Win tickets to Tinkerbell & The Great Fairy Rescue

This is a sponsored post

After getting all soppy and tearful over Toy Story 3, the kind people at Disney have taken pity on my readers and the fact they they are being subjected to the mad rantings of a woman who cries at cartoons. To make amends, they have given me a family ticket to give away to one of you to attend the Irish premiere of Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Rescue, which goes on general release from 13th August. The lucky recipient of the family ticket will also have a Johnson & Johnson hamper magically bestowed upon them.

So, if you fancy dusting off your fairy wings and spreading a little magic of your own (and that's the end of the fairy/magic puns), just leave a comment below, before 4th August, completing the following in 10 words or less: "If I was a fairy, I would..." The best comment, as voted for by my two princes, will win the ticket!

Synopsis of the movie

Before she was ever introduced to Wendy and the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell met Lizzy, a girl with a steadfast belief in fairies. Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue begins in summertime in the beautiful English countryside. An enchanting encounter unfolds when Tinker Bell is discovered by Lizzy, and as their different worlds unite, Tink develops a special bond with the curious girl in need of a friend.

As her fellow fairies launch a daring rescue, Tinker Bell takes a huge risk, putting her own safety and the future of the fairies in jeopardy. This action-packed adventure takes the fairies of Pixie Hollow on a daring flight to London to save Tinker Bell and all of fairy kind. Produced by DisneyToon Studios, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue is a captivating and exciting adventure for all the family.

www.disney.ie/fairies

Win tickets to Tinkerbell & The Great Fairy Rescue

Why Toy Story 3 made me cry

So we finally made our family trip to see Toy Story 3. This was a 'Very Exciting Occasion' for all concerned. We have been to the cinema before, but this was in desperation last winter when we saw ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel’. Not exactly a momentous occasion.

Toy Story 3 last weekend however, lived up to all the excitement. I remember going to see the first movie as a single, twenty-something hotshot in London (at least, I thought I was a hot-shot at the time). I was even given a present of a Mr Potato Head that year for my birthday. I still have it.

Fast forward to several years later, and I am sitting down with my three-year-old watching the same movie. Of course, he loved it and as our family of three turned into a family of four, we watched Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 1 over and over again. We gained a Woody and a Buzz to go with the Mr Potato Head and pretend that other toys are the rest of the characters. We have coaxed our boys to jump into swimming pools and off high walls by using the ‘To infinity and beyond’ trick. All in all, Toy Story has been quite a part of my life for over a decade now.

So, I was as excited as anyone else to finally go and see the new movie. All four of us sat mesmerised as our friends came to life in front of our eyes. And I mean, really came to life. The new technology is amazing, even if the specs do make you all look like The Two Ronnies.

The 'story' of Toy Story 3 is as well thought out as the animation and I am not ashamed to admit that I shed a few tears. Yes, I cried at a cartoon! Who would have thought it; a grown woman wiping away secret tears from underneath her 3D specs because a little boy has grown up and is leaving his beloved toys behind to go off to college.

Maybe it’s because I’m a soppy old cow. Maybe it’s because I just love Toy Story. Or maybe I cried because I can see that day looming in our future; when all the beloved toy cars, teddies, trains and even Woody and Buzz themselves are packed into a box and stored in the attic for ‘another day’. The toys which I spend half my life playing with and the other half stepping over, or picking up will inevitably be relegated to storage, or a charity shop or - god forbid - a daycare centre! It's just too sad to think about - and now I'm welling up all over again!

Why Toy Story 3 made me cry

Travelling this summer? Pack these.

Our lovely week away in Spain back in May feels like ages ago now as I watch friends and family heading off for their summer holidays. But, having already done my packing and travelling and being stuck in small, hot airports for several hours with tired and fidgety boys, it is probably only right, and fair, for me to pass on a couple of recommendations for things to pack in your suitcases.

Just before we travelled, I was sent two products from LeapFrog: the Tag and Tag Junior reading systems. I will admit, I was a little sceptical at first as I'm not really into the idea of interactive reading; much preferring to sit and read to my children in person. However, I have to say that I was really impressed with these products and my sceptiscism has been laid to rest! They were kept in reserve until boredom set in at the airport and within minutes of producing these, the boys were totally fascinated. The basic concept is that the child has a book in their hands which they interact with using a hand held reader (which is a bit like a big pen). The reader brings everything on the pages to life - sounds, narration, games, reading and word recognition exercises and more. It's a very clever idea and my four-year-old loved the Ozzie and Mac book, which comes with the initial set. There are 40 other books you can buy, such as The Cat In The Hat and Paddington, or other themed books such as SpongeBob and Toy Story 3.

Our two-year-old also loved the Tag Junior which he used with an Eric Carle book, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What do you hear. These are great to have in the bag for keeping the children occupied in airports and on flights when they reach that stage when you just need an extra something to diffuse a situation of extreme whingeing. They would also come in handy for giving yourself chance to eat your main course, uninterrupted, or just on a regular car journey.
Second on my list of holiday essentials is Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare Foot Spritzer. This comes in a neat, 75ml slim spray bottle, so will pass the 'carry on' test and will have your hot, holiday feet feeling fresh and fragrant within seconds. It smells divine and is also very cooling. This would also be a great extra to have in your bag at any summer weddings you're attending. I'm a huge fan of the Liz Earle 'Cleanse and Polish' facial products anyway, and found the Foot Spritzer another excellent product. Well worth the price of just £7. Available until 5th September, snap it up now. Your feet will thank you for it!

So, those are my recommendations for throwing into the holiday bag - along with the million and one other things you'll inevitably be packing to keep everyone happy for two weeks.

Here's to a wonderful summer holiday (I'm not envious at all).

Travelling this summer? Pack these.