two become four

T'is the season to be jolly...

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 22:26:00 +0000

... apparently.

I'm feeling positively bah humbug at the moment though! To be honest I'll just be glad to get through it and see the back of 2012... possibly the worst year... ever.

But life goes on and there are 2 little people to think about... and it does bring a smile to my face at Tilly's (piercingly loud) squeals of delight at every decorated shop window we walk passed. Every. Single. One!

We went into town yesterday for the European Christmas Market and Fair. One of the things I love about St Ives... they certainly know how to put on a good market. European street food and produce stalls... mince pies and mulled, local cider (delicious)... and fairground rides for the kiddywinks. Wonderful.

Tilly and Jasper got to meet Santa. Twice.

All-in-all a very exciting, busy, tiring day, finished with a bit of therapeutic sewing of a robin costume for the preschool nativity. Can you believe it... their first nativity! Tilly is a star and Jasper is a robin. I can't wait!

I'm sure I'll start to feel festive soon. We're heading to London on the train on Friday to see Santa (again!)... that should be fun ;)

#Team21 // Life after laser eye surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:07:00 +0000

It has now been nearly a month since having corrective laser eye surgery with Optical Express... and what a difference it has made!

The 24 Hour Check-up

One of the things I have been impressed with is the aftercare that Optical Express provide. You don't need to worry about a thing... everything is explained in great detail before you leave and you are given a phone number you can call at any time if you have any questions or worries.

They also like to do regular checks to see how your eyes are settling down... one after 24 hours, a week, a month, 3 months, and possibly even 6 months!

I was amazed at my 24 hour check-up to be told that my eyes were now better than 20/20 vision! Yes, one eye to me felt a little grittier and blurier... but strangely enough that was the one that had the slightly better vision!

I was cleared to drive and went home to have a relaxing, child-free afternoon. Realistically I could have even gone back to work - which I did the next day, and sat at a computer for the best part of 8 hours with no problem at all.

Recovery

Day by day my eyes quickly began to feel more and more comfortable. It was tricky remembering not to scratch at them when they did get a bit itchy, but I soon got used to it. I decided to wear the delightful sleep googles for 2 weeks after the close shave I had with Keith the second night, again, something that just took getting used to... and was also quite funny to surpirse the kids with when they woke in the middle of the night!

Four weeks on and my eyes feel pretty much back to normal. They do occassionally feel a bit dry, which is apparently to be expected and for which you are given lubricating eye drops to ease them.

There have been a couple of times when I may have completely and hysterically overreacted at one or the other of the twins glancing an eye with a finger... or just straight out poking me in the eye in Jasper's case - accidentally, of course... but the panic that instantly ran through me was probably quite hilarious to behold.

There was slight bruising on the whites of my eyes, but it was unnoticable because it was mostly under the eyelids and didn't ache at all... it did take the best part of 2 weeks to clear up though.

A Life-changing Experience

It may sound a bit cheesy, but it really has been a life changing experience... and I'm still getting used to it and adapting to no longer having to wear glasses.

It's amazing being able to sit up in the pitch black of night and immediately be able to read the time on the alarm clock without having to search for my glasses.

I knew I would be a little self-concious to begin with, but I think I have just been more aware of my ridiculous hamster cheeks that are now always down in my peripheral vision where my glasses frames would have been!

I am so much happier, and much more confident in myself. I feel like a completely different person! I took great pleasure in gathering up all of my old glasses and taking them along to my one week check-up for them to recycle :)

Next on my to do list is find out when it is ok to go swimming again... I want to see what it's like to actually see people in the pool!!

I couldn't recommend having laser eye surgery any more highly and feel eternally greatful to Optical Express for this amazing opportunity. If you can, I say go for it... you will not regret it!

This is Rebecca, for #Team21, signing off.

#Team21 will soon be coming to an end over on the Optical Express facebook page, so why not head over to read up on everyone's laser eye surgery uk experiences... it has been a pleasure sharing such a life-changing journey!

What I Wore // Owls from Joe Browns

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 22:49:00 +0000

I little while ago, back in October when 'Frocktober' was in full swing helping to raise awareness of womens' mental health issues (a subject close to my heart), I was sent this beautiful owl tea dress to review from Joe Browns.

Then things went crazy, and all of a sudden I was working full-time, and each of us were ill at one point or another that I totally forgot to write it up!

