Party on...

It's been a long time since I was twenty-one.
Really...?
Oh stop! 
You really think I look young!?
You're so sweet...


Excuse my fantasy conversation with Bruce. It happens every now and then.

::sigh::

We headed down to The Bend this weekend to celebrate the MollDoll"s 21st birthday. 

It was a little snowy, that dreaded lake-effect snow!

It was pretty though..

Yes, she did turn the big 2-1 last Monday. 

We all know that turning the big 2-1 means a date with legal alcohol.

And when your big day falls on a Monday, you need to celebrate again on the following weekend...

especially when your entire family is coming to visit and bringing their Visa cards love.

I have to say it...times have changed.

My parents never saw me drink. 

Even now my Mother believes I'm allergic to alcohol, and the amber colored liquid in my wine glass is apple juice.

My mother is Italian, but she never really liked wine. 

That meant I wasn't served that sweet, syrupy wine all the Italians drank each night with their pasta. 

My grandmother did enjoy the occasional glass though, and I remember her always trying to sneak me a sip. 

She shouldn't have bothered.

Yuck.

We threw MollDoll a little party at Kildare's

Earlier in the week she was concerned that I may not be able to stay awake and hold my own. 

I am known for wearing jammies before 9pm.

I managed to stay awake long enough to soak up a little one-on-one time with my kiddies. 

It's no secret that my life has had some huge changes, it's not easy getting used to an empty nest. 

But I'm fine with it. Fine. Just fine.

I've learned to enjoy every minute when we're altogether. 

LawyerBoy and I discussed a few things, and he still seems to think he knows more than me.

I'm not sure I'm old enough to have a son in his thirties, but I do.

I'm going to have to start lying about his age.

So now all of my children are of legal drinking age. 

This really isn't a warm and fuzzy milestone for me. 

All it means to the BigDaddy and I is that our sweet little MollDoll can sit at a bar and chug a few. 
I think she's smart enough to embrace moderation. 
Waking up with a throbbing head gets old pretty quickly.

I'm proud to say that my other three children have learned that lesson. 
Some took a little longer for the lesson to sink in...but I won't name names.




We had a great time.

Molly enjoyed the company of her good friends...

...and I enjoyed the fact that this was one party I didn't need to clean up after.

"If you are young and you drink a great deal it will spoil your health, slow your mind, 
and make you fat - 
in other words, turn you into an adult."
  ~P.J. O'Rourke

She's a Junior?! Good Lord I'm old...

(Quite a lengthy post, you may need a snack)

BigDaddy and I headed to South Bend last weekend.

I think the MollDoll was excited to see us.

We were certainly excited to see her. 

She didn't even mind my obsessive picture taking.

(Well, by Sunday there was a little eye rolling). 

I know I don't have to mention how quickly the years pass by.

But let me just say that Freshman orientation seems like yesterday...

(2008)

We never really tire of walking the campus.

And I never really tire of taking pictures here.

How could I? 

The university kept us busy with workshops, dinners, and even dancing.

We managed to have a quick dinner with friends at the Emporium before the organized activities started.

Molly's dorm was fighting a battle with conjunctivitis (pink-eye).
ICK ! 
And since Molly is my daughter, she ended up in the infirmary picking up some antibiotic drops. 
We girls seem to have very poor immunity lately.
But she did manage to enjoy the rest of the weekend with her red eyes.

(Alyssa and her parents)

(Maggie and her parents)

(MollDoll battling her texting addiction)

We ordered her ring...this made me a little teary.

We ate at the MARK

I was quite impressed by my Earth Omelette.
Molly told me that taking a picture of my omelette was totally unnecessary.
I didn't agree.
(Let the eye rolling begin).

(Molly and Kerry)

(There's a slight height difference with Molly and her roommate Maggie!)

(Michelle and her Mom...fellow Chicagoans!)

(The MollDoll and I)






I did learn something I never knew before.
It seems the squirrels on campus are thought to be very friendly.
Yes, friendly squirrels reside here at Notre Dame.
Molly insists that it's true.
I did get rather close...

They did like to pose.


We always end our visits with a trip to the Grotto...
These girls took a break from their run to say a prayer...always a good idea.
There's quite a crowd here before finals!

...we left our prayers at the Cathedral.

It was another visit we'll remember.

I'll also remember that Beer Pong has no age limit...

...and we adults have no shame.




"Do not ask that your kids live up to your expectations.  
Let your kids be who they are, and your expectations will be in breathless pursuit".  


~Robert Brault