Theatre Tokens, the Perfect Gift this Christmas

Photo by Gwen King on Unsplash

{This is a collaborative post}

I'm all about making memories; I'd much rather experience something and spend time with a friend or loved one than receive a physical gift. I probably won't remember the coat my husband bought me in ten years time but you can bet that I remember the trip to Starlight Express at the Apollo Victoria I took 31 years ago. That was my first taste of going to the theatre in London and I have never looked back; I absolutely adore it and I'd go every week if I could. 

Moving from Hertfordshire to East Sussex nine years ago scuppered my regular theatre trips a little as it takes a lot more planning when you are no longer 25 minutes from central London but my trips to the West End are one thing that has not stopped. Even after the Covid chaos of the last couple of years, I managed to see Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in August, The Prince of Egypt in September and Cinderella, The Musical in October.

Then Miss M and I are off to London for the weekend in early January and we are planning to see a show and this is why I have asked my family for a Theatre Tokens gift card for Christmas. This way we can go along to the TKTS booth in Leicester Square to secure on-the-day tickets at a cut-price, or if we won't be in London for when the booth opens at 11.30am we can even go online now and book for a show later that day and still secure the discounts available. That is such a great addition for those of us who live further out of London and are trying to use rail discount cards so can't travel too early. 

Out of interest, I just had a look today to see what I could secure if I was booking for a matinee or evening show today and I was thrilled to see there are great discounts available -

• & Juliet - best stall seats for £47.80 each (40% off)
• The Woman in Black - best stall seats for £31.55 (47% off)
• Life of Pi - in the stalls of Dress circle for £30 (66% off)
• Mary Poppins - in the best stall setas for £49.50 (46% off)
• Les Miserables - in the best stall seats for £49.50 (48%)

5 Christmas Movies to Watch with Family

Image Source: Pexels.com/@brettjordan

{This is a collaborative post}

When it comes to Christmas, there's a lot to be happy about, and one of the highlights for many of us is, of course, watching Christmas films. There's something for everyone, whether you enjoy classics or comedies. Grab a cup of hot chocolate, a huge warm blanket, and your Christmas spirit because these holiday films are about to light up your life like a Christmas tree.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

A Charlie Brown Christmas is a 1965 animated television special that was the first to be based on Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. Produced by Lee Mendelson and directed by Bill Melendez, the holiday classic was premiered on CBS. This 25-minute film begins with Charlie Brown finding himself depressed despite the holiday season around the corner, and Lucy, the lovely neighbourhood child psychiatrist, suggests that he put on a neighbourhood Christmas play.

However, his best efforts are rejected when he chooses a small Christmas tree as the centrepiece. Luckily, it has a joyful ending thanks to the unstoppable combination of Linus' heartfelt message about the true meaning of Christmas and the undeniable power of catchy jazz music. If you miss the live broadcast on TV, you can still watch the movie online on Apple TV+. The message at the centre of this never grows old!

Helping your Teenagers enjoy a trip to National Trust Beningborough Hall, York

Teenagers, they are a funny thing. In my experience, one minute they are still your little child, holding your hand and cuddling up to you on the sofa and then the next they want nothing to do with you and you are so embarrassing! Despite this, I actually love being a parent to teens and I find them great fun to be around. I've known from the start that my job as a parent wasn't to be their friend, it was to train and nurture them, so they grow up to be great human beings.

I know many parents have given up trying to get their hormonal teenagers to go out for the day with them, but I am persevering and as long as we have a nice treat in the cafe they tend to be quite tolerant and enjoy their time out with me.

Whilst we were on holiday in early August we headed to Beningborough Hall, a very nice National Trust site in York. I had the normal groans when I announced that we heading there, but they soon got into it and had a good time. 

I thought it would useful if I shared a few tips for getting your teens to enjoy going out and spending time with you. I tend to be quite relaxed with them, as I find the tighter I try to control the outing and their behaviour, the more they want to be contrary.

Give your teen space to be who they are. 

