Sloooooooow immersion.

When the girls first joined us in the US, we did FIVE Disney World trips in 3 years. Then for a couple of years we just did a day at Disney when we would be down for winter or spring break. About 4 years ago we decided to have a Disney moratorium...there is so much more of America they NEED to see?!? Last year we did a mini-vaca to Amish country. This year we are planning a mini-vaca to Memphis so a certain Elvis fan can check Graceland off her bucket list. Sometime in the next two years we hope to be able to do the grand national park tour....you know, like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.

One tiny problem with our long range plan...unless or until we win the lottery this trip will require some 'rustic' accommodations. Might I remind the reader about my eldest daughter's love of Mother Nature? The child who won't eat out at a picnic table in our back yard because there are bugs...who won't use a latrine...who whines for air conditioning when temperatures hit the 70's...our princess in pink who has made it very clear that camping is simply not "an option" in her book?!?!? Sigh.

So today we headed off to Aunt Agnes' lake house in Wisconsin for the first stage of  Mari's "Nature Desensitization Therapy". Patrick and I have designed a nice slooooooow process of bringing her highness gradually closer and closer to "the country" in the hopes that our rigid and very linear thinker can learn to embrace the new, the untamed, the "rustic"....okay, so she'll stop freaking about the darn bugs!!! Aunt Agnes' lake house is hardly rustic but it is a bit closer to Mother Nature than our suburban abode. We are not gluttons for punishment...we know better than to try and head straight for a campground. Though to hear the lady whine on the car ride up here you'd think we were taking her to Mars. For once I bit my tongue and the look on her face when we pulled into the drive was PRICELESS!!

She raced up onto the deck saying, "It is a house with a deck and a grill and everything!" Seems she had decided in her agitation that we were dragging her to a log cabin in the woods. But I did have a plan in place to keep her from hiding in the air conditioning while texting a mile a minute...

I wasn't born yesterday! Hooked her with one of Aunt Agnes' toys to get her out in the fresh air....

Oh, Julia was on this trip too but is not afraid of much of anything as you can note...and one upping her sister on the scooter to boot!

While I worked with the girls on step two of "Meeting Mother Nature",  Patrick paid our rent! One of the 'costs' of using the lake house was to mow the lawn which could not have made him happier since it involved reliving his youth...behind the wheel of a tractor (-:

Step two involved getting the 'oven' started for dinner.

Again, not a problem for Julia who tried to 'catch' smoke.....

...and relished the privilege of using fire tongs!

Being fair to Mari, she did do her fair share of tending the foil packet dinners I had INSISTED we make as 'practice for camping'...even though I'd eat them anytime (-:

We did a chicken version tonight that turned out delicious!!

Even a thumbs up from Mari who especially enjoyed it considering I let her eat it inside. Baby steps here folks, we're taking baby steps.

Dessert had us back outside at our 'stove'. Since they were too impatient to wait for that treat in the foil 'baking' under their marshmallows, I did let them move on to roasting the fluffy treats. In the foil was To Die For Banana S'mores...can you say CALORIES in the guise of being 'healthy'?!?!? 

Ummmm, and YES that would be Mari sitting outside eating!!! Baby steps...

...or it may have something to do with sugar???

Julia decided today that she really just needs a toasted marshmallow for her dessert!

But incinerated is a bit too 'toasted' for her her liking (-:

Mari joined us a couple of short times at the campfire tonight as well. She couldn't quite bring herself to sit on a tree stump just yet but we are miles ahead of where I was hoping we'd be after our first 'therapy'. Supposed to rain all day tomorrow...I might have to bag our second day plans in order to avoid back sliding. Can you say Old Faithful and Mari in the same sentence? Someday soon it looks like...someday soon.

You know it is summer when.....

the family picnic season begins!! Today we started with the Mahoney Family picnic...

There were new girls....

and new boys....

and even a new couple or two!

The senior members basked in the sun...

...while the juniors played the day away!

There was talking...

....and more talking....

...yep, more talking....

...in full Kerry brogue ...

...ditto for the Mayo brogue...

...it is an IRISH crowd you know!?!?

