William Turns Two / Fall 2015

Posted on August 26, 2023 by jamesdwong

This set of photos is a time warp back to eight years ago and the fall of 2015, when William turned two. Julia and Joe were still in middle school and elementary school, respectively, and William was living a the carefree life of a toddler.

Looking back on these photos, it’s hard to believe that Joe was almost a year younger than William is now: he seemed like such a big kid at the time. Even at that age, it was clear how much William looked up to him, as evidenced by the pictures of them practicing their instruments together.

For his birthday, William had an amazing train cake that the older kids helped decorate (and eat). He was thrilled to receive a pile of colorful new presents, but as usual, he was completely content just playing in the dirt on the sidelines at Julia’s soccer games.

Gallery: William Turns Two / Fall 2015

Fall Firsts

Posted on August 24, 2023 by jamesdwong

It’s the second half of August, and for the last thirteen years, that’s meant one thing to us: it’s back-to-school time, and we have the pictures to prove it.

The gallery contains the traditional first-day-of-school shots in front of the car, of course, but it also includes a few others, including William jumping for joy at some exciting news; Joe absolutely wiped out after his first day of senior year; and William’s first soccer game (hence the somewhat forced “Fall Firsts” moniker for the photo album).

The year is off to a fast start. William seems to be enjoying fourth grade with his teacher, Mr. Tejada. He’s especially interested in the class reading goals: if everyone reads 40 books by May, the whole class gets a party. William is already almost halfway there.

Joe is working with his small ensemble on some pieces they might play at band competitions in the spring. He’s also enjoying having an open first period on Mondays and Wednesdays, which lets him get an extra hour or so of sleep. If anything, he’s enjoying it a little too much: there have been a couple days in which he cut his arrival at school for second period a little close.

His relaxed mornings may not stick around for long, however. He’s planning to take vector calculus at a nearby community college, and the section he wants meets at 6:30 am. He’s currently on the waiting list for that section, but if he gets in, it will mean lifestyle adjustments for all of us.

Julia’s plans for the fall are still somewhat up in the air, but we’re hoping to have a more concrete idea of what she’ll be doing imminently.

Gallery: Fall Firsts

Joe’s 2023-2024 School Pictures

Posted on August 20, 2023 by jamesdwong

Things are a little different with respect to school pictures this year. Because it’s his senior year, Joe has already taken his yearbook pictures, and it’s not even the end of August. William will have his taken in a few weeks’ time, but rather than sit on Joe’s pictures until William’s are ready, we thought we’d share them now.

Seniors at UPA get more than a basic head shot in their school uniform: they’re dressed up in fake formalwear and graduation gowns and take pictures in a variety of poses ranging from solemn to goofy. We had a total of thirty-three options to choose from, including black and white and color variations, and selected five to post here. You can find high-resolution versions of these pictures, along with all of Joe’s old school pictures, in his school picture gallery.

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