A little while ago I was sent one of the loveliest children's CDs that I've come across.
The Land of Sometimes is a really clever introduction to a variety of musical genres, accompanied by the most mystical and magical, imaginative storytelling, reminiscent of Enid Blyton.
"Over the ocean, far away, there is a magical place called 'The Land Of Sometimes' where four seasons pass within one day, and everyone who lives there has a song…"
The CD follows the twins Elise and Alfie as they journey away to The Land Of Sometimes and meet a whole host of characters who inhabit the magical world. Each character has a different song to sing, a different genre of music from reggae to jazz via a whole lot more. Accompanying the story on the CD is the most beautifully illustrated hard-case and booklet showing a variety of the characters in 'situ' to aid the understanding of the story.
The Land Of Sometimes is the perfect bedtime story CD, with the soothing narrator's voice and the gentle melodies lulling your child into wonderous dreams and their own bedtime wonderland.
For more information and to purchase the CD at the bargain price of £9.99 visit the website here.
Competition
I'm very pleased to be able to offer a copy of The Land Of Sometimes to one lucky reader. Simply fill in the Rafflecopter form below. All entry mechanisms need to be complete for your entry to be valid.
There is one man who is the king of children's television: Justin Fletcher is a genius.
I truly believe that every new parent should be given a voucher for an hour's entertainment, courtesy of Mr. Fletcher, upon the birth of each child. Just one hour to be used at a time that could be absolutely vital for the wellbeing of everyone in the house. Every television programme he creates is magical, and now he's turned his voice to a music CD, he's onto another winner!
I'll admit to being sceptical when I heard he'd released the album 'Hands Up!' All too accustomed to his singing on various programmes, I wasn't sure if away from the visual that the concept would work. The Boy had other ideas and proved me wrong.
Taking a step away from the traditional lullaby quality of most children's melodies, Justin has combined the lyrics to the classic songs with more modern and up tempo tunes. They certainly get your feet tapping, shoulders shaking and arms waving!
Have a listen to some of the title track while watching The Boy show his groovy moves and accompanying the musicians:
Since listening to this album pretty much non-stop since it came into the house, I can frequently be heard humming it on the playground in school. The five year olds don't mind, but I'm getting some funny looks from top juniors!
I hate this time of year; someone seems to have turned down the saturation on the world and drained it of all the colours that make every day so bright and cheerful. I look out the window and all I can see is shades of grey and drab old green. Add to the post-Christmas financial blues and it means that currently I'm a barrel of laughs.
If you saw my photo of the day on Saturday, you'll have noticed that it was a photo of my spare room and all the 'organised' piles of chaos which have built up over the past few months. My challenge this half-term is to tidy that room up, and since I've posted a photo on my blog and shared my humiliation, I have little choice but to go through with the task now. I'm ignoring the fact that I had previously set it as a task for myself during the last Summer holidays.
The issue that's arising as my son grows up is that he needs more storage and play space. Where I may have scoffed at my sister's playroom storage issues in the past, I now completely understand her predicament. And she's got two children so that means double the mess!
I need to start sorting out the 'organised chaos' in my spare room and finding space for it all, and that means sifting through my drawers and cupboards down stairs. Six of these drawers are full of old CDs and DVDs. Bearing in mind that there is currently a Hot Wheels Wall Track covering them, it means that I haven't watched these DVDs for six months plus. Therefore, do I need them? Probably not!
I'm going to revert to an old favourite website of mine to sell my old DVDs and CDs; the wonderous Music Magpie! We used Music Magpie a few years ago when we were considering selling surplus CDs, as my mum had found an article about them in one of her women's magazine. My husband was grateful to her because it saved him getting up 6am on a Sunday morning to do a car boot sale, and I was grateful because we made over £80 through selling our unwanted CDs, DVDs and computer games to Music Magpie.
So if you're feeling financially constrained at present, and need a clear out of your old music and films, pop over and see what they could fetch.
I haven't taken part in the Listography for far too long and I feel ashamed of abandoning one of my favourite linkies. A few weeks ago, Kate provided us with the theme of 'Top Five Christmas Songs', which I really wanted to do. And then life and other post commitments cropped up and yet again, I missed the flipping linky! At around the same time, @HimUpNorth tagged me in a meme called the 'Ultimate Christmas Song' Meme.
So I've decided to join the two together and give you my top Christmas songs and split them into categories: Carols, Classics, Children's Songs, Modern Classics and Personal Favourite. Bear with me, it's worth it!
Favourite Carol
When I was a young teenager, mum and I would go and see my (elder) sister perform in the schools' concert in St. David's Hall, Cardiff. If I remember correctly, it was a collection of brass bands, wind bands, youth orchestras, choirs, jazz ensembles, etc. and it was one of the things the signalled Christmas to me. My sister played the clarinet and so was in the windband. I always used to feel an enormous sense of pride and love watching her playing on the stage, when she left the group (with age), mum and I continued to go for a few years until I moved away. This was one of the carols that would be sung by the choir but that the audience were asked to join in with, and mum and I used to love belting this one out. One year my best mate sang in our school choir and was one of the lead vocalists for the twiddly bits (technical term? harmony?) that they sing in the final verse. It sounded magnificent! Every time I think of this song, I'm transported instantly back there.
Christmas Classic
It's got to be this one hasn't it? Everyone knows the words and no-one sings it better than Bing.
Children's Christmas Song
This one gets me every Christmas in school! I love listening to the younger children singing it so earnestly, their little voices straining to reach the high notes, and every time I get a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. I can't wait to hear The Boy sing this in his own nativity in the future. (No idea which school this video is of, only one I could find!)
Modern Classics
It's not Christmas without hearing Mariah belting this out at least eleventy billion times in the shops, pubs, restaurants, car stereos and music channels. And, depending upon where I am, I either join in in my head or out loud. It also reminds me of 'Love, Actually' which is my favourite Christmas film. However, I have banned Mr. TheBoyandMe from singing it, it's a girls' song!
Personal Favourite
'nuff said.
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And now I need to pass the baton on of naming your Ultimate Christmas Song (just the one, unlike you're like me and can't settle on just one) and I tag:
I have a few favourite fellows in my life: The Boy, Mr. The BoyandMe and a certain chap from CBeebies. No, not Alex (although we do like him lots), but Justin Fletcher. Every parent should realise the magic of his talent. He seems to be able to weave wonders with children; engaging them, teaching them and giving us parents just twenty minutes of sanity once a day! We've got several DVDs of his and pages and pages of 'Something Special' on our Sky+ planner.
So the reason that I'm ever so excited is because we've been sent his new CD to review, eeek!
I'll be reviewing it properly in a few weeks time, once we've had a chance to listen and enjoy this new CD. In the meantime, you can keep up to date with all Justin's news on Facebook and twitter.
One of my favourite bloggers, who just happens to be one of my best mates, wrote the other day how she used Music as Therapy. How she listened to it as a 'drug' of choice before her little AddyWoo was born, and how it can cut through all the crap and get straight to the core of her being.
And so the inordinately amazing MammyWoo (did you know by the way that she is not only MAD New Blog of the Year winner, but also one of the Guardian's Hottest Five New Bloggers. Not as in saucy, although she is rather, but as in fresh & new!) has requested that I identify three songs that get to me. The three songs that can epitomise my mood or change how I'm feeling within three minutes and four seconds. I don't get a chance to listen to my music nowadays very often, The Boy prefers Zingzillas.
They're not very cool, in fact probably far from it. However these three songs really get to me, and into me. I listen to these, without interruption and they get right into my core. Unlike MammyWoo, these songs aren't all about the lyrics, they are about the music, the crescendo, the kick-arse 'sod you' in them.
Daniel Powter: Had a Bad Day
This one is the song that gets put on the car CD-player when I roll out of school. It used to get played a lot before I was pregnant, now I don't have time to find the track because I just want to get home to my son; he has the same effect.
These are the lyrics that get me:
You're faking a smile with the coffee to go You tell me your life's been way off line You're falling to pieces everytime and I don't need no carryin' on
or these…
You work at a smile and you go for a ride You had a bad day, the camera don't lie
and these…
Well, you need a blue sky holiday The point is they laugh at what you say
Kenny Loggins: "Footloose"
This song gets my feet going every time and raises my mood probably above every other song. My husband knows that he mustn't make a sound when it's on, and just let Mr. Loggins do his work.
I've got this feeling That time's just holding me down I'll hit the ceiling or else I'll tear up this town Tonight I gotta cut loose
and I love these too
And you're playing so cool Obeying every rule I dig a way down in your heart You're burning, yearning for some
Somebody to tell you That life ain't passing you by I'm trying to tell you It will if you don't even try You can fly if you'd only cut loose
Oh, they're going! The feet are moving!
And here it is, my final song. It's so completely uncool that I think it is cool just by default. Who doesn't love a spot of Babs?
