Author: Scottish Mum

Posted on by — 5 Comments

Guest Post – Have Fun While Saving in the Home

This is a featured guest post which revolves around saving money in the home, and how to go about it.  There are some fun elements involved, and getting the whole family to help seems to be a good way of helping everyone appreciate the value of money.

—

Have Fun While Saving in the Home

Saving money doesn’t have to be a drag. There are lots of things you can do around the house that save money and are fun, too.

One of the easiest ways to save money is to use comparison websites to find the lowest prices on a whole host of things, including credit cards, mortgages, cable and phone rates and insurance. To make this saving activity fun, get the whole family involved.

For example, if you want to do a comparison on home and contents insurance, have each member of the family — assuming they are old enough — do a search using a comparison site. Award a prize to the person who comes up with the best deal on home and contents insurance.

You can do this same activity with just about anything on which you are trying to save money. You and your family can search price comparison sites for the best prices on other types of insurance, too, such as auto and life. If you are looking to refinance your mortgage, you can search price comparison sites to find the best rate and lowest fees. You can also use price comparison sites to find a top credit card balance transfer offer to consolidate your debt.

Another way to save in the home and still have fun is to have a family movie night. If you stay home and rent a movie or use a movie streaming service, you can save a lot of money compared to going to a movie at the theater. Renting a movie costs less than one ticket to the theater, and it’s much cheaper to make your own popcorn than to buy it at the movies.

If movies aren’t really your thing, you can have a family game night. Play cards or a board game, and then offer prizes for the champion.

To save money on family dinners, cook at home instead of going out to eat. You can make this fun by involving the whole family in preparing the meal. Experiment with new dishes and desserts, and let your kids make up their own. One way to do this is to have each member of the family choose one course of the meal and then help in preparing that meal.

You can get the whole family in the act to save money on your grocery budget as well. Have everyone get online and go to coupon sites to see how many coupons they can find for things you need. You also can assign family members to check out the websites of the supermarkets in your area to find the best deals. Again, make it a contest and award prizes to the winner to make things fun.

Posted on by — 8 Comments

Spend Vouchers, Get Rewards!

Sponsored Post

Every time you spend money at Tesco, you build up points which will be converted to money off vouchers.  Your points build up in-store, online, at petrol stations, and even using the credit card.

When you have managed to collect 150 points, they are converted into a Clubcard voucher worth £1.50 which will be sent you in your Clubcard statement. The more points you collect, the more vouchers you’ll get back!  Your statement also contains money-off and extra points coupons for products and services that Tesco think you like.

You can spend your Clubcard vouchers in-store, at Tesco petrol filling stations, online at Tesco.com and at Tesco direct.  Simply use them at the checkout and their value will be taken off your shopping bill.

You can get even more from your vouchers by spending them on Clubcard rewards. They have hundreds to choose from, ranging from holidays to meals out, hotels to cinema tickets.   The Clubcard rewards scheme really is a Scottish Mum Blog favourite.

As a family, we have lots to be grateful to Tesco Clubcard Rewards for.  Before Christmas last year, they doubled the amount of vouchers I had built up over a couple of years and hadn’t yet spent.  It meant that I had £300 to spend on toys and games that I was not expecting, and made my boys very happy over the festive season.    

The promotions for offers such as double voucher rewards come and go very quickly, so you do need to keep an eye out for them coming around.

I am a Tesco customer so telling you about Tesco and their Clubcard Deals is an easy thing for me to do as I love the scheme.

Two years ago, I used Clubcard vouchers to visit Diggerland in Durham, which meant that we all got entry for a full day to the theme park, and the trip from Aberdeen to the Lake District was complete, as I had used vouchers to get entry to the South Lakes Animal Park. 

I have been surprised at how good the Tesco deals are.   I often use a few pounds of mine to buy some cinema tickets to treat the family to Cineworld movies as well.  We do build up our vouchers as the local petrol station is a Tesco one, and it means that our points add up with fuel purchases.

For some deals, every £10 of vouchers could give you 4 x the amount in value with the reward company.  The video shows you just how to claim your vouchers.

