Before we come back to the States, we've planned a 12-day camping trip up through Scotland. Since the girls have never been camping before, and the equipment we sent over here is somewhat questionable, we thought we'd better take a trial run before we get caught up on the Scottish Highlands with our kilts down, so to speak. So we decided to take a quick weekend trip to the Cotswolds, which are about an hour and a half away.
Here's the view of the campground at sunset.
And here's our setup. We were the first people at the site, so we spread out as much as possible. Andrew brought the tent and air mattresses over in a suitcase on one of his business trips before we moved here. We picked up the folding table at Costco in Reading - a fine example of American cultural colonialism at its best. You can even get hot dogs and chicken bakes there.
Here is Hana playing in the field with the soccer/football my mom bought for her (hahahahahahahah). Actually, we found it in the backyard when we moved in. Hana loves trying out the fancy footwork Andrew's taught her, although we did have to set up some "Rules of Football" - you can quiz her on them if you like. 1. Don't use your hands. 2. There is no crying in football. 3. Falling down is fun.
Here they are tucked into their matching princess beds.
On Friday, after setting up the tent, we took a quick trip into Oxford.
This is us posing in front of the Bodleian Library. Andrew kept Lane in the quad chasing pigeons, while Hana and I managed about 15 minutes in the free exhibition before she started clamoring for a snack. Still, I got to see some great illuminated manuscripts.
Here is Andrew and the 1.5-pound trout he caught with a fly rod on a river (read trout farm) in the Cotswolds. We managed to catch enough trout for dinner. Hana even helped clean them.
On the river at Andrew's favorite Cotswold village, Bibury.
Finally, a picture of Lane without her pacifier, and without her running away from the camera. If you look closely, you can see where she chipped her front tooth on the steps up Clifford's Tower in York.
William Morris called Bibury the loveliest village in all of England.
Me and the girls sitting in front of someone's cottage.
Andrew and the girls at Bourton-on-the-Water. We stopped here for lunch and a walk along the stream.
So here is what we learned from our test trip - we need more blankets (I froze the first night), a better air mattress pump, and a kitchen knife on the off chance we catch any more fish. And when you camp with 2 and 4-year-olds,
everybody heads to bed at 8:30, but nobody goes to sleep until 11.
Here's the view of the campground at sunset.
And here's our setup. We were the first people at the site, so we spread out as much as possible. Andrew brought the tent and air mattresses over in a suitcase on one of his business trips before we moved here. We picked up the folding table at Costco in Reading - a fine example of American cultural colonialism at its best. You can even get hot dogs and chicken bakes there.
Here is Hana playing in the field with the soccer/football my mom bought for her (hahahahahahahah). Actually, we found it in the backyard when we moved in. Hana loves trying out the fancy footwork Andrew's taught her, although we did have to set up some "Rules of Football" - you can quiz her on them if you like. 1. Don't use your hands. 2. There is no crying in football. 3. Falling down is fun.
Here they are tucked into their matching princess beds.
On Friday, after setting up the tent, we took a quick trip into Oxford.
This is us posing in front of the Bodleian Library. Andrew kept Lane in the quad chasing pigeons, while Hana and I managed about 15 minutes in the free exhibition before she started clamoring for a snack. Still, I got to see some great illuminated manuscripts.
Here is Andrew and the 1.5-pound trout he caught with a fly rod on a river (read trout farm) in the Cotswolds. We managed to catch enough trout for dinner. Hana even helped clean them.
On the river at Andrew's favorite Cotswold village, Bibury.
Finally, a picture of Lane without her pacifier, and without her running away from the camera. If you look closely, you can see where she chipped her front tooth on the steps up Clifford's Tower in York.
William Morris called Bibury the loveliest village in all of England.
Me and the girls sitting in front of someone's cottage.
Andrew and the girls at Bourton-on-the-Water. We stopped here for lunch and a walk along the stream.
So here is what we learned from our test trip - we need more blankets (I froze the first night), a better air mattress pump, and a kitchen knife on the off chance we catch any more fish. And when you camp with 2 and 4-year-olds, everybody heads to bed at 8:30, but nobody goes to sleep until 11.
4 comments:
I remember someone keeping me up all night camping near Manti. Payback is great!
I guess what goes around comes around. I hear Katrina gets to take the orange backpack on her campout.
Why do we live in dry old Arizona? Your pictures are gorgeous. Wouldn't it be lovely to live in one of those stoney cottages with climbing roses and a thatched roof and a beautiful garden? How did the early saints ever leave?
P.S. you look great--hopefully you're feeling great too.
AMAZING ... haven't gotten to read about it yet...because ryans on my lap and kyle is starting to fuss, but I am so impressed you camped in another country! It takes soo much stuff to go camping and we can hardly do it with our van and you managed to do it in another country! Bringing a tent and sleeping bags. Adventurous...and impressive. And prego to beat!Seriously, you guys are going to have the best memories! What an experience! Jealous. So great you get to visit with so much family too!
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