Where Do You Hide The Presents?

When it comes to hiding Christmas presents it's probably easier to list where they aren't hidden rather than where they are. They are EVERYWHERE!! They arrive in dribs and drabs from around October and I tend to pop them away in one place, until it's filled, before moving on to the next location. This is the reason why I always find little extra gifts I had forgotten about when storing birthday presents away come March.... Ooops.

They are stacked top to bottom in my wardrobe so some of my clothes end up discreetly piled in the corner of my bedroom until January...

in my drawers...

on top of cupboards...

under the bed...

...and in the spider filled area under the stairs where the children definitely won't look - it's far too scary to even take a photo! 

When the Mini Mes were younger I even remember hiding boxes under their beds, somewhere they would never look as that would involve tidying their rooms! They are far to inquisitive for that these days though. Larger items go in the shed or attic and some boxes even remain in the open wrapped in layers of tape to keep prying eyes at bay. If things aren't hidden the kids are generally not even that bothered by them!

As yet nothing has been discovered... not that I know of anyway.

Where do you hide gifts?

This post is my entry into the Hudl Christmas cheer competition

Chocolate. It's All Mine.

What's yours is mine and what's mine is... mine. When it comes to chocolate at least. 

I'm so used to sharing with the Mini Mes a little of everything I have whether it's food, drinks, blankets and of course money (or even toilet breaks), having the odd moment of selfishness is OK. I think. 

I've picked up a few pointers over the years when it comes to those tiny, yet significant, moments of indulgence which were really useful when a delivery of scrumptious treats arrived from Tesco. Their Milk Chocolate Gingerbread Stars and Chokablok Christmas Pudding tree are created by the same chocolatiers as those behind Harrods and Hotel Chocolat products and I wanted them in my tummy, just this once, without sharing. 

Top Tips for Scoffing All of the Chocolate 

• Only buy your chocolate when alone unless it arrives at your door, then you need to keep the packaging completely sealed until everyone is asleep. Patience really is a virtue. Even if it means staying up for hours to hide your goodies from your gingerbread and raisin-loving boyfriend. That's normal behaviour. Honest.

• Hide it. Hide it well. They will look for it like sniffer dogs on a drugs raid and they will find it and they will eat it. Be sneaky and use your height to your advantage, children can't reach on top of cupboards or smell it as easily up there! If you are short you can grab a chair and pretend to be dusting or you can learn how to juggle it into a safe position.

• If anyone asks, there is no chocolate and there never was any chocolate. In fact you don't even know what chocolate is! Alternatively if they have found evidence in the form of crumbs or wrappers (your family could actually be members of the CIA at this point with their detective skills) try saying 'It fell into my mouth' as that removes any possible feelings of guilt. That or reminding the kids and your partner what you are like without 'my precious' caffeine supply (think Gollum with that ring) should do the trick. 

• Be wise when making your selection. They don't like dark chocolate? Unlucky! Less to share, more for me! *Evil cackle*

I finally got my hands on it and it felt good. 

The box of stars was beautifully presented with tissue paper inside and the 8 chunky, and nicely decorated chocolates, were lovely in taste. They had swirls of white chocolate on top and the biscuit and ginger crumble added some texture and even more flavour. I really enjoyed these and I would certainly pick up a few as stocking fillers for family at just £4.

The Chokablok tree was next to be devoured. The chocolate was thick and it took some force to snap off a branch (although most was just rammed into my face) and it was packed with plump raisins. The golden wafer on top gave a festive feel and it really did taste of Christmas pudding! Thumbs up.

What will you be scoffing this December?

*We I received chocolate from Tesco for the purpose of this review, the opinions given are honest and my own. Nobody else got to try them so they have no opinions to give!*

Our Ideal Garden

Our garden is a bit of a project in progress. When we first moved in it was more or less a jungle, minus the monkeys, but we have gradually tamed the hedges, trimmed back the bushes and laid a lawn so it's now a blank canvas.

When it comes to outdoor play as a family we really like to get stuck in and I would love for our garden to become an enchanted play area for the Mini Mes, inspired somewhat by fairy tales.

A special place to make memories that they will never forget...

No kingdom is complete with pretty floral bunting, fairy doors and toadstools; after all Tinkerbell and the tooth fairy need access somehow! Childhood is so special and it's definitely the finishing touches which make a garden complete.

I also love these Decoration and Safari Chalk kits which I would attach to the trees and fences so the children can be creative while they play too.

