Sunday, 30 June 2013

Bargain Christmas Present Idea??? Tech Pet Interactive Puppy


 It will be my 5th Christmas as a Parent this year and I have learned my lesson.

 Note to self - Do NOT start shopping in December

Anyway I have been told about an amazing offer from all entertainer stores around the UK



Meet Puppy *Please note you will need a iPhone 4, iPhone 4S or iPod Touch



Ideal for children aged 8- 16 ( including Men of all ages)

The Tech Pet is interactive, he can bark, perform tricks and wag his tail.  He responds to voice commands
and also dance along to your music.  The puppy can even interact with other Tech Pets using bluetooth.



You will need 3 AA Batteries

It costs £19.99 at the moment of posting. Was £59.99 and so a massive 66% off

You can search your nearest store HERE

Friday, 28 June 2013

Review- Jump up and join in with Carrie and Grant Book

 Do you're children love music? All three of my children love a good boogie but I have yet to come across a book that teaches music aspects.  Carrie and Grant who are famous for music coaching and you may have seen them on cbeebies have brought out two new books that are to encourage the under 5s to enjoy all kinds of music.

Here are the books

Elephants Birthday Bell's 



Lions Speedy Sauce  


Both books come with a CD so you can read along with the book as well as listen, sing and dance to the music.  Not only has the book got a story and a CD it has craft ideas linked with the stories.  Once upon a time I was training to be a teacher and creating a story sack was one of my tasks as it gives a better understanding of the story as you are creating, exploring and talking about it.

 What I like?


  • Great little stories for the under 5s
  • Gorgeous colourful pictures with lots to look at
  • Teaches children about music
  • Love the fact it comes with a CD
  • Love the ideas
  • Love books that are personal and with the photo of Carrie and Grant they can put a photo to the voice
What didn't I like?

  • It would have been great if the CD was in a plastic case as I have to say they can be easily ripped by the under 5s
 I defiantly recommend these books to parents, they retail at £6.99 but you also get a CD so worth the money. 

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Tips on how you can do your bit to save our bees



Bee-friendly Garden Tips for the Family



Provided by Tony Gray, expert bee keeper at bee charity Adopt-a-Hive:



  •  Don‘t use pesticides: Bees won’t want to visit your garden if you’ve sprayed this everywhere so try not to use one – it’s not very welcoming! If you have to use one, choose the least toxic one you can find

  •  Use local native plants: Bees love native plants much more than exotic flowers. These plants adapt well to the chilly British weather and don’t require much looking after – plant some of these and your bees will be completely at home

  • ·The more colour the better: When bees are buzzing through the air, they’re naturally attracted to colour as this helps them find the yummiest flowers full of nectar and pollen. Colours including blue, purple, white and yellow help to attract bees

  •  Group lots of flowers together: Clusters of lots of flowers all together look a lot more inviting. Allow four feet or more in between each clump to give the bees some space to land and take off

  •  All shapes and sizes: No two bees are the same, so make sure you have lots of different shaped flowers so every type of bee is welcome

  •  Have a range of plants flowering all season: Some bees like to fly in spring and some in the summer so make sure you have a range of plants for them to feed on throughout the seasons

  • ·Location: Bees prefer sunny spots in the garden with a little shade – they love to wear their sunglasses. They also like some shelter from strong winds – otherwise, it’s a bumpy landing!



For more information about how you can help to save the bees, visit www.thehiveadopt.co.uk

Save the British Bee with Disney's The Hive



Have you seen a bee in your garden recently? You may not have done as the number of wild british bee has been dropping.  Bee's are an important role in boosting the economy due to their contribution to the food industry, agriculture and associated trade.

A lot of research has been made with this worrying issue thanks to the commission of Disney's The Hive Toys in association with the bee charity Adopt-a-Hive .

A poll of British families has revealed that one in five (20%) children under 10 have never seen a wild bee.  It showed that 20 per cent of the 2000 UK parents surveyed are unaware of any drop in British wild bee numbers, despite well documented coverage on the issue.

Despite the catastrophic forecast predicted for both the environment and economy, nearly one in five (19%) parents admit they would find summertime more enjoyable without bees, with sixteen per cent admitting they find bees a massive inconvenience – three per cent even admitted they think bees eat honey and a further two per cent associate bees with noise pollution!

This worrying indifference was further highlighted with almost half (46%) of parents unaware that the decline in bee numbers will have an adverse effect on the economy*.
Tony Gray, Beekeeper and founder of Adopt-a-Hive, commented on the research: “Bee numbers have been on the decline since the sixties and I am shocked and saddened by the number of children who have never seen a wild bee. The popularity of the characters from Disney’s The Hive can play a key role in educating children – and their parents - on the plight of bees. This campaign is all about raising awareness and helping to educate people on ways they can do their bit to save the British bee.”

There is a ongoing campaign to help raise awareness to families on how to save our bees.  The Hive Toys will be offering lots of prizes for families over on www.thehiveadopt.co.uk.

