The Future's So Bright...

What do you think of the cool shades? They're compliments of Grandma and Grandpa, specifically for lounging by the pool this summer! Which they will be able to do, thanks to the IrishKids father, who built a very new, very solid (finally), pool deck! My mom and dad, Alan and myself even tested the deck's strength by diving into the pool for the inaugural swim! The temperature? A "mild" 68 degrees! No big deal.

Happy Memorial Day weekend to you all! I hope you've enjoyed your long weekend. A very big thanks to all of those who have served our country and continue to do so. We are grateful for your commitment and tremendous heart.

I love long weekends! I always have the best intentions when it comes to getting things accompolished. But at this point, I should know that even the best laid plans can fall to pieces, especially when the "sidekicks" are involved!


Unfortunately, one of my sidekicks was not at all herself this weekend. Most of the weekend was spent crying, throwing temper tantrums, pushing her cousins around (I mean literally pushing them), and telling her parents, "NO, NO, NO"! My only hope is that "this too shall pass", because if it's the onset of the dreaded "terrible two's"...I'm not sure I'll make it! This photo was snapped during one of the 20 minute intervals in which she decided to cooperate. Needless to say, both Alan and I are looking foward to work tomorrow!

The other sidekick was quite content to hang out and explore the world around him. He's quite mobile now, as he's got the "army" crawl down to a science. And crawling around in his Grandma's yard this summer gives him lots and lots to explore! You see, the cicada's are in town now and have given the kids lots to look at! The other day, Lily picked one up by the wings and said "Hi Bug"! Her mother was not at all impressed! Fionn had a cicada land right on his hand while Grandma was feeding him...he attempted to eat it (they're chock full of protein), only to have his attempt thwarted by Grandma & Mommy! Ah well, maybe when they come back...in 17 years!

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day to all the Moms in my life! I am grateful to all of you for your support in raising the IrishKids. Lord knows I've needed the advice! I hope all of you had a wonderful day...tailormade to whatever your heart desired.

Mothers Day for me was perfection. The opportunity to sleep until 8:30am. Morning cuddles with my kids. Homemade blueberry pancakes and Dunkin Donuts coffee (my fave) at my parents house. A leisurely walk around the neighborhood with the cailindeas while Fionn snoozed. Mimosa's after the walk and comfortable conversation in the front yard with Mom, Dad, my lovely husband, and the IrishKids. Then on to a fabulous dinner with my brother, Jack, Michelle, and Lily. It was an ideal Mothers Day. Thanks to all of you who made my day! I appreciate it and love you all.

Why I Love Saturdays in the Spring...

Saturday's are a great day of the week in general, but they're extra special in the spring. Especially when Mother Nature cooperates like today! Beautiful blue skies, a gentle breeze, and a comfortable temperature...like jeans, a t-shirt, & flip flops kind of weather. You know, the kind of day that convinces you that you MUST be outside.

You probably remember these Saturdays as a college student or pre-parenthood!. For me they typically involved a large group of friends, a grill, and LOTS of ice cold beer! And don't think for one minute that as a mom I don't miss those days...I've just got to be more creative now!

So, as I stated earlier, today is one of those Saturdays...and the last thing that I want is to be cooped up in my house all afternoon. I could feel the "college/pre-parenting" itch coming on. I wanted to call all my friends, pack a cooler full of cold ones, and head to the nearest quad! But that's pretty hard to do with my 20 month & 6 month old sidekicks! And that's when I get creative...


I pack up my sidekicks and take them to our cousin Carly's softball game (she's a fantastic player, I'm SUPER proud of her, & definitely want the kids to see how cool she is). We meet up with some friends...Dad, Uncle Jack, Auntie Mic, Lily, Uncle Mike, Bridget, etc. We eat hot dogs, the kids run around like crazy and completely wear themselves out! After about three hours of this, we pack up and head home...and the Kids fall sound asleep...MAGIC! I crack open a cold one and park myself in front of the computer to tell all of you why I love Springtime Saturdays!

Absolute BLISS!

The Missing Uncle, Gone...But Not Forgotten!

The Kids Uncle Brenden has been living in Brussels, Belgium since February. He's staying with my Aunt Margie & Uncle Ray while student teaching/interning at the International School of Brussels. For my gypsy brother...it's a dream come true! Not to mention, he had the chance to spend loads of quality time with our cousin, Chas, before he moved to Dubai. The boys have always had a lot of fun together and have been known to wreak a bit havoc...and from what I hear...that hasn't changed one bit!!!

