'bout ye

Today was foggy and freezing but we headed down to Kennebunk to say good bye to Taylor Vaughan who is off to college in the early hours of Monday morning. Here are some pix of us there....but I mujst apologise for not taking a pic of Taylor...ooopppsssss sorry Tay, maybe someone will send one into me and I'll put that up....
Anyways Chloe and Dillon made the best of the weather,

Sam, Lynn and kate shivered together!!

some other people at the BBQ,

The things got bad as a huge lump appeared on Dillon's head

that will take some magic to shift Sir Harry,
Then it was cake time, beautiful cake,

bits of which ended up on Mark's neck

and Dillon's hair,

Thanks for the invite Taylor, and good luck in college, keep in touch...

Meanwhile we hearad stories from Saturday when Mark, Daisy and Niamh climbed Mount Washington in David Strasslers car!!!, Here's the proof,

that's just a tad higher than Slieve Donard,
here the trio are laughing at alll the people silly enough to actually walk up the Mount

Looks like a nice trip, somewhere I've never been...

More news from Clan Hebert...now officially awarded tribe status after last Friday's farewell show,
here they are having dinner out somewhere nice,

then Jeff decides that sticking beer cans inside chickens makes them cook better....ah these ethnic types, they all have their own way of doing things....

Jonathan, Elizabeth and Claudia get down to some scrapbooking,

but it's all too much for kitty,

just how do kittens make themselves look so comfortable???

more blog soon

Well alst night we said our formal goodbyes and thank yous, and helped celebrate MICP's 25th Anniversary.

Everyone dressed up in their best clothes...well most people...Mark did particularly well,

doesn't he point his toes well!!!

The hall at St. Max filled up well,

We even had cake....well we ALWAYS have cake

and balloons,

The cake was cut b y Phil Curran who was one of the first MICP board members,

I'll have that big piece Phil...

We then got everyone together for a big group picture showing the range of those who have been, and those who still are, involved in MICP,

We were all well fed and watered by the time Tim and Brett took to the mic and started the celebrations,

First up was Phil, he gave a talk on the early days of MICP,

It was an interesting insight into the formation of MICP and the problems they faced,
then it was onto the madness that is a farewell party night,
Jonah and Rick performed a song,

Robin read out a congratulatory e-mail and sang,

Bruce also had some celebration e-mails to read,

then the madness really kicked in,
Niamh, Sara and Katherine inhaled from the balloons,

then gave us an old Belfast song

I'm gonna tell their ma...
Mark read a poem,

Alex, John and Brett performed Blowing in the Wind,

then Jake took over from Alex to perform a song that Brett wrote,

Nicole Beaudette gave an insight into what it was like to be a host sister,

there was a bit of an awards ceremony, that no one photographed!!, maybe the host was too good looking to be on camera,
Lynn did manage a few awards!!
Then Lunara gave us a song,

and her sister Josie gave us a dance,

The night ended with a thank you to all you host families who keep on stepping up to take in our young people and give them such wonderful experiences, thank you all...
Susan said a few words,

Then Pat Morgan took to the podium to give a formal congratulations from the NEELB Youth Service

and presented a momento of the occasion,

here it is in close-up

thank you MICP for all your work over the past quarter century.

Before I finish there's just time to slip in a few pix I received from host families.
First upo Mark and Jonah's trip to 6 Flags Theme Park with Rick and Liz Hanley,
nice teacup guys,

Mark wonders why there is a guy in a Wonder Woman costume standing behind him,

it is a guy isn't it???

maybe thats where Mark got his idea for dressing up at the farewell party,
Hi mum look at me way up here,

and down here,

and here with Scrappy and Scooby...or is it Scoobie?? I'm bad with dogs' names.

here guys did ya see that guy dressed as Wonder Woman??
Watch out you are gonna get wet,

oh too late!!
never mind it looked like everyone had fun,

Meanwhile back in Maine, Katie tries to find Funtown,

ah here we are,

see I knew how to get here,
despite Ryan's disbelief,

oh well let's make up

now just what is Ryan doing to this poor carousel horse??

nearly time for home,

more blog soon

Only 5 sleeps left until we return to N.Ireland and yesterday was Dillon's 16th Birthday, his first away from home, but he seemed to be enjoying himself when we popped by with a card and a pressie (aren't we nice people).

Happy 16th Dillon, hope you had a great day, and thanks to the Hall family for helping him celebrate in style, especially Tom for all his attempts at organising the perfect camp.

Afterwards Lynn and I found Len Libby's, it's a famous chocolate maunfacturer and they have some chocolate animals they have created, here's a bear,

but even more impressive is the Moose, it weighs 1700lbs, thats over 120 stone in our money!!!!

even Lynn couldn't get her mouth around that!!

Meanwhile I receieved some pix from last week's trip to Boston by some of the host families,

Niamh contniues with her 'smiling in photos' policy,

OK that's more of a manic laugh Niamh!!!

Dillon(Sir Harry) compares swords

Wake up Ryan and listen to the nice lady,

I said WAKE UP RYAN AND.....

oh never mind, I bet if she had sung songs from Wicked he would have been more alert....
I don't know what Kevin and Conor are doing to this poor statue but it's possibly in breach of some Federal law...

more blog soon

Hi another day with Pat visiting host families, we popped along to the Heberts for a bite to eat and a trip to Candlepin Bowling, much more skilled than regular 10-pin bowling.

I introduced the Hebert family to the delights of Peanut Butter-laced Cheeseburgers.My roomie, Johnny, tried it,

he liked it, so Jeff had a go,

the verdict??? That's good, it's actually good.
Hey I'm a culinary genuis, what more can I say....
So off we went Candlepin Bowling, the pins are much thinner and the balls much smaller making it much more difficult and skilled than regular bowling,

Kevin in action

he's behind you....

Jonathan glowed,

nothing to do with a diet of peanut butter-laced cheeseburgers.
Pat and I chilled,

Kevin tries to reprogramme the scores

and ends up winning a pile of shoes!!!

Wehay!! Jeff wins a ride on the carousel...

Afterwards we all had ice-cream,

It was good enough to make you dance...

thanks Heberts for a fun night....

more blog soon

Well for those that don't know our boss Pat Morgan is over to help evaluate and celebrate the programme and it's 25 years.
Last night he hosted a Cocktail Party for host families which many got along to, here are the pix,
Aimee enjoying here 'Shirley Temple'

so did Brett,

as were the mushrooms, and meatballs,

Pat got in deep conversation with the Hanleys,

then he gave a speech,

and here is everyone together,

Thanks everyone for attending.

Meanwhile some pix have been trickling in from host families....Dillon has been fishing and caught these whoppers,

all he need to do know is dig up some spuds for a good fish supper!!

Stephanie has been walking with horses,

such a pretty photo...

more blog soon