It is worth checking out the deals on offer and participating in the scheme.  I love being able to go online to my Clubcard account and checking how much I have to use.

I also use the IPhone Tesco Clubcard App and it has come in handy on the rare occasions I have been without my keychain with my clubcard on it in store – the staff simply swiped the barcode from my phone.

This year, I can’t decide whether to hold out for another deal like last Christmas, or to spend vouchers that come in on summer treats.  There are so many to choose from, and they are really good value.  What do you think?

Sponsored Post

Viral video by ebuzzing

Posted on by — 449 Comments

UK – Competition / Giveaway – Win an LG 11kg Steam Direct Drive Washing Machine worth £876 !!!!!!

If you are anything like us as a family, finding new things for children to do can be daunting and very difficult at the same time.  Lots of us try to think up new ways to keep our children happy, and to give them the opportunity to have fun while making lovely new things that actually mean something to us for the future.

Crafty things get the thumbs up from almost any child of every age, and I asked my three children to draw pictures of us as a family.  As with all children, when they make messy things, or even if they are simply playing outside in the dirt, they can get themselves into so much mess, that we find ourselves looking at the piles of laundry lying on the floor and wondering where on earth it all came from.

One child didn’t want his picture on the Internet, but two of them are proud to show you their creativity.

 

This is where Appliances Online can help.  As all mums and dads know, five minutes of peace and quiet is a blessing when you are a busy parent.  The new LG Direct drive washing machines feature the latest technology, leading the way for a quieter and more peaceful wash.

I actually have the 9 kg version of the Direct Drive washing machine which means this is an easy competition for me to host.  I can vouch for how quiet the machine is, and for how little water is actually used, which never ceases to amaze me when the clothes are washed so thoroughly.

The programmes include a very fast 45 minute wash which I find myself using more than any other programme.  There is also the facility to be able to increase the spin times on each setting.  I can say without a doubt that it is the best washing machine that I have ever owned, and the size of wash is fabulous for us as we have a family of 6 to do washing for.

I can only dream of having the 11kg Direct drive washing machine from LG to wash big duvets.  I am going to be very jealous indeed of the lucky person who gets this beauty delivered to their doorstep as the winner of the UK based competition.

To be in with a chance of winning this lovely machine, all you have to do is use the rafflecopter widget below to enter and officially check off your answers.  You can sign in with Facebook, or by using your name and email address.

  • Leave a comment on this blog, to tell me the answer to this question  “When I have five minutes peace and quiet, I like to…….”
  • Tweet the following :  “I entered to win an #LGdirectdrive 11 kg washing machine with @scottish_mum and @apponline”
  • You need to comment on my blog AND tweet for your entry to count.
  • Appliances Online will pick the winner from their favourite of all the lovely stories I hope we are going to hear as entries.

It’s simple, and it is a fabulous competition and I am going to shout this out:

THIS IS A FABULOUS COMPETITION

The closing date is: 27th February 2012 so get your thinking caps on.

Good luck to everyone entering and I am going to be cheering you all on.

Continue reading UK – Competition / Giveaway – Win an LG 11kg Steam Direct Drive Washing Machine worth £876 !!!!!!

Posted on by — 21 Comments

Internet Safety Day & Online Games for Children

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV1ZCF4oueQ

It was Internet safety day yesterday, and while I didn’t get to writing a post about it, I came across something that is aimed at children which worried me.

I am pretty vigilant with my boys lives online, which is probably a bit hypocritical considering how large my own online footprint is these days, but that probably makes me more aware of the possibilities.

My two had joined the growing army of young children who were playing Roblox.   I would ask that all parents whose young children use it to exercise caution.  Please research the reviews well and use the forums before you decide to allow your children to use it.  I would recommend that this site be used for over 16’s and possibly over 18’s.

Obviously it is up to each parent to decide what their children have access to online, but I would stress to do your homework around the online world style games offered to children.

When I first read the access request, I felt reassured that it was similar to the Penguin Club style interaction which keeps it safe for children, but it is very different indeed.

Moving on to the positive, there is a yearly campaign that helps promote safer use of the Internet among children and young adults.

