Days 342 – 348 of Project 365

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Days 342-348 of Project 365

342. Reach For The Stars (We ventured over to Cardiff Bay to the Christmas Food Market set out in the old dock basin. There were a few small, fairground rides there and The Boy relished the opportunity to try out this jumping trampoline ride thingy. I love the silhouette against the stormy sky.)

343. Burp (Reviewing a game sent to us from Orchard Toys, The Boy found it very amusing that the gorilla burps after feeding it junk food!)

344. My Little Star (This is The Boy performing in his first Christmas concert. I took photographs of him walking up and down onto the stage that showed off his costume better, but this is the picture that I love because of the sincerity on his face, filled with the effort of getting it right. I'm so proud of him for fully taking part as he was so petrified during the Harvest service he could only cope with standing on the stage.)

345. Homemade Gifts (I've written in the past about the significance of giving teachers presents to acknowledge their hard work, I decided that we'd make some lovely ornaments for The Boy's teachers and LSAs. With four teachers to buy for, and additional Reception staff, it would never have been cheap and I don't know enough about them to buy a worthwhile present. I thought Christmas tree decorations would be a good idea as they're resuable and show care and attention on his part.)

346. RUDE! (Our weekly trip to feed the swans saw an extremely cheeky seagull swoop in to grab a stray piece of bread lying on the boardwalk. The Boy was incensed!)

347. Wriggler (A busy day Christmas shopping with my mum in Cardiff, taking The Boy to a classmate's house for tea and then me swanning off to Cardiff Bay saw me sneaking a last minute photograph of a wriggling Boy in his sleep.)

348. Family Days Out (On a day when the blogging world is remembering a special blogger and her legacy of Family Frolics, it seemed very fitting to me that we spent the day with extended family; my brother and his family. I'd bought Mr. TBaM a segway driving experience for his birthday and we finally redeemed it with my sister-in-law joining him on a device which I would be useless on. My brother, niece, The Boy and I explored the other adventure activities possible in the centre and made a vow to come back and try the zip wire out when the children are a little bit older. We finished off the day with a lovely meal in a newly-opened restaurant nearby. A wonderful family day out.)

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TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

Family Frolics: Kerry's Legacy

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What would you like to be remembered for?

For me it would be as a devoted mummy, someone who treasured their family and did everything she could for her child; to make them happy and have a lifetime of happy memories.

A bit like this lady really!

Family Frolics A Legacy

I think that there is nothing more fitting for Kerry's last post than to read about her Family Frolics at Peppa Pig World; to see her beaming face, the giggles from the twins, a grin coaxed from BB via a mummy tickle, the fun and laughter that they had as a family. The wonderful memories of that family day out will be something that I'm sure her family hold dear, and I have often looked back on that post during the past year when I have wanted to remember her vibrancy, her love of life and her family.

And so I come to Kerry's legacy, what the 'Family Frolics' linky was all about and what I think she would love to be remembered for; celebrating family life.

Thank you Kerry for reminding me that family time is all that matters.

Family Frolics

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This post has been written in remembrance of Multiple Mummy who died on 14th December 2012; deeply missed.

The 'Family Frolics' blog-hop below will remain open until Friday 27th December. It would be great if you could join in to show Kerry is not forgotten and that her love of family life had a lasting impact on others.



Are Smart Phones 'Educational Babysitters'?

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We like technology in this house.

A lot.

And The Boy is incredibly adept at using the technology that we have, in fact he's the one who has shown me various shortcuts on the iPad. No matter what the device is, he seems to be capable of picking it up and using it instantly. Interestingly I recently attended a conference about the impact of iPads in the classroom and how they affect learning, the survey of parents conducted demonstrated that they believe tablets are intuitive and that children don't need to be taught how to use them. The Boy's practise would indicate that to be an accurate assumption.

The conference also highlighted that most parents (75%) see it as essential for children to have access to tablets like touch-screen mobile devices in order to keep abreast of technological developments and to aid their learning, which I found really interesting and also reassuring that their learning potential (not just their play functions) were being acknowledged. A recent survey by Lifeproof (award-winning maker of all-protective, everyday cases for smartphones and tablets) showed that seven in ten parents feel their children are brighter because of early exposure to technology, and while four in ten parents admit that they sometimes use their smartphone or tablet as a high-tech babysitter to keep their children entertained, nine in ten also believe that using gadgets can be educational for their children.

Now I will put my hand on my heart here and 'fess up that I have been in the supermarket and handed The Boy my phone or the Kurio tablet (which has a rubberised drop-proof case as standard) to keep him amused while I'm shopping. Possible letting him play with my expensive smartphone might not be the best way to keep it in one piece, but then he's not the one who dropped it on the road, shattering the gorilla glass screen of the Samsung Galaxy S3, I was.

That's why I was incredibly grateful when Lifeproof sent me one of their cases for my phone, my husband has already reviewed one for the iPhone 5 earlier in the year, and it was probably just as well mine arrived when it did as I dropped it in sink of water last week…

Lifeproof Samsung Galaxy S3 case

Baroness Floella Benjamin, OBE commented on the research: "Gadgets are a part of everyday life and are here to stay – but should be used as part of a child's creative development along with other stimuli.  There has been much written about the use of gadgets by children, and technology is becoming a vital part of everyday life – but of course, as with everything, should be used by children and teens in moderation.

