Apple Picking at Tougas Farm

 Is it even Autumn in New England if you don't go apple picking?  

Not in my book!

Last weekend, we drove just over an hour to go to a great orchard called Tougas Farm.  We had been there about six years prior, and it is a huge orchard with lots of varieties of apples, very clean, and lots of fun things to do.

We got there right when the place opened, and it was a beautiful sunny day.  The air was just starting to feel like fall, perfect!  Grandpa and Phil picked up some apple cider donuts for the tractor ride and off we went.

Eamon, This Week's Birthday Boy

Eamon Philip turned 15 this weekend, and he remains my favorite Eamon ever (no offense to my cousin out in CA but he doesn't give me hugs daily).

{P.S. For anyone new here, Eamon rhymes with Damon, just don't pronounce the D}

He chose Maple Chicken, rice pilaf, and green beans for dinner (I added a yummy salad with honeycrisp apples, candied walnuts and feta - so good!)

Haley gets hugs too - and not only because she just supplied him with enough sugar for a month or two. 

Time for presents!

7QT: The Last Friday in September

 Happy Friday!  I've been told it's officially fall but it's still summer weather up here in Massachusetts.  Here's a look back at the week.

1)

If you want to run a successful youth group at your parish like our friend Jay does (husband of Michelle), just make sure to plan the messiest, silliest activities you can think of...and they will want to go!  This past month's high school youth group included a Color War and next month will be Pumpkin Launching.  I was going to write how I love to see my kids participate in good, clean fun...and then I remembered the laundry pile after this meeting.  Still worth it :)

Eamon with the perfect teeth

Andrew with the curls for days

Even our new pastor got involved!

2)

I've been following Ernie's adoption story over on her blog, and you should too.  It's full of twists and turns and real feelings and raw emotions and drama.  It makes me long for the blogging days of yore.

7QT: Mother's Ring, Soccer is King, Retirement Planning, and Multi Level Marketing

Happy Friday once again!  When will I ever find time to write more meaningful substance?  I don't know but for now, it's a look back at the week in Seven Quick Takes.

1)

For the longest time, I have wanted a Mother's Ring but also wanted to be sure that I wasn't going to buy one only to realize later that I needed to add a new stone. 

#thatfertilelife 

Side note: Did I ever tell you about the time I bought a cheap ring with the kids names on it when I was pregnant with Brendan?  We knew he was a boy and were planning on naming him Charlie so I have a ring with all of my kids' names on it but the last one is wrong.  I mean, the ring was only $40 but I totally jumped the gun on that one.  Sorry Brendan!  You don't even look like a Charlie!  

Anyway, now that I'm 42 and a half and couldn't wait any longer, I designed this ring online and I am so happy with it!  I originally had the ring with each of my kid's birthstones in it, but each of my kids has a different birthstone (seven kids born in seven different months) and it looked a bit too colorful and discombobulated for me.  Then I thought to myself "Self...what if you had blue sapphires for the boys and a pink sapphire for the girl and it would look all symmetrical and not so clownish?"  Voila!  The finished product:

2)

Soccer is well underway.  Five kids, five different teams (I should have had twins!) and they are all so adorable...well the big guys are handsome but you'll just have to trust me since they won't let me take their picture easily, I'll have to bring my big camera to their games to get some.

Declan is way too nice on the field - we are working on being more aggressive.

Maggie does not have any issues with being aggressive - the girl has grown up with 6 brothers.

Brendan scored four goals but clarified that it's only practice for him, not real games.

7QT: The Difference Between

 1)

The difference between boys and girls can easily be seen in the letters some of my kids wrote to their big brother...

2)

The difference between moms and dads can easily be found in the items I sent to JP in college after talking to him on the phone about how sore he is from working out a lot...

With love from Mom:

A heating pad and some magnesium with a note saying how much I miss him.

From Dad: 

A discussion on how sore he used to get when playing sports and working out but he never once used a heating pad or took magnesium and he turned out fine.

7QT: Late Summer Memories for the Books

Life has been so busy - but I'm not complaining - just trying to play catch up which is why these 7 Quick Takes are a wee bit late.

1)

After returning from bringing JP to college, I started my new job!  I actually had to start a day late because we had to delay our return trip home due to Hurricane Henri.  How embarrassing to ask for a day off on your first day.  Luckily my new boss is awesome and understanding and had just dropped his oldest off at college far away as well.

Last morning heading to old job

 

First day at new job

I used to work (for ten years) as the Business Manager at a Catholic high school and now I work as the District Accountant for public schools in a nearby town.  It's very different except for the accounting part :)

I walk on my lunch break either to the beautiful town on the water, or around the huge cemetery next door.  I miss walking with Phil at lunch, and will be listening to a lot of audiobooks now - send me any good recs.

The kids were very sweet and made me cards, Phil got me flowers, and Andrew brought me home some ice cream to celebrate the big transition.

First Day of School 2021

Today was the first day of school for all of my little lovies!  They all had different start dates this week, but today was the first time they all went out to school together.  Even though the uniform color schemes are similar - we have two in high school and four in elementary school this year (and let's not forget one in college!).  Everyone's at great Catholic schools, thanks be to God!