Erin – Page 14

I feel pretty spoiled that Niall gets three day weekends. While there are definitely times when the ten hour workdays Monday to Thursday feel really long, it’s totally worth it come Thursday afternoon… I feel like a school kid about to get out for her summer holidays. I know I know, sounds like I’m exaggerating but for a stay at home mom, having three whole days with dad home is pretty sweet:)

We haven’t been the best about taking domestic trips, but now that we are officially settled in after the big move there’s really no excuse! So, last week we decided to take a little day trip about an hour and twenty minutes south to Saint Simons Island. Our first stop was Sandy Bottom Bagels — I had done a little research and we just wanted something quick and easy for breakfast. It was perfect! We don’t have a fresh bagel shop close to where we live which is probably a good thing… I’d be there too much.

I always seem to know ahead of time what cute coffee shops are in any town:) So I knew we had to stop at Wake Up Coffee Co. before hitting the beach! We got iced lattes to go and I oohed and ahhed over the cute outdoor back porch that we definitely could not sit out on … one giant double stroller that wouldn’t fit through the front door and two whining kids? Nope, not gonna happen. However, Niall sweetly waved me off as he knew there were several cute shops that I wanted to poke around in while he kept the little ticking time bombs moving. Maybe the kids could smell the saltiness in the warm air… I think deep down they suspected we were just a few minutes from the beach. Or, maybe they just whine a lot (yea, that’s probably it;)

If you’re ever in St Simons, Viola’s Market is a really cute shop:)

I spotted this and just had to take a picture. It was even bigger in person. The dream!!

We parked easily and followed that lovely salty scent until the ocean was in view. The kids were in HEAVEN — it was especially fun to watch them for those first ten minutes. Eamon was a crazy man, just yelling and waving his hands in the air as he ran in and out of the water. Just the cutest thing ever!! It made my heart so happy:)

We left the beach sunned out and happy. It was honestly so good for our souls to have a beach day and do a little exploring in our new home state. I’m sure there were so many other things we could have done but with two little ones we wanted to keep it simple:) And we were glad we did.

I had bought a Southern Living magazine a month ago and read a snippet about a place called Southern Soul Barbeque, an old gas station turned barbeque joint — they called it one of the best in the South … and it was in Saint Simons. Sold! We headed there for a late lunch and it did not disappoint. The casual outdoor picnic tables with all the condiments ready to go on the table made it a really easy place to go with kids.

Do any other parents feel like the time between ordering and getting your food feels like a lifetime with little people involved?! Eamon’s thinking ‘dude, where’s my beer?!’

Ok, if you’re ever feeling sad, just order fried Oreos and you’ll forget about your problems (for a little while anyway). Seriously though — what do these Southern folk NOT fry?! I was skeptical at first but they were pretty amazing.

Last stop was Brunswick, a town we drove through to get to Saint Simons — there was a craft fair there I wanted to check out. Actually, it was pretty much the main thing that inspired this little day trip! I had seen a flyer for it a few weeks prior and thought it would be fun to go. We strolled around a bit, I bought some cute stationery (because if you know me you know I love snail mail), and then loaded in the car one last time.

We are enjoying every minute of being able to be outdoors so much and we are loving life in Georgia so far — even though I constantly have mosquito bites all over my legs! We’re looking forward to taking more trips, even if they’re only for the day and involve plenty of all the mishaps that go with traveling with kiddos. I’ll always remember our beach day in Saint Simons and the way the sea and the sand made us all smile.

My adventure in Ireland began when I was twenty (over ten years ago … oh my gosh I’m getting old). It was a six month long au pair job; I worked for a family with three children living on a dairy farm in Bruff, a little country town in Co. Limerick. It was the best experience of my life (I’ll have to write more about that another time!). I’ll never forget the moment I said to myself, Okay. I’m doing this! Looking back, it’s kind of crazy what a pivotal decision that was. It sounds so cliché to say I learned a lot about myself, but I really did. I also met my future husband which is kind of a big deal too. ; ) So, needless to say, when our flight took off from Dublin last September, leaving our little island behind and heading towards our new home, it felt like a huge chapter of my life was closing and that was hard for me. Niall’s family all live in Ireland so it’s not like we’ll never be back — but the fact remains it’s not our home anymore — and with limited American vacation time, we’ll be lucky if we get to visit once a year.

