"Isn't Beatrix Potter the whole reason we came to England?" Jonathan asked on the way. Well, no, not exactly. But his question probably goes to show just how much we've talked about this excursion for the last few months.
After a three hour drive to the Lake District, we had lunch at the Beatrix Potter tea room then headed over to explore the "attraction" (think the Disney of Beatrix Potter). From there, we made our way to the author's home, Hill Top. An unexpected short ferry ride in order to get there was probably the highlight of the trip in the kids' eyes.
Through multiple readings and plenty of discussion, these stories and characters have become part of our family culture in a small way. As a result, what I loved most about our day out was seeing how natural the experience seemed to the kids.
They strolled in and out of rooms in the home, noticed places in the house that matched illustrations in stories, and introduced themselves to tour guides. It was if they were expressing, "Of course we belong in Beatrix Potter's kitchen, why wouldn't we?" I love this expression of confidence in themselves and in their place in our family.
"I remember I used to half believe and wholly play with fairies when I was a child.
What heaven can be more real than to retain the spirit-world of childhood,
tempered and balanced by knowledge and common sense."
~ Beatrix Potter
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