Christmas Break - From MA to PA to MD to PA to MD to MA

Christmas Break continued...

On December 26, we rolled out at 7am with everyone except JP, who had to stay to work at the hospital for a few days, and Lucy Doodle, who stayed home with JP.  We drove five hours and stopped at Camelback Resort and our room was ready early (the best!) and we hit the waterpark for a few hours:

We went back to the much-too-small-room-for-eight-people-even-though-it-was-called-the-king-suite-and-slept-eight-people to change and drove down the road to get dinner at Barley Creek Brewery.  After the last person ordered, I realized that we all got cheeseburgers - such simple folk are we.

We went back to the hotel after dinner and the kids played at the waterpark again while Phil and I walked around the place.  There was a magic show in the lobby which was quite entertaining even for the magic-hater that I am.  It just creeps me out.

SNOW!!

Christmas Adam, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day 2024

We had such a lovely two-week Christmas break (love those Wednesday Christmases!) and I wanted to jot down the memories for the Martin Family Blog Book 2024.  Here we goooooooo....

On the Saturday before Christmas, we all went to volunteer at My Brother's Keeper which was so much fun and very touching and something I want to keep up.  We were given wish lists for two families with their gift preferences and sizes, and then we shopped in the warehouse which was overflowing with donations (our kids schools collected lots of toys to donate) and then wrapped and labeled the gifts for the families.  To make it even more *memorable* some Martins picked the biggest and most difficult presents to wrap:

Not pictured was a tricycle that Phil wrapped with much success!

On Christmas Adam (the day before Christmas Eve) the kids had their Sibling Swap, with Eamon winning the prize for most creative wrapping - the gift was inside multiple bags and suitcases wrapped in tape, and Andrew winning the prize for most creative gift - he gave JP a real gift plus a joke gift of a fish that now lives on our kitchen counter.  Have kids, they said ;)

Brendan finished his Christmas Tree Advent Calendar with pride:

Week in Review: Wrapping Up The To Do List

Can you believe it?  The last Friday before Christmas!?!?  This is also the last day of work and school for the Martins until next year and we are so excited!  I was truly enjoying Advent this year, feeling pretty calm, remembering to say the St. Andrew Novena, attending a retreat, but this week I am feeling the pinch and trying to figure out the Christmas Present Fairness Math like:

Does everyone have the same amount of joy-giving presents intermingled with things they need?  Even though I'm an accountant, the math is not mathing.  I will feel like one kid needs something more, then get it, then realize another kid would also like that gift so I get it for them too, but now we are out of alignment again and on and on it goes.

I'm going to finish up the wrapping this weekend and see what else there is left to do, but in a panicky state yesterday I stress ordered a few more small gifts/stocking stuffers as if I was a contestant on a timed game show:

Cute earrings (these are for MY stocking)

Deck of Cards (Brendan's really into card tricks right now)

Tau Cross Necklace (Andrew came home from Assisi with one he wears and the littles want to copy)

Tweezers (to go with all the Perler Bead crafting)

Magic Book (for Magic Tree House lovers)

But I have to stop and just accept that it is what it is.  I don't think I ever feel 100% ready for Christmas morning but you know what?  Jesus comes no matter what and we always have the best time together.

What else has been going on this week?  

Out and About & In and Reminiscin'

A little weekend recap, shall we?

Eamon went on a school trip to New York City for the day last Friday.  They left at 5am and returned at midnight and had lots of fun but boy was he tired the next day.  Youth is not wasted on my kids, as they are always up for an adventure.  I was happy to be home in my pajamas by 8pm :)

On Saturday, Phil had a Confirmation retreat all day, so the kids picked names for their Sibling Swap that takes place on Christmas Adam (the day before Christmas Eve) and I took the littles shopping to find their treasures.  The line at Kohl's was crazy and I'm reminded why online shopping is so much better.  But we had success and it's fun to have one on one time together and see how they want to spoil their sibling.

Maggie went to a friend's house for a little Christmas gathering, including a visit from St. Nick himself!

I've been trying a new treadmill workout where I run for four miles, but walk for one minute of each mile.  I line up the walks with the commercials in my show that I'm watching and I've never wanted more commercials in a show!  Yikes, it's hard to run on a treadmill especially when they keep the gym warmer than I would prefer.  It's mostly the elderly population that uses this gym near my work and while they're working out in their flannel shirts and pants, I'm over here like:

Sweaty Betty

On Sunday morning, I came home from the gym to see this adorable sight:

JP and Andrew and Declan were creating with perler beads.  We sort of forget about these and then they become a big hit again for awhile.  Look what they made:

JP's Nativity

Andrew's Grinch

JP was feeling very grateful because he had an interview last week for a potential medical school scholarship and he heard back that he got it!  The scholarship is called The Physicians Scholarship because it was funded by physicians in the area who donated to give two new med students $25,000 a year for four years.  Can you believe it?  That's $100,000 less in loans and we are sooooo thankful.  JP is still not 100% sure on what school he will attend as he hasn't heard back from most yet, but this one in Maryland is his top choice right now.

On Sunday night, after a very yummy dinner of Maple Chicken (Andrew's belated welcome home from Europe dinner) Maggie was stressing about her AP Bio test and Phil captured this photo of her three big brothers, all AP Bio graduates, helping her study.  

This is the stuff big family dreams are made of and what I prayed for back in the days of dirty diapers and sibling squabbles.  Those days were hard but the payout is so worth it.  Don't give up mamas!  You are doing the most important, often times invisible and thankless, work.  I see you :)

Week in Review: Sports Banquets, All My Babies and A False Alarm

Let's see, where were we?  Last Friday I saw the For King + Country Christmas concert movie and it was good!  Definitely got me in the Christmas spirit and now I want to go watch Unsung Hero about their family's story (seven kids!).  On Saturday I went to a womens Advent retreat that was pretty good, but a bit of a let down from the previous year, when Danielle Bean spoke.  However, I got to go to Mass, Confession and Adoration AND hear Marie Miller sing a few songs including 6'2:

There was a nice gathering of women from my parish that all attended, so that made it fun too :)

This is one side of the church - there were 280 women in attendance, mostly sitting in the central pews.

Meanwhile, Eamon and Ellie went for an unofficial tour of Providence College given by our niece, who is a freshman there.  They ate delicious food at the dining hall and went to a hockey game together that night and thoroughly enjoyed the day!

On Sunday, Declan went to a friend's annual Grinch Day party and had an absolute blast with his buddies:

Week in Review: Adventy Things, a Book Review and An Almost Embarrasing Gift

Happy Feast of Saint Nicholas!!

The kids got their special St. Nick chocolates in their stockings and a new pair of (non-matching) pajamas or robes.

The Advent Calendars have been big hits!  Declan received this one and Brendan received this one and Xander received this one and my candle one is almost too good, as I am still burning the candle from the first night - it just won't quit!  At this rate, I'll have enough candles to get me through the whole winter, whatta deal.  

Building their sets each evening

Funny story, I had originally bought Declan this Lego Advent Calendar, not realizing it was "for girls" according to him.  I guess it's Lego Friends and not just Lego.  Declan picked out a new calendar and I said I would return the Lego Friends one.  Declan then had a bright idea that he should give it to his teacher because she loves to watch the show.  I was like, great go get wrapping paper, then I thought that it was a little strange that his teacher would watch a kid's cartoon, so I asked a few more questions until I finally got the answer:

"Yes, she told us her favorite show ever is Friends".

Aha.  Friends makes much more sense.

Brendan came with me to return the embarrassingly accidental almost-gift the poor 5th grade teacher was about to get.

Say goodbye to your little friends