CampBestival 2017

CampBestival 2017

Well, what an experience this was!!

On paper, this weekend was my idea of absolute hell. Six children (two babies), a tent, rain….lots of rain, mud….lots of mud and not a tiled roof in sight! Somehow, amongst the damp and filth, we dug deep into our British souls and managed to have a fantastic weekend (great friends and the Gin also helped).Due to my total lack of organisation we didnt manage to secure a motorhome this year .Instead, we opted for CB Boutique camping with a company called PodPads.

It was a six man bell tent that included a groundsheet, carpet and six campbeds with sheets.

There was enough room in our tent for our travel cot, double buggy and festival trolly.  Although, with all the paraphernalia that comes with two children under two, it was a squash in there and not much room to move around. If the weather had been better and we could have left our bits outside it would have been much roomier.

There is a fab ‘reception tent’ where they provided us with free tea and coffee facilities and you can charge your phone free of charge.

One of the best things about Boutique camping (beside avoiding divorce while trying to errect a 6 man tent) is having the car park at a reasonable distance from your tent and being a short walk from the actual festival.

Last year, at the campervan field, it felt like a Marine assult course getting us, the five kids and a buggy from the motorhome to the festival.

Thats not meant to discourage anyone, but for us, and the ages of our children, we prefered to be closer to everything.

Next year we will head for Boutique again.  I am going to start doing my research now into what we will stay in and ill post about that over the next couple of weeks.

I would be lying if i said the weather did not affect our weekend.
Although we all enjoyed ourselves, we didnt get to make the most of what Camp Bestival has to offer.

We tried to do as much as we could when the rain stopped, but there is so much to to do, we missed out on alot.

Having a couple of art-mad youngsters in our crowd, we headed to The Art Tent first.
The kids had a great time making dreamcatchers out of old vinyl records and cds.

Once the main acts started we headed over to Castle Field.

We rumaged for a spot like crazed fans to watch Justin Flethcher AKA Mr Tumble and then pitched up for my personal Camp Bestival highlight of the weekend…..Dick and Dom.  You’ve never know true exhilaration until you have screamed ‘BOGIES’ in the rain, like your eight year old self.

One thing that did help keep my spirits up while my Hunters were getting abused was The Alchemy Bar by Schweppes.

A Gin and Tonic cocktail bar where Special ingridiants mixed with the G&T’s added something a bit special to my already favourite drink.

So with a couple of bevvies inside us, we soldiered on.

We danced (in the rain) to All Saints, Mark Ronson, Madness, Louisa Johnson and the other amazing acts that made up the 2017 line up. 

The kids raved with Bflf in the Bollywood tent and threw some shapes at Sara Cox DJ set.

Now lets talk about the food…..oh the food!
Ive mentioned in previous posts about how much I love the Camp Bestival grub.

On the first night we had an obligitory crepe…one of the kids favourite things! Not cheap at £5 each, especially when you have as many mouths to feed as we do, but its becoming a tradition we cant resist.

The paad thai noodles are a huge hit with my little lot.  I can guarentee they will put away a portion each, no problem!!
And obvs, anything that does get left, Mike and I are ready and waiting to swoop in like seagulls on Brighton Pier!

The corn is another essential whilst at CB! I can guarentee, my instagram is always cluttered over CB weekend with gorgeous kiddies sinking their teeth into a golden, buttered corn on the cob in The Lower Kids Garden.

Then you have Mikes playground, The Feast Collective.
This is a tent/section of the festival dedicated to different cuisines and dishes from all over the place.  Whether you fancy fish and chips or a lamb curry, The Feast Collective will sell it.
Mainly with a street food vibe, This is where i know ill find Mike if we get split up.

We tried DJBBQ pulled pork burger, which was everything i had hoped for after salivating over his Instagram over the last few months.
We tried chips, cheese and gravy which i am convinced would make the best hangover food and was another winner with the kids .
The dish of the weekend for me had to be the Indonesian Coconut Curry and dumplings…..it was the BEST curry I have ever had!

Another great thing about Camp Bestival is that you can bring your own food and drink into the grounds.
So, as tempting as it is to just keep browsing the stalls, trying a dish ever hour, bringing your own bits will save your pennies.

