The best lines of the week

 Annie was making pancakes and two were starting to run together. "Oh no you don't," Annie cried while using the spatula to break them apart. "I'm like a chaperone at a 6th-grade dance!"

Last Friday, I asked the kids what they wanted to do after school since it wasn't a school night. DJ told me he wanted to do math because they hadn't gotten to the math lesson that day. "Okay," I said. "What's 21 divided by 3?" He immediately responded, "Seven. I know that one from football."

One night, DJ was extra tired and cranky. He finally plopped down next to me and said, "My legs are SO tired. They've been dragging around a 60-pound weight all day!" It took me a minute to figure out what he meant. "Do you mean...your body?" He did.

Mary Cate had to unlearn some bad habits she picked up from her siblings when she went back to school. She loves to "teacher read" books to her stuffed animals and imaginary students, and I overheard her reading, "Does God want you to say words like stupid, hate, and freakin'? No! God made you, and He loves you! He does not want you to say words like stupid, hate, and freakin'!" 😳 So, I guess she's learning?

Mary Cate, age 4

I'm actually pretty proud that we raised this child past age 3. Just kidding, sort of. Mary Cate has turned a corner and seems very grownup lately. Just this morning, she woke up, got out of bed, and walked downstairs by herself. When she saw us, she remarked, "Oh, hi Mom. Hi Dad." That might not seem like a big deal, but until recently, Mary waking up involved a lot of screaming. I guess she had to get it out of her system early. Or she was just getting her vocal cords warmed up for the day.

But really, four is such a fantastic age. Mary is fun, funny, curious, and helpful. She knows what she wants and she works hard to keep up with her siblings, and now, her classmates. It's been amazing to watch her start school this year so happy and confident. In her words, with "almost ZERO crying." 

I can't imagine our lives without this spunky girl! We love her to pieces and can't wait to see what this year holds. It's time for the birthday interview!

How do you feel about being four?  

I feel super big, like I'm five.

What makes you most excited about being four?

Going to Papa John's house and meeting Papa Mike!

What kinds of new things can four-year-olds do?

Help mom do dishes, count families of birdies, play basketball on the highest one.

Who are your best friends?

Let me think about this. Like Robynne, Allison, Leah, and Alexa. Otto! Lani and Corbin. Luke maybe, and maybe Elliott.

Who are your favorite people to play with?
Alexa, Eddie, DJ, Mom.

What kinds of things are you good at?

Like doing crafts and not getting the glue all over me. Not crying.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Teacher. A doctor. How about when somebody gets hurt I'll be a doctor, and then I'll be a teacher.

Why do you want to be a teacher and a doctor?
Because I learned how to. I watched my teacher and I play doctor.

What’s your favorite song?   

Doc songs!

What's your favorite food?
Mac and cheese!

Favorite drink [this question was her idea.]

Juice! Juice.

Favorite movie?
Frozen! Frozen 2 and Frozen 1. Both.

Favorite book?   

Let me think about this one, Mom. The Frozen book where you can look for Frozen things!

Favorite color?   
Blue. You already knowed that.

Favorite place to be?

Impression 5!

What are your favorite things to do?   
Build with blocks! Watch shows like Doc!

What is your favorite present that you opened for your birthday?
My Doc McStuffins watch!

Why do you yell so loud? [This one was also her idea.]

Because I want Mommy and she doesn't come unless I yell that loud.

Is there anything else you want us to know about you?   
That I find a bunch of fall leaves.

A different kind of summer fades into a different kind of fall

 As summer winded down, work continued to ramp up but we fit in plenty of fun. There were cousin sleepovers and last-minute mini-vacations to visit family and water. We held Mary Cate's front yard 4th birthday party a little early to see some family and friends before school started.

On a couple of trips to Pam's, we packed in swimming and synchronized swim performances, walks, delicious dinners on the grill, boat rides, bike rides, kayaking, and more. We also spent a few days in the U.P. for some safe-distance visits with John. We discovered the best coffee shop, the best Lake Superior beach, and the quietest sort of vacation we've had in a long time. It was peaceful and lovely.

