The Dells and the Dame

I have been a long time gone. Our summer has been go..go.. and go some more. Kind of ironic considering we laughed over cocktails and a relaxing dinner this past spring about how we only had one wedding and we wouldn't have to travel every weekend this summer. Matt and I thought we would finally get our summer of leisure we always wanted. Well, we were WRONG!

One thing we had planned this summer was a trip to the Wisconsin Dells. Well, I went to the Dells with my fam. Matt worked.(someone has to finance my excursions, and we all know it is not me) One day last spring when Meghann was working one of her 20 hours a week, she emailed me and asked if I was up for crashing the Palmer summer vacation to the Dells. Of course I was in. I mean roller coasters, water parks, ice cream shops and making fun of Mizzou fans?! It was like a God Damn dream come true. Plus, we don't get to see our Palmer Cousins that often so it was a total go. (Palmer's = my mom's sister and husband and their children and their entourage... I mean children) Before we knew it all Cosgroves were in and we were heading to the Dells mid July. We headed to Cedar Falls the night before to stay at Clare's to break up the drive.


Family Dinner at Mulligans


Meghann and I in our Sleeping Bags

The next morning we arrived at the Dells. We immediately dropped our bags and headed to the beach.


Mom and Dad having a cocktail


Jamie and Luke Making Sandcastles


Jamie's Sandcastles

The placed we stayed at was great. We had a big family cabin, a nice little beach and lake area, and lots of ducks hanging out who were super friendly and would eat out of our hands.


The Duckers

If you have never been to the Dells, it is basically Okoboji on Crack. Lots of waterparks, lights like Vegas that are kid friendly, a million candy shops and lot of ugly and fat people in clothing that is too small.

We would do activities during the day and meet with the Palmers at night. Us with the Palmers is a walking add for Birth Control and Back up Birth Control. My Cousin Chris is married with two kids, Quin is married with three kids, and Katie is married with 5 kids. Trying telling these people natural family planning works.


The crew getting Ice Cream.. ignore Riley..


Clare with Quin... Clare and I wanted to take Quin home with us.. he is the funniest, and oldest little kid I have ever met. They were all adorable, but he is a hoot!

We knew there were a few things we definitely wanted to do. Us older kids wanted to zip line, hit up some roller coasters, at least one waterpark and Luke was dying to ride the Duck Boats. I also decided that I was going to talk in a Northern Minnesota accent the whole time. It never got old. Think Michelle Bachmann and the movie Drop Dead Gorgeous and Fargo x 1000. I made up characters and talked about my friends Bill and Marlo and Loretta and her boyfirend Ramon, her ex husband is Jimmy.. Loretta got the boat in the divorce, touchy subject. Anyway.. I basically talked to people like this the whole time and it NEVER got annoying.

The Zip Lining was amazeballs. It was us 4 kids and my dad who went. It is basically 6 lines that got higher and higher. Riley and I got bad ass and hung upside down. Meghann on the other hand cried and told the guide she was the mother of two. Riley pointed out she was also a dog owner as the guide pushed her off the platform and told her he didn't care.. (It was classic, she looked like a deer in headlights).


Getting Ready To Zip Line!

Clare and I were also good sisters and took Riley to ride Roller Coasters. I basically was profusely sweating the whole time. I am getting too old or the coasters are getting scarier, because it kicked our asses. I had to have Jamie adjust me the next day because I couldn't move my neck.


This picture is horrible but I had to show it...Me, Sweating while we wait in line for a coaster, I totally look like a tourist, I mean it is the Dells


I took Riley and Clare to the petting zoo

We had a great time with the Palmers. It really stinks that they live in Missouri and are Mizzou fans, because besides that we would probably be able to see them more.


Quin and Katie with the Cosgrove Girls and Luke


Kids and Clare on the Train


Debbie on the Train, my favorite picture of the whole trip


Dad and John at the Moose Pizza Place


Chris, Clare, Katie, Riley, Maureen, Meghann, and Quinn


Kids outside the mini train we all had to ride


Thornton Cousin Pyramid.. The Palmer's were leery of a pyramid but we showed them how it is done. Us Cosgroves are pros at pyramids..

I don't understand how I don't have a picture of Mom and Michelle together, but I guess that is cause they are mom's and they are usually the one's taking the pics.. oh well.. their offspring looked good. We had a great vacation and we may have to crash the next Palmer vacation to Colorado in a couple of years.

And onto the Dame...unfortunately while we were on vacation my Grandma Mollie passed away. She had been sick for a short time period, but with existing health issues it was just too much for her. Now that I live closer to Sioux City I have been able to see my grandparents more than I did when I was at college and law school. I have really enjoyed being able to see Mollie and Joe more frequently like I did when I was growing up. You get so used to having your grandparents around, you sometimes forget they won't be there forever. I was lucky enough to get to spend a couple of hours with her on the Sunday before we left for vacation. She was in good spirits and we chatted for a few hours. She was very happy to hear that Clare had dyed her hair back to blond, she didn't like the brown hair on Clare either :)


Mollie and Joe and Matt and I

My grandmother Mollie was not a baking, sewing, crafting kind of a grandma. She was a smoking, drinking coffee, gossiping type of grandma, and I loved it. I think I was 12 before I found out her name wasn't Mollie, and her name was Ellen K. Cosgrove. I was so confused to who this Ellen woman was and why was there mail to Joe and Ellen K. Cosgrove in the mailbox? I thought someone should probably tell Mollie about this mysterious woman, and then at some point I figured out that Joe's girlfriend was also my grandmother. :)





Mollie was always very matter of fact, opinionated, and said "Now Listen.." a lot. Now listen usually followed with a story, a piece of advice, or Mollie Observation. Mollie always wore over sized sweaters and slacks and walked around in ankle socks or keds when I was a kid. She loved playing solitaire and was always with a book. I loved going to the Hair House with her and having lunch at the Gables, but really it was the way she held court I will remember the most. At the dining room table on Jackson to the couch on Court Street, she was the Queen of the Castle. Mollie and Joe were married for 61 years and instilled in me the meaning of family. Even if I hated the sight of them, they were still my family and they were all I have. I am very close to my Cosgrove family and Mollie and Joe are the core of that. We spent lots of weekends in Sioux City, so much so that my cousins are my friends, and we always pick up right where we left off, even though we are all over the U.S now. There was always activity in the house, from lounging in the TV room, to games in the yard, and Sunday Dinners, Mollie and Joe's was our Mecca.

My entire life up until this point it has always been Mollie and Joe's. I am really going to miss walking into their house and having Joe greet me, and Mollie sitting on the couch, reading the paper, and waiting for us to come visit with her. Joe is doing well and keeping himself busy, but it is even harder for him missing the other half of the pair. When Joe is sad, we remind him of the chaos Mollie and him created, all 15 grandchildren and 5 (going on 6) great grandchildren. I have overheard Joe say to Mollie on many occasions, "Look at this Ellen K., look at what we created." She would usually point the blame back at him, but the smiles on their faces said at all. Not bad for nice Irish Boy and a Dame.


Cosgrove Grandchildren

Back Row: Riley, Conor, Sam, Noah
3rd Row: Matty, Zac, Clare, Maureen
2nd Row: Erin, Meghann, Molly, Emma
1st Row: Kellen, Creighton, Jameson