Taking a break from the crazy with family

This week I enjoyed a week's break from work. It was great spending a bit of time with the kids although we spent most days plugging away at getting packed as much as possible while I had the time.

My week off also timed with an invitation we received to attend my cousin's wedding in NSW. We were always very close growing up so there was no way we were not going. Because we were headed that way we decided to take an extra day and head to Sydney first to see my grandparents, they are both in their nineties and this would be our last opportunity to see them before we head off and at their age, we take every opportunity we can.

This all managed to time in with the first day back at school for the girls, crazy to think they will only be there for a term. We dropped them at school, took a load of boxes to the shipping container and headed up the Hume, leaving Mum to pick the girls up and spend the weekend with them - Thanks Mum!!

We enjoyed lunch with my grandparents at a place called Alroy House which, coincidentally is in a home that used to belong to my grandmother's school friend's grandfather many moons ago. The food was delicious and the house beautifully renovated. When then took them shopping to look at electric carving knives and can openers (all the fun stuff) but it was what they wanted to do, we try to help with anything we can. They provided us with mass entertainment as they have conversations with each other when they can't actually hear what the other is saying properly, and their idiosyncrasies like the fact that we finally convinced them to install their shower rail so they didn't have to hold the showerhead but they still don't use it! On Saturday morning we said goodbye and headed to the south coast not before taking this photo which may include my grandparents still in their pyjamas, sorry Grandma and Grandpa!

We are feeling very modern now as attending the wedding introduced us to using both Air BnB and Uber. It was great being able to see my Dad and his wife, aunties and uncles, my grandfather and a few of my cousins, one whom I was very close to when we were kids but now I very rarely get to see. We always have a good laugh when we are together and I was so proud of my little cuz, seeing him getting married and visiting his new house before heading home. Again, we are unlikely to see any of these family members before we leave now so it was a great opportunity to see them.

So now we are back home and back to work but it was certainly nice to walk away from packing for a few days and also to enjoy a few nights without kids before we are all stuck living in a very small space for a long time.

Official Countdown:

Days until we leave: 55

Days until we move out of the house: 27 (thank goodness I miss counted last week)

Boxes packed: Quite a lot now but I don't think I can give a number any more

Nights spent sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress: 3

Nights it will take to recover from this: probably a week!