The boys had been excited for Grandma Presteng and all "the ladies" to come ever since the Uncles left. Finally it was time to make the countdown chain! They each chose a color...Silas is really making Dad proud...last time he picked purple, this time pink.
I feel the need to explain the absence of a Welcome sign for our guests this time lest anyone think we were not as eager for them to come as we had been for any other guests! Three of us had really bad cases of stomach flu the whole week before their arrival. My energies and time were spent in washing a dozen extra piles of laundry, being up at night many times with kids, trying to clean the house and thoroughly disinfect it, etc. The day the ladies got here during their jet lag nap, the boys made each of them a special picture to make up for it. :)
Sunday - Arrival Day!
On Sunday morning, we all drove down to Shannon to pick up Grandma and the ladies at the airport. Moriah was 4 months old last time she saw Grandma!
We drove down to get them so they wouldn't have to drive their rental car after being up most of the night on the plane. Sitting on the other side of the car, driving on the other side of the road, navigating roundabouts instead of stop lights...it's a lot to think about for a sleep-deprived mind.
From left: Carol Hensrud, Grandma Anne, Margaret Loken, and Auntie Gwen Berge (Anne's sister). Carol and Margaret are long-time friends of the Prestengs - they each have a family of 3 sons. The boys all grew up together in North Dakota at Bethel Free Lutheran Church and went on to Bible School and NDSU together. Margaret had become a grandma just days before coming to visit! Congratulations Jimmy & Beth!!
Our Bellhop
The ladies had all come with gifts for the kids...and Chocolate for us! Thank you!!
The boys wasted no time warming up to their new friends...moms who know all about how to love little boys.
After taking naps and showers, we got out of the house to stay moving and stay awake! The Claregalway Franciscan Friary has become somewhat of a tradition for our visitors on arrival day...we stick with what works.
We stopped to smell the roses that almost looked like peonies - they were so big and full!
"This way!" said our eager tourguide!
Growing in the cracks of the stone wall.
We went on to Rinville Park and walked through "the jungle" as the boys insist on calling any grouping of trees.
Getting a peek at their first castle in Ireland.
Monday - Galway Shopping Day
Our first stop was the Galway Irish Crystal factory showroom.
They were nearly giddy - like kids in a candy store!Not so much Aaron.
Next was the Royal Tara China store (not pictured) where we supported the crippled Irish economy by buying lots of Irish mugs and everyday porcelain cookware!
Then into Galway. We parked on the promenade and walked into the city.
The Quay at very low tide.
Our strategy was to walk all the way up Shop Street and start in the huge souvenir shop then work our way down, hitting any other shops that looked promising for pottery, wool sweaters, scarves, table linen, Celtic jewelry, t-shirts...you get the idea.
The kids did great - Silas even took his nap. I had been trying to prepare them with lots of discussions about how we would have a lot of "grown-up" fun days this week.
We took a shopping break to see the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas.
All shopped out, we walked over to Eyre Square and relaxed while waiting for Daniel to get off work and meet us at McDonnagh's for fresh seafood. Yum <>< 
Waiting for the valet service (me and Daniel) after supper :) then headed home to put our feet up and get good rest for another full day tomorrow!Tuesday - Bus Tour to Connemara
Enjoying Grandma first thing in the morning!
Ready to go! The boys had been looking forward to their first ride on a bus!
We stopped to look at a village with traditional cottages and some ruins from the time of the Potato Famine.
A scenic photo op stop.
Kylemore Abbey - our featured stop.Originally Kylemore Castle, it was built in the 1860's by Mitchell Henry, a wealthy politician from England, as a gift to his wife Margaret after their honeymoon. After she died in 1875 on a family vacation in Egypt, Mitchell did not spend much time here. The couple is buried on the grounds near the Gothic church he had built after her death.
In 1920, Kylemore was sold and the abbey was founded for Benedictine Nuns who fled Belgium in WW1. The nuns ran a girls boarding school which was only recently shut down and a girls day school which ended its school year for the last time this spring. The nuns plan to continue living here.
We enjoyed a quick lunch in the Tea Room before walking the grounds.
Fuchsia bushes grow wild here.
Giant Rhododendron grow wild all throughout Connemara, dotting the roadsides and hillsides with purple!
We wished we had more time to enjoy the Victorian walled gardens.
Back on the road...we stopped to get out and walk on the soggy, newly-harvested peat bog. Feels like walking on a wet sponge.
We stopped to look out over Killary Fjord...
...and learned that the traps are for mussels.
We stopped to get a close-up look at this Connemara pony and her foal.
Steve, our very friendly driver & tourguide, came up to the boys and said, "I'm looking for a driver." Silas remembered this word-for-word (actually corrected me) later when we were telling Daddy about our day. He was too timid to volunteer though. Aaron volunteered happily!
Couldn't drive through Connemara without a picture of some sheep. (I didn't bring my camera at all today since I get distracted from watching the kids when I'm taking pictures. My dad can relate. Anyway, thanks to Anne, Gwen, Carol, & Margaret for letting me use your pictures!)
Next stop, the replica cottage from the John Wayne movie, The Quiet Man, and a bathroom stop. By now, it was almost 6:00 and the tour was scheduled to finish in Galway at 5:15. This was an extreme example of "Irish time" which basically means that the Irish are so laid back that very little effort is made to be on time for anything.
And....another stop. The bridge used in the movie. I really need to see this movie.
