Good bye, England. Hello, Sir Bani Yas Island!

Sunday we got up and went to the Garden Center for breakfast. It was our last traditional English breakfast we would have in the U.K.  We have had a wonderful holiday, but all good things must come to an end and it is time. 

Once we had shopped around the garden center and returned home, the kids played in the garden at Grandma's and then watched movies for a while. Barry and Stuart took stuff from the garage to the tip (dump). I just chilled for most of the day, which was really nice. In Al Ain we call these days 'Chill Days', which I love but typically the kids hate. You know it's time to get back to a routine when your 8 year old asks for a 'Chill Day'. He certainly got that on our last Sunday in England. 

Dinner time brought us a roast dinner. The kids were wiped out and ended up in bed at a decent hour. When they were settled, we played a rousing game of Trivial Pursuit   I can roll a mean die, but am total crap with trivia. Fortunately my partner is Cliff Claven, so we won. 

Monday we went to Eastbourne to look for shoes and visit Granny, as well as see the bench at the cemetery that was in honor of Granddad Tom. We didn't stay long at Granny's as she was still recovering from her fall. 

Once we were back at Highwoods the kids bathed while Grandpa played the guitar and I sang. We had dinner and turned in for the night. 

Tuesday we finished packing and it turns out that 5 bags would go back with us rather than the three we came with. This ALWAYS happens. Once the packing was complete we headed to my favorite pub, the Queen's Head. It was the perfect way to end our holiday. Back at the house Grandpa played the guitar again while I sang. It seems we always get into our groove of music just when it's time for us to leave. 

A last craft of dinosaur magnets was in order. 

We left for the Premier Inn at Heathrow around 5 pm. It's always so hard to leave. It makes us all sad, we just start to plan the next gathering. 

We arrived at the hotel around 7 pm. We had dinner, which might have been the worst meal we have had on our entire holiday. We were all a bit dissatisfied  we went back to the room for showers and bed. 

Wednesday we had a bit of a leisurely.morning. We decided against the hotel breakfast as the food from the previous night wasn't that great. Instead we went to the airport, turned in the car and got checked in. We had a snack from Wagamama's and then went to the gate to wait for the plane. 

Once on the flight, Stuart had offered me his premium economy seat, but in the end I chose to sit in economy with the kids. Was reprimanded by the flight attendant because I was trying to help out the lady in front of me who had three kids, one being a tiny infant. 

The flight was uneventful, except for the fact that I got to hold the 6 week old in front of us. She was an angel. We arrived  at 10:30 pm Abu Dhabi time. I helped the lady get her kids together and then met Stuart and the kids outside of passport control. We got through baggage claim and passport control in record time. It only took about 45 minutes, total. Scott picked us up from the airport. We got home just before 1 am and Molly went nuts. The kids didn't quite know how to handle it. The cats finally made their way inside as well. Our zoo was back together. 

The kids didn't go to sleep until after 2 am. They were sure to be cranky on Thursday morning as we had to get their school uniforms at 9 am. Waking up was sure to be fun. I didn't go to bed until 3:30 am. You know I can't go to sleep knowing I have 5+ bags to sort through and crap to put away. I got the majority of it done but then had to stop because of my weary back and dizzy head. Sleep was in order. 

I forced myself to get up at 7:45 am and go to Abela for groceries. I didn't buy much as we were heading out to Sir Bani Yas Island on Friday. When I got home and had put away the groceries, I decided I should probably try to wake the troops  that was very difficult. 

Once everyone was awake, we went to pick up the kids uniforms. The system was slow and there were just a handful of people there. I'm so glad they give the newbies an opportunity to get uniforms before everyone else. It will be a madhouse the week before school starts. 

After we got the uniforms, we went to the mall to buy Millie her birthday presents. Because Millie's birthday falls in the middle of our summer break, she doesn't get her presents from us until we get home. The last two summers we have just let her pick out her own presents. It's easier and she seems to enjoy it. She got a new scooter and a Wonder Woman shield she asks for every time we go to the toy store. We had lunch at the mall and then headed home. 

