Monday 29 June 2015

Record Breakers

Record Breakers

We had a great time at the weekend as we were lucky enough to win a family ticket from FunKids Radio for the Barclaycard British Summer Time Event at Hyde Park on Sunday.


We got up bright and early and headed down to London arriving shortly after the gates had opened, once we had collected the tickets we had a wander around looking at everything that was going on and planning our day. Despite the pouring rain there was still lots to do and thousands of people there.

I wanted to watch Brainiac Live so we all went there but before the show had even got started properly there was a loud explosion which frightened Lottie, she hung on for a few more minutes but then they said if you don't like loud bangs it wasn't the show for you so she decided it was best to leave (with her hands firmly over her ears!) Her, Mum and baby Sam went off and left me and Dad to the science. It was amazing- they did load of different experiments and blew lots of things up, including balloons with different gases in. They also tried to see how many times they could spin round in a chair in 15 seconds. The first time they did it normally, the second time with a fire extinguisher and the third time with a fire extinguisher and a jet pack- it was really cool! You can see it at this link-


We then went to meet up with the others and found them at the main stage. We were just in time to join in with the record breaking attempt- they were going to see if they could have the most amount of people singing live on a radio broadcast so thousands of people joined in singing 'Let It Go' and it was broadcast on FunKids. It was very official as there was a representative from The Guiness Book of Records and lots of people checking it was being done properly, we then just had to wait to see if we had actually broken the record.


Next on was Justin Fletcher who Lottie really wanted to see as she loves Mr Tumble and is learning BSL. I thought he might be just for younger children but he was really funny. He did some signing, loads of songs and actions and also managed to get covered custard pies. 


By now the sun had come out and it had become a lovely day. Next on was Peppa and George for Lottie so she went with Dad to hear a story and we went on the hunt for some treats to eat, on the way back we saw the thing I had been waiting for coming out... Titan the Robot. I have already seen him twice but he is amazing- it is a huge robot guided by some kind of sensors and he sings, talks, moves, cries and loads more. I was really glad we managed to see him again. I would love to have a robot like that. I might draw a picture of my own dream robot and put it on here soon!

We spent some time doing other activities and having some rides on the fairground and then it was time to go home. There were going to be some concerts in the evening but we knew it would take two hours to get home and I had to be at school in the morning so we couldn't stay to watch them. Maybe next time...

We had a really great day though and would definitely like to go again next year. Oh and this morning before school we tuned in to FunKids to hear the crowd singing Let It Go and found out the attempt had broken the record. We think it is quite cool to be part of the record breakers! 


Thursday 25 June 2015

The Parent Agency Review and Giveaway

The Parent Agency by David Baddiel

A Review and a Competition

Poor Barry... Boring parents, annoying goody two-shoes twin sisters, not being allowed to play video games and being called Barry- just a few things from Barry's list of complaints about his family.

Imagine if you could choose your own Mum and Dad though- what type would you choose? Rich, famous, fit, cool or something completely different? 

When Barry arrives at The Parent Agency he discovers he is able to choose any of the parents on their list and to top it off he can have the birthday party he has always dreamed of. What could possibly go wrong?

 

This book is very funny and has a bit of a twist. I liked the way the children's world was a copy of ours but different- the Parent Agency is based in Youngdon which has landmarks like the Shard Skelter, Marbles Arch and the Play-houses of Parliment. Some of the characters are really hilarious and lots are very strange. I like the way the story flowed from one set of parents to the next.

This was a great book for children age 7-12, I read it in no time at all and didn't really want to put it down- you will definitely want to know what Barry decides in the end. The chapters were a good length (not too short but not so long that you get bored!) and whilst this is very much a proper book I didn't find it difficult to read by myself. Although I did also enjoyed listening to a few of the chapters read by my Mum to me- mainly because it was funny to hear her say 'Bum, bum, bum' when Barry has found out he can be as rude as he likes with his cool parents!

