Category Archives: family events

How was 2012?

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With 2012 coming to the end its time to have a little look back over the year.

2012 has been fairly good, no real ups and no real downs.

Aly turned 5 and started Primary school. I’m so proud of her as she’s taken to school so well and here writing and reading has developed so much in such a short space of time.

Little Mia turned 2 in October and is such an angel. She tries to copy everything that her big sister does. She’s got us wrapped around her little fingers.

Aly also had her second operation on her eyes which was hard work as she remembered a lot from the first operation.

As a family we went on our first holiday abroad which also involved going on a plane for the first time with children and they were so good. I think they both loved it so much and one day we’ll head to America with them.

Apart from that it was a fairly quiet year.

What will 2013 bring?

The beginning part of the year will see us heading to Coombe Mill for a lovely break which I know the girls will love, just after Easter we’ll also be going to Butlins as we have been chosen to be a Butlins Ambassador and the girls will be staying in bunk beds which they keep going on about.

Personally I hope to get out and about taking more photos as I seem to have neglected that this year and I will also enjoy going and meeting lots of other bloggers at BritMums 2013.

How do you some up 2012, and what are you looking forward to in 2013?

 

5 Amazing Experience Days Out in London for Parents

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Sometimes it is too easy to rely on the same old ways to spend the weekends and holidays with the kids and forget about treating them to something a little bit special. If you are tired of hearing your kids moaning about being bored, then maybe my top 5 experience days out for Dads will help inspire you to get the kids out for a day they won’t forget. I have tried to accommodate for Dads that have boys and girls.

So here are my top 5 amazing experience days out in London:

1.       London Zoo

My number 1 amazing day out with the kids has to be at London Zoo in the beautiful Regent’s Park. I think the zoo trip is my number one because it is both educational, fun, and Dad’s don’t get bored because there is always something that is sure to catch the eye. You can break the day up with a nice lunch before getting stuck back in to see animals in a realistic recreation of their natural environment. Also, what is really fun about going to the zoo is the shows that go on throughout the day that help if you are struggling to keep the kids excited.

2.       Paintballing

This could have been my number one, except that it is slightly more popular with boys than it is with girls, and there also seems to be an age at which the kids start to want to go paintballing. Paintballing is your chance as a Dad to show your kids you are the king of combat, as you eliminate your opposition with flurries of high-impact paintballs and dodge between trees in some intricate settings.

3.       Chocolate Workshop

I personally don’t know a kid who doesn’t like chocolate, and it appears that kids love the idea of making their own chocolate and eating it. So my number 3 amazing day out in London has to be the chocolate workshop. The chocolate workshop is great in the way that it really is fun for everyone and the kids get a taste for cooking, an undeniably important skill. Good workshops have chocolatier’s on-hand to guide you to making the best tasting truffles and chocolates to take away with you, so you have a souvenir to show everyone back home.

4.       Makeup Lessons for the Girls

Admittedly this one isn’t a hit with the boys, but it is so popular with the girls that I had to include it in my list. At a certain age, girls seem to get really interested in makeup and will attempt to apply it to themselves with sometimes amusing effects, before they get guidance from their big sister or mum. That’s why the makeup workshop is a great day out even for Dads, because you get to see your little ones enjoying trying to recreate their favourite celebrity’s makeup styles with the guidance of makeup professionals.

5.       Football Stadium Tour

If your kids love football then a tour of a football stadium is sure to please them, and seeing as this article is about amazing days out in London I have to pick the Emirates Stadium Tour, where you can re-live the feelings of the Arsenal team before they walk out onto the pitch. You can visit the dressing room before walking the tunnel and seeing the history of the stadium in all its glory.

No backpedalling – it’s Sky Ride time

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No backpedalling – it’s Sky Ride time

Get ready for some great family days out as once again we’re turning Britain’s streets and parks into the safest and most exciting places to take to two wheels.

Despite the cruel deception of the clouds, cold and rain, summer is just around the corner and that means that it’s nearly time for a new season of Sky Rides.

Once again we’re working with British Cycling and partner councils to open streets and parks for days of completely traffic-free bike riding across the UK. It doesn’t matter whether it’s your first time cycling in public or you’re a keen enthusiast: Sky Rides have something for everybody.

