Disney On Ice, Dream Big

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Disclosure - We were gifted Disney on Ice tickets for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. 

Last week we headed to Manchester to the Manchester Arena to see Disney On Ice Dream Big. We have seen Disney On Ice many times over the years but each show is completely different and we couldn't wait to see what magic was in store for us this time.

When we first arranged the tickets I wasn't sure whether little J would want to see this show or not. I have seen many trailers and adverts and it is all about the princesses but we decided to book him a ticket too and I am so glad we did. He was mesmerised from start to finish.

Our seats were rink side so we were so close to the characters and you could feel the cold breeze from the ice as they whizzed past. I would definitely recommend rink side as it made our whole experience so much more magical.

Mickey and Minnie introduced the show and continued to pop out after every segment to introduce the next princess.

Aladdin opened the show as he weaved in and out of the market stands on the ice stealing bread to eat for him and Abu only to be caught. Luckily Princess Jasmine was close by and saved Aladdin from a gloomy fate.

Watching Aladdin and Jasmine dance around the ice to A Whole New World was beautiful and was one of my personal highlights of the show.

Next up was the tale of Beauty and the Beast. Little J likes the songs from the film and I caught him a few times singing along.

Belle danced around the ice with Lumiere but unfortunately there was no sign of the Beast or Gaston.

My favourite moment was watching Rapunzel dance with Flynn to 'I See The Light'. Tangled is my favourite Disney movie ever and Rapunzel is my favourite princess so this was a special moment for me.

Moana caused a buzz in the air as most of the little ones got all excited as she skated on to the ice. Moana was probably the strongest skater we had seen so far as we watched her dance around to 'How  Far I'll Go'

It was nice to see demigod Maui make an appearance too.

We had seen The Little Mermaid on ice before but it's so colourful and the songs are great that it felt like the first time we had seen it. 

There was a 20 minute interval and the seating areas where soon flooded with staff selling popcorn, ice creams and candy floss. An actual merchandise stand was quickly erected just behind us for people to grab any souvenirs.

The one thing that I feel lets Disney On Ice down is the costs of the snacks and the merchandise. We have bought stuff in the past but now I just refuse. £22 for a spinning wand or £30 for a princess teddy. It's so costly especially when you are buying for 2 or 3 children.

We actually took our own light up toy that we bought in Florida last year and little J was just as happy waving that in the air. We did let him choose a snack in the interval. He wanted an ice cream which was £3 and John chose popcorn which was very over priced at £8.

The second half saw a very brief visit from Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and then it was on to Frozen.

We have seen the Frozen part of the show a few times now and I guess because its so popular they want to include it in every new production. I love this part of the show it lasts about 20/25 minutes and it will have you singing along guaranteed.

Anna and Elsa do more skating than all of the other Princesses and Characters and they really do put on a performance and it's the perfect ending to a wonderful show.

I would highly recommend Disney On Ice to any fans of Disney as the whole production is so magical and children and adults of all ages will enjoy it. For me personally this was the best Disney On Ice. We definitely got to see more characters than we have before.

There are usually a few opportunities to see a Disney on Ice show throughout the year as it tours arenas up and down the country. Keep checking Disney on Ice for up to date information.

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Michelle

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Updating Your Autumn Wardrobe

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Disclosure - this is a collaborative post

Autumn is here and I have been removing all my Summer clothes from my wardrobe and replacing them with lots of Autumn / Winter clothes.

I love choosing an outfit that is perfect for our Autumn Walks.

First is the Soft Touch Friday Slogan Jumper. I'm always a little cautious about ordering clothes online because obviously you can't try before you buy but the fitting on this jumper was perfect.

It isn't a heavy knit jumper it's quite thin but it's just what I wanted. I usually have trouble with the sleeves being too long on long sleeved tops I buy, but this jumper has elasticated cuffs so fits perfectly on my wrists.

