Back to Thomas Land

Every year without fail we have made a trip to Drayton Manor with Leo, right from his very first year. Admittedly the first experience was more for the big kids than our pre toddler, but I am sure he enjoyed taking in the sights and sounds as we navigated his very first theme park on his very newly found feet. Little did we know, that trains and Thomas the Tank Engine in particular were going to become firm favourites over the next few years!

The second time we visited Leo was older, he was now 2 years old and it was here at Thomas Land that Leo took his very first roller coaster ride on the troublesome trucks.

That day still makes me smile as I think back on it, the laughter that flowed so naturally throughout our time there on that early date in September. I remember the weather being on our side and Leo decided he wanted to have a go on the Troublesome Trucks. I was over the moon, he was going to be a little adrenaline junkie just like his Mumma! So we hopped on and I admit I was expecting tears, I thought it was going to be a long couple of minutes around the track, but that boy of mine couldn't stop smiling, and his reactions just kept me chuckling as we continued to get on and off again.

You know those days that just happen so naturally, those days that are so un-planned that everything just unfolds exactly as it should? That day was perfect, I couldn't have planned for it, because if I had it would not have been as successful as it was. This moment right here sums up my entire day, that smile as I enjoy my little man growing up is something I still treasure today. It is one of my favourite photos of us naturally having a good time and enjoying new things for the very first time.

I shall tell you what else puts a massive smile on my face, and it's one of the most simple things in the world, but makes such a difference in my book....

The Fat Controller is ALWAYS played by the same actor. ALWAYS. Each and every time I have been, we are greeted by the same cheerful man who always makes such an effort. 

Over the past year, Leo and I have been able to visit Drayton Manor even more frequently than just annually. We live just over 50 minutes away from Tamworth and the commute is so easy, and back in 2015 we were invited to Thomas Land for the day with the potential opportunity to become ambassadors  for the year, and you guessed it... We rose to the occasion and were over the moon to be able to work with a brand that we truly hold close to our hearts. We have so many fantastic memories that we have created here over the past couple of years, and it has been a real honour to be able to create so many more.

At the end of the Summer holidays before Leo started his very first day of school, Leo and I took a trip over to spend a few hours and just let our hair down before things got more serious with his very first day of reception. Then in October I was really excited to see the very impressive War of the World Firework Spectacular situated over the lake, to celebrate Drayton Manor's 65th Birthday! Then at the beginning of December Leo and I were back again for the Magical Christmas!

If there is one thing Drayton Manor know how to do, it's put on an event and keep you wanting to come back for more! So when I told Leo that we were heading back on over this weekend for a fun filled day out, he was over the moon. So far over that he was late to bed last night, and up bright and early ready to get over to the park for 9:30am. The press in attendance were able to enjoy the park for an hour before it opened up to the public, and this went down beautifully. At 4 years old Leo is still no good at lining up. He doesn't understand the concept and if it's any longer than 5 minutes, then we usually have to say goodbye to the idea. 

It was a cold clear day but with no rain to contend with I knew we were on to a winner, we made our way around our favourites but Leo had already informed me upon arrival that today... Today we would not be following tradition and riding the Troublesome Trucks. Apparently we are going through a bit of a scaredy cat streak,,, I think it might have something to do with riding Ben 10 for the first time last year... The video below might shed some insight.

We didn't let that stop us though and happily rode Bertie Bus, Jeremy Jets Flying Academy, Harold's Helicopter Tours, Sodor Classic Cars and of course Leo's all time favourite... that he would quite honestly get on and off all day given half the chance... Thomas's Engine Tour.

We took a good friend of mine along on this occasion with her lovely little boy Jack. It was the first time that Leo and Jack had met, so we thought that this would be the absolute perfect opportunity to get them together, and of course so us Mummies could benefit from a gossip on the way around. 

Two boys ready to take on Thomas Land.

What I love about a visit to Thomas Land, is that I know we are guaranteed a great day out. For Leo and I this really is a day that we are quite happy to do as a twosome. I get to enjoy him all to myself, I get to watch him laugh and smile in an environment that he adores. It is even more special these days with school being thrown into the mix, and any opportunity that we have to just tune out from just how serious life can be at times is a welcome distraction.

