One thing I really miss since having children is being able to go out for dinner or a weekend lunch on a whim with Mr C. We were very lucky in that we could just phone each other in the afternoon and decide where to meet for dinner that night - a big luxury indeed. I was thrilled therefore when a weekday lunch for local bloggers was organised on a date that I could actually do and on a day of the week when Little Miss C was in nursery. The venue was the newly opened St Albans branch of Brasserie Blanc and we were all invited to try the November version of their seasonal fixed price menu - The ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: ‘People At Work’ In a Hotel
This post on People at Work In A Hotel has now moved to Penny Reads and can be read here. ... read more
How to keep a toddler amused…
... whilst having to wait for the Doctor's appintment that is running 40 minutes late. Hand over your camera and ask them to take photographs of the things they like. The result is some slightly blurred pictures and ten minutes peace and quiet at the time. Little Miss C was so pleased with herself that I thought I ought to share some of the best pictures. Some friends from In The Night Garden. Mummy waiting patiently. And a rare in focus one - LMC's friend and constant companion. What pictures has your little one taken? ... read more
Three hours
I'm sure I can't be the only person who gets to the end of the day and wonders what I've actually acheived that day. When you're at home with little ones it can be quite easy to just concentrate on "surviving" and it can be easy to lose track of what has kept you busy all day. Realistically though, stay at home parents usually acheive loads, but they simply don't have the time to step back and take stock of just what they have done. This morning Mr C went out to a first aid course so I thought I'd keep track of just what I got up to in that time - admitedly, ... read more
Sponsored Post – Fenton: 4GEE Remaster
If you spend any time on social media then you can't have missed the wonderful Fenton video that was released on YouTube last year. Twelve months on and a remastered version has been released by EE as part of the advertising for their new 4G service. If you're a fan of all the amazing BBC nature programes then some of this may seem familiar... Viral video by ebuzzing ... read more
Toddler cupcakes
After the scathing comments about "mummy bloggers" that appeared courtesy of Ms Jones in yesterday's Daily Fail (I refuse to link to them and give them any SEO credit at all for this) I felt slightly bad about today's post being about cupcakes, but still. I may be one of these parents who stays at home knitting and baking whilst blogging and bringing up my children, but that's completely fine with me. And also with my husband who gets to eat the fruits of my baking activities when he comes home from work. Little Miss C has really got into baking recently and one of the ... read more
Review: CBeebies: The Album
Parents here in the UK certainly can't be in any doubt that their TV Licence is value for money and that's all thanks to the wonderful CBeebies. One disadvantage to allowing your little ones to watch CBeebies is that you will find yourself suddenly in the shower, or driving the car, and humming along to one of the songs that you've heard in there. If you're like me then it will be one that you don't quite know all the words to, but yet you still can't get it out of your head for the rest of the day. Children love CBeebies and also love all the songs that are either part ... read more
Enid Blyton – the passage of time
As a child I LOVED Enid Blyton. I can remember my mum ordering me my first book (First Term at Malory Towers) from the school bookworm newsletter catalogue thing (at least I think that's what it was called) and as soon as I started reading about Darrell Rivers' adventures at boarding school I was hooked. I regret not keeping all my old books and since I was pregnant with Little Miss C I have been looking out in charity shops for her books, especially versions that I remember from childhood. It's amazing when you realise that in the 40 years that she was writing she managed to ... read more
Review: Wigwam Play Tent
Even the recent bad weather hasn't stopped us from making the most of this lovely wigwam play tent that we have been sent to review. Admittedly all the wind and rain has prevented us from putting it up in the back garden, but Little Miss C's new bedroom is luckily large enough to accommmodate a wigwam in the middle of it and the novelty of having a secret den in her bedroom has completely delighted her. The wigwam comes boxed rather compactly but Mr C found it easy to assemble. No tools are required as all you need to do is slot together the two parts of the wooden poles with a plastic ... read more
For the love of Hama
It's fair to say that Little Miss C has become somewhat Hama obsessed since we were sent some maxi Hama beads to review recently. There hasn't been a single day where she hasn't been playing with them for hours. They've travelled up to visit Granny with us and on several occassions there have been tears at bedtime when I've said that she can't take them to bed with her. The Hama advantures don't just involve building pictures on pegboards though - Hama beads seem to have become a key component in all of LMC's imaginative play. They have been the foundation of pretend meals, made into ... read more