Thanks

We are grateful today...

Thankful for second breakfasts and a day off of work and school.  Mass this morning to give thanks where it belongs, and parades on tv and a park to run around in.  

Not quite as thankful for a sick baby who quarantined us to our house today, but how can we complain about a little stomach bug when so many people are suffering from so much worse? Thankful for our normally healthy bodies and minds.

Thankful we had chicken and mashed potatoes and buns in the house to have our own little feast.  My kids were very thankful the squash wasn't cooked in time, so no veggies with this meal!

Thankful for these kids who rallied and were able to be joyful today even though plans with cousins and a trip to New Hampshire this weekend had to be rescheduled.

Thankful for my husband who took care of this little cherub, cleaning up all 7 pukeys so that his pregnant wife didn't have to.  Now that's true love.

Thankful for my parents who brought over food so we could share in the family feast and were not deprived of stuffing and apple pie and such.

Thankful for my friend, Laura's baby, who was born yesterday.  Hello Luke Francis!  Also for Kendra and Colleen who had gorgeous babies in the past few days as well.  And Dwija's announcement!  Aaaaahhhhhhh, baby fever!

Thankful for all of you who read this blog and are part of our extended family.  We love you all, Happy Thanksgiving!

He Said, She Said

He Knows Me

While I was looking at my phone...

Phil: Whatcha doing?

Andrew: She's probably bloggin'.

Flawed Logic 

I pulled in the driveway at 5:00 and it was dark out, to find the boys playing in the backyard...

Me: What are you guys doing out here in the dark?

John-Paul: Well, we like being outside, and the kids at school say I'm a little pale, so I'm trying to be a little not pale.

Every Party Needs One

When we walked into that party with all the Portuguese family members...

Phil: (whispers to me) Well, I guess we're the token white family.

I Never Would Have Guessed ;)

 Me: Nice hat, Xander!

"I did it myself!"

Not Taking Any of My Crap

Maggie: Xander has a poop!

Me: Xander, do you have a poop?

Xander: Yes, but you can't say "Eeeww".

My Sensitive Soul
Me: Guys, who wants to go to Thanksgiving Parade with Gammy and Grandpa?
Kids: Me!  I do!  Oooh, me!
Andrew: Well, I do want to go, but I feel bad that you will have to miss us.

Who are "They" Anyway?

While eating lunch together at work...

Phil: This lettuce is pretty good (it was Boston lettuce, a new kind for us).

Me: Yeah, they say the greener it is, the healthier it is.

Phil: "They" being the Green Veggie Growers of America.

He Knows His Sister

Phil and I hugging...

Eamon: If Maggie was here, she would say "I want to get in the middle of that."

Not the Family Secret Keeper

After showing Andrew this picture of Xander:

Andrew: Why do you always take pictures from the toilet?

A Short and Amusing Story, Otherwise Known As...

While watching Hostages:

Me: I think they are trying to poison him and then find the anecdote.

Phil: The what?

Me: You know, the anecdote, the thing that will fight off the poison.

Phil: I don't think that means what you think it means.

Phil Begins to Gray

Xander comes in crying...

Xander: Maggie kissed me!

Phil: Maggie, stop kissing your brother if he doesn't like it.

Maggie: I can't help it!  I tell my brain not to do it, but I can't stop my body!

Phil: Well you'd better get this under control before your teenage years.

Hot Mama
After catching a horrifying glimpse of myself on the way to bed last night...

Me: Phil, Did you ever imagine you would get so lucky?

Eamon Scissorhands

Magician: Eamon, cut the rope.

Eamon: I don't have any scissors.

Magician: Use your magical finger scissors.

(Eamon cuts rope with his fingers)

Magician: Now be careful when you go to the bathroom.

(linking up with Rosie!)

Schtuff

What a game last night!

First it was all...

Then it was like...

And then this happened...

And in the end, Wes Welker helped his old buddy win it.

