Two years ago when I went to Blog On I was an absolute state. My partner was at home in early recovery from Meningitis. He still couldn't regulate his own temperature, he was in agony, on many different tablets and slept for about 21 hours a day. I left him and my small boys at home under the care of our 5 teenagers and panicked all day. Last year I got to relax and enjoy the event. This year it was my first big blogging event since Elspeth died, the first time I'd see lots of people who I count as friends, and I have a hernia that makes it look like I'm smuggling a saucepan. It's fair to say I was a bit scared. I nearly survived the whole day, very nearly.

Laura (TiredMummyOfTwo) had very kindly offered me use of a quiet room if I needed a break, Sim (Simslife) had got a last minute ticket, and we were picking up Jen (MyMummy'sPennies) en route. My hernia operation had just been cancelled, so I had that to fret about instead thankfully - as well as the fact that my partner was at home not only with our 2 little ones, but also with Sim's daughter. 

It's less than 3 weeks until the Geronimo Children's Festival at Tatton Park in Cheshire, and tickets are still on sale for the 3 different days - Saturday May 23, Sunday May 24 and Monday May 25. At only £75 for a family ticket admitting 4 people, it's a great price for a full day's entertainment.


Geronimo is especially for children up to 12, and since my last update when I announced we were going to be ambassadors, lots of new announcements have been made.

It's now May, and for us in the UK the end of April annoyingly doesn't signify the end of the rainy season, raincoats are an all-year-round essential. Trespass are one of the better known brands in the UK, we've bought from them before, and even have a Trespass child's raincoat that has been handed down and worn by 3 of our children in turn.

Trespass offered me a product for review, and as my old raincoat was 10 years old I think it's my turn, so I chose the Kangchen - Ladies Trestex Jacket in Signal Red.

When I was asked by Spongebob Squarepants if I wanted to write a post about why Mondays are great, I laughed. Mondays are awful, right? Monday mornings are a nightmare - people looking for school uniform, clean shirts and bags, teenagers frantically completing homework, everyone's tired, no-one wanted to get up, and the house is a state after a lazy Sunday....


But actually, the more I think about it, maybe Spongebob has a point. It's a Bank Holiday!!! Most of the country have got a day off and I get to play with my children an extra day. 4 times a year we get a day off because it's Monday. Awesome.

Yep! May 4th is Star Wars day - and it's also my 700th post! Any excuse to get some LEGO out and May 4th is traditionally very popular with your LEGO Star Wars fans, so we've had a little play with one of the new Series 2 Microfighters - set 75073 the Vulture Droid, and some of our Series 1 sets.

LEGO asked us if we could find a new world for our Microfighters, somewhere unfamiliar and alien to our Star Wars minifigures. It wasn't hard to think of a few new environments, lets face it, they didn't ever go to Earth in Star Wars (because it took place in a galaxy far, far away of course) so we were on to a winner...First stop as directed by my 5 year old - outside!!

I should warn you this post has photo's of my hernia. I'm fully dressed, but it's not pretty...

I started having babies 21 years ago, and after no.1 baby I was left with a gap between my stomach muscles which allows everything through to form a ridge between my boobs and belly button when I raise my head if I'm lying down. I was young and naive, and I just believed that was what happened to every new Mum. I was blissfully ignorant until after no.5 baby when a new lump appeared beside my belly button. I noticed that I had a pencil sized hole, which I could poke the lump into, and then actually my finger. I realised this must be a hernia, and told my GP at my 6 week check.

In fact the gap left between my stomach muscles is a Diverticulation or Diastasis and shouldn't have happened, but is relatively common and not treated, but the lump by my belly button was a Paraumbilical Hernia.

I thought I'd inject a little excitement into the post from the start....

Blogging, like life, isn't all about LEGO and days out. The more mundane has to happen too. Washing the pots is something we all have to do. Well, you might think it's entirely devoid of glamour, but it's just not true. I've been sent the gorgeous Extend Expandable Dishrack With Draining Plug from Joseph Joseph to try out.


Joseph Joseph are a company who really do make gorgeous kitchenwares that do the job well. Design is everything, and it's not just about how it looks, it's about how it functions too. The Extend dishrack actually incredibly handy in several ways.

The Simpsons LEGO minifigures Series 2 are due to be released to the general public on May 1st, but a friend of ours spotted them for sale at a shop somewhere in South Manchester and grabbed two sets. By the time he had sorted through, the shop had realised their error and taken them back off sale, so we were in the nick of time...


The more alert among you may be able to spot that not everything went to plan.....Our friend Brett is somewhat of an expert at blind bag feeling, so it's worth noting that Edna Krabappel and Millhouse can actually be mistaken for each other. Edna has a special place for me, so I actually don't mind too much...

The Transformers are back in a new DVD in time for May half term. Transformers Prime Beasthunters - Battle For Darkmount is released on 27th April and we've been sent a copy for a sneaky preview, plus we have some great Transformers toys to give away.

Yep, it's true. I knew it was true a long while ago because friends told us they had seen Sly Stallone running up and down the Town Hall steps in Bolton City Centre. I did question it "Are you sure it was him?" "Why would Sylvester Stallone be in Bolton, apparently doing a re-enactment of his own scene from Rocky?" The answer is now clear....it was Warburton's fault.


To celebrate their new star-studded (well, Sly at least) advert, Warburtons sent me a lovely hamper of goodies. 2 loaves of bread, a bakers hat, oven gloves and a t-shirt bearing the slogan "I love Bolton". We had a bit of fun with the contents. Here's our oldest lad - do not ask me how I managed to take this photograph, I still can't believe it happened (maybe the shades make up for the I Love Bolton shirt).