This week my Word of the Week is: Park! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

It has been a very exciting week here. The new park has opened!

It's not a new park as such, the park has always been there but it has had a facelift which was needed. About 6 weeks ago the local council started work replacing all the equipment in there and adding a lot of news things. I am on the local Facebook group and saw the plans and then it slowly being built. It really is brilliant and has things for all ages and it is inclusive for everyone. I thought the roundabout which fits a wheelchair on is fantastic.

The park finally opened last Friday. There was no grand opening, they just moved the fencing that was around it. We only found out because Becky and her girlfriend were going to shop and saw the last of the fencing being taken away. On the way back from the shop they called in and had a go on the swings. The big kids. hehehe

We didn't tell Ellie it was open on the Friday as it was packed but both Becky and her did go on Saturday and they loved it. They said it was the busiest they have ever seen it but everyone was behaving and having fun.

They went again Sunday and every night this week. One night they went as soon as Ellie finished school but it was too busy with everyone else popping in after school, another day they went at about 5pm which was a bit quieter. 

There was a bit of drama on one of the local Facebook groups as there was complaints about how the turf on one of the small hills had came off and there were people "misusing" the zip wire.

It was insinuated that it was all of the older kids fault which I didn't think was on, teenagers always seem to get the blame. The zip wire had stretched and the seat was touching the ground and from what I read the poles were coming out of the ground too. A piece of equipment at a park should not be broken after less than a week even if some kids got a little carried away on it. Shoddy workmanship comes to mind but it is being repaired and should be ready to use again for the weekend. As for the turf it was laid and not watered so didn't settle and take properly. Lots of people complained that it was just falling away and they were slipping on it when getting on the zip wire. I hope they do something to fix that too.

The kids are really loving the park. With the girls going most evenings it feels like we are getting back to a normal life which of course is a good thing. I just hope the weather forecast for the weekend is wrong as we're forecast rain! Ugh!

Zoom party inspiration to bring the family together even after lockdown!

Throughout the lockdowns that we have had Zoom became a big thing! This time last year I had never used Zoom. Ellie's school and Becky's college weren't doing online lessons during the first lockdown but over the past year Zoom has become a part of life. Ellie used it for most lessons during home learning this year and I have even had a couple of Zoom calls about various things.

Even though restrictions are being lifted Zoom calls are one of the good things to come out of lockdown. People who never bothered with video calls started to use Zoom throughout the lockdowns. Families had get togethers online which would never happen if it wasn't for the pandemic introducing most of us to Zoom.

I think get togethers should continue on Zoom and if you are in need of a bit of Zoom party inspiration to get you through the next few months and beyond these are the most popular, family friendly ideas for your next meet up.

A Sunday dinner cook along!

Perhaps a certain family member is renowned for their Sunday dinner cooking skills? If so, then get them to lead a cook along that the whole family can be part of. With a bit of forward planning, make sure you all have the same ingredients prepped and ready to go and then over to your celebrity chef style host to guide the rest of the family through the process. Children will enjoy getting involved with the cooking and once the dinner is ready you can all sit down together and enjoy it virtually.

Virtual fancy dress night!

If you’re a family that loves to dress up do it! A monthly themed fancy dress night will give you the chance to get your creative juices flowing to create costumes and accessories with whatever you can find at home. If you want to go all out, why not match food and drink to your theme for that extra Instagram appeal. If you’re the family member who usually shies away from dressing up at least you’re in the comfort of your own home and nobody else can see you.

Get creative with backgrounds and special effects!

Adding some special effect filters to your Zoom calls will certainly keep you entertained whilst on a family call as well as confusing your more elderly relatives at the same time. Filters like Snap Camera will turn you into the cat recently made famous by the Texas Lawyer, a potato, Pingu and many more crazy characters. You can also change your background to make it look as if you’ve left the country since the last time you chatted or perhaps you could use it as a way to share some favourite family pictures.

Show and Tell!

Visual prompts are great for getting friends and family involved and even for taking a trip down memory lane. Ask everyone to bring ‘an object’ however random or sentimental to your next online get together where everyone has to guess what the object signifies or why it’s important to you. It will be guessing and storytelling at its best.

