What I have loved this week! Week 46. #FridayFavourites

Hello there and happy Friday! I hope you have all had a good week. I have, it has been quite lovely but I am ready for the weekend. Everyone will be home even my fella, Stu who has Saturday off work for a change! It already feels like such a treat knowing we can all have a lazy weekend together. I’m here today sharing the little things I’ve loved from the past week and of course I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea to share them.

A cosy Sunday at home!

We have been going out for lunch for the past few weeks on a Sunday which has been lovely but it was so nice to stay home over the weekend and just be cosy. We had a lie in, did our Sunday morning jobs and that's about it. We then spent the rest of the day staring at screens, the TV and our computers. It was fine with me. I had few hours playing The Sims 4 and watched Stranger Things.

A hearing check which wasn't a hearing check!

My youngest, Ellie is deaf in one ear and once a year she has a check up at college to make sure everything is going smoothly. It’s not so much about her hearing itself but more about how the college is supporting her needs, things like making sure teachers are aware, that she’s seated in a good position to hear better and that the environment works for her. This week’s visit ended up being much more of a friendly chat than an official meeting. The lady doing the check up was absolutely lovely and after going through the important stuff which all sounded really positive, her college has always been brilliant they somehow ended up chatting about music, TV shows and movies for most of the time. It’s always reassuring when the people supporting your child genuinely get them.

Christmas music!

I gave in on Tuesday and put the radio on the Christmas music channel and within five minutes I was singing my little heart out to Last Christmas and All I Want for Christmas Is You like it was December 24th. hehehe Christmas music always puts me in such a good mood!

John Cena!

If you don’t know who John Cena is he’s a WWE wrestler turned movie star. You might’ve seen him in Suicide Squad, Barbie or Fast & Furious. Anyway, he announced his retirement from wrestling earlier this year which felt like the end of an era and now we're a month away from his last match. Eek! This week he had his final hometown show and I did not expect to get emotional over it but there I was in tears when he won a title belt which he's never won before and completed a Grand Slam by winning all the titles and making wrestling history! Then I read that the governor of Massachusetts actually declared November 10th John Cena Day. I love it, what a legend!

Buying for Christmas!

It’s officially begun, I’ve started the Christmas shopping properly! I got Ellie's main present: a new phone. It was going to be the Samsung A16 but the A17 popped up in the early Black Friday sale for the same price from Argos so she’s getting an upgrade! Stu’s getting a new TV for his computer, that’s already been ordered and is being delivered tomorrow. As for me, I still haven’t made a list yet, Oops. I get so caught up buying for everyone else that I completely forget about myself! This year I’ve decided to change our tree decorations too. We’ve had Harry Potter ones for a few years now and while I love them I fancied a change. So we’re going for a candy cane theme: red, white and sweets all over. I found some really cute ornaments on Temu and they should be here soon. Yesterday I bought the matching Christmas PJs for all of us, it's a tradition now and I've also popped a few Christmas treats into my food shop order, just chocolates and fizzy wine so far but it’s a start. The excitement is definitely creeping in!

What have you loved over the past week?

Our adventure at Lost City Adventure Golf in Hull!

You know those days when you just need something fun, easy and not too spendy to do as a family? That was us recently and we ended up at Lost City Adventure Golf in Hull. It’s tucked away inside St Stephen’s Shopping Centre, right in the heart of Hull, right by the train/bus station.

As soon as you walk through the doors you are hit with jungle theme. The moody lighting, vines hanging from the ceiling, lots of plants and sound effects of waterfalls and birds. The whole place feels like an adventure from the start. You can pre-book online which is handy if you’re planning a day out or going at peak times but we just decided to chance it and walk in and we got straight on! It was nice not having to plan too far ahead. The staff were really friendly, they explained everything clearly and got us sorted with our clubs and scorecards in no time.

There are two 18 hole courses to choose from: Cobra Canyon and Skull River. We went with Cobra Canyon because there were a group of people just starting on Skull River and I didn't want them to feel rushed with us behind them.

Cobra Canyon did not disappoint. Every single hole had something fun going on with ramps, tunnels, tricky corners and cheeky little slopes that made us laugh more than they frustrated us. It’s definitely designed to keep everyone entertained whether you’re competitive or just there for the laughs. There were a couple of holes that made us giggle because the ball refused to cooperate. You know that feeling when you think you’ve nailed a shot but it slowly rolls back to your feet. That happened more than once. lol

Each hole had character. It really does feel like you’re on an expedition for silliness and fun. The theming is amazing. It feels like stepping into an Indiana Jones film set, minus the boulders chasing you. The sound effects and lighting make it so immersive. You can tell they’ve put effort into the details.

