More Ireland Pics.....

no excuses, but I have been super busy since we've been back from Ireland almost 3 weeks ago. work has been crazy, apparently when you are gone for 2 weeks, stuff piles up. we also went to Galesburg the weekend after we got back. and we got a Wii. so needless to say, my one and only resolution to update this blog more frequently has already gone to the way side. i've never been very good with resolutions anyway.....

so below are pics from ireland - from my NEW CAMERA! i love my new camera, by the way.

my mom got Lucy a gift for Christmas....she loved it.
...she loved it to death. much like Lenny. this was the gift less than 5 minutes later.
kieran hates this picture but i think it's cute of us in his parents kitchen after a night of cocktails.
Galway - when we were out finishing our christmas shopping....
Helene & Eoin.
Christmas dinner - they have those Christmas cracker thingys that you pull and they sound like those snap fake fireworks you get over here in Illinois. Inside is a crown and a lead-based paint toy not safe for children. or a dumb magic trick that kieran tried on everyone.
hello shiny face! i'm not making excuses, but being so close to sea level (my Garmin ranged from 5 ft to 28 ft while i was running....) makes my skin shiny and my hair greasy! anyway, me and Ailish at dinner at Eastern Tandoori (yum Indian fare).....
Helene getting ready to shoot her dessert at Eoin. :)
the group at Eastern Tandoori - Helene, Hugh (Ailish's boyfriend), Hugh's mom, Kieran's parents, Kieran (peeking over me, the shiny person), Ailish & Eoin
Cute couple. My sweet inlaws. I love them.
My #1 guy, K-dog. The shine is kind of overtaking any picture I am in, I know.
yes, I liked taking pictures at the Indian restaurant......
This was a night or two after Christmas...we went to a bar. Surprise surprise....
Kieran and Declan...Declan is on a chair, don't be fooled by the faux-height.
Dec and me....later on in the night, obviously.


Lucy.... you've got her full attention if you have some kind of food - doesn't matter what, just as long as you plan to share with her....

New Years Eve - I said in an earlier post we were going to drive to Killarney and be with Kieran's friends. Apparently it was the worst winter in decades in Ireland at the time we were over there (we brought it over...) and the roads were very icy and there was a ton of snow in some parts of the country (trust me, if you are from the midwest, the weather was absolutely gorgeous) so when Ailish said she wasn't going to drive to Kildare for her new year's celebration, Kieran and I also had second thoughts about Killarney - I mean, if someone who LIVES there isn't comfortable driving, who am I to think I can manage on the opposite side of the road, with a stick shift (which I can drive perfectly fine, I just haven't had to in years), possibly at night? So we decided to stay in Galway.....and we had a great time anyway!
Hugh and Ailish at New Year's dinner. We went to a really nice restaurant for dinner and made it to a bar before midnight! Kieran was coming down with a cold so we didn't stay out too late that night, but we managed to stay for the new year....
my dessert at dinner. gorgeous. and I wonder why I can't drop weight????
Ok - I had to include this shot because I actually got the shot of Kieran pouring the chocolate over my profiteroles.
@the bar for New Years.....action shot...
more new years.....

I was playing with the zoom from my window seat when we were leaving. It's awesome zoom.

Overall, a wonderful trip! I had never been away from my family at the holidays and it was hard, but I am thankful I have a wonderful family in Ireland who made me feel very special and loved. :)