We brought a picnic along with us and sat under the winter sun by the lake, there are plenty of benches and picnic benches around if you decide to bring your own food with you. I usually like to go and sit in the Grill Inn for more of a sit down meal, but today the adventure of a picnic won over, and I knew this would appeal more to Leo.

I am pleased to report that yet another fantastic day was enjoyed all around. Leo is already asking when he can return again, and I don't think that date will be to far around the corner. Now the weather is warming up again we will most definitely be looking to get outside and enjoying ourselves more (especially when we can leave the coats at home!). 

The day completely wiped Leo out, and as soon as the car was pulling away, I had one sleeping 4 year old dreaming in the back of the car. 

See you soon Drayton Manor! Thank you for another fantastic day full of new memories to add to our beautiful collection.

You can see some snippets from our fun day out below

Disclaimer: Leo and I were invited along to Drayton Manor and provided complimentary access in exchange for this post. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own, we have been big fans of the park for many years, and getting to work with a brand that we are genuinely passionate about has been a fantastic experience. 

Sea Stars at Birmingham SEA LIFE Centre

Weekends bring adventures, there’s no doubt about that. With the rising sun we can be seen chasing the horizon on the hunt for our next greatest endeavor.  This last weekend we were invited along to the Birmingham SEA LIFE Centre to see the all new Sea Stars Exhibit.

As soon as I told Leo about our weekend plans, he couldn't stop talking about the Penguins. On the weeks running up to our visit, Leo has been so excited about all that he will see and the things that he will do on his next visit. His memory is so amazing these days, and he can cast his mind back to previous visits. We have been a few times already in the past year, and the latest addition upon our last visit, actually happened to be the Penguins.

Living in Worcestershire, the commute into Birmingham isn’t a tough one and there is parking in close proximity to the SEA LIFE Centre which is always welcome. We arrived early before the SEA LIFE Centre was actually opened to the public so that we could be one of the first to experience the Sea Stars attraction. We signed in and were greeted by the team and were pointed in the right direction.

First up is the Penguins, this is a firm favourite for the entire family. I love watching them waddle around after one another, jumping out of the water onto dry land and then all diving back in one after the other. They are like real life Happy Feet, and there is something quite calming about watching them. Leo loves them, he gets down on the floor so that he can watch them as they fly around under the water, seeing sights that you don’t see all that often. It’s like a complete other world.

We tend to follow Leo’s lead when we visit, and we were thankful that on this occasion he seemed to be taking things slowly and pacing himself. This meant that Daddy and I got to have a proper look at everything and really take everything in. Leo stopped to inspect the rock pool but decided he wasn’t brave enough on this occasion to touch the Star Fish, Daddy on the other hand decided to give it a go! That’s one of the great things about the SEA LIFE Centre, there are so many different things to see and do, something for every age and interest.

We stopped for ages just watching the Clown Fish swimming around, and I found myself and Leo both mesmerised as we watched two clown fish brushing up against the sea anemone just like in Finding Nemo. Of course we had to keep our eyes peeled for  Dory too.

As we moved around we came across creatures from all over the world. Sting Rays, Jelly Fish, Sea Horses, and of course.. Star Fish. As we got to the area that used to hold all of the very beautiful Jellies, we were met with a brand new part of the tour. Sea Stars! The first thing I noticed was the tanks with cut outs in the rocks, making room for young and old alike to place their head inside the bubble and see the world housing the beautiful Star Fish from a whole new angle. I loved this and of course had to be the first to give it a go. I did manage to bump my head in the process, much to Luke’s delight! I always have been a big kid at heart!

