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Our Bahamas cruise adventure - the holiday of a lifetime

 
CRYSTAL clear waters lapping sugar-fine sand is what my holiday dreams are made of. A cruise aboard the Disney Wonder to the Bahamas is a break of a lifetime stuff.

Throw in swimming with dolphins and dining in sumptuous restaurants and you'd think everyone would be happy.  But, even in the most magical of surroundings, tempers can - initially at least - boil over, writes Linda Jones.

IT was a bizarre contrast, as our ship's horn belted out When you wish upon a star, a mum was having a full scale strop.

Think Michael Douglas in Falling Down. Like a hurricane of tiredness and stress, she shouted at her husband, her three young sons and anyone else who was listening.

Effing and blinding as if your life depended on it, really isn't very Disney.

Christmas production review: A Christmas Carol, Birmingham Rep

ISN'T that just the spookiest Christmas ghost you've ever seen?

It really was that big - looming over the stage like a giant grim reaper, darker than a bar of Green and Blacks and making a 41-year-old woman grip her daughter's hand in fear.

Oh, it was great.

Stavros Flatley and Shaheen Jafargholi at Butlins, Bognor Regis

WOULD have loved to be in this audience:

...Or this one, wow...

But instead we enjoyed this.

Ten things we love about Blackpool

Photo by Paul Stevenson on Flickr

By Linda Jones

IT'S that time of year again.

Everyone's favourite wonky toothed football manager's son has just flicked the switch on The Illuminations and our thoughts turn to happy days riding The Big One.

Or perhaps that's just me.

Maybe you've never considered going to Blackpool, what with the bad press it has been known to receive.

But, let me assure you, as with Butlins and Disney - preconceptions are there to be smashed. I don't know how many times I have been to Blackpool. But it's quite a few. My daughters are aged 10, and they have had three weekends there already, plus a day trip to The Pleasure Beach last year for their birthday.

Here's 10 things my family love about Blackpool:

Butlins Bognor Regis Ocean Hotel launch: Bloggers' round-up

 

Is this really Butlins? Yes it is, it's a snow cave in the Ocean Hotel's spa and the assembled parent bloggers couldn't believe it either...

THE disco lift was a winner, a snow cave in the spa was a mind-boggling curiosity and big red balloons are a marvellous addition to any party. 

These were some of the points reported by parent bloggers invited to the launch of the £20 million Ocean Hotel at Butlins, Bognor Regis. And if you had to sum up the sentiments expressed most strongly in the variety of posts, I think it would be fair to say:

Cor, I didn't know Butlins was like that.

Blognor Regis here we come - Butlins set to launch new hotel

THIS time next week Butlins at Bognor Regis will be hit by some of the UK's finest blogging talent - as it unveils a swanky new hotel.

I know that the wondrous Joanne Mallon from Parentdish is going and have a sneaking suspicion the super-talented (I am not just saying this, she really, really is) Keris is up for it, as well as Antonia Chitty and Jo Wildman - another two writers I can't wait to meet thanks to all the help and encouragement they have given to me and lots of other people online.

I'm very sad that none of my fellow mums who came to Florida earlier this year will be there, especially as I have another sneaking suspicion that the two trips are likely to be connected as PRs latch on to the 'power' of parent blogging, thanks in no small part to their adventures with Mickey. 

The thought of DulwichDivorcee getting flirty with a redcoat had me all a flutter and I know Laura would have me in stitches at the prospect of experiencing a performance from Eoghan Quigg. I fear we may have heckled together.

Should children go naked on the beach?

 

Photo from BL1961 on Flickr

Update: See a recent piece from The New York Times on this very subject here and read what Babyccino blogger Michela and her commenters have to say, here.

YET again this blog is taking its inspiration from Joanne Mallon at Parentdish.

Joanne asked 'Do you let your children go nude?"

It made me think - especially when it comes to at the seaside.

My daughters are 10. For them, of course, it's out of the question.

But when I think back to when they were tiny, their little bums could be seen sometimes, quite rarely if I'm honest, waggling away in the sand or sea.

My mum hated this. She couldn't wait to tell me: "Get some clothes on them. Quick!" 

Why we love Drayton Manor

IT'S not because of this!

But we loved this:

 By Linda Jones

WE love a good ride in our house.

Jane Alexander's picky parents' guide to Walt Disney World

IF like me you've never taken much notice of what a Disney parade must be like, then the above video, by Erica at Littlemummy, shows you what to expect in just one of the many you could witness during your holiday.

Erica, along with Jane Alexander, Becky from English mum in Ireland, Lulu from Family Affairs, Laura from Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy, Alice from Dulwich Divorcee and yours truly made up the Disney Seven recently when we were flown to America courtesy of Disney.

Down with party bags! (New category: Get the party started)

HERE's a rare picture of my daughters, Emily and Melissa, dressed the same, writes Linda Jones.

They're pictured at what I think was their fifth birthday party - I honestly can't believe they even had identical cakes!

Nor can I believe that every now and again when I'm ferreting in the back of a drawer I'll come across some bit of plastic tat (a toy whistle, a pencil sharpener, something to do with glitter...) that appears to have lingered much, much longer than a bad smell.

The lovely Joanne over at Parentdish loves party bags, but, like Deb in her comments, Bah humbug - that's what I say!