mainy - myrealfairy, Author at myrealfairy.com

Childrens Perfect Party Game Giveaway

If you are stuck for what to do at a children’s party or get together then this great giveaway will be the ideal game for you. This Barnyard Bash party game is an interactive game for up to 20 children!

This game comes with everything you could need for a light-hearted party game. Probably best suited for preschool upwards. You get everything you need including chick stickers, poster and blindfold.

Barnyard Bash Pin The Tail Game. Old Macdonald had a farm EIEIO with a chicken, pig, horse, cow, duck and the farmer too. Approximately 24in x 36in. Includes blindfold and playing pieces.

Enter in the rafflecopter entry form below for your chance to win. Good luck!

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5 Hot Summer Accessories

Here we are again, Summertime is once again shining down on us. So what else could I do but share my 5 Hot Summer Accessories with you.

Summer Music

1. Now my first gem on the list is a song and oh boy what a summer song this is. Can it be an accessory I hear you cry, oh yes! This will be with you throughout the summer and beyond. Before you do anything else, put this on full volume and enjoy, this is a treat for you.

Sunglasses

2. Second up is sunglasses, for me they are like handbags and shoes, you can never have too many.

So far I have bought 2 pairs to kick me off into the dazzling sunshine. I will now live in them. My top tip is to get ones with moulded nose rests instead of the ones with the little bit of plastic. I’ve got long hair and I find that they can catch in my hair if I’ve had them sitting on top of my head acting as a hair band. When I try to put them back on it can produce a couple of seconds of tugging at my caught hair, not a super classy summer look!

I’m loving mirror glasses this year, here are mine, not with moulded nose rests but beauties and I just have to be careful and suffer for fashion:)

Wedge Sandals

3. Wedge Shoes are something I must have in summer. Each year I start looking around to see which stores are going to get them in the shelves first. A maxi dress and wedges are a summer evenings perfect outfit. I have also seen over on the lifestyle blogger uk about skin care ideas for the summer so that we don’t miss out on pampering our skin too.

Oversized Beach Bags

4. As a mum I cannot applaud the oversized beach bags enough. I love to have a bag that holds the lot. A beach bag was on my birthday list this year and the boys along with my OH presented me with an amazing bag that I’m thrilled with. I don’t want to still have phone, keys and purse in one hand a towel over my shoulder with the kids holding a carrier bag between them! Oh I’ve done it in the past but now the beach bag can take over and take control! I took the bag on holiday to Alcudia this year which you can see in Fun and Fabulous Food in Alcudia.

Maxi Dress

5. I couldn’t have a summer post without the maxi dress and it’s still a must have summer item. I find it the most forgiving of dresses around. Lumps and bumps disappear – fact! If you’re brave you go for the no straps elastic version around the bust. I say brave because with two young boys, trying to get everything sorted and responding to all sorts of mummy jobs I’m not prepared to take the risk! So, for me it’s thin straps for maximum tan factor. For the days it’s cool and practical and jazzed up for the evening with wedges, bangles and a floaty scarf, you will look a dream.

Hope you enjoyed my pics and you are feeling the summer vibe with the song. Here’s to a great and peaceful summer.

How do you prepare for Summer? Have you been up into the loft to get down all your summer gear or do you splash out and go wild? I’d love to hear.

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Fabulous Fathers Day Presents – Reviews Giveaways and Discounts!

If you are stuck for your Fabulous Fathers Day Presents then you are in luck. I have this mammoth Fathers Day Presents Round up. Full of discounts and giveaways, it’s a huge bonanza of ideas and offers. Make sure you scroll down through each one to make the most of all the giveaways. My boys have been so excited helping with this post as they want to give everything! What’s also super about this post and the features are that they can be presents for all through the year and for any member of the family. Big brother, uncle and grandad can all benefit too.

Now as I love all of these, they are in no particular order. I’d love to hear your favourites at the end! For the moment you can sit back and have a look what’s on offer.

