As with anything I think we have to make the most of these moments and what better thing to do than visit the park.
I mean, the park isn't just for kids is it…
Nice having that feeling of freedom to run around.
Showing posts with label sun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sun. Show all posts
Saturday, 11 October 2014
October Park Life
I don't know about you but I was pleasantly surprised last weekend to find the sun still shining brightly, even though we have reached October, I mean the Autumn season means golden leaves, wind and the beginning of colder temperatures doesn't it?
As with anything I think we have to make the most of these moments and what better thing to do than visit the park.
I mean, the park isn't just for kids is it…
Nice having that feeling of freedom to run around.
As with anything I think we have to make the most of these moments and what better thing to do than visit the park.
I mean, the park isn't just for kids is it…
Nice having that feeling of freedom to run around.
Saturday, 3 August 2013
Fun in the Sun
The day the kids broke up from school, we were off on our jolly holiday to Ibiza. This was actually our third time going as a family and Daddy Hazelden's fifth time, can you tell we love the place!!??
What I love most about Ibiza is that it caters for both families and younger people and people who want to have time out without their kids. We managed to spend our days entertaining the kids and when the evening came around my lovely mummy was on hand to babysit the kids once they were in bed so Daddy Hazelden and I got some much needed couple time. I think as our relationship has continued I have found having time to ourselves more and more important!!
It is surprising how much there is to do out there and unlike in our country, everything is more than affordable. We did a different thing with the children every day of the holiday, we got to enjoy the gorgeous weather whilst keeping active too.
Our first day there, the kids spent there time on the go karts, it was 1 euro a go but as you can see from the photo, we all paired up sitting on them and they went round the track a good few times before their turn ran out.
I had a turn with Freya driving, I was scared for my life, she is definitely a girl racer, turning on corners at the last sec, banging into the tyres.
Her older sister sped round the track, not taking her foot off of the accelerator.
The good thing was, there was a bouncy castle, trampolines and a soft play area too and these were free, so both Gracie and Layla were kept entertained whilst their sister's zoomed round on their bikes.
We had so much fun here that we spent our last evening here too!
The second day Daddy Hazelden took the eldest two down to the beach with a couple of nets to try and catch some fish whilst Layla and Gracie were having an afternoon siesta.
This meant them spending time by the sea, climbing over a rocks, a real mini adventure.
Not surprisingly they didn't manage to catch anything, although you can see from the picture on the right the Elise did catch a Nannie in her net.
It was really nice for them to get a bit of time alone with Daddy Hazelden as this is a rarity when we are at home.
I think this may be something that they can do at home as Daddy Hazelden used to go fishing a lot so it would be nice for the girls to join in with something that he enjoys, rather than him having to play princesses!!
Day three was a park day. Even when away from home, the kids love going to the park, a free and simple way of keeping the kids happy.
There are a lot of parks to choose from in Ibiza, literally everywhere you walk there is a different kind of park and they all cater for younger and older children.
The problem is trying to find one in the shade.
With the average temperatures around the 30 degree mark, if the park isn't shaded, then the park apparatus is left extremely hot, making it impossible to sit on without burning your bottom.
Trust me, I attempted sitting on the slide, one word, ouchie!!
Day four came. Who could have a holiday without playing a little bit of mini golf!!!
Less than 20 euros for the whole family to play and there was 18 holes to get round.
We decided to go in pairs, Daddy Hazelden and Elise, me and Freya and Nannie and Gracie together.
Layla sat in her stroller watching and we took it in turns to push her around the course.
Now Nannie and Gracie won but there was a little bit of cheating here because Gracie didn't really play a lot!!
It was funny watching the girls trying to hold their clubs properly and get them hitting the balls in the right direction, lets just say it took a while to get to the end of the course!!
Day five we spent the day at the beach which was literally outside of our hotel.
We spent a tiny 13 euros and rented out a pedlo for an hour.
Daddy Hazelden ended up doing most of the pedalling but the kids took it in turns going in it with him.
At one point there was Daddy Hazelden and I pedalling whilst I had Gracie sat on my lap, a tad difficult.
It was nice being out in the sea, watching the ferries go by, seeing other people in their pedlos and watching people float past on their lilos, really lovely views.
Pity the kids legs weren't longer so that they could pedal whilst Daddy and I laid back and soaked up the sun, maybe one day.
One thing we tried to do every day, was spent at least an hour in the swimming pools.
There were three pools, a bigger one more for adults, older children, a smaller shallower one and one with lots of slides and showers etc.
We actually spent the time trying to teach the kids how to swim and by the end of the holiday Elise was swimming along with a float, Freya was almost swimming without a float and was quite happy putting herself under the water and even little Gracie was telling everyone how she was managing to kick her legs.
The one complaint I had, was that the pools weren't very warm, it was a shock to the stystem the first time I stepped foot in them!!!
Layla was able to go swimming thanks to the lovely people at Bambino Mio sending me one of their swim nappies to review. These adorable nappies come in fours sizes and eight different prints. I picked the pink daisy print, so cute.
