We stayed at the Ramada Encore for one night in December 2017 in order to explore what Leicester has to offer shoppers and leisure visitors at Christmas. Continue reading
21Dec/17
Yearly Archives: 2017
21Dec/17
Scrooge the Musical, Curve, Leicester
During our Christmas trip to Leicester, we were lucky enough to be able to see Scrooge the Musical at Curve. Directed by Curve Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, the show is a musical romp through Charles Dickens’ famous tale A Christmas Carol, a story about Ebenezer Scrooge and his redemption one Christmas Eve. It really is very good. Continue reading
21Dec/17
Jubilee Square Ice Rink and the Christmas Wheel of Light, Leicester
We spent the weekend as guests of Visit Leicester, trying out a whole host of things that Leicester has to offer residents and visitors over Christmas. We had a great stay and can highly recommend Leicester as a place for Christmas shopping and festive fun!
During our trip, we visited the Christmas Market, the ice rink and the Christmas Wheel of Light in Jubilee Square, had dinner at Peter Pizzeria, and saw Scrooge the Musical at Curve. We stayed overnight at the Ramada Encore on Charles Street which is very handy for Curve and for the shopping district.
02Nov/17
Meeting the Gruffalo’s Child at Hull Truck Theatre
A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood. A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good.
If you recognise these opening lines then no doubt you have a Gruffalo fan in your family. And if you’re a fan of the Gruffalo, then you may have also read The Gruffalo’s Child. The story of The Gruffalo’s Child by Julia Donaldson has been brought to life by Tall Stories, and we were invited to go and see it live on stage at Hull Truck Theatre, and also to meet one of the cast. Continue reading
28Sep/17
Review: Kalahari Elite 8 from Go Outdoors
We bought a Kalahari Elite 8 from Go Outdoors this year as an upgrade on our trusty Outwell Birdland 5. Mainly because as a family of six who aren’t getting any smaller, we needed more space.
14Sep/17
Go Ape! at Dalby Forest, Yorkshire
What to do on the rainiest of days during the rainiest of rainiest summer holidays in living memory? Most mums, especially the sensible ones, would stay indoors, break open the craft box, and have a cosy afternoon in. Me? I take on the challenge of Go Ape! Who wouldn’t, right? Apart from all those sensible people obviously. Continue reading
11Sep/17
Learning road skills with Young Driver UK
As regular day trippers around the UK, we spend a lot of time on the road. I learned to drive as soon as I could afford regular lessons for myself, and it’s the best thing I ever learned. Driving has enabled me to take jobs that otherwise would have been difficult and has meant we can get to so many more places as a family. Driving has been and still is a big part of my life. The thought of my own children out there on the roads does worry me though – the roads are a lot busier now than when I was a teenager learning to drive. I’m not looking forward to them getting behind the wheel of their own car! Young Driver has come to the rescue. Continue reading
05Sep/17
The Miniature Pony Centre, Moretonhampstead, Devon
On our recent trip to Dartmoor, the girls really wanted to meet some Dartmoor ponies. While there are plenty loose on the Dartmoor hills, it’s hard to get up close to them; it’s not guaranteed to spot them wherever you go, and it’s not a great idea to get too close to them – they are wild ponies after all. We decided instead to go to The Miniature Pony Centre near Moretonhampstead, and we are very glad we did!
01Sep/17
How to protect your family and devices when on holiday
Do you take your family’s electronic devices on holiday? I know we do. While you may have the philosophy that holidays are family time and ban devices for the duration, we have found that taking our devices suits our holiday style.
The teen has a phone which she uses to keep in touch with family and friends, and the younger children have tablets. They enjoy using their devices and they don’t seem to disturb our quality family time at all. Sometimes they can be a real boon – have you ever been camping during a week of rain and tried to keep four children occupied? There are only so many card games you can play! I know some will judge us for this, but we do what works for us. Like at home, as long as device time is managed effectively, then it shouldn’t have a negative impact. Continue reading
21Aug/17
Borde Hill Garden, West Sussex
Over the summer holidays, we spent a sunny Sunday visiting Borde Hill Garden near Haywards Heath in West Sussex. Borde Hill Garden extends to over 200 acres, with the formal gardens making up 17 acres. The gardens form a series of themed outdoor ‘rooms’, both traditional and modern in design. There are lots of different and interesting areas to explore. Continue reading