Rollercoaster Mum: February 2013

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Thursday 28 February 2013

School Dress Up days - dread or delight?

You know what it's like - the letter arrives from school - dress up day next week - pay £1 or celebrate a certain day and you can dress up as a toy, what you want to be when you are older, wear red, be an Edwardian, someone from the 1920's - the ideas are endless. No doubt they are a good money earner for the PTA and the younger kids love them but it can strike fear into a parents heart - even more so if you have 2 or 3 or more kids at the same school. A rare few do relish the prospect of creativity and making costumes but I fall firmly into the fear camp - usually swearing inwardly and with a fixed smile and gritted teeth - asking said child 'so what are we going to dress up as this time? '

Now next week is one of the biggest dress up days for schools in the UK (maybe all over the world - mind boggling thought!) It is World Book Day. I love the idea of this world day as I love books and it is brilliant they get books for £1 but why oh why do they have to dress up - aggghhh! I was dreading this particular event when an email popped into my inbox from the lovely Party Delights. What has that got to do with all this I hear you ask. Well, as well as party stuff and lots of other seasonal and celebratory delights they do fancy dress - yay! They have a huge, and I mean huge, selection of World Book Day costume ideas starting from just £4.99. (Aahhhh - can you hear my sigh of relief - no sewing or glueing or clever creating out of cardboard and old clothes required - not my thing as you may know from previous posts on craft!)

The only difficulty is what to choose angels (really my two!!), astronauts (maybe not), teddy bear (bit hot), dragon (I liked the idea they didn't), gruffalo (too old), harry potter (too young), oompa loompa (I begged - they wouldn't!), skylanders (what are they?) - aha - Victorian girl - yes! The reasoning behind this was that I have been reading a few of my old books to Little Miss Star recently like the Little White Horse, the Secret Garden Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan so I could easily persuade her she was one of these and it will double up as a costume for Little Miss Sunshine in a year or so when the Year 2's do their Victorian school trip and have to dress up. Kill two birds with one stone for £12.99 plus delivery - oh yes!

 Here she is getting into character!

World Book Day

So if you are stuck for ideas for World Book Day or any other of those *ahem* delightful school dress up days don't forget to check out Party Delights.

Disclaimer - I was sent a free costume from the World Book Day selection on Party Delights for the purposes of review but all words and opinions are my own. 

Monday 25 February 2013

Macro Monday

crocus stamen
yellow crocus flower



MM3

Sunday 24 February 2013

Silent Sunday

spring crocus

Silent Sunday

Saturday 23 February 2013

A Year in Pictures - Week 8

Half term week - dull but busy and full of working mum guilt. There was some February sunshine in the garden, a bit of shopping and a trip to the cinema to cheer us up but when I see all those happy facebook posts of 'what we did at half term' I just feel interminable, stomach gnawing guilt. Photos have fallen by the wayside and I can't wait for back to school when at least the guilt will subside because they have to be at school like I have to be at work.

The week ended with a fab surprise though - we (well Little Miss Star) got her Blue Peter badge - quite definitely the highlight of the week! We love love love Blue Peter at Rollercoaster Towers!

green Blue Peter Badge
We got a Blue Peter badge!!! :)

February picnic
Picnic lunch in the garden - in February!

winter gardening
A spot of gardening and purple crocuses showing through

blackcurrant
Future blackcurrants
 I am linking up with the Boy and Me and those brave 365 peeps - so for lots more February photos head on over there by clicking the badge.

TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

Monday 18 February 2013

Macro Monday

Water droplets on moss


MM3

Sunday 17 February 2013

Silent Sunday

water drops

Silent Sunday

Saturday 16 February 2013

A Year in Pictures - Week 7

The week of love - or just a load of old tut? We had a poorly girl surfing Daddy's ipad, school discos before half term, babies born (not mine I hasten to add!) and cards exchanged. Spring finally feels like it's round the corner with flowers poking their heads through (more) snow and rain, searching out the light. We finished off the week with some card making and cake baking on a handy 'insect' day.

ipad

spring flowers

 
I am linking up with the Boy and Me and those brave 365 peeps - so for lots more February photos head on over there by clicking the badge.


TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

Monday 11 February 2013

Love chocolate?

Well that's a silly question for a blogger - most of the ones I know definitely do! I was lucky enough to be sent a rather scrummy box of chocolates the other day. A lovely red box with a heart shape cut out of it and filled with some lush Belgian chocs - perfect for Valentine's Day if you are into that sort of thing (I'll be lucky to get a card - although last year I remember I got heart shaped toast left for me for breakfast which was really rather lovely)

Valentines chocolates

luxury chocolates

The chocolates were sent to me by Chocolate by Genevie - a UK website that specialises in sourcing luxury chocolates to send by post. They were beautifully packaged with a lovely menu card that looked like it was hand drawn and the inner box was posted in a tough outer box to make sure that the chocolates were still perfect when we got them. You can have a gift card put in with them and you can even choose the date that they get delivered if you wish. A great idea for a present. There is still time to order some for the day of St. Valentine - the box I received was £9.95 (£12.90 with shipping) which isn't a bad deal for Valentines Day. They have a range of boxes priced from £3.95 up to £37.95 so something for everybody.

