Why I'll Need A Time-Turner

Now that The Boy is getting older, I've started to contemplate different types of days out with him. He's getting to the age where he has a sustained period of concentration, he's interested in stories and the whys and hows of things, and loves to experience new things. It never fails to amaze me the memories that he comes out with, small events that happened last year but they pop into his head at the most obscure of times when something prompts his recall of them.

I think that the great family day out is something that needs to have a resurgence, it's way too easy to spend the weekends lolling around and not doing anything. When I was a child we always went out on a Sunday afternoon and did something, even if it was only to a park or the beach, possibly a ruined castle, but always something as a family. I don't think there's much of an effort in families nowadays to do this. Maybe parents think that the time spent together has to involve a lot of cost, but I actually think a lot of it comes down to a) the stress of both parents working and b) Sunday trading hours allowing for afternoons spent in supermarkets! Hardly the essence of childhood memories is it?

In June, we'll be going to London for the BritMums Live blogging conference. I say 'we' because there is no way that I'm leaving Mr. TBaM and The Boy here on their own. I maintain that it's because I'll miss them (and I will) but in all honesty, I'm more worried that they'll have a fab time without me and I can't split myself into two. So I'm dragging them to the capital city for the weekend with me. While I'm busy chatting and socialising networking and improving my blog on the Saturday, I suspect they will be enjoying the Science Museum, it's something that Mr. TBaM has wanted to take The Boy to since before he was even conceived.

I'm still trying to narrow down what to do on the Sunday when we have our family time together. I've had fabulous suggestions of London Zoo, the Transport Museum and of course I want to check out Hyde Park and the London Eye. However, I'm wondering how we could forget one of the things that for me is synonymous with London? How could we possibly neglect the West End?

Is there time to squeeze in a child's day out at the theatre or am I asking too much from a (then) three year old? And even then, which production? There are so many different and marvellous musicals on at the moment that I wouldn't know where to start. Maybe one of those that had the 'search for the star' type tv shows? I could always investigate Wizard of Oz tickets but I think that would be more for me in my attempts to get closer to those sparkly shoes that I've always covetted.

I suspect that unless I manage to procure Hermoine's time-turner that we're going to be sticking to the London Eye and Hyde Park, but you never know!

This is a featured post.

My BritMums Live Sponsor!

A little while ago, I mentioned that I was lucky enough to be able to go to BritMums Live this year. Last year I made the decision that I wouldn't attend Cybermummy as I felt it would be too like an INSET day. However, that was a month or two into my blogging life, and by the time June came around, I was insanely jealous of anyone who went and hung off every tweet with the relevant hashtag. I made the decision there and then that come hell or high water I'd be going this year.

And I am.

And so is Mr. TheBoyandMe and The Boy.

Quite frankly the idea of two days and two nights away from them is too much to bear, and so I decided that I'd be taking them with me. On the Saturday, the boys can go and play at the Science Museum while I chat, socialise and get drunk network and develop my blogging ability with the creme de la creme of the blogging world. I can't wait to meet all of my twitter and blogging friends, some for the first time, some I'm friends with in the 'real world'.

I was discussing attending the conference with one of the lovely people that I have regularly reviewed for, who I consider a good friend. She asked me details about it and I explained the ethos behind it. It was at this point that she offered to sponsor me to attend! I very happily accepted sponsorship for the ticket, and would therefore like to present my BritMums Live sponsor:

I am so proud to be representing the best online toy shop that there is! Toyjeanius sells amazing wooden baby and toddler toys, traditional games and fabric role-play accessories that are second to none, items that you wouldn't find in the average high-street toy store. The Boy has always loved the toys that Jean has sent for him to review, be it threading cards from Djeco or the Pally Pirate Noah ship from I'm Toy. Jean is a friendly, caring and hardworking mum who is so interested and fascinated with quality children's toys that she set her own online shop up. I always have an image of her playing with the Haba foods in her kitchen!

So thanks to ToyJeanius, you'll be seeing me at BritMums Live! I may be sporting an owl costume to go with the usual green face and yellow antennae, but I'll be there!

Readers of this blog can gain a 10% discount at ToyJeanius through using the code 'TheBoyandMe' at the checkout!

(It's at this point that I'd like to highlight that I agreed to only accept sponsorship for the ticket; I didn't want to take advantage of Jean's generosity and friendship by having her pay for the hotel and transport fees for my entire family. That's why you've seen so many sponsored posts on here recently, writing those has paid for the other costs.)

We're Going To London…

I'm very excited!

Before Christmas, I bought my ticket for the Britmums Live in London in June. Last year I had many lengthy discussions with other mums and bloggers on twitter about going to the equivalent conference held at the same time, but decided that it would be too much like an INSET day for me and therefore I didn't want to go. As it so happened, the closer it got to the big day, and the more twitter was completely and utterly taken over with plans surrounding Cybermummy, I became just that teensiest bit green about the hundreds of mummy bloggers going. It was made worse by the fact that I was having to attend the school Summer fayre and paint children's faces. As pink butterflies.

However, this year I am determined not to miss out again! So during a discussion with someone on twitter, they offered to sponsor me and bought my ticket for the blogging conference there and then. They offered to contribute towards my travel and hotel costs but I declined. I know! Foolishness? No, I don't think so at all. I won't be going there on my own you see, I will be accompanied by The Boy and Mr. TheBoyandMe. Friday to Sunday is a long time for me to be away from my boys and I don't honestly think I'd enjoy it as much as I should knowing that they're three hours and 150 miles away from me. Therefore we're turning it into a family weekend, hence paying for our own accommodation.

Doing it this way means that we'll be able to spend Sunday together as a family in London and show our (then) three year old son some of the sites which he will hopefully find exciting. Last Summer was filled with days out and weekend breaks away, one of which was to Cadbury World in Bourneville. I want this Summer to be filled with similar family days out and excursions, be it to the beach or our trip to London. I'm at a loss as to whether he will enjoy the London Eye or if that might be too chaotic for him? It might be better to go for a quieter (and cheaper) venue which he will enjoy, and will allow us to actually spend time relaxed in each other's company. Possibly one of the parks? I went to Kew Gardens in London on a school trip when I was a teenager and really enjoyed that, maybe it would be better as it is sited on the escape from central London back to the cooler and calmer climes of Cardiff?

It may only be January, but I'm starting to make preparations and get excited about our trip in June. I can't wait to see London again, it's been such a long time since we were last there. I'm just as excited about seeing all the other bloggers, but I'm possibly most jubilant that I won't be painting any pink butterflies that day!

And who is my sponsor? That's another blog-post.

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