The National Trust Easter Egg Trail: Dyffryn Gardens (Country Kids)

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For my first Mother's Day back in 2010, Mr. TBaM took me to Dyffryn Gardens in the Vale of Glamorgan. We had a beautiful walk through the gardens pushing our little bundle in his pushchair, and it was good to revisit the site after such a long break since my last visit.

Dyffryn Gardens is a place that I'd first visited as a child with my parents, when the main house used to hold craft fayres every so often, particularly at Christmas time, and we'd wander from room to room and enjoy the immediate gardens. At the time though, things were beginning to look a little tatty, and fairly soon after the main house was closed to the public and left to fall into disrepair despite the efforts to maintain it. Visiting the venue over the past two to three years, and seeing such a stunning house boarded up, was so sad; I'd recount my memories to Mr. TBaM and sigh with nostalgia.

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Sponsored Post: Do Tablet PCs Make Life Easier?

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It was around this time last year, when I had confirmed that I'd be attending Britmums blogging conference, that we finally decided to buy a tablet PC. My persuasive argument to Mr. TBaM at the time was that it would be an incredibly useful thing to have for the blogging conference because I could blog and tweet the information gained at the event, use it to take photos and edit them instantly. It would also be useful for the train journey with The Boy as we could upload his favourite films to it, and he could use it to play games on. An all round entertainment package in a ten inch long metal box, what more could we ask for?!

To be honest, he didn't need convincing.

However, one year on I find myself wondering about the influence of the tablet PC in our home, and therefore in other families. Does having a tablet pc make life easier?

We use our tablet PC daily, and more so, frequently and naturally throughout the day; it has become a way of life for us. 30% of those who own a tablet PC use it daily, so we are definitely within that statistic.

But how do we use it?

I use it to blog, tweet, access Facebook and Instagram, all the usual social media actions. However, more than that I also use it to take photographs, choosing it over my dSLR in some situtions, because it is more responsive to indoor lighting than my phone or my dSLR. I can also edit the photo straight away and upload it to wherever I need it. I use it to read news websites and books, play music through, set the Sky+ box, watch catch-up television (we have one television in our house), and for accessing recipes online when cooking. In the Summer, it's a radio or easy way of using the Internet outside in the garden, without having to lug the laptop outside. It's not just a source of communication and entertainment, it's a reference device for me. And it's convenient.

When it comes to The Boy, 80% of the apps on our tablet PC are his; all with an educational slant to them. He practises letter formation and recognition on it, counts and performs simple sums, and is a real whizz at problem-solving games like Cut The Rope or Angry Birds. His understanding is innate and natural. For Mr. TBaM, like 54% of other tablet PC users, he downloads or livestreams the latest film while conquering the ironing pile. Ok, the ironing pile may not be true for them.

Several months ago I wrote about the Xperia™ Tablet and all the amazing functions that it had; the ability to be used a remote control for the television, Sky box and a home entertainment system has got to be a serious draw for any tablet user. And it's not about being lazy and not wanting to get out of your seat, more about minimilisation; why have three remote controls and a tablet PC when you can just have a tablet PC which does all of that.

 

Bearing in mind that there is the Xperia™ Tablet which can interact with other household appliances, where do developers see the tablet PC's direction going?

Personally I already use the supermarket app to order my food shopping, easily done while standing in front of the fridge and the cupboards. However, I'd love to see technology develop that there's a way of the fridge automatically knowing which foods it has run out of and sending that to the app on the tablet to order when needed.

Tablet PCs can do so much already, what would you like them to do to make your life easier?

Tablet Sony - Infographic

Xperia™ Tablet

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How Not To Make A Birthday Cake (Or The Biggest Cake Fail Ever!)

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Look alright, doesn't it?

However, it looks vastly different to what it was meant to look like. It was meant to look a little like these crafted by my talented friend Jenny from Mummy Mishaps…

mummy mishaps cakes

I gathered my ingredients, two sandwich baking tins, two packets of chocolate fingers (white chocolate and milk chocolate) and the packet of red, white, and blue peanut M&Ms to top the cake, and got mixing.

All was going well! The two cakes went in the oven at the lower temperature of 170°C (as instructed by Jenny who told me off for baking them at 200°C), and I set the timer for 25 minutes.

And then I adjusted it for another 15 minutes as the middle was wiggly still.

But opening the door to check it, made it sink in the middle so I ended up with two very concave sponges.

Which fell apart when I tried to get them out of the baking tins.

Literally broke in to five pieces.

And that's five per cake.

Out came the two tubs of chocolate Philadelphia which I was going to use as the filling and frosting, and I started to use them as glue.

Only the cake fell apart as I prodded the 'glue' on it with a knife.

