Merry Christmas 2020!

 

Dear Friends and Family,

Our year started out very similar to the years before.  The slow pace of late December quickly changed to calendars filling up with events and rehearsals - Trent directing Newsies, Spencer and Evan were busy perfecting their roles in Matilda and Hailey practicing portraying a bumbling policewoman in Guys and Dolls.  Hailey’s performance was in early February and it was truly a family affair as we all helped out backstage during the production.  Our early year was full with school events, scout outings (Evan and Hailey participated in a winter campout) and all the little things that we soon realized we take for granted because in mid March we all heard the record scratch across the turntable as it all came to an abrupt halt. 

Covid 19.  At first it all seemed like a little break that we didn’t realize that we needed, but soon the realization hit that this virus was not going away for a long time. We felt fortunate to be able to quarantine without having to worry about where our next meal would come from or how to pay our heating bill. Then the cancellations started.  The experiences that we lost are devastating and heartbreaking and it is still hard to think of them without a visceral reaction.  Fortunately, the resilience of children is powerful and our three have handled all of their losses and disappointments much better than we have as adults.  We learned to make the best of our circumstance and filled it with exploring every trail in the woods near our house, baking and cooking things we never had time for in the past, piecing together every puzzle we could find, trying our hardest to unseat Evan as the board game champion of the house and Zoom calls - so many Zoom calls.   Because of this virus we were afforded maybe one of our best gifts ever - more time to just hang out and have fun with our kids and that in itself makes it all much easier to handle. 

Spencer is an official 2020 graduate and was lucky enough to participate in modified graduation events and we held a socially distant grad party in late summer.  He now attends MCC with the majority of his classes being virtual.  It is not the college experience that we wanted for him but he is making the best of it. 

Evan is a junior this year.  He celebrated his sixteenth birthday with a drive by party during quarantine.  He is attending school half in person and half virtual - again, not optimal but better than we expected.  Even with the strange schedule he is thriving in his challenging classes and earned a role in the pared down musical that they will hopefully be able to perform this spring. Evan played tennis this fall and it was such a highlight of this weird season to watch him play and have fun on the courts. He had the chance before the latest “pause” to finish his Eagle Scout project adding on another element to what Spencer had started previously in his Eagle Project. Together their projects - with help from their troop and other generous volunteers - have created the Klairter Music Library for MSHS Choir.  

Hailey is in eighth grade and is completely virtual.  She has really impressed us with her work ethic and is doing amazing with being able to self motivate and get all of her assignments completed.  Her school is mainly in the morning so another “perk of Covid” is that we get to spend a lot of time together in the afternoons.  It seems like a bit of bonus time that we would normally miss out on since teenagers are not often keen on hanging out with their parents.  

Trent is at R-P for (most likely) his last year before he comes up with a new adventure.  Jen continues to guest teach at school a couple days a week and full time teach at home when the kids are virtual. 

This year has been one that we could have never imagined in our wildest dreams.  We feel blessed that our family is healthy and remain hopeful for the future.  We wish you all a holiday season and a new year filled with love, joy, peace, health and most of all hope.  We can all get through this together. 

Much love to all!    

Trent, Jennifer, Spencer, Evan & Hailey

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving during the three week "pause" for Covid was not drastically different from our Thanksgiving last year.  After our years and years of trying to stop and see everyone at three or sometimes even four different Thanksgiving dinners, we have embraced the fact that we don't mind having a relaxed, quieter day.  

Hailey made our traditional turkey cupcakes and made plates to drop off to her besties and their families. 

A recent tradition we did miss was going to the YMCA for their annual Turkey Trot that we have participated in the last several years.  The boys were still asleep so Hailey, Trent and I bundled up and did our own Turkey Trot in our favorite woods. 

My mom came over to eat with us but that was it.  Just the six of us.  Trent and I had done much of the cooking the day before so on Thanksgiving day we only had to roast the turkey and make the potatoes. 

Trent has become an expert at cooking turkeys.  I was also thankful that Hailey got one more year out of the the turkey shirt I made her. 

Due to Covid, we sat the boys in the kitchen just because they have been around other people and we didn't want to risk them sharing germs with my mom. 

Later that night after we had driven Grama home with plates of leftovers, we sat down to play an escape room game that we had purchased in Manistee over the summer.  

It was fun.  Not as challenging as a "real" escape room but some of the clue elements were the same.  

Hailey decided to play a little beauty shop and pull Daddy's hair back into a man pony tail. 

Since it was our first escape room game we had a bit of a learning curve to figure out.  We didn't "escape" in the hour they gave us but we managed to get out about ten minutes later.  We will definitely try one again.  The only downside to it is that it is a one and done thing.  You have to write on the cards and cut stuff up so once you finish it has to basically be thrown away.   It's hard because it's a quality game and you feel like you are being a bit wasteful. 

All in all it was a good day.  I am continuously amazed at how blessed I am to be able to live my life with my favorite people. 

