Getaway.

Did you miss me?
We had a last minute opportunity to go away. We took it.
'Going away" is an interesting term.
In my mind it implies a change. Something different.
With kids you just transfer your mountainous workload to a different venue.
Oh but what a venue it was!

Sweet friends offered us the spare room in their holiday rental.
The 'spare room' came with the most gorgeous views of hills and vineyards.
It also came with an endless pool, a hot tub, a brick fire pit, an outdoor eating area with heaters, a bocce ball court - I could go on.

It was heaven. Tranquil (aside from two toddlers, a six year old and a dog) and the perfect antidote to holiday melancholy.
We were however happy to have holiday leftovers!

The girls have never shared a room before but I'd been thinking it might be time to move the baby in with the six year old so this was the perfect trial.
We took them up to bed at the same time. The husband thought this would mean they would never got to sleep. I was so smug when they were both asleep within 10 minutes.

It all went beautifully until 11pm. The six year old woke up looking for water.
She woke the baby. For the next two hours while we (tried) to play boardgames downstairs, my girls played their own games upstairs.
Every so often we would hear squeals of laughter. The husband and I played good cop, bad cop - to no avail.

Eventually I went to bed so they would. They did.
The upside was they didn't wake up until 8.30am.

Watching my girls run carefree in such a glorious setting was so lovely.
Is there anything better than watching your kids have the time of their lives?

When we got home the six year old wanted to write her letter to Santa.
You will not be surprised to hear it now includes a pool and a puppy.
I'm off to get a lottery ticket.....