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Life has been busy! Since my last weekly journal we have celebrated carnival, had friends from England visiting us and went on a 10-day trip to the UK ourselves. I wanted to capture a few memories here!
Celebrating Fastnacht (carnival)
We aren’t hugely involved with the local carnival but have enjoyed participating in some of the colourful festivities. On Rose Monday we took the girls to a carnival parade for kids. Lots of SJs friends from her kindergarten came too and we had a great time! The rain stopped just long enough as well, which was lovely. Also, children in costumes are just the cutest!
A very lovely visit from England
The day after some very good friends of ours arrived for a visit. Orginally they were supposed to come on Sunday already but they flights got cancelled which was rather sad.
So, when they finally arrived we were even more excited! Our friends Scott and Katy came with their four kids. Their youngest and SJ are very good friends and were super excited to see each other which was so sweet. On the first day together we celebrated little Ms fourth birthday, ate food, went to a softplay and just spent lots of time chatting and catching up.
On Wednedsay Edd had to work in the morning. Once he had finished we drove up a mountin in the Black Forest. We had a lot of fun playing in the snow! Afterwards we went to one of our favourite restaurants for a lovely dinner.
On Thursday we mostly just hung out at ours. We went for a walk and I packed my bag. The girls had a movie afternoon. It was a nice chilled day. However, an hour or so afer we had put the girls to bed L started vomitting. Never a nice occurance but it really stressed us out as we were supposed to take a plane to Engalnd early the next morning. Luckily it turned out not to be a bug but probably just an overconsumption of popcorn, sausages and gummy bears… Parenting is so fun sometimes – ha!
Staycation in Sussex
So, we still got on the plane and made it to Sussex without any incidents which I was extremely grateful for. We spent most of Friday at a coffee shop with a play area together with Edd’s sister, her partner and their extremely cute baby. It was so nice to see them and the girls loved playing with their little cousin.
In the evening we headed to our friends Tim and Rachel. We had a little weekend staycation with them and our friends Miriam and Nathan and their son. Tim spoiled us all with some amazing home-cooked meals. My highlight was the Saturday afternoon. Rachel, Miriam and I headed to a pub and enjoyed some cocktails together and some really good conversations.
On Monday I got to see my friend Gemma which was wonderful. Whenever I spend time with her I feel very filled up and inspired. Her kids are a bit older than SJ and L but played so lovingly with the girls which was so sweet.
Lancaster – the city of dreams
Once Edd had finished work on Monday we got in the car and started driving North! It’s quite a journey from Sussex to Lancaster but the girls did so well which I didn’t actually expect. It was so lovely to be back in Lancaster – it is where I went to Uni, my first home away from home and the place Edd and I met and fell in love. Lancaster will alway hold a special place in my heart!
We stayed with Scott and Katy and really enjoyed spending even more time together. It’s so special to have friends with whom you can have really deep and serious converstaions as well as goof around and laugh with. My friendship cup definitely got filled this week!
On Tuesday we mostly just recovered from our journey at the house. The girls played in the garden for a while, I took L for a walk so she could nap and then napped myself. Later, Edd, L and I headed into town to catch up with a good friend Edd met when he was still a school teacher.
On Wednesday, Katy, little M and my girls went to a café with a softplay centre. We met Miriam and her son their as well as my good friend Holly. The kids had fun and we were able to catch up a bit which was so precious. In the evening Katy, her middle daughter and I went to see Beauty and the Beast in the theatre. It was so good!
Thursday we started the day with a cooked breakfast and then headed to another soft play for most of the day. Back home we chilled and then ordered some curry for dinner.
We set off early on Friday morning to visit some very dear friends of ours in Preston. I also insisted that we made a stop at my favourite fabric shop. From there we then drove to Wales for the Lancaster church weekend away.
Church weekend in Wales
It’s always so nice to be back with our old church. So many of our old friends are still here and there is such a feeling of home-coming. We had a great time hearing inspiring sermons, having amazing times of worship and just hanging out with friends and eating lots of good food.
Sunday after lunch Edd drove me and the girls to the airport in Manchester from where we took a plane back home.
Home, sweet home
Our time away was refreshing in some ways but also exhausting in others. I am so grateful for all of our friends across the channel, for the beauty of the UK and its culture. But now I also really happy to be home again!
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