Carvin' Pumpkins

Our tradition for Halloween is to carve our pumpkins, then dip yummy apples in caramel, followed by eating daddy's roasted pumpkins seeds. I love this tradition. I especially love this time of year. By the way, we are renting so the matching orange walls in the background aren't my idea nor do they come from my decorating expertise!

Ashby Castle

Mandi (Harvey's sister) and her son Jasher are here for a visit. It is so nice having family close by!

We had a fun trip to Ashby Castle. It is so fun walking right through history. I love going through these old ruins and imagining who was there, what was there, and what life back then may have been like. The girls had a blast finding all the hidden ghosts within the castle and answering their "questions," Carson ran everywhere without once being called upon to STOP or SLOW DOWN and Rylie enjoyed the lazy stroll in her buggy!

Bradgate Park

This is one of the most famous park in Leicestershire county. It is by far my most favorite park. It has a pond to feed ducks, hiking all around, old ruins, deer and rocks for the kids to climb on.

Feeding Ducks

It seems since we arrived here that we have had many opportunities to feed ducks, I guess if we are comparing it to how many chances we had while we were in Japan it would feel that way.

Walking with Shakespeare

The American Fountain

This is the house Shakespeare was born in.

We took a day trip to Stratford Upon Avon. It was such a tourist trap but something you have to do. It was really neat to be there and get an idea of what a town back in the early 1500's would have looked like, minus the Pizza Hut in the center of town. We took a tour bus around town and learned so much about Shakespeare; like he got his wife pregnant before they were married; oops! The kids got there thrills and excitement from riding a top the tour bus and hearing Rylie squeal as she bit down on the rails. It was fun to catch wind of all the passion they have hear for the theatre and the admiration they have for Shakespeare. We also got to walk along the river banks and feed the ducks. All in all it was a great experience. We have grown to love our weekend outings something we have tried to do since we moved to Japan and have carried the tradition on in England.