All Kids at Lincoln High School!

 The one school year with all our kids at the same high school is off to a strong start. They are all traveling their own path (also literally going different ways to school) surrounded by different friends and teachers yet we get to enjoy tales about their fun run-ins at school, eating lunch together at times, and comparing  school news.  It makes for very entertaining family dinners which we treasure when schedules allow.

When Nate and I are not working, our time is focused on enjoying every second of Lily's final high school year - especially HS volleyball season, cheering on Paul at cross country, and supporting Elise on crew.  We truly believe core values can be learned through sport and we are proud of each of our kids for putting in the work and pushing themselves.  There's a notable shift in how much we see them these days and we don't like the direction it's going, not one little bit.

Lily is a senior and is planning to go to University of North Dakota for volleyball. Her academic application is submitted and her signing day is expected to be in November.  We are proud of her and support her dream of being a Division 1 student athlete in college.  It's not what we expected, but we learned that parenting lesson the day she was born with a surprisingly full head of black hair - big things and small things - your kids will constantly surprise you.  In school, she enjoys math the most, taking 2 math classes right now.  

Paul is loving x-country not only for the love of running but for the team camaraderie.  I wasn't expecting that much of a team feel, but I was very wrong.  Paul thrives on a team dynamic to perform his best. He is a great hype man for the team and works hard getting all his training runs in for the week. 40 miles a week is a lot! His 5K PR is 17min 30s. If he keeps up with it, I wonder what it'll be in a few years.  In school, he really likes construction and video production class.

Elise's rowing has picked up, practicing 6 days a week now that she's in high school plus weekend regattas (rowing competitions).  She continues piano and Girl Scouts too; she was recently awarded the Silver Award for her community outreach project and is already thinking about Gold Award project ideas for later in high school.  She dreams big and we love it.  We were most nervous about how she'd adjust to the high school routine but knock on wood, she's doing pretty well.  The days of her struggling to get out of the door on time seem long gone.  She's the first one up in the morning these days. She enjoys art class and creative writing.

Here are some photos from our end of summer and start of school.  By next blog, Oma and Opa will be back in Portland with us, Lily's high school volleyball will be officially over, first term grades will be out, and hopefully full of fun tales from celebrating birthdays and enjoying the holiday season.  

Lily is one of 8 seniors graduating.  Each one gets a banner up in the school.

It was an emotional task putting together her volleyball board for senior night.  It's been a heckuva ride.

Lily and I escaped for a quick weekend to LA.  Lily's first time.  Here we are at the Grove.  We got to spend a fun weekend with my dear childhood friend Manju and her family.

Loved getting to spend some time with Manju...even if she did wear jorts just to annoy me. :)

First day of school pics.  Paul and Elise - 9th Grade. Lily - 12th grade.

Final summer moments from August. Sunriver, Block Party (#11!), Portland Bridge Pedal, newfound interest in Disc Golf, and the Xterra Triathlon.

A rare family outing to the Portland Farmers Market to enjoy THE breakfast burrito. I remember laughing a lot that morning.

Summer 2026 Moments - Germany Love

Going into the final stretch of summer and the kids are all very content with the more chill day-to-day vibe routine.  Days are balanced with both activity and downtime, something that is always out of balance one way or another during the school year.  No question early summer mornings and the long sunlit evenings in Portland are incredible.  We don't take advantage of all of them but even just knowing they are there feels good.

Grateful for all the fun moments this summer and very aware of the big moments that have happened to each of the kids as well. 

The big moments you ask? 

Lily started her first regular job working at a neighborhood restaurant. She also had a really great week in North Dakota at volleyball camp with the team - making her desire to play volleyball for UND even stronger.  She also got to play at Nationals with her club volleyball team for the first time.  

Paul made a big decision that's been on the horizon for a long time.  Baseball and tennis are both spring sports in high school, so he's known that he would have to decide which to prioritize as he heads into ninth grade.  Paul decided to stop playing baseball after 5 years of club baseball and focus on tennis. He is also already practicing with the Lincoln x-country team and is busy trying to run his goal of 30 miles a week. He's also Nate's height now.  

Elise crushed it on her trip to Germany with me and my sister. No question I was nervous about how she'd do pitted against her aversions to crowded public areas, eating at restaurants, dealing with lots of transitions, and days of not knowing plans in advance. She surprised me big time on how well she did overall. What I know I’ll remember most, closest to my heart, is watching her fall even more in love with Germany. Seeing her become more curious about the language, her heritage, and already wanting to go back is something that chokes me up in a good way.

Even after 5 years of being back in the corporate working world, I still find myself pining for those stay at home mom summers with my kids.  It's ironic that my summers are my busiest time for work.  I know my kids don't want me around as much like they did the 10 years I was home but being witness to their lives and supporting them more than I do now....well, those thoughts are hard to delete.

