Make 'n' Break - a fun family game from Ravensburger

Make 'n' Break is an exciting and challenging family game from Ravensburger. The aim of the game is to build as many structures as you can, using ten colourful, wooden blocks, against the clock. There are eighty double sided blueprint cards in three varying difficulties, each showing a different structure that you have to copy, matching the shape and colour to score points. It tests your spatial awareness, building skills and speed as you race to complete as many structures as you can in the time allowed. 

The game contains ten wooden building blocks, eighty blueprint cards, a timer, one time dice, one action dice and a card tray along with an instruction leaflet with rules for playing the game. There are instructions for playing games for 2 - 5 players, individually or as teams, as well as some alternative ideas to add some extra fun to the game!

The idea of the original game is really simple to grasp: you throw the time dice, set the timer, draw a card and copy the design. Once complete, knock it down, redraw a new card and build again until the time runs out. Points are scored for each build successfully completed. It is simple but a lot of fun and things can get very competitive. To make things more complex you can add in the optional extra action challenges by using the action dice. This adds a whole new level of challenges and things can get very interesting! Modes of play that can be actioned include playing blind, where one player describes what to build to another player who cannot see the card or only being able to use the tips of your index fingers to pick up and position the blocks. So, you can in effect make the game as challenging or as tricky as you wish.

We really enjoyed this game as it a simple idea that can be adapted to suit whoever is playing. Having to copy blueprints and build different structures is really good for developing fine motor skills and  hand eye coordination. It also helps children to follow instructions. The action dice allows you to add special rules to the game, which definitely ups the challenge and the fun. So you can enjoy whatever version you want, adapting the gameplay whilst building against the clock. I loved that the blocks are made of wood and that the game fits well into the box for storage purposes.

Make 'n' Break is recommended for children aged 8 and over. Freddy is 9 and he really loved the challenge of building the models and enjoyed throwing in the action modes to make things a bit trickier. The Describe It! mode was his favourite added action and he worked well with his big sister giving and receiving verbal instructions to build the structure from the card. This is another great skill to develop, adding to the educational element of the game.

The RRP of Make 'n' Break is £24.99 and it is available to order from Amazon. It would make a great Christmas gift for the family.

Find out more at www.ravensburger.org/uk/products/games/family-games/make-n-break.

Move Over Water Pistols, Here Comes the Slime Blaster!

Zimpli Kids, the creators of Gelli Baff and Slime Baff  that transform water into slime or goo, have a brand new product that is perfect for the summer. Set to revolutionise the classic seasonal water fight, the Slime Blaster is a pump action gun that shoots slime at your opponents, adding a brand new weapon to your arsenal. It's fun, it's messy and it's brilliant!

The Slime Blaster uses a 100% safe Slime formula, and can shoot a blast of slime up to 7 metres. Simply fill up the water tank with water, add the slime powder sachet, shake and wait 5 minutes to create the slime then get ready to fire.

Each Slime Blaster comes with 12 x slime blaster sachets giving 200+ slime shots. That's plenty of slime action for an exciting outdoor slime fight.

The gun itself is funky with its white, orange and green design. The water tank unscrews easily from the end of the blaster to fill it up. The Slime Blaster water tank comes with a cap so you can secure it while waiting for your slime to develop. The pump action works well and fires the slime a good distance. We all really like the Slime Blaster as it brings a very unique and novel twist to the traditional water fight concept.

The slime rinses out from clothes and washes off skin easily and is completely safe and non-irritant. The Slime Blaster is recommended for children aged 5 and over. Slime sachet refills are available to buy separately once you've used up the supply that comes with the Slime Blaster.

The Slime Blaster is available from stockists such as Tesco and Amazon. (I have found  them currently on offer at  just £13.50 at Tesco Direct so it's worth searching for a good price.)

The Slime Blaster is definitely going to be a summer favourite for us this year!

Nothing says Easter like Cadbury

Easter will soon be upon us. I love Easter because it means we have yet another excuse to do some fun things together as a family. Every year I plan an elaborate Easter Egg Hunt for the kids (I say kids but most of them are now officially adults - but they still love my hunts with cryptic clues, physical challenges and puzzles to solve!) We have a big vegetarian roast dinner and eat lots of chocolate. Perfect!

I like to stock up on plenty of chocolate treats in the run up to Easter. This year, Cadbury have a great range of  chocolatey goodies, which the Easter Bunny will be proud to deliver. From favourites such as Mini Eggs to the eggscellent Egg Hunt Pack to popping candy chocolate bunnies, there is something for everyone. Large individual Easter Eggs are available in lots of different varieties from Cadbury Buttons to Creme Egg. I love the mini filled eggs that come in a range of flavours including my favourites Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo and Daim. The Cadbury Dairy Milk Spring Edition is a lovely seasonal twist on the classic bar. With prices to suit all budgets and varieties to suit most tastes, Cadbury have Easter covered. 

You can come up with some lovely activities for the family such as a simple Easter Egg hunt for younger children, where you hide the eggs around the garden for them to find and pop in a basket. Or use them as prizes in an Easter quiz or rewards for completing a more complicated challenge! However you celebrate Easter, I hope you have a lot of fun and enjoy indulging in some yummy treats!

