Touring Buckingham Palace, Royal Mews, and Queen's Gallery

I have a bit of a history bringing my children to Buckingham Palace. Our first visit ended like this and included Big Arrow getting his head stuck in the gate.

A photo posted by Nicole Wiltrout (@arrowssentforth) on Sep 16, 2015 at 11:44pm PDT

A Day in Wells Saves the Day

On tonight's episode of Family Travel Gone Wrong: A family pulls into a parking spot in the center of the small city of Wells in Somerset, England, a 20-minute drive from their campsite. They arrive very wet, having woken up to a soggy campsite after a torrential downpour all night. (Miraculously, our Coleman Instant Tent stayed completely dry!) They had spent the previous 24 hours stranded at their campsite when the matriarch of the family (me) locked both sets of keys in the trunk of the car, leaving them with only one wallet, a little bit of cash, a tent and some clothes. All other belongings including phones, food, camping supplies, books, etc., were locked inside the car. This family endured the drama of three different mechanics attempting to unlock the car over the previous 24 hour period.

True story.

Needless to say, we were in need of a hot meal and something (anything) to go our way if our weekend camping getaway was to be salvaged.

Wells delivered.

After refueling (oh, what two cups of steaming coffee does to an exhausted parent's disposition!), we embarked on a walk about town. It was raining again at this point, but we were so overjoyed to be out exploring with full, warm bellies that we barely noticed.

5 Things to Do in Norfolk, England with Kids

Of all the things I imagined doing while living in England, spending time on the beach (or even the coast, for that matter) didn't really cross my mind. But it should have. The UK has some of the most amazing coastal areas I've ever been to. Sunny and 85 degrees? Usually not. But if you can brave the elements, it's totally worth exploring.

The Norfolk area is only a couple of hours from our house, so we've been able to visit on occasional day trips throughout the past two years. When my sister's family came to visit, we decided it would be a great spot to base ourselves for a few days in order to take in even more of the family-friendly attractions in Norfolk.

Here are our favorite things to do in Norfolk:

Looking up in complete amazement at BeWilderwood.

Tips for Visiting Legoland Windsor (and Legolands Around the World!)

As a way of culminating a 10-day visit with my sister's family, which took us from our house to Norfolk to London, we planned an overnight at Legoland Windsor. We were a traveling entourage of 8 people, including 4 kids age 7 and younger. Needless to say, we fell right into the Legoland target market.

A York Kind of Birthday

I'll never forget Little Arrow's first birthday party. I held back tears through the entire night, not because my baby was turning 1, but because my husband and I had recently learned that we'd likely be moving to England. I was excited about the move, but we hadn't yet told our families, and as they gathered around our dining room table to sing Happy Birthday, I knew it would be his last family party for a while.

That's the trade-off on this expat thing. Leaving the life you know and love behind for a few years of incredible, exotic moments. We traded birthday parties with the family we miss so much for foreign museums and medieval gardens. Like Little Arrow celebrating his third birthday this past winter by spending the day in the beautiful, ancient city of York.

Our first stop (and quite frankly, what could have easily been our only stop of the day, as it's so big and so much fun) was the National Railway Museum. This is one of those museums that marries children's activities with adult fascinations extremely well. There was plenty for the boys to see and do that they found completely interesting, yet things my husband and I could learn from and enjoy also. Hands-on, but not in a way that deters grown ups without children from also visiting.

Memories of London's Paddington Trail

My husband first learned of our opportunity to live here in England on a business trip 2 years ago. He spent his last night of the trip in London, and wandered over to Hamley’s to buy the boys each a little gift. He was hoping to get them excited about our potential British adventures. His present to Little Arrow was a small Paddington Bear stuffed animal, and it has sat on a shelf in his room ever since. 

Beyond that bear, the boys were basically oblivious to Paddington. Let’s be honest, he doesn’t have quite the modern appeal of Frozen, Harry Potter, or the current favorite at our house, Lego Ninjago (ugh).

But I saw the trailer for the new Paddington Bear movie a few months ago, and I knew I absolutely had to introduce one of Britain’s most iconic and beloved children’s characters to my kids. In fact, when we went to see the film a few weeks ago, it was Little Arrow’s first time at the cinema. They adored it from the opening scene to the credits and now they’re hooked on all things Paddington. I’m excited to start reading the books with them.

Our Christmas Eve day trip to London came at the tail end of a temporary exhibit of more than 50 Paddington Bear sculptures around the city, called the Paddington Trail. Each was uniquely designed by a celebrity and Big Arrow quickly made it a goal to see as many as possible throughout the day. Fortunately several of them were along our planned route for the day so we were happy to indulge him.

Christmas Eve in London

Do you ever have days out with your family where everything just clicks? Nobody whines. Nobody throws a fit on the train. Everyone has so much fun it sort of feels like your favorite song is playing on repeat in the background all day long.

That is definitely not our every day. But that was our Christmas Eve in London.

I wish I had some behind-the-scenes, magic secret to share with you on why the day was such a success. I don't. It helped that the crowds were very manageable. It even helped that Little Arrow was a bit under the weather, meaning he was content to sit in his stroller for long walks most of the day.

And of course, it helps that London puts on a pretty good show when it comes to Christmas spirit and decorations.

We started at Selfridge's, one of London's most famous department stores. My two made a beeline for the toy shop.

Postcards from the Lake District: Tarn Hows Hike

When I read about the hike at Tarn Hows in the Lake District, it went straight to the top of my things to do list. If you hike much with young kids, you know it's always a toss up as to how well they'll actually walk on their own two legs without complaining or flat out refusing.

This hike not only looked gorgeous, but it was wheelchair accessible so we could bring our umbrella stroller and use that if anyone got too lazy tired. Which meant our two mile trek through some of the most gorgeous scenery of my life was relatively complaint free. The chance to breath in this air and admire these views in relative peace was outstanding. It's probably my favorite memory of the trip.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Little Arrow!

A bit of blogging housekeeping: I'll resume my Postcards from the Lake District and How I Plan Trips series of posts next week. But as you may know, I like to write posts to the boys on their birthdays, and it is Little Arrow's third birthday. (You can read his 1st and 2nd posts, or Big Arrow's 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th posts.)

 
Happy 3^rd birthday, Little Arrow! There was a time I didn’t think this day would come. Not because I didn’t think you’d live to see 3 (although your flying leaps off furniture and daredevil moves on the playground would suggest otherwise). But because for about a year and a half, you were sort of in a toddler rut.

 

Postcards from the Lake District: Wray Castle

In my post earlier this week, I explained that one of the ways I organize plans for our trips is by weather. Meaning I keep a list of outdoor activities and a list for rainy or cold days. I knew both from looking at the forecast and from what I've learned about English weather that I better be prepared for rain when we visited the Lake District.

At the top of my rainy day list was a visit to Wray Castle. It looked really unique... a medieval-style castle built in the mid-1800s. Because its somewhat strange history, the castle was given to the National Trust completely empty. Meaning no paintings, sculptures, furniture or other relics that typically fill these types of properties. Much to our delight, the National Trust has instead packed the castle with incredibly family-friendly activities.

Postcards from the Lake District: Hawkshead

Many a famous writer has hailed from the Lake District in northwest England (like William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter). One visit there and you'll realize how creativity could be sparked into greatness by the amazing beauty that surrounds you there.

Alas, I'll fall far short of their ability to describe this place with the written word. Instead, I'm relying on my trusty Canon Rebel camera to do that for me over the next few weeks in a series of photo essays about our long weekend there in October.

Hiking Around Hawkshead

When I rented our adorable cottage in the Lake District, I selected it completely at random. I liked its size, the fact that it had a small playroom, and that it had some character and plenty of outdoor space. But I knew absolutely nothing about its location. I figured as long as it was in this beautiful area of England, it would probably be fine.

The Day Being an Expat Got Easier

I've been pretty up front that the first few months of life as an expat were difficult for me. I think I managed it pretty well and usually had a smile on my face. But I also refer to this time period as "the blur." I barely knew what end was up most of the time, and each day seemed to present a series of challenges I could never anticipate. I have a lot of fond memories from this time, too, don't get me wrong. But I'm happy to be past that initial "settling in" phase.

Because at some point, it just gets easier. This seems to be true for almost every expat I know. I'm not sure there's a definitive timeline to that. For some, it's probably just a few weeks or months. For others, maybe a full year or more. I can clearly picture my moment of serenity in my mind.

I was hiking on a footpath just a couple of miles from my home.

Making Summers 2/18 and 5/18 Count

I read somewhere that you only get 18 summers with your child. Isn't it a little mind-boggling to quantify such an ethereal thing like "summer."

I'm sure before I became a parent, I would have thought that 18 sounded completely reasonable. But now, with two boys growing up rapidly before my eyes, 18 seems so terribly inadequate.

How can you possible fit in all the melting popsicles, cannon balls into the pool, underdog pushes on the playground, and smells of charcoal grills and musty tents in just 18 years?

My very best memories from my childhood are planted firmly between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. Maybe that's because my mom was a teacher, and had so much more time to do fun things with us during the summer. Maybe because our vacations, when my dad was blissfully away from his job, almost always took place in the summer. Camping trips to Vermont and Maine with my cousins, swimming at my aunt and uncle's pool, the summer reading program at the local library, runs through the sprinkler, and the taste of Bomb Pops. There's something so wonderfully magical about summer.

We're halfway through the British summer. We've spent our first month making amazing memories. Such a sharp contrast to last summer, when I didn't even know where the grocery store was, let alone anything fun. I wrote this post about savoring our first British summer, but the truth was, we spent most of our days waiting in line at the cell phone store or the bank.

This year, we've done a bit of exploring, including our trip to Ireland, but mostly it's been about picking strawberries. And splashing around in fountains (that date back to Elizabethan times... this is England, after all). Trips to the park and the beach. And riding scooters up and down the street with the other kids in the neighborhood.

