Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood at Nottingham Playhouse

Last weekend we were invited to see the opening night of this year's pantomime at the Nottingham Playhouse, Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood.

You may remember last year we were invited to see Cinderella; it was the first time my children had seen the Christmas panto and it was such a wonderful experience, so I was really looking forward to seeing it again this year.

As the curtains were raised, the dancers twirled across the stage dressed as the woodland creature residents of Sherwood Forest. Immediately, my daughters face lit up just the same as last year.

Hailing from Nottingham, Robin Hood is naturally a huge part of our cultural history, so this particular panto was always going to be hit with residents of the city.

The costumes were wonderful and the actors all bought their own element of excitement and humour, and with audience participation a must (otherwise you might just get taken on stage) the show was thoroughly enjoyed by us all.

John Elkington once again bought the panto dame to life as Nurse Nelly Noggins, he is hilarious and keeps the audience amused with his quick wit and great humour, Robin Kingsland was the perfect baddie and had us all booing as the evil Sheriff of Nottingham.

There were lots of modern songs to keep it entertaining for all ages, they even got us dancing at one point. It really is the best way to get into the festive mood and with Christmas songs interspersed throughout, it was hard not to get into the spirit of the season.

I don’t want to spoil it by giving away the songs so I won’t, all I can say is that the show is well worth the money and it is by far my new favourite tradition.

The panto runs until 19th January and there relaxed performances, dementia-friendly and BSL-signed performances still to come. And with seats to suit all budgets, it really is accessible to all.

I can also highly recommend The Elves and The Shoemaker in the Neville Studio next door. Aimed at children from 3-8, we have been to these shows the last few years and they are an absolutely amazing immersive experience for the children and a great way to get them into theatre.

We were given two complimentary tickets to the show for the purpose of this review, all words and opinions are my own. Photos by Nottingham Playhouse

Cinderella at the Nottingham Playhouse - Review

Last weekend we were invited to see the opening night of Cinderella at the Nottingham Playhouse.

If you grew up in Nottingham, then chances are you will have seen the panto at least once.  For me, it was a school trip that first took me to see it. I remember a few of the school years going to see it, sat on a steamed up bus trying to get through the traffic on a cold December night. Everyone super excited to have seen the play and hyped up on sweets.

The glitz of the costumes, the sounds, the singing and most of all the wonderfully adapted stories are what make this a great show. When I used to go the it starred Kenneth Alan Taylor, he has passed the baton on to the fabulous John Elkington but is still a huge part of the panto, writing and directing what was a spectacular show from start to finish.

I was as excited as the children to see the panto, having not been back since my younger days, it was a treat for us all including my mum who came with us.

As the curtains raised and the dancing animals appeared on the stage my daughters face lit up, she was in total awe at the spectacle before her, the costumes were amazing.

Buttons arrived on stage, he was enigmatic and got us all looking after his apple….a gift for Cinderella. 

We meet Cinderella, Dandini, Prince Charming, The Ugly Sisters, Duchess Dowager Devilla, lots of woodland creatures and of course the Fairy Godmother.

With so many special effects, bangs, flashes and the most wonderfully detailed costumes it had us on the edge of our seats.

There were lots of modern songs to keep it entertaining for all ages, they even got us dancing at one point. It really is the best way to get into the festive mood and with Christmas songs interspersed throughout, it was hard not to get excited.

I don’t want to spoil it by giving away the songs so I won’t, all I can say is that the show is well worth the money and I think this may very well be our new Christmas tradition.

There are several performances of the panto with seats to suit all budgets, I can also highly recommend the Town Mouse and the Country Mouse in the Nevill Studio next door. Aimed at children from 3-8, we have been the last few years and they are an absolutely amazing immersive experience for the children and a great way to get them into theatre.

We were given two complimentary tickets to the show for the purpose of this review, all words and opinions are my own. Photos by Robert Day. 

Reliving the 80s with Chad Valley at Argos

So you may wonder how I could possibly be reliving the 80s with the Chad Valley range, without leafing through a vintage Argos catalogue?

Well in this months Play Panel bundle, they sent us a toy which I had in the 80s and one which my friends and I used to spend hours playing on.

The pogo ball (or Lolo ball as it was known back in the 80s) is a great way for children to learn about balance, get them to use their core and generally have fun whilst falling over and laughing.

With it being winter, it hasn't been easy to get outside and use this, so we have been playing with it on the landing and in the dining room.

