Reviews Archives : Me, Annie Bee.

Review: Asian Snacks from Morueats

Anna — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 13:49:18 +0000

If there’s one thing we can be certain of, it’s that if you offer to send me food I am going to say yes. If you offer to send me a mixture of Asian snacks, I am going to say say yes a little louder. In fact, I’ll probably say it twice. This is how I recently ended up with a delivery of Asian snacks and treats from Morueats – rarely am I that pleased to see the postman. Morueats is a UK based online Asian shop and supermarket offering authentic snacks, food and ingredients that are firm favourites across Asia including Japan, Thailand, China and Korea. The day my parcel arrived was one of great excitement. Unfortunately for me, my eternally curious (read: nosey) children were around and MY box of treats quickly became OUR box of treats and I barely got a look in – they called dibs on absolutely everything. The box contained a variety of sweet and savoury snacks – giving us the opportunity to try things that we might not have chosen if browsing the store. Highlights Hazelnut Yan Yan: Biscuit sticks to dip in a chocolate hazelnut spread. This is the one thing that I insisted was mine and only mine. I didn’t share and I am not even sorry! Choco-Pie: A little bit like a Wagon Wheel but with softer biscuit. The children actually shared this without falling out! Winner. Kato Nata de Coco strawberry juice: This was a curious one – the taste is beautiful but the texture…I’m not sure. Definitely something a little different. Pocky Sticks: We got these in both Strawberry and Match Green Tea flavour; the strawberry ones were definitely the nicer of the two. Hello Panda Double Choco biscuits: Chocolate biscuit bites with a chocolate filling, the kids were over the moon to see these in the box. They’ve had them before and will, no doubt, make me buy them again. This is just a handful of the snacks we received. Within the whole box there was only one item that wasn’t really to our taste – not bad going I’d say. Moru Surprise Box. Priced at £24.99 and filled with a selection of 16-18 products from sweet and savoury snacks to drinks. The Surprise Box is a fantastic way for you to discover your new favourite treats, alternatively, it would make a perfect gift for someone else. I will definitely be getting myself another one – I will also get it delivered to work so that I get a look in before the children! These items were sent to me for the purpose of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The post Review: Asian Snacks from Morueats appeared first on Me, Annie Bee..

The Man Who Died Twice.

Anna — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 18:25:10 +0000

There is nothing quite like ending a long, tiring, autumnal day, tucked up in bed with a good book. OK, maybe that is showing my age, and previously there would be nothing like a night out (out) culminating in dancing the night away in a dark venue with sweat dripping from the ceiling, but children and Covid mean we are where we are. Anyway, age segues us nicely into the latest tome I have just devoured, “The Man Who Died Twice”, the follow up novel to Richard Osman’s hugely successful debut, “The Thursday Murder Club”. Now Mr Osman seems ubiquitous nowadays, but in a very positive way rather than say Messrs Manford or McIntyre seemed to be a few years ago. We are huge devotees of his House of Games (albeit we have 40+ episodes in hand to catch up on), love a bit of Pointless (though full time working means we generally only catch the Celebrity versions rather than those with Normos taking part) and often find him the best thing on the BBC’s Fighting Talk of a Saturday morning. A large part of his charm is his way with words, and on the page it becomes the way he puts his words into the mouths of others – age, gender, nationality no barrier – to form fully rounded and believable characters that you really root for. Picking up shortly after the events of the first book, we catch up with the latest happenings at the Cooper’s Chase retirement complex where former spook Elizabeth, harmless (or is she?) lovely old dear Joyce, ex-TU man Ron and sheltered career psychiatrist Ibrahim are looking for their next case to investigate. Local coppers Chris and Donna are on hand to be sucked into their schemes with the minimum of arm-twisting, as we find out more about their private lives – Chris is spending increased amounts of time with Donna’s mum Patrice and reintroducing himself to vegetables and the gym, and Donna is having a thoroughly depressing time trying to match up with singletons with a modicum of self-awareness. Also back is Bogdan, thankfully just being Bogdan – macho, mysterious but loyal as hell and locked in a battle of wits chess series with Elizabeth’s dementia faltering husband Stephen. The book starts with Elizabeth receiving a note from an impossible source, which results in her former husband, Douglas, coming back into her life. As a slight toyboy he is still active in the service but looking for a way out – an operation at the premises of an organised crime moneyman, Martin Lomax, and the disappearance of a bag of diamonds that just happened to be lying around giving him that potential escape route, and proving central to the plot. As in the previous book, Joyce’s personal diary entries act as airlift bags to the plot doing both a lot of the heavy lifting whilst also providing a lot of the biggest laughs. Joyce is new to Instagram, and is intrigued as to why her (inaccessible) inbox of private messages is so overflowing. Could be something to do with her using her daughter’s year of birth in her handle…. Early in the book we are introduced to the bad people deserving comeuppance, from the local hoodlum, through the former teaching assistant turned drug kingpin (or should that be queenpin) trading out of some seafront lockups and being staked out by Donna and Chris, through to the New York mafia, to whom the stolen diamonds ultimately belong. An incident early in the book involving Ibrahim really packs a punch and sets a furious Ron and a calm but equally upset Bogdan on a revenge mission, and really reminds us that even if we keep our brains sharp, our bodies become increasingly frail as life catches up with us. Elizabeth and Joyce meanwhile are taken up with solving the mystery of what Douglas may or may not have done, where the diamonds might be, and ultimately who you can trust. Allusions to ‘dead drops’ and coded messages take Elizabeth back to the old days, with Joyce along for the ride, but making sure there is always time to grab a cup of tea, watch the world go by and charge your phone (maybe using ECM Media rent charging stations). As the plot becomes more twisty and events conspire to culminate in a guns-drawn stand-off (in my mind’s eye the warehouse scene from Reservoir Dogs transplanted to a tiny office at the end of a pier, with fewer sharp suits and more comfortable shoes) you get to the equivalent of binge-watch logic – I’ve time for just one more chapter/ I can cope on 6 hours’ sleep. Some of the diamonds appear on the table, with only a pallet scale being able to determine how much of the £20m value has materalised. I found this book, and the tying up of the various strands to be wholly satisfying, although the door has been left well and truly ajar for further instalments – and in particular I am looking forward to seeing how the promised character Vladimir Guerrro Jr will fit into a sleepy (at least on the surface) Kent retirement village in the next book. I read for escapism and entertainment (certainly before bed) and on those metrics this volume scores extremely highly. Now to catch up on some House of Games until book 3 arrives on the shelves.

The post The Man Who Died Twice. appeared first on Me, Annie Bee..

Lapland Letters – Magical Letters from Santa – review.

Anna — Sat, 21 Nov 2020 12:15:58 +0000

Review. Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat… With only 4 weeks to go I am in full on Festive mode. I normally start my Christmas planning in September but this year working and studying full time has ensured that I have barely done a thing. One of the things I did make sure to get done sooner rather then later was ordering a letter from Santa for the children. As with most things Christmas, I am really fussy. I don’t like tacky and cartoon like letters, I like something a bit more traditional. Ideally the missive would be written on magical paper from the North Pole and written by Old St Nick himself. I appreciate that he is rather busy around this time and so will settle for something that at least gives that vibe. This year I ordered personalised letters from Lapland Letters who offer ten different letter themes from Santa (or Father Christmas if that’s your preference). Themes for 2020 include a Lockdown Letter, First Year of School, Baby’s First Christmas and The Meaning of Christmas alongside the ‘classics’. Costing just £5.95, all letters come with a copy of the Secret Map Santa uses on Christmas Eve to make his way around the world. For an additional £2.95 you can add a bumper activity pack to the letter which includes colouring sheets and games, a door hanger and a thank you card to send back to Santa. If that wasn’t quite bumper enough, the early bird special includes a treat tray, nice list certificate and countdown to Christmas. Perfect pre-Christmas entertainment. Personalising your child’s letter couldn’t be easier. After choosing which letter format you’d like (ideal for making sure siblings letters aren’t identical) you simply fill in some boxes with the child’s information. Their age, their best friends name, the gift they’d like etc. and your work is almost done. You can even specify whether your child uses ‘Santa Claus’ or ‘Father Christmas’. The ‘PS’ can be used to include any personal achievements or special information you would like included, “Mummy & Daddy are so pleased that you enjoy your new school” or something of that ilk. Maybe refrain from announcing a new baby brother or sister in this bit though. That could ruin Christmas. Once you’ve personalised your letter and paid, the Elves take over and will send out your child’s letter in early December. You can tick one thing off of your to do list and maybe celebrate with a small sherry. As well as personalised letters, you can also order personalised magical extras including Mrs Claus’ Cookie Mix, Reindeer food, Magic Keys or Christmas Eve box – it really is a magical Christmas Eve on stop shop! Prices start at £5.95 and includes delivery to anywhere in the world and are available from Santa himself via Lapland Letters.

