DJ, age 9

Why does nine seem SO much older than eight? It's been a big year for DJ - he got to try out surprise homeschool for the spring, then switched schools, then played a new sport this fall. But he still loves all things Marvel and Star Wars, math, history, baseball, football, and basketball (and now, soccer). Recently, Kevin and I were pondering DJ's love for sports. We remembered how sick Kevin was when DJ was born (Kevin had spent his own birthday in bed) and how we spend all the time in the hospital and most of the next week watching college bowl games on TV. That's probably where it started. Now, we're sitting together on the couch in our matching Vikings jerseys. 

Last night at dinner, we went around and shared what we love about DJ. The theme was that he's always up for anything his siblings want to do--but he's definitely his own person, too, with different interests than the rest of the crowd and all kinds of thoughtful questions and big ideas. Here's what he has to say about his year. He's a man of few words.

This has been quite a year, with lots of changes. What was your favorite memory from the last year?
Covid-19 is the most memorable thing. But my favorite memory was at school at Beagle when I ate six pieces of pizza. 

What is one way God's been working in your life this year?
He kept me healthy and not get Covid. I made new friends at LCS. We're learning at school that we're "Given to Give." We were born to share God's love with other people.

How do you feel about being nine?  
Not very different. Except I'm more confident for doing Lego sets that are for 10 and up.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year?
The Super Bowl. I like the football snacks.

What new things or skills are you learning?
Learning how to play the ukulele. I'm learning the new video games I got for my birthday. I learned how to play soccer. I learned how to read hard chapter books.

Who are your best friends?

Wesley, Brendan, Collin, Christian, Jayce. Otto. And maybe Eddie.

What kinds of things are you good at?

[Don't look at what Annie said! This is about you.] But I AM good at cursive and ukulele! And math and reading. And I have nice handwriting. I'm good at baseball and basketball, and video games. [What would your friends say you're good at?] Football.

What careers are you considering?
Paleontologist.

Why are you interested in paleontology?
Because I don't know about dinosaurs and I want to learn about them. Also, Eddie said he's going to own a museum so I can work with him.

What’s your favorite song?   
"Help" by the Beatles.

What's your favorite food?
Pizza or chicken pot pie.

Favorite movie?   
The Sandlot.

Favorite book?   

Bud Not Buddy or Indian in the Cupboard.

Favorite color?   
Lime green.

Favorite place to be?

The library.

What are your favorite things to do?
Read, play video games, or play catch with Dad.

Is there anything else you want us to know about you as a nine-year-old?   

It feels awesome!

Christmas 2020

There's a scene in the Jim Carrey version of The Grinch where young Grinch gleefully exclaims, "Oh Martha...oh Christmas!" That became a popular mantra around here this December as we tried to soak up every ounce of Christmas joy. We could often be heard saying  things like, "Oh cookies...oh Christmas!" 

Word on the Wernet kid street is that Christmas 2020 was a great Christmas. It was different, to be sure.  We had four Zoom Christmases (including a talent show and dramatic reading!) and a virtual band and choir concert, for example. Annie made all the Christmas cookies for us instead of gathering to bake together with my mom and sisters. There were no parties for hosting--other than for Kevin and the kids. Though I have to say, keeping the house "us clean" is way easier than "guest clean" during the holidays. But of course, we missed everyone.

There were some parts of our Christmas and the break that were (sometimes surprisingly) delightful. We did have a few short outdoor opportunities to spend time with family in person--at the playground to trade cookies and gifts before Christmas, meeting the Wernets for a visit with Pam complete with impromptu caroling and playing on the dark beach, and around the campfire for Kevin's birthday. The kids enjoyed their gifts, though the Best Gift Ever award goes to the hand-me-down Doc Mobile that I bought for $10 on our school sale page that has already gotten hours and hours of play. 

I think Kevin and I would agree that hands down, one of our best gifts was a performance the kids put on for us. They spent hours and hours practicing in the basement (which was a gift in itself)--they had costume changes, background music, choreography, and a program. Words can't capture how sweet and occasionally hilarious it was. There was even a skit that they wrote themselves. I keep remembering how our Head of School once noted that Nellie would be directing something someday. It was no small feat herding those little siblings. 

I recorded the whole thing for posterity, but here's a small taste.

And here are some fun pictures of favorite moments.

At the lake

Christmas morning with the boys

The girls

Mary and her Doc Mobile giving her dino a checkup

We don't have a picture WITH Pam but here we are in all our masked caroling glory!

Christmas Zooms

Covid-19 Social Distancing: Fall Edition

 

See Eddie's reading meeting at 12:15? I wrote it here and on the fridge calendar. 

Then told him to log on at 12:30.

Several weeks ago, LCS decided to have all students move to remote learning the week after Thanksgiving. It was a wise, thoughtful decision that offered a long window after the holiday for everyone to be home monitoring symptoms.

At the Wernet house, however, it was not a very smooth week. 

On one level, it was sort of my dream come true. I always go back to school after Thanksgiving wishing I could be at home, surrounded by Christmas decorations with cookie-scented candles burning and Christmas music playing. So there was that--we built lots of fires in the fireplace and got to enjoy the fruits of our decorating labor. And I really do like the hands-on experience of helping the younger kids navigate their schoolwork and see all the things they're learning. DJ is working on an opinion paper, and his topic is, "kids need more math in school." He convinced me! :) And Mary, thank goodness, is far more self-sufficient than she was in the spring. She was very good about entertaining herself for long stretches while I helped the boys, taught lessons, and attended meetings. She made endless crafts out of popsicle sticks and took out nearly every toy in the house. I also loved that our house was filled with music. Nellie and Annie are in band, Nellie is also in choir, Eddie loves to play piano, and DJ is learning ukulele for music class. It was practicing, practicing all the time, and it was quite pleasant! I can't believe I'm saying this after last Christmas's zillions of holiday concerts, but I will really miss hearing them perform this year.

But you guys. It was barely-controlled chaos. Unlike the spring, Annie, and Nellie's schedules were far more demanding, so I couldn't count on their help. And the routines were different and we didn't quite have the norms in place for homeschooling. And THERE WERE SO MANY ZOOM MEETINGS. It seemed like every possible space was occupied at every moment. I was relegated to a camp table set up in the playroom to teach my classes. I think that between the kids and I, we had 59 meetings. That is not an exaggeration like the concerts, it's the actual number I get when I add them up. On Friday at 10am, five of us were in meetings at the same time. I laughed out loud when a student commented, "It's kind of fun to have this experience where everyone's at home. We get to see how teachers are managing everything at the same time." This was after Mary Cate couldn't figure out how to unmute herself and I had to interrupt class to get Eddie to help her. I'm glad my students were enjoying it, at least! I know I have friends who have been doing this every day, all year. I honestly do not know how you do it.

We ended the school week with Annie making dinner for us as a health class assignment. Which was good, because by then I was useless as a human being, let alone a functioning parent. But, we managed. As of 8:00 tonight, all the assignments were completed and backpacks were repacked. The laundry is folded and put away, lunches are packed, lessons are planned, emails are piled up in the inbox ready for responses...sometime. We are ready to go back to school and will appreciate with renewed rigor each day that we can learn in person!