Mummy's Diary

Why I'm Fat Shaming Myself

2019-02-04T15:14:00.003+00:00

Whenever we have been on holiday I have never really had to worry much about swimwear or lovely summery dresses as we usually stay in the UK. However last year we travelled to Spain and my anxiety well and true kicked in.

I often hate the way my clothes look on myself, and I stand in front of the mirror peering at my thick thighs and round belly and I hate it. Don't get me wrong I know it is my fault and i can easily poke fun at myself and joke about but it is always there in the back on my mind.

I was excited at first by the chance of going shopping for some holiday clothes. However I soon realised that actually it’s not that easy to choose clothes for yourself when you’re ‘plus size’. I say plus size as I have never truly looked at myself in this way before. You see before I had my children I was a size 8. I could eat and eat and I never put on weight. In fact some of my family members even commented that they were worried I wasn’t eating and they thought I was anorexic. However back then I didn’t see this and at that time in my life I believed I was fat. I had the smallest little tummy pouch and it made me self-conscience back then.

Size 8 me

I never imagined that I would one day be overweight. I said to my now husband at the time, if ever I start to get fat please tell me. He never did *rolls eyes*.

Anyway two children later and I am now a size 14/16 with an added 3 ½ stone weight gain. I used to say its baby fat, my mummy tummy, it will go away, but now I refer to it as my food baby, because being honest that’s exactly what it is. I never worried about what I ate before because I could eat anything and not put on, but anything I eat now goes straight on me.

I am not confident in the way my body looks now. Yes I have chunky arms, which is why I cover them mos of the time, even in the summer I will wear a light cardigan to hide them. I have a tummy so I always opt for baggy clothes or jeans that are high waisted so I can tuck it all in!

Baggy clothes always!

I blamed my under active thyroid for my inability to lose weight, and I succumbed to the fact that I would just have to learn to be happy with the way my body looks. In reality though it probably has more to do with my lifestyle. I have been full time employed for a year now and this made me realise that it is my way of life which needs to change if I want to achieve any fitness goals. I work Monday to Friday at a desk job, therefore for almost 7 hours a day I sit. When I leave work I sit in my car for an hour’s drive home, when I get home after we put the kids to bed we sit. See that is the truth I am a sedentary creature. A creature of habit, and as we all know habits are hard to change.

You could probably fit both my kids in them PJs!

Another thing is as myself and my husband both work full time and with two young children in primary school we don’t have the time to prepare healthy meals. We will often have a pizza in the freezer or a chicken in the fridge for a curry or chicken and chips. We eat the same things every week.

What we need to do is revamp our lifestyle. I am prepared that this will not be an instant change, but I am introducing small things into my life. I am making sure that I have at least one piece of fruit a day, I try to take the stairs instead of the lift and we make the effort to prepare at least one healthy meal every week for ourselves. Our children eat healthier than us because I want to make sure they have the best, yet I am neglecting myself when in reality if I want to be there for them for the long run I need to start looking after myself as well.

Do you have any tips on keeping active in a sedentary job or eating healthy on the go? Please leave your comment below.

Get Back Into Shape With Love Leggings #Ad

2019-01-29T10:46:00.001+00:00

I love a good pair of leggings. They’re perfect for wearing around the house or when exercising. Leggings are very versatile and can be teamed up with a nice top and heels for a lovely evening look.

I recently tried on a pair of branded leggings at my local sports shop, they were just what I had been looking for. They were black and had the logo written up the leg in white and they looked very trendy. I tried them on and was disappointed to find that they were see through. I put them back and left the store.

When Love Leggings got in touch and asked if I would like to review a pair of their leggings it seemed my quest was over!

Love Leggings was created with on vision in mind, to be the home of leggings for every woman. Whether you require leggings for your latest fitness goals, maternity needs, or for your children they promise to be there for every step of the way.

Their leggings are made from the highest quality fabrics, with a non see-through guarantee to keep you covered from morning ‘til night. Whatever your stage in life, there’s a pair of Love Leggings to suit your situation no matter your age of size. They offer every day and maternity collections from XXS-5XL as well as their children’s collection from age 1-13.

What I also love is that they have over 20 different shades of colours to choose from, I often find that most stores have black, grey or white, but with Love Leggings you can go bold with buttercup yellow or intense pink, or you can be neutral with their greys and blues or timeless black.

I chose a pair of leggings from their sports section, which includes full length, 7/8s and cropped. These are the Energise Full Length Midnight Black Sports Leggings, they retail at £28.

They arrived attractively packaged, and I have to say I am always a bit wary when ordering clothing online just in case the items are not true to size. But Love Leggings have a size guide on their website and these leggings fit perfectly, and I mean perfectly! These leggings are available in size 4-6 up to 18-20.

They are so comfy and I love the silky cool material. They feel amazing to wear and contour the body well, as well as having a good stretch for when you work out. I love the little pocket in the waistband, this is perfect for keeping your house key in when you’re off for a run.

These performance enhancing leggings are their most lightweight fabric, offering full support and compression where needed most.

These leggings feature;

A figure-enhancing seam design to provide extra support.

Made to fit like a second skin with their most lightweight fabric.

Designed with fitness and gym in mind.

Full length fit.

Quick drying, sweat wicking technology to help you keep cool.

A controlling and supportive waistband for total coverage.

Naturally breathable.

Hidden inside pocket to store small valuables.

They are 72% nylon and 28% elastane.

I would highly recommend Love Leggings for all your sportswear needs as well as everyday attire. What’s more is they offer free shipping on all orders above £20 and they ship worldwide!

For the purpose of this review I was sent one pair of the Energise Leggings. All thoughts and opinions of this product are my own.

#Ad Going Natural - 5 Green Childcare Products

2019-01-28T13:38:00.001+00:00

If you’re a bit of an Earth mother (or eco-friendly father), finding baby and toddler products which are green and good quality can feel like a quixotic quest.

Many high street stores still don’t offer ranges which are ethically sourced, and you could while away hours trawling the net for appropriate products.

But don’t despair just yet, because we’ve saved you the trouble by locking ourselves in a room with nothing to sustain us except a few wheatgrass shots and a quinoa salad, and not emerging until we found five green childcare products to help you go natural.

Here they are…

1. Eco Pram

If you want to pram parade around your local park with a product that doesn’t damage the planet, buying an Eco Pram from green brand Naturkind is your best bet — check their website to find dealerships across the UK and Europe.

Naturkind prams and strollers are made from products like coco, cork, wood, 100 per cent organic sheep’s wool and 100 per cent organic cotton for all cover fabrics, so you can be confident they’re all-natural.

2. Natural mattress

New parents should be under no illusions of getting their recommended 8 hours sleep once their bundle of joy arrives.

But one thing which might help babies sleep better is a natural mattress free from toxins and made from materials like hypo-allergenic wool.

If you’re in the market, The Little Green Sheep online store has an excellent selection of organic mattresses for cribs, cots and children’s beds — you’re sure to find one that fits.

3. Vegan kids’ shoes

Once your little one finds their feet, there will be no stopping them — but they’ll need to be shod in shoes that are supportive, comfortable and ideally, eco-friendly.

And luckily, shoe gurus Pediped provide a range of classic kids footwear that fits the bill brilliantly. Classic styles like Grip n Go and Flex are 100 per cent vegan — so your child can take their first footsteps in a manner that chimes with your conscience.

4. Organic children’s clothes

It’s a no-brainer that baby clothes should be comfortable, washable and kind to their skin. But if they’re kind to the planet too, we’ve already got our purses out.

Clothing brand Mori meets all the above requirements, with a range of cool clothes for babies and toddlers which use sustainably sourced materials, are manufactured in factories with good working conditions and have minimal packaging. Check out their website for more details.

5. Natural shampoo

Keeping a child clean amidst countless nappy changes is a challenge — and any products you use must be gentle yet effective.

So if you haven’t come across it yet, one outstanding product is Earth’s Best shampoo and bodywash from organic superstore Kijani Living — it’s lavender scented, tear-free, 100 per cent vegetarian and contains no parabens or preservatives.

That’s our list! But please share your own green childcare products in the comments section.

This is a collaborative post.

#Ad National Story Telling Week With Room To Grow

2019-01-24T13:51:00.000+00:00

National Story Telling Week is nearly here, January 26th to February 3rd. The awareness week aims to promote the tradition of story telling, the very first way of communicating life experiences and the creative imagination.

When Room to Grow, the Children’s bedroom furniture retailer, got in touch and told me about their campaign I was very excited. They understand the importance and benefits of storytelling and have selected three books ideal for relaxing and inspiring that they have gifted to us.

The books are as follows;

The Wonderful Things That You Will Become by Emily Martin.

This New York Best Seller uses rhythmic rhyme and beautiful illustrations to express all the loving things that parents think of when they look at their children.

Inside the cover of the book you will find a lot of babies! All dressed up in different ways and all very cute.

Press Here by Herve Tullet.

This book allows your child to embark upon a magical journey. It is a book like no other I have ever seen, it is quite out there and very different from your usual story book.

Each page of this surprising book instructs the reader to press the dots, shake the pages, tilt the book, and who knows what will happen next; watch your child giggle with delight!

It is a very engaging book that both my children thoroughly enjoyed, so much so that my daughter took it to bed with her.

Crab and Whale by Mark Pallis.
This book is a new way for children to experience mindfulness. It is an imaginative and engaging way to introduce mindfulness to children. The charming and heart-warming story will teach lessons such as: How can a tiny crab help a big, beached whale?

