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!

Celebrating The Small Things:Week Twenty Six

I am miles behind with these posts as I predicted I would be at the beginning of the year, but I’m going to try and play catch up with them as I’m very good at this and these posts are something I’ve really enjoyed and had great feed back about.

Coaxing The Teen From His Den – For those of you that follow my blog I’m sure that you will have noticed a bit of a gap when its comes to posting about my eldest son. This is not by choice or because he doesn’t want to be featured, it is purely because the lure of the Xbox is to great most of the time and quality moments are pretty rare.

However we had a pretty good run lately as he been taking part…and dare I say enjoying the Disney 24 Hour Challenge that we have been set.

The challenge in short is a way to encourage families to get active together in any kind of way you want. It has been a real breath of fresh air for us and we have thoroughly enjoyed spending time together in an active way and hope to keep it up even after the challenge has been completed.

Strawberry Picking – This is definitely one of my favourite simple pleasures in life and as soon as the sun shows his face I am eager to get out their and pick all those juicy strawberries.

It gives the children chance to run free and get to know a little more about where food comes from. It was always something I loved to do as a child and adore doing with my own.

Afternoon Naps – Oscar to me seemed to skip the toddler phase completely and moved straight onto a pre schooler. He has always been wise beyond his years, tackled toilet training at really young age, dressed independently for a long time and as for those longed for afternoon naps well they were given up at just over a year.

Although I love his fierce independence and grown up attitude I kind of feel robbed of those precious toddler years that seemed to skip by to quickly with him. So walking in on him curled up and fast asleep on my bed the other was a lovely reminder that he is still my little one that I have for a few more months yet.

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?

PJ Masks New Series 2 Viewing Party

PJ Masks has been a favourite TV show in our house for a good while now and the boys have been lucky enough to go along to a PJ Masks themed trampoline session and attend a super cool Halloween party with them all in ‘real life’ over the past year.

Series 2 is now set to hit our screens on Wednesday 28th March on Disney Junior at 4.30 and to celebrate this we were sent a fabulous pack of goodies to celebrate with along with two episodes of the new series to have a sneak peak at home.

They wrote party invitations to each other, donned the masks of their favourite characters and settled down to enjoy the show after arguing over who was going to get the PJ Masks inflatable chair!

Their eyes didn’t leave the screen and we ended up with having a bit of a PJ Masks marathon as it would be shame to let all the party wear go to waste.

After the food had all been eaten and they had had enough of watching the shows they then got creative with the carry along art case and the stamp and sticker play set. I love the fact that they can use their love for their favourite characters in a creative way by making up and writing stories and trying to recreate their favourite character on paper.

If you have any PJ Masks fans in your house then make sure you tune in next week to catch the all new and exciting episodes that I assure they won’t be disappointed with!

Taking To The Ice With Disney On Ice and Frankie Bridge

I hold my hands up and can honestly say that I am the worst ice skater you are ever likely to see! Every christmas I head out with the kids and try my hardest to soak up the festive atmosphere whilst clinging onto the side of the rink for dear life!

With this in mind when an email hit my inbox inviting me along to Queens Ice Rink to skate with some of the stars from Disney On Ice and Frankie Bridge I knew that Izzy would be over the moon at the thought of this and I would have to face my fears!

We arrived at the rink and Izzy’s face lit up as we were handed a pair of beautiful white skates in preparation for our session and while Izzy was itching to get out onto the vastness of the huge rink I was coming out in a cold sweat.

Everyone took to the ice and after a few stumbles seemed to take to it pretty well. Izzy was off within minutes and left me to fumble along behind her.

The experts then joined us and I was guided round the ice by an extremely patient instructor who gave me a little more confidence but still didn’t manage to stop me falling spectacularly on more than one occasion…much to the embarrassment of my daughter.

The real stars of the show then showed us all how it was really done and span, twirled and lifted in a way that I could only ever dream of.

I definitely think the highlight of the afternoon though was getting the chance to meet and skate with the lovely Frankie Bridge. Izzy has been a fan of hers since her Saturdays days so getting the chance to meet her whilst skating was just the best treat.

She was warm and welcoming and fantastic with the little ones, even if she did take the mickey out of my skills!

Her talents are going to make a very welcome addition to the new Disney On Ice show – Worlds Of Enchantment that is set to start this April and we can’t wait to get along to see and tell you all about.

I came away from the afternoon with a little more confidence on the ice and a daughter who now has her heart set on being the next Disney princess on ice and left the rink clutching her boots exclaiming she is going to cherish them forever.

Get Ready For A Magical Journey With Passport To Adventure With Disney On Ice

A few weeks ago I spent a wonderful afternoon taking part in the ‘Fit To Dance’ workshop with Ashley Banjo and some of the super talented stars from Disney On Ice.

Their passion and love for all they do really shone through and the buzz of the upcoming show filled the room and you can get your chance to experience this for yourself if you are thinking of going along to the show yourself in their pre show ‘Fit To Dance’ with Zootropolis.

All of your favourite Disney characters from Minnie and Mickey to Timon and Pumba will be making their way to London from 20th to 30th December to take you on a journey through a plethora of memorable Disney destinations with the all new singing and dancing show – Passport To Adventure.

The journey will take you through the African Pride Lands with Simba, Timon and Pumba, take a trip deep under the sea to the mystical home of Ariel and then wicked off into the sky by Tinkerbell to discover Neverland. As if this wasn’t enough you will then be transported to a winter wonderland where you will of course find the all time favourites Elsa, Anna and the lovable snowman Olaf and discover that true love is the most magical power of all.

This show would make the perfect Christmas treat with its combination of familiar Disney hits, world class skating and of course the magic of Disney that can never be topped.

There are still tickets available ‘here’ so don’t miss out on your chance to witness this unforgettable experience!

Fit To Dance With Disney On Ice And Ashley Banjo

Last week I got to have a few hours on my own with Oscar to visit Danceworks in West London to take part in a ‘Fit To Dance’ workshop with some lovely performers from Disney On Ice and the dishy Ashley Banjo!

Oscar skipped his way along Oxford Street telling me how excited he was about going to sing and dance until he was confronted with a room full of strangers and his thoughts of being star of the show soon dwindled.

Luckily enough the super friendly skaters made all the children feel at ease and after warming up and a little to much participation from me he soon soon got into the swing of things and was happy to join in independently.

‘Fit To Dance’ is a way to encourage children to dance through the use of story telling which in turn helps them to use their imagination and improve their fitness levels in a fun way.

They got together in a group to chose the story they would like to recreate through dance and each picked a character at be throughout the performance.

With characters named and a story plot in place the children were running, jumping, twirling and whirling around the hall to their hearts content.

After a few practice runs they donned their fancy dress and showed the audience their work.

Oscar was extremely happy with himself and still had a pretty big treat to come.

Fed and watered the children all gathered by the door to await the arrival of two very special guests…Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

Their eyes literally lit up and such excitement filled the room.

They all got the chance to meet the cuddly pair and it was certainly a very special treat.

We couldn’t let the afternoon pass without getting a snap of Ashley Banjo too which certainly made my girls very jealous when we arrived home.

The ‘Fit To Dance’ program is available online and is certainly worth taking a look at and trying out at home for yourself.

With Disney On Ice’s Passport To Adventure currently on tour this would really be the perfect way to get yourself ready in the the run up to the show.

Toys Galore With Cars 3

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few months you can’t have missed the hype the has surrounding the release of Cars 3.

We were lucky enough to go along to a screening recently which left us all buzzing from the return of these lovable characters to the big screen.

Along with new film releases always comes a whole host of merchandise that children are drawn towards to keep the movie alive once they return home.

Ordinarily I’m normally a bit of a meanie when it comes to things like this as they are often gimmicky toys that fail to keep my children’s attention for more than five minutes!

However Cars 3 has bought with it a fantastic range of toys that have kept my boys occupied for hours on end which is nothing short of a miracle if you know my youngest two.

Lego is always a big hit in our house and the Cars 3 Junior Easy To Build version that is aimed at children aged 4-7 has been a fantastic addition to our collection.

The easy to follow instructions and recognisable characters make it a toy that Frankie can happily return to again and again and get the satisfaction that he can create it all by himself.

At this time of year I am always looking for toys that are easy to take on trips out to keep them amused on long journeys or when I need to try and keep them busy while we are having a meal.

This is where the mini racers and figural crayons are perfect.

The cars can be easily raced up and down in smaller spaces and crayons are always a go to, to let them get creative.

The quirky design of the crayons with the name and figure of each car was a real delight and they have also been used as race cars an several occasions too!

We have been thinking a lot about getting things ready for ‘back to school’ and one thing I like to do is get key rings for their book bags so they can be easily recognised and hopefully not lost within the first few weeks.

These super cute soft keyrings are the perfect way to adorne any book bag…or sneak onto your own keys if you are anything like my husband! 

If cuddly is your thing then the squishy Guido is the one for you. He has in fact  paved the way to become top choice for a bedtime cuddle here.

I have saved the best for last though which comes in the form or a remote control Cruz Ramirez car.

It is the perfect way for children to try their hand at becoming a racer themselves with an easy to use control pad that has simple manoeuvres for even the youngest of children to get to grips with.

This car has given them hours of fun and more than a few arguments about who is going to drive it!

I would love to know who your favourite character is from the new film and which one this fantastic toys would be on your little ones list.
*We were given these toys for the purpose of this review and they are all my own honest opinions.

PJ Masks Have Landed At Oxygen

Oxygen in Croydon has become a bit of a regular haunt for me and my youngest since its recent opening, with us regularly  taking part in the toddler sessions that are aimed at little ones aged five and under.

I mean what could be better than an hour of running and jumping around a huge trampoline park when you are three years old, and of course for us parents tiring them out for an hour is always a huge bonus.

When I was asked along to try out their new PJ Masks Jumping Adventures I knew it was going to be a huge hit with my youngest two.

We arrived and the boys were handed costumes which they happily doned to transform themselves into thier favourite PJ Mask characters Gekko and Catboy.


Trampoline socks on and safely briefing done we made our way into the main area where the boys bounced, dived and lept to their hearts content.


What set this session apart from the usual toddler sessions though was the addition of lots of games put on by the super friendly staff that have really got into the spirit of things by dressing as the characters too.

The boys joined in with groups leaping across the trampolines and loved rushing to see how quickly they could move the balls from one trampoline to the other.

Extremely warn out they made their way to the cafe area where I enjoyed a much needed coffee while they made masks and coloured in PJ Mask themed sheets.

If this sounds like something that your little ones would enjoy then these sessions are running until the 5th September and by using the code PJMASKS at the checkout you can save yourself 20%.

*we were asked along to this session for the purpose of this review and they are all my own, honest opinions.

Cars 3:One For The Girls

Sometimes when an email hits your inbox you know that you are going to be the favourite in the house…even if it’s just for a short time.

An invitation to a screening of Cars 3 sent my house into a complete frenzy and even my moody teen asked to come along which is an absolute miracle.

We made our way along to The Soho Hotel where we had the chance to fill up on a delicious breakfast whist the boys got Cars themed balloons and tattoos.

Full to the brim and fit to burst with anticipation of what the film would bring we made our way to the cinema and settled in our seats.

When it comes to sequels I am always a bit pessimistic and never find that they can live up to the original.

However Cars didn’t fail to impress with Cars 2 so I had high hopes for this one. 

This one sees the infamous Lightening McQueen showing his age and doubting his ability to stay top of his game.

With new sleek and stylish generation of cars making their way onto the racing scene such as the newbie Jackson Storm, Lightening McQueen’s confidence is crushed and he tries to find new ways to keep his number one status.

His training takes a modern twist with the help of his new trainer Cruz Ramirez but he soon finds this is not for him and he enlists the help of some of the older generation to take him back to the basics.

Cruz quickly becomes his right hand girl and through this friendship she builds her own confidence and let’s everyone know that the racing game is not just for the boys!

This film is more than just about cars speeding around the track; it teaches the importance of always aiming for the sky, having faith in yourself and the importance of friendships be it old or new ones.

From the youngest to the oldest this film had us captived from beginning to end with a fantastic twist that you just have to see!