"Children shouldn't be passive when it comes to technology, they need to be in touch with it, and learn to be creative and inventive, because ultimately there are many long-term benefits."

We tried restricting The Boy's access to the iPad and actually have found that it makes him crave it more, so we tend to let him have a little bit of iPad time for ten-twenty minutes every day or two, and he loves playing with the problem-solving and logic puzzles; reassuring as I know that these are areas that we are focusing on in school!

While we're lucky that The Boy hasn't damaged one of our devices, the average parent has spent £110 in the last year fixing gadgets, while two electrical devices have been broken by children in the last 12 months alone.  The most common cause of damage is items being dropped in the house, while spillages and gadgets being lost were also seen as everyday occurrences.

Infographic_LifeProof_lowres

For further information and to explore the full range of LifeProof cases visit their Kidproof page.

Posted in conjunction with Lifeproof for which I received a phone case.

Orchard Toys: Greedy Gorilla (Review)

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It's no secret that we are two of Orchard Toys' biggest fans; I've got more of their games and puzzles than the local toy shop and we play a different one each day. One of The Boy's favourite Orchard Toys' games is Crazy Chefs which he likes because of both the 'cooking' aspect and the 'chance' factor. Therefore when we were sent Greedy Gorilla to review, I knew that this one would go down really well with The Boy.

Orchard Toys: Greedy Gorilla

Greedy Gorilla is a game designed to encourage healthy eating in a fun way. The game involves collecting healthy ingredients to make a nutritious meal while identifying the junk food and disposing of it in the gorilla's mouth. The game consists of:

  • 4 playing boards including chicken, beef, fish and vegetarian meals,
  • 24 healthy food cards (e.g. tomatoes, salmon steak, carrots, mushrooms, apple juice, water, milk, etc)
  • 8 junk food cards (e.g. burger, ice-cream, pizza, fries, etc.)
  • 1 gorilla posting box (requires 3AAA batteries which are included)

Orchard Toys: Greedy Gorilla

The idea of the game is very simple:

  1. Each person chooses a playing board which has six ingredients listed on it;
  2. The 32 healthy food and junk food cards are placed down in the middle of the playing area face down;
  3. Starting with the youngest player, each person chooses a card and turns it over to see if it is on their board;
    1. If it is a junk food card then it is placed in the gorilla's mouth, who will then burp and all the players must put their hand over their mouth and say 'pardon me';
    2. If it is a healthy food card then they can place it on their board if it matches or return it to the centre of the table;
  4. The player to complete their board first is the winner.

Orchard Toys: Greedy Gorilla

As with all Orchard Toys games, Greedy Gorilla is educational and fun. However, the educational element this time comes in the form of educating children about the type of food that is healthy and those which are 'sometimes' foods; treats and not to be eaten very often at all. The Boy is starting to learn about this in school at the moment so it's great consolidation for him and really helps reinforce the importance of eating healthily.

The game can be extended further by discussing the need for a balance diet through combining the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins and dairy alongside fruit and vegetables. The game is aimed at 4-8 year olds and I can definitely see how the game can suit this age range. I also think that they could be used as recipe cards and a meal planner to help create healthy meals for families throughout the week!

Greedy Gorilla is available for £11.75  from Orchard Toys directly amongst a plethora of other toy shops online and on the high street.

I was sent this product for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.

365 #49

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3 weeks left of the project and 3 weeks left of 2013; what will the next 24 days bring you?

The 365 linky only works because of people linking to it and then contributing their thoughts to others' posts via comments. I can't emphasise this enough, it's the whole point of the linky!

Join in by entering the URL of your favourite photograph of the week (either a 52 or a 365 photo) and show some comment love to everyone else in the community. We've got a Facebook group, and now I've created a collaborative Pinterest board (if you'd like to collaborate, let me know and I'll add you).

  1. Choose your favourite photo from the past week and link it up below.
  2. Please add the badge to your linked-up post so that other people know how to find all the other fabulous entries.
  3. If you can spare five minutes to comment on a few other entries I know they'd appreciate it!
365



Days 335 – 341 of Project 365

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Days 335-341 of Project 365

335. Poser (Today saw our local pier pavilion re-open after extensive building work to renovate it, mostly funded by local people and organisations, along with a National Lottery grant. We went down for the opening and also a charge around in the brisk, Winter air before heading off to a classmate's party.)

336. Poet Laureate (After school The Boy picked up the notebook that he'd had in the party bag the previous day and started writing in it. I love that he loves to write, and that he's started making little notes. I look forward to the day when I find a book full of made up stories.)

337. Big Moment (The Boy always puts the star on top of the tree, and I always have to correct it afterwards; it's a heavy star that goes on a spindly 'twig'. I love the look of anxiety on his face!)