Then, finally, it was back to school. After so many months of planning and preparing and wondering, the first day of school actually came. We're so happy to be back and everyone's adjusting just fine to masks and distancing and a block schedule!

As Nellie prepares to go back to school, thus marking the real end of summer break for the Wernet family, I asked everyone the (probably dreaded) question--What was the highlight of your summer? Here's what they had to say.

Kevin: Going up north to his dad's.

Nellie: The first time she jumped in the water at Aunt Pam's house after she got her boot off and her leg didn't hurt!

Annie: Trips to Aunt Pam's.

DJ: Learning to jump off the deep part of the dock without a noodle or float and jumping off the diving board at Otto's house.

Eddie: Jumping off of the dock and Aunt Pam's.

Mary Cate: Building with blocks, snuggling with Mommy and with her blankie.

We love summer life, but we're ready to welcome fall in all it's glory!

Mary Cate-isms

• T-ball and baseball games got boring, so Kevin made up a game where he would throw something--like a hat or mitt--and Mary would run and get it. Yes, he basically played fetch with her. Before she started running each time, Mary would gear up by yelling, "Super-try-out-what-to-do!"
• Mary Cate likes to put on her sunglasses and walk around, saying, "I'm a rock star, movie star, anything you got!"
• One of my favorite parts of summer was all the kayaking I was able to do, mostly with Mary sitting at the bow. When we finally pulled the kayaks up after our last time at Pam's, we found her practicing her rowing. Before she noticed Kevin watching, he heard her chanting, "My arms can't do it but I'll get through it!" It's a good mantra as we start the school year.
  
  
  
• Mary has started using the expression "as ____ as a pickle" to describe all kinds of situations. Every day, it's "I'm as hot as a pickle in a pie," or, "I'm as tired as a pickle!" We think it comes from a particular character on Doc McStuffins, and it's a good way to get a laugh. Pickle is a funny word no matter how old you are. 
• Mary: I'm tired. Me: I'm tired, too. Mary, hugging me: WE'RE TIRED BUDDIES!
• Me: My tummy is so big from all that food I ate today. Mary: And from all those babies you had in there. 

Summer fun, slightly revised

For the first few weeks of summer, when anyone asked how it was going, the best I could come with was, "weird." After 12 weeks at home, transitioning to summer didn't have quite the same feeling as usual. I'm still working a lot more than in a typical summer. We can't do most of the things that usually keep us busy, like trips to the zoo, museum, and playgrounds or long weekends at the lake. We thought about a camping trip and had it pretty much planned before Nellie reminded us that she was in no state to sleep on the ground or move around a campsite.

But then Sarah and Alex invited us for a camping weekend in their backyard! It was doable because Nellie could sleep indoors, and the creek and pond provided all the summer fun we could need. We waded, swam, kayaked, floated, had a bonfire, made s'mores, lighted sparklers, ate every meal outdoors--it certainly felt like real camping!

Over the 4th of July, we finally had our first overnight at Gull Lake. We were able to manage social distancing by staying outdoors most of the time and only going into and sleeping in the basement. Other than the parade, we got to do all the things we love on the 4th, including watching the fireworks from the boat. And we participated in the sign decorating for a virtual parade and actually won the prize for "best family photo." 

Now, the boys have started baseball and t-ball with some modified rules to keep the kids healthy, and the girls are doing virtual camps through the Wharton Center for acting and dance. With everything else going on in the world and the looming uncertainties of the next school year, we've appreciated these nice little spaces for familiar summer fun. And I think we've started some new traditions in the process!

The kids found a clay deposit in the creek and hauled up a sled full of it to play with. They spent hours making clay pots and bowls.

I never thought I'd see all the kids swimming in a pond, but they sure had fun. Nellie discovered she could still kayak in her boot.

