Doc McStuffins Pet Vet Twitter Party Thursday 15th

If you have children who love Doc McStuffins then do not miss out. This coming Thursday we will be helping to host a twitter party at 1pm till 3pm. You may have seen that the new series is now on the Disney Junior channel. Now the nations favourite toy doctor is expanding her practice to take in pets too. Very exciting stuff here.

Son Son and Ami are looking forward to having a few little friends coming round them to have lots of Doc Mcstuffins fun and games. They will get to try out some new toys and have a few snacks to shall be such fun. Ami hasn't stopped going on about it for days. Every child has to bring along a favourite toy to bring to the clinic. I will post many photos of our little party, don't forget to get involved on twitter too as there will be lots of opportunities to win.

Make sure you have a good sit down on Thursday and get stuck in. You may win some presents you can put away till Christmas and birthdays. Join us from 1pm over at twitter @mummy_madness1 and @ukMumstv make sure you use the #DocMcStuffins too. 

Look forward to seeing you there. 

xx

My Sunday photo - happy toddler

Yvolution Balance Bike Review

 There is one thing I love more than toys is encouraging my children to play outside. They love to be in the fresh air and so do I. We recently got asked to review the Yvolution balance bike which I couldn't say No too. Balance bike if you are not aware are bikes with no pedals, they provide a way of learning to ride a bike with out stabilisers. Its all about helping your child learn to balance on two wheels. Ami was over joyed as you can see from the photos, she loves bikes. She was a little disappointed it didn't have pedals. She is rather speedy it was hard to keep up at times.

The Bike is very easy to put to gather and comes with minimal parts, I did it all my self with the assistance of Ami. It required no extra tools than those provided in the box. You can adjust the bike so it can grow with your child. Its very easy to adjust the seat to get the right height. Which was handy when Son Son wanted ago, he still is too small for it but never wants to miss out.

Its a very study bike and is just perfect for Ami, I like the size of the wheels too. We have another balance bike which looks tiny in comparison and the wheels on that are tiny. Ami has developed a good skill of balancing and has improved on a bigger bike more suitable for her size. She asks to take it everywhere and always wants to show the bike of to all the neighbours. I think because her older brothers bike is green she loves it even more. 

I hope to one day make the transition to pedals, but I find balance bikes to be much more cute. Pedals means that she is growing up but I am not ready for that yet. The best thing about balance bikes is no sorting oily chains out. They just sit on the bike and Pedal with there feet. Its great because they can steer the bike giving much need cofidence for when riding with two wheels.  We have really loved the bike. I was more than impressed with everything, from the gripped handles to the wide wheels. 

Such a great Product deffo one to think about for Christmas. 

Ages 3+ (max weight 25kgs) Available in green 

For Stockist Information Check out www.yvolution.com  RRP £59.99

Wicked Wednesday - sorry son son you missed your mouth.

The Do's and Dont's of going to the park (with kids)

I added that (with kids) in the tittle because as I wrote it I thought maybe someone maybe click it hoping of some creepy tips for going to the park. Sorry if you are sadly this post is hoping to raise a laugh and share a bit of humour in the mundane things we parents have to put up with. For me I don't mind the park on a sunny day but I loathe it in the winter. I suppose I should say the kids love it so therefore I do too... but we all know thats not true. So here I am kicking off a list because we all love lists.

DO dress appropriately for the park.

DONT put your children in good clothes or even shoes because they will get ruined, well my kids enjoy destroying clothes.


DO take pictures of the kids at the park.

DONT instagram the photo straight away and forget the child to find them really high up dangling off the slide or worse in someones handbag (that's never happened..)

Typical Swing pic!

DO take food children are always hungry when active.

DONT take food because you will be a target for seagulls and dogs! Believe me Ive been nipped in the finger before from a hungry seagull after my pastry. The git.

DO encourage your child to break new boundaries by climbing up the high slide.

DON'T be browsing face box or instagram and not notice that first achievement (sorry kids).

One of the many slide pictures I have obtained over the years. 

DO take friends along with you.

