It’s all gone past in a bit of a blur………………………the last month or two!
I hope I am not the only one who feels like this. Thankfully I have photographic evidence to prove that it all took place.
Where do I start?
There’s been a bit of this:
A bit of that:
Oh and a LOT of the other:
So there you have it, my life in pictures- and if you flick through them really quick it’s like one of those picture books!!
What have you all been up to?
MUM IN MELTDOWN– You are charged with being Absent Without Leave since your last post in the summer!!! HOW DO YOU PLEAD?
‘ Guilty m’lud!!!!! I have no excuses………………..what’s the penalty?’
A few weeks of HARD LABOUR getting your blog up to date and caught up on the social networks.
Like I’ve said I have no excuses, like everyone else life sometimes just gets in the way.
There have been :
CAMPING
TRAVELLING TO SEE FAMILY
A FAMILY WEDDING
BIRTHDAYS
NEW SCHOOLS
SCHOOL ROUTINE
CLUBS STARTING BACK
FISHING
KNITTING
READING
DECORATING
So in between eating and sleeping and all of the above I have failed to keep up to date on the social networking side of things.
So be warned, things to come…………….reviews, update to my knitting page, and more blog posts and updates on the crafty side of things from this end.
SO THE BIG QUESTION IS…………
HOW ARE YOU ALL?
A-Arguing…..yes it has started early in the hols with my 11 and 14 yr olds who do NOT get on together!
B-Brother…..I have 2 but my older is travelling over from America and we all haven’t seen him for a long while so should be fun.
C- Cornish Pasties……………one of the treats of visiting mum, the best Cornish pasties!!
D- Danny Boyle……oh what a genius job he did with the Opening Ceremony.
E- emotional as my youngest left primary school and exhausted after all the Leavers celebrations.
F- Family History………….I had the full run down of where we all came from as my younger brother has researched it all in recent months but saw the pics for myself in a recent visit.
G- Great Britain………..C’mon, the nation is proud!
H- HOLIDAYS! at last the long awaited and sometimes dreaded school hols……..I for 1 am glad not to have the early mornings
I- Injustice as my bank account is hacked to the sum of £590 and used for online Bingo!!!!!!!!! Bizarre.
J- Joking
K- Kids………cannot live with them and cannot live without them!! Wish they would just get along and make everyone’s life a little easier.
L- Laughing………..a weeks worth with a stay at my mums!! Don’t ask but she thought Ciabatta bread was called Carburetor bread!!!!!
M- Medication…………has been increased and added to……….but still in pain.
N- NEED a proper holiday, with sunshine and things to visit……….oh and the money to enjoy it!!
O- obviously the Olympics!! Something I wasn’t too bothered about until the opening ceremony and now watch everyday
P- Paralympics! I have been so into the normal games we have bought tickets to a paralympic event to get into the spirit of the whole thing and want to see the Olympic park.
Q- Queen………what a star to get involved in the Games with Mr Bond himself!! Brilliant.
R- Relax………..a few days away and I did just that.
S- SUNSHINE………..yes we had it ………for a week, but oh how lovely it was. Please come back soon.
T- Travelling. To go and visit my family I have to travel from London to Plymouth. Worth the travel but oh sooooooooo tiring for me.
U- Unwashed!!! Not me of course but my youngest on his return from his week long scout camp………………..NASTY!
V- visiting family and relaxing, which I managed to do last week.
W- Wedding! Yes I’m excited to have a family wedding next week. I cannot wait, have a new frock and everything!
X- X marks the spot……..not for treasure but my fishing spot. Have been again and looking to sort my next day there!
Y- YAWN………….more than a regular occurrence for me regardless of how many coffee’s I have.
Z- Zonked!! No other word for it. I am officially Zonked to within an inch of my life at the moment.
So I haven’t posted for a while since my trauma in London a few weeks ago- if you haven’t already then check it out here . It has taken me a while to get over the shock.
But I have also had a lot of mundane normal stuff going on. My youngest is in yr 6 and due to leave so we have been organising the Leavers party
CD photo books and after school picnic’s and water fights!!
In between that I had my birthday. Yes *groan* another year older and wiser. Although I had to drive to Ashford designer outlet for my son’s Leaver’s party shirt (typical) I had a great day. It was very chilled, me and the OH had a lunch out and did my pressies when the boys came home from school.
Sorry for the bad pics they were taken on my phone by my youngest in poor light!!
Anyway, moving on I came home to these…………
I also managed to squeeze a relaxing day fishing with the OH ( YES I DID SAY FISHING!) and I caught………………………………….wait for it……………………………….57 fish!!! AMAZING!
Ok I will admit some of them really were tiddlers however I was pleased to be catching some slightly bigger ones too.
Sadly, I really have got into this fishing malarkey- even to the point of taking the hooks out after the catch!!! Something I thought I would never do.
