Pictures are in date order... see how psychitzo our weather has been!
LIFE LATELY {IF MY iPHONE IS ANYTHING TO GO BY...}
Unedited scenes from family life.
Pictures are in date order... see how psychitzo our weather has been!
Pictures are in date order... see how psychitzo our weather has been!
SHOPPING SPREE...
So the joy of pregnancy took a little dip when Alex and I had a shopping day in Kent last month. Obviously, I'm not really in the market for party dresses or skinny jeans these days but there I was in Ted Baker. Dreaming. My thought process was as follows...
BUY SOMETHING :: DON'T BE DAFT
BUY SOMETHING :: DON'T BE DAFT
- but I wont be pregnant forever
- I'll be back in shape by the end of the summer {well, that's the plan!}
- but I'll be breastfeeding... look for something with 'easy access'
- maybe a jacket
- or a cardigan
- clothes don't have a sell by date... they don't go off
- well they do, when you think of it... fashions have seasons
- you've never cared about that, you're your own person
- you can wear it next year
- but I might be pregnant again {four Trott Tots?!}
- you might not be... you need to see how you go with three babies
- oh, those shorts are gorgeous
- you don't have the legs for those
- true
- Alex will think you're daft
- he always thinks I'm daft
- they'll have great stuff next year too
- isn't it better to save for the move home than having unworn clothes looking at you
- but they'd be MY unworn clothes
EASTER SUNDAY
A successful Easter Bunny hunt. We had a great day... but don't be fooled by these happy little faces. Today came with its fair share of digging in mud, refusing to cooperate, throwing hissy fits, sticky fingers and chocolate moustashes.
And... before you judge me on over indulging my toddlers with chocolate, they got to find it... and then they get to share it. With me. And I suppose if they see any friends this week, we'll share with them too! We are working hard on the art of sharing.
SIX WEEKS :: UPDATE
Blogging failure at your service!
Where have I been for the past few {um, six!} weeks. Let me tell you. So six weeks ago was Shrove Tuesday, the beginning of Lent. I don't do Lent. I never do. I'd fail... forbid me from something, anything at all and I'll want it, crave it until I break. I'm useless. Oh, I could've told you that I gave up blogging for Lent. That would fit but alas, it would be a lie.
1. A week in Belfast to start. I got to see my grandparents most days. You know those two... my very own Lily and Mitch. A precious pair. They really enjoyed seeing Joseph and Carys but we kept the visits short and sweet. Joseph and Carys loved seeing their cousins and got utterly spoilt by Nana and Papa. I went to my old (she's not that old!) hairdresser which was totally delightful. I haven't found a hairdresser that I've been happy with since I left Belfast and Louise gets it right every time. It was great to catch up with her after so long. Thanks Louise for a lovely morning! We had a very noisy and chaotic family meal at Frankie and Benny's for my nephews fifth birthday. A trip to Mookie World made five little people very happy. Try making Carys stay in the baby section and you've got a fight on your hands. That girl is not to be stopped!
2. The week between trips. Back in Gilly, we had a quiet week back in Switzerland. A couple of play dates at ours gave Joseph and Carys some fun without me having to go out in the freezing cold. The snow was mostly melted when we got back from Belfast but we had the remains of a snowman to smash up and two little people up for the challenge. I'd wrap them up and pack them out into the garden, turn my armchair to face the window to keep an eye on them and get a good chapter or two of Sense and Sensibility covered. Such a good read. There was also a bit of fireman and fairy action for good measure. He's a thoughtful looking fire fighter, don't you think?
I had a glucose test {gag!} that made me feel full on nasty grim for the rest of the day. The bonus to that day, and something much more pleasant to note, was immediately after the gagfest experience I had a lovely baby check up with a successful 3D scan. The first attempt a few weeks before was less of a success. T3 was not cooperating.
Now, let me tell you, these pictures aren't my favourite. Yes, they are incredible and yes, isn't technology amazing but lets face it, they aren't very pretty. Being a typical 'blinded by love' mummy, I can see a very cute little face in there but don't worry, I don't expect you to see it!
