Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without pantomime and this year I thought Boo was finally old enough to enjoy her first panto. We were invited to watch Aladdin at the Secombe Theatre in Sutton to see what we thought of Polka Dot Pantomime’s production.

First of all I feel completely ashamed that despite the Secombe Theatre being on my doorstep this was the first time I’d been, especially at a time when they and their sister theatre, the Charles Cryer are facing closure after funding be withdrawn by the London Borough of Sutton – anyway I’ll save that for another post all together.

It’s been a few years since I went to a pantomime myself but I still had a pretty good idea what to expect; the Aladdin production at the Secombe didn’t disappoint – in fact I’d forgotten just how much fun a panto is both for adults and children. Within minutes Boo was completely entranced, a real life example of why the suspension of disbelief is oh so magical. Both of us along with my Mum who had come too were joining in and shouting out with the classic ‘boos’ and ‘He’s behind you!’

The production itself was well presented with an enthusiastic and likeable cast, pretty good scenery with great references to pop culture, which worked really well at entertaining the wide age range of the audience – the lady behind us was 90!

Polka Dot Pantomime Productions is quickly proving to be one of the most popular pantomime production companies in the UK, having doubled the amount of productions played since 2011 across the whole of the country.

Were there any spectacular special effects? No. Did the cast feature a few (debatable) celebrities? No. But for me these are all good things; I’m glad that Boo’s first experience of pantomime was one that was authentic and focused on the essence of what panto is all about – well for me anyway; Polka Dot’s production of Aladdin at the Secombe Theatre made me laugh in a way I haven’t in a long long time: like a child, not caring how loud I was or how cheesy the joke was, only caring that I was having fun with my family. Now that’s something both me and Boo (not forgetting Grandma) can share at Christmas, long live panto!

Disclosure: We received complimentary tickets for the purpose of this review, all opinions are 100% honest.

So I know it’s a bit late for a blog post about Christmas trees but there’s a good reason, here goes…

If I close my eyes and think back to Christmas as a child, one of my first memories is the smell of a real Christmas tree – for me it’s the epitome of a traditional; however since being an adult I’ve never chosen a real tree preferring instead an artificial one as along with my childhood memories I also remember pine needles absolutely everywhere and the trees always looking half dead by the time Christmas lunch was served!

Pines and Needles very kindly sent us a 6ft Christmas tree – Nordmann Fir to be precise – and door wreath plus some holly and mistletoe (Boo insisted we kiss every time we passed underneath!). I was immediately impressed with just how seamless and stress free they made the delivery process; the tree was delivered in a large red bag and the usual netting. The accompanying stand has a water reservoir which helps keep the tree from dying; apparently an inch needs to be sawn off the bottom of the trunk to allow full water absorption but the lovelies at Pines and Needles take care of that before delivery making it less than 10 minutes from delivery to ‘Wow, look at that tree!’.

Pines and Needles are celebrating 20 years in 2015 and have become the premier Christmas tree supplier online in the UK. I’m no expert when it comes to picking the perfect tree and that’s what’s brilliant about Pines and Needles; there’s no need to go and pick the tree yourself – although you’re more than welcome to visit one of their 20 stores. It’s a really simple process from picking the size of your tree, arranging delivery and you can even book a pick up in the new year; and because Pines and Needles grow all their own trees on their own plantations in Scotland in the most sustainable manner you know it’s the best tree available.

There’s a handy section on the website which helps you get the best out of your Christmas tree – great if like me you’re not too good at keeping any plant or tree alive, woops!

The smell of the tree was wonderful just like I remember, and me and Boo had a lovely time decorating the tree, it’s the little moments that really make Christmas for children; 2014 will be the year that Boo remembers for being in sole charge of placing the teddies in the lower branches – a pretty big deal when you’re three years old.

The wreath from Pines and Needles was gorgeous and matched our front door perfectly, using Christmas tree cuttings – which brings me back to the tree itself; it had a lovely bluish hue to the needles which in themselves weren’t sharp at all, and true to their word it was no drop, the only time I noticed dropped needles was when it was times to take it down and I wrestled it through the front door.

I’m the type of person who has their Christmas tree down by the 27th December, this year however our Pines and Needles tree was up until 4th January, I think that tells you everything you need to know about Pines and Needles, I can’t wait until next year, heck I may even have my tree up at the beginning of December!

Disclousure: We were sent a Christmas tree and wreath for review. No payment was received and all opinions are 100% honest.

I’ve often heard parents say how the holidays are never long enough and if I’m honest I didn’t really know what they were on about; working from home means that I crave a quiet house!

This week I learnt that they were absolutely right; Boo had an inset day on Monday, the perfect excuse to take her brand spanking new bike out to the park. We bumped into one of her school friends and it was lovely to see them so excited and sharing their news with each other as they ran up and down the muddy slopes.

Monday was also when we took our Christmas decorations down – as much as it probably would have been easier and less messy to do it by myself I took my Mum’s advice that it’s important to involve Boo as it teaches her about why things end and packing everything away for next year is a big part of understanding Christmas . She was right, we had a lovely conversation about keeping things safe until next year and kissed the decoration bag, oh so lovely.

This week also saw us do lots of baking for the freezer. Boo is one of those girls who loves to don an apron and is an eager banana masher! Yesterday we made jelly – I know this doesn’t sound like much but it was a lovely end to Boo’s first week back; the perfect reminder that it’s the little things that really do matter.

