A while ago I was tagged by the very lovely Mummy on The Edge for an A-Z of Me!! This has taken me ages to do as there has been so much going on recently. But at last here it is.
Some of these you may already know and some you definitely won’t.
A- Age, Ok I hate to admit it but I am 41 ( quickly approaching 42)
B- Belfast, the place I was born and grew up.
C- Caring, but find it hard to show it.
D- Determined to win the lottery one day.
E- Exhausted ALL OF THE TIME!
F- Food I love it in all it’s lovely forms.
G- Galaxy my all time favourite chocolate.
H- Husband, I have one and have been married for almost 18 yrs.
I- Indecisive, quick at making my mind up but just as quick to change it!
J- July, my birthday month.
K- Knitting, something I have gone back to recently and just love it.
L- Loyal, or I like to think I am as a friend.
M- M.E something I was diagnosed with almost 3 yrs ago!
N- Nap something I do A LOT due to the above.
O- Old, I hate the thought of getting older ENOUGH SAID.
P- Presents, lets face it who doesn’t like getting them.
Q- Queue‘s I hate them with a vengeance
R- RAF, I served around 7 years many, many moons ago.
S- Stubborn!! Say no more.
T- Tracy, that would be my name.
U- U2, one of my favourite bands ( early years only!)
V- Vertically challenged at only 5ft 2″
W- Wing Walking, something I have done twice!
X- Xray vision– come on are you telling me you wouldn’t love this??
Y- Yummy Mummy.…………Yeah- a girl can dream can’t she?
Z- Zoo’s even now my kids are older and bored of them I still love a Zoo.
Lets face it most of us would like to think that we are, right? Well truth be told I struggle with my son’s yr 9 maths homework ( I’m better at spelling and literacy I think!), but thankfully my OH is good at maths so we get by with helping out with home works. So do you have a bright spark at home? How do you think they would fair against school children from across the world with maths, spelling and science?
This is what the World Education Games is trying to do.
To celebrate the World Education Games we put Britain’s best young Maths brains to the test against the general public and then the world famous ‘Human Calculator’ This March, hundreds of thousands of school children from around Britain will pit themselves against students from around the world to find the best young Mathematicians, spellers and Science brains in the universe during the World Education Games ( 6th– 8th of March).
The three-day global competition will test students during a variety of online games set against the clock and our best young brains will be battling for honours during World Spelling Day, World Science Day and the opener – World Maths Day.
The games are being backed by world famous Maths entertainer Scott Flansburg AKA ‘The Human Calculator’ who holds the world record for the for adding the same number to itself more times in 15 seconds than a person could do with a calculator.
So to see how our British competitors are likely to fare during the World Education Games we challenged some of the big hopefuls to a ‘calculation off’ with ‘The Human Calculator’ as well as members of the public.
This originally started in 2007 with a World Maths day but has progressed since then with popularity to include spellings and science.The World Education Games are aiming to unite children from across the world in education and learning.
So take a look at the video below to see if you can answer some of the questions posed to people in the street!
Are You Smarter Than a 10 year old?
For more information visit the website at: http://www.worldeducationgames.com/
Have you seen this, a real life chocolate making machine……….YES really. Now I love chocolate and I do have my favourites, and yes I am one of those people who like to keep theirs in the fridge!! However, I love chocolate in all forms………even when its melted ( I mean melted chocolate surely doesn’t count as your only dipping things in it,RIGHT?)
But this takes ‘chocolate fountains’ to a whole new level.
Have you ever wondered where Cadbury Dairy Milk, milk chocolate is made? You’re not the only one and for the first time this video offers chocolate lovers from across the globe the chance to see a glimpse into the world that is Joyville. What is Joyville you may ask? The answer is simple it’s the magical mystical world where warm liquid chocolate is pumped through pipes before it’s made into chocolate treats. With a mysterious magnificent, musical giant chocolate fountain measuring 9.2m tall by 7m wide appearing in Westfield pumping 20 tonnes of warm chocolateyness through its pipe the magical mystical world of Joyville has been revealed.
Not only spreading the joy of Cadbury Dairy Milk, the fountain offered a glimpse into the magical, mythical world of Joyville – the place where all Cadbury Dairy Milk is made. Joyville lives in the imagination of chocolate lovers the world over and is a place powered by joy to stir the fun into the nation’s favourite chocolate. The magical fountain was an opportunity to witness a small part of Joyville as it bubbled into the real world for the first time. Joyville workers were on hand to explain the story of Joyville, taking people on a guided tour of the fountain.
