Pre-School Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for 2 – 4 year olds

Pre-School Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for 2 – 4-year-olds

Freddie is currently three years old so this Pre-school gift guide is a selection of gifts based on things we have bought for him that he has enjoyed playing with and also some of the things we are looking to get him for Christmas.

Superwings Jett Supercharged

Freddie is a huge Superwings fan and we got him the supercharged transforming Jett as a little reward for starting pre-school as we knew it was going to be a huge change for him. This Jett not only transforms but it has lights and sounds. Jett is never far away from him and so if you have a Superwings fan this would be a huge hit.

Little Brian Paintsticks Art Station

We’re big fans of the Painsticks and have had a few of the sets. We’ve bought the Art Station and put it away for Freddie for Christmas. I don’t doubt that he will love this. You can have a look at out previous review which shows the Little Brian Painsticks in action.

 

Play kitchen Sink

We bought this Play Kitchen Sink for Freddie back in June for his third birthday and it was a total winner. It might not be quite the weather for it at the moment, but this is such a good toy. You lift up the sink and add water and then the tap has a pump that makes it into a working tap. Pull the plug and the water drains into the bottom to be pumped up again into the tap. It also comes with a lot of play accessories such as cups, plates, and play fruit and vegetables

Orchard Toys Bug Bingo

Freddie likes to play games now, but they have to be quick and able to keep his attention. This little bug bingo game only takes about five minutes to play and is definitely a good introduction to games. We have several Orchard Toys games and puzzles and this is currently Freddie’s favourite.

Paw Patrol Moto Pups HQ Playset

This playset comes with Chase and his motorbike which you put on the ramp and pull it back before it shoots out with accompanying sounds. You can of course buy the additional Paw Patrol Pups with their motorbikes (maybe a good idea for family and friends to buy).

Kindle Fire Kids Tablet

I was slightly reluctant to get Freddie a tablet, but during lockdown, he became a bit of a pro with my phone and so I was constantly losing it to him whilst I was helping Belle with her school work. In my opinion, the Kindle Kids tablet is the best as far as options for games, books, and shows to watch. It doesn’t have additional things to constantly buy and there are no ads. There are loads of educational games and activities and it comes encased in a case that prevents damage from bumps and drops.

Playdoh

If you have kids then there’s no escape from Playdoh. If you don’t buy a set yourself, someone at some point will buy one for your children. We are a messy play house so we have a LOT of playdoh and accessories which the kids never get bored off. Freddie got a Gold Mine set similar to this set which comes with gold (it’s sparkly) and black playdoh.

Henry Hoover

What is it with kids and hoovers! This Henry Hoover is quite cool and does actually pick up some crumbs which is always a bonus. I remember when I looked after my nephew when he was a toddler and he insisted on taking his hoover everywhere we went. We left it in the bank, and the look on the face of the lady behind the desk when I came back looking for it was priceless!

Baby Shark Fishing Game

This game is a lot of fun, but just a warning, the Baby Shark song plays endlessly!

Tuff Tray and Stand

You can buy a Tuff Tray with or without a stand, but this is the one that we bought for Freddie and he prefers to play standing up. You can make the use of a Tuff Tray as easy or as complicated as you like. Set them up with paints, playdoh, arts and crafts, jigsaws, water play, slime the possibilities are endless. The stand has different height settings so you can make it the perfect height for your child and can be used indoors or outdoors.

Magnetic Play Block Set

These magnetic sets are great as you can make loads of things with them. This is one of the sets that we bought to set up on Freddie’s Tuff Tray as a non-messy play idea. We got these when Freddie was two and it’s still one of our go-to quiet play activities.

Chicco Ducati Balance Bike

Freddie is our first child to have a balance bike and this one is perfect. Freddie was two when we got this for him and it was the perfect size and weight for him to be able to ride. These days he rides like a lunatic on it and is probably on the cusp of needing to upgrade to a bigger bike.

I hope these suggestions were helpful x

*This post may contain affiliate links which means that I receive a small payment should you click the link and make a purchase at no extra cost to yourself.

Fun with Peppa Pig Educational Toys

Fun with Peppa Pig Educational Toys

We’ve been through Peppa Pig with Isabelle, and now Freddie is a huge fan with George being his favourite character. It was such a treat to be sent a selection of Peppa Pig Fun Educational Toys from Trends UK and even more so that he now has his own little home office set up.