Last year, over 200, 000 men, women and children took part in Sky Rides across 17 UK cities. This year, there’ll be 18 Sky Ride City events nationwide, including towns and cities like Plymouth, Ipswich and Birmingham.

There’ll also be plenty of Sky Ride Locals: quieter rides off the beaten track taking in parkland and countryside. They’re led by trained British Cycling Ride Leaders so they’re perfect for cycling newbies, and are a great way to explore the serene scenery near where you live. This year, there’ll be 40 locations across the country.

There are loads of fantastic prizes to be won simply for registering. For instance, you could have an amazing cycling experience with Sir Chris Hoy at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester. You could win a brand new bike or get a fantastic Sky+HD package.

Sky Rides are part of our commitment to getting a million more people cycling regularly by 2013 and we’re really excited to announce that we’ve just extended our agreement with British Cycling until 2016. So, not only can we continue to support elite cyclists like Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton, but also to inspire the rest of us to have fun, get fit and feel safe on two wheels.

Register for a Sky Ride now to be a part of it.

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Our Easter Sunday at Spring Barn Farm

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Its become a little thing we do every Easter Sunday that we take the girls to an Easter egg hunt somewhere.

This year we decided on Spring Farm Farm which is in Lewes, East Sussex.I had never heard of this place but Laura had googled something and this popped up.

Too be honest on the day we did think about putting it off due to the weather but as we had promised the girls we couldn’t go back on our word.

When we pulled up the car park was pretty much empty with only one other family at the park which meant the girls could run around and do the activities without much fuss.

Aly never used to go up to animals but she seems to have gained some confidence now and these little lambs seemed happy to see them especially later on when we got to feed them. Mia on the other hand wasn’t so keen and thought the bottles where for her.

We also had a little Easter egg hunt to complete where you had to collect 6 different items such as grass, straw and sand which kept them entertained and they got an egg at the end of it.

The farm was lovely and open with lots of hands on activities for the girls and an large outdoor play area with bouncing pillows which unfortunately wasn’t open due to how wet it was.

They also have a very useless indoor picnic area with a small play area which was idea with the weather and by the looks of it they are currently improving that area which will make it even better. They also had a little restaurant on site and the food smelt amazing. Also you must visit the Farm shop on the way out as the food and products they do it there is very well priced and all looks lovely.

We plan on going back in the summer and can’t wait to see what activities they put on.

The admission prices to get into Spring Barn Farm depends on when you visit but for us it was £21.50 which include all activities.

For more information please visit their web site – Spring Barn Farm

Admission into

 

Our 1st Holiday – Part 3 (Safari)

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After a quiet day on the beach on Tuesday we decided to head off to a place called Selwo Adventure which we were told was a great day out for everyone at a safari park.

We looked it up and it looked pretty good so we thought we’d have a day out there.

As we pulled up to the park it looked lovely but there was very few cars in the car park but as it was quite early we guessed that was normal. To get into the park for 4 adults, one 4 year old and a 16 month old was 115Euros!!!! but we’d come this far so ahead we went.

As soon as we had got it we had a group photo taken which every place seems to do. We had a look around and then got told the first safari ride was going to start so we headed off to the truck. We went around and saw some lovely animals and then got dropped off at the first point and told to look around.

At this point we looked around and saw the elephants, lions and giraffes. We also got our hands on a crepe but noticed the gift shop was closed and asked a guy there and he said just the main shop was open.

After looking around we went on the final safari ride and went into the hills and saw the bears and tigers and looked right over to Gibraltar. The guide told us there was a restaurant but everyone on the truck said we’d go to the main restaurant at the beginning.

Once we’d finished the safari we walked down to the main entrance to look at the gift shop and also there was meant to be a play ground for Aly which she had been looking forward to all morning.

When we got to the front we was greeted by a closed restaurant so we once again asked a member of staff and they said the only restaurant open was the one at the top. To say we weren’t happy was an understatement as it was now 1.30pm and the girls hadn’t eaten. When we was at the top the guide never once said this was the only place open. We then looked for the gift shop which was totally unmanned not a single member of staff in the shop and no where to see the entrance photos.

Instead of spending another 45mins getting back up to the top we said we’d get something on the way back but first we’d play in the park to please Aly. Well we found it but it was so bad and nothing there Aly burst into tears and said this was rubbish.

We left very quickly after that. And to think we paid 115Euros for that.

If you’re thinking of visiting the Selwo Adventure Park I wouldn’t bother.

To read Part One – Flights & Villa

To read Part Two – Zoo

Our 1st holiday – Part 2 (Zoo)

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Monday morning meant a trip to Fuengirola Zoo which is just south of Malaga and was about a 40 minute drive from La Duquesa.

Both the girls and Laura were very excited at the thought of visiting the zoo.

The zoo itself is kind of located in the middle of a town and not where you would expect it. When you walk into the zoo you first get your picture taken and told you can see them at the end.

Walking around its clear the animals are well looked after and all seem pretty happy. The girls are loving seeing some animals that they wouldn’t normally get to see such a lions, tigers and gorillas. Mia is so happy making friends with the gorilla and talking to all the birds, at one point she even wants her lunch with a tiger.

I am also enjoying myself by talking looks of photos.

They have a great range of animals and adventure parks to keep the children happy when they get bored. They also have a great restaurant which was fairly reasonable for us all.

Just before we left we remembered the photos and they showed us 6 different photos and we decided to buy them for 16euros which for 6 8×6 is a pretty good price.

All the girls had a great day and it was lots of fun and the girls behaved very well.

A few more photos from our day at the zoo.

Please take a look at Part One – Flights & villa

Our 1st Holiday – Part 1 (Flight & Villa)

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Well it finally came around, our first holiday abroad. We was luckily enough to be given the chance to stay in an amazing villa in La Duquesa which is about 20 minutes north of Gibraltar.

This was the first time either Aly (who’s 4) and Mia (who’s 16months) had been on a plane. Leading up to the flight Aly was so excited she kept going on about it for weeks before hand.

As the day approached we had a vision of them both being complete monkeys but they we’re both so good and made it a complete pleasure. Mia sat on Laura’s lap during the whole flight and both coming and going slept for about an hour and a half of the two and a half hour flight. Aly was very very good and was happy when the food cart came along and was happy enough to watch videos on the iPad with my headphones on for pretty much the whole flight.

Once we arrived in Spain and had got the hire people carrier which Aly had named OmiVan (I wouldn’t ask) we was on our way to the villa to stay. We had warned Aly that the Villa was upside down so the bedrooms were downstairs and the living area upstairs. She loved exploring the whole place and took Mia off to show her the rooms.

Mia also seemed to enjoy exploring but was more interested in finding something to eat.

As it had been a long day we decided to just get some fish n chips for dinner which the girls didn’t seem to mind as they ate a whole jumbo sausage and chips between them.

And so the 1st day of our holiday had come to an end without too much hassle.

Day two began with us eating breakfast outside which amazed the girls and they loved it. As it was a Sunday we knew most things would be closed but found a little market that was open just around the corner.

We didn’t buy much apart from two wooden vases which cost just 6euro. The girls also bought some massive grapes. On the way back from the market we went to a little park that allowed the girls to run around and enjoy the sunshine .

Sunday afternoon just involved us walking around Puerto de la Duquesa and grabbing a bit to eat.

Sunday was a lovely relaxing day and gave us a chance to recharge our batteries before the week a head which would involve a Zoo, Safari and Gibraltar.

This is a few views from the rear balcony of the villa.

2011 was the year that…

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2011 is coming to an end and I thought I’d take a look back on a pretty good year.

The year started with a new job at Bone Clothing. I was so grateful for the opportunity and loved working there and I get the feeling that that relationship hasn’t finished. The job was only part-time so when I was offered a full-time job with Kids Stuff Toys I had to take it and haven’t looked back.

Also in January I began the journey of learning to drive, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I booked my theory test pretty quickly and managed to pass that with just one question wrong. I then quickly booked my actual test and went out driving whenever I could. By the time April had come around I was ready and took my test in Eastbourne and little did I know I ha the chief tester but I passed with just one minor. All that stressing about it and I managed to pass within 3 and a half months.

The only other major event was Alyssa’s eye operation to try and correct her crossed eyes. Unfortunately she requires another operation in a weeks time but she was such a good girl last time I think she’ll be fine.

As far as I can remember they were the only really major things that happened to us in 2011.

Other things that happened were Mia turning 1 and learning to walk, Aly turning 4 and us going to Centre Parcs and Peppa Pig World.

2012 will be another good year with Aly starting school and us going on our 1st holiday abroad as a family.