The Purple Pumpkin Blog

Heatwave [Project 365:2013 - Day 170]

2013-06-19T17:10:00.001+01:00

Heatwave, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

The weather outside is gorgeous! A little hazy and a little cloudy, but the sun is shining behind all that and it is seriously warm...it isn't set to last though, with the weather turning rainy this week...I would just LOVE some proper summer please!!

In the garden for a work break and my dogwood roses are now in bloom :)

I'm Going To Brit Mums Live! {2 days to go!}

2013-06-19T12:38:00.000+01:00

With just 2 more days to go until Brit Mums Live, the butterflies are now setting in! I didn't quite make it to the finals after being shortlisted for a BiB Award, but, I'm still so over the moon to have gotten nominated and shortlisted, that it's kinda made my blogging year :D

I can't wait to attend Brit Mums Live, meet fellow bloggers in real life, join in some workshops and meet new people and brands. It's definitely going to be an exciting two days - if not a little nerve racking!

I'm so lucky to have found someone to go along with - a fellow Disney lover who writes over at Dreaming of WDW. I already read Sam's blog having found it via a mutual Disney forum (The Dibb) and turns out she's not so far away from me, so we're meeting a the train station to go up to London together! Small world! Oh, and we happen to be in WDW at the same time too!!

Right, I've rambled enough, here are my Q&As....

Name: Michelle (or Shell)

Blog: The Purple Pumpkin Blog

Twitter ID: @cherry_o

Height: 5'4"

Hair: long, black

Eyes: brown, and I wear purple glasses

Is this your first blogging conference?
Indeed it is! I didn't even know that blogging conferences existed in the UK, so I was pleased to find out about Brit Mums and give myself the opportunity of attending! I've been shortlisted for a BiB award which makes going to the conference even more exciting! Even if I don't get to the finals, it's going to be a great experience!

Are you attending both days?
Yes! Can't wait :)

What are you most looking forward to at BritMums Live 2013?
The whole thing really! Having never been to a conference of this sort before I'm going to be open to everything that gets put in my path! I can't wait to meet other bloggers, attend the workshops and hopefully walk away with a new outlook on my blogging journey :)

What are you wearing?
My go-to clothes are leggings and a tunic - no doubt purple will feature somewhere in my outfit!!

What do you hope to gain from BritMums Live 2013?
Knowledge!

Tell us one thing about you that not everyone knows
I want to be able to do a road trip across the United States of America, from east to west coast! I need to win the lottery first though to fund that!!

This Delicate Thing We've Made [Project 365:2013 - Day 169]

2013-06-18T20:01:00.001+01:00

This Delicate Thing We've Made, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

This pretty flower is a Japanese peony. It used to bloom red, but now it is white! I just love this flower, but it is so fragile and delicate that rain or wind can destroy it and the petals all fall to the ground.

I'm going to be sad to not be able to see this flower bloom every June when we move...my neighbour says we could move it, but I'm so rubbish with plants, I'd probably kill it :(

Walt Disney World & Orlando Tips [Index]

2013-06-18T12:53:00.000+01:00

An index for all of My Walt Disney World & Orlando, Florida Tips.

Create your own link parties and post indexes with InLinkz

Why not come and follow my Disney Magic Board on Pinterest?

Bahama Breeze Island Grill {Dinner} - Hwy 192 [Review]

2013-06-18T10:31:00.000+01:00

Dining Date: 24th August, 2011

Since our favourite restaurant had been Bahama Breeze, we decided to visit it one final time before going back to the UK...

Our itemised receipt for this has gone astray, so I'm going to have to guess from the photos! The total bill though was $102, with a tip it was bumped to $121.

I remember having this fish chowder. It had a nice spicy kick to it.

Week One of my Nine Week Weight Loss Challenge!