The trip to Germany was seven years in the making...or maybe seven years overdue. I'm a little embarrassed I waited that long, especially considering how much I love it there. Other than COVID, I don't have a good excuse.

Heidelberg is like a first serious crush. Munich is my first true love. And Portland? Portland is the reliable, fun friend.

The time I spent in Munich being pregnant with twins and raising three kids under three shaped me in ways I didn't fully appreciate at the time. Going back reinforced just how deeply that chapter is a part of who I am built on my own heritage and time spent there growing up. It also made me realize I want to experience more of Germany again.  I love the little community of friends (lifers) we met there.  

Leaving Munich was harder than I expected and I knew it would be hard. What made it easier was spending time with our awesome relatives in Stuttgart and sharing Heidelberg with Elise for the first time. Watching her experience a place that means so much to me, well that's a big perk of being a parent.

Having my sister there for most of the trip was a dream come true. There were moments when we saw things differently, but that’s also part of what makes her my best friend. She tried to keep me grounded and encouraged me to focus on enjoying Munich as a fun trip together while I was also carrying deeper emotions about Germany and the dreams I continue to have tied to it.

I do love that about her;  there’s no pretending or telling me only what I want to hear. She keeps it real, and that’s one of the reasons I trust her so much.

Here's a drop of pictures to showcase the recent moments.

Paul is Dad's height as of summer 2026, right before starting high school.

 

Elise loved kaese spaetzle.  I love this little hole in the wall restaurant on a side street of Heidelberg.

Classic castle pic with my happy Elise

I loved showing her the castle because that's where my prom was held.  How cool is that?

In Stuttgart with cousins.  Andi was nice enough to give Elise a ride on his cool new Vespa to a castle nearby. Lucky Elise.

Spoiled with a classic German breakfast spread at my cousin Steffi's house

While we were in Germany, Paul and Nate were cheering Lily on in Indianapolis for club volleyball Nationals. This was taken right before their trip up to Michigan to visit Grandma, Grandpa, and family.

(Most of) the Mather & Fine cousins in Ann Arbor

Lily flew home a couple of days early before we could grab a picture of everyone

Group pic from our visit to see family in Stuttgart, cousins from my mom's side.

Beautiful Tegernsee day trip 

Watching Elise bond with my good friend's daughters was bliss. 

My good friend Heidrun and sweet Jonah who I first met when he was 3 years old.  Love them.

Good ol' Jan who did a stint with Daimler in Portland.  Saw him get married in France and now got to share a drink with him at Volksbad Munich.

Fun day riding bikes around Munich, here in Englischer Garten.

My good friend Tenley and me at Chinesicher Turm.  She's a good one and so flippin' funny.

Enjoying Wiener Platz Biergarten during a big storm with good friends Regine and Max.

Elise's first beer in Munich.  She didn't like it so also her last.

Back in Heidelberg at the outdoor animal park and playground behind my parents' old house.

In front of our old house in Leimen, just outside Heidelberg.

Lolo and Elise looking so sweet in front of THE one and only Heidelberg Schloss.

Nate got to check out UND while Lily was at vball camp - hot and windy in July

A common view on our front porch in the summer, eating Eb & Bean on a pleasant evening.

Elise with her bestie Jewel camping.

Lily doing a great job working the front of Dave's Hot Chicken. Go Lily go. Earn that $$

School's Out For Summer

 We are one week into summer break and I'm still using the quiet moments here and there to process the end of the school year. Paul and Elise are done with middle school.  No more school buses.  They are now freshmen in high school and will be starting at Lincoln with Lily at the end of August.  Paul is more eager and ready to leave middle school behind than Elise but both have excitement for high school even if it is masked by the high excitement for no school summertime for the next 10 weeks.  

Lily is now a 17 year old senior with her first job working at a local restaurant opening up in July around the corner from us.  She has had her drivers license for about six months now and just recently is starting to have the confidence and interest to drive on her own.  Her summer is looking to be quite full, continuing to compete with her club volleyball team into July, working, and adventuring with friends.

Paul had a rough spring, breaking his hand and needing to sit out of baseball for well over a month.  He finished his school year riding one last time with his biking crew of friends to school and back, played percussion with the band for maybe the last time (not his top elective choice in high school), and finally got the chance to eat the famous Reuben at Goose Hollow Inn on 8th grade promotion night.  His summer is looking pretty free.  A few more club baseball tournaments, maybe some tennis here and there, and lots of chill time.  He is motivated to earn money and is walking the talk, taking on special yard and house projects to earn a little bit.  

