Reviews

Review: Nintendo 3DS XL console

Creating Mii on Tomodachi Life by Nintendo

Right, the kids are at school and I have the house to myself. *Looks around shiftily and draws curtains.* You’d be forgiven for thinking I have an illicit visitor to entertain, and in a way, I do. You see GG and the Bug have been given Nintendo 3DS XL consoles to review for Netmums. They have promised to play and explore all of the features on the new ‘elements of joy’ in our house, and I have promised to write up everything we’ve discovered about them so you can decide which Nintendo DS console is right for your family. But …

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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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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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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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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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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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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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Hitchin Lavender Farm #HDYGG

  By GG… Now, anyone will tell you that we are not gardeners in our family. Daddy occasionally plants a vegetable and then hapazardly sprays the hose in its general direction on random days, wondering why our table is not resplendent with home-grown produce at the end of the season. Mummy limits her gardening activity to spraying the patio with weedkiller, and hacking the shrubs into submission twice a year. No, we do not DO gardening. Unless you count the #warnonants that takes place every Sunday evening, which leaves our lawn looking more like a green dalmation. So we never …

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Everything is awesome (in our new electric car)

We’d been waiting to climb inside for days. It had been sitting on our driveway, declared awesome from the moment we saw its shiny – almost golden – silver bodywork. Sooo awesome when we discovered the really nifty door handles that open like no other car we’ve seen. These things matter to children. We ought to have explained them to Daddy, who, after years of having a two-door car, couldn’t work out how to pull the seats forward in order to fit our carseats in the back… Today we took our first ride in our new Renault Zoe. It was …

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7 Father’s Day gift ideas to suit all budgets

This year we’re trying to be creative with Father’s Day. Gone are the days when I could get away with a home-made card, and eating his picnmix. So we’ve been on the lookout for something a bit more innovative, that he hasn’t already got. Here we’ve given you some of our favourites, in a range of pocket-money budgets 🙂 7 Father’s Day gift ideas Blow the budget – £1800 My Dad drinks a LOT of coffee. He necks the instant all day at work, but at weekends, when he has the time, he likes a good cup of coffee. He …

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Great British Holidays: 5 reasons to visit Lynton and Lynmouth

Lynton and Lynmouth is an ideal base for exploring Exmoor

The rumble of the cattle grid beneath the wheels announced our arrival on Exmoor, and immediately the landscape changed. Trees gave way to vast green plains, peppered with gorse and sprays of heather. Here and there a paint splash of pink as rhododendrons grow wild, making an easy home, tipping the hat of irony at my futile attempts to cultivate them in my own garden. A smile rushed onto my face and took up permanent residence for the next two days. 5 Reasons to visit Lynton and Lynmouth Wildlife Immediately there were sheep, suicidal as they wandered the roads, peering …

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Asthma – the cold fear inside

I lay next to her as she slept in my bed, and listened to her breathing. The rash was up again; her beautiful face was covered in puffy, red patches, that were spreading down her neck and shoulders as I watched under the torchlight. It hadn’t been there at bedtime, and yet when I checked on her at 11pm she was covered. I had dragged her from sleep to administer anti-histamine, brought her to my bed so I would know if she worsened. She has asthma, you see, my baby girl. What if this sudden – and very dramatic – …

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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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How to decorate a Chess and Football cake

Sporty cake for the Sport Relief Great Bloggers Bake Off

I’m not a huge baker. Occasionally I spend an afternoon with the kids throwing random things at a pan, loosely based around a recipe book, but more often than not substituting ingredients as we discover we don’t have what we need. I need to get better at prep. But give me a decorating challenge and I’m all over it. Take the time I spent 5 hours pimping this for my 4 year old’s birthday:     So when Jenny laid down a challenge to create a sport themed cake for the Great Bloggers Bake Off for Team Honk, I didn’t …

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Easter skiing in Val D’Isère with Mark Warner: the perfect choice for families

If you've never been skiing with the family, here's why you need to be brave and give it a go!

By Actually Daddy. Given the importance of skiing for Actually Daddy I’ve decided to hand over the blog to him for the day. Here’s what he thinks of Easter skiing in Val d’Isère. I’ve used my bible, Where to Ski and Snowboard as the basis for my report; there is a short précis online, and much more detail in the book. It gives a great summary of the pros and cons of a ski trip to Val D’Isère, so rather than repeat what is a very accurate guide I will attempt to add some value around it. Why go to Val D’Isère with …

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I’m a convert! Tips for a successful family ski trip.

According to The Bug… You may recall that I was a reluctant skier. I was totally happy to sip a hot chocolate while my sister did the energetic bit. But my Dad insisted, and so my Mum set about getting me ready for our first family ski holiday. We spent last week in Val d’Isère with Mark Warner, and the person least inclined to come home when it was all over was me. So how exactly do you prepare a child to enjoy his first ski trip? Tips for a successful family ski trip: Book Lessons: I had several lessons at …

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