7QT: End of the Weirdest School Year

I've been meaning to write a little snippet about each of my kids, and now that the school year is over, it's a good time to reflect on how far they have each come this year.  Let me just say...kids are resilient.  This pandemic and all of the changes it brought with it didn't seem to affect my kids too much at all.  I think it helped that Phil and I were working from home, as I assume kids who had parents working out in the real world during this time would have been much more stressed.  We were very lucky to have us all at home working, schooling, and truly bonding as a family.

JOHN-PAUL, age 17 

Firstborns just have a way with their mother's hearts, don't they?  JP finished his Junior year with ease and is looking forward to Senior year.  How do I have a high school senior when I just graduated high school a few years back ;)  JP is suuuuuch a good kid, easy going, academically strong, hard working, with a nice group of friends.  His biggest flaw is that he would sleep in until noon everyday if we let him.  He has been working at the grocery store as a cashier and was recently approached by a manager, asking him if he would be interested in becoming an Assistant Manager.  He asked what it entailed, and then politely declined because he thought the hours would interfere with his school work and sports next year.  I was proud of him for being respected at work, and smart enough to not let it come before his academics (he's taking 4 AP classes next year).  At the end of the year, his awesome geeky friends were receiving emails telling them that they were in the Top Ten of the class, and JP didn't get an email.  He asked his guidance counselor what his ranking was, and found out he is 13th in the class, with a 3.96 GPA.  He has made it his goal to break into the top ten next year, but we shall see, as his class is crazy smart.  He has picked up a second job for the summer at an ice cream shop, and is loving eating the mistakes each night.  He just started morning workouts at the high school which will hopefully combat the ice cream pounds gained!  Due to the pandemic, he hasn't yet taken the SATs, so he has to take one in August and then again in October.  He still has his heart set on medicine and attending Franciscan University.  

ANDREW, age 15

Andrew finished his Freshman year in high school very strongly!  I think the lack of spring sports helped out.  He played varsity soccer in the fall and then freshman basketball in the winter, so schoolwork was always rushed.  He did great overall with the transition to high school, all honors classes, making friends, and working on the weekends.  He works at the same grocery store as JP, and recently moved up from bagger/carts to cashier.  He likes that a lot better, as it means he can stay inside in the AC this summer.  Andrew really wanted to get a job at the ice cream shop instead of the grocery store, and we said he could but that JP had to work the same shifts as him so that he could drive them.  The shop would have been a 40 minute commute each time we had to drop off or pick up, and I was not willing to add that to our life.  Andrew goes after what he wants, and was able to get them both hired for the same shifts.  He decided not to leave the grocery store once he realized how much money he would be able to make working two jobs.  So now he's working about 25-30 hours a week for the summer, which is great since summer basketball, camps and retreats are cancelled.  Andrew is the type of kid that likes to keep busy, wake up early, and stay in shape.  He's doing the morning workouts at the high school, but is begging us for a punching bag to add to his routine as well.  We're not sure where to hang it, but it might be the perfect 16th bday present this fall :)

EAMON, age 13

Eamon wrapped up 7th grade like a champ!  Thankfully, when the pandemic started, it was at the tail end of basketball season so he didn't miss much there.  Eamon is a wonderful student, and I never once had to worry about his schoolwork or remind him of a zoom class during the stay at home school days.  He just takes care of business.  His favorite pastime right now, besides jumping death-defying tricks on the trampoline, is talking on the phone to his cousin in New Hampshire.  They literally would stay on for hours if I let them, talking...not talking...playing games together...watching tv....whatever, just constantly joined at the virtual hip.  It's incredibly adorable and annoying at the same time.  Eamon is planning on running for Class President next year, and recently told a priest that he's still "probably going to be a priest" when he grows up.  I mean, be still my heart.

