Category: Views & Ramblings

1. Things that go bump in the night

   Posted on 6:28pm Monday 11th Aug 2014

   Things that go bump in the night!

   It is a phrase more commonly associated with frightening but imagined supernatural events and  at one time it was even incorporated into a prayer ....

   From goulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties
   And things that go bump in the night
   Good Lord, deliver us!

   Fortunately I am not actually talking about paranormal activity or supernatural events, I am talking about the creatures that suddenly seem to have taken up residence in our bedroom (and I am not talking about my other half this time).

   The warm weather has brought dodgy tan lines, questionable fashion sense, regular BBQ's and much needed outdoor fun but it has also brought an influx of creatures too. Until quite recently I had never heard of a bug called a "Bob Howler"  but the urban dictionary tells me that it is actually a slang term from the Midlands for a very large moth. Given that I am a Midlands lass at heart, I clearly should hang my head in shame at not knowing such things, but anyway I digress.

   

   Only last week, said Bob Howler made an appearance in our bedroom. They never seem to arrive in the day time, oh no, always just as you are about to go to bed, are a little sleepy (and clearly don't want your shrieking to wake the children). This Bob Howler was MASSIVE. No exaggeration. It was HUGE (or in the words of my tween, it was MAHOOSIVE) and after much shrieking and flapping around (me, not the Bob Howler), it decided to fly behind our headboard.

   It flapped and banged and bumped and fluttered against the headboard and the wall so much that I was worried it was going to wake the neighbours, let alone the children. Obviously the bed gets pulled out and we start chasing it around the bedroom. The scene was a little reminicent of a strange black and white comedy sketch

   Unfortunately there was not a happy ending for the Bob Howler (I won't share that particularly gruesome part of the story) and we were finally settling down for the night, when out of the corner of my eye I saw something move .........

   I may never actually sleep again!

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   Disclaimer : This post is in association with Carpetright but all Bob Howler fiasco's are our own!

2. Country Kids : Finding a blackberry bush

   Posted on 9:24pm Sunday 3rd Aug 2014

   We went visiting my Nan today to give the man on the Lilypad some well deserved "blue" time as it all gets a little bit too pink and girly in our house sometimes. My girls love to see their Great Grandmother and sit playing with toys that I am quite sure have been in that toybox since I was a child but today with the weather being so lovely, they ventured out into her garden to go exploring.

   Soon I heard squeals of "we found a blackberry bush" and they were determined they were going to pick some!

   

   My Nan couldn't walk as far as the blackberry bush but she was giving them strict instructions to only pick the ripe ones and there little fingers were sneaking their way through the leaves to find them.

   

   Unfortunately for me, the only time I tried to get involved I managed to get caught in the thorns so I left them and their little hands to it. (note to self: Blackberry bushes can be dangerous if not careful or have tiny hands)

   

   

   They absolutely loved it and I am not sure if they were more excited about finding them in their Great Grandmothers own garden or wanting to have them for dessert!

   Sometimes it is just the little things that make your day!

   

3. I Want To Be .....

   Posted on 9:43am Friday 1st Aug 2014

   What did you want to be when you grew up?

    

   I am not sure I ever had a burning desire to be "something" but then again, I am not entirely sure I ever grew up either!

    

   My eldest daughter often talks about being a "grown up", I think she believes that you get powers when you are an adult and money magically appears from the hole in the wall ( I don't want to destroy the magical powers illusion bit just yet, I kind of like being a super mum) but as for what she wants to be, I am not sure she has a vision yet.

    

   I was therefore interested to hear that Blossom Magazine have launched a brilliant competition for their readers this week.  The #IWantToBe campaign is asking young readers to submit a video entry of what they want to be when they grow up. (I promise I am not going to subject you to a video of my brummie accent)

    

   

    

   Entrants have until 6th September to submit their video to the email address of [email protected] and one winner will be selected to win a VIP London family trip which includes one family ticket to ZSL London with a Meet the Meerkats experience; one Rainforest Café voucher worth £100; overnight accommodation in one family room at 3-star hotel, in Central London and a visit to Blossom HQ plus a Blossom Goody Bag.

    

   In each edition of the magazine, Blossom features a different aspirational career to show girls they can be whoever they want to be - whether it's an airline pilot, an author or a doctor.

    

   So what does your little one want to be when they grow up?

    

   

    

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   The full terms and conditions are here, and are found in the current magazine edition too:

    

   T&Cs:  Terms and conditions: Promoter: Immediate Media London Company Limited. You must make sure that we have your entries by 11.59pm, 6th September 2014. 1. You can enter if you live in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands, unless someone who lives in your house works for the Immediate Media Company. 2. By entering the competition, you promise to us that you have read these rules and that you will follow them. 3. We can’t include entries which arrive too late and we can’t accept responsibility if your entry is lost. By entering this competition, parents/guardians grant permission to Immediate Media Company (publishers of Blossom) to post the winner’s video and entrants’ first names in its publications, websites and on its social media sites. 4. Winners will be chosen at random. 5. One entry per household. We don’t allow bulk entries or entries made by other people on your behalf. We will disqualify all entries which break this rule. 6. If you win, you will receive the prize described. We won’t swap the prize for cash. No alternatives or substitutions for any unused elements of the prize. If there’s ever a reason why we can’t give you exactly the same prize, we’ll give you something  j ust as good or better instead. Prize is one family ticket to ZSL London valid for 2 adults and 2 children aged 3-16. Children must be at least 5 years of age and be accompanied by an adult for the Meet the Meerkats experience. One Rainforest Café voucher worth £100, see voucher for expiry date and additional T&Cs – includes drinks. Overnight accommodation in one family room at 3-star hotel, in Central London selected by Immediate Media Company. Visit to Blossom HQ includes a Blossom Goody Bag. Travel and other personal expenses are not included. Prize must be redeemed before 31st December 2014. 7. Winners will be contacted within 28 days of a competition closing date, either by post, telephone or email. 8. If we contact you to tell you you’re a winner, but you don’t reply within a month, we may have to offer the prize to a runner-up or give it away in a future competition. Your details: We will use your name, address and any other details that you give us to run this competition. If you win, we will pass them to the person who’s providing the prize so that they can post it to you, and we may use your first name and county in the magazine or on our website but we won’t provide them to anyone else without your permission. You can find out the winner’s first name and county once the competition is over by sending a stamped addressed envelope to Competition Rules, ATTN: Marketing Assistant, Blossom Magazine, Immediate Media Limited, Vineyard House, 44 Brook Green, London W6 7BT. Remember to tell us which magazine, issue number and competition you’d like to know about. 

4. Country Kids : Skytrail

   Posted on 9:57pm Friday 25th Jul 2014

   We haven't joined in with Country Kids for a few weeks, as we have been out in the sunshine with a drink in hand rather than the camera but this week we took the girls to the amazing Skytrail and I couldn't resist snapping these shots. Skytrail is right on our doorstep and I didn't know it was there!

   The little one enjoyed the mini beach ....

   

   While the big one showed me that she is suddenly a fearless 9 year old by not only going on the Skytrail ....

   

   ..... but going to the top level of the Skytrail. She was harnessed in and totally safe and in the end we had to convince her to fall off because she was so good! (she took great pleasure in this!)

   

   Unfortunately for me, she has now turned into an adrenalin junkie and wants to do it for her next birthday party! I love that she wants to be outside, rather than in front of a TV screen .... I just need to remember that I need to wear suncream as well as the children as I *may* have got a little sunburnt whilst staring at her in the sky!