Snowdonia, Wales

It looks like it is official. We are going to Snowdonia in just two weeks! We are so excited. I have been planning this trip for 2 months, but with the exercise and TDY we are just now getting the opportunity to even ask for some leave time, which worked out perfectly.

They told Mr. Man since he had worked the last three weeks STRAIGHT they would give him a four-day weekend. I thought, "Oh how perfect. We wanted to go to Wales or Cornwall anyway." He agreed, and we decided on dates to avoid different Halloween parties we were invited to and a decent gap before Ireland. 


By the way, have I said that I love my husband's shop. Seriously, it is the best shop by far to us. Even though he works so much, I am completely content because they are so involved with everyone. I love it! Anyway, back to mini-vacation...


Originally, I wanted to go to a more beachy place in Wales. I wanted to get a cottage on the beach or in the middle of the sand dunes, which was near Swansea. I just wanted a nice, relaxing weekend with my two boys. Somehow that went through the wall because the place we were going to stay wanted a definite answer just a day before Mr. Man was approved for leave because someone else was asking for the property, too. In the end, it worked out because I had been researching a variety of areas. I even considered Scotland. If you know me, you know I always have a back up plan - sometimes multiple ones. Well, this is when it led us to Snowdonia. 


As I was doing research, I just kept saying to myself "There is so much I want to do and I would really like to go for a week, and I would rather go without Buttons so we can do everything." So I kept trying to go towards somewhere else because this trip was for Buttons after all, but everywhere else I had the same attitude, but the most fun of things that even Buttons could do was in Snowdonia.


I thought with it being early in my pregnancy it would be the safest and easiest time for me to climb another mountain. Actually, the largest one in Great Britain. It was something we wanted to do, but I really thought I would have to wait until the baby was born. However, that is not the case, so it looks like we will get to climb it in a couple of weeks. Mr. Man wants to do some fishing, and I want to do some laying around the marshes, lakes, and rivers while our baby boy has wide open spaces to act like a puppy. Sounds relaxing and perfect if you ask me. There's a few cathedrals, castles, tons of mountains, fishing, white-water rafting, etc. Or we can just be lazy. Either way, it will be great! 


The good thing is there is so much to do. Both relaxing and touristy. We are going to a mix of both since I have gotten majority of my energy back and can now eat just about anything and smell just about everything and not be affected. The first full day, we will probably climb because that is what we want to do the most. The second day we will go to a nearby town for the shopping and medieval/Victorian sites. Then we will come back and do some fishing and relaxing. The third day will be to do whatever we were not able to do that we wished we could do the day before, or climb another mountain. There is another mountain I would like to climb that is also nearby, but it will depend on how tired I am. 


I plan to eat yummy fish since I am from marsh, lake, beach area myself. I know that it will not be anything close to what they have in Louisiana, but I am sure it will be refreshing!


Oh, and we will be staying in another self-catering cottage. We love these because they are like houses, we can cook for ourself, and our boy can come with us. We can sleep in late and make our own breakfast without missing breakfast at other places. They are perfect (for us) and most of the time cheaper than hotels/B&B's. Ok, only sometimes, but if you do your research, it could be all the time. We definitely got a good deal on ours and it sleeps 6 to 8 people.

We are excited and can not wait!!