I think David Baddiel has done a great job with The Parent Agency, which is his first children's book. I can't wait to see what his next book is like.

If you like the sound of The Parent Agency why not try to win yourself a copy in our competition, or if you can't wait to read it you can buy it here-  http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Parent-Agency-David-Baddiel/dp/0007554508

David Baddiel seems to have lots of other ideas for great parents, watch him here  http://youtu.be/sUMyICBQ7uc and let us know what type you would like best? I love the idea of parents who can fly!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday 23 June 2015

Party Planning

Party Planning


Birthdays are big things in our house. My Dad says it is because my Mum's birthday is near Christmas so she always makes a fuss when it is ours as she always felt lots of people forgot hers when she was little.


My 2nd birthday cake- Bob the Builder on the building site

It's not long until my sister has her 4th birthday and they are planning what to do for her party. I tried to help but my sister wasn't too keen on my ideas of a Nerf party or a football party and seems adamant it needs to be a Frozen party so I have gone back to planning my own birthday. Sadly even my Mum thinks more than 6 months before the birthday is too soon to plan the party. I don't agree as they have said this year I am going to do something smaller but special like going out with just a couple of friends so I really need to think carefully about what I would like to do.

In the past we have had parties at the village hall (age 1,2 and 4), hired out soft play centres (ages 3 and 5) visited the 'race room' for simulated driving and done the climbing wall (age 6) and been to Spy missions (age 7) so I know I have been really, really lucky but I can't help wishing I could have just one more proper party- there are so many things I would still like to do like the football party or the nerf party but perhaps it is now time to enjoy the party my little sister will have and perhaps one day, my baby brother's birthday parties- at least he might go for the football idea! Mum and Dad will still find a way to make my birthday special and I do have a little bit of time to decide who I want to spend the time with which is the most important thing.


Mastering the climbing wall at my 6th birthday party

In the meanwhile I will perhaps help with planning Lottie's 4th birthday party- they have decided a Frozen theme with a disco and lots of traditional party games. We have thought of pass the parcel, musical bumps, musical statues, sleeping lions, pass the balloon, limbo and an air guitar competition so far but Mum is worried that if some children don't like dancing they might be bored... do you have any great ideas for discos or traditional party games you like to play? 

We would love to know about the best birthday celebrations you have had for yourself or been invited to for somebody else.


My 4th Birthday cake- this one wasn't homemade!

Sunday 21 June 2015

My Favourite Cookies

My Favourite Cookies Recipe

As promised I thought I would share the recipe for the cookies we like to make- they are really quick and easy and taste delicious!

Ingredients

125g butter softened
125g caster sugar
100g light brown sugar
1 egg beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
225g self raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
125g chocolate chips 

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C and line two baking trays
Cream sugars and butters together and then mix in the egg and vanilla
Sift in flour and salt, then add the chocolate chips
Roll into walnut size balls and place on the baking tray, flatten then slightly with a fork
Cook for 10-12 minutes unless you prefer them a bit softer then about 8 minutes will do.
Leave to cool slightly and then tuck in.

YUM!



Saturday 20 June 2015

When I Grow Up...

When I Grow Up...


When I grow up I would like to be an engineer. My friend's Dad is an engineer and he does lots of interesting things with railways but I would like to build bridges.

I will have to work very hard to do this especially in maths and science.




Friday 19 June 2015

It's the Weekend!

It's the Weekend!

I am so glad it's Friday. It has been a really busy week and I am looking forward to a good rest.
This weekend I plan to chill out with a good book and have plenty to choose from- I have two Timmy Failure books, The Parent Agency by David Baddiel and also a manuscript from LoveReading4Kids all of which I will be reviewing on here soon- we also have a competition coming up to win both a copy of the new Timmy Failure book and a copy of The Parent Agency so keep an eye out for those.

