Time flies and so does this trip. We only have a few days left of our Europe portion. On Monday we fly to Los Angeles, where Dave leaves us and flies to San Francisco.  He will fly back on Friday so we can have a good family decompress until he flies back to San Francisco and we fly home.

Today we dialed it down a few notches, but still managed to hike all over Killarney National Park.  People were swimming, which was something I did not expect, and of course there was an abbey on site. Yes, it was spectacular. The abbeys always are so cool. Tomorrow we hit the road for Dublin, and I am trying to think of something cool to see between here and there. Thoughts?

Oh and about yesterday, I am feeling better. Davy and I had a talk-it-out session while the boys found really awesome caves and through stones into the lake. We connected, and that is all it took. I am simple like that. Wait, the last thing Dave would call me is simple.

Aside from Kyle’s whiny-teenage-meltdown, today was good. He and I pulled through. Sure, I swore and then walked out of a Thai restaurant. Nevertheless, we maid it through, bought candy, and he ate. Once  you feed a teenage boy, even ones who persistently insist that they are NOT hungry (got to love defiance), once fed, all is right in the world.

 

Onto today’s highlights (in the form of bullet points, of course.

• Loud not particularly good hair dryer. I am writing this while drying my hair, by the way. As I type, Davy is lying on the bed with a pillow wrapped around his head.
• Brown towels in our B&B seem out of place.
• Good breakfast accompanied by some good breakfast indigestion.
• Pink soccer ball/(football). The Innkeeper’s daughter was mortified to share her pink soccer ball. She thought boys would be traumatized and embarrassed. After a lengthy discussing on how American boys have embraced the color pink, especially hot pink, she started to believe. I even told her about Kyle and his pink hair, to which the innkeeper responded, “If her went to my girls’ school with pink hair, they would hold him down and cut off this eyebrows.” When I relayed the story to Kyle I could see his eyes light up and feel him take the eyebrow cutting as a dare. That’s my boy!
• I keep trying upload photos and my laptop is not liking this. (hours later I figured it out and have successfully uploaded my iphone trip photos). I was motivated to upload my photos because (1.) Dave thinks it would be fun to see some trip photos online, and (2.) I had maxed the space on my iPhone.
• Today I sat in the front seat of the car. In total I believe I have logged in about thirty minutes in the front (that is a generous estimate). I grabbed my USB cable, plugged my phone into the car, and turned the music on.  As we drove into Killarney National Park the boys and I were singing the cheesy, “Sail,” by AWOLNATION. It was a great moment.
• Once in the park we went all European-picnic-y and had PBJ out the back of the car.
• My grocery list: Soap, Pepcid, Stevia
• Finding understanding with Dave (goal). And I found it along the lake, or at least I think I did 😉
• As Kyle, Eli and I walked the streets of Killarney, we hear the following,
  

  [insert little Irish boy screaming voice here], “The balloon is on my road. The balloon is on my road.”

• Kyle had a meltdown and I stomped out of a Thai restaurant.
• Eli has been great and I love walking around with him.
• After Kyle’s whiny teenage meltdown I took my boys to the candy store and bought us all some candy, because that is good parenting. And in the interest of full disclosure the candy store was promised to Eli, the non-melting down child.  Follow through, you know what I mean?
• Today is Killarney Race Day. We discovered a new species: The Trampy Young Irish Girl. Note. Must be wearing extensive make-up, very short dress, and extremely high heeled shoes. An old Irish dude and I had a collective laugh when he yelled to one of these ladies, “You are not going to be able to walk tomorrow.” Indeed.
• Dave dropped Kyle, Eli and I off in Killarney so we could kill time and get something to eat. As the boys and I were walking back to the Bed and Breakfast these words left Eli’s mouth, “Mom if I’m ever homeless…”
• Dave found us on the road. He turned around and order Chinese. It was the weirdest Chinese Food I have ever seen. And of course, he had Chips on the side.
• After listening to John Legend’s, “All of Me,” while waiting for Dave’ Chinese food,
  

  Eli says, “I don’t know why people like these songs (pause) I mean girls. Girls. Why do they like these kinds of songs?”

  Love that kid and wanted to share with him my teenage love for Journey’s, “Open Arms.” Nothing is better than that song. Really! 😉

• Eli wanted everyone to play a game and everyone bailed. I feel bad for him. When I asked him what I could do he responded, “I just need to say it. I just need a minute to talk about why I am upset.” I love this kid, (and yes, I love Dave and Kyle too, but this was Eli’s cool moment and it was very cool indeed)!

  

 

Tagged : Europe / Family Travel / Ireland