Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig

AKA Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

With all that's going on in the world, it seems strange to write about this - but all day long I held this memory and would laugh out loud.

My Mom is from Ireland. When I was little, we would go to Ireland every other summer. It so fun.

One particular summer memory stands out especially on St. Patrick's Day. My Aunt and Mom joyfully told us girls (there were 6 of us + my younger boy cousin) that we were climbing Croagh Patrick. Apparently this is a where St. Patrick went and fasted for 40 days before he banished snakes from Ireland (which did you know that you won't find a snake in Ireland?).

Well, we set off (not all of us, I can't remember who stayed with the younger crew - but the Mom's and I know the 3 of us older girls went). When you drive up, it looks like a steep hill.





And then, you see these little old ladies going up the hill with walking sticks and bare feet. We thought piece of cake, BOY were we wrong. That sucker is straight uphill and rocky (lots and lots of rock). It was a long, long walk. Those same old ladies were passing us like we were standing still.

When we got to the top, it was misting, there is a fabulous view (I wouldn't know it was misting). We went to the Church to pray, St. Patrick built that too. We were ravenous! So, my aunt handed us some Tayto's aka potato chips and I want to say we had a drink. Then it was back down the hill. Downhill sounded easy, I remember that much - but did I mention that it was misting and rocky? We slipped and skidded the whole way down.

Some of my best memories of my childhood are the summers that I spent in Ireland. It was wonderful. The weather was great, it was fun seeing my cousins, aunts, uncles, and my grandmother (while she was alive). We spent a majority of our time on the west coast of Ireland. In fact, I don't really remember going to Dublin but once or twice. The one for sure time, I went with my cousins' Girl Scout Troop to the Dublin Zoo. At the time, there was a rhino there named, Fiona, I wasn't impressed.

Now, that I have my own family, I want to go back. I was there almost 2 years ago while I was pregnant, my mom and I went. My husband and kids didn't go (well, the baby did - I was pregnant). The whole time I was there, I just kept wishing that my husband was there. He has never been. While I was there I saw so much of my family, so many that my husband has never met.

If you ever get a chance to go, enjoy the people and the landscape. I love flying into Ireland no matter when you go - winter or summer - everything is green.

Until I get everyone there. I'll keep the memories of those days in my heart always.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Goodbye 2010! Hello 2011!

What a year it has been - for our family we have been so blessed in 2010. We got to travel a little bit with our trips to Wisconsin (3 this year- WOW!), and of course Disney. We have shared laughter, tears, and created so many memories as a family.

2011, if you are only half as good as 2010 it will be a great year!


All the best to you in 2011 - wishing you nothing but love, peace and happiness!

Whew! With Star sightings!

What a week! We went north for the Christmas holiday. It was really nice to have a white Christmas.

We did quite a few of the "S"'s. Skiing, sledding, skating, swimming were all on the agenda. The kids had a ball.

Day One - we ice skated and went sledding in the backyard! The kids had never been and they lasted all of an hour before their feet hurt. My poor husband couldn't skate because they didn't have his gigantic shoe size. That night we had a birthday party for princess and my husband's sister. It was a ball.

Day Two - Christmas Eve- it was also super fun. We went sledding on this HUGE sledding hill in Sheboygan, WI. It was so fun - the kid's had so much fun (except for walking up the hill). At this point husband and I had decided that baby boy's ear infection was back. (He was miserable on the plane - we thought it was just his ears popping - but no). So after numerous phone calls to our ped in Tulsa, we had a prescription called in (not by our ped) to a pharmacy in WI. It saved us the hassle of the urgent care - which is where our ped wanted us to spend Christmas eve. UGH! Then we had a lovely Christmas dinner - my husband's sister and her husband and kiddos were off on Christmas morning. Well sort of....

Day Three - Christmas - it was a lazy day around the house. My poor husband's sister ended up sick - so her family left and she stayed in bed, all day. It was bad you just felt awful for her.

Day Four - PACKER DAY!!! We got to see the Packer game! It was AWESOME! They won and it was good. I also got to see Joe Jonas and Ashley Greene at the game. They were literally next to us for at least a quarter or two. I did sneak a picture of them for my nieces.

Day Five - Princess's Birthday! we were up early and it was off to the ski hill. We went to Granite Peak. The skiing was great. I haven't skied in 10 years so it was nice to have some easy hills. I swear I am the worst, slowest skier ever! The kids also strapped on their skis. Big boy was amazing - he was whizzing down the hill in a few hours. Princess wasn't as good, but she is like me, cautious! Husband dragged her down the hill between his legs a couple of times.