Once we were home, I continued to unpack. Millie's room quickly became a total tornado! The kids were asked to u pack their back packs. Anyone want to guess what that looked like? When I felt I had done all I could, and we were packed for our next little jaunt, I rested for about an hour on the sofa. 

We decided to go to the rugby club for Family night and dinner. We caught up with some friends who had also returned from their holidays. Everyone was shocked to see Stuart and his weight loss progress. I know it really made him feel good. We said farewell around 8 pm, getting home and in bed so we could get an early start the following morning. 

We were up by 6 am and took Molly to the Richardson's just before 8 am. The trip to the ferry in the West Country would be 3.5 hours. Since our ferry was to leave at noon, we knew we had to get moving. 

We arrived at the ferry around 11:30 am and waited with a travel group to board the ferry. Once on the ferry, the trip was about 30 minutes. There were only about 3 other couples traveling on their own, and then there was the large group. 

At the ferry dock we got on a bus which took us to the other side of the island to check into Anantara. When we were greeted at the front desk we were asked if we were with the group. When we said we were not, they whisked us away and got us into our room, which had been upgraded to a suite. It was very nice and the whole process was terribly efficient. 

Once we had unpacked a bit, we decided to go to the lobby and book our dinners as well as some activities. We then went to the pool for a swim. We were the only people at the pool. After an hour swimming the kids decided they wanted to go to the Kids' Club. Naturally they were the only children in there. Stuart and I decided to have a coffee in the lobby of the hotel while they were bouncing on a trampoline and getting their faces painted. 

Sponge Bob

Our dainty fairy!

Once back in the room we showered and dressed for dinner. We had booked to eat at an African restaurant located on a different part of the island. Supposedly the gazelle were to come up to your table while you ate. With it being so hot, we were not allowed to eat outside, which really upset Jack. I ended up taking the kids outside after we ordered so they could see some of the gazelles on the property. Even though we were very quiet, the gazelles still ran away. 

Ready for dinner. 

A gorgeous sunset on the desert island. 

This was as close as we got. 

Saturday morning we were up early to eat breakfast. We had an 8:15 am appointment to go snorkeling by boat. There are supposed to be dolphins and sea titles in this part of the gulf. Unfortunately we didn't see any, but we still saw a lot of fish and had a great time. 

We snorkeled around a petrol delivery ship wreck. Jack actually got a terrible nose bleed half way through our time, which caused him to have to go back to the boat. When I convinced the driver that he as fine, we went back out to swim around the wrecked ship. 

The journey out and back on the boat was about as much fun as snorkeling. Jack and Millie got to drive the boat for a bit. We were 4 of the 5 guests on the boat so a great deal of attention was given to us. It was great fun. Once we were back at the resort, we went to the pool for a while. There were a few more people at the pool on Saturday, but it was still rather empty. Stuart and I sat at the bar while the kids played foosball, ping pong, and swam. 

After the pool we came back to the room and I made peanut butter and banana sandwiches. It's totally white trash, but it saved us a bit of money. Then we took the kids to kids' club for a couple of hours. Stuart and I hung out in the room and slept. We are so boring at times. 

When we picked them up we headed to our most anticipated activity, the Wildlife and Nature Drive. We were told we would see giraffe, cheetahs, gazelle, oryx, and many other animals. Well, this event did not disappoint. Not only did we see all of the animals listed, we saw a cheetah eating its prey (a gazelle it had caught less than an hour before we saw it). We could hear the cheetah crunching the gazelle's leg bone. Ew! It was very exciting and totally worth the money. 

Arabian Oryx

The Land Cruiser classic

Once we returned to the resort, we showered and road in a buggy to the seafood restaurant, where we were treated a bit like royalty. It seems when you are one of the few guests at the restaurant you get the utmost attention. And sometimes your glass of wine gets a bit over-filled, which is a nice little perk. The kids got a special treat of marshmallows and chocolate dipping sauce. It was a delightful dinner with fantastic service. 

Ali was our very attentive waiter. He loved the kids!

We were back to the room just before 10 pm for a much needed sleep. Anantara Sir Bani Yas has exceeded our expectations. Another day and a half and then we REALLY have to get back to reality. 

Portsmouth, Hastings, London, Hastings, Maresfield, and the final time back to Hastings.

Sunday morning was rough going. I might have had a bit more wine than my body could metabolize. Fortunately I rebounded rather quickly, as was necessary because we had to check out by 11 and get on the road to Portsmouth to see Stuart's paternal grandmother. 

We had breakfast at 9 am, which was totally wasted on me, but was a full English cooked breakfast. Everyone was there, even Granny, who was a bit bruised from her fall the previous day. 

After breakfast, Stuart shuttled people back to the reception venue to collect their cars. Once he had returned we checked out of the hotel and moved on down the road. 

When we arrived in Portsmouth we ate some lunch at Gunwharf Quays. We ate at a Mexican place that actually wasn't that great. The kids and I shopped while Stuart visited Mimi. We were told that she wouldn't know us any way and the facility where she stays has difficulty accommodating very many guests for one resident. So we decided against taking the kids. We ended up buying two pair of shoes for Jack, although we were looking for shoes for me. 

Stuart picked us up just before 3 pm and we drove back to Hastings. We arrived just before 5 pm. Grandma and Grandpa had spent most of their day tending to Granny at the emergency room. They found out she had fractured a bone in her foot. Poor Granny. 

They arrived home after we did.  The kids had been bathed and fed by that time. I felt having the kids taken care of would diminish the stress a bit. The kids watched a movie and then went to bed. We got a Chinese take away and then watched the end of the World Championships. Everyone was exhausted from a very eventful weekend. 

Our original plan was to go to London on Monday morning to have some time with the pastor who performed our wedding ceremony, Roy Lawson, and his wife Joy. It was just going to be Stuart and myself. But since Granny was not well and Grandma had come down with a terrible cold, plans changed and we took the kids with us. 

We got the train from the Battle Station at 10 am. We arrived in London and got the Underground to the station closest to where Roy and Joy were staying. Their daughter and her husband live in London part time so Roy and Joy have popped in and out of London on their journeys over the past 18 months. 

We got to the flat just after noon and had a bit of a chat. Then we headed out to walk on the South Bank. When they told me Candy and Mike's place was on the Thames River, they really meant it was ON the Thames River. It was incredible!

This is the view from their balcony. 

We had lunch down by the river and then I made the error of letting Jack go off to find a bathroom on his own. Oops, we aren't in the UAE. Stuart had a bit of a grunt at me and headed off to find him. Jack returned, but not before Stuart called to ask if I had seen him, which panicked me a bit. This, folks, is an example of a fine parenting moment. 

We ended up walking down to the HMS Belfast, an old naval ship docked in the Thames. It has been made into a museum. So while Joy, Roy and I chatted about everything we could think of, Stuart took Millie and Jack into the museum. 

We then went back to the apartment. The kids played on their electronics and had a shower. We had dinner, and as usual, Millie was picky and tired. The entire scene required her to bed early. She won't act like this forever, right?

The adults stayed up and watched the first episode of The Crown. We had already seen it, but Stuart had recommended it to Roy and since I typically fall asleep through every show I watch, I felt I might actually get to see the first episode this go around. We then went to bed, moving Jack into the living room to sleep on the sofa. Millie slept on the floor beside our bed. All was well with the world. 

Breakfast Saturday morning was scrambled eggs that had spinach, onions and cheese. Of course this was not to Millie's liking either. Thankfully she didn't have quite as big a meltdown as she had the night before. 

Millie never met a Grandpa she didn't like. 

After breakfast we went to a local park for a few hours. We just chatted while the kids played. It was so wonderful to catch up with Roy and Joy and hear about their adventures. They are brace people who decided, almost two years ago, to sell everything they own and travel the world, experiencing as much as possible. They have done things the way I want to do things one day, God willing. After we had exhausted the park and our children, we went to eat lunch at Pizza Express which has gluten free pizza crust. Joy is also gluten free so it was great to have a bit of a chat about that beast. Roy and Joy insisted on paying even though I felt I was very clear that we were treating. We will get them back when they come to visit the UAE. 

