Week in Review: Not Your Tip, Not a Break, Not Actually Fun

Hellooooo on this first Friday in September!  A priest friend of ours was moved back to our area (yay!) and started having a Friday evening Mass each week, and I am hoping to start going tonight (yay!)...maybe followed by a quick date with the Mr.?  Sounds like a plan!

Speaking of dates, the last time we went out on one, we played Keno while we ate.  I had placed our Keno ticket by the ketchup on the table, and when we left we completely forgot about the ticket.  A few minutes later I remembered, so we turned around and Phil went back into the restaurant to get our ticket but the table had been cleared.  He asked the manager if anyone found it, and our waitress overheard and with a look of disappointment on her face, went over to her book and took it out of the back and handed it to Phil.  Only later when I went to check to see if we had won, I realized that the waitress had picked up our ticket from the table, cashed it out for the 13 games played, and got a new ticket for the seven games left.  So she took our winnings of (I think) $6 and didn't even say anything when she gave Phil the new ticket back.  Like, whaaaat?

Last Thursday, Maggie was playing in a volleyball game and landed wrong on her foot and fell in pain.  They got her iced up and bandaged and then Phil took her to Urgent Care for an X-Ray which showed nothing was broken, just a sprain.  She used crutches for a few days and then a boot for a few days, couldn't drive for a week, but is hoping to play in this weekend's game because it's feeling much better.  The bruise was UGLY, but I'll spare y'all that photo.

Sunsets and Forced Smiles

Making sure it works

Andrew made this with AI to hang in his room at college:

There's always room at The Cottage!

The Cottage is only open weekends this month and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  It has been such a busy season for us, and we are grateful for all our loyal customers but it will be so nice to have a day with no work in October.

Our Tip Jars this Week

Eating the leftover waffle cones from last weekend, tough life!

Our new fall special - Maple Creemee

Start of the 25-26 School Year

How about a good old-fashioned family update to start the school year off?  We only have four kids living at home this school year, which is wild to me as I only birthed them all a few years ago.

John-Paul, 22 years old, 1st Year Med Student at Duquesne

JP started school back in July and in his own words "I would be totally burnt out from studying already if I didn't love what I was studying".  He spends 12 hours a day on campus, taking 4 hours of classes in the morning, then a lab after lunch, then study time, a gym workout, and back to his apartment to shower-eat-study-sleep.  Luckily he has four aunts and uncles who have gone through med school and he knew he would be studying like this for the first two years.  He has all A's so far and is really just killing it!  The only thing missing is a social life when he has rare free time.  He has joined a few groups on campus to start meeting people, and he made a visit to see his brothers and friends on campus at Franciscan once everybody moved back in. JP does not like the city life, but gets around just fine, especially since he mostly carpools with his roommate.  He meal preps on the weekend and has been going to Mass at a church near his neighborhood.  So far, so great!

Andrew, 20 years old, Sophomore/Junior at Franciscan University 

Andrew should be a Junior, credit wise, but due to switching his major and going to Austria and ahem, not passing one class (he needed an 80 and got a 77), he is now a Sophomore Nursing Major.  He is starting to take some business classes to get a minor so he can get his MBA one day.  His class loads are light and he is volunteering as the Men's Soccer Team Manager this season, hoping to take over next year for the paid manager who is a senior.  He loves being with his friends on the team, travelling and getting free meals, especially since he now lives in an on-campus apartment and has to cook for himself.  It's the first time he has his own bedroom, in a four-bedroom apartment with his buddies.  Andrew has an awesome group of friends, who visited us during the summer, or asked to meet up with us/we ran into during our weekend on campus.  Like seriously, the nicest guys and girls, a big switch from the friends he had in high school.  I checked on his location yesterday and he was golfing, so it's pretty safe to say he is living his best life.

Eamon, 18 years old, Freshman at Franciscan University 

That blurry sweaty photo is what Eamon sent me for a first day of college photo.  I asked him to retake it and got the nicer one by the sign.  Why was he so sweaty?  Because he had just gone for a run, played basketball, and volleyball as a sports lover does once they have awesome facilities and tons of guys with which to play.  I have to keep reminding Eamon that he is at college to study :)  He is a Biology major, thinking of a career in Physical Therapy.  The kid is so smart, he could study anything and succeed...if only he had a clear vision of his future.  Eamon lucked out by only having one roommate in a triple room, but that roommate is a Sophomore "dorm-rotter" so we shall see how that pans out.  Eamon decided not to play soccer at Franciscan, but will definitely be playing every intramural sport offered.

Colleen Goes to Canada

Because I'm over at the lovely Elisabeth's blog talking about gratitude!  

What an honor, or honour as Canadian Elisabeth would write!  One could say that I am GRATEFUL for this opportunity, and one would be right :)  See you over in her comments!

