TEN DAYS IN IRELAND PART 1

As usual we have been busy here. College applications are underway for Barrett and the homework and projects are nonstop. The older girls are in and out of the house. We have a few house projects we are trying to tackle. Also, Art and I had the opportunity to go to Ireland two weeks ago. The trip was part business/mostly pleasure. Neither of us had ever been to Ireland before and were very excited to see as much of it as possible during the ten days we were there. 

We were on our own the first three days before meeting the group we were traveling with in Belfast later in the week.   We flew in to Dublin and rented a car and drove across Ireland to a coastal town called Galway.  I was very nervous about the whole driving on the other side of the car on the other side of the road, but Art did a great job.....and only drove on the "right" side of the road once - for only a few miles - before a very nice Irishman, coming straight at us, flashed his lights.  

So here we are,

Ireland bound...

Can you sleep on a plane? 

I cannot!

So after being up all night and watching my husband sleep, I was excited to get my first glimpse of Ireland.

So our adventure begins.......

On our way to Galway.

Galway was a great little town with too many restaurants, pubs and sweaters to choose from.

We had our first Irish meal here,

fish and chips for Art

and

fish stew for me.

The next morning we headed to the Cliffs of Moher, an hours drive away.

We stopped a few times along the way.......

for traffic.....

phone calls......

and pictures.

We ate lunch in Doolin 

before heading down to the dock to get on a boat. 

We decided to take a boat tour and see the cliffs from the water instead of walking on the cliffs and looking out onto the water.  

I am glad we did. 

Pictures do not do justice to the size of the cliffs. 

If you look carefully there are people standing on top - that gives you a little perspective of the actual size.

We had dinner at this little place that night in Galway.

The windows were open and there was an ocean breeze and several fiddlers playing traditional irish music outside. 

It was wonderful! 

Art had the irish stew

I had the "Fruits of the Sea with Tomatoes" .

The next day we drove three hours north to Belfast to meet our group. 

We stayed at the Merchant Hotel.

After checking in, we met everyone at a pub that had a great outdoor area...

went to Titanic Belfast - the Titanic museum. 

and that night went to eat at a great local Irish restaurant.

Art had an incredible hamburger  and "chips". 

I had a seafood pie with minted peas. 

After dinner we had to go pay a visit to the famous Duke of York Pub.

Belfast was beautiful at night. 

The next morning a bus picked us up and took the men to the golf course 

and took us girls (plus a few men) to the Giant's Causeway, another beautiful site.

We toured the Bushmills Irish Whiskey distillery in Bushmills.

We ate lunch at the Bushmills Inn.

I had a prawn salad.

 I had to take a picture of these doors in Bushmills....

I am guessing the smaller door is for leprechauns?

 After a full day, we headed back to Belfast for the night.

I took this picture with my iPhone and through the bus window -

it was ten times greener and even prettier in person.

 Be back tomorrow with more! 

SPIRIT WEEK

Last week was homecoming week at Barrett's school.  Everyday leading up to Friday was a different themed dress up day. We had a lot of fun getting her outfits together.    I AM gonna miss this! 

Monday's theme was "When I am Older".  Barrett decided to channel her inner shopper/rich celebrity/Rachel Zoe instead of wearing scrubs and hats like everyone else.  

Notice the million dollar hair bow!

Tuesday was Crazy Prom Day.  Barrett wore a bridesmaid's dress I wore in my cousin's wedding, a giant hair bow all of my girls wore when they were toddlers, the weird shoes Brooke wore while modeling and an old dried up prom coursage we reconstructed with erasers we had in our craft box. 

Oh, she slept in sponge rollers also. 

Wednesday was Super Hero Day.  Meet Miss Captain America! 

Thursday was "Throwback Thursday.  Instead of dressing up in clothes from a decade like everyone else, she dressed up as Miss Pac Man.  This costume was so easy...............and ended up being so cute! We had the black leggings, black knit shirt, red gloves, yellow sundress and round labels.  We bought four pieces of felt to make the ghost, two styrofoam balls (to paint) to make the cherry headband and made the apple earrings from two erasers we found in the 25 cent bin at the party store.

Friday was school spirit day and everyone wears blue and gold.  I completely forgot to take a picture! We were just so glad it was Friday I guess and there wasn't a lot to take a picture of.

Everyday someone is selected from each homeroom to go to the front office to represent their respective homerooms. Barrett was picked to go down everyday and her homeroom ended up winning the grand prize.......an ice-cream party!

We have a closet full of costumes and vintage clothing and hats that I have inherited from relatives.  Aunt Mable and Cousin Marti would be so tickled that we were still wearing their hats and gloves! If you ever need a costume, come on over!

BRITT'S NEW NEST

     Brittany is finally a working girl! She was offered a posistion as a NICU nurse at a hospital about an hour and a half away from our house.   She decided not to move to the town where she is working and instead got an apartment on the other side of Raleigh, about forty minutes away from us.  She commutes back and forth three times a week to work - she works three twelve hour shifts. 

     She loves her job and the hour plus drive isn't that big of deal for her. I worry constantly and say a prayer every time she hits the road.  I guess since I am her mother that is what I am supposed to do.

     We got her moved into her apartment the other week.  I have lost count of how many different dorm rooms, apartments and houses we moved Brittany and Brooke in and out of while they were in school, but all of that experience has made us experts at the whole process. Her apartment came together quickly and turned out very cute.  She of course would love all new furniture and everything to look like it belongs in a magazine or on Pinterest, but I think all of the hand me down furniture is just fine for her starting out and hopefully she is proud of what she does have and feels comfortable in it. 

This is the blank canvas we started with.

She lives in  a brand new apartment complex. It was so much nicer spending the day moving her into this place instead of the tiny dorm rooms and grungy old college houses I am all too familiar with. 

I didn't get creeped out once! 

(and Clorox was involved!)

She is still missing a few things.....obviously she needs a lamp shade....

and some dining chairs

This is the little entry way.

Nice place for a thermostat don't cha think?

I am pretty positive a man was in charge of deciding where to put it. 

She is using the bedroom furniture that was actually mine when growing up. 

Brooke painted and refinished it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and used it her last year of college.  

A lamp has been added on the nightstand since this picture was taken and the window treatments we ordered have come in, but they obviously are not hung yet.

She also will not be using this bedding. 

This is just a temporary fix until her window treatments are hung and we can get a better feel for color. 

I am hoping all of Britt's long hot showers have steamed the wrinkles out of the shower curtain!

     It is so nice to know that after a long night shift she has a great place to return to.  Our house certainly has been extra quiet since she left. (sigh) She had been living back home since she graduated in December and was job hunting. Now that she is gone, I again have to get used to a new routine and learn how to fill in some blanks.  Like I said, I guess since I am a mother that is what I am supposed to do! (bigger sigh)

   

MY BABY IS A SENIOR

     I do not know how we got to this day, but today my baby girl is a SENIOR!  Unfortunately for us, summer is officially over and school has started. Gone are the days of her ladybug lunchbox, hot pink backpack with wheels and glitter shoelaces.  She has grown into a beautiful young lady both inside and out.  I pray this is a very very slow school year - but I have a feeling it won't be. 

      I haven't been blogging much because we have been too busy playing and having fun.  I am planning on making some changes and catching up very soon.  I have a lot of summer adventures to post about and now that we have slowed down it is on the top of my list.