Financially Planning a 7 Year Old Boy's Birthday

So it's that time of year where I cast my mind over to Aaron's birthday. This year it is VERY last minute dot com. 

A bit of historical context... SO when he turned 4 in 2014 we went to Peppa Pig World. Yeah you think, "let's go to a theme park" "it'll be cheaper than throwing a party" WRONG!!! We easily spent £300 and no we didn't stay the night, but we did have a wonderful time. We spent pretty much the whole day calling daddy "Daddy Pig" which was great fun - see video below ;-)

We didn't organise things very well so paid cash on the door not realising it is cheaper to book in advance online. I wasn't as meticulous back then about bringing drinks and food EVERYWHERE so that cost the earth - but you live and learn and this Mum is now 100% a frugal mum (just don't look at all the rotting veg in my cripser trays in the bottom of the fridge. Daddy has just found them and I'm in the dog house).

I also became meticulous about combing and coconut oiling Aaron's hair which I can clearly tell from this photo and video that I didn't do that day. I KNOW it was an early start but Mamma of 2014 what were you thinking... I guess he hadn't started school yet then whereas now I KNOW full well how to get ready (including hair) at breakneck speed and no it is not because of the short back and sides. He didn't have that in Reception thank you very much :-)

2015 we decided for the first time in Aaron's life to do an actual party. Me and Daddy disagreed as I wanted to do it at home but he wanted to book a venue, so we did the latter and wow that mounts up. You have the venue hire, plus the cost of hiring a bouncy castle, food, a character (often called Mascot) and goodie bags plus room decorations (like the Spiderman you see in the pic). This Mamma made 2 big mistakes. I made the length of the party 3 hours and the 3rd hour really really dragged. I booked the venue for 3.5 hours and I had people arriving whilst I was still trying to set up the hall - yeah the shame of it. But Aaron LOVED it and I think will always remember it. We had all of the usual problems like (1) people really don't RSVP it's true but luckily as a SAHM I could just approach everyone in the playground and (2) yes people do arrive with siblings. So what was a winner for me was I had a class list of everyone's names so when I did gendered goodie bags I knew what proportion to do of each and also I just minussed who I knew definitely wasn't coming rather than adding up who I knew was. It meant I had the right amount as nearly his WHOLE CLASS turned up. Yes I invited the whole class. Back then in reception they haven't formed their little groups yet and they're all friends together so it worked. I even had goodie bags for siblings.

2016 came along and I just knew what sort of party I wanted and it was what Aaron wanted too. We went to a few soft play parties and saw how the staff did everything and the Mum could actually relax. We wanted some of that. Plus as long as your party is a few hours before closing you get to spend the rest of the day in there free of charge and luckily if a few of your mates are willing to stay behind too, it feels like an all day party = BARGAIN. Complete bliss too when (1) Daddy minds the baby (Lottie had arrived by then) and (2) Aaron's friends have Mums who are my friends so picture lots of sitting around eating, drinking and giggling while hot sweaty kids play and only trouble us when they need a drink. Yes it was bliss and I need to scratch my head and work out why we're not doing that again this year LOL. Financially this was WHOLE HEARTEDLY the most affordable party. THEY sorted the goodie bags THEY sorted the food and drink THEY supplied the venue and THEY had a children's entertainer AND disco! Oh and.... THEY supply the invitations. If the first party you ever do is one of these you'll take it for granted BUT if you experience doing it all from scratch yourself this feels like bliss. I wanted to headbutt something when I was trying to do goodie bags as everything comes in multiples of 3, 4 or 6 and it really adds up when you have to buy a few of each pack. Wouldn't be a problem NOW as I am a member of Costco and can buy in proper whole bulk, rather than retail's commercial version of bulk.

