Winter Beauty Tips From Emma Willis And Gillette Venus

Finding time to spend on a beauty regime is practically non-existent now I am a mum of three, long gone are the days I use to spend hours pampering myself for nights out. Even though I am short on time I do still like to make a little bit of an effort with my appearance, but like most women, I find that I make less effort than normal in the winter. As let's face it we are all nice and cosy in warm jumpers and too busy eating our own body weight in chocolates and mince pies at this time of year to worry things like shaving our legs and spending time on beauty treatments (or maybe that is just me). 

Win Tickets To The North East Wedding Show

It is no secret that me and the other half often talk about getting married. We both know it is something that we want but we have never actually gotten around to planning things yet, plus we have yet to make things official with a ring or proposal yet. To be honest I can not really see it happening anytime soon. For those of you lucky enough to have received a proposal over the festive period, or who are already engaged or planning a wedding then I have details about the North Easts best wedding show, plus a giveaway where you could win a pair of tickets to the event.

Sylvanian Families Gift Guide

Regular readers will know that we are Friends of Sylvanian Families, my two girls love Sylvanians and I do too as they are such a timeless toy that reminds me of my own childhood. Now that Christmas is just a week away I thought that I would share with you a few of my favourite Sylvanian products, just in case you still have some shopping to do.

Sylvanians make such a lovely Christmas gift that will bring hours of fun. My eldest was Sylvanian mad a few years ago and we have so many families and sets all ready for her younger sister to play with, they last so well and still look brand new. No matter what your budget you are sure to find something in the range that would make a fantastic gift as prices start at just £4.99.

 So here is a quick look at my favourite Sylvanian Families items.

Stay Hydrated This Winter With Robinsons

In the summer I drink so much water to keep me feeling cool and refreshed on warm summer days, however in the winter I am guilty of rarely drinking any. Now that the weather is colder the idea of a cold glass of water does not appeal to me and I much prefer to drink a hot cup of tea or coffee instead, along with a huge 62% of people questioned in a recent survey carried out by Robinsons who also prefer to drink hot drinks over water in the winter months. 

We need to remember that drinking enough water is important in winter as tea and coffee is a diuretic and if we do not drink enough water we can easily become dehydrated. Robinsons have come up with lots of recipes for hot and cold drinks using their delicious fruit cordial drinks, to help inspire us to start drinking more water and staying hydrated this winter. 

Hornby Santa's Express Train Set Review

When I was a small child one of my uncles used to have a train set going around his Christmas tree, I use to think that it was the most magical thing ever. I always wanted a one of my own and when I had my own children I vowed to get a one, although I have never actually got around to getting a one yet. Last week that changed when Hornby kindly sent us their Santa's Express train set to review. 

My brother used to have a Hornby train set when he was younger which he spent hours playing with, so I knew that they were a great brand who make quality train sets to last. When the set arrived everything we needed was included in the box, it contained a three-piece train, lots of track, a control and even a mat that you can use to place your train on if you prefer. 

Last Minute Christmas Celebration Ideas In The North East

Christmas is just under two week's away and everyone is getting into the festive spirit and getting excited for the big man in red arriving on Christmas morning. This time of year is the perfect time to celebrate with family, friends and work colleagues and have some fun in the lead up to the big day itself. However if like me you have left organising a Christmas celebration to the last minute then fear not as I have come up with some ideas suitable for all kinds of people that will certainly get you in the festive mood. 

If you are looking for a work, family, friend or couple night out then Durham County Cricket club have some great party nights on the 18th and 19th December. The 18th of December sees a host of amazing sounding tribute acts take to the stage followed by a two-course meal and a night of dancing the night away. If  Bond is more your thing then 'A Bond night in Monte Carlo' will be just the thing to get you in the mood on the 19th when the black-tie casino night hits the club. This night sounds right up my partners street as it includes casino tables, a formula one simulator and a disco as well as plenty of martinis at the bar. These sound like great night outs that I would enjoy going on with my friends or partner and are priced at only £39.95 per person, which is incredible value.

Disney Princess Royal Boutique Cash Register Review

My two-year-old Sophia is really into Disney Princesses and role-play at the moment, like most little girls her age she loves watching Disney films and playing with the shop and till at pre-school. So when she was recently sent the Disney Princess Royal Boutique Cash Register to review I knew that this would be something she would love.

