September the time for New School Year Resolutions

After sixteen years in the British Education system it has been imprinted in my brain that September is when the New Year starts. You get a new start and you can be a different person to who you were before the summer. Every September you can reinvent yourself as someone who is studious, on time, interesting and in my case on top of things.

Of course its dead lucky that just four months later you get to re-make all these promises to yourself with your New Years Resolutions as that is how long it normally took for me to forget what I was aiming for and fall back to my normal forgetting to study, do my homework, be late, only talk about things I find interesting and nobody else does and of course let everything pile on top of me in some crazy hotch potch way.

This is not a photo of Top Ender on her first day of School doing homework that had to be handed in that day.

This year of course will be no different, I am going to make changes and stick to them, not just for me but as a parent and of course if Top Ender wants to make some then I will support her. And if it turns out that at the end of December we have to make the same personal resolutions again? Well then I will just know that I am consistent in my ways!

As a Mummy however I promise the following resolutions will not be forgotten until at least Easter...

1. We will get to school on time everyday. Yes I know I only live five minutes from school.
2. Top Ender will have clean uniform everyday and her shoes will be polished.
3. I will remind Top Ender to take her PE kit at the start of the week.
4. I will check Top Enders bag for permission slips and return them promptly.
5. Top Ender will have a nutritious lunch everyday.
6. Top Ender will take her bottle of water to school everyday.
7. I won't be late picking Top Ender up. Again, yes I know I practically live next door to the school.
8. I will write all appointments on the calender.
9. I will get Top Ender to do her homework.
10. I will remember to give Top Ender and Baby Boy a healthy after school snack

Yeah who am I kidding? I won't last two weeks.

Toyologists? What on earth is a Toyologist?

In the run up to Top Enders being born, Daddy and I would often go out of an evening and wander round a shop or two. Top Ender loved to be up late, and watching TV and staring at the same four walls whilst being kicked from the inside just wasn't cutting it for us. We used to drive to Toys R Us in Bedford as it had late night Christmas Opening times and walk round looking at all the toys and seeing what we would like.

Eventually in 2005 Toys R Us found a site for a store in Milton Keynes and Daddy and I were thrilled that we could start going to a local store instead with our baby. Several years later and we still love the Milton Keynes store, not only because it is HUGE but because all of us (Baby Boy included) love to walk round and look at the toys and what we would have if our house was bigger!

It was with great interest that I replied back to the email from Geoffrey (you know the Toys R Us Giraffe, of  "there's millions of Geoffrey's all under one roof" fame) about becoming a Toyologist. And after some careful consideration I agreed that Top Ender and Baby Boy would become Toyologists and Daddy and I would be their assistants!

We were invited down to Bucklebury Farm Park in Berkshire to meet the other Toyologists and to have a bit of a tea party and as Daddy was at work I took my Mum (AKA Granny). I had explained to her what it was we were going to and why and it was then that she exclaimed;

"Toyologists? What on earth is a Toyologist?"

"Not a what, a who. Your Grandchildren are going to be Toyologists for Toys R Us" I explained

"Is it to do with that blog thing you do?" she said (I could hear her eyes rolling)

"Yes Mum" I sighed

"Your going to put this conversation on there aren't you?" she said resignedly

"Yes Mum" I said Smugly (Love you Mummy!)

Top Ender and Baby Boy had a great time and Top Ender even discovered that TB (GlowStars and Urbanvox eldest) isn't evil despite being a boy! They played in the playground, in the sandpit, on the slides, sat next to each other and even talked in Horse to each other. As I was the only one who could translate Horse it might of just been me making things up, but they didn't care. Well, not until I announced that TB had just asked Top Ender to marry him...

Whilst we grown ups had a little question and answer session about how the Toyologist programme is going to work, Granny took Top Ender and Baby Boy to play on some of the fab things at the Farm (such as a huge jumping pillow, a lot of slides, a zip slide sort of thing and a playground) and also they went and talked to a few animals and snacked on the cookies and muffins that had been laid out for us all to share.

After this we were all brought back together as it was time to open our first box of toys. Top Ender and Baby Boy got Granny and I to remove the tape and then they dived in pulling toys from the box and working out what was the best thing to look at first. There was a lot of toys and both Top Ender and Baby Boy exclaimed "COOL!" more than once as they examined the contents.

