Hello Spring! We waited a long time for it, but Easter brought with it excellent weather and a chance for everyone to play out. We had a visit from Grandparents who we haven't seen since last Summer - and it's only the second time we've been able to see them since COVID arrived, so it was incredibly welcome. 

This month has been a bit unexpected for us, as 2 weeks ago we were given 8 weeks notice to leave our house. We've been here almost 15 years, and with 7 children growing up with us, we have accumulated a lot of stuff, and a lot of memories. 8 weeks simply isn't long enough. 

The imminent move has overshadowed Easter and completely filled our time, but we still made some smiles, and we still had an Easter egg hunt, and we have spent hours and hours carefully placing memories in boxes... it's much harder because we love this house and don't wish to leave, and it's where one of our children was born, and where one of our children died.

Easter in itself is full of memories for everyone who has lost someone. Christmas might be the big event, but Easter always involves family and friends, and reminders of what used to be. It's been a hard couple of weeks, and I think that probably shows. We are all exhausted here, and that isn't about to get any easier. It is also the reason that this month the smiles are very late. I simply wasn't in a place to do any writing last week - my apologies to everyone who has been waiting for this post!

You guys have all had your cameras out, and it's been a real pleasure to look through all of the smiles today. I inadvertently took photos up until today, so there may be a couple that really should be in next month, and snuck in. I'm not going to go back through them, I'll just accept that and keep moving forward. I'm only human... 

Here are just 9 of the biggest smiles you guys have shared over the past month (and 4 days) by using the #tbcsmiles hashtag on Instagram. The whole collection is well over 8,000 photos now, each one with an infectious grin, a chuckle or a wry smile, but all have a little joy to brighten your day. 

Anyone is welcome to join in with the smiles, you don't need a fancy camera or Instagram perfect house, as long as someone is smiling, that's all we need. After all is said and done, happiness is everything. 

These smiles were shared by the following Instagrammers: 

OddHogg / PaigeWallbankxo / OurLittleEscapades

GirlyBones78 / BeautiesAndTheBibs / TheStrawberryFountain

SuburbanMum / Haylee_Louise_ / MrsShilts

My family made our own smiles, we really did, but I didn't bring out my camera much. We had a 12th birthday and our kitten Sonja to make us grin, so unsurprisingly star of this month's collection is my youngest son - who smiled through his entire birthday, even when he didn't win at bowling... even when life tests you, the smiles are always there if you look.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update Easter weekend 2nd / 3rd / 4th April 2021.

Some data isn't updated because of the Easter weekend. Some data reported is incomplete.

The UK added 2,297 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,359,388 positive cases of COVID-19.

The counter says 31,523,010 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 5,381,745 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

3,536 people were in hospital on Thursday April 1st, with 517 using a ventilator.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 10 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 126,836 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 237,695 cases and 4,715 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.)

There have now been a total of 131,652,423 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 2,862,872. Already 106,022,299 people have recovered.

"The arrival of Easter brings with it new hope.
And, this year more than ever, it brings the promise of brighter days ahead for us all.
So stay safe, keep following the rules, and have a very happy Easter."
Easter message there from Boris.
He also filmed a longer version where he thanked religious leaders, venues and congregations for everything they've done over the past year, holding their communities together and fighting disinformation, and supporting the sick, vulnerable and bereaved.

This Easter HARIBO have some awesome new sweets out which are ideal for Easter Egg hunts. We're working with HARIBO and so they've sent us loads of their goodies to have some fun with. Needless to say this is a popular job and I had no shortage of help.


We've been sent some of the brand new Eggs Galore! which come in different sized bags depending on how big your household is - the treat size multipacks are ideal for egg hunts. A mix of Easter Eggs and the all-time favourite Fried Eggs.


We've also been sent the Spring Time Friends, and the Chick'n'Mix and Bunny'n'Friends specially shaped packs, which have a selection of different sweets inside. Here are the sweets in the Chick'n'Mix - bunnies, chicks, sheep and eggs.

If I ask my family what their favourite sweet brand is then HARIBO is going to be the winner - my partner adores them and would rather have HARIBO as a sweet treat than anything else. It's no surprise to learn that HARIBO is the UK's leading confectionery brand. It doesn't matter how old you are, the sight of those colourful sweets always makes your mouth water.

It's Easter and the weather is likely to be predictably unpredictable. Inside or out, here are some of the things you could be getting up to in Manchester, Liverpool and the rest of the North West UK during March, April and May - for families with children of all ages...

Covering Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, St Helens and the Northwest UK. There are some great events and activities for families in the Northwest this Easter holiday, here are just a few of the museum and theatre productions that you can go to see. Manchester and other Northwest schools mainly break up on Maundy Thursday, so most events take place in the first 2 weeks of April.


