Camperdown Country Park

A few weeks ago we attempted to go to a Food and Flower Festival up in Dundee at a place called Camperdown Country Park. We didn’t bring cash and their ticket system would not take our bank card (they use a “chip and pin” system here and some places are not equipped for swipe cards) so we weren’t able to get in. After being super frustrated for a few minutes, we realized that there was a sign that said, “High Adventure Play Area” with an arrow pointing down the hill. So off we went. We discovered the largest playground we have ever seen!! It is ginormous. Imagine a big park in L.A. and multiply it by 5. They also have a wildlife park right next to it. So that day we played for a bit but then had to head back. So we’ve been wanting to return ever since. The weather forecast said Saturday was going to be one of the last sunny days for quite some time so we loaded up on the train and headed into Dundee. The boys had a blast!!

While on the train, the boys looked so cute in the light coming in the window that I decided to snap their pictures. When I first told Eli to smile, this is what he did! Stinker!!

 

Then Daddy started being goofy and this was his response. SO CUTE.

    

Its much easier to get this boy to smile…..

So we finally arrived at the park and the boys had tons of fun. I love this shot of my boys. All walking exactly  the same.  :)

Always together….

After running around at the park, we headed over the wildlife center.

A goat…

Ponies..

A wolf. Jayden was VERY excited about this one. They read a book about wolves at school and he has been talking about it EVER since.

A bear…WOW.  This particular one is a European Brown Bear.

This was a red bellied lemur. It was so cool to watch it jump from branch with lightning speed. Eli would laugh hysterically when it would move really quickly. He LOVED it.

And just a couple pictures of our walk back to the bus. Beautiful!!!!

the park across the street

We have a wonderful park across the street from us. Literally, a 2 minute walk. The boys love to take their soccer balls over there and kick them around. There isn't any playground equipment but I love watching them find ways to play and ways to be creative without it. I took them over there yesterday, even in the COLD, to burn off some energy. I remembered to bring the camera this time!!!

This picture is of our house from the park. The three windows on the right (of the building farther away. The one closest to Eli is the back of our local convenience store!) are ours. The far left one is Eli's room, the middle one (with the foil on one side to darken it) is Jayden's and the far right is our living room. The kitchen, bathroom, and our room face the back parking lot of our building. :) Not quite as nice a view. Oh well.

Pretty stinking cute

Ok, so now pictures of the boys, which I know is what you grandparents and the like really want to see!! :) 

This is the face Eli makes now if you ask him to smile. So silly!!!

His face is a bit fuzzy but isn't he just BEAUTIFUL (if I do say so myself?! And, oh wait, I do!)

so silly

There's a very cool memorial at the park for the "Great War" (WWI). It lists all the men who fought and died from our small town of Guardbridge. Sadly, Eli does not understand the solemnity of it all and loves to climb on it.

For some reason, they both love to lay on this bench. Unclear on why. 

This boy LOVES to run!

I just love this shot. I am going to enlarge and hang it on the wall!! It totally captures their personality at this point in time!!!

The colors are starting to change!!

We are doing well for the most part. Jayden is loving preschool and asks to go all the time. We may switch him to four or five days a week instead of three. We'll see. Eli is fully 2. He needs constant supervision as to not destroy himself or our house. We take him to a couple playgroups during the week while Jayden is at school and he enjoys them. Dan is busy with schoolwork but also spending lots of time with us, which is so nice!!! And me?!? I'm busy trying to keep up with laundry, dishes, the boys, running whenever possible, and getting some sleep too!!! I'm homesick here and there but mostly doing well. :) It helps to know we'll be home before Christmas! 

Alrighty, that's all for today!!!

the faces of snack time

Just some shots I took while the boys snacked yesterday!!

Bonkers and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SWEET ELENI!!!!

We decided to take the train into Cupar to visit Bonkers, an indoor play area we visited our first week here. The day was kind of gross and rainy so it seemed like a good way to pass the time. 

Here's a view from the train....

The boys playing...

Eli was on a mission for sure

Jayden had a blast!!!

Eli loves the ball pit!!

Later on that day, we headed over to the Adams' house for Eleni's FIFTH birthday celebration!! 

I caught this shot of four of the kids riding Daddy/Uncle Dan like a horse. I love this shot!!!

Other than that, things are well here. Jayden is thoroughly preschool and doing well there. He comes home and jabbers on and on about all the things he did and saw. Eli went to a toddler playgroup in town today for the first time. He loved it and was very excited to have something that was "for Eli." Today marks four weeks since we arrived and it honestly has FLOWN by. We are enjoying small town life and being with Sam, Andrea, and the kids. We miss everyone at home, though, tremendously, and are already looking forward to reunion hugs in December.

Stay tuned for more posts as we take more pictures!! :)

Love to everyone.

air show

There is a huge air show just up the road from where we live every year. Thankfully, we got here in time to see it!! The boys loved seeing the planes but it was LOUD and that freaked them out a bit.

So enjoy these pictures of the planes...

I thought this was a great picture of Scottish weather...beauty with blue sky and puffy clouds with storm clouds hanging over!! :) 

first day of school!!

We were so excited to get Jayden into preschool here!!! He started this past Wednesday and will be going three days a week from 9AM-11:30AM

Here he is, ready to go the first morning

  

The boys ready to head out!

Here’s the front door of  Jayden’s school

The view walking up…

The outside yard which he LOVES

Eli was QUITE sad he didn’t get to go to school so we took him to the park in an attempt to cheer him up. It kind of worked. :)