We're all different. We wouldn't expect our adult friends to like all the same things as us, so why would we expect it of our children? On the day we visited my twin teens were pretty tired and they both decided that some of the benches looked like good places to have a lie-down. Not something I'd do but they weren't hurting anyone, so why not?

Tips for enjoying Christmas during a Pandemic

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

I did wonder if I should title this post - tips for surviving Christmas during a pandemic - but no, I figured I should be positive. For the great majority of us, we CAN enjoy Christmas and not just have to survive, endure or get through it this year. 

We're still a week away from Christmas day and there is plenty of time for each of us to check ourselves and start changing our mindset from negative to positive. We know now that the rate of spread in the UK is still high and for many areas (especially London, the South East and Wales) the spread is rising exponentially. So, it is time for every one of us to act responsibly and to have the smallest, safest gathering possible this Christmas. 

It won't be normal - there won't be boozy nights with friends, trips to the panto, ice skating with the kids or frantic sale shopping and now we know that for sure, it is time for us to accept it and make the best of what we have left. I'd like to suggest that we can still have a good time or even a great time and I wanted to share some tips for doing so. 

Take a Positive View

My first suggestion and it applies to everyone is to look on the bright side. I know from personal experience and from being involved with the Reasons to be Cheerful gang for over a decade that looking for the good in a situation makes a difference. When you choose to be grateful and offer thanks for the things that you do have, it changes your mindset and it can easily become a habit. Of course, you have to be willing to put in the effort and I think it is good to write down each day the things you are thankful for. Aim for three a day and when you are struggling just seek one positive thing, even if it is as simple as - you have a home, warm clothes, food to eat. Start with the basics and keep recording what you are grateful for and your list and your heart will grow, I promise you. 

A few years ago I wrote a post titled 'Keeping perspective: It's Just One Day After All!' where I talked about not following the crowd and remembering that Christmas is just a short snippet in time, and I think it is more important than ever this year to remember that. Don't spend money you don't have, mourn the things that are missing or be anxious over whether the turkey will be perfect. Try instead, to be calm, loving and present in the moment.

Oh and on the note of being positive, make a concerted effort to stay away from negative people during this time. You don't need anyone to steal your joy! You really can control your own thoughts and positive affirmations go a long way. I have a typed sheet on my mirror that reminds me of who I am, for me, it is about being a child of God and I focus on His promises but for you it might be more general affirmations like - I am a beautiful woman with a good heart, I am generous, I am loving, I will have a great Christmas day, I treasure time by myself. All the things you want to believe and need to hear, write down and say them aloud to yourself as you start the day.

5 Outdoor Play Equipment to Encourage Kids to Stay Active

Image Credit: Vuly Play

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Staying active is an important part of keeping your kids happy and healthy, and ensuring they live vital lifestyles in the future.

Encouraging your children to engage in regular physical activity also helps to regulate their energy, improve their concentration and offers higher sleep quality. Physical play also helps children to become more confident learners as they engage with the world around them.

If you’re looking for clever ways to get your kids active, we recommend starting with outdoor activities that are fun for the whole family! Here are 5 family-friendly toys that encourage kids to get outdoors and stay active:

Bikes

Teaching kids to ride bicycles can help them to develop a healthy, active lifestyle from a young age. Not only does cycling increase muscle strength and stamina, but also encourages children to get to know their local community in a fun and interactive way.

Another great benefit of bikes is that it’s a very social activity. Children riding their bikes in a group of friends is a wonderful way to keep busy on the weekend. Riding bikes as a family can also be an excellent opportunity to spend time together. Even younger kids can be involved by using scooters to race alongside older bike riding siblings. Find out more about bikes for kids from Vuly Play.

8 Ways to Spend more Time Together as a Family

Photo by Kevin Delvecchio on Unsplash

{Collaborative Post}

In this day and age it is far to easy to allow time to whizz by and for all the family to do totally different activities. Of course it is healthy to spend time apart and they say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but I find it is also good to plan intentional time for all the family to be together.

We may not all love the same activity, but as long as we are doing things at some point that each family member enjoys then it is good to grow in tolerance and to partake in each others preferred activities.

