tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64418550692905761662024-03-28T20:30:01.042-07:00Madeleine's Adventures in the Big Wide WorldAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-58105845646352155752015-02-14T00:09:00.000-08:002015-02-15T00:10:20.573-08:00Valentine Heart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUamjmehU5NGHVfEOOx01VWF9puZI_p5m6lrGkr4HTghPto2EMTfkt18UqIcp1xYZoM0PK1jwELfv54zhqnUQD21HhiWar27dwDA52c6ZPFHls0F-QkUyerfxsZ7P4-Ib191BFkOiBbVc/s1600/blog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUamjmehU5NGHVfEOOx01VWF9puZI_p5m6lrGkr4HTghPto2EMTfkt18UqIcp1xYZoM0PK1jwELfv54zhqnUQD21HhiWar27dwDA52c6ZPFHls0F-QkUyerfxsZ7P4-Ib191BFkOiBbVc/s1600/blog2.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaLZA4nLqwNyte5oh1Dfe7yvA43nl6Dfxk8gwajiVDO4AjUiVo25a3jsMl02FJX-DEimOPZC6jsRCRN-ogDlP2vcS5BLzeYplOacSGdVm9z3aOlHMeJNY3XDPqsJmtJbUoadebLutBDQ/s1600/blog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaLZA4nLqwNyte5oh1Dfe7yvA43nl6Dfxk8gwajiVDO4AjUiVo25a3jsMl02FJX-DEimOPZC6jsRCRN-ogDlP2vcS5BLzeYplOacSGdVm9z3aOlHMeJNY3XDPqsJmtJbUoadebLutBDQ/s1600/blog3.jpg" height="200" width="111" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Today's blog post is dictated by Madeleine. <br /><br /> This is me. I'm putting the tissue paper on the box. It's the red one, but I needed the pink one, and Daddy cut the pink one for me. It was a heart shaped box. I had good fun. I was making the box for Heidi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mummy made the little heart box and I made the big heart box. We were making them because it was Valentine's Day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We made biscuits. Me and Daddy and Mummy ate the biscuits. There was white snow (icing sugar) on top of the biscuits. They had jam in.`</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-46819792545945127762015-02-09T01:03:00.000-08:002015-02-09T01:03:32.137-08:00Frozen: the sequel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn6BlcCQkkg21XmDrleiG-oQ-nQyCtTqzrgUG4MAGRMp5e5gSJwPQc755UYDINjoR5UYiETp5ty3JlKgH96SLF9bBY2P_FLQ89Pa5FQySD3zHYL44YCkMqGoh4Fgm-iRzy-wXXM-Vm1M/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn6BlcCQkkg21XmDrleiG-oQ-nQyCtTqzrgUG4MAGRMp5e5gSJwPQc755UYDINjoR5UYiETp5ty3JlKgH96SLF9bBY2P_FLQ89Pa5FQySD3zHYL44YCkMqGoh4Fgm-iRzy-wXXM-Vm1M/s1600/blog1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>This has nothing to do with <a href="http://madeleinesadventures.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/our-frozen-party.html" target="_blank">our Frozen party</a> - well not much! Since the Autumn, in an attempt to compensate Madeleine for her philistine parents, we've been going along to this fantastic art class at <a href="https://www.jupiterartland.org/" target="_blank">Jupiter Artland</a>, where the immensely talented Izzie, Helena and Catherine have been nurturing her creative potential in a magical woodland setting. It being February, and things being frozen (but literally there) no Disney in sight... and inspired by the work of Anya Gallaccio, not Elsa... they have been making ice art. You can read about their <a href="https://www.jupiterartland.org/news/general-news?article=ART-125?article=ART-125" target="_blank">snowy stickmen</a>. As a seriously competitive parent though, and seeing an activity in my competence range, couldn't resist a blogger response, so coming back at you ladies, here is our attempt at icy stuff. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>So I think this might be called transitional art - don't quote me on that... which basically means you get nothing to take home with you. Us being us, we couldn't resist a FROZEN themed frozen thing, but as we are gently steering Madeleine away from "that film" and have just managed to take the decorations down, we also did a woodland one too. </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSuP4e4s4XZvfYXfImgWiAFtdvwe0nTFxU8lpRSKuas7c8mfBGMG3aNQ6mV118HSqiImUypHBjtUpTi3O0xzetK6n6QzxMi41XDEkhEY3T-ZEL5StKMWKga4wuNE5oXtrLY5hKsOS9G0/s1600/blog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSuP4e4s4XZvfYXfImgWiAFtdvwe0nTFxU8lpRSKuas7c8mfBGMG3aNQ6mV118HSqiImUypHBjtUpTi3O0xzetK6n6QzxMi41XDEkhEY3T-ZEL5StKMWKga4wuNE5oXtrLY5hKsOS9G0/s1600/blog2.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjRmb_44-P3SM6K543uOIWDENyG2tABV2SzEDNVAGLvEiBE1okwxtfSkwcDz18YHdJFW2xcUb3t4odyapLyRo95n6a4_86Byw8DtH-wntY64gcJdnx9IdYCLlkIw0kFrn6vATdNAaHhc/s1600/blog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjRmb_44-P3SM6K543uOIWDENyG2tABV2SzEDNVAGLvEiBE1okwxtfSkwcDz18YHdJFW2xcUb3t4odyapLyRo95n6a4_86Byw8DtH-wntY64gcJdnx9IdYCLlkIw0kFrn6vATdNAaHhc/s1600/blog3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>snowdrops; twigs; berries; moss; snows; butterflies; ladybirds; snowflakes; chalk; feathers; cord; ballons.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We did try to freeze it in the garden over night, but it wasn't cold enough. Freezer worked well.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_QH8dyEuK5Nt74eD7y7_v1LyApqtFatTWorEV6ZOPOqEyj4_f33848j7jvX9CLpTc8YdbUr3L5_YhR8fcw4k2qRjUhSpcz6aRJNb_ly8bwp8ocFDDjBYHRpLoy8GxP04Fo1HiNV6nUpQ/s1600/blog4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_QH8dyEuK5Nt74eD7y7_v1LyApqtFatTWorEV6ZOPOqEyj4_f33848j7jvX9CLpTc8YdbUr3L5_YhR8fcw4k2qRjUhSpcz6aRJNb_ly8bwp8ocFDDjBYHRpLoy8GxP04Fo1HiNV6nUpQ/s1600/blog4.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8swHqv0IIbb5TnTTkMZtrMFW7neNLXRzlt5vSrdRblUJHx6uU47P1G9mQXXFZMx5PsW7lCSJRqRi8BRZq5VbcwsIsK-Jyi9HB-wF7bbtbukUe8L3sKCajcr1bDKLmKRCPL7DfeVaKkCw/s1600/blog6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8swHqv0IIbb5TnTTkMZtrMFW7neNLXRzlt5vSrdRblUJHx6uU47P1G9mQXXFZMx5PsW7lCSJRqRi8BRZq5VbcwsIsK-Jyi9HB-wF7bbtbukUe8L3sKCajcr1bDKLmKRCPL7DfeVaKkCw/s1600/blog6.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then it melted - "that's art too" Madeleine remarked casually. She's really getting the hang of this art stuff.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-52956206655824203422015-01-23T01:58:00.000-08:002015-02-15T13:35:06.076-08:00Our FROZEN Party<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCcpWnsKSCbcIZukizfUpMT2kDIl2fQTCjS21aqS66gsHVCpFTPLe-OQZhi1eIvaHoCzSdmfRrfDYlgNqezy_wc_Q7OB0tgiHfULwzVWJ9s-vEGHFEy6GeZxVwAlrTBE6I4qGbgumjoI/s1600/blog993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCcpWnsKSCbcIZukizfUpMT2kDIl2fQTCjS21aqS66gsHVCpFTPLe-OQZhi1eIvaHoCzSdmfRrfDYlgNqezy_wc_Q7OB0tgiHfULwzVWJ9s-vEGHFEy6GeZxVwAlrTBE6I4qGbgumjoI/s1600/blog993.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;"> We had a party to celebrate all things FROZEN. 12 little children, tons of glitter and acres of turquoise, party games
and food, all leading up to the triumphant cake finale with candles. It was
nobody's birthday, but as Madeleine wanted to blow out candles, we did - whilst
singing <i>Let it Go - </i>which they all did with
great enthusiasm, as though this was a totally normal request and none of the
adults involved were stark raving bonkers. I thought I was videoing it - but
