Irish and Irresistible

At Irish Fest every year, there are a few things you can count on.  In fact, there are many things you can count on, but here are just a few.  There will be beers aplenty, and they will all be served in plastic cups.  There will be the sound of Irish music playing in the background at all times -- and people will spontaneously start dancing.  And, of course, there will be a sea of green shirts, hats, the whole nine.  Hell, sometimes there's even a full-fledged Leprechaun.

We know this Leprechaun personally.  Hello, Chris Bailey!

There is another thing you could always count on at Irish Fest.  Every year, rain or shine, Scott Wells was there with a big grin on his handsome face.  And, no matter the temperature outside, you knew he would be sporting his incredibly loved (and therefore threadbare) green t-shirt.  Irish and Irresistible, it read.  And he was. 

I think we are all still wrapping our brain around the fact that Scott is no longer with us.  I honestly hardly knew him outside of Irish Fest.  Even so, his absence was felt this past Irish Fest in a way I did not expect.  There was a hole.  An absence of hilarity, spontaneity and joy -- all of which Scott brought to the scene in droves.  

For Conor and his family...well, Scott was like another sibling.  A fifth brother in the Clan.  Scott's parents and Conor's parents were the best of friends, and as a result, the Wells kids and the Crimmins kids practically grew up together.  Scott was always present at our annual family picture on the picnic tables at the Fest, wearing that shirt and that infectious grin.  He is sorely, deeply missed.  And we grieve for his beautiful family.

 

As a way of celebrating Scott, we had replicas of his t-shirt made to wear at the Fest.  They weren't quite the perfect shade of Kelly green. And, no, they hadn't been worn thin and silky from decades of wear.  But they were pretty good just the same.

Irish Fest circa 2013.  We miss you, Scotty.

There is no better way to celebrate Scott Wells than to have a fantastic, family-oriented, fun-filled weekend at Irish Fest.  And so...that we did.  It was a wonderful, exhausting, whirlwind of a weekend.  Per normal.  Here are a few shots from the Fest.

Eldest cousin, Griffin Bailey

Chris Bailey and his new bride, Teresa

Sweet Annie Schuette, giving Deaglan a smooch

Becky and Deaglan

The Crimmins Family, California contigent (minus Georgie)

Meaghan and Dex

It is starting to become a tradition that the bulk of the family also participates in the 5K on the Saturday morning of Irish Fest.  It is a truly great race and a wonderful way to start out the day.  Running right by the lake with festive green shirts all around you...it's pretty awesome.  

Fionn ran the last little bit of the race with me.

Ah, it was nice to have running shoes for the race!  You might remember that last year I forgot my shoes at home and had to run the race in my green Chucks.  What you might not know is that we had just learned the morning of the race that we were expecting what is now our sweet Deaglan.  So I was pretty much floating on air despite my lack of arch support.  Here's a photo from last year's race. 

Crazy to think that little Dex was already growing in my belly in the above picture.  And now here he is...just another member of the Clan at the Fest.

See, the tribe has already marked him.  He is Crimmins.

Of course, Deaglan was not the only new arrival this Irish Fest.  He was one-upped by an even tinier new baby, Cavan Crimmins, the third son of Meghan and Colin.  Here are the newest cousins in what I'm sure will be the first of many pictures together.  We have already planned out that they are going to be best buddies.  Obviously.  As if there is any other possible scenario??

Hey Cavan, wanna bust this joint?  I've got a double stroller.

Speaking of best buddies, can I just tell you what Heaven is to our Fionny?  It can be summed up in three words.  BIG. BOY. COUSINS.  Fionn was simply alive with excitement over his time with his big boy cousins.  Just over the moon.  In case you lost count, there are now TEN grandchildren in the Crimmins Clan.  Ten!  Here they are at our annual photo shoot by the lake.

As you can see from the picture, seven of the grandchildren are boys.  So there is a LOT of rascally behavior going on in the family.  Running, wrestling, climbing, you better believe it.  Thankfully, there are a few beautiful little girls to balance it all out.  

The Crimmins Princesses, so dubbed by Erin

I must say, of all the Big Boy Cousins, Liam has a special place in Fionny's heart.  Fionny just A-D-O-R-E-S him.  And Liam is so sweet to Fionn.  It really melts my heart.  Conor did a great job of capturing their special relationship while they were hanging out in a tree at the 5K.  Because that's what you do when you're a Crimmins boy.  You hang out in trees and stuff.

As Meghan said, "They are cut from the same cloth."  And it is true.  Rambunctious as all hell, more energy than we know what to do with, not the best at listening...but with similar loving hearts and great smiles.  I am so glad they have each other in this life. 

As always, it was a wonderful, exhausting, fun, stressful, fabulous, chaotic mess of a weekend at Irish Fest.  And we loved every minute of it.  Already looking forward to next year. Slainte!