It’s great how fun characters are made into toys that have playability as well as having educational properties which ticks all the boxes from a parenting point of view.

count with me Peppa Pig toy displayed with the counting coins

Peppa Pig Count with Peppa – Available from Amazon

Peppa Pig Count with Peppa helps develop counting skills, colours, and picture recognition as each coin has a picture of a different character on it. The coins are a nice size for toddlers’ hands and easy to push into the purse and retrieve by themselves.

There are two modes of play which you can select by a switch on the side of Peppa.

Numbers – Pop one of the coins into Peppa’s purse and she will count the coins as you push them in. She also asks you to find different coins such as ‘find a coin with 8 birds on it’ and will tell you well done when you’ve posted it in.

Colours – Peppa will tell you the colours of the coins as you post them into her purse. She will tell you well done if you get it right or gives you an oops if it’s the wrong one.

There are two buttons above the coin slot. One is to activate the colours and numbers game and the other plays popular Peppa Pig songs that your little ones can join in with.

A toddler boy playing with Peppa Pig Count with Peppa toy

Our Thoughts

This toy is suitable from age 2 and is a great way to introduce them to numbers and colours. Freddie loves finding things so likes the option to find the character or the correct colours. There’s a volume control on the back of Peppa which Freddie of course likes to switch it to the loudest mode. This is a lovely toy that can be played with time again and gets a thumbs up from us.

A Peppa Pig Laugh and Learn Laptop still in the box

Peppa Pig Laugh & Learn Laptop – Available from Amazon

What child doesn’t like their own laptop! This Peppa Pig Laugh & Learn laptop has lots of features including letters, numbers, objects, and musical instruments. The screen lights up and has fun sounds and music. It’s also got a carry handle so it’s a great option for out and about.

There are four option buttons on the righthand side.

Mystery – Peppa asks you to select any button and she will tell you what that is.

Quiz – She will ask you a question or ask you to find something, and you have to select the correct button for the answer.

What can you find – Peppa will ask you to find something such as the recorder or the birds and will make a twinkly sound when you get it right.

Music notes – The buttons turn into notes and funny sounds.

There are also two musical note buttons on the left which play little tunes.

The Peppa Pig Laugh & Learn Laptop is suitable from 2 years.

Toddler boy playing with the Peppa Pig Laugh and Learn Laptop

Our Thoughts

Freddie couldn’t wait to get this out of the box. He loves role play and was very excited about having a laptop just like Mummy. I think the music option and funny noises are his favourite activity. We initially thought that the screen was a touch screen as Peppa asked us to select the birds or the coins, but these are selectable through the shape and puddle buttons on the keyboard.

I set us up side by side which Freddie was very pleased with. He did a very funny impression of me working, although I’m sure I’m not as bossy as he was on the phone!

A Peppa Pig Flip and Learn Phone still in the box

Peppa Pig Flip & Learn Phone – Available from Amazon

This easy to flip Peppa Pig Flip & Learn Phone has colourful buttons which can be pressed to talk to various Peppa Pig characters. There is also a little quiz and keys to answer the phone when it rings. They can even pretend to take photos just like a real phone.

The Peppa Pig Flip & Learn Phone is suitable from 2 years.

Toddler boy playing with the Peppa Pig Flip and Learn Phone

Our Thoughts

The phone paired with the laptop pleased Freddie very much as he pretended he was working alongside me. He was phoning people up to tell them that he was working including Nanny and Daddy. He loved it when it rang back at him and he had to answer his ‘work calls’.

It was funny to watch him pretend to be doing my job. I’m not really sure that my kids know what I do other than bash away on my laptop. As a Mum, overall these toys are what you would expect from toys for this age group. Fun but with an educational value. There are noise control buttons on the toys, but the options are loud and louder!

If you have a Peppa Pig fan, you can of course buy all of the above Peppa Pig Educational Toys from Amazon BUT you can also head on over to my Facebook Page where you can WIN a Peppa Laugh & Learn Laptop just in time for Christmas.

*We were sent the above-mentioned Peppa Pig toys for the purpose of review. All our thoughts and opinions are our own. 