The kids have really loved it and even I have had a go on it (photo withheld!)  I am pretty much as good now as I was back in the 80s for those wondering; like riding a bike you never forget how to bounce on a pogo ball!

I wish I had a picture of me with my 1980s pogo ball, it was purple and yellow and the day it broke was such a sad day :(

Thankfully though I can relive those memories now with the children and show them the kind of toy I had when growing up.

It comes deflated and you use the helpfully supplied pump to blow it up; once it is fully pumped up you are ready to bounce. The platform has two textured footprints for grip and to show you where to place your feet, so even though my 6 year old daughter struggled to bounce on it, she knew exactly what to do.

There are some other fab toys in the bundle too, my daughter loves the Designabear and it hasn't left her side, we've had lots of fun being chased by the lights and sounds elephant whilst trying to get the hoops on his trunk and although we haven't played with the others yet, my son is eager to have a punch about with the inflatable boxing set. Winter sadly doesn't make for great outdoor playing conditions.

As for the scooter; we already had one of these, so we donated this one to charity.

This is a collaborative post, all words and opinions are my own.

Santa Comes to Town on a Big Red Christmas Bus

Last year we were invited to see Santa on his Big Red Christmas Bus at the Giltbrook Retail Park in Nottingham.

This weekend he is back and one again, we were invited to see him.  Suspecting that this will most likely be the last year of believing for my son, I said yes.

I know it is a bit early too, but with the children only being with me every other weekend I took the opportunity to start the Christmas fun a bit earlier.

The great thing about Giltbrook is that it is out of town, meaning no parking fees, yet plenty of great places to get some shopping done too.

As we waited to board the bus I could sense the excitement in the children, as the sound of Michael Buble drifted through the air I could feel myself getting into the spirit too.

Once you step onto the bus, there is a crafting area where children can write a card to Santa with what they would like for Christmas.

Then you are invited up one family at a time to see Santa, in what can only be described as a magical wonderland. With it cold outside, it certainly did feel like we were edging closer to Christmas, apparently it's only six weeks away!

Once up stairs the Jolly Fellow welcomed us and announced he'd been waiting to see us.  He asked the children if they'd been good and what they'd like. He was a wonderfully kind Santa who listened intently to what they'd both like for Christmas.

Once they'd told him what they'd like (one thing each, bless them) Santa gave them each a little gingerbread snow globe, a lovely touch and something they can both treasure.

If you are around the Nottingham are this weekend, then I can highly recommend a trip to Giltbrook Retail Park.

The Big Red Bus is free to enter and is open on 11th and 12th November between 10am and 6pm (Saturday) and 11am and 5pm (Sunday).  If you get a bit peckish there is also the Crepe Cabin and Street Diner for some yummy food.

This is a collaborative post, all words and images are my own.

Christmas Soft Drinks Guide

Not everyone likes to drink at Christmas and if you are a designated driver, pregnant or just not that into alcoholic beverages then it can be difficult to find those drinks that are more than just lemonade, water or a glass of coke.

So here is my guide to some great alternative and alcohol free drinks this Christmas and perfect if you fancy a dry January...it'll come round quicker than you think! 

For a festive feel then the Belvoir Fruit Farms Mulled Winter Punch and Spiced Ginger Punch are a great way to get that lovely warm and fuzzy feeling without the fuzzy head, with nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves the smell can only be described as Christmas in a bottle. Plus, if you do fancy that little bit of Christmas cheer then you could always add some red wine or brandy to the mulled wine and maybe a splash of Whisky to the ginger punch for a warming spicy alcoholic treat.

The packaging is also super festive and so would make a great gift for someone you know who doesn't like to drink. The RRP for these is £3 and available from Sainsbury's, Ocado, Asda and more.

Fancy a little aperitif with some kick? Then Great Uncle Cornelius' Famous Spiced Ginger might be for you. Perfectly warming and great as a mixer to whip up some Ginger Beer (just add lemonade), or if you do fancy something a little bit cheeky then you can mix with Whisky for a spicy Ginger Ale, or Ginger Sour with Whisky and a dash of lemon.

I love the bottle, it is really fun and a great ingredient to keep in your booze or non booze cabinet for a quick drink over the festive period, I have already had some with lemonade but am waiting to try with warmed some cider. RRP £3.60 available from the Great Uncle Cornelius' website.

For those that like beer but are not drinking, then St Peter's Without is an alcohol free beer with a difference, it is a totally natural, alcohol-free beer that is brewed in the same way as a normal beer and tastes just as good as the real thing. Containing less than 0.05% alcohol and at least 25% fewer calories than standard beer, it is the perfect drink to enjoy on a night out and great if you are watching your weight too.