Virtual bedtime story!

It goes without saying that your children always behave better for their grandparents, favourite auntie, uncle, nephew or niece so why not instigate a weekly virtual bedtime story to get your family involved in some valuable childcare. Set the kids up in their bedroom with your chosen family member, while you sit back and enjoy some peace and quiet.

Do you have Zoom family get togethers?

(Ad - Gifted) Premium bread mixes from Carr’s Flour.

I have mentioned a few times in the past how we love making our own bread. The only thing which stops me making it more is the time it takes. I would make it every day if I had the time as my family loves home made bread so much. Now and again I do like to make it as a treat and recently we were sent some bread mixes to try from Carr’s Flour.

Carr's bread mixes are ready to bake. They contain flour and yeast, so simply add water & butter or vegetable fat to bake. It's as simple as that! Each bread mix can be made in a bread maker or by hand and produces one large loaf or eight individual rolls, making them ideal for family lunches at home.

6 Seed Bread Mix 500g - A delicious seeded mix of wheat, pumpkin, oat flakes, linseed, poppy seeds & malted barley.

Malted Grain Bread Mix 500g - A premium white bread mix made with malted wheat & barley

Sundried Tomato & Chilli Bread Mix 500g - A premium white bread mix with sundried tomato and chilli.

I was so keen to try the Sundried Tomato & Chilli bread mix and as soon as it was delivered I got mixing and baking. I don't have a bread maker so was making it by hand and with the help of my food mixer.

It was a simple case of rubbing the butter into the mix and then adding some water. There was no faffing around with yeast as it was already in the mixture and from opening the packet to letting it prove only took about 15 minutes and that included the time it took me to get the food mixer off the freezer. lol

When it had been well and truly mixed in the mixer and kneaded a little I took it out of the bowl and gave it an extra knead when it was covered in oil before I left it for an hour to prove and double in size.

The only bad thing about making bread is all the waiting around you have to do for the dough to rise. I waited and was impressed with how much it had grown. I popped it into the oven and waited for it to cook. It smelled amazing as it was cooking and I couldn't wait until it was ready. I didn't have long to wait, it was baked in about 45 minutes.

It was so good. There was just the right amount of chilli. You could feel the warmth of it but it wasn't too spicy. We ate the bread with sausage casserole, dipping it in and it was a perfect addition.

Known in baking circles as the flour that's tried and trusted by Britain's best artisan and trade bakers Carr’s Flour’s new bread mixes are available to purchase from their online shop for around £0.95 per packet or £11.40 for a case of 12 packets, alongside the full range of Carr’s premium flours, existing bread mixes and new Kids box mix range! There is no minimum order amount so you can buy any product in any quantity, and simply check out!

Do you make your own bread?

I was sent a selection of Premium bread mixes from Carr’s Flour free of charge in exchange for this blog post.

Earning a little bit of extra money with Prolific.

 We could all do with a little bit of extra money. Times have been tough for many of us and even if they weren't a few extra pounds is a real treat.

I saw the blogger Katy Kicker mention the survey site Prolific at the beginning of last year and finally got around to signing up at the end of January 2020.

Prolific is an online platform where you take part in studies, surveys and questionnaires. Anyone can register and it is open worldwide. The studies are created by different people including scientists, universities, schools, charities and even businesses.

When you first sign up you need to fill several questionnaires about yourself which include basic information like your age, where you live, annual income, job, hobbies, religion, etc. The more questions you answer the bigger your chance of being picked for studies.

I have taken part in 317 studies as of writing this last week and in total have earned £337.74. Some only had a couple of questions and took around a minute to answer and some were more detailed and took longer. I think the longest one I had was around 50 minutes long but that paid about £8.

I find the majority of the studies really interesting. They can be about anything but over the last year a lot were of course about Coronavirus. In the past I have had studies about food, politics, hobbies, exercise, online banking and some are even fun memory games to play.

The rewards for the studies vary. If it's a minute long you may only be paid 20 pence but with the longer one's the reward increases. As well as a basic payment you can also earn bonuses. I recently took part in a study paying £1.25 which was 10 minutes long and earned an extra £1.