Seating is essential and this is a great set - not only is it ideal for eating al fresco like royalty, it also doubles up as a play table with sand and water compartments for my little Ariel! 

It's great for keeping little ones and their guests entertained.

Plum Premium Activity Table and Bench

Our garden isn't huge in size so this Kingswood 2 Tower frame certainly makes the most of the space available. The climbing wall is perfect for my little prince and princess and the option to add on extra features like the Rapide Slide means we can extend it as and when we choose. 

I'd cover it in fairy lights for a magical twinkle.

TP Toys Kingswood 2 Tower

In terms of plants everything is pretty in pink to me but I'm not so sure my own knight in shining armour would approve! I'd have a variety of potted plants scattered around with some dashes of blue and purple thrown in too plus a variety of bird boxes for wildlife. I adore these leaf stepping stones although I'm quite tempted to make our own with hand and footprints for a personal touch.

I'd really like a water feature as I've always thought that they are relaxing to watch and listen to and it would add to the feel of the garden.
I'm sure the Mini Mes toys would enjoy splashing around in it too!

I'd like the garden to be somewhere peaceful (bar the giggles of the children playing), fun yet attractive.
Somewhere the Mini Mes want to play come rain or shine and where the Mr and I can still chill out for a few minutes too.

What would your dream garden be like?

Center Parcs Family Blogger Club

Most of our trips within the UK involve camping but we would love a more luxurious retreat to a Center Parcs Village, Elveden Forest in particular. Having access to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise and Wild Water Rapids, going on the TORNADO™ and the BehemothBOWL™ and staying in a beautiful 3 bedroomed Woodland Lodge would be amazing. 

The perfect location to create more magical memories together as a family.

We have NEVER been to Center Parcs before so it would be a wonderful experience for us.

I'd love to hire bikes to explore the area, have a go at some water sports on the lake and have a relaxing treatment at the spa. 

It sounds like the ideal place to escape the hustle and bustle of every day life.

Center Parcs currently have a bloggers challenge where you can win a break to 1 of 4 of their villages -

 the video below is our entry.

It shows who we are as a family, our love of playing outdoors and what activities we really enjoy.

What do you love to do as a family?

We want to be members of the Center Parcs Family Blogger club #CPFamilyBreaks and this is our entry.

You can find out more information on the challenge here:

http://www.centerparcs.co.uk/blog/the_blog_competition.jsp

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.

Wanted: New Bathroom

Even the Mini Mes realise that the bathroom is a little old and tatty, 

seeing it day in and out can make me quite ratty!

It's in desperate need of some decorating,

the torn paper and worn flooring for years I've been hating.

Minxy has kindly provided her ideas on how it should be,

but I don't really have the funds for a bathroom shopping spree...

This dated wallpaper is definitely not to my taste,

I'd happily rip it all down and throw it out with the waste...

Like the look of my flooring? No, neither do I.

Seeing it day in and out I could quite easily cry.

It was pulled up recently for new central heating,

I think it's left me in need of an Interior Designer meeting...

The Mr likes to shower whereas I like to sit in the tub,

filled with lush goodies and ducks - a rub a dub dub!

I'd quite like a Whirlpool bath and maybe a TV,

to have fun with some bubbles and to watch while I pee!

I want to replace this with this...

and these with these...

But unfortunately money doesn't grow on trees!

　

I'd like to tear it all out and put in a brand new bath suite,

some new storage for my supplies of toiletries to make it pretty and neat.

 

I'd like a nice bathroom so I'm not ashamed to let people in,

a shiny new loo, towel rail and a basin.

I'd love a new bathroom and this is my plea,

PLEASE someone come and redecorate for me!

(Sanity Saving) Travel Tips

"Are we there yet?" on repeat, whinging about boredom in the backseats or needing the toilet for the umpteenth time does not make the perfect journey, but there are a few ways you can make the experience slightly more tolerable.

Hopefully these sanity savers for travelling with kids will help you as they do me...

Peace at last

• Snacks. And plenty of them. Not only will it save your ears from constant moaning about starvation but it will save you a small fortune on extortionate service station costs and time consuming pit stops. Make them as low in sugar as possible to avoid hyperactivity so sandwiches, fruits and savoury products are best. If they have their mouths filled they can't talk. You will however need to hoover up the crumbs later - damn!

• Magazines. I'm generally not keen on them as they always seem ridiculously priced with cheap tat securely attached to the front, that usually rips the cover to shreds in the process of removal, but when travelling they are quite handy. They contain a variety of puzzles, quizzes and colouring pages that will keep little ones occupied for a few minutes at least. Just don't forget the pencils.

• Travel really early or late. Hopefully they will be tired and sleep for most of the journey. You could even attempt to transfer them to the car while in pj's and snoring, them not you, but it's likely they will wake up in a mad panic having no idea what's going on. If it's dark outside they will be more inclined to rest their eyes... and voices. Bonus.

• Sun blinds and glasses. Keep the light and heat out and prevent children complaining about glare/warmth/reflection/anything they can think of to be irritating. Take a blanket too so they can't say they are chilly either.

• Play games. Ideally I Spy and the usage of words they don't know to keep them guessing until you arrive at your destination so you can gradually block the droning sound out. Alternatively a list of impossible things to find like space rockets and sunshine (well this is England) should keep them looking outside at the sky and hopefully quiet for some time. Counting those 1,000 green bottles on the wall may be useful or taking along a handheld console or music player, with headphones for them too.

What (tongue-in-cheek) travel tips do you have?

Pink Pancakes

Today being Shove Tuesday, aka Pancake day, means that pancakes will definitely be on our menu with a variety of mouth-wateringly good toppings and fillings too.

I prefer savoury ones personally; packed with cheese and chorizo and a splash of Worcester sauce.

The Mini Mes however like the sweeter versions (not surprisingly). We had some on Sunday evening for dessert with warm caramel sauce but they enjoy them with traditional toppings of sugar and lemon or healthier alternatives of fruit.

With Valentine's Day just 2 sleeps away we decided to make some pink heart shaped ones after lunch today...

We mixed in 3 drops of pink food colouring to our usual pancake recipe then used cake cutters to shape them. Minxy had syrup and lemon on hers and Jamster had syrup with sprinkles for a colourful result.

Do you prefer savoury or sweet pancakes?
What will you be eating with yours?

This is our entry for the #CPFamilyBreaks February competition with @tots100 and @CenterParcsUK

That's My Hero

"He is my hero because he has a big car with gadgets and stuff and it can fly. His car is actually like a flying ship.

He saves people sometimes if his leg and back aren't poorly but he can't really help that can he. 

He wears lots of black so people can't see him on dark nights. A bit like cool camouflage.

He goes to parties and has a nice house and the girls love him because he has big muscles.

He talks like this *does deep croaky voiced impression*"

Yep, that pretty much sums up Batman!

Jamster's latest hero and a super one at that.

The Dark Knight Rises seems to be played daily quite frequently here and I am tortured* by it endlessly.

*Tortured in terms of requiring tissues to wipe my drool over Christian Bale and Tom Hardy.

Who is your child's hero?

This post is an entry into theTots100 MoneySupermarket That’s My Hero competition.

A Mini Spa Experience

January isn't the most fun of months. The weather is cold and the days are dark, pay day seems to take forever to come round after the big spends at Christmas and getting out of bed in the morning can be quite a struggle.We need some pampering and a little TLC!

Minxy and I decided to have a pamper session at home. Jamster was invited too of course but said "it's for girls" and continued to play Batman while running around in his costume!

We dimmed the lights for a relaxing atmosphere, lit some scented candles and popped on some slow and calming music... my running anthems CD wasn't required for this one.

We then had fun putting on face masks, I gave Minxy a hand and foot massage and I painted her nails.

We enjoyed some smoothies so our tummy's were feeling just as good too!

It was easy to create a spa at home and didn't cost us a penny either. It is a great way to chill out for a few minutes and forget the hassle of work (and apparently stinky boys and homework).

This is our entry for the #CPFamilyBreaks competition with @tots100 and @CenterParcsUK  - you can find out more here

Skylanders... A new character

Jamster is a big Skylanders fan (you can read about that here) although we all tend to get involved and play the game too at times, even us grown ups! When we heard about the Tots100 competition to create a new character we were excited to join in. An opportunity to receive and review products from the range was really appealing to all of us as a family and the chance to get crafty too in the process.

Meet BladeBot

This is Jamsters design which is a robot featuring spinning blade hands that apparently 'Pow people into infinity and beyond. He has muscles and is the strongest ever.' Watch out world!

Meet Eel-a-tron
This is my little creation! An eel that slides and glides around and uses electric bolts to attack. He is slimy and  can spin at rapid speed to dig and escape when captured. As you can tell art isn't my strong point!

What powers would you have as a Skylander and what would you name your character?

You can share your picture by tweeting it to @Tots100 with #TeamSkylanders before 5pm on 17th December 2012.

My dream kitchen

I don't have a fairy godmother, genie in a lamp or a money tree growing in the garden so unfortunately for me my kitchen will have to remain how it is for now. I feel ashamed to let people in it at the moment with the plaster and wallpaper falling off and the old fashioned, tatty worktops.

Whenever we save up the pennies there is always something else that ends up breaking down/needs replacing/takes priority - isn't that always the way?!

However I am quite a dreamer and this is how I would love my kitchen diner to be, one day....

Image from Homebase 

I love the light wood and dark worktops of these units. I pop into our local DIY stores quite frequently, collect brochures and admire it on display.  I'd love a breakfast bar so we can sit and natter in the mornings and so the Mini Mes can watch me cooking away in the evening while we talk about their day at school. Some under unit lighting and lots of storage would be perfect and a nice new shiny floor as ours was damaged by a leak last year. I wonder if the wine comes with it...

Images from Kitchen Science 

I'd like a new cooker that actually has space in it for more than one tray at a time. One with lights so I can see the food without opening the oven and making my cakes go flat! I'd like gas hobs rather than electric to be able to monitor the temperature better.

Images from SavesDirect and Faucets

Somewhere funky to wash up to make it seem less of a chore. Our current sink is square and rather boring, I love curves.

Image from Mosaic Village.

Some red thrown in to to make it super vibrant. With red tiles and some red accessories I think it would look lovely.

Image from Blinds4UK

Some blinds (as simple as it may seem) as the window is not currently covered and I'd like to save the neighbours from seeing me in my dressing gown every day.

Images from Amazon and Vinyl signs by ornamentation

A beautiful new table. Somewhere classy yet comfortable to enjoy meals now that the Mini Mes are older and wont destroy it with crayon. Plus some wall art about family as that is so important to us.


But back to normality. This is our kitchen at the moment. Erm, beautiful hey!

My beautiful boy-in-a-box

He still has the cheekiest of smiles and an adorable giggle. 

His eyes are always so bright and filled with happiness too.

There is something about hide and seek and cardboard boxes that all little people love and Jamster is no exception. Whenever I receive a delivery the Mini Mes always ask for the bubble wrap to pop and to keep the box to be made into something wonderful. 

A castle to play king and queen with knights and dragons too.

A rocket to explore different planets, meeting crazy aliens on the way (usually the dog!).

A boat to sail away on new adventures to mysterious islands. 

Boxes spark their imaginations and I love it.

This is a photo of Jamster just before he turned two. I love the look of excitement on his face, his cute chubby cheeks and gorgeous smile as he played peek-a-boo from within a box.

This blog post has been written as an entry into the Tots100 competition in association with Boots Mother and Baby

Tots100 Book Club - Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

I generally go for crime or real life when it comes to books but Me Before You is a modern love story with a twist, and I found it really thought-provoking and enchanting.

After losing her job at a cafe, Louisa Clark takes on a 6-month contract as a companion for Will Traynor, a former high-flyer hooked on adrenaline until a motocycle accident left him trapped within a wheelchair. She soon discovers that Will wants to end his life and the 6-month contract is infact due to the length of time he has promised his parents he will wait before he arranges an assisted suicide. Louisa trys to help Will to see the good in life during this time to change his mind and takes him on various trips where she slowly falls in love with him regardless of his disability.



Despite the story being based around a quadriplegic wanting to end his ongoing suffering it's far from a depressing book. It has some great humour in it and you can really connect with the characters and see their relationship develop. Both Louisa and Will are witty and sarcastic and there is some great narrative between the two that will make you smile.

The discriptive language makes it easy to visualise them, Louisa's random fashion sense and their surroundings. You follow them on a journey through his ups and downs including pneumonia as well as her split with her long term partner, supporting eachother as they go. There are several high points with a dinner date and drunken fun, a sensual shave experience and times spent in a beautiful garden enjoying eachothers company and conversation.

I wont give the ending away as it's best if you read the book yourself - it's perhaps an unexpected one and it did almost bring me to tears. Proof of a well written book in my opinion!

Who do I recommend it to?

I have selected this book to be sent with some delicious galaxy chocolate from Tesco to someone that regularly comments on my 366 posts and seems to be a great versatile blogger. Her recent recipes for the Jubilee have been very original and I think after all her baking she will enjoy a sit down with this book and a tasty treat. Elaine at Fun-as-a-gran - enjoy!