Treasure Trails

If you’re looking for something new to do with the children this weekend – and want something to encourage them outdoors – then why not try a Treasure Trail. Treasure Trails are self-guided themed walking treasure hunts, ideal for discovering more about where you live or for taking on holiday. They are priced at only £6.99 each, which I think is great value for money and it’s an activity that everyone, whatever their age, can enjoy doing together. We are so excited about this gift as it means being outdoors and exploring new areas. There are over 1100 different Treasure Trails to choose from so you won’t be stuck for choice.

So, put down the computer games and get out there for some fun time in the fresh air.

You can also enter for a monthly prize draw of £100, imagine what a bonus that would be! Have a look at the action on twitter too: @TreasureTrails

Talking of prizes, look what we have below. Your chance to win a Treasure Trail of your choice.

To win one of these terrific trails, enter here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

What Knot

What Knot Makes tying and untying a rope as easy as; insert rope, twist, done! Oh my word you just have to try these connectors. It really is as easy as they say, you just pop the rope through, turn the connector and it grips it as firm as any knot. Then when you want it out, you just twist the connector and it’s free. Imagine all those times when you have used a bungee type clip, those elastic ones that are fierce and nearly take your eye out…well this is the new, safe way to tie or hold things in place. I am very pleased with mine, especially with my boys always having their equipment and bikes etc around the side of the house and in the car. My other half will love this and I cant wait until he’s sorting out the garden shed, result!

Have a look and see how easy it is to use:

We have a fab giveaway for you which includes 6 What Knots with 2 x 3.5m and 2 x 5m rope. This is a really great prize.
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Lostmy.name

Lostmy.name have just released their third book ‘Kingdom of You’. It’s a beautifully illustrated book that I am sure you will love. You have a step by step guide to personalised it to your children or…how cute is this…to dad on fathers day.

I love the story behind the books too. In 2012 four friends got together to make a personalized book. As they say – they worked on it in their spare time, as a pet project. Late nights! Understanding families! Pretending to work on work stuff at work, when they weren’t. Gulp who does that! Oh yep, most of us! They also have discount codes on the site that you can share with your friends and options that if 3 of your friends buy one then you get one free! The most magical thing though is the joy people will get from reading their books.

You can see them also on Twitter: LostMyName

I am very pleased to offer a Giveaway for you today. For a chance to win one of these great books you can enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chemist.co.uk

Oh yes this is a mega site and everything is on sale now! Whether it’s a gorgeous spray for dad to put on for those ‘rare’ nights out or nail clippers for keeping himself perfectly groomed, there is something here for everyone. Check out their twitter page for updates and even more offers! Twitter: ChemistUK

There is so much to buy and I was surprised at the prices as I’m sure you would be too. Loads for Men, Women and Children.

There are alternative therapies and dare I say it anti snoring aids! Well that should just about crash the site to see how we can stop the sound of a pneumatic drill going on beside you…not you my darling if you are reading this..oops!

For my haul I’m including these beauties..

I’m also keen on the Festival Packs, they have pretty much thought of everything over there!

Penwizard

Peppa Pig is a firm favourite in alot of households for younger children and this is another in their personalisation series

‘Daddy’s Words of Wisdom’ is a newly adapted, fully personalised Peppa Pig book full of tongue-in-cheek parenting advice from your child’s Daddy and Daddy Pig, and, for the first time ever, up to THREE children can star with their Daddy in this exciting new release.

This is perfect for Fathers Day and with the discount code below you can make it in time.

However, I will also be coming back to this great site in the coming weeks and offering you further discounts and offers!

For now I have a whopping 20% discount code to offer you when placing your order which is: FAIRY20 (Valid until 13th June 2017).

The last order date for a guaranteed arrival for Fathers Day is 13th June so hurry up and order if you would like it for then:)

Terms and Conditions: This code gives you a 20% off the whole range of personalised books. Offer not valid in conjunction with any other offers or discount codes. Available on any personalised books, not valid on Peppa Pig stationary. Offer valid until midnight Thursday 13th June 2017.

Well there we go! I hope you have enjoyed this round up and have some ideas for Fathers Day and all those birthdays and special events to come. Why not just treat him for no other reason than to say I love you!

Disclaimer: I did receive a sample of each product to review for this post. All thoughts are my own. All giveaways included in this post are for U.K. entries only.

