South Wales

We waited until the last minute to plan our trip to see the tulips in Holland......and by the time we got around to looking for a place to stay there really weren't any places left. Soooooo, we decided to check out South Wales. Of course it rained pretty much the whole time, but guess what, we still had a great time! Northern Wales is still our favorite. No matter what though Wales will always be one of my top places in the UK.

Chepstow Castle

Playing hide and seek. They wanted me on their team because I am the best at finding hiding spots, but they said I had to move faster. I told them they needed to take my heavy bags then! 

Found you!!!!

Castle Coch

This castle is now one of our favorites!

Caerphilly Castle

This castle had a kid's quest. We love the castles that do that. Keeps the kids entertained and they learn something as they do it. If they were answering their questions right it would lead them to a goblet and then they would match the shape of the goblet to the 3 goblets on their paper. If they were correct they would get a prize.

Our hotel was in Cardiff, right on a wharf. We fed the ducks after breakfast.

Brecon Beacons hike. 5 miles to some beautiful waterfalls. Avery walked the entire time with very little complaining. This is huge! She started to tire out at the end, but I got her mind off of it and we actually ran the last bit of the hike! Blake pretty much walked the entire time too. Derek and I did carry him a little, but not much.

Someone didn't really like being behind the waterfall.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

I have to add a couple things in here that have been said recently because they are just too good to forget.

Blake is always telling me he wants to marry me. The other day he came up to me and he was so excited, "MOM!!! Look, I found a ring (as he holds up a big plastic play ring). I can marry you now!" Me: "Awww, Buddy, but you need a ring too." Blake: with a sad face, "Oh, okay." Then he goes running to look for another ring. A few minutes later...."I found one! Now we can get married!" I told Derek about it when he got home and he told Blake, "Mommy is already married to Daddy." Blake: "Nope. She married me." Derek: "No, you can't marry Mommy. Daddy is married to Mommy." You could see Blake's heart break as he fell to the ground and just sobbed!! Broke my heart, but so sweet too.

Derek and Allie had a night out to themselves last night for soccer while I stayed home with Avery and Blake (Avery wasn't feeling well). A little back story, last week at their soccer game they were getting smoked.......the teams are so uneven it's not even funny, but that's another story. Anyway, our sensitive Allie was getting her shirt tugged on by a boy on the other team (turned out it was my friend's son). When she came off the field she was so mad and said, "Why does everyone have to treat me like a dog?!?!" I tried to explain to her that while pulling on her shirt isn't showing good sportsmanship, things like that will happen and she just needs to be more aggressive. It just really, really bothered her. Well, last night after the game they saw them and Allie said, "Oh no! There are the dog walkers!" Derek had no idea what she was talking about and he told me the story last night. I died!! Obviously she was referring to her being treated like a dog. I have no idea how our kids come up with some of the things they say. So funny.