22 / 52

"A portrait of my children, once a week every week, in 2015."

Anya and Joseph: snuggling couch potatoes.

The basics

We've been camping at the same place for nearly 6 years. Vast, almost empty beaches and sand dunes have filled our long weekend. It's refreshing and liberating to spend a few days without internet, with no care to how we look or even how clean we are. On our one gas ring, we cook simple meals and go to bed early in the evening to the sound of the sea. Last night we walked an hour on the sand, the kids in their pyjamas and bare feet. Afterwards, Joseph told us suddenly that he'd had "a lovely day". We repeated this again before sleeping. 

Today I did yoga on the beach while they paddled and built cabanes. We love the simplicity of these few days every year, it reminds us that we don't need more than what we already have, and we don't need a lot to be happy.

I've given up on photo editing. All my pictures are taken on manual mode, they aren't perfect but I don't want or need to rose-tint our life. What you see is what you get.

21 / 52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015."

Raphaël, Anya and Joseph: my 3 beached whales.

A day late, oh well. A wifi-free, long weekend at the beach. Just what the doctor ordered.

20 / 52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015."

Anya: a lazy daisy chain Sunday

19 / 52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015."

Raphaël: has been hypnotised by the sea since he was a toddler.

Anya: spent the day collecting shells. The black one is apparently a meteorite.

Joseph: sand from head to toe. 

Coudeville-sur-Mer, Normandy.

Pastelarias

Lisbon is still on my mind. Especially due to the incessant rain we've been having here for what seems like ages. How lovely it was to wander with the sun on us, dressed in sandals and summer clothes, searching the shops for sunglasses for the kids (of course if one needs a pair then the other two really do too) and sitting on our terrace with the most amazing olives and light Portuguese wine.

We can't wait to return to Portugal, for next time we have the beach in mind.  I had a dreamy vision of old pastel coloured houses and I'd heard there is a special "light" to Lisbon. What I didn't expect was how lovely the people there are particularly with children. Joseph even had strangers coming to him to stroke his hair. The other surprise we had was the....cakes. I won't pretend we are a gluten and sugar-free family, we love a fresh, traditional, handmade cake. In fact we can't live without them. Anyway, on our first morning in Lisbon with no food in the apartment, we bought breakfast at the local pastelaria, all tied up in the prettiest packaging. I'll never forget standing in the sun, each of us blown away by the deliciousness, the kids laughing at me with flakes stuck over my teeth. Enjoy the pictures (no funny ones of flaky teeth I'm afraid) x
P.S. the sugar was totally walked off every day :)

18 / 52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015."

Raphaël: 2 more months of primary school left before he starts secondary. He likes to think that he's ready.