Reviews

Diabetes: Running without Jelly Babies

You know when someone in the office leaves for pastures new, or when a mum in your group has a new baby, and you want to buy them a gift? Someone starts a group text, someone else has a search on Amazon or Etsy and comes up with the perfect suggestion. Then someone offers to pay, and 25 people all Paypal each other £3.76 each to contribute. It gets messy, right? Well I’ve found another way of doing it. Leetchi.com is a personal crowdfunding website that helps you manage the finances on group projects. Basically, you log on, create a personalised ‘money …

Read more

Travel: Embers Camping and Tips on Picking the Right Campsite for your Family

A couple of weeks ago we decided to go camping. We’re not brilliant campers – we don’t own fold-out tables or shelves; when it rains we seek refuge in the pub; and in the mornings we’re more keen to find a decent coffee shop than we are to boil a collapsible kettle (who even knew there was such a thing?)! But we do like to camp. As a family, there’s nothing more magical than snuggling up together under canvas, telling stories by torchlight, and waking up to the smell of (someone else’s) bacon sizzling over a log fire. Embers kindly …

Read more

Climbing the O2 Dome – what to expect when you climb the millenium dome

We’ve had a couple of big birthdays in our family recently. Just before Christmas, I made a big song and dance about turning 50. Ok, so really it was all an attempt to justify the complete wardrobe haul spending spree I went on. Call it mid-life crisis, if you will. I don’t care. Once you’re 50 it’s ok to stop caring what others think, right? Anyway, it was great, we celebrated in New York – well, mid-flight en-route to the Big Apple, to be exact, but who’s counting? Oh yeah, right. That would be me. Anyway, again… my brother and I …

Read more

Big screen, or cosy movie night – why choose?

  Which is better, do you think? The surround sound and big screen epic experience of the cinema, and a big night out? Or cosying up on a comfy sofa with your family and plate of your favourite food? I’ll admit that as I’ve got older, and now we have kids, I do love a Saturday night on the sofa, snuggling up together after home-cooked fajitas. The perfect TV dinner, the perfect company, and a great family movie. But there’s something about the atmosphere of the cinema that really makes a film, and delivers a more memorable evening. Such a …

Read more

How to Create a Stop Animation Film for Christmas

Don’t you love a good Christmas advert? As much as The Snowman, and Elf, waiting to watch the newest Christmas adverts has become a marker of Christmas – the start to the festive season, and our kids want them played again and again throughout December. But this week has been even more exciting, as they’ve had the chance to make their own, courtesy of a fab stop animation kit from Sainsbury’s. Sponsored post with Sainsbury’s. Inspired by the stop animation film of their own Christmas advert, and its message around spending more time with family and friends over the holiday, …

Read more

Do you really need a car dashcam?

A review of the Mio Mivue 688 There are a number of car dashcams on the market; a recent addition to the car tech available, a dashcam is basically a small camera that records footage of your journey, essentially to be used as proof in the event of an accident or insurance claim. Think of it as a kind of aeroplane ‘black box’ for your car. But it’s not an inexpensive item, so the question is, do you really need one? We reviewed the Mio Mivue 688 dashcam to find out. Why have a dashcam? It will reduce your insurance …

Read more

Turning 50, Feeling Hotter

The time has come for expensive jeans, and comfy shoes. I took my daughter to our local catwalk show last month. As I gazed at the models – all local girls, some of them mums I knew from the playground – something clicked in my mind. All ordinary women, looking amazing in interesting clothes, holding their heads high, knowing they looked good. Wearing gorgeous throw-on knits, skinny jeans, sparkling pantsuits, and exquisite blouses. Yes, blouses. Time was, a blouse was a thing you wore to tea with your grandmother, not an article of chic glamour, but times have changed, and …

Read more

Wicked: an Alternative to the Panto at Christmas

When my kids were young they loved a pantomime at Christmas. It’s the slapstick, the limerick nature of it all, the cheesy jokes, and the audience participation – it never fails with younger kids. But Maddie is now 12, and though she still wants a special trip to the theatre at Christmas time, she has outgrown the panto, seen the Snowman, and is not yet old enough to really appreciate a full ballet production of the Nutcracker. So we went to see Wicked. It has exactly the right amount of fairytale and costume excess to fit the bill of a …

Read more

St Albans Restaurants: a Family Dinner Busaba Thai

When you think of family dining you’re not likely to have Thai food at the top of your list. Children and spices don’t make a natural pair, especially if you have traditional eaters. We’re unusual, in that the Bug is a huge lover of chilli, and seafood; however Maddie prefers straightforward English dishes – a roast and a crumble is probably her favourite option – and will admit to liking standard children’s menu fare. As parents it can be tricky to find a restaurant that suits your own tastes, but also caters well for (and challenges the taste buds of) …

Read more

8 ways to Style a Christmas Jumper

I am loving my Christmas jumper this year! It's going everywhere on me. Hopefully today it will distract the opposition football team and the boys will get a win!

People come in two types. Those who wait for the weekend before Christmas to start celebrating. And those who don’t. Guess which one I am? This weekend I could resist it no longer: my Christmas jumper went on, and Spotify switched to the Christmas playlist. I know, I will be bored of Mary’s Boy Child by the big day, but who wants to eat leftover mince pies in January? I say bring it on right now! How to Rock your Christmas Jumper Advertorial post with Matalan – gifted products.  This year, we got our Christmas Jumpers from Matalan. They have a huge …

Read more

Could you have Chefs of the Future? Tefal Cook4Me review

Review: The Tefal Cook4Me We’ve been letting the kids loose in the kitchen recently. They’re old enough now to know a few of the basics of preparing food, and both of them are really interested in creating meals, so cooking with the kids is much less stressful than it used to be when they were very young. What’s really made the difference though, is the addition of a new gadget to our kitchen. We’ve been working with Tefal to promote the Cook4Me, showing how easy it is to use by turning over the kitchen to the kids. Looking for more …

Read more

Kidzania London review

A review of Kidzania London, where the kids are in charge of learning about real life on the job.

If you have children, Kidzania must be on your radar. Mine had been begging to go for a while, so over the half term holidays we booked in, and I have to tell you, they were really excited, especially my eldest, who was looking forward to the independence of forging her way in a mock-up of the real world. Billed as a ‘real-life role play experience,’ Kidzania offers children the opportunity to get a feel for what it might be like to take on over 60 different workplace roles, earning money in return for tasks completed. Here’s what to expect …

Read more

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 …

Read more

Skydiving without Fear

I swore I'd never go skydiving, but an indoor skydiving session with my kids almost saw me signing up for the real deal! Here's what we thought of iFly at Milton Keynes

Indoor Skydiving with iFly I swore I would never go skydiving. We’re pretty adventurous in our family, and between us we’re up for most things. But jumping out of a plane? No. Not for me. My daughter claims she would, and also thinks that bungee jumping is something everyone should try. (Also not happening in my lifetime). My son is the most sedate amongst us, and probably won’t be testing my parental panic meter with daredevil activities any time soon, but with a husband who’s planning to throw himself off a mountain for his 50th birthday, it’s fair to say …

Read more

The new Steve Backshall Kids Clothing Range from Mountain Warehouse

The new Steve Backshall kids clothing range at Mountain Warehouse is cool, and hard-wearing, to cope with life's outdoor adventures.

There’s something exciting about Autumn. When you finally concede that the weather is too cold to go without socks, and pack away your summer clothes, it’s tempting to feel sad, especially when you’ve had an amazing summer at home with the kids. But once I’ve committed to it, I start to get excited about the clothes that have been stashed away at the back of the cupboard – the cosy fleeces and padded mittens – and I greet them like old friends. Even better, though, there’s a new season of clothes to be had! When it comes to buying clothes …

Read more

Christmas Gift Ideas for all the Family

  GIVEAWAY ENDED I was in London this week for the Family Traveller awards. One thing I miss so much about living outside the city now, is the chance to just wander along high streets in my lunch break, or to sip a glass of wine after work. Dip into a café for a bite to eat, or see what’s new in the shops for the next season. As we were meeting at the White Company in Sloane Square, we had a browse in Peter Jones first, and just like that, I’m in Christmas mode! I know there’s a backlash over …

Read more

Food: Easy Italian Family Friendly Dinner Party Menu

If you're having a dinner party, and trying to cater for children as well as adults, Italian is a great choice. These little antipasti relishes are perfect on tiny crostini or bruschetta as an appetiser.

  In our family we love to eat. Waiters never get the chance to offer the children’s menu, and always look nonplussed by our kids’ food choices. At the weekends we cook big roast dinners, complete with proper puddings, or attempt marinades for the barbeque. One of my biggest frustrations after we started a family was having to cook simple, plain foods for my children, and then start again with delicious dishes for myself and my husband. As soon as they were able to appreciate something more challenging I started to try and integrate them into our more grown-up meals, …

Read more