It’s hard to believe it’s only been a week since we got back.  It already feels like the trip was ages ago.

We are not really back to “normal life” yet, as J is at home full time and I am about to work for two weeks, so it will be a couple of more weeks before life returns to how it was before we left.

It has been a super busy week which hasn’t allowed much time for reflection which is perhaps a good thing.  J has been job hunting, I have been doing uni work and preparing all of us for placement next week, and we have both been doing 1000000 jobs around the house while looking into renting our place out.  We have also been catching up with friends and family.

I do still feel the inner peace I was feeling with travel, so “normal life” hasn’t totally taken over yet. I’m sure that will be gone Monday when I am in a room of teenagers though!  We had a lot of time to think while travelling, and I am trying to put things into action about how we could improve our lives at home – mainly by simplifying and just making day to day life easier.  I was trying to do this before we left, but some time away gives a better perspective.

As part of this, we have taken on the challenge of throwing out 1000 things, in addition to old kids clothes (I’m sure we would have 1000 baby clothes easily :-/).  We are up to 400 without really even trying, but it still takes time, especially when we have to go around the neighbourhood finding public bins to stick stuff in!!  We have heaps of clothes the kids have grown out of and have also been getting ready to sell them, and all other baby stuff we don’t need, at a market.  I love getting rid of stuff.  It feels good and does makes life easier.

The good things about being home

Obviously seeing family and friends top the list.  It is nice to sleep in our own bed, and it is very very nice that the kids have their own rooms again, although I do miss waking up to Z’s toothy grin.
S would probably say being back at child care as her best thing about being home!! She was very happy to be back with her friends.

It is nice not having to unpack and pack all the time, although I probably spend far more time putting away clothes/toys/etc at home than what I ever did doing that.

The bad things about being home

Cooking and cleaning would be top of this list!!  And just all the other house jobs that we are trying to do at the moment, which we don’t normally have time for.  I am hating how much time “normal life” takes, meaning that there is way less quality time with the kids or as a family than what there was a week ago.

It’s cold!! I am definitely a hot weather person, and I don’t like the fact that it’s cold here and we’re heading into winter.  Very depressing!

Job hunting is not fun at all.  Even though I am not the one doing it, it’s stressful.  We just want to know what’s going to happen so we can plan the next stage in our lives.

A couple of things to think about before going away

We meant to disconnect the battery in our car, but we forgot.  We had a dead car battery which was annoying.

I hid my wallet before leaving in a great place.  Like a really really great place.  I can’t find it now :-/  Write down where you hide things!! Perhaps in an email to yourself.

How are the kids?

The kids are fine.  They have adapted right back into home life like nothing has changed.  Of course, they do still have both parents full time with them at the moment.

Z isn’t sleeping as well.  He has gone back to night feeds and isn’t napping as well either.  It seems crazy that he slept better while we were away, but he did!! I think they probably both miss the food, as they are not as interested in food at home.  They both went back to child care this week (just one day) without any issues, like they had never left.

About the only time the trip has been mentioned is when S asked yet again about her big Dora balloon we left behind in Manila.  She still says she loves holidays though and is keen that we go away for her birthday in a month’s time.  I wonder if she will find it strange when we come home after just two nights?

S with her prized Dora balloon in Manila

Anyway, goodbye for now, this will probably be my last post until we start planning our next trip!!  I can’t wait to see what that will be!