Bucket List

You don't have to spend a lot of money to create wonderful memories for children. Just quality time and lots of love.

I've been thinking of things I want to do with the kids, some of the things I remember doing as a child. And these are my favourite of my childhood memories. 

So here it is, My list of things I want to do with the Kids before they become adults. I'll add to it as things come to me and tick off what we do. 

*Visit London

*Go on the London Eye

*Buckingham Palace

*Picnic in Hyde Park

*Buy a big British hat and pop up map, and get in the map.

*Play Pooh Sticks

*Skim Stones

*Rock Pooling

*BBQ on the Beach

*Climb Rivington Peak

*Roll Easter Eggs down Avenham Park

* Enter Easter Egg Decorating Competitions

*Watch the Sunset from Blackpool Pier with a bag of chips

*Liverpool Docks

*Duck Marine

*Ferry on the Mersey

*Edinborough Castle

*Visit Lanark Loch 

*Road Trip to France

*Visit Lands End

*Camping in a Tent

*Paddling in a River

*Butlins Holidays

*Beacon Fell

*Martin Mere

*Adventures in the Woods

*Visit a Diary Farm

*Visit Petting Farm

*Central Perk Coffee Shop (Liverpool)

*Walk along river in Chester

*Boat on the River in Chester

I hope I provide you with some inspiration, please comment and leave me some ideas and inspiration x

Thomas Land - My Favourite Photo.

We took Oliver to Thomas Land at Drayton Manor a couple of weeks ago for his birthday. 

He loved it...

This is my Favourite Photo from the day (and trust me, I took loads).

This is when Oliver first realised where he was. He saw Thomas and got very excited! He was hopping from one foot to the other, jumping up and down and shouting Hello Thomas! I think I filled up at how happy we made our Big Man! 

The rides where fantastic! There was only 2 rides Oliver wasn't allowed on and 1 more that Ava wasn't allowed on, but there was plenty of rides that they were allowed on. 

We took Percy to the Spencer Play Area. 

Had a play and our picnic and went on the Dinosaur Trail, then took Thomas back to the main theme park. 

We saw Cranky..

And the Fat Controller...

We met Toby and Rosie and Gordon...

All in all, we had a fantastic day! I would definately recommend it if you have a little Thomas Fanatic!

I thought Thomas Land alone was worth the money we paid to get in, but you have full access to the whole of Drayton Manor and Drayton Manor Zoo. 

We booked online a week before we went and paid...

Adults £20

Oliver (3years old) £5

Ava (under 2) Free

Car Park £3

But don't forget the M6 toll which we had to use to get there..£5.50 each way. 

Vicki x

Ava's OOTD

Blue Demin Tunic and Pink Legging Set

From Primark £8. 

Sofia The First Slippers

From Asda £6.

The A-Z of Me

A) I have a beautiful daughter. Her name is AVA.

B) One of my favourite past times as a child is Baking with my Nana. We used to bake Fairy Cakes every Tuesday or Saturday. I enjoy introducing my babies to baking. So far we have made gingerbread.

C) Chocolate is my biggest weakness. I find it almost impossible to say no to Chocolate.

D) I love Disney! Probably more than the average six year old. My favourite holiday ever was Disney World in Florida. When I was 25 years old!

E) I have two Half Sisters, one called Emma and one called Emily. I don't see  Emily but I'm very close to Emma.

F) My favourite TV show is Friends. I've probably watched every episode about twenty time but could still watch it over and over. My favourite episode is when Ross and Rachel finally get together "see he's her lobster"

G) When I was younger I believed that Gnomes came to life at night (a little like Gnomeo and Juliet) 

H) I am a Home bird. Home is my favourite place in the world. 

I) I am very rarely ILL but when I am, I am. I'm useless and take to my bed. 

J) My Nana Jose is my rock! I don't know where I would be without her. I dread the day she is no longer. 

K) I have a massive box of Keepsakes for my babies and I Keep everything from shoes clothes photos, leaflets of days out. 

L) I am in Love with my wonderful Fiancé. As much as when we first met! I believe it's for the long haul!

M) I didn't used to get on with my Mum, usual teenage rebellion. Now I love her to pieces and don't know what I'd do with out her. 

N) I work in a Nursing home. I love my job. Not many say that but I do. 

O) My Beautiful Handsome Son is called Oliver.

P) I am from Preston. I think it's a lovely place but the traffic is horrendous! (And I don't even drive)

Q) My favourite Quote is, "Always Remember you are Braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem and Smarter than you think" from Winnie The Pooh. AA Milne. 

R) I love Reading. It is one of my favourite hobbies. I can get completely lost in a good book and lose track of time. 

S) Spring is my favourite season. Summer is too hot and winter is too cold. I like the in between seasons.

T) When I was younger my favourite Teacher was Mrs Clayton. Unfortunately I found out she passed away from Cancer, a few years after I left the school. 

