Tag: Family

Thanks, Penneys!

What to do on your first day when you’re jet-lagged to the high heavens because you woke at 2.30am (6.30pm Seattle time), and your body is wide awake and ready to partay? You do your annual shopping trip to the Irish store that kits out your kids for the entire year……Penneys!!!

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It’s like the clouds opened on an otherwise cloudy day, and a chorus of baby angels serenaded us!

My American friends might be wondering what Penneys is? Penneys is a store that is to fashion as Southwest is to flying. If you like to shop and ever visit Ireland, you will definitely want to pop by a Penneys. Although I’m not sure there is such a thing as ‘popping by ‘ Penneys. When I took my American friend there a few years ago, it was hard to get her out of there. Several hours were spent wandering the isles.

Check this link out if you do ‘pop by’. Tip Number 7 is the one that resonates with me; “It’s very simple. If someone compliments any part of your outfit, you MUST say “Thanks, Penneys!” and you MUST tell them the price. It’s the rule.” Really! The urban legend goes that tourists have gone back to their own country thinking “Thanks, Penneys!” was just how to say thank you in Ireland- it is said on such a regular basis!

As an Irish woman living in the US, the annual Penneys trip is a must when I go home. If I pick things up for myself in Penneys, chances are 300 other Cork women will also own that same top. But when I go back to the States, it’s a five dollar hot commodity that I can pretend cost me an arm and a leg!

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The kids did so well- bribes of ice-cream afterwards definitely helped.

The other Irish store that I visit when I come home is Dunnes Stores. My sister n law is from Canada and it is one of her faves when she comes this direction. There was some gorgeous kid’s stuff in there today. We spotted a few bits for my mom as well.

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Overall my six year old made out like a bandit today. I don’t think I’ll have to buy clothes for her for the rest of the year! The four year old didn’t do too badly either.

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Some of the loot! We picked up some Irish jerseys for the kids for a tenner in Dunnes (top right corner).
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My daughter’s pile for right now. There’s another one for the next year up.

Not a bad way to get over jet lag!

One Week To Go…….

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This is my last week at work before the sabbatical. It’s going to be a pretty manic one with transitioning the class to their new teacher and hosting parent conferences……but totally, totally worth it!

Not many teachers can say they are taking a three month paid sabbatical! I know how lucky I am. At our school, if you have worked there for ten years- you can apply for the program. This is my eleventh year working at my amazing school. And I was so delighted when the sabbatical was granted to me!

We plan on visiting family and friends in Ireland for the first four weeks (sans Wyatt). Wyatt will come join us for five weeks as we drive from Slovenia down through Croatia, and spend the last week in Dubrovnik with my Mom and Dad, and my sister and her family. Then the kids and I will take four weeks and actually travel around Ireland. It’s been a while since I’ve done the tourist thing at home. We plan on taking in Galway, Wicklow, Antrim, Louth and Wexford.

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We took Rick Steve’s two week guide to Slovenia and Croatia and extended it to five weeks.

Instead of inundating my social media with pictures and stories from the trip, I plan on using this space to keep a record of it all. It’s really more for myself- on those grey Seattle January loooonnnggg days- to look back on and enjoy.

I just need to get this last week in the books and then it’s Bon Voyage for a while………….