Girls Day Out

Seery, Liam, and I took Aidan to school today. As soon as the sliding door to the van shut, Seery looked at me and said,

"Mom wouldn't it be fun to go get a hamburger at In-N-Out?".

With those big green eyes and eyelashes batting ever so innocently, I caved and said,

"Of Course!".

We pulled up to the restaurant and she wanted to eat inside. She picked a quiet corner spot with 2 stools at a counter height table. We ordered our food and sat down together. She is still so small. Her cute legs were dangling high above the floor. I just watched her cute pink suede boots swing back and forth. The sun was picking up the highlights in her hair. She was beaming from ear to ear when she said,

"Isn't this so nice? Just us girls out to eat and talking. I like this girls date. I like having alone time with you."

My heart melted right then and there and I thought to myself....how did I get to be so lucky?

The Kiss

Aidan came home today from school bursting to tell me his secret. He quietly whispered in my ear what happened. A little girl from his Kindergarten class kissed him on the cheek and said, "Aidan, you're my best friend!" Surprised and embarrassed, Aidan told his teacher, who then talked to this little girl. We talked all about this at dinner. Seery said, "Uh-Oh Aidan! Now you're in love with each other!". We all laughed. However, I'm thinking.... "Really? You're only 6! Turn back the clock!!!"

Saturdays are the Best

I love Saturdays. Except for the fact that David has to work. I let the kids watch a couple cartoons in my room. We cuddle and talk about our dreams from the night before. We usually don't have to get up and go anywhere. Being able to do this is almost  as good as sleeping in. We lounge around late into the morning in our pj's. Instead of breakfast we plan a special brunch days in advance. This meal makes things exciting, breaks up the routine, and gives us something to look forward to during our week. With all the hustle and bustle a typical week brings we all deserve a Saturday morning break.

Seery's Coloring

Aidan's Hair Cut Story

A Must Have

I started using MAC products back in 2001. The first time I used their makeup I was sold. Later, I started using their other products. If I had to pick one beauty product that I cannot live without, it would be MAC Fast Response Eye Cream. For $30 you get 0.5 oz of pure heaven. This eye cream instantly takes out the puffiness from your tired eyes. It has caffiene in it which works wonders. This cream is so smooth and moisturizing that your eye makeup even looks better when applied after using this. I have tried cheaper and more expensive eye creams and nothing can touch the way this eye cream makes you look and the way it feels. Try it. You will not be disappointed. Tired moms around the world will look a little perkier in the mornings. Let's face it, as mothers we have late nights and early mornings. When you look good you feel good.

Turning 30

I am a list maker and I have been ever since I could write. When I was 5, I would write lists of things I liked. I laugh when I think back to being 16 and writing a list of what qualities I would want in my "ideal husband". When I was 18 I wrote a list of names for my future children. Everyday I write a "To Do" list. Most importantly, as I grew older, I put pen to paper to list my dreams, aspirations, and goals.

Don't get me wrong, I think that 30 is still very young. I had some anxiety coming up to my 30th birthday because I realized I didn't do some of the things on my list. For example, I hadn't lived in Boston, I hadn't gone to Grad School, I hadn't traveled as much as I had planned, and I didn't have "the big city" job that I had wanted. I began to think that my life hadn't gone the way I had planned on those lists. And then I realized something, which stopped me in my tracks of going down that "should have, could have, would have" path. I did get to travel. I did go to college. I chose to turn down the East Cost job that was offered to me so my husband could finish his BS at BYU.

What I do have is the man of my dreams, 3 beautiful children that are sad to see me leave and happy to see me every morning. I have a house that fits our needs and 2 cars that function well. And most importantly I laugh, smile, and feel gratitude at some point every single day. So the fact that I get to turn 30 is a privilege.

You can have everything you want, but not all at once. What I do have is everything I need all at once. Life does not follow our lists. Isn't that wonderful?

My Granny

I consider myself lucky. I have been able to visit Ireland twice so far in my young life. The second time I went to Ireland I was all of 21 years old and was able to stay for months. I received my Irish citizenship that summer. It was a summer that changed the direction of my life entirely. I had the time of my life. I learned many lessons.

My mom was raised in Avoca, Ireland. A small, quaint little town brought to fame because of a show that aired years ago called "Ballykissangel". My mom moved to Long Beach, CA to be a nanny and go to college in her early twenties. She ended up getting married and staying in America to raise a family. One brother moved to Canada and another brother moved to Australia. Two sisters remained in Ireland to raise their families. For being from such a small town... it's amazing how much they all traveled and how far spread out they are now!

The summer of 2001 was one of my Granny's last. She still lived in her small house up the Red Road in Avoca. I spent everyday with her for several weeks. I got to know her better. She did crossword puzzles every morning. And boy was she sharp! She liked to tell jokes and had very sound advice. I can hear her laugh echo in my mind still. And to be honest I think she was a bit of a flirt! I had big decisions to make and she helped me make some of them. She taught me, through a very funny analogy, that it's not good to worry so much. Sometimes we can be so busy worrying that we are incapable of seeing the solution right in front of us. Let life play out a bit. We can only control how we react to the hand we are dealt in this life.

I know that as a parent my Granny buried two young babies and a husband and a very young age. Even as a widow 40 years later she still wore a wedding band and never remarried. My grandfather heard the click of her heels against the road 60 years prior and fell in love with my Granny "just by the walk of her". I know because of the intense grief which follows death that maybe she didn't make all of the best decisions. But what I do know is that she taught her children that there was a big world out there, bigger than Avoca or Dublin. As a result, 5 siblings reside in 4 different countries today. So here I am, a first generation American, with the luxury of having deep roots firmly planted in Ireland as well.

Dance it Out

Our family is a dancing family. When David and I were dating, engaged, and newly wed, we used to go dancing all the time. Music is a must in our home. Even when we clean there is music playing. It is quite common for us to have dance parties just for fun. And yes.... we have passed on all of those dorky stake dance moves such as "the sprinkler", "grocery shopping", and the "walker". When my sister got married last September she had a proper wedding reception. When I say "proper" I mean there was a real dance floor and dj which means good times to be had! The last people to walk out of the reception, held at The Point, were myself and our three children. Like David and I, our children are cut from the same cloth so to speak, and want to be the very last people to leave a party. To say we had fun is an understatement. I am grateful for these pictures I have posted, courtesy of Melissa Kelsey Photography. (Click here to see her work) I love them. Aidan was break dancing and ended on a pose. She was there to capture the moment. You can see David on the floor busting a move. Like father, like son. Seery is a twirler for sure. Her white flower girl dress is completely fanned out. We held Liam and danced with him for most of the night, he does not like to be left out. And David and I were even able to dance together for one whole song thanks to our wonderful friends who kept the kids entertained for us. I'd like to think that we've still got the moves, but either way it brings us happiness to dance. Which brings to mind one of our unofficial mottos: "When life gets tough, you gotta dance it out!"