After this we went on a Tractor ride to see the Japanese Sika, Axis and Fallow deer that are at the Farm. We were allowed to feed them and as you can see from the photos they weren't shy!

We went home, happy but tired and with a huge dollop of excitement over playing with some new toys. I hope that you will enjoy the reviews that we do over the next few months and remember that anything we say is the truth, we aren't being paid to be nice (we aren't being paid at all, but you know what I mean) and hopefully it might give you some ideas about Christmas gifts!

Tesco School Uniform

A Nice Lady from Tesco contacted me the other day and asked if I would like to have a box of school uniform sent over for Top Ender. Now I have been buying bits of School Uniform every week in my weekly shop, but there were still a few bits and pieces that I needed to get. And so I said YES PLEASE!

Then last week, in the middle of the night (well before I was awake), the doorbell rang. I was busy sleeping and so sent Daddy downstairs to open the door. He came back upstairs with a box. A box that I had no clue what was inside, mainly due to it being before I had woken up. Several hours later though when I was awake and dressed and understood what was going on I presented the box to Top Ender.

Top Ender liked the box. She liked it even more when she opened the box and found that inside was a new school uniform that her fashion conscious eye (Like the Bratz she has a passion for fashion) approved of and a set of pens, pencils and a small notebook for the essential notes that she writes.

 

 

  

 

Top Ender refused to put it on though, saying that it is bad luck to you put school uniform on before your first day of school. I think that she might of been pulling my leg, but just in case she was telling the truth I didn't want to risk it! All of the items seem great quality, I will know better after I have washed them all and Top Ender has worn them a few times!

Having brought most of Top Enders school uniform over the last couple of years from Tesco, I know that the quality is good, and I love that they have waist adjusters on the skirts and trousers as Top Ender doesn't have hips to keep her skirts/trousers up. I also love that if you hang them up after they have been washed, they don't normally need ironing either!

As part of the offer I get to tag someone else in this post who will then be offered some School Uniform too and I have decided that my old Pregnancy buddy Becky at Single Mummy will be my nominee! I was also given a voucher for clothing at Tesco and I think that I might be using it to buy some very lovely outfits for Christmas...

Breakfast - Bullseye Egg

I think that in other parts of the country this is called an Open House Egg. We call it a Bullseye Egg, because when we aim the sauce we yell "BULLSEYE!" If we get a direct hit.

First you need to heat oil in your frying pan, whilst that is doing cut a circle out of a slice of bread. Fry the bread and circle so that it is Golden Brown on one side and then flip them both over. When flipped over crack an egg into the hole in the slice of bread and fry until cooked.

When done put on a plate, squirt on some ketchup and add the circle of bread back on top.

One Bullseye Egg for breakfast!

Top Ender Giggles - Itchy and Jerry...

Top Ender and Baby Boy have been enjoying The Tom and Jerry Marathons that have been on the last few days in our house. Top Ender was trying to explain an episode to me that I hadn't seen as she had thought it very funny.

"Well Itchy was chasing Scratchy and then they turned round and were chasing the other way!" she giggled
"Tops, could you say that again for me?" I asked
"Itchy was chasing Scratchy and ..." she got before I interrupted
"Itchy and Scratchy?" I laughed
"Tom and Jerry I mean!" she giggled back

And to think we haven't watched The Simpsons in ages!

Wordless Wednesday - Boiling Eggs

Who is The Stig?

Some say that The Stig might be Michael Schumacher or Ben Collins or Julian Bailey but I say that rumours are all that they are and all they should ever be!

To those of us who watch Top Gear (and I believe it to be quite a lot around 7 Million tune in via TV, or the Web) The Stig is a mystery that not even Scooby and the Gang would unmask (they are fans of Top Gear I am sure) because it is part of the fun of the show. It is the fun of not knowing, the fun of Jezza taking the mickey out of him with his intros, the fun of seeing his "cousins" when the Top Gear team are in different countries, the fun that even the celebs say that they don't know who this man is, the fun of everyone being in the same boat (well car) and just marvelling at the fantastic driving that The Stig does each week.

