Liz's Family Christmas Outfits

I have spent the morning delivery Jonny to nursery, dropping the car at the garage (after a minor bump yesterday), walking for miles in the frost with Sophie who was adamant she was going on foot, no way was she getting in that buggy..... it was a bit of a nightmare. So when I got home I sat down with a cup of coffee and decided to have a go at the fantastic Next competition on the Northern Mum blog.

Basically you could win a £500 Next voucher by showing off your perfect Christmas outfits... so fulled with caffeine I browsed the Next website.

Well first things first, everyone sits about in PJs on Christmas Day don't they?

I had a good long think about what we'd all wear on Christmas Day. The truth is that the kids don't realise if you are wearing a posh frock, they still want you to get down on the floor and play with all of their new toys. So I decided that practicality is the way to go....

Mummy's Christmas Outfit

Then when it comes to Daddy, well let's face it he's going to get half of that Christmas dinner on himself....but I couldn't find any adult Next bibs, so again something smart but casual....and he can take the jumper off when it is covered in gravy and still look good!

Daddy's Outfit

When it comes to Jonny he is really a mini Daddy...in sooo many ways. So Jonny's outfit is a bit like Daddy's.

Jonny's Outfit

As for Sophie, well there are some lovely dresses on the Next website but I wanted something she'd be comfortable in while she is playing with new toys and driving the Grandparents crazy so I opted for this...

Sophie's Ensemble

So there we go, we all have clothes for the day. BUT WAIT? What about that obligatory family Christmas Day walk? Well naturally we will all require coats...

....and cosy accessories too :-)

Phew! I have to say that was loads of fun. Now I'm about to do the return trip to the garage I'm really wishing I had some of these cosy clothes to keep me warm....especially that coat!

If you want to join in this competition pop over to Northern Mum's blog for all the details.

This is a competition entry. All outfits shown are from Next.

Mum: On Your Retirement

Well today is a big day in our family - my Mum is retiring!

Mum started out her career as a Modern Languages Teacher, teaching French and German. In fact that is what took her to Mull and ultimately to meet my Dad. Mum was at my Granny's house one Sunday and Granny wrapped up a turnip for Mum in a newspaper to take back to her flat. When she got home she spotted an advert for a job in Tobermory in that newspaper and well the rest is history really.

When Kirsty and I appeared on the scene Mum stopped working, popping in now and then to do supply but really she spent most of her time raising us - for which we are obviously very grateful.

Once we got a bit older Mum was offered a new avenue to pursue - Learning Support. She worked extremely hard to gain her diploma and has never looked back. 

For the past eight years or so working has been more challenging for Mum as she copes with the progressive nature of MS. It has never stopped her though. The kids at school have been great in supporting her and making sure she is ok and in turn she has raised awareness of the illness. (She actually wrote an article about that for the MS Trust, you can find it here).

For me, and many people, Mum is an inspiration and the fact she has carried on working is a true reflection of her character. I know that people think very highly of Mum, both as a teacher and as a lady, and I also know that she will be missed in the school. Some people are lucky in that they find exactly what they are meant to do in life - Mum was meant to be a teacher!

So today, after many, many years teaching Mum is leaving Tobermory High School to embark on the next chapter of her life - retirement. I hope you enjoy every minute of it Mum - you really deserve it.

Lots of love

Rhoda and Jonathon xxx

Win Friends: The Complete Series Blu-ray Box Set! *Giveaway*

I actually cannot describe how excited I am about today's post. It is a fantastic giveaway courtesy of the lovely people at Warner Bros.

I have two words for you .... FRIENDS ...... BLU-RAY!


For the first time the complete series of Friends has been released on Blu-ray and here at Rhoda Reviews we have one Friends: The Complete Series Blu-ray Box Set to give away to one lucky reader!





I am resisting describing how much I adore Friends as I'm sure you just want to know how to win this fantastic prize. So... to be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize just complete the rafflecopter entry form below. (Open to the UK Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!!!!

Here are some exclusive clips for you to enjoy, remember to come back every week to check out the next clip.




Thank you to Warner Bros for providing the prize for this giveaway.

Zoe and Beans: Hello Oscar!

We have a couple of ‘Zoe and Beans’ stories in our house and so were delighted to receive this new book Hello Oscar.

The text is so clever and its slightly strange story appeals not only to young readers but to adults as well; ‘ “Woof!” said Beans. “Squeak”, said the guinea pig. And off they went to find a carrot.’  Saying that, this narrative is slightly stranger than past books and I have to admit to liking Pants on the Moon more. That said Jonny thinks this book is hilarious, it obviously appeals to his sense of humour!

The story is full of lots of interesting animals that certainly teach children about the world they live in, and the illustrations, as always, are gorgeous and interestingly laid out on the page. Jonny loves the ‘randomness’ of the book and it appeals to his strange way of thinking.

Jonny (three) and Sophie (seventeen months) both love the book and we have read it many times.  Plus, Jonny is starting to learn his phonics so the repeated words between Zoe and the parrot have proved very useful indeed.

This is another lovely book in the Zoe and Beans collection, not my favourite but definitely one of Jonny's!

A copy of this book was received free of charge. This has in no way affected our opinion of the book and this post is, as always, completely honest.

Stompeez!