Even last years babies know how to chat!

We did do a bit of eating...

..and of course there were spuds at an Irish picnic!!

The American contingent did see to the dessert!!!!

After a bit of  exploring the pavilion floor..

and a bit of exploring the woodland paths along the picnic grove...

it was time to go GLOBAL! Pinatas are everyone's favorite, right?!?!

While the cousins dove for the sweets....

Julia was all about the horses...of course.

FFF- Summer Vacation

One of the most lovely things about summer vacation is that the time I get to spend with the girls is now relaxing. No nagging about homework or gym uniforms. No begging them to eat breakfast or wear hats. No pleading with them to brush teeth and wash faces. Summer is a time for us ALL to recharge.

Yesterday one of us....

REafirmed her loves. 

One of us...

REcreated.

One of us...

REdefined herself.

All thanks to an afternoon spent giggling at the salon...instead of groaning over the desk!

Welcome summer vacation!!!!

To see more FFF visit Nora's blog here.

Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better!

There was a time in the lives of our 1997 triplets....cousins Mairead, Andrew, and Mari....when they used those words as their guiding philosophy. When Mairead became potty trained it was suddenly a race between Mari and Andrew to see who would be next! When Andrew learned to ride a two wheeled bicycle, Mari and Mairead buckled down and took off their training wheels as well. When Mari wiggled out that first tooth the tooth fairy was suddenly on a regular route between the three houses.

Then the inevitable happened...poor December birthday girl Mari stood on the sidewalk and watched Andrew and Mairead march in the school door without her. It was crushing to the competitive little soul to watch them with their backpacks filled with new crayons and pencils embark on a experience to which she was denied! But it really was for the good. Mari needed a bit more time for social reasons and the triplets needed to begin the process of individualization.

Now, eight years later, they are three very different individuals!! As she sat through her second 8th grade graduation ceremony, Mari was envious but no longer 'crushed'...

 

...and the 'triplets' are still there for each other as Mari and Mairead sat front and center for Andrew's graduation!! [Note: Small town feature of our big town suburb...the woman sitting two over from Mairead was featured in my last post...Julia's 4th grade teacher there for her son's graduation as well!!!]

And graduate he did!!! Unlike over achieving cousin Mairead, Andrew is of the 'lunch and gym' school of thought. You know...as in "My favorite part of school is gym and lunch!"

But Auntie Peggy was not one to let him slack! If only her kitchen table could talk [hmmm possible future post as her kitchen table was originally our great grandmother's table!!] it would tell of many, many nights of Andrew bent over his books with Auntie Peggy leaning from the chair next to him urging him to "just get it finished!".....not because he struggled with the material!! Far from it as he is extremely bright!! It's just that he comes with that darn Y chromosome which causes boys like Andrew to devalue anything that doesn't involve a ball or stick.

Grandma was having a good week as she made it out to both Mairead's AND Andrew's graduation!

She even made it through the decidedly less intimate ceremony given that Andrew went to a school with 5 times the number of students than Mairead.

Yep, it was a milestone to be celebrated by all the cousins...and a few aunts and uncles! The fact that cousins Mairead and Deirdre were only hours away from catching a flight for their summer vacation, was no reason to miss Andrew's big day...families work that way!!

And in this family, ice cream is always a good way to end a special night!

Been an 83 year tradition as a matter of fact (-:

Next year we start a new phase in the life of our 1997 triplets. Andrew and Mairead head off to their respective high schools and Mari moves to the top of the hill as an 8th grader at her middle school. The race to grow up is still being run....but they are no longer all in a pack trying to beat each other...they've found their own events, their own specialties within the meet. It's just nice to know they still love to be on the same team ...cheering each other on!

Playing Catch Up!

I owe myself and my readers a couple of posts here! So over the next couple of hours I am going to try and get my computer to cooperate with a huge photo upload and do a series of posts. Starting with Julia's end of the year class picnic!

 

Parents are invited to join the 4th graders outside for a picnic lunch organized by the Room Mothers and PTA.

It is a chance for the class to present their teacher with a group gift....

....and attempt a class picture....

