Workout your Brain in 2018 with Breakout Manchester

You could give your brain a new year workout by playing an escape room with Breakout Manchester. With puzzles and clues to solve, objects to find and games to play, an escape room really gets your brain working. Team work and leadership skills are also put to the test as you attempt to escape from your chosen room in under sixty minutes. Each room is fully themed,  from the Wild West's Most Wanted to the horror themed Captured, which adds to the immersive feel of the games.

This Christmas we played the 5* rated room Madchester at Breakout Manchester and we managed to retain our 100% breakout record by escaping the room with four minutes to spare. Go Team McD!

Madchester takes place in the bedroom of a Manchester super fan, who has an extensive range of memorabilia from sporting venues, bands, teams and locations from the Manchester area. It's a great room to play with plenty of puzzles to solve and things to discover. When you get stuck, the game operator sends you some cryptic clues, shown on a screen in the room, keeping the gameplay moving. Madchester is a tough game, so we were really proud of ourselves for cracking the codes and escaping.

What I love most about Breakout escape rooms is that they are great for all the family. Freddy is 8 years old and has successfully participated in breaking out of the four rooms that we have played as a family. He often spots things that we miss. Every member of the team has a part to play and can bring their own unique skills to the table. Whether you are good with words or numbers, can solve riddles, have keen observation skills and an eye for detail or are good at physical games, there will be something in the escape rooms that you do best.

Breakout escape rooms really are a fun activity for all the family, whatever the weather. You can find out more and book at breakoutmanchester.com.

A Magical Start to Christmas at the Intu Trafford Centre

Today we were invited to the Intu Trafford Centre to watch their Magical Christmas Parade. Arriving before the parade began, we had the chance to meet the stars of the show in a private meet and greet. Freddy loved seeing Peppa Pig, Bing & Flop, Shimmer & Shine, Marshall & Skye, the Minions, PJ Masks and Branch & Poppy. There is something so magical about seeing the children interact with their favourite TV stars in real life! We had a really nice breakfast, juice and coffee supplied by Leon, which was much appreciated after our early start.

We were then lucky enough to be able to watch the parade from the VIP enclosure at the side of the stage in the Orient. There was a procession of the characters alongside dancing princes and princesses, jugglers, drumming soldiers, stilt walkers, ballerinas, dancers, Father Christmas and his elves.

The all singing, all dancing performance ended with a magical blizzard of snowflake confetti, which was really lovely.  We left feeling very festive after our wonderful morning at the intu Trafford Centre.

Afterwards we got to do some Christmas shopping and get some lunch. The Christmas lights made the experience very sparkly and festive.

Check out what is happening at the intu Trafford Centre this Christmas at intu.co.uk/traffordcentre.

A Magical Christmas Parade is coming to Intu Trafford Centre

A Magical Christmas Parade is coming to intu Trafford Centre on November 18th 2017. 

As a family, we really enjoy our annual Christmas shopping trips to intu Trafford Centre. There is always something exciting going on and the decorations really put us in a festive mood. We love the Santa's Grotto in Barton Square, which is always so innovative and exciting! So we are really looking forward to experiencing the new Magical Christmas Parade this year.

This brand new event is bringing the magic of Christmas to families with a parade featuring the stars of Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Shimmer and Shine, Trolls, Bing and the Minions. Little ones will love seeing the stars of TV and the big screen brought to life in a show stopping parade.

Filled with music, dance and festive fun, this captivating Christmas carnival takes place in the Orient with two  parades starting at 11.30am and 2.30pm. The enchanting experience will give families a chance to see their favourite children’s characters alongside a dazzling array of princesses, princes, nutcracker dancers and traditional toy soldiers. Even Father Christmas himself will be taking a break from his festive grotto in Barton Square to appear in the procession and welcome the crowds to the Christmas event.