This was our last stop. We were beginning to wonder if we'd ever get home. We got back to Galway at 7:15 and home to Daniel and pizza at 8:00. Amazingly and by the grace of God, the kids were little angels all day. Then again, if they had been fussing, Steve may have been more inclined to get us home on time... this will be a truly Irish memory :)
Later, we went back into Galway to watch Irish dancing at Monroe's (think square dancing). Three generations dancing together - it was really fun to watch!
Daniel took the day off work and we all took the ferry to Inishmore. The ferry ride was another first for the kids!
Moriah enjoyed it!
I brought my camera today :)
We just missed getting to hire a cart and pony to take us around the island, so minivan it was. Our driver, Patrick Oliver Faherty, is a 7th generation Islander. He was witty and full of interesting information. I wasn't disappointed that we missed the ponycart after all.
Next stop, the replica cottage from the John Wayne movie, The Quiet Man, and a bathroom stop. By now, it was almost 6:00 and the tour was scheduled to finish in Galway at 5:15. This was an extreme example of "Irish time" which basically means that the Irish are so laid back that very little effort is made to be on time for anything.
And....another stop. The bridge used in the movie. I really need to see this movie.
This was our last stop. We were beginning to wonder if we'd ever get home. We got back to Galway at 7:15 and home to Daniel and pizza at 8:00. Amazingly and by the grace of God, the kids were little angels all day. Then again, if they had been fussing, Steve may have been more inclined to get us home on time... this will be a truly Irish memory :)
Later, we went back into Galway to watch Irish dancing at Monroe's (think square dancing). Three generations dancing together - it was really fun to watch!Wednesday - Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands
Daniel took the day off work and we all took the ferry to Inishmore. The ferry ride was another first for the kids!
Moriah enjoyed it!
I brought my camera today :)
We just missed getting to hire a cart and pony to take us around the island, so minivan it was. Our driver, Patrick Oliver Faherty, is a 7th generation Islander. He was witty and full of interesting information. I wasn't disappointed that we missed the ponycart after all.The first stop was the old lighthouse at the highest point on the island. Close to the top of the very steep road, we had to pull over to the left to avoid a cyclist who didn't see the need to stay close to the wall as we tried to pass him. The tire hit the stones and the engine stalled. The van couldn't get into gear or get traction to move forward again and started losing ground, so we felt like we were going to roll backward down the steep and narrow road, taking out all the bikers along the way. It was a sick nervous feeling! Patrick wisely let the hill win and let us all out the back door. We walked the rest of the way and he backed the van down to the bottom of the hill and started over. We thought of it as a fun adventure...afterward. :)
On our walk up to the lighthouse.
Daniel's mom took a picture of him in a field of wild flowers.
On our walk up to the lighthouse.
Daniel's mom took a picture of him in a field of wild flowers.I think I'll blow this up and frame it for him for Father's Day :)
We went up to the top of the lighthouse. I told Silas not to touch the railings because they are very rusty. He obeyed and repeated, "rus-ty, rus-ty, rus-ty, rus-ty" with each step he took all the way to the top.
rusty boy
"Hi Margaret and Aaron!"
We had a beautiful view of the end of the island and the stone ring fort.
Silas is our cautious scardy-cat. Aaron has never thought twice about jumping from anywhere!
Next we visited the "Seven Churches", a monestary ruins dating from the late 400's.
We moved on to lunch. We didn't end up eating in this cafe because it was packed, but what a cute cottage!
As we started out on the walk to Dun Aengus, the cliff fort, we encouraged the ladies to go on ahead. We weren't sure whether we'd make it all the way with the boys walking and picking up stones along the way...
Yay for us! We made it!
We were holding those little wrists tight!
Out of the archives...from our trip here in '72.
We went up to the top of the lighthouse. I told Silas not to touch the railings because they are very rusty. He obeyed and repeated, "rus-ty, rus-ty, rus-ty, rus-ty" with each step he took all the way to the top.
rusty boy
"Hi Margaret and Aaron!"
We had a beautiful view of the end of the island and the stone ring fort.
Silas is our cautious scardy-cat. Aaron has never thought twice about jumping from anywhere!
Next we visited the "Seven Churches", a monestary ruins dating from the late 400's.
We moved on to lunch. We didn't end up eating in this cafe because it was packed, but what a cute cottage!
As we started out on the walk to Dun Aengus, the cliff fort, we encouraged the ladies to go on ahead. We weren't sure whether we'd make it all the way with the boys walking and picking up stones along the way...
Yay for us! We made it!
We were holding those little wrists tight!
Out of the archives...from our trip here in '72.(I could waste a lot of time playing around with digital photos.)
I trust Daniel, but this made me nervous...
The length of a football field to the Atlantic below.
Having fun on our way back down.
The Leprechaun wasn't home :(
More wild Fuchsia!
We boarded the van for the ride back to Kilronan, the port village, thanking God for His beautiful creation and a gorgeous day to enjoy it!
The ladies shopped at the Sweater Market while we changed the boys so they could play at the beach. They behaved very well again today and deserved some free playtime!
We sat outside on the deck on our return ferry trip. It was such a nice day!
I trust Daniel, but this made me nervous...
The length of a football field to the Atlantic below.
Having fun on our way back down.
The Leprechaun wasn't home :(
More wild Fuchsia!
We boarded the van for the ride back to Kilronan, the port village, thanking God for His beautiful creation and a gorgeous day to enjoy it!
The ladies shopped at the Sweater Market while we changed the boys so they could play at the beach. They behaved very well again today and deserved some free playtime!
We sat outside on the deck on our return ferry trip. It was such a nice day!
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