2013-06-17T17:50:00.000+01:00

So, I set myself a 9 week weight loss challenge...you can read my ramblings here about it. I set myself a goal of 3 to 5lbs loss each week leading up to our summer holiday. I'm over the moon to report that I not only hit that goal, but smashed through it, losing 10lbs this week :) I don't expect such a big loss next week, but if I can get to a 3lb loss I'll be very happy!

I said I'd colour in the Mickey ears on my chart each week...I have the chart stuck up on my fridge along with a photo of me with my husband, the last time we were in Florida.

I never expected a 10lb loss, and only coloured in 5 ears since I planned for 5lbs a week :D If I have any spare ears over the coming weeks I'll fill them in! I hope that I keep this momentum up this time and keep going, I am sick of yo-yoing!!

Reminisce [Project 365:2013 - Day 168]

2013-06-17T17:14:00.001+01:00

Reminisce, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

Today, my sister Maria & I met up with our cousin Natalie in Wanstead. We've not seen each other for far, far too long! Had such a great catch up and can't wait to do it again very soon!

It made me realise just how little time we make for ourselves, with excuses of "I'm busy" or "we must catch up soon" and that soon, turns into months, years and decades...life is too short and precious to waste, so we are all going to make the effort to meet up more often - we've got about 20 years of catching up to do!

A walk around Wanstead, where I grew up always makes me reminisce about my childhood, even a simple walk through the park is enough to spark memories! I turned and took this picture on my phone and remembered all the times spent playing in this park as a kid!

This is a photo of the three of us, must be from about 1981?!

Hero [Project 365:2013 - Day 167]

2013-06-16T18:16:00.001+01:00

Hero, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

A camper van is parked across the street - it looks super cool!

Sunday Sounds - Father's Day

2013-06-16T12:35:00.003+01:00

Today is Father's Day, I've already been to see my dad this morning and give him a card and his gift - a photo of his two grandchildren ♥

Today's Sunday Sounds is one of his favourite songs - Don't Cry For Me Argentina by Madonna. I know he reads my blog, so dad, this one is for you!

And it's a twofer today, as I've got another song to share - Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder. This was our daddy/daughter dance at my wedding in 2009.

Happy Father's Day Dad - you are my hero ♥

Red is the Colour [Project 365:2013 - Day 166]

2013-06-15T13:23:00.001+01:00

Red is the Colour, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

It's Trooping the Colour today - which is the Queen's Official Birthday. As well as a parade, there is a flypast of aircraft, the spectacle being The Red Arrows.

We never see the Red Arrows from where we live so it was a surprise to see aircraft flying past in the entourage (what do they call a load of planes flying past??!) and the Red Arrows were the finale! They flew right past us - had to grab the camera quick to take a photo, so it's not the best :P

I love the Red Arrows, with their coloured smoke emitted when they fly over Buckingham Palace - always a great sight to see.

Here are the other couple of photos that I just managed to get!

Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, Magic Kingdom [Review]

2013-06-15T10:27:00.000+01:00

Dining Date: 24th August, 2011

On our last full day in Orlando, we went back to Magic Kingdom. We decided to go to Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café for lunch.

Fragile [Project 365:2013 - Day 165]

2013-06-14T18:16:00.001+01:00

Fragile, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

A tiny egg shell fallen from a nest...broken.

Father's Day BBQ Ideas!

2013-06-14T13:34:00.001+01:00

As it's Father's Day this Sunday I thought I'd look back and share some of my favourite recipes for a BBQ - who doesn't love a barbecue? Hubby loves 'em and my dad loves 'em....a BBQ is a dad domain thing isn't it?!

If the sun isn't out, you can still make all of these recipes and have them indoors..let's hope the sun comes out for the dads this weekend :D Here are my Father's Day BBQ Ideas!

Juicy Handmade Burgers

Higher and Higher [Project 365:2013 - Day 164]

2013-06-13T19:18:00.001+01:00

Higher and Higher, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

A break from the rain and some sunshine...come back properly soon please!!

Athena [Project 365:2013 - Day 163]

2013-06-12T19:40:00.001+01:00

Athena, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

I went to my first networking opportunity today - never done anything like that before. It is for women in business and it was a really great experience and I look forward to doing more of that in the future. Working from home, on my own can be a lonely time, so it was nice to get out and be in the company of others...not just my cat!!

Received these gorgeous flowers (purple of course!) from one of my website clients, that made my day :)

Creep [Project 365:2013 - Day 162]

2013-06-11T20:22:00.001+01:00

Creep, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

Today has been horrible out - really cold, really grey and drizzling with rain :( I popped out for a walk to clear my head, saw this ivy climbing the walls (a bit like me on some days!)

Christmas Crafts [Index]

2013-06-11T18:13:00.000+01:00

Christmas Crafts Index

You'll find the links below for my Christmas Crafts index.

Create your own link parties and post indexes with InLinkz

Halloween Crafts [Index]

2013-06-11T13:37:00.000+01:00

Halloween Crafts Index

You'll find links below for all of my Halloween Crafts.

Create your own link parties and post indexes with InLinkz

The Birthday Times Personalised Newspaper Front Page [Review + GIVEAWAY!] ENDED

2013-06-11T11:17:00.000+01:00

This giveaway has ended.

Winners are announced further down the page.

"The Birthday Times is a personalized newspaper front page with real events and news of your birthday. The perfect gift for yourself, your friends and family!"

I was approached by The Birthday Times to review their product, and they kindly gave me four downloads to giveaway on my blog!

The Birthday Times is a family run project which has been a labour of love for the father, mother and son team. Mum and son collect and manage the information to go on the personalised newspaper front page, with the software and website also designed by computer engineer dad. I think it is a fab idea and I couldn't wait to try it out! The fact that this is a family run project makes me feel happy to purchase a product from them, knowing how much time and effort that they have put in to create a great product.

The website is available with four countries of birth - so that you know that you are getting the right news for your country: USA, Portugal, Brazil and UK. At the moment birth years 1952 - 1988 are available, but they say that new years are being added every week. This would make such a wonderful keepsake birthday gift. (I also hope that they add other countries in the future!)

The website is super simple to use - add the first and last name of the recipient and their date of birth. (The flag icon at the top tells you which country your newspaper front page will be from, just click to change to another country.) Then click preview...you'll be presented with a demo version of the frontpage. You are also given the option to change the type of ad that appears at the bottom of the paper, which is a great feature!

You can then purchase your personalised newspaper front page for just £2.90 (prices may vary for the other countries) which you can pay for via PayPal. You will receive a high resolution PDF for you to print as many times as you wish. For such a unique gift, I think this is a great price!

Since we are moving all my stuff is packed up, so even though I've printed it off, I can't show it to you how I would present it - in a frame! The document prints nicely on A4, and Adobe Reader which is used to print a PDF document means you can scale it to fit most paper sizes. When printing, it doesn't print the background as you see here, but that means you can print it on any kind of paper you like (an off-white would be fab!)

And now for the GIVEAWAY! I have kindly been given four downloads for my blog readers.

This giveaway is open to UK readers only. Please note that the newspaper front pages are only available for those born between 1952 and 1988.

To enter, use the Rafflecopter widget below. The giveaway ends on 18th June 2013.
This giveaway has ended.
Winners are announced below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pizza Planet, Hollywood Studios [Review]

2013-06-11T10:14:00.000+01:00

Dining Date: 22nd August 2011

We revisited Hollywood Studios and ate a late lunch at Pizza Planet where we had, you guessed it, pizza! Well, actually, we got a mix of things including pizza, a chicken salad and a meatball sub. The pizzas/sub also come with a tub of Caesar salad so there was a fair bit of food, but the pizzas are pretty small and Liam ended up having two. With drinks and a Mickey shaped rice crispy treat we spent $50 in here. Expensive? Very!

My Walt Disney World Tips [Part Two - Planning]

2013-06-10T18:25:00.000+01:00

Welcome to part two of my Walt Disney World tips. Today's post is all about planning! (See part one here - it's all about keeping comfortable in the Florida heat.)

An Orlando holiday is a busy but fun packed holiday There are the four Disney parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios); there's the two Universal parks (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.) Don't forget the other theme parks: SeaWorld, Busch Gardens (out in Tampa) and Legoland.

To cool off, there are lots of water parks...Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach (Disney) Wet 'n' Wild (Universal) and Aquatica (SeaWorld). Oh, and there is also Discovery Cove. Don't forget everything else there is to do - Kennedy Space Center, shopping, mini golf, relaxing, the coast, the swamp tours...and loads more that I as only a "first-timer-going-back-for-a-second-timer"doesn't know about!

The key in co-ordinating a holiday to Orlando and Walt Disney World is PLANNING!!

Now, some people like to plan their holiday with military precision. Knowing what they are going to do, at what time. To. The. Letter. Some people, don't plan, they go with the flow. Us, we fall somewhere in the middle, so I'm going to give you my tips for planning a holiday at Walt Disney World (and all the rest!)

Tip #1 Knowledge is power, so get a guide book! The Brit's Guide to Orlando is packed from the first page to the last with everything you need to know. We bought it last time, we bought it this time - it is invaluable. I go through each section of the book, highlighting the things that are relevant to us. A bit like doing exam revision!!

I highlight the rides we want to go on and the restaurants we want to eat at. Plus any other helpful tips along the way - like the rules for driving in Florida, and how to navigate the airport. I can then easily flick through the book and find what I need, without have to re-read everything.

Tip #2 Following on from the whole knowledge is power vibe..get online and join in at a forum. I used the Dibb a lot when planning our first holiday, because I didn't know a thing about Orlando and needed all the help I could get. There are also the Dis Boards which I browse through from time to time. There is also a great planning website called All Ears which has tons of useful information. There will always be someone out there who can help you with your query - or search the forums as there is bound to be a simliar question to yours.

Tip #3 There is no denying, that theme parks are busy - you're going to have to queue for a ride at some stage, and if you can plan what days are less busy at certain parks, then all the better! Luckily, there are a couple of places online where you can find out that information! The one we used in 2011 to help us plan our days is Touring Plans. They have both a free and paid for service, as well as an app for your smartphone. They give you crowd levels based on historical evidence, e.g., 5/10, as well as the best parks, the parks to avoid and which ones have Extra Magic Hours. Touring Plans is only for WDW (and also for Disneyland California), so you need something else for the other theme parks. That's when I turn to the Busy Day Guide at The Dibb. It gives a fab picture view of what parks are busiest when. Using both of these resources helped us plan our 3 weeks Orlando holiday in 2011, and will do exactly the same in 2013!

Tip #4 Whilst virtual planners are great, I created my own planner that I could tweak and use whilst sitting at the table and using my guide book to plan our days...you can download and print my Orlando Vacation Planner [Free Printable] which I shared on my blog a while back. Or, of course you can create your own, or just scribble things down on sheets of paper!

Since I hate having a messy sheet of paper, with lots of crossings out and the like, I created a week to view page and then for each activity, created a token for it - this would enable me to switch things around without having to write everything out again! Then I can transfer it to print and take it with us on holiday!

Tip #5 Try and look at park maps before you go in...this will help you plan your way around the park - the parks are huge and if you have a rough idea, it will take the stress out - especially if you have small children in tow. Again, I'm referring back to The Dibb who have park maps to download.

Tip #6 Study the times for things like parades, character meets, shows etc. The Dibb once again is amazeballs for information when it comes to Walt Disney World and Orlando. I remember when we went to SeaWorld and picked up the map as we walked in, then having to sit (whilst waiting for the Shamu show to start) trying to plan what times we should see each show. With all the excitement going on around us, it was hard to concentrate and plan effectively. I didn't realise I could get this info in advance (from the Dibb) so was a bit blind last time...not this time though!

Similarly, we missed out on several character meet and greets at Universal - I should have taken the time to work things out in advance - even if it meant a trip to City Walk to pick up a couple of maps!

Tip #7 If you want to have a meal at a certain restaurant at Walt Disney World, you can make an Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) with 180 days to go. Especially so if you want to do character dining! You get a guide time (and some ADRs you have to pay for in advance) and you turn up - you may still have to wait a while (most of the time we were sat within 10-20 minutes), but you know you'll at least get a table at your chosen restaurant. At the other restaurants at Universal and SeaWorld for example, you can book on the day. We got to eat at Mythos in Islands of Adventure, and Shark's Underwater Grill at SeaWorld by getting to the parks early and reserving a table. You can also phone ahead at some restaurants off site, so make sure you have the contact number to hand!

Tip #8 As I've said earlier, Walt Disney World and the other theme parks are huge. There is so much to see and do at all of them, that you can't possibly fit everything in in one day - and probably not even in several days!

So, what we did was to prioritize ride/attraction must dos. This meant visiting the website of each theme park (and/or go through the guide book) and we all picked one ride and/or attraction that we wanted and must do. And so, we made a beeline for those first when entering the parks. That way, even if we couldn't do a single other thing, we had at least done the things that we wanted to do the most.

We did the same with places to eat - we all had a list of 'foods to eat in Orlando' before we went, and we ticked them off as we went along (in our minds that is - we never wrote them down!) We also knew we wanted to eat at certain places due to recommendations from others, so they were at the top of our list!

Tip #9 What with the heat, walking around all day, lining up for rides, the excitement, eating more than usual (I know we did!) and being jet-lagged, you are really going to want to plan in some rest days.

On our first visit I was paranoid about burn out. That we wouldn't cope with the walking and heat and so, factored in probably a few too many days of not doing too much - but we coped a hell of a lot better than we all thought..or maybe it was because of those rest days? Who knows?! But, my personal advice is to give yourself a little down time - especially if you have little children.

I'll never forget when we were at Magic Kingdom waiting for the Main Street Electrical Parade and Wishes Fireworks, a mum was getting really antsy with her husband and her kids were crying and falling asleep...I felt bad for her, because she must have planned this amazing holiday for her family, but I also felt sorry for her family who were just so tired! Even if it is just an morning in the pool, or an afternoon siesta before the night-time festivities, you'll be grateful that you did.

Tip #10 Despite all of your planning and prepping, things may have to change, so my biggest tip is to be flexible!! As it turns out, the first couple of days in Orlando I wasn't feeling 100% and so we ended up having to shift days around. It was no big deal, and the truth be told, we ended up switching lots of days around! The beauty of planning is that it makes you excited about your forthcoming trip, and it helps you to feel organised too, but as long as you have a basic plan in mind, it doesn't matter if things have to change!

I just LOVED planning our first trip and I'm loving planning our second trip (and no doubt 3rd and 4th and 5th.......!)

I hope you've found these planning tips helpful..what are your top tips for planning a holiday to Walt Disney World and Orlando?

Stronger [Project 365:2013 - Day 161]

2013-06-10T16:37:00.001+01:00

Stronger, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

After a pretty low Sunday, I went to visit a friend today who lives in a small village out in the countryside - such a lovely place. This is the view at the back of her house.

Kermit [Project 365:2013 - Day 160]

2013-06-10T07:27:00.001+01:00

Kermit, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

Why are there so many, songs about rainbows? And what's on the other side?

Today's emotions have been all over the place. I didn't take a photograph, but had this one from yesterday that I could use.

Nine Week Weight Loss Challenge

2013-06-09T16:36:00.002+01:00

You may or may not be able to tell from my rambling posts here on my blog that I have a huge battle with my weight. I have done since about the age of 5. I seem to constantly be on a diet, and always trying to lose weight through healthier eating and exercise.

In 2011, having tried every diet in the book, I started the Cambridge Weight Loss plan. It is a replacement diet, however, they also have plans which involve food. Due to my medication and BMI I couldn't do a complete replacement, and instead followed a 1200 calorie plan to start with and when my BMI went down I dropped to 1000 calories. I lost 5st in about 6 months. I was ecstatic, never before had I dieted with such success.

We then went to Orlando, and I gained around 10lbs, which I managed to get off, however, through lack of willpower and motivation to continue losing weight, I constantly yo-yo'd. Beating myself up and feeling guilty for eating, for not eating...for a year and a half I maintained that 5st weight loss, but slowly, it started to creep back on. By the new year 2013, I'd allowed around 2 stone to come back - well over my '10lb margin' I'd allowed myself.

I started Cambridge again, full of gusto and resolve to 'get back on track' and shift that 2 stone again and another 5 stone before going back to Florida. However, depression hit me, I wasn't losing weight as quickly as I wanted to...I decided to give up that diet. I felt like I was wasting my time, my consultants time, my husbands money...I felt like a big fat failure. I thought I would try it alone through calorie counting using My Fitness Pal. Some weeks I was successful, other weeks not so much. I couldn't understand why I would do well one week and not so well the next. I tried a detox, and after a month on that, my husband had lost around 10lbs...I had PUT ON a stone. That put me back to having "only lost" 2 stone. I was devastated.

I made the decision to go back to see my consultant at Cambridge. With her support, I shifted 10lbs in my first week and 3lbs in my second - over the moon, I felt like this time I was good to go and get it gone, once and for all. But, depression hit me, a lot of stuff was going on at home and at work. I got complacent and guess what? I've put back on about 8lbs of that...I'm back to see her tomorrow knowing that this week I've not lost a thing, that once again I've failed myself.

In 9 weeks we step back on a plane to Florida - I had planned to have been at my goal weight or thereabouts by now. I'm even further from that now. I could beat myself up, and believe me I do, but I can't let this beat me. I MUST DO THIS.

I've set myself a 9 week weight loss challenge...ideally I would like to lose between 3 and 5lbs per week and I've made myself a chart...with 5 Mickey ears against each week. For every pound I'll colour a Mickey in.

I hope to see this full of colour by the time 2 week 9 rolls around....

I've printed this off an put it on my fridge along with this photograph of hubs and I at Magic Kingdom - to remind me that I can do this, that I have done this and I will do this again.

I can't explain the way my body works. I feel like I've tried everything. I can't understand how my husband and I can eat the same things and he puts on a pound or two, but I'll put on 5 or 6. I can't understand why I am so full of self-sabotage. I can't understand why I've not been able to do something about this my whole life. I can't understand why something that makes me feel so miserable can't be beaten.

I was so excited about going back to Florida and losing weight for it...to go on the rides I didn't go on before, to buy new clothes in smaller sizes, to feel less self-concious...yet I failed. I feel like a failure, constantly. Every day. If I eat I'm miserable that I will put on weight, if I don't eat, I'm miserable because I feel like I'm missing out (going out for a meal with my family for example), I deduced, when I was at my lowest that I must just be a miserable person. Yet, at the same time I try not to let it get to me. I'm never sure if I need more support or less. I feel like no one understands. I know that I am judged for my weight, and that makes me sad. I find myself having to justify myself far too much because of it.

Look, I'm rambling. I feel like I had to get [some of] my feelings out...wish me luck x

Force Majeure [Project 365:2013 - Day 159]

2013-06-09T12:08:00.001+01:00

Force Majeure, a photo by Mrs Pumpkin on Flickr.

So today (yesterday when I write this!) hubs and I had a lovely day out in Greenwich. We walked along the river Thames, had a late lunch in a Brazillian restaurant and then watched the brilliant and hilarious, Mr. Eddie Izzard at the O2.

This is the cable cars going across the river Thames - rather them than me!!