As soon as Sophia seen the cash register her little face lit up and she could not wait to get it open and start playing with it. Opening the cash register was really quick and easy and I was pleased to see that it already had batteries included (it uses 3 AAA). The till reminds me of old-fashioned style cash registers which I think gave it that princess feel to it, it is a beautiful pink and gold colour decorated with popular princesses Belle, Aurora, Snow White and Ariel. 

Buddy The Elf's Adventures Week One

Last week we welcomed Elf on the shelf to are home for the first year, as I mentioned in last weeks post I brought the Elf back in the summer as I thought it would be a nice tradition to have in our household. Last week our Elf arrived with the children's advent calendars and a storybook about who he was. My eldest decided to call him Buddy and my two-year-old toddler adores him and is always blowing him kissing and shouting his name, which is very cute.

The first week with Buddy the Elf has been a success as it is fun setting him up the night before (thank you Pinterest for the inspiration) and I love seeing my toddler Sophia look for Buddy each morning. I have not planned anything elaborate and have kept things fairly simple a toddler-friendly, I thought I would share with you what Buddy has been up to in his first week at our house just in case you are after some ideas for your own Elf.

Stocking Filler's From Snapfish

Christmas is fast approaching with less then three weeks until the big man in red visits and I, like many other people am busy buying and wrapping gifts. When I am buying gifts I like to buy thoughtful gifts that I know will be loved and appreciated, I am a big fan of personalised gifts and I especially love photo gifts. 

In this day and age, I am guilty of taking photos on my phone, uploading them to social media and then totally forgetting all about them. I always forget to print them out. So when Snapfish got in touch to see if I would like to create a range of photo-based stocking fillers I knew that I had to get creative and see what I could come up with. 

Christmas Books From Parragon

Regular readers will know that we are Parragon book buddies, this means that we are lucky enough to be sent a book for Sophia and Jacob to review each month. I adore reading and always have done since I was a small child and I am really hoping that my love of books gets passed down to my own children. I love nothing more than snuggling up with them on the sofa and reading a story with them both, it is something we enjoy doing most days. 

Now that it is December and Christmas is fast approaching it is the perfect time to start reading Christmas stories to get us in the festive spirit. This month Parragon have helped us achieve this by sending us two Christmas themed books to review, we were sent The Night Before Christmas and Jingle, Jingle Little Reindeer. 

Welcoming Elf On The Shelf

This time last year I heard lots of people mentioning Elf on the shelf and photos and blog posts popped up all over the Internet with what each families scout elf were up to. I had no idea what Elf on the shelf was so I was intrigued to see what it was all about. 

I soon learnt that the Elf on the shelf is sent from Father Christmas on the 1st December to live with a family in the run-up to Christmas day. Each night the elf will fly back to the north pole and tell Father Christmas what the children in the household have been up to. In the morning when the Elf returns to the family home he will have moved position and the children will have to find him, they can not touch the Elf though or he will lose his magic powers. 

Fisher Price Charisma 3-in-1 Trike Review

Recently my youngest was really lucky to be sent a Fisher Price Charisma 3-in-1 trike to review and I was so excited for it to arrive, as I just knew that he was going to love it. When the box arrived it was fairly small and lightweight (perfect for wrapping up for Christmas) and I was dreading building it as I thought it would be in loads of tiny bits and take ages. I was wrong as it was super quick and simple to build with easy to follow instructions and an allen key provided, although you do need a screwdriver to fit the wheels.

Building the Fisher-Price Trike  only took 15 minutes and as soon as I saw it I was impressed with just how great it looked. We were sent the trike in green and the colour is really nice and perfect for either a boy or a girl. The quality of the trike is fantastic with a lightweight metal frame, secure plastic seat unit, rubber wheels and lots of fantastic storage space. This trike has lots of little extra features that I loved too such as padded harness straps and seat covers (which are washable), footrests for younger children who can not reach the peddles yet and soft easy grip handlebars and adjustable canopy. As well as a reclining seat, built in suspension and the option to easily swap from parent steering to child steering. 

A Family Movie Night

Saturday nights are family night's in our household, we always watch a film have some yummy snacks and enjoy spending some quality time together after a busy week at work and school. My youngest two get tired and want to go bed by 7pm, so we normally have are family night in the late afternoon so they can enjoy a film after dinner. Sometimes when they are in bed we will watch the T.V or a film with the eldest.

It is such a easy and inexpensive way to spend some quality time together as a family, and we know that we have it to look forward to each weekend. I think the children look forward to the snacks and treats more than the movie or spending time with us, to be honest, but myself and the other half love to just sit and relax and spend time together as a family unit.

Lunch At Blackfriars Newcastle

It was my birthday a few weeks ago and to celebrate the other half treated me to lunch out and a shopping trip. It was just the two of us and it made a nice change going out without little people in tow, we could relax, chat and enjoy eating a hot meal in peace which was utter bliss. 

We decided to visit Blackfriars in Newcastle city centre for lunch, tucked away between the gate complex and china town sits Blackfriars, an award-winning restaurant located in the 13th century former medieval friary that now serves lots of local produce. 

The restaurant is decorated in keeping with the medieval background with bare stone walls, wooden carved chairs and lots of candles dotted around the room. You could tell that lots of attention to detail has gone into the feel of the place with unique carved stone salt and pepper pots on the tables and placemats showing where the local food they serve is produced. 

Win A Bratz Snowkissed Doll

This Saturday the 28th November 2015 the Bratz Snowkissed photobooth will be arriving at Gateshead Intu Metrocentre for one day only. Visiting the photobooth is free and there is no need to book, simply turn up and have fun with your family or friends dressing up with the props and getting your photo taken in the Bratz snow-kissed winter-themed photo booth, which will be filled with props such as fur hats, skis and festive accessories. Everyone who gets a photo taken in the booth will be given a copy of their photograph to take home with them. 

Once you have visited the booth make sure to then log onto Facebook and visit Facebook.com/BratzUK and tag yourself in your photo to be entered into a prize draw where you could win some amazing Bratz products, including a hamper full of snow-kissed goodies. 

A Tasty Taco Treat For Tea

Having three children and a partner that works full-time shifts I am always looking for quick and easy meals to make for tea each night, as I simply don't have the time to spend ages cooking in the kitchen. I like my children to have a home cooked meal each day and they all enjoy a variety of meals from around the world. One of our all-time favourite cuisines is Mexican food, we often go for Mexican meals out and fajitas, enchiladas and Chill's are regular dishes on our midweek menu. 

So when we were recently sent some Old El Paso stand 'n' stuff soft taco kits in mouthwatering smokey BBQ flavour I knew that they would be a big hit in our household, I could not wait to try them out. We have tried tacos before but never these soft smokey BBQ ones and I was eager to see what they would taste like. Each pack comes with 8 Stand 'n' Stuff soft flour tortillas, a sachet of BBQ seasoning and some Taco salsa. 

My New Look Blog

When I started blogging back in 2014 my blog looked terrible, I am not just saying that either as it truly was horrendous. I did not have a clue what I was doing when I signed up to blogger and had no idea that you could buy templates so I had a basic free blogger template that I kept trying and failing to look nice, as I had no idea what on earth I was doing. 

I did not mind that my blog looked a mess though as I had no idea that people would actually read my blog as it was set up to simply record my pregnancy with baby number three and document my girl's childhood. I never knew that bloggers were paid to write posts or that brands would send you things to review or send you on trips. I had no idea how many blogs were out there and that you could change the look of your blog without being a technical wizard. 

The Pampers Baby Dry Challenge

Regular readers will probably already know that I am a huge Pampers fan, I have used Pampers nappies on all three of my children. I have tried other brands now and then but I always come back to Pampers, as I personally find them the best around. They offer unbeatable dryness, look great, are great quality and most important of all my children seem to be happy with them as they keep their little bottoms dry and they have never suffered from nappy rash. 

Pampers recently launched some Baby Dry pants which are a pull-up pant style nappy that offer up to 12 hours of dryness and are designed to make nappy changing easier for mobile babies who are still too young for potty training. I always thought that pull up pants were for potty training but these ones are just as absorbent as a regular nappy but they are designed to be like pants, so they are easier to put onto a wriggling baby and you can just pull the sides to remove them, genius! 

Lick My Dip Hot Sauce Subscription Box Review

Lick My Dip is a subscription box service with a difference, as each month you will be sent a selection of hot sauces to try out and enjoy at home. As with any subscription box service you sign up, pay a small monthly fee and then each month you receive a box through the mail full of surprise items. Lick My dip send out a selection of hot sauces and snacks for you to try out and enjoy at home, making them the perfect gift idea or treat for a spicy food fan. 

I love subscription boxes as I think that it is a brilliant way of trying out and discovering new products that you may not have tried or heard of before. I also love the surprise element of them as you never know what you will be receiving in your package each month. 

Vital Baby Weaning Range Review

A few months ago we were selected to be part of Vital Baby's #WeaningWarriors team, as part of the team we were sent a brilliant selection of Vital Baby weaning products to help us with Jacob's weaning journey. We have been using these products for a few months now and have been able to really put them to the test. 

In the weaning bundle we were sent 

Disney Mickey Mouse Library Book Set

As you may already know we are Parragon Book Buddies which means that my little two are lucky enough to get sent a Parragon book to review each month. Last month we reviewed a great Halloween book and this month we were sent a gorgeous Disney Mickey Mouse book library set. The library consists of six brightly coloured board books starring Mickey and his friends, making them perfect for babies and toddlers to enjoy. 

Friends Of Sylvanian Families

A little while ago we were contacted to see if we would like to become Friends of Sylvanian Families, of course, I had to say yes as who doesn't love Sylvanian Families? I remember playing with them myself as a child and my eldest daughter used to love them and has so many sets packed away for her little sister to enjoy. We have houses, cars, fish shop, village shop and a cake shop to name just a few along with lots of adorable families. 

If I am honest I think that I love them more then my two girls do as they bring back so many happy memories from my own childhood, this year Sylvanian Families celebrate their 30th birthday which just goes to show how loved they are. They originated in Japan all the way back in 1985 and now they are much loved worldwide. 

Newcastle's Hidden Gems

I have lived on the outskirts of Newcastle my whole life and I have been visiting the city centre most weeks since I was a child. Now as a 31-year-old mam I visit Newcastle with my own children, long gone are the days of leisurely shopping trips and wild nights out on the lash in toon with my friends getting mortal (drinking in Newcastle and getting drunk) most weekends. 

I like to think that I know my way around Newcastle well as I have visited that often, but I think when you live somewhere you kind of take the city you live in for granted and stick to places you know and don't appreciate all the wonderful things around you. So when Travelodge got in touch to ask about hidden gems in Newcastle I was unsure of what to say. Newcastle has a bit of a reputation as a party city full of hen and stag parties and the cast of Geordie shore getting mortal, along with football fans in black and white strips. Yes, Newcastle is like that it has an amazing nightlife with so many bars and clubs and a very loyal football team following with a city centre stadium.

Always Discreet - Breaking The Last Female Taboo

Having children changes your body forever, as your body grows in pregnancy to grow your child and then you have to give birth, we often assume that everything just goes back to normal but any mum will tell you that this is not always the case. Mum's often mention how they have now gained their 'tiger stripes' (stretch marks) or how they will never have a flat tummy again, how they have bags under their eyes due to lack of sleep and they shed hair for months after having a baby.

One thing that you rarely hear mentioned though is bladder sensitivity, this seems to be a bit of a taboo subject that no-one talks about.

Always Discreet want to empower women to break this female health taboo, to realise that they are not alone as 1 in 3 women over 18 actually suffer from incontinence at some point in their lives. They want women to stop suffering in silence and to talk about it and seek help and advice, so they no longer feel held back from this condition. That is why today Always discreet has released new research that shows millions of British women are suffering from this condition and they are sharing lots of advice from GP Dr Sarah Jarvis for women with sensitive bladders.

A Better Man By Leah McLaren Book Review

Regular readers will know that I love reading and that even as a child I adored nothing more than getting lost in a good book. Since becoming a mum I rarely have the time to read, so when I recently heard about the Britmums book club I swiftly joined up in the hope of discovering some new books and reigniting my passion for reading. 

I was sent a book called 'A Better Man' by Leah McLaren, an author and book I had not heard of before. However the blurb on the back of the book seemed intriguing, it read

" Maya wants Nick to be less of a workaholic, to come home earlier, to spend some time with his children." 

" Nick wants a divorce." 

A Teenage Girl Gift Basket

My eldest daughter Chloe turned 13 a few days ago and is now a teenager, although to be fair she has been acting like a typical teen for the last year anyway. Over the last few year's I have really struggled with gift idea's for her as she no longer plays with toys, anyone who knows a teen will know just how tricky they can be to buy for. I don't like buying her clothes in case she does not like them and she has all the latest gadgets like a laptop, tablet, TV and an iPhone. 

After much deliberating she decided that she would like a Jack Wills hoodie, a Pandora charm and an outfit. Even though we had spent a lot of money on her it did not look like she had much at all as she only had four things to wrap up that were not very big at all. So I decided that I would make her a little gift basket with inexpensive things that she would (hopefully) like. 

Christmas Flowers From Prestige

I love having fresh flowers in the house, although it rarely happens as my partner never buys me any. As a child my mum always had fresh flowers in the house as she adored them, every Christmas Eve my dad would get a huge bouquet delivered which I thought was a lovely idea. Flowers make such a lovely gift especially at Christmas so I was delighted last week when the most gorgeous Christmas Flowers bouquet arrived at my door from Prestige Flowers. 

Prestige flowers are one of the UK's leading online florists and are currently voted number one on review centre and are editors choice for the best online florist on reviewflorist. They sell a range of fresh flowers, plants and hampers throughout the UK with bouquets arranged by highly skilled British florists. Standard delivery on flowers is free but you can pay extra for next day delivery if you order before 9pm. Something that I love is that orders come with a 100 % satisfaction guarantee giving you that little bit extra peace of mind that you will be sending a high-quality bouquet.

Disney On Ice

Yesterday we were lucky enough to go and watch Disney on Ice at Newcastle's Metro radio arena. I love Disney on Ice, I use to take my eldest every year until a few years ago when she lost interest in princesses. However now my toddler Sophia is two she has taken an interest in Disney and adores the movies and characters, Minnie Mouse and Toy Sory are firm favourites. So when we were given the chance to go and see the show I knew Sophia would love it, of course, my eldest decided she still liked Disney so she came too along with my partner and my three-year-old niece Heidi, as we thought Jacob (aged 13 months) would be too young to join us.

Pumpkins Pumpkins Everywhere : Book Review

Last month I brought you my first Parragon book buddies review of a beautiful collection of 

Nursery rhymes. As a Parragon book buddy, we get sent a book each month to review, as it is now October what better type of book than a Halloween one! We were sent a lovely picture book called "Pumpkins Pumpkins Everywhere" which is perfect for getting young children into the Halloween spirit. 

My First Thomas & Friends Rail Rollers Spiral Station - Review

We were recently sent a My First Thomas & Friends Rail Rollers Spiral Station toy for Jacob to review. I just knew that Jacob and his sister would love this toy as they both like Thomas and this toy was unlike anything that they already have. I was right because as soon as they both saw it they made a beeline for it and have not stopped playing with it since. 

When I opened the box I was a bit nervous as it is all in bits and I am totally useless at building toys, as I don't have the patience. I need not have been worried though as there was no screws, batteries or anything to build as the whole toy just clips together easily with super simple diagram instructions included. It only took me around five minutes to build the toy which I was impressed by, as there is nothing worse than trying to build toys for eager little ones to play with.

The Marriott Hotel Gateshead Metrocentre : Review

Last week we stayed at the Marriott hotel Newcastle, Gateshead Metrocentre as part of the Beamish Package that they offer. I wrote about the package as a whole earlier in the week but thought that I would do a proper review of the hotel. The hotel is located near the A1 right opposite Europe's largest leisure and shopping complex the Metrocentre and just a short ten-minute journey away from Newcastle city centre. The hotel is rated 4 star and is perfect for both business and leisure purposes. 

Miffy's Adventures Big and Small

As a mum to two toddlers, I am always looking for new T.V shows for my little ones to enjoy, as let's face it sometimes putting a good TV show on is the only way you get five minutes peace when you have little ones. So I am pleased to hear that starting tomorrow Friday 2nd October 2015 there will be a new show for pre-school children to watch, adorable white iconic bunny Miffy is hitting our screens with her brand new show 'Miffy's Adventures Big and Small'. 

Available on Freeview, satellite and cable channel Tiny Pop Miffy will be brought to life for 52 new episodes, which will see her explore the world around her. Featuring children's voices and cheerful songs along with simple narration the show is sure to capture toddlers imagination. It is perfect for pre-school children as each episode is only 7 minutes long. 

Pampers Wonder Week Of Deals

Having a baby is truly amazing and even though babies are tiny they can be so expensive! You think once you have decorated the nursery, brought your pram and filled the wardrobes full of cute little outfits that the expensive part is over, wrong! Baby's grow out of clothes so quickly I am forever buying my son new clothes and then I also have to buy nappies, baby milk and toiletries for him every week and it all soon adds up. 

So when I heard of Pampers Wonder Week of deals I thought what a fantastic idea as it is sure to save us parents some money on baby essentials like nappies in the run-up to Christmas. As let's face it we will need to save all the pennies we can so we can ensure Father Christmas spoils are little ones on Christmas morning. 

Christmas Stocking Fillers From The Works

This year seems to have flown by so fast and now that the children have been back at school a few weeks and the weather is getting colder and the nights darker it can mean only one thing, Christmas is coming! I love Christmas and being a mum of three I start planning what I am going to buy months in advance, in fact, we have already started shopping for gifts for the children.

Each Christmas they get one big present and then smaller ones and I also like them to have lots of stocking fillers too. I normally really struggle with buying stocking fillers as I am so disorganised I normally leave them until the last minute and then never know what to get so just end up getting lots of sweets.

This year I plan on being more prepared though and have already started planning what I am going to get my two toddlers, my teen and my partner in their stockings this year after rediscovering The Works. Where I use to shop all the time for books when there was a store local to me and which stocks a great selection of stocking filler gift ideas at fantastic prices. 

The Marriott Hotel Beamish Package

Living in the North East we are lucky to have so many great attractions but my absolutely all-time favourite has to be Beamish. I have been visiting since I was a child and never get bored, If you are unsure of what Beamish is then it is an open-air working museum based in Durham telling the story of what life was really like in the North East in the 1820s, 1900's and 1940s. So when Marriott hotel got in contact to tell us about their new Beamish package and invited us along to try it out how could I say no?

The Beamish package is available at four Marriott hotels in the North East until 30/11/2015 and it includes one night in a Marriott hotel with breakfast and day tickets to Beamish museum. It is the perfect package for someone visiting the region looking for a great day out. 

Potty Training With Thomas And Friends Review & Giveaway

My toddler Sophia was two at the end of May and I had it in my mind she would be potty trained by her second birthday, just like her older sister was. She is not her sister though she is a completely different child with a different personality, so I waited until I knew that Sophia was ready. We knew that it would not be long before she was ready for potty training as she was starting to tell us if she was wet or dirty and wanted her nappy changed. We went out and brought her a potty which has been in the lounge for a few months so she got used to it and we also brought her some pull-ups and big girl knickers, which she liked to wear over her nappy and tights like Superman. 

Two week's ago we knew the time was right to just go for it and give potty training a go. We had two accidents straight away and then she would start to wee, stop say "oh no" and run and sit on her potty and have a wee. This went on for a day or two and then she just started toddling off and using her potty herself whenever she needs a wee. 

Gung-Ho Came To Newcastle

On Saturday, September 19th Gung-Ho the fun 5k giant inflatable obstacle course came to Newcastle. If you are unsure of what Gung-Ho is where have you been hiding? as it has been all over social media and the press for weeks. When we were invited to take part by the super lovely Alex Winters (yes the CBeebies presenter ) I knew that we had to go as my daughter and partner were eager to take part and myself and the little two children tagged along to watch. 

Gung-Ho is like nothing you have ever seen before it is a 5k run but it is not any old run, oh no this is a 5k run that is an obstacle course and the obstacles are giant inflatables that are seriously fun. I am not just talking bouncy castles either they are really impressive huge inflatable obstacles that are fun for adults and older children. When I first saw them I really wished that I was taken part myself as they looked amazing. There was a climbing wall, giant ball pool, foam filled maze and the giant Thriller which is a 5 storey high slide, which is Europe's biggest inflatable slide. 

A Collection Of Nursery Rhymes : Book Review

Back in June when I was lucky enough to attend Britmums Live  I got talking to the lovely team from Parragon books. I was lucky enough to be given some of the little learner's books for my little two to review, and they absolutely loved them. So when I was offered the chance to become one of the Parragon book buddies I jumped at the chance as it means I get to review a Parragon book each month on my blog. I adore reading and hope that my love of reading gets passed down to my own children. 

The first Book Buddies book that we were sent was an adorable book called A Collection Of Nursery Rhymes from the cute as a button range. As the name suggests this book is a timeless selection of over 100 nursery rhymes, many of which I remember fondly from my own childhood. With classics such as round and round the garden, three blind mice, hush little baby and my children's favourite Their was an old lady.

Birthday Gifts From Toxic Fox

My eldest daughter will be turning 13 in just a few weeks time and I have started to think about what to buy her and how to celebrate her turning into a teenager. I have been struggling for gift ideas for her as she no longer plays with toys and she does not let me buy her clothes any more, whenever I ask her what she would like she says she does not know. 

So when Toxic Fox got in contact and asked if I would like to review something, I knew that I would find something that Chloe would love. If you are a regular reader of my blog you may remember me mentioning Toxic Fox before as I reviewed a scrabble frame for Valentine's day. I am now a huge fan of the site and plan on getting some Christmas presents from there as they really do have a gift for everyone.

Personalised ClaireaBella phone case

Penwizard The Snowman And The Snowdog Personalised Book

I am sure that regular readers will know by now that two of my favourite things are books and personalised items, as I am a huge fan of both. So imagine my delight when Penwizard offered me the chance to review a personalised copy of The Snowman and the Snowdog and customise it to feature a little girl who looks just like my toddler Sophia who features in the book. I was in my element. 

Calm Colour Create Magazine : Review And Giveaway

 I adored colouring in as a child and now I am a mum I enjoy colouring with my children.  In the last few months, I have noticed that adult colouring books have become really popular and I have been tempted to get myself a one. Well, now there is also a monthly colouring magazine available for adults called Calm Colour Create. 

The magazine is filled with 60 + pages of beautiful calming black and white designs for you to colour in, with a mix of patterns, mandalas and triangle designs. The magazine is great quality and very appealing and as soon as I received it I wanted to start colouring straight away.

What I Learnt At Britmums Live 2015

It seems like so long ago since I attended Britmums Live 2015 thanks to my wonderful sponsor MAM UK. I wrote about my experience of Britmums Live soon after the event and I came away with a notebook full of tips and a head full of ideas on how to improve this little blog of mine. Then I came home and I was exhausted, seriously it took me days to recover.

I have been reading my notebook of tips I learnt whilst I was there and I thought that I would share with you some of the things that I learnt from Britmums. I have loved reading what other people learnt as everyone seems to have had different experiences and learnt completely different things. 

The sessions I attended were Google +, Social media, Bloggers and brands, Beginners SEO and Photo styling. So this will be a quick rundown of little things I learnt in each of those sessions.

Funky Giraffe Bibs : Review

One baby item that I think that you can never have enough of is baby bibs! You will need them for the early newborn days to clean up milk dribbles and sick right through to the toddler days when you will need them for teething dribbles and messy eating. Over the years I have brought so many different bibs from so many different places and by far my favourite kind is the stylish bandanna bibs as I think they look nicer and can complete a little outfit. I have brought a few over the years both online and from the high street and have found Funky Giraffe bibs to be the best, they are very absorbent as well as being super stylish. 

So when I was offered the chance to review some Funky Giraffe bibs for Jacob I jumped at the chance, as now he is a little bigger I thought he could do with some more stylish bibs. We were given the choice of which bibs we would like and I opted for a ten pack of bibs that I thought would look great with his outfits. The pack contained a mix of plain coloured and patterned bibs in a range of blue, black and grey colours and with a rocker theme to them with patterns such as motorbikes and guitars. 

How To Grow Your Pinterest Account And Get More Blog Traffic

I love Pinterest and could happily spend hours looking at amazing cakes or children's bedroom decor, but I don't really use it to promote my blog posts, I think I have only pinned a handful of my own blog posts. I am also guilty of going on once every so often pinning tons of pretty things then neglecting my account for days or weeks at a time. However even though I only have a fairly small following on there (in the 300s) I do actually get traffic from Pinterest every single day, thanks to a few Slimming World recipe posts.

So when I heard that Pinterest UK was holding a talk for bloggers in Newcastle at the biscuit factory, I knew I had to attend and find out how Pinterest actually works. I thought it would also be useful to see if I could use it to gain more traffic to my blog. The talk was held by Lizzie who works for Pinterest UK and this is what I learnt.

Jungle Jacks Soft Play At Eldon Leisure Newcastle

The summer holidays have been a bit of a washout here in the North East with lots of rainy days and not many sunny days. I am sure now we are into the third week of the summer holiday's that there have been many shouts of "I'm bored" from the children of the North East. Well, I have discovered a brilliant new place right in the heart of Newcastle that will appeal to children young and old, the newly refurbished Eldon leisure complex. 

Situated upstairs in Eldon Square the centre has been part of a £3 million development project which includes an upgraded gym, 8 lane ten pin bowling alley, Vertigo climbing area and Jungle Jacks soft play as well as two cafes. We were invited to try out the new facilities and we decided to try out the new soft play, as my baby and toddler adore trips to the soft play.

#OneInAMinion With Asda

Like most of the country, we love Minions in our household. My eldest fell in love with them when she went to see Despicable me at the cinema many years ago, and my toddler fell in love with them last year and became a bit obsessed with them wanting to watch Despicable me 2 every single day for about six months. I must admit myself and my partner are also a bit partial to the cute little yellow creatures too, and I am sure baby Jacob will fall in love with them when he is older. So when I was recently asked if we would like to review some Minion goodies from Asda I knew this would score me some major mummy brownie points with my children.

It took me age's to decide what to order as there is a whole Minion section on the Asda website full of everything from clothing and toys to bedding and beach towels. In the end, I enlisted the help of my oldest daughter Chloe who decided that she would really love a Minion beanbag, night light and alarm clock for her bedroom. I then decided to get Sophia a Mischievous Minion t-shirt, as she really is mischievous and we actually call her our little minion, as she sounds like a Minion when she babbles away. I also got a Minion cup and a pair of socks for Chloe. 

Professor Scrubbington's Review & Giveaway

When I attended Britmums Live in June I discovered a bottle of Magically foaming hand and face wash from Professor Scrubbington's Emporium of clean in my goody bag. I had never tried these products before and my children were amazed that the hand wash actually foams in their hands, making washing hands fun. I was impressed and loved the fresh scent and stylish packaging. So when I was offered the chance to try out the rest of the range I was looking forward to seeing what it was like.

We were sent a box suitcase of products from Professor Scrubbington's Emporium of clean, which I thought was a fun way to package them and my tween instantly declared the box of products as her own. Inside the suitcase there was Magically foaming hand and face wash, Magically foaming shampoo, Magically foaming conditioner, Magically foaming hair and body wash and a Magically fragrant roll on. All of the packagings is nice and stylish and has a grown-up feel to it which appealed to my twelve year old. These products were designed for young people to help encourage them to keep themselves clean, with easy to squeeze bottles and products that foam in the hands making keeping clean fun and easy.

What Baby Jacob Wore : George At Asda

One of the things that I love about having a baby is being able to buy tiny little baby clothes and dress them up in cute little outfits. But having three children I have soon realised that babies grow so quick and grow out of their tiny little outfits within a matter of weeks. I also realised that it is pointless buying fancy designer baby clothes as 1.) they grow out of them so quick it is a waste of money 2.) they will probably just be sick on the outfit and 3.) a lot of fancy outfits are very impractical for everyday use.

One place that I often shop for baby clothing is George at Asda. I have brought all three of my children's vests and babygrows from here. My eldest wore a George babygrow when she was first born 12 years ago. Since then I have stuck with them for all three children as they are the best around in my opinion, as they are super soft and wash well. I sound like such a mum saying that, don't I.

So when I was sent the challenge of dressing Jacob in George baby clothes for a week for the #WBabyWT ( What baby wore today ), showcasing the cute little outfits they have I was well up for the challenge. Firstly I could not believe how much we managed to get as the clothes were such fantastic value. We got a short and shirt set, joggers and t-shirt set, dungarees set with t-shirt and socks, a romper suit, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 t-shirts, a hoody and two pairs of pyjamas for the bargain price of £44. There were enough clothes to last a week as well as the two pairs of pyjamas.

We Are Vital Baby #WeaningWarriors

If you are a regular reader you may have noticed the new badge on my sidebar that says we are Vital baby #WeaningWarriors. I am really excited to be working on this new campaign as I have absolutely loved weaning Jacob. Now that he has just turned 11 months old we are moving him onto family foods and encouraging independent eating, but I am looking forward to sharing how his weaning journey started and how he is getting on. 

As part of my role as a #WeaningWarrior I will be bringing you posts on how we have found weaning, some of our favourite weaning recipes, top tips that I have discovered for weaning and a review of the new weaning products that Vital baby has just brought out to celebrate their 10th birthday.

Don't Fear The Mess With Pampers Baby Wipes

Being a mum of three and having two young children only 14 months apart (I have a 2-year-old and 11-month-old and also a 12-year-old) means that I am used to the mess that baby's and children can bring. My baby boy Jacob loves to be sick, have nappy explosions, wee everywhere as soon as his nappy is removed and cover himself and everyone else in food at meal times. And my toddler Sophia is even worse for mess she gets food everywhere when eating, and she loves to be creative and colour herself as well as her picture in with pens and paint. 

Baby wipes have been my saviour these last two years, I clean a lot of little bottoms having two little ones in nappies. But Baby wipes are not just great for nappy changes they get used for everything in this household, such as cleaning sticky hands and faces, cleaning the mess of the highchair /wall/ floor and even myself, getting pen off my wallpaper, the list goes on as they have endless uses. And they are also rather brilliant at doing what they are meant to do and cleaning little one's bottoms.