The dress is absolutely gorgeous! It's a lovely, light, silky material that so easy to wear... and of course there is that hootingly cute owl motif! Everyone loves owls, don't they!

It's versatile too, and could be worn as I do with skinny jeans (my wardrobe staple) and boots for a casual look, or with chunky black tights and little black pumps for smarter look.

I love it!

And then the funniest thing happened...

The next time I saw my sister she gave a dress that she'd ordered but didn't fit, and rather than send it back she thought it would be perfect for me.

Another owl dress from Joe Browns... and equally gorgeous!

wash. dry. fold. repeat.

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 00:34:00 +0000

You would not believe the amount of washing we get through on a weekly basis... most days see a full load going into the washer... then into the dryer... and then stacked up in baskets until someone can be bothered to sort through it all! We seriously need to get into the habit of sorting it straight away!

It's a lot better now that there is light at the end of the twins potty training tunnel... but now the weather is getting wetter we have a different reason for mucky clothes!

This is an entry for a fabulous John Lewis competition to win one of three hotpoint products - a washing machine, a washer/dryer... but I'd love to win the tumble dryer for my Mum - she's been without one for over a year now... I'm still holding out for a machine that automatically folds the clothes for you though!

#Team21 // Laser Eye Surgery - The Big Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 22:23:00 +0000

So you've already heard about my eyesight history, and my deciding factors for laser eye surgery... now it's time to talk about the actually procedure itself.

Rather than blog it, I thought I'd vlog it... I think you can see a little difference in my confidence already... I babble on for nearly 15 minutes, so grab a cuppa and make yourself comfortable!

You can find out about the rest of #Team21 over on the Optical Express facebook page and follow everyone else's laser eye surgery experiences too... it will be interesting to read how we all get on!

Disclosure: I was extremely fortunate to be given free laser eye surgery, but I will blog honestly and openly about my experience.

Autumn // The year's last, loveliest smile

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:30:00 +0000

Days of coughing, fevers, puddles and poo are not good...

Taking a break to enjoy the beauty of autumn, however, is therapy enough.

Oh, how I love autumn ♥♥♥

Review // TyreTrack TPMS for Motorbikes

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 22:59:00 +0000

One of my biggest fears about Keith switching to a motorbike was that of safety. Roads are so busy nowadays, and most people are completely blind to other road users let alone motorbikes, and then there’s the thought of anything going wrong with the machine itself… some things just don’t bear thinking about.

Which is why I was so relieved to be offered the chance for Keith to review a new gadget that wirelessly monitors the tyre pressures on his motorbike.

TyreTrack Tyre Pressure Monitoring System

The TyreTrack TPMS is an aftermarket gadget that can be fitted either internally (between the rim and tyre) or externally onto the tyre valve, and measures tyre pressures and temperatures, and alerts the rider if they fall outside of the users defined ranges.

This is not only great from a safety perspective, but also economically. Underinflated tyres can reduce the fuel ecomony and performance of the bike and also reduce the lifespan of the tyres.

Keith has loved testing the TPMS out over the last few months. Here are his thoughts and suggestions on this useful little gadget:

Pros

Very easy to set up – the external monitors just screw onto the tyre valves in place of dust caps.
It takes the guesswork out of using an old-fashioned manual gauge.
It (the external monitor) is easy to swap between bikes.
Great first warning sign that there may be a problem with a tyre.
Excellent for year-round, all-weather bikers like Keith – can easily adjust riding style to suit the weather conditions with the knowledge of the tyre temperatures.
The battery voltage feature will also be handy for those that don’t necessarily use their bikes on a daily basis.

Cons

The screen size is perhaps a little on the large size. Most information would be checked before riding, so could be scrolled through rather than all on screen at the same time.
A clock would make a useful additional feature – Keith currently cable-ties an old watch to his handle bars!
The backlit screen is very bright when riding at night.

Overall thoughts

A very handy gadget that takes a lot of the guesswork away. Would make a great Christmas gift for the biker in your life!

Full information on the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System can be found on the TyreTrack website, and for updates you can also follow their facebook page.

Disclosure: Keith was sent an internal and external TPMS to test for the purpose of this review.

Want to save money? Then switch to a motorbike!

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 23:08:00 +0000

Just over a year ago we decided to give our finances an overhaul and look to find less obvious ways to save money as a family.