Some Fun Easter Facts from Cadbury

• 255,000 Cadbury Easter Eggs are made at the Bournville factory every day
• That is 10,625 Cadbury Easter Eggs made per hour or 177 per minute!
• If you stacked every Cadbury Easter Egg made at Bournville every day on top of each other you’d have a tower of Cadbury Eggs as high as 305 Big Bens!
• Over 83 million Easter Eggs are sold in the UK over the Easter season, with the Cadbury Creme Egg being the most popular.
• Over 300 million Cadbury Creme Eggs are made every year, with about two thirds of that number being enjoyed in the UK – that is 3.5 Cadbury Creme Eggs for every man, woman and child in the country to enjoy!

This year, the Cadbury Easter Bunny is inviting families to come together and take part in some eggsciting egg hunts across the country.  Cadbury is teaming up with the National Trust to offer families the ultimate day out with more than 300 Cadbury Easter Egg hunts being activated across various sites in the lead up to Easter. With over 300 egg hunts to choose from across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, Cadbury will be sure to help families have a fun-filled Easter. 

To find out more and discover a Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt at a National Trust property near you, visit: www.cadbury.co.uk/easter

We Broke Out at Breakout Manchester

If you are looking for something a bit different to do with the family, I can highly recommend Breakout Manchester. It delivers an exciting and challenging activity that the families with older children can enjoy together. We played a Wild West themed escape room, Most Wanted, and it was absolutely brilliant for us all, from 7 year old Freddy to 48 year old Dad!

Escape rooms are the latest in immersive, interactive entertainment. Guests find themselves locked in a themed room and are given 60 minutes to find clues and solve puzzles in order to escape. With physical and mental challenges, you work as a team, aided when necessary by your Break Out host who monitors your game from the control room and communicates with you via cryptic clues on the TV screen.

I had very little idea what to expect, and was quite nervous, but our host Lucy made us very welcome as she gave us our brief. We were bandits breaking in to the local Sheriff's barroom in a bid to steal his stash of poker chips. The Sheriff was due to return in an hour, giving us sixty minutes that counted down on the TV screen in our room.

I won't give you any spoilers, but we had to solve a series of clues to lead us to keys or codes to open padlocks, which gave us further puzzles to solve in order to break out of the room in the allotted time. The attention to detail in the room was amazing and added to the authenticity of the experience.  Most Wanted has the added challenge of collecting the poker chips that are hidden around the room and behind padlocked cupboard doors. You really have to experience an escape room to understand just how cool it is. I felt like I was experiencing something like a cross between The Crystal Maze and a Clint Eastwood Western.

We were so pleased that we succeeded in breaking out of the room and we also got onto the leader board for collecting poker chips. We felt a real sense of achievement and enjoyed working as a team using our strengths to solve the clues. Everyone of us played a part and I was so pleased with Freddy who really got stuck in and was an awesome team player.

There are plenty of other themed rooms, so if you'd prefer to be a spy, solve a murder mystery, find a cure for a life threatening viral outbreak, thwart a mad scientist's deadly experiment, outwit a twisted serial killer or escape a hotel room from hell, there is a room for you. I honestly can't wait to play again!

Find out more and book your team's game at: www.breakoutmanchester.com

Play Factore - a fun day out for the family in Manchester

Visitors to Trafford Quays in Manchester may well be familiar with the iconic Chill Factor building. Based underneath this is the UK's leading indoor play arena, Play Factore, a state of the art play centre for families to enjoy together. We were invited along to their Summer Holiday Play Factore Rio 2016 event and were thrilled to be able to experience this fun filled venue for ourselves.

Entering Play Factore, I was taken aback by the sheer scale of the play equipment from the UK's largest play frame, complete with tunnels, slides, obstacles and an integral sports pitch to the  40 metre long big red slide, which is Europe's largest. Laser tag, go karts and a zip wire, that runs right across the building, add to the entertainment. A dedicated Toddler Area gives a safe place for the under 5's to enjoy.

The staff at the venue were all so welcoming, enthusiastic and warm and clearly passionate about working at the Play Factore. The atmosphere was buzzing.

Play Factore is a place where children can burn off all their excess energy and test themselves physically on the play equipment. They can find different routes through the play frame, climbing up netting, clambouring over giant balls and crawling through tunnels. The maze like nature of the play frame keeps it exciting every time you enter.

The play frame is for children aged 5 - 16 years old, but adults are also allowed on to play, which is lovely for families who want to have fun together. Teens have as much fun as the little ones. The big red slide is the thrilling finale with four lanes for whizzing down at the same time. Perfect for a family race. For grown-ups who would rather leave the playing to the kids, there is plenty of seating to relax with a coffee.

                            


The zip wire is a really cool activity for ages 6 - 16 years old, available during peak times at the venue. The wire runs from a tower at one side of the play arena, over the heads of other customers and coming to a stop at the landing pad on the other side of the building. The zip line team give children a full briefing and make sure everyone is safe and secure.

