The Snowman – The Peacock Theatre

When I was a child the classic Raymond Briggs story of The Snowman was a constant each and every Christmas and my love for this story has been passed down to all my children who have all been enchanted by the story as I was all those years ago.

Saddler’s Wells have bought this iconic story to life by way of a glorious stage adaptation that we were lucky enough to go along and see this weekend.

The story of a little boy’s magical adventures on Christmas Eve come to life in front off your eyes, as you find yourself getting immersed in the magic as the friendship of the snowman and the little boy grows and the adventures they have traveling to and partying at the North Pole.

There are a few extras added to the original story which ordinarily I wouldn’t like. But it fits in absolutely perfect and just enhances an already wonderful story.

This really is a show for young to old and is the perfect way to introduce dance to little ones; and even though there is a running time of just under two hours there wasn’t a moan or a fidgety bottom in the house!

This really would make for the perfect festive treat and there are still tickets avalible for this stand out West End show. It is running at The Peacock Theatre – Holborn until 31st December and you can book tickets HERE.

You can also take a look at some of the fun we had HERE.

FUNharmonics Family Concert – ZOG

[GIFTED] I think I must have walked past, taken pictures outside and wondered about the Southbank Centre more than a hundred times over the the years but have never ventured inside.

So I was over the moon when we were asked along to a the FUNharmonics family concert of ZOG that was being held there.

The Julia Donaldson, Alex Scheffler classic has been a favourite in our house for many years now and I was intrigued how the London Philharmonic Orchestra were going to execute it.

We arrived to collect our tickets and after getting our bearing we headed to a great area that had been set up with lots of ZOG inspired crafts to keep the little ones busy before the show. this was all included in the price of a ticket and was the perfect way to get them thinking about the story before the main event kicked off.

We took to our seats in the beautiful auditorium and listened to the huge orchestra warming up. The boys loved looking at a whole host of different instruments and had fun trying to guess what each one was called.

It wasn’t long before the performance was underway and I was hugely impressed with how interactive it was. The children got to answer questions to find gold stars that appeared on the big screen, there was singing, dancing and lots of information given on the orchestra in a super fun way that was perfect for the age range of the audience.

For the second part it was time to settle down and watch the super cute Dragon – ZOG.

As the animation was running we were treated to an amazing performance from the London Philharmonic Orchestra that complemented the story perfectly.

The whole concert was far more interactive and educational than I was imagining and adults and children alike throughly enjoyed it, if all of the woops and cheers from the audience were anything to go by.

It really did bring a children’s classic to life and it is something that will remain firmly in our memory banks for many years to come.

The orchestra is turning to Beethoven in February for its next concert – Why Beethoven Threw The Stew and I’m sure it’s going to be as fabulous as ZOG so keep an eye out.

Our March…

March seems to have come and gone in the blink of an eye and as I still here going over what we have been up to I think it’s probably the fact we have been so busy it has just flown by.

Archie started off the month with landing himself his first real part time job. It is on a church retreat and he had the job of cooking, cleaning and serving the guests. He seems to be thoroughly enjoying the more tasks he is set and meeting new people who all seem to have sixth amazing stories to tell.

I have to admit when he first told me about where it was(down a load of country lanes with no public transport) I was moaning like made as I knew this was going to fall back on me to get him there and back. But it wasn’t until someone said instead of moaning you should be proud of him for taking the time to find himself work and apply himself that I realise I should suck it up and praise him for his drive and want for independence.

Frankie has one of his routine trips to the hospital for an eye check and the good news is he is nearly done with patching. There has been a huge improvement in this sight and they have got it to a leave that is now remaining stable, so the daily battles with the patch I’m am happy to say are now over!

I fast forwarded the year and stepped straight into summer at the Next Happy Hotel event where I got to look at a whole host of products from homeware, clothing and beauty that are set to make for a pretty great summer. There were some fantastic pieces in each and every section but I think I was most surprised by the amount of other beauty brands that are available through next. I had no idea they stocked Benefit…did you?

From a event on my own to one with all the family at Chessington World Of Adventures. For those of you that regularly read my blog you will know that I have been an ambassador for them for the past few years now and absolutely love watching the changes each and every year. This year the have a new interactive attraction based on the much loved book – Room On The Broom. The children loved it and it’s a must see for any fans of the story.

