Last summer I look back and think we didn’t make the best of the free days we had before the advent of big school. I suppose it’s fair to say that being pregnant probably didn’t help my energy levels but this year, with energy levels somewhat returned, I am making a commitment to myself and the ladies that we are going to explore more. The mornings are going to be filled with packing picnics, loading up the slow cooker with dinner and piling the kitchen sink necessary accoutrements that come with kids and adventures into the car. But before we hit off we had to get prepared, the weather was unseasonably mild this Easter and the big lady in particular was left peering into her wardrobe in search of a summer dress that would fit her!
The big lady is the trail blazer in our house when it comes to clothing, being the eldest she doesn’t have a slew of hand me downs to stretch into so of course with every impending season she needs new ones. Of all the clothes I buy for her it’s the summer clothes I enjoy the most. The mere thought of buying them sparks thoughts of enjoying sunsets outdoors with a glass of chilled wine in hand or the smell of suncream. 
The big lady spent the entire school year top to toe in Marks and Spencer uniforms and I was thoroughly impressed with the quality. Summer clothes, with all the time spent outside, probably get the most abuse so I wanted to invest in clothes that will stand the test of time. Keeping in mind the Irish summers I got a couple of little jumpers, like this one the big lady is wearing and loves, that go nicely over shorts for the ‘not so hot’ days and are perfect for evening time trips to the park.
The girls love dresses, they are hot children so, bar the depths of winter, they refuse to wear cardigans, trousers or tights. So when I took to the internet to buy them a few bits from Marks and Spencers it was dresses galore. I picked up some beautiful dresses for the girls along with some other bits like hoodies and jumpers which will come in useful because who knows how warm, wet or cold the summer months may be this year. 
So this Easter we have put into practise what I endeavour to do over the summer, we’ve been out and about exploring beaches, parks, playgrounds and walks. I wanted to test the waters, for want of a better phrase, to see how stressful it might be to pack up three kids and head off for the day. Most days I forgot something, like a proper blanket or a sunhat, but by the end of the second week I had my s**t together. 
I posted the top picture in this post to my Facebook page recently asking people for tips on days out around Cork and the response was brilliant. So if you are, like me and not from Cork, or you’re visiting at some stage over the summer (and you should it’s a great county!!) there are lots of tried and tested tips on that post. We visited two beautiful beaches as per these pictures, Castlepark Beach just outside Kinsale and Garryvoe. And I have no doubt you will find us frequenting those beaches many times over the next couple of months!
This post is a collaboration between The Two Darlings, Marks and Spencer and Shopping Links. I was paid to create this post in addition to being given a voucher to purchase the clothes. All the clothes were chosen by me and the opinions are my own!