Eamon (Rhymes with Damon) Goes to College

On Thursday morning, we left Declan and Brendan with Nana & Gramps in Maryland and drove out to Steubenville, Ohio to bring our third baby to college.  The 4ish hour trip was pretty uneventful, and I had to laugh when we stopped at a Service Plaza and saw soooooo many college-aged kids and their parents all heading to drop-offs and orientations.  'Tis the season!

Eamon and I both wore Vineyard Vines shirts to make sure people knew where we were from.  Just kidding, it was an accidental fashion choice.  His room check-in was at 2pm but we arrived at noon and there was no issue getting into the dorm early.  There were tons of students helping the freshman move in, and it was a very fast and painless job.  It helped that Eamon didn't have too much stuff!  

When he said his name to get his room key, the guy mispronounced it as Eee-mon and I spoke up and said "It's Eamon, rhymes with Damon" and Eamon was absolutely mortified.  But dude, if you don't correct them now you will be Eee-mon forever.  We went to Walmart to get the few things we hadn't thought of (extension cords, Febreze, a mattress foam topper, and a desk lamp) plus snacks and water:

His room is a triple with their own bathroom, but one of his roommates never showed up so he only has one roommate who is a Sophomore and came after we left.  Eamon says he's nice.

Then we met up with his cousin Tommy, also a Freshman, who is living in the same dorm.  These two have been besties since birth and at the same schools since preschool, so it's so fun that they get to go through college together as well.

My Baby is Still Single (Digits)

Our little caboose turned NINE!  Last year of single digits for a Martin kid.  Brendan's birthday comes at a very busy time of year, when college kids are leaving and school is about to start up, so I would recommend to any couple who are trying to have a baby...just go ahead and skip Thanksgiving "dessert".

Having said that, of course we have no true regrets because otherwise we would not have Brendan Joseph!

We started the festivities on Sunday night with a Happy Birthday Brendan/Farewell Eamon dinner with some family and friends:

Brendan is Eamon's mini-me

His godmother gave him what he really wanted - cold, hard cash!

"Now I have $86 in my wallet!!!!"

On his actual birthday, he woke up to cards and notes and candy and a new water bottle from his siblings:

Declan's joke - the princess bday card

Then we (Phil, me, Eamon, Declan and Brendan) headed off to Camelback Resort in the Poconos for a surprise overnight stay on the way to visit family and drop Eamon off at college.  We stopped for lunch at the nearest Burger King along our route and it happened to be located in the food court in the mall.  So that little 4 minute detour took a lot longer when we had to park and walk through a giant mall to the 3rd floor food court.  But it was a fun memory!  Especially since we were all walking around in swimwear!

Before we knew it, we were at the waterpark:

I love the bright yellow matching shirts for easy spotting!

Brendan told me he rode the biggest ride at the exact minute he'd been born nine years prior, and I told him that his birth was the biggest ride I had been on nine years prior!

For the birthday boy's dinner, we went to Barley Creek Restaurant and got burgers.  Brendan ordered a raspberry lemonade like the sophisticated nine year old that he is.

Brendan is a whip smart boy, sometimes too big for his britches, cuddle bug with a sarcastic sense of humor and typically a great attitude.  He thinks life is unfair a lot since he's the youngest and that's what they do, but he enjoys hanging around all the older siblings and keeps up with them.  Brendan is a swimmer and piano player just like his brother Xander, wants to be a doctor like his brother JP, wants Birkenstocks like his brothers Andrew and Eamon once his feet stop growing, loves to draw, loves dogs, the color blue, is my literal memory, only has one best friend (Jackson) because you can't have more than one best anything, and is very proud to have two different color eyes (green and hazel).  We love him so much and I hope his love of hugging us never goes away.  They are the best!

We went back to the hotel and Eamon took the boys to the arcade while Phil and I went for a walk around the property, and then we gave Brendan his birthday presents of new sneakers (he wanted ones like Dad) and a smart watch and new crocs.  He was a very happy guy as he thought that the waterpark was his present :)

We all fell asleep eventually and woke up too early the next morning.  The three boys went back to the waterpark as soon as it opened and rode all the big rides that had no lines yet.  Phil and I went for a run and ended up getting lost for a bit and ran longer than intended,  but found our way back and saw five deer along the way!  We all showered and packed up the room and we were off to Maryland to see Phil's side of the family for the night.  The rain and fog and traffic were horrific and it felt like a very long ride.  

It was good to see the family members who were around that evening, and we slept at his parent's house overnight before leaving the next morning to take Eamon to college, which will be the next post!

Week in Review: Fancy Football, Beach Boys, and Summer Slow Down

Happy Friday!  Happy Feast of the Assumption!  

Let's rewind to last Friday when some Martin Family members went to a Commanders v. Patriots preseason game at Gillette Stadium:

The tickets were from Andrew's friend's uncle which allowed them access to a suite and a complimentary all-you-can-eat buffet.  This was Declan's first NFL game and I hope he realizes they will never be quite like this again.