I have been up and down with my exercise but Jemma’s Health Hub has kept things pretty constant for me so I’m hoping to feel a lot healthier and less self continuous this summer.

Whist we are in the subject of health I had a little bit of a scare with some chest pains that I was referred to the hospital for. My blood pressure isn’t really what it should be and I am waiting on a scan just to check that everything is ok and it’s actually given me more of a push to shift these pounds and get my exercise back to being an everyday routine rather than a chore.

Peppa Pig is still very much a favourite in this house with the boys…even though Frankie wouldn’t let on to anyone; so we were very excited to go along to Leicester Square to see the new film that is put this Easter. The boys absolved it and I’m sure it’s going to be another big hit.

From this screening we went straight to the Royal Opera House to take a look at one of their family fun Sunday events. I was more than a little apprehensive about taking the youngest two as they don’t really scream Royal Opera house! I needn’t have worried though as it was such a relaxed atmosphere where they got to enjoy lots of crafts, storytelling sessions and witness the most amazing ballet and modern performances. It really would come highly recommend from us.

With Mother’s Day on everyone’s minds I was invited along for afternoon tea with Paperchase. We got to chat to lots of lovey mummies and take a look at all the amazing products Paperchase had to offer this year.

A highlight for me probably more than the children this month though was a screening of the new Dumbo movie. It is most definitely a childhood favourite for me and I was so pleased that Disney had worked their magic and managed to recreate a different but equally as thought provoking and heart warming movie as the last.

Spring definitely seems to have been making an appearance and we have been enjoying this with some time in the garden, plenty of hot cross buns and some spring flowers. I really do love this time of year.

The last few days of March will always be ones to remember as the day we were celebrating Izzy’s 13th birthday party my eldest daughter Alice decided to give birth to my beautiful second grandchild. We don’t like to do things by halves in this family and it was a whirlwind 24 hours but I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

After all the chaos it was time to celebrate Mother’s Day and this is traditionally a nightmare day and this year didn’t disappoint.

I think I have this ridiculous expectations that my children are going to turn into angels for one day and the arguing and bad behaviour are all going to disappear! Sadly of course this doesn’t happen and we started the day with two of them devouring my chocolates before I even sat down to breakfast, one then decided to throw the said breakfast as their sisters head and so the day started.

Next year I’m going to lower the expectations in the hope that this will help!

Ben And Holly’s Magic Kingdom Live On Stage:Giveaway

I have always been a big believer in introducing the children to the wonders of the stage from an early age. There is nothing quite like a live performance and all of mine have and still do thoroughly enjoy a trip to the theatre.

A good way to introduce them is with characters that they are already familiar with and for mine Peppa Pig was always a favourite. The makers of Peppa Pig Live have now brought the CBeebies favourite – Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom to life and I have a feeling this is going to be just as good.

The young fairy princess Holly is still tentatively learning to fly and master her magic skills while her best friend Ben the elf spends his days running around with his good pal Gaston the ladybird. The show allows you to become immersed in their Little Kingdom and enjoy lots of fun, games and laughter along the way.

If this sounds like something your little ones would enjoy then I have got a family ticket to give away for Saturday 2nd February at 1pm at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford. Please enter below and the simmer will be announced on Friday 1st February.

Good Luck!

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What The Ladybird Heard At Rose Theatre Kingston:Review

We all have a favourite books from our childhood; one that brings back memories and even into our adult life can evoke feelings from times and places around that very story.

The beauty of finding your favourite book in this day and age is the fact that many of the classics are adapted for the big screen or stage, allowing you to enjoy the story in a completely different way.

A favourite in our house at the moment, especially with Frankie is What The Ladybird Heard by Julia Donaldson. Frankie first came across this fantastic book whilst covering it at school and was lucky enough to play a part in the school assembly that we all loved watching.

You can imagine his excitement when I told him we would be going to see the show on stage at the Rose Theatre in Kingston.

The Rose Theatre is a new discovery for us and we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived to the super friendly staff in a lovely bright and spacious reception that lead onto a cafe full of scrummy treats and a small play area that was perfect to keep restless fingers busy.