At the time we had 2 cars… both estates - a diesel and a petrol-guzzler. I was at home with the kids all day and Keith was commuting to Cambridge and paying for parking on a daily basis.

This seemed like a good place to start.

After a lot of research Keith came up with the idea of swapping one of the cars for a motorbike. Well, as we were incredibly tied up with other things going on at the time we decided to SORN one of the cars for a while and use the money saved on tax and insurance to pick up a cheap 125 starter bike. Then we could sell the second car when we had a bit more time to do it properly and get the best money we could for it.

We SORN’d the diesel, bought a 125 and kept the petrol-guzzler on the road. Not my choice, but fate intervened when the petrol-guzzler’s life came to an abrupt end in March… pretty much the story of our life – whatever can go wrong, will! Fortunately we managed to sell the car anyway, but got nowhere near as much as we could have, had it worked :/

Hey ho, such is life and all that. We were still making savings by having the bike, and now we could get the diesel back on the road and make a few more savings ;)

Apart from the initial outlay – taking the CBT (compulsory basic training - £125), purchasing the proper gear - the savings have worked out quite nicely. Keith did manage to get a few bargains on the gear though… a helmet reduced from £150 to £55, a jacket down from £150 to £80, boots reduced from £120 to £80, trousers for £20 from Aldi, and gloves from eBay for £1! Not bad!

But the main, yearly, savings are even better…

Road tax for the 125 was £16 a year compared to £200+ for the car… and now that Keith has passed his full test and moved on to a 750 bike it is still only £70.

Insurance for the 125 was £150, instead of £350 for the car… and had our current provider not shafted us for changing vehicle mid-policy, the 750 would only be £105!

Fuel economy for the 125 was a massive 120mpg! The best either of the cars could get was 35mpg, and the 750 – although nowhere as economical as the 125 – still manages to get around 60mpg.

Parking for motorbikes at Keith’s work is free… compared to £2.50 per day for a car – that’s a saving of just under £600 a year just for parking… £600!!!

And of course there’s the added benefit of a slightly quicker, more exhilarating, commute without having to queue in traffic.

Isn't she gorgeous! I'm quite tempted myself!

So what are you waiting for… go embrace your inner biker and save yourself some money!

#Team21 // My 5 deciding factors to go for corrective laser eye surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:14:00 +0000

A lot of things went through my mind when I was asked to join #Team21 with Optical Express and have the chance to experience life-changing laser eye surgery.

The only thing that was a major issue for me was whether my nerves could take it… I am in complete trust of the technology, but here of my 5 deciding factors that helped me to decide on going for laser eye surgery:

1 - Appearance

It’s not that I don’t like wearing glasses… although I probably use them more as a shield/barrier between me and the outside world! I’m not vain… it’s just time for me to feel confident in the bare-faced me.

Also – you’re probably going to think I’m extremely shallow now – but glasses can be very limiting! I would love to be able to afford a selection of different frames so that I could pick and choose according to mood/outfit, but that just isn’t going to happen with far more important things to spend our hard-earned money on. I also don’t like fringes with glasses… and I’d love a fringe again!

My Mum was astounded when I was discussing it with her… “Only you could consider the possibility of laser eye surgery just so that you can have a fringe or wear sunglasses!”

Well, not just for the fringe… but it did help with the decision ;)

2 – Ease

Picture the scene: It’s stupid o’clock and a loud wailing comes over the child monitor… I quickly jump up and rush to the room where the noise is coming from without having to scrabble around in the dark for my glasses and waiting for my eyes to adjust.

Sounds perfect… although I’d prefer not to be woken at all!

3 – Sports

OK, OK… I’m not incredibly sporty anymore – unless toddler-wrangling counts – but it would be great to take the kids swimming as a family and be able to see across the pool to find them!

I can think of plenty of times in the past when my glasses have got in the way… steaming up when I’m hot and flushed… and I just didn’t wear them when I used to do judo.

4 – Non-prescription sunglasses

See Mum’s quote above!

5 - #Team21 and Optical Express

Without whom there would have been no chance that I could have even considered it… Thank you Optical Express :)

You can find out about the rest of #Team21 over on the Optical Express facebook page and follow everyone elses laser eye surgery experiences too... it will be interesting to read how we all get on!