As we moved around the Sea Stars I noticed a big tank that was pretty murky, and among the murky waters was the biggest Star Fish I think that I have ever seen. For the first 5 minutes or so as I peered into the tank, I thought this Star Fish was a plastic model, not for one moment did I think it was…Alive! It was round about then that a very helpful member of staff came over and told me the story to the larger than life Star Fish inhabiting the murky tank. For starters he was real, and very much alive. Up until that very morning the waters had been clear and ready for the Sea Stars grand un-veiling. It was only that morning that the cheeky Star Fish decided to test the waters so to speak…In the hope that there were some lady Star Fish around to reap the benefits… I was told that it’s a very rare occurrence and that they only do it when they are very comfortable, and out of all the days for it to happen…

Around the Sea Stars there is lots of information to hand, quirky facts that I actually had no idea about. In fact there was and is so much that I didn’t know about Star Fish, crazily I didn’t actually think they could move, but I was wrong. Although I didn’t witness it myself, I apparently just missed some rather sizeable Star Fish wiggle their way, quite quickly across one of the tanks! Now that is something I wish I had seen with my own eyes! There are computer aids and Leo enjoyed having a play around with those before we made our way out and carried on our tour around the rest of the SEA LIFE Centre.

We were all really impressed with the new Sea Stars attraction and came away knowing much more about the mysterious Star Fish than we knew before visiting. It is certainly worth a visit to see the new addition, and of course the larger than life Star Fish himself!

On this occasion we decided not to head into the 4D Cinema, Leo gets a little worried about the water splashing out and he hasn’t forgotten about the time I brought him back in September, so for the sake of arguments we decided to keep going forward. We then came face to face (So to speak) with the Piranhas! I think they are fascinating, and told Leo about how vicious they could be, and that was exactly why they were in a tank with very high sides, so that people couldn't poke their fingers in. Of course Leo looked at me like I was bonkers and said ‘You winding me up Mummy!’.  Of course we all know that I was being perfectly honest, but we will save that argument for another day and hope that he doesn’t try and make friends with any Piranha’s in the coming days…

We made our way to the lift to take us down to the walk through bubble, this part is always rather spectacular and I have fond memories of visiting as a child. Although within those memories are the ones that still put a humorous smile on my face to this day. As a young child, I remember being told that we were heading for a family trip to the SEA LIFE Centre. Then my parents told me all about the bubble you could go into and see the fish. In my head a bubble is a circular object, or a sort of pod. So in my head before visiting I had dreamed up very high expectations of what this bubble would be like. The bubble would pop up out of the water, a door would open to the glass pod allowing me to climb inside, and it would then lock tight and dive back down into the watery depths! I do remember tears when I discovered that this ‘bubble’ wasn't quite what I had in mind, but we can blame my over active imagination for that one!

We spent a while just watching the sharks swimming around among the sea of fish, and then laid eyes on my favourite creature. The Sea Turtle. He really is something else and so majestic.

You can see a snippet of our exciting day at the SEA LIFE Centre, and all of the exciting creatures that we came across! The new Sea Stars attraction is definitely worth visiting and we look forward to our next visit in the coming months.

Disclaimer: We were invited along to the SEA LIFE Centre for the Sea Stars opening. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.

Time Tower at Warwick Castle

The weather is starting to brighten up and the cold days are relenting giving way to warmer trips outdoors, so when my little family were invited along the Time Tower un-veiling at Warwick Castle over the weekend, we were very excited to spend the day at one of our favourite local attractions.

We have visited the historic grounds a handful of times over recent years, and each time a little bit more is opened up to us as Leo is that little bit older. The last time we visited especially to meet the one and only Mike the Knight and we dedicated a whole day to the activities that were on offer, this time are purpose for visiting was to be one of the first people to see the brand new attraction. Time Tower.

Time Tower is the brand new attraction to Warwick Castle,  it is unlike anything else that is currently on offer to visitors of the historical grounds, and offers a sophisticated technical time travel experience for families to hurtle right from 914AD, right through to modern day, combining all of the stories from the middle ages, War of The Roses, The Tudors and the Victorian Era. There are so many myths and legends surrounding Warwick Castle’s past, and for the first time…ever. The true story of Warwick Castle’s dark history of death, treachery and bloodshed will be told in full in the Time Tower.  I’ll elaborate on this exciting development a little later on!

