Yay! I was nominated for the Liebster Award!

How exciting to be nominated for the Liebster Award! It is humbling to see that people are reading and enjoying my blog! The Liebster Award is passed from one blogger to another as an awesome way to let you know they enjoy your blog, to share and get to know one another and to welcome people into the blogging community. This award carries no real value per se but I am flattered to receive it because there is no requirement to give it, it is just one person in the blog community 'paying it forward' and showing support for another.  Thank you so much Whitney @ Oh Baby Baby for nominating me!

Make sure to choose bloggers with less than 200 followers & don't forget to notify them!

Here are the questions I was asked:

1.Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging for so many reasons - therapy,  to learn, to remember, to try my hand at writing.

2. What is your favorite food?
Hands down, sushi. Yum! 

3. What was your first job?
Maybe this will explain the answer to #2.  I was 14 and I bussed tables & washed dishes at a Japanese restaurant! 

4. What are you having for dinner tonight?
Ahhh...the bane of my existence...figuring out what to make for dinner! Sweet and sour chicken/veggies/rice.

5. Pick one word to describe your blog? 
Random 

6. If you can go to anyplace in the world on a free vacation for a week, where would you go?
Ireland...British Isles....Ireland ♥ 

7. Who was your favorite teacher?
My oldest daughter, Sadie.  She is not a teacher in the traditional sense of the word but I sure have learned a lot from her.

8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully in a bigger house because my children are growing so fast! 

9. Who would you say has been the most influential person in your life?
My beloved, Sean.  He helps me to be a better person.  He is a man of his word and he makes me believe we can achieve anything ♥

10.If you had to be any animal for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
My 9 year old asks me this question all of the time, I would have to say an eagle. 

11. What is your favorite color?
If I must choose, I suppose pink.

11 Random Facts About Me:

1.I love historic houses.  I went to school for historic preservation and this is one of my favorite websites to drool over :-) Circa Old Houses

2.When I was younger I said I wanted to have 5 sons someday.  I ended up with 5 daughters.

3.I love books although I never seem to get a chance to read.

4.My memory is not what it used to be...in fact, it's terrible.

5.I love cars.  My first car was a candy-apple red 1965 Mustang.  It was imperfect but so cool!

6.I used to collect vintage chintz ware china...but that was before kids!

7.I am scared to fly.

8.I love cruising.

9.One of my favorite things ever is to get a pedicure...what a luxury!

10.I live in South Carolina but I am from New York and I am long overdue for a visit.

11.Hydrangeas, peonies and roses make me happy!

Here are my nominees:

Lucy in the Sky

Confessions of a Stay-At-Home-Mom

Hull Family Homestead

Organizing for Six

The Not So Secret Life of the Average Mom

Nominees, you are under no obligation to pass on the award.  This is all for fun!  You can pass on the award to just a couple of bloggers if you like.  Do what works for you!

And here are your questions!

1.What do you make for dinner on a busy or "not in the mood to cook" kind of night?

2.What is your most delicious crock-pot meal? 

3.What is your favorite quote? Or piece of advice?

4.How much do you spend a week on groceries?

5.What is your favorite cocktail/mocktail?

6.How/when do you find time to blog?

7.Why do you blog?

8.What is your favorite chick-flick?

9.Would you, or have you ever belonged to a book club? Thoughts?

10.Would you rather be Katniss Everdeen or Elizabeth Bennett...or some other heroine? Why?

11. What is your passion?

By the way...if you are reading this post and feel compelled to answer any of these questions...please do! I would love to hear what you have to say :-)

♥My Wedding - I can do this! ~ Part One- Winter♥

My dream wedding.

Girls always seem to have a vision for their wedding. They know exactly what they want and have always wanted.  Sure, maybe the vision changes slightly over the years to keep up with the times and current trends but for the most part...they know what they want.  All that is left to do from there is to save up and make it happen.  OK, perhaps I'm oversimplifying a bit.  Of course, sacrifices may come in to play and they may have to tweak things a bit to stay within their set budget but that doesn't stop them from blissfully planning the day of their dreams. 

Four of our daughters at a friend's wedding.  September 2011

Then, there's me.  It makes my head spin really, the whole thing.  That is not to say that having a wedding causes me stress, quite the contrary...I am only doing this once and I want it to be perfect.  The problems with this?  Oh where do I start?  Well, to begin with, I am a Gemini.  That means that I can't make a decision to save my life!  Believe me, it's a very annoying quality.  For example, I want a fall wedding as much as I want a spring wedding, a chapel wedding, an outdoor wedding, daytime wedding as much as I want a candlelit evening wedding, and so on. The next thing, cost...WTH?? Shame on you America...averaging $25K for a 4-6 hour dinner party?  I have seen much better prices for overseas weddings but then you have to factor in the cost of travel which puts it right back up there in price. Then perhaps the most complex issue is my last gripe.  I guess it is more of a modern day complication...children.  He has two, I have two and we have our newest bundle of joy, bringing our total to 5.  All girls, all excited about us getting married, all expecting to be a part of the day with some even expecting to be a part of the ceremony itself.  There are days when I think of just doing a cruise wedding to alleviate some of the planning stress, but add kids, the price goes up - add kids, honeymoon changes to a familymoon, leave kids out....sad kids, sad mommy!  What to do?  Well, so far, the solution has been, nothing.  I have done NOTHING! So, I think what I will do is try out some ideas.  Maybe one will appeal to me more than another and we will finally get somewhere...darn you Pinterest...you are so not helping! :-)

Let's start with Winter

Things I love, love, love about winter and Christmastime weddings.  I love the contrast of White with deep reds, cranberries, tartans/plaids.  It is so stunning!  Also, long-sleeved wedding gowns...with all of my indecision, there is one look I have always loved - I love long-sleeves and lace. It is just so feminine and timeless looking and what better season for long sleeves than winter!  That is a definite bonus in favor of a winter wedding.  The next thing...candles.  There is something so cozy and inviting about candle light on a cold day.  It is obviously even more beautiful in the evening, and if a roaring fire can be worked in there too....that would be awesome! I love the look of evergreen worked into the decor and even the bouquets, not only is it a striking contrast against the red and the white but it also smells heavenly!  I am thinking about plaid...maybe for the cummerbund and for the girls dresses and maybe worked into table decor somehow.  If not plaid, then maybe red or cranberry velvet...and then of course whichever I choose, I will be sure that my shoes match!  Funny, all of this fashion talk coming from me.  I am so not the fashionista...I don't even wear make-up but this is my wedding for crying out loud...exceptions must be made!

Oh my gosh, those cranberry drinks look divine!  And another thing...how cool is it having a pre-Christmas wedding?  I never ever gave it a thought because I thought it would be inconsiderate to expect people to want to attend a wedding so close to such an expensive holiday.  But, now that I think about it, isn't a wedding just a big party?  Don't people love Christmas parties?  I know I do!  And if the venue is decorated for Christmas already, that's a little less work for me, right?  The more I talk about it, the more I love the idea.....hmmmmmm my wedding dreaming is turning out to be kind of fun!

I welcome any and all comments that will help me make my decision! Now time to change gears for my next post...Part Two-Spring ♥

Sources: All of the images posted on this blog post, with the exception of the picture of my children, were taken from my Wedding, Wedding Gown and Winter Wedding inspiration boards on Pinterest.  I put all of the images together in a collage using the PhotoGrid app so that I might get a clearer vision of the elements I would like to include in my wedding.  I am a new blogger and I in no way shape or form wish to take credit for these photos so I will post links to my Pinterest boards so that you can click through and view the blogs or websites that they originated with. This is a learning process for me and I hope I am doing this right but if there is a better way to go about this, I will learn and make corrections as I go!

https://www.pinterest.com/irishgem70/winter-wedding/

https://www.pinterest.com/irishgem70/wedding-ideas/

https://www.pinterest.com/irishgem70/wedding-gowns/

My shooting star...

Yesterday, I took a "Metallica drive".  It started out as a quick run to the pharmacy but I set Pandora to "shuffle" and Metallica came on.  I must've been in a vulnerable or sentimental state of mind because it took me back to the time I was first introduced to the song, and to Metallica.  I met someone in college that was unlike anyone else I've ever met in my life.  He was a busboy and I was a cashier & bartender at a local crab house, and that is where we met.  Tony was this cute little guy, with an infectious smile, that was always walking in and out of the kitchen spinning his serving tray on his finger.  Everyone liked him, you had to like him, he was just a kind, gentle soul and he was just cool.  Anyway, we spent so much time together at work, that we ended up hanging out together after work most nights and just doing typical college stuff.  Drinking, partying, laughing, socializing....just plain old fun.  He introduced me to his roommates and I introduced him to mine.  At the end of a day of classes or work we would make our plans, we were always together.  My boyfriend wasn't too happy about it but I guess my friendship with Tony was more important to me so I just dealt with it.

