Monday, July 14, 2014

Guest blogger Alexandria Ingham "A Relaxing Holiday With the Family"

Its 3:10 pm

    I have reached out across the pond again for a guest blogger. Alexandria is a hard working wife,mother and social media business whiz. I admire her writing so I asked her if she would write a guest entry.
The one question I get when I ask a person to do a entry is "What do you want in terms on content"?
I simply say my blog is a personal one and they can submit what they think would fit.
Alexandria said she would try and think of a subject after coming back from holiday and I wrote back and suggested "why not the holiday itself"?
  We agreed on this....I have always found the term holiday charming so I asked Alexandria where it came up..she pointed me in the right direction and so after reading her entry,take a minute more and read how the term we here in the States call "vacation" became "holiday" in the United Kingdom.






A Relaxing Holiday With the Family



A Relaxing Holiday With the Family

     This time last week I was on the road back home. We’d gotten up at 3 am to make the almost six hour drive home in time for my husband to get into work to have paperwork signed off before professional exams that he completed a couple of days ago.

   Where were we? I hear you ask. We went on a family holiday to just outside Mablethorpe, near Lincoln, UK. It was a trip organised by my parents, and my sister and her fiance joined us so they all got the chance to see our daughter. With them living so far away from us now (well, so far away in the UK—four hours is probably nothing for those in the USA), they hardly get to see Little Monkey.
  It was a great break away. While I love my work and my life, sometimes I just need a break from it all. I like to be able to switch off the social media and the emails, and spend time doing things I wouldn’t usually.
   
  The first day we went to the Seal Sanctuary, where there was much more than seals around. It was the birds that Little Monkey loved the most, and we were fortunate enough to get a video of her running around in awe at them. The poor thing was tired though after the late drive we did the night before. In fact, all three of us were shattered and had to have a nap during the day!
   Our Monday was spent at a theme park that had a market. I think the market was the best part of the whole theme park, but that’s likely because I’m so used to the big rides at the bigger theme parks that these ones were a little disappointing. It was free entry to the park though, and you just paid for the rides you went on. We ended up going back a few days later but just for the market. I could see that place being great for the kids and families in the area since they get a day out without having to spend too much. The food was even reasonably priced, and was not  the usual fast food usually at theme parks. With it being by the seaside, there were the traditional seafood stalls that we get over here. I love crab sticks and packets of mussels and cockles from those stalls. It takes me back to being a kid and going to Bridlington and Scarborough on holiday.

   The highlight of the holiday has to be the trip to the farm closer to the end of the week. I’m really glad we decided on the one we did. It was just a 20 minute drive away (compared to the hour drive to the other one we contemplated), and Little Monkey loved the whole day. She got to run around without her reins, and was able to stroke some of the animals. There was even the opportunity to feed the animals, which we thought she’d freak at. Little Monkey loves animals but does not really like their faces coming up to her, so we did not think she’d take to the goats and sheep coming up to her hands. To our delight, once she saw me feeding the goats she wanted to do it. It was another part of the day that I was fortunate to get a video of.
 
(photo credit to the mighty David Gearing,Harrier ace)
  Of course, there were days at the beach. That’s got to happen when you go to a seaside resort, right? Well, this time last year we went to the beach and Little Monkey only wanted to sit on the sand and destroy sand castles that were built for her. This year, she decided the water was fun to splash in, and enjoyed putting on her Peppa Pig swimming costume to go for paddles. The attempt to dive into the water after watching other little ones do it—and then realize that it meant not being able to breathe!—did not put her off going paddling the next day.
  It was a holiday that I was really looking forward to, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. My next trip away is in August for a week, but that is volunteering for a church camp and not quite a holiday. In fact, it’s going to be one of the most tiring but rewarding weeks of the year—like it has been for a while. Before that though, we get a weekend at the Commonwealth Games since they’re in Glasgow (just a 30 minute train journey from us). We also have some plans to take day trips now that my husband’s professional exams are over and I finished my university module in May and don’t start the next one until next year. Between that it’s all work, but that’s okay since I love my job.
   Next month is also my daughter’s birthday, and I want to do a cake with the Minions from Despicable Me. She loves that movie, and loves the little yellow creatures. I thought I’d trial my attempts at doing the minion faces on something smaller first, so made cupcakes while we were away. We did do an early birthday for her since my parents and sister won’t be able to see her on her actual birthday as they live so far away. The Minion cupcakes turned out really well, so now I’m looking forward to trying a birthday cake.

What plans do you have for the summer?


Michael here....

   So in trying to find out why the English call going on vacation "holiday",this is what I found

vacation
late 14c., "freedom or release" (from some activity or occupation), from O.Fr. vacation, from L.vacationem (nom. vacatio) "leisure, a being free from duty," from vacare "be empty, free, or at leisure" (see vain). Meaning "formal suspension of activity" (in ref. to schools, courts, etc.) is recorded from mid-15c. As the U.S. equivalent of what in Britain is called a holiday, it is attested from 1878.
holiday
1500s, earlier haliday (c.1200), from O.E. haligdæg "holy day; Sabbath," from halig "holy" (see holy) + dæg "day" (see day); in 14c. meaning both "religious festival" and "day of recreation," but pronunciation and sense diverged 16c. As a verb meaning "to pass the holidays" by 1869.

Anyone here going on vacation or holiday (or in my case,a staycation) and if so,where are you going?


My thanks to Alexandria for sharing her holiday with us...to learn more about her and her writing,she has a Facebook page that you visit and "Like"

If you are on Twitter,feel free to follow me 
@Jinzo_2400



56 comments:

  1. We try to go one at least one nice one each year. This summer we're headed to Space Camp for a weekend family experience. It's in 3 weeks and we can't wait!

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    1. Enjoy Space Camp! I like to holiday at least once a year just to get away from everything and spend time with just my family.

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  2. I love reading your varied posts.
    I actually love staying in the UK for holidays.
    :)

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  3. I don't have any set-in-stone holiday plans coming up. Hoping to make it to London this year, as well as Germany a couple of times! I'm moving t oa new city so thats a vacation in itself I feel.

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    1. Good luck with the move. I'm in the middle of one right now. Wasn't really planning on moving until shortly after our holiday. Fun times!

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  4. I am doing a staycation for sure. I love all the pics in this post!!

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    1. Our staycations happen at Christmas now since having the wee one. Our parents come to visit us instead. My parents have already booked their "hotel" (our sofa bed) for Christmas week. Next summer we might do a staycation as my parents want to take my daughter on holiday on their own. Gives me and hubby a chance to ourselves.

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  5. We are going on a cruise in august.. cant wait to fully unplug for a week.

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    1. Enjoy your cruise! I would love to do one of them again.

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  6. sounds like you had a great holiday. thanks for sharing it.

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    1. I really did. You're welcome. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

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  7. All in all, it sounded like a great holiday. You still have plenty of fun coming up too. I have several trips ahead as well!

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    1. Yes, it really was. And there is definitely much more to come. Once August is over, that will be it until Christmas then though, so we're making the most of it.

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  8. Looks like you had a great time! Loved seeing all the pictures you took

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  9. I love your pictures! It sounds like you had a great holiday. I hope the birthday cake comes out well!

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    1. The birthday cake turned out a lot better than I thought it would. And everyone loved it. More importantly, a little girl really enjoyed it and I did get an "oh wow!" from her once she saw it with the candles to blow out.

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  10. What a fun and amazing getaway. I need one of those soon, lol...

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    1. I believe taking one every year is helping to keep me sane. It definitely helps with work since it means I know I have a week coming up where I just get to unplug.

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  11. Thanks for sharing your fun holiday. Love the variety of pictures. Stared at the cat the longest. What a heart-breaker-cutie. No getaway plans for me,

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    1. Thanks! That's a shame about no getaway plans, unless you're enjoying a staycation or just a few day trips out.

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  12. Nice blog - I feel I'm the luckiest person in the world then, as I ma actually kind of on holiday permanently - travelling the world as I run my business online...currently in Airlie Beach, Queensland...:)

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    1. I would love to live like that. Unfortunately it's not possible with a 2-year-old in tow. Hope you enjoy your lifestyle!

