Happy Holidays 2023!
2023 has been a busy year for the Cranley Family. Here are some highlights.
Danae continued her work selling group insurance for The Standard and celebrated over 20 years with the company in 2023! She also leaped out of her comfort zone this year by starting as a Sunday Legree instructor at BOlD (a form of Pilates) where she has been a member since 2019. She enjoys the opportunity to give back to the BOLD fitness community, connect with regular clients, and receive weekly Cranley teenager input on crafting next-level workout playlists.
Chris set many personal running bests this year, headlined by a Boston Qualifying time in the Mt. Charleston marathon this spring of 3:06 (7:05/mile). He looks forward to training with new friends at Breakfast Club and preparing for the running of the 128th Boston Marathon in 2024!
Following a Cranley tradition for the 8th-grade year, the family took their first East Coast family trip, enjoying Manhattan, a visit to Brooklyn to visit Cousin Jennie, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. The week-long trip was jam-packed with navigating public transit, urban hiking, good food tasting, and learning more about American history.
Other trips included stops on the California coast to whale/dolphin watch, learn to surf, and visit friends/family, as well as a short trip to Vancouver, Canada for more family time.
The girls all took a step forward in their tennis pursuits this year by participating in their first USTA tournament. Charlotte made the final for her age group, and all three girls were very excited about signing up for future tournaments. The twins (ages 12) were accepted into the youth development program at the Berkeley Tennis Club. They enjoy their weekly matches against other clubs and test their skills in family matches outside of clinics. Sophie (age 15) made the Berkeley High Tennis team this year as a freshman and enjoyed playing on varsity in both singles and doubles matches. In winter, Sophie is taking time to learn a new sport, Lacrosse, while also volunteering to support a local political campaign to help out our local schools.
Tay Tay fever hit the house this year and the girls surprised their father by knowing more about the Kansas City Chiefs, specifically Travis Kelce, than he would expect. Outside of school and Tennis, the girls enjoy their Mall time with friends, dumplings and boba outings in Berkeley, and the occasional family hike (with pastry bribes assured) with their parents.
In other Cranley family news…
We are grateful to the team at the Bethel Retirement Community in Modesto for the full-time care of our father Frank over the past 15 months. Our Dad’s Alzheimer’s progressed to a point where his needs made living at home untenable. And while a decline in his condition continues, his heart, spirit, and occasional orneriness remain. Ruth visits faithfully each day to share a laugh, smile, and walk with Frank. She seemingly knows the entire floor of residents and workers (and their backstories) as first-name friends. This change in living support has also allowed Ruth the occasional trip to visit and reconnect with family and friends in person throughout California and the opportunity for a Bay Area weekend visit to cheer on her favorite granddaughters.
Sean Cranley continues to teach Anthropology and Sociology community college courses around the Lancaster area and 2023 saw him travel to Colombia multiple times to visit friends and work on Anthropology projects. Sean also hosted Ruth and Chris for an epic super bloom adventure in the high desert in the spring!
Nature can be both healing and inspiring.
