Nine months in

It has now been almost 9 months since our little family of six (including our two furry friends) moved all the way from Sydney to London. I have to say the first six months really did fly by. With getting the kids settled I really didn’t have time to think or to feel homesick!

When homesickness does hit it hits really hard! I wasn’t ready for the awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. Wondering if we’d made the right decision. I get through those tough times by remembering why we came here in the first place and also reminding myself that it isn’t final and we can return to Sydney whenever we decide to.

Then thing I love about living in London is how close we are to the rest of Europe. We were lucky enough to visit Italy over the Summer and fell in love with it. Such a relaxed lifestyle. Workers actually stop to drink their coffee in the morning rather than grabbing a takeaway! Hubby joked about trying this out at Pret-a-manger when we returned to London – casually standing at the counter to finish his espresso. But really we should all take time to enjoy the little things in life.

Here are some images from our Italian adventure. 

We have some prints, shower curtains and cushions featuring Italy at http://www.rubyandb.etsy.com and http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/rubyandb

 

 

 

I’ve been busy creating lots of new items for my Etsy store so have neglected the blog!

The weather in London has been fabulous so I’ve had lots of opportunities to get outdoors and shoot this beautiful city. I now understand why Londoners are excited to shed their layers as soon as the sun is out. It’s just so magical here in Spring.

Below are some of the recent photographs. I’ve used these images of lots of new items including rugs, cushions and even shower curtains. Hoping to add lots more soon. https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RubyandB

Finding the right pieces

It’s over three months since we moved from Sydney to London. I still have a few blank walls that require some love! I just couldn’t decide on what to purchase so have made some of the prints myself. Below are a selection that we will be hanging in our own home.

For the Kitchen 

The living room

Bedroom

All prints (in much higher resolution) available at our Etsy Store Ruby and B

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RubyandB

Sun in London

Sun in London feels like the best sun of all! Parks are jam packed and coats are finally stripped off.

We took a lovely walk up to Tower Bridge and sat enjoying the warmth for as long as we could.

Tower Bridge.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/182848213/london-photography-tower-bridge-london?

Weekends in London

I still have to pinch myself every now and then. It’s hard to believe we actually packed up a family and moved to the other side of the world.

Weekends are now mostly spent wandering around London admiring beautiful old buildings and sculptures.

At first the crowds in the city were a little overwhelming. It’s now not as busy as it felt over the Christmas period. I’m enjoying the buzz more now that I can walk a few paces without bumping someone with my buggy. I think you have to embrace the pace and crowds of London. It’s part of living in this exciting place.

Things that matter

It’s just over two months since we left sunny Sydney for the rainy streets of London. Surprisingly we have all settled in better than I could have hoped. Mentally I had prepared for the fact that we may not even enjoy the first six months as new arrivals in the UK. Sure there have been pangs of homesickness. Moments that have literally felt like someone was ripping my heart out. Moments like realising  your baby niece will only be a baby for a short amount of time and that you desperately want to give her a hug and freeze all that ‘baby-ness’ in your memory forever.

I’m thankful for many things. Thankful that in our modern world we can simply switch on a device and talk to and see loved one’s on the other side of the world. I’m thankful that I have three of the best human beings right beside me as we take this journey (and two fluffy friends). Thankful that even though we have left our wonderful country we still have that country to go back to. Thankful that we had the opportunity to even do this. The process for us was relatively simple compared to what some people have to go through. I’m especially thankful for some lovely friends also living in London. It’s comforting knowing they are here and have gone through similar experiences.

Some things I’ve learnt about myself so far:

 I can make a home almost anywhere as long as I have my husband and children.

Taking a risk or being courageous can bring rich experiences.

I enjoy being a ‘stay at home’ mum.

Out of the 20 boxes we have left in storage in Sydney all I really want are the 4 boxes of books! I didn’t need to be so attached to material things.