Disclosure: I was extremely fortunate to be given free laser eye surgery, but I will blog honestly and openly about my experience.

#Team21 // celebrating 21 years of Laser Eye Surgery with Optical Express

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 00:18:00 +0000

What is #Team21?

To celebrate their 21st year at the forefront of eye care, Optical Express has offered 21 bloggers and influencers, and one lucky competition winner, the opportunity of laser eye surgery and to document their journey and experiences right from consultation through to perfect vision.

I am one of the extremely fortunate #Team21! I couldn’t believe it when the offer dropped into my inbox, but I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and – despite my fears and anxieties – grasped it with both hands.

Those of you who already follow me on instagram and twitter will know that I have already had the surgery… but as it’s such a big subject, I thought I would break it down and start from the beginning…

My eyesight history

I have (or had, as is now the case!) worn glasses for 30 years, having discovered that I was shortsighted with an astigmatism at my first sight test at the tender age of five… although my mum already had her suspicions – I was always bumping into things and could often be seen sporting one, and sometimes even two, black eyes! When I started school it was even more apparent – at the end of the day I would stand squinting at the edge of the playground until I was happy that I had worked out which of the many mum’s was actually mine!

From the limited NHS offerings of the early years through to the ‘fantastic’ 2 for 1 offers now widely available, I have probably been seen wearing most style of frames – even dabbling with contact lenses in my teens and twenties – but always quickly returning to the ease and convenience of spectacles.

But as I was searching for a selection of photos through the ages it seems that I was actually quite self-conscious of my glasses and tended to take them off for photos. When I got married five years ago I even deliberately chose not to wear glasses or lenses - so much better on the nerves walking down the aisle to blurry faces and only being able to see my beloved clearly when I reached him ;)

The consultation

I headed to the Cambridge Optical Express for a very thorough consultation to see if I was suitable for laser eye surgery. I think part of me may have been hoping that I wouldn’t be… after all, I have a history of fainting at blood tests and injections… I even managed to have a panic attack at my last smear test – very embarrassing!

After sitting at 5 or 6 different contraptions that took various measurements including eye pressure, prescription, and various ‘maps’ of my eyes, I then had a full standard sight test which came back with almost exactly the same prescription that the computer had… very impressive.

And the outcome… my eyes are stable... I have above average thickness corneas (go me!)... and everything indicated that I would be an ideal candidate for Lasik laser eye surgery.

Decision quickly made, the ophthalmologist then talked me through what I could expect of the procedure and answered my questions.

Tilly also had a bit of fun while I had my consultation, trying on some of the frames... so much better than the NHS offerings from when I was little!

My fears appeased

I already knew that most of my fears were irrational. Of course I wouldn’t be able to blink and the laser burn through my eyelid! To be honest, my biggest fear was if I would ‘survive’ the procedure without a panic attack!

I have absolute faith in the technology… it’s myself that’s the worry!

All of the staff were incredibly knowledgeable, and answered even the silliest of questions!

So… surgery was scheduled and I went away knowing that I had to sort out my inner fears!

You can find out about the rest of #Team21 over on the Optical Express facebook page and follow everyone's laser eye surgery experiences... it will be interesting to read how we all get on!

Disclosure: I was extremely fortunate to be given free laser eye surgery, but I will blog honestly and openly about my experience.

Wardrobe Wishlist | Business Casual

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 10:45:00 +0000

The last few weeks have been a blur.

I've been going for the odd interview with a recruitment agency I've been signed up with since March... Always been unsuccessful, but with positive feedback - so I'd just been telling myself that they obviously weren't meant to be. And then the other week I went for an interview on the Tuesday... and started the very next day!

The nursery have been fantastic and done everything they could to accommodate Tilly and Jasper - and they are settling into their full days quite nicely. There have been a few difficult nights - and they have caught their first bug... but we are all loving the new routine. It feels so good to be finally putting my brain to use again!

The only problem I'm having is trying to make the most of the few work clothes that I have that still fit - one pair of trousers and two tops that just about pass as smart. Hmmmm. So I've been pinning away, trying to put together a capsule wardrobe that doesn't break the budget, and all works together.

It's lovely having to think about buying smart clothes again... I'd been getting bored of jeans and boots.

I even strayed from my standard wide-leg trousers to include a pair of straight-leg chinos... I must be getting adventurous in my old age! But I think all of the pieces work together nicely... and you can add pops of colour with little cardies.