As soon as you hit £5.00 you can cash out into Paypal and payments are made every Tuesday and Friday afternoon. On your 4th cash out you will automatically qualify to receive Instant Cash Out so that means as soon as you reach the £5 you can cash out and it is paid to you within minutes. I tend to save it up until I hit £25 or £50 though.

When I am on my laptop I used to leave a tab open with Prolific in so I could see when a new study came up but since then I have found an add on for Chrome which makes a little noise when a study becomes available. I have found that a better way to find out when new studies are available.

I think Prolific is a great little earner for some pocket money, the studies are interesting and as I am taking part in research it doesn't feel like I am wasting my time.

Do you use Prolific or any similar survey sites?

Our weekly meal plan! 26th April - 2nd May. #MealPlanningMonday

How can we be heading into May already. This year is flying over. Last week it really feels like summer was nearly here. The weather forecast isn't looking great for this week though. Rain, rain and more rain. I hope it's wrong.

Last weeks meal plan went well. We changed a couple of meals. We had sausage sandwiches instead of sausages and mash. No one fancied it and I didn't fancy peeling the potatoes. The kitchen was just too warm. On Saturday the pizza was off the menu and I had a prawn cocktail salad and the girls and Stu had lasagne, garlic bread and salad.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Chicken salad with baby potatoes.

Tuesday - Chilli Tuna Pasta Bake.

Wednesday - Hot dogs in buns with corn on the cob.

Thursday - Beef and baked bean stew.

Friday - Pizza.

Saturday - Chicken curry, chips and rice.

Sunday - Full English breakfast burritos.

What are you eating this week?

Upside down flowers. #MySundayPhoto

 I love this time of year when all the flowers are blooming. Everything seems so bright and pretty and while I was walking to my dad's the other day I spotted some gorgeous flowers and snapped a photo.

The pink one's at the back we call the upside down flowers but I did a bit of researching and think they are inverted tulips, also known as Crown Imperial or Fritillaria Imperialis.

Week 16 of #Project365. 17th - 23rd April. A photo every day for a year!

What a glorious week we've had. It's been dry and bright every day and most days it was t-shirt weather. I have spent a couple of days pottering around at my dad's, it has been nice to spend time with him and see other people too.

The kids were back to school and college and settled back in quickly. The Easter holidays seem like a distant memory now. 

Now for a photo every day!

107/365 - 17th April

Burgers and fries for tea. Stu made them and he makes the best ones.

108/365 - 18th April

The girls went out for a walk to the woods and stopped off at the shop for a snack. Ellie of course had to find a tree to sit in and eat her sandwich.

109/365 - 19th April

We went shopping in Hull and had a fantastic day out. We visited all of our favourite shops and were shattered on the way home, on the bus. I might have dozed off to sleep a couple of times.

110/365 - 20th April

After being at my dad's all day and ending up with filthy feet after I tipped soil on them I decided to use my favourite bath bomb that I got from our shopping trip and have a soak in the bath. It was bliss. I know bath bombs from Lush are expensive but they are worth it.

111/365 - 21st April

I dyed my hair again but first had to lighten it with a blonde dye. It took well and actually removed most of the pink dye. I don't suit blonde hair. You can see the end result on my Word of the Week blog post or my Instagram. I went blue.

112/365 - 22nd April

I spent most of the day at my dads and my sunglasses were needed. It was bright and so warm despite it being bright but chilly when I left the house. I caught the sun on the back of my neck. I must remember to wear sun cream in future.

113/365 - 23rd April

I had a sort out of the cupboard in my wardrobe. It needed doing badly. I had just been throwing things in there and after buying some new clothes on Monday it was in desperate need of a declutter. I gave in and ripped some pj's which are nearly the same age as Becky up to make dusters and gave the girls some of my t-shirts. It looks better and is more organised now.

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This week my Word of the Week is: Out, out! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

I have had another busy week. I think I have been out nearly every day this past week. It still seems strange going out, out and not just out into the garden or for walks. Seeing people is still strange but I am liking it and we are of course staying safe.

On Saturday I sent Stu to the local auction to do my bidding but it was such a lovely day and I was sat here thinking it would be a waste not to go out so I followed him down to the auction and had a lovely time. We didn't buy anything but saw loads of people we hadn't seen in about a year.

I only went as far as the garden on Sunday but the girls went out for a walk in the woods and ended up going through the woods, down a footpath, through a field and home again. They were gone a couple of hours, said they had walked for miles and when they got home their legs were aching. They had fun though.

On Monday Stu, Ellie and myself went shopping to Hull. We were just going to go to Scunthorpe but decided to make a day of it and travel a bit further and to treat ourselves to a McDonalds. My first one in nearly 2 years. It was amazing! We visited all of our favourite shops and spent about an hour and a half in Primark. This trip we managed to find Poundland too which I wasn't impressed with, it was tiny. There is a big B&M which soon cheered me up though.

On Tuesday I made myself a packed lunch and went to my dads. I thought if I took my own lunch I could stay for longer and I did. He was working but I was there to keep him company. (We were outside the whole time).

I met up with a friend for coffee on Wednesday morning and spent longer chatting than we had planned but it didn't matter, neither of us had anywhere to be then on the afternoon I dyed my hair blue. It was meant to be lilac but it didn't take well so I slapped some blue over the top. I love it!

Becky had online lessons yesterday from college and had to have her microphone on so I wasn't going to sit here in silence so I went to my dads again and spent most of the day there. I got chance to show him my new hair colour too. He isn't a fan of me dying my hair and always rolls his eyes when it's a new colour but this time he actually liked it. It's turns out he's just not a fan of the reds and pinks. lol

Today I am not going anywhere! I feel like I need a day at home to have a catch up on the housework, bloggy things and to keep an eye on Becky and her girlfriend who is coming for a visit. They will of course be staying in the garden. The weather is supposed to be nice so I might join them and do some gardening.

(Ad - Gifted) Black Insomnia Coffee. The World's Strongest Coffee.

My fella and I love a coffee first thing in the morning but some days we need two coffees to get us going, we need that extra kick that normal coffee doesn't give us. Recently we have been trying out Black Insomnia coffee.

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Black Insomnia Whole Beans - £14.99

453 Grams / Approx. 40 Cups - Large Bag.

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453 Grams / Approximately 40 Cups - Large Bag.

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The pour over bags is the coffee I have been using lately and they are such a clever idea. Easy to use and very convenient. The coffee tastes amazing too. It gives me just the kick I need to get going on a morning.

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I was sent a selection of Black Insomnia Coffee free of charge in exchange for this blog post.

Our first proper shopping trip in ages.

Poor Ellie has been feeling rather left out lately. The last time Ellie was in town, just for shopping and a bit of fun was just before her birthday, last August. For the last few weeks Becky has been going to town and meeting up with her girlfriend and since the shops reopened Ellie has been itching to go shopping.

Ellie has missed out on a few shopping trips over the past 6 months or so. When Stu and I went shopping before Christmas, in November she was at school and the same early this year. She has felt like everyone has been to town and she hasn't so we wanted to make it up to her.

On Monday while most of the kids went back to school locally Ellie's school had a teachers training day we got the bus and went to Hull for a fun day of shopping. We had planned on going to Scunthorpe but fancied a change. The shops are better in Hull, Primark is bigger, there is a Lush store and a few other shops we like which Scunthorpe don't have.

Ellie had written a list of things she wanted to buy and has been saving her money so I was prepared for a lot of walking and popping in a lot of shops. Ellie didn't disappoint she had us walking for miles. It was worth it though.

We had our usual look in Build a Bear and convinced Ellie that the bears are expensive. If she still wants one we have said we'll get one for her birthday, we popped in Smiggle, Ellie still loves that shop and I finally went in the big Tesco and had a look around all the clothes and homeware.

We then went to McDonalds for lunch! The last time I had one was the day we moved house nearly 2 years ago. It was such a treat! I went way over the top and had a McChicken burger, fries, 2 hamburgers, a chocolate milkshake and shared 6 chicken nuggets with Ellie. I made such a pig of myself but enjoyed every mouthful. 

