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Aveeno and Dry Skin

I’m prone to dry skin and H inherited it from an early age. Aveeno has always been our cream of choice – mainly for the varieties available and that it works. I like to steal a bit of H’s too as it’s so gentle!

aveeno

Aveeno have asked for some hints and tips with dry skin, and what to do. So here’s a few bits from us.

I seem to be prone to dry skin on my legs, which develops into a painful rash. I’ve found that drinking plenty of water and applying cream at least three times a day on the painful areas seem to help. Oil-based treatments have helped a lot, as well as not shaving my legs. I had to make sure I didn’t let my legs get too dry, as that provoked the rash and made it itchy.

H seems to get dry skin on her arms and legs, as well as very small patches on her face. Now she’s five I can squirt the right amount of cream onto her hands, and she applies it to her face so she can be ‘just like mummy’ – though I am able to rub my own cream in, she’s still working on that one*!  Aveeno’s Dry Skin lotion is soft enough for the face and light enough your five year old won’t pull too many faces as they rub it in.

aveeno book

H does understand the importance of moisturising, mainly thanks to the book Aveeno have produced, featuring the cartoon characters Ellie and Eddie, which is available as a free download from their site. Anything that helps spell it out is a good thing, as you can guarantee she’ll listen to a book more than she will me! Also, she feels more in control of her skin – she understand why she needs cream on there.

There’s always the chance your strong-minded child will refuse to put cream on; but a bit like blending onion into a pasta sauce so they can’t see it; Aveeno’s Bath Oil does the trick. Add it to the bath and there’s a nice gentle moisturising going on – and it doesn’t make the bath slippery afterwards, thank goodness!

aveeno ellie and eddie

But what is eczema? I know when I have an outbreak of spots it’s usually classed as that. 1 in 5 children and 1 in 2 adults have eczema. It is a dry skin condition which can vary in severity from person to person, and is triggered by different things. Aveeno’s range of products feature Colloidal Oatmeal which is clinically proven to restore the top layer of skin, keeping it feeling soft and comfortable. Having oats in the lotion is beneficial for dry skin – it moisturises, soothes, protects, buffers and cleanses. When H has had bad outbreaks, we’ve even been given Aveeno on prescription.

* stop press – tonight H got in from school, rubbed some Aveeno on her face and did a marvellous job – I think she’s got it!

Aveeno’s website is here

We were sent a selection of Aveeno products to use.

by jo

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Turns 45

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is older than me – just. It’s a book I’m more than familiar with, what with H owning at least three copies of it since birth. Did you know that in 2014 The Very Hungry Caterpillar turned 45?

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar needs no introduction – Eric Carle’s favourite has been an essential book in a child’s collection for such a long time now – 45 years to be precise. I grew up with it, and now H is too. Did you know that last year a copy of the book was sold every 150 seconds on average in the UK?

Turning 45 is a big deal. You get nice things made which commemorate that birthday – and The Very Hungry Caterpillar is no exception! We were sent a selection of goodies. Being sensible I passed a few on to Karen for the boys next door, and kept the ones I knew H would love.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

We got a lot of play with The Very Hungry Caterpillar Strawberry Shaped Chalkers – a.k.a. outdoor chalks. We had a funny old summer this year with a bit of rain, and I was pleased to see that the chalk didn’t wash out straight away – in fact, on walls where H had drawn the chalk stayed for a good couple of weeks which makes these chalks really good value. They do wash off, they just have much more staying power! They have a rrp of £9.99 and are available at John Lewis.

Any crafty creative type will enjoy playing with The Very Hungry Caterpillar Stamper Set – with a rrp of £9.95 and available at John Lewis, there are six stamps from the book, with coloured ink pads. H has enjoyed playing with them and creating pictures!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Bubble Bath was a favourite too – it comes with a rrp of £3.50, and available from Waitrose and Fenwicks. H has delicate skin and this was ideal for her – nice and gentle and no reactions to it. My only complaint? She loved it so much we used it up super fast as she kept insisting on having baths!  There’s also a handwash (rrp £3.50) which encouraged her to wash her hands rather a lot!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar toothbrush was a good size for H – she’s at that in-between stage where she has gaps in her teeth and is moving up into bigger sizes, but does still have a small mouth. The brush was bright and colourful and yet another incentive to get her teeth cleaned – she loves a good toothbrush! It has a rrp of £3.50 and is available from Waitrose and Fenwicks.