I love that in the back of this book there is a breathing technique game. It encourages your child to lay on the floor with their favourite teddy on their tummy, as they're breathing they should take note of their tummies moving up and down as if rocking their teddies to sleep.

Our Bedtime Routine
When it comes to our children’s bedtime routine we have always ensured that they know when it is time for bed by creating a routine that calms them down and relaxes them for sleep. They will have a bath, put their PJs on and usually have a hot drink of some sort whilst the lights have been dimmed.

Our son especially loves watching the YouTube Kids videos on our mobile phones, and he can get quite upset if we try to take it off him. Therefore we introduced the egg timer. He can go on the phone until the timer goes off then he has to give it back otherwise he cannot go on it again. We usually allow anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes for him. I know that if we did not do this then he would quite happily sit there for hours watching videos, which in all honesty he has previously done. But as soon as we noticed how it made his behaviour change into an angry upset boy we decided we had to introduce rules.

When I was growing up I remember it as a technology free era, we had a big desktop computer we used to play solitaire on every now and again but that was it. In this day and each it can be all too easy to sit a child in front of a screen to occupy them when you need to wash the dishes for example or just as a way to get them to sit quietly. I remember not having this option growing up if we wanted to be entertained we had to find our own ways. Being bored is what helps children to use their imaginations by creating alternate places to play in. My sister and I quite often built dens in the garden and we’d go out and play in the river and climb trees or we would simply stay in and play with our Barbie dolls making up different scenarios for them. I feel that our children in this day don’t have as much freedom as we used to and whilst it is sad I can see why, I mean is it really safe to let them out on their own anymore, and with technology growing as fast as it is a lot of people to choose to give them video game consoles to keep them entertained.

Thanks to Room To Grow we will be incorporating story telling into our bedtime routine. We started last night and it was a big success! My children were in awe of all of the stories and they especially loved the Press Here book. Not only does a good bedtime routine ensure your little ones get enough sleep but by reading them a bedtime story it encourages quality family time and helps them to wind down at the end of the day.

Here is a little video we made.

Do you have a bedtime routine? Or any tips? We would love to hear from you in the comments below.

For the purpose of this review no payment was taken, I was sent the above three books, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

#Ad Review of CoolStuffs Awesome Gadgets!

2019-01-21T11:26:00.001+00:00

When CoolStuff got in touch and offered me some of their products to review I really didn’t know where to start! They offer such a vast range of high quality products it was very hard to choose! CoolStuff is run by the Swedish company CoolStuff AB since 1999. They offer the most innovative, cool and fun gadgets on the market. They really are gadget heaven! They are continuously adding the newest and most exciting gadgets to their shop.

They offer products such as toys, kitchen wear, home and garden, food and drink and more.
Here is what I opted to review;

Collapsible FoldingWagon from Utenu.
I first became aware of these types of Wagons from a Disney Facebook group that I am in. A lot of visitors tend to take these over to Disneyland for their children to ride in when they get weary legs, as we all know at Disney you can walk for miles and miles and still have not seen everything. Plus these also come in handy for carrying your shopping.

What tempted me to this was our family holiday the year before last. We had just parked up and my husband had gone to fetch a luggage trolley. We had two small/medium sized suitcases, two Trunkis and some bags with our food shopping in it. We really struggled getting to our apartment. Our luggage just kept falling off the side of the trolley and my husband was getting a little frustrated. When I saw this I knew it would be perfect for our next trip and we could also use it to pull the kids along!

The wagon itself is very practical, it requires no assembly at all. It comes in a fabric sleeve to keep it tidy and all together. Simply undo the buckles and pull it open. It can carry weight of up to 100kg. Whilst it is not the lightest piece of equipment when folded (10.3kg), it certainly is when you come to use it. With two kids in it, it is actually easier and lighter to pull along than a pushchair. It can be used for other purposes too, for example moving plant pots around the garden, or your Avon deliveries or even for taking to the festival! Just pop it in the boot of your car and its ready to go when you are.

The wagon is available for £49.99 in either blue or red. It measures 92x55x66cm when it is unfolded, and folded 55x22x79. It is made from 600D PVC mesh making it easy to wipe clean with a damp cloth and it has a sturdy steel frame.

As you can see the kids love the wagon and we do too!

Feisty Pets Bear
I have seen these a few times in the supermarket and you just can’t help but squeeze their little faces when walking by! For anyone who doesn’t know what a Feisty Pet is, it is a cute little furry character but when you squeeze its cheeks he frowns and bears his teeth, much to the delight or shock of most children! They are really quite amusing.

We received the brown bear, however you could also choose from the cat, bunny or unicorn. These are available to buy for £21.99.

No batteries are required which is always a bonus. Overall this is a toy that amuses all generations and would be a great birthday gift to give.

Candy Grabber Tivoli
Who doesn’t love going to the funfair and trying their luck on the grab machines? Well now you can have all the fun of the fair right in your very own home. This is the Candy Grabber Tivoli RRP £23.99 (exc batteries – it takes 3 x round D batteries).

The Candy Grabber is easy to use, simply unbox, insert batteries and then on the back of the grabber there is a little door which you slide open where you can then insert your candy ready to play!

There are a number of controls on the front of the machine, these include; start button, music volume, on/off switch and then the joysticks to move the grabbing arm around. I will admit it does take a bit of practice to get used to the controls but when you have figured them out you will be grabbing your sweeties before you know it!

I love the music that this plays (Entry of the Gladiators), it is typical of the funfair and really adds to the fun and excitement. Plus you can turn the music off it is does start to wear a little thin.

There is a little slot where the candy falls out of so I would recommend an eager hand or a bowl beneath it to the candy you win! You can also use this battery free but connecting the included usb wire into your computer or other device.

This really is a fun toy and keeps the little ones amused and entertained plus it really does help them to develop their coordination and fine motor skills, and gets them concentrating on a task! And what better reward than candy!

Pusheen Hello Cushion
It may well come as no surprised to you but I am a self-confessed crazy cat lady. Therefore it won’t be a shocker that I was instantly drawn to this cute cat cushion. I have heard of Pusheen before but I have never purchased any of their items however I couldn’t resist this.

The cushions have neat 3D details such as the whiskers and they come in a variety of cute designs. The illustrated Pusheen the Cat popped onto the internet in 2011 and has seen been getting cosy among the LOL cats and a number of memes. The Pusheen cushions are the purr-fect cat-shaped decorative sofa cushions and would make a great gift for any cat lover.

As this is more a decorative cushion it is quite thin and doesn’t have a lot of padding to it however that does not take away any of its cuteness! The Pusheen cushions are available for £15.99.

Overall we absolutely love CoolStuff they have a fantastic range of products for all the family of all ages no matter what their hobby or interest is you’re bound to find something for everybody. Plus they offer free shipping on orders over £39.95.

For the purpose of this review were we sent the items mentioned above. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#Ad Fresh start — 5 home hygiene tips for 2019

2019-01-17T10:30:00.001+00:00

Early New Year seems like a natural time to clear the cobwebs and refresh your home cleaning regime.
And if you’re feeling a little flat after the festive season, making home life feel more manageable is marvellous.
While any busy home with kids, pets and active adults is never going to be pristine clean, there are always a few new tips worth taking on board that save time, money and stress.

So if you’re yearning for a fresh start, here are five home hygiene tips for 2019.

1. Nappy bin

If you’re dealing with your first new-born baby, you might be surprised at the mountain of nappies such a small human manages to produce.
And if your main rubbish bin is located downstairs or at the other end of the house, it feels like a trek to ditch of them in the wee small hours.
So an Angelcare nappy bin from family household brand Ocado might become your new best friend — it features a handy push and lock system for simple disposal, patented odour seal that prevents unpleasant smells and is child’s play to empty and refill.

2. Nappy bags

If the Angelcare bin doesn’t float your boat, you might stick to bagging each nappy individually.

But if you want this process to be as environmentally-friendly as possible, be careful which disposable bags you choose.

Biodegradable nappy sacks from Beaming Baby are easy to order online, are completely compostable and pop out their bag promptly when you need them most — what more could you ask for?

3. Hand sanitizer

Hand sanitizer is a Godsend in hectic homes where footfall is frantic and germs spread easily.

And if you’re looking for a product that’s kind to the planet as well as your paws, the moisturising sanitizer from popular organic brand Bentley is an excellent pick.

It kills 99.9 per cent of germs, has a non-drying formula and contains clean ingredients like aloe, bitter orange and leaf juice powder — great to have handy when you’re handling food and kids.

4. Vacuum cleaner

If you’ve had your fingers burned and floors left filthy by flashy vacuum cleaners that don’t deliver what’s promised by their marketing campaigns, you might be cautious about splashing out on this particular household product.

But luckily, Which? Has rated the top five vacuums for 2019 based on useful criteria like cleaning power, quietness and suitability for pet owners.

Take a look at the Which? website for their ratings and recommendations before you hit the high street.

5. Door mat

A new door mat might not seem like the most exciting purchase to ring in the New Year with — but there are several reasons it’s money well spent.

At high-performance product from entrance mat specialists Kleen-Tex doesn’t just look great, it’s also designed to trap dirt and debris before it enters your home and is durable enough to last for years.

Choose a welcoming colour and place your mat prominently inside your front door — then there’s no way mucky feet can avoid it.

