Posts made in January, 2012

A perfect birthday party in a box, thanks to @Dreamboxparties

Posted on 30 Jan 2012 | 5 comments

Last week the daughter turned 5 (*gulp* FIVE!), and so, as per the Rule, we had to have a party. Naturally, upon questioning, the theme was to be typically girlie – “FAIRIES!” was shouted before I’d even finished asking the question.

Pink. And sparkly. Of course. *eyeroll*

And so, I started the checklist. As it grew longer, I started getting a little concerned – I’d left things a little late (two weeks to go) to really get my organised efforts into line and sort this out… But then in stepped Dreambox Parties.
Initially I was a bit sceptical – seriously, they were going to give me EVERYTHING I needed in the one box? But heck, it would at least give me a head start, so I said yes please to a review, and waited for the box to arrive.

When it did, I was even more sceptical… it really wasn’t that large. And I had six fairies (plus a home-grown one) arriving in four days time…
But, opening the box was like opening a treasure chest. Only for a fairy party. She didn’t want Pirates. Though Dreambox have one for that too (and after 3 boys I’m a dab hand at a pirate cake…). Anyhoo, I digress. The box. Looked like this…

And as we removed everything it soon became clear that those clever bods really had thought of everything. Seriously! Room decorations, tableware, games (AND game prizes)… the only thing I needed to sort out was the food. *relief*

More to the point, the items were GOOD. None of your nasty fall-apart rubbish, these were good quality. And there were extras I would not have remembered to get – the room decorations were incredibly pretty, very effective, and were carefully taken down again post-party to be stashed away for decorating her bedroom with.
The balloons were excellent quality – and I loved that separate ones were provided for the games. In fact, the method of the games was really excellent – the box comes complete with a booklet which will lead you through two hours of games and food, making you an instant children’s entertainer (though we tweaked it a little, as I had promised some craft activity – I picked up some cheaper-than-chips little lidded wooden boxes, and they decorated them with sequins and glitter to make tooth fairy pots).

We already had the helium - and the 10yr old willing to be balloon-whacked by 7 fairies is home-made I'm afraid (though am happy to hire him out) *NB - we had the helium for the balloons already, that doesn't come with the box.

We also added Pass the Parcel – but the prizes were in the box, and I used the tissue paper to wrap alternate layers of the parcel in (you all KNOW to do this, yes? Alternate layers to make sure only one layer comes off at a time?). The lily pads for a fairy version of musical chairs was a big hit, and the balloon-popping game was hilarious (suggesting anyone too shy nominated someone to pop on their behalf worked very well too).

The table looked totally brilliant, and caused much “oooh!”-ing when everyone came to sit down for their Fairy Tea.

everything except the food is supplied - from plastic-backed tablecloth, to wooden toadstools, leaf platters for the food and straws with flowers on.

Honestly – the party was a breeze. I felt organised, in control, and totally ready.

I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to use Dreambox Parties again, and have been loudly singing their praises to all and sundry ever since. they make it so EASY!

I *may* have overdone the pink thing with the food, though...

You go to the website, pick your theme, pick the number of guests and hey presto – you’re good to go! They also do a range of costumes and extra’s if you’re looking for them, but the box is all you need. The one thing that I would suggest was missing was small guest party bags for the cake. What I love best is the lack of branding in any of the themes – there are no Disney characters, no TV tie-ins. Just plain, simple, recognisable fun themes. Even the fairies and princesses are more more quirky-fun than gaspingly-beautiful. And not everything was pink either – there was plenty of green and purple too, which worked really really well.

But seriously? These Fairy teacups were the HIT of the party *proud face*

A standard Dreambox Party Box is £99 for 6 guests – which when broken down into everything you get for me is really reasonable. Add in the time you’ve saved, and the lack of a need for any kind of extra entertainment and it’s a total no-brainer. Themes are generic and simple – fairies and princesses, pirates and knights and a universal Jungle too. Extra guests are simply £6 each.

Pink was just a little sad when it was all over...

Frozen Jacket Potatoes? shudder

Posted on 30 Jan 2012 | 3 comments

Frozen microwaveable jacket potatoes, McCain? Seriously?

Well, I promised I would try them out, so I did… but there was no way I was going to like them –a jacket potato for me is food from the gods.
In fact, my last meal on earth would probably be a crisp, fluffy, slow-baked jacket, oozing butter and sprinkled with some strong cheddar. *pauses to salivate*

I have been known to nuke a potato for lunch – but it’s just not the same, is it? The skin is thin and soggy, and the potato just doesn’t have that lush baked flavour.
So, in all honesty, I didn’t hold out much hope for a microwaved frozen version.

When I opened the box I got my first pleasant surprise – the potatoes were at least of a decent size, and actually looked like… um… a jacket potato.
No, really, they did (though I’m not sure what I expected them to look like?).

I microwaved both, and ended up needed double the time as stated on the box. But once they were hot through, I added butter… and stuck in a fork.

They tasted… like a jacket potato. Really, they did! The skin wasn’t as good as it looked – there’s no way it was going to crisp in a microwave, but it was at least quite thick and the right colour. But the potato itself? Lovely.
Although still no substitute for a slow baked fresh-from-the-oven version, it is a gazillion times better than a straight microwaved anaemic imitation of a jacket potato. Definitely not the fool product I first thought, this is actually a great idea for quick lunches.

£1.29 for a box of two, £1.99 for four – from all supermarkets, good ones and bad ones.

Supplements for children?

Posted on 28 Jan 2012 | 0 comments

It’s always this time of year that we start to get hit by the ‘bugs’. You know, once a cold or sore throat or cough enters the house it morphs and changes, not stopping or resting until it has infected everyone at least once.
It’s the time of year when our resistance is at its lowest, of course, when our bodies are at that low end-of-winter-and-yearning-for-spring ebb, and they maybe just need a little extra boost.
I have to say I’m not one usually for supplements – I firmly believe that a healthy balanced diet provides all a child needs in terms of nutrients. But I do admit that at this time of year I’ll take any help I can find in keeping the family healthy – with six of us for the bugs to pass around, an infectious illness is really no joke in our house; they can last for WEEKS.
But of course there’s all those scare stories in the media about what else is in the supplements besides the nutrients – yet another reason to put me off. So I was interested when Nordic Naturals sent me some of their Omega-3 gummies, specially designed with children in mind. The orange pastilles can easily be accepted as a daily ‘treat’, and I’m safe in the knowledge that they contain nothing except Good Stuff.
The fish oil is collected totally responsibly – every day before sunrise, Sea Trolls swim out past the wave break to gather essential nutrients along the bottoms of the deep Norwegian fjords to make the gummies. And of course fish oil is one of those wonder-substances – not only is it fab for the immune system, but it’s also really great for children’s concentration and brain development.

So if you’re going for supplements, I think you’d be hard pressed to find better one’s than Nordic Naturals – no Bad Stuff, packed full of fresh pure Good stuff – and they taste good too!

We found them for under £14 for a pot of 60 from Chemist Direct

Spotted! Betty the Bunny newborn set. squeak!

Posted on 27 Jan 2012 | 0 comments

Would you just LOOK at this Betty the Bunny newborn gift set by Olive & Moss? *meep!*

The romper is 100% cotton, and is Far Too Cute, really.

One size only, sadly, which is a generous 0-3 months – but what a perfect newborn gift! Not to mention the fact that it’s half prize in the sale, down to just £16!

Betty the Bunny newborn gift set, £16, is available from the gloriously named Burp! Boutique…