tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18245472281256389072024-03-18T03:03:52.224+00:00New Mum OnlineNew Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.comBlogger1375125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-63140365440757615892019-12-02T12:34:00.000+00:002019-12-03T12:44:02.206+00:00Spectacle of Light Sudeley Castle 2019 Review<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Sudeley Castle becomes Neverland to Welcome Peter Pan</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://sudeleycastle.co.uk/events/spectacle-of-light" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sudeley Castle</a> have come up with another winning theme this year: Peter Pan - I didn't think they could top the Alice in Wonderland of last year but they've pulled it off. The sheer delight of Sudeley castle is that you get the grounds, the architecture, the location and the beauty of the lights and installations all so beautifully exquisite. When they're combined it truly is spectacular hence the hashtag #SpectacleOfLight. We couldn't wait to enter. On that note the entrance is different to last year, even the route is different. You still enter next to the souvenir shop but a few feet to the right of last year's entrance. I think it's great they mix it up it stopped it feeling samey.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For the Whole Family</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">We attended as a party of 11 which was us 3 Mums and 8 kids and the whole group thoroughly enjoyed this Spectacle of Light, despite our vast range of ages. The kids are: 1 pre schooler, 5 Primary School and 2 Secondary School. This really is a festive night out suitable for the whole family. We saw lots of buggies and Grandparents. No kids needed it's a romantic setting for couples too.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: justify;">Architecture and Grounds</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The architecture and the grounds truly are spectacular. Upon entering, I feel a respectfulness like I'm on sacred ground. Add to that the fact that the place has turned into Neverland for Christmas and it really is both surreal and other worldly. Be prepared to enjoy the magic!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Peter Pan Greets you with a Sword Fight</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Are you up to it? If not, the kids will love it. Early on in the tour Peter Pan stops you on your path (the Mad Hatter of yesteryear) making no mistake of what the theme is this year. We stayed here a long time as the kids engaged so beautifully with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5kFzF6JW8l/" target="_blank">Moa Myerson</a> in fact I made an IGTV video of our time with her see it here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B5gxmJrl3NQ/" target="_blank">The Kids play With Peter Pan at Sudeley Castle</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Do Not Miss Peter Pan & Wendy on the Wall</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When you go deeper into the trail there is a disco ball and it's easy to get so caught up in looking at that, that you don't notice that first to one side, and then the other, Peter Pan and Wendy are projected on to the wall - it truly is magical and made me quite emotional. I'm so glad my friend Zena pointed it out to me as otherwise I would have missed it.</span></div>
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<b style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;">The Star of the Show</b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Last year the photo opportunity of the night was a light installation in the shape of a heart, it was THE place to have a selfie, this year it comes in the form of a star.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Night Photography is a BEAST</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you want to get great photos of your night at Sudeley Castle practice night photography before you arrive. All of these photos were taken by my dear bestie <a href="https://www.instagram.com/olczia1/" target="_blank">Aleks</a> - the best of friends and the best of photographers. In all of my star photos you can't see the star lights. Due to the limitations of both my camera and my photography the white light looks like just a glow. My phone is a couple of years old so that doesn't act as an adequate deputy to my camera either. I did manage to capture the 3rd pic of Peter Pan above though, so I came away with something. But if you have a DSLR, do practice night photography before you attend if you want to capture some great pics. You may already be a pro given you would have had experience at Fireworks night. Also, if you do stop at each photo opportunity and linger till you get the perfect photo, this will increase the time it takes for you to complete the trail, so do wrap up warm and allow time for this. There are plenty of places to stop for a warm drink :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">Illuminate Your Face</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some of the light features provide the perfect prop to illuminate your features and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/olczia1/" target="_blank">Aleks </a>didn't let this one go to waste. My camera did not do justice to the sheer detail on this feature. Exquisitely captured by my dear friend Aleks:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">Discover the Den of the Lost Boys</span></b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of my favourite aspects of the Spectacle of Light was the hidden Den of the Lost Boys. You climb through a secret hole and each and every boy has a nook that is decorated with their wooden makeshift bed and belongings. It's so tender you feel like you're intruding. I will save the secrets for you to discover but this is the entrance you need to spot:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Find Captain Hook and Play with his Many Swords</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Captain Hook is a dastardly devilish rascal, a comedic bad guy and so so very brilliant with the kids, until we declared ourselves Pan People and then clearly he thought we might help get him eaten by a crocodile as he then couldn't get rid of us fast enough with a big GO AWAY. We turned from friends to foe! Hey Ho! You can see the fun we had in this IGTV video here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B5h2oN3llsg/" target="_blank">The Kids and Captain Hook</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Don't whizz on by, it might be here you get your best pic of the night - I've seen some incredible ones on Instagram as the round light back drop acts as the perfect drop for silhouette photography. Captain Hook is fabulous at positioning his weapons for this so take your steer (of the photo ship) ahoy Captain, from him!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOXkh1nDul3p-w_WHAlIWZUdd7aLX475hIcVn_RIWlqZsyxdRTg4xPvKSO3x4no5jQEKv1k-FoMQezM44jM0z6u1jHyDF80i5qrcNwJMjl3z5N3qfTzbxdL1op4qyIehAz-BioAj60i67/s1600/Captain+Hook+close+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOXkh1nDul3p-w_WHAlIWZUdd7aLX475hIcVn_RIWlqZsyxdRTg4xPvKSO3x4no5jQEKv1k-FoMQezM44jM0z6u1jHyDF80i5qrcNwJMjl3z5N3qfTzbxdL1op4qyIehAz-BioAj60i67/s1600/Captain+Hook+close+up.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">The Grounds Reign Supreme</span></b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As superb as the actors are, this is not just any stage, this is not just any old backdrop. No matter their amazing method acting skills. The backdrop, the "set" for the stage is the real star of this show:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcESkBur2WdBxeZyz1elHigvBEU-1ZqzCAqlhM_Ha7UiJq6he78YUCKPcQB76i0zc3OSlIyAB9tP3vex3myMZV-W5cmxlusPtCrcqg0TaZjuCZrGT4_LhJN2b0flF06iptPANWT4wMkmh/s1600/Doorway+Sophie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcESkBur2WdBxeZyz1elHigvBEU-1ZqzCAqlhM_Ha7UiJq6he78YUCKPcQB76i0zc3OSlIyAB9tP3vex3myMZV-W5cmxlusPtCrcqg0TaZjuCZrGT4_LhJN2b0flF06iptPANWT4wMkmh/s1600/Doorway+Sophie.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cIJEEfvc8i3E5wYUAqxR40sDCjghT1oA2tjx2Zi17DxbfdVqdjsu2nbI-6QWOXk3WPdVuzZJfbZFZp7W64FJlfC6GOQu9S6hxev3g4CaoETAlrjfLUIM7w5hQZrH7k_AGHzKxoNEzqet/s1600/Elephant+at+Sudeley+Castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cIJEEfvc8i3E5wYUAqxR40sDCjghT1oA2tjx2Zi17DxbfdVqdjsu2nbI-6QWOXk3WPdVuzZJfbZFZp7W64FJlfC6GOQu9S6hxev3g4CaoETAlrjfLUIM7w5hQZrH7k_AGHzKxoNEzqet/s1600/Elephant+at+Sudeley+Castle.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This beautiful elephant is early on in the trail before Peter Pan don't miss it - oh and there is a dog near the Castle too</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9A5ySBVAvDC2cCLGXMzmZEl_uu5TOwpta6Vxzq5fkUvYA3UccCDJFFLznxXtgFAagHhRcOK43PGLO-flkiq9_Nv1Y3zG2wyTHGyVnaMG7C1Hm-WuAxAtLrOzyrNRyr6bveKk-BWY-YHV/s1600/Girls+and+Bokeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9A5ySBVAvDC2cCLGXMzmZEl_uu5TOwpta6Vxzq5fkUvYA3UccCDJFFLznxXtgFAagHhRcOK43PGLO-flkiq9_Nv1Y3zG2wyTHGyVnaMG7C1Hm-WuAxAtLrOzyrNRyr6bveKk-BWY-YHV/s1600/Girls+and+Bokeh.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhfe74kU-KPlokJY4xGk8miAtjkVHvUpFe8Qp2EBScwuRBY4Mbu3_AEm_hjX-jlKqp70-gdYQ3SX8ecL5m3bLI2-B7gDHkgY-ppi-FMuA-RQnTcWhNWx6nK5Qjd752_Vg1c77ctTyLYZp/s1600/Hedgegrow+Girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhfe74kU-KPlokJY4xGk8miAtjkVHvUpFe8Qp2EBScwuRBY4Mbu3_AEm_hjX-jlKqp70-gdYQ3SX8ecL5m3bLI2-B7gDHkgY-ppi-FMuA-RQnTcWhNWx6nK5Qjd752_Vg1c77ctTyLYZp/s1600/Hedgegrow+Girls.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recreating a famous meme</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yiROpT5Ftznuw66vn6QvyGK4Xgcp6DIjP_V12x-9nZ4rEqTvPkgIDBBMiZAEo4LTIoF9yHDSRHO7Ijfh48XW7vvi_k-vI36uEei7yuKR3IWurKYlWMaiNd7YlbElycrH_heAF3XEJhS3/s1600/The+Grounds+-+dorrway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yiROpT5Ftznuw66vn6QvyGK4Xgcp6DIjP_V12x-9nZ4rEqTvPkgIDBBMiZAEo4LTIoF9yHDSRHO7Ijfh48XW7vvi_k-vI36uEei7yuKR3IWurKYlWMaiNd7YlbElycrH_heAF3XEJhS3/s1600/The+Grounds+-+dorrway.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">Fairy Guardian of the Fairy Garden</span></b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Just when you think you've seen it all you then stumble upon a Guardian of the Fairy Garden, who takes the time to tell you the names of all of her fairies. So in character and again so brilliant with all of the children. Last year this Actress was Queen of Hearts and we recognised her and the boys loved telling her that we saw her last year too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Guardian of the Fairies told us that we would recognise their names from A Midsummer Night's Dream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">In Shakespeare's popular comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream, the four fairies who attend to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Queen Titania</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> represent Shakespeare's interpretation of what fairy folk might be. He made his fairies: Peaseblossom, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Cobweb</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">, Moth, and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Mustardseed</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of course we had to get a photo with her. Unfortunately I was stood in the way when Aleks took this pic so I am blocking her view of two of our boys.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are several spots to grab snacks and hot drinks as you go round most notably on the terrace but there the queues were too long. All was not lost as later in the trail about three quarters of the way round was an Air-stream caravan doubling up as a cafe. Here I got hot chocolate for the kids, a sneaky Spiced Mulled Wine for myself and a skewer of fruit covered in warm delicious melted chocolate. Aleks even got a pic of me whilst I was none the wiser. It was nice to see the kids having a round of drinks - hot chocolate for all and Aaron adored the marshmallows. Luckily he couldn't finish it as Lottie then decided she wanted some. Ask for it to be colder if it's for children. Oh and take cash as the castle was blocking their signal for WiFi to take card payments</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is a night where you'll want to have your camera(s) with you. Go early doors in the season and you could even make your perfect pic into a Christmas Card.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6qAFdw-cRNaZzLQhkFlmbdxZQHJTp8Fn48bcyjTA1fgMryY8ZPnWilxGc0nB3_wD-QiO-PB7TtHD69PbhsH3lc_nWjGZ9_-vYYKooCt0EQwJPBCxVGGkwh6qlTo5UqzbiNf3jYbjAIq7/s1600/Girls+photoshoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6qAFdw-cRNaZzLQhkFlmbdxZQHJTp8Fn48bcyjTA1fgMryY8ZPnWilxGc0nB3_wD-QiO-PB7TtHD69PbhsH3lc_nWjGZ9_-vYYKooCt0EQwJPBCxVGGkwh6qlTo5UqzbiNf3jYbjAIq7/s1600/Girls+photoshoot.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At the end of the Spectacle of Light there is a table where you can write a wish to tie to a magical Wishing Tree.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDXPn9leTLCmYBkPeDagz5QMVIn0hJBNs4EwJWMK-agL_QGDICT6B6eJVNKOo649qrmsIk8XahvIC1R6nIXvK2pYhLOyvloRb2H1W1qohoZlwlXDFuEr1eAF0ZXSwjB-v20dVlBMR7kvd/s1600/Under+the+wishing+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDXPn9leTLCmYBkPeDagz5QMVIn0hJBNs4EwJWMK-agL_QGDICT6B6eJVNKOo649qrmsIk8XahvIC1R6nIXvK2pYhLOyvloRb2H1W1qohoZlwlXDFuEr1eAF0ZXSwjB-v20dVlBMR7kvd/s1600/Under+the+wishing+tree.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://sudeleycastle.co.uk/events/spectacle-of-light" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spectacle of Light Sudeley Castle</a> 30th November to 30th December</span></b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You can <a href="https://www.everymantheatre.org.uk/shows/spectacle-of-light-sudeley-castle/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">book tickets here</a>. Sessions start from 1645 every half hour till 1915. Book soon as some slots are already sold out. You have to be at the venue at your allocated slot time, as this is a Spectacle that attracts numbers in their thousands. In order to enjoy the trail in comfort the attendance is staggered in time slots. If you are attending 2 adults 2 children a family ticket provides the best value.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Disclosure: our tickets were complimentary in exchange for an honest review</span></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-90531449512023858472019-11-27T14:31:00.002+00:002019-11-27T14:31:35.322+00:00The Snowman London Peacock Theatre Review 2019<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;"><b>To the kids London was The Snowman and The Snowman was London</b></span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We hopped on the bus straight from school Friday night ready to get our Snap Travel coach from Bristol to London to see the press performance of The Snowman at The Peacock Theatre London the next day, Saturday morning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Soon after arriving at London's Kings Cross, Daddy's eagle eye meant we had this fab photo opportunity down in the Underground with the official The Snowman billboard poster. Once spotted the kids couldn't pose in front of it quick enough - we've been talking about seeing The Snowman since September and it's become an annual Christmas tradition. Lottie's holding her ears as she didn't like the loud noise of tubes pulling in to the platforms.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJCRL4aAB4YQecOmSN49MEZjmMcZhi6Of7DixXdGdudTLpmRxZTXaaxTiUgH__aK8NQ3poHjIqDH_UQLxmTpPr466vcb0UeDe9_9Ru7C1eRMmeLaBiZzz3s7U9Q2N-dqUE3B1APFYVUkN/s1600/Poster+of+Snowman+in+tube+station.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="London Undergound The Snowman poster 2019" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJCRL4aAB4YQecOmSN49MEZjmMcZhi6Of7DixXdGdudTLpmRxZTXaaxTiUgH__aK8NQ3poHjIqDH_UQLxmTpPr466vcb0UeDe9_9Ru7C1eRMmeLaBiZzz3s7U9Q2N-dqUE3B1APFYVUkN/s1600/Poster+of+Snowman+in+tube+station.JPG" title="Lottie and Aaron in front of Tube The Snowman poster" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Once you have the excitement of posing in front of one poster you want to collect a photo of them all :-) By this time we're with the kids' favourite cousin and all dressed up for the theatre.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1lhu17gBSBHKA6VZYkXYhh_ARsGylbku8DLoJ0AX7DdfFX3yBrNghCBPyVfDLppifRIwHUACA5YSLj4YXaj1lJCBetvkurrFeEZj4KLhMjOWn6oC_jwzZli_Dd9NQBU2r0yDkIxO_mgr/s1600/Billboard+Snowman.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Peacock Theatre The Snowman official poster and the kids" border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1lhu17gBSBHKA6VZYkXYhh_ARsGylbku8DLoJ0AX7DdfFX3yBrNghCBPyVfDLppifRIwHUACA5YSLj4YXaj1lJCBetvkurrFeEZj4KLhMjOWn6oC_jwzZli_Dd9NQBU2r0yDkIxO_mgr/s1600/Billboard+Snowman.JPG" title="Lottie Aaron and cousin in from of the Peacock Theatre The Snowman poster" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Face paint courtesy of Shrek's Adventure earlier than morning but by this point the cloud at the end of the rainbow is now of course SNOW!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of course no photos or videos are allowed during the performance so I took this opportunity to get a pic of the excited kids just before the curtain went up.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhReRxyvjhwbREj7O9wyTBVwLp0YvwWh7dBM2f3PLmVlId9eyPo5qg8VI-dkmv3mv54-UezGwZKvt5qO9Ok1bxFJhCB2GN9oHkT5UhxCPjut0knq01vIa9QLokiflmYGnpBFOYv7jMDzdjS/s1600/Waiting+for+Snowman+to+start.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhReRxyvjhwbREj7O9wyTBVwLp0YvwWh7dBM2f3PLmVlId9eyPo5qg8VI-dkmv3mv54-UezGwZKvt5qO9Ok1bxFJhCB2GN9oHkT5UhxCPjut0knq01vIa9QLokiflmYGnpBFOYv7jMDzdjS/s1600/Waiting+for+Snowman+to+start.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We went to <a href="https://www.newmumonline.co.uk/2019/11/santas-grotto-at-shreks-adventure.html" target="_blank">Shrek's Adventure</a> in the morning before The Snowman (yep it was a REALLY early start) during which time Lottie did not wear this dress as I was saving it for <a href="https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2019/the-snowman/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Snowman</a>. <a href="https://www.thatsthewaythecookiecrumbles.co.uk/2019/11/26/the-snowman/" target="_blank">Cookie</a> laughed at my ambitious plans to do a costume change on arrival at The Peacock Theatre but whilst I was settling the buggy in the buggy park and neatly storing all of our jackets within, my niece ran to the toilets and facilitated the required on-theme snowman dress wardrobe change :-) My Mum bought Lottie this dress a few weeks ago and once I told her about our imminent trip to The Snowman she couldn't post it over from Ireland quick enough - thanks Mum :-) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>BEST bit about it is it has real snow glitter balls in the skirt that freely move throughout the skirt, so much fun!</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84alqPYZjIPey2LBCHJagVyzOdThPxzy1KLF5zj0jqUjGTk_49Qx2lKwss0oCpkGviUZQsLW8QbI5gsY8LPDjW-SoMEK3bDCRQhr6uiIBCwa-vMHkHlHCwaT8i-CXFgsKSPbe80N8f2GI/s1600/Lottie+Snowman+dress.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1519" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84alqPYZjIPey2LBCHJagVyzOdThPxzy1KLF5zj0jqUjGTk_49Qx2lKwss0oCpkGviUZQsLW8QbI5gsY8LPDjW-SoMEK3bDCRQhr6uiIBCwa-vMHkHlHCwaT8i-CXFgsKSPbe80N8f2GI/s1600/Lottie+Snowman+dress.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Absolutely riveted during the show despite their mix of ages - Lottie 3 Aaron 9 and cousin 11. All of us adults were riveted too. I don't travel from Bristol to London for just anything and nope, we weren't there anyway for the weekend and we didn't even stay that night as Aaron had to attend the birthday party of a VERY close friend the next day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDfT5-FOr72_R0onCeFUqBsuxfapg2-KikbXut54Y_6U6W-a1vnAfYi4TDkgItBFnKjVDKgxAKD5sYYEZlDsqjE2AWFbkl5LZaxlDaybZkZUyPn1ZFjd7SPqUitq-a2MIDG8FBd8p95We/s1600/Mesmerised+Snowman.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDfT5-FOr72_R0onCeFUqBsuxfapg2-KikbXut54Y_6U6W-a1vnAfYi4TDkgItBFnKjVDKgxAKD5sYYEZlDsqjE2AWFbkl5LZaxlDaybZkZUyPn1ZFjd7SPqUitq-a2MIDG8FBd8p95We/s1600/Mesmerised+Snowman.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Being the good girl I am I didn't photograph or video any of the show but wanted to capture the kids with the BEAUTIFUL stage as a backdrop. Such butter fingers am I, by the time I did so, the curtain was half down and the rows below were starting to leave, but we'd just enjoyed the finale which is those lower rows getting covered in snow at the end which is SO SO very magical. Ruth include's videos of it in her carousel of pics on Instagram here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5UjLLmFdne/" target="_blank">SNOW VIDEOS on Instagram swipe to 3rd and 4th</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>TIP: you get covered in snow if you are in the Stalls (which <a href="https://rocknrollerbaby.co.uk/the-snowman-2019/" target="_blank">Ruth</a> and Cookie were) but we were up in the Gods in the Dress Circle - front row though mind. From the Dress Circle you look down on all the snow falling fun. I was cool (forgive the pun) with that and so were the older 2 only Lottie wished she was down there but thankfully she didn't make a fuss.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJ-J4g_EymG9RjXV0BhC9Fm_FVFL3lOR5zP1oEPg6oj55GTMFtD0UJlD4-yKXswAgDtrMuIhYlHTRr9tnyiFf4RuMXHZQd9NpqX6tGs7P9b4SsrAQEZpfme7VpiVPPVfrYadwupAfGBCL/s1600/Curtain+Close+Snowman.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJ-J4g_EymG9RjXV0BhC9Fm_FVFL3lOR5zP1oEPg6oj55GTMFtD0UJlD4-yKXswAgDtrMuIhYlHTRr9tnyiFf4RuMXHZQd9NpqX6tGs7P9b4SsrAQEZpfme7VpiVPPVfrYadwupAfGBCL/s1600/Curtain+Close+Snowman.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My most <a href="https://www.newmumonline.co.uk/2015/12/the-snowman-peacock-theatre-2015-2016.html" target="_blank">detailed review of the Snowman is from our visit in 2015</a> when I was heavily pregnant with Lottie - that time Aaron and his cousin did very much stand in the snow as below:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthujTtFZF_0dawuc1-YazGHpe0ek_oZ8AT1UNNUYk5fOf76vJL81hhIYb23kviXINIpCN3pFkDt3bt01H8zHJCO9VKsq81KbmyKIx0Xy4113YtnR9YOFF5UePDQRhoHxlfHo-obU_2AvP/s1600/The+snowman+peacock+theatre+snow+comes+down+over+the+stalls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthujTtFZF_0dawuc1-YazGHpe0ek_oZ8AT1UNNUYk5fOf76vJL81hhIYb23kviXINIpCN3pFkDt3bt01H8zHJCO9VKsq81KbmyKIx0Xy4113YtnR9YOFF5UePDQRhoHxlfHo-obU_2AvP/s1600/The+snowman+peacock+theatre+snow+comes+down+over+the+stalls.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In their younger days during our 2015 visit, when 2 cousins came and Lottie was a bump:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF21w4_IJ-zLzCexkZCKeP86cufkXTlohlW2oGvNYrAIIv_wqk00fgBC6IJhnY8FgRjUhy_ciaIfkzZ0f3aHIRjHOUiHIo68JW6tHFQEzgEiChUZGGmTTsgDHxVhAXNkQWLern5Qnnsonu/s1600/Snowman+collage+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF21w4_IJ-zLzCexkZCKeP86cufkXTlohlW2oGvNYrAIIv_wqk00fgBC6IJhnY8FgRjUhy_ciaIfkzZ0f3aHIRjHOUiHIo68JW6tHFQEzgEiChUZGGmTTsgDHxVhAXNkQWLern5Qnnsonu/s1600/Snowman+collage+2015.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The theatre has a couple of snowmen which we couldn't wait to have photos with, there's also a "shop" selling The Snowman merchandise, which make for fab Xmas presents.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpue6-nvzGWx0Q-Y5HeuMOmYfv_8IjMSjUMbNMl-GriNkj1-wqjeG1fx2sQzn42uXFg_GjwUYRjw1YrLilQscreL5szgVsa1ooPzDKjH0a2sSMrI2lCzZ8yqa1Ks0WyB4SfUGISx0WQ8c/s1600/Snowman+inflatable+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpue6-nvzGWx0Q-Y5HeuMOmYfv_8IjMSjUMbNMl-GriNkj1-wqjeG1fx2sQzn42uXFg_GjwUYRjw1YrLilQscreL5szgVsa1ooPzDKjH0a2sSMrI2lCzZ8yqa1Ks0WyB4SfUGISx0WQ8c/s1600/Snowman+inflatable+collage.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5T5AwTFUxL/" target="_blank">Cookie </a>very kindly took the below photo for us:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPWYJ-TKX_eyVjZ1NZwO1T6XQ4vW3teI1iE213k_abUnUie5uRKidya_GSjdojDJPGIjW1kQ1ZVZ_vVh_1ya93ciBRuMWaRg_AaAjsn1-PCiCgyJusQGd0A37ncOhQV-WadAS9Q1CcqDj/s1600/Snowman+family+pic+just+us.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPWYJ-TKX_eyVjZ1NZwO1T6XQ4vW3teI1iE213k_abUnUie5uRKidya_GSjdojDJPGIjW1kQ1ZVZ_vVh_1ya93ciBRuMWaRg_AaAjsn1-PCiCgyJusQGd0A37ncOhQV-WadAS9Q1CcqDj/s1600/Snowman+family+pic+just+us.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And then Lottie photobombed hers ooops but what a pose!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgD8bgZ7m-pf4j7FZQl52_KlUAmg_-14NY7Ypd3Zxa2h-4w42synw-UhOHKHI6yo9TSFZ3yNimyXGVO0SLzBSE7_ZpxZSnOYFrAUOLVbAzBDC0ZP1lzAQK5k023PJ4gjaNCPmhwm4ZI2C/s1600/Snowman+Lottie+photobombs+Cookie+family+pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgD8bgZ7m-pf4j7FZQl52_KlUAmg_-14NY7Ypd3Zxa2h-4w42synw-UhOHKHI6yo9TSFZ3yNimyXGVO0SLzBSE7_ZpxZSnOYFrAUOLVbAzBDC0ZP1lzAQK5k023PJ4gjaNCPmhwm4ZI2C/s1600/Snowman+Lottie+photobombs+Cookie+family+pic.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQ6dWrmXzZ5yJY6aT-BG0acV201UxQfM4FxwP0DdmB05vj3YzPiGqGIre2XXnDX-N4pg7PZLaUf9ESjG32CQsMctXR28YcmFMJg9rCp0HvhoWfaKKv2EaK8arS_9VtUALzZIqAw8SiGPz/s1600/Us+outside+the+Snowman+minus+jackets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQ6dWrmXzZ5yJY6aT-BG0acV201UxQfM4FxwP0DdmB05vj3YzPiGqGIre2XXnDX-N4pg7PZLaUf9ESjG32CQsMctXR28YcmFMJg9rCp0HvhoWfaKKv2EaK8arS_9VtUALzZIqAw8SiGPz/s1600/Us+outside+the+Snowman+minus+jackets.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Raymond Briggs</strong>’ picture book The Snowman was printed in 1978. Being a girl of the 70s myself I would only have been 5 years of age and I certainly do feel I have grown up with this firm festive favourite <b><i>which:</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: black;">has whisked generations of children off to a Wintry wonderland for a festive adventure year on year. Now <span class="il">the</span> Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s magical live stage show journeys back to <span class="il">The</span> Peacock Theatre to charm both young and old for its 22nd consecutive year! </span><span style="color: black;">Based on <span class="il">the</span> much-loved film and book, <span class="il">the</span> enchanting stage adaptation features exquisite dancing, magic and live music, including <span class="il">the</span> unforgettable classic Walking in <span class="il">the</span> Air:</span></i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(complete with aerial dancing) </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTsCLSpnoxN3ovWIvZlKO7sYUuPWnH23XJb4Jt-a_x9XhiQvpmVMb4x0pd76wL2RP8lmMqXgT9RNoMH-xSb6-JQgX8q32HNz1ktCFQOJCJqHMu4sV0lwffm_B58KxISDSv_OlecQaD1cS/s1600/Walking+in+The+Air+dance+at+the+Snowman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTsCLSpnoxN3ovWIvZlKO7sYUuPWnH23XJb4Jt-a_x9XhiQvpmVMb4x0pd76wL2RP8lmMqXgT9RNoMH-xSb6-JQgX8q32HNz1ktCFQOJCJqHMu4sV0lwffm_B58KxISDSv_OlecQaD1cS/s1600/Walking+in+The+Air+dance+at+the+Snowman.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The young boy of the story, James, befriends the Snowman when he comes to life on Christmas Eve. They have many adventures including riding a motorbike (below), dancing with fruit, penguins, a beautiful (ballerina) Snow Princess (and her wicked beau Jack Frost the show's baddie) and getting up to mischief with a cat. The cat scene was for some reason Lottie's FAVOURITE and she hasn't stopped talking about that scene since.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6cjs-8K78ZcUXD2Wa0AarOjO1k4EsG_gJK79gkiD476ZHYwYj4Z3j-aX1ivilVBa-cMDwfbCxxebyIxEdJfQUMUs3XE4lipAHqhYoAVHEeyzPvysfcB-VuLeDdXPucQNzG2uX5N4JKnP/s1600/Snowman+and+boy+and+motorbike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6cjs-8K78ZcUXD2Wa0AarOjO1k4EsG_gJK79gkiD476ZHYwYj4Z3j-aX1ivilVBa-cMDwfbCxxebyIxEdJfQUMUs3XE4lipAHqhYoAVHEeyzPvysfcB-VuLeDdXPucQNzG2uX5N4JKnP/s1600/Snowman+and+boy+and+motorbike.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first half of the show ends with the aerial Walking in the Air scene which is so very moving. After the interval you come back to what feels like a different show with a different pace and tempo featuring none other than Father Christmas himself AND lots of international Snowmen.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vSV2YmeT8Bom8UD5EJSBTe05zhvesdc5CIbmAhQtM_oZo5GzioBiDJ9259xClwlCUs-PkYTv_trEMBWa3M2gnOnvqJZuTNtjYqIoepPa6v1Z4RnucW49xD7xnQcnNZpqyOPSGiwFGYG5/s1600/Santa+at+The+Snowman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vSV2YmeT8Bom8UD5EJSBTe05zhvesdc5CIbmAhQtM_oZo5GzioBiDJ9259xClwlCUs-PkYTv_trEMBWa3M2gnOnvqJZuTNtjYqIoepPa6v1Z4RnucW49xD7xnQcnNZpqyOPSGiwFGYG5/s1600/Santa+at+The+Snowman.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIjFhyphenhyphenWElezseJ2JbC1WxQDXQVJuIgQncTAIPbKuvY6jJeubRvwx2L6TDZUmYJ3Udylj6AMQ7k0CfwL6Ltg3DwL45LAmObvVpHegCpXgM1clAirtkcZjfaXnqLhOehMeUS_tYs9kSKgLV/s1600/Many+Snowmen+at+the+Snowman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIjFhyphenhyphenWElezseJ2JbC1WxQDXQVJuIgQncTAIPbKuvY6jJeubRvwx2L6TDZUmYJ3Udylj6AMQ7k0CfwL6Ltg3DwL45LAmObvVpHegCpXgM1clAirtkcZjfaXnqLhOehMeUS_tYs9kSKgLV/s1600/Many+Snowmen+at+the+Snowman.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Scottish snowman above makes me laugh so very much as a couple of times he head butts Jack Frost as both he and THE Snowman are trying to rescue the Snow Princess from Jack Frost - every Christmas Show needs a baddie right.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpbIvSlE8G4YOyZaD_43S8YHeSHvAEkRKMm21bhj0q3q_8quSPBz0uEsj4dUTiElBDZhOIvxCrxKdTMAn9nbcV2_woqwolwAi_hV5YPbTJGnClvNt4LjD4MDfVqBkTXVY41lsK5hCJEfj/s1600/Ballerina+at+The+Snowman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1239" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpbIvSlE8G4YOyZaD_43S8YHeSHvAEkRKMm21bhj0q3q_8quSPBz0uEsj4dUTiElBDZhOIvxCrxKdTMAn9nbcV2_woqwolwAi_hV5YPbTJGnClvNt4LjD4MDfVqBkTXVY41lsK5hCJEfj/s1600/Ballerina+at+The+Snowman.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJf5JiC7qAfdX_MV-Spq-PsurVpbtL-TAYipPpiENFLHv7idOQUzrrDAZZWmAatAzLeCHALACoZe9CFTr5c5rZ4MlU3Wwe8c66bHwKF_oKPfLVfUpaT_NgjiXBwEmu0ncFmMtz8gjvW1La/s1600/Jack+Frost+at+The+Snowman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJf5JiC7qAfdX_MV-Spq-PsurVpbtL-TAYipPpiENFLHv7idOQUzrrDAZZWmAatAzLeCHALACoZe9CFTr5c5rZ4MlU3Wwe8c66bHwKF_oKPfLVfUpaT_NgjiXBwEmu0ncFmMtz8gjvW1La/s1600/Jack+Frost+at+The+Snowman.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Inspired by</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span class="il" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">the</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">film directed by</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dianne Jackson</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and produced by</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">John Coates</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">,</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span class="il">The</span> <span class="il">Snowman</span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">has become a must-do Christmas activity, “</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">guaranteed to melt <span class="il">the</span> heart of even <span class="il">the</span> most cynical Scrooge” (<span class="il">The</span> Guardian)</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. Featuring choreography by</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Robert North</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, direction</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">by Bill Alexander</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, design by</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ruari Murchison</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, lighting by</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tim Mitchell</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">timeless</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">music and lyrics by</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Howard Blake</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">,</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span class="il" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">the</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">performance has been seen by audiences of over half a million at</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span class="il" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Peacock.</span></i><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></div>
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<span class="il">The</span> <span class="il">Snowman</span> is visiting <span class="il">The</span> Peacock as part of a UK and international Tour.<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></div>
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<span class="il">The</span> cast at <span class="il">The</span> Peacock includes Emanuela Atzeni, Cameron Ball, Ruben De Monte, Anthony Edwards, Martin Fenton, Kane Hoad, Tomoyo Tanimoto Jequier, <span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Katrina Kelly, Clare Lander, Kimberly Lawrie, </span><span style="color: windowtext;">Owen McHugh, </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Rowan Parker, </span><span style="color: windowtext;">Elisha Sherma and </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Ami Tollin. </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Suitable for all ages</span></span></div>
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<strong><u><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">LISTINGS INFORMATION</span></span></span></u></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span class="il">The</span> Birmingham Repertory Theatre Production of <strong><em><span class="il">The</span> <span class="il">Snowman</span>™</em></strong></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span class="il">The</span> Peacock, LONDON WC2A 2HT</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Thursday 21 November 2019 - Sunday 5 January 2020</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Performances: 11am, 2.30pm & 7pm. See </span></span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.sadlerswells.com/&source=gmail&ust=1574935836494000&usg=AFQjCNG9r_rNgmW0ZltY05IQVaaLv3Sycw" href="http://www.sadlerswells.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">www.sadlerswells.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"> for full schedule</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Tickets: £18 - £55</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Family Tickets available</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Ticket Office: 020 7863 8222 or <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://peacocktheatre.com&source=gmail&ust=1574935836494000&usg=AFQjCNHAghAq9T6yY9vnZesSsZIECxRA_Q" href="http://peacocktheatre.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">peacocktheatre.com</a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Additional Tour Dates:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Thursday 7 November – Sunday10 November<br />Manchester Opera House</span></span><br /><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-snowman/opera-house-manchester/&source=gmail&ust=1574935836494000&usg=AFQjCNHVQ-oHZH00OZ4v1mPagIKoy0XIqQ" href="https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-snowman/opera-house-manchester/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.atgtickets.com/<wbr></wbr>shows/<span class="il">the</span>-<span class="il">snowman</span>/opera-house-<wbr></wbr>manchester/</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Wednesday 13 November – Sunday 17 November<br />Theatre Royal Glasgow</span></span><br /><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-snowman/theatre-royal-glasgow/&source=gmail&ust=1574935836494000&usg=AFQjCNHTy-qM0q5bqfZq4x7ciq94Gou6Nw" href="https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-snowman/theatre-royal-glasgow/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.atgtickets.com/<wbr></wbr>shows/<span class="il">the</span>-<span class="il">snowman</span>/theatre-<wbr></wbr>royal-glasgow/</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Thursday 21 November – Sunday 5 January<br />Peacock Theatre, London</span></span><br /><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2019/the-snowman/&source=gmail&ust=1574935836494000&usg=AFQjCNEOMsFdvUcSxp-HwyRB0DPAoiYNYw" href="https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2019/the-snowman/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.sadlerswells.com/<wbr></wbr>whats-on/2019/<span class="il">the</span>-<span class="il">snowman</span>/</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Friday 29 November – Sunday 1 December<br />Lyric Theatre, Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong<br /><br />Thursday 12 – Sunday 15 December<br />Esplanade Theatre, Singapore</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Sunday 15 – Thursday 19 January<br />Milton Keynes Theatre</span></span><br /><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-snowman/milton-keynes-theatre/&source=gmail&ust=1574935836494000&usg=AFQjCNHyXhMVzrEPESvx2YM3mc-We_3DzQ" href="https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-snowman/milton-keynes-theatre/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.atgtickets.com/<wbr></wbr>shows/<span class="il">the</span>-<span class="il">snowman</span>/milton-<wbr></wbr>keynes-theatre/</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Cookie reviews The Snowman here:</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.thatsthewaythecookiecrumbles.co.uk/2019/11/26/the-snowman/"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">https://www.thatsthewaythecookiecrumbles.co.uk/2019/11/26/the-snowman/</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and Ruth reviews The Snowman here:</span></div>