That’s our list! Share your own home hygiene tips in the comments section.

This is a collaborative post.

#Ad Trips For Your Holiday Away From The Little One

2019-01-16T07:00:00.000+00:00

You’ve been a mum for long enough. It’s time to drop your kid off at their gran’s house, hop in your car and get set for the holiday of a lifetime.

That’s right – we all love our kids to bits, but spending some time away from them will only make the heart grow fonder.

So whether you fancy a solitary pamper session or a #BNO with your pals, we’ve assembled a series of travel tips that’ll make your time away worth the effort.

Enjoy airport luxury

Airports in Britain are about as fun as watching paint dry for 88 hours, filled with frustrated crowds and blighted chain pubs.
But if you’re willing to pay a little extra, you can sample a few of life’s luxuries in an airport. For a start, massage booths are available in many larger flight hubs. The majority of these booths operate on a ‘walk-in’ basis, so there’s no need to book an appointment, and they’re a great way to kick-start a relaxing holiday.
If you hate the bother of parking your car at the airport, private valet parking is also available from companies like Looking4.com and others.

Finally, if you want to make the most of your time at the airport, head along to Aspireto find out about luxury departure lounges. Trust us – they don’t cost as much as you think.

The full package

There’s a time and a place for package holidays, especially if you’re too busy to book a trip while you look after your child.
Travel agencies like Thomas Cook and Barrhead Travel regularly host sales, and booking an entire package will make organising a holiday with your friends much easier.

What’s more, many travel agencies offer deals for large groups – so if you’re planning a holiday for a pack of mums, this is one of your best bets.

Plan – but not too much

Kick back, relax and enjoy the sun – this is your time to chill, after all – but it’s important to add a little structure to your holiday to stop relaxation turning into boredom.

Maybe you’ve booked a massage in the afternoon, or a trip to a museum in the nearest city. Whatever your interests, we’d recommend booking at least one event a day to help you get the most out of your holiday.
Don’t stay away for too long
If you’re a new mother who needs a little vacation from their child, be warned – too much time away might leave you pining for your infant like you hadn’t seen them for years.

Figure out the perfect amount of vacation time to refuel without going overboard and you’ll be ready to start some grade-A parenting on your return.

That’s our list! Got any great tips of your own? Then let us know in the comments below!

This is a collaborative post.

#Ad We're Preparing To Move House! Read Our Top Tips

2019-01-15T08:29:00.000+00:00

The new year is well and truly here, Christmas, my birthday and my husband’s birthdays have already past! Yes we both have January birthdays one day after the other. While I don’t normally set myself new year’s resolutions, I have set ourselves a target which will help us to prepare for when we move house.
As we all know moving house can be a stressful time which is why we’re starting very early!

Top of my list is to declutter my home. We would like to move home and ideally we’re aiming for this to be in about 4-5 years’ time. Therefore we have plenty of time to prepare and sort out our belongings. I wouldn’t necessarily say that we have a lot of “stuff” but we do accumulate mostly toys and clothing! We cleared out all the pointless knickknacks back last year and it made a difference not only to our home but also to our happiness. We have therefore realised that minimalism is the way forward. If we have cupboards we are going to use them. This results in us putting things away out of sight “for the time being” and ultimately forgetting about them until we decide to have a clear out.

One of the ideas that I would like to opt for is the open wardrobe system. Instead of having a wardrobe we would have a storage unit much like the Ikea box units, this would be shared between myself and my husband and each box would be used for specific items; t-shirts, jeans etc. and then we would have a rail attached to this for dresses/shirts etc. Being open and on show would certainly make us more aware of keeping things neat, tidy and minimal.

I feel this would be a much easier way forward when it comes to boxing up our belongings. We would have no heavy wardrobes to dismantle and move. Having moved several times we are well aware of the cost of moving house. It can all add up and as removal companies charge for the more boxes you have it will encourage us to be more mindful of the number of items we have.
As we both work full time we don’t really ever have a full day to ourselves child free where we would have the opportunity to be able to have a good clear out. I have instead started doing a little bit every evening and it is surprising how much stuff we have that we don’t use anymore. I cleared out one corner kitchen cupboard and filled two boxes with appliances and pans that we had never really used.

Here are my top tips for preparing to move home.

Clear out

If you haven't used or even looked at or touched an item in your home for at least a year, think do you really need it? Have an organisational system in place. Three boxes labelled keep, charity and then another box to put items in that you’re not sure of if you want to keep or not. If you don’t touch anything in that box then maybe it is time to get rid.

Add up the costs

Shop around different removal companies to find the one that suits you the most and compare prices to find the cheapest. Instead of buying moving boxes ask in shops as quite often they have trolleys full of them from their deliveries, also ask your friends and colleagues to keep any large boxes for you.

Ask friends

If you have a friend or relative that have recently moved then why not ask them for help and advice and if they run into any problems that they can advise you of for you to be aware of and prepared for. You can also ask them for their recommendations on companies they have used to help them move.

While we do have a long way to go yet before we are ready to move, I definitely feel that we are the right course in preparing and decluttering early. As they say ‘Slow and steady wins the race’.

This is a paid post

5 Things Parents Should Know About Screen Time From Parent Zone

2019-01-08T14:20:00.002+00:00

_{I found this article on the Parent Zone website and had to share it. My children have started going on mummy and daddy's phones on a certain video streaming app where they watch all sorts of completely random videos! When is it time to return them they aren't very happy to do so most of the time. However I have found that setting our egg timer onto ten minutes works surprisingly well. Here is the article;}
_{Screen time is in the news again, but parents are still getting mixed messages about how much is ‘too much’. Here’s how to take a reasonable, flexible approach - and get your kids on board too.}

This week, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health released their report into screen time. The good news is that they haven’t found any compelling evidence that screen time is harmful - but unfortunately for the many confused parents out there, there’s no definitive line on what a ‘safe’ amount of screen time looks like, either.
But there are sensible, evidence-based ways to think about screen time limits - and, by getting your kids involved, you can find a solution that really works for your family.
Here’s where to start.

_{1. How long should kids spend online per day?}

The ‘Goldilocks theory’ put forward by academics from Oxford and Cardiff universities suggests that a certain level of screen time can be beneficial, helping children develop their creativity and communication skills. Around 1 to 2 hours daily during the week and a bit longer at the weekends is considered ‘just right’ for teens - after that the benefits gradually taper off and the negative effects increase. Younger children, aged 4-7 years old, should probably spend no more than an hour a day online - this can go up to around an hour and a half as they get older.

_{2. Remember that not all screen time is the same}

Not all online activities are equal: doing something creative or learning new skills are both very different to mindless scrolling on social media. Perhaps being online is allowing them to socialise in a positive way - or they’re just doing something that they really enjoy. If there are real benefits, then the amount of time they spend doing it is less important.

You know your child better than anyone. As long as screen time isn't interfering with schoolwork or other activities, and isn’t having a noticeable effect on their mood, then try not to obsess over the numbers - there’s probably no need to panic.

_{3. Boundaries really do work if you stick to them}

Whatever their kids are doing online, most parents will want to set some kind of limit. The important thing is to get your child involved in the process so that they understand why you're doing so. Be very clear about your reasons and ask them what they think - getting buy-in at this stage can really help to avoid arguments later on. Remember that teens, in particular, might need to spend longer online to complete their homework.

Once you’ve agreed them, stick to them! It can be tempting to give up in the face of pester power or teenage sulks, but it will get easier every time you stick to your guns.

_{4. Look out for signs that screen time is having a negative effect}

Keep an eye on how your child’s screen time may be affecting other areas of their life. If they’re spending time with friends and getting enough sleep and exercise, then they may already have a healthy balance. Talk to your child about what they’re doing online and get them to think about how it makes them feel when they spend time doing these things. You never know, they may actually agree that staying up late gaming is making them too tired for school the next day, or admit that constant scrolling through social media is starting to affect their self-esteem.

_{5. Use it as an opportunity to have quality family time}

Although it is good to set aside time when the family is not using screens - outdoor activities, chats at meal times, day trips at the weekend - this doesn’t mean that you can’t also get involved in using screens together. If you know that your child enjoys playing games online, organise a family gaming night or give them ownership to plan something for the whole family to get stuck in. If you take a real interest in what they like to do online, they're more likely to come to you if something goes wrong, or they make a mistake along the way.

Get up to speed on the apps, games and sites that children use online

What We Did In 2018 - A Look Back

2018-12-17T10:00:00.001+00:00

At the end of every year I like look back at all the things that we have experienced.

Here is my round up for the year 2018.

We go on holiday every year, however we usually stay local in the UK this year however we decided to take the children on their first holiday abroad. My Father has a place in Spain and we decided this would be a perfect first holiday. They know the area well and had transport so we wouldn't be struggling for places to go or things to do. I have to say it was an amazing holiday. My little boy enjoyed the beach so much and spent the entire time in the sea, and my daughter loved being in the swimming pool they're real water babies!

We also went to see a dolphin show and the kids even got to feed to seals!

Back at home we went to see PAW Patrol Live! Both the kids love the PAW Patrol gang and we were so excited to surprise them with this trip when we were invited along to review the show for the blog. It was a real treat for all of us.

We also took them to see the Gruffalo's Child at The New Theatre in Cardiff. My boy especially loves the Gruffalo and I have lost count of the amount of times we have watched the films.