Freddy, who can sometimes get himself a bit overwhelmed by new experiences, absolutely amazed us by totally owning the zip wire!  This was definitely helped by the lovely staff who were so encouraging and boosted his confidence, allowing him to overcome his nerves. It is so good for kids to feel the fear but do it anyway...so character building! He was so proud of himself.

                              


As part of the Rio Event, there were Brazilian dancers and musicians entertaining the crowds and a big screen showing scenes from the Olympics, adding to the fun. Play Factore have various events through the year.

We were treated to some delicious food in one of the party rooms and enjoyed sampling the freshly baked pizzas from the in-house pizzeria restaurant along with baskets of chips, salad, garlic bread, nachos, fresh fruit salad and cookies. It was a real treat and the food was really good quality.

After a fantastic afternoon of playing, Freddy and his big sisters were thoroughly worn out. Play Factore is a brilliant venue offering state of the art play equipment for all the family. It's great to find a place that the teenagers can enjoy as much as the little ones. Everyone can let off steam and have fun.

Peak prices apply during the school holidays and the charge for a 5 - 16 year old is £11.95 for a two and a half hour play session. Adults are charged £3.95, babies between 6 and 11 months are £1.95 and children between 1 and 4 years are £7.95. The zip wire costs an extra £3.95.

You can find out about Play Factore, including their amazing birthday party packages for kids up to 16 years old at www.playfactore.com.

Going Wild at Knowsley Safari

We were invited to visit Knowsley Safari, a 550 acre park located in the North West of England, and home to over 700 animals. We were given the opportunity to ride their Baboon Bus with a guided safari tour and discover everything that Knowsley Safari has to offer adventurous families.

Knowsley Safari offers an interactive experience for animal lovers where you can come face to face with the free roaming animals, have lions block your path and watch as baboons hitch a ride on your wing mirror. Anything can happen! In addition to the drive through safari, Knowsley has an amusement park, a walk through Wild Trail, Sea Lion Encounter, Bat Forest, play area, Flight of the Talons and much more to explore. It is a full day out for all the family.

Our first port of call was a ride in the Baboon Bus with a guided safari tour. The bus goes all around the drive through safari route including the infamous baboon enclosure, where the cheeky monkeys get up close and personal with the vehicle. The tour guide was a very friendly and bubbly Liverpudlian lass who regaled us with facts about the animals and the safari park as well as some zoo related anecdotes and general chatter. We actually learned a lot of really interesting stuff in a fun and entertaining way, and although I am not usually a fan of audience participation, she was very engaging and made the tour enjoyable.

It was very busy and quite hot when we took the tour so the bus got quite stuffy, especially when the windows were shut in the carnivore and baboon enclosures, so remember to take some water and use the guide book as a makeshift fan!

As it was so warm a lot of the animals were sleeping and not very active, but we had a great view of snoozing lions, rhinos and other animals. The baboons were, however, super active!  They leaped on the top of the bus, using the windscreen wipers as climbing aids as they scaled the windows. It sounded like they were having a real party up there!  From our window we saw other cars crawling with baboons large and small. The mums with babies were particularly wonderful to see. Some monkeys left little presents on the roofs of the cars. Seeing monkey poo on someone's nicely polished car made Freddy laugh his head off! Toilet humour never fails to impress my boy. Before exiting the enclosure, the baboons on our roof were encouraged off and dozens jumped down and scurried away, which was quite a sight.

After our Baboon Bus experience we went for lunch and were pleased to see veggie burger options for both adults and children in the restaurant. The restaurant was clean, reasonably priced and efficient and the fast food meals we had were not at all bad.

Following our lunchtime break we went to the amusement park where we bought Freddy a wristband allowing him and an accompanying adult on all the rides, which included a swing ride, a kids' rollercoaster, dodgems, a carousel and other similar rides. While Ian and Freddy amused themselves with that, my girls and I went to the Bat Forest. The walk through enclosure was dark, but our eyes quickly adjusted allowing us to view the spectacular Egyptian Fruit Bats in flight and hanging around. They buzzed past our heads, flying around us. Quite an experience! We also got to see the lovely sealions in their pool, which we loved.

It was at this point that the heavens opened and it absolutely poured down with rain. So we made a dash back to the car to do the safari drive through in our own car. We had been supplied with a Go Pro to record our trip around the animals, but as it wasn't waterproof I had to film through the window, which was being pounded by torrential rain. Needless to say, the Go Pro videoing was a bit of a disaster.

As it was much later in the day and cooler, the animals were more active and lively. We saw lots of varieties of deer, antelope and cattle and came face to face with a huge camel that ran beside our car. The lions were up and about, fighting and crossing in front of the queue of cars. Unfortunately, we were a few cars back and didn't get a real close up of the beautiful big cats. Our favourite moment was when a rhino walked out in front of our car and stopped right in our path. He looked a bit agitated and rocked from side to side and we were slightly concerned whether he was going to charge at us. But the reason for his agitation soon became clear when he raised his tail and did an enormous poo on the road right in front of us, before turning and sauntering nonchalantly away. True to form, Freddy was in fits of giggles at the steaming pile of rhino dung!