338. Bed Fellows ('Puntsey' has been a regular bed companion since Children In Need, Oliver Monkey doesn't mind as it means they can share watch duties alongside having plenty of cuddles from The Boy.)

339. Bird Man (We went to feed the swans after school; it was just as well we did because they were starving! The minute we slammed the door shut in the car park, they were clambering up the ramp. We got to the entry gate and they were standing there waiting for us! I deposited The Boy on the boardwalk as it forced the swans back into the water to be fed.)

340. Double (I set up a free craft table after school for The Boy and let him create freely. I adore his double chin in this photograph!)

341. Plees (We went to Dyffryn Gardens today to enjoy the Christmas craft fair; the first to be held there in over two decades. I used to go regularly as a child and it's a special venue to hold one. There was a table set up to write letters to Father Christmas, so The Boy sat down and wrote one all by himself.)

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TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

Spicy Apple & Pumpkin Cake

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When we became way too excited at the PYO Pumpkin Farm in October, I was left with a fair few pumpkins to do something with. Fourteen to be precise.

Like I said, I was excited.

I pureed and froze quite a few of them, we've eaten one or two in lasagnes or risottos, but I decided to bake a cake with one to see exactly what pumpkin cake tastes like. As the puree is quite bland, I decided to add apple in for texture  combining a number of spices to add extra zing!

Spicy Apple & Pumpkin Cake

  • Makes: 8 inch bündt cake
  • Preparation time: 10 minutes
  • Cooking time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 6oz/170g self-raising flour
  • 6oz/170g caster sugar
  • 6oz/170g butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 1tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice
  • 200g of pumpkin puree
  • 2 apples, peeled and chopped
  • demerara sugar to decorate
  1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time, adding a little flour if they start to curdle.
  2. Add the flour and spices and mix together thoroughly.
  3. Fold in the pumpkin puree and chopped apple.
  4. Pour into the bündt tin and cook in a preheated oven (180°C/Gas Mask 4) for 35-40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
  5. Allow to cool in the bündt tin before turning out.
  6. Sprinkle demerara sugar on top to decorate. Spicy Apple & Pumpkin Cake

Apples and mixed spices are one of my favourite combinations when it comes to cakes, there are plenty of spicy cake recipes around for inspiration at this time of year.

Recipe written in collaboration with Schwartz

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Linking to Recipe Of The Week and Tasty Tuesdays

Tassimo Winter Warmer

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Dusk happens almost with noticing as a backdrop to the twinkling lights in the shop windows. Leaves crunch underfoot, cloudy puffs of breath escape from exhilarated shoppers, and rosy cheeks provide a hint of excitement and the crisp Winter air. Battling through the front door amongst the excessive packages in cheap plastic bags splitting from overstuffing, the very thing needed is a warming drink.

Or a stiff one.

You could have both?

Tassimo Winter Warmer

You'll need:

  • 1 shot of espresso (1 Carte Noire Espresso Tassimo t-disc)
  • 1 serving of hot milk (2 for Cadbury's Hot Chocolate milk t-discs)
  • 1 serving of hot chocolate (1 Cadbury's Hot chocolate t-disc)
  • 1 shot of Kahlua (or other coffee or chocolate licquor)
  • squirty cream (I used Madagascan Vanilla Creme)
  • chocolate sprinkles
  • a stripy straw

Using my Tassimo T20, I added the ingredients in the order listed above before sinking down onto the sofa and enjoying my Winter Warmer.

As I am a Tassimo Blogger, I was sent the above Tassimo products to invent my own recipe.

Win an Orchard Toys Prize Bundle (Blogoversary Giveaway #5)

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I'm incredibly proud of my long-standing relationship with Orchard Toys; the games and puzzles suit us well as a family, and I enjoy sharing the word about both the educational and fun aspects of the brilliant range. Orchard Toys sponsored me for Britmums 2013 (and I've got an exciting announcement coming up regarding this) and were more than happy to provide a bundle of prizes to help celebrate my three year anniversary!

The prize package consists of:

Orchard Toys competition

To be in with a chance of winning these wonderful prizes from Orchard Toys, fill in the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win a Pink Lining Mini Yummy Mummy Bag (Blogoversary Giveaway #2)

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I've got a little infatuation with bags, and Pink Lining bags are one of my favourites; stylish and practical, I can always fit in everything I need. The Boy is developing a bit of a liking for them too with a lunch bag and satchel to add to our collection.

Pink Lining were eager to help celebrate three years of TheBoyandMe, and have offered a wonderful Mini Yummy Mummy bag worth £39.00 as a prize to one reader.

The Mini Yummy Mummy bag comes with a fold-up changing mat, zip front pocket for keys, money and phone as well as a back pocket and dividing pouches inside. The bag also now comes with an adjustable shoulder strap that is long enough to fit over most pram/buggy handle bars. Internal Features: 2x small pouches, a fold up padded travel changing mat and a small zip pocket.

One lucky reader will be able to choose their prize from the three designs; Bumble Bees and Stardust, Cream Bows on Peppermint, or Purple Dragonflies.

pink lining competition

To be in with a chance of winning this prize, please complete the Rafflecopter form below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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