Author: Oana

Marvel Kids Game Review

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There is nothing I would have loved more than to see my son grow and become a regular wee boy, full of mischief and energy and thoughts of cars and engines and games! Recently, I have started to look into creating mementos and doing things that he would have maybe done and loved taking part in, had he still been alive. This month, we attended a healing through art seminar and I found myself creating for the first time a very boyish,vibrant frame in Georgie’s memory and not my usual baby boy blue, angelic ones. It was as if my psyche was forcing a real time frame into memories that otherwise will remain static and into the past. I felt the need to grow my boy into the toddler he should have been now and my frame captured the thought perfectly. So when, a few days later, Disney approached me and inquired if we would like to review their Marvel kids’ games with Emma, I took it as a sign and as an opportunity to …

14 months and 20 days later

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It has been 14 months and 20 days since my son died but it is only recently that I have realised that grief is going to be part of my life, of me, of who I am until I die. Yes, I did read the books, listened to the stories, talked to other bereaved parents but it has only recently become obvious to me that grief is never going to leave my life and that it is here to stay. For good. That I will have good days always followed, as a rule, by bad, really bad days. That I will get ill much more often than I even did before. That my mind will never be the same; that I have become a head sieve. I forget often and I need constant reminders of appointments and meetings. Loads and loads of patience and understanding too. That I will be sad. Often and deeply and sometimes furiously. That anger will be my closest companion. An existential anger that cannot be directed at any-one, as the …

Culture Night Belfast, 2015

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Last Friday, we attended our first ever Culture Night in Belfast. For my readers in Europe and the UK, a Culture Night may not sound like a big deal, given the frequency and the history of such events.  On the other hand, for Northern Ireland, a relatively small country which has been through so much politically, this is a HUGE thing and such a positive step forward and hopefully, away from its tormented past and towards a future full of hope and unity! There was an impressive number of events(over 200!) taking place in Belfast last Friday; over 50,000 people took to the streets to celebrate the country’s rich past and present culture and enjoy the “mighty craic”, all in the well-known by now jovial Irish way, accompanied by family, friends and of course, beer! The weather decided to play nice too and we enjoyed a lovely, mild autumn evening out as a family crafting in the Cathedral’s quarters with Emma, strolling through the very crowded streets, observing passionately quiet games of chess and enjoying …

Gifts with a difference from..I Just Love It!

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Once in a while, I get to review things that are for grown-ups too! I am very excited to bring to your attention I Just Love It today, an online haven which could be described at the epitome of quality personalised gifting! Formerly known as Gone Digging, the shop retails the most impressive collection of personalised gifts, suitable for 0 to 99 year olds. We were offered a voucher and left loose in the shop, so to say, and this is what I picked for my wee family: personalised craft beer for Alex. Not only do you get to put the lucky person’s name on the label, you can also add a message of your choice on it, to make it even more personal. Mine was “Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder”, to reflect Alex’s recent preference for good quality, craft beer. The labels were a very well received surprise and the beer did not disappoint either! Alex wants to order now for his male friends and surprise them when they come …

Emma’s September Reviews

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As usual, Emma has been very lucky this month as a blogger’s kid and has received loads of things to play with and review. The most impressive item she received this month was the Animation Studio from HUE. This simple yet very clever creative kit has received numerous awards in the past and is known to be the best stop motion animation studio for non-professional use there is around. The studio comes with a flexible neck camera with a built-in microphone and animation software that can easily be downloaded into any computer or laptop. There is a school version for the software as well and older children can use small toys, Lego and modelling clay to create unique scenarios they can film and process themselves into short movies. We did not create anything worth making public just as yet but Emma has been very eager to put her imagination and role play into film and I can see her using the HUE Animation Studio loads as she grows up. The kit retails at £49.95 , …