I Mi Lunasa: Laethanta Saoire

In the month of August: Holidays

 “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
― A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

Wedding shower overlooking the St. Croix Valley: the Bride-To-Be with my sisters Rosemary (7) and Ella (3)--and refreshments on what was one of the hottest days of my trip. The big event was two weeks later.

One week after getting home: my third time being a bridesmaid, this time all the way in Packer territory (Green Bay), and I enjoyed every minute of it. Mother, Mother-in-Law, Maid of Honor, and one of three bridesmaids bustle Katie's skirt after the ceremony: it was a dress well worth the trouble! Congrats Katie and Craig!

Great-Grandma Suzanne, 100 years old. I'm a quarter of her age, and she still has a better memory than me! I was so blessed to spend time with her again, the last of the four great-grandparents that I grew up with.

Supporting Finnegans with Tricia Nelson, the first intern of the company (now employee!), a Limerick study-abroad classmate from the good old days of Fall Semester 2006. Slainte!

 

"These are a few of my favourite things...." Treated to historical delicacies thanks to my friends and dinner hosts, Sarah and Stephen and Molly, who went all out! Yes, these are PROPER pumpkin pies, with the custard baked inside miniature pumpkins, lids intact but popping off!

I supported Finnegans some more, on the FINNterns Pedal Pub night out, where we rented a vehicle that comes complete with 1. a bar (you bring your own keg), 2. sixteen bicycle seats with pedals to power it, and 3. a driver (who took this picture of the troupe). We went in the midst of a thunderstorm, with lightning all around. And my legs were too short, so I was holding on for my life with the one hand, drinking with the other, and pedaling with my toes. Worth it!

Bright summer sunshine! This Boy Scout was on his way to camp, to learn all sorts of woodsy things and manly skills, carrying on his back his pillow, bedding, and a backpack almost as large as himself. You make me proud, Eric!

The oldest of the Lentz girls. Oh so gorgeous. My sister Marie and me at John & Jolene's wedding. Did we eat? Did we dance? Did we kick off our shoes? Oh yes. Yes, we very much did. We couldn't really walk anymore after the clock hit midnight, and that must be a sign of a good celebration. Congrats to John & Jolene!

In her mommy's own baptismal gown, we welcomed my niece Gianna Mae into God's family.

'You'll be gone before I have my very first soccer game, won't you?' Rosemary had it fixed (quite rightly) in her mind that she couldn't depend on me being there for all the important things in a kid's life. It's her first year in sports, and I have a feeling she's a force to be reckoned with.... And yes, I was able to be there for her very first game. I sat through the whole thing and took a bajillion photos so I can prove it to her when she gets older and 'forgets' and holds my absentee sisterhood against me.

Picnic time with my mom's side of the family!

My brother Patrick shot off at least a dozen rockets while I was there. His new, explosive, hobby.

An all-girls library trip!

And, of course, the American pasttime: bowling! Peter's foot was photo-shy. The shoes did nothing to help us bowl well, though. My scores were so embarrassing that I took a photo of them afterward, but I hid that photo from the world, because if anybody finds it, that person could blackmail me.

Gianna, say hi to your godfather--Uncle Pete!

Late one evening. Real s'mores! Cooked over a bonfire...

....as demonstrated by Sarah. Only slightly crisp. A keeper.

Candid shots are hilarious. Great aunt Mary, Kristin, cousin Lauren, and Rosemary (kind of) look on as sister-in-law Steph, due in October, opens a gift at her baby shower. I love you guys.

As per usual, Aunt Jenny's cookies were top-notch.

Put your hands up, everyone! It's tubing time! We laughed. We fell. We got very wet. And some of us, including me, got some wicked rope burns.

An evening out with two very good friends, Katie and Cameron. Wine, cheese, crackers, olives, cherry tomatoes, and chocolate...with downtown Stillwater as the backdrop. Trust these two to take advantage of the moment! I've never picnicked out on top of the veranda at Northern Vineyards before, and I would certainly do it again--especially after the wine tasting: white, rose, red, and dessert wines. A good start.

There goes the Andiamo! Ahh.... I could get used to this.

On the St. Croix River with my dad. It was a last minute thing, stuck between Mass and a going away barbecue. Somewhat overcast but dry and calm, I got a look at the limestone and bluffs of home. After many failed attempts at a father-daughter outing, it was the perfect end to a great trip.