• Odds Park Farm
    Buckinghamshire - days out - Local Review - parenting

    The perfect Spring day out {Odds Park Farm}

    April 22, 2017 - By 

    Now the weather is warming up I’m really excited to get out more at the weekend. Not that we don’t go out in winter, it’s just a lot more enjoyable when the weather is warmer. Living on the outskirts of London the countryside is at the end of the road. We’re lucky to have Odds Park Farm only 20 minutes away and in the last we’ve been for a friends birthday party as well as the Reception class school trip. The perfect Spring day out  at Odds Park Farm Odds Park Farm is a certified Rare Breeds Farm at Wooburn…

  • Sylvanian Families Cake Decorating Set
    Friends of Sylvanian Families - parenting - playing - toy review

    Sylvanian Families Cake Decorating Set

    April 21, 2017 - By 

    I think it’s pretty apt that my last post was about baking. We’re a family who loves to spend time in the kitchen and our last bake, fingerprint cookies, went down pretty well. So I knew that my 5 year old would love to review the Sylvanian Families Cake Decorating Set. Sylvanian Families Cake Decorating Set My daughter has collected Sylvanian Families for years. It’s easily one of her favourite toys and I love that she can play with the figures, the buildings, vehicles or just get everything out and cover the floor for days on end. We thought we would…

  • Simple fingerprint cookies
    baking - homestyle

    Simple fingerprint cookies {baking with kids}

    April 20, 2017 - By 

    My children love baking. I’m keen to encourage them in the kitchen but a kitchen full of cakes is not helpful when you’re following Slimming World! Anyway, my daughter has been asking to bake something for ages so we made a yummy batch of Fingerprint cookies. Simple fingerprint cookies These are really quick and simple but fun too! We measured out a simple cookie dough recipe and she helped mix it all together. When the dough was ready we left it to chill for 30 minutes in the fridge. Then I divided the dough into two and my daughter got…

  • Star Wars books for 7 year old
    book review - parenting - Star Wars crafts

    Star Wars Reads 2017

    April 20, 2017 - By 

    Now in its sixth year, Star Wars Reads, a celebration of Star Wars and reading, has returned with a month-long campaign throughout April. Last year I wrote a post about my son. The only books he would read were Star Wars related, with a few Angry Birds and Minecraft books thrown into the mix. I really thought a year later I would not be writing this post but guess what? He’s still the same. Slightly bigger perhaps but still only reading Star Wars books on his own. Together we have managed to read a few Roald Dahl books, we’ve just finished reading Matilda. And…

  • Alfie and Dad book cover
    book review - competition

    Win a copy of Alfie and Dad by Shirley Hughes

    April 19, 2017 - By 

    Have you ever read any of the Alfie books by Shirley Hughes? I remember reading them when I was younger and now my children love them too! I’m so excited to be able to share this brand new book with you – Alfie and Dad from award winning writer and illustrator Shirley Hughes. This wonderful collection of heart-warming short stories celebrates the special relationship between Alfie and his beloved Dad. Alfie and Dad by Shirley Hughes Alfie’s Dad Simon is always there for Alfie and his sister Annie Rose. He reassures Alfie during a sleepless night, he rescues favoured toy Flumbo when…

  • Paper plate bird craft for kids
    Bostik Family Craft Bloggers Network - crafts

    Paper plate bird craft for kids

    April 19, 2017 - By 

    Spring is in the air and we’ve packed away our Easter decorations for another year. Thankfully there are plenty of Spring crafts on our to do list. We recently received our latest Bostik Bloggers box which was stuffed full of crafty pieces to make a fun Spring bird-themed craft. We raided our own craft stash to make a really fun paper plate bird craft for kids. Paper plate bird craft for kids We used: paper plates brown and red tissue paper feathers googly eyes Bostik Glu Dots How to make paper plate birds The basic idea is to fold your…

  • things to do in London in 2017
    days out - Local Review - London - parenting

    7 things to do in London in 2017

    April 18, 2017 - By 

    I can’t lie. A small part of me was glad that the children returned to school and the husband to work this morning. I really enjoyed our Easter holidays but the days were just so busy and sociable. I missed my quiet time. We’re not blessed with any family anywhere near us so it’s pretty hard to do anything as a couple. For the last 7 years we’ve been a family and I love our family days out. But occasionally we remember our child-free days of going out after work, lazy weekend lunches and the hottest tickets for the latest…

  • EARTH DAY HAND PRINT CRAFT FOR KIDS
    crafts - Earth Day crafts

    Earth Day hand print craft

    April 18, 2017 - By 

    Every year on April 22 people across the globe celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day is an annual event marked across the world to show support for environmental protection. The aim is to encourage people to do things that will benefit the Earth, such as recycling more, using solar power or plant trees. The first Earth Day took place in 1970 and now it is celebrated in 192 countries across the world by around one billion people. Easy Earth Day hand print craft tutorial To celebrate Earth Day we thought we would make an Earth Day hand print craft. It was one of those lovely…

  • An Easter Egg Hunt at Lytes Cary Manor
    days out - Local Review - Somerset

    An Easter Egg Hunt at Lytes Cary Manor

    April 17, 2017 - By 

    We’re really keen to use our National Trust membership more this year. Whilst we spent a few days in Wiltshire over the Easter holidays we were able to visit a couple of properties which had been on our wish list for a while. The first was Lytes Cary Manor in Somerset. Lytes Cary Manor Lytes Cary Manor is an intimate medieval manor house with a beautiful Arts and Crafts garden. Originally the family home of Henry Lyte, where he translated the unique Niewe Herball book on herbal remedies, Lytes Cary was then lovingly restored in the 20th century by Sir Walter Jenner. The garden…