Last Week of Summer Moments

JP (age 19) arrived safely in Gaming, Austria and is living his best life already - staying at the beautiful campus, touring a 1000 year old monastery in Melk, and having his first taste of *root*beer ;)

When he was at the airport with his girlfriend and another friend, I asked him to send me a photo and he sent me this:

And I'm like, do you know those people?  And he says "No but you asked me to send you a photo."  Teenagers are funnnnnnn!

Brendan's Birthday Bash

 One

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Three

Four

Five

And now our baby, Brendan Joseph is SIX!!

Because his birthday is at the end of the summer, we usually take a family vacation sometime near his birthday.  His last three birthdays (or the ones he can remember) have been spent in North Conway, NH or Maryland or Laconia, NH so now when it's time for his big day to come around, he asks "Where are we going?"  This year we are staying home BUT we surprised the kids with a day trip to the Cape Cod Inflatable Water Park. 

The night before his birthday, we had pizza (his choice) with his godmother and my parents where he got a few gifts from his wishlist, like bath bombs (don't all 6 year old boys ask for this?!?)

And a Bluey stuffy and activity book :)

Then he opened a card saying that we were going to the Inflatable water park the next day!

How Do You Say Goodbye in German?

Answer:  Auf Wiedersehen

The real question is How Do You Say Goodbye When You Don't Want To?

JP (age 19) left for his semester abroad in Austria, where he will be studying at an 800+ year old monastery through Franciscan University.  

This is also the spot where Phil and I met in January 2000.  It is an absolutely magical semester spent travelling through Europe and I am so very excited for JP's adventures.

But we will miss him so much, I mean just look at our bookends saying goodbye:

Over the weekend, one of my brother's family and one of my sister's family were able to come spend the day and it was nice for JP to see them before he left.  We got pizza and ate it at the lighthouse:

Then headed to the ice cream shop where JP has been working over 40 hours a week all summer.  Seriously, that kid worked hard to earn money to spend travelling this fall.  They have four days of classes with 3 day weekends for students to travel.  The whole school goes on a few trips together, including Rome and Assisi for a week, but other than that, students are on their own to make plans.  JP is hoping to go to Greece for his 10 Day break which will include multiple train and plane tickets.  But YOLO!!

We had one last family dinner with Gammy and Grandpa before he left.

Because I know you're interested - grilled pork chops, roasted cauliflower, rice pilaf, applesauce, and that beautiful fruit dessert from my mom.

I woke up at 5:30 the next morning and couldn't fall back asleep knowing I would have to say goodbye to JP, so I did what any normal mom would do... stress-bake.

Again, because I know you want to know - Chocolate chip pumpkin muffins.

Then we woke up JP, packed up the car and said our final "Auf Wiedersehen".

Some of us had a harder time letting go than others ;)

Before he left, so many kind family members and friends and coworkers gave him gifts to help him in his travels.  JP is very loved and extremely grateful for all he receives.  I gave him a keychain of Saint John Paul to hang on his backpack. 

I hope that our John-Paul will have as much fun as his namesake, skiing the alps and travelling around Poland in his footsteps.  We love you to the moon and back JP, and will pray for you daily.  As the Austrians say, “Grϋß Gott” (God bless you).  Have so much fun, and don't forget...

Week in Review: Rhyme Time

 What have we been up to this week?

I'll let you have a rhyming peek!

Summer eating:

Beat the heating:

Feet binding:

Selfie finding:

Zucchini season ending:

Gift card spending:

Bug catching:

Fly catching:

Hair hating:

Wedding dating:

Soccer mothering:

Table recovering:

Work weeking:

Truth speaking:

Those August Feelings

 August is an emotional month for someone who really feels their feelings like, ahem, this blog's author.

Feelings be like

Feeling guilty that we didn't do as many fun family outings as I had hoped.  We had planned a trip down to Maryland this weekend but between the kids' work schedules, summer league sports schedules, Phil getting the new side job and trying to plan for religious ed to start in September, the cost of gas, etc. etc. we decided not to go.  Time is running out and the countdown is on!

Feeling astonished that I haven't even been to the beach once this whole summer - what a tragedy.

Feeling sad that JP is heading to Austria from Aug 18th through December 2nd.  He's flying out the day before Brendan's birthday and coming home the day after Maggie's birthday.  He'll also miss the birthdays of Phil and Andrew and Eamon this fall.  Don't get me wrong, I am so so so happy FOR HIM that he gets to have this experience, but I will miss him.  He worked so much this summer that we only got a little time together to chat and you know, I really like that kid.

Feeling stressed that school is starting three weeks from yesterday.  We still have to buy all of their school supplies and pull uniforms out to make sure everybody has clothes that fit.  And shoes!  With school starting, that means fall sports seasons start and we will have 4 soccer players on 4 different teams and 1 volleyball player.  Always our busiest sports season.  Add in a weekly piano lesson and violin lesson and the struggle is real.

Feeling nostalgic because my baby is turning six next week and will be starting first grade and where oh where did the crazy baby/toddler years go?  I will also have three kids in high school and one starting middle school and I swear I am still 29 so that math just doesn't add up.

Feeling disbelief that I will have been at this job for one year on August 23rd.  The first year is always such a learning curve and I've grown so much.  Only nine more years until I'm vested in the pension plan, can I make it?

All the feelings are not negative, of course!  

Most days I feel so happy to wake up and go for a walk down by the water in a beautiful town with my husband who always puts his wife and children first.  I feel excited that a new school year is about to start, like a clean slate for my kids to try their best and make new friends and have memorable experiences at their wonderful Catholic schools.  I feel so lucky to come home to little ones who hug me and tell me they love me "from the bottom of their heart" and big ones who check in after work to chat and share funny stories and thank me for the leftover dinner I set aside for them.  I feel blessed to have parents who live below us and make me laugh every time I visit. I feel undeserving of answered prayers.  I feel hope that no matter what is happening in this world, God wins in the end.  

And I feel loved, so so loved. 

Heading to a wedding of a friend's daughter with my forever wedding date

My lovies and my adopted lovies

Above all I feel so thankful for my family and friends, my people. I'm so grateful that I *get to* (not *have to*) experience life and all of the emotions that come along with it with THEM.  Life might be more even-keeled without them, but it certainly would be boring, and that's a feeling I'd rather not feel.

Week in Review: How is it August Already??

Whew, these last couple weeks have been busy and yet I can't really remember why.  Those hazy summer days are upon us and we feel the pressure of trying to make the most of them as the school year quickly approaches.  JP flies to Austria on August 18th for his fall semester, and the rest of the kids start on August 30th.  We've still got plenty of summer left (she types hopefully).

I went out to dinner with some wonderful girlfriends to one of my favorite summer spots and had a fish sandwich and a peach/strawberry frosé while enjoying the music, scenery, and conversation.  Much needed.

I still haven't had my one lobster roll of the summer, so that's still on the agenda, but we've been thoroughly enjoying the garden bounties that summer brings like...