Fun Stuff | A Mummy Too

A thank you…and a request

Posted by Emily Leary on 16 May, 2012 6 Comments

Mummy, you’re a blogger! – JD, 4

Last August, just after my 29th birthday, I borrowed my husband’s old digital camera and took some snaps for the first time. I loved the way they recorded our day with such clarity, so I decided to start up a blog: a place to record the progression of our little family in words and pictures. No pressure, no work, just fun.

So I’m more than a little amazed to say that today I’m finalist for not one but TWO national parent blogging awards.

Loved By Parents Blogger of the Year finalist

What an honour. The lovely judges put me into the final with four other amazing bloggers and now it’s gone to the public vote. If you’d like to vote for me, please visit the voting page and choose Special Awards -> Emily Leary. I’d be absolutely delighted.

Britmums Brilliance in Blogging – photography (SNAP) finalist

There was some voting, then there was some more voting, then the finalists were announced and somehow I made it into the photography category. Thank you so much if you voted. The finals are being judged by a panel of experts and we’ll find out the results on awards night in June.

Thank you!

I’ve already said it, I know, but thank you so much for all your votes. And more so, thanks for reading, thanks for your comments, thanks for the conversations, thanks for the inspiration, thanks for making this fun.

Filed Under: Fun stuff | Tagged With: blogging, please, proud, thank you

Saturday is caption day

Posted by Emily Leary on 28 April, 2012 22 Comments

Mama, ooo-ooo-ooo-oooooo – Queen

This is Stevie. You may have met him before. But did you know he’s also a pop star? Well he is. So there.

Can you caption this? Do it, go on, chop chop. But don’t be mean. I won’t forgive you. Ever.

Then hit Mammasaurus’s button for more captiony caption-ness.

Filed Under: Fun stuff |

The Wonka question: Gene Wilder or Johnny Depp?

Posted by Emily Leary on 26 April, 2012 10 Comments

A boy falls in chocolate and it’s funny! – JD, 4

Over Easter, JD and I watched both Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) on DVD . We’d seen them both before, we love them both, but it does beg the most serious of questions…

Which is the better movie?

Indeed, which has the best…

Wonka? Wilder has the acting edge. Depp does a great job of playing the dark, tortured clown, but Wilder’s closing scenes, where he turns on Charlie and shouts, “You lose! You get NOTHING!” used to terrify me as a child, and it had JD staring in wide-eyed concern, but it’s a thrilling moment – the best in the whole film, we reckon. One point to Wilder.
Script? We like Depp’s ‘cool cat’ turns of phrase but all the best lines in the new version are straight out of the old movie, so while the new script keeps things interesting, the original script wins it for us. Another point to Wilder.
Charlie? I have to admit I LOVE the British Charlie in the remake. He’s such a cutie and his acting is great. You can’t fail to love him. JD also reckons he’s funnier, so that’s one point to Depp.
Cool factor? Depp is looking uber-funky and his outfit is amazing, but Wilder’s Wonka is more fun, and he was in Hear No Evil, See No Evil, so I reckon Wilder wins that round. Another point to Wilder.
Songs? JD really enjoyed all the songs in the original movie – they’re classics! He was less taken with the new Oompa Loompas until they came out dressed as KISS and then he was overjoyed, so I reckon that’s a point each to Depp and Wilder.
Grown up entertainment? Hmm, a tough one. Wilder is more likable, but the whole story of Wonka’s childhood adds more depth to the remake, not to mention the fact that Depp is rather easy on the eye. It’s another point to Depp.
Visuals? We love the original with its tower full of bubbles and the car that goes in dirty and comes out clean, but Burton’s interpretation is, well, as fantastic as all his other work. A tough one, but it’s another point to Depp.

Rounding up….it’s a tie. Help us out, which movie do you like best?

Disclosure: Both movies were sent to us by Warner Bros as part of an Easter selection. No payment was received and all posts are 100% honest.

Filed Under: Fun stuff | Tagged With: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, children's films, DVD review, film review, review, Willy Wonka

15/52: Silent Sunday

Posted by Emily Leary on 15 April, 2012 84 Comments

Filed Under: Fun stuff | Tagged With: #366, #52, #photochallenge, #project52, #SilentSunday, 2012, photography, photography project, Silent Sunday

Saturday is caption day

Posted by Emily Leary on 13 April, 2012 39 Comments

If she’d ‘ave kept on goin’ down that way she’d ‘ave gone straight to that castle – Labyrinth

Meanwhile, back at the Leary homestead, these crafty little creatures are making themselves at home.

Check it, caption it, then hit the button below to see other lovely #SatCap submissions.

Filed Under: Fun stuff | Tagged With: #SatCap, activities, craft, Saturday, Saturday is Caption day

I’d forgotten how much I like Pokémon

Posted by Emily Leary on 10 April, 2012 2 Comments

Ash, Pikachu and friends embark on a new adventure

Yes, yes, I know Pokémon is for kids – actually I was already about 14 when it first came out, but I’ve always rather liked it. Eternal battles between good and evil, explosions, fights and cute fantasy animals – what’s not to love?

Last week, the baton of Pokémon worship was passed to JD when a double DVD pack landed on our doormat for review, containing ‘Pokémon The Movie: Black – Victini and Reshiram‘ and ‘Pokémon The Movie: White – Victini and Zekrom‘.

Here’s the blurb:

When Ash and his friends enter a battle competition in Eindoak Town, they meet the Mythical Pokémon Victini, who becomes their newest friend. But disaster strikes when the misguided wanderer Damon seizes Victini for his own plans! Can Ash prove himself a hero and earn the help of the Legendary Reshiram—or Zekrom—to rescue Victini and save Eindoak Town?

I’m not sure JD grasped the full storyline in both parts, but he kept telling me how good it was, and he had a good appreciation throughout of who was a ‘goodie’, who was a ‘baddie’, and whether things were going well or badly.

I would consider it suitable for a mature four year old. JD, who can be quite sensitive at times, watched it with complete enjoyment throughout and needed no reassuring words.

Rated PG, it’s probably more violent than a U, but because it’s very fantasy-based, it doesn’t feel as scary as many U-rated animated adventures out this year. This is mainly because the characters can’t actually be seriously hurt – they just faint and then return to their owners to heal.

Here’s the trailer:

We spent the following day drawing Pokémon characters and colouring them in. There’s something very compelling about the little creatures of which there are more than 640 in the Pokémon universe.

I can see this release kicking off the Pokémon craze all over again, and I’ll have my very own little ‘Pokémon Trainer’ to battle with :)

‘Pokémon The Movie: Black – Victini and Reshiram’ and ‘Pokémon The Movie: White – Victini and Zekrom’ are out on dual DVD and bluray now, priced £12.99.

Disclosure: We were sent a copy of the Pokémon double CD free-of-charge for review. No payment was received and all reviews are 100% honest.

Filed Under: Fun stuff | Tagged With: DVD, movie, Pokémon, Pokémon the Movie, review

Happy Feet 2? Yep, we’ve got happy feet too

Posted by Emily Leary on 7 April, 2012 2 Comments

Will the Krill: I want to be free, Bill.
Bill the Krill: There is no such thing as free, Will.

Oh, I do love a good pun. We watched Happy Feet 2 this week and it got a big thumbs up from JD. He even joined in with some of the dancing.

Here’s the blurb:

Mumble, The Master of Tap, has a problem because his tiny son, Erik, is choreo-phobic. Reluctant to dance, Erik runs away and encounters The Mighty Sven—a penguin who can fly! Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model. But things get worse when the world is shaken by powerful forces.

It’s a good story with lots of musical numbers and strong performances from Elijah Wood, Robin Williams , but by far our favourite characters were Will and Bill the Krill (voiced by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon).

Will and Bill set out to discover the world beyond the shoal but end up getting mixed up in the main story, hurtling through the action scenes despite never actually being noticed by the main characters.

It’s brilliantly executed, they get all the best lines, and their presence adds a delightful element to the climactic scenes.

Here’s the trailer:

A word of warning for those with very smalls: although Happy Feet 2 is certified U, a couple of the scenes are quite scary, so you may need to be on hand with reassuring words that everything will turn out well in the end.

Happy Feet 2 is available to buy on DVD and Bluray now.

Disclosure: We were sent a copy of Happy Feet 2 for review. No payment was received and all reviews are 100% honest.

Filed Under: Fun stuff | Tagged With: entertainment, film, Happy Feet 2, kids films, penguins, Warner Brothers

Do your kids believe in the Tooth Fairy?

Posted by Emily Leary on 2 April, 2012 Leave a Comment

The Tooth Fairy is somebody very magical – JD, 4

We watched the Tooth Fairy 2 (rated U) at the weekend and JD absolutely loved it. It’s about a man who makes the mistake of telling a little boy that the Tooth Fairy isn’t real. As punishment for his wrong, he is forced to work as a Tooth Fairy until he has gathered ten teeth.

It’s a very sweet story of a man (Larry the Cable Guy aka the voice of Mater in Cars) who has lost the love of his life to a snobby rival. He learns valuable lessons about responsibility that bring about a happy ending all round, but he never loses the childish charm that makes him who he is. I really enjoyed it too.

What made it particularly interesting for us is that we’d never actually spoken to JD about the Tooth Fairy before. He hasn’t lost any teeth yet, so the topic hadn’t come up. We decided to tell him in such a way that he could take it as story or fact as he chose.

He was really quite keen on the idea and I think being able to immediately watch a film on the subject made it particularly fun.

I’d recommend the Tooth Fairy 2 for boys and girls alike. It’s got some great laugh out loud comedy moments. If you’ve never seen a mechanic crashing a posh gathering with an ass-slapping dance in a pink tutu, this is the film for you.

Disclosure: we were sent a copy of The Tooth Fairy 2 for review. No payment was received and all reviews are 100% honest.