Weekend Wrapup: A Banquet, A Dance, A Dinner and A Reminder!

We had plans every night this weekend, which is thrilling and exhausting because I'm a 43 year old introverted mom of seven.  On Friday night, most of us went to Maggie's end of the (high school) season Volleyball Banquet.  She was somehow convinced that she would be receiving a Varsity letter because she practiced with them and played in most of the Varsity games, but she technically had made the JV team and so no letter for her this year.  That's ok, she still has three years of high school left.  

It was Christmas pajama themed, we normally wear clothes out of the house.

On Saturday morning, Brendan (age 6) had basketball practice, Maggie (age 15) had basketball team photos, Eamon (age 16) had basketball practice + team photos, and Andrew (age 18) went to watch USA Soccer lose at a friend's house (he didn't make the Varsity basketball team as a senior and was disappointed after having played since age 6 but it's a competitive team!)  We all went to Mass at 4 pm then I made Ernie's recommended One Pot Spaghetti for the kids - a hit! - and headed out with Phil and Alexander (age 11) to drop off Xander to his first Middle School dance:

{Side story - Xander looked for those shoes for ten minutes, and a bunch of family members got involved to help, but no luck.  I prayed to St. Anthony out loud Tony, Tony, come around.  Something's lost that can't be found and then I said "It's in Maggie's shoe box"...and it was, even though Phil had already looked through there!!!  The power of prayer man!}

Phil and I ran out to have a quick appetizer and drinks at a nearby restaurant and then we went to Lessons and Carols at our friend's parish.  Stonehill College's choir came to sing and it was absolutely beautiful.  There was one part where children came out to sing Matt Maher's Gabriel's Message (song at end, I had never heard it but now I can't get enough), and four of them belonged to our good family friends!  We had no idea they were involved and it was sooooo sweet.

Then we picked up Xander who reported that the dance was wicked fun and his feet hurt so much from all the dancing.  "At one point, I sat in a random chair, and it felt so good to rest for a minute".  That kid cracks me up.

On Sunday, Phil had to give a talk to the parents in his Religious Ed program, I brought Xander to his piano lesson and Eamon went to his vocations group at the high school.  Maggie had her second day of tryouts for a winter volleyball league, I meal planned and made Crockpot French Onion Soup for this week's lunches while Phil grocery shopped.  I went for a 45 minute run (still following this 8 week plan!) and Phil attempted to fix the outdoor Christmas lights that stopped working.  Declan, Maggie, Phil and I finished his windsock project.  I hope we all get an A!  Then a friend called and asked us to dinner, so I made the kids chicken fried rice (my teens are on such a fried rice kick) and we went out to eat and it was lovely.

I've been listening to Station Eleven after Suzanne recommended it.  Fun fact, I listen to audiobooks at 1.25 speed...do you?  Tell me you're a New Englander without telling me you're a New Englander (we talk fast).  Here's another fun fact, every night I ask Phil to feel my biceps because I workout hard and I need that to be appreciated by someone.  He always reminds me that there are other parts of my body he'd rather be feeling, so then I tell him he can rub my feet or back, his choice.  Aren't I nice?!?  

And now you've seen my "house glasses"

You guys, I saved the best for last because JP comes home tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  His fall semester in a gorgeous old monastery in Austria is over and he has so many great memories, just as Phil and I did from our time dating over there.

I haven't seen his smushy face since August and we already made plans:

But really, we are all so excited to see him.  The little boys have prayed for him every.single.day since he's been gone and we are having homemade meatballs and spaghetti for dinner to welcome him back to America.  We cleaned his room, and put on some cozy flannel sheets and can't wait to hear him talk about all of his european adventures.  Of course he won't be able to tell all of his stories because we also have to shuttle kids to three different basketball practices, a doctor's appointment, and a violin lesson but JP should feel right back at home with all of the hustle and bustle of big family life :)

 *** Here's your friendly reminder to leave out Saint Nick's gifts tonight!! ***