Tybee Island ... 1990ish

Tony played guitar.  He was self-taught, he also taught himself to play bass...he was really good.  He collaborated with friends and other musicians through the years and was always part of a band or two or three. One year, I think he even played at Ozzfest! One of the things that always struck me as remarkable about his ear for music was that most of his family, his parents and brother included, are deaf.  Sign language was his first language...he told me that his babysitter taught him words and how to talk.  I remember visiting him once during summer break, at his parent's house in Maryland.  It was so quiet in the house and when he introduced me to his family, they all just waved to me...it was a strange feeling.  Anyway, one time, I dropped by his house and he was playing his guitar.  He was playing Metallica.  He said I'm not sure if you will like them but they are pretty cool and he picked up his guitar and played Metallica's "One" for me.  I loved it and now when it comes on the radio, I am back in that moment.

Tony 2010ish

Tony and I always kept in touch through the years.  Sometimes by phone, sometimes I would get a letter or a postcard, then later, email and Facebook.  When Facebook came along, it was awesome!  I could talk to him, see recent pictures, listen to his music...it was great.  He ended up buying a house in Arizona, which was huge for someone that never stayed in one place for too long, he used to get restless and then off he would go, on to some new adventure!  I never really liked it when he had a girlfriend because I hated it when he got his heart broken by some careless girl. A breakup was usually followed by another cross-country move...NY, California, Arizona, California...lot's of back and forth.  I always watched from afar to make sure he was doing OK.  One day, he posted a picture of his brand new love on Facebook.  It was a black Ducati bike, which he lovingly named Pearl.  I know he loved it but I was not a fan.  Recently, my fiancee (Sean) and I had planned a trip to Vegas because one of our family members was getting married.  I thought it would be a great opportunity to get together with Tony and introduce him to Sean.  Not sure Sean was as excited about the idea as I was, because of course he was not really clear what kind of friend this guy was to me....I assured him it was always purely platonic so he played along and agreed a get-together would be cool.  I knew once they met, he would understand and we have an awesome time!  Well, I guess I could go on and on detailing our experiences and our history and trying to explain why he meant so much to me but some things just can't be explained.
The day in Vegas never came.  A few months before our trip I got the devastating news that Tony was gone.  The news came in the form of an instant message on Facebook, from one of our mutual friends.  The message just said, "are you OK" and "it really sucks".  I was confused...it took me a minute to connect the dots.  And then the panic came over me as I checked Tony's Facebook page.  He was gone...gone forever.  His last post was a picture of himself and his bike...it was a nice day and he was going out for a ride.  I fell apart, I left work....I cried, a lot.
I went to his memorial service in Maryland and saw his family for the second time.  It had been many, many years and I doubt they remembered ever meeting me. The whole thing was very difficult to bear.  I wanted to pay my condolences to his mother, and I knew it was going to be difficult to convey what I wanted to say because I do not speak sign language.  When I saw her face, it just crushed me.  I am a mom and I thought about the pain she must have been feeling and there were just no words.  I just touched her face and looked into her eyes...there was nothing more I could do.  I wanted to have my friend back, I wanted her to have her son back.  It has been 3 years and it still makes me cry when I think about it....when certain songs play, I relive it all.


I used to tell Tony that he was my shooting star.  I have reluctantly grown to accept the reality that I will only see my friend in my dreams.....

♥ HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY ♥

A thing of beauty is a joy forever...

Not much to say today, except to say that I love my family and they give me great joy!

Harper & Meaghan ♥ 2015

A dream is a wish your heart makes....

Ahhhh that song, from Cinderella.  Funny story about that song...when I was 6 years old, I entered a talent contest, with my bff.  I was the singer and she was the dancer.  The catch was, I was singing the song at high speed...like an old 45 playing at LP speed on the record player. It made so much sense to us at the time, like it was a real talent.  Well, guess what?  We won!  At the time, I felt great, like cool, they really thought we were talented!  Of course, I now realize that they thought it was some sort of stand-up routine because they were clapping and laughing like it was the best thing they had ever seen.  It was a win-win though, we won the contest and they got free entertainment :-)

 
Music soothes the soul.  There is something so blissful about having the right music on at just the right time.  Think about it...the feeling you get when your favorite song comes on the radio, or when you are feeling blue and something comes on that relates to your situation and validates your feelings.  It transports you.  It's like the old Calgon commercial (yes I am dating myself here), "it takes you away".  It is therapy for me.  At the end of a hectic day, especially when the kids have driven me to the edge of insanity, I love to put my headphones on and listen to Beethoven or Dario Marianelli's Pride and Prejudice soundtrack...and presto!  Instant serenity!  Or how about those nights when you just need to make a quick run to the store - more likely than not, the item you are running out to get, can wait.  It's all about the drive, the song, the volume!  By the way, those are not "Beethoven drives".  Those drives range anywhere from Audioslave, to Radiohead, to Katy Perry, to Tupac....depending on what the situation calls for.  You've gotta love Pandora...if you don't know what this is and you can relate to anything I've said, then you owe it to yourself to download it.  Trust me on this.

