Autumn

Ohhhh how I adore the Fall. The leaves changing colors. The crisp autumn air. Football season. Apples and Pumpkins.... just can't get enough. Here are a few photos from a trip to Klackles Orchard (Greenville). This here is my favorite little guy, JW, trying to make sense of this apple picking thing. 

Ellery and Brooke had a great time getting their fill of apples. Yummmm! This calls for some caramel ;)

Aaaaand of course, life lately has been filled with lots of FOOTBALL. The Zeeland West Dux (Tyler's team) is undefeated!! Wesley is also playing football for the Eagles! I've found that little kid football is in fact very entertaining =) 

And, we can't forget fantasy. Tyler and I co-own a team which we are currently tied for 1st place in. And when I say co-own, I mean this is the first team I've ever had so I do most of the learning while Ty teaches me how the whole thing works! Sometimes, though (if I'm lucky), he lets me pick who we play. I can say this, I know a whole lot more about football that I ever did before Tyler was around :P

Last night, the Dux played Hudsonville unity. It was one of the harder games as of yet but our Dux pulled through for the win! Elly and I watched as Tyler coached the boys to victory. This is Elly doing a "Duck Call" for the first touch down of the night. #adorable. 

Jill and Nikki are ma football girls! They have been going to the games with me.... even when it feels like -20 out! Troopers for sure. I love these two. 

Couldn't help but think this was too cute to be true. I found them sitting on the hill watching football together. Wesley is such a great little brudder! (With some encouraging he even shared his hot cocoa). 

There is one classic Autumn activity that we have yet to hit---> PUMPKINS!! I am soooo looking forward to some great pumpkin carving shots!

JW.... stealing my heart once again. 

Ellery's Fifth Birthday

An ever loving, wonderful father for a precious little girl. Quite the pair:

Something about these two lets me know everything will work out the way they should. Ellery wanted a "duck" themed birthday party... as in the Zeeland Ducks which is wear Tyler Coaches for the varsity football team. Tyler worked his magic and came home with the duck mascot:

Ell was ecstatic! Our friend Josh (the duck)..mmm....not so much. 

All the kiddies; Pool side. 

Hunter, Brooke, Wesley, Mckenna, Shelby, Ellery, Daniella

Love her.

Good Bye Beautiful Ireland. Hello Home Sweet Home

I don't quite know how it happened, but this post seems to be all about drinks? 

No better way to start off the last day of finals then with Irish Breakfast Tea! Yum! Although Irish literature and Irish myth were awesome classes, I am very glad to be done with summer courses! Theme classes for Grand Valley - CHECK. 

At our end of the program dinner I had my first Irish Coffee. I definitely wasn't expecting it to be as strong as it was, but I enjoyed it non the less. Irish Coffee- CHECK.

After saying good bye to Corrib Village and Galway I headed back to Dublin for a final night (or two) with friends. First stop- the Jameson Factory. Thats a whole lot of Irish Whiskey! lol. I also volunteered to be one of the "taste testers". We took samples of Scotch, Jameson, and Jack Daniels... our tour guide then [strongly] suggested that we pick Jameson as the best AND best of all... I got a taste testing certificate.

  

The photo on the left is of Whelan's bar which is where the scene (right) is filmed in P.S I love you. We went for a visit but unfortunately didn't hear any "Galway Girl" being played. 

We went for a few drinks and live music at the Porterhouse and then back to the hostel for some sleep before an early flight... except not. When I got to the airport US airways over booked the flight by 6 people. They offered $900 in travel vouchers and a free night at the Holiday Inn. So, here I am. Still in Dublin, but I fly out tomorrow and I can't wait to see all friends and family! 

Cheers Ireland!

A Visit To Scotland

Some friends and I traveled to Scotland last weekend! It was beautiful! Edinburgh was very similar to Dublin with a big city feel about it. And yes, they diffenitely played up the plaid skirts and bagpipes thing. We saw about 5 different guys just hanging out in the streets playing there bagpipes in full Scottish attire- kilt and all. It was great. We finally made it to our hostel after getting off the one hour flight from Dublin, changing all of our euros to pounds, and dragging out suitcases through town. On our first night we went to the three sisters bar which was a lot of fun. Met some cool people (that were drinking out of sand pals?). In the morning we visited the Edinburgh castle:

Here is our group on the castle grounds. A great view of Scotland in the background. From the left: Chelsea, Becca, Alex, Vanessa, and me. Below is the first panorama I've ever made of photoshop. 

