tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58838145821439969762021-12-20T23:05:07.447+00:00Red Rose MummyParenting and lifestyle blog based in Lancashire, telling tales of life with my other half and our two boys (age 8 and 3) and girl (6).
Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comBlogger1155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-37872221131353859692018-03-07T14:07:00.000+00:002018-03-07T14:09:50.418+00:00Things I Will Do When My Children Have Their Own HomesI've just been reading a hilarious thread on <a href="https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3186875-things-you-re-planning-on-doing-in-your-children-s-houses-once-they-ve-left-home?pg=1" target="_blank"><b>Mumsnet</b></a> where parents have been sharing their plans for the homes of their children, if and when they ever move out. It really made me laugh and then think about the plans I have for my three. If you read the thread it's quite clear what stage of parenting the posters are at and it made me think about my children.<br />
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<b>For Bud:</b><br />
I'm going to wait until he's sitting down to eat and has picked up his cutlery, and then I'll ask for a drink, some bread, the ketchup or the mayo.<br />
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I shall watch my favourite YouTubers and make sure that I tell him every single detail of the video so he feels like he's seen it himself.<br />
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I will wait until he's doing something really important and then I'll ask him 'do male and female flamingoes look different from one another?' or 'how heavy is the big bridge we drive over when we go to the Trafford Centre?' I'll ask these questions over and over again until he stops what he's doing and Googles the important answers for me.<br />
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When I need him, I'm going to say his name so slowly that it takes about five seconds to get it out. I'll obviously repeat this until he answers me.<br />
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If I have something important to tell him, I'm going to make him guess what it is. I'll offer very little context for the subject of the guessing game to make it more fun.<br />
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Every time he takes a photo of me I'll make a thumbs up with both hands and a crazy smile.<br />
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<b>For LM:</b><br />
I will remove my shoes in the most obscure place in her house, then shrug my shoulders and deny any knowledge of ever owning shoes when she asks me to find them.<br />
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I'm going to change my name to something more suited to that of a rejected My Little Pony and refuse to tell anyone what my new name is. I won't respond in any way unless they happen to guess the random combination of sparkly and glittery words that I've chosen.<br />
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Any comment or question that I don't like the answer to will be met with a withering look, and 'you're so silly LM'.<br />
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I'll demand that she does my hair in elaborate hairstyles and then cry and wail every time she approaches me with a hairbrush.<br />
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Should she serve me a meal, I will roll my eyes and pronounce it '<i>gwoss</i>', even though I ate it fine last week.<br />
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I'll insist on taking my collection of 'girls' everywhere with me and make her carry them for me. As soon as we leave the house I'll completely forget that I've brought my dolls and leave them in the boot of her car for the next two weeks. When the allotted time has elapsed I'll decide that I must have them, right now, probably at bedtime, and attempt to spend the next hour getting their pyjamas on and putting them to bed. I'll go and find her an hour after I've gone to bed and complain that one of the dolls is looking at me funny and make her come and put them in the downstairs toilet so they can't see her while she's asleep.<br />
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Every time she takes a photo of me I'll pout and give a peace sign.<br />
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<b>For Little E:</b><br />
Each and every device I can reach the plug for will be unplugged. I'll take anything being charged and hide the charger leads so he'll go to grab his phone ready to take out with him and find it only has 2% battery.<br />
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I'll climb on everything and do barrel rolls over the back of the sofa.<br />
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If I get a cold I'll run away every time he tells me to wipe my nose and sit somewhere unreachable, sniffing and letting it drip over my top lip.<br />
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I'll wait until we're all ready to go out and then take my coat, shoes and socks, and possibly clothes, off and refuse to put them back on again.<br />
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Whenever we go somewhere I'm expected to be quiet I'll spend the whole time shouting 'hey' at everyone I know. Bonus points if it's a big echo-y room and I can run around making fun stamping noises too!<br />
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Every time he takes a photo of me I'll look anywhere but at the camera and move just as he presses the shutter.<br />
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I'm fairly sure that my parents could have made such a list for me and my siblings - our own children are the punishment for our behaviour when we were younger! I'm also sure that the list will change as my three get older (although LM will still be eye rolling - I just didn't expect it to start at five!)<br />
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What will you be doing when your children move into their own homes?Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-21932972915241300872017-11-29T14:06:00.001+00:002017-11-29T14:13:58.061+00:00Win Pass the Pigs and Pass the Pigs Party Games I have another fun giveaway for you today. This time I'm offering one of my lucky readers the chance to win two of the fantastic Pass the Pigs range of games. Ian has been playing Pass the Pigs for years and it's a staple in the suitcase whenever we go on holiday. Bud and LM now enjoy playing too and I know they're rather keen on expanding our Pass the Pigs collection this Christmas.<br />
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You’ll be snorting with laughter if you play with these piggy games for Christmas. The original party animals, Pass the Pigs, use hilarious pigs for dice. Will you roll a sider or start makin' bacon? Having fun with friends, on the road entertainment, or just chilling out - the game is on for every pig in the parlour!<br />
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Fantastic fun for the whole family, Pass the Pigs is so easy to play. Simply throw the 2 piggies up in the air and see how they land. Compare the pigs landing positions with your scorecard and earn points, the first to 100 wins.<br />
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Pass the Pigs comes in a handy travel case, pop into your bag and you are ready for a game anytime, so if you are traveling to see family it’s the perfect entertainment on the go. Pass the Pigs Party are ideal for when you want to play with family and friends at Christmas. <br />
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Pass the Pigs is a game of skill for 2-6 players, it comes with a handy carry case, 2 pencils, 2 pigs and a pocket-sized score card. It is suitable for ages 3+ and available for £9.99rrp.<br />
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Pass the Pigs Party is the version for party animals! Now there are EIGHT pigs in the game to play with. Roll your piggies to try and be first to match the position on your card, get bonus points if you do it on your first go! Be the first to rack up 100 points to win!<br />
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Included in the game is four pairs of small plastic piggies, a deck of 30 cards and a carry case RRP £14.99.</div>
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To see the full range of Pass the Pigs games visit <span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b><a href="http://www.passthepigsofficial.com/" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">www.passthepigsofficial.com</a></b></span><br />
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I've teamed up with Pass the Pigs to offer one of my readers the chance to win both games. To enter the giveaway please complete the Gleam widget below. Your details will not be stored by Red Rose Mummy or Gleam and will only be used to contact the prize winner. Please read the terms and conditions. UK Only. The giveaway will close at 11:59pm on Thursday 7th December 2017.<br />
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<a class="e-widget no-button" href="https://gleam.io/pcFcm/win-two-pass-the-pigs-games" rel="nofollow">Win Two Pass the Pigs Games</a>
<script async="true" src="https://js.gleam.io/e.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Terms & Conditions:<br />1. The competition is open to all residents of the UK only. Entrants aged under 18 must have permission from a parent or guardian to take part.<br />2. The prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative is offered.<br />3. To enter, please use the Gleam widget above, complete any mandatory entries and any optional entries you would like.<br />4. The winner will be chosen at random from all valid entries.<br />5. The winner will be sent Pass the Pigs and Pass the Pigs Party.<br />6. The closing date for entries is 11.59pm GMT on 7th December 2017.<br />7. The winner will be informed by email within 24 hours of the closing date.<br />8. The winner will be asked to provide a full UK postal address with postcode for delivery purposes.<br />9. The winners name will be available on request<br />10. Address details will be passed onto an agency to post the prize out to the winner, and is therefore beyond my control. I cannot be held responsible for prizes being lost in the post although I will endeavour to liaise with the agency.<br />11. Entry to this giveaway confirms that participants have read, understood and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.<br />12. Red Rose Mummy's decision is final in all matters relating to this giveaway.</span>Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-17817717203653593972017-11-24T21:15:00.002+00:002017-11-24T21:27:43.110+00:00Win Tumball and Beat the Flush from Megableu GamesWe're huge fans of table top games in our house and we've enjoyed a few from Megableu over recent years so I'm delighted to be able to offer my readers the chance to win two fantastic games from their range.<br />
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First up is Tumball. New for 2017. This is a nerve-wracking bead-stacking game. Balance
the beads or take a tumble.<br />
With every bead you add, the space between the coloured
balls will open…<br />
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Push your luck too far or make a false move and… TUMBALL!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Add the fallen beads to your collection. First to get rid of
all their beads wins!<o:p></o:p><br />
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Tumball is suitable for 2 to 4 players, aged 5 and over. RRP: £17:99<br />
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Next up is another new game for this year. Beat the Flush is the potty bug-flipping game! Race to catch your colour bugs
with your wibbly-wobbly magnetic cap!</div>
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Catch a bug as quick as you can and flick it into the bowl.
