Photo Friday 18.09.15

Lunch on a train

Bad luck perhaps, but he was SO excited, we couldn't not!

Loose on the underground

Me...with lovely light and bored eyes.

Have a lovely weekend!

a xxx

Visits from family and other non internetty times

My sister was here for just over two weeks (which is just under a million weeks too short if you ask me). And means I've not done any blogging for quite some time. Basically I was having too much fun, and pouring myself in to bed each night totally utterly exhausted in the best possible way.

I LOVE having her here, and I wish more than anything that she still lived in the UK (why oh why can't commonwealth citizens move freely between countries!?!?)

Although the last few visits we've had from her have been a lot about her spending time with the tiny human - there has also been a lot of sistor time. Shopping, eating, drinking and chatting...just so much chatting. The time I get to spend with her is SO valuable and happens so rarely - it's amazing how quickly it goes every single time.

Park life

We went to a few of our fav' places to eat...drank a LOT of bubbles and gin and did ALL THE SHOPPING.

train trips to London

She's gone back to Canada now to do her last year at Uni (smarty pants!) and we all miss her so much. Tiny Human has been asking after her everyday, and was really confused when he saw her on Skype with my Mom just days after she was in our living room.

Shopping anxiety attack....too many cute things....

Thankfully we're seeing her at Christmas so not long to wait (but if you ask me she should just move in already).

axx

See you soons vs. good-byes

You know when you have those people enter your life…in a weird way or unexpectedly and circumstances align just so – and then all of a sudden you can’t remember what life was like before they were around?

I have a few of those. But notably, and for the case of this mini essay one fam jam in particular.

I met T in a breastfeeding support group (yes they exist, no I didn’t EVER think I would go to one). I was 10 days in to being a Momma and we were terrible at breastfeeding. Like the worst. And I was determined (by guilt mostly) to not give up so soon…so off we went to this room in a community centre where there was a circle of Mommas with their boobs out, most crying, all sleep deprived and all desperate to feed their baby.

It was a few weeks before we got to know each other but once the hang outs started happening outside of that room the friendship was quickly cemented on our North American roots, love of day drinking and new mom status.

It helped that our littles got on so well and are so close in age – so as long baby naps at the pub turned in to running after them at the park we were always in just about the same phase, which made our time together SO easy.

I went back to work, but days off were spent having play dates and bitching about things (literally anything), shopping, drinking coffee and wine and letting the two littles entertain each other.

Two and a half years later and we’re doing the same. Adding in weekends away, nights out without the littles, sleepovers, lots of wine and gin and about a trillion WhatsApp messages from evenings and bad days…and she’s leaving me, they’re leaving us.

The three of them are off on their next adventure, returning to their homeland (although not the home state!) and while I’m excited for them – my heart is breaking just a little (ok a LOT).

The tiny human said goodbye to one of his best buddies on Sunday, and he had no idea what kind of goodbye it was. They didn’t get down our street before I was sobbing. And while we know we’ll see each other in less than a year, and there is SKYPE and FaceTime and good old fashion snail mail it won’t be the same. Not to mention every time he’s talked about her this week I’ve had to hold my emosh mess together…this will get worse as time goes on. Time zones and international moves don’t mean much to a two year old!

In my heart I know that they’ll always be a part of our lives, and we’ll have more adventures and sleep overs, the littles will chase each other around, share meals and bath times together – I also can’t help but mourn the loss of the proximity of the friendship. How easy it’s been, and how lucky we are to have these incredibly generous, loving and hilarious people 20 minutes away.

So I wish them nothing but luck and love on their next chapter – the three of them deserve all the happiness in the world.

…and thank everything for technology or I think I might actually be stopping the plane on Saturday.

a xxx

Photo Friday

two of my favourites from my favourite

had a hot coffee in my pjs on Sunday morning - ALONE!! T'was awesome.

This kid and his penguin. I tell you, it's true love

One of many 'Pit Stops' at dinner on Monday

Two of my best bishes.

Canadian Tux styles at the duck pond

a full on day of filming for work in the most gorge house

axx

Photo Friday

First go at homemade marshmallows - 100s & 1000s

At home date nights...a firm favorite

One of a kind wrapping paper for a special dada

the view from our Fathers Day walk

and the forest

Three generations of Arthur...

axxx

Photo Friday - 19.06.15

King of the ducks!

The view from the local pub...not too shabby

Tennis...aka smash ball, has a new fan...

Pooh Sticks!

Surprise treats make for happy evenings

Muted hues and coffee as the most important accessory

Thirsty Thursdays with my best boys

Centre Parcs weekend of fun

This is a proper ESSAY. I’ve put in random pics to break it up a bit! But get some snacks.