The post Lapland Letters – Magical Letters from Santa – review. appeared first on Me, Annie Bee..

Scandinavian Biolabs Hair Growth Routine Review

Anna — Sat, 10 Oct 2020 15:10:51 +0000

eatI was sent these products for the purpose of review I have never looked after my hair as well as I should, over the last 30 years I have coloured it, stripped it, coloured it some more, used all the products and heat styling tools on it. In recent years I have been very aware of the handfuls of hair I’m losing in the shower. I’m not entirely sure whether it is caused by the years of mistreatment or the impending middle age but either way I have decided to try and be kinder to my follicles. I was asked whether I’d like to try Scandinavian Biolabs Hair Growth Routine for women, marketed as the ‘All Natural Solution to Hair Loss’ I decided it wouldn’t hurt to give it a go – what’s the worst that could happen? Scandinavian Biolabs Based in Denmark, Scandinavian Biolabs is a 100% natural bio-cosmetics company creating hair growth formulas that are entirely natural, vegan and stimulates a healthier and stronger hair growth. They create hair growth routines for both men and women. Scandinavian Biolabs Hair Growth Routine The Hair Growth Routine comprises Hair Strength Shampoo, Hair Recovery Conditioner and Hair Growth Serum. Three products designed to work along side each other to reduce hair loss, stimulate hair regrowth and increase hair density over 150 days. The products are suitable for all hair types, sensitive skin and coloured hair – all while using only natural ingredients that are free from sulfates, silicons and parabens. The full list of ingredients can be found here. My thoughts At the time I started using Scandinavian Biolabs Hair Growth Routine my hair was bright red and I was a little apprehensive. Would something that promotes hair growth and strengthening strip my colour as many ‘restorative’ type products usually do? The Hair Growth Routine is essentially your usual hair washing routine – start with the shampoo, follow with the conditioner and then apply a couple of pipettes worth of serum to your scalp before drying and styling. It takes no longer that usual which is great if you are trying to get yourself and your family out of the house on time every day. The products have a really nice Eucalyptus smell – not over powering at all and the shampoo and conditioner left my hair feeling really nice and smooth, they also didn’t strip my colour which is a bonus. The serum is applied directly to the scalp it did tingle a little but wasn’t entirely unpleasant. It also didn’t leave my hair looking greasy as some serum type products can. I haven’t used the Scandinavian Biolabs Hair Growth Routine for 150 days but after a month I can really see a difference in my hair, it is certainly feeling thicker and I am shedding a LOT less in the shower. The whole routine is a little pricey €69.99 for a one off purchase or €59.49 for a monthly subscription but if hair loss is something that affects you and this works and makes you feel more confident then it’s certainly worth the money.

The post Scandinavian Biolabs Hair Growth Routine Review appeared first on Me, Annie Bee..

Making the Most of a Small Space with Lick

Anna — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 14:19:56 +0000

This post is written in collaboration with Lick who provided the paint and video colour consultation for a decorating job that I was already going to do. It is almost three years since Seth moved into his ‘grown up bedroom‘ and now, obviously, it’s time for a change – apparently vehicles just don’t cut it anymore and to be honest, it was grim in there. He decided back in January that he wanted a ‘space’ bedroom so I bought an amazing galaxy wallpaper back then but thanks to the hip replacement and lack of inspiration on my part, we were no closer to creating a new room for him. He has the smallest room in the house and I just wasn’t sure how to make the most of it to give him a space of his own to play, chill and also store all the boring stuff like clothes. It struck me that starting Uni in September will see the end of any free time I once had and I needed to get my behind into gear and that all those little jobs I had been putting off really needed doing now or they will remain undone until the end of time and Seth’s room REALLY did need sorting out before the end of time. Luckily, it was as if the stars came into alignment for as soon as I had this realisation, I got an email from Lick wanting to know if I would like a colour consultation – I didn’t even need to wait for the inspiration! I had a video colourist session with the lovely Tash from Lick in the aforementioned room, I showed her the room, the paper I had bought and told her what I wanted from the space – somewhere Seth could chill and play. It’s a tiny room so I didn’t want to make it too oppressive BUT the paper I had was quite dark. WHAT DO I DO? A few hours later my bespoke mood board appeared in my inbox with the perfect palette for the room. Once I confirmed how I was going to proceed the paint was ordered and arrived a couple of days later. Simple as that! I need to take a moment here to just acknowledge the Lick paint cans, they are amazing. Nice to look at with a handle and a screw top – for years I’ve cursed the individual who created the paint pot. Anything that requires a screwdriver to prise it open is not a safe option for a clumsy arse like me. The information told me the matt emulsion would be ideal for the walls, ceiling AND the woodwork. Challenge accepted. In a way that was completely out of character for me, I planned my time well. I ordered a new bed, mattress and accessories – that consultation bought out my inner Llewellyn-Bowen. I had a few weeks before the bed arrived giving me plenty of time to slowly change the room which would be perfect what with having to look after kids too. I awoke the next day to a text telling me the bed would arrive tomorrow – everything needed to happen now. I spent the next three days single handedly (pretty much) emptying the room, painting anything that didn’t move, wall papering, upcycling furniture and listening to back to back true crime podcasts (if you need anyone seeing off, I can probably advise). I WAS A MACHINE. The paint I had been sent from Lick gave really good coverage, I used half a tin of each colour for two walls, the ceiling, the skirtings and door. Being rushed I gave the woodwork a cursory sandpaper but the paint went on really well, no streaking at all, the loft hatch in Seth’s room is plastic and even that got painted and looked mighty fine. The main aim of sorting Seth’s room was to make space, I did want to get him a high riser bed with a wardrobe, desk and drawers underneath but the ones I could justify the cost of didn’t have a full size wardrobe and the ones that did well – I’m not in the position to spend £700 on a bed! We hunted around and decided to go for a ‘mid sleeper’ with storage underneath and that I’d paint his existing wardrobe. I told you, one professional consultation and I think I’m a pro! The bed was actually a bit of a bargain, I found it on Very for nearly £400 then Googled it and found it over £100 cheaper at The Range, always shop around kids! It’s still a hefty affair and didn’t quite fit where I wanted it to so didn’t create the vast space I wanted it to BUT it does have drawers, a cupboard and a desk underneath so we could get rid of a couple of bits. It also has LOADS of space underneath behind the drawers which is perfect for making a little den (or storing all the crap that was under his old bed). After three days of hard graft I could barely move, it was worth it to see Seth’s little face when he saw the finished product. He LOVED it! At bed time he lay there in his new room, snuggled in his new bed. He held my hand and said Mummy, I’m afraid you’ve got a lot of work to do tomorrow. You need to take all of this off the wall and get me my old bed back. Needless to say that didn’t happen and he learned to love it.

The post Making the Most of a Small Space with Lick appeared first on Me, Annie Bee..

Portable North Pole PNP Magic Pass

Anna — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 21:47:31 +0000

Advent is upon us! Not only does that mean chocolate for breakfast – yum – but for many households the Christmas traditions begin in the form of ‘That Bloomin’ Elf’. Now, I’ve said before how I have neither the time nor the imagination to create 24 different elf scenarios so instead, we use Portable North Pole (PNP) for our pre-Christmas bribery. I’ve spoken before about PNP as I’ve used it for years and last year we received their Do-Good Elves so this year we have just signed up for the Magic Pass. What is Portable North Pole (PNP)? PNP is an online platform used by Santa and his elves (with a little help from yourself) to send personalised video messages and calls to loved ones no matter where in the world they are. You help Santa collect all the information he needs about your recipient in order to create a tailor made video message or phone call that really is magical. Although the platform can be used online, the best way to access it is via the app which is split into two areas. PNP Magic Pass Parent’s Corner This is where you make the magic! It is pin protected so prying eyes can’t peep behind the curtain. Here you can find a variety of videos and calls that can be personalised, from the Magical Carousel to The Elves Magic Door your child will be addressed by Santa, who will not only know their name but what they’ve asked for for Christmas, their friends name and what they’ve done this year – complete with pictures. He will also let them know whether they are on the Naughty, Almost Nice or Nice list. Just a word of warning, one particularly trying year we briefly put Aoife on the ‘Almost Nice’ list, I felt awful as I saw her heart break when Santa told her this. On the plus side she DID improve her behaviour and move on to the nice list but I still felt terrible. A Magic Pass lasts a year, so you can also create a special birthday message throughout the year from Santa. The videos take about five minutes to set up and are easier done on a laptop, you can also prepare them in advance or for a few children as they will only be visible in the Kid’s Corner once you’ve ticked a box. This is a great idea as you can create a few for throughout advent, with them moving from one list to another if you can deal with that heartache. Once your videos are all set and ready to go hand your phone or tablet to your child and set them free in the Kid’s Corner. PNP Magic Pass Kid’s Corner Once in the PNP Kid’s Corner there’s a lot of fun stuff for the kids to do. There’s an advent calendar, they can listen to Santa’s Voicemail messages, play games, take Elfie’s and, most importantly, retrieve their messages from Santa. The look of joy on their face really is heartwarming and they can watch the videos repeatedly. Even though Aoife is almost 8 and maybe a little unsure as to HOW real Santa is (thanks Grinch kids at school) these videos seem to give her a bit more belief for another year. What you get with the PNP Magic Pass The Magic Pass costs £11.99 and lasts until 30th September the following year (though good deals can be found pre-December). For this you receive…. Unlimited Premium Videos and Calls for Unlimited Kids Includes all Premium videos and calls The Reaction Recorder with the mobile app only HD Downloads of all your Premium Videos The Verdict Update Get a phone call from Santa during the video! Video Calls from Santa You can see and hear Santa on a face-to-face video call The videos WILL delete from the account once the pass expires but you can download them all to your device. Over the years, the cost of PNP has risen, but the quality and material available has too. These aren’t just crappy videos with naff actors, they truly are beautiful to watch and, in my opinion, worth the money. Besides, you can create for unlimited children so get your nieces and nephews on there too! It’s also worth pointing out that 5% of every purchase on PNP, whether a pass or a toy, goes to Children’s hospitals too. We received a Magic Pass in exchange for an honest, review. As I mentioned previously, I’ve used PNP for years and we love it. Now here is Seth’s reaction cam this year. I feel I need to point out he isn’t picking his nose, that’s chocolate on his face and he has more flattering angles.

The post Portable North Pole PNP Magic Pass appeared first on Me, Annie Bee..

So Shape 14 day challenge – review

Anna — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 11:41:40 +0000

As I have mentioned on more than one occasion, I am fat. Not ‘plump’, not ‘cheery’, not ‘cuddly’. Just fat. And I, like many people unhappy with their weight, secretly hope that there is a miracle diet tool out there that will help us lose weight quickly. Ideally without us having to resort to eating dust. I recently undertook the So Shape 14 day challenge to see if that, were indeed, the miracle I was looking for. *Note, I didn’t really expect that this would be a miracle diet, I know that there is no such thing* What is So Shape? Created in France, So Shape consists of a selection of Smart Meals that contain the equivalent nutrients to a balanced meal are vegetarian and, with the exception of the pasta meals, are gluten-free. The majority of the Smart Meals are sweet shakes but there are a couple of savoury soups and pastas. So Shape also provide a variety of fat-free, sugar-free Smart Foods including muffins, pancakes and granola to help stay on track when following the plan. How So Shape Works To be frank, I have no idea how stuff like this works but that heading felt good. With So Shape, you simply choose whether to follow a 5 day ‘Reboot’ challenge, a 14 day ‘Remove’ challenge or a 28 day ‘Reborn’ challenge. You have a Smart Meal for breakfast and tea with a ‘rule free’ meal at lunch time (not a kebab, obviously). You can purchase extra Smart Foods to snack on or eat anything from the list of free snacks – chicken, tuna, green salad, cucumber etc. You absolutely can’t have fruit though. How did I do on So Shape? I opted to do the 14 day challenge (30 Smart Meals and a shaker) in the run up to my holiday. I was surprised at the size of the box when they arrived, the shakes come in cute little triangle pouches and are placed in plastic trays for delivery. There’s no denying it’s aesthetically pleasing but I do wonder if there’s a way to deliver with less packaging. I started my challenge on a Monday, for that is a great day to start a diet, and chose a Coco Choco shake for my breakfast. The booklet suggests you use very cold water, maybe from the fridge, to make the shakes. I can confirm that you MUST do this. I made my first shake with cold water from the tap and it was truly awful. The second shake I made with ice-cold water and it was delicious, now I make sure I have water in the fridge at all times. On day 2 I decided to mix it up and make a Pasta Arrabbiata Smart Meal. I’m going to be honest, it was most unpleasant. I couldn’t eat it and could see no way of improving it. Not only was it claggy but it had a weird taste like baby food. I decided then to stick to the shakes. I didn’t find it hard not snacking between meals and found myself quite looking forward to having a shake for breakfast or tea. After 5 days on the challenge I was 6lb down and a little smug. The second week I started to struggle. I stuck to the challenge where possible but did slip once or twice. I don’t know if it was the heat or lack of energy from the shakes but I felt grumpy and meh. A night out on Friday meant I consumed more gin than is probably allowed in the challenge and probably didn’t help. By the end of the 14 days I had gained a pound back. Would I recommend So Shape? In a word – Yes. In a few more words – I would recommend sticking to the shakes rather than incorporate the pasta meals too. It is by no means a sustainable diet, though it really has made me stop snacking which is a long-term plus. It is ideal if you want a weight loss boost for a holiday or something and I will do another 5 days before our wedding party. It isn’t cheap, at the time of writing the 14 day challenge works out at £2.96 per meal which is vastly more expensive than many other meal replacement shakes that can be bought at a supermarket BUT they offer so many more flavours than those. My favourites are Cookies & Cream, Lemon Cheesecake and Cappuccino. I found the Strawberry tart one to be a bit synthetic. If you are the sort who does a lot of exercise then this challenge may not be for you, the leaflet suggests you stick to light aerobic exercise or jogging, I totally see why though as some days I was struggling to exceed 800 calories. Luckily this wasn’t an issue for me and my dodgy hip! In conclusion I quite enjoyed following this challenge and ended up 5lb lighter – if I’d had a better second week it could have been more. Though it’s not sustainable it is ideal for a boost. It does cost more than meal replacement products you can buy in supermarkets but is around the same price as other ‘plans’ you can buy – with more variety of flavour. If you’d like to give the So Shape plan a go, you can double your flavour selection on the 14 day custom challenge at no extra cost using code MEANNIEBEECUSTOM at the checkout. So Shape provided the 14 day challenge at no cost in return for a review. As always, all opinions are my own.

The post So Shape 14 day challenge – review appeared first on Me, Annie Bee..

Santa Special at Murton Park

Anna — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 18:30:16 +0000

Santa is back at Murton Park for 2020! This is a review from a while back but all the up to date details can be found at the bottom of the post. I like to start planning our Christmas activities in September. Some may say that’s too soon but I say it’s the perfect time to begin. We usually like to make a weekend of it, enjoy a mini break and festive experience all at once. Two birds, one stone and all that. In previous years we have visited Disneyland Paris, Kielder Winter Wonderland and The Polar Express. One of our favourites, that also has the added benefit of being pretty close by, was the Santa Special at Murton Park near York. Santa Special at Murton Park. When we arrived at the museum there were helpers dotted all around, cheerily greeting every car and directing us where to park. We entered the main building where we were greeted by Mrs Claus (and two very large and very friendly dogs) who took our payment and told us how the event worked. The ticket price included a guided tour of Santa’s village and a short train ride with the man himself. Bauble the elf was just starting his tour so we headed off on that straight away. I won’t divulge too much but we were led to Santa’s village (past the magic reindeer) where we saw the Elves who were midway through their General Elflections and campaigning. The show is topical, changes year after year and aims to entertain both adults and children alike. It succeeds without being too ‘knowing’ The tour lasts about 30 mins and every effort is made to ensure that the children are at the front so the adults aren’t hogging the entertainment. When we had finished at Santa’s village we headed to the station for our train ride with Santa. We handed the tickets, that include the age and name of each child, to the ticket master and waited 15 minutes for the train. I’d advise to wrap up warm as Aoife repeatedly reminded us how cold it was. Turns out I was right when I suggested she should wear more than shiny tights. Always listen to your grown up, kids! Everyone gets a seat on the train and the big man boards much to the delight of everyone the children. The ride is short, about 15 minutes down the track and back. During that time Santa hands out presents to every child by name. Once we disembarked the train there was a chance for every child to have a photo taken with Santa. It was efficient but not rushed and a really nice touch. We headed to the cafe where, despite having a captive audience, the prices were fair. We all had a hot sandwich and drink for less than £20. Rory and I then enjoyed a snifter of sherry and a mince pie, included in the adult ticket price. OK I had sherry and Aoife had my mince pie. Good mummy. In the barn area there was a professional photographer on hand to take a festive picture, a perfect for a present for grandparents. Despite how ours turned out, they are well priced and come in a mount. I’m sure your children will sit still, look at the camera and smile. Unlike ours. I’m going to hold my hands up and admit that, being a bit of a festive trip snob, I thought the event would be just OK but we loved our trip. We all agreed we would go again. Christmas 2020 Murton Park is presenting Santa’s Staycation with social distancing, sanitiser and Santa! The experience will be open December 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 19th, 20th and 21st. The cost will be £10 for an adult and £15 for a child. Murton Park have made every effort to make the experience as safe as possible so it will run a one way system and ticket numbers will be restricted so book your ticket now. You can find more information on the Yorkshire Museum of Farming Facebook page here and their website here.

The post Santa Special at Murton Park appeared first on Me, Annie Bee..

Portable North Pole – Do Good Elf

Anna — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 18:00:08 +0000

Despite being the biggest fan of Christmas and creating lovely little traditions to celebrate the festive period, I never succumbed to a certain Elf on a ledge. If I’m entirely honest, it’s because I am far too lazy to think of 24 new and unique scenarios to play out. I have that much going on in the run up to Christmas, I don’t need to add 24 more items to my ‘To Do’ list. Over the past three years though, I have used Portable North Pole to create personalised videos for Aoife. Just to let her know where she stands with the big man himself. One year, when her behaviour was particularly ‘challenging’ she found herself,briefly, on the ‘undecided’ list. I felt terrible when she realised what Santa was saying. She looked like her heart had been ripped out BUT her behaviour improved and the next video confirmed she was indeed on the Nice List. Peaks and troughs. This year, we were asked to take in some visitors on behalf of old Saint Nick and the Portable North Pole. Buddy and Holly the Do Good Elves. The baby Do Good Elves are sent from Santa’s Village to live with a child who’s job it is to make sure that they grow up to be a good elf and a valuable part of Santa’s team. The child looks after their elf and teaches it the difference between naughty and nice. Throughout the course of the month your child tracks their new elf’s journey in the passport provided and Santa checks in with personalised videos. The Do-Good Elves are really cute, they have a plastic face but soft body that can be moved into different positions. Their clothes can be removed and washed (always handy). They come with a small passport for your child record their adventures together and a code to access four videos from Santa that you can personalise for your child. The Do- Good Elf is a lovely idea and slightly less hard work than other elves on the scene. It is a little time consuming personalising the videos, you need to have photos of your child and their elf for example. Once the video is done it really is magical. Their faces when they realise Santa knows their names! You can also access a number of the other free videos on the website. As I mentioned, I have used Portable North Pole for a few years. There have been some changes this year though. Previously, whenever you created a video for your child an email was sent addressed to them. It explained Santa had recorded a message and they could click a link to receive it. This doesn’t happen now. Instead you receive an email saying the video is ready and if you access the video via the website it’s all a bit ‘behind the scenes’. You need to make sure the video is ready to play in full screen mode so they can’t see that you’ve made it. Viewing via the app is a lot better as you can store the videos to the ‘Kids Corner’ section and they can’t accidentally stumble behind the curtain. There isn’t the magical anticipation as there was before though. At £20 the Do-Good Elf isn’t cheap. S/he comes with a passport and the code to unlock four personalised videos. If you want to use the reaction cam, download the video or access the Big Book video you need to purchase the Magic Pass as well. It would be a nice touch to include this with the Elf. The Do-Good Elf is about encouraging your child to consider their behaviour as there are little elves (and a fat man in a red suit) watching. However, there is nothing to say that they can’t get up to mischief on occasion! Your child can just tell them that playing cards and drinking all night is not good elf behaviour! The Do-Good Elf can be purchased from John Lewis, it really is a good quality little thing. My two are smitten with theirs. Seth takes Buddy everywhere. Under Seth’s guidance he might not grow up to be Santa’s Elf material but he will be well loved. Why not head over to Portable North Pole to see what magical videos you can make for the believers, big or small, in your life. Those in power at Santa’s Village (Santa?) have given me the chance to spread some festive joy. You will receive 20% off a Magic Pass if you enter the code PNP7BLG20 at the checkout or click this link. This will unlock all of the premium videos, calls from Santa, the reaction cam and enable the downloading of videos. With the magic pass you can make unlimited videos for unlimited recipients until November 2018. I am still a big fan of Portable North Pole. Watching them take care of their Elves and teaching them to be good melts my heat. It really is lovely seeing their faces light up when Santa acknowledges them by name and they really do want to get on that Nice list. Who doesn’t?? You can find the Portable North Pole website here PNP Santa can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

The post Portable North Pole – Do Good Elf appeared first on Me, Annie Bee..

Jurassic Kingdom Leeds

Anna — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 12:08:05 +0000

Jurassic Kingdom is completing its tour of the UK with a visit to Temple Newsam, Leeds. From October 14th – 29th you have the opportunity to see 30+ life size, animatronic dinosaurs up close at this family friendly event. Jurassic Kingdom Leeds We entered the trail and followed the narrow path through the bushes, I didn’t know whether to expect a dinosaur leaping out from the bushes or not, I wasn’t entirely sure just how animated they were. Nothing leaped, thank goodness, and the space opened up. We were greeted with a roar from a fierce looking Styracosaurus, and so it began. Seth looked a little unsure at first, the sheer size of the dinosaur and the sound coming from him must have been pretty overwhelming to a little guy like him. He got over it pretty quick and we went to explore. The trail doesn’t follow a specific route but does have a bit of a flow, however, being with Seth, we visited the dinos in a very haphazard manner! The animatronics are motion activated, this proved particularly eerie when the boys had left me to take some photos, as I quietly made my way around a Spinosaurus, taking his photo he just looked at me, opened his mouth and let out an almighty roar. The way it looked at me for a second made him feel real. Safe to say I pooped myself was shocked. Jurassic Kingdom Leeds – What We Thought It’s hard to capture in pictures just how impressive the dinosaurs are. We’ve all read about dinosaurs and seen the pictures but only when you are stood next to one do you really get it. It’s not very often I feel small. The sounds were fantastic, sounds you’ve rarely heard and could never mimic. The Trail was quiet when we visited as it wasn’t yet open to the public but I can imagine when there are hundreds of visitors there and all the dinosaurs are roaring at once, it is a pretty intense experience. Once Seth realised he was going to be roared at a lot, he absolutely loved running around finding more dinosaurs and roaring back at them. He really wasn’t as impressed with the T-Rex as I was though. Standing 18 meters high and dwarfing the lorries and street food vendors vans nearby, he really is an imposing character. Seeing him life size also really makes you question how Mr Rex ever ate never mind hunted with such tiny arms! I totally get why he was ferocious, he was hangry! Although not ready when we visited, there is an excavation area where your young, budding palaeontologists can dig for bones. They will also be able to visit the educational marquee to find out how the dinosaurs lived all those years ago. Tickets are available here and prices start at £9.50 for children, £11.50 for adults and £38 for a family ticket. When booking tickets you choose a time slot to enter the experience but once inside you can stay all day. It’s certainly worth booking online as the tickets are cheaper. There are street food vendors and refreshments available within the event and a merchandise marquee so you can pick up a memento of your day. You could take a picnic but I didn’t notice many places to sit and eat. The route is part path and part grass. It can get a little uneven but is accessible for wheelchairs and buggies. If it’s been wet, it will be muddy so pop your sensible shoes on. It is also entirely outside so take a brolly if it’s raining! The website suggests heading toward the house car park when driving to the event but I would head to the lake car park instead as it’s closer to the event and free to park. We really enjoyed our visit to Jurassic Kingdom, Seth would be a little too young to appreciate the educational side of it but older children will learn a lot from it. Even those who aren’t really interested in dinosaurs will enjoy and appreciate the skill and effort that has gone into making these dinosaurs. It’d make a great half term day out. The Jurassic Kingdom event is open daily from 10am to 6pm, with the last entry is at 5pm. You can find Jurassic Kingdom on Facebook here and follow them on Twitter here.

The post Jurassic Kingdom Leeds appeared first on Me, Annie Bee..