Peter Rabbit's Post Office #CountryKids

Today we made our way to Limpsfield Common, a National Trust area, to see some very special little dwellings! I'd first seen them when a friend commented on a photo on Facebook and as they're only a 20 minute drive from us we had to go and see for ourselves! What am I talking about? Well some lovely volunteers have been creating some very sweet little homes on the Common, amongst them Peter Rabbit's Post Office, the Owl House and Fox Villa. 

The car park gave no clue as to where to go to see these treasures so we set off on a walk and I took some photos of what we found. The kids loved it and found it really exciting coming across each residence. When you find Peter Rabbit's Post Office you can open the door and there's a box you can leave notes or keepsakes. Isla left a little picture she quickly drew. It really was a lovely way to spend an hour or so of our time and we know we'll definitely be back when it's warmer for a picnic and it also looks like in a few weeks time there will be a multitude of bluebells. 

Fun In the Sun!

This weekend we went Up North to visit friends and a freakish thing happened - it was sunny the whole time we were there - we had fun in the sun! It wasn't just a bit sunny but totally scorchio. I'm not saying it's never sunny in the North, just that it's never sunny whenever we go there, so this was such a bonus and meant that we spent the majority of it out in the open and had barbecues both days. Oh Happy Day!

We went to visit my longest standing friend from senior school and her family and Isla and Noah had a lovely time there playing with their kids and all their toys. By the end of the weekend Noah had taken quite a shine to my friend's little girl and even uttered "I luff you" - too cute. Isla also loved her because of their shared love of Lelli Kelly shoes.

Following that there was fun in the garden in the paddling pool and running around soaking everyone with the hose.

Then on the Sunday we went out for a picnic to Dunham Massey, a National Trust property, which was lovely.

We didn't venture far into the grounds but we were right next to a natural playground with loads of logs to balance on and brilliant animal wood carvings. There was a lot of horsing around, jumping all over each other and kicking the ball around etc, all good fun.

We even managed to get this family shot of the four of us.

All in all we had a great weekend, catching up with friends, laughing lots, eating a fair bit and making memories. The sunshine really does make a difference doesn't it?

Emmetts Gardens, National Trust

This week we went to Emmetts Gardens, a really lovely National Trust property and gardens in Kent, not far from us. We’ve been before so we knew how lovely it is, but we hadn’t bargained on seeing SOOO many bluebells. We saw loads the other week at Hatchlands Park, but there were so many more here I think. It was a bit of a ramble round especially with the buggy but it was worth it. As usual we took a picnic and just let the kids roam a bit. The rhododendrons and azaleas were all in bloom and looked absolutely gorgeous, the grounds are just so well maintained. We didn’t do any of the NT 50 things that day (well there was a bit of rolling going on but I felt it didn’t count as it wasn’t a big enough hill!) but we just enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air. I particularly loved the magnifying glasses that you can loan for the day, the kids loved walking around like Sherlock Holmes. 

My Bluebell Fairy!

Swathes of Bluebells!

I spy with my little eye.....

Another fantastic National Trust Day Out - Hatchlands Park

As National Trust members we try to make as much use of our membership so that it effectively becomes pennies to enter some of these amazing properties and gardens. This weekend we went to Hatchlands Park and we loved it! We're trying to do some of the National Trust 50 Things to do before 11 and 3/4's with the kids and so over the weekend at Hatchlands they had pony rides which helped us to tick that off the list. 

If you live in the Surrey area and you've never been to Hatchlands then you should as the grounds are beautiful and at this time of year there is a bluebell wood in full swing. It's the first time I've ever seen so many bluebells in one place and it was so pretty. In order to make it appealing to the kids there were 'fairies' dotted around in the trees for them to spot. We did so much walking that day - we walked through the fields where cattle were grazing in order to get to the bluebells and on the way there was Wizard Wix Willow Warren, a natural adventure area for children, which they loved running around in. There were also dens ready made for the kids to sit and play in too. 



Here are a few more snaps of our day - it was so sunny and being outdoors all day was so good for us all. Roll on another weekend of outdoor fun!

