Mummy & Me - June

I can't believe it's been another month! We didn't take many photo's of the two of us in June, which is a first but this is probably the best out of the bunch! It was just a quick candid shot where Noah had sneaked his dodo in and I was giving him a big squishy nosed kiss! Mwah!

Fruit Bowl Snacks - Review & Competition

We all know that toddlers love to snack and how important it is for them to do so a long with their three set meals a day. Snack time is an important time in our house and over the past few years Noah's tried so many different types and brands of snacks. Although he isn't picky with what he eats there are a few brands which are his favourite, Fruit Bowl being one of those.

I was recently asked if Noah would like to review some of their snacks and with them already being a firm favourit I was more than happy to accept. We were sent 4 multi packs of Raspberry, Mango, Blackcurrant and Strawberry Fruit Flakes and 2 multi packs of their new Fruit Peelers in Blackcurrant and Strawberry flavour. 

Prior to this review Noah has only tried their yogurt coated fruit flakes so both the Fruit Flakes and Fruit Peelers were new to him. When they arrived he recognised the Fruit Bowl logo straight away and literally wanted to try them all at once. Both the Fruit Flakes and Peelers have been popular with him but he's fond of the Raspberry Flakes in particular and always seemed to go for those first. We've found both to be the perfect mid morning or mid afternoon snack and they are also ideal for packing for on the go.

For some (fortunately not for us) getting fruit into your diet can be difficult. In fact, research shows that over 30 million adults don’t eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables each day and most worryingly nearly two-thirds of children (63 per cent) don’t get the optimum amount of fruit and veg in their diets. To help make eating fruit a much more fun and appealing snacking option, Fruit Bowl has created a range of tasty fruit treats that provide a great way to help you reach your five a day. The Fruit Bowl range provides a variety of irresistibly tasty and fun to eat fruit snacks to munch between meals or curb after school tummy rumblings. They’re made with real fruit in fact, Fruit Bowl Fruit Peelers are so fruity they even count as one of your 5 a day, plus there’s no added sugar.  

All Fruit Bowl fruit snacks are gluten free and suitable for vegetarians. A great addition to lunchboxes they can also be added to your favourite baking recipes or sprinkled on top of breakfast cereals and desserts as a delicious treat. Prices start at £2.00 per multi pack and you can purchase Fruit Bowl products from Tesco, Asda and other supermarkets.

How would you like to win everything you can see in the photo above? x24 bags of Fruit Flakes and x8 Fruit Peelers? To enter all you need to do is use the Gleam form below. Good luck and don't forget to enter my other blog competitions!

Fruit Bowl Snacks

Terms & Conditions.                                                                                                 
1. There will be 1 winner who will win the prize mentioned above.
2. Prize supplied directly from the PR. 
3. Competition ends 01/08/16 
4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified. 
5. UK entries only.

Top 5 Summer Favourites

Believe it or not, we are now in Summer! We've not seen much sun yet here in Lancashire but fortunately, we were lucky enough to go to Majorca last month where we did get to enjoy some rays. It's amazing what a bit of sun can do for your mood and I always feel like it does the world of good. With this in mind and with the rain currently pattering on my windows I thought I would put together a post all about my Summer Wishlist in the hopes that it will coax the sun back out of hiding.

1. Tropical Print Pleat Midi - £55.00
You can't beat a bold and bright dress in the warmer months and this sleek number from Oasis just screams Summer to me. It's one of those dresses which can easily be styled for evening wear and just as easily for daytime too. I adore the tropical feel of the print and I also like the delicate pleating and belt detail.

2. OPI Live Love Carnival - £12.50
When you go all out in a nice new dress you need to go all out with the nails too! Splurging out on a bit of OPI does just that and I'm loving all the coral shades at the moment cause not only are they bang on trend but they also go with pretty much everything too! 

3. Gabor Karen Wedges - £85.00 

I've fallen head over heels with these women sandals as again just like the dress they could be worn during the day or on a night out too. I adore the straw effect heel and also like the fact that they aren't too high. The leather insoles can ensure maximum comfort too and that's just what I need! 

4. Jean Paul Gaultier Perfume - £25.50
I'm big on perfume and this scent from Jean Paul Gaultier is a new favourite of mine. It's quite a feminine and sensual scent with top notes of orange, pear and rose and base notes of musk and vanilla. It seems to lift my mood whenever I wear it and with the scent being quite delicate it's the perfect perfume for Summer.

5. Gold Straw Shopper - £22.00
Last but not least this gorgeous tote bag is on my to buy list as I'm partial to a little bit of gold in my accessories. I don't think I'd team it with the dress on the wishlist but I really have to get my hands on it because it would go with so much I have already! 

Do any of these items take your fancy?

- This is a PR collaboration. 