Day five was long because after we left the ski hill, we went to our hotel (where baby boy had been with his papa all day!). Our hotel had a waterpark in it - talk about extremes! We changed into our swimsuits and played in the waterpark. It was back to our room for pizza and presents for princess.

Day 6 we spent almost all day at the waterpark. It was fun. Then it was the drive back to Sheboygan. Then we had dinner and did a few loads of laundry and hunted and gathered all of our stuff.

Day 7 we packed and spent the morning with G-ma and Papa. It was a nice relaxing morning. In the afternoon we headed off to the airport and began the long, uneventful trip home.

Today was totally a recoup day. Laundry, cleaning, and organizing Princess's room and baby boy's room for the new loot they have acquired. Tonight Santa is making a special stop at our house!

Husband has tomorrow off, so it worked out well. I work tomorrow night - I LOVE WORKING NEW YEARS EVE! Then it is off to my folks house on Saturday for Christmas #3 (after I hopefully get a little nap)! The kids are really excited about the all the extra Christmas's this year. HAHA! We had to do this you can't fly all these presents up north and we weren't going to ship.

I hope that you and your loved ones had a wonderful Christmas too!

My white flag is waving...

I claim defeat - I had tried to make English Toffee but got a huge fail! It was grainy and didn't harden, my husband likened it to slushy and he was right. Sigh. I will not cook any longer today.

It was a sign to stop. So I will. sigh.

I still have to make gifts for the neighbors and 2 more Almond puffs for Chris's co-workers who were out of town on Friday. And pack, and wrap and still shop for a few last minute gifts.

Oh and I have a shift tomorrow night. I'm looking forward to that. It should be a good one, but we will be crazy busy on Monday morning. The holiday rush of inductions. Anyone induced tomorrow will be discharged prior to the holiday - so they will be coming in 2 by 2's (if I remember the induction schedule right).

Billy Madison is on the TV just what I need brainless television - that makes me giggle.

I'll rev up for tomorrow (I think). Time to go throw the toffee slush in the trash before the kids find it in the morning....

The Last Push Is On....

I'm watching the oven as the Almond Puffs are cooking - well - Puffs 3 & 4. 5&6 need to be rolled out and put in the oven....I haven't even started 7&8. OUCH! Oh and did I mention that I promised husband I would have these ready for his department tomorrow?!? No problem!

I also have one teacher gift to finish - well no make that 2....



That being said - I'll be back. With pictures.

That was good stuff!

Okay - I'm up late, why you ask?



I love this movie - On Strike For Christmas. Have you seen this?! It's on Lifetime. It is too funny. I love Christmas, don't get me wrong and I love ALL the work that comes with - it's just a hilarious movie about a Mom demanding that her family appreciate her and all of her efforts around the holidays.

I found myself relating and laughing...a lot.

If you have time (or don't mind losing some sleep like me) you should watch it.


No one made me write this post other than me, wanting to share a funny movie.

Expressionery.com Review + 40% discount code!

When I was a little girl my favorite thing in the whole world was to have something, anything with my name on it. It was hard to come by, Fiona, was (it still isn't) a popular name in the U.S. So, my Mom always had stationary with my name on it. I loved it! I have to say I wrote a lot more letters!

Thanks to Expressionery and BzzAgent, I was given that opportunity again. I have to say I love the notecards that came. They are beautiful and ME. I have to give myself a little credit, I did get to choose.

Here are the notecards that I chose:



Now, you don't like those have no fear - Expressioneary.com has something that will work for you. Have an idea and want to design it yourself - perhaps your blog logo? You can do that too!

They have a million products - calendars, journals, announcements, address labels, recipe cards, etc. The list just goes on and on. Have a little reader that needs to have a Jonas Bros book tag or perhaps Hannah Montana, they have that too. All of the prices are very reasonable. Still not sure, well, do we have the deal for you! BzzAgent and Expressionery are giving my readers 40% off their orders right now, use the code BZZ40 to get your discount.

I tried this discount and ordered cute book labels for big boy's two teachers - with that code it was about $12 (without shipping - I had to express to get these here before the holiday party). That was for 32 book tags each! I mean really, that price is amazing!


While I was given notecards to try, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.....no other compensation was received.