Cadbury Dairy Milk will be bringing more of Joyville into the real world throughout 2012 so keep your eyes peeled for signs of purple pot holes or secret doors – they could take you to the magical world of Joyville.
This chocolate lovers is SERIOUSLY cool…………………and hopefully coming to somewhere near you in 2012!!!!!!
I had a wicked night at Wicked courtesy of the very lovely Olivia from Think Jam!!
After the experience of taking my boys to the annual Wicked day back in October I decided that I was not going to waste these tickets on the kids who had grumbled most of the day………..harsh, yes I know.
So I decided these would be perfect for a girlie night out- Oh Yes!! And a great girlie night was had by all.
I had taken my mum to this many moons ago for her 60th birthday and had a fantastic time. I absolutely love this show and was just so excited to be going again. However, when someone else arranges it for you I always worry that the tickets either wont be there or that the seats will be rubbish!! I was unbelievably surprised to be sitting literally 6 rows from the front!!! I could not believe my luck ( these sorts of things never normally happen to me).
Just to prove it- with the map of Emerald City behind and our drinks in hand!
Two of my friends had never seen the show before so it was a real delight to take them and introduce them to the phenomenon that is ‘Defying Gravity’ in it’s own right. I think I can safely say they are now complete fans of the show. One of my friends had me in stitches throughout the show with the changeovers in characters……………..to the Tinman and the Scarecrow. It was hilarious ”Oh look it’s the Tin man………….Oh look it’ the Scarecrow……….Oh how clever!!” ( LOL it is the prequel to the Wizard of OZ after all!!! )
Although I knew the show there were things in there that I hadn’t fully remembered which was a real treat too. I have to say that Matt Willis did a fantastic job as the male lead.( a conversation that went something like- isn’t he from Busted or one of those groups? With a reply that went………Oh who’s been busted?) Garlinda was still as mental……….toss toss! Defying Gravity did just that and just blew us away.
Truly it still lives up to all the expectations of being one of the best (if not the best) show up in town. FANTASTIC
Have you seen it? What would your favourite show be?
My son has now finished his run in panto this season and my body is very, very thankful it is all over.
The last few days have been spent looking through all the presents again. Taking time to read through books and listen to CD’s and actually play with some of the games that the boys got.
The decorations have come down and have been put away until next Christmas, and the house has resumed it’s normal look and feel. It has been the boy’s last day off today before they return to school and Mr B returns to work. So tomorrow will be blissfully quiet for me.
I managed to enjoy a fabulously chilled Christmas day with the family and my Mum and brother who had come to stay.
That was until my cat made a quick escape past us and caught my mum on the face millimetres away from her eye. These events are not unusual in my house as a few years ago she came and fractured her pelvis trying to play tennis with the boys. Last year we were all ill with ‘Swine Flu’….. I’m sure you are getting the picture now.
Anyway, the last panto show was on New Years Eve. After, we headed off to Bluewater for a nice meal and a cinema visit before returning home to see in the new year and let off our lanterns with 2012 wishes on.
I haven’t caught up on all my blog reading and Twitter following yet so haven’t seen all of your New Years resolutions. I’ve decided to learn new skills this year and get back to my knitting, something I really enjoyed doing many years ago. But also to learn how to crochet as it’s something I have never attempted.
I cannot go down the route of exercise and diet as my body is taking a long time to recover from the panto schedule. Conventional exercise for me is out of the question at the moment as I suffer with chronic pain and chronic illness.
I’d also like to do more reading as this is something I have neglected for some time. I’ve been given a copy of ‘We need to talk about Kevin’ as one of my Christmas gifts and I’m really looking forward to starting that.
So, that’s me back to normality, with a regular routine about to start from tomorrow.
A New Year.
A New Start.
A New Skill.
How has your New year been so far and what are your resolutions?
Panto’s are like marmite…………you either love it or hate it. I LOVE it and always have. I have been taking my boys since they were little and this year they are 11 and 13 and are still very happy to go.
This year we have Panto overload. Not only are we going to see our usual one ( this time it has Craig Revel Hall and Ann Widdecombe so should be a giggle) but my youngest is now in one!! Yes, he is a lost boy in Peter Pan down in Chatham with Mr ‘Ice Ice Baby’ himself.
