Orchard Toys are a favourite here at Villa Lancaster and our collection has further grown since Diva G’s 2nd birthday.  In the Summer I approached some of my favourite brands product donations for Lil H’s school fund raiser in exchange for an ad on my site which ran over the last three months.  I wanted to also write this post as a further thank you to Orchard Toys for their support.  The event raised enough to fund some great new outdoor play equipment for the children.

Orchard Toys are toys and games we love to play and also to gift to others.  With Christmas just around the corner I am drawing up my gift lists and ideas, perhaps you are too?  Here’s a run down of our some of our favourites from Orchard Toys. 

The latest additions to the playroom have been the Under the Sea and Fairy Tales Jigsaw each with six two and three piece puzzles which my little Diva is mastering.  Her interest in and ability to do Jigsaws is much better than Lil H at the same age, she won’t be helped so she loves the personal success of being able to do these given “me do, me do” is her personal mantra at the moment. 

Lil H loves a game, as do I, I love the thought that he will remember us playing together as a family.  His first and still his favourite was game is Greedy Gorilla I gave it to him last Christmas when he was 3 years 8 months, its a fun way to teach taking turns, being a good winner and losing – thats a tough life lesson right there!  Greedy Gorilla includes a burping Gorilla – everytime is burps Lil H collapses in hysteria – I need say no more!  Tummy Ache, Award winning Shopping List and Incey Winsey Spider are also popular and regularly played.  As Autumn appears to be most definiately here now and wet, rainy days on the rise its great to have these in our playroom.

You can buy Orchard Toys online http://www.orchardtoys.com
If, like me, you love a catalogue to flick through you can request one here
Join the conversation on Facebook  
Follow Orchard Toys on Twitter @OrchardToys

The Baby Show – I’ve been to a fair few in over the years and I have a great relationship with the organisers who have given me THREE pairs of tickets for you to win.  The Baby Show takes place from 28-30 October 2011 at Earls Court, London.

Everything under one roof for babies and beyond, its not just baby stuff there is everything from maternity through the first year, toddler and pre-schooler products and services.  The great thing is you can try everything out so you can give a pushchair a push as well as a collapse and reinstate – a critical test.  There are also lots of special Baby Show prices and freebies to be had – you may need a pushchair just to get the bargains home!

Tickets are available to buy online www.thebabyshow.co.uk from £13.50 in advance and from £20 on the door, children under 16yrs are free.  The doors open at 9:30am until 5:30pm everyday on Friday 28th, Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th October 2011.  For the who’s who over 300 exhibitors check out the full exhibitor list.  My personal favourites are there:  Stokke on Stand No: F75 check out the Tripp Trapp, Xplory, Sleepi etc, Trunki on Stand No: A34 we love our Trunkis on the Christmas list are the new Trunkisaurus range and make sure you say Hi to TJ at the Bra’s 4 Mums on Stand No: C52

I have three pairs of tickets, to giveaway, I’m going to close at 9pm on Wednesday 19th October giving the winners plenty of time to plan their assault on Earls Court.  Lets keep it easy to enter just leave a comment on this post, not sure what to say, well The Baby Show is at Earls Court in London tell me what first springs into your mind when I say LONDON!

Make sure you leave an email address / Twitter profile so I can contact you to put you in touch with the organisers to get your tickets.

P.s.  The Baby Show is on Twitter follow @thebabyshow

Now term time is back, Lil H is now full time in reception so obviously I have spare time to invest in myself, right?  Wrong!  For starters Baby G is with me, I have a business to run, work to do and a house with a bottomless laundry basket to run.  Should I ever get through that lot I’m sure I’ll be asleep rather than making a plan to do something I want to do for myself!

I’ve been very focused on Lil H with him starting school, but on him first full day in school I seized the moment, dropped Baby G off for some quality grandparent time and said yes to an invitation to experience a Day Spa package at the Radisson Edwardian Manchester’s Sienna Spa.  The last two years has seen time with no children at all granted due to extreme sleep deprivation with it spent dedicated to some deep sleep or I have been head down, focused, power working for a client or developing my marketing & social services business.  Today was different.  Today was all about me.

The Radisson Edwardian is located in Central Manchester, near the Town Hall and the shopping delights of Spinningfields.  So in the middle of the noisy hustle and bustle of Manchester City Centre is there really an oasis of serenity and calm?  Climb the steps of the Radisson Edwardian, into the five star luxury foyer and head downstairs.  The volume drops with each step, soothing aromas rise, peace surrounds you and its time to slow down and rest.  A relax room with fabulous magazines, a white fluffy robe and slippers, I was set and it wasn’t difficult to succumb.

But first there was a treatment room with my name on it.  First a facial.  A flashback to days gone by for my face, this child free lady used to have monthly facials and treatments.  I’ve had a facial since I had children.  Haven’t I?  I’m sure I have *wracks brain* I must have, surely?  But I can’t recall when or where – so maybe not.  I loved the treatment room itself, yes it was candle lit, aroma filled with soothing music but they all are but the low curved ceiling gave it a unique and cossetting atmosphere, I was very quickly “in the zone”.

Skin glowing I headed back to the changing rooms donned my swim suit and headed out to the pool with jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms.  What first?  Having walked past the gym and fitness area twice already and so far my morning had consisted of reading magazines and lying down, the invitation to ripple the still waters of the empty pool was too good to turn down.  30 minutes of lengths later and it back to relaxing a spell in the steam room and the jacuzzi.  Almost 1pm and lunch felt like a good idea.  I’d taken the recommendation of the Club Sandwich from the team and my goodness I know why – check this out for a sandwich!

So having undone all the benefit of my 30 minutes of lengths and then some (but it was oh so worth it!) I was glowing, up to speed on the latest trends thanks to Wallpaper magazine, I was no longer wearing my shoulders like earrings they were back where they were supposed to be.  I floated out of the Radisson Edwardian, back to the school gate and back to my life but an improved glowy me.  I liked it.  A lot.  It was great, thank you very much to the team at the Radisson Edwardian Manchester’s Sienna Spa for looking after me so well.  I thoroughly enjoyed my day and I spied this really great value for money offer on their website if you too fancy a bit of a pamper.  I’m so going for another visit!

October Mix & Match Spa Special.

During the month of October take advantage of our Fabulous Spa Special. Your Spa Day up to 5 hours in our Health Club Facilities, plus a light lunch.

You also get to choose a combination of three of the following treatments:-
20 Minute Back, Neck & Shoulder Massage
20 Minute Express Facial
20 Minute Foot and Ankle Massage
File and Polish on the Hands
File and Polish on the Feet

This offer is available Monday-Wednesday only. Mix and Match Package only £60.00 per person

0161 835 8964

Offer ends October 30th  2011. Must quote “Mix and Match Spa Special” when booking

Sienna Spa & Health Club located at the Radisson Edwardian Manchester, Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5GP
Tel: +44 (0)161 835 8964
http://www.radissonedwardian.com/sienna

You’d have to have been living under a rock to not know that a significant part of the BBC has relocated to the North West to MediaCity in Salford.  A number of teams have headed to my homeland including Children’s.  I have had the absolute pleasure of going to the BBC’s new pad during the Summer holiday for the live filming of the first episode of a new CBeebies show, Justin’s House which airs next weekend Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th October at 11:00am on CBeebies.

I was invited to the BBC along with two children so I took Lil H and his friend JC who is also a mega Justin fan.  The BBC premises are amazing and all 150 children couldn’t have had a warmer welcome or be more catered for.  There were rows of tables set up with colouring sheets & pencils, goodie bags with CBeebies Magazines stacked full of activities, a soft corner and TV’s playing CBeebies favourites, but of course!  There were lots of behind the scenes teams taking the opportunity to chat with both children and parents, genuinely interested in feedback, thoughts and suggestions.  It was exactly this type of event that the move to the North West facilitated for the BBC Kay Benbow, Controller of CBeebies told me, it gave them the premises to allow them to regularly, easily and effectively bring audience and production teams together.  It was clearly something Kay is immensely passionate about, a fantastic thing to do and totally refreshing.  Brands and businesses listening – love it!

Quickly it was time to go into the studio, the excitement and volume has risen but sank to whispering as we entered the studio where the “Justin’s House” set was there on stage and it was really rather WOW!  A few warm ups and I don’t mean comedians, I mean get up off your bottom and get moving type warm ups because “Justin’s House” is a brand new series and totally diffrent format to his other shows.  So limbered up it was time to get the show on the road.  Lights.  Camera.  Action!

Children, adults, everyone laughed the entire way through the show.  Justin had just moved into a new house which he discovers he will be sharing with Robert, his Robot Butler and Little Monster – who’s a bit of a minx and shockingly I would say Little Monster may just give Justin a run for his money as most popular character in this series!  Singing, dancing, comedy, add in silly names, throw in a unicycle, some custard pies and dust with the magic of panto and you have Justin’s House.  We all absolutely loved it so make sure you tune in on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th October at 11:00am on CBeebies.

Having no doubt worked extremely hard in the run up to live filming that day and to deliver the show that evening the cast still all came out to meet the children say hello and do photographs.  Justin’s arrival in the foyer was something like what I imagine happening if George Clooney or Brad Pitt arrived at a mummy blogger event – he was swamped in seconds, children hanging off his every limb.  I did think poor bloke as at one point two children had climbed on his back whilst he was carrying one in each arm and there was one clinging to each leg.  The man is a Saint, he did nothing but smile, chat and make sure everyone who wanted a photo with him got one.  You can see how thrilled and excited my posse were can’t you?

Thanks again so very much to the BBC for inviting us along, we had a fantastic evening and can’t wait to see “Justin’s House” episode 1 and 2 this Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th October on CBeebies 11:00am – 11.25am.  Set your Sky+ and keep your eyes peeled for Lil H, me and Amy @and1moremeans5 we’re on the back row, but of course!

P.s.  In other news CBeebies have launched their new Grown Ups site http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/ if your chidren watch CBeebies programmes its worth a visit, providing information for grown-ups and their children favourite programmes a place to learn more, play more and do it together.

P.p.s.  You can follow CBeebies on Twitter and Facebook at www.twitter.com/cbeebieshq and www.facebook.co.uk/cbeebies