The award-winning photo :)

Nellie, age 13

It has BEEN A YEAR for this girl. So full of hard things--rough start to the school year, two broken legs, school shutting down and worries about the Covid-19 pandemic. And so full of good things--navigating and finally settling in at middle school, getting roles in two musicals, the opportunity to participate in band and choir, making new friends, and doing awesome with online learning.

In all the changes this year, some things stayed the same--Nellie is still our headstrong and tenacious girl. She's creative and clever, and we're looking forward to having her back to 100% mobile! 

We had a full weekend of social distance, outdoor celebrating. We hosted a drop-in front yard gathering with a few friends on Friday (thank you, Lord, that the rain skirted around us) and some family for a bonfire Saturday. Nellie wanted a Hawaiian theme, so we are full of piña coladas and pineapple upside-down cake. Happy birthday, Nellie!

Playing the Game of Life, Nellie's present from DJ

This has been an interesting year. What is your favorite memory from the last year?

It's so different...there's so much difference between this year and last year. It's hard to remember! The musicals--definitely the musicals. Before Willie Wonka shows we'd stand in a big circle and give each other shout-outs.

What is one way God's been working in your life this year?
Keeping us safe during these times...it could have been so much worse but He's protected us and provided for us during quarantine and everything.

This is a big day--first one as a teenager. How do you feel about being thirteen?  

I'm excited, happy to be a teenager. It's what you wait for your whole childhood! But how do I FEEL about it? Exactly the same.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year?

Having more freedom...I mean, you can't be super free during coronavirus, but being able to do what I want. I'm looking forward to Robynne and Leah spending the night tonight. That's all I can be certain is going to happen--everything else is so up in the air!

What is one goal you have for next year?

To see people! Go back to school, see friends and stuff. [What about something you have more control over? Something to improve, work toward...] Maybe become better friends with my siblings, not fight so much.

Who would you say are your best friends?

Avery. Jocelyn. I have a lot of "school friends" when I can see them every day, but it's different now.

What are your strengths?

Playing flute, reading, walking on crutches, "arms" [haha], making an argument, musical theater. Maybe, like, school. 

What careers are you considering?

Maybe be a lawyer, an author, an orthopedic surgeon. Breaking my leg has changed my point of view. I hated blood and didn't think I could be a doctor. But now I feel like I would want to be a doctor and help people through what I went through. Maybe a scientist or ecologist.

You already mentioned medicine, but why are you interested in those fields?
We have a lot of family who are lawyers and like I said, I'm good at arguing. I love writing stories; I've always loved writing.

What’s your favorite song or type of music?   
I've been listening to more pop music. I love 80s and 90s pop because it's so fun and doesn't have as many swear words as current pop music.

What's your favorite food?
Anything with chicken, honestly. Honey mustard chicken, grilled chicken salad...I've always liked carrots and celery--dill dip goes good with anything!

Current favorite movie?   
That's a tough one...I can't say I have a favorite anymore but recently, I loved Monty Python [watched with Kevin] and Just Mercy [watched with me] was really good. I can't say it's a favorite, but it was really good.

Current book(s) you're reading?

First Test, which Aunt Genny gave me, and I just started Twilight. I have a whole list of books to read in my mind.

Favorite color?   
Blue. Although I do love yellow, now, too. It's so bright!

Favorite place to be?

Well, the only place I've been is home...haha...but Robynne and Leah's house and Aunt Pam's house!

What are your favorite things to do? 

Read, bake, cook, watch TV, do crafts, talking to people on FaceTime, listening to music, singing, acting.

If you could describe your year in one line from a musical, what would it be?

I am the one thing in life I can control.

What was your favorite present?

Probably Animal Crossing because that was my big present, but I also got a lot of little things that I really like, like pajamas and the hair crimper.

Is there anything else you want us to know about you?

I don't know...I broke my leg, and I'm almost out the boot. I'm 13 now...it's still weird for me to say that I'm 13! But I'm excited about it.