We visited Swansea for The Wales National Air Show. A trip to the beach always keeps the kids entertained and this show just adds to the fun.

It truly was amazing to watch the stunts the pilots performed as well as the parachute display team. We are hoping to go again to the next one.

As well as these amazing trips we were very lucky to be invited along to watch and review Monster Jam in Cardiff.

As well as trying out to be Ninjas at Amdani Fitertainment Park, cooking classes at Arty Cooks and the kids even went trick or treating for the first time too.

This year has been full of amazing times making memories and I cant wait to see what next year brings!

#Ad 50 Days Of Christmas With Boots

2018-12-13T07:00:00.000+00:00

Boots is the UK’s leading pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer. With over 2,500 stores in the UK, ranging from local community pharmacies to large destination health and beauty stores, their purpose is to help customers look and feel better than they ever thought possible. Boots mission is to be the first choice for pharmacy, health and beauty – caring for people, customers and communities everywhere; championing everyone's right to feel good.

Christmas is now nearly upon us and those last minute shoppers will be thinking about what to buy their loved ones. When it comes to finding the perfect gift, the key is to show the recipient that you have given their present time and thought. I have always told my friends and family that I love gifts that have clearly had a lot of thought put into them, from my husband gifting me a photobook of my late mum and a bottle of her favourite perfume to my little cousins making me cards and gifts of play dough sculptures and glitter, those are the ones I cherish the most!

Whoever you are shopping for, Boots have a variety of Christmas gifting options, from luxe advent calendars and beauty buys to creative stocking fillers and adventurous gift experiences.

Boots have invited me to take part in their 50 Days of Christmas Campaign, whereby I partner with Boots UK to select Christmas gifts for those who are special to me.

Here is what I chose from the Christmas gifts for her range;

The Soap and Glory Wash Come True Gift Set and (RRP £16) and the Mark Hill Cheers to the Freaking Weekend Gift Set (RRP £25)

I chose these gifts for my auntie. As she travels a lot and has her own holiday home in Spain I thought these would be perfect for her suitcase! They go travelling anything between 2-4 times a year so buying toiletries that are the right size for travelling can be quite expensive so hopefully she will be really pleased with this lovely set!

The Soap and Glory Wash Come True Gift sets includes seven body washes! Featuring perfectly travel-sized treats in fragrances such as oat-y honey, floriental, zesty lime and many more!

This set includes;

1 x Clean On Me Creamy Moisture Shower Gel

1 x Sugar Crush Fresh and Foamy Body Wash

1 x Rich and Foamous Shower and Bath Wash

1 x Foam Call Shower and Body Wash

1 x Clean Girls Body Wash

1 x Calm One Calm All Bubbling Bath Soak

1 x Best Washes Limited Edition Spiced Body Wash

Each of the body washes smells so good and they have a pearlescent appearance to them, making them not only practical but attractive too!

Each of these washes are 75ml.

The Mark Hill Cheers to the Freaking Weekend set comes packaged in an iridescent box with all the goodies on show!

Inside this set you will find;

1 x Freezehold Hairspray 50ml

1 x Taming Anti Humidity 50ml

1 x Mini Paddle Brush

1 x Mini Hairdryer

This set compliments the Soap and Glory Set well as it is also perfect for travelling with all the miniature travel items inside. Especially in Spain the humidity can get unbearable so the Taming Anti Humidity bottle is perfect for keeping in your handbag for on the go use! The mini hairdryer fits perfectly into your luggage saving you plenty of space to bring home any gifts you may buy.

Next up we have this lovely little tin from Benefit. This is the Benefit Goodie Goodie Gorgeous Bestselling Makeup Trio (RRP £25.50) and the Ted Baker The Fragrant Set (RRP £25)

I absolutely love the Benefit make up range it is very well known and popular. I love all of their packaging as well it is unique to them and instantly recognisable.

In the tin you will find;

1 x (Full size) They’re Real! Mascara in jet black

1 x (Full size) Hoola matte powder bronzer for face

1 x The POREfessional: Pearl Primer soft radiance face primer to minimise the look of pores

The Goodie Goodie Gorgeous set is one of Benefits Bestselling Makeup Trios. It is a recipe for flawlessness! Get long lashes, sun kissed cheeks and perfect pores! All wrapped up in a delicious cake inspired tin.

The Fragrant Set by Ted Baker is simply gorgeous! I love the packaging and the designs on the bottles. This set is inspired by the gardens of Chatsworth stately home, and is packed with bath time treats. The collection is an indulgent blend of florals and neroli, with top notes of citrus and bergamot and a botanical finish of patchouli.

In this set you will find;

1 x Bubble Bath 50ml

1 x Body Wash 200ml

1 x Blush Pink Soap 90g

1 x Body Lotion 250ml

1 x Hand Cream 50ml

1 x Body Spray 150ml

You really do get a lot for your money with this beautifully fragrant set.

The Benefit Good Goodie Gorgeous Make Up Trio and Ted Baker The Fragrant Set will be gifted to my gorgeous cousin. She loves keeping up with the latest make up styles and products and experimenting with different looks so this will definitely suit her as well as the Ted Baker set which is in style and trendy and offers a beautiful range of fragrant body products. She is always on the go as she has a busy lifestyle where she works away a lot so these products will be just perfect for her.

For my lovely nan here we have ‘A little Something’ Lip and Hand Care gift set at £5 as well as a Silver Crane Petticoat Tails Tin filled with 300g of All Butter Shortbread Petticoat Tails £6.50.

All Smiles Hand Cream and Lip Balm offer a floral, fruity fragrance with notes of Rose, Gardenia and Citrus. The hand cream is 30ml and the lip balm pot 7g. The hand cream smells really sweet and fruity and is a great size for popping into your handbag.

I chose the petticoat tail biscuits for my nan as she loves a good biscuit! And these classic treats are yummy plus the design on the box attracted me to it as my nan used to have a similar dog, and she still really loves them.

The last two gifts I chose for my mother and father in law. Lily O’Briens Desserts Collection, these retail at £7.50 for a 230g box. Lily O’Brien’s chocolates are well known. This is a collection of the world’s best loved dessert recipes including;

Hazelnut Torte

Passion Fruit Posset

Banoffee Pie

Crème Brulee

Raspberry Infusion

Key Limey Pie!

Ooh my mouth is watering at the thought!

We also have the Delicious Art 6 In Preserve and Marmalade set at just £8.50. Flavours include:

Strawberry Preserve

Blackcurrant Preserve

Apricot Preserve

Three Berry Preserve

Summer fruit preserve

Orange marmalade

All 42g.

My mother and father in law really are a gift to us, they are always there when we need them and are always helping us out with something or other and we truly are so grateful to them both, so these little treats are the perfect way of thanking them.

Don’t forget that a lot of these products mentioned are also included in Boots 3 for 2 offer so there are some huge savings to be had!

What gifts have you got your eye on this season and what Boots products are you considering for your loved ones?

#BootsBeauty
This post is in conjunction with Boots but all thoughts are my own

My Christmas Wish List

2018-12-06T10:08:00.001+00:00

We’re all so busy this time of year making sure we have everything ready and prepared for Christmas that we often forget to take the time to think about ourselves. The only thing important to me at Christmas is my children and making sure they have a magical and memorable time. We don’t over indulge our children with presents, they usually have one main item and then a few other gifts as well as their stockings which we fill with useful items for them as well as some fun bits. This year they each have a t-shirt and trousers, bubble bath, some chocolates, and two little gifts each.

I have the Christmas meal already planned as well the North Pole Breakfast which seems to be getting more and more popular every year. We don’t do Christmas eve boxes though I think they get enough on Christmas day from us and relatives and they’re excited enough anyway with it being Christmas Eve.

Anyway I thought I would put together my own Christmas Wish List. Make sure you check out for Christmas Gift Guide for the kids too!

Lily Flame Scented Wax Melts

I had never heard or seen these until I received them as a Christmas gift last year. I have tried other smelly popular candles and melts but none have compared to these. They are one of my favourites to buy now for my home. They melt quite quickly and fill the whole room with gorgeous scents. My favourite is Fairy Dust. These are available from Amazon and I have seen them on sale in John Lewis.

Dumbo Pyjamas

It’s no surprise to any of my family but I love Disney’s Dumbo. I have toys (yes big kid!), blankets and cushions of Dumbo so these super cute Dumbo pyjamas would really add to my collection.

Fluffy Blanket

I love putting my PJ’s on and cuddling up on the sofa watching TV with my husband when our kids are in bed, I especially love the blankets with the fluff on the one side and this one is gorgeous and can also be used a throw.

Sakroots Bucket Bag

I love a good bag and bucket bags are my favourite I carry a lot of things in my handbag I must admit and bucket bags are really spacious, plus I love all of the Sakroots range the designs are unique and very eye catching.

Slippers

Again, as soon as I get in from work or get up in the mornings the first thing I do is put my slippers on. We have wooden floors so it can get a little cold on the feet. I love the sturdy slippers with the hard soles I find they last longer.

Simple Skin Care Set

I have combination skin it can be oily and dry, it is a pain trying to find products that suit this. I find the Simple skin care range works really well for me as my skin can also get sensitive and Simple is really gentle for me.

The Greatest Showman

This is by far one of my favourite movies so there is no doubt it makes it into my Christmas Wish List.