The full Magical Christmas Parade cast will feature:

Chase, Marshall and Skye from Nickelodeon’s PAW Patrol

DreamWorks Animation Trolls lead characters Princess Poppy and Branch

Bing and Flop from Emmy-award winning CBeebies cartoon Bing

Mini superheroes PJ Masks in their trademark pyjamas

Family-favourite Peppa Pig

Nickelodeon’s twin-sister genies-in-training Shimmer and Shine

Fresh from Despicable Me 3 - the Minions

A cast of magical fairy-tale princes and princesses

Traditional, festive nutcracker dancers and traditional marching toy soldiers

Father Christmas leading the way as the star of the show

Alison Niven, regional centre director at intu Trafford Centre, said: “The Magical Christmas Parade is the perfect festive, family day out – the Orient will come alive with music, dancing and wide-eyed little ones looking out for their favourite stars.... it’s really beginning to feel like the magic of Christmas has started.”

For all the festive, family events at intu Trafford Centre, visit: intu.co.uk/traffordcentre/events.

Rave-A-Roo review - Kids. Play. Rave. Repeat.

On Sunday morning we went along to Selfridges at the Trafford Centre in Manchester, so Freddy could take part in an exciting Rave-A-Roo kids' party event.  Rave-A-Roo is a daytime, mash-up music festival for children with a live DJ, madcap party hosts, inflatable toys, bubbles, confetti cannons, crafting, fun and games. It's a high energy event to entertain the whole family, with old skool tunes and clubbing hits.

The party hosts, including Jungle Jane and Disco Duck, entertained the kids using a mixture of music, dance and storytelling. With props such as inflatable ducks and bananas, hula-hoops, beach balls and bubble machines, the scene is set for little ones to immerse themselves in the party atmosphere. They used their imaginations to join Jungle Jane and her friends on a trek to the jungle, sailing their boat across the sea to the tune of Oops Upside Your Side (that brought back memories!) and played a game of Sleeping Tigers. The children also enjoyed bashing a dad volunteer with inflatable bananas!

As well as the dancefloor and the madcap antics, kids can also take part in some crafting activities. Freddy decorated a pair of fancy sunglasses with some bling and did some neon clay modelling. He also had his face painted with some day-glo facepaint, perfect for the clubbing scene. There were also some healthy refreshments to keep the kids energised. Rave-A-Roo is a well structured event for children with a great balance of high octane activities and opportunities to chill out and get creative.

The finale of the show included confetti cannons firing confetti into the crowd of dancing children. It was really impressive and Freddy loved it. Seeing the kids all jumping up and down in the multi-coloured cloud of rainbow confetti was wonderful.

I was so proud of Freddy for joining in and taking part. He can be quite shy in crowds, but the hosts were so engaging and involved all the children making them comfortable and eager to be a part of the fun. The volume levels were not too high, making it good for little ears. We had packed Fred's ear defenders in case the music was too loud for him, but he didn't need them.

Overall, we were really impressed with the Rave-A-Roo event. They are for children aged up to 10 years old, and Freddy at 8 was definitely an ideal age for it. We were able to sit and watch him having fun, while enjoying a cup of complimentary coffee. Parents of younger children were on the dance floor with their little ones.

I would definitely recommend the Rave-A-Roo experience for children. I'll be keeping an eye out for future Rave-A-Roo events! Freddy absolutely loved it.

Find out more at www.rave-a-roo.com/.

Santa at the intu Trafford Centre - The Polar Expedition

Today, we were invited to the intu Trafford Centre to visit The Polar Expedition grotto in Barton Square. Families embark on a magical journey, guided by Eskimo Elves, to meet Santa. This year's grotto is very different to any we have visited before. It really is quite unique.

I'm not going to give any spoilers as to what adventures to expect, but prepare to encounter a host of Polar animals and a cute baby reindeer called Norbert. It is truly magical!  You will meet some fun and engaging characters and can even learn some fascinating Polar facts. The experience contains some exciting technology that will thrill the whole family.

The grotto has been really well constructed with lots of attention to detail. There is so much to look at in the displays and decorations. This year, the grotto has been made in association with Playmobil and there is a giant Playmobil Santa in the entrance of the temporary building in Barton Square.

The final stage of the journey takes you to visit Santa himself. I thought it was lovely that Santa talked to all three of my children equally and gave them each a gift. He was engaging and warm. (The gifts they received are good quality.) Santa's elf took photographs that were available to purchase in a variety of photo product options.

Prices for The Polar Expedition are £7.50 for children, which includes a gift and £5.00 for accompanying adults. You can find out more and book at: intu.co.uk/traffordcentre/event-archive/santa-s-secret-workshop-grotto.

Opening Times:

Until Friday 2 December

Monday-Friday 12noon-6pm

Saturday and Sunday 11am-6pm

Saturday 3 December - Friday 9 December

Monday-Friday 11am-7pm

Saturday and Sunday 9am-8pm

Saturday 10 December - Sunday 18 December

Monday-Friday 10am-9pm

Saturday 8.30am-9pm

Sunday 9am-8pm

Monday 19 December - Christmas Eve

Monday-Friday 8.30am-9pm

Christmas Eve 8.30am 4pm

Hardcore Gaming at PLAY it! #PLAYitManc

We visited PLAY it! at the Museum of Science and Industry on the opening day for a family gaming session. The exhibition was quite simply a gamer's paradise, providing a huge range of games and consoles from the past 30 years for some hands on gaming action.

The event room at the MOSI is divided into six zones:

Zone 1: Retro Gaming - retro to modern computer games and consoles

Zone 2: Manchester - including games programmed by Ocean Games and the 80s classroom

Zone 3: Rhythm - music and dance based gaming

Zone 4: Minecraft

Zone 5: Celebrations - film, TV and character based games

Zone 6: Lounge - multiplayer gaming

Favourite gaming franchises such as Sonic, Mario, Tomb Raider, Star Wars, Street Fighter and LEGO games are represented in all their glory on a range of consoles. It was really interesting to see the evolution of characters such as Lara Croft across the different formats. We remembered having several of the games and it was very nostalgic having a play.

The Minecraft area was a real hit with Freddy who spent the time learning how to play the game on the PC rather than on the PS3 that he has at home. He got lots of tips from the other kids in the Minecraft zone.

I loved watching him concentrate so hard on mining, building, taming animals and blowing up his Minecraft world! Minecraft is such a phenomena, it was great to see it have its very own zone.

I introduced Kezia to some of my old favourites including Crash Bandicoot on the original Playstation. We also had a go at the Mega Drive, the Nintendo 64 and the SNES. There are plenty of consoles so we never had to wait for a go on anything. We just found a free spot and jumped in to try it. Although there was a lot of serious, hardcore gamers around, we never felt at all intimidated or embarassed by our lack of skill, in fact there were plenty of people willing to lend a hand or offer advice when we were obviously struggling due to our lack of gaming prowess.

Kezia and I had some fun at the selfie table, trying on Mario and Luigi hats. It was a bit of light relief from our attempts at gaming. and donning the iconic headgear definitely made us feel the part!

There is a cafe area selling drinks and snacks including some brilliant gaming cupcakes. The guy who served us told us the legendary story of when Atari tried to make an ET game after the release of the film, which was so rubbish that the whole lot was resigned to landfill. This became the stuff of urban legend until many years later when thousands of the games were unearthed when the land was being developed! The chocolate cupcakes played homage to this tale. Comfy seating allowed us to have a nice rest while we sampled a drink and one of the cakes.

Seeing the range of games and consoles makes you realise just how far the gaming industry has come, from the old original video consoles such as the Spectrum and the Commodore, right up to the most modern, contemporary games. The advancements over the last thirty years really are quite mindblowing. When I had my first console, the Intellevision, back in 1979, I could never have imagined what my own kids would be playing in the future.

The nostalgia of seeing the Sega Master System and the Mega Drive made my day, bringing back many memories of a younger me playing for hours and hours. I used be quite good back in the day, but the advancements in technology saw my skills lag further and further behind. These days I leave it to the kids, but I enjoyed this trip down memory lane.

With individual 90 minute sessions costing just £4 and full day passes £10, PLAY it! is a great opportunity to experience some blasts from the past as well as trying your hand at some modern gaming. Whether you are competitive and looking at taking on other seasoned gamers or if you are like me and looking for a nostalgic way to revisit your youth, it is well worth a visit.

Find out more and book at: www.mosi.org.uk/whats-on/play-it-manchester

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.