Rehearsals started at the beginning of the week and are in full swing, but thankfully we have a day off tomorrow…….YAY!
It opens next Thursday and at the moment it’s hard to see how they are going to get the show together in time. It’s interesting to see it from the other side and therefore appreciate how much work goes into it.
So we as a family have booked to go see him in it over the Christmas holidays and my Mum is up over Christmas so I have booked more tickets to go on Boxing Day too!!
So by the end of it’s run I think I will be shouting ‘BOO ‘and ‘Behind you’ in my sleep. The jokes will no longer be funny and I will probably be able to act all the parts myself ( OK maybe not the singing as I am rubbish).
So wish me luck to survive the experience, and ‘break a leg’ to my son as I’m sure he will be a fab Lost Boy……………………………………..OH YES HE WILL!
When I was asked if my boys would like to review the new Light Strike range it was a total no brainer! Boys and their toys and all that.
Light Strike is a super-cool new interactive battle game from WowWee, makers of bestselling toys, Paper Jamz and Robosapien
Light Strike is the first interactive gaming system that brings video games into the real world, live and in colour. Fully customisable with built-in weapon choices and slots to attach accessories, players can make tactical decisions to add new features and functions on the go. Interactive light and sound effects put you in the middle of combat, creating exciting ever-changing battle scenarios!
We were sent 2 of the Light Strike Assault Strikers, 4 of the add-ons (enemy scanner, machine gun bi pod, refractor launch and scope) and a Light Strike ITS to try out.
They delved in straight away and unpacked everything. Then we sorted the batteries and in true boy fashion ( I don’t need the instructions……they were off). But then they decided to check out the instructions that I had thankfully kept hold of.
Anyway, they went full into action mode. Testing the noise, the aim, the strategy and ultimately who can win! They are boys after all, the alfa male gene kicked in.
So here’s the technical bit:
Light Strike brings video-game action into the real world—live and in color. Assault Strikers and Strikers are customizable with built-in weapon features and add-on attachments that give players a tactical advantage. Play one-on-one tournaments or create up to 4 teams of unlimited players for free-for-all or Capture the Flag battles. Action at the speed of light™
They range from £9.99 up to around £40 with the guns obviously costing the most.
The extras are just that- extras. But they certainly enhance the game between the players.
They have brilliant sound affects which the boys loved, especially the fingerprint analysis. But even better for us parents wanting a bit of quiet time they have the option of plugging in your headphones! GENIUS
My boys in truth don’t play very well together, but because of the nature of these toys they were perfect for my two. Although we were lucky enough to be sent a lot of the Light Strike range you wouldn’t necessarily need all of them to start with. Therefore, it would be something you could add to along the way, for birthdays etc.
They are available from their website and other good toy retailers
Parents reveal the top tricks they still use to get their kids to eat their greens
Hiding veggies, bribing with dessert, and creating pictures still used by modern day parents
It’s an age old struggle for parents around the world. How do you get your kids to eat their vegetables instead of pushing them around their plates, hoping you’ll give up?
Well, according to a new poll out today, classic tricks and old fashioned subterfuge are still being used by parents, with number one on the list the simple camouflaging of veg within other foods and sauces.
Second on the list is the threat of no dessert if veggies aren’t eaten first, while third was telling children that vegetables would give them special powers such as the old ‘carrots will help you see in the dark’, or ‘spinach will give you muscles as big as Popeye’.
Further down the list were rewarding children for polishing off their greens with toys and stickers, making it into a competition between siblings and friends as to who can eat their veggies first, and telling their children their favourite superheroes or characters loves their vegetables.
And it’s no surprise parents are going to such lengths still to get vegetables into their children in any way they can, with only half of all children eating veggies willingly and one in ten actively avoiding them, according to the survey of more than 1,000 parents by Green Giant.
Four out of five parents admitted their children don’t get their advised five portions of fruit and veg a day, while one in five parents will allow their children to leave their veggies – sometimes just to avoid the stress that goes hand in hand with meal times when vegetables are involved. A number of parents stated that their children eat vegetables so rarely that they feel elated if they even eat a mouthful. In turn, parents can spend on average up to two hours on top of mealtimes each week trying to prompt their children to eat their vegetables.
