This was our first holiday abroad as a family of 4, last year with COVID we just went to Weymouth and then onto a caravan site for a few days with the boys. It was a bit horrendous as Alex came out in the chicken pox that Thomas had 12 days earlier. We were limited on what we could do and as the hallway was being plastered we couldn't even go home. We had an early morning flight from Luton at 6.40. We left around 4.25 and got into the airport at 5 and it was really busy. There had been issues with flights being cancelled due to staff shortages which looked horrendous. Thankfully we got called up to check in quickly so no queue on that side. Going through security was really busy, probably took a good half an hour but we got through and headed for the gate. Alex lost his dummy at security as kicked off when we had to walk through the metal detectors. Rich realised he had left his Apple Watch so headed back to find whilst me and the boys got some bottled water. I took Alex to get changed out of PJs and then went to the toilet and the crew were screaming for Rich, my fit husband, to board who was waiting for me. When we went though we waited on the bus for ages. I was sat with Alex on the flight. He wasn't too sure at first but on the whole was ok. He actually slept on me for an hour and 20 which was great. Thomas was sat with Rich a little further up. We had packed loads of things wrapped up, little toys and snacks which Thomas quickly caught onto and kept demanding more. When we got there we got our stuff which arrived quickly and went to get our car rental. There was no queries on our covid status. We headed past Corralejo but there was no parking to try stop and get lunch. Thomas had also passed out at this point so we carried onto the hotel. Luckily we could have lunch there and our room was ready. The villa was a 3 bedroom split over two floors with a really creaky and quite dangerous staircase. There was a terrace on top but we didn't use it. After dropping our stuff off we went for a wander to the pools. Our villa was a little walk from the main area which was annoying. The pools were fabulous. There were 5 smaller slides and 3 larger ones for the bigger kids and adults. There was a climbing wall with a deeper pool and a wave machine pool. We had a float jacket for Thomas and arm floats for Alex. The boys absolutely loved it and the little slides. The excitement on their faces was adorable. After a play in the different pools we headed back to get the villa sorted for bedtime and get ready for dinner. The buffet was quite big and lots of options so we tucked in and then headed home for a good sleep as it had been a long day.

On the Tuesday, we went for our first breakfast and Alex was loving the cereal and Thomas liked the English sausages and croissants. It was a good selection and the tea wasn't bad. We then went to the park nearby for the boys to have a run around whilst we waited to queue for the sunbed. I queued on the outside of the pool gate (there was an inside and outside queue) but got speaking to a woman on the outside from Leeds. She gave me a recommendation for a really good beach, white sands and blue/green calm seas. When the gate was opened we joined the inside crowd and there was a lot of moaning and edging forward going on. I wasn't too far from the front so managed to get two sunbeds by the small slides so that was great. Rich and the boys joined me shortly after. We had lunch then walked back to the villa and I stayed with Alex so he could sleep. He took ages to fall asleep so by the time he woke up and we got back to the pool it was 4pm. I practiced jumping with Thomas into the deeper pool to try and build his confidence. He did it a bit but really isn't a fan. Thomas developed sore blisters from his new shark sandals which looked so bad all week. At dinner and whilst eating his ice cream Thomas looked like he was going to fall asleep so we had to put him in the pram to get home and carry Alex.

Wednesday, we had breakfast and then drove to the beach which was about 20 mins away but we missed a turning so added another 10 mins onto the trip. It was a beach near the hotel Riu la Olivia and was white sands and blue/green sea. It was a bit overcast the day we went which was kinda good to avoid getting sunburnt. We headed to the supermarket up the road to check out the cost of things but we were heading back after the beach to get the bits. I just picked up a bucket and spade for the beach. Thomas loved running in and out to the sea but Alex was a little unsure, he enjoyed a little area where the water had collected inland a little bit and smashing around in that. A mum was near us with two kids and he wanted to go and play with their toys so I had to watch him. We stayed for a few hours then washed the boys off and headed to the supermarket. The boys had their pouches and snacks I had brought with us. We picked up 6 bottles of water, some hazelnut chocolate, two inflatables (a ring and a dolphin) The boys fell asleep on the way back so we drove back and let them sleep for a bit. After this we then went to the pool where they fought over the floats. We ended up sat by toilets for a while as it was already busy so not the best. The boys enjoyed ice cream and crisps when we went to the pool each day. We eventually got offered a sunbed by people near by. Alex was doing his usual mini squeezes which was a pain so we kept an eye to clean and change each time. But later that night he went and did a poo in bath, gross.

On Thursday we decided to drive down for breakfast with all our bits to save walking back and forth as it was knackering us all out and the pavements were a bit rough and easy to trip over. Rich queued for the swim park whilst I took the boys to the park. Thomas loved going to the mini volcano on the mini golf course and standing on top of it or trying to throw rocks down the hole. He queued on the inside queue. The boys were enjoying the pools. At lunch they had jelly which the boys enjoyed. Alex napped in the pram after Rich did his walk. We got chatting to a midlands couple who had a 4 year old. I offered our inflatables for him to use. The hotel has a professional photographer who took pics around the pools all day, never did get to see any pics she took of the boys. Headed back as usual for our dinner but drove down the last few nights. It wasn't far but Thomas was quite knackered by the end of the day to do it. We never made it to stay for any entertainment as we were all ready for bed after dinner. Alex asleep was by 9 as I stayed in his room as he was unsettled and was worried he would climb out of the travel cot. That night when Thomas got up I went and slept in the room with him as only way to get him to stay in bed. Rich tended to sleep on the sofa the nights he was on watch. Luckily it was comfortable. Thomas woke around 6.55 and Alex around 7.15.