Sorry Broncos fans, but I think the better team won.  Mwahahahahaha! 

(Are we still friends, Sandra?)

We had a busy weekend.  On Saturday, Phil was a Team Leader for the freshman retreat, and so I was on my own for the day and night.  But my awesome mother offered to take four of my kids to the Thanksgiving Parade in Plymouth, MA and so it was just me and this little bugger for a good chunk of the day:

 How cute is that minion ball?  A student made it for the retreat (their team's theme was Despicable Me) and my kids haven't stopped playing with it since! What a great birthday party idea for you craftier moms, and they also had these to eat:

Let me tell ya, as happy as I was to have 4/5 of my children doing something fun with their grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins...I really missed them!  It was WAY harder watching Alexander without the others around.  Not because they help with him, but because they are built in entertainment for him.  He just followed me around all day, talking my ear off.  He even made me read books and play hide-and-seek and "helped" me cook.  The nerve.

To the moms who don't believe that having more kids is easier than having only one.  Have more, you'll see.

Oooooh, wanna drool over my new kicks?  After I waddled the Little Flowers 5k, I found out that  I won the Running Warehouse gift card generously donated by Susan, and ordered these sneakers!  Booyah!  Thanks Susan!

Flashy enough to draw the attention away from my ginormous belly.

We went to a birthday party for Alexander's friend on Sunday, and oh my gosh, talk about being ducks out of water.  The party was for a 4 year old girl, whose parents are from Portugal.  (Alexander and the girl have grown up together at the nanny's house).  

Xander with his nanny, "Ba" and her husband "Neenaw".
They love him like he's their grandson since they don't have any grandkids yet!

  They had about 50 people over to their house for the party, food out the wazoo, and a magician came and put on a fantastically funny show. 

Everyone cracked up when the magician asked Eamon to say "Knots be gone!" for one of the tricks, but Eamon misheard and said "Nuts be gone!"

All five of my kids wanted to help out the magician, and totally loved the spotlight.  I think I'm in trouble.

Maggie let go of the balloon and it hit him in the nose.  

   It was really great, but my introverted personality began to kick in, and after 2 hours, I started rounding up the troops.  After another 30 minutes of them trying to force feed us (it's a cultural thing?) we tried to leave and they kept coming up with excuses why we couldn't.  "But the kids are being so well-behaved!"  "But you just got here!"  "But they are about to cook the malasadas!"  "But we haven't sang Happy Birthday yet!"  

We finally squeaked out after the fresh malasadas were consumed and the song was sung both in English, then in Portuguese, then in English again for Xander who cried because he wanted to blow out the candle.  

I'll have to write a post someday about how we  do and don't do birthday parties at the Martin house, because as wonderfully generous and hospitable as the hosts of the party were, we all left feeling that it was a little too much.  And felt guilty that we perhaps appeared rude for leaving after only 3 hours. 

We also picked up Maggie's new-to-us bed and bureau to get ready for her birthday on December 1.  I tried to do some Christmas shopping online, but chickened out before actually hitting the purchase button.  I had wanted to get all the shopping done before Advent started (this Sunday!!!) but all of a sudden it seems to soon!

We only have 2 and a half days of work/school to get through this week, and then it's a nice long holiday weekend!  After this busy weekend, I need a break ;)  I'm sure you all feel the same way!

7 Quick Takes: Thanksgiving Recipes!

Linking up with Jen's 7 Quick Takes and Cari's Thanksgiving Linkup...you know, 2 birds, 1 stone kinda deal.

Without further ado, here are some of my Thanksgiving favorites!!

1)

  Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I've posted this recipe before, and it's such a healthy and filling appetizer.

2)

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

This is a new recipe for me, but I've been eating it this week and it is so delicious, and I don't really even like sweet potatoes.

3)

  Manly Buns

We call them these because all the men gobble them up.  Hehe, I said gobble in a Thanksgiving food list.

