Andrew, This Week's Birthday Boy

Our handsome Andrew Pauric turned 17!!  

We celebrated his birthday a day early, so it could coincide with lots of football watching and include Andrew's aunt, Sister Denise, who was visiting us for a short while (too short!).  Andrew also was inducted into the National Honor Society on the same afternoon, and we are so proud of his hard work because he does indeed work hard to get good grades and pushes himself to the best of his ability.  

We realized that the jacket he wore for his Confirmation last year was too small on him, so he had to borrow Phil's suit jacket and it wasn't toooooo big which makes me want to shrink Andrew back down to his four-year-old self.

Don't blink.

Andrew has a nice group of friends from school and is involved as the Junior Class Treasurer, plays Varsity soccer, basketball, and helps out in Campus Ministry and Peer Ministry as well as altar serves at our parish and works at the ice cream store and grocery store.  The kid is busy!

Okay boys...smile!

That's better :)

Then it was back home for football food - meatball and sausage sliders, pizza, soft pretzels with Apple Brie Soup, Bacon Onion Dip with an assortment of chips, and Kale Salad.

For dessert, Andrew chose an oreo ice cream cake, which was made even more delicious by my mom's kahlua hot fudge sauce.

We went and watched the Patriots lose (blech!) against Tom Brady (he's dead to me) and opened presents on the next day, his actual birthday.

Andrew has gotten into buying and selling football cards, and Phil got him this book to help him learn the business.  I don't want to encourage it but I may change my tune if he strikes it rich like he thinks he will.

He certainly has the cockiness of a millionaire - ha!

Andrew appreciates fashion, so some clothes and a Kohl's gift card were on the list.

What's a teenage boy's birthday without salty snacks (his fave is honey mustard pretzels) and sour gummy candies?

Some losing scratch tickets - you know, just to prove to our kids that gambling isn't worth it ;)

The best reaction (below) was for the vintage Redskins keychain I found.

And of course, some football cards!

We love you so much Andrew!!  You are one of a kind... a quiet-loving kid in a loud family, an early riser sharing a bedroom with night owls, a non reader amongst voracious readers, and a tan and curly-haired guy from a pale straight-haired family.  We're not quite sure where you came from but we are so happy you are ours :)  Happy 17th and many, many more.