I always have a lot of questions about accommodati I always have a lot of questions about accommodation when we stay anywhere as a family so I thought I’d share this little tour of our room at @windjammerlanding which was a pretty perfect place to stay.

It’s the ‘Ocean View Two Bedroom’ which was like a little house, with an upstairs and downstairs, built into the hillside. Both rooms had outdoor space and their own shower rooms. Such a great option for a family.
A little photo dump from our holiday in St Lucia. A little photo dump from our holiday in St Lucia. We’ve been back a few days now but still miss the heat, the food, the pool, the constant sounds of wildlife and the lovely people. It was such a great holiday and I’m sure we’ll be back one day.
And just like that, Athena is 12! What a joy it is And just like that, Athena is 12! What a joy it is watching her grow and what a wonderful young woman she is becoming. We could not be more proud. Love you Pickle, have a great birthday.
We’ve just got back from two glorious weeks in S We’ve just got back from two glorious weeks in St Lucia staying at @windjammerlanding and it was just the holiday we needed. Two weeks of sunshine and relaxation in what must be one of the most beautiful islands in the world. 

We can’t wait to go back again in the future. Here’s just a little snippet of our trip.
AD - Press Tickets | We had such a nice day at @na AD - Press Tickets | We had such a nice day at @national_motor_museum despite the rain! The children loved the Little Beaulieu play area and we loved exploring the National Motor Museum and Top Gear exhibit before having a ride on the monorail! We went on an old open topped bus, explored the Beaulieu Manor House and loved the gardens. 
Beaulieu is always a great day out - whatever the weather. This summer they have a whole ‘Summer of Fun’ planned, with activities most days - parades, bird shows and hundreds of sculptures within the grounds too. If you’re looking for a day out this summer definitely think about heading to Beaulieu.
AD - Press Tickets | Tonight we took the kids to t AD - Press Tickets | Tonight we took the kids to their first concert - but it was so much more than just a concert! @abbavoyage is incredible. With CGI ABBA and a live band, it’s like being at an ABBA concert 40 years ago but with modern lighting, effects and sound. ABBA look and sound real, it’s a mind blowing experience.
The set includes all the songs you know and love as well as a few less familiar ones.
You can’t take photos during the show which actually made a refreshing change. A whole arena focused purely on the show and soaking up the moment. It’s definitely something the four of us will always remember.
Now, I’m off to sing Dancing Queen all the way home.
AD - Press Trip | We had such a great day at @phdo AD - Press Trip | We had such a great day at @phdockyard today. They have a fantastic Ultimate Explorer ticket that lets you visit all the attractions as many times as you like for 12 months - and after a day at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard we can see that you need more than one day to really do everything!

We explored HMS Warrior, HMS Victory and the Mary Rose Exhibition - which is incredible! We also saw where ships are built and restored and spent time in Action Stations where the kids climbed and did an assault course.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is such a fun, educational day out with something for all ages - we can’t wait to go on their harbour tours next time we visit!
AD | WIN!! Would you love to win a holiday? To cel AD | WIN!! Would you love to win a holiday? To celebrate #100YearOfARoads National Highways have launched their #ARoadsToSummer competition! It's all about celebrating summer holiday moments, time together, fun in the sun, days out and more.

So why not be in it to win it? To enter, all you have to do is send @nationalhways a DM on here with a photo or video of your favourite holiday moments. You can also comment on their Facebook or Twitter #ARoadsToSummer posts with your holiday photos. I've shared a few of our favourite photos to give you some inspiration.

The best six entries will each win a £500 @nationaltrust holidays voucher! SO what are you waiting for? Dig out your favourite holiday photos or take some new ones to share!

The #ARoadsToSummer competition runs from 24 July to 10 September 2023. Winners will be announced in September 2023.

Good luck!
Oh these two! Every day I feel lucky to have them. Oh these two! Every day I feel lucky to have them. As school draws to a close at lunchtime, I’m looking forward to a whole summer with them. My favourite people.

They’ve both had a great year at school this year. Troy’s first without his sister by his side and Athena’s first at secondary school. 

They both had great reports, always did their best and have made some really lovely new friends this year. I could not be more proud of them.

Now, let’s go and enjoy the next six weeks before school starts all over again!
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Ordinary Moments · May 14, 2017

Retracing Footsteps of Years Gone By {The Ordinary Moments}

The children are constantly asking me where I lived when I was a child, where I went to school, who I lived with and all those questions that young inquisitive minds want answers to. It’s easier for Dave – he grew up in the house his parents still live in, a house we visit all the time. He went to school where our nephew now goes to school and we are always walking the footsteps of Dave’s childhood and teenage years.

But, it’s different for me. I grew up miles from where we live – about an hours drive – and I have no connection to that area anymore, no reason to visit and no reason to really take the children there.

