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More snow

Ice and snow in Ireland

Christmas Dinner 2009

Christmas Snow

and the view from the back of the garden

20091222

Ben and Sam TaeKwondo

Ben and Sam have been doing Taekwando and had their first gradings on Saturday, here are a couple of videos of them in action! Click on them to see the video

replacement car

Well that didn't take long to get a replacement car, a year younger and in very good condition!

Our trip to Dublin part 2

We finally made it to Dublin!

ou trip to Dublin (1st attempt!)

This is how our car was left after we tried to get to dublin the first time. Got the insurance to pay for a hire car so actually made it in the end

Sam and Ben have started Tae kwan Doo

Bernie & Bridie In Spain

Actually managed to get Bernie to come for a WALK!!

We went up the hill today, around the bogs and beyond, took the dog and even manged to convince bernie to come with us.

Bernie's Birthday

Jack's Girlfriend Marie made Bernie a wonderful cake out of battenburg cakes!!!

And pictures of Mad Mary and Bridie all for Bernie's Birthday!

Sam's class photo

Sam's first school photo from hazlewood College showing his whole class

click on it for a bigger version (Sam is in the back row 3rd from the left)

The Boys are back at school!

Jack's 19th Birthday

Pictures from Jack's Birthday

Jack and Marie in Paris

Jack and Marie messing on "La Boule", a fairground ride in Paris Watch Jack's face as the ball shoots up..classic!

UK July 2009

Our Holiday in England July 2009

We actually won a competiton and the prize was having some photo's of the family done professionally, here they are

Bridie's 70th

Bridie and Denis share a birthday, but Bridie is a year older than her "toyboy" husband we went out to celebrate her 70th Birthday last night. We went to the Woodlands where we met with Anne and Brian and had a nice meal followed by a spot of people watching in the Hotel receoption. As there was a wedding on there were plenty of sights to see!

Rabbits

Ben had a pet white rabbit that lived in a hutch in Granddad's garden, the rabbit manged to escape and lived "wild" in Granddad's garden for ages, suddenly a herd of strange coloured baby rabbits appeared, kind of a ginger colour. Sadly the ex pet rabbit has now disappeared but the ginger ones are thriving, so much so that they have now moved into our garden as well and have started to eat their way through our flower bed!! The dog chases them away when he is encouraged to but this does not seem to scare them away for long!!

Marie's 18th

We all went to Marie's house last night to help her celebrate her 18th!

Local Views

I have been sorting through some of my pictures and found these ones of some of the views around our house, thought you might like to see them

Hannah at her Prom

Hannah (My Niece) had her prom, here are some of the pictures that were taken

Sam's graduation from Raheenagh National School

Well after 8 years Sam had his official graduation yesterday signifying the end of his primary school years. All his class (all 7 of them) were presented with a very nice medal and had a special Mass at the church.
He starts "high" school on the 1st September............Bernie is soooooo pleased that he has such a long holiday. Ben goes back to Raheenagh on the 31st August. They both actually finish school for the summer on the 30th June.

Sam's Play

Sam had his play last night, after 27 weeks of getting ready for it, the hall in Askeaton was full, he loved it and was of course the STAR of the show!!!

Jack and the civil defence

Jack has been doing Civil Defence training and just picked up his uniform, all he needs now is for a natural disaster and he can wear it!!!!

Summer has arrived (at last)

Finally, we have some good weather, yes even here in Ireland, the kids made the most of it! Even the cat managed to escape the house and explore. (And Ben was delighted when we found a blackbirdds nest complete with 4 eggs! click the pictures for larger versions or videos)

Painting the neighbours house!

Just to make it fair, Jack helped Denis paint his house and here's the proof!

Mullingar

Went to a family Confirmation in Mullingar over the weekend, borrowed a bus from work so Me, bernie, Jack, Sam, Ben, bridie, Denis, Mary and Marie all went. Had a good time, stayed in a nice Hotel in Longford, swimming Saturday morning in the Hotel pool whil Bernie, mary and Bridie & Denis went shopping.

The House

It is so great having a son who works funny hours and a father in law who is retired AND lives next door, I came home today and my house had been painted for me!!!

Jack's new car

Jack has used his money wisely and bought himself a car, so it's goodbye to the 1990 Ford Fiesta and hello to a 2001 Ford Fiesta!!! The old car was originally Bernie's, we brought it with us when we moved to Ireland I used it and then we gave it to jack when he passed his driving test.

St Patricks Day 2009

So, we get a day off today to celebrate St.Patricks, day, gorgeous weather so we went to ……..the beach!!!! (as you do)

Dog Wash

For the first time ever we took the dog for a wash and brush up, he wasn’t too impressed though!

We get snow in ireland too!

Ok so not as much as you got in London but at least it was snow!

Sam's Confirmation

Sam had his confirmation today, a great time was had by us all.

Ben's Birthday 2009

Today was Ben’s 9th Birthday, was great that Mum was still here for it!

Kevin's wedding

Went to my Mate Kevin’s wedding yesterday (31st December) good wedding and of course that meant an in built New Years Eve party. Had a great time, didn’t manage to get many pictures though!

Bridie & Denis’s 50th Wedding Anniversary

Had a great weekend of celebrations for Bridie & Denis’s 50th Wedding anniversary, went to the Brehon Hotel in Killarney Friday, had a great time there, then a big surprise “get together” of all the families at our house on Saturday night, Tony and Lynn came over from Spain, Dennis and Vickie came from England, Denis’s sisters from the UK, Ireland and the USA also came.

Mum's unoffical birthday in Ireland

Mum was over here so we celebrated her birthday a few weeks early, went to a nice restaurant for lunch

Jack's 18th

Some pictures of Jack's 18th Birthday, Mum was over at the time so that was nice

Uk July 2008

Some pictures of our holiday in England in July 2008

Spain May 2008

Went to visit Bernie's Brother Tony and his Girlfriend Lyn at their place in Spain, Just outside Malaga for a week, had a great time, the kids loved the beach and the pool. Bernie wasn't too keen on the heat, I told her we shoudl go back in August!!!!

Anyway here are some of the pictures

Ben's Communion May 2008

Ben had his communion today, Just before we went to Spain for a holiday!

UK July 2005

Went on holiday to the UK, of course we chose the day of the London bombings to come home, CHAOS!!! here are the pictures

Sam's Communion

Some pictures from Sam's Communion