Hahndorf Family Farm Barn

We headed up to the Hahndorf Family Farm Barn a few weeks back. Blessed with great weather we thought we would take advantage and make a day of it. There were all the usual farm trappings, cute animals, bottle feeding opportunities and pony rides. We also discovered what may just be the worlds largest goat... entry fee was worth it to see that beast alone.

Andy mostly loved the pile of dirt he found to the side of one of the barns and riding the pony. He was completely fearless and confident up on that little horse, an equestrian in the making perhaps?

All in all, a very enjoyable morning. It was good getting in early as we had a lot of the animals to ourselves before the crowds started coming in. If you are wondering what to do with your littles and the weather is good, we highly recommend this place.

'Tis the Season

I will be the first to admit that I am a little on the obsessed side when it comes to Christmas. I L O V E this time of the year. Everything about it feels magical to me, which appeals greatly to my inner child. I am beginning to deeply appreciate this time of year even more now that I am a mother and get to watch all the magic come alive through my little boy's eyes. It's the most wonderful time of the year because we celebrate the birth of Christ, enjoy a little extra community bonding and then there is the added bonus of a day completely dedicated to all things family! (You can see this blog post to read how I feel about being so flipping time poor). We are B I G on getting in the family time where we can.

In light of all the above we decided to head into the city to watch the annual Christmas Pageant. It was a strange kind of day for Adelaide, especially for mid November. We were in beanies, hoodies and jackets. Then there was the horizontal rain. Oh, and we had a terribly timed nappy incident just before we left the house so the whole thing was almost a "no, go". But persist, we did. I am pleased to report that once we finally made it we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Andrew particularly loved finding the deepest puddles he could to jump in. Note to self: bring a change of clothes next year.

Here are some pictures from our morning.

Sunday Afternoon

We are coming to the end of our time here in the UK - mixed emotions about that! We aren't the best at goodbyes, they aren't our favourite and we don't like saying it. We prefer to just exit- like we can  pick up the conversation where we left off in a day or two. That's how we roll.

There is packing to be done, boxes to be sent and flights to be caught and it all seems to have a little bit of a "looming" feel about it. I cried twice today- just little tears. They are however, significant tears and I'm still processing them (I'm not a cryer by nature- this is a new experience for me). All I know is that I feel like my heart is breaking in two. I wasn't expecting that.

So for now, we are ignoring those looming deadlines and things that need to be done. Truth be known, Alex and I are a well oiled machine and we will get it together by the time we need board the plane. Until then- we are lapping up everything that we have found to be special to us while living here in England. Our Sunday afternoon drives, being one of them. Family time.

Today's drive took us to the temple. We explored the grounds and felt all the feels.

We love you, England.

Highclere Castle

Originally, I wasn't overly thrilled about moving to England for six months. It was the weather, you see? I got myself into such a tizzy about it that I gave myself a headache.  However, once I discovered that we would be living 15 minutes from where Downton Abbey was filmed I became quite the trooper. Rally, I did. My excitement of being in such close proximity to this castle made me so very happy! Thoughts of Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley ran through my head and I was suddenly quite content with our decision to take a one year old abroad in the middle of winter.

We've been hanging out to visit Highclere with my parents, and it did not disappoint- even though the weather did (just a little). My family and I are die hard fans of the show- we are of the binge watching variety to be exact.

Here are some pictures of our day at "Downton Abbey".

Easter at the Lake District

I hope that everyone had a lovely Easter weekend! This is the first time we have ever celebrated Easter in a place in the spring time and it was absolutely beautiful.

As a family, we are so grateful for this time of year and the opportunity we take to reflect on the Saviour and celebrate His life. He lives and He loves us- that knowledge brings me so much comfort. Alex and I tend to regroup around Easter every year and just check in with each other and our family goals. We had a lot of conversations about faith and family while we were away- there is absolutely nothing else in this world that we cherish more. We are so grateful that our family can be forever and we are so focused on nurturing that. There are a lot of things that life throws at us, and some of them are just plain hard. Getting back to basics and focusing on what matters was good for me- it was good for us as a family. We needed this little break to the Lake District and we loved it!

We stayed at High Wray Farm which was just perfect. It felt like home. Andrew loved all the animals and had a lot of fun playing with the other house guests. We were a two minute drive from Beatrix Potter's house which was an absolute highlight for both me and Alex. It really felt like Beatrix was there, as if she had just stepped out into the garden. Very special.

Of course it rained a lot. It also hailed and the wind was crazy- but it didn't bother us. We were just happy to drive for miles on end and gawk at the beautiful scenery. Just amazing!

^^We stopped for lunch in the Cotswolds at Cudds farm. We can't wait to explore the Cotswolds more!

^^ Our little man is growing up so fast!