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  13. Oh my I love the cat! And of course hearing

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  14. Looks like an awesome holiday! I could use a relaxing holiday soon .

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  15. Looks like you had a great time on your trip. Those are some beautiful pictures too.

    Michelle F.

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  16. Looks like a great guest post. Fun vacation. Awesome holiday, or as I say, "Vacation"

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  17. We just got back from a two week trip to NC and SC. We went to the Biltmore, Hot Springs and Lake Murray. Very relaxing.

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    1. Shelly I saw your comment about Lake Murray! I live about an hour from here and this is our favorite place to visit in SC. Glad you got to enjoy it. Made me curious as to where you are from?

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  18. Great choices! We just did a staycation recently ourselves staying at a near by hotel and just hanging out at the pool the whole time!

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  19. A vacation is always nice. We also got away for the holiday and it was a terrific break. I love the pictures especially the big wave! Looks like a great time!

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  20. I haven't been on a real vacation in ... 10 years. LOL. I never have enough vacation time built up since my daughter's needs use up all my time off.

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    1. I am lucky in that working at home means that I don't need to worry about time off and using up holiday dates. My husband's time off has been iffy with having professional exams, but we make it work to make sure we all get at least a week to go away.

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  21. My son loves Despicable Me too. And of course you must go to the beach if you're at a beachside resort. :)

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  22. Wow, what a relaxing vacation. I think we just had one vacation this year. I want to go to the beach and I miss that last summer.

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    1. Glad to hear that you got away. Last year was the first time in a while, and I'd forgotten how much I missed it.

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  23. Sounds like you guys had a great trip together. We are going on our family vacation next week to the beach and we are so excited.

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  24. Oh looks so fun!! We had a vacation back in May that we will remember for a long time because it was our first one of family of four.

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    1. That's brill! Our's last year was our first one as a family of three, so that's always going to hold a special place in our hearts too.

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  25. It looks like a wonderful vacation! I would love to be at a beach front resort!

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  26. What a nice holiday. My husband and I are trying to plan our vacation but we are having a hard time narrowing it down to one place.

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  27. That is an awesome cake for sure. It sounds like you had a wonderful time. We all need a vacation like that one sometimes. Sounds like you for sure have a busy schedule. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. It is a busy schedule but I wouldn't have it any other way. I definitely find the time for everything that I want and need to do.

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  28. What a great vacation. I love that minion cake I would like to make one I think I need a vacation too, a fabulous one LOL

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  29. We just got home from the Florida Keys and we had a blast. Swimming with the dolphins, parasailing and snorkeling. I want to go back.

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    1. Oh I am jealous! I'd love to swim with the dolphins. I've been to Florida twice but that was 13 and 14 years ago. I will get back there at some point in the future. Hopefully in a couple of years time when my daughter can really enjoy it.

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  30. There's a big difference between a trip and a vacation :) Vacation, for me, doesn't inlcude the kids lol. Looks like you had a great trip!

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    1. A trip for me is just a short journey somewhere, usually to the in-laws' or my parents' houses. A vacation (or holiday) is time away from work and to really be able to switch everything off. I wouldn't have it any other way than have my daughter with me, though, unless she was on her own little holiday with her grandparents, which will likely happen next year.

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  31. the pictures look good, we have been invited by a friend who lives in London for a vacation (both of us don't have kids), so we can enjoy much more.. we are looking forward to it..

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  32. What great pictures. I bet the kids had a blast! :) I love the minion cake but if I tried then the picture I would share would have the comment "nailed it" lol as in a pinfail waiting to happen.

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  33. Looks like fun. When I was little I thought the UK had a special holiday. I didn't realize until a couple years ago that they meant vacation.

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  34. I would love to take the little ones to an animal farm. They're such city slickers!

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  35. Great holiday, indeed! Now, I want to have vacay.

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  36. If holiday or vacation - it seems as if you guys had an awesome time :-)
    I love the UK and can't wait to go back and discover the south a bit more.

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