Aldi - One Stop Christmas Shop

After I found out my exciting news, I started to browse the Aldi website and was amazed by the upcoming products.

Aldi today revealed it’s cutting back the cost of Christmas by unveiling its ‘one stop Christmas gift shop’. Ticking mum, dad, the children and even grandma and grandad off the costly Christmas gift list, the retailer’s ‘one stop shop’ caters for the whole family with a whole host of gifts at just a fraction of the typically pricey Christmas splurge.

Now, you may, like me be a little sceptical when you see items priced so cheaply, maybe thinking that the quality may not be as good, or they won't last as long, so I challenged Aldi to prove me wrong....

Our house ADORES socks, don't ask me why, but everyone has crazy coloured socks or characters on them, Eowyn can often be found going to school in Minnie Mouse socks and Kaide in Star Wars, Neva will lift her trouser leg to reveal crazy striped socks and Xene and Lochlan use the weekend to display a vast array of colour, as they have to wear plain black to high school.

Every Christmas, My stocking is filled with various brightly coloured socks with different motifs on them, so when I saw that Aldi were going to be selling Character Socks, at £2.59 for two pairs, I was intrigued.

I have been sent the Betty Boop socks to review, unfortunately, Xene saw the parcel arrive and promptly took them, next thing I know, she has them on her feet!!

She says that they are very comfortable and not too tight, they kept her feet warm whilst on a Rugby Treasure Hunt. At less than £1.30 per pair, I think they are extremely good value for money.

The character socks will be in store from Thursday 28th November.

Along with some other fabulous gifts for the men in your life !! 

Mens wool socks £2.99, Adult winter hats £3.59, Men's pyjamas £8.99, these will certainly be welcome in our house, and by both grandads!

Another item that caught my eye was Ladies Sherpa Fleece Booties.

I do not have a very good track record with slippers! I definitely get on better with the boot style, and when I saw these will be on sale in Aldi stores from 12th December for just £3.99.

I LOVE them! they are like walking on cotton wool, my feet are so warm in them, my only negative is that they have material bottoms, so I have to remember not to step outside on the patio in them!!

The ones that I have are size 2/5 which is quite a range, although my two big footed daughters can't get in them which is a bonus and means I have a pair for myself!!

At the same time there will be Ladies onesies, now I have never been a fan of these, but all of my friends tell me I will love them, at £8.99 maybe I will give one a try!!

I shall be bringing you more Aldi Special Buys, so keep an eye out for them

Exciting News!!

Don't panic, I am NOT pregnant again...

Did anyone enter this competition on facebook ?

I was absolutely amazed to receive an email informing me that I have been chosen as one of the ten lucky winners, with nine mouths to feed and Christmas looming, it has to be THE most fantastic news ever!!

And the best part is they don't just do food, every week they produce magazines, listing upcoming special buys and products that are due to hit the shelves, everything from gardening equipment to kids clothing.

So, I have spoken with the lovely lady today about my prize and it consists of £70 per week for 52 weeks, and they are being printed as we speak, so I should have them very soon and then I can start spending!!

Already, Asa and I have been scanning the Aldi website to see what is coming to the store soon, the only negative thing is that some of the special buys go really quickly, so I shall be queued up straight after the school run, like a military operation if there is something I desperately want!!

Follow our Aldi Shopping for a year, its going to be fun xxx

Bressingham Steam Museum and Gardens starring Mike the Knight

During the summer holidays, very close to my due date, we visited Bressingham Steam & Gardens.

The boys love trains, and with the added bonus that Tyrus and Eowyns favourite TV knight was going to be making an appearance, we set off on the 40 minute drive. It is located within the stunning Waveney Valley and is a lovely family day out for all ages.

On arrival, we were met with various knight themed activities, including little tents for the children to go in, dressing up clothes, storytellers, jester skills and of course appearances throughout the day from `Mike the Knight' himself!!

Throughout the season they have many special guests, including Moshi Monsters, Tree Fu Tom and Peppa Pig, with more due to visit in 2014.

