Book review The Giants and the Joneses by Julia Donaldson

It’s not often that a book inspires us to write a review, but twice recently The Bug has enjoyed a book enough that he has insisted on writing a blog post. He wrote recently about the latest graphic novel, Robotslayer, and as soon as we’d finished reading The Giants and the Joneses it was the first thing he wanted to do. Review – The Giants and The Joneses In a reversal of the standard Jack and the Beanstalk tale, Julia Donaldson describes how a land of giants live in fear of the small people (iggly plops). Until one day a …

Read more

World Book Day ideas from Miles Kelly

As you know, I am a compulsive reader. Those pages full of black and white adventure are like a drug I cannot give up. I read everywhere and all the time – I have even been known to get into trouble at school for catching up on my latest chapter when I should be doing maths. Ahem. So the opportunity to receive a book as a gift is never something I would pass up. To promote World Book Day on 6 March, the lovely people at Miles Kelly asked a secret blogger to send us a book they thought we’d …

Read more

Young and free: Felixstowe beach 365 #08

We try to visit Grandma during the school holidays. We look forward to the trip – aside from anything else, Grandma has dogs, the thing we most covet at the moment. But even better is the chance to rummage around  on Felixstowe beach. It doesn’t have to be swimming weather, and we don’t need buckets and spades; we’re happy with simple things: filling Mum’s pockets full of stones suitable for the rock tumbler finding the perfect stick for drawing in the sand throwing pebbles – distance and skim is not important, it’s the satisfying plop into the foam that we …

Read more

Saturday is Caption Day: Felixstowe beach promenade

I haven’t joined in for ages with Annie’s Saturday linky, but as I was scrolling through some lovely images I captured at Felixstowe beach this week on the half-term break, I was stopped in my tracks by this one. Snapping away, I was trying to get a shot of The Bug with Grandma, but what on earth is that on the wall?? Give it a caption, then head over to the Boss lady for more.

Bug can ski!

Two years ago my brother took his first ski lesson. We’re lucky enough to live a short drive from The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead, and I had been skiing a few times already. I’d done ok with the slippery sticks and will happily fling myself face down in the snow whenever I get the chance, so The Bug, quite naturally, was willing to give it a go. To cut a long story short, he managed his first lesson, with some coaxing from my mother, and consented to a second. To which Daddy was the responsible adult. He’s not as …

Read more

Ask GG: 5 tips for keeping your bedroom tidy

This post is for Cass from Frugal Family who posted with her lovely comment. Dear GG, my little girl is 11 and she is sooooo messy. Her bedroom is always a mess and I’m always having to tell her to tidy up so I wanted to ask you if your bedroom was tidy x So, I’m going to give you a list of tips for keeping your bedroom tidy as I had a massive clear out the other weekend. Usually my bedroom is a mess but I have lots of tips! 5 tips for keeping your bedroom tidy: Always keep your …

Read more

Book review: Middle School by James Patterson

Middle School, by James Patterson. Hi this is actually GG once again and I have to do a book review on a Sunday! I know that in some religions Sunday is a day of rest. Well, in our house that rule doesn’t apply. So, I’m going to write a book review about Middle school: My brother is a big fat liar!  Summary: Georgia Khatchadorian, Rafe’s little sister has started sixth grade and everyone is avoiding her because when Rafe was in that school  he was very naughty and he got told off a lot. But Georgia desperately needs some friends. …

Read more

Better Photo Project 365 #07

It’s not the best photo this week, snapped at dusk as we climbed to the top of the car park at Hatfield Galleria after seeing the new LEGO movie. (And for those of you wondering, yes, it is worth seeing – very cool indeed). I’ve doctored it in picmonkey as best I can, but it’s still grainy – an iPhone in the dark is not the photographer’s best friend. But I took it because it impressed me with its drama on a stormy evening. And there is a story. My children are fans of the top levels. Apparently I am quite …

Read more

Ask GG: 7 reasons why I will move to another country if Gove gets his way

By Helen and GG.   What children think about longer school hours. Last week Michael Gove announced plans to lengthen the school day in a bid to bring state education closer to that delivered in private schools. We wrote about the proposals on BritMums, and people have asked what the children think, because after all, it is they who would be most directly affected. We asked GG to tell you what she thinks. Dear GG: Michael Gove wants children to spend 10 hours a day in school, and have fewer holidays. What do you think about longer school hours? From …

Read more

Please vote in the MAD Blog Awards 2014

Two years ago we won an award. It was the first award won in this household since my mother took temporary custody of a silver-plated cup, aged 16, for being the best flute player in Cheadle. Or maybe it was in her street. Whatever – it had been a while. We squealed down the phone on the night we won the Best MAD Schooldays Blog award at the MAD’s. Mother held the phone up to the mic so the whole room could hear our momentary loss of composure. Luckily her best mate from blogging ‘day zero’ also scooped a trophy, …

Read more

Extreme weather: Wot so Funee?

