Visit to Windsor

It has been a few weeks ago now, but I wanted to document our trip to Windsor. We left on a Sunday morning, skipping church and headed down to Windsor. It is right outside London. The drive took us a little over two hours. We headed straight to Windsor Castle. We went there last summer, but that was when President George W. Bush was visiting the Queen at Windsor castle. So, obviously the castle was closed that day. It is such a beautiful castle from the outside, we wanted to go back and tour it. Windsor castle is one of the homes of the Queen.
They had free audio tours and kid ones too. That is what all the kids are holding up to their ears in the above picture. The girls just thought they were phones and had conversations on them the whole day. It was pretty funny. Andrew listened intently through the whole tour. (I couldn't even listen that long.) When we finished, I asked him what he learned. He said he learned that when you listen to someone talking for two hours it gives you a head ache. I told him he didn't have to listen to all of it and he said, "he didn't want to miss anything." The facts and such he picked up from that tour are amazing. He has taught me a few things.

We were able to see a huge doll house that was given as a gift to the Queen's grandmother sometime around 1912. The detail and intricacy were amazing. One of the workers in that exhibit came up to us and was telling us about the doll house and how everything in it works. It has running water from the taps, and the sewing machine, lights, etc. all work. It was incredible.

We also saw two giant (by this I mean girls size) dolls that were given to Queen Elizabeth and her sister Margaret when they were children from France. They came with a whole wardrobe of clothing, accessories, boxes and even a little car. They were gorgeous as well.

Steve and a tower from the castle

Whenever we visit castles, the boys search out the canons. They love canons, the bigger the better. They also want their picture taken with them.

Mommy and the girls

Mom, Tristan and Nathanael watching the armed guard across the courtyard.

After we left the castle, we stopped for some yummy ice cream before heading to our hotel for the evening.