I love slippers, always have. When I was a kid I used to love animal slippers - in particular sheep, I had many, many pairs of sheepy slippers :-) I must confess that I've gone for a more adult style of slipper these days but that doesn't mean my excitement is any lessened when I see a cute pair of snuggly slippers!

I was therefore delighted to see a new take on the animal slipper hit the shelves - Stompeez! These slippers are apparently massively popular across The Pond. I can see why to be honest as they come to life as you walk.

For example with the Perky Pink Puppy when you step down on the slipper the ear pop up. I know that as a kid I would absolutely have loved that feature!

The slippers themselves have a nice soft material, though I'm not convinced how comfortable they would be on your heels, as that bit is harder to accommodate the air pump to push the ears up. That said, they are loads of fun and really very cute!

Stompeez are available in 7 different characters, and three sizes.... in fact the large size is perfect for adults too! They retail at £14.99 and are available from WH Smith, BHS and Argos. A fun but useful Christmas gift.

A pair of Perky Pink Puppy slippers were received free of charge. This has not affected our opinion of the product in any way. All opinions expressed are entirely our own and completely honest.

Poppy Cat - Blast Off Review

Liz's book reviews continue - this time with Poppy Cat TV: Blast Off! by Lara Jones

This is a great story book for seventeen-month-old Sophie. It is 17.5cm x 17.5cm which makes it a great size for little hands, and the pages are made from card so they are easy to turn and not-so-easy to rip.

The characters are little animals so Sophie can spot different ones and make the right noises for them, plus point to countless noses, eyes etc. The numbers 5 4 3 2 1 are also written so she is beginning to recognise them also. The illustrations are clear and colourful, although not garish (thank goodness – sometimes kids books give me a headache with their bright, crazy illustrations).

The story, as you would expect, is pretty simple - an adventure on a rocket – but it has enough funny bits like Zuzu opening the rocket door and Owl being sucked out into space, that you can make the story silly and Sophie laugh.

This is a lovely book that would make a great addition to any young child’s library.

A copy of this book was received free of charge. This has in no way affected our opinion of this book and as always our review is completely honest.

Reading Rastamouse!

Ah yes, the world of Rastamouse. Personally I don’t see much in the guy but Jonny (three) just loves him! His sister Sophie (seventeen months) loves books, especially of the pop-up and lift-the-flap variety, so Da Missin’ Musician covers all the bases and has led to many hours of reading. Plus taking turns to lift the flaps instils those life lessons parents are constantly trying to promote (obviously this only works a fraction of the time and the glue has come in useful on a few occasions.)

When the musician goes missing for the concert Da Easy Crew begins to solve the mystery...

As a parent this is not one of my favourite books to read as I’m not particularly good at accents anyway, and Jamaican is impossible. However, on the plus side this has also led to many moments of Jonny (and dad) ridiculing me and laughing hysterically at my ineptitude.  I like to think I’m teaching him that it’s fine to be rubbish at some things (quite a lot of things) as long as you give them a go. I’m still convincing myself of this.

However, I have to admit to secretly liking the book. It’s quite a grown-up lift-the flap book and is very creative in its layout. The placing of the flaps and their use within the storyline is very creative and much more sophisticated than any other book of this sort that I’ve seen.  The illustrations are so bold and colourful, and there is a lot to look at on each page. The story is long enough that the book is actually quite long. This makes it a really interesting book that is perfect for Jonny and Sophie’s age range.

The Wicked Sticker Fun! book is really well thought-out and is a great teaching resource which is fun. With more than sixty stickers and sixteen pages the book requires the child to use the stickers to answer questions, and pencils/crayons to complete tasks.

For example, there’s colouring in, designing, counting, mazes, finding items, and counting. Each page is clearly set out with colourful illustrations and good-quality pages. The stickers are good quality too so they don’t rip easily.

Both books together would make a lovely present.

Copies of these books were received free of charge. This has not in any way affected our opinion of the product and as always our review is completely honest.

The Paper Dolls

In this recent cold snap Liz and the kids have been snuggled up reading some fantastic books. Today Liz reviews The Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb.

What a combination – Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb! Our family and fans of them both so it’s really interesting to see a book combining both.

We certainly weren’t disappointed. In fact we were totally delighted. This book is truly lovely and, I have to admit, brought a tear to my eye.

The book tells the story of a string of paper dolls who go on an adventure, escaping all sorts of beasts including a crocodile and tiger. This is until they meet the scissors...

Julia Donaldson is just amazing. She seems to have this insight into a child’s imagination and innocence, and allows adults a glimpse into this world. The narrative is seamless and she manages to guide the reader through it beautifully, with reference to events like the grandma in the child’s memory. Donaldson has the ability to write quite a long book which captures children’s concentration and neither Jonny (three) or Sophie (seventeen months) ever tire of it.

Rebecca Cobb’s illustrations are perfect for this book. Her style is ‘gentle’, with subtle yet busy pictures that are part of the story, rather than an addition to it.

The partnership of Donaldson and Cobb is absolutely sublime and I hope there will be more books by the same pair. Both the text and the illustrations support the other and lead to one of the most beautiful children’s books I have ever read.

I will definitely be buying copies for Christmas presents. 

This beautiful hardback book has an RRP of £10.99 - remember to shop around online for the best price. 

A copy of this book was received free of charge. This has not, in any way, influenced our opinion of the book and as always our post is completely honest.