My Sunday Photo - 26/52

Project 365 - Week 25

19th June - 25th June

19/06/16

20/06/16

21/06/16

22/06/16

23/06/16

24/06/16

25/06/16

This week has been a funny old week. We started it off with a bang on Sunday as I'd won a night away at The Inn on the Lake in the Lake District. I decided to use it as a 30th birthday and Fathers Day treat for Nick and I'm so glad we did. Included in our stay was not just the 4 star accommodation which was absolutely beautiful but also tea and scones on arrival, a three course al a carte meal and a full Cumbrian breakfast in the morning. It was incredible, we had such a great time and it was just really nice to have that one on one time too whilst Noah spent the night at my Mum's. The rest of the week went by in a blur and we didn't really do much really despite the usual, visiting family, playing outside, shopping and what not! Life of riley!

What have you been up to this week?

Noah's latest obsession

Noah is now two and a half and over the past few years and months he's had so many different obsessions and favourite characters. It's almost hard to keep up with them all and it's always interesting to see where his attention will move to next.

First we had Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Peppa Pig. Every morning without fail we'd be up and dancing to The Hot Dog song with Mickey, Goofy and Donald. Or we'd be marching with Jake and the other pirates, yo ho ho! If we weren't dancing or marching I'd be cowering in a corner whilst Noah delighted in the horror that is Peppa Pig! Thankfully that obsession didn't last too long! Yay!

Then we had the longest obsession to date, Toy Story! Everyday without fail he would have to watch the film and would even act out his favourite parts. He would also cry when Buzz realised he was just a toy, try to fly and break his arm which broke my heart the first time he did it. In the end I think I knew all the words to all three films and no parent should ever have to admit that one! But recently Woody and Buzz have been deserted and Noah has diverted his attention elsewhere...

It's now all about the Superheroes! Noah can't say his own name yet but he can name all of the Avengers, perhaps we should rename him Iron Man?! I thought I'd have a little while longer until we got into this phase but it's here and for now I'll have to pretend I really enjoy running around the garden pretending to be Thor whilst being "hulk smashed" by my two year old! The things we do for our kids!

What is your little one obsessed with lately?

3 things you need to know about becoming a landlord

Whether you’re starting out as a buy to let investor or you’ve decided to rent out a property for other reasons, there are certain things you’ll need to know. As a landlord, you’ll have specific responsibilities - and there are a range of pitfalls to avoid too. It’s important to make sure you understand these before you welcome your first tenants. To help you get clued up, here are three important points to bear in mind.

1. You have to make sure your property is safe
Perhaps your most fundamental obligation as a landlord is to ensure that your rental property is safe for people to live in. As part of this, you’ll have to make sure all gas and electrical equipment is properly installed and maintained. You’ll also need to fit suitable smoke alarms, make sure that any furnishings you provide are fire-safe and ensure there is always access to escape routes in the event of a blaze. Your property should also have secure windows and doors.

Bear in mind that if an emergency arises that makes your rental property insecure or unsafe for tenants, you’ll be required to resolve the problem and cover the cost of repairs. This could mean anything from fixing broken doors or windows to replacing faulty cooking equipment. So that you’re not left counting the cost of these repairs, it pays to get appropriate insurance. Fortunately, there are policies that are specifically tailored to include this. For example, Landlord insurance from HomeLet can include emergency assistance protection. You can find out more about your cover options online.

2. It pays to get tenant references
Even if you’re in a hurry to get your first tenants, it’s important not to rush the process of selecting the right people. If you’re not careful at this stage, you could be left counting the cost later on. After all, while the majority of tenants are trustworthy, some fail to keep up with their rental payments, damage properties or cause problems for neighbours. The best way to reduce the risk of choosing the wrong tenants is to get references that confirm people are who they say they are, have the means to pay the necessary rent and have a history of being reliable renters. You could try to do this yourself, but it’s much easier to get specialist tenant referencing service providers to do it on your behalf. If you rent your property out through a letting agency, they may include referencing checks as part of their service.

3. There are rules governing access to your rental property
You might be used to being able to walk into your property unannounced at any time, but as soon as tenants move into it, this changes. You have a right to inspect your rental property’s state of repair, but under the law you must give your tenants a minimum notice period of 24 hours before you do so. Many tenancy agreements also specify that these visits have to be at ‘reasonable times’ to ensure your tenants can be present if they want to be. However, you can enter your rental home at very short notice if you need to conduct emergency repairs. It’s important to read up on and understand your rights of access before your tenants move in, to avoid any unnecessary conflict.

These are just a few of the issues you need to be be aware of before you become a landlord. To ensure you’re fully in the know, it’s important to do some in-depth research. You should be able to find the information you need online.

- This is a guest post.

May Degustabox - Review

Another month brings another Degustabox! We've been receiving a subscription for quite some time now and it's always something we look forward to each month. Once our Degustabox has been delivered my son and I unpack it together and love to discover what's inside!