Top Gear is one of those programmes that isn't just for petrol heads. I'm not a petrol head, in fact if Jeremy Clarkson ever became ruler of The World and declared that we must all be petrol heads, the only thing that would stop me from going to prison would be the obvious positioning of who I would put in the snog category of the three Top Gear presenters in the game "Snog, Marry, Avoid"!

I like to watch Top Gear because of the stupid boy projects that they carry out, I like to watch the laps that the Celebs do, I like to guess what insult is going to be used against James May and then feel sorry for him that everyone is picking on him. I like the guessing of how Richard Hammond is going to have his hair this week, or if his teeth are going to get another mention.

Its because we don't know who The Stig is that we can all build up mythical status for this man (or maybe a woman who knows!) and so I plead to you in the media don't reveal the secret, have a heart and let us keep one hero untainted!

Anyway, we all know that Baby Boy is The Stig. He has a T-Shirt to prove it and I think that this video proves it without a doubt...

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dNaMrczhio)

Top Ender Giggles - French Breakfast

Whilst we were eating dinner on Sunday Top Ender asked if she could get dressed before she had dinner the next day. We all giggled because she had meant breakfast, I told her that it was up to her when she got dressed (within reason) and the conversation moved on.

It got me thinking though as the French say Petit Déjeuner and that means small lunch right? So I said;

"Tomorrow we will have a French Breakfast!"

I was thinking bowls of Hot Chocolate to dip croissants in, maybe a pain au chocolat for Top Ender and Baby Boy or a Tartine and if I am feeling really generous some yogurt and fruit or ham and cheese.

"Oh but I wanted a pain au chocolat!" whinged Top Ender
"Top Ender, where do pain au chocolat's come from?" asked Daddy
"I don't know!" she answered
"Think what language it is" I said
"Erm London?" she asked

Wordless Wednesday - Home Grown Potatoes

Family Fun Days Out on a Budget

The other Sunday I was talking about Family Fun on a Budget and I was talking about things that we do as a family on the cheap to make everyday a fun day. It got me thinking though because even when we go out as a family I still try and make it as cheap as possible and today I thought I would share some of my secrets with you.

Most of our days out involve us going somewhere in our car. I love our car, we have a Citroen Xsara Picasso and I have to say that I think it is fab as a family car (although my next car will without a doubt be a Toyota Prius) because of the great storage it offers. When we go on a long journey we always check the tyre pressure, the water and oil levels and make sure that we have petrol. We empty the car of anything that we won't need and normally give it a quick wash and use the Dyson on the inside. As I am sure you know these simple steps help improve the fuel efficiency and also means that the mouldy pears are taken care of!

The great storage in our car means that we have space (in the floor) to store snacks and drinks for the journeys we make. I put family and car friendly snacks such as cartoons of juice and crisps and raisins (and the odd biscuit) into the car before we set off, so that if we need to snack whilst we are on the move we don't need to stop at the services that we past. I also keep mints in the front of the car for Daddy and I

If we are going out for the entire day, I make sure that we take snacks, drinks and if possible Lunch and a light Supper. I am always shocked, although I don't know why, at the price of drinks and snacks at theme parks or anywhere that isn't my local shop. I have a large cool bag, which will hold enough sandwiches, fruit, yogurts (I freeze tube yogurts and use them as cool packs) drinks, biscuits, crisps and cakes for the four of us more than twice over. The pack can stay in the car if we are at an attraction that lets us return to our car during the day, and if not it can either go on/in the buggy or we adults take turns in carrying it.

I love the Internet (as you probably already know) and as such will search for vouchers for days out, two for one, half price days or anything else that will save me on admission price. You can also use your Tesco Clubcard points to convert to tickets for certain theme parks and days out, so this is like free days out! I am signed up with local tourist boards to get emails about upcoming attractions so that if there is a discount for booking early I can take advantage of this. I couldn't even make a guess at how much this has saved me in the past, but I am sure that it is worth the time and effort.