But, last weekend we drove to see family who live closer to where I grew up and on the way home I decided to do a detour, to show the children those places they had asked me about so often and to drive around areas that had become nothing more than a memory, places I hadn’t seen in so many years.

We drove to my childhood family home, a home that I had spent my whole life in up until I got kicked out of home just after my seventeenth birthday. It was a happy home through childhood, in a safe cul-de-sac where I could roller skate, ride my bike and play with my friends. It was a house that was full at Christmas, where we had barbecues and fireworks, where I grew up, had sleepovers and play dates. It’s a house that holds so many memories for me and a house I hadn’t seen in over ten years.

Retracing Footsteps of Years Gone By {The Ordinary Moments}
Me at the back door of my old family home

But, seeing that house, so uncared for and unloved compared to how it had once been – with overgrown lawns, overgrown hedges and recycling boxes just discarded in the front garden, made me feel a pang of sadness. It was so far from the well looked after home of my younger years, with box hedges and flower borders, weeded so regularly. The only things that remained the same were the metal front gate and the colour of the front door, with the house now someone else’s home.

I drove away, knowing that will be the last time I see that house, the home from my memories is just that, a memory that doesn’t exist anymore. So we drove back, past the car park where I learnt to ride my bike, past the corner shop where I used to buy stickers, magazines and penny sweets. It was all so familiar and yet so different. Then I drove the children to the house that I lived in for a few years after my family home.

That house had got prettier, with a newly painted door and fences, flowers everywhere and such a homely feel to it. It is another house that holds so many memories but it didn’t bring me any sadness like the other had – it was where I lived when I met Dave and so that could never be a negative thing.

The children loved our walk down memory lane and I told them all the positive things, pointing our my old library, fire station and where their uncle went to school. I noticed so many changes – road layouts that were different to how I remembered, shops that had changed hands so many times and police stations that apparently hadn’t been used for that purpose for years. So much had changed and yet it was all so familiar and I drove down the streets with sepia tinted film in my mind, walking the same path as the teenager from my past.

I found it cathartic to see the places from my childhood again, to revisit those streets that I hadn’t walked down for over a decade and it taught the children a little more about me at the same time. I feel like I have a sense of closure now, knowing that all those places I remember have moved on too, they are not the same places and I don’t need them to be. I drove the children back to our home and was thankful for the life we have together rather than nostalgic for the life of years gone by.

If you have an ordinary moment this week, come and link up with myself and Katie – we love reading your posts each week.

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In: Ordinary Moments

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Comments

  1. Laura - Dear Bear and Beany says

    May 14, 2017 at 7:16 am

    I’m pleased it gave you closure lovely and that the children got to know a bit more about you and hopefully answered those questions that they have had in the past. x

    Reply
  2. Plutonium Sox says

    May 14, 2017 at 7:50 am

    That’s lovely, it’s great that you showed them where you used to live even if some of it was a bit sad. I need to take my girls to see where I used to live soon too.
    Nat.x

    Reply
  3. Jenni says

    May 14, 2017 at 7:52 am

    I have lived in the same village all my life and we have lots of family here

    Reply
  4. Stacey says

    May 14, 2017 at 8:26 am

    What a lovely idea to show your children those places, even if it cements for you that you probably won’t revisit the house. You were able to give your children that gift of seeing pieces of your childhood and provide yourself with closure at the same time. That’s pretty amazing 🙂

    Reply
  5. Sherry says

    May 14, 2017 at 10:12 am

    It’s funny, we have this conversation quite regularly, and although I live relatively close to where I was born, we spent 5 of my pre teen years living in County Durham and don’t think I’ll ever go back to where we lived – my parents visited a few years back and said our old village is really rundown and was nothing like it used to be. It is nice to revisit memory lane though isn’t it? x

    Reply
  6. Susan Mann says

    May 15, 2017 at 10:16 pm

    Aww bless, big hugs. I am glad it gave you closure lovely and the kids got to know more about you. It is difficult and all those memories come flooding back xx

    Reply
  7. Katie @mummydaddyme says

    May 16, 2017 at 2:15 pm

    I love a good walk down memory lane, even if the places don’t hold as happy memories as they might once have done. I drove our kids to where I grew up the other day, I lived there for 18 years and had a very happy childhood, yet weirdly I found it so hard to really picture myself there and I didn’t feel any connection really which I was surprised about. x

    Reply
  8. Laura | Little Ladies Big World says

    May 18, 2017 at 11:49 am

    Ah this must feel so strange, my mum still lives in the family home I lived all my life and I still live in the same town too, although I long not to. It’s so interesting to think this might not be the case had I ever moved away. such a cute picture too! x

    Reply
  9. Kerri-Ann says

    May 21, 2017 at 6:51 am

    Aww I can imagine how difficult that would have been, my memories of childhood are for the most part good however due to reasons not for this comment I am not able to walk George down memory lane. I hope you are able to look for the positives lovely x x

    Reply

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