My mum has always had this idea of packing everything up, catching a plane over to America, buying an rv for sale and driving across the country. I think it would be a great idea but I don’t think she will ever do it. I’d probably do it but just in a regular car, not an RV and stay in cheap hotels in different cities for a few days at a time. At least then you get to see everything rather than having lots of longer holidays over a number of years. Alex really wants to go to America so you never know, we might do something on a smaller scale eventually!

Alex and I were looking at going on holiday again last night. We actually nearly booked something but then decided its probably better to wait until we actually have the money first! We were looking at caravan holidays in Wales and then ended up looking at the holiday we went to in Spain too and then got really depressed because we miss it. We were considering trying to save up until this time next year so we can go back again next year but then we’d been the spending money on top of that so it’s probably not going to happen. I’m still determined to go away this year though! Most people with children would be looking at Disney vacations but I’m happy with a caravan holiday this year. Anything to get away for a few days.

I have been talking about how I really want a holiday this year for the family. No where fancy, just a caravan holiday in North Wales. It wasn’t really looking like we’d get a holiday but Alex might have a job. He went for an interview on Wednesday afternoon and tomorrow he has a trial shift. I think he will know if he has the job or not by the end of the shift and he said if he gets the job then we can go on holiday! I really, really hope he does get it because I would love to get away for three days together as a family. Like I said, I’m not looking for anything fancy like the Disney rental hotels or anywhere abroad, just a weekend in Wales!

I keep talking about holiday’s on here! I still want to have a family holiday next summer if I can afford to and like I’ve said, it will only be a caravan holiday to Wales but I just think its good for us a family to have holiday’s together. I went on holiday every single year with my parents, usually several times and I don’t want my kids to miss out.

I think if I had the choice to go anywhere in the world – money being no object – I wouldn’t even hesitate and I would say Australia. Its my dream to live there one day and its quite funny since I’ve never actually been! I have quite a lot of family over in the surrounding areas of Sydney as my great-auntie and uncle emigrated with their six kids years and years ago. Its definitely a place that has attracted me since I was very small, more so now because of the outdoor lifestyle and the thought of running on a beach every morning.

Other places I would love to visit are Japan, China, Hawaii, Canada and other parts of America I haven’t seen (I’ve only been to NY but wouldn’t say no to another trip!). Oh and Mexico is definitely a place I want to go to. Mexican food is my ultimate favourite and I would love to eat the real thing. Obviously you’d need to get some sort of medical travel Mexico, or any for any other country you’re visiting. We got insurance when we went to Spain and it wouldn’t be any different if we went somewhere else.

I don’t know about you but after Christmas and New Year, I always feel really tired and drained. I think there is such a big build up to Christmas and you spend most of your time running around either shopping, mailing cards and shipping boxes, wrapping gifts, tidying the house before it gets overrun with wrapping paper and all those other bits that I’ve forgotten, that when its all over, you just don’t know what to do with yourself! New Year isn’t really a big thing for me. I have only ever gone out on New Year once and I got very drunk, was very ill the next day (picture me lying on the couch throwing up in a bag because I couldn’t get upstairs quick enough) and I just don’t think I want to do it again. I did enjoy myself that night even though parts are blank but I had a much better New Year this year when I just stayed at home with the kids and Alex and me and Alex playing Guitar Hero until about 11.45PM and then saw the New Year into together while I cleaned the house to get ready to go to bed! I’m so boring, haha.

I’m just ready to take on this new year and do all the things I should have done last year. I’m not going to say that I hope this year is better than last year because although I had some pretty sad, upsetting and depressing times, I also had some great times. We went on a family holiday to Spain, I got engaged, I’ve become a stronger person, I’ve become a healthier person and I’ve also become less materialistic. Each year teaches you something and you should never say “Last year was awful. I hope next year is better,” because you shouldn’t forget about the good times you had too.

Happy New Year everyone!

It wasn’t long ago when I blogged about holidays. Only three days ago to be exact! I’ve still been looking at holidays to go on and I’m still determined to go next year at whatever cost. I’ve been looking at cheaper options like going for only four days instead of a whole week. Its saves around £90 doing it that way and it also means that we won’t need as much spending money. If it wasn’t coming up to Christmas I might have just booked it last week! Outer Banks vacation homes looks like a nice place to stay if your able to get into that area. Its going to be long time before I can go abroad again.

I was looking at caravan park holidays yesterday for sometime in the summer next year. I don’t know where I’m going to get the cash for it but I’m determined to make sure that the kids get a holiday ever year. When I was younger, we had holidays at least twice a year and now my parents go away 3-4 times a year. They don’t go abroad, they always go on caravan holidays in the UK but they do travel to the south of England and are thinking of going up to Scotland next year. I love caravan holidays. Some people wouldn’t even think about going on them but they are great for the family. You have your own private caravan where you can chill out, eat, watch TV and relax. Then you have the night clubs which have fantastic kids entertainment. I had the best nights ever in those clubs when I was a kid. I used to get really involved and join in all the competitions, getting up on stage and learning all the dance routines to the songs. You also have all the day time entertainment for kids, the swimming pool and the arcades which always cost me a fortune! When we went to Wales in 2006 when Meghan was ten months old, I had to literally drag Alex out of the arcades every single night, haha. You had to walk through it to get to the club and it was a nightmare. Even Emelye came away without as much fuss as Alex! Some people like going on orlando vacations and even though I would not say no if I had the opportunity to go, I think I would rather have several caravan holidays a year than save for years and years for one holiday.

Spain was amazing though. I definitely want to go back there in a few years.

Are you looking to go on holiday this year? I know a lot of people want to get away for the summer but I try to avoid holidays during the school holidays. Too many kids! Outer Banks rentals looks like a great place to head over to if your looking to rent a house for the summer. Some of the places on there are gorgeous! American houses are so much different than the houses over here.

When I was in Spain, with all the stress of one of the kids not sleeping (Meghan) and the other one being ill (Emelye), I really wanted to just be at home. But when I think back I really, really enjoyed myself and I want to go back so bad. I loved the sun and the fact that I could do what I wanted all day without having to worry about what was for dinner or whether the kitchen was clean or not. I loved the beach and even though we complained about the food every day, I couldn’t fault the full English breakfast I had every morning. No wonder I need to lose weight! I loved the confidence I had over in Spain. I walked around in a bikini top and shorts all day long where as over here, I’m covered up in hoodies and jackets all day long because I feel huge. I guess because the weather was nice and because I was really relaxed that I didn’t see my body the way I usually do.

Me and Alex really want to go back but the price has gone up by around £1000 for the same holiday at the same time next year. Not that we have the money to go back again anyway. I definitely would want to go back to where we went or at least somewhere warm and sunny and with a beach. The sea is so relaxing. That day on the beach that we had was the best day out of the whole week because I was just really relaxed and felt great for the rest of the day. I understand why people go to places like Las Vegas with the casino hotels like the Stratosphere hotel but for me, I just want to be able to relax and have the peace and quiet. I think somewhere like Las Vegas would definitely be too noisy for me.

Its just under six weeks until our holiday to Spain. I’m really excited about it and also nervous – with the flight – and I really have so much to do before we go! I’m trying to buy bits and peices for the holiday every week like clothes, toiletries, sun cream and other little items that we will need. We also need to get some money changed to Euro’s and travellers cheques to take with us. One thing we don’t have to worry about is the travel insurance. We booked that along with the holiday through the travel agent. I probably would have gone with booking some travel insurance online if I hadn’t have done it straight away. I buy pretty much everything else online so that would have been the first place I would have looked!