A Review: Wyevale Garden Center Spring Week

 

A couple of weeks ago me and my children were invited to take part in the Wyevale spring week activity based in Solihull.

When we arrived at the garden center we made our way to the cafe where a table was set up ready for my children to make some yummy treats. They were both given a mixing bowl, a packet of shredded wheat and a spoon. There were also two bowls on the table full of chocolate smarties and jelly worms. The cafe manager came out and introduced her self and explained what the days task was.

They were instructed to crumble up the shredded wheat into the  mixing bowl.

 

The Manager then went into the kitchen to get the melted chocolate, she then poured the chocolate into the crumbled shredded wheat and asked the girls to use the spoon to mix the two together.

once the chocolate and shredded wheat were mixed together my girls were encouraged to divide the mixture into cupcake cases. They were then left to decorate each cake as they desired using the smarties and jelly worms.

 

Now the cakes were complete they were put in the fridge to set. After all that hard work my girls were very hungry so they had a packed lunch which was provided by the cafe. They had five items to choose from which included a ham or cheese sandwich, biscuits, crisps, chocolate, yogurt and juice.

 

while we were there  me and my other half were offered tea or coffee which was great as we could relax with a nice drink while the kids were kept occupied.

After lunch it was time for the activity to end, we were given boxes to take our creations home in and the girls were given a goody bag which included sweets, colouring sheets and a balloon.

 

All in all my girls really enjoyed themselves, The staff at Wyevale cafe were amazing and made all of us feel very welcome.

Wyevale Garden centers offer various activities for the children throughout the school holidays and bank holidays, which give family’s the option to keep their children entertained for very little cost.

All the information for these activities can be found here.

 

 

A Review: Snapfish Valentines Gifts

Valentines day is just around the corner and I have been searching for a gift for my fiancé that has a personal touch, that’s when I thought about Snapfish. Snapfish are a company that allows you to create personalised gifts using your favourite photographs.

They have a big variety to choose from including Photo mugs, books and of course prints. My other half isn’t really into the photo gift thing so I decided to go with a Photo book that will hold photos of our life together so far. This will also be a nice thing to look at when we are old and grey.

Using Snapfish is very easy and it also allows you to save albums so you can use your photos again and again.

Snapfish also allows you to personalise the gifts in any way you wish including adding text and changing the backgrounds.

The prices are great to, they cater for all budgets by scaling down the products but still keeping the quality at a high.

Here are a few photos from the book i created.

 

As well as photo gifts you can also make cards, this was also very easy and cheap to.

 

All the products and information can be found here.

Snapfish is brilliant for all occasions and so very easy to use.

A Review: Mini Weekend Box

 

Last week I was Sent The Mini Weekend Box to test and review.

For those who are not aware of the Weekend box and what it is then i will enlighten you, Here is a Brief Description taken from the Weekend Box Website.

The Weekend Box Club is a membership organisation created to provide high quality activities for you & your children to enjoy together.

By providing you with the things you need when you need them, The Weekend Box Club allows you to spend quality time getting to know your children and watching them develop key life skills as you spend time together.

The Idea for the Weekend Box was Introduced by Andy Stephenson who was looking for gift ideas for his Nieces and Nephews. He wanted to find something that was fun but also educational. That’s when the Weekend box was born.

The Mini Box was developed when the creators had lots of feedback from there customer’s,  and they found that although they loved the quality of the boxes they never got round to finishing them. So they made a Mini Version which had less Activities in it but still were good quality.

Weekend Box Key Facts:

• All weekend Boxes are themed around topical events or fun exploratory topics.
• Activities fit into one of four categories:

1. Something to make (Arts and Crafts)
2. Something to Bake (cooking Activities)
3. Something to explore (sensory exploration activities)
4. Something Green (things to plant or up cycle)

• weekend Box activities are created by our child-play experts to stimulate, nurture and encourage development and life skills.
• Since Starting out in April 2013, Andy and the Weekend Box gang have helped deliver over 250,000 hours of quality time to families across the UK.
• they won the start up loans Company of the year in the inaugural competition in November 2014.

So After all the Background Information what was in the Mini Box.

All the Activities and instructions were Packaged in This Colorful and Eye Catching Box.

When i opened the box there were Pictures of the weekend Box Mascots and a little description about each one. There were also two bags full of the tools needed to make each activities.

Along with the bags there was also a facts card that outlined what the theme was, the theme of this box was Rainforests.

There were two activities, the first one was a Parrot Mask and the other was Grow a Rainforest.

The tool’s needed for the Parrot Mask were put in a green paper bag and came with a coordinated instruction sheet as well as a template.

As you can see from the photo the tool’s included consisted of a glue stick, wax crayons, elastic, card and foam.

I did this Activity with my 5 year old daughter and she loved Cutting, Gluing and sticking.

This Activity took approximately 40 minutes and it allowed me to spend some quality time with my Daughter, which is much needed as I work throughout the week. It was also nice to watch my Daughter have fun and do something she actually enjoyed.

What we Created looked great and will also allow my Child to use her imagination as well have lots of fun.

After a brief break for lunch we started on the next activity. This was a Create a Rainforest Activity and again all the equipment needed to create it was in the box.

We needed an empty Pop bottle to complete this task and its something that every household has probably got.

All the instructions were outlined clearly and with photos to make every step easy.

This activity needed a parents participation a lot more as it involved cutting a bottle open. but it was another great activity which my Daughter thoroughly enjoyed, and because its a growing activity the results aren’t something that will happen straight away, which will be something my daughter can look after but also look forward to.

 

All in all this box was a success and a great addition to my weekend.

This Mini Box is priced at £4.95 with your first box priced at £2.95. The boxes are delivered fortnightly and can be paused and cancelled at any time.

If you like the sound of the Weekend box and want to try it yourself then head over to the weekend box website.

I also have a promo code on offer, Which will allow you to try your first box free. To take Advantage of this offer then simply add the code REBECCA288 when signing up.

 

On The Fifth Day Of Christmas: Christmas Crafts

 

 

Thanks For hopping over from My Thoughts On Things.

There are 1000’s of websites that will give you inspiration on Christmas crafts and I found two Crafts that I thought my Girls would love.

On Sunday I went shopping and got a few bits so we could create some Christmas Decorations. I went to BnM Bargains. They had quite a selection to choose from so we grabbed the essentials and made our way home.

I also invited my two nephews round so they could get involved. The first Craft we did was Salt Dough Snowmen.

To Create these you will need:

• Plain Flour: 2 Cups
• Salt: 1 Cup
• water: 1 Cup
• Paint
• Goggley eyes
• Bottle tops for the hats
• Pipe Cleaners for the scarf’s
• Paint
• Anything else you would like to use to decorate.

Salt Dough is very easy to make and can be used to make a variety of things.

Mix the flour, salt and water together to create a dough. Nead until soft and give it to the children to make whatever there hearts desire.

We made snowmen which made some nice decorations to put round the house. Once the children have finished making there creations, Bake in the oven on gas mark 4 for around half an hour until hard. They are now ready to paint and decorate.

The next Creation we made were Christmas Tree’s, we made these by cutting out a circle and making it into a wide cone shape. we used Green Glitter card to make them sparkle. I then put out lots of pom poms, all different sizes and colours and the kids decorated them as they wanted to.

My children really enjoyed Creating these Christmas decorations, it also kept them quiet for at least 2 hours so I was able to get some cleaning done.

Pop over to mummy 3+1Dog and see there Christmas crafts ideas

Todqay’s Sponsor is Sand Art Pictures  Enter the Giveaway to win some great prizes.

T&C’s can be found here

Our Code today is Bo Nadal

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On The Fourth Day Of Christmas: Family Traditions

 

Thanks for hopping over from The Lawless Gang. When I was a child we did a few things every year that stayed the same until I had children of my own. Every Christmas eve we would go to the local social club, we would meet other members of my family and of course friends.

Christmas day was always the same, we would spend christmas morning at home,  then we would meet my older brother and sister for drinks at the local pub. Christmas dinner was always at my Nan’s house and after we spent a couple of hours there we would go round to my mothers best friends and play games there.

Since I’ve had children some of it has stayed the same. we don’t go to the club on Christmas eve anymore instead we take the girls somehwhere fun in the hope we will tire them out so they will go to bed early. Last year we went to Twinlakes and it was amazing, we were hoping to go this year but due to work commitments we can’t.

Christmas day has changed a bit to, we go to my Nan’s one year then to my mother in law’s the next, but this year its changed completely and I will be the host. This year will be the first year I have spent Christmas day at home.

Another Tradition that we only started Last year was Meeting up with friends. we meet up with friends the week before Christmas and have a meal. This also gives us the opportunity to exchange gifts.

Having Children has changed the way we Celebrate Christmas but Its definatly for the better. Each year is different which I find to better and more exciting.

Hop over to Mummy Fever And see what Tradtions they have.

Our Code word Today is Traditions.

Enter for a chance to win some fab prizes

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On The Third Day Of Christmas: How Things Have Changed

 

 

Thanks for hopping over from My Thoughts on Things.

I have always loved Christmas, and I still feel and act like a big kid on Christmas Morning. I’ve always enjoyed buying gifts for people and watching there faces light up when they open them, But when I had my children Christmas just got better and better. I really enjoy Taking part in all the Christmas Activities that are on offer, as well as making lists with them to send to Father Christmas. The magic That was lost as i got older has now returned and seeing how excited they get on Christmas day is just priceless.

Christmas for me has never been about getting drunk and partying the whole time so having children hasn’t stopped me from doing those things, its made Christmas a lot more special.

Obviously the main thing that has changed for me is my bank balance,  now I have my children I spend a lot more money, which is all worth it when I see there little faces light up on Christmas morning.

I have also Noticed there are less decorations in my house, Especially this year as we had a kitten join the family. we have a smaller tree which is positioned on a cupboard, instead of a big tree on the floor. We have had to do this as the cat likes to Knock things over, at present she hasn’t touched the tree , but I’m not holding my breath and i fully expect her to knock it over before Christmas comes to an end.

We also have acquired many singing and dancing Christmas Characters which my children love to set off, so we are never to far away from a Christmas song.

I am so excited this Christmas more then I have been through the years as both my Children are at the age where they understand which in turn has made them more excited about the big day.

Hop over to Parenthood Highs and Lows to see What’s Changed for them.

Our Code word for today is Fir.

T&C’s Can be found here 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On The Second Day Of Christmas: My List To Santa.

 

 

Thanks for hopping over from The Mummy Balancing act

 

Every Year My family and Friends always as me the same Question “What would you Like for Christmas” and I always have the same answer “I Have no idea”

Obviously their are things that i would love in life but these are usually unrealistic. so here is my list of unrealistic things that I would love but the likely hood of me ever getting them or ever happening is very small:

• A good nights sleep: Since having my youngest Daughter who is now 3, me and my fiancé haven’t had a decent nights sleep as she will not sleep all night in her own bed. most parents will understand this as when a child is your bed they toss and turn all night, as well as take up most of the bed. I would love just one night of undisturbed sleep that is followed by a lie in. (wishful thinking I know).
• A nice family outing without one tantrum: We try as much as possible to have family days out a couple of times a year, but they always seem to end with me or my fiancé in a bad mood because one of my children has played up for one reason or another.
• A clean car free of crumbs: My car always seems to get in a mess, my children like to leave there crisp packets, drink cartons in there ( I am also guilty of this)
• A Washing Fairy: I would love a fairy or magic wand to get my washing done in quick time, I always seem to be washing and putting clothes away on a daily basis.
• My hair to be left alone just for one day: My Youngest daughter is forever playing with my hair for comfort. She has done this since she was 9 months old. It can be quite painful Sometimes as she like to twist it until it knots up.
• And last but not least I would love what most mothers would love, to have my figure back without giving up my favourite sweet treats.

Check Out KiddyCharts to see What’s on there  list.

Our Code Word today is Weaning 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Our Sponsor today is The Fabulous Baby Bundle. Enter the Give-away for a chance to win some amazing products.

 

For T&Cs go here. 

On the First Day of Christmas: Christmas Activities to keep the Kids Occupied

 

 

Thanks for hopping over from oh little on sweet

Christmas time is a magical time for children and theirs always lots of activities on offer to keep them busy. This includes days out and crafts to make at home.

This year I have already took my girls to see father Christmas twice, the first time I took them to the Merry hill Lights switch on. Their was lots of activities for the children to take part in. There Christmas grotto was also on, I took them last year and I was very impressed so I decided i would take them again.

This grotto is quite different to ones i have been to before, the first room we were taken to was the elf school. Here two of the elves did some singing and dancing with the children and even taught them some elfish which is the language spoken by the elves. After they have finished in the elf school they were given a graduation certificate and a hat. we where then led to santa’s log cabin where he spoke with my girls and asked them what they wanted for christmas, they then chose a gift from the toyshop. All this cost just £6.00 and was well worth the money.

 

Most shopping centres have grottos, some better then others but are there so the children have something to do on the dreaded shopping days.

Birmingham also offer various activites for children and adults including the Frankfurt Christmas markets.

There are also lots of crafting workshops taking place in Birmingham and all the events and times can be found here  .

As well as trips out their are lots of ideas on the internet, these include crafts that can be made in the comfort of your own home that will also keep the kids occupied as well as make great gifts for your loved ones at christmas.

Here a few links to some sites I have found that are quite useful

• Free Kids Crafts 
• All free Christmas Crafts
• All Crafts  
• Craft Bits 
• Fave Crafts

These Sites are great to use especially when the kids brake up from school for the Christmas Holidays. If your children are like mine and get bored very easily then these can be a life saver.

I also try to some Baking at Christmas and its great to get those little hands involved. Biscuits and cakes also make great gifts for loved ones or even teachers.

The BBC Good food Website have a great Variety of festive bakes, So if you have some young chefs at home then have a look.

If you want to really push the boat out at Christmas Theme Parks such as Drayton Manor and Twin lakes have some superb Christmas themed days.

Last Christmas Eve we visited the Twin Lakes Winter Wonderland. Twin Lakes is an outdoor Adventure Park with lots of play grounds, and Attractions. Their Winter Wonderland is the best I have experienced. Its fairly priced and lots of activities are included in the price.

When we went the Winter Wonderland was Quite big and was complete with fake snow, animated polar bears and penguins and even a train that took you around the wonderland to Santa’s log cabin. After the children saw Santa they were given a voucher to choose a good quality gift from the toy shop.

The nicest part about going Christmas eve was My girls got the chance to wave Santa off before he began his journey to deliver presents. the night ended with a firework display over the car park.

So as you can see there are lots of Activities you can do at home or out and about that will help parents survive the Christmas period.

Our Code Word is Turkey:

For more Ideas On Keeping the Kids busy this Christmas Then Take a look at  ladybug home 

 

All T&Cs can be found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas At the House Of Fraser

 

 

On Tuesay I was lucky enough to get the chance to visit the House of Fraser Christmas Grotto before it was opened to the public.

I went with my fiance Andy and my two girls. The Grotto has been built by the staff at the store and money raised will be sent to the Help Harry Help others Charity.

Help Harry Help Others is a charity that was set up by Harrys mother in memory of her son who had a brain tumor. While battling cancer harry decided he would try and raise money by making bracelets and selling them. Sadly Harry lost his battle in 2011 but his family are keeping his charitable sprit alive by raising money in his name. 

The Grotto is located on the fifth floor of the store. When the doors opened I could already see that we were about to walk into magical wonderland.

We were greeted by one of Santa’s elves, we then went into a waiting area where there was an area where the children could relax and watch a Christmas film while they waited for santa. There were also colouring books layer out so the children had something to keep them busy.

 

 

 

 

It was now time for us to go and see the big man himself, so we made our way into the main part of the grotto.

There were rooms that were set out to look like different rooms. These included Santa’s reading room and Santa’s dining room.

It was lit up which created a magical atmosphere.

 

There was also Santa’s reindeer on show as well as his sleigh.

After walking round the magical wonderland we then went in and saw father Christmas.  He was a very jolly father Christmas and he spoke to my children for 5 minutes before asking them what they would like for Christmas.

One of the elves then took a photo of my girls with father Christmas. They were then handed a wrapped present and we said our goodbyes.

The presents were of a good quality and they made my children very happy.

When we left Santa’s log cabin we made our way to the photography shop to pick up our photo.

Photos are very reasonably priced to and for a photo in a folder it costs just £7.00.

Entry fee for the grotto is £5.00 per person. The grotto will be open from 11am-6pm Monday to Friday, 10am-6pm on Saturdays and 11am-5pm on Sundays. The grotto will be open for extra hours as it gets closer to Christmas. It will be open from 9am-6pm on Saturday, 19thDecember, 10am-6pm from Monday, 21st December to Wednesday, 23rd December and 9am-6pm on Christmas Eve.Tickets can be purchased from any of the Homewear and Childrenswear till points in store.

Remeber this Grotto is not only a magical place but it is also raising money for a very good cause.

So if your looking for a magical winter wonderland to take the children this Christmas go to the House of Fraser. You won’t be disappointed

Merry Hill’s Christmas Grotto and Elf School

I Can’t believe It’s that time of the year but it’s Christmas in just over a month and the Christmas Grotto is back.

On Saturday Merry Hill shopping Center in Brierley hill had Their Christmas Light switch on event, so I decided I would Brave the insane amount of traffic and take my girls to take part in the provided activities and also to the santa parade.

When I arrived i did have to wait in traffic for around 20 minutes but once I got to the multistorey car park I found a space within 5 mins so I didn’t think that was too bad.

When we got into the center we went straight to the stage area to watch freeradio’s presenters jo and sparky entertain the crowd. They held a competition called carryonaoke, the rules of this competition was to finish a song when the music stopped.  The prizes up for grabs were vouchers to spend in merry hill ranging from £10 to the grand prize of a £100.

My girls were starting to get bored and we had half an hour to wait for the santa parade, so we decided to have a look around the shops.

My eldest daughter who is 5 is already a fashionista and loves to choose her own clothes, so we went into River Island and looked at their kids range.

River Island has a beautiful range of kids clothes although some of them can be a little bit too adult like. Chloe found a few things in there she loved but she fell in love with a brown suede body warmer with a fake fur collar. For more information and to purchase items from the kids range visit there website.