It’s worth mentioning that there are a few areas with strobe lighting which really add to the atmosphere but if anyone in your group is sensitive to flashing lights or strong visual effects it’s something to be aware of before you go. For us it was absolutely fine. 

It was busy but never overcrowded and we didn’t feel rushed at all. We did let the group behind us play ahead of us because they had younger kids who looked like they were losing interest and the parents were trying to rush through.

Between the lighting, the enclosed space and all the walking around we were definitely ready for a cold drink by the time we reached the Tiki Bar as it was so warm. Maybe don’t wear a chunky jumper if you’re playing both courses!

The Tiki Bar sits between the two courses. The tropical theme continues here and it’s got a great relaxed atmosphere. They serve pizzas, snacks and some seriously tempting cocktails. We all went for mocktails and priced at £5 each I think they were fantastic. Booking online gives you a 10% discount on food & drink.

I’m always a bit cautious with attractions like this because fun family outings can get pricey fast but Lost City Adventure Golf was genuinely good value. It’s £11 per person for 18 holes and there are discounts if you book online or go for both courses. Families can grab a pass for around £36 which is fair for something this creative and well run. Considering the theming, maintenance and general quality it’s absolutely worth the money. You can make an afternoon of it without feeling like you’ve spent a small fortune and because it’s indoors, it’s perfect for those rainy, cold days! 

If you’re planning to go I’d say book ahead, especially at weekends or during school holidays. Also if you’ve got little ones or people unsteady on their feet keep an eye out for the uneven parts of the floor. I almost lost my balance a few times. If you have coats or bags you can borrow a basket with wheels on so you can pop them in there and bring them around the course with you. 

We left with big smiles, slightly sore arms and that satisfying we actually did something fun feeling. It’s the kind of place that works for everyone. We’ll definitely be back to try the Skull River course next time.

Have you ever played mini adventure golf?

The Wednesday Hodgepodge #35

I hope you are all having a good week? It's Wednesday which means it's time to join in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce who blogs at From This Side of the Pond! Each week there are 6 questions, we answer and then link up. Simple!

1. What does patriotism mean to you?

For me patriotism isn’t about waving flags or declaring how great Britain is it’s more of a feeling than putting on a show. It’s that pride that show up when I see the country come together for something like the royal celebrations, big sporting events or even a community pulling through a tough time. It’s loving the small, familiar things that make life here feel truly British: the dry humour that gets us through anything, the endless tea breaks that somehow make every crisis feel a bit smaller, the moaning about the weather that unites us all and even complaining about the government as if it’s a national pastime.

Being patriotic to me is about appreciating where I come from with all the quirks and contradictions. It’s feeling proud of our long, messy history and our old traditions but also recognising how we keep evolving as a country while still holding onto that keep calm and carry on attitude.

2. September-October-November...your favorite fall month? Tell us why. If you live in the southern hemisphere use these months but sub spring for the word fall.

I love all the "ber" months for different reasons. September has the whole back to school routine, October has half term, chilly mornings and Halloween and November for me just seems to have it all! I keep saying it but November is my favourite month, it's a busy one and I have a lot to look forward to with the run up to Christmas before things get crazy, good things on the TV, my birthday and the darker evenings where I can shut the curtains and get cosy!

3. A song you love with the word thanks (or some form of that word) in the title or lyrics?

Thank You for Loving Me by Bon Jovi! It is one of my all time favourite songs. It makes me think about the people who’ve stood by me through all the messy, unglamorous moments in my life. My fella Stu and my dad!

"Thank you for loving me. For being my eyes when I couldn't see. For parting my lips when I couldn't breathe. Thank you for loving me. You pick me up when I fall down. You ring the bell before they count me out. If I was drowning you would part the sea. And risk your own life to rescue me."

4. November is National Peanut Butter Month. Are you a fan? What's the last peanut butter bite you had? Fill in the blank: peanut butter and ______. Oh, and you can't say jelly.

I’m definitely a fan of peanut butter, it is hard to resist! Peanut butter sneaks into both sweet and savoury dishes making everything more tasty. It’s one of those ingredients that can turn a simple snack or meal into something a bit special.

Peanut butter and jam/jelly is not my thing, eek! I much prefer it with chocolate, Reese’s peanut butter cups are a weakness of mine and were probably the last thing with peanut butter that I ate but I do like peanut butter in savoury food too, like the Chicken Satay Noodles recipe I recently discovered. I've made it a few times and my family love it.

5. This week's gratitude question - What event from this past year are you most grateful for?

This is a really tough question to answer because this past year has been full of real life ups and downs that I haven’t really shared on my blog. There have been moments that were challenging, stressful and at times exhausting but looking back I’m grateful that we’ve been able to put those difficult things behind us and move forward. Even more than that I’m grateful for what those experiences taught us. The not so great moments weren’t fun while they were happening but they’ve given my family and me important lessons, helped us grow and brought us closer together.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

These photos appeared on my Facebook memories the day I was writing this blog post. They are from November 2013 back when Ellie, my youngest was just six years old. At that age she was completely obsessed with everything pink! It was pink this, pink that, pink everywhere and she absolutely loved anything that sparkled. Little bits of glitter and shimmer were her thing and actually she still has a soft spot for a bit of sparkle even now. It feels like twelve years ago was a lifetime ago! At the time I couldn’t have imagined her ever moving away from that obsession with pink but fast forward to today and she’s fully embraced a totally different look. Now it’s all about the goth/emo look, everything in her wardrobe is black or dark red. Don’t get me wrong she absolutely rocks it and looks amazing but wow, twelve years ago I never would have guessed she’d go in that direction. It’s funny how kids grow up and change in ways you just can’t predict!

Share our Lives - Habits to make time for reading!

It's that time of the month again, to share some of my life and join in with the other Share Our Lives bloggers. This month the prompt is: Habits to make time for reading. This one seemed difficult for me at first as I am not a big reader of books until I started to think outside of the box, I read blogs and lots of them so thought I would go with that.

Life is busy and it’s amazing we have time to do anything fun but I always seem to make time to sit down each day and read some of my favourite blogs! There’s something so comforting about blog reading. It’s like catching up with a friend who always has something interesting, helpful or funny to say. Whether it’s tips, parenting stories, movie reviews or just someone’s weekend recap, I love it. It is sometimes it's hard to make time to read our favourite blogs but I came up with some ideas to help you out and get your blog fix!

Start your morning with a blog instead of social media!

I know I am sometimes guilty of scrolling on social media at the start of my day. Instead you could use that time productively. Try swapping that five or ten minutes for a blog reading instead. It’s a simple habit switch and it can make your morning feel calmer. I like reading blogs that inspire me or make me feel productive first thing on a morning. It’s a nicer start to the day than being bombarded by news stories and ads.

Use a blog reader app!

You can use blog reader apps like Feedly or Bloglovin’ so all your favourite blogs are in one place. You simply add the blogs you love to your list and whenever those sites post something new, it appears in your Feedly or Bloglovin feed. I prefer Feedly over Bloglovin. Feedly looks a bit intimidating at first but once you sign up and start adding blogs to your list it is quite simple to use. I have used Bloglovin it in the past and only stopped when it went down for a while a few years ago.

Set a time slot and treat it like an appointment!

This one sounds a bit formal but if you can carve out even 10 or 15 minutes a day and actually protect that time it makes all the difference. For me, I’ve claimed mid morning, everyone’s doing their own thing and I feel like I've earned a sit down after doing jobs around the house.

Use blog reading as a mini break!

Instead of reaching for snacks or doomscrolling when you’re feeling bored or need a sit down, read a blog post instead! It’s a quick mental reset that can leave you feeling inspired or at least a bit more cheerful.

Comment or Share!

When you read a blog and really enjoy it, leave a little comment or even share the post with someone you think would like it. It turns reading into a more interactive habit and you're more likely to remember what you read, go back for more and feel connected.

Declutter your blog list!

Sometimes we don’t make time to read blogs because we’re overwhelmed by how many we’ve bookmarked or followed. Give your blog list a little tidy up. Keep the ones that make you smile, teach you something or leave you feeling uplifted. When your reading list feels lighter you’ll be more inclined to dive in.

Pair it with something you already do!

If you want to read more blogs pair it with a habit you already have. Maybe you always have a cup of tea mid morning or like to unwind with a bath in the evening bring your phone or tablet and catch up on a post or two. When you link blog reading to a habit you already enjoy it becomes second nature.

Let go of the guilt!

Don’t feel bad if you don’t read every blog post by every blogger you love. Blogs are there to dip in and out of when it suits you. Some weeks you’ll read loads, other times none at all and that’s OK! The point is to enjoy it and not turn it into another item on the never ending list of things you should do.

I love reading posts from people all around the world and because of reading blogs and commenting I can now call some of those bloggers friends.

How do you manage reading other blogs?

I am linking up with:

Adrienne from Mom Life with Adrienne.

Dara from Not In Jersey.

Jen from Show me & Sweet tea.

Joanne from Slices of Life.

Sarah from Toronto Sam.