MAGGIE, age 12

Ahhh, my tomboy is turning into a little lady lately.  She is growing like a weed, and when I catch a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye, I get startled thinking that she's an adult and wondering WHY IS THIS PERSON IN MY HOUSE??  Even Brendan will constantly confuse her and I when we scoop him up or sneak-attack kiss him from behind.  She literally wears my shoes, but my size 8 sandals were too tight for her, so that's gonna end soon.  I love that I can just buy her women's size small now, and we are out of that horrible awkward period  between kids sizes/too scandalous juniors sizes/women's sizes.  This girl is my right hand (wo)man when it comes to keeping things organized around here.  I would not have been able to work from home and teach the little kids without her assistance.  She can practically run the house, but we have to remind her often that she's not the parent, as it can go to her head.  Maggie, like Eamon, is the model student.  I never worry about her schoolwork and she brings home straight As and has the cutest group of girlfriends and doesn't like boys yet, so CAN I JUST KEEP HER TWELVE FOREVER??  

ALEXANDER, age 8

Xander B is a sensitive soul, who often feels his role of middle child very deeply.  He is too young to hang with the big kids, but too old to play like the littles.  He's not into sports, unlike everyone else in this family, but we have found a passion and talent of his is the piano.  He just entered his first competition (virtually this year) and came in First Place for his age group.  He scored 99 out of 100 possible points, you can watch his video here.  While we were all very impressed with his song, we are definitely looking forward to some new material before he becomes the next one hit wonder ;)  Alexander excels at school in the traditional sense, but the home schooling was a bit of a struggle for him.  He would wake up early every day, check his assignments, do them as quickly as humanly possible, and then chill for the rest of the day.  Because of this, he got a few Bs the last term and was not very happy.  It taught him a valuable lesson that we need to slow down and double check our work.  Alexander recently altar served his first wedding, and made $10 which is burning a major hole in his pocket.  His birthday is coming up this month, and spy equipment is on the top of his list.  Can you guess how fun it is to start getting dressed in your bedroom, only to notice you have a spy in the corner, who is "just practicing"?  So fun!

DECLAN, age 6

My sweet and shy Declan graduated Kindergarten!!  I am not sure if he is ready for first grade after barely learning anything in his last trimester at home, so I bought him this book to work through this summer.  Declan is excited to play tennis for the first time this summer.  He is quite the athlete!  He regularly goes on runs with us, up to 3 miles, and loves to be active outside, climbing anything like a monkey.  He is still timid in the water and prefers wearing floaties, but our summer goal is to get him swimming like a fish.  Swim lessons were cancelled but I think he's had enough lessons that we can finish the job.  By we, I mean Phil.  He is a teacher after all :)  Declan started playing Mario on our Wii and is as obsessed with it as I was as a young girl.  Gotta save the princess!  He loves to go to the beach, ride his bike, and jump on the trampoline.  First grade will be a great fit for him.

BRENDAN, age 3

My baby will be four next month.  What?!?!  He is just the best thing ever, such a delight to our family.  Everybody loves Brendan, and he loves everybody.  He has no trouble making friends everywhere he goes, and is as smart as a whip.  He gives the best hugs and is only fussy when tired.  Brendan finished preschool for three year olds this year, and will enter preschool for four year olds (or "real preschool") in the fall.  Brendan was very excited when I pulled out the 4T clothes to replace the 3T clothes in his bureau.  He loves looking at the tags before he gets dressed and announcing that he is indeed putting on size 4 clothing, even though he's only 3.  We pulled out the kiddie pool this week, and you would think Brendan had died and gone to heaven.  He's just so easily pleased.  He of course has to do schoolwork like the big guys, so he will be using this book this summer to keep him busy.  

And that's a wrap on school year 2019-2020 for my seven wonders.  Hopefully next year will look a little more normal, but based on the guidelines coming out, probably not.  Ah well, we will be obedient to the rules and do the best we can!  Enjoy the holiday weekend everybody!!  Go visit Kelly for more.