Barbra Streisand: "Rain on my Parade"
Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter Life's candy and the sun's a ball of butter Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade Don't tell me not to fly, I simply got to If someone takes a spill, it's me and not you Who told you you're allowed to rain on my parade?
So there you go, my three songs that get me going, that help me kick-arse and feel like I can do this and don't need to listen to anyone else who wants to make me feel rubbish!
Can you tell I'm down in the doldrums at the moment?
And so I now tag these bloggers to share their top three Music As Therapy songs:
The Boy is currently playing Hide and Seek. He usually plays it with Mr. TheBoyandMe, but he's found some new friends to play it with. Thing is, they're almost as rubbish as him at it, because just when he's looking for them, one of them chirrups "bye-bye!" and gives the game away.
Trust inanimate objects to not know how to play properly!
Before I introduce his new friends to you, let me explain that I hate noisy toys. Hate and detest. And so when I heard that TRU were sending me three such toys, I almost wept. And then I reached for a very strong coffee.
What are they?
They are The Sing-a-ma-jigs.
Weird looking things aren't they?
However, they are one of the hottest toys for Christmas and within thirty seconds of getting them out of the box I completely understood why, and all three of us have fallen in love with them. Yes, even Mr. TheBoyandMe. And I don't know if it was some coincidence that TRU sent us three, but it's just as well because we have one each. Mine's the one on the right.
The Sing-a-ma-jigs are soft toys about eight inches high. When you press their tummies, they change the shape of their mouths and 'sing'. And they really do appear to sing a range of musical notes, each Sing-a-ma-jig is at a different pitch. There are three functions (which are changeable by pressing their left hand); singing a song, chatter (jibber-jabber) and harmonising with each other. I don't know how that one works, but it does appear to!
We love them and even though I hate noisy toys, I love these. After all, they're not noisy; they're musical!
For more reviews by the Toys R Us Toyologists, click on the image below.
We were provided this free of charge to review. My opinion is, as always, honest.
Since The Boy has turned two, I've realised that life is hurtling along in a voyage of transition! This summer I set myself six tasks: I've done one of them. However it is the most important one of the lot and we've pretty much achieved it. Potty-training.
Last week, we went to the cinema and my mum babysat The Boy. Coming home, I discovered that she'd had a hell of a time getting him to sleep, so this is the next thing that needs to change. At present his bedtime routine is good: no television from 5pm onwards, quiet play for half an hour before bed, bath (every other night), milk, brush teeth, potty, pyjamas, book, then mobile on and lights out. It's what happens when lights out is the problem. We've always cuddled him to sleep, and for me he goes quickly. However, for hubby it can be more than an hour of fussing, as it was for my mum last week.
Now clearly, at the age of 26 months this has to stop. Therefore when I was contacted and asked if I'd like to review a new bedtime CD ofclassical bedtime music I was more than happy to type the words "yes please" as quickly as my three typing fingers would allow. (Yes, I have all 8 fingers and 2 thumbs, but can only type with three of them!)
Mixed Blessingsis a relaxing and magical CD full of specially written piano compositions. The very talented Sheena Coote created these classical musical pieces to help her own children relax into slumber, unwinding from their day and helping them slip away on the cloud of sleep. The CD is 25 minutes long and contains delicate and soothing music enabling calm and pleasant thoughts.
I'd already bought a CD player for The Boy's room, as it has always been my intention to have him listen to soothing music or a story tape, either before bed or as he is falling asleep. He loves his mobile, but we've found that he's developed almost a Pavlovian response to 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star'! We've added Mixed Blessings into the bedtime routine, he listens to it when he is having his milk now, and he's very fond of the music, particularly tracks 4 and 10. Mr. TheBoyandMe has found that he is calmer to get to sleep now, and understand that he must be quiet and listen to the music.
We've had a fraught few weeks: holidays, overnight trips away combined with days out, potty training and another weekend away. Now that we are home for the forseeable future, and that The Boy is secure and comfortable with his potty training, I will be looking at adjusting the order of his bedtime routine so he isn't reliant on cuddles from mummy or daddy to help him get to sleep.
Mixed Blessings was released by Red Red Admiral Records and is available now from, iTunes, Amazon, Tesco online, emusic and we7. One thing is for certain, £6.99 of 79p a track is hardly going to break the bank, and what price can you put on a quiet and quick bedtime?
I was provided with a copy of Mixed Blessings for review. My thoughts and opinions are, as always, honest.
