Win a Family Pass to BeWILDerwood

Boggle Wish Bonfire

Saturday 15th February – Sunday 23rd February

Hooray! The Boggles are sprinkling a little Boggle magic on BeWILDerwood this February half term and can’t wait for you to arrive! Pop along to the curious treehouse adventure for the re- light of the warming bonfires and to re-commence the party! The ‘Boggle Wish Bonfire’ is the first weeklong event of the season – head to the ‘Big Hat’ which you’ll find brimming with pinecones and twigs, card and tissue paper; pots and pans (borrowed from Swampy’s mum’s kitchen), and gallons and gallons of glittery glue! Get busy on your wish-making potion, (don’t forget to add a dollop of dreams) and join together at the fire pit to make all your wishes come true! 

Even though you will be busy there will still be time to explore and engage in the wild Norfolk landscape. Walk the Wobbly Wires, brave the Tricky Tunnels and take a lazy boat ride across Scaaaary Lake. Cross jungle bridges and visit treehouses and take time to enjoy the enchanting storytelling sessions and listen to the tales and adventures of Mildred, Swampy and the characters of the BeWILDerwood stories.

We visited BeWILDerwood last summer and we look forward to returning in Spring. It's a great place for outdoor family fun with plenty of climbing, sliding and swinging to be had by all.

You can read our full review here: 

http://www.theminimesandme.com/2013/06/bewilderwood-review-and-giveaway.html

*** WIN ***

For your chance to win a family pass to BeWILDerwood this February you can enter via the Rafflecopter entry form below.

The giveaway closes on 12th February 2014.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit bewilderwood.co.uk and sign up to the Twiggle Times
to receive your 3 for 2 offer for February half term.

Our Christmas That Was

The past few days have been amazing with plenty of time together as a family, lots of fun and games and far too much festive food! But like all good things, it comes to an end and with the Mr back at work and the new year now here I thought I'd share our Christmas with you - It's something nice to look back on for me too.

We sprinkled reindeer food outside and set up some goodies for Santa. The Mini Mes don't actually like milk so they offered the man in red a coke instead, just in case he doesn't drink milk too!

Christmas Eve also meant we had to say farewell to our elf, Peppy Tum-Tums.

There were lots of lovely gifts from family and friends to open Christmas morning.

We enjoyed bingo and board games...

... and poker with my parents.

Then a Boxing Day buffet
(Can you tell the Mr likes his savoury nibbles!?)

What was your favourite part of Christmas?

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They grow too fast

Next month Jamster will be turning 7, I'm not sure how that happened so quickly but I have begun to plan his day and picked up a few presents for him already... mostly Marvel for my little Spider Man fan! 

Thankfully it is a teacher training day so he won't be at school and we can spend the day having fun.

I still remember his first birthday at my parent's house, I had moved back in temporarily after I split with the Mini Me's dad, and how he had very little idea about what was going on but loved the attention regardless! He probably had more fun eating, ripping paper and playing with empty boxes than he did his actual gifts but I think the majority of kids are the same when they are very small. 

I made a buffet and had family over to celebrate too...

He has always loved to suck two fingers and remains to do so even now when he is tired, something that hasn't changed! He has however developed into a rather cheeky yet intelligent and cute little dude over the years.

His birthday's 2nd-6th

Do you feel that time goes to quickly when you have children?

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The arrival of Jamster

I always wanted my children close in age so when I discovered that I was pregnant 15 months after Minxy was born I was thrilled... he was due Minxy's due date and birthday too! 

I didn't feel pregnant for quite some time despite the positive pregnancy tests and it took the 12 week scan and seeing him wriggling around to believe it! It wasn't long after this that the nausea kicked in and the butterfly like feelings began in my tummy though.

Bump at 31+4

After my first hospital birth experience I knew from the start I wanted a home birth so I planned for one right from the beginning. There were no difficulties during my pregnancy and it seemed to fly by.

11 days before his due date I woke at 2am with some mild pains but I thought it must be braxton hicks as I still had almost a fortnight night to go. I went for a bath but the pains worsened and became very intense very quickly. I started to be sick with most contractions so my partner called the midwife out. She seemed rather chilled on the phone, perhaps not wishing to get out of bed, and was adamant it would be hours before Jamster made an appearance despite me telling her how things were progressing very quickly. 

With the urge to push after the call ended I called my mum to come over to look after Minxy (who was now awake and in the same room) and 999 for a paramedic to assist. We were guided over the phone on how to deliver Jamster and sat on the en-suite floor Jamster arrived, in the sac, just as the paramedic arrived in the ambulance. The paramedic cut open the sac (a very surreal experience with what looked like a water balloon) and Jamster was born - only 2 hours 36 mins after my first pain, and he was placed on me to hold. Shortly after 2 more paramedics arrived and my mum and dad, who were  both shocked to see Jamster had been born so quickly! 

He was tiny at 6lb 14 and half ounces. I was rather ill after birth and continued to be sick for several hours so the rest of the day is a bit of a blur although I do recall how lovely it was getting into my own bed with my new bundle for cuddles and feeds.

