It’s been a while and we’ve missed sharing our fun adventures. Good news is…we’re back on the map! In Ireland this time, with a car full of bags, snacks, and one teething, wide-eyed baby co-pilot along for the ride.

Our journey kicked off with a series of classic close calls. First, we had the wrong name on Liam’s ticket (rookie move), then a deck of playing cards in our bag triggered an unusually intense security inspection (or maybe a baby makes us look more sus). Just when we thought we were clear, we were stopped at the gate. Apparently, unpaid infant international ticket taxes are a thing. A rushed mobile payment and a helpful gate agent later, we were cleared for takeoff. Barely. The wild part? Baby crushed it. Liam delivered a true performance: giggling at nearby passengers, keeping busy with his squigz, and then (miraculously) clocking a solid 6-hour bedtime/nap during the overnight flight to Shannon. MVP status unlocked. Spirits upon landing? Cautiously optimistic.

Brian reacquainted himself with the left side of the road (and the right side of the car) as we got behind the wheel and hit the road. Our aim was a quick spin through Adare on the way to Dingle but unfortunately were told that it was ‘out of bounds’ by the gatekeeper. We waved goodbye to the postcard-perfect estate and kept rolling down to Dingle through car nap time.

We landed in Dingle just in time for wake-up #1 and checked into Benners Hotel, a cozy and central spot that felt just right for easing into vacation mode. The front desk gave us a hot tip for lunch, and we headed straight to The Fish Box, where we had our first serving of crispy, golden fish and chips. After lunch, we headed on a quest to get the wiggles out, stopping at Juice for Thought for a matcha pick-me-up for Anna, then wandered down to the harbor to hang out by the water.

Back at the hotel, nap #2 hit hard, especially for Liam (and maybe a little bit for Mommy too). After some solid R&R and unpacking just enough to feel semi-organized, we ran to the grocery store and picked up fixings for a homemade dinner picnic. The menu? Rotisserie chicken salad wraps. Simple, no-fuss, and a welcome shift from the deep-fried deliciousness of lunch. We brought our makeshift dinner back down to the water for a breezy little picnic and perfect people watching.

Bedtime… wasn’t exactly a knock out of the park. We had big plans for a bedtime around 7-ish, but Liam had other ideas. There were a few wake-ups, and Mom and Dad pulled out all the classic put-down tricks, but alas it seems our first “bedtime” was really just a nap in disguise. After pivoting to some playtime around the hotel, Liam finally settled down around 1:30 a.m. Ireland time (6:30 p.m. Denver time). Honestly? We’re slightly exhausted, definitely amused, and just so happy to be here.