Catching Up on Fall

Our Fall 2020 seems to have passed us by in such a whirlwind. Perhaps because the first half of 2020 was agonizingly slow, the fall season snuck up on us and was over before we knew it. The lack of activities in spring and summer led to an over-commitment of fall activities for both kids, and we ended up with a packed fall schedule most days/nights of the week. Here are some updates and photos from our busy months of fall.

During the crazy school year amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the kids' school portraits barely registered on our radar. It was hard enough to coach Jeff and the kids through some enhanced grooming (ha!) and outfit selections via our long distance phone conversations. Then I had to do some extra work to figure out even how to get the photos now that things are handled so differently, but luckily I managed to grab the digital versions. If nothing else, I'll have them for their memory boxes.

Connor's 9th grade year has been quite the challenge for him so far. On top of 2 college level courses that he's taking, he also had a completely full plate with both baseball and basketball. Most weeks of the fall saw him completely swamped 6 out of 7 nights of the week along with occasional weekend tournaments. This kid has been exhausted out of his mind! On the rare moments when I'm home, I soak in every opportunity to spend time with him and accept any cuddles he offers. As much as I've dreaded his teenage years, I have to admit that at least for the moment, I am LOVING age 14. 

Occasionally, Connor has had a virtual learning day at home. Jeff and I really enjoy the extra time with him (when I happen to be there). He loves the at-home learning MUCH more than the face-to-face, but he will continue attending school in person in order to take full advantage of the additional instruction time for athletics.

As for Kaitlynn, I always find the cutest pics of her in my iPhone photos from her fun playdates with Lily. The smiles on their faces never seem bigger and the time these girls have together never seems enough. Of course, that might also have something to do with a certain special guy named Duke, ha!

Like Connor, Kaitlynn's extracurricular calendar stays completely full. Between cheer and tumbling along with school activities like student council and theater, she rarely has a night off and is constantly on the go. Poor Jeff usually has to juggle all of the chauffeuring duties on his own, which leaves one or both kids eating dinner in the car or staying late at practice to wait for a ride. They don't seem to mind and take it all in stride.

As hard as it is sometimes to juggle the busy schedules, it seems a small price to pay for active and happy kiddos. In the grand scheme of things, Jeff and I know how fleeting these years will be and we are trying to soak in and savor every moment.