Here's how to make them....

In a bundt pan, arrange 2 cans of these:

Melt 1 stick of butter, and add 1 tsp. thyme to it and then pour over biscuits, getting it in between each biscuit.  

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes (?) and when browned, flip bundt pan over onto serving plate and let sit (covered) until ready to serve.

4) 

Turkey Breast

I hate turkey and I don't eat it, but I had to cook the turkey last year since I was hosting, so I got some breasts and followed Ina's recipe.  Everyone said it was really good, and it was very simple.

5)

McSweeney Potatoes

They are next to the broccoli.

We only make these once a year, and they are so yummy but so bad for you.  I need to create a healthy alternative so we can enjoy them more often, and I can't give you the recipe because it is a family secret.  Just think hash browned potatoes with cheese and bacon.  Mmmmm.

6)

  Cheese Ball

Oh just hand me a spoon...

1 package cream cheese (softened)

1 jar ROKA Blue Spread

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Just mix first three ingredients together in mixer and refrigerate 2 hours.

Form into a ball, coat with nuts and serve with crackers.

7)

  Swedish Apple Pie

I've written about this recipe here, and it's my all time favorite pie because there is no crust.  And Me + Crust = Divorced.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving prepping weekend everyone!

It's True, I'm Ashamed

Linking up with Cari for Theme Thursday: SHAMING

22 Weeks 3 Days

What's that?  You want another pregnancy update on baby Martini? Ask and you shall receive, my friends.  

I guess I'm technically just about 5 months pregnant, and it is going soooooo slowly.  Also, I'm having a lot of different pregnancy symptoms than I can remember from the other five.  I am exhausted all the time (no 2nd trimester relief), feel light-headed a lot, and have an insatiable thirst which makes me think I might have gestational diabetes again.  I've been taking the best iron supplements and going to bed early, drinking plenty of water, and just cut back on my sugar intake (darn you Halloween!) to see if I can get it under control.

Dress: Old Navy Maternity
Ankle Boots: Kohl's
Maroon tights for a pop of color.

Weight gain according to my home scale is 13 pounds, but when I'm dressed and in shoes at the end of the day and weighing in at my midwife's office, it says I'm 16 pounds heavier.  Whatever the baby needs, I suppose.  I still get the "Are you having twins?" and "You must be due soon!" comments, and I just smile and vow to look better after 6 kids than they do :)  

I'm exercising 6 days a week for about an hour at a time, just less intensely than before.  So now I walk hills, or do the elliptical, or the Arc Trainer and lift weights.  Working out is still my mental "high" that helps my mood and anxiety so much, and everybody's happier after I get my sweat on.

I'm reading the Hypnobirthing book, but I am pretty much the opposite of earthy-crunchy-granola, and a lot of it isn't sitting well with me.  No pain in labor?  Puh-lease.  I think I just need to approach this labor as I do my races...prepare as best I can, and then hope for an out-of-body experience!

Some reasons I think it's a girl:

I had the insatiable thirst and gestational diabetes with only Maggie's pregnancy, so maybe it's a girl thing.

Maggie is praying so hard for a sister, and I can just imagine Our Lady interceding on her behalf.

My humps, my humps, my lovely lady humps are bigger (no not those humps, I'm talking rear ends and thighs and hips).

I crave chocolate and baked goods all the time.

Some reasons I think it's a boy:

Past history.  Duh.

Ken says I'm not ugly enough for it to be a girl.  (You're my favorite, Ken!)

Phil keeps saying it would be so cool to have 5 sons, and I think St. Joseph is interceding on his behalf.

I would love Alexander to have a little boy buddy close in age to him.

So as you can see, we will honestly be happy either way!!

There are so many other pregnant mommies in Blogland right now:

Natalie

Grace

Kim

Susan

Britt

Kendra

Stacy

Beth

Colleen

Caitlin

Jenny

Marijanna

Kathryn

Erika

(and a few other friends that haven't made it public yet!!) 