Elise finished up middle school with a couple really special moments.  She accompanied the choir at the end of year performance, playing Hallelujah, a song well above her skill level, beautifully.  She worked so hard to get it right.  She also created a beautiful art montage for the promotion ceremony piecing together various 8th grade art projects into an eye-catching large collage that served as an effective backdrop for pictures. We are proud of her.  She has dealt with quite a bit of sickness on top of having a hard time staying on top of her homework.   Her summer is also looking quite open and she is not motivated to work special house projects for money.  Getting her to eat right, exercise, and limit screen time is a daily battle.  She will continue with Girl Scouts into high school, and they are working on their silver award project focused on mental health resources in the community, volunteering, and doing fun things together throughout the summer.  

We said goodbye to Oma and Opa who are now enjoying summer in Chicago.  Nate and I celebrated 20 years of marriage with a weekend in Seattle.  First time we left the kids home alone.  We'd do it again.  

So here we are at the start of summer, living in our 12th year in our home on Irving Street with our 3 teenage high schoolers.  Our parenting is more listening, supporting, and trying to connect with them in the moments they give us here and there.  It's a big win when we get in some life coaching tips these days.

Pictures from late Spring 2026

Happy Hour with Oma and Opa on our porch before they headed back to Chicago.

Paul in a cast for all of May.

For Mother's Day, I requested pictures of my kids together outside.

Celebrating 20 years in Seattle. Spent most of it exploring various neighborhood street fairs.

Lily is 17!

Lily wanted family dinner at Din Tai Fung for her birthday.  Please note - Paul is in jeans!

Paul and Elise at 8th grade graduation.  

Elise in front of her community art project displayed at graduation.

Elise with her piano and German teacher Juliet who played such a big role in Elise being able to play Hallelujah with the choir.

Rose Festival weekend fun included competing in Dragon Boat again after a 20+ year break.  A lot more fun than I expected, even though I went in knowing it would be fun.  Nate also had the genius idea to watch the Rose Parade near a movie theater so we could enjoy fresh movie popcorn.  

Moose, Travel, TV

 

Given all the travel we have done so far this year, we are very grateful for how smooth it has been overall.  Lily's club volleyball has kept us on the move the most with trips to Seattle, Kansas City, Louisville, Las Vegas and this weekend in Spokane. It's always a treat to watch her in action on the court and see her work through the challenges of being a competitive athlete.  She's getting to the level and age where what's going on between her two ears is becoming more and more of a differentiator.  

Paul's club baseball season kicked off with a family trip down to Phoenix.  7 games across 4 days in the hottest recorded Phoenix temps ever in March (106).  Paul played a lot of third base and had some solid hits.  I'm so impressed by the boys playing through such tough conditions.  The camaraderie amongst the team is fun to watch.  Aside from baseball we had some nice pool time, visited old town Scottsdale re-living our Biegansky family trip from a few years ago, and Nate and Paul spent a day up in Sedona mountain biking with Portland friends.

A big highlight for me was taking Oma and Paul to Indian Wells to watch tennis.  Seeing Paul watch professional tennis in person for the first time was SO MUCH FUN.  He was blown away. We all had a blast cheering on the underdogs and watching the big stars strike the ball so cleanly and watch their mesmerizing footwork up close.  We had a blast.

Of our two cats, Moose is by far the most needy and loving.  His purr, cuddles, and desire to play fetch with us and a hairband bring us a lot of joy and calm.  Moxie is more chill, hanging out in the window bed and always looking for a lap to sit on.  

We have loved watching The Pitt, Shrinking, 30 Rock, Company Retreat, and even Love is Blind Germany Season 2.  Sitting in front of the TV under a blanket with cats sleeping on our laps while we all watch a show is simple bliss.

I started a new role at my company focusing more on employee and intern experience and less on actual recruiting.  We are very much still in a transitional phase post acquisition so time will tell.  I'm grateful to be employed.  Nate continues to be super busy in meetings what feels like all day every day.  I wish he could have a bit more of a reprieve between what is asked of him at work and all he does for his family.  I know it takes a toll at times.  Hopefully Michigan doing well in March Madness and some more summer travel yet to be planned will help.  

Here are a few more moments from 2026 thus far.

I showed Lily where Nate and I babymooned when she was in my belly over 16 years ago.

                                        

Watching Tennis with 2 cats on my lap and Paul next to me - happy place

Elise snapped this hilarious selfie with Moose 

Palm Springs for Indian Wells Tennis action with Oma and Paul.  Paul's first time

4 days of tennis action and fun in the sun.

Vegas weekend with Lily for her volleyball tournament.  

Phoenix. Eating In-and-Out.  Elise's first time.

Sunset hike with family in Phoenix, Papago Park

Family shot after Paul's last game. Girls were troopers too, watching so much baseball in the heat.

Nate and Paul had an epic mountain bike ride in Sedona with Portland friends

Oma and Opa all dressed up for a night out of dinner and dancing with friends.  We are looking forward to celebrating Easter with them next week.  Lots of traditions.  Solleier!