Reasons To Love Spring

Now the clocks have gone forward and we are officially into British Summertime, it made me think of all the reasons why I love Spring!

• Easter - For us Easter means quality family time, egg hunts, chocolate, hot cross buns and a long weekend off work! 
• Lighter evenings - I don't know about you but the long dark winter evenings just make me want to get under a duvet and hibernate. I love when the clocks change and the evenings stay lighter and lighter. It makes me more inclined to get outside whether that's going for a walk after dinner or even just sitting out on the decking with a glass of wine!
• Picnics - It's a well known fact that food tastes better when eaten outside (probably...!) and the longer days and warmer weather just make me want to grab the picnic blanket, pack a cool bag and find a picnic bench with a view! We've managed a few picnics so far this year and it certainly beats eating in the car. 
• Cute baby animals - What says Spring more than cute new arrivals! Our local farm and favourite place Farmer Palmers  have recently welcomed new piglets, lambs and ducks to name a few and we've enjoyed going to see them, the piggies were SO cute! 
• Warm weather - probably the best thing about Spring! It means we can ditch the winter coats and boots and bring out the flip flops from hibernation - yay!
• Blooming flowers - everything is so colourful at this time of year and you know when you see those first daffodils that Spring is here!
• Washing - I know this is a bit sad but I love being able to hang the washing outside in the Spring when it starts to get warmer! 

What do you love most about this time of year?

Easter Cards with Postsnap

Easter rolls around every year and I always mean to send out some nice Easter cards to our nearest and dearest but somehow I never get round to it!

I have blogged about Postsnap before (see here) but really like the ease of sending cards using their app. After discovering a new Easter greetings card range,  I had no excuses not to send cards!

There are a wide range of styles for Easter cards and I love the colour schemes - it took me a while to decide which one to go for!

Once I'd narrowed down my choices to one, I was able to upload a photo directly from Facebook and play around with the colours and text on the card. You can even add different effects to your photo, very handy if you want to brighten it up or have it black and white.

The whole process was very quick and the app is very user-friendly. It even gives you the option of sending a duplicate card to a different recipient. The cards cost £3 which includes delivery - definitely worth it, so convenient being able to send from the iPad and saves battling the crowds in town ;)

Visit the Postsnap website for more information or download the app to get started! 

Disclaimer: We received credit to send this Easter card for the  purpose of this honest review. All views are my own

73 Questions

You may or may not have heard about Vogue's 73 Questions campaign - I hadn't until today, but then I'm more likely to be reading the CBeebies magazine than Vogue! Anyway, they interview a celebrity and ask them 73 quickfire questions - there's lots of videos on YouTube. Just recently, bloggers have been taking part on their blogs and you can find some great examples on Mrs H's Favourite Things and You Baby Me Mummy. So inspired by these lovely ladies I decided to have a go too!

73 Questions

1. What's your favourite movie?

I couldn't possibly pick one! ET or The Goonies

2. Favourite movie in the past five years?

Pitch Perfect - I can't wait for the sequel! 

3. Favourite Hitchcock film?

Not really my cup of tea, sorry!

4. A book you plan on reading?

I don't get the chance to read very often these days but I like the sound of The Girl on The Train, I'll have to put it on my holiday reading list!

5. A book that you read at school that positively shaped you? 

I wouldn't say it shaped me but I've never forgotten Of Mice and Men!

6.Favourite TV show that's currently on?

I am loving the weirdness of Fortitude, can't wait to see how it pans out

7. On a scale of one to ten, how excited are you about life right now?

Right now, it's a 9! We have so many exciting things happening this year and an amazing Florida holiday to look forward to in the Autumn, can't wait!

8. iPhone or Android?

Always had Android so don't know any different!

9. Twitter or Instagram?
I use Twitter more I think but I do like having a nosy at peoples pics on Instagram

10. Who should EVERYONE be following right now?
Am I allowed to say me?!

11. What's your favourite food?

Ham and pineapple pizza

12. Least favourite food?
Cauliflower or kiwi fruits

13. What do you love on your pizza?
See number 11!

14. Favourite drink?
Cherry pepsi max

15. Favourite dessert?
Cheesecake....any variety!

16. Dark or milk chocolate?
Milk

17. Coffee or tea?

Neither...would rather have a hot chocolate!

