Wicked Long Weekend Wrapup

After your comments on Friday, I was determined to find the Hootenanny recipe!  I changed it a little by peeling and slicing three apples and sauteing them in a pan with a little cinnamon and brown sugar, then I put them into the bottom of the baking dish and prepared the hootenanny according to the recipe, pouring the batter right on top of the apples.  Yum!

Friday started with a football game at the high school.  I was asked to sell tickets, you know because I'm good with money and stuff:

At half-time I went home, and Phil and a nice friend of ours came over to remove the old couches from our living room and family room.  They had barely put them out in front of our house when a man with a truck stopped to take them away.  We can put anything out there, and somebody always wants it.  It's awesome and magical.

Then my good and hard-working hubby went out and rented a carpet cleaner and cleaned the rugs for the remainder of Friday night (do we know how to party or what?) before returning it to Home Depot and then falling into bed.

Saturday morning brought soccer games for the boys, a doctor's visit for Maggie (croup), and the new couches were delivered! 



Family Room



Living Room

The next step will be to remove/replace the pink rugs.  One expensive thing at a time people!

Saturday night, we went on a double date with some great friends and had some delicious food and laughs.  We felt like real grownups for a change :)

Sunday morning after Mass, we headed over to the local apple orchard and picked 20 pounds of apples.  That should last us a couple weeks, I hope!  Cute pictures of the kids should be up by tomorrow. 

Then I went for a 9 mile run and my knee hurt so badly after that I may never be able to run that long of a distance again.

Proof that I used to run.
Actually it's just proof that I put on athletic clothes and stood in my bathroom.
But you believe me, right?

I baked the Barefoot Contessa's apple crisp (that was so very good) to celebrate Maggie's godfather's birthday, who came over on Sunday afternoon to watch the Patriots destroy the Broncos with us.

Maggie with Fr. Dave on her 4th birthday (and our old couch!)

Monday morning came too fast, and we raced off to participate in a family yard sale:

Setting up with the siblings and the early-bird shoppers

Little sister and Dad making the big bucks ;)



The Mom of Six.
She always tells me I'm the favorite one though.
It's embarrassing.



#1 and #4
Otherwise known as Seansie and Waddy Feeney.
We are so weird.

 

Cousins



I tried to drum up some more business...

But the kids were a lot cuter and did a better job:

After the yard sale (we made a whopping $71!!) , we all went over my sister's house to celebrate the October birthdays:



The bday ages from left to right: 7, 8, 6, 13



Make your own sundaes!!  (can you tell we come from a family of ice cream people?)

I sat down on that new couch on Monday night and fell asleep faster than a baby on breast milk.  That was a fun but busy weekend.  But whatever happened to rest and relaxation?  I think I need to start scheduling that into our plans. 

7 Quick Takes Friday

1)

Welp, I fell in love with my husband all over again.

Did he bring me flowers?  Nope. 

A nice gift? Nuh-uh. 

Did he save Jesus?  YUP!

We had a school Mass here this week, and one of our International students from China went up to receive The Eucharist, not understanding what she was doing, and walked back holding The Body Of Christ looking confused.  Phil jumped up from his knees and went over to her, trying to ask if she was Catholic (she wasn't) and trying to explain why she couldn't receive the Eucharist but her limited English made it impossible.  So he politely took Jesus into his hands and walked back to kneel next to me and consumed the host. 

I swooned.

2)
It was a good debate, right?

3)
Plans for the weekend include: removal of old couches, cleaning carpets, delivery of new couches, four soccer games, a date, preparing for and selling at a yard sale, a birthday party and possibly apple picking.  Good thing there's 3 days in this weekend!

4)

I cooked a Hootenanny (and added apples) for breakfast last weekend, and it was delicious. 
I would credit the recipe, but I can't remember what blog I found it on :(

5)
I ate my once annual pumpkin muffin from Dunkin Donuts this week, and it did not disappoint:

Pumpkin Muffin, I wish I could quit you.

6)
Enough about food - geesh!  How about something fitness related? 
I got some Mizunos and love them.
The end.

7)
And now for the giveaway winner of the Mother Runner shirt:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations!  Just email me your address and I'll send it right out!

Have a stupendous weekend everybody!!

Drew Baby

When Phil and I met in Austria, his roommate was named Drew and on the first day after we were all introduced, I got mixed up and thought Phil's name was Drew.  I love the name Drew.  My cousin is named Drew, after my grandfather, Andrew, and since I was a kid I just thought it was such a nice name.  Come to find out, Phil's name was not Drew (but I love the name Philip too!) yet his roommate became a close friend and we all called him "Drew Baby".



Phil and I on the left...and Drew Baby all the way on the right. 
All dressed in our finest Austrian attire.



Once we were deciding on our second boy's name, we knew he would be an Andrew, and we decided we would call him Drew. 

Baby Drew:

For some reason, Drew didn't stick like white on rice, and so he is just our much-loved "Andrew".  Our handsome and chubby baby boy with "black hair and tan skin" (his words) who looked nothing like his older brother has turned into a big guy who still looks nothing like his older brother (or his younger brother and sister). 

I mean really, I think God has a lot of fun when it comes to genetics:

Andrew, you've always been the cool one without even trying.

And today he turned 8!

Usually I am so shocked by how old my children are getting, but with Andrew, he always seems older than he is.  Everything still comes easy to him - school, athletics, friends. 

And he is still the philosopher in the house, always asking deep questions.  Yesterday he said "I just feel like nobody is excited for my birthday" and I said "That's because it's not your birthday".  He replied "Well, yeah, but it's the last day that I'm seven and nobody is reminding me".  Oy!  Good thing he is pouring all that drama into the school play next week!

