/

Monday 29 February 2016

EcoEgg **REVIEW**

As a family of 4 which include to children who are seemingly dirt magnets our washing machine seems to be forever running! So when I heard about a product that could save us money, eliminate the need for chemicals and washing detergents I was excited to give it a go.

That product is the EcoEgg, a complete replacement for any washing detergent!


The EcoEgg is easy to use and inside the box you will find some easy to follow instructions which show you how to open your EcoEgg, fill it with the mineral and tourmaline pellets provided and also how to refill your egg when needed.



The laundry EcoEgg is available is 3 sizes 54 washes (£7.99), 210 washes (£9.99) and 720 washes (£19.99). I think the prices are fantastic especially when you consider just how much we spend each week/month on laundry detergent which the EcoEgg completely replaces the need for.

To use the egg you just fill it as shown in the instruction manual and then place inside the washing machine with each use. No need to scoop, measure or mess around measuring out detergents etc ad the egg just goes inside the drum with your washing. The EcoEgg does need to be removed in between washes to preserve the life of the pellets inside. 



Supported by Allergy UK and the National Eczema Society, the Laundry Egg is dermatologically tested and perfect for even the most sensitive skin whilst still providing the same great cleaning power as other detergents. 

I was skeptical at how the EcoEgg would fare against some of our childrens clothes as they often end the day looking like they have taken part in an all day food fight! However the EcoEgg took on the challenge and won! Ok so some of the tougher stains remained however these would have remained using my regular detergent and once I added some stain remover to the wash with the EcoEgg these disappeared too. I can't believe I hadn't discovered the EcoEgg before and I have definitely been converted, it will save us so much money too. 

Although you don't need to use fabric softener with the EcoEgg I found that as the egg isn't heavily scented my washing didn't have much of a scent which I quite like my washing to have to I opted to add a splash of fabric softener in my wash. You could also use a few drops of essential oils if you wanted to avoid using a fabric softener.

How would you like the chance to try out the EcoEgg for yourself? If you do then why not enter our giveaway below to get your hands on your very own 210 wash EcoEgg in the Spring Blossom scent.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway is open to UK residents only. Prize will be sent directly from EcoEgg and therefore I can take no responsibility for its arrival. One winner will be selected at random using the rafflecopter app and will be emailed directly by myself.

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Sunday 28 February 2016

Run-Along Twirlywoo **REVIEW**

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook it will come as no surprise when I mention that Evelyn is a huge fan of the Twirlywoos. Its her favourite program and she gets so excited whenever she hears the theme song coming on the TV.


We have serveral Twirlywoo teddies that Evelyn takes everywhere so when we were given the opportunity to try out the new Run-Along Twirlywoo I jumped at the chance, knowing Evelyn's little face would be a picture receiving it and I wasn't wrong!
Upon opening the box there was feet stomping, squealing, laughter and lots of smiling when she realised it was a Twirlywoo in the box, the squealing got louder when she realised this Twirlywoo moved!


If you have ever watched the Twirlywoos you will have seen them dashing around with their rather cute and funny run which involves the Twirlywoos throwing their arms behind their backs. Its this cute run that the new toy Golden Bear toy focuses on and Evelyn has had lots of fun recreating with her very own run-along Twirlywoo.


The run-along twirlywoo is easy to use, you simply push gently on the hand which makes the Twirlywoo make a noise and begin running. I love that it is so easy to activate and use as it means even Evelyn who is 20 months is able to use it herself.
The Twirlywoo itself is brightly coloured and well made, its looks and feels sturdy and durable which is always a plus point for us as Evelyn can often get a little carried away when playing, The toy feels very soft too.


Both Evelyn and James found it hilarious to watch the Twirlywoo scuttle across the floor with its signature run and sounds. Our run-along Twirlywoo was able to run on any surface we placed it including the tiled kitchen floor, on carpet and even outdoors with ease although we found the smoother surfaces the best.

Each Twirlywoo is available in the run-along variety with each having its own unique sounds. The run-along Twirlywoo is available to purchase from Argos and is priced at £19.99, which we thought was a very fair price for an electronic toy that is well made and durable.

Check out the full range of Twirlywoo products including the run-along Twirlywoo on the Golden Bear website here - www.goldenbeartoys.com.

Do your children love the Twirlywoos? Which one is their favourite?

xXx



**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Thursday 25 February 2016

Exploring the Caves at Wookey Hole! *REVIEW**

Last weekend we took James and Evelyn for a day out to Wookey Hole Caves. Located in Somerset in the South of England are Wookey Hole Caves a fantastic family day. 

Here you can visit the Wookey Hole caves and find out all about the history of these magical caves and caverns but that isn't where the fun ends. There is so much more to do at Wookey Hole including exploring the fairy and dinosaur gardens, mini pirate golf, paper making, penny arcades, mirror mazes, fantastic circus show, diving and paper mill museum and much more! 


We started our day out at the caves, the ques were relatively long but went down quickly meaning waiting time was minimal and a lot of the queuing area is undercover which was great for us as it was raining when we arrived.

Saturday 13 February 2016

Toddler Valentines Day Crafts!

As I have had both kids home this week for half term we decided to have a go at some toddler/child friendly valentines craft ideas. All of the below we attempted ourselves and they were all simple to do. Some were quite messy so be prepared for some mess and perhaps lay an old sheet or plenty of newspaper down before hand.

Here are some of the valentines crafts we had a go at this week -

Love Bug Valentines cards


These were really simple to make just paint most of the foot red and leave the heel of the foot, paint the heel of the foot black for the bugs head. Carefully place your childs foot on to the card and hold for a few seconds. For smaller children an adult can add in the legs and eyes etc, older children can do this themselves. Then just add your message on to the back. 


Valentines heart shaped cookies


If your kids love baking then they will love making these simple cookies (I used a basic shortbread recipe). Let them get their hands messy helping mix the biscuit dough and then once baked and cooled let them decorate. We used a basic red icing and then the kids went wild with the sprinkles and decorations!

"Love" Canvas picture


This is a lovely idea that can be displayed all year around. We purchased a basic canvas and I painted on the L and E. I thought it would be a lovely idea to have both kids involved in the same picture so James provide the hand print O and Evelyn's feet provided the V. It was really simple to do once you can get the kids to stay still (I would recommend purchasing a back up canvas lol!). We added some glitter to the paint whilst it was still a little wet for an added sparkle. 


Do you have any fun Valentines themed crafts you do with your toddler/children? I would to hear your ideas! 

xXx

Wednesday 10 February 2016

January 2016 Degustabox **REVIEW**

Do you love surprises, food and drink or trying new things? If you answered yes to any of the above then the Degustabox could be for you! 

Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box priced at just £12.99 per month which includes postage to your door (You will even get a text detailing an hour time slot for your delivery!). Each month your box will contain a combination of food and drinks from new and old brands that you may or may not of heard of before. Its always a little exciting to discover what is in your box each month. 

Here is what what is our January box this month - 

  • Clarks carob fruit syrup - RRP £2.39
  • Yushoi - RRP £2.00 (Box also contains a voucher for a free pack of these at a list of stores) 
  • Finn Crisp original crispbread - RRP £1.20
  • Coldpress golden delicious - RRP £1.40 
  • Crobar - RRP £2.25
  • Conscious chocolate - RRP £3.00
  • Tsingtao - RRP £2.00
  • Amoy taste of Asia cooking sauce x2 - RRP £1.79 each
  • Jordans country crisp cereal - RRP £2.69 (Box also includes a £1 voucher off your next purchase of this cereal range!) 
  • Slim Noodles - RRP £2.49
As you can see the box offered a good range of products this month and the RRP prices of each product far outweighs the price you pay for the box. 

My favourite product in the box this month had to be the Coldpress golden delicious apple juice it was crisp and freshing with a real burst of flavour, its something I will certainly be keeping an eye out for when I am shopping. 

The Yushoi rice sticks were a new brand to me and a product I hadn't heard of before but they were something we all enjoyed. The flavour wasn't to over powering and these make a great alternative to crisps for a healthier snack. 

Do you fancy trying out Degustabox for yourself? You can use the code BLDEG15 to get £6 OFF your first box making your first box just £6.99! To find out more or purchase a Degustabox simply visit their website here - www.degustabox.com.

xXx


Monday 8 February 2016

Colours Colours Everywhere book **REVIEW**

Evelyn adores books and whilst she can't read herself, yet reading is something we have done together for quite some time now. However, she does like to browse books herself and so we are always on the lookout for bright simple board books that she can look at herself.

We were recently given the opportunity to try out a new book called "Colours Colours Everywhere" which is illustrated by Samantha Meredith and is packed full of beautiful colour images. I knew Evelyn would love this and we eagerly awaiting the books arrival.


When it arrived, the book was an instant hit with Evelyn! The thick board pages are perfect for her as she can be quite rough, and these don't rip or tear when she turns the pages. The colours pop out of the book right from the front page which make the book really eye catching especially for young children.

Each page inside the book features a different colour and a whole range or corresponding objects and animals that match that colour. Evelyn is now talking with single words and loved being able to point out each object/animal and learn its name then repeat it back to us. The book also features some raised 3D pieces to which children can run their fingers over and feel the raised shapes which Evelyn enjoyed.



Colours Colours Everywhere is aimed at children aged 0-3 years and is priced at £8.99 which we think is great value. The book is sturdy and strong to withstand lots of toddler reading. The colours are bright and really pop out of the book. There are not many words in the book which again make it great for toddlers who may wish to look at books themselves. This book helps children discover the wonders of the rainbow through fun pictures and short simple rhymes and gets a big thumbs up from myself and Evelyn.

If you want to check out this book a little more or purchase your own copy you can do so via the Little Tiger website here - www.littletiger.co.uk.

Do your young children like books too or do you read together?

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Sunday 7 February 2016

Tiger Prints T-Shirt **REVIEW**

Tiger Prints is a new family run online clothing brand who specialise in fun, bright and quirky clothing for kids, adults and even babies!
Tiger prints was set up by Mary a fellow blogger. Tiger Prints was inspired by Mary who became fed-up with fast-fashion and mass-produced kids clothing covered in Minecraft and Disney designs. She wanted to create a line of good-quality, fun children’s tops which are lovingly designed and hand-printed in the UK and that is how Tiger Prints came about! 

James was given the choice of t-shirts from the range and there are so many great designs it took him some time to decide! He eventually decided on this T-Rex dinosaur skeleton T-shirt in black with glow in the dark detail. 



Delivery was quick and I received an email confirmation to confirm all of my details were correct which was great for double checking size etc. 
When the t-shirt arrived James was so excited he wanted to wear it straight away! The material felt really soft and the design transfer was perfect, no mistakes, cracks or imperfections. This t-shirt is made from 100% cotton and is available in sizes 2-3 up to 12-13 in the children's range but it is also available to purchase in adult sizes too. 



James is 6 but quite tall so I ordered the 7-8 and this fit him really well as you can see the length was just right and the length on the arms were good too. I would say if your child is between sizes or tall like James then definitely go up a size. 



This T-shirt is priced at just £12 which I thought was a fair price and James loves it which says it all for me. He loves the glow in the dark element to it which I thought was a lovely touch and really unique. James has already decided this will be the t-shirt for his next school disco as it will really show up the glow in the dark. 

If you want to find out more about Tiger Prints or view their full name of clothing check out the website here - www.tigerprints.co.uk.

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 

All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Wednesday 3 February 2016

Weaning Memories with HiPP #MilkMoments

Both Evelyn and James are little food monsters now but I still remember the weaning stage with the both, so when I was recently asked by HiPP to share my weaning memories I was excited to recall my memories.

Weaning with both James and Evelyn could be described in one word and that is "Messy" but it was also an enjoyable time. We went with the motto of "Food is fun until their 1" and tried to approach weaning in a fun and relaxed manor which seemed to work for us all.

 ( Lunch time! James and Evelyn enjoying lunch, James is 5 now but still enjoys all kinds of foods and eating lunch with his sister! )

With James we used more purees and blended foods which went well but it did take a little longer for us to then transition on to more solid foods. When Evelyn came along I opted to do the baby led weaning route and we started on solid foods such as scrambled egg and soft bits of carrot, banana and she loved toast fingers. Weaning was one of this big milestones that makes lots of mums nervous as before this baby has been getting all of their nourishment for milk be that breast or formula. Now suddenly it is down to us to provide some of that nourishment through food.


A lot of the purees you can purchase come with added vitamins and minerals which did put my mind at ease a little with James. With Evelyn we were doing BLW which often left me worried that she wasn't getting all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients her body perhaps required as she would often leave food or only try little bits of what I gave her. That was when I discovered follow on milk!

Follow on milks are designed to complement the weaning diet while your baby is getting used to a variety of different tastes and textures.  They are higher in iron and vitamin D than standard infant formulas which can really be a help if baby is not eating many iron-containing foods and is therefore at greater risk of iron deficiency, and to help protect baby against becoming vitamin D deficient.

If you have been or are breast feeding but are considering using a follow on milk to replace or compliment food and breastfeeding HiPP organic have been researching breastmilk for over 50 years so you can rely on them to include the ingredients your baby needs to grow strong and healthy. HiPP Organic Follow-on-Milk includes the essential ingredients your baby needs including iron for cognitive development, vitamins A, C and D for the immune system and  PRÆBIOTIK® a source of allgosaccharldes

As a mum myself I often look for the advice and guidance of other mums and 10/10 mums who tried HiPP organic follow on milk with their babies said they seemed happier which is extremely encouraging. 

If you are about to start weaning or want to give HiPP organic follow on milk a try for yourself why not enter our giveaway below to win a HiPP organic follow on milk hamper!
The hamper will include a tin of HiPP follow on milk, a storage tin with handy scoop and scoop leveler to ensure you are getting the correct measurements, a selection of weaning food goodies 6m+ and a cuddly toy for baby!
Enter here -

a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway is open to UK residents only. All entries will be verified and any entries seen to be false or incomplete will be disqualified. Prize will be sent from company/pr directly and I cannot take responsibility for the arrival of this prize.  

The Department of Health recommends that you breastfeed your baby exclusively for the first six months of their life; at around six months you can start to wean them on to solids and start to combine breastfeeding with bottle feeding. HiPP Organic understands that all babies are different and some mums might want to transfer to bottle feeding earlier than others. HiPP Organic would always advise that you speak to your midwife or health visitor before changing your feeding method. For more information on milks, please visit the HiPP Organic Website http://www.hipp.co.uk/milks-important-notice.

** this post was written in collaboration with HiPP organic.