Last minute trip & this past week.

The past week, looked a little something like this:

This afternoon, the kids & I got back from 4 days up North in Cairns. It was totally last minute and unplanned. The planning process went a little something like this: Chris's Brother Matty & Mother, Jen: "Hey, we're going to Cairns on Monday! You & the kids should come!" ME: "Ummm....ok!"

The 4 days away were the perfect mixture of crazy fun, and slowly quiet. I again questioned my impulsiveness of deciding to travel solo-parent with TWO young kids, but as always, we survived & had a great time. Traveling with kids is an overwhelming experience, and then there's traveling with kids as a single parent....it's a whole different ball game. Chris was away interstate for the past week, which is what made the invitation to head up to Cairns more desirable, as we were husband-less/daddy-less anyway! Thank goodness Ryder coped with his flights so well, perfectly in fact.....maybe another little adventure seeker on our hands? :) I did learn that I still hate flying though! And no matter how much I do it, it doesn't get any easier, or any more enjoyable. I HATE it! And if it wasn't for the fact that I had 2 little Souls to constantly entertain, talk to, feed, play with, assist, hold & cater for, I'd probably be a inconsolable mess. One little bump of turbulence and I am a hot, sticky mess. I'm not an anxious person normally.....but put me on a plane & I'm anxiety's number one friend! It's purely a means to an end. If I want to travel & explore....flying is part of it, so I just have to suck it up & go with it I guess.

Once we landed & hit Cairns' turf, I had family there to assist with the bags, transport & parenting. Thank golly goodness :) The 4 days rolled on by with some wining & dining, go-carting, relaxing, shopping, driving, catching up with family & lots of laughs :)

And everytime, I do something BIG like travel solo-parent style; I give myself secret high fives & fist pumps for making the effort....taking the plunge & proving my own capabilities. But at the same time, I miss Chris like crazy & question why the hell I would be stupid enough to tackle plane flights & hire cars & vacation planning without my number 1 support system - my husband. But sometimes in life, we're given opportunities......and I like to jump at them & seize them. No regrets baby!! But at the same time.....coming home today to OUR house, to OUR number one man, was PERFECTION and exactly what I needed to end an eventful & busy week.

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Rewinding back to the weekend......

With Chris away, I tried to balance our weekend with quiet time at home....just me & the kids - doing Mummy/Kid things.... along with finding time for friends & hanging out with them. So, on Saturday night, I entwined the "mother me" and the "friend me" and had the girls around for dinner & drinks. 

It was nice! Just what I needed in fact. And whilst my babies slept safely in their rooms, us girls sat up to the wee hours of the morning doing what girlfriends do best - TALKING, laughing, talking some more & laughing some more. We chit chatted about recipes & movies & fashion as well as tackling big topics like relationships & motherhood & money & work & travel. We talked about our worries & fears as well as our loves & plans. And although I love being a Mum, and a wife. I also love being a friend. Friends truly do calm the Soul.

{red wine & baby monitor.....us Mumma's can have the best of both worlds....I guess it's just about finding that balance...and snippets of time to entwine the 2 worlds}

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And my favourite photo from the week:

Last Thursday night {the night before Chris went away for the week} we went out to dinner down the coast, while my Mum & Dad stayed over to watch Ella & Ryder. Not only was it the BEST food & dining experience I'VE EVER HAD....but it was a FUN FUN night. Naoko {a family friend visiting from Japan} had a Polaroid camera with her. We took this happy snap at the end of the evening. I love it. Me & my hunky hubby! I love him.

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So, in a nutshell....that was my week & where I've been these past few days of missing from the online world :)

Tomorrow is friday! Yikes, these weeeks roll around way toooo quickly!!!!!!

I'm off to snuggle with my man after a week without each other :)

Goodnight!