We went back to their apartment to collect our things. We Skype Brian, our mutual dear friend. Our chat was shot, but it's always good to see a face you hold so close to your heart. Stuart then called an Uber to take us to the train station. We figured out that we could save £10 by using the Uber instead of the Underground. 

We trained back to Battle station where we had left the car.  We stopped at Sainsbury's, our favorite supermarket. Stuart bought another casual shirt because all of his clothes have had to be replaced this trip. He's lost a total of 74 pounds since June 2. In so proud of him and he's thrilled with the results. 

When we got home, Grandma still wasn't feeling well. Her friend Sue had dropped by and after unpacking our things, I sat down at the kitchen table and chatted with them both. I then bathed the kids and set them in front of Netflix until dinner was ready. 

Millie ended up going to bed early again because of a small tantrum thrown at dinner. She really needs to get back to a routine. We've also decided she can't have sugar anymore. That should be fun. We will hold off on that until we can really enforce it at home. 

Wednesday morning we had breakfast and then left for Maresfield to spend a few days with Grandma and Granddad. We were supposed to take Karen to Eastbourne to stay with Granny because she was having a minor eye surgery, but it ended up her eye corrected itself so the surgery wasn't necessary. We were in Meresfield by mid morning. We stopped for flowers and then on to Grandma and Granddads we went. 

The kids bounced on the trampoline when we got there. Grandma and Granddad made a wise purchase with that little toy. We had lunch and then headed to Sheffield Park for the afternoon. We went on a sort of a treasure hunt, finding large top hats that described what children might have seen and heard when they came to the park years ago. I think Grandma and I were more focused on finding the hats than anyone else. We stopped at the cafe for a tea and the kids tumbled around on grass. 

Once back at the house there was more bouncing and crafts, while the men folk prepared dinner. I wasn't terribly involved in the crafts, but pretended to help Grandma. The kids loved it! 

We had dinner and then the kids went to bed. The adults stayed up to talk for a while, then sleep called. 

Thursday was a very exciting day. Grandma and Granddad had paid for a Pony Day for the kids for their birthdays. We arrived a bit early and it was drizzling, but that didn't stop anyone. All of the children rocked up with their equestrian gear on and our kids had regular trousers on and tennis shoes. I suppose we were not terribly prepared for the day. The kids first got their safety gear on and had a talk about how to treat the horses. Then each child was given a helper that would help the kids groom and saddle the horse they were assigned to. Jack's horse was named Toffee and Millie's horse was named Bracken. They had an absolute blast. While they were riding in the field, we nipped off to the pub. 

Once we were back at Grandma and Granddad's the kids bounced on the trampoline and did crafts with Grandma. It was a good day for sure. Millie had her 'I am so tired I'm sure it's time for a hissy fit' behavior. Fortunately Granddad was able to calm her and she went right to sleep. Thank goodness for calmer people to help out when your children kick off. 

Friday we chilled around the house because it was raining. Just before noon we headed to the Half Moon pub where the kids played and we had a drink. We had lunch there and then bid farewell to Grandma and Granddad. 

We drove to Eastbourne to go to TK Maxx (the U.K. version of TJ Maxx). We were in search of another piece of luggage (as always happens when we are gone for 6 weeks) and some sandals for me. We found both. I still need some more school sandals, but sadly at this point of the year your selection is small in the U.K.  It's getting cold. Ha! Jack was able to get his rugby boots for about a third of the price as he would pay in the UAE, which is always a bonus. We also hit the TK Maxx in Bexhill, although initially Stuart didn't want to go because of the traffic. Sadly, if you stopped going places because of the traffic, you would never leave your house. The roads are small and it seems every year there are more cars on them. 

Once we were back at Highwoods it was time for dinner. We sat down for a nice meal. The kids went to bed with no trouble at all. It was a nice change from the previous two evenings. 

Saturday Jack finished Gansta Granny! He was so proud of himself. The book had well over 250 pages in it. He immediately set out to start the next David Walliams book, Billionaire Boy. Thank goodness he has started to really enjoy reading on his own. 