A young but mature altar server.

He crawled into bed with Phil and I this morning (he is still so affectionate & cuddly) as we lavished birthday praises upon him.  He is super stoked for his birthday, he's been counting down for a month! 

We had Dunkin Donuts for breakfast (a chocolate glazed for the bday boy) and tonight we had pizza in lieu of the breakfast dinner originally requested. 

Make your own sundaes followed (Maggie was my special helper):

And of course, the grandparents and the presents came:

Showing the cool watch he got ("Ma look!  It lights up, and it has a moving helicopter!!!")

Another Skylander:

Wait, Andrew, how old are you?

Oh right, 8.

Well, that deserves an inappropriate-as-always baby kiss:

A Patriots shirt and football for our sports fanatic:

His first Ninjago.  I don't know either.  It's some type of lego with a ninja based theme. 

He was so excited to get it, he literally fell down:

There we go with the dramatics again ;)

And a crazy normal shot of the kids:

Poor Maggie is thinking, I need a sister!

We love you so much Drew Andrew, and we wish you a lifetime of happiness that equals the joy you felt today.

Wordless Wednesday: Future IT Guy (He's Even Got the Shirt)

Notes to Teenage Girls

As I work in a high school, and I am surrounded by balls of hormones, also known as teenagers, I am reminded of how different life is from when I too was a hormonally-charged and boy-crazy teen who worried too much about my weight and clothes and material things.  It's a difficult stage in life, those teen years, and when you're in it, you're so wrapped up by it that it seems things will never change.  But thank God, things do change and life gets better.  Here are some things I wish I would have known back then.  Of course if someone tried to tell me back then, I wouldn't have listened anyway.  But maybe my daughter will take heed one day (hahahahahaha! if you know Maggie, you know she is waaaayyyyy too much like me).  Without further ado....may I present notes to the teenage girl:

1) There are good guys out there.  I promise you.  Though you look around and see lots of boys with some not-so-moral things on their minds, one day you will meet some genuinely nice guys who share your sense of humor and morality.  Men who love Jesus and wear scapulars and pray the Rosary.  I did not believe any good men existed until I met tons of them at college, and married the bestest one. 

2) Speaking of boys and morals....we females hold the key to what they want, and as long as we have made up our minds to live holy and chaste lives, then your boyfriend will rise to the occasion.  If he doesn't respect your wishes, then he's a frog and not a prince, you don't even need to kiss him to find out.  Just set him free and see rule #1.

3) Your parents actually do know everything.  You think they know nothing, you even swear they are just trying to ruin your life!  When in reality, they are just watching you make the same dumb mistakes they made and trying to shield you from the consequences they had to face.  I remember when I was studying abroad in college and my parents came to visit me in Austria, and it struck me just how intelligent they were (especially when they were trying to give me boyfriend advice).  Obviously it wasn't them who had changed, it was me, and you too will soon understand the love your parents have for you.

4) The clothes you wear, oh boy.  If you don't want to be treated poorly, then stop dressing poorly.  That sounds harsh, but your body is a gorgeous gift from God, to be given to your husband and respected by you in the meantime.  Dressing modestly is beautiful.  Teenagers especially don't want to be judged, so don't give anyone a reason to do it.  We all jump to conclusions when we see a women dressed in a short and tight dress.  How would you dress for an interview?  Simply and modestly, right?  Well, everyday is an interview for you.  You are applying for friends, boyfriends, jobs, activities, colleges, sports, and you never know what door is going to open for you on what day.  Dress smart.

5) Do you know that makeup is supposed to be worn to make you look like you are not wearing any?  Makeup should be used sparingly to cover a problem area or accentuate your eyes or lips a little.  You are young and have non-wrinkly skin and untouched hair...keep it that way for as long as possible.  Don't ruin your hair by coloring it all the time and don't try to look older by wearing too much makeup or tanning.  Once you actually are older, you'll be trying to do things in reverse so that you can look younger.  And it's much easier to look younger when you've been treating your hair and skin well all your life. 

6) Enjoy the stage of life that you are at currently.  I spent my teenage years pining away for a husband and babies, and didn't take advantage of all that was associated with not yet being in that phase of life.  All those mornings I could have slept in longer, relished some quiet time, studied something new, learned a hobby, or travelled at any chance I had, are now just missed opportunities.  Don't get me wrong, being married and a mom are the greatest.things.ever, but you'll appreciate them even more when you've appreciated and taken full advantage of every day before you get to that point.

7) Love yourself.  You can't truly love another without loving yourself first.  "Love your neighbor as you love yourself".  This doesn't mean being selfish and entitled.  It means that you need to know thyself, appreciate what talents you have been given, and work on changing your vices.  God has created you in HIS image and likeness, and He loves you so much.  Just remember that when you think nobody else "gets" you.

8) You have a wonderful BFF that is at your side always, and you don't always remember him/her.  It's your Guardian Angel.  Say the Guardian Angel prayer every day and whenever you are scared or lonely, remember that your angel is right there!  There have been times when I'm on a run and I get scared for a second, and I ask my Guardian Angel to protect me, and I feel much more calm.  I wish I had thought to call on his strength and protection during all my teenage years. 

9) These years can be an emotional rollercoaster.  Your body is changing, your mind is growing, your friends are always coming and going, you are trying to discover who you want to be and what your core values are.  Nothing needs to be solved in one day.  Pray.  Be patient.  Believe you are worthy.  "God does not call the qualified...He qualifies the called" so rely on His wisdom to give you all the grace you need.

10) We're all here for you.  Your parents, your teachers, your guidance counselors, your coaches, your church members, your family all care and want the best for you.  Keep the lines of communication open, and realize just how loved you truly are!