The children and Asa had an amazing time on the Gallopers, I was surprised how fast they went, no sooner had I waved to the children, they seemed to be back round again!! We need to visit again minus bump just so I can have a go on the Gallopers...







The train rides were just the right length of time, even for the younger ones, and there is plenty to things to spot on your travels.

They enjoyed the gardens and reading all of the different names of the flowers and plants, they even made a note of their favourites, just in case I get green fingers over the winter months!!

The younger children enjoyed the Play Area, the older ones pretended they were only on there to supervise!

The traditional sweet shop was a struggle, with so many delicious sweets to choose from, however we chomped away merrily for the afternoon on Rhubarb and Custards, Cola Cubes and Mint Imperials.



The old fashioned Penny Arcade was a huge hit with all of the children and Neva was very lucky, winning quite a few pennies.

If this looks like a day out for you, then I have some great news!

Father Christmas is coming to Bressingham this December. Rudolph is away on his holidays so Santa decided to use his old faithful Steam Car for the journey to Norfolk.

He and his wife and elves, will be at Bressingham on the 1, 7/8, 14/15, 21,22,23,24 December 2013. Entry times vary depending on the day.

All days but the 24th have entry from 2pm to 5pm close no earlier than 6pm. 15, 21, 22 have an additional 12pm to 2pm entry slot, 24th has an 11am to 2pm entry slot and we will close earlier.

 Why not stay all afternoon and visit Walmington on Sea at Christmas.

This year Santa is including:

• A ride on the Steam Train on the Nursery Line for everyone
• For those up to the age of 12 a visit to Father Christmas and a present from him. Rides on the Gallopers are included too.
• The Dads Army Exhibition will be decorated for Christmas and a Childrens entertainer will be in the Village Hall.

There will be food available at Blooms if you arrive before Santa is ready and at The Steam Museum too during your visit.

• Adult (advance) tickets are £9.50
• Children (advance) 3-12 £11.00
• under 3's (advance) requiring a present are £5.00

Booking is advisable and can be made by telephone on 01379 686900, online  or in person at the ticket office. You can also choose to pay on the day (if tickets are still available), Ticket numbers are limited so it's best to book online.

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Christmas Lists For All Ages

Writing your Christmas list is something that you will remember from childhood well into your adult years. It’s a big part of the excitement of Christmas to sit down and write your letter to Santa. With a little thought, you can make this experience extra special, from your baby’s first Christmas, right up until they stop writing their letter to Father Christmas. Here are some great tips for Christmas list traditions for each age group.

Babies

For the first couple of years, your little one won’t really have any idea about what is happening at Christmas time. At best you can expect they might get quite excited about the lights and colours of the wrapping paper. Christmas at this early age is for you to enjoy making memories with your baby. Snuggling them up in their new clothes they’ve received and excitedly showing them their new toys is just as much for your benefit as theirs. Do something for them that will be there when they are old enough to appreciate it. Make a list on their behalf of all the things they receive, write a letter about your feelings on their early Christmases and take plenty of photos. This way you can show them when they are older how loved they were as infants.

Pre-School

Children of nursery and pre-school ages will have some concept of the festive period, and know about Santa. This is a wonderful time to introduce them to the idea of writing lists, although at this young age they will not have the literacy skills to do this themselves. There are a few ways round this that are actually great fun. The first is to get a catalogue, and help them to cut and stick pictures of their favourite dolls, puzzles, the Imaginext Castle, remote control cars, colouring pens, or whatever takes their fancy into a collage. The alternative is to make a video recording, with your child, which doubles as a fantastic way to preserve a memory.

Primary

From the moment your child starts primary school, they will begin to develop reading and writing skills. Even if your child is in reception they will likely be able to write some words by the time Christmas rolls around, and most will be keen to write their own letter to Santa. Help with spellings if prompted, but let their imaginations run wild in their letters. Use one of the online or postal services to get a reply to your child’s letter from Father Christmas himself – the NSPCC is a good one with the added benefit of donating to a fantastic charity.

Whatever the must have toy is, and whatever age your little ones are, there is a way to make a Christmas list an integral part of your Christmas tradition. So start making memories and get your kids excited for the holidays!

Brought to you by Kira