Back to School - Sophomore, Junior & 7th Grader

Finally, they are all back in school. There's structure. There's a schedule. There's things to do and things to be done.

Last Dinner Together before Austen Left

Peyton went back first followed the next week by Austen's drop off (he doesn't start school until Monday) and then finally, Hailey.

Peyton has been inundated with lots of homework. Two plus hours each night. Junior year is for real. Add ACT prep on top of that and joining the Women in Business Club again and maybe one more club and she has no time. She does head to her core power yoga class three times a week though - sometimes with friends and sometimes she just goes solo to get her work out in. She is still working a few times a week too until the pool closes on Labor Day. 

I dropped Austen off at school on Monday. The drive is the best thing about him going to U of I. It's so easy and close - two hours and then you are there. We unloaded and trekked his stuff up four flights of stairs (with the help of his roommate and his roommate's dad). I got the bed made and he organized a few things and then thinking he'd want to grab a quick bite to eat and then I'd leave. But, he wanted to do a sit down meal so I suggested our old favorite - Chilis, and he agreed saying it's just like old times. (We used to go every time he and I flew in somewhere for a soccer tournament. We'd eat at Chilis - Arizona, Florida, etc. right after we got off the plane - no matter the time.)

Did I mention that he moved into his fraternity. Not impressed with the living space there but at least his room is pretty big and he has a common area and big bathroom he shares with his roommate and just two other kids. He probably has one of the better rooms in the house aside from maybe the single rooms. He's had a lot to do since I dropped him off with rush activities and on Monday he starts school and tryouts for the club soccer team. Excited to hear his updates - when he actually calls us. 

Austen's Room (Illinois pillow is his side)

Hailey has adjusted nicely to 7th grade. She loves all her teachers and still declares social studies and advanced language arts as her her favorite classes. She has one of Austen's old soccer teammates' uncles as her advanced math and advisory teacher. Kinda fun. So did Peyton actually. He only had Austen as one of his 7th grade cross country runners (and that's when his team won the conference). We met his nephew after Austen ran cross country - when Austen and him joined Galaxy going into 8th grade. The nephew is from Plainfield and Austen was playing for a Naperville club and the dad and I happened to sit next to each other on the sidelines of one of our very first games in Muscatine, Iowa (coming out of COVID so we all had to wear masks). He asked where we were from and then said his brother taught at our middle school. I certainly made the connection since he was Austen's coach. Well, we've been connected for years now even though Austen and his nephew are no longer soccer teammates. 

Anyway, glad everyone is back and we're heading into another school year! Go Illini, Go Red Devils and Go Eagles!

The Phi Psi House

Peyton's ready in pink (Link Crew member shirt)

Hailey can't wait to see her friends!

Last Days of Summer

We are soaking up these last days of summer. Honestly, I'm torn on it all coming to an end here pretty quickly. My kids (mainly Hailey) need to get back to some structure on a daily basis and that means school. 

I'm ready to have my days back where I'm not running kids around 24-7 or am without a car because someone needs it. Or figuring out some activity to do with Hailey because she has no plans and needs to be kept off her phone. I'm tired of the summer storms (and the flooding) and no power for hours on end. 

I'm ready for fall (it is my favorite season). But, I know that with it comes Austen's return to school as well. It's been sort of nice having him home all summer when he's been home. I say sort of because even he needs to get back to some structure where he's really busy again. 

We are all ready, I think. Peyton actually started today (more on that in a future post) and Hailey goes back early next week. Peyton won't be doing cheer this year but is part of the Link Crew Team orienting new students and freshman. Maybe she'll go out for track in the spring but she has a busy academic year ahead of her as well as preparing for the ACT. Hailey will do cross country in middle school and then continue with hockey. Maybe she'll continue in basketball this year but she said she's not trying out for the middle school team. Austen is doing school, the fraternity and trying out for the club soccer team (he says). 

I think Tom and I will have a lot more free time at night and on the weekends now than in previous years. Our kids are growing up and our lives aren't revolving around them so much anymore. So time to make our own plans! 

But first here's a recap of our last days of summer...

Peyton in the water soaking up the last rays of summer w/ friends

Hailey golfing

Austen unclogging the sewers on our street due to the crazy storms

More mini golf at Lost Mountain

Lavender Lemonades at Captain Lou's

Sunset dinners in Michigan

Girl Dinner - caesar salad, fries and a Diet Coke!

Summertime in Chicago is the Best

Hailey has fallen in love with the city of Chicago. She wants to go every chance she gets. I think it's because she's secretly hoping she'll run into Connor Bedard - her longtime Chicago Blackhawks crush. But, I'm not kidding when I say that every weekend she's asking us to go to Chicago. 

Sox game with city views

I loved Chicago...and I lived there for 17 years. Until I did not. I can't say I miss it with three kids. Definitely not the life I wanted my kids to have - growing up in the city. So I was glad we moved when we did. Maybe at one point we talked about going back and living there as empty nesters but I think that was very short-lived. I never want to go back and live there. 

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to visit for a bit and reminisce. All the bars and restaurants we used to go to. The parks we used to play all of our coed sports at. The places by my work I used to frequent. My doctor. My dentist. The places we used to live. The church we got married in and the place we had our reception. Our apartments and then condos. Our neighborhood. Our kids' school. Where their friends lived. The sidewalks where we walked a thousand times with our kids and Adler. The benches Adler would jump over. So many memories in Chicago for us but I don't want to go back. 

Hailey does though so we indulge her every once in a while. We went to a restaurant a few weeks ago in our old neighborhood and took just Hailey (the other two were working). We saw an old neighbor whose family lived and owned all the houses on the opposite side of the block from us. They've been there for 50 plus years. We got to catch up. It was nice. But I still don't wish we stayed. 

There's another restaurant right on the river that's a hot spot for teens so I stalked Open Table to get a reservation one Monday night for dinner so we all could go to Pizzeria Portofino. It was every bit as good as everyone said and the views were amazing (although we didn't get to sit outside). 

We also have gotten to attend a few Sox games this summer. There's nothing like a baseball game in the city in the summer. In fact, recently a friend said to me, I thought you were a Cubs fan, you always went to Cubs games. We did both in our 20s. My friends and I would frequent both parks. Oh to be young and in your 20s in the city again. There's nothing quite like it - especially when it's summertime in the city. 

Peyton was working

River view

Pizzeria Portofino

Brassero in West Town w/ just Hailey