All you need to finish it off are a selection of opaque and knitted tights, and of course the foundation of all outfits is decent underwear... but let's not go there... in the current economic climate, lingerie has not been a priority and I may still be wearing my maternity bras... ahem... they are just so comfortable! My underwear drawer is bursting with pretty matching sets that no longer fit... and I'd love to get back into my bridal underwear again.

So now it's a question of budgeting and getting the best deals for my capsule wardrobe.

I've already ordered the skirt and cream blouse from the Wallis sale... too good an opportunity to miss, and they only had my size left in the blouse so it was obviously destiny ;)

It's also good to check around the web for voucher deals. The charcoal Boden dress is at the top end of my budget at £59, but MyVoucherCodes currently have a Boden discount for 10% off and free delivery... a saving of £9.90... not to be sniffed at.

For other things like the little cardies I am happy to look to the supermarkets - you could easily get 3 or 4 for the price of the Hobbs cardigan... but it's nice to splash out occasionally :)

1 - Milan Cardigan | Hobbs

2 - Bryony Bird Print Top | Monsoon

3 - Cream Bow Blouse | Wallis

4 - Floral Top | Next

5 - Washed Leather Biker Jacket | Jigsaw

6 - Emma Tunic Dress | Boden

7 - Brushed Cotton Chinos | Next

8 - Fishtail Pencil Skirt | Wallis

9 - Metallic Check Wide-Leg Trousers | Next

10 - Stitch Detail Dress | Boden

11 - Patent Buckle Shoes | Next

12 - Leather Panel Tote Bag | Next

13 - Ashdown Mary Janes | Monsoon

14 - Titania Trapeze Shoulder Bag | Monsoon

15 - Davina Twist Ballerinas | Next

Thanks to Katrina for her great silhouette tutorial!

Where do you shop for your work clothes? Any great sites for deals that you'd care to share? All comments welcome below :)

Disclosure: I was sent the Boden Emma tunic dress in return for this post.

Christmas Cards Craft Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 22:05:00 +0000

Chldren love arts and crafts, so why not get into the Christmas spirit with some homemade Christmas cards. Creating your own wonderful cards couldn’t be easier and with this guide and print-outs included it couldn’t be better.

What you will need

Following this guide you will need a few sheets of A4 Card or thick paper for the actual card. A pair of scissors to do all the cutting out - I would strongly suggest childrens safety scissors if they are doing it themselves. Some glue - a glue stick works best and reduces the risk of spillage and mess. Finally, something to colour in and write with - crayons or coloured pencils work great.

How to fold the card

It might sound simple but I’ve just put it in here anyway just in case. There are two major ways to fold your A4 piece of card to make it gift card like. Firstly you can fold a portrait piece of card in half across the middle to give you a landscape card. The other way is to fold a landscape piece of card in half down the centre which would give you a traditional style portrait Card.

Background

So now you have your basic card shape it’s time for some decorating fun. It’s not necessary, but a great idea is to give your card a picture for a background to the front image. What you need to do is find a great background to use - this can be anything from wrapping paper to Christmas themed magazine cuttings. Once you have your background, simply cut it down to size so it leaves a small gap around the edge and stick it to the front of your card using your glue.

If you are planning to use the printable background image which is included below, I would suggest folding your card into a landscape card.

Decorate the card

Now for the really fun bit. Find lots of Christmas themed pictures or use our printouts and then cut them down to size for use on your card. Play around with arranging your images and once you are happy, stick them onto your background using glue.

With the printouts on this guide there are also some black and white copies which are great as they let your kids colour in the pictures themselves prolonging the activity and the fun. This also gives it a great homemade look.

Finish up

There you go, a lovely card. Now all you need to do is write it and then watch the smiles on your loved ones faces as your little ones show off their creations.

Extra Tips

Have your child(ren) dip their hands in paint and then leave a hand print rather than righting their name.
Find some pictures of your family and replace the faces of the cut outs with them for a great family photo on the front of your card.
Print out multiple copies of some of the printouts so if you wanted you could have an elf themed card.
Write in the card in thin pencil and let your kids trace over the top - not only will this look great but it’s great writing practice too!