This year they ran with the tagline:

“Connecting generations and educating each other, with the slogan: “Discover the digital world together… safely!”

This videos I have attached to this post are quite powerful.

Our children and young adults can be easily led.  We wouldn’t open our front doors to children and let strangers in, yet we don’t monitor our children enough online to ensure that they don’t open a portal to their safety bubble through the online world.

Be aware – check what your children are accessing, and who they are talking to.   Try it out for yourself when they ask for access to a new Internet game or craze as that is the only way you are going to know if it is age appropriate or not.

 

 

Posted on by — 6 Comments

Guest Post – Should you pay for your teen’s car insurance?

This is a featured guest post from Sainsbury’s Finance Money Matters Blog

………………..

Should you pay for your teen’s car insurance?

Teenage drivers are the most expensive to insure. So when they get behind the wheel, it represents the beginning of a costly period for either parent or child. The question is, should you foot the bill for your kids?

What are your options?

The most expensive option is for them to be insured to drive their own car. There is the initial cost of the car, and the insurance premium will comfortably run to four figures.

Another option is to add your child as a named driver on your own policy. This is less expensive, but it does mean you will have to give up your car from time to time!

However, you must continue to be the main user of the vehicle. If you use it less than your child, it renders your policy void or possibly fraudulent, as far as your insurance company are concerned.

You can also look at different levels of cover. Third party policies are known to be cheaper than fully comprehensive policies, but this might not always be the case. If you want to save as much as you can, make sure you cover all the bases and get car insurance quotes  for fully comprehensive and third party policies so you can be sure that you are getting the best deal.

Should you make your children pay?

This is a difficult question to answer, and much will depend on personal circumstances and the relationship you have with your child. One thing you have to recognise is that very few teenagers will be able to afford any insurance policy for themselves. It is not uncommon for premiums to be in the region of several thousand pounds for the year, which is clearly out of reach for many teenagers.

Some parents like to split the money and set up a direct debit, considering it important that their kids learn to take some responsibility for their own affairs.

Consider the consequences

Insurance premiums for 17- and 18-year-olds are high for a reason. You might consider your child responsible, but statistically teenagers are far more likely to crash a car than any other age group. If you are ready to pay for their insurance, you need to be prepared to pay out an excess fee on a claim, too.

It is also worth noting that some young drivers might actually run the risk of driving without insurance if they can’t afford to pay for it themselves – possibly resulting in the loss of their licence and some very hefty fines to boot. So that might be another consideration when deciding whether to help your child financially.

The final call

It is important for your children to learn to be responsible for themselves, but helping them to get insured and allowing them the opportunity to drive gives them the freedom they might need to flourish. Every situation is different, and only you will understand what is right for your family.

………………….

 

Posted on by — 10 Comments

A “Dolphin Tale” Film Review

We were sent Dolphin Tale from Warner Brothers to review.

I am not quite sure where to start with this film.

It’s based on the Real Life story of Winter the dolphin.

Sad, funny, poignant and a lesson on overcoming disability when she has to learn to live without her tail.

I had half an eye and half an ear to the TV when it began, but from the moment the lovely dolphin caught up in ropes appeared on screen, I was hooked into following the rest of the story to see how it unfolded.  This very young dolphin was only 2 months old when she became tangled up in the ropes and cage of a trap.

There was one heartstoppingly scary moment where my hands were cupped over my mouth at the helicopter,  but you will have to watch it to see what happens.

Harry Connick Jnr is easy on the eye for any mum over a certain age so it was easy watching, and Morgan Freeman is brilliant in anything that he is involved in.

I don’t want  to go into too much detail about what happens in the film as it would  spoil it for you if you decide to watch it.

Funny moment, sad moments, and plenty for kids to identify with.

It is a winner and we highly recommend watching it.

Winter stars as herself in the film and she is a pretty good actress for a dolphin.

I spotted the film for sale at Amazon for a good price, and when the film is finished, children can go online to watch Winter in her real life tank.  There are 4 webcams in total and a history of Winter’s life from the moment she was found.  I had a thoroughly enjoyable hour working through the website and reading the actual story of how her life has moved along.

 

 

 

 

Posted on by — 10 Comments

My Dream Home

Featured Post

Having boisterous children doesn’t do too much to keep our homes in pristine condition and I have a lounge that needs more work than I can shake a stick at.

I would love laminate flooring down, with an indestructible 3 x 3 seater combo, alongside some lovely chocolate-brown, or beige curtains for the windows.

I popped on to the Internet to see if I could find anything that I liked, and this just jumped out at me.  Yes, I might get tired of the colour scheme in time, but how fab does this look?

Image: David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

After the lounge is cleared up, then I plan to move on to the kitchen and utility rooms.   My units are only a few years old, and they are similar to the colour of the ones in this picture.  This would be the perfect kitchen size.

Image: Paul Sutcliffe / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The only thing missing from this picture would be the appliances.  My old Belling Range cooker has seen better days, and with the slow cooker function out-of-order,  I looked for a new one.

I absolutely love this from the Stoves range – the colour is absolutely fabulous, and how much would that brighten up a bland and beige kitchen?

My second choice would be the beige version which is just as lovely, though the red one would be my secret passion.

Moving on to the utility room, there is the possibility of bigger washing machines and tumble dryers.  I will continue with my self-centred dreaming of perfection, and nothing less than a HUGE capacity washing machine and dryer would do for me as there are six people in the house.

I have a 9kg washing machine just now, but only a 5kg tumble dryer, so a bigger tumble dryer would be one of my first priorities if money were no object and I could choose absolutely any machine that I liked.

Look at this beauty for a tumble dryer.  It is an 8kg LG machine and very near to almost double the size of the load that I can get dried in one cycle with the dryer that I have got just now

Doing washing for 6 means the machines are never off.  Two of mine play outdoors football twice a week, so that’s 2 huge loads just on football kit and nothing else.  My 9kg machine copes quite well, but for that extra oomph, and the chance of being able to wash the superkingsize quilt, my wishful thinking leads me to my current ultimate machine for washing.

I have an LG already, so it’s easy for me to drool over this stunner.

This one has a MASSIVE 11kg load.  It is my current dream machine.

The only thing left on my list for downstairs would be the built-in dishwasher to replace the one I have which is not in very good working order.  The runners of the top tray keep popping off and the track is twisted, making sliding in the bottom tray very difficult and heavy.

Looking around, I would be happy to have the Zanussi.

What a machine this would be.

This covers the downstairs of my dream house.  Now  have to think about what I would put upstairs….

Looking forward to February, I am really excited to let you know that around half way through the month, there is going to be a super dooper giveaway for one of my readers who blogs and wants to benefit from a dream machine to go in their home.

You can keep watching my blog for it arriving, or you can leave a comment on this post with your twitter or email address in the comment and I promise that I will let you know when it goes live ……

Featured Post

Posted on by — 21 Comments

Slow Cooked Mince & Tatties

Two things got made in the Scottish Mum household today and they were complete opposite ends of the spectrum.  I made apple muffins and a hodgepodge of rubbish and odds and sods that were lying around the fridge for supper.

The apple muffins are a pretty standard recipe so I won’t do them.  I did the muffin type recipe that I just substitute different fruit for.  I learned how to make nice muffins when I did the post for Prince’s fruit.

Onto the Slow Cooked Mince & Tatties

Now this is not the Scottish way, and it is probably not anybody’s way of making mince and potatoes, but if we don’t try different ways now and again, we never find out newer and quicker ways to feed our families without slaving over a hot stove.

I do a lot of cooking, but I really dislike it with an enormous passion.   My dislike for cooking is probably the reason I love my slow cooker so much.

So rather than proper mince and tatties, this is more of a  Hodgepodge 

Here we go.

1kg of Mince, browned in a pan with 2 smallish onions.

With the kettle boiled for the slow cooker, I decided that I was going to be lazy today and throw it in the pot for later.

I rustled up about 1 kg of different vegetables and 2 kg of baby potatoes which I cut into halves and some into slices.

Along with a couple of stock cubes, about 25 ml of lemon juice and a pinch or two of salt, I threw it all in the pot and added water – and then proceeded to ignore it for the next 4 hours while it cooked.

