tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38090126151124846022024-03-14T04:09:46.055+01:00Scrapping and TravelingA little about about my family, our travels and my scrapping/paper crafting projects.Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.comBlogger286125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-44905486619796435732019-03-12T16:39:00.000+01:002019-03-12T16:39:03.787+01:00Aberdour Castle and Falkland<span style="font-family: inherit;">While we spent a big chunk of our day in Culross, we did not stay there overnight. We drove to <a href="https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/aberdour-castle-and-gardens/" target="_blank">Aberdour Castle</a>, about a 30 minute car ride away. Aberdour Castle is an Historic Scotland site so there will be an admission charge and hours vary depending on the season so check the website before you travel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Aberdour Castle stood in for the Sainte Anne de Beaurpe</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>monastery<span style="font-family: inherit;"> where Claire helps nurse Jamie back to health after his horrific assault and rescue from Wentworth Prison. While most of the castle is in ruins there are a couple of intact rooms that have been restored. The long hall and the kitchen were used in filming this episode. </span></span><br />
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After we left here we went to Falkland. All Outlander fans are familiar with this town which stands in for the 1940's Inverness. My husband booked our room at the<a href="http://www.covenanterfalkland.co.uk/" target="_blank"> Covenanter Hotel </a> which is Mrs. Baird's B&B in the show. I was so excited when we checked in and discovered our room was the Stuart Room, "the one" that Claire and Frank stayed in. Of course, the room looked nothing like the set that was used for filming but our window would have been the one that Frank discovers the mysterious "Highlander" ghost looking up at Claire.<br />
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The dining room is nice and the staff was very friendly. The location is great as it's right across from Falkland Palace and we toured there the next morning. There is public parking around the corner. However, this wasn't one of our favorite places to stay at on our travels through Scotland. Honestly, unless you're an über fan of Outlander I wouldn't recommend staying here. We had stayed at so many wonderful B&B's that this location just fell flat for us. <br />
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The town is rather charming. There are flowers everywhere and it's easy to walk to a restaurant or shop. We ate at a local place up the hill since the restaurant at The Covenanter was closed that evening. And there were plenty of shops to pop into if you feel like buying some trinkets. </div>
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<br />Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-90438994289138434462019-03-05T15:59:00.000+01:002019-03-05T15:59:12.204+01:00Culross <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The next morning we headed towards <a href="https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/culross" target="_blank">Culross</a>. This is a must see for Outlander fans as they have used this location several times for filming! Part of the town stood in as Cranesmuir, the palace gardens stood in for Castle Leoch's and various rooms in the palace were used as well.<br />
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Just outside of town is the West Kirk Churchyard. This is the spot where Claire discovers that the young boys were being poisoned by lily of the valley in season 1. The ground is a bit uneven and the stones are falling into disrepair so be careful if you decide to visit. It's really a beautiful place and the benefits of arriving early on mean we had the site to ourselves. <br />
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In town we found public parking along the waterfront which has a small park with playground equipment and public restrooms. <br />
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Culross Palace is across the street from the parking. While this grand home was never a royal residence the family was wealthy and the home is opulent for it's time. It's easy to see why this was an ideal location for many Outlander scenes. I know we couldn't photograph the interior but the exterior and gardens were fair game. <span style="text-align: left;">We spent a decent amount of time wandering through the garden and even though it looks rather small it's easy to spend an hour looking at everything. Okay, maybe not an hour, but I love gardens and this particular style is the stuff of my dreams so perhaps I spent longer wandering through than the average person might. I would love nothing more than to convert my entire backyard into something similar. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry Potter was hiding in the bird house! That was a fun discovery. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0UZvttM1X762Y9AmjuogP2X0sSPBQar-zkfPqvs_bq091M3zdfjx-RwK4KGnpwW4t9VwIU9c42PAisj6ojwLF4UQN5jKKXL2dR222g1vi6RzsqoyYE8djOFs9SMjX410oX5_Hkfrt1Hc/s1600/Culross+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0UZvttM1X762Y9AmjuogP2X0sSPBQar-zkfPqvs_bq091M3zdfjx-RwK4KGnpwW4t9VwIU9c42PAisj6ojwLF4UQN5jKKXL2dR222g1vi6RzsqoyYE8djOFs9SMjX410oX5_Hkfrt1Hc/s400/Culross+9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After leaving the palace grounds we walked through town. We purchased a National Trust for Scotland guidebook for Culross at the gift shop and it was helpful as we made our way around. It gives a brief history of the town as well as the buildings and landmarks of significance. It has a map of the Culross Trail and it's easy to follow. We didn't purchase these books anywhere else but since we were touring the town and not just the palace it came in handy. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXk-zJOkE6E8OOyGCfNqThGgQGmDE4Z8P6lGMlaNrKKx_KWjgwlE0UEMFzmLquzdCFmtnnTsygFPpWX3Yh1wgMpk4o0ZrApNhcCk_wAuvHlNCZM0GX-GIa9D_Wg2QhCUbHrYSXlGXdYUK7/s1600/Culross+16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXk-zJOkE6E8OOyGCfNqThGgQGmDE4Z8P6lGMlaNrKKx_KWjgwlE0UEMFzmLquzdCFmtnnTsygFPpWX3Yh1wgMpk4o0ZrApNhcCk_wAuvHlNCZM0GX-GIa9D_Wg2QhCUbHrYSXlGXdYUK7/s400/Culross+16.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Town House</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mercat Cross</td></tr>
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Located up the hill is the Mercat Cross. This is in season 1 of Outlander where the young man has his ear nailed to the boards after he was found guilty of stealing. Geillis' house is to the right of here. Unfortunately for me, there were cars parked there so I didn't get a great photo of the square. The crew painted everything white for filming and then returned it to the colors seen here. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lockit Well</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJ4qHiycZiCY8KSImCbaGq3J0-5EeP1JW5XzTxGxGxop7mLcvo2oHGECJsuKnRboqHjIbvQ2UcUxBFnTLtxup0MlrEJW6smImaL22ZGM3dc-SeWKc7TXG__LOiaHg707I7Fgn9h0ZihCG/s1600/Culross+24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJ4qHiycZiCY8KSImCbaGq3J0-5EeP1JW5XzTxGxGxop7mLcvo2oHGECJsuKnRboqHjIbvQ2UcUxBFnTLtxup0MlrEJW6smImaL22ZGM3dc-SeWKc7TXG__LOiaHg707I7Fgn9h0ZihCG/s400/Culross+24.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">The Abbey with the church in the background</td></tr>
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Culross is a charming village and the people we chatted with were quite nice. Actually, everyone we talked to in Scotland was so kind and they were just as interested in our story as we were theirs. I enjoyed talking to the locals and it really was a highlight of the trip for me. Travel seems to bring people together in the very best way. I hope you enjoyed this post and my photos today. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-73375549639725472642019-02-21T14:59:00.000+01:002019-02-21T14:59:17.279+01:00Visiting a print shop, Rosslyn Chapel and The KelpiesAfter a lovely chat with our B&B hosts we headed to Innerleithen to check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thecoachhousemelrose/" target="_blank">Robert Smail's Printing Works</a>. However, when we got there we discovered there was a delay in the opening time due to a staffing issue. We stuck around even though our schedule was thrown off a bit. We were rewarded with an informative tour of the print shop. The guide was fun and very knowledgeable. He creates the items you see in the gift shop along with posters and such seen around the buildings. We were even given the chance to set type and create a bookmark of our own. While this gent was no A. Malcom, I really enjoyed this site.<br />
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Unfortunately our delay at the print shop caused us to arrive at <a href="https://www.rosslynchapel.com/" target="_blank">Rosslyn Chapel</a> later than we had planned on. Unlike many churches/cathedrals/etc. that are free to enter, Rosslyn Chapel does have an admission fee. This chapel is still a active place of worship so check your schedule ahead of time to make sure you're not arriving during a service. We arrived at 4 p.m. and went straight inside to marvel at the details that have made the chapel famous. Seeing the interior in person is so different from travel shows or documentaries about the chapel and it's sometimes hard to decide exactly where to look next. There are guide cards that point out features as you walk around. It's a fairly small church and can get crowded so being patient is a must. This is the only place we felt rushed during our entire trip! The chapel closes at 5 but the staff was rushing us out before 4:45. We had already finished the interior but I never made it completely around the outside before the staff made us return to the visitors center. An hour would have been the perfect amount of time to spend here. </div>
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After leaving Rosslyn Chapel we checked into our hotel and dropped off our luggage. There is nothing remarkable about the hotel as it was just a chain but it was clean and the bed was comfortable. We drove from there to see <a href="http://www.thehelix.co.uk/things-to-do/the-kelpies/" target="_blank">the Kelpies</a>. These are the largest equine sculptures in the world and they are beautiful. We went after all the vendors and the visitor center had closed for the day but before the sculptures were lit for the night. The crowds were lighter at this time of day and that made parking easier. </div>