I thought our days of having plates with sections for food would be over, but The Very Hungry Caterpillar Melamine divided plate is brilliant – perfect for H when she doesn’t want her rice and vegetables all mixed up, and it’s dishwasher-friendly too – top shelf only, mind! We use it almost every night and while she likes to consider herself grown up, it’s the kind of plate which is very useful even for older kids. I’ve also noticed she’s started to get fussy about food – something she never really was. Having it sectioned at times seems to make it more appealing for her. It has a rrp of £7.95 and is available at John Lewis.

We were also sent a drinks bottle which is a good size and comes with the new(er) twister tops that I’ve noticed bottles seem to have. I also noticed that it didn’t leak very much at all. It comes with a rrp of £7.99 and is available from Amazon.

We passed on the following to Jacob and Oscar next door, and from what I’ve heard they’ve had a lot of fun! The Very Hungry Caterpillar Numbers Peel and Stick Wall Art is something I’d have loved to try because they’re re-peelable wall stickers, but H’s walls are pretty full at the moment, so we gave them to a good home. Having the numbers and fruit is a nice idea – it will help a child learn to count as well (exactly like the book does). Lovely! It has a rrp of £8.00 and is available from John Lewis and Amazon.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Pull Out Pop Up Book is a smaller version of the book, but with enough to it a young child who may like to wreck a book has things to pull and put their fingers through. I liked it and wished we had one for when H was a baby, as our pop-up book got a bit destroyed when she was at that stage. It has a rrp of £5.99 and is available at Amazon and all good gift shops worldwide. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Cloth Book is a baby essential – the story is there and it’s in a gentle cloth book, ideal for babies who want colours and a book they can hold comfortably – I loved it! It comes with a rrp of £10.99 and is available from Amazon and all good bookstores.

We received all these Very Hungry Caterpillar goodies for the purpose of review – thank you!

by jo

Project 365 – Week 2

A back to normal kind of week – back to work, back to school, back to normality again. Christmas tree back in the loft one, and waiting for the tooth fairy to pay a visit which felt like it would never happen. So, onwards…

Sunday 4th Jan – H had an invite to a schoolfriends’ football party at Sutton Arena. There was an athletics display on too (which we all spent more time watching while the kids ate) – but no parking so Shaun had to park several streets away. But they have these bumpers at the crossing as we headed back to the car – how cool?

A photo posted by Jo Brooks (@mumfriendlyjo) on

Monday 5th Jan. I was back to work but H had an inset day, or as we like to call it, an Insect Day. She corrects us every time. She had a movie afternoon, and chose Annie. I made it my job to make sure H has plenty of good DVDs to watch which I enjoy too 🙂

A photo posted by Jo Brooks (@mumfriendlyjo) on

Tuesday 6th. Back to normal, back to work, school, everything. I got in and started removing decorations from the tree, tried to move the tree and spilt water on the carpet. Oops! But it was packed up and going. It had gone by Saturday. There is now a big empty space.

A photo posted by Jo Brooks (@mumfriendlyjo) on

Wednesday 7th Jan – H’s first copy of Anorak Magazine turned up. She has three magazine subscriptions and I love them all; Okido which is a present from her Auntie, Storytime and now Anorak which are presents from me as they’re FABULOUS magazines. It’s opening a whole new world to her, where magazines aren’t full of ads and are full of wonderful content, with stories, activities and fun things. I’m so glad we’ve done it. My first magazines were Twinkle and Bunty, and if I can get her enjoying content and creating things like I did, I’m doing something right. 

A photo posted by Jo Brooks (@mumfriendlyjo) on

Thursday 8th Jan – The mornings and nights are getting lighter, but will I get home on a Thursday before it gets dark? Just… Wednesday had a really light morning followed by a dark one on Thursday. Friday was light again, I’m just confused.

A photo posted by Jo Brooks (@mumfriendlyjo) on

Friday 9th Jan – We played ‘Labyrinth’ by Ravensburger games tonight – H got it for Christmas. I won. She was not happy, even though she finished the move after me. She’s a terrible loser, but this year I’m going to make sure I don’t let her win, as she’s getting better at accepting other people might get there before her. Phew.

