How To Keep The Kids Happy In The Garden

I've never been one of those people that enjoy gardening or even sitting out in the garden but last year I found myself out there with little J more than I would have expected. Like his brother he loves the garden and just being out in the fresh air. We haven't really got a big garden but its always suited our needs and little J is usually out there at least once a day at the moment.

I still not 100% comfortable being in the garden but I am trying. I don't like bugs, spiders, bees, wasps or any other crawlies. So I have found it hard that little J loves being outside so much. I love sitting watching him play and will join in as much as I can. I even got on the trampoline with him this week which is a first. I did notice a bug on the net but I just ignored it. So while I'm still getting used to overcoming my fear and to help keep him busy and entertained there are a few things we have bought although he is just as happy mooching around, picking up stones and even chilling on the chairs.

The main thing we needed was a new Trampoline. Our old one has been in the garden for years and big J would play on it all the time. It was old and worn and definitely past it. We did put little J on the old trampoline just to see if he liked it before we bought a new one and he did. He absolutely loves bouncing, playing with a ball or messing around with big J.

Three Things I Love About My Favourite City - NEW YORK

I am the biggest fan of romantic comedies and growing up into my late teens I always pictured myself going to New York and finding true love just like they do in the movies.  Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan found love twice in New York, on top of the Empire State Building in Sleepless in Seattle and over the internet in You've Got Mail its just looks like the most amazing place in the world and it was my dream to go there one day Accor Hotels are hosting a competition and they are have asked entrants to list the three things they love about my favourite city so I've entered mine and here it goes. MY WEDDING DAY

Well I didn't find love in New York because I met Daddy here in Liverpool BUT he did give me the most amazing day ever when we married New York. Even though he is so scared of flying he overcame his fears to give me the wedding of my dreams. FAO SCHWARZ

New York is home to biggest toy shop you will ever see FAO Schwarz and if you have seen the film BIG you will be excited to find that you can have a go on the floor keyboard just like Tom Hanks did in the movie.

THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

For me this is just the most romantic place on earth. I love going up the Empire State Building. The views are amazing (we are actually at the top of the Rockerfella Centre looking towards The Empire State) We went up on our wedding night and it was just magical.

So these are my favourite three things about New York. Do you have a favourite city? What are your favourite three things?

Pop Art Fun

We have recently taken part in a challenge to create some POP art. We are not the most creative family in the world but we give it a go and we ALWAYS have fun. So no matter how amazing (or not) our creations turn out we know we had a giggle doing it.  POP is a high energy childrens channel for 4-9 year olds and they are hosting the blogger challenge. So what did we decide to create? Well big J wanted to create Bumblebee from Transformers, which is shown on POP I had no idea how to make a Bumblebee but we got a box and paint and just went with the flow.

So here it is our POP art fun creation. We had lots of fun making it and was nice quality family time with big J. He did want to make it so it turned into the robot but I couldn't even imagine how we would do that..haha.

So big J is happy with his creation and that's all that matters.

Its now took pride of place on his bedroom shelf.

To find out more about POP the first channel to be added to the freeview children's portfolio in eight years you can visit the website HERE