Help Dora Help

Well, its that time of the year again, when Nick Jr are offering the chance for a pre-school or nursery to win £20,000 worth of equipment!

Last year, Hope Nursery, Belfast won and look at what they spent their money on:

Every nursery/ pre-school can apply for the activity pack, giving them educational activity resources.The pack follows the Early Years Foundation Stage development goals and contains six activity session plans that provide stimulating learning opportunities with the theme of Dora the Explorer’s adventures. The themes for this year’s pack are: Cooking, Sports Day, Fairy Tales, Animals, Seaside and Music.

Once the pack has been received, they then have the opportunity to apply for the £20,000 award.

Registration is now open at nickjr.co.uk/helpdorahelp for nurseries to apply for a pack. They have until 22nd July to work through the activities with their pre-schoolers and put together their application for the £20,000 award.

Once this year’s applications have been submitted, an expert panel led by Nick Jr.’s Wake Up World Helena Dowling, alongside Nick Jr. representatives and partners including The Prince’s Foundation, Dora Magazine and Chad Valley will choose five finalists. The public will then be able to vote for their favourite application and decide who is awarded the £20,000.

Each of the five finalists will be awarded discovery and learning equipment from Chad as well as a classroom visit from Dora the Explorer and all five finalists’ award bids will be filmed and aired on Nick. Jr.

Nurseries and pre-schools can apply for the free Help Dora Help Activity Pack and Award Fund at www.nickjr.co.uk.

 The campaign, supported by The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts 

For more info please visit www.childrenandarts.org.uk

Tots 100 Book Club

I remember those days fondly, when I was able to wake up at a reasonable hour (you know when it wasn't still dark), grab my book, and lose myself for a couple of chapters or so. See, I used to do this quite a lot but these days, my only form of literature is Baby Hampshire or Elle - essential reading right?

I did, however, manage to start AND finish a whole book recently. Ok, so it was no War of the Worlds but it kept me entertained!

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes:

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun teashop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.
Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.
What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.


So typically girly, it was the bright, pink cover which caught me.


I must admit sometimes i find it difficult to get into a book at first, almost forcing myself to read but from the first chapter of this book I was engrossed. Moyes has such a realistic and natural flow to her writing, which makes it a believable storyline that just keeps flowing along beautifuly.

I think everyone loves a good old romantic story and this really is a true romance story but the storyline is what makes this book very different from all the other romantic novels. You can almost feel that you can relate to Lou and Will, the two main characters, and almost feel sad when you finish the book, like you have said goodbye to two very good friends!

There were so many laugh out loud moments - LOL - but many times you feel heartbroken. Sitting in the doctors surgery with tears rolling down my face is not a good look!
It was amazing how Moyes managed to take such a delicate subject matter which could have made for a very depressing read and yet still managedto bring some humour out in the book so that the book didn't feel too deep all the way through the book.


Me Before You by JoJo Moyes is available to buy at Tesco's.


Tots100 Parent Blogger Book Club

Oliver Peoples - I salute you!

So I gotta admit, I don't wear my glasses as much as I should. I start wearing them when I catch sight of my crows feet (although I'm sure they are more like whooping great American Eagle feet) or when my head pounds from my constant squinting.

I have often been accused of giving filthy looks to people. No, it's because I can't see you. Unless we are enemies. Then in that case, I'm giving you deathly stares.

I feel a bit conscious wearing my glasses, not because they are brown NHS glasses with bits of cello tape holding them together - they are very chic Chanel as a matter of fact. I just don't think I'm a glasses girl.

SOOOO... I thought it would be a great idea to purchase BIG Eric Morecambe style glasses, you know just to make sure I don't stick out like a sore thumb.

This is a pretty bad photo, I look waaaay to happy! But I do heart my glasses - Thanks Oliver Peoples and Pretavoir. For making me look like the birth child of Chris Evans and Eric Morecambe.

Silent Sunday...

I'm Back...

I'm doing a Britney, Christina, Take That and a Russell Grant. It's my comeback.
I had a mini break from blogging. Not quite sure why. Mainly because I'm stupidly busy (still am) but I just found it a little too much.

I can't promise I will blog every hour of every day but I don't think I will leave it months in between posts now!

So what's happened....

1. Molly is almost 15 months!! She is a little pickle and the funniest mini person I know. Not walking yet but standing and trying to grab things she shouldn't!!
2. I now have my own dance business called DanceJam! It's a street dance school based in Hampshire and I also take classes in school!!
3. I've had my hair chopped.
4. I still love food.

So that's it. Missed me?! X

Does she know who I am??

Well, I have survived a crazy, crazy week. Usually in my profession, half-term means a week off. Of course, I am now in the same league of parents who no longer have a half-term 'off' and that from now on, half-term is only going to get crazier and busier.

This half-term, however, meant work for me. And I mean, full on work! Teaching all day at a children's dance workshop and then straight to rehearsals for a show for another school and then at the end of work my normal teaching jobs. I literally didn't stop.

Now because I work in the evenings, I am lucky I get to spend all day with Molly. And driving off to work, means I get to put my music up a little louder and shout loudly at he who dares to cut me up.

But this week, I was out in the day, every day, and sometimes not home until 10.30/11pm. Come Wednesday, it's safe to say, I was definitely fighting back tears as I left the house. I missed her like crazy. My brief moments I had with her in the morning, i wondered.....Does she think I don't care about her anymore? Has she forgotten I am her mummy? Does she prefer Nanny looking after her instead? Completely tormenting myself, and feeling incredible guilt as I left her for another day.

Ok, so I know I am being silly but I think these are completely normal reactions. But is it almost impossible to get the right balance? i wasn't having 'me' time, I was having 'career' time, but either or, is it impossible to do either without feeling prangs of guilt?

I once read a quote "You can be a mum and have a career, or you can be a mum and have a social life. Never both". Really? I mean that's silly right? But I think if I had all 3, all I would do is feel guilt. Am I setting myself up for having a very clingy baby?

Answers on a postcard....

Bubble and Balm - Review

Ever since I found I was expecting with Molly, I get the constant urge to be cleaning. I'm like a kid at Christmas when I see the word 'antibacterial'. Not quite reached OCD status, however here's hoping!

To help me reach my OCD goal, Bubble & Balm sent me some fabulous antibacterial goodies.....never thought the words 'fabulous' and 'antibacterial' would be side by side in a sentence, but there they are, looking just lovely together. Totally getting off track here.

Bubble & Balm were one of the first companies in the UK to offer Fairtrade certified body products and the first 100% Fairtrade UK body care company. Not sure what Fairtrade is? Swot up here.

So HUGE brownie points for Bubble & Balm for using Fairtrade, but what else? Their products are created using natural plant based ingredients, so no nasty's and definitely no hurt animals in the process. Yippee.

The liquid soap is rich and gentle and without sounding like a Fairy liquid ad, left my hands so so soft. But the best bit? the fragrance wasn't overpowering. some soaps make it seem like you have sprayed your best ( Chanel no.5) all over your hands.

The hard soap comes in a lovely aluminum tin case and has lasted well, and not cracked at the first sign of use.

I also love the simplicity of the packaging and sometimes simplicity goes along way.

Thank you Bubble & Balm. I will be sending you my bill for OCD therapy sessions.