We have spent most of the Christmas holidays at home, vegging out and stuffing our faces with more food than I knew was possible to eat. Yesterday I decided that enough was enough. We needed to go out and get some fresh air! We went to town and Little N and Ian went to get their haircut, so that they'll look smart for returning to work and starting preschool next week. We had a little wander around the shops, grabbed some lunch and then headed to Wymondley Wood to go exploring.
Living in north Hertfordshire we're really lucky to be surrounded by lots of countryside and green space, and Wymondley Wood is only a short drive from our house. It was created as an educational resource and features mostly oak and hornbeam. There are mixed plantations, grassy areas and lots of plants. In the summer it's really beautiful but it is equally as intriguing during winter months, too.
Ian is a Beaver Leader with one of the local units so he is very familiar with the wood as the Beavers often go there to explore. He led the way through the wood and found interesting things for the boys to look at. Little N was fascinated by the "Christmas trees"! We followed the footpath to walk all the way through and around the wood, and Little N was keen to take charge. We can't wait for him to be old enough to join Beavers as we think he already has the makings of a great Scout!
There is a stream which runs through the wood and often you can spot fish and other wildlife. It must have been too cold yesterday as there were none to be seen. Instead the boys had fun throwing sticks and stones in the stream to make big splashes. Such simple pleasures.
I don't think I really had appropriate footwear for a walk in the woods - yes they were boots but they had a bit of a heel! Little N had a better idea but wellies would have been ideal as it was quite muddy, particularly around the stream and pond areas. We all had a lovely time exploring though and I want to make more time in future for simple days out like this. Of course, there are no pictures of me, because nobody ever takes my photo! That is the one thing I would change about the day and I am determined to feature in more photos in 2016.
To keep Baby J toasty and warm on our day out, he was sent an outfit from George at ASDA's range of baby clothes. You can see his hooded duffle coat and lined jeans in the photos from our day but you can't see what he was wearing underneath! His full outfit is below. I love the combination of navy with the touches of yellow. He wore the stripy yellow top from the pack of three which looks great with the navy and grey buttoned cardigan.