3. DisneyLand Paris. This really deserves a post all of its own but will you please just look at this! {Hard not to look given I've set it to X-Large!} I do solemnly swear that I will do a Disney post all of its own but for now... look. at. this.
4. And on to Kent.
Another home from home. Another great trip seeing Alex's family and a glimpse into the new life we are planning. We have decided to say au revoir to Switzerland {hurray!} at the end of the summer. Kent will be home. That's a whole other story too. Back to this trip for now. I just take such delight in seeing my children with our family. They play so well with their cousins. Just the right amount of not sharing and squabbling vs hugging, kissing and playing happily together! Perfect. We took ourselves for a day out to Drusilla's with Tim, Kate, Theo and Cosmo. What a great place but I was totally won over by the gorgeous fresh 'too hot to touch' doughnuts. Uh-mazin! Seriously if you ever go there, visit The Station Buffet and grab yourself a treat.
Alex and I took full advantage of Grandma and had a full day shopping in Bluewater. We had such a great day. The children's summer wardrobes are well and truly sorted. Shopping for Carys is easy, too easy. Only problem with girls clothes is the desire to have matching this and matching that to finish off an outfit. Girls are expensive but I was sensible and kept it simple. She got a great pair of silver sandals that will go with everything. Now boys clothes are a different story. Easier in that most shirts will go with most shorts but so much harder to find clothes free of printed nonsense! Joseph is a collar kid. He really suits shirts and polo shirts. I'll see the perfect polo then when I pick it up... MY EYES! Why oh why do they have to put a Tigger or 'Mummy's Little Man' {puke!} on the back of a perfectly gorgeous top!? Anyways, I have pulled together a wardrobe free of Tigger et al and am pretty pleased with his summer lot. It wasn't just the Trott Tots who got treats. Alex and I treated ourselves too. My limit was shoes, I don't need more maternity clothes and couldn't justify buying regular clothes. Believe me, I did try to justify it... especially standing surrounded by dreamy gorgeousness in Ted Baker. I sort of wish I had been a bit foolish and got a treat in there too! Alex is not normally a happy shopper but even he enjoyed our day out. It was almost like being a couple again, no buggy's to push and not a baby wipe in sight. We held hands until the shopping bags wouldn't allow it. So lovely.
Apart from shopping, we had a couple of meals out... I am still dreaming of the pork belly crackling I had in The Chaser Inn on a night out with friends Woody and Hannah! Seriously, too good to be true. We had a big family Mother's Day lunch in The Carpenters Arms. I was seriously impressed the the little Trott cousins sat for over three hours. Granted they needed a bit of entertaining but that's a long haul for littles. I bought some Easter crafts the day before in the Early Learning Centre so they did the job. Those and chocolate. Of course. Always chocolate.
5. We're ba-aack!
The drive back to Switzerland went well. Well, apart from the crazy rain on the motorways and snow storm on the Jura mountains. Our Trott Tot's do so well on those long journeys. The whole way home Joseph was chiming in the back 'let's go this way, let's go back to Grandma's' while pointing to the back of the car. Bless him. We were just back a couple of days when Alex's cousin Jennie came to visit. We had a great time with her. Joseph and Carys were quickly obsessed with our guest. Carys called her 'Ma Chennie'. It was really nice having her around while Alex was at work. We walked about the village and had lunch in the Auberge. I don't like walking around the village on my own with Joseph and Carys. There are no pavements and they aren't fond of holding hands so it's always a bit stressful. What else did we do? We weren't the greatest tour guides now that I think of it. We did go up to Geneva to see the Jet d'Eau and feed the ducks on the lake. Oh yeah, Jennie and I went out for a delish dinner at Restaurant du Chasseur. Another one of those meals you want to last forever! I'm just realising how much I've talked about food in this post. Since Jennie's departure, we've been catching up with friends in the village and I have spent almost every free moment looking at houses in Kent on Right Move.
All in all, being back in Belfast and in Kent confirmed to us that we are ready to move home. We love it. We just love it. We know the weather is a rubbish, we know the government needs a shake, we know the economy has seen better days, we know all the downsides but it's home and it's where we want to be.