I'd like to think on day I can sway the Mr to have a baby but it's not looking promising after 3 years of asking and him sticking with no. I'm happy with my two but I'd love just one more!

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The arrival of Minxy: Becoming a mum

She wasn't planned as such but at the same time I wasn't doing a lot to prevent pregnancy either. I had just turned 18 when I saw 'Pregnant' appear on the Clear Blue test in the toilet at Tesco, I was too impatient to wait to get home! I called my partner at the time (we had been together since I was 13) to tell him of the news with his auntie at my side. Shock hit him hard but he knew it was a possibility and both in full time employment we were prepared for parenthood.

The pregnancy seemed to fly by. I kept the first 17 weeks secret from everyone as I was so anxious how family and friends would take the news and I passed my sister a note to give to my mum one morning to break it to her. My bump was now too big too hide. She called me at work crying with a combination of fear and excitement at the idea she would be a grandma in her early 40's!

I left work at 37 weeks after a trip to hospital with suspected pre-eclampsia; my legs were like balloons, skin itchy and I had vision blurred with a severe migraine so I was monitored for a day before heading to our new 2 bedroom home to relax until labour.

From 5th April 2004 I had quite painful contractions on and off. I was checked over a few times yet nothing was happening and I was left feeling tired and uncomfortable. On 8th April at 2pm my waters went during a nap on the sofa. There was a huge gush and it came as such a shock as it was her actual due date, only 5% arrive on there EDD.

I went to hospital yet again and was told nothing was happening and to rest but upon arriving home, only 15 minutes away, I was in agony and felt the urge to push. We rushed back to the labour ward, a porter pulled up a wheelchair as I scrambled out of the car and I headed inside. I was told I was fully dilated (0-10 in less than an hour) and given the go to push but nothing really happened for some time and my contractions stopped. There was a lot of talk between staff that I should not have been sent home after my waters went but I was put on a drip to hopefully start my contractions again.

Time ticked on, I was monitored and Minxy's heart rate started to drop. My contractions did build up again and I was adamant that I didn't want a C-section. I was taken to theatre and offered a last chance to push her out myself, I think they knew how panicked I was at the idea of surgery so they gave me an extra opportunity. With the help of forceps, ventouse and an episiotomy Minxy arrived at 11.51pm weighing 8lb 4oz. I stayed awake all night admiring her and the following day I returned home as a mummy.

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Meeting Santa

Christmas is the most magical time of year for children and during the build up to the big day we always head to a grotto to tell Santa what is on this years wishlist.

When the Mini Mes were very small they HATED seeing the fat man in red. I guess any new experience is a little daunting for a young child but even more so when it involves talking to someone they have never met before with a ridiculously long beard. They would cling on tightly wondering what was going on and I ended up sitting on Santa's lap on quite a few occasions to show them that he wasn't as scary as they imagined!

As the years have gone by they have begun to love the whole experience  The grotto itself is usually spectacular with beautiful lights and displays and the one we visited last two years was particularly good with life-like bears, reindeer and penguins in a stunning cabin. They also liked the idea that they could choose their own gift from a lovely selection. Last year was Disney Princess and Cars!

I don't recall going to a grotto myself as a child although I do remember meeting Santa at my mums Christmas parties where all the family could attend and my Grandad dressing as Santa for my lower school's Christmas fayre!

We plan to go to the grotto again this year and the Mini Mes are already excited. I don't think it will be many more years before they stop believing so I like to make December as special as possible while they are still small with crafts, baking etc too.

I'm gutted that I know longer get a cuddle with the big fella too!

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Meet Spartan

You may see our little dog (named after our love of Rome related movies) pop up in pictures and stories but I've never really mentioned much about him.

So, meet Spartan....

The Mr has always loved dogs and has always had one as a pet since he was a child. I however am not that keen on them, but with relationships comes compromise so when the Mr moved in I agreed to getting one.

He originally wanted a re-homed one to skip the little puddles that puppies leave on the floor and the destruction that they create. Having looked around a few kennels over a period of a few months we couldn't find anything suitable for our family. I was also concerned that not knowing the animals background that it may have issues with children so we started to look at puppies online.

On New Years Day this year we found a woman with Border Collies for sale on a pet website. We drove to have a look, and came home with a mini bundle of fluff!

I was surprised by how fast he settled in. He was toilet trained after 2 weeks and he will sit by the back door if he needs to go out. He may have trashed my sofa (rar!) and munched my lingerie off the clothes pile but that's replaceable and apart from that he has been superb.

"It wasn't me!"

Despite not initially wanting a dog at all, he is very well loved and spoilt. The Mini Mes adore him. He is very friendly and if anyone is upset he will sense it and pop over to cover you in slobbery kisses, whether you like them or not, and he likes to snuggle up on the sofa with me in the evenings.

He will be 1 in October and I may just have to make him a dog friendly cake, well I like baking and he is part of the family now after all.

Do you feel having a pet benefits children? Which do you have?

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