Here are a few examples of the ways we like to spend time together as a family, I hope they'll encourage you to do the same. Of course, it isn't every day but at least once a week we have a good couple of hours where we all put down the phones and engage with each other.

1.  Cycle, skate or scoot together
My family all love to cycle and the kids enjoy scooting as well. The girls then go one step further and are great roller skaters too. As for me, well I am not great with anything on just a couple of wheels, so if I am going to join the family for a fun family cycle I'd need to invest in a Jorvik adult tricycle, as three wheels will suit me much better I am sure!

2.  Play Board Games
We all enjoy playing a good board game together, I think this is because I started to play with the kids from a young age. What started as snakes and ladders, progressed to Monopoly and now we love to play Risk or Catan.

Loving our Trespass Event Shelter (Review)

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For the last six years, we've lived in the most amazing place. We have 220 acres available to us, much of which was designed by Capability Brown. People come here to take walks and admire the beauty; we have three lakes, a couple of forests, a prayer garden, formal lawns, an Orangery and a walled kitchen garden.

Life really is rich here, beyond any dream we ever had of anywhere we expected to live. But there is one downside - we don't have any private outside space. We can't hang our washing out, nor hideaway when the day gets too much. The girls play out in the courtyard and in the main that is fine but there are guests coming through, volunteers heading to their houses and the neighbour's kids playing as well.

For a long time we've just wanted the option to sit out as a family and enjoy time, just as us. Or for the girls to be able to play a game together without always having to have younger children involved. Well the answer has arrived and I am so pleased to have purchased a Trespass event shelter from Argos, for the price of £129.99 (and £3.95 if you wish for it to be delivered to your home).

Northern Reasons to be Cheerful #R2BC

We headed off up north this week, and that's a very rare occurrence for us. I was pondering if the kids have ever been up north and we realised they had once, back in 2011. We stayed in a holiday village near Hull and didn't really enjoy ourselves, so it's probably a good thing I had forgotten that before I booked this break.

This time we stayed in an Air BnB and I'd happily recommend Squirrel Court, which is close to Thornton village, Bronte Country. We were around 20 minutes outside the centre of Bradford, but it felt like it was a lifetime away, as we were in the countryside, with amazing hill views, a farm shop at the end of the lane and tons of local pubs.

*  We've enjoyed lots of family time, doing all sorts, from just chilling in the wonderful cottage to heading into major cities.

Thankful for a Slow Saturday #R2BC

Happy Thursday friends, I hope you're all well. It's a new month and that means that Reasons to be Cheerful is back with me for February.

Today I wanted to share a full days gratitude. Last Saturday was a day with no plans and I was so grateful for that. Some days I like to stop and remember to be grateful in all aspects of the day, it really does heighten the experience of being thankful and living as if I am blessed (which of course I am!)

So here's my daily list -

• The cat let me sleep in until 7.45am before he started miaowing at my door to be let out
• The girls had a really good lie in after their adventures the night before, breaking down in the snow with my husband after youth club
• I enjoyed bacon and eggs for breakfast and cooked them for everyone else too
• Cheesy catch-up TV was the order of the morning, so I watched some Dynasty and Designated Survivor

Creating a Family Valentine's Night with CoolStuff (Review)

Who says Valentines Day has to just be about celebrating romantic love? When you start to investigate the origin and history of February 14th you find lots of stories about a man called Saint Valentine who was martyred. But not just one of them, quite a few, the Catholic church alone recognises at least three saints called Valentine or Valentinus.

Then you have tales from the Roman times of a man called Valentine who was killed for trying to help Christians escape from prison, and before his death he apparently sent a card to a young girl he had fallen in love with, and simply signed it "from your Valentine".  There are also Christian stories and Pagan stories, and let's be honest, we have no idea what is the truth.

In my younger years I considered Valentine's day to be an exciting time, one when I might receive beautiful flowers, a meaningful card and I'd dress up for a night out. After 25 years with my husband I'm no longer seeking for him to spend our well-earned money on tokens and over-priced flowers. We often go out together and I'd rather do it at times when the rest of the world isn't out, showing how much they love each other.

