Week in Review: Life's a Beach and the Kids are Alright

 What a HOT week we have had here in Massachusetts.  I think yesterday was the hottest day of the whole summer and of course, it happened after everybody went back to school.  The poor kids are sweating (and poor teachers too) because air conditioning is non-existent in schools around here.  Due to the heat yesterday, the kids got a half day, so we took advantage and went to the beach:

I did not get into the water because warm end of the summer water = jellyfish but these boys are not scared and fared well.  Brendan did see a moon jellyfish.

Last Friday, I took the day off from work and got a lot of errands done which always feel great to check off before the long weekend.  Phil and I snuck away for dinner with a friend then we stayed and listened to music for awhile (notice the jackets, this was right before the heat wave!)

On Saturday morning we went for a 6 mile run, our longest and slowest of the summer, worked at The Cottage all day and attended the birthday party of a friend that evening, smelling like waffle cones which many people commented on as I hugged them.  Hey, there's worse things to smell like :)  

On Sunday we went to the beach with a few friends after a day at the ice cream shop, and it was beautiful:

Monday was Labor Day, and Phil had to work at The Cottage that night, so he offered to take the little kids to the playground and the local feast that was happening in our town while I took a nap.  That's another secret to a happy marriage :)

These photos remind me to make a note to moms-of-many.  There are phases or "seasons" in motherhood, where it's so easy to feel guilty that we are not doing enough for one or two kids because we have to focus more on others.  I remember feeling really badly that my little guys basically lived life around the bigger kids needs.  They would get dragged along to sports practices and games and I would think about how my older kids had fun little kid things to do but my little kids only had boring big kid things to tag along on.  But then...then...it switches!  And suddenly we are doing all sorts of fun things with the last ones while the big ones are working or away at school.  And it all works out in the end.  You may not be able to do everything for everyone at the same time, but you can do a lot for everyone at different times.

Oh my goodness, I forgot to tell you all the best news!  Andrew's echocardiogram came back "perfect" so he is cleared to play soccer again!  Since he hasn't been practicing with the team, he is currently the ball boy at games, but he hopes to work his way up to the top of the reserve team.

Cutest ball boy in the yellow pinnie

Maggie's volleyball team had their first game away, and I watched online as they just barely pulled out a big win.  I was so proud of my girl.  She's the only sophomore on the team and she played in so much of the game, both front and back row though she is an outside hitter, which normally means she would sub out in the back row.  It's really fun to watch your kids in their passion.

Maggie for the kill

I stole this photo from their high school social media of the opening school Mass, where Maggie was a candle holder (I feel like there's a real name for that):

Eamon had his cast switched again because he said it was too smelly to keep on until next week, and now he only has 6 days left until freedom.  He can.not.wait to be back playing in soccer games and generally not smelling.

JP is doing well too, living his best life at Franciscan with his good friend as his roommate, his girlfriend in an on-campus apartment, and a car at his disposal:

Here's to thanking God for a healthy and happy family, and looking forward to a cooler week ahead.  Have a great football watching weekend everyone :)