Sudeley Castle through the eyes of Sophie (with a hint of Leah awesomeness)

written by: Sophia
photos by Sophia and Leah 

Yesterday we went to Sudeley Castle and it was an AMAZING experience. The ride up the hills was kind of crazy. At first it's ok, the hills slowly incline and the view's amazing, but then you hit a road and it winds all the way up to a village. With the speed limit 50 mph and cars on the "wrong side of the road" with steep hills, turning onto that road you almost wonder why you're even wanting to go to this place! But we turn on to the crazy winding road and head up that hill. As we go up Cleeve hill (I believe that's what it's called) the view is amazing. You see the sheep grazing on the hill side looking like big groups of maggots on the hillside, the green grass, the old cute little cottages with their weird names like ... well actually I don't remember them, but they were weird. The roads here have weird names too. On our way up I saw a road called Kidnappers road, I wonder how many kids disappear on that road. Despite of of this and also getting lost, I FINALLY see a majestic rock thing in the distance hidden be hind trees. That's when I realize OH THAT'S THE CASTLE!!!!!

We get there and the castle was amazing! The castle its self is surrounded by a grove of trees, making it look mysterious as it peeks out behind the grove making it secret. The medieval castle that still stands has the prettiest grounds I've ever seen.

This was the pond in part of the garden. In the pond were some fish, I think they were koi but, my mom said they were carp , I don't know they were fish. Anyways it was funny because if you threw anything in they'd go after it and try to eat it.

Anyways Leah and I were given the phone to take pictures and here's what happened.

Here's our parents and Georgie next to what's left of a 15th century barn.

I found a little archway hidden by grape vines in the barn.

Leah's wonderful panorama taking skills sort of ..... um... well... how do I put this nicely to you Leah.... well we'll work on it, but it's interesting.

Another hidden archway.

Leah under the same hidden archway thanks to moi!

I found some flowers and I thought this one was photogenic even though some of it's petals fell off.

Same flower not hidden this time.

Not too shabby for only using an IPhone if I do say so myself. Anyways moving along to the kids part of the castle. The castle on the inside most of it has been turned into a museum and has creepy mannequins and some old beds and stuff but yeah I guess it was cool. Well as we were going along of course we come across my favorite part DRESS UP IN DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS OF CLOTHING!!!!!! They had Medieval, they had Roman, they had Renaissance , they had princess costumes and prince costumes and Pride and Prejudice looking costumes it was fun.

They had costumes of all sizes even one for little Gorgie (Georgie+gorgeous = Gorgie)

Getting dressed was stressful

SO MANY COSTUMES!!!!!!!!!!!!

And FINALLY the finish products

Well after all of this awesomeness, I came across this little gem:

This is dedicated to all my classics club friends and my Latin/Classics club teacher who I know would've enjoyed this wonderful Roman mosaic. We had previously recreated a replica of this mosaic for a classics conference this past year, but it was never finished so unfortunately we couldn't enter it. Anyways it was cool to have come across this.

The last part of our little journey to the castle was the cool playground they had for the kids. It was this awesome treehousey thingy that looked like a castle or a fort and it was big enough for adults to go into and play as well. Everyone loved the zipline. Yes I just said it , a zipline. This playground had a mini zipline!!!! It was strong enough to hold me so I'd say most parents there could've gone on it, but they didn't. They don't know what they were missing.

Overall I had a wonderful time going to the castle, and I'd definitely go again in the future. 

The Cotswold Way

We hiked a small portion of the Cotswold Way

Through out the years Derek and I have been on a "moving journey".  It wasn't a planned out career choice, just life dictating economical housing, graduate schools and lastly career.  Once we hit the career milestone, I was for sure that our traveling roots would finally grow in soil that would keep us firmly planted in one place.  How I have whined and cried over feeling as if we'd never have that. Little did I understand God's plan for me, or the reliance I needed to place on him.

Speaking of reliance....Georgie and Sophie have had terrible congestion and though over the counter medication works fine temporarily we'll have to try out the British surgeries tomorrow to get expert help.  Unfortunately I'm getting sick too.  So it looks like a grand total of 3 Smiths will need see a doctor tomorrow.  I wish it stopped there but I have been so grumpy that I gave my kids a long scolding for not doing their kitchen chores after dinner and I'm pretty sure a sweet sister from my ward heard the whole terrible thing.  I sound like the Trunchbull when I'm mad, so welcome to the Smith Abode folks. 

Georgie pre-wheezy cough, chillin on the play equiptment.

Other than the sickness, house-hunting, and child management we really have been cherishing these moments.  Derek and I found a great deal on a Volvo XC 90, so we bought it.  It seems to drive well and there is enough space for all of us so we're happy.  With the car comes broadening our scope of exploration.  We went on a beautiful trail yesterday which is part of the Cotswold Way.  It was the first completely blissful outing since we've arrived.  I'm pretty sure we're nature lovers.  We like shops fine, but give us pastures and rolling hills and we're home.

Breath taking views from our hike.

As a professional daydreamer living in la-la land, it has been hard for me to accept that life isn't always rose colored and that true joy doesn't have a sugar coating.  With each move I have come to understand that joy is hard earned and life's rosy glow is really a dull, rainy day watching Bondi Doctor.  With that being said, the Lord has been good to Derek and I.  He must've been listening when I begged him to help me travel the world and explore new places and cultures.  I just didn't realize it would mean the "over-weight, middle-aged me--with 5 kids in tow", looking for the British equivalent to Children's Dimetapp and deciding whether or not to live in the city or outside of it. Somehow, the Cotswolds and the regency era has got lost in translation.  It takes quiet moments, long walks and a lot of exhaling to remember to take advantage of this blessing and to cherish it.  I have come to understand in these moments what a tender mercy it is to live here, with all of my family.  It is like a little present delivered to my door, wrapped up in a bow.  Now I need to be a grateful receiver of this gift.

Silly panoramas are becoming a Smith Family tradition.

I hope we can keep journaling our experiences here in the UK.  Seeing how my last post was a year ago I'm not holding my breath, but I have high hopes :)

How to have a baby Canadian style

After giving birth to my son Tommy in Washington DC I was pretty sure we were done having children.  I was getting older, the gap between Tommy and another sibling seemed too large (5 years) and further more I just didn't know if I had it in me to endure one more bout of morning sickness which only leads towards being as large as a hippo, and ultimately giving birth.  But sometimes things just happened and when I finally realized I was pregnant again I think it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I swear there were many times when I felt dying would be the more humane thing for myself than throwing up all day long, or when I just wanted to sit in a pool because I felt like a 500lbs. hippo.  But alas the day finally arrived when little Georgiana was born and I think her birth was the perfect punctuation mark for our little family.  After having a terrible experience at the hospital in Washington DC I knew this time around I was going to go total granola.  Here in Canada they have a midwifery program that is integrated into their mainstream health care.

So I decided to throw caution to the wind and have the baby all hippy-dippy at home.  Here are my fabulous midwives who were so wonderful during all the action.  The birth went smoothly and I found being at home to be so comfortable and relaxing.  And here is the book my sister Adriane gave me to read when I was in Arizona over the summer.

Adriane warned me when she gave it to me that it was a little "out there" but that the information was totally priceless for a natural home birth.  

When I read it I laughed my pants off.  The wordage reads like an episode of the Brady Bunch.  Everything is psychadelic, heavy, or telepathic.  Granted it was written by women who gave birth in the 1970's, so it just seems funny now.  When I read excerpts to Derek I could tell he was worried that I'd totally succumb to the dark side and encourage him to become a woodcutter and live in a converted school bus by a river.  But I digress,  when my hour of need arose and I was right there staring natural, home birth in the face, this psychadelic, hippy-dippy, book made SOOOOO much sense.  I will never laugh at it again--well not as much as I did before.  

Derek took a lot of revolting post birth photos of baby and I.  This one is semi-decent.

No that is not sasquatch, that is me the day of the birth of our little munchkin.  If anyone wants to know the secret of going into labor just make your way to Gatineau Park and hike the King Mountain Trail the day after your due date.  You'll get home and be in labor within minutes, worked for me at least.

The kids have adjusted well to having a new baby.  Tommy is especially enamoured with being a "big brother".  He is so offended when I won't let him hold little Georgiana.  In fact he's a little bit of a bully when it comes to holding her.  I have like a gazillion pictures of Tommy holding the baby, because he'll whine, lie, and cheat just to hold her.

 We have managed to squeeze in a few other people with little Georgie.  All the kids have been super helpful and loving and I consider myself one lucky Momma to have the kids that I do.

Derek's been a trooper too.  One nice thing about being in Canada is that his co-workers here would be more offended if he tried to go back to work rather than stay home with us.  It's nice to feel like people actually want you to spend time with your family.  Also he has endured my post baby mood swings like a champ.  We've mostly weathered my bad/happy moods by watching this guy be grumpy.

Ahhh...Good old Doc Martin.  He's sure to make you think twice about acting like a total jerk.  I don't know how Lew-eeser puts up with him.   Plus watching this show makes you want to go to Cornwall and hang out at Large and Son's restaurant, watch the scenery and wait for someone to pass out.

I feel so blessed to have had the experience of carrying and giving birth to little Georgiana.  She is the sweetest little newborn.  We have opened our hearts even wider to make space for this little one and miracle of miracles there is always room for more love.

Winter stuffs and Maple Syrup Adventures

So this winter has been a major doozy.  It seemed that winter started the moment my morning sickness went full throttle and now that I am feeling more like myself wouldn't you know winter is still hanging around the Great North.  Doesn't Canada know I'm feeling better!  Which means bring on the green grass, wild flowers, and birds singing.  Not ice pellets, frigid wind and the sound of scraper trucks driving past my house! Mother Nature is seriously one confused old lady!
Thankfully Canadians seem to have this long winter thing under control.  Once the holidays subside after, New Years, they begin preparing for Winterlude.  The canal gets a make over and yummy hot food stands pop up.  Then in February they turn downtown into a winter wonderland, transforming the snow into slides, mazes and statues.  Once you wrap your head around dressing appropriately for the weather, being outside doesn't seem so bad.

"sliding at winterlude"

"hanging tuff at winterlude"

                                               "being idiots in front of snow sculptures"  

Derek and I have the "embarrassing parent" pose down to a science!

    "partying Canadian style with french? english? soldiers and a giant inflatable beaver.  And of course       zip-lining in below zero weather--good times people!"

However when March comes, the snow has turned into gray mush.  Melted snow creates mini ponds in your back yard and everything starts looking really icky.
Enter "sugar bush" season.  Where the fluctuating temperature creates the perfect environment for extracting syrup from the maple trees.  Through out the country side little farms open up for the city folk to inspect the sticky harvest.  Added bonus are carriage rides, animal farms, and red cheeked kids running amok through puddles, while parents ooh and aah over maple syrup.

Thankfully we have good friends who watch over us here in Canada.  They make sure we experience the authentic traditions.

 Derek and I had the pleasure of accompanying our friends to a "leave the kids at home" night at a proper sugar bush restaurant called "Bean Town".  Complete with bon fire, French Canadian maple food, carriage rides, Old Lumberjack man making maple syrup taffy, and of course music and dancing.  It was like New France at Busch Gardens only colder and with out fried pickles.

  Outside "Bean Town" sugar bush farm.

 Mmm...pickled beets--I'll forgive them for not having fried pickles :)

 Our pea soup, cole slaw, foie gras, and bread--All the "non" maple syrup foods

Sorry about the creepy group shot.  What's up with our eyes?  

We had pancakes, bacon, beans, potatoes, egg souffle 

and like 2 quarts of maple syrup to drench everything in.  It was all you can eat and I think we might have taken too much advantage of that. 

 Old Lumber Jack man preparing the maple taffy. How you ask?  Boil maple syrup, get some snow, and pour.  I think when I'm an old Lady I'm gonna rock overalls and a Davey Crockett hat  :)

**Warning--Prepare to feast your eyes on some post maple syrup feast hotness!

 Here's what Charlie's Angels look like after consuming a bazillion calories of maple syrup!

Pretty sexy eh?

    

 

Watch out Cameron Diaz here we come!

After all that "hotness" we decided to chill out in the attic with the men-folk.

We ended the night back at the restaurant where they had a local guy playing some French Canadian tunes.  Then they switched over to club mode all I have to say to defend this video is I "blame it on the boogie".  Hahaha--we had a great time.  Now if I can only get Mother Nature to lighten up a bit.....