So with this is mind I started to wonder why I couldn't celebrate Valentine's Day with all my family, with those I love most, but maybe not in a romantic way.

Seeing the Seals at Blakeney Point with Beans Boat Trips

At the end of the summer, we had a lovely stay in Fakenham, North Norfolk. We stayed at the White House cottage, which is an Air BnB property and we love it there. This is our second year staying and I’m sure we’ll go back as it suits all the family, with animals to keep the girls entertained, good Wi-fi for JJ and a lovely lounge and garden for my husband and I to fully relax in.

About a twenty-minute drive away is the NationalTrust maintained nature reserve of Morston Quay and Blakeney Point. This is a great place to go for a family walk and just have a look around at the boats mooring up or travelling down the river.

We went there specifically to go out on a boat trip to see the seals which head there to relax and carry their babies. There are several companies offering boat trips out to see the seals, the two most popular ones seem to be Beans and Temples and from I understand from friends who have used both, they are are both reliable, quality and pretty much of a likeness.

For no particular reason, we used Beans boat trips and all the information about sailing times and prices is on their website. You do need to call to make your booking but there is no payment in advance, you pay on the day when you arrive. For this reason, there did appear to be some non-arrivals and there were plenty of people who’d arrived without reservations and were waiting in reserve.

A Simple Autumnal Walk Around Our Home

When we first moved to East Sussex over five years ago I used to share lots of pictures taken around the grounds of our home but I realise I haven't for quite some time now, So I need to rectify this.

You may know that I'm lucky enough to live within the 220 acre grounds of the Christian Conference Centre that my husband works at. This means we have access to large lawned areas, three lakes, loads of forest, a stream, lake swimming, a low ropes course and so much more. And all of this 365 days a year.

The other weekend Miss E and I took a Sunday afternoon walk together as she wanted to find some conkers. It turned out we were a bit late in the season as there weren't that many about but we did well for sweet chestnuts.

It was a lovely 90 minutes spent with Miss E, isn't it fab to spend one on one time with your kids?

Loving the cloud reflections in the next picture.

Warm Up Your Home for Cosy Family Nights

Image thanks to Pixabay

When it starts to get colder, it can make for some fun autumn and winter family outings. You don't want to be outdoors all the time, though, especially when it's raining and dark. Getting cosy at home can be just as fun, and there are plenty of family activities you can do to keep your spirits up during the dark and cold winter. Creating a cosy home for the winter isn't difficult, and you could do it in just a few easy changes. All you need are the right items to add a bit more comfort to different rooms in your home.

Get Some Ambient Lighting

The dark mornings and nights in the winter can get you down but having the right light and warmth at home goes a long way. A roaring fire is one of the best ways to have both but, in the absence of that, there are lots of other ways to get it right. Warm and ambient lighting can make a big difference, giving your home a cosy and welcoming glow. Rather than have bright ceiling lights, making use of lots of lamps with warm lighting is a great way to achieve the right effect. Floor lamps, table lamps and wall lights are all good choices, and candles can be a nice addition too (if you use them safely).

Snuggle into Pillows and Throws

Your living room (or whatever you call it) is a family space, where it's fun to spend a winter evening. If you want to make this space more warm and cosy, adding lots of pillows and throws is a fantastic way to do it. You can create a layered and textured look for your family room that will always look warm and inviting at the end of a long day. Try warm fabrics like wool and faux fur that you can really snuggle into.

Fantastic Family Time at Harvester Restaurants

JJ hits the ripe old age of 15 in a couple of weeks and his favourite celebratory thing to do is eat, so when Harvester invited us to the Horse and Groom in Polegate, East Sussex we jumped at the chance. I'll be honest, our family used to be loyal Harvester customers but about five years ago they had a menu overhaul and we stopped going as we didn't like the changes. With this in mind and another new menu, I was keen to go and see what Harvester could offer our family of five nowadays.