Easter Egg Trail at National Trust Polesden Lacey

This weekend has been a bit, how can I put it? Rubbish. Noah has been a bit poorly for a few days (as in constant calpol and really not his usual fun self) and the OH also seems to have a milder version of what Noah has. We also had a situation with the car which has now been resolved. We had lots of plans for this weekend which included a big family get together at our house and seeing loads of friends that have had to be cancelled. So today I decided that there was no reason why Isla and I couldn't get out and have some fun, so we headed over to my parents first for a bit of lunch, a few puzzles for Isla with Nanny and car advice for me from my Dad and then we went to National Trust Polesden Lacey for a Cadbury Easter Egg Trail. It was great. We've done one for the past 2 years and the weather has been blazing, so this year was a slight let down on that front but no less fun as the lure of a chocolate egg had Isla running round the whole trail. It was great to see her really running and balancing on logs, collecting sticks and having a go at climbing trees. She also loved the binoculars that you can borrow:

The idea with the trail isn't that you collect eggs all the way round (as obviously there would be none left within an hour of the trail opening!), instead you spot letters of the alphabet on your way round, note them down, then unravel them to make a word and collect a Cadbury's egg at the end. What I liked this year was that the letters were on papier mache eggs that were hanging in the trees and if I read rightly the eggs were made by local school children (couldn't stop to read it properly as Isla was already running off to find the next one! Previously it was just a letter pinned on a tree or a clue. 

Isla literally ran the whole way round. I mostly had this view:

There is a cool little woodland playground in the middle of the trail which she loved:

We noted down all the letters, great alphabet practise for her and then we climbed a couple of trees:

After that we collected our egg and queued up for the face painting. And I think that was my only gripe. We waited half and hour for face painting. She was really good at waiting but it did feel like a long time. It is included in the price of the trail though (£2.50) so I wouldn't complain at all. There were 3 face painters and think if this had been doubled it would have been better but the queue did became outraged when an adult emerged from the tent with his face painted as it was felt that he had taken up time that could have been given to one of the kids and I can't help agreeing really. However - that is a really small thing and Isla loved the result of her face painting:

All in all, we really needed that time in the fresh air today and when we got home it seemed that Noah and Daddy were on the road to recovery, far less Calpol and Nurofen had been administered today and more food had been eaten. So here's hoping that everyone is on the road to recovery!

National Trust is THE Best Place For Family Fun

I recently posted about the Cadbury Easter Egg Trails at National Trust. They're in full swing already and we went on one at the weekend. We went to Nymans House and Gardens and it's our brilliant day there that has made me want to share with you how a day out at a National Trust property is bloody brilliant for families. We have a family membership and it's been such good value. We always take a picnic (sometimes planned with all the trimmings, and other times just stuff cobbled together from the fridge and cupboard), we always try to remember a ball and for me I always have to have some method of capturing the day be it my iPhone or camera.

We went to Nymans on Sunday and we had fantastic weather, a lovely picnic, a good stroll around the grounds (thanks to being on the Egg trail!) and on the way home a super sleep out of the baby! Here are a few of our snaps:

There are so many properties up and down the country. I tend to use the National Trust app on my iPhone to see how close we are to places. When we go on our long weekend to Yorkshire in July I think we will also stop by an NT place as a rest stop, which will mean we'll get to see places that are beyond our own area too!

This is not a sponsored post, it's just me saying what a great organisation The National Trust is and what a great investment an annual membership is.

The Gallery - At Peace

National Trust Nymans Gardens - my new favourite place!

The subject from Tara at Sticky Fingers this week is 'At Peace' and this is my interpretation of that. My idea of peace would be in the outdoors where you can't hear the roar of cars and impatient car horns. Well away from my house where we have a regular daily struggle to park our car anywhere near our front door with two kids to get out of it, where every day it feels like there are lorries constantly pulling up to the printers over the road. Where there is no litter on the ground and no dog mess. This would be a place where my brain could shut down as it hasn't done for a good few months. It's always whirring and wondering 'what if this?' and 'what if that?'. I would love to turn up to a place like this on my own and lay down on the grass in the sunshine and just 'be'.

Click the badge below to find others 'At Peace'.....