Susan K Mann

#SilentSunday

2012-06-03T08:00:00.000+01:00

This is a Silent Sunday post as inspired by Mocha Beanie Mummy. Check out the rest of the entries using the tag #silentsunday on twitter.

Review - Rockford's Rock Opera App

2012-06-02T08:00:00.000+01:00

My boys love me reading stories to them as much as I love reading to them but sometimes it's nice to have a little change so twice a week we have had a story from the Rockford's Rock Opera App on the iPad. The boys have loved seeing the stories come to live in front of their eyes.

How cute is this dog? I think he is adorable. This is Rockford. He's a big hit on the Internet with his own show, game and possibly his own film. The app is fab at bringing the stories alive. The stories have amazing graphics, animations and gorgeous relaxing songs.

There are 4 different stories to download. The first one is free and is about Rockford himself, he accidentally gets something called a Cocklebur Ick stuck to his behind. It's a lovable and fun story one the children loved.

The graphics in this app are amazing, they really do come alive and engross you in the story. The music goes hand in hand and immerses you into one enjoyable dream like story.

The stories are filled with lessons and meanings, yet are great fun and thoroughly enjoyable. I'd highly recommend these apps which are available for the iPhone, iPad and iTouch. You can download the first story for free here and the others can be downloaded from iTunes here.

Disclaimer:- I was sent the above items as stated in the post. I've not been paid further for mentioning any of these products in this post. All words and opinions are my own.

The Funny Things My Children Say...

2012-06-01T08:00:00.000+01:00

This week the boys have been funny with their one liners, so I thought I'd share a few:-

I picked Lucas up from school yesterday and this was how the conversation went:-

Lucas:- "Mummy, do you get racing cars in real life?"
Me:- "Yes Lucas. You've seen them on the TV."
Lucas:- "Even in Scotland?"

Me:- "Yes sweetie. Would you like to go and see them?"

Lucas:- "Yes please, I want to be a racing car when I grow up."

The boys got a splinter each in their foot at the weekend. Not sure what from but they did. Here in Scotland we call splinters skelfs. Tyler called them Scales. I got out the tweezers to take them out, which Lucas called Squeezers. Another funny thing Lucas says is he called his MP3 player a icb player.

I was talk to Lucas about his friends as school, there are a few I don't know what their parents look like so I was asking him so I could maybe speak to them before the summer holidays.

Me:- "Who did you play with today?"

Lucas:- "J."

Me:- "What does J's mummy look like?"

Lucas:- "She has a steamy face."

Me:- "What do you mean steamy face?"

Lucas:- "Her face is dark."

Me:- "She has darker skin?"

Lucas:- "No just her face."

Me:- A bit confused "You mean she has makeup on, like mummy?"

Lucas:- "No her skin is dark, but only her face."

Me:- "Ok, what colour of hair does she have?"

Lucas:- "Yellow."

Me:- "You mean blonde like Tyler's?"

Lucas:- "No yellow."

Ok, so this person can't be hard to spot, right?

Steamy face = dark face about the eyes

We were doing Lucas' homework the other day and he'd just had his Jubilee lunch at school so I was asking him about it.

Me:- "How was your Jubilee lunch? Did you enjoy it?"

Lucas:- "Yes, but the Queen wasn't there."

Me:- "Really? Why not?"

Lucas:- "She was too busy."

Me:- "Do you know what she does?"

Lucas:- "She only goes to the Assemblies not the lunch."

Hilarious the things they say.

What funny things has your child said or done this week?

100 Word Count Challenge - A Monarch Poem

2012-05-31T08:00:00.000+01:00

Here is week 44 of the 100 WC for Grown ups. It is a weekly challenge for all those writers who want to extend their audience to get feedback on their work.

The prompt this week is to write a poem. It doesn’t have to rhyme or be specifically about the Monarch but it should capture the passing of sixty years. It has to be based on this prompt and be only 100 words.

Here is my take on the prompt:-

Dear Queen...

It's your day, your Jubilee,
Sixty years since you were crowned,
Sixty years, you have done us proud.

Life has changed from then to now,
You have lead us the way you know how,
Inspirational and endearing.

Standing tall against all odds,
Smiling and waving at the crowds,
Humble and inviting to all you meet.

Beautiful and graceful throughout,
Through life and love,
You are like a star shinning down.

Dear Queen, our Queen, my Queen,
Her Magisty, have a wonderful day,
Enjoy you Diamond Jubilee.

Have a little G&T with us,
We raise our glasses to you, cheers.

Vote for me.

If you like my writing, I am a finalist in the 2012 MADS in the writing category as well as three other categories, I would be very grateful if you could take 5 minutes and vote for you. Click on the image below and it will take you to the form and you select my blog from the drop down lists. Thank you. x

Check out the other entries for the 100 WC and if you get a chance why not check out the children's version of the 100 Word Count Challenge, there are some fantastic pieces on there.

The Gallery 101 - Sunshine

2012-05-30T09:23:00.000+01:00

This week's Gallery Prompt at from the lovely Tara over at Sticky Fingers is Sunshine.

This weekend the sun was shining and we broke out the shorts and t-shirts, sun glasses and of course sun cream.

The paddling pool got brought out. Now living in Scotland there aren't many chances to be able to play in a paddling pool, even with the sun it's usually still chilly. So you've got to make the most of it.

Check out the other entries over at Sticky Fingers

Tots100 Film Review - Looney Toons Big Faces

2012-05-29T16:00:00.000+01:00

As part of the Tots100 Film Club with Warner Bros I was lucky enough to be sent through a huge box set of Looney Toons DVD's, the box set is called Loony Toons Big Faces. Look how fab it looks.

Lucas engrossed in the cartoons.

What kid isn't going to watch this box set, it looks fab so colourful and contains a whopping 10 dvds for them to choose from Daffy Duck, Tweety Pie, Taz, Porky Pig, Speedy Gonzales, Bugs Bunny, Tom, Jerry, Road Runner and Wile E Coyote. Each dvd contains around 15 full episodes of each character. Each episode is

My boys favourite is Tom and Jerry they constantly laugh at the crazy antics they get up to. Since watching the box set the Road Runner and Wile E Coyote is fast becoming a close second in the hilarity stakes. With them saying meep meep every five minutes.

The dvd episodes go from being in classic black and white toons to the more up to date colour. A great all round mixture.

This box set has something for everyone, young or old. You will remember these classics from your childhood and the modern ones too. They never age and are perfect to watch over and over again. What I love is the selection is so vast you can never get bored and the episodes are short enough that it holds the child's attention span. I loved these cartoons, hubby loved them and so did the children. We have watched them several times since and a few live in the car now. I think this is a fantastic box set.

Thank you Tots100 Film club for another great film, That’s all folks!

Disclaimer:- I was sent the above items as stated in the post. I've not been paid further for mentioning any of these products in this post. All words and opinions are my own.

Competition - Win a Pair of Running Shoes

2012-05-28T08:00:00.000+01:00

I have a pair of fantastic running shoes from the lovely sportsshoes.com to offer one lucky reader up to the value of £90. How cool is that? Now you can get fit for the summer and look good doing it.

They have a huge selection of running shoes on offer, Sportsshoes ensures mums have plenty of options to look and feel fabulous.

The winner will choose a pair of running shoes up to the value of £90 which will be sent out directly. Enter via Rafflecopter below. The competition is open until midnight on 4th June 2012.

Terms & Conditions

1. Competition is only available to individuals aged 18 and over.

2. The prize will be sent out within 28 days.

3. The prize must be redeemed within 6 months.

4. The prize will be a pair of running shoes selected from www.sportsshoes.com/running up to the value of £90.

5. Sportsshoes.com reserves the right to provide a substitute prize of a similar value should the specified prize become unavailable for reasons beyond its control. Cash or credit alternatives will not be offered.

6. Sportsshoes reserves the right to amend, suspend or cancel the competition without notice and/or review and revise these terms and conditions at any time without giving prior notice.

7. The publisher’s decision is final.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer:- I am not being compensated in any way to run this competition and the product will be sent direct from the company.

#silentsunday

2012-05-27T08:00:00.000+01:00

This is a Silent Sunday post as inspired by Mocha Beanie Mummy. Check out the rest of the entries using the tag #silentsunday on twitter.

Review - Raskullz Helmet

2012-05-26T08:00:00.000+01:00

Scary look at first isn't it? But this is a Raskullz helmet from OZBOZZ, a solid and fun helmet for children. Lucas who is five has outgrown his first size helmet so this is perfect for him. It looks great for little boys or girls and protects their little noggins.

Lucas is forever on his Scooter and I make him wear a helmet whenever he is outside on it, even in the back garden, better safe than sorry in my eyes. He also wears it when out on his bike, but he prefers his Scooter.

Check out those eyes. I do love the fin on the top, it's made with a more pliable material so it can bend. The different textures on the helmet are great.

Lucas loves his helmet, what do you think. I think he looks cute.

The helmet also come in pink Unicorn for boys or girls if they prefer that one or there is a ladybird and a very cool mohican.

Now there is no excuse for your little dude or dudette to look cool and be safe. I'd highly recommend these, they look fantastic are sold and comfortable for them to wear. At £19.99 I think they are reasonably priced and nothing is too good for your child's safety. They can be purchased from ToysRUs.

For more information check out the Ozbozz website or facebook for further information and offers.

Disclaimer:- I was sent the above items as stated in the post. I've not been paid further for mentioning any of these products in this post. All words and opinions are my own and the links have been included out of courtesy.

Book Review - Fifty Shades of Grey

2012-05-25T09:00:00.000+01:00

This is a very adult book and one that is aimed at over 18’s.

This review does contain adult material and you have been warned.

Description:- When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

Review:- This is not my normal cup of tea, but several of my fellow book bloggers and friends whom I share similar tastes in books read it and loved it. So I bowed to peer pressure and gave it a read. The first half of the book I wasn't hooked, I kept reading but I hadn't found any love for the characters. Not forgetting how poorly written it is, a good edit and removal of repeating phrases would have done this book wonders, but I stuck with it and I'm glad I did.

This book is definitely for the over 18's, I certainly wouldn't want a tweenage Twilight fan reading it. I knew this was originally written as Twillight fan fiction and was called Master of the Universe, thank God the name was changed. There are no vampires in this book however. I haven't read the original, but I'm guessing that was removed. I didn't compare it to Twilight so I think I enjoyed it more. Even though I loved Twilight I didn't want the two getting blurred.

The story contains a lot of sex along with BDSM elements so isn't going to be to everyone's taste, I found Christian's room of pain somewhat scary and if I had been Ana, I think I'd have legged but she stuck it out and actually seemed to enjoy bits of it.

Ana and Christian meet after Ana interviews him at his office, where he is a rich and successful businessman, for her college newspaper. There is something between them and Christian thinks she would make a good submissive for his sex games. Ana is only 21 and quite immature. I thought she was going to be a doormat, but I was wrong she held her ground against what she believed in.

Christian hasn't had the best upbringing, he was abused by his parents, then he was adopted in the perfect family where he's never felt good enough. Only to be abused by a family friend. So you can begin to understand why he feels the need to feel in control. However the stalker tendencies are a bit scary.

Just over half way through Christian broke through my barrier of I'm going to hate this book and won, now he's forever etched in my brain and I could not put it down. Ana annoyed the life out of me with her talking to her inner goddess, constantly biting her lip and the fact she went from being a virgin who hadn't even kissed a boy to being a sex goddess who gave up her virinity without a second thought for Christian. Their love blossomed, they changed each other and I routed for them. They brought out the best in each other.

I love the email exchanges they have between them, they talk more openly throughout them and it's very sweet and flirty. There was a lot of tenderness between Ana and Christian and I loved watchiing their relationship grow and blossom. The latter part of the book I was hooked and couldn't put it down. Plus, I heard they are considering Ian Somerhalder to play Christian in the film version, my guilt pleasure.

I would recommend Fifty Shades of Grey as a light and easy read, yes there are bits when you will blush, but it's not too bad and the love story in there is a very sweet one. I can guarantee you will be routing for them just like I am right until the end. If you can oversee the bad writing and repeated phrases, the book really is so compelling I couldn't put it down. And on to the second book which I'm told is a lot better.

Disclaimer:- I purchased this book to read.

The Funny Things My Children Say...

2012-05-25T08:00:00.000+01:00

This week the boys have been funny with their one liners, so I thought I'd share a few:-

We were at a 5th birthday party on Sunday and Lucas had just gotten a new outfit put on. It started with a treasure hunt at the local park. Both boys ran down the hill and splat right into the mud as you can see in the picture. That alone would have been funny if he hadn't been so upset.

Lucas:- "Mummy? Will it have to go in the bin?"

Me:- "No honey, I can wash it don't worry it's just mud."

Lucas:- "I didn't win the treasure."

Me:- "It's ok, it's only chocolate I'm sure you can get some."

Of course I did the blogger, twitter mummy thing and took a picture of it.

As we all know the weather has been considerably warm this week, so I asked Tyler to look out a sun hat.

Me:- "Can you get a sun hat out of the cupboard."

Tyler:- "Yes, my piggy hat."

Me:- "No sweetie, the piggy hat is a Winter hat, you'll be far too warm."

Tyler:- "I want to wear my piggy hat."

Me:- "It's too warm, here try this one. Aww you look so cute."

Tyler:- "No piggy." Stamps feet.

His picture shows it all really.

Lucas find it difficult to understand that his daddy hasn't always had a gluten free diet. This is what he asked his dad:-

Lucas:- "When you get hair on your arms, is that when you become Gluten free?"

Daddy:- "No, the Gluten in food makes daddy ill, that's why I can't eat it."

Hilarious the things they say.

What funny things has your child said or done this week?

Author Interview - Kimberly Derting

2012-05-24T08:30:00.000+01:00

If you read my book reviews you will know I'm a huge Kimberley Derting Fan. I LOVE her Body Finder series which you can find my reviews of the first three books here, here and here. She was over in England a few weeks ago but I didn't get to meet her as I was already booked at Cybher. Which I was gutted about, but I hope she will come back to the UK at some point and next time I will be there.

To help soften the blow she agreed to do an interview with me. I hope you enjoy.

Thank you for agreeing to do this interview on my blog, I am a huge fan and love Violet and Jay. They are definitely one of my favourite fictional couples.

1. What inspired you to write the “Body Finder” series?

It was my husband, actually (and he’ll probably never let me hear the end of it!). We were driving one day, when he said: “What if there was a kid who could find dead bodies?” In his head, “the kid” was a middle-grade boy, but I actually LOVED the idea, so I changed his main character to a sixteen-year-old girl, and came up with the idea for the echoes. And, of course, I decided she needed a love interest, so Jay was born!

2. What are your main forms of inspiration?

I try and look for inspiration everywhere, although I usually don’t need to look much further than my household. When you write for young adults, having teens in the house (especially for as long as I have) tends to provide the best kinds of inspiration. While I think of it as inspiration and research, my kids probably think I’m just being a nosy mom. It’s probably a little of both! :)

3. What was the hardest scene to write?

I can’t think of the any scenes that were particularly challenging to write, although the easiest ones were definitely those from the serial killer’s point of view. I don’t know why, but these were really, really easy for me. That’s not creepy, right???

4. Did you base the characters on anyone?

Sadly, there is one character who I do share a few traits with: Chelsea from the Body Finder series. I will say that I’m not nearly as brash as she can be, but I do tend to have a “say it like it is” type of personality. That’s really where our similarities end though, since I couldn’t spike volleyball to save my life!

5. What is your favourite supernatural creature and why?

I think vampires are both my favourite and least favourite at the same time. I’m terrified of them. I grew up with a grandfather who may or may not have been a tad bit crazy, and truly believed that vampires existed, so he would tell me things like, “If you don’t invite them across the threshold, they can’t come inside the house.” As a child, a part of me knew he was nuts, but because he was my grandfather, there was another part of me that sort of believed him. I think that part of me still does...just a little bit. And in case you didn’t notice from my books, I like things that are dark and frightening.

6. Who are you favourite authors?

When I was growing up, we didn’t have the great Young Adult selection there is today, so I went right from books like Black Beauty and The Boxcar Children to reading the books my mom had lying around the house, which were ghost stories by John Saul and horror novels by Stephen King. So, I was introduced to the world of horror by the time I was 12 or 13, and Stephen King was the master as far I was concerned. The Shining was—and always will be—one of my favourite horror novels.

7. What was your favourite book as a child?

When I was very young, I probably read Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White a gazillion times...always hoping that the spider would live in the end! I was a sucker for any story with talking animals. Even better if it made me cry!

8. As a mother of two young boys, how do you find the time or peace to write?

I have three kids, but they’re not little anymore...although my son is 18 years old and my husband is 40, and they still act like young boys at times! Actually, everyone in my family is very supportive of my career, which is extremely helpful in the time-and-peace departments.

9. What are you currently working on?

Right now, it’s all about the edits! I’m working on revisions for the fourth book in the Body Finder series. After that, I expect the copy edits for the second book in the Pledge series to hit my doorstep. But of course all I can think about right now is my trip to London in May! This will be my first time in Europe and I couldn’t be more excited!! We actually bought the book London for Dummies! How lame is that???

10. What advice would you give to aspiring and unpublished authors?

Read everything you can get your hands on, even if it’s not in the genre you plan to write in. Also, don’t write just to get published. Write what you love, and what you would want to read, and the rest will take care of itself. And most importantly, never, ever give up!

Thank you Kimberly for answering my questions so honestly and for giving us an insight into your life. I hope you had a wonderful time in London and hope you will come back soon. Maybe Scotland next time. I live in hope.

You can follow Kimberly Derting via her website or via twitter.

Image Credit

Review:- Shoulder Buddies

2012-05-24T08:00:00.000+01:00

My oldest Lucas who is five often lacks confidence in himself in that he is shy and quiet. Not necessarily a bad trait but it's nice to see them being a bit more confident, out going an sure of themselves. So when I came across these little characters called Shoulder Buddies I knew these were the perfect little things for him.

Lucas loves little figures and plays with them for hours, but you know what it's like they get lost and you can never find them until the next time you drag the sofa out to clean in behind it. And let's face it who has time to do that all that often.

Shoulder Buddies are little collectibles which stick to a child's clothing using a little magic coin which you place under the child's t-shirt for example and the shoulder buddy goes on top using it's magnetic power. It will stick to pretty much anything that is thin material using this method. Lucas takes his on his backpack to school and it stays there all day and back. We haven't lost it yet.

Here is Lucas and his new buddy which is called Diva.

They look great fun and very cute with their troll doll like hair in various colours. There are 8 different ones in this series which comes with a collector card for you to keep track. Each little buddy looks different, has it's own name and moto. Here is a list of them below. We have Diva which I think is perfect for my little guy.

Shari
My “sharing smarts” are something you can SHARE!

Stormy
I like to share “storm smarts” and safety tips for bad weather.

Diva
I love to share my “superstar smarts” so everyone can shine like me!

Splash
I like to swim as much as you! Please read my “swim smarts” so you can be safe in the water.

Doc
I want to share my “health smarts” with you so you can take good care of yourself

Fetti
Hey I’m Fetti and I like to share my “celebration smarts” Here are some fun ways to party….

Flora
My “botanical smarts” will help you plant seeds of understanding and care for nature

Harmony
Sharing my “unity smarts” is my plan. Here are some great ways to unite our world……

I think these are great pocket money toys which can help boost your child's confidence and look great. Lots of fun can be had and your child can learn some valuable life lessons. Although aimed primarily at girls, my son loved these. I think they are suitable for both genders.

They can be purchased from Golden Bear Toys Direct.

The Gallery 100 - Picture Postcard

2012-05-23T08:00:00.000+01:00

This will be my 101th picture in Tara's gallery prompt. I have never missed a week and I am proud of that. This week's Gallery Prompt at from the lovely Tara over at Sticky Fingers is Picture Postcard.

I took the picture I am using for this week's prompt when I was in London last weekend. It is the first thing I saw that reminded me of London. We got off the bus from the airport at Baker Street, across the road is the Sherlock Homes Museum and I captured this...

My Picture Postcard from London.

Check out the other entries over at Sticky Fingers

Music Review - Emeli Sande's Our Version of Events

2012-05-22T08:00:00.000+01:00

Description:- Debut album from the BRIT Awards' 2012 Critic's Choice Award winner Emeli Sandé, Our Version of Events includes the Scottish singer-songwriter's hits "Heaven" and "Daddy".

Review:- I don't listen to a huge amount of music but when I find something I like I have it on repeat. This cd was no exception. For some reason I am drawn to female artists, I love their voices and it is the only music I seem to enjoy. Emeli Sande has an amazing voice and her songs just draw you in.

What is great about this album is the variety in the style of the songs. From pop songs to acoustic numbers, to some hip hop and everything in between.

Next to Me is one of my favourite tracks, one I could listen do over and over again. Her voice is mesmerising and relaxing. Enjoyable and soulful. This is one album I will be listening to for years to come.

I am not over keen on Daddy, but that's the only one out of the whole album, the rest are fantastic. An excellent way to relax on the way home from work or chilling out in an afternoon. Not one for the gym or exercising, more chilaxing.

I love the Heaven song, it brings a tear to my eye every time I listen to it. The fact she is Scottish and writes her own songs is an added bonus. I think she is amazing and will go far. I highly recommend this cd to everyone.

Have a look at her website for further information here and you can purchase the album from here.

Disclaimer:-: I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Network, a group of parent bloggers picked by Mumsnet to review products, services, events and brands. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity.

100 Word Count Challenge - The flame flickered before

2012-05-21T20:54:00.001+01:00

Here is week 43 of the 100 WC for Grown ups. It is a weekly challenge for all those writers who want to extend their audience to get feedback on their work.

The prompt this week is to write a piece using ….The flame flickered before….. It has to be based on this prompt and be only 100 words.

Here is my take on the prompt:-

I awoke on a cold slab. I looked around my eyes adjusting, the only light coming from a candle. I eased up and my head spun and warm liquid dripped. It'll need stitched.

I seemed to be in some kind of stone box, a large one, a tome? Panic set in. I couldn't breathe. I heard stone move, I crouched ready to attack. The flame flickered before going out plunging the room into darkness.

"Cam? Cam? Where are you?"

I breathed, relieved Nate was here. "I'm here Nate. I'm blee..." before I could finish Nate had his fangs out drinking and healing my wound.

Vote for me.

Check out the other entries for the 100 WC and if you get a chance why not check out the children's version of the 100 Word Count Challenge, there are some fantastic pieces on there.

The Winner of The In The Night Garden Ticket is...

2012-05-21T16:00:00.000+01:00

I used Random.org to pick a winner for the In The Night Garden Live Ticket and the winner is ..

Mags, congratulations you win the Family Ticket to see In The Night Garden Live. I will send you an email. If you can get back to me asap I will get this sent out to you. If I do not hear back within 7 days I will redraw.

Thank you to everyone who has entered. Sorry you can't all win.

Book Review - Crossed By Ally Condie

2012-05-21T08:00:00.000+01:00

Description:- Rules Are Different Outside The Society.

Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky--taken by the Society to his sure death--only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of a rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices every thing to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.

Narrated from both Cassia's and Ky's point of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever.

Review:- I loved Matched which is the first book in this series. It was one of the first dystopian novels I'd ever read since I'd been a teenager and have been hooked on them ever since. Cassia is a great main character, although living in a controlled society, where she is told what to eat, what to work as, whom to marry, when to die, she rebels against it. Knowing the consequences she does it anyway. Can love conquor all?

I would have liked a bit of a recap at the start of this book, there wasn't so I'd say read Matched then go straight onto Crossed. Crossed is narrated slightly differently from Matched, it was narrated from Cassia's point of view, where Crossed is from both Cassia and Ky's point of view. Ky is the boy she fell in love with but wasn't the one society picked for her. We find out a lot more about Ky in this book, which is good. Finding out how he saw Cassia was very moving and touching.

For as much as I loved Matched, I was disapointed with Crossed, it's didn't live up to my expectations and I was left feeling deflated. I thought Cassia would have done more in this book, but she didn't other than wonder around the canyons. We aren't really any further in the story. But she did grow as a character and I did like the new characters we came across in Crossed however, there were interesting.

Having said that I will still be reading the third book in the series, I'm hoping for a great ending. Ally Condie is a great writer and I am looking forward to reading what she has in store for us. If you are a dystopian novel fan and loved Crossed, you really should read this book, it's not great, but it's an ok filler.

Disclaimer:- I was sent the above book as stated in the post from the publisher. I've not been paid further for mentioning any of these products in this post. All words and opinions are my own.

#silentsunday

2012-05-20T08:00:00.000+01:00

I went into the Thames in a Bus!!

This is a Silent Sunday post as inspired by Mocha Beanie Mummy. Check out the rest of the entries using the tag #silentsunday on twitter.

Review - Rowntrees Fruit Bottles

2012-05-19T08:00:00.000+01:00

Sweets are always a big hit in our house as they are in most houses with children I am sure. That being said I like to keep their sweet in take to a minimum and go for a better option so to speak to when Rowntrees sent me through their new Fruit Bottles I couldn't wait to try them out.

The packaging is bright and looks like fun, the sweets themselves look like retro cola bottles, but are a little more squishier. The packets have just enough sweets to hit the spot as an adult and aren't too many to spoil a child's appetite.

We were sent them through in retro style bottles which had little fun eyes stuck to them. The boys loved these and have been drinking their water and juice out of them.

There are five juicy flavours in each pack and they are made from 25% fruit juice, don't contain any artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. They also don't contain any gelatine so as far as I can see are suitable for vegetarians too. They do have some strange ingredients, like black carrot, Hibiscus, Nettle and Spinach. Healthy but tasty.

Lucas gave them a big thumbs up.

Over on the Rowntrees Facebook page you can play around with their Retro app which lets you view all things Retro through the 'Bottle Goggles'. There are also themed prizes and sweets to be won.

Cybher - What A Great Day

2012-05-18T09:00:00.000+01:00

The first ever blogging event for woman in the UK, namely Cybher, took place last Saturday and I was able to attend thanks to my sponsors WOW Toys and Huggies. A huge thank you to them. But the biggest thank you goes to Sian and her team for the amazing event they put on.

We were issued with our name tags and the coolest bags ever from the leather satchel company.

Ready for the first talk.

Sian did the opening speech, kicking off the conference and such an amazing and inspiring day.

One of the talks was with was with Zoe Margolis who was talking about the darker side of blogging. Zoe’s talked of being hounded out of her anonymity by the press when her book was due to be published after the success of her blog. She is an amazingly strong person, but what a horrible time she had to go through.

I went to Nickie's session Ask a Blogger, which is full of great information for those of us who blog on the Blogger platform. She even handed out some yummy sweets. I think she was a bit nervous, but she had no need to be her talk rocked and even after blogging all this time and being a software developer I came away with some great hints and tips. Simple yet effective and you can check out her site for it here.

Another great session was are you Appy and You know it with the lovely Ryan and Sian's very cute daughter Biba. This was all about various different apps to make your life that little bit sweeter, from photography apps, to rss feed readers and everything in between. Very interesting and insightful piece.

There were so many great sessions with so much information to absorb. Lots about the No follow on links issues, the do's and don't's in competitions, what to blog and what not to blog. Lots of food for thought.

I mossed around the sponsored and spoke to AVG about their parental controls, I got measured by Freya and went up a whopping 4 cup sizes from walking into their magic changing room. My favourite sponsor to chat to was Disney, especially since the products they had on display were for us mummies and not the kiddies for a change. Plus I got my picture taking with one of my favourite tv shows, Once Upon a Time. I even got some eye make up done.

How cool is this picture.

One of the talks that pulled at everyone's heart strings was the World Vision talk towards the end about Niger and what is going on there. Some really horrific images of this place were brought to our attention. The person behind Cybher, Sian To, is going to Niger next week to see for herself what it is like and to report back on the stories from Niger. You can follow her journey on her blog and the hash tag on twitter #ShareNiger

Then, there is the social side of the day. So many wonderful people we speak to on Twitter, facebook and our blogs everyday. I have met so many amazing people in the 2 1/2 years I have been blogging and 3 plus years on twitter. Getting to meet them in person and catching up again with ones I have met is one of the highlights of the year. If only there was more time.

Mostly Yummy and All about the Boys.

I came away in awe having met and listened to so many amazing people. I love to blog, I really do but there is still so much to learn and so much scope we have to play around with. It really was an inspiring and magical day. Well done Cybher and roll on next year, I for one cannot wait.

You can read more reviews of the talks and day over at the Cybher linky HERE

Review - Mini Micro Scooter

2012-05-18T08:00:00.000+01:00

My youngest was delighted when this little parcel came through, he loves to Scooter and is a right little dare devil. He is fantastic at it and loved the Mini Micro Scooter from the minute it arrived.

We were sent through a limited edition Neon Green Mini Micro Scooter. It looks great doesn't it.

It arrives like this and is really simple to setup. Five minutes with the instructions and I was done. No help from hubby. It's sturdy and well made.

The Micro Scooters are different from the other scooters I have seen, most handles turn to go right or left, with these you have to learn slightly to either side to turn. Far safer I feel, as when going fast and turning the handles you could easily loose balance. Another great thing about these scooters is they have a break. The break is situated at the back of the board, where the user puts their foot on it to slow the wheel. It's not severe so it throws them forward.

The board itself is made from non slip rubber which is great for us since Tyler wants to Scooter about the house without shoes on. The handles are also non slip rubber. It is soft but not too soft. The wheels are had plastic and can be replaced if wear and tear occurs.

I think one of the best things about the whole Micro Scooter range is the bright colours, they look amazing and continue to look amazing after many many uses. Plus there are so many accessories you can buy to add to the scooter.

The mini micro can be used when the your child is 1 year old as a seat can be bought for it. Which I think is fab and wish I'd known about these when Tyler was younger. They use it as a little trike, then as they grow it can be removed.

Tyler loves to whizz up and down the living room floor. He's always on this scooter and is definitely one of his most prised processions. He loves and so do I. By far the best scooter I have come across and it looks great.

Tyler demonstrating how easy it is to stop using the break.

Having fun on the Scooter out in the back garden.

To celebrate the Queen's Jubilee there is a lovely range of Union Jack Micro Scooters and accessories you can see here.

I will leave you with a small video of Tyler telling me what he thinks of the Micro Scooter.

100 Word Count Challenge - 5 Words

2012-05-18T07:00:00.000+01:00

Here is week 42 of the 100 WC for Grown ups. It is a weekly challenge for all those writers who want to extend their audience to get feedback on their work.

The prompt this week is to write a piece using these five words LIBERTY EMPIRE APPLE YELLOW ENORMOUS. It has to be based on this prompt and be only 100 words.

Here is my take on the prompt:-

I knew it would be dangerous but I had to help free the spirits, to lay them to rest. I felt spirits with me, protecting me. I'd done protective spells, but felt safer.

I got into his house without any trouble and into the basement. I find the chest it's locked. I slice the apple from my pocket using the core as my guide and cast a spell.

It opens, displaying an enormous pile of yellow bones.

Carrying the chest to the garden, I hear. "Sweet liberty we’re free. Thank you. We’ll do what we can to help take down Tony’s Empire."

Darkness surrounded me…

Vote for me.

Check out the other entries for the 100 WC and if you get a chance why not check out the children's version of the 100 Word Count Challenge, there are some fantastic pieces on there.

I'm A Finalist... WOW

2012-05-17T08:00:00.000+01:00

I woke up on Thursday morning to several congratulations tweets, took me a bit to wake up and realise what it was for. I hadn't slept well and has to be the only night in 3 years I hadn't checked my twitter feed during the night. Once I did, I was over the moon to know I was a finalist in the MADS. I'd never been to the final of anything before and now I'm a finalist in the MADS.

Then I started reading the list of the other nominees and found out I am a finalist in not 1 but 4 categories, how amazing is that? I cannot believe it and I keep thinking I'm dreaming or that Sally's going to come back and say there's been a mistake and I'm not a finalist. I really do.

Thank you to everyone from the bottom of my heart who voted for me and got my two the final. I love you all.

I am truly honoured to be a finalist. I write about my gorgeous boys and hubby, whom are my world. My writing, not that I think it's any good but I do love to write horror or paranormal. Throw in some book reviews on what I love to read and some product reviews and with the exception of my job I pretty much some up my life and my passions, I love to write. I'm amazed, excited and honoured people read it. I love getting comments, this makes my day.

So if you like reading my blog I'd love for you to vote for me. You will make me so happy and I'd give you a great big hug when I meet you in person. Or a virtual one if I don't. I'm nominated in the Best MAD Blog Writer Category, Best MAD Family Life Blog and Most Helpful MAD Blogger. You can vote for me here, just select my blog in the drop down lists.

The latter category I wasn't sure how I ended up there until someone said to me on Saturday at Cybher that I always DM to make sure they are ok, every week. I always listen and I'm there for them. I don't find that worthy of being helpful, I'm just being me. I care about people, especially friends and will always listen and help anyone anyway I can.

I am also nominated in Blog Post of The Year Category, you can read the post here. I wrote the post that I have been nominated for because I wanted to see how far I'd come in my journey with Post Natal Depression and I wanted to help others, let them see there is light at the end of the tunnel. They aren't alone and to try the different therapies I had. There are options out there. It took my two years to write and I poured my heart into it. I really do hope it helps someone.

The awards ceremony will be help in London on the 28th of September, which happens to be my birthday and my wedding anniversary. If I won, it would be the best present ever. I followed the ceremony last year via twitter and everyone has such a great time, that I cannot wait to be part of it this year.

Thank you so much for voting and please do vote again. Good luck and well done to all the finalists xxx

If that all wasn't enough I am also a finalist in the Brilliance in Blogging awards, wow I did not see that coming either. So thank you again for voting for me in this also. You have made me a very happy bunny. As I said I love to write so being in the final of the Lit category made me day.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend this awards ceremony as I can't go to Brit Mums live as it is on the week we finish our school year here and I need my holidays from work for the days off I need for school assemblies, etc. I hope everyone has a great time and good luck to all the finalists.

Thank you again. xxx

And The Winner's Are....

2012-05-16T17:36:00.002+01:00

I used Random.org to pick a winner for the The Witching Pen and the winner is ..

Lucinda Fountain, congratulations you win the signed copy of The Witching Pen. I will send you an email. If you can get back to me asap I will get this sent out to you. If I do not hear back within 7 days I will redraw.

I used Random.org to pick the winners for the Soul Beach Books and the winners are ..

Mum of Three Boys.

@maisietoo

@BookaholicsBkCl

Congratulations to Mum of Three Boys, @Maisietoo and @BookaholicsBkC1 you win a copy of Soul Beach. I will send you an email. If you can get back to me asap I will get this sent out to you. If I do not hear back within 7 days I will redraw.

Thank you to everyone who has entered. Sorry you can't all win.