Mommy Thoughts

"To be prepared is half the victory"
"If you are prepared, you will be confident, and will do the job"
"Chance favors the prepared mind"

All of these quotes about being prepared. I agree, being prepared, especially if it's regarding a certain set of triplets, is a must. So, last Wednesday I prepared ahead of time to make getting passport photos taken an easy task. The kids get out early on Wednesday-12:25. Kieran stays until 1:45 for an art class. Still plenty of time for photos before dance class at 4:45. I picked up Kyle and Kendra, took them home, redid their hair and got Kendra a shirt for her photo. They can't wear their white school shirts because the background is white and they would have "floating" heads. I had to iron shirts for Kyle and Kieran. I was going to have Kieran change his shirt in the car. We went to the school to pick him up and he took his sweet time coming out. No biggy, we still had plenty of time. After all, I was prepared. But I'd forgotten the "Kieran Factor". When he finally climbed in the car, I was met by a filthy little boy, dirty shirt, dirty hands, dirty knees -again no biggy because the photos only show from the chest up. It was the blue marker mustache drawn across his face that really threw a wrench in the works. Thank goodness for Handi-Wipes in the glove box.

Ticead amhain go dti an Baile Átha Cliath, le do thoil

Translation: One ticket to Dublin, please.
Actually five. The Hawkins' are off on an amazing adventure. We are going to be spending three weeks in Ireland this Summer. We'll be renting two or three cottages/homes across the Emerald Isle. We're not sure which counties yet. We'd like to see County Cork (Republic of Ireland) and County Fermanagh (Northern Ireland) because those are the counties my family is from. We have lots of planning and dreaming to do before June.

Quad Fun.

We finally got the quad that Paul ordered for the kid's Christmas present and took it out to the property.

I hadn't seen the "bunk house" yet. I think it looks more like a conjugal visit trailer at a prison. But, it is rodent-free!

And just for Nancy, the new location of the privy. Yeah, this was a lot of fun in 40 degree, misty weather.

One of our neighbors is a Clydesdale farm. He and I didn't want to get closer to the electric fence.

Christmas Morning Highlights

Too bad Kyle isn't excited at all.






Wii are happy!!

Elsa is quite pleased with her Chia Pet for cats.

That would be the "don't mess with my present" face.

Feile na Nollaig

Our dance school, Comerford Irish Dance, had our feis the weekend of December 12th. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work. Decorating the ballrooms and building the dance floors starts Friday afternoon and we don't stop until we do the reverse late Sunday afternoon.

Dancing Reindeer.

Santa paid us a visit.


"Bingo" the 9th reindeer.

Kyle and Kendra working the raffle basket table between dances.

Kendra and her trophy.

Kieran helping out at the raffle table.

The new outfits.

Merry Christmas To All...

And To All A Goodnight.

Oireachtas 2008

We spent the weekend at the Arizona Grand in Phoenix for the Western Region US Oireachtas.

Kendra was on a 8 hand ceili team.






Ready for her costume.


The girls practicing before their dance.



Waiting their turn with the older girls/teachers.



They may not have placed first but they were the best in our hearts.

Award night. Half of the team.

It was a nice resort.

On the way home we trusted the Garmin and headed for "The Outer Limits" restaurant in Gila Bend, Arizona. It was a classic 1960's space-age restaurant. It reminded me of the old "Tomorrowland" at Disneyland. Good food too.

We slipped back into San Diego for a California sunset.