The LeCroy's Life Across the Pond...And Back!: One Long Week!

*Warning! This blog post is very long and heavy on the photos!

This week we spent a lot of time on the road and in a hotel. Mike had to work out of town and Liam and I went to keep him company! There is a small base outside of Harrogate, North Yorkshire called Menwith Hill RAF. The base only has a small clinic so it is one of Mike's outlying clinics. I REALLY wish Menwith Hill had a hospital or Mike was a secret squirrel because the area is beautiful!

We spent a lot of time walking around town and exploring Valley Gardens. Liam really loved the park area at Valley Gardens. I can honestly say I have not been to a nicer children's park and we have been to a TON all over the USA and UK!

Yes my friends! That is a shallow splash pool in the middle of a public park!

On Tuesday morning we visited Ripley Castle and even got a one on one guided tour geared just to Liam. They only allow children 5 and over in the home but they bent the rules. Our guide even let Liam touch and try on armour that had huge DO NOT TOUCH signs. It's interesting to visit these huge manor homes that the families still live in after 700 years and open up to the public. Great way to pay the staff I assume. Ripley also has beautiful gardens and a deer park. Liam was very worried about stepping on deer and cow pooh. I suppose he hasn't spent enough time enjoying Uncle Paul's farm to know what cow pooh is safe to step on.

On Wednesday we went to Stump Cross Caverns in the Yorkshire Dales. I am glad Mike and I decided to take Liam this trip because it would not have been fun to be really pregnant exploring the cave. Lots of narrow passages and low ceilings that required lots of hunched walking. This might be the only time I have ever wanted to be as short as Liam. He loved the experience and the spookiness of the cave. Liam is such an adventurous and curious child. I still can't figure out why he loved the spooky cave but hates a dark movie theatre.

We departed Harrogate Thursday morning, and due to some behavior issues we couldn't go to the National Train Museum like I had hoped. Mike and I did decide to not waste our trip home and stopped in Leeds at the Royal Armouries Museum. The museum definitely requires more than one visit! Their collections were very impressive. My favorite had to be the elephant armour. Who knew they used Elephants in battle? The museum has the most complete and impressive example of elephant armour. The museum even had an American Civil War area which is very rare in my opinion.