But aim straight: the loo’s on the loose, going round and round! Weeee! The
winner’s the one who lands the most bugs in the bowl before it flushes! Try not
to get sprayed with water.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Beat the Flush is suitable for 2 to 4 players, aged 5 and over. RRP: £24:99<br />
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I hope you agree with me that both of these games look like terrific fun and perfect for a family games night! I can imagine these being very popular at family gatherings over the festive period. </div>
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To see the full range of Megableu games, and for stockists, please visit <a href="http://www.megableu.com/uk/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">www.megableu.com/uk/</a>.</div>
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I've teamed up with Megableu to offer one of my readers the chance to win both games. To enter the giveaway please complete the Gleam widget below. Your details will not be stored by Red Rose Mummy or Gleam and will only be used to contact the prize winner. Please read the terms and conditions. UK Only. The giveaway will close at 11:59pm on Thursday 7th December 2017.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a class="e-widget no-button" href="https://gleam.io/YuS9w/two-megableu-games" rel="nofollow">Two Megableu Games</a>
<script async="true" src="https://js.gleam.io/e.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />Terms & Conditions:<br />1. The competition is open to all residents of the UK only. Entrants aged under 18 must have permission from a parent or guardian to take part.<br />2. The prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative is offered.<br />3. To enter, please use the Gleam widget above, complete any mandatory entries and any optional entries you would like.<br />4. The winner will be chosen at random from all valid entries.<br />5. The winner will be sent two games from Megableu Games - Beat the Flush and Tumball<br />6. The closing date for entries is 11.59pm GMT on 7th December 2017.<br />7. The winner will be informed by email within 24 hours of the closing date.<br />8. The winner will be asked to provide a full UK postal address with postcode for delivery purposes.<br />9. The winners name will be available on request<br />10. Address details will be passed onto an agency to post the prize out to the winner, and is therefore beyond my control. I cannot be held responsible for prizes being lost in the post although I will endeavour to liaise with the agency.<br />11. Entry to this giveaway confirms that participants have read, understood and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.<br />12. Red Rose Mummy's decision is final in all matters relating to this giveaway.</span>Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-55535253312988894882017-11-07T11:07:00.000+00:002017-11-14T13:08:15.121+00:005 Christmas Holiday OptionsHave you ever considered spending Christmas on holiday? It's something I tend to think about every now and again and I have different ideas that I always find myself dreaming of when the hectic run up to Christmas gets a little bit too much! Whether abroad or at home, there's a range of different options for families with the freedom to travel over the festive season.<br />
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The first one I often think about is Lapland. I'm not sure I'd actually enjoy sledging through the snow too much. I really hate being cold so much! It's one of those real bucket list trips though and friends who have visited the big man at 'the North Pole' talk about how much it really made Christmas magical for them and their children.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; white-space: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/S5aiRcBigCk?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration-skip: ink; transition: color 0.2s ease-in-out, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; white-space: nowrap;">Rucksack Magazine</a><span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; color: #111111; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; white-space: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration-skip: ink; transition: color 0.2s ease-in-out, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; white-space: nowrap;">Unsplash</a></span></i></div>
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My second option would be somewhere hot! Somewhere like Dubai sounds like a pretty amazing place to visit over the Christmas holidays. Two weeks or so of sunbathing, all you can eat buffets and luxurious hotels where you don't have to lift a finger would be a very relaxing place to spend the festive period. I've been checking out the range of destinations available over on the <b><a href="https://www.destination2.co.uk/" target="_blank">Destination2</a></b> website and they have a long list of tropical Christmas holidays available which have really got me thinking!<br />
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Third up is Australia. Ian spent Christmas Down Under when he went travelling there in his early 20s. He often talks to the children about his Christmas on the beach and New Year celebrations in Sydney. We'd love to take the whole family to Australia and Christmas seems like it would be an amazing time to be there.<br />
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My fourth choice would be a European city. This isn't really one for over Christmas itself but I'd love to go and visit the Christmas markets in a city like Hamburg or Frankfurt. It would be wonderful to book a long weekend and fly off for a couple of nights (child free of course) to celebrate Christmas in the European markets.<br />
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In reality it's unlikely that we will ever spend Christmas away from home. We're part of a very close extended family and I don't think any of us would want to miss out on the opportunity to be with Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins on the big day. That brings me to my fifth option and this really is a 'money no object' one. I'd love to rent a big Country House somewhere out in North Yorkshire or Derbyshire and take the whole family off for a magical Christmas together. We'd need somewhere to sleep around 25 people and to hire staff I think so this is really a 'money is no object' option. We can all dream!<br />
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Where would you spend your dream Christmas? Is your ideal destination on my list?<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Collaborative Post</span></i>Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-16025982858830656242017-10-14T12:43:00.000+01:002017-10-14T12:43:41.346+01:00Disney on Ice presents Passport to Adventure at Manchester Arena - ReviewDisney on Ice presents Passport to Adventure has arrived at Manchester Arena this week and we were lucky enough to be invited along to see the show on Wednesday evening. LM, especially, is a huge Disney fan so was so excited to put on her Belle dress and head down to the Arena.<br />
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We were greeted before the show with the chance to meet the stars of Zootropolis, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, who are this tour's Fit to Dance stars. The children were so excited to meet two of their recent heroes, and then have the opportunity to have a photo with the main man himself - Mickey Mouse before we took our seats close to the ice.<br />
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The Fit to Dance team took to the ice first, getting all the children hopping alongside Nick and Judy and a few of the skaters who were flying crazy helicopter boomerang hybrids around the ice. Make sure you take your seats on time to see these in action.<br />
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As usual Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goody are your comperes for the evening and the show proper soon took to the ice with a wonderful introduction from 'It's a Small World'. The skaters' costumes took us on a world tour and there were snippets of traditional music from a range of countries with the skaters in the relevant costumes having their chance to shine.<br />
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From there we flew off to Africa and joined The Lion King. This is a real favourite in our house and the children loved seeing Simba and friends performing some of the biggest numbers from the movie. LM is currently dancing to 'I Just Can't Wait to be King' at school so was showing us some of her moves during that number. Bud and LM declared this section to be their favourite part of the show.</div>
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Next up we travelled to London and joined Peter Pan. This was a real spectacle with Peter, Tinkerbell and the Darling children flying at some height above the arena and Captain Hook, Smee and the rest of the pirates getting the typical boos from the audience. I think this was my favourite part of the whole evening, having not seen the film for some time it was a lovely reminder of the story and songs.<br />
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After the interval we headed 'Under the Sea' to meet Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian. The Little Mermaid is a DVD on general rotation in our house so we were all singing along. LM had to hide her face in my shoulder when a certain Sea Witch arrived on the ice. She really doesn't like Ursula!<br />
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Our next destination was somewhere we've visited on every Disney on Ice show we've seen - Arendelle. There's something about Elsa and Anna which really lends itself to the ice and the spectacle was the best I think we've seen. There was a real snow storm on the ice which made it really atmospheric. Ian and I commented that we really enjoyed the songs now we aren't watching the DVD every day!<br />
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The finale affords the opportunity to see all of the characters on the ice together and is a great chance to applaud the whole cast as the main characters and ensemble appear. </div>
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We had a fabulous night at Disney on Ice as always, Little E really enjoyed the experience this time and it's the first show he's stayed awake all the way through. He was especially delighted by Sebastian and Flounder from The Little Mermaid, pointing and saying 'fish' whenever they skated by. </div>
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There's a really nice mix of old and new in this show, and an effective blend of movies which will appeal to every Disney fan I think. It is really worth seeing if you can.<br />
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Disney On Ice presents Passport To Adventure runs in Manchester until Sunday 15th October and tickets are still available, with prices starting at around £30 per person.</div>
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If you can't see it in Manchester then check out the rest of the tour dates:</div>
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Arena Birmingham - 18th -29th October</div>
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SSE Arena, Belfast - 3rd - 5th November</div>
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Citywest Hotel, Dublin - 10th - 12th November</div>
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FlyDSA Arena, Sheffield 15th - 19th November</div>
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The O2, London - 20th - 30th December</div>
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For more information, and to book tickets visit <a href="https://www.disneyonice.com/gb/en-gb/choose-your-show" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">disneyonice.com</a>.</div>
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<i>We were invited to see Disney on Ice Presents Passport to Adventure as guests of the show.</i></div>
Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-50581035624584094382017-08-25T21:57:00.000+01:002017-08-25T22:08:13.701+01:00A Family Day Out at Bolton Food and Drink Festival 2017Living in Bolton, it's clear that one of the jewels in the town's year is the annual Food and Drink Festival but we've often managed to miss it. This year I was determined that would be different and, having booked tickets for an event today at Bolton Library, we planned a day at the festival in the calendar a few weeks ago.<br />
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The Food and Drink Festival takes over the streets of Bolton completely, with all kinds of street food and artisan food and drink vendors available. We arrived just before lunch and decided to take a pit stop to try out some of the wares on offer. Bud chose a hot dog which he thought was hilarious as the sausage and ketchup were placed in a hollowed out bun and it was presented to him with just the end of the hot dog poking out! A real pig in a blanket. Ian and I shared some Spanish potatoes with chicken and peppers, which were very tasty, while LM and Little E were enthralled by a Tornado Potato. All of these were available within a few metres of each other on Deansgate and Market Street, with a very handy seating area too.<br />
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From here we headed to Victoria Square and Le Mans Crescent which are the heart of the Festival. Aldi, the main Festival sponsors this year, had a wine pavillion showing many of their award winning bottles and there are two stages featuring live music, with the opportunity to grab a glass of wine or pint of organic cider too.<br />