We arrived at the castle around 11:00am ready for an exciting day of discovery, and with Leo leading the way (only dropping behind occasionally because his feet hurt…) we were ready for a day full of family fun. We were directed to the Conservatory which is nestled on the Castle grounds overlooking the beautiful gardens, it’s a new venue that will be opening to the public very soon for food and beverages. We were lucky enough to get to enjoy some of the delicious cakes that will be on offer, and between the 3 of us, we wolfed down the entire selection! If you are visiting Warwick Castle soon, I must insist that you pop in and enjoy a cake (or two!) while looking out at the beautiful gardens.

It was here that the rest of the press group were gathering ready for our Time Tower preview, so after everyone had over indulged in the rather generous selection of goodies available, we were shown over to the Time Tower.

We all lined up and were split into smaller groups to accommodate for the audience sizes, and group by group we were lead in. Our group was the last group to get inside, and once we went through the gates we found ourselves in a room with screens and seating. Everyone sat down and looked ahead… patiently waiting. Leo was on his best behavior, he sat on the bench next to me and curiously asked questions about what was going on. Within a few moments the screens in front of us sprung to life and we were walked through the history of the castle in a series of clips, video footage and graphics. I for one learnt a thing or two that I didn't know before!

With the introduction over you make your way out of the back of the room and head up some windy spiral stairs (typical castle staircases!) to another room that features a model of the grand Castle. This is what really impressed me, how the model castle was used to demonstrate the destruction and peace that has been part of Warwick Castle’s past. This is where the technical aspects make Time Tower a visual master piece, and I couldn't take my eyes off the model castle as the history unfolded right before my very eyes. Leo was asking so many questions and watching the model so intently.

Figment Productions who are the creative team behind the LEGO Factory Toy Experience at LEGOLAND Discovery Centres and Octonauts at SEA LIFE, has used their 3D Scanning and modelling experience to create a scale model of Warwick Castle, that transforms through the times with projection mapping and 4D effects. This is all complimented by Green Screen filming, CGI and visual effect techniques! 

Time Tower may be aimed at older children, but there is nothing stopping younger children going along and enjoying the experience all the same.

When your time finishes in this room you head down a further stair case where you come across a number of portraits (screens). The portraits reminded me of what you would find in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and given the castle settings I didn’t think that was too farfetched! Once the group has assembled again, the portraits walk you through more of the castles colourful history, and just like Harry Potter, the occupants of the portraits can move among each other and even communicate! Certainly a magical experience for the children in your group!

I won’t go reveal much more of the details as I don’t want to give too much away, but Time Tower is visually stunning, informative and really interesting. It is going to make a fantastic addition to the already jam packed itinerary at Warwick Castle, and I think it is safe to say that it is going to be greatly received by the general public when it opens its doors on the 28^th March 2015.

The rest of the day was spent enjoying the castle grounds and climbing the Ramparts, this was a first for Leo as each visit before had seen us bringing the pushchair, and we didn’t want to risk climbing the 530 steps only to find Leo wanted carrying! So on Saturday, Leo…My 3 year old climbed the 530 steps to the very top. He saw it more of an adventure than something he had to do, he absolutely loved it. He maneuverer around Guys Tower like a boss, and pretended to shoot the rather big gun out of the watchman’s tower.

We enjoyed a very lovely lunch in the State Room, which is right within the castle itself. As you can see from the photos, it’s absolutely gorgeous and we had a real feast. After lunch we informed Leo that Mike the Knight was indeed in the building (Or should I say Castle!) that day, and we made our way over to the meet and greet.

We saw so much more of the castle on this occasion and we had such a lovely family day together. Leo always has the most amazing time when we visit, so we will be sure to come again in the not so distant future.

Disclaimer: We were invited along to Warwick Castle for the press preview of Time Tower. All views and opinons expressed are completely honest and my own.

Mike the Knight - Journey to Dragon Mountain

September has been a busy month as far as events go, and Leo and I love nothing more than meeting up with our fellow blogging friends and enjoying a great day out. On Saturday we were very excited to be visiting Warwick Castle, and Mike the Knight. Leo had been invited along to watch Mike’s very first feature film, Journey to Dragon Mountain! As big Mike fans, I knew that Leo would absolutely love this experience.

We visited Warwick Castle with Leo last June to visit Mike last year, and we had such a super day. Leo had just turned 2 and up until then, we hadn’t really sat down together and watched Mike. Of course this all changed after he met Mike on the day, and a year later he is our favourite knight. A year later we arrived back at Warwick Castle,  and my little man remembered his first visit there, right down to the fact he had been bought an ice cream after last year’s event!

We made our way into the Coach House where Leo managed to misplace his black jumper, and we met with the rest of the group who were here to watch the new film, and of course enjoy the rather tasty jam tarts that had been left out for us all. I may have had a few more than my fair share when it came to the jam tarts, but they were absolutely amazing, and that alone is my excuse for over indulging…

With a Mike the Knight goody bag and many a flag, we made our way into the screening. With many bloggers and their children all in one room and shouting ‘hoozar’ as the film began, Leo shot me an excited smile. With his flag waving and the film rolling, I could see without a shadow of a doubt just how much he was enjoying it.

Mike the Knight Journey to Dragon Mountain see’s Mike’s Dad arrive back from his travels, I for one was super impressed to see him as I have always wondered whether we would ever meet Mike’s very busy Father. Yes they are thoughts that have crossed my mind when Leo has been watching and my mind has run away with me…

The king has been off protecting the Glendragon and of course ran into trouble with the troublesome Vikings, who had very cheekily stolen a shiny crystal from Dragon mountain. The Vikings thought think the crystal is actually a shiny ball, and as they excitedly ran away they throw the crystal to one another while singing along merrily.

The dragon of Dragon Mountain has realised that their most prized crystal is missing, and he is scouring the kingdom in a bid to get it back. This dragon is the biggest dragon to ever have graced the Glendragon skies and the kingdom is on high alert. Of course when the King sets off on his mission to locate the crystal and return it to the mountain, Mike and Evie decide to go along for the adventure. The King leaves Glendragon followed closely by Mike who in turn is followed by Evie, and the procession continues with Sparkie pulling along a cart full of delicious jam tarts, with Squirt perched on the top!

Squirt is worried that Mike has gone away and left him as he doesn’t feel he is a ‘real’ dragon. He thinks Mike needs a dragon who can breathe fire and be brave, and this sets the scene for the film. Squirt is on a mission to prove to himself that he can be the dragon that Mike needs him to be.

All Mike really wants to do is to show his Dad all of his new knightly tricks and demonstrate how his training has been coming along, Evie wants to demonstrate her wizardry, which of course only causes more problems for the poor King along the way.  When things don’t go to plan they must all work together in order to re-unite the Dragon and their crystal jewel again.

I actually found the movie a nice one to watch with the family (or in my case a room full of bloggers and their little ones). Leo thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and has enjoyed it again since our visit to Warwick Castle as they very kindly gave him one to take home.

The entire day at Warwick Castle was absolutely fantastic, this being Leo’s second visit I was really impressed to discover that he still had a great recollection of last year’s trip. We walked around and had a look around the castle, Leo wasn't too fond of the Kingmaker exhibition, but this may be down to me taking him on the Pirate Adventure at Drayton Manor a few weeks ago…He just kept on saying ‘no boat Mummy! I scared!’, so we made a quick exit out and made a dash for lunch.

Leo got treated to a Mike the Knight fancy dress set complete with helmet and sword, and I have to say that this was my best buy of the day. Leo looked every inch the knight as he wore his attire and strutted his stuff around the castle grounds. Not to mention how Leo’s day was made complete when he didn't just get to meet Mike himself once, but twice!

Mike the Knight is visiting Warwick Castle throughout September, the weekend of the 13^th and 14^th was the first in the series, and it is running right up to the 27^th and 28^th. It really is a great day out for the entire family, Leo spent so much time building up tall towers in the Mike the Knight activities that have been put together especially for Mike’s visit. These activities alone provided both Leo and his cousin hours of fun, and to make the day even more amazing, as soon as we got into the car to go home, both of our boys decided to take a much needed nap, providing us with coveted silence the entire way home.

A big thank you to White Tiger PR, Warwick Castle and of course Mike the Knight for such a super day!

Disclaimer: We were invited along to Warwick Castle where we were provided with complimentary entrance and a goody bag. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own. This post features a compensated link.

Thomas & Friends - Tale of the Brave

Earlier this month Leo and I had a rather exciting invitation to visit Thomas Land and have a private screening of the new Thomas the Tank Engine Film, Tale of the Brave. Leo is a huge Thomas fan, and has always thoroughly enjoyed his visits to Thomas Land, so of course our RSVP to come along was a resounding ‘YES’!

We arrived at Thomas Land, based at Drayton Manor with a few minutes to spare, we made our way to the 4D cinema where we were greeted by the lovely team who had thought of absolutely everything. There were cartons of Thomas juice for the children and bottles of water for the grown-ups, not to mention the popcorn that was on hand for the screening.

The Fat Controller was happily going around the group posing for photographs and being his happy self, Leo was so pleased to get to meet him. What I really liked is that having visited Drayton Manor and Thomas Land on a number of occasions, it was nice to see that the man behind the Fat Controller was the same person. He may not of remembered me, but I certainly remembered him!

While we waited for the screening to begin, the children got to have a look at a number of the new toys that have been released to go along with the feature. I have to say that I was really impressed with the latest track master model, and may have already jotted that down onto Leo’s Christmas list.. Not that I want to encourage any more train track entering the house!

By the time we were ushered into the screening, Leo was infatuated with all of the new Thomas toys around him, and ultimately I had to let him borrow two of the trains to take in with him. As soon as we were in the 4D cinema he had forgotten all of the toys, and was far too excited to watch the brand new film. The Fat Controller came out onto the stage and introduced the new movie, and then it began.

As far as Thomas films go, I admittedly just watch them because my 3 year old is train mad, but I thought this latest film was easy to tolerate from a adults perspective and I even found myself secretly enjoying some of the songs *makes mental note to look into the soundtrack*.

Tale of the Brave was released in the UK on Blu Ray and DVD on September 1^st 2014 and follows Thomas and his friends around Sodor in a brand new tale. The story starts with Thomas working in the clay pits when a storm approaches, the rain pours and batters Sodor leaving the clay cliffs very un-stable. As Thomas makes his way through the clay pitts, a flash of lightning reveals what looks to be very large footprints on the slope above him. This sets the scene for Thomas and Percy to be on the lookout for a monster!

Thomas isn’t sure about what he saw in the clay pits, but when Thomas confides his thoughts to Percy, Percy is convinced that there is a monster loose on the island. Percy works himself into such a state that he is even too scared to deliver his mail trucks, every bump and shadow becomes a cause for concern.. and Percy very quickly finds himself getting into trouble.

Thomas and the Tale of the Brave introduces some new characters, Gator become a firm favourite with Leo, and I am sure he will be joining Leo’s growing train collection in the not so distant future. The film has been thoroughly enjoyed by Leo and he had an absolutely fantastic day running all over Thomas Land, it is suffice to say  that he was completely in his element.

The Thomas and Friends Tale of the Brave DVD is on sale now, and is a must watch if you have Thomas fans in your midst.

Disclaimer: We were invited along to Drayton Manor for the screening of Thomas and Friends, Tale of the Brave and provided with a goody bag. All thought and opinions are completely honest and my own.

My 3 year old

My baby has grown up so much recently. At 3 years old he is headstrong and independent but still reliant on me in certain ways. I am learning to give him more space as he plays, and enjoying the new adventure that comes with having a pre-schooler. 

