can administer at age 7 there's no reason to see the doctor again outside of getting an annual flu shot.

We just returned from the dentist and Hudson is cavity-free! He did really well at the dentist and even held still enough to get some good x-rays. He has five 6-year molars coming in and several teeth (top and bottom) emerging from his gum line. To date he's only lost one tooth on the bottom so I think in the next 6 months we'll be leaving gifts for the tooth fairy often. The dentist did say that there may be orthodontist work in our future which comes as no surprise especially to mommy.

Hudson got a Kindle for his birthday and loves playing with it. It's a great device for car rides, Beckett's soccer practice, and slow Saturday morning's waiting for mommy/daddy to wake up. Oftentimes he'll sit with Beckett in the recliner and just play it together. Very cute.

Hudson is becoming more and more independent and opinionated. He will often tell mommy/daddy, "no, that's not correct...". We seem to have an emerging "expert" on all things. He is strong willed and very particular. He appreciates order and rules and when others follow suit. He is a great helper both to mommy and daddy but also as a big brother to Beckett. While he can be frustrated by his brother he's also very kind and supportive of him.

He continues to be a sensitive soul. He is more emotional than Beckett and gets his feelings hurt more easily. He has a huge heart and cares deeply about things that are important to him. He is such a special person and it's such a pleasure to watch him grow and develop each and every year.

We love you Hudson Gray!