Notting Hill
We were really looking forward to strolling around with the kids through different parts of London. Something about taking in a city just by walking and observing really appeals to me. But with a five and a three year old you never really know how that is going to work. Our thought was that if we had plenty of food options and allowed them to be silly, curious and hyper kids when the opportunity presented itself then we could make it through outing. And, I am happy to report that it was a success. Here is a taste of our day strolling through Notting Hill. Enjoy!
Wimbledon
When I was a kid, the first thing I ever saved my money for was a red and silver prince tennis racket. It was a beauty… I loved it. And I believed that it would be my first step to the top of the tennis world. As is with most things… I tried and while I loved tennis it was not destined to be my future. That didn’t mean I stopped enjoying tennis. So being this close and watching Andy Murray win Wimbledon I had to take a tour. If you are ever in the area… take the tour! Not only is Wimbledon a nice place to explore walking the grounds of the Wimbledon Championships is a treat. There is history oozing out of the grounds and it is easy to be swept up in it.
The Underground
My daughters excitement while waiting for a train. Both the kids found the underground subway system to be fun and entertaining.
Greenwich
When researching London my husband came across Greenwich. The opportunity to straddle the Prime Meridian was just too good to pass up. Also, it was such a fun day trip and part of London to explore. The fastest and most fun way to get there was to take a boat down the river. The kids found this fun and it was nice to get a different vantage point to see the city. We highly recommend visiting if you are ever in the area.
Enjoying the boat ride
The Prime Meridian
Tower Bridge
Our little lady fell asleep before we could get there which was a bit of a bummer, but the rest of us thought it was a great site to visit.
The Tower of London
When I first visited London I can remember finding The Tower of London to be fascinating. So, I was super excited to see what my husband and kids reaction. We told our daughter that she would be able to see the Queen’s crown, and to my son we let him know that he would get to see knights armor. Oh man, I was not disappointed. With the two kids and a stroller we weren’t able to get into every nook and cranny of the tower – it was hot, and kids get tired when traveling over all the uneven pathways. Heck, my feet get sore too. The crown jewels were a hit as was the armor. An unexpected find for my son was walking the exterior, up high around the Tower where he got to see where the knights would place themselves to shoot arrows at any approaching enemies. Our daughter thought the horses armor was interesting and she enjoyed dancing around the room in the armory (White Tower) to the music like she was a princess.
Catching a cab
While we pretty much rode the tube or walked the streets to get to all the sites there were moments when riding in a taxi was really just going to save our sanity, our feet, and provided a nice change of pace for the kids. One of the great things about the cabs was that we literally rolled the stroller in and didn’t have to get our daughter out. While I don’t know if it was the safest thing it definitely made getting in and out of cabs on busy streets much less stressful.
More Westminster
It’s been pretty warm our entire trip through Europe and the blue skies presented a beautiful backdrop to seeing the Abbey. Some images as we walked around. No pictures are allowed within the building – and let me tell you they are strict about it. We saw them asking people to delete pictures from cameras and phones at both the Abbey & the Tower of London when viewing the Crown Jewels.
Westminster Abbey
I still remember the first time I visited Westminster. Loved it! It is approachable yet awe inspiring. I love places that hold so much history. Please take note of my kids faces when they first were looking at it from the outside. Needless to say, they found the place to be fascinating. Who says a five and a three year old can’t appreciate this stuff?!?! My son wanted me to read each and every plaque whether it was on the wall or the floor. And our daughter enjoyed the architecture and the decorative tombs. We all enjoyed getting to view the coronation chair. A great visit for the whole family.
Looking for the Queen
So my daughter was pretty certain that she would be able to see the Queen. Well when we went to the palace and meeting her didn’t happen she just explained to me that the Queen was hungry and eating lunch and that’s why we wouldn’t be able to see her. Totally makes sense…
Horse Guards Parade
I find horses beautiful – I just don’t like to get too close. :) Watching the changing of the Queens Guard was really fun. The kids found the ceremony of it very interesting. And honestly it’s hard not to get caught up in the pageantry of the ceremony. We learned that the Queen’s Life Guard is the mounted guard at the entrance to the Horse Guards. Horse Guards is the official main entrance to both St. James’ Palace and Buckingham Palace. Â Two images from the Horse Guards Parade. Enjoy!
Look Kids…
Big Ben, Parliament! Yep, we were cliche tourists and we loved each second of it. There is something stunning about Big Ben. And I can’t quite put my finger on what it is exactly. But my husband thinks it might be because it always looks like it is sparkling. He could be correct – it is massive, and beautiful but there is something else to it that is also eye catching. We are definitely the typical family with the two kids in tow who never really want to get their picture taken, and when we do stop to snap a photo it is rare and highly unlikely that both kids will be looking in the same direction, let alone at the camera. Oh well, it is my life and I love it.
London
So my husband and I thought it would be a great idea to take the kids to Europe for a few weeks. An epic trip. Epic family travel. We’ve been here a handful of days and it’s been great. Not gonna sugar coat it – jet lag is rough with kids. They just really don’t want to hear their parents tell them to just power through it. I’m hoping to share images as much as I can. Our first stop is London and we spend the first days exploring the neighborhoods and checking out local parks. Our daughter found a lovely spot to watch fish and ducks – she would’ve stayed all day. Living in the northwest has it’s beauty for sure, not much beats the site of the water and the mountain ranges. But, as we wander the uneven sidewalks and take in the quirky, character filled homes and streets we have found that we are captured by this beauty as well. Additionally we spotted Big Ben… kids found that especially cool.
quiet moment
My kids are pretty close to done with school for the year and we’ve got a busy summer planned. It was great to be able to capture them having a quiet moment before our summer fun begins…
Hiding from the cows
Had to share… visiting some great friends at their ranch my daughter decided that the best vantage point for viewing the cows was from behind daddy’s legs! Love her!
Low Tide
Warm sun, a nice breeze, and a really low tide provided for tons of entertainment. We had a blast exploring the shore with the kids chasing crabs, and searching for star fish.
Enjoying the snow
It snowed a while back and we had a great time! Both the kids really enjoyed themselves. I loved the whole day with them.
Goofing around
A play circus tent and a cookie monster costume. Capturing the fun while goofing around.
The slide
Our little girl loves all slides. The bigger the better. It makes me completely nervous sometimes but she loves it!
Batman & Robin
To me this picture is perfect. It perfectly captures my son at this moment. He loves Batman & Robin. I asked him to smile, and instead he showed me Batman. We don’t know how it started exactly; but in his perfect world he is a super hero. He would have traits from Batman, Superman, Spiderman, and the Green Lantern. He loves the idea of being a ‘good guy’. What this picture will always remind me of is that at this time in his life something Batman is always with him and it is something that brings him so much happiness.
Catching up
I realized that there has been so much going on this holiday season that I haven’t shared some of my favorite images. One of my favorite things we’ve been doing as a family tradition is to travel to Fall City Farms and pick out pumpkins for the family. It’s been so much fun over the years and this year did not spoil. Enjoy!
Nice night
It was a great night, unscripted, full of energy, my little girl working on her steps, and smiles… very happy!
 
Car Wash
A Saturday morning, sun, hose, water and some suds makes for fun, smiles and enjoying getting Mom and Dad all wet! I love capturing these events in our life they are so unscripted and great! Enjoy.
Camping
As a family we ventured out on our first camping trip as a family of four. Lucky for us we have a wonderful friend who has a family farm and they welcomed us for this adventure. It was a great time – another family with four boys joined in on the fun so our son was in heaven. We got to feed the cows, climb hay, walk through mud and enjoy s’mores. Loved it… enjoy!