Leo is kind and caring and a complete worrier. He worries no end about me and likes to make sure that I am ok. I have no idea where this side of him has originated but it shows through occasionally. For instance when we were away in Cornwall last month, Leo worried that I was going to fall in the sea. I had given him absolutely no reason to think that I may tumble in, not to mention that I was on the other side of the barrier, but he worried none the less. Today on a walk around a local attraction that houses life size Dinosaurs, Leo worried yet again,this time that I may get gobbled up. When my shoe fell off while on the swings... He worried. My beautiful little man has so much empathy, and when it comes down to it he is so incredibly caring.

Books are a big love of Leo's and at this moment in time he has two firm favourites. The 3 Little Pigs and The 3 Billy Goats Gruff. These tales are not the watered down version from today, but the original Ladybird stories from my childhood. Leo loves the troll and the wolf and enjoys me putting on the gruff voices to play them. Although having said that I must have got quite into the role of the wolf the other evening... As Leo quickly covered my mouth and said 'NO MUMMY!'. I suddenly realised that the scary voice I had put on was not really bedtime story material. Then of course I couldn't quite control the fits of giggles that I found myself in for the rest of the story..

At 3 years old Leo is coming on all of the time. I can see it from what he says to how he takes in the world around him. He is now potty trained during the day, and has been before his 3rd Birthday. The only aspect we need to improve on now, if convincing Leo that he can do a number 2 on the potty. He comes out with things I didn't even know he knew, and this again highlights what a little sponge he is. Although at 3 Leo's speech is not at the same level as many of his class mates, he is getting there. I have put him forward for speech therapy just to give him a helping hand, but I am not worried in the slightest. In the months since he started nursery I have seen a vast improvement and they have noticed it too. 

I shot this video on his 3rd Birthday, and Leo was more than happy to answer the questions I asked him. In his own way of course..

Going Ape with Go Ape

A good few years ago (before Leo was even a twinkle in my eye)… I was invited along to Go Ape. For those of you who have never heard of Go Ape, or are yet to actually give it a go… Go Ape is essentially a adult climbing frame set amongst the trees! They strap you up with a safety harness and then you are free to frolic among the trees and ‘Go Ape’!

I remember having an absolutely fantastic time, and it is something that has always been at the forefront of my mind as I have always considered booking in and swinging through the tree tops again. When we first visited it was the middle of June and I re-call the weather being rather warm. So there we were in our joggers and t-shirts definetly feeling the heat as we climbed, swang and bounced around…

I was recently invited back to Go Ape and asked if I would like to book in anytime from the beginning of November until they close on the 8^th December… and I was rather excited to give it all another go. We are about an hour away from Wyre Forest, which is actually the venue we first visited. Keeping distance as the main factor in booking, we decided to return to Wyre Forest.

So this weekend Luke and I booked in on the 11:00am session. Yes it was an awful lot cooler than our first visit.. But we had wrapped up nice and warm for the cold November day we had chosen.

We were warmly greeted by George who signed us all in, and even managed to find a pair of gloves for me to purchase. I don’t know what I would have done without those gloves as the chill in the air even when we got moving got to my fingers.

George kept the important safety bits clear and precise but still managed to keep the element of fun with it all. Before we all got started he talked us through each of the safety aspects and told us how to use all of the equipment, and then he even demonstrated on the practice equipment so we could all see first hand what to do.

It wasn’t long before George was confident to free us into the wild, and then we climbed up into the trees and commenced our Go Ape adventure.

Now I am not one for heights, but I adore the entire Go Ape experience. What re-assures me is knowing that I am securely strapped in at all times, and I know that as long as I follow the rules then nothing too dreadful will happen. George was at hand to shout any questions to and told us to just shout or blow the whistles on our harnesses if we needed assistance. No one in our group needed rescuing and it was apparent that everyone was having a brilliant time, the laughter just kept on flowing.

It took us a few hours to get around the entire course, and we made sure we did EVERYTHING. We climbed up ladders (where I established I really need to work on my upper body strength…) we swang down Zip Wires and I even braved the Tarzan Swing! Well.. I would have done it myself had Luke not decided to give me a less than loving push right off the edge. In fact he pushed me so hard that I literally flew at full speed into the awaiting net the other side, sending my legs straight through the holes!

We had an absolutely fantastic time climbing up rope ladders and zipping down zip wires, and having a few special moments on the Tarzan Swing! But all in all it was a super day out, maybe even more so because it was so cold, by the end I was toasty warm and ready to do another round!

If you are stuck for Christmas gifts this year, check out the Go Ape Gift Vouchers. You could gift an experience just like the one I have shared, or even go along for the fun too! Gift voucher denominations range from £5 right up to £60.

I will leave you with a little clip of our time at Go Ape so you can see for yourself just how much fun is to be had!

Disclaimer: I was provided with free entry to Go Ape in return for a honest review of my personal experience.

Mike the Knight at Warwick Castle

This weekend was Leo's birthday weekend, and it has been an incredibly busy weekend as far as weekends go!

We have spent time eating Timmy Sheep Birthday Cake, playing in Leo's new playhouse and even attended a very exciting day out at Warwick Castle where Leo met Mike the Knight!

We were invited along to help celebrate the new series of the very popular children's show, and what better destination than the UK's ultimate castle!?

Warwick Castle has welcomed Mike the Knight over 2 very action packed weekends, 29th - 30th June and the 6th - 7th of July, so if you haven't already been along and experience all the magic...There is still time to book!

I had told Leo all about our exciting plans for the weekend, and he nodded and 'arh'd' in all of the right places, but truth be told I don't think he knew exactly what I was going on about. In our typical family style we were the ones rocking up late, despite my greatest efforts to make sure that Daddy was out of bed in time... He is always the one we are waiting for! 

We did finally get there with our little Superman in tow, and we were obviously feeling incredibly brave as we decided to leave the pushchair at home. Leo was on his very best behavior....To start with. As soon as he found his comfort zone of the sandpit I waved goodbye to the perfect toddler who was happy to hold my hand and welcomed the toddler who would rather run away from me.

Leo ran around, pointed out exciting items and even almost jumped the rope to Mike the Knight in order to bypass the very long line of people eagerly waiting for their turn to meet him! Sorry if my little Superman ran through your position in the line or accidentally jumped on your toes...

As soon as you walk through the turnstiles and into the castle's grounds you are met with an exciting array of different Mike the Knight activities. You can meet the man himself or even take part in a little castle building of your own, casting a few spells in Evie's workshop or trying your hand at a little bit of archery! 

You must check out the incredible sand castles that have been constructed in celebration of the new Mike the Knight Series. They were built to coincide with the Summer Solstice which fell on the 21st June 2013, there are 3 in all and all, Glendragon Castle, Buckingham Palace and of course... Warwick Castle.

There is something for every age and Leo had no problem finding something to do, we sent Daddy off to wait in line to meet Mike while I watched Leo build sandcastles, knock down other people's castles (Sorry if that was yours!) and just have an amazing time.

It has been many years since I last visited Warwick Castle, which in hind sight is actually shocking as it is right on my door step. It was really nice to go back and take my little guy out for a fantastic day, he looked on in awe at the castle and loved being able to freely explore. I have to admit that I was really glad that Warwick Castle thought ahead of little children who may want to explore with their hands...As there were a number of items that I thought Leo may pick up if they had not been glued down *wipes sweat from brow*.

I have to admit that Warwick Castle is not the cheapest family day out and I may have even let out a little gasp when I saw the prices, and then gasped a little more when I realised that some of the attractions inside were an extra, but with that said it really was a great day. We were free to wander around the entire castle, but with superman in tow we were un-able to partake in the dungeons (I will go back and do this!) but for me the highlight of the day was watching Leo have the time of his life.

I am sure we will be back this Summer if Warwick Castle will have us, and we will maybe even bring along the rest of the family. That way we will be able to leave Leo in the capable hands of his Grandparents while we explore the darker side of Warwick Castle.

Disclaimer: I was invited along to Warwick Castle for the exciting Mike the Knight weekend. I was provided with a very tasty lunch and a goodie bag for Leo, however all views and opinions are completely honest and my own.