Last updated on May 5th, 2024 at 02:03 pm
Welcome to the start of the weekend, it’s Friday. I hope you all have plans to do something adventurous with the family since school is out. I love this time of year to get out and do things that you normally don’t have the time, weather or money for. I can’t wait to plan out our school breaks when B starts school.
This week we have been driving all over seeing family in various towns. It’s great that we have so much extended family here. The kids are really starting to get used to the forty-minute drive to the grocery store for milk and the two and half hours to see my brother and his family or my Aunt and Uncle and their cousins. Nothing is close here but worth the drive when you live 10,000 miles away the rest of the year. We call them mini road trips, I will be sharing all my top tips for tots in the car soon.
Let’s see what we have been loving this week:
READ
I am still waiting for to Kill A Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman to come along with the Girl on the Train. These are three reads I am dying to read before I get back to the UK but only four weeks left they need delivered asap so I can get tucked in. Vacationers was ok, but I got a little bored with it and felt like I could guess the entire book half way through. I never like that kind of story.
HEARD
WATCHED
I have been watching my kids bond with my parents over the last month. This year, it’s so much more fun for all of them to play and wrestle and in this case be silly. Now that they are getting older my parents find them easier to bond with and do things with them more. I love the family dynamic here. The kids run to their grandparents each night before bed to hug and kiss them good night. The first they do is look for their grandparents in the morning too. We can be playing out front in the swimming pool and one of my kids will shout out to Papa or Grandma to come play with them. They love their grandparents so much and I get a little emotional that they don’t get to see them more because of me. It’s in those times that it makes being an expat so very hard. The kids love how silly my parents are and I think they may even be rubbing off on the kids too, as you can see below.
WORE
I am not going to lie when I come home, I do a lot of shopping. It’s so cheap here and so many brands I can’t get back home. I still shop online here too as my parents live so far out not everything is readily available to us here that I want to stock up on. Some of MM’s new outfits only cost $4 that’s less than my morning Starbucks back home. I love Target for home decor and I may have a few boxes of home accessories to come home with me too. Bed, Bath and Beyond is another firm favorite along with Kohl’s. This year I also found a great little boutique in the mall called Bohme that is my new favorite for vibrant colorful outfits especially soft colored jeans. 
We have been redecorating back home in the UK, so I have been shopping online for new home accessories to go in my bathroom, laundry room and kitchen. I have been looking at Vouchacodes for some great bargains. It’s no secret I like to shop around and get a good deal. Why pay more for something you can get on sale? I can’t wait to show you all our new home tour when I return.
MADE
I am on a 30 day, no junk food, challenge with my Momma. It’s day 13 and we are going strong. There may have been a few grumpy days but we have been keeping each other on track and documenting our meals and weighing in each morning. Through this I have created some amazingly delicious new recipes from a list of foods that are good for us and that we are following. I never knew how good healthy food could taste if you put the right combinations together. Don’t get me wrong we had a few days where almost every meal was choked down, nose held, to swallow. Here is my new favorite Overnight Breakfast Oatmeal in a Jar. It’s brilliant if you are a busy parent and you can have the whole family’s breakfast made up ahead of time in the fridge for those busy mornings and great knowing everyone is eating healthy.
AND LASTLY…TRAVEL
I have shared my travel bucket list recently and there is definitely one missing on my list for family fun and it’s Prague. Most people don’t think of a shortbreak to Prague as a great place for kids but lately I have seen a splurge of tweets on twitter of young families having fun in Prague. Just glancing online there are so many activities in Prague for kids. I can’t wait to take the kids there now. I don’t know who would be more excited over the Mirror Maze, Puppet Shows, River Cruises, Funicular Railway, and many play parks and ice cream parlors. Or the famous “Paint a Brick” wall…this is on my must do list. I love activities like this that leave a little piece of you in Prague. Now that all sounds like a perfect family shortbreak to Prague to me. Have you been to Prague with your kids? Would love to know what fun things you got up to, please comment below.
It sounds like you are having such a wonderful time back home. The time with your parents, and their time with the kids must be so wonderful. I am envious of your shopping – the clothes look beautiful. I’ve only been to the States once, to Las Vegas, and we hired a Mustang for the day and went shopping! It was so cheap 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend Jen x
Oh a mustang now that’s a good way to go to Vegas. Vegas is great for shopping too we will be there in three weeks. Can’t wait. Although minus the mustang. lol We are having the best time here but missing Daddy so very much.
I love those photos of your parents with the kids, so lovely! x
Thanks, love how silly my parents are, cracks me up so much. They have so much fun with them.
Wow, it sounds like you’ll need a whole plane to yourself for all the things you’ll be taking back to the UK. Sharing beautiful pictures as always Jenny. Missy Moo looks very mischievous with the yellow hoop!
She is always mischievous hahaha Too funny though when she gets with my Dad they are two peas in a pod and silly doesn’t describe them. lol Thank you.
Family time together must be so prescious 🙂 ooh you’ve reminded me about those oats, I need to get on it! Where did you find the list of ‘good’ foods? I’m tempted to try the no-junk challenge.. Hope you have a lovely weekend xx
It is precious and I am forever grateful to be here each summer together with them all. Oh yes try those they are amazing. Oh it’s actually the Dr. Oz Total Ten diet so they give you a list of foods you can eat unlimited and I have just been making up various dinners from the list. I named it my no junk 30 day challenge though. lol Have a lovely weekend too.
Love your posts from the US, sounds heavenly where your parents live. Kids are so cute with their grandparents aren’t they, even when they don’t see them that often. First thing my little one did the morning after my mum left recently was go into her room and ask where she was 🙁 Wish we lived closer sometimes.
Your outfits are all so cute, sure sounds like you can get some real bargains out there. Have a lovely week, can’t wait to see what you get up to x
Oh yes we can get super bargains I only wish I could bring more home with me. It’s phenomenal too. My parents are so close with my kids and they always ask to come back as soon as we get back to the UK and they realize no one there to spoil them, no pool, no sun, no cousins either. It’s tough but we enjoy our summers fully for that very reason. lol 🙂
I love that you are going crazy with shopping – definitely the time to stock up! and if it’s way cheaper…what’s not to love? and I love that your parents are getting to know your kids and bonding. I love watching mine with their grandparents. SO precious! We visited Prague pre-kids and it’s so quaint. Totally beautiful xx
I definitely want to go to Prague soon, but I am researching if I should do it with kids or just me and Mr P? Verdict still out. Thanks we love stocking up here. The grandparents love every minute of us being here too. It’s definitely bittersweet to watch them bond together even if its’ only once or twice a year.
Ah loved this jenny, firstly you look gorgeous in your outfits and I love your garage door posing of course. Secondly I would love to go to Prague, Mr E has been and says it’s fantastic. And those photos of the kids with your Dad are just gorgeous. x
Thanks Katie. Inspired by you and fully credited hahaha The kids do obsessed over it and I keep saying we can’t do it everyday. We should do a Prague girlie trip the double team after Flump is older. lol 🙂