...and even attempt a picture of all the 4th graders together!!! While I would love a bit more racial diversity, we are so pleased with the decision to move Julia to public school. Not even counting the extraordinary efforts her principal and teachers have put into bringing her back on target in Reading there is the life lesson of learning in an environment where those with special needs are treated as treasured members of the class. Julia has been especially complimented by the staff on her kindness and friendship with those children in her class. 

I'm not too proud or anything (:

Okay, there was some fun and games as well!!!

FFF- FREEDOM!!!

Okay, I'm going totally rogue with the FFF theme!! It was supposed to be "Junio/June" but since I have a huge backlog of pictures I'm combining FFF with today's pictures. School finished for the year at 11 AM this morning!!!!!! Only caught Julia's happy escape...

 

since Mari was over at the middle school which let out at the exact same time!! [Wouldn't dream of 'embarrassing' a new 8th grader!!!]

Three weeks ago I was wondering if I was ever going to get to say this......

POOL IS OPEN!!!!!

  

Chicago has finally decided to think about letting summer come for a visit this year. After an afternoon birthday party jumping herself into dehydration at a trampoline bash, Mari was begging for an inaugural trip to our public pool. Julia was in total agreement.

I cannot even begin to tell you how nice it was to watch Mari frolic in the pool!! 7th grade has been a VERY difficult year to say the least. Her peers, her hormones, and her math teacher all converged into an emotional super storm which we can only pray has moved on... leaving 8th grade to occur on smoother waters!!!!

Texting....what else could drag her out of the water?!?! But it was good news!

 

Two more besties had texted to say they had decided to come to the pool as well. 'The Survivors', as she now refers to her clique, reconvened for the third time in one day!!

...and the frolicking resumed!!! As the night came to a close her besties challenged the very apprehensive Mari to open her summer with a bang...

..or a jump to be exact?!?! Mari finally got up the nerve to mount the stairs to the high dive and take the plunge (:  Sometimes peer pressure can be a good thing!!!!!!

Now this is where I'm supposed to say "Here's my favorite picture of the day/week" for FFF. But I am finding it very difficult to decide this week!!!

There's just something about this picture that screams JULIA to me!! Left alone to open the pool without her BFF/Cousin Deirdre [who boarded a plane today for a two week vacation...gasp how dare she abandon Julia for that long?!?!?] my easy going littlest made her own fun. Add the fact that I'm amazed that I actually caught the moment on my camera and I'm conflicted !!!

....because there's also this one!!!!!! 

Sigh, my life can be so nearly perfect on days like this one has been.

To see more FFF posts head on over to Nora's blog  [where you might actually find people who cooperated with the announced theme!]

Beginnings or endings???

This end of the school year gets to be quite a busy time!! Sorry to be shirking on my promise to be a more diligent blogger. As a quick peek at one of the things that has kept me from blogging I present....

Our newest graduate!!!

Mairead's graduation ceremony was this week. Andrew's is next week!!!

As mentioned in a previous post, Mairead is one of your classic overachievers! She ended up being called back up for several academic and music awards but the biggest surprise was winning the CCW's scholarship award!!!!!! Sure will help towards the tuition at her very costly high school (:

Proud parents with the graduate. Prouder Mom since Mairead was admitted to her Alma mater. Mairead will be traveling into Chicago to attend a historic Jesuit academic power house...trading her blue and gold for the classic maroon and gold! Oh, and while she's studying with the best of the best, she will also be putting that beautiful smile and dance training to work on the sidelines as a cheerleader....when she's not playing the flute with the band that is...did I mention over achiever??

 

OF COURSE this was a family event!!!....to be repeated next Thursday with Andrew (:

I'll try to keep up these next couple of days as we wrap up Louisa May Alcott projects, multiplication speed timed tests, division speed timed tests, softball games, field days, class picnics on our way to the end of the school year! At which time we will have two new FRESHMEN starting out on their high school career and one more eighth grader about to finish her grade school days.....sniff, sniff....thank goodness for the about to be 6th grader and two soon to be 5th graders to balance the 1997 triplets who are making me feel very old about now!!!