The Stories Behind Those Vacation Photos

Like many people, I spent a portion of the last few months drooling over the photos friends posted of their summer travels on Facebook and Instagram. It's probably my favorite aspect of being active on social media: the chance to window shop all sorts of destinations and get a glimpse into what everyone else's vacations were like. I suspect I receive "likes" and comments on my own travel photos for similar reasons.

But anyone who has traveled knows that these brief glimpses don't always tell the full story. Especially when you add kids in the mix.

I don't think there's anything wrong with sharing wonderful vacation photos. I post hundreds each year myself. But I hope it doesn't set an unrealistic expectation for others when they embark on their own journeys.

Our May trip to Scotland is the perfect example. My photos suggested gorgeous scenery, interesting historical places, and 24/7 smiles. But had you traveled with us that week, you'd know there was much more to it than what friends saw on Facebook. Let me give you a few examples, from just one day of our travels there that week.

We started the day in Stirling with a brief stop at the castle there. As we were walking through the very quiet parking lot toward the wall where you could admire the view of the town and surrounding countryside, a car veered away from its lane and over to the walking path we were on. An older American woman rolled down her window and yelled at us for not holding the hand of our 3-year-old, saying he was certain to get hit by a car. A few things to note: He was walking on a pedestrian path. There were hardly any cars around. And the only car that came near him was HER car. Also? Mind your own business, lady.

We shrugged it off although it really rubbed me the wrong way. But this was the photo I posted on social media, taken a few seconds after that irritating interaction:

Peaceful Parisian Moments

One of the reasons that Paris is my favorite European city is that in addition to its spectacular popular attractions, it's never hard to find a quiet spot or a corner where you feel like you're the only people there. I'm not quite sure how the city pulls it off, but having now been there three times, I find it always does. And certainly, after visiting with young children, my appreciation for that quality is higher than ever.

I had several of those moments on our trip over the holidays. Paris is an incredibly popular place to travel to between Christmas and New Year's. Lines at just about every museum and attraction we passed stretched for what looked to be hours. But just as you begin to feel a bit claustrophobic by it all, you walk a block or two, and you find yourself on your own and yet your surroundings are just as gorgeous.

A few examples:

Picture Perfect Paris. As we strolled the Champs Elysees, enjoying a crowded Christmas Market along the way, we eventually detoured over to the Pont Alexandre III. A beautiful ornate bridge, with the Eiffel Tower in the distant background, made for perfect photo opportunities. And without the many vendors found at the Eiffel Tower itself to bother us.

Eiffel Tower as You've Never Imagined It

I try to be a realist when it comes to envisioning our family's travels. I know things aren't going to always be pleasant, and certainly rarely relaxing. I prepare myself for that mentally. But every once in a while, the romantic gets the better of me and I get some crazy idea in my head.

In the case of our trip to Paris, I had my heart set on a perfect photo of all four of us, smiling happily in front of the Eiffel Tower. In fact, I was so wrapped up in this fantasy that on the second day of our trip, we went back to our apartment while the rest of our multi-generational group went to the Eiffel Tower. Both boys were starting to fade from a day of sightseeing and I feared I wouldn't get THE photo that I had unrealistically imagined for weeks prior.

Visiting Connemara, Ireland

If I were handing out awards Oscar-style to the different portions of our trip to Ireland this summer, here's how it would go:

Most Luxurious Moment: Adare Manor
Best Cinematography: Cliffs of Moher
Best Surprise Performance: Connemara Region

My husband wanted to visit the Connemara region because he never had the chance to come when he spent a semester living in Ireland. It was the one part of the country he hadn't been. Quite honestly, I assumed there was a reason for that, and thought we might be a bit underwhelmed by what we found there. And because my husband requested that I not plan too much for our days there, I hadn't even read much about it in advance (somewhat unheard of for me).

But take a look at what we found. And I think you'll agree that it was definitely worthy of our three days there.

