And just like that, Christmas is here! Our tree is And just like that, Christmas is here! Our tree is up, the Santa hats are out and the first doors on our advent calendars are open.

I love this time of year. It is my favourite. And it’s one of the few times still full of magic even as an adult. I’m going to be soaking up every minute of joy the next few weeks bring and I hope December is full of moments of joy for you too.

Happy December! 🎄
AD | Christmas has arrived at @thelexiconbracknell AD | Christmas has arrived at @thelexiconbracknell and there’s so much to entertain the whole family whilst you do your Christmas shopping! 

Visit The Lexicon Glow Room for a magical light experience that will dazzle you with 20,000 LEDs. It feels like the room goes on forever! Then, take a dip in the Light Pool, a magical ball pool with golden balls to be found and prizes to be won!

If that wasn’t all, have a photo in the giant Christmas bauble ‘sparkling selfie station’ and follow the Twinkle Trail, spotting baubles in shop windows to collect the clues and enter to win fabulous prizes this Christmas. Plus, share your sparkling selfie station pictures, tagging #thelexiconbracknell or email them to marketing@thelexiconbracknell.com and you will automatically be entered in a competition for the chance to win a restaurant gift card too. 

There are also special performances from local choirs, bands and singers and even the chance to meet Bluey, Hey Duggee and Chase from Paw Patrol! You can be sure that a trip to The Lexicon will have something for everyone over the festive season this year. We loved our visit to The Lexicon last weekend and know we’ll be back again before Christmas!

Find out more on @thelexiconbracknell website.

#TheLexiconBracknell #Merry&Bright
AD - Press Trip | What a lovely evening that was! AD - Press Trip | What a lovely evening that was! We had our first Glow Marwell experience tonight - and we loved it. It may even be the best light trail we have been to.

We spent well over two hours at @marwellzoo, enjoying the light installations, indulging in the food stalls and cafe, toasting marshmallows and even meeting Father Christmas! 

Glow Marwell was such a nice way to kick off the festive season - and it’s on all the way through December! If you’re looking for a really nice festive activity the whole family can enjoy, this could definitely be it!
AD | Are you looking for gifts for the grandparent AD | Are you looking for gifts for the grandparents this year? @famileo_uk is a wonderful gift, giving the recipient a personalised gazette of family news regularly throughout the year - and it costs from just £5.99 a month. 

Multiple family members can use the same subscription, all posting messages to be added to one gazette - and sharing the cost of the subscription too! It’s great for parents, siblings and children to all share their news with grandparents each week, fortnight or month. 

We’ve been sending my dad Family gazettes for a while now and he absolutely loves them. It means we tell him all the little things that are happening and not just the big news you remember to mention in phone calls. The children get to upload their own messages to their grandad and it’s definitely made them feel closer, building a stronger relationship despite living far apart.

Find out more about Family over on the blog - link in bio - and buy a subscription for your nearest and dearest this Christmas. It’s a gift they will definitely love to receive.
Two weeks of Fred & George! I won’t be doing the Two weeks of Fred & George! I won’t be doing these updates every week but I like having somewhere to put all these photos!

They’re now three months old, super loving and happy, making biscuits and purring constantly.

They stay in ‘their’ room overnight but explore the house during the day, getting more confident as time passes. They even got to the point of relaxing on the sofa with us last night.

Fred & George are now very much part of our family and I can’t imagine them not being there now - even at 7am when they’re miaowing at the door for breakfast!
AD | Stuck for screen-free entertainment that your AD | Stuck for screen-free entertainment that your kids will love? Claim your FREE Banjo Robinson activity pack today!
 
Reading for pleasure is a key indicator of a child’s future success, but if your child doesn’t love to read, what can you do? We know it’s not always easy keeping kids entertained and away from screens, so we’ve partnered with the award-winning @banjorobinson to gift you a FREE activity pack, worth £9.99.

Here’s a little look at the Banjo Robinson subscription - Troy loves it! Travelling to world with Banjo is so much fun! You can read our full review over on the blog and claim your free activity pack too - link in profile.
A whole week of Fred & George. We weren’t meant A whole week of Fred & George.