The rain finally eased off on Sunday afternoon so thats when we headed to The Dingly Dell.

This is an area in the woods with a childrens park, farm animals and outdoor activities like zip wires, childrens building sites and Lizzies Way.
Now, im not going to lie, I haven’t made it to Lizzies Way.
I have been told by my other blogging friends that this is a highlight of Camp Bestival.
All i needed to hear was, in the middle of the woods, she has a mud cafe and you can make potions!!…this is enough to make sure it is our first stop on the list for next year!

Over the next couple of weeks I will publish more posts on Camp Bestival.
I will cover more about the accomodation options, what to see, saving money and travelling there etc.

For now, the purpose of my post is to say, despite the weather, Camp Bestival 2017 was brilliant weekend, making more unforgettable memories with the kids, which, afterall, is what its all about.

The tickets for 2018 have just been released and ticketline offer a paymentplan.

You can book your tickets and pay them off weekly which I have done for last two years and it works so well.

Boutique options are not available yet but if you secure your weekend tickets, they include standard camping pitches.

If I have managed to convince any of you to go, please let me know and we can keep in touch over the next few months and maybe even hook up over a G&T  in the Magic Meadow next year 😉

If you have enjoyed this post, please share it on your social media.

Love Kate x

My Mumcation

My Mumcation

Psychologists have suggested that mothers should take holidays with friends, not family – and this includes leaving the children behind. Experts are urging tired mothers to go on “mum-cations”, holidays without their offspring, to take a proper break.‘ With this in mind, me and three of my closest girlfriends booked a ‘mumcation’ to Vilamoura for a few days in October. A few people asked me if the weather was going to be any good in Portugal that time if year, as if we were crazy not to follow the blazing sun. These people had totally missed the point of a mumcation. Of corse good weather would be preferable, but honestly, if i could go to the toilet on my own, sleep without someones foot digging in my boobs and sit down by a pool without worrying who is going to drown/get abducted or piss off fellow vacationers, I would be a happy girl. This weekend was more than a girls weekend, It was therapy and It gave me a chance to really relax and unwind. When you become a mum your life revolves around these little people (rightly so), but we all need to keep our individual identity and take time out for ourselves, it is a huge factor to how I cope as a mum. Whether it is a night out with Mike, drinks with the girls or a shopping trip entirely on my own, it is my time out. It is my chance to clear my head of football training, horse riding, boxing, school pick up, kids parties, laundry, dinner etc and focus on me. The morning we left I felt a complete mixture of emotions. I have been away on my own before, but not abroad since our two youngest have been born. Let me picture the morning I left for Portugal for you….. ‘George, Arthur, come here, give me a kiss, I am going to miss you so much’ *GEORGE EMPTIES BUCKET OF LEGO ON MY BEDROOM CARPET* ‘FFS George!!! This is why i need a break’ ‘George I am sorry, come here and give me a kiss’ *ARTHUR POURS THE CONTENTS OF MY COLD COFFEE OVER MY BED* ……..’Rosie, how long are you going to be? I know the flight is in 8 hours but we dont want to risk missing it’ From the moment Rosie picked me up to when she dropped me back to my door four days later, I did not stop laughing! We talked about everything, nothing was off the table. We talked about our kids, our partners and our friends, we discussed designer vaginas, sex and how to make a Wood pigeon call with your tounge. We did eachothers make up and hair and shared eachothers clothes. We people watched and ate great food (without a high chair or childrens menu in sight!) We shared secrets and drank, we drank lots! We danced every night until the early hours and the one day the weather was bit ‘meh’ we found a great shopping mall and we shopped. I picked up a couple of treats for the kids snd a little something for me…. (do you like my new boots?) I managed to read a whole book! From start to finish, in one weekend. If you don’t have kids, this may seem ridiculous, if you do you kids, well, you know. Guess what else I did? And I haven’t done this since I was about 21….. I had an afternoon nap! A siesta if you will. Not because I had just given birth or because I dozed off breast feeding a baby, but because I consciously chose to! Another thing. I have never enjoyed a hangover so much. Knowing you can eat, drink and sleep your way through it without having to make food for little ones, read stories and change nappies makes a hangover so much easier to bear. I can only describe the weekend as Bad Moms meets The Hangover with a drizzle of bridesmaids. It was bliss…utter bliss and I owe my girls so much for being the perfect friends. Their laid back natures ment there were no tantrums, no arguments and by the time we were due to come home I felt so ready to see Mike and the kids and be ‘mum’ again. I urge you to try it! Book something up! It doesnt have to expensive, it doesnt have to be abroad. A weekend in Portugal cost us £250 each (plus spending money). Easyjet flights were £150 return from Gatwick to Faro and our apartment at The Dom Pedro Portobelo was right on the marina where all the bars and restaurants are. It comfortably accomodated the four of us and cost £100 each for the four nights. I asked some fellow mum blogger what their opinionon ‘Mumcations’ is, here is what they had to say: Rebecca at www.beccablogsitout.com I haven’t had one and I’m.not sure I could. I’d love to, in theory. I could definitely use a break. But I think I’d feel too guilty if I went away for more than a day without the twins. I think I’d miss them. Jenna at www.thentherewerethree.uk ‘I’ve had some! I met an amazing bunch of ladies on a birth group on Facebook and we arrange a couple of weekend breaks a year. We’ve booked a farmhouse in north wales, various city stays and are going to see the Spice Girls next year. I definitely think they’re needed.’ Francessca at https://frompenniestopounds.com ‘I’ve been on hen do’s and also my honeymoon without my daughter. With the honeymoon we went to Mexico which you can’t just pop over for, but I said I would not go for longer than 10 days. I missed her but she had a great time with her grandparents. I was never close to my grandparents so I’m happy for her to spend time with them. I think it’s healthy for both you and the kids. I always take my daughter away every year now though since splitting up with my ex-husband.’ Gail at www.yammymommy.co.uk ‘Still can’t do more than a night away from my 4 year old. I think we would both struggle after 24 hours!’ Victoria at www.travelvixta.com ‘I haven’t yet, but I think in a couple of years once my youngest is at school then I’d love to go on a yoga retreat by myself! They look like bliss and even now with a 6 year old and 3 year old I feel like I could really do with some time to myself and a break for a few days to a retreat!’

Our day at Godstone Farm

Our day at Godstone Farm

I have been visiting Godstone farm since I was Georges age. Over the years it has just got better and better, whilst keeping hold of it orginal charm that makes me so nostalgic. So last week, I made the brave decision to take ALL my children for a visit. Even though we live on a farm, there is nothing like a day out at Godstone Farm.  We are so fortunate that it is just fifteen minutes from us. Considering it was the middle of the summer holidays, it was relatively quiet, which helped me stay sane. The farm is divided into areas that makes it easy to explore. They have all the animals you would hope to see on a farm.  Horses, donkeys, pigs, goats, llama and cows. They have a wonderful selection of birds and smaller animals. Chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks, rabbits, ferrets and guinea pigs aswell as a few reptiles. Activities are ran throughout the day such as animal talks and feedings. Have you ever watched Pig and feret racing?  The kids loved it! I had to giggle when the boys announced, on seeing the piglets… ‘Look mum, this pig has more babies than you!’ -yep, she looks in better shape to! Always a magical part of the day is the barn where you can hold the babies and small animals. They have baby chicks of different ages, rabbits and tortoises. Aswell as making sure no little darlings throw the chicks across the barn, Godstone farm employees are on hand to answer any questions the kids have. My kids loved this area, particularly George. Lets talk about the outdoor play area that gets even the adult visitors excited. The playground alone is worth the enterance fee. (How amazing is this swing!?) It has everything from zip wires and large slides for the older kids (and adults), to a sand pit, climbing frames and ride-ons for the younger ones. It is perfect to plot up and have a picnic, but, if like me you are not that organised, they have a sandwhich hut serving coffee, tea, cold drinks and ice cream. We spent about two hours here, and I still had to drag the kids away kicking and screaming! If the weather is bad, There are also two covered play areas. One is a huge soft play area set up in one of the large barns.  The other area is smaller with a climbing area and slide, set up for younger children After wearing George out in the play area we headed to the Dino Trail. Dotted around a path, and looking over the llamas, at the bottom of the farm are large model dinosaurs.  Each one is accompanied with facts on the animal. With a toddler and an eight year old obsessed with dinosaurs, this was a great suprise! Who knew that a baby T-Rex could have been born with feathers? We ended our day in the large sandpit for younger children with a portion of chips and an ice cream. I spent most of my time here wrestling George as he tried to take every tractor toy in the sandpit away from the other tots.  Always making time for a trip to the shop, the boys bought some water toys to play in the sun. Apart from all the activities, I was impressed with the general appearence of the farm. The landscaping is beautiful, the facilities were clean and there were plenty of hand washing points. We had a great day at Godstone Farm.  As always, it provided a fun and educational day outdoors, enjoying the great British summer. For more information, please visit http://godstonefarm.co.uk/ *I recieved free tickets in return for this review. However, as always, all my opinions are entirely honest and without biased.

Our Day Out at Thorpe Park

Our Day Out at Thorpe Park

If you are at a loose end with the kids this summer and want something that will suit all ages, from babies to older teenagers (and you) try Thorpe Park.  Thorpe Park is a large theme park set between Chertsey and Staines-Upon-Thames, at juction 11 on the M25. Despite being just a forty five minute drive from me I haven’t been there since I was a kid.  Mike was supposed to join me, but because of his work commitments I took the kids on my own. Two children under two, four over six and just one adult meant I wouldnt be able to make the most of the day.  So, I dropped George and Arthur to my Mum and Dad’s and headed off with Mikey (10), Harri (10), Charlie (8) and Libby (6). When we arrived the kids checked the map and all the many rides and gave me a summary of the ones they definitely wanted to go on. My slight disapointment, being a huge rollercoaster fan, (bigger the better) was because I was on my own, I had to swerve some of the biggest and best rides in the park. Mikey was also disappointed, as he seems to have inherited my need for thrills!  Saw, Stealth, Colossus, Rush and Nemiesis Inferno were all no-gos for us this time round. So lets talk about the rides we did go on. Like other theme parks, Thorpe Park is separated into different areas, each with its own theme. We started our day at Amity, a section of the park based around the seaside town that the movie Jaws is based on. The first ride we went on was Flying Fish, a family rollercoaster. After dragging Mikey and Harri on some of Universal Studios scariest rides last year, they were both up for this ‘tamer’ ride. Libby and Charlie however, were rollercoaster novices and both tried get out of it. Thinking they would enjoy it once they were on it, I managed to convince them with some gentle persuasion. They loved it! Mikey didnt feel it quite satisfied his adrenaline need, but enjoyed it nevertheless. Whilst in Amity, we also went on the obligatory log flume Tidle Wave and the more gentle water ride, Storm Surge. One of my most memorable rides with the kids was ‘Storm in a Teacup’.  Maybe because I remember this ride and the Tetley men from when I was the boys age.   While the kids were spinning the cup, faster and faster, I was watching their faces, they were ecstatic, their laughing and screaming with excitement will stay with me forever.   It is what #makingmemories is all about. From Amity, we headed to ‘The Jungle’.   This is where we rode on Mr Monkeys Banana Ride (a tame thrill ride for younger children) and the Rhumba Rapids, riding through the jungle river on a raft. Whilst in The Jungle I spied a ‘Ghost Train’ sign. Ghost Trains are my favourite kind of ride so I dragged the kids kicking and screaming towards it. They breathed a sigh of relief when it stated at the entrance that you had to be 13 or over.  I was gutted! It looked fantastic, promoted as Darren Brown’s Ghost Train, I am heading straight for that on my kid-free visit! Harri’s ride of choice was Angry Birds 4D Experience. It was very similar to the Shrek ride at Universal Studios.  I dont want to spoil it for anyone, but it is a great ride for all the family. At Old Town the kids jumped on The Rocky Express, which they all commented that George (2) would have loved. Then, the kids hurried Mikey and I passed Samuri and Saw whilst we sulked like teenagers. We stopped for a well deserved Whoppa at Burger King, just because it was the closest Eatery.  However, there are plenty of places to eat at the park.  They have everything from a Bar and Grill to Fish and Chips, Mexican, Kebabs, Pulled Meat and BBQ, they even have Burger King and KFC. If you want treats they offer Donuts, Ice Cream, Slushies and lots of yummies dotted around the park. The Lost City was the home of Mikeys favourite ride of the day….Quantum.  Judging by Thorpe Park standards it was one of the smaller rides but given that Mikey hadnt managed to ride any of the monsters, this satisfied his thrill level for the day. Charlie and Harri however, were not so keen! Mikey ran off begging to ride again, whilst the others threatened to report me to social services for making them go on such a scary ride (I bolted out of the queue with Libby at the last minute as I knew she would be petrified). Zodiac was a great ride, I actually managed to ride that one with Mikey as the queue was less than five minutes. We spent the last hour of our day at Thorpe Park at Amity Beach, A large, man-made beach with shallow pools and water features. The weather was beautiful and It was so reminiscent of the Lidos my mum used to take us to when we were kids (none of which are open any more). I sat and watched the four kids mess about, splash each other and have a great time. Depth Charge is next to the beach.  It is a multi slide where you sit on a raft and ride down the slide.  The kids would have gone on this again and again and again but time was running away. Being the unorganized mum that I am, i hadnt packed swimsuits or towels so it is just lucky we made that the last stop of the day. I say last stop, but as every parent knows, no trip to a theme park is complete without a visit to the park store! Loaded with badges, sweets and souvenirs, we were ready to say goodbye to Thorpe Park. All I needed to do was remember where I parked the car!!! For more information on Thorpe Park, their prices and admissions, head over to their website. https://www.thorpepark.com If you have been or do plan a day in Thorpe Park I’d love to hear your feedback. Love Kate Xxxx Linking up with #BloggerClubUK

