There’s a lot of love to go around when you grow up with 30+ people who all live within 15 minutes of your house. It can be crazy, yes, but there’s never a dull moment with this family. Here's some of the best things about growing up with a big, Irish family.

1. So. Many. Cousins.

In our family, there’s a pretty big range in ages of all 17 of the grandchildren. With a new cousin on the way, there will soon be a 24-year age gap between the oldest grandchild in the family, and the very youngest.

2. Big family gatherings = big deal

Even though we see each other on a weekly basis, family parties are still a huge deal. Almost everyone brings something to eat. There are decorations for whatever holiday or birthday we're celebrating. 30+ people in one kitchen, singing happy birthday off-key? Yep, that's my family.

3. Cheers!

There’s always alcohol: because is it really an Irish get-together if there isn’t any beer?

4. The best St. Paddy's Day meal you ever did eat

My mom might not make her own homemade pasta and tomato sauce like all Italian moms seem to do, but I’d be lying if I said she doesn’t know how to bake a mean St. Paddy's Day meal. Corn beef. Homemade mashed potatoes. Everything potatoes. Soda bread. Yum…!

5. Mayhem at Mass

While our family doesn’t frequent church every Sunday, when we do make our yearly appearance at mass (usually for baptisms, communions, and weddings) —it’s far from discreet. Early morning mass for our family includes: cheerios, crying, playing with the missals, peek-a-boo between the pews, and more whispering than listening during the service.

6. Secrets can (NOT) be kept

Or as our Grandpa calls it, “the family blah.” The news. Who’s doing what. What’s going on. Nothing goes unsaid in this family. And it sucks being the last person to find out.

7. Being "that big family" on vacations

Now seems like an appropriate time to say thank you to Woodloch Pines Resort for hosting our bi-annual family vacations. It's not easy to host our whole clan, what with all the noise, strollers, adults, children, teenagers-- everything. Wherever we might go, let it be known by all.

8. It's not fun until somebody cries

Sure it's all smiles now, but as a saying in our family goes: "it's not fun until someone gets hurt, or cries." With so many children, there's bound to be at least some tears at each family party. The best feeling? "Not mine!"

9. Unless the last name didn’t give it away, our first names are pretty Irish, too

Every Irish family has a Patrick, a Mary, and an exotic Irish name you've never heard of, like Kieran. For us, the list goes on, because just having an Irish last name wasn’t enough.

10. Loud.

If I had to choose one word to describe my big family, it would be: loud. Very, very loud. With kids screaming and the men all screaming at whatever game is on the TV, it’s pretty impossible to hold a casual conversation. We’ve learned that talking even louder does the trick.

11. Birthdays are like Christmas

Although my birthday actually does happen to fall on a holiday, I can imagine that the rest of my cousins might also feel the same way. Each month, we get together to celebrate the "monthly birthdays" (because there's just too many people to celebrate separately). With so many family members, there's always so many presents. Each kids' birthday feels like Christmas.

12. Speaking of Christmas,

How much does it take to feed almost forty people on Christmas? A 31 pound turkey, 10 pounds of potatoes, and 18 cups of gravy to be exact. Plus side dishes and dessert. No one leaves a big family party hungry.

13. We may be crazy..

Sure, it's not always easy getting our big, loud bunch into one place at one time...

14. But there's a lot of love to go around

The best thing about my big Irish family is that I know I have 30+ number one fans cheering me on, countless hugs and smiles, and an abundance of love.

"For your smile is a part of the love in your heart... and when Irish eyes are smilin' sure, they steal your heart away."