Week(s) in Review: Turkey Trots, Babies Back, Card Cessation, and Spot the Song

Hi!  It's been a while since my last weekly update, so buckle up buttercups!

The Franciscan Men's Soccer team made it to the semifinals and played a game in New Jersey on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.  Andrew (a team manager) and some of his New England buddies who play on the team decided it would be stupid to travel all the way back to Ohio on the bus, just to turn around and come all the way back home on Tuesday for Thanksgiving break.  So they all talked to their parents, who agreed on the stupidity front, and bought plane tickets for a 30 minute flight to Boston on Saturday night.  I was so happy that I had spent the day cleaning the big boy's room, and moving the littles out and back to their room.  Just in time for Andrew to come home for a whole week!

Eleven Players Playing

Two Lads a' Lunching

After JP's last class on Tuesday, Eamon and cousin Tommy drove to Pittsburgh to pick him up and then they all drove home and arrived safely around 1:00 am.  While anticipating their arrival, Phil and I took the youngest three kids to see Wicked  for Good after school/work and we all enjoyed it, not as much as the first one, but worth seeing.  And then finally all of our chickadees were home from college and isn't that one of the best feelings as a mom?  Yes, yes, it is.  That first homemade dinner after a semester of college food just hits different: 

Eight Diners Dining

Having six sons certainly has it's perks:

Six Sons a' Raking

One Son a' Sleeping

DRE Phil has the Confirmation Class (which includes Xander) change over the missalettes in the church on the night before Thanksgiving, and some of our other boys volunteered to help:

Five Kids a' Helping

On Thursday morning, we woke up at 7am and held our 2nd Annual Martin Family Turkey Trot.  We all ran between 2.25 - 4 miles, with the exception of Maggie who had been getting over a cough and walked the dog instead.  Then we showered and went to 9am Mass to say THANKS to God for all of his blessings.  

Nine Martins Running

We had Thanksgiving dinner at one of my sister's houses and everyone was in attendance except one sister (and her family) and one nephew, which made 30.

Twelve (+2) Eaters Eating

Tons of food and tons of fun!

Let's rewind back to Halloween for a minute though, so I can tell you a story about my oldest brother.  Sean (and family) moved into a beautiful new home last Christmas, so this was his first Halloween in the house.  In the town where he lives, there is a big Halloween parade and when it ends, all the kids go trick or treating at the houses nearby, and those houses see a LOT of trick or treaters.  Sean wanted to be the house that did something a little different than give out candy, and decided he would give out hot dogs instead.  They gave out over 300 hot dogs and it was a big hit with everyone.  That night, my dad had a dream that Sean should have t-shirts to sell for next year's Halloween hot dog giveaway.  My parents and I laughed about it and came up with some ideas, and with the help of AI, I created this logo:

Which I then turned into a t-shirt to surprise Sean on Thanksgiving.  Hilarity ensued:

Four Laughers Laughing

One Sean a' Smiling

When we came back home, we put on Home Alone and fluffed the trees to prepare for decorating them the next day.  On Black Friday we decorated inside and outside for Christmas, and many hands make light work because we were done by lunchtime.  Some of the older kids went shopping with cousins in the afternoon and then they all went to a game night with some other cousins that night.  The rest of us happily stayed home and watched Home Alone 2 with the cozy decor:

Three Kids a' Cozy

Brendan, our lover of arts and crafts, looked up how to make a perler bead Christmas tree, and created this 3D one that I thought was very cool:

Seventh Martin Artin'

On Saturday night, we had some friends over for dinner and a crazy game of Balderdash, of which I only have one terrible photo that Eamon snuck of me eating a chocolate peppermint cookie:

I love to put our pregnant Mary statue in the Advent candles, to remind us for what we are preparing.

 Then sadly, all the college boys had to drive back to Pittsburgh/Steubenville on Sunday morning.  But!  They'll be back soon!  In fact, JP just finished his med school exams for the semester and was happy to report that he got all A's, whatta guy.

We had asked the kids if they'd rather have presents or a vacation for Christmas and it was a unanimous vacation decision, so we told them where we were going on Thanksgiving...

Orlando, Florida!

The school kids have two full weeks off this year, and the college kids are home for a month, so we decided to make the most of the time and drive to Florida, with stops in Maryland to see Phil's family on both ends.  I rented a house with 5 bedrooms and a pool which also has access to the resort amenities (lazy river, waterslides, pools, fitness center, pickleball courts, etc).  We are not doing the Disney stuff (it would have cost us $5000 for two day tickets) but we will go to Busch Gardens in Tampa for a day and Aquatica for a day.  We're also staying one night in Savannah, GA again as everybody loved that stop the last time we drove to Florida.  It's soooooooo nice to not have to think about presents and avoid this:

Winter sports started this week, but we only have one high schooler participating ~ Xander in Winter Track.  I am able to pick him up on my way home from work and squeeze an extra mile or two walk while I wait for him.  Maggie is not playing a sport so that she can work at the elementary school's extended care program.  Declan's CYO Basketball games have also started this week and that 8pm game on Tuesday night was a shock to our systems.  He's eleven and 8pm is his bedtime, not game time.  Brendan continues with Swim Team all winter, which means practice three times a week and meets here and there.  It's a much more doable schedule than our fall sports schedule was, so I'm thankful for that.

I've decided against doing a Christmas card this year, for the first time in 20+ years.  I just didn't have it in me, didn't coordinate getting a family photo, and don't want to spend the money on postage.  I do so love receiving cards, so I feel bad, but everyone needs a year off sometime, right? *she types hoping you will assuage her guilt*  I think I will do a Christmas card/letter here on the blog to make up for it.  I did create this ornament but then decided not to buy it because of the bad reviews, but I'll leave it hanging here:

Ten Posers Posing

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  20 days until Christmas - eek!  

P.S. Can you spot the song throughout this post?