Don't forget your local library and museum - most have special events or storytime and very often it is free.  As ever, if you want me to add your event, send me an email!



Until Monday 28 May
The Lowry arts centre in Salford celebrates its 18th birthday in 2018 and will mark the milestone through its biennial Week 53 festival, which will have a ‘Coming of Age’ theme and includes 66 contemporary art, dance, drama and spoken word performances by more than 130 artists from seven countries.
Some elements of the programme are free of change and those that are ticketed are set-priced at £10 or £20. For all ticketed performances there will be an allocation of ‘Pay What You Decide’ seats available both in advance and on the door – to encourage audiences to ‘try something new’.
Find out more on the website: www.thelowry.com
Tickets: Free, £10, £20 and ‘Pay What You Decide’

It really is the best job in the world going through all of your photos each month - thank you to everyone who has shared their smiles using the #TBCSmiles hashtag. They're infectious and an absolute joy to look at. Some of the brightest smiles are at the bottom of this post.

Easter Egg Hunt 2016

I hope this past month has been a good one for you. Sunshine and the promise of some time off over Easter make everything a little less heavy and the chance to get out and have fresh air without freezing is very welcome!

Here are some of the things you could be getting up to with your family in the North West this Easter....

If you have an April event to add, please email it to me with the subject April 2017 and I'll add anything appropriate - we are particularly fond of those which are low cost or free....

This Easter there are absolutely tons of Easter activities and events for families in the NorthWest UK, here are a few of our favourites mainly from the Manchester area...these are still the most inexpensive I can find, and all require you to get out and about. If you prefer something closer to home (or inside your house!) please see my 10 Alternatives To Eating Chocolate This Easter post...

Manchester Museum Of Science And Industry is hosting Play it! and it looks set to be awesome! Over 180 games systems and consoles plus thousands of games in one room. We loved last year's and will be previewing this year's (so watch out for my post). Opens to the general public on Friday 25th March (Good Friday). Entry to the museum is free, Play it! tickets start at £4 for 90 minutes. Age 5+, children must be accompanied. Find out more on the Museum Of Science And Industry website.

If, like most, your children are viewing Easter as a time for stuffing their faces until they feel a bit queasy (and repeat) then here are some ideas for things to do that won't cost a fortune, won't fill your house and children with hollow chocolate models, and hopefully will let you spend a bit of quality time together.

Go OUT: If you are in the NorthWest then I'll be publishing a great list of things going on around the Manchester area this Easter for families, but low-cost events and activities happen everywhere. Google local museums and council run parks and activity centres, and take a look at your local news websites.

Eureka the National Children's Museum, Halifax: £11.95 per person annual entry

Stay IN TOWN: There will be loads to explore in your own local area, but it's easily overlooked. Take a look online, print off  a map and pretend you are a tourist, and spend a day visiting your own local attractions. History and geography lessons the fun way with your child.

It's Easter Sunday (that's Zombie Jesus day if you're atheist) and my partner got called in to work because something broke. Poopy.

It's noon and no-one has had any chocolate.

Two of the teenagers are still in bed and two are still on their way back from a trip to France.

Thankfully my little boys haven't really got the hang of Easter yet, we're off to an Egg Hunt in 2 hours and I'll be back in time to cook my partner's lamb if he isn't back from work yet, so it'll all be fiiiiiiine.

I asked my boys what Easter was about. The result surprised me......a lot.

On Tuesday I posted about the Egg Hotel and Hospital at my children's school, and the challenge the younger children have to look after their decorated eggs. It was only right to post an update!

Ben 10 Egg was first. He came back at lunchtime, and I bow my head in shame. I underestimated my youngest son's ability to be careful, I apologise. Only 2 visits to the Egg Hospital all week! In fact Ben 10 was looking pretty darn good from the front.


Not quite so great on the back - but there's no egg white showing.  He did really well. Total bill 58p.


'Darwin from The Amazing World Of Gumball' Egg didn't fare quite so well. 3 visits to the hospital!


And a total bill that doesn't add up because he seems to have slept rough Monday night with no Hotel charge that day....Total bill 53p


There was quite a lot of shell left in his tank....and he must have taken a Humpty Dumpty style leap at some point during the week. Still no white showing really though. 


I'm really proud that my boy's eggs survived the week 'helping' them in pre-school and reception, and so are they - story of the day was that 'James' and 'The Girl Charlie' didn't have anything left to take home....It's lovely to know that my little boys can hold an egg carefully at story time and carry it outside into the foundation garden. I think I got off lightly with my Accommodation and Medical Bill!

(All money paid by the parents is donated to charity - and it's one of the best £1.11's you could ever spend).

At Easter my children's school have an Easter Egg Competition. Not with chocolate, but with boiled eggs. The whole school take part and it gets really competitive. People have even had to be disqualified because their eggs were clearly entirely the work of the parents...

All of the children from year 1 and up make a huge pun-fuelled diorama, complete with boiled egg characters. I'm proud to say we've previously had 2 class winners - The Abominable Eggman and Egg-Cercise - both of which then sat on a shelf in the living room for just slightly longer than I could bear before we were able to discretely remove them to the bin.

Because my 2 little ones are in the Foundation Stage of school they don't have to make a stunning miniature land of 'L-Egg-O' or 'Egg-citement' just yet, but still effort is expected, by not only the school, but the other pupils. The little ones in Foundation have to decorate their egg and then take it to school and care for it for a whole week.

So on Sunday night at about 5pm when we suddenly remembered, it was all systems go....

The 5 year old wanted to make Darwin - the goldfish from 'The Amazing World Of Gumball'.

Colour blindness may have played a weeny part, he actually spent ages getting just the right colour for his fish...and painted it egg-coloured. Brilliant.


He drew a very sweet little face and then some overly-large teeth which did confuse us a bit, but hes very happy with it. An empty Ferrero Rocher tub and some tissue paper and voila, a tank.


Our 4 year old is a bit of a breakeriser. He can think about things in a different room and they're already broken. The idea of him caring for a boiled egg for a week isn't a reassuring one. He wanted to make a Ben 10 egg, and my partner immediately had a plan.


 Inside, nestled in bubble wrap. Ben 10 Egg himself....


So off we went to school, I carried them all the way. I gave them back to my children inside the school, as they were going into class. Delivery successful...

The precious eggs spend the time children are working in the Egg Hotel, where they also spend their nights. At designated times the children take their eggs with them and hold them carefully, or carry them to a new location. It's a great exercise in being careful. Should any minor disasters happen the eggs have to go to the Egg Hospital, where they have plasters very carefully applied by a teacher. The parents are charged for visits to the Hospital and stays in the Hotel, and the money goes to charity. Last year cost me 65p.


This year, with 2 eggs to worry about I actually cheered when found out that both eggs survived Monday unscathed. It was short-lived.

By the end of day 2 today we have had 3 visits to the Egg Hospital and in spite of his protective case, Ben 10 was looking decidedly shattered. I think by Friday I'm likely be taking home 2 lumps of white boiled egg and a handful of plasters....but at least we'll have a cool Ben 10 pot for storing treasure......I hope....

UPDATE - Here's how the week ended! 

Before we arrived - the impassable driveway!

The roads being cleared just in time for us!

Grandma and Grandad live in the part of Britain most affected this time by the snow and the wind. Had Easter been a week earlier then we could have joined them in being trapped in the house for 3 days and nights with no power, battling the blizzards to feed the animals and playing board games by candlelight for entertainment. As big an adventure as it would have been, I think it's probably better that we turned up a week later, when the roads were cleared of abandoned cars, the shops have re-stocked, the wind has gone and we can watch the Dr Who special!


Fortunately the ponies aren't too bothered by the snow, and after being rescued from the blizzards and moved indoors last weekend, they're really pleased to be back outside - despite the snowdrifts! On some of the flatter and more sheltered fields there still isn't any grass to be found, so they've been having lunch delivered.
 One of the rewards for helping with the ponies is to get a ride. This is Leo - he's quite an old man now, but he's still very patient and ideal for the little children to ride. Both boys first sat on a Shetland Pony at less than 18 months old, so they're old hands now and supremely confident!
 All of the children have ridden the Shetland Ponies, but they're mainly too big now and luckily the ponies are taught to drive, pulling a carriage - but not in the snow!

Some other, smaller, creatures have been leaving tracks. Boy no.3 thought maybe it was a Pterosaur, but I think it was a much more modern type of bird!


Boy no.4 also left plenty of tracks, completely oblivious to the fact that actually he was running across a drift that is 8 feet deep in places - and we can't follow him because we're too heavy! I sent my other half off to rescue him while I stood a safe distance back. Boy no.3 in the foreground is standing on a 3 foot high stone wall, something I don't think he'll understand even when he sees the comparison photo's.


With the ponies back outside one of the main jobs has been to dig out and repair the electric fences ~ something the smaller children can't really help with, although they very much enjoyed running about feeling as if they were useful!


After work comes play ~ and we've really tried to make the most of it. Snowdrifts are brilliant for mini sledge runs for small people!

Why build one snowman when you can build an entire army?

Ice hole!

Our ice hole is still there, but it isn't big enough for Grandad or our youngest child to sit in any more. Sadly our snow is melting, but we really have had an Easter to remember forever and we haven't even had any eggs yet!