Saturday Caption

After a bit of an owl themed week, this picture of the Mr seemed to fit in well...

Have you got a caption for it!?
I would love to hear it!
 

Have a great weekend

 

 

A #MADDayOut at Legoland

A family day out on Father's day sounded perfect, so when I heard that helpers were required for the MAD Finalists trip to Legoland I put my name in the hat and was lucky enough to be selected!
 

 

Meeting bloggers for the first time was a little daunting but as soon as I stepped out of the car the lovely Victoria pulled up at the hotel and we had a natter on the way in - under the huge smoke breathing dragon. Inside I was greeted by Jen before heading upstairs to collect my amazing gold wristbands, that made us feel like royalty, and a selection of delicious animal cookies. Even the entrance to the hotel was incredible with whoopie cushion flooring and loads of Lego to play with. I said brief hellos to a few other bloggers including Bex and Jen before going to watch an exclusive viewing of the new LEGO Chima 4D movie, before the park even opened. I felt very privileged indeed!

 

 

 

The movie was a fantastic sensory overload with fire, wind and even snow! It was great to have a character meet and greet outside too despite the Mini Mes being shy at first. Next we headed to Duplo Valley for a few photos before spending the rest of the day queue jumping with our wonderful gold wristbands. It made the day even more enjoyable not having to wait in line and the Mini Mes were really impressed to get on certain rides several times throughout the day... we went on The Dragon 4 times!

 

 

We had a great day and really enjoyed looking at the underwater world on the Atlantis Submarine Voyage, getting wet on the Viking River Splash and going head to head against Emily's lovely family at Fire Academy. There is certainly lots to see and do and Jamster in particular liked strolling around the Star Wars Miniland and gallery as he is besotted by Yoda!

 

 

After a very long yet fun day we headed home...

Sign of a good day!


Many thanks to Tots100, MAD Blog awards and Legoland for the experience.

Justin Goes For Gold At Olympic Park

LolliBop, the UK’s biggest day out for kids, has announced CBeebies Superstar Justin Fletcher will be performing at this year’s event.

 

Taking place in its brand new home, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the BAFTA –award winning star of CBeebies will be performing live for LolliBoppers on Saturday August 17 and Sunday August 18.

Justin Live! promises an all singing, all dancing extravaganza guaranteed to bring the house down.

LolliBop’s event manager, Jenny Kane said: “Justin Fletcher is top of the charts when it comes to kids entertainment and our new venue deserves to host the number one superstar of CBeebies. We’re delighted Justin is able to be a part of LolliBop 2013.”

The all-mouse reggae band, Rastamouse and Da Easy Crew, are also confirmed for Friday August 16, as part of a busy summer touring the nation. Last seen at LolliBop 2011, the cool, mystery-solving mouse will be back on stage performing his latest hits for fans throughout the day.

 

Another new addition to the LolliBop 2013 line up is everyone's favourite postman, Postman Pat and of course, Britain's most famous black and white cat, Jess! They will be at the festival over the three days meeting pint sized festival goers.

LolliBop promises all the fun of a festival without the hassle of camping. With an incredible line up, all aimed at children under the age of 10, LolliBop combines the hottest names in kids entertainment, as well of hundreds of activities, workshops and interactive areas.

The 2013 programme also includes Dick and Dom, Skylanders, Science Museum Live, Cloudbabies, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Peppa Pig, Poppy Cat, the Wot Wots, Transformers, The Go! Go! Go! Show, the Mr Men and Little Miss Village Green Event and Shaun the Sheep’s Championsheeps. LolliBop's live theatre tent – The Lollipalladiam -showcases performances from pioneering and internationally renowned companies and artists. There is also a brand new Discovery Zone, Meadows area, Enchanted Woods, Lolli Promenade and much more.

Tickets are on sale now, from £20pp.


www.lollibopfestival.co.uk

 *We are sharing these details as a Lollibop Ambassador*

 

Blackpool Tower Ticket Giveaway

Fancy heading to the seaside this summer for a family day out? You can enjoy a trip to the Blackpool Tower, having fun at Jungle Jim's, admiring the beautiful Ballroom and visiting the Circus with this great ticket giveaway!

 

Not only does the Blackpool Tower provide an amazing view across the beach, but there is plenty of entertainment, for young and old, inside too!

