Why have so many kiddos???

So that they can do the housework for you... The beauty of it now...JP actually enjoys it! Give it a little while and he'll be running the other way!


That fruit box in the background was JP's entertainment in Ireland. Even though we had brought toys, Daddy put him in it the first day for a little spin around the kitchen and that was the end of it. Lucky Daddy...from that day on, JP would climb into the crate and say "please" for Daddy to take him on a ride! At 6:30am on my morning to sleep in...I woke up to Matt saying "Weeeeeeeeeeee!!!" and JP laughing as they went in circles around the kitchen -- too cute!

Driving on the crazy roads in Ireland...

If anyone has ever driven in Ireland, you know that the majority of the roads are barely big enough for one VERY small car, much less two normal cars passing each other. This road was the road we would take from our house to Portmagee...no kidding, it had a 12% grade, and we even followed a camper trying to make it (he was certifiably NUTS!) Despite the roads being ridiculously narrow -- it seems to work and just add to fun! Poor JP just sits there and wonders when his parents are actually going to grow up!

Thanks Great-Auntie Joanie for this all-in-one travel stroller/car seat! This thing ROCKS!

Ireland -- JP finally gets to see the Motherland!

It was everything we had hoped for and more! Ireland is awesome -- the Guinness was just what the doctor ordered, the Irish still give TERRIBLE directions but couldn't be friendlier and the fields are still filled with tons of sheep!

JP's first Guinness! (The Bridge Bar, Portmagee, Ireland)
Our house...the white one -- it was absolutely perfect!

The view from our kitchen window -- JP loved all the sheep!

Our pet for the week -- Mr. Donkey!

Mommy and Daddy enjoying a bottle of wine in our front yard -- it couldn't get better than this!

Skellig Michael -- Ireland

The Skellig Michael is a VERY small island 10 miles off the coast of the Ring of Kerry that has been on Matt's "List of Things to See" for quite a while. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't cooperating, so to save our little one from the joys of being on a small fishing boat with waves that are bigger than the boat, Mommy and JP stayed home and let Daddy go on the adventure by himself. He LOVED it -- so naturally we will have to go back when the weather is a little more cooperative!

Etretat 08

We promise to come back and upload pics of Sardinia and Daddy's Homecoming -- but that could take awhile since those pictures are on other people's cameras. So...until then, here are some pics of our latest trip to Etretat. We love this beach town in Northern France...we went on tons of hikes and just enjoyed being together without any distractions.

Hmmm....ice cream cones are the best!!!

The tides are amazing -- you can hike through the arch during low tide and kayak through the arch during high tide!

(Thanks Paganos and Freeborns for the awesome backpack --we LOVE it!)

Yeppo....I'm one smart Mommy :-) j/k We actually took this awesome hike and had a picnic overlooking the cliffs.