We decided to brave the baboon enclosure in our own car, deciding that the risk of having a wiper or trim pulled off was worth it for the fun of having monkeys on our roof! However, the wet weather subdued the baboons and they were all sat huddled up under the cover of the trees, not at all interested in hanging off our car. It was a shame, but we enjoyed seeing the monkeys cuddling together against the cold, looking so humanlike!

Knowsley Safari has been awarded the 2015 Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor. Until September the 4th you can get 20% off the price of entry when booked online, which makes the cost £13.20 for adults and £10 for children. The baboon bus costs an extra £5 per person and the amusement park wristbands cost £10 for unlimited access or £2 per ride.

It is a full day out for families and we really had a great day...in spite of the torrential rain storm!

www.knowsleysafariexperience.co.uk

Freddy's 6th Birthday Minecraft Party

Freddy turned six on July 9th and although we celebrated his birthday with a pizza party complete with pinata, presents and family fun, we couldn't have his official birthday celebrations until July 18th. His big sister Megan was away in Bali and we needed her back in the UK in order to have a proper McDonald family do. An erupting Indonesian volcano almost threatened her return home in time for the party, but thankfully the ash cloud blew south and my girl was able to return to Manchester. Joe and Jade were able to come up for the weekend, and as Ella is home from uni I had a full set of children home under the same roof. Perfect.

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So on the 18th, we hosted a Minecraft themed party for my little lad. Almost all the home baked food was vegan including five different traybake cakes (coffee, strawberries & cream, iced vanilla, chocolate with vanilla frosting and chocolate & coconut) and two types of cookie (choc chip and oat, cranberry & sunflower seed). We also served up a veggie barbecue with an assortment of homemade salads and sides. I enjoy the challenge of making a party spread that all my guests can enjoy without worrying about what they are eating. I printed off some Minecraft food labels, banners and posters from the internet to decorate the room and we made plain green balloons and cups into Creepers using black tape. A grass green tablecloth and square green paper plates completed the Minecraft theme.

Ian made an Enderman pinata, which was filled with sweets and toys that the kids thoroughly enjoyed hitting with a stick (the grown up kids joined in to with head butts, karate chops and drop kicks aimed at the very tough, extremely well made pinata!) until it gave up its load of goodies on to the grass.

There was plenty of fun and games and lots of laughter as my five kids, my sister and four of her children plus assorted partners, my mum and dad and my gorgeous little grandson Ted, enjoyed the much appreciated sunshine. For the first time ever Ted told us that he loved us...hearing "I yuv you Nana Wendy and Guitar Grandad" was heartwarmingly wonderful.

Freddy had a wonderful day with his siblings, cousins and his little nephew. The trampoline and sandpit were well used and we lost about six footballs into the next door neighbour's garden due to over zealous football and baseball games. I really enjoyed seeing everyone have a good time together. It was a lovely opportunity for my parents to get to see nine out of their thirteen grandchildren and one of their great grandchildren. Family time is particularly precious right now as my sister will be moving away shortly, meaning we won't be seeing her or her two little ones very often any more. We will miss them lots

It was a great day celebrating Freddy's special day (albeit a bit late). He had a lovely time and for me, my birthday party planning and birthday cake baking is finished until next time!

Geronimo Festival - a big family adventure

This bank holiday weekend saw the first Geronimo Festival take place at Tatton Park and we were lucky enough to attend. The venue was beautiful and driving through the grounds, we were excited to see deer roaming freely. The festival itself was well presented, utilising big tents, so whatever the weather, the activities and workshops would go ahead.

With so many things taking place, I don't think we managed to do half of what there was there to do! But the things we did do, were throughly enjoyed. From balance biking, to bear hunting, to hammock swinging, to castle bouncing, to helter skeltering, to donkey riding, to LEGO building to hill rolling to show watching to ice cream eating - the whole day was action packed and filled with memorable experiences. It was so nice to share the day with my blogging buddy Bex and the adorable Leah, and we bumped in some other fellow bloggers throughout the day too.

Freddy met some of his favourite CBeebies characters, Swashbuckle's Cook and Line and the absolutely lovely Katy Ashworth from I Can Cook. He also got to see Alex Winters and Mr Bloom performing, whilst perched up on his daddy's shoulders.

I wish we had more time because we missed out on the Funky Junk Zone, Adrenaline Zone and Circus Zone. We were just too busy having fun doing other things!  I loved the freedom of the event and seeing Freddy being able to have fun doing a selection of activities was great. He had a really good day.

Here's hoping that Geronimo Festival returns next year!

What Fred Said about Music and his Family Easter

Freddy requested some music for us to listen to in the car:

Me: "Freddy you've got such good taste in music!

Freddy: What do you mean taste?  You listen to it not eat it!!!

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Freddy had a fabulous Easter weekend with his brother, sisters and his nephew Ted all home, along with Ella's boyfriend Frank and Joe's fiancee Jade, His grandparents also came for Easter Sunday.

There were Easter Eggs, our Annual Eggstreme Eggstravaganza Easter Quiz, roast dinner for 12, bunny ears and some rather extreme plate spinning!!  I have honestly never laughed so much in my life!

