Bucket list: Scotland? Check!

Wow.  This post is VERY tardy.  Our trip to Scotland was way back at the end of the May.  What's my excuse?  


Don't have one.  Nope.  


Although, now that I look at the photos, that is my excuse.  These are really, REALLY bad travel photos.  Must be because I know we will be going back there.  


For an extended amount of time.  So I can retake the photos. 


Oh, and live there.   


We spent most of our time in the Edinburgh and Stirling areas, trying to get a bit of the "lay of the land". 

And beautiful land, it is.  {Do you see now what I mean about the horrible travel photos?}

J#3 was a fantastic tourist though.  Ready for any kind of weather. 

Checking out the weapons sights. 

Schooling Daddy on the appropriate way to do the "hands on the hips".  And no, he didn't learn that from me.  

Okay,  maybe he did.  {They sure do imitate us, don't they?}

So our weekend was filled with checking out Edinburgh and Stirling, with J#1.  Then he was off to work for the week, and me and the littles were on our own.  Driving on the "other" side of the road.  

Happy to report, I was successful at it.  Mostly {a story for another day}.  Although, it DOES take a lot of concentration.  

So, what did we do?  Shop, of course!  Found a great outlet mall near Stirling (with a Gap! score!) that had the best play area. 

At the base of the hills.  Fun for J#3, and great sights for Mom.  

Nice and level locale for J#4's stroller.  Because at four months, she wasn't really so active. Although if we were back there now, this place was clean enough I would let her crawl around. 

Everybody's happy.  Until we head into the handicap bathroom (where the changing tables are) and J#3 pulls the "emergency string".  Eek.  {Shudders at memory.} 

Okay, moving on.  

Other than shopping, we ate at a lot of restaurants.  When you stay at a hotel, that is what you have to do.  And it actually got a little old for me.  {Huh?  Did I just write that?   Yes, yes, I did.  Guess all of this homemaking is really getting under my skin.}

Most of the restaurants we visited had play areas for J#3.  LOVE!  With J#4 at her age, it was almost like me and the mister were on a date!  

What are J#4 and I looking at here?  J#3 on this huge, HUGE, HUGE play set.  Some random little fella actually helped him all the way to the top. 

And to my great relief, he helped him all the way down.  A random eight or nine year old.  What a sweetie.  

So, needless to say...we have a bit more "touristy" stuff to do in Scotland.  Luckily we will have about two years (hopefully) to do it, right?  But, I am crossing Scotland off of my bucket list.  I was there.  And saw some sights.  

Oh, and since this is the post with the WORST travel photos ever, just thought I would send it off on the right note. 

Worst. self. portrait. ever.   

P.S.  We still aren't sure exactly when we are moving.  As soon as I hear, you'll hear.  

P.S.S.  I am determined that we are going to hear something about it this week.  But then, I really have NO power in this, whatsoever.      Except to put "The Secret" to work.