Ellie Saab Girl Of Now Edp

I received a free sample of this perfume and I have kept in my makeup bag for on the go ever since so I really would love to buy the larger bottle. It smells gorgeous and lasts well.

#Ad Flamigni Luxury Pistachio Panettone From Sous Chef - Review

2018-11-30T14:25:00.002+00:00

If you're anything like me you want Christmas Day to be perfect. I have been planning my table and wrapping the presents (yes I have finished shopping already - result!) We usually have a side table with picky bits of food which we can snack on during the day but we also have cake, drink and savoury snacks.

When Sous Chef contacted me to try out some of their products I was instantly drawn to their Flamigni Luxury Pistachio Panettone. I do love food and as it's nearing Christmas I thought this would make an amazing centrepiece on my dessert table!

Sous Chef is the shop for people who love cooking. They supply ingredients, equipment, table wear and gifts inspired by leading restaurants and international food. Based in North London with a warehouse full of fabulous things, ready for next day delivery.

Whether you're a home cook or professional chef, their range has something to suit everybody.

The panettone is spectacularly indulgent and perfect for pistachio lovers! When it arrived it came beautifully packaged in high quality gold shimmering wrapping paper and a decorative green bow. It is encased in a cardboard sleeve which contains all of the need to know ingredients and information.

Unwrapping the panettone definitely put me into the Christmas spirit! Underneath the paper you will find the panettone wrapped in a clear bag inside a cardboard box. There is also a little information leaflet provided inside.

On removing the panettone you can instantly smell it and I so wish someone had invented smell-o-vision because I would love for you to be able to smell just how amazing this is!

The appearance of the panettone is striking and as I have said above it will make a wonderful centrepiece.

Inside the panettone you will find lashings of pistachio cream run through the centre, along with white chocolate and crushed pistachios cover the top. The flavours are truly fantastic and unique.

The Flamingi panettones take three days to make! The dough is slow-leavened for exceptional texture when baked and each panettone is shaped and scored by hand. The Italian love affair with pistachios has been going on a very long time, so it's only natural that they would combine them with their traditional Christmas bread.

Flamigni panettone are produced at Rodello d'Alba in the Langhe district of Piemont in northern Italy. The area is renowned for its food and wine production. The ingredients are all high quality and natural.

Accompany this luxurious pistachio panettone with a cup of coffee or even a glass of bubbly! I would highly recommend the Flamigni Luxury Pistachio Panettone (950g) which is available from Sous Chef at £27.50.

You can view Sous Chefs other main gifts on their website.

For the purpose of this review I was sent one Flamigni Luxury Pistachio Panettone. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tips For Mums With Newborn Babies

2018-11-29T13:54:00.002+00:00

As a new mummy with a newborn baby, it can be very difficult and even stressful - especially if it’s the first baby. You and daddy may be totally clueless about what to do, when to do it, and how to do what. An informative website called Mommy Authority provides a lot of insight into pregnancy, mummies, and their babies. Here you can get the latest information on all you need to know to make the journey with your baby more easy and enjoyable.

Nonetheless, as a new mummy, a lot of questions may be going through your mind and you may just need a few tips to get you started on your exciting new journey. Below we have listed a few tips which may be helpful as a mum of a newborn baby.

#1 What To Do When It Comes To Nursing

All your baby needs, in terms of food for the first 6 months, is breast milk. A mummy’s milk contains all the nutrients and antibodies your baby needs. Thus, it is important to know when and how to breastfeed your newborn. Here are a few tips to follow:

● Breastfeed your baby within the first hour after birth.

● Try to keep your baby awake during feeding times.

● To encourage milk to come, known as the letdown, you must be in a relaxed environment. Try playing soothing music, let daddy rub your back, drink enough water.

● Breastfeed on demand.

● Ensure your baby has latched properly to the breast. Incorrect latching can cause pain and your baby will not be able to drink properly. It is best to see a lactation consultant to help you with these issues.

● 10 to 12 feeds per day are normal for a newborn.

● Your baby’s tummy will usually empty within 1 and a half hours after feeding.

● First, let your baby finish with the one breast before moving to the next breast (if needed).

● Remember that a newborn’s tummy is about the size of a cherry and can only hold about 5 - 7 ml at a time. At 1 week, the tummy will be able to hold about 30 - 59 ml at a time.

#2 Involve Daddy

A newborn baby is just as frightening and exciting for daddy as it is for you. For this reason, it is best to involve dad in as many activities as possible. Allow him to hold, feed, burp, bath and soothe the baby as well and let him figure things out on his own. Also, remember that he needs your support as well. Having a baby is not just mum’s thing and something she must deal with. It is best to have dad around to help out - even if it is just a small back rub that he gives you or if he goes to buy groceries. Every little bit helps.

#3 Sleep Tricks

Sometimes, babies tend to fight sleeping times. It is best to not over stimulate your baby when it is time to take a nap. However, once your newborn has fallen asleep, you do not need to tiptoe around or keep the nursery completely quiet. Remember, your baby was in your womb for 9 months and is used to the noise, most babies find comfort in the familiar sounds.

Babies may fall asleep after feeding - this is good. Their tummies are full and they are near to mummy. Another way to help them fall asleep is to tickle their forehead and nose. Run your fingers lightly over these areas and watch how their little eyes start to get heavy and close.

#4 What To Do During Bath Time

A newborn baby will have the umbilical cord stump for about three weeks. During this time, you need to still wash your baby to keep them clean and smelling great. A very important tip is to not undress your baby fully and then start the bathing process. Take the clothes off gradually, depending on where you are washing to ensure your baby stays warm and comfortable. When washing your baby’s hair, place an open hand under the neck and close the ears with the thumb and middle finger. This will ensure the ears stay dry. Your baby may cry during this time, but that is okay. Talk to your infant in a calm voice so they know everything is okay.

#5 Soothing Your Newborn Baby

The best way to soothe your newborn is to imitate the feeling your baby had in your womb. This includes swaddling, shushing, and swinging your baby. You can also pat their back in the rhythm of a heartbeat. Another important thing to remember is that a newborn can only see about 20 to 30 cm in front of them - stay close enough so your baby can see you.

Playmobil Children's Playground Review Smyths Toys

2018-11-28T09:38:00.001+00:00

Playmobil have been a household name since Hans Beck created it in 1974, and it has since become a classic of children’s playrooms, immersing children for generations into a world of make believe and imaginative play.

Smyths Toys have kindly sent us this charming Playmobil CityLife Childrens playground set retailing at £39.99. I was surprised when it arrived at just how big it is, I wasn’t expecting it and for the price I think it is an absolute steal!

Included in this set you will find;

9 Playmobil figures! How amazing is that!
2 slides
1 Swing
1 Skateboard ramp
1 Chair Carousel

As well as a range of accessories; Barbeque, sausages, bench, bottles, bucket and spade and more!

What I love the most about Playmobil toys is that there is nothing electronic about it and it requires no batteries, this helps to encourage children to use a lot of their skills; storytelling, role playing, imaginative play. Playmobil toys are a true classic!

This set reminds me so much of my old Matchbox Play Boot toy I used to play with when I was little. It was a school boot but included a swing set, slide and roundabout and I would play with it for hours! I still have it now and it has been a great pleasure to me to have handed this beloved toy down to my own children and see them playing with it. I can see the same thing happening with this Playmobil set it will be one that they won’t want to part with and will pass down to future generations.

The set comes packaged in a cardboard box and inside all of the pieces are plastic wrapped. As with all Playmobil sets there is a bit of construction to do, luckily though all the sets come with simple to understand instructions! Some bits were fiddly to put together but for the most part it really is easy.

Once the set was completed we sat back and admired it. It is such a lovely set for any child of any age! The pieces are chunky and well made, and we love the detail of the accessories that come with this like the BBQ tongs and the crate for the bottles to go in!

The bike, scooter and skateboard add an extra level of play to this already super fun set.

Watch as the skateboarder rolls down the ramp and cycle the bike around the park. All while mum and baby watch on in the sweet little pram, and the kids play in the sand.

The sand castle is just too cute! With a little bridge, seesaw and slide your figures can have lots of fun here! The chair carousel allows you to place your figures in the chairs and then you can spin them around, the swing set has a tyre swing and a rocking boat.

Smyths toys offer a huge selection of the Playmobil products in store and online.

Overall we absolutely love the Playmobil City Life Childrens Playground, it is durable, bright and colourful and provides hours of imaginative playtime.

For the purpose of this review we were sent the above mentioned Playmobil set and a Smyths voucher. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

The Cat Game - Review

2018-11-20T09:03:00.002+00:00

It may come as a surprise to you, but I am somewhat of a crazy cat lady! Yes I only have one cat but he is my fur baby and is treated just like one of the family. He even has his own corner of the house with his own wooden sign above it “Ozzie’s Corner”, he has a miniature sofa, scratching post, climbing tree and lots of toys to play with!

When I was asked to review The Cat Game I just couldn’t say no! The Cat Game by Spin Master is a drawing game for teens and adults described as the hair raising drawing game (with cats). The meow-ment is here: The Cat Game is a hiss-terical drawing game for cat people (and regular people!) Play solo or divide into two teams and catfight your way to victory!

When the game arrive I was so excited to play it! The box itself stands out a lot mainly because the word cat is furry!

Inside the box you will find two drawing boards, two pens, two decks of cards and cut outs of cats all in different poses and positions to help you draw the best clues that you can.

How to play the game:

You put the two deck down and each pick up a card from your deck.

