Our Adventure

We're home, exhausted but home, packed full of memories of our adventures. Memories of smiles and discoveries, of objects seen to go with lessons learnt and stories heard. Of famous artists found for the first time and explosions in a lab. Of hotels and beds squashed together, of train travel over ground and underground. Such beautiful sweet memories I will hold forever, some of them captured and shared.

see original here on Pintrest

So this is our London.

 Day One - Off we go.

Our trip begins! Why are train stations always so cold?

And a two hour journey needs some entertainment!

When I visit London I can't stop looking around and noticing things that make me smile!

I love travelling on the tube. I also discovered that I love the look of wonder on my girls faces and the inquisitory discussions we had about trains travelling underground.

 

However we didn't go to London for the transport links. First stop...The British Museum.

The look of wonder and amazement and voracity with which Munchkin 1 went from one exhibit to the next. Devouring every Egyptian artifact and explaining their significance to me. Canopic jars are seriously disgusting might I add!

The next stop....for Mummy!

A flying visit, yes. But still I stood in awe at the Kings Library. This picture does not do the sheer scale and number of books justice!!

Day 2 - Open top bus tour!

I can't believe how much the girls enjoyed this. Even ice cold toes and noses didn't deter them for quite some time!

 Tower Bridge

 Big Ben, with the London Eye in the background

Reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

St Paul's Cathedral

A whistle stop tour of the Poetry and Dreams exhibition in the Tate Modern. Introducing Munchkin 1 to the likes of Picasso (who's work is ugly, by the way - her words not mine!)

Then on to Trafalgar Square and a visit to the National Gallery. We got involved in a feather and wing art installation. Listened to a story teller use the art work in the gallery to tell a story (really great) and then introduced Munchkin 1 to the likes of Monet (who she loved - that's mi girl!) Cezanne and Van Gough.

Day Three - Time to go home, nearly!

A trip to the Science Museum - Daddy's day ;-)

A demonstration of how to make a rocket fly into space and a quick experiment to see if the Munchkins could power electrical equipment with pedal power. I won't disconnect from the grid just yet though!

 

That left just enough time for a quick stop at Harrods....Oh how the other half lives!!

However I did discover some gorgeous lifts!

Oh and some cute friends too!

That was a packed couple of days, time to go home.....we're beat!

What special memories have you made this week?

I will leave you with this, Within Temptation. Nothing at all to do with London or the sweet memories made. It is however totally beautiful and the final gorgeous discovery of this break. Back to work tomorrow!

PS - In the last few days I have been bestowed 2 blog awards. One from the fabulously talented and witty blogess Katie at Nested and the other from my dear friend; the obnoxiously talented photographer and blogger Lee Johnson. I promise I will graciously accept these awards and compose appropriately lengthy speeches to said acceptances in due course! Today I think I have overloaded you lovely readers enough.....Stay tuned ;-)

Family Choice Tuesday Tunes

So in honor of the family trip to our nation's capital I have opened up this weeks Tuesday post to the clan.

Here are our songs that give you a little snippet of our trip.

The Husband's choice, not particularly original but it had to be included!

Munchkin Number 1's choice. British Museum for a little Egyptian spotting!

Munchkin Number 2 didn't choose this, but she wants to see where the Queen lives. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth I have taken the opportunity to include a slice of musical genius here!

Finally my choice, because we are on holiday after all. Ok so I have been busted for crow-barring in another of my favourite bands and I don't care (PS a little sweary at the beginning for those of a sensitive disposition!)

So the soundtrack to our break away. Hope you are having a good week, stay tuned on Thursday for the piccies ;-)

My week.....

Wow, life has been eventful this last week. A day and a half hanging around a hospital wondering if I would be aloud to go on holiday. Some pretty fast packing completed by the other half, who went into protective overdrive...I am shocked I was allowed to lift my own fingers!! Then finally we were off.

After a fairly long drive we arrived at Beadnell, Northumberland. Our little cottage for the week is so magical, we arrived to fairy lights and yummy treats set out for our arrival. Upon investigation there were books in every room of all descriptions...I am officially in heaven.

Just a small selection (some shelves are double stacked!!)

Sunset from our bedroom window

Our pumpkins from Alnwick Castle - Happy Halloween

 

I love this time of year, when you can go to the beach for a walk even though it is cold and windy but still come back to the cottage and light the fire. Curling up and playing board games with my girls whilst warming up....I just wish I wasn't the murderer every time we played Cluedo!!