It was good while it lasted

Since the cases of Covid 19 are higher in Michigan than they have ever been, it was not much of a surprise that it was time to set things back a bit.  The order we got last night was a three week "pause" to let things calm down and hopefully alleviate a bit of the strain on hospitals and medical workers. 

I am honestly surprised that our high school was able to continue with its hybrid virtual/in-person model for as long as it did.  They were still in pretty good shape as far as cases and quarantining and could have probably made it to December if not for the latest order. 

Evan is at school today for the last time for the next three weeks (and let's face it - most likely they will add on to the three weeks and just have them go back in January after the holidays).  He is not super bummed about not having to wake up early.  Though we are not sure what the virtual schedule is going to be, he may still have to get up for regular class time and check in.   Encompassed in these next three weeks will be his first trimester exams.  Ugh.  I'm not sure how that will go virtually.  I guess we are all in the same boat and will just have to go with the flow. 

Since this post is mostly about school I just wanted to add in something that I thought was so funny.  We received an email that Evan was awarded a Pride Pass.  I am not sure if it's the first one he has ever gotten but it is the first time the teacher has emailed it to us.   Evan has over a 4.0 GPA.  He has extremely challenging classes that he maintains A's in throughout the trimester.  The ONE time he gets a Pride Pass is because he "ran really hard in gym class".  

It's great.  We are always proud of him.  I am glad he is a fast runner when he needs to be.  Ha!

Hikes and apples

We were lucky to have beautiful weather for most of this fall.  One Saturday Trent, Hailey and I took advantage of it for a ride up north.  We headed to Baldwin first to turn off the water at the cabin and make sure it was ready for the winter. It was a gorgeous day and the river looked so pretty with the changing colors on the trees.  We saw dozens of salmon in the river right in front of the cabin.  They were huge and so loud when the broke the surface of the water.  Hailey was mesmerized.  It was really interesting to see - it has been a long time since I was up north this late in the fall to see it myself. 

When I was in college I hiked around in Ludington State Park for a day.  It left an impression on me as being a very interesting and fun place to hike with hidden little turn outs and majestic views.  I have always wanted to go back there.  Since Ludington is only a half hour drive from Baldwin and sort of on the way home - my dream came true.

It was much windier and more chilly closer to Lake Michigan.  We probably should have brought warmer coats. 

It was quite crowded in the park on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon but once we got out on a trail a bit we lost most of the people.  The park was much like I remember and did not disappoint.  I think we will add it to our list of places to visit more often. 

One of the activities Hailey had on her fall bucket list was to go apple picking.  On a Friday afternoon when Trent had a half day and the other kids were finished with school, we got to check that item off of her list. 

Evan brought his girlfriend April along and Hailey invited her friend Sarah.  She had also asked her other bestie Eleni, but sadly Eleni woke up that day to find out her Grandma had passed away.  We picked some extra apples for their family and Trent baked them one of his famous apple pies. 

It was another stellar fall day.  We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.  The kids had fun tasting the various kinds of apples and taking selfies and giggling among the trees. 

Trent the circus performer likes to show off his juggling skills.  

I think we have enough apples now.  We may have over picked just a little bit.  

 

I think Trent baked around ten apple pies.  He made applesauce and we of course ate them in their original form.   When we were "appled" out, we sliced, cut and cored them and froze another two freezer bags full.  If the apple a day saying is true - we have nothing to fear this fall! 

Spirit Week/Homecoming 2020

 

Last week the kids celebrated spirit week leading up to the Homecoming football game.  It was a strange spirit week.  Since Evan only goes to school two days - he only had two themes.  Hailey had a theme everyday even though she is still virtual. 

Monday was pajama day for the middle school. 

The high school had decade day on Monday and Evan chose an '80s look.  I got to haul out my old jelly bracelets, Swatch watches and band buttons for him.  I love dress up days that I can do that. 

Tuesday was crazy hair and sock day for the middle school.  Hailey asked me to do her hair in something called "space buns".  She loved how it turned out and wore them all day - even to Evan's tennis match later that day. 

Wednesday was team day.  Dress up to show your favorite team.  I don't feel like we support many teams so MSU is always the go to in this case. 

Thursday was character day.  We were at a loss for this one.  Hailey totally surprised me by coming downstairs dressed as Santa.  It was so hilarious. 

Thursday for Evan and Friday for Hailey was Blue and White day or Sailor Pride Day.  

Hailey has discovered that she can now raid my closet for clothes.  The red pants she wore as Santa and the white pants she wore for Blue and White day were both mine.  Sigh.  My kids are old. 

 

The Sailors won their Homecoming Game but no one could really go and watch.  There was no parade.  There was no dance.  I understand the reasons why but continue to feel bad for the kids that are missing out on all these traditions. 

On a total sidenote - I am really trying to blog more and even back blog but I am having so much trouble with Blogger.  It loads my pictures in reverse order no matter how I name or number them.  I can't seem to move the pictures where I want them in the post.  Ugh.  So frustrating.