A Weekend Glamping with Featherdown Farms

We arrived at our Featherdown Farm canvas hideaway in Layer Marney, Essex, in the rain.  The older two children were sceptical, the younger ones unsure.  We played some games, ate dinner and eventually settled for the night in the (incredibly) comfy beds. The next morning I was prepared for cries of 'I'm bored' and 'there is nothing to do', and I definitely heard those from the tweens who are used to technology and activities all the time. I knew I needed to keep going though so I offered suggestions and let them work it out. 

It didn't take long at all until things changed. Before long their fingernails had turned brown, their hair looked like they had been climbing through hedges and the light of the campfire danced in their eyes. I had looked at what was around locally but that list went unused, we had everything we needed on site.  It was such a wonderful opportunity to do very little, but in the best way.  I don't know how long I have got before my elder ones take too long to revert to this childhood wildness so it felt like a really special chance to spent this time with them.  It was a detox from technology and modern life and a connection with nature that we all needed more than I knew.

We stayed at the Tudor site Layer Marney which is a small site with six canvas hideaways (named after the six wives of Henry VIII).  In the mornings we met the farmer at 8am to change the goats hay, feed the sheep and collect the chicken eggs and the children all loved getting stuck in with this.  For the rest of the day we alternated between cooking outside of our canvas hideaway, playing table tennis by the wood stores, going to the playground and back to see the animals and sitting around the fires.  The children were convinced their food tasted better after being cooked outdoors - even more so as the eggs came from the chickens on the farm.  They loved watching the fires, collecting more logs and of course roasting marshmallows over them.  They played together, they made friends with the children staying in the other canvas hideaways and they were wonderfully wild for the duration of our stay.

Our trip had been timed to coordinate with the Tudor Fayre being held at Layer Marney tower on the Sunday and there was a pass for the tower in our guidebook for everyone to use. The fayre was fantastic, with so many people dressed up demonstrating Tudor crafts and skills like weaving and arrow making.  There was live music, lots of games for the children to try out and birds of prey to admire.  All the children played 'the game with no name' with a Tudor man and raced wooden horses. I was delighted to see how reasonably priced the gift shop was as we love to bring home a souvenir and they enjoyed choosing something each.

Our canvas hideaway was a great size for the six of us (Due to work commitments it was just the five children and I).  It is divided into three rooms, one with a double bed, one with bunk beds and then the cupboard bed which was a brilliant den in the day if they wanted to chill out.  All of the beds had incredibly comfortable mattresses and warm duvets provided.  As we had booked with a baby we had a cot set up in my room too.  We had a toilet in our canvas hideaway and running water in the kitchen area, a table with enough chairs for us all, a sofa and a log burner in the middle of the room which we used to warm the hideaway and to boil the kettle.  Outside we had a private hot shower, a fire pit and a wood stove which we cooked on.  The hideaways were well spaced out so we had lots of privacy.

We arrived home late on Sunday evening smelling strongly of smoke with a bin bag full of dirty clothes, dirty fingernails and with a sense of contentment from a weekend well spent.  There are Featherdown Farms all over the UK with availability for this summer (and dates released for next summer too). I thought this would be the ideal getaway for my animal loving seven year old but it was exactly what my tweens needed too. Rex at 20 months was just delighted by the freedom and space as well and we definitely plan to visit again in the future.

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Five Days in Bournemouth with Kids

I feel like I barely got my camera out during the five days we spent in Bournemouth and it was lovely. After our week in South Wales which was all about the natural beauty and outdoor adventures, Bournemouth offered a different kind of holiday (still very beautiful).  We stayed in a Daish's hotel, something I have done before with the children.  They are quite old fashioned and designed mostly with an older generation in mind, but they also offer packages for families and include breakfast and dinner each day as well as prime seafront locations so it seemed a great choice for us.

We had to get two separate rooms (the downside of being a larger family) but they were next door to each other.  We were right on the Westcliff, only a stone's throw from the sea and had two of our meals each day covered.  The children loved the hotel and choosing their beds and it had everything we needed for a comfortable and enjoyable stay.

We didn't explore as far on this trip, making the most of everything that was within walking distance.  We visited the aquarium which was at the base of the pier, walked through the beautiful gardens and explored the shops.  We swam in the sea and played on the beach and found ourselves down on the sand every evening after dinner, running off the last of the days energy.  We walked down the pier at sunset to go on the helter skelter and I went running along the flat promenades which stretch for miles.

We spent a day at Adventure Wonderland, a small theme park for younger children (I exchanged Tesco Clubcard vouchers for tickets) and despite me being a bit apprehensive on arrival, we didn't leave until they were shutting the gates as the children were having so much fun.  There were a selection of rides, a soft play, playground, small pony area and a brilliant maze and it is a fun day out, probably best suited to children aged 3-8.

We also decided to spend a day exploring on public transport and Bournemouth had an open top bus route with plenty of places to get off and explore.  I grew up holidaying in Christchurch every year and I wanted to take the children to some of the places I remember from my childhood.  We stopped at Mudeford Quay and watched people crabbing, enjoying the beach and played in the fantastic playground.  We went along to Boscombe pier where you can play crazy golf with a ball made of fish food and shoot it into the sea at the end.  There were big rocks on the beach which they all loved climbing on and jumping off.

Bournemouth is a beautiful place to explore and there is so much for families.  We all agreed that it was friendly and somewhere we would go back to.  There is so much we didn't get to fit in but the slower pace suited us all and the evenings spent on the sand are some of my favourite summer memories.

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The First Half of our Summer

I was worried about the first half of the summer.  The second half is full of plans and I know we will be busy (hopefully) having fun, but when the boys broke up from school in July the first three weeks were looking bare in the planner and I worried that I should have organised a bit more.  Halfway through now I am wondering whether what we should have scheduled in was more downtime.  We have had plenty of days out, lots of late nights at the beach, playdates with friends and camping adventures in the garden.  We have done so much close to home in the first three weeks that I think all six of us are pretty tired!

It is so easy to fill these six weeks in some ways and the warm weather makes it much cheaper than the other holidays with days at the beach and the park, picnics and playdates but I need to remember sometimes that you don't have to do much to have a great time.  Some of our favourite memories so far are from the times we were doing nothing.  Reading books together in bed, snuggling on the sofa watching a film and having bbqs in the back garden.  Our evenings at the beach when we venture down after dinner as it starts getting cooler will always be one of my favourite things.  Letting the last of the days energy out, jumping in the waves and making the most of the empty sand.  

Watching you all growing together, becoming closer but at the same time squabbling more than ever is a privilege. I see your relationships changing as you get used to each other full time again and I know that it is the downtime that does it, not the busy days out.  The next three weeks are full of adventures and I am so excited for them all, but I wanted to share a few photos from the last three weeks.  These aren't days I have blogged about, they are just little snapshots of our days that I don't want to forget.  My crazy tribe of children just being. 

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Al Fresco Dinners with Snapfish

It feels like we are getting a real summer this year.  We have been in shorts and short sleeved dresses for weeks now and it is still only June.  I am quite optimistic about the weather and I am hoping we have a long summer ahead. One of the reasons of course is that my house stays tidier.  The children wake up and head for the garden and if all goes well, they stay out there until it is time for bed. We have a little blue table with just the right amount of chairs for them all so the seagulls are cleaning up any mess rather than my broom!

We are slowly filling the garden with everything we need to make it fun and inviting for all ages and these photos are from an ordinary afternoon after school.  I cooked pizza and garlic bread knowing it is quick and easy and will all disappear and served it up on their little blue table. I am working with Snapfish and I couldn’t resist ordering them all their own coasters (and a matching pair for Ed and I).  You would not believe how many arguments were stopped in their tracks from having their face under their cup - I definitely need to get them personalised place mats made next!

We also designed a chopping board using the fun design tools on the Snapfish website.  I mixed four happy little chefs that remind me of my own with some fruit and veg and added our name too.  The plan is that this will be theirs for when they want to cook and get involved and they already love it.  I used the chopping board to serve the garlic bread although it disappeared pretty quickly!

It was easy to make the products and you can import photos straight from facebook and instagram.  I love how personal you can make each item and they make a perfect present! (My brother and sister in law have some personalised coasters coming as a gift!).  Snapfish have a selection of foodie inspired gifts that can be easily personalised with photos, text and embellishments.

This is what an ordinary Monday night looks like here with an al fresco dinner!

This post is in collaboration with Snapfish

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Our Summer Family Bucket List

The countdown to the summer holidays has begun and we have been busy creating a family summer bucket list.  This is the last summer before Archie starts school and unlike last year when we were learning to juggle four and working out how to do things with a newborn in tow, this year we have four children to entertain, enjoy and explore with.

So we wrote a bucket list, (inspired by one of my favourite blogger friend Hayley)  a list of things we all want to do, things to tick off this summer as we make our memories.  There are so many more things we could add, I think this will be the summer we get to watch Cora take her first steps, to celebrate a big birthday for me, to make a giant boat in the sand the way I used to as a child, to teach the boys to ride pedal bikes, to buy school uniform ready for Archie and to potty train Finn.  This is our final list though, our top 12 that we are determined to complete over the next couple of  months.

What is on your summer bucket list? Have you got anything exciting planned?

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Little Tikes Eco 'Go Green' Playhouse review

If you are anything like me, then you dream of being able to open the back door on a summer morning and let the children run around until they get hungry / thirsty / tired.  I want to drink a cup of tea with my feet up whilst they run around wearing themselves out, exercising their imaginations and making the most of whatever outdoor space we have available.

Realistically with four under six this may stay a dream, but the children were sent the Little Tikes Eco Playhouse and it has certainly allowed me more time to sit and drink tea than before.  The playhouse is everything you would expect from a Little Tikes garden toy - strong, well built, easy to assemble and colourful, as well as having some interesting features to help children learn as they play.

It took two men around an hour to build after coming flatpacked in a huge box but was easy enough with just a little drilling.

The boys are no strangers to recycling and love collecting their rubbish for Grandma who takes part in several recycling schemes beyond the standard blue and red bins.  The house has two recycling bins that can be removed and emptied and they have naturally sorted their rubbish as they play.

You may have noticed what looks like a solar panel on the roof - it actually is a solar panel, powering a light inside the house! There is also a gutter along one side that feeds down to make a working tap inside.  

The brown area to the right is for growing flowers in, although we haven't yet started on this project.  The area is quite shallow so our plans to grow tomatoes were thwarted but we will be giving flowers a go very soon.

I love the eco side of this playhouse, it is refreshing alongside all their battery operated toys and technology.  The simplicity of a playhouse allows them so much freedom and they have used it in so many ways for so many purposes.

I am hoping that the magic lasts all summer and I know that this is a house that will last our family for years as the younger two grow into it even more.  It is an investment that will hopefully yield ours of tea drinking with my feet up on a chair enjoying some sunshine. 

Thank you to Little Tikes for sending us this wonderful house, it has had many hours of play and I think we will have many hours more.  All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

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