A photo posted by Jo Brooks (@mumfriendlyjo) on

Saturday 10th Jan. We have been waiting for nearly two weeks for the wobbly tooth to come out – H even told me that she was friends with it on Facebook. She has a paper phone with an F on it, you see. FINALLY it came out with a bit of help and bribery from me. She has another wobbly tooth which is probably a week or two (or a month going on this one) away, and an adult tooth coming through at last. She had her front tooth extracted in hospital a year and a half ago. I’m relieved as I was convinced it would come out at school – one less worry there!

A photo posted by Jo Brooks (@mumfriendlyjo) on

TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

by jo

Big City Explorer by Maggie Li

Occasionally we’re sent books which are absolutely perfect with H’s development and interests. Big City Explorer is one of those. Maggie Li who illustrates it is also the Art Director of one of our favourite magazines, Okido!

big city explorer

Big City Explorer is a different kind of book. A journey around the world, visiting 28 different cities.

Each double page is dedicated to a city around the world and is beautifully illustrated. Being the global traveller H is, she has an interest in the world, especially due to her dual nationality. She has found facts about cities we’ve stopped by and enjoyed learning about them (including that Singapore isn’t just a city, it’s actually a small country). There’s information like currency, language and population as well as lots of pictures, interesting buildings and places.

Facts are broken down into a readable style which makes learning interesting, plus the illustrations are lovely and clear. For Christmas we’ve bought H the wonderful Maps book by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski and this is a great accompaniment.

big city explorer

What makes this book really unique is the compass. It needs to be removed from the front cover, then on most pages you’re told which direction to point it in for the next page – for example, from Sydney to Tokyo ‘set your compass to north’ – simple enough directions to help a child learn directions. At the end of the book is a Super City Match Up game, where you can identify buildings that you’ll have come across throughout the book as well.

On the contents page of Big City Explorer everything is colour coded into continents as well which helps with learning where cities are in the world. Maggie Li’s illustrations capture the spirit of each city, and H has enjoyed learning about different places around the world.

If your child has an interest in cities of the world, this would make a fabulous present. If your child loves Okido magazine, you definitely need this book! Big City Explorer is published by Pavilion Books, and retails for £11.99.

We were sent Big City Explorer by Maggie Li for the purpose of review, all opinions are our own. The jpeg at the end links to Amazon via an affiliate link.

by jo

Chessington in the Rain

Chessington World of Adventures is just 30 minutes up the road for us, and is somewhere we’ve never been – that was until we bought a Merlin Pass, which started today. Of course, it was pouring down for most of the day, and while the whole park isn’t open until March, we did wonder if it was possible to still have fun, so here’s my review of Chessington in the rain!

Chessington World of Adventures

Chessington in the rain is probably not the first thing on someone’s mind when thinking of something to do on a rainy day. We would have gone the following day except H has a party – and really, we were curious what was there. It’s all well and good looking at maps online but you only really get a feel for a place once you’re there. As Premium Merlin Pass holders we could do lots of things at no extra cost, though actually to be fair there’s only a few hours in the day you can do it anyway, so most things were achieved!

chessington in the rain

We spent the bulk of our sheltered time in two places – the All-You-Can-Eat buffet (which came in at £20 with our Merlin discounts) and the SeaLife area which looks small, but packs a lot into the space – and which we enjoyed very much. Add to that a discount in the shop afterwards and I can see how we’ll end up making our money back on our passes once the season gets into full swing.

3- jellyfish

SeaLife – deceptively small, and plenty inside, including jellyfish, which I love watching. The stingrays got pretty close too, and H got to put her hand in the water to have a shrimp tickle her hand which she started off nervous about, and found it quite fun in the end.

sealife tickly shrimp

We wandered around the grounds – most shops were open, and the remnants of the Christmas displays were still out – Christmas songs over the speakers, which I know will change in a day or two when it will just be Zoo Days. The monkey area at Amazu (which also had the most gorgeous of capybara’s) also has the treetop walk, which H slipped over in – Shaun kept her company up there, but with it being wet the slide was closed, so they didn’t stay there too long.

There were reindeer although we missed the meet and greet, and donut stands which couldn’t keep up with the demand (always a good excuse to tell a cold and tired five year old when she’s desperate for some), as well as a Gruffalo show at the Africa Stage which lasted for around 25 minutes.

gruffalo chessington in the rain

We arrived around midday and stayed until closing at 3pm – it was nice to get a feel of the place, and actually, Chessington in the rain is absolutely fine – there really is plenty under cover to do. There was a lot more we could have done as well, we’ll be back to do that as soon as we can!

Chessington’s website is here

by jo

Project 365

I start it every year and fall away mid-February, so I figured if I do it here and have it as a snapshot of our daily lives (even if it’s just showing what H is playing with), then I can do it! So, Project 365 – a photo for every day of the year. I probably take a photo most days, I’m just bad at keeping on top of things.

So without further ado, here’s my photos for January 2015 so far…

1st January. Happy New Year! A lazy day. A really lazy day. Watching Mary Poppins on tv despite us owning it on DVD. We only got half way through before we had a visit from one of H’s new school friends for an hour or so. Anyway, it gave H the perfect excuse to start to read the Mary Poppins book I won on Facebook last year.

A photo posted by Jo Brooks (@mumfriendlyjo) on

2nd January. We always go to the seaside at New Year. We decided to go on Friday this year as it was sunny and ten degrees, especially as we felt we need Vitamin D. Eastbourne it was, and we got there in time for plenty of sun, a walk on the pier and afternoon tea half way down the pier before wandering back to the car. Lovely. We drove up to Beachy Head and caught sunset at Birling Gap which was beautiful – but cold! We’re definitely going back when it’s warmer for some fossil hunting. 

A photo posted by Jo Brooks (@mumfriendlyjo) on

3rd January. Our Merlin Premium Passes came into effect as of today, so we headed to Chessington World of Adventures which is only 30 minutes down the road. It was cold, but lots of things were open – including SeaLife which is almost always a safe bet, especially when cold. With it being so close we know we can head back, and it’s so easy to get to with several routes there. In SeaWorld there are, of course, jellyfish. My favourites.

3- jellyfish

TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

by jo

Aladdin at the Secombe Theatre, Sutton

I love panto season, and for a long time now I’ve been desperate to take H to one. She has been to productions at school, but I fear those are watered down versions suitable for younger audiences – all fine, but we need proper pantomimes in our lives! Polka Dot Pantomimes have brought their production of Aladdin to the Secombe Theatre in Sutton, and today we went to see it.

Aladdin at the Secombe Theatre

Aladdin is a good safe pantomime to produce. The story works well and the more audience participation you can work into it the better. H had been excited all week, wondering how the genie would get out of the lamp – and it didn’t disappoint.

We made our way to the Secombe Theatre, our biggest local theatre in the Borough of Sutton, which has been under threat of closure (as has the Charles Cryer Theatre in Carshalton) – and what struck me was how the theatre *should* have had more people in there – where are people going? Why aren’t people making the trip? Especially when it’s an excellent production at a really reasonable price. Don’t get me wrong, the theatre wasn’t empty, but it wasn’t full either.

Aladdin was loads of fun. I’m a fairly harsh critic when it comes to pantomimes – being from York I spent almost every December in my childhood (and teenage, and later years) going to the York Panto – a long-term production by Berwick Kaler. You need a good dame and villain, slapstick, lots of audience participation, the old catchphrases and of course topically re-worded songs from current pop hits even indie snobs like me will have heard of as well as the obligatory singsong at the end. Aladdin had all these – and the cast did a marvellous job! Berwick Kaler has been on the BBC this week talking about the hard work behind a panto dame, and I’d agree – they carry the show.

Aladdin Secombe

H didn’t take long to warm up, once she got her head around shouting at the stage a lot (or booing) she was in her element. Behind us was Rosie and Boo who were having a brilliant time as well. Big brownie points go to Aladdin and Princess Jasmine singing ‘Love is an Open Door’ from Frozen, which H was beaming through – no lyric changes needed. In the second half the flying carpet sequence was nice and simple but had her captivated.

The baddie was a GREAT baddie – he played the part perfectly. There was the obligatory water fight (water pistols squirting us, the audience – hilarious!), plenty of ‘IT’S BEHIND YOU!’s and just everything that makes a proper old school panto feel right. Oh and of course, asking the audience for their opinion and having several under tens tell you exactly what you should do, just for the cast to completely ignore it and do the opposite (well, it wouldn’t be a panto if you didn’t)!

aladdin magic wand

The humour worked on both levels – not too confusing for the kids, plenty of gags about Sutton, Cheam and Morden, and plenty of laughs for five year olds too. Merch-wise, programmes were £2.50 and the sparkly light options were £4 each – not too bad at all, and H loves hers!

Widow Twankey was excellent – as were Wishy Washy and the Genie. In fact, everyone was great. I have no complaints, and found it was a fine production. The final word goes to H though – “it was AMAZING!!”

I just hope the Secombe Theatre stays open so that productions like this can continue for future generations to enjoy.

Polka Dot Pantomimes have many productions up and down the country – check them out!

We were provided with free tickets for this performance. All opinions are my own. OH yes they are.

by jo

A Healthy Me – December

This month has been pretty rubbish, health-wise. I’m at the end of a six-week cold which has been pretty horrendous – pulled muscles, pulled back and twisted pelvis are three of the things which came with it; it hasn’t been much fun. Plus – it never seems to actually go away. Oh, and I lost my sense of smell and taste for three weeks too.

The worst thing has been my back. A violent cough knocked it out – I went to my old Osteopath to get clicked back into place so I could move again, which worked, but the coughing just meant I pulled muscles in my abdomen instead or just felt like my internal organs were popping out of my ribs – it was horrible. I’ve since found a new Osteopath and we’re taking a different approach. This time we’re looking at my body as a whole, and I believe it’s working and helping a lot. My next appointment is three weeks away now which is the biggest gap we’ve had between treatments (my bank balance is relieved). I’ve also got myself referred to a specialist for an MRI to look at my back. The colonoscopy is also booked for the new year.

Food – My biggest change has been my breakfast, having just pineapple and apple to boost my vitamin intake. I’ve noticed something because of this – my cholesterol spots seem to be going! This is a BIG thing, as when I asked my doctor about them, I was told I was stuck with them for life – to find that an even healthier diet could make them disappear is really motivating me – they WILL go away.

One little matter which has raised it’s head again, the old pelvic floor. Keeping my fluids up and coughing so violently has led to me keeping various companies in business on the old leakage front. Tena Lights now exist and you no longer feel like you’re walking around with a brick between your legs keeping your dignity intact. They’re really quite good.

Swimming/gym – I have had my induction at the gym. I can use the machines now – I started off gently with some cycling, a bit of cross training and some weights, but haven’t made it back since as I feel so tired. Five weeks of a cold with broken sleep and I need a proper rest – I’ll have plenty of time for that over Christmas – plus I can do it after eating my tea, rather than having to hold off with swimming. I feel like things are taking a turn for the better.

So yes, 2014 didn’t end that well, but I’m hoping 2015 will bring me answers and a much healthier me. I still weigh 13 stone 2 as well, despite this cold.

by jo

Annie – Coming to a Cinema near you SOON!

Since I can remember I’ve loved musicals. My favourite film is The Sound of Music, and throughout the seventies and eighties many musicals became a part of my life. In 1982 the first Annie film was made, a film I was almost quite obsessed with, despite the difference to the stage play. In 2014 a new version of Annie hits cinemas, in fact, previews start next weekend (December 19th), and they’ve modernised it.

Annie Logo

Annie, the film with the curly haired little orphaned redhead has been updated. I really wanted to hate it – I generally do when this kind of thing happens – I’m not a fan of change. But then I saw the first trailer. Then the second. The third. I held my hands up – I surrender, from these impressions it looks like they’ve done a brilliant job, even with Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz) talking about Facebook, and them having to change the lyrics of some songs (fair enough).

Emma Thompson is involved! Just with the modernising, mind. Y’see, Annie is quite different. Everything is different. But if you’re going to do different, do it well.

The cast are –
Jamie Foxx as Will Stacks (the man we knew as Daddy Warbucks)
Quvenzhané Wallis as Annie
Rose Byrne as Grace
Bobby Cannavale as Guy
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Nash
David Zayas as Lou
Cameron Diaz as Miss Hannigan

Here’s the press release :

A Broadway classic that has delighted audiences for generations comes to the big screen with a new, contemporary vision in Columbia Pictures’ comedy, Annie. Director/Producer/Screenwriter Will Gluck teams with producers James Lassiter, Will Gluck, Jada Pinkett Smith & Will Smith, Caleeb Pinkett, Shawn “JAY Z” Carter, Laurence “Jay” Brown, Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith with a modern telling that captures the magic of the classic characters and original show that won seven Tony Awards. Celia Costas and Alicia Emmrich serve as Executive Producers. The screenplay is by Will Gluck and Aline Brosh McKenna, based on the musical stage play “Annie,” book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and on “Little Orphan Annie,” © and ® Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Academy Award® nominee Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) stars as Annie, a young, happy foster kid who’s also tough enough to make her way on the streets of New York in 2014. Originally left by her parents as a baby with the promise that they’d be back for her someday, it’s been a hard knock life ever since with her mean foster mom Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz). But everything’s about to change when the hard-nosed tycoon and New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) – advised by his brilliant VP, Grace (Rose Byrne) and his shrewd and scheming campaign advisor, Guy (Bobby Cannavale) – makes a thinly-veiled campaign move and takes her in. Stacks believes he’s her guardian angel, but Annie’s self-assured nature and bright, sun-will-come-out-tomorrow outlook on life just might mean it’s the other way around.

All being well we’ll be watching Annie next weekend, with a review to follow! The updated soundtrack is released on Monday – we have it preordered, but I’m waiting until Christmas Day before H gets it! (affiliate link)

by jo

Christmas at Kew

Every year we try to do something a bit different for Christmas. While H still believes, it’s about finding good Father Christmases, but as she gets older it’s also about finding things for us parents too – so this year we bought tickets for Christmas at Kew.

Christmas at Kew

Christmas at Kew lives within Kew Gardens, a place we’ve only been once before (which is shameful!) – we knew there would be plenty of walking and it would be a cold night, so wrapped up warm to make the drive.

I have to say, Christmas at Kew isn’t well signposted from the Mortlake direction. I know, I know, you should know where Kew Gardens are, and we did – we just missed the turning to had to do a u-turn on the bridge. Once parked there was plenty of space (we booked in for 6.30) and we were in the grounds quickly, heading for the lit-up pathway which takes you around the park.

My memories of Kew got muddled with a few other places (like Wisley) but the trail was easy enough to follow – we headed straight for food and bought calzone pizza at £5.50 each – take plenty of cash with you! There were hot drinks stalls and snack (biscuits, marshmallows, doughnuts) stands around the gardens, but we stuck to the drinks.

Christmas at Kew

Father Christmas was a bit of a walk, and once we were there, there was quite a long queue. They do allow everyone in groups of 20 so be prepared to wait (we had 10-15 minutes) in the cold – it was about three degrees! Once we were inside, a Christmas Elf kept us entertained until it was our turn to go in. Father Christmas handed all the children a well wrapped book (one we don’t have), and while there was no individual photo opportunity, it was still fantastic. Coming out of the Grotto, you’re right by the butterflies – ohhh the warmth! You just turn up to Father Christmas and it costs £4.

Aside from that, alot of Christmas at Kew is walking around the grounds – things you would recognise in daylight look different in the dark, which made it enjoyable for all of us. H got to say a Christmas wish into a lantern, which you could pay £2.50 to keep, or it could be lit and put on the wishing tree for free. We went for the latter, mainly as we were rushing to Santa’s Grotto (which was in the Princess of Wales conservatory)!

The Palm House had a great light, fire and music display, while the lake at the front had a nice music and water fountain display – cue lots of “wowwwwww!!!”s From H – she loved it.

Seeing the grounds all lit up, and having a funfair was a great idea too. H went on the Helter Skelter and Carousel – both were £2 with the Helter Skelter price including Shaun to accompany her and slide down. There were lots of food choices, though less vegetarian options other than inside the main cafe.

Christmas at Kew

We left, pretty cold but happy. We had a wonderful time and if you’re reading this and are set to go, the main advice I can offer is – wrap up warm, and take enough cash with you! You do keep moving around but there aren’t that many warm places other than indoors. H loved Santa and I was impressed with how they did it – each child got a gift and had a huge smile on their face. I could smell the mulled wine (hurrah! My sense of smell must be returning!) and enjoyed a hot chocolate while walking around.

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall