We've been having lots of fun filling our new place with wedding presents this week. Everyone was so generous and our house is starting to feel like we can live in it now. I have bought lots of cooking and baking things - hopefully I won't get too fat in the process of using them all!
We had a fun breakfast after the wedding. A much needed fry-up for some! It was sad to say goodbye to everyone after a lovely weekend but it was so nice to spend some time in Lewes with just Gareth. We had a nice meal and a coffee in the town.
This picture was when Lex and I found ourselves alone just before leaving for the wedding. We decided to pop the champagne out of the window. It was a very funny moment as it bounced off the umbrellas below. Luckily the people drinking outside saw the funny side! Before the shower and make-up!I don't have any pics on my camera in my dress, as I was obviously quite busy during the wedding day, but I did take some snaps in the morning. After taking good advice from my bridesmaids to look at the sky and take in the day when I woke up, I took some pictures of myself and out of my window in the morning. I felt really peaceful and so excited to be marrying Gareth.
Before our wedding on the weekend we stayed in Lewes. I chose Lewes as I thought it would be nice to be able to mooch around little cafes and antique shops before the wedding. It was a gorgeous little holiday town with a river through the middle. It was a really lovely place to relax the day before our wedding. Gareth and I bought a lovely towel rack from one of the antique shops on the day after the wedding.
We have been madly busy now for 2 weeks getting a place to live, a car and jobs. It felt so great last night to finally sleep in our new place. We put up our new furniture from IKEA and I broke a nail and got a blister - not great when I get married in a week. The blue cabinets are bought by Grandma and Grandad with their wedding money to us. I love them and think they look quite French with the white bed.
I am quite excited about the wedding now but still can't quite get my head round that it will be happening this time next week. I really hope it all goes well. Fingers crossed...
My wonderful Year 1 team! I couldn't even speak last night as we had our leavers goodbyes. I felt so sad to leave such a fantastic staff. I love the kids at this school and the parents are so supportive. I just hope I can find half as good a job in the UK and I will be very happy.
Here are some pics of me with my lovely teachers, TAs and cleaners at our school do. It was really fun. The school band played and there was lots of dancing. The prize draw went down really well as always with the Vietnamese staff who went crazy for the microwave and coop vouchers. As you can see from the pictures the Vietnamese are tiny. From looking at these, I can understand why I have been feeling like a big, fat heifer since I have lived in Vietnam and I'm actually quite slim at the minute!
The packers cam to take away all out stuff this morning. They were so good and packaged everything up safely. It was a bit weird when they took it all away. We now have an empty house and just two suitcases to pack up next weekend. Now it's all gone I am feeling really excited, something that I haven't been able to feel with all the stress of packing. I will officially be a resident of the UK again in a week - wooohooorrraaaaghh!
I have had 2 very jam-packed weekends. Last weekend we were in Hoi An with some friends. It's a beautiful, Chinese-looking city renowned for being able to have clothes made in less than 12 hours. We cycled all over the place on old-fashioned bikes with a big basket and no gears and shopped like mad! I had a lovely winter jacket made and a few tops. I bought lovely silver jewelery for all my bridesmaids and Gareth had some nice shirts done for school. The previous weekend Gareth did his first triathlon. He loved it of course and did really well. I forgot my camera so unfortunately have no snaps of his achievements. I have been to and from town the past couple of evenings having my hair cut, getting photos printed, pictures framed and clothes altered in preparation for coming home. I just realised that we are shipping next weekend and need everything done before then! Although it seems close it's still dragging by - I suppose I am so excited about being back home. Lots to look forward to...