Leap Day 2024

 Greetings to anyone who may stumble upon this; realize I haven't blogged here in over a year and likely no one is still following. However as Leap Day was approaching I decided I wanted to jot down another four year update for myself and anyone reading.

Elisabeth is days away from turning 16; a sophomore at a local Catholic girl's academy. She is thriving both academically and socially with a great group of friends.  Math, art and music are her main interests and primary focus.  Not in a great hurry to learn to drive, will likely put learning off to the summer. EPIC the musical, Percy Jackson, and Transformer fanfic are favorite modes of brain rest.

Liam is a 7th grader at our parish school. History and reading (Rick Riordan mostly) are his strengths, with Math occasionally having him on the struggle bus. Scouts and track keep him busy otherwise. Currently my height, I'm resigned to await for when he will shot up past and begin his quest to top his dad.

Caitlin is a 5th grade science buff! She also loves music which keeps her busy singing in the children's choir, and in the ensemble of the school musical.  My social butterfly; she is quick to make friends and invent games.  Bluey, and Good Luck, Charlie are favorite shows, along with watching D.is.ney Princess movies on the weekends while her older sibs sleep in.

Everyone has really gotten into cooking and baking in the last couple of years; and Saturday nights involve much cooking chaos in the kitchen.

Happy Leap Year 2024!

Twelve Photo Round-up for 2021

 Continuing with my catch-up posts: I know I have also missed the official link-up for this traditions but I really appreciate how picking 12 or so photos helps put the year into focus for me.

Lisbeth's submission for a scholarship

Easter

Easter

Last day of 2nd

Last day of 4th

Last day of 7th

Quick Takes #294: Life Recap

 Hi! Long time no post! Didn't mean to drop off the blogging map; and while I'm discerning whether I'm done or not I thought I would post a few catch-up posts.  I know I've missed the last official link-up for 7 Quick Takes, I do want to use this format at least once more.

1. It was all things considered a good summer with good weather and enough of local activities open and available to have some fun.  The most important being the local community pool.  Caitlin took few weeks of swim lessons at the end of which passed her deep water test.  
2. We opted for virtual summer camps, but everyone seemed to really enjoy them. Caitlin learned how to make emojis, Liam learned scratch & some spy cyphers, and Elisabeth gained some experience in different digital art programs. 
3. The kids and I were able to make a trip down to VA to visit with my mom,  my sisters, and their VA cousins.  Getting to see my youngest sister and her family's new house, and getting to join in on Bonne Mamy's traditional end of school year lunch for her grandchildren were the highlights.
4. In August we headed up to Maine for our usual vacation with Dr Dad's side of the family. This year we were able to celebrate our nephew's high school graduation and other milestones missed while we were being good and keeping distant.  The weather largely behaved allowing for several trips to our favorite ice cream place and good boogie boarding.
5. In September the kids headed back to in-person school still wearing masks but again using the cafeteria for lunch.  Elisabeth excited for her last year at St.Dorothy. Liam excited to be on the top floor; and Caitlin excited to have her best friend in her class.
6. It was a busy, fun fall with both Liam and Caitlin playing soccer.  Juggling practices and games on different fields was an adventure. Meanwhile Lisbeth was applying to high schools.  She did amazing on her entrance exams and got offers from several local schools, ultimately deciding to attend a Catholic girl's school.
7. pictures

First Day ~ Last Day 2020-21

 Today we are enjoying the first day of summer vacation. It was overall a good year; they were in-building for all but 3 weeks with wonderful teachers and great friends to make the mask-wearing, and social distancing a bit more pleasurable.

7th Completed ~ 1st honors earned

4th Completed ~ Service Award 

2nd Completed ~ Most Inquisitive Award

7 Quick Take #293: Seven things that happened while I was away

 

 Happy May! Long time no post ~ how about a bit of catch-up?

1. Slightly out of order thanks to an uncooperative computer:
   
   
   
   May 1st brought some Lily of the Valley and
   
   
   Caitlin's First Communion!
   
   
   Was able to return to my favorite Longwood Garden during tulip peak!
   
   
   Caitlin got glasses
   
   
   

   
   Dr. Dad and I celebrated our birthdays
   
   
   
   Liam got glasses, making for a full set!
   
   
   And back in April, we celebrate Easter!

Quick Lit: March '21

 

   Linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy and updating how my Lenten reads are going so far.

The Reckless Way of Love is a series of reflections on how we are called to love God and each other taken from the writings of Servant of God Dorothy Day, organized by Carolyn Kurtz,   I really appreciated how the book was laid out; with each section focused on a different aspect of the lived experience of loving as we are called to by Christ.  I again found myself marveling at Day's great commitment to live the Greatest Commandment and her honesty at how difficult the daily work of that can be.

The Quiet Companion by Mary Purcell is the story of St Peter Faber, one of the founding members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).  I really enjoyed this biography where Purcell pulled from the letters to and from the saint, as well as his diary to tell the story of his life and the times when he lived. From his time at the University of Paris where he was roommates with St Francis Xavier,  to when they met St Ignacio Loyola and traveled with him to Rome to form the order and have it approved.  Later he was sent to Germany with the task of pushing back against the Reformation and finding common ground with Lutherns.  

Make My Life Simple by Rachel Balducci is a fun fast read filled with great advice to reduce the chaos and find pockets of peace in your day.  What I appreciated most about the book was the tone; Balducci offers a lot of suggestions from her experience as a mother of 6 but stresses the most important idea was for the reader to find what works for them since the comparison was the fastest way to lose your sense of peace.

Elisabeth at 13

  As I write this I'm not sure which is stranger to me; that Elisabeth is a teenager or that it has been almost a year of Covid living.   A year ago when we celebrated her birthday we were in a state of watchful waiting; the pottery place where we had her party was still open and we were not yet wearing masks.  All that changed a week later.  So as I write this 'birthday update' the unknowable question is how much living through this pandemic has affected her growth and change over the past year.   I will be fascinated in the future to someday ask my kids what this year (or possibly two) was like for them.

  Elisabeth at 13 is:

1. Very creative; she loves sketching and will sometimes spend her recess time drawing this for her fellow students or teachers.  She also has a couple of drawing apps on her iPad she enjoys using.  She is interested in animations and wondering if that might be a career future for her.
2. She is becoming more adventurous with food and while she definitely still has her favorites now eats a wide range of things. Current favorites include Chai in the morning, corndogs for dinner, and Mochi for dessert.  Bonne Mamy introduced her to iced green tea much to great effect.  
3. She still loves Wings of Fire but is reading other series ~ currently Percy Jackson.  Mostly on the page or online, she loves dragons, Minecraft, and art.
4. Favorite shows include the new Netflix She-Ra, In the Deep, and Voltron.  Still not much for live-action shows, she is happy to join a family watch of the Great British Bake-Off.
5. When her school shifted to Distance Learning last March the kids stayed home for the rest of that school year but did reopen in September with social distancing and mask-wearing.  This was good news for Lisbeth who of my 3 most missed the structure of being in the classroom.  She is also starting to look at local high schools, thinking about where she might want to go once she finishes 8th grade next year.
6. She has definitely missed being able to easily see her friends and was very disappointed that her gymnastic gym closed permanently; overall she has weathered this very strange and stressful year very well.