Yes. I turned my children into criminals :)

I don't care what anyone says about Stonehenge. These are not just rocks in a field! If you ever have the opportunity to go to Stonehenge, go. It is crazy to think that an ancient people somehow around 3000 BC had enough creativity, intelligence, and engineering prowess to place these standing stones where they are today. Growing up, both Clint and I were intrigued by Stonehenge and it was on our bucket list items to visit. We have seen Stonehenge in movies and tv shows we watched growing up. We have watched scientists on documentaries trying to figure out what tools were used to lift these stones that weighed as much as 25 tons each up on top of each other or what kind of chisels were used to chisel away at the rock and create the joints that were used to fasten these massive rocks into place. And why? Why were these stones placed where they were? And who is buried in the many mounds, now covered in green grass and moss, that surround these stones. It is all such a mystery, which makes it even more amazing to visit. We walked around Stonehenge several times, noticing new details with each passing lap.

There were 3 things we wanted to see today as we drove to our next location in Saundersfoot, Wales. 1- Stonehenge, 2-Chepstow Castle, 3-Tintern Abbey. As previously stated, Stonehenge was great. But, because of terrible traffic on the way to Chepstow, we discovered that we would not make it to the castle or Tintern Abbey before they closed. Boy were we bummed. Actually, the kids had no idea what to expect with the castle or the abbey, so it was really Clint and I who were totally bummed. But, I was determined. There was no way in hell that I was going to be this close to Tintern Abbey and not see it.

So we decided that even closed, we would drive by and look at it from afar. But for anyone who really knows me, knows that when I have my mind set on something, I find a way to accomplish it. And my mind was set on exploring the Abbey. You see, I am a history buff. I minored in history in college and love anything about any kind of history. When we decided to bring the kids to the UK, I immediately began researching oldest cemeteries, churches, villages etc on our route knowing that each would offer its own story and unique experience for us. Tintern Abbey intrigued me and I desperately wanted to walk though its dilapidated walls and be transported back in time and learn its story. We arrived at the Abbey about an hour after they had closed, which is 6pm. This, by the way, makes no sense to me since the freaking sun is up until 11pm and there is still so much great sunlight to explore with. While Clint and the kids looked on in amazement, it became a mission of mine to figure out how to scale the walls and get in. After walking the perimeter, which included farmland with grazing cows and sheep on 2 sides, I found a small gap in the stonewall and an old rickety gate. Thankfully, I am relatively small and was able to squeeze through, only to look back as see 5 pairs of eyes wide open looking at me in wonder. Not the amazement kind of wonder, but more like the holy cow what is she doing kind of wonder. So, what does any good mom do when scaling a wall and trespassing? She invites her kids to join in the fun. But, Clint, being the law abiding citizen, refused and kept lookout for us incase anyone came. For the next 30 minutes, we walked the abbey and explored its walls. Parts of the magnificent building still had its ceiling and as you stood near where the altar was, you could totally picture Cistercian monks walking peacefully around meditating or in prayer. You could see the outline of the many rooms and make out the details of where the bookshelves and additional stories had been. We discovered the dried up water well and wondered who dug it? Who survived because of it. Questions most kids never think about I was now asking my children and getting some great answers. Though we were enjoying the Abbey, the kids loved the game of hiding behind the walls and making sure we wouldn't get caught even more (chances were slim to none in this teeny tiny town where the abbey is located. I doubt anyone would care.) If you ask them what they thought about Tintern Abbey, they won't remember a single thing. If you ask them about the Abbey we trespassed on, they will talk your ear off :)