You can join Mooky and Boo at the circus where you can witness incredible acrobatics, comedy capers and stunts galore. Take a break with afternoon tea in the Ballroom listening to music and even having a waltz around yourself. Let the kids run wild at the Lost City themed Jungle Jim's indoor play centre, where they can glide down slides and throw themselves in ball ponds!

 

 

*** WIN ***

 

For your chance to win a family ticket (4 people) to Blackpool Tower you can enter via the Rafflecopter entry form below.

 

The giveaway closes on 1st June 2013.

 

Good luck!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

If you wish to read our review of Blackpool you can do so here: http://www.theminimesandme.com/2012/12/a-weekend-in-blackpool-merlin.html

 

Potz Ceramic Studio - Family Fun

Situated within Billing Garden Village, Potz Ceramic Studio is the perfect place for some creative fun in a warm and friendly environment. A wet weekend afternoon we headed to the centre for a plate painting experience, despite our lack of artistic talent!

We were seated without delay and shown the large variety of pots, cups, money boxes and more that were available to decorate, settling on two different styles of plates between the four of us. 

The member of staff was always close by to offer assistance and he explained that we would need several coats of paint for the best finish, that there were a variety of paint pens and stamps that we could use too and that the different shades of paints were all on the brush pot so we could see how each would turn out. He also offered complimentary drinks.

We all set to work decorating our pieces with the large selection of brushes and 18 paints on our bench. The ceramic tiles were really handy and helped to prevent wasted paint with small indentations for the colours you require to go in. I decided to draw Spartan, our Border Collie, on mine and the Mini Mes did bats and flowers with the stamps while the Mr decided on a beach scene after attempting a motorbike unsuccessfully and painting over it!

We were in the studio for around 90 minutes and we had a lovely time comparing our masterpieces as we made them. It was quite a pleasant, relaxing experience. 

I was surprisingly pleased that mine actually looked like an animal as I don't really have any skill when it comes to drawing at all! We painted our names on the reverse of our creations and handed them in to be glazed and put in the kiln. We were given a receipt and told we would be able to collect our plates the following weekend which we did...

The final result was great, they were smooth and shiny and the colours had all brightened such a lot. We gave them a quick wash when we returned home and had lunch on them, they were easy to clean afterwards too and stacked nicely away with the rest of our dinner set.

The plates we created were £9 for each bisque and the studio time for each of us was £4.50. This is quite an expensive activity but considering we all had a plate to take home that we can use on a daily basis it doesn't seem as costly. We enjoyed our visit and would go again.

Apart from plate decorating you can have a party at Potz, have your child or pets hand, feet or paw prints done or even have a go at Decopatch.  There are a lot of options available with budgets to suit all.

*We received studio time and plates for the purpose of this review. The opinions given are honest and our own*

A weekend in Blackpool - Merlin

Blackpool is the first place the Mr and I went away to as a couple so it was nice to return there last weekend with the Mini Mes in tow and Merlin passes in hand.

The Big Ticket give you access to 7 top attractions that will keep you and your family busy for several days or a rather fun-packed weekend. The ticket includes the Blackpool Tower Eye, Circus, Dungeon, Ballroom and Jungle Jim's plus the Sea Life centre and Madame Tussauds which are all within walking distance along the sea front.

The Blackpool Tower Circus

Situated within the Blackpool Tower, the Circus is great for all of the family. We arrived early as seats are not allocated and we ended up on the front row with a fantastic view of all the action. There are snacks available at reasonable prices and clown face painting before the show and during the interval at £1.50 -  great value.

The show itself is very entertaining with varied acts including dancing, juggling, plate spinning, acrobatics and more. There are opportunities for audience participation with singing and booing the bad guys which the children particularly enjoyed!

We saw the Christmas show, Alice’s Adventures in Mooky’s Circus Wonderland, which runs until 20th January 2013. Featuring favourite characters from the story including the Mad Hater and The White Rabbit you can watch as the different performances try to impress The Queen of Hearts. The show is in two halves of around 45 minutes and we all really enjoyed it. The Mini Mes giggled along at the silly clown and they loved the daring skills of the rabbits.

You can see some action of the circus shows here:

Madame Tussauds

With several floors of wax figures that have taken over 800 hours of  moulding, measuring, painting and sculpting to create each one, you will feel as though you are with the real celebrities themselves - they are so life-like! Whether you are a movie lover or sports fan there is something for everyone with 7 categories of people to view including pop stars and comedians. You can have your photo taken with your family on a huge deck chair and at a police station with your chance to purchase the pictures at the end of your visit. There are some interactive parts to enjoy including the Who Wants to be a MiIlionaire game, ball throwing, golf and a mirror maze to work through.

We were the first to arrive Sunday morning and it was lovely and quiet to have a leisurely stroll around without queuing. We were there for around 90 minutes although we could of stayed longer and the gift shop has a great variety of products for the perfect souvenir on the way out.

Sea Life

We are big lovers of fish having a large tropical aquarium of our own and the Sea Life centre is an educational yet fun attraction to visit. With the huge tanks of colourful fish and plenty of information boards, the Mini Mes (and I) learnt quite a lot about different species, eating habits and living conditions that they didn't previously know. The trail and interactive wall displays allow little ones to explore and discuss what they see and there are several different areas to view. There is a section where you can pop your hands in the water to handle shrimp and star fish too which was really enjoyable.

The layout is well planned to allow lots of space to view the sea life without having to wait your turn and it is easy for small children or those in prams or wheelchairs to see too. There is a soft play area and cafe including several vending machines serving food, drinks and ice cream if you need to stop off for a break.

Blackpool Tower Ballroom

Situated on the first floor of the Blackpool Tower, the ballroom is stunning in appearance and a lovely location for a bite to eat and a dance with your partner. There is plenty of seating and combined with the music it provides a relaxing environment and a break for all the family.

Due to the high winds we were unable to access the Tower Eye so we decided to save the passes and visit again early in the new year to go to the Dungeons and Jungle Jim's also for a day trip. I really like Blackpool as a seaside break within the UK and I would highly recommend the Merlin passes while there to make the most of your holiday. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and look forward to returning - Winter is the perfect time to go as despite being out of season all of the attractions are quieter and indoors so out of the cold.

We stayed at the Number One South Beach Hotel which provides 5 star luxury to both couples and families. Each guest room has it's own style to match your taste and mood and we were made to feel very welcome with friendly and helpful staff on hand. We stayed in the Drama room which was wonderful with a separate sleeping area for the children, whirlpool bath and plasma TV. The breakfast was delicious too!

*We received Merlin passes and a hotel stay for the purpose of this review*

Woburn Safari Park

A day out is even better when it's free and we recently won a family pass to the Zoo from Tilda! We selected our date, the tickets were booked and yesterday we made our way to Woburn Safari Park for our family trip.

Despite rain on the forecast, when we arrived at opening it was dry and reasonably bright. We drove inside and decided to go through the Safari area first before the rain hit, knowing that the animals head to the shelters when it's damp out.

The Mini Mes were fascinated and really excited to be so close to the animals. I'd been before with Jamster but this was a whole new experience for Minxy. She kept saying how awesome it was and that it was 'the best day ever' so she definitely loved it!

Some pictures from the safari....

And everyone's favourite...

We parked next to the foot safari and enjoyed a picnic lunch before going to explore. The rain was now pouring down but we still enjoyed seeing some more animals, especially the cute and friendly marmosets and playful penguins!

Before heading home we popped into the gift shop, where there was LOADS to choose from at reasonable prices, and we repeated the road safari. Both of the Mini Mes settled on a soft toy and the Mr had fun trying on some shades!

*This is not a sponsored post. We won tickets to Woburn and chose to share our experience*

My reasons to be happy

My reasons to be happy

I'm still in shock about how beautiful the weather is at the moment. I think I've seen more of the sun this month than we did during July and August combined! I'm loving it. It's that extra boost in the morning to get out of bed (I'm definitely not a morning person) and motivates me o walk the dog with the Mr in the evenings more.
Sunshine really does make me happy.

Since the Mini Mes returned to school in September I've been able to make a few new friendships myself. This is something I generally find quite difficult at times but as the children have swapped classes I've been standing and chatting with different parents in the morning and afternoons which is lovely.

We are off to the zoo on Sunday. I won a family pass recently to Woburn Safari Park so the fact that our trip is free is even better! I hope this Autumn sunshine remains until at least Monday!

What reasons to you have to be cheerful this week?

Sea Life Adventure Park

The Sea Life Adventure Park in Weymouth has so much to offer for a fun packed, family day out. Only minutes from the beach and crazy golf it's a lovely place to visit while in Dorset.

Unfortunately for us the weather was horrendous when we arrived! We ended up completely soaked through within minutes but that didn't ruin our experience - there are activities to enjoy both outside and in and the staff were polite and helpful.

Upon arriving we were provided with scratch off sheets for the Mini Mes to use on the quiz trail around the park. There are question boards at each area and you scratch off the panel on your sheet to match the correct answer. You then receive medals at the exit which is a great incentive to keep little ones learning and a lovely gift to go home with! 

I like attractions where the Mini Mes can interact with animals and learn while having fun so this was ideal. First up we stopped off at the Interactive Rock Pool. The member of staff there was very informative and assisted the children (and adults) who wanted to touch star fish and crabs. The Mini Mes loved finding out facts about them and handling them and I got in on the action too!

We next headed to the Bay of Rays. This indoor area has a platform where you can stand above the tank to view the rays from. It was nice to see them swimming about from several angles and there are lots of information boards to learn about the animals.

Shark Reef was probably the Mini Mes favourite part of the day closely followed by the Walk-through Ocean Tank. This dark enclosure has a variety of viewing windows to watch the fish and sharks swim by. Jamster in particular loved being up so close to 'scary' creatures. The colours were amazing!

We visited the other indoor areas including the Turtle Sanctuary and Nursery and Breeding Centre and then moved on to the outdoor sections like the Seals, Otters and Penguins when the rain had eased off a little. You can watch a variety of the animals being fed throughout the day. 

None of the outdoor activities were really suitable as the rain and hail poured down but I imagine on brighter days these are fantastic! There is Adventure Island which is filled with rides and machines, Crocodile Creek water ride to enjoy and also the Splash water play area. 

The day we chose to visit was part of Timmy Time week (Jamster is a big fan) but unfortunately due to the rain he didn't make an appearance while we were there (his wool would have been drenched I imagine!). There were other themed activities including clay modelling and Timmy Time DVDs being played undercover which made the trip extra special for little ones.

Despite the weather I do feel that this adventure park has lots to offer and it is far better than the alternative Sea Life Centres that we have visited. On drier days you could spend practically a whole day at the park as there is a big restaurant to stop off for lunch and snacks too and a large gift shop for souvenirs.  I would advise that you book online in advance as it is considerably cheaper (£13pp).

You can find out more about the Sea Life Adventure Park on their website: http://www.visitsealife.com/Weymouth/ or click below to purchase tickets.

*We received free entry to the park. The views given are our own*

A day at the zoo

We arranged a few weeks back to meet up with some friends at Twycross Zoo, and thankfully the weather yesterday was glorious! Typically I'd packed coats and warm clothes yet the sun appeared and remained high in the sky all day, which was wonderful for us all.

Twycross Zoo is situated in Leicestershire and is open 364 days a year (they only close on Christmas day). With free parking, over 1,000 animals to see and a selection of fun activities and play equipment it's a great family day out. We have been many times over the years.

For the Mini Mes and I it cost £32.77, which includes a 10% conservation donation which you don't have to pay if you choose not to, and I really feel it's a good value trip. We arrived for opening at 10am and didn't leave until 5pm! 

A few snaps from our day...

 Ice creams at the end of a long day...

The facilities are really good with a huge gift shop selling everything from sun cream and umbrellas to pocket money goodies. There are plenty of toilets and baby changing rooms, kiosks stocking drinks and snacks and restaurants providing reasonably priced hot and cold meals - a kids lunch consisting of a roll, crisps, yogurt, salad pot and drink cost £4.55. Prams can get around with ease and there are plenty of picnic benches and flat grassed areas where you can sit and enjoy your lunch.

Peppa pig will be visiting soon too which is fab for all the little fans!

 To find out more about Twycross Zoo you can head over to their website http://www.twycrosszoo.org/home.aspx

I'm linking this outdoor fun post with...

 *We paid for our own tickets and wrote this review as we enjoyed our visit*