This beer really tastes great and after being pregnant during the Christmas period for both of my pregnancies I can tell you booze free beer doesn't usually hit the mark, but this is good.

What about the day after the night before? Well with these cordials from Thorncroft you can rehydrate safe in the knowledge of no boring water. With Elderflower, Wild Nettle, Pink Ginger, Cranberry & Hibiscus, Rosehip, Detox and my favourite Kombucha there is one for every day of the week.

These bottles may look little but they are highly concentrated, so you only need a smidgen to make your water, whether still or sparkling, taste fantastic.  They are quite sweet and so great for making water taste good but possibly not to everyones taste. RRP is £2.99 and they are available from Ocado.

And finally, one of my favourite iced coffees goes all festive too. I love Jimmy's Iced Coffee and have been a fan for a while now, so with a festive gingerbread offering I was most excited. The same great iced coffee but with a gingerbread twist, it tastes just like I have just eaten a scummy piece of a gingerbread. 

Not only are these a great coffee cure for hangovers and late nights, but they are the perfect early morning on the go drink. And although I haven't tried it yet, I think these would make a great alternative for a festive White Russian cocktail. RRP £1.60 available from stores nationwide.

Whilst I love a drink at Christmas with two children in the house on my own I equally like to have a straight head, so for me these drinks are all a great alternative to the real thing, they are tasty and perfect for something festively different.

I was sent these items for the purpose of this post, all words, opinions and pictures are my own.

Fun Family Games from Tomy - Review

We love a good games night and with the evenings getting darker even earlier now, there is no better time to shut the curtains, grab some snacks and setup camp in the living room playing board games.

We have a good selection already but you can never have too many, so when we were asked to try out some new games from Tomy we of course said yes.

We were sent Pop-up Darth Vader and Greedy Granny, both perfect games for younger children and also if you just fancy a quick few games before bedtime.

Pop-up Darth Vader is based on the classic Pop-up Pirate, a game I loved playing as a child but with a new twist of one of my sons favourite film characters. The mini Darth Vader sits inside the barrel and you place tiny little light sabres in slits around the sides, eventually one of the light sabres makes Darth Vader pop up, sending squeals of laughter and slight heart palpitations through the three of us.


It even has its sound effects including the Star Wars theme, light sabre sounds and Darth breathing, it is lots of fun and great for any Star Wars fans out there. It is a great twist on a game loved by generations and is something children of today can relate to, I love it and so do the kids. It is one of those games that doesn’t take long to set up and can be played just a few times as a boredom buster.

Unlike the original Pop-up Pirate this version is only for three players, although this is perfect for us it may not be for everyone, it also requires an AA battery (not included) to play the sound affects.

Greedy Granny works in a similar way, you balance Granny’s biscuits on her tray and you have to spin a spinner with a number on it, you take a biscuit and then press a button next to Granny’s chair the number of times on the spinner, if you are lucky she stays asleep if you’re not she wakes up, throwing her biscuits everywhere and in a rather comical fashion her false teeth. The winner is the one to collect one of each biscuit without waking Granny up.

Greedy Granny is a really funny game with the same heart stopping finale of Pop-up Darth, you don’t know when she is going to pop but once she does it makes you jump out of your skin.

These games would make great additional presents for Christmas, the perfect something extra to play on Christmas Day and beyond.

Pop-up Darth retails at about £14.99 which is more than the Pop-up Pirate version but if you have a Star Wars fan then that little extra is worth it, Greedy Granny is £19.99, this is a little more than I would normally pay for a game, however, if you can find her on offer somewhere then she is a fab fun game which will have the family laughing out loud.

We were sent these items to form this review, all words, opinions and pictures are my own.

Santa Comes to Giltbrook Nottingham

I love Christmas and am always trying to find ways to make it special for the children, including finding new and interesting ways to get the Christmas spirit started.

So as you can imagine, I was rather excited to hear about the Christmas Bus that will be arriving at Giltbrook Retail Park in Nottingham this weekend, yep you heard that right a Christmas Bus.

This free pop-up family event, will give little ones the chance to meet Santa and get crafty with the help of his elves.

Taking place between 11am and 5pm on 19th and 20th November, families can take a selfie with Santa on the top deck of a double-decker bus turned winter wonderland.