I am also looking forward to our school fair this weekend- they normally have lots of fun games and plenty of sweets to win!

We are also hoping to go and pick up our new car this weekend and I can't wait to be able to get out and about again.

Finally I am looking forward to Father's Day when we will give Dad our home made gifts as well as the shop brought ones and cook him something yummy for breakfast. If anyone has any other good ideas of how they are going to spoil their Dad I would love to hear them.

My favourite reading spot... sadly this is on holiday though
so I won't be curling up here this weekend!

Protect Our Pets



Protect Our Pets

As a family we love our garden and are spending a lot of time this year trying to transform it from a jungle into somewhere safe for us all to play. 

We have always been aware that some plants are not suitable for animals- when we used to have rabbits we knew that rhubarb plants were very dangerous for them but we had never considered that any of the plants might be dangerous to our neighbour's cat or Luke's best friend's gorgeous puppy. 

We have spent a lot of time planting vegetables recently and have been really pleased with our efforts so imagine our surprise to learn that tomato plants are poisonous to dogs and cats. MORE TH>N have asked for our help spreading the word about the dangers in our gardens for cats and dogs- read on for their press release, I am sure there will be something that will surprise you, perhaps it is time for all of us to reconsider how best to protect our four legged friends.

HIDDEN GARDEN DANGERS FOR CATS AND DOGS

·       78% of British gardens contain plants that are toxic to cats and dogs.
·       One in three pet owners (31%) admit they have no idea if the plants and flowers in their gardens are toxic to pets.
·       Charlie Dimmock supports MORE TH>N Pet Safe campaign with launch of the world’s most dangerous garden to cats and dogs.

Millions of British gardens are potential death traps to cats and dogs. That’s according to new findings from MORE TH>N, which reveals that over three quarters (78%) of the nation’s gardens contain plants that are toxic to our furry friends[1].

With four in every five household gardens containing toxic plants, it’s no surprise that almost 10% of cats and dogs have ingested poisonous plants or flowers. Of those, 43% subsequently needed urgent veterinary care, while 15% sadly passed away[2].
Furthermore, according to the research, the most dangerous gardens are to be found in London and the South East (83%), followed by Wales (80%), the South West (79%), East Anglia (78%) and the West Midlands (77%).
Despite the clear and present dangers, there is a widespread ignorance of the perils gardens pose to animals, with one in every three pet owners (31%) admitting they have no idea if the plants and flowers in their gardens are toxic. The same number were unaware that plants could be poisonous to pets, while 71% of all pet owners cannot identify any of the symptoms of poisoning in their cat or dog.
The findings come as MORE TH>N launches a new Pet Safe campaign to raise awareness of the issue of cats and dogs being poisoned by common household plants and flowers – particularly timely given that pets are likely to spend more time outdoors over the next few months due to improving weather.
To kick start the campaign, MORE TH>N has commission RHS Gold medal winner, Ian Drummond to create the world’s most dangerous garden to cats and dogs.   Launched at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in London at the beginning of June, the garden will be taken to different locations throughout the capital by the charity Core Landscapes.
Far from being rare and exotic botanical specimens, all of the plants and flowers can be found in any home garden, public park or horticultural centre in Britain. A few of the plants on show include: Begonia, Buxus Pyramiden, Chrysanthemum, Clematis, Cordyline, Daisy, Dahlia, Elderberry, Foxglove, Grape plant, Hydrangea, Hedera Ivy, Lilies (variety), Cherry Laurel, Marigold, Nerium Oleander, Paeonia mix, Papaver Poppy, Tomato plant and Wisteria.