So this, drumroll, brings me full circle round to 2017, what are we going to do? It's less than a month away. Oh and by the way, I really am saying that 2016 was the most affordable as I even paid the deposit and settled the bill myself without getting help from Daddy. So we were quids in with that one. I did start being conscientious with money from the February though. This year his friends are doing 10 pin bowling parties. But we've been to a few of theirs so don't feel we need to do ours too. Aaron's ultimate wish this year is going to Legoland but as I know how costly THAT is, the current plan is to cut out the Legoland tokens from the Sun newspaper, but I haven't started buying it yet so have missed the first few but I think you don't have to buy it everyday to qualify. Yep just checked on that link. It's from May 20th to June 6th and you only have to collect 10 so I should be able to manage it. Only trouble is you get the tickets in up to 28 days after attaching the tokens to a form and sending it off. But we'll get two tickets worth up to £120 so that's worth doing and we've always wanted to go. He's seen the adverts now too so wants to go even more. I've always known it was good as I've watched SO many vlogs of day trips there. He's been to Thomas Land 7 times so it's about time we went somewhere different. I've heard Legoland is so big and so good you can't even do it all in one day.

I wrote recently, a couple of posts ago, about how I want to up my game as a Pro Blogger. I feel I need to add my worth financially to the family, which I haven't really done since being made redundant in 2012. Anything I get from blogging is usually pocket money but I know it is now possible to earn a decent living from blogging and vlogging and even Instagram. I paid off all of my loans and credit cards prior to having Aaron, so my only source of spare money is literally my overdraft. I know there are pay day loans bad credit and I have NO credit history now, but in order to have one of those you need a pay day and it's a long time since I've had one of those. Luckily I have the husband, but as Lottie gets older and more independent my reasons not to work (and provide) disappear. It's kind of staring me in the face that I need to start earning again and SOON if I'm going to sort out Aaron's birthday, as of course the celebrations are only one element as there are the GIFTS too......! He hasn't even said or decided what he wants yet. It's all been about parties and/or Legoland. The good thing though is that me starting to earn has already begun. I have a very exciting project coming up in June with Talk to Mums and I'm really looking forward to that. I will be blogging about it. My Mum is hoping to visit from Ireland soon and she's even hoping she will be here for that. Oh that might even mean she is here FOR Aaron's birthday. Oh I am excited now. She hasn't booked her flight yet though :-( but is getting closer to tying up all of her loose ends (her car just sold on Friday as just one example) so fingers crossed I'll soon be getting an arrival date from her that I can look forward to as she hasn't been over since September 2016 and we haven't been to Ireland since May 2015. Plus, if we are ever to go again some financial planning is required on that score too. Check this out: Aaron's passport has expired, so has mine and Lottie doesn't have one yet, so we'd have the cost of that in addition to flights and spending money. Yeah Mum, book that flight it is cheaper for you to come here :-)

We're All Going to The Zoo Tomorrow

One of our ALL TIME FAVOURITE places to go, is Paradise Wildlife Park.  Perfect for a 3 year old as there is a HUGE outdoor park area with loads of slides etc... and a substantial soft play (indoor) area where Mum can have a coffee and you can shelter from the bad weather (if there is any) and in Summer they even have a paddling pool. One day I will invest in the annual membership.

They've added lots since our last visit so I can't wait to go again.  I love going there as much as Aaron does ;-)

We haven't been since 22nd February 2013 (which was our 3rd time there) so it's about time we went again, tomorrow!!!!

It's one of Aaron's favourites and he's had a birthday spent there.  As with last time, we're going with my friend Deepa and her little boy (Aaron's best mate).

So at the moment I am busy humming this: We're All Going To the Zoo Tomorrow
I don't even want to tell you how long it took me just now to find that tune on Google pfffttt!!!!!!!
Save it, in case you need to play it, when you want to get your little one excited about your impending trip!

So, photos from our last visit :-)

Aaron was captivated hearing that this is a Tenrec when he was adamant it's a hedgehog!!!

Underneath the Meerkats!

The rest of the photos can be found in my G+ album.

Oh and In The Play Room has done a fabulous review of Paradise Wildlife Park.

P.S. if you have read this far, Boots Christmas Shop is now open!!! 
I will get a smidgen of commission if you click on that link.

Oh and P.P.S.

