October Stories

The kids all had to run the mile in gym class this month. Quinn was the first runner. She came home that day and proudly waved her hand for all to see. Written on it in red sharpie was 9:23 - her time. She was so pleased with herself and announced that she was the fastest in her class. Not the fastest girl. The fastest. Because I'm me, I opened my Fitbit app and showed her that I had run a 9:20 mile that morning. Because Quinn is Quinn, she pointed out that I also ran a 9:45 mile that morning. Meanwhile, Mike and Fiona simply rolled their eyes at us.

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Dec and his buddy Andrew were out playing hockey in the driveway. It was hockey evaluations this month, so they were practicing their skills. Andrew was trying to pump them up by telling Dec that they had to play well "so we can get on a good team." Let's-Just-Play-For-Fun Vanneste piped up with the sentiment that just being on a team would be great. Andrew said (in the best possible I-see-and-accept-you-for-who-you-are way), "Decky, I'm going to need you to focus during evals." And I almost fell over laughing. Oh, Andrew. I feel you, man! Mike and I are happy to add another member to the team trying to keep D focused. [Spoiler: he focused. They made the same team.]

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The kids have been biking to school every Friday (and occasionally other days too). They love it - as biking was never an option from the old house. We'll let them do it as long as the weather cooperates and I have no doubt there will be lots of biking come spring. Two weeks ago was an early release day on Friday, so they were biking home at 2pm. Mike and I walked to the end of the cul-de-sac to meet them. Around the corner came 1-2-3-FOUR children. Then four children turned into our cul-de-sac. And then four children parked their bikes in our driveway. Mike looked at me and mouthed "who is that?" No.clue. 

As I walked back to our house, sweet #4 said "Hi, are you Quinn's mom?" which helped identify which V was responsible. I told her I was and asked who she was. Then I asked if her mom knew where she was (because it was not beyond the realm of possibility that Q had made a plan that she had not looped me in on). She told me "Maybe. But she knows Quinn lives here, so she'll probably figure it out." I told her that moms don't deal in Maybes when it comes to the location of their babies. Turns out, her mom works nearby, so Quinn biked her over to her mom's work for a check in. And biked back with a piece of paper with said mom's cell number. Which I used today. When a fourth bike again arrived in our driveway. Well, technically a fifth bike. But the fourth was Andrew's and I knew what to do with him!

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The kids had their school fundraiser last Friday. In years past, it has been a readathon. This year, it was a Fun Run. Fiona was not on board with the change. We had the same conversation multiple times. Mom, I don't get it. We just run in circles and that's supposed to be fun? That's it, baby. It will be fun. It says so right in the name. Moooooo-ooooooom.

For the record, she did have fun. But she would also like the record to show that 1) she still doesn't get it, 2) she would prefer the readathon, and 3) she ran more laps than Quinn. 

Quinn would like the record to show that she walked most of the laps because there were a lot of moms and dads watching and that made her nervous. Dec cares not at all about the record, but when Mike and I got there near the end of his 35 laps, he still had plenty of pep in his step. He also showed off some mad flag and pom pom skills when cheering on his classmates.

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On the same day as the Fun Run, Mike and I celebrated our 16th anniversary. In addition to catching parts of three runs, we had a very fancy Papa John's pizza dinner (and prosecco). While it wasn't actually fancy, it was delicious. The easy clean up was exactly what I wanted as an anniversary present (plus we had leftovers and I didn't have to figure out what to make for lunch on Saturday. Bonus gift!) 

Then we invited Andrew, Lo, and their mom over to test out the new fire pit. The adults sat around and visited while the kids ran around the yard in the dark. Our new yard is great for after-dark playing. But all the children need a refresher course on head lamp etiquette. All in all, it was the perfect low-key celebration.

*And with that, I have accomplished something that was only a dream since the move. The blog is 100% caught up. Just in time for our Fall Break adventures! But I'll bask in the victory for a day anyway. 

House Update: Basement Family Room

Five Vs are currently allowing their heart rates to return to normal. Tonight was a big night: The Cleaning of the Fish Tank. Mike and Dec got most of the way through the process, started the new water nitrogenizing, and came down for dinner. About 20 minutes later, Mike ran up to check the water and came down looking concerned. "We're missing a fish!" WHAT?!?! So off five Vs ran to search for Ron. Somehow I spotted him on the floor next to Mike's foot (we will never know how he did not get stepped on), Mike scooped Ron and dumped him back in the water, and he righted himself and started swimming along. Whew! During the next Cleaning of the Tank, there will be a deeper bowl. Or a cover. Or both. Oh Ron!

So, now that Ron is safely returned to the tank, join us for a small tour of the family room area in the basement. Come on down!

Right at the bottom of the stairs (and 90 degrees to the left), we have a little hallway bar area. It's a fantastic overflow storage for our barware, bakeware, paper products, and giant roasting pan. There's a fridge, a microwave, and our keurig (for when the grandparents come to visit). It will be the perfect prep area when we host a party in the backyard - and is also great for movie nights. My favorite thing is that our shot glass shelf and collection are back on the wall!

The end of the mini hallway opens up to the main family room area. If you look to the left, you see my office area. When we moved, we got rid of the old (very small) desk that I still had from college and got both Mike and me new grown up desks. Mine can even convert to a standing desk, which I love during long conference calls. I work from home 2-3 days each week, so having a functional, dedicated workspace is awesome. [Graduating from using the camping table as my desk is also very awesome!] Mike is currently storing his outdoor speakers on top of the bookcase (he's clearly an interior decorator at heart). And you can see just a peek of the slider curtains on the right side of the photo. I have fantastic natural light pouring in during the day and love it. 

[The guest room is on the other side of this wall and that's where Mike's desk is. I will show that room another time as I am hoping to paint it first. Stay tuned.]

Continuing to circle, the slider is in the middle of the family room. It opens out onto our patio and gives us a great view of the back yard.

Another view of the back yard from the slider. On days the kids are home, I can almost always hear giggles from the trampoline while I work (you can see a corner of it on the left). That rounded area of the patio is the perfect location for a fire pit - and we finally invested in one last week. Fall and winter fires are our favorite!

If you walk out the mini hallway and turn to the right, you are in the family room. Our sectional fits beautifully down here and the art shelf as been repurposed as a bookcase and photo display. Behind the sectional is an entertainment center that is no longer needed and we hope to sell - but the plan is to put our sofa table (still in storage) here. So we were using the entertainment center to get a feel for furniture in this spot. 

And finally, the new piano lives down here too. All three kids are taking lessons, so the piano is a popular place. Last weekend, Mike dug out the laser level and we hung up the kids' artwork along the wall and created the expansion plan for future masterpieces. With the weird school years and lack of art class, we only have one piece of art up from Kinder Dec. We are very much looking forward to adding a few more of the Dude's masterpieces over the coming years!

The door at the end of the room leads into the toy storage closet and the basement bathroom - which will also be shown a different time. The bathroom is on the short list for things that will be painted very soon!

Thanks for joining the mini basement tour. As with any house, things will continue to change and evolve. But we are very happy with how it is coming together and how inviting it feels.

Year Eleven

October started out a little rough for the September birthday girl. In what we think was a combo triple punch of allergies, flu mist reaction, and a cold, she missed several days of school and is now, two weeks later, still dealing with a bit of a cough (there were multiple negative covid tests involved). Thankfully her sparkle is back, which was distinctly absent for those first days of October.

Eleven and 5th grade have brought about an interesting shift in confidence and maturity. Fiona's now one of the big dogs at school and seems to feel both more confident in her social position and in her own skin. It's been really fun to watch her believe in herself more and be proud of who she is. 

That confidence is also coming through in her school work. It's early and probably still more review than new concepts - but homework is much more pleasant and less painful/tearful than it has ever been. We will be thankful for that as long as it lasts. [It is not lost on us that both Q and Dec having homework helps too. She can't complain that she's the only one with homework.] 

As for maturity, she has been stepping up around the house and proactively offering to help out. We see her engaging more in her meds routine and remembering what she needs when. In general, Fiona is taking responsibility more seriously and is showing that we can trust her with things. She's still young - and there are opportunities to get better. But big steps forward in growing up!

The move to the new house was also great for F's social life. While she very much misses her sweet friend E from the old neighborhood, E was the only person she had to play with. Now, she has several friends in the area and is learning more and more where other friends' houses are. It's so fun to see new faces come to the door and ask "can Fiona come play?" and I will never tire of her smile when a friend shows up. Fiona is incredibly friendly, but has struggled to find her group. Some of that could be that she didn't live near anyone - and she is more introverted like me. So the proximity factor is game-changing for her.

Fiona is still our avid reader. She decided to try Harry Potter in the spring and read all seven books by end of summer. She started re-reading them and is midway through Book 7. As much as I love her loving them, I've told her that we will not be starting a third time through right now. There are so many other books to love. Both Fiona and Declan are also obsessed with the I Survived books. So if you are ever on the Titanic or in the Hindenberg and need survival tips, you know your brain trust!

Fiona's passions remain horses, theater, music, and books. She is doing horseback riding through the Y again this fall and loves it. And I signed her up for a theatre academy at a local theater this winter. She'll go every Saturday morning for a couple months and I suspect she will love it. She's also back to piano lessons and is thrilled that she has moved up a book level!

Besides a neighborhood of friends, Fiona's favorite thing about the move is her.own.room. When we first moved in, it felt like we would go days without seeing her. She'd camp out in her room, door closed, until Mike or I forced her to join the family. Now that the newness has worn off, it's a much better balance of alone time in her room (where she is likely drawing at her new desk [her bday present from us], reading on her window seat, or playing Barbies) and time in the main living area with the rest of us. We love that she loves her own space ... but it's nice to have her back as part of the family! 

Friends with middle schoolers tell me that next fall will bring requests for cell phones and sleepovers and other such middle school drama. I'm in no rush for that business. So we will all just enjoy Year Eleven and not think about The Middle School Years [shudder].