According to vet and consultant on the garden, Robert White-Adams, “As a nation of animal lovers we’ll do anything to not put our pets at harm. What this campaign reveals is the hidden dangers many of us wouldn’t even be aware of. Each plant has been chosen to show just how many common varieties can make our pets ill, or worse still, die if not treated immediately by a vet.”
In addition to raising general awareness of this issue, MORE TH>N is directly campaigning for plant producers, manufacturers of garden products and retailers to provide clearer labelling to help pet owners easily identify if items are safe or harmful to cats and dogs – something that 86% of cat and dog owners would like to see. For more information on the campaign petition please visit www.morethan.com/pet-insurance/news/most-poisonous-garden.
John Ellenger, Head of Pet Insurance at MORE TH>N, commented: “The MORE TH>N Pet Safe Campaign allows us to raise awareness of the dangers of plants that are poisonous to cats and dogs in an imaginative and memorable way. However, our new campaign is also about taking direct and immediate action – by both urging suppliers and retailers of garden plants and flowers to provide clear ‘pet safe’ labelling, while also better educating pet owners on the issue.

“Through this campaign we’ll be arming pet owners with the practical advice and information they need to identify safe and dangerous plants, to recognise the symptoms of poisoning – and what to do in that eventuality – and above all to reduce the likelihood of their beloved pets becoming ill in the first place.”

Pet owners can also win free pet friendly flower seeds via MORE TH>N’s social channels; www.facebook.com/morethan and www.twitter.com/morethan.

Why not learn more about the campaign with Charlie Dimmock -

Summary common toxic plant lists to avoid in the garden:

PLANT NAME
POISONOUS FOR CATS
POISONOUS FOR DOGS
ALOE VERA
AMARYLLIS (BULBS)
ANGELS TRUMPET (BRUGMANSIA)
APPLE (SEEDS)
APRICOTS (KERNELS)
ASPARAGUS FERN
AVOCADO (FRUIT, PITH, LEAVES)
AZALEA (ALL PARTS)
Rare
BABY’S BREATH
BEGONIA
BIRD OF PARADISE (PODS)
BISHOP’S WEED
BLEEDING HEART (DICENTRA FORMOSA)
BLUEBELL
BUXUS / BOX (ALL PARTS, MOSTLY LEAVES)
CARNATION
CLEMATIS (ALL PARTS)
CORDYLINE (GRASS PALM)
CROCUS (ALL)
CHRYSANTHEMUM (ALL PARTS)
CYCLAMEN (FOLIAGE, FLOWERS, STEMS)
DAFFODIL (ALL PARTS)
DAISY
DAHLIA
DAPHNE (BERRIES, BARK, LEAVES)
DEADLY NIGHTSHADE
DELPHINIUM (ALL PARTS ESPECIALLY THE SPROUTS)
ELEPHANTS EARS (LEAVES, STEMS, ROOTS)
ELDERBERRY (LEAVES, BARK, ROOTS AND BUDS)
EUCALYPTUS (ALL PARTS)
FOXGLOVE / DIGITALIS (LEAVES, STEMS, FLOWERS, SEEDS)
GARLIC
GARDENIA
GERANIUM (ALL PARTS)
GLADIOLA (BULBS)
GRAPE PLANT/VINE
N/a
HELLEBORE
HIBISCUS
HOLLY (LEAVES, BERRIES & STEMS)
Rare
HOSTA
Rare
HYACINTH (BULBS, LEAVES, FLOWERS)
HYDRANGEA (ALL PARTS)
IRIS (BULBS)
IVY (ALL SPECIES – LEAVES, BERRIES)
Rare
JAPANESE YEW (NEEDLES, SEEDS, BARK)
Rare
LABURNUM (LEAVES AND SEEDS)
LARKSPUR (ALL PARTS)
LILLIES (ALL PARTS)
N/a
LIME
LILY OF THE VALLEY (ALL PARTS)
LEOPARD LILY
N/a
LOBELIA
LUPIN (ALL PARTS)
Rare
Rare
MALLOW
MARIGOLD (NEW LEAVES, STEMS)
MISTLETOE
MONKSHOOD/ ACONITE (ROOTS, FOLIAGE, SEEDS)
MORNING GLORY (ALL PARTS)
NARCISSUS (ALL PARTS) (DAFFODIL)
OAK - ACORNS (ALL PARTS) 
OLEANDER (ALL PARTS)
ONION (ALL PARTS)
PERIWINKLE (ALL PARTS)
PEONY (FOLIAGE, FLOWERS)
PHILODENDRON (LEAVES, STEMS, ROOTS)
PINKS
POINSETTIA
PRIMROSE (ALL PARTS)
PRIVET
PRUNUS ROTUNDIFOLIA LAUREL
POPPY (ALL PARTS)
POTATO (SPROUTS, VINES, UNRIPE TUBERS)
N/a
PRIVET
RANUNCULUS  (BUTTERCUP)
 