You have three CATegories to choose from; fLICKS (movies), PURRsons & PURRfessionals (famous people, characters or job titles) or CAT-tivities (actions).

Then you both have to race to choose which cut out cat you will use to best draw your clue, place the cat under the film on the drawing board and draw away.

The other person then has to guess what you have drawn from the category. The first person to guess five clues wins!

Playing the game was fun and exciting and utterly hilarious! Here are some of our drawings, can you guess the write answers?

Boxing

King Kong

Darth Vader

The Cat Game is definitely a lot of fun and I would highly recommend it for anyone, it would make the purrfect gift for any cat lover!

Available to purchase from most good toy retailers including;
Argos
Amazon
Smyths Toys

Magnetic Fun With Magformers

2018-11-19T08:30:00.003+00:00

We love exploring new products especially those that are educational and a little bit different. We were recently sent two sets from Magformers to test and play with!

Magformers construction sets foster brain development through fun and educational exploration. Each of their sets include pieces in simple geometric shapes: triangles, squares, rhomboids and many other shaped that can all be easily connected using the power of the built-in magnets. These products are high quality and durable.

Magformers is the leading magnetic construction toy, proven to inspire children’s creativity and assist 3D brain development. Children can make 2D flat ‘net; shapes then transform them into exciting 3D geometric structures while they are playing, naturally recognising the principles of magnets by feeling the magnetic power.

Magformers are super easy to assemble, take apart and then build again. Magformers have received more than 50 international global educational and toy awards, including gold and bronze in the UK Practical Pre-School Awards.

I think that no matter what age you are magnets are always fun to play with; trying to get the wrong poles to stick together when you know they won’t and then placing one on the floor and slowly moving in towards the other until the power is strong enough and they jump to connect together! It’s always fun no matter how many times you do it!

We received the Magformers Construction Wow Set with 16pieces as well as the Magformers Mini House Set with 42 pieces.

The Magformers Wow set is part of the construction range of sets and retails at £34.99. It is suitable for children from 3 years old and is highly appealing to children who particularly love cars. This set consists of 16 pieces: squares, triangles and a special pilot boy element and two sets of wheels.

Our children have been learning all about shapes in school and so I was excited to see included in this set that there are 22 double sided study cards with different shapes and patterns on that your child can recreate on the boards, as well as 20 models of vehicles which can be designed using this set.

I really was amazed that with just 16 pieces there is a vast number of vehicles that you can actually make. We tried out a few and they turned out really well and the pictures are really easy to follow and copy.

My son thoroughly enjoyed playing with this set zooming the vehicles around and he loved dropping them onto the rug to watch the magnets fall apart and then he’d build them again.

The next set is the Magformers Mini House Set which has 42 pieces this retails at £49.99. It includes pink-tone magnetic pieces and special house accessories that girls, in particular love. It also comes with 2D puzzle boards and a book with suggestions on different houses and designs to create. I would have loved it if this set came with a little figure to play with inside the house but my daughter has plenty of her own and she enjoyed opening the door and putting the figure through it.

The different boards are colourful and attractive and my daughter couldn’t wait to create the butterfly, again it is really simple to follow the patterns and create the different images, she loved seeing her creations once she had completed them. I do love the trees that come with this set this is a nice little touch that my daughter enjoyed.

This set comes with 12 triangle pieces, 18 square pieces, 1 balcony, 6 brick pieces, 1 double window, 1 grid window, 1 single window (door) and 2 tree pieces.

In the past I remember buying the children a very similar set from a cheap website thinking this looks great and I loved the idea behind it however when it arrived it was very small and the magnets were not powerful meaning that you couldn’t create anything that would successfully stay together, so I would highly recommend buying Magformers for your children instead. The pieces are large making them perfect for little hands to pick up and they are highly durable.

Overall we love Magformers and I cannot wait to see what creations they kids will make with them next!

Pyjamas For All The Family from Pyjamas.com

2018-11-17T09:38:00.001+00:00

Who doesn't love cuddling up at night watching your favourite film in a comfy pair of PJs? There's no nicer feeling than coming home from work, taking a shower and putting on a fresh pair of pyjamas.

Thanks to Pyjamas.com who sent us pyjamas for all our family. Pyjamas.com was set up in 2003 and since then they have grown to be one the leading online nightwear retailers in the UK selling on various channels worldwide to over 150,000 customers every year and they are still growing fast! Pyjamas.com provide their customers with the highest level of customer service, they are proud of their friendly and helpful service and believe in treating their customers exactly how they would like to be treated. Their vision is to provide children and families with exclusive designs of pyjamas, so that they become your first choice for all you nightwear requirements!

We were sent the following to review;

The Men's Red Black Warm Winter Long Pyjamas in a size medium.

These are also available up to a size XXL. They retail at £15.99. They are described on the website as luxury pyjama set comprising of full length fleece/flannel lounge trousers and a long sleeve top. They are made from cotton and polyester and are machine washable. What I love about these is the Christmas design on the trousers. What with it being nearly Christmas and all and the cold winter nights drawing in I thought these would be perfect for my husband.

The long sleeve top is comfortable to wear and the trousers are even cosier as they are fleece! They are very warm and soft and fit perfectly.

For myself I chose the Women's Little Mermaid Long Pyjamas for £12.99. These are of a lovely quality and feature Ariel and Flounder with the slogan 'Got That Monday Morning Feeling', they come with matching Disney long trousers.

Who doesn't love Disney, and I love the little mermaid, these pyjamas are appealing to all ages! When they arrived they were just as I was expecting and again they fitted well. I love the trousers and the print on them and the colours go really well. These are 100% cotton and are very comfortable to wear in bed and they are also machine washable.

For my daughter I chose these gorgeous all over Unicorn Print Long Pyjamas at £10.99 Straight away I knew she would love them, she is very girly and is obsessed with anything to with horses, ponies and unicorns at the moment. They went down a treat and she loves it come bed time when she can put them on and cuddle up in bed next to her billions of unicorn toys!

These pyjamas feature cute unicorns and rainbow print, have an elasticated waist and are 100% cotton and machine washable.

For my son we chose these super cool Spider-Man & Ironman Long Pyjamas at £9.99.

He loves all things Marvel and superhero's, they are available in ages 4 up to 7 years. The design is exciting and my little boy loves running around pretending he is saving the day! These pyjamas are super comfy and again machine washable.

Pyjamas.com have a vast range of character pyjamas as well as dressing gowns and slippers and they have a great range of pyjamas for the grown ups too!

There's A Monster In My Room!

2018-11-15T09:13:00.002+00:00

Every evening we go up the stairs and into the bathroom, where we put on the Disney Magic Brushing app so the kids can brush their teeth before bed and get their star! We then take the kids into their rooms one by and we have to go through a number of songs first (every night!) before we can tuck them up to sleep. We have to do a sailor went to see, this little piggy and round and round the garden!

Once tucked up they are generally pretty good in going to sleep. My daughter will have her unicorn night light on and she usually stays up for a small while playing in her bed with her toys before putting herself to sleep. My son stays in his bed but does have a habit of calling us back into the room after we have left. This can be either because he has drank all his drink, his sock has come off or he’s dropped his toy out the bed!

Despite this they’re both normally asleep within half hour of putting them down, leaving myself and my husband the evening to enjoy catching up on our favourite programmes.

Well this one evening about ten or fifteen minutes after we had come downstairs, we heard our little boy calling us, but he was also crying. I went back up the stairs and he did seem quite upset so I asked him what was wrong, he replied theirs a monster in a bed. I said where, he then proceeded to point to this toy….

Now he has had this toy for a probably around a year now and it has never bothered him before, in fact he was the one who had actually chosen to buy this toy himself!

For some reason he now really doesn’t like it, anyway he said he didn’t like the toy in the dark and it was trying to eat him! I asked him what he wanted me to do with it, he told me to bag it up and put it in the attic! Aw bless him. So I took the toy away and he went to sleep. I think I had actually just thrown the toy in my bedroom next to one of the units.

A few days later whilst I was in work my husband sent me a message saying he had just found our son trying to hide this toy behind the curtains in his bedroom he had said he didn’t like it and it scared him when he was trying to sleep. He had obviously found it on our floor and was trying to get rid of it!

We have since removed the scary monster from our home so our son never has to see it again! Isn’t it funny though how he has had this toy for some time and it has been in his bed previously and never bothered him but now all of a sudden he doesn’t like it! I have to admit I did have to hold myself back from giggling when he told me it was trying to eat him, it may seem a bit funny to us but he was genuinely upset, the poor boy!

They had watched Hotel Transylvania the night before and although there are monsters in this film they are all nice and both kids love these films and have watched them numerous times before anyway he has since had no problem going to sleep now the toy is gone, and I don’t think it is the dark that scares him as he does have a pretty bright night light plugged in just for some reason this toy didn’t look good in the dark!

Have your kids ever had a ‘monster’ in their bed?

A Stranger Entered My Life, His Name Was Grampi

2018-11-14T11:55:00.002+00:00

Growing up we had a pretty normal childhood, we would enjoy lots of days out and holidays and I have very fond memories of playing in our garden when our grandparents came to visit.