Sizes start at 12/14 and go up to 32/34. Currently priced at £28

I teamed the jumper with a pair of Indigo Bella Slim Leg Jeggings. Again I usually have problems when buying leggings or jeggings because I am quite short so they tend to go a little baggy on my knees but these were a good fit. They are slim leg so a little tight on me in other areas but very comfortable. 

Sizes range from 10-32 and come in short, regular or long length. Currently priced £20

Depending on your style and what type of activities you do in Autumn you could always opt for women's tactical pants.

To finish off my outfit I treated myself to the Bow Detail Warm Lined Boots. They are from the wide fit range. I love them and they are my favourite purchase. They are so easy to slip on and once my feet are in they are so warm and cosy. It's like wearing slippers. They are not big and chunky, in fact they are quite lightweight compared to similar boots I have owned in the past. 

Available in Black or Tan, sizes 4-9 and come in two width sizes E and EEE. Currently priced at £30

Anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely love my pyjamas so I ordered myself Pretty Secrets Long Sleeved Christmas Pyjama set. I'm saving them for closer to Christmas but I have had a look at them and they are great quality and again sizing seems good. 

Available in sizes 8-10 unto 32/34 and currently priced at £12.

To finish off I ordered the Bunny Rabbit Ballerina Slipper. 

Available in sizes Small 3/4, Medium 5/6 or Large 7/8 and currently priced at £10

I found the whole ordering process very simple and I would definitely order again. The sizing was perfect for me and everything was really good quality. My favourite is the Bow Detail Boots. I cannot tell you enough how comfortable and warm they are. I am actually thinking about buying them in black too. 

If you would like to check out the range of clothing available head over to Fashion World

Michelle

We received the clothes for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

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Parenting | Preparing For Year One

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It only seems like yesterday that little J was starting Reception but fast forward a year and we are almost at the beginning of his second half term of year one. For me this is when school really starts. I think it's been a big shock for him as in Reception it is mostly learning through play, however his classroom is very different now. There are almost no toys but lots of desks. He still seems so young and although he has lots of energy he does get tired quite easily as I've mentioned before. He's usually in bed before 7pm and needs his 12/13 hours sleep. John and I have discussed whether he may need to take a multivitamin as he is quite fussy when it comes to eating foods that are good for him. We were delighted when Bassetts vitamins sent over their Omega-3 + Multivitamins Orange Pastilles. They were just what we needed.

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Review | Cozmo by Anki

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Meet Cozmo.  Cozmo is the cutest little robot that we have ever seen.  Anki offered us the chance to review Cozmo, meaning we could get to know him and he could get to know us.

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Closed Giveaway | Dessineo Learn To Paint Bundle

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We have teamed up with Jumbo Games to offer one lucky Playdays and Runways reader the chance to win a Dessineo Bundle worth £100. Dessineo Learn to Paint and Draw range is perfect for any budding artist.

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Review | Drumond Park Foxy Pants

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Autumn in our house means board game season. We love playing games all year round but just play more when the darker nights creep in. Little J is at the age now were he loves playing games and a few weeks ago we were sent a new addition to our collection, Foxy Pants by Drumond Park. You will be able to tell from our blog that we love Drumond Park games as they never disappoint.

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Review | Thunderbirds Are Go International Rescue

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Thunderbirds Are Go - International Rescue is a new free game from Kuato games, who you may have heard of with their range of Dino Tales Storytelling and literacy skills apps for children. Thunderbirds has been around for ever, however is still really popular with children and with this game, you can become the hero and stop a disaster from destroying the arctic.

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Days Out | Knowsley Safari Park

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We live under 20 minutes away from Knowsley Safari Park yet we haven't been for years which is such a shame. Last week we visited and I instantly remembered all the things I loved about the park and how much fun we have missed out on.

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Review | Zuru Smashers Series 2

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When I was asked if little J would like to try and test Zuru Smashers Series 2 I obviously said yes. He loves blind bag type toys and these are advertised as Gross so I knew he would love them. I wasn't wrong. The Smashers are actually quite fun because instead of opening a bag to find out what's inside, you have to smash an eye ball!!!

