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"

On Sunday we took a bike ride on the bike path with the littles.  They lasted about 5 miles, then we called Andrew to come pick them up and continued on for a total of 13 miles.  It was cloudy and a perfect summer activity to see nature but not really be in nature.

Phil made the yummy Chicken Vodka Pasta for dinner, and we invited over one of our priest friends who has just been assigned close to us!  He is one of nine kids and has a million nieces and nephews and is so great with our kids.  Here he was quizzing Brendan on a book he had read:

On Monday, the morning air was cool and crisp so we exchanged our morning walk and for a 5 mile run and I felt so accomplished for the rest of the day.  We were literally chasing our shadows at one point:

A customer dropped off this painting of The Ice Cream Cottage they had made for us, and Phil gave them a free quart of ice cream.  We certainly got the better deal!

Declan and Brendan had Camp Acutis this week, a Catholic camp in our Diocese where they learn Gregorian chant and theology (plus sports and games).  They went on a field trip to the Museum of Family Prayer:

And dressed as saints one day.  Brendan was excited to "bloody" his bandages as Padre Pio:

Eamon had yet another scholarship luncheon to attend.  This kid has racked up $10,440 in scholarship money from outside sources for his freshman year!

I got a new fake pair of Birks and a new pedicure!

I also had my yearly physical this week, and everything was good except for my still high (but slightly lower than last year) cholesterol and my high fasting glucose number.  I'm going to keep on exercising daily and trying to eat healthy mostly and that's about all I can do!  Maggie also had a physical on the same day so you can bet your bottom dollar we both treated ourselves to ice creams after.  Like I said, mostly healthy!

After work on Thursday, we picked up the littles from camp and headed to watch Maggie play in her summer volleyball league

Andrew took Xander out for dinner and shopping for a new backpack and cologne as his *early* birthday present from the big kids:

And we are taking him to see Dude Perfect tomorrow in Worcester, on his actual 14th birthday.  He's so excited because we get to stay in a hotel overnight and he's picking all of the restaurants we will eat at.  It should be fun!

Here's a video some of our workers made after the Coldplay incident:

Have a great last weekend of July everyone!