U) I've been to University but dropped out. I hope to return one day.

V) My name is Victoria. I don't like it.

W) I was picked on at Primary School. One girl used to go round telling everyone I was a Witch, because I wore tights so that people wouldn't see my pointy toes! It's laughable now but at the time it wasn't.

X) In music class I often played the xlophone. 

Y) Yellow is probably one of my least favourite colours. 

Z) Zzz I Love my Zzz's. 

That was hard!

Now it's your turn whoever wants to do it.

Vic x

Tips for getting Toddlers to eat Veg

Toddlers are fussy little eaters. And mine are no exception! I did my best to get him to like vegetables. Oliver was weaned on a wide variety of different vegatables. He loved broccoli, broccoli was his favourite along with carrots swede turnips. 

At one time he loved mash potato, every meal had to have mash with it, then all of a sudden over night he refused mash, Wouldn't even look at it. One day he'll eat all his meat and not touch his potatoes, next it's his potatoes and not his meat. One day he loves pasta next he

Won't touch the stuff. One day he loves rice next it's all over the floor!

Same with my little lady, one day she loves peas, she will pick them up one by one and eat them one by one and clear her plate then all of a sudden she doesn't want them and they're all over the floor in disgust at giving them to her. She loves broccoli at the moment though. 

Oliver loves fruit and hates veg, and Ava is the opposite.

Can never win!

I have picked up a few tricks in my attempt to get veg down them. 

If I make a spag Bol/ lasagne, risotto, text I pack it full of grated veg such as courgettes, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms and butternut squash, so that it's spoon easy to eat.

I find that homemade soups such as...

Leek and Potato

Carrot and Butternut Squash

Mushroom...

Go down a treat with some Kingsmill Tasty Whole meal Toast.

My kids also seem to like raw veg such as carrot sticks and yellow peppers to chomp on throughout the day. 

I also change the size of the pieces I give depending on changing moods. 

I don't let them think they've got away with not eating veg. Even when I packy spag Bol full of grated veg I will stick some more on the side and try and insist that they eat it. 

I would love to hear more suggestions on feeding fussy toddlers so get in touch.

Vicki and Family x

Quick and Easy Slimming World Tea

Slimming World Chips

(Syn Free)

Peel and Cut potatoes into chips, place in a pan of water and bring to the boil, simmer for 5-10 mins then drain and place on a baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and spray with fry lite. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and cook in oven for 30-45mins.

Poached Chicken

(Syn Free)

Dissolve two chicken stock cubes in a pan of boiling water and place in the chicken breasts. Turn down and simmer for 20mins.

Steamed Veg

(Speed)

Mushy Pea Gravy

(Syn Free)

Melt one chicken stock cube into 200ml of boiling water mix with one can of mushy peas and simmer for 3-5 mins.

(Tastes like gravy on top of veg)

Verdict

I loved it!

Kids, Oliver ate his chips and chicken

Ava ate her chips and broccoli and few pieces of chicken. 

Beauty Tips on a Budget - #1 - Spots

I am a 30odd year old mummy and I still get spots!

These are my tricks I have learnt over the years on treating, getting rid and covering up spots. 

I am by no means a beauty expert - this is just what ive picked up and leant over the years that works for me. 

Most of my spots are either hormonal and pop up at a certain time of the month or due to forgetting to take my makeup off. I know - one of the worst sins in beauty (slap my wrists now) but it happens quite a bit due to falling asleep on the sofa most nights and only waking up enough to crawl upstairs have a pee, brush my teeth and crawl into bed. 

So here are the products I use...

St Ives fresh skin Apricot Scrub

Sudocrem (yes! The nappy rash cream)

Nivea face cream depending on the time of day, either the daily express hydration primer or the regenerating Night Cream.

Rimmel BB Cream

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer

Collections Loose Powder.

Firstly when I get a spot/spots, I use the StIves Apricot Scrub and scrub at the area with my fingers to take off the spot if possible. Then I pat dry with a towel and apply a big dollops of sudocrem to the area. If I'm staying in I will leave a big dollop on my face, (unless my babies come and lick it off my face) adding more when I go to bed. 

If I am going out I will take off the sudocrem when I start to get ready and moisturise with my Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer,  not neglecting the spot area. I find that moisturising the actual spot doesn't make it worse and makes the skin Softer for the next time I scrub at it and more likely to come off. 

Next step is to conceal, I don't have a favourite concealer but Rimmels wake me up concealer in soft beige, is the one I'm using at the moment and I do like it. To me a concealer is a concealer, of it conceals then great of it doesn't then find another. This one works for me. Over my

Concealer I use my Rimmel BB cream in light and then over the top of that I put a touch of loose powder to set it all

In place. 

That is my beauty tip on getting rid of spots or just covering them up. Hope I've given some tips and advice...I would love to hear yours... Xxx