If I was making a top 5 list of my favourite things about Christmas I think festive food would definitely be somewhere near to to top of it.

We all have our must haves of course; turkey, sprouts, mince pies.. but what about fresh ideas this year? Last week I found myself at a gathering of bloggers (what would that be called? a flock? a bevy?) all excited to try out what treats are on offer at Queensgate this christmas

Pret a Manger

Thick slices of Norfolk free-range turkey breast on malted bread with a dollop of slightly tart port & orange cranberry sauce. Served with Pret’s herby stuffing – made with beautifully seasoned minced pork, streaky bacon and apricots. Topped with crispy onions and fresh baby spinach. The Pret Christmas Lunch sandwich is back (at last!)

Meet Melvin, Pret’s gingerbread, icing and marshmallow-headed snowman. He’s only here for Christmas so enjoy him while you can.

Marks and Spencer 

Marks and Spencers’ food range always hits the spot! I loved the Gold Creme Brulee Liqueur, M&S Mince Pies and a Festive Sandwich selection which comprised of Turkey Feast, Brie and Grape, Prawn and Smoked Salmon and Ham Hock and Golden Beetroot Piccalilli.

Handmade Burger Co

The Handmade Burger Co served up some tasty samples. My absolute favourite was the Avocado and bacon Chicken Burger – original HBC burger relish, hand crushed avocado, smoked bacon, mayo, lettuce, tomato & red onion

I also LOVED the Halloumi fries. Comfort food at it’s best!

Carluccios

This was my first taste of food from Carluccios and I thought it was lovely! I tried the Pere e Gorgonzola (Pears & gorgonzola served with radicchio, green beans and walnuts, tossed in a lemon dressing)

The Carluccios festive menu is available until the 3^rd January. 2 Courses for £17.95

Lakeland

Celebrate in shimmering style by adding a sprinkle of this absolutely fabulous PopaBall Raspberry Prosecco Shimmer to your prosecco and sparkling drinks, and gaze in wonder as your glass is transformed into a silky, iridescent shimmering treat.

A tantalising mix of creamy white chocolate infused with natural peppermint oil, hand-swirled with contrasting, decadent dark chocolate and then finished with a winter snowfall of crushed candy cane, once tasted peppermint bark is never forgotten.

Hotel Chocolat

Hotel Chocolat always has a great range of gifts for Christmas and if you are buying a gift for me (I am looking at you, family) then you really cannot go wrong! The Christmas Box Luxe is a work of art and whoever thought of making a jam roly poly chocolate is an utter genius!

John Lewis

The John Lewis cafe is a great place to stop for a coffee and a cake (and to people watch if you get a good table) and they really do know how to do cake! My favourite is the bakewell cake!

Christmas is about spending time with family and feeling festive. If you fail at this then make sure you have these gin baubles on hand. One of these and everything will start to look very festive indeed!

My name is Tasha and I am obsessed with holidays.

I daydream about being in the sun and enjoying family time with the little ones almost daily. It is really not an awful problem to be afflicted with at all and occasionally I get the green light to run wild with my holiday planning obsession leading to some pretty top notch booking decisions – even if I do say so myself!

Venice is not a family sun destination?

Think again! Pra’ Delle Torri in the beautiful seaside town of Caorle which is less than 30 miles from Venice has got it right for families – and it’s not just me who thinks so. Pra’ Delle Torri was awarded Trip Advisor Travellers Choice award for 2017. It’s no great surprise then that it also ranks as the best hotel to stay at in Caorle and receives rave reviews across social media.

I don’t know about your little darlings but my lot absolutely love being able to stretch their legs and burn off some energy. Pra’ Delle Torri is perfect for this as there is a wealth of green spaces so everyone can relax in the Sun.

Accommodation

Within Pra’ Delle Torri you will find a great choice of types of accommodation to suit all kinds of budgets.

                                                                  

The Pool

If you have ever wondered what a 34000 metres area of pool would look like, this is the place to find out. It is massive. There is a lovely pirate themed pool for the little ones too as well as slides and 2 olympic pools for the more serious swimmer.

Just a stones throw from the pool is a long stretch of private golden sandy beach. Perfect for all of the family.

Pra’ Delle Torri has an activity park geared for teens with ramps for skating and BMX, a parkour area, and football field

Moose and Bess would absolutely love Fantasy World fun park which comes complete with inflatable rides, an amusement park with mini-cart track and loads of other attractions

Grown ups can enjoy the 18-hole, par 72 golf course as well as fitness classes, sports and bike hire

There is Free WiFi throughout the resort, onsite medical services, launderettes and convenience shopping so you can pick up the essentials (for us this is usually crisps)

Pra’ Delle Torri boasts 5 restaurants so variety is in abundance here. The animation team keeps guests of all ages entertained throughout the day and into the evening with activities, games and theatre shows as well as the kids club for the smaller guests and the mini disco!

Caorle

Pra’ Delle Torri is located in Caorle which is a colourful coastal town just 27 miles from Venice. Here you can explore the local area and check out the Cathedral of St. Stephen which still houses the skull of St Stephen!

Offers:

Every 5 nights, 1 night FREE! For all guests staying in Hotel, Aparthotel, Village and Camping. From 12.04 to 31.05.2017 and from 08.09 to 24.09.2017. All special offers are non-cumulative.

#sponsored #pradelletorri post

Collaborative post with Pra’ Delle Torri Holiday Centre

Yesterday was the International Day Of Happiness and it was a Monday. So I am late as usual but I refuse to be constrained by the calendar, surely the point of happiness is that we take an active role every day anyway.. Yesterday was a day for thinking about what I value in my little world so as Real Mum Review did, I would like to begin this post by throwing out there a quote I like..

Here are the 10 things I have in my world which make me happy (in no particular order)

My children are weirdos. Just like me. All of the best people are weirdos. They make me happy in some way every single day of their lives – admittedly some days the way they make me happy is by going elsewhere but still. Happy. All three are growing up incredibly fast and all three make me proud in their own way. My children make me happ

Music is and always has been something I love. I mean REALLY love. Not just 1 band or a particular genre (though alt grunge rock will always hold a special place in my heart) but any music. I am in awe of anyone who can produce it and there is nothing I like more than to discover something or someone I haven’t heard before. Given the choice I would pick Music over Tv any day of the week. Music makes me happy.

My Husband is not what I thought my Husband would be when I used to imagine life as an adult. Not least because I decided from around the age of 11 that marriage was not my cuppa. He is the single most infuriating person I have ever met. He can be selfish, he can be arrogant and he rarely says he is sorry. Just like me. When we met (cough) 15 years ago though, something clicked inside of me. I hadn’t felt about anybody the way I felt and still feel about him. I can’t even say for sure what that is or why but to paraphrase a much loved blue fish. When I look at him, I’m home. My husband makes me happy.

I am incredibly lucky to be able to stay at home with our children AND do something I enjoy to make a little bit of money. For those of you who don’t know, I make clay cake toppers for a living. It’s something which started out as a hobby when I started playing with clay as a child and has grown into something else since becoming a Mum. I adore (most of) my clients and after years of working in customer service handling complaints it’s so lovely to deal with people in a happy period of their lives! My “work” makes me happy.

I have some wonderful people in my life right now. Some are close by and I have met through my children, 1 I have known forever, and a lot live far away. To have people in the world who understand you and your sensibilities (and stick around anyway) is not a thing I have always had. I worry about and miss my best friend every single day but I am glad that we seem to have weathered the distance between us. My friends make me happy.

I couldn’t imagine life without my 2 sisters and 2 brothers. We all live relatively close to one another and we all have children AND at the moment we are all on speaking terms. Miracle! I love that my children are growing up alongside their cousins and I adore all of them like they are my own. I am immensely proud of my siblings and I count them all as very close friends. My siblings make me happy.

When we moved back to Cambridgeshire we bought this house because it had potential. in the 9 years we have lived here we have worked on it – building a downstairs shower room, adding a kitchen diner and some outside work. There is still masses to do though. Sometimes it feels as though we will never finish but I really like living here. We have masses of outside space, it’s just a shame I am so bad at gardening. My home makes me happy.

I have always had a bit of an odd relationship with food. In the past I have blamed it for my weight and for my unhappiness. Even my depression. But I was directing the blame in the wrong way. It wasn’t food, it was me. If I eat the right food it makes me happy. Food makes me happy.

I like to leave. I love travelling with my family and I wish we could do so much more of it. Some of my earliest memories were of exploring the channel islands with my Grandad. Leaving my home town still gives me the biggest butterflies. In the best way possible! Hopefully I am passing this hunger to see places onto my children. I cannot think of anything better than exploring outside of what you know. I hope in the years to come that I will be visiting my children wherever in the world they might be and that they go and see what they can before they feel tied to one place. Travel makes me happy.

I spent a lot of time over the years concentrating on the negative things about myself. There is something about being around certain people which opens your eyes a little bit at least to how the world sees you. I think being over 30 helps. I certainly wasn’t my biggest fan in my teens or my twenties. Turning 30 made me take a second look and I realised that how I felt was a result of either being grossly unfair to myself or giving too much credence to how others might think about me. I couldn’t care less anymore. Those who know me, know my heart. Nobody else’s opinion matters too much. I am stronger than I thought I was and although I do have things I would like to change about myself I know I can do it. Accepting myself makes me happy.

I think we all could do with a bit more positivity so I am tagging a few of my fellow bloggers to get involved and share 10 things which make them happy. You too, reader! Comment below with something that makes you happy.

Love 

Mummy & Moose 

x

Lauren @Belle Du Brighton

Kirsty @Life With Boys

Sarah @Toby Goes Bananas

Lauren @Mummy Is A Gadget Geek

Sarah @Boo Roo and Tigger Too

Jaymee @The Mum Diaries

Lyndsey @Me Him The Dog & A Baby

Beth @Life As Mum