I have a picture of them as my screensaver at home. It's one of my favorite shots...definitely a picture that says 1,000 words. Anyway, the two of them are sitting on a park bench with their backs at the camera, taking in the view. The view consists of a beautiful lake, snow covered mountains, and a brilliant blue sky in Interlaaken, Switzerland. And as a matter of fact, I tried to upload it to the blog a couple of different times and haven't been able to figure it out! Maybe one of these days (I wouldn't hold your breath...I'm hopeless, remember).

Anyway, I'm home with the Kids today, as their babysitter (or Mommy #2), Mel is off for the day. Fionn was taking nap #2, so I decided to check my e-mail and blogs (I'm not going to lie...my favorite part of the blog is the comments)! As I turned on my computer and the screensaver popped up, Kit pointed at the picture (to Brenden specifically) and said "BRENDEN" clear as day! Usually, Brenden sounds like "Brmmbum" when she says it. But not today! I was glad to have a little something to blog about...compliments of the cailindeas!

So Uncle B...you may not be here all the time...but your neices and nephew know who you are and can't wait to see you! Take care of yourself. Love you Uncle B! Kit, Lily, & Fionn

And a Happy Cinco De Mayo to You!

What a weekend, what a weekend! Talk about filling up your free time. And par for the course...none of it was planned in advance! Friday night, Alan & I decided to invite the family over for a BBQ and bonfire. We're talking Parents, Siblings, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins,etc! It was a great time and went quite smoothly! Especially since we decided at 4:30 that we'd have a BBQ for 7pm and didn't have anything at home to cook!

On Saturday, the Kids and I went to see their big cousin, Carly, play softball! It was a double header, so lunch was involved and lots of fresh air and sunshine! Works wonders on them. We had a lot of fun. Kit was having a great time cheering the girls on! She'd clap when everyone else clapped, yelled when everyone else yelled, and ran around like a lunatic whenever it struck her fancy! Fionn was happy to hang out and be cute! Something that he does quite well! Later that day, I met up with friends from work for margaritas and then Alan went out with the guys after I came home! We decided to celebrate Cinco de Mayo...even if it wasn't together!

On Sunday, we took it easy, went for a stroll around town, had lunch and then naps (Mommy too!), and then headed over to Grandma & Poppa's for BBQ ribs and potato salad...YUM! Such a fun weekend...and lots of opportunities for pictures! The problem is...I didn't have my camera on me once (I know Auntie Kathleen is terribly disappointed, but not a bit surprised)! I must have said at least 4 times, "DAMN...why didn't I bring my camera?"

Never fear...I know it's my responsibility as a born-again blogger to get some updated pics of the Kids. So I whipped out the trusty digital and snapped a few photos of them tonight, when we came home! Enjoy. I hope all of you had a fantastic and festive weekend!

Welcome to Our New Blog

2007 has been a very good year for us so far. In March, we took the kids to Ireland to meet the "Irish". It was the first time Alan had been home in 7 years! We had a blast and did a whole lot of celebrating while we were there! Fionn was baptised and Alan's mom, Bernie, turned 60!!! Talk about a memorable trip. The best part was spending time with the family and introducing the kids to their aunts, uncles, and cousins! We can't wait to go back.

As you can see, the cailindeas is growing up! I love this picture of her...it's the facial expression that gets me. Kit's 20 months old and quite the little spitfire. She's growing up to be a strong minded, independent, and spirited little girl. At the present time her vocabulary consists of quite a few recognizable words (her favorite being "NO") and more unintelligible baby speak. Currently, she's at the mimicking stage...which means Mommy & Daddy really need to mind their P's & Q's!!! She's a great big sister and enjoys entertaining her brother. They share a room now and on most mornings I'll hear "HIIIII" and usually find her standing in her crib waving like crazy at Fionn! Gets me everytime.


Fionn is now 6 months old and has grown quite a bit. He's such a happy little guy. I swear it's a rare occasion for him to NOT have a smile on his face. At the present time he's teething, so he's a drool monster and chewing on EVERYTHING! His bottom two teeth are in and it's only a matter of time before his top teeth pop through. He's rolling everywhere...his preferred method of getting around...and has recently started scooting. We're still trying to get the hang of it. He has no interest whatsoever in sitting up. I'm afraid he's not one who wants to be stationary. I think I'm in trouble. He idolizes his big sister and is completely tolerant of her. He laughs like crazy when she's around him...which is like music to the ears!


Here's a pic from his Christening. We got the award for farthest travelled! Auntie Kathleen and Uncle Fran are Fionn's godparents...lucky little man. So, all is well. The kids are keeping us on our toes, testing our patience, and showing us everyday what it means to love unconditionally.