Day 2 of the Center Parcs #CPGift Christmas Competition

As a Family Blogger with Center Parcs I am so excited for their Christmas competition! Every working day from 4th December to 19th December you can enter to win some lovely Christmas goodies and one lucky person will even get the chance to win a break at Center Parcs.  To enter you will need to follow @CenterParcsUK on Twitter. Every day for twelve working days a clip will be released by Center Parcs and you need to guess what Christmas gift the clip is referring to. The competition is an exciting glimpse of what is to come in their brand new Center Parcs advert which will be aired on television on Christmas Day.

The good news is that Center Parcs Family Bloggers like myself are going to help you out by giving you an extra ‘riddle clue’ to help you solve the clues. Today is my turn to provide you with a riddle for the prize featured on the Center Parcs competition page on Thursday 5th December.

So are you ready?  Here goes….

So do you know what it is now? Head on over to the Center Parcs website and have a look at the video clip. You can view the full terms and conditions of the competition here.

Good luck and I hope you manage to win some of the lovely Christmas goodies on offer!

Cycling is our favourite family activity. This is why!

 

This is our entry for the Center Parcs Family Blogger Competition!

Read our other posts about Center Parcs here

My perfect night in

When challenged by Little Stuff and Two Little Fleas to describe how would I spend £750 on a ‘perfect night in’ my brain immediately went into overdrive thinking about posh dinner parties (catered of course!)

I’m afraid that friends and family won’t be receiving that invitation just yet!  I spent quite a bit of time thinking up the perfect menu, which cocktails we would serve and who we would invite but then had a complete change of plan.

I decided what would make a really perfect night in would be to have a perfect room to spend it in. We started decorating our sitting room at the start of this year and despite it being 100 times better than it was before – it is still not finished and there are still a few things that need ‘finishing off’ before I’d feel comfortable hosting a dinner party.

Before refurbishment. Check out the carpet!

As you can see it was pretty darn awful when we started. We had lived with it like this for 7 years. The wallpaper was hanging off in places, the carpet was really, really grotty. (There’s only so much you can do with carpet shampoo!) There were wires and cables everywhere, going under the carpet and around the walls. Any shelving we did have was groaning under the weight of plastic toys and my husband’s CD collection.

Almost finished!

Eight months on and it is now looking much better but looking after children and having a lack of money got in the way of totally finishing the project. We still need a new door and the room is really lacking those few little extras that give a room some personality. A lovely little table would be nice, plus some art for the walls and some decorative items would really be the icing on the cake!

So here’s my wish list to enable us to have ‘the perfect night in’ costing £750 (or thereabouts!)

New sitting room door to include ‘a man who can’ to come and hang it for us. I wonder if the man from the diet coke advert is available?

Nest of tables from John Lewis

New chairs for our dining table. Apparently ‘spills and accidents can just be wiped off’ these chairs.. Yippeee!!! Our current ones have seen much better days and I’m really sick of looking at ground in weetabix and mushy peas.

I’d like some nice framed prints to adorn our boring walls.  The husband will probably need to be consulted first as we have very different views on art but I love this print by John Dyer. It reminds me of our recent holiday and is so bright and colourful.

We need a nice clock for the mantelpiece. I’m loving this art deco one.

If there was any money left I’d pop out for a chinese takeaway and a bottle of bubbly, then hubby and I could sit back and admire our beautiful room whilst getting tipsy and eating too much. Now that’s my idea of the perfect night in!

How would you spend £750 on a perfect night in?

Boat Building! A Center Parcs challenge

I was quite excited to see the latest competition from Center Parcs, in association with Tots 100. The idea is to make your own boat and be as creative as you like.  This was perfect timing for us as our four year old son is CRAZY about boats at the moment.  On a recent camping trip to Cornwall, we hired a little motor boat and whizzed around St Ives harbour. It was the most fun we have had in ages and the children loved taking a turn at steering the boat.

Sailing in St Ives

So, why a boat competition for Center Parcs? Well, at Center Parcs ‘water’ is a big part of the holiday experience.  There are a variety of watersports available including scuba diving and sailing. Exactly which ones are available will depend on the site that you visit.  Of course, there is also the fantastic subtropical swimming park which is what we love best!

When challenged to build our own boat we came up with lots of ideas as a family. This actually led us to build quite a few boats! Some were more successful than others….