After We went to a fundraiser for a boy who needs medical assistance. Jack and Millie participated in the bag tombola and each won various drinks, including alcoholic ones, as pictured below. Clearly we are starting them young. 

Once we had given a bit of support and purchased some cakes, we headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's. We spent the afternoon cleaning out the garage. Everyone participated. 

After the garage was finished the kids played in the garden while Stuart started a BBQ. 

Of course it started raining. Dinner was served after the kids were showered. Millie had another meltdown, which we have come to rely on. 

Once she was sorted out, we played Pitch and then Cards Against Humanity. We hadn't intended to stay awake until midnight, but got to laughing so hard at Cards Against Humanity that we couldn't stop playing. It's a bit of a naughty game, truth be told. 

Another fantastic week on holiday, but I must admit it will be good to get home.  

A week with three kids!

Sunday morning we were up at 3:15 am and heading to Glasgow. Kate is such a star to be willing to drive us for a little over an hour, at that time of the morning. Millie was easy to rouse because it was her birthday. However, once we were on the plane she slept the entire journey. 

We arrived at Gatwick around 8:15 am. The driver who was to pick us up the previous night was going to be late because he had a drop off before he could collect us. So we got a treat at Costa coffee and waited for him. 

The drive back to St Leonard's was brutal, mainly because the kids had forgotten how to behave in a car with a total stranger. At one point I messaged Stuart who responded with a phone call to speak to each child. Whatever he said worked for a while, but when we were about 10 minutes from Grandma and Grandpa's they lost their minds yet again. The whole experience was exhausting. 

I unpacked while the preparations for birthday party continued. We all met Hope and started to acquaint ourselves with her. She was a bit stand offish at first, but vwarmed up to the kids very quickly. 

The birthday party was a big success. Millie's cousins; Bella, Sophia and Eliza, along with Daisy and Xinia, our friend Sam's daughters, were all there to help her celebrate. Grandma had many games planned and food for all of East Sussex. It was great and Millie loved every second of it. Once the party was over, we started the family BBQ. By the time everyone was gone, we were all ready for bed. 

We were up on Monday morning and off to Ashford to go to the outlet stores. Both Jack and Stuart needed to get clothes for the family wedding we would attend on Saturday. We had great success and even bought some other things the kids needed, such as school shoes. Jack's foot measured a size and a half larger than the shoes he wore on the last day of school, which was June 23rd. So either his foot has grown that much since the last day or he was wearing shoes WAY too small for him for quite some time. 

Once our shopping was finished we had lunch at Pizza Express. Stuart and I shared a gluten free pizza which was delightful. After lunch it was time to head back to Highwoods. Grandpa was there and ready for a trek in the woods. Once we were deep in the woods, wellies and all, we played ball in the school field and picked blackberries. We may have eaten every one we picked. It was a good time to have the kids out and have a run around. We went back to the house for dinner. Baths and bed followed shortly for all of us. 

Tuesday morning we were up and out by 9 am. We went to look for a bike for Hope's birthday. Since Stuart wouldn't be here in October he decided he would help her pick it out and get it now. Jack and Millie got fussy and then I reminded them that their dad is with them all the time and they needed to let Hope have this time with her dad. They seemed to understand a bit. The dynamics of the three kids started to show through on Tuesday. They took their place in the birth order. It was a bit strange. 

After the bike hunt we went to Eastbourne to collect Granny and have lunch. We stopped on the pier for a bit and played at the 2 pence machines. It was no different than going to any other fun zone and blowing a little bit of money, but the kids had a blast. We had lunch at a buffet called Cosmos. We sat right next to the buffet and now have determined we can never eat at a buffet again. It's appalling what people do to the food on a buffet. Ick!  We ended our time with Granny up at Burling Gap. It's always a nice place for a coffee. This particular time the kids were able to walk down to the beach for a bit. It was windy, as usual. 

Once we were home, the kids started in on crafts with Grandma.

