a little bit of snow?!

Well I meant to post this a while ago, but it snowed in Dublin about the same time Fayetteville Froze so I felt it mean to put up pictures of actual pleasant winter weather.  The snow in Dublin was gorgeous.  It didn't stick at all though.  Just huge snow flakes that just showered from the sky!  It was odd though cause you'd be walking in the snow and then without warning it would be pouring rain!  It never really gets below freezing here thank goodness!  My friend from India was so excited cause it was his first time to see snow!  But he learned... and after 3 days was ready for it to be gone!  Just a slushy mess after all! :)

lately

Hi there! Well I noticed I haven't blogged in a while and I think this is in part because last Monday I came down with a nasty cold and I'm starting to get back into school.  I only have four classes this year, but one is so hard for me I might as well be in 10 classes! I do have more spare time though this semester so I attempted to look for a part time job, but unless I was comfortable delivering pizzas or cutting people's hair I was out of luck.  I decided instead to volunteer at a charity shop down the street called Oxfam International.  So one morning a week I head out to help them display their goods in a pleasing manner.  It is rewarding and I get to see some cool stuff people have decided they don't want anymore.  Also I am spending more time in my gym...it is about time! :)

We had a busy weekend, Friday and Saturday we were out with friends and then Sunday Richy's parents came down from Madden to visit.  They hadn't seen our little home yet and we had a great day just wandering around Dublin.  We nipped into a pub at about 4:30 for a pint and I'm still amazed at how in Dublin you can go to a pub at this hour and it is completely packed!  There was a group playing traditional Irish music which was nice too!  Then it was home for Richy and I to fix dinner!  I think we pulled it off, can't go wrong with chicken, spuds, and veg!

For some reason I forgot the darn camera.  Anyway can't believe how fast Feb is going.  Friends Jessica and Brian are coming to visit so soon!  We're getting very excited!

one year ago

Well one year ago I arrived in Dublin to explore the possibility of making the big move!  After three job offers I thought I'd be moving a lot sooner than July!  Funny though how things have a way of working out!  Grad school has ended up being a good move for me. Thought I'd put up a few pics from my trip to Dublin last year! 

Since Richy is working tomorrow he took me into the a cathedral where St. Valentine is buried.  It was kinda neat to learn more about the real reason Valentine's day got it's start.  St. Valentine also has books where you can write your prayers. We both put a little prayer in the book.  

Happy Valentine's day everyone!  

Lovely Weekend!

Looks like McCoy is getting used to this picture taking thing!
Crazy rugby players!  To think they don't wear padding! CRAZY!
Painting of Dublin by Jack B. Yeats.

We had a nice and relaxed weekend!  Friday was a movie fest!  We watched the Irish film "In Bruges" with Collin Farrel.  Very funny and clever movie!  Then it was "Dream Girls" which we both decided we don't like.  I'd seen it before but was hesitant to say I hated it cause of all they hype with Jennifer Hudson and the Oscar.  

Saturday we walked into town and went to the National Gallery Museum.  I really enjoy getting to wander in the gallery.  The paintings were amazing and the building itself is a work of art!  An Irish artist I really liked was Jack B Yeats.  We then had a late lunch early dinner at a Thai restaurant called Saba!  After watching France Vs. Ireland in rugby match in a pub we headed home!  Such an enjoyable day out! 

I stole the first pic from The Rew Crew blog!  I just loved this picture of my girls with their baby boys!  Rachel and McCoy(who is probably past the baby stage seeing he is walking) Leanne and Holden and Lauren and Jackson!  

Things are looking up!

As some of you may know the design industry has been brought to it's knees in Ireland.  So many designers, architects, and anyone in the industry are literally out of work.  Well today Richy found out he has a new job with a company called meadows and byrne as a trainee manager.  I'm so proud of him because he has been working so hard to find something in a field that he has never worked before.  He was picked out of over 100 people who applied, so I think that says a lot!  I think it is always good to have many different areas of experience on that resume/cv to draw from! Upwards and onwards! 

Belinter House....more pictures! :)

More pics from inside this amazing country lodge.  I would be a content girl if my home has this feel one day..on a much smaller scale though!  Richy agrees so now just get us some jobs please.....ha! We couldn't believe how cheap our scones and coffee were....9 Euro for scones and coffee for two. In Dublin it would have been 20 Euro at least!

My kind of animals on the wall! :)
Yum yum yum yum yum! 
Making himself right at home in the library!
all the wellies for the guests to use on the grounds...Can't believe I still don't have a pair of my own!
Love this pony hair chair.

The entry way and reception area!  Always been a sucker for black and white check flooring.

The Curious Case of Richy McCusker...

Richy has to be one of the most curious people I know! With that being said I get to see some really cool and interesting things because of Richy's curiosity.   This week we were both off so we went up to Cavan to help Richy's sister and her husband paint their new house.  On the way up Richy planned a fun day out for us!  Looking back over the pictures I realized I had the perfect blog title for this set of pics......Enjoy!

Here we are at the "Hill of Tara" Where the head king of Ireland used to sit.  Richy loves these kinds of places...to me it is just a pasture with weird little hills and lots of sheep sh**. 

Richy going to all the little hills to read about them!  I only braved a few because of the mud everywhere.  I mean I had mud on my knees..how does that happen!?

My day was made when I saw this momma with her babies..I was only brave enough to snap the pic from this position.

Give Richy the camera and we get much closer.  Momma is getting a bit nervous though.  We realised quickly that the babies are only a day old. Cause when little baby got up it could barely walk and had it's umbilical cord still hanging down!

Curious people get better pictures! :)  Isn't this baby too cute?!

As we were leaving we could see this old church remains from the road so we went off the path to find it!  Glad we did.  Richy quickly found a way into the site, that i probably never would have noticed!

This pub was across the street.  Such a cute little Irish Pub!

I turn my head for one second and someone is on top of the darn thing!

"what else can I climb?"

On to the Belinter House Hotel!  Such a cool hotel in the Irish country side.

In the parking lot. Curious Richy found a "cool" American Van...so naturally he opens the door...

Oh my Gosh!!!!

I am completely prepared to tell the owner of this van that Richy is touched and it is his day out of the institute! HA! Luckily no one was in the parking lot! GEEZ!

I wanted to put up pics from inside this Belinter House, but my Internet is kinda slow!  Maybe my next post!  It was beautiful inside!