A Bit Behind the Times...

Wow...October flew by in a hurry! Halloween has come and gone and we're on to the next holiday. I'd better keep running to prep myself for that yummy Thanksgiving feast! The fall has been a great time with the IrishKids. The park closest to our house finally re-opened last week with all new equipment. Needless to say, with the weather we've been having, we're using it...ALOT!

As you can see, the youngest IrishKid is getting to be quite a big girl. We borrowed this chair from Uncle Jack and Aunt Michelle and she loves it! I think she just wants to be where the action is!

Kit still loves her role as the big sister and doesn't let Maggie too far out of her sight.

Halloween was a great time, even if it was FREEZING! I think it was about 44 degrees, but it was a clear and sunny day. And luckily for us...we trick or treat around the block and back...no further!

The whole gang went trick or treating this year, Lily, Jack, Evan, Kit, Fionn, and Maggie. Maggie was super toasty warm in her PeaPod costume in her stroller...but we didn't take her out for many photo opps (to see Maggie in costume visit www.forunclebrenden.blogspot.com). It didn't take long for the group to grasp the trick or treating concept. By House #3, they knew what to expect, how to ask, and where to go next! And I don't know about you but by the end of the night, the words "treat" and "candy" were like curse words to my ears!!

And to start off the Halloween weekend, Kit and Evan had their first pre-school program. They sang us lots of songs and kept us entertained for 15 minutes. It was really cute ( and of course, now I can't find the video!)

Hope you enjoyed October as much as we did! Here's looking forward to the rest of November!

Hey Ladies....

I'm pretty sure in about 10 years or so I'm gonna be in the dog house for this post...

But c'mon...

Can I help it if I think he looks too damn cute in his "knickers"?

Fun times at the weekend

Ha...it's already half way through the week and I'm only just posting about my weekend. Ahh but what a great weekend we had. See the smile on Maggie's face...that was just one of the reasons the weekend was so good! Isn't she getting to be a big girl?

The weekend started out great. Alan was home, so we actually had the chance to celebrate our 5th anniversary together, with our favorite "little people"! After putting the IrishKids to bed, we enjoyed a delicious dinner (courtesy of our favorite neighborhood restaurant) and quiet time together in the Gormley Pub (a.ka., our basement).

On Saturday, we jumped at the chance to visit some of our closest friends, Sandy and Paul and their girls, Abigail and Elizabeth. This was the first time Sandy, Paul, and their daughter Abigail got to meet Maggie. Elizabeth underwent heart surgery just two days after Maggie was born and just shy of 4 months herself. She's been in the hospital since then and Sandy, Paul, Abigail and Paul's mom, Anne have been living at the Ronald McDonald House. It's a beautiful home and does it's best to provide every comfort it can to those living there. As Sandy told me, "it's the nicest place you NEVER want to come back to!"

I had the incredible opportunity of finally meeting our sweet Elizabeth for the first time! She is a beautiful little girl who has quite obviously touched the hearts of many in her unit and she's such a stong and resilient little one! We're praying that she'll be able to celebrate the holidays at home rather than in the hospital. As you can see from this picture of Abby and Maggie...Abby's looking forward to having her little sister close to her.

Alan and I were so happy to have spent Saturday with Sandy and Paul. Their strength, determination, and love for their little girls is exactly what you would expect from them. We are so grateful to have them in our lives and they inspire us daily. And much to our delight, the IrishKids were really good during our visit and loved spending time with Abby at her McDonald's house. On Sunday morning, they both asked if we could go back!

And Sunday was such a beautiful day, all of our best laid plans (laundry, grocery shopping, tidying the house...) went right out the window. Instead, we decided to enjoy the day together outside! Lucky for us, our town was hosting a Halloween Kiddie Parade. So, we dressed the children in their costumes and took a walk. Here's our Policewoman and Vet with one of his patients.

And of course we met up with a very familiar looking Snow White and Cookie Monster/Sully (from Monsters, Inc.). We couldn't believe our luck when we arrived...it was so quiet...hmmm, the parade is supposed to start at noon...where are all the kids?

Well, then we turned the corner and saw all 345 kids, along with their parents standing in a very LONG line waiting for the parade to begin. I'm sure you could imagine the silent groans (and expletives) Jack, Michelle, Alan and myself were muttering! But we decided to be good sports, get numbers for the children (346, 347, 348, & 349), and get in line. And here's what happened along the way:

Kit got her picture taken with a REAL policeman! She was very excited and her brother wasn't about to miss out. And Fionn got to hang out in a REAL fire engine! And they got to see a bunch of other kids in costume too.

So, after a good 30 minutes in line...and we had only moved about 50 feet...the adults made an executive decision...slurpees for the kiddos and head home for nap time! They didn't even miss the parade!