Free Christmas Cards Printables

Download links: Background | Black and White Christmas Doodles | Colour Christmas Doodles

This was a guest post by Sam Fisher on behalf of a company that supply many great personalised gifts including Personalised Christmas cards

Disclosure: I received compensation for this post.

Halloween Spiderweb Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 09:55:00 +0000

We've had a lovely relaxed morning playing about with Halloween breakfast ideas. Usually when I try new things out with Tilly and Jasper I come against a little resistance, but this one went down extremely well... it's definitely a winner, so I thought I'd share :)

1 - Make the Pancake Batter

I used a basic pancake recipe as follows:

4oz (100g), plain flour
pinch of salt
1tsp, baking powder
1 egg
7fl oz (175ml), milk

Beat together the ingredients until smooth, then set aside for a short while. When you are ready to start frying, transfer the batter to an empty, clean (obviously), squeezy condiment bottle. This makes drawing the design a lot easier, and any remaining batter can then just be kept in the fridge for a couple of days.

2 - Get Frying

Heat some butter in a frying pan. When the butter starts to smoke you are ready to start frying, but be careful not to let the butter burn.

Carefully use the bottle to draw a spiderweb into the hot frying pan.

This took a couple of attempts until I found a technique that worked best... draw the two circles of the web first before adding the 'spokes'. Take care not to squeeze too hard otherwise you end up with big blobs!

Cook for a couple of minutes until bubbles start to form and the batter looks set, then carefully turn, or flip if you are feeling adventurous, and cook the other side for another couple of minutes.

3 - Serve your Spiderweb Pancakes

We served our spiderweb pancakes with lots of gooey, slimy honey and a handful of (legless) raisin spiders, and enjoy.

You could also do a savoury version with hot dog spiders and maple syrup... this would be my choice, but we didn't have any hot dogs this morning :(

The one where I turn into the Hulk

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:11:00 +0000

Everyone wants to be a super hero don't they?

Well it appears not!

When BritMums teamed up with Kodak for their #KodakAvengers competition I envisaged us having lots of crafty fun making and wearing the masks.

We had recently made a jet pack that would be the perfect addition to the fun...

The masks were printed - and I even laminated them for durability...

I carefully cut them out and added elastic... it's serious business preparing to be a super hero...

And then the fun began...

Or didn't, as was more the case!

Tilly decided to have a strop...

Jasper thought Iron Man looked more like a welder, so got his tool box out...

And I may have lost my patience and turned a bit green ;) ...

And because we'd made all three masks I felt it only fair that Captain America got an outing too... rather fetching, no?..

At least one of us had some fun!! I'm sure Tilly and Jasper will in the future - they were obviously having an awkward afternoon!

This post is for the BritMums #KodakAvengers linky challenge. If you are feeling the need for some super hero action then why not join in... but be quick, it closes at 5pm this afternoon!

Lustworthy | Laptops

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:26:00 +0000

Last year Littlewoods ran a competition on their facebook page where you could win a replacement for something old that you already owned... a New for Old competition. At the time my laptop was dying a long, slow death and blue-screening if I so much as looked at it. Not useful if you're a keen blogger, so I decided to take a chance and enter.

I hadn't looked to Littlewoods for laptops before - normally I would go to the large electronics retailers - but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of choice... and soon I was lusting after a nice shiny new pink laptop!

And what would you know... I was one of the lucky winners! Before long my lovely, pink laptop was in my arms and we've barely been separated since... she's called Petal by the way ;)

I must have a thing for bright coloured laptops because I was browsing again recently and found myself drawn to the lovely shades of pinks, reds and burgundies... here's a selection of my favourites - including my trusty Petal - the Asus K53E...

1|2|3|4|5|6

What do you look for in a laptop?

Are you drawn to the colourful ones like me, or do you prefer the more understated blacks and silvers?

Disclosure: this is a sponsored post for which I received compensation

September... A month in photos

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 22:44:00 +0000

I did it!! I managed to complete a whole month of Fat Mum Slim's photo-a-day prompts!

Just putting together the collage of all the photos has made me realise quite how quickly the month of September has flown by... tomorrow will be October :/

We're just back from our week in Anglesey, so the Sunday Snapshots will be a little late again this week... the weekend has mostly been about washing, tidying, decluttering, and getting back to reality!

YRT42VPGUWUB

Sunday Snapshots... on a Wednesday!