DON'T think you will get time to chat to them as your child is the one out the gate every two minutes.


DO remember the park is a good place to make friends.

DONT talk to anyone the park if they are there without children or dogs, or sometimes don't talk to anyone that is my motto. Some how they always find me and tell me there problems. Once I had someone ask if they could follow me in which I did decline the offer.

DO take a magazine and read it smugly from the bench.

DONT take a magazine if you have a toddler as they will never let you read it. Or do what my children do and as soon as you open it they need a wee, a drink, some food or they are tired. Sometimes all at once please kids give me some peace.

DO take plenty of photos especially of slides people love them.

DONT forget that the kids are there to enjoy themselves not to pose at every angle, move for the best lighting and have a massive smile.

DO tell them not to climb up the slide it delays the other kids and you will get evils from the other parents.

DONT forget that its a great achievement to climb up that massive slide, it takes a lot of skill and fearlessness to get up there, no matter how much the Old grannie wants to report you to social services.


DO take some toys depending on the length of the park stay at the park.

DONT expect your child to cry when some big kid has stolen there Buzz and won't give it back. Leaving you to try and communicate with Facebook mum, oye love watch your kids.


DO wear wellies and old clothes that you do not mind them wrecking.

DONT let the kids wear the new clothes you got them, yes the park is a nice setting to show of those new zara leggings but what you don't know is that they hate those tee pee leggings and want to cover the knees with mud!!



DO make sure they play with there siblings.

DONT encourage them ganging up on other kids, an example of this a child pushes one off your children then the other who could have been fighting with the sibling moments before will stick uo for that other said sibling as if they have been tight for years. Advice to other kids do not mess with toddler siblings at the park you will NEVER win.


DO watch out for rubbish at the park.

DONT forget that sometimes youth/ people/ animals use the park in the night so unless you want your toddler eating cigarette stubs and swinging the dregs of white lightning be vigilant.

DO dress appropriately regarding the weather, there is nothing worse than standing freezing cold at the park, or the opposite boiling hot. Ive risked the unshaven arm pit shame on more than one occasion.

DONT forget the children, those other parents beady eyes will be on you quicker than the kids on the ice cream man if your kids is wearing no shoes, or no hats on a sunny day. Not that we are too fussed we once went to the park and my son had odd shoes and girls leggings. Oh dear.


SO here we are a little list of advice for going to the park. If you have anything you would like to add feel free or even some funny stories Please share I love writing these posts they make me laugh so so much.

Finding the Joy #3

I did intend this to be some kind of weekly thing but sadly I sometimes just do not have the time. I take on too many review posts and they sometimes need to be done by deadlines so when I have a evening I finish those first and then am too drained for my own posts (ramblings).  Also getting home from work in the evenings its often the last thing I can muster. We are blessed though my kids have received some great things this year and love it when the post man turns up with packages. A part of me wonders if they are a little bit spoilt by this but we generally only buy them Clothes and that is never exciting for a child. See I have rambled as my fingers have been itching to just type, I love writing you see one of the reasons why I started this little blog in the first place. I missed typing when I left university, which sounds mental but it was true. So with that I started my blog 2 and a half years ago. So let me kick of before I completely go of topic.

1) Dyslexic Brain - I am going to bring that love of writing into number one, mainly because I am dyslexic and one thing I have found since writing my blog that actually my spelling and even grammar to some degree has improved. I uses full stops instead of exclamation points! If you go back to the start of the blog you may find that actually the level has improved. I still make mistakes but I am getting better, I didn't used to notice the mistakes but I sometimes do now.

2) Wedding Anniversary - Yesterday marked 5 years of being married, time sure has flown. I am so blessed by my husband every single day. The fact that he gets up every time during the night with a toddler then gets up at 6am with them. That I can go to work all day and know he is looking after the kids and they are having a great time. Its not just that he has always made me laugh so much. He still does ok he does wind me up and pretend to throw spiders on me when he has put it in a glass to take outside, but I love that man so much. I do not always treat him the best but I couldn't be with out him. Sorry if that sounds a bit corny but thats us.

