Ducks Flying North!

My DH (Dear Husband) and I are like ducks flying south...or in this case NORTH.....

(2 old ducks...haha)

It's that time again, when we make our annual pilgrimage overseas for our "honeymoon".  My wonderful, fantastic, fabulous, amazing, beautiful mum volunteers to move in and be "mum" to my 4 girls up to 2 times a year!

I know, I know....I am VERY grateful.  And I DO appreciate it....and I KNOW how LUCKY I am!   Now that said...lets get on with it.

So as adventurous as we are, we have decided to chill out in Bali.  We love doing that, and we love the relaxed holiday attitude in Bali.  Not to mention our daily massage....sometimes 2!!!!

And the fact that you have all your meals cooked for you is a favourite of mine!

So very soon, we will be packing to relax around a pool for a week.

Who am I when I am not mum?  Sometimes we forget to relax and be ourselves when we are in Mother Mode.

It takes a couple of days to unwind from motherhood into Kellyhood.  I have forgotten what relaxing looks like, and can irritate my DH by pacing the hotel room not knowing what to do with myself...or making the bed in the morning because I feel the need to be doing something....

Don't worry, by day 3 I promise you I relax and by the end of it, you will hear me say "huh, what kids?"... (mumma loves you girls!)

We have been fortunate enough to do this over the years, and it has been a great time of re-connecting our relationship.

Even the best marriage needs tending.  It is like a garden.  Weeds will constantly grow up trying to choke the life out of it.  And if you don't weed it, water it, tend to it and love it, it will either overgrow or die.

How many times have we seen marriages die?  Too many times as far as I am concerned.  We have to safeguard our marriages with vigilence!

One of the ways we do that is date night once a week.  We have done that since the kids were babies!  Someone older and wiser than us advised us to do that and it has been good advice...then we progressed to our holiday's together.  Having fun has got to be one of the most important things you can do as a couple.

When we first started out, after life and kids took over our time, our first few dates were not fun.  We made a rule not to talk about, politics, kids or religion....hmmmmm that left.....NOTHING!  So our first few dates were awkward silences!  Stella!!!!

Now.....when we go on holidays....as soon as we put the suitcases into the car, and we have cuddled mum and the kids, we are like 2 naughty teenagers sneaking out of the house.....

My catchcry is "Start The Car!"  "WoooHoooo"

And then we mooch around the airport, buy a book, buy a coffee, and Scotch and Coke for the old boy.  And then it's Happy Times!

Having time together, also gives you something to look forward to!

Now I have to explain, that DH and myself were married very young!  I was only 20, and he 22.  So we were thrust into marriage and parenthood quite early.  Not alot of time to play and enjoy life.  So we are making up for it now.

For those of you who don't have the opportunity....I say

"Where There's a Will....There's a WAY"

Go away for 1 night every three months, to a Hotel.  Ask your trusted friends and neighbours, and billet out the kids to different people, with those with 4 or more kids!  (It can be hard with a big family)....

That's how we started out....one night every 3-5 months. 

The weird thing is, I have been married nearly 20 years!  And

I still like the guy!!!!  Go figure!  I actually like him more than I did when we first met, and I didn't think that was possible!

Oh Bless Him!  (I love you DH).........