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 08:53:00 +0000

We're currently on holiday in Anglesey... I've been hoping to get up-to-date with all things blog related, but the cosy evenings in the cottage have been distracting me... hence the delay in posting my Sunday Snapshots.

Last week was pretty hectic... we did a lot of crafting... went to the park... had a quick and trip to Nana's to say farewell to our car that had been sitting on her drive since April - it's a shame the money just got sucked up by debts... and then we headed here.

I'm really pleased with some of the snaps I've taken this week... below are a few of my faves (of which there were too many this week!)

Don't forget you can follow me on instagram to see even more of my daily snaps...

After an awful morning on Thursday (I forgot to take my meds the night before... stupid, stupid Mummy :/ ) we headed to the park after preschool and spent the whole afternoon clearing our heads... blowing off energy... and collecting conkers and leaves... bliss ♥

On the journey to Anglesey we passed an awesome Chevrolet 3100 truck - I quickly grabbed my phone and just managed to snap the front end. Such a beautiful vehicle, and I love the fact that you can see the reflection of our car in it's super-shiny hub-cap!

When we reached Anglesey it was just passed tea-time, so we decided to grab fish and chips and eat them on the beach at Rhosneigr and watch the most amazing sunset. How beautiful is that picture? I can't believe I took it, let alone that it's of a picture of a sunset on a chilly autumn day in Wales!

I obviously take after my Dad... I must have taken quite a few - possibly hundreds of snaps of the sunset... there were a few pretty decent ones, but this first one was the best.

I think I may have lost my favourite ear muffs to Tilly! Ah well, they probably suit her better ;)

Another photo I am totally in love with ♥ A bowlful of sloes picked from the cottage garden... possibly just enough to make a small bottle of sloe gin with. We're going to do a bit of foraging around the island today in search of more.

On another note, I have managed, so far, to keep up with Fat Mum Slim's September prompts for photoaday and fully intend to continue into October.

How about you? Are you following along? Have you managed to keep up too? Leave me your instagram IDs in the comments below so that we can all follow and encourage each other :)

Coffee & Sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 09:00:00 +0000

I wish all mornings could be like this ♥♥♥

Finally finished

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Last weekend I finally finished my beloved Grumps Bear.

He has certainly been a labour of love... and emotion.

I started on the traditional hand sewn teddy bear course back in March... shortly before Dad went into hospital. And then things went rapidly downhill... I missed a couple of the classes... but instead sat and worked on him as I sat at Dad's bedside.

Miraculously I still managed to complete him on time and attend the last couple of classes... and because of what was going on at the time I was making him, he became a bear to remember Dad by... Grumps Bear... and a gift for my step-mum to keep her company.

I chose one of Dad's old ties to make him a very dapper waistcoat and bow-tie... and I have to say that I am stupidly proud of my achievement - especially as I winged the pattern for his outfit!

He brings a smile, and a tear, whenever I see him... a little memory of Dad :)

He's rather smart don't you think?

And whilst we are on the subject of parents... if you know an amazing Mum, don't forget to nominate them for the Tesco Mum of the Year Awards... nominations close later tonight at 11.55pm, so be quick!

Mums are amazing

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 21:54:00 +0000

Mums... they are the cornerstone of society... always there for their families... the one who's often selflessly holding it all together... and more often than not, completely unnoticed by most... but hey, that's the life we conciously chose when we took the route marked 'motherhood'.

And then there are the mums that go one step further.

Tesco are looking for the unsung heroines... those that have really made a difference. The Tesco Mum of the Year Awards are now in their 8th year, and honour the everyday mums that have gone above and beyond the call of duty... perhaps for charity... or the community... or overcoming great difficulties.

If you know of such a mum, then why not nominate now... but be quick - nominations close tomorrow night at 11.55pm.

Disclosure: I am working with Tesco to help promote and raise awareness of the Tesco Mum of the Year Awards.

Sunday Snapshots

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 10:43:00 +0000

A lovely snap of my lovely man ♥♥♥

Tilly still looks beautiful, even when she's feeling poorly!

Jasper was super pleased with the jet pack we made... 2 x 2l bottles, foil, tissue paper and duct tape... couldn't have been any simpler! //inspiration

A little bit of late night baking...