So I bunged the top on quickly, and set to surrounding the outside with chocolate fingers, again using the chocolate Philadelphia as glue.

I ignored the fact that it was lopsided.

Or that the edges were falling off.

Or that the middle was 2 cm lower than the outside.

The chocolate fingers fell off halfway around.

By which time I was quite pissed off, to be blunt. I hacked the bloody thing in half, grabbed the orange ribbon from my last bunch of flowers from Mr. TBaM, wrapped it around the cake and then couldn't fathom out how to hold it in place.

Dressmaking pins, that'll work!

Then the M&Ms were out of date.

BY FIVE MONTHS!

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This is why I make cupcakes.

Happy birthday Mr. TBaM!

Our Easter Holiday Destination!

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easter breaks

When the above guide plopped through our letterbox a few weeks ago, I actually squealed with delight.

More ridiculously excited than is decent for a grown woman to be, I've been looking forward to our forthcoming holiday for a very long time now. We booked it back in September, shortly after discovering that we'd been chosen to be Butlin's Ambassadors, and after a very long and extremely cold Winter, a week's break on the south coast is just what the doctor ordered! It helps that we'll be going with another Ambassador family (and very good friends) with whom we can enjoy what Butlin's has to offer.

I'm the type of person who works best in short bursts and with something to look forward to; I need to know that in a few months time I'm going to have this reward for our hard work, or that weekend break to look forward to. As The Boy is getting older, and therefore more physically capable, there were many options for Easter breaks this year, however we decided to book an Easter Butlin's stay for various reasons. One of which was the weather (Easter has been beautifully sunny for the past few years, and I'm still hopeful of a fair weather stay), and the other was the range of activities available, both indoors and outdoors.

New this Spring is the outdoor traditional funfair with a helter-skelter, carousel and flying chairs (there is an indoor funfair for younger children); The Boy is going to be in his element! It's just as well these are included in the price because I know we're going to be spending a great deal of time up in the air if he has anything to do with it. Other outdoor activities that we're looking forward to are children's play area, driving school, and adventure golf, and as the resort is right on the beach we can't wait to go and 'plop' some stones in the waves! Indoor fun is going to include bowling,  indoor funfair rides and softplay centre, and the numerous shows (I Can Cook and Mike The Knight live shows, puppets in the Castle Courtyard, shows on the Skyline Stage, etc).

One of the reasons that I'm really looking forward to next week though is because I do want to show Butlin's off to people. Before I went to Bognor Regis for the first time in December 2011 I was under a misguided memory from my ten year old self of my year six trip to Pwllheli where we stayed in stereotypical terrached chalets. But that was in 1988 and times have changed (as much as I might not want them to have), Butlin's with it. The Bognor Regis resort now has three hotels alongside the traditional apartment or chalet accommodation, and offers a wide range of family weekend breaks which cater for all.

We'll be staying in the Ocean Hotel, which has a boutique hotel feel to it, in a Neptune room.

Ocean hotel, Butlins

As you can see the 'room' (feel more like a mini-suite) had a main bedroom with a seating area, and this leads around to the twin bedroom, neither have doors but they do have enough privacy to watch television in an evening and not disturb The Boy while he is sleeping. The Ocean also overlooks the coastline (and therefore resort) and is a wonderful hotel to stay in.

There'll be plenty more detailed information from me in the next few weeks about the resort. I'm so excited!

Butlin's-logo-1

Toy Story: The Bear Facts (Guest Post)

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In today's guest post, the author explains the background behind the teddy bear.

A couple of days ago I came across a couple of DVDs which I hadn't watched for years. Among them was the wonderful Pixar film Toy Story, an old favourite of mine, so that evening I settled down on my couch and played the DVD, happily reliving the adventures of Buzz Lightyear, Woody and their friends. By the time the film ended, and no doubt influenced by some of its themes, I found myself reflecting on the reason I had not watched the film for such a long time, namely that I now have a new "toy"- my computer. The films I watch nowadays are computer files, not DVDs or videos. And although the Toy Story franchise shows no sign of flagging (I gather Toy Story 4 is now on the cards) it struck me that the DVD format was rapidly becoming outmoded and is probably on the way out. My DVD player may itself soon be discarded, like a child's toy which has fallen out of favour.

While many of today’s toys may be considerable more technologically advanced than those of yesteryear some of the old favourites never seem to lose their appeal. The Teddy Bear, for example, continues to exert a unique hold on the human psyche. It is now 111 years since the incident took place which triggered the ursine phenomenon. It was 1902 and the President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt was out in the wilds on an unsuccessful hunting trip. The others in the hunting party caught a bear and tied it to a tree, so that the President could make an easy kill. When the President showed up, however, he refused to shoot deeming it unsportsmanlike. A newspaper cartoonist depicted the scene and consequently New York shopkeepers Morris and Rose Michtom started a company that produced the first Teddy bears.