Peppa Pig Count with Peppa toy showing the coins that slot into the purse

 

 

Review: Sainsbury’s Lentil Dahl Soup

Sainsbury’s Lentil Dahl Soup

Now that we’re nearly at the end of October the weather has definitely taken a turn, it’s officially soup weather.

We always have tinned soup in the cupboard as it’s a great option to have when we’re rushing around with the kids and we want something warm and filling. My all-time favourite soup is tomato soup, preferably with a stack of bread but is also amazing with cheese on toast.

A pot of Sainsbury's Lentil Dahl soup in a bowl with a spoon

Sainsbury’s Lentil Dahl Soup

However, I also love beans and pulses so this Lentil Dahl soup ticks all the boxes.

Sainsbury’s Lentil Dahl Soup is packed with carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, lentils, and chickpeas with a blend of fragrant spices.

It’s a lovely chunky soup that didn’t need any extra seasoning.

The use-by date is always really good on these fresh soups but you can also freeze them.

A bowl of Sainsbury's Lentil Dahl Soup in a bowl with naan bread on the side

Our Thoughts

I loved this soup.

It ticked all of the boxes in terms of texture and taste and was really filling having half the pot with a couple of mini naan breads.

This soup is only £1.60 and lasted for two lunchtime meals making it 80p per portion so very affordable.

I would definitely buy this soup again. Give the Lentil Dahl Soup a try yourself next time you pop into Sainsbury’s.

*This was a sponsored post but all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

A bowl of Lentil Dahl soup with naan bread on the side

 

Review: Tesco Finest Maple Bacon & Extra Mature Cheddar Quiche

Tesco Finest Maple Bacon & Extra Mature Cheddar Quiche

Quiche is quite a versatile dish and as a kid, I remember it only being something we had at a party as part of a buffet. This Tesco Finest Maple Bacon & Extra Mature Cheddar Quiche looks a lot fancier than the ones that we used to have.

Tesco Finest Maple Bacon & Extra Mature Cheddar Quiche

When you think of quiche, generally Quiche Lorraine or Cheese and Onion Quiche spring to mind but there are so many other fillings that can be added to a quiche that can be enjoyed as a lunch option or part of a hearty meal.

My eldest had a bit of a thing for broccoli quiche which had a tomato base when he was younger. He would have quite happily have eaten this every day if we’d let him.

Hot or Cold?

Which side of the fence do you sit? My Mum and Dad always used to put the quiche in the oven and have it with salad and all the trimmings (beetroot, coleslaw, and such likes) as my Mum used to call them.

I prefer mine cold and will happily have it with salad as part of a meal or as a quick and easy lunch option to take to work with me as it’s really filling. Having said that, the pastry crust is crispier if you put it in the oven.

Tesco Finest Maple Bacon & Extra Mature Cheddar Quiche

Tesco Finest Maple Bacon & Extra Mature Cheddar Quiche

I’m expecting good things from this quiche as it’s part of the Tesco’s Finest range.

The quiche is topped with slices of streaky Maple Bacon and cooked with extra mature Cheddar Cheese.

It can be eaten hot (cook in 20 minutes) or cold and can also be frozen to eat at a later date.

Our Thoughts

The quiche looks yummy and was tested by myself and my eleven-year-old daughter, Isabelle.

It tasted as good as it looked. There wasn’t too much pastry or too much filling, it was just right. The bacon was evenly distributed and there was bacon in each bite. It’s quite naughty as it contains butter, cream, and cheese, but as a treat, this would be nice.

This would be delicious hot as well as cold.

I would definitely buy this quiche again and may get one and freeze it for our Boxing Day buffet.

*This was a sponsored post but all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

tesco-finest-maple-bacon-extra-mature-cheddar-quiche/

 

 

Book Review: Find Your Why – Joanne Mallon

Find Your Why – Joanne Mallon

When I was asked to review Find Your Why – Joanne Mallon I jumped at the chance. I’m not a particularly ‘Woo’ person, but I think there’s definitely something about positive thinking, setting goals, and a positive mindset.

find you why - Joanne Mallon Book review

If you look at people who you consider to be successful, they all have a very common attribute. They set goals and make them happen. What’s the saying “from small seeds grow big oak trees” or something along those lines. The gist of it being that the seed is the idea, and every step you take is watering and nurturing that tree until one day the tree is a flourishing oak.

Setting goals and then breaking that goal down into manageable pieces makes it more achievable. Your goal won’t be the same as the person sitting next to you, and your version of success in life and career won’t be the same either.

Book Review - Find Your Why - Joanne Mallon

Find Your Why by Joanne Mallon is a very easy read which gives you much food for thought.

This book helps you discover ‘Your Why’ and is packed full of loads of tips and advice which will enable you to work out what these are and reach them. Knowing what you want in life is the driving force behind why we do the things we do.

Essentially we are in control of our lives and future lives, and setting goals and putting things in motion gives us a good sense of wellbeing and positivity.

This book makes you sit and think about what you want in life and how you can make it possible.

Book Review - Find Your Why - Joanne Mallon

My Thoughts

My first thought is how gorgeous the book looks and feels with the embossed front cover and nice thick white paper. The book is also full of inspirational quotes which I really like anyway, and they also make you stop and think about what they mean for you.

This book made me stop and think about a lot of things that I want to achieve both personally and professionally

I’ve got quite a few goals on the go at the moment with the top two being:

Buying a house – this is something we’ve been working towards for a while and hopefully, it won’t be too long before this box is ticked.

Scaling my business – I freelance as a Virtual Assistant and I love it but want to set up multiple income streams so that I can work flexibly around my kids whilst enjoying life.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and even better is that’s it’s not a one-time read. I know that I’ll be rereading this book time and again so that I can recap and refocus on whatever it is I want to achieve.

I would definitely recommend this book. Joanne also writes a blog www.opposablethumbsblog.com

*This post may contain affiliate links which means that I receive a small payment should you click the link and make a purchase at no extra cost to yourself.

Pumpkin Picking and Halloween Activities in Exeter

Pumpkin Picking and Halloween Activities in Exeter

It looks like Halloween is back on this year with lots of places to choose from Pumpkin Picking and Halloween Activities in Exeter and the surrounding area. It does look like everything is on a pre-booked basis so if you find something you fancy make sure you snap up some tickets.

Pumpkin Picking and Halloween Activities in Exeter and surrounding areas

I definitely want to take the kid’s pumpkin picking this year. We haven’t done it before and last year the place we were supposed to go was rained off on the day we’d booked and then cancelled for the remainder of the dates due to flooding which was a shame.

Here are some of the great activities and places to go this Halloween.

Halloween Pumpkin Trail at the Devon Railway Centre

Halloween Pumpkin Trail – Devon Railway Centre

Running from 23rd – 31st October, the Devon Railway Centre. Follow the Pumpkins to find the Halloween Treasure. Find out more via the Devon Railway Centre Facebook Page.

Childrens Halloween Activities and Pumpkin picking in Exeter

Halloween Party – The Creedy Centre, Crediton – Sunday 31st October

Run by Unique Sweets and Treats and Paint Pots of Devon there are two sessions running on the day. The Admission Price includes sweets from the Trunk & Treat attraction, unlimited squash from the Café, free access to all the games & attractions. For more details and to book tickets head to the Facebook Event.

Pumpkin Picking and Halloween Activities in Exeter

Spook Fest – Crealy – 23rd – 31st October

Featuring NEW spook-tacular attractions, creepily good live shows and entertainment and the return of some of your favourite Halloween attractions! The fang-tastic Halloween event includes…
The Creaky Hotel (Under New Management)
The Haunting Of The Wilderness
Scarecrow Scare Maze
Book Of Spells Live Show
Buddy & Blossom’s Halloween Bash
Pumpkin Patch’s Plot (Includes FREE pumpkin)
To book Tickets via the Crealy Website.
The Jolly Group Pick Your Own Pumpkin

Jolly Pumpkin – Pick your own – Silverton – 15th – 31st October

Pick from 50 different varieties of pumpkin, Squash, and Gourd starting at just £1. Ticket booking is essential but no time scale on how long you stay. Put your wellies on and grab one of their colourful wheelbarrows. Refreshments are available. For more information and to book tickets head to the Jolly Pumpkin Facebook Page.
Spooktackular Halloween Train Play

Halloween Spooktacular Train Play – Topsham – 31st October 10am – 4pm

Fancy dress is optional but there will be prizes every session for the best dressed.
Pre-booking only via their website www.trainplaydevon.co.uk
ullacombe farm shop halloween party

Halloween Half-Term Party – Ullacombe Farm Shop – 26th October 10.30 – 12.30

Held at the fabulous Ullacombe Farm in Bovey, there will be lots of spooky party games with prizes, decorating Halloween decs, learning dance, and singing a song from some Halloween-themed musicals! Suitable for ages 5+ and just £15 to join in for the 2-hour workshop. There is a £5 non-refundable deposit to pay upon booking. This is a drop-off session with parents returning at the end for a mini-performance from the young spooks! For more information and to book a ticket head to the Ullacombe Farm Shop Facebook Page.
Exton Village Halloween Walk

Halloween Walk – Exton – 31st October 5pm

A thrilling and super scary, sweet-filled Halloween walk on 31st October. It will start at Copper Beech House (with the chimpanzee!), will pass by a number of our generous hosts, and end at the puffing billy for snacks. Get your costumes and dramatic makeup at the ready! Head to the Exton Village Facebook Page for more info.
Thorne's Farm shop

Pick your own Pumpkin and Charity Scarecrow Train – Crediton – 28th – 30th October 10am – 4pm

Pick Your Own Pumpkin festival with the added bonus of a charity scarecrow trail around the farm. Great for all ages. Bag of sweets for completed trail finds. Fancy dress is optional. For more details head to Thorne’s Farm Shop Facebook Page.

Shaldon Zoo Halloween Fright Night

Fright Night Shaldon Zoo – Saturday 30th October 3.30pm – 5.30pm

A fun filled evening for all the family. Come dressed in your favourite costumes and enter the fancy dress competition. Do a spooky walk around the zoo and see the animals who love to be awake after hours. To book tickets head to the Shaldon Zoo website.
Days Pottles Lane pick your own pumpkin

Pick Your Own Pumpkin – Days Pottle Lane, Exminster – 16th & 17th Oct and 23rd – 31st October

Pick your own pumpkins straight from the field, prices start at £1. No booking is required. Homemade food and drinks are available. Carve them onsite. Thre are is also an electric bike track, inflatable obstacles, face painting and archery. For more details head to the Facebook page.

Whatever you do this Halloween – Have a Spooktacular time!
See what we get up to in the next Family Life post.

Our Family Life 2021 (39/52)

Our Family Life 2021 (39/52)

Monday

Our Family Life 2021 – I knuckled down today and got a load of work completed. There’s something so satisfying beating a deadline and today was that day. I love listening to podcasts whilst I’m working rather than music – much more productive.

My faves are Chillpreneur with Denise Duffield-Thomas and Influencer Insights with Abi Hugo. Definitely worth a listen from a blogger/business point of view.

toddler boy sat in a car tyre

Tuesday

A full workday so not much to report.

Wednesday

It’s getting to that time of year when drying washing becomes a bit of a pain. I so wish we had room for a tumble dryer. One day I’ll get my utility room but until then it’s crappy Airers and washing draped on radiators (not that they’re on at the moment).

Oh and I’ve started my Christmas shopping. Last year was not the most organised so I wanted to get a head start to make sure that A – it’s done and B – No last-minute grab what’s there and pay over the odds for shopping happens.

I’ve no idea what we’re doing for Christmas this year but I want to be the organised one with all the shopping done and dusted mid-December!

Thursday

A work day in the office.

Friday

today was super busy. The morning seems to fly by and then it’s time to drop Freddie off at my mum’s so I can do my driving lesson. My instructor is pushing me quite hard which I like as I just want to get my license now. This is oy lesson number 3 but we’ve covered so much already including reverse parking, changing gear a million times with lots of clutch control, and driving into a parking space all of which have been fine. I’ve booked my theory test which I’ve got on the 1st November and fingers crossed I pass so I can get my practical test booked in.

I think my biggest fear of driving is going to be the kids in the back of the car moaning like they do on car journeys but we’ll see.

it was the school fair after school. It wasn’t as big as usual as they spaced everything out a bit more so the queues for everything were huge. Belle and her friend ditched us mums so they could go off on their own, but Freddie enjoyed the bouncy castle and the playground climbing space which he doesn’t usually get to play on. Belle was staying at her friends so by the time we got home it wasn’t long off bedtime so it was a quick shower for Freddie before bedtime.

toddler boy playing with playdoh shapes and cutters

Saturday

Belle spent the day at her friends and Freddie was tired after a week of preschool so we just pottered around at home. I had some coloured icing leftover from Belle’s birthday cake so I set up Freddie’s tuff tray with his playdoh cutters and let him play with that.

He really enjoyed that and was pleased that he could have a little taste as well as play with it. Once he’d finished I took all the cutters to be washed and came back to find an empty tray. The dog had scoffed the lot!

I phoned the vet as it was a lot of icing and was told that he would most likely have a sore belly and maybe some sickness and diarrhoea.

The dog has been drinking a ridiculous amount of water which I suppose is a good thing to flush the amount of sugar out he’s eaten.

Sunday

We popped out to TK Max to see if there was anything Hawaiian-themed for the Blog-on conference but there was nothing. I did manage to get a gorgeous leopard print notebook and a Bento box for Freddie so not an entirely wasted journey.

When we got home  Charlie (the dog) had left the biggest puddle of wee in the middle of the floor and looked rather sheepish. This is so unusual for him and obviously the result of his excessive water drinking.

Poor Charlie. He’ll always be led by that belly of his!

If you like reading our Family Life 2021 posts, then you can find more in the Family Life tab. You can also find us over on Instagram.

Our Family Life 2021 (38/52)

Our Family Life 2021 (38/52)

Monday

A child-free Monday which is the norm now that Freddie’s at pre-school all day on a Monday. Whilst its nice, I’m really missing my little side kick and am counting down the minutes until I can pick him up. It does mean that I can get a decent chunk of work done. Thankfully, when I picked him up he’d had a lovely day which put my mind at rest no end. He doesn’t say a word when I ask him what he’s been doing, so it’s lovely that we have an app that updates us on what he’s been doing.

He did say that he’d had a lovely day, and had a huge smile on his face which put my mind at rest.

Tuesday

A work day for me from home. I wonder if I’m on borrowed time now that lots of people are returning to the office, but hopefully I can work from home going forward as I really like it. I don’t take the mick, but I do sit in my comfies and pop downstairs every now and again for a Freddie cuddle. Best of both worlds in my opinion.

Wednesday

Nothing to report. Just a bit of housework and organising upcoming work.

Thursday

As I work for the NHS, we now have to have weekly LAMP testing and it’s totally gross. You have to spit in a pot first thing in the morning before you have a drink or brush your teeth. It might not seem like a big deal, but it’s stomach churning and really hard to do. It’s making me gag. Bring back LFT”s or give me a weekly PCR any day over this grossness!

Friday

I was supposed to have a driving lesson today but my instructor has COVID so I thought it would be nice to take lunch to my Mums. She’s been having Freddie so I can do my driving lessons. I went to a local deli and picked up one of their boxes full of gorgeous salady bits topped with chicken. Turned out that I went a bit overboard but it also meant that my Mum had enough leftover to have for her dinner as well instead of cooking.

On the way to school we went to the park where Freddie made friends with a little boy and girl. It was so nice seeing him interact with other kids when previously he would fall over himself to get away from other kids.

Saturday

We had Ryan and Little Boogs over so we made some cupcakes which went relatively well. I find with kids that you have to split whatever it is you’re doing into however many kids you have so that there are no misunderstandings as to what each of them own. Blue cupcake cases for Luka and pink ones for Freddie. We set up two decorating stations with icing and sprinkles for both. Freddie was done in 5 seconds flat whilst Luka took his time over each cake.

Sunday

Sunday’s are definitely our lazy day when we do everything at a much slower pace. It’s probably the best thing to come out of COVID and something we’ll cling onto going forward. Playing and eating being at the top of the list!

Ryan and Co popped back today to give me a gorgeous bunch of Sunflowers that Luka had picked at Darts Farm which was a lovely surprise.

Our Family Life 2021 (37/52)

Our Family Life 2021 (37/52)

Monday

It’s the last day of the school holidays. Belle starts in Year 6 and Freddie starts pre-school. We have no idea how Freddie is going to be when we drop him off tomorrow. Essentially we’ll be dropping him off with strangers as he hasn’t met any of them before. I don’t feel great about this, so today we’ve had extra cuddles and maybe a few extra treats.

Tuesday

Back to School! I’ve been a bag of nerves and didn’t sleep very well last night. Never mind kids getting separation anxiety, what about the parents! Freddie was very excited, and we hoped that the excitement would continue when it was time to leave him. Belle left us as soon as we got in the school gates to find her friends. We stood in the line waiting to drop Freddie off and he was absolutely fine. He found a ride-on police car and things were looking hopeful until it got to our turn and he had to go in the door. Parents aren’t allowed in the building, and it was really hard watching his face crumple when he realised we weren’t going in with him. I’m not even going to try and hide the fact that I had a little cry as we walked back through the school. I hated leaving him. They said they would ring us to let us know if he’d settled. I literally counted down the minutes until we could go and pick him up. He seemed fine as he was sat on the carpet with all the other kids. It was only when he spotted us that he started to sob. That cuddle was literally the best ever!

He was fine once we were back home, although he did look a bit worried when we went to pick Belle up thinking that I was going to leave him there.

Wednesday

It’s Belle’s 11th Birthday!
We always let the kids pick what they want for breakfast on their birthday. It’s usually pancakes with fruit and whipped cream, but Belle wanted doughnuts for brekkie so we had a tray of Krispy Kreme doughnuts which was a lovely treat. She opened her presents and was very pleased with what she’d got. She wanted money to go on a shopping spree, so we bought her a purse with some cash in, and then the rest was just bits and bobs that she likes such as face masks, make-up, a switch game, and some other trinket type bits.

It’s always a huge rush when a birthday lands on a school day, but the morning went smoothly until we got to school. Freddie was due to go back to pre-school and immediately started to cry and cling to me. He kept saying that he wanted to go back through the gate and that he’d been to school already. Today was far worse than yesterday. He was sobbing and clinging to me so much that I almost just took him home. The teacher convinced me to leave him since we’d have to do it all again tomorrow otherwise. After he was peeled off me, I left desperately trying to keep the tears in check which didn’t work at all. I stood around the corner for ages before I left to go home. They did phone me to say that he had settled after about half an hour, but you never know if they’re just saying that.

I was the first one there at pick-up. Freddie was so pleased to see me and we had a lovely walk home with him chattering away about the water that he’d played with. He was super clingy for the rest of the day, and again when we picked up Belle he was very worried that I was going to leave him there again.

The Grandparents came round to wish Belle a happy birthday and she got even more presents.

Belle chose Macdonalds for dinner. She had wanted to go out but we thought it would be too much for Freddie as Chris didn’t finish work until 6. She had a lovely day though so that’s all that mattered.

Thursday

A workday for me. Chris dropped Freddie off and he had a bit of a wobble but was happy to walk in the door. It’s so much easier when Dad’s drop the kids off. I’m not sure if that’s a man thing in general, but they don’t seem to have the emotional attachment when it comes to things like this, and the kids behave completely differently.

It was my Nephews birthday today so we went to a local pub for dinner. Freddie doesn’t really like sitting at the table and quickly found one of those sweetie machines that he preferred over the food we’d ordered. It was nice to all get together as the last time was at my Dad’s funeral back in May.

Friday

Freddie should have been at pre-school this morning, but we’ve decided that five mornings a week is just too much to and fro-ing from school, so we’ve changed it so that he can stay all day on a Monday with a packed lunch and miss the Friday off. Freddie heard the words ‘Paw Patrol lunchbox’ and was totally on board.

All in all, it was a knackering week for all of us!

Saturday

We had a family birthday party for Belle. Her two specifications were a balloon arch and a pinata. The balloons weren’t a problem at all, but finding a pinata was difficult. She wanted a flamingo which we weren’t able to track down. We found a flip flop which we were going with until at the last minute the party shop were able to get me a cactus.

The party started off as a bit of a disappointment as we had a lot of latecomers and then my brother came minus his four children who we’d been waiting for. I was really upset for Belle as it was looking like a washout, but we managed to salvage it and ended up having a good time. The pinata was a lot of fun. It’s amazing how hard kids can hit with a stick and the look on their faces when all the goodies fell out.

I think it’s fair to say that once everyone had gone and the tidying up had finished, that we all just flopped in front of the TV exhausted.