1. Jack Daniels Honey BBQ Glaze Sauce - £1.99
2. Garofalo Fusilli Bucati Corti - £1.99
3. Cranes Alcoholic Drink - x2 £1.90
4. Kallo Corn Cakes - x2 £1.29 & £1.69
5. Pasquier Brioche - £1.80
6. Get Fruity Bar - £1.00
7. Beloved Date Nectar - £3.50
8. The Wonderful Company Almonds & Pistachios - x2 £0.90p
9. Pechkeks Misfortune Cookies - x2 £1.00
10. Pomegreat Pomegranate Juice - £1.49

May's box was fantastic because as per usual there's a little something for everyone in the family and lots of brands that we hadn't tried before. Our favourite products out of the bunch were the brioche and the corn cakes as both were a welcomed treat at breakfast time for both my son and I. My partner absolutely loved the Cranes alcoholic beverages too as was impressed with how low calorie they are, which is great if you are watching your waistline! 

Degustabox costs £12.99 per month but if you would like to try it for the first time use BLDEG15 at the checkout to receive a whooping £6.00 off! 

Which products do you like the sound of? 

- I was sent this product for the purpose of this review however all opinions are my own.

Sense Organics - Review & Competition

As a Mother I'm always looking for new brands and new places to buy Noah clothes and Sense Organics is a new favourite of ours. Sense Organics offer clothes ranging from birth through to toddler hood and beyond and what I really love about them is that their range is super soft and organic and also Fairtrade too! They don't just stop at clothes though as they also sell a wide range of other products too from skincare products through to toys.

I was recently asked if we'd like to review a couple of pieces from their range and after seeing what they were all about I snapped up the chance! I have to say it did take me a while to decide on what to go for because all their items are so beautiful but in the end I decided to go for the All Over Print Marl Peter Pan Pyjamas, Grey Marl Boxers and Grey Marl Stripes Vest.

The first two pieces I chose were the Don Grey Marl Stripes Vest which costs £8.00 and the Prince Grey Marl and Stripes Boxers which retails at £12.50. When I opened them I was blown away with how soft they were and you can really tell that they are made from 100% organic cotton. Not only are the vest and boxers great for underwear but Noah's also liked to wear them as lounge wear, especially in the stuffy weather we've been having in the evenings lately. Whenever he wears them he always exclaims that they are nice, so I presume that's him letting me know how comfortable they are!

Last but certainly not least I chose the Peter Pan All Over Print and Marl PJ's which retail at £18.50. They are lovely and gender neutral and come in sizes 18-24 months through to 5-6 years. Just like the vest and boxers I can't believe how soft the PJ set is and I'm slightly envious that Noah gets to wear something so comfortable to bed! It's also worth mentioning that all three items are generous sized and all wash very nicely too. Sense Organics have given me a new found love for organic cotton as nothing really compares to this level of quality, it's unbelievably soft. 

Sense Organics weren't just kind enough to send us some of their lovely pieces to review but they've also offered the chance for you to win a set of their organic cotton PJ's too! (In your choice of size of course!) To enter all you need to do is use the Gleam form below. Good luck and don't forget to enter my other blog competitions! 

Sense Organic PJ's worth £18.50

Terms & Conditions.                                                                                                 
1. 1 winner of 1 pair of Sense Organics PJ's in their choice of size.
2. Prize supplied directly from the PR. 
3. Competition ends 25/07/16 
4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified. 
5. UK entries only.

My Sunday Photo - 25/52

Project 365 - Week 24

12th June - 18th June

12/06/16

13/06/16

14/06/16

15/06/16

16/06/16

17/06/16

18/06/16

Another week, another Project 365. This week was another lovely week and we were either playing inside when it was raining or headed out in the garden or for a walk when it was dry. We also had a nice play date with the next door neighbour and had a tour of Noah's future nursery too! Nick turned 30 yesterday and today we spent the afternoon outdoors and visited family which was really nice! Much of the same old, same old really!

What have you been up to this week?

Our Brother Max Favourites

Being a blogger there are many brands and companies I've worked with over the past few years and there are certain ones which stand out from the rest and for good reason too. For me, one of those brands has got to be Brother Max. Not only do they sell extremely useful products at a great price but I find that their customer service and social media team are amongst the nicest I've ever worked with. With this winning combination, there's no surprise that they are one of my favourite baby brands. Today I thought I'd put together a post of my favourite Brother Max products because all four are fantastic and I'd recommend them to everyone.

1. Ray Bath and Room Thermometer - £14.99

Ray is a bath and room thermometer and also doubles up as a super fun bath toy! He floats on water or stands on a shelf, wherever you need him to be as he displays ambient room temperature when stood on a shelf and is fun to play within the bath too. A high-temperature warning and an LCD temperature display gives parents peace of mind that the bath or room is the correct temperature. 

2. Snack Pot Bowl - £4.99

The Snack Pot Bowl is perfect for both at home and on the go. It has an easy-hold handle, is BPA-free and has a flexible soft lid which is perfect for little hands. A great product for baby-led weaning through to toddlerhood and beyond.

3. Bear Carry and Hang Nightlