Cadbury World and Castle Combe

 Last weekend we took the kids to Cadbury World in Bournville, Birmingham.  We learned how chocolate was made and the history of Cadbury.  We rode the cadabra ride which is a beanmobile that rides through a  village of cocoa beans.  The kids loved it!  We played with melted chocolate on marble slabs making designs and Abigale wrote her name in chocolate.  My favorite part was the tasting area where we got a cup of warm liquid chocolate with a topping of our choice.  It was very rich and yummy.  Before the tour started we got 8 chocolate bars and also bought a few of our favorites in the worlds biggest store.  So, we left with enough chocolate to last us a while I hope.  
I recently discovered that the Cadbury chocolates sold in America is not produced in England but by Hershey's chocolate in America, so the chocolate tastes a little different.  Chocolate made in England tastes creamier and richer.  It's delicious!! 

 

the Cadbury cocoa bean

huge chocolate bars

lots of chocolate!

please mommy!!

cup of warm chocolate - yum!

more chocolate!!

chocolate bar bigger than Cole

London sign made of 2 pence coins

adventure playground

Cole loved splashing in the puddles.  Too bad I forgot his wellies.

Selly Manor dates back to the 1300s. Down the street from Cadbury World.

tropical rainforest where the cocoa bean was discovered

Replica of Bull Street where John Cadbury opened his first shop in 1824

All the chocolates we brought home! The Green & Black's Dark Chocolate is my favorite.

We also walked the village of Castle Combe last weekend.  We've driven through it several times and have always wanted to walk through it and have lunch in the pub.  We discovered that the recent movie War Horse was filmed in Castle Combe.  It's known as the prettiest village in England. 

St. Andrew's Church

Posting about War Horse being filmed in the village

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The Manor House Hotel

The village pub where we had lunch

Abigale's cheese sandwich

fish and chips

Yippee! I passed my driving test. Glad that's over with. Took the kids to Jungle Chums soft play to celebrate and a cuppa tea with friends. Ive never enjoyed tea so much before living here. I have at least three cups a day with a little milk. Thought the milk thing was weird at first but now I love it!

Here are some new pictures of the kids.  A few weeks ago we had our first snowy weather and Abigale enjoyed playing in it.  She is out of school this week for half term break and we've had a few play dates with a friend from class.  Over the last few weeks the kids and I have been fighting colds and pink eye. I've been doing my practice drives with an instructor every weekend getting ready for the test which is tomorrow.  Andy passed his test last week with no marks - perfect score. Hope I pass!!

Cole in his new Mickey hat

Abigale playing in her first snowy day in England

Olivia painting with Abigale after school

pumpkin valentine's day pancakes

Driving in England

Andy and I are getting ready to get our England driver's license. We both have passed our written theory test and now are practicing for our driving test next month. We have to pass and get our license before March which will be a year since we moved to England. Boeing will take your car away if we don't have a license after a year of living here. We both have gone on drives with an instructor that most have used in Boeing. Driving with an instructor helps tremendously in passing your test. England has so many signs on the road, bicyclists, bus lanes, roundabouts, different kinds of cross walks, checking your mirrors before signaling, using the hand brake when stopped at a light, etc. Then learning different maneuvers like backing around a corner into a side street. I just can't wait to get it done and over with. Luckily the instructor helping us is wonderful so I think he will have us prepared and ready to pass.
We have just booked our trip to Italy. I am so excited - i've always dreamed of going there. We are going in April and staying in Rome for 4 nights at the Marriott. Then getting a car and driving through Tuscany and staying in an olive oil resort just north of Florence called Villa Campestri (http://www.villacampestri.com/). We will stay there for 4 nights and explore the country side, vineyards, and Florence. Then drive to Pisa and fly home. Can't wait!!

Here's some pics from around the house.

baking pumpkin muffins

Dr. Cole

Cole LOVES Mickey!

Abigale made jam tarts at school this week.