Our Day at Drusillas

Our Day at Drusillas

We have been fortunate to visit a few special attractions around the South of England this Summer. When I have asked the kids which one stands out, Drusilla’s Park won hands down. It has been so long since I have been to Drusillas It is nothing more than a vague memory to me.  So when I was asked to give a review of the Park I jumped at the chance. Anyone that I have spoken to about Drusillas has raved about it, so I was really excited to take the kids. A friend of mine, Simin, lives in Eastbourne and has an Annual Membership for Drusillas.  She has been visiting the Park for over fifteen years.  So, apart from a great opportunity to meet up with her and her little girl, I thought it would be handy to go with someone who knows the zoo and can give me a guided tour! Drusillas Park Is located just off the A27 at Ariston. From where we live in Warlingham (just outside of Croydon) it took approximately an hour. The kids usually hate long journeys, but I avoided the motorways and the route took us on a lovely drive through Ashdown Forest. I had always thought Drusillas was a small zoo.  My kids adore animals and learning about different species so I knew I would be earning brownie points on this day out.  What we actually realised on arrival is that Drusillas is so much more than ‘just a small zoo’. The variety of play areas and rides are probably the best I have ever seen!  But, I’ll tell you all about that later. Lets start at the beginning of our day. Car parking was simple and you don’t get charged to park in it.  This shouldn’t be a surprise, but a few of the attractions we have been to over the last six weeks have charged us for parking. Like most of my days out, it started with a coffee.  Coffee is my ‘mama fuel’ to help me mentally cope with the day ahead.  Not only to make sure I don’t loose one of my six children, but to make sure I can keep an enthusiastic, ‘Balamory style’ attitude throughout the day. Imagine my delight when I was greeted with a Starbucks sign! After my caffeine fix, it was straight onto the animals. The children had been given some activity booklets to complete on the way around the park. I thought they were great because they were kept simple.  The kids had to spot animals listed in the booklet and stamp it accordingly.  This meant it was easy for my younger children to complete, whilst keeping the older ones entertained too. They could also take part in the Zoolympics Challenge.  There were various points around the park where you could test your sporting skills against different animals. Our first stop was Iguanas and Snakes.  The smell was reminiscent of the twins bedroom, so I was keen to move on fairly swiftly, but the kids took in every fact and bit of information available to them. The Farmyard was lovely to mooch around, George loved it and It was so informative.  The older children have been to many farms and have books on most of our animals, yet we all learnt new facts at this section of the park. -Did you know that dairy cows produce 21 litres of milk per day? -Did you know that Donkeys are sometimes kept as pets to keep lawns short? (yea, I suggest swerving that informative can of worms!) -I also learned that despite how I might feel sometimes, I am not built like a carthorse and, at a push, I just about have the strength of a Serval (a giant cat)….I know!? who knew!? You don’t it about me, but I love monkeys!!! I could watch monkeys all day!! So Imagine my delight when our next stop was the capuchins (Marcel from Friends?) Marmosets, Colobus, Squirrel monkeys and Macaques.   There were even more species of Monkeys dotted around the park. In all the years I have visited farms and zoos, I have never encountered Bats until I visited Drusillas. The children and I were fascinated.  We could walk through an enclosed area where the bats were hanging (literally) all around us.  