So. We've got six months left in Switzerland. They'll be a good six months. We're coming into the spring. We're having our third baby in June. It'll be a busy summer adjusting to life with three Trott Tots. We'll spend it in our garden enjoying the guaranteed sunshine Switzerland offers. I will absorb all the good things about life here and try to ignore all the things that bother me. Trust me, there's a long list. You know I love a list. But the thing is those things don't need to bother me anymore. We're leaving. I can laugh in their face because I know that in six months those things will not pertain to me. In six months I'll be thinking about only the positive things about Switzerland and shedding a tear as we bid life here farewell. I'm a fickle being, I know.
Where have I been for the past few {um, six!} weeks. Let me tell you. So six weeks ago was Shrove Tuesday, the beginning of Lent. I don't do Lent. I never do. I'd fail... forbid me from something, anything at all and I'll want it, crave it until I break. I'm useless. Oh, I could've told you that I gave up blogging for Lent. That would fit but alas, it would be a lie.
1. A week in Belfast to start. I got to see my grandparents most days. You know those two... my very own Lily and Mitch. A precious pair. They really enjoyed seeing Joseph and Carys but we kept the visits short and sweet. Joseph and Carys loved seeing their cousins and got utterly spoilt by Nana and Papa. I went to my old (she's not that old!) hairdresser which was totally delightful. I haven't found a hairdresser that I've been happy with since I left Belfast and Louise gets it right every time. It was great to catch up with her after so long. Thanks Louise for a lovely morning! We had a very noisy and chaotic family meal at Frankie and Benny's for my nephews fifth birthday. A trip to Mookie World made five little people very happy. Try making Carys stay in the baby section and you've got a fight on your hands. That girl is not to be stopped!
 |
| Joseph on the Gator at Nana & Papa's :: Me gettin' ma hur did :: Alex & Carys. She pretty much wore those bunny ears all week :: And ate a lot of ice cream! Alex and I even got to squeeze in lunch for two in Made in Belfast. A rare treat for us and it didn't disappoint. Seriously good food. Alex, ever the worker, sat a couple of exams while we were there. The online type so instant results confirmed he passed. No better reason to celebrate. Apart from that, we did a little bit of shopping and just enjoyed being back with family. |
 |
| Lunch {those chips!} at Made In Belfast |
2. The week between trips. Back in Gilly, we had a quiet week back in Switzerland. A couple of play dates at ours gave Joseph and Carys some fun without me having to go out in the freezing cold. The snow was mostly melted when we got back from Belfast but we had the remains of a snowman to smash up and two little people up for the challenge. I'd wrap them up and pack them out into the garden, turn my armchair to face the window to keep an eye on them and get a good chapter or two of Sense and Sensibility covered. Such a good read. There was also a bit of fireman and fairy action for good measure. He's a thoughtful looking fire fighter, don't you think?
I had a glucose test {gag!} that made me feel full on nasty grim for the rest of the day. The bonus to that day, and something much more pleasant to note, was immediately after the gagfest experience I had a lovely baby check up with a successful 3D scan. The first attempt a few weeks before was less of a success. T3 was not cooperating.
Now, let me tell you, these pictures aren't my favourite. Yes, they are incredible and yes, isn't technology amazing but lets face it, they aren't very pretty. Being a typical 'blinded by love' mummy, I can see a very cute little face in there but don't worry, I don't expect you to see it!
3. DisneyLand Paris. This really deserves a post all of its own but will you please just look at this! {Hard not to look given I've set it to X-Large!} I do solemnly swear that I will do a Disney post all of its own but for now... look. at. this.
 |
| My very most favourite picture of the trip! |
4. And on to Kent.
Another home from home. Another great trip seeing Alex's family and a glimpse into the new life we are planning. We have decided to say au revoir to Switzerland {hurray!} at the end of the summer. Kent will be home. That's a whole other story too. Back to this trip for now. I just take such delight in seeing my children with our family. They play so well with their cousins. Just the right amount of not sharing and squabbling vs hugging, kissing and playing happily together! Perfect. We took ourselves for a day out to Drusilla's with Tim, Kate, Theo and Cosmo. What a great place but I was totally won over by the gorgeous fresh 'too hot to touch' doughnuts. Uh-mazin! Seriously if you ever go there, visit The Station Buffet and grab yourself a treat.