At around the same time the Steiff family in Germany came up with a design for stuffed bears and introduced them to Europe at the 1903 Leipzig Fair. The rest, as they say, is history.

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How To Teach Your Children To Cook (Guest Post)

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Although cooking with children can be a lot of fun, it can also be quite a challenging experience. You need to watch them constantly, keep them interested and make sure they’re being safe. Here are some tips on teaching your children to cook.

First cooking 011

Fun recipe ideas

All children love cooking treats like fairy cakes, rainbow cookies and chocolate brownies, but it can be harder to get them involved with cooking main meals. Focus on the foods they love and practice making them from scratch. Research children cooking recipes to get some fun ideas.

You could teach them to make mini burgers, to which they can add cheese, bacon and salad, or you can show them how to make home-made fish fingers and mash. One of the easiest and best loved children meals are personal pizzas. Get them to roll out the dough, favour the sauce and grate the cheese. They can then choose all their favourite toppings to sprinkle on top.

Safety tips

It’s important to teach your children all the safety rules for cooking in the kitchen. While they are learning, keep them away from sharp knives and hot pans. Never leave them cooking alone and make sure you explain thoroughly how they should be using each utensil.

Put them in aprons to protect their clothing and teach them to clean up spills as they go, so that foods don’t become contaminated and they are less likely to slip over.

Explain fire safety and the difference between a normal fire and a grease fire. Make sure they don’t wear long sleeves which could catch fire. Also, tell them to use oven mitts instead of a tea towel to move hot pans off the stove, so that it doesn’t trail in the flames.

Dos and Don’ts

  • Do be patient. If you rush your children or criticise them they’re likely to lose confidence and give up.
  • Don’t get stressed. Accidents will happen – stay calm and show them how to do things properly.
  • Do make it fun. Take a leaf out of Mary Poppins’ book and turn household chores into games! If they’re enjoying themselves they are more likely to want to help out again.
  • Don’t push them too hard if they aren’t interested. Forcing your child to do something that they don’t want to can put them off for life! Let it go and try again at a later date.
  • Do cook foods that they are enthusiastic about. If they’re making a fuss about cooking healthy food then start off with baking a cake and, when they become interested, you can move on to other things.

rainbow pizza guest post

After a long day teaching your child to cook, you may feel like you never want to cook again! If you want to eat well, enjoying delicious and balanced meals, food hampers can be a solution.

Forman and Field, specialised in food hampers which range from everyday meal options, for those with busy lifestyles, to gourmet gift hampers for special occasions. Hampers can also be sent as presents – you can put together your own hamper with your children to get them involved in making a unique gift for someone.

Keep things light and fun and you’re bound to inspire your children to get cooking!

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Eco-Climate Week Challenge

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I always try to be a bit of an eco-warrior on the sly, which is why I'm currently sat here in my fleece with socks and slippers on, rather than turning the heating up another degree. The temptation's strong, I can tell you, but I shall resist.

And this week it seems significant to make that effort as it has been Climate Week, Britain's biggest climate change campaign, where people all over the country have hopefully been thinking about how they can live and work in a more sustainable manner. Quite frankly, anyone who continues to believe that the world's climate is NOT being effected by our behaviour, needs to remove their head from the sand, take off their blinkers and look around at what we are handing over to our children.

We were sent a number of items from Andrex to see how we could make some small changes as our contribution to Climate Week.

andrex ecoclimate week

We already compost as much as possible or use the council's food waste collection, recycle everything that can be, use reusable shopping bags (Wales charges 5p per plastic bag), and Mr. TBaM ditched his car eight months ago in favour of a bike, therefore the changes we made were:

  • fitted a Hippo water saver bag into the bathroom toilet;
  • worn socks, slippers and an extra layer rather than turn the heating up;
  • kept the heating below 22°C (believe me, this is huge for me!);
  • used a 'Showertime' to monitor and reduce the amount of water used when showering;
  • filled the kettle with the exact amount of water required;
  • used Andrex Eco recycled toilet paper;
  • walking to the town centre for shopping.

For more tips on how to make your lifestyle more sustainable and environmentally friendly, visit Andrex's Sustainability website.

What one change could you make to become more environmentally friendly?

A Special Little Girl (For Matilda Mae)

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Last Summer I had the pleasure of holding a newborn baby. I'd known her mummy for two years and she had become a friend. Yes, an online friend, but a friend nonetheless. Before I met the little girl's mummy, I'd asked if I could have a cuddle from the baby and the mummy very happily agreed.

