Over the last few weeks we have been mentally sorting out our holidays and in some cases we have actually sorted our holiday.
Since we eloped and married in Whitby in 2012 we have used that same anniversary week as out annual holiday and this year was planned to be no different.
Just before Christmas Beth came home from school full of excitement over the History trip to Belgium and with no further information to hand we were seriously considering it.
A few days after she returned home with actual evidence of this excitable trip, not that we didn’t believe her more to the point, she can be known to exaggerate being a teen we wanted to ensure it was all systems go.
That’s when the penny dropped that in fact this wonderful school trip was going to take place midway through our already planned in motion annual holiday we give the choice to Beth of either coming on holiday with us or staying at her Dads and then going on the school trip … we were left out in the cold .. and the school trip won through and she headed off to get excited about not having to have her image squashed by the folks and a pre-schooler.
At first I was a little gutting that she didn’t want to spend the quality time with us .. but having found the image on this post that was me in the same year Beth is currently on my school trip to France 20 years ago .. I can’t fault her for not wanting to go with the olds on holiday …
That trip was *cough cough* interesting to say the least, I got sunburnt on the first day (a few hours after this picture) we visited some amazing places that even to this day I would love to re visit and on the ferry back home I was dared into having my hair chopped off into a short ear length bob (it was bottom length down my back) … to which everyone threw in their spare change. Although it left my mum gutted at the loss of all my hair and me still not admitting to this day that in fact it was the most dreadful cut in the world and looked awful … my Mum was right! (sorry mum)
Although Beth if you are reading this … come back with a haircut or worse and there will be words .. trust me that conversation with my Mum was not worth it!
Reminiscing about this trip has officially made me feel super old.. but also quite contended at the same time, it funny how old photos can do that for you sometimes.
Yikes I can well imagine the sheer horror on your poor mum’s face when you got home….naughty girl 😉
I loved my college French trip, there was a lot of drinking though…but I was 19 and drinking with my tutors.
lol we were too young to drink and our teachers took our drink allowance onto the coach on the way back!
Great story and magic moment indeed! I hope Beth has as much fun as you obviously did.
aww thanks Fiona is it wrong it terrifies me that she is going lol
Looking back at old photos is good and bad in equal doses. I love remembering the events, but not how long ago they were.
Monica i so am with you on that i was feeling lovely and nostalgic until i realised it was 20 whole years ago!
Loving that photo! I’m sure you’ll still have a great time, but can totally see why you’d feel a bit gutted. So bittersweet when they start growing up xx
i think its seeing such a magic time and although it feels like yesterday it was 20 years! lol
Nothing like a 20 year confession to your mum, I love it! My teenager would happily choose a school trip with his mates than a family holiday any day. really hope your teen’s reading this and listens to your hair cut advice.
lol i hope she does lol
You must have given your mum quite a shock when you came home. Hopefully Beth won’t get up to anything similar. I can remember going on school trips to France about that age and having a wonderful time.
it was one of the most amazing times of my teen years .. and France is a beautiful country too
Aawww I bet Beth will have a wonderful time! My biggest sis loved her school holiday to France. I hope you have a lovely time when you go too x x
awww thanks Lovely xx
Big step for your girl, she’ll have a fab time x
thanks Jeannette and a big one for me too 🙂 xx
I hope she has a wonderful time and comes back as she went! x
lol lol thanks Aby x
Hello there what a great photo! I hope she has a lovely time and enjoys every moment xxx #magicmoments
aww thanks lystra xx
Oh wow the hair cute thing made me chuckle because I had waist length hair through my teens and how I was tempted to cut it VERY short plenty of times. I didn’t do it though 🙂 Sounds like it was a very interesting trip indeed!
lol it was very interesting lol lol x
A big step for both you, I am sure she will have a lot of fun just like you did (fab picture by the way) this growing up malarky is really hard isn’t it!
lol its super hard Ellie, more so than i first thought
I bet she’ll have a great time! I’m not looking forward to the day my daughter comes home with one of those school holiday letters though!!
it was a little heart stopping! i just had never really thought about it lol
I can totally understand how this must make you feel, but how lovely that one of your own memories has helped you to appreciate it’s significance for Beth too. Your mum must have been thrilled with your hair cut!
thats such a lovely way to put it .. i think knowing i had such an amazing time really has helped lol .. my mum was *cough cough* not impressed lol
Yes, did the school trip to France too – think it’s a right of passage we all have to do.
#MagicMoments
lol it really was for us 🙂
She’s growing up fast – I remember my first holiday without parents too, I think it’s the law to do something a bit silly lol (sorry ;))
eep .. i hope she doesn’t read it lol
What a fab pic! I hated my school trip to France but I was only 11 and very homesick!
wow 11 is very young though! i think at 11 i could have been too! xx
I bet the teachers had a nervous breakdown when you got your hair cut !!
i fear they were a little too jolly on the wine to notice lol
Oh yes, it’s going to happen to us all!
Haha! With any luck your daughter will feel that ditching you for the school trip was exercising enough independence without any extras 😉
Love that photo of you by the way… Love all the feelings it sums up… I’m refusing to feel old for the minute!
lol thanks Steph .. here is hoping that is the case lol
It was such an emotional moment seeing that photo
To be honest I would choose the school trip too! I remember a few school trips to france, one where I was tricked into eating fois gras by our host family, and one where I was SO sick on the ferry home I have rarely managed to drink cranberry juice since because of the memories!
I cannot believe you chopped that much hair off ON A FERRY!
oh my goodness firs gras i think i would have been sick too! yuck 🙂
What a fab photo. Yes I think I would have rather gone on the school trip too. At that age you just want to be with your friends but now I’m a parent I know it’s going to hurt when the time comes. I can’t believe you chopped all your hair off for a dare, that is brilliant! Can’t imagine your mums face when you rocked up. xx
her face was not a happy one lol .. in fact i hated the cut and wanted to cry but daren’t say lol
I always loved school trips, they are the pinnacle of the school year! I hope she has a great time and that you still go on your holiday too 🙂 #mummymomemts
Or even #magicmoments – sorry – mistype on the tube!!
Oh, that is a major milestone isn’t it! I remember going to France and Belgium on school trips… No hair cutting but the trips certainly had their moments 🙂 Hope she has a fab time! And, I can really see Beth in that photo of you x
aww thanks Sara, maybe we are more alike than i first thought
Aaaaw I love the photo. I’m sure Beth will have a fab time too. 🙂
It is nice to know that you have some awesome memories from your trip that she will hopefully get from hers too. Makes it that little easier to let her go! Hope she has an amazing time!
Though you have a great family tradition going I can’t blame your teen for not wishing to partake. It’s the time of life you want to cut of and try doing things your own way. She needs to spread her wings, and make her own mistakes!
What a brilliant photo, story and memories…
You are doing exactly the right thing allowing Beth to make her own decisions – life is for the living and I’d be very proud that mine had grabbed the opportunity for new adventures…
and gutted they didn’t want to be with me too! xxx