England

holiday wrap

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Planes, trains, trams, buses, subways and cars galore!

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We are back from Europe and I thought I’d share a mini photo journal. We had a great time, made memories (that hopefully David will even hang on to) and spent time with family.

Day 1. We went to a football match and had dinner at a nearby pub. The pub had a playground which is one of the smartest ideas ever!

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Day 2. I went on a lovely 8km run and bought Cadbury chocolate at the local store. The kids played on the trampoline and we all watched Joel’s football match.

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Day 3. Up bright and early to catch the train to Brussels and spent the afternoon roaming around the Grand Place.

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Day 4. A day in Brussels with the kids including a Lego exposition, the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate, the Pantone Hotel and the Belgian Comic Strip Center. A lovely dinner out in the evening.

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Day 5. A trip to the Atomium and Mini-Europe plus one last visit to Grand Place and an evening train back to England.

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Day 6. Another 8 km run and a trip to Barleylands Farm (sorry, no pics … imagine barn animals, slides, bouncy pillows, mini trains and zip lines … my personal nightmare)

Day 7: The three of us spent the morning in London exploring the city and caught an afternoon bus to Oxford to see my cousin and her husband. We had dinner and drinks at the Turf Tavern and walked the trails home.

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Day 8: A morning stroll through Oxford and a visit to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. An afternoon bus back to London and curry take-out with the family.

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Day 9: Plane trip home.

Thank you to all who took us in!

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football. not the Friday Night Lights version

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As mentioned on my life list and here, one of my must dos when visiting the family in England was attending a proper football match with the nephews. Did it done it.

We didn’t make go to a top league team but rather a more low key local club – a little less overwhelming for all (Colchester United vs. Tranmere Rovers). It was fun – similar to going to a Moosehead’s game but without the jock jams.

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Our nephews play soccer (football) and they’re damn good. Here’s a quick 5-question interview I did with them.

Evan, age 8.
Position: Right or left midfielder
Team: Hutton
Favourite team: West Ham
Favourite international team: England
Favourite Spanish league: Atletico Madrid
Favourite player: Andy Carrol

EVAN

Joel, age 10.
Position: Striker and goal keeper
Team: Hutton
Favourite team: Arsenal
Favourite International team: England
Favourite Spanish league: Real Madrid
Favourite player: Santiago “Santi” Cazorla

JOEL

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london calling

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As mentioned here, we are travelling to England and thought it’d be fun to put together a board of all the thing I plan to purchase on the other side of the pond. Okay, not really, but a girl’s gotta dream. I will be sure to have my camera at my side at all times to capture the special moments and British inspiration to share with you. Cheerio!

_LondonA. Links London Secret Eclipse Bee White Topaz Pendant / B. Hunter Original Back Adjustable Short / C. Royal Doulton Bulldog Union Jack / D. Penguin Classic – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen / E. Fat Face Lucky Textured Stripe Jumper / F. Happy Days with the Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver / G. Mauverina Liberty print tray / H. Little Miss Sunshine Character Framed Print / I. Let’s Eat!’ Screen Prints by Victoria Eggs / J. Mulberry Effie Hobo / K. Amelie Barnatham – Jungle Boogie Cushion / L. Mini Cooper S / M. Burberry Mid-length Gabardine Trench Coat / N. Stella SEQUEL Shoes / O. Polypropylene moulded stacking chair by Robin Day / P. Lush Dream Cream / Q. Rimmel 60 Second Nail Polish / R. Red Franche print cotton nightdress / S. Alexander McQueen Metal Brow Cat eye sunglasses / T. Jasper Conran Pin striped teapot from Wedgewood / U. Nigella Lawson Serving Hands

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you take the good, you take the bad

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We are super fortunate to be able to book a trip to England (2 weeks!) but in the grand scheme of things, it sucks that we have to travel so far to see our family. And, what sucks more is 5 out 5 of David’s cousins live out of the country. Actually, 5 out of 5 were not even born in Canada so we don’t get to see them nearly as much as we’d like.

The positive is we have a good excuse to travel and traveling is really important to us. David, not even five, has already been to Montreal twice, California, Spain, Washington DC, Florida and New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York) four times … and almost all of these trips have been to see family.

Last year we took a non-family-visiting-adventure to Florida with friends and had a blast (and with the winter we’ve been having, it’d be really nice to go back) however we’ve decided to head to (the less than tropic) England. I am really excited! We haven’t spent quality time in England since pre-child and can’t wait to make the journey. Plus, bonus, we have even more family in England with my cousin and her husband in Oxford!

Traveling with a child offers a lot more challenges but it also forces you to try new adventures and obstacles you may not tackle when staying home. Each age seems to have its pros and cons but the one thing I’ve found is you can’t rely on your itinerary as much, and most of the time, I’d rather bring David along for the experience then leave him at home.

Would I prefer to have all of our family in one place? Damn straight! But, as it is now, I am happy to accept New York and England as destination we will continue to visit as much as possible. It could be worse.

So, stay tuned for some jolly ol’ British posts and an update to my life list as I plan to check-off two things!

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California. 7 months

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Montreal. 14 months

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Spain. 18 months

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Washington DC. Age 2 (minus 1 week)

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New Hampshire. Age 3

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Florida. Age 4 (minus 2 weeks)

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New York State. Age 4

psst. We also have extended family in Newfoundland, Alberta, North West Territories, Yukon, Ontario, Ireland and Hong Kong so there will always be places to go and people to see.

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