Alex and I took full advantage of Grandma and had a full day shopping in Bluewater. We had such a great day. The children's summer wardrobes are well and truly sorted. Shopping for Carys is easy, too easy. Only problem with girls clothes is the desire to have matching this and matching that to finish off an outfit. Girls are expensive but I was sensible and kept it simple. She got a great pair of silver sandals that will go with everything. Now boys clothes are a different story. Easier in that most shirts will go with most shorts but so much harder to find clothes free of printed nonsense! Joseph is a collar kid. He really suits shirts and polo shirts. I'll see the perfect polo then when I pick it up... MY EYES! Why oh why do they have to put a Tigger or 'Mummy's Little Man' {puke!} on the back of a perfectly gorgeous top!? Anyways, I have pulled together a wardrobe free of Tigger et al and am pretty pleased with his summer lot. It wasn't just the Trott Tots who got treats. Alex and I treated ourselves too. My limit was shoes, I don't need more maternity clothes and couldn't justify buying regular clothes. Believe me, I did try to justify it... especially standing surrounded by dreamy gorgeousness in Ted Baker. I sort of wish I had been a bit foolish and got a treat in there too! Alex is not normally a happy shopper but even he enjoyed our day out. It was almost like being a couple again, no buggy's to push and not a baby wipe in sight. We held hands until the shopping bags wouldn't allow it. So lovely.
Apart from shopping, we had a couple of meals out... I am still dreaming of the pork belly crackling I had in The Chaser Inn on a night out with friends Woody and Hannah! Seriously, too good to be true. We had a big family Mother's Day lunch in The Carpenters Arms. I was seriously impressed the the little Trott cousins sat for over three hours. Granted they needed a bit of entertaining but that's a long haul for littles. I bought some Easter crafts the day before in the Early Learning Centre so they did the job. Those and chocolate. Of course. Always chocolate.
5. We're ba-aack!
The drive back to Switzerland went well. Well, apart from the crazy rain on the motorways and snow storm on the Jura mountains. Our Trott Tot's do so well on those long journeys. The whole way home Joseph was chiming in the back 'let's go this way, let's go back to Grandma's' while pointing to the back of the car. Bless him. We were just back a couple of days when Alex's cousin Jennie came to visit. We had a great time with her. Joseph and Carys were quickly obsessed with our guest. Carys called her 'Ma Chennie'. It was really nice having her around while Alex was at work. We walked about the village and had lunch in the Auberge. I don't like walking around the village on my own with Joseph and Carys. There are no pavements and they aren't fond of holding hands so it's always a bit stressful. What else did we do? We weren't the greatest tour guides now that I think of it. We did go up to Geneva to see the Jet d'Eau and feed the ducks on the lake. Oh yeah, Jennie and I went out for a delish dinner at Restaurant du Chasseur. Another one of those meals you want to last forever! I'm just realising how much I've talked about food in this post. Since Jennie's departure, we've been catching up with friends in the village and I have spent almost every free moment looking at houses in Kent on Right Move.
All in all, being back in Belfast and in Kent confirmed to us that we are ready to move home. We love it. We just love it. We know the weather is a rubbish, we know the government needs a shake, we know the economy has seen better days, we know all the downsides but it's home and it's where we want to be.
So. We've got six months left in Switzerland. They'll be a good six months. We're coming into the spring. We're having our third baby in June. It'll be a busy summer adjusting to life with three Trott Tots. We'll spend it in our garden enjoying the guaranteed sunshine Switzerland offers. I will absorb all the good things about life here and try to ignore all the things that bother me. Trust me, there's a long list. You know I love a list. But the thing is those things don't need to bother me anymore. We're leaving. I can laugh in their face because I know that in six months those things will not pertain to me. In six months I'll be thinking about only the positive things about Switzerland and shedding a tear as we bid life here farewell. I'm a fickle being, I know.