I grew up next to woodland and we would see the shadows of bats regularly during the summertime, but it was a completely different experience to see them up close. New arrivals at Drusillas this year are the Giant Anteaters, and how amazing are they! (and, FYI, nothing like ALF!) The park has over one hundred different animal species and I am not going to go through every one, but amongst some of our favourites were Beavers, Porcupines, Sloths, Camels and Penguins. I loved seeing the Flamingos, (and not just so that I could use that cute sticker on Insta Stories!) They are so beautiful and pink…. I am working on mike to let me have a flock on the farm….what do you reckon my chances are!? Another highlight of our day was our walk through Lemurland.  This is an enclosure where you can walk amongst the Lemurs and watch them jump across your path or if you are really lucky, they might even land on you! The Go-Wild play area was exactly as it is described…Awesome Play.  It was every child’s dream and with a separate area for younger children, it had something for all ages. The kids spent over an hour in this part of the park.  If they had their way they would have spent all day there! The photos don’t do Go-Wild justice.  I couldn’t possibly get a shot with everything included! But, there was still so much to see so we had to drag them away from Go-Wild and head for the Get-Wet water park. Simin had text me the night before to tell me to make sure I brought the kids swimming cosies and towels.  Now I don’t want to appear a whinge, but when you are getting ready to take six children out for the day something has to give.  On this occasion I forgot the swimsuits! Luckily, it was such a hot day It didn’t stop Libby and George from having a great time jumping in and out of the fountains and water sprays.Go Safari! is Drusillas new attraction which only opened this year.  It is an area of the park made up of three rides.  They provide perfect thrills for younger children (my two and ten year olds enjoyed them). The Hippopotobus, The Flying Cheetahs and The Safari Train which takes you on an adventure around the whole park. Drusillas has a great Park Maze. We all had great fun getting lost and trying to find our way out.  I kept George safely on my shoulders the entire time we were in there.  Those of you who follow my blog and Instagram will understand why! #Georgethemenace Hello Kitty Secret Garden is a lovely area with three more childrens rides.  The exciting 25ft hooper, a ride where you are bounced up and down.  The tea cups which, need no explanation and the Kitty car ride where you go on a magical journey through Hello Kittys Garden. Stop at Hello Kittys House.  The girls met The Puss herself, Hello Kitty, and you can indulge with a pamper at her ‘Parlour’.  Children (or adults if you so wish!) can have their face painted, temporary tattoos and hair braids (at cost). On this occasion I was organised and took a packed lunch with us. Therefore, I can not comment on Drusillas eateries but they all appeared clean and inviting (and the coffee was great😉) The facilities were good and you were never too far from a toilet (which is always handy with six children!) Harrison can not go anywhere without playing a shoot-me-up game so he was not dissapointed. And, if we hadnt run out of time they would have liked a go on the climbing wall. Drusillas have Keeper Talks and Animal feeding at regular times during the day and they have loads of events on throughout the year.  I would definitely recommend heading over to their website www.drusillas.co.uk We had such a great day!  The weather was glorious, but I can imagine we would have enjoyed it regardless. On our way home from Drusillas, Mikey asked if he could go back and ‘be a keeper for the day’ for his birthday……I am certainly going to look into it. If I have convincedyou to take a trip to Alfriston to visit Drusillas, let me know what you think. And, as always, Please share with your friends and followers 😘 I recieved free entry to Drusillas in return for this post. All of my opinions are completly honest and unbiased.

