Mara still having with some of life's more simpler moments....
Mara is addicted to Jamba Juice.
Mara and Nick convinced Clare to make a Halloween costume this year, Joy from Inside Out. Mara was Judy Hopps from Zootopia.
Mara trick o treating in the neighborhood, with her fellow PJ Mask character friends.
Fall Festival at Mara's school. Mara with her 1st grade teacher, Ms Rowlett
Mara with her friend Alexandria.
Mara's principal, the Statue of Liberty.
Judy Hopps proud of her ears.
Look who's sitting next to Clare on her flight home! Boo boo the famous dog from the UK.
The city's oldest section is Gamla stan (Old Town), located on the
original small islands of the city's earliest settlements and still
featuring the medieval street layout.
The central parts of the city consist of fourteen islands that are continuous with the Stockholm archipelago.
The city is spread across 14 islands on the coast in the southeast of Sweden at the mouth of Lake Mälaren, by the Stockholm archipelago and the Baltic Sea.
Clare got to explore Stockholm by foot.
After Ireland, Nick & Mara flew home and Clare traveled onto Sweden and Poland for work. Here a shot of Clare with her colleague's daughter in downtown Stockholm.
From Limerick we took a train ride back up to Dublin. Here one of Clare's favorite shots of Mara & her doting Dad.
Dromoland Castle was once a castle and later a Manor. Now it's been restored to become a leading hotel of the world.
The property includes a golf course, walled garden, falconry, tennis courts, go cart grounds and an indoor pool.
The walkway leading to the walled garden.
The walled garden at Dromoland.
Carriage ride at the castle was definitely a family highlight.
Inside the horse drawn buggy.
A view of the castle from our carriage ride.
The castle's golf course. Sir Richard Harris has a house here!
A spectacular view of the castle from the grounds.
The castle had something for everyone, including go carts for Ms Mara.
And a chess game.
And of the falcon.
One of Nick's favorites at the castle was doing falconry. Here with the owl from Harry Potter.
The walled garden at Dromoland.
While Mom was having a spa treatment, Mara and Nick did high tea. Mara was quite fond of putting "ingredients" in her tea: milk, sugar and honey.
What's a welcome entrance at a castle without a bag pipe serenade?!
Then a trip to stay at Dromoland hotel, a renovated castle/manor.
Here a a shot of the magnificent interior.
From Galway, we drove to the Cliffs of Mohr. Here a shot alongside the road.
The Cliffs of Mohr is a little bit of the hike from the car. Standing 214m (702 feet) at their highest point they stretch for 8
kilometres (5 miles) along the Atlantic coast of County Clare in the
west of Ireland.
Mara opted to stay in the car, so Nick & Clare viewed the spectacular sites on our own.
The cliffs stretch for 8km (5miles), as the crow flies, along the Atlantic
coast of County Clare in the west of Ireland and reach 214m (702 feet)
at their highest point at Knockardakin just north of O’Brien’s Tower.
O'Brien's Tower
One of the many castles on our drive from Galway.
The following day was a train ride to Galway. Galway is in West of Ireland in the province of Connacht. It is the fourth most populous urban area in the Republic of Ireland and the sixth most populous city in the island of Ireland.
One of Galway's prestigious universities.
A driver picked us up at the train station and drove us around town. Here in the streets of Galway, with an Irishman playing music. Hazard a guess of what his instrument is?
Next we drove to the Hill of Tara, which is located near the River Boyne. It is an archaeological complex that runs between Navan and Dunshaughlin in County Meath, Ireland. It contains a number of ancient monuments and, according to tradition, was the seat of the High King of Ireland.
Hills of Tara is a World Heritage site.
Climbing (and conquering) the Hill of Tara!!
With our delightful driver Matt - He was a doll!
Drogheda
2nd day was visiting Boyne Valley. Here the Palace of the Boyne.
Newgrange
Windy & cold!
The ruins date back before the Egyptians.
Here the infinity ring rock carvings.
The historic Trinity College is located in the heart of the Dublin city center.
We stayed at the beautiful Intercontinental which was a little bit of a trek outside of Dublin, but well worth it! So peaceful and civilized.
What's a 5-star hotel without its posh pool for Mara to swim in?
The girls getting ready in the lobby.
Mara has become an expert on my phone, displaying her selfie taking skills with her Mom's phone.
Horse drawn buggy through downtown Dublin.
What's a visit to Dublin without the Guinness factory. And yes, Guinness does taste better there!
While exploring, we came across St Patrick's Cathedral. St Patrick's was built between 1220 and 1260 and is one of the few buildings left from the medieval city of Dublin.
Our first day we spent exploring Dublin. What's Dublin without a visit to a pub?
And this wasn't just any pub, but Ireland's oldest!
Dad and Mara enjoying some pub food and an Irish lager.
Our Fall trip this year was to explore Clare's heritage in Ireland! First impressions was that there was a reason why their color is green. Everything is so lush & green!
It has been exciting to watch Mara's social skills developing, along with her friendships.
So proud of her heritage!
A rainbow umbrella hat?!
Showing off her new jacket, a birthday present from her Nona.
Celebrating the birthday with our BFF.
Pochahontas having fun in her costume.
Birthday at Clare's Moms.
The girls singing happy birthday to Mara.
The Zootopia inspired cake.
Mara's decided to have her birthday this year at a local bowling alley with several of her girlfriends. We didn't realize this also meant that we both had to show them all how to play. Here Nick (the bowling expert), helping out....
