General | TheBoyandMe

How To Make A Play Kitchen

September 23, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 67 Comments

I've always wanted a wooden play kitchen for The Boy, but they're incredibly pricey and we just don't have the space for one. It's such a shame because I know he'd love one and would spend hours pretending to cook on it, just as we do in real life. But I can't magic more space or money so unfortunately, I had resigned myself to no cooker for him.

And then I saw a tweet from @Scrapbookerry showing a Pinterest idea she'd seen to use a side table and turn it into a play kitchen. The idea originally came from a site called Ikea Hackers. So I repinned the idea on Pinterest, and in my brain, and we set off for the car boot sale to sell our unwanted treasures. After we'd packed up, we wondered around and with my beady eyes, I managed to spot this little gem, which I bargained the guy down to £3 for!

How to make a play kitchen

As there was no time like the present, we nipped over to the nearest DIY store and bought some white paint, a row of hooks and some knobs.

The next step was to sand it all over to remove the top layer of the black paint and smooth any sharp edges. Then to start on the many coats of white paint (four in total) I needed to cover the black.

how to make a play kitchen

Next I measured out and drew four circles on the top of the cupboard to make four cooker rings. These were painted black with a silver ring around the outside of them.

The door was removed, a plastic plate used to draw around and my husband cut out that shape from the door. I sanded the edges, painted both sides of the door, and then used masking tape to edge a piece of perspex we had lying around, and superglued it onto the inside of the door.

Finally my husband drilled five holes along the front to attach the knobs that I had painted silver, and screwed the hook unit onto the side of the cupboard.

Cost:

table – £3
paint – £8
knobs – £4
hooks – £4
- Total = £19

I bought the saucepans & utensils for £14.

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Country Kids: The Garden Of Eden

September 22, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 20 Comments

That right there is sunrise over the garden of Eden. No I don't mean the tourist attraction in Cornwall, I mean the wonderful valley which Coombe Mill nestles in. That was the view that we had each morning when we pulled back the curtains in our cabin.

Breathtaking isn't it?

Little wonder that the three of us spent the entire time smiling, laughing and enjoying the fresh air. The Boy enjoyed a plethora of new experiences, and we both were able to smile and revel in his new found confidence.

This is The Boy who strode into the poultry and wallaby pen on the first morning, who fed donkeys and stroked their noses, who glared down an alpaca. My little precious bundle who walked into the pigs' pen, cuddled their rumps and then uncurled their tails, who walked in amongst the goats and fed them, who walked within ten feet of a deer. This is The Boy who let a fragile chick stand on his head and arm.

coombe mill

And after he'd finished discovering all about the fauna, we popped over to the official Eden Project to take in the flora in the biomes where The Boy saw how bananas grow, that coffee comes in green beans, that those elusive tomatoes which mummy won't let him near (he's allergic) start out green.

The Eden Project

We even picked a grain of rice from their mini paddyfield and saw how hard they are when they come straight from the plant!

Arriving home , Mr. TBaM and I remarked to each other how much he'd grown over the weekend; and as parents isn't that our job? To guide them when exploring their new world.

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I Want!

September 21, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 32 Comments

Being a Leo, I'm a little tempestuous and volatile. I know, big shock huh?! Those who only read this blog and have this as the only contact into my world will probably be surprised, those who follow me on twitter and have witnessed occasional but fairly restrained rants will smirk knowingly, those who actually know me (like my family, a few long-term friends, or one or two real-life blogging friends – MammyWoo and Mummy Mishaps) will not be surprised at my revelation that I'm a stroppy-arsed bugger sometimes.

I say all this to you because I have been asked by one of those blogging friends to have a temper tantrum, stamp my foot (it's usually the right one) and declare what I want. Not what needs doing in the house, not what The Boy wants, but me. What is it I want?

So here goes. I WANT:

To find something to wear to the MAD Blog Awards next Friday night in London. This is harder than it sounds because I'm a big bird and don't do dresses. Plus I'm going to be surrounded by glamorous mummies in beautiful dresses and my roots need doing.
To have a hair appointment magically available so I can get said roots sorted. And for it not to take four hours like the last time he cut and highlighted my hair.
To have a pair of ruby slippers or a transporter like on ST:TNG so that I can get to the MADs without having to deal with a two hour train journey to London (albeit in first class). And then to get home the next morning so I can see my boy. I'd also like to use this to nip down to Coombe Mill to enjoy the tractor run, or see the stars at night. Or to take The Boy to Barcelona, or Las Vegas. Be handy for getting a pizza in Capri too.
To not have a pile of ironing constantly on the dining table.
To have a gardener clear the weeds from my garden because my back and pelvis won't let me.
To have Eldorado back on television.
To not have to work.
To win the lottery so I can have our dream house built with one of those spiral staircase slides installed. And a swimming pool. And a cinema.
To not be a heffalump. This would make finding an outfit for the MADs easier.
To not feel like I'm losing the plot sometimes.
To have David Tennant back in Doctor Who. Matt Smith is bloody rubbish.
To have people in school realise that just because I'm the ICT co-ordinator it doesn't mean I'll help them buy a personal laptop, or sort out their mobile phones or change the ink cartridge, or be their personal assistant when creating a table in Publisher. None of this involves the teaching of ICT to the children.
To understand the Tots100.
To be able to eat what I want without gaining half a stone at each meal. (This is only slightly exaggerated.)
To have teeth that don't actually fall apart when I chew on a piece of cheese. (This is not exaggerated.)
To have people realise that when I say I'm an anonymous blogger that does not mean it's ok to share my name or a photo of me.
To know who Kat is sleeping with.
To find out why Sharon does that weirdy wide eye thingy.
To have ready access to new episodes of Gossip Girl that focus on Chuck Bass.
To be able to go to bed before eleven every night.
To not have low self-esteem.
To not have anxiety attacks that result in hysteria on a London tube platform.
To win the photography award next Friday. (There I said it!)
White chocolate.