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

Manchester Christmas Markets

This weekend, we were among the record breaking 200,000 people who descended on Manchester city centre for the opening of the Christmas Markets.  With Ella being at university there, we parked up outside her halls of residence and walked into town.  The weather was perfect and we felt very festive as we approached the beautifully adorned, wooden stalls each selling their wares from around Europe.

The smell of mulled wine and various foods was enticing and we simply had to sample the Garlic Mushrooms and Garlic Potatoes from Provence, which were cooked in huge pans on the street and smelled so good.  It was nice to find some vegetarian friendly food among all the German sausages on offer, and the potatoes and mushrooms were absolutely delicious - so, so tasty!

The children had their first ever macaroons, hand made by the French people running the stall. Freddy loved them but at £9 a bag they will only ever be an occasional treat!  He also had a white chocolate covered apple, which we bought from a very happy Bavarian man selling various fruits on sticks that had been dipped in chocolate and decorated. They looked really pretty.

The markets have a real international flavour and a vibrant atmosphere. There were so many cool things on display from jewellery to wooden ornaments to traditional nutcrackers to Christmas decorations alongside all the food stalls and pop up bars.  It was so busy and positively bustling, which is always good to see. Ella's boyfriend is working on one of the stalls at the markets selling Lemax Christmas Collectables. We popped across to say hello.  They were doing a roaring trade and selling their stuff off much cheaper than I've seen it in the garden centres. Nice to see some well priced stalls at the markets!  It was also good to see that the pop-up bars had a returnable deposit policy on their mugs, glasses and cups, as part of an environmentally friendly initiative. 

With a visit to the Arndale Centre included in our day out, we really enjoyed spending the day in Manchester.  Freddy coped really well with the crowds and the long walk around all the sites.  My little boy is definitely growing up and getting more able to deal with situations outside of his comfort zone, which is really pleasing.

Afterwards we popped in to see Megan, who couldn't join us at the markets because she'd had friends rounds after a big night out.  We bought some vegan take out food from Eighth Day to make up for her missing the garlic potatoes! I love being able to visit my grown up kids and having two living in the same city is such a bonus.    

The Manchester Christmas Markets are open everyday until December 21st.

How my kids keep making me proud - a new job and starting university

Last weekend, we packed up the car and drove to Manchester, the city that Ella will be calling home for the next three years.  With a car laden with bags of clothes, shoes, kitchen equipment and of course Ella's guitar, we headed up the M6 to our destination.  We were all a bit unsure about how the day would pan out and Freddy had been quite over emotional about losing his sister and having his family change.  In fact, we had seen some epic meltdowns over the smallest things, which is not like him at all.  But we tried to keep things light and have fun, stopping for some breakfast at the services and having an in car picnic en route!

We arrived in good time and found the campus. The brand new university building with its adjoining townhouse accommodation was an impressive sight. Although all the building work and landscaping was not completely finished, and although there had been some issues over allocating housing to students because of this, seeing the place put our minds at rest.  Once it is completely finished the place will be quite spectacular!

Ella was lucky enough to get her choice of accommodation in a lovely townhouse.  We were impressed that the university had a team of helpers on hand to advise arriving students on what to do, plus there were porters to help transport the loads of luggage from the car to her door.  Fantastic service!

The accommodation itself was lovely.  Ella has a fully furnished room with a desk, wardrobe, shelving, drawers and a large 3/4 bed.  She shares a shower room and toilet with the room next door and shares a huge kitchen/living area with her eleven flatmates.  With three full sized fridge freezers, two full size fitted ovens, two microwaves, two full sink units, toasters, kettles and a load of storage space, there is plenty of room for everyone to cook.  The living space has sofas, a big, wall mounted TV and a massive round table and seating.  It is more like a holiday home than student digs.

Megan came across to give us a hand moving Ella in, as she has made Manchester her home after graduating.  As ever it was lovely seeing her and catching up on all her news.  Megan took a career break earlier this year to try her hand in the world of film and TV.  In six months she had worked on two shorts (one starring some bloke off of Corrie, which made my mum' day), one feature film starring John Hurt (in which both Megan and Ella had roles as extras) and a CBBC series.  It was a real adventure for her, but the 14 hour days, extreme pressure and the hierarchy of the industry made her realise that, although a great experience, it wouldn't cut it as a career choice for her.  So Megan set about returning to the corporate world and quickly was approached by the biggest digital marketing agency in the UK who offered her a job there and then.  She starts in October!  I'm so very proud of her.

Once we had moved Ella's stuff into the townhouse, we took the 10 minute walk to the main university complex and enjoyed a vegan lunch at Falafel, a delicious and healthy fast food outlet serving freshly cooked falafel in a pitta wrap with salad, hummus, tahini and chilli sauce.  One of the perks of city life is the choice of fabulous world food on your doorstep!  While Ian and Freddy had a play in the park next to the university, my girls and I went for a wander to check out the student union and pick up Ella's Fresher's wristband and help her find her bearings in her new hometown.

A quick spot of shopping at the huge Asda, which is a short walk from Ella's campus, and we had done everything we had to do.  I didn't plan how or when we would leave, nor did I want to think about it in case I cried and upset Ella, but it actually ended up so easy.  When we got back to Ella's house, her flatmates were chatting and getting to know each other and it was the most natural thing in the world for Ella to join in their conversation.  Gone was my timid little girl and in her place was a confident young woman, eager to start this new chapter in her life.  My heart swelled with love and pride as we said our good-byes.  It was like she belonged there and it would be the making of her. Yes, I shed a tear, but not because I was sad, but because I was so bloody proud and happy for my little girl being given this chance to shine.

As we drove away from Manchester, with my slightly smaller family, Freddy started talking about why he had been so upset over the last couple of days before Ella left.  He told us that he hadn't understood what university was.  He thought Ella was going to "another country with glowing floors and shiny walls" and that he wouldn't be able to see her.  However, he said that after seeing where she was living he now knew that it was "just normal" and that Ella would be OK.  In that instant, my calm, loving, well behaved little boy returned and all was good with the world once again.

Now, a few days since Ella left home, I've talked everyday by either phone, text or Skype to both of my girls and I've been enjoying Facebook updates and photographs of Ella's student antics.  She has embraced student life and has some wonderful flatmates.  There have been big nights out and impromptu house parties.  She is making the most of this opportunity and I could not be more proud! Having my third chick fly the nest has not left me bereft at all. My heart isn't emptier it's fuller and bursting with love for them all. My life feels even richer now, knowing I have another grown up child, doing me proud and making their mark. This is what being a mum is all about, raising kids to become confident, happy and fulfilled adults, and right now I am feeling pretty damn content about my life, watching my three big kids forge their own paths in the big wide world.

Festive Ice Skating at the The Ice Rink at Selfridges Manchester Trafford

We were invited to The Ice Rink at Selfridges in Manchester's Trafford Centre (in association with UGG) to enjoy a festive ice skating session on Sunday morning.  We arrived at the undercover venue, which was beautifully bedecked in Christmas trees, baubles and decorations.  We collected our ice skates and borrowed a seal skate aid for Freddy to use, before taking to the ice.

The girls took to it like naturals and Freddy did superbly well with his little skates that fitted over his shoes.  They gave him more stability than the bladed boots and are a good choice for little ones.

During the session, we met two very special visitors Peppa Pig and Father Christmas!  Freddy was delighted to see them both.  After the session was over we were treated to Krispy Kreme doughnuts and a hot drink.  What a lovely way to start the day!  

The ice rink is open until the beginning of January and is located at the main fountain entrance to Selfridges Trafford off Barton Dock Road, it can also be accessed through men's shoes on the Lower Level.

Opening hours

Monday to Wednesday 12pm until 10pm

Thursdays and Fridays 12pm until 11pm

Saturdays 9am until 10pm

Sundays 11am until 7pm

The last skate will take place one hour before closing.

Ticket prices

Peak tickets

Adults £9

Children (3-16 years) £7

Skate aid £3

- Monday to Friday 4pm until close

- Saturday 11am until 10pm

- Sunday all day

Off-peak tickets

Adult £7

Children (3-16 years) £5

Skate aid £3

- Monday to Friday 12 until 4pm

- Saturday 9am until 11am

To book tickets visit https://www.quaytickets.com/selfridges/Online/default.asp

What Fred Said and an Urban Picnic

It's been a bit of a taxing week for Freddy.  I think 5 weeks at school is catching up with him and his sleeping and eating have been affected.  He's been so tired after school and I think he's having a growth spurt to add insult to injury.  It's tough being a 4 year 3 month old school boy.

