Don't get me wrong, I'm not some kind of Cartman trying to assert "my authoritah" but I am shocked that some people won't even approach a child if they see them doing something stupid/dangerous/darn right wrong.

There have been a couple of incidents in the past year that have really got me wondering why some people prefer to turn a blind eye to bad behaviour rather than stand up to it. 

The main event in question happened last summer holidays in Legoland. Yep, more fool me to brave such a place at peak season. As we have annual passes we don't try and attempt the hour long queues and opt for the playground and building zones. In the imagination zone you can test your building skills by making a tower from Duplo and simulate an earthquake. We arrived to find two older children standing and wobbling on the machines. 

I don't like telling other people's kids off. I would rather I told my own children off than another adult doing it, but I appreciate that that can't always be the case. I stood and looked around for a parent. Other adults in the building didn't appear to be associated with the boys. No one was telling them what they were doing was silly. They could have hurt themselves, broken the machines but most likely it was going to encourage younger children to do the same. They would me more likely to hurt themselves. 

I spoke to the boys and asked them to get down. They weren't apologetic, more defensive. Why should they? Eventually they both got down with a few grunts of discontent. One left, and another went to his Grandma who had watched the entire thing. I was pretty annoyed at the situation. Annoyed that the kids were questioning why they couldn't stand on the Lego machines, but even more annoyed that not one adult in there had said anything to them. Not even those that were looking after them. 

I know that standing on an earthquake board isn't the end of the world, but if no one actually tells a child that they are doing something silly/dangerous where does it end? Do you stand by whilst another child hits a classmate? (Yes this happened too and yes I did say it was wrong.) Do you turn a blind eye if you see someone shop lifting? Do you say anything if a large group is taunting a child? 

Surely as adults we are role models to all younger children around us. If we are too scared to tell a child they are in the wrong for fear of upsetting them or their parents, where does that leave us?  

What would you do? Have you confronted other people's children or do you take a step back and hope that their parents will say something?

After having made some hidden heart cupcakes last week, I had some left over cake. I may have eaten a few bits but there was enough left to have a go at making some heart cake pops.

You can see my standard cake pop recipe with hints and tips here.

I started by mixing the pink sponge cake and frosting together. I then pressed out heart shapes using a small cookie cutter. These then went into the freezer for 10 minutes.


I then melted some white chocolate cake covering dipped the sticks into the chocolate before putting them into the hearts. I again put these back in the freezer for 5 minutes.


Finally I dipped the hearts in more melted chocolate and added some sprinkles. These are slightly more fiddly than round cake pops as it is harder to cover the heart in chocolate. My boys thought they were just as tasty though!

"Yes, I would like to book a character birthday cake please. The child's name? That is Mike. He will be 70 years old."

The lady on the phone had to double check the age, whilst chuckling. There was no way that we were taking my Dad to Disneyland Paris for his 70th without a character coming over and drawing attention to the fact that it was his birthday.

Cafe Mickey is a must if you go to Disneyland Paris. It enables you to meet a number of characters without having to queue for 30 minutes in the cold. I would strongly advise that you book a table at Cafe Mickey before you arrive as unsurprisingly it gets really booked up.

We had booked the Halfboard Plus meal plan so just had to pay extra for the ice cream cake and wine. The food was nice. I had a lovely pizza. I really don't recommend the strawberry fromage blanc.

I love the photos we took. Here is my whole family.



Little man has his eye on the wine and clearly middle man was so hungry he couldn't put down his roll!







I think the photos show that you are never too old to have cuddles with a Disney character! Here's to lots more smiles. Happy Birthday Dad!

A Facebook conversation the other day got me thinking about this. The question was about how much money should the parent pay their child if they obtained certain grades at school.

My immediate thought was nothing. I managed to pass my GCSE's perfectly fine without any financial carrot dangling under my nose. Surely you should want to get good grades? Infact I remember being really shocked that my parents bought me a gift after I received my grades as they were proud of me. (To be honest I think I would have got it no matter what grades I had got, as it was more of a you have worked hard present.) However, I had no knowledge I was getting it so it didn't affect how hard I had worked.

Having been a teacher myself, I know that lots of parents do this as an incentive, especially at GCSE's, but with other exams too. As a teacher I also know that most of the kids that brag about how much they will get if they get certain grades, probably haven't worked as hard as they should of throughout the year. Does this last minute bonus in a hope that they will do some revision make any difference on their score? I'm not sure.

So there you are. My answer is no you should not pay your child for each grade they obtain at GCSE as they should want to do it for themselves not for money.

Then I took big man to football. My friend and I sit outside with the kids while it is going on, doing homework. Her child is in year 2. She had done all her homework, but her mum was trying to get her to go the extra mile. "It's up to you, but you know you will only get extra stickers from your teacher if you do extra work." I sat there thinking,  I wouldn't bother for a few extra stickers love, you want some cold hard cash as an incentive! Which is when I realised that the whole topic isn't that simple.