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On our way back to the car we spotted this swan family in the canal. They were so sweet! We watched them for a bit and then called it a day. This was a heavy driving day for us but we still managed to get in all the things my husband had planned and we enjoyed every site we visited. </div>
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<br />Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-72599187004169813232019-02-19T15:40:00.000+01:002019-02-20T00:07:28.641+01:00Preston Mill and Beyond We were up early to catch a bus to the airport so we could pick up our rental car and head into the Scottish countryside. We opted for a rental car to allow us the most flexibility with our schedule and getting around wasn't difficult at all. We appreciated being able to travel at our own pace and not rely on bus or trains to get us around after we left Edinburgh. <br />
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Our first stop was to be Preston Mill, which is a stop that Outlander fans will recognize as the place where Jamie Fraser loses his shirt while attempting to repair the water wheel near Lallybroch as some British soldiers approach. We were a bit early though and saw signs for <a href="https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/hailes-castle/" target="_blank">Hailes Castle</a> and decided to see what was there. It was several miles away and fairly easy to get to. <br />
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Hailes Castle is a free site managed by Historic Scotland. These charming castle ruins are located along the River Tyne and have a lot of signs to tell you about the site as well as a brief history. We spent about 30 minutes here, which is all you need, and I felt it was a perfect place to start our travels around the countryside. Since this isn't a major site we didn't see anyone else until we were walking back to the car so I think it would have been a lovely place for a picnic style lunch, especially on a lovely summer day.<br />
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<a href="https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/preston-mill" target="_blank">Preston Mill </a>is managed by the National Trust for Scotland and does charge an admission fee. Since my husband purchased an annual membership for the National Trust we just presented our cards at the desk. He ordered this ahead of time and had the membership cards mailed to our house in the USA. After 3 weeks in Scotland, we more than covered the cost of the membership so it ended up being a great deal for us. It also meant that we didn't need to carry a large amount of money to pay at every site or run our credit cards for admission. While this isn't an ideal option for everyone, especially if you are limited in time or location, it was totally worth it for us. </div>
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The mill was a working mill until the 1950's and they offer a tour if your interested in the learning all the details of how the mill worked. It was interesting but the guide gave a bit more information than the average tourist wants to know so it was pretty long. We spoke at length with the gentleman who was on staff that day about the Outlander crew using the location for filming. He had so much fun behind the scenes stuff to share about how they transformed the mill and working with the crew that getting his point of view on the filming added so much to the experience for me. Preston Mill is a must see for all Outlander fans and if you skip the tour of the mill it is a pretty quick stop. I enjoyed every minute we spent here.<br />
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After we left the mill in the early afternoon we headed to <a href="https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/lauder/soutraaisle/index.html" target="_blank">Soutra Aisle</a> which is the site of an old hospital built by the Augustinians around 1160. There is a bit of history here and it's fascinating. It used to be an important site along one of Scotland's busiest roads at the time. The hospital remained in use for 300 years before a scandal forced the closure of the site. Click the link above to learn more. </div>
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Next we drove to <a href="https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/dryburgh-abbey/" target="_blank">Dryburgh Abbey </a> which is operated by Historic Scotland, so there is an admission fee. This was such a beautiful place and I loved our time here. While much of the abbey is in ruins the atmosphere was so calm and peaceful. Sites like this are some of my favorites to visit. Sir Walter Scott's tomb is located on the grounds here and you'll find it as you wander around. </div>
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We had a bed and breakfast in Melrose booked for the night and as we made towards there we stopped quickly at Scott's View. It's a pretty overlook of the valley and was one of Sir Walter Scott's favorite views. I can easily see why.<br />
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<a href="https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/melrose-abbey/" target="_blank">Melrose Abbey</a> is also operated by Historic Scotland (see how quickly admission fees can add up) and was our last stop for the day. There is so much history in these ruins and it's always fun to explore. It is believed that Robert the Bruce's heart is buried here. The grounds are expertly maintained and the ruins are easy to navigate. We were even able to climb up a tower and get a great view of the grounds and hills surrounding the town of Melrose. Be sure to check out the unique carvings along the top. </div>
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We stayed at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thecoachhousemelrose/" target="_blank">The Barn at the Coach House</a> bed and breakfast and it was absolutely wonderful. The owners, Claire and Donald, have thought about everything to make their guests feel comfortable and at home. I highly recommend a stay here if you are in the area. The rooms are well appointed and very clean and breakfast the next day was delicious. They've earned every single stellar review they have received.<br />
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<br />Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-81546083063101394472019-02-07T22:48:00.000+01:002019-02-07T22:48:57.252+01:00Edinburgh Part 2I had plenty to say so I thought I should break it up and post my days separately so the posts were not terribly long. On our second day we were up early and attempted to catch a bus from Princes' Street to the Palace of Holyroodhouse but somehow managed to mess that up so we walked. It was a bit of a stroll but I didn't mind as the weather was lovely and it's fun to see neighborhoods on foot. <br />
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We first went into the <a href="https://www.parliament.scot/visitandlearn/visiting-the-parliament.aspx" target="_blank">Parliament building</a> but didn't plan to well and missed the tour we wanted to take. They run them frequently but we didn't want to wait so we took a quick walk around the main floor and learned a bit about how the Scottish government works. So if your interested in the tour make sure you check the site for times.<br />
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The <a href="https://www.rct.uk/visit/palace-of-holyroodhouse" target="_blank">Palace of Holyroodhouse</a> is near the Parliament and at the end of the Royal Mile. I was so excited to visit here and it's obviously very popular. The line for tickets was long but it moved fairly quickly and we purchased the Royal Visit tickets so we got a guided garden tour, entrance to the Queen's Gallery, and entrance to the palace itself which is self guided but has an audio guide available for the rooms open to the public. I loved the garden tour as we were able to go off the path and deep into the gardens with our guide.<br />
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The views of the back of the palace are also better from the garden tour as the paths are pretty close to the building so if getting nice photos are important I would keep that in mind when deciding what ticket to purchase. </div>
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The self guided tour of the interior was pretty informative and if you're obsessed, like me, with the drama of the Scottish/British monarchies you'll enjoy it. I really enjoy seeing the places that I've only read about before come to life when I get to visit historical sites like this. I loved it and tried to picture Mary, Queen of Scots wandering through the palace or Jamie Fraser meeting Bonnie Prince Charlie here. It is such a fun way to meld real history and fiction together. No photos are allowed inside so I only have exterior shots. </div>
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The palace took a couple of hours so we had a quick lunch at <a href="https://www.oinkhogroast.co.uk/shops/hanover-street/" target="_blank">Oink</a> which was a good place for a fast but delicious sandwich. We met another American couple on the garden tour and then we saw them at Oink and shared a table and some travel stories before heading out. </div>
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As we walked up the hill we found Bakehouse Close which stands in for Carfax Close in Season 3 of Outlander. This is where they filmed the exterior of Jamie's print shop. And just up the street is The World's End pub, which is famous enough on it's own but Outlander fans know that Jamie is a frequent visitor here during his time in Edinburgh. </div>
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You can find JK Rowling's handprints just off the Royal Mile in front of the Edinburgh City Chambers building. This is a quick and easy to find stop for Harry Potter fans. We also checked out Victoria Street which JK Rowling has said was her inspiration for Diagon Alley. It's a short street but it is a must for fans to visit. </div>
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At the end of the day we took <a href="https://www.realmarykingsclose.com/" target="_blank">The Real Mary King's Close Tour</a> and that was really interesting and another thing I totally recommend. You not only learn more about Edinburgh's past but also see how people lived in the Old Town. Such a contrast to the Georgian House and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Unfortunately they don't allow photos on the tour. They are located right across the street from St. Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile. </div>
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While we waited for our tour time we went into <a href="https://stgilescathedral.org.uk/" target="_blank">St. Giles Cathedral</a>. It was lovely on the inside but I didn't purchase a photo pass from the staff so I was well behaved and didn't take any photos of the interior. We really enjoy going into cathedrals and churches as they are full of history and some impressive art. Most are free but usually have a receptacle for donations if you feel so inclined. </div>
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There are a couple of things worth noting that I haven't mentioned yet. First, we had exceptional weather a majority of the 3 weeks we were there. Scotland had a record setting summer and we benefited from it. It was really lovely. Second, since it was just my husband and me, we kept a pretty quick pace and while some people criticized just how much we had planned we only felt rushed at one site on our trip but we still managed to see what we came for. Most of the sites maintain a 10-5 operating schedule during the summer so we were up fairly early most days but had plenty of time to eat a nice dinner, relax, video chat with our girls back home, and went to bed at a decent time. So, this style of traveling worked well for us on this trip.</div>
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Thanks for checking in today. The next part of the trip will take us out of the city and I look forward to sharing those stories with you! I hope you'll check back. </div>
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<br />Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-84135202211414755572019-02-04T20:11:00.000+01:002019-02-04T22:46:10.638+01:00Edinburgh Part 1We took the train from Glasgow to Edinburgh early in the morning. It was a short 1 hour ride and we got off at the main station in Edinburgh. The train offered free WiFi which was nice since we didn't add an international plan to our cell phones before we left so the hour went by quickly. Once we got off the train and made our way to the street I was incredibly happy that our suitcases had wheels. We had a bit of a walk to our hotel but it wasn't incredibly long. Our hotel was located on the New Town side of the city and we were once again able to drop off our suitcases since it was too early to check in.<br />
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Right around the corner from our hotel was <a href="https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/georgian-house" target="_blank">The Georgian House</a> and it is operated by the National Trust for Scotland. I didn't get any photos inside and I'm not sure why as according to the website you can take photos. I was certain I had but after reviewing my phone and Canon files I cannot find any. I do recommend you visit here, especially if you love seeing how the upper crust lived. It's so different from how people were living in the Old Town side of Edinburgh at that time and I think it's a great reminder on how class struggles have always been a part of history. It is a self guided site with helpful staff around to answer any questions you may have so you can spend as little or as much time as you'd like exploring this restored town house.<br />
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After we left there we strolled through<a href="https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/directory_record/940791/princes_street_gardens" target="_blank"> Princes Street Gardens</a> as we headed towards Old Town. The views of the castle were gorgeous from here and even if you're not staying in New Town, you should check it out. <br />
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After we crossed into Old Town and walked up a lot of hills we came across the Elephant House Cafe and I just had to take a photo. Harry Potter fans will know this as the cafe where J.K. Rowling spent some time writing the beloved stories. We were in a hurry so we didn't pop in but I wanted to. Maybe next time we're in Edinburgh. </div>
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We continued our walk to the <a href="https://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland/" target="_blank">National Museum of Scotland</a> where admission is free but even if they charged admission I would highly recommend you schedule several hours and visit this museum. It's huge! Make sure you pick up a map of the building on your way in because you'll need it to navigate through. We decided to focus mostly on the <a href="https://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland/things-to-see-and-do/scottish-history-and-archaeology/" target="_blank">Scottish History and Archaeology Galleries</a> as we knew our time was limited. One of the coolest things about the museum is that you can climb up to the roof and get some stunning views of the city, especially on a clear day. It was worth all the stairs it took to get there. </div>
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We rushed back across town to visit the <a href="https://www.nationalgalleries.org/visit/scottish-national-portrait-gallery" target="_blank">Scottish National Portrait Gallery </a> (which also has free admission) and made it with about an hour to spend inside. This museum has a wonderful collection of portraits of some of Scotland's most influential citizens from it's past. We spent a bit of time looking at a portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie and one of the staff members started talking to us about it and noted some other Jacobite paintings in the same room. She was knowledgeable on the subjects in the paintings and she shared some juicy stories about them. We talked a bit about Outlander, too! One of my most favorite parts of the museum was the ceiling in the hall. This is a great reminder to always look up, even if you are in a hurry. </div>
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Not too bad for our first day in Edinburgh. I wish I had more photos to share but I did link all the sites we visited so you can check them out if you want to learn more about them. </div>
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Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-13944593696471208042019-01-30T16:09:00.001+01:002019-01-30T16:11:34.866+01:00Scotland and Our Outlander AdventureThis past June my husband and I took a 3 week vacation to Scotland. While Scotland has always been a place I have longed to travel we never made it to the United Kingdom in our 4 years in Germany. I, like so many others, fell in love with the idea of a Scottish vacation after reading the ever popular Outlander series written by Diana Gabaldon. I watched seasons 1 and 2 of the Outlander series on Starz and I was finally able to convince my husband to watch with when I began them again ahead of the season 3 release. We binge watched and all the amazing scenery convinced him that maybe we should bump Scotland up on our list.<br />
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We originally looked at a 3 week vacation to England, Wales and Scotland but eventually the England and Wales portions were dropped for now. We'll get there eventually since my maternal ancestors can be traced to Wales and I'm interested in visiting there. However, Scotland was truly where I most wanted to visit and my husband was easily able to fill 3 weeks there.<br />
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We flew from Cincinnati to Philadelphia and then had a long delay there due to weather which pushed our arrival into Glasgow back about 3 hours. Sitting on the tarmac was absolutely horrible especially when we had an international flight ahead of us but at least they kept the air on so we weren't suffering too much, we were just uncomfortable with the cramped space of the airplane.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Famous Duke of Wellington statue with 2 cones that morning instead of the standard 1 </td></tr>
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We arrived in Glasgow around 9, went easily through customs and took a shuttle bus to the George Square area. We stayed at the <a href="https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-9684-ibis-styles-glasgow-centre-george-square/index.shtml" target="_blank">Ibis Styles Centre George Square Hotel</a> located there and they were kind enough to store our luggage for us until our room was ready in the afternoon. George Square is a great place to stay with easy access to public transportation, restaurants, shopping and hotels. We chose to tour the city using the <a href="http://www.citysightseeingglasgow.co.uk/" target="_blank">City Sightseeing Glasgow</a> Hop On/Hop Off (HOHO) bus. This made getting around the city and seeing highlights easy since we only stayed in Glasgow for 1 night. There are guides who point out things around the city and talk about the rich history. These guys were entertaining and we learned quite a bit. I totally recommend them, especially if you are limited on time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cloisters on the campus of the University of Glasgow</td></tr>
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Our first stop was at the University of Glasgow to see the cloisters which stood in for Harvard in season 3 of Outlander. Claire and Brianna are seen walking through here. The campus is lovely and the cloisters are beautiful. It was a quick visit but worth it if you're a fan of the show.<br />
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A few months before we departed the US my husband purchased annual passes to<a href="https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/explorer-passes/" target="_blank"> Historic Scotland</a> and <a href="https://www.nts.org.uk/join" target="_blank">National Trust for Scotland </a> so we visited the <a href="https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/the-tenement-house" target="_blank">Tenement House </a>which is a charming look into a perfectly preserved apartment from 1929! If we hadn't had passes and time to kill we most likely wouldn't have visited but the staff was very friendly and it was a quick, self guided tour. We didn't take photos and at this point I cannot recall why so I'm going to assume it wasn't allowed.<br />
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Finally, and I say finally because jet lag was killing me and despite my excitement to be there I was exhausted, we went to the Glasgow Cathedral. I love visiting these grand places so much and this one was not disappointing. The interior of the cathedral stood in for L'hopital scenes in season 2. Most notably, the scenes where Claire recovers after losing her baby. The cathedral was free to visit but does accept donations and has a small gift shop as well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-mGFvdPyqIrMRmegh3m__fjWwsB-wDrm4gvWYTGq6G5Hqwn4yObpJzGiV4ihTvTqzvmvdn7m49h5-d1pN15uwUR0LwbRBYKOuo0YuvDfR9p7ECT8LACasouA3mkg0CkpDOSSVOmla5XW/s1600/Glasgow+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-mGFvdPyqIrMRmegh3m__fjWwsB-wDrm4gvWYTGq6G5Hqwn4yObpJzGiV4ihTvTqzvmvdn7m49h5-d1pN15uwUR0LwbRBYKOuo0YuvDfR9p7ECT8LACasouA3mkg0CkpDOSSVOmla5XW/s640/Glasgow+2.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved the interior of the cathedral</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMBpnou9Gvi39mmxrQQxNqP4QZ61h_zadQcFCHi0oGZrVKXmyQwXo0RWBd3u0LVFq24wHSfrQ7vLTH4vpE0QLMPGnzA-zH06Fx3fLE8uKfrmemw-rQ5-6NPRELcCF27fXShUf1ksp-_QH/s1600/Glasgow+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMBpnou9Gvi39mmxrQQxNqP4QZ61h_zadQcFCHi0oGZrVKXmyQwXo0RWBd3u0LVFq24wHSfrQ7vLTH4vpE0QLMPGnzA-zH06Fx3fLE8uKfrmemw-rQ5-6NPRELcCF27fXShUf1ksp-_QH/s640/Glasgow+3.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the location of Claire's bed during the "Faith" episode in season 2</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyObLUEtxvhTmzhICJNTdR8ECZbRMhAsw3CcM4RdtzAzPvswVz0xj9ZwIjSJWi6c5haSwofvKEZa5ShPdSDFAwkTch8EEKYBpzLm-Uhyphenhyphenyl5mZxgJX_Cpm-U_cWqUdpFrJjUQASTRswiM1S/s1600/Glasgow+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyObLUEtxvhTmzhICJNTdR8ECZbRMhAsw3CcM4RdtzAzPvswVz0xj9ZwIjSJWi6c5haSwofvKEZa5ShPdSDFAwkTch8EEKYBpzLm-Uhyphenhyphenyl5mZxgJX_Cpm-U_cWqUdpFrJjUQASTRswiM1S/s640/Glasgow+5.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkgpBG7ZgrVYMARPZ9a7jHzRUzjuOnpYEhoKbutpDLZr1vw765RUgHNOM0v0A1zlPQ6xDARsgea-say7dC2Bj_o6LIR8cd2a9DyCBmNWqHrgS2h73D7C8NwtpnLPjx3hk8Tm_pzcxVp68/s1600/Glasgow+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkgpBG7ZgrVYMARPZ9a7jHzRUzjuOnpYEhoKbutpDLZr1vw765RUgHNOM0v0A1zlPQ6xDARsgea-say7dC2Bj_o6LIR8cd2a9DyCBmNWqHrgS2h73D7C8NwtpnLPjx3hk8Tm_pzcxVp68/s640/Glasgow+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhhG_m6tcxeDVLSEHU_9P4x8lr20N-RFvxDfvbodFN3lTMF1zU9_4TXKfUXLPbPvFHlSIbYc3WxTesd3G2KzCqLcde_in120oUv8q6w9L1e3DM2xGKYh991QQ18Dam-YCjZL8J2tish8G/s1600/Glasgow+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhhG_m6tcxeDVLSEHU_9P4x8lr20N-RFvxDfvbodFN3lTMF1zU9_4TXKfUXLPbPvFHlSIbYc3WxTesd3G2KzCqLcde_in120oUv8q6w9L1e3DM2xGKYh991QQ18Dam-YCjZL8J2tish8G/s640/Glasgow+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WRGnaIX_s7WVCW6kR-mixAHxAJuwcI98cNIsc9ga12XWRhyphenhyphenPDE8TWsHlw8C0m9u498Ubh0gAkIhTVuHGGodFkKzNQBOWegYrQKBdFdlxOlgJFZVx8p2oqOCoUFKauJ7bMW2HlYUi6gNj/s1600/Glasgow+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WRGnaIX_s7WVCW6kR-mixAHxAJuwcI98cNIsc9ga12XWRhyphenhyphenPDE8TWsHlw8C0m9u498Ubh0gAkIhTVuHGGodFkKzNQBOWegYrQKBdFdlxOlgJFZVx8p2oqOCoUFKauJ7bMW2HlYUi6gNj/s640/Glasgow+7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After this we caught the HOHO back to the George Square area and checked in to the hotel to shower and take a nap before dinner. We ate next at a pizza place next to the hotel and I cannot recall the name but it was a delicious way to end our day. We happily went to bed early so we could be up to catch an early train to Edinburgh.<br />
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<br />Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-75659017861992481462017-06-20T14:41:00.000+02:002017-06-20T14:41:27.382+02:00I Love Making Cards Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUt_NcRjhO_gSRk3WYiiLgO4sSUHUV8mGFLeIoO89rWzDpPN-k0ytYy2XHK_tGLMWjeCz1pKJxChx9bYVs0yK2hlTKTujtXWh0-HTXCJsYcrMRrrYC72JWUBetASrQqnxn_P1mi4wHPIm/s1600/19224765_10213463406562354_5298563872570607332_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUt_NcRjhO_gSRk3WYiiLgO4sSUHUV8mGFLeIoO89rWzDpPN-k0ytYy2XHK_tGLMWjeCz1pKJxChx9bYVs0yK2hlTKTujtXWh0-HTXCJsYcrMRrrYC72JWUBetASrQqnxn_P1mi4wHPIm/s640/19224765_10213463406562354_5298563872570607332_n.jpg" title="Made using the Lawn Fawn Out of this World Set" width="480" /></a></div>
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Last year I decided I needed to actually make cards again instead of buying them. Every time I pay $4 for a card at the store I die a little inside. I even ended up making a majority of my Christmas cards and that had never happened before despite my good intentions. Besides, being totally honest with myself, I like to buy cute stamps. I used the Lawn Fawn Out of This World stamp and die set for the card above. I used Distress Inks for the background with a bit of white spray ink. </div>
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Now I need to actually mail out the cards I make! </div>
Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-51940643368501262902017-05-06T16:41:00.002+02:002017-05-06T16:41:29.297+02:00That was a long break! I've been on the fence about either getting back to blogging or just letting it go. I love looking back at my past entries and seeing all these parts of my life and the stories that go with them. I've done some things that I feel are worth sharing like a cross country trip from Ohio to Seattle and back last summer. We visited some amazing places for the first time and revisited some old favorites from our years living in the Pacific Northwest. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Badlands National Park June 2016<br /></td></tr>
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I've got tweens now and that brings about some new challenges. We moved to Ohio 2 years ago and I never even mentioned it. That was hopefully our last move. One thing that hasn't changed is my passion for crafting. It isn't always paper crafting these days but fiber arts as well. I gardening for the first time ever outside of pots sitting on my patio. These things are filling my days with creativity and joy. I appreciate and am saddened at the same time by the fact that my girls need me less. It allows me to do things on my own but I miss the days of tiny clothes and naps. <br />
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All of this brings me right back to the issue of continuing the blog or not. I don't think anyone even reads them much these days but I do get visitors every week. I feel like I want to branch out a bit so I think I'll add some new stuff and see how it goes. Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-6881686555901265652014-04-12T22:30:00.001+02:002014-04-12T22:30:21.196+02:00We’re recovering from this…<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YcBbA5EUGPQ/U0miRWG_GRI/AAAAAAAACOQ/TfufNkJq1So/s1600-h/Spring%252520Break%2525201%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Spring Break 1" border="0" alt="Spring Break 1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nZlq8MEX7SY/U0miSDvbdAI/AAAAAAAACOY/blHLxGU5_4Y/Spring%252520Break%2525201_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="479" height="325"></a></p> <p>For our spring break, I loaded up the dog and the girls and we headed south. We dropped the pup off with my mom and then went to Florida to visit my dad. We went all over St. Petersburg and enjoyed the Rays home opening game, a trip to the beach and a visit to The Florida Aquarium. The weather was beautiful, the food (and beer) was delicious and the company was excellent. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-c3ZLx5VXKuM/U0miTr85epI/AAAAAAAACOg/cUOzQvFOrlE/s1600-h/SB%2525205%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="SB 5" border="0" alt="SB 5" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-l5nCHsDk2fs/U0miUjrG9NI/AAAAAAAACOo/u6x_Lw9Vrzo/SB%2525205_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="479" height="325"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2MtSjanUVrE/U0miV6JdXDI/AAAAAAAACOw/EIFV3VZAA4E/s1600-h/Spring%252520Break%2525209%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Spring Break 9" border="0" alt="Spring Break 9" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sNCxumvQtKg/U0miW_sMdoI/AAAAAAAACO4/CMifGN55wCI/Spring%252520Break%2525209_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="481" height="326"></a></p> <p>I was terrified of the long drive without my husband but the girls were so, so good in the car and traffic on the way down was fine. On the way back it was terrible but we made it safely so that’s all that matters. The dog had fun at my mom’s making friends with her puppy and cat. It was a great vacation for everyone.</p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-76410434244608940602014-01-17T22:54:00.001+01:002014-01-17T22:54:19.531+01:00Snow Day!<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YaMESZrBBPw/Utmmfda_uoI/AAAAAAAACNg/A3ZwEWs8T-k/s1600-h/Penny%252520Jan%25252017%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Penny Jan 17" border="0" alt="Penny Jan 17" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kPisoXErXyc/UtmmgOrfb5I/AAAAAAAACNo/nR9XTstLL8Q/Penny%252520Jan%25252017_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="478" height="324"></a></p> <p>We have well over an inch of snow today and that is a lot for my little Kentucky town. The schools were closed so we bundled up and went out to play. My puppy loves being outside and really loved the cold snow on her nose but was less enthusiastic about her doggy coat. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ftIFoepr-Wk/UtmmhV1flXI/AAAAAAAACNw/fazvTcYyx4g/s1600-h/Jan%25252017%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Jan 17" border="0" alt="Jan 17" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JaF9C1Sa6oM/UtmmiDXZumI/AAAAAAAACN4/hKf_Qqe7vDo/Jan%25252017_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="482" height="332"></a></p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-75841371993887021472013-10-17T15:37:00.001+02:002013-10-17T15:37:04.920+02:00Louisville Zoo Halloween Party<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uMG-1KTI9e0/Ul_nnqAdGDI/AAAAAAAACKo/XrbfurlgLS0/s1600-h/Halloween%252520Zoo%2525201%25255B13%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Halloween Zoo 1" border="0" alt="Halloween Zoo 1" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CqUY8bXHce8/Ul_noQlfsLI/AAAAAAAACKw/N-D7DXubklc/Halloween%252520Zoo%2525201_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="487" height="330"></a></p> <p>The <a href="http://www.louisvillezoo.org/" target="_blank">Louisville Zoo</a> hosts a Halloween Party for 15 nights in October and we decided to check it out this year. Our school was on fall break last week and we stayed home instead of visiting family since my husband was working but we still wanted to do something fun with the girls. So they dressed in the old standby princess dresses and pulled out their trick or treat bags and we went to the zoo!</p> <p>The zoo and all the sponsors really do a great job and we were pleasantly surprised as we started to walk through. They had characters for you to take photos with, a lot of fun backdrops for photos and kids under 11 were able to trick or treat along the way. The lines to meet the characters were short and everything was perfectly spaced out. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cFT5tjOaz5o/Ul_nqRR-smI/AAAAAAAACK4/Ha6xEe1t7j0/s1600-h/Halloween%252520Zoo%2525202%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Halloween Zoo 2" border="0" alt="Halloween Zoo 2" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qL15qST5phM/Ul_nrJ5EnXI/AAAAAAAACLA/JikPNBx3P3c/Halloween%252520Zoo%2525202_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="495" height="335"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WrleN2v_Cv8/Ul_nss4sFOI/AAAAAAAACLI/72YgF0GYyvg/s1600-h/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252010%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Halloween Zoo 10" border="0" alt="Halloween Zoo 10" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1B0deTvmDxc/Ul_ntlsOrUI/AAAAAAAACLQ/b5G0J1We2ew/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252010_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="496" height="336"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fsvrqUJQm00/Ul_nvHiPADI/AAAAAAAACLY/qaw8UpmbAQA/s1600-h/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252014%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Halloween Zoo 14" border="0" alt="Halloween Zoo 14" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-96cUBdfDIEs/Ul_nv_cH-VI/AAAAAAAACLg/d8NOeWPJCCU/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252014_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="496" height="341"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IfnCk-mgprQ/Ul_nxEoSKlI/AAAAAAAACLo/BB_vBbhgdcE/s1600-h/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252020%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Halloween Zoo 20" border="0" alt="Halloween Zoo 20" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zM9yLVz3qWM/Ul_nyvmeuKI/AAAAAAAACLw/B4-gXN3tfsQ/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252020_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="497" height="337"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-p810rnRwMMA/Ul_nzx2y1JI/AAAAAAAACL4/d9e-t3A0q54/s1600-h/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252021%25255B18%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Halloween Zoo 21" border="0" alt="Halloween Zoo 21" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-H-YRNZ58WMQ/Ul_n07IEtnI/AAAAAAAACMA/FuErwKDkvQc/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252021_thumb%25255B15%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="495" height="340"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CP_UXjl8-7s/Ul_n14zKq3I/AAAAAAAACMI/DZH9Sgc5hbY/s1600-h/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252022%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Halloween Zoo 22" border="0" alt="Halloween Zoo 22" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QmdKEw5Qx0w/Ul_n2xmd5wI/AAAAAAAACMQ/XliGVel7m-4/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252022_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="498" height="337"></a></p> <p>Many of the animals were not out for the night but we were able to see a few, especially Aubrey’s favorite, the polar bear. The 2 previous times she has been to the Louisville Zoo the polar bears were not out as they are rotated with the grizzly bears throughout the day. She was thrilled to see the polar bear and it may have trumped the trick or treating part.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WpKri5FLCiA/Ul_n34cg_GI/AAAAAAAACMY/tOfzGa7wutc/s1600-h/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252017%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Halloween Zoo 17" border="0" alt="Halloween Zoo 17" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-m2ZQmJL7_90/Ul_n4UbSH_I/AAAAAAAACMg/ZGtuizaViCk/Halloween%252520Zoo%25252017_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="484"></a></p> <p>I did get a pretty great shot of the lions from a distance and the lighting was perfect. We even heard the lions roaring, both the male and female. We were so happy to see that as usually the lions are napping when we visit. This is also a time when I was glad to have a good camera with a decent zoom lens. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-aQihYowbyHE/Ul_n6d1ZqMI/AAAAAAAACMo/udp32xb4ILw/s1600-h/Halloween%252520Zoo%2525207%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Halloween Zoo 7" border="0" alt="Halloween Zoo 7" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4EP469vK98c/Ul_n7IDMdCI/AAAAAAAACMw/tlZ5NS_EBf8/Halloween%252520Zoo%2525207_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="499" height="343"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-H6wRxdw7fLk/Ul_n8gODvkI/AAAAAAAACM4/0n_ABeF3Fy8/s1600-h/Halloween%252520Zoo%2525208%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Halloween Zoo 8" border="0" alt="Halloween Zoo 8" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Y2j78PfO_Ds/Ul_n9qpaRvI/AAAAAAAACNA/VKS1MF9WXAI/Halloween%252520Zoo%2525208_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="339"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fJB4E720FaM/Ul_n-8RmZtI/AAAAAAAACNI/plZiMAqqUg0/s1600-h/Halloween%252520Zoo%2525209%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Halloween Zoo 9" border="0" alt="Halloween Zoo 9" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-m3tZlt_sYN4/Ul_n_vgp9LI/AAAAAAAACNQ/_VeAArTjlY8/Halloween%252520Zoo%2525209_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="344"></a></p> <p>It was a great night and we had the best time! I hope this becomes an event we go to every year. I linked the zoo’s website at the top if you want to check it out to get more info or current admission prices.</p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-88226908686128134812013-10-14T03:56:00.001+02:002013-10-14T03:56:52.998+02:00Budapest Part 2<p>Welcome back! I am actually posting Budapest Part 2 just a few days after Part 1. Are you shocked? I am going to try and stay on top of things here and see how that works out for me. I miss blogging but don’t have too much to say these days. </p> <p>Back to the tour of Budapest. We went up to Castle Hill and visited the Matyas Church. It was under renovation but we were able to tour inside. I love the tiled roofs on churches and this reminded me of St. Stephens in Vienna. We went up here first thing in the morning and the clouds hadn’t lifted yet, however, by the time we went inside the sun was breaking through and the stained glass windows were stunning.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cyhGmsV3iGE/UltOx5GRWWI/AAAAAAAACHA/OUPjzdsrP6U/s1600-h/Budapest%25252027%25255B19%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 27" border="0" alt="Budapest 27" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-msQei_LkGVk/UltOy9SYIZI/AAAAAAAACHI/piBH8nCLdY4/Budapest%25252027_thumb%25255B16%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="487" height="335"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jK0Ip8GzB8Q/UltO0oRkL7I/AAAAAAAACHQ/fAVy2kOioCo/s1600-h/Budapest%25252031%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 31" border="0" alt="Budapest 31" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PgcCHw6yx9E/UltO1jtrltI/AAAAAAAACHY/6tMjFPRl_jM/Budapest%25252031_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="376"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7xtMkMWqcBk/UltO3HepZ_I/AAAAAAAACHg/qF39Njl3RCY/s1600-h/Budapest%25252032%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 32" border="0" alt="Budapest 32" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nQAyShVbhU8/UltO4ZwmcwI/AAAAAAAACHo/g2ucXIPeWaY/Budapest%25252032_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="245" height="378"></a></p> <p>Afterwards we walked over to the Royal Palace and wandered around the grounds and grabbed a quick snack in a cute café.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cZaSx36qkWA/UltO6IFnPXI/AAAAAAAACHw/xMUoSQTCJCE/s1600-h/Budapest%25252034%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 34" border="0" alt="Budapest 34" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ITos5Ec6VFM/UltO7asp1wI/AAAAAAAACH4/97Tdq-wOm_I/Budapest%25252034_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="490" height="332"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mmelmTyG0Fg/UltO9ARBFII/AAAAAAAACIA/Go4HC6SG8Bo/s1600-h/Budapest%25252035%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 35" border="0" alt="Budapest 35" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-i9JLAZtpBQs/UltO-H68eEI/AAAAAAAACIE/--HZasE_Eik/Budapest%25252035_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="492" height="333"></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UTLYMk6U5cM/UltPAP8YOyI/AAAAAAAACIQ/ORJtsxz9cU4/s1600-h/Budapest%25252036%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 36" border="0" alt="Budapest 36" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RljG6TrqLbs/UltPBBD7_II/AAAAAAAACIY/uI-P2vPzNQ4/Budapest%25252036_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="493" height="334"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NtpD5qhfAVI/UltPCa8FEiI/AAAAAAAACIg/CM7UUWCzeuQ/s1600-h/Budapest%25252039%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 39" border="0" alt="Budapest 39" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9A-8IzsmuuU/UltPDBtKYAI/AAAAAAAACIo/zqXxqyjGasw/Budapest%25252039_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="499" height="338"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-i3j6xrHSDdY/UltPFMM7AGI/AAAAAAAACIw/lVYgdRJ4y8g/s1600-h/Budapest%25252038%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 38" border="0" alt="Budapest 38" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-d068NqQ2IkA/UltPGcSoccI/AAAAAAAACI4/q_A5_0FjAZ0/Budapest%25252038_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="495" height="335"></a></p> <p>If you look closely in the above photo you can see my family sticking their head through the gaps in the railings. After we left the Royal Palace we crossed back over the river.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Jfu6xeqq2io/UltPHy5_MAI/AAAAAAAACJA/MlPq7mQ9Fhk/s1600-h/Budapest%25252044%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 44" border="0" alt="Budapest 44" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WdI2yvwvVxA/UltPIzFnwqI/AAAAAAAACJI/fSvijJjQqtA/Budapest%25252044_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="339"></a></p> <p>The photo below is the view of the Royal Palace from across the river. It really dominates the hill.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xElaBaLTpwA/UltPKn78SYI/AAAAAAAACJQ/yuNNxCdBYko/s1600-h/Budapest%25252045%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 45" border="0" alt="Budapest 45" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3oJ8r--3XB8/UltPL1VKlrI/AAAAAAAACJY/ZoqzREWj6jE/Budapest%25252045_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="503" height="341"></a></p> <p>We walked over to St. Stephen’s Basilica and wandered around inside. I think it is awesome that most churches allow you to walk around for free or a small donation.