Our First Holiday As A Family Of Four

Last week, as I spent what felt like forever packing all of our bags to take with us, my enthusiasm for our family holiday was seriously lacking, despite us having looked forward to this one for months. Sophie had been up most of the night before (I was assuming with teething pain) and as I battled to keep my eyes open the following day, I had visions of our idyllic break turning pear-shaped. In the end, I was glad we got away though.  It was refreshing to have a change of scenery and lovely to spend some quality time together.  Grace especially had such fun down south, channelling her inner Dr Doolittle as she 'talked' to all the farm animals, stomped through creeks in her gum boots and looked out for kangaroos in the paddocks.  Seeing the smile on her face each day as we set out on various adventures was priceless.

I've posted before about our family holidays to Denmark.  It's our little 'home away from home' and has even  more meaning for Paul who lived there for several years as a young boy.  Each time, as we drive into town along the scenic country roads lined by breathtaking forests and lush green paddocks, I feel a wave of serenity wash over me.  I love re-visiting our favourite spots, finding new places to explore and soaking in all the fresh air and beauty in the surrounding landscape.  It truly is a magical spot.

This time, seeing as our family had grown by one and our needs were a bit different, we chose to stay in self-contained accommodation at Kangaroo Valley Cottage.  It was perfect - the picturesque views, the warmth of the log fire, the country kitchen and the surrounding farm animals and wildlife have made this a place we are definitely keen to return to again next year.

During our stay, we returned to Grace's beloved animal farm where she once again was in her element feeding, patting and cuddling all the animals.  We also let her bring along her money box which she'd been filling over time and allowed her to spend the money she had saved on something of her choice.  Another morning, we took a drive to Albany where we had Devonshire tea at Emu Point Cafe and the following day, we stopped for a drink and play at the Boston Brewery at Willoughby Park Winery.

After time away though, I always love returning to the comforts and convenience of home which make our simple days and routines so much easier.  For the remainder of this week while Paul has still had time off, we've gotten back into the swing of our simple daily rhythm, completed a few odd jobs around the house and even managed a visit to Ikea.  It's been wonderful waking up every day this week feeling like it's the weekend.  I'll be sad when Monday rolls around...




Edited on 31st August 2012: This post was featured in the August 2012 edition of The Post Of The Month Club