From a really young age we use reward charts and reward positive behaviour with a treat. Is it any different to this? No. My husband works really hard in order to obtain his bonus. Same kind of thing. So is it wrong? No. It's a choice. Thankfully one that I don't have to make in the near future so can think about it more.

What is your view? Good idea or bad? How much would you even pay? Would you vary the rate depending on the ability of the child? Gosh I really hope that my boys just want to work hard for themselves as thinking about it all is just too confusing.

With Valentines day coming up, I decided that I would have a go at hidden heart cupcakes. they take a bit of time, but aren't too hard and I am really pleased with them.

I started by making a standard sponge mix for 24 cupcakes. I took a third of this and added some red food colouring. I then baked these in fairy cake cases. Once cooled I took a small heart cutter and pressed these into the cakes. (I then put the spare bits aside to make cake pops.)

I then set these aside in the fridge to get cold. The idea being that don't over cook when you put them back in the cakes.

I then took some larger cupcake cases and marked on the botton a line to show the direction of the heart. If you don't cut into them the right way then it wont look like a heart.

I then mixed some cocoa powder into my remaining mixture and place a spoonful into the bottom of the cake cases. Next I placed the cold pink sponge hearts into the mixture.


I then placed more mixture around the sides and the top and baked for around 10 minutes.

When they came out of the oven, they looked like this:

I have to say I doubted myself and had to cut one open to check it had worked. I was rather chuffed that it had!

I then made some butter icing and coloured it pink before piping onto the cakes and adding some chocolate hearts.

As a thank you to my lovely readers, I have arranged a giveaway thanks to House of Fraser for a Kenwood Tri Blade Handblender. I have to admit that I hadn't really shopped in House of Fraser until Christmas when my husband had asked for a designer scarf and it was selling there at a good price. I ordered it online and the process was smooth and quick with his scarf being delivered really quickly. I have since seen a few deals that have caught my fancy and they sell a whole array of kitchen products including hand blenders at a budget to suit most pockets.

The Kenwood Tri Blade Handblender comes with a 0.5l calibrated beaker and a 0.5l calibrated chopper with lid. To enter just complete the rafflecopter below. Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway




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Gosh I can't believe I have just written that title. My baby has started pre school! People ask me if I am sad. I'm not. Yes it is the end of an era, but I am tired. Tired of the endless games of Octonauts that I am not actually allowed to play. Tired of the tantrums at school drop off and pick up. Just tired, most of the time. Little man is only in 3 sessions a week to start with, but it is time away from me to be his own little person. At the moment he is clinging onto me as I leave wanting me to stay. I know it's an act. I know that 5 minutes later he is fine and painting or playing in the sandpit. It still pulls at my heart strings every time. Oh course the tears may well have just been down to the fact that I checked his pockets and found the packet of jelly sweets that he was planning on taking in.

So now is a time for looking forward. The baby phase is over. I have had my fair share of nappies and sleepless nights. I wont pine the days that were but instead look forward to the times that will be. The boys are getting more fun and able to do more things. Big man has a fantastic sense of humour and I love chatting to him when he stays up later at the weekend. Yes the baby phase is over but there is so much more exciting stuff to come. So I hope that the tears at drop off are short lived little man, as you are now learning to be you. If your brothers are anything to go by you will be great.

We have been to Disneyland Paris a few times with the boys and have always had a lovely time. This year we went to celebrate my Dad's 70th Birthday. It was after Christmas, but they still had all their decorations up and it was absolutely lovely.

Main street had a Christmas tree and Mickey garlands.


Up by the castle there were snow characters.



The parade was changed to a Christmas one, but I was slightly taken back to seen Santa was there. I had expected him to leave after 24th December!




Elsa and Anna also came past about 15 mins before the parade. This was slightly disappointing as it was just a horse drawn cart with some Frozen songs playing. However, I am sure it would have made any little Frozen fans day.


It's a small world also had a Christmas vibe with decorations and Christmas songs.

The Disney Dreams Show is an absolute must, and this was a winter one. Olaf was projected on the castle and the fireworks and laser show was amazing.


I had been worried that it would be too cold, however I took my salopettes and was fine. The only downside was trying to get food inside in Walt Disney Studios as it was heaving due to the small number of outlets and the weather. They could also do with some hot drink stalls throughout the park so I could get a coffee!

After having a difficult Christmas this year, it was nice to have a little bit of Christmas magic, even if it was in January. If you are wondering whether Disneyland at Christmas is a good idea, then I would suggest it is - just wrap up warm and enjoy.

As Christmas was even more stressful than normal this year, I wanted to make a simple cake for my Dad's Birthday. I know that a Mickey Mouse Style cake isn't the obvious cake for most 70 year olds, but as we were having a break in Disneyland Paris with him it seemed appropriate.

I made a standard sponge cake and covered it in red icing. I then made red and yellow icing beads to put around the edge of the cake.


I then cut out some yellow circles and added these to the bottom half of the cake.


So the cake itself was simple. The oreo Mickey that I can seen on Pintrest was much harder!

Here you need to make sure you melt some chocolate to put the lollipop stick in place.
The Oreos easily break so be careful.