Luxury Chocolates

My chocs were all different and although I didn't get to taste all of them as I shared them with the OH (well they were Valentine chocs) the ones I did taste were all very scrumptious.

Disclosure: I was sent a box of chocolates for the purposes of review but all words and opinions are my own.

Macro Monday

chopped carrots and parsnips

red onions and celery

MM3

Sunday 10 February 2013

A Year in Pictures - Week 6

At last life has settled down a bit (just in time for Little Miss Sunshine to start coughing and sneezing again!) I even went shopping this week - like proper shopping in a shopping centre - not been in one for about 6 months - not even at Christmas. I am still struggling with catching up with everything though (especially the blog) so I'll make it quick. We've had days out bowling, dress up days and a well done medal at school. Kung Hei Fat Choi!

ten-pin bowling

ten-pin bowling

rabbit dress up



School medal


I am linking up with the Boy and Me and those brave 365 peeps - so for lots more February photos head on over there by clicking the badge.


TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky


Silent Sunday

bowling

Silent Sunday

Thursday 7 February 2013

I got post - from #TeamHonk in Ghana no less!

Squeeee I got a postcard this morning (I do like a good postcard) - all the way from Ghana where 3 lovely fellow bloggers (aka #TeamHonk) are following some celebs to see the difference that funding from Comic Relief can make and raise even more awareness for Comic Relief. This is all part of Comic Relief's 25th birthday celebrations (cripes has it really been going that long *feels old*.) I was especially pleased to get a postcard from the Virtuous Women's Bakery which is a fantastic project and has an even more wonderful name! Here it is - baking looks like fun!



Dear Rollercoaster Mum 

Having an inspirational time in Ghana, here I am at the Virtuous Women's Bakery and creche having a giggle about my headscarf with my co baker. The women make bread and sell it in the community while their children can play in the nursery. Their new oven was funded by Comic Relief meaning they can scale up production and make more money selling more bread in the community. Financial independence is key to raising women's status and reducing poverty in society. 

Love Penny

This is a digital postcard sent from TeamHonk (www.mammasaurus.co.uk; www.aresidence.co.uk; www.mummybarrow.com) during their travels with Comic Relief in Ghana celebrating #goodwork.

For the past 25 years the money raised through Red Nose Day has been changing the lives of the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the UK and Africa. Let's Keep Up the Good Work. Find out how at rednoseday.com

For other digital postcards please do join up and check out the linky on www.teamhonk.org.

GoodWork

Love Cakes!

Mmmmm cake - now honestly who doesn't like a bit of cake? How about getting a cake for Valentines Day - through the post? You know you've done the chocolates and the flowers and you want something a bit different - or maybe you want to send someone a real surprise in the true spirit of Valentines. Enter Baker Days letterbox cakes - a little cake (well not that little - enough for at least 6 portions) beautifully packaged in a lovely tin which when popped in a neat cardboard box fits perfectly through a letterbox.

letterbox cake


I was offered one to review and lets face it I wasn't going to say no to cake! You can choose from over 30 designs that can be personalised if you wish. I chose teddys as Little Miss Sunshine adores teddys and her Dad! We got sponge cake which costs just £14.99 including delivery but you can choose other flavours like fruit, carrot or chocolate cake for a small supplement. It was very easy to order and it arrived (very quickly) with a gift card and a little packet of lovehearts as an added extra. The cake itself was tasty and lovely and moist. Even Mr Rollercoaster approved!

I'm not really sure what I was expecting but I would be very pleased to get a cake like this as a gift whether it was for Valentines, birthday or just as a thank you. It would certainly make a nice change. It is undoubtedly more than I would normally spend on a small cake but it is the idea that you are paying for and they are beautifully presented. So what are you waiting for - haven't got a Valentines gift yet? Then off you go to Baker Days and order that cake! (you still have time - if you order before 1pm they will post out 1st class the same day.)


Disclosure: I was sent a letterbox cake for the purposes of review but all words and opinions are my own.

Monday 4 February 2013

Macro Monday

Christmas Rose
Hellebore flower
MM3

Sunday 3 February 2013

Silent Sunday


Silent Sunday

Saturday 2 February 2013

A Year in Pictures - Week 5

Not taken many pictures this week to be honest but at last signs of spring - my favourite daffodils.

spring flower

I am linking up with the Boy and Me and those brave 365 peeps - so for lots more January photos head on over there by clicking the badge.



TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky
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