Below deck, Santa’s elves will host special festive craft workshops giving kids the chance to make everything from tree decorations to magic reindeer food for Rudolph.

With plenty of shops and restaurants in the retail park, there is even an opportunity to get a bit of Christmas shopping done early and even a spot of lunch.

So if you are looking for something to do in Nottinghamshire this weekend and fancy getting festive then why not head to Giltbrook.

The event will run on a first come, first serve basis so families should arrive early to avoid disappointment

This is a collaborative post.

Keeping Feet Warm with Morlands Glastonbury - Review

When I was given the opportunity to try out some gorgeous sheepskin slippers from Morlands Glastonbury I jumped at the chance. I hate nothing more in this world than cold feet and as Autumn rolled in so quickly, they couldn't have arrived at a more perfect time.

With several classic and modern designs there is a slipper for all tastes and for me I chose these gorgeous classic loafers in chestnut. Coming up a smidgen small I had to opt for a 9 instead of my usual 8, so this is something to bare in mind.

With non slip bottoms they are perfect whether you have wooden, tiled floors or carpet, since we have a bit of everything they are great for me to wear around our house.

I adore the classic chestnut colour however they also come in mocha, navy and taupe, all beautiful colours and something for everyone. They have some other classic styles, shapes and patterns too, including ballerina, backless and leopard print.

For me though I love the loafers, they look lovely with jeans and are just the perfect modern slipper, with that snuggly sheepskin to keep my feet warm on those cold winter mornings.

They also do the most snuggly looking boots and some beautiful accessories such as gloves and scarves.

These slippers cost £64, which for sheepskin is about what i'd expect. They are an investment piece and not something that will last you a few months and then fall apart, with sturdy bottoms they support your feet and could be worn out of the house too.

I absolutely adore these slippers, so much so I took them with me on holiday, they were the great accessory for our cabin in the woods.

I think these would make a brilliant Christmas present as they come in a gorgeous classic green box, and the slippers arrive in dust covers and with a shoe horn.

Morlands Glastonbury have been making classic items for over 150 years, so their knowledge and experience in creating beautiful well crafted pieces is second to none.

NB: I was sent these slippers to form this review, all words and opinions are my own.
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Meeting the New Furby Connect - Review

Toys have come a long way since I was a young girl and none more so than the Furby, first arriving in the late 90s it was a must have toy and I remember my then boyfriends mum scouring the shops for one for his sister's Christmas present.

With it's own Furby language and cheeky nature, this fluffy little fella has been given a modern day makeover, Bluetooth enabled it has an internal year round clock, so he even knows when it's Christmas, Easter or Valentine's Day.

With so many moods it is like having an additional albeit brightly coloured member of the family, everything from happy to sad, scared to excited and best of all each Furby is unique.

You can interact with the Furby by tickling, cuddling or shaking it and with the addition of 4xAA batteries (not included) he is ready to go out of the box.

I absolutely love the LCD eyes, they are so expressive and being big and round definitely makes them cute and loveable. The ears move around and it also has a light up antenna, making up over 150 different expressions, so it does take a while to get bored of it.

My children both fell in love with our Furby straight away, even though it is purple (more pinky purple) my son adores it and has probably played with it more than my daughter. The interactive app allows them to become involved in the Furby's life, feeding it, taking it to the toilet, watching videos and raising Furblings all from within the app.

I absolutely love how the Furby interacts with the app and for me this has been the icing on the cake, when the Furby sings popular songs along with the app it is really very clever and means even I have been singing along to Flo Rida and Ellie Goulding in a Furby style voice.

These videos and the content within the app are updated regularly so the Furby and Furby Connect World are constantly evolving.

The Furby does come with some very life like sounds and actions, these are hilarious for my two children however may not be for everyone, with burps, trumps, going to the toilet and being sick it is a bit like having a newborn.

One thing a few people did mention to me, was the old Furby's of days gone by and how you could never get them to shut up, well this one comes with its own sleep mask so you can simply pop this on and you don't need to worry about being woken up to him singing or talking Furbish.

The new Furby Connect comes in four different colours, pink, turquoise, purple and blue and although I was worried about what colour we'd get and how each child would react the purple has gone down a storm.

The Furby Connect comes with a £100 price tag, so for Christmas this would definitely be the 'big present'. Do I think it is worth it? If your children love interactive toys and technology then yes, with the app constantly being updated I can see this bringing something new every week and will keep it fresh and exciting.

NB: We were sent the Furby Connect in order to form this review, all words and opinions are my own.