“It takes a long time to grow young.”- Pablo Picasso

Tom's Birthday.  Great Day at Tayto Park with the kids and cake with our good friends.  Happy Birthday Honey!

"On the beach, you can live in bliss." Dennis Wilson

Today was the first day in a very long while when we could just get up and do as we wanted.  I slept in (until 9am!), then we all walked down to the village and had breakfast in one of our favorite cafes.  It looked like it was going to be a really nice day, so we decided to go to the beach.  We are so close to the sea, and I appreciate it so much.  We are definitely close to some beaches, but not the same kind of beaches that we know from the Northeast USA.

Firstly, there are few days that we would really consider "beach days".  People have been commenting lately about how warm the sea is now.  Freezing.  The sand is very gravel-ly and there are lots of rocks and stones on top, at least at the beaches nearby.  On this particular beautiful day, there was an unusual amount of seaweed, so there was a bit of an odor and a ton of flies.  I was sitting on my towel constantly flapping my arms so that they might stop landing on me.

In spite of all this, I loved it.  Why?  Because the boys loved it.  They had the sea, rocks to throw into it, friends that they knew from school, a big shovel and a beautiful day.  They couldn't have been happier. How lucky we are.

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

It has been close to a year since I have been on this blog.  Knowing that we have at least 1 year to go in Dublin, I want to try to record as much as I can going forward.  In just scanning past posts, I realize that I don't remember as much as I would have thought and I so appreciate the entries that I have made.

The absent year was our third and I will definitely be "backblogging" a bit so that the "highlights" of 2012 are not omitted!  This year the kiddos seemed to grow into big kids.  They are so busy with school, friends and activities that our day to day has become quite hectic.  We did some travel, they boys learned to read and we are playing a few rounds of "Go Fish" every night as a family.  Pretty good stuff.

Be back soon!

"I think we all long for glamour" Linda Lee

The only corner of our house that doesn't have windows or Mirrors!

Our great friends and neighbors, Fiona & Fintan

The beautiful hostess Julie (in silver), with Ian & Jackie (also beautiful :))

Jax & Maryvonne in the lovely antique chairs

Atmosphere shot

The piano man with one of Julie & John's friends singing- it was really good

Last Saturday we went to a party thrown by our friends, Julie & John. They live behind us- just over the wall- and they have 3 boys. The youngest is the same age as our boys, and their 8-year -old is so good with them as well. Unfortunately John's Dad passed away earlier this year.

Before they sell his house, they decided to throw a party to say goodbye to it in style. And did they ever! It was amazing party and it really solidified my notion that there are so many great, nice people here. Thanks Julie & John!

“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”- Mother Theresa of Calcutta

Camilla

My Girls

Great to have a night out!

We will miss you Camilla!

Sometimes people come into your life, even for a short time, and they make it better. It's so important that moms have each other as friends, and it seems even more important when you live far from old friends & family.

Thursday night we said goodbye to Camilla, who is on her way to Sydney, Australia. Just last week after a stressful morning, she offered me some very wise and very needed counsel. I am glad to know you Camilla! And best of luck in OZ!

"For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity. " William Penn

Mildred Marion Abitz Gallagher Butler

September 9, 1922-October 15, 2011

Because of the time difference, I didn't hear of my grandmother's death until the day after. But just that night the boys and I were talking about her and looking at her picture.

In an email to my Dad, I remembered my grandmother. But the one thing that I didn't include was her greatest accomplishment. My Dad. He is the best father and grandfather and I love and admire him so much.

Here are some thoughts from the email:

Grandma used to take us to A&S for our birthday to get new clothes. She would pick me up in her powder blue car (the one I smashed in 1986) and we would look at clothes and try things on and I would come home, very excited and feeling very special.

She always had lots of Juicy Fruit in her bag and she let us go in and take what we wanted.

Sometimes Tricia and I would sleep over at her house. Once I remember I got to go by myself. Grandma and I ate ice cream and watched "The Boy in The Plastic Bubble".

Tricia and I used to go up in her room and go into her scarf drawer. She had millions! We had so much fun playing with them.

When I had a tick in my head in 3rd grade, Grandma picked me up and took me to the Dr. to have it removed.

Tricia and I went to visit her and JB in Florida in High School and we had a lot of laughs between us, and Grandma and JB were very nice, and took us out to dinner every night.

And when I was staying at the White's while Brian was born & Tricia was having her tonsils out, I was upset and didn't want to stay there anymore. I snuck home after school and started really crying. She hugged me for a long time, and said that I could stay at home. Grandpa was there too.

I know that she loved us a lot, and I am glad that she is at peace.

"Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The Beautiful Bride and her Dad

The Lovely Maid of Honor, Amy

My Loves

I love this picture!

Tom reading an Irish Blessing at his Goddaughter's Wedding

Molly & Lou

Wedding Party

The Groom brews his own beer!

Some special time with Happy Joan

We were so excited to arrive in Maine for the wedding of our niece, Molly and her fiance, Lou.  Their wedding date was September 10, 2011 (9-10-11!).  Molly and Lou met at their first year at Hamilton College and have been together ever since.  It was lovely to be a part of their wedding day and to spend some great time with Tom's family!

The ceremony was beautiful, and they had a perfect New England day. Our niece Amy, the Maid of Honor, gave a funny, touching speech, as did Lou's brother.  It was really nice to hear all the funny stories about the couple and how much they are loved.  Ann, the Mother of the Bride hosted a beautiful brunch the next day.  We had a fantastic time!