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Review | Kinetic Sand Beach Sand Kingdom

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Summer may be over but we have been trying out Kinetic Beach Sand for the last few weeks and its made us feel like we are back in Cyprus. The Kinetic Sand actually feels like wet beach sand and the set includes a variety of moulds and tools so perfect for making lots of sandcastles.

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Review | Ready 2 Robot

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When we were asked if we wanted to review Ready 2 Robot I said yes straight away as I had already read about the range and knew little J would love them. Ready 2 Robot is a very similar to LOL dolls in where there are lots of different surprises as you unwrap. Little J is really into bling bag type toys and if he's not buying similar toys with his pocket money he's watching kids open them on You Tube Kids.

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Review | Oonies Inflator Starter Pack and Orbeez Wowzer Surprise

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I love this time of year for lots of reasons and one of those reasons is that darker evenings means we 'play' inside a lot more. Little J has already started choosing to play games inside rather than playing in the garden. So we have been swopping football and trampolining for lots of indoor play. The past few weeks we have been playing with the Oonies Inflator Starter Kit and The Orbeez Wow World Wowzer Surprise Magical Pets.

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Review | Schleich Dino Set With Cave

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Little J loves playing with Dinosaurs and why not? They are big, scary and cool and playing dinosaurs gives you the chance to roar loudly, stomp your feet and pretend you are the most powerful creature to ever roam the Earth. When we were sent the Schleich Dino Set With Cave I knew little J would love it. He already has dinosaur figures so adding more to his collection and also a play set would definitely enhance his play.

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Review | We Have Adopted A Fuggler

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Have you ever wanted to open a letter or parcel but you know that you shouldn't because the circumstances could be catastrophic. Well last week a parcel arrived and we were desperate to take a peek inside but the box was clearly marked with a warning. Did we package the parcel back up and return to sender? Nope, however looking back now that could have been the better option. Inside our package was a Fuggler, I don't think I have seen anything as ugly in my life and those teeth... they are  insane. It is quite clear that our Fuggler was sent to us to turn our normal happy home into chaos.

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Review | Schleich Eldrador Creatures, Lava Golem

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One of our favourite things to play with are figures. We have so many and they all stay together in one big box so when it comes to play time they can all get involved. Little J uses his imagination to create a world where all the figures live. Some are goodies and some are baddies and the world usually involves them fighting each other. We were recently sent a new figure to add to our collection. Lava Golem is an Eldrador Creature from Schleich.

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Review | Schleich Wild Life 4x4 Vehicle With Winch

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We absolutely love Schleich and our collection is growing nicely thanks to our latest addition, the Schleich wild life 4x4 vehicle with winch. I knew this was going to fit well with little J's animal collection as the vehicle is a rangers 4x4 and it comes with a ranger, called David.

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Review | Crate Creatures Surprise Sizzle

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Parenting | When I Grow Up I Want To Be . . .

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Our Stay At Simgill Farm Cottages

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We have just returned from a lovely family weekend break to the Lake District. We love visiting the Lakes and have previously stayed in a little Bed and Breakfast, Caravan Park or Hotel. This break was a little different as there were 14 of us in total so we needed to book somewhere big enough for us all. After a lot of searching the internet my brother in law found Simgill Farm. It's described as luxury self catering accommodation with properties that sleep up to 18 people.

We booked Barn Court which is a detached 5 bedroom cottage that can sleep up to 14 people plus room for cots for children under 2. We have never stayed in anything like this before so we weren't  sure what to expect however after reading the reviews on TripAdvisor and browsing some photographs we were really looking forward to it.

Check in time is from 3pm however we were stuck in traffic on the journey then popped in to Kendal for some dinner first so we didn't arrive till almost 8pm. We headed to the owners house who greeted us and came across opened the cottage up, and gave us a brief tour.

Downstairs there was a large living area which had three sofas, tv, video and dvd player and lots of cushions and beanbags.

There was a bedroom which had one double bed and two single beds. This bedroom had a small wardrobe and 8 decent sized drawers.

Across the hall from the bedroom was a small bathroom with toilet, sink and shower cubicle.

Just along the hall was the kitchen. It was fully equipped with a huge dining room table. It wasn't big enough for all of us to sit around at the same time due to highchairs however there were extra chairs and breakfast bar stools available.

The kitchen had everything you needed from a self catering cottage. It had a huge double oven, microwave, kettle, toaster and lots of cutlery, glasses, plates etc.

There was also a fridge, dishwasher and washer/dryer.

Outside there was a huge garden area, hammock with stand, BBQ and a hot tub which is available to use at an extra cost. I am sad to say that we didn't use the outside area at all we were too busy exploring the Lakes.

Upstairs there were 4 bedrooms. A Master bedroom with ensuite and a single bed.

Two double rooms and the last bedroom had a double bed and a single bed. There was also a bathroom upstairs too.

Simgill had provided us with two travel cots, two highchairs and stair gates were fitted, so really child friendly and saved some space in the cars travelling up.

Simgill Farm is home to over 100 Alpacas and we were lucky enough to book a time slot to go up to the fields and see them.

This was free of charge and I would definitely recommend it. The owners were very friendly and answered any questions we had about the Alpacas and also gave us buckets of food so we could feed them.

Travelling in a group of 14 including 4 small children I was a bit unsure whether it would be big enough and whether we would all have enough space as I know we were all bringing toys etc but it honestly was. It never felt overcrowded and I know the four of us felt like we had lots of space and could head to our bedroom should we need a quick rest.

Big J shared a room with his cousin even though our room had two single beds so it was just the three of us. The extra bed was used as a place to store things so that did come in handy.

Like I said earlier we have never been to this type of accommodation before so had no idea what to bring so we did pack everything we could think of however there are a few things we didn't need.

Whats Included.

Towels - There were plenty of bath towels and hand towels on each bed.

Toilet Rolls - We only used the downstairs bathroom as our bedroom was downstairs and there were two rolls provided. I did top this up with our own toilet rolls as this bathroom probably got used the most by everyone.

Hand Soap - there was a small bar of soap provided and small toiletries.

Tea/Coffee - Again a small selection of tea/coffee is provided (similar to those found in hotel rooms)

Entertainment - There were a selection of videos and dvds in the living area, playing cards and also some family board games such as scrabble.

Wifi - Free and was very good considering we were in the Lake District

Highchairs/Cots - available on request.

A visit to the Alpacas - Definitely worth a visit. The kids loved it.

What To Bring

Food/Drink - It's self catering so unless you want to eat out then I would recommend bringing some food especially breakfast/snacks. There is a Morrisons and Aldi about a 10/15 minute drive away.

Hairdryer - I brought my own anyway but I didn't spot one in the rooms.

Iron - there was a board however couldn't find an iron.

Kitchen Roll - I was lost without this because I use it for everything.

Kitchen Foil - The trays in the oven where already lined but I brought extra and it was used.

Overall we had a great stay at Simgill Farm, I think we all wished it was for longer. It's a great base for visiting the Lakes. Kendal is about a 20 minute drive away, Bowness/Windermere/Ambleside is about 30/40 minutes and Coniston was approx 1 hour away.

Departure time was 10am so it was nice to get up and enjoy breakfast before we left. When it was time to go the owners popped over to say goodbye and also to start cleaning for the next guests who were arriving that afternoon. It does seem very popular so booking in advance is definitely recommended.

Would we visit again? Definitely if we could get a big group together again. Like I said earlier I wished we had booked for longer as there is so much to see and do in the Lakes, an extra few days would have been great.

If you found this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways.

Have you stayed in a large accommodation venue? Leave us a comment below and let us know about your visit.

Visit our Out and About Section for lots of travel posts or check out Snowdonia View

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Michelle

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The Finishing Touches Thanks To Hello Canvas

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It's so nice to use the words finishing touches because that means that our house is finally done. It's taken a long time but I can now say that our home makeover is now complete thanks to our last two photo frames which arrived a few weeks ago from Hello Canvas.

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