Our February: A Birthday, Birmingham and a Trampoline park
Regular readers of the blog will know that I usually have a monthly Our Favourite Five linky where I list the top five favourite things we did and asked other bloggers to join in and link theirs up too. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now but unfortunately, I think the linky has run its course and so I have made the decision not to continue. I will still carry on with my monthly round-ups though as I do love writing them and looking back on what we’ve been up to.
The first part of February was tough for us on the childcare front. We were having to juggle childcare arrangements on a week-to-week basis as my mother-in-law was recovering from a bad bout of flu. Thank goodness she is better now, I honestly don’t know what we would do without her.
M’s Birthday
M’s birthday was at the beginning of the month. It was the first time he had a soft play party where he invited his nursery friends and I have never seen him so excited. In the run up he kept asking “when is my party?” I still can’t quite believe my baby is 4!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQVP4ayBSYW/
Weekend in Birmingham
We had a lovely weekend in Birmingham just before half-term. We stayed at The Limes Country Lodge Hotel and literally spent the weekend eating far too much. The boys love staying in hotels so much that they even role-play it at home sometimes which is hilarious! They’ve told me their most favourite hotel is Novotel which is where we stayed when we went to Lisbon in October last year. Oh, they do make me laugh!

Trampoline Park
I couldn’t take any time off work over half-term to spend with the boys but I did make sure we had something fun planned on my day off. I’ve been wanting to take them to a trampoline park for a while now but most places are for over 5s. However, I managed to find Gravity Force over in Camberley that allow 4 year-olds in. The boys were in their element bouncing about all over the place and they absolutely loved the foam pit. I made a little video of our visit, which you can have a watch of below.
E loved it so much that he’s asked if he can have his birthday there. I need to look into it a bit more but I have no doubt we will be back again soon regardless.
Paw Patrol Cake
Even before the New Year rang in, I knew that I would be looking at a Paw Patrol themed party for M. He LOVES them. This meant scouring Pinterest for inspiration on the most important part of the party – the cake! Now, I do plan to blog about the cake (eventually) but I am super proud of how this turned out – and it tasted pretty good too!

Nerf Wars
E spent half a day over half-term in our local recreation centre playing Nerf Wars. The hall was filled with pop-up tents, Nerf blasters, darts and of course children. They were split into teams and had to defend their camps – there were even medics to revive you too! He had so much fun that he went back last weekend for Family Nerf Wars with Mr H. Unfortunately M is too young but as soon as he is old enough we are going to go together as a family.
What did you get up to in February?

![[AD] We’re a cricket-mad family, so we’re buzzing that @thehundred is back this August! 🏏🔥
To get ready, M tried out the official FREE Activity Pack — and it’s brilliant! 🙌
Packed with fun games, creative challenges and sporty tasks, it’s perfect for getting kids hyped whether you’re at home or on the go.
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We enjoyed the glorious sunshine this weekend with a trip to Brighton. We went on the @brightoni360official which is right by the sea front.
The i360 pod take a slow journey up, allowing you to take in views across Brighton and the South Downs 450ft above ground. There’s a bar inside with drinks and snacks available to purchase and the experience lasts 25 minutes.
Afterwards, we headed to the open air roller rink for a roller skating session!
The roller rink is:
⭐ Suitable for over 5s
⭐ £6.50 if you have your own skates or £9.50 if you need to hire them
⭐ 45 minutes per session
Full details to visit the i360 + skating
📍 Brighton i360, Lower Kings Road, Brighton BN1 2LN
🚗 Parking nearby (we parked in the Regency Square Car park)
🎟️ Prices start from £25.40 for an adult and £16.90 for a child
🕐 Opening hours are currently Sun-Fri 10.30am-18.30pm and until 19.30pm on Saturdays
☕️ Bar inside the i360, cafe and gift shop
Book tickets here:
https://tickets.brightoni360.co.uk/tickets/?_ga=2.195305772.1869001490.1689671753-1757164059.1689671753/#events?eventid=157](https://suburban-mum.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/417980235_313576471048632_3682382982231216432_n.jpg)

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There is plenty for kids to do at @barracudas_activity_day_camps
From Tennis, Archery, Swimming, Motor Sports and more you can be sure that there will be something for kids aged 4.5-14. ⚽🏈🥅🎾🏓🏎️🏹🏊♂️🏉
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![[AD] We have some super exciting news...we have been chosen to be Laser Quest Ambassadors, and the boys are over the moon!
We are really lucky that our local Laser Quest (@laserquestkingston) is just around the corner from us. It means we can pop in of a weekend or anytime during the school holidays, and with summer just around the corner, I know Laser Quest will be one of our go-to places for some family fun.
As well as games of Laser Quest, there are also VR experiences and arcade amusements too. To find out a bit more about how Laser Quest works, you can read my blog post: https://www.suburban-mum.com/laser-quest-kingston/ (clickable link in bio)
Don't forget to keep an eye out for our Laser Quest posts - I'm going to be giving away two family passes to use at Laserquest Kingston!
If you can't wait and want to head down to Laser Quest to try it out, use the code SUMMER30 for 30% off your booking. The code is valid from now until the end of August 2023 and can be used on Laser Quest games and birthday party bookings.
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![[AD] The sun has finally made an appearance and the boys have been making the most of it by spending it
in the garden.
They’re go-to is always football and they’ve been trying to improve their aim and accuracy with the new Messi Foldable Footlball goal from the #MessiTrainingSystem range.
I love the fact the goal is foldable, making it easy to store away when not in use. It is also lightweight so you can effortlessly pack it up and take it to the park or to a friend’s house.
The Messi Foldable Football Goal retails at £36 and can be purchased from @argos
You can read my full review here: https://www.suburban-mum.com/messi-foldable-football-goal/
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![[AD] We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we are Barracuda Ambassadors again this year.
With Easter just around the corner, the boys were sent the @barracudas_activity_day_camps new camp kit in preparation for the school holidays.
There’s a wide range of activities for kids aged 4.5 - 14 including Tennis, Archery, Basketball, Arts & Crafts and more.
If you like the sound of Barracudas, find out more over on their website. You can also save £20 a week or £4 a day, using my discount code: MARIA20](https://suburban-mum.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/336812306_765234558514317_685553691647241974_n.jpg)


![[AD - Gifted]
Last weekend we were invited to try out @tsarettaspice’s new Bottomless Brunch menu and I can tell you it was thumbs up all round!
There’s a good choice tapas on offer from Punjabi fish fingers, Indo Chinese Chicken to Spiced Lamb Scotch Eggs and Manchurian Cauliflower (which was amazing!)
If you’re local to Twickenham and fancy giving them a try here’s are the details.
Tsaretta Spice Bottomless Brunch
⭐️£37.50 per head for bottomless Prosecco or cocktail of the day
⭐️£55 per head for bottomless Champagne
⭐️ Food included: 4 tapas selections and dessert or 2 tapas selections, a pav or naanwich and dessert
⭐️ Non-alcohol brunch is also available
Tsaretta Spice
55 Church Street
Twickenham
TW1 3NR
You can also read our full review over on the blog (link in bio)](https://suburban-mum.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/334565436_5960402314015030_663031098700829518_n.jpg)
![[AD] What does family look like for you?
I am fortunate to be surrounded by strong, powerful women in the form of my mum, sister and mother-in-law (along with many others). With Mother’s Day just around the corner, @BootsUK want to celebrate all the different mums and mother figures we are lucky enough to have in our lives. They have a huge range of Mother’s Day gifts to choose from so we can show them how much they mean to us. (swipe to take a look at some of my choices)
If you want to express love and appreciation for the mother figure(s) in your life, head to Boots.com to find the ideal gift. They have a whole host of gifts, so you can be sure to find something to suit all tastes. Celebrate the #LoveForAllMums this Mother’s Day with Boots.
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1 thought on “Our February: A Birthday, Birmingham and a Trampoline park”
Nerf wars sounds fun, P would love that! Love the video of the trampoline park, I’m going to have to take Jacob now he’s 5!
Sad to hear that you’re closing the linky, but you have inspired me to keep going with monthly round ups, so thank you! x