Friday at breakfast Thomas was loving the hash browns. As the week went on, it was getting trickier to feed the boys, they were going off the options pretty quickly. I had brought a load of pouches and snacks so that did help. Rich went for the walk with boys to a big statue and I queued. It was pretty annoying the queueing to get a bloody sun bed but needs must. I tried to involve Thomas on the kids entertainment with dancing in the wave pool but he didn't really enjoy it. That day I went to do more jumps with Thomas but he wouldn't do any, so I decided to try the wall whilst it was quiet in the pool and on the wall. I was very proud to do it on the first attempt without falling in! I then went on the water slides, there were 3 bigger ones and Thomas enjoyed watching us do it. We told him if he practiced swimming one day he could do it. Alex made little friends with girls who were keen to hold his hand and help him up the stairs, it really was quite cute. Thomas was desperate to make friends at times but he was quite shy and seemed unsure how to speak to others, he would splash them which I said he shouldn't do. But generally the two boys loved going up and there was one they could go down together, it was really cute. A little girl let Alex play with her water gun, loads of kids had them, they were like foam pump ones. Obviously that caused a bit of an argument as Thomas wanted it so we quickly gave it back. Otherwise we had another day by the pool with the floats and boys.

Saturday after a tiring night with both the boys up, Thomas slept until 9am. We then headed late for breakfast which finished at 10. It was so busy and not nice having breakfast at that time. We were at least heading to the beach so didn't need to queue up for our sunbed. We got to the beach for about 11am and Thomas's foot was bleeding at the ankle from his new sandals so we carried him down to the beach. We put ourselves in front of a little watery dip in the beach as I knew they would enjoy running around there. Alex enjoyed this mostly and Thomas loved running in and out of the waves. We did some jumping and I went out a little further with him. Alex wasn't sure about the sea and only liked being carried out. It was a gorgeous day and the sea looked a lovely shade of blue and green. After about an hour Thomas was moaning about his ankle and both were getting a little bored so we headed to get them dried off and changed and headed back. On route back we found the Lidl and I went and got suncream and snacks and it was so cheap about €5 a bottle. We then headed back to the hotel and went to the pools but the novelty was wearing off and they weren't fussed about going in the pools constantly. They sat for a bit on the sunbeds. We had our buffet as usual enjoying some fizz at night time for me :) That night Thomas was up loads after Alex woke around 2 crying and Rich went down to try settle him but then Thomas was up hourly. Pretty knackering for all as he kept us all awake.

Sunday, we walked up the mini hill to the lookout whilst Richard queued. They both had a little run around up there, we took some pictures and then we headed for the pool. Both boys were really grumpy all day so that was hard work. They didn't really want to go in the pool or slides either. It was obviously an over tired grumble. Rich took boys in car to get them to have a sleep. I had 1.5 hours to chill which was lovely. I went to the car and took Alex for lunch when he woke but he wasn't interested. Shortly after Rich joined us and had some food. We then went back to the pools and they did start to enjoy the last bit of time by the pools thankfully. We went for our last meal and after making our usual mess and the boys fussing on their dinner (ended up being a diet of chips mainly with olives for Thomas and we always tried a few other bits on their plate but mostly got left) we left. I slept in that night with Thomas when he woke up so we could all try get some sleep.

Monday, we were all up at 7am when Rich came down the creaky stairs. One rare day they weren't actually awake before that and the day we had to get up early, typical!! Rich finished the last of the packing, we cleaned up and we went for breakfast. You had to clean the kitchen and put the rubbish out to get the deposit back. We got ourselves some food for the plane and checked out and headed to the airport. We had a full unopened bottle of water left so I offered to the car rental lady and she gratefully accepted. At the airport there was a massive queue so I wandered around the airport with the boys and there was an aquarium at the airport which kept them entertained luckily. We then went through security and they allowed us to bring the boys bottles of water which they tested but was very good and useful. In the airport there was a kids rocket with slides and climbing up bits which kept them entertained for a bit. After a while it was time to board. I sat with Thomas on the way home and he was very fidgety and wanted more snacks and presents most the way. In the end the last hour I gave him my phone and headphones to look at pictures and videos. Alex was pretty good for Rich even without a sleep. When we got off we managed to get a metal kind of buggy for Alex to sit on which was a saving grace but Thomas was a real pain and kept playing up whilst we waited for our bags. Luton has also introduced a £2 charge to get a trolley which was cheeky. We didn't wait too long for luggage but waited a little while for the car. We got home about 5.45 and proceeded to get the boys bathed and ready for bed. It has been a lovely but exhausting first holiday abroad as a 4. We said we needed grandparents to come to help and give a rest on the last day. We were going to Greece in August so this was a warm up challenge. I was also about 12 weeks pregnant on this trip so felt OK but I know the next trip will be harder but would enjoy as our last holiday as a family of 4.