We were your typical family really, mum, dad and me and my twin sister as well as our cat Jessie (rest in peace sweet girl!) Then around the age of 11 or 12 I think, all of our lives changed and they would never be the same again. My mum was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

I cannot remember much about this time if I am being honest, but I do remember being in a hospital room, I think it was a consultants room. My mum wasn’t there, it was just my dad, me and my sister. I am thinking maybe mum was ill and staying in the hospital. On this day I can still recall the moment that we were told that mum had cancer my dad was obviously very upset, but he would always try to hide this, I could see him holding back so much emotion and trying to be strong for his girls.

Obviously we didn’t really understand what was going on. I think I just assumed that would mean that we would be visiting the hospital more often. But in reality it was horrendous. I remember going to school and looking at the parents of my friends and other students and wondering if their mummies had cancer. I have such amazing memories of fun times even after the diagnosis but I also have some quite terrible memories that no child should ever really see. One afternoon I heard my dad shouting I came running down the stairs and my mum was in the bathroom and my dad was shouting at me, “call an ambulance!” repeatedly. I had never called for the emergency services before and I didn’t know what to say or do. I just remember by dad saying tell them she’s haemorrhaging.

The ambulance arrived and my dad took us in the car following the ambulance. At the A&E in a very small cramped room, there was mum lying on a bed being supported to stay sitting up as she was vomiting into a box, but it wasn’t vomit, I could see blood. I can’t remember what happened after this but that alone has been etched into my memory. My mum came home and we carried on. I know she had operations but I don’t know how many, and I can’t recall how many times we were at the hospital or the cancer care centre it just became normal.

We even spent Christmas day there once, I remember my dad and me and my twin struggling to carry bags of presents up to her room. She wanted to see us open our presents, but then we had to leave. It was sad. For some reason that I am not entirely sure of, my Grampi, my mother’s dad stopped visiting. I am not sure if he just couldn’t cope with what was happening with his only child or what really, but he left. My Grampi and my nan used to take us swimming every Sunday and I remember asking one Sunday if we were going and was told no, and we never saw him again.

My mother passed away when she was 50 years old, myself and my twin were just 18 at the time. Looking back now I can see that it never really sank in the effect that this would have on the rest of my life. It is only now at the age of 31 that the reality has actually set in. Of just how much we have actually missed out on by not having mum with us. She missed seeing her girls marry, and the birth of her grandchildren. I see my husband and his siblings with their parents and I do feel jealousy. They go shopping together and out for meals and I often think why haven’t I got that, I have no one like that in my life and it does make me sad, and quite often it makes me feel very lonely.

Anyway moving on years and years later and I receive a letter through my door, I open it and I see a name Henry. I know that name, that’s my Grampi! It was a letter from the council asking me to get in touch as his next of kin as he had been taken into hospital, and they would be selling his home to pay for his care. They wanted me to arrange to meet them at his home to take any personal possessions away that we would like to keep. I didn’t know how to feel at first. After talking to my husband we decided to go and I am ever so glad that we got that chance, as in his home I found photo album after photo album of my mum when she was a child and growing up into a young woman. It was beautiful, all these unseen photos of my beautiful mum I cannot describe the joy I felt at seeing and having these to keep.

The next decision I made was to go and see him. He was still in hospital and I wasn’t sure if we would recognise him or if he would even know who we were. The nurses had said that he had fallen and he was a bit confused, but he really wasn’t. His memories lived on so strong. He looked the same but older and he seemed to recognise us and as we settled into conversation he started remembering more, and we would tell him stories and he would say yes I know which made us laugh! I decided that I wanted him to meet his grandchildren, my mum never had the chance and Henry was the last little connection that I had to my mum. The children were young and didn’t understand but the joy on my Grampi’s face was priceless, he had just met his great grandchildren, and I shall forever cherish the photo I have of them together.

My Grampi was admitted to hospital I had had a phone call from the care home, so I went up to see him again and he was very poorly, and we knew we hadn’t much time left together. So for the next four days I visited him every day I sat with him morning till night, I couldn’t stand the thought of him having no one with him. Another family member was also there with us every day and this was such great support. On his last day I just had a feeling that this was it and that he would be going today, I held his hand and he slowly slipped away I burst into tears. It was inevitable but still a shock and also I felt a bit of relief as it was truly awful to see him the way that he was and feeling so helpless towards him.

So in one year I had gained a grandfather and lost a friend, I had met this man and now I was planning his funeral. It really was a surreal time in my life but one that I will always be grateful for having the opportunity to be with him again.

Life is so short and not everyone has the opportunity to grow old so cherish every moment and everyone you have in your life as you never know when how or why they might not be there anymore.

The Essentials For Setting up A New Corporate Space

2018-11-14T10:35:00.000+00:00

When setting up a corporate space the concept of one-size-fits-all is a no-go for sure. Start-ups these days wish to keep the office experience fun and trendy with lots of pop-up colours, bean bags, and open workspaces. While all of that is fine, you would want to make sure that your clientele takes you seriously to have the business up and going. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean, traditional wooden tables and chairs, with gloomy dark shaded carpets, you can still keep it professional in suits with a modern take on office décor.

Bulls-eye! You got the right space

Increasing your organizational logistics is no joke, and without the right office space, it’s impossible. Ensure that your desired space is up to code, legal allowance is provided for your business to work there and space has passed all types of inspections necessary. Apart from these basics, there are few other factors to consider before you set up an office that’s:

Large enough to fit in a day to day activities for you and your staff,
Small enough to have maintenance costs
Has room to grow for your business growth
Has adequate parking space

Now that you have sorted this entire out, we can move on to the next task at hand.

Ergonomically Right Space: An employee’s dreams come true

Ergonomics is not just about the right set of desks and chairs, it does include that, butit is way more than just that. An ergonomically sound workspace must have the desks and chairs fit for all individuals with feet touching the ground, body posture in 90 degrees. Also, offer breaks for 15-20 minutes, right tools to lift objects that are heavy or the right headset to be on the phone at all times and right overhead lighting to reduce glare and strain on the eye. It’s important to take these factors into consideration before you start shopping to ensure you have an employee-friendly and productive work environment.

Let’s start working on floors

You have three different choices here. You can either go for a closed floor plan that is the usual choice for offices or a modified floor plan that is flexible to change as per your desire to make more room for growth in future. There’s also the third kind here that is the open floor plan. Growing these days widely, the open floor plan comes from the mindset of bringing all the employees together including the authority at the top of the company thereby deconstructing the barriers and providing a friendlier and approachable workspace. If you decide to go for the recent buzz with an open floor plan, just take into consideration that even with an open floor plan you can segregate certain areas with textured wall panels. This helps you keep harmonious work zones on the same floor without creating the barrier of the four walls.

Separate, if you must!

If you are not too enthusiastic about an open floor plan but still wish to go forward with it provided you have your own space segregated out, here’s a thought. You can get interior decorative wall panels to map out your very own personal area and mark it with colourful, textured panels while still being approachable and available on the same floor. These don’t just look great they are widely being used as acoustic panels in bigger spaces at corporate offices for a very modern approach.

Getting the light right!

Don’t rely just on the overhead lights. Get some LED task lights for each desk that can imitate natural light. This helps prevent strain on the eyes when paired with good overhead lighting, the latter is known to cast shadows and be dim at times when going solo. Pair up space with low-intensityambient light, and you are good to go.

Productive workstations- Getting more done

An efficient workstation can increase the productivity many folds. A modern workstation must include, table, chair, computer and peripherals with adequate daily office supplies like pens, papers, staplers and other stationery which can vary depending on your business. Pick out tables that are square in shape, it provides enough space for the next workstation if a small space is something you are worried about. If the table isn’t sturdy enough, you might want to pin it down to other furniture or the wall.

Spotting the perfect table and chairs on sight

Avoid fabric chairs at all cost, once they go dirty, there’s no way out. Opt for a mesh kind of material that is breathable, leather although easy to clean and long lasting cannot be something everyone’s comfortable in. Adjustable chairs are the best kind to go for because they bring more value. If you can flexibly alter the lumbar support, height, andarms, you are good to go. Since employees that are stuck on the desk all day would require chairs with more functionality that helps with better posture, it’s best to go with something that is adjustable.

Get a grasp on the noise
If you are aware that there is going to be a daily rush on the floor and have opted for an open floor plan, one way to not let the buzz on the floor travel to the entire office is to have decorative acoustic wall panels. They work well with absorbing excess sound and can help create a more professional looking workspaceany given day. Seminar halls and conference rooms opt for acoustic decorative ceiling panelsas well. They look absolutely brilliant with the kind of texture and customization options available, and if you have been craving for a pop of colour,this is your chance to make it big with the wall panels.

Choosing the right desks, chairs, lighting while keeping up with the ergonomicallyfriendly environment and office décor with furniture and panels and much more for a modern take on corporate space set-up.

Fancy Getting Married At The FunFair Or On A Train? Check Out These Unique Wedding Venues

2018-11-13T14:34:00.000+00:00

Fancy getting married at the fairground, on a train or in a barn? Well nothing is off limits.

Following on from my previous post about planning yourwedding, I have been looking into wedding venues. When I think of places to get married top of the list is the usual church or city hall, maybe a museum or local attraction, but did you know you can actually get married in bizarre, unique and Bijou Wedding Venues?

I have compiled a list of the most unique and extraordinary wedding venues all in the UK!

Dreamland Margate

This is a totally unique and unusual wedding venue that your guests are sure to enjoy! Dreamland Margate is an original British amusement park that really stands out from the crowd! It can cater up to 800 guests and has a variety of venues to choose from, including the ballroom, roller disco, VIP huts, Tree Top bar and more. They also provider catering for your special day and extras such as blessing on the scenic railway, use of the rides and the roller room!