18. What's the hardest part about being a mum?

Being on call 24 hours a day! 

19. What's your favourite band?

30 Seconds to Mars or A-Ha....slightly different!

20. Favourite solo artist?

I like a bit of Lady Gaga now and again

21. Favourite song?

Take on Me, A-Ha

22. If you could sing a duet with anyone, who would it be?

Jared Leto..but I wouldn't be able to concentrate on the singing!!

23. If you could master one instument, what would it be?

Guitar, I tried once but I wasn't too great at it!

24. If you had a tattoo, where would it be?

Not really a fan of tattoos but I guess wrist would be an ok spot!

25. To be or not to be? 

To be, always!

26. Dogs or cats?

Cats

27. Bird watching or whale watching? 

Used to love bird watching when I was younger but I'd love to go whale watching now!

28. Best gift you've ever received?

Elliot of course

29. Best gift you've ever given?

Got to be Elliot again hasn't it!

30. Last gift you gave a friend?

I gave my sister some dollars for her holiday to Panama, and some vegan chocolate which she scoffed straight away!

31. What's your favourite board game?

Trivial Pursuit

32. What's your favourite country to visit?

America, there is just so much to see

33. The last country you visited?

Cyprus last year. Or Wales 3 weeks ago!

34. What country do you wish to visit?

I'd love to go to Canada, hopefully we will one day

35. What's your favourite colour?

Purple

36, Least favourite colour?

Mustard

37. Diamonds or pearls?

Diamonds

38. Heels or flats?

Flats...always! I'm no good in heels and am much more at home in a pair of flip flops

39. Pilates or yoga?

Never done either

40. Jogging or swimming?

I'm definitely not a runner but I do enjoy a dip in the pool

41. Best way to destress?

A night in front of the telly watching something like Modern Family or Big Bang theory

42. If you had one superpower what would it be?
Flying...what else?!

43. What's the weirdest word in the English language?
Discombobulated

44. What's your favourite flower?
Gerberas

45. When was the last time you cried?
We watched ET last weekend and the ending gave me watery eyes!

46. Do you like your handwriting?
It used to be lovely at school but not so nice these days

47. Do you bake?
A bit. I prefer the eating part though

48. What is your least favourite part of yourself?
No will power! (Especially with diets)

49. What is your favourite thing about yourself?
Reliable!

50. Who do you miss most?
My lovely friend Zoe who passed away a few years back xx

51. What are you listening to right now?
My husband is watching film trailers online

52. Favourite smell?
Freshly baked bread (I was going to say babies but it just sounded a bit odd!)

53. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
Mortgage provider

54. Who was the last person you sent a text to?
My friend Karen, we were discussing Andy from CBeebies!

55. A sport you wish you could play?
I wish I was good at running!

56. Hair colour?
Browny......with too many grey ones underneath!

57. Eye colour?
Blue

58. Scary film or happy endings?
Happy endings

59. Favourite season?
Summer! Long days, bbqs, beer gardens, having the patio doors open in the evenings!

60. Three people alive or dead that you'd like to have dinner with?
Kiefer Sutherland, Justin Fletcher and Miranda Hart (What a combo!)

61. Hugs or kisses?
Hugs

62. Rolling Stones or Beatles?
Beatles

63. Where were you born?
Poole, Dorset

64. What is the furthest you have been from home?
Los Angeles

65. Sweet or savoury?
Sweet

66. Lipstick or lipgloss?
Neither

67. What book have you read again and again?
Twilight!

68. Favourite bedtime story?
Gotta be the Gruffalo hasn't it!

69. What would be the title of your autobiography?
No idea!!

70. Favourite sound?
Elliot laughing his head off :)

71. Favourite animal?
Owls

72. Who is your girl crush?
I love Miranda!! Such fun!

73. Last photograph you took?

kids and cardboard boxes!!

Mr Tumble's Circus - Live on Stage, April 2015

Roll up, roll up....Mr Tumble's Circus is coming to an arena near you! 

Following on from his first sell out arena tour in 2013, Justin is back in a brand new show - Justin & Friends : Mr Tumble's Circus. He's bringing along lots of his CBeebie's friends including Cat Sandion, Gem from Swashbuckle, Robert the Robot and most excitingly of all........Andy Day!!!!

Regular readers of my blog may remember we went to Lollibop festival last year - as well as seeing the amazing Justin Fletcher on stage, we were lucky enough to meet Andy. Elliot is such a big fan and everytime Andy is on TV he says "we met Andy!!". (Mummy quite likes Andy too but shh,  don't tell anyone!)

Elliot is very excited about this live show but I must admit, I'm equally as excited! When we saw Justin at Lollibop, he was so enjoyable and I can guarantee his new show is going to be even better.

We are seeing the show at Wembley but Justin is touring arenas all across the UK. For more information and tickets, visit http://www.cbeebieslive.com/

Alternative Easter Gifts for Kids

Easter is just around the corner and the shops are choc-full of eggs, bunnies and hot cross buns. All kids love a chocolate egg (who doesn't?!) but if you are looking for an Easter gift of the non-chocolate variety then look no further! 

1. Goody Good Stuff gummy sweets* - 'Giving Sweets a Good Name'. These yummy sweets make a great alternative to chocolate and they don't contain any nasty meat gelatine which is found in lots of other gummy based sweets. 12 different flavours to try and perfect for an Easter hunt! 
2. Personalised Bunny In A Box - I spotted this whilst browsing www.notonthehighstreet.com and I just thought it was so cute and would make a lovely present for a little bunny lover. 
3. Make Your Own Animal Masks - This crafty kit would make a great gift for a rainy day over the Easter Hols!
4. Minions Skittle Set - If your kid is as obsessed with minions as my son then you can't go wrong with this cool little set
5. Tatty Teddy Easter t-shirt* - Great quality t-shirt from George at Asda, perfect for Easter. Meant to be for girls but Elliot was eying up this t-shirt too! 
6. Itsyourstory personalised book* - if you are looking for something a bit special for Easter then I cannot recommend this book enough. As well as having your child's name in it, it is printed with their face in it too! I'll be doing a proper review of this book in the next week or so :)
7. Justin Fletcher, Just Party - I actually ordered this CD today, we love Justin Fletcher and his CDs have kept Elliot amused on many a long car journey! 
8. Yummy Dough* - You know how kids always want to eat play doh because it smells so nice? (.....just my kid?!) Well now they can! Yummy Dough can be shaped and played with, then baked in the oven to make tasty biscuits - yum yum!
9. Chad Valley PlaySmart range* - Chad Valley have launched a new range of toys that are both fun and educational, designed to stimulate a child's imagination while they develop key skills along the way, We recently reviewed the Reading, Writing and Spelling pack - see here. 

Do you buy your children a chocolate egg or do you prefer to get something a little different?

*PR Samples

Trendy Tot Thursday

Elliot doesn't normally show much interest in clothes, he wears what I pick out and we never get any complaints. But yesterday we were out shopping in Southampton and I popped into H&M, he spotted a t-shirt and that was it, we hd to buy it! He was so excited and wouldn't put it down - and he got even more excited when I let him wear it this morning!!

Navy bodywarmer - Primark

Batman Hoody - M & S (More about that here!)

Jungle Book t-shirt - H&M

Grey jeans - Nutmeg @ Morrisons

As you can see, it's a pretty cool Jungle Book t-shirt, I've not spotted one like this before! It's nice because the image goes all the way round the tshirt onto the back and Elliot has spent lots of time this morning admiring his reflection in the mirror! 

The bodywarmer is getting a bit tight now but it's handy just to put on if we're popping out somewhere, and it looks really nice over a hoody. The sizing wasn't very accurate though - I had to get Elliot 3-4 and I do find the sizes in Primark to be a bit dodgy.

Exploring the Purbecks, Dorset

We have been so lucky with the weather recently and although it's still on the chilly side, our weekends have been lovely and sunny! We like to try and get out, even if it's just for a few hours and we have such beautiful surroundings here in Dorset to explore.

This weekend we decided to venture over to the Purbecks which is a short drive from where we live. Elliot fell asleep on the way there so we parked up for a bit and let him snooze - I caught up with my book and my husband took his drone up in a nearby field!

Margaret Green Animal Sanctuary

Our first port of call was the Margaret Green Animal Sanctuary  , the oldest and largest animal welfare organisation founded in Dorset. Each year they take in hundreds of unwanted and mistreated animals and rehome them to loving owners. They look after a whole variety of animals including pigs, donkeys, goats, cats and ducks!

Not alot of people know the animal sanctuary is there but it's such a lovely place, and it's free to get in! We took a picnic and it was so nice sitting outside with the sun beaming down on us. It was great for Elliot being able to run around and us not having to worry about cars or busy roads.

There were lots of animals for us to see when we visited and Elliot took a shine to the goats! He kept laughing at their billy goat beards :) I loved the pigs, their faces were so squishy and cute and they kept sticking their teeth out every time I tried to take a photo!! The turkey seemed to like us, he fluffed up his feathers and followed us up and down the fence. Funny looking things though aren't they?!

Corfe Castle

A 5 minute drive up the road and we were at Corfe Castle, one of Elliot's favourite places to visit. Corfe Castle was built over 1000 years ago for King Henry I, William the Conqueror's son - it certainly has a colourful past, more of which can be found here. And for those that remember Enid Blyton's Famous Five, well it is rumoured that Kirrin Castle was based on Corfe Castle!

The views from the top are spectacular and on clear days you can see for miles. When Elliot was younger I think he thought all the cars and trains below were toys because he'd reach out to try and grab them!

We had a great time exploring the nooks and crannys of the castle and Elliot even had a go at rolling down the hills! We picked up an activity sheet on the way in and we had to answer questions on the way round - at the end Elliot got a medal for taking part. Another one to add to his collection ;)

Corfe Castle belongs to the National Trust and we have a family membership so we were able to visit for free. The cost of belonging to the National Trust might seem a little steep but there are so many lovely places to visit in the UK and you'll definitely get your money's worth if you get out and explore. And if you're ever in this part of the world, a visit to the Purbecks is a must!

Linking up with...

Brilliance in Blogging Awards - Nomination Time!

If you are a blogger then you can't fail to have seen all the buzz this week about the Brilliance in Blogging Awards, organised by Britmums. Last year over 200,000 votes were cast making it a pretty big deal in the blogging world!

My blog is still relatively new but I'd love to be nominated - I'm proud of my little blog and being able to share what Elliot and I get up to. If you enjoy reading it, please consider nominating us! The more nominations you get, the more chance of getting short listed for the next round :)

There are 12 different catagories but I feel that 2 are the perfect fit for me:

• Fresh Voice - "This award celebrates newbies and their fresh approach to blogging and social media (blog must be less than 18 months old)"
• Family - "These blogs celebrate, amuse, lend insight and reveal a no-holds-barred look at family life"

If you'd like to nominate Entertaining Elliot, then please follow the link here. You will need the following info: 

Blog Name: Entertaining Elliot

Blog URL: http://www.entertainingelliot.com

Twitter ID: eelliotblog

Email: Entertainingelliot@gmail.com

Why do you feel this blogger deserves to win? Put what you want here :)

URL of your favourite post from this blog:  Again, your choice! 

Obviously there is a lot of stiff competition but I'd love to be nominated! Thank you xx

Dinosaurs, dates and googly eyes #LittleLoves

Excited to be joining in with a new linky this week. Stumbled upon #LittleLoves hosted by Morgana at "But Why Mummy Why?" so here is our round up of the week :)

Read

Elliot is a little book worm and we generally buy a new book a week! Kids books are so cheap in the supermarket and I'd much rather spend money on something educational for him than a magazine for me. This week we picked up Dinosaurs in the Supermarket, By Timothy Knapman - yet another dinosaur themed book to add to the collection!! 

Blogwise I have read some really good posts this week. Faves include:

• Life With Baby Kicks - Christmas Markets in Belgium (made me want to eat waffles!!)
•  Dolly Dowsie - Hi There Blogger, Work For Free?
• Dear Mummy - Working Nine  to Five

Watched

Fortitude has us gripped at the moment - it's filling the hole left by Broadchurch! 

I've also been catching up with First Dates on Channel 4 - I love being nosy and it's sometimes so awkward!! 

Photo Credit: Sky Atlantic/Channel4

Wore

Nothing new in our wardrobes this week but I am loving all the Spring collections in the shops at the moment. I'm going shopping in Southampton next week to buy a wedding outfit so hopefully I'll be able to show you a new outfit on next week's #LittleLoves! 

Heard

Since my husband came back from the US in January he has been banging on about this song...I assumed it was a random song he'd heard on a random US radio station but imagine my surprise when I heard it on radio here! It's so bloody catchy, it'll get stuck right in your head!

Made

We finally organised our craft box this week and we now have tons of stuff for rainy days at home! Elliot wanted to make a picture for his daddy so he came up with this masterpiece this week...I love the random googly eyes at the bottom ;)

And lastly...

Elliot is off to his Grandparent's for a sleepover at the weekend so my husband and I are going out for a nice meal, I can't remember the last time we were child free on a Saturday night!! It also means a lie in on Sunday - woohoo!

Throwing some shapes at Baby Goes Clubbing

Taking your toddler clubbing isn't normally something you think you'd ever do but today I found myself in one of Bournemouth's most popular clubs dancing along to Boyzone with Elliot by my side!

Minky Moos Children's Entertainment run regular baby clubbing sessions and it gives little ones a chance to get their groove on whilst enjoying a new sensory experience.

The sessions are usually themed and this week's was a celebration of all things Irish especially for St Patrick's Day. I love a bit of Irish pop music and I spent many an evening warbling along to The Corrs in my bedroom when I was a teenager!

The nightclub it is held in is fairly small and the dance floor filled up quick - there were a real mix of ages from newborns being rocked around the dancefloor to crazy toddlers (mine!) jumping around to the music. Elliot loves music and he was so excited to be dancing with me ("Mummy, dance!!!) , I thought he was going to explode with excitment when his little friend arrived! As well as the music, there were also lots of bubbles and the kids were following the lady with the bubbles around the dance floor like she was the Pied Piper ;)

Notice how Elliot is right at the front for the bubbles!!

I loved the playlist today - there was Boyzone (yay!), The Corrs (double yay!), Westlife, U2, Cranberries and even a bit of the Boomtown Rats...maybe I'm showing my age there ;)

The sensory part of the session was really fun - we got to listen to Enya whilst lots of flashing balls/toys were handed out to the kids, and the Minky Moos ladies walked round with handheld flashing lights. Elliot wasn't satisfied with just one, he had 3 on the go at once!

The session was packed and it's obviously really popular amongst the local mums. Elliot really enjoyed it and we will definitely look into attending the next event!

All this dancing is exhausting ;)

Drone Testing and Seashell Collecting!

The weather has been beautiful here today and it really feels like Spring is on it's way. My husband finished work early so we decided to make the most of the nice weather and head out to our local park with Elliot...and a new drone!

My husband Paul was lucky enough to attend the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show in January, which is the biggest of it's kind in the world. He saw all kinds of new innovative technology but it was unmanned vehicles/drones that really caught his eye. Paul owns two computer/gadget shops (The Laptop Fixers) in our local area Poole and he couldn't wait to get his hands on some drones to sell in the shop....and test out! 

The drone Paul was testing (Parrot Bebop Drone) has an onboard camera and you can even control it using your smartphone or tablet! It took some amazing pictures and video of our local park...

Whilst Paul was playing with his new toy, Elliot was having fun down on the beach collecting seashells and seeing how far he could throw them. It was such a simple thing but he was having so much fun and in a little world of his own! He was even brave enough to paddle into the water, thank goodness for wellies!

We spent many a school holiday down on this beach when we were kids and I have very fond memories of swimming and splashing about with my sisters and cousins. Yesterday wasn't quite swimming weather but the sea looked so clear!

We are so lucky to have this beautiful coastline right on our doorstep! 

 

Chad Valley PlaySmart Reading, Writing and Spelling Pack - Review

Elliot is at the age where he is just so keen to learn new things and his brain is like a sponge absorbing it all up! He loves to count and will line up his dinosaurs, counting as he goes along. With a bit of prompting he can count to 30...I say a bit of prompting because he always gets a bit confused at what comes after 20! We've also been working on his ABC's recently and he loves pointing out letters on books and saying "A is for.." etc. Although we did have a funny moment recently when he broke wind (loudly!) and announced "F is for Fart!"....typical boy ;)

I am always on the look out for education toys and I was excited to see that Chad Valley have a new PlaySmart range featuring toys that make learning fun by stimulating children's imaginations while they develop key skills along the way. The toys are designed for kids between 2-8 and with prices starting a £6.99. it won't break the bank!

We were sent the Reading, Writing and Spelling Pack which is aimed at 3-6 year olds. Elliot isn't 3 yet but as soon as he spotted the alphabet cards he couldn't wait to investigate!

Photo Credit - Argos

The pack includes:

• 26 x wipe clean alphabet writing cards
• 50 x double sided word cards
• 12 x wipe clean spelling puzzles
• 1 x pen
• 1 x reward stickers
• play ideas leaflet

With so much to do in the pack, this would be ideal if you had children of different ages because there's something for every ability. 

Elliot is a bit too young for the spelling at the moment but I am looking forward to introducing the word cards when he's a little older to enhance his learning. 

We really enjoyed playing with the alphabet writing cards and Elliot loved naming all the things, he even had a go at writing the letters but that's going to take a bit of practise I think! 

The PlaySmart toys are fun, affordable and educational - I would definitely consider buying more from this range. 

Disclaimer: We received the item for the purpose of this honest review. All views are my own

Hotter Loves Mums!

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting my local Hotter store in Bournemouth for a special #HotterLovesMums event - and I got to take my Mum along too!

You may remember I blogged about Hotter shoes last year (see here) and I became the proud owner of the Pixie boots. The boots have been firm favourites in my winter wardrobe and I couldn't wait to see what Hotter had to offer in the SS15 collection. 

What I love about Hotter is that the shoes are just SO comfortable! You know when you buy a pair of heels and you get those gel pads to stick in so they don't hurt as much after a night out? Well Hotter heels include special Pyramid Technology which adds soft cushioning to every step - no more sticky gel pads needed! 

My Mum was a newcomer to Hotter and I think she was pleasantly surprised how much choice there was and how well made the shoes were. She tried on a few different pairs but eventually decided to go for a pair of Sorbet Shoes, velvety loafers in light taupe. Well...that was until she spotted the Shipley! The Shipley is a stylish, slip-on kiltie and mum chose this style in tan. She can't wait for the warm weather to arrive so she can wear them with cropped jeans! 

As somebody with big wide feet, shoe shopping is sometimes a chore but Hotter offer so many of their styles in extra wide fitting so I was spoilt for choice really. I love a bit of a nautical and one of the new styles for this season was the Kate, a stylish boat shoe which came in 5 different colours. Unfortunately they didn't have my size in stock but I will definitely be popping back to try these on!

After much deliberation (practical or pretty!) I chose a pair of Mist shoes,a stylish waterproof walking boot which isn't the sexiest of shoes but something I've needed for a while now! My husband always tells me off at weekends when we go for walks and I wear inappropriate footwear (his words, not mine!) so now I'll be able to walk through mud and not worry about losing a trainer ;) 

Whilst Hotter prices are not for everyone's budget, you really do get a quality product and the customer service you will receive is first class. My mum is now a convert and says she won't hesitate to return when she is looking for shoes for a special occasion! 

 Disclaimer: Mum and I received a free pair of shoes for the purpose of this honest review. All views are my own

Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing all the mums out there a Happy Mother's Day - hope you've had a lovely day! I would love to say I had a long lie in and breakfast in bed but sadly I got woken up at the crack of dawn by Elliot shouting "Mum! Dad! Done a poo!"...sigh!!!! By the time I'd dealt with that I felt wide awake so we left Daddy snoozing in bed whilst we watched Cbeebies. So one of us had a lie in at least!

I was very spoilt though - Elliot (and Daddy) got me a lovely bunch of flowers and a pot plant and apparently Elliot picked the card out himself!

We spent the afternoon at my parent's and it's always lovely to spend time with the whole family. Mum made two giant cottage pies (one meaty and one veggie!) and we were all stuffed by the time dinner was over. My mum does a brilliant job of feeding us all - it can't be easy with 2 vegans, 1 vegetarian, 1 who doesn't like vegetables, and the rest of us meat eaters doing Weight Watchers!

So Happy Mother's Day to my Mum who does so much for us and is always on hand to look after Elliot. And here's a picture of us looking much younger ;)

Did you get spolit by your children today?!