It was everything you hope for in an Ireland vacation: remote villages, charming cottages, rolling hills that fall into deep blue water, sheep dotting the fields. We even saw mountains and beaches.  It even rained the entire time we were there! And what we loved most is that it still seemed a bit undiscovered. Sure, there were fellow tourists there admiring the views just like us. But it wasn't overrun with travelers like some areas of Ireland.

More on the rain and how we didn't let it stop us still to come...

This post is a part of Friday Postcards at Walking on Travels.

Cliffs of Moher: A Dream Fulfilled

I'm not really big on regrets.

But if I could do my college years a bit differently, I would have studied abroad. In fact, sometimes I think that this opportunity to live in England is my second chance at having that experience (albeit with two little kids instead of a carefree college lifestyle...)

When my husband returned home from his own study abroad experience in Ireland, I spent a lot of time looking at his photos. Of all the amazing places he went, I got completely fixated on the Cliffs of Moher. We hadn't been able to travel to this spot on the west coast of Ireland when I visited him because the logistics just didn't make sense. But ever since, I have longed for the chance to see it.

Moments in France: Beach Bumming in Biarritz

This post continues my series of snapshots of my favorite moments from our recent trip to the Aquitaine region of southwest France. (See my first post from Bordeaux here.)

All day long we dangled the promise of a late afternoon trip to the beach in Biarritz over Big Arrow's head. We spent a busy morning sightseeing around the city, which involved a lot of walking on his part. (Not his favorite activity.) He had fun at the various stops we made, but must have asked us at least a dozen times when he could finally go to the beach. If you have young children, you know these were not polite questions, but more the slow burn of the dreaded whiney voice.

So after naps, off we went. And barely had our feet hit the sand when he dropped to the ground and said, "Mom, let's sunbathe."

Moments in France: Relaxing in Bordeaux

I have so many favorite moments from our trip to Bordeaux and Biarritz in the Aquitaine region in southwest France. I'll be sharing a lot of details from our trip on Ciao Bambino and here on Arrows Sent Forth. But while I give myself a bit of time to organize my thoughts more fully, I'll post a few brief glimpses into our trip here each week.

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.

A Day in Cambridge: Photo Essay

A highlight of my sister's visit back in January was a day trip to Cambridge. We're so fortunate to live just an hour from this remarkable place. I wrote about a kid-free day in Cambridge here and here, back when I visited while we were in the early stages of planning our move to England. It was fun to return, and this time bring the boys.

Our day started with a double decker bus ride on the Cambridge Park n' Ride system (it's easier to park on the outside of the city centre and just take the bus in). These moments are always a good reminder of why it's so fun to travel with little ones. We could have just taken a spin on the bus and they would have been happy with that.

A Week in Portugal with Kids

Sunset over the waterfront in the Belem area of Lisbon.

I've had an interest in visiting Portugal for nearly 10 years. When my husband and I were planning a month-long trip to Spain before we had kids, I had hoped we'd be able to include Portugal in our itinerary and I even bought a Lisbon guidebook. In the end, a detour to Portugal never materialized.

But I kept that guidebook. When we moved to a new house 10 months after Big Arrow was born, I shook my head as I unpacked it from its box (this being the third time I had packed and unpacked it). Why hold on to this, I thought. I've got a baby now... no way we'll get to Portugal in the next decade, at least.

You just never know what twists and turns life has for you.

So when I stuffed that old guidebook in my carry-on the night before we departed, I was thankful my dream of visiting had finally come true. Yet I couldn't help but wonder... would this place live up to the "dreamy destination just out of reach" hype I had given it in my mind?

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Our trips to London always inevitably involve a bit of hassle. Non-handicap accessible tube stations, which means we carry a double stroller up three flights of stairs, crowded streets, lines, etc. I'm not complaining. We're lucky to have such an amazing city just a train ride away. And it's well worth the effort, each and every time we visit. But there's nothing about going into London that's easy. I suppose that's true of any city, particularly when you have young kids.

So I truly appreciate those moments of relaxed bliss, a chance to carve out some space among the streets and the sights, full of millions of people, when you feel like you have a little corner all to yourself. Exactly what we were treated to when we ventured over to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in mid-December.