We had to get all of the kids headphones for Christmas to protect our sanity.  At any given time you will hear music coming from different parts of the house which would be fine except for the fact that this is not a big house and with all of the music playing at once it just becomes a lot of noise.  The headphones solved the problem for the most part and comes with an awesome side effect...we get to hear them all singing.  It's very funny and makes for great blackmail if we can manage to catch it on video!  Seriously, one of the best parts of being a parent, messing with your kids :-)

My fiancee makes and produces music.  Right now it is his side gig, but one day soon that will change because he is doing some great things!  When he sits down in his studio (currently a small corner in our bedroom) it's like he's climbing into a sailboat and heading out to sea.  When his creative juices really start flowing, it's like the wind has caught his sails and suddenly he is miles and miles away.  It is great to see him enjoy himself and to hear how his music comes together but sometimes I have to call him back to shore. He is on the brink of greatness, and I hate to mess up his flow but every once in a while a girl needs her quality time :-).

Sweet Dreams

My dreams come in all shapes and sizes.

It is a dream of mine that one day, one tiny little girl, who takes up an inordinate amount of space in our bed, might find it in her beautiful little heart to sleep in her own room. Thankfully we decided to get one of those newfangled cribs that converts into a toddler bed, and eventually into a full size bed.  Had we not done that, we definitely wouldn't have gotten our money's worth.  I know I am not alone in this struggle.  Yet, somehow, knowing there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of other parents out there waking up with aches and pains and crankiness from lack of sleep, doesn't make me feel any better.  I feel defeated.  After all, should I not be an expert at this parenting thing by now?  Shouldn't I be the one that people come to for advice on how to solve such problems? I mean, after all, this is not my first time at the ball, this should be a piece of cake....but it's not.  When we first brought her home, she slept in her bassinet in our room, that seemed to go OK.  But the crib thing is not working out.  Most nights, she falls asleep in our room and we move her to her crib (if she doesn't wake up in the process).  Some nights, she will stay in there for most of the night, but more often than not, she wakes up crying by about midnight.  Either way, the end result is the same...she ends up back in our bed.  The problem is, when she wakes up in the night she screams bloody murder and wakes the other kids up, so it's either a) let her cry and make everyone suffer or b) take her in our room so only we suffer.  It's so uncool that we suffer either way...sigh

Well, I suppose it will work itself out one of these days.  But for now, she sleeps peacefully beside me dreaming her little baby dreams.  There is something so safe and peaceful about that ♥

Mo laethanta saoire aisling (My dream vacation)

For as long as I can remember, it has been a great dream of mine to visit Ireland.  Actually, I am intrigued by the whole of the British Isles; but my Nana and Pop were from Ireland and I have family there so Ireland is the jewel in the crown for me.  You may think, "Ireland is not so far off or out of reach, why doesn't she just go?"  Well, things always seem to get in the way;  It's too expensive, I can't get the time off from work, I'm pregnant, I'm no longer pregnant but I now have five children who won't just watch themselves while I gallivant off for a few weeks, sigh...


Nevertheless, I will realize this dream, by hook or by crook...it's just a matter of time.  The dream is to, first, get over there (the biggest hurdle).  Next, get a rental car so I can come and go at my leisure - a little scared, really, over the thought of driving but I survived driving on the opposite side of the road when I was in Jamaica so I suppose I will be OK.  I plan to spend a lot of my time in County Kerry because that is where my family is.  I am anxious to visit with my cousins on my Nana's side, they are genuinely warm and kind and they sent the sweetest gift for our baby when she was born - I'm hoping they can be persuaded to hit the pub for a pint or two!

My Nana.  In this picture she is at home, in NYC, but she is originally from Meenscovane, County Kerry, Ireland.

Next stop in Kerry, my Pop's house.  It's not what it once was but it is still standing and I would hate myself if I missed an opportunity to spend some time exploring there.
 

Pop's house.  Derrynafeena, County Kerry, Ireland

 Did I mention the pub?  Yes, I know I'm not as young as I used to be but I'm not as old as I could be either and I still love to have fun and laugh...how's that for justification?  So, that being said, I want to hit a pub here or there...just to chill out and enjoy the local flavor, pun intended :-).  I want to see some castles, I want to spend some time at the Cliffs of Moher and Galway and then head over to the Aran Islands (not sure which one exactly, but I'll figure it out), I may even want to kiss the Blarney Stone!  

My Pop (top, left) in NYC 1930's

So much to see, so much I don't know, so many treasures to discover, I can't wait till this dream comes true!

Picture my mom took in Galway in 2013.