Then we had some Groupon vouchers to use up for Namco up in London. I must say the deal was fab as we got over £50 in tokens for only £14!! Now I wasn’t expecting too much of the place, never having been there myself. I thought we would be in and out in an hour. How wrong could I be we spent several hours in there enjoying bowling, bumper cars, and arcade games!!!
So that’s me caught up I think. I’m now preparing myself for an emotional week as my youngest goes through the traditions of the last week of primary school!
Cue the tears……………………………….
What have you all been up too??
Butlins has a certain reputation. It’s a bit like Marmite, you either love or hate it.
So for those of you who may need convincing check out this new fab Butlins hotel in Bognor Regis complete with all the mod cons of the 21st century!! Have a sneak preview on tomorrows show at 2pm!
Join Angela Griffin as she takes an exclusive look around Butlins’ newest hotel
Log onto our WebTV show where we’ll be at the opening of the iconic British family holiday resort’s Wave Hotel and Apartments in Bognor Regis
Show time: 14:00
Summer holidays are something that we all look forward to – they are a chance to get away from the madness at home and they give us the perfect opportunity to unwind and enjoy time with our families.
Holidays give both children and their parents a chance to relax from the grind of everyday life, and research shows for kids, the best holiday is one in which they can simply spend time with their family and where everyone is happy and relaxed.
Butlins recognise this and has played a massive part in the history of our nation. For many of us as kids, summer was not complete without a trip to one of their seaside resorts where the iconic Redcoats would greet us at the gate, signally the start of an exciting and action packed holiday.
The resorts have come a long way since their beginnings in the 1930s and this summer the quintessentially British holiday company will open its newest hotel in Bognor Regis.
The Wave will stay true to all of the qualities that have made Butlins a household name for 75 years, but will also reflect the changing world we live in with all the mod-cons such as dedicated games room with Wii, PS3, DS or Band Hero games, a Kindle library and iPod docks in every room a big part of the new hotel.
Log on to our live interactive WebTV show where Angela Griffin will join Jae Hopkins from Butlins and mummy blogger Antonia Chitty at the opening of the Butlins Wave Hotel in Bognor Regis for a sneak preview of the nation’s newest and most exciting family holiday resort.
Angela Griffin and Antonia Chitty joins us live online at www.studiotalk.uk
Click here to submit questions before the show http://www.studiotalk.co.uk/show/join-angela-griffin-as-she-takes-an-exclusive-look-around-butlins-newest-hotel
Having just had a week away at half term camping in Dorset, I started thinking why I love being away camping. Something that would have had me breaking out in a sweat a few years ago. So I thought I would share a few top tips for camping with families.
 Print off a camping list…
Of any of the main camping equipment online. Or make your own using their list as a starting point. Check the list against your equipment several weeks before you go. Tick off the stuff you have and listing the stuff you need to get.
Make a shopping list..
Make a shopping list just for the time you are away. PLAN YOUR MEALS and take the basics with you. So, if your plan is to have a curry make sure you have the jar of sauce and then buy your meat fresh on the day.
Cool box and freezer blocks…
A good cool box and freezer blocks are essential for milks and butter to keep cold. I tend to freeze a pack of bacon and sausages to take for a cooked breakfast on our 1st morning there. They will also act as freezer blocks for the first day but will have defrosted well for the first mornings breakfast.
Go prepared…
Go prepared for cold and warm weather this is the UK after all.. Woolly hats and hot water bottles for the colder evenings and possible shorts and sun cream for warmer days.
Take games…
Take games suitable for your children and family to play. We take Uno cards and several decks of cards for Black Jack and Solitaire. Pens and writing pads for Hangman/ Battleship. These really don’t take up much space but can provide a few hours of entertainment on a rainy day. Don’t forget games for outsidetoo, such as, football/ bats and balls/ Frisbees. These will all help keep the kids entertained after dinner in the evening.
Get the kids involved…
Get the kids involved by giving them some responsibility. Let them pack a small bag of things they want to bring for their own amusement like books, head torches, trump cards etc. Also during the camp try giving older kids a chore, such as, filling the water bottles, washing up, or taking rubbish to the bins etc.
Take Flasks…
Take flasks because not only are these fab to take out with you during the day for a sneaky cuppa. But we fill them at dinner time to make teas and hot chocolates before bed. Instant hot water when the kids are tired and don’t want to wait for the kettle to boil.
Take a windbreaker…
Take a windbreaker to mark an area close to your tent space. These can help create a great cooking area if your tent does not have a porch. Also they are easy to uproot and take with you for a day at the beach, presuming you get sunshine.
Disposable BBQ…
Disposable BBQ’s can be picked up for a few quid in most places. They are great alternative to take to the beach for a lovely evening with a Hot Dog or Burger thrown in for a cheap and easy dinner. Sometimes we don’t even bother with the BBQ. We just use one of our single stoves and a frying pan for the same results. They are portable so make use of them.