Andrew, Eamon and Phil all wore their Commanders gear but Declan wore his Brady shirt, which was a good choice because it was the night that the new Tom Brady statue was unveiled...which meant that Tom Brady, the GOAT himself was there.  

Very exciting for an 11 year old sports nut!

Week in Review: Boats with Buddies, Braces Before and After and Book Fees Making Me Crazy

Happy Friday!  Last weekend, Andrew went to a college friend's house to hang out with other college friends who were in town, and then they headed down to our house to spend a night.  My brother who owns a beautiful boat, happened to offer some fun boat time if anyone was free on Sunday, so Andrew, Eamon and his friends jumped on that!  My niece, her boyfriend, and my nephew also went to spend an afternoon out in Buzzards Bay:

I guess there's an ice cream boat that goes around and sells ice cream - how cool!  My brother bought some for everyone.

They returned home, showered and we had dinner for them.  We last-minute invited three friends (two are Franciscan alums) to come meet the boys and it was a really fun night with rowdy games that went way too late.  Everybody left on Monday and we miss them already - such nice and fun guys!

Week in Review: August Already, Living Uncomfortably, Bye Braceface and Dexter

 Happy August 1st!  

I'm just gonna get out of the way that August is my least favorite month, followed closely by March, but it always flies by in the blink of an eye and we're back to a school-year routine before we know it.

This week had Declan attending a soccer camp in town, and Brendan going to the YMCA camp near my work.  They typically go to camp together, but Declan loves soccer and Brendan definitely does not.  He's our little swimmer, and enjoys the two pool sessions a day at the Y.  This week has been HOT HOT HOT with temps in the 90s and humidity up there too.  They come home from camp, take cool showers, have dinner, prepare for the next day, and then watch some tv before bed.  Bonus points when we squeeze in a family rosary or a visit with Gammy and Grandpa.  Their summer assignments have not been finished, and with one more week of camp next week, we are really cutting it close.  Honestly, if I were home with them, they would have had it done weeks ago, but some moms gotta work, ya know?

Andrew and Eamon have still been golfing almost daily with their Youth on Course memberships, and get to enjoy beautiful courses and sunsets that kinda make me want to take up golf:

Eamon

Andrew

On Monday, I was supposed to have Jury Duty but they didn't need me!  Alleluia!  So I went to work because I have a lot going on, and was finally able to close out Fiscal Year 25 on Wednesday.  Thank you Baby, Toddler, Child, Teen, and Adult Jesus!  What a relief that big job is done, and now I can get back to regular work before my big annual report is due on September 30.  

Speaking of work, I found this list of how much income a family of four should make to "live comfortably" in these states and realized I can never retire OR we need to move out of Massachusetts.  We certainly don't make near that income #livinguncomfortably and can you imagine what the salary should be for a family of nine?  

Xan the Man Turns 14

Our biggest baby, our thumb-sucking obsessed toddler, our funniest little guy who loved an audience, our piano-playing/swim-team/runner, our fifth child turned fourteen this weekend.  Alexander Blaise, who has gone by "Xander" for most of his life but more recently has been shortened to "Xan" by his siblings, celebrated his big day in style!

One and always having fun

We started with a family breakfast of (his choice) crepes, strawberries, whipped cream, Nutella, plus eggs and bacon.  Was Nutella spread on bacon and ingested? Yes.

We missed you JP (at school) and Maggie (at a beach volleyball tournament)

Then we opened presents, which is always fun with Xander because he "doesn't like to ask for things because he doesn't like to be disappointed" so he gets very happy and surprised by each gift.  He definitely has dropped hints over the past few months about things he likes, so we made it happen.  He got new white sneakers, real Birkenstocks, a cross necklace, a few outfits, and a nice high school sweatshirt, gift card to buy clothes (he's grown so much this summer!) and a fun book.

Grandpa is confused as to why these are so popular!

Week in Review: Happy Christmas in July

Happy Christmas in July to all who celebrate :)

This week has been so incredibly busy at work because I am trying to reconcile and close out the fiscal year, and the numbers just never want to balance to the penny for me.  With a $52 million dollar budget for our school district, trying to find pennies is a real pain in the derriere.  It's stressful and makes me want to quit my job every year, but then I remember how much I like groceries and electricity and keep plugging away.  A friend of mine who works a school-year job was lamenting that her summer is almost over and I'm like "What is summer?"  Just a busier and hotter time of year for me.  I'll take October over July always and forever.  

My sweet husband who has to hear all of my whining in person (you lucky readers only get it on the screen) bought me a surprise bouquet of flowers last Friday to thank me for the role I play in our family.  He is seriously too good to be true:

On Saturday, Brendan had his bestie's birthday party to attend.  It was a beach party at the lighthouse in the next town over, and perfectly windy enough to fly a kite:

While he was having fun there, we took Declan to use a gift card he had won back in March...of 2024.  Better late then never!  It was to a pizza place in the city next to us:

"Art"