JCB Zone at Gulliver's Land, Milton Keynes - Review

This half term we headed 30 mins down the road to visit family theme park Gulliver's Land, in Milton Keynes. I used to visit Gulliver's Land regularly when I was a teacher at a school in Luton before having children, so I was excited to see how it had changed and to experience going back, this time with my own children. 

The lovely people at Gulliver's kindly invited us along to visit the theme park and Dinosaur/Farm park, to honour the opening of the brand new JCB Zone, part of Toy Land in the main park. 

Before our visit JCB Kids sent Bert an Connie and uber-exciting package to whet their appetite for all things JCB... 

JCB joy for Bert and Connie, lucky pups!

Bert dived straight in, he loved making the construction scene - very timely too, as our road has been resurfaced recently and he's been taking a great interest in all the diggers etc. 

Our day at Gulliver's Land was absolutely brilliant - we were blessed with the weather - the sun shone all day and it was warm enough to go without coats, and we even enjoyed an ice cream - you'd never have guessed it was late October! Hurrah! 

We found Gulliver's Land to be so quaint and traditional in a nostalgic rather than tired way: visiting felt like stepping back in time. The rides are pitched perfectly at young children, I think children over 12 would find the rides a little too tame, but they're just right for little ones, or those who don't like the fast, thrill seeking rides of bigger theme parks. 

On arrival, we headed straight to the brand-new JCB Zone (on the right just as you enter the park) to explore the exciting new arrival. Aside from how fun the kids found it, I absolutely loved the design of this area. I'm a big fan of a theme, and my goodness have Gulliver's gone to town with theming every last detail of this zone. From the iconic yellow and black colours and logos, to the awesome lights and even a digger bucket seat! 

Welcome to the JCB Zone! 

Iconic colours! 

On pointe branding.

Every digger fan's dream! 

Awesome digger bucket bench. Loved this so much. 

A happy Bert working the digger

What's more exciting as a kid than using a "real life digger" to pick up ball pool balls :-)

Burning off some energy in the Driver Zone

I love how all-out they've gone with the JCB branding!

Loved these construction lantern lights - running with the theme, I like it Gulliver's Land!

There's lots of options for things to do within the JCB Zone - obviously, all digger related. From the Big Dig and Driver's Zone, the Demolition Dodgems to the Crazy Crane ride there's plenty of diggers to go round, so we didn't have to wait or queue for any of them. Bert loved picking up the ball pool balls, and dropping them down in a different part of the pit. Daddy loved "helping" Bert too - I think his inner-4 year old was rejoicing at the chance to play demolition. The boys drove the dodgems together, and both Bert and Connie enjoyed riding round on the ride-on digger toys in the Drivers Zone. 

There was plenty of open space in this zone too, which was great for letting the kids run off some steam, before heading into the rest of the main park to go on some rides. More on the rest of the park later. 

JCB Themed Cabins

The JCB Zone is also open as part of the Gulliver's Christmas operation. In summer 2017, two uniquely designed JCB Construction Cabins (sleeps 4) opened in the brilliant accommodation area and these will be available for special Santa Sleepover packages from as little as £149 per cabin per night (full price rate £345). Your Santa Sleepover includes park tickets for day of arrival and day of checkout, Santa visit, evening meal, overnight stay and breakfast - a perfect Christmas treat for little JCB lovers! 

Santa Sleepover

Day One

• Check in from 16:00
• Splash Zone session
• A two course festive meal served between 17:30 and 19:30
• Enjoy the evening entertainment which includes toasting marshmallows at the firepit, character meets and greets, family games and milk & cookies at bedtime for the children

Day Two

• Enjoy Gully’s Big Breakfast in the Raptor Restaurant between 8:30 and 9:30
• Early park entry to enjoy your exclusive Santa visit at 10:00 in his winter wonderland
• Then onto the park to enjoy all the festive rides, attractions, shows and special Christmas entertainment
• At 15:15 sit back relax and enjoy our Live Christmas show before taking up your places on the main street to enjoy our end of day Christmas Parade

I honestly had no idea you could stay overnight at Gulliver's Land and I couldn't believe it when we got to look round all the beautifully themed cabins during out visit this week. They're fabulous! From the JCB cabins, to the Jungle Safari Tents and Lodges, Dino Dens, Lost World Cabins, Prospector's Deluxe Lodge and Gully's Beach Den - there's somewhere suitable for so many tastes and party sizes from 4-6.