I won't beat around the bush, we had a great meal at the Harvester. None of us had been to the Horse and Groom before and it is a super venue, there are a few different seating areas, all with modern furnishings and lights, so different to the Harvester of my childhood when there were pitchforks on the walls! There were still the classic elements to remind me I was in a Harvester, like the salad bar, help yourself fresh bread rolls, open fronted kitchen and rotisserie chicken cabinet.

On arrival at the Horse and Groom we were greeted quickly by Mo and he asked if we wanted a children's menu. I questioned if the girls could have it as they are 11 and it suggests on the website that it is for 10 years and younger but Mo, said it was fine and the portion sizes should be suitable too. This was great to hear as the £5.99 price tag for a meal, drink and dessert is fabulous.

Mo then suggested my girls would be too old for colouring but I knew that at least one of them would want it, so we had a laugh about how hard it is to judge children, as Mo said many turn their noses up at his offer of the kiddie activity bag and crayons.

We were shown to a small area with just three tables and one was occupied when we arrived but by the time we left it was just us. Everywhere felt very clean and taken care of and its always nice when you can see into the kitchen and the chefs are in fresh whites.

We choose our drinks and all went for the same option of help yourself soda. My girls love this as it means they can add flavours like vanilla, peach and cherry to their Pepsi, lemonade or Robinsons squash. I personally just like the straight Diet Pepsi and it is good to have the option to refill as many times as I like for £2.90.

Reasons to be Cheerful - Time Away, Work and Family Time

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed if I'm honest. You know when you have too much on and don't feel as if there is enough time to complete it all?

Away in London with my Hubby
I'm trying to ignore that feeling and push it away as tomorrow I'm off up to London with my hubby for 36 hours while a lovely friend of ours looks after the kids. We're due to go to the Premier Digital Conference at the Brewery but if I'm honest I'm not feeling that inspired to go, so we will play it by ear and see how it all pans out. Whatever happens we'll have some fun and I'll forget about blogging and work obligations for all of Friday and Saturday.

Loads of Work and Goodies
Talking of blogging an being overwhelmed it is a good problem to have really. I just need to manage my expectations of myself and not expect everything to be done super quick. I need to get used to having a busy to-do list every day. All the paid work coming in is allowing me to plan holiday for next year and all the goodies arriving will make the children very happy when Christmas day arrives.

Chilled Half Term
I've not written an R2BC post for a couple of weeks as time run away from me over half-term but we had a good chill out, staying mainly close to home. The kids went swimming and to one of those huge trampoline parks, we had a couple of meals out and did some shopping and that was about it really (I was a good girl and made it to the gym twice). JJ worked a couple of days and I'm just getting used to the idea that my 14 year old is now big enough to have a real job.

Searching for our Perfect Eurocamp Holiday for 2018

Oh the weather really is dreary now, isn't it? The rain has arrived, the sky is dull, the trees are shedding their leaves and all I want to do is fly away to sunnier climes. It's not to be at the moment though, so the next best thing I can do is start to look for our perfect family holiday for 2018.

In May this year our family stayed as guests of Eurocamp at the Playa Montroig Camping Resort on the Costa Dorada, Spain and we had such a wonderful time. It was just what we needed - superb accommodation with a great decked area for quality family time, amazing swimming pools and fun entertainment that engaged us all. It's no wonder that I'm thinking we will stay with Eurocamp again in 2018.

I asked some fellow bloggers where they have stayed with Eurocamp and which sites they would recommend, here's what they said -

1km of water slides at Duinrell!

Duinrell Campsite in Wassenaar, Holland
I know quite a few friends who have holidayed here and they all agree it has the most amazing entertainment, theme park and water complex. Sounds pretty amazing, right? Alana from Baby Holiday travelled there with her young family in September this year and she says it is perfect for toddlers, in fact what she said about Duinrell was that 'it's not relaxing but fab for the kids' and every parent knows that if the kids are happy then chances are they are too!

Joy at the Sensory Seeker said their families favourite Eurocamp site (they're stayed in a few) is Duinrell as well 'as there is just so much to do both day and night for the whole family. In fact we have been several times and never managed to explore the local area as the kids love the camp so much' and her kids are much older, so that gives a great perspective from the other end of the parenting spectrum.