instead I was taking a single still - although a video would have been scary, because I have to confess I *was* singing. </span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">As the last bars of Let it Go phased out, I got up on the chair and declared in my best regal tone: "The Party is over. Close the gates!" </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3IuXzdB-ot830dfI5LjpJLQCzqBAjFPMvZjWAdb-xkue3kyaLXC3if40f1SxTC0sF-EAIGS3fBgjAS8VBuC5aOEJtligKFAP3CNFqdvYUGlt4p4nH4UB4A7BQwaKkZWTnBBXry1AZjMU/s1600/blog994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3IuXzdB-ot830dfI5LjpJLQCzqBAjFPMvZjWAdb-xkue3kyaLXC3if40f1SxTC0sF-EAIGS3fBgjAS8VBuC5aOEJtligKFAP3CNFqdvYUGlt4p4nH4UB4A7BQwaKkZWTnBBXry1AZjMU/s1600/blog994.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">If you haven't watched FROZEN 400 times that won't make any sense to you. Anyway, it was basically worth throwing the whole party just so I could do that.</span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">The children enjoyed it too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: inherit; font-size: 24px;">You can read about how we put the party together </span><a href="http://madeleinesadventures.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/how-to-do-really-excellent-frozen-party.html" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 24px;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="color: #141823; font-family: inherit; font-size: 24px;">. </span></div>
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Thank you to everyone who came to our party and helped us celebrate all things Frozen... especially our seamstress, facepainter, photographer, plongeur, tea maker and general dogsbody... I couldn't have done it without you </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>So this is it - how to do a Frozen Party on the cheap, for parents who have virtually no artistic ability what so ever, and can't sew.</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Decorations</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There's good news and good news. The first bit of good news is that Disney are really good at making animated films. The second bit of good news is that they will sell you a copy of the film really cheaply as they make their real money selling lots of tacky film related tat, which is generally pretty naff. However, the really good news is that you don't have to buy it! For little people, snowflakes and turquoise, and all the other non-TM-able stuff is just as much FROZEN as anything else. Remember, snowflakes and turquoise are your friend.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgYwwLcTj2kliVglatt-mVw5ofzMSYHJYuYBS5x_eTMRLbPnToPTn1pvUIVfwjWpn0iNNA3hiAPM22qKfOqJFrtIzxr7Ra0bclLDjVfja6oigLa8MROmNyw2oNAmGZoz2umhmz7PEWHg/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgYwwLcTj2kliVglatt-mVw5ofzMSYHJYuYBS5x_eTMRLbPnToPTn1pvUIVfwjWpn0iNNA3hiAPM22qKfOqJFrtIzxr7Ra0bclLDjVfja6oigLa8MROmNyw2oNAmGZoz2umhmz7PEWHg/s1600/blog1.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">W<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga66V2OV4ppKlZJGoAHMrBBVEnF5eL8zkDs5_3411EwGEqYnCYhyMT7CX-3WOFgU1-BOOEnB-fqWVAQuMy60An_x946OnfkdNPcmsLCCtNDuleBQFtZJNFCQEdJGY0aZdkaZemB1XZOSw/s1600/blog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga66V2OV4ppKlZJGoAHMrBBVEnF5eL8zkDs5_3411EwGEqYnCYhyMT7CX-3WOFgU1-BOOEnB-fqWVAQuMy60An_x946OnfkdNPcmsLCCtNDuleBQFtZJNFCQEdJGY0aZdkaZemB1XZOSw/s1600/blog3.jpg" height="200" width="150" />W</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For our FROZEN tree, we went for a wander in the woods and dragged back a likely looking branch and painted it with left over gloss from the shed. Decorated with white lights and glass and silver baubles (from our Christmas box) it looked quite smart. Our principle concession to the theme was these little salt dough snowflakes with turquoise ribbon - use a snowflake cookie cutter and a piping nozzle to pattern the surface. We bought a 50 metre roll of ribbon for £2.75 on ebay, and used it for a few bits and pieces, and obviously have loads left. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Next we made a throne. Everyone likes to have something special to sit on, don't they? This was pretty easy - we used an existing toy box as a base and cut out cardboard to make a fancy shape. The principle expense was a tube of acyrlic paint from Hobbycraft (£3) which we used pretty much everywhere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We painted snowflakes on the throne, cut a glittery Elsa crown out of blue glitter card and used cut out snowflakes to decorate the window. I know some people can do them freehand, but I am completely without talent, so I used these <a href="http://www.firstpalette.com/tool_box/printables/snowflake.html" target="_blank">templates</a>. It's really easy and effective - you just send the template to the printer, fold the print out up, and cut it out. They would be good for Christmas and general winter themes too.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6F2r4nXdlmSDkqe528oq-liMeolxWTObBK-aFgvHwXco1xUUl8e0q8VRhyphenhyphenBJu3i1GoGIPHcjdj3lQ68H_-e1SjIzk1DAi0KHBkFfXcFr2Dz4ufdYGV9a_54gJGQaLEzaNL9WHl8xvqA/s1600/blog5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6F2r4nXdlmSDkqe528oq-liMeolxWTObBK-aFgvHwXco1xUUl8e0q8VRhyphenhyphenBJu3i1GoGIPHcjdj3lQ68H_-e1SjIzk1DAi0KHBkFfXcFr2Dz4ufdYGV9a_54gJGQaLEzaNL9WHl8xvqA/s1600/blog5.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4HQ5koA88VBSDeMCaAqVaELu5WxmAzuzapnqYs23GKqifJf2mUGePDszTP1IidgDMFVTstzKES3C1il1b4Rn0hhVT1GmspWtpaWNIpi2nh08BI5Kpn_mfMnn4PgbMnpCdMpCjpMRNjc/s1600/blog93.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4HQ5koA88VBSDeMCaAqVaELu5WxmAzuzapnqYs23GKqifJf2mUGePDszTP1IidgDMFVTstzKES3C1il1b4Rn0hhVT1GmspWtpaWNIpi2nh08BI5Kpn_mfMnn4PgbMnpCdMpCjpMRNjc/s1600/blog93.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">So, so far we've spent £5.75, and already have one very excited little Madeleine. Finally we used our Disney and other toys to create the North Mountain - green sheet for the foothills, white for the snow - and Madeleine's cardboad Ice Palace, FROZEN dolls and the wooden animals that she got for Christmas. Total cost: nothing. <br /><br />Finally, my lovely friend Wendy, noticed we were doing a FROZEN party on facebook, and spontaneously sent us some lovely turquoise and ivory bunting. Couldn't begin to price it or do it myself, as I can barely thread a needle. It's lovely though. It dramatically arrived minutes before the party started, so it's not pictured here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Party Bags</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have to confess I really, really HATE making party bags. The children do sort of expect one - and yes, they will be filled with tat, which will cost a fortune, and will break in the car on the way back from the party... and yes, they really do want a little bag of treats, and no, a sensible book doesn't really cut it. So how do you do it on the cheap, when everything with FROZEN on it is sold at a premium? This is our take.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11oLkiZkLOgmz-IA84wdASIFQ6eZ6EhOdqjRUTLVSmjl4lhpjmqZyec0CCQwjQ7keDNeJcQDNrWKowxp0d7nkD0TuGSixVgr9LriYVTNduQXRcZ1MU5IFz01ClspbeWcEpn3Nu6u5lTo/s1600/blog81.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11oLkiZkLOgmz-IA84wdASIFQ6eZ6EhOdqjRUTLVSmjl4lhpjmqZyec0CCQwjQ7keDNeJcQDNrWKowxp0d7nkD0TuGSixVgr9LriYVTNduQXRcZ1MU5IFz01ClspbeWcEpn3Nu6u5lTo/s1600/blog81.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">First up, an almost free toilet-roll craft to "build" a snowman. Instructions pinned round the outside of the roll, and a slither of orange and black foam and 2 googly eyes tucked inside. Cute eh?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1hA1rIE3V-UY98WWa_b2COiXfZJ8KxHUOeIGXi2WeeyWTKKmMACb3BojTDhStEkDeyr_xpF7PM2hl5Oy4caU4imvB6mMIuOg2TA7SajaF4StJnPX4bFce3gBoEjmY0wuHe32xFHRIkA/s1600/blog91.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1hA1rIE3V-UY98WWa_b2COiXfZJ8KxHUOeIGXi2WeeyWTKKmMACb3BojTDhStEkDeyr_xpF7PM2hl5Oy4caU4imvB6mMIuOg2TA7SajaF4StJnPX4bFce3gBoEjmY0wuHe32xFHRIkA/s1600/blog91.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Next up, Madeleine and I made some playdough - turquoise of course... and the friends came to help glitter it - a very important step. Some free printables and a little cling film later, it was looking quite good. The most expensive ingredient is cream of tartar, but in all honesty, once you're using value flour, it's cost is pretty close to nothing... so, so far our party bags are almost free.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKyl1KezMyc5ObcM4FNdDZUC2JwaVmXMAuBlaBp3R6gGVZV05xYwiXErFOOiyL-bq4wCR7XylnayoEtttErGQDfRuTtOAVHVux5RTFI2YJijof1oTF96Kx_vq-5EtGJJOrb_b5H0Yw7U/s1600/blog6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKyl1KezMyc5ObcM4FNdDZUC2JwaVmXMAuBlaBp3R6gGVZV05xYwiXErFOOiyL-bq4wCR7XylnayoEtttErGQDfRuTtOAVHVux5RTFI2YJijof1oTF96Kx_vq-5EtGJJOrb_b5H0Yw7U/s1600/blog6.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5dLaRerUSYUgRD3DC9P_eBIlp9eH65-knuepWTDD_I1tGqfDdvYir2viMYeRRJyv4IAZqBjsDKYnupsJ8NfIC36PlXu8Vax6Z9DIgIkapFWlPNs9XE7FaSWHkk9nJHgcJTPFyrbizMM/s1600/blog7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5dLaRerUSYUgRD3DC9P_eBIlp9eH65-knuepWTDD_I1tGqfDdvYir2viMYeRRJyv4IAZqBjsDKYnupsJ8NfIC36PlXu8Vax6Z9DIgIkapFWlPNs9XE7FaSWHkk9nJHgcJTPFyrbizMM/s1600/blog7.jpg" height="200" width="196" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">The girls all got a little bracelet - very simple. A silver Tibetan snowflake charm on some turquoise elastic, which Madeleine loved making and wrapping up in blue tissue paper. We ordered the charms from China (99p for 20), so allow plenty of time. A branded chocolate bar (13p) and a lolly (5p) completed the bag. Madeleine loved packing them as usual - all part of the excitment of the party!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_bfhmgQGa0wwfl8iGBoPnAHtf9CaG-s6HLORH6XnKYKSMDLzPTnLfyqpVT66zoKQkK2QKUjHuZSNjPTDIScKaKlXRHDeEb0ybdu9BH6V28Mh20SZqSEdS2b2Q1r8FHmJghgLL6ocLD0/s1600/blog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_bfhmgQGa0wwfl8iGBoPnAHtf9CaG-s6HLORH6XnKYKSMDLzPTnLfyqpVT66zoKQkK2QKUjHuZSNjPTDIScKaKlXRHDeEb0ybdu9BH6V28Mh20SZqSEdS2b2Q1r8FHmJghgLL6ocLD0/s1600/blog2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Ironically, the most expensive element of the party bags was the bag itself. £1.75 for 12 turquoise bags from Ebay, decorated with a little snowflake and a little turquoise gem (99p for 200 from Ebay) and tied up with turquoise ribbon. It still works out at about 50p per party bag, which isn't bad at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Party Games and Crafts</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHdPNB-t5-AkPWHRADXxCBXGNjCOT6VmIBfhBq2WYRwClOP70SEOCRhjt35t7rznkFku76RwKzw2Jy18bhM7UAwHwstSJN_YbWKIAECYaCmH0QhsX4SziziZ7NT0jwUsZCX5esR0VKmQ/s1600/blog9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHdPNB-t5-AkPWHRADXxCBXGNjCOT6VmIBfhBq2WYRwClOP70SEOCRhjt35t7rznkFku76RwKzw2Jy18bhM7UAwHwstSJN_YbWKIAECYaCmH0QhsX4SziziZ7NT0jwUsZCX5esR0VKmQ/s1600/blog9.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Most of our guests were 3 years olds or 4 years olds, so we kept the party games simple. We pinned the nose on the Olaf - notable as my one artistic endeavor, as I drew Olaf free hand - go me! I also bought a packets of glistening snowflake plastic decorations from China (99p), which let us play an easy treasure hunt from our inside "snowflake flurry". I have to admit I sort of splurged here and bought everyone a prize... largely because little Charlotte had told me at Christmas "I never win anything". You really don't have to do this, but it's hard being 3 years old and not winning, and they were only little things - so I'm estimating my budget at about a tenner, and another quid for the FROZEN wrapping paper from ASDA. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Madeleine and her friends love crafts, so we went all out and had two. When they arrived they could start to make a snowflake decoration like the ones we made for the tree. I pre-baked the salt dough snowflakes, so the activity was to add paint and glue and glitter. This is a bit messy, but little kids love glitter and it is so cheap, I couldn't even work out the unit cost. Whilst they were doing it, we also painted their faces</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-bgcKeLVF42CEM682TwvR4bJpq2ubVm22zI1b_lCg-1k0Htjy7xxEqFsVKvVvCJXHeDNTD6gRaHKVyjrRlFaecOMMqugX9LoxvgwqvNHfCzRQqY4E496YpHjn5f6X_QvmBmuFRXUaJ0/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-bgcKeLVF42CEM682TwvR4bJpq2ubVm22zI1b_lCg-1k0Htjy7xxEqFsVKvVvCJXHeDNTD6gRaHKVyjrRlFaecOMMqugX9LoxvgwqvNHfCzRQqY4E496YpHjn5f6X_QvmBmuFRXUaJ0/s1600/blog1.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wKxJjV_Xm27MPjDYIlEa8FPHZOFAiLcmbhsU3_GRRvNfjlpVCyXHObtUT7YEB5ElmEdief4nWMcNhdo8h0NFVxg4WBeEwaAhD7StpLd7fWBbFm8e94ILhG7VxDCqfXAxivxu9ps1gko/s1600/blog99.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wKxJjV_Xm27MPjDYIlEa8FPHZOFAiLcmbhsU3_GRRvNfjlpVCyXHObtUT7YEB5ElmEdief4nWMcNhdo8h0NFVxg4WBeEwaAhD7StpLd7fWBbFm8e94ILhG7VxDCqfXAxivxu9ps1gko/s1600/blog99.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The main craft was a cut out Elsa or Olaf. All the girls chose Elsa. Olaf was really simple - I cut out an Olaf shape, and the child got to choose twig arms, add a nose and googly eyes. I used stiff card from Home Bargains - about 1p per Olaf or 2p per Elsa. At Christmas I used waste cardboard for the Christmas tree shapes, but it is hard work cutting round it, and it didn't seem worth it given the unit cost. However, my reservation would be that when I made the prototype, I didn't use tons of paint, but little children will. We ended up having to blot all the Elsas as the card rolled up and would never have dried in time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The idea for the Elsa is my feeling that little kids like to make something that looks really good. Yes, yes, I know - it's all about the process, but well - sometimes it isn't. I cut out an Elsa shape - actually I drew this freehand (very proud), and printed out an Elsa face off the internet to stick on top. We gave the children turquoise paint to do the dress - they obviously would have got it all over her head as they are 3 years old, but - hey clever - we didn't stick the head on until aftewards! We cleared away the paint and gave them a piece of blue tissue paper for her cloak, and they glued on snowflakes made before the party with a punch. I think the end result is pretty impressive and the children loved it too. Given we already had the turquoise paint, I don't think all the crafts could have cost more than a couple of quid - pretty good. However, I warn you, the prep took absolutely ages!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3uhbhpns735l2SDd8eAZ28qgkMW7TJ_gzcmAoIO5GZwnfTF5Qc7A8Eb7DlTkaX38Z4FBa9E6M-b7_QK0C-cpDE0Iis2c0lKXhbsK6DxODGicHoDOFKczQk2-zEs-Uvl4CiMwIyv-xO8/s1600/blog82.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3uhbhpns735l2SDd8eAZ28qgkMW7TJ_gzcmAoIO5GZwnfTF5Qc7A8Eb7DlTkaX38Z4FBa9E6M-b7_QK0C-cpDE0Iis2c0lKXhbsK6DxODGicHoDOFKczQk2-zEs-Uvl4CiMwIyv-xO8/s1600/blog82.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Food</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Food is pretty much the only creative thing I can do, so don't tell anyone, but I think it's a bit of a waste of time. You see some lovely FROZEN themed food, but I really don't think 3 year olds are that into it. They want things they recognise. They want cooked sausages (no, not homemade ones), they want cheese and ham sandwiches, little tomatoes, popcorn and pom bears. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYWnT-C46HG3_PK8UvVBbocSDqXvnje1Gj6aMwQYyf4XLIBdTrOoS8vogfjHa6wqVRq8m2sFacmooAXPxMLHl7uH7_JJCGwsinVTa_PdyfQ39zmeMb7FYzY4Tsb9ZhMkmV1VMTXnwCQo/s1600/blog92.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYWnT-C46HG3_PK8UvVBbocSDqXvnje1Gj6aMwQYyf4XLIBdTrOoS8vogfjHa6wqVRq8m2sFacmooAXPxMLHl7uH7_JJCGwsinVTa_PdyfQ39zmeMb7FYzY4Tsb9ZhMkmV1VMTXnwCQo/s1600/blog92.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">The main special food that Madeleine wanted was a big cake. I know it's only because she likes blowing out candles, but oh well, say "yes" where ever possible ;-) A very simple cake - the top tier isn't real. The Elsa figure cost £1.80 on Amazon. The snowflake cutter came from China and cost me £1.50, but allow plenty of time for delivery. Total make time was around 3 hours, and it cost about £10, including the figure and the snowflake cutters which can obviously be used again. My only other concession was some rice paper toppers (£1.99 for 22 on Ebay) because little kids loves them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">An awful lot of work, but lots of fun to be had making things for the party. All in all, I think it cost around £70-ish, but bear in mind it created activities for 3 weeks in the run up to the party. Here's my shopping list.</span></div>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 242px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 6509; mso-width-source: userset; width: 134pt;" width="178"></col>
<col style="width: 48pt;" width="64"></col>
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<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 134pt;" width="178">Facepaint</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65" style="width: 48pt;" width="64">£5.00</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Prizes</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£10.00</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Turquoise ribbon</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£2.75</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Turquoise paint</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£3.00</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Silver snowflake charms</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£0.99</td>
</tr>
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<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Tuquoise party bags</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£1.75</td>
</tr>
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<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Turquoise gems</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£0.99</td>
</tr>
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<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Frozen chocolate Bars</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£1.56</td>
</tr>
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<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Lollies</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£0.60</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Magic Bubbles</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£1.20</td>
</tr>
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<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Snowflakes from China</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£1.00</td>
</tr>
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<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Card for crafts</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£0.60</td>
</tr>
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<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Basic food</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£10.00</td>
</tr>
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<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Cake</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£10.00</td>
</tr>
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<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">FROZEN Cupcake toppers</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£1.99</td>
</tr>
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<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">FROZEN paper plates</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£2.50</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">paper cups</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£0.60</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Table cloths</td>
<td align="right" class="xl65">£3.00</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td align="right" class="xl66">£57.53</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">So how did the party go? Find out <a href="http://madeleinesadventures.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/our-frozen-party.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-89106365255000340292014-12-26T14:36:00.000-08:002015-02-06T14:36:43.434-08:00Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Merry Christmas everyone!</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-NqdRUJaASrfG_iNVhnmenGlgT4aWvrjIDA6lnWyFmKyJ1eyT7yo8-te0I-kAmrp6IGYOU6B-hiWUpizi2332bra7sPCOi-RLBfJ4aohpoFz96J1yhGHJFKMgmIJFRYqyXquII5_Hy0/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-NqdRUJaASrfG_iNVhnmenGlgT4aWvrjIDA6lnWyFmKyJ1eyT7yo8-te0I-kAmrp6IGYOU6B-hiWUpizi2332bra7sPCOi-RLBfJ4aohpoFz96J1yhGHJFKMgmIJFRYqyXquII5_Hy0/s1600/blog1.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-305077876326176602014-12-16T14:30:00.000-08:002015-02-06T14:31:20.749-08:00Our Christmas Party<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Way back in January, I innocently popped into Sainsburys for a pint of milk, and they'd reduced their £4 Christmas craft packs to 20p. I think a judge might consider that entrapment. We HAD to have a Christmas party.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Easy peasy Christmas party. Plain paper lunch bags with a gnome and a christmas stencil, filled with our bargain craft kit, some sweeties, stickers and a cracker. Unwrap the Christmas Parcel game and Stick the Star on the tree. Decorate the cardboard Christmas tree with acres of glue and glitter. Christmas topper cupcakes, 2 plates of ham and cheese sandwiches. Add 10 excited 3 year olds. Voila! Success.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-33463929535495327912014-12-15T14:24:00.000-08:002015-02-06T14:31:01.827-08:00Chritmas is coming..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ICbxJon62YgFOzeSAxuQJifyqdF9kCyjQ3ozogvyfSpdhRJws6R62Gd_78DzURODlZV3yDhbkBbLFjxgnHWBf_bS02ZPqVJCnqjkQGqPdSonIrPKxI79n1Y-yQD0dnFCsgDXfyBtLXk/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ICbxJon62YgFOzeSAxuQJifyqdF9kCyjQ3ozogvyfSpdhRJws6R62Gd_78DzURODlZV3yDhbkBbLFjxgnHWBf_bS02ZPqVJCnqjkQGqPdSonIrPKxI79n1Y-yQD0dnFCsgDXfyBtLXk/s1600/blog1.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">We promise we've been good - well most of the time. It's Christmas - an opportunity to relive my childhood and paint a cardboard house - Madeleine kept trying to muscle in - but I was having none of it, to make (and eat) copious batches of gingerbread, make salt dough decorations and generally have a good time.</span></b></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-50677649127264875552014-11-07T13:56:00.000-08:002015-02-06T14:09:32.426-08:00Bonfire Night<span style="font-size: x-large;">Excited children. Collecting wood. Cooking sausages on the fire. Fireworks and sparklers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-62620621283537411142014-11-01T13:47:00.000-07:002015-02-06T13:50:32.568-08:00October in Provence<span style="font-size: x-large;">Moules et Frites on the habour at Toulon. Playing in the woods in October warmth. Sunday lunch en familie. Vineyards. Wood fired pizza in the garden at the Hotel du Parc. Yes, yes, it is all very nice, but I still wish my Dad lived in Colinton. #missmydad</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-73694963229869062532014-09-23T14:00:00.000-07:002015-02-06T14:02:54.829-08:00Picnic<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; outline: none; width: auto;" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">If someone offered you sole use of the </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Bawsinch and Duddingston Wildlife Reserve, wouldn't you go and have a picnic? And build a den? And make a fire (safely)? And do some painting? Of course you would.... </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-41328764520607977342014-08-25T13:29:00.000-07:002015-02-06T13:52:20.795-08:00Messy Play Date<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3VjhdelH-odtgKd4bN-vBMOvKnnSG0qR9-Ao5Vqw8zzaw7_z3EoPu8uhkYxq3qJ2QPFJZI_hGkw1cieco6RiIvlmVrowXzWACGzWxePA5N1ofak4AOc6aJeAr8a-UVYBQlq13zednag/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3VjhdelH-odtgKd4bN-vBMOvKnnSG0qR9-Ao5Vqw8zzaw7_z3EoPu8uhkYxq3qJ2QPFJZI_hGkw1cieco6RiIvlmVrowXzWACGzWxePA5N1ofak4AOc6aJeAr8a-UVYBQlq13zednag/s1600/blog1.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Madeleine really enjoyed getting ready for the messy playdate - making the jelly, cooking the pasta, making the cloud dough, getting out the paint, and she really, really enjoyed it. However I make no bones about this - having a messy play date in your house is a really, really BAD idea. Someone please remind me to NEVER do this again!</b></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-25804554915345878692014-08-25T13:24:00.000-07:002015-02-06T13:32:28.366-08:00The Fringe<span style="font-size: x-large;">Yes - of course we did the Fringe! </span><br />
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</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-23214190682622107152014-08-18T13:43:00.000-07:002015-02-06T13:52:01.532-08:00Malta<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>We went to Malta and Gozo. It was searingly hot, the beaches were horrible, some of the food was okay, there were zillions of churches and Valetta was nice. It's a 2 day per island sort of place, but we were there for a week. Madeleine didn't care. She'd only recently become brave after dropping her "everything frightens me stance", and spent her holiday jumping in the pool, taunting the suits of armour and sticking her hand in the lion's mouth. </b></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-42669691079335389162014-08-01T13:08:00.000-07:002015-02-06T13:16:53.538-08:00Camping in Scotland<span style="font-size: x-large;">Madeleine's first camping trip up to Glencoe, onto the Ardnachmurchan penisular and back down to the Red Squirrel site in the valley. It could safely be said that she loved it with almost equal measure to her father's loathing. However, it had to done - </span><div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiHwfyzzil7wGxfoVtZNwJGAgSJX2tlN8JFLs2W-WB47X5rGRuRh_2Dttc_5qvtxRJkynifCXSvvgef7MMyKgLUd_cVjWkXGcVaTLnkGsKoIvfAHYbl9noBzgI_N6seO02NnaeLJ1c3o/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiHwfyzzil7wGxfoVtZNwJGAgSJX2tlN8JFLs2W-WB47X5rGRuRh_2Dttc_5qvtxRJkynifCXSvvgef7MMyKgLUd_cVjWkXGcVaTLnkGsKoIvfAHYbl9noBzgI_N6seO02NnaeLJ1c3o/s1600/blog1.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">Scotland was actually having a summer, with temperatures soaring into the high 20s, it would have been practically criminal not to have gone. Even if we did get eaten alive by the midges, at least we were warm.</span><div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-56740656907612485912014-07-17T13:04:00.000-07:002015-02-06T13:05:18.204-08:00Lazy Summer Afternoon with grandparents<span style="font-size: x-large;">Just an ordinary sunny summer's day with (most of) my grandparents and my uncle... not something that happens very often..</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-52859549941955988352014-07-10T12:39:00.000-07:002015-02-06T12:55:34.481-08:00Madeleine turns 3!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">An impressive castle cake was required to mark such an important ocassion. All Madeleine's friends came to play, and the fairies even hid bubbles and lollypops in the garden. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">At the end of the party, the grown ups were happy to sit down with a nice of cup of tea, and leave the little ones alone upstairs with jelly and icecream, as 3 year olds are always very sensible and always behave.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFg1k7fmg4mojqdCqZK1oGP7wSuPjuJz29X3IQ8EktN5puUI7BuLJgwfYUT4PraOsllO38dxHlabWj8WrzOI6E5BNEhChJ-IDnKiHQJceKhM-x2dS_c2-sISEuLUvGyuEdO-cXQEXPl-8/s1600/blog4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFg1k7fmg4mojqdCqZK1oGP7wSuPjuJz29X3IQ8EktN5puUI7BuLJgwfYUT4PraOsllO38dxHlabWj8WrzOI6E5BNEhChJ-IDnKiHQJceKhM-x2dS_c2-sISEuLUvGyuEdO-cXQEXPl-8/s1600/blog4.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">They looked so trust -worthy, when I'd left them to mash jelly into the carpet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> "Who did this?" we asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">"We all did" they chorused, clearly delighted with themselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">"What do you say to Susan?" chided Olivia's Mum, obviously horrified. Completely deadpan, because obviously she was, she responded "Thank you very much". <br /><br />The moral of this story: never work with children or animals. 4 hours to ice that castle cake, and it was completely upstaged by a packet of Hartleys. It will always be the party where the kids mashed the jelly into the carpet - and no, the carpet has never been the same again - but hey ho - it's only a carpet :-) </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-6617174113633827552014-06-22T14:05:00.000-07:002015-02-06T14:08:46.278-08:00Midsummer's Eve<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30.6000003814697px;">As the seasons come and go, here’s something you might like to know. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30.6000003814697px;">There are </span><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy" rel="wikipedia" sl-processed="1" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30.6000003814697px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Fairy">fairies</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30.6000003814697px;"> everywhere: under bushes, in the air, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30.6000003814697px;">playing games just like you play, singing through their busy day. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30.6000003814697px;">So listen, touch, and look around – in the air and on the ground. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30.6000003814697px;">And if you watch all nature’s things, you might just see a fairy’s wing.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30.6000003814697px;">On Midsummer's eve, we went on a fairy walk to collect gifts for the fairies. Little flower heads, herbs and stones... and then we lit our pretty fairy attracting lanterns and crept away. In the morning, we were delighted to find they had been, and left little gifts for us... a gold and silver crayon to draw fairy wings, some pretty heart jellies and a little daisy fairy doll.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30.6000003814697px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-40802194281807900752014-04-18T23:41:00.002-07:002014-04-19T03:29:02.042-07:00Easter Egg Hunt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 34.90909194946289px;">Since Christmas Madeleine's language has exploded, and she has become not only a serious conversationalist, but increasingly independent. Offer of "Mummy help" are generally shrugged off with "Madeleine help" and all this from someone who only began pronouncing her name in January. When I took the <i>Happy Easter</i> banner out of the decorations box, Madeleine </span></span><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="line-height: 34.90909194946289px;">confidently</span></span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 34.90909194946289px;"> declared "It's Christmas". When we explained it was in fact Easter or </span></span></span></span></b><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; line-height: 34.90909194946289px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Pâques</span></span></b><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; line-height: 34.90909194946289px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> (as we have Nanna and Granddad staying with us at the moment), she happily accepted that too - she is after all learning a new word at this stage of development roughly every 40 minutes. Since then Easter has been a huge hit.</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; line-height: 34.90909194946289px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; line-height: 34.90909194946289px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Madeleine enjoyed decorating the tree, though it must have triggered something, as she suddenly announced "Mummy threw my Christmas tree in the dustbin!". She said that a lot in January, until we went to Centreparcs and it was forgotten. She has a way of ending it in a sort of distressed sounding whine that makes me sound like the worst mother ever. She clearly has the drill though now, as she seems quite thrilled with the notion that the Easter tree will definitely end up the same way. I guess she is getting the idea that something else will eventually come along. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39Y0NjWP2IoOlCbEVbdxXvPv28oJ6zCly2vLPLdbG2-7wcDb_xqyi4SZccUfRrez9SIYuIFZmIf7Y9eI3RdCuSqniisUF4FWmpudZWxjBWJuIgJWRZ1Ny6LY5gy1U-2dkhfsl5TUvj2E/s1600/blog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39Y0NjWP2IoOlCbEVbdxXvPv28oJ6zCly2vLPLdbG2-7wcDb_xqyi4SZccUfRrez9SIYuIFZmIf7Y9eI3RdCuSqniisUF4FWmpudZWxjBWJuIgJWRZ1Ny6LY5gy1U-2dkhfsl5TUvj2E/s1600/blog3.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMK2f0T_9TOQJ6qbH201cfCUhjb9u-Wlp6jkvR8w6h_Wa8SXUitkyftPaTPbFlspCunk3EAegy9pCc9503e0daaASkhnmyjbP9Qmb_MvTS1cmWFkZHUQfO9YScyJutwGEEnqZpyl2UAmQ/s1600/blog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMK2f0T_9TOQJ6qbH201cfCUhjb9u-Wlp6jkvR8w6h_Wa8SXUitkyftPaTPbFlspCunk3EAegy9pCc9503e0daaASkhnmyjbP9Qmb_MvTS1cmWFkZHUQfO9YScyJutwGEEnqZpyl2UAmQ/s1600/blog2.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #212121; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 34.90909194946289px;">This isn't the first wee social gathering that we have had, but it is the first that has really caught Miss M's imagination. Ten small children and lots of chocolate eggs are an awesome combination. Madeleine loved her Easter Egg Hunt, and since then has been asking to go back to her party! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #212121; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 34.90909194946289px;"><b><br /></b></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-86169299703861174242014-01-27T13:22:00.000-08:002015-02-07T13:23:16.532-08:00Centre Parcs<i>Review on tripadvisor: 1 Star</i><br />
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Clearly some people look out of their chalet window and think "Woo HOO, I'm in the woods". Sorry, but to my mind it's more like Milton Keynes with pine trees. The zillion acres of woodland is incredibly densely populated with street after tarmac street of little wooden chalets - except for one tiny, tiny segment of woodland near the Ranger's hut, apparently devoted to squirrels and organised nature hunts. There's no place to roam at all - you're fettered to tarmac roads and enclosed tarmac walkways. You can't wander because you'd be on someone's patio.<br /><br />There is nothing peaceful or remote about this place. There is one tiny woodland path which doesn't abut the wooden chalets (about 5 minutes walk's worth) that leads to the Bird Hide. It is a real hide, but as you can see the road from it, it's hardly a remote spot to watch nature. They get round this by piling huge amounts of bird food in front of the hut - so yep, there are birds. I'm sure the hide is a bit neither here nor there - you could probably do line dancing in front of it, and they'd still be birds on the feeder - but hey ho... you'll either think it's great, or not.<br /><br />Also bear in mind that diesel service vehicles continue to use the roads all week, and without any enclosed outdoor space you need to be mindful of small children as there is nowhere safe to play outside your chalet.<br /><br />We stayed in a new style woodland chalet - quite comfy, clean and stylish. It says they have real fires - however, you are only allowed to burn flamefast firelogs - £5 each on site, or £1 from Home Bargains - so do stock up if you are planning on a fire! I had never heard of them before - basically you light the wrapper, and it ignites a bit like a disposable bbq. It gives off an impressive flame, to be fair, but zero heat. The whole thing then smoulders away to nothing. So you'll either think it is great - or like me, you'll wonder why anyone bothers with a fire that you can't build, prod or poke, which gives off absolutely no heat at all.<br /><br />They push the cycle hire at you - the bikes aren't especially good, just pricey and the distances across the park are tiny... it really isn't that big, so there is no need to cycle anyway. It is certainly no quicker, as the tarmac roads and walkways are busy with pedestrians. Unless you enjoy cycling slowly past little wooden chalets, I wouldn't bother.<br /><br />There is a real lack of choice in terms of dining out - or rather there is tons of choice if you like microwaveable meals. Cafe Rouge, the Pancake Place, papa's pizza and so on abound... the knock on issue is the quality of the public spaces... I don't mind having a coffee in Starbucks if I'm waiting for a train, but that and the other standardised chains aren't exactly comfortable relaxed surroundings to be on holiday in... well they don't drip charm and relaxation as far I'm concerned.<br /><br />If you are going to self-cater, you'll need to bring everything with you. The Park supermarket is more like a corner store (eg no fresh meat, limited fruit and veg) and everything sells at a HUGE premium to regular supermarkets.<br /><br />We found the rules and penny pinching a bit of a downer. Our mid range 2 bed chalet ranges from £250 for a 4 night midweek stay up to a whopping £900 for 4 nights midweek in August. So imagine our surprise to find that they won't replenish toilet roll, and leave a sachet of single use washing up liquid! They also leave an envelope and price list to pay for breakages - £2 for a wine glass - £3.50 for a cheap white dinner plate. Surely the odd breakage is something that most hotels and restaurants just accept? Despite not letting you into your accommodation until 3.30pm and wanting you out by 10am, they also expect you to strip the beds, put all the crockery etc back in the cupboard and empty all the rubbish. I've rented a fair number of cottages and apartments, and I can safely say no one, nowhere in the world, has ever asked us to strip beds, except in a YHA - and it's certainly not what you'd expect when you're paying up to £225 per night, is it?