We were lucky enough to tour the JCB cabins while visiting Gulliver's and boy did they go down a treat! In fact, Bert loved them so much that he proclaimed "I could live here!" - haha, bless him. High praise indeed! We thought they were such a fun and quirky overnight option - perfect for a special occasion or holiday treat. I snapped lots of photos to share with you - I'm sure you'll agree what a great job Gulliver's have done with creating the ultimate in themed accommodation. 

JCB cabin in all its glory!

Cute bunk beds! 

Tyre lights

Sofa seating area come double bed (fold out sofa bed)

Veranda/balcony on the cabin, complete with digger bucket bench, wooden reel table and seats - plus a roof making it all-weather. 

Tea/Coffee making facilities, basic crockery, sink, microwave, mini fridge, TV and desk area. 

Modern shower room with basin and toilet. 

TV/Desk area with stool seating

Such a fun theme! 

There's even an all-weather outdoor ball pool complete with JCB's (naturally) right outside the cabin's front door, which both the kids adored. In fact, they'd have happily played in there all day if we'd let them. Their happy faces speak volumes I think...

Bert is desperate to stay in the JCB cabin, so it's definitely on the 'to-do' list for the next holiday or special occasion treat, especially as it's only half an hour down the road for us, perfect! 

Exploring Gulliver's Land 

After our JCB adventure we spent the rest of the day exploring everything else Gulliver's Land has to offer - from the rides in the main park to the animatronic dinosaurs, rides and farm animals in the Dinosaur Farm Park. 

Bert went on the Crazy Mouse Rollercoaster, Jungle River, Gulliver's Travels, Jungle Falls and The Lost World River Tour, he also explored Gully Town, a cute miniature town - we were amazed how many rides we were able to fit into the day - despite visiting the accommodation site, stopping for lunch and spending over an hour in the JCB Zone. The longest queue we stood in was 15-20 minutes for the Jungle Falls slides, but apart from that the queues were quick and pain free - amazing considering it was a sunny day in half term. 

Connie enjoyed going on the Carousel best - she was a little small for the other rides but enjoyed her day - toddling around taking in the sites, jumping in the ball pits, and she loved the soft play and role play rooms too! 

A super family day out at Gulliver's Land, Milton Keynes

We stopped for a speedy fast food treat lunch inside the Castle Food Court, in the Gully's Grill section - the food was really good - fast, freshly cooked (you could see the kitchen staff making up the burgers to order), lovely and hot and super-tasty! The kids both had beef burger meals with chips and a bottle of water, and Liam chose a bacon double cheeseburger, chips and diet Pepsi, I opted for the Chicken Tower meal, with chips and Pepsi. What a treat! 

After lunch we headed over to the Dinosaur Farm Park - which was Bert's favourite part of the day. He's at his happiest when he's surrounded by animals, and he's also a huge dino-fan so the animatronic dinosaurs were a HUGE hit! On arrival we all hopped on the Sky Tours Observation Tower and enjoyed amazing views across The Lost World, then the boys went on the Lost World River Tour, while Connie had a quiet nap in the her buggy, and Mummy had twenty minutes peace! 

Views across The Lost World at Gulliver's Land

Exploring The Lost World at the Dinosaur Farm park

Best of all, there's still plenty of parts of Gulliver's Land left for us to explore on our next visit, and there will definitely be a next visit. A fabulously fun family-day for the whole family.

Have you had any fun days out this half term?

Mrs B
xx

You can find out more about JCB Kids and their toys and attractions @JCBKids across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

For more info on Gulliver's Land theme parks visit:

Facebook: @gullymouse (group account) @gulliverslandmiltonkeynes (MK account)
Twitter: @GullyMouse
Instagram: @gulliversfun

We were given free family entry into Gulliver's Lane Milton Keynes, plus lunch for 4 in return for this honest review. 

Autumn/Winter Wardrobe Update with Simply Be

Well it's been quite the grim week for me - 11 days ago I came down with a nasty bug/illness/virus/food poisoning (still waiting for test results to ascertain what it was) but it rendered me pretty useless for the whole time, and I actually went over a week with barely eating a thing (a few pieces of dry toast - fun!) What a grotty time. Of course, it fell over my birthday - which meant cancelling all of my celebration plans, totally adding insult to injury eh? 

Thankfully, although not 100% recovered, I'm feeling much more human now, and so I'm cracking on with a week filled with lots of work and deadlines. 

Yesterday was my first time venturing out (apart from the school run) in a week, and as the sun was shining we decided to head to our local favourite park (Bedford Park) for a lovely autumnal walk, and visit the playground (naturally). It felt so good to blow out the cobwebs and escape the four walls that felt like they were closing in on me, I even managed to put some make up on and do my hair - its those little things that make you feel better isn't it?

It was such lovely weather that the kids even got an ice cream from the ice cream man!! 

I love autumn, and one of my favourite parts of the season is walking through the beautiful coloured trees and kicking the leaves - simple pleasures and all that...! The other best part of the new season is also embracing the fashion it brings - coats, warm knits, boots, scarves etc - I think autumn is my favourite season for fashion, I love the rich colours, layers and textures that the autumn pieces bring.

This year I decided that I wanted to add a few staple items to my wardrobe in time for the colder weather. 

On my 'To Get' list were:

• a chunky knit mustard cardigan
• a new winter coat (sensible mum coat)
• black skinny jeans (to go with EVERYTHING)
• a check shirt in an autumnal shade
• a warmer dress for winter parties and wedding receptions 

Luckily, my birthday solved the new chunky cardigan - a gorgeous addition to my wardrobe from Holly Crow, and a visit to Primark a few weeks ago saw me find a lovely popper front red check shirt for just £9 - bargain! 

Then the people at Simply Be got in touch and asked if I'd like to feature any of their fashion items on the blog - I wondered if I'd be able to use this opportunity to finish finding those Autumn/Winter staples, and I did! Wahoo! Right place, right time - I love it when that happens. 

I used to buy regularly from Simply Be before my weight loss when I wore a size 18-20, at the time they were really one of the only fashion-focussed plus sized brands and I loved that I could be on-trend and feel confident despite not fitting into clothes on the High Street. 

Recently, I guess I've been so carried away with the novelty of being able to fit into clothes on the High Street that I'd forgotten that Simply Be stock clothes from a UK size 12 (my size) so I was excited to rediscover the brand and what they had to offer this autumn. 

THE DRESS

First and foremost I needed to find a dress to wear to an evening wedding reception in early October - I wanted something sexy and flattering to wear so that I felt confident, but I don't like being too exposed, especially in the colder weather. This Spring and Summer I've been totally addicted to Bardot style dresses and tops - I find this cut really flattering on me as it hides my problem area (top of my arms) but exposes my shoulders and chest/collarbones which I actually quite like about myself. So, when I found the dress in question I was a little bit excited - not only is it Bardot style with gorgeous ruffle detailing, it also has the perfect shape for an hourglass figure like mine, it was in one of my favourite colours to wear (Navy), and it is made of a super warm scuba-style fabric in a maxi length, perfect for a cold evening. 

What do you think? 

Simply Be By Night Ruffle Bardot Maxi Dress and Choker £29.00...

Ready to celebrate Michael & Katie's Wedding

The dress also came with a choker, which I loved - this was a very different style to me, but I felt good in it, and it was such an easy look to put together...I teamed it with my Kurt Geiger patent nude heels and a navy clutch bag on the night, and I had loads of comments about the dress, which made me feel happy and confident - always a good thing when you want to let your hair down and celebrate with friends. 

Best of all the dress/choker combo only cost £29 and is available up to a UK size 26. I think it is an absolute bargain, and a pretty timeless style - making it great for future dressy events - you could really jazz it up with some diamond/diamonte jewellery instead of the choker if you wanted to be extra dressy. 

One thing I will point out is that the dress is super fitted so you need brilliant underwear if you want as seamless a silhouette as possible - you need to feel confident in your body shape and want to show off your curves rather than hide them to wear something this fitted - which scared me - as I'm not hugely confident in my figure just now, thanks to an extra 1.5 stone of "baby weight" I'm still trying to shift (can I call it baby weight when she's 16 months old? Ha!) But I decided to go for it, and I'm really glad I did. I wore a UK size 12 and found it to be a good fit for my shape/size. 

Liam loved this dress and kept complimenting me all night on how I looked, which was lovely - to me, its important the people I love like what I wear as well as myself, so I was chuffed that he loved the dress as much as I did. (He loved it even more when he found out it was only £29! Ha!). 

You can find lots of beautiful dresses for autumn and winter in Simply Be's dresses and party wear range.

THE COAT

Next on the list to find was a 'sensible' winter coat. When I was bigger I absolutely abhorred coats - I was always hot, even in winter - and found most coats to be too stuffy and uncomfortable - so I rarely wore one. Fast forward a few years, and now at a UK size 12 I feel the cold so much more! And I currently only own a dressy coat for nights out, a padded jacket style coat with no hood, or a hip length rain jacket which although waterproof isn't very cosy. So, I was on the lookout for a warmer waterproof coat with a hood and plenty of pockets (us mums need plenty of pockets don't we?) so I can stay dry and cosy on the school run and when running errands (I don't drive so I walk everywhere - coats are essential these days!). 

I was thrilled when perusing the site to find an amazing Navy Trespass coat for just £39.50 (WHAT A BARGAIN!). The coat is Sherpa fleece-lined with waxed-effect finish and comes with a hood, zip-and-popper fastening, a drawcord to the waist and hem plus LOADS of secure pockets. The sleeves have knitted inner cuffs which are super cozy and the it's finished off with antique brass trimmings to cuffs and pockets.

I love how the two front pockets are also sherpa fleece-lined making them uber cosy - no need for gloves with this bad boy! 

Cosy! Hood up & ready for action...

Falling leaves... thanks to Bert chucking handfuls at me - endless fun for a 4 year old!

Sherpa fleece-lined for extra snuggle! And a peek at the check shirt from Primark for just £9. 

Since the coat arrived last month I've worn it every single day, and I don't have any complaints at all. Its warm without being sweaty, it fits perfectly (I sized up to a UK Size 14 so I can wear it with plenty of room for layers/knits etc), the pockets are amazingly handy, the hood in generous which means it actually covers my head and doesn't fall down every ten seconds, it looks smart despite being casual and it is an absolute bargain! 10/10 from me. 

Have a peek at the coats and jackets currently available for autumn/winter at Simply Be. 

THE SKINNY JEANS/JEGGINGS

The final item on the autumn fashion Wishlist was a decent pair of high waisted black skinny jeans - these are my go-to bottoms of choice as I find they go with 99% of my wardrobe and on the whole flatter my figure and are practical for my busy life as a mum. My old pair had had-it and were no longer a good fit, so I had a search on Simply Be and was intrigued by the Curve Control High Waist Shaper Jeggings which retail at £28. 

The leggings come in a super comfortable stretch denim fabric that is supposed to fit your shape perfectly. They contain stylish elastic inserts along the high waist band to add a chic and slightly sporty look. Simply Be describe them with the hashtag #YourNewFavouriteJeans - so I couldn't wait to give them a try! 

I opted for these jeans in a size 12 and I've found the super-high waist & stretch inserts a tiny bit loose, which means I find myself hoiking them up a little. Maybe it would be worth sizing down if you're thinking of trying them as they are super-stretchy! Minus the slightly generous waist they're a great fit on the leg and uber-comfy, I like the twisted seam at the bottom for a slightly edgier look, and they're perfect with all those autumn layers! All in all a good find. 

I was amazed at the vast array of fashion leggings and jeggings available on the Simply Be website, there's really something for every size and every budget.

These three staple pieces came in at under £100 combined - what a bargain! Perfect if you want to update your autumn/winter wardrobe without forking out too much money, plus there's no compromise on style and quality.  

Have you updated your wardrobe this season?

Mrs B

xxx

I was sent the three clothing items in return for this honest review. 

What's in our September Degustabox? Plus Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding Recipe...

How is it time to share my Degustabox contents again? I can't believe it's October - WHERE is this year going? It is honestly flying by! 

This months box was full to bursting with lots of lovely newbies to try - and I don't think we've wasted a single one - two weeks since delivery and we've pretty much used everything, or have it earmarked for a specific use over the next couple of weeks. 

So, here's an overview of this months contents:

Green & Black's Velvet Edition £1.99

New, sumptuously smooth dark chocolate Green & Black's Taste Specialists have expertly crafted this 70% dark chocolate using the delicate character and soft texture of the finest Ghanaian cocoa, balanced with sweet Madagascan Vanilla. Green & Black's Velvet Edition is a 70% dark chocolate that is rich in cocoa content, yet exceptionally smooth in flavour. 

Latin American Kitchen by Santa Maria 

Rice: £1.85 Sauce: £1.85

Santa Maria welcomes you into Latin American Kitchen, where you can enjoy a wealth of fantastic meal ideas from the length and breadth of this vibrant part of the world. Our rice has been designed to accompany our wide range of exciting Latin American sauces. 

Nestlé Cheerios Oat Crisp

£2.49

Deliciously crunchy flakes made with whole grain oats and mixed with crispy Cheerios, developed to help lower cholesterol!* High in fibre, low in saturated fat and containing beta-glucan from oat fibre to help keep your heart healthy. 

* 3g of oat beta-glucan daily has been shown to lower blood cholesterol, a risk factor for heart disease.

Knorr Concentrated Stock 

£2.20

Our new Knorr Rich Beef Concentrated Liquid Stock is made with real beef extract and is gluten free, free from artificial colours, free from artificial preservatives and no added MSG. It is suitable for a wide range of applications and dishes: just add a few drops to your bolognese sauce for a rich meaty flavour or simply create a rich stock for casseroles and soups.  

Virtue Energy Water

2 x £1.35

Virtue Energy Water naturally contains zero sugar, zero calories with no sweeteners. Our naturally sugar-free energy drinks contain the same amount of natural caffeine as a cup of coffee (80mg). Ingredients include sparkling water, natural fruit flavours and natural energy. For every can sold, we donate 500L clean drinking water. 

San Miguel Gluten Free

£2.00 or £9 per 6 pack

Enjoy the great taste of San Miguel beer with none of the gluten! This premium gluten free world lager has a slightly fruity aroma with gentle hints of hops and yeast, and a moderate bitterness on the palate. 5.4% ABV

Now available to purchase in Tesco. 

Mentos Mint Mix Sharing Pouch

£1.19

Mentos Mint Mix are delicious chewy Mentos sweets in a refreshing mix of peppermint and spearmint flavours. Available in a re-sealable pouch style bag that is perfect for sharing with friends and family. Who Says No To Mentos? 

Dream Rice Quinoa 

£1.60

With added calcium this plant-based milk alternative tastes amazing and has absolutely no added sugar. Perfect on your cereal, in a smoothie or on its own. 

Wild Planet Albacore Wild Tuna Steaks

£3.49

Ranked #1 in the US by Greenpeace for sustainability, these Albacore Wild Tuna Steaks are 100% pole & line caught. Hand packed and cooked just once to retain the natural juices in the can. Please don't drain! Mix the omega 3 rich juices into the tuna for added flavour and nutrition. 

Seriously Spreadable Squares

£1.75

Seriously Spreadable Squares are the perfect addition to any picnic or lunchbox. These little squares are so irresistibly scrumptious because they are made with award-winning Extra Mature Scottish Cheddar that gives them such a rich and tangy taste. Spread them on crackers or crusty bread for a seriously delicious lunch! 

Green's Egg Custard Mix

£0.69

Create this quintessentially English classic to perfection with our silky, smooth, delectable egg custard mix. All you need is a pre-cooked pastry base, and a little dusting of nutmeg to recreate this true family favourite to perfection!

My three favourite items this month were:

1. The Oat Crisp Cheerios - which the whole family devoured - we love a "healthier" cereal - and find it makes for a speedy breakfast especially on school run mornings. 

2. Green's Egg Custard Mix - I've never ever heard or come across this product before, but I loved it for the pure ease of it - no messing about cracking eggs etc - just add milk, warm it through and stir & you have a delicious egg custard ready to bake. I used mine to make a luscious chocolate chip bread and butter pudding as an indulgent Sunday dessert - and it went down a storm! 

3. Green & Black's Velvet Edition - How could I not put a delicious dark chocolate in my top three! I love me a deep dark choc, so was chuffed to find this inside Septembers box. I even shared it with hubby, which surely earns me some good wife-points (I was tempted to hide it and keep it all for me!) As expected, it was perfect - and Liam and I polished off the whole bar on the evening of the Degusabox delivery. #SorryNotSorry 

Liam enjoyed the lager one evening and said it tasted good and he'd never have noticed it was gluten free had I not said. 

We used the Latin American sauce and rice for a dinner mid-week and it was a super tasty and speedy dinner - I'd definitely pick up this brand again if I saw it in the supermarket. 

Liam took the Mentos to work, as I really dislike mint flavoured anything (unless its actual fresh mint)...sweets etc always go down well in his office, so they were great to share with his colleagues. 

The kids have polished off the cheese squares no trouble - as little snacks, in sandwiches, on crackers, mixed into pasta - you name it they've devoured it. The empty box speaks for itself. 

I have the tuna earmarked for a simple tuna and sweetcorn pasta salad for my lunches next week, I'm looking forward to trying it. 

The rice quinoa milk fascinates me - I drink mainly Oat milk at home, so I'll be interested to see if I like this variety of dairy-free milk. I'm saving it for when a friend who is completely dairy-free comes to stay, so as to ensure it doesn't get wasted. 

The Knorr Concentrated Stock is in my pantry ready to be used in all sorts of dishes, I love having staples like this to hand in my kitchen - I'm yet to use a concentrated liquid stock, so I'm intrigued...! 

Finally, the Virtue Energy Water - these were very mild in flavour, but a good alternative to water if you want something a little more jazzy! I loved that they contain no sugar or calories, as that's usually my biggest bug-bear with these types of drinks - a healthy way to enjoy something a little different. 

CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING RECIPE

Using Green's Egg Custard Mix

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

1 pack Green's Egg Custard Mix

6 slices of bread buttered both sides

25g soft brown sugar

50g milk chocolate chips

600ml milk (just over a pint)

1 oven proof dish, 5cm deep

Method

1. Preheat oven to 155ºC (fan oven), Gas Mark 3.

2. Butter the bread, remove the crusts and cut each slice into four triangles. 

3. Grease the oven proof dish.

4. Layer bread, butter side up then sprinkle with some of the sugar and chocolate chips. 

5. Repeat until all bread, chocolate chips and sugar is used up and the dish is filled. 

6. Prepare the egg custard according to the packet guidelines.

7. Carefully pour into the dish, allowing it to soak into the bread. 

8. Bake in the oven for around 30-40 minutes until beautifully burnished with a slight wobble. 

Hot from the oven = delicious 

Cold from the fridge the next day with hot custard = AMAZING! 

Would you like to give a Degustabox a try? 

If so, you can receive a whopping £7.00 off your first box by using code:

1VRVA

at the checkout! 

Enjoy you lovely lot...

Mrs B

xxx

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