Photographing the Streets of London

One of the biggest adjustments of being an expat, especially with young kids, is suddenly finding yourself without a support system. Our families were so generous about spending time watching the boys whenever we needed a break or had something we'd prefer to do without them. I've also really missed my network of mom friends, who even on a rough day, could turn my mood around with a playdate at the park and some fun conversation. I'll be the first to admit that the last 5 months have been very high on the intensity scale in terms of parenting for me.

Fortunately, we found a wonderful babysitter within our first few days here. But like any busy family, we typically only utilize her for parent meetings at school or the rare date night. And luckily, we continue to make progress in making friends, too.

Over the last few weeks, I had purposefully planned a few breaks away from the Arrows. I knew I needed a little sanity check, and these moments provided that for me. (And I'm now strongly encouraging my husband to plan similar outings for himself.)

My first big break was a day-long class on street photography in London. I'm not sure I left any better at photography. I think what I enjoyed more than anything was the chance to take my time with my camera, which I'm still getting the hang of. Goodness, my children do not wait patiently while I set up the perfect shot. So just the act of pausing was such a luxury.

Anyway, here are some of my favorite pictures from the day.

Vigeland Sculpture Park

I have probably mentioned before that while I love art, I know so very little about it. There are some cities so closely tied to a particular artist that I find myself longing to learn more after visiting (Barcelona and Gaudi, for example). That's exactly how I felt about Gustav Vigeland after exploring his work throughout Oslo. I'll admit to having never even heard of him before I started researching the city. But his brilliance is inescapable when you visit Oslo.

Oslo with Kids: Itinerary and Advice

Oslo is a city that has intrigued me for quite a while. It seems so modern. And yet still retains a lot of European charm. And while Norway might be better known for its stunning fjords and gorgeous countryside, this city is worth spending a few days in if you're planning a trip to the country, particularly with kids. During our 9-day swing through Scandinavia, we had 2 1/2 days in Oslo, and it was a perfect amount of time to enjoy its many offerings.

Kids in Europe Must-Have: Digital Camera

One of my biggest fears in coming to Europe with children as young as mine (4 and 1) was that it would be challenging to take them to some of the cultural sites: historic homes, old castles, abandoned ruins, towering cathedrals, etc. (You know, basically everything that makes Europe so charming and beautiful.) It just seemed such a shame to come all the way across the ocean and not get to experience those things, forever confined to amusement parks and playgrounds.

But we have pushed past those fears and pressed on. And I have to say, 90% of the time it's a fun experience for everyone. I hope to share some of my tips and tricks in the months ahead. First up is my top tip for keeping preschool-aged kids happy at sites like this:

Camping on the North Yorkshire Coast

We spent a memorable weekend camping along the North Yorkshire coast a few weeks ago, in a large caravan park nestled along the cliffs between Scarborough and Filey. While our campsite left a little something to be desired (think no trees and directly adjacent to the playground), the view just about a hundred yards away was pretty spectacular.

Morning Walks in Pinconning

As winter finally begins its slow relent to spring, I've been dreaming of warmer days, imagining more sunshine and reflecting back on last summer's adventures, anticipating what fun lies ahead for us this year.

One of our trips took us to little Pinconning, Michigan, where we spent the week of July 4 at my inlaws' cottage. Little Arrow was a very early riser as a baby. Meaning I saw the 5 a.m. hour daily for about a year. Thankfully, as a 1-year-old, he's beginning to ease up and allow his parents a little more rest.

One way to maintain quiet in the house so everyone else could sleep was a morning walk with Little Arrow happy in the stroller. To make it more interesting for me, I grabbed my camera. I'm still very new at shooting in manual, and given my kids' ages, the opportunity to stop, aim my camera, and fiddle with settings is a rare treat.

The perfect name for the dusty dirt road where vacation memories lie ahead? I nominate:

Even the roadside wildflowers perked up to say good morning.

I loved how quiet this little inlet coming off Saginaw Bay was.

I guess it's time to turn around and head home. Maybe someone's up making breakfast!

