A to Z challenge: X is for .... X treme funkiness

I love music, and am always bopping around the office to the radio. So I thought I would share some of the fav tunes of the moment

A to Z challenge: W is for .... wanting to move forward

As many of my regular readers know I lost my Dad 6 weeks ago. He passed away of Pneumonia and he was too sick to recover. I miss him terribly and dedicated a blog to him just to be able to cope with my loss. I wish I could move forward but I feel stuck.  I feel like the person who got stuck in mud and has no one to pull me out. The thing is, I have to go through this and I'm not a very enduring person. If I can find a way out to lessen the length of the circumstances then I'll take it. This however, is a whole different thing; I have to go through each day and experience every emotion as it hits me. There is no other way!

It is THE hardest thing I have ever had to go through and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy (not that I have too many of those, but you get the point) Every day I think about him and everything reminds me of him. I guess that I am moving forward but being an impatient person, I guess it doesn't feel fast enough.  I like to get things done but this is a process that cannot be rushed!  Have you ever lost a parent? How did you learn to cope with it? i'd really like to know

A to Z challenge: V is for .... well lots of things ;0)

Did you know that the letter V had lent itself to lots of words?? I did not realised that the letter was used as widely as they are. So here's a list of words beginning with the letter V. How many did you know?

Words beginning with V

I knew about a quarter. Not that great a score is it!

A to Z challenge: U is for .... umbrellas, are the becoming extinct

Have you lost your umbrella? Do you know where it is?  We keep ours in the car but this last month we haven't used more than twice.  Now for a welsh person, not having an umbrella is like not breathing!  I mean, we must have the monopoly on brollys. So is there a chance that we may see the use of the brolly diminish?  Here's hoping!!!! 

Buying suncream earlier than normal and having to dig out the boys shorts before spring has truly sprung, has made me wonder if you we will soon be exchanging our wet weather brollys for the ones that stop you getting burnt on the beach.  Can you imagine it?  The costa del mumbles lol! (mumbles being a lovely seaside town in wales)

Have you had a lot of nice weather wherever you are reading this? Have you had really unusual weather? I'd love to hear from you.  I am now off to the beach to enjoy this glorious weather.

A to Z challenge: T is for .... travelling in a car with kids

So we started out journey this morning down to West Wales. It's not far about 2 hours in the car but 2 mins can be exhausting when you are travelling with kids.  Anyone give me an Amen?  Even though I have an 8 and 10 year old, they fight like 23.5 out of 24 hours every day!!!!

So what do you do to entertain kids while travelling in the car.... Well I have a few ideas:

Travel scrabble

Product Features

• Compact edition of the world-famous work game
• Robust travel case
• Built in playing surface to hold tiles in place
• Easy to follow instruction booklet
• For 2-4 players

The object of the game is to compete for the highest score by forming interlocking words in cross-word fashion on the Scrabble board using tiles displaying letters with various score values. Higher scores can be obtained by using the tiles in locations and combinations that make most use of the letter values and premium squares (eg: triple letter score, double word score, etc.) on the board.

The manufacturers recommend that the game is suitable for people age 10 years upwards, which is more or less accurate though slightly younger children could play, especially if there is some measure of supervision.
Contents: there is a moulded plastic travel case, 23x12x5 cm, which features a built-in playing board with a non-slip surface uniquely designed to hold the special tiles which fit securely on the board. There is no need for paper and pencil to score as there is an integral scoring device on the edge of the board for each player.

All the contents can be safely and tidily stored away inside the moulded case. There are four storage racks which are specially designed to hold tiles in place during the playing of the game and which keep them hidden when they are packed away if play has to be interrupted. There are 100 tiles of various values, a cloth bag to hold the tiles and a rules leaflet which is explicit and easy to follow.

 Uno Card game

Product features

• Classic card game
• Easy to play
• Fast fun for everyone
• Play time: less than 30 minutes
• For 2-10 Players
• Instructions included

Relatives visiting? Hosting a party? Stuck in an airport? Then it's time for Uno, the classic card game, which is quick to learn, easy to play and fun for all the family. The aim of the game is to be the first player to score 500 points, by getting rid of all the cards in your hand before your opponents. You score points for all the cards left in your opponents' hands. The rules of Uno are simple. Every player picks a card and the person who draws the highest number deals (Action Cards count as zero at this stage). Once the pack has been shuffled, each player is dealt 7 cards. The remainder of the deck is placed face down to form a DRAW pile. And the top card of the DRAW pile is turned over to start a DISCARD pile. The person to the left of the dealer starts play and has to match the card on the DISCARD pile, either by number or colour. So, if the card is a red 7, the player must put down a red card or any 7 card regardless of its colour. Alternatively, the player can put down a Wild Card. If the player doesn't have a card to match the one on the DISCARD pile, they must take a card from the DRAW pile. If this can be played, the player is free to put it down in the same turn. Otherwise, play moves on to the next person. Players may choose not to play a playable card from their hand. If so, they must draw a card from the DRAW pile. If playable, that card can be put down in the same turn, but the player may not use a card from the hand after the draw. Players race to get rid of their cards and the real fun starts when special Action Cards are used to foil opponents and gain an advantage. With the tension mounting, Uno becomes the fun family card game that's easy to pick up but impossible to put down.

 

Everyone loves UNO! It's a fast-paced game the entire family can play together! Don't forget to shout 'Uno' when you're down to your last card! Featuring cool action cards such as pick up 4 and change colour and more!

 

 Tic Tac Toe

Product features

• Classic game made for travel
• Easy to play
• Suitable for every age
• Play time: less than 10 minutes
• For 2 Players
• Instructions included

Tic Tac Toe is a traditonal game. Gone are the days of paper and pen. This is the new way to play! The game is made up of x and o tiles and each player takes it in turn to select a tile. Get three in a row in any direction on the board, then when the board is full the player with the most x and o's in lines wins! It's light enough to be passed between the front and back of the car and with no parts to lose down the back of the seat, it's a great game to take on a car journey.

The board is compact enough for easy storage when not being used. With no pen to use, young children do not need to be supervised while playing, which is a bonus for mum.

and then there is the one thing that all kids are talking about right now;

Nintendo 3DS is a groundbreaking hardware release that brings 3D gaming to the handheld market for the first time. The fourth major release in the DS product line, the Nintendo 3DS utilises 3D Slider functionality and an improved top LCD display to present a glasses-free 3D effect on compatible games, while giving players the option to moderate the effect as they see fit. Taken together with additional features including full analogue control in 3D game environments, motion and gyro sensors that transfer the movements of the handheld into the game, 3D camera functionality, an adjustable stylus and full backwards compatibility and you have not only a must-have system, but a revolution in handheld gaming.

A to Z challenge: S is for .... sun, sea and sand

We are off for a week of rest and relaxation to the west of Wales. Look at these views:

"Bluestone, in the heart of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, is an all year round, 5 star short break destination like no other. Unwind in beautiful lodges set on a tranquil hill around a traditional village. There are activities and facilities to suit everyone, from toddlers to adrenaline junkies to those in search of an ultra relaxing experience."

Thank you very much I think I will!

A to z challnge P Q & R (a few of my favourite things)

As it's a bank holiday I will keep it short, sweet and pictorial.   I love.....

being PAMPERED.  (take is as a symptom of being an only child for 23 years)

I would love to play and sometimes feel like the queen of hearts! (off with their head!!!!!!!!!!!!!, now where are my tarts;0))

I love and appreciate more than ever the good old R& R.  You can't beat a bit of rest and relaxation (especially when you are your own boss)

And I thought I might cheat and say for the record I like muscials, so here is a scene from one of my favs