Violet reminded me that it was time for my annual blog post. I'm not really sure what to say about 2022, though. Honestly, it felt like sort of a blah year. Life went on, but nothing super earth shattering happened. And there's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes it's nice to have no drama.
Violet is currently in 7th grade. She's doing well in middle school. I feel that she has had all the best teachers available at the school. I don't know if that's luck or the fact that the administration knows me, but I'm not complaining. I appreciate that Violet seems to care about her grades. She has one class in particular that requires a little more work than the others, and I'm happy that she is learning how to struggle now while the consequences aren't yet permanent.
She continues to take extracurricular tap dancing and taekwondo lessons and plays the violin in the school orchestra. She is one belt away from her black belt, which she will test for in March. I'm not sure if she will continue with taekwondo after she earns her black belt, but I'm proud of how long she has stuck with it. She took tennis lessons over the summer and thinks that will be her sport of choice once she enters high school. We'll see.
Jack is in 10th grade. This has been by far the most academically challenging year for him, which unfortunately coincides with the time in his life when it matters the most. His first high school baseball season was a disappointment, so we will see how this year goes. He played football again this year, but the season was riddled with injuries for both him and his teammates. I personally would be happy if he chooses not to play next year, but he really loves it. He is currently undergoing physical therapy for a shoulder issue, so we'll see what happens with that.
Scooby remains a pretty naughty dog. He's figured out how to open all the interior doors in our home, so there is quite an elaborate dog proofing routine that has to be executed before we leave the house. Woe to us if we forget even one step, and even then, we are often surprised by what new thing he has figured out how to destroy. I was once asked if I regretted getting him. I don't, but there are several times that I wish he were better behaved and that we were better at training him.
Much like last year, I've been mostly keeping busy working as a substitute teacher at Violet's school.
The big news in our house is that Jack got his driver's license this year. It's been so nice not having to drive him everywhere and to have him be able to drive Violet places as well. I've heard a lot of parents simultaneously rejoice in their newfound freedom but also express terror that their kids are on the road. For the most part, I have been able to focus on the positives of his driving, so the transition has been relatively smooth for me in that regard.
We took two trips last year. The kids and I went to Oahu for spring break, and that was really fun. I'm finding it more and more difficult to find vacations that will make everyone happy, since we all have such different interests. I'm currently researching options for this year's spring break, but we may end up defaulting to taking a college tour road trip.
Jack and I spent 12 days near Chicago for a baseball tournament during the summer. Jack played really well on this team, so he had a great time. There were a lot of logistical hassles getting to and from Illinois, and some hiccups while we were there, but it was worth it.
Things to look forward to in 2023
- Hopefully we'll get to go on at least one trip
- A better baseball season for Jack
- Violet earning her black belt
- Everyone staying healthy and happy
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