I love Freddy to spend as much time with his three eldest siblings as possible, as they don't live  at home any more and he loves them so much. When all five of them are together I am at my happiest. We have so much fun! 

Freddy is such a lovely uncle to little Ted, looking after him, playing with him and teaching him the odd rude word!  Ella's boyfriend Frank has rapidly become Freddy's honorary bro' and he spent many hours on the trampoline with him playing games that Freddy called Sizzling Sausage, Beetroot, Scissors, the Gorilla game and Avoid the Ball.

Freddy spent the weekend saying that things were "divine" - Ella's dress, his dinner etc. - and that it was the "best Easter ever!" so he obviously had a great time too.

Visiting Legoland Discovery Centre with a Merlin Annual Pass

We are big fans of the Merlin Annual Pass, which lets you get into thirty one fantastic UK attractions for 12 whole months. It's brilliant when you have a family that enjoys days out and exciting adventures together, allowing you to visit places such as Thorpe Park, Alton Towers, Chessington, Dungeons, Legoland, Madame Tussauds, Blackpool Tower and SeaLife Centres all for one price.   If you order a Merlin Annual Pass in their January Sale, prices start at just £99 per person (for a standard pass for a family of 3, 4 or 5). It's the cheapest price they will be all year, making it a great time to buy.

We were invited to review one of the Merlin attractions that you can visit using a Merlin Annual Pass and we chose to go to Legoland Discovery Centre in Manchester.

Legoland Discovery Centre is a great indoor attraction located in Barton Square at the intu Trafford Centre, right next to the SeaLife Centre (another great Merlin attraction).  Its location makes it the perfect place for MAP holders to pop in for a quick play when out shopping in Manchester.

We arrived just after the centre opened and were greeted at the door and shown through to the desk. You can buy fabulous activity packs filled with puzzles and LEGO facts that can be worn around the neck using a lanyard for just £3, so we treated Freddy to one.  You can collect stamps throughout the attraction, which is something Freddy enjoyed doing and ensures you get to see everything.  Going early meant we didn't have to do much queuing or waiting for rides or shows, so it was a really good time for a visit.

Before entering the main part of the LDC, you go through the fun factory tour guided by Professor Brick who gets the kids involved with working the machines to produce their very own souvenir LEGO bricks that they get to keep.  Freddy loves audience participation and is always first up to join in, so he was very happy to help Professor Brick make the pretend machines work by turning, jumping and shouting at the equipment!

There are three rides at the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre. Kingdom Quest Laser Ride lets you climb aboard a chariot in order to save the princess by shooting the trolls and skeletons with laser guns.  There is also the Forest Pursuit ride where kids can become rookie cops and chase the bad guys around a LEGO City landscape.  Merlin's Apprentice is a pedal operated flying ride which takes riders into the air helping Merlin to conjure his magic.  Freddy went on all three of the rides and loved them all.  They are aimed at younger children, but grown-ups get to enjoy the fun on the Kingdom Quest and on Merlin's Apprentice!

Miniland brings to life the sights of Manchester and surrounding areas such as the Lake District, Birmingham, Blackpool and Alton Towers, in miniature built using LEGO bricks.  With the models going through a cycle of time, you can see Miniland by night and day.  When everything is all lit up it looks really effective.  The detail of the models is wonderful and there are so many things to spot. We loved the model of Alton Towers with the fully working Oblivion ride.  It made us look forward to visiting Alton Towers again when it reopens in March (using our Merlin Annual Passes!)

Miniature versions of the Man Utd and Man City stadiums and Aintree Race Course let little hands get interactive with the models as they try to score a winning goal or come first in a horse race.

There is a 100 seat LEGO Studio 4D cinema at LDC showing The Legends of Chima.  The fabulous 3D film and special effects, such as wind and bubbles, made a really entertaining show featuring the animals of Chima as they embarked on an exciting adventure.  Freddy was chuckling throughout, especially when the skunk let off his stinky smell, emitting a green cloud of gas!

Throughout the day, there are workshops for budding model builders to try their hand at making a model, assisted by a member of staff.  Each child is given a bag of bits and given step by step guidance to create a model.

Freddy made a really cute gingerbread house, complete with a candy cane and a marshmallow tree. He was very proud of himself and really enjoyed the workshop. He got lots of types about LEGO construction and I was really impressed with how well he followed the instructions to create his lovely little model.

Freddy and Ian both really loved the LEGO Racers where you can build a vehicle and test drive it on the various tracks.  They raced against other kids' and timed their cars as they whizzed down the slopes.

Other attractions include the huge, multi-levelled soft play area, LEGO Construction.  It gives parents a chance to sit down on the sofas and relax with a cup of coffee from the cafe whilst the kids let off some steam.  Big boxes of LEGO allow children to immerse themselves in bricks and get creative building anything they want to.  We all enjoyed making our own creations from the multi-coloured bricks.

The LEGO Friends area lets kids enter Olivia's House where everything is pink and somewhat girlie. With flower shaped tables where you can play with pastel coloured bricks, a full size LEGO kitchen and a pretty funky karaoke machine to sing favourite songs, it's a cool place to hang out.  Perfect for children who like things a little more feminine. Freddy was happy to get up on stage to sing a rendition on Incy Wincy Spider, even though he wasn't that keen on the pinkness of the area! However, I think it is good to appeal to all tastes and think that the LEGO Friends range offers something a bit different to children who prefer flowers and butterflies to racing cars and construction.

