We have just spent a wonderful, if busy, ten days in Dublin and Edinburgh visiting family and friends.
We left Boston in a blizzard, getting to the airport took over an hour (it generally takes less than 25 minutes) and the drive was certainly interesting…
Our flight over was fairly uneventful, and at least this year we made it on to the plane before any children were sick… Last year we didn’t even make it to the short stay car park! Sadly we didn’t make it as far as Dublin before the first vomit incident, in this case the 4yo!
We flew into Dublin on a flight which landed at 5.30am local time. This, of course, was only 12.30am in our poor heads so we were all a little tired at this point. We made it to our hotel (more vomiting on route; the 4yo really doesn’t travel well) and thankfully were able to check in at 7.30am and go to bed for a few hours. On waking it was the turn of the 7yo to throw up, but to be fair, it wouldn’t be a trip with our children if at least two out three weren’t sick on the way there…
This nap got us through the day, but wasn’t really enough… especially as the wee girl didn’t cope well with the time shift and decided it was time to play between 11 and 3 for the first few nights!
We spent the weekend in Dublin catching up with my husbands family, We enjoyed lazy breakfasts, with sleepy children in the hotel. Lots of tea was drunk and food eaten, and the odd glass of wine consumed, including of course a glass or two of fizz to celebrate Valentines Day; my husband and I are comically bad at managing to spend this day somewhere romantic!
We finished the weekend with a family meal in a restaurant, and completed our hat-trick of vomiting children when the wee girl threw up as we walked in… From there we headed back to the airport, as we were staying there for the night before a stupidly early start to fly to Edinburgh. We don’t make life easy for ourselves! The wee girl and 4yo played in the hotel cupboards while hubby and the 7yo returned the hire car, I then escaped to the bar with my iPad and spent a very pleasant hour or so with a glass of wine, catching up :)
Arriving in Edinburgh at 7.30am (?!) we had the morning to kill before we could check into our apartment. We headed to my mums and let the kids cause chaos there for awhile before heading into town and having lunch. I then (just had to) go to the Cath Kidston shop! To finish another very long day my husband and I went out for a drink with a dear friend of mine; lots of chat, some wonderful news and *cough* a few glasses of wine followed :)
Our priority for the trip to Edinburgh was a visit with Great Granny, and this was a great success; the boys were lovely, the wee girl was hilarious and great granny got some lovely cuddles. And, we left with macaroni pies! A family favourite :) Well, with the kids and me and anyway, hubby got scotch pies! Other, must have, food experiences included a trip (or two) to the chippie (we miss proper chips!) and tea in Marks & Spencer…
We managed to fit in a trip to the Museum of Scotland, and the excellent Mammoth Exhibiton, and a visit to a soft play; along with coffees, drinks and lunches with various friends. It was a packed few days!
We flew back to Dublin on the Friday evening, ready to attend my father-in-laws 80th birthday party on the Saturday evening. This was a fantastic night with my husbands family, all the grand children were there and it was a beautiful, emotional evening. The boys looked very smart and behaved impeccably, even dealing with the very late night. The wee girl charmed the waiters before falling asleep in her buggy!
We spent another couple of (quieter!) days in Dublin before we flew back. There was shopping, more soft play, more food!
It was emotional leaving again, but by that point we were all ready to get back to our own beds and start catching up on our sleep :) We are just about over the jet lag now…
We had a wonderful trip, we managed to do everything we had hoped to and see everyone that we wanted to. It was fun, busy, chaotic, emotional and exhausting; with some very special moments for the children and their grandparents and great granny; lovely times for my husband and I with our families and wonderful days/evenings with friends.
Wow, sounds hectic, but wonderful & what would a holiday be without one (or all) of the kids taking it in turn to throw up! Here’s hoping the return journey was uneventful & you’ve managed to catch up on some sleep x
The return journey was lot less eventful :) And vomit free!
Sounds like a fun-packed time!
Although I haven’t had the pleasure (yet) of visiting Edinburgh, Dublin is one of my favourite places in the world – great to see you enjoyed it :).
We always enjoy our visits to Dublin, although since the kids came along we don’t get as much of a chance to enjoy the city centre :)
Oh Sara, what an amazing trip! Sounds super packed and busy but I bet it was wonderful to see everyone. It looks like everyone was very well behaved too – obviously, well trained for such visits! Lovely photos.
It was a brilliant trip, so lovely to see everyone x
How cute, the boys wore the same top! :) I love family gatherings, at the end though, I always wish for more time with them. But I also love the excitement of looking forward to them too! :) #WhatsTheStory.
That is so true, they are wonderful but never long enough x
Wow sounds like you had a wonderful, if VERY busy time away! Shame about all the vomiting but it sounds like you all coped remarkably well with the time difference and busy schedule. Back to normal now though I guess it’s not an easy adjustment back to the time-zone at home either! Worth it to see everyone though I’m sure :) xx
Absolutely worth it :)
It sounds as if you’ve packed so much in! and had a great time too
We really did!
