Undocumented Happenings of Summer that Deserve Documentation

School starts en dos dias. YIKES! And though I am sad to leave behind lazy days and beautiful sunshine, I look forward to a fresh start of my junior year. Straight A's here I come (.... hopefully... probably not... it would be nice... already dreading the thought of papers... and pop quizzes... and difficult tests... AHHHH). But I do love the beginning of the school year, when it's easy to have an optimistic outlook on all the hills that lie ahead (is it lay or lie? I'm an English major and it still throws me through loops trying to figure that one out. That's probably not good.) But I am most excited about... FALL WEATHER!!! Being outside with the leaves falling, wearing comfy sweatshirts, drinking apple cider or hot cocoa, bonfires, Badger football games, the smell of autumn air, cool breezes, and the list goes on and on and on...

But before getting into major fall mode, I mustn't forget to scribble down some highlights from summer that I have neglected to record. Oh summer, I love you... just not as much as I love fall. No hard feelings.

1) My dear friend Catie visited me in Madison. And I loved it. Because she is funny/makes me laugh and we share a love for Disney'sThe Hunchback of Notre Dame.

2) Dinner at Potter's (an unfittingly named Mexican restaurant in Naperville) with some of my Brosnan cousins (Bridget, Pattie, & Nora).

3) I went with Sam and Liana to Madison's Comedy Club and drank grasshopper drink things that tasted like mint chocolate chip milkshakes.

4) Family reunion with my dad's side (He's is one of about 60 cousins...so it's big) at the ole' LaSalle Manor.

5) Took a trip to Kenosha with Andrew and got to eat at Big Star and see the lighthouse!

6) Madison Orchestra on the Square! Listening to some good music at the Capitol. This picture reminds me of a Where's Waldo page. And that orange balloon is sticking out like a sore thumb.

Going Downtown with my ma

Last year for mother's day I made my mom a book called "When I think of my mom..." and on each page I wrote a memory from my past that reminded me of my mom. And then of course I added pictured and made it all cute. Well, here is one of those entries. Just short and sweet and simple.

When I think of my mom... I think of going downtown.

"Entering the solid, gray, building, mom would repeat the name of the floor our car was parked on. May. Floor number five. Before Bloomingdale's entrance was the shop with all the headpieces. So many pretty things that would never be bought. But we bought something. The crown of flowers. Tiny, white flowers. You had them put little blue beads in the crown to match my dress, the dress I'd wear to crown the blessed Virgin Mary the following week. We finished off our day of shopping at Tucci Benucch. It's closed now. We ordered bruschetta and just kept each other company. I was so happy that day. I hope you were too."

This is my dresser and the back right photo is one my mom took of me the day of May crowning. I'm wearing the crown of flowers we bought. I still have it and hope to maybe wear it on my wedding day.

On our latest excursion downtown, we didn't get to all the shopping, but we did go on the Wendella Boat Ride and took the Architecture Tour on the Chicago River. We've done it twice before, but it never gets old. It was a beautiful day outside and needless to say I snapped away at all the humongo buildings we passed. Enjoy!

The Sear's Tower and the Marina City Complex which is featured on Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album. Architecturally, it's my favorite.

A view of the city.

Homes on the Chicago River that I hope to live in someday. So quaint and perty.

1970s Irish Suburbia

There are so many reasons to love Ireland.

And this movie is one of them.

I saw this movie at the Wisconsin Film Festival back in April.

And I liked it.

First of all, the director has the same name as my grandma: Marian Quinn.

Second, the lead character is so darling and relatable.

Third, the soundtrack has Elvis Costello on it.

Fourth, Ireland scenery is soooo pretty.

ps Right now I'm at home in Illinois and there's a thunderstorm (i LOVE them).

And I'm lying in bed watching home videos from when I was 3.

pps Earlier I was watering the flowers in my backyard and I saw a garter snake.

And I screamed loudly. More like shrieked.

I've never seen one before.

It was black with a yellow stripe down its back.

Ewwwww!

Lazy Day

" No ripple stirs the placid pool,

When my adventurous line is cast,

 A truce to sport, while clear and cool,

The mirrored clouds slide softly past.

The sky gives back a blue divine,

         And all the world’s wide wealth is mine  "

- Paul Laurence Lauren

Laying out in my backyard with Katie (and Sam not pictured) playing cards and listening to Sinead O'Connor & Tracy Chapman 

For Lenny, EVERY day is a lazy day

Little Nuggets & Au Revoir Kevin

On August 7th my cousin Bridget had twins.

Two precious baby girls.

Emily and Madeline.

And I got to hold them.

:)   :)  :)

Emily resting on Madeline

Holding Madeline

On August 8th Kevin left for Massachusetts.

He's going to be teaching in New Bedford at...

Nativity Preparatory: a private, tuition-free school for boys Grades 5-8.

I hope Kev picks up an accent.

The night before he left we had his birthday/going away partaaaay.

The staple = Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Cake

The kids: Me, Kevin, Matthew

Blast from da past:

Kev's Birthday Aug 2008

Kev's Birthday Aug 2006

Kev's Birthday circa 1989

(What a happy young fella)

Find a Penny...

A few weeks ago I saw a penny on the floor in the Chili's restroom.  I didn't pick it up, but had it been a silver dollar or a Sacajawea coin I may have reconsidered. And so, I sent this text message to a few of my friends and brothers "Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck. But what if you find it in the bathroom of a Chili's?"  These are the responses I got...

Sam (mi amiga from college)

"Dealbreaker."

(Sam and I at Kyle's house back in November)

Owen (mi amigo from high schoooool)

"You already ran out of luck; you resorted to eating at Chili's. You can't be having a good day."

(Owen and I at Relay for Life 2007)

Matt (mi oldest hermano)

"I'd lick it because Chili's is delicious and therefore everything inside a Chili's is delicious.  That is a fact."

(Matt and I last summer in our backyard posing for the Christmas card that mom never ended up even sending out.  This was probably like the 50th photo and mom told Matt to put on his best smile.  This was the result. GOOFBALL!)

Kevin (mi second oldest hermano)

"Best luck EVER!"

(Kev and I at the condo in Florida on his Birthday. Aug 2006)

Sammy Rae (one of my oldest and bestest friends)

"Double good luck? Or maybe just an STD."

(Sammy Rae and I at our kindergarten graduation. Awww so cute!)