5 reasons why everyone needs a trip to Donegal..

This times last month we were on our holidays..

If you've met me or stumbled across my Facebook feed you'll know I love Donegal.  When I was young my granny used to book a house by the beach at Portnoo and everyone used to pile down for one glorious week during the summer.  It was an old house with a miss match of double beds, single beds and sofa beds in a variety of rooms.  Someone new would arrive every day and the tiny kitchen was full of granny, my mum and my aunties tee-hee-ing and laughing while cooking up the dinner.  You were lucky if you managed to keep the same bed 2 nights in a row and it rained 90% of the time but they were really happy holidays!

Now my mum and dad book a house each year in Dunfanaghy.  It too is gathering a crowd of regulars who join us for a couple of days.  As a parent I loved seeing Joel enjoying what I used to love.  From the moment he woke he would be pulling on the back door to go outside to play and explore.  He would play with my cousins, potter with his bucket and spade, go on walks to see animals and dig on the beach until he'd collapse rosy-cheeked, ready for bed.  I loved seeing him spend time with lots of family and being soothed to sleep by my granny singing to him the wee songs she used to sing to me...

My Aunt Jane she called me in

She gave me tea out of her wee tin

Half a bap with sugar on top

Three black balls from her wee shop

My Aunt Jane she's awful smart

She baked 10p in her apple tart

When then halloween comes round

Beside that tart I'm always found

Phil has fallen in love with Donegal too and each year we fantasise about winning the lottery and the big holiday home we would buy there  with our winnings.  So I know its not just me, everyone loves a bit of Donegal, and heres why..

Beautiful deserted beaches...

 

Not a sinner in sight.  

Stunning scenery...

Staring into the Atlantic from the tip of Ireland.  I could be wrong in my geography but I'm pretty sure if you had super dooper strength binoculars the next piece of land you would be able to see would be America. 

Outdoor fun....

We were very lucky with the weather this year and were able to go to the beach without a jumper!  But rain or shine, welly boots or sandals, Joel could be found exploring the beach

There was a field next to the house full of sheep that Joel liked to visit and baa at.  This picture was taken at an outdoor centre.  More of a run down 'Father Ted' affair.  We paid our £4 in, briefly looked around and then swiftly left.  Don't think we'll be back next year.  Do any of you recognise this place from the picture?  

6am rock pooling.  When in Rome, eh?

Joel visited the local stables most mornings to see the horses getting their breakfast.  He's too little to get on a hose this year but he was just as happy to watch..

Family friendly ...

Making sandcastles with granny Jo, great-aunt Emma and my wee cousins.

Exploring the dunes with my cousins, the location where he subsequently met his summer love Amber.

Discovering a hairy caterpillar on the beach with granny Jo.  Pretty much his holiday highlight.

Swinging with daddy.

Sitting and enjoying the view while granda took some photos. 

Nutella pizza...

Ok, so nutella pizza isn't something you would associate with Dunfanaghy traditionally but we went for dinner in a place called The Rusty Oven this year.  It does amazing pizza and you can sit outside practically on the beach to eat it.  There was a surf school in getting a meal and they were served nutella pizza's as dessert.  They looked so good we had to try so we got one to take away to bring back to the house for everyone to try.  Lovely stuff!

Good views, fresh air, family and fun.  Total relaxation, a Donegal break is definitely good for the soul.  Just wish it wasn't so long until our next break..

Bucket List? Challenge Accepted!!

Moneysupermarket.com have challenged bloggers to consider their bucket list, a challenge I have accepted as beside from the incentive of a cash prize, theres nothing I like more than a good list!

Recently my life has changed more than I can ever imagine, with the arrival of my beautiful baby boy Joel time has become more precious and priorities have been reassessed.

I have never been the adventurous kind.  I have friends who wish to travel the world, jump from planes and have successful high powered careers.  Not for me.  I have crossed worldwide travel off my list.  My husband and I went to Hong kong and Thailand for our honeymoon, an experience I hold dear to my heart but also a experience where I discovered that my pale irish skin cannot cope with temperatures above 20 C and mosquitos enjoy my blood.  Thats a tick beside travel.  Beautiful memories.
I have been invited to join friends skydiving, but to be honest I am happier spending my money on going out for dinner with friends, going home to my castle (my cosy flat) and snuggling up next to my husband.  I am a home bird, happiest surrounded by my family.

One thing I always said to my other half is that i wanted to see Paris before we hand children.  I wanted to see the Eiffel Tower, eat pan au chocolat and spend hours in art galleries people watching and painting watching.

When we found out we were expecting a baby Phil quickly looked up flights to Paris, places to stay.  But we never went, we had to create a 'Baby Fund' and plan to make our impractical flat baby friendly with a little wall moving!

It has to be said I was sad that I never got my trip to Paris and when Joel arrived I began to count the things I hadn't made time to do.  I remember one night a friend posted on Facebook about her and her other half sitting in the car half way up the mountain with a flask of tea watching shooting stars with a view over Belfast.  It struck me that I rarely did anything impulsive like that, and now when would I have the opportunity with sleep routines to stick to and the military packing operation that accompanied any outing.

But now my priorities have changed, My bucket list consists of memories I wish to create for my family.  Moments to look back on to make the heart happy and actually many of those things don't cost a lot!

1. Family holidays.  I want this to happen every year, some of my happiest memories are with all my extended family crammed in a house in Donegal or in a caravan in Ballycastle.  Days spent at the beach come rain or shine and traipsing back to the house at the end of the day exhausted, buckets filled with stones, cheeks stinging from the sea wind, wolfing down fish and chips with salt and vinegar and staying up late playing board games with my granny and cousins, falling asleep where I was sat as I didn't want to miss any craic.  These are the kinds of memories I want for my son.
This is a tradition we started this year, when Joel was 5 months old and where he cut his first tooth.  The reason it is on my budget bucket list is because I am a lucky girl with a generous mum who treated us this year.  This is a tradition I will make a priority and I will save a little each month to make it happen.

2. Spend more time outside.  We live in a flat with no garden but I want Joel to have plenty of outside time, fresh air and experience nature, growing vegetables.  I have plenty of park space nearby and a community garden within walking distance, theres no excuse for not doing this.

2 1/2. Conquer my fear of wasps.

3.  Make new friends.  A silly statement to make at age 27?  I have a great circle of friends but have always been shy.  Being a new mum has forced me to get out and about and independent. Last week I bit the bullet and invited all the new mums on my street to a coffee date at my house.  I'm looking forward to it, and after all friendship doesn't cost a penny but isn't it the most valuable thing? (True but a very cheesy statement that made me cringe a little writing it..)

4. One day to teach Joel to ride a bike, to have that moment when I am running after him keeping him steady and then letting go, and watching him wobble off, alone.

5. Learn to crochet.  I have a Christmas project in mind..

6. Learn how to use a sewing machine and how to quilt.  Sewing machine borrowed from sister in law, and signed up to a quilting class beginning 9th September!

7. Star gaze at the top of the mountain.

I have started to make steps to ticking off my bucket list, when you have a baby you realise you don't have a minute to spare and so I have no learnt to act upon my list rather than leave it to later.  And crocheting?  Well, I'll just have to find that elusive extra hour in the day.


And now for the extravagant list, well it still contains my Parisian wish.  This extravagant wish is on the back burner behind childcare costs, mortgage payments, car and petrol costs.

1. Go to Paris.  But this time the wish is different.  It includes a petit enfant Joel and perhaps a trip to Euro Disney.  


So Ruth, Aisling and Claire, I challenge you to complete your bucket list, budget and extravagant.