Miscellaneous

Verulamium Spa: how to relax in style.

    It’s been a stressful few weeks here. People tell me I’ve never looked better, and that’s down to the weight I’ve lost; I wish I could have lost it training for my half marathon, or eating a sensible diet, but actually, it’s all down to stress. Every cloud… To be honest, when my 2 closest friends suggested a spa morning I didn’t think I’d be able to take advantage of it. The enormity of what is happening in our lives right now doesn’t allow for random and happy thoughts to dwell for any length of time, and everything …

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Instant Ink – never miss another homework deadline

I saw something last night that took me out of my norm, and threw me right back into the chemistry lab of my schooldays. My daughter and I visited a local secondary school so she could start deciding where she’d like to go. Part of the tour involved the science department. I watched as my 10 year old fed a copper solution to a hungry bunsen burner, as her face lit up with ‘epicness’ when the flame turned green. She, like her mother 35 years ago, is going to love Chemistry, and I feel excited for her already. But one …

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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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It never rains…

It never rains but it pours

I like to think I’m an optimistic person. I don’t count magpies and assume the ugly thieves have the power to change my life. I put umbrellas up indoors – it’s practical when drying. And new shoes always go on the table for labelling before they make it to the cupboard under the stairs. It would be bad luck if they didn’t, given my children’s capacity for sending their stuff to lost property. But recently I’m wondering whether I’ve accidentally offended the gods of fate. As some of you know, my 9 year old daughter is dealing with a recent …

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Expressions: Silly questions your mum will ask about diabetes

Stupid questions your mum will ask about diabetes

The Type 1 diabetes diagnois came just over a week ago. We were diagnosed at the GP, and sent straight to paediatric A&E for training in how to manage it. Of all the questions I expected to hear my mum ask the doctor there, this one never crossed my mind: Will she ever be able to experiment with illegal drugs..? My mum is a worrier. She projects into the future. Whilst I reassured her that I’m only 9, and really not interested in heroin, she thinks about all the things I might want to do as an adult, that she …

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Back to school shopping list

Back to school

6 weeks of freedom! Exactly one month ago, I ditched my school uniform and we headed out for the traditional McDonald’s end of year tea. I breathed the 9 year old sigh of freedom as I sat back with my McFlurry and contemplated the long lazy summer ahead. Then I froze. Outside, just over the road, was a sign in the stationer’s window: Back to school.. WHY!!!? Why do they torment children with the back to school message when they’ve only just broken free? I’ll tell you why. Because there’s so much to organise, and parents are so harrassed while …

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Tell me about your Mum: Tesco Mum of the Year Awards 2015

Last Autumn I went to a party. Not just any old party, this was one of those surreal, dreamlike events where I ate beef two tables away from Boyzone, tried not to gaze at Jason Merrells over my pâté, and gossiped with Eileen from Coronation Street about what everyone else was wearing. This was the huge perk of being an ambassador for the Tesco Mum of the Year Awards.  In actual fact though, it was difficult to stay starstruck for very long. Every single person in that room – famous or not – was in tears at some point, as we …

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Because of Asthma

I’m finding it hard to breathe. My heart is racing, and there’s a fluttery feeling in my stomach. My skin prickles, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to get through this. It’s panic, no other word for it. And the reason? I just received an email containing this sentence: Thank you for registering to run in the 2014 Royal Parks Half Marathon for Asthma UK. We will be in touch over the next week to welcome you onto the team. My daughter has asthma. She’s had it from birth, in a viral form, but this summer saw her …

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Ideas for a day out in London with kids: Freaky Rivet

Ideas for a day out in London with kids

I’ve seen a number of posts recently from parents worrying that their children are getting too much screen time during the long school holiday. Personally I’m comfortable with an hour or so of TV or gaming – kids need to switch off and mine are definitely happier for a bit of down time. But too much will turn them feral, and so once my official work hour is over, I’m all about getting them active, or using their imaginations, in a fun way. Getting kids active in the holidays. This year we’re working with an organisation called Freaky Rivet, to …

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A family day out at Kew Gardens

Climbing trees is obligatory at Kew Gardens

Our friends I once had a conversation about family with my mother-in-law. She is a lady who sets great importance in family. To her, family takes precedence over everything. I get it – my own mum (and goodness gracious my Dad!) would have been the same, if I’d let them get a word in edgeways. And yet, I argued with her; I think that as generations have moved forward, as children have flown the nest further afield than they once would, there is a new kind of reliance on friends. Where once, mine and my husband’s mothers would have almost …

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Homemade Banana Ice Lollies Recipe with Crunchie Chunks

How to make banana ice lollies

  Banana ice lollies recipe It really has been the most glorious summer so far. Being able to fling open the door each morning and let the kids play outside feels free and makes everything so much more relaxed during the school holidays. And what could be better on a hot afternoon than a homemade ice lolly? We have a new set of ice lolly moulds, and time on our hands, so I set the kids to work on their favourite flavours. Crunchie bars and banana milkshake featured strongly. So of course we needed to make a frozen treat that …

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Wot so Funee? How to get more pudding.

Lovely puddings at Sands Resort Hotel in Cornwall

In honour of the Bug’s birthday this week, we’re going to share one of his recent classics. Both of us are good eaters, but we’re never made to clear our plates. That’s one thing Mummy has always been adamant about – a habit of clearing your plate stops you listening to your body’s signals, and often means you overeat. Apparently. So despite the school’s tendency to administer stickers for empty plates, Mum’s not having any of it. That said, we’re not allowed to avoid the things we don’t like, and there’s a cut-off point before which we’re not allowed to stop. …

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Selfish mums and free school shoes…

School shoes from online store Jakes Shoes

Have you ever been cheated by your Mum? As a parent have you ever felt guilty for putting yourself before your child? Meet my mother, who managed to turn a shopping expedition for school shoes into a trip which was ALL ABOUT HER! Ad/Gifted Both the Bug and I are in need of new school shoes. The Bug, especially, has been out of his shoes since last half term. That’s six weeks he’s been going into school in his trainers, risking the tuts of teachers as he fails to pass muster in the uniform stakes each morning. In fact, it …

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My writing process blog tour – tips for creative copy

Sculpting confusion There is a thing going on with bloggers and writers at the moment. It’s called a blog tour and it works like this: Each blogger involved answers 4 questions about how and why they write They then pass the baton to another writer, who publishes answers to the same questions the following week, thanking the person who tagged them. It’s that simple. When Sophie, of Franglaise Mummy, asked me if I’d like to be her ‘tagee’ I hesitated. I’m not normally a partaker of memes and tours; I don’t enjoy writing to a prescribed structure; and I’m so …

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The practicalities of driving an electric car

Go Ultra Low with a Renault Zoe electric car

Over the last 5 weeks we’ve been road-testing an electric car. You know, those cars that you’ve seen on the news occasionally, read a bit about  and wondered, but always thought were a bit of a non-starter? Yeah, me too. But we agreed to take temporary ownership of a 100% electric Renault Zoë to really understand the deal. And do you know what? We were massively surprised by how much we liked it! Here’s what we learned: Driving an electric car – the fun bit. The first thing that freaked me out about an electric car was how quiet it …

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How to park for nothing on a London day trip

  Yesterday we had a day in London with the kids. We took the car, and we parked it totally free of charge, all over the capital, while we explored some sights, sounds and smells we’ve never discovered before with the kids. We were able to do this because we have an electric car. Read on to find out how it works. How to charge an electric car Over the last few weeks we’ve been road-testing the Renault Zoë on behalf of Go Ultra Low. Until 31 March 2015, British Gas will install a charging point at your home free of …

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Expressions #16: Over the moon!

There was an incident on Wednesday. A 7 year old’s head came into contact with a rifle butt – not a phrase I ever thought I’d type.  Complaints that the girls had an unfair advantage, being older and bigger. Anguish at being shot when out of ammo. Angst at being on the team that was lagging behind at half time. But miraculously (*winks*) the announcement came, when the laser party was over, that the birthday boy’s team had won by a whisker. And I managed to catch the expression of joyful disbelief as those words were uttered. Not very well, …

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The day they stayed off school: Somerset Yurts review

Camping is cosy at Somerset Yurts

Last Monday I did something I’d never done before. Just as all the children were lining up for registration, I called the school: Erm, the kids won’t be in school today… No, no they’re not ill, it’s just that, erm, well, you see, we’ve been away for the weekend, and, well, we haven’t come home yet… Somerset Yurts – it’s camping kids, but not as we know it! We’d arrived late Friday evening at Somerset Yurts, after the usual rush-hour chaos, and it was raining. Now, we’re reasonably seasoned campers, but no-one likes unpacking camping gear in the rain. Which …

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A great family break (Sands Resort hotel Cornwall review).

  By GG… It’s a long way to Cornwall from where we live. It is, in fact, far enough to exhaust the battery capability of one iPad, one Samsung tablet, two DS consoles, an iPod, an old iPhone 4 that has seen better days but still has the Sims app on it, and half of my Mum’s smartphone. A break for eating Quavers (one of those giant grab bags you get from the service station, not just the ususal flimsy little pack that wouldn’t feed a flea) barely distracts for a moment, before the “are we nearly there yet?” chant begins again. And …

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Expressions #14: Extreme thrills on the Flowrider!

The happiest girl in the world on the Flowrider!

 Thrilled. Just look at that happy face. She’s a thrillseeker, my daughter. She does have a safety gene that kicks in occasionally, but if an instructor tells her what to do and says it will probably be fine, she is first in line to give it a go. I love that about her. Actually Daddy works on the Marketing team at Thorpe Park, and had been considering installing a Flowrider continuous surfing wave at the park, so he booked us all in to check it out. Immediately we arrived, I knew that myself and the Bug would be sitting it out with a …

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