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We had tickets for the Peter Rabbit Experience at Bolton Library so we headed over there next. The library foyer had a smoothie bike available and Bud decided he was going to blend his own smoothie. The staff were lovely, helping him to choose his fruit and explaining that the smoothie needed banana to make it thick. He enjoyed pedalling the bike to make the blender work although neither he nor LM were overly keen on the smoothie result, Bud isn't a fan of banana so I wasn't surprised by this.<br />
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The Peter Rabbit Experience took place in the lecture hall in the basement of the building and we were treated to the story of Peter Rabbit in Mr McGregor's garden, a singalong and the chance to try some of the fruit and vegetables that he might have found there. Our singing brought about the arrival of a very special visitor and the children were delighted to have the chance to meet up with the bunny himself. This event was the basis for us planning a day at the Festival and we thoroughly enjoyed it. A free event, although pre-booking was required, it was well attended and a great way for children to experience the Peter Rabbit story.<br />
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Our next stop was the Octagon Theatre across the road. This is one of my favourite places in Bolton and I'm a regular visitor to watch plays there, although the Food and Drink Festival offers the opportunity to experience the main auditorium and studio theatre in a completely new way.<br />
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The main theatre is The Railway Children themed, with a visit to Platform 50 on offer. Instead of a stage a big wooden train snakes across the floor of the auditorium on a trip to the beach. All of the seats had stripy deckchair covers and there were traditional games like 'pin the tail on the donkey' and Hoopla available. LM was delighted to see glitter tattoos on offer and took the opportunity to have a butterfly on her hand (for an optional donation) and Bud loved the photo booth with actual costumes from the Octagon stores to try on.<br />
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Next door, in the Octagon Studio, Little E found his happy place. Bolton Library and Museum Services staged an Egypt themed room which was a huge sand pit and water play channel. Children were invited to make sandcastles, take part in an archaeology dig or just splash in the water. Let's just say that I was very pleased I'd bought Little E a new t-shirt earlier in the day as his was drenched by the time we left. He loved it so much he cried when we had to come away!<br />
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We had a really excellent day at the Bolton Food and Drink Festival today. It's lovely to see the town centre taken over by something so vibrant and fun. There is so much going on including exhibitions by some of the country's top chefs (we didn't even begin to explore these with three children in tow) and there's definitely something for everyone.<br />
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To find out more about the festival visit <a href="http://www.boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">www.boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com</a> or check out #BoltonFoodFest on social media.Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-63484858193733915362017-08-24T12:27:00.000+01:002017-08-24T12:28:13.260+01:00Lalaloopsy Storm E Sky - ReviewLM has loved the Lalaloopsy range for some time and now owns a few of the large dolls, however, one of her only issues with these pretty girls is that their hair is plastic. Imagine her delight when she was recently sent out a brand new Storm E Sky doll with real purple hair to play with!<br />
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Storm E Sky is a recent addition to the Lalaloopsy kingdom. She joined last year and loves music and is a real rock chick, this is echoed in her funky purple hair and edgy leather jacket and tutu! LM was also sent some festival essentials to enjoy with her dolly - a beautiful rainbow tutu, some glitter gel, a flower headband and inflatable guitar! She was sewn on July 29th, LM loves knowing when her doll's birthdays are so she can sing to them.<br />
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The doll arrives with her own pet cat, ribbon and hairbrush - perfect for little ones to get styling the hair. Storm E Sky's hair arrives in two purple nets which are exactly the same colour as her hair. LM decided to leave these on so she can have matching hair with Storm.<br />
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Cool Cat is Storm's pet cat and she's a cute little addition to the doll, she's made from purple vinyl and has a yellow lightning bolt tag and a black lightning bolt tail too. The perfect cat for little rock chicks like Storm and LM.<br />
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Both LM and I really lilked Storm E Sky. It's quite refreshing to have a colour scheme which isn't mainly pink, in fact only Storm's pink tutu, tights and boots has this colour. The black, silver and purple add a real coolness and a little something to the Lalaloopsy range which is great to see.<br />
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Last week we all went camping with LM's grandparents and cousin and they loved playing with Storm E Sky on our own mini rock festival (even if the tunes were provided by Radio 2 rather a live band), LM already has the tutu which arrived with Storm so she passed this on to her cousin and both girls loved dancing around our camping field!<br />
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Storm E Sky has been played with everyday since she arrived in our house. She's a lovely addition to LM's Lalaloopsy collection and we think she'd make and Lalaloopsy fan very happy.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Doll supplied for evaluation purposes. </i></span>Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-89558588001395082192017-08-15T11:34:00.000+01:002017-08-21T14:23:05.044+01:00Num Noms Series 4 and Num Noms Lights Series 2.1 - ReviewLM loves Num Noms. For those not in the know, they're a series of cute little characters which look a little like scoops of ice cream. They are all individually decorated and have their own sweet, or sometimes suprising, fragrance!<br />
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Series 4 sees the addition of nail varnish and glitter lip gloss to the range and LM was delighted to be sent some to try out recently. She received the Num Noms Series 4 Deluxe Lunchbox Sweets Sampler (RRP £16:99), two Num Noms Lights Season 2.1 mystery packs (RRP £4:99) and a copy of the brand new Num Noms magazine (£3:90).<br />
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The Num Noms Series 4 Deluxe Lunchbox Sweets Sampler contains 12 Num Noms from the Sweets theme. One of these is secret and two are from the brand new sparkly lip gloss range! These are fancy cake and macaron themed and LM loved identifying each Num Nom from the included collectors menu.<br />
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I think our favourite was Confetti Cookie, she's so pretty and she smells lovely! Our secret Num Nom was Lemon Pinkfill. She looks so cute with her little bunny ears.<br />
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LM loves the cute little lipglosses included in the Sweets Sampler. She received Mint Swirl Gloss-Up and Lemon Drop Gloss-Up. Both smell lovely and offer a tiny hint of colour and a lot of sparkle. Perfect for every little girl to stash in her bag for days out.<br />
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<br />The Num Noms Lights Series 2.1 are the first that LM has owned. She received two mystery packs which are shaped like little milk cartons. Inside each is a Num, a light up Nom and a ring so you can wear them!<br />
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LM opened them to find Bridget Banana and Clara Candy, with light up Cherry Gem and Bubble Gem. These are so cute and LM loved wearing the rings when she put the Num Nom together.<br />
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The Num Noms magazine was a real treat. LM, like most little girls, loves seeing her favourite characters in magazines, and seeing the treats that come bundled with them. This mag had so many free gifts including a click camera which shows a different Num Nom every time you look through the viewfinder and press the button, invitations to a Num Noms party, stickers for the new Num Noms collectible sticker album and some scented holographic Cherry stickers (LM's favourite scent), a keyring and a magnetic photo frame!<br />
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At £3:90 cover price this is a real bargain and the monthly magazine will make a great pocket money treat for Num Noms fans. In addition the mag features giveaways, puzzles and lots of features. LM wants to stick the full colour central poster on her bedroom wall.<br />
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In addition to the items we have featured Series 4 will also see the launch of a Num Noms Collectors Case (a must have for us as we're constantly finding them around the house, it will be great to be able to keep all of LM's favourite Num Noms in one place), Num Noms Surprise in a Jar and a nail polish maker! Look out for the full range of Series 4 Num Noms and Series 2.1 Num Noms Lights in all usual stockists.<br />
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To find out more about Num Noms visit <b><a href="https://numnoms.mgae.com/" target="_blank">Num Noms from MGA Entertainment</a></b>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Product supplied for evaluation purposes.</i></span><br />
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<br />Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-55685979357654703312017-08-07T12:06:00.000+01:002017-08-07T12:06:36.630+01:00L.O.L. Surprise Dolls Lil' Sisters - ReviewLM has had her eye on the range of L.O.L. dolls for some time now so, when the opportunity came along to take a look at one of the new Lil' Sisters range from MGA Entertainment, I knew she would love to try them.<br />
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Blind bags are all the rage in our house. Both Bud and LM love the opportunity to have a surprise and add to a favourite collection. Lil' Sisters (and their big sisters the L.O.L. Surprise dolls) take blind bags to the next level though! Instead of one item the Lil' Sisters have <b>five</b> layers of surprise inside and LM was keen to take me through every single one of them!<br />
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The Lil' Sisters arrive in their own green ball which your gradually unwrap to reveal each surprise. The first layer sees the outer wrapper removed to give you a sticker which provides you with a clue to the contents. Our's said 'Smarty Pants' and showed a pair of blue jeans and a lightbulb. The next layer is a pink wrapper which revealed another sticker. This is collectible and gives you a hint to the secret your Lil' Sister holds (ours said 'changes colour'). Once this layer is removed you are presented with a hot pink capsule which holds the three remaining surprises.<br />
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Our capsule pops open to reveal four little packets with the remaining suprises inside. Three are spotty to show that they are accessories while the larger striped one contains the Lil' Sister doll herself. LM opened the accessories first. The first bag contained the keyring attachment to pop onto the ball-shaped capsule to clip your Lil' Sister on to your bag to take with you wherever you go (LM did this but soon got frustrated as the capsule pops open on it's own, scattering the contents quite readily). The next bag contained a red mobile phone which is for the L.O.L Surprise big sister to use. The last one contains an accessory or outfit for the big sister, in this case LM got a hat with a big feather plume on it, this looks perfect for if the L.O.L Surprise doll wants to join the majorettes.<br />
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The Lil' Sister herself was in the final bag. LM got the cutest little baby girl, with red nappy and cute wink. Her collectors guide tells us that she is Lil' Majorette and she's from the Spirit Club. Going back to her sticker, we knew that she would reveal a surprise when we got her wet so we immersed her in a cup of iced water and she showed us!<br />
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LM adores these dolls and I can see them being an occasional treat for her going forwards. We're lucky in that she has a cousin we can pass swaps on to but, if she didn't, I think I would be less keen to buy as they are being bought blind and duplicates aren't easy to avoid. They are more expensive than other blind bags, with an RRP of £4:99 so I'd love a secret way for parents to identify who is inside, even if the children can't work it out. They are a really lovely companion to the L.O.L Surprise dolls and I know LM will be adding some to her forthcoming birthday list.<br />
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To find out more about Lil' Sisters and L.O.L Surprise dolls visit <a href="https://lolsurprise.mgae.com/" target="_blank"><b>L.O.L. Surprise' online home</b></a>.<br />
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<i style="font-size: small;">Doll supplied for evaluation purposes.</i>Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-49682100289055632962016-12-15T21:34:00.002+00:002016-12-15T21:34:41.622+00:00Warner Bros Christmas DVD WishlistGrab the mistletoe and get ready to find the perfect gift for that special someone this Christmas.<br /><br />Warner Bros. has the ultimate selection, whether you’re looking for him, for her, or for festive favourites to get the whole family in the Christmas spirit. <div>
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I've been looking at a few of the Warner Bros. DVDs on offer this Christmas and I've decided on my favourite to share with you all.</div>