Happy Anniversary to Us

***WARNING: The following post is filled with a great deal of loving nostalgia...read at your own risk***

Today, Alan and I celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. As most of you know, we've been busy these last five years and I must say, I'm proud of our results! It may be crazy, but it's worth it. But this post isn't really about the IrishKids...it's about their parents.

I love our wedding anniversary. It's fun for me to think back to our wedding day and all that was happening. Mostly, I remember how excited I was to be marrying Alan. He was the man I had been searching for (still is!) and I couldn't believe how lucky I was to have found him.

It was such a fun day...spending the morning with family and friends, wearing a gorgeous wedding gown, toasting to a long and happy life with my best friend. And of couse, the day was so much better than how I had imagined it would be.

Our wedding was the first time that I had the chance to meet many of Alan's family. How lucky I was to be marrying into a family that was as loving, supportive, and as much about having a good time, as my own. Today, it's hard to imagine a time when I didn't know and love Alan's mother, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends!

And of course having Alan's family here meant that our wedding celebration lasted more than just the day or weekend...we celebrated and celebrated and celebrated! Lots of laughs and memories made in those two weeks for both families!

Marrying this man was never a question in my mind. He is thoughtful, kind, generous, loving, patient (lucky for me!) and so much more. I'm truly blessed that he's my partner in this life. And I still get butterflies when I see him. I told my parents and Kathleen last weekend that when Alan comes home, I feel like I did when I was a kid on Christmas Eve!

Happy Anniversary Alan. Thank you for the last five years and here's to many, many more. You are simply the best and I look forward to the adventures that lie ahead for us. I love you.

Happy Birthday Fionn!

Happy 3rd Birthday Fionn! It's hard to image that you're 3...it seems like just yesterday your daddy and I welcomed you into our world...and you have been rockin' it ever since!

You have shown us what the phrase "all boy" means from the time you were born. To say that you'd rather run than walk is the understatement of the year. I don't think we'd mind as much...if you'd only pay attention to what's in front of you! Kinda re-thinking that skateboard that we gave you for your birthday...we'll never learn.

I'm pretty sure you've enjoyed celebrating your birthday this weekend. We Skyped your Nana B and Aunties in Ireland while you opened your birthday gifts (the SpiderMan gear is in the bed with him and he's already asked several times for his Lightening McQueen sheets). We had some of your favorite people here to wish you a happy birthday and your father cooked a delicious meal!

And once all your pals showed up to kick off the festivities...you were off and running. Thanks for standing still long enough for me to get this shot. Obviously, you think your pretty cool!

And finally, my crowning achievement on your birthday...your birthday cake! Believe it or not kiddo, your mom made this bad boy from scratch! The treasure chest was Grandma's idea and she did help me execute it...her artwork is featured on the 'lid' of the chest.

You and your pals were more excitd about the candy that decorated the cake than the cake itself...but I must say, the cake was pretty good...the frosting was awesome! Happy birthday little man! I'm looking forward to your third year and all the things you'll accomplish - first on the list...potty training! We love you.

Kit's Big Day Out

Kit took her first field trip today to a local Children's Farm. It was such a lovely day...44 degrees and rainy...but the kids didn't seem to mind. Here she is with her classmates...ummmm, she's the one in pink to the very far left. No comments on the lack of her mother's photo taking, please.

The thing is, Kit's not really big on animals...let's just say she gets a bit skittish. I didn't think about that when I signed us up for the field trip. She was fine really...she made sure to keep her distance in the beginnig.

She didn't want to pet the baby chicken, baby goose, or rabbits.

I tried to encourage her to pet the duckling...afterall it was soooo cute. Her answer..."I don't tink so!" Ah well, at least she knows her limits.

After awhile though, she surprised me...she wanted to pet the piglets, the baby goats, the baby cows, the lambs, and the pony and donkey! And by the way, Uncle B, one of the baby cows names was Brenden - spelled the same way as your name! Kit thought that was pretty funny!

After the animals, we went on a hayride, picked pumpkins, and then got back on the bus to go home. I think riding on the big, yellow school bus was as much of a highlight for Kit as the rest of the field trip!

No matter, it was a great time with our big girl!

Overheard....sister to Sister

Last week as I was getting ready for work, I overheard the following exchange from Kit to Maggie:

Kit (in a cute sing-songy voice): Good Morning Maggie!! It's your big sister, you big sister!!

Maggie happily gurgles back (probably with a smile, since she loves her big sis).

Kit (again with the girly sing-song): Ohhh Maggie, you're such a big girl, yes you're a big girl!!

More happy cooing and gurgling from Maggie.

Kit (with happy surprise): Oh look at you, Maggie...you're stretching like a rainbow!!!

I've got to tell you, the memory of that exchange between sisters continues to put a smile on my face. I do love to watch their sisterly bond develop. And hope that all the sweet moments between them now will stay fresh with me when they're teenagers.

I figure that there will be some point that I'll need to remind them that they liked each other...and that Maggie's big sister once compared her to a beautiful rainbow!