Anyway, while I have been relaxing the questions are continuing, if you have missed my recent posts you can catch up here and here. These ones are from Wendy at Sockamabobs, pop over and take a look at her wonderful creations and as always let her know you have been by with a bit of commenty love ;-) So here goes for a little more of me.....are you getting bored of me yet??

1. What book have you read recently that you would recommend to others?

Oh where to start?? You all already know I love and would recommend Paulo Coelho's Brida but more recently I have read the latest from Lauren Kate - Rapture part of the Fallen series and would recommend that too if you like a little bit of tortured angels ;-)

2. What is your favourite pudding and why?

 

Just one, why only just one??? I love puddings, I have yet to find one I dislike! Ice cream (Ben and Jerry's) is my favourite comfort pud. Syrup sponge pudding and custard is the one I turn to on a cold day. Poached pears and ice cream is one I love at Christmas. I could go on forever!! My most surprising discovery recently was that I like pistachio ice cream and turkish delight ice cream....yum!

3. One reason you like cleaning?

 

Anyone that knows me knows I hate cleaning (and I don't use that word lightly, see here), however I do love the feeling when it is all done and you sit down in a lovely clean house with the candles on and relax in front of a film :-)

4. Where was the last place you went on holiday?

 

I'm on holiday in Northumberland and will definitely be coming back again....Love it :-)

5. What was the name of your first pet?

 

Fish, I am soooo imaginative!!

6. What is the best thing you have ever handmade?

 

I crotcheted a matching hat and blanket whilst in labour with the littlest munchkin, the hat is soo cute with three pom poms on the top :-)

7. Do you own anything vintage and if so what is it?

 

I don't think I do :-( I love all things vintage but can rarely afford the things I see, instead I have a lot of vintage looking thinks!

8. What is your favourite Disney film of all time?

 

This is a really tough one, I love so many of them! My favourite at the moment (and this changes on a daily basis) is Tangled but I have yet to watch Brave I like my ladies to have a bit about them so Disney films are great. However I do love Monsters Inc and can't wait for the new one to come out!

9. What would you have in your ideal garden?

 

Everything! An orchard, a lake (with waterlilies), a kitchen garden, a sensory area, a play garden for the girls, a Japanese zen area including japanese maples, a pod to sit outside and write in (but stay warm and dry), a driveway lined with cherry blossom trees and a Narnia style lamp near my hobbit style front door. Oh and a hunky gardener to tend it all ;-) Not much really!

10. I am moving house soon what tip would you give me?

 

Get help! (I'm available if you need me)

 

Ok, so I am off to enjoy my breakfast and have a relaxing day before we go and listen to spooky stories at the biggest second hand book store I have ever seen, Barter Books. Happy Halloween, hope you all have a spooky time.

 

PS I am glad to know my family has come out of the storm unscathed, hoping the same is true of all my friends over on the east coast. Stay safe everyone, my thoughts are with you!!

Random Thursday - Welcome Break

Life has been hectic of late, what with events to organise and staring a new job. We did however manage to squeeze in a quick break away to the south coast. The weather wasn't great, some sun, some rain and plenty of wind but we had a great time.

I don't know about anyone else but the travelling is as much a part of my holidays as the time away it's self. I breathe a sigh of relief as soon as the car hits the motorway to head south. Even the way home this time was a little slice of heaven:

'Today was a day when the mist appeared to swallow the sea, right when we were saying goodbye to it's majestic wonder. As we sped away from the calm of our ocean break away the rain began to ease and the sky started to show a hundred shades of blue through the slashes in the multi-grey of the cloudy canvass. I marvelled at the changing canvass as images began to appear; from the swan gracefully gliding across the sky to the etherial kiss I felt like I shouldn't be a witness to. The further north we travelled the clouds descended in the distance and almost looked to eat the hills in it's path. It made it impossible to see where land met sky on the horizon, they were so low it looked like you could reach them on a small set of step ladders. I wondered for a while, what would a cloud feel like if you could reach up to touch one? Yet to the other side of me the sun shone so brilliantly behind the multi-layered patchwork, trying desperately to assert it's strength over them, reminding me momentarily of Aesop's fable of The North Wind and the Sun. As the sun began it's final encore the splashes of pink across the remaining canvass of cloud were spectacular to see, eventually giving way to an almost luminous deep blue, inbetween the clouds and rain showers to greet us home'

View original here, not a perfect version of what I have tried to describe, but it would have been slightly dangerous to stop on the motoway to take a photo, much as I would have loved to capture each change as an image to re-visit time and time again!!

I hope all is well with you where ever you are and that you have avoided the fires and freak weather of the last few weeks. Stay safe!