A family day out at Beamish

If you are a regular reader, you will know that before Christmas James and Mummy were lucky enough to do an overnight sleepover with our Beaver Colony at Beamish The Living Museum Of The North. We came back full of stories about what we had done and saying we wanted to take Daddy and Freddie next time!

So fast forward to January and Beamish had a competition on Instagram to win a family unlimited year long pass and well mummy only went and won it!!

For us to get to Beamish we had to catch the 28 or the 28A bus from Eldon Square bus station. The buses run every half hour at quarter past and quarter to the hour Monday to Saturday and every hour on a Sunday. Click here for the Go North East timetable.

So Saturday started early with mummy putting our pack lunches together, a lot had been pre made in the days before and frozen so all we had to do was put them in the cool bag. We decided to take our lunch with us as it would be safer for Freddie with his food allergies. 

We then got the bus from our terminal into Newcastle city centre and then we walked across from Haymarket to Eldon Square to catch the bus down to Beamish. A family explorer bus ticket which we could use on both Stagecoach and Go North East cost us £20.60, as it was cheaper than buying separate tickets on each operator. 

The bus ride down was about 45 minutes and it was a long hard trip as we had decided to let Freddie ride out of his stroller!! He literally would not sit still!

We had got the 0845 bus from Eldon Square bus station. In reality we could have got the 0915 bus and still been at Beamish for opening. 

With it being January a few bits were closed like the steam train, Pockerley waggonway and also the chip shop. The boys were gutted the steam train was not running. 

The first thing we did was get the tram from the main entrance down to the pit village! This wasn't too bad till we came to get off and Freddie threw a massive strop! He wanted to stay on the tram! We stopped to see the pit poneys and the goats. We then had a look in the school and the church. The boys then went and had a look in the houses with daddy. 

We then went and looked in the engine sheds which both the boys were loving! Then we went to do the mine. I was a little concerned about taking Freddie in but he did wear his hat. We started off down the mine and got to the first little section and this is where Freddie decided he didn't like it and wanted to take the hard hat off so mummy took him back out while daddy and James continued on!

After we finished in the pit village we decided to walk down to the town. We walked via the disabled access to the station where we found the train was not running which really upset the boys. Once we walked into the town we decided to go and have an early lunch in the park, before we went to the sweet shop and then wandered round the bank and the masonic hall before going back to see how the sweets are made!

James loved being back in the masonic hall as he was able to show daddy the exact spot where he slept when we did the sleepover back. We then took the built in lift upstairs in the masonic hall to show James and daddy where mummy slept on the sleepover!

Once we had finished watching the sweets being made and having a sample of the ones we had watched being made. We got the tram back to the main entrance

and after a quick visit to the gift shop we made it to the bus stop in time for the 1315 bus back to Newcastle. This time we left Freddie in his stroller and he had a nice sleep on his way back to town.

Since we now have an unlimited annual pass to Beamish we are already planning on our next visit hopefully in the Half Term holiday!

How To Manage Your Money With A Family

**Collaborative Post**

It can be a challenge keeping your finances on track with a young family. There always

seems to be something that crops up and before you know it, you have spent a couple

of hundred pounds that you had not planned to be spending when pay day rolled around.

It can be painful! So today we want to share with you a few tips on how to manage your

money with a family. 

Image Pixabay

Whether it be Mercedes Servicing or a broken down washing machine, something always seems to come up every month, doesn’t it? This is why it’s so important when you are planning your monthly budget to look at your annual expenses rather than just note down those monthly direct debits. 

Take into account every single expense

Along with your normal monthly bills, you should also take into account birthdays and Christmas spending, holidays, emergencies, and then those things that you know will crop up from time to time such as buying school uniform and shoes, swimming lesson fees, car servicing and so on. It can be hard to think of everything, so don’t rush this process, do take a look back over around a year’s worth of bank statements as they will remind you of all that you need to spend.

Work with a weekly figure 

The next step is one that people rarely take, but trust us, as it is well worth doing. Get yourself a weekly budget figure. 

You need to work out a weekly amount of money that you have available after all of the necessities have been paid. Weekly is a lot easier to work with and stick to than monthly. Weekly might only allow you to make one or two purchases, which will make you stop and think before you pop to the shops and buy a few bits and bobs. Monthly will be a greater amount and you are more likely to ignore it as one spend in a month’s worth of spending can easily get swallowed up and ignored. 

Spread out the cost

Now that you are getting used to looking at your finances across the year, then the month and then weekly, it’s time to start working on spreading the cost.

You should now be taking typically expensive times into account, such as Christmas and holidays. We would suggest that as well we putting money aside monthly for everything like this you also shop throughout the year for them.

Buy clothes for the next size up when the sales are on, avoid paying full price wherever possible. If you see a great deal on a toy that you know your little one would love, but Christmas isn't for another three months, buy it and put it away ready for them. Similarly, buy bargain toys and gifts that you spot ready for those birthday parties that you just know your children are going to be going to. This way you won’t be caught on the hop at any point and you will have bought a lovely gift without breaking the bank. 