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<a href="https://rocknrollerbaby.co.uk/the-snowman-2019/"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">https://rocknrollerbaby.co.uk/the-snowman-2019/</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>Our tickets were complimentary in exchange for an honest review</b></span></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-17837368337669594672019-11-24T00:52:00.000+00:002019-11-26T18:45:17.119+00:00Santa's Grotto at Shrek's Adventure London Review<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span></b> is for <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>S</b></span>outh Bank <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>S</b></span>hrek and <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>S</b></span>anta</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I've wanted to go to <a href="https://www.shreksadventure.com/london/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shrek's Adventure</a> for years since I heard it arrived in 2015 right on Westminster Bridge Road overlooking the Thames tucked between the Coca-Cola <a href="https://www.londoneye.com/" target="_blank">London Eye</a>, <a href="https://www.thedungeons.com/london/en/" target="_blank">London Dungeon</a> and <a href="https://www.visitsealife.com/london/" target="_blank">The Sea Life London Aquarium</a>. You can in fact currently book 5 attractions - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #185d0f; font-size: 12.8333px;"><b>Merlin's Magical London Pass</b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> - online for £63 (£70 if booked on the day)</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>The [Shrek Adventure] 2,000 square metre experience is based on an adventure written by the DreamWorks team. It features a Shrek interactive walk through adventure, a character courtyard where visitors will be able to meet Shrek and his swamp friends, along with characters from Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon.</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXYGKIVvg0Cd6onu9-eW82xXB3uEbXbTeorTHy6rsDU9mtRJbr6v4zyDQ2I5P05OWczcsGsuOtFt-xS8lygQa1T4JrmQ2O_38_F3GieKPLaJvldEJ3Dn6ZUVKGOFUdj4epsygTFC2PNat/s1600/Outside+Shrek%2527s+Adventure.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Outside Shrek's Adventure on the South Bank" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXYGKIVvg0Cd6onu9-eW82xXB3uEbXbTeorTHy6rsDU9mtRJbr6v4zyDQ2I5P05OWczcsGsuOtFt-xS8lygQa1T4JrmQ2O_38_F3GieKPLaJvldEJ3Dn6ZUVKGOFUdj4epsygTFC2PNat/s1600/Outside+Shrek%2527s+Adventure.JPG" title="Lottie and Aaron Outside Shrek's adventure" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We were so lucky to be invited to the official launch of Santa's Grotto at Shrek's Adventure which we attended Saturday 23rd November. This was a star studded breakfast for celebrities and bloggers.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The wait is ogre to meet Santa :-)</b></span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaNBf4E2TExCncAxqj8xTWmOu6AtRNYFwLPStQ6gNnw83QSNOahHwwaDn-RFRfPdPzbfts1Dv5JGiVL2GitOmkRPeN5taGY7Dc1eOV7Grg0EyKGEBhwqaCXkn3JNnYOZch9KthM3OfT4L/s1600/The+Wait+is+Ogre+Shrek+Santa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Santa poster for launch of Santa at Shrek's Adventure" border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaNBf4E2TExCncAxqj8xTWmOu6AtRNYFwLPStQ6gNnw83QSNOahHwwaDn-RFRfPdPzbfts1Dv5JGiVL2GitOmkRPeN5taGY7Dc1eOV7Grg0EyKGEBhwqaCXkn3JNnYOZch9KthM3OfT4L/s1600/The+Wait+is+Ogre+Shrek+Santa.JPG" title="The wait for Santa is Ogre" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_Db9i9-94UXCPxhMtxkbTziKz5m5ezjVZR_GITLguo4A78bqoRddmaLWY4w0jRPsI-s9Q69s7ooUM0wyTPGY6v2ERD8EAs8F4JSnknlIhsN-Gqhh7dKOkek9iLpARLoclBNhYAUb0znV/s1600/DSC01027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="an early start for launch of Santa at Shrek's Adventure" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_Db9i9-94UXCPxhMtxkbTziKz5m5ezjVZR_GITLguo4A78bqoRddmaLWY4w0jRPsI-s9Q69s7ooUM0wyTPGY6v2ERD8EAs8F4JSnknlIhsN-Gqhh7dKOkek9iLpARLoclBNhYAUb0znV/s200/DSC01027.JPG" title="Leaving Grandma's before sunrise for Shrek's adventure" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We travelled from Bristol by coach with <a href="https://www.getasnap.com/" target="_blank">Snap Travel</a>, straight after school Friday, staying that night with Grandma ready to be at <b>Shrek's Adventure</b> before it opened for our Santa's Grotto launch breakfast event at 08:30. The kids didn't sleep at all on the coach and we went to bed at midnight, then up at 6 a.m. Yet this was them, not a blink in their eyes, leaving early doors before sunrise, full of Christmas excitement in the dark. On arrival below just after we had our noses pushed up against the glass in anticipation of a great adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Speaking of adventures, Shrek's Adventure was so easy to find being so close to Westminster station, right on the Thames over the bridge at the foot of Big Ben who's currently clothed in scaffolding.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXML37F_B6pxKoq5VPVu5Sw7awNrdy1YuU22u1JDDk6CjrD8gKDwr677nSUzfHxHp15EghtbPgBuqSleE8O5CjXx0r_IcMhy9AkIbxxYYeSzzRRSnfnHMCGYFP9npCVkc6GWQEFRs3_6X/s1600/Arriving+for+Shrek+Santa%2527s+Grotto+Launch+Breakfast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Entrance to Shrek's Adventure on the South Bank" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXML37F_B6pxKoq5VPVu5Sw7awNrdy1YuU22u1JDDk6CjrD8gKDwr677nSUzfHxHp15EghtbPgBuqSleE8O5CjXx0r_IcMhy9AkIbxxYYeSzzRRSnfnHMCGYFP9npCVkc6GWQEFRs3_6X/s1600/Arriving+for+Shrek+Santa%2527s+Grotto+Launch+Breakfast.JPG" title="Sude Lottie and Aaron at entrance of Shrek's Adventure" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Shrek's Adventure Begins</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Shortly after walking through the entrance to Shrek's Adventure you enter a lift, with a screen in its roof, where <b>Gingy the Gingerbread</b> gives you a very warm and excited on screen welcome, which really gets the kids full of excitement for what's to come. This also acts as an introduction to how great the screens and animation are throughout the attraction. The standard of the cutting edge 3D projection, always popping up in surprising places is second to none like nothing I've ever encountered, with the onscreen characters even sometimes throwing things in such a way you find yourself doing a double take. So often throughout the tour I felt like I'd watched a Magician at work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Anyway I digress, as for us the tour came later in the day, as first we went to the <b>Santa's Grotto pre-opening Breakfast Launch</b> and then off to the theatre and back to do the Shrek's Adventure tour at 2 o'clock that same day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJa-7EZ8JtOLGn8CVNGuJVUzPgarmDe4BkzKV5pq-9dj3FH2PkrhxwERgldr3V1jv0ede7hcIueNEI1v26paw_zubB1HbleDnmq0m-Tg40xHZbSpS-esA6IcCBIBrIH7iPkYK47vENmn-W/s1600/Shrek%2527s+Adventure+Face+Paint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Face paint rainbow at Shrek's Adventure" border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJa-7EZ8JtOLGn8CVNGuJVUzPgarmDe4BkzKV5pq-9dj3FH2PkrhxwERgldr3V1jv0ede7hcIueNEI1v26paw_zubB1HbleDnmq0m-Tg40xHZbSpS-esA6IcCBIBrIH7iPkYK47vENmn-W/s1600/Shrek%2527s+Adventure+Face+Paint.JPG" title="Lottie's rainbow face paint at Shrek's Adventure" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Once mingling over breakfast whilst the kids played and had face paint, Ruth, <a href="https://rocknrollerbaby.co.uk/" target="_blank">RocknRollerBaby</a> spotted Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) in the face paint queue, whilst I was still oblivious to the fact that there were even celebrities in the room. The standard of the face paint was exceptional, just look at Lottie. Aaron chose the Gingerbread Man. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Baby Spice Again Meets Baby of RocknRollerBaby</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In fact Ruth had already met Emma Bunton before, and her darling daughter beautiful 9 year old Florence had a photo taken with Baby Spice, back when she was a "baby". Well she is the original <a href="https://rocknrollerbaby.co.uk/" target="_blank">RocknRollerBaby</a> after all boom boom! They recreated that precious photo yesterday at Shrek's Adventure:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4_7jtkdnQquVppJCldFhyphenhyphenNx7_APqXxfToY2FVwJJY0osp2eX4LzAOBbtOAoSNQEmL63IOq0iR6PnKyspBQmavXQIMSm3H6L7bnnZ2SbpDzLn3sXw5FZThpCYehu9EP7ssm0xvp5LLDL5/s1600/Florence+at+Shrek+with+Baby+Spice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Baby Spice Emma Bunton at launch of Santa's Grotto at Shrek's Adventure" border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4_7jtkdnQquVppJCldFhyphenhyphenNx7_APqXxfToY2FVwJJY0osp2eX4LzAOBbtOAoSNQEmL63IOq0iR6PnKyspBQmavXQIMSm3H6L7bnnZ2SbpDzLn3sXw5FZThpCYehu9EP7ssm0xvp5LLDL5/s1600/Florence+at+Shrek+with+Baby+Spice.JPG" title="Florence from Rocknrollerbaby with Emma Bunton Baby Spice" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Birds of a Feather</b></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Having seen Ruth in action I was then brave enough to ask Linda Robson (who Ruth had to point out to me) for a photo, the modern day version of an autograph. She was so accommodating and so lovely. Just as you'd expect having spent years watching her on TV. I grew up watching Linda on Birds of a Feather with my Mum but of course know and love her in recent years from her regular appearances on day time TV show Loose Women.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2rczWu98akzOZvN5yaFUP7eCeMwDiasfS45p_JxP8rxjfSpotVz9OvYlqxBN64DpYyzZI7Md_CR8wuwouLY5090xbxcKhzo-Gmm560oe3Hxm3HDIBuE1R5zWCvEtX3pfKM4s-rX2_0y3/s1600/Shrek+Grotto+with+Linda+Robson.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Linda Robson at Santa's Grotto Shrek's Adventure" border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2rczWu98akzOZvN5yaFUP7eCeMwDiasfS45p_JxP8rxjfSpotVz9OvYlqxBN64DpYyzZI7Md_CR8wuwouLY5090xbxcKhzo-Gmm560oe3Hxm3HDIBuE1R5zWCvEtX3pfKM4s-rX2_0y3/s1600/Shrek+Grotto+with+Linda+Robson.JPG" title="Me with Linda Robson at Santa's Grotto Shrek's Adventure" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>That's The Way the Cookie Crumbles</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We were a very merry bunch as <a href="https://www.thatsthewaythecookiecrumbles.co.uk/" target="_blank">Cookie </a>(see below) was with us too and I also got a great pic of her with Linda Robson. There's fun wherever Cookie is.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdXmnHb5d_svsPxlCPxNquEBwasEb_QJGqVkoUmJYRL26nGVVqplRpoUaoiIYQ1WzJIosZzPhWtc4fvSEtZbZm6Q7_X5z_1avkfrE5oQOwg8rOetRFmG3nbPZkxVgWDxKunRZqJMAXw0e/s1600/Girls+in+Shrek+booth.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdXmnHb5d_svsPxlCPxNquEBwasEb_QJGqVkoUmJYRL26nGVVqplRpoUaoiIYQ1WzJIosZzPhWtc4fvSEtZbZm6Q7_X5z_1avkfrE5oQOwg8rOetRFmG3nbPZkxVgWDxKunRZqJMAXw0e/s1600/Girls+in+Shrek+booth.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Being that this is a DreamWorks attraction there were also Kung Fu Panda features and all of our children love Kung Fu Panda - there was even a large Kung Fu Panda computer game.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Shrek's Santa and Santa's Elves - Sensational and Shrektacular</b></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As we were at the Shrek's Adventure Santa's Grotto breakfast launch media event we mingled and ate for over an hour before we actually met the Elves and Santa himself, but ordinarily you will meet him at the end of your Shrek's Adventure tour, provided you have a grotto booking. Make sure you purchase the Shrek's Adventure ticket that includes Santa, or if you are already booked on a Shrek's Adventure tour you can separately add on your Santa's Grotto ticket. Going around Shrek's Adventure takes 70 minutes and then the Grotto is in addition to that. Santa is lovely and he gives each child an individually wrapped gift (really great value for money once you see that gift in the souvenir shop later).</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Cookie and kindly shared with me - thanks Emma xxx</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Whilst queueing for Santa there are many Elves on hand to entertain and they're all so fabulous with children. Having been to many Santas over the years I'm used to many Elves (even in Harrods) not staying in character but these ones were true professionals, so the magic of the Grotto stayed intact for the children. The scenery is exquisite too and perfect for festive cheer. I left there very more than ready for Christmas and with a warm festive glow in my heart. Despite arriving at 08:30 and leaving at 10:30 the children - my 2 and their cousin - were thoroughly transfixed in their element the whole time. Aaron's not as into Santa as he once was, being that he is now 9, but yet he was grinning from ear to ear in the grotto.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Come and Meet Santa at Far Far Away</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The kids spotted that this snowman had ears like Shrek so insisted I captured this pic. Very sweet and later once we'd opened our goodie bags from the launch event, these three were also wearing Santa Shrek ears just like this which reminds me you can add Shrek/Character ears to your online booking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We rushed off to the Theatre to see and review <a href="https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2019/the-snowman/" target="_blank">The Snowman</a> after meeting Santa at Shrek, but we returned to Shrek's Adventure afterwards to do the full tour at 14:00hrs. </span><br />
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<span style="color: lime; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Shrek's Adventure - the actual tour</b></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://youtu.be/fKUuQmDt5WU" target="_blank">Shrek's Adventure on youtube</a> doesn't at all do justice to this great attraction as there are so many parts where you are not allowed to film or use a camera, a rule the whole of the crowd on our booking totally respected and stuck to. Meaning so much of it is a delightful surprise especially for someone like Aaron who thought he knew it all, until he realised there was so so much more than he was expecting. </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>It took a team of over 40 over two years to bring to life the hilarious fantasy world of Shrek
and Far Far Away, including more than 100 builders from 20 different trades, plus
animators, designers, engineers, artists, script writers, theatre directors and costume
designers</i></span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The biggest model in the attraction is in the Arrivals Hall, where Toothless from the
DreamWorks Animation ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, swoops overhead with a whopping six
metre wingspan. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>SOURCE: <a href="https://www.shreksadventure.com/media/1235/shreks-adventure-london-fun-facts.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shrek's Adventure London Fun Facts</a></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Magical 4D Flying Bus Ride Driven by Donkey</b></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After leaving the arrivals hall you board the flying 4D bus which is breathtaking and truly amazing. It's what takes you from London's South Bank to Far Far Away and every window of the London bus to your left and right alongwith the windscreen become an immersive 4D cinema to the point where you feel like you are on a real life flying bus. Except it didn't give me that tummy roller-coaster feeling thank God. Due to the cinema being ALL AROUND YOU there's no need to rush to the front row AND given that this is a pre-booked tour with dedicated time slots there is a seat for everyone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's GREAT that the bus drive is narrated by Donkey given how much we all love his voice and character so so much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.shreksadventure.com/london/about-the-adventure/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Throughout the tour you go from room to room</a>:</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">to Shrek's Swamp</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">to Rumpelstiltskin's Carriage</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">to the Poison Apple Pub</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">to Pinocchio's Wheel of Torture</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">to the Mirror Maze of Insanity (don't worry you are rescued by Sleeping Beauty)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">to cook up a spell with the Muffin Man</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">to </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Rumpelstiltskin's</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> prison</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">finally to destination Shrek for a hug and a selfie.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When you consider that there are exceptionally </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">talented costumed actors in each of the themed rooms above, this is a tourist attraction that is SO immersive and fun and doesn't at all disappoint. Fun for all ages. I was blown away by both the scripts and the sheer standard of the showmanship throughout the tour. Mind blown for sure. Just like the Shrek movies themselves there is humour for kids and adults alike.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The tour ends with you meeting Shrek himself and of course he dressed with the season to be jolly in mind as below. The kids were thrilled but Lottie was on her cousin's back as she's still at that age where she finds Santa scary. I remember Aaron going through that phase too but if I remember it only lasted one Christmas and then in the years after we'd meet several Santas a year and he'd always be grinning ear to ear, and actually at age 9 still is bless him:</span></div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">What you need to know</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">Photos</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are several chances throughout Shrek's Adventure to have professional photos taken and you can purchase them at the end. You simply scan the barcode on your wristband which makes it possible to later view all of your photos before deciding which ones to buy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shrek Adventure Tour</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You have to actually be booked onto a tour, which takes approximately 70 minutes. Shrek's Adventure is not a place where you can spend the whole day or just pay on the door and walk straight in. The tour is a walk through tour that shortly after commencing takes you onto an amazing bus for a 4D immersive cinematic experience, better than anything I've seen before. And actually there are on screen tricks and treats in all of the rooms the tour takes you through. I won't spoil it as you just have to experience it. It's so interactive that all ages that were there with us from tots to the elderly thoroughly enjoyed it and the same sense of humour that has adults loving the Shrek movies even more than kids was ever present.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Buggies</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At busy times these must be left in a buggy park. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mobility</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As there is quite a lot of walking it's worth bearing this in mind. Lottie had only had 6 hours sleep instead of her usual 12 and is only 3 and coped with the walking just fine. You're always shepherded from room to room by in character actors so the energy is high, and you're taken along by the crowds so no chance to remember tired feet. Also in several of the rooms you actually get to take a seat anyway and due to it being pre-booked there are always enough available yay!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Santa</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After being thoroughly entertained by Elves you go through to a wooden lodge in which you privately meet Santa. He is lovely with a great sense of humour and takes all the time in the world to make children and adults very welcome. We were a group of 3 families and we all huddled in - what a buzz. Santa gives each child an individually wrapped gift which we all agreed was great value for money. The experience was right up there with the best of them (*coughs* been to Harrods Santa three times and to Hamleys so as sure as eggs are eggs I know my Santas) and I think both Santa and the Elves were very sincere whilst remaining in character. Adults can enter the Grotto with any paying child meaning adults don't pay to visit Santa yay, but at busy times it is limited to one adult per booked paying child.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Best Bits</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The best bits for me were</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The 4D cinematic experience in the flying bus - glasses provided!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The standard of the character acting of everyone we met throughout the tour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Shortly after starting the tour you enter a lift and the gingerbread man talks to you from a screen on the inside of its lid. This really sets the excitement for the tour that's about to come. Shrek is brought to us via on screen cinematic movies and so much of the tour brings characters to life in the same way, complimented by great characters represented by real actors. It's not just the bus that is 4D...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The mix of comedy, drama, thrills and suspense throughout the Shrek Adventure tour were paced and pitched just right. Aaron was more scared than Lottie I guess because he understood more of it. Scared in the sense that he was always wondering what would happen next, like a suspense with a great sense of excitement and trepidation. The walking talking equivalent of a page turner. This is not a tourist attraction where the adults are bored - not at all. Put your phone on silent and allow yourself to be carried away in a Shrek Adventure not to be forgotten.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The narrators regularly use props that the audience take from room to room - I won't say anymore as what I loved about it was how much of it I didn't know to expect.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Mirror Maze of Insanity was a real highlight where we all got lots hitting dead end after dead end till eventually we got rescued. Everyone adults and kids alike, were in high spirits testimony to how good the tour is.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The only downside is that this is not an attraction where you spend the whole day but with the amount of Merlin Pass attractions all in one neat spot on the South Bank you don't have to. Make sure you book them all together as it's heavily discounted that way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you'd like to go to Shrek's Adventure the best prices can be secured on their website and book Santa to avoid disappointment.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.shreksadventure.com/london/tickets/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Only at Shrek's Adventure!</a></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-bottom: 0.125em; padding-left: 1.25em; padding-top: 0.125em; position: relative;">Christmas Grotto experience including Shrektacular gift!</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-bottom: 0.125em; padding-left: 1.25em; padding-top: 0.125em; position: relative;">Selected dates from 24th November - 24th December</li>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-bottom: 0.125em; padding-left: 1.25em; padding-top: 0.125em; position: relative;">Parents must purchase a standard Shrek's Adventure ticket and enter the Grotto with any paying child</li>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Our visit to the Grotto for breakfast and our visit later to the Shrek's Adventure Tour were gifted in exchange for an honest review.</b> We honestly had a super time and I would highly recommend it. It greatly surpassed Aaron's expectations age 9, Lottie loved it age 3 (and didn't even get chance to think about being tired) and their cousin aged 11 was full immersed and engaged throughout too. A big hit all round. Us adults - me, Cookie, her hubby, Ruth and her Mum - all loved it too and had such a giggle and so much fun. Shrek's Adventure tour beautifully does justice to and complements the movies, which we've loved since before we even became parents.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Don't just take our word for it Cookie and Ruth have already reviewed the day too:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.thatsthewaythecookiecrumbles.co.uk/2019/11/24/shreks-grotto-review/"><b>https://www.thatsthewaythecookiecrumbles.co.uk/2019/11/24/shreks-grotto-review/</b></a></span><br />
<a href="https://rocknrollerbaby.co.uk/christmas-shreks-adventure-2019/"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>https://rocknrollerbaby.co.uk/christmas-shreks-adventure-2019/</b></span></a></div>
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New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-41108468283008287652019-08-20T15:33:00.000+01:002019-08-20T16:19:39.314+01:00How To Be More Attentive When Driving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IZ6uy3OslSn1zzj9mKuwh0w0RE1UDtBvu1aFjtIbq8NWIEOoe8nEzxz4R_HBIMD8qSyMcTvLhFexpDQ_diBJhABQjnwloLbSJrAD7hbvh-Io8bXbz7a4OKzMLCb1-Xun1kHU5wq9lwB2/s1600/20190813_171430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IZ6uy3OslSn1zzj9mKuwh0w0RE1UDtBvu1aFjtIbq8NWIEOoe8nEzxz4R_HBIMD8qSyMcTvLhFexpDQ_diBJhABQjnwloLbSJrAD7hbvh-Io8bXbz7a4OKzMLCb1-Xun1kHU5wq9lwB2/s1600/20190813_171430.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Driving can be stressful, whether you’re driving to somewhere completely new to you or a long-</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">distance trip down the motorway, different types of stress may zap your concentration which </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">can end up leading to a speeding fine, or potentially worse. Add the complication of noisy children in the back of the car, the bad behaviour of some other drivers and well, it can be challenging to say the least.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here are some handy tips you can put </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">into practice when you’re starting to feel your focus and patience wane:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Turn The Air-con On To A Low Temperature</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This tip works just as well for when you’re feeling tired – by keeping the temperature cool your body </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">feels more awake and alert. In fact, plenty of brand new cars include this as a safety feature – if you </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">have one of Mercedes’ new models, you can use the voice command to say things like “Hey </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Mercedes, I’m tired” and it’ll change the ambient lighting, turn the air con on cold and the fan speed </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">up. Alternatively, if you don’t have the luxury of air-con, you could always wind your windows down </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">instead, providing it’s not raining of course! In our house I know that Daddy will do all of these things so even on the hottest day I bring cardigans and/or hoodies for us all as once the car is speeding along with all the windows open we soon need them and recently did on a car journey. Once covered up (the kids even ask for a blanket) they soon fall asleep and then the journey is even easier especially after full tummies from a stop at services. Yes, loo breaks are an essential of a pleasant car journey too!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Turn Your Music Down</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Plenty of studies show that music has a direct influence on your reaction times, but those studies </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">usually look within the lens of travelling at speeds of 30+ mph. For the times when you’re looking for </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">a particular house number, street name or plan on doing a manoeuvre such as parallel parking or a </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">turn in the road, turning your music down will increase your concentration immediately. This </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">concept is backed up by a recent survey conducted by UK car leasing firm <a href="https://www.allcarleasing.co.uk/" target="_blank">All Car Leasing</a>, which </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">found that nearly three quarters (72%) of the overall survey participants opt to turn their music </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">down when they’re making a manoeuvre – so you’re not crazy if you do this habit already! If you </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">want to read the full survey and supporting infographic, <a href="https://www.allcarleasing.co.uk/blog/blame-it-on-the-boogie/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Dehydration in general will make you start to feel drowsy, so when you’re driving this becomes a </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">much more serious issue. Plan ahead by having a glass of water or a cup of tea, you could even go a </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">step further and bring a travel mug with you if you’re going to be stuck in stop/start traffic or on a </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">long motorway trip.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Don’t Get Caught Off-Guard</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Things like roadworks or harsh weather conditions usually present hazards on your journey such as </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">road closures, light flooding or large branches that have blown off nearby trees. The last thing you </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">need is to encounter these things when you’re unaware of them potentially happening. This can be </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">avoided by checking the weather forecast the night before if you’re going to be commuting the next </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">morning or even joining a local residents' page for your town, people are usually quite quick to let </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">others know things happening in the local vicinity (though usually they’re mainly moaning about </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">other people’s parking!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s 2019 so this should be obvious already at this point – looking at your mobile phone while driving </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">is one of the largest contributing factors to road traffic accidents behind the likes of driving under </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">the influence of drugs or alcohol. It can be easy to get distracted if you’re feeling bored, but this is </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">something you should absolutely avoid, if not out of fear of actually having an accident but also </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">getting caught by the police. The penalty for doing so is now increased. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b0c0c;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Penalties</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You can get 6 penalty points and a £200 fine if you use a hand-held phone when driving. You’ll also lose your licence if you <a href="https://www.gov.uk/penalty-points-endorsements/new-drivers" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3); border: none; color: #4c2c92; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">passed your driving test in the last 2 years</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You can get 3 penalty points if you don’t have a full view of the road and traffic ahead or proper control of the vehicle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You can also be taken to court where you can:</span></div>
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<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">be <a href="https://www.gov.uk/driving-disqualifications" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3); border: none; color: #4c2c92; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">banned from driving or riding</a></span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">get a maximum fine of £1,000 (£2,500 if you’re driving a lorry or bus)</span></li>
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<span style="color: #0b0c0c; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Collaboration</span></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-64699627351319688082019-08-05T10:01:00.000+01:002019-08-05T11:52:06.547+01:00Road Trips are Easier with Land Rover<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Feels like the<b><span style="color: #274e13;"> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Rover" target="_blank">Land Rover</a></span></b> has always been part of my life. My dad spent decades wanting one and then the very second he got made redundant that's what he couldn't wait to spend his money on - a <b><span style="color: #274e13;">Land Rover Discovery</span></b>. So excited was he, he even had a personalised number plate. So whenever my Dad was near I knew it wasn't just any Land Rover it was my Dad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The most hours we've ever spent in a car were when Aaron and I - pre Lottie - went on a road trip to Ireland with my Dad and his wife. We literally had to leave London, thankfully in the Land Rover Discovery at about 05:30 a.m. embarking on a long drive to Holyhead, Wales, broken up by a stop at services for lunch. It was great that we stayed one night in a Bed and Breakfast in Wales, as we got to eat by the sea and go to the park. We then, with the Land Rover, boarded the boat over to Dun Laoghaire. Saves you hiring a car when you get there and means you can bring way more luggage than if flying. Also better than flying as you get to walk around, have a meal and there are some shops where I fondly remembering buying Aaron a fire engine and all these years later Lottie does still play with it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You can also go up on deck which was really exciting for Aaron. He loved that there was a cinema and soft play area on board. My Dad doesn't like the fast boat so we got the Stena Line with a sailing time of 3hr 15m and thankfully it was a smooth sailing as Dad also suffers from sea sickness. After a pleasant ride across the Irish Sea we had a really long drive from Dublin to County Mayo where all of my family on both sides reside. Being in the Land Rover made the journey comfortable, especially important given Aaron's age at the time. We were so worried about how well he'd travel we invested in a portable DVD player especially for the journey. We still have it and I still remember the movies he watched, on repeat: </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Curious George (yep and the play area on the boat was Curious George themed), </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Kungfu Panda and </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ice Age</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Aaron was easily pleased and a great little traveller to be fair. He was great company, funny and doesn't at all suffer from travel sickness. I'm glad we didn't let the length of the journey put us off. As long as he had his movies on, a couple of stickers books (Thomas and Friends and Spiderman) and was regularly fed snacks and watered he was an incredibly easy passenger. Every now and again, which wasn't often he'd get a little restless and my Dad's wife played a game with him where they'd pick a colour car and spot them to count them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">He did love the comfort of the Land Rover and the height you sit at and the view this benefited him. I'd never until this point spent a great deal of time in one and was very impressed too. Such a novelty was the interior space of the Land Rover and the fact that it was the same height as Aaron himself, every time Granddad stopped somewhere he'd take the chance to poke his head up through the sun roof as an excuse to get fresh air and stretch his legs. In fact that was SUCH a nice way of getting to Ireland, that I think Lottie would enjoy, I think we should do it again! I'll have to start working on Daddy. We have a 4 wheel drive car which is similar to a Land Rover lol. We can make do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Michalaks - pictured below - are my favourite You Tubers and they've worked with Land Rover several times so I feel like I always get updates on what the latest models are and my favourite video of theirs showcasing the Land Rover was their road trip around Scotland. They did the North Coast 500 road trip and the landscape is breath taking. Stef's cinematography and editing helps of course.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My Dad had his Land Rover for many many years they really do stand the test of time. Quality spare parts for your Land Rover here </span><a href="https://www.bestpartstore.co.uk/land-rover" target="_blank">bestPARTSTORE.co.uk</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While researching this blog post I discovered that Stena Line no longer sail from Holyhead to Dun L</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">aoghaire and decided to focus on expanding their business with the Dublin Port so that's the end of an era. Times change I guess.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Anyway, Lottie has never been to Ireland so this is something we'll have to rectify in the near future.</span></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-44641802166681216412019-08-04T13:31:00.000+01:002019-08-05T13:31:57.947+01:00New Luxury Bathroom Use Only Professionals<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pull up a chair I want to discuss bathrooms with you. Specifically refurbishing a bathroom. I really feel this should only be done by professionals and I feel more than qualified through experience to say so. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I think a bathroom should be an oasis of calm. After all I like 90 minute baths and would like that to be in a tranquil and peaceful space. Orderly, clean, exquisite and functional.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And I want you to learn from MY mistakes. DIY means Do It Yourself, but with plumbing and electrics I think it should be DIYIQ (I made it up just now but it means Do It Yourself If Qualified)... actually it ends in IQ so could mean Do it Yourself - if you have the - IQ lol!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">... yes you can hang wall paper, yes you can paint, but the perils of doing plumbing and electrical work incorrectly ...... well the dangers are beyond measure. So my story is below. I've been stung by shoddy workmanship twice now. Both times by people who didn't know what they were doing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Don't do what I did revamp your bathroom design to a classic or stylish look with <a href="https://harrogatebathrooms.co.uk/" target="_blank">Harrogate Bathrooms</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let me take you back to a time when I had a work bonus. It was pre-children and I didn't have anything to spend it on and our bathroom that needed an overhaul was literally speaking to me. It was saying imagine how lovely your 90 minute baths would be if you enjoyed them with candle light and a glass of bubbly in a swish newly decorated luxury environment. Well budget wasn't an issue. I was armed with my large work bonus and picked the best of everything. A GORGEOUS roll top bath. The best tiles. An exquisite wash hand basin. A beautiful ladder chrome radiator I'd dreamed of for years. An expensive glass door to replace the plastic shower curtain for the bath above the shower. Unfortunately at a similar time to me having this dream, my best friend's husband decided to give up I.T. and become a handy man. Instead of spending money on qualifications and experience, he spent it on a branded van, branded fridge magnets, a branded hoodie and business cards. I kid you not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not knowing about the quality of his plumbing work I booked him. And worse still I paid for ALL of the items to be delivered in time for said booking. I even shopped WITH my best mate and she helped and advised on every item I chose, so it felt like a real joint endeavour. I felt invested so did she. In the interim I went round to theirs and saw some questionable plumbing behind their toilet which linked to a bidet. My heart sunk as I knew his workmanship was not for me - I'd recently been to Germany and coveted a friend's bathroom, I used to be a DIY Manager in Sainsburys' Homebase. I knew what I was looking for and the standard I expected. I'm quite psychic and my spidey senses were ringing alarm bells. The ONLY reason I didn't cancel his coming to do the work was because my best friend, his wife, was due to have a baby in a fortnight. Your best friend having her 1st child when you yourself don't have one yet is quite a big deal. I'd agreed to give him £2k for the work (I know I know I know - it was NUTS considering what happened next). He had the cheek to say that was mate's rates when it was FAR from it, especially considering he wanted cash in hand. It breaks my heart to type this as she was my best friend since Uni AND my chief bridesmaid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Anyway clearly the story does not end there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The booking went ahead. Day 1 went really well. He gutted the bathroom taking all of the existing tiles off the wall. They were only waist high with a dado rail ending where the painted wall began. I spent £800 on tiles alone so that with the new bathroom I could have floor to ceiling. Before he left he hoovered and then asked for a dustpan and brush. Whilst using it and leaving the place SPOTLESS he cracked the dustpan and brush and asked if he could replace it to which I replied "no it was only a £1".... little did I realise what was to happen next.