Matthew doing school. He is usually sleepy in the morning and it takes him a while to get going, but we still get a boat load of work done. He is the dream student.  

I have been doing flash cards with Laura lately. I remember doing them with Matthew at 2, she is a visual learned like him. Lily is more of an auditory learner so flash cards have never been her thing. 

Laura age 2.5

Dinner outdoors

The weather is getting cooler now, we had some friends over for dinner and had the first meal of the season outdoors.

Rainbow fruit

In preschool we did a few days on food. Here the girls made a rainbow of fruit. We had fun eating it.

Food men

Back to school

We are doing more preschool stuff for the girls now. Matthew is pretty much doing his own thing. I lay out the work he must do that day and he does it independently. I miss the time I use to spend with him one on one, but I need to teach Lily to read and Laura to focus and follow directions. It is fun, just different.

Annie is 6.5 months old now. She is sitting up well on her own and reaching so far for toys she is almost crawling. I am introducing solids to her and she is very happy about that. Perhaps she will go back to sleeping through the night with a fuller tummy and mommy and daddy with get a solid night of sleep. She is the happiest baby, always smiling and being pleasant. Here she is getting to sit on the lovely soft, bug free grass in 60 degree weather.  

The kids are really getting a taste of real life in Ireland. We have been to the shops and spent time with local people. They have spent a lot of time on my mum's fence talking to the neighbor kids. There are 2 girls next door, 7 and 5 with whom Lily and Matthew have become friends, they even got to go to their birthday parties and eat the types of party food that I ate when I was little. In this way they are getting to not only be tourists, but have a feel for real life.  

We are doing lots of touristy things as well. Here we are in an old grave yard where Celtic crosses are 2 a penny.  

Sisters playing ring a ring a rosie on a mountain path in Glendalough. 

We have seen a few castles and ruins. 

This was a "welcome to Ireland" for us. It was the most amazing rainbow we have ever seen. It looked like you could reach up and grab it. 

Mommy, they have balloons in Ireland!!! 

Lily looking after her little sister, Annie Rose. 

Here is our (almost) six year old son on the top of Rocky Valley, a hike near where I grew up. Great view, now being enjoyed by my son! 

Matthew and Lily with our authentic tour guide, during a visit to a castle in my hometown. 

Grannie seeing Annie for the first time in several months.  

If you look closely you can see an American boy hiding in this Irish tree.... 

The great adventure begins! The Cole family at Bush Intercontinental, July 25, 2006!