The Station Kitchen

How would you fancy getting hitched on this 100 year old train carriage? The carriage was used in the Battle of the Somme! It has some fantastic history to it and it indeed a very unique and memorable place to get married. The Station Kitchen is located in the old Bridport Harbour Railway Station in the West Bay or Dorset. You can enjoy canapes and cocktails on the platform followed a banquet in the carriage and ending your evening with a disco in the quaint station house.

Barnutopia

Love a good festival? Well why not host your own and say your vows in this picturesque setting. Barnutopia offers overnight glamping accommodation you and all your guests, choose from the yurts, stables, cabins or bunkhouses. All are fully furnished with real beds, electricity, heating and even free Wi-Fi. Plus they a fully licensed wedding bar and open air spot on the yurt field. This venue is perfect for peace and tranquillity.

National Botanic Garden of Wales

This venue allows the bride and groom to get married in The Great Glasshouse! Enjoy the surroundings of beautiful flower beds and the lakeside walk. This truly is a romantic setting. Enjoy the beautiful views and modern architecture. Choose to hold your ceremony in The Great Glasshouse, Marquee, Gallery & Courtyard or the Outdoor Performance Stage. Your wedding photos will look stunning surrounded in the beauty of nature.

Everyman Screen on the Green

Walk down the aisle in one of the oldest cinemas in the UK! Follow in the footsteps of the Sex Pistols who have visited here! This is definitely a quirky venue perfect for couples looking for something a little bit different! The screen features an integrated bar and stage and you can even have your name up in lights outside the building! There is plenty of space to celebrate in style and you can enjoy the vibrant Upper street location in this North London venue.

Did you get married in an unusual venue? Or are you planning to?
I’d love to hear about it!

This is a collaborative post

Planning Your Wedding? Read on for some handy tips...

2018-11-13T07:00:00.000+00:00

When we were planning our wedding I wish I had researched more into just how stressful it can get! From choosing the perfect wedding dress, cake, venue and photographer there really is a lot that needs doing.

I didn’t really have a picture in my head of what my ideal wedding dress but would be, I think that this actually helped me in a way as I wasn’t set with the idea of ‘The’ dress that I had to find and nothing else would do. When it's time to find your prom dress it was a different story I knew exactly what dress I wanted maybe I was just being a picky teen back then!

I had seen an advert online for a wedding store that was actually closing down, I got so excited I set my alarm and made sure I was there around half an hour before the store opened so I could join in any queue that there might have been. But to my surprise it was only me and another lady waiting!

I went in and quickly picked up three dresses and rushed to try them on. The first one was beautiful and after trying on the others I again went back and tried the first on again and yes this was it, I had found my perfect wedding dress in the first store that I had entered!

If only planning the rest of the wedding would be so easy!

We had found the perfect venue, Castell Coch, it truly is a fairy tale castle set in amazing grounds and my husband has a slight obsession with castles so it was the obvious location! Plus as our families live in different cities, this venue is located in the middle of those making it easy to get to for all our family and friends, this may be something else to consider for your own wedding too.

Next we had to find the perfect photographer. This was probably one of the most stressful tasks as there were absolutely loads when we started looking. How would we choose!

Tips for choosing the best photographer;

Meet with them – you need to choose a photographer who you can feel comfortable around after all they’re going to be with you all day, they need to share your vision of what you want for your photos.

Read reviews – thanks to social media it is now so easy to source feedback on almost anything. Make sure you research them and check out any reviews that have been left.

Look at their previous work – most photographers will have a portfolio of their work, by looking at these you can then narrow down those that don’t suit your style. Some may be better experienced in light and airy photos whilst others prefer dark and atmospheric.

Do compare packages – be sure you check out what other photographers are offering for the same price in order to ensure you get the best value for money

We found our photographer on Facebook and after reading the reviews, meeting him and viewing his portfolio we knew that he would create beautiful memorable wedding photos for us to cherish forever. When we received the photos back we were amazed at just how beautiful they were, our photographer had captured our wedding in timeless detail.

Do you have any top tips for how to keep wedding planning stressfree?

This is a collaborative post.

My Ideal Home

2018-11-12T12:59:00.000+00:00

When we bought our first home, we didn’t look around at many mainly because we had a very tight budget and the house we bought which we are still currently in we bought for a lot less than the asking price, but it was the maximum that we could offer. We were therefore quite restricted in choosing a house that we wanted.

I love our house however I do wish we could have looked at more houses. Our house is an end of terrace 3 bed home it suits us well but I just wish we had garden; we only have a concrete yard and another raised area however this raised area is up some very steep steps and the land is not really useable. Although the kids do enjoy going out in the yard to play it can only keep them occupied for so long.

We are now in a better position and we have been thinking about what our ideal home would be, so I have written this post to inspire us to keep looking for our perfect home ready for when we are ready to move.

I always imagined that our ideal family home would have a lovely front garden as well as a drive way. A drive way is now one of my top priorities as since we have been living on the main road we have had two of our cars written off in accidents when our cars were parked up and we were fast asleep in bed!

As for a front garden I wouldn’t want anything big, just a small grassy area or even a paved area would be great. Just something that provides us with a bit of privacy and that is set back from the road.

I would again only want three bedrooms but preferably these would fit double beds in all. With our children’s growing toy collection and my sons box room we are tight for space.

Something I dream of now is also actually having some storage space, whether this be a cupboard under the stairs or a small study room as we don’t currently have any storage available to us and I would love to be able to store my vacuum cleaner, mop and bucket and ironing board away rather than hidden away behind the sofa or typically in our bedroom.

As our home is quite old our windows and doors are not fantastic, what I would love would be a beautiful wooden stain glassed door and some double glazed windows. Our windows now are mostly double glazed but we do get a lot of condensation and a draft on the ones that are not.

And lastly as I have previously mentioned a garden, just an open space with a patio for summer barbeques and a grassy area for the kids to run around and play on would be ideal to capture all those lovely memories of them growing up.

Do you have a vision of your ideal home? I would love to hear what it is, please feel free to comment below.

This is a collaborative post with Three Counties Ltd.

Christmas Gift Guide 2018

2018-11-12T08:54:00.000+00:00

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I love Christmas and my husband will tell you the same. Every year I get so excited to get the decorations out and every year I will head to the Christmas shop to pick up more!

This year there are so many must have toys so here I have created a Christmas Gift Guide that includes some of these.

First off we have Unicorn Adoptions brought to you by Fabulous Ideas who believe that the unicorn symbolises love and acceptance for all. By adopting one of their unicorns you will help them spread these values and every adoption generates a £1 donation to good causes that help people facing adversity.

The Adoption Combo pack that we were sent retails at £26.99 and includes quarterly email updates from your unicorn, a 12” dreamy eyes unicorn soft toy, an adoption certificate, a confirmation letter, unicorn badge, keyring, face mask, bookmark, colouring in sheets, a unicorn poster, postcards and stickers. Wow that is a lot! Read my full review here Unicorn Adoption

Next up we have from Drumond Park Games; Foxy Pants. The aim of the game is to roll the dice and whatever number you land on (1 or 2), that is the number of chickens that you must place into Foxy Pants pockets. When his pockets are full watch out as his pants come flying off sending the chickens into the air. Whoever can catch them and place them in their coop first wins! Full review here Foxy Pants

If you’re stuck for choice then why not head to Wicked Uncle. They offer a variety of toys for all ages. You can search by gender and age to find that perfect gift. We reviewed the Melissa and Doug Show-Horse Stable Set and the Melissa and Doug My First Stamp Set. The Show-Horse Stable Set includes eight horses each in their own wooden stall. You can name them all and then attach the name label above each stall.

The My First Stamp Set includes eight vehicle stamps and two washable ink pads. Perfect for your little ones to use their imagination and create their own picture story. You can read my review here Wicked Uncle

From Menkind we were sent a Wall Climbing Spider and a Mystery Shimmeez. The spider is remote control and can go just about anywhere! Its vacuum suction legs let it go up walls and even on the ceiling! The remote offers perfect movement, left, right, forward and backwards.

The Mystery Shimmeez is the ideal gift for any girl who loves sparkle and sequins! They’re adorable, squishy plush pets that have reversible sequins that you can play with for hours! You can even create patterns with their sequins. But which one will you get! Full review here Menkind

Now what we have from InTheBook on behalf of Signature Gifts is a really beautiful and unique Christmas Story Collection Book. It is personalised with your child’s name, you can choose a variety of free gift boxes and include a loving message inside. The Christmas Story Collection Book tells five tales about Christmas in which they are the star of the story. Stories include ‘Your Letter To Santa’, ‘When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimey’, ‘St Nicholas’, ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas’, ‘The Little Donkey’ and of course ‘The Nativity Story’. Read my review here Christmas Story Book Collection

Lastly Zimpli Kids have sent us some bath slime and gelli as well as snoball play which transforms with water into 100% realistic snow that you can mould into snowballs! the Slime Baff turns your bath water into a gooey, oozy bath of slime! and the Gelli Baff lets you turn the water into goo. it is simple to dissolve once finished by add a Gelli Baff powder to the water so it can easily be drained away. Here is my review Zimpli Kids Slime&Gelli Baff & Snoball Play

We hope you have a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours!