National Trust is THE Best Place For Family Fun

I recently posted about the Cadbury Easter Egg Trails at National Trust. They're in full swing already and we went on one at the weekend. We went to Nymans House and Gardens and it's our brilliant day there that has made me want to share with you how a day out at a National Trust property is bloody brilliant for families. We have a family membership and it's been such good value. We always take a picnic (sometimes planned with all the trimmings, and other times just stuff cobbled together from the fridge and cupboard), we always try to remember a ball and for me I always have to have some method of capturing the day be it my iPhone or camera.

We went to Nymans on Sunday and we had fantastic weather, a lovely picnic, a good stroll around the grounds (thanks to being on the Egg trail!) and on the way home a super sleep out of the baby! Here are a few of our snaps:

There are so many properties up and down the country. I tend to use the National Trust app on my iPhone to see how close we are to places. When we go on our long weekend to Yorkshire in July I think we will also stop by an NT place as a rest stop, which will mean we'll get to see places that are beyond our own area too!

This is not a sponsored post, it's just me saying what a great organisation The National Trust is and what a great investment an annual membership is.

Vertbaudet - A Review

Given my daughter's recently developed fashion sense I was a a bit worried about choosing a dress to review for Vertbaudet. I worried that she wouldn't like it and then it would be a flat refusal to wear it, and then I wouldn't have a nice photo to accompany a review. I needn't have worried as she put this dress on and just started twirling and twirling round! She loves it.....

This dress is also very clever as it's CONVERTIBLE! Eh? Well I did wonder that myself when I ordered it but the design of the dress is such that it has coloured buttons around the middle of it and button holes around the bottom. So you basically button up the dress from bottom to middle and it converts to a blouse! It retails at £23 but at the moment has 20% off, making it £18.40. I can't wait for Isla to wear it in the summer!

All I need to say is that it's well made, has a fantastic design and my daughter rocks it!

Check out Vertbaudet for their gorgeous children's clothing, there are always some good deals on like today for instance they have a deal for 40% off your first item and then 20% off the remainder of your order! For me personally I'm eyeing up some of the home collection for Isla's bedroom.

We were sent this dress free of charge in order to review Vertbaudet. Isla's opinion is her own!

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked!

Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (out on DVD & Blu-ray this week!), and to celebrate the release a fantastic sand artist created a bespoke drawing on Blackpool beach. The sand art drawing is of Alvin and is around 165 feet and has been drawn in a way that can be seen from the beach as opposed to having to go in a helicopter to see it!

The event involved children from a local school who went for a sand master class to help create this unique drawing. It was an exciting event for children and to create a fantastic art spectacle on the beach – something a little bit different!

And for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, Isla loved this film - it was the first film she ever saw at the cinema and she talks about it a lot now - caught her telling Grandpa yesterday about going to the cinema and seeing Alvin and singing the 'Bodyrockers' song and that we had sweeties! Love her xxx

The Gallery - At Peace

National Trust Nymans Gardens - my new favourite place!

The subject from Tara at Sticky Fingers this week is 'At Peace' and this is my interpretation of that. My idea of peace would be in the outdoors where you can't hear the roar of cars and impatient car horns. Well away from my house where we have a regular daily struggle to park our car anywhere near our front door with two kids to get out of it, where every day it feels like there are lorries constantly pulling up to the printers over the road. Where there is no litter on the ground and no dog mess. This would be a place where my brain could shut down as it hasn't done for a good few months. It's always whirring and wondering 'what if this?' and 'what if that?'. I would love to turn up to a place like this on my own and lay down on the grass in the sunshine and just 'be'.

Click the badge below to find others 'At Peace'.....

This time next week...

This time next week I'll have done a days work after 9 months maternity leave.

This time next week I'll have not spent the entire day with my kids.

This time next week I'll be feeling guilty about going to work the next day and not spending the day with my kids.

This time next week I'll be rushing around getting everything organised for the morning.

This time next week I'll be feeling cream crackered from a regularly night waking baby, an early rising baby, a commute, a days work, another commute, cooking dinner, tidying up, bath time, bed time.

This time next week I'll be looking forward to getting into bed, only to repeat it all again the next day.

I don't need to say anymore about how I feel about this do I?

Lollibop 2012 - Super Early Bird Tickets on Sale NOW!

LolliBop 2012 tickets went on sale Thursday, 22nd March for a super early bird price of £19.50pp. There are a limited number of tickets available at this special price for the family event, which is returning to Regent’s Park, August 17-19.

LolliBop are delighted to announce Halfords as an official partner for the 2012 event. Halfords will create a bespoke Bike City at LolliBop, which will include a Wacky Races obstacle course for under 5s, where children can be the first to try out a brand new range of Balance and Apollo kids Bikes. LolliBopper's will be the first in the country to ride the new bikes, which are available to buy exclusively at Halfords from September. For big brothers and sisters highlights include a BMX stunt display and demo area.

Pint sized guests (and grown ups) will notice a few more additions to the 2012 event. The ‘LolliBop Kitchen‘ will bring an exciting new area to the event, where LolliBoppers will have the chance to learn new skills from live demonstrations and interactive workshops. A new ’Tween‘ area will play host a number of activities including street dance, hula hoop, and beatbox workshops, and even it’s very own laser room! Other new areas include ‘The LolliBop Human Zoo’,‘The Disco Shed‘, and the ‘The Village Green‘(with its own live music, craft stalls, and street theatre).

Back by popular demand, the Science Museum are preparing for a triumphant return to Regent’s Park with an expanded area and dedicated Science Zone. For pre-schoolers, the ‘3 ft & Under’ area is back. Confirmed activities include a mini disco, tiny play, little arts, yoga, teddy bears picnic and baby salsa. An extended covered buggy park is also being created.

Old favourites, including ‘LolliSports‘, ‘Imagination Stations‘, ‘Itsy Bitsy Strictly‘ and ‘The Enchanted Forest‘ will all return for 2012. And of course no festival would be complete with a live stage. ‘LolliBop Live’ will play host to some of the hottest names in kids entertainment, with some surprises for adults to. Headliners to be announced soon.

LolliBop Super Early Bird day tickets are on sale now priced £19.50pp (numbers are limited). http://www.lollibopfestival.co.uk

Silent Sunday