October Half Term Break with Grandparents

My parents came to visit us over half term break, and the kids had a long list of things they wanted to do with them which included 1,000 games of Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and Chutes and Ladders. We got to most of them, but R's list was quite long and the rest of us couldn't keep up so we had to postpone some of it for next time.

Our current house is pretty small, so kudos to my parents for being troopers about it and having a sleepover in the same room as G all week. I am thankful to my past self for buying the boys bunk beds that 1) had a double size bed on the bottom and 2) easily come apart to be two beds. That ended up working out great for guests (says the person not sleeping in a double bed).

Here's a quick recap of what we did this week in case you need a list of cool things to do over your next break.

• Hampton Court Palace: This was our third time here, but my parents' first. They always deliver on some fun activities for kids. This time it was Halloween so there were ghosts haunting the castle and themed rooms throughout. Note for next time: No need to stand in the crowd during the ghost parade, more fun to find them wandering the palace instead.

• Tower of London: This was our second time here, but also my parents' first. Last time we went we tired out before seeing everything, but this time I think we actually did most of it. They were also in Halloween mode with ghosts roaming and scheduled ghost performances. The Tower has wonderful views of the Tower Bridge and central London. I'm always amazed to be standing in a place that has been here for a thousand years.

• Quick Day Date with Nick: Looking back, I wish Nick and I would've planned a night away while my parents were here, but alas, we didn't so we snuck away for an afternoon. We had a coffee nearby and then went to King's Cross for lunch and some window shopping. Highly recommend Dishoom if you are in the area. They've reused an old railway transport shed, and you can still see the remnants as they have tastefully kept the history in the design of their restaurant.

• Royal Air Force Museum: R really wanted to go to the Imperial War Museum in central London, but we compromised with the RAF Museum as it was a lot closer to home and easier to get to. It was amazing! I highly recommend. Six hangars full of airplanes, pieces of history, and cool stories. It's actually on the site of an old air base during the war, and at least one of the hangars was original. My only little bitty complaint is that I wish the kids could go in more of the aircraft, but I understand the need to keep them intact. They did a nice job of having other bits and bobs the kids could climb on throughout. My 5 year old even shared with me what she learned about a plane found at the bottom of the ocean when we were done. Plus, there's a playground and cafe, so whoever organized this place knew what they were doing.
• Arundel: My dad requested a scenic train ride, and I maxed out my Gemini Pro allowance multiple times trying to find the best option. Gosh, there are just so many cool places to see by train from London that it was impossible to pick. The first 3/4 of this train ride had me second guessing myself and my research, but the last 20 minutes did not disappoint. You magically were thrown into the English countryside with rolling hills, sheep, and eventually Arundel Castle sitting on the hillside with the lovely village below it. Just ignore the first hour of the journey. Arundel is a quintessential English village with a castle (we didn't go into it on this trip), a cathedral (free to check out - highly recommend), and winding streets with independent shops and restaurants. Plus, if you walk into the town from the train station, there is a path that takes you away from the road and you have beautiful views of the castle. I wish we would've had more time there, but this time of year the days are short and we left before it got dark.

• Halloween: We spent Saturday carving pumpkins and getting asked every five minutes if it was time to trick or treat yet. Also, an impromptu trip to the high street because we couldn't find our pumpkin candles from last year. Note to anyone moving to the UK (or maybe just London): lighted jack o' lanterns by your door mean you are open for trick or treaters. We knew this, and we weren't going to be home to hand out candy, but the kids wanted to display their pumpkins anyway, so we took the risk. We blocked our gate with our trash bin and turned off all other lights hoping that would get the message across that we were not home, but nope. G finally made a sign that said "Out of sweets" and that did the trick. We were just going to leave a bowl of candy out, but last year no one else did that. It was a very fun trick or treating experience, with the kids actually having to ring doorbells (in the States everyone just had tables with candy in their driveways). G even got a lime - that's another story for another day. According to our British friends, they have never seen Halloween like this one.

• Sunday: We took my parents to church to show them where we go and for them to experience the differences. Then we hit up the farmer's market in town followed by a trip up to Alexandra Palace to catch a view of London. We introduced my parents to Christmas crackers, and then proceeded to Google for 20 minutes how they could get them in the States. Consensus: It will be hard to find ones that actually have the traditional snap.

And that's how we spent the kids' 8 days of half term break. Thankfully it rained a couple of days forcing us to relax here and there. We ate fish n' chips and pub food along with multiple trips to Dunn's Bakery. Plus, we took my parents over to the new house to scare them with its current state. I think the statement, "it's hard to picture what it will look like when it's done" is the understatement of the century.