Helen

Colourful midlife mum to two teens. Determined not to do as she's told and slide off into invisible old age. Much cooler at 50 than she was at 15. Host of the Teenage Kicks podcast, about mental health for teenagers.

I got my Festival Skirt! Miss Francis pettiskirt tutu review.

“This is epic! I look like a giant fluffy marshmallow. Don’t eat me, will you…?” I got excited on Friday when this fabulous pettiskirt tutu arrived from Miss Francis. It was out of its gorgeous box and onto my tiny tush quicker than you can say #autoawesome. I’ve wanted what I like to call a festival skirt since my visits this summer to Just So, and to Feastival, where I saw cute little girls in spotty wellies and frilly skirts rocking moves to the music in the mud. It’s a seriously cool look, in a “oh I just threw it on and …

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Children’s Book Week review: Stick Dog Wants a Hot Dog

By Tom Watson. We hadn’t come across Stick Dog before seeing Stick Dog Wants a Hot Dog. The narrator claims terrible drawing skills, but we think his stick caricatures add something to the slightly pre-teen humour you’ll find Stick Dog’s dialogue with his fellow strays (named to appeal to kids and make parents roll their eyes):  “We need to give the raccoon a name,” she said simply. “A name?” “Oh yeah, said Karen as if this was a perfectly logical thing to do. “If we’re going to have a nemesis who is trying to snatch what is rightfully ours, it …

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Children’s Book Week review: Why your kids will love Stranded

A book for children ages 7+ Jeff Probst. Heart that name before? You may in fact have seen Jeff on TV – he is the Emmy award-winning host of the US version of reality game show Survivor. Jeff – a father of 2 children aged around the same as GG and the Bug – has this year published the first two of his Stranded series children’s books, and we were lucky enough to receive copies for review. Stranded, by Jeff Probst As a Dad of 2 children the same age as GG and the Bug, Jeff was keen to write a …

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Children’s Book Week review: Barefoot Books

We’re in the middle of Children’s Book Week, and in solidarity with Save the Children’s Born to Read campaign we are posting a children’s book review every day. We started on Monday with a review of Skulduggery Pleasant, and today we’re pleased to bring you not one, but two books for different reading ages, from Barefoot Books. What are Barefoot Books? Barefoot books are beautifully illustrated books for children from ages 1 to 14. From picture books for the very young, through Independent Readers for those getting used to reading, and books that retell classic tales in original ways. The founders …

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Children’s Book Week: Born to Read

GG loves to read. She loves to read so much that it has frequently got her into trouble; sneaking illicitly indoors at break time to hide in the library; disappearing on play-dates to raid her companion’s bookshelf; and countless fairy-light reading episodes where she has been threatened with blindness to make her consent to sleeping. I took these video clips over the course of 24 hours last week: Born to read It is fair to say that life would be miserable for my daughter if she couldn’t read. Life would be a lot less pleasant for her family too, as …

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What Age is Skulduggery Pleasant for? Children’s Book Review

What is the best age to read the Skulduggery Pleasant series of children's books?

Children’s book week review: Skulduggery Pleasant – Last Stand of Dead Men (Review) by Derek Landy. Recommended age 11+ Today sees the start of Children’s Book Week in the UK, and we are celebrating by posting a children’s book review each day between now and Friday. Today we are reviewing the latest in the children’s book series Skulduggery Pleasant, by Derek Landy. Last Stand of Dead Men is number 8 in the series, and the sequel to Kingdom of the Wicked. GG has always been a prolific reader. She almost literally consumes books, maxing out her library card and finishing …

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Harry Potter Studio Tour London review – don’t bother with Universal

I am not well-known for wanting to go out. I may have mentioned before that leaving the house is a process which requires expert “people management” skills on behalf of my parents. It begins with a bright and cheerful “Today we’re going to….” followed by some strategic groaning and face-making by yours truly. So I astonished even myself when I was up and dressed before the old’s alarm went off, on the day we had scheduled to visit the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. When you book tickets you have to choose a time-slot, and we were a tad early …

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Geocaching – a treasure hunt for families with a difference

Durdle Door – a geocache location I have to confess that the word geocaching used to leave me cold. I had visions of map-reading in extreme circumstances, rain, rock scrambling, and walking – WALKING! Just Dance it is not. Nor is it hanging out with friends, watching the X-Factor, or chilling out in bed with a book. In short, not something I wanted to do. But then we did geocaching at Center Parcs: we scrapped over who was going to follow the GPS coordinates, and by the time we had our second code we were hooked. We came home determined …

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Taking a bet: Wot so Funee?

