Sunday, 31 August 2014
Saturday, 30 August 2014
The Alnwick Garden....
***This blog post is quite bit picture heavy......I'm not apologizing....I took over 300 photos so have done well to whittle them down to about 50.....hehehe***
We visited The Alnwick Garden on Wednesday and had a fantastic day.....I traded my Nectar points in and for £10 worth of them I got a family ticket which would of cost £33....
The Alnwick Garden is one of the world’s most ambitious gardens. The Duchess of Northumberland’s vision for a forgotten plot is now a truly 21st century experience full of imagination, inspiration and fun. The Garden is a space designed to be enjoyed by all your senses, with a collection of over 4,000 plant varieties to discover, thousands of seasonal blooms and countless opportunities to get wet and play in The Garden’s water sculptures.
The Alnwick Garden is one of the world’s most ambitious gardens. The Duchess of Northumberland’s vision for a forgotten plot is now a truly 21st century experience full of imagination, inspiration and fun. The Garden is a space designed to be enjoyed by all your senses, with a collection of over 4,000 plant varieties to discover, thousands of seasonal blooms and countless opportunities to get wet and play in The Garden’s water sculptures.
What to see.
Ornamental Garden - Home to one of the country's largest collections of European plants in striking geometric beds.
Grand Cascade - Marvel at the scale of the Grand Cascade, and take in the spectacular half-hourly displays.
Serpent Garden - Wind your way through the Serpent Garden's sinuous topiary to find the water features hidden in its coils.
Rose Garden - Discover the riotous colours and delicate scents of the Rose Garden, with over 3000 David Austin Roses.
Poison Garden - Explore what lies beyond the locked gates of the Poison Garden.
Roots and Shoots Garden - Get your hands dirty, learn about the growing techniques in use and take a peek at our beehives.
Cherry Orchard - Over 300 Tai Haku cherry trees underplanted with 50,000 Purple Sensation Alliums.
Woodland Walk - Take a walk through the beautiful Woodland Walk, and see if you can spot any of the resident red squirrels.
Pavilion - The Pavilion gives a beautiful panorama of The Garden and is home to the Pavilion Café.
Ornamental Garden - Home to one of the country's largest collections of European plants in striking geometric beds.
Grand Cascade - Marvel at the scale of the Grand Cascade, and take in the spectacular half-hourly displays.
Serpent Garden - Wind your way through the Serpent Garden's sinuous topiary to find the water features hidden in its coils.
Rose Garden - Discover the riotous colours and delicate scents of the Rose Garden, with over 3000 David Austin Roses.
Poison Garden - Explore what lies beyond the locked gates of the Poison Garden.
Roots and Shoots Garden - Get your hands dirty, learn about the growing techniques in use and take a peek at our beehives.
Cherry Orchard - Over 300 Tai Haku cherry trees underplanted with 50,000 Purple Sensation Alliums.
Woodland Walk - Take a walk through the beautiful Woodland Walk, and see if you can spot any of the resident red squirrels.
Pavilion - The Pavilion gives a beautiful panorama of The Garden and is home to the Pavilion Café.
When we got there the queue to get in was long.....Luckily for us a guy came round asking if we had e-vouchers or paid passes we can skip the queue and just get them checked and go straight in....Hooray!
We decided to sit down and eat our food first.....What an experience.....The girls were running back wards and forwards to the amazing water fountains and the ducks decided to join us.....lol They were brave.....Snapping up Ellie's sandwich out of her hand.....Becky's crisps and pecking at all the cake packets.....I couldn't move for laughing.....
After we'd eaten we went exploring.....There is so much to see.....I'm not into plants and flowers at all but I found it interesting and a lot of fun! All the way around the gardens there are pools and cascades of water.....The girls were in them any chance they got.....
We must have walked for miles....Not once did the girls complain. There were plenty of seats to have a rest and unusual things to see....
After a couple of hours we decided we needed a toilet break....It took a while to find them as they are not signposted....We found some in the cafe eventually. I wasn't to impressed with them....I know it was busy but the sanitry bins were over flowing and there was toilet rolls scattered about the floor....I thought at a place like this the toilets would be better maintained....
After walking through the Cafe I smelt the coffee and needed one. We took a pit stop...2 lattes, 2 doughnuts and 2 slices of cake was £22.80!! What!! I was quite shocked at the price....I'm so glad we had taken our own food to fill up on....Goodness knows what four meals would cost....There was plenty of seating around the cafe...More than was needed which was a good thing.
As we were walking around the gardens we had noticed a section of water fountains and pools which children could play in....Ellie was so keen to get in these....Ellie has a thing about water and absolutely loves it. She was in her element....Becky not so much she loves the water but thought it was too cold....I had packed a change of clothes and a towel but didn't think about taking swimming costumes....Jeans and t-shirts were the girls splashing attire....hehehe
They had a fantastic time.....They got changed into their dry clothes behind a bush...I think that is what Alnwick Garden is missing....Somewhere to get dry and changed espcially for older kids who are shy of flashing their bum to the world....lol.
A few things I noticed....
There are no litter bins....If there are they are well hidden....Considering there are a lot a people visiting bringing picnics they would come in very handy....but on the other hand I never saw any litter laying about either....
There are a lot of wasps and bees but they are not like normal one's....You just brush them away and they take the hint....
You are allowed to feed the ducks but they are like locusts....Feed one and they all come running!
A change of clothes is vital if you have kids who like water...
The cafe is expensive but the little Ice-cream stall outside is not....
We found the toilets outside the actual entrance....They could do with being signposted more....
There are plenty of staff walking about which I found reassuring....
We had an amazing day out and will visit again...It is a fantastic family day out....Even if you are not a garden/flower lover there is a lot more too it than that.....
I was not prompted to write this.....I just wanted to share our amazing day!!
Friday, 29 August 2014
We've been out!
This week we have been busy.....It's all been about getting
We've had a brilliant week.....Stu has been off work and we've had some proper family time and got out and about every day.....
We got the girls school coats but going by the weather this week I don't think they'll be wearing them straight away....It's been lovely up here in Northumberland....So much for all the rain that was forecast.....We had a lovely time looking around the shops and Becky picked out more clothes for her birthday next month.
Tuesday we had a walk around the market and got the kids an Argos catalogue each.....They wanted one to make a proper start on their Christmas lists....
Wednesday was the best day of the week for us we went to The Alnwick Garden....I have a post tomorrow about it linking up with Country Kids all about it but here is a small taster....
There is just too much I wanted to write about to fit it in this post.....We had an amazing day!!
Thursday Becky and I nipped to Asda for just a birthday cake and an hour & half later and £77 poorer we got home....lol It's horrible to say but it was lovely Ellie not being there asking for everything and getting in a mood when I say no.....
Oh yes and this happened! The kids were playing with water pistols outside and were begging me to go out there too....It doesn't take a genius to work out what they had planned..... They went quiet and quiet kids worry me....It means they're up to something.....They were! They had made up their own game based on the Ice Bucket Challenge...Of course I took a photo before I told Ellie to stop....lol
Today we're off out too.....We're going for a meal to our local Brewers Fayre.....It's Ellie's 7th birthday and she loves the place....It really is her favourite place to go.....Food, as much fizzy pop as she can drink and an indoor and outdoor play area.....What could be better....hehehe
Labels:
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Family Life
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Northumberland
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Shopping
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Word Of The Week
Thursday, 28 August 2014
TOTAL Greek Yoghurt and Fruyo Fun! #YogArtist
Recently the lovely people from FAGE UK sent my family and I a fantastic box of goodies and some vouchers to buy some tasty Greek Yoghurt......
Total Greek Yoghurt is a luxuriously thick & creamy authentic Greek yoghurt with no added sugars, no additives and is vegetarian Society approved
Fruyo fat free Greek yoghurt is so tasty...It has a lot of real fruit pieces in....I was actually shocked how much was in....It is Gluten free, has no artificial preservatives or colourings, is vegetarian Society approved and the number one yoghurt in Greece
They wanted us to show off our creative flair using our TOTAL Greek Yoghurt and fruity Fruyo....The girls and I have been having a lot of fun in the kitchen.....
I had something in mind straight away.....A while ago the girls had a thing for Oreo cookies but recently they've gone off them.....I had a biscuit tin nearly full of them!
I was going to make something like a cheesecake but without the cheese using the TOTAL Greek Yoghurt instead....
What you need....
The base...
24 Oreo Cookies
1/4 a cup of butter melted
The Filling...
A tub of TOTAL Greek Yoghurt
3/4 a cup of smooth peanut butter
24 Oreo Cookies
1/4 a cup of butter melted
The Filling...
A tub of TOTAL Greek Yoghurt
3/4 a cup of smooth peanut butter
Instructions...
- Place the Oreos in a food processor until the Oreos resemble fine crumbs.
- Add the melted butter and process until fully mixed...
- Press the Oreo mixture into a baking tin and place in the freezer.
- In a bowl mix together the yoghurt and peanut butter until fully combined.
- Remove pie crust from the freezer and pour the yoghurt mixture in.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Remember to take photos before you cut it.....hehehe
The girls have been having fun too....They decided to freeze some of the Fruyo & had them with some jelly and the rest of the yoghurt that was left.....They had fun decorating it too....Coconut, raisins, dried apricot and who chocolate sprinkles....Yum!!
I also made good use of the jars.....I made them a special treat for after tea.....Jelly in the base....Strawberry Fruyo then fresh strawberries.....They want them again....
I still have one tub of Total Greek Yoghurt left....I've been looking at the recipes on the Fage website and so far can't decide what to make....Whatever it is it's bound to be tasty!!
I was sent some vouchers to get some yoghurt and a goodie box in exchange to write a blog post about what we've created.....
Wednesday, 27 August 2014
My Girls Love.....
I saw this over on the Real Housewife of Suffolk County ages and ages ago and thought it was a cute idea!!
The idea is simple,....Take a recent photo of your child and add text to it listing things they love....Simples!!
Tuesday, 26 August 2014
Rainbow Braid Refill Kit - Review! #loomtothemoon
My girls have been crazy about Loom bands for months so when I had the chance to review some I jumped at the chance....
We were sent the Rainbow Braid 5400 Piece Refill Kit....
The rainbow refill pack comes with 250 S clips and 5400 bands in 18 different bold colors.
We were sent the Rainbow Braid 5400 Piece Refill Kit....
The rainbow refill pack comes with 250 S clips and 5400 bands in 18 different bold colors.
Solid/Neons (Red, Purple, Turquoise, Light Blue, Dark Blue)
Fluorescents (Yellow, Green, Blue, Pink, Orange, Purple)
Glitters (Pink, Blue, Purple, Orange, Green) and Bolds (Black, White)
My girls were so happy when they arrived.....The were delivered quickly and packaged very well.....There was plenty to share between them both....
The colours were bright and there was a great selection of them. The bands are of a very good quality. They are very stretchy and don't seem to snap easily.
This is great value at £14.90 with free delivery from Amazon....Much cheaper than some of the pound shops that sell them.
An excellent buy for anyone whose just starting as there is just so much variety or brilliant to top up your collection....
I was sent 5400 Loom Bands free of charge....This is my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.....
Fluorescents (Yellow, Green, Blue, Pink, Orange, Purple)
Glitters (Pink, Blue, Purple, Orange, Green) and Bolds (Black, White)
My girls were so happy when they arrived.....The were delivered quickly and packaged very well.....There was plenty to share between them both....
The colours were bright and there was a great selection of them. The bands are of a very good quality. They are very stretchy and don't seem to snap easily.
This is great value at £14.90 with free delivery from Amazon....Much cheaper than some of the pound shops that sell them.
An excellent buy for anyone whose just starting as there is just so much variety or brilliant to top up your collection....
I was sent 5400 Loom Bands free of charge....This is my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.....
Monday, 25 August 2014
Our Weekly Meal Plan!! - #mealplanningmonday
Last weeks meal plan went ok until we got to the weekend.....The Spaghetti Bolognese & Garlic bread was changed and we had a Chinese......We did have the bolognese on Saturday though....The left overs have been frozen....
This week is going to be a strange week.....It's the last full week of the school holidays.....Ellie's birthday and Stu is off work too.....We're going to go for a few trips out but which day we do depends on the weather so I can't really plan what day we're having what.....I just know this week is going to get expensive....
Sometime this week we will be -
Having the left over bolognese in wraps which got left out of last weeks meal plan....
Having a meal a Frankie & Benny's, McDonalads or TGI Fridays.....The kids can decide when we go shopping for new school coats at Newcastle....
