Two weeks after Reese graduated from Colorado State we took a trip of a lifetime with our kids.  We have been talking about taking a trip overseas with the whole fam for a few years and this year, we finally made it happen.  We all met in London since we were departing on different days and from different cities.  Shockingly, everyone arrived when they were supposed to and we didn’t miss a beat setting off on our adventure.

Let me start by saying that we realize that getting to spend two weeks together is an absolute privilege and we feel so fortunate that all of them were willing and able to make this happen.

We spent months planning this trip trying to ensure that everyone had a piece of the puzzle that belonged to them.  We didn’t want anyone to feel like they didn’t have a say or a part in what we chose to do each day.  So, amongst tours of Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the Changing of the Guard and the London Bridge were these amazing moments curated by all 8  of us.  

And what an epic adventure it was.  I have been trying to put words to the beauty of this trip since we returned, but it’s difficult to sum up all the places, the views, the laughter, the stories and the magic of all of us being together.  

On our first day together we all had afternoon tea at this fancy hotel in London.  I thought perhaps the girls might just want to do it, but to my surprise, everyone wanted to partake.  I am quite sure when the wait-staff said we could have additional tea sandwiches, they weren’t expecting all of the boys to ask for more of EVERYTHING.  They just couldn’t comprehend how they would ever be full at the end of our afternoon tea and yet, I can assure you they were. They also managed to win over the entire staff and had them giving them recommendations for their favorite pubs and restaurants.

Another London favorite was Borough Market.  We spent an afternoon here and likely could have stayed for hours more.  It was such a fun, eclectic food market full of people, music, fun and an energy that just buzzed through the entire place.  

After thoroughly stuffing ourselves, we decided to see if we could get tickets to the viewing gallery in the Shard, which is a skyscraper in central London.  They were sold out because we didn’t plan that one, but we still managed to talk ourselves into a bar on the 52nd floor for afternoon drinks.  It surely wasn’t the cheapest way to see the city of London, but it was worth it.  

As I said earlier, everyone had their own little piece of this puzzle, and Drew’s piece was finding the most obscure pub or speakeasy he could find.  We looked like 7 little ducklings following him around London as he navigated us to each of these unique bars.  One of our favorites was below a little diner.  We walked in and people were actually eating pancakes while we were talking to some guy in the corner who led us through a refrigerator door to a downstairs bar.  I mean, what were those people eating pancakes thinking when all 8 of us walked into the refrigerator?

London is full of history, theater, amazing pubs and restaurants, lots of energy  and it is not for the faint of heart.  Wear your walking shoes and be prepared for 25,000 steps/day.  So worth it.

After our whirlwind days in London, we took a leisurely train ride to Edinburgh.  

Edinburgh is full of history with the Royal Mile being at the center of what is considered Old Town. Edinburgh Castle sits at the top of the hill and Holyrood Palace at the end of the street.  The Royal Mile is full of history, tourism, pubs and lots of people.  There really isn’t any place like it and I think we could have spent a week taking it all in.  However, after just a couple of days  touring the castle, the vaults, indulging in gin and whiskey tours and hiking Arthur’s Seat, we began our guided tour of the Highlands.  

If you ever have the chance to visit the Highlands, go!  It is a beautiful region full of mountain ranges, castles, scenic dirt roads, highland coos, kelpies, gorgeous coastlines, bridges and of course, Loch Ness.  Around each corner, you will find such beauty that by the end of your journey you will begin to believe in all the magic that Scotland has to offer.

After 4 days, the boys traveled on for a distillery tour of the highlands and the girls headed back to Edinburgh for one of the highlights, if not THE highlight of the girls’ portion of the trip.  We went to see Taylor Swift at Murrayfield Stadium and we had the time of our lives.  Going to a concert that spans 18 years of music that has been the soundtrack of your girls’ entire upbringing was something none of us will ever forget.  We knew every single song and we sang for 3.5 hours straight.  It was amazing and the drama that is the ERAS tour is hard to even describe.  IYKYK.

After a once in a lifetime concert, we traveled to Glasgow for the final few days of our trip. Reese studied in Glasgow for a semester so she was the perfect tour guide.  Being able to see Reese in the place she loves so much warmed our hearts.  She took us to all of the historical sites, to the university, her favorite places to shop and dine and of course the place she and her friends spent so much time working out life, Oran Mor.  It’s an old church that has been revitalized into a pub, restaurant and theater.  It is the quintessential Scottish pub and we spent some quality family time there at the end of our trip just soaking up every last moment and memory with these kids.

After 12 amazing days, we said goodbye to the UK and these kids who absolutely made this trip worth it.  Traveling with family can be stressful and more than one person suggested that we were crazy for embarking on a trip with 8 strong personalities, in a different country for 2 weeks.  

They were wrong.  It was so worth the planning, the stress, the time, the money and yes, we have strong personalities, but that made it even more worth it. We would do it over and over again.

A huge shoutout to these kids who make everything worth it!