 
RAGWORT (ALL PARTS ABOVE GROUND)
  
  
RHODODENDRON (LEAVES)
RHUBARB LEAVES
SNOWDROPS (ALL PARTS)
SWEET PEA (ALL PARTS)
SWEET WILLIAM
TOBACCO PLANT
TOMATO PLANT (FOLIAGE, VINES, GREEN FRUIT)
TULIP (BULBS)
VERBENA (FOLIAGE AND FLOWERS)
WEEPING FIG (INDIAN RUBBER)
WILD CHERRY TREE
WISTERIA (SEEDS AND PODS)
YARROW
YEW
YUCCA
 *It is recommended you consult your vet immediately if you see signs of distress in you animal.
It’s not just plants and flowers you need to consider when planning a safe garden for your cat or dog, the following can also prove hazardous:

·       ACORNS AND CONKERS: Toxic if eaten.
·       ALGAE: Toxic freshwater algae (usually blue-green in colour, but sometimes colourless) has been known to poison animals.
·       BEE AND WASP STINGS: These can be especially problematic if they sting inside the mouth.
·       COCOA MULCH: Made of cocoa bean shell – a by-product of the chocolate industry – and like chocolate can be harmful if eaten by dogs.
·       FERTILISER, INSECTICIDES AND PESTICIDES: If consumed, fertiliser can give your cat or dog a stomach upset and may result in life-threatening gastrointestinal obstruction. Read instructions carefully and make sure you allow an appropriate time from use before allowing your animal in the garden.
·       GARDEN TOOLS: Unattended garden tools may seem like no big deal, but rakes, tillers, hoes and trowels can be hazardous to pets and cause trauma to paws, noses or other parts of a curious pet’s body.

Contact your vet immediately if you think your pet has eaten any toxic plants, flowers, or in fact any toxic items or substances. Take along samples of the plant to the vet - or preferably any identification label, tag or pot information you may still have for the plant that has been eaten.

General symptoms of poisoning:
·       Oral or skin irritation     
·       Upset stomach / Vomiting / Diarrhoea
·       Weakness
·       Rapid breathing
·       Fever
·       Drooling
·       Coma
·       Heart failure
·       Excitability or lethargy
·       Tremors / Seizures / Fitting
·       Increased Thirst
·       Dilated Pupils
·       Dizziness / Loss of Balance
·       Disorientation
Hopefully you have also learnt something new from this information- I am sure you will agree that it is very informative and very useful. We will certainly be reconsidering our garden and will definitely be signing the petition for clearer labeling on plants and hope you will do so too - 
Beautiful to look at but could be fatal to your precious pets
 1.   Research conducted with OnePoll on behalf of MORE TH>N Insurance with 2,000 British homeowners that also have a garden. 78% of those polled had one or more of the plant varieties at The MORE TH>N Poisonous Pawtanical Garden in their own gardens.
2.   Research conducted by OnePoll on behalf of MORE TH>N Insurance with 2,000 cat and dog owners.


Written by Luke's Mum after (long and in depth!) discussion with Luke, with thanks to MORE TH>N for providing the information and  for sending Luke and Lottie some pet friendly seeds to enjoy planting