It’s been a lovely start to the year, stripping back to basics when it comes to joy seeking and already I’ve been pleasantly reminded how much fun you can have doing pretty much nothing with a child.

How’s your first school week of 2015? How have you found the joy in the little things so far?

Having a baby is undoubtedly an exciting time in anyone’s life that brings with it unbridled joy and happiness. However exciting new little bundle of joy can also bring with it a lot of added stress. You will suddenly be facing stresses, strain or pressure different to anything else you have before and it can feel overwhelming for new mums. 

 

If you are finding those early days of having a newborn intense or even stressful you are certainly not alone. Here are some of the common stresses experienced by new mums; 

 

• Is my baby feeding correctly and are they feeding enough?
• Why isn’t my baby sleeping?
• Is my baby gaining enough weight?
• Why is my baby crying so much? Do they have colic? Are they in pain?
• Am I doing it right?
• My house is a mess. 
• My relationships with my partner, friends and family are suffering

 

The list could go on, and on. Although no one may be able to take these worries and stresses away with the wave of a magic wand there are things you can do to help look after yourself and reduce the impact of these worries. Here are some ways to help keep that new mum stress to a minimum. 

 

Sleep

You have no doubt been told to ‘sleep when the baby sleeps’ and you have been told it for a reason. It really is sage advice. You will be sleep deprived in the early stages of motherhood and everything always feels harder when you have not had enough sleep. So it really is imperative that you make time to catch up on your sleep when you have the chance. 

 

Be prepared

You know your baby is coming so there are a few things you can be in advance of their arrival to smooth the transition. Prepare your baby’s nursery before they arrive, buy all the furniture you think you will need and stock up on nappies and wipes as you will get through a lot and popping out to the shop will no longer be the easy outing it once was. A top tip is to buy baby girl clothes (or boy clothes assuming you know what sex you are having) from newborn to 1 year. This will save you panic buying when your newborn no longer fits their newborn sleepsuit and ensure you always have something to dress them in when you notice they are starting to outgrow their clothes.

Accept help

One thing many new mums struggle with is accepting help and relinquishing control. You might feel uncomfortable a the prospect of someone else caring for your baby, feeding them or even helping out around the house. That said it is important to remember that you are not superwoman, you are tired and have a raft of hormones surging through your body. If someone offers to help out then take them up on it. 

 

Emotions are normal

In the aftermath of giving birth, you will ride a wave of emotions, it is perfectly normal, so much so you should expect it. The lack of sleep, the added stress and an intense level of hormonal change will take their toll on your emotions. Commonly many new mums report experiencing this dramatic change in emotions around days 3 -5 postpartum. Accept that these feelings are normal and more often than not will pass. That said, if you are struggling or find that your mood is perpetually low do not be afraid to seek professional advice.

 

Have visiting times 

Naturally, you can expect to have many visitors who are dying to meet your new arrival however this can also be an added stress on you. You may worry about disturbing routines, nap times or even whether your house is presentable. To make this easier on yourself schedule visiting times that work for you and your baby and don’t be tempted to work around others. You may even want to hold off from having any visitors for the first few weeks while you adjust to your new way of life. The decision is yours and you do not need to justify it to anyone. 

 

Do what works for you

Remember, when it comes to parenting what works for you may not work for another but that doesn’t mean either of you are wrong. Having a baby is a new experience and you have to feel your way through it in the best way for you and your baby. Don’t get hung up on the opinions or experiences of others, if you and baby are happy and healthy then that should tell you all you need to know. 

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

Have you been busy scouring the market for a new home? You may have relocated due to work or family so are on the lookout for a new perfect family home. You might also be looking to make your first steps on the property ladder and buy your first home. There are lots of things to consider when buying a home. The guide below should help you overcome some of the hurdles. 

 

Know Your Budget

When you are thinking of buying a new home you need to know where you stand in terms of your budget and funds available. You need to work out how much deposit or down payment you can make. The higher the deposit, the lower your monthly mortgage payments will be. Of course, you may have been saving up for some time but around 20% is the ideal number to work towards. 

 

You will need to work out your incomings and outgoings in order to find out how much monthly payment you can afford for your mortgage. Once you have this number in mind you can start thinking about the other necessities when buying a home. You will also need to cater to the cost of moving from your other property. It may be helpful to hire a self storage unit to help with storing the stuff in between moving. 

 

Location 

So you have worked out your budget, now it’s time to look around different areas and find where you want to call home. You might already have a location in mind due to living there previously, or through work. When you are looking around different areas you should keep in mind that you want to have all local amenities close by. This should include a doctor’s surgery, a grocery store, and schools. 

 

If you have children then you will need to make sure there are spaces available for your children within the local vicinity. You don’t want to move to an area only to find that you have to travel extra miles to get your children an education. You also need to make sure that the educational setting is a good one. You could join a parents page in that area and ask the questions needed, such as good schools and any activity venues to keep the little ones entertained. 

 

Type of Home 

Finally, now it’s time to work out which type of home you want to live in. There are a couple of options here including brand new and old. Of course, brand new homes will set you back a little more cash as they have never been lived in. The benefit of this is that you can put your own personal stamp on it and make it a home. Old houses may have had plenty of previous owners so it can be more difficult to make it feel like your own. 

 

Weigh up your opinions, one thing to remember is that older houses may come with their fair share of problems due to their age. However, they are much better at withstanding the brunt of daily living including noise. Old houses have much better soundproofing than newer ones. 

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.