<br /><br />Oh yeah, and it's £2 to rent a towel in the pool... and 20p to use the spinner for your costume. Per costume that is - I kid you not!<br /><br />The real downer for us though was (and this is the total killer) was that we found it just a tweeny weeny bit boring. 4 days there with my husband and wee girl, and we'd had enough... I am sure a week would have tipped us over the edge. There are very few free things to do on the site. The waterpark is the highlight - and it is good fun - rapids, slides, flumes, waves, baby pool... the first day we went we had a great time... but how many times do you really want to go swimming - by day 4 it was really wearing thin.<br /><br />The only other free activities were 2 playgrounds. I was sort of expecting to be wowed - but you won't be. Neither are especially good - sort of municipal park standard - nothing special at all. The only other free things to are walk around the tarmac roads peering at other people's chalets or go feed the ducks... or did I mention the Bird Hide?<br /><br />There are however loads and loads of chargeable activities - however they are pricey and the standard of tuition seems quite poor. For example - cupcake decorating, lasted 1 hour 10 mins and cost £23. It's not exactly brain surgery, but I was expecting to be taught by someone who knew how to decorate cakes. Hmmm... the class was taken by a nice lass, who told me she'd originally worked in the call centre, but was now mainly a nursery nurse. She had been taught rote style to decorate 6 cupcakes and she could demonstrate how to do it. She also did hair braiding, face painting and a range of other stuff. I mean - it wasn't terrible - but c'mon... they ran the course at a table in Bella Italia out of hours... so 8 people brings in £184 per course... so I reckon that our "tutor" must have been on about £7.50 an hour tops... c'mon CentreParcs, you could have run to a proper baker, couldn't you?<br /><br />Ditto - music for under 5s.. OK, I was expecting someone with a bit of talent, who would interact with the kids for my £7 - maybe even a guitar - but instead we had an affable teenager who played a CD and encouraged us to dance along to the hokey cokey.<br /><br />Ditto Little Hawkers - there was a Hawk called Bob.. he flew about a bit.. but it felt like the sort of activity that you usually bump into at a castle in the summer - not something that should have cost £19.<br />Beware too that things like access to the spa pool and sauna, which would usually be included in most hotel stays, are extras here too.<br /><br />So basically, if you like sitting around a pool for a long, long time, and you want to do that most days... and you enjoy low key planned activities run by "Red Coats" you'll like CenterParcs. For me, it was boring, repetitive and lacking in WOW. It's sort of neither one thing or another... you could have been anywhere... and pretty much all the activities are stuff I could have taken part in within a mile of my house - for less money - and my own fire burns proper wood too.</div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="recommend-titleInline" style="display: block; font-size: 1.167em; margin-bottom: 10px;">Stayed January 2014, travelled with family</span><ul class="recommend-column first" style="float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 215.83332824707px;">
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<li class="recommend-answer" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0px 0px 1px; padding: 0px;"><span class="rate sprite-rating_ss rating_ss" style="background-image: url(http://e2.tacdn.com/sprites/lodging_pack-ved1e914695fe6f4372ed5ae1562e3a8f.png); background-position: 0% -70px; background-repeat: no-repeat; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 10px; line-height: 10px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 1px; overflow: visible; width: 50px;"><img alt="3 of 5 stars" class="sprite-rating_ss_fill rating_ss_fill ss30" src="http://e2.tacdn.com/img2/x.gif" style="background-image: url(http://e2.tacdn.com/sprites/lodging_pack-ved1e914695fe6f4372ed5ae1562e3a8f.png); background-position: 0% -60px; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; height: 10px; vertical-align: text-top; width: 30px;" /></span>Rooms</li>
<li class="recommend-answer" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 0px 0px 1px; padding: 0px;"><span class="rate sprite-rating_ss rating_ss" style="background-image: url(http://e2.tacdn.com/sprites/lodging_pack-ved1e914695fe6f4372ed5ae1562e3a8f.png); background-position: 0% -70px; background-repeat: no-repeat; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 10px; line-height: 10px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 1px; overflow: visible; width: 50px;"><img alt="4 of 5 stars" class="sprite-rating_ss_fill rating_ss_fill ss40" src="http://e2.tacdn.com/img2/x.gif" style="background-image: url(http://e2.tacdn.com/sprites/lodging_pack-ved1e914695fe6f4372ed5ae1562e3a8f.png); background-position: 0% -60px; background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; height: 10px; vertical-align: text-top; width: 40px;" /></span>Cleanliness</li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-7726723893866477362013-12-15T09:16:00.002-08:002013-12-15T23:57:38.344-08:00Beamish and Christmas<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJ3KDN5f3lqBvhYaFWU2UNpQ5wpC_JAsoHOT_MsPjnCkzeX8l_BMmfEY9ofFD6zJKcrZpaszaO9AeZH7mtpXm7mVD4NXoUq3m7uxsEue1N6N1Pi2fdXT9QNM6xF83yFO15TenqCT-nIM/s1600/00013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJ3KDN5f3lqBvhYaFWU2UNpQ5wpC_JAsoHOT_MsPjnCkzeX8l_BMmfEY9ofFD6zJKcrZpaszaO9AeZH7mtpXm7mVD4NXoUq3m7uxsEue1N6N1Pi2fdXT9QNM6xF83yFO15TenqCT-nIM/s320/00013.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00G9-DehyqRvZvmEA-zWHwHA5uJ9qC8JtcIhRsDrZV_9H1yfOLBp5Se87-8IgA9NKVn5DyRuuJwwvgwprN4arAjIVli9euwWEMDaOC19zY_hne3C5h7yrOrNjgq-2yokU5m8imramop0/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00G9-DehyqRvZvmEA-zWHwHA5uJ9qC8JtcIhRsDrZV_9H1yfOLBp5Se87-8IgA9NKVn5DyRuuJwwvgwprN4arAjIVli9euwWEMDaOC19zY_hne3C5h7yrOrNjgq-2yokU5m8imramop0/s320/04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">We had good fun at Beamish. Carousel rides, brass band playing in the town square, hot roasting chesnuts, a carriage ride, lantern making, fish and chips cooked in beef dripping, writing our name with a nib and ink pot and gingerbread cookies... all good fun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Madeleine is warming up to the idea of Santa, who she previously declared "scary". However, when we went to look at the queue it was over an hour long... we will have to see him another day.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-2873420891540233942013-12-15T09:12:00.003-08:002013-12-15T09:12:57.341-08:00Castles and Christmas...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Frightened by the pricing in Edinburgh Christmas, we decided to head south for a little look at how they do Christmas Northern style. The day we left was the first time that Madeleine started using her own name to talk about herself. First of all we headed south to Langley Castle, where Madeleine was initially quite frightened that she'd come across the Beast. As soon as she worked out the coast was clear, she chilled out and got into the Castle Hotel swing of things... dressing up and eating gourmet style...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiw4UzrIjuuuewdWZ3AlB9trc0TlCRE_gjhLVKfRb8J8vwnyHLy_MbNeRq_T_h_Cxs2yDwub_PhG9DdiHzBMF33-jfjmb_Z0PHP0dZRP5xHWzv-IbwvJvpW8m0iBHEjN-U_ecBG_h_6Tg/s1600/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiw4UzrIjuuuewdWZ3AlB9trc0TlCRE_gjhLVKfRb8J8vwnyHLy_MbNeRq_T_h_Cxs2yDwub_PhG9DdiHzBMF33-jfjmb_Z0PHP0dZRP5xHWzv-IbwvJvpW8m0iBHEjN-U_ecBG_h_6Tg/s320/001.jpg" width="180" /></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you're going to say in a castle, even if you're only 2 years old, eating a 4 course gourmet meal is an absolute must. Madeleine was a bit unimpressed with the portion size of the pre-appetiser, and was quite convinced the palate refreshing sorbet was dessert - she is only 2 years old though... sure she will get the hang of it.</span></div>
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The following day we went to Durham to look at the shops and visit the beautiful Cathedral. Madeleine looked up at the ceiling and declared "I like it!".</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the evening, we went to the Enchanted Park - part performance, part light show, part spectacle... some of it was really scary. Madeleine's favourite part was the mechanical birds. You sing at them and they dance for you. How charming is that? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">Then we went for Pizza - considerably less sophisticated than a 4 course menu in a castle... but just as nice...Madeleine is looking so intense here because she is concentrating on spearing an olive with a cocktail stick</span><span style="text-align: center;">...</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-20052404356893369262013-11-30T00:50:00.000-08:002013-12-03T00:52:08.083-08:00Christmas Markets<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76cvI-VBPylXUn7tV37jBtrP7SI8r_2U6OLUkp_SqPJgEFrru7Mh3z9dX9bYfzcKhKoe9G218W8FETiw9kN6dK1XcZ_UFRFVm-v6-KM4ymhmZQa887qZJZT8sZ0V142XkxM4LiUbITno/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76cvI-VBPylXUn7tV37jBtrP7SI8r_2U6OLUkp_SqPJgEFrru7Mh3z9dX9bYfzcKhKoe9G218W8FETiw9kN6dK1XcZ_UFRFVm-v6-KM4ymhmZQa887qZJZT8sZ0V142XkxM4LiUbITno/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Poor Madeleine had a stinky cold, and when I stroked her cheek to wake her to leave at stupid-o'clock, she just nuzzled in deeper to the blankets - a little sweet contented smile flicking across her face. So when mean Mummy gave her a firmer prod, she roared like a Banshee. "We have to go Madeleine - we're going on a plane" I told her. "High in the sky?" she asked, recovering slightly - and so we were off.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Flights to Basel-Mulhouse we took in a Swiss market, the German market at Freiburg and the French market at Colmar, in between heading up to the mountain to have a look at the snow. It has to be said, the highlights for Madeleine were probably the Christmas Busy Book (a board book with 12 Christmas plastic figures), the light switches in the holiday accommodation (excitingly placed low enough for her to reach) and the roundabout at Freiburg (which she went on alone for the first time - what a grown up girl!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The low points were most definitely having to give up her bags and her buggy at airport security and in the museum at Colmar. Madeleine doesn't share! No, not even with security guards. "It's MY buggy" she told them defiantly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So that's it then - we are into Advent and hurtling towards Christmas. "Do you want to visit Santa?" I asked her. "No - he's scary" she insisted. "Wouldn't you like a present?" I offered. Apparently she would not. So that's us told then.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Madeleine was a little big dubious about some of these... that's the scary witch she remarked quite casually... but the elf with no shoes was a definite no-no...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Miss M was most unimpressed with the snow... and gave her parents withering looks... unfortunately we didn't have a handy sleigh... what a shame...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ooh a Christmas tree... Madeleine said for the umpteen time</span>....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This cake is as close to a Tunnocks Tea cake as you're likely to get, but is apparently a traditional confection of the Alsace region. Miss M approved.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-33509816553775380522013-09-27T06:27:00.000-07:002013-09-27T06:44:45.652-07:00We went to see Mickey!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Madeleine has just enough language now to chat away constantly. "Is that a case?" she asked rhythmically, as every single case fell onto the carousel at Paris Charles de Gaulle, before suddenly adding"is that a pink case?" I didn't even know she knew a colour. That's the age she is - a mixture of tedious questions, caution, amazement and wonder all rolled into one. What better time to go meet Mickey and friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Initially cautious, Madeleine found much in Disneyland to terrify and delight. Quite unimpressed that Mummy had a special job checking the dragon's chains were still tight, she declared herself terrified of the Castle, Buzz Lightyear and Pinnochio's workshop. Equally however, she terrified mummy by trekking to the top of the huge slide at the Davy Crocket Ranch and repeated demands for the Oribtron - which goes awful high, and doesn't seem to have much to stop you falling out - though to the best of my knowledge no one ever has.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Besides Mickey and friends, the Princesses were a huge hit, along with the teacups and all the other physical rides, the parade and most of all the night-show, which was the most amazing thing Mummy had ever seen!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-62244288610291244652013-08-20T06:18:00.000-07:002013-09-27T06:18:25.145-07:00Festival Time!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">At this year's Festival, Madeleine was more interested in getting down and dirty.... playing in the mud kitchen a the Royal Mile Play day.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh329hf9PFWBGT4bEujEgspODry37lElSLxVHz3LXBkAf4J2w99hfDjSEhzgyyyNwi9U6i9Y31TarHJBqXgwhKCDAwf1-phgO_gWLjPDdO2BttMVBnREahqjwjj-5s44aYu_YtfuITkdPk/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh329hf9PFWBGT4bEujEgspODry37lElSLxVHz3LXBkAf4J2w99hfDjSEhzgyyyNwi9U6i9Y31TarHJBqXgwhKCDAwf1-phgO_gWLjPDdO2BttMVBnREahqjwjj-5s44aYu_YtfuITkdPk/s400/02.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Having fun at the Udderbelly.. Mummy's favorite show was Santa Needs a Wee...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Madeleine was developing a real interest in Princesses!</span></td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441855069290576166.post-51590433777080364232013-07-10T06:08:00.000-07:002013-09-27T06:09:02.819-07:00Madeleine is 2!<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Madeleine had a birthday party at home with all her friends, complete with a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Birthday cake, balloons and games. Everyone brought presents, and by the end of the day Madeleine had caught on that presents might be quite nice. She was initially a bit skeptical it all, and most unimpressed with the idea of sharing her Mickey Mouse toys!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then for her actual birthday we managed to see all 5 grandparents across 2 countries, starting with coffee and cake in Luton, and finishing up with Birthday cake (made by Granddad) for Madeleine's and Kat's shared birthday in Lorgues. What a busy day.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11692433590205685153noreply@blogger.com1