I’ve done my fair share of reminiscing since leaving, as I’m a pretty sentimental person — not always a good thing when you’re going through some monumental changes! We left a life we loved for something we knew was meant to be; even though we’ve never questioned our decision, I think a part of my heart will always be in Ireland. So, I wanted to do a little ‘ode to Éire’ and share a few things I’ve been missing most.

I feel like I have to say the people first, even though it’s a given! We loved our dear friends, and my in-laws were two and a half hours away in Co. Kildare. It was comforting to know we could hop in the car and be there if we wanted to. Oh, how we miss our lazy weekends with Nana and Grandad and Auntie Avril! *sniff sniff*
The accents. Particularly the Southern accent (sorry Belfast) — a lot of people don’t know this but in Ireland you could drive a half hour down the road and the accent may sound different. Seriously! There are so many different dialects.
When the sun comes out in Ireland (yes, it does happen a few times a year) it’s the most beautiful place on earth. You haven’t seen green until you’ve been to the Emerald Isle. If you’ve taken a trip and it was sunny the whole time, just know you got EXTREMELY lucky!
Certain foods … I never thought I’d say that. But the dairy, meat, eggs … certain things were local and fresh. I’ve been known to stuff my face with a fast food burger here but most of the time I prefer to know where my food is coming from.
Sourdough bread from Oliver’s. I used to buy one almost every week from a little deli/coffee spot that I could walk to from our house. That bread, toasted with avocado and a couple of runny eggs … oh my goodness. I miss it so much. Europeans do bread so much better than Americans. If you’re a local reading this, do yourself a favor and buy a loaf along with a lovely flat white.
It was pretty cool living in a place with so much history. Going to a museum or visiting certain landmarks was so impressive. We’re talking about going back thousands of years! It really puts into perspective what a new country America is in comparison. On our first date, Niall took me to Craggaunowen, a 16th century castle. No big deal.
I really love ‘autumn‘ as they say there, and the time coming into the Christmas season. Lights are up everywhere, the Christmas Market starts at City Hall, and friends are cozying up with cappuccinos to catch up in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle. Everything is festive and it’s COLD — which usually immediately puts me in a bad mood — but this time of year something about it is just cozy and nice. Bundling up by an open fire with a hot whiskey or a cuppa tea … ahhh nothing beats that!
Coffee; Europeans also do coffee better than Americans. Specifically, hipster coffee shops — Belfast does these well. I am not a hipster and the thought of my husband in skinny jeans makes me laugh. But, I must confess, I have a weak spot for other men in skinny jeans serving me coffee. No, not a weak spot for the actual man. Just the coffee. : ) General Merchant’s was our favorite breakfast/coffee date spot — Niall and I had to stop following them on Instagram because it just made us sad! Please order a flat white and a ‘breakfast manwich’ for me if you’re ever there. : )
Ireland’s close proximity to Europe! Taking a trip to the Italian coast in the summer, cycling along the canals of Amsterdam, sipping espresso in Paris, experiencing the magic of Prague’s Christmas markets, basking in the grandeur of the Alps … I could go on but you get the picture. Finding a flight could be inexpensive and easy. And it was usually only a couple of hours before you were immersed in a completely different culture & climate. Amazing! Of course, once we had kids these impromptu holidays didn’t happen so often … something had to give right?! Ya can’t have it all. ; )
Last but not least, the architecture. Derelict castles, fortresses, churches, houses … they are everywhere. Some have been done up for tourism purposes, but my favorites were those you just happened to stumble upon; sitting on the side of a road, silent and majestic. I could never see one without wondering about all the stories this place must have to tell.

Ok, I’ll stop there. I’ve considered making a list of things I don’t miss too (just to make things interesting), but we’ll save that for another time. : )

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day trip to saint simons island

ten things i miss about ireland