May 1 - Big Brothers 3

Saturday was a full day of sightseeing! First, we went to see Bunratty Castle. Before we got there, Aaron asked, "Do I have to walk up all the stairs?"

Puddles in the parking lot.

The boys and Bunratty Castle.

Mark and Aaron down to the dungeon!

Yep, walkin up the stairs - AGAIN! Poor Aaron...but this time he was carried at least some of the way (thank you Uncles).

King Mark

On top

The view of the Shannon River Valley.

Too many men in the kitchen.

Big fireplace and fashionable chandelier.

Me taking pictures of the boys slowly and quietly 'chasing' the hen and her chicks.

(I'm using some of Mark's pictures in these blogs - thanks Mark!)

The chicks were pretty frightened and worked up by now and so were headed for safety!

Sorry boys, the chase is over.

Silas was working on his "cock-a-doodle-doo!"

I told him to smell the flowers, but I didn't have to tell him to say they were 'beautiful!'

It was fun for me to be back with the spring flowers blooming!

This is the first picture I've taken of the walled garden - it was just dead foliage the other times we've been here.

Farm hills beyond.

Outside Bunratty House - where the last family to live in the castle moved in the 1800's for more modern comforts.

It wasn't open during our previous visits.

More Aaron puddle-jumping!

Michael and Moriah in an "Irish mist" - not heavy enough to call it "rain".

We drove to Limerick for lunch at Supermacs. We had pizza then ice cream for dessert. Aaron shoveled it in with two spoons, and Silas made sure not to waste any! They inherited the ice cream gene from both sides (though it skipped me).

We wanted to visit Knappogue Castle, but it was closed. We were a little baffled since it was supposed to open May 1st. We figured that the caretaker must not have checked his calendar and missed it...have I mentioned that the Irish are a laid-back people?

We drove on without a plan and came across this beautiful Franciscan abbey.

An early monastery on this site burned down in 1278. Soon after, a Norman castle was built by Thomas de Clare, a military commander. The footprint of the castle's corner towers can still be seen. Around 1350 the castle, then a ruin, was rebuilt as a church by the McNamara clan. In 1541, during the Reformation, King Henry VIII confiscated the abbey and it passed into the hands of Connor O'Brien, 3rd Earl of Thomond (who ruled from Bunratty Castle). Around 1590 the McNamara's regained control of the abbey and once again repaired it. In about 1640 it became a college and is alleged to have had 800 students. Sadly, Oliver Cromwell arrived only 10 years later...he murdered the monks and destroyed the abbey. In 1671, the abbey was once again restored, but never to its former status. In 1760, the monks were expelled, though the last Friar, John Hogan, remained there until his death in 1820, but by then the abbey lay in ruins from neglect.

At least there weren't six flights here!

The upper level.

Exploring off the beaten path.

Michael living dangerously.

"Maria's not an asset to the Abbey!" I've had this song stuck in my head ever since...

I don't remember why Aaron was sulking as we left...

...but his Uncles snapped him out of it with a race to the car! (And, yes, they were hamming it up for him.)

We came upon this great beach as we were driving.

Skipping rocks...sort of. Needs a little work on his technique.

They were having fun watching the waves come up on shore...

...Silas was keeping a safe distance - he's much more timid by nature than Aaron has ever been.

Watching someone kayaking the waves.

Then, whoops...

...this was going to be a picture of Silas standing up, but he tripped while running away from a wave that was coming up further than the others had come...

...he just froze in terror, trying to crawl to dry ground!

He remained terrified for quite some time!

I'm not a nice mom - I thought it was hilarious and couldn't stop laughing. Dad and Uncles were no nicer...Mark captured it on video while I took pictures. Mark kind of pointed out that I don't really have a "mothering instinct" in these types of situations...much more important to capture the pictures so we can continue to laugh for years to come!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhUGM7sM94M

Surfer dudes.

Silas cried up the hill begging Daddy not to let him fall - poor kid, he was really shook up.

Aaron throwing big rocks - didn't want to leave yet.

Wrapped in Daddy's t-shirt until he dried off so the fine sand could be wiped off. I am not totally without mothering instincts...I had the foresight to take off the boys' pants and socks before puting their rain pants and boots on to play at the beach. Once we wiped the sand off, he had his dry clothes to wear the rest of the day.

We weren't far from the Cliffs of Moher and it was a gorgeous day, so we headed there. This was the first time we'd seen it from the south.

Sweet brother...Aaron drew a picture of Silas falling in the 'sea'... and we laughed.

The Cliffs of Moher on a clear, sunny day!

Uncle Mark and Uncle Michael are Moriah's Godfathers.

We missed her Godmother, Auntie Mia, who stayed back in ND with their three kids.

Pretty happy girl with Uncle Michael!

A view of the Aran Islands.
All we were able to see on our two previous visits was a heavy blanket of fog - which was beautiful in its own way.

Wardrobe malfunction.

On the drive home, we saw a complete rainbow - end to end and every color!!

From our angle, we couldn't get the whole thing in the picture, and it wasn't safe to stop and get out in this stretch of switchbacks.

A breathtaking reminder of our God who keeps His promises!