Having never been, and not really knowing what to expect AT ALL – we did our massive Ocado order, loaded up the car with all the things and headed to Woburn for a weekend of fun with some of our bestest. 

The M25 was typically terrible and the journey was longer than we wanted…even though we left work early to get there, so when we pulled in we were all a little bit ready to just BE somewhere. We were greeted by a lovely lady and checked in, given our stylish wrist bands and map and sent on our way…where we immediately took a wrong turn and ended up in the deepest depths of the park (well not really, but who were we to know?) and turns out, also driving down a footpath. Haynes’ for the win. 

We turned ourselves around (I ran in to the spa to use the loo…let’s be real it had been hours!!!) and finally found our way to the cabin where we would be for the weekend. 

I say cabin, really it was a lovely house – two stories with two bedrooms and ensuites downstairs and upstairs had two bedrooms and ensuites, a games room (pool table, xbox, games!), an open plan living space (lounge, dining table and kitchen) as well as a lovely outdoor space with a bbq set up, a sauna and another balcony at the front. 

We got to unloading the car – first thing first was loading up the wine fridge – obvs.

I had read a lot about what was actually in the kitchens, so we brought a few bits which actually I was really happy we did (sharp knives, big serving bowls, a big pan for ‘family cooking’ a whisk, kitchen roll, cling film and aluminium foil) – there were things I didn’t bring and wish I did…dishtowels and a jug for Pimms! 

We got settled in – gave the tiny human his supper and let him run around like a maniac – he was LOVING it. And because it was all open plan he could be outside when I was unpacking stuff in the kitchen and I could still see him…made me want to get our reno sorted ASAP!

The rest of the crew arrived later, put their little to bed and we had a pizza party in the kitchen – with lots of wine. 

The next day was for boating and eating and napping and drinking…lots of adventures and mini golf and general exploring. The weather was lovely a bit of wind and cloud, but enough sunshine that we were able to have lots and lots of outside time. 

We were equal distance from the swimming bit and the lake and indoor bit – and no hills! The reviews online for this location are often about how hilly it is, we really really lucked out with the location of our casa. 

We didn’t make it to the pool on day one – SO much fun doing everything else. 

Day two we had a craft thingy booked in for the littles in the morning – which they loved!! I also managed to get covered in paint, but it was hilarious and really well organised. Then it was all about the pool. 

All weekend I was constantly amazed as to the organisation of EVERYTHING – there was nothing (it seemed) they hadn’t thought of – one way systems for the changing rooms, using your wrist bands to lock and unlock the lockers – a checker to see which locker yours was (they need to do this in underground car parks, honest to goodness, so brilliant!) 

We entered the pool area…the map made it look huge and full of lazy rivers and all sorts – but nothing could have prepared me for what we were walking in to. 

There was a pool that was perfect for the tiny human, up to his chest at its deepest, with a water play area, three mini waterslides and warm water…a separate ‘water park’ area was a giant pirate ship with four more slightly more advanced water slides, but still good for a two year old…climbing frames and all sorts. Then there was a wave pool and a lazy river, both of which he loved as well but had to do with an adult. 

There were big kid waterslides, an outdoor rapid river and a ton of stuff we didn’t even make it to – a café for food and lots of chairs and out of water chill out areas for food breaks. 

We did pool time until the kids could barely function, then fed them as they tried to keep their eyes open, and home for naps! 

Another lovely evening of exploring and fun playing and eating and drinking – everyone (the littles and the bigs) pouring themselves to bed at the end of the day totally exhausted in the best way possible. 

Monday we all planned to pile in the cars around nap time – so there was only one thing for the morning, besides packing up the cars…the pool! We got the cars loaded and the guys took them back to the car park while we went to collect the littles masterpieces from the day before. 

A few hours in the pool and lunch at the pool café and we were off to get in the cars and make the drive home. 

All in all it was a brilliant weekend away, there was this underlying feeling of Stepford Wives perfection which at times was a bit unnerving – but we didn’t do that many ‘organised’ events, and still had a blast! 

I’m glad we brought our own food, as it gave us flexibility with mealtimes and there was no waiting for food as the littles had some hangry moments for sure! 

The only meal all weekend that the littles weren’t half asleep for was breakfast – that’s the sign of a successful weekend! 

 We’d defo return – too much fun not to, and so perfect for our little man. 

axxx

Photo Friday 05.06.15

feeding baby ducks

sorting my jewels - SO helpful :/

bathtime hair don'ts

I did the chia pudding thing, surprisingly delish

tuckered out little dude

picnics in the garden