With the days passing by and Paul's and Grace's holidays coming to an end, on Monday we decided to take off on one last family holiday, this time journeying just under three hours south to Yallingup.
Back home last night as I reflected on our days away, I thought about how it hasn't been the sights we've seen or the towns we've visited that have been the highlights of this trip... it's been the little things that have made me smile that I want to remember from our time spent together...
...Grace 'carrying' Sophie in the pram with her arms wrapped tightly around her belly on the walk to visit the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse ...the four of us sharing creme brulee in front of the open fireplace at Caves House ...Grace's excitement at discovering kangaroos sitting on the firebreak behind the house where we were staying ...Sophie's fear of the fibreglass cow sculptures at Cowaramup ...sitting at the lookout watching the surfers brave the mammoth swell while Grace and Sophie chased one another on the lawn and giggled away beside us ...Grace picking flowers for me as she explored the gardens around our house on her scooter ...Sophie clip clopping around after her big sister in her new purple gumboots ...running through the rain hand in hand with my big girl, trying hard not to get too wet ...exploring Mammoth Cave, saturated after being caught in the downpour ...watching the frogs appear in the puddles outside our lounge room...
All precious little moments and memories.
Once upon a time, our holidays were all about relaxation, shopping, sight-seeing and experiencing good food. Now our holidays are a combination of early dinners, cosy nights in, endless snacks to keep little ones happy, impromptu adventures and plenty of laughter... and I wouldn't have it any other way.
How beautiful. All the moments that make for a happy childhood, how wonderful for Grace and Sophie.
ReplyDeleteI love this post and your sentiments Amanda. You are so right, it is all the little things that are wonderful that add up to make a perfect holiday. (Not the destination but the journey and all that) ;)
ReplyDeletexx
Sweet!
ReplyDeleteoh i loved reading this amanda.....
ReplyDeleteisn't it crazy how life changes with little ones, and we wouldn't change it for the world.......
i also love how you hold on to the memories that will be with you forever...
smooch have a fab weekend lisa x
A string of memories more precious than a string of pearls!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written Amanda , you actually made me smile, taking me back to some of the simple things I would experience as a child. I wish everyone in the world would stop for a moment & appreciate the beauty surrounding us everyday. Karyn x
ReplyDeleteyou're so right that it's the little things...
ReplyDeletethat's why i enjoy the blogs so much -- being able to record those little things with words & pictures that might otherwise be lost over the years as all the little things add up.
so glad you've enjoyed all the 'long service leave' together. :)
You've nailed it on the head here Amanda - so true!! It's always the little things that I seem to savour the most.
ReplyDeleteLike last year in Japan - of all the BIG things I should/could remember and cherish - it's actually the little things I reflect back on most - Ella's reactions to Disney characters, the iciness to Ryder's cheeks as we cruised around doing touristy things in the brunt of their Autumn, the way it felt to look over each morning and see all 4 of us asleep in the same room, in the same beds - THE LITTLE THINGS :)
I'm hoping that us blogging and cherishing these moments will keep them still in time forever - I can't wait to look back at these posts when we're old and grey and remember all the little things we noticed as young Mamas! {haaa...imagine our blog posts when we're 90 :)))) lol}
Your trip away sounds gorgeous.
xx
So sweet Amanda! And a nice reminder to me to just enjoy holidays as they are now. It's so easy to yearn for the "easy" holidays of pre-children days, but memories shared with little ones are very special and certainly to be treasured!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful family holiday Amanda I can see you all sitting down in years to come flicking through your photo album remembering your time there together:) It is such a beautiful place to visit when we came over when Miss 13 was just 15 months old, we stayed in Caves house for Christmas it was such a wonderful time. xx
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