Week in Review: Perms and Penances and Plans

So Valentine's Day came and went without much fanfare.  

I think it was because the Superbowl was the night before, and we had friends over so we were fizzled out.  Plus VDay ended up being a snow day very unexpectedly, so there was shoveling to be done and a nice lazy day to be had.  Phil and I did end up going out to a barbeque restaurant for an early dinner which was lovely, and I made the kids m&m pancakes with whipped cream, so they were happy too.  It's funny how some years we celebrate with such intention and then other years the days go by without much thought, and I'm not sure what causes that.

2)

I made an appointment to get a perm next month.  I know!  It's not 1988 anymore but apparently they're coming back?  At least that's what I'm telling myself.  I have very thin/limp/depressing hair and I'm hoping to give it more volume.  I've never gotten a perm before but I'm hoping I look like this:

And not like this:

Also how sad for this woman, who probably thought she looked AMAZING for her senior photos and then ended up being the image one receives when googling "bad perm".

3)

We took some of the kids to Confession last Friday afternoon, and I was amazed at how many people were there for Adoration in the chapel.  

God is great!  But apparently, I am not! because as we walked to the car after saying our penances, we compared notes...

Declan (age 7) got 2 Hail Mary's

Xander (age 10) got 3 Hail Mary's

Maggie (age 14) got 5 Hail Mary's

Phil (age 41) got 5 Hail Mary's

Colleen (age 42) got SEVEN Hail Mary's

I'm totally thinking the priest just gives more Hail Mary's based on age, not by sins, RIGHT?

{Don't even remind me that there's no way that the priest knew our ages}

4)

Thank you all for your advice on my Decisions post.  Y'all helped!  We have decided we are going to NH and not OH this summer...we are looking for places to stay in either Montreal or Quebec City for our anniversary trip... and we had Andrew take a career aptitude test based on personality (offered by the high school) and he now has some careers and therefore majors that he's considering BUT NO PRESSURE KID.

5)

Books Lately:

Whisper by Danielle Bean - I read a chapter each week at Adoration, and it always seems to be just the lesson or reminder I need.  

The House of Gucci - I'm listening to this one on my lunch walks and it's verrrrrry long and sometimes the story is too detailed with facts I don't care about and I question why I am listening to it, but then the plot twists and keeps me interested again.  Greed and power are so dangerous!

The Paradise trilogy and the Winter Street series by Elin Hildebrand - Super easy, light, fun, sometimes inappropriate (always some promiscuity and drug use) entertaining reads.  The Winter Street series made me seriously want to open up a Bed and Breakfast on Nantucket.

6) 

Dinners:

Sunday - Superbowl party with typical football food (pizza, chicken tenders, corn dogs, veggie platter and superbowl sundaes)

Monday - leftovers from Superbowl party

Tuesday - Pineapple Chicken over coconut rice with steamed broccoli

Wednesday (meatless) - Cauliflower pizza from Aldi's - it's good!

Thursday - Roasted cauliflower, potato wedges, green beans and kielbasa

Friday (meatless) - Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

Saturday - Grilled Chicken Salad

7)

We have February Vacation next week, a week off school for most New Englanders to go skiing, but not us because wow that would cost us two arms and two legs.  Instead we will be going to the dentist, touring a college, visiting my brother in NH, going to a hand doctor (me), meeting with a financial planner, hanging out with friends, taking the kids ice-skating, and celebrating my first bday without my college-aged bday buddy.  It's fine, I'm fine :(  He'll be home in a few weeks for Spring break so we can celebrate him belatedly.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend planning vacations, finances, and your children's educations.  Yay for adulting!