Jubilee Special (Review)

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I've been sent two items recently that I really wanted to share with you because they are both incredibly cute and fabulous ways to celebrate Great Britain this Summer.

Clothes Plasters by Jennie Maizels

These clothes plasters are brilliant at extending the life of your little one's favourite pair of jeans or jacket. Iron-on patches that are hard-wearing and designed to cover little tears or worn areas on clothing. The London set of 5 has a lovely unisex selection of patches perfect for jazzing up any little girl's or boy's clothes, while the Pair of London Hearts might well be adorning something of The Boy's (or mine) when we go to Britmums next month!

Available from www.JennieMaizels.com

Milly Green Tableware

We like 'novelty' tableware in this household; it makes dinnertimes more fun and The Boy is more likely to finish his meal when he is engaged. Having been to London over the weekend, The Boy hasn't stopped talking about the London Eye and the big red buses that zoomed along the streets. Milly Green has created a set of tableware which celebrates all thing brilliant and synonymous with London. The gorgeous set includes a bowl, plate, cup and three piece cutlery set.

Available for £20.00 from www. MillyGreen.com

In The Night Garden Live (Review)

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On Saturday we were lucky enough to attend one of the best events I've ever been invited to: a VIP Gala Performance of In The Night Garden in the O2 in London.

I took The Boy to see the ITNG tour when it visited Cardiff last year and he adored it. It was his first experience of the theatre and he sat captivated for nearly an hour at the tender age of 22 months old. He wasn't the only one, and I was 33 at the time! This year the tour is visiting some of the larger venues that it didn't cover last time around, but the two stories of the Ninky Nonk or Pinky Ponk are still the same. If it ain't broke, why try and fix it?

The whole experience, for it is just that, is something that every child should have. In a purpose built inflatable theatre, you are welcomed into a small and cosy auditorium. On this occasion, that doesn't mean cramped, it actually means cosy and welcoming. Reminiscent of an ampitheatre, the rows of seats face down to the grassy stage where Upsy Daisy, Iggle Piggle and Makka Pakka re-enact the moment when Iggle's blanket kept getting lost. With the help of the Tombliboos, the Pontipines and some very clever puppetry, Iggle is reunited with his beloved blanket in a heart-warming performance.

I can't express how enjoyable the whole performance is. With images projected onto the screen, scaled and proportional versions of  the main characters and brilliant acting, it is a must-see for all the family. And because of the clever layout of the auditorium, there is no worry of missing anything or not being able to see properly; we were sat in the fourth row back and there were another four or five rows behind us. But just look at how close we are to The Boy's beloved friends!

And of course, the best bit about the whole thing is getting to meet your hero or heroine from the show afterwards. Just look at his little face:

In The Night Garden Summer Tour is in the O2 until 9th June 2012, when it carries onto two other venues in London before travelling off to Manchester and Birmingham. Try and take your pre-schoolers, they will love every second of it!

More information on the Facebook page and by following the twitter account.

I received free entry into the performance in order to write this post. The Boy received a goody bag. My opinion and enjoyment is honest and unbiased.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (Review)

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A few months ago I was invited to a screening of the new Warner Bros 3D family film Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. I was unable to go as it was a work day and regretted it even more when I started seeing the trailers for it everywhere. Mixing live action with CGI, the cinematography of this film looks amazing and awe-inspiring.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is loosely based on the Jules Verne’s novel The Mysterious Island and follows the adventures of a young lad called Sean (Josh Hutcherson from Bridge to Terabithia) after he receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious location where nothing is known to exist. He is determined to find the unknown island, especially as he is convinced that his grandfather (Michael Caine) is the one to have sent the signal. With the help of his stepfather (Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock), a helicopter pilot and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter (Vanessa Hudgens from HSM) they set off on a journey to prove its existence and rescue Sean's grandad. However, they soon discover this island is full of giant creatures, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes and secrets galore. The final adventure is trying to escape before earthquakes shatter the island's structure and send it into the confines of the sea, buring its treasures forever.

See why I wanted to watch it now?

Luckily for me, we were sent a copy of the film (released today) and as it's a PG The Boy can't watch it. However, Mr. TBaM and I will be settling down to watch it tonight. I've seen the first twenty minutes of it, and it's enthralling and captivating, humorous and entertaining. It reminded me of a cross between Lost and The Goonies, with a little of Indiana Jones thrown in for good measure.

The Boy might not be able to watch the film but he has enjoyed the jigsaw and is currently 'growing' the baby lizard in the egg.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is available from today (28th May) on Blu-ray 3D (£29.99), Blu-ray Triple Play (£24.99) andDVD (£19.99).

I was sent a copy of the DVD along with a few other promotional treats for the purpose of this post. My opinion is honest and unbiased.

Jubilee Special: Celebrate With Snapfish

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I arrived home from work yesterday to find a very large parcel in the porch. Once I'd battled past The Boy who was desperate to know what it was, I managed to find this lovely present from Snapfish:

Along with a selection of quintessentially British food and drink, and the flags and bunting to help celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in style, there were also a selection of the themed Jubilee party invitations that Snapfish have on offer at the moment.

One of the things that I need to do before the celebrations is buy The Boy a Jubilee mug. I don't know why, it seems to be traditional. I'm not sure what he'll make of it but it's a necessity, and Snapfish have a range of them as well along with other Jubilee gifts. Something for everyone to remember to festivities.

Order by 27th May to receive your gifts for the celebrations.

Hot Wheels On A Hot Bottle (Review)

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Coinciding nicely with the latest edition to our Hot Wheels track collection, was the arrival of a new water bottle for The Boy from SIGG Eco Bottles. The Boy already had a small bottle which he is incredibly fond of and has served him well, but as he is about to turn three next month, SIGG felt that he probably was drinking more and therefore needed a larger bottle to keep him going during the day.

And he is now a boy obsessed! His old bottle lies feeling sorry for itself in the cupboard, I even have to alternate them so as not to cause jealousy and sibling squabbles.

Hot Wheels has been everywhere with us: to the beach, to Pizza Express and bowling. It had issues when we went bowling, a lack of opposable thumbs meant it was difficult to pick up the ball.

The Hot Wheels bottle is a really good sized bottle for the pre-schooler; not too heavy to carry, holds enough water to quench his thirst and also looks really attractive. On top of this, the aluminium casing means that it tends to stay cooler for a lot longer than plastic bottles. And surely the fact that we're teaching our children to be eco-friendly is a big bonus?

The Hot Wheels SIGG EcoBottle is available from SIGG directly.

The Boy was sent this bottle for the purpose of this review. His opinion is honest and unbiased, as is mine.

ITNG In The O2!

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I'm very excited!

This Saturday we're going to London with The Boy! It's our first time there as a trio, and the first time I've been to the UK's capital city in more than eight years. As we're also going to be going for a blogging conference in a month's time, I'm feeling extremely cosmopolitan all of a sudden.

However, this Saturday's trip is so that we can visit the O2 for a VIP performance of In The Night Garden Live!

We saw the smaller tour last year and absolutely adored it; my then not even two year old sat perfectly for nearly an hour, completely and utterly enraptured by the antics of Upsy Daisy, Iggle Piggle and Makka Pakka. He wasn't the only one as I was captivated by the magical performance as well. The puppetry was superb.

However this year the smash-hit show is bigger and better as it brings the world of In The Night Garden to the stage. The event will be taking place in its own all-weather purpose built inflatable showdome and is coming to The O2 after proving to be a huge hit across the country. Not only that, but we'll get to do something that we didn't last year: meet and greet Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy. I know that's going to blow The Boy's mind!

The doors will open at 10am on Saturday 26th May for this special VIP event in the Live Quarter at The O2 in London, and we wouldn't miss it for the world!

For all the latest information on the tour, follow In The Night Garden on twitter and Facebook.

We are being provided with tickets for this event. My opinion and excitement is genuine and uncontainable.

SIGG Eco Bottle: Undersea Poetry (Review & Competition)

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As you may know, I am a SIGG Mummy which involves us reviewing products for SIGG Eco Bottles. We've had bottles sent to us for all the family for both hot and cold drinks, and also food storage tins. Every single product we have, we use throughout the week and test them to destruction. Only you would really need to do some damage to destroy these bottles.

Take my bottle for instance: it comes out in my handbag with my every time I leave the house and comes into school with me on my working days. It's covetted by all the girls in the school, goes in many different classes and everyone knows which bottle I'm talking about if I've left it in a classroom. I've dropped it on the playground countless times. Granted, there are small dents in it to show for it's playground antics, but they just add to the appeal of my SIGG bottle. These specially crafted bottles are tough and durable, they can stand a fall over on the tarmac.

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Jubilee Special: English Cheesecake Company (Review)

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Hazy Summer days and balmy evenings remind me of my childhood, when mum would lay the table for dinner with the sun streaming through the large, netted windows. The dustmotes would be floating in the air and the table would be laidened with salads, meats, scotch eggs and buttered new potatoes fresh from the pan where they'd been seasoned with salt and mint from the garden. Invariably pudding would be either an arctic roll or a cheesecake.

To me there is nothing more synonymous with Summers and celebrations than cheesecake. It may not be a terribly British dessert, its origins lie in Ancient Greece and more recently in New York, but I do think it's been assimilated into the nation's heart as much as curry and rice!

Fifteen years ago, two friends decided to set up a company creating exquisite cheesecakes of the 'baked' variety. The English Cheesecake Company was born, as was a new generation of cheesecakes. Sumptuous and indulgent, the English Cheesecake Company's cakes are a true work of art in both presentation and the combination of flavours which dissolve in your mouth.

I was sent a box of their limited edition Minis produced to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee:

I know.

Have you ever seen a more beautiful selection of cheesecakes? There are three types of cheesecakes included in the Jubilee Minis selection:

  • left: Vanilla baked cheesecakes, topped with strawberries and white chocolate drizzle.
  • middle: Vanilla baked cheesecake, topped with an edible chocolate Union Jack heart.
  • right: Vanilla baked cheesecakes, topped with a decadent dark chocolate fudge sauce and luxurious white, dark and milk chocolate crowns.

The cheesecakes are sized for individual portions and are a filling amount for a pudding, especially as they are so rich and tasty. Regardless of the fact that they are smaller, they are still decorated with care and attention. If you are having a special party to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, then I would recommend investing in these show-stoppers.

The Jubilee Minis are available from the English Cheesecake Company directly.

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

Get Small & Mighty With Bear Grylls (Competition)

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I wrote recently about the National Trust's list of Fifty Things To Do Before You're 11¾, adapting it, as The Boy's birthday is next month, to Five Things To Do Before You're Three!

On the weekend we attempted to tick off number 1: 'Fly a kite'.

And failed.

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