Today we are all testing our nerve with this vintage KerPlunk game. The attic at my parents' house is filled with toys from the 80s, but this one looks even older.
The toy I really want my dad to bring down, is my Fashion Wheel. I spent hours making my designs, even in my teenage years! What was your favourite game growing up?
Photo from www.ohmykitsch.com
This week we visited Frankie & Benny's for my brother's birthday. They've a lovely Waldorfesque salad on the Specials Menu now, watch out for that, but the thing that really caught our eye was the dessert available as part of the kids' menu.
For £1.95 you get two scoops of ice cream, bottles of sweets, mallows and a jug of chocolate sauce. Oh! and popping candy!
It was pretty tricky to get a photo as Smix wanted to jump straight in.
It reminded me of the dessert I always wanted to get in Nino's in Portstewart as a child. I think it was called the Michaelangelo and it was served on a painter's palette. My parents quite rightly realised I'd never be able to finish something that size, but I think they did give into my pleading on at least one occasion.
Anyway, the Ice Cream Candy Shop is so extensive that they provide you a pick and mix bag to take your sweeties home. Smix is still working his way through it! Maybe next time we go I'll work up the courage to ask for one for myself too.
Claire from
http://www.teeandtoast.com/ posted an Instagram of a Fat Frog wrapper and now all I can think of is how much I want one. Sadly I don't have a time machine.
The classic ice lolly horror theme again. Which is an odd one.
The legends!
The prices!
Before my time, but I love the packaging on the left.
Some slightly racist lollies were found during my search. I decided not to include the HB Golly lolly- but you can Google image search it if you want to be shocked.
KoKo Mo doesn't strike me as being particularly PC either.
I love Twisters. Best of all the current lollies. Please, brain, don't bring to mind this creepy little guy next time you're eating one.
Apple Jack looks a bit cidery. Incidentally I can't remember which supermarket it was, but I was browsing their online groceries looking for full size Twister lollies in a box, and found alcoholic lollies in cocktail flavours. How awkward would that be if you accidentally got someone's kid tipsy from them just picking a random lolly from the freezer?
Again the spooky horror lollies. A skeleton, and a Zoom for just 4p!
Are there any I've left out? What was your favourite? Do you have a secret recipe for making Fat Frogs at home? Give me a shout over on www.Twitter.com/rudedoodle
A very cool project which is child's play! Instructions at http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/03/diy-dinosaur-planters-for-under-five.html
Show me your results by tweeting me @rudedoodle I'm going to try my hand at making some later in the week.
Above are the amazing results of the crafting on Fun At Home With the Kids. Love the neon green!
Before I go a little thank you to NI Parcels, who included me in their top NI blogs round up. It's a cool blog post they've put together, and I'm in very good company with many of my own favourite local bloggers making the cut.
http://www.niparcels.com/blog/11-northern-irish-blogs-you-need-to-follow/
I saw these paintings on Reddit this week and just had to share them with you guys. The artist is Craig Davison and his Facebook can be found here https://www.facebook.com/pages/Craig-Davison-Art-Official/349689058403958
I am totally in love with the style and time period captured in these pieces. So nostalgic, innocent and fun.
Also a thumbs up for the girls being included, not just playing the female roles.
My mysterious stray cat's origins were revealed earlier this month, and it's a bizarre tale alright. It's featured in this week's County Down Spectator, along with a fantastic cartoon by Neal McCullough from http://www.handdrawncreative.co.uk/
Neal is the genius behind my website's logo, and you can tell he knows us as he's dressed us exactly in our usual attire!
Here is the tale of Mrs Meow.
National Vegetarian Week runs from 18th - 24th May and it's a great opportunity to discover some meat-free alternative recipes for your family. There are tonnes of resources and recipes on the Vegetarian Society website https://www.vegsoc.org/ , ditto on the Marks and Spencer site http://www.marksandspencer.com/s/food-and-wine/vegetarian-and-healthy
I'm a huge fan of M&S meals, and finding which ones are veggie friendly are really easy. There's also a great list on their site of every single item they sell which would be suitable for vegans. This is really handy, as working out which meals are completely animal product free can be more complicated. http://health.marksandspencer.com/uploads/pdfs/Vegans.pdf
But, onwards to my choices!
For a really straight forward family-sized 'let's try something veggie tonight' you can't beat this huge, rainbow coloured pasta melt.
£5.75
Quiche £2.50 : Tomatoes £2.30
Of course M&S has a dedicated, all year round, vegetarian selection.
Lasange £2.70 : Peppers £2.70
Curry £3.00 : Sticks £1.25
For ready to cook oven veg, try the fresh vegetable section.
£2.00 each
Vegetarians are really well catered for in the snack and lunch department. The wasabi mayo potato salad is one of my favourite M&S products EVER.
Waldorf Salad £2 : Wasabi Potato Salad £2 : Falafel Snack £2.70
This feta pasta salad is another one of my own repeat purchases. It's really colourful and delicious.
£2.00
A few new lunchtime snack items. Really keen to try the sugar snap pea salad with the peanut & coconut cream dip. And I love the little pot with two boiled eggs in it, super even for a snack for a toddler on the go.
Salad £3 : egg pot £1.50
Another of the new range, and really these are only a fraction of the veggie options for lunches. No boring egg and onion sandwiches for the M&S veggie!
£3.30
Here's where I would never have realised you would need a veggie option. I thought sweets were just sweets, but apparently the gelatine used in regular sweets make them unsuitable for vegetarians. Luckily M&S come to the rescue with a wide range of gummy sweets. Each pack is £1.50 or two for £2.50. I tried the veggie Percy Pigs two years ago, and preferred the texture, so I've always bought them when possible. My new favourite are the Percy Pens. I'm embarrassed to say I demolished the whole pack last night!
I also spotted these little strawberry plants for sale. I've tried growing them before and struggled, so if like me you'd love your own strawberry supply, M&S is a great place to start!
Happy vegetarian week, everyone!
As heard on BBC Radio 6's Lauren Laverne Show.