After filling our bellies we hit Primark and to be honest I wasn't impressed with it. Despite the one in Hull being bigger than Scunthorpe there just wasn't much I fancied for myself. I got a few t-shirts and a pair of jeans. I of course bought more for the girls. I in fact found more for myself in Pep & Co, Poundlands clothes shop. All I really wanted from the shopping trip was some comfy, cosy slippers and I didn't get them. I suppose it's the wrong time of year to be shopping for slippers.

A trip into a main city wouldn't be complete without a trip to Lush to get some bath bombs. Stu dies a little every time he goes into Lush. He hates the smell and hates how expensive they are. It's a treat, it's not like I use them for every bath I get one or two about once a year. lol

We looked around a few more shops and then headed home. I was really impressed with how all of the shops are dealing with Coronavirus. One door in another out, queues to get into the shops, hand sanitizer at the front of every shop and everyone kept their distance. It seemed so much more organised and safer than Scunthorpe. It was probably just because we noticed it more as it was busier. Most of the shops had queues to get in but thankfully they moved quickly.

Have you had any shopping trips lately?

(Ad - Gifted) A Personalised Confetti Balloon from Bubblegum Balloons.

A bunch of flowers or a box of chocolates make a great gift but when you have given the same thing to one person year after year it can get a bit boring. I have been looking for something different to get my dad's partner, Sarah for her birthday and a couple of weeks ago something fell right into my lap, well into email.

Balloons are not just for children's parties they are for all occasions. Bubblegum Balloons have taken the humble balloon and given it a new lease of life, transforming it into the ultimate feel good accessory, whatever the occasion.

Founded by sisters, Laura & Sally and their best friend Megan, the Bubblegum Girls began their business in their family home. Surrounded by endless amounts of confetti, feathers, helium and ribbon, the Bubblegum dream was born. They have worked worldwide for celebrities, royalty and the world’s most loved brands creating show stopping installations for all occasions and celebrations.

I ordered the Personalised Pink Circle Confetti Bubble Balloon for Sarah's birthday and I was so excited when it arrived. It came in a big cardboard box, already inflated so I didn't have to worry about finding my own helium and on the box there was instructions not to open with scissors which is very sensible. I opened the box and the balloon popped out! We have course had to recreate it to show you. hehehe

The Pink Circle Bubble Balloons are approximately 20 inches in diameter and the tails are approximately 1.5m in length. The writing on the balloon was perfect and really stood out. You can customise the balloons to say whatever you want on the website so the possibilities are endless. It arrived with weight on the end of the tail to stop it floating away and the handmade pink circles on the tail and the confetti inside made it a really pretty gift.

The balloons are designed for display and not to be used as toys. They need to be stored at room temperature in order to be in the best condition possible and will last at least 5 days if stored correctly.

Bubblegum Balloons offer an 8am to 8pm Nominated Day delivery as well as a pre 2 pm option but due to the current circumstances (Covid) it is recommended having your balloon delivered the day prior to your celebrations.

Sarah loved her balloon and thought it was such a fun idea. She did get a fright when she opened the box as I didn't give her any idea what was in it. lol It really was a different type of gift. She said she would never thought of asking for a balloon but has decided she would like one every year now. hehehe

The balloons vary in price but the one I was sent cost £32.00. I think it is well worth that price especially to see the person open the box and receive their surprise. As well as the personalised confetti balloons Bubblegum Balloons sell different balloons in all shapes and sizes. You are bound to find one that someone will love!

I was sent the Personalised Confetti Balloon free of charge in exchange for this blog post.

Our weekly meal plan! 19th - 25th April. #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday. We have one last day of the Easter holidays so we're going to go to town and do a bit of shopping. Ellie has a list of things that she needs to buy. The Entertainer, The Works and Primark better be ready for a teenager to spend months worth of savings. lol

Last weeks meal plan went well apart from the day when I forgot to fill the slow cooker. It didn't matter we had pie out of the freezer, mash and peas and nothing went to waste.

I do love this time of year when all the summer food is being sold. Mostly the BBQ food. Over the weekend we had burgers in buns and it was nice to be able to buy 12 fresh beef burgers for £5 instead of getting just 4 for about £3 during the colder months. We didn't use 12 and some went into the freezer.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Subway sandwiches or pasties from Greggs.