So how difficult is it for you to get your kids to eat what they should and what tactics do you use to get them into your children? Colin Jackson always ate his vegetables when he was a youngster and was told by his mum that if he did, he would grow up to be a World Champion athlete and Olympic Medalist…..and we know how that story ends!
Colin has joined with Green Giant to help parents come up with ways to educate their kids on healthy eating and even get them to grow to love their veggies.
I managed to get some questions put to Colin Jackson about getting involved with Green Giant’s initiative to help encourage parents to make sure their children are getting their 5 a day!!
How did you become involved with the Green Giant 5 a day initiative?
‘I’m heavily into my dieting so when they explained the whole concept it was an obvious choice for me- I felt I could be an ambassador’
So as a world class athlete, do you follow a healthy diet yourself?
‘Reasonably, your needs are different now. Now I’m not so exclusive and happy to have a little more pasta and a little more treats. But a lifetime of healthy eating has stayed with me.’
What do you think of mums and dads who disguise fruit and vegetables to encourage kids to get their 5 a day?
‘I think it’s a great idea-if it works-wonderful’.
What fruit and vegetables, do you now as an adult, still refuse to eat?
There’s no real fruit I don’t like and even vegetables……I even eat brussel sprouts! I’m not fearful of any fruit or veg’.
How did your mum encourage you to eat more fruit and vegetables as a child?
‘Putting me in front of the TV and saying- Look what Popeye is eating!! Also I’ve always wanted to visit the land of the Jolly Green Giant!’
One of my tricks is to blend fruit I know they would generally refuse to eat, raspberries being one of them, and mixing them into natural yogurt!! It works too and especially if I allow them to sprinkle on a little sugar!
So what tricks do you use on your children to get them to have their 5 a day?
In more ways than one. Actually it was the 6th Annual ‘Wicked’ day in London. If any of you have seen the hit musical then you will know what I’m talking about. It has become a bit of a phenomenon and I was taken by surprise at really how serious the fans take this!
The queue outside just before opening was huge and not your regular queue, no it was full of people dressed up in full costume (and not just for Halloween!).
On entering everyone was given a style of goodie bag, with details of the day and advertising for the musical itself. There were real costumes from the show on display along with other props.
Paul Phear from Magic FM was there on the day as our main host, with performances from some of the cast throughout the afternoon. They then mingled around the crowd posing for pictures along the way.
There was an endless queue for eager beaver fans (young and old) to sing their hearts out defying their own gravity for top spot in the karaoke competition at the end. The 3 finalists were truly unbelievable singing on the main stage in front of the crowd.
It was advertised as a family day and there were lots of children around! they provided activities for younger children in the way of face paintings, workshops and games.
There was a quiz to find the fan who knew the most about the show overall who had to go ‘head to head’ with some of the cast in order to win!
My youngest was filmed with an up and coming 17 year old magician who managed to wow him with a fantastic trick!
Anyway, all in all it was a great afternoon. However, I think next year I will round up a few girlies and head down there for a nice lunch, a civilised glass of wine and then into the 7th Wicked Day- who knows enough wine and I might attempt Defying Gravity on the karaoke!! Ok maybe not!
So for those of you who haven’t actually seen this musical so far, well shame on you! You must try and see it, go with the girls for a great night out.
For more information check out the Wicked website.
Tell me, am I the only horrible mother in the world that has breathed a sigh of relief now the kids are back to school?
Surely I’m not on my own here. Yesterday was like heaven in the respect that I had no TV on, no radios or Ipods blaring, and most of all NO ARGUING! ( Well that was until they came home from school to get organised for Halloween. Which truly ended up as a ‘Benny Hill’ style fast forward video as I had friends round and needed to feed everyone, play games, take kids trick or treating and then have them ready and changed for Scouts by 7.20pm!!!
No easy feat I can tell you……………………….
Last minute.com pumpkins done the night before!!
The motley crew!
Before we knew it we were off trick or treating and then the boys were whisked off to scouts for more mess and games!!
All we needed was some comedy music and it wouldn’t have been out of place on a Benny Hill episode.
But after a hectic week over half term I’m kind of glad it’s all calmed down a little………….well for this week anyway. I’m totally enjoying ( rightly or wrongly) the peace during the day. Now I may be able to catch up on all the stuff that’s been put on hold since the start of the holidays.