The DUPLO area is perfect for toddlers and includes a set of giant bricks for them to build with.  All ages are catered for so well and anyone who is a fan of LEGO will have a great time!

There is also a Star Wars Miniland Model Display featuring scenes from Episode III Attack of the Clones, with some interactive bits with buttons to press and some spectacular creations to view.  A NinjaGo Laser Training Camp lets kids practice their Ninja skills by making their way through a series of laser beams, trying to not set off the alarm.  Crawling, jumping and stepping over the red beams of light proved a lot of fun for my little Ninja!

There are lots of full size models around the centre including a cool F1 racing car, Harry Potter and Buzz Lightyear.  It is amazing what can be built out of LEGO!!

The LEGO shop is a fabulous store filled with all things LEGO, from clothing to accessories to full building sets.  The children each made their own LEGO mini figure using the mix and match body parts and accessories, which they really enjoyed doing.  At 2 for £4 it's not too expensive either. Merlin Annual Pass holders get 20% off purchases, making it another great reason to have one!

We had a really lovely time at the Legoland Discovery Centre.  We spent approximately two and a half hours there and did everything we wanted to.  The centre has good facilities including a family restroom, baby changing, pushchair park and cafe, plus there is a lift between floors.  It is open from 10am - 7pm daily and prices start from just £9.95 (for online booking) with under 2's free.  Merlin Annual Pass holders can enjoy unlimited access all year round!

Find out more by visiting the website:  Legoland Discovery Centre Manchester 

You can find out more about a Merlin Annual Pass, which gives you access to a year of family fun and awesome days out by visiting:   www.merlinannualpass.co.uk. I love the freedom it gives us a family to enjoy unlimited days out without worrying about the cost.

The MERLIN ANNUAL PASS January SALE is now on, so be sure to grab a Merlin Annual Pass at the YEAR’S LOWEST PRICES – from just £99*.

To buy your Merlin Annual Pass click here.

*The Merlin Annual Pass is just £99 per person when you buy a family set of four passes.

That was Christmas...Hello 2015!

After an absolutely wonderful Christmas surrounded by the people I love most in this world, I am now ready to face 2015 with positivity and determination.  I made a conscious decision to keep the laptop packed away over the holidays and concentrate on nothing more than having fun, making memories and enjoying the time spent with my family.

I was so happy to have all three of my grown-up children home over the holidays. Having all five of my children together is definitely one of my greatest pleasures.  It makes me feel complete. I love the dynamic of the relationships, the laughter and the love.

Adding my gorgeously cute little grandson Ted to the mix adds to the fun.  I was overjoyed this Christmas, to feel that little Ted had really bonded with his McDonald family. He was so happy and comfortable in our house, giving us hugs, saying our names and playing with us. He reminded me so much of Joe when he was a toddler, especially when he decimated the chocolate Santa tree decorations, searching for them among the baubles and proudly declaring that he had 'chocwot' every time he found one!  Ted also bonded beautifully with his Great Grandad.  Watching them having fun together was so heartwarming.  The oldest and the youngest member of the family united through the power of play!

We continued with  lots of festive family traditions this year.  From doing lots of arts and crafts activities in the run up to Christmas to baking lots of festive treats including our gingerbread house.

Choosing the tree that would be brought into our home for Christmas is a serious business and this year we found the perfect tree in our local garden centre and enjoyed a warming hot chocolate in the cafe afterwards.  We decorated it together using the baubles I have collected over the years, each one holding memories of Christmases past.  The children also get to choose a new bauble each year.  This year, Disney princesses and felt covered deer were added to the eclectic collection.

The gifts were spread out this year with a present each on Winter Solstice that paid homage to Ian's Scottish ancestry.  We bought McDonald tartan inspired presents for everyone, which included a shirt, a scarf, pyjama bottoms and a nightshirt.

As usual all the Christmas dinner prep was carried out on Christmas Eve whilst the South Park Christmas CD was played!  I also made a hearty, wholesome vegetable soup for our lunch.  Something healthy before the onslaught of Christmas Day excess.

Christmas Eve gifts included matching onesies for the girls and Minion pj's for Freddy along with a new mug for hot chocolate, slippers, Christmas pants and socks along with a new teddy to hug, all wrapped in a festively decorated box.

The kids designed a plate to leave Santa's snacks on and Freddy sprinkled reindeer dust in the garden.

Christmas stockings were left on the children's door handles ready to be discovered and brought into our king size bed in the morning to be opened.  The door to the living room was covered in wrapping paper for Freddy to burst through to discover all the goodies that Santa had delivered.

But before the unwrapping commenced we sat down to a breakfast of freshly backed croissants and Buck's Fizz to set us up for the day ahead.

My mum and dad joined us on Christmas day which was a real honour and made the day so special. They loved their presents and I managed to make my wonderful dad shed a tear or two of emotion when he opened a framed family photo montage that I made for them. I love doing nice things for my parents and sharing Christmas Day with them is right up there in those things I enjoy.