Tuesday, 25 June 2013

Plum Little Foodies Review


Plum make fantastic baby food and now they have brought out a new range for toddlers called Little Foodies. They are full of exciting new flavours that are nutritious and are suitable for 1-3 year olds. They come in an attractive and convenient packaging which can be used on your travels.



Caribbean Jerk Mango & Chicken with Wholegrain Rice is a delicious blend of lightly spiced organic chicken with bits of juicy mango, a touch of coconut and nutty-tasting wholegrain rice for extra nutrition and a bit of fibre. A wonderful way to introduce little ones to the delights of island cuisine!

Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Apricots & Bulgur Wheat is a perfect hearty meal for a hungry toddler. It’s a scrumptious stew that combines our award-winning organic Welsh lamb with sweet apricots, chickpeas and a touch of mild North African spice – so delicious that they’ll never suspect it contains three portions of veg!

Neapolitan Tomato & Beef Ragu with Ditalini Pasta is our twist on an Italian classic (minus the salt and sugar that sneakily hide in most pasta sauces!) Our slow-cooked ragu incorporates a whopping eight different kinds of veg, and we’ve left the tiny pasta tubes whole to provide a bit of a chewing challenge.

Vegetable Biryani with Wholegrain Rice is perfect for young vegetarians – a moreish mixture of spinach, tomatoes, onions, raisins and chickpeas, flavoured with coconut and mild Indian spices. It also contains 3 of your toddler’s 5-a-day, which is handy if the rest of the day has been a wash nutrition-wise!



Annabelle and Callum have turned into fussy eaters the last few months, meals they used to eat they turn their noses up and the trouble is if one says 'yuk' the other one does also.  I was unsure whether they would even touch the food.  Annabelle is 4 but shes a good enough tester and like most parents its easy to give all the children the same meals as its convenient and cheaper.  Callum is 2 so in the age range that the product is intended for.  Joseph also tried the meals.


  As you can see from the above photos they tried the meals however like most new things they didn't eat it all.  They enjoyed the Neapolitan Tomato & Beef Ragu with Ditalini Pasta the most probably as its a known meal as I admit they have not tried the other meals before.


 Out of all 3 children I have to say Joseph aged 6 months preferred the meals as he finished his bowl.  Annabelle and Callum are used to meals that are not cut up so small like these meals.  As you can see its very much in my opinion like baby food where the ingredients are all mixed together.  My children do prefer there food separated  and in whole pieces.  This obviously was the reason they were not keen.  

 If you're child is used to the type of texture then do try them as they are great.  If you are like me you may not have chance to cook more adventurous meals so great for your child to explore.  Also to prepare all you have to do is pop the package in the microwave for approximately 1 minute.  It does say 30 seconds but it was still a bit cold.

Its a product to try but like everything linked to children, every child's tastes are different.

Do check out Plums website, facebook and twitter.

* I was sent the plum little foodies products in exchange for the review

Sunday, 23 June 2013

My Quick Tips for Cooking, Cleaning and Interior Design


 As a mum you are on the go from the moment you wake up to the moment the children are asleep. Trying to fit a cup of tea into the day is hard enough.  I have come across some great advice and tips about the everyday things we do.  Cooking, cleaning and making your house look pretty and I would like to share them with you.

 A great tip for cleaning the microwave is easy and most importantly Eco-friendly. You will need a lemon. All you have to do is half one or two lemons then squeeze the juice into a microwavable bowl, pop the bowl into the microwave and cook for 4 minutes.  Then leave the door closed for 10 minutes extra to let the lemon steam do its magic.  Next wipe the microwave and you have a lovely clean appliance.

 If you are like me you will love nice smells around your house its the only good bit about cleaning although my other half thinks I love it all.  When I hoovered my Grandmas dining room a few months ago I kept getting a lovely smell and thought ' it can't be the hoover' well it was! You can buy vacuum refreshers in supermarkets and online or if you want to do it yourself add a few drops off essential oil to a couple of cotton ball and place in your hoover and that would last a week or two.

 I am not sure how my grandma was able to have a different homemade meal on the table at 5:30 everyday from when she first lived with my Grandad until now.  Especially when she had 3 young children.  I have to admit fish fingers and tinned spaghetti is used regular at my house.  However when I do cook homemade it has to be quick and easy as cooking is like I am on a cooking show racing a timer.  However in my case its unknown when the time runs out!  I always use frozen vegetables as they don't get wasted unlike fresh and they don't taste much different.  Another tip I would recommend is use a slow cooker as they are ideal for many families.  In the morning place all ingredients in and heat. 6 - 8 hours later you have a meal ready and smelling great.

  I can't wait to start doing little interior design projects for my home.  I absolutely love homemade items in homes.  You can jazz up every room with little things such as making bunting out of material.  My mum actually made a crocheted bunting for Annabelles room.  Your home has to be a relaxing atmosphere and lighting plays a huge part so choosing the correct bulb is important.  I prefer a small watt that is energy efficient of course.

*This is a sponsored post - all tips are my own
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