So we've just got back from an A---Mazing break in Longleat Center Parcs.
My Friend L and her Husband J, my Husband, me and the little man all arrived on a cold Monday morning ready for adventure .
We stayed in a lovely 2 bed room Executive Lodge. Although they had one on site we took our own Travel Cot. Anyone reading this blog know if you're traveling with an infant you need at least Triple the amount of stuff you would need if it was just the two of us.
So we had our car stuffed to the rafters but that why it so nice having a lodge you can bring the comfort of home you need for the little one...
So on the first night we went to Hawtons Bar and Grill and to start the holiday I had to have a cocktail a long Island Ice Team. The food was lovely but I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture but I had Ham, egg and chips a classy classic :)
We then Visited the Parc Mart to pick up some essentials even though we brought a lot of stuff from home. The few things we didn't bring was crackle logs and Marshmallows
they are so yum covered in Chocolate.. Sticky gooey choco heaven..
Our second day was a bit of a wash out as the little one was a bit sick we tried a bit of pottery painting in the morning he did do very well for about 10 minutes. But with a 15 month old it's hard to keep there attention for any length of time so after a bit of squealing accompanied by some paint throwing the other half too him to the Park.
Which he loved there are so many little parks and field dotted about for the little on to burn off some steam. Also with the fact there are no cars allowed after the initial drop off of stuff, we even let him walk between venues well let him walk a bit before he wanted picking up lol
So with the little one being ill J&L cooked us an amazing Dinner of Chicken Fajitas, Salad and Tortilla Chips. They went to a lot of effort and it was so nice after having got the little one to bed to tuck into the Mexican goodness.
Next morning up early and a trip to Starbucks oh yes. J&L did a morning run and met us there. I do sometimes feel guilty about the lack of exercise I do. Especially if you go away with people who are very active. But I soon got over it when I realized it was freezing outside.
As we walked with the little one down the hill to the Gardin De Sport in the -1 temps I had a nice warming hot chocolate with extra cream.
The third day was better the little man was a lot more jovial and he managed to go to the Activity Den (Did have in booked in for two slots but with him being ill I didn't take him for his first session) for a 3 hour nursery session. It was brilliant a nice big space with soft play area and lots of toy. The little man headed right for the truck section.
So with him all settled in the adults headed for the pool. It was really nice having a bit of adult time as we where able to throw ourselves down all the slides, mess about in the wave pool and have a long relaxing spell in the hot tub.
But even though I enjoyed the relative calm of having the little one in Nursery. I'm always keen on getting him back I even called from the pool area to see if he was doing okay and turned up 1/2 hour earlier to pick him up. Although because he was having fun I left him till the end of the session.
He was all smiles and did a painting and according to the diary they gave you of his activities he enjoyed the soft play, playing with trucks and ate all his snacks.
That evening we went to our favorite restaurant at CP HUCKS it an american style diner and they do amazing chicken wings. The little boy wanted a hold so I was unable to take pics of my dinner as I had him in one hand and my fork in the other. In the last 15 months I have become an expert in eating with one arm :)
But at the end of the meal he settled down and I treated myself to a Dessert Cocktail that had Balieys, Mint Ice-cream and mushed up Oreos it was very rich but also very yummy.
After the meal the boys took the little one home and Me and L went out for a couple of drinks. Literally a couple I had a Margarita and long Island Ice Tea which did look like a Del Boy Special
We had a good old girly chat then when we got back to the lodge about an hour later than when the boys left us it was snowing. They had put the baby to bed had the fire on and some snacks out. I could get use to service like that.
The next day it was still trying its hardest to snow even got the little one out in it as it was his first ever snow. Don't think he was overly impressed but was so warm in his snow suite and fleece lined pram comforter,
Also feeling a lot better he enjoyed having a little run about in The Sports Bar. Where he got a free balloon and if the squeals of delight were anything to go by it was the best balloon ever.
The main activity for that day was "Outing with Owls". We mainly booked it because all of us could do it. It was good fun and I learnt some interesting stuff about owls. did you know that the colour of their eyes denotes if they are (Yellow Iris) hunt in the day (Orange Iris) hunt at dawn and dusk or (Brown Iris) hunt at night.
That is one of the great things about being a parent as I get to do all this stuff that I probably would have normal done and I'm learning a whole load of new things. Also seeing the wonder in his face it just magical he was so fascinated by their flying, couldn't keep his eyes off them.
Another hidden treasure of the Longleat Center Parcs is they have a cluster of Giant Redwoods. Now I would love to see the really big ones in the states but these ones are pretty good. We could see the moon behind them and it was like we where on Endor (yes I have overactive imagination).
As it was our last afternoon we had a indulgent lunch at The Pancake House.
I didn't bother with a main I went straight for the dessert and had a Banana Caramel Chocolate Pancake Stack. It was so wrong but so right and probably a million calories.
After a brief period to let the food go down we ended up in the park next door I had a go on the Zip Line, my face of horror at the end seemed for my husband to be the funniest thing about the trip lol
Then we finally got the little man to the pool. We would have ideally loved to spend every day in there with him but with him having a bad belly for the first two day we decided against it as it would have been flirting with disaster.
He loved it, their toddler pool facilities are great with little slides and water jets. He had a great time splashing about going down the slide and playing in the jets of water. A great way to knacker him out in the afternoon so he goes to bed on time.
As the girls went out the night before the boys went off to play pool and pick up a take away from the "Dining In" facility on the site. So we got the baby to bed just in time for them coming in with all the take away.
So we finished of a bottle of Fizz and ate a big mix up of Pizza, Indian and Chinese a great final night.
My Verdict of the break it was great a perfect get away spot for people with kids especially toddlers there was so much for them to do and with the onsite Nursery even gives you the opportunity to have a break and do something that they would be allowed to do. Next time I'm going to go on a segway lol
