Back from vacation....

Me to Daughter: "What did you enjoy the most in UK?"
Daughter: "Spending time with family" :).

We returned last night from our UK trip. We have family based in London, and friends all over UK....and we had an amazing time out there. I am going to miss the superb London public transport system a lot. I fell in love with it.

The trip has changed all of us. The kids loved mimicking the British accent throughout their trip. We were fortunate enough to not experience any sort of racism out there. In fact, I found the people much better (polite, respectful, well dressed, well mannered) than the US. Whether it was traveling during peak hours on the tube, or taking long distance trains, we found ourselves taken care of very well. The kids were always offered a seat, and most people volunteered to move around (without being asked) to provide adjoining seats to us.

The weather was simply beautiful throughout the month of June. We got a few showers here and there, but frankly, coming from a dry, drought-ridden California, the rains were very welcome. I couldn't get enough of the green fields and parks and forests. Again, it was in stark contrast to the browns here in California.

We didn't dine out much, but I got to explore the local markets and made a lot of meals at home. Beans on toast has become a favorite of the kids. The cheese selection in UK is outstanding. Coffee was always good (much better than US), and I loved that we always got fresh milk and brown sugar (mostly fair trade) to add to our coffee or tea. Water is also served at room temperature. These are simple things, but water with ice and sugar laden drinks are a big turn off for me in the states.

We spent an entire week on the coast in Wales. Our friend A grew up there, and he hosted us during our stay in Pembrokeshire Coastal National Park. I am sure I will write a lot more posts about our time in Wales, but in a nutshell, that place is a wonderland. It has pristine beaches, lush green mountains, an amazing coastal walking path that would take several months to explore, tidepools, rock arches, wild life, dairy farms, lambs and cows, beaches to see the sunrise as well as sunset, and so much more. And when you have someone who grew up there to take you around, you see the place through their eyes, through their experience, through the local lens - and that is the BEST way to experience it! We also met A's family - his 76 year old mum (who is adorable), his sister and her family, and their pets. The kids couldn't get enough of the beach, and we came back with loads of sea shells and a heart full of happy memories from that trip.

Brexit happened while we were there, and we also attended a memorial of an MP who was shot down during our trip.

As and when I get a chance to upload pictures, I will write more.

As of now, we are jetlagged, but very happy to be home. The kids missed their bed, their toys, the garden, and that sense of belonging in this home and town that they've been since birth!

Still the same...

I read my post from April, and realized not much has changed in the last month or so....

We got a few offers for our home, but nothing worked out. We decided not to sell our current home. We will not be moving to a new house. Things have a way of working out for themselves....and this whole process has been very educational, as well as beneficial for us. Purging, cleaning, organizing the home has been the biggest benefit so far. My credit score had taken a beating due to some issues and those issues are resolved now. We've understood the local market criteria, how to stage a home, how to get ready for showings, do open houses, and have learnt a lot about the real estate selling process these past couple months. In a way, I'm relieved I don't have to move. We like this place, and the neighborhood. We are looking forward to enjoying the summer break here!

Things at work are still somewhat stressful. There is no clear direction for our group. The management has changed, even though our project and work has not. I've lived with ambiguity before, so I have not been negatively impacted so far. But you can sense the turmoil when you enter the campus each day. Lots of folks have cancelled vacations and sabbaticals, and in general, the mood is somber. Not an environment I would choose to be in, if I had that choice right now.

Kids have been falling sick quite a bit. It has been extremely difficult to manage these times. The son is napping next to me as I type this. He has high fever, and an ear infection. He vomited his dinner last night, leading to a ton of laundry and midnight bath, as well as a sleepless night for us. 

So yeah, that's life, but if you look, you can always find happiness and joy around :).... 

The daughter had a beautiful graduation ceremony for kindergarten yesterday. She has triumphed this year in a new school, made lots of new-diverse friends, and has grown so much. As parents, we did an average job. The morning routine was always stressful, the evening homework routine was also somewhat stressful, and we could have done a lot better in managing our emotions during this time. We have learnt from this experience and hope that the next year will be much better. 

We have a vacation coming up in June - YAY!!. Tickets have been booked and some trips have been planned. We will be meeting family and friends that we haven't connected with in a long time. Our travel and break from routine is very much anticipated! 

Kids have been learning canvas painting techniques with a friend who is an excellent artist. She lives on a 5-acre farm with chickens, dogs and tortoises. She plants a huge produce garden each year, and kids have helped her this year with planting. Our weekly visits to her place are always so much fun, as well as therapeutic!

Summer is here, and the kids have been having lots of play dates, park outings (including spray parks), and attending birthday parties. Weather has been gorgeous and they are also enjoying bike rides. They've been picking up germs and getting sick too, but I would gladly take these common illnesses in lieu of the awesome outdoor fun any day!!

Here's a graduation picture and a couple of our adventurous boy to end the post....such joy on the kids' faces - more than enough to evaporate all the stress!

Modes of transport....

The kids had their annual summer break from preschool earlier this month. Even though they go to a private school which runs year round, they get a break every quarter. Hubby and I always take time off during their break, and usually, we like to travel during this time. Our destination this time was the gorgeous Pacific North West - mainly the beautiful sights in and around Seattle.

Rather than taking a flight as we normally do, we decided to ride the train. I have amazing memories of numerous train journeys that I took with my family in India, and I wanted to create similar ones for my children. I was a bit apprehensive of the length of our journey (close to 24 hours), but decided to go for it anyway. It was a good decision. Even though we faced delays, we all thoroughly enjoyed our journey.

The best part was that the kids made friends with 2 girls who were traveling with their dad, and got ample time to play and bond with them. They did art, sang songs, played I spy, ran up and down and across compartments, spent time in the lounge, ate snacks and even napped at the same time. We enjoyed the pretty vistas and the ocean views as well, but making new friends was the highlight of their train ride.

We also rode the ducks of Seattle - an amphibian craft that rides on land as well as water. The kids were amazed when our bus turned into a boat and splashed into Lake Union on a gorgeous sunny afternoon. We saw many float planes take off and land right in front of us. Combined with the awesome music and energy of the fellow passengers, it was an experience to remember!

We spent an afternoon at Lake Sammamish State Park, and took the kids pedal boating. It was their first experience of boating, and it was our first time with both kids on a boat and no one else to assist. Even though the daughter was very apprehensive of getting in, soon after we got into the lake, she said she never wanted this boat ride to end :) {after all, we were pedaling, not them ;)}. The son wanted to jump around and splash water, and we had a hard time getting him to stay put on his seat....but he thoroughly enjoyed himself as well. It was an hour very well spent as a family.

On our last day in Seattle, we visited Alki Beach. It was a sooper hot day and there is no shade whatsoever on this beach. Rather than getting roasted in the heat, we decided to rent the Surrey. We biked the entire beach until we got to the end and were treated with magnificent views of the Seattle Skyline. The kids rode in the front seat, ringing a bell whenever they saw a pedestrian ahead of us. Once we were back, we bought them snocones which helped them cool down. I highly recommend this experience if you happen to be in the area.

I was chatting with the daughter on our flight back about these modes of transport, and I could see the happiness on her face while she recollected our outings. The smiles continued when they went back to school and shared it with their teacher and friends.

All these new experiences, combined with our long car rides to get to our destinations, made it a very memorable trip for us!