Half term holidays fun!

  This past week was Anna's "half term holidays."  Half term is a week children get off from school when you guessed it they are halfway through the term.  School is pretty much year round although they do get "summer Holidays" for the month of August and sometimes the last week of July.  I love half term holidays because they are a great break for Anna and a lot of fun times to spend together.  Drew took Friday off from work and we ventured to Knowsley Safari (nice name).  We saw all kinds of cool things there.  It was about 2 hours from our house and we ended up getting a membership.  We are planning on going back during the Easter holiday break!

                                             A Rhea greeted us on arrival!

Lions!

No shyness here

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                                          Anna and Lizzie pictured with their baboon friends!

Our favorite by far were the baboons!  They were all over our car. 

Anna was allowed to help drive for a while

a gift from the baboons!

a friendly camel blocked our way

Elephants were Anna's favorite!

Anna liked the peacock although it did make her nervous

we all rode the carousel

Anna rode on the mini pirate ship it was fun

Bonus we got some hot chocolate because it was SO cold!

Awesome ice cream at Tr afford Center where we stopped for dinner on the way home

Lizzie and I got ice cream as well ours were a bit smaller, here we are doing our daily cheer for treats!

the random singing bears that captured Lizzie's attention in Trafford Center in Manchester

On Saturday we decided to try our hand at making cheese as we went to the cheese museum with Stephanie and the twins.  Here is the process in action!

adding some rennet

getting the thermometer ready

stretching the cheese

putting our mozzarella balls in water to cool

Anna made the caprese salad

our finished product

we made pizza on Sunday night to use the remainder of our mozerrella

Lizzie put all of the dough she helped kneed in her mouth, it was a lot!

Adventures and travels from Christmastime and beyond

We had a lovely trip to America for Christmas.  We went to Maryland and were able to stay with my family and meet my new baby nieces!  We went to the National Children's Museum which only just reopened after 4 years of being closed.  Although it was not what I longed for from days gone by they still had some nice exhibits and my girls and their cousins seemed to enjoy themselves.  Here are some pictures of the fun things we did in Maryland.

Eating an orange on the train to London

arriving in style

our unfortunate zipper breaks before our flight, thanks moby wrap!

waiting for our flight

After an airplane trip straight to the visitor center

wasted but insisted on going to see Tasha, and Pearla, and Grandma perform!

Tasha rocking the piano

a nice bath with the cousins to relax

next day we headed down to visit Grandma Betty

Great Weather for playing outside

our fun car ride to the national harbor

Christmas Eve at the National Children's Museum

a bonus train ride!

a Christmas Eve bell ringing ceremony with a new dress and hair courtesy of Aunt Denise

Stockings hung, cookies out, and bench moved to prepare for Santa

a "few" presents.  To be fair it is for 14 people

Opening gifts

a Christmas trip to the park

a quick stop for Treats Thanks Aunt Steph!

fun at the park

cuddle up and watch Brave

just playing around

Santa's gift cards to Build a bear, Lizzie made Woofy, seen here, who she sleeps with every night. 

Huge tape drive machine at National Cryptologic Museum 

famous computer turned seat

Plane near Museum 

Lunch with former coworker and friend, Robin

Date night to Les Mis and Sushi!

cuddle up to watch Brave again!

Daddy date to King Crab Legs!

A visit with Tasha

All the cousins!

Next adventure was we traveled back to England and brought my sister and my new baby nieces with us.  We took a road trip to Scotland and stayed a night in New Castle.  We went to a great place called Center Parcs which is a only what I can best describe as a cruise on land, in the woods.  Loads of cabins sad a village center with a wonderful water park, a lake, and loads of things to do.  Here are some pictures from our adventures there!

Tea, scones, and beans on toast

Our hotel in Scotland with hair that was blow dried!

Edinburgh Castle

Bus tour around Edinburgh, Kendyl is having a blast!

Light up fountain outside of Alnick Castle 

What happens in a hotel when you bring you  turn around for a second.

Pool in our New Castle Hotel

Drying Off

Vindolanda, Hadrian's Wall

A nice View at Vindolanda

Waiting for Fish and Chips at the Magpie in Whitby

Kendyl showing off her climbing skills at Brimham Rocks

Lizzie showing her skills as well

Fun at the park, if not a bit crowded

Lizzie visiting Grandma Helen's penguin friends at Heartwood house

Lizzie is not so much afraid of animals

Aunt Steph and the babies on the bridge around the late at Harewood house

just holding hand with her cousin

Chinese Lantern!

Another bath time 

a Trip, a VERY VERY COLD trip to Fountains Abbey

Lunch at the Royal Oak in Dacre Banks

Wenesleydate Cheese Museum 

Our cabin at Center parcs

Fun at Center Parcs

Water slides!

more slides!

Happy Girls

Lazy river

Outside in the pool, in the snow!

Anna's Balance bike class

As you can see it was a super busy and amazingly fun adventure, but it is kind of nice to be back to normal everyday quiet life.  We have another adventure coming up in April as we travel back to America for Uncle Tim's wedding!  I wonder what that trip will bring =)