Country Kids: At Home With Coombe Mill

September 16, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 33 Comments

We've come for a short break down to Coombe Mill for a few days and I have to say that I think I've found paradise on Earth! Having been to a few places that have Scandinavian lodges as their accommodation, it is refreshing to come to a similar place but with the difference that this has the great outdoors as the entertainment and what an outdoors it is.

This thirty acre site has a beautiful and melodic river running through it which is the soundtrack to our stay, a plethora of children's play areas for different abilities and desires, and the most fantastic animal farm we've seen.

Yesterday we had fun exploring the play areas…

… including some twilight trampoline jumping!

Today we set off after a hearty breakfast to enjoy the feed run. I'll admit I was sceptical about this as The Boy has always been apprehensive about animals, especially those which are similar in size to him, so I expected lots of, "Can you carry me?!"

However…

… he even told us he uncurled the pig's tail!

But for him the best bit of the day was this…

… under a small amount of direction, he was genuinely steering this tractor!

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Country Kids: All Creatures Great And Small

September 10, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 9 Comments

Last week was time for me to go back to school after a glorious six weeks off with my precious son. It's an incredibly difficult time of the year for me emotionally, with mother's guilt kicking in at its strongest, and takes until half-term to settle back down again into a routine where I don't cry every night. However last week we were lucky because I worked the first half of the week as opposed to the second half which left me with almost a week off before going back in. We decided to take advantage of this and headed off for a long weekend down to one of our favourite places; Peppa Pig World.Peppa Pig World is one of the best places to take a pre-schooler in the United Kingdom and as it's our third trip there, we now consider ourselves 'a bit of an expert'. And don't think we were fooled by the sunshine because we've also been there in the pouring rain as well! We arrived at 10.30am and were some of the last to leave at 6pm. In that time we went on every one of the seven rides, the tractor ride and The Boy and Mr. TBaM went on the waterslide three times with The Boy shouting, "Again, again!" every time they came off it.

The next day we met up with Mr. TBaM's parents in nearby Marwell Zoo which I'd been eager to show The Boy. It had a fantastic range of wildlife there, and we were fortunate enough to see the giraffes being brought in from the paddocks, albeit very slowly because they turned out to be stubborn animals! It was an incredibly hot day and The Boy found it a bit tricky to muster up the enthusiasm to enjoy seeing the animals. I suppose it's also very difficult for them to understand the significance of such a place, but he was enamoured with the play areas and the scooting facilities!

And then to Sunday when we headed home in the glorious sunshine. On the way back, we decided to detour to Beale Park in Reading and partake of the paddling pool to cool down.

The perfect end to a hot weekend!

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The Things They Say

September 6, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 10 Comments

The Boy has come out with some crackers today, really made me chuckle a lot. We're currently in the car on our way down to the Southampton area for the weekend and he's wide awake and very cheeky! It's 8.30 and he's showing no sign of slumber.

"Daddy? Daddy! Daddy, can you see anything?"
"No, why?"
"Don't worry, it's just because it's dark. Turn your headlights on!"

"Mummy? Mummy! Where is the hot coming from?"
"It's the battery working on the Kurio darling."
"No, it's coming from the hotdog!"

"Why are all the bugs attacking me at the moment? Leave me alone!" (A moth had just flown at my ear and a spider had crawled up my leg)
"I know why mummy, it's because they think you're a flower!"

But the best one from today was when we'd just been to the doctor's and had seen my (not obviously pregnant) friend in the waiting room. We'd just got in the car and were driving up a busy residential road which meant I was concentrating on the traffic and not on his questions.
"Mummy, does she have a child?"
"No darling."
"Is she going to have one?"
"Yes sweetheart. It's growing in her tummy."
"Like I did in yours?"
"Yes darling."
"Mummy, how will it get out?"
A car pulls out in front causing me to pull out the way quickly.
"Um, mummies have a special way to get babies out."
"How mummy?"
"Shush now, I'm driving!"