Daddy always scopes out parking for where we are going, and checks that it isn't cheaper to park in a local NCP car park rather than the car park at the event we are going to. His favourite was when we went to the O2, parking at a local NCP car park cost £10 and then there was a further £5 fee for our trip on the Docklands Light Railway to the O2 arena but parking at the O2 would of cost £20. I know its only a saving of £5 but that £5 brought us our programme for the evening and meant that we spent some more time together having an adventure!

So these are my top tips, but what are your top tips? Where else can I save money?

Top Enders New School Shoes from Clarks

Recently Clarks offered to send me a voucher to buy Top Ender some School Shoes. I ummed and ahhed about accepting it, but in the end I decided that I would. Why? Well I have to buy school shoes for Top Ender and normally they are expensive. We always use Clarks for measuring our children's feet and then the real push was that Tom Cruise annoyed me.

Yes you read right, Tom Cruise annoyed me. Okay so he didn't come up to me personally, but I have just got over now thinking that he is quite nice after seeing him on Top Gear and then he ruined it.

Tom Cruise was on GMTV a while back and for some reason whilst talking about his new film the presenter decided to ask about Suri and her party shoes. I don't follow celebrities but I am aware that Suri is often seen wearing high heels as Top Ender uses this as ammo as to why she at two years older that Suri should be allowed to wear high heels. I can't remember what Tom Cruise said about his daughters shoes but I do know that Clarks offered to measure and fit a pair of shoes that would support Suri's feet, but I don't think that they took up the offer. And if Top Ender is reading this, No you are not allowed high heels.

It has always been drilled into me that before you buy shoes that you should get your feet measured as they do change size, and cramming children's still developing feet into shoes that are too small or cause the bones to grow in a different shape to those that they are supposed to. It was also drilled into me that Children should have their feet measured every six to eight weeks, this does mean it can be expensive but I think worth it.

So we went to our local Milton Keynes Clarks store and took our ticket to await our turn. As is normal in our branch there were several people waiting and we were prepared to wait. Top Ender and I looked at the displays of School Shoes and she decided which ones she liked, whilst I choose the ones that we would ask to try. Top Ender has a thing about patent shoes shoes, which for me are a total no for school, as I like to be able to cover scuff marks with shoe polish!

We are very use to the routine these days, and when our favourite assistant came over (pure chance, but I swear every time we go into the store she serves us!) Top Ender was already removing her Doodles in order to step on the big measuring machine. I remember when you used to step in to holes to have your feet measured... then again I also remember being able to buy penny sweets for a penny!

The machine always amazes me because it is so clever and measures all over Top Enders feet within a few seconds and after the first time we had used it when the assistant showed us how accurate it was by then measuring Top Enders feet with the slidey feet measure thingy and we have never looked back! When the various shoes that we had chosen came down from the stock room (I would love to see the stock room one day!) the fitter helped Top Ender into each shoe and then checked how it fitted round the heel, toe, ankle, over the top of the foot and how comfy it was for Top Ender to walk in.

We tried three different styles of shoes and four different pairs and Top Ender decided in the end that she would like the ones in the picture below and I was quite pleased too as they were the nicest ones (and Clarks only one pair of T-bars this year? You can do better I am sure). She is currently wearing them round the house for five to ten minutes a day, just to make sure that her feet will be comfy in them when she does go back to school in a few short weeks.

Whilst I was talking to the fitter I found out that she has finished University and may not be our fitter for much longer. I would just like to say Thank you Laura for the many shoes that you have fitted and for the wonderful service you have provided us and everyone else you have served!

Family Fun on a Budget

Reading this blog you might think that we don't know about having Family Fun on a Budget as at the moment it seems that every other weekend we are at a show or at the cinema, or on a day trip as a family and it must seem like we have money to burn, but its not true. Its just that with a bit of careful planning we are able to budget for events like I have mentioned but we intersperse them with events and days out that cost nothing or next to nothing, such as the ones that I have talked about before in my post Eight things to do on a small Entertainment fund but are still packed full of fun! This weekend we don't have anything major planned, but you can be sure that we will be doing a few of the following!

We love to bake together as a family, and this is a great way of doing something fun on a small amount of money. Plus you get to eat it afterwards! Something that I love to do is to make cornflake cakes (melt chocolate and stir in cornflakes, put a generous spoonful into a cake case and leave to set) and then whip them out whilst we are waiting for our cup cakes to cook.