Sunday

No rest for the wicked as my Mum would say. All I wanted to do today was veg in front of the TV, but instead, Belle and I went on a birthday shopping spree. She ended up having almost £200 to spend. She thoroughly enjoyed it and spent the most part of her money in New Look where they have a great range for her age group. She bought loads and was still left with £60 which she wants to save for nearer to Christmas.

When we got home she put on a little fashion show for us which you can watch on our Instagram Reels. 

What a week!

If you like reading our Family Life 2021 posts, then you can find more in the Family Life tab. You can also find us over on Instagram.

Our Family Life 2021 (36/52)

Our Family Life 2021 (36/52)

Monday

It’s Bank Holiday Monday and like every other Bank Holiday, it’s just me and the kids. Bank Holidays for retail workers just don’t exist so half the time we forget as it just feels like a normal day. Belle is starting to feel better so I made her get up at a decent time and have a bath whilst I stripped her bedding and let some fresh air into her room. We had some lunch and then decided to walk to one of the local parks. It was lovely as there were only two other children there so they pretty much had the run on the place.

10 year old girl stuck in a baby swing at the park

Belle decided to get into a baby swing and then pretended that she was just having a rest when really she was stuck. Freddie said we should leave her there, but after much faffing (her) I was able to pull her out.

Toddler boy sat on a bridge at the park

Freddie likes to play Tigers. It’s a game that he’s been playing for a while where he tells us there’s a tiger chasing us and we have to run away before he ‘gets us’. The only safe place in the park was the wobbly bridge. Belle pretends that she’s too old for stuff like this but really she loves it just as much as he does.

Toddler boy standing in front of a statue

Tuesday

A workday for me. It’s a week until Belle goes back to school and Freddie starts pre-school. I’m dreading it. I know he’ll love it, but as far as I’m aware parents aren’t allowed in the building so I’m worried that come next Tuesday they’ll be expecting us to hand Freddie over at the door and leave him there. I have no idea how he’s going to react, but I know that if he doesn’t want to go in and we can’t go in to help settle him in then he’ll no doubt be coming home with us.

Wednesday

It’s exactly a week away from Belle’s 11th Birthday and I’ve still got some last minute bits to get. She wants a balloon arch which I’ve managed to order from one of the local party shops. I also bought some really cool palm leaves which I’m going to dot around to keep inline with the tropical theme. We’re having a family party but she was quite specific that she wanted a balloon arch and a pinata. The pinata has proved a bit trickier. She wanted a flamingo but I’ve had no luck in tracking one down. Fingers crossed I manage to find one.

  • Ten year old girl sat with Lego friends models

Thursday

A workday and nothing to report.

Friday

Into town today to get the school bag that Belle wants from New Look. Belle was very impressed with the girls 915 range in New Look and wants to come back for her birthday shopping spree. We got ourselves some lunch and went and sat in the sunshine which was lovely. There’s only so much we can do with little legs in tow so we have to be strategic when we go out and about so that he doesn’t get too tired and I end up having to carry him. He did amazingly though and it turned into a really lovely afternoon.

Saturday

We’re out tomorrow so we’re having a day at home today. Belle made an Angel Delight pudding kit that Nanny had given her and we just played in the garden, did jigsaws and playdoh and cars……

Sunday

It’s my Nephews 2nd birthday on Tuesday so we’re popping down to see him today as it’s back to school on Tuesday. Chris is working so we’re catching the train. This has bothered me all week as we haven’t used public transport since before the pandemic. My brother lives in Dawlish so the trains are always busy with beachgoers. Thankfully the train was relatively quiet but I was a bit OCD with hand gel and making sure that the kids didn’t touch everything and that Freddie definitely didn’t lick the window! We didn’t make it past the amusement park without Freddie sitting on a few of the ride-on things. I’ve promised that we’ll be able to come back soon to have a go on some more of them and Belle wants to bring some coppers to play on the 2p machines. It was a lovely afternoon and the kids all played really well together.

The train back was a little bit busier than the way down, but still not overcrowded.

Toddler boy sitting on a ride at the Meuse entrance arcade

If you like reading our Family Life 2021 posts, then you can find more in the Family Life tab. You can also find us over on Instagram.

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