However, I was umming and arring which size to get because Layla was at the top end of one and not quite in to the size that was bigger. I opted for the medium size and I was pleased that I did. What a fab fit, no gaping around the legs and a lovely snug fit around the waist. Both the leg cuffs and waist are elasiticated so made it easy for Layla to freely move around. It is so soft and Layla definitely tested it to the max.
She wasn't overly keen on going into the swimming pool and it took a while to persuade her to sit down in the water but she did enjoy people watching whilst cuddling with me. She gave me a clear sign when she wanted to get out though, little monkey decided a number two was in order, but I am happy to report that it was all kept contained in the nappy and unlike disposable swim nappies, it stayed the same size no bulging and hanging down between the legs. And because it is reusable, we only needed the one nappy all holiday, more space for souvenirs in the suitcase!!!
On the last day we took the kids bowling. Again amazingly priced compared to over here, 24 euros for 2 games for 6 people!!
The nice thing was that there was a ramp for the kids to use to help them with the bowling, I really could have done with this myself as I am truly rubbish at bowling.
Just to prove how rubbish, I came last overall and my 5 year old came first!!
The best thing in Ibiza is that you don't have to wear those horrible sweaty bowling shoes!!
It was a great end to an amazing holiday.
It was a real shame it had to end, even the kids are asking when can we go back again and it really didn't help that we came back to rain in the UK the day we came home!!
So where has everyone else been on their holidays?? What places do you recommend??
xxxx
Disclaimer : I was sent the swim nappy free of charge for reviewing purposes however all thoughts and opinions are my own.
What I love most about Ibiza is that it caters for both families and younger people and people who want to have time out without their kids. We managed to spend our days entertaining the kids and when the evening came around my lovely mummy was on hand to babysit the kids once they were in bed so Daddy Hazelden and I got some much needed couple time. I think as our relationship has continued I have found having time to ourselves more and more important!!
It is surprising how much there is to do out there and unlike in our country, everything is more than affordable. We did a different thing with the children every day of the holiday, we got to enjoy the gorgeous weather whilst keeping active too.
I had a turn with Freya driving, I was scared for my life, she is definitely a girl racer, turning on corners at the last sec, banging into the tyres.
Her older sister sped round the track, not taking her foot off of the accelerator.
The good thing was, there was a bouncy castle, trampolines and a soft play area too and these were free, so both Gracie and Layla were kept entertained whilst their sister's zoomed round on their bikes.
We had so much fun here that we spent our last evening here too!
This meant them spending time by the sea, climbing over a rocks, a real mini adventure.
Not surprisingly they didn't manage to catch anything, although you can see from the picture on the right the Elise did catch a Nannie in her net.
It was really nice for them to get a bit of time alone with Daddy Hazelden as this is a rarity when we are at home.
I think this may be something that they can do at home as Daddy Hazelden used to go fishing a lot so it would be nice for the girls to join in with something that he enjoys, rather than him having to play princesses!!
There are a lot of parks to choose from in Ibiza, literally everywhere you walk there is a different kind of park and they all cater for younger and older children.
The problem is trying to find one in the shade.
With the average temperatures around the 30 degree mark, if the park isn't shaded, then the park apparatus is left extremely hot, making it impossible to sit on without burning your bottom.
Trust me, I attempted sitting on the slide, one word, ouchie!!
Less than 20 euros for the whole family to play and there was 18 holes to get round.
We decided to go in pairs, Daddy Hazelden and Elise, me and Freya and Nannie and Gracie together.
Layla sat in her stroller watching and we took it in turns to push her around the course.
Now Nannie and Gracie won but there was a little bit of cheating here because Gracie didn't really play a lot!!
It was funny watching the girls trying to hold their clubs properly and get them hitting the balls in the right direction, lets just say it took a while to get to the end of the course!!
We spent a tiny 13 euros and rented out a pedlo for an hour.
Daddy Hazelden ended up doing most of the pedalling but the kids took it in turns going in it with him.
At one point there was Daddy Hazelden and I pedalling whilst I had Gracie sat on my lap, a tad difficult.
It was nice being out in the sea, watching the ferries go by, seeing other people in their pedlos and watching people float past on their lilos, really lovely views.
Pity the kids legs weren't longer so that they could pedal whilst Daddy and I laid back and soaked up the sun, maybe one day.
There were three pools, a bigger one more for adults, older children, a smaller shallower one and one with lots of slides and showers etc.
We actually spent the time trying to teach the kids how to swim and by the end of the holiday Elise was swimming along with a float, Freya was almost swimming without a float and was quite happy putting herself under the water and even little Gracie was telling everyone how she was managing to kick her legs.
The one complaint I had, was that the pools weren't very warm, it was a shock to the stystem the first time I stepped foot in them!!!
Layla was able to go swimming thanks to the lovely people at Bambino Mio sending me one of their swim nappies to review. These adorable nappies come in fours sizes and eight different prints. I picked the pink daisy print, so cute.
However, I was umming and arring which size to get because Layla was at the top end of one and not quite in to the size that was bigger. I opted for the medium size and I was pleased that I did. What a fab fit, no gaping around the legs and a lovely snug fit around the waist. Both the leg cuffs and waist are elasiticated so made it easy for Layla to freely move around. It is so soft and Layla definitely tested it to the max.
She wasn't overly keen on going into the swimming pool and it took a while to persuade her to sit down in the water but she did enjoy people watching whilst cuddling with me. She gave me a clear sign when she wanted to get out though, little monkey decided a number two was in order, but I am happy to report that it was all kept contained in the nappy and unlike disposable swim nappies, it stayed the same size no bulging and hanging down between the legs. And because it is reusable, we only needed the one nappy all holiday, more space for souvenirs in the suitcase!!!
The nice thing was that there was a ramp for the kids to use to help them with the bowling, I really could have done with this myself as I am truly rubbish at bowling.
Just to prove how rubbish, I came last overall and my 5 year old came first!!
The best thing in Ibiza is that you don't have to wear those horrible sweaty bowling shoes!!
It was a great end to an amazing holiday.
It was a real shame it had to end, even the kids are asking when can we go back again and it really didn't help that we came back to rain in the UK the day we came home!!
So where has everyone else been on their holidays?? What places do you recommend??
xxxx
Disclaimer : I was sent the swim nappy free of charge for reviewing purposes however all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Tuesday, 30 July 2013
Sunshine has to mean BBQ time
The Great British weather has taken a turn for the good, making a nice change for all of us, especially if you aren't planning on going abroad this year.
When the sun is shining brightly, it always gets me in the mood for a good old barbeque, so when moneysupermarket.com set the "charcoal challenge", I was eager to get involved. We were given £50 to spend on creating the best barbeque on a budget and anyone who knows me will know that I am always on the look out for a bargain.
First off we actually needed to buy a disposable barbeque because we don't actually own one of our own due the garden not being a massive size. I managed to get a double sized one from Morrisons for a tiny £5.00, leaving me £45.00 for all the food and drink because you know what goes well with a barbeque, you guessed it, alcohol!!!
I managed to buy a lot of food with my money :
* 16 burgers
* 20 sausages
* 8 jacket potatoes
* 5 turkey steaks
* 5 lamb kebabs
* rolls for burgers and sausages
* ketchup
* salad
* coleslaw and potato salad
all of this cost less than £20.00 and in the end managed to feed 9 people and still with food left over!!
Then on to the drink, not quite as important as the food but it definitely plays a vital role I think :)
In the fridge we had :
* wine
* beer
* cider
* alcopops
* fizzy drink
* juice
Adults and children well catered for in my opinion, oh and ice was already in the freezer so no extra cost there!!
This still left me with arond £4 out of my budget to spend, what else would you need for a BBQ in hot weather??
What better to keep cool and keep the kids entertained whilst you are cooking than toys for the garden.
I love poundland for a tiny £3 I managed to pick up
* 3 fun shaped bubble blowers
* 3 water guns
* a small paddling pool
I think this prooves that when given a budget to stick to, it can stretch very far, I will definitely be setting myself more budgets in the future.
Now after all the buying, it was time to finally sit down and enjoy what we had bought.
Bring on the fun in the sun.
When the sun is shining brightly, it always gets me in the mood for a good old barbeque, so when moneysupermarket.com set the "charcoal challenge", I was eager to get involved. We were given £50 to spend on creating the best barbeque on a budget and anyone who knows me will know that I am always on the look out for a bargain.
First off we actually needed to buy a disposable barbeque because we don't actually own one of our own due the garden not being a massive size. I managed to get a double sized one from Morrisons for a tiny £5.00, leaving me £45.00 for all the food and drink because you know what goes well with a barbeque, you guessed it, alcohol!!!
I managed to buy a lot of food with my money :
* 16 burgers
* 20 sausages
* 8 jacket potatoes
* 5 turkey steaks
* 5 lamb kebabs
* rolls for burgers and sausages
* ketchup
* salad
* coleslaw and potato salad
all of this cost less than £20.00 and in the end managed to feed 9 people and still with food left over!!
In the fridge we had :
* wine
* beer
* cider
* alcopops
* fizzy drink
* juice
Adults and children well catered for in my opinion, oh and ice was already in the freezer so no extra cost there!!
This still left me with arond £4 out of my budget to spend, what else would you need for a BBQ in hot weather??
I love poundland for a tiny £3 I managed to pick up
* 3 fun shaped bubble blowers
* 3 water guns
* a small paddling pool
I think this prooves that when given a budget to stick to, it can stretch very far, I will definitely be setting myself more budgets in the future.
Now after all the buying, it was time to finally sit down and enjoy what we had bought.
Bring on the fun in the sun.
So of course Daddy Hazelden was in charge of cooking the food
Gracie decided whilst waiting for her food that she would chill out in the paddling pool.
And was just as quick to sit at the table as soon as the first burger was ready.
Even Layla enjoyed herself with her partner in crime, Freya keeping her company.
I really loved this challenge because it made a day spent with friends and family possible and really opened my eyes as to just how much you can get with your money if you really try. Here's to many more BBQ's this Summer!!
How many BBQ's have you all had this year so far, did you manage to do it on a budget??
xxxx
Disclaimer : I was sent £50 by moneysupermarket to take part in this challenge, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sunday, 30 June 2013
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