SHROVE TUESDAY
Just as I was about to type 'pancake recipe' into google (don't judge me... I don't make them often enough to know the quantites by heart!), what should arrive in my inbox but an email for good old Graham & Green with exactly that. Spooky!
Bon appetit mon ami!
Bon appetit mon ami!
OH HAPPY FEBRUARY!
February has arrived. I, for one, am delighted! Are you? Now, I don't mind January, in fact I feel a bit sorry for him {January is a boy, you know} because everybody, and I mean ev-er-y-bod-y, seemed to be moaning on and on about January, willing it to be a new month. And here we are. February. A month into 2013 and I am left feeling a little lacking. I did not acheive a great deal of anything useful in the first month of 2013. We didn't venture far. We didn't do a great deal of anything. Reflecting on the month, I have realised there isn't much to reflect on. A little ashamed. February should be a different story. February is where it's at. February and March, in fact. Two busy months for Chez Trott. Family visiting, visiting family... little bit of Disney. Yes.
Anyways. All month long, my mind has been elsewhere. The future. I am thinking a lot about the what's next for us. I'm lost here in Switzerland. Ready for change. Taking down the Christmas decorations at the beginning of the month I thought I'd change things. Move pictures, get some new art. Do some art. I didn't. The walls are still bare.
I look at this picture all the time. I took a screen shot of it on my phone and it's there amonst my pictures of a giggling Joseph and Carys with paint all over her face. I want this hanging in my apartment... isn't this just so February? To me it is.
At the moment things are just a little bit in limbo. A bit stagnant.
When we move, we will...
When we move, I'll be able to...
When we move, the children can do...
When we move...
When we move...
Need. To. Stop.
So February, let's not do this any longer. Let's make a plan, you and I. Let's make wise choices. Let's get motivated. Let's live while we plan. Let's enjoy Switzerland. Let's not be ashamed of wasting these days. Let's hang things on the walls regardless of how long they will hang there.
Anyways. All month long, my mind has been elsewhere. The future. I am thinking a lot about the what's next for us. I'm lost here in Switzerland. Ready for change. Taking down the Christmas decorations at the beginning of the month I thought I'd change things. Move pictures, get some new art. Do some art. I didn't. The walls are still bare.
I look at this picture all the time. I took a screen shot of it on my phone and it's there amonst my pictures of a giggling Joseph and Carys with paint all over her face. I want this hanging in my apartment... isn't this just so February? To me it is.
 |
| Modern Romance | 2010 | Yolanda Sanchez |
When we move, we will...
When we move, I'll be able to...
When we move, the children can do...
When we move...
When we move...
Need. To. Stop.
So February, let's not do this any longer. Let's make a plan, you and I. Let's make wise choices. Let's get motivated. Let's live while we plan. Let's enjoy Switzerland. Let's not be ashamed of wasting these days. Let's hang things on the walls regardless of how long they will hang there.
'YOU NEVER CHANGE THINGS BY FIGHTING THE EXISTING REALITY. TO CHANGE SOMETHING, BUILD A NEW MODEL THAT MAKES THE EXISTING MODEL OBSOLETE.'
- BUCKMINSTER 'BUCKY' FULLER
OUR JOURNEY? {PART I}
'Why Switzerland?' This is a question I'm often asked.
'Why, {oh why must you be so Swiss} Switzerland?' This is a question I often ask.
We moved here in July 2009. That's three and a half years. Longer than we had originally planned, shorter than far too long. I am ready to make moves towards Blighty but more of that another time. For now, Switzerland is home. We are really enjoying the life we have here. As much as we miss our family and friends, there are a lot of positives to being here and I, for one, am so thankful that we made this move. It has proved to be a positive step for us in our own journey. We have had to rely on each other like never before.
Funny that we arrived as a couple and now have two children... almost three. Since July 2009... that's a lot of breeding for three and a half years!
Switzerland sort of just happened to us. I know that you can't just wake up in a different country without any input but we just rode a wave and that's exactly what happened. Here's how...
