Grandparents

Mom and Dad made it over for a visit (just in case, you didn't notice them in the pictures from Paris).   It was very special to share the experience with them and as an added bonus, we had built in babysitters.  In addition to Paris, we made some memories around the Emerald Isle as well.  They had been to Ireland years ago with Grandma Conrad and Aunt Maggie, but there's loads of places they didn't get to see.  And loads more that they missed, so they'll have to come back...

Requisite stop at Castletown.  

I made my acrophobic mother
climb out onto the roof at Oughterard.

Setting up story telling sessions for the kids' classes ended up quite the ordeal.  Communication at the school works a bit differently than the States.  Anyhow, Dad ended up telling stories to the entire school in two groups.  It was a rousing success and enjoyed by all 210+ children and teachers.
 

Junior infants - 2nd Class were a bit rowdy.
You can see Nadia two spots to the left of my dad.
She was leading the chorus of screams
every time the crocodile attacked.

3rd - 6th Class were much more mellow but still enthralled.

The Wonderful Barn in Leixlip

We stopped at the Village at Lyons for some tasty treats.

We headed over to Mayo Abbey to visit Fr. Tom's family.  It was interesting to see the area where he had grown up.  Roads were tiny with paved tracks for each tire with grass growing down the center.  It was a lovely visit and we feasted on an incredible spread of food.  Olive gave the kids third helpings of dessert despite my protests.  It was a long drive to go there and back in one day, but everyone enjoyed it.

Malahide Castle had a special ghost story tour for Halloween.  Nadia got scared and I ended up carrying her for way too much of our visit.  It was an interesting take on different people who died/were killed in the castle.  They tried to weave the different characters into one story even though they lived in the castle during different times.  The boys enjoyed it but they question and pick at every detail until the whole story unravels.

Since Malahide Castle didn't give a "real" tour, we headed up to Trim to get a more historical one.

Alfonso and the boys took Mom and Dad on a walking tour of Dublin.  (Nadia kept me company while I nursed my twisted ankle.)

Eating Gino's Gelato outside of St. Stephen's Green

This crew spotted Alfonso about to take a picture and
proceeded with a massive photo bomb.

Too much cuteness going on here.
The kids want a dog in the worst way.  Me -- not so much!

The visit flew by in a blink of an eye.  Missing family is the most difficult sacrifice for the experience of living abroad.  We try to make the most of our precious time together.  Ale did so by forcing my dad to play Rummy every waking moment while Dante was glued to Grandma and stealing her vest whenever he could manage.  The memories last a lifetime.