Leeds Castle

Leeds Castle

Rosie and I took the kids (all eight of them!) to Leeds Castle in Kent during half term. It was our first proper visit (we went along one, cold evening four years ago to watch Frozen on the castle lawn).I absolutely love a mooch around a Castle or historical house and I love taking in the beautiful grounds. I always picture what It might have been like to live there during the various periods of history. Who owns it now? How do they keep it looking so beautiful? How many bottles of wine could you store in that wine celler!? (And Leeds Castle definatly has the BEST wine celler!)It was a stunning Autumn afternoon and we had such a fantastic day that words can not do it justice. I am going to let our photos explain……Leeds Castle has lots to do for the children, not least climbing trees and finding secret dens. It was Halloween when we visited and they had lots of spooky activities to enjoy. There is a wonderful playground area, maze and lots of activities from archery to dressing up as a knight. The children loved exploring the castle and filling in all the activity sheets they had been given. They have been learning about British History at school so they loved reading about how Leeds Castle related to Henry V111 and the Second World War. While they were reading about how King Henry VIII did a ‘changing rooms’ on the castle to impress and gift his wife Catherine of Aragon, I listened eagerly to the stewards who explained to me that in more recent years part of the castle was converted into a cinema and areas to entertain friends (jelous much!?).I have asked Mike to take me back for a romantic ‘date day’.  The strolls, the atmosphere and the stunning architecture would make a beautuful day out with a loved one (or first date?). I have never seen such beautiful gardens and the wildlife is everywhere. I am looking forward to visiting again in December and enjoying the Christmas  festivities with Mike and the children.Please share my post for anyone who might enjoy a beautiful day out at this Kent treasure. For more information on Leeds Castle and its wonderful, seasonal treats, take a look at their website https://www.leeds-castle.com

An idea for the summer holidays – Reigate, Surrey

An idea for the summer holidays - Reigate, Surrey

Mikey has had rehursals for his summer show in Reigate over the last 5 weeks so I feel like I’m really getting to know the town well. I worked in Reigate years ago but never appreciated what it had to offer, but then  I did spend all my free time in the pubs! We have spent a few lovely evenings at Priory Park, enjoying the warm summer nights while the kids play in the fabulous playground. Libby didn’t leave the zip wire, Charlie was king of the pirate ship and the twins were having a water fight (when they weren’t hunting for pokamons). The park is so beautifully kept with perfectly manicured flowers, paths perfect for bike riding, a lake, tennis courts and skateboarding ramp. It’s has the feel of a Royal garden but without the hassle and bustle of London. We have also given some of the restaurants a go….. It’s hardwork but there has been no time to cook! 😜 Charlies favourite place to eat is The Giggling Squid, a Thai restaurant with a modern feel. The food is stunning and I recommend the Green Thai Curry, Thai Beef Salad and Pad Thai noodles. Charlies favourites are the pork dumplings and the paid Thai are a guaranteed win for my lot. www.gigglingsquid.com We have also taken the kids to Bills which has a fabulous little courtyard garden. The menu has something for everyone from Seabass, Burgers, Grilled paprika chicken and Salads. The kids menu is very reasonable and the decor is great. https://bills-website.co.uk Reigate also has Pizza Express, Cafe Rouge, Carluccios, Cotes and lots more lovely places to eat…. I’m working my way round! So if you find yourself at a loose end over the summer,  take a visit to Reigate,you won’t be disappointed.

Family Movie Nights 🎥

Family Movie Nights

Who doesn’t love Disney movies!? I could watch them day after day…… Oh, hold on,  that’s exactly what i have been doing for the last nine years!  Given my babies ages (11 months. 5, 7 and two 9 year olds) I have been on the ‘disney, cebebeies, baby TV and Mr bloody Tumble’ channel for nearly a decade.  So,  people may judge me when they hear i have been embracing the twins impending teenage years by introducing them to some of MY favourite movies.  Some have been a hit, some haven’t, some appropriate, some maybe not,  but I’ve had a blast sharing my old favs with them.  Pauly Shore is a bit of an unknown name in the UK, but growing up,  his movies were amongst some of my favourites. California Man, Bio-dome, son in law and In the Army Now are great movies for my boys.  They think he is one of the funniest people alive (besides Mr Bean).  Stand by Me was our Friday night movie recently.  It was a really lovely evening as Mike and I were as excited to sit down and watch it as they were. They found it quite emotional (when Gordie’s brother dies and when they tell stories about their family lives) but the ‘leech scene’ and all the swearing made up for it! FYI,  a little trivia I found out while writing this blog, did you know,  Vern in Stand by Me has grown into Jerry O’connell, who has been in Scream 2, Mistresses, Billions and Jerry Maguire! Who’d have guessed that!  I don’t worry about them watching movies that use profanity anymore.    They know what they are allowed to say and what they aren’t and I trust their manners….