Also on offer, get £5 off with every £50 you spend on 1000s of Baby Product! 

Valid: 2nd October - 15th October 2013

Discount will be applied at the checkout!


Liska xx

Fun Filled Day

I need to write about yesterday QUICKLY so that I can at some point do a blog post about TODAY, the day that should NEVER happen again............ Aaron embarassed me so many times today, I think the next time I go out I need to do so with a BAG OVER MY HEAD :-(

Anyway, enough about today, let's look back to the blissful day that was yesterday :-)

Yesterday we met up with my friend and her little boy. We met at the Supermarket, but she was late, and Aaron ran around, to say the least, while we waited for her:

So, due to the above mayhem (which was actually NOTHING compared to today), when my friend arrived, she said that her buggy was in her husband's car, (near the station) and could she go and get it while I minded her son and mine.

I looked across the road at the Library and said, I think it would be safer to mind them there, than here.  I said, it's been hard watching Aaron for 15 minutes while waiting for you.  I can't go through it for a further 15 minutes with TWO boys, as there was nowhere safe to go: inside mayhem with them picking up items, or the hazards of cars in the carpark outside = ALL A BIG NO NO!

Anyway I have lived here 12 years and have NEVER set foot in my library so had NO IDEA what to expect.

Boy am I glad that we did.  So funny to think it wasn't even planned but just a straw that I grabbed at, in a thinking outside the box kind of way.

Anyway me and two boys headed for the library while my friend went to the station to get her buggy out of her husband's car.

As you can see, they didn't even take their jackets off, as I had only ducked in there as a stop-gap while she went to get the buggy.

BUT THEN, at 14:08 the place started  to fill up, as there was to be storytime at 14:15.

Aaron's nearly three and yet we've never joined a library and never been to storytime.

I convinced my friend to stay (when she arrived back with their buggy) and it was blissful as it included lots of singalongs (I knew ALL the words to ALL the songs and LOVED it).  Aaron was a little naughty (again not a patch on today).  When she read them a Thomas & Friends book, he insisted on going up and pressing the button EVERY time she turned the page.  It annoyed some of the other parents.  I was mortified as Aaron stays sitting down for storytime at nursery. I don't know what got into him to be honest.  Then when he didn't like me holding him on my lap as a result of that, he then ran off, and completely missed the Wheels on the Bus singalong, which was a travesty as it is by far his favourite song but he was inconsolable just because I would not let him go up anymore to press the button on the Thomas book (the staff member leading storytime had been 100% patient but one particular parent had had enough - understandably).

Anyway, thank God I did not walk out, as then they had CRAFT time.

Anyone who knows me, or this blog, knows, me and Aaron do not like do craft (sorry Maggie)...

But it was bliss...

They were given a drawing of a bus, and pens and crayons and enough characters to fit in every window (paperclipped to the drawing of the bus).  There was glue on every table and it was their job to put a character in each window and glue it down, followed by colouring in the bus if they wanted to.

We had SUCH fun doing it, as did my friend and her son.  So much so we went back to the library today and joined.  Each of our son's now has a membership card in their own name.  We're allowed to withdraw 12 books.  Today, I got 11 for Aaron and my friend got 6 for her son.

Anyway THIS was the artwork Aaron produced.  I am so proud.  Love it:

I added the "@NEWMUMONLINE" with picmonkey.  That isn't actually ON the picture :-)

Anyway, the next bit is where it got spooky.

The last time me and my friend took our boys to soft play, it closed at 4 p.m. So considering it was a bus ride away we were taking a big risk in doing storytime, which then became song time, which became art time.  Despite this, we still went and got the bus to soft play.

I am so glad we just went with the flow and did so, as they have sessions in school holidays and when we got there, the next one was starting at 4 p.m. and it meant we were allowed to stay there till 6 p.m.

So without stressing about whether they'd be open we just went with the flow and it all worked out magically beautifully :-)

Our boys had so much fun at softplay and let off some much needed steam.

Me and my friend actually got to start and finish a sentence and BREATHE whilst they played :-)

They've become the best of friends, as have we, and they had a great time while we relaxed.  (I just wish today had been as enjoyable but more about THAT in another post)....

This is a few pics from soft play.

I could not really take proper pics, as it would involve other children being in them... as you can see, there are a couple of action shots above. Keeping a two year old still aint easy...

Even though it wasn't particularly hot there was a lovely blue sky and despite all of the trees still looking skeletal, I did spot a tree with some BLOSSOMS on, and smiled so much I had to document it with the above photo.

It is the only tree I have seen with blossoms on and they are not particularly pink and you kind of have to stare to notice them at all. It was a pleasure to spot them nonetheless.

This is the two boys that have become the best of friends:

Fun on our holidays in Ireland

My blog is a little quiet as we (Aaron and I) are in Ireland (since Saturday 7th July).

Aaron is having a great time, to say the least.  He loves the open space and the sense of freedom.  I think country living suits him down to the ground.

I will insert a link to a Flickr account here, as there are too many photos to include.

We've been busy every day since we arrived.  Soft play, and swimming both really tire him out and as the excitement of being here means he won't nap, they are the only things to make him conk out...

I had hoped for a bit of a break, but the best chance I get for a break is when we are in the soft play area as my cousin Michelle goes in with Aaron and I get chance to hear my own thoughts, have a coffee, and now for the 1st time since I arrived, get on the internet, thanks to the loan of my Aunt's dongle.

God I have never used one and they are SUPER things.  Here I am at the coffee area of the soft play, with my laptop and the "3" wireless internet thingy beside me.  Loving it.  And soft play is on a bigger scale here as space isn't at such a premium as in London.

Aaron simply loves Michelle so they're having a great time :-)






I love the slide in this soft play - when we were here the day before yesterday I went on it a few times myself.

ONLY problem with this soft play area is that the lunch menu only consists of chips, nuggets and sausages... such a shame.

Bye for now.  Hopefully I will get on the internet again at some point.

Liska x

Paradise Wildlife Park - a review - in the eyes of a 2 year old Boy!

Hi

We spent the day at the zoo yesterday for Aaron's birthday.  I decided I wasn't having a big party.  We did that in October for Aaron's Baptism and it was VERY costly.  I think I will save parties till he is a wee bit older.

So I decided on a day-trip that I knew he would simply LOVE.  Siobhan and her 2 little ones came with us, and as it had rained, it kept everyone at home, so we near enough had the zoo to ourselves.  There were a few hours when the soft-play area was full (as 11 coach loads had come and gone) but they were gone by 2 p.m. and we stayed till nearly 6 p.m.

My husband, Aaron and I had been to Paradise Wildlife Park on 20th May - but despite it being May it was really cold.  I was looking forward to going again with it being warmer - thank God yesterday, between the many rain showers, it was indeed warmer.

So we got the train to Broxbourne (you can do that from Liverpool Street or Tottenham Hale, (amongst other places).  From there, the park supplies a mini bus to the zoo.  When we arrived at the station Aaron decided to cry - I think because of the rain - so I am glad it cleared up, and we were actually able to play outside and see the animals.

As it was bucketing down when we 1st arrived, we headed straight for the soft-play area - superb option to have in bad weather.  It has a very large coffee/seating area. 

It is the BEST soft play area I have been to by far, and with the new addition of the animals that you can "space hop" on, Aaron was in his element.  He went up and down up and down, hopping on those, sadly I only capture him bouncing on my video, as there were other children present when they were riding them up and down like horses.

Once we enjoyed the soft play, the weather picked up, so we went to see the animals, then for a trip on the train, and then for a few hours playing in the park. 

Not a great photo, but watch our video

It is the AWESOME park that is seriously making me consider getting the annual membership.  That and the soft play area.  I would quite happily go to this zoo once a week, every week.  There are so many slides in the park and Aaron simply loves it - lots of slides at the soft play too.  Also, he really loves the animals.

So, without further ado, he is our video of our day - only took me THREE HOURS to put together ;-)

Bye for now,
Liska xx