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fast forward a day, and he tried to insert the beautiful roll top bath his wife and I had chosen together. It's designed to go up against a wall, in a corner no less, perfect for having the shower above, so is only roll top on one side. Perfect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Except when he tried to put my beautiful expensive roll top bath into the bathroom, moving it from the sitting room, its home since delivery, he realised he was literally a few millimetres short, so we agreed that he would chisel into the wall so that the roll top of the bath could sit into a groove except what he didn't tell me was that he'd been a bit too chisel happy and then made a hole through into my kitchen wall (which he covered up so I only discovered it weeks later - I'll come back to that). But how could someone who's offering to replace a dustpan and brush be the same person who makes a hole in your wall and doesn't tell you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">He spent a week in my house, the daily rate of which had we done the payment that way, would not have been remotely close to what I paid him, especially as the fee did not include materials. I supplied the grout, the tile adhesive, the everything. He said he would plaster the ceiling - he didn't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">His work came to a premature close as my best friend went into labour - I know it's like the stuff of movies I tell ya. I even paid him before he left as I had this aching feeling they'd need the money for the baby. They're both so ridiculously tight, this probably is laughable. And the only person who got shot in the foot throughout this sorry episode is me. I'll give you an example of my "friend's" tightness later. It's actually quite cathartic writing all of this and that's once what blogging was all about hey, before it became commercial and sponsored.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh if you want another installment as to things he did wrong. He tiled AROUND my power shower. He chiselled my expensive wall tiles in a very ugly non fitting way so that they surrounded the shower, doing it SO inaccurately that you could see huge patches of grout around said shower. In the years we remained in that flat I had various plumbers in (professionals I might add) who all said that what you do is you TAKE THE ELECTRICAL SHOWER UNIT OFF THE WALL and then you tile the whole wall, only making neat circular holes (with the correct size circular drill bit of course - I'm saying this for a reason - more on that later) for the cold and hot water pipes. So it's like a wall of tiles with 2 circular holes in, with 2 pipes protruding. The back of the shower unit then sits on top and the front of the shower unit simply clips onto the front of that. There is NO REASON for the tiling to SURROUND the shower, it should be UNDER it. Oh... my ... days... how am I not grey?!?!?!?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Worse still he started at the left hand wall by the door and then similarly started at the right hand wall by the door and then tiled clockwise and anti clockwise till he got to the centre which is basically the corner that catches your eye in the distance when you stand at the door and look into the room. EVERY plumber who's visited, says that what you do is you tile outwards FROM that point of focus. Because in tiling into it, he then had to halve tiles, in fact sometimes they were slivers. In order to make the tiles meet the corner, and that is not a good look when you look into the room and that's your eyes' focal point. So the 1st thing that catches your eye are slivers of tiles that have been cut by hand. Hardly a clean and professional geometric look and doesn't showcase the tiles to be the quality that they are. But left and right of where you are standing the tiles are complete but you don't exactly look right where you're standing. You look IN TO a room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Underneath the wash hand basin he did holes for waste water that were huge compared to the overflow pipe that was protruding - he hadn't chosen the drill bit with the right diameter and hadn't used anything to plug the difference, so I think a year later we only discovered this when a large family of wasps started using it as an access point to our home. We literally had to close the bathroom door and listen to it humming and buzzing. And then my hubby had to get the courage to go in there and deal with them and that he did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I had that ladder chrome radiator of dreams I'd mentioned and when ordering it they asked is it going into the floor or wall as they give you a bit that faces the right 90 degree way so that you get the chrome look right buff up to floor or wall - you'll see what he instead did pictured below. Utterly heartbreaking. I'd asked him prior to his arrival and ordered what he'd suggested which you can see is the floor version when what would have been needed is wall. Only he didn't even do the plumbing to the right point so used ugly bronze copper piping to bridge the gap from radiator to floor and as he hadn't done the cold and hot feeds in the right place he bent them to get them to fit, meaning we later had lots of problems with dripping resulting in pressure loss to our whole central heating system. We were plagued with problems resulting from his "handy work" for the remainder of our time at that flat. Also, just look at the diameter of the hole he made in my precious tiles, not even remotely close to the size of the pipe he needed it for:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">NOW I will tell you the etiquette with builders and workman is that you retain a large part of the payment till they do the snagging, but as I've said earlier, on the last day when my best friend was in labour, I paid him in full as he left, but I convinced him to come round a few weeks later to mount a bathroom cabinet I'd paid £80 for in Argos. I didn't trust me and hubby to drill through tiles to wall mount it. I stupidly thought that whilst he'd be screwing it up I could discuss all of his many mistakes with him, with a view to how we could move forward but when I answered the door he was in a helmet. He'd driven to mine by motor bike and when he finally and reluctantly took the helmet off he looked like someone who didn't want to chat. That wouldn't put anyone else off having the necessary chat, especially given the £2k but it made me clam up. Worse still, the bathroom cabinet was meant to be erected by hanging it on 4 screws and he only used TWO. Even worse still if that's possible (with this guy it is) one of those two screws were in grout instead of in tile so the weight caused the fixing to basically slide down the wall with the passing of time. See the pic I am not exaggerating. He attached these 2 screws to the top, meaning that the cabinet (and the shelves and the contents) were hanging off the top frame of the cabinet. And over the years gravity did its thing and the cabinet became separate from the roof of it. I blamed it's shoddiness on Argos till I realised that it was in fact only that top piece of wood that was hooked on the wall and the cabinet and its contents were literally just hanging from it. And obviously the join between the sides of the cabinet and its top are NOT meant to be capable of holding the weight of all of its contents. So yes the summary is, there was NOTHING he did right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I couldn't bring myself to have THAT conversation. So I have never ever spoken to either of them since.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Except remember I said my friend is tight. Well I worked for a luxury brand of footwear at the time. Footwear worn by many a celeb at the time. So desperate for these was my friend she emailed me asking for staff discount. How she had the nerve I do not know. I asked her to call me with her card details so that I could process the payment over the phone. She EVEN wanted more than one pair. I was civil while we did the transaction and haven't spoken to her since. Her having the nerve to do that told me the measure of her. And the fact she didn't question why we hadn't spoken in so long either before during or since that call, showed me that he had told her what a mess he'd made. I doubt he told her everything he'd done / not done, maybe her guilt was just based on him admitting he made a hole in my kitchen wall. I don't know, I'll never know.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But I thought I was done with bathroom karma and incompetent plumbers until our next experience this time in our new home. Except this was real DIY and this time I hadn't paid for it. The previous owner here decided to do some plumbing himself, in fact that's not the only thing he did, but let's just deal with bathrooms in this blog post. Underneath the bath the pipe he installed and bought was not long enough and not being a professional he didn't join the 2 together how a plumber would and after a couple of years the 2 separated but it was on a night when my 2 kids had a large bath. Once they took out the plug the water went under the bath and half of it went down through the join between the two pipes and basically flooded the downstairs toilet in the room below. Unfortunately the point of access was the downstairs toilet light and as well all know, electricals and water don't mix, so the fuse box for the whole of downstairs basically banged but before it did, there was the beginnings of an electrical fire and the smouldering, smell and smoke of one. I've never been so frightened. 2 fire brigades came. To this day I still can't bare that smouldering smell of electricals getting hot. So now whenever someone nearby is burning something in their back garden and the smell comes through my windows I panic until I confirm the source of the smell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The thing is, kids have baths before bed and I was sleeping with them. By the time the water sufficiently filtered through to start the electrical fire I would have been asleep and who knows what might have happened. But THANK GOD I was chatting to my Dad and had to say to him "I've got to go I can smell burning". By this point both kids were already asleep. Yes I know you are going to say that when I came down I heard the large bang of the circuit shorting the fuse box, but the light fitting was still smouldering and smoking and it had wooden ceiling joints/joists right next to it, which could have set alight. Yes the fact that they were wet might have made this an impossibility but what if ones to one side were and ones to the other side weren't and what if one side caught alight and whipped up a fire throughout all of the floorboards between upstairs and down. I can't bare to think about what MAY have happened had I not been awake talking to my Dad, so as to smell the smoke and do something about it. I might add the downstairs light was NOT ON and yet this still happened. The firemen when they came were amazing even taking Aaron to see the inside of the truck whilst we investigated everything. They even installed smoke alarms before they left and removed the light fitting completely from the ceiling of the downstairs toilet. They even removed the side of the bath and the offending plumbing work on the adjoining waste pipe so that I could not only get it fixed but know exactly what I was requesting of a plumber when I'd make the booking. Brilliant service from our local Fire Brigade I really felt in safe hands like you should do too when employing professionals to do work in your home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So seriously promise me you will only get electrics and plumbing done by professionals. The problems with any time of work in the home is that the problems don't always materialise immediately so it's best to work with professionals who firstly KNOW what they are doing - remember how this post started - more DIYIQ and less DIY. At lease professionals have the right qualifications, experience and insurance. Also their workload is only as good as their reputation so it is in their interests to do a good and professional job.</span></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-20214686462289879772019-06-27T10:01:00.000+01:002019-06-27T10:01:11.332+01:00Tyres Fit for a Long Drive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">School's out for the Summer is an imminent reality - we break up Friday 19th July - it's less than a month away. For us that means lots of exciting far flung road trips in the car , high adrenaline, high volume (my poor ears maybe those ear defenders from Monster Trucks will be useful) and lots of exploring. For Daddy that means checking that the car is indeed road worthy. Precious cargo don't you know!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In our house the first point of call when getting ready for a long drive is always checking the tyres. Daddy literally will not get on the motorway without visiting the petrol station to check that each and every tyre is the correct pressure - he's got a real thing about it. Me on the other hand I'm only concerned with fuel: </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">are we fed before we leave? - tick</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">are we hydrated before we leave? - tick</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">have I packed food for everyone? - tick</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">have I packed drinks for everyone? - tick</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">has Daddy filled up? - tick</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">These checks are all things that have only become routine since becoming a parent, due to the fact that 100 yards down the road, shortly after leaving home, Aaron can always be heard to say "Mummy I'm hungry" and now of course, he has a sibling so I hear it in stereo sound with Lottie accompanying him. So yeah I think fuel, so I will be known to say to Daddy "have you filled up?" and I'll always be caught grumbling under my breath if he does so en route as I am a great believer in filling up the night before. I'm on my third decade now of telling him that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">The temperatures are changing and that can have an adverse effect on tyres, causing concern for road safety. There's only so much you can do with a worn tyre - checking the pressure won't fix a bald patch, which is illegal to drive with anyway. Yes, most of us have a spare, but once used, the spare also needs replacing and routinely so do any tyres. You know, no matter how many miles you drive, even aging tyres can be of concern for that car that's only driven at weekends, even if the car hasn't undergone a great deal of mileage. On average tyres last 3 to 4 years. When we consider our response to a danger on the road we immediately think of braking but in reality besides the brakes themselves it is the tyres that enable the car to actually safely come to a halt. Worn tyres with low tread depth and uneven wear and rear can cause tyres to lose traction in braking causing the vehicle to lose control hindering the effectiveness of braking at all.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">All this talk about driving reminds me of Terence's Driving School where Aaron got his first ever real feel of driving a vehicle. No wonder he adores Thomas Land so much - we've only been there about 8 times... just look at his adorable face. I think on visits before this one his feet used to struggle to reach the pedal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We love nothing more than a day out at Thomas Land, Drayton Manor, and thankfully Lottie likes it there too. On the way to Birmingham from Bristol it's convenient to go via Northampton and visit friends en route, Northampton being the perfect spot to stop for tyres and other car services at </span><a href="https://www.calmactyres.co.uk/" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Calmac Tyres Autocentre</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> who have expert tyre technicians to ensure our family car is good to go for the remainder of the onward car journey. They stock many of the leading brands including Pirelli, Continental, Dunlop, Bridgestone and Michelin and Maxxis as well as excellent quality alternatives. Even our fussy Daddy will be impressed. No matter the make, model or tyre size they can help and the tyres can even be ordered online in advance for convenience. So the main priority is to keep Daddy smiling behind the wheel just like Aaron is above, so the rest of us can concentrate on having fun and being noisy without disturbing his sanity too much LOL. Roll on the 6 weeks Summer holidays and giving Daddy a few more grey hairs.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'm actually grateful Daddy is so conscious of road safety and checking the tyres - tyres after all are the only thing that makes contact with the road and their responsiveness is EVERYTHING in a collision. Ultimately we can't control how those near us drive but we can ensure we're best placed to react accordingly to brake or get out of the way, should the worst happen. Wishing you all many safe journeys, lots of love, Liska</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Collaboration</span></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-89249073476954395202019-05-30T16:19:00.000+01:002019-05-30T17:28:02.438+01:00Cardiff Monster Trucks Monster Jam What you Need to Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMb5c7MXMJtcQM0xt1jM0lNVpfQVJAS3oGBk0fH88MBTskajx4HsL7fkyGApaglCdlpfs4XUjBukWQwWzxXsut7Qpd4vDiFfje1bwiRf6oQy8UIRq2yUkcmjrOV8pJEb_aLF2uNzrxBFG/s1600/Cardiff+Monster+Trucks+Ear+Defenders.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMb5c7MXMJtcQM0xt1jM0lNVpfQVJAS3oGBk0fH88MBTskajx4HsL7fkyGApaglCdlpfs4XUjBukWQwWzxXsut7Qpd4vDiFfje1bwiRf6oQy8UIRq2yUkcmjrOV8pJEb_aLF2uNzrxBFG/s1600/Cardiff+Monster+Trucks+Ear+Defenders.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;">Getting there</b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We've never been to something like <b><a href="https://www.principalitystadium.wales/event/monster-jam/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Monster Trucks</a></b> before, so we were very badly prepared. Thank God we were aiming to arrive in time for the pit party (last admission strictly 12:30) as the roads in Cardiff near the stadium close at strictly 1pm and we weren't aware of this. The only reason we got into the city in time was in our endeavour to get to the pit party; had we been arriving just in time for the 15:00 hrs show itself we'd have been locked out of the inner city. There is a park and ride, so no doubt we'd have found a way, but it would have been last minute, hectic, rushed and no doubt we'd have missed half the show. Oh and all with a 3 year old in tow, eeek. Lots of people I met (I'm a chatterbox) had stayed the night before - these are seasoned people who go year in year out and make a mini break of it. We drove from Bristol and didn't hit much traffic. We couldn't leave earlier as it was Aaron's awards day at his football club, so we had to drop him off at a friend's at 10:45 and then head off, which as it was was a favour as the awards didn't actually start till midday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Rather embarrassingly the Web page I link to on the words Monster Trucks above, does link to all the information about parking and road closures I would have ever needed but I didn't think to do that type of prep as I was so focussed on getting everyone ready and worrying about whether it was okay for Aaron to go to his football awards without us, or us to Monster Trucks without him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I digress, back to getting there, and specifically by car, from England...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">... interesting fact I had NO IDEA that the <b>Severn Bridge</b> has been renamed the <b>Prince of Wales bridge</b> amongst much <a href="https://www.walesartsreview.org/the-prince-of-wales-bridge-the-symbolism-of-a-sign/" target="_blank">controversy</a>! It seems they took the opportunity to do that once the tolls had fully repaid the cost of building it. It's now TOLL FREE TO ENTER WALES. It was built in 1996 at a cost of 100 million pounds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I ended up going to the Pit Party by myself as the sat nav took us to a NCP carpark on Westgate Street and as we drove into it, I hopped out to collect our free Press tickets from the WRU shop - also on Westgate Street which I spotted (actually I think that was the destination I entered in the sat nav, so no surprise there LOL). I thought once parked, Lottie, Daddy and my Mum would catch me up but in the carpark they were told it wouldn't reopen till 1900 hours and Daddy was worried that'd make us late back for collecting Aaron. So he left the carpark and got trapped in inner city traffic as the road closure loomed closer. I rung my Mum (hello international charges she was here on holiday) and asked her to tell the hubby to dash back to the carpark before the road closure set in as I was assured by someone else in high vis, that the carpark would open at 1800 hrs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I stood outside Prinicipality Stadium anxious, feeling like Aneka Rice, panicking as to whether they would park in time as it was very close to 12:30, the last admission for the Pit Party, and I knew they'd be on the top floor of the multistorey carpark, being Daddy always goes high.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As the clock approached 12:30, knowing I needed time to go through security, with a heavy heart I entered alone, having a yellow plastic cable tie strap placed on each of my checked bags, only to be rung by my famalam at 12:35 saying they were parked and ready to enter. I said I'll grab a few pics for the blog "wait for me"..... I rung the PR and asked "pppplllllleeeeeeaaaaasssse can you escort them through security" but it was a strict noooooooooooooooooo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We parked in the NCP directly opposite Principality Stadium, but gulped a few hours later upon exit as it was a huge £25 for the day. I've now done some research and you can get it cheaper if you prebook, you can even get a parking season ticket if you are a regular. Clearly there's always the park and ride option too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'm told by people I met in the Pit Party, that you have to book it when you book your tickets (I was there as a blogger with complimentary press tickets so was unaware of this, as are some others it seems). So if you want to get up close and personal with the trucks and drivers themselves, do pre book the Pity Party when you book your Monster Jam Monster Trucks tickets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I've just pretended to buy tickets for</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sat 8 Jun 2019 @ 3:00 pm<br />Ricoh Arena - Stadium, Coventry</span></b></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">and after choosing seats, there is an option to add a "Pit Pass" and it is £12 per person.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Please note, it does say LOW AVAILABILITY so book soon to secure a seat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #353c42; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">You must have a valid event ticket and Party in the Pits ticket to enter the venue. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #353c42; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><b>Monster Jam Party in the Pits</b> is a significant part of the Monster Jam experience, where the drivers and vehicles are completely open to the fans, providing unprecedented access to the drivers, where fans can get their autographs, take photos and see the trucks up close.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our NCP Carpark was PERFECT for the Pit Party as you can access it via gates 2 and 3 right opposite our Westgate Street carpark. However once we had lunch, we then went there again only to realise it said gate 7 on my ticket as the event is seated. Cue a long walk round the corner, which thankfully we had time for as I am always early for EVERYTHING.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The significance of attending the Pit Party came later when we were sat up in the Gods and my Mum thought the Trucks were so tiny (perspective) and I had to say to my Mum "noooo I have stood next to them they are huge". Given that people (who looked like ants in comparison) kept running up to them each time they stunted and turned over, I thought she may have guessed lol! But yes, attending the Pit Party is an integral part of the day and the excitement, so I wish when I hopped out to go to the WRU Shop to collect our tickets that my Mum and Lottie came with me, and left Daddy to park alone. Although he did admit later he'd love to have gone to it too. Had he stayed in the NCP carpark on arrival, I think they'd have JUST made it, but he left to investigate other options when he found out the carpark would be closed for exit until 1900 hrs as he knew we needed to get back to Aaron. Had we not had a double booking in our diary, it wouldn't have even been a concern.... hey ho!</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMU8NSxU69p9xEnxCYjnn3rKscCN-I0HJJzWXzikyuAJ4WQQ_ttyeNN_7orm_bxBMBZ5YP1vXnNsaO7e8AQqvQNydZbGtcg3b0pX8TnHcmn4wV_sYfTK-1lqJi4n1Zfw5AiCbVHcrhFHuS/s1600/Monster+Trucks+being+assisted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMU8NSxU69p9xEnxCYjnn3rKscCN-I0HJJzWXzikyuAJ4WQQ_ttyeNN_7orm_bxBMBZ5YP1vXnNsaO7e8AQqvQNydZbGtcg3b0pX8TnHcmn4wV_sYfTK-1lqJi4n1Zfw5AiCbVHcrhFHuS/s1600/Monster+Trucks+being+assisted.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">Eating</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Having left the pit party on Westgate Street it would have been so easy to eat there, but the 2 places we popped into didn't serve coffee and my Mum was desperate for one. We were advised to pop down a side road that lead to House of Fraser and that took us onto a main high street where we headed for McDonalds but the queue was literally out the door. We wandered down the street to find an empty Pie Minister and it had outdoor seating which we really enjoyed. The food was delicious too and gobbled up by us all. Yes it was triple the price of McDonald's but kept us full for way longer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">Access to your gate</span></b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Note that your seat gate for event access (it's a seated event) may not be the same gate you access for the Pit Party. We had a long walk around the corner to gate 7 as stated on our ticket, which I only realised when we were already at gate 3 yikes. If only I had glanced at the tickets whilst we'd had an ever so leisurely relaxed lunch. No matter, I'd allowed plenty of time for queuing to get in, so this was used for walking instead. Thank God Lottie kept up and didn't ask to be carried. Amazing considering we had no wheels with us. As it was, when we arrived at gate 7 there was little to no queueing so we had time to go through security and be relaxed we'd be seated in time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ironically despite feeling as if we were going round the back, the riverside entrance our long walk to gate 7 took us to looked a lot more official, than the WRU side, which having felt on arrival like the main entrance now felt like a backstreet in comparison. The entrance we were now at had a huge cinema and felt like a typical entertainment park, like you increasingly see all around the country now. I've even recently seen a new one at Weston Super Mare.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mum telling security all about her experience at airport security!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">Ear defenders</span></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">When I'd met my famalan crew after the Pit Party Daddy got pounced on by a street trader - okay not literally, he did show an interest in the ear defenders - and such was his sales patter Daddy bought TWO PAIRS!!! So Lottie already had these during lunch, as per the photograph at the top of this blog post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">A couple of funny things happened. Once at the event, where I had forewarned my husband that only children would need ear defenders, he took one listen to the volume and marched out to get a pair of his very own - Lottie and my Mum had grabbed the two red and black pairs.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04rsrmc_1uGebcLjl7Rl3_6vpPJ-CrOh2Esi083i548CLKDXMQbhDcVg7mNWAMON4Tp7USNvtoAr-1ipGg-PR4RWjNPB57W89tYlgCteszw2UvT4DwbiPOXyo6DIrD_C_aEzJzxy9yM4b/s1600/Monster+Trucks+Cardiff+riveted+on+show.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04rsrmc_1uGebcLjl7Rl3_6vpPJ-CrOh2Esi083i548CLKDXMQbhDcVg7mNWAMON4Tp7USNvtoAr-1ipGg-PR4RWjNPB57W89tYlgCteszw2UvT4DwbiPOXyo6DIrD_C_aEzJzxy9yM4b/s1600/Monster+Trucks+Cardiff+riveted+on+show.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However, the pair Daddy got, were bright yellow and themed for Monster Trucks so the second he arrived back at his seat Lottie grabbed them for hers. With big wheel ears she looked SUCH a cutie. The street trader red ones were £8 and these Principality Stadium official ones were £20 - gulps - the cost of the day was ever increasing. I nearly fainted when I saw how cheap ear defenders are online, so do buy them in advance if you ever plan on going or borrow some.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh and the other funny thing, the lady seated behind us, didn't want to have to see us buy TWO MORE pairs when she could see we'd already bought two, so she gave me brand new ear plugs that literally insert into the ears and expand. I loved them. She gets them from her husband who was also at the event as he is an aeronautical engineer.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">What Did We Think of the Show</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My Mum built up a rapport with the drivers in the sense that she watched all the large screen footage between performances and took note of all of their scores and the competitive side of it. She therefore knew her favourites and was very enthusiastic to wave at the drivers as they exited their trucks. Alas the stadium had largely emptied by this point so my Mum waved even more furiously as she felt sad for them that all the crowds had largely gone. I never in a million years expected her to get as engaged in the event as she did - I think she even surprised herself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My Mum really kept her eye on the scores and here are the actual results: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.monsterjam.com/en-US/results/cardiff-wales-may-18-principality-stadium" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.monsterjam.com/en-US/results/cardiff-wales-may-18-principality-stadium</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjN3RGB1xhQmL45pgDyHUzbpl-6EnlXTkJ5B7HiplicVdSFjH2N4aimrGcnWtPuiio3PAMSlZNC7HcY0SqvTH86q4ySME8HjpVSDhT1iumhtveKG7pYBlmc0ioYRtKF_vOpdtJvi8s6Mb/s1600/Cardiff+Monster+Trucks+mum+waves+at+all+the+drivers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjN3RGB1xhQmL45pgDyHUzbpl-6EnlXTkJ5B7HiplicVdSFjH2N4aimrGcnWtPuiio3PAMSlZNC7HcY0SqvTH86q4ySME8HjpVSDhT1iumhtveKG7pYBlmc0ioYRtKF_vOpdtJvi8s6Mb/s1600/Cardiff+Monster+Trucks+mum+waves+at+all+the+drivers.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Lottie was easy to mind during the show, as despite being 3 years of age, she was transfixed. In fact there were MANY younger viewers, so I wouldn't hesitate to bring little ones, be they girls or boys. Just make sure to have ear defenders.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I was very pleased after all the driving, expense, and hassle parking that Daddy truly loved it too.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6pZaEVA8iRvDWtlMqpWkFoTqhP_-pi6U9xi1tMP3cnXrfaffvfKegWxyP-JCfXDMVt1V8ymN0xBPbFqn7x4R635wzInF-S96IpZYsfDsaTPilRWPgZD7V18qbWvb14oDYjS-j8G6cFm2/s1600/Grave+Digger+our+favourite+Monster+Truck.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6pZaEVA8iRvDWtlMqpWkFoTqhP_-pi6U9xi1tMP3cnXrfaffvfKegWxyP-JCfXDMVt1V8ymN0xBPbFqn7x4R635wzInF-S96IpZYsfDsaTPilRWPgZD7V18qbWvb14oDYjS-j8G6cFm2/s1600/Grave+Digger+our+favourite+Monster+Truck.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">All that remains is WHAT DID I THINK OF IT...? Well, I loved that there was some drama and theatre in it. The trucks quite frequently stunt over and end up on their backs. The theatre of seeing the rescue vehicles come out and turn them back over is all part of the spectacle. The 1st time it happens it is scary as you automatically think the worst and think the truck will explode or that the driver will get hurt. But the second it becomes clear that safety is paramount it is very interesting to see how quickly they get these big beasts back on their </span><strike style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">feet</strike><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> wheels.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIZb8RkES-3_UM6_zsCFA8YU6kXIsZXokk7f7MZ7CMSm54YTuoDd8F2MswSVl00Aa1PoLSgPMG-mSafEG5m7hSVrjNqfLRkPbIgTH_2IuY4zdRDNgREBgZKPZiCn5nNg3Z5Ucbd0t0r-H/s1600/Scooby+Doo+falls+over+Monster+Trucks+Cardiff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIZb8RkES-3_UM6_zsCFA8YU6kXIsZXokk7f7MZ7CMSm54YTuoDd8F2MswSVl00Aa1PoLSgPMG-mSafEG5m7hSVrjNqfLRkPbIgTH_2IuY4zdRDNgREBgZKPZiCn5nNg3Z5Ucbd0t0r-H/s1600/Scooby+Doo+falls+over+Monster+Trucks+Cardiff.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I loved the bonus, that there is a motorbike stunts section too (I didn't get any great photos so do search for Monster Trucks Cardiff 2019 on youtube and you will see lots of great footage), something I wasn't at all expecting. It was high in the air, high risk, adrenaline filled, acrobatic, but here within comes a criticism</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">. The bikes are straight after the interval. All we did was go to the loo get some drinks and by the time we came back hubby said we'd missed quite a bit of it. As the standard of it was SO HIGH I was gutted to hear this. As it was, I expected the event to be 2.5 hours not 2 so I think the interval could do with being 10 minutes longer.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TzvfnU-RTMiR7O0v6t5VyV5rMjIYUBNEFBGqcwFPqd4AtKqTbPYva1H3yleEobpwUprLHAMwQ94tcMXZOuLR42gyziRjsb5DLL40RsMAhSsatXGlT1OjWFQfxGO0vkXY3nBeMvwBcWNm/s1600/20190518_155014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="EVENT CHAMPION El Toro Loco Cardiff Monster Trucks 2019" border="0" data-original-height="1516" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TzvfnU-RTMiR7O0v6t5VyV5rMjIYUBNEFBGqcwFPqd4AtKqTbPYva1H3yleEobpwUprLHAMwQ94tcMXZOuLR42gyziRjsb5DLL40RsMAhSsatXGlT1OjWFQfxGO0vkXY3nBeMvwBcWNm/s1600/20190518_155014.jpg" title="EVENT CHAMPION El Toro Loco Cardiff Monster Trucks 2019" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As you can see below my Mum and my Lottie both gave Monster Trucks a huge thumbs up and we were one of the last to leave.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrUypVrqhPKEPBAI5tFuosr6v4zOe5cUPSHShFADMx47i-_1ikWKez1Zv3-2g4_sbNNNStxpReaThDn0EGwuStr_JPpEglpnxJF3AFrgrxxSIQD3iZyBR6w84xprrpwFKFPKr1n21cNz8/s1600/Mum+and+lottie+gave+Monster+Trucks+a+thumbs+up.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrUypVrqhPKEPBAI5tFuosr6v4zOe5cUPSHShFADMx47i-_1ikWKez1Zv3-2g4_sbNNNStxpReaThDn0EGwuStr_JPpEglpnxJF3AFrgrxxSIQD3iZyBR6w84xprrpwFKFPKr1n21cNz8/s1600/Mum+and+lottie+gave+Monster+Trucks+a+thumbs+up.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It was a great adrenaline filled edge of your seat, thrilling day out seeing something we'd not seen before and going to a stadium. It was wonderful being able to show my Mum something different during her holiday with us. It was a very expensive day out though despite our free admission.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFOVUcHVB5wKEiR3zFd-TcRlVLty5S5mazbCI8UkPWe0hAOF7pwjHqzpgvKudIEzROE89nndNhofUysyHlVXskWkHeEysnBBO3wNK40N2r9qUy7eQRTwMiJ0kzgBnfR95qCAAJJWCt_gv/s1600/Mum+and+Lottie+outside+Principality+Stadium.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFOVUcHVB5wKEiR3zFd-TcRlVLty5S5mazbCI8UkPWe0hAOF7pwjHqzpgvKudIEzROE89nndNhofUysyHlVXskWkHeEysnBBO3wNK40N2r9qUy7eQRTwMiJ0kzgBnfR95qCAAJJWCt_gv/s1600/Mum+and+Lottie+outside+Principality+Stadium.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">Getting home and queue to get out</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So the big question did the carpark reopen at 1800 as I was advised or 1900 as hubby was advised.... Well it was a bit of both. Just before 6pm we were at the top of a long queue to pay for parking at which point hubby let us go ahead to the 11th floor to take a seat in the car. We were then in such a long queue to descend the floors of the car park, that by the time we exited the car park, as per the photo below it was actually 1848. It's then a 50 minute drive to Bristol and we were at Aaron's long finished football awards ceremony by 1935 so not bad, not bad at all and little or no traffic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh and what I didn't say, during the Monster Jam, Monster Trucks show, 2 friends, fellow football Mums, messaged to say that Aaron won Manager's Choice Player of the year for his age group. So I cried in the middle of Principality Stadium and it took ages for me to stop and tell my Mum and Husband that I was crying about a good thing. So thank God we left Aaron behind so that he could collect his award in person as we had no idea he was going to get this or anything remotely close. A great end to a great football year. He's improved so much it's insane.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2dlkY2Y4rqaUwWoeFcaOge-1yJenSCDhtbX_kX8GGfOIDrBEwT3eq4SCsRXJwpVm_yQ5SB-feI8ZxFq9yIQM4ndL14qUuKx4DSPz9gnNIiEAp7yE2vc8ivDMAQp1LoN1u9sg9SuZaW8i/s1600/Aaron+and+his+football+awards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2dlkY2Y4rqaUwWoeFcaOge-1yJenSCDhtbX_kX8GGfOIDrBEwT3eq4SCsRXJwpVm_yQ5SB-feI8ZxFq9yIQM4ndL14qUuKx4DSPz9gnNIiEAp7yE2vc8ivDMAQp1LoN1u9sg9SuZaW8i/s1600/Aaron+and+his+football+awards.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Disclosure</span></u></b>: We did receive free admission for both the Monster Trucks event and the Pit Party beforehand. All expenses (travel, food and ear defenders) we covered ourselves and any exposure I give the event has not been paid for, neither have we been told what to say. I have retained all editorial control with my review and we did genuinely enjoy it. I could see that everyone around us did too. I will do an Instagram post and feel bad that I haven't already done so. I hope you got something from reading my review I have tried to make it as thorough, comprehensive and helpful as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Bye for now, Liska xxxxxxxxxxxxx</span></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-11602415722738557302019-04-27T00:27:00.000+01:002019-04-27T00:27:54.905+01:00UK Road Trip Through Yorkshire Whilst Needing an MOT<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Have you ever covered a lot of ground across the UK by road? 265 miles to be precise. We did just that a couple of years ago and just before Christmas too. We were due to get an MOT at the time and planned that into our itinerary, making sure we got a recommendation for somewhere reliable, as it's not something you let lapse especially not when travelling long distances with children for a much anticipated family trip. We always check the tyre pressure and water etc... before heading out, every single time we go on a long journey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We went from London to York. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">And then on from York to Scarborough.... </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Actually my middle aged memory does not serve me right I think we went London to Scarborough and then York on the way home... best read the old blog posts and remind myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway in York we were blessed to be able to review <a href="https://www.newmumonline.co.uk/2014/12/york-premier-inn-blossom-street-south.html" target="_blank">Premier Inn</a> and during the 1st weekend of St Nick's Xmas Market no less.</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtMk3Lj7nJrnZw-eNO_b0vKxRgJkCxVdhBy0okWqIskYvvDkQ9_lxDiaxvNQ-c9a28Tlam3xzkOFzaMQnHdFbdYtaTsDG_1XW0jsP4gEdrDDfEIDTUMoUfirLFhx6alX0-2hdQCscB0HU/s1600/Premier+Inn+York+near+Leeman+Street.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtMk3Lj7nJrnZw-eNO_b0vKxRgJkCxVdhBy0okWqIskYvvDkQ9_lxDiaxvNQ-c9a28Tlam3xzkOFzaMQnHdFbdYtaTsDG_1XW0jsP4gEdrDDfEIDTUMoUfirLFhx6alX0-2hdQCscB0HU/s1600/Premier+Inn+York+near+Leeman+Street.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzHouY2EDX45olBARqUNd_8UlkjzVqT5XZykujEsnZ7dI9vVP5laDpk1BPNiiPtC4l2aWQ5xrrESCs7u1K2wmKVEDZgM7W60jBInQ6rd0As76Pm4kFEKt4r_wxAMOn9TodigCCV6Aiyhi/s1600/Table+Table+at+York+Blossom+Street+South.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzHouY2EDX45olBARqUNd_8UlkjzVqT5XZykujEsnZ7dI9vVP5laDpk1BPNiiPtC4l2aWQ5xrrESCs7u1K2wmKVEDZgM7W60jBInQ6rd0As76Pm4kFEKt4r_wxAMOn9TodigCCV6Aiyhi/s1600/Table+Table+at+York+Blossom+Street+South.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8DJ7U9PCgmUErxdBsQSGjN1Hg7zATxTpparnetVp3cBiaRZKNZTC2sIigdfiTFUdQzp8yQM-Ax3buy1fxUKsmf4YTlpGrKuTgOJEqW7Y-duq-nUwnmb3Fx7Xtyhq_b1REIWzmfVJoE4B/s1600/Walking+back+to+York+Blossom+Street+Premier+Inn+at+Night.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8DJ7U9PCgmUErxdBsQSGjN1Hg7zATxTpparnetVp3cBiaRZKNZTC2sIigdfiTFUdQzp8yQM-Ax3buy1fxUKsmf4YTlpGrKuTgOJEqW7Y-duq-nUwnmb3Fx7Xtyhq_b1REIWzmfVJoE4B/s1600/Walking+back+to+York+Blossom+Street+Premier+Inn+at+Night.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In Scarborough we were blessed to review <a href="https://www.newmumonline.co.uk/2014/12/ox-pasture-hall-hotel-scarborough.html" target="_blank">Ox Pasture Hall Hotel</a>.</span></span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6G8YunUdeTnDd8NgmH800kUCz61bnKhFxO4Yo2RanEv1M_eR0dmh6qHbJeI5mxlJaSuXqk5dmGuOacjubcxcfYs6H3Z3SYNev30FG2wxl_1He4JIX3zfAXitZSJnOGzzO45fJCgzQK1mS/s1600/Grounds+of+Ox+Pasture+Hall+scarborough.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6G8YunUdeTnDd8NgmH800kUCz61bnKhFxO4Yo2RanEv1M_eR0dmh6qHbJeI5mxlJaSuXqk5dmGuOacjubcxcfYs6H3Z3SYNev30FG2wxl_1He4JIX3zfAXitZSJnOGzzO45fJCgzQK1mS/s1600/Grounds+of+Ox+Pasture+Hall+scarborough.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The problem was the decision of how exactly we would traverse all these "roads". Daddy desperately wanted to take the car for comfort and independence and I wanted him to use the Mega Bus given that we could then all be social and he could close his eyes if he needed to, given the amount of miles we would be covering. And actually had we taken the car we'd have done even more mileage as we'd have toured Scarborough instead of the alternative which was that we just enjoyed the boutique hotel we were reviewing and didn't see the surrounding area at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A visual guide at this point seems helpful:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9WuL1rJkZfUxmeDw7NLUpQpLvbIg7hZaTBs3Mxdexcx8SgWUNGrbeZ16v1P2JGYdWxShGP4TsGiModBC1G1hRmb5Ptmku0dVWGkjaF05wJQQuwbix8gS_Rb2beeFddsjJenkZuSmuogV/s1600/London+to+York+to+Scarborough+road+trip.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9WuL1rJkZfUxmeDw7NLUpQpLvbIg7hZaTBs3Mxdexcx8SgWUNGrbeZ16v1P2JGYdWxShGP4TsGiModBC1G1hRmb5Ptmku0dVWGkjaF05wJQQuwbix8gS_Rb2beeFddsjJenkZuSmuogV/s1600/London+to+York+to+Scarborough+road+trip.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I mark Ossett Tyre House above as that is where we looked into having our MOT done en route had we gone "down the road" (forgive the pun) of taking the car. To save your car from any damage book your MOT test in Dewsbury from <a href="https://www.ossetttyrehouse.co.uk/mot-dewsbury" target="_blank">Ossett Tyre House</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It came recommended when we decided we'd be travelling through Yorkshire. What they say on site:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We can help you save money by servicing the vehicle before you get the MOT Test to ensure the vehicle is in the right condition to pass the test, reducing the need for you to have to pay for a re test. MOT in Dewsbury provides you with the facility to book in your vehicle online at any desired time. We provide economical rates and professional services to ensure your car stays safe.<br />Simply enter your vehicle registration details into our easy to use online booking widget, select the preferred date and time and we will contact you to confirm the booking.<br />Here at Ossett Tyre house we will also send customers a reminder for the due date to ensure you are safe and legal!</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If a vehicle hasn't had an up to date MOT it can't be confirmed as being road worthy, which can compromise the safety of passengers which is no laughing matter at the best of times, but even more so as a parent when our children are such precious cargo. Accidents can be caused by unsafe cars. I'm old enough to remember my younger days in Ireland when MOTs were not compulsory - wow you should have seen some of the bangers on the road. Something you just don't see at all now. In fact they've gone to the other extreme and it always feels like people's cars are this year's or last year's. The NCT (National Car Test) was only introduced in Ireland as recently as 2000.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: left;">Compulsory</span><span style="text-align: left;"> car testing </span><span style="text-align: left;">was</span><span style="text-align: left;"> introduced in </span><span style="text-align: left;">Ireland</span><span style="text-align: left;"> in 2000 as part of an EU Directive that makes car testing </span><span style="text-align: left;">compulsory</span><span style="text-align: left;"> in all member states. Source: </span><a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/vehicle_standards/national_car_test.html">https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/vehicle_standards/national_car_test.html</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Without your current MOT you can be penalized in the UK and may have to pay a heavy fine, or fixed penalty notice:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: left;">The penalty for </span><b style="text-align: left;">driving</b><span style="text-align: left;"> without an MOT... No </span><b style="text-align: left;">points </b><span style="text-align: left;">are issued on a driver's licence although a fine is imposed by court of up to a </span><b style="text-align: left;">maximum</b><span style="text-align: left;"> of £1000. A fixed penalty notice is usually the method dealt with by Police which costs the driver £100.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wouldn't travel in a car with kids if the MOT is not done on time or if I have any doubt as to whether the car will pass it when due. The MOT ensures that both the interior and exterior of the car are functional. Mechanical and electrical aspects are covered along with the obvious, like the seat belts that are so important in the event of an accident.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Only an expert in MOT can provide you with the right solution and provide the fix to pass the car should it fail.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the end though we used Mega Bus for our UK road trip which had the positive that Daddy could sleep and Aaron could get out of his seat for the loo etc but also the negative that albeit seeming cheap, it actually wasn't at all when you added up all the legs of the journey given we had to change a couple of times. Literally our round trip was £200 which if you know how cheap Mega Bus is, is a lot! Also not bringing the car meant we had the headache of still needing to do the MOT upon our return.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Collaborative post.</span></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-22327096486567427542019-04-11T20:58:00.000+01:002019-04-15T13:07:07.205+01:00This is Not Just Easter this is a Marks and Spencer's Easter<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Dream come true to have access to unlimited chocolate and alcohol fizzy pop for an hour in beautiful Covent Garden :-) Lottie looked like a kid in a toy shop when upon arrival she was greeted with an Easter Egg Hunt. Warmly welcomed and issued with a basket to FILL and FILL it she did. We're still eating chocolate today 24 hours later. The older kids - my nieces and my son Aaron hung back and let Lottie dive in. Definitely she made up for their politeness. I was shouting out that at each "bush" or floral display she should leave a few for other children. She was hopping from each chocolate location to the next in a way that would have made the Easter Bunny himself proud.</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Breaking news: have you heard that Marks and Spencer have revived their "<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>This is Not Just</b></span>" ad campaign? Yeah I didn't know either till I saw the hashtag being used on Instagram after this Easter Press Show we attended.</span></div>
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Marks & Spencer has revived its much-loved <em style="box-sizing: border-box; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">This is Not Just</em> marketing campaign after a 12-year absence, with the launch of new adverts that give the strapline a modern twist.<br />
First launched in 2004, the campaign’s initial run helped boost M&S’s food business into the stratosphere and cemented its reputation as a premium food retailer.<br />
The new campaign also comes weeks after M&S unveiled a new deal with Ocado, which will see it step into online delivery for the first time once the partnership comes into effect in late 2020. M&S’s new set of <em style="box-sizing: border-box; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">This is Not Just</em> adverts were directed by Charlie Stebbings and Guy Manwaring, who spent four months creating them. The adverts also pay homage to the original campaign and all show various people in key moments daydreaming about items in the M&S food range.</blockquote>
Source: <a href="https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2019/04/ms-brings-back-this-is-not-just-food-campaign/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Retail Gazette Marks and Spencer brings back This is Not Just Food Campaign </a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">This is Not Just an Easter Egg Hunt Trail it's a Stunning Easter Meadow: </span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Venue @</span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/carousel_ldn/" target="_blank">carousel_ldn/</a><span style="font-size: small;"> Easter Egg "meadow" produced by </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/heaps_stacks/" target="_blank">@heaps_stacks/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Flowers by @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/clareloveblooms/" target="_blank">ClareLoveBlooms</a> via their meadow making flower fairy: @</span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/laura_c_benedict/" target="_blank">laura_c_benedict/</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Spot the Easter Eggs here (although maybe this was filmed after Lottie raided it as there doesn't appear to be nearly as many as when we arrived): </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwHzX-ABr5j/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">https://www.instagram.com/p/BwHzX-ABr5j/</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVIX0OoZCyUWynhk7eT-5nEAd3M0B8i-5T8mvC7H-e80OdsD0I1OW77Nn2JSDsGEk9cmensFHw0tI8NYI3PrUBoLf3DueTDaBx-0PeOfQ0pAAk8mTstr_-L5GfcptBgCsAg-2iFU5PTVI/s1600/DSC09292+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVIX0OoZCyUWynhk7eT-5nEAd3M0B8i-5T8mvC7H-e80OdsD0I1OW77Nn2JSDsGEk9cmensFHw0tI8NYI3PrUBoLf3DueTDaBx-0PeOfQ0pAAk8mTstr_-L5GfcptBgCsAg-2iFU5PTVI/s1600/DSC09292+%25282%2529.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">There was a professional photographer there so no doubt he has much classier versions of the above, but in their absence I will use my own pics, which are as good as I can get on my camera, made up for by Lottie's cuteness of course. Of course This is Not Just cute this is Lottie cute :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">For the adults we were greeted with Gold </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Crème Brulee Liqueur served IN cracked Easter Eggs as below. </span><b><span style="color: #e06666;">This is not just</span></b><span style="color: #333333;"> alcohol this is Marks and Spencer's alcohol. My Prosecco was bottomless too so all was good :-) I had a laugh with them as I thought someone had just put a thumb through a whole box of chocolate eggs. It took a lot of mingling over to Lottie and back for me to realise that being that they were ON a bar they contained a drink.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I tried the White Russian too after all it would be rude not to:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rtHcM9RbA-Dsry5o69Dx31W8N3PxP8sMXu9ze1aC3ghjKWvjWumwle0ua3Qi2bzi7RRVmUQCZaL_03L4dfWzTiWQuBSH363QBoPr2wHHCRBSy3WcUKZjdafUu04uwMhDc6XLpwq_nYcl/s1600/DSC09251+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rtHcM9RbA-Dsry5o69Dx31W8N3PxP8sMXu9ze1aC3ghjKWvjWumwle0ua3Qi2bzi7RRVmUQCZaL_03L4dfWzTiWQuBSH363QBoPr2wHHCRBSy3WcUKZjdafUu04uwMhDc6XLpwq_nYcl/s1600/DSC09251+%25282%2529.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">This is Not Just a Boiled Egg These are Marks and Spencer's White Chocolate and Passion fruit Eggs</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The hashtag at the event was #<a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/mymarksfave/" target="_blank">MyMarksFave</a> and I have to say without a doubt, hands down these were MINE.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><a href="https://www.marksandspencer.com/6-white-chocolate-and-passionfruit-eggs-serves-6-pre-order-for-easter-collection-18th-20th-april-/p/p60279116" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">6 White Chocolate & Passionfruit Eggs</a> - Serves 6 (Pre-order for Easter collection 18th-20th April) are £12 for six. Be quick they are currently sold out.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz57w-CdtGSWalW52QJK8vF2LyXHjBxcX9uOVPtKSKQlnIga40ZbMv53nS_c6DcU6vlmeWh085dDKlBvi7qN3jC1tGPaR5QYGt9FdgPNVGKHxU2nrKhXDiPrDHDvuzNWaxCgniinz_z_03/s1600/Marks+and+Spencer+Prosecco+and+Egg+Liska+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz57w-CdtGSWalW52QJK8vF2LyXHjBxcX9uOVPtKSKQlnIga40ZbMv53nS_c6DcU6vlmeWh085dDKlBvi7qN3jC1tGPaR5QYGt9FdgPNVGKHxU2nrKhXDiPrDHDvuzNWaxCgniinz_z_03/s1600/Marks+and+Spencer+Prosecco+and+Egg+Liska+.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">This is not just cake This is a Marks and Spencer Easter Cracked Egg Cake</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSftEgS-O72787IE6kbqkhYLZULTElWK_xxZEEImmUuGAz8X9lfeivTrYm-ljM8xb5Q9Jt1TK0cVcPVVqfb5Gxv_9izGfmx1UMMlBQmd3EDREcM5-FmfqDykXFWj1ZK0T9bPHWpjk2PuUS/s1600/Easter+cracked+egg+cake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSftEgS-O72787IE6kbqkhYLZULTElWK_xxZEEImmUuGAz8X9lfeivTrYm-ljM8xb5Q9Jt1TK0cVcPVVqfb5Gxv_9izGfmx1UMMlBQmd3EDREcM5-FmfqDykXFWj1ZK0T9bPHWpjk2PuUS/s1600/Easter+cracked+egg+cake.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I didn't personally taste this cake but I did fall in love with this <a href="https://www.marksandspencer.com/easter-cracked-egg-cake-serves-12-pre-order-for-easter-collection-18th-20th-april-/p/p60282793" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Easter Cracked Egg Cake</a> it and take the above photo. What I can tell you is that it retails at £15 and I think you'll agree is a show stopper for any table.</span></div>
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Layers of sponge filled with strawberry jam and buttercream, decorated with vanilla flecked buttercream, a cracked white chocolate egg and icing.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">This is not just an Easter Egg this is a Marks and Spencer Chicky Chicky Bang Bang BBC Good Food Winner Egg</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marks & Spencer says:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our cute Chicky Chicky Bang Bang egg is made for sharing – smash the creamy milk chocolate exterior and let everyone tuck in to the candy-covered Mini Speckled Eggs.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It even got the seal of approval from BBC Good Food, who named it the Best Kids’ Egg in this year’s Easter Taste Awards, saying it was “ideal for an Easter egg hunt”. Pick up Chicky in store now and take one home in time for your Easter celebrations.</span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQoxHsYIm5dDEZgTpP4xzBzca0f_h0DWyfH5K8S4AsiI7S_VHZLDucWQiJr1OIWHJfD5DDPna5H8g4MDg5vif3C3Ex14-zKIHbvdS0mr4K2Kj1RtI8eII38r3vbG4lfhY3NNDR2jYVWVh/s1600/Chicky+Chicky+Bang+Bang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQoxHsYIm5dDEZgTpP4xzBzca0f_h0DWyfH5K8S4AsiI7S_VHZLDucWQiJr1OIWHJfD5DDPna5H8g4MDg5vif3C3Ex14-zKIHbvdS0mr4K2Kj1RtI8eII38r3vbG4lfhY3NNDR2jYVWVh/s1600/Chicky+Chicky+Bang+Bang.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8-4-SwZIStr4ePC5hjc5JLQJ6TiF8PGijmi8dF5jTujwAVnTmnkjTHaoabWys_cZSAinhWWcj_Ungk7Fpf8e7HoeL-G-gzWztlWwyFxcl_sWFj5Qo9FmRA5n_FqtmByriU4g9xU8zPXy/s1600/Chicky+Chicky+Bang+Bang+Good+Food+Winner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8-4-SwZIStr4ePC5hjc5JLQJ6TiF8PGijmi8dF5jTujwAVnTmnkjTHaoabWys_cZSAinhWWcj_Ungk7Fpf8e7HoeL-G-gzWztlWwyFxcl_sWFj5Qo9FmRA5n_FqtmByriU4g9xU8zPXy/s1600/Chicky+Chicky+Bang+Bang+Good+Food+Winner.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: justify;">This is not just hair this is Easter hair</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Before the Marks and Spencer Easter Press Show we had been at the London Transport Museum for a few hours, being that it is in Covent Garden too and so between the two Lottie had a costume change and her </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwF2gI0FXKI/" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Fairy God Mother</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> did her hair as below.......</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A day spent in Covent Garden called for something special. Lottie's God Mother came up with this beautiful hair design. I need to learn it myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'm so glad she changed from jeans to a dress as it suited the Easter Egg Hunt meadow down to a tee.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>We were gifted a Moonbeam the Unicorn Egg each but this is what Marks and Spencer has to say about their range of kids' eggs below. I will update this post with a pic of us and our eggs but currently I am saving them for Easter Sunday.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">These are not just Easter treats...</span>Little and big kids alike will love the cast of chocolatey characters you'll find in store this Easter. Stars of the show are our new hand-decorated Angus the Bull and Moonbeam the Unicorn eggs, made with creamy milk and white chocolate.<br />
If you’re planning an egg hunt with the family, there are plenty of tempting bite-size treats to squirrel away – look out for our trio of hand-painted eggs, milk chocolate Cheeky Chicks and foil-covered Choccy Eggs. And don't forget to invite our award-winning Chicky Chicky Bang Bang egg and chilled-out Yoga Bunny egg along.</blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">DISCLOSURE:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We were gifted our entrance to the Marks and Spencer Easter Press Show and given refreshments whilst there. We also received a goodie bag each as photographed, containing a packet of Hot Cross Buns each and an Easter Egg each. We are working our way through the Hot Cross Buns - there are NINE varieties including SALTED CARAMEL (I know!!!!) and there is a 10th in the form of a Hot Cross LOAF!!!!! Alas I didn't get any decent photos that I am happy with of the hot cross buns. Marks and Spencer Food thanks so much for inviting us. I wasn't obliged to write this but after such a GREAT time had by all of us, I surely couldn't not.</span><br />
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New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-8440691628740101022019-04-07T23:41:00.001+01:002019-04-08T00:32:11.343+01:00Amazon Adventure IMAX London Review April 2019<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ad: Arriving at the IMAX this morning - pic below - for <a href="http://amazonadventurefilm.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon Adventure 3D</a> "a true story of scientific discovery" which was truly amazing. We are clearly not as experienced as Henry Bates (the star of the movie) at exploring, as we circled the formidable eye catching IMAX building prior to realising there were no ground level access points and we needed to find subway entrances. Hey with kids it was an "adventure" forgive the pun and Lottie was very excited with the illuminated tunnels. Besides given that I get everywhere early, even with that diversion we were still 30 minutes early, but allowed in by security yay!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Aaron was thrilled with the place and wanted to pose with everything. He now obviously wants to see Shazam too:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We took every opportunity we could for a photo.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuov4A-nLGGLqxPtL5K-JqCj1G679cMLt0VhTgSEI9HgA2vWk86Xe4FqZ7nmJESYuHZ_6dT11bInfABjBhuYhy9f3FiWRsW_DqsCny3uXgKtv7Fhn_tiX-FP0F8ZQ6Veu4JIOdTKHpplF/s1600/DSC09109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuov4A-nLGGLqxPtL5K-JqCj1G679cMLt0VhTgSEI9HgA2vWk86Xe4FqZ7nmJESYuHZ_6dT11bInfABjBhuYhy9f3FiWRsW_DqsCny3uXgKtv7Fhn_tiX-FP0F8ZQ6Veu4JIOdTKHpplF/s1600/DSC09109.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Whilst we waited to be allowed upstairs the kids made themselves comfortable:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once upstairs with croissants, tea, coffee and goodies bags, Serkan arrived, so 4 of the 7 cousins were together. The youngest of course has to sit on the eldest's knee........ awww!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I remembered that 7th April specifically was a cast screening so I decided to explore with the objective of seeking out cast members. I wasn't disappointed to find the lovely William Postlethwaite who plays Samuel Stevens. Being that this was before the movie I was really confused when he said he wasn't in the Amazon for filming and "filmed his bits in London". I was like "with a green screen?" to be told "no". It all made sense within SECONDS of the movie starting. He may not have a tropical role but it truly was a crucial and critical one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Samuel Stevens (William Postlethwaite)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Samuel Stevens (William Postlethwaite) was a natural history agent in London where he sold specimens of wild creatures collected from around the world. Two of his best-known clients were Henry Bates and Alfred Wallace, whom he supported on their joint expedition to the Amazon by displaying and selling their specimens.</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This support was crucial - it was the finances upon which the explorers relied! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXMSdT1xXZJGxs4zai8HaNkFfrfenY4ixzVhtmMWT_4ag90u0fwNnxdinGeF3bMgwr3CpKbFcRdfeknf5q2Qh7e_eBY0rwEsxhZCHRfNWmZIplcdFFstPn3zUTYIJtw064OdmJwDW8s1u/s1600/DSC09118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXMSdT1xXZJGxs4zai8HaNkFfrfenY4ixzVhtmMWT_4ag90u0fwNnxdinGeF3bMgwr3CpKbFcRdfeknf5q2Qh7e_eBY0rwEsxhZCHRfNWmZIplcdFFstPn3zUTYIJtw064OdmJwDW8s1u/s1600/DSC09118.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0FrOKGxf8ju33LmZENtqeb77ZT2z-TSK38_3nHUrwe7Dy9p-Emn0z5nnEPQ_CIhGajNh_oOnoLmWUmXV5NyBCDe1RZ3scCAfugk-KA5hYTlp0lkG38X9rCIVV7N0W_oGCkEJlf0ZyhIR/s1600/DSC09120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0FrOKGxf8ju33LmZENtqeb77ZT2z-TSK38_3nHUrwe7Dy9p-Emn0z5nnEPQ_CIhGajNh_oOnoLmWUmXV5NyBCDe1RZ3scCAfugk-KA5hYTlp0lkG38X9rCIVV7N0W_oGCkEJlf0ZyhIR/s1600/DSC09120.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxNWLCK1CQ2RyZODiUmc_r6CNOWUoaggku7YTqm_sQsHnuPVMxPtpxxh9kfFA3UbkbRWFBRWn_k9F5TPnHSLYMrCBwXFEkfshHJPxw5UGQLMrz0_3zCqC_JPxikdb6GYT5viVaxUNs2pw/s1600/DSC09121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxNWLCK1CQ2RyZODiUmc_r6CNOWUoaggku7YTqm_sQsHnuPVMxPtpxxh9kfFA3UbkbRWFBRWn_k9F5TPnHSLYMrCBwXFEkfshHJPxw5UGQLMrz0_3zCqC_JPxikdb6GYT5viVaxUNs2pw/s1600/DSC09121.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">THE FILM:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm finding myself reluctant to tell you anything about the film as I can't recommend it enough and would prefer not to accidentally give you any spoilers. Don't look at the youtube trailers as they don't in any way do it justice. The cinematography lends itself to 3d and the large immersive IMAX screen. You literally feel as if you are IN the rain forest and youtube just doesn't offer that. My kids really trust me as they came today, and woke REALLY early on the strength of the youtube videos but like me they were truly blown away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's so interesting to know that Darwin required PROOF for his theories and that Bates was critical in providing that. That's all I will say for now :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I truly don't know how those two driven explorers withstood the elements. How inspiring their journey was. Truly humbling! I'm not at all surprised the writer admitted to having a crush on Bates and feeling his was a story that must be told.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVRGvVe8llQ70wwH-UhZcrYVQ1BneUGYriUGxtT3xzmUhNxyseJSW_ELTO_8JvpwwFG4PeoOzm1s7AVQ339CgRbP9Z5yps0vRE6HDA6frgm52g7wS0iA_DoOmr9lixgOOz2Z-16A31hh5/s1600/DSC09123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVRGvVe8llQ70wwH-UhZcrYVQ1BneUGYriUGxtT3xzmUhNxyseJSW_ELTO_8JvpwwFG4PeoOzm1s7AVQ339CgRbP9Z5yps0vRE6HDA6frgm52g7wS0iA_DoOmr9lixgOOz2Z-16A31hh5/s1600/DSC09123.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After the movie I stepped away from the kids for a minute, leaving them with their older cousin, so that I could approach Director Mike Slee above. He'd spoken at length to our whole audience at the beginning of our special 7th April screening and I was fascinated by everything he'd said, sharing it in my Instagram stories. I was delighted he allowed us to have a photo taken with him. I had to split up a sibling disagreement to recruit Aaron for the photo - I don't know you can't take your eyes off them even for a moment. I was glad Aaron found his smile once again as he truly LOVED the film - captivated and mesmerized throughout. He turned to me as the credits rolled and quietly said in awe "Mum that was AMAZING!!!" Mike Slee asked Aaron what his favourite bit of the movie was and he said the camouflaging. So below I give you the Vine Lizard. We had a chat about his aims one of which was that every child should watch the film. The movie is 100% a must watch in terms of education if you want to know more about evolution and our planet. The script is written (beautifully by Wendy MacKeigan) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">in such a way that it is digestable for kids whilst also being academically stimulating for adults. Each sentence was punchy and the pace of the story worked in beautiful harmony with the cinematography. Totally gripping, romantic and nostalgic. The story was as immersive as the huge IMAX screen itself. As for the 3d it's the best I've ever seen. Lottie was literally reaching out to try and catch butterflies as it felt like they were THAT close to us and that's even though we were up in the stars practically in the back row.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The vine lizard camouflages with the tree vines to hide from predators:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAkZjCkNV46df-oNPyggGQzLwxIB5NpIRXPwYR5wnxlJe5O98m4QQZpaKfa5XpNJFXWLzOgwO5oQtuKb7VlsFK-Ep0JiIpAGGbHAO2yWeIjxd1qlm4douhpRJyZVKW-vwoaJHVjW3LIFT/s1600/Photo+8_+Vine+Lizard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAkZjCkNV46df-oNPyggGQzLwxIB5NpIRXPwYR5wnxlJe5O98m4QQZpaKfa5XpNJFXWLzOgwO5oQtuKb7VlsFK-Ep0JiIpAGGbHAO2yWeIjxd1qlm4douhpRJyZVKW-vwoaJHVjW3LIFT/s1600/Photo+8_+Vine+Lizard.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was thrilled when I spotted Bates himself (actor <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6236048/" target="_blank">Calum Finlay</a>) and even more so when I realised (actor <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4963600/" target="_blank">Ed Birch</a>) Wallace was with him. They both kindly chatted and posed with us below:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgaMb7d3Yz89X2o56NXbduMcSu_adUpkHFuuZYubi8AXMFQO5l2tZmdnYrQSq7VqqEZXcoM7ADEv7mtTq_hVKT7wc02YQFlpbok2UEq0mz6CVV6ZLkMQ2Tnx35W5_OLIAQKsorWWzf-KD/s1600/DSC09126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgaMb7d3Yz89X2o56NXbduMcSu_adUpkHFuuZYubi8AXMFQO5l2tZmdnYrQSq7VqqEZXcoM7ADEv7mtTq_hVKT7wc02YQFlpbok2UEq0mz6CVV6ZLkMQ2Tnx35W5_OLIAQKsorWWzf-KD/s1600/DSC09126.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Alfred Russell Wallace (Ed Birch) - pictured far left above</span></h3>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Alfred Russell Wallace (Ed Birch) was in the Amazon for four years, the first of which he spent working with Bates, before there was a death in his family. He was beset by illness and forced to return to England, tragically losing his collection of specimens in a shipwreck on the journey home. He was rescued and unrelenting, he pushed on to the Malay Archipelago where he continued to study and collect wildlife and independently conceived the theory of evolution by natural selection.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henry Bates (Calum Finlay)</span></h3>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Henry Bates (Calum Finlay) is one of the unsung heroes of evolutionary biology. His insatiable curiosity and 11 year journey in the Amazon river basin led him to discover 8,000 species new to science and develop his groundbreaking theory of mimicry. </span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Being that he's the star of the movie click: <a href="http://amazonadventurefilm.com/about-bates/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">about Bates</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The co stars in the actual movie itself:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another cheesy pic on the way out:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh and just before we left I spotted the Director with none other than <a href="https://brianmay.com/" target="_blank">Brian May</a> so my morning was complete:</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our attendance at the movie was complementary </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">in exchange for an honest review</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> - I have not received any compensation other than entrance </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">and refreshments </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">and 3d glasses.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> I have not been told what to say and all opinions are our own. </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">All five of us (ages 17, 11, 8, 3 and 46)</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">truly loved the film and found it captivating </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I could have sat there for a further hour truth be told.</span></i></b></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Book your IMAX tickets here: <a href="https://www.odeon.co.uk/films/amazon_adventure/18475/#showtimes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AMAZON ADVENTURE show times</a></b></span></i><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">AMAZON ADVENTURE </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">BRINGS AN EPIC AND INSPIRATIONAL TRUE STORY OF AN UNKNOWN BRITISH EXPLORER, SET IN THE HEART OF THE AMAZON RAINFOREST, TO THE BFI IMAX ODEON THEATRE IN LONDON <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Open to the public from 1<sup>st</sup> April, with special cast screening on 7<sup>th</sup> April, at London’s BFI IMAX attended by lead actor Calum Finlay, director Mike Slee and writer Wendy MacKeigan<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif;">AMAZON ADVENTURE</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif;">,</span></i><span style="color: red; font-family: "garamond" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif;">a spectacular IMAX<sup>®</sup>/Giant Screen film from award-winning SK Films brings audiences on a visually stunning odyssey through the wilds of the Amazon rainforest in an incredible story of scientific discovery.<span style="color: red;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif;">The film traces the extraordinary journey of naturalist and explorer Henry Walter Bates - the most influential British scientist you’ve probably never heard of – who provided “the beautiful proof” to Charles Darwin for his then controversial theory of natural selection, the greatest scientific explanation for the development of life on Earth. As a young man, Bates risked his life for science during his 11-year expedition into the Amazon rainforest, accompanied for the first few years by his friend Alfred Wallace.<b> <i>AMAZON ADVENTURE </i></b>is a compelling detective story of peril, perseverance and, ultimately, success, drawing audiences into the fascinating world of animal mimicry, the astonishing phenomenon where one animal adopts the look of another, gaining an advantage to survive.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif;">Filmed on location in London, Manchester, Charles Darwin’s Down House and the remote Brazilian rainforest,<b> <i>AMAZON ADVENTURE</i> </b>uses the IMAX format to immerse viewers into a wild world of breath-taking beauty and captivating animal behavior. Things are not always as they seem in the jungle and audiences will be mesmerized by an array of nature’s masters of mimicry. From the makers of the immensely popular and multiple award-winning film <i>Flight of the Butterflies 3D</i>, the film is directed by Britain’s own Mike Slee and executive produced by Jonathan Barker and Sean B. Carroll, starring Calum Finlay as Henry Bates, written by Wendy MacKeigan and Carl Knutson and shot by UK cinematographers Gerry Vasbenter and Richard Kirby, with an original score by Brazilian composer Antonio Pinto. Although filming in the Amazon was very challenging, the team constantly reminded themselves of what it must have been like for Bates, without any of the transportation and communication technologies available today. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif;">Painstakingly researched for three years,<b> <i>AMAZON ADVENTURE </i></b>enlisted the expertise of more than 100 scientists and historical advisors. MacKeigan and Slee sought out over 400 pieces of original research, which enabled them to draft the most comprehensive and accurate script and cinematic visualization of 19th century Amazonian exploration ever produced. “It’s an educational film so nothing was left to chance or uncorroborated” states MacKeigan. “What you will see is precisely the way it was for Bates.”<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif;">The team’s commitment to authenticity not only resulted in this rigorous re-creation, even using actual instruments and tools from the 1850s, but the writing team also incorporated many of Bates’ own words, as he was a gifted storyteller. The film, a co-production between Canada, the UK and Brazil, was granted unprecedented access by the Natural History Museum of London to film Bates’ own scientific field notebooks and botanical drawings, and to film the butterflies he personally collected over 160 years ago – butterflies that had never left the museum and had to go into quarantine for two weeks after filming.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif;">Developed and produced in close collaboration with HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, the film also received major funding from the National Science Foundation. Other key partners include the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Simons Foundation and Foxconn Brazil.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="border: 1pt none; color: black; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">About SK Films<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="border: 1pt none; color: black; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">SK Films is an award-winning content provider and a global leader in the IMAX<sup>®</sup>/Giant Screen industry. SK works across various genres and platforms, including theatrical, television and digital media, with a special emphasis on creating high impact natural history and science related content. SK has a reputation as one of the most accomplished and respected producers and distributors supplying 3D, 2D and Dome product to IMAX and other Giant Screen theatres worldwide, with a mission to entertain and inspire audiences and immerse them in the awe and wonder of the world we live in. For more information, please visit </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.SKFilms.ca&source=gmail&ust=1554755150564000&usg=AFQjCNFE4xhD2mcn_QZhe1AnSD-oafpFhA" href="http://www.skfilms.ca/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="border: 1pt none; color: blue; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">www.SKFilms.ca</span></a><span style="border: 1pt none; color: black; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">About HHMI Tangled Bank Studios<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">HHMI Tangled Bank Studios is a production company established and funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as an extension of its longstanding science education mission. Dedicated to the creation of original science documentaries for broadcast, theatrical and digital distribution, the company’s award-winning programs address important contemporary issues and capture compelling stories of discovery across all branches of scientific inquiry. For more information, please visit </span><span lang="EN-US"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.tangledbankstudios.org/&source=gmail&ust=1554755150564000&usg=AFQjCNGuAylW8VVFEP-O0m3K_bPreugdbg" href="http://www.tangledbankstudios.org/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">www.tangledbankstudios.org</span></a></span><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="border: 1pt none; color: black; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">AMAZON ADVENTURE<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="border: 1pt none; color: black; font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0cm;">Run Time:<b> </b>45 Minutes<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.AmazonAdventureFilm.com&source=gmail&ust=1554755150564000&usg=AFQjCNE19JQtc9-EUlNG0KCXd_aqHxktNw" href="http://www.amazonadventurefilm.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="border: 1pt none; font-family: "garamond" , serif; padding: 0cm;">www.AmazonAdventureFilm.com</span></a></div>
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New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-80481727398892473512019-03-15T00:20:00.001+00:002019-03-15T23:39:23.017+00:00Treads School Shoes Worn for 12 Months REVIEW<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Treads boys' school shoes a year on</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In a few days Aaron will have had his Treads lace up boys' school shoes a full 12 months. We haven't had to call on the 12 months guarantee once - we've just watched them last a full calendar year. Aaron is in Year 4 and we've never previously known school shoes like them! As per the tag on the pic below ours arrived on 19th March 2018. Yes it meant that September 2018, the start of the academic year, he didn't have brand new school shoes - which felt odd - but it was a relief to have 1 less expense to worry about when he needed other things. Like ALL the trousers for his rapidly growing long legs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let's start by saying I purchased the Tokyo Treads they are/were £45 and that includes free delivery. <a href="https://www.treads-shoes.com/boys/school-shoes/tokyo" target="_blank">Tokyo Boys </a></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.treads-shoes.com/boys/school-shoes/tokyo" target="_blank">Black </a></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.treads-shoes.com/boys/school-shoes/tokyo" target="_blank">Leather Lace Up School Shoe</a>.</span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 5px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="fa fa-check" style="border-radius: 100%; border: 1px solid rgb(209 , 105 , 45); box-sizing: inherit; color: #d1692d; display: inline-block; font-family: "font awesome 5 pro"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; height: 25px; line-height: 25px; margin-right: 10px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; width: 25px;"></span> 12 Month Indestructible Guarantee*</li>
<li style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 5px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="fa fa-check" style="border-radius: 100%; border: 1px solid rgb(209 , 105 , 45); box-sizing: inherit; color: #d1692d; display: inline-block; font-family: "font awesome 5 pro"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; height: 25px; line-height: 25px; margin-right: 10px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; width: 25px;"></span> Free UK Delivery</li>
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So I will take you through our full year </div>
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right up to the current day.</div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">First Impressions</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I used to be a Senior Manager in footwear and we were designers, manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers and eventually also retailers, so I have seen the whole life cycle of a "shoe" - actually given that I managed the Customer Services Team I have also seen the returns/warranty/guarantee/recall side too. Despite my extensive experience I was not disappointed when our shoes arrived. I liked the packaging, the literature and the quality/design of the shoe itself. Nothing had been left to chance despite this being a new business. My first impression of the leather was that it was very like a safety shoe - something we also sold. This immediately gave me faith in their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGKRwouvMqY" target="_blank">claims of being "indestructible"</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With the experience of the box opening being such a success as pictured below, <b>I had that feeling one gets when opening an Apple product for the 1st time</b>, a feeling of faith that this is a brand that knows its eggs - the touch and feel of product and packaging is superior and you breathe a sigh of relief that you're onto a good thing! If you've ever experienced perishable school shoes you'll know what a FIND this is!!! Seeing the sole broken down in the illustration below made me smile with nostalgia as before my previous employer I hadn't seen a brand do that, but then again before that job I'd never worked in footwear before so what do I know LOL.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As you will see in the pictures the shoes have some height to them and this most certainly gave Aaron a ...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Spring in His Step</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I literally can't express to you enough how much Aaron liked the sense of height and bounce the thickness of this shoe sole gave him. The only way to truly get this across to you is to ask that you watch this Instagram video below:</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgzETB_nmp5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">My Circus 🤹♀️🎡 My monkey🐒 Watch with the sound on 📣& it will all make sense. So Reception, Year 1 & Year 2 for school shoes we didn't really give any thought to "buy cheap buy twice"😶 but 3 years in & finally the penny dropped💰. This year we paid the big bucks, but despite the price tag & my aim they'd last till July, the sole on the ball of Aaron's feet is about to give up the ghost👻. Although it is the 1st time since age 4, the uppers are looking so good beyond Christmas. It was time to try an indestructible school shoe with a 12 month guarantee✔💯. We've certainly put Treads Shoes to the test☃️❄🥅🏃♂️🕺🏋️♂️ & we're both very thrilled so far🏆. So much so, Aaron now doesn't want to wear the others out to be bin worthy & will only wear his new Treads. I was a Senior Manager in footwear import & distribution for 6 years so even with the extensive knowledge I have I can honestly say 🗣 I am thrilled with these shoes👞😍. The sheen is like you would see on safety footwear, but they too can withstand a lot of "big boy" wear & tear 🔩🔧. As a Mum I would definitely say these are BUILT FOR BOYS! 💪🎯🤹♂️🤸♀️
#NotAnAd #SchoolShoes #BoysShoes #Parenting #SchoolMum #SchoolMom #MumsOfInstagram #MotherhoodRising #MyCircus #MyCheekyMonkey #MyHappyCapture #LifeCloseUp #InstaVideo #InstaVideos #InstaMum #Vlogger #Youtuber #UKParentBlogger #ParentYouTuber #OutdoorsAndHappy #BoyMum #BoyMom
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A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/newmumonline/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Parenting Blogger Liska</a> (@newmumonline) on <time datetime="2018-03-26T19:22:44+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Mar 26, 2018 at 12:22pm PDT</time></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Comfort</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The thing I was instantly impressed with after the unboxing was that Aaron did not need to wear them in. No rubbing. No blisters. Simply comfortable immediately. I didn't think this would translate to activities but in the video above you can see how busy he got immediately, which actually brings me onto another point. Whenever there's good weather we're in the park everyday after school and not for short spells either - we're often known to be there 3 hours and Aaron does not change into trainers. Add to this we walk to and from school and the shoes have certainly been thoroughly put through their paces forgive the pun LOL!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNexD5vJijZAdJ-6yg56LQYiHIHbOTofPndezhNhpwhtRGp8LWaC7AM-xsqnP6daVjHx_o3Z2K9L17Z4FYI1Jg9adRHeUn2pWddlu4W3_0Df9phy3nwRhyVtNPITckMqevOM0Ke-Y64xQ4/s1600/Standing+in+Treads+blog+size.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNexD5vJijZAdJ-6yg56LQYiHIHbOTofPndezhNhpwhtRGp8LWaC7AM-xsqnP6daVjHx_o3Z2K9L17Z4FYI1Jg9adRHeUn2pWddlu4W3_0Df9phy3nwRhyVtNPITckMqevOM0Ke-Y64xQ4/s1600/Standing+in+Treads+blog+size.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeduJvtP4vLbqDMhHCbf0rYgBRo_ZOx7fiwbYnfb8adFEbVYSzbXG0nuPkBByPK0lLU4Z59izfuvt-pZtfFL2JZCDm5GPJpZy_yspKDFQRfZwAI3LvX6oNM3Sz_eD-CdrJZyGwaRx3AlW/s1600/Treads+out+of+the+box+blog+size.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeduJvtP4vLbqDMhHCbf0rYgBRo_ZOx7fiwbYnfb8adFEbVYSzbXG0nuPkBByPK0lLU4Z59izfuvt-pZtfFL2JZCDm5GPJpZy_yspKDFQRfZwAI3LvX6oNM3Sz_eD-CdrJZyGwaRx3AlW/s1600/Treads+out+of+the+box+blog+size.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Concerns </span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2tH7XcDUDM7NO9UtjvLKcvhhoC8p4aVoKldHbJAMb0G2KlKftEl-c_GzlPdmowrnInpuROO70i4R1X6WzaU3A_fRyFbBHNmdmZ3DEvUYlbeoY1POZpySv-Qc9npRK-amqoWLIbzZM1CM/s1600/Treads+with+broken+lace+blog+size.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1237" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2tH7XcDUDM7NO9UtjvLKcvhhoC8p4aVoKldHbJAMb0G2KlKftEl-c_GzlPdmowrnInpuROO70i4R1X6WzaU3A_fRyFbBHNmdmZ3DEvUYlbeoY1POZpySv-Qc9npRK-amqoWLIbzZM1CM/s320/Treads+with+broken+lace+blog+size.jpg" width="247" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Literally the only quality concern I have is regarding the laces, so not actually the shoes themselves. They perished as pictured within a matter of weeks. I put this down to teething problems what with the product/brand being new.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What actually happened was the thickness and sheeny texture of them prevents them being tied really tight which meant that not only did they come undone, but then when Aaron then tripped on them the bottom snapped off and it looked rather unsightly for new shoes as photographed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now I can't compare this to his previous 6 pairs of Next school shoes (yep reception, year 1 and year 2 we had to get 2 pairs of school shoes per school year September and January each year) and 1 pair of Clarks' school shoes in September of year 3 before we discovered Treads in the March of 2018 as all of those were velcro fastening. It really is true what they say though about buy cheap buy twice and his Next shoe shoes were considerably cheaper than Clarks. I think Treads are unquestionably affordable for what you get in return.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>What I do know is that Treads did send me out new laces in the post</b>, in fact I got a pair via Royal Mail and a pair via courier as 2 staff members acted upon my request, which was lucky as we did by the time the year was up get to the 3rd pair. Now interestingly enough, if you read the guarantee above, you'll see laces are not covered so it was a gesture of goodwill that they sent them on to me and didn't ask me to cover postage which now I see it's not covered I am grateful for. It's these little touches that foster brand loyalty and encourages me to write this review without question.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The only other concern is the orange removable insole once the shoes are a few months old keeps moving to the point where when we'd collect Aaron it would be protruding outside his shoe and have to be re-positioned every morning. It's only now as I type this and see the literature once again that I realise what with it being a removable insole we could just you know..... remove it LOL. I guess as parents we liked him having that extra layer of comfort underfoot. Overall it's a big thumbs up from us as there's nothing Aaron can't do in these shoes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">What Do They Look Like a Year On?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I know the majority of the reviews online are unboxing style reviews from bloggers who've not long had the Treads, so I know that means you'll be wanting to know what ours look like a year on. Now bearing in mind, I don't have a little Johnny who hops into a car on the drive every morning. Aaron mostly (apart from the rare days Daddy's rota allows) walks to and from school often walking upwards of 10 miles a week. He is also heavy on shoes in the sense that he is an extremely active boy who is never still and as I've said above wears them in the park after school. I think the shoes look great all things considered and you have to also consider they've survived a year March 2018 to March 2019 I am not talking about an academic year here September to July. For 3 years our Next school shoes would last September to January and then January to July. It was only in year 3 when we got Clarks did they last till March but we paid extra for that fact and they didn't look as good after 6.5 months as these treads do after 12 months.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'd say the scuffing and cracking of the toe area below says more about Aaron climbing up walls than it does about the Treads shoes themselves. The protective coating on the toe area does withstand a LOT of wear and tear - I think it just met its match in Aaron. But like I say below they've only VERY recently got in THIS state. <a href="https://www.treads-shoes.com/returns" target="_blank">Read more about the Treads returns policy here.</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tlq4XyiVYYI6PQBcvjJ85vpNAKC7dMDBev_34O1JFOiBXugrEjx898P-AukygdRQxXFSL4bejy_QWRFkfBDZm6o5OMSOD0Ym8c_qgeUzUG47_OrOb3d8LWDO2p1flSclV_U2E6vAitZJ/s1600/Front+on+cracked+toe+area+12+months+treads.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="853" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tlq4XyiVYYI6PQBcvjJ85vpNAKC7dMDBev_34O1JFOiBXugrEjx898P-AukygdRQxXFSL4bejy_QWRFkfBDZm6o5OMSOD0Ym8c_qgeUzUG47_OrOb3d8LWDO2p1flSclV_U2E6vAitZJ/s200/Front+on+cracked+toe+area+12+months+treads.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So this is the Treads front on so that you can see that the protective covering started to crack on the front - I must stress this has only happened very recently.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIL8yP8IAjRFx7MXUiDAhK_ih5Efhntnf-eLKjagcI3mKOt0KWOsZvYvurolQq3oKi5kOf2qdnVnrWYubokE7c2LW86zm2akn7yg30JJEy5n1dr5nprGKxuIULOZ-xAJCJMblRbpXMAWr/s1600/heels+of+treads+after+12+months.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="853" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIL8yP8IAjRFx7MXUiDAhK_ih5Efhntnf-eLKjagcI3mKOt0KWOsZvYvurolQq3oKi5kOf2qdnVnrWYubokE7c2LW86zm2akn7yg30JJEy5n1dr5nprGKxuIULOZ-xAJCJMblRbpXMAWr/s200/heels+of+treads+after+12+months.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjs_JfTeZDKqAA5_yncbaIBm7DcdCsHeb8I-31zjfDvJIUtT-abBHjfSoKV5DB0GShiyLeRpA76lOu_ufe2A21gGi4YxFentFPnmkNfEP7VvPsAKDs5hyphenhyphenAqefS3Ek9uHtBUd7mGHRUfZY/s1600/other+side+treads+after+12+months.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="853" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjs_JfTeZDKqAA5_yncbaIBm7DcdCsHeb8I-31zjfDvJIUtT-abBHjfSoKV5DB0GShiyLeRpA76lOu_ufe2A21gGi4YxFentFPnmkNfEP7VvPsAKDs5hyphenhyphenAqefS3Ek9uHtBUd7mGHRUfZY/s200/other+side+treads+after+12+months.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">This is the rear of the Treads to show how very little the heel area has worn down a testimony to the robustness of the materials used in the makeup of the sole. This is all to do with the quality of the rubber and how it withstands abrasion.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTOnWJURBN0rxAvhFSWrPX3WJ924W8V7sYalWoQ6tJHm3EI6MlnIowFPiDnwpg-64POExlCz_G7UfytwSFQaWP_fk1wMiXuKrRFUp5kaAYotYmWinZgB7I1bjISo_BauuzifWYVTv6o3J/s1600/side+on+treads+after+12+months.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="853" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTOnWJURBN0rxAvhFSWrPX3WJ924W8V7sYalWoQ6tJHm3EI6MlnIowFPiDnwpg-64POExlCz_G7UfytwSFQaWP_fk1wMiXuKrRFUp5kaAYotYmWinZgB7I1bjISo_BauuzifWYVTv6o3J/s200/side+on+treads+after+12+months.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjduNCjCIFyGOBMIJTnbtLM2dH2s_zDHRIPQrwm9Iwsw1BCKqc2D7Ww_z-PF9qU8cCkGb1ElVquChHXliZn0dJplBbCOAcZo7baifICay2KBGI2rv6sKpFWaor3dkdCc-oW1nqdRfrOtj/s1600/treads+of+Treads+after+12+months.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="853" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjduNCjCIFyGOBMIJTnbtLM2dH2s_zDHRIPQrwm9Iwsw1BCKqc2D7Ww_z-PF9qU8cCkGb1ElVquChHXliZn0dJplBbCOAcZo7baifICay2KBGI2rv6sKpFWaor3dkdCc-oW1nqdRfrOtj/s200/treads+of+Treads+after+12+months.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">This is the Treads side on so that you can see the laces really are the weakest link with this otherwise superior product. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Simply the other side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The soles of the Treads. Yes there are some bald patches but they've walked hundreds of miles and there are no holes which we've often had in school shoes before discovering Treads.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is also amazing... the inner heel fabric lining that surrounds your Achilles heel below your ankle is intact and you'll know as parents how quick this often is to wear through. No.... it is still intact after what is days away from 12 months. Yes he didn't wear them for the 6 weeks' school Summer holidays but other than that and regular school holidays it's 12 months wear and tear.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">What Tread says about the Tokyo school shoe that we purchased</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">About the Tokyo Boys Black Leather Lace-up School Shoe</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Designed and built for active boys. Hand crafted using the finest of components; an additional protection on the toe offers additional durability, and the soft padded ankle gives all day comfort support. Made with Permair leather that is soft enough to allow easy flexible movement, offering unrivalled comfort and engineered to cope with the rigours of the school yard. The sole is tough and strong but also flexible and lightweight. Teamed with durable ‘dual fit’ technology and subtle stitching finishes off the look.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">“Strobel construction”</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Treads are constructed using a “strobel” technique where the upper is placed into a mould and the sole is then injected around it creating one unit without the need for any gluing. This not only creates a really strong bond but offers additional flexibility, perfect for active kids.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">12 Month Indestructible Guarantee*</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our 12 month indestructible guarantee is an expression of our confidence in the material and workmanship of our shoes. If the shoe you buy falls short of these high standards, you may return it to us within 12 months from the day of purchase. (see returns & exchanges for further information).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Don't forget Treads now make school shoes for girls too.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">This corporate video will explain a lot of the features and benefits.</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="478" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mGKRwouvMqY" width="853"></iframe></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">jghjghhj</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">Full Disclosure</span>: I purchased my Treads shoes, they were not sent to me to review - I did however receive compensation for the below tweet (my Instagram video was just for fun and was not an ad or directed/paid for by the brand in any way):</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you'd like to get some 💖 indestructible boys' school shoes too 💖 go to <a href="https://t.co/pZd8ObQWSc">https://t.co/pZd8ObQWSc</a> contains affiliate link <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ad?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ad</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Aaron's arrived yesterday and he didn't even need to break them in. Comfortable immediately. Thanks <a href="https://twitter.com/TreadsOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TreadsOfficial</a> 💖 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TreadsShoes?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TreadsShoes</a> <a href="https://t.co/n42okn5VlL">https://t.co/n42okn5VlL</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">— Liska (@NewMumOnline) <a href="https://twitter.com/NewMumOnline/status/976080080077316097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">20 March 2018</a></span></blockquote>
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New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-66218130722259633242019-02-01T14:25:00.002+00:002019-02-01T14:25:44.216+00:00Keeping Calm Over the Holidays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjijqO_kJj3P5_WetEzMaljYttTyOs4iDuA9Y53hyphenhyphenSCaD14Y7Q23rt9dI-bOHTdwqD-HD8s6VRHvclWSQsWg8SZC8_rm58BGwebGbAwp32HqhlYOZCWfyUsOkUfpdqVctRbyXwaal4fNj9/s1600/Keeping+Calm+Over+the+Holidays+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hands holding Heart decoration alongside Santa hat" border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjijqO_kJj3P5_WetEzMaljYttTyOs4iDuA9Y53hyphenhyphenSCaD14Y7Q23rt9dI-bOHTdwqD-HD8s6VRHvclWSQsWg8SZC8_rm58BGwebGbAwp32HqhlYOZCWfyUsOkUfpdqVctRbyXwaal4fNj9/s1600/Keeping+Calm+Over+the+Holidays+2.jpg" title="Keep Calm Over the Holidays" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The holidays are an exciting time, full of wonder and magic, Christmas songs and yuletide spirit. It’s also a time that plenty of people experience stress, whether it’s about money, people, workload or simply how you are planning to get everyone around the dinner table. It can quickly sour the Christmas spirit and put plenty of parents off enjoying this special holiday. Especially when so much effort goes into it and after one day, it’s all over, with what seems like a mountain of rubbish as the only thing left over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you are someone that feels your blood-pressure rising, as I regularly do, at simply the mention of Christmas time, consider these tips for keeping calm over the festive holidays.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Avoid the Christmas Crush</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Shopping at Christmas time is one of the hardest ways to spend your day, not only are the crowds densely packed in the hope of a festive bargain but lots of people <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/mental-trick-help-you-deal-rude-people-holiday-season-ncna825666" target="_blank">tend to lose their heads</a> while out over the season. Between pushing and shoving and shoppers treating unsuspecting retail workers with a terrible lack of respect, it can put you off ever stepping out of your house in the month of December.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you enjoy the shopping experience, don’t trust the post or simply need to get out of the house to get the essentials sorted, Google has put together a fantastic tool that lets you see when a specific shop, shopping centre or supermarket is at it’s most busy. If you aren’t able to check the tool, early weekday mornings are always a safe bet before the lunchtime rush or if you are lucky enough to have a 24-hour supermarket or shopping mall near you, very early morning, between 1am – 5am is usually desolate of shoppers. Meaning you can avoid the lines and shop carefree to your hearts content. </span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Travel Early or Late After Christmas</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you’ve ever tried to get around anywhere on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day or on the day before or <a href="https://www.wanderingeducators.com/best/traveling/traveling-middle-east-during-ramadan.html" target="_blank">after any special event</a>, you know that travel can be more hassle than it’s worth. Rather than plan to travel on the days either side of Christmas, try to plan your travel further in advance and avoid weekends where possible as these will always be busy, whether using rail, road or air. If you plan and book your travel in advance, you may also be able to save money on your travel tickets by getting advance tickets, this can be a considerable difference and give you a little more to spend in the shops on someone special. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Your time has value, so avoid getting stuck in the rush hour traffic queues and last-minute cancelled trains and spend less time travelling and more time relaxing this Christmas time.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Move Your Family Christmas</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While traditionally Christmas is celebrated on the 25th December, it is up to your family when to gather around, share stories of the year and exchange gifts with each other. If work schedules are not lining up or you know you can’t face the last-minute travel or stressed guests, consider holding your family Christmas on another day between 25th until the 1st January or even before 25th December! The freedom of celebrating a holiday is completely up to you and everyone deserves to enjoy the holiday so consider holding your Christmas day later on and beat the traffic, Christmas crowds and usual stress that goes with the holiday.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Give Back This Christmas</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Feeling the stress already? Want to make yourself feel better? Why not use the giving part of Christmas to give something back? Whether it’s to your community or <a href="https://www.muslimaid.org/media-centre/blog/facts-about-homelessness/" target="_blank">a specific charity</a>, it’s been proven that generosity, volunteering and showing kindness to each other can make us feel happier. Not only our own good moods, we also have the fantastic benefit of showing someone kindness that may have had a hard year and making their Christmas a joyful time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Christmas is only one day and while the season is an exciting one, there’s no need to stress year after year over the “perfect Christmas”. Instead, focus on getting together with those you care about, supporting people in need and reaching to others in your community that might not have any one else. You’ll find that your stress levels reduce when you aren’t focused on getting everything “just right” and just place attention on enjoying yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Christmas doesn't have to look like this:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_hCbPe_jWDV50eUsDPUYiBpSTAK1ROzXt8cs4ZXtLOSShhnHQw-mJWQjucZU1HwvXktUO52-CczxOBq8SP3YFBqSNVRFH8U383ajwNzxFbipzvjYzh3lbNr4h6SSBhlhCfSkGUKZDhVr/s1600/Keeping+Calm+Over+the+Holidays+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_hCbPe_jWDV50eUsDPUYiBpSTAK1ROzXt8cs4ZXtLOSShhnHQw-mJWQjucZU1HwvXktUO52-CczxOBq8SP3YFBqSNVRFH8U383ajwNzxFbipzvjYzh3lbNr4h6SSBhlhCfSkGUKZDhVr/s1600/Keeping+Calm+Over+the+Holidays+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Collaborative post</span></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-88448225451296128012018-12-10T18:48:00.002+00:002018-12-11T16:21:56.762+00:00Spectacle of Light Sudeley Castle 2018 REVIEW<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Where What When?</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We were invited to <a href="https://sudeleycastle.co.uk/visit-us/spectacle-of-light/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sudeley Castle & Gardens Spectacle of Light</a> situated on the outskirts of Winchcombe in the Cotswolds, between Cheltenham and Broadway - an hour's drive for us from our house in Bristol. <a href="http://winchcombe.co.uk/" target="_blank">Winchcombe</a> is so very pretty this is a Cotswolds' town that hasn't held back on tasteful exquisite Christmas lights displayed beautifully on both commercial high street properties and residential homes alike. So leave for Sudeley Castle in good time (we arrived 20 minutes early) so that you can drive through this village slowly to fully appreciate it. What a lovely build up to the main "spectacle" itself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We attended on the launch night Saturday 8th December for the 7pm session. I've not been to anything like this before so based my expectations on the YouTube videos I quickly watched. The night of course way surpassed our expectations, as this is a spectacle after all and spectacular things have to be seen with one's own eyes in real life, to be truly believed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The only problem with magnificent sights is trying to capture what you see with your eyes to match what you see on screen when you take a photograph in limited natural light, night sky conditions. My Sony Cybershot soon made it known to me that it couldn't cope with the night sky along with the glare of the decorative lights, so I resorted to using my Samsung Galaxy S6 phone camera. I did then capture a couple of pics I was happy with. I will say though that my friend <a href="https://www.instagram.com/olczia1/" target="_blank">Aleks</a> outdid herself with her photography on the night so the majority of the pics here are hers - I'll let you know when they're not. My favourite postcard style pic of hers is this first one as I love the contrast of the foreground and the background. However when you're a parent of course favourite pics are reserved for the ones that capture magical moments with your kids in so these feature too.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujrzOgDV_YvU5y7SzVF3FmrLYGm2h76Pg1Nh8QrDIOsjpZVXA0_oJWGMc9HSrXywH0ktARn8W3nWTpS2RIxpcORhollDg8lYvXmDro-a-DRMtnY5K0Ee6K1G6UQyFIziothIkS_5Tbvro/s1600/Castle+lit+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujrzOgDV_YvU5y7SzVF3FmrLYGm2h76Pg1Nh8QrDIOsjpZVXA0_oJWGMc9HSrXywH0ktARn8W3nWTpS2RIxpcORhollDg8lYvXmDro-a-DRMtnY5K0Ee6K1G6UQyFIziothIkS_5Tbvro/s1600/Castle+lit+blog.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">What's a Bouquet?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think the very first thing we came to on the trail after leaving real life Alice and her little pop up shop, was a wishing tree. You write a wish on a piece of paper which has glass on the back and then knot it on a tree. They all jingle against each other in the wind like wind chimes. I didn't capture a picture here. Whilst I was feeling quite moved by this and found it incredibly touching, Aaron being an 8 year old boy decided to CLIMB THE TREE> yes I moved swiftly on before we were thrown out by security. In some ways I am glad it happened as the speaking to I then gave him, set the tone, and meant his behaviour was better for the remainder of our visit. We only had to speak to them twice *face palms* about staying within the ropes that lay out the official pathway of the trail. Okay I digress....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvACUeGUxS2c_SRJ6FURMtYTc8Kx-bTMZEdxRZAcDgMfMVSazTNbBJIOtXi5Xz34p2MNrZIN62i8n7LtItnE36q_3mnvXsycGAKKO6M-k_ERFNpERr4odOUOK8zzX1FOJdro1yhIhFq0Aa/s1600/Girls+and+smiles+bouquet+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvACUeGUxS2c_SRJ6FURMtYTc8Kx-bTMZEdxRZAcDgMfMVSazTNbBJIOtXi5Xz34p2MNrZIN62i8n7LtItnE36q_3mnvXsycGAKKO6M-k_ERFNpERr4odOUOK8zzX1FOJdro1yhIhFq0Aa/s1600/Girls+and+smiles+bouquet+blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Back to what is a bouquet which is the question I asked Aleks on the night..... despite being a blogger since 2008 I've never owned a DSLR so was clueless till now. Now I am at a computer and can research, it turns out it is actually what is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh" target="_blank">BOKEH</a>? Well all I know is that after the Wishing Tree and before the White Rabbit there is a lit up tree with balls that rotate in colour and then go to darkness before the cycle goes on again. Aleks positioned tripod and kids and it seemed everytime a pic was taken it was at the point where the illumination momentarily darkened but somehow she caught this BOKEH magic below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It was too much to expect so early on in the trail that our boys who could sense an adventure was ahead, would actually pose and stand still for this picture opportunity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: 400; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4zOXOwJ5_IiLHSnEnTe3ktDn_n-CcvpfXmLfZ-ydQRqdeWVadtGqw4M-eF9P9GEniZLo3gealsIMrfId__coI4kIVjqWoEEfg_QgTV-teW0zKKTXY1MiIKst6y15PiU8Ug8x-0oQ7E0a/s1600/Girls+and+bouquet+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4zOXOwJ5_IiLHSnEnTe3ktDn_n-CcvpfXmLfZ-ydQRqdeWVadtGqw4M-eF9P9GEniZLo3gealsIMrfId__coI4kIVjqWoEEfg_QgTV-teW0zKKTXY1MiIKst6y15PiU8Ug8x-0oQ7E0a/s1600/Girls+and+bouquet+blog.jpg" /></a></span></h2>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Bokeh for Boys</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As if we'd leave them out :-)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiIO5KG94Ahgf1PXytDWCm_ASOiZUzesaz_32q8iiiwc0Aj_kqlyX1wCUNpjqOqtSn3KPtCD7R-6HWOLLI1o4owsN20Gxs7oH3gXRXBeCDIG_KwP9CC5bXIH9_t-hhOuqCxEX8aPRlg-n/s1600/Boys+and+bouquet+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiIO5KG94Ahgf1PXytDWCm_ASOiZUzesaz_32q8iiiwc0Aj_kqlyX1wCUNpjqOqtSn3KPtCD7R-6HWOLLI1o4owsN20Gxs7oH3gXRXBeCDIG_KwP9CC5bXIH9_t-hhOuqCxEX8aPRlg-n/s1600/Boys+and+bouquet+blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Follow the White Rabbit along the new illuminated trail!</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is an <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice%27s_Adventures_in_Wonderland" target="_blank">Alice in Wonderland</a> theme</b> this year which works really well and literally transported our kids to another world so much so that Aaron made me put the DVD on the minute we got home, so it was a very late night for us but he was still up by 9 am Sunday with Lottie serving as an alarm clock for us all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sudeley Castle themselves say <i><b>"a wonderful experience for all ages"</b></i> and that literally couldn't be more accurate. My son at 8 years of age going on 10, along with his very like minded friend loved it as much or more than their two Sisters aged 2 and 4 (who will be 3 and 5 in January). All 4 are very outdoorsie kids so this was a real treat for them. We were blessed that apart from a few sprinkles the rain largely held off and it was quite mild too so I didn't feel the need for gloves scarves and hat at any point despite us being there for over 2 hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pkYQb43pMOcCRfCLUBsoNRF9eFbx9RtmmVrJiA6f8FF45JEoPREqd9nMV6bj-mMtCszcik-W0JoulF03L97Pa-kIhVf4G8kzThJH1LjjkfmFrTRKmeINX9OlynwjBTNj5SpL1cjIdv2W/s1600/Rabbit+and+clocks+Sudeley+Castle+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pkYQb43pMOcCRfCLUBsoNRF9eFbx9RtmmVrJiA6f8FF45JEoPREqd9nMV6bj-mMtCszcik-W0JoulF03L97Pa-kIhVf4G8kzThJH1LjjkfmFrTRKmeINX9OlynwjBTNj5SpL1cjIdv2W/s1600/Rabbit+and+clocks+Sudeley+Castle+blog.jpg" /></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Early on in the trail there is a bit where Alice is talking to the cat, and it's an illuminated projected slideshow that changes the cat in the tree from having a cheshire smile and only a smile to being a normal curled up cat. You can hear Alice's voice and this mesmerised the kids for quite some time. This is quite true to the story, so well done Sudeley Castle and Spectacle of Light:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;">The Cheshire Cat appears in a tree, directing her to the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_Hare" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;" title="March Hare">March Hare</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;">'s house. He disappears but his grin remains behind to float on its own in the air prompting Alice to remark that she has often seen a cat without a grin but never a grin without a cat. Source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice%27s_Adventures_in_Wonderland" target="_blank">Alice in Wonderland Wikipedia</a></span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The kids being engaged means there's plenty of time for adults to take photos and it also means they don't run too far ahead with me worrying they will get lost. They were never more than 10 or 20 metres ahead as they'd always stopped to look at something fascinating up ahead. It also helped that all 4 of them had a light toy each as they quite often got busy with these. I must say I have bought many of these type toys over the years but these were superior quality to anything I've had in the past so I didn't at all resent spending the fiver. Daddy was very impressed too with the quality and commented unprompted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Neither of our girls had buggies with them but the whole route is buggy friendly and there were just a couple of times throughout with a few steps. There are also circa 15 staff members scattered throughout to answer any questions you may have. They are non intrusive (no tacky high vis here) and just steer you on your way only when needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The white rabbit and clocks below are very early on in the trail to set the theme firmly in your mind and even before that there is a cabin with a real human Alice in Wonderland herself selling illuminated light toys. This is simply because you may not enter the shop as you enter the trail. We'd already bought ours in the shop for 5GBP each though as I had to pop in to confirm that I was on the guest list. Alice in Wonderland who is positioned just after the entrance let us into the cabin just behind her to get photos with King Henry the VIII. My photos aren't great but we did have fun there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you're anything like me, the minute you hear the Salvation Army playing Christmas music you feel very festive. They were positioned at the very start of the trail and opened our hearts for what was to come.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When you see Alice and Humpty Dumpty below, in front of you, know that you are very near the refreshments. There is a stall on this terrace selling hot drinks and donuts. This is where we grabbed hot chocolates for 3GBP each.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjju9jkF3FEEp_HlC_JxIXgv38VqkXrOl53IT76KY5qFc8x56EoBHnBiKUaRYEamCDSlqyLvPTS40hWs55ipEt0jkJxhdsCmXPkze10skRsWRtAWwFI5ZdH7I1ZnZfZo_hMo-9RfTWbh_SQ/s1600/Alice+in+Wonderland+Sudeley+Castle+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjju9jkF3FEEp_HlC_JxIXgv38VqkXrOl53IT76KY5qFc8x56EoBHnBiKUaRYEamCDSlqyLvPTS40hWs55ipEt0jkJxhdsCmXPkze10skRsWRtAWwFI5ZdH7I1ZnZfZo_hMo-9RfTWbh_SQ/s1600/Alice+in+Wonderland+Sudeley+Castle+Blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0ACU7Fl97Ll9qi-peqThE3D2iEi2_aezWnHEw2CGGkcOnD3JDGhvCUuSIOvXAuO933fRUPnqWN9XlKO4CeXYNDpMwVEUJGHw4_grySBbW6Pc_wzE5r16QsiJIwAiQqdiA5w86aSLo9if/s1600/Alice+in+Wonderland+castle+and+the+kids+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Moon</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Shortly after seeing the White Rabbit and clocks there is a semi circle on the water, which when the reflection is added, looks like a full moon. This had to be my favourite picture on Instagram when I was browsing the Spectacle of Light hashtag. Trying to actually capture it on camera though is another thing but Aleks <a href="https://www.instagram.com/olczia1/" target="_blank">olczia1 on Instagram</a> managed it in style:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHqm8RzdsCI-p99vR7w0hO0Ko3SBYk1vChPydFrv00uemcwOKu5FI2F61zplmG9ycH2BncLW-iijyQCFlU6bLCjbpcADU-lQX6U4wXJ79bf8yOK9hE7MTzq5bEJnQ0Z-UXGB8yfKeFaff/s1600/Moon+and+castle+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHqm8RzdsCI-p99vR7w0hO0Ko3SBYk1vChPydFrv00uemcwOKu5FI2F61zplmG9ycH2BncLW-iijyQCFlU6bLCjbpcADU-lQX6U4wXJ79bf8yOK9hE7MTzq5bEJnQ0Z-UXGB8yfKeFaff/s1600/Moon+and+castle+blog.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PGucw-MMlWtK3sMu3rzfQPnmOFI1sBXeF-fpcp8l3dSgPklBVAf6_02cl1Ri7S223FdXIechpI0Xvr_X6j5zqdSsyhLoiRBngJijUGVwJca13ggTaO5x8sP9c0MTt6oC0-fh2RuZKpG-/s1600/Moon+with+willow+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PGucw-MMlWtK3sMu3rzfQPnmOFI1sBXeF-fpcp8l3dSgPklBVAf6_02cl1Ri7S223FdXIechpI0Xvr_X6j5zqdSsyhLoiRBngJijUGVwJca13ggTaO5x8sP9c0MTt6oC0-fh2RuZKpG-/s1600/Moon+with+willow+blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Can someone assist? What are these flowers below? I know they are lights but what flower are they based on? I was fixated by them and took many a picture of them, from both sides (you see them twice in the trail and the second rear view is superior). Once again it is a photo from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/olczia1/" target="_blank">Aleks </a>which translates the magic to screen. I think she once again set up the tripod for this shot and I know that she had more than 1 lens with her.</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0otEPa5XEWwrBmOjmGQU-J0ZOq0A-JWUbdOXESYfmAf6GD0oyFtI-FlHO5E3o1oZNMgvi1wx9EITCyVuPw67gKYnDIpXxgDRwE2JMPuYz1yT6abGa-OdF0QaDTpJo4yHy6tumFQeNCzk/s1600/Flowers+and+castle+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0otEPa5XEWwrBmOjmGQU-J0ZOq0A-JWUbdOXESYfmAf6GD0oyFtI-FlHO5E3o1oZNMgvi1wx9EITCyVuPw67gKYnDIpXxgDRwE2JMPuYz1yT6abGa-OdF0QaDTpJo4yHy6tumFQeNCzk/s1600/Flowers+and+castle+blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_P7KLekkvA_ZgdKybrkuzjs1d_qgzO94X6e5fELBPN8IriLtcmef_v0QtZjpH7JhXKgtEoKM8oP7wmn5YMjBc4E6vsfu2QoRz99sbLR60t7FtrZHfBxBgkDDev303oOD0Icpdy6ZOl2m/s1600/Girls+and+castle+behind+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_P7KLekkvA_ZgdKybrkuzjs1d_qgzO94X6e5fELBPN8IriLtcmef_v0QtZjpH7JhXKgtEoKM8oP7wmn5YMjBc4E6vsfu2QoRz99sbLR60t7FtrZHfBxBgkDDev303oOD0Icpdy6ZOl2m/s1600/Girls+and+castle+behind+blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">3 minute Light Show with Music and Water</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When we arrived at the location of the 3 minute musical light show, the girls shared some chocolate coins, which was very sweet. I videoed the whole of this but haven't had chance to edit ANY of my footage yet but did share some on Instagram stories at the time. This is a very magical part of the trail and is a surprise as it is not mentioned on the website or on any of the literature. It's truly magical.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXKWssa7_ih9c5u-ImER437k7G-mo9yrotaYbaYQpP4bjlUHQJ20TZu1iLLDbhw_cvyViLc5_FZi2EU6n4q_kekSMSIvwHwMETTS-1ZJA_XiJ2-55TY-jPryNq6FGf5hu5d9CLdUvBWxe/s1600/Girls+and+chocolate+coins+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXKWssa7_ih9c5u-ImER437k7G-mo9yrotaYbaYQpP4bjlUHQJ20TZu1iLLDbhw_cvyViLc5_FZi2EU6n4q_kekSMSIvwHwMETTS-1ZJA_XiJ2-55TY-jPryNq6FGf5hu5d9CLdUvBWxe/s1600/Girls+and+chocolate+coins+blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Mad Hatter: "Have you seen Alice?"</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So just after we watched the light display, a staff member very politely approached us to let us know we were only a third of the way round. We then knew we needed to pick up the pace as the website says you can do it in 60-75 minutes and it took us over 2 hours in total. The Mad Hatter was clearly sent back to catch us, but <a href="https://www.instagram.com/moa_myerson/" target="_blank">Moa Myerson</a> is SUCH a good actress that she did so IN CHARACTER and such are the confidence levels of our 4 children they responded as such and what unfolded would have made a stage play of its very own. I haven't laughed so much in a long time and the Mad Hatter did justice to the nonsense of the literary talk in the story itself. "That way is nowhere and that way is everywhere" oh it got so very confusing. And EVERYBODY wanted to be Alice. I shared it all in Instagram stories at the time but they've since expired.</span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>“Cat: Where are you going?<br />
Alice: Which way should I go?<br />
Cat: That depends on where you are going.<br />
Alice: I don’t know.<br />
Cat: Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">― </span><span class="authorOrTitle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;">Lewis Carroll, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"></span><span id="quote_book_link_13023" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"><a class="authorOrTitle" href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2933712" style="color: #333333; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">Alice in Wonderland</a></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTq9wS7a2Ge7j58X-u1pk6MNnefHEBV1iEj12zvfPhEhFIi23243h6VbUdfiXu-I7f0irJydFzhc3-NBJ5a5CynXSiGhAd9GOe9b5ko1hakg_QeeWyLxPUdvYvlMYfn40TE2kg4bWz21w5/s1600/Lottie+engaged+with+Mad+Hatter+blog.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture I actually took myself - NewMumOnline</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTq9wS7a2Ge7j58X-u1pk6MNnefHEBV1iEj12zvfPhEhFIi23243h6VbUdfiXu-I7f0irJydFzhc3-NBJ5a5CynXSiGhAd9GOe9b5ko1hakg_QeeWyLxPUdvYvlMYfn40TE2kg4bWz21w5/s1600/Lottie+engaged+with+Mad+Hatter+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HvueTVz2qebw0ZIPp3Bnx6jNKh6ds7PhhlhhzzKcmYjJZ_xg1e3wDp8sKETUQOCrPVQdXmz4VmpNexxJ2qL7pdPonPc323aswk4pcmDcMg1FD1FA_bhvVtUvzjws0f6O6wDsNBAcOIsE/s1600/Mad+Hatter+and+the+Kids+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HvueTVz2qebw0ZIPp3Bnx6jNKh6ds7PhhlhhzzKcmYjJZ_xg1e3wDp8sKETUQOCrPVQdXmz4VmpNexxJ2qL7pdPonPc323aswk4pcmDcMg1FD1FA_bhvVtUvzjws0f6O6wDsNBAcOIsE/s1600/Mad+Hatter+and+the+Kids+blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uUAQlyZOrg2IhoXVQC6vL97Zesore9IVZQ0BQm3vi-D9nJ8L6Y2IRLqiLupnVQeE0vI21QVDWXKfXXHUjhITKrjMZeSCYZe3qMz08LcgIpQAg-5Qdy7XxrAXOhxeClOYi2GFDDZgDCYM/s1600/Mad+Hatter+in+spotlight+with+kids+and+castle+blog.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I ACTUALLY took this one with my phone and what with the castle in the background and the spotlight ON The Mad Hatter I am very proud of it - it's on Instagram naturally. Well done Samsung Galaxy S6 phone camera.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uUAQlyZOrg2IhoXVQC6vL97Zesore9IVZQ0BQm3vi-D9nJ8L6Y2IRLqiLupnVQeE0vI21QVDWXKfXXHUjhITKrjMZeSCYZe3qMz08LcgIpQAg-5Qdy7XxrAXOhxeClOYi2GFDDZgDCYM/s1600/Mad+Hatter+in+spotlight+with+kids+and+castle+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> We've sent this one to Moa herself. Well done Aleks she loves this photo:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTiLXgyP2Nm-poHtZhEfn_rMhGG9h9j6haW80W_uiiQ3SW7mgwV1HHjffk5nI5PRFwWotsL8oSGF0fVBa2GegWviSkqTeNKh9z8eJq95RjA1qIV1gemJodnk4rUbFe8n3BTz-SnIG7gbwo/s1600/Moa+the+Mad+Hatter+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1279" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTiLXgyP2Nm-poHtZhEfn_rMhGG9h9j6haW80W_uiiQ3SW7mgwV1HHjffk5nI5PRFwWotsL8oSGF0fVBa2GegWviSkqTeNKh9z8eJq95RjA1qIV1gemJodnk4rUbFe8n3BTz-SnIG7gbwo/s1600/Moa+the+Mad+Hatter+blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtWcyjmukurSB4zFnok9ylAlsIewZ-kVDQMYc44HjfRiwDgE9M1QIBrTy9j1CQStgYa0wj8zL_6Gk1ItDC1pVee60_7uSnj_gJg8RZOfPYNLZrGvm_m9uoeYHIjjMNZZH8LSNvngxKIun/s1600/Sophie+and+Lottie+and+Mad+Hatter+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtWcyjmukurSB4zFnok9ylAlsIewZ-kVDQMYc44HjfRiwDgE9M1QIBrTy9j1CQStgYa0wj8zL_6Gk1ItDC1pVee60_7uSnj_gJg8RZOfPYNLZrGvm_m9uoeYHIjjMNZZH8LSNvngxKIun/s1600/Sophie+and+Lottie+and+Mad+Hatter+blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOVRZyq6WmAeGsyhln7FuZZUCaVLloWajAPBzIcmnp439avmYLUxD3jtA7DFQMI-E-_PzAi0VD0qzvqzJVLst8BAu-5YyS1vWnDd2EABKNPqMYHNmbnDUatSLLZcuDQ9qsF3musYPi-sF/s1600/sophie+laughs+at+mad+hatter+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1279" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOVRZyq6WmAeGsyhln7FuZZUCaVLloWajAPBzIcmnp439avmYLUxD3jtA7DFQMI-E-_PzAi0VD0qzvqzJVLst8BAu-5YyS1vWnDd2EABKNPqMYHNmbnDUatSLLZcuDQ9qsF3musYPi-sF/s1600/sophie+laughs+at+mad+hatter+blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4BzGLtMJ2bE9EgPTuwXn5oTyLF3htwz0xeIN_dNDbc3GUORFt0emI_ujnLQdsKbrjHtD_cKKKDjKehh86S0kr4oBq-NzHkwMDy5B5NJHe_hLxZ-bOpm_Hw8zS5PsGFixJzf9nZYiiYFj/s1600/Sophie+look+and+Mad+Hatter+blog.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is only a pic taken on my phone but had to include it as I love the way Sophie is looking over</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4BzGLtMJ2bE9EgPTuwXn5oTyLF3htwz0xeIN_dNDbc3GUORFt0emI_ujnLQdsKbrjHtD_cKKKDjKehh86S0kr4oBq-NzHkwMDy5B5NJHe_hLxZ-bOpm_Hw8zS5PsGFixJzf9nZYiiYFj/s1600/Sophie+look+and+Mad+Hatter+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Back to stunning pics from Aleks:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3f9SCRRPmio5zmYLWZ4YAuFFIhyphenhyphenlkYnqBrPnS0ZQJA7X67EroAFTBeDUkyjJbObYCUPQptI5e5hUeLk-Z5JkB254hAt2MadhtO0NwWXlC-HdnkL2NzVzI-abwy3qwmOTeze3FKkoUY-W8/s1600/Tree+in+front+of+Castle+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3f9SCRRPmio5zmYLWZ4YAuFFIhyphenhyphenlkYnqBrPnS0ZQJA7X67EroAFTBeDUkyjJbObYCUPQptI5e5hUeLk-Z5JkB254hAt2MadhtO0NwWXlC-HdnkL2NzVzI-abwy3qwmOTeze3FKkoUY-W8/s1600/Tree+in+front+of+Castle+Blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BfSpoMHCkGL98DFNGmPwVdG3D5iHYeVwqgYf-xlrx-f8CyJKgINj1lTJ5PtL-vMK1sDk01ZIRd5OluLjij3X9nBS3PC0iR3N19lYvBWnZRPivUDygYV2TVWv3I2SGWAJU8_w3HAtW3xW/s1600/boys+and+hot+chocolate+Aleks+pic+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BfSpoMHCkGL98DFNGmPwVdG3D5iHYeVwqgYf-xlrx-f8CyJKgINj1lTJ5PtL-vMK1sDk01ZIRd5OluLjij3X9nBS3PC0iR3N19lYvBWnZRPivUDygYV2TVWv3I2SGWAJU8_w3HAtW3xW/s1600/boys+and+hot+chocolate+Aleks+pic+Blog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">Instagram Worthy</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Every venue/event worth its salt has a selfie opportunity available and this is the Spectacle of Light Sudeley Castle one. Getting 4 kids on there was no mean feat and probably isn't allowed. I only took this on my phone so it won't win any photo awards but this pic below and the one I took of the Mad Hatter in the spotlight are my two winners that I will hold onto from the night whilst also enjoying the breath taking memories Aleks has captured for our photo albums. When the memories fade the photos won't. But that aside I don't think the kids will be forgetting this night out anytime soon and the Mad Hatter was certainly a huge highlight. All 4 of the kids just ADORED her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Although Aleks didn't take this heart selfie pic below, she totally stage managed getting the kids up there. First of all the boys wouldn't make room for the girls. Then we worked around their feet and then the girls decided they weren't sharing the limited space. It was funny rather than frustrating and this photo is one of my favourites despite its poor quality in terms of sharpness etc....</span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvys3t1Iyrv6geIvxIa2CxvuODzPrUfBO-syny4aX0h2NA3D0M4OTz7a2EwfaingJHGw9y54fiKaTyygN5NWD3QakssmgyrGXQSY4LAxgYeLR1rQ7UD2JX96IBtEZ64dI8OUIkM8Caas-o/s1600/Boys+and+Hot+choc+liska+pic+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivW5XDgJMXbVLbmgvzSDFkr9toRYAQMSsl3f1oILXJqpX_jjzr3AW2QWQTL8FHgf20ssPtxTNTec7NW4biVVsnzVEoDc81z_6vqTkoC7u5bmvG0hVTP5OxM-rtOJNUmwVfaf6YYEA0AMr/s1600/Kids+in+heart+selfie+opp+blog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivW5XDgJMXbVLbmgvzSDFkr9toRYAQMSsl3f1oILXJqpX_jjzr3AW2QWQTL8FHgf20ssPtxTNTec7NW4biVVsnzVEoDc81z_6vqTkoC7u5bmvG0hVTP5OxM-rtOJNUmwVfaf6YYEA0AMr/s1600/Kids+in+heart+selfie+opp+blog.JPG" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'll sign off now but leave you with some more picture postcards below from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/olczia1/" target="_blank">Aleks</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YR9thZRG-j41WrttYRE5eDp3bX8e97DT73sOH2i6CC1HtVYEG1hFAbhLK_8EARxVbTT9w3OG0c2kkePODjHhqyRC1BrmtORaHgIUQLOGbxg6Hrmw-gUJfJIe03KBLLPq7cIBmjNq_u61/s1600/Backdrop+pic+Castle+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YR9thZRG-j41WrttYRE5eDp3bX8e97DT73sOH2i6CC1HtVYEG1hFAbhLK_8EARxVbTT9w3OG0c2kkePODjHhqyRC1BrmtORaHgIUQLOGbxg6Hrmw-gUJfJIe03KBLLPq7cIBmjNq_u61/s1600/Backdrop+pic+Castle+blog.jpg" /></a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3CcMelBOD_4LFNqQYFoepTBdNIAKtTKrsmGmlqJeN8ysYEwsFP0LsxtRsiSpcHh0-cZX0sezk44OeaI66YtkCUKJtN44X3EXEirfVeG-XEYFoA-Dqfx-tkjRmVlyqYvaNYAuXRdtLIC16/s1600/Lit+trees+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3CcMelBOD_4LFNqQYFoepTBdNIAKtTKrsmGmlqJeN8ysYEwsFP0LsxtRsiSpcHh0-cZX0sezk44OeaI66YtkCUKJtN44X3EXEirfVeG-XEYFoA-Dqfx-tkjRmVlyqYvaNYAuXRdtLIC16/s1600/Lit+trees+blog.jpg" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our entrance was covered free of charge as we were invited to review the Spectacle of Light. I was gifted the experience in return for social shares but decided it was too good not to blog about and such did we love it I have already done 2 Instagram posts and will do more. I have not at all been told what to say and this whole gushing about how good it was is totally my idea and all my own words except where quotes are clear. Official Spectacle of Light information below, but go to their website for the freshest most up to date info: </span></div>
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<a href="https://sudeleycastle.co.uk/visit-us/spectacle-of-light/"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">https://sudeleycastle.co.uk/visit-us/spectacle-of-light/</span></a></div>
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<strong style="line-height: inherit;">8-9 December, 13-23 December, 27-30 December 2018</strong></div>
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Each evening the Spectacle is a continuous experience with five entry time slots from 5:00pm onwards. This is designed to ensure that everyone is able to enjoy the Spectacle in the best possible light.</div>
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When you book you can decide your time of entry subject to availability. It should be stressed that you must be at the entrance at the chosen time as tickets are only valid for that time and are not transferable.</div>
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A typical walk will take approximately 60 -75 minutes, although if you wish to stay longer you are very welcome.</div>
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Advance Tickets*</h2>
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On The Day Tickets**</h2>
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<tr><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px; text-align: center;">Adult 16+ £15.75</td><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px; text-align: center;">Adult 16+ £17.50</td><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px; text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px; text-align: center;">Child 3-15 £9.90</td><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px; text-align: center;">Child 3-15 £11.00</td><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px;"></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px; text-align: center;">Family 2+2 £44.55</td><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px; text-align: center;">Family 2+2 £49.50</td><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px;"></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px; text-align: center;">Under 3’s Free</td><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px; text-align: center;">Under 3’s Free</td><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px;"></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px; text-align: center;">Disability Carer Free</td><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px; text-align: center;">Disability Carer Free</td><td style="border: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding: 9px 10px;"></td></tr>
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<em style="line-height: inherit;"><br />*10% Discounted Advance Tickets are only bookable online, by phone or in person through the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham.</em><em style="line-height: inherit;">**Full Price ‘On the Day’ Tickets are only bookable in person from Sudeley Castle Visitor Centre from 4.00pm on the day.</em></div>
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<strong style="line-height: inherit;">ADVANCE TICKETS SELLING FAST – SOME DATES ALREADY SOLD OUT!</strong></h3>
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<strong style="line-height: inherit;">BOOK ADVANCE TICKETS NOW AND SAVE 10%.</strong></h3>
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Advance Tickets are available <strong style="line-height: inherit;"><a href="https://everymantheatre.org.uk/spectacle/" style="color: #7e3740; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">to buy online now</a></strong>, by phone on 01242 705555 or in person at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham.</div>
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Sudeley Members receive a 30% discount with the appropriate code.</div>
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ON THE DAY tickets will be available for shows currently listed as Sold Out</div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com2Winchcombe, Cheltenham GL54, UK51.957204999999988 -1.969203999999990651.878908499999987 -2.1305654999999906 52.035501499999988 -1.8078424999999907tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-30186972567674257462018-12-04T14:28:00.002+00:002018-12-04T14:28:29.364+00:00The Snowman Sadlers Wells London with Birmingham Repertory Theatre REVIEW<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We saw <a href="https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2018/the-snowman/booking" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Snowman at The Peacock Theatre</a> on Saturday 24th November. Lucky enough to attend the Press Show - it was truly magical, but then I knew this as we have <a href="https://www.newmumonline.co.uk/2015/12/the-snowman-peacock-theatre-2015-2016.html" target="_blank">been to see The Snowman before</a>, taking 2 of our nieces, the difference being that Lottie was in my tummy at the time - in fact I was 7 months' pregnant and had a very large bump. Daddy didn't come last time so I was very looking forward to seeing it as a family of four. In the days leading up to the show, I literally couldn't wait to share the magic of The Snowman with Lottie and even as I started this blog post a week ago, she was glued watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A3THighARU&t=935s" target="_blank">The Snowman animation on YouTube</a> as she's a totally signed up The Snowman fan now. There are lots of clips to get you excited: <a href="https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/we-are-the-rep/our-ventures/the-snowman.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>!</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">What good timing as this year <a href="https://www.thesnowman.com/the-snowman/" target="_blank">The Snowman</a> is 40!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are The Snowman activities happening nationwide but what we saw was:</span><br />
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<strong style="backface-visibility: hidden; box-sizing: border-box; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial;">The Peacock, Sadler's Wells, London </strong><span style="color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial;">22 Nov-6 Jan 2019</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2018/the-snowman/" rel="nofollow" style="backface-visibility: hidden; box-sizing: border-box; color: #fec340; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">www.sadlerswells.com</a></div>
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<strong style="backface-visibility: hidden; box-sizing: border-box;">Birmingham Repertory Theatre</strong> 16-26 January 2019<br style="backface-visibility: hidden; box-sizing: border-box;" /><a href="https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/the-snowman-2019.html" rel="nofollow" style="backface-visibility: hidden; box-sizing: border-box; color: #fec340; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Click here to book</a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You'll recognise the classic The Snowman story from Raymond Briggs' book and the music score by Howard Blake, from the animation!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">----</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">but</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">----</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>What you get with the theatre production is the incredible ballet. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not only that but show stopping acting, costumes, music and set design. Until Jack Frost came on stage, the boy was by far Aaron's favourite character and I think it's mainly because of the sheer amount of dancing he does and we all know Aaron never ever stops dancing, whether it's Fortnite dances or just moving for the sheer sake of moving. It helped that the boy seems like he's aged 8, 9 or 10 so I think my Aaron could really relate to him. It's a show for all ages as it captivates the audience in a trance and even my hard to impress husband didn't fidget once! In fact I looked around a few times as I was dying to see how <a href="https://rocknrollerbaby.co.uk/snowman-sadlers-wells-2018/" target="_blank">RocknRollerBaby</a>'s Raffie at only 1 years of age would react to the show but he was totally in the zone with eyes glued on stage. This is proof positive that the show is at a pace that doesn't disappoint.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">This is my two, Aaron eight and Lottie two</span></b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">They're on the way in below and not nearly as excited and full of fun as they look on the way out after getting The Snowman treatment! There's something magical about live theatre that is hard to beat. Despite us reviewing this as guests of the theatre I would hand on heart say it is worth every penny of the ticket price.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYzEwIsuih8TxyjUsw10HryNqm_0Ddgkx01W-vtYDQ4qqDxc5L9AITXotZxkCfk86TCeSGXyU0aO9yKJaNm0Xa5HCVI-GVvHPmqiUhdA3YrI5SiNiZUJ9hv4jWWkHqhChbfaO4Rna-cD5/s1600/IMG_20181124_103556_862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="832" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYzEwIsuih8TxyjUsw10HryNqm_0Ddgkx01W-vtYDQ4qqDxc5L9AITXotZxkCfk86TCeSGXyU0aO9yKJaNm0Xa5HCVI-GVvHPmqiUhdA3YrI5SiNiZUJ9hv4jWWkHqhChbfaO4Rna-cD5/s1600/IMG_20181124_103556_862.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At this point any snow man is exciting. Lottie hasn't yet had any exposure to THE Snowman:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOP-tULBJHtgdM47Yto2LjYnu2wgbQdqmw-tDCSSAd8CpqgCiOt-7SNYzraFROrAoR_xI3HJE45GKUpdjgJQUcvHDR2ZTia7f1wBHURoxFlbyNAmvwJ2nvHbb5H38wY2lBLkEtTC_5jTk/s1600/20181124_104152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOP-tULBJHtgdM47Yto2LjYnu2wgbQdqmw-tDCSSAd8CpqgCiOt-7SNYzraFROrAoR_xI3HJE45GKUpdjgJQUcvHDR2ZTia7f1wBHURoxFlbyNAmvwJ2nvHbb5H38wY2lBLkEtTC_5jTk/s1600/20181124_104152.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>In our seats 20 minutes early...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some empty seats left and right of us below but only because we are in our stalls seats approximately 20 minutes early how eager are we! But very soon Over 40 and a Mum To One was sitting directly in front of us which was lovely - her review here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://over40andamumtoone.com/2018/11/26/the-snowman-at-the-peacock/" target="_blank">over40andamumtoone.com/2018/11/26/the-snowman-at-the-peacock/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And my friend Ruth and family were to our left. Her review here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://rocknrollerbaby.co.uk/snowman-sadlers-wells-2018/" target="_blank">rocknrollerbaby.co.uk/snowman-sadlers-wells-2018/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was very lovely to see Jennie from Edspire on the way out of the theatre and her review in here:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.edspire.co.uk/year_2018/11/24/the-snowman-2018-its-a-kind-of-magic/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">www.edspire.co.uk/year_2018/11/24/the-snowman-2018-its-a-kind-of-magic/</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;"><b>It was a FULL HOUSE daytime show...</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">we saw which meant the atmosphere was electric or in turn very hushed during emotional scenes like when The Snowman became a puddle. What I will tell you is EVERYONE had children with them and a lot of them very young, so much so that there was a huge buggy park, yet there wasn't once where I felt the show was disturbed by tantrums, yelling or crying. Nope! These were mesmerised captivated happy children who very much enjoyed the show they'd come to see. I'm sure we all left feeling full of festive cheer. I know my heart was full to bursting when I left there and the show officially opened Christmas 2018 for me, well I must say for us as all 4 of us enjoyed it and that's despite Aaron being reluctant and Daddy normally being hard to impress. I was so busy worrying about everyone else that I think they were actually even more absorbed in it than me. And thankfully Aaron had forgotten a lot of what he saw Christmas 2015 so there were many bits he thought he was watching for the 1st time, like the fruit dancing and Jack Frost who he was gripped by! I do think that ballerina Princess has a case for Me Too with all of Jack Frost's unsolicited advances. Thank God The Snowman was there to protect her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;"><b>It really is a show of two halves...</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> as the mood of the show is entirely different before and after the Interval. The 1st half climaxes with the Walking in The Air dance and song we all know and love and is the conclusion to the moving story of how the boy and The Snowman get together. The second half includes lots of high energy dancing and Santa himself and feels like it has more of an upbeat kind of panto atmosphere, so there is certainly something for everyone.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpRRckwuyNP0pQKtTMV8acOD9MzNWDq_0J2GLpq3BZ29UQwcn5dOrwgDoHKpmGGSUOo6KtvnW-jyD1O_Xwp_Zbvpel3hTXB9LI6LLsrEVpVZ-xgFVDGU4p4fWREPtfvkbcgd2wBLSo3_F/s1600/20181124_104516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpRRckwuyNP0pQKtTMV8acOD9MzNWDq_0J2GLpq3BZ29UQwcn5dOrwgDoHKpmGGSUOo6KtvnW-jyD1O_Xwp_Zbvpel3hTXB9LI6LLsrEVpVZ-xgFVDGU4p4fWREPtfvkbcgd2wBLSo3_F/s1600/20181124_104516.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hDkgjeubk-4HeFP4TmDVM7OUJzYouu2ErqKegizVumHgl7Do29vf01Hw3y70BPEAV1WkTYcu7gBAGBlBTROimArHUGkKzBZ7__SlWqyriW4xlIuJYj_OsRlmSiIsNzaDBhZX0MZhKYOE/s1600/20181124_130023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hDkgjeubk-4HeFP4TmDVM7OUJzYouu2ErqKegizVumHgl7Do29vf01Hw3y70BPEAV1WkTYcu7gBAGBlBTROimArHUGkKzBZ7__SlWqyriW4xlIuJYj_OsRlmSiIsNzaDBhZX0MZhKYOE/s1600/20181124_130023.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The must have pic outside like we took in 2015...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We waited quite a while to take this pic below, to let the crowds die down, but people were still spilling out on to the pavement in large numbers and Ruth was inside speaking on camera with family to Sadlers Wells on what they thought of the show. We didn't stay much longer after saying hello and grabbing a hug, or 3, as we had a <a href="https://www.getasnap.com/" target="_blank">Snap coach</a> to catch for our trip back to Bristol...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQBL2rcMDf3PQIJo6xiVoWRxmN5QUUuEAsX7K4c8lcO_oZnSIPJiivv9A7emJ9W_tbhkrehTszx2QJXtb0pWCIw1R96-6Cnh7LIR6e3ARTzXUBCskkICusZzRD8L7I834yjDyv0o6pfYV/s1600/20181124_130412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQBL2rcMDf3PQIJo6xiVoWRxmN5QUUuEAsX7K4c8lcO_oZnSIPJiivv9A7emJ9W_tbhkrehTszx2QJXtb0pWCIw1R96-6Cnh7LIR6e3ARTzXUBCskkICusZzRD8L7I834yjDyv0o6pfYV/s1600/20181124_130412.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>A very happy Lottie just look at that smile...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The two of them were on a high after the show and we all felt warm, snuggly, festive and full of heart. Good, fun festive theatre just what you need. I much prefer it to panto if I'm honest.</span></div>
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<strong style="backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: start;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">This is the official trailer for the show:</span></strong><br />
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<strong style="backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Production Credits</strong><br style="backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">The stage show based upon the book by Raymond Briggs and the film directed by Dianne Jackson and produced by John Coates</span><br style="backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Music and lyrics by Howard Blake</span><br style="backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Design by Ruari Murchison </span><br style="backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Lighting design by Tim Mitchell </span><br style="backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Choreography by Robert North</span><br style="backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Directed by Bill Alexander</span><br style="backface-visibility: hidden; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">By Arrangement with Snowman Enterprises Limited (A Penguin Company) and Chester Music Limited</span><br />
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<strong style="backface-visibility: hidden; box-sizing: border-box; color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial;">The Peacock, Sadler's Wells, London </strong><span style="color: #575757; font-family: aktiv-grotesk, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial;">22 Nov-6 Jan 2019</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2018/the-snowman/" rel="nofollow" style="backface-visibility: hidden; box-sizing: border-box; color: #fec340; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">www.sadlerswells.com</a></div>
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<strong style="backface-visibility: hidden; box-sizing: border-box;">Birmingham Repertory Theatre</strong> 16-26 January 2019<br style="backface-visibility: hidden; box-sizing: border-box;" /><a href="https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/the-snowman-2019.html" rel="nofollow" style="backface-visibility: hidden; box-sizing: border-box; color: #fec340; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Click here to book</a></div>
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We saw the show as guests of Sadlers Wells.</div>
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New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-17226151757393789692018-10-29T16:19:00.000+00:002018-10-29T16:46:35.261+00:00Reasons to Choose Live-in Care in Comparison to Residential Care<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLbmILUg29nXlGxoxjgSCMMNg0Nx_t2mcUygOhVAjLEcFinMpJx4yr7omsmlw-sse7YxFaSoYI_fIv3GhkjQ8CBqagNbax8psVq5pJeecoUC0NNo9RbPYGaBJnUvSz23Wxd3ynt1TL9rT/s1600/Live+in+Care+home+is+where+the+heart+is.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLbmILUg29nXlGxoxjgSCMMNg0Nx_t2mcUygOhVAjLEcFinMpJx4yr7omsmlw-sse7YxFaSoYI_fIv3GhkjQ8CBqagNbax8psVq5pJeecoUC0NNo9RbPYGaBJnUvSz23Wxd3ynt1TL9rT/s1600/Live+in+Care+home+is+where+the+heart+is.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many of us will find ourselves in the position of needing to choose the right type of care package for a loved one, and the decision can be a challenging one. It's not something I want to think about but the day, sadly, arrives for us all at some point. Should you opt for residential care for an elderly or disabled relative, or choose <a href="https://www.promedica24.co.uk/live-in-care/" target="_blank">live in care</a> ? Here are some of the reasons why home care can be an excellent option. Find out if the <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/money-work-and-benefits/when-the-council-might-pay-for-your-care/" target="_blank">Council might pay for your care</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The ability to remain at home</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I know for my Gran in Ireland, remaining at home was extremely important - she was a proud woman who'd raised 7 children and run a successful retail business with my Granddad</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> for several decades. Both a shop beside the house and a travelling shop. Doing all of the duties that came with it, whilst raising a large family. Yet each time we went on holiday to Ireland she rustled up a banquet for sometimes upwards of 20 people for breakfast lunch and dinner with ease.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When a person goes into a residential care facility, they are forced to leave the home that they have loved and made their own for years. This can be hugely stressful and upsetting and make any existing health conditions worse. However, with care at home packages, the individual can remain within their beloved home and have the safety and security that they need in the shape of a live-in carer, who is there to support them with their everyday life and to ensure that they can continue to live at home in a safe, well manner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The option my Gran chose was to live in accommodation designed for the elderly, which she made her new smaller home, with her own front door, where she had the best of both worlds. She made it like a palace and it was like a tiny version of her former family house, with all the family memories still on the walls. Independent living on a small scale that she could cope with in her later years. With neighbours of a similar age who became firm friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>A flexible service</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With care at home, your loved one can have the right care package built around their needs. They may just need a professional carer to pop in daily to assist with meal preparation and certain household tasks. Or they may need a live-in carer who is permanently on-hand to support and help with all aspects of day to day life. Whatever the need, a home care service can provide it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Cost-effectiveness</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Residential care facilities can be highly expensive and don't offer tailored packages that are bespoke to individual needs. Live in care can be far more cost-effective because it requires no accommodation overheads. Instead, the care recipient remains within their own home, comfortably and happily, but with the expert and professional companion and live in care professional that they need to get the most from life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Wellbeing and social</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A live-in carer can help your loved one to remain as well, as active and as social as possible. They can encourage your loved one to remain mobile and to retain the confidence that they need to attend social events and classes and to be part of the community. This is vital to feel healthy and happy and to get the most out of life; something that isn't always available in a residential care facility where staff are spread across a large number of patients.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When I think of a Carer living in, for some reason thoughts of Frasier immediately spring to mind, as initially Daphne moved in to provide Physio for Martin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Crane" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Martin Crane">Martin</a> (Mahoney), a retired <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Police_Department" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Seattle Police Department">Seattle Police Department</a> detective, has mobility problems after being shot in the line of duty during a robbery.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Frasier hires <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne_Moon" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Daphne Moon">Daphne Moon</a> (Leeves) as Martin's live-in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_therapy" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Physical therapy">physical therapist</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caregiver" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Caregiver">caregiver</a>, and tolerates Martin's dog <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_characters_on_Frasier#Eddie" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Minor characters on Frasier">Eddie</a>. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Personal care</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Your loved one will have individual care and attention from the home care professional and companion that they feel happy and safe with. This provides a vital and one-to-one relationship that isn't available in a residential home. The carer will be able to get to know your loved one and their own unique needs and keep the family updated with things that they need to know, as well as to liaise with other agencies such as doctors or healthcare professionals to ensure that a seamless service is provided.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In conclusion, although live in care is less well known as an option for independent living, it can offer a range of benefits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">Collaborative Post with Promedica24</span></span></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-64825819739234264802018-10-26T00:32:00.001+01:002018-10-26T00:41:58.037+01:00Halloween Spooktacular at Bristol Zoo Gardens REVIEW October 2018<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So Sunday 21st October in spectacular weather we headed off to review what Bristol Zoo has to offer this Halloween for their <a href="https://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/whats-on/halloween-spooktacular" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spooktacular</a>. Bristol Zoo Gardens have their pumpkins on and <span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b>creeping it real</b></span> from 20th October till 4th November. During that time kids go free - one kid per paying adult. Terms and conditions apply see website for details.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQu-UNRIEQZGY9x-HAOtIOs6ZOJ6SDlnzgTh6HNfrR70u_5dewE4UtvKaXoNHCnMHzsUIhSmx5wjbR4dXxM8HudCJCJQaJaMYHFxFykNVuUvqlIH87IDiwo46s84ljUV8BuNrS6dVG9Ils/s1600/DSC07564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQu-UNRIEQZGY9x-HAOtIOs6ZOJ6SDlnzgTh6HNfrR70u_5dewE4UtvKaXoNHCnMHzsUIhSmx5wjbR4dXxM8HudCJCJQaJaMYHFxFykNVuUvqlIH87IDiwo46s84ljUV8BuNrS6dVG9Ils/s1600/DSC07564.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So upon entering the zoo reception you are given a leaflet to stick stickers on and a sheet of 4 stickers, both for the <b><span style="font-size: large;">Halloween Mystery Trail.</span></b> Shortly after accessing the zoo you stumble upon <b><span style="font-size: large;">DRACULA DRIVE</span></b> which you can't miss as you'll see below. If you are lucky and time it right the Witch, Winnie the Witch will be on Dracula Drive itself to meet and greet you. If not, attend her story time at 12:30 1:30 or 2:30. It was one of the highlights of our day for sure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It was hard to get Aaron to concentrate on ANYTHING as he kept saying "when can I do Zooropia?" even though he's done it every time we've gone to the zoo since he qualified to, aged 5. He's now 8 years old and in year 4. He only went to the Witch's story time at 1:30 on the condition that he was doing Zooropia straight after.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">He didn't expect to enjoy story time but loved it as the witch was so captivating and because of the many spooky artefacts that she showed us at the end. All the sort of things she'll be dropping into her spell making cauldron at some point. Aaron's favourite thing was the <b><span style="font-size: large;">REAL snakeskin!</span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBF3-qjFgJvXblMEQUHZK_s34ajBGyGbqt8NiKKhpmKgSN07WKkWS29rbE2C0_m3AvOsLpAh_UwHFCERY4qWueLob0PNvRPltwj8W0JR9EK6nSC-EU-2zKJ5cnzknlxybDHypkdiAyCE0/s1600/snakeskin+and+the+witch+blog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBF3-qjFgJvXblMEQUHZK_s34ajBGyGbqt8NiKKhpmKgSN07WKkWS29rbE2C0_m3AvOsLpAh_UwHFCERY4qWueLob0PNvRPltwj8W0JR9EK6nSC-EU-2zKJ5cnzknlxybDHypkdiAyCE0/s1600/snakeskin+and+the+witch+blog.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Before you go on Zooropia you go to a building near it to pay and for Aaron it cost me 7.50GBP which is reasonable considering how long and enjoyable the course is. There are qualified instructors manning it and I have never had any concerns whilst Aaron's been up there even when he was only five! It was touch and go as to whether I would let him do it, so look how absolutely MADE UP he is to have his ticket in hand below. One of his 2 dimples firmly on show. Oh he's the cutest sometimes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's fantastic if you have kids of different ages as Zooropia is above the playground so I was able to watch Lottie playing in the sand while Aaron literally climbed above our heads. Only trouble is I couldn't convince Lottie to go and watch him come down the zipwire at the end, so I missed the chance to video that and for the 1st time he landed on his feet and was utterly chuffed and thrilled with himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I wish I'd seen him actually come down the zip wire. He was THRILLED as it's the first time he's ever landed on his feet and was stoked with himself as 2 teenagers hadn't managed to and he normally doesn't. I may not have been over there to video it as I was with Lottie but I caught his joy in this pic for posterity just after. So lovely to see my son back to his normal go-getter confident self.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The zoo is simply bursting with photo opportunities at every turn so make sure you bring a camera that is charged and good to go. I didn't even need to ask Aaron to climb into this turtle but I did need to take Lottie's rucksack off for her when it was her turn bless!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'd completely forgotten that </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bristol Zoo has an Aquarium</span></b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> and it even has the new tunnel you see below that the kids were absolutely fascinated with - Daddy too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We spent a lot of time in the wooden outdoor adventure playground, continuing to be in there after Aaron did Zooropia. There is an excellent outdoor cafe and seating in the entrance to the playground so I got them each an ice lolly and myself a welcome latte as I'd well and truly earned it by that point and Daddy had gone food shopping.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's a really nice space as the equipment is challenging enough for Aaron even though he is a very athletic sporty capable 8 year old yet so much of it is small enough for my brave (not so typical) tall 2 year old Lottie. They actually even played nicer whilst I was at the cafe as Aaron helped Lottie with everything which you'll see when I get chance to edit my video footage. With facilities such as this phenomenal playground which caters for such a broad age range and is so relaxed and open plan, you can understand why so so many local Bristollians have the <a href="https://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/zoo-information/membership" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">annual membership</a> to visit as often as they like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I just had to photograph this bumblebee as the attention to detail in the zoo is just beautiful. The grounds themselves are stunning from a horticultural perspective too hence the zoo being called </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bristol Zoo <a href="https://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/explore-the-zoo/gardens" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gardens</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After spending a considerable amount of time in the adventure playground they then wanted to play in the water in the <span style="font-size: large;"><b>SPLASH area</b></span>. Unfortunately we timed this wrong as it was no longer nearly as hot as it was earlier but it didn't stop them taking socks and shoes off and despite Lottie getting soaked it was just warm enough that she didn't catch a chill and of course at her age I had a complete change of clothes...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After they got warm and dry when they finished playing in the water we went to the Lorikeets area which we all loved. It's an enclosed area where they can fly around really worth a visit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Straight after that we headed for Gorilla Island as Bristol Zoo is well known for its gorillas and they didn't disappoint I have some brilliant footage of them all moving around and playing. There's this great vantage point to view them from too:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are photo frames like the below throughout the zoo and my two were such good sports, typical blogger kids and posed in each and every one of them:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The zoo has a lovely spacious airy feel to it even when busy so Lottie was like this most of the day and I have finally learned that they can have a rucksack each so for the 1st time EVER Mummy did not carry everything yay (a trick I learned from <a href="http://mumunderpressure.co.uk/" target="_blank">Mum Under Pressure</a>):</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUtF3USkxjflr9bC5YqCQsKzKeFaLQ4bddhyphenhyphenp2bPHrvxLVCX0WaHB-GDHkSGj-Ak7QK_AmtTfm2xo-8JpcdZtP7BTnlHoZf7LB5K5MQemB4gUMsUZbN2lTmnCa2RHkM4kCsOxYVVFI-KQ/s1600/lottie+and+aaron+gorilla+island+blog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUtF3USkxjflr9bC5YqCQsKzKeFaLQ4bddhyphenhyphenp2bPHrvxLVCX0WaHB-GDHkSGj-Ak7QK_AmtTfm2xo-8JpcdZtP7BTnlHoZf7LB5K5MQemB4gUMsUZbN2lTmnCa2RHkM4kCsOxYVVFI-KQ/s1600/lottie+and+aaron+gorilla+island+blog.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I love these metal sculptures that signify you are near <b><span style="font-size: large;">BUG WORLD:</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh when you first arrive you see the lions on the left and there is this button that sprays water which of course Lottie had to play with until there was a puddle on the floor. He fascination with puddles of course aided by her Peppa Pig addiction:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We were at Bristol Zoo Gardens Sunday 21st October and largely October is turning out to be a great month weather wise so for the whole day the sky looked like this. The husband and I loved the architecture on this <b><span style="font-size: large;">Water World</span></b> building which signifies that you are right by the Zoo's Aquarium.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Bye bye Bristol Zoo Gardens:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is us waiting for Daddy to collect us as he'd popped out to do the weekly food shop after enjoying some time in the zoo with us:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Thanks for hosting us Bristol Zoo we had an incredible day and were blessed with the weather.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Bristol Zoo Spooktacular is on from 20th October to 4th November and during that time kids go free, one child per paying adult. See website <a href="https://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/whats-on/halloween-spooktacular" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SPOOKTACULAR</a> for terms and conditions. There is also craft and face paint, for a small additional fee but everything else is included, such as story time with the INCREDIBLE Winnie the Witch. If you go let me know what you think.</span></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com0Bristol Zoo Gardens, College Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3HA, UK51.4637269 -2.622010999999929551.3054619 -2.9447344999999294 51.6219919 -2.2992874999999295tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-19772115165125757422018-10-17T13:49:00.000+01:002018-10-21T23:58:40.415+01:00Thanks a Million Mrs Hinch Home<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Home was somewhere I always felt trapped by, so took every excuse I could to go to the park or on a day out with the kids. Pre-kids my escape was long hours at work. My Mum always said I wasn't a "Mrs House" type person and that home was merely a place to lay my weary head. Home was the place where I could never catch up... with the dishes, the laundry, the clutter, it was all too much. And to be honest was never really my thing. Which is odd as I can transform a room with flair when I do put my mind to it. An ability I just rarely tap in to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It was very early September when I discovered <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mrshinchhome_x_/?hl=en" target="_blank">Mrs Hinch Home</a> via my friend <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sometimesitssarah/" target="_blank">Sometimes It's Sarah</a>. Just as she was about to get married. I think Sophie Hinchcliffe was on just under 100k followers at the time. Little did I realise that hitting that follow button would be so very transformational.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>What did I do with this new found knowledge?</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Well, firstly I immediately bought Zoflora (Country Garden and Bouquet) and secondly, I mopped then mopped again using the Zoflora to disinfect all of the downstairs flooring, which thankfully is all wooden (laminate in the kitchen, dining room and den with a real wooden floor in the sitting room). Yes no carpet, downstairs at least, should mean it'll be easy to toilet train Lottie, which means I ought to have done so by now, but that's a story for another day. I might now be great at cleaning but I am not yet Super Mum.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzpmT45g_GKGB8EFoKolOQ6RH1IdTw5Mrnery0X0L-HbMmwfBztMIqHScl9yhvYDG-jKUQ0MyTE7eEonIqzFQs9fbj1IpMG7lnLTtfOD0_8Z0TlMBs1Me_dFZd0p0lEXk4iz5wRNhhhBI/s1600/Hinched+Floor+and+toy+free.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Clean and clear disinfected wooden floor" border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzpmT45g_GKGB8EFoKolOQ6RH1IdTw5Mrnery0X0L-HbMmwfBztMIqHScl9yhvYDG-jKUQ0MyTE7eEonIqzFQs9fbj1IpMG7lnLTtfOD0_8Z0TlMBs1Me_dFZd0p0lEXk4iz5wRNhhhBI/s1600/Hinched+Floor+and+toy+free.jpg" title="Zoflora wooden floor" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Floors are something I always focus on first for several reasons. One, because it's where all the toys invariably are so I get a huge boost from picking them all up and secondly as I am an empath I feel "energy" and stagnant energy tends to be on the floor. So clearing it, via hoovering and mopping, gives me the energy boost I need to then continue with other tasks around the home and if I pop out, say on the school run, and come back to clear floors it lifts my mood hugely. Clearing and cleaning the floors literally LIFTS the vibration of both myself and my home. I can see the benefit for the kids when they walk into that brighter atmosphere too. Such a shame that in traditional cleaning it is advised to do the floor last, it doesn't actually work that way for me personally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Perception Deception</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I suffer from overwhelm, which is where when I look at a task I don't see what you see. If you, dear reader, are tidy, you'll probably eye up a pile or a mess and think "that'll only take 15, 30 or 45 minutes" and you'll dive in. Perhaps the only thing you will think is "that won't take long" if you even stop to think at all. I know my Mum doesn't. A dirty mug doesn't linger long on any of her counters. And beds don't stay unmade. I think the only place my Mum goes before making her bed is her en suite. Clearly I must be more like my Dad LOL. Not so with me - this ability to dive in. I will eye something up quite a few times, be it a cluttered work top, or dining table, or 4, 5 or 6 Ikea bags of clean laundry that needs to be folded and put away, or floors covered in toys and to me it will seem insurmountable so I will do everything else but that task I've decided to put off and then there becomes more than one of those and the overwhelm spirals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So where does Mrs Hinch come in? Well quite simply, she makes cleaning FUN. In fact she doesn't even call it cleaning at all. It is HINCHING. Like vacuuming became "hoovering". Hoover was originally just a brand, then it became a verb "to hoover" and ever so quickly we now have "to Hinch". And there is more to it than simply that. Whereas the famous You Tube speed cleaners that have gone before her will focus on a large area, like: this is how I speed clean the bedroom, or the kitchen or the whole house... Mrs Hinch for a long while mostly focused on her sink! So for those of us who can't face DOING IT ALL... it was a manageable task. In an area you face very frequently and <i>an area that gives back rich rewards</i> in terms of sheen and shine. There is NOTHING that beats the feeling of waking up to a clean, clear SHINY sink. Anyone who knows me knows that far far far too many of my Instagram stories were - in the past - me moaning about doing the washing up. I don't and have never, owned a dishwasher. So this isn't a band wagon I have jumped on to be trendy. This is literally medicine for me and much needed.<i><b> Following Mrs Hinch is like my daily dose of dare I say therapy.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So just like NLP where they will cure your fear of spiders by telling you to imagine the spider in black and white and imagine it as being very small instead of very big, I now see cleaning tasks as something speedy, something fun! Where the outcome and the joy at the accomplishment is so much more than the journey to get there. And because Mrs Hinch names all of her cloths and tools all the drudgery seems to somehow be taken out of it. It helps that she overlays a lot of her Instagram stories, so this now sees me doing everything round the home with music blasting. I'm literally <b><i>whistling while I work.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>It Takes Two</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A recent critic wrote an article that all this cleaning is very 1950s and she criticised the fact that it's all women doing the Hinching. Well I have a story of my own there. Where my husband would come home to a messy home, he'd have to pick up toys before he could do anything and the bits he could do would always go unnoticed. Ever since I've been a signed up member of the Hinch Army, he does so much more, because now, it's so much more obvious what needs to be done, because I've nearly always already done three quarters of it. So I'd say he's washed up more frequently in the last 2 months than he has in the past 4 years. So don't always judge so harshly Mrs Journalist. It may be us ladies who are on Instagram, but there's an army of Hinch men behind the scenes. As for the men allowing their women to haul, until I was a stay at home Mum I was always financially independent but anyway, the only items I have bought, since Hinching, have been</span></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Lots of Zoflora, the little one pound bottles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3 pots of the Pink Stuff at a pound each.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Elbow Grease a pound!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Cif Power and Shine</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Astonish Mould and Midlew (which is AMAZING on grout and sealant etc...) and is only a pound!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Astonish Floor Cleaner Orchard Blossom (which smells as great as Zoflora and is only a pound)!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Astonish Oxy Active Fabric Stain Remover. You guessed it, it's only a pound!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That's one of the many things I LOVE ABOUT MRS HINCH she's introduced me to so many affordable products that are more effective than the more expensive options/alternatives. I've used all sorts of costly things in the past to get my sink shiny, to get my grout clean, to get my floor clean. Elbow Grease is an AMAZING product, as is the Pink Stuff! I only hope these things don't all go up in price as a result of being Hinched.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So in response to the naysayers no, not all of us are out spending a fortune on Hinch Hauls. And 100% Hinching is great for one's mental health it certainly has been for mine!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am yet to buy the Vileda Vera Spray Mop or the Vileda Trace Turbo Mop and Bucket Set (although when money allows the latter will be my preference as I never could understand everyone going mad for Vera and love that Mrs Hinch was introduced to what she soon fondly named "Trace"). Sadly, as I don't have a B&M or Savers, or Home Bargains near me, I haven't even got soda crystals or vinegar yet. But will do, as a way of keeping all my plug holes clear :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But on a brighter note I have already Hinched:</span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My sink regularly obviously. After all, with Mrs H you put your sink to bed every night. But I am yet to claim an elusive Minkeh (if you know, you know)!!!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My kitchen sink cupboard and it's as close to a Narnia as it can be...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My cooker. The windows on my top oven and bottom oven are now crystal clean and no longer brown, which to be fair is how they always were pre-Lottie. It's actually really easy to stay on top of them once clear with a frequent gentle wipe. Extra exertion is only required for a build up and I've seen from the many before and after pics on Instagram and Facebook that I am not alone in that, far from it thank God!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My sitting room, proper clockwise style "mate" frequently, like Mrs H herself does.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My fridge - but I only actually got round to that today as it's been a busy fortnight what with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Boga_YZhW5B/?taken-by=newmumonline" target="_blank">The Pipas 2018</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Boj6bP5BISP/?taken-by=newmumonline" target="_blank">Avon Valley</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BoxMTMEhc4S/?taken-by=newmumonline" target="_blank">Briz Shiz</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My bathroom grout.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My two toilets!! ;-)</span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5oPwfY8opevnzBwCHj48OC-YavDRsOvq_jNJfnAQuAqeyiHuWsk-nHacHRmpTi2e_M4JrkC-H75R1bWBk7WGt3dM16D7B3U0O9XeKEcv7thO5QGrz9hXTbeKgZ-5m_ct1Q3aBftywSl6/s1600/Kallax+storage+5+x+5+oak+effect+for+toys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Clean and clear laminate floors perfect walk way to kitchen and back door" border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5oPwfY8opevnzBwCHj48OC-YavDRsOvq_jNJfnAQuAqeyiHuWsk-nHacHRmpTi2e_M4JrkC-H75R1bWBk7WGt3dM16D7B3U0O9XeKEcv7thO5QGrz9hXTbeKgZ-5m_ct1Q3aBftywSl6/s1600/Kallax+storage+5+x+5+oak+effect+for+toys.jpg" title="Kallax clears the toys perfect toy storage solution" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Let's Talk Floors and Toys. Toys and Floors.</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our biggest source of marital discontent when Aaron was young, was toys all over the floor and once I'd gone to bed with him I was reluctant to get back up and deal with them. Hubby wouldn't put them away how I liked so some days they wouldn't get put away at all. It took me years (not weeks or months) to find out that other parents made a game of putting toys away and involved the kids in this task pre-bedtime. It's something I regularly do with Lottie now, so as a Mum of two, I'm not nearly as daft and wet behind the ears as I clearly was with one. Oh dear and that's not the only mistake I made LOL. I can laugh now with the benefit of hindsight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our favourite part of our home is the den, which leads to the dining room and open plan kitchen and the two big features of this are the skylight windows and the <a href="https://www.directwoodflooring.co.uk/laminate-flooring" target="_blank">laminate flooring</a>. Alas it doesn't look so great when covered in toys. But here's the thing. I finally got myself what it felt like the whole of the parenting world already had and that was an Ikea Kallax. To make up for being so late to this toy storage phenomena I WENT BIG.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My Kallax is FIVE BY FIVE meaning 25 cubic squares of lush toy storage sanity. So the toys are quite literally vertical instead of horizontal and our laminate floors get to reign supreme. Clear, clean, polished and shiny. Giving a clear walking and visual path through to the kitchen or the back door.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fast forward to this year 2018 and in my recent busy fortnight, the floor started to get clogged with toys once again, (old habits die hard) but at the weekend when I did a HUGE spruce up to get us back to our new normal it was amazing the effect it had on the kids. It's like the space, the clear wooden shiny laminate floor, said "use me". Like in Alice in Wonderland when there are signs on things saying "eat me", so Lottie played with things she had never shown an interest in before like Aaron's road jigsaw and so thrilled was he, he got out ALL OF HIS CARS and got off the Nintendo Switch, to show Lottie which sized cars better suited the road. They played on the floor for hours and I literally couldn't have been happier. If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen it all in my Instagram stories but they expire after 24 hours so long gone now. But here are a couple of pics I took at the time:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY89XjzT9uoarrcJVo3Pa5_79j9QV-yl7UiLCYPw9H5zU2G9dC3AhIeGdN24lcrIBTJ2nIyDnFLP2M1IwGDt6UU0wLAdQ9VT_FGEwrPY2QpoQuHTH6QDjs_J5XWXGyhG5NH4KCF3OUgupC/s1600/Toys+and+Playing+on+a+clear+clean+laminate+floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Clean and clear floors are a blank page for creative play" border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY89XjzT9uoarrcJVo3Pa5_79j9QV-yl7UiLCYPw9H5zU2G9dC3AhIeGdN24lcrIBTJ2nIyDnFLP2M1IwGDt6UU0wLAdQ9VT_FGEwrPY2QpoQuHTH6QDjs_J5XWXGyhG5NH4KCF3OUgupC/s1600/Toys+and+Playing+on+a+clear+clean+laminate+floor.jpg" title="Toys and playing on laminate floors" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But literally if you want floors clear of toys, get yourself a Kallax, it has certainly exceeded my expectations and the bottom cubes with pull out drawers, I have been very strict about and they've been maintained for a whole year now. There is a theme to each box and they get emptied out like that and refilled and tidied away like that. </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So on the far left is a box of Thomas trains and tracks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Next along is a box full of 2 x Fisher Price Farms with animals and people</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Next is a box of Fisher Price Little People a road set with electronic cars etc...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Next is a box of aliens and space ships, the whole Early Learning Centre Happy Land set.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Last box on the right is a box of Lightning McQueen and other remote control cars.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I can't tell you how satisfying it is with the first 4 of the above 5 boxes to tip each one out and EVERYTHING you need to play in that theme is ALL in that box. No routing through ALL the toys looking for one bit you're missing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My only regret that I didn't get a Kallax when Aaron was a tot instead of November only last year when his younger sibling Lottie was a tot. I was working when Aaron was 1 and 2 and could easily afford it but I was managing to do a full-time role in 3 days a week and always chasing my tail and flying by the seat of my pants, far too busy to ever slow down and see what needed doing at home.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvrrFqHoZ628gccKsmnqoz4P94KXDSna8NOts4E-S8OJ7LA8aXMKWSsv1TpqN2Di6pSdezk6ipmS2tIBVKqKAV66bvUngAGgSE_vwFgXVztf0CpkyPYJEYCMXXf5N89E4QeeywuQ9vh0X/s1600/At+The+Pipas+2018+Photobox+Instagram+Photography+Awards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="I was shortlisted at the Pipas in the Family section" border="0" data-original-height="1398" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvrrFqHoZ628gccKsmnqoz4P94KXDSna8NOts4E-S8OJ7LA8aXMKWSsv1TpqN2Di6pSdezk6ipmS2tIBVKqKAV66bvUngAGgSE_vwFgXVztf0CpkyPYJEYCMXXf5N89E4QeeywuQ9vh0X/s1600/At+The+Pipas+2018+Photobox+Instagram+Photography+Awards.jpg" title="NewMumOnline at the Pipas 2018 Photobox Instagram Photography Awards" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Thanks a Million Mrs Hinch</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is a reason I specifically said Thanks a Million as the header for this post. Firstly because in the coming days <b><i>Mrs H will reach a million followers</i></b> on Instagram (she's already on 979k) and secondly because before she was even in the press or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13YTCu0WpH8&t=2s" target="_blank">on This Morning</a>, I said "by October she will be on a million followers" and I am finding it quite spooky that I was so right considering she was only on 100k when I said that. Only thing I will admit to getting wrong... eeek.... is I said early October and it turns out it will be later in October, but in my defence I didn't know she was going to get a DVT and be laid up in hospital for approx a week and that took Sophie herself by surprise too. Delighted she's making a full recovery and Hinching again. But there is just something very pure and genuine about her energy and sense of fun, that literally takes all of the doom and gloom out of the overwhelming feelings associated with cleaning. I know people who take a cursory glance at her Instagram account don't really "get it" but there are hundreds and thousands, literally hundreds of thousands of us who DO!!!! I'll always be grateful for the boost she's given me and the whole house and family benefits.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As you'll see in the picture above, from the Pipas 2018 photo awards, Hinching has quite literally seen me getting the spring back in my step and that benefits my whole family. Happy Wife Happy Life. Happy Mum, happy home!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXUzDPXglwFEx8Q0eDmiSgne3y1GBH7gPrCX0UuEx0BJeyR1QL9mfxZzVxV9H2rXhJQ0RYwJ0FkOT-X4xJ1AGZ5Hz7unZSEC63PzDSScfA5NmLl6tJugmrd9W-VlhxCR2Lw8bCxBeToz6/s1600/All+the+Best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mrs Hinch signature phrase all the best" border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXUzDPXglwFEx8Q0eDmiSgne3y1GBH7gPrCX0UuEx0BJeyR1QL9mfxZzVxV9H2rXhJQ0RYwJ0FkOT-X4xJ1AGZ5Hz7unZSEC63PzDSScfA5NmLl6tJugmrd9W-VlhxCR2Lw8bCxBeToz6/s1600/All+the+Best.jpg" title="All the best from me and Mrs Hinch" /></a></div>
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New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-81512381511236909672018-09-19T14:32:00.000+01:002018-09-19T17:14:13.739+01:00Giveaway Win $100 USD towards a Jord Watch<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hi to you all and so sorry that it's so very long since I've blogged. It's remiss of me especially considering I have a great giveaway running on Instagram since 2 weeks and I ought to have shared it with you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have been reviewing this Jord Watch and it's helping me keep track of time (I haven't worn a watch in over 10 years and now I have it on daily and love it). It's great as I no longer need to keep looking at my phone for the time. Now I'm a fully paid up member of the Soccer Mum club I can keep an eye on the clock. Must say though I'm not looking forward to the evenings drawing in. I noticed last night it was nearly dark at 19:30hrs and football is 1800 to 1900 tonight. Thank God it's a warm dry day but we do have Storm Ali skirting passed us and it's just knocked down my washing line with 3 loads on. Anyway I digress back to the watch.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtS0ABhwvyYdmwbde_KgaFsB-s9WQoY7W4uuhY5t79P-7y7r_3lFJDPmJ-55rd1SM4dqMxYcWhuiEh32IBmf9ntxQKRDEGHdvD73VBtPq4Zes2df5y6bjwR9lHYphb7XsmUaJuNc0VoGws/s1600/Jord+watch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1343" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtS0ABhwvyYdmwbde_KgaFsB-s9WQoY7W4uuhY5t79P-7y7r_3lFJDPmJ-55rd1SM4dqMxYcWhuiEh32IBmf9ntxQKRDEGHdvD73VBtPq4Zes2df5y6bjwR9lHYphb7XsmUaJuNc0VoGws/s1600/Jord+watch.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The details of the giveaway are in this post: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnbMSYChYyg/?taken-by=newmumonline" target="_blank">Jord Watch NewMumOnline Instagram Post</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Which can also for your ease be found below:</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnbMSYChYyg/?utm_source=ig_embed_loading" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">[Ad] On the sidelines Soccer Mum. Me last night. As my⌚ @jordwatches ⌚so beautifully displays it is 18:50 🥅⚽️and Lottie & I have managed to get through a match without her creating too much mischief. I would say the weather hasn't turned yet but as we were walking to the car there was a downpour 🌊☔and because the boys carried on playing for over 30 minutes it was DARK when we got in. Thank God our first LEAGUE football match is Saturday MORNING at 10:30 am. In my future I see us all requiring thermals. The footie we did thus far for 4 years was inside apart from June and July and didn't have a team/matches. We're hard-core now 🥇🏆⚽️ Anyway I digress I have a #JordWatch #Giveaway for you. Click on the link in my profile link: https://www.jordwatches.com/g/newmumonline The contest will end on Oct 7, 2018 at 11:59pm. All entrants will have a chance to win a $100 gift code to use on the JORD site! One lucky person will win, but everyone will receive a consolation code worth 10% off once the contest is over! All other entrants will also be emailed a consolation 10% off code as well. Once the contest closes, Jord's system will randomly select a winner and email them immediately with their winning code. All you have to do is fill out name and email on the link in my profile. To put it in perspective my watch pictured retails at $199USD so $100 goes a long way to covering a perfect ⌚xmas present for someone 🎄 #SoccerMum #FootballLeague #Offside #SideLines #MeAndMyGirl #WinterIsDrawingIn #ClockWatching #MyTimePiece #MyHappyCapture #OutdoorsAndHappy #WinAwatchVoucher #Ad #GiftedToMe #FootBallMum #SaturdaySoccer #LifeCloseUp #My2YearOld #FootballMad #PBUKad #WoodenWatch</a></div>
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A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/newmumonline/?utm_source=ig_embed_loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Parenting Blogger Liska</a> (@newmumonline) on <time datetime="2018-09-07T12:27:29+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Sep 7, 2018 at 5:27am PDT</time></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">To enter the giveaway you can go directly to:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.woodwatches.com/g/newmumonline">https://www.woodwatches.com/g/newmumonline</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">But please note the following:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">The contest will end on Oct 7, 2018 at 11:59pm.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">You have a chance to win one $100 gift code to use on the JORD site!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">One lucky person will win, but everyone will receive a consolation code worth 10% off once the contest is over!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">All other entrants will also be emailed a consolation 10% off code as well.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Once the contest closes, Jord's system will randomly select a winner and email them with their winning code.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">All you have to do is fill out name and email on the link in my Instagram profile. The link is also above.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">To put it in perspective my watch pictured retails at $199USD so $100 goes a long way to covering a perfect ⌚xmas present for someone 🎄</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What is unique about this watch is that it is WOODEN, hence the wooden packaging you see above, which celebrates this quality of the watch. It means it is a real delight and pleasure to wear. It doesn't feel like an alien bit of plastic or metal on my arm. Technically I could see it as a dress watch for special occasions but in reality I am wearing it every day.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="woodwatches_com_widget_article" ishidden="1" nbsp="" title="Wooden Wrist Watch">Wooden Wrist Watch</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><script nbsp="" src="//www.jordwatches.com/widget-article/newmumonline" type="text/javascript"></script></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">See more UK giveaways here:</b></div>
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New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-11252976542526748722018-07-25T14:48:00.000+01:002018-07-25T14:48:52.509+01:00Holiday Kids' Clubs in Bristol Summer 2018<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Holiday Kids Clubs - great way to break up the 6 weeks school Summer holidays</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ensuring our kids still get the company of their peers and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">lots of activity in a formal secure, yet fun setting throughout</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You don't even need to be a working parent</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You might just want a few days out where kids can be kids and adults can be adults</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When you reconnect afterwards you'll both have a renewed spirit and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">be happy to share with each other what you all got up to. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first time we dropped Aaron at a holiday club Lottie was sad to say goodbye</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">but he had so much more time for her at the end of each day</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">when he'd had time away with kids his own age. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of course it also meant I could focus on Lottie one-to-one</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">which she loves like when he's at regular school.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The trouble with the school Summer holidays is most of your extra-curricular evening hobbies break up for the Summer too just like school. I know all of Lottie's toddler play and stay groups do. With Aaron though, we're very lucky in that our Football Club training and our BMX Club classes carry on throughout. But it can be a long six weeks with no school and no formal structured activities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We ourselves tried Bristol's Premier Camps in February and Aaron loved it - he made great friends and took part in gymnastics, football, archery, fencing and Nerf Gun wars over two days even coming away with a certificate. When he was in nursery when I went back to work just before he turned one, childcare was circa 50GBP a day, so I was pleasantly surprised to find Premier Education holiday camp from only 15.95 GBP a day (cheaper or dearer depending on the amount of notice given and whether booked on or offline. Book online before you attend, to guarantee a place and the cheapest price. There is a mobile phone contact for each Premier course and the phone is answered by a very personable and informed team member who will give you the exact advice you require. If you do a course local to home you may well find your child knows a few people there.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Premier Camps!</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Everyone is invited to join the fun.</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Inspire to Engage is Premier Sport’s brand new holiday course initiative. Your children will keep busy and active with a huge variety of activities and sports for them to enjoy during the school holiday. The fun environment on our holiday courses means they mix with loads of children of their own age, get active and most importantly have fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The programme is accessible across all age groups and abilities. It ensures your children have fun with friends, at the same time learning the importance of living a healthy and active lifestyle. The programme helps your child improve their communication skills, build their self-confidence and develop valuable social skills.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s a fantastic, healthy, way for kids to get out of the house. Kids love being active and of course it’s cool being with friends. The usual verdict is "it was brilliant!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Premier%20-%20Bristol" target="_blank">Premier - Bristol on FACEBOOK</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Premier - Bristol website: <a href="https://family.premier-education.com/courses?location=bristol&hol=0&hol=1&eve=0&exc=0&day=0" target="_blank">Premier Education Bristol Kids Clubs Online</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Clifton College Kid’s Clubs – 3-13 Years of Age</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This summer, Clifton College in Bristol are hosting their popular kids’ clubs, with a group suitable for all ages between 3-13 years of age. Each club includes a wide variety of activities all with the aim that your children enjoy themselves and learn different skills on the way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Mini’s Kids’ Club (3-4) </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">focuses on personal development and interaction with others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Junior Club (5-7) </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">focuses on encouraging children to pursue their interests and develop their skills through their own choice of activity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The oldest club, the Kids’ Club (8-13)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">promotes self-expression, confidence building, offering complete flexibility and choice of involvement. Of course, all three groups offer FUN, with activities such as arts and crafts, outdoor play and even afternoon swim sessions (Kids’ Club and Junior’s Club).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Prices for all kids' clubs at Clifton College</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- start from £22 for half a day </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- £44 for a full day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Mini’s Club started from 6th July 2018 while the Kids’ Club and the Junior’s Club started on 9th July 2018. Feel free to join at any time. For more information, and to book online please visit <a href="http://www.cliftoncollege.com/">www.cliftoncollege.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">An example of a day in Clifton College <a href="https://www.ccsl-cliftoncollege.com/courses-classes-clubs/minis-club/?portfolioCats=52" target="_blank">Minis Kids Club</a></span></h2>
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Minis Holiday Club</h1>
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Minis Holiday Club is for 3–4 year old children plus 2 year olds who attend our nursery during term time and is based in Clifton College Nursery. This provides a stimulating and creative environment for young children during the holidays. Qualified and experienced staff will support children to engage in age-appropriate activities with particular attention paid to personal development, interaction with others and, most importantly, fun! Minis must bring a packed lunch each day.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Typical Day Timetable</span></div>
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0800–1000 – Arrivals, Early Play including Arts and Crafts, Games etc<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />1000–1030 – Registration and Chat Time<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />1030–1130 – Playground and Games<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />1130–1200 – Optional Activities<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />1200–1300 – Lunch<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />1300–1600 – Outdoor Play/Free Play/Adult-led Activities<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />1600–1800 – Departures, Stay and Play and Quiet Time</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">*Above is an example of a typical day and should be treated only as a guide. Variances regularly occur as staff adopt a flexible approach to meet children’s needs.</em></div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">This post is a collaboration</em></div>
New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-74529830884933508442018-07-19T14:30:00.000+01:002018-07-23T14:48:04.755+01:00Getting More Organised For The Summer <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Life has just gone up a notch. We've now joined a weekly BMX class to add to football and dance class AND we've also joined a completely new Football Club. Deep breath. For long time readers you'll know Aaron's been cycling since he was three years of age so you won't be overly surprised, except the missing part of the story is that hubby put me on a cycle ban when pregnant and it scuppered Aaron and I cycling everywhere. Also, so too did the presence of a buggy when Lottie came along. Alas I discovered via the BMX class that Aaron's cycling skills have suffered as a result but we're now both fully committed to getting him back where he was. I'd say from just 1 hour Tuesday night he's 85% there. It did break my heart though to witness it taking an hour to get back to where he was four years ago. Aaron on the exact same track 4 years ago, just with a different bike and more confidence: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYfzTIyxp1U" target="_blank">Aaron cycling 4 years old</a>. There's something about being 8 years of age - it's like he's more self conscious and unsure of himself, but I'm definitely alongside him to ride it out and LITERALLY.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The football club we joined last night is a proper club as opposed to the weekly kick about he's done every Friday for FOUR long years. So hallelujah</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> to not having to give up my Friday nights anymore (I'd already done that for 6 years as a Yoga Teacher) but we still have to go tomorrow to our old class, to finish the term as it's trophy night. We only tried our new club yesterday but we already have a tournament of matches to go to Sunday. Talk about going in at the deep end. And I thought with tomorrow being the last day of our school term, I thought I'd be looking forward to a slower pace of life for 6 weeks but as our new football club continues throughout Summer obviously that's going to be far from true. No harm though as Aaron's got so much stamina he'd be climbing the walls otherwise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">BUT there is a silver lining and that's after tomorrow NO MORE SCHOOL RUNS. I hate the school run with a passion. I have a "thing" about lateness or rather punctuality. So if you want to get my heart racing put me and 2 children who need to be at school on time in the same room. I mean don't get me wrong we are NEVER late. But sheepishly I tell you I cannot say the say for my stress levels. I could however say I'm never sane. Except of course when I'm asleep. I fully chill then of course. If only I didn't have to be horizontal to do so!!!!!!!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So in an attempt to be more "organised Mum" and less running from the seat of her pants "stressed shrill Mum" I think it's time for a noticeboard and some other organising aids, like actually PUTTING things in an ACTUAL diary even if it is just online (and preferably so so that I get the reminders and can share it with hubby. I know the organised amongst you are probably gasping or at the very least taking a sharp inhale at the fact that we don't already use one. Well yeah, now you know why my memory is gone and my brain is FRIED. The hard drive of my brain is burnt out too busy thinking for four people. No harm in practicing good habits in the 6 weeks leisure time ready to be fighting fit for September though when the doors to YEAR 4 open. I really want to get Aaron up to academic excellence so we will be doing some book work, the 3 Rs, all through the Summer. It does make me laugh that the 3 Rs are </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>reading writing and arithmetic</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">... given that only 1 of them begins with an R. Clearly spelling doesn't always matter LOL.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And the <a href="https://www.teacherboards.co.uk/whiteboards" target="_blank">Whiteboard notice board</a> above could be used as a visual aid. I know in learning Aaron is very visual so to be able to do daily to-do lists on a white board through the Summer would be invaluable even if it was just a schedule starting: "book work 10 - 12, lunch 12-1, Nintendo Switch 1-4..... I just have to get him into a habit where he EARNS his Nintendo Switch Fortnite time with academic book work time. The only thing that's getting my goat is we have the same teacher next year and I'm worried she may have already pigeon holed Aaron. I don't know how to get her to look at him with fresh eyes in September and not just assume his academic skills will have got rusty over the Summer. I play on practising his handwriting, and reading and maths/timetables all Summer even if it's just an hour a day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Anyway this is my life currently (even last night whenever he wasn't actually playing football he'd just break into dance. Him and his BFF were both new last night and they both kept doing it whether it was Hype or Floss or Orange Justice etc... The other players just looked on. It didn't help that professional players were doing it during the World Cup so they are now role models and they're like sod what our actual peers think. But yeah life lately is like this:</span></div>
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New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-29937158720402861882018-06-29T23:30:00.000+01:002018-06-30T02:06:19.426+01:00There's a Woman Under There<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Since becoming a Mum I've done that thing some of us Mums are prone to do; I have 100% neglected my appearance. It used to be okay if I occasionally did this in the past as I would have the odd reboot or chance to change my ways, from 2004 to 2010 that came in the form of my annual 8 day yoga retreat in France, which kept me detoxed and my weight under control. Looking back at pics from those days I now want to reclaim that person and her radiance. Also I did many years in fashion retail and the need to be on brand meant I had to fit in the product which became self regulating. The biggest, forgive the pun, thing to change my figure once I got bigger pre-motherhood, was a diagnosis of Candida in 2001 from my Chinese Herbalist. Once I read up on it and made the many necessary dietary changes I lost 3.5 stones relatively quickly AND painlessly. I literally shrank and dissolved and lost it everywhere, even those places that are traditionally hard to lose weight from. If I wasn't breastfeeding I think I quite fancy doing it again, but I am reluctant to do anything drastic when Lottie relies on me. Surely she'd benefit from my diet containing more nutrition and less empty calories though?!?!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJuLmg_FMB6gRQllKyMqH-mHL6-reFiTo-SIueWQe0I2-gWmaeSO24IgYr6tBZVpy42YZd54Omfy5Sabw_faVSq2c6mIW97yJJDTAkgGlttLc0ruREEIIxSsX7BJjShgnKtzhxZBg6-tf/s1600/Me+at+yoga+festival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJuLmg_FMB6gRQllKyMqH-mHL6-reFiTo-SIueWQe0I2-gWmaeSO24IgYr6tBZVpy42YZd54Omfy5Sabw_faVSq2c6mIW97yJJDTAkgGlttLc0ruREEIIxSsX7BJjShgnKtzhxZBg6-tf/s1600/Me+at+yoga+festival.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Me on the right at one of many European Yoga Festivals - I was a qualified Kundalini Yoga Teacher</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Makeup</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Me putting on makeup was and is a very rare thing and when I do, it's Bare Minerals all the way which has a really positive effect on my skin. Not that I have ever had acne or anything but it just seems to recharge and renew my skin, which reminds me it is too long since I've last had some on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Jewellery</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even putting on jewellery is something I am only recently making a conscious effort to do. Usually it's ear-rings a bracelet and a chain. I made the decision to start doing this more often when Aaron changed schools. I just decided new school, new school gates, new me. But it's kind of the only improvement I made.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Clothes</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Rather terribly, clothes are limited by what fits and what's clean. My priority is always the kids. How they look and whether everything they own still fits. I have so many old clothes that are gorgeous but of course none of them no longer fit. Only today when I was looking for my sleeping bag for Aaron's movie PJ night at school I came across lots of gorgeous Monsoon tops but they're all annoyingly size 12 and I am firmly (or not so firmly) an 18 now, even though I often yo yo between 16 and 18. Currently my size 16 jeans don't fit so I am permanently in leggings. I haven't even bothered to shave my legs so I even wear leggings under my dresses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Nails</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Having been a SAHM for many years now, manicures (and leg waxes) are firmly OFF the agenda, but ONCE a year I treat myself to Shellac on my feet along with a luxury pedicure. I literally make it last all Summer and then let it grow out during Winter whilst it's hidden under socks. I do look ridiculous if I go to an indoor pool during Winter when it's half on and half on. I have done this which my friend Helen can attest to. That with the hairy legs is SO not a good look - I've particularly realised this over the last 4 weeks, during my Love Island addiction LOL.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI23VtN35kSFkn9nY7borRxbbz26ZPGXo9jFWZu1ihtcf5GGAZFpgU_gefAWGgjBH7wZ3F5Rs9VUlP3n2zdHKbAglo2NZIzPaAI7vlsiEP4nxDJBSBCHLRm2ilOK0cFW1ZtT_nSWWSpJIY/s1600/My+white+feather+finally.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI23VtN35kSFkn9nY7borRxbbz26ZPGXo9jFWZu1ihtcf5GGAZFpgU_gefAWGgjBH7wZ3F5Rs9VUlP3n2zdHKbAglo2NZIzPaAI7vlsiEP4nxDJBSBCHLRm2ilOK0cFW1ZtT_nSWWSpJIY/s1600/My+white+feather+finally.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">After years of reading about angels I finally got a white feather of my own</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Perfume</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Once upon a time, literally, I used to have a Debenhams card and I'd be in there buying perfume and makeup, even more regularly during the years I worked ON Oxford Street, before I left retail that is and sought promotion to Head Office retail purely so I could escape the unsociable hours. Glad I did though as that is what saw me get into HR funnily enough with the foundation of everything I'd learned on the shop floor which was actually a very beneficial grounding. Anyway I knew my perfumes back then and had several. Now I literally only have a bottle of Cool Water that an in-law was kind enough to buy me for Xmas. Did you know that The Perfume Shop is on <a href="https://www.groupon.co.uk/discount-codes/shops/theperfumeshop.com" target="_blank">Groupon</a>? No I didn't either.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Body Shape</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am currently an apple having been a pear for many many years. Finally the size of my bust has caught up with the size of my ass and I don't know if that is a good thing but I blame breastfeeding LOL. But having a tummy flattening swimming costume is beneficial, so much so, that despite the cellulite I am going to post this:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgeAr0isiVk0jhzK5t04_PCFbY5mOKVORolOvL94xIQzMhLoPAOhU-jbikb3BWKsbVa4_mq71YfAL3vV_FTN3AmrvenBxa4MmdQnfAVbQRho9Dg8u9yNsV_1LZIfe-IvwtCFgKYEV7Dv9Q/s1600/Me+in+my+swimming+costume.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgeAr0isiVk0jhzK5t04_PCFbY5mOKVORolOvL94xIQzMhLoPAOhU-jbikb3BWKsbVa4_mq71YfAL3vV_FTN3AmrvenBxa4MmdQnfAVbQRho9Dg8u9yNsV_1LZIfe-IvwtCFgKYEV7Dv9Q/s1600/Me+in+my+swimming+costume.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I know it sounds really vacuous but I now have a <span style="color: red;"><b>Love Island addiction</b></span> despite having never watched an episode prior to the current series 4. I think when it's finished I may even watch the 2 series that are on Netflix LOL. I have to tweet throughout the show too and stalk Instagram for gossip surrounding the show and "contestants" there. I've never been a fan of reality TV so I am surprising myself to be honest. Watching the show hasn't made me completely forget that appearance isn't everything to me, never has been even in my vain days back when everything coordinated in the 1980s ha ha. But it has made me realise how very much I've let myself go. It's the oddest thing though - I had a great figure at University but I was SO self conscious I fully covered it up all the time and yet now whenever I am not on the school run I am in my back yard dressed as above, despite my wobbly bits, despite my 45 years, despite my cellulite AND my hairy legs. I even had 14 people in my garden this Wednesday for a belated birthday party, a pool party, for Aaron and yet I still went round in just a cossie. Unfortunately it wasn't the costume you see above though as my friend accidentally took it home, so all those people saw me in one that was a lot less flattering *cries*. Ironically it is the cheaper of the two, that looks better, as above. The unflattering one was 3 times the price - the one above is only Florence and Fred but has a good effect on my bum and boobs :-) My friend Aleks took some pics including that one, for me in the garden yesterday. My favourite is this one of Lottie and I below. I didn't get any pics of me the day before at Aaron's actual party. We couldn't resist getting in the pool again though as we're having the hottest longest heatwave since 1976!!!!!!!!!!!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3EmXkPBXvWPp00OHCgal9yteYvGpC-NwaaEZeIG75LzE0D0nhPsZjYriDFmbR7DUd5c5DsMGS5bODOQCInDfjA3MSwyATepahKQOgwMVafbKXhbduavDYaKFrs9G5kt8fK7wYRJRyukJ/s1600/me+and+lottie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3EmXkPBXvWPp00OHCgal9yteYvGpC-NwaaEZeIG75LzE0D0nhPsZjYriDFmbR7DUd5c5DsMGS5bODOQCInDfjA3MSwyATepahKQOgwMVafbKXhbduavDYaKFrs9G5kt8fK7wYRJRyukJ/s1600/me+and+lottie.jpg" /></a></div>
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New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-43216538685055847052018-06-21T00:10:00.000+01:002018-06-21T00:10:10.610+01:00Aqua Wipes and What We Love About Them<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmgrEB_n9rEwZs-U4sLqrteFUPLNI3is3im4LKy-KYUTX4PTq6u4w390wZna-tA8txb4PuzGvQneEQLLgBIY4i_wWokatEq9a0L0LqQaZ9aKdsPHV9LM9n-LUWndzzU3EvA66i3ZWAzGP/s1600/IMG_20180606_092647_352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1516" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmgrEB_n9rEwZs-U4sLqrteFUPLNI3is3im4LKy-KYUTX4PTq6u4w390wZna-tA8txb4PuzGvQneEQLLgBIY4i_wWokatEq9a0L0LqQaZ9aKdsPHV9LM9n-LUWndzzU3EvA66i3ZWAzGP/s1600/IMG_20180606_092647_352.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We were sent 5 packets of Aqua Wipes. I had no prior knowledge of them and no brand loyalty but I was a convert within literally a couple of wipes. So much so we used those bad boys for everything and they didn't last long. When I say everything... this includes my face of course.... but not for makeup removal but because shortly after they arrived there was a heatwave and oh my.... they are bliss.... cold... when you told them to your forehead and all over your face and neck. First slowly, to just absorb the coolness and then more movement to get rid of the daily grime. I also smugly used them on the windscreen one day. Imagine reduced visibility due to dead flies (may they rest in peace) and me getting out of the vehicle to "wipe" the window. Daddy then practically has a fit and says "do you know how much LOTION... THOSE THINGS contain?!?!". I knew he'd never seen heard or used an Aqua Wipe in his life and therefore</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> didn't have the 1st clue that they are full of WATER, so I just looked silently smug as it gradually dawned on him there was in fact no smears nor no residue on his windscreen. One point to Mumma all the bonus points to AQUA WIPES.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh and I also gave a packet to Lottie's nursery who loved them so much they bought more when those finished also remarking on how lovely and refreshing they are when used on one's face.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am highly embarrassed to say I do not have my usual plethora of well thought out colourful photos to go alongside a review, because not only did we use them like it was a race, but the packet I had saved for photography reasons, Daddy used without my knowledge. It's fine it was FOR nappy changes but he does a nappy change if I'm busy or asleep which means I didn't see him getting through them so couldn't stop him le sigh. So I guess I could be like a beauty blogger and show you my empties as that is the biggest endorsement of all isn't it. We loved them, Lottie loves them and the planet loves them.... unlike the other water wipe on the market, they aren't too wet either. Which means the packet feels like the weight of a normal packet of wipes when in your hand or bag. They're also fully biodegradable hence my mention of our lovely planet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, currently, the only way to buy them is via Amazon, but you Dear Reader may like to buy everything from there anyhow and may have an Amazon Prime account, which means very fast delivery indeed. For your ease of use this is the link on Amazon below. It is not an affiliate link and I have not been paid to promote this product - I was just simply sent a few packs to see if we loved them and love them we truly do. I don't ever write about products I don't love as I don't agree to review them in the first place. I decided to give these a try and just like with the Be Sensible waterproof sheets I am THRILLED that I did. There's a water theme running through here.... running.... water..... get it?!?!? I am that person who laughs at their own jokes always. #SorryNotSorry</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/7CC1CF66-29A4-4595-9335-037B035F3B05?ingress=3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aqua Wipes on Amazon.</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsjvVkh7jhI1IT8q03a4-hBDepCDLhUnzwQv39BxU2AHcumWqgGbOLaxdp5_hdVAeN35vuZfud5dJuzHm9_SqKArfjgu0JHaqEAIYK61xbqVFvaFO2INi2KU-tAXIQqsqDEeZ3oA9brko/s1600/IMG_20180605_140845_609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1516" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsjvVkh7jhI1IT8q03a4-hBDepCDLhUnzwQv39BxU2AHcumWqgGbOLaxdp5_hdVAeN35vuZfud5dJuzHm9_SqKArfjgu0JHaqEAIYK61xbqVFvaFO2INi2KU-tAXIQqsqDEeZ3oA9brko/s1600/IMG_20180605_140845_609.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What the company has to say about their Aqua Wipes:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Aqua Wipes’ revolutionary wipes contain more than 99% purified water with an organic </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">aloe vera extract formulation, which uses zero plastic based materials. Used by the UK’s </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">National Health Service (NHS) and registered with the Vegan Society, Aqua Wipes is </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">created with sensitive skin types in mind to care for even the most delicate newborn </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">skin, as well as our planet.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let's face it newborns do leave the house sometimes and it's not always convenient to bring a bowl of tepid pure water and cotton wool balls EVERYWHERE - wish I had emojis on here to included a LOL one!</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Behind the Brand</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Aqua Wipes was born after Founder, Dr Mark Little’s daughter was diagnosed with severe </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">eczema. At the time, it was very difficult for them to find products that were entirely </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">natural or had minimal chemicals, so as not to irritate the skin. They set about creating a </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">baby wipe that was not only natural but kind to the most delicate of skin. Combining </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">purified water with coconut cleansing agent and organic aloe vera extract, Aqua Wipes </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">was born.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For more information on Aqua Wipes and the full story behind the brand go to </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.aquawipes.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.aquawipes.co.uk </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Alternatively, you can find Aqua Wipes on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AquaWipesBabyWipes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/aqua_wipes?lang=en-gb" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/aqua_wipes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.</span></div>
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New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-13957043160569190592018-06-11T13:33:00.000+01:002018-06-11T13:33:18.303+01:00Do We Appreciate How Lucky We Are?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4q4PUiqAPdpqVf9bjBbKTMkx-3J2CjV3Oz1uXKAj4aeV3oZCxkpqAlwiN5qRUconRoqod0UTSjwOgMlgZyeSHUTQaBibXeZo-6pVMDFjk3beQWy_8xiDkBXYGu_RdVXo-3Uj7zXwWE0l/s1600/NHS+staff+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4q4PUiqAPdpqVf9bjBbKTMkx-3J2CjV3Oz1uXKAj4aeV3oZCxkpqAlwiN5qRUconRoqod0UTSjwOgMlgZyeSHUTQaBibXeZo-6pVMDFjk3beQWy_8xiDkBXYGu_RdVXo-3Uj7zXwWE0l/s1600/NHS+staff+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Living in the United Kingdom, one of the richest economies in the world, is something that many of </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">us completely take for granted. While nothing is perfect and there is still far too many people living in poverty in </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">the country (just one is too many), by and large we enjoy a much better way of life than many who </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">are surviving day by day in developing countries.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our most important national treasure is certainly the National Health Service - aka the NHS - something that is </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">admired the world over. When you think that even in countries such as the United States of America, or as nearby as Ireland, </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">citizens are expected to pay for medical cover, whereas a small portion of our taxes funds the </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">NHS, it is enough to make you stop and think.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Medical Fees</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We have all heard horror stories of medical fees accumulated in other countries for what we </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">consider to be standard treatments. For example, without medical insurance in the USA, the cost of </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">removing an appendix <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/study-appendix-surgery-costs-differ-around-us/" target="_blank">could cost as much as $180,000</a> in the most severe cases. That kind of bill </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">could financially cripple a family’s finances. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here in the UK, however, we know that no matter when we are in need of medical assistance it is </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">there for us. There is no need to wait for the patient to okay the price before action is taken as the </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">fees are already taken care of. Nowhere else in the world do you have that privilege. We even have a C-section - I have had 2 - without considering that it costs the NHS more than £10k just for one (look at how many people are in the room). In Ireland people pay upwards of 50 Euros just to SEE their GP and that doesn't even include the medicine that may be prescribed.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Developing Nations</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While Americans can be forced to pay astronomical prices for medical care, millions of people do not </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">have the option at all. In developing countries where poverty is rife it is not uncommon for men, </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">women and children to go without even the most basic of care. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Vaccinations are not widely available with the majority that are supplied by charitable causes that </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">rely on the donations of people in different countries. Through this giving, <a href="https://www.almustafatrust.org/appeals/cataract-surgery-appeal/appeals/free-cataract-surgery/" target="_blank">procedures such as </a></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.almustafatrust.org/appeals/cataract-surgery-appeal/appeals/free-cataract-surgery/" target="_blank">cataract surgery</a>, dental treatment and preventative measures can be administered.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Never Take the NHS for Granted</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It can be easy to take the NHS for granted, but we really shouldn’t. Not just because what the service </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">as a whole offers, but also for what every doctor and nurse sacrifices and gives over and above in the course of their day to day duties. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Regularly working long and unsociable hours, NHS staff do what they do because they care and </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">that should never be overlooked. For them the job is a vocation. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There is an argument that NHS staff are grossly underpaid and, while we certainly won’t dispute that </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">claim, we will leave that for another day. The fact of the matter is that there is a workforce that </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">works tirelessly day and night for one reason only – keep you and me healthy. No nasty hidden </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">charges, no ulterior motive and certainly no one that is driven by ego.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Think Before You Complain</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Is the NHS perfect? No, but again we will leave that discussion for another day. It isn’t perfect but </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">would you trade our health service for anything else on offer around the world? I certainly wouldn’t. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We should feel thankful that we have the NHS and appreciate how lucky we are that we have such a </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">service to depend on in times of need; a service that is there to look after us and our loved ones in </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">the darkest of moments, barely expecting a thank you for doing so. Never forget that.</span></div>
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New Mum Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285584922202683960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824547228125638907.post-20710749664814477112018-06-04T11:11:00.000+01:002018-06-04T11:14:43.093+01:00Our Very Wet Half Term with Only my Smart Phone for a Camera<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Over half term my Sony Cybershot camera wasn't charged at all and as I blissfully focussed on recharging myself and having fun with the kids I opted for using the smart phone for all photos. I didn't even go near my laptop bag let alone my laptop to get the charger. In fact this is my first time on my laptop in I don't know how long. Very handy having all of my half term pics on the phone actually as it meant they were in the right place for ease of Instagram posting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I really needed speed with the pic below. This is what happened... Friday we headed off to our favourite sunny play spot Hengrove Park but because Aaron was using my phone charger before we left my smart phone was only on 30%. I took lots of photos and videos on arrival at the park, of course sharing to Instagram stories too, meaning for the last couple of hours at the park my phone was dead. Which in a way was nice as I then connected fully with the kids instead of looking at them through a lens. Hengrove Park kicks out strictly at 6pm though so off we went soon enough and I connected my Samsung Smart Phone to Daddy's car battery - glad I did as I had a lot of messages from my friend <a href="http://notaperfectparent.com/" target="_blank">Not A Perfect Parent</a>. Lottie and Lola are only 10 days apart awwww. When we stopped near home to get slush puppies I put my smart phone onto power saving mode and I think thanks to the car charger it was at about 9% at this point.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We went to a park near home so that Daddy and Aaron could play football as none of us were quite ready to go home yet on such a glorious evening considering it had rained since the close of a beautiful day in the garden Monday. Back to Friday: Lottie and I played on the swings and slides. Just as she got bored and we joined Daddy and Aaron, Daddy threw her in the air. I was transfixed, captivated in the moment and didn't even think to video or take a pic. Except suddenly I came out of my daydream and was like "Daddy can you do that again?" to which he proclaimed he was tired. He went to do it again but baring in mind we'd been in the park for over an hour and it was now 19:43 my phone screen was dark and only on 3%. Had it not been on power saving mode, it wouldn't have even been able to take a pic. I pointed my phone at Daddy throwing Lottie and all I could see was a black screen. Couldn't even tell if I had them both in the shot if at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We pulled into the driveway and by this time my phone had been connected to the car charger a couple of minutes and simultaneously my smart phone hooked up with our home Internet and BOOM I realised I had captured the below. My excitement was like nothing I've experienced with my photos before. Baring in mind it was already on my phone, I couldn't get it onto Instagram quick enough. By this point it was 20:15 and I'd only taken the pic at 19:43. I didn't even have chance to fully absorb how stoked I was with the pic before the comments and likes were already streaming in and it was top photo on #FlyingBaby.</span></div>
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjflyKOhdxh/" data-instgrm-version="8" style="background: #FFF; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 853px; padding: 0; width: -webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width: 99.375%; width: calc(100% - 2px);">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjflyKOhdxh/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">This is not photoshopped. I repeat this is not photoshopped. Oh my goodness my proper camera was dead and my phone battery was so low so the screen had gone dark and I just pointed and took the pic and got this. Daddy threw Lottie in the air for all of a quarter of a second and caught her yet I captured this. Wow just Wow!!!!!!!! . . . . #FlyingBaby #DaddysGirl #MyHappyCapture #Outdoorsandhappy #ParkLife #GirlPower #ThisGirlCan #LovelySquares #LifeCloseUp #My2YearOld #Halfterm #ChannelMumVillage</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/newmumonline/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Parenting Blogger Liska</a> (@newmumonline) on <time datetime="2018-06-01T19:21:39+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jun 1, 2018 at 12:21pm PDT</time></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I knew that half term was going to be mostly wet as it was forecasted to rain Tuesday Wednesday Thursday (and did with lots of thunder too) so on the Monday I was sure to get the paddling pool out, as we hadn't actually done so this year yet. Given that my <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4551438/Mum-bloggers-share-photos-pants.html" target="_blank">Mail Online pic</a> last year was with Aaron, I made sure Daddy got one of <b>Lottie </b>and I this time (funnily enough it's a very similar time of year so maybe I'm not as late getting the paddling pool out as I thought):</span></div>
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjVFXfEheQF/" data-instgrm-version="8" style="background: #FFF; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 853px; padding: 0; width: -webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width: 99.375%; width: calc(100% - 2px);">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjVFXfEheQF/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">#Gift She won't remember that my legs were whiter than milk🍼 or that my boobage was trying to escape my swimming costume👙👁😂🔍. She'll just remember that Mummy doesn't stand on the sidelines but gets in the water. Today wasn't actually scorching as it was so overcast ⛅so she needed the odd cuddle. With that rubber ring (a snip at £1 like each of the Mr Men beach balls from @onlinepoundshop ) she was even able to lift her feet off the bottom and swim around like a lil 🐳. So this was us just a couple of hours ago 📸by Daddy. Aaron had fun too as you'll see in my Instagram stories. 💙💦💙 Oh and I won't be buying any #KimK flat belly lollies any time soon 😂 🍭 Oh and I say gift about the lil Poundshop haul which included the 3 inflatables. The pool was bought and paid for many years ago and I can't recommend it enough. Oh actually technically Lottie's cossie is a gift too as we got it at the FEARNE @bootsminiclub launch #PaddlingPool #BodyConfidence #Swimsuit #BankHolidayFun #Outdoorsandhappy #MyHappyCapture #LovelySquares #MeAndMyGirl #Summer2018 #BeachBodyReady #InTheGarden #LifesTooShort #LifeCloseUp #BeInThePicture</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/newmumonline/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Parenting Blogger Liska</a> (@newmumonline) on <time datetime="2018-05-28T17:25:59+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">May 28, 2018 at 10:25am PDT</time></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Obviously by "made sure" I mean I made a conscious effort to pass my phone to Daddy etc... as he wasn't in the pool with us. Apart from pics I request my trainee Instagram husband to take, I can obviously take as many or little as I like but alas that's normally me taking pics of the kids and then I'm not in them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After having the pool out Monday, as pictured above, only to watch it being rained on for the rest of the week, I then emptied the dirty water Saturday morning (the day after the lovely Friday "out" we had above that resulted in the flying baby pic) and couldn't fill it up quick enough so excited was I that we were going to get a couple of days of sun after all before half term finished. Aaron and Lottie were like fish all day Saturday and Sunday and were outdoors way more than they were in. I didn't take many pics as I always worry my phone will get wet or fall in the pool but I was thrilled to capture this moment where Aaron is looking at Lottie adoringly and she is thrilled to have her feet off the bottom floating. Inflatables are a MUST when in water. We got 2 beach balls and the <a href="https://www.poundshop.com/cars-swim-ring-in-bag.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rubber ring</a> she is wearing below and above all for only a pound each from the <a href="https://www.poundshop.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Online Pound Shop</a>. I had a code to buy them to review. Being at home for 2 days meant I did 7 loads of laundry and what I'm over the moon about is they are all dried, folded AND all put away. I'm now more or less up to date and this morning was easy as Aaron's wardrobe and underwear drawer were both full which was a lovely feeling. Now I've caught up on the laundry I want to try and stay this way. If we'd had days out I'd never have pulled it off. Good weather doesn't always have to mean gallivanting - I didn't feel like getting in a hot car only to spend a fortune on cold drinks anyway. It was wonderful having a holiday in our own back yard. Our paddling pool is years and years old we've had it since our London days but it's been getting lots of compliments - I can't recommend it enough actually.</span></div>
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjlEmMEhzAr/" data-instgrm-version="8" style="background: #FFF; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 853px; padding: 0; width: -webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width: 99.375%; width: calc(100% - 2px);">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjlEmMEhzAr/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">We holidayed in the backyard again. Costa del sol jardin. 😎🌊☀️🌡🏊♀️🤽♂️. It was ace. 🍧on-tap and ice lollies on tap. Pop in to make lunch. Pop in to make dinner. In a cossie all day 👙👓another 2 loads of laundry washed AND dried AND already away and kids all fresh aired and tired ready for school morning sleeps. Lottie is short enough that with her rubber ring if she lifts her feet up she can swim around like a gold fish. It's the sweetest thing to watch. Look how chilled she looks and Aaron's looking on adoringly 💙❣💌 #MyHappyCapture #LifeCloseUp #brotherandsister #Siblings #ourgarden #ourPaddlingPool #Halfterm #Summer2018 #LovelySquares #BackYardPool</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/newmumonline/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Parenting Blogger Liska</a> (@newmumonline) on <time datetime="2018-06-03T22:27:06+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jun 3, 2018 at 3:27pm PDT</time></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Wednesday 30th May, one of the rainy days, we headed off to JUMP soft play with <a href="http://rachelinreallife.co.uk/" target="_blank">Rachel in Real Life</a>. As it was wet the world and his wife had the same idea so we queued for a very long time and even though Jump is a place we normally spend the whole day in, they were doing 2 hour sessions to cope with the half term rush. It was fine actually as it was dry by the time we left so we got some time in the park. We'd actually been to Jump the week before too, as Aaron broke up Tuesday 22nd and started half term with 3 inset days, so waking early for school this morning was indeed tough.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjaUVn4hU9m/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">A rainy day hence soft play day out with @rachel_irl today. Aaron was so excited to be with her boy Cheeky Chap rather than his mere Sister who he gets more than enough time with he spent most of the day overly excited and showing off. Pretty obvious we broke up Tuesday 22nd... He must have had some kind of "I've missed being a boy with another boy" fever. Well at least after soft play we went to the park and he got to climb trees (quite literally) rather than being indoors climbing the walls. I don't think I managed to get a decent photo of him what with his less than cooperative mood 'n' all. Thanks for a lovely day Rachel. Us girls were well behaved at least. Suffice to stay Aaron is on a tablet ban for the foreseeable..... . . . . . . #MyHappyCapture #thisisMyCommunity #LovelySquares #my2YearOld #SoftPlay #rainyDay #HalfTerm</a></div>
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A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/newmumonline/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Parenting Blogger Liska</a> (@newmumonline) on <time datetime="2018-05-30T18:13:01+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">May 30, 2018 at 11:13am PDT</time></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I don't mind that my "proper" camera started and ended the half term break "dead" - even now I haven't charged it. Carrying around one device was more than enough and you know what, my <a href="https://www.latestdeals.co.uk/tags/smartphone" target="_blank">smart phone</a> might not be great in reduced lighting but I'm always happy with the photos it takes in the great outdoors. Lighting as we know in photography is EVERYTHING!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">All in all it was a beautiful restful half term and just what the doctor ordered. Very wet though either with rain and thunder or in the pool. Maybe we needed some water in our lives LOL.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BjDfHHSxwPKFxUkBlxXeivfC_EvGkltqZNOJlPvIEQMWcHh0GQrJbfQUWJQl7BiPnSNLUdNIwZfBTRhvcFlpunfUM1IeAW8lt6oh7NvBVvazFQjyptJjpMGqe1vrsiDWsqiuCwaEYiKC/s1600/Our+half+term+in+the+paddling+pool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BjDfHHSxwPKFxUkBlxXeivfC_EvGkltqZNOJlPvIEQMWcHh0GQrJbfQUWJQl7BiPnSNLUdNIwZfBTRhvcFlpunfUM1IeAW8lt6oh7NvBVvazFQjyptJjpMGqe1vrsiDWsqiuCwaEYiKC/s1600/Our+half+term+in+the+paddling+pool.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">How did you spend your half term? I think we fitted more into this half term than we have in some longer school breaks (Easter for example) but I guess it helped we broke up Tuesday 22nd May with those 3 inset days. Anyway after lots of lay-ins and late nights Aaron is going to be SHATTERED tonight but he has dance rehearsals after school. I guess I will have to be swift with dinner and bedtime so he can have an early night.</span></div>
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