Having fish and chips on the way back from Alnwick Garden.....I traded my nectar points in and got £30 worth of vouchers....So for a family ticket we're only paying £3! Bargain!!
Raiding the freezer.....I seem to have 3 bags of 20 sausages even after having sausage casserole yesterday.....Sausage sandwiches and/or Sausage, egg & chips...
Going for a meal to our local Brewers Fayre.....Ellie's faveourite place in the world....Yummy food, an outdoor play area and a soft play area too...Oh and Birthday cake!!
Maybe pizza?
A roast chicken dinner....Most probably on Sunday.
As always I've joined in with the wonderful Mrs M's #mealplanningmonday linky...
Sunday, 24 August 2014
Saturday, 23 August 2014
My Ice Bucket Challenge!
One of my best friends Donna nominated me for the Ice Bucket Challenge.....I usually don't name my friends on here but I'm naming her for making me do it.....hehehe
Surely you must of heard of it by now.....
The Ice Bucket Challenge, sometimes called the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, is an activity involving dumping a bucket of ice water on one's head to promote awareness of the disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also known as motor neurone disease and encourage donations to research.
I have been watching celebs do it.....Everyone famous you can think of apart from Beyonce, Madonna & Prince Harry....hehehe Do it people!!
It's all fun watching the celebrities do it when it comes down to doing it yourself not so much...lol All in a good cause though!!
I never do videos of myself so think yourself honored seeing this.....What a silly voice I have....A Geordie trying to be posh...lol
Oh & I nominate every blogger to do it too!!
What I'm watching.....
After finishing watching Breaking bad ages ago there hasn't been any TV shows I have really got into apart from the usual Soaps, Big Brother and Geordie Shore.....
That was until these last couple of weeks......
For the last month or so there has been new shows starting which I have been recording and this week we have started to watch them.....
The 100.
E4 on Mondays.
E4 on Mondays.
The series is set 97 years after a devastating nuclear war wiped out almost all life on Earth. The only known survivors are the residents of twelve space stations in Earth's orbit prior to the war. The space stations banded together to form a single massive station named "The Ark", where about 2,400 people live. Resources are scarce and all crimes no matter their nature or severity are punishable by death ("floating") unless the perpetrator is under 18 years of age. After the Ark's life support systems are found to be critically failing, one hundred juvenile prisoners are declared "expendable" and sent to the surface in a last ditch attempt to determine if Earth is habitable again. They discover that not all humanity was wiped out. There are people on earth who survived the war, called "grounders" by the 100.
I was recording it for weeks off E4.....I wasn't too bothered about watching it but when I did I had to watch more and more of it.....Stu and I went to sleep one night after 2am watching it as we needed to know what happened next....Even when I thought I knew what was going to happen it surprised me.....There's some familiar faces in it too....A couple of people who used to be in Neighbours, Desmond off Lost & Calvin off Hollyoaks.....
Wahlburgers
Lifetime on Fridays.
The reality series chronicling the behind the scenes workings of the burger restaurant business owned by the Wahlberg family.....Yes Donnie who was in New Kids on the Block, Mark the actor, their brother Paul the master chef and their mother Alma who is absolutely brilliant!!
This reality show centres around Alma and Paul....Paul runs the family restaurant business and Alma is the Hostess at Alama Nove.....Through the series you see the relationships they all have with each other and Mark & Donnie's antics which generally involve Paul being the brunt of the jokes.....So funny!
I didn't think I would like this show but I do......
Most Haunted
Really TV Channel - Thursdays 10pm
It's back!!! One of my guilty pleasures.....I love Yvette Fielding.....
This spooktacular series will follow paranormal activity across the UK at venues including The Royal Court Theatre in Lancashire and Sheffield’s National Emergency Services Museum. It will also include celebrity guests such as Ben Foden and the England Rugby team as well as Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for my Valentine.
I watched it Thursday night laid in bed.....It scared me....I don't do scary stuff.....I actually covered my eyes at one point when rolls of tape were moving about.....lol I don't care if it's faked....I love the show!
Under The Dome.
CH5 - Starting Monday 25th of August
This returns for the second series on Monday.....
Under the Dome tells the story of the residents of the small town of Chester's Mill in Maine, where a massive, transparent, indestructible dome suddenly cuts them off from the rest of the world. With no Internet access, no mobile signals and limited radio communication, the people trapped inside must find their own ways to survive with diminishing resources and rising tensions. While military forces, the government and the media positioned outside of this surrounding barrier attempt to break it down, a small group of people inside attempt to figure out what the dome is, where it came from, and when (and if) it will go away.
The last series finished with the teens of the show having fun with the mini dome and the egg inside of it, Big Jim running the town Barbie waiting to be hanged and Julia having to make the choice to save the egg and the lives of the entire town or save Barbie....
I have seen the first two episodes of the new series and wow!! I won't spoil it but there are deaths in the first episode!! hehehe
And don't forget tonight at 7.50pm on BBC1...
Doctor Who!
It will see Peter Capaldi in his first full episode as the Twelfth Doctor....
I am so excited for it....
What have you been watching and enjoying lately?
Lifetime on Fridays.
The reality series chronicling the behind the scenes workings of the burger restaurant business owned by the Wahlberg family.....Yes Donnie who was in New Kids on the Block, Mark the actor, their brother Paul the master chef and their mother Alma who is absolutely brilliant!!
This reality show centres around Alma and Paul....Paul runs the family restaurant business and Alma is the Hostess at Alama Nove.....Through the series you see the relationships they all have with each other and Mark & Donnie's antics which generally involve Paul being the brunt of the jokes.....So funny!
I didn't think I would like this show but I do......
Most Haunted
Really TV Channel - Thursdays 10pm
It's back!!! One of my guilty pleasures.....I love Yvette Fielding.....
This spooktacular series will follow paranormal activity across the UK at venues including The Royal Court Theatre in Lancashire and Sheffield’s National Emergency Services Museum. It will also include celebrity guests such as Ben Foden and the England Rugby team as well as Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for my Valentine.
I watched it Thursday night laid in bed.....It scared me....I don't do scary stuff.....I actually covered my eyes at one point when rolls of tape were moving about.....lol I don't care if it's faked....I love the show!
Under The Dome.
CH5 - Starting Monday 25th of August
This returns for the second series on Monday.....
Under the Dome tells the story of the residents of the small town of Chester's Mill in Maine, where a massive, transparent, indestructible dome suddenly cuts them off from the rest of the world. With no Internet access, no mobile signals and limited radio communication, the people trapped inside must find their own ways to survive with diminishing resources and rising tensions. While military forces, the government and the media positioned outside of this surrounding barrier attempt to break it down, a small group of people inside attempt to figure out what the dome is, where it came from, and when (and if) it will go away.
The last series finished with the teens of the show having fun with the mini dome and the egg inside of it, Big Jim running the town Barbie waiting to be hanged and Julia having to make the choice to save the egg and the lives of the entire town or save Barbie....
I have seen the first two episodes of the new series and wow!! I won't spoil it but there are deaths in the first episode!! hehehe
And don't forget tonight at 7.50pm on BBC1...
Doctor Who!
It will see Peter Capaldi in his first full episode as the Twelfth Doctor....
I am so excited for it....
What have you been watching and enjoying lately?
Friday, 22 August 2014
The Countdown....
Hooray....Friday again which means Word of The Week time....
The countdown is on!! We have a few exciting weeks coming up.....
I think we're just about ready for school to start....The uniform and shoes are bought.....Becky has all her pens and stationary.....PE kits are sorted.....All that's left to get is a new coat for both the girls.....
Becky is counting down the days until she starts secondary school and she can't wait....I'm counting down the days reluctantly....She's going to grow up fast when she goes to secondary school.....I'm dreading it....
I think we're just about ready for school to start....The uniform and shoes are bought.....Becky has all her pens and stationary.....PE kits are sorted.....All that's left to get is a new coat for both the girls.....
Becky is counting down the days until she starts secondary school and she can't wait....I'm counting down the days reluctantly....She's going to grow up fast when she goes to secondary school.....I'm dreading it....
The girls are counting down to their birthdays....Ellie's a week today and Becky's on the 10th of September....All the presents are bought....I just have to wrap them and I know what cakes they want....I just have the cards to buy....They are so excited....Ellie started counting down the days to go at the end of last month....
Stu is counting down the days until he starts his holidays from work.....We have a few trips planned....We're going to Alnwick Garden and a shopping trip to Newcastle which will probably end up in a trip to either T.G.I. Friday's or Frankie and Bennys...We haven't decided yet! We will probably end up at the soft play center and the park too depending on the weather....
Thursday, 21 August 2014
Club Penguin! - Review!
Club Penguin is a virtual world aimed at children between 6 and 14 years old.....Kids can create an online persona in the form of a very cute colored penguin....They waddle around the virtual
penguin world playing games, chatting with other penguins, visiting
their igloos, attending parties and earning points to buy Puffle pets,
penguin clothes, and furnishings for their igloos.....
Since its beginnings in 2005, over 220 million
penguin avatars have been created in 190 countries
and children log in from around the world to play in six different
languages. Club Penguin is known around the globe for its unwavering
commitment to providing a safe online experience that doesn't compromise
creativity or fun.
When I was given the opportunity to review Club Penguin.....I asked the girls what they thought.....Would they like to have a months free trial membership?....Amongst the squeals of excitement they said YES!!
So we made up a new account.....One they could share for the month....
I had a quick play about on it to see what it was all about.....
I could see the makers of this site have put a lot of effort and thought into the safety of children using it....Even when signing up there are prompts not to use your real name or tell anyone your password....
I really like the chat options....You can set your child’s account to either ultimate safe chat mode (kids can
only select pre-approved phrases from a list) or standard safe chat
mode (free typing is allowed but it’s moderated and
has filters that block swear words and things like phone numbers....I think this is fantastic for younger children who might not think about what they are saying.....
The girls got on with playing...At first there was a basic walk through to the game.....How to move around, different things you can do and one thing that I really liked was the safety quiz.....It is basic online safety a great way to develop safe internet habits. My girls are very sensible and did very well in this test.....
Becky especially liked playing the games and earning coins....Ellie on the other hand liked spending the coins, changing how our penguin was dressed and buying things for their igloo....There is just too much to look at, see and do on this little island of penguins....
Club Penguin is free to play, but most of the content is reserved for paying subscribers....Membership isn't too expensive starting at £4.95 for a single month but if you buy it for 6 months or a year the price does drop....For example a year is £29.95 which works out at £2.50 a month....
The highlights of being a member are that you can....
Dress up and express their unique styles.
Collect rare and exclusive party items.
Discover all new experiences every week.
Earn special Stamps to impress friends.
Collect 14 kinds of puffles with unique personalities
Take puffles into special games to help earn coins and points.
Collect rare and exclusive party items.
Discover all new experiences every week.
Earn special Stamps to impress friends.
Collect 14 kinds of puffles with unique personalities
Take puffles into special games to help earn coins and points.
Express their creativity with countless igloo combinations
Customize, save, and show their perfect homes to friends
Customize, save, and show their perfect homes to friends
Becky is 11 and Ellie is nearly 7 and they both loved Club Penguin.....I do have a feeling after today I will struggle to get Ellie off it.....
As from today Club Penguin is being taken over by FROZEN!!!
The Frozen takeover sees the Club Penguin Island transformed into the Kingdom of Arendelle from 21st August to Wednesday, 3 September.
During this time, Club Penguin and Frozen fans can:
Join a quest for magical snowflakes hidden around the island and collect special rewards.
Help thaw the island from its frozen state.
Get their very own Ice Palace igloo to decorate, and listen to a special performance of Let It Go in Elsa’s Ice Palace.
Help thaw the island from its frozen state.
Get their very own Ice Palace igloo to decorate, and listen to a special performance of Let It Go in Elsa’s Ice Palace.
This is a great online community with so much to see, do and play.... The
social atmosphere seems clean and kid-friendly and this seems like a
great introduction to social media and online gaming for children.....
We were given a months free trial to Club Penguin for the purpose of this
review....This is my honest review....All thoughts and opinions are my
own!!
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
Back to school clothing guide....
Going by my Twitter and Facebook timelines it seems like people are starting to prepare for going back to school.....
Here are some top tips for getting ready for going back to school.....
Make a list of what you need and stick to it....Don’t buy things which are
nice to haves or extras.
How much of everything do I need?
Assuming you do at least one load of washing during the week you will probably need....
• Sweaters/ cardigans/ sweatshirts x 3
Assuming you do at least one load of washing during the week you will probably need....
• Sweaters/ cardigans/ sweatshirts x 3
• Polo shirts/ shirts x 3
• Trousers/skirts x 3
• Socks 10 pairs - They will get lost.
• PE Kit - 1 set including plimsolls
• School shoes - 1 pair
• Trousers/skirts x 3
• Socks 10 pairs - They will get lost.
• PE Kit - 1 set including plimsolls
• School shoes - 1 pair
• PE bag
• A school Book bag
• A tie, if needed. If there's a clip-on/ elasticated option use that it is so much easier than having to help a four-year-old fasten a proper one each morning. Wet wipes come in handy for cleaning them.
• A school coat
• A school Book bag
• A tie, if needed. If there's a clip-on/ elasticated option use that it is so much easier than having to help a four-year-old fasten a proper one each morning. Wet wipes come in handy for cleaning them.
• A school coat
If money is tight find out if there's a second hand uniform shop run by the school or try local Facebook selling pages....Even charity shops local to you may have uniforms....Even one's with Logos.
If your family income is low, you could be eligible for funding to pay for uniform, contact Citizens Advice or your Local Education Authority to find out more.
If you’re struggling to afford your child’s school uniform, speak to a
teacher or the head teacher at your child’s school. They may know where
you can get discounts or find cheaper items. At the very least they will
understand your situation better.
Double-check whether you really need it - Before you buy any item of school uniform. Many items are compulsory, but some are optional.
At the end of the summer holidays supermarkets and high street stores are often tripping over themselves to tempt you with cheap uniform deals and BOGOFs. Buy items in the next size up.
Buy only what you have to from the official uniform store!!
Instead of buying a school branded jumper, can you sew the school badge
on to a generic jumper? This way you can buy cheaper items but still
comply with the uniform regulations of the school.
Kids will grow - Buy as large as you can without your child absolutely swimming in the school uniform.....Make sure shoes fit well with some room to grow, but not too much....
Don't forget to label EVERYTHING!! If you haven't got the time or the patience for sewing on name tags a biro will do!! Make sure to show your child where you've put their name, so they can check it themselves....
If the school's uniform list gives options such as skirts or pinafores for girls, and you're unsure about your child being the 'odd one out', ask around among those with older children at the school.
School shirts get filthy. Invest in some stain remover to soak stained polo shirts or shirts in before washing.
If your child is on the skinny side, look for trousers and skirts with adjustable waistbands....
Avoid tights for younger girls if possible.....When they do PE they will struggle to get them back on or even give them trousers to wear on PE days.
Don't expect school shoes to last a full academic year!
Get Velcro shoes.....The teacher will struggle to help 30 children do up laces or tricky buckles on PE day....
If the school list says black shoes only, don't be tempted to push the rules with blue or brown. Chances are you'll have to fork out for a second pair of shoes
Happy Shopping!!
Northumberland Live 2014
For my readers who live in Northumberland or up this way this might be of interest to you!
This Saturday from 12 until 8pm there is a free music festival at Blyth Beach called Northumberland Live....
There is something going on for the whole family with The Christians headlining but also loads of local home grown talent performing too.....
Metro Radio will be DJing on the day and asking for song requests by tweeting @EventsNE and Radio Northumberland will also be there....
Metro Radio will be DJing on the day and asking for song requests by tweeting @EventsNE and Radio Northumberland will also be there....
The whole event is free, and full information can be found by visiting Northumberland Live....
There will be lots going on as they are playing up to the beach party
theme with a fun fair just for children including a tea pot roundabout,
giant slide and hook a duck and street theatre....
There will be the
usual seaside favourites of ice creams and fish and chips
available to buy as well as top notch locally produced food and drink.
Lots of fun for the whole family.
Getting to Northumberland Live:
Ample free parking is available in the centre of Blyth and on Blyth Quayside as well as at The Ranch car park. Parking on the Festival site is limited and visitors are encouraged to walk or cycle to the Festival if possible.
FREE Park and Ride shuttle bus:
A free park and ride bus service will be up and running dedicated to getting you to the action. Hop on at either Blyth Library or by the Spirit of the Staithes roundabout just off Blyth Quayside. The bus will run from around 11.30am on a loop basis between the pick-ups and the venue, coming back round every few minutes. After the event ends the route will be reversed. All Park and a Ride vehicles will be wheelchair accessible.
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