Videos

Recipe: Unbelievably Easy Sausage and Bean Stew (Tefal Cook 4 Me)

Recipe: a sausage and bean stew that's so easy the kids can make it

If you follow our social media accounts, it will not have escaped your notice that we have a new kitchen gadget. I have waxed lyrical about the Cook4Me by Tefal, to the extent that several of my online friends have gone straight down to Argos to buy one for themselves. Still others have added the intelligent multicooker to their Christmas list. I’m pretty confident that it will live up to expectation, and very excited to have one to give away today. I’ll be reviewing the Cook4Me fully next week, when you will find out how we got on handing the kitchen over …

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Parenting: Watch More TV to End Bedtime Battles

Bedtime battles have to be one of the most frustrating aspects of parenting, don’t they? You put up with sleepless newborn nights, assuming that routine will come, and you’ll get your evenings back. And for most, it does. Until your baby wises up and realises that he has influence. From that moment on, you’re doomed. The nightly debate as your sleepy child kicks into his energy reserves for a final sprint sucks the life from you, even as your dinner sits cooling in front of Game of Thrones, stuck on live pause. Sky TV asked me to take a look …

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Travel: Piran Meadows – Luxury Family Fun in Cornwall (review)

Piran Meadows resort and spa is a wonderful mix of family fun activities, and complete relaxation

Luxury (noun): two pillows per person.   Hoseasons Cornwall Piran Meadows Review When I walk into a bedroom which will be mine for the duration of my holiday, and see abundant pillows, I know I’m on a luxury trip. There’s usually a TV on the opposite wall, and I know I will sit, plumped against my copious pillows reading my book, or watching a movie with my family. Luxury. So it is at Piran Meadows, in Cornwall, a small resort in White Cross, not far from the glorious beaches of Newquay. And of course, that’s not the best part. It …

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Travel: Treehouse Glamping in Norfolk

Sunrise treehouse at West Lexham in Norfolk is the perfect home from home for a relaxing glamping break.

Advertising disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you click them, for which I thank you. All opinions and imagery of West Lexham are my own.  Treehouse Life Is there anything more lovely than camping in the woods? Waking early to sunlight peeping through the leaves, and the sound of birds singing the sunshine into the day. Or snuggling down by a log fire in the dusk of evening, hot marshmallows roasting in a flame as fairy lights twinkle. It turns out there is. Sleeping (and living) in a treehouse. I have always wanted …

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Ski: Tips for doing The Luge Toboggan Run in Val Thorens

Tips for surviving the Luge toboggan run in Val Thorens

  If you’ve always fancied taking a family ski or snowboarding holiday, then Val Thorens is the perfect place to start. Our kids get very excited about our ski trips, and it’s a complete joy to share the antics of the day with them after a long session on the slopes. But even though they love the skiing, children sometimes need a break, or a change of scenery during a week’s holiday. For ours it can be a lazy afternoon in the apartment, or a swim in the hotel pool. But one of the highlights of their holiday in Val …

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Free to Dream (Freestyle Libre review)

A blood glucose reading whenever you want, without finger pricks - here's our Freestyle Libre review #freetodream

Hey, stop what you’re doing for a minute, will you? I just need you to do something for me. It will take about 2 minutes – if you’re lucky – then you can carry on with your work/play/nap/dancing (delete as appropriate). Hey, can you stop again please? Sorry, I just need you to do that thing again, won’t take too long. I know, I know, you’re dancing/singing/talking to your friends/marking coursework. Sorry, but it’s got to be done. Hey, sorry to interrupt AGAIN, but can you just… yes, again, yep I know you’re busy, I know it’s important, you’re having …

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Travel: The 7 Best things for Kids at Beaches Resorts Negril

Best things for kids at Beaches Resorts Negril - the beach!

  It’s easy to think that Beaches Resorts is all about you. Whoever you are. As a parent, it was ALL about me: the cocktails brought directly to me at the poolside, the restaurants, the comfy sun-loungers, the stunning beach, and the kids clubs that actually felt welcoming enough for my kids to want to go there, and safe enough for me to let them. Yep, it was all done for my benefit. But actually, I’m pretty sure the kids thought the whole resort had been put together with their particular desires in mind. Here’s what they loved: 7 Best …

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Travel: What we loved about the Tikibad water park in Duinrell!

The terrifying (and wedgie-giving) Pelican slide at the Tikibad in Duinrell Holiday Park is not to be missed!

Without a doubt, the main reason you will stay at Duinrell is the Tikibad. Aside from the fact that it is a genius addition to a park where the weather isn’t always of the beach variety, it is quite simply the most fun you will ever have in a soggy swimsuit. I’m not the biggest fan of water parks since passing the hedonistic age of 21, preferring to stay dry and warm, and to keep all my belongings where I can see them. But I was the first to beg for another day at the Tikibad, once I’d sampled the …

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Brave Bones

I looked at my son and my heart melted. Well done you! the lady at the first checkpoint congratulated him. You just cycled 5 miles! I cringed and prayed that he hadn’t heard – I’d been telling him for the last ten minutes that he was already eight miles into his twenty mile charity cycle ride. He’d heard. I upped my motivational skills. My daughter called me a slavedriver and refused to be motivated. With every hill I cheered “Walk, don’t wander! Make it count!” At the ten mile point Actually Daddy suggested that we downgrade our aspirations and make do with …

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Merry Christmas from London

London Gingerbread House

It’s lovely having a birthday at Christmas. I’ve always considered myself lucky that the whole world is set to party, twinkly lights and tinsel everywhere I look, all ready for me to throw myself into another year older. And so I work hard to get Christmas totally sorted in time for my day, so that I can relax and enjoy my family and friends. So today I headed off into London with the kids, to meet Actually Daddy for lunch. Steak and chips and red wine at Sophies in Covent Garden – such a treat and it wasn’t even the …

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Never too old to swing!

Where do the birthdays go? They seem to come round much more frequently than once a year, and my children are growing up far too fast for my liking! My girl, especially, is turning into a young lady (or a grumpy teenager – ask me on a good or bad day and you’ll get a different answer!) almost as I watch, and as she hit double figures recently I was struggling to know what to get her for the big day. Until I asked her. What she most wanted, in all the world, was a swing. The best wooden swing …

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Should you give your child the flu vaccine?

The flu vaccine The flu vaccine is a must in our house. GG has been having it since a young age, as she suffers with asthma from time to time. Now that she has a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes there’s just no debate. I’ve had it too. As her main carer I can’t afford to be ill, in the way that flu makes you ill. And if you’re wondering if you’ve ever really had the flu, I can put you out of your misery right now – you haven’t. I’ve had flu twice in 48 years. Flu is not …

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Dog on Stilts: a book with a message for children

Dog on Stilts: a book with a message for children

Medium dog has a problem. At least, he thinks he has. You see, he’s just medium. Average, ordinary, normal. And that doesn’t suit him. He wants to be noticed. He wants to be liked. He wants to BE someone! Luckily, he thinks he has the solution, and embarks on a project that will see him walking taller than all the other dogs. But will it make him happy? Dog on Stilts A little dog with a big message for children Dog on Stilts is the second hardback children’s book by James Thorp and Angus McKinnon, of The Superhairies group. We …

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Getting a head start on Christmas!

Christmas has started!  I know I’m totally going to polarise opinion here, but ever since I had children, I’m firmly in the camp of kicking off Christmas as soon as possible. There is just so much fabulous stuff to fit in, and I don’t want to be a chaotic heap of stress the week before the big day, only to wonder what hit me once the wrapping is off and we’re all stuffed full of Christmas pudding. So yesterday our Christmas tree went up. Often I get carried away with the romance of schlepping to the garden centre and choosing …

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Wot so Funee? Getting used to a new bike.

You have these weird things sticking out of your back. Yes, they’re my bumpers… He’s skinny, my boy. The result more of running around using his young body for fun, or for football, more than a lack of interest in food. It means that the definition in his form is easy to see, from his enviable six-pack, to his shoulder blades. Lucky that he has such ‘bumpers’ then, because this week he got a new bike, a bigger bike, and it took a bit of getting used to! I remember the thrill of my first Raleigh Twenty (yes, I am …

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Beauty Legacy – who do you #FeelBeautifulFor?

Who do you #FeelBeautifulFor?

Image credit: Stephanie Belton If your best friend said that about you, she wouldn’t be your best friend for very long. It has already begun. GG, at 9, has started to compare her body and face to what her friends have. She’s not the only one – they are all doing it. It has become a ‘thing,’ as they begin to fret about their shape, their hair, and the minor features they believe to be less than perfect. I have always told her how beautiful she is, because she actually is. She has a smile that can light up a …

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How I survived Brownie Camp

I accompanied my daughter to Brownie Camp last weekend. What was I thinking?! Quite aside from the eye-rolling and quite tangible disgust that her mother was in her space on a residential trip, my daughter knew that I would be tired for days afterwards. Nine-year-olds are not well-known for going to sleep early. Or lie-ins. They are notorious for wanting to eat cake and to keep the fun going as long as possible. And who could blame them? An opportunity to run in the woods, away from the usual rules of home, homework, and music practice. A chance to quite literally swing …

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Expressions #12: Let it go for #BritMumsLive

"Britmums brilliance in blogging awards"

My mother has done it again. Embarrassed me. I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s an almost daily occurrence, with her gaffs, and her love of oversharing. I have perfected my warning glare for use on the playground when faced with an imminent faux pas in front of my friends, and actually, much of the time it works. But she has out done herself today. Unbeknownst to me, she and Annie have been putting together a short video detailing their nerves over the forthcoming Brilliance in Blogging awards. Now I love Annie, but she has led my mother too far over the cliff …

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Easy Family Food: Versatile Pizza Tart recipe

Easy family food - versatile 'pizza' tart for the whole family

When the Bug and I get home from school, chaos often sets in. Both of us have various places we need to be, and everyone needs to be fed. Pizza tart is one of our quick and easy staples. Simple to prepare, just chuck on any ingredients you have in the fridge and bake. It’s good hot or cold, and stands up well to being reheated for later if you’re the kind of family that sometimes needs to eat in shifts! In this version we decided to get a bit more exciting with our ingredients, and used OXO’s new Shake …

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A new family adventure has begun…

Earlier this year we went skiing for the first time as a family. Each of us had different expectations of our trip, but none of us knew how it would pan out. You see, although all of us had experienced skiing before, this time was going to be different; this time we were a family of four. From my ‘headlong into the thrills’ approach, to Mummy’s nervous ‘will I have to carry 3 pairs of skis and a wailing child’ trepidation, we ran the gauntlet of ‘what-if’s’ for weeks before our arrival on the slopes. Would Daddy be frustrated with …

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