7QT: An Acceptance, An Earthquake, and Another COVID Test

1)

JP's first college acceptance came in the mail and it was to Franciscan University!  JP has great grades and a difficult course load and did well on his SATs, so getting accepted to Franciscan wasn't a worry, but what was very happy news was that he won the Chancellor Scholarship, which is the highest merit scholarship they have.  Good work son!  The financial aid package should be coming in the mail any day now, and we are still waiting to hear from nine other schools, so the decision is a looooong way off from being made.  He has an interview with a prestigious six year PA program next week, and has added an internship with a doctor to his busy schedule so that is his focus right now.  Does this college talk bore you all?  I felt so in the dark when it came to the procedures and applications when he became a junior in high school, and I wished people would talk about it more, so here I am...at your service.

2)

When you have lots of kids, it's fun to see the different sibling dynamics that take place.  Well, the argumentative ones aren't fun, but the siblings who seem to get along well 99% of the time are the best.  Declan, age 6 and Brendan, age 4 have been so close.  Brendan just adores Declan and Declan loves being adored :)  I caught them watching a movie like this...when there were literally six other seats available.

Brothers gotta snuggle!

3)

We had an earthquake last Sunday morning!  

We were at Mass, and all of a sudden the whole church shook and there was a very loud rumble.  Honestly because we live in Massachusetts, an earthquake never crossed my mind.  All of the church windows were open to help with ventilation during Covid, so I though a huge truck had just rolled on by.  Other people thought maybe the furnace had exploded, or something like that.  The reader continued reading, and the gospel was perfect for the occasion:

So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.

Creepy, right?

4)

Cari is blogging again!  I hope that the recent developments of people being censored on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram will force people back to blogging, my favorite form of social media.  All for the greater reading pleasure of Colleen - mwahahahahaha!

5)

Well, we had our fifth Covid test done this week.  Alexander caught a stomach bug, and SINCE EVERY POSSIBLE SYMPTOM OF ANY ILLNESS EVER is also a potential Covid symptom, he had to get tested.  This was our first time getting the test done right in the car.  There was a long line, but the process was pretty great.  No appointments necessary, you just pull up, they hand you a paper, you fill it out (no ID or money needed) and then the nurse comes over to the door where the patient is sitting, you roll down the window and she sticks the long Qtip up your nose.  Then you drive away, and get the results online.

6)

What are you all doing for Thanksgiving this year?  In MA, we are not allowed to have indoor gatherings of over ten people....and we are already a family of nine.  So if any ONE person is lonely and wants to come over, feel free!  Seriously though, this holiday season is going to be so sad without a lot of intentional creativity and fun from me.  The additional pressure paralyzes me at times, and I just want my mommy but then I remember that I am their mommy and I need to step up and show up.  So give me some of your ideas!

7)

Last night we had grilled chicken and salad for dinner, and I was trying to figure out a carby side (because, kids) and I remembered beer bread!  

Such a quick, yummy buttery bread that everybody loves.  Just in case you're also struggling with ideas for sides, don't make my mistake and forget about beer bread.  I used this recipe (with only 1/4 stick butter).  When Maggie heard what it was called she said "So am I gonna get drunk?!?"  "No just tipsy" I told her ;)

Have a wonderful leaf-raking, bread baking, football watching, relaxing weekend everybody!

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