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I'm a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings universe and have been since I discovered the world by reading the books as a teenager. In my pre-children days I used to re-read the books every year and I was first in line to see each of the movies on their release. I was keen to see The Hobbit films but cinema trips are few and far between for us these days so I've caught up on them on DVD and On Demand services.</div>
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The idea of having all six of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings films on DVD in one place is brilliant and this box set brings the six theatrical releases together. As a busy mum I don't have the time for all the DVD extras I used to enjoy so this is perfect! </div>
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There are a range of fantastic Warner Bros. titles available at <a href="http://hmv.co/UmyXmv" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">HMV.com</a>, which will make perfect gifts. Will you be buying any DVDs to give to your loved ones this Christmas?</div>
Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-5495221272676929312016-12-01T23:12:00.004+00:002016-12-01T23:19:47.064+00:00Join #TeamElf or #Team Santa with MCFC this Christmas There's a wide range of festive events available in Manchester and this weekend we went along to preview one of the more unusual offerings - the brand new Christmas themed tour of the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City FC. Our football allegiances lie elsewhere (in League One with Bolton Wanderers) and I haven't visited the Etihad since it was the City of Manchester Stadium and the Commonwealth Games were hosted there, so I was keen to explore!<br />
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On arrival for the tour the group is split into #TeamElf and #TeamSanta and you'll compete in some friendly challenges along the way so make sure you choose your colours wisely! We were #TeamElf. The tour starts with the chance to have your photo taken wearing your 'team colours' in the form of elf and Santa themed Christmas jumpers. Only Bud was willing to don a jumper from our group and he was really pleased with the photo we picked up at the end of our tour which saw him superimposed against the Etihad, with the Premier League trophy beside him (there is an additional charge for the photos).<br />
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While Team Santa were having their photos taken we had the opportunity to explore the visitors centre and take a look at some of City's recent silverware. Our guide, Dominic, showed us some of the highlights and then we were straight in to our first challenge - decorating Christmas trees. Each member of the teams had to place a decoration on their tree. Team Elf were victorious but, due to an incident with tinsel tangling, we were deemed to have placed two decorations on in a single go. We conceded half of our points and embarked on the stadium tour.<br />
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First stop on the tour was the Chairman's Lounge where tickets to watch the match, with a slap up meal prior to the match cost around £600! We saw the front of the stadium and the site of the 'blue carpet' where the City team enter the stadium before each match. The Etihad has it's own access road which allows vehicles to drive directly on to the pitch, if required. The Lounge itself is a lovely space and, from there, you can access the Premier League's largest directors' box, complete with padded and heated seats! This is also the first chance you get to take in the full stadium in all it's impressive glory. It was very different from when I was there watching athletics in 2002!<br />
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The Media Centre was the next stop and the children got the chance to pretend to be Pep Guardiola, his most recent signing and their agent. It's a quick step from there into the Away Team dressing room, complete with Lionel Messi shirt, and our next festive challenge. This split us into our teams again and we each had a ball to throw at a row of snowmen to try and dislodge them from their perches on the away team benches. Amazingly each team scored 10 points so we were level going on to the next game.<br />
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This took place in the Home Team dressing room. Bottle Flipping! Those are two words that will strike fear in to the hearts of many mums with primary school age chidren! Thanks to the skills of the children from <a href="http://www.tiredmummyoftwo.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b>Tired Mummy of Two</b></a> and <b><a href="http://extraordinarychaos.com/" target="_blank">Extraordinary Chaos</a></b> Team Elf streaked into a comprehensive lead. The dressing room itself will delight City fans, giving them the chance to sit where their heroes do, in their very comfortable Recaro seats.<br />
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The last big point on the tour is the most important. We were led into the tunnel and then out pitchside. The children explored the dug outs which and we were all very careful not to touch the pitch! From there we made our way back through the stadium and on to our final Christmas game which saw each of us trying to chip a football into a Christmas basket. I'm slightly ashamed to say that not a single one of us managed this which meant that our Team Elf lead proved unassailable and we were the winners!<br />
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Back in the Souvenir Shop and Tour Centre we had the chance to look at our photos, make our own Match Attax cards, and receive our City Santa hat prizes (we passed ours on to my Sister in Law's family of blues). Our tour guide, Dominic, demonstrated an extensive knowledge of the club's history and a real passion for his team which was infectious.<br />
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We all enjoyed the tour and the festive elements make it the perfect Christmas treat for any football fans who would like to explore this impressive stadium.<br />
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Manchester City will be offering all those that have been on the Stadium Tour in December a 20% discount off all purchases in the City Store that month. So why not treat a loved one to an exciting day at the Etihad Stadium or pick up a perfect City Christmas gift and don’t forget for every City Christmas jumper purchased the Club will donate an additional £5 to local community projects delivered by City in the Community, who are celebrating 30 years of empowering lives through football.<br />
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Tickets for the tour cost £17 per adult, £11 per child aged 5-16 and £12 for concessions and will run on select days throughout December. Visit <b><a href="http://www.mancity.com/">www.mancity.com</a> </b>for more information and to book tickets.<br />
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Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-70603146411595881552016-11-24T21:27:00.000+00:002016-11-24T21:30:04.710+00:00Cinderella at Octagon Theatre, Bolton - ReviewOn Monday night Ian, Bud, LM and I attended the press night for <b>Cinderella</b> at the <b>Octagon Theatre</b> in Bolton. The Octagon is our local theatre so we were delighted to take the children for their first experience of this theatre, and to see their Christmas 2016 show. I'm no fan of the traditional pantomime (even though the children are) so I was looking forward to the Octagon's festive alternative.<br />
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Ben Occhipintii's production takes the traditional fairy tale and modernises it with a completely different take on the story. Remember the mice in the animated version? Well, these become the kitchen rats of Cinderella's home and her unexpected allies who tell the story from their slightly quirky, and often sweetly innocent perspective. </div>
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The play has a tiny company, of just six actors, with the five rats taking on the additional roles including ugly sisters, stepmother and prince, and just a change of headgear making the switch. In addition to telling the story through their dialogue, the rats play grand piano, double bass and percussion instruments on stage, while singing too! The tubular bells especially provide a really festive note, there's something about hearing them struck that instantly transports me to Christmas. It's a hugely energetic production with few of the cast leaving the stage for too long and props and costume changes being hidden in the corners of Cinders' kitchen .</div>
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There are some surprising elements, watch out for the terrific stepsisters - Thisun and Thatun, played by Alicia McKenzie and Anne O'Riordan - who offer the truly 'laugh out loud' moments of comedy in their short time on stage, without any of the 'boo hiss' responses generated in pantomime, and are real fun as their rat alter egos Claws and Teeth too. Alexander Bean is very sweet as Whiskers and slightly bewildered as the prince who has to take a wife while Tomas Wolstenholme switches from a brief, but compelling, turn as Cinders' father through Ears the rat to a King who has decided that his son needs to marry and the sooner the better! As the Stepmother Felicity Sparks gives the play the antagonist but balances this with her beautiful piano playing and warmth as Tails the Rat. Cinderella herself is played beautifully by Lucy Faint and she brings a sympathetic realness to the role that has the audience rooting for her from the very start.</div>
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My children are 4 and 6 and they were utterly delighted by the whole play. In fact, LM cried all the way to the car after the final curtain as she didn't want it to end. When asked what her favourite part was she chose everything! Bud loved the male rats, predictably, and I was struck by the fact that he would probably pronounce the animated and live action film versions of Cinderella as 'girly' but this production definitely wasn't and really appealed to him. The familiar love story is dialed down somewhat and it's really a true story of friendship and beating the odds. </div>
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Cinderella runs at Octagon Theatre Bolton until Saturday 14th January 2017. To book tickets visit <a href="http://octagonbolton.co.uk/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">octagonbolton.co.uk/</a> we would highly recommend it!</div>
Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-39375326498359009932016-11-18T19:48:00.000+00:002016-11-24T19:53:05.327+00:00Take a Polar Expedition at the intu Trafford CentreThe intu Trafford Centre grotto has returned for Christmas 2016 with a Polar Expedition themed attraction taking it's place in Barton Square for the festive period. We were delighted to be invited down to visit the grotto again and headed down to see Father Christmas and the Elves there.<br />
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We can always rely on the intu Trafford Centre to offer a really immersive experience and this year is no different. From the instant we arrived the grotto Elves create the Christmas experience and this doesn't slip the whole time you are in there. The Experience takes place in 15 minute slots so we joined the queue for the 11:30 start and were immediately met by one of the Christmas Elves who chatted happily to the children about their wish lists and kept them beautifully entertained.<br />
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From their you are taken into the reindeer stable where you meet another elf 'Sherry Trifle'. Families sit on benches and the children are encouraged to sit at the front for a better view. Sherry talks to everyone about the reindeer and introduces the newest member of the team, a very cute baby reindeer named Norbert who has a secret talent! From there you meet more elves and some very sweet animatronic animals. Each time you have to wait the Elves are there to help keep the children distracted. They were counting robins and finding out the names of the Polar Bear and his cubs which passed each short wait before the children even realise they're in a queue.<br />
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The next section was a very effective Virtual Reality display which gives you the chance to 'meet' a few polar animals as they 'jump' on to the ice cap in front of you! Little E's mind was blown by this and he quickly had to retreat to Daddy's arms, it was very realistic and the children loved seeing the animals appear. </div>
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After another snowy, festive display with a Husky that LM paid particular attention to it was time to meet the big guy himself. I always really enjoy meeting Father Christmas as the intu Trafford Centre as he always takes such a great interest in the children and you never feel rushed at all. Bud happily shared his list and LM found her voice and very quietly told him what she would like. She's never spoken to Father Christmas in any of our previous visits so this was a big step for her! Sadly Little E found it all a bit overwhelming and got a bit upset when he got too near Santa but, at almost 18 months old, sometimes things are just a little confusing! All of the Elves, and Father Christmas himself really looked the part and their costumes were great.<br />
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All three children were delighted by their gifts, Bud and LM received a small Playmobil set each. I was so pleased to see these as we love Playmobil in our house and they are such high quality toys. Little E received a picture book published by our friends over at Miles Kelly. At the end of your visit to Santa you will have a group photo taken and there is the opportunity to purchase these at the exit with prices starting from £5.We bought the print photo at £7, Little E's expression is rather hilarious so I'm saving it for future embarrassment!<br />
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We all had a lovely time at the intu Trafford Centre Polar Experience and we would really recommend it if you are looking to visit Father Christmas over the next few weeks. To find out more information and book tickets visit <a href="http://intu.co.uk/traffordcentre/event-archive/santa-s-secret-workshop-grotto" target="_blank"><b>intu Trafford Centre</b></a>.</div>
Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-28082742137702008512016-10-27T22:25:00.002+01:002016-10-27T22:33:53.271+01:00Win with Frozen Fun with Disney on Ice at the Echo Arena, LiverpoolDisney on Ice fans will be aware that the current tour is on it's way around the UK at the moment and we are so excited to be seeing it in Liverpool on the 30th November. I've teamed up with the Echo Arena and Disney on Ice to bring you a fantastic giveaway where one lucky winner will win a family ticket for opening night in Liverpool, alongside some Frozen fun!<br />
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ARE YOU A TRUE FROZEN FAN – TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE IN THIS FUN QUIZ!<br />
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As excitement levels mount for the arrival of Disney On Ice presents Frozen this winter, we have the ultimate Frozen quiz for you!<br />
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Frozen fans – it’s the moment of truth, how well do you know your Anna from your Elsa or your Olaf from your Sven…. make sure you don’t “Let It Go” until you’ve got top marks (see what we did there?!).<br />
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Let us know your score by tweeting us @disneyonice @echoarena @redrosemummy<br />
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Here we go and good luck! (Answers are below)<br />
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1. In which kingdom do Anna and Elsa live?<br />
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2. Who helped Young Anna recover from being hit by Elsa’s powers?<br />
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3. Who likes “warm hugs”?<br />
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4. What is Kristoff’s profession?<br />
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5. What phrase does Elsa repeat when trying to control her powers?<br />
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6. Why do the guards open up the gates of the palace?<br />
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a. Bonus: How long have the gates been closed?<br />
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7. How many salad plates do Anna and Elsa own?<br />
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8. Anna and Hans finish each other’s ______.<br />
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9. What is the “amazing smell” Anna and Elsa detect at the coronation celebration?<br />
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10. Who does the crazy dance with Anna at Elsa’s coronation?<br />
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11. Why doesn’t Elsa want Anna to marry Hans?<br />
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12. What does Elsa build during the song “Let It Go”?<br />
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13. What is Sven’s favorite snack?<br />
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14. Which animals chase after Anna, Kristoff and Sven when they begin to search for Elsa?<br />
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15. What is Olaf’s favorite season?<br />
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16. What animal does Olaf dance with in his song about summer?<br />
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17. What is the name of the enormous icy snowman Elsa creates?<br />
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18. Fill in the blank. “Some people are worth ______.”<br />
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19. When Elsa breaks Arendelle’s eternal winter, what does she do to keep Olaf from melting?<br />
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ANSWERS:<br />
1. The Kingdom of Arendelle<br />
2. Grand Pabbie<br />
3. Olaf<br />
4. Ice Harvester<br />
5. “Conceal it…don’t feel it…don’t let it show.”<br />
6. Elsa’s coronation<br />
6a. 13 years<br />
7. 8000<br />
8. Sandwiches<br />
9. Chocolate<br />
10. The Duke of Weselton<br />
11. Because they just met<br />
12. An Ice Castle<br />
13. Carrots<br />
14. Wolves<br />
15. Summer<br />
16. Seagulls<br />
17. Marshmallow<br />
18. 'Melting for'<br />
19. She magics him his own personal flurry<br />
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Disney On Ice presents Frozen is live on ice and skating into Echo Arena, Liverpool from 30 November – 4 December. Be magically whisked away to wintry Arendelle by dazzling special effects and astonishing skating as you sing and dance along to inspiring songs including “Let It Go.” Join royal sisters Anna and Elsa, the hilarious snowman Olaf, Kristoff and Sven, as they journey to discover that true love is the most magical power of all!<br />
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Hosted by Mickey and Minnie, with special appearances by beloved Disney Princesses and characters from all-time favourites like Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Disney’s The Lion King. Plus, warm up for the show and learn the snowman dance, during the Fit to Dance pre-show.<br />
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This unforgettable celebration of love and friendship will leave your family with memories to last a lifetime. Experience the Full Story – Live on Ice!<br />
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Come see Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, Sven, Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White, Rapunzel, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Timon, Pumbaa, Nemo, Dory, Mickey, Minnie and many more!<br />
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Get your tickets today at <b><a href="http://disneyonice.co.uk/">disneyonice.co.uk</a></b> or <a href="http://www.echoarena.com/"><b>www.echoarena.com</b></a><br />
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For your chance to win a family ticket to the opening night of Disney on Ice presents Frozen, live at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on 30th November, please complete the Gleam widget below. The family ticket is valid for one adult and three children or two adults and two children. Please read the terms and conditions. Good luck!<br />
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<a class="e-widget no-button" href="https://gleam.io/ifLu9/disney-on-ice-liverpool-family-ticket" rel="nofollow">Disney on Ice Liverpool Family Ticket</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://js.gleam.io/e.js" async="true"></script>Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-63872359363436787112016-10-26T14:21:00.000+01:002016-10-26T14:21:41.819+01:00Could Your Child be the UK's Skylanders Chief Imagination Officer?We're huge Skylanders fans in our house and Bud loves playing the games so I'm really excited to share details of a fab new competition that they are running in conjunction with the recent release of Skylanders Imaginators.<br />
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Activision have teamed up with <a href="http://www.popjam.com/" target="_blank"><b>PopJam</b></a> to launch the search for the UK’s most imaginative child. They will be hosting an exclusive competition over the next three weeks, which will offer one lucky winner and their family the trip of a lifetime to San Francisco, California. They will visit the Toys For Bob studio, the developer of <a href="https://www.skylanders.com/?utm_campaign=skylanders-imaginators-alwayson&utm_medium=search&utm_source=google&utm_keyword=skylanders-imaginators-Exact" style="font-weight: bold;">Skylanders™ Imaginators</a>.</div>
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The competition launched on 21st October and gives kids th “My son has always been a huge fan of Skylanders so I am very much looking forward to judging the UK’s Chief Imagination Officer competition. It’s great to be a part of an initiative that fuels creativity and I can’t wait to see the amazing Skylanders that will be dreamed up by the nation. From character names, to character design and even super powers – I’m looking for the wildest and wackiest entries to find a deserving winner for the fantastic prize that’s on offer.”e opportunity to design their very own Skylander. Using PopJam's creative tools children will be able to use their imaginations to their fullest in creating the Skylander of their dreams.<br />
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All of the creations will be judged by the Activision Imaginator's Panel which includes YouTube star Stampy Cat, mum and TV and radio presenter Sara Cox and Toys for Bob Co-Founder and Studio Head, Paul Reiche.<br />
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Stampy Cat commented, “I am really looking forward to judging the entries for the UK's Chief Imagination Officer competition and seeing what sorts of designs everyone comes up with. I will be looking for the most unique and creative Skylanders. The prize of visiting the studio in San Francisco will be such an incredible experience for whoever becomes the Imagination Officer."</blockquote>
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while Sara Cox added, “My son has always been a huge fan of Skylanders so I am very much looking forward to judging the UK’s Chief Imagination Officer competition. It’s great to be a part of an initiative that fuels creativity and I can’t wait to see the amazing Skylanders that will be dreamed up by the nation. From character names, to character design and even super powers – I’m looking for the wildest and wackiest entries to find a deserving winner for the fantastic prize that’s on offer.”</blockquote>
The prize is a unique opportunity for the ultimate Skylanders fan to gain an understanding of how those much-loved characters are designed, imagined and created as the winning child and their family will be whisked away to San Francisco. They will spend a day at the Toys For Bob studio in Novato to get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the latest Skylanders game and have the opportunity to gain insight into character design, level inspiration and gameplay mechanics with the creative team.<br />
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If your child would like the chance to win this amazing Skylanders prize then head over to PopJam and get creative now!</div>
Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-50819616180264748052016-10-18T22:41:00.003+01:002016-10-18T22:44:22.129+01:00Five Post-Pregnancy Boosts for New MumsI'm not quite sure when the post-pregnancy period officially ends, I feel a bit like I'm still there even though Little E is nearly 17 months old! Those first few months post-baby can be a tough slog and it's easy for mums to forget about themselves in the day to day routine of caring for a newborn and the rest of the family. I've been thinking about a few ways that Mums can take a little time for themselves, working around baby of course!<br />
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1. Get Out and About<br />
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The age that I've left my littlest at has got younger with each baby. I've always had to take my time where I can find it, and around feeding my babies, but as time has gone by I've realised the importance of time alone - even if it's just a 15 minute walk around the supermarket without a little one attached to me!<br />
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If you're not happy leaving your little one then take them with you, meet up with a friend for coffee or lunch or check out a 'mum and babies' screening at your local cinema, the Odeon do <a href="http://www.odeon.co.uk/newbies" target="_blank"><b>Newbies screenings</b></a> and I think many of the other cinema chains do too. A simple walk in the park can make you feel so much better if you're feeling cabin fever setting in.<br />
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2. Book a Shopping Trip<br />
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I found my shape really changed after my first pregnancy and nothing looked right even if it fitted! Now three babies in and those days pre-baby are a dim and distant memory and I find myself sticking to the 'mum uniform' of skinny jeans, stripy top, flats and a cardigan. I had a personal shopper session when Bud was about six months old (Ian walked him around the shops while I had my appointment) and she really helped me to understand my new shape and to find some items that I would never have previously considered. I had my appointment at <a href="http://www.johnlewis.com/our-services/fashion-advice-service" target="_blank"><b>John Lewis</b></a> and can't recommend it highly enough. In fact I think I need to book another one now!<br />
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Sometimes I'll go shopping and purposefully ignore the children's sections. It's the only way I seem to be able to buy for myself and is definitely good for the soul!<br />
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3. Get a Haircut<br />
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Pregnancy messes with your hair! If you're anything like me then your hair looks amazing until a few weeks after your baby arrives and then it falls out in clumps and you end up finding piles of it around your home every time you vacuum. I have really thick hair so I can always stand to lose a bit but a good haircut can make all of the difference when you're feeling like you might be losing it all!<br />
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You probably won't get as far as looking at <a href="https://www.hshairclinic.co.uk/hair-loss-treatment/fue-hair-transplant/" target="_blank"><b>FUE Hair Transplant Costs</b></a> like Wayne Rooney but feeling like your hair looks great, with a simple cut and colour can make all of the difference.<br />
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4. Beauty Treatments<br />
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Just before I had Bud a lovely friend bought me a voucher for a 'new mum facial' which I booked when he was around 12 weeks old and it was divine! 40 minutes of relaxing bliss which totally transported me while it lasted. It cleared up my skin which was a bit grey and dull from all of the night feeds and really gave me a much needed boost. If you can't book a treatment, why not invest in a few favourite products and give yourself a pamper session at home? You can work around baby that way and a simple hot bath with some of your favourite bubble bath can be a real restorative.<br />
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5. Baby Groups<br />
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These are a real love-hate thing for many new mums but I always enjoyed going to those I went to. I didn't make loads of 'best friends forever' but I did enjoy the opportunity to meet people with similar aged babies to me and have a chat. On some days just being able to have a cup of coffee and a chat with someone who knows exactly what you're on about works miracles! I'd recommend 'shopping around' a bit to find the one that works best for you. I've been going to a toddler group for over 6 years now and I think we're part of the furniture there!<br />
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If you're looking for groups try asking your Health Visitor or local SureStart Centre. They should be able to signpost you to meet ups in your area and, hopefully, you might find one that suits you It doesn't have to be all Baby Gymnastics and Swimming and Yoga either. These tend to be quite expensive, my favourite group only costs £1 per week.<br />
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Obviously all of these ideas are simple ways for any new mum to give themselves a bit of a pick-me-up. If you feel like you're struggling it goes without saying that you should have a chat with your Health Visitor or GP.<br />
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<i>Collaborative Post</i>Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-7173864435527968192016-10-16T21:10:00.000+01:002016-10-16T21:15:38.163+01:00Puffin Children's Audiobooks - ReviewBud, at six is just starting out on his journey through reading independently and I'm so excited to set out on this road with him. I was an avid reader as a child (still am) and, of course, this means that there are a good few books that I'd love him to read and enjoy just as much as I did. He's a confident reader at the moment and I've been trying to encourage his reading at home without pushing too many of my own favourites on him. Coincidentally Ian and I had been talking about involving the kids more in what we listen to in the car and audiobooks had come up as an idea there. When we were offered the chance to review some of the <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/puffin/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Puffin Children's Audiobooks</b></a>, from Mumsnet Bloggers Network, it couldn't have been more timely and I hoped it would be a great way to get Bud involved in a story without tiring him out in the way some of the 'bigger' reads can.<br />
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We were invited to choose three books from a selection and the three I chose were as follows: <b>The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy</b>, <b>The Complete Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis </b>and <b>Roald Dahl Reads Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Other Stories</b>. There was a wide range of titles to choose from but I went for these as classics from my childhood and those that we would enjoy listening to as a whole family. All of the audiobooks are presented on CD in deep plastic cases which keeps them all together and protect them from sticky fingers and scratches.<br />
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The first set of CDs we started to listen to were <b>Roald Dahl Reads Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Other Stories</b>. This set contains five stories presented over three CDs. The stories included are <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Enormous Crocodile </i>and<i> The Magic Finger</i>. The first two stories are abridged while the latter three are unabridged. Bud was so excited to see this CD as Roald Dahl has been a feature of their learning in school this term and they have been reading The BFG there. He was really pleased to have some more stories to listen to and couldn't wait to get started.<br />
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With this particular set of CDs we did something different than with the others. Bud has had the book version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory sitting on his bookshelf for some time now but has dismissed it as a bit 'too hard'. We decided that we would try listening to the audio book and then reading the chapters between us and we've been doing that at bedtime over the past couple of weeks. This has been a real success with Bud and he can't wait for his next session with the CD and book. We tend to only read a few pages and listen on with the corresponding story but it's quite magical to read the words together and then hear Roald Dahl's voice speaking his own words. We actually have all but one of these stories at home already so I think we will be continuing our 'project' with the other discs in this set. It's been a fantastic way to start him with Roald Dahl at home.<br />
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Our next set of CDs found it's way into the car straight away and we've made our way through the first book of <b>The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy</b>. The set comprises four books - <i>The Worst Witch, The Worst Witch Strikes Again, A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch </i>and <i>The Worst Witch All at Sea</i> and they are unabridged. They are read by Gemma Arterton, the actress famous for her role in <i>St Trinian's </i>and <i>Quantum of Solace</i>. Her voice is really well suited to Mildred Hubble's adventures and these CDs instantly transported me to my youth when I would borrow the first three The Worst Witch stories from the library and devour them. I read all of them several times and I'm quite glad I never knew the agonising wait for the next one as it didn't come out until 1993, when I was 16!<br />
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Both Bud and LM have been really interested in <i>The Worst Witch</i>, Bud is used to listening to stories at school but, as LM is that little bit younger (4), I was quite surprised that she could follow along with the stories too and we've already had to sit in the car for a few minutes as we were attempting to park at a crucial moment in the story! Gemma Arterton's narration is perfect for the story and she makes the story even more engaging. I can see this being incredibly popular on our car journeys over the next few months.<br />
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The final set of CDs we were sent is simply wonderful. The Chronicles of Narnia plays a massive part in the childhood reading of so many people. As soon as it arrived it got Ian and I talking about when we remembered discovering the stories, which we read first, who our favourite characters were and so much more. This is so much more than a simple audiobook, in fact it's a dramatic performance presented by a full cast which makes it delightful to listen to. The cast includes Bernard Cribbins, Sylvester McCoy, Richard Griffiths, Fiona Shaw and Timothy Spall (I can guarantee that if you're thinking, that sounds like... then it probably is them!) The seven stories are presented across 14 CDs and 15 hours so it might be a set to enjoy across a full holiday. We decided to present the stories in the way that we were introduced them and the 'traditional' order, starting with <i>The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe</i>. <br />
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Both Bud and LM have seen the wonderful film adaptation of <i>The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe</i> which helped when introducing the audiobook. Bud did find it a little harder to follow than the simply narrated books (commenting that it was like watching TV with no picture) but after a little while he decided 'I'm going to turn off my eyes Mummy', which really helped him to grasp the different people speaking and follow better. It really is so wonderful to listen to and I can't recommend this set highly enough. I feel like it is one that we will return to again and again as a family in the future.<br />
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We've really enjoyed our first experience with children's audiobooks and I think they are definitely something that we will expand upon in future especially in the car and as 'read along' bedtime stories. They have added an extra dimension to reading with my children and I've loved sharing some of my favourites from my childhood with my older two. It's been the perfect way to do so.<br />
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Mumsnet have pulled together some of their own recommendations for '<a href="http://www.mumsnet.com/books/childrens-bookclub/best-audiobooks-for-kids" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>the best audiobooks for children</b></a>' click through to read their suggestions and listen to samples of the audiobooks, including those I have featured above.<br />
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Do your families enjoy audiobooks? Which are their favourites?<br />
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<i>I am a member of the <a href="http://www.mumsnet.com/bloggers-network" target="_blank"><b>Mumsnet Bloggers Panel</b></a>, a group of parent bloggers who have
volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid
for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial
integrity.</i><br />
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<br />Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-62884068069038609312016-10-04T21:53:00.000+01:002016-10-04T21:53:24.325+01:00Bratz InstaPets - Raya - ReviewLM loves the Bratz dolls and was really excited to see the brand new InstaPets range advertised on TV recently. When I was asked if she would like to take a look at one, the answer was a resounding yes! LM loved seeing the 'Bumblebee doll' - Raya - and she was lucky enough to be sent that one. She was so delighted that she cried happy tears!<br />
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The new Bratz Instapets range sees the five girls as animal lovers, each accompanied by their own Kawaii spirit animal. Animals often feature in the Bratz boxes but this is the first set of dolls where they have been the main focus. The idea is that the Bratz girls use their phones to snap their pets and share the photos on Instagram, or pics of themselves wearing their cute, animal-inspired outfits.<br />
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The five dolls each have a different animal theme and are accompanied by their own bobblehead animal pet - we have Raya with her bumblebee, Jade has a cat, Sasha a rabbit, Yasmin with a frog and Cloe's pig.<br />
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Raya is dressed in a cute bee outfit, with skirt, t-shirt and bumblebee deeley boppers completing the look. Her accessories are all bumblebee themed too, with earrings, phone case, sunglasses and even her shoes seeing the yellow and black colour scheme.<br />
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The doll has the usual Bratz bendable knees and wrists but this is the first edition we've had which has articulated elbows, this makes the dolls really poseable. LM loves being able to put her doll into different positions and sit her down. She has the usual lovely Bratz hair which can be brushed using the lip hairbrush which comes with every doll, of course Bumblebee Raya's is yellow.<br />
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The Bratz InstaPets range is really good fun and the on-trend bobbleheads are a great addition to the characters, LM has named her's Jessica after a nursery friend. This is the first Raya Bratz doll LM has had and she's found her home in with her growing collection, and been played with regularly since her arrival.<br />
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Check out the full range in the Bratz commercial here:<br />
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Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-90554665513566696582016-10-04T20:34:00.004+01:002016-10-04T20:34:40.580+01:00Club Petz YoYo the Panda - ReviewWe love interactive toys, and pandas in our house so you can imagine how excited LM was to receive her very own <b>Club Petz</b> <b>YoYo the Panda</b> from IMC Toys recently!<br />
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YoYo is an interactive panda with so many different features to discover. The panda is quite large, I'd guess around 40cm tall. Her fur is really soft and snuggly and her eyes and mouth move. She arrives with her own baby bottle and piece of bamboo and a cute pink flower bracelet around her left paw.<br />
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YoYo has ten interactive functions which makes her a really engaging toy. Check if she's hungry by placing the bamboo to her mouth, sometimes she will eat it, sometimes she will sneeze! LM loves making her sneeze so I often find her with bamboo in hand seeing how YoYo will react to it.<br />
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Just like a human baby, LM can give YoYo her bottle. She will drink from this, making happy sucking sounds then her eyes will gently close and she will fall asleep and gently snore. If you put her down then the toy will become inactive but a simple tickle on her tummy will wake her up again. She giggles so happily when tickled and LM can't help giggling along with her. YoYo makes kissing noises when she's happy, as if she's blowing kisses to you.<br />
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For the grown ups, YoYo requires 4 AA batteries which are supplied although these didn't last very long for us and quickly needed replacing. You can switch off the panda on the base which helps to preserve battery life as the sensitivity to motion won't be working when the toy isn't being played with. We always try to remember to switch her off for this reason.<br />
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As I mentioned before, the toy is pretty large, all the better to show off YoYo's big eyes and all of their movements. LM, at 4 (and small for her age) can carry her around quite easily although Little E tries to pick her up and gives up.<br />
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YoYo the Panda has been a huge hit in our house. All three of the children have really enjoyed playing with her even though LM has claimed her most and she now lives in her room. Bud and LM picked up on all of the interactive features quite quickly and even Little E has worked out that she giggles if he pats her tummy. The toy is aimed at children aged 3 and over, which I think is perfect. We've had some pretty poor interactive toys over the years but this is definitely one of the better ones. LM really loves YoYo.<br />
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YoYo is available from all usual toy stockists with an RRP of £49:99. To see her in action check out this Smyths Toys promo.<br />
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Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-8825121416265207432016-09-28T14:36:00.004+01:002016-09-28T14:42:30.276+01:00Disney Tsum Tsum Vinyls from JAKKS Pacific - ReviewWe're a house full of Tsum Tsum fans and have amassed a good collection of both the plush and squishy varieties over the past few months, so we were all rather excited to see a brand new range of Tsum Tsums arrive from JAKKs Pacific - Vinyl Tsum Tsums!<br />
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The toy market has gone a bit mad with blind bags and collectible ranges recently and both Bud and LM are big fans. Whether watching videos of blind bags on YouTube, or asking to spend their pocket money on them the surprise element is a huge hit in our house. The Vinyl Tsum Tsums are available in different sized packets, ranging from small blind bags upwards but have added the surprise element to their packs with a mystery Tsum inside each nine pack of the range.<br />
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Recently LM and Bud were sent a three pack and a nine pack of the new range and they were absolutely delighted. They spent time looking closely at each of the Tsum Tsums and were super excited to spot that there was a mystery Tsum inside!<br />
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Find out what our mystery Tsum Tsum was below!</div>
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This was our first experience of the Vinyl Tsum Tsums and I was pleasantly surprised by them. They are in three different sizes which can be stacked easily and you get one of each size in the three pack. It's great to be able to see which characters you are purchasing, especially when you have children who want a specific one, but equally, the mystery element in the larger packs is very popular with my children too.<br />
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The Tsum Tsums themselves are very good quality and I think they will stand up to play well. Ever since they arrived LM has claimed them and carries them around in a small bag. I can often find her acting out some of her favourite Disney movies with the Tsum Tsums and snippets of the dialogue can often be heard. Some of them have found themselves becoming the pets of her larger dolls! The three sizes work well together, although the smallest are very little and need to be kept well away from her little brother.<br />
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The collectors guide is really informative about the range and it shows which characters are available in which size, and when others will be launched. LM and Bud had great fun ticking off those Tsums they had received and working out which ones they would like to add to their collection.<br />
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Vinyl Tsum Tsums are available in all usual stockists now with an RRP of £4:99 for the 3 pack (21 different sets to collect), and £14:99 for the 9 pack (includes 2 exclusive to this size pack and 1 mystery Tsum Tsum).<br />
<br />Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-34923504662636795022016-09-19T13:55:00.000+01:002016-09-19T14:11:09.771+01:00Sofia the First Toys from JAKKS Pacific - #SofiaAdventures - ReviewLM has been a Sofia the First fan for some time and the adventures of the little girl who suddenly becomes a princess when her mother marries the King are familiar to all of us in our house. She already has some of the lovely Sofia the First toys available but she was delighted to receive a wonderful parcel of the new range from <b>JAKKS Pacific</b> recently.<br />
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A big box filled with tissue paper and toys is always so exciting, and this was a fantastic delivery. Find out what was in the box here:<br />
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Once unboxed it was time to get started with the toys. First up we had three of the <b>Sofia the First with Royal Friend 3" figure</b> sets. LM has quite a few of these figures from past collections and we both really like them. As Sofia and her friends are little girls it is appropriate that these are small figures and that each comes with an animal friend. They aren't a fashion doll like some of the other Disney princess dolls, instead they have moving arms and and are simply hinged at the waist which allows them to sit and stand.</div>
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LM received Sofia with Clover, Jade with Crackle and Ruby with Mia. The animal friends are a really nice addition and one that has really enhanced the way LM plays with the figures, especially as Clover and Crackle are two of her favourite characters in the show. Amber and Sofia in two other outfits complete the range. These are lovely little sets which I can see making their way into a few Christmas stockings this year. RRP £5:99.<br />
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Next up we have two <b>Sofia the First Mini Playsets </b>(RRP £9:99). First is the <b>Royal Prep Art Class</b> which sees Sofia dressed for painting with a big easel on a stand and paintbrush. The painting canvas rotates between one side with an outline of Minimus to colour in, and the other having a blank side. This is easy to turn to the side you require by simply pushing it around. What isn't immediately apparent is that the paintbrush actually works! Simply dip the sponge end in water and apply it to the canvas on either side to reveal a surprise! LM loved this interactive element to this playset, I think it's been her favourite element of any of the toys.<br />
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The second Mini Playset is <b>Princess Amber's Closet</b>. All Sofia the First fans will know how much Princess Amber loves her clothes and this set really reflects that. The closet part of the playset rotates like the easel in Sofia's art set, with a row of beautiful gowns on one side and a mirror on the other. The playset has an Amber figure wearing her trademark yellow dress. In addition there is a feather headdress, necklace and skirt to customise her look further. Both LM and I really liked this element as, with the nature of the small dolls, they can't be changed, so having items to add was a very good idea. There are other playsets available in the range, including a Princess Sofia Magical Lab and I think that they work really nicely together, especially with the addition of the 3" figures and their animal friends. LM has been playing really imaginatively and using the sets and the figures to tell stories from some of her favourite Sofia episodes.<br />
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LM also received the <b>Sofia the First Royal Camera</b>, this is a really fun toy which has been found in her bag wherever she's gone since it arrived. If only because having her own camera means she can 'be like mummy'. The camera is beautifully decorated including Mia, Sofia's blue bird friend. As you hold the camera to your eye you can press the shutter button to cycle through the various different iimages from the show. This is really fun and reminds me of the Viewfinder toys that I used to play with. This is the perfect accessory for little Sofia fans and LM is very pleased with it (RRP £9:99)<br />
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The other perfect accessory in LM's parcel was this super cute <b>Sofia the First Royal Tiara</b>. This is decorated with lots of gems and really sparkles. It can be a little tricky as we find that the front of the tiara detached from the band quite easily so we need to make sure it's attached properly before LM wears it. She insists on it and it looks so pretty in her hair and it looks just like Sofia's own tiara. I think she may well be asking Father Christmas for a Sofia dress to wear to complete her look. (RRP £4:99).<br />
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The parcel was rounded out by a fantastic Sofia the First backpack. LM loves a backpack, especially when it features one of her favourite characters. This is a really roomy bag with the addition of a second pocket which is perfect for smaller bits and pieces. She's actually been using it to keep all of her Sofia the First toys in since it arrived and she was super excited when Grandma bought her a Sofia the First keyring to attach to it. The straps are fully adjustable which means it will grow with your child. We both love the watercolour-style view of the kingdom design on the bag.<br />
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LM's final item was a copy of the Sofia the First magazine. We love magazines in our house and it is one of Bud and LM's favourite treats. We've never bought the Sofia the First magazine before but LM and I really enjoyed looking at it together. It has a good mix of fun, educational activities and stories and LM loved the alphabet poster in the centre of the magaizine.<br />
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We really rate the new range of Sofia the First toys and I think they will delight a lot of children. The figures are age appropriate and really reflect the style of the TV show well, this makes them great for imaginative play and LM has really got on board with that element of play with these toys. They are really good quality and well priced.<br />
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The Sofia the First range from JAKKS Pacific is available from <a href="http://www.smythstoys.com/" target="_blank">Smyths</a> Toys now.</div>
Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-74598566094225581872016-09-15T20:08:00.000+01:002016-09-15T20:13:19.956+01:00To Kill a Mockingbird - Octagon Theatre, Bolton - ReviewThe Octagon Theatre in Bolton is a familiar haunt of mine, going back many, many years but it's been a while since I last had the opportunity to take in one of their productions. I had the pleasure of being invited to the press night for their brand new production, <b>To Kill a Mockingbird</b>, this week and decided to take my Dad along with me to check out the launch play for the Octagon's 2016-17 season.<br />
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To Kill a Mockingbird is a very familiar story for many. A feature on the GCSE syllabus for a number of years, and a modern American classic, it's part of the literary fabric of the 20th Century and has been interpreted many times on both stage and screen. The Octagon's staging marks the start of the first season under new Creative Director Elizabeth Newman, a winning start in my opinion.<br />
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The story is set in Alabama against a background of racial tension in small town America. The oppressive Summer heat is echoed in the simple, but effective set design which worked well in the Octagon's round, with a combination of red dust floor and effective lighting transporting you to Maycomb. Harper Lee's story sees the town lawyer, Atticus Finch defending a black man, Tom Robinson, against rape and assault charges, not simply against a jury but also against the closed minds of the community that both live in.<br />
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Narrative is driven by Jean Louise 'Scout' Finch, both as the young girl on the scene and an older version of herself, thirty years on, appearing on stage as both observer and narrator. This device works very well and both Scouts put in excellent performances. We saw Jasmine de Goede (the children's roles will be alternated between two actors) as the young Scout and she was ably supported by Che Tugui as her brother Jem, and Adam Crompton as their young friend Dill. The older Scout was played Barbara Drennen and her emotional and sorrowful performance is well countered by the energy and vibrancy of the young actors.<br />
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The other stand out performance for me was that of Rob Edwards as Atticus Finch. His world-weary portrayal of the lawyer who is struggling to raise two children alone sees a magical transformation when he takes to the floor of the courtroom to defend Tom Robinson and during his final summing up in the trial you could have heard a pin drop in the auditorium. Three other noteworthy performances were those of Tom himself (Marc Small) in a quiet but powerful performance, Remmie Millner as Helen Robinson, and Leila Mimmack as Mayella Ewell, who manages to portray raw emotion through her body language whenever she is on stage before beginning her witness statement during the trial.<br />
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In essence the production reminded me that the tensions explored in To Kill a Mockingbird don't go away, set against a post-Brexit UK, and a Trump nomination in the US, there are still many lessons to be learned from Scout Finch and her family and friends.<br />
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To Kill a Mockingbird runs until 15th October, to book tickets and explore forthcoming shows visit <a href="http://octagonbolton.co.uk/" style="font-weight: bold;">octagonbolton.co.uk/</a>.Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-84293148621519222242016-08-30T14:34:00.000+01:002016-08-31T14:36:22.896+01:00Teletubbies Pull and Play Giant Noo Noo - ReviewBoth of my littlest two are huge fans of Teletubbies. LM has loved them since watching the old school series on Netflix so she was delighted to see the revamp come to cBeebies a little while ago. She has shared this love with her little brother and I can often find them curled up watching the show on TV in the mornings. We have a few of the new Teletubbies toys now so we were delighted to be offered the opportunity to add to our collection recently when we received the <b>Pull and Play Giant Noo Noo </b> from <b>Character Toys</b>.<br />
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Noo Noo is a favourite character from the show and this toy is a really fun addition to the Teletubbies range. Suitable for children from 18 months upwards, Little E was slightly too young to play at 15 months, but with careful supervision and help from both LM and Bud, we have had lots of fun with this toy.<br />
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The toy measures around 25cm tall, and about 40 cm long so he's the perfect size for toddlers to get down on the floor with and play. He looks exactly like the character in the TV show with the same big googly eyes and orange and pink body. On one side of Noo Noo's body is a shape sorter with five spaces for shapes (hexagon, star, square, triangle and Po's head). The other side has cutouts of all four Teletubbies with plastic jigsaw-type holes for them to pop into. All of these were the perfect size for little hands to use and both Little E and LM really enjoyed this activity.<br />
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On top of Noo Noo there are four big buttons (the colours correspond to each of the Teletubbies) and you can press these to get various Teletubbies speech and sound effects. Noo Noo requires 2xAA batteries to make these work, and this also makes the brush on the front of Noo Noo's hose spin. Also included is a pink Tubby Custard splat and, when you place this in front of the hose Noo Noo will make slurping sounds as he cleans it up.<br />
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Noo Noo has wheels which allow him to be pulled around using the yellow cord attached to his front. Little E picked up on this straight away and he was soon toddling around the garden with his new friend in tow.<br />
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Little E has really engaaged with this toy and he's still completely delighted by him, even though he's been here for a couple of weeks now. His interest hasn't waned at all. It's really interesting to watch him puzzling out the shape sorting and the jigsaw pieces and he was soon able to watch his sister and then work out how to do it himself. You can really see him thinking about each piece and walking around the toy to fnd out the correct place for each one.<br />
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There are so many different elements to this toy and the fact that it keeps a 15 month old,, and an almost 4 year old (and a 6 year old sometimes) busy and interested for a decent amount of time every time he is brought out to play is really great. Noo Noo has been a huge hit in our house and I'm sure he will be enjoyed for a long time to come, especially by Little E.<br />
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Check out the rest of the new Teletubbies range in this video.</div>
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Pull and Play Giant Noo Noo has an RRP of £49:99 and is available to purchase from <b><a href="http://www.character-online.com/products/Teletubbies/Figures-and-Playsets/Teletubbies-Pull-and-Play-Giant-Noo-Noo/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Character Toys</a></b>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>We received the toy for review purposes. </i></span>Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-32917223469632406852016-08-26T12:13:00.003+01:002016-08-26T12:13:45.067+01:00Watch Finding Nemo with the Fish!Tomorrow we're heading off to SEA LIFE Blackpool for a visit with a difference as they will be hosting fun screenings of Disney ∙ Pixar’s Finding Nemo for visitors throughout the day on Saturday 27th August. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The screenings are part of SEA LIFE’s event to celebrate the release of Disney ∙ Pixar’s Finding Dory, and will take place in the fun sea-themed schoolroom at the centre from 10am. <br /><br />Visitors will be given a Finding Dory ‘Trail Book’ and cardboard goggles, looking for letters to spell out a particular word, earning them a prize at the end. The book also pulls out into a poster for them to take home and keep.<br /><br />The kids are tasked with finding the Finding Dory character Hank the Octopus, which will be hidden in tanks and aquariums with fun facts on the various fish, and the letter clues they need for their Trail Books. Kids will also be given an exclusive ‘pop badge’ at the end which says ‘I Found Out About Dory At Sea Life’.<br /> <br />Jenn McDonough, general manager of SEA LIFE Blackpool, “Finding Nemo and Finding Dory are wonderful films that inspire many visitors to come to SEA LIFE Blackpool. </div>
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“Our film screenings allow children to enjoy the original film before taking part in the Finding Dory trail so they can see real life versions of their favourite characters. We hope to create a complete experience, giving Nemo and Dory fans a day out they will never forget.”<br /><br />Entry to the screening is included as part of a standard SEA LIFE Blackpool ticket, which can be purchased online at <a href="http://www.sealifeblackpool.com/">www.sealifeblackpool.com</a><div>
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We can't wait to see one of our favourite films amongst the fish in Blackpool tomorrow!<br /></div>
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Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883814582143996976.post-8501217856105840262016-08-25T13:23:00.000+01:002016-08-25T13:23:42.575+01:00Discovering Engineering at MSI Manchester with Dyson and Currys PC WorldThe school holidays are in full swing and it's been tricky to carve out some one-to-one time with each of the children so Bud and I were delighted to be invited along to the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) in Manchester at the weekend, to explore engineering with our friends from Dyson and Currys PC World.<br />
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Ask Bud what he wants to be when he's big and his immediate answer is 'a scientist'. I'm quite proud of this and we're always seeking out ways to promote that interest and help to broaden his scientific horizons beyond paleontology and Lego models. We were invited to visit MSI and take the #DysonChallenge - an opportunity to learn about two of their newest products and to explore some of their benefits using kids crafts.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sxnO9j-PIIM/V72fvEzCfrI/AAAAAAAAZNE/C9yL6VPmju0-MbR19jmYzlMOHikCiMOIQCLcB/s1600/Dyson9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Discovering Engineering at MSI Manchester with Dyson and Currys PC World #DysonChallenge Cinetic Animal Big Ball Cleaner and Pure Flow Air Purifier" border="0" height="456" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sxnO9j-PIIM/V72fvEzCfrI/AAAAAAAAZNE/C9yL6VPmju0-MbR19jmYzlMOHikCiMOIQCLcB/s640/Dyson9.jpg" title="Discovering Engineering at MSI Manchester with Dyson and Currys PC World #DysonChallenge" width="640" /></a></div>
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Our day started with refreshments (including some yummy cookies, Bud was a fan) and the opportunity to mingle with the Dyson team and a few local bloggers and their children. It was lovely to catch up with old friends and make some new ones. There was a range of Dyson products out for demonstration purposes and Bud really got stuck into trying them out. He particularly loved the handheld cleaners and I was pretty impressed at how easily a 6 year old could operate one!<br />
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When the more formal part of the day started two of the Dyson engineers introduced the new products we were there to see. First up was the <b><a href="http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/home-appliances/floorcare/vacuum-cleaners/dyson-cinetic-big-ball-animal-cylinder-bagless-vacuum-cleaner-iron-nickel-10144942-pdt.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjwi_W9BRD_3uio_Jz-p8UBEiQANU80vmWMk3cujQYHsB8UzWEQRYkKu7VyHiGJWBMG-wDsVE0aAnkX8P8HAQ&srcid=198&cmpid=ppc~gg~~~Exact&mctag=gg_goog_7904&s_kwcid=AL!3391!3!106053063324!!!g!176003903844!&device=c&istCompanyId=bec25c7e-cbcd-460d-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istItemId=amliialaw&istBid=tztx&PLA=1&ef_id=UuvBpwAABIvxCGC0:20160824122017:s" target="_blank">Dyson Cinetic Animal Big Ball Cleaner</a></b>. This cleaner brings together the Cinetic technology which uses cyclone technology to ensure that suction never drops, and that it picks up even the tiniest of particles.<br />
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Dyson have been listening to their customers who have asked for a more effective way of emptying their cleaners and have come up with a really nifty way of doing so in this cleaner. Instead of opening the canister and tipping it in to your bin, You slide the seal down the container and it pushes even the smallest pieces out. No cleaning the container out after emptying your vacuum!<br />
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The most fun element of this new cleaner is the 'big ball', we've all trailed around a cylinder vacuum cleaner, dragging it around after us and had it tip over on us. With the new Dyson Cinetic Big Ball, when this happens it will simply right itself and pop back to upright on it's own. This was ably demonstrated by one of the children at the event and, despite rolling the cleaner all the way over, it did roll straight back up on it's own. The kids were fascinated by this and I know lots of them had a go at tipping it over.<br />
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The second item we had demonstrated to us was the <a href="http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/home-appliances/heating-and-cooling/air-treatment/air-purifiers/dyson-pure-cool-link-tower-air-purifier-10144450-pdt.html#srcid=11026" target="_blank">Dyson Pure Cool Link Tower Air Purifier</a>. This promises to remove 99.5% of allergens and pollutants from the air in your home, effectively cleaning and filtering the air and potentially removing toxic fumes! In addition to this it can work as a fan to keep your home cool on hot days.<br />
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The Air Purifier has it's very own Dyson Link app (for Android and iPhone) which allows you to monitor the air in your home remotely and change settings on the go if needed. It also has a remote control, LED and night mode to make using it a simple process.<br />
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After the demonstrations we had the chance to get creative. Our first task was to make a self-righting egg similar to the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Cleaner's technology. We decorated our egg with a funky face, and called him 'Glasses Man; Bud ensured he had glasses just like his. From there we used ball bearings and blu-tac to make sure our egg would stand back up if he was knocked over. Bud loved making his egg and it led to a discussion about just why the egg stands back up again.<br />
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The second craft was to make our own windmills to demonstrate the Dyson Pure Cool Link Tower Air Purifier's air flow power. We decorated our paper template then used a pencil to pin it together and make a windmill which spun in the air from the Air Purifier. It was a fun creative task and Bud really enjoyed working out why the air made the windmill spin.<br />
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After a tasty lunch it was time to say goodbye and I took home a very happy little boy who really wants to be a Dyson engineer when he grows up, he's also developed something of a taste for vacuuming which I'll definitely be looking to promote using our Dyson cleaner at home. It was a lovely way to explore the products and to explain their engineering to the children. Bud says it was the best day ever!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>We attended the event as the guests of Dyson and Currys PC World and received a gift and goodie bag for our time.</i></span><br />
<br />Pippa Ainsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15620920274144404684noreply@blogger.com