We’re not going abroad this summer for a family holiday for a number of reasons.

Firstly, there’s no way on god’s grand earth that we can afford it, what with the ole house extension taking over the first half of the year, and the ole wedding taking up the rest of it.

The irony is, that with those two major events taking place, we NEED a holiday, but we have to suck up the fact that we simply aren’t having one.

The main problem with not getting away is worrying whether you’re depriving the kids of some major life event that everyone else seems to be enjoying, and when they grow up, will they always remember the summer of 2016 as “The year that we went bleedin’ NOWHERE”?

Our two and four year-olds are fine – they’re not on Facebook or Instagram and so can’t see all the pics and vids of crystal blue waters and sandy beaches that all you fuckers are taunting me with (no, seriously, I’m not one bit happy for you).

So here’s what we’re doing instead:

Fuck. All.

Jacob has been to one summer camp, and it was a strategic placement as it was in the new school that he’ll go to in September. It had to happen.

There has also been a weekend in Roscommon, to ‘Grandad’s Farm’ over the bank holiday.

After that, there have been strolls to our local beach and forest, visits to family and friends, ice cream every time the van rolls up our street and lots of their entertaining themselves while we continue to finish up our house and garden.

And you know what? They are FINE.

So if you, like us, are staying put this summer too, just remember – after a bottle of vanilla-infused vodka mixed with a few ice cubes, a dash of cranberry and OJ when the kids are gone to bed – you could be anywhere in the whole world.

Get in.

(Via Pinterest)