Battle Proms: My July 4 Cure

Holidays are a challenging time when you're an expat. Living abroad means not spending those key days each year with your family and friends by your side, as you're likely accustomed to doing. And then there are those holidays unique to your specific country which slip by without any fanfare. For us, Thanksgiving and 4th of July will always be emotionally difficult, if for no other reason than it's just a normal day of the week all around us.

Last year, July 4 was particularly depressing. My facebook feed was full of updates and photos of celebrations, cookouts, pool parties and fireworks. Having only been here a month, we basically knew no one, and I sat around most of the day in a funk. I vowed next year would be different. So when some friends mentioned going to the Battle Proms concert, scheduled for July 5, I thought it sounded like the perfect solution to beat my homesickness.

What's Battle Proms, you ask? I wrote a description for Anglotopia here, but essentially it's an outdoor classical music concert with a military twist. They're held in several locations around the UK, and we were fortunate to have one hosted at Burghley House, the famous Elizabethan home right here in Stamford.

We started with a picnic dinner, impressive stately home as our backdrop. (It's hard to take me seriously when I say that being an expat is hard, and then I drop a photo like this, right?)

Wallett's Court in Dover: Family-Friendly English Accommodation

I write a lot about the many benefits and wonderful aspects of traveling Europe with young kids. But there are limitations and sacrifices, to be sure. Especially when it comes to accommodation. The continent (and England in particular, it seems) is chock full of charming bed and breakfasts, lodges, manor houses, castles and so much more, all offering up a special, quiet night away. At various price ranges, too, which is fantastic.

But that's just it: a QUIET night. Meaning the 2-year-old who might throw a few fits in the process of settling into sleep in a strange place probably isn't welcome. Not to mention the fact that at most of these historic properties, it's just not possible to cram beds for four people into a tiny room. Things Americans, with our spacious hotels that can accommodate four or more without batting an eye, just don't often think about (or at least, I didn't).

Let me be clear: you CAN find places to stay as a family in Europe. Surely if you've spent any time reading about our travels over the last year, you know that's true. But you may have to give up the historic charm. Or the tucked away location. Or the hotel amenities.

Dover, England for Families

A stop in Kent in southeast England was my husband's idea.

That's not a sentence you'll read very often on this blog. I consider us true partners in most aspects of life. But travel planning is almost entirely my domain. (Hauling bags and children, map reader, and suitcase packer? All him.)

He had traveled to Kent a few months prior for work and thought it seemed like a fun area (even though all he saw was a hotel conference room). And once we had decided to drive to Belgium over Easter, he suggested it as a way of seeing more of England while also breaking up our drive home. Made sense to me, so I worked with the folks at Visit Kent to figure out logistics for a 24-hour visit there. (Ok, so the trip was his idea, but true to form, I still executed the planning.)

I wrote about our stay in Dover over at Anglotopia, too.

This was the portion of our Easter trip that surprised me the most. I frankly thought we'd pass through, see the sights, give the kids a break from the car, and then be on our way. In the end, it was a real highlight of our long holiday weekend and I'm really glad we carved out the time for this stopover.

Cornwall's Coastal Beauty

I initially looked into a stay at Bosinver Farm Cottages (full review at Ciao Bambino here) because I saw photos from another travel blogger who stayed there, and it looked like great fun for kids. To be honest, I knew nothing about Cornwall, the southwestern most part of England.

Once we were booked to visit the area, I naturally started reading up on it, and more importantly, started seeing pictures of the area. I was simply stunned... I had never realized that some of England's coastal areas were so spectacular. While I'm learning all about the beauty of rural England just by looking out my window each day, it's relatively flat around the East Midlands where we live, and we're about a 90 minute drive from the coast (in the Norfolk area... also relatively flat). So I was really excited to see a more unique English landscape for myself, and introduce this part of the country to my parents during their visit.

And it definitely lived up to the hype (and made the 5+ hour drive worth it!). Our first taste was a trip to the beach closest to Bosinver (about a 10 minute drive away), called Carylon Bay.

Happy 5th Birthday, Big Arrow!

As you might already know, I write a post to each Arrow on their birthday. (Links to Big Arrow's 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, and Little Arrow's 1st and 2nd, if you want to catch up). It's the end of April, so even though I'm in complete denial about it, Big Arrow is turning five. 5. FIVE. Maybe the more I write it the more I'll believe it.

A Stay At Bosinver Farm Cottages in Cornwall

My review of Bosinver Farm Cottages in Cornwall was posted at Ciao Bambino today. It's worth a read, as Bosinver is such a unique accommodation in a truly gorgeous part of England. It was also a really special week for us, as my parents were here visiting and joined us for this trip. (Unfortunately my husband was back in the U.S. working and had to miss the fun.)

London Transport Museum

I've been talking to lots of friends and family back in Indiana about what a long, horrible winter it was for them. For those of you not from the area, there was a period of several days when everyone was (no exaggeration) frozen inside their homes. Not to mention almost weekly storms that dumped anywhere from several inches to a couple of feet of snow.

On this side of the pond, we had a much milder winter. I sometimes neglected to mention to those back home that we could occasionally still visit the playground or take a hike in the woods without risking instant frostbite. But even without the frigid temps of America, gray, rainy days still got the best of me mentally at times.