3) Sunny Days - I am such a massive lover of the sun. I do not even have to be outside in it for it to make me feel happy.  I sat outside on my lunch break yesterday and it felt beautiful I know its limited. I know that in a matter of weeks/ days we will be wearing coats and the weather will change dramatically. Roll on more sunny days, more walks to school in a t shirt its been wonderful.

4) Little Trips - This week I decided to take Ami and Son Son on the bus to Canterbury which is about a 40 minute trip. I tried this a few months back and it was awful they wanted to run around on the bus I said I would never go again. To my surprise they were so well behaved they sat on the chairs and looked out the windows it was a good day. We went to a little maze in Canterbury and they allowed me to look round some of the shops, it was a great to do something like this sad as it sounds but I haven't been shopping in a long time. Going for baby chinos and just browsing in stores I did enjoy it a lot, so did the toddlers it was a good day.

5) Evenings on the Coast - You may have noticed that we like to take a family photographs on the blog, I say we its more me and only me. As always it gets to the end of the month and we haven't taken any photos so this month we walked across the road and down the stairs to the prom. The beach where we live is not the most glorious but the kids were over joyed. It was such treat to go out after dinner with Mummy and Daddy. Ami took her bike and Asti his scooter and they went up and down the prom. I hope its these evenings they remember, I know I cherished it. We weren't out too long but I looked at my family and realised how lucky I am. How much I love my little tribe. These years are so short, so quick. I love being spontaneous it sure does make my heart happy.

So here we are a little round up of the things that have made me happy recently.

Once upon a Time Peppa Pig Range Toy Review

I would be lying if I said the kids didn't love Peppa Pig. That little pig has got me through some miserable mornings, especially when I had a newborn baby and a toddler. They days then were very long and a bit of peace to feed a baby for ten minutes was well deserved. We have liked Peppa in this household for nine years although my eldest now says he just pretended he too loved Peppa. I have seen many episodes and secretly love a bit of Peppa Myself. 

We recently got sent some of the new Peppa Pig Once upon a time toy range to try out. Thankfully this came on my eldest sons birthday so the little two felt like they got something too. We were sent four different sets to try, the Pumpkin Carriage that comes with a little George figure (my two refused to accept it was geroge as he was in Peppa's colours), The Storytime Tea party play set this come with a Peppa, Pedro and Susie figure along with a table and chairs for them to sit at, Story Time Pack always helpful to have a few extra figures and finally the Storytime Castle Playset that came with a little George figure.

When I opened the sets the kids got stuck in straight away. I loved seeing all the little characters dressed up in little fairy tale outfits. Ami loved the bo peep Peppa and Son Son a little bean stalk George figure. It took me back to my childhood and the stories that my mum would read me and before I knew it we were deep in play.  Ami liked to make little stories up where the they all went for dinner and the castle was there home. Son Son liked to push the pumpkin carriage and loved it because all the characters would spin round. 

All of the characters have moveable parts like all the other range of Peppa pig toys which some are a little small for younger toddlers (Son Son managed fine I did have to watch closely as one did go missing in his mouth). The chairs for the tea party and pumpkin carriage are moulded to fit the little figures even the little Georges fit nicely.  The Pumpkin Carrige is the one they had most problems with as it would often the lid would come of and some of the characters would not fit in the carriage. As the carriage spins round when pushed it often would get stuck, which for a fussy threenager that is a big deal. The children loved the castle the most they loved that you could pull the draw bridge up. I thought the castle was a bit bare but that always helps to encourage imagination. 

Such a fun idea for children and a way of expanding there learning through play. My children did adore the sets which retail at the following prices:  Tea Party Playset (£14.99), the Pumpkin Carriage (£14.99), the Castle Playset (£19.99), and the Story Time Figure Pack (£9.99). They are the perfect toy for any Peppa Pig fan.

A great idea for a present for any Peppa fan or basically anyone under five. 

Disclaimer: We were sent all the Peppa Pig toys for a Review all pictures and options are our own.