 Stuart and I got ready to have an evening out with Nathan, Sam and Craig. We headed back to Eastbourne for dinner, drinks and old times. We had a fantastic night. We are all a bit older, but maybe still not terribly wise. It was a good night as we didn't get home until after midnight. 

On Wednesday we headed to Henfield for the day. Digby and Janie, friends of Grandma and Grandpa's, had a BBQ. Sadly it rained most of the day. But the food and company were good. Janie and Digby's granddaughters were there. Hope, Jack and Millie enjoyed playing with them. 

Thursday morning we went to shop for clothes for Hope and then to see the Emoji Movie. We had lunch, then came home for Hope to get a hair cut. We just chilled around the house and prepared for Hope to go home. This was more difficult than I thought it would be. Sibling dynamics were in full force. The kids had such a wonderful time together. Jack may have had the most difficult time understanding it all. Hope adored Millie and carried her everywhere. Jack, on the other hand, was being a boy through and through. Therefore Hope wasn't as fussed with him. He kept saying to me that he thought she didn't like him and all he wanted was for her to like him. He's a bit sensitive. She did like him, but it didn't look the way he thought it should. 

Friday morning we were all up early. Stuart, Hope and Jack headed to the west side of the country while the rest of us headed to Surrey for cousin Amie's wedding festivities. Stuart and Jack dropped Hope off at her house just after noon and then headed to Haslemere for Amie and Jon's wedding. Amie is Stuart's cousin. This wedding has been on the books for two years and it had finally arrived. 

We all arrived just before 4 pm. We had picked up Granny and met Stuart and Jack at the hotel. It was a lovely old farm estate that looked as if it had been recently renovated. We were in a family room, where there was a pull out sofa for the kids. Stuart went down to the dining room to have a cup of tea with his mum and grandma, while I stayed in our room and let the kids watch Netflix. 

We had dinner with Stuart's great aunties and the rest of Karen's family. It was a lovely meal and excellent conversation. The difficult part was sorting the bill at the end. The poor guy who was trying to separate our meals was flustered to say the least. He finally got it all squared around and we all retired for the evening. 

Saturday morning we all met for breakfast at 8 am. Stuart, the kids and I decided we would have a swim for about an hour. It was an indoor pool so the weather didn't matter much, but it was a lovely day.

 When we were heading to the pool we ran into Barry who let us know that Granny had taken a fall. She banged up her knee and hit her head. This hotel had way too many steps for the number of older people we had in our party, and the Steps were not marked very well. So unfortunately it was decided that Granny would go to the emergency room to get checked out. Stuart followed but she ended up not being seen. There would have been a two hour wait and Granny was having none of that, considering the wedding was due to start at 1 pm and when Stuart got to her it was 12 pm. 

We were to leave for the church at noon in order to get there with time to spare. As you can guess, everyone was terribly frazzled. I felt so bad for Audrey (Granny). She had a good sense of humour about it all, but I know she hated it that people were worried about her. 

We didn't leave at noon, and by the time we did leave Stuart had arrived back at the hotel with Granny. Karen stayed with them and helped Audrey get dressed. The ended up getting to the wedding at 1:07 pm. Stuart had to have driven like a bat out of hell. Soon after they were seated, the bride arrived and came down the aisle. It was a bit like a scene from Four Weddings and a Funeral. The wedding ceremony was beautiful. 

We all exited the church and threw rose petals at Amie and Jon as they came out of the church. They then entered their wedding car and headed to The Barn, the reception hall. The thing that I love about an English wedding is that it lasts all day long. We had Pimms and Proseco, and stood in the lawn area until 4 pm, when they served our first meal. It was a set dinner and was wonderful. The kids had little gifts at their seat. 

Vicki, Amie, Auntie Cheryl and Granny. 

Grandma and Grandpa. 

Once dinner was over our table was removed to make space for the dance floor. We danced until we could dance no more. Our hotel was about a 20 minute drive from the reception hall. Although taxis were booked to pick up many people from the family, Stuart ended up being the taxi service as the hired one never turned up. He made his last run at 1 am. Ugh!

It was a stupendous day, a perfect way to end an exciting week.