Annie, age 11

I doubt Annie's 11th year looked quite the way she expected when she sat down for her interview last year! It started strong--we had a great summer, she was in the same class as her best friend, she had every school supply and accessory you can imagine. Annie spent her fall rehearsing for and performing in her first musical and running cross country. She participated and sang a solo in the Grand Ledge musical theater workshop. With her friend Chloe, Annie prepared a science fair project on the difference between baking in a conventional and convection oven.

Things took a turn when Nellie broke her leg this winter--Annie ended up taking on a lot of extra responsibility and definitely clinched her position as my right-hand girl. Then school closed; softball, cross country, and the science fair were canceled; and 5th grade came to a quiet close at home. 

But it was a great year nonetheless, and I for one am thankful for all the extra time I got to spend with Annie this spring. We celebrated her birthday with lots of books, baking and video equipment, and hair accessories. Friends and family came for a front-yard-social-distance-Harry-Potter party in the evening, complete with four different desserts and sparklers. Happy birthday, Annie!

What was your favorite memory from the last year?
All the musical theater stuff, and then just everything about being in quarantine--all the new things we learned. It seems like a lot of our memories and things we learned, and all the time we spent together with family, it wouldn't have happened without quarantine. And although some of the memories were bad, a lot of them were really fun, like video chatting and playing games together online and Zooming with my class.

What is one way God's been working in your life this year?
Probably the fact that everyone has come together and has been unified through the quarantine. Families that weren't close before got to spend more time together. It feels like I'm more connected with God, and people in my family and friends because we're all going through the same things.

How do you feel about being eleven?  

I feel more mature and grown-up, but I'm also sad because you're only the same number--like 1, 1-- every 11 years!

What are you most looking forward to in the next year?
Hopefully being able to actually see people again! I'm looking forward to new experiences since I'm more grown-up now. I'll be able to do more things, like babysit, and have more responsibilities. And I got contacts!

Who are your best friends?

My siblings and cousins, Chloe. From LCS, Lael, Bree, Kylie. But I'm kind of friends with everyone. I've definitely gotten closer to my family, though I'm annoyed with DJ.

What are your strengths?

Cooking! I'm good with kids, except for DJ. I'm good at getting Eddie and Mary to get ready for bed and stuff. I get along with most people, I respect people. I'm pretty responsible except for keeping my room clean and doing my laundry. Those are my weaknesses!

What careers are you considering?

Probably a teacher or a pastry chef. Or maybe a doctor or something.

Why are you interested in those fields?
Well because like I said earlier, I am good with kids and I like to show them things. I like it when you can see the lightbulb go on for someone. It's fun when they start to understand it and you can encourage them and stuff. And probably a pastry chef because I really like to bake and cook. I'd like to own a bakery someday. It's fun eating baked goods, but it's even more fun when you have to work for two hours for it! And homemade food is better. I've always liked the idea of being a doctor and taking care of people. You really get to do a lot of things and help people.

What’s your favorite song or type of music?   
Well I really like Hamilton and musicals in general, because they have their own "thing," like Hamilton is hip-hop but can also be mellow. I like Wicked. I like Christian music and old songs from the 80s and 90s.

What's your favorite food?
Chocolate.

Current favorite movie?   
Right now I'm into the Harry Potter series. I don't really have a favorite.

Current book you're reading?

Right now I'm reading multiple books. I just finished Becoming Brianna, but I'm also reading the seventh Harry Potter.

Favorite color?   

Purple. But the shade I like is lavender. Like not dark or light, but in the middle. 

Favorite place to be?

The store. Like Meijer, or Target. But that's just because I haven't been to one in like three months. But I also like to just be at home or run a couple of errands just to have a break.

What are your favorite things to do? 

Read (especially outside), bake, sleep, organize the spice cabinet, ride my bike, learn new skills like do my hair. I like to watch T.V. and stuff.

Is there anything else you want us to know about you?

I think quarantine was a blessing in disguise. It does drive people stir-crazy, but nonetheless, it's bringing people closer together. Even though we have to stay six feet apart.