So as the title suggests, I am back from my blogging hiatus!

I decided to take a break from blogging for a bit because I had so much going on that I just felt like I didn’t have time to squeeze it all in. It wasn’t even a conscious decision as such, it just happened. I was super busy planning our wedding and honeymoon as well as juggling the usual tasks that life throws at us and I just couldn’t give my blog the attention that it deserved. 

So it’s been quite a few months since I last posted and this year has been a bit mad in all honesty. 

We started the year with a trip to Pisa to celebrate my birthday (another year closer to my bus pass!). We had a lovely time and enjoyed exploring Pisa and Florence. We even managed to squeeze in a beach trip on my actual birthday, although I can assure you this isn’t something to be terribly envious when your birthday is in January! 

 
Unfortunately the day after we arrived home my Grandad was taken into hospital. This isn’t a topic that I normally discuss publicly, but it has had a huge impact on our lives and the biggest change started in January when his illness progressed. He has been quite unwell for the past couple of years and it had been incredibly difficult for us all. He has always been a close friend and has literally been such an amazing Grandad. Our bond is very strong and I owe a lot of who I am and what I’ve achieved down to him. He has really taken care of us all and is our family rock. Especially as I haven’t seen my Father since I was eight. This year has been the hardest in terms of watching him deteriorate. We are slowly losing him to the grips of terminal illness and it really is the most painful thing. I am normally so upbeat and positive, but this year has certainly challenged that. I don’t want to go into too much detail because what he is going through is nothing short of cruel and torturous and he deserves his dignity and respect. Fortunately we have come together as a family and are supporting both him and each other.   

It’s not all doom and gloom though as we’ve had plenty of highs this year. We decided to have a joint hen/stag do in Paris. We had a delightful time exploring the city and going to Disneyland. I also enjoyed stuffing my face with Pain au Chocolat and macaroons!

   
    
    
    
 
Before we knew it, it was time for the event of the year – our wedding!

It was so much fun and I literally had the best day. It was so wonderful for us to be surrounded by such brilliant people. We had a beautiful day filled with love and our favourite people. It did rain, which I was devastated about at first (I woke Phil up the day before with my uncontrollable sobbing!), but in the end it was fine. I think it actually made the day complete as a true British wedding! 

    
    
   
Then of course we had our amazing honeymoon, which we dragged out over a few weeks. We travelled to Las Vegas, Hawaii, Los Angeles, San Jose and San Francisco before heading back to Vegas. We had the best time filled with amazing adventures. If I could relive it all over again I would in a heartbeat.

   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
 
   
    
    
    
    
    
 
Of course all good things must come to an end and we have been well and truly catapulted back into normal life. Of course I have no wedding to plan now, so we have decided to embark on our next adventure… Buying a bigger house. This absolutely terrifies me as it was hard enough when we bought our current place, now I will be managing the sale of our current home and the purchase of our new one. It’s such a stressful event and in all honesty I am not looking forward to the weeks of chasing solicitors etc! Still it’s pretty exciting all the same.

Watch this space!