The Peak District (England Tour, Chapter II)

It's true.  I made my children watch Pride and Prejudice (well, clips of it) before we went to Chatsworth.  So they knew all about Mr Darcy's house.  I don't know that they were very excited about going, but it turned out that "Pemberly" was perfect for kids.  The sheep roamed freely around the front lawns, though they were smart enough to jog quickly away from children.  There was water to throw things in and great expanses of grass to run and play tag.  Collin watched the children outside while Camilla and I enjoyed a leisurely and stress-free tour inside.  I caught my breath more than once, such a grand and tasteful house. 

My pictures from inside the house are incredibly random.  I could have gone way overboard, but I didn't, so the few I ended up with are a strange representation.  First, the floor from the entry way just reminded me of the Kiera Knightly version.  Then, someone in the history of Chatsworth was a mineral collector--there were cases of amazing specimen in various parts of the house, but I especially liked this display with the raw rocks under a polished marble table.

My classy mirror selfie was in a hallway where the current owners of the place have had a contemporary artist create an installation piece based on their and their heir's DNA charts.  Kind of weird, but rather pleasing in its way.  And yes, there was a Mr Darcy bust in the gift shop.  With a sign reminding people not to kiss it . . . You know I was tempted.

If we had such a sunny and warm day for Chatsworth, the next morning was just as grey and chilly. Regardless, exploring we go!  Peveril Castle's views of the Peak District were worth the hike.

Eliza is a pro at tantrums when she doesn't get her way.  She fought the whole way up, wanting to do it herself.  She's a little mountain goat, but even then, there are some drop offs you just don't want to go near.  The hill was grassy, but the slope reminded us of the Princess Bride's hill where Wesley is pushed down.

I have to say, I'm not sure the Peak District was aptly named.  It's not very, well, peaky.  There are hills, sure.  Maybe we didn't know where to go (and we're Utah mountain spoiled), but the peaks we saw were less than impressive.  Everything else was as picturesque as can be, and we enjoyed our time very much.  I just think a different name for the area may be appropriate.

Aunt Camilla's Concerts and Sherwood Forest (England Tour I)

Aunt Camilla came to London! She gave us an excuse to go out and explore some places we already love and new places. Extra bonus, we were able to hear some beautiful music at two incredible churches. She came on a choir tour, then stayed an extra few days so we could tour England together. The kids were ecstatic to have her visiting.

Dancing while waiting for Evensong at St Paul's Cathedral. Camilla's choir sang the service.  It was lovely. We stayed in the very back so our noise wouldn't echo and disturb everyone.

And then at Westminster Abbey.  Not as many pictures while waiting. It was colder and we didn't have too long to wait until we were escorted into the chapel for the service. No pictures are allowed inside either of these spaces, which is good in its way. I like how it makes us concentrate without distraction or distracting others. It makes it hard to remember that we were inside the sanctuary, though. (I think I need more practice remembering things I don't have a visual image of. Interesting thought to let mature . . .)

And now to the Tour de England (Chapter One):

Camilla and I are both bookworms, so many of the main stops on our tour of England were based on legend and literature. First stop, Robin Hood woods in Sherwood Forest. The place was pretty magical, all deep and dark and old. We'd purchased bows and arrows previously and the boys waited with bated breath until they were presented in the forest. There was a bit of a learning curve but soon enough arrows were flying all around and the woods rang with their excitement and delight.

Cornwall Video

(Boring) Capstone Update and (Pretty) Spring Pictures

Don't worry, Collin, I'm just taking a teensy little break from revising to do more important things.  Like showing off how adorably our children clean up and spruce up!

So, a quick note on the capstone project.  I'm done with my first draft of my project and am now into the phase of revision.  My project is analyzing a survey I did of participants of the Van Gogh to Play Dough program at the BYU Museum of Art.  The survey was a pain to get going--weeks of ethics training, formal review by the Harvard ethics board, revision, more review, etc. pulling hair out etc.  Once that part was over the fun part began! The survey went to 600 email addresses and about 10% responded.  Great responses!  So then I got to start pulling out the best and writing paragraph after paragraph about the great program for under-fives that is happening in Provo.  The program is similar to many other preschool programs being offered in art museums around the country (and the UK) and I'm hoping to give some insight into what parts the parents/caregivers feel are most important for their very young children.  I've drafted about 50 pages at this point.  I think the most I'd ever written for one project before was 15-20.  And I worried I wouldn't have enough (the capstone thesis requirement is 30-50 give or take, depending).  It helps when other people do most of the talking for me!  I'd love to be friends with some of the respondents--their ideas about museums and their children are just so profound.  I think we'd get along nicely.  :)

That's that.  I have a few more versions of revision to go.  Dotting the 'i' and crossing other letters.  Double checking sources (blah, my least favorite part).  Organizing into more logical flow (my other least favorite part.  Luckily Collin's on that one.  And maybe my mom will help work her wonders!).  Then done!  I'm happy I'm having this chance to learn how to revise better than I have given myself the chance to before.  I've always just handed in a pretty good draft and been rewarded.  Never seen it again after the end of a semester, thankfully.  It's hard to let people (an expert reader, my class peers, and my capstone adviser) see the work in progress.  It's annoying to have to keep working at it.  I'm a little bored of my own work already.  For all that, I'm glad I'm doing this final course.

Okay, that should be all of that until I can say I'm done!!  (Already a bit excited anticipating how that'll feel.)

And now, those adorable children in their spring-time garb at the prettiest church in our neighborhood.

Musings of An Introvert Mommy

I'm an introvert through and through.  In the past few years the what being an introvert really means has become household understanding.  (At least in my household.)  It's not just that I'm shy (though I am) and it's not just that I don't like big groups (I don't) but it's really that my energy is rejuvenated from being alone where an extrovert would feel revived in their energy from being with people.  I'm sensitive to other people's energy.  With some people, especially in a very small group or one-on-one tete-a-tete (that may be repetitive, my French is so nonexistent), I feel my energy level soaring while I'm with them.  Some people--however much I love them--are a drain on my energy.  It's not anything personal about them, I just find that I feel a bit more wan after spending time with them.  Either way--whether my energy is boosted temporarily or drained immediately--I have to recover alone.  Friends I can depart from and wave good-bye to.

So, enter into a mommy world (particularly a homeschooling and clingy baby/toddler mommy world) and all my alone, energy rebooting time is just not what it used to be.  I am NEVER alone.  Seriously, never.  Not even in the bathroom.  No five minutes peace to be found.  Luckily I am a nap and quiet time fanatic and I meditate with a Transcendental Meditation technique I learned and began practicing as a teenager.  I survive.  I cope.  But I'm still that introvert with sensitive energy issues.  How do I escape the constant touching and talking and mommying, and even thrive in the constant stimulation of little people?

Well, first, I remember that I chose this life.  And I am very aware of how blessed I am.  Still, to be a nice person and a nice mom, I know I need that time away from anyone else to revive.

Collin's good at giving me space when I need.  Or even when I don't need, to store up some people-energy for the future.  He'll close the bedroom door and manage breakfast time until I'm ready to face the world after meditating.  He'll take the kids out on a Saturday afternoon so there is no one even breathing in my vicinity.  He'll kick me out the door (kindly, of course) for a walk.  The children are learning when to steer a little clear of me.  They are also becoming very alert to the times when I am feeling fully charged with playful, touching, talking energy and capitalizing on those moments.  We all love those moments.

I sense that Davy and Eddy may both be introverts.  Eliza seems to thrive on social interactions, without seeming as weary from them as I remember either of the boys being.  It's still early to label one side or the other, certainly.  In helping my children figure out how to best manage their energy and their ability to succeed with people and with themselves, I want to make sure they understand that neither one is better than the other. Being an introvert isn't better or worse than being an extrovert.  I feel it's important to know early on which side you tend so you can restore yourself properly to be the nicest, truest person you can be.

Land's End and All the Rest (end of Cornwall)

Before leaving Land's End we needed to get all the way to the tip of Land's End.  So we peeked over the edge of the furthest tip of England and then headed on our way to our next adventure (involving a beach and a loooong drive home).  But first, that beach and the rest of the assorted pictures and memories of our Cornwall trip.

On the Lizard we wanted to find a beach to settle down and enjoy our last few hours.  We wanted to be able to search for Legos, mostly.  Many years ago now there was a huge cargo box that fell overboard crossing the ocean.  The box had millions of Lego pieces in it, and people have found Legos washed up on shore on the southern coast of Cornwall for the past decade.  Most if not all of the pieces have been found by now, but it was worth a try to look in the crevices of the rocks and see if any were there for our boys to find.

We didn't find any Lego pieces, but our private little cove, called Church Cove, was utterly delightful.  There was a little cave that seemed just right for a smuggler to use and the water was so blue and blissful.

Beach bum and pirate girl ahead!

 

He wanted to climb to the top.  Erm, maybe I am pretty nervous about our boys growing bigger and older but staying with a kid mind-set when it comes to rocks and things.

Davy sent a message across the Atlantic for our Boston friends.  You can pick it up later this summer.

Clotted cream ice cream is a must have treat, made locally in Cornwall.  Really yummy.  Davy kept wanting sips of Collin's Coke drink.  No, Collin needed that to stay alert while driving us all around (and in the terrible traffic to and from Cornwall) and caffeine and six-year-olds are just not a good idea!  He doesn't need that kind of energy, with what he's got naturally!

This was a trip, with lots of time in the car traveling from place to place.  The times it felt most like a holiday were the hours after dinner when we were ready to play.  I loved watching Collin play frisbee and just run around with the kids on the lawn outside the hostel.

The post office building in Tintagel village was lovely.  A perfect example of how strong by flexible a building has to be to survive the harsh coast.  The wavy roof, yes.

Golden hour as the sun set over the ocean horizon.