So at Britmums 2012 I had the pleasure of cuddling Jennie's youngest daughter, Matilda Mae. As I rubbed antibacterial handgel in my hands, I could feel a slight stirring. This was further compounded by the rush of affection and maternal instincts kicking in when I held Baby Tilda in my arms. I smelled her sweet, newborn smell, felt her little squiggliness and looked up at Jennie with tears stinging my eyes. She was the first baby that I'd held since The Boy was born. Suddenly all those desires for another child which had been quashed and locked away, rose up inside me and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I wanted another baby.

That is the legacy that Matilda Mae has left me. Thanks to that beautiful baby girl and her very kind mummy, I've been getting help with my birth trauma from The Boy, and am making headway to extending our family.

The heartbreak that I feel from hearing about the sudden and unexplained death of Matilda a month ago, is nothing in comparison to how Jennie and her family feel. Yet I, and many other parent bloggers, feel connected to their loss.

Why?

Jennie asked me to write about why the parent blogging community has felt the loss of her life so strongly, this is being included in the funeral service.

Community and society evolve. In the 21st century where friends and family are separated by great distances, methods of communication have had to change for relationships to survive. Yet with this world of sending 'instant' messages virtually, time differences and busy lives create yet another obstacle, another barrier to feeling connected. Barriers which, to a new mother, can feel just as isolating as the geographical separation.

As a new mother, I discovered the 'world' of twitter, and in turn the online parent community. It's hard to explain how a group of people can find solice, comfort and friendship via the Internet, but they can. In the same way our parents' and grandparents' generations could be more open through a letter to a penpal, so can parents today. Friendships are struck up through real-time discussions on twitter; lives, hopes and dreams are explored through blogs. No-one judges or condemns; we are all parents, we are all people with feelings, and we are an army of moral support in each other's pockets. There is always someone there.

The parent blogging community is a special one; to show empathy, caring and compassion for a 'stranger' is humbling and restores my faith in humanity.

Most of us start blogs as a way of recording everyday life or verbalising our anxieties. We never dream that people are reading, enjoying, empathising; yet all too soon we find words of comfort and advice, experiences shared and solutions offered. Edspire is a blog that is full of a mother's love for her determined and amazing twins, and her miracle baby, Matilda. Jennie writes with such heartfelt emotion, sharing her innermost thoughts, fears and hopes and inviting the reader to be part of her life. I've followed the wedding story and the secret that was Matilda when vows were exchanged, felt the joy of a natural birth, the anguish of losing her prematurely.

Through blogs we see each other's relationships develop, marriages happen, babies be born and grow. We feel the pride when they sit for the first time, we feel the tiredness due to a night spent nursing a teething baby, and we feel the grief when one of ours is lost. Some of use will never meet in person (I am lucky enough to have met Jennie and to have held Matilda), but it does not diminish our bond.

Shine brightly Matilda Mae

(02.05.2012 – 02.02.2013)

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Honest 'Reevoos' (Sponsored Post)

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Each week there is a certain television programme that Mr. TBaM insists on watching. I groan and pull faces galore about it, and then agree under duress stipulating the condition that we 'fast forward through the boring techy bits'. It's a ritual that we do this, it's also ridiculous because we both enjoy Top Gear for what it is; the opportunity to laugh at three middle-aged men having a midlife crisis and playing with cars. That's not necessarily a negative thing, it speaks to the petrol head in all of us, and even the 'boring' bits are interesting sometimes.

My favourite part of the entire thing is the 'Star in the Reasonably Priced Car', and this series the car that they are using is the Kia C'eed, which is proving incredibly popular with the stars and producing good times around the track. Messrs. Clarkson, Hammond and May have run a thorough test on this car and it actually comes out with a really good review.

 

 

But like I said, they're (past) middle-aged men and not the average car owner. And while the Kia C'eed performs well on the track for their guests, it's hardly the everyday circuit of shopping, the school run or family days out. Which is why it's more important to actually have an opinion from people who know what it's like to drive Kia cars in 'real life' situations. This is where Reevoo comes in useful.
 

Reevoo is an impartial reviews website which has teamed up with Kia to host a plethora of independent reviews on Kia cars; genuine, unbiased reviews written by real car owners. All reviews are independently verified and written by real customers and Kia car-owners which provide the low down on what's good and what's not. This helps to simplify the car buying process, making it easier to find the best Kia vehicle for the customer's needs. Consumers nowadays are interested in real opinions, the hits I get on my blog for children's toys are testiment to that, buying a car is an even bigger commitment than a children's train set and clearly needs more research. I can't think of a better place to go and find out about a car that I'm thinking of buying than to read honest opinions all housed under one site.

This kind of commitment to customer satisfaction is exactly why Kia was named Car Manufacturer of the Year 2012 by Which?.
 

 

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