In spite of that, my lovely boy has still given us some gems:

Freddy: Do you know what gravy tastes like?

Nana:  No, can you tell me what gravy tastes like?

Freddy:  Gravy.  (Logical!!)

The girls were talking about the organs of the body (for some reason) and Freddy told them that he had a heart.  They asked him what his heart was for.  He pondered, clasped his hands under his chin and looked to the skies dramatically..."It loves!" he said.

We drove to Manchester today and Freddy was gazing out of the window.  We went past a big electricity pylon.  Freddy said, "Are we in Paris?  They have one of those in Paris."  The pylon did bear an uncanny resemblance to the Eiffel Tower!

Freddy decided that he needed to enjoy a bit of the outdoors this weekend (he clearly wanted to get involved with #countrykids today!)  Before we left for our day in Manchester, for Ella to attend a university open day, Freddy packed himself a picnic.  He packed a cool bag with some food and also put in a blanket.  He announced that he was going to "have a picnic like Peppa Pig did" in the episode he had watched before we left.

  Where was Freddy going to have a picnic?? We were going to Manchester, to the heart of the city.

Freddy was undeterred by this fact and found himself a little concreted spot in the street where he opened up his bag and set down his blanket before tucking into his yummy snacks.  The mild autumn weather was perfect for picnicking, even when there is no grassy spot available.

It proved to me that you don't need to go somewhere fancy for a little one to turn it into an outdoor adventure.  He really makes me smile :)

We encountered an intense storm on the way home which resulted in the biggest, brightest double rainbow that I have ever seen.  Eventually the rainbow disappeared from our view.  My clever boy said "Is that because it isn't sunny and rainy anymore?"  Genius!

We are looking forward to our half term holiday, just one more week to go!  I'm counting the days until I've got Freddy home for a week of rest, relaxation and quality mummy time!

We Met Alex Winters at The Lowry

We love Manchester.  It's where my eldest daughter lives.  It's where Ella plans to go to university.  It's a home from home for us.  There is always so much going on and so much to do. 

The Lowry is a great spot to visit.  It boasts an art gallery, three theatres, a cafe, gift shop, exhibition spaces, activity workshops and as from today a brand new family activity space known as The Lookout. I was invited to the official opening today along with Ella, Kizzy and Freddy.

It's free to enter the building and families get a warm welcome with a focus on fun and learning for all ages.  The Lookout is a lovely, light and airy space where children can play, curl up with a book or practice their drawing skills.  It overlooks the Quays with excellent views to inspire budding artists. The Lookout is sponsored by Derwent who supply art supplies for kids to use.

The space is open everyday 11am to 5pm except on Saturday when it is open from 10am to 5pm, and is free to use.  It is a great place to enjoy whatever the weather, adding another reason to visit The Lowry.  There is a great play area for the under 5's with puzzles and story books.

The Lookout has a programme of family friendly activities.  Freddy enjoyed taking part in a puppet making workshop. The activity was demonstrated and then the children were able to create their own.

He made a great horse puppet using a paper plate and some arty bits and bobs, based on War Horse, a theatre production of which is coming to the theatre soon.  He called his horse Ben and was very proud of it!

CBeebies favourite Alex Winters came to the launch event and was on hand to entertain the little ones.  Freddy was very proud to show him his horse puppet!  Alex liked his golden tail.

Alex entertained the children with a fabulous interactive story telling session.  Freddy was really excited to join in with Alex's version of We're Going On A Bear Hunt, which he knows from nursery.  It was lovely meeting Alex and he was so good with the children!

Photo by Andrew Robinson

We had a brilliant time in The Lookout.  We were treated to lunch and were really impressed by the latest family friendly facility available at The Lowry, especially as it is free to use.  It was great to catch up with some of my blogging buddies and to meet Alex too!

For more information visit www.thelowry.com