Seasider in the City…food, drink, toys, laughter & golf!
Family
Just keep swimming!
21 week ago
in Family
Being one of 6 kids meant that a family swim was something of a rarity. Trying to bundle all 8 of us into the car and then finding somewhere that didn’t cost the earth was always going to be a challenge – thankfully adult:child ratios hadn’t been dreamt up then! Swimming was left for special occasions and the long summer holiday.
Every year we would head to Europe camping for 2 or 3 weeks, looking every bit like the Von Trapps, and we would swim…all day, every day, in hot sunshine and clean swimming pools. I learnt to dive whilst in Germany although never braved the high boards and enjoyed the treat of pommes frites mit mayo in a cone most lunchtimes.
The reality though is that I couldn’t swim very well. 2 weeks every summer wasn’t really enough to improve my strokes. It was to my parents huge amazement that I ended up working as a lifeguard for a health club company (where I remain 15 years later, not lifeguarding), and my even bigger surprise when I managed to pass the swimming tests in the lifeguard exam! I dreaded the monthly training sessions and even more the biannual exam!
J loves swimming and we have resolved to make it a bigger part of his life than it was in mine as a child. He attends lessons every week and although he hasn’t learnt to do any more than bob up and down with armbands on and jump in, he loves being in the water and it holds no fear for him. I think that water confidence is one of the most important skills you can teach a child.
I am very lucky to work somewhere that has a pool that we can use. If you are not as fortunate then check out the great offer that British Gas has on – free swims for you and your family!
I am entering this into the Brit Mums Joy of Swimming linky.
Summer holidays for £99!
02 weeks ago
in Family
This time last year we were on our first family holiday abroad in Menorca. We went all inclusive from our local airport (within walking distance) during term time and got a really good deal. This year J is at school and there are no ‘good deals’ to be found. Financially we are not in a position to take a big holiday this Summer and even when you look at staying in this country the price can be even higher!
But what about a stay in a Youth Hostel? Be honest I bet you’ve never even considered it! We certainly hadn’t. The last time I stayed in one was 22 years on a school trip to Great Yarmouth. It rained all week, England played Egypt in Italia ’90, and we got asked to leave the Winter Gardens and as punishment didn’t get our pocket money the next day!
This Summer the Youth Hostel Association is bringing back the Stay at Home Summer Holiday – for just £99 per family you can enjoy a 3 night stay in one of their fantastic hostels! No need to worry about sharing a dorm with some back-packing students either, you will get your own private family room that will sleep between 3 & 5. Obviously you will be sharing other facilities with guests but that just adds to the adventure I think!
There are hostels all over England & Wales, near the coast, attractions and even some in the centre of London. Some hostels are self-catering but others offer superb value home cooked meals and packed lunches for you to take on your travels.
To get your hands on one of these great value holidays visit the Youth Hostel Association Website and use code FAMSTAY-028. £99 holidays are available for breaks between 7th July and 12th September – yes that’s right, all through the Summer Holidays – but must be booked between now and 12th June
We are off to test drive a Youth Hostel in June so we’ll let you know how we get on, but for that price how can you go wrong? Go grab yourself a deal and let me know what you think!
The Gallery – Extreme Closeup
141 month ago
in Family
This week Tara has set the theme for the Gallery as extreme closeups. Now to be honest any photos of this nature are normally accidental or taken by the 4 year old so often get deleted straight away!
This photo is one of my favourites of me, and is actually on my About Me page. It was taken by my nephew about 7 years ago, when he was probably 4. We’d had a lovely day at the park with my niece as well and had just come back to our flat for a bit before they went home. They had each had a go with my camera and taken a whole load of random shots. This one stood out as it is just me, not black and white but clean colours (iykwim), my hair is messy as always but it doesn’t look awful and you can’t see the profile of my nose!
Take a look
View from the grey cloud
01 month ago
in Family
It’s lonely sitting here by myself
I’ve never been here before
I only squeezed his cheek
He didn’t even say ouch!
If he’d just given me the dinosaur
I’d still be on the Sun
But now the teacher told me off
My peg got moved like I’m one of the naughty boys
Mummy will be cross and I won’t get my certificate
And maybe the Easter Bunny won’t come…
I’m really sorry!
Where the fun never ends!
11 month ago
in Family
I think we have a problem. Several months ago J kept seeing adverts for a new Channel 5 show – City of Friends. Instantly attracted to the fire/police/paramedic animals in it I promised to record it in our bedroom so that he had something to watch when Daddy is watching golf on the big telly. I put it on series link.
These pictures of my Sky Planner were taken on Sunday.
It seems we have 61 episodes recorded (and some other dodgy viewings too) but in all my searching I can only find that 53 have been made, yet all the synopsis are different!
He loves this programme! Most of the episodes seem to centre around Max, a trainee police-monkey prone to making mistakes and Jumpi a young kangaroo who is always causing chaos. It’s quite unique in the fact that animals and people are living and interacting as equals throughout which is pretty nice really. Even though there are what seems like a million episodes I can’t tell you how many times I have seen the one where Max loses the keys to Hayley the helicopter!
As is the way with all this type of kids show the characters are all sickeningly helpful and it teaches wonderful life-lessons. Clearly this isn’t a bad thing but the attraction for our 4 year old is the emergency services and the funny adventures that they all go on.
Oh yes, and it’s got a catchy theme tune (haven’t they all), so once you’ve finally got “Ma ma ma ma me me me me more milkshake” out of your head, you get to endure the City of Friends song all your working day!
If you have under 5′s you should give this one a try – catch it on Channel 5 at 6.20am every day. In the meantime, I need to get a life and regain control of my Sky+
