The Annual Neighbourly Camp Out!

[Disclaimer: this is a post I wrote in August and forgot to publish. Thought I might as well now]

Every year for the past few, all our neighbours have spent one weekend each summer camping together, we cook over a fire, find big hills for sunset watching (then subsequently miss the sunset usually), toast marshmallows, go for long walks, climb and swing through the trees on makeshift rope swings, stargaze, giggle, and chat long into the night, singing and strumming by the fire before we all get as warm as we can in sleeping bags and begin again the next day.

It is wonderful. It's so nice to escape the city sometimes, breathe fresh air, forget any worries and log off the internet.

This year, we headed to Hampshire for the weekend and set up camp in the woods (but not too far from the loos!) - it was gorgeous and felt like we could be in the middle of nowhere far far away from the city.

Here are some photographs from our trip:

Things that happened this year: the synchronised wake up, the tooth brush dance, the 'Fresh b-m' joke, guitar strumming into the night, the time when we got seen frolicking by the owner and he eventually joined in which had us in hysterics, singing the sound of music, going for long walks, a visit to the town to pick up ice lollies and to find the house we always dance in front of, getting the rope swing stuck over the tree, having our camp invaded by random strangers one morning as they got lost when walking the dog, lots of lovely conversation and singalongs and funny games. I have so much love for this crazy bunch of people and am very happy that they always let me gatecrash their camping trips :)


Are you a fan of camping? Any funny stories to share?

The most wonderful time of year....

Christmas is my favourite: family time, Christmas music, festive head wear, lots of games and so much food and it is always so much fun!
This year was extra special, after living away from home for the first time and getting to come back and be swept away in the festive spirit! It is so nice to be back with family and friends and to spend time with them.

The past week has been so wonderful:

Wednesday: Woke up in my own comfy bed happy to be home, with a cat by my side, hung out with my sister (Lula) in the morning and then reunited with my one of my best friends in the afternoon, we did some Christmas shopping, had hysterics about talking key rings and caught up, in the evening, Lula and I decorated the 'tree of horrors' (as is tradition) while listening to festive music, and decided to rename it the 'leaning tower of horrors' due to the awkward way it stands on an angle.

the tree of horrors in all its glory.

Thursday: Was very rainy, met up with Lici and Darina and we braved Winter Wonderland, on the hunt for chocolate fruit and a sunset over the serpentine, but we ended up in EAT before strolling all the way to south ken, stopping to browse in Harrods and gaze in awe at pretty Disney-themed window displays, drool in bakeries and take silly photos!

Winter Wonderland adventures with Lici and Dari, + chocolate strawberries

Friday: A late lazy start, followed by meeting Eilean at Embankment and going for a five mile wander through Central London stopping for juice and brownies at Borough market, and to watch the skaters at the tower of London, admire Christmas lights, attempt to take bokeh-ey photos all the while as we caught up on our month apart! Then we headed back to hers for chicken goujons (our favourite), ukelele playing and bridget jones which made a giggle. We stayed up chatting until 2, giggling about our amazing ability to make every taylor swift song somehow relate to cheese.

our walk, from embankment to tower bridge along with London lights, delicious juice and
somerset house stop off. All with Eilean.

Saturday: Woke up at Eilean's house and we didn't manage to get out of bed until 11, when we finally got our act together, I headed to the station (oh, how convenient it is to have the tube, except when the destination of the train changes three times in one journey - make up your mind!) and met my auntie to do some last minute (but much needed) Christmas shopping, then we went to her house, for cousinly catch ups and gingerbread cookies. Then, our household had a Strictly finale party with all our neighbours and a projector, which involved made-up songs about turkey and crackers, various people dressing up as Santa Claus, a bit of glitz and lots of dancing, I love the Crescent Crew :)

Strictly party with the crescent. 

Sunday: (Christmas Eve Eve): More fun with the Crescent Crew (our neighbours/like family), first a trip to the park, scaring all of the passers-by with our festive singing and Kayleigh's echo from the trees, and then filming a sequel of sorts to our silent movie, which I am so excited to finish editing! It was so much fun and we had lots of giggles.
EDIT: Here is the finished film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpA-TLKKF7g

Our dance party at the end of the silent film! 

Monday (Christmas Eve): Always a busy day! Spent the morning wrapping other people's presents in a shopping centre for a wonderful charity with Lula, and then watching Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger in the afternoon with Mama, Tom and Jenny, which was very funny, though we got more hysterical when we got stranded on the side of the road not knowing where Jenny and the car were.... The rest of the evening was spent wrapping presents and preparing for the big day :)

Tuesday (Christmas Day): Our Family woke up at around 9 and we all sat around, giving gifts and opening presents together with the cats, then after eating chocolate for breakfast (tradition), we all got dressed and started preparing the food and clearing up the house (I was on parsnip duty), and then went over to our neighbours house for drinks and festivity, we chatted and ate and drank and mama managed to tip a plate of dips face down on the floor which caused widespread hilarity/mess. I love the neighbours so much! After  having my hair curled by K and C, I went back to our house and our family started arriving, we all sat around chatting and singing for hours, didn't finish Christmas lunch until about 6 when we started at 2.30pm, had a delicious dinner, ate so much, had an hour long conversation about male pattern baldness (don't ask), did the mobot in sync, played cards, gave gifts (and received some beautiful things) and just enjoyed each other's company! I love Christmas Day, after Doctor who and a sad episode of Call the Midwife and a cold walk around the neighbourhood, the extended family headed home and Mama and I watched Nativity! and laughed our faces off! Christmas to me, is about family and it was so lovely to see everyone and spend the day with all of us together just being jolly and festive :)

Christmas Day Collage.

Wednesday (Boxing Day): Boxing is always like a second Christmas Day to our family as we usually have the other side of the family around which is always fun. This year, we had my Grandad and his wife of 4 months Lauraine, who has been like family for a few years but they finally tied the knot in August. They arrived at about 12 with their two terriers in tow (who scared one of our cats into hiding) and we all caught up (as I hadn't seen them since September) and had roast beef and yorkshire puddings for lunch which was delicious, then we all sat around chatting in the living room, listening to Christmas carols and chatting. When they decided to start the drive back to Suffolk, they offered to drop me at my Aunt's house where the rest of the family were having the annual Christmas game night, so I went there for musical chairs (family tradition), Mister Hit, Wink Murder, Antler Hoop-la (best most hilarious game ever) and the 'tray' games. My Grandma was reduced to tears of laughter quite a few times, we all got hysterical and ate dessert and played games, and then G + G dropped me home in time to watch the new series of MIRANDA (oh how I love that show!)

Boxing Day Collage.

Out Antler hats and musical chairs. 

It has been the most brilliant and wonderful Christmas, I think going away has made me appreciate home so much more!
Hope that anyone reading this had a very Merry Christmas :)

Love Ellie x