So. Well, lets see, we were living and working in London. Fantastic. London! Loved it. We have a cosy {tiny} little flat in Greenwich and loved life in the south east. London offers a great lifestyle. It's London. Just walking her streets is enough for me. There is an endless amount of shopping to be done, shows to see, restaurants to eat in. All the loveliness aside, neither of us were very keen on the jobs we were in. I was working in a Postgraduate Medical Deanery, the same sort of work that I had been doing in Belfast. I absolutely loved my job in Belfast. I mean it... I loved going to work. Monday's didn't bother me. Coming back from holiday didn't bother me. Working weekends didn't bother me. I loved it. The same set up in London proved very different. Without going into the why's and wherefores, I hated it. Alex was a totally fed up in his job too. He was in auditing which didn't inspire him much at all.
We'd both get the Sunday night horrors at the thought of the week ahead and spend the 9-5 longing for the next weekend. I realise this is the case for a lot of people but enough was enough for us. We were engaged and about to get married at the end of the year. The start a new journey and I for one didn't want our story to involve being miserable five days a week. Life's too short, right!? We are all responsibile for our own happiness. We have to make changes and not just dream about them.
So that's what we did. Alex quit his job with three months notice. Three months notice. Those pesky 'three months' were hindering his search. So... three months, that's loads of time to find a new job. Right? Not so... something rather unpredicted happened. The old credit crunch hit. London was out of bounds for Alex getting a new job. Nobody was hiring new staff and everyone was making cuts. Eeeeeshk... so much for 'Life's too short, right!? We are all responsibile for our own happiness. We have to make changes and not just dream about them' With his notice period up and no joy in London job hunting, we got to talking about our options. There weren't many. Alex said he thought going back to Guernsey would be a safe bet as a short term solution. He had trained there, his dad lives there, he has friends there... seemed a good idea. He set up a couple of meeting and, praise be(!), was offered a couple of jobs in one morning. Phew! Sort of. He has a job. It's in Guernsey. He was now in Guernsey and I am in London. I hadn't moved to London for the love of love to start doing long distance all over again. We were about to get married. What a pickle. What to do?
Easy. It wasn't a difficult letter of resignation to write. I pretty much skipped out of work that day knowing my days at the Deanery were numbered. Post wedding, I'd move to Guernsey too, find a temp job of some sorts and we'd figure out the next step together.
To be contnued...
'Why, {oh why must you be so Swiss} Switzerland?' This is a question I often ask.
We moved here in July 2009. That's three and a half years. Longer than we had originally planned, shorter than far too long. I am ready to make moves towards Blighty but more of that another time. For now, Switzerland is home. We are really enjoying the life we have here. As much as we miss our family and friends, there are a lot of positives to being here and I, for one, am so thankful that we made this move. It has proved to be a positive step for us in our own journey. We have had to rely on each other like never before.
Funny that we arrived as a couple and now have two children... almost three. Since July 2009... that's a lot of breeding for three and a half years!
Switzerland sort of just happened to us. I know that you can't just wake up in a different country without any input but we just rode a wave and that's exactly what happened. Here's how...
So. Well, lets see, we were living and working in London. Fantastic. London! Loved it. We have a cosy {tiny} little flat in Greenwich and loved life in the south east. London offers a great lifestyle. It's London. Just walking her streets is enough for me. There is an endless amount of shopping to be done, shows to see, restaurants to eat in. All the loveliness aside, neither of us were very keen on the jobs we were in. I was working in a Postgraduate Medical Deanery, the same sort of work that I had been doing in Belfast. I absolutely loved my job in Belfast. I mean it... I loved going to work. Monday's didn't bother me. Coming back from holiday didn't bother me. Working weekends didn't bother me. I loved it. The same set up in London proved very different. Without going into the why's and wherefores, I hated it. Alex was a totally fed up in his job too. He was in auditing which didn't inspire him much at all.
 |
| Greenwich Park, I love you. |
Our Greenwich Days {with youth on our side!}
Easy. It wasn't a difficult letter of resignation to write. I pretty much skipped out of work that day knowing my days at the Deanery were numbered. Post wedding, I'd move to Guernsey too, find a temp job of some sorts and we'd figure out the next step together.
To be contnued...
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