Looks crazy, busy, but wonderful! Shame about all of the vomiting, but still sounds like you had a brilliant time and you’ve lovely photos to remember it with x
We’re kind of used the vomiting, so we’re well prepared :) It was a great trip x
Oh wow Sara what an amazing trip (aside from the sickness!). Sounds like you had the best time and really made the most of it. I love that you squeezed in so much, you must have been shattered when you got home! What a wonderful ten days though and such great memories too. Thank you so much for sharing with #whatsthestory.
Shattered… Yes! I’m still recovering :) It was great though, and I’m so glad that we managed to fit everything in x
I can’t believe you managed to cram so much in so little time, you must be exhausted
Exhausted doesn’t really come close :)
Sounds wonderful. I admire your approach to the vomiting children too, not sure I’d be so calm about it all but then my two are rarely sick! The clock on the Royal Mile at the top of the post is where my Grannie and Grandpa used to meet when they were courting before the war :)
We’re so used to it at this stage, that we can’t really do anything else but get on with it! I will admit to not being quite so calm in the hire car… but by the time the wee girl made it a hat-trick I was quite blasé about it! The Tolbooth? I walked past it everyday on my way to work it, love it :)
I just typed a long comment and it disappeared boo :( Long story short what a lovely trip it looks like you had. I LOVE LOVE all the photos. Especially the one of the three of your kids holding hands and walking. Definitely a framer on the wall! Glad you got to see family and friends back home. Bittersweet.
Oh, I hate it when that happens :(
Thank you, we did have a wonderful time, and there were definitely some special moments x
Sounds like a wonderful trip back and you managed to fit in such a lot. I think M&S and the chippie will be our must do’s too!
Yup, you can’t beat M&S and proper chips!
I am in awe that you squeezed so much into such a short time, sounds like a fabulous trip. Really beautiful photos. Sorry to hear about the vomiting!
Thank you, and we’re pretty much used to the vomiting, we’re quite prepared for it now :)
It does look like you had a lovely time, despite the throwing up! But then, travelling is never easy on them. Thanks for sharing snapshots of your trip :)
Thank you x
what a busy few days! Hope you are all well now and recovered from jet lag. You have some lovely photos there x
Thank you x We’re just about recovered :)
Looks like the travel sickness was worth it in the end – chips, playground, family, coffee, what else do you need? Perfect.
Absolutely, definitely worth it :) Proper chips!!
Oh wow – I’m in awe of you for tackling all that travel with three kids (who are prone to travel sickness to boot!) but what wonderful places to hale from – Dublin and Edinburgh have been fab holiday destinations for me (pre-kid!). Your pictures are fab and your time with family sounds soooo wonderful! I love it when a holiday is packed with activities and friends and family but I’m sure you would also like to lie in silence by a pool sometimes!! Lovely post. #MagicMoments
Thank you x We did have a really wonderful time x
Wow what a very busy yet fun 10 days x The pictures show how much fun you all had x looks and sound like an absolutely amazing memorable trip x
It was a lovely trip!
Wow Sara, it sounds like you did indeed have a great trip! I wish I could be as cool as you sound about my kids vomiting… I can so relate to your sentence about the emotionally leaving and the wanting to get back to your own bed. It’s like that for me every time, even when it’s not leaving but we have my parents here for a visit it’s the same feeling.It is so weird when someplace else becomes “home” suddenly.
I hope you are all over the jet lag and there is no more vomiting going around ;)
It does, doesn’t it? I feel very torn at the moment x
That sounds like an exhausting but fantastic trip. I think I’d miss chips too if we emigrated, not exactly a thing you can mail someone are they?!
I don’t miss much, but proper chip shop chips, I do get the odd craving for them :)
You certainly managed to fit a lot it! I’m glad you had a good time, despite the initial sickness! It must be so hard saying goodbye to everyone again – I hope it wasn’t too difficult.
Thank you, it was lovely, and it was hard to leave again – but good to be back here too x
I love a good family story – i bet all the Grandparents were so proud! You have a gorgeous family x
Thank you xx
sounds like a great trip, must be so nice to come back and visit family and friends after being so far away
It was lovely, not long enough :)
Aww what a lovely post, and I bet the weather over here felt warm compared to what you guys have over there! Seems like quite a short trip for traveling so far but it must be worth it to see everyone! I couldn’t imagine living so far away from all my friends and family, but we want to move out of the UK one day so it’s nice to read other blogs and see the positives :)
It was a short trip, but we did manage to fit a lot in! I won’t say it’s easy, but moving somewhere else is such a great experience that it is worth it x
Wow manic but sounds like fun, few days… the photos are great. :) I really want to go to Edinburgh, maybe one day.
It was definitely manic, but worth it :)
you must need a holiday after all that!
I really do!
wow! thats a lot you packed in !!
It really was, I need a holiday now :)
awww honey i am so pleased you had such a fantastic trip (minus the puke) what a really epic adventure!
thanks for linking up with #MagicMoments x
Thank you, it was a great trip x Thanks for hosting x
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It looks like such great, but chaotic full of fun holiday :D Sounds like you have made some very special memories to treasure :) x
Thank you, it was definitely chaotic, but great fun :)