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Plantain and Mango Curry – Easy and Delicious

When I was travelling I enjoyed the taste and versatility of Plantain. If you have not come across or cooked with it before it looks like a large banana which it is but this type needs to be cooked before being eaten.

In this recipe I have paired it with mango and onion for a fruity light curry. I prefer a mild curry and my other half likes something with a bit more kick to it. This dish is perfect if you want to turn up the heat, just add more crushed chillies sprinkled on top as a garnish and then everyone is happy!

Plantain and Mango Curry

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

32 mins

Total Time

42 mins

A Fruity Curry which can be made to suit all levels of heat. A great source of energy and vitamins.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Worldwide

Servings: 4 people

Author: Mainy - myrealfairy.com

Ingredients

2 Plantains
1 Tin of Mango in syrup
1 medium Onion
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1 teaspoon Cumin
2 cloves of Garlic
0.5 teaspoon Dried crushed Chillies
2 cups of water
2 tablespoons Rapeseed Oil

Instructions

Place the oil in a large frying pan with the spices and garlic
Cook for 2 minutes
Add the onions and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes
Add the Plantain and fry for 5 minutes
Add the water and cook for a further 15 minutes on a low heat
Add the mango and cook for 5 minutes

The plantain takes longer than you would think to cook, it’s generally treated like a vegetable more than a fruit. You can cut it lengthways thinly and gently fry for a tasty snack.

The dish looks really vibrant when it is cooking. When the onions and plantain are just softening then it’s the time to add the mango with its syrup.

When serving, try it with a garlic yogurt dip. Place a small tub of unsweetened yoghurt in a bowl. Add 10 mint leaves – finely chopped. Then add 2 cloves of garlic that have been minced through a garlic press.

Sit back and enjoy! Let me know how you either like the idea – or – if you have tried it please send me a picture.

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Fun and Fabulous Food in Alcudia

We have just come back from one of our best holidays yet! I went to Alcudia in Mallorca with my mum and the boys. It’s great because our local airport in Bournemouth is about 10 minutes away which makes travelling a breeze because we don’t have that long trek to the airport. We’ve been picking flights from here and sticking to the resorts which they fly to. In previous years we have loved going to Benalmadina which I have written about in the post 5 Fairy Facts on our hols . This year we really pushed the boat out and went all inclusive which was a first for us.

The flight was fab and I am not the best flyer. I’m OK on the outside but on the inside I am a bag of nerves and can’t wait until its over. I’ve done long hauls and it doesn’t make a jot of difference how long it is, I cant settle and certainly can’t sleep. It makes me so jealous when I see others just get on and snuggle down to have a nap. How does that happen! I wrote a poem out of shere nerves when I came back from Germany entitled My Ode to Him – My Other Half I think it’s easy to see that I was petrified and got all soppy!

Back to this holiday or I’ll fixate on the flying! We got there…perfectly safe and sound of course. We had about an hour on the transfer coach from the airport while we did various drop offs for people at different hotels. I don’t know about you but I often do the ooohhs and aaahhs at others hotels. I either hope that mine is alot better as you emerge out of the bin filled alley that it’s located in – knowing that the picture in the brochure or online probably looked amazing – or think WOW as it stands majestic overlooking the best spot on the strip.

Luckily we were in for a treat and our hotel was every bit as beautiful as I had hoped. We had two apartments next to each other and the balconies were huge. However the actual view from our balcony was even better. Have a look…

Alcudia Mallorca Holiday — The view from our balcony.

When it came to unpacking I was in for a little surprise when I saw that my suncream had decided to leak everywhere. It was a real pain to get off everything and was the worst consistency I could of dreamt of. I wiped off everything that was inside but the bag was ruined.

The food was so good in our hotel. Look at this chocolate fountain, every child and most adults dream! Each night there was a different theme and along with staple favourites there were regional dishes on offer. The boys made the most of everything and ate and drank to their hearts content.

Alcudia Mallorca Holiday

I took so many pictures that my phone was crammed with dishes from each meal. It was all great quality and with the amount of on show cooking that was done you could see that nothing was left hanging around. I must of eaten more in the week than I normally eat in a month.