We love going for walks, we are lucky that we have a great local Parks Trust that maintains local parks and green areas. It could be though that you just walk to the local shop and buy everyone a small sweet, or take a walk to the local park. If you all have wellies why not even go if it has been raining and puddle jump at the same time?!

The local park is really great for burning off some energy and is a great way to have some fun. Top Ender and Baby Boy love when we get on the roundabout or the swings or slide with them and so do we! Plus according to that study that Brainiacs did (It was Scientific!) a half hour in the park on the equipment burns more calories than a half hour in the Gym.

Going round a Shop or a Supermarket might seem like an odd place for Family Fun, but most Supermarkets these days have aisles dedicated to toys and household goods. Its a great place to window shop for things that you might like... not that we do that in Ikea or anything!

Search the Internet for free things to do, there are lots of sites that list places such as Skillscape, and Silver Cross Days Out that list places that other parents have recommended. It might be that you get to go to an Outdoor Cinema, an Airshow, or pick some fruit but there is bound to be something to suit your budget!

I don't know many people who pay much attention to flyers and vouchers in the UK. It seems to me that our friends in the USA and Canada are much more savvy at this sort of thing, but there are savings to be had on most days out. There is a funfair at Willen Lake at the moment, and at £1.50 per person per ride it soon adds up but a flyer I found in a local pub gives vouchers for 50p off any ride. I picked up two flyers (one for Top Ender and one for Baby Boy) and now Top Ender and Baby Boy will be able to go on two more rides than we would of originally budgeted for!

Make use of cinema discounts (such as Orange Wednesday, half price Tuesday or movies for juniors) or have fun and make your living room into the cinema. Shutting the curtains, making movie tickets and having Cinema style snacks is a great laugh, and a good way to have a sneaky snooze or snog when the kids aren't looking...

And if you get really stuck for something to do why not try looking for ideas on Disney's What shall we do today. We love the ideas on the website and quite often have a quick visit to get a game or idea!

Little Dish Favourites Cookbook and Top Enders meal plan

Did you know that Little Dish has a cook book? Its called the Little Dish Favourites Cookbook and I knew because they sent me one. Top Ender has spent her time pouring through it looking at the various dishes, pondering on what ones she would request that I cook for the family. Baby Boy didn't quite understand that a cook book was full of recipes and wasn't something you were meant to eat and took a bite out of some of the pages!

Top Ender found a section called Meal Matchers towards the back of the book that recommends what dishes you can make that go nicely with another dish and she was busy copying out the names so that she could play restaurants with Baby Boy and I. It gave me an idea though, if she was smart enough to work this out, what would happen if I asked her to work out a meal plan for the week?

I gave Top Ender some simple instructions. Don't choose anything that nobody will eat, make sure that we get at least one portion of fish in the week, see if we can use the same ingredients in more than one dish, and we like to have a Roast on Sundays. Top Ender spent half an hour looking through making notes in her little notebook and finally was ready to sit down with me to update our spreadsheet.

Her list was as follows;

Meatloaf with Ratatouille
Sausage and Lentil Casserole with boiled potatoes
Spanish Tortilla
Shepperd's Pie
Easy fish in foil with Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese
Burgers with Wedges
Simple Roast Chicken with trimmings

I was impressed. She had chosen meals that she knew everyone would eat and more importantly that I could confidently cook! All of the dishes apart from Meatloaf were dishes that I cook and know how to cook, but I followed the recipes as stated and found that although the dishes didn't taste too different to how I cook them normally that Top Ender ate everything we gave her... traitor.

All of us (apart from Baby Boy) loved the Meatloaf recipe, so much so that everyone had seconds. I don't ever remember us all having seconds. Baby Boy was keen on the leftovers in a sandwich the next day, so it was a good job there was a lot leftover, as I had to make another sandwich for me! The Meatloaf recipe was such a success that I wrote to Little Dish and asked if I could share it with you and they agreed. So for your delight (and consumption) here it is;

Ingredients

1/2 Small Onion, peeled and diced
1 Large Carrot, peeled and diced
2 eggs, beaten
60ml (2 fl oz) whole milk
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
100g (3 1/2 oz) fresh breadcrumbs (2 1/2 slices of brown bread)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (optional)
500g (1lb) lean minced beef
500g (1lb) lean minced pork

Method

Preheat the oven to 190oC/375oF/Gas 5

Line a baking tray with foil. Lightly oil the foil.

Combine all the ingredients, apart from the meat, in a large bowl and mix together thoroughly. Using your hands, add the minced beef and pork and make sure it is well mixed in and evenly distributed.

Shape your ingredients into a loaf and place on the baking tray. The loaf should not touch the sides of the tray but sit nicely in the middle. Bake for 45-50 minutes, then let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

This should serve 8 children or a family of 6 with leftovers according to the book. It served us as a family of 4 with seconds and leftovers and I was generous with the portion sizes. I found that I had to cook mine for 70 minutes as after 50 minutes the centre was still pink, and I also think that next time I would cook the carrots a little before adding them as we found them a little hard and if they were softer I think that it would have just made it a little better. Mind you I probably should of diced it smaller!

The only problem that we have now is that Baby Boy wants to make a meal plan...

The Little Dish Favourites Cookbook is available from WH Smith, Waterstones, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s, or online at Amazon.co.uk (and other places if you Google it) and its RRP is £14.99.

The Perseid Meteor Showers

Many years ago when Daddy and I had been married for almost a year, and we watched BBC News in the mornings before work (instead of cartoons as we do now) there was a segment on the Perseid meteor shower that was going to happen that night. Daddy foolishly agreed that at the best time to see them (which was at silly O'Clock at night) we would drive out of Milton Keynes and all the ambient light to the nearby countryside to watch the shower.

We wrapped up warm and drove the short distance to the countryside where there was no streetlights and we could see the stars almost perfectly. We stayed there for about a half an hour looking for meteors and seeing nothing. It was a clear sky, there was no extra light and yet we had failed. We didn't care though, because we had been together.

As soon as we got back to our flat, with the lit parking area and the ambient light that fills Milton Keynes we saw them. Hundreds of them rushing across the sky. So much for wanting to be away from Ambient light. Every year since we have only gone as far as our back door to watch the Meteor Showers. Last night Daddy was putting on his coat just before 11pm, looking at him with a puzzled expression he told me that tonight was the night of the Annual Meteor shower. I hurriedly sent a Tweet and then joined him outside.

Within seconds we saw our first Meteor, and then another and another and then the biggest one that put the others to shame. I quickly hurried inside to wake up Top Ender so she could watch with us (I'm no fool I didn't even think about waking up Baby Boy!) and she came down with us and together we looked at the night sky. It seems that Top Ender was a bad luck charm though as soon as she came out there were no meteors to be seen and as soon as she went back to bed they started again! Poor Top Ender...

If you fancy having a look then try again tonight, look towards the Perseus constellation, but maybe consider getting some form of neck support!

The Film Premier of Disney’s TinkerBell and the Great Fairy Rescue

Last weekend we were lucky enough to be invited to the Film Premier of Disney’s TinkerBell and the Great Fairy Rescue being held at the Mayfair in London. The whole family is a BIG fan of anything Disney and Top Ender loves the Disney Fairies and everything to do with Pixie Hollow! Having already seen the first two films and owning them on DVD, we knew that we were going to be in for a good time and couldn't wait to watch the film.

As soon as the film started Baby Boy sat in his chair with a big grin on his face and kept calling out "Cool!" as he would quite like to be a fairy or Peter Pan, (he isn't sure which is better yet). Top Ender was able to keep her squeals of excitement a lot quieter especially as she had heard that the voice of Lizzy was in the audience and didn't want to appear to be uncool!

I really don't want to give too much away about the film, as it was so fun but I can confirm that this is the first time that the Fairy world and the world of humans mix and it is just as magical as you would expect! There is a bit of mild peril but Baby Boy wasn't that bothered by it (I was more worried than he was!) as I think that he knew everything would work out in the end! This is the official trailer of the film, if you want to take a sneaky peek!

After the film I was talking with Baby Boy and Nell McAndrew's son Devon about the film and both of them said they had enjoyed the film. Top Ender had of course loved the film and hoped that she could meet a fairy and has resolved to leave drawings everywhere so that Fairies know that she is a believer!

We were lucky enough to get a few minutes to speak with Lauren Mote, who is the 13 year old actress who lends her voice to Lizzy in TinkerBell and The Great Fairy Rescue. Lauren goes to Sylvia Young Theatre School in London and was really sweet; I hope that she is a big star in the future as she certainly deserves to be!

To share with you the fantastic world of Disney's TinkerBell, we have the first TinkerBell DVD along with a TinkerBell Fairy figure in a competition for those of you in the United Kingdom! To enter you need to answer the following question, the answer to which can be found somewhere in this blog post.

What fashion item did both Lauren Mote and Top Ender wear to the Disney premier of TinkerBell and The Great Fairy Rescue? (Hint look in the photos!)

Please leave your answer in the comments on this post; it is limited to one entry per household and to those in the UK. If more than one answer is correct then the correct answers will be assigned numbers and a random number generator will choose who wins. The competition is open until 1pm on the 15th August and I will email the winner to get contact details, so please make sure your email address is correct when entering!

Wordless Wednesday - The things you can do with a spade!

Prize Winning Wheat Free Cupcake Recipe

During July, Top Ender and Baby Boy entered English Mums Bake Off in the Children's section with their Wheat Free Fairy Cakes. A few days back Heather from Eggs Cream and Honey (don't you just love that as a name?) who was judging the competition announced the winners and to our surprise Top Ender and Baby Boy won!

We thought that it would only be fair that we share the recipe with you, so that you could recreate the winning Children's entry if you wanted!

Ingredients
6oz Butter
6oz Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
1/2tsp Vanilla Extract
6oz Self Raising Flour (we use Doves Farm)
5 tbsp Milk

Method

Preheat the over to Gas Mark 6. Mix the Butter and Sugar until Fluffy, then beat in the eggs and Vanilla, followed by gradually by the milk and flour.

Put the cake mix into paper cases, roughly half fill the cases and then bake for ten to fifteen minutes. Allow to cool and then decorate or eat straight away as they taste scrummy!
 

This was originally a recipe that we took from a Doves Farm Flour Packet, but I am sure they won't mind me sharing it with you.

The London Dungeons

I was gripping Top Ender's hand as we stood next to a recently unearthed coffin listening to distant screams, and I was wishing I had eaten more carrots and tuna as a child so that I could see in the dark, when suddenly a man dressed in black ushered me into a room lit by torches and I started kicking myself for my own stupidity.

RIP William Hyatt Originally uploaded by the-dungeons

You see a few months back a kind man asked if we would like to go to The London Dungeons and that he would provide tickets for us to go and we could write about our experience on this here blog. I knew that The London Dungeons was an attraction in London, but that was about it. So I asked my friend Google for some details and I didn't like what I saw.

I decided that as I am really a huge wimp that I would get Daddy to take Top Ender and that I would claim that Baby Boy was too young to go to such an attraction and that he would much more enjoy going across the road to The Hays Galleria with me... It worked right up until the morning we were set to go and Daddy asked my traitorous friend Google for some details. Somehow he managed to convince me that Top Ender would enjoy the visit with me more than with him.

Enter At Your Peril Originally uploaded by the-dungeons

A little known fact about me is that I'm scared of the dark. A well known fact about The London Dungeons is that it is a tour through the scary and horrible bits of London's History in the near dark with special effects, live actors and a big dose of your own imagination. Standing in the second queue before we were admitted to the tour gave me enough time to say a quick prayer mainly asking for me to not drop dead of a heart-attack during the tour and for nobody to jump out on us; Top Ender echoed my prayer but added a request for a torch. She's sensible.

Top Ender was the youngest in the group and I think that swayed in our favour as we didn't get picked on once during the tour. Mind you we also were smart enough to not go in the front or the back of the group as we knew if the guides were looking for volunteers that is where they would find them. A few of the friends we made during the tour (when you are all as scared as each other you make friends quickly) did get picked on, but I can say that they enjoyed the experience as much as Top Ender and I did.