Tuesday - Mango coconut & lime chicken mini fillets with Coconut rice.

Wednesday - Tuna, sweetcorn and pasta.

Thursday - Sausage, mash & baked beans.

Friday - Fish & chips with mushy peas.

Saturday - Pizza.

Sunday - A roast dinner of some sort.

What are you eating this week?

Lawnmowers and bikes. #MySundayPhoto

 This week has seen lots of retail opening back up and I wasn't too fussed about it until I realised the local auction that we love will be opening up too. 

The stuff they had for sale was fantastic especially outside. All the lawnmowers and bikes were impressive but the bike I fancied Stu said wasn't much better than the one I have so we didn't bother bidding on it.

I wasn't too fussed that we didn't buy anything, it was just nice to have a walk out, see people and spend some time in the sunshine.

Week 15 of #Project365. 10th - 16th April. A photo every day for a year!

Happy Saturday, I hope you have all had a good week. Mine has been busy and I am glad it's the weekend. Yesterday I stayed in bed, had a bit of a lie in and then had a soak in the bath. It was lovely to relax. I feel like I have been here there and everywhere. I will be glad on Tuesday when Ellie goes back to school so we can get back into a routine.

Now for a photo every day!

100/365 - 10th April

Even weeds look pretty when the sun is shining.

101/365 - 11th April

My plants on my windowsill are growing well. Tomatoes, some sort of flowers and dwarf sunflowers.

102/365 - 12th April

We had sloppy joes for tea on Monday. This was the mixture.

103/365 - 13th April

I was gifted a confetti balloon to review and it was perfect timing with my dad's partners birthday during the week. She loved it.

104/365 - 14th April

Home made tomato and chilli bread. One of those things where I should have made double as it didn't last long.

105/365 - 15th April

I was at my dad's helping with some painting. I of course got covered.

106/365 - 16th April

Becky came pack from town with a present for me. A Harry Potter diary/planner. It really is beautiful and she said it cost under £10 from Primark. Sometimes Becky drives me crazy but she does make up for it with thoughtful moments like this.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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(Ad - Gifted) The All-Hands collection from Mad Beauty.

Over the past year our hands have been suffering with all of the handwashing we have been doing due to Covid. I know mine have been. Last year they were sore and dry and I really don't want that to happen again so was interested to try out The All Hands collection from Mad Beauty which has been created as an SOS for Covid tired hands!

Now that the restrictions of lockdown are easing we will be washing and sanitizing our hands even more especially if we are venturing out to shops, pubs, to get our hair cut or anywhere where people are.

MAD Beauty All Hands Hand Wash - £7.99

Refresh your hands and awaken your senses with the new All Hands Hand Wash. The heavenly fresh fragrance will give you an uplifting burst every time you wash your hands and leave your skin fragrant & beautifully cleansed.

Fresh Lychee & Asian Pear hand soap combines the perfectly blended scent of sweet lychee & exotic notes of Asian pear bringing you a sweet tropical sensation with every wash.

Hand washing has never been so important & our formula will not only cleanse hands but leave them feeling hydrated. Suitable for all skin types, simply pump onto wet hands & massage into a lather before rinsing thoroughly.

This smells so good, it really is a fresh, uplifting scent. It leaves my hands feeling amazing and it is a pleasure to use.

MAD Beauty All Hands Soap Sticks - £3.99

The soap sticks are such a clever idea. You can pop an All Hands Soap Stick in your pocket or bag and have it on hand when it needs to be used. I have been places over the last week, used their toilets and really didn't fancy touching the soap dispensers and some places didn't even have soap dispensers. These are so handy to have!

You simply wet your palms then rub the stick on your hands and you have your own personal soap on the go. No mess and no need to share with anyone else which is a good thing at the moment.

The soap sticks come in 3 fragrances: Zingy Pineapple & Lime, Lychee & Pear & Raspberry & Honeydew. They all smell so good but the Zingy Pineapple is my favourite and that has been put in my bag. The girls have claimed one each which will be put in their school/college bags to use too.

Do you like the sound of any of these?

I was sent a selection of products from the All-Hands collection from Mad Beauty free of charge in exchange for this blog post.