Conversations in the back of the car: GG: Talking of bets (were we?) Jodie owes me £3.20 The Bug: Why? GG: Because I bet her that she couldn’t do 7 sums in 5 minutes, and she did, and I was going to pay her, but when they came back corrected, she’d got 3 wrong, so she lost. Mummy: Why £3.20? That’s an odd amount. GG: *sighs* Because I already owed her £2.20 from when she bet me I couldn’t go all day without touching my face, and I nearly did it but forgot at the last minute. So then we …

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7 things you need to pack when camping with kids

I dragged my parents camping several times this summer. Some of it they enjoyed (namely, the parts where they were asleep, and the parts where they were drinking cider), some of it they didn’t. I enjoyed ALL of it. I know how to have a good time, and so I offer you my best tips for getting rid of the camping jitters and throwing yourself into the spirit of camping with kids. What to take when camping with kids Friends: there is nothing like a couple of middle-aged people whining about boredom to wreck your holiday. There are fields full …

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The MADs: my winning ladies

By The Bug… I don’t say much on this blog. It’s not because I don’t want to (although I am currently in veto discussions over next week’s Wot so Funee?); it’s because living with two vociferous females makes it hard to get a word in edgeways – goodness knows how Daddy feels! But after last Friday’s Mad Blog Awards, I need to have my say about the winning ladies. The Mad Blog Awards 2013 For the last 2 years we’ve been lucky enough to attend the Mad Blog Awards ceremony. I say lucky, and I know that the ladies of …

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Spider Webs: Wot so Funee?

On the School Run “It’s like the spiders have made England into an adventure playground…” Spider webs in the mist I had a whole other #funee lined up for today, but after the school run this morning I couldn’t resist this one. Because that’s the best thing about a Mummy blog – the small moments with your children that make you smile on a misty morning. Now, if you have your own post to link this week, grab the badge code from the sidebar, and click the link below to enter your post – I can’t wait to see what …

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Losing gracefully – a life lesson

Dear GG, some time ago you had to prepare for a big event at school. To coincide with the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s momentous speech, the entire school would deliver individual speeches to their peers, on a subject of their own choice. You would be judged by your class, and a winner selected to go through to the school final. You prepared for this speech day after day after day. You really took on the challenge, researching your chosen theme – the marshmallow – and writing up your notes. You put together 2 minutes of facts and opinion, some …

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The MAD Blog Awards 2013 – Thanks, and Good Luck

I couldn’t not blog today, but if I’m honest, I’m feeling a bit under par. Annie, bring your tea tree oil and don’t stand too close 😉 Tonight I am fortunate enough to be attending the Mad Blog Awards for the second year running. Last year we were absolutely thrilled and gobsmacked to win our Schooldays category, sponsored by Startrite Shoes. The competition was stiff, and it is no less so this time round. Look: Thinly Spread: I mean seriously, the woman is a blogging legend, writing beautifully about life, food, gardens, and campaigning for a better world. What’s more, I’ve …

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How to look good in photos – a MAD’s Award tutorial

As the Mad Blog Awards 2013 draw mega close, I’m going to show you how Mummy might look on the big night. You’ve had the task of selecting my outfit, but now it’s actually Mummy’s turn in the spotlight. And bearing in mind the red carpet moment (although I seem to recall last year it was orange), I’ve been doing some research on how to look good in photos. Trust me, Mummy needs this advice… This was her last year: Not bad, and the word most bandied around afterwards was “cleavage.” Apparently it is the wide-angled lens that made her …

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What I’m wearing to the Mad Blog Awards

This Friday sees my second ever visit to the Mad Blog Awards. I am a lucky girl – once was fabulous, twice is just too exciting for words! Last year I had the most awesome outfit, I was beginning to worry that I would never be able to top it in 2014. But at the last minute, from out of the ashes of my woefully Marks and Spencerised wardrobe, my Fairy Godsister came up trumps. I’ve been waiting for the packages to arrive for a few days now, with excitement increasing daily as I enter the house. And today was the …

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How to Use Up Leftover Egg Yolks: Chewy Lemon and White Chocolate Cookies Recipe

The perfect recipe to use up leftover egg yolks   Egg yolk recipes are thin on the ground, unless you’re keen to make a homemade custard. And let’s face it, who wants the bother of making a custard (or one step further, an ice cream recipe) when you’ve just whipped up a pavlova (likely the reason you have leftover egg yolks in the first place)? This egg yolk cookies recipe is the answer. It’s a basic method I’ve used for many years, and it’s a great way of using up leftover egg yolks when you’ve made a meringue. Really simple, …

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Freakishly weird: Wot so Funee?

Oh brother of mine, you are freakishly weird but I love you. This, on our way home from school last week caused some bemused looks from my mother. Was this a compliment or a slur? Was it designed to make the Bug happy, or as a put-down of the most withering variety? Who knows? It’s just something I say. I was asked to elaborate: He is freakishly weird because he loves Skylanders so much. That, no-one can argue over – he is, and he does. You, Mummy, are freakishly weird because you’re just too organised. Daddy is freakishly weird because …

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7 reasons why you want to be a Center Parcs blogger in 2014

This year I was a Center Parcs blogger. What this means is that I had a bit of a giggle joining in with challenges every month and writing about them on the blog, and then I had a free holiday at Center Parcs. As an 8 year old, anything which forces my mother into the craft box with me is welcome, so I can thoroughly recommend it from that perspective. You too can be a Center Parcs blogger! Center Parcs are now looking for next year’s recruits, so I thought I’d give you 7 reasons why you might like to …

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