Living Arrows 2018 19/53

Welcome back to another week of Living Arrows hosted by Donna over at What The Redhead Said. If you are new to this then the name of the linky comes from the poem by Kahlil Gibran "You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth"

This week has been quite busy for James and Freddie with school and playgroup and of course our Sure Start group for Freddie. Freddie absolutely adores his sure start group! Hes been going to this group since he was 7 weeks old so he loves it! The centre has a lovely little garden which is a real sun trap! So if its nice weather Freddie generally spends the full session outside!

How nice has the weather been this last few days! On Saturday we took a walk to our local retail park to buy food for a bbq that we were having later that day with nana and gaga. We also bought the boys a new paddling pool! They spent virtually all Saturday afternoon and then the majority of Sunday afternoon splashing around!!

It's also been a busy one for mummy with a trip to Ikea with Nana while Gaga stayed back at our house to do playgroup pick up for Freddie and the school pick up for James. Mummy also had an unplanned trip to local minor injuries unit after slicing my thumb open on a tin badly and needing it cleaned and dressed!!

James also had a session of forest school last week! When we had all the snow back in February/March his class lost a planned session in the school secret garden due to the weather so it was rearranged for 1st of May! James was so excited to get to school that he actually forgot to pick up his wellies!! So once the door was opened mummy ran home with Freddie and picked them up and got them back to the school before his TA locked the door! 

         

 

My Favourite Christmas Presents

So I have been toying with writing this for a while and I've finally found the time to sit down and write it!

So what were my favourite presents?

Number One: My Be necklace
This was in my gift bag of presents from Andy and the Boys. The small disk says Be and the larger disc says things like Kind, Strong, Happy etc. I absolutely love this and wear it most days!

Number Two: Earrings
I had been saying for months that I needed new earrings as Freddie had pulled some of mine out and had lost the backs. So for months I haven't worn a pair. I love these pearl earrings that Andy and the boys got me! I don't normally wear drop earrings but these are simply gorgeous and I have already worn them on a number of occasions including Christmas Day

Number Three: My Coat
My parents gave me money for christmas and I said I was going to put it towards a new coat! I got this one at Matalan in the Sales for £25 reduced from £45! This coat is so warm and so thick, so it keeps me nice and cosy on the school run.

Number Four: Our Calendar 
My best friend and her husband got us this for Christmas and I love it! I normally forget to buy a calendar till the middle of January! This one we can add photographs to so I'm going to add photos of the kids to it when I get a chance! It also comes with a pen which is brilliant as I can never find a pen when I want to put things onto the calendar! I already have it filled in with lots of important dates for our family for 2018!!

and Number Five: My Heart Necklace
This was another present from Andy and the boys. I have worn this a couple of times since I got it and its so beautiful! 

These are my favourite presents for Christmas!! The coat has got to be the best investment I made as I have not been cold on the school run!! And by wearing my Be Necklace it reminds me everyday to be strong, be thankful, be happy etc!

Travel Tips For Families

We have just booked our first family holiday abroad for October 2018 and to say I'm apprehensive about flying with the boys goes without saying! 

 I asked some of my fellow bloggers for any tips and things we should do while in the air! We will be sat two and two, so I will have Freddie who will be almost three when we go and Andy will have James who will be six.

Amy from www.thesmallestofthings.com said - Take lots of snacks because the airport and airplane will be very boring for young children!

Elaine from www.entertainingelliot.com said - Sticker books! I literally don't travel without them, they are a brilliant boredom buster!

Kati from www.howtorockatparenting.wordpress.com  said - With babies and toddlers, have plenty to drink, a dummy and lots of food and toys to entertain them. It's easier with older children, especially once they get off your lap. Colouring books, books in general or a little homemade 'I spy' booklet is plenty, as long as the first flight isn't too long. 

Sarah from http://surreymama.com/ said - Take snacks and when you think you have enough, take more. They can help with sore ears (Ella’s smoothies for example), they can prevent a tantrum and if fussy eaters keep them going until the next meal 

Kelly from http://www.reducedgrub.com has been a stewardess for over 20 years and has wrote this fantastic post on traveling with Children! I can see this being read and reread before we go away! 

Thanks for all the tips folks! I can see us using a lot of them on our upcoming travels!

#Blogtober17 Day 15 Old Photos

Old photos well I have a lot of them! That's what Facebook is good for, saving photos so you can go back and look at them years later! 

This is a photo of James on his third birthday and a photo of me when I was three! Everyone says that James really looks a lot like me at the same age. In fact James once thought this photo was actually him with a wig on! This is actually one of my favourite photographs of me as a child!

I really cannot see anything of Freddie in me as a child yet. I think Freddie looks more like his daddy!

I love looking back at old photos as they bring back so many memories. This one of me for example was June 2008 in Dublin just a couple of months before I met Andy. I had gone to Dublin for a few days with my best friend Michelle so we could go and see Westlife at Croke Park. We really didn't pack for the weather as when my flight landed a few hours before Michelle's it was scorching hot and I had to ring Michelle back in Aberdeen and tell her to bring summery clothes and I had to go and buy a few bits! 

This was taken on O'Connell Bridge over the River Liffy.

This is me and Andy the first time I went down to Surrey to stay with him and we went to Thorpe Park for Fright Night! The maze we went into was absolutely terrifying and I can remember shaking like a leaf when we got out! We had had to queue for hours as the Maze kept braking down! Lucky it was a nice day and we had friends with us in the queue!

This was also the day I met Andy's mum and dad for the first time! I totally fell in love with Thorpe Park this day and it was the first of many visits!

Some of the best photos for me to look back on are the ones from our wedding day. Even though I was ill, it really was the best day of my life! 

The photo of me and my dad was taken by my cousin Pete and it is one of my favourite photographs from the day.

The one of me and my mum, on the wall behind me is actually my mum and dads wedding photograph.

We were married on March 19th 2011 at the Sun Hotel in Warkworth, which is actually the village my mum and dad now live in!

My honeymoon definitely holds some special memories so looking at those always makes me happy although it was our last holiday. We visited SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and my complete favourite was Discovery Cove where we got to swim with the Dolphins. 

The Dolphins we had at our experience were called Yoshi and Dexter and well I totally fell in love with them!

We also met Mickey and Minnie Mouse when we were at Magic Kingdom. There is actually a Christmas shop all year round at Magic Kingdom and we bought some Mickey and Minnie bell decorations for our tree that we have used every year since we moved into our  first flat in the North East in 2012.

Another photo that holds memories is this one my cousin took of my Nannie with James when he was about six months old.

James adored my Nannie and we both miss her very much. He was 21 months old when she died and he still remembers her and talks about her now. 

I really wish she had met Freddie as he really is such a little bruiser and the total opposite of his big brother! 









So for me I use old photographs to preserve special memories of special times.

Silent Sunday

A new family routine

So we now have a new family routine thanks to Andy's work shifts changing.

Week One he works 12:30 till 20:30 Monday to Friday and is off on a Saturday and Sunday.

Week Two he has two 10:00 till 18:00 and two 09:00 till 18:00 Monday to Thursday off on a Friday and then 09:00 till 14:00 on a Saturday.

Last week was his first week one so it wasn't too much different to what it was before for James but this week being the first of the week twos, so Andy has been getting home when James has been having his bath and bed time. 

Needless to say James has been acting up at bed time and not wanting to go to sleep as he knew daddy was home early. We normally try to alternate who puts him to bed when we are both home. But the last few nights he's just wanted daddy and it has taken both of us to get him down. So his normal bedtime of between six and seven has been after half eight the last few nights but of course he's still been waking up between six and seven! 

Next week it is going to change even more as we move out of our rented house and into my parents house while we wait to complete on our house. Then Andy is going to be leaving early and getting back late no matter which shift week he is going to be on.

Roll on moving into our house and trying to get James into a normal bedtime routine.

Remembering loved ones at Christmas

2014 hasn't been the best year for my family. 2013 ended bad and 2014 started bad.

On 3rd December last year my dad got a phone call that his wonderful aunt had collapsed and was take to the RVI at Newcastle.

It was the next day when we found out she had actually had a spinal stroke. Unlike a stroke where blood clot goes to the brain, in a spinal stroke the blood clot goes to the spine and basically paralysed you. My lovely great aunt was basically paralysed from the chest down.

She caught many chest infections before the final one, when she finally lost her fight on 28th January.

My dad has always talked about the little westie she used to have and how much she used to spoil him. So when looking at the Christmas shop in John Lewis we spotted a westie tree decoration and knew we had to buy it in her memory.

Then in May we lost my Nannie, which I blogged about at the time, so yes 2014 hasn't been great. James though has kept us all going. We just need to find the perfect decoration for our tree in memory of nannie. 

Silent Sunday

Homemade vegetable soup

So now that winter is creeping in, homemade warm food is a must! 

Today I decided with the quantity of vegetables we had in, I would make up a batch of vegetable soup for lunch and also for the freezer.

This batch consisted of leeks, carrots, swed, sweet corn and onions. 

The carrots and swed were put in boiling water in one pan and the leeks, sweet corn and onion went into our wok with hot water.

 

Once they were soft they were laidled into our blender and blitzed to a purée.

Once it was blitzed it was poured into a large bowl to await serving.

It was totally yummy and plenty left to be frozen for another day.

 

What a day

How nice weather been this weekend!

I had to jump on the metro into Newcastle this morning as James only had one pair of shorts! So mummy and boo went to shops while daddy stayed and finished cutting and raking the back lawn.

I'm back working on my candles tomorrow so me and James are staying at my parent's house tomorrow night as I have appointments on Tuesday so I won't be rushing around after James.

James in mummies tshirt!