I'm Going To Be A Granny

At last I can publicly announce that my 24 year old son Joe and his lovely girlfriend Jade are going to have their first baby!  It's due at Christmas and will be a wonderful addition to our family.

Ian and I are fully intending to be the coolest grandparents ever. (G-Mama and G-Daddy in da house!? Maybe not eh!)  It is an exciting time for us all and we will welcome the new generation of the family McD with huge amounts of love!  My family is the most important thing in my life and I feel totally blessed!  My girls are thrilled at the prospect of becoming aunties and Freddy will love to have a new playmate/nephew/niece!  Both mine and Ian's parents are delighted at becoming great grandparents.  Both great grandmas' knitting needles will be clicking away making shawls and cardies galore!  With Jade's family equally excited, this baby is going to be thoroughly adored!

My New Grandbaby  (12 week scan)

They had their 12 week  scan today and baby McDonald is a healthy little cutie...I think he looks just like his mummy (or should that be she looks like her mummy!!)  Time alone will tell!!  But one things certain, he or she is destined to be born into a world full of love.

My Fabulous Mini Baker!

Our Day With The Fabulous Bakin' Boys

Today Kizzy and I headed off to Oxford to visit the Fabulous Bakin' Boys factory where she was going to be working on the production of her new Jungle Jumble cupcakes!

On arrival she was kitted out with an apron and chef's hat before entering the test kitchens to knock up a test run of her recipe.  With precise measurements and timings, the recipe was identical to the huge runs that will be produced in the factory, just scaled down!

With Kizzy's choice of colour and flavour intensities, the cakes were exactly how she had imagined them.  The yellow coloured, banana flavoured sponge is topped with white chocolate flavoured with tropical fruits and coloured in a natural mango-orange colouring!  As these cupcake minis were for her own consumption, she got to decorate them with sprinkles, sugar flowers and other fabulous toppings.  She was totally in her element personalising her cupcakes!  She also had a go at making some swirly buttercream topped cakes and I picked up some expert advice from the Bakin' Boy cooks!

After she'd finished baking, we donned protective gear and had a tour of the factory to see some Mixed Berry Minis and Chocolate Flapjack Fingers being made.  Never have I seen so many cakes in one place!!  Thousands of goodies whizzed by in an impressive feat of engineering and manpower!  The manual chocolate spreaders who spread molten chocolate onto huge sheets of flapjack were amazing!

Kizzy had a photoshoot to take the pictures that will appear on the packaging of her cupcake minis.  Bless her, she is a real pro...patient and accommodating!  I was very proud of her.

A tea party in the Not-So-Bored-Room was thoroughly enjoyed with Kizzy eating her own body weight in watermelon, strawberries, grapes...and of course cupcakes!  It was lovely chatting to the team and the love of the company came across loud and clear.  

Having a sneaky peek at the packaging that will be used was really thrilling!  I won't give too much away but the box design is incredibly cute and has a brilliant jungle theme.  Kizzy was delighted with it.  I can't wait to see the finished packaging with her photo on the front on the shelves of Asda, Morrisson's and the Co-Op when they are launched later in the summer!

Another photo shoot with the local press marked the end of Kizzy's day as a Mini Baker.  Laden down with cupcakes, muffins and cakes to share with the rest of the family, Kizzy was quite exhausted but had loved every minute of this experience.

Kizzy and The Team!

I'll keep you posted on details of the launch of Kizzy's cupcakes from the Fabulous Bakin' Boys!

In the meantime, check out the Fabulous Bakin' Boys Facebook Page for competitions, news, chat and fun!

Bob The Builder Playsets

Bob The Builder Let's Go To Work Playsets from Character

Bob the Builder is one of the most well known of children's TV characters.  My little boy loves him and sings along to the theme song, watches his Bob DVD and wears his Bob hard hat.  So he was delighted to receive two playsets from the Bob The Builder - Let's Go To Work range: The Building Site and the Supplier's Yard from Character to play with.

The playsets are sturdy plastic bases complete with a figure and accessories, which allows a child to get busy and help with the job in hand.  At the Building Site they can help Bob collect concrete in the wheelbarrow or drill out the tiles with the pneumatic drill.

The Suppliers Yard is where Bob can stock up on supplies.  Charlie can load up pallets with planks and other building materials for Bob to collect.  There is an opening pair of doors and a workbench.

The playsets attach together with simple interlocking tabs and build up into a bigger playset which can be added to and expanded with additional playsets and vehicles.  However, they do stand alone so you don't need to spend a fortune to have fun!

The sets are aimed at children aged 3-5 years old.  There are a lot of accessories, tools and little pieces included, so I think this is definitely for the older pre-schooler.  Freddy is 3 and enjoyed playing with all the movable parts, wheeling the wheelbarrow and piling the planks on the pallets.  The tiled floor is a good feature encouraging dexterity.  It fits together like a puzzle and the pieces can be removed using the end of the drill.  

The attention to detail on the playsets is impressive and there is a lot to explore.  They are the perfect inspiration for some great imaginative role play.  The characters are articulated, but the hands can't actually  grip the tools. Freddy tried in vain to get Bob to hold the shovel!

I judge toys by how much my children enjoy playing with them and Freddy really has had a lot of fun with these two playsets.  I really like how the two sets attach together making a really interesting toy with lots of play value.  You can't go wrong with Bob the Builder!!

Freddy Loves Bob The Builder!

Kid Icarus Uprising Game Review

Kid Icarus Uprising For The Nintendo 3DS

We are enjoying testing out the Nintendo 3DS, the fabulous hand held 3D entertainment and gaming system.  We were sent some games to test out and 9 year old Kizzy * and daddy Ian have been battling against Medusa and her minions in Kid Icarus Uprising, the stunning 3D game from Nintendo.  (* This game is 12 rated but I've used parental judgment and deemed it appropriate for Kizzy to play on.)

Kid Icarus is a game that has been brought out of retirement and has taken the world of portable gaming by storm.  The main character Pit is an angel, the long forgotten hero from Nintendo's archives who has been resurrected for a fantastic new adventure.

With 'in the air' and 'on the ground' action, this game sees Pit battle the forces of evil.  Medusa is leading her troops in an invasion with the threat of an 'end of world' scenario.  Fierce aerial combat and gripping ground fights give the player two distinct methods of gameplay.  The difficulty levels can be adjusted to accommodate both beginners and experienced players, making it a good choice for a 9 year old and her dad!

The graphics are great with impressive landscapes.  The 3D is eye-popping!  Unfortunately for Ian, being left-handed meant he struggled with the controls. Much of the gameplay is controlled by the stylus.  With the circle pad on the left of the controller, the stylus is held in the right hand.  The game requires precision and swift action, tricky for a leftie!!  He also finds the 3D makes his eyes ache after a while (...old age??!!)  This however can be remedied by using a stand which holds the screen still, stopping your eyes having to constantly adjust to the 3D effect.

One minute you are soaring through beautiful skies, then you are trekking through ancient landscapes and then fighting a monster. Weapons used against the evil forces can be bought, traded (via StreetPass) or collected and different weapons can be fused to create new ones. There is a lot to this game keeping you entertained and engaged with the characters and the storyline.

The game can be played as an exciting solo odyssey, but has multiplayer modes for co-op or competitive action.  You can play online with up to six friends in an intense battle.  Online modes include a Light vs Dark team game or a free for all with every man for themselves.  It comes with AR cards so you can engage in augmented reality battles too.  The technology is just mindblowing!

The game is merciless in its action, full on and fast paced.  Kizzy has bursts of playing with it to get a fix of shoot'em up action and is happy with her slow progress.  She enjoys the characters' conversations!   Ian's progress is hampered by being left handed in a game with such a relentless gameplay at times.

Overall, we are impressed with the visuals that show just how far portable gaming is progressing.  We love the characters and landscapes and the story of Kid Icarus Uprising is engaging with light hearted elements to off set the ferocity of the gameplay.  It may take us some time to get through all the chapters, whereas a hardcore gamer could battle through the hours of play, slaying the bosses and meeting the challenges of land and air combat.  Treasure Hunt panels are revealed for certain achievements giving rewards such as weapons, power and hearts.  The game is robust and well constructed and rewarding.  We will battle on and take Pit all the way!!

Kid Icarus Uprising is available in shops now and includes a stand.  RRP £29.99

Content and Calm Travel Competition

Could Your Child Be A Travel Bug Reporter?

Do you want to win a family holiday to a luxury villa in Greece courtesy of Simpson Travel?  Or an all expenses paid family trip to a top UK attraction?

Does your child have natural flair in front of the camera?  Could they be a budding TV presenter or a reporter in training?  Then this competition will be perfect for them!

Content and Calm are looking for ten Travel Bug Reporters who will set off for an all expenses paid adventure with their family and report back sharing their insider tips to create a series of online travel guide videos.

For your chance to win simply submit a short, fun video of your child sharing their favourite holiday memories, its highlights and funny stories!  To help you on your way, Content and Calm have provided six simple questions to act as prompts, but you can be as creative as you like.  You could shoot on location, show off your child's foreign language skills, share a favourite souvenir or they could dress up in a favourite holiday outfit.

Questions:

1.       Tell us about your favourite holiday, where you went and what you did?

2.       What was the best element of the holiday and why?

3.       What was the worst part of the holiday?

4.       If your best friend went there tomorrow, what would you tell them to do?

5.       Who would you most love to go on holiday with?

6.       Who is more fun on holiday, mum or dad and why?

Upload your video to the Facebook TravelBug Reporter Competition App before 11.59pm on July 1st. Then get your family and friends to vote for your entry.  The nineteen highest voted for and one random wild card video will then go through to the judging round where the ten winners will be picked.

Here is Kizzy's entry into the TravelBug Reporter conpetition:

Pop over to the Content and Calm Facebook Page and vote for your favourite!

**This is a sponsored post.**

Making Union Jack Cushions

A Rainy Day Craft Activity...Sewing A Union Jack Cushion

Unfortunately, yesterday was a rather wet and cold and windy day for the Jubilee celebrations and our street party was cancelled.  So instead of singing God Save the Queen while eating scones and cucumber sandwiches with our neighbours, we were stuck indoors.  But with an Interplay My Style Make Union Jack Cushions set to try out, we could get down to some patriotic crafts instead!

The set includes everything needed to make two hand sewn felt Union Jack Cushions, one large and one small.  The cushion pads come vacuum packed and spring up when removed from the plastic packaging.  You just need your own scissors and you're ready to go.  The pre-cut felt pieces are sewn together according to the instructions using the coloured thread.  The sewing holes are ready punched and line up well.

9 year old Kizzy set off stitching together the pieces and although I had to unravel a few knotted threads she did quite a good job initially.  She did however get a bit confused as to how to assemble all the parts and I have to admit that with my lack of spatial awareness and lack of sewing skills I wasn't much help.  I'm pretty sure we had two of the diagonals sewn on upside down!  Kizzy found it a bit complicated and fiddly as we progressed.

We persevered together, and even though we ended up probably doing some bits our own way, rather than sticking to the instructions, we did end up with a rather nice little button-up cushion at the end of our session.  It isn't perfect...but we were proud!

The Union Jack Cushion Set costs £14.99 and is aimed at ages 8+. 

Kizzy is not a naturally gifted seamstress, but she was quite pleased with the finished pillow.  I'm sure with practice she'll improve and quickly surpass my sewing talents!!  But between us, we had fun and created a Jubilee souvenir that will forever remind us of the day that our street party was rained off!

The Binary Box For Father's Day

Revamp Your Wall Space With The Binary Box Plus Get A 25% Discount This Father's Day

The Binary Box is an exciting website run by passionate folk dedicated to the idea that decorating does not have to be dull!  The Binary Box offers a huge and tempting range of vinyl Wall Stickers in different formats to suit any room or taste. From trendy to traditional, toddler to teenager there is something to suit everyone. Each vinyl comes with clear instructions and can be removed easily whenever you want to redecorate following the simple step by step guide. It’s the fun and cost effective way to make your house fresh, different and give it a stamp of individuality.  Any room can be made to stand out with a wall decal from The Binary Box.  If you have a plain blank wall in your home you can make it look absolutely stunning with The Binary Box!

This Father's Day, The Binary Box are offering a 25% discount when you buy one of the special bumper stickers for just £2.99.  In three cool designs, you'll find one that suits your dad's personality.  I like the 'Who's The Daddy' design!

Who's The Daddy?

The Binary Box collections offer a huge choice of designs.  Trendy dads might like their very own Banksy graffiti design to add a fun, modern and irreverent personalisation to a favourite room.  How about this Anarchist Guard to provide a focal point to any space?

Get  Your Own Banksy Artwork

Music Loving dads will love having an iconic image of their favourite music legend on their wall.   Choose from Icons Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Morrissey, Ian Brown or Oasis.

Globe Trotting dads may prefer something from the World Map collection.  From the traditional to the quirky, these will look great in a study, inspiring wanderlust!

This year the Cool Britannia imagery of 2012 is making us all feel patriotic.  The Best of British Collection  includes iconic and quintessentially British imagery to add a statement to any room in the house.  You can have your very own post box, double decker box, red phone box or even a London Street sign to bring the capital to your home!

If dad is more of a mad scientist the Science Museum collection has a great selection of science geek images to please him.  Planets, astronauts, DNA molecules or even a Periodic Table will look really impressive on the wall!

If you have a dad who would like to funk up his wall space with something really unique and impressive then check out www.thebinarybox.co.uk and make this Father's Day a bit different!

Review

I was given the chance to try some wall decals from Binary Box.  I decided to get a selection of products including some rubber ducks for our bathroom, name stickers for my two youngest children and a car sticker for Ian's car.  I loved some of the Banksy designs but you would really need a big expanse of clear wall to make the most of them.  (With five kids and all the stuff that comes with them, we don't have much free wall space left!)

The stickers arrived in a stout plastic tube that kept them safe in transit.  I was surprised by how large they were.  The Rubber Duck wall sticker set contains seven ducks.  The smallest is 11cm x 11cm and the biggest is 45cm x 48cm.  They are priced at £19.99 and are available in different colours to suit your decor. We went for brown and yellow to match our bathroom.  With the top layer on the picture they look a bit creased and dull, but that is not indicative of the finished result.

Our Binary Box Delivery

The stickers are easy to apply if you follow the instructions.  You simply stick the adhesive top layer and the sticker to the wall whilst pulling out the backing paper, smoothing it out as you go.  When the backing paper is out you pull off the adhesive top layer which leaves the sticker stuck to the wall.  The colour of the sticker on the wall is much more vibrant once the top layer is removed.

Step By Step Sticker Fitting 

There are good fitting videos on the website demonstrating the technique, very useful for the larger images.  The stickers can be removed using a hairdryer and again full details are on the website.

I really like how our ducks have brightened up our plain bathroom walls.  They look really good and the kids love them!  Ian also loves his Rubber Ducks and car sticker and agrees that they would make a great gift for Father's Day! Just make sure you have the appropriate amount of wall space to do the design you choose justice.

Patriotic Fancy Dress

All Fancy Dress Gets Patriotic For 2012!

This year is one that is filled with national pride.  From this weekend's Jubilee celebrations to the forthcoming Olympics, there has never been a better time to be British.  So let's belt out our National Anthem and hoist our Union flag high and make the most of this special era in our history.

To celebrate, All Fancy Dress have a range of Great British Costumes that will be perfect for street parties, celebrations and for supporting Team GB at sporting events.

We were sent a Rule Brittania Glitter Costume, a sassy outfit based on Geri Halliwell's iconic Union Jack dress.  Covered in sequins it is very sparkly and will certainly stand out at any event!

Available in sizes 8-10, 12-14 and 16-18, it will fit any figure.  However its short and slinky design is definitely one for the brave...which is why I asked for one to fit my 16 year old daughter!  And what a gorgeous model she makes!

The design really is quite glamorous and the sequins are well attached to the lace front that covers the sleeveless polyester mini dress.  Not only will this dress work for Great British events, it will be great as a fancy dress costume if you wanted to go as a Spice Girl.

The dress is sponge clean only.  It costs £25.99.  All Fancy Dress pride themselves on quick delivery (with same day despatch if ordered before 17.15)  and excellent customer service.  They offer low cost and free delivery options.  You can order online or speak to a member of the team by phone.

If Union Jack mini dresses aren't your thing, they offer a huge range of fancy dress outfits and accessories for men, women, couples and children for every occasion in dozens of themes for fans of Horror to Disney and everything in between!

www.allfancydress.com

Silent Sunday - Gosling

Face Painting Fun #Project 52

Freddy decided to have some fun with my face paints, using big sister Ella as a model!  I think he did quite a good job!!!

Ice Age 4 Continental Drift Review

Kizzy's Odeon Junior Reviewer for Ice Age 4 Entry!

Kizzy loves films.  She really is a junior film buff and when she found out about the Odeon Official Junior Reviewer competition, she was really eager to have a go at making a video review of the official Ice Age 4 Trailer.

She loves the Ice Age films and was really excited about the trailer for Continental Drift.  It does look like a pretty exciting film!  My daughter would make the perfect reviewer for this film, after all  Kizzy has even met Sid!

Here is her video review of the Ice Age 4 Continental Drift Trailer for Odeon....please give it a watch....even if it is just to see my hilarious attempt at Ice Age face painting!  hehe! 

The five videos with the most views go forward to a judging stage and I'd love for her efforts to go in front of  the judges!  Thank you for your time :)

Ice Age 4 Continental Drift comes to cinemas on July 13th 2012.

What Do You Give A Celebrity Who's Got Everything?

'Celebrity Gifts - A Timeline' is an infographic from Find Me A Gift

Tipping Point

Syria - a Day Of Protest

Today the parent blogging community is coming together to speak out...to use our voices and share our outrage and sadness at the atrocities that are happening in Syria.

As I sit here watching my own children play together, I cannot help but think about the massacre that occurred in Houla last weekend.  Children like my own children were viciously slaughtered in their own homes.  Whole families were violently killed without mercy.  Reading the graphic account of the slayings, I wept.  Tears for those innocent children who watched their parents and siblings murdered in front of them, knowing they were next.  108 men, women and children were massacred that night.

As we watch the news articles and read the coverage of the escalating problems in Syria, I for one can't understand how in the 21st century these things can be allowed to happen.  I don't fully understand the politics behind the conflict.  I don't know how a peaceful resolution could be implemented.

But I know that I cannot ignore the deaths of 49 innocent children.  Just little boys and girls who deserved to be safe and protected against the horrors that befell them and their families.

This is why I am adding my voice to this cause.  I am just one mother.  A mother who wants to tell the world that I am not prepared to turn away and ignore this.  A mother who will not allow these children to be forgotten.  A mother who has shed tears over the slaying of these families.  A mother who fears for the world and fears for humanity.

This is the tipping point.

Sign the Save the Children petition.  Take action to stop the killing.

Read more at the Syria - A Day of Protest page.

Be heard.  Share.  Join in.

Let the world know we will not just stand idly by.  Together we have a voice.  Let's use it.

#Syria   #StopTheKilling   #TippingPoint

E-Cloth Green Cleaning Challenge

Time To Come Clean and Go Green!

I am not one of these women who dons a pinny and headscarf and effortlessly floats around the house making everything sparkle and gleam with a smile on my face.  I am instead someone who finds housework a necessary evil! I hate the idea of using gallons of chemicals to keep my home spick and span.  Everytime I pour some harsh cleaner down the loo or down the plughole, I wonder where it is going to end up and what effect it is having on the environment.  I also suffer from psoriasis on my hands which flares up whenever I so much as look at a bottle of bleach!

Last year I discovered e-cloth  and was impressed that I could clean my home using nothing more than the power of water!  99% of germs can be removed without having to use chemical cleaners.  Using my e-cloth to clean up the bathroom sinks and polish the taps has been my contribution to green cleaning.  I feel like I am doing my bit, I'm saving money on cleaning products and it is quick, easy and effective on everyday messes.  However, I've not been brave enough to completely turn my back on the off the shelf products that temptingly promise to turn your greasy kitchens and limescale ridden bathrooms into sparkling clean spaces. 

This year however, my dedication to going green is being tested further with the e-cloth Green Cleaning Challenge.  Can I say good-bye to chemical cleaners for a whole month?  Using a range of e-cloth products along with a host of natural alternatives to chemical cleaners, can I keep my home hygienically clean?  

E-Cloth have sent me everything I need to go clean and green for the next four weeks.  Using some everyday items such as lemon juice, salt, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar, alongside some eco-cleaning products and my e-cloth collection, I'll be testing just how easy it is to go green.

Coming Clean and Going Green!

I'll be sharing some hints and tips on how you can clean your home naturally.  I'll also be interested to see how much I could save from my weekly shopping bill by making the switch.  Apparently we spend on average £109 a year on cleaning products.  The initial investment in e-cloth products could soon pay for itself several times over!  So wish me luck as I embark on this challenge!

Take a look at e-cloth's website to see the range of products specific to different household cleaning needs and maybe do your bit in coming clean and going green.