Everybody was wanting to be scared (why would you go on the tour if you didn't want to just for a little while?) and so with belief suspended the over acting actors and the sometimes very dusty displays were very spooky. Even though Top Ender and I kept muttering to each other "It isn't real, they are only actors" we were at times clinging to each other and at others we were screaming, cowering, giggling and getting wet.

I don't want to give too much away about what happens inside the Dungeon, as if you go I wouldn't want to spoil the surprises (and there are plenty of places that already do that), but the hour and a half that Top Ender and I spent in the semi-darkness gripping each others hands was actually a lot of fun and fairly educational with a lot of what I had learnt at school being covered.

The tickets that we had allowed us to skip the main queue (thank goodness as it was huge!) but a quick chat with one of the ladies outside said that if you come first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening that the queues tend to be smaller, and more so if you come between Late September and Early June. The tickets do cost quite a lot but if you buy in advance and online they are cheaper and there are plenty of offers around. If you can afford the priority tickets to avoid the queue it would be worth the extra money, but there are entertainers who keep the waiting masses amused with the painting on of cuts and selling of guidebooks.

Top Ender and I would recommend The London Dungeons to anyone who is brave enough to go and I would say that ten year olds and older may enjoy it more than six and a half year olds but your own discretion should be used.

MINI Countryman World Record Attempt

When we went to Westfields Shopping Centre to see Mickey Mouse (and didn't actually see him) we noticed a MINI Countryman in the corner of the main plaza and discovered that there is a record attempt at getting as many people into a MINI as possible. Top Ender and Daddy are never one to back down from a challenge and so they decided to jump on in!

And I don't want any comments that Daddy is a natural at being squished because of all the practice he gets living with me!

Robinsons Search for a Star - Coming to a Theatre near you!

Top Ender loved the Panto last year that we saw (Cinderella at Milton Keynes Theatre) and loved putting on her own Pantos (with the Robinsons Put on a Panto website) and so when she realised that this year she was old enough to audition for the local Panto she was very excited. I was even more excited because not only is Joanna Page in the Panto this year, but so is Stavros Flatley and Luke Perry! Of course we signed her up as soon as we were able to.

I don't think it was a coincidence but more of a stroke of luck that we were invited down to meet Joanna Page at the launch of the Robinsons Search for a Star in Milton Keynes, and Top Ender although not quite realising who Joanna was at the time did recognise Dick Whittington (A beautiful Jenna Brook) and Sarah (A handsome David Chambers and if your reading this David let me know your website and I will link to you too!) as characters from Panto.

If you don't know me in real life feel free to skip this next paragraph and for those of you who do know me in real life his name really was DC and I did kind of shout out disbelievingly "Your joking!" before explaining why I shouted that at him. It wasn't really *our* DC though was it? Someone saw him yesterday afternoon at the end of day right?

Joanna was so sweet and took the time to speak to Top Ender and I (Baby Boy had fallen asleep) on several occasions even though there were the local newspapers and local TV Stations there (and they were probably much more important for coverage than me) and even started having a discussion about Glee with Top Ender and after a quick rendition of Journey's Don’t Stop Believin’ by Top Ender told her that she hoped that she would audition for the Panto. Top Ender was of course ecstatic and is now really looking forward to the auditions in early September!

This compliment meant that Top Ender thought it was only fair to warn Joanna that "Sarah isn't really a girl, but a boy wearing girls clothes and that boy is really a girl dressed up!" which Joanna displayed great mock surprise at and said something about keeping an eye on them for Top Ender!

Now Top Ender has already made me log on to the Robinsons Search For a Star website and register her for one of the 400 audition spots in Milton Keynes (there are now 399 left people!) and if you think that your children might like a chance and they are aged between 6 and 16 then hurry along and see if a Panto near you is taking part (As far as I can tell the 12 areas which are taking part are; Aylesbury, Glasgow, Brighton, Bristol, Bromley, Liverpool, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Richmond, Stoke on Trent, Wimbledon and Woking) and register quickly!

Of course we will keep you fully updated with the Audition process, but if you could all let Top Ender know that you are supporting her and keeping your fingers crossed and saying things like "Break a leg" then I would be really really grateful!