 I am praying for all of you, along with my kids who pray for "All the babies in their mommy's bellies" every morning on the way to school.

We are still playing the dreaded name game, and Phil is still busy nixing all my ideas.  For the girls we have a couple nicknames we like, so we are working backwards to decide on her name.  And for the boys, I want something unique and/or Irish, and Phil wants more mainstream.  But, as I love to remind him, the one who pushes the baby out gets an extra vote.  Right?

On Parenting

“I cannot go to school today"
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.

"I have the measles and the mumps,

A gash, a rash and purple bumps.

My mouth is wet, my throat is dry.

I'm going blind in my right eye.

My tonsils are as big as rocks,

I've counted sixteen chicken pox.

And there's one more - that's seventeen,

And don't you think my face looks green?

My leg is cut, my eyes are blue,

It might be the instamatic flu.

I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,

I'm sure that my left leg is broke.

My hip hurts when I move my chin,

My belly button's caving in.

My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,

My 'pendix pains each time it rains.

My toes are cold, my toes are numb,

I have a sliver in my thumb.

My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,

I hardly whisper when I speak.

My tongue is filling up my mouth,

I think my hair is falling out.

My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,

My temperature is one-o-eight.

My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,

There's a hole inside my ear.

I have a hangnail, and my heart is ...What? 

What's that? What's that you say?

You say today is .............. Saturday?

G'bye, I'm going out to play!” 

~ Shel Silverstein

Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories.  

~John Wilmot

Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.  

~Robert Fulghum

Why would a lazy guy become a parent of five? Then again, why would creative people who inherently don't like change and criticism become writers, actors, or comedians? There's something about this process. I joke about it: My kids have made me a better person, and I only need, like, 34 more of them to be a really good guy.

~Jim Gaffigan

Children are a great comfort in your old age - and they help you reach it faster, too.  
~Lionel Kauffman

Hot dogs always seem better out than at home; so do French-fried potatoes; so do your children.  

~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

Don't handicap your children by making their lives easy. 

 ~Robert A. Heinlein

My mom used to say it doesn't matter how many kids you have... because one kid'll take up 100% of your time so more kids can't possibly take up more than 100% of your time.  

~Karen Brown

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
~Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again"

Christmas Wish Lists LINK-UP!!

As soon as I saw this catalog come in the mail, I knew it was time....time to make Kid's Wish Lists!!  

  

I love seeing what my kids are hoping to get, and being able to answer the grandparent/godparent question of "What would so and so like for Christmas?"  We are only giving three gifts to each kid this Christmas, because if it's good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for the Martins.  

I let them pick out 5 of their wish list items to write down, but made sure they knew they wouldn't be getting them all.  They were totally cool with that, and we had a lot of fun going through the process.  

Have I mentioned that anticipation is my favorite part of Christmas?  So fun!  

John-Paul's Christmas List:

1) Crazy Loom (full kit) (loom, rubber bands, clips, etc)

2) 3Ds

3) Bow & Arrow (real or Nerf)

4) N-Strike Elite Centurion Mega Nerf Gun

5) Pokemon Cards

Andrew's Christmas List:

1) Loom and Bands

2) iPod or iPad

3) Mario Hoops 3 on 3

4) Pokemon Cards

5) N-Strike Elite Centurion Mega Nerf Gun

  

Eamon's Christmas List:

1) Rainbow Loom (Rubber band, kit, full)

2) Dsi

3) N-Strike Elite Centurion Mega Nerf Gun

4) Pokemon Cards

5) Infinity

Maggie's Christmas List:

1) My Giggly Monkey

2) Leap Pad

3) Flutterbye Flying Fairy Doll (purple)

4) Hello Kitty Car

5) Hello Kitty Purse

Now it's your turn!!  Share your kid's wish lists in the linkup below, I can't wait to read them all!