A much needed break

The view from Mums new house - really lovely!! - The mountain in the background is Snowdon!!!!

Dan and Lauren - with Grandma and Grandad...
Milly cat sitting in her favourite place!!
Brandy - my mums other little 'baby'!!!!

Two sleepy kids, playing on a nintendo DS!!!!



This came out the wrong way - am useless at uploading photos!!!!
Lauren looks like Mary Poppins in her easter bonnet...





We are back, after a much needed 4 days away (well 3 days really with all the travelling!!). We left as planned on Friday morning (I set the alarm for 4am and actually got up - miracle!!). The children were great and we were all packed and ready to go by 5am.... we watched it getting lighter and lighter as we drove along and the children were so excited as the sun got higher in the sky (they aren't often out and about at that time in the morning!!). We only had to make one emergency toilet break, Lauren crossed her legs for about 10 miles as we missed the planned stop at a petrol station, I just drove past it and forgot to stop (I blame the early start!!).



We arrived at my Mum and Step Dads house at about 10am, which was not bad going, 5 hours was what I had thought it would take. The children spent ages exploring Grandmas new house (this is our first visit to their new place). I must admit it is a really lovely house with beautiful views over snowdonia and the surrounding area (photos will hopefully follow....I am getting no better at uploading them!!).



We had a fantastic weekend, exploring and a bit of retail therapy (there is a great shopping complex not far from my Mums new house...which is an added bonus!) I helped Lauren to make an Easter bonnet, which she wore most of the weekend. It was lovely to actually have a lie in (Lauren came in every morning at 6am singing into her High School Musical microphone!!! - but I managed to ignore her and she then went in to sing to Grandma ha ha!!). It made such a big difference to have someone else there to have the children, if only for a short time and I enjoyed a little bit of freedom (I love my children dearly, but a bit of 'ME' time was a welcome change!!).



All in all, we were totally spoilt, my mum is such a good cook, so there was fab food, lovely surroundings and of course 'Grandma and Grandad' too!!! The time went too fast and the children were really sad to leave, but unfortunately we had to.



The trip back was a nightmare from start to finish....there was an accident on the M56, so we basically sat there for about an hour, moving at snail speed (I hate the motorways!!). The M6 was no better and the other roads were mad too (serves me right travelling back in the afternoon of a Bank Holiday!!!! - I really should know better!!). We finally arrived back here at 11.30pm and the children (who both slept in the car - lucky things!!), went straight into bed....Poor me on the other hand had to unpack the car and then get everything ready for today (the children are back to school). I finally fell (literally), into bed at about 12.30 and must admit that I felt like killing the alarm when it went off at 7am (decided I deserved an extra hour in bed - 6am is the order of the day during the week!!!!).

Now that the break is over, we have 2 weeks until we are on our next break, we have a week booked in Devon with my good friend Jane and her children, Sam and Lucy. The children aren't excited yet, they usually save that for the night before....and don't sleep!!!

In the meantime, it is back to reality, with a truck load of washing, ironing and all the other joys that I have managed to avoid (for the last 4 days at least!!). Back to the mad school run this morning (and again this afternoon), and back to real, normal life!!! I really loved the break away, but it is nice to be back home....with all the madness that involves (not to mention the noise, mess etc etc etc...).

I have the next break away marked on the calendar, so will just have to cross off the days until we are off again.