Beautiful! It rained all morning so I was really excited when it finally cleared up enough to get this shot. We also visited the Holyrood house which is where the queen of England stays when she and the prince visit Scotland! On Sunday we went to Roselyn which is where the Holy Grail was discovered in Da Vinci Code! Unfortunately we were unable to take pictures inside. After that we climbed this really tall tower that is right by city centre. It was a small tower with what seemed like a never ending spiral staircase. And what worse, the stairs got skinnier and skinnier as we ascended. Here are a few pics:

This is the tower

 

Now, back to work in Galway. It is finals week!!! I have already had one paper due and two presentations. Now I have an 8 page paper in Irish Myth and an exam in Irish Literature still to go. All done by tomorrow though. I am going to enjoy my last two nights in Galway and then its back to Dublin to catch a plain to HOME SWEET HOME!! =] 

So Much To See So Little Time

We have been busy busy busy over here in Galway. I feel like there is hardly time to update my blog with all of this traveling, reading for class, and of course- enjoying Galway night life! Let me catch you up:

Possibly my favorite place so far has been the Aran Islands which are right off the main Island (not to far from Galway and Connemara).

This place was absolutely GORGEOUS!! The pictures I took will never do it justice. But as you can tell it is different than your typical island image. The coast consisted of these giant cliffs that we walked along. Thats right! Right on the edge of the cliff we ventured what was estimated to be around 6 miles for the day. "Keep your hands out of your pockets!" if you can imagine this in an Irish accent -- that would be our tour guide/ archeologist. We were instructed that if we wanted to look over the edge we were to get on our bellies and crawl to the edge because one swift blow of the wind could send you over! Don't worry mom- I took care to follow his instructions. =] Heres our group hiking along the edge:

This past weekend I went to the cliffs of Mohr which are a lot like the Inis Mor (the island we visited), but its actually on the coast of Connemara and you can just barely see Inis Mor in the pictures!

We walked all the way to the third cliff that juts out. If only I could stay for ever. This place is beyond beautiful. 

Since we don't have classes on Mondays, we went to Connemara for the day and saw a castle and explored other scenic areas. 

Ohh.... did I mention this great place I'm staying.. happens to be a castle (see below). 

HAH... I wish. 

Thats it for now. Hopefully I'll get better at this updating thing. This weekend me and 4 other girls from the trip are flying over to Scotland for the weekend! SOO Stoked! Im sure Ill be taking lots of photos and such. My main goal though is to meet up with someone rockin the plaid kilt!! Can't wait! 

Ireland So Far..

So tomorrow we are going to the beautiful Aren Islands!!!!!! Obviously... I can't wait. Prayin for good weather so I can take some awesome pictures!! Yesterday we went to a "Hurling Match" which was awesome. Hurling is really big over here. We saw some what of a "semi-finials" game in which county clare vs. county Galway. Here's me trying to be cool with a child's hurl (stick that they use to play the game).

Notice the maroon and white cloak I wore down the streets of Galway. Intense. 

So I've been to a few bars now... and basically the bands here just do a bunch of american covers. ie: Sweet Home Alabama (like every night). Which is kinda funny b/c we are actually from the states... listening to a bunch of Irish drunks singing about Alabama... most of which haven't been there. lol. 

Also, some new words/ sayings

Whats the Craic (sounds like crack) basically means what's up? but "craic" can also translate to fun. 

To shift is the same thing as kissing or making out.

If you tell someone to "spare" its like saying you've heard enough... or to shutup.

If you say "sound" it means ok. or you agree with something someone is saying. 

If you ask for a fifth of Captain they will give you the little bottle. 

I've finally gotten used to looking right and then left when crossing the street. And riding in the front left seat when we get a taxi. 95% of Ireland drive a stick shift car. Pretty cool... but I'm positive I wouldn't be able to do it... everything is backwards. You shift towards your body to go to a higher gear. Also, the street signs are all in Kilometers and the lanes are much smaller then the states. 

So far so good. My room mates are awesome. The Irish are friendly. And there is so much fun stuff to do /see everyday. I could stay here forever ;]

One more thing: so we go to a mickey dee's yesterday and they make you pay 50 cents for an extra packet of katchup. Wth? I thought Katchup was like water....

Tomorrow morning we're going to Jail!!! (Gaol if your Irish :P ) and the Guinness factory after that!