This post is a part of Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom? and Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Exploring Cambridge in the Snow

I'm finally back in the groove after our six-day trip to England just over a week ago. Spending so much time away from the kids was at times complete bliss and at other times a bit emotional. To keep us from missing them too much, and to harken back to our childless travel days, we kept busy and stayed on the move.

We didn't even let six inches of snow get in our way when we made plans to explore Cambridge, which was about a 45 minute drive from where we were based all week.

And while walking around might have been more pleasant had we packed our snow boots and without pellets of ice smacking us in the face, the photos I was able to capture of this already picturesque area were well worth it.

 

This is Christ's Pieces Park. We took a bus into the heart of the city, which I highly recommend doing even if you are getting around England by car like we were. This green space (or white, in our case) is just steps from the bus station (and makes it easy to find when you need to board your return bus).

The beauty of the winding River Cam was pretty stunning, especially with the snow-heavy willow trees bending over it. Had the weather been warmer, it would have been really fun to pack a picnic and spread a blanket at the area across the river, called The Backs.

Some visitors were brave enough (foolish?) to embark on a punting tour, something Cambridge is famous for. While I consider myself a fairly hardy Midwesterner, I watched the boats go by from the warmth of a cozy pub, sipping a British ale.

Before heading toward the campus itself, we admired the famous Mathematical Bridge. Although not actually designed by Sir Isaac Newton, a tale that was often told to gullible tourists, it does have a significant archetectural component to it. While it may appear to be an arch, it is made entirely of straight timbers.

Just looking at these pictures and remembering the day makes me want to brew a pot of tea and warm up. So I'll share our adventures walking around the Cambridge campus next week!

This post is a part of Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom and Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Then and Now: 2013 edition

I love the way photos help us mark the passage of time, particularly when it comes to the growth of young kids. One of the things I hope to do now and then on this blog is show, in a visual way, how our adventures change as the Arrows grow older. I've done this before, but now that Little Arrow is in the mix, it's even more fun to look back.

In 2011, my husband captured this moment during our trek to the pumpkin patch at Nienabers Farm Market.

Fast forward a year during our return to Nienabers, sit on the same bench, and replace that big pregnant belly with an 11-month old. (We also got a new camera... huge difference!)

At the 2011 Indiana State Fair, Big Arrow couldn't get enough of Little Hands on the Farm, especially feeding the pig.

He was still pretty enamored with the pig in 2012 (and was also willing to wear the hat and apron they provide).

All while Little Arrow observed intently, quietly plotting his pig-feeding tactics for the 2013 fair.

During our 2011 trip to St. Petersburg, Florida, I relaxed on a beach chair at Fort De Soto Park and watched these two play in the water.

In 2012, I still watched these two play at Fort DeSoto.

I just did it from a beach blanket while nursing Little Arrow.

I can only imagine what 2013 will have in store for us and how quickly our lives and travels will change. Thankfully, I'll always have pictures to help me remember (particularly because the sleep deprivation and constant toddler chasing means I hardly recall what I ate for breakfast...)

Thanks for joining me on a little walk down memory lane!

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Robert's Tree Farm (video)

One of my new year's resolutions is to take more video. Now that both the Arrows are mobile, it seems like the most realistic way to capture our life and our travels these days. Plus, I fully realize that in the blink of an eye they'll be cranky teenagers giving me the stink eye every time I take out my camera.

So when we returned to Robert's Tree Farm for our third annual Christmas tree selection, it seemed like a good time to practice being the official videographer of our family.

Besides spending time with our families, our visit to the tree farm is definitely my favorite holiday tradition. Just me, my boys and the great outdoors in the Indiana countryside. Here's a fun look back at our day there.



(I've decided that the best part about video is you can edit out some of the obnoxious, inappropriate behavior of your 3-year-old, plus you can cover up his whining with fun music!)

Crave more info about this place or the fun of picking your tree right from the field?

• 2010 Trip to Robert's Tree Farm
• 2011 Trip to Robert's Tree Farm
• The Joy of Homegrown Indiana Christmas Trees at the Indiana Insider Blog

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby and Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom.