Anywayup cups - they really are leak proof!!

Im very excited about a product that I have been sent by www.habermanproducts.com. Its the Big Suck cup which is from the range of Anywayup cups. There are a whole range of cups for different age groups. This one is 12+ months but they do start from 6+ months and go all the way up to 24+ months. They are all brightly coloured so the kids love them. BoyG has been desperate to try this beaker for me but at 3 and a half years I think he may be a tad too big for a beaker :0)

We can't try this one yet as BabyG is only 4 months old, but BoyG did have a couple of the 6 month plus cups when he was smaller and they were fab! They really don't leak! I was so disappointed when I couldn't find them anymore in the shops but they are now available again! You can now buy then from www.anywayup.com so I will definitly be ordering some soon!

Hasbro Toy Review - Tickle Me Elmo

I have been sent a Tickle Me Elmo toy from Hasbro toys. First impressions.... He is soooo cute!!! I wanted to play with him!!

Elmo still in his box

BoyG managed to prise Elmo away from me so that he could have a go. The first thing he did was give Elmo a huge cuddle. Then he realised he could tickle him and make him laugh - he thought that was great! BoyG has played with Elmo so much, and he likes to give him loads of cuddles. 

BoyG cuddling Elmo

 



BoyG giving Elmo a good tickle!

We showed the Tickle Me Elmo toy to BabyG and he was smiling lots. BabyG isn't quite old enough for this toy yet as it is marketed as for ages 12 months plus, and he is only 16 weeks old at the moment. Although he did have fun and it did make him smile, he will enjoy it even more when he is a little older. 

BabyG's turn to have a cuddle

 

Grandma and BabyG playing with Elmo

Its such a great toy. Elmo is very soft, and a nice eye catching bright red colour. You can squeeze his tummy or feet to tickle him and he has a few different laughs. He is easy to use, and little fingers can make him laugh easily. Elmo has got such a contagious laugh - I challenge you to keep a straight face with Elmo laughing and making your children laugh!

Thanks again Hasbro for another great toy!

Its starting to look a lot like Christmas.... Getting ready for the big day!

We have been getting ready for Christmas!! I'm afraid that when it comes to Christmas, I am the biggest kid in our house!! DaddyG has been working lots, and BabyG can't really do too much this year, so that just leaves me and BoyG to get on with preparations for the big day.

We went to stay with Nanny and Grandad for a few days, and Grandad took us to a huge shopping center for some Christmas shopping. We didn't get much shopping done but BoyG did get to ride around the shopping centre on a train! We also bumped into a couple of Star Wars Storm Troopers while we were there. They were wandering around with Darth Vader!! BoyG loved seeing them and was all excited about telling DaddyG about them.

MummyG, BoyG and the Storm Troopers!!

We were also able to meet Father Christmas!!!! Before we could go through to see the main man himself, we got to watch a lovely little film in 3D. We saw The Night Before Christmas. This is the closest BoyG has come to the cinema and he sat there in wonder, ducking out of the way of the 3D snowflakes coming out of the screen at us!

MummyG and BoyG in cool 3D glasses

Looking like a cool dude in the 3D glasses!

Back at home, we had another Christmas adventure when we went into town to see the Coca Cola Christmas truck! BoyG thought it was fantastic to see this big red lorry although he didn't really know about it as he hasn't seen the adverts before. He thought it was great that they gave him a mini can of coke. It made him feel very grown up as he is not usually allowed that kind of thing! The bit that he was most impressed with was the small carousel. He was asking for so long if he could have a go on it! We finally finished looking at the lorry so he was able to go on the carousel at last!

A happy BoyG on the carousel!

We got our tree out and BoyG helped me put it up while DaddyG was at work one day. BoyG put all the baubles on, including some yummy Spiderman chocolate baubles, and the Mickey Mouse candy canes. I had to put the star on the top but it was the one that BoyG had picked out - A bright sparkly red one (His favourite colour)!

Decorating the tree

Hanging the baubles on the tree

Stirring the Christmas cake

BoyG even helped me make the Christmas Cake. He put all the ingredients in for me and stirred it all very well. He is a great helper in the kitchen!

All very hard work for a 3 year old so he needed a well earned rest - and a hot chocolate with marshmallows!!

Hot chocolate and marshmallows!

Chia Bia Seeds

I have been sent some Chia Bia seeds to try. The seeds are very high in OMEGA 3, fibre, protein and antioxidants. They are said to have several benefits, like being good for your skin, helping with weight loss, giving you more energy, and more. I am currently trialing the seeds for Chia Bia as I have got Psoriasis and I and currently doing Slimming World, trying to loose some baby weight. I have been using the seeds for a few weeks now. I haven't really noticed any change to my skin yet, but it has only been a few weeks. The seeds could still help to make a difference. I have lost 11lbs so far in three weeks. This does seem like a lot to loose in just a few weeks, so this could have been helped by the seeds but obviously I can't say for certain if it was the seeds or not. I have had more energy as well. This may also be down to using the seeds.

I have been sent whole seeds, milled seeds, and milled seeds with blueberry. You can have the seeds simply in yogurt or mixed in with your salad, or you can actually incorporate the seeds into cooking. There are some great recipes on the Chia Bia website, along with some further info on the history of the seeds, how and what they can be used for. You can purchase the seeds on the Chia Bia website.

Book Review - Count To 10 With A Mouse

I have been sent another book to review by Parragon Books. I got BabyG in his cot, then got BoyG bathed and in his pjs then BoyG and I snuggled on the sofa for a story. I love that time of day, just before bed, when we have some real quality time together.

This book is called Count To 10 With A Mouse. It is written by Margaret Wise Brown and beautifully illustrated by Kirsten Richards. Its a lovely story about a cute little mouse that is learning to count as he travels through a hole in his book, counting on each page as he goes.

It was good to read this with BoyG as he is getting very good at counting, and he is starting to recognise numbers when they are written down. This book will be a great help with BoyG's counting.

Thank you Parragon for another great book.

Stir Up Sunday - Fortnum & Mason Come To Longstowe!



The pudding kit

 I was very kindly sent a Christmas pudding set by Fortnum & Mason. I usually make my own Christmas pudding so I thought it would be good to see how a kit compares to weighing everything out yourself.

My Mum is a food blogger and she was also sent one of these sets. So we thought we would make a family day of it! My Mum's blog is heidirobertskitchentalk.blogspot.com



The ingredients from the kit



My Mum and I travelled to my Dad and Step-Mum in Longstowe. I took the boys with me and we all had a lovely time!

First I'll write about the kit....



Lucky charm and sixpence



It comes with pretty much all you need. The ingredients are all weighed for you, you get a pudding bowl in there, a sixpence and lucky charm to put in the pudding, and you even get the greaseproof paper and the string!! All we needed was a lemon, some brandy, and eggs. Mum brought the lemon and brandy and we got the eggs from the chickens at my Dad and Step-Mum's house (This is why BoyG calls them Grandma and Grandad Chicken!).

Freshly squeezed lemon juice for the pudding

I mixed my pudding together then Mum did hers. We made sure everyone had a good stir of each pudding!



Grandad stirring the pudding

 The kits were so easy to use. It was great not having to weigh anything. And the pudding bowls in the packs were very nice, printed with 'Fortnum and Mason' on them. We cooked the puddings at the same time, and they smelled delicious! I can't wait until Christmas day so we can eat them!!

While Mum and I were making puddings, Grandma and BoyG were busy making mince pies and chocolate cake! BoyG was wearing my Grandad's old apron and he enjoyed tasting the mix to 'check it was OK'!

BabyG played with his toys in the living room while we all cooked, and Grandad did all the dishes :0)

 



Checking its ok





Grandma and BoyG



The finished pudding





Mum making her pudding



We had a lovely day baking together. I will be looking for one of these kits next year and hopefully we can all get together to do it again.





Play Doh Sweet Shoppe

Hasbro have very kindly sent me the Play Doh Sweet Shoppe to review with BoyG. He is very creative and this was brilliant for him as it's not just Play Doh, but it's also got lots of bits for busy little hands to push, squish, and wind levers. It managed to hold BoyG's attention or at least an hour and a half in one go - it has been a while since I could find anything that would keep him interested for that long!

He was so excited when he saw the box. Coincidently, we had had to throw his old Play Doh away the previous day as it had gotten a little too used and grubby so I had promised him I would get him some more. The next day, the Sweet Shoppe arrived!!



The age range on the box says 3 years plus. I was a little sceptical that it might be too hard but actually he was fine. He squidged the Play Doh into the syringe to make long bits, and he found it easy enough to use the molds and push down the lever to press the Play Doh into shapes. But his favourite bit by far was winding the handle to make little Play Doh balls. He did that bit again and again and again.







The toy came in several parts but was easy enough to assemble. I had to ask DaddyG for help but BoyG kept telling me how to do it!
It was easy to take apart when we had finished, with no mess, so that we were able to store it neatly in the box for next time.

 

BoyG's and my creations

I have always wondered about buying the toys like this that have Play Doh in as I thought it would mean lots of mess, and spending money on something that BoyG would use for 5 minutes and walk away, but I would buy this type of thing in the future after seeing how much BoyG got out of it.
I was sent this toy by Hasbro but it is available to buy in toy stores or by using this link to the Hasbro site.

Thank you again Hasbro for a lovely toy. It was great to have something creative to do with BoyG.

Chad Valley App

In this day, children are so good with technology, I think they can do more than their parents! BoyG often sits and plays with DaddyG's ipad.

I downloaded a free app onto DaddyG's ipad for BoyG to play with, called Chad Valley Playtime. There is also a paid version which is £1.99. We had a go with the free version. It was really good and kept BoyG occupied for ages. He loved it so much that I eventually gave in and got the extended version.

This app has all the things BoyG loves but all in one app. It has puzzles with a choice of levels, there are colouring pages, a maze game and lots more. Definitly worth a look if your little one is always after the ipad, even if you just go with the free version, which does have a lot of features.

Its user friendly, and once I had gone through it with BoyG, he was able to sit alone with it. He loves the colouring and the puzzles. He also likes the dress up part and the maze game where the mouse has to get all the cheeses before the cat catches him. Its very addictive. For him and for me!!

I was told about the app by Parragon Books, but it is available to buy here; http://bit.ly/CVPlaytime and if you want to have a quick look, you can preview the app on YouTube; http://youtu.be/ubwvVgfN5ul .

 

Book Review - Scaredy Boo!



Front cover of the book

BoyG having a look

BoyG loves having a story before he goes to sleep. I enjoy reading with him as its usually once BabyG is in bed so we get to spend some real quality time together.

I have kindly been sent a book to review from Parragon Books. Its a picture book for children. It is called Scaredy Boo! and is written by Claire Freedman and illustrated by Russell Julian.

I really enjoyed reading this with BoyG tonight and he sat quietly throughout the whole story (very rare indeed!).



BoyG's favourite page

  

This is a story about a little monster named Boo who lives under a bed and is afraid of everything and everyone - even his own shadow! This is until he starts to play with Spike and the other monsters and go exploring. Scaredy Boo! is written in rhyming verse and it is beautifully illustrated with brightly coloured pages. This is definitly a new favourite of ours!

Boo and Spike

This book is available in book stores, the cover price is £5.99 but I was kindly sent a copy by Parragon.





My little fighter battles again!

Well... What a day!!!

Little BabyG has been a bit poorly lately with a cough and cold. We have had a bad couple of nights, and he has been hard to settle. He has been very sleepy as well. This is what rang alarm bells with me as that is what would happen if his heart wasn't doing what it should be, like before.

I was unsure if it was anything serious. I thought maybe it was just because he had a cold. That always knocks me out when I am ill!

Luckily I thought to send a text to the doctor who I have mentioned in a previous blog. She helped to save BabyG when he was poorly with his heart and I have stayed in contact with her. So I text this morning asking for advice, thinking she would say it sounds fine. She told me to take the baby to a and e so he could get checked as it could be more serious. This lady is wonderful. She is an amazing person, and has helped Riley so much before. So if she says take him then I take him!

I dropped BoyG off at my neighbours and I drove straight to hospital. BabyG and I sat in a and e for hours, we saw a nurse, a doctor and a paediatrician. BabyG was diagnosed with Bronchialitis. As if he hasn't had enough to deal with already, poor little boy!

So much for the doctor telling me a few days ago 'Its just a cough. No need to worry'.

We are now on a ward full of babies who all have the same thing. Breathing is hard work for BabyG. He is mostly managing when he is awake but when he is sleeping he needs a bit of help with some oxygen. He has had an inhaler which seems to have stopped him coughing as much. They are expecting him to get worse before he gets better but BabyG has already proved to be such a brave little fighter so I have every confidence he will come through this quickly.

Get well wishes for my precious little boy please! Lots of prayers for a speedy recovery!

Slow Cooker Sunday

Here is one of my favourites for the slow cooker - Chilli!!

I had never made this before until BoyGs Birthday this year where I made it for 20 people! Now I make it quite often for just the 3 of us (BabyG doesn't have dinners yet!). It's one of DaddyG's favourites. BoyG doesn't love it but he doesn't love anything with crunchy bits (thats vegetables to you and I!) but its good for him so he gets it anyway!

This time it was just me and DaddyG having dinner as BoyG had been out at his friend's for tea so I was able to make it fairly spicy! It was delicious! It fits perfecty into my diet, and there was enough that I could have some the following day as well.

Very simple-

Brown the minced beef and put it into the slow cooker. Fry some red pepper, onion and garlic and add to the cooker. Throw in some tinned tomatoes, kidney beans, and spices and your away! Yummy!

Swimming Lessons!

BoyG has started swimming lessons at Birch Farm. We told him he was going to go, and bought him a swimming bag. He was so excited!! The first thing he said to me this morning was "Is it my swimming lessons today?". We had a little bit of confusion with his trunks or trunk.... BoyG told me very seriously that we need to go and buy him a trunk. I explained that he had got swimming trunks already and that I would make sure we took them with us. He shouted at me as if I was stupid, and said "I didn't say trunks I said trunk!!!!'. I tried to explain that it was swimming trunks.... He was covering his eyes and I figured out what he meant when he said trunk... "Sweetie do you mean goggles...?". He nodded at me as I finally understood what he meant. I went on to explain that he didn't have any but that he didn't need them yet!

He was still excited despite not having a 'trunk'. So we set off for the pool....

Well he howled for half an hour and didn't relax at all!! DaddyG and I could hear him from behind a glass window!

When BoyG came out of the pool I asked if he liked his lesson. He replied 'No!'. I asked why he didn't like it.... He burst into tears and sobbed 'Pos I thought I was having a truuuunnnnkkkk!!!!'

We will have to buy a pair of goggles before next Wednesday I think!! Fingers crossed he likes it a little bit more next week.....

Silent Sunday

Slow cooker sunday

I needed something quick and easy for tonights dinner as I was out all day with the boys. I also needed something a fussy 3 year old BoyG would eat....

I used a piece of gammon, some potatoes, apple, onion, garlic and peas. I added a vegetable stock cube, a bay leaf, some water and some ground black pepper. The slow cooker was set on high and I went out for the day.....

I came home after a busy day to a house that smelled divine!! The gammon just fell apart when I took it out of the pot. I served it with some carrots.

And the best part of it.... BoyG ate the lot!! Nice healthy dinner and a full up boy. Can't beat that can you?!

A day out at Birch Farm

BoyG has been a good boy and has been getting lots of stickers on his chart. So as promised, we went to Birch Farm. We met some friends there with their children and ended up staying there all day.

The children are kept busy, with a bouncy castle, lots of toys, a big caterpillar tunnel, two big slides, a ball pit and play houses.

There is an area for small children and babies. BabyG was happy to use a bouncy chair from the little area. He sat and watched the bigger children play.

Mummies are also kept happy with coffees, teas, lunches and cakes! They have lovely home made food and lots of choice.

We stayed for lunch and I had taken a cake with me so we all had some yummy beetroot & chocolate cake.

There is also a swimming pool there but we didnt swim today. We have done before, and BoyG will shortly be starting swimming lessons there.

BoyG was suitably worn out and promptly fell asleep in the car on the way home! He really enjoyed himself. If he gets all his stickers this week he will get to go again next Friday!