Our last day in Dublin...

Our last day in Dublin... Ice cream and a stroll in Dun Laoghaire.  Typical of Ireland, the day started out cold then warmed to bright blue sunny skies. I can't believe our time living here is really at an end and I feel a big hole already in my heart. 

We expected a lot of things as we set off on this adventure. We expected to travel a ton and we did.  We expected to see lots of rain and we did. We expected to be homesick and we were. 

But what is making it so hard to leave is all the things we didn't expect. That, while there are loads of places to see, the traveling experiences and things we've done in Ireland keep us hungry for more. It's a beautiful country like no other. That after the rain, pretty much without fail, a rainbow appears. That the homesickness I felt coming here pales in comparison to the feelings I have about leaving.  That the Irish people have a warmth in their hearts that can make the cold go away. That a cup of tea really does cure all ills.  

The last few months have been like a steady crescendo - trying to do it all, see it all, taste it all (diet starting now!) it has sealed friendships for life for all of us. It has made us extremely grateful especially for that. As a family we are stronger, and much much richer, but not in the monetary way (see above about seeing doing tasting all.😀)

So if you did read this, thanks. It is another turn in life and it felt like it deserved documenting. 

Reflecting - A post from over a year ago...

This is a post from a year ago that I never published... maybe I was self conscious.  Somehow though,  now as I read through it, that "new" year marked a real starting point, or turning point, for our experience.  We have lived in Ireland... we have really lived here.  Yes, its been an adventure, but it has been a life too.  In a way, I've felt at home here as much as I feel at home in my home town...  oh, and I never did get to a course at Trinity.  Another time... ha.

This marks the start of a new year.  (As a mom of school aged kids, I think of a year as a school year, rather than a calender year.) I wanted to make a conscious effort to look back on this journey to Ireland and the reasoning and hopes we had as we set out on this adventure together.

I am so proud of these kids.  This picture is from their first day of school, starting out their 2014-2015 school year in Ireland. They have adjusted, they have learned to be more flexible, they have made new friends, and they have seen so many things already in the past eight months.  They had a great summer visiting more of Ireland but also touching base back home.  Their friends in California, as they experienced, will always be their friends.

For me and Matt, of course, this move was primarily motivated by a good job opportunity as well as checking the box on our wish to give the kids an experience living in a another country. It has proven to be an excellent choice for Matt's career and for his learning and professional growth.  For me, I'm learning this experience, like that of the kids, is about also learning to be more flexible, more open and letting go of some things.  The plus side is I'm able to focus in on things I didn't have time or mental space for while juggling work & motherhood.  And, while I've struggled a bit with not working, I am determined that I will look back and relish this times.  I am trying to adjust my constantly frenetic pace a bit, and enjoy longer coffees, being able to blog (ha ha), and plan some very fun trips that we hope to make this year. Plus I'm looking into a course at Trinity College and getting more involved with the school and the American Women's Club.  

In our first eight months, we have had some amazing experiences. We've skied in the Italian and Swiss alps. Tessa experienced her first ambulance ride in Italy following a spill on one of the beautiful runs. (Fortunately no major injuries.)  I took the girls to see Taylor Swift in Berlin. We saw our old au pair there too. I also took Anna on a mother daughter trip to Paris. We have been to the North, South and West of Ireland. We have met some incredible people.  We've seen many, many rainbows.  We've seen almost as many castles. We've now got two resident fairies named Alana and Isabell. We learned good food is "gorgeous" and when you're looking good in your clothes you look "smart."  Just about anyone can be referred to as "your man," something really fun is "good crack," fries are called "chips" and chips are called "crisps"... All very important to know in everyday life here in Ireland.

We are feeling more settled in now, but still have the itch to explore and see more.  We realize that living in Europe is an amazing opportunity.  We aim to relish that opportunity hope and pray that our kids will realize it is also their opportunity.  They will undoubtedly come out of this experience more worldly but I hope they will appreciate living in Ireland, the people here, and all that we are doing.

Here's to trying new things and enjoying this experience to the fullest.

The 40 Foot on Christmas Day

The 40 Foot in Dublin (actually in Dun Laoghaire, a town, just south of the city center) is a tradition in Ireland.  Hundreds of people line up to jump into the sea.  It is about 4 C outside and the water is icy cold.  I would have gone in too but someone had to film this. ;)

It was a great sight to see my brave girls join their daddy on the 40 Foot!!

Hope you have a wonderful and relaxing (if not refreshing) holiday!

Summer vacationing in Ireland

There is so much to offer in Ireland, and, let's face it, the weather is never better than it is in the summer, so we thought we'd see more of the Emerald Isle.  We decided to hit the Beaches of the South in Wexford County, but we also wanted to fit in a bit more history, visit some castles and see Waterford, Ireland's oldest city and third oldest city in Europe (next to Paris & London.)

This beach in Wexford County is called Curacloe Beach.  It is know as the best beach in Ireland.  We would have to agree!

The kids took their boogie boards and went sand surfing on the dunes. It was amazing!

We mixed in a bit of culture with the beach time and went and visited some of the best sites around town, such as the town of Wexford, an Irish Heritage Park, and of course, a castle!! 

Town of Wexford, a stunning little harbor town with great
shops, restaurants and a pretty harbor.

The Irish National Heritage Park in Wexford 

A typical view, pretty much anywhere in Ireland

An old monastery dating from the 1100s

We went touring the ring of Hook.  The Hook Peninsula is one of the Southernmost scenic routes in Ireland.  There is the oldest working lighhouse there, the Hook lighthouse.

We visited the Johnstown Castle, build in the early 1800's for the Grogan Morgan family.  Now it is an administrative building for the Irish Department of Agriculture.

Our moto: Another day, Another castle!   

More beach time ...

A beautiful example of a typical Irish thatch roof house.
The thatch was originally used for warmth & insulation.

Heading into another county in the south, we visited Waterford.  The town is known as the oldest town in Europe, next to Paris & London.  It also has a castle, where we not only visited, but where we stayed!  The Waterford Castle.  The castle is actually on an island that you need to take a ferry to and from.  It was a beautiful spot to visit and fun to be staying near an actual castle!!

In downtown Waterford

The pretty streets of Waterford

Tour of the Waterford Crystal factory.
The workers still hand make most of these pieces.

SWITZERLAND CASTLE

We were in Switzerland and we were on our way to see a Castle! (We've already SEEN a castle but I like visiting castles where there was no touring of any kind. This is the castle we went to.  It's called the Chillon Castle (Chateau de Chillon)

Here's a view of the entrance.