100 Aker Wood

A couple weekends ago we went to the "hundred-acre wood" which is actually the 500 acre wood in Ashdown forest.  I didn't really know that this place existed beyond the Winnie-the-Pooh books. A.A Milne had a country home on the edge of this forest where Christopher Robin would play and so set the scene for his stories.    It was a fun, cheap day and we beat the rain.  Prior to this weekend we were trying to decide what to do with the kids since it was the end of Letty's term break. After brain storming we decided that they hadn't spend enough time in nature.  Plus we didn't want to spend money on something they wouldn't really appreciate. We wanted them to enjoy the beauty of our world so off we went on a little adventure.

 "The Enchanted Place" memorial stone behind

 Roo's Sandy Pit

 a little shop where you could get "pooh" things and a map of the sites

 They could have stayed here all day playing pooh sticks on Poohsticks Bridge.

 Piglets house, obviously someone just created that but it was cute.

 beautiful England

picnicking in the car as it was raining by this point.  

Little things here and there

T's Aunt and Uncle had a lay over in London for about eight hours on their way to S. Africa and we were delighted to go up and meet them for the day.  The girls loved hanging on them and hitching rides and we had fun catching up.

 Tower Bridge

 Tower of London

Letty begged me to drop her off and let her walk home after returning from a shopping trip.  I needed to park the car so I told her to go down to the end of the road and walk back without me.  They thought they were pretty hot stuff "being on their own."

Our neighbor gave us tickets to the foodies festival here in Brighton.  T is holding a pig roast sandwich and a wildebeest burger...yes that's right, wildebeest. This exotic burger stand also had ostrich, buffalo, bison, zebra and some others I can't remember.  I must say I'm not a big fan of wildebeest, glad I'm not a lion.

To save ourselves some money at the festival we promised face paint and home.  Tim delighted the girls with a bat mask and a flower garland.

 pooped out after an outing, I thought they looked so cute.

 Gracie was reading to little miss, they both were having a lot of fun.

This little monster loves to stick her hands up the fireplace (we don't use it).  We usually keep the door closed but her sisters have trouble remembering that or else you get this.  She proceeded to do it again later that day, little stinker.

Seeing the sites

In May we were able to have T's sister J come.  She and her friend were touring a bit of Europe before they reached us.  We met up with them in London and we had the weekend together.  On Monday they headed off to Isle of Man and Ireland where sister K-Rae met up with them and then they joined us back here for another weekend and a couple of days. It was great to have them! Here are some of the things we did. 

Good 'ole Big Ben.  We found out the name Big Ben is actually for the bell inside but has come to be known for the entire tower.

Looking at Westminster Abbey

 J and J

Still outside Westminster

Trafalgar Square, Letty has a book with a Lion from Nelson's column in it so we had to get a pic in front of one.

Nelson's Column (Trafalgar Square)

Trying to get A to sleep in the British Museum.  If Letty were left to her own I think she could outlast most of us in Museums.

After a long day, a trip to Hamley's toy store.  Playing in the phone booth made of Legos.  

Meeting the Queen

On Sunday we once again enjoyed a favorite spot in Kipling Gardens.  These tall wild flowers is how I picture the English Country.

Beachy Head with Light house.  Don't be deceived, these cliffs were scary, especially since it was so windy up there it felt like you could be blown right off the edge.  It did provide a beautiful view though.

Oxford

The much anticipated to Minster Lovell.  T has been pointing this out on the map since we got here  so we finally made it.  It is a darling town in the Cotswolds.  Are we related?  No clue- but we had to check it out anyway.

 Thatched roof in such a picturesque English town

"Lovell Cottage"  I wouldn't mind having this as a summer home.

 Ruins of the once Lovell estate.  At least 7 generations of Lovell Lords lived here during the 13th and 14th centuries.  The last Lovell fought with Richard III and when the King was defeated, the he went into hiding in a secret chamber of his home.  Unfortunately his loyal servant who knew his whereabouts was tortured to death and it was over half a century later when the Lord's remains were discovered sitting at a table in the secret chamber.

 A's (we"ve taken to calling her nixie meaning water sprite, have you seen this girl around water?)anyways, her aunties taught her that she too has been endowed with a long "Lovell" tongue

Brighton Beach

Special bedtime.

We had a great time.  The girls devour family when they come.  We all love it!  I am not sure how many notes went between J's friend and Letty but they had a great time folding them into envelopes which Pika taught Letty how to do.  Oh good times!

our little entrepreneurs

Letty has been asking to have a lemonade stand... and since we weren't really enthusiastic about it  so she and her dad came up with growing tomato plants instead.  After purchasing some seeds from the pound store they were planted and she dutifully took care of them, naming them and all (sprout, leafy tiny etc.).  She was so excited to go out on the street and sell her plants.  After an hour and a half she was sold out and very excited!  T-man then had fun teaching her about business fundamentals of costs and profits etc.  I'm wondering what she is going to want to sell next?

Leeds Castle and Canterbury

At the beginning of the month we took an excursion to Leeds Castle and then when on to Canterbury.  I'm not going to take the time to go into a history here but in case you want to learn more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeds_Castle help yourself.

 Leeds has amazing grounds and plenty of space.  It is also full of birds.

 We had fun in the hedge maze.

 Canterbury has been the center of Christian worship in England for over a thousand years.

 quite extraordinary inside

 I had to take a picture of this picture to show what a presence this cathedral is.

She really wanted some of the noodles as you can see.  She was pretty proud of her skills.  She seems to be able to use these joined chop sticks pretty sell.

 Yum yum