Plus, they probably hear worse at home anyway! Beetlejuice is now on their favourite list aswell as mine, along with Goonies, National Lampoons Vacation, Big, The Great Outdoors,  Overboard, The Ernest Movies,  Gremlins, Jaws, Mannequin, Parenthood, Return to Oz…I could go on.  One choice that was very controversial in our house, and, I won’t lie, was Mikes choice for a movie night.  His all time favourite movie,  FOREST GUMP!!!! Now,  this movie is PG rated which was his argument for letting Mikey and Harri watch it. However,  I don’t think he took into account the various scenarios this movie involves. 

I found it the most painful 6 hours of my life (that is how long the movie goes on for isn’t it?  No? It f#@king felt like it!) 
Cringing at every scene i knew would be followed by an awkward question 
‘ mum why is Forest making funny noises after his teacher visits his mum ‘
‘urgh why is jenny making him touch her boob!?’
‘ why is jenny running away from her dad?’
But, the boys absolutely loved it,  Harrison asks me daily to watch it again. 
The adult themes went over their head but the emotional rollercoaster really swept them away. 
They are memorised with the whole movie,  Forest, his relationships with family and friends,  his comic manner, his constant need to please,  protect and love. 
I feel,  in hindsight,  it was a great movie choice for them that taught them things I certainly couldnt.
And it opened the door for me to test some other movies such as Olympus has Fallen,  London has fallen,  San Andreas, Outbreak 😱, Salt, Planet of the Apes.
So in short, now. When we have ‘a family movie night ‘ I can be in the room with them mentally aswell as physically, watching with general interest rather than staring blankly at the TV because I’m watching Toy Story, Frozen or Horrid ba#@ard Henry for the 1000th time! 
Don’t worry George…… I’ll still sit through all the crap for you 😘

Rumbled! 

Rumbled

​So this weekend something happened that will change my sex life for the next 20 years. After telling the kids to ‘shhhhhhh’ for the 58th time in the six berth camper we had hired for the weekend, finally silence fell. …..until Harrison asked loudly, in a disgusted tone: ‘urgh, are you two having  S….E……X!? Because of you are having  S…..E……X. You need to stop.  It’s just gross, with your kids here,  close those curtains,  this is grossing me out!’ 😱😰😳😩😫😭 What the fu#k!? Firstly we actually were not having sex, any grunting noises had come as a result of me clambering up the shit#ing ladder to get into the coffin style bed above the drivers seats. Secondly, the space from our bed to the ceiling was about half a foot, i could barely turn over let alone anything else!! Thirdly…..I was too tired 😜 So the next morning I questioned harri on what is S….E…..X? His answer…. ‘its when a man and lady are naked in bed, kissing and making noises’ who was rocking the caravan last night?’ I had to think on my feet. ‘oh,  i thought you were asleep (true!)  there were some naughty boys outside pushing our caravan.  Did you hear dad go out and shout at them?’ ‘no, but thank God for that,  I thought it was you two having S….E….X.  i hope those boys don’t come back tonight! ‘ No fear of that son…they have well and truley got the message😒 So we are now looking for locks to put on our bedroom door and I’m trying to work out how to approach the proper birds and bee’s talk with them …..wish me luck! 

I’m back 

I'm Back

I’m sorry I haven’t posted any blogs recently.  It’s been a busy time in our house the past few weeks. Getting the kids ready for school after a fab six week summer holiday,  baby girl had turned 6 and it was George’s first birthday. The kids seem to have settled back into a routine better than I have! All this while living with no kitchen, collecting cows,  hatching chicks and looking after a poorly dog has left very little time to blog. Im slowly getting back into the swing of things though so Modern Mum will be back on track.