Ushering in 2026

Sault Ste. Marie is one of our happy places, and we have discovered that we're still happy to be here in the winter! It all started when Nellie sent us a photo of the seasonal coffees at Superior Cafe, which sparked an idea that we could come up over break, which got real about a week ago when we jumped in and decided to go for it. What we didn't know was that there would be a blizzard the day before we came up and a winter storm warning lasting our entire trip. I'm not sure I've ever seen so much snow! We are loving it.

On the agenda: Superior Cafe (of course) for coffee and homework/reading/work, snowshoeing, dinner out at Cozy Corners, hunting, games, puzzles, resting, playing in the snow, watching freighters, seeing our UP family. So far, so good!

Our year held some big momentous events (Nellie graduated and started college! We took some family trips that were both familiar and epic. We struggled through some big losses. We started to heal. We were reminded of what's important.) and a collection of a bazillion mundane ones. I'm delighted to celebrate it and welcome the next in this place with these people!

Our New Year celebration included most of the usual things - Spoons, appetizers, fireworks and sparklers and trying to stay up until midnight. But new this year were Fishbowl (thanks Mustaphas!), a Wernet-trivia Jeopardy game (thanks Nellie!), Pin the Anchor on the Crane (my own design ☺) and the absolute craziest and best part - attending the "Anchor Drop" in downtown Sault Ste. Marie! It was very cold and required bundling up at 11:30 for the short drive downtown, but was totally worth it.

Family photo with the esteemed anchor

It's hard to see in this daytime photo, but Annie was the clear winner.

Jeopardy! Eddie and I dominated the family trivia.

Just a pretty afternoon photo of the river

Kevin and Schuyler did some hunting...

...while we were busy in the coffee shop

"Quick, gimme those, I think I saw an eagle in Canada!" - Nellie

Paul R. Tregurtha - we had to stay up until 1am after we got here to see it!

We arrived very late.

It wouldn't be a Wernet family New Year celebration without me forcing family reflection on the year and goals for the next. I'm sure they secretly love it.

I'll start! Though a lot of this year just kind of felt like a grind, there were SO MANY wonderful experiences. Our Florida trip, backpacking, and trips up north were just delightful times together and we had lots of mini-adventures. A couple of highlights for me were visiting Sugar Island for the first time and getting lost in the woods on South Manitou Island and pressing on in the direction we thought we should go. It was intense (as it should be when you're camping, haha) and there was infinite but the moment we came out of the woods and landed on the trail was a happy relief! Another highlight was Nellie's open house. Those are some stressful memories, too, but I was overwhelmed by people showing up on a million-degree day celebrate with us, and a lot of people helped out even thought I didn't think I needed it and I really really did.☺ I'm committing to more prayer and gratitude and helping our family have more intentional time together.

DJ's favorite memories were hanging out with friends. He wants to get a better vertical.

Nellie's highlights were the Florida trip and backpacking, particularly the long hike out to the dunes. Her goals for 2026 are to read the whole Bible, run a 5K, be willing to confront issues without procrastinating, and be a peacemaker. 

Eddie: Mom acting as the Grinch during Fishbowl. But also, the day at Busch Gardens over spring break. His commitment for next year is to end world hunger!

Annie's favorite memories were the Florida trip, trying out track for the first time and going to states, playing Annie in Annie, turning 16 and being able to drive, and going to Aunt Pam's lake this summer. She doesn't really "do" New Year's resolutions but she wants to persevere in the right things and say "no" to things when needed.

Mary's favorites for 2025 are every trip we went on and our New Year's Eve party! She wants to commit to reading all the books she has stacked up to read.

Kevin has lots of showstopper memories: Florida trip, 4th of July trip to the U.P., staying in Grand Rapids with Nellie, the golf weekend with John and Alex, great hunting trips (including a turkey and two deer!), getting a puppy, when he volunteered Annie to sing the national anthem spontaneously, and watching how much the kids have grown in athletics and leadership. His goals are intentional, relentless, obnoxious positivity and to be manlier. 

DJ turns 14!

Happy birthday, DJ! This has been a year full of growth (literally - it seems like he grows an inch a week) and some shifting interests and priorities. We noticed it when we went to Florida - how all of a sudden his relationship with his older sisters is deepening and and they seem to get each other - though he's still the best video game and sports buddy for Eddie and Mary.

All in all, he's had a great year. DJ still loves all things sports and plays soccer, basketball, and baseball. He's still great with stats and can answer just about every question I have. He has gotten more interested in fishing and took a couple of hunting trips with Kevin this fall. This year he's enjoying staying late after school until practice so he can hang out with his friends. Somewhat surprisingly, he's also picked up a love for music and can usually be found at home practicing guitar. He even led some sisters and cousins in performing a Noah Kahan song at our annual Wacyk Christmas Musical Revue!

On his birthday this year, we were still celebrating Christmas so he got to wake up with all his cousins at their annual sleepover then head to Alex and Sarah's to celebrate with John. But he got to have two cakes, three rounds of "Happy Birthday," and watch a lot of football, so all in all I assume it was a good day. I'm definitely still learning how to parent a teenage boy, but it's really fun and I just can't get enough of his deep thinking and sense of humor. He's growing in leadership and responsibility and learning new things every day. The next year will be a full one - starting high school, driver's training, etc. - but I anticipate a good one. 

Baseball tournament champions

DJ's first broken finger

Didn't stop him from playing soccer, but don't tell his doctor

As ONE of the tallest children (as Annie pointed out), this is a good job for DJ

Learning how to change guitar strings with Papa John

How would you describe yourself  as this point in your life in three words (or phrases)?

Athletic, clever, tall.

What's an area of your life that you think you've grown in most this year?

Discipline, not slacking in working out. I don't chicken out.

If you had a full day to do whatever you want...what would you do?

Go to a Tigers or Lions game, eat Panda Express, stay at a hotel or someplace with a pool, and go to an amusement part with roller coasters.

If we had a long weekend and you got to plan a trip for us, where would we go and what would we do?

Maybe Petoskey during March Madness so we can just hang out watching basketball. Or if it's the summer we can go swimming and tubing.

What careers are you considering?

Like a sports broadcaster, umpire or referee, or a doctor or dentist. Or a lawyer.

What’s your favorite song or type of music?   

I don't really have a favorite song, but I like two kinds of music primarily. Mumford and Sons and Noah Kahan is one type and then I like Forrest Frank and Josiah Queen.

What's your favorite food?

Chicken pot pie, deviled eggs, Panda Express, and Taco Bell.

Current favorite movie or TV show?

The Office and sports talk shows like SportsCenter.

Current book(s) you're reading?

Gone by Michael Grant. It's the book Grandpa John got me for Christmas.

What was the best part of your birthday?

Probably spending the night at Grandma's and then going to our cousins' house. My favorite present was Madden?