Piú di Italia

Here are some more pictures from my amazing trip!!

I'm sure you care.

You know me and my doors. Italy really knows how to make them! They are magnificent!!

I literally spent 20 euros in this place. It was too good. Too. Good.

THE ACTUAL VENUS!!

All in all. It was such a fabulous trip and I am so unbelievably grateful for Arinola being in my life! What a selfless person! I can't even explain what a dream come true this was for me.

BEST

TRIP

EVER

Sono Andato a Italia

If you know much about me, there’s a chance you’ll know that I have a HUGE love for travel and cultures all over the world. On the top of my list of places to visit was the beautiful country of Italy. As a gift for my birthday, Arinola made that dream come true!

On the 20^th of June, we flew out from London Stansted Airport and arrived in Pisa.

Yes.

As in the Leaning Tower.

And that was only the beginning of the amazing things we saw!!

First of all this had to be one of the prettiest airports I have ever seen in my life! Complete with a live jazz band to serenade you as you wait around for big fancy tour buses.

We did one of the classic open top tour buses like the proper tourists that we were, and it was so good to see such a great view of the city, as well as a direct ride to the main attractions!

Directly opposite the Leaning tower, stood a GORGEOUS orange building that epitomized the Mediterranean feel that I love so much! So, as many people were trying out their best classic tower pictures, we did in impromptu shoot by this really nice door. 

We then took a coach that took us to the main destination- FLORENCE!! 

It's like in While You Were Sleeping, when all Sandra Bullock's character wants is a stamp in her passport that says Florence. THAT WAS ME!! It was literally such a dream come true! So our first stop was to get some gelati from a nice dreadlocked Italian man, then we headed off for some dinner and a teeny bit of exploration. 

Thus ended our first day!!! Oh my goodness I'm still buzzing just thinking about how great it all was and how blessed I am to have such a wonderful friend!

DISCLAIMER: The title of this blog post is from Google Translate. So... apologies if it actually says something obscene.

lately

iPhone updates on some recent(ish) activities


I've decided that all of these posts will start with adorable pictures of this baby. He's perfect.

There was a very necessary Nando's trip for Lloyd's birthday!

I cannot even tell you how amazing it was to see this woman!!! Etsuko was my first ever Young Women's president. She inspired my life in so many ways! I haven't seen her in absolutely years!!! So seeing her was the happiest day ever.

As soon as the sun comes out for even a second- Brits get out the beach chairs. Literally right smack bang in the middle of the city. It's extremely necessary. 

My baby boy that I love so much!! He woke up really early. Like really early. And I put him on my back. True african style and it was amazing.

And then I went on the best trip of my life. FOR REALS.

Stay tuned!!!!

An Ode to Mothers and the School Run

Oh my life.

How do all you mothers (and fathers) do it? Day in, day out. Ironing uniform, shining little shoes. Signing permission slips and walking/driving/bussing to school. Remembering assembly dates, rehearsing lines. Helping with homework, trying to convert your teeny living room into the Art Attack studio and pretending that you are Kirsty from SmART. It's so much!

Lloyd and Rosie are actually at different primary schools quite far away from one another, and so the school run usually takes about four hours in and out. With only about three hours between them. I'm so glad that I've been here to help mum out with it where I can, but I just wanted to take a second to commend all the parents out there who put so much into their little one's primary education.

I'm always surprised at how much of primary school I remember! And I'm grateful for all those Fairy liquid bottles that made rocket ships and all the help I got with my role in the school play.

As tiring as it has been, I cannot wait to do the school run with all my littles when that time comes! Children are so so precious, and living and working with them has only reminded of how much they need to be loved and cherished! 

So keep going! They'll remember, I promise.

because school run selfies are necessary.

This Place Though

I cannot fully express how happy I am to be back in the place that I call home! This city has SO much to offer, and I am really trying to make a point of exploiting it fully and getting to know it better before I abandon it again for a few years!

It is full of culture and diversity and vibrance and it literally just makes me so happy.

I'm from the east end of London in a place called Hackney. Until recently it was known for being pretty ratchet. BUT lately it has become a lot more approachable and some of the hidden treasures that it has had for a while, are finally being appreciated! Despite all of that however, Some classic things remain. Like the old cockney market stall owners. And the hilarious bus drivers, lollipop ladies and policemen.

Although I'm brimming with Hackney pride, there are gems ALL over the place, and so here are a few snaps of my adventures thus far.

Hopefully there'll be more to come.

DISCLAIMER: All of my exploring tends to happen on sunny days. For a more accurate representation of London look at something grey and wet.