After a quick look around we made our way to our seats inside the theatre. It had a really laid back feel to it and the children were invited to grab a cushion and take a seat right in front of the stage or settle in their seats if they wanted. Actually as sad as this may seem the seats were a pretty big highlight for me as they were the usual retractable kind but came in a double seat which saved the continual chair banging throughout the show!

The colourful set had the whole audience of little people gazing at the stage with anticipation of the start. It wasn’t long before the lights dimmed and the charters took to the stage. The tale of the two cheeky robbers who were out to steal the farmers prized cow started to unfold and with the use of extremely clear props…my favourite was the goose made from a watering can, catchy tunes and bundles of audience participation the children were keeped engaged for the whole 55 mins which is no mean feat when there is such a young audience.

During the show the children were encouraged to join in with animal noises, sing and mimic the actions to songs and try to spot the elusive ladybird which seemed a favourite with them all. There was also plenty of slapstick style comedy thrown in which is always a hit with my lot!

The characters were warm and friendly and really drew the children in and made a great connection with them. Frankie took a real liking to the naughty robbers whilst Oscar was pretty taken with the jolly farmer.

At the end of the show we were lucky enough to be able to take to the stage for a chat with the characters and the children got to try their hand at using some of the amazing props.

Frankie was over the moon the meet his favourite character ‘Lanky Len’ and Izzy was in her element to get five minutes on stage as this is her absolute dream.

We had a fantastic afternoon and highly recommend this show as a half term treat for all the family.

What The Ladybird Heard Is Coming to The Rose Theatre

Im sure that most of you with little ones will be all to familiar with the wonderful book – What The Ladybird Heard by the talented author Julia Donaldson.

What The Ladybird Heard is the first in a series of three picture books that sees Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len come together to counter up a plan to steal the famers prize winning cow; but the ladybird has a plan of her very own!

From the 29th May – 3rd June this much loved tale is being brought to life on the stage go the Rose Theatre, Kingston with tickets starting from as little as £10.

The 55 minute performance will bring recognisable songs, live music, puppetry, plenty of audience participation and of course lots of fun and laugher.

This would make the perfect treat for any little one who loves these stories and a great way to introduce them to the wonderful world of theatre.

To really get them in the spirit of things Fenwick in the Bentalls, Kingston have put on a whole host of activities from a What The Ladybird Heard trial around their third floor, colouring sheets and crafting workshops and a delicious sounding themed lunch in their restaurant.

We will be going along soon to see for ourselves what the show has to offer and if it is something of interest to you then click HERE to book your tickets.

Disney On Ice Is Back With Worlds Of Enchantment

A few weeks ago Izzy and I took to the ice with Frankie Bridge and some of the stars from Disney On Ice to practice some moves whilst they were getting ready for the new show – Worlds Of Enchantment.

It is set to be yet another jaw dropping show with Ariel and her undersea kingdom, Lightning McQueen and his friends racing round the rink, the timeless classics from Toy Story that I know will be the favourite of my boys and of course there couldn’t be a show set on ice without an appearance from Anna, Elsa, Olaf and Kristoff.

Take a look below at just a snippet of what there is to see and keep an eye out of what we thought when we visit the show at the SSE Arena next week. It really would make the perfect day out this Easter!

A wonderful way to make these memories last for a lot longer is with a beautiful gift that evolves memories of the Disney magic time and time again such a piece of stunning Disney inspired jewellery.

How would you keep the magic alive?

Celebrating The Small Things:Week Five

Last week was a pretty hectic one full of all sorts of highs and lows that saw us here there and everywhere. I can safely say that we are looking forward to a break in routine and some fun and games during half term next week.

Here are the small things we have been celebrating:

Egg Challenge Success: Last week saw us taking a trip to St Thomas’s for Frankie to have his baked egg challenge. Frankie’s allergies aren’t something that apper heavily on my blog, I think this is because by the time I had started writing, the trials and tribulations that come with raising a child with allergies had settled and we had learnt to deal with the problems.
Since starting school though the problems and differences in his day to day life have come to light again and for him it is now impacting him in a more emotional way due to the fact he feel different to his peers.
School lunches are limited, baking at school and friends parties all see him singled out which can be upsetting for me as well as him.
We were over the moon that the baked egg challenge was a success and there has been another food to his list of things he can eat.

