Last hurrah

Today we said Au revior to France and headed back to London on the Eurostar for our last night before jet setting back home tomorrow night.
The metro with bags and kids was pretty stressful (I actually slightly blubbered when we managed to all get off intact and not lose anyone…or any limbs) and I know why the French are so fit- they have a love for stairs. Even in the underground and at train stations. Great big flights of steps. This with suitcases is a winning combination for biceps of steel. And more so, a wife that huffed and puffed and thought she could… with a face like the little red engine. Needless to say- we made it!!
And realistically, we have put the kids through a lot, and in hindsight, expected them to be very responsible little people, considering their age. And they have (mostly- there have definitely been moments!!) taken it completely in their stride, and just gotten on with it. We are very proud of the capable little people they can be.
So we are back in London! For our last hurrah, the girls have some precious spending money they have been saving for one particular shop… the Harry Potter shop at Kings Cross Station (platform 9 3/4 of course… you know if you know…).
Yes Nan! Audrey finally used her birthday money here!!!! Poor Nick was left outside for… awhile… while the girls and I meandered our way through HP merchandise headquarters. It was epic 😀 There is no longer a closet for me to hide in. I was just as excited as the girls. Nick continued to wait…
We got a photo on the platform (this was an experience in itself. A persons ACTUAL job is to let you chose a house scarf, place it on you and throw the end of it in the air at the photographers instruction to create a perfect picture. An ACTUAL job. Sign me up for retirement.)
We had our last hurrah (cause why not keep supporting the local economy right?!) and took the girls to see Matilda the musical. It. Was. FABULOUS. Really, I would be doing it an injustice to have my mere mortal words explain how fantastic this production is. And the majority of the cast are kids. Very very talented kids. Audrey has now put this on her list of things she wants to do other than being an author and Olympic gymnast. I told her she was already dramatic enough 😏 (Olive still happy to join her sister in the Olympics… and also walk dogs for a job… 😜). I digress- the show was fab, the cast was wonderful, the stage was amazing and the music was indescribably great (Tim Minchin, one of our fave Aussie comedian/singers/actors wrote the words and music for this show). The girls loved it and sat mesmerized. But the person who loved it the most was the big fella (as Olive now refers to Nick).
All in all, a really wonderful way to go out with a bang.
Back to home tomorrow,, we are missing our family and friends (and our fur babies). We are happy and slightly weary, but mostly very thankful and grateful that we have gotten to have so many wonderful experiences and spent so much precious time together as a family.Read more