Catch up summary

Hello!!! Sorry for the lack of updates and so there's a lot to catch up on - settle in with some tea/coffee/wine :)

The first two months here were tough with us all staying at Mr T's mums house. And I had to go to oz for a week at the end of feb which was a bit harder on Mr T as he had his mum and pip to look after - pip was easier he said. 

Then we moved to moved to the most fabulous house, in a fantastic little English village (think Midsomer murder associated english village) and after the first weekend of 10 people staying we had a few days to ourselves. Bliss. 

Since then things have been easier. Our own space (even with mum and dad visiting there was lots of room). 

Other than that Pip is doing brilliantly with new life, new house and second new daycare for the year - except she's stopped sleeping well and is throwing massive three year old tantrums and generally being a little s**t at times - but not really that bad - just unusual for us. It will pass. 

She and I are off to Ireland for a long weekend on Thursday. I love that! We fly Thursday and come back on Tuesday morning. Simple, short flights, mum and dad there to pick us up. Two brothers and their families living within 5 mins - such easy fun! 

Then I probably have to go to Denver for three days on 29 March, we all go to Ireland at the end of April for my birthday and then in mid May I'm back in Sydney for 3 weeks work. 

Busy busy life!!

Found it! Part 2

After a few goldilocks places (too big, too small, too old, too cold) we found one that was just right. But didn't think we would get it. 

Mr T was really sold on the old, cold place. 

The too small was very well located...

The others were...just not right. 

Then we found Woolpit. A lovely little village about 10 miles east of Bury St Edmunds. A tea shop, a post office, some pubs, friendly people. And a 6 bedroom house with the most humongous garden and a fabulous kitchen. And soon it will be our home!

Happy happy sigh. 

Found it! Part 1

I'm so excited! We are going to move into the most amazing house!!! It's got 6 bedrooms - yes 6! Why -pray tell - does a one child family need 6 bedrooms??? 

Here goes...

This year in England we get the chance to do things  differently. For a year, we are allowing ourselves a gap year from grown up responsiblities such as a mortgage, car loan, mandatory health insurance (note on that - here my work provides it free as a benefit). We also get to live in a house and a location that wouldn't be possible if we were to buy. 

So Mr T and I figured we should make the most of this and expand this crazy lifestyle to include his family. Not all the time. No. No. No. But some of the time. 

My brother in law (mmmm also a T name) is divorced and has two gorgeous girls. He has the girls every second weekend and works in a different city. He keeps two small bachelor pads for this - I've seen one. The one the girls stay in. So when I say it's a bachelor pad, believe me it is.

There are stacks of cardboard boxes from every piece of furniture, ever bought for the place, stacked up inside the door. That's two years worth of cardboard. 

The kitchen is stacked with (expensive) reheatable meals, cereal and wine. 

There's a very fancy coffee machine. 

There is nothing homely in anyway about this place. 

So we all figured, let's live together part time. Our girls get to spend lots of time together. We can have family meals. Cooked. From scratch. In our kitchen. 

We would need four bedrooms. The 2 girls can have their own room (to ensure their things are safe from their three year old cousin). Pippa can have her room - her own space and Mr T and I next door. And BIL can have his room. All good. 

Looking for this home then began. It had to be within a certain range of my mil, a certain range from the girls mums place. It had to be near civilisation  (ie a coffee shop and somewhere to buy milk). It had to have a kitchen we could make the heart of our home. 

It had to have character - not a cookie cutter home, but not so character filled we couldn't heat it. 

It had to have an outdoor space for the kids to run around in. 

It had to have decent internet. 

It had to have a space that could be used as my office. 

It had to have .... The list went on. 

We had a spreadsheet. Must haves and nice to haves. All carefully detailed. 

Finally we started looking at places.