Year Eleven Facts about Fiona:

    Height: 54.75" (25 percentile) ... you guys. TWENTY FIVE! She grew almost five inches this year!
    Weight: 22 percentile
    Favorite color: any shade of blue
    Favorite friend: Lauren
    Favorite show: Jessie
    Favorite book: Harry Potter series
    Favorite movie: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkahban
    Favorite song: I Believe in a Thing Called Love by The Darkness
    Favorite food: Mac and cheese
    Favorite thing to do: Play outside with friends
    Be when you grow up: Fashion designer 

Fiona's Movie Night Birthday

Here it is - the finale of the annual Summer of Birthdays. You know, where we birthday for four months in a row and then take a break until Mike's. I will tell you that I grew up thinking summer birthdays are the worst and Mike grew up thinking that a Christmas birthday is the worst. And now, we are willing to consider that a birthday two weeks after the start of school may actually take the top prize. Everyone is tired and busy and trying to get into a routine ... so finding a date that works to have your friends over is near impossible. 

Fiona's actual birthday was a Monday, so we celebrated the weekend before. We spent most of Saturday making her birthday cake. She decided on a chocolate dulce de leche cake - and it did not disappoint. The grocery store failed me and didn't have any dulce de leche in stock. So the entire cake, down to the dulce de leche, was homemade. We got sweetened condensed milk from the store instead and then conducted a science experiment in my pressure cooker. The experiment turned out quite delicious!

The final product was a chocolate fudge cake layer cake, with dulce de leche and dulce de leche frosting in the middle (plus some heath bits because why not), then frosted with chocolate cream cheese icing, edged with more dulce de leche frosting, and drizzled with dulce de leche. If it sounds intense, it was. It was, friends. But it was also delicious and she was delighted.

After dinner, Fiona's friend Lo came over - and the girls (plus Quinn) got the run of the basement for a movie night. They decided to watch The Princess Diaries (the choice was heavily influenced by yours truly - but all three loved it. As I knew they would). I brought them down a ton of junk food (popcorn, cheetos, reeses peanut butter cups ...) and mostly stayed out of their way.

Meanwhile, Dec got Mike and me to himself and he wasn't sure what he thought about that. He didn't want to watch the princess movie with the girls ... until we told him that he wasn't invited. Then he wanted nothing more than to go downstairs. The three of us were sitting upstairs watching Dec's movie when there were several shrieks from the basement. Mike said "what on Earth?!?!" and I started laughing. I told him that I suspected they were at the kiss part. A quick trip downstairs confirmed that there had, in fact, been a kiss.

After the movie, the girls did facials and sat around giggling ... and eating more junk food. Once I helped them clean up their faces, we walked Lo back to her house. As we walked home, Fiona excitedly told me that it was a great birthday party. I was so glad since a couple other friends were unable to make it because of scheduling issues. Instead, it turned out to be low-key and fun - which is just the perfect celebration in Fiona's mind.

The Last of the Last Summer Weekend

Labor Day morning, the girls and I got ready for the day and then took off on a fun date with Gma. It was really a girls and Gma date, but I was invited to tag along. Meanwhile, Dec talked Mike and Gpa into a few games of darts and some wiffleball in the yard. I suspect he didn't have to work very hard to sell that plan. 

Kinda like the purple sequined sweatshirt that Fiona found. I told her "no way" and before the hanger could even go back on the rack, it was Gma to the rescue. To be fair to Gma, Fiona wears it a ton. To be fair to me, it is a purple sequined sweatshirt that weighs a million pounds ... and someone has to wash it. 

Then after lunch, we headed out to Auntie Tracey's for one more lake day. It was a beautiful, sunny day ... but not overly warm for swimming. Nonetheless, Q and D hopped in the water. And then hopped right back out. And then stared at it longingly because they really wanted to swim more but dang, it was not warm. So they settled on some paddleboarding and kayaking. Dec made the best of lake season this year ... with his first day of swimming on May 1 and his last ( maybe ... will he swim in Lake Michigan on fall break later this month???) day on September 6!

Fiona decided she was not interested in the cold water, but happily chilled out in the sun on the pontoon. Once Quinn and Dec were done in the water, we all hopped on the pontoon (five Vs, Auntie Tracey, Nate, and Gpa V) for a boat ride around the lake. It was the perfect day to be on the lake! I was so glad the kids had a weird school start and we could take advantage of the holiday like that. 

Once our boat ride was over, the kids were done in the lake - so they talked Nate into letting them drive his go kart. Mike rode with them a few times, and then ... we let the girls drive it on their own. It was both exciting and terrifying. Fiona delights in being a daredevil. Quinn is very precise and rule-oriented. Neither Mike nor I can remember if we let Dec drive on his own (this is the drawback of blogging a month after the fact). The responsible side of me wants to say that we didn't. The Vacation Mom side of me thinks it could have happened. The blog world may never know. Unless Auntie Tracey remembers ...

Then the next day, we pointed the car south and headed home. It was a quick trip, but just what we needed to mark the end of summer! Since I didn't go back to work until Thursday, the kids and I were able to get us settled back in, prepped for school, and ready to kick off fall. **And make a ton of marinara sauce and salsa while we were at it!