Reasons to be Cheerful - Crazy Golf, Pub Grub and Pretty Nails #R2BC

Happy Thursday friends, it's been a couple of weeks since I've joined in with Reasons to be Cheerful, so it is high time to rectify that and I always find the longer I leave it between gratitude posts the harder they are to write. Being thankful is a discipline that really is best practised daily.

I had a look back over last weeks diary and quickly saw there is loads to be thankful for -

We took some our volunteers out for a day in Brighton and we started the day with a game of crazy golf. It was great fun.

My husband had a few odd days off work recently using up his holiday before the year end, so we've been going out for lunch or a coffee and been able to spend time together.

How to Create a Family Photography Competition (Kid Friendly)

The next school holiday is fast approaching and if you’re anything Iike me you'll be searching for ways to keep the kids entertained without it costing you a fortune. Well here is a cost-free and simple idea to add to your repertoire and it is sure to be fun.

A couple of weeks ago we headed to Bexhill-on-sea as a family and the kids spent the afternoon taking photos of their choice around a prompt (or theme) I had chosen for them. I told them in advance that one child would be the winner and would receive a prize, but didn't reveal what the prize was. This was because I didn't want them to put in effort according to how good they each felt the prize was. I just said it would be something they liked and different for each of them.

If you fancy creating your own photo walk or competition here are the things to think through -

1.  Choose your date and check the weather. Some children won't mind if it is pouring down outside but of course, others will hate that and it does make taking good photos much harder, so try to pick a fine day. It doesn't matter if it is cold or frosty, you can just wrap up and of course, you can get some fab photos in the frost or snow.

Review: Codenames Board Game #BoardGameClub

 {As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, any affiliate links will be marked with #ad}

I was super pleased that our family were asked to be part of the Blogger #BoardGameClub where we will receive a different board game each month for twelve months and our family will get to try the game out and share with you an honest review.

Codenames - an Introduction
The first game we have received is Codenames which has been crowned the Blogger Games Club game of the year 2016. It's not a game I've heard of before but it sounded interesting from the box blurb -

Two rival spymasters know the secret identities of 25 agents. Their teammates know the agents only by their CODENAMES. In Codenames, two teams compete to see who can make contact with all of their agents first. Spymasters give one-word clues that can point to multiple words on the board. Their teammates try to guess words of the right colour while avoiding those that belong to the opposing team. And everyone wants to avoid the assassin. Codenames: Win or lose, it's fun to figure out the clues.

Codenames is designed by Vlaada Chvatil, a Czech board game designer who has had much success in the last decade. When you look across the web at reviews for Codenames it seems to be widely agreed that Vlaada has done it again with Codenames and it is a massive hit with games geeks. Take a look on Board Game Geek and see for yourself what the self-proclaimed board game experts say.

Review: Wicked, the Musical at the Apollo Victoria

Images courtesy of the Wicked Musical website

I'll start off by being totally upfront with you - Wicked is an amazing West End show and we absolutely loved it. In fact last week was the second time I've seen it. A show doesn't run in a theatre that seats 2,300 people for over ten years if it isn't good, does it?

I found the Wicked story line so very clever, it isn't a prequel, nor a sequel to the Wizard of Oz, it runs alongside it and some of it does happen before the classic story that we all know but I love the way the two stories intertwine together, it is very, very clever. The story keeps you hooked from the moment it starts right through to the end.  I easily could have watched for another hour.  Needless to say the show ended with a standing ovation from the crowd.  The performances were absolutley sublime.

I really don't want to tell you too much about the story line though as that would take away some of the fabulous surprise elements. Although having said that, I saw it in 2011 with my mum and then this time with my husband and I didn't recall the story line at all, how bizarre is that? I know I loved it first time round though as I have the evidence here on my blog.

So many themes are explored as part of this theatre show- friendship, falling in love, being disappointed, being different and learning to accept yourself, not being one of the popular kids and standing up for what you believe is right to name just a few. Probably my favourite angle to the show is that things are not always what they seem, so you mustn't judge a book by its cover because bad isn't always bad (or wicked in this case).