When we were ready to eat, some cornflour to thicken and bobs your uncle.

Part of me was slightly worried about how this would turn out, but I have learned that the only thing that ingredients in food have to be precise for is actually everything to do with baking and pastry.  With anything else, pretty much anything goes with trial and error.

Sundays big meal cost me less than £10 with masses of food for everyone and enough left over for tomorrow, so that will be two big meals for £5 each.

Ok, slow cooked mince and tatties doesn’t look fabulous on the plate, but it tasted amazing and no slaving over a hot stove.   There is just something delicious about potatoes cooked hot pot style.

I had forgotten to make a loaf so we used apple muffins to soak up the gravy.  What a combination..

 

 

Posted on by — 6 Comments

Sand Art Home Packs from Kids Bee Happy

Sandra from Kids Bee Happy sent me some sand art packs to review.  My children whooped with delight considering they absolutely loved the sand art at our Christmas Party last year (that sounds such a long time ago).

The little packs come in boys or girls style pictures and the transformers and car pack was a huge hit here.

In the packs, there are 10 tubes of sand, two little sticker pickers to take the coloured paper off the picture to reveal the sticky bit to put the sand on to.   A sheet of instructions is very welcome and makes the project easy to follow, and with little pictures to show you what colours could be used, it is lots of fun.

These keep my kids happy for several hours, and they’ve enjoyed them thoroughly.  We found it easier to have a piece of white paper with a fold in it to shake the excess of each colour of sand on to.

Once they’ve shaken off the sand on to the paper, I can then slide what’s left back into the little bottle it came from so that it doesn’t get used up too quickly, and there seems to be plenty of sand with each pack to do all the sand art that’s needed.

There are little tabs and laminate pockets so that if you have a laminating machine, you can preserve the picture for the future.  I am just sad that our little trusty machine gave up the ghost a few weeks back.

That doesn’t stop them being popular though and the sand art pictures now adorn bedroom walls.   Once again, a lovely thank you from @kidsbeehappy on Twitter for such a fabulous experience.

You can buy them at Kids Bee Happy for £8.99 per pack.  Perfect for any birthday present, or just as a standby for rainy days.

 

 

Posted on by — 8 Comments

What NOT to feed our pets !!!!

Most of us are guilty of it, and I have many a time scraped the leftover food into our dogs dish, or given her a treat or few from what we are eating.  Apart from a vague knowledge that grapes and chocolate are not that great for dogs, I had not really looked into it in any depth.

I’ve seen a few statements recently about dogs and wolfing down the Christmas candy, and I am guilty of giving the lolloping labrador of the house the odd square of chocolate and she is highly addicted to melon.

I am however, going to change my mind on the chocolate issue as having a look at some of the symptoms of doggie overdose have me utterly convinced that one more square of the cocoa variety is going to have her rolling onto her back with all four paws up in the air for her final breath.

Just to put things into perspective, I had a look for the most poisonous foods I could find for dogs (and other pets).  If your pet shows any of the signs or symptoms of poisoning after eating any of these foods, call your vet urgently.

1 – Cocoa  and Caffeine Treats

Chocolate – say no more, and coffee bean type treats.   Seemingly they overstimulate the heart and the nervous system.

Signs of Poisoning :  Increasing heart beat, agitation, diarrhoea, shaking, very thirsty, restless, seizures

2 – Fruits – Grapes and Raisins 

Thankfully I found no evidence of poisoning with melon as a result, but the possible effect of grapes and raisins opened my eyes as they can damage or cats and dogs precious kidneys.

Signs of Poisoning: Very thirsty, being tired, being sick and needing to pee more often.  As few as 4 – 5 raisins could be poisonous for a dog up to about 10kg.

Fruits – Seeds

Keep away form apple, cheery, peach and plum seeds as they contain cyanide.

It doesn’t take much to realise that a pet ingesting cyanide may become very sick, very soon.

Signs of Poisoning: Sickness, heavy breathing, irregular heartbeat, coma.

Fruits – Avocados

As well as having a high fat content, persin can cause problems in dogs.

Signs of Poisining: Sickness and diarrhoea.

3 – Alcohol and Yeast

I have heard of people laughing at stories of tipsy toms or drunken dachshunds (well, not really, but you get the picture).  It seems that alcohol has a similar effect to chocolate in poisoning our pets.  I think we might have been more aware of the dangers of alcohol in comparison to chocolate, but it is still a bit of a shock to realise that it affects all pets nervous systems.

Bread doughs and uncooked yeasty mixes are attractive to dogs but give the same effect as the yeast turns to methanol.

Signs of Poisoning : Increasing heart beat, agitation, diarrhoea, shaking, very thirsty, restless, seizures

4 – Vegetables – Onions

Any of the onion family can cause problems for our pets, and can also include garlic and chives.   They can destroy blood cells and damage kidneys.

It is difficult to know how much is too much, but effects from these can build up in the system.   Watch table scraps for cooking with onions and garlic in it.

Signs of Poisoning : Increased heart rate, tiredness, lethargy, being sick, diarrhoea, pale gums, blood in pee.

5 – Xylitol

This is a sweetener, used as a sugar free replacement and often used in chewing gum and sweets.  It does not agree with dogs, and causes an increase in insulin leading to low blood sugar, and can cause severe liver damage.

It does not take much to poison a dog so be aware if your four legged friend gets into a pack of your sweeties.

Signs of Poisining: Staggering, collapse and seizures, being weak and could be sick.

6 – Macademia Nuts

Pets in general tend to like nuts, especially dogs and small animals, so I was surprised to see that macademia nuts can cause muscle and nervous system problems for dogs.

Signs of poisoning: Being sick, being lethargic, shaking and body temperature increasing.

———————————————————————————————————————–

For the future, out goes chocolate for my girl, and thankfully her favourite melon gets to stay.   It is important to remember that not all animals will show all symptoms, so if your animal has overdone one of the things on this list, and begins to show the symptoms – please get good advice from a vet.

Posted on by — 13 Comments

A Christmas Tale – 26 Gorgeous Children – A Party – Special Needs

Saturday was a revelation.  A group of parents run a special needs club at the weekends, with the support of a school and the grateful advice and help from the National Autistic Society.

We borrow a school premises and open up to children with ANY type of disability up to the age of 14 in Aberdeen –  not just those on the autistic spectrum.   We also accept siblings, as there was nowhere that any of us could go with all our children to play, or be involved in activity sessions.

The mix of excitement, christmas coming, a certain man in a red suit, and lots of sugary chocolate is not always a recipe for success, so I met the day with a certain feeling of elation and caution for how it might proceed.   We are all volunteers and we don’t get paid.  I think  it is important to mention that up front, as there is sometimes confusion over how we all fit in to the structure.

There was a lot of excitement last week because of the party, and arrangements had been in place for quite a while.  We received a lovely offer from Kids Bee Happy who provide parties using sand art to come along, which I eagerly accepted.  The lovely Lorraine from Aberdeen arrived with a couple of tables and was soon in constant demand.

Be very aware, that this is no mean feat to undertake for anyone, let alone a  fledgling business.  It takes a confident entertainer to enter a room with such a large proportion of special needs children.  If your products don’t cut the mustard, you will hear about it very quickly from them.

The sand art had generated a buzz of expectation, as it is a new childrens activity, both to me, and to the other parents from the group.  We were all keen to see how it worked – and how our children would respond to it.

It was fabulous.  Children who usually have little or no interest in sitting still for long periods of time were concentrating and working on the projects.   The tables are set up as a unit which contains 6 bowls of different coloured sand.  All in all, there were 12 colours of sand that the children could choose from.

The children (and many of the adults) chose from the racks of pictures that they would decorate with sand.   This is a very hands on and engrossing task to get to grips with.    With lots of pictures to choose from, age groups from 2.5 – 45 were kept amused.   I even noticed one granny having lots of fun.

  To make the sand art, using a nail, or a little stick, the artist peels each section back on the picture one at a time.  That opens up a section which is sticky.  Little fingers then choose a colour of sand and carefully spoon it onto the picture.  When the picture is shaken, the sand remains on the picture for a fabulous colour effect.

It can take anything from about half an hour to 45 minutes to complete a whole picture.

Our children did pieces of their pictures at a time, then laid their pictures aside and came back to them after eating, or running about.  The fact that they could dip in and out throughout the party make it the perfect activity.   Just watching the concentration on their faces was amazing.

Some children did several pictures, and when they were finished making their creations, the pictures were laminated to take home as souveniers.

The finished and laminated pieces of art have a little hanging tab at the top.  I think they would be perfect to add a little calendar to the bottom and give to relatives and friends as presents.

Lorraine liked this santa picture, as the child who did it used all different colours of sand for the background.

This is a new business for Lorraine in Aberdeen, and she was constantly in demand from parents, who were asking her for cards for future childrens parties and school functions.

Everyone agreed that the sand art was a lovely and welcome surprise which would keep children entertained again and again and again.   We really all recommend it for any function, school fete or party.

For such a large group of special needs children – they did themselves proud.

 The concentration levels and interest was amazing, and many parents were delighted to see their children enjoying such a time consuming and high concentration requiring activity.

Poor Lorraine was inundated and we over-ran terribly due to how much everyone was enjoying it.  She certainly had to work very hard.

We also provided a bouncy castle, plenty of food and the local magician, Garry Seagraves Magic.

 I had seen Garry work while I was in the oil industry at functions, and now, as a parent, I have seen several of his magic shows that are tailored towards children.   He also had experience of giving shows to special needs children – and with the trademark leather trousers, long hair and trusty rabbit Basil, the children all seem to gravitate towards him.

He was the natural choice for our kids.  I don’t think there are many parents of primary age children who have not seen one of his shows as he is quite the celebrity to local under 12’s.

The red man arrived to hand out some presents, and photographer duties were sadly lacking as I managed to miss getting a picture of him – my excuse is that we had to sort out our pressie mishaps when some labels came adrift.

 All in all, it was a successful party.  We over-ran and we owe a great deal of thanks to all the entertainers, volunteers, helpers and even the school janitor who never, ever complains about what we request of him for the club.  He was not due to be in Aberdeen at the weekend and came all the way back  to open up for us when our weekend cover janitor could not make it in.  That’s dedication.

Disclaimer:  The parents of all children included in this post have given permission for their images to be used.  Sand Art was provided by Kids Bee Happy, and was a most welcome addition to our party.  It is one that we will definitely repeat in the future.

Posted on by — 16 Comments

Thank you to Warner Bros. for the lovely Xmas Gift.

Last week, the postman delivered a lovely surprise from the team at Warner Bros.  The box was a little battered and bruised from the long journey to the Scottish Mum Family up in Aberdeen.  I left it sitting until the boys came home from school, as it was addressed to us all as a family.

When my mini people arrived home, the first thing they came across was the box.     There was much excitement and bright lit up eyes about what could possibly be in it for them.

They opened the box, and what was in side was delightful.  A gorgeous hessian sack, tied with ribbon and with a jingly bell attached.  Lifting the sack up gave the jingle jangle that signalled christmas had made it early to the Scottish Mum household with the first seasonally wrapped pressie to hit our home.

Inside was a collection of lovely DVD’s for us to watch.  They pulled them out.  Some of the DVD’s were Yogi’s First Christmas, Polar Express, Scooby-Doo and the Lake Monster, Bugs Bunny Christmas Tales, Happy Feet, Yogi Bear, Ben 10, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

At first, I thought they might think the films were too young for them, but they have been happily working their way through them and discovering some old favourites.   It just goes to show that you never get too old for a good old cosy up on a cold night and putting on a good family film.

The gorgeous Scooby Doo Mystery Machine seemed to be simply a toy car, but on closer inspection, it turned out to also be a holder for all 41 episodes of Scooby Doo in a Limited-Edition Deluxe Set.   They also included 2 bonus live action movies and 4 episodes of the new Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc, Show.

It was a gorgeous gift and considering I was expecting to just see Polar Express arriving, it was a very welcome and unexpected surprise.

Thank you very much Warner Bros.
Kind Regards

Scottish Mum Blog