Blenheim Palace.

03.07

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As anyone who runs their own business will know, one of the biggest challenges is to take time off. Hence why it took me 6 months of pestering to get Jason to finally put a free week in his diary! We’d hoped to make it out to France to be with Tania and Freya, but since Ottilie’s passport didn’t arrive in time (boo!) we decided to just schedule in a load of family days instead.

It turned out to be one of my favourite weeks we’ve had together since Ottilie was born. We took Ottie swimming (she’s a water baby!), we had lunches out together (Franco Manca forever), we tag-teamed childcare to steal an hour to ourselves here and there…and, we day-tripped it over to Oxford for a visit to Blenheim Palace!

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The palace was easy as pie to get to, about an hour and a half’s drive from where we are in Surrey. We packed up a picnic, got on the road right when Ottilie was due her morning nap, and she snoozed the whole way! (Tell me it’s not just us who has a car-hating baby? If she’s awake we have maybe a 5-10 minute tolerance period before she wants out, and she isn’t shy about vocalising her feelings!!)

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^^ Those two <3 Ottilie LOVED spending a week with her Dadda, and when he left for work this morning she was so sad. It was the cutest thing <3 ^^

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Blenheim Palace is Churchill’s birth place and childhood home, and is without doubt the most beautiful stately home I’ve visited. We decided not to take a proper tour round the state rooms since we knew we’d end up missing most of it as we juggled Ottilie between us, but there was so much information laid out all round the rooms that I still felt I came away having learnt so much. Did you know Churchill predicted the day he was going to die?! And he was once heard to say ‘All men are worms, but I believe I am a gloworm!’. I love that!

Since we were there midweek the place was quite quiet, so in one of the empty rooms we let Ottilie have a whizz around on the floor since she was tired of being carried. We thought it’d be fairly quiet and discreet and that she wouldn’t get in anyone’s way…until she realised that the room had an amazing echo, and so spent a good five minutes shrieking and chatting to the ceiling. I’ve never known a baby love the sound of her own voice as much as Ottilie does, honestly!

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^^ This is the actual room Churchill was born in, and locks of his hair cut when he was just five years old are on display on the headboard. Isn’t that amazing? ^^

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With the tour finished, a tea pitstop was in order. Ottilie shouted ‘GUCK!’ over and over at some ducks (She’s all about the animal words! Cat is ‘cak’ and dog is ‘gog’!), and Jason read ‘Dear Zoo’ three times on the trot.

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We finished up with a mosey around the rose gardens, and whilst I made notes on the different flowers I want in my fantasy garden, Ottie moseyed around on the grass and handed each and every leaf she found to Jason one by one. Who needs toys, hey?!

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18 Comments
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  • https://www.whatlyddid.com WhatLydDid

    It’s clear that this little one will be bright as a button, and full of culture and appreciation! So glad that you were able to finally explore, i hope you are able to make it to France without too much more pestering.

  • http://natbeesfashion.blogspot.co.uk/ Anastasia

    Oh, I missed your family posts and days of exploring, especially your countryside posts!!! Keep them coming please! Ottilie is such a happy wee thing!

    xo
    Anastasia
    http://www.natbees.com/

  • http://www.annanuttall.com Anna

    Beautiful photos, I saw all your Instagram stories from last week and I was all jelly. Ottie is such a cutie and look like she enjoyed exploring the palace. Have a nice day. xx

    http://www.annanuttall.com

  • https://www.pe-ta.com Peta

    Oh Rosie what beautiful photos and an amazing place to visit. Ottilie is just adorable! It’s handy having somewhere close by, and I bet having some family days together was pure bliss.
    Peta x
    http://www.pe-ta.com

  • http://lizziedailyblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Elizabeth Rebecca

    It looks like such a lovely place and such a lovely day!

    https://lizziedailyblog.blogspot.co.uk/

  • http://bunniesaremagic.com Aleksandra // bunniesaremagic

    I absolutely adore Blenheim, I feel so lucky living next to such a beautiful place!

  • Peppermint Dolly

    Great shots of your little one!

    Rebecca
    xx
    http://www.peppermintdolly.com

  • http://www.immymay.com/ Immy May

    Oooooh this is just the sweetest. Sounds like a lovely week with the three of you, family time is just the best. Ottilie and Jason just melt my heart, so so lovely. Immy x

    http://www.immymay.com

  • Zara

    These are such lovely photos! The palace and grounds look so pretty and interesting, what a cute family day out! xx
    http://www.misszarabelle.com

  • http://thefrenchpier.blogspot.com/ Lucie

    Those pictures are so cute! And I really like the palace, it seem really lovely! I think it’s really important to take time off every once in a while, but I know for some people it is really really hard!
    Lucie, xx

    http://thefrenchpier.blogspot.com/

  • http://www.lovedbylaura.com/ Laura

    I love places steeped in history that you can really explore! Equally so I’m giggling at the thought of Ottie’s echoed shrieks – she must have been in seventh heaven!

    Laura xx | Loved By Laura

  • http://www.middleofadventure.com Laura Emilia

    Such a gorgeous place to visit, I’d love to go one day! Those gardens look especially beautiful – so neat and pretty! x

    Laura // Middle of Adventure

  • http://www.brittonloves.co.uk Lauren S

    Oh Otillie is such a cute dot, melts my heart!

    Lauren x
    Britton Loves | Lifestyle Beauty Wellbeing

  • http://soupandchampagne.blogspot.co.uk/ Katie Jane

    Haha a love how you write about Ottie – it just perfectly captures how tinytots deal with the world – especially the bit about the leaves!

    Really must get up to Oxford to have a proper look around (although I’m much more of a Cambridge girl myself ;) ).

    KatieJane
    https://soupandchampagne.blogspot.co.uk

  • http://annescribblesanddoodles.blogspot.com/ Anne

    Indeed, running your own thing can be so hard especially because vacations sound even more of a luxury. I’m glad you took this one though as it seems you guys have had a lot of fun. PS: Love that top! :)

    annescribblesanddoodles.blogspot.com

  • Our Love Challenges

    What cute pictures! Love this post, keep it up!

  • http://www.breakfast-breakfast.com Julie Lovell

    Looks like a lovely day! I am heading to England for the first time next month. Would love any recommendations you might have for places to see in the South!

    http://www.breakfast-breakfast.com

  • https://www.woodenwindowsills.co.uk woodenwindowsills

    This is just the sweetest day! Really glad you persuaded Jason to take a good chunk of time off work so you could do fun activities together! Alice xxx

    http://www.woodenwindowsills.co.uk

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