#LifeLately - what we got up to over the holidays

Ste and I have split the Easter holidays between us so we can both have some quality time with Ethan and make our annual leave go that little bit further to cover as much as we have to throughout the year. This has been my week and here is what we have got up to, and what we are planning for the second week of half term (you can read my top 5 tips for the Midlands here on the Free Radio website)...

Good Friday
We had a slow start then went into Birmingham to Town Hall to see Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales - another fun family show, really worth checking out their what's on list as there's always something different to enjoy.


Saturday
We went to a friend's birthday party, at a soft play centre in Brownhills called Crash Bang Wallop (Ethan LOVED saying this name over and over!), which is really big, features fast slides and a fun ball game along with all the usual features you'd expect.

Sunday and Monday
We went to visit my family in Hampshire. Unfortunately it didn't have the best start as my Dad was taken into hospital whilst we were driving down, with a suspected seizure. After dropping Ste, Ethan and Watson off at my Mum's, I went to see him in hospital and luckily within the hour he was coming home, with plenty of meds for a chest infection and orders to rest.

We had an Easter egg hunt at my Mum's house then Sunday was a relaxed day with my Dad, and we had the best fish and chips ever from his local chippy.

Tuesday
This was out first day together, just us two, and after a morning sorting some things around the house, we went to see my sister-in-law who is expecting and due next month. We had a good catch up over tea and Colin the Caterpillar Mini Rolls (A-MAZING!) and Ethan loved playing with their pug puppy.

Wednesday
Boy, was Wednesday a wet day! We headed for shelter at soft play in the morning and met some of Ethan's preschool friends, and after we went for dinner at Frankie and Benny's (kids eat for £1, or there's 40% off on mains too with a voucher!) before going to see Peter Rabbit. Our Odeon now has padded leather reclining seats with pull around personal tables - oh, this is the way to see a film! It was super comfy and added to the experience. 

The film was ok, Ethan really enjoyed it and got into the story but was also a bit sensitive about the elements of death (they make it clear that Peter's Dad was killed by Mr McGregor and put in a pie), so it's worth thinking about first if your little one has sensibilities about this kind of thing.

Thursday
After dropping Ste off at the train station, I took my little man for a babychinno at Starbucks. We split a cheese toastie too, did a quick picnic shop in Morrisons and then visited Becketts Farm, just south of Birmingham city centre. They had a variety of baby farm animals to see, in a special marquee, and Easter crafts too - you can find out more here in my review - and it was great value. 

Ethan decided he hadn't had enough of animals just yet, so we nipped into the National Sea Life Centre for another visit, just one week after we went to the Jelly Invaders launch event, making good use of our annual parties. It was busy, as you'd expect at around 12.30pm, but we still did what we wanted and Ethan enjoyed himself. We then came home to put our feet up until Daddy came home.

Friday
Today, we have one more adventure planned for Mummy and Ethan. Having loved The Gruffalo trail at Cannock Chase (which was on at other Forestry Commission locations across the country too), I'm keen to do the latest one, from another Julia Donaldson tale, The Highway Rat activity trail. 

It's just £3 parking for more than an hour and £3 for the activity pack, so we are packing a picnic and heading off to do this later (follow my Instagram for photos and stories!). I'm not sure if it has the interactive app again, but I am sure it will be fun either way - and we have our wellies packed!

This weekend
We're off to see friends in Durham for a long overdue catch up, and to celebrate two of our friends' baby's naming ceremony, so here's hoping the sunshine sticks around a little longer.


Next week, it's over to Ste and one thing I know they'll be doing is going to see none other than Justin Fletcher - Mr Tumble himself - at Town Hall for the Justin's Band show. Ethan is going to be so excited to see Justin in real life and it promises to be a fun show. Here's the details...

Are you ready to be part of Justin’s Band? Because BAFTA award winning actor Justin Fletcher is going on a musical adventure and we would love you to come and play along with the band! Justin’s Band is a brand new show for 2018! Join Justin and his friends on a musical journey singing lots of songs and learning about musical instruments along the way!

There will be bags of fun and laughter and lots of live music from Justin’s Band. Tickets are £16-£18 each.

If you're looking for some further Easter inspiration for the Midlands, check out my other posts:

Be an Ice Age explorer at West Midlands Safari Park
Easter egg hunts and Cadbury World fun
Visiting Drayton Manor this Easter
Baddesley Clinton and the National Trust

* Not a sponsored post, although I am an ambassador for National Sea Life Centre Birmingham and THSH. All views are my own.