I added Icing to the Oreo to match it with the cake. the biggest problem here is that Oreo seems to get everywhere!


So there was my pretty simple Mickey Cake and a Happy Dad/Grandad.

When booking for Disneyland Paris we purchased the halfboard plus meal plan. This allows you to eat at their newest restaurant Bistro Chez Remy. It is positioned in Walt disney Studios next to the new ratatouille ride.I was keen to go on the ride and was not disappointed at all. It exceeded my expectations and I have never seen anything quite like it. The restaurant then takes the experience further by shrinking you to the size of a rat. The theming is fantastic. The reception is themed with Gustos book and cooking utensils that middle man got very excited about.


As you walk through to the restaurant you are told about how you are being shrunk to the size of a rat and the wallpaper design and flooring enlarges. You can spend ages looking at the detail.







One thing to note is that this is a dining experience. If you want to have a quick bite to eat and then go round the park, this is not for you. It takes about 2 hours to eat a meal here. I would also recommend booking before you go as it was fully booked when we went.

The Halfboard Plus option allows you to choose from the Emile menu. To start you have a salad.


For my main I chose the steak and chips which came with ratatouille.



For dessert I chose the Tiramasu. It was large and light and very tasty.



The meal also comes with a choice of soft drink.

The children's menu came with a starter of mozerella and cherry tomatoes. I thought this was lovely but my boys weren't keen as they aren't used to it.

Big man had the meatball kebab (which is the nearest to a burger and chips) and the other two both had spaghetti.

They were all pleased with dessert. After having fromage blanc myself the night before (and not being impressed) I chose them the chocolate eclair. They scoffed these!


All in all the food was good but the desserts were the best. The service was a little slow for my liking. The decor was enchanting and there was always something to look at, so I would recommend a visit if you are off to Disneyland Paris.

When we moved into our 4 bedroomed house we were a couple. Within 9 months we became a family. Seven years later and our house is bursting at the seems. With the addition of 3 little men, we need some extra space. Moving house is costly. Moving costs alone run into thousands let alone the stress of getting a higher mortgage. Growing families often find that making changes to the house they are in, is the simplest and most cost effective option. So how can you create more space in your house?

1. Declutter

This may sound silly, but it really is amazing how many things we gather that actually just gather dust. Objects that we rarely use that are taking up space. Before you embark on any costly adaptations to your house I would recommend having a good declutter first. This can be done easily using labelled boxes for donating, storing and rubbish. I went through my eldest son's bedroom and actually removed a bookshelf that was not required. Check that you are utlising your cupboards effectively. Companies like Ikea are great at providing storage inspiration and some clever space saving ideas could make the world of difference.



2. Garage Conversion

If you have an integral garage, this might be the option for you. Few people these days actually use their garages to park their cars in. Instead they are cluttered with lawn mowers, bikes and if it is anything like ours, lots of half used cans of paint. A shed can be used to store most of these things and again a declutter will be necessary. Planning permission will need to be obtained but a garage conversion could be the answer to your extra space requirements

3. Conservatory

A conservatory can make a light and relaxing extra room in your house. The most important thing when choosing your conservatory is to make sure that you choose the right one. Inspire offer you a choice of uPVC and timber conservatories with polycarbonate or glass roofs. Personally I feel that roof vents and special glass are important as they will enable you to use your room all year round. You don't want a room that is too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. Expert advice on offer will mean that you can make the right choices and have an extra room which could be used as a dining room, playroom or somewhere to go and relax.

Photo credit: Inspire

4. Loft conversion

If you don't have any extra space in terms of a garage or garden then this might be the option for you, Lofts are again more often than not a under utilised space in the house. Full of things that we don't need. Why not create this into extra living space?

5.An Extension

An extension to your existing property is another option. Here an architect will enable you to view your house in a different way. They may suggest swopping rooms of your current layout around to suit your needs. This can be a lengthy process if you need to obtain planning permission, however, if it makes your home more usable then it is certainly worth considering.

Have you any other ways of creating extra space in your home?

When most people hear the words "I'd like a Spongebob cake Mummy" they think result! Tesco do a nice Spongebob cake, I'll get that. Oh how I wish I was most people. Nope I hear those words and think, oh we bought Daddy the Spongebob cake for his Birthday, why don't I create a pineapple under the sea cake instead?

So what did I do? Well I started by caking 3 cakes, layering them and then cutting the shape. I then added frosting to the sides and frosting and cake mixture at the top. I then put it into the fridge whilst I rolled out some orange icing.

I put the orange icing over the cake and then added detail with balls and long sausages of orange icing. (Sausages is the technical term I believe ;-) )


I added further detail with a door and windows and crushed up digestives to make sand.


I had prepared the green icing with CMC (this makes it go hard and gold it's shape.) I then stuck toothpicks into these so they could be stuck on the top of the cake.


I added some more details and a Spongebob Happy Meal toy. I know my limitations and felt the toy was a lot easier than making an icing character.



It wasn't too hard to do in the end and my little Spongebob fan was happy with his 7th Birthday cake which is what really matters.