Tag Archives: Christmas

LeapPad Ultra – a compromise on screen time?

06 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by in Kids toys

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LeapPad Ultra review

I’m going to start this post with a huge admission: I’ve never been a fan of tablets for kids. Go ahead and call me a judgemental so-and-so all you like, but I’ve always thought they were a bit of a cop out. Parents looking for an easy way to distract their kids, without having to actually play with them. Mums and dads using a tablet so they don’t have to go outside in the mud and get dirty running down hills. They’re not educational, are they? They’re just turning our kids into mindless zombies….

Yeah, I was wrong.

I am happily holding my hands up right now and admitting that, after trying out the LeapPad Ultra, I am the first to say that, actually, there IS a place for a child’s tablet in our home.

We were recently sent a LeapPad Ultra to review. Here’s a video of it in action…. Continue reading »

Elf on the Shelf – another win for Mother Guilt?

02 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by in Family, Motherhood, Seasonal

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Elf Free Zone

I’d like to start this post with a disclaimer: I love Christmas. I like the sparkle and the glitter and the festive build-up and the sense of anticipation surrounding the main event itself. But I am not a fan of a certain craze that has swept across my Twitter, Instagram and Facebook timeline this weekend.

Elf on the Shelf is an American idea. It’s a little toy that parents purchase pre-December. Billed as a “special scout sent by Santa from the North Pole”, the elf is meant to keep an eye on kids, updating the naughty and nice list before the big day.  Continue reading »

The Nativity play rehearsal

28 Thursday Nov 2013

Posted by in Behaviour, Seasonal

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My daughter is in a Christmas play. It’s her first Christmas play, she is three.

I am already fearful of the big day. It’s not the concern over crying in public (although, knowing me, I will be an emotional wreck). It’s not even the immense feeling of parental responsibility at helping her learn her lines. No. It’s something far, far worse.

At pre-school drop-off yesterday, I was given a sheet of paper with lyrics to the songs in Frog’s Christmas play. Contained within the package was a CD. Oh good, I thought, we can have a jolly sing-a-long when she gets home this afternoon. I pictured some good mother-daughter bonding. Possibly even an early mug of mulled wine for Mummy. We made an imaginary stage and Frog stepped behind the curtain… Continue reading »

So, that was Christmas

02 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by in Family, Seasonal

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Nearly two weeks ago I made a decision to relish every second of the holidays and not spend any time at all in front of my computer. For that reason, I missed the blogging boat with posts about Christmas Day and New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I’m capturing it all here, because it was too special not to save.

Last year was a tough one. Long working hours, not enough family time and barely any holiday, family loss, high stress levels and a distinct lack of sleep, all made it less than perfect. But I smell new beginnings, big change and some exciting plans in 2013. All made concrete by an amazing ten days together as a family, with time to talk and realise that we actually rather like each other.

On the first morning of the holidays – Christmas Eve – we took our toddler to a routine hospital appointment for her hypermobile joints and she was given her first “Christmas present”; a pair of special insoles for her new “grown-up shoes”. She was thrilled. I considered telling Father Christmas to eBay the rest of her gifts, but thought he might not approve. Continue reading »

Upcycled dolls’ house: the reveal

18 Tuesday Dec 2012

Posted by in Play, Seasonal

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I hope she likes it. I really, really hope she likes it.

Never have I been so excited to give something to my daughter. Her main present this year is a second hand dolls’ house. We knew we wanted to get her one this year but didn’t want to spend a fortune as she has some other presents too and didn’t want the day to become a gluttony of stuff, stuff and more stuff – most of which she’ll cast to one side.

So we searched high and low for a special, yet inexpensive, wooden dolls’ house. And we couldn’t find one ANYWHERE.

A few weeks ago I put out a desperate plea on the noticeboards of the Netmums nearly new section. Within 48 hours, a retired childminder who lived just down the road had emailed me. She offered me an old wooden dolls’ house, with furniture for £10.

I was dubious but the gleaming price of a tenner was too much to resist. We collected it and I knew it would be just right.

Here’s the transformation: Continue reading »

The corners of my home this Christmas

17 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by in Home

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Despite the fact we don’t own this little cottage that we live in, it very much feels like our own home. We’ve lived here for three years now and will soon be moving on, so it feels like the right time to try and remember the things I like about it.

It’s an old cottage – more than 500 years old in fact – and that means it has lots of “quirks” that provide a constant source of irritation. That said, those little quirks also make it 100% unique. It’s the place I brought my baby back home to and it’s the home where we’ve spent her first Christmases.

Maybe it’s because I’ve started reading more interior and home blogs, in readiness for when we buy our first place, or maybe it’s because I know we’ll be leaving soon, but I’ve made a conscious effort to prettify the place this Christmas.

I’m quite pleased with the results. Continue reading »

How to get out of doing the washing up for eternity

12 Wednesday Dec 2012

Posted by in Seasonal, Style

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Review

I’ve won major points this month. The husband owes me BIG TIME.

These are some very posh cars. No, I didn’t buy them for him. But he did get to drive them, due to an incredible offer from Activity Superstore. The Triple Supercar Drive saw the (self-proclaimed) Northern Love Machine get behind the wheel of three cars he regularly fantasises about.

As someone who knows next to nothing about cars (seriously, I don’t even know what car I drive, let alone anyone else) I didn’t realise what a big deal this was. To me, a car is for getting from A to B. And if it doesn’t have a boot big enough to fit a buggy and a week’s worth of grocery shopping then I’m not interested. My husband, however, takes an entirely different perspective.  Continue reading »

Staying happy with Gingerbread Men

11 Tuesday Dec 2012

Posted by in Family, Motherhood, Seasonal, Weaning and eating

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Meet my first ever Gingerbread Man:

He’s wonky and he has one leg that’s more of a spodge than a limb, but he’s full of joy and happiness. And he tasted delicious.

Oh, and he’s not actually made of ginger, because I realised too late that we’d run out. I suppose he’d better be called a Mixed Spice and Cinnamon Man, but that doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. Continue reading »

The toddler Christmas wish list

29 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by in Play, Seasonal

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Review

I don’t think I’ve ever been more aware of the potential pitfalls of Christmas gluttony than this year. Having a toddler who is becoming increasingly aware of the idea of “presents”, I’m keen not to get into a cycle of materialistic abandon, buying everything in sight for my beautiful girl.

That said, she does have a range of gorgeous things to open on Christmas Day. Some of these are second hand (a £10 wooden doll’s house I’m going to paint) and some are new. The brand spanking new presents are all things I know she’ll love and get lots of use from. And there is no pink in sight. Continue reading »