The School Bell Rang Early Tonight...

You've probably been wondering if I've gotten up to my old tricks again and fallen off the face of "blogger world". Not true, not true...life's just been a bit busier lately and unfortunately my blogging time has taken a backseat to more scintillating activities such as reading about z scores, correlations, intelligence testing, assessment in school counseling, etc. You're jealous, aren't ya?

Lucky for me (and all my loyal blog readers) the school bell rang early tonight and I was home before 9pm! Thus giving me the time to get my bum in gear and update all of you on the antics of the IrishKids. Seen here is a favorite weekend treat, usually provided by our neighbor Paul, chocolate doughnuts with sprinkles. The chocolate topping and sprinkles MUST be eaten first! As you can probably see, Kit keeps her appearance a bit less messy than Fionn! No matter...I love the Kodak moments. Nowadays my mom refers to them as "two little bear cubs". They love to wrestle, giggle, screech, yell at each other, belly laugh & push each other around. Most of the time they're playing...but there are times when the gloves come off! If you have siblings...you know.

Recently we bought the children something that they've been asking for all summer, as a matter of fact, they ask for it repeatedly when Uncle B's name is mentioned. Here you can see they've put their recent purchase to the test...Uncle B will be so proud.

We've got a busy October ahead. Be on the lookout for more antics with those IrishKids!

Hometown Hero, Part 2

As my sister-in-law Michelle so eloquently stated in her blog (For Uncle B), this weekend our town had a special opportunity to welcome home our 2 time Olympic silver medalist, Christine Magnuson.

Never in my life did I think that I'd have the opportunity to attend a parade just a few blocks from home to honor and acknowledge the accomplishments of one of our very own. It was a special day and I'm so happy that we were there. Even more special, having the IrishKids and my niece & nephew on hand to celebrate Christine's accomplishments and cheer her on!
The girls were pretty fired up about the whole thing. I like to think that it's just another way to instill 'Girl Power' into this mighty twosome! Fionn cheered at the right moments, for the most part, mostly he was just looking for candy on the street! Although, he did claim the picture of Christine for himself - his first 'girlie poster'. I'm okay with a 2 time Olympian.
The sign was courtesy of Auntie Mic. She painted the sign before the parade (with a hangover headache, mind you-yep, she'll kill me for telling you that!) just for three of Christine's littlest supporters. Good job Auntie Mic!
One of the great things about the parade- it was a celebration of young people! Community football & cheerleading teams, middle school clubs, high school clubs, marching bands...you name it, they were there cheering on our outstanding youth role model! Even more special was sharing this with our family and getting the opportunity to see the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins share in the children's excitement, enthusiasm, and enjoyment.
So Christine, if you're out there in 'bloggerland' and happen upon this post...congratulations to you and your family. We're proud of your accomplishments and happy to have you as someone for our children to look up to!!

Fond (Unofficial) Farewell to Summer 2008

As is the case with any passing summer, I hate to say goodbye. With the 'unofficial' end of summer passing this weekend, I've realized that this has been my favorite summer for a number of reasons...

The IrishKids are older and a bit easier (hope that statement doesn't come back to bite me in the A$$!) What I mean is they're both walking, talking, sharing, playing, and arguing with each other! At times it can be exasperating and other times...it's hilarious.

I feel like I really got to spend quality time with the IrishKids and their father this summer. As crazy as that may sound, in years past I always felt like I wasn't around enough. And I've enjoyed our time (yes, even the trying times) immensely!

I'm sure the children have enjoyed the summer too! They've spent quality time with family, visited with their Uncle B, Auntie Manda, and Auntie Kathleen, spent numerous weekends with their favorite cousins, had trips to Grandma & Papa's swimming pool, and the list goes on and on. Let's put it this way, they've kept a very busy social calendar. And I feel fortunate to have those special memories for them and us!
As the school year is upon us...oh, did I mention I started grad school last week? And Alan transitions into his new job, I know that change will occur. And while change can be good - it disrupts (for a time) the balance that we've created in our lives and theirs. My hope is that the IrishKids are happy when they think about Summer 2008. And I hope you've had the opportunity to enjoy your Summer 2008 as much as I have!