Relax and enjoy…
Relax and enjoy the time. There doesn’t need to be a strict regime like at home. No one will be knocking at your door. The ironing and cleaning do not need doing. Have a break from social media. Take each day as it comes, late mornings/ late bedtimes/ extra snacks and treats. THIS IS YOUR HOLIDAY AFTER ALL!
Let me know if you go camping and have some tips I haven’t mentioned here.
Before you get all excited and start asking me which exotic, sunny, warm and relaxing part of the world I am heading to I will say one word……………………………..CAMPING!
Now that put it in perspective didn’t it. That means this country, hoping for sun, dodging the rain, and occupying an 11 and 14 yr old so they don’t kill each other, all under the roof of my fab ( huge) tent.
YET I LOVE IT AND CANNOT WAIT TO GO.
Madness I hear you say but once we have set up and settled ourselves these are a few things that make it relaxing and enjoyable:
No one knocks on the front door
No TV for the boys to be glued to
No games consoles so boys will talk to us
Mostly our phones are off!!
Time for us all to be together
No real schedule
Everyone mucking in with- cooking, washing up etc
NO CLEANING!! (a major bonus)
Time to do what we want to do without the rosta of kids clubs and parties
Beating the kids at Black Jack
A great RELAX
So I will be going cold turkey on all things technical ( except my camera). No Facebook, no Twitter, No Blog or reading other blogs……………………………Like I say cold turkey for 6 whole carefree, chilled out days. Come rain or shine we are going to have a fab time.
Therefore, without further ado I wish you all a GREAT HALF TERM and I will see you on the other side.
Wish you were here and all that……………………Happy Half Term.
I was sent a copy of the newly released Journey 2 The Mysterious Island to review over the half term, however earlier in the year my boys and I attended the screening for this film. Having no real expectations for this sequel to Journey to the Centre of the Earth, we were pleasantly surprised to come away having enjoyed it!!
So premise of the story if you don’t know:
Sean gets crypted messages from a ‘mysterious island’, Hank ( stepdad) helps him uncover the code and accompanies him find the island. Gabato and his daughter help them get there by using their helicopter. Long story short…….they get there by default, find Sean’s long lost grandfather (Caine) and have to find a way off the island as it’s sinking!! Cue the Nautilus/ Atlantis slant.
Anyway, all in all a great film to entertain the kids over the coming half term. Action, adventure and a splash of comedy makes for a kids film that even the parents may admit to enjoying for what it is. Michael Caine is great as the long lost grandfather and the initial strained relationship between him and Hank will have you smirking. Look out for the taut pecs and berries routine………don’t say you weren’t warned!
The film has been rated as a PG and has a running time of 94mins
Prices will vary depending on both the retailer and package ( dvd/ blueray/ or triple play)
DISCLOSURE- I was sent the DVD free of charge for review purposes only, however, all views expressed are my own.
I so hope that this recent weather is going to continue. We are due to be camping over the half term and I am praying that some of the nice weather will stick around!!
I have finally switched over to my summer wardrobe………..be warned the shockingly white legs are out ( as is my bottle of tinting moisturiser!). The toenails have been painted and firmly placed in summer sandals/flip flops. The back door is now permanently open for the cats to run riot in the garden…………to be honest it has been absolute bliss.
Signs that summer has officially visited us:
* My washing could be left out all day!
* We have managed to eat several dinners outside!!
* The BBQ has been ramped up for the season!
* The seaside has been officially visited! ( WARNING- we do not travel light!)
It’s been picnics, bbq’s, suncream and of course no hot weather is complete without the necessary sunburn- I will spare you the pic!!
NOTE TO SELF: must remember that even though there is a lovely cool breeze at the coast……………………..I STILL BURN!
So long may it all continue ( except for the sunburn obviously- my factor 20 is at the ready for next week).
Or I will rephrase that to
NEW TERRORIST IN TOWN!!
He may be cute but he has put the original terrorist firmly in her place!!
Not quite up to socially terrorising just yet, he skulks and strikes when you least expect it.
Look away if you are of a nervous disposition…………YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Hopefully you didn’t need to change your underwear ( sorry if you did!).
Now I know what you are thinking ( yes I’m good at that) how on earth could this little bundle of cuteness possible cause any trouble?
Was I right?? Go on tell me I was right.
Anyway, this little devil does allsorts of things to make your hair curl, and that’s without mentioning what his other end is capable of ( I have spared you the photographic proof- you will thank me in the end).
His new game is:
Yes you guessed it ‘ How many squares of paper are on this roll’!!
Then he will be sitting literally feet away looking at you:
Like butter wouldn’t melt. Well I know different buddy.
And this is before he is able to go out into the big wide world!! God help next door’s cats when he gets his freedom in a few weeks time!!
Warning to the neighbourhood………….LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS!!
Enough said.