... and some even later sewing - but Grumps Bear is now finally finished and was ready for our family get-together to remember Dad. I can't believe it's been 6 months already :(

Quoted // Roald Dahl

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Little Treats and Little Heroes

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 10:55:00 +0000

The Little Book of Treats Luxury Edition

I have mentioned it pretty much everywhere else, but I haven't yet mentioned it here... earlier in the year when Silver Spoon put out a call for recipe submissions for this year's Little Book of Treats: Luxury Edition in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support I knew that it was the only thing I could do but to enter my earl grey cupcake recipe that I created for Dad not long before we lost him to lung cancer in March this year.

I didn't think anything of it after that... surely there would be far better recipes sent in than mine? But guess what... they picked mine!!! And throughout this month you can buy a copy of the book from all M&S Cafés - the official partner of the World's Biggest Coffee Morning - for a mere £4 with all proceeds going to Macmillan Cancer Support... a small price to pay to help a very worthy cause and see my name in print amongst a sea of celebrities, no?

It's rather surreal seeing my name and my recipe in a book... and it makes me so happy that it is for a cause that has such a strong importance to me. I'd like to think Dad would be proud :)

There are plenty of scrumptious recipes in the book, including offerings from fellow bloggers at the crazy kitchen, lavender and lovage, and cherrapeno.

If you want to do a bit more for Macmillan Cancer Support, why not grab a copy of the book and think about hosting a coffee morning along with thousands of others for the World's Biggest Coffee Morning. Registering to host a coffee morning is a piece of cake, just visit macmillan.org.uk/maketime or simply donate online now.

The World's Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan Cancer Support's biggest fundraising event where people across the UK - and sometimes further afield - hold a coffee morning, with donations on the day being made to Macmillan. In 2011 51,000 people signed up to coffee morning, raising a record £10 million.

This year they hope to raise even more money to help change the lives of people affected by cancer.

Silver Spoon Local Little Hero Award

Silver Spoon, who worked with Macmillan Cancer Support to create The Little Book of Treats, is also searching for a little hero near you. If you know someone under 18 who has done something truly special they would like you to nominate them for their Local Little Hero Award. Your local little hero could have looked after their little sister when they were ill, gone to great lengths to make Mother’s Day very special, or done something fantastic to raise money for charity

Master Pâtissier Eric Lanlard, star of Channel 4’s Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard, will choose a Silver Spoon National Little Hero and to celebrate he will bake them a special cake of their choice! 10 runners up will also receive a Silver Spoon Baking Hamper packed full of exciting treats.

If you know of someone you'd like to put forward for the Local Little Hero Award, you can nominate them here.

I do hope that you feel that you can donate to Macmillan Cancer Support in whatever way you can...

And remember...

Cancer can take those that we care about

But it can't take the love and the memories

Sunday Snapshots

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:07:00 +0000

As the whirlwind of a week quickly draws to a close it can only mean that it must be Sunday Snapshots time again... I'm not in much of a waffling mood, so without further ado here are my favourite snaps from this week...

Tuesday saw us taking a family trip to Drayton Manor to visit Thomas Land for a special screening of the latest Thomas film - Blue Mountain Mystery... we had a great day, and I just love this photo... "Not another photo Mummy!"

Later in the week we made Viennese Whirls... which went down very well with everyone... including the dinosaurs!

Who would have thought such beautiful children could pull such gruesome faces? ;)

Just some pretty aubergines that we found when we stumbled across the most amazing little green grocers in Leicester

What did you get up to this week? Feel free to drop me a note in the comments below :)

Sunday Snapshots

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca McLuckie) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 20:34:00 +0000

It's been another one of those weeks here... tiringly troublesome twin toddlers... unexpected news... rainy grey days... and me feeling generally meh :/

But there have been good moments too... here are my favourite pics from this week...

Just look at those gorgeous brown eyes! Jasper loves his new cycle helmet... it's 'special' y'know :)

Not once, but quite a few times they played together beautifully! We had several afternoons playing in the sand pit, building train tracks, and generally making up new games to play together... all good practice for them starting preschool... tomorrow :-o

Blue sky and fluffy clouds a happy mummy makes :)

On one of the particularly drizzly days we made a cardboard box aquarium, complete with movable fish on runners!

My two favourite boys... ♥♥♥

I've decided to try Fat Mum Slim's photoaday challenge for September in an attempt to use the prompts to get some more variety into my photos... let's see if I can stick it out!

So... how was your week?