Day Twenty-Eight - 18/12/25

Day 28 was very much a recovery day.

Kia and Maddie had a bit of a slept in, which felt well earned after the previous day. Emmett decided he wanted to get up early for a very easy, light run with Deric and I, nothing hard, just moving the legs and ticking the box. After that, it was straight to breakfast with Kia and Maddie.

Breakfast continues to be one of my favourite parts of the day here. A solid buffet, good coffee, kids everywhere, and plenty of chances to chat with other families. It’s such an easy, social way to start the morning, and it really sets the tone for the day.

I still had a few work bits to knock over. I’d cleared most of it across Tuesday and Wednesday, but there were a handful of things that needed finishing off, so I got stuck into those mid-morning. Once that was done, we made a conscious call to keep the rest of the day low-key.

There were activities on, pickleball, soccer and the usual options, but instead we parked ourselves by the pool. A few quiet drinks with other families, kids running around with their friends, lots of laughing and very little structure. Exactly what everyone needed.

We ducked out to the supermarket during the day to grab a few supplies and picked up some lunch while we were out. Dinner was simple, sandwiches and leftovers from the night before, which suited the chilled vibe perfectly.

The highlight of the evening was the talent show. Maddie and one of her friends performed a Christmas song with a little dance, which was really lovely to watch. There were some incredibly talented kids playing keyboards, guitars, doing magic tricks, belly tricks, and plenty of confidence on display. The best part wasn’t the performances themselves, but the atmosphere. Everyone was just proud of the kids for getting up and having a go.

After such a big day previously, this slower pace felt right. We knew Friday was going to be another big one, so keeping things relaxed was exactly what was needed.

We’re basically done for the year now, which feels huge. I’m genuinely excited to tools down, take a few proper weeks off, and holiday. Just sit by the pool, hang out with other families, have fun with the kids, and not worry about schedules or early starts.

Good times, and very grateful for days like this.