Dinner this year was a vegan feast including a homemade nut roast.  I looked at so many recipes but couldn't find any that really ticked all the boxes. So I made up my own recipe incorporating all the elements I liked, tweaking it to suit our needs.  So the Lentil, Cashew Nut and Chestnut Roast was born (recipe to follow soon.)  It was a huge hit, especially with my dad who ate tonnes of the stuff!  I served it with a vegan 'sausage' and chestnut stuffing, which was like a main course in its own right, and all the usual Christmas dinner trimmings (including vegan pigs in blankets).

This year we had a Big Christmas Challenge after dinner, which I had spent weeks working on.  It included questions on 2014, news, films, music, Christmas traditions, carols, anagrams, picture quizzes etc plus each family member wrote 5 questions based on their own 2014 experiences to test everyone on.  It was a lot of fun and kept us all busy in the post dinner lull!

We got to do Christmas all over again two days later when Joe, Jade and Ted visited for the weekend. My parents came back again too to see them all bringing four generations together under one roof. Ella's boyfriend Frank also came to stay and we enjoyed another roast dinner and even more presents.  We discovered that Frank is one of the most thoughtful gift givers ever and that he makes my daughter so happy...definitely a keeper!

Thankfully, the illness that has plagued me for the past 8 weeks did not spoil my Christmas in any way.  I battled through and refused to let it get  the better of me.  I'm still not 100% better yet, but feel revitalised and ready to take on 2015!

Christmas was definitely pretty chaotic and hectic this year, but it was tonnes of fun and filled with hundreds of happy moments that we will remember for years to come.  Family means everything to me and spending the festive season with my loved ones was a simply perfect end to the year.

We Met Paddington at the Selfridges Ice Rink

It's that time of year again when Selfridges at the Trafford Centre in Manchester opens the doors of its Ice Rink so Christmas shoppers can enjoy a spot of seasonal ice skating!  We were invited along to give it a try at the weekend.  It is such a Christmassy thing to do and the kids were really excited about getting their skates on and having some fun on the ice.  I made the executive decision not to venture out onto the ice, as I have been poorly for five weeks with a chest infection.  I thought if I started coughing I would definitely end up on my backside, so I watched from the sidelines on a fur covered bench.

The all weather, covered ice rink holds up to 120 skaters and the venue is beautifully bedecked with Christmas trees and golden decorations.  There is a coffee shop so spectators can enjoy a hot drink while they watch the skaters whizz across the ice. Sessions last for 45 minutes.

We paid to hire a seal that Freddy could sit on and get pushed around.  He absolutely loved it and everyone took turns pushing him across the ice.  The girls did end up falling over (thanks to Kizzy pulling her sister down!) but they only suffered from two wet bums and a bruised knee between them, so no major harm done.

Special guests visit the ice rink on certain weekends and Freddy was really excited to meet Paddington Bear, star of the new Paddington movie!  Freddy always loves meeting characters and posed for some photographs.  

Peppa Pig will be visiting next weekend for some special sessions between 9 - 11 am, where kids get to have a skate, meet Peppa and enjoy a cupcake for the inclusive price of £15.

You can find out more at www.selfridges.com/content/store/manchester-trafford about the skating sessions which are available up to January 4th.

Ticket Type                  Price

Peak Adult                     £9.50

Peak Child                     £7.50

Off Peak Adult              £7.50

Off Peak Child              £5.50

Peak Family (x4)          £30.00

Off Peak Family (x4)   £25.00

Peak Times:  Monday - Friday 4pm-10pm, Saturday 11am - 9pm, Sunday 11am-6pm

Off Peak Times:  Monday - Friday 12pm-3pm, Saturday 9am - 10am, Sunday all day

*Peak and Off-peak times are subject to change over the festive period beginning week commencing 22.10.14, Peak and Off-peak tickets are outlined during the booking process

Shop 'til You Drop at Cheshire Oaks - A McArthur Glen Designer Outlet

This summer is the perfect time to indulge in a spot of retail therapy at one of the McArthur Glen Designer Outlets.  With six in the UK: Ashford, Bridgend, Cheshire Oaks near Chester,  East Midlands near Nottingham, Swindon and York, and a further fourteen outlets across Europe, they offer fantastic discounts on leading premium, designer, high street and lifestyle brands.

Throughout the summer, the UK outlets have extra activities on site to keep all the family happy.  We were invited to visit our nearest McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, Cheshire Oaks to discover what it had to offer over the school holidays.  With water walker balls, trampolines, fairground rides, giant sandpits and inflatables, the Activity Zones will make sure everyone is having fun.  Parents can relax in the deckchairs, enjoying a drink from the Beach Bar, while little ones play in the sandpit.  Older children will love the rides (extra charges through the purchase of tokens is required).   The outlet also has two fabulous play areas where kids can run off steam.  One of the areas is undercover so kids can play whatever the weather.  There are also ten coin operated children's rides around the site, to give little ones a treat when they have been good!

Today, Cheshire Oaks were hosting an event in conjunction with Heart FM.  A team from Heart were on hand in an al fresco area offering shoppers the chance to take part in a competition to win vouchers.  Shoppers were also invited to chat to the team about their shopping experience with the possibility of  their Vox Pop being featured in an ad on the radio!  Myself and my 18 year old daughter Ella recorded one and had a chat with the lady from Heart.

On arrival at Cheshire Oaks we were met by the lovely Marketing Manager who showed us around the site.   We learned that the whole outlet is in the process of a massive refurbishment with new flooring, fresh white paintwork and funky seating being introduced.  Everything looked fresh, bright and clean.  It was brilliant seeing all the shops so busy and bustling.  There were even queues outside some shops, in particular the Ralph Lauren stores.  Everybody loves a bargain and with discounts typically up to 70% off, there are lots of great money saving offers to be found.

Parking is free and there are over 3000 spaces available.  There are 135 stores and 12 restaurants as well as numerous food kiosks dotted around the site.  Cheshire Oaks is accessible from junction 10 of the M53 and is close to the city of Chester, Chester Zoo and the Blue Planet Aquarium, making it a great place for incorporating into a weekend away or a short break.

For the summer at Cheshire Oaks, there is a great free competition where shoppers can Unlock Their Style.  There is a selection of locked perspex boxes with some great prizes inside.  You have to choose a key and if your key fits one of the padlocks, you instantly win what is inside the box it opens.  I had my eye on a £100 Yo Sushi voucher, but sadly our keys did not unlock any of the boxes.  It is a really fun, instant win competition, and lucky shoppers are winning prizes everyday.

Trying to unlock the padlock to win a prize!

The range of shops available is brilliant.  High end designer names such as Burberry, Radley, Ralph Lauren and Armani, sit alongside top high street brands such as M & S, Next and Nike.  So whether you are looking for an expensive designer item with a great discount, or whether you want to pick up high street brands at outlet prices, you will find whatever you are looking for in a one stop shopping experience.  And it's not just about fashion, there are lots of stores selling cookware such as Pro-Cook and Le Crueset.  There are cosmetic shops like L'Occitane, W H Smiths and Paperchase for stationery and  Cadbury, Thornton's and Lindt for buying chocolatey treats!

My girls loved the Claire's Accessories store which offered 30% off full prices as well as a load of sale items at 10 for £5!  They bought loads of lovely bits and bobs including jewellery and hair accessories.  The Next outlet was also a huge hit as the kids amassed a haul of clothes, shoes and make-up at low prices.  Kizzy picked out a dress that she took a fancy to when she saw it at a Next event we attended earlier this year.  Now at just £6, it is a great bargain for the summer.  Freddy picked out some half price character tees and some jeans.  Ella found two pairs of shoes and a top, all heavily discounted.

We also enjoyed visiting the Vans store where Kizzy bought a pair of hidden heel hi-tops for just £10!!  A huge bargain!  Nike, Adidas and Sports Direct also proved excellent sources for picking up bargains.  Kizzy got some essential sports equipment she needs for her new school and Freddy bagged a football for just £4.  The M&S outlet had some incredible clearance bargains including a three pack of pyjamas for Freddy, a school skirt and a summer playsuit for Kizzy all at just £3 each with an extra 20% off at the till!  He also got a tuxedo jacket, shirt and bow tie set also for £2.40 which is a massive 90% discount on its original price.  He will look like a mini James Bond and I'm sure there will be a special occasion for him to wear it.  The Joules store and Gap have some great buys for children and the Superdry store is huge and is heaven for teenagers!

For lunch we were treated to a meal in Ed's Easy Diner, which is a funky restaurant steeped in Americana with juke boxes playing Elvis and a real 50's vibe throughout.  We enjoyed veggie burgers and some of the most incredible milkshakes we had ever tasted which came in metal jugs.  The girls had Oreo and peanut butter milkshakes while I had a skinny coffee milkshake.  Delicious.

It is nice to see so many restaurants with so many options for vegetarians like us.  With Yo Sushi, Cafe Rouge, Harry Ramsden's, Starbucks and McDonald's among the choices, there is something for everyone whatever your taste or your budget. You really can enjoy a full day out at Cheshire Oaks; shopping in the amazing shops; letting the kids enjoy the play areas and having a family meal together.  

There are plenty of facilities for families with young children including baby changing stations, restaurants with baby food heating and high chairs and kiddy cabs for hire.  There are ramps around the whole site making easy access for pushchairs when walking between the stores.

We had an excellent day enjoying all the facilities at Cheshire Oaks.  Because of the play areas and Activity Zone, Freddy had a fun day too. Ian looked after him for a while in the undercover play area while the girls and I did some serious shopping!  It worked really well and everyone was happy.  It's a great day out. When we arrived home we checked all the bargains we had bought.  We had masses of stuff for all three children for their summer holidays and for Kizzy's Back to School essentials. A very productive trip indeed.

Find out more about McArthur Glen Designer Outlets.

Check out a Heart FM or Capital Radio event near you at Bridgend on 2/8/14 or Ashford, York and East Midlands on 9/8/14. 

“I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Network Research Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity”.