Alcudia Mallorca Holiday

My youngest came into me at 5 in the morning and said ‘mum mum, you have to see the sunrise outside!’ I got up a bit bleary eyed and this sight greeted me. I was taken back by how beautiful it was and by how it caught the attention of him. With a happy heart I went back to bed for a couple of hours and woke up when the sun was much higher up.

Alcudia Mallorca Holiday

The shows in the evening were very good and ranged from live bands to big productions of well know favourites such a Frozen. Something for everyone and a real family evening.

Alcudia Mallorca Holiday

For me, after a hard day sitting, walking and swimming in the sun, it was time to relax with a cocktail….well I was on holiday after all.

Alcudia Mallorca Holiday

Have you been over to the Alcudia region of Mallorca for a holiday? Where are you heading to this year? I’d love to know any holiday related stories.

Click to tweet to others so they can see the fun and fabulous food on our holsClick To Tweet

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Nominate Me! Now that’s a call to action!

OK what I actually meant was could you Please nominate me, I didn’t want to come across as pushy:)

The Brilliance in Blogging Awards – BiB’s are open for nominations – Yippie! This year I have decided to take a deep breath and go for it! I am being brave and asking you to nominate me please if you like my blog and the type of things I cover. I love this crazy world of blogging and it would mean so much to receive some feedback in the way of nominations. So here is my unashamed post asking you to nominate.

All of the links here will take you to the page you can nominate from and there are details at the end of the post that you will need to nominate me. It’s real easy and takes about 2 minutes

BritMums highlights the best of parent lifestyle blogging in our Brilliance in Blogging Awards – the BiBs. It recognises the most creative, inventive and compelling blogging of the year!

If you love my blog I would be so so happy if you would nominate me for the………

Fresh Voice

which is an award celebrates the newbies in the blogging world. The blogger’s actual age doesn’t figure; rather it’s their fresh approach to blogging and social media – with content, pictures, video and voice that makes the rest of us take notice. Blog should be less than 18 months old, or recently relaunched.

Family & Lifestyle

These blogs might share the laughter and tears of bringing up kids, inspire us to live better, or expose the (ahem) challenges of being a parent. They are frank, often beautiful to look at it, and celebrate family life and the parenting lifestyle.

Nominations close on the 7th June so if you fancy nominating then pop over before then:)

Details you will need are…….

Blog Name: myrealfairy.com

Blog URL: http://www.myrealfairy.com

Email: fairyqueen@myrealfairy.com

Twitter: @myrealfairy

You can choose your favourite post from the blog, some of mine are:

Is social media and technology affecting your family?

Lets kick ‘passive aggressive’ into touch….

How we got involved with the Great British Spring Clean #GBSpringclean

Thank you so much if you do nominate me or if you vote for other bloggers as it’s so great to be part of these awards.

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Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe

This vegan chocolate cake recipe is one to keep. I came across the idea when I realised there were many more people that I know who are either vegan or who are removing some areas of food from their diet. There are so many ways in which we can tweak our favourite recipes to meet our own requirements.

With my vegan chocolate cake it does not contain any eggs or butter. The standard sugar has been replaced with Natvia sweetener – Natvia is made from the stevia plant and is completely natural – and the oil is vegetable oil.

This is a cake that is so versatile. It’s perfect with a hot coffee, if you fancy a summer party then adding fresh fruit will put the sunshine feeling into the day, or if it’s luxury you are after then vegan hazelnut frosting is something that will top this off a treat!

See how easy it is to make….

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Chocolate Cake

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

This No Egg, No Butter, Vegan Chocolate Cake is delicious! Try it out with fresh fruit or a hot steaming coffee. You can upgrade this to the best wedding cake with vegan frosting, it's so versatile.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Worldwide

Servings: 12

Author: mainy - myrealfairy

Ingredients

1 lb Plain Flour
12 oz Natvia Natural Sweetener
3 oz Cocoa Powder
3 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
8 fl oz fl oz Vegetable Oil
1 pint Water
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Cider vinegar

Instructions

Measure out your dry ingredients and mix these together in a large bowl.
Add your wet ingredients and blend these in making a smooth paste.
Line an 8 inch (22cm) loose bottomed cake tin with parchment.
Carefully pour into the tin.
Bake in a pre-heated oven for 45 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Insert a clean toothpick into the centre of the cake to see if it is baked. If the toothpick comes out clean then it’s done!

Share the love with clicking here to show your friends this great recipe xClick To Tweet

I’d love to hear your thoughts and please rate the recipe if you like the look of it or if you have tried it.

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I was given one pack of Natvia Sweetener to try. It works and tastes great in this cake!

Paleo Cassava Banana Pancakes

Today I have a lovely treat in store for you all, who can resist a healthy, filling and nutritious breakfast? Not me! Here you will see with the help of my lovely guest blogger how you can make super easy Paleo Cassava Banana Pancakes and pick up a few tips on the Paleo way of cooking too.

Rachel Peterson is a Paleo blogger and self-professed Twitter fanatic from the US. She enjoys cooking, Zumba, and giving out nutrition advice to friends, family, and pretty much anyone who will listen! Her blog can be found at: www.austinpaleogrrl.blogspot.com

It’s over to you Rachel…

These pancakes are the perfect breakfast (or dinner!) food, and their light and fluffy texture can easily be achieved using what may be considered somewhat unconventional ingredients.

I am a Paleo blogger from Austin, Texas USA. This banana pancake recipe was born through trial and error. It took me three tries to get it just right! You don’t have to follow a Paleo diet to enjoy them, and the type of flour used (cassava – also known as yuca root) works just as well (if not better) than conventional wheat or white flour and is much healthier. Plus, cassava flour has some calcium and potassium in it.

Being Paleo, I don’t eat any grains (especially gluten), so I had to find an alternative flour so that I could still enjoy my favorite breakfast! I personally use Otto’s Cassava Flour, as I think it has the best texture and taste. It can be purchased on Amazon or in some health food stores. These pancakes are delicious served up with sliced bananas and pure maple syrup or with any other ingredients you can dream up. The possibilities are endless!

This recipe yields 6 small pancakes

Ingredients

5 US Tablespoons cassava flour

1 US Tablespoon organic honey

½ US Teaspoon baking soda

1 pureed banana

2 free range or pastured eggs

Coconut oil for cooking

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, honey, baking soda and eggs.

In a blender, combine one whole ripe banana with a small bit of water and blend until smooth

Add blended banana into your batter mixture and whisk until smooth

Next, heat a small skillet on stove top to medium heat and add in a small amount of coconut oil. I recommend coconut oil, because it melts quickly and has a medium smoke point (350° F or 171º C).

When your skillet is warmed up enough, scoop ¼ US cup of pancake batter and pour it onto the skillet, tilting the pan up and down just a bit so that the batter spreads out into an even circle.

Some bubbles will begin to form in the batter, and these pancakes will brown quite quickly, so be sure to check them often with your spatula. When browned to your liking, flip the pancake onto its other side and cook for another 30-45 seconds

Repeat with the rest of the batter, and serve warm with your favorite toppings!

Tip: to keep the pancakes warm, put them on a plate and keep them covered in the microwave until you are finished using up all of the batter

Thank you Rachel for this yummy recipe. You can see more of what Rachel is up to on her Twitter and Facebook pages.

This is so good I’ve put it in a printable format below. Enjoy!

5 from 1 vote

Paleo Cassava Banana Pancakes

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

6 mins

Total Time

11 mins

Paleo Cassava Banana Pancakes. They’re the perfect breakfast (or dinner!) food, and their light and fluffy texture can easily be achieved using what may be considered somewhat unconventional ingredients.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Worldwide

Servings: 6

Ingredients

5 US Tablespoons cassava flour
1 US Tablespoon organic honey
½ US Teaspoon baking soda
1 pureed banana
2 free range or pastured eggs
Coconut oil for cooking

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, honey, baking soda and eggs.
In a blender, combine one whole ripe banana with a small bit of water and blend until smooth
Add blended banana into your batter mixture and whisk until smooth
Next, heat a small skillet on stove top to medium heat and add in a small amount of coconut oil. I recommend coconut oil, because it melts quickly and has a medium smoke point (350° F or 171º C).
When your skillet is warmed up enough, scoop ¼ US cup of pancake batter and pour it onto the skillet, tilting the pan up and down just a bit so that the batter spreads out into an even circle.
Some bubbles will begin to form in the batter, and these pancakes will brown quite quickly, so be sure to check them often with your spatula. When browned to your liking, flip the pancake onto its other side and cook for another 30-45 seconds
Repeat with the rest of the batter, and serve warm with your favorite toppings!

Recipe Notes

Tip: to keep the pancakes warm, put them on a plate and keep them covered in the microwave until you are finished using up all of the batter.

Share this great Paleo Cassava Banana Pancakes recipe and let others enjoy too! xClick To Tweet

If you like the look of this then see what you think of my Easy Pickled Green Chillies

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2 Wonderful Wooden Toy Trucks Giveaway

Boys and girls alike will love these beautifully made wooden toys. They take you back to a time when toys were kept in amazingly good condition and stayed in families for ages. You can win both of these wonderful wooden toy trucks in my giveaway today for double the fun!

These toys have developed and both look good and are stunning to the eye.

Features

A sturdy city cleaning vehicle made from sustainable rubber-wood, natural paints and finishes.

Suitable for indoor and outdoor play

Right size for small hands to play with and carry around.

Dimensions: 11.5 x 9cm

Recommended Age: 19 months +

Take care with toy around all children

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open to UK Entrants Only. This is not a sponsored post.

If you have enjoyed this post and my blog, please vote for me in the BiBs 2017 Bloggers Awards in the categories:

Fresh Voice

Family & Lifestyle

Click here to vote http://www.britmums.com/nominate-for-the-bibs2017/

Details you will need are…….

Blog Name: myrealfairy.com

Blog URL: http://www.myrealfairy.com

Email: fairyqueen@myrealfairy.com

Twitter: @myrealfairy

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Are You A Blogger and want to be part of Top Mommy or Daddy Blog? Click Here!

You never guess what… It’s Holiday Time!

Yippie, it’s now just around the corner, in just a jiffy we’ll be jetting off for a week in the sun! Fingers crossed on the sun bit but I’m hopeful, optimistic and downright determined that it will be sunny so that these legs can turn from flour white to bronzed ~~turkey~~ goddess!

via GIPHY

It can’t come too soon, it’s been a busy year so far and I know when work and the whole juggling aspect of my chosen lifestyle gets a bit much. The kids, my mum and I will be going for the sun and my OH will be heading to the mountains for his visit home. We always have a break this time of year then we do the family holiday around the end of the summer holidays.

I’ve enjoyed having some more guest posts on the blog recently there’s a wonderful banana pancake recipe that has a twist. I have also been experimenting and have developed a vegan chocolate cake that has gone down a treat at home. I am so pleased that I found this outlet of blogging and I thank you for reading what I come up with to share. Every visit is appreciated so much.

I will also be sharing my gardening adventures shortly. The patio vegetable garden is coming on a treat and we recently had our first lettuce on our dinner table, it was a big whoop whoop moment for me! Watch out snails, these are not for sharing!

it's holiday time — A small lettuce but with a big heart:)

I am hoping to write some poetry while I am away. I have had ideas swirling around about some topics that are dear to me. To be honest I just haven’t had the head space to be able to concentrate on them. Too much going on and no quiet time. Another reason why the break is going to be so good.

All of these will be available on the blog in the next week. I look forward to seeing what you think to the latest adventures in the myrealfairy household.

I’ve also seen this great blog takelessons.com which provides classes and you can search thousands of teachers for local and online lessons.

If you have enjoyed this post and my blog, I would love it if you would nominate me in the BiBs 2017 Bloggers Awards in the categories:

Fresh Voice

Family & Lifestyle

Click here to vote http://www.britmums.com/nominate-for-the-bibs2017/

Details you will need are…….

Blog Name: myrealfairy.com

Blog URL: http://www.myrealfairy.com

Email: fairyqueen@myrealfairy.com

Twitter: @myrealfairy