Much Needed Girly Time: Trips out are somewhat of a rarity for me and time alone with my Mum and sister is almost nonexistent. One of us is always working or there is a child in tow, so it was lovely to have the opportunity to have an afternoon out to the theatre to watch Cirque Du Soliel.
Aside from being a fabulous show having time to simply chat and giggle uninterruptedly was an absolute treat.

Watching My Husband Thrive: I really don’t praise my husband enough… he would completely agree with this but this weekend made me a very proud wife.
His absolute passion is fighting, so much so it has been lucky enough to forge a career out of this and his gym is going from strength to strength.
This weekend he took a team of his young fighters to a tournament and the success of all his students showed how much love, time and dedication he has shown each and everyone of them.

Cirque Du Soleil – OVO Review

I think I must have been living under a rock for the past few years as the wonders of Cirque Du Soleil seem to have passed me by. If I’m honest shows that involve magic or are circus act based are something that rarely grabs my attention, but after only ever hearing glowing reviews of Cirque Du Soleil from family and friends I knew it was something I had to experience for myself.

Last week I was lucky enough to attend a performance of the show that is currently showing at the Royal Albert Hall which is a truly wonderful place in itself.

upon entering we were drawn to the stage that had been engulfed with a giant egg that was set to be the main topic of the show…I did have to google this to find out OVO is Portuguese for egg!

It wasn’t long before the lights dimmed and from every corner of the theatre performers crept out and interacted with the audience in the most spectacular insect outfits. From grasshoppers to butterflies and spiders to fleas they got the audience buzzing with excitement before even taking to the stage.

It wasn’t long before the spectacular acts began and the performers leapt, contorted and balanced in the most fabulous way in front of an astounded crowd.

An army of ants put on an amazing display of foot juggling with all sorts of fruit and veg from kiwis to corn on the cobs.

Two beautiful butterflies put on an amazing performance by intertwining with each other mid air, showing immense strength and the most unbelievable movement that was as beautiful as it was dazzling.

Never did I think a diabolo could be bought to life in such a fabulous way, but watching them flying through the air was sublime.

All of this was interspersed with a comical love story of a cheeky bluebottle who’s affections for the voluptuous ladybird were certainly not reciprocated.

The finale saw a whole host of insects effortlessly flying through the air to land on a huge wall that they appeared to be walking on with such ease and graze. It really was the perfect end to an outstanding show.

The whole performance had me captivated throughout and with it’s mixture of comedy and awe inspiring acts it’s makes for a show perfect for the whole family.

*I was given tickets for the purpose of this review and they are all my own, honest opinions.

In The Night Garden Live 2018:Family Ticket Giveaway

It is around this time of year when all the fun of Christmas is over, the weather is rubbish and there is nothing exciting planned that I start to think about the warmer weather ahead and the exciting things we are going to get up to.

One of the highlights for us for the past few years has been the fantastic on stage performance – In The Night Garden Live.

The musical theatre show brings to life all the familiar characters from the popular TV show through magical puppetry, breathtaking projection, enchanting music and life-sized characters.

Tickets go on sale from 26th January 2018 and there is also an exclusive resale on 23rd January.

The O2, London

Thursday 24 May – Saturday 9 June

Performances at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm

No performances on Tue 29 May & Tue 5 Jun

Richmond Old Deer Park, London

Saturday 16 June – Sunday 1 July

Performances at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm

No performances on Tue 19 Jun & Tue 26 Jun

Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham

Saturday 7 July – Sunday 22 July

Performances at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm

No performances on Tue 10 Jul & Tue 17 Jul

intu Trafford Centre, Manchester

Saturday 28 July – Sunday 19 August

Performances at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm

No performances on Tue 31 July, Tue 7 & Tue 14 Au

If this sounds like something you and your little ones would be interested in then or if you are feeling lucky then I have a fantastic competition for you to enter below for the chance to win a family ticket for four(minimum 1 adult) at a venue and performance of your choice.

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The competition closes at 23:59 on 14th January 2018. Good Luck!