Eeek!

Getting Shoetastic With ECCO

September 6, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 3 Comments

I've recently been sorting out my clothes and shoes and resigning myself to the fact that I'm a long way from being in my twenties and some of the shoes I used to wear, and as such have had to recycle more than fifteen pairs of shoes which no longer fit. I like shoes and this made me quite unhappy indeed!

However, rescue came in the shape of the ECCOshoes which was sent to me for review. To me ECCO shoes have always been about practicality and comfort first and foremost, a must nowadays for a busy mum on the move. However, as The Boy gets older I've realised that I'm not just a mum, I'm also a woman who is only in her thirties, and I want a bit of style back, especially when it comes to my obsession of shoes.

Therefore I was more than happy to try the Sculptured 65 pair of shoes. Called the 65 because they have a 65mm high heel but a cushioned sole with an excellent fit that supports the arch. This is excellent news for me as I tend to suffer with plantar fasciitis (an inflammation of the arch ligaments) and I need something that offers strong support. I like a chunky heel on my boots and shoes, and in these I have that; chunky yet tapered and made from a material which offers the same 'shock absorption' in a shoe as a pair of sports trainers.

The best thing about these is how adaptable they are. As you can see above, when worn with jeans they look like a boot but without the added heat factor!

I've decided to style these shoes in three ways; three different looks using the ECCO Sculptured 65.

Smart styling, ideal for work: bootleg trousers and a chiffon top.

casual styling

Casual styling, great for the weekend with the family: wide-leg jeans and a sequinned jumper.

Party wear: skinny trousers and a black, studded tunic.

So, here's my question to you: how would you style this shoe?

Sponsored Post

I Love Cake: Fun

August 30, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 18 Comments

I first saw the concept of 'cake pops' on The Crazy Kitchen well over a year ago now and, while I was incredibly impressed with the inventiveness and finished result, I am just too messy a cook when it comes to presentation to even contemplate making them like that. Hats off to Helen, but I hate getting gloopy hands!

Then I saw that one of my other blogging friends had been given a cake pop maker for Christmas and, because I like kitchen gadgets, I instantly wanted one despite there being none in the shops due to it's popularity. Fast forward a few months and the desire reared its head again, yet again there were none. But yesterday I managed to pop into Lakeland and buy myself one for the sum of £19.99.

The recipe given in the booklet that comes with the maker is incredibly simple!

Ingredients:

125g softened butter
125g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
125g self raising flour
2tbsp milk (although I only used 1tbsp)

Beat together the butter and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Beat the eggs in, one at a time, add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
Sift the flour in and mix, add some milk to make it smoother and beat well.
Put a heaped teaspoon of mix into each well on the cake pop maker, close the lid and cook for four-five minutes until the cakes have risen, are firm and golden brown.

Then to assemble them, I dug a small hold into the underside of the ball and put a small amount of chocolate into the hole before pushing the stick in. This helps hold them in place. We dipped them in melted candy melts and then into a variety of sprinkles, marshmallows and fudge pieces.

This is where I wished I'd used chocolate rather than candy melts: they're too thick to dip and coat. I'd also not dip into the sprinkles, I'd pour them on.

However, they tasted very yummy and have gone down really well with The Boy and his friends this afternoon.

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Country Kids: In The City

August 27, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 14 Comments

The very title of this post is an oxymoron, but as I live on the outskirts of Cardiff it's very difficult to ignore all that it has to offer. I also know that Coombe Mill's intention with this linky is to encourage outdoor play away from electrical devices. So I'm going with it.

The weather's been relatively sunny this weekend but I can feel the turn in the air; it's been less of a t-shirts and shorts weekend, and more of a trousers and cardigan time. It also feels like we haven't done very much over the weekend, but having gallivanted around the country for the past few weeks it's been nice to just stop and relax.

On Saturday we took The Boy over to Roath Park so he could practise his scooting and bike-riding. Unforunately he was a lazy monkey and wouldn't ride properly which resulted in him being removed from said bike and mummy getting cross with him. He had a fantastic time on the longest slide in the city anyway, and while he started out cautiously he soon built up his confidence!

He was also fascinated by the listening funnels (don't know what they're really called) on the climbing frame, and the cargo net which six months ago would have given him a challenge proved too easy now.

On Sunday we popped over to Cardiff Bay to have dinner at Pizza Express and then give The Boy a chance to scoot around. He is so confident on it and really loves going as fast as he can. I know given time he'll be the same on his bike. We also taught him how to use the brake on his scooter because at the moment he does this funny little galloping hop to stop. It was fantastic to see the sheer exhilaration on The Boy's face as he steamed past the couples and families walking along, and a sense of pride came over me when I saw them smiling at his enjoyment.

And no trip to Cardiff Bay is complete without a turn on the carousel.

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