Hey guys sorry I’m late to the autumn party, but we’ve been on a family vacay to the beautiful Norfolk Broads for my wife’s 40th birthday.

It was our first time in Norfolk, but definitely won’t be the last. We stayed at this awesome house in Tinley St. Lawrence, surrounded by open fields and just a hop away from the main road to Cambridge and Suffolk.

The house had 6 big bedrooms, and we scored the biggest one with a super comfy super king-sized bed and a fancy freestanding bathtub and shower in the ensuite. The house had so much character, with a kind of topsy turvy layout.

When we pulled into the driveway with its automatic gates, there was room for our 3 cars, but we all thought the gate could’ve been wider. As we entered the house through the main door, the entrance hall had a welcoming vibe with stairs leading up. It was the perfect spot for leaving our coats and shoes before exploring the maze-like home. It took us a whole day to get used to the layout, with rooms and nooks and crannies everywhere. Heading upstairs to check out the bedrooms felt like being in a wacky seaside house, and the stairs were a bit shallow, so I had to be careful not to trip.

All the rooms were spacious and bright, with clean white decor and views of the countryside. The family bathroom was huge, with a sunken bathtub. Across the driveway, we found a hidden gem of a games room with darts, pool, and a bunch of board games to keep the kids entertained. And there was even a big hot tub outside, which was the highlight of our first night. This was a first for us, going on a staycation with the whole family, including Claire’s parents, her sister and her hubby, and their three not-so-little kids. After the hot tub, it felt like Christmas as we all changed into matching PJs and played games together all evening.

So, it was Claire’s 40th birthday on September 25th, and we had this awesome plan – renting a boat on the Broads. We all got up early, wearing these cool matching T-shirts made by mom, and headed to Wayford Marina. The weather was on our side too, with a bright blue sky. It was just perfect!

After we got back to our temporary crib, we grubbed on some takeout and continued the party with more games and gift unwrapping. It was like Christmas, but usually either me or Claire has to grind during the holidays, so we never get a chance to swing by their place 300 miles away. This made up for all those missed years, for real.

We also paid a visits to the Seaside town of Hunstanton, Kings Lynne and Sandringham, the Norfolk home of the Royal Family. We were blessed all week with dry weather which for us its a bit of a miracle. We cant wait to return.