The year 2 topic in my brother’s class at the moment is extreme weather – ice storms, volcanoes, rainforests, etc. He is taking part in an assembly this week to showcase what he has learned so far. I’m really hoping they rehearse him before the big event, because here are 2 nuggets of information he gave me over the weekend: Hailstones are like ice-pops. (Yeah, in a weird alternate universe where Vanellope von Schweetz really is Queen). You get piranhas on Amazon. Now, I know everyone’s worried about world domination at the hands of the e-commerce giant, but I don’t think there’s …

Read more

Graphic novels for kids: Robotslayer, by Vincent Kamp

I’ve always been a fan of sleep, but since discovering that reading is not only easy, but fun, I appear to have contracted my sister’s virus. It manifests as an inability to keep my head on the pillow at night unless said pillow is also home to a book. I have been discovered several times recently in the middle of the night, with lights blazing and a pile of books littering my duvet. One such book is Robotslayer. I read it. Mummy read it to me. And then I read it again. I’m not the biggest fan of handwriting, but …

Read more

Rivers, weirs and floods: project 365 #06

We went to a concert this week. An orchestral performance just for children – just half an hour of short, recognisable, or fun pieces, designed to introduce children to classical music. Both GG and The Bug take violin lessons at school, and they both chose to attend the concert. It took us to Hertford, a place we rarely visit, and into sunshine, a thing we haven’t seen much of recently, so we wandered afterwards, savouring the fresh air. I stopped by the river, to explain what the rain has done, why the water was running so fast. I’m constantly looking …

Read more

What to get a nine year old for her birthday!

By Helen and GG… Helen: We’re back, and this week’s Ask GG is on the issue that is closest to my daughter’s heart. Stuff. More precisely, stuff for her – stuff she has, stuff she wants, stuff she thinks she wants, and stuff that no self-respecting parent would ever let their child be without. In the opinion of a 9 year old. Which is, after all, the point of the post.  GG: This post is based on what Donna from little Lilypad Co and PinkOddy (who needs ideas for a ten year old) said in their comments. Once again this is …

Read more

Buzz Lightyear and the Rocket Scooter #TeamHonkRelay

*Updated: for pictures of the event scroll down. By GG… I am embarrassed. As I sit in maths today, my mother will be gearing up for her part in #TeamHonkRelay. Which means she will be clothing herself in this Buzz Lightyear costume and scooting into the centre of St Albans on a Rocket Micro Scooter. She has practiced on the scooter. But only in our kitchen. So she will be rubbish. But that is not what’s embarrassing me. It is well known that people go silent when in the presence of a lone adult in fancy dress. Fear and uncertainty …

Read more

Weather in Florida: Wot so Funee?

Funee is thin on the ground at the moment, with dead serious taking its place at an alarming rate. So I went sifting through our draft posts – you know, those half written anecdotes designed to remind me of detailed scenarios and enthralling witticisms. Sadly they never quite manage the feat of recalling memory, but I did happen across this one, from our Florida holiday last year. I think it’s strangely appropriate for a Britain in the grip of floods. And as today sees my mum in a flimsy Buzz Lightyear costume, scooting for Sport Relief, I am praying that …

Read more

Building confidence in kids: from fear to ambition! Project 365 #05

I made my stage debut tonight. I have been at fever pitch all week with late night rehearsals and costume anticipation. I’m performing in the stage version of Grease at the Alban Arena theatre, and I am beyond excited. I have a ‘circle skirt’ which I’ve been telling people about for days, a boiler  suit for Greased Lightning, and an actual prom dress. I’m on a stage – not a raised box in the school hall, a real stage, in a real theatre for the first time in my life! I love the thrill of performing – always have, ever …

Read more