Our prototype was easy to make. Just paint a little pot, stick a lollipop stick through a slit in the top and attach a flag with glue.  However in water it was about as much use as a chocolate teapot.  It was top-heavy so kept tipping over and for some reason I used poster paint instead of acrylics (doh) so it all came off in the water.

Our next attempt was at building a little raft using simple bits and pieces like some corks, some string, a cocktail stick and some paper. This was pretty effective and the children had fun floating it in the sink but it wasn’t quite exciting enough to hold their attention for long.

Our little raft reminds me of Robinson Crusoe!

Next up was a home-made house boat fashioned from milk cartons! I love these and the children do too. Initially we just cut them out and painted them with some acrylic paint to see if the idea would work.

Once painted, we took the boats out to a little river and road tested them (or rather, water tested them) to check that they floated and that the paint stayed on. It was a success! The little ones loved floating them around and storing them in the harbour whilst we had our lunch.

I love the idea of these little boats. I’ve always fancied owning a houseboat so in some small way I am living my dream! Thomas calls his, “The Rosie and Jim Boat”  for obvious reasons.  We couldn’t just stop here, we had to decorate them and add a few little improvements!

We gave them another coat of paint and also painted the top of the boat a different colour. The piece which we cut out of the boat was inverted into the inside of the boat and attached with my hot glue gun. This made a handy little seat and every piece of the carton was used.. ooh I do hate to waste anything! We then added some curtains and we planted up some cress seeds in little yoghurt pots which could sit proudly on our rooftop garden. Unfortunately these needed a few more days of growing before I took the photo but you get the idea! Next we hunted through our Playmobil toys to find some little bits and bobs we could add. We found pot plants, deck chairs and of course some little people to holiday in the houseboat! The results kept my little people amused for well over an hour, which after 6 weeks of summer holidays is a big thumbs as far as I’m concerned!

Chugging along on the old rag doll…..

Lily says this is ‘”The Mummy and Daddy having a nap”. I think we need to get ourselves a houseboat!

Center Parcs Competition. I give you… Treefall!

I am sooooooo excited about the latest Center Parcs competition over on Tots100.  Anyone who read my review of our holiday there last year will know that I am a huge fan and would love to go back again.

Center Parcs have recently launched a fantastic new water slide at Elveden Forest and to celebrate ‘Tropical Cyclone‘ and also their 25 year anniversary, they are asking us to put on our thinking caps and come up with what we think would be our perfect water slide.

We put our heads together as a family and came up with what we think would be a pretty cool water feature.  I give you…… ‘Treefall!’

We wanted this water feature to represent everything that we love about Center Parcs. You start your ride in the entry pool where you board your family dinghy which is actually designed to look just like a bird’s nest. The pool currents take you around the pool and into a lift area where your dingy is transported skywards using a technique similar to that you would see in a canal boat lock system. You are transported higher and higher up into the giant redwood tree passing some treetop creatures along the way!

When you arrive at your destination (an amazing treetop house), you choose which of the three slides you wish to go down by grabbing the ropes at the entrance to the slide and pulling yourself over the edge and into a super cool exhilarating ride. The slides each look like a tree branch from the outside so for anyone that has read ‘The Faraway Tree’ this will be just like the ‘slippery slip’!

When your ride is almost finished you will fly through some reed beds and finally, enter an underground cave where you can either depart the ride OR if you’re feeling brave, get right back on again!

Win a Spa Day at Cedar Falls Health Farm

Peace and tranquility await you at Cedar Falls

I’ve been lucky enough to stay at Cedar Falls in the past.  My mum and I went a couple of times, before the children arrived and I actually had time to myself!  Set in a stunning location in Somerset, Cedar Falls is a haven of peace and tranquility. From the moment you arrive it’s as if you have stepped back in time.  No televisions, no mobile phones and no laptops, just time to read, chat, relax and be pampered.

Banish any thoughts of stuffy, clinical health farms with carrot juice and colonic irrigation. Cedar Falls is more like a posh hotel with spa facilities. When you arrive you are given a big fluffy robe to wear for the duration of your visit and if it is your first stay you will be given a guided tour of the spa from one of the friendly members of staff. There are many exercise and fitness classes available which are all included in the cost of your stay.  Treatments are available for an extra fee and, having tried a few I can highly recommend then.  The therapists are wonderful, very friendly and they truly go out of their way to make you feel relaxed.

In between yoga or massage you can chill in the hot tub, pool, steam room, sauna or swimming pool. We used to spend a lot of time lazing in the indoor or outdoor pool, reading and chatting.  I can’t actually think of a better way to unwind than a visit here.

The food at Cedar Falls is fantastic. Lunch is buffet style and there’s no teeny tiny portions here. Just help yourself to whatever you want. We don’t all go to a health farm to count calories do we! Dinner is a 3 course meal, with wine if you want it. I can usually be persuaded to have a glass or two…

The Competition Prize

Cedar Falls have kindly donated a spa day to one lucky winner! The prize is worth up to £95 and included in your package is the following:

• Full use of spa facilities and fitness classes
• A delicious lunch
• A lovely cosy robe to lounge in during your stay
• £5 voucher towards treatments of your choice

Closing date for the competition is Friday 16th March, just in time for Mother’s Day!

To enter the competition, just answer this question and email your answer to me at tracy@greenmums.co.uk

Cedar Falls offers a wide range of beauty and holistic treatments. “How long does the Signature Ritual Treatment last”?

For one extra entry please tweet the following:

I would love to win a spa day at Cedar Falls Health Farm with @greenmumsdevon and @CedarFallsUK  http://wp.me/pSvQH-hG

Terms and conditions:

The prize is subject to availability
By entering the competition you are agreeing to both Green Mums and Cedar Falls adding you to an email database for newsletter purposes, you will be given the option to unsubscribe at any time
We promise not to give your details to any other companies
The winner will be notified by telephone or email
All enquiries regarding your booking etc. should be directed to Cedar Falls
The winner will be drawn after 7pm on the closing date using Random.org
Automated entries will not be accepted

Win a professional photoshoot and print!

We recently met the lovely Mel from Melanie Barnfield Photography when she came to collect one of our free cloth nappy trial kits.  I knew that she ran a professional photography company and I instantly thought how at ease I would feel during a photo shoot with her, she has a way about her that puts you at ease and I know from experience how important this is when taking your family to a photography session.

Mel has kindly donated a competition for us this month.  It includes a free photography session with her, and a 10 x 8 print. The photo shoot can take place at your own home, or at a special location of your choice.  You can include the whole family, or maybe you would prefer just an individual photo shoot of your baby or child? A professional family photograph would make a fantastic Christmas present for Grandparents or other family.

To be in with a chance of winning this competition just send us an email to tracy@greenmums.co.uk, along with your contact telephone number.  Please put the title ‘Photography Competition’ for your email.  The closing date is 1st October and the winner will be drawn at random. By entering our competition you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions:

The photo shoot will be free provided the location is within 10 miles of Plymouth.  Outside of this area, mileage will be charged at 40p per mile.

The prize consists of a professional photo shoot and a free 10 x 8 print

Images from the shoot may be used by Melanie Barnfield Photography for Marketing purposes

By entering this competition you agree to Melanie Barnfield and Green Mums using your email address for occasional email newsletters.  We DO NOT pass your details onto any third parties

Automated entries will not be accepted

Win a gorgeous Mother’s Day bouquet from Wiggly Wigglers

Win a Mother's Day Bouquet from Wiggly Wigglers

A few weeks back, a very special friend of mine sent me a bouquet of dried flowers from Wiggly Wigglers.  It was the first time I’d had dried flowers in the post, I didn’t even really know that you could get them.  They’ve had pride of place on my dining room table since then and because they are dried they look just as good as the day they arrived.

I had heard of Wiggly Wigglers before but I had associated them with wormeries and didn’t realise they offered this service to their customers.  I went onto their website and they have a really wide range of products for anyone interested in gardening.  They sell a range of plants which are tailored to specific requirements, such as ‘The children’s 5 a day ready plot’  which contains a luscious selection of plug plants for your little ones to nurture.

They have a great range of eco products, including socks made from gorgeous goat mohair, a wide range of composting products (including of course their famous wormeries) and their selection of eco products for the home is vast!  If you haven’t visited them lately do pop over to their website – we love it!

I’m quite tempted to try one of their wormeries, it’s something we’ve always talked about but I’m not sure where we will put it, the children are taking over our garden!

This month’s competition prize is a gorgeous british grown Mother’s day bouquet from Wiggly Wigglers.  It’s easy to enter, just tell us which is your favourite product from their website.  Send your answer, along with your name, address and telephone number to tracy@greenmums.co.uk

The closing date is Wednesday 30th March and your bouquet will be delivered on Saturday 2nd April (the day before Mother’s day).  We will contact the winner to find out which address you would like the bouquet sent to.  UK addresses only please.