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pZP9gdK2Yvg/UltPN7rzRYI/AAAAAAAACJg/dCiRjvfh-3g/s1600-h/Budapest%25252047%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 47" border="0" alt="Budapest 47" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TONcIRYVb0E/UltPPLuDMVI/AAAAAAAACJo/Mt0xI3vyJJY/Budapest%25252047_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="505" height="342"></a></p> <p>The last 3 photos are from different places around the city. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-svvdel78e9I/UltPQ9-GY3I/AAAAAAAACJw/KyjiTIvPMhE/s1600-h/Budapest%25252057%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 57" border="0" alt="Budapest 57" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KvUN0TxxGVs/UltPSWrCbaI/AAAAAAAACJ4/b7YIXg7XTI0/Budapest%25252057_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="508" height="344"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iztR5sv8_Fc/UltPTzYjWlI/AAAAAAAACKA/paGG6_9k_IA/s1600-h/Budapest%25252059%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 59" border="0" alt="Budapest 59" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AOe-EkQ_t1A/UltPVQwq6KI/AAAAAAAACKI/2lVZ_aiTJq0/Budapest%25252059_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="512" height="347"></a></p> <p>The grand statues above are from Hero’s Square. This was a pretty awesome place to check out and was once where Communist demonstrations took place. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FTEZRMS9cQE/UltPXc-K_NI/AAAAAAAACKQ/tHtx0bGZl6c/s1600-h/Budapest%25252061%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 61" border="0" alt="Budapest 61" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Sn_i8mn0r18/UltPYi4VDzI/AAAAAAAACKY/DPGxXc0yDNU/Budapest%25252061_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="513" height="348"></a></p> <p>As we walked around some side streets we came upon this statue of Ronald Reagan. This was to honor President Reagan for his part in ending communism and is located near the US Embassy.</p> <p>We loved Budapest and enjoyed our time there. I miss the old world feel of European cities and the way old and new have merged together. To visit places that are filled with so much history is very exciting and interesting. I am thankful for the opportunities we had to visit these gems while we lived in Germany.</p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-70916227666311334802013-10-08T19:05:00.001+02:002013-10-08T19:05:32.892+02:00Budapest Part 1<p>I finally sat down and began to tackle the overwhelming number of photos from our last 4 months in Germany. We moved back to the USA 15 months ago and I just kept putting the task off. </p> <p>I remember being a little hesitant to travel to Budapest, mostly because we were going to take the train and 8 hours on a train with little girls sounded painful. And it was. Thankfully, you can reserve a cluster of seats with a table so we were able to eat and keep the girls fairly entertained. </p> <p>Our first morning there we visited Central Market Hall, Budapest’s largest market. It is always so much fun to visit markets as you really get a great feel of things the locals eat and drink but sometimes too much kitsch as there is usually a large selection of trinkets for travelers to purchase. Every time I walked past these adorable smiling veggies I couldn’t help but giggle. It was my favorite part of the market. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9BZ4D5c2YJ8/UlQ6-MvZTkI/AAAAAAAACEI/4uREfx-6azk/s1600-h/Budapest%2525201%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 1" border="0" alt="Budapest 1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8C9pmpDfN1E/UlQ6_CIBXaI/AAAAAAAACEQ/dGMaZfzYlYI/Budapest%2525201_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="487" height="335"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1dP3scMSj4Q/UlQ7A-te3BI/AAAAAAAACEY/93E8gwvh-fc/s1600-h/Budapest%2525203%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 3" border="0" alt="Budapest 3" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rbUgWY1npw0/UlQ7B5U4coI/AAAAAAAACEg/ufEemGEwjNM/Budapest%2525203_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="488" height="335"></a></p> <p>We then headed to the Danube River and took a boat cruise to Margaret Island. The company we used allowed us to get off on the island and explore a bit on our own. We rented this a fun bicycle where the girls sat upfront and James and I peddled. It was the fastest and most fun way to explore the island.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0iKQfT4OJiE/UlQ7C5Muk1I/AAAAAAAACEo/CkWiMm0HHKI/s1600-h/Budapest%2525204%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 4" border="0" alt="Budapest 4" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wDTj51gW_VA/UlQ7Dlve8pI/AAAAAAAACEs/K9JSH07cRl4/Budapest%2525204_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="335"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Ntva7F8HOm4/UlQ7E77XzdI/AAAAAAAACE4/_ROzX8F8aJc/s1600-h/Budapest%2525207%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 7" border="0" alt="Budapest 7" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DCtNQU1ICew/UlQ7F_0es9I/AAAAAAAACFA/NZfxiCiAVxs/Budapest%2525207_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="484"></a> </p> <p>We explored some 14th century Franciscan church ruins and enjoyed the beautiful spring day. There were plenty of paths to peddle on and with two people peddling we quickly toured the island.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3bn7l0fzY5E/UlQ7HsmXPdI/AAAAAAAACFI/dwgs1J7SUgA/s1600-h/Budapest%2525208%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 8" border="0" alt="Budapest 8" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aHWXodpnHHc/UlQ7ISvrOSI/AAAAAAAACFQ/9Q7gcfZ-sOs/Budapest%2525208_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="489" height="337"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BHV8pw0HAlY/UlQ7KHK6jQI/AAAAAAAACFY/tsUbUyycs2s/s1600-h/Budapest%2525209%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 9" border="0" alt="Budapest 9" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vYI8Wve_Qjs/UlQ7K3vjvmI/AAAAAAAACFg/0gsOmnITKik/Budapest%2525209_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="490" height="332"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_uB6KTdysqY/UlQ7NHVF0TI/AAAAAAAACFo/e41kDGxJAlA/s1600-h/Budapest%25252012%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 12" border="0" alt="Budapest 12" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-c7kQugzChVE/UlQ7OXMrItI/AAAAAAAACFw/cMTY5TMPRzg/Budapest%25252012_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="493" height="334"></a></p> <p>We jumped back on the boat and was rewarded with beautiful views of the Hungarian Parliament building. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WFJaYa5MDY4/UlQ7PpEuyOI/AAAAAAAACF4/IDhztpsX9eg/s1600-h/Budapest%25252013%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 13" border="0" alt="Budapest 13" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QM6vmjakjEs/UlQ7QbGiMuI/AAAAAAAACGA/aVk4u9K2K_c/Budapest%25252013_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="502" height="345"></a></p> <p>We still had plenty of daylight time so we walked up to get a view of Budapest from above. One thing I love about traveling is when you come across people from the USA that are from the same general area as you are. I met a gentleman who was familiar with Western NY and had a brief conversation with him about it and what brought him to Budapest. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DHtr9fQTS2M/UlQ7R0edhJI/AAAAAAAACGI/zc7tlQRo6tQ/s1600-h/Budapest%25252018%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 18" border="0" alt="Budapest 18" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wPGCVrq6I3U/UlQ7SsqhO_I/AAAAAAAACGQ/p6m3dZAa1EA/Budapest%25252018_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="516" height="350"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PoC1m54p-wg/UlQ7ULoVAbI/AAAAAAAACGY/Fs3DslL7LrU/s1600-h/Budapest%25252020%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 20" border="0" alt="Budapest 20" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bLZIFFnyShQ/UlQ7VL4m_qI/AAAAAAAACGg/1hdGSrBpLUc/Budapest%25252020_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="520" height="352"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xwYjJhNe9Qg/UlQ7WH0IUgI/AAAAAAAACGo/FXLzO1DiM9Q/s1600-h/Budapest%25252025%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 25" border="0" alt="Budapest 25" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nlTmUahdwcY/UlQ7W0H-08I/AAAAAAAACGw/wq7QU1Q0V7c/Budapest%25252025_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="522" height="354"></a></p> <p>We ended our day with dinner at a delicious Greek restaurant. The restaurant was right on the river, the staff were polite and the food was ah.maze.ing. I know, I know someone is wondering why we didn’t eat Hungarian food and I promise we did. </p> <p>I was only going to write one post about Budapest but since this is photo heavy I’ll add the second part later this week. </p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-9874391323250098442013-10-06T00:55:00.001+02:002013-10-06T00:55:30.651+02:00Happy Fall!<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-s_6qixq56WY/UlCY3R_mOoI/AAAAAAAACDw/a9E8zQ8tcU0/s1600-h/Aub%252520Field%252520Trip%2525202%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Aub Field Trip 2" border="0" alt="Aub Field Trip 2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EAOBWMYgc6g/UlCY4ZvTA5I/AAAAAAAACD4/e0jHazPBgmw/Aub%252520Field%252520Trip%2525202_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="479" height="330"></a></p> <p>Photo taken at Crawford Farms, Hodgenville, KY</p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-62307039082789175982013-10-02T15:30:00.001+02:002013-10-02T15:30:39.800+02:00Wordless Wednesday<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hxuhLSj57bw/Ukwf-rIOJmI/AAAAAAAACDY/m4GMuZSlvpo/s1600-h/Budapest%25252023%25255B20%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Budapest 23" border="0" alt="Budapest 23" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2d4b8SeWqQ4/Ukwf_vHoFSI/AAAAAAAACDg/GMpu7a-KjcQ/Budapest%25252023_thumb%25255B17%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="486" height="334"></a></p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-8646658973644571802013-09-30T14:55:00.001+02:002013-09-30T15:11:23.918+02:00Beech Fork Covered Bridge, Washington County, Kentucky<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PYpmHUuagLo/Ukl0qkcKzTI/AAAAAAAACCQ/xveTJQwtGxw/s1600-h/Beech%252520Fork%252520Bridge%2525204%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Beech Fork Bridge 4" border="0" alt="Beech Fork Bridge 4" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oX0Sbyc1J88/Ukl0rdSWv3I/AAAAAAAACCY/WOw6UmPHvSQ/Beech%252520Fork%252520Bridge%2525204_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="477" height="323"></a></p> <p>As we are new to Kentucky we have the chance to do a little bit of exploring and discovering things in our area. In early August we drove 35 minutes east to check out the Beech Fork Covered Bridge. My husband is very good at finding out about random things so trips are often mini adventures. </p> <p>This bridge has been targeted by people armed with spray paint. It is disappointing to see how little people respect things but at the same time it made for interesting back drops as I took a couple photos of my girls.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zJvdq8y-vVQ/Ukl0suo8dII/AAAAAAAACCg/DgBzzLYtLqM/s1600-h/Beech%252520Fork%252520Bridge%2525201%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Beech Fork Bridge 1" border="0" alt="Beech Fork Bridge 1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BwqdAfyS4EM/Ukl0te2ov7I/AAAAAAAACCo/xV16paqKitg/Beech%252520Fork%252520Bridge%2525201_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="485" height="329"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DCYJ4oOYTOI/Ukl0uvEek_I/AAAAAAAACCw/F3pX3kZp9wA/s1600-h/Beech%252520Fork%252520Bridge%2525202%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Beech Fork Bridge 2" border="0" alt="Beech Fork Bridge 2" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sDs0XkjIicc/Ukl0voJMIyI/AAAAAAAACC4/NXHhHkCB8Pg/Beech%252520Fork%252520Bridge%2525202_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="487" height="330"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JbewtkXlQJE/Ukl0w-vxxCI/AAAAAAAACDA/InLX7LwTnEI/s1600-h/Beech%252520Fork%252520Bridge%2525203%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Beech Fork Bridge 3" border="0" alt="Beech Fork Bridge 3" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1QNaD1LDhCQ/Ukl0x-JEpQI/AAAAAAAACDI/f9IaLHT4HVw/Beech%252520Fork%252520Bridge%2525203_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="489" height="337"></a></p> <p>The bridge is no longer used for vehicle traffic so we were able to walk through. There was just enough light from the small windows that I was able to get some decent light for the photos but a bit of a challenge to find some graffiti that was appropriate for photos of my girls. </p> <p> Have you had an fun adventures recently? </p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-47784652010980307802013-09-23T18:29:00.001+02:002013-09-23T18:29:10.104+02:00Ruffle Scarves<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YhCRgfM1dzM/UkBsUPlBviI/AAAAAAAACB4/OMPoc3xZWEk/s1600-h/Sept%25252021%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Sept 21" border="0" alt="Sept 21" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-l3wDjJPfJPs/UkBsU-pL7QI/AAAAAAAACCA/DZf6Y3ZZWBA/Sept%25252021_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" height="327"></a></p> <p>I have been in a bit of a slump in regards to paper crafting lately. Actually, for the better part of the past year. I miss sitting down and creating a scrapbook layout or card but there is just a lack of inspiration. I hope to jump back in soon as I love sharing our memories. However, I have a creative outlet since I have been crocheting for a few years now. </p> <p>I finally learned how to crochet using the Red Heart Sashay yarn. It looks almost like ribbon and as you work with it, it pulls apart and ruffles up. And the ruffle scarves work up so quickly! I made 3 of them this weekend. They take about 90 minutes each and I worked on them as we watched a movie and a little bit of football. I have a hard time just sitting so crochet helps pass the time and I get to make pretty things. </p> <p>My girls love scarves and now have scarves to match their cute fall jackets. I love making them things they are like. It is a win/win for the Gibson girls. Now, I really need to finish up the afghan I am making for a wedding gift and I have some ends to weave in on my brother’s Christmas gift. So, even If I haven’t been scrapping, I have been making gifts for my family and friends. And I am okay with that…for now.<br></p> <p>How do you get out of a crafty slump? </p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-37301594861347498782013-08-21T15:37:00.001+02:002013-08-21T15:37:46.343+02:00Back To School<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0ELLy1dAlek/UhTCoqTkMdI/AAAAAAAACBY/NjZ3lfp0wBw/s1600-h/Aug%2525208%252520Back%252520to%252520School%25255B15%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Aug 8 Back to School" border="0" alt="Aug 8 Back to School" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-itC45gry8YA/UhTCpiZDesI/AAAAAAAACBg/rm31c7d_P4g/Aug%2525208%252520Back%252520to%252520School_thumb%25255B12%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="489" height="352"></a></p> <p>My babies went back to school 2 weeks ago and I am not quite sure what to do with myself. I am one of those crying mommas and yet I held myself together until both girls were out of the van. Our school district has a separate kindergarten building so while my oldest attends the elementary school right in our neighborhood I have to drive across town to drop off the youngest, so holding back tears was tough until she was delivered to school. I didn’t want to cry in front of them and leave them feeling stressed or sad. They were so excited to go to school. </p> <p>I did well keeping tears at bay but there was a day last week when I looked into the back seat to tell my youngest something and I remembered I had already dropped her off and I cried all the way home. I still need some time to adjust to our new normal around here. </p> <p>On a crafty note, I used my Silhouette Cameo to make the cute apples with their grades. Of course I needed cute props! <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-B4dpbZlhN8Q/UhTCqILNutI/AAAAAAAACBo/dEbSffnbXeo/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"></p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-77759637229493584022013-07-05T18:26:00.001+02:002013-07-05T18:26:45.635+02:00Mason Jar Mugs<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-H_IH-lUUCc4/UdbzsrV6uII/AAAAAAAACAg/xjezT58C0OI/s1600-h/Mason%252520Jar%252520Mug%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Mason Jar Mug" border="0" alt="Mason Jar Mug" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--rM3OVxJ6ec/Udbzttu7GAI/AAAAAAAACAk/3oZbdmooiSo/Mason%252520Jar%252520Mug_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="479" height="325"></a></p> <p>I know everyone has seen these by now as they have been all over the internet so they are not new but, I tell ya, I had the hardest time finding the instructions for them. By instructions I mean, I needed to know what size grommet and drill bit I would have to locate or purchase. I wanted this to be a one and done type of project.</p> <p>So, I’ll share my supplies with you in case you have been wanting to make these fun jars to keep your drinks bug free while outdoors this summer.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2aieIL9Vquw/UdbzuYcgpnI/AAAAAAAACAw/khF3XDw_y9E/s1600-h/Mason%252520Jar%252520Supplies%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Mason Jar Supplies" border="0" alt="Mason Jar Supplies" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LYKXsIoz39U/UdbzvI3nBHI/AAAAAAAACA4/m5TmRb5kMgw/Mason%252520Jar%252520Supplies_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="477" height="323"></a></p> <p>I picked up the blue Ball Mason Jars which are a limited edition. They were too pretty to pass up even though they cost a little more than regular jars. You’ll need a 3/8” drill bit, a drill and rubber grommets sized 9/16” outer diameter and 1/4” inner diameter. The grommets were the most difficult thing to locate but I found them at Lowe’s in the hard to find hardware drawers in the same aisle as the screws, nuts, bolts, etc. There are 2 grommets in each pack for a $1.04. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6X0RRu6Gwvw/UdbzwaWK_BI/AAAAAAAACBA/j5p352id_eY/s1600-h/Mason%252520Jar%252520Grommets%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Mason Jar Grommets" border="0" alt="Mason Jar Grommets" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0Q_J8a9JDmM/UdbzxFuSjXI/AAAAAAAACBI/N0aLflI0KM4/Mason%252520Jar%252520Grommets_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="486" height="329"></a></p> <p>Then you simply drill a hole, carefully snip off any hanging pieces of metal and then fit the grommet down into it. Such a quick and easy project and would make a fun hostess or even housewarming gift. </p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-55814974920486433422013-07-03T21:55:00.001+02:002013-07-03T21:55:22.452+02:00Wordless Wednesday<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TZziBd1wIos/UdSBpaeqPZI/AAAAAAAACAI/eTDiOvxWPEU/s1600-h/Honfleur%2525201%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Honfleur 1" border="0" alt="Honfleur 1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JKkM6O8NnTA/UdSBqWJZgsI/AAAAAAAACAQ/FfGXinXu430/Honfleur%2525201_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="516" height="354"></a></p> <p>Honfleur, France – March 2012</p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-62221088356586857822013-05-16T15:18:00.001+02:002013-05-16T15:18:02.011+02:00Exploring<p>I realized that it has been over 2 months since I posted! It doesn’t feel like it has been that long at all. We’ve celebrated 3 birthdays and enjoyed the spring weather. We have also done a little bit of exploring our some things in our new state. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ybFbj8bNQwM/UZTcVuNGa_I/AAAAAAAAB-w/gT4vBXWZyBk/s1600-h/March%25252023%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="March 23" border="0" alt="March 23" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BBHPkBeNM-Y/UZTcWPK_PGI/AAAAAAAAB-4/G2ESKMKr-tQ/March%25252023_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="489" height="331"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RyUUAOeLB7Y/UZTcYPNnbaI/AAAAAAAAB_A/F5k_b8r-0dg/s1600-h/March%25252022%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="March 22" border="0" alt="March 22" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SVr-rPXASS8/UZTcYxnH8hI/AAAAAAAAB_I/2ePkBg0WKfA/March%25252022_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="494" height="335"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-oJak77mDf7U/UZTcbAwn1dI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/y23GIRQI51Q/s1600-h/March%25252024%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="March 24" border="0" alt="March 24" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nWpL6zeqWK8/UZTccQuYZ6I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/UhZ1waEfwcQ/March%25252024_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="496" height="336"></a></p> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0ZUZ_cmTtUk/UZTcdxekzsI/AAAAAAAAB_g/C4pceBxHovA/s1600-h/March%25252024%252520A%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="March 24 A" border="0" alt="March 24 A" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8quobKXKP-A/UZTcexkXkMI/AAAAAAAAB_o/q-4Ws0CVvJc/March%25252024%252520A_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="497" height="342"></a> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0wTmDEy1yPg/UZTcgx92GKI/AAAAAAAAB_w/NVVdZ4K7D1o/s1600-h/March%25252024%252520D%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="March 24 D" border="0" alt="March 24 D" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-q7qm6SWoKew/UZTchkju0dI/AAAAAAAAB_4/Ge406SC69OM/March%25252024%252520D_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="342"></a></p> <p>These photos were taken near an old mill about an hour from our home. I was so excited to see the old truck and snap some cool pictures. I love finding the unexpected while exploring. And that red roof on the old barn? Awesome! </p> <p>I’ve been crafting, painting, gardening and enjoying having a home that I can finally personalize. What have you been up to?</p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-963832018503198312013-03-08T15:37:00.001+01:002013-03-08T15:37:59.273+01:00Chateau Gaillard, Les Andelys, France<p>After we left the magical Disneyland Paris we drove north towards the Normandy region. Along the way we stopped at the beautiful <a href="http://lesandelys.com/chateau-gaillard/" target="_blank">Chateau Gaillard</a>. The castle ruins sit high above the Seine River and the small town of Les Andelys. A quick stop in town to grab some lunch and we headed to the ruins. </p> <p>We arrived in the off season and the main building was closed but we were able to wander around the ruins for free and take in the beautiful view. It is hard to not be in awe while visiting the fortress that was built by Richard the Lionheart. The structure took a year to build and was finished in 1198. It was built as a deterrent to the king of France to keep him from invading Normandy. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QRiNs0wLvyE/UTn3icORhxI/AAAAAAAAB8Q/BO-kYdUE8p8/s1600-h/Chateau%252520Gaillard%2525201%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Chateau Gaillard 1" border="0" alt="Chateau Gaillard 1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lBBYNJMYA44/UTn3i9yQY1I/AAAAAAAAB8Y/PM989W_QZuo/Chateau%252520Gaillard%2525201_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="492" height="339"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GBvpiWi0CSc/UTn3j1MYYwI/AAAAAAAAB8g/Dlt4D4M7P1s/s1600-h/Chateau%252520Gaillard%2525204%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Chateau Gaillard 4" border="0" alt="Chateau Gaillard 4" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-f7FyJhsx9I8/UTn3kRC4EmI/AAAAAAAAB8o/ZueYnp3THZk/Chateau%252520Gaillard%2525204_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="499" height="338"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sTlIMW938WE/UTn3lnLDpJI/AAAAAAAAB8w/Qm0_U9FpjNk/s1600-h/Chateau%252520Gaillard%2525205%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Chateau Gaillard 5" border="0" alt="Chateau Gaillard 5" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4d5cNZyFN5Q/UTn3mvtMO6I/AAAAAAAAB84/hvP6Ul_BRsg/Chateau%252520Gaillard%2525205_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="505" height="342"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6maMm6M_Iew/UTn3omodouI/AAAAAAAAB9A/RFp5R3-ns9I/s1600-h/Chateau%252520Gaillard%2525208%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Chateau Gaillard 8" border="0" alt="Chateau Gaillard 8" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EDwEF_nSFrQ/UTn3pf9e_eI/AAAAAAAAB9I/kkSDa75TQYI/Chateau%252520Gaillard%2525208_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="508" height="344"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-B_1WSrPw_Wk/UTn3q7ZLQcI/AAAAAAAAB9Q/rUkmN5Z1nG4/s1600-h/Chateau%252520Gaillard%2525209%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Chateau Gaillard 9" border="0" alt="Chateau Gaillard 9" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dNKXs2oAdSY/UTn3rfgUIXI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/-5m1j_VXIxI/Chateau%252520Gaillard%2525209_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="512" height="347"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ns9IWTQZ6Jw/UTn3tdFXEoI/AAAAAAAAB9g/whS07P1KbH4/s1600-h/Chateau%252520Gaillard%25252011%25255B15%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Chateau Gaillard 11" border="0" alt="Chateau Gaillard 11" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-yCcvCI1ktJY/UTn3uJVUvTI/AAAAAAAAB9o/DkdXPOfm0jk/Chateau%252520Gaillard%25252011_thumb%25255B12%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="515" height="349"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dUXybbwiseI/UTn3vH75_WI/AAAAAAAAB9w/nMR3wLtFclM/s1600-h/Chateau%252520Gaillard%25252013%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Chateau Gaillard 13" border="0" alt="Chateau Gaillard 13" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-51jgLSLSJ0I/UTn3vqEs_tI/AAAAAAAAB94/llTqsnt-uAE/Chateau%252520Gaillard%25252013_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="521" height="353"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5QPUSMVv-2k/UTn3w0KOmpI/AAAAAAAAB-A/6E9m5rEfUnQ/s1600-h/Chateau%252520Gaillard%25252015%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Chateau Gaillard 15" border="0" alt="Chateau Gaillard 15" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-joOqaUnoPl8/UTn3xrVDkGI/AAAAAAAAB-I/uG90lpFtwkU/Chateau%252520Gaillard%25252015_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="528" height="358"></a></p> <p>If you click on the link in the first paragraph it will take you to a site with the complete but brief history of the castle. </p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-7972614545061983132013-02-19T16:41:00.001+01:002013-03-01T18:10:45.701+01:00Big G & Dream Works Team Up! (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)Have you seen the Dream Works DVD Samplers on select boxes of Big G cereals on your recent shopping trip? If not, be sure to check it out as they are only available for a limited time on select cereals. If so, have you wondered what exactly is on the DVD’s? These samplers are filled with fun content from characters we have all grown to love from some of our favorite Dream Works films such as “How to Train Your Dragon”, “Shrek”, “Kung Fu Panda”, and “Madagascar” along with a trailer from Dream Works upcoming film, “The Croods” which will be in theaters March 22! It is a win/win for you: breakfast and entertainment!<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-098pHNhEv1o/USOdHqcsa0I/AAAAAAAAB7I/57WoxdUxj9A/s1600-h/Prize%252520Pack%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Prize Pack" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RZZ0xdx4Lq8/USOdInuBIgI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/pKCtTc1Kxnk/Prize%252520Pack_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Prize Pack" width="484" /></a><br />
I was given the opportunity to receive a gift pack* which included all 4 of the DVD samplers, a movie tin filled with delicious movie snacks (popcorn, Raisinets, Twizzlers, Swedish Fish!) and 2 books from the movie, “The Croods”. My girls were so excited to sit down and watch these DVDs as soon as the box arrived. We have been long time fans of all of these characters and to able to re-visit them in new, short episodes was so much fun! The books are great and have my girls super excited to see “The Croods” over spring break.<br />
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I have the opportunity to share one of these gift packs with one of my readers! How awesome is that? Just leave a comment below telling me your name and what your favorite Dream Works movie is or your favorite Big G cereal! I love Reese’s Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch! Fortunately, my girls do, too, so we always have at least one of them in the house. My favorite movie? Shrek! <strong>I’ll close the giveaway on Friday, February 22 and post the winner on Saturday. </strong>Please share this giveaway with your friends!<br />
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<strong>*Disclosure</strong>: The information, products and General Mills gift packs were provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark, however, the opinions expressed are strictly my own! <br />
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<strong>***GIVEAWAY CLOSED! I have contacted the winner. Thank you for visiting!***</strong>Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809012615112484602.post-58819075660084776412013-02-17T23:33:00.001+01:002013-02-17T23:33:42.861+01:00That was a mistake!<p>Over the past couple of years we have made pinecone bird feeders for our feathered friends. We were a little late getting to it this winter but we do have a regular bird feeder that is stocked all year round so it wasn’t a big deal. </p> <p>Since the girlies like to help make these feeders we took a few minutes this afternoon and spread lots of peanut butter into the pinecones and then rolled it in some bird seed. We tied on some pretty pieces of yarn and I put them in the tree outside of my office window. I snapped a photo and came in. </p> <p>No sooner than I had shut the front door my girls yelled that we already had a visitor in the tree! Awesome! That was so fast. I came into the office and lo and behold there is a squirrel attempting to reach our newly hung feeders. The sneaky little rodent made off with one of the feeders in less than 2 minutes! I caught him on the roof before he bolted away.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XeN5ok2iIzo/USFawprZByI/AAAAAAAAB6A/NilfHlMvKzc/s1600-h/Feb%25252017%25255B19%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Feb 17" border="0" alt="Feb 17" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-er316TVEDpU/USFaxXMDDFI/AAAAAAAAB6I/JCtbmtuVy_Y/Feb%25252017_thumb%25255B16%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="505" height="340"></a></p> <p>My oldest said “That’s okay. I wanted the squirrel to have mine. I wanted to be kind.” Bless her little heart. In the moments like this, where she chooses to be positive and thoughtful, I feel like I may just be doing an okay job as a mommy after all. </p> <p>I hope you are having a great weekend!</p> Shanonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01670908976960632962noreply@blogger.com0