We weren’t meant to get more cats just yet but sometimes the universe sends you things when you don’t expect them.

These little guys needed a home and a family to love them. And we had a home and a lot of love to give. We still miss Leia but this pair are definitely helping make me feel whole again.

They are both used to us now, and love us. They’re less nervous, give us cuddles and let us pick them up. They’re still living in our spare room but starting to explore the rest of the house under supervision. 

They play fight constant. Love toys, especially a crinkly feather thing on a string attached to a stick, and love being up high. They are an awesome pair and we are so glad to have them.

Thank you @millbrook_rspca @rspca_official for trusting us with ‘Lonestar and Starfish’. We could not love them more. 

#catsofinstagram #catstagram #catsofig #catsofinsta #catlovers #adoptdontshop #rspcarescuecat #kittensofinstagram #kittens_of_instagram
[AD - Press Trip] I’ve just finished writing abo [AD - Press Trip] I’ve just finished writing about our half term break at @pottersresort and it’s over on the blog if you want to go have a read.

I wanted to put some of my favourite photos on the grid too as the kids did so many fun activities - they had THE best time. 

Giant swing, segways, climbing, archery, laser clays… there was so much to do that we couldn’t fit it all in - we need another trip!
And there ends our October half term - well, apart And there ends our October half term - well, apart from Troy who has a bonus week off!

This half term has been pretty lovely. Troy had his school residential the first weekend and then we had a really lovely few days in Norfolk before heading home and picking up two new members of our family - Fred and George. 11 week old rescue kittens who have pretty much stolen our hearts.

It’s been so nice to have a chunk of quality time with this pair and now I’m looking forward to the Christmas holidays. These two are the best company and I really do live for the school holidays. 

How has your half term been?
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Holidays & Accomodation, Reviews · June 8, 2017

A Half Term Break at Butlins – Bognor Regis {Part 1 – Accomodation and Food}

Disclosure: We were invited on this break for the purpose of this review however all opinions are my own.

We have just got back from a half term break at Butlins in Bognor Regis. We went with my friend and her two children and we were looking forward to seeing whether Butlins could keep four young children entertained.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

Butlins let you arrive on resort from 1pm and check in is at 3pm or 4pm depending on your package and accomodation options. We arrived just before 1pm and took some of the last parking spaces in the car park so I would definitely aim to arrive earlier rather than later. There was quite a queue for check in but it moved quickly and the service was seamless – we were impressed that, despite our early arrival, our room was ready for us and we went straight up to make ourselves comfortable.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}
A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}
A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

We had adjoining family rooms in the Wave Hotel which were beautiful and perfect for our stay. Each room had a double or twin beds and then a separate bunk bed room – with the children having their own TV on each bunk!

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

The bathroom had plenty of towels and a really powerful shower over the bath. There were complimentary toiletries and everything felt so fresh and new. There was a daily maid service and our towels were even made into animals each day – complete with stick on eyes! The children loved this and we really appreciated the little touches.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

Our room was a lovely base for our stay, complete with a balcony to sit out on and even a mini fridge in the wardrobe! There was a well stocked tea and coffee tray with a kettle as well as an iron and ironing board. We really couldn’t have asked for anything more.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}
A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

During our stay we had a premium dining package that made the break, especially with children, so much easier. We were able to go to The Deck restaurant for breakfast and dinner each day and help ourselves to the buffet. The food was so much better than I had been expecting and was definitely up to al a carte restaurant standard.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

For breakfast there were so many cooked options – including fried bread, black pudding, kippers and boiled eggs as well as a club sandwich station to get toasted club sandwiches made to order and an omelette station to get a freshly cooked omelette with your choice of filling. There was also fresh fruit, yogurts, ham, cheese, breads, pastries and cereals – oh, and the pancake section too.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

The children had their own section of the buffet, at a lower height so they could help themselves and with things they would like – smaller sausages and scrambled egg at breakfast and things like chicken nuggets, chips and beans at dinner time.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

The dinner buffet was just as amazing as the breakfast one with a fresh pasta station, salads, bread, cheese and crackers and so many main meal options like lasagne, stew, curries or more simple dishes like fish and chips. There were dips, gravy and side dishes available for everything and there was always a roast dinner option too.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

Juice, water, tea and coffee were also included but you had to pay extra for other drinks. The children were pleased to see unlimited ice cream on offer – and even jelly and sprinkles! The dessert options were as good as the mains!

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

The premium dining package also let us eat at restaurants around the resort if we wanted. We just had to ask at our hotel reception before 4pm each day and they gave us vouchers towards our meal at our choice of restaurant.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

One evening we went to The Diner which is a typical American style diner with hot dogs, burgers and other family favourites. They had a great children’s menu and their milkshakes are huge so be prepared to share! There was live music which was really nice and the whole ambience of The Diner was lovely. We would definitely go back any time we stay at Butlins in the future.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}
A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}
A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

We also tried Papa Johns which had a standard menu, children’s menu and a buffet option. The buffet was only about £12 each for an adult and so that was a no brainer for us – and the choice was amazing with so many different pizzas, salad and even breadsticks, olives and tortilla chips.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

Papa Johns also have a takeaway option and I think because they are offering so much it means that they are so busy and because of that the service wasn’t the best but we can forgive that as the food was lovely and it’s the sort of place a family can eat out without spending too much – or buy a pizza to eat back at your accomodation.

There were so many other restaurants that we didn’t have a chance to try but there was a huge amount of variety for every taste with casual and more formal settings depending on the dining experience you are looking for.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

Another place we can’t forget to mention is Scoop, the ice cream parlour. I have never seen so many types of ice cream, varieties of sprinkles or sauces. They had so much choice and we visited a couple of times during our break – sitting on the cute, retro cars outside to enjoy our ice creams. If you go to Butlins then Scoop is definitely worth a visit!

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}
A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

The food choices at Butlins Bognor Regis were fantastic at Butlins and as we ate so much at breakfast and dinner we didn’t really need lunch but the fridge in our room helped us to make sandwiches and keep snacks cool as well as having cold drinks when we needed them. We also stocked up on plenty of ice creams, Slush Puppies and dinky donuts through our stay. You will never run out of food and drink options at Butlins and we were really impressed with the vegetarian options available everywhere too. Great choice, whatever your appetite.

A Half Term Break at Butlins - Bognor Regis {Part 1 - Accomodation and Food}

I’ll share our thoughts of the entertainment and activities on offer in a separate post but for now, here’s a video we made of our break:

In: Holidays & Accomodation, Reviews

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Comments

  1. Mel says

    June 8, 2017 at 10:15 pm

    Sounds like you had an amazing break. I have to be honest here: when I spotted the title, I was picturing somewhere rather tasteless and possibly tacky. I’ve never been to Butlins but for some reason that was what I was picturing in my little mind. It actually looks lovely, modern, clean and pretty cool. Sounds like a fab week. That ice cream parlour is my idea of heaven!

    Reply
  2. Happy Mummy says

    June 8, 2017 at 11:04 pm

    We loved our trip it was fantastic; glad you had a lovely time. Wave hotel looked nice. I wish we had a Scoop in Harlow I miss it already! I miss the sea views too! x

    Reply
  3. Plutonium Sox says

    June 9, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    How brilliant, we still haven’t been to Butlins yet but it’s just the sort of thing my girls would love. Your rooms look perfect too, ideal to have adjoining rooms with children.
    Nat.x

    Reply
  4. Karen, the next best thing to mummy says

    June 9, 2017 at 6:15 pm

    Wow Butlins has changed a lot for the better since I last visited mind you that was about a hundred years ago when I was a child looks like you all had a wonderful holiday

    Reply
  5. Laura - Dear Bear and Beany says

    June 9, 2017 at 6:50 pm

    Wow I can’t believe the variety of options that they have to eat. This was not what I would expect from Butlins, which is bad really seeing as I’ve never been to one before. I like the idea of the family rooms, the bunk beds sound ideal. I look forward to seeing your next post on what there is to entertain the girls x

    Reply

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Hi everyone! I'm Donna. Mummy. Blogger. Social Media Manager. Traveller. Lover of stars, rainbows and gin. Firm believer that tea and cake can fix most things.

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