Where has the summer gone?

Soooooo week 5 has come to an end and there's only one week left of the summer holidays! 

Lots to update and I need to be more proactive with this blog!! So I'm gonna make it my mission to do a summer holidays highlights post and a back to school one ASAP! Keep your eyes peeled! 

Mama Bear x

Share a Coke with.....

The Cubs have been super excited and find it amazing that Coke bottles have launched the Share a Coke Campaign. They aren't normally allowed Coke, but were told as a treat they could have a bottle IF we found a one with their name on.

This was maybe a mistake, as they have been rummaging through coke bottles at every shop they can find! Eventually we found some in Tesco (After half an hour of going through all bottles!!) Cue two very excited little cubs...and little cub even took his empty coke bottle in for his show and tell at school.

It's a good idea for a campaign and everyone seems to be talking about it on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I even got a bottle with my own name on - I'm sure the Gemma coke was the best I've ever tasted hehe!!

Fun and Frolics at the Beach

As it was the Bank Holiday weekend, we decided to make the most of some of the nice weather and headed to Tynemouth Londsands Beach. We travelled by car and as we went later in the day, we were able to park on the ramp heading down to the beach (Parking Machine at the top of the ramp). There is also plenty of parking on the main street, as North Tyneside Council have recently widened the parking space and created double the amount of spaces. If you don't have a car, the beach is easily accessible by the Metro either by getting off at Tynemouth station or Cullercoats.

When we got there the first thing the cubs did was race straight to sand and start digging a hole "to Australia" and Papa Bear and myself sat on the golden sand and watched them play in the sun. When they had finished digging, we went for a stroll and a paddle at the sea edge and did some sand writing. We decided to make some fun shadow pics and see how we could pull different poses. The cubs like it when we all looked super tall!!

Then it was time for a quick pop to the loo (Toilets are right at the enterance to the beach and are relatively clean) before fish and chips on the way home...well it would be rude not too when you are at the beach!

Baking Fun and Yummy Treats!

I am a big fan of Cherry Coke...do I drink too much!? Probably....but it's sooooo yummy :)

When I saw a post on Katiecakes Blog I knew that I had to make these!

I went with Big cub to the shops and we bought in everything that we needed and didn't already have. Then the fun began! We measured and mixed, stirred and tasted and ended up with a fabulour batter, that smelt delicious!

The cakes cooked well and little cub loved being head taster for us. We got his seal of approval and we started on the frosting. Unfortunalty the frosting didn't go to plan and it was quite sloppy (Think we added too much milk!) but we added more and more icing sugar til it was semi usuable. Then we made the choc coke glaze which was devine.

All in all our cakes looked NOTHING like Katie's Cakes....but they tasted gorgeous and we will definatly be making these again!!

For those wishing to try, this is the recipe taken from Katie's Cake Blog...Enjoy!

Cherry Coke Cupcakes

(Adapted from How to be a Domestic Goddess)

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

200g (7oz) plain flour - sieved

*250g (8.8oz) golden caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

125ml buttermilk (or 30g/1oz yogurt mixed with 100ml/3.3 Fluid oz of semi-skimmed milk)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

125g (4.4oz) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

175ml (6 fluid oz) Coca-Cola

Frosting:

125g unsalted butter

500g icing sugar

50ml milk (more if needed)

1 small slug of syrup from a jar of morello cherries

Glaze:

225g (8oz) icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons of Coca-Cola

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (essence) 

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat the egg, buttermilk and vanilla in in a measuring jug. In a heavy-based saucepan, melt the butter, cocoa and Coca-cola, heating it gently. Pour into the dry ingredients, stir well with a wooden spoon, and then add the liquid ingredients from the jug, beating until it is well blended.

Pour into a muffin tin that has been greased or lined with papers and bake for 15 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

For the frosting put the  unsalted butter into an electric mixer and begin to mix on a low speed.  Add the icing sugar by the spoonful, adding milk if the frosting becomes too dry.  Pour in a little of the cherry syrup and tint the frosting a pale pink. Leave to mix for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

For the glaze sieve the icing sugar and set aside. In a heavy-based saucepan, combine the butter, Coca-Cola and cocoa and stir over a low heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, and spoon in the sieved icing sugar, beating as you do, until you’ve got a good, spreadable, but still runny, icing. Pour over the frosted cupcakes and allow to dribble do the sides a little.  Top with a gummy cola bottle and a cherry.

Excited cub!!

Today we have a very excited big cub!!! Her Uncle got her tickets to see One Direction next year!! She is over the moon!!! 

I'm forever blowing bubbles...

Big Cub has gone to the pictures for a friends birthday, then is going to make her Guides Promise, then heading back to her friends for a sleepover! Busy day for her :)

Little Cub however has been content to watch some Avengers on DVD and then spend some time in the garden blowing bubbles! Simple thing but he had so much fun.

We love the school holidays here!

Love Mama Bear x

Lego Adventures with the Cubs!

Yesterday we took a trip to the Legoland Discovery Centre in the Trafford Centre, Manchester. The cubs have wanted to visit here for ages and a friend very kindly gave us some tickets that she had won in the ACT for SMA Charity Auction. As Papa Bear was off work and it was the start of Half Term for the Cubs, we decided a road trip would be perfect!  The day started with little Cub waking us up at 6.25 shouting "Happy Legoland Discovery Centre Day!!" He was so excited and that was the only alarm we needed to get up and get ready for the journey!

The postcode for Legoland Discovery didn't come up on our SatNav, so we used one for the Trafford Centre and hoped there would be signs showing where exactly we needed to go! The journey seemed to go quite quickly, even though it was 150 miles, and we only needed one toilet stop for the cubs!

As we got closer to the Trafford Centre, there were very clear signs showing where to go for Legoland Discovery and showed us we needed to be in Barton Square. Once parked it was easy to spot the Centre from all the clear signage on the side of the building, and the cubs began to get even more excited!!

 

 

As we walked around to the front of the Centre, there was a promotional booth for the new Lego Chima. The Cubs were able to take part in three challenges each which they scored points for and the top three of the day were to be sent a prize from Lego. The Cubs had great fun and even though they didn't make it into the top spot, they were still given a brill goodie bag which included stickers, tattoos, a mask, a flag and a mini picture of them as one of the characters. A super start to the day, and something that was there for all shoppers, not just visitors to the centre.

As we walked in the Legoland Centre, the Cubs mouths dropped. There were huge tubes full with Lego, a Buzz Lightyear made of Lego and lots of other sights to get them even more hyped up!

There were two queues, one for general admission, and another for pre-booked tickets. As we already had the tickets, we were unsure where to stand. We were quickly able to see and grab a member of staff to told us where to go, and in less than 5 mins were were through the queue and being served quickly, then shown into the Centre, being given a map and instructions where to start.

My little Star Wars mad Cub was beyond amazed when he got to see a Lego Yoda and have his picture taken with him, before we rushed into a lift and headed off to the Lego Factory to meet Professor Brick and help him make some Lego.

 

 

 

Without wanting to spoil it for any new visitors, Professor Brick was able to get the Cubs involved and added to the excitement of the day for them, and also gave them a little souvenir of their day.

Once you are in the main section of the Centre, there is so much for the Cubs to do, and they were spoilt for choice. We were able to build cars and test them, watch a 4D film, attend a building masterclass and the Cubs were able to join in the Lego Forest Pursuit!

The facilities at the Centre are great. The toilets are clean and family friendly and there is a cafe which is reasonably priced. There is limited seating, although there are a few sofas also dotted around the area. We did find ourselves perched on the edge of the lego free build tub, whilst the Cubs were in the soft play Fire Station, but that was during the lunch rush period, so many people were sat eating.

After taking in everything the Centre has to offer, the Cubs went for a look in the Lego shop and would have quite happily bought everything they saw. They were totally taken with the lego brick pic n mix!!

The Cubs had a fab time and the staff were so friendly and helpful and able to answer all the questions the Cubs threw at them with ease and patience! I was shocked to realise that we had spent almost 5 hours in the Centre as the time just flew and we enjoyed every second.

After a quick peek into the Trafford Centre we made our way back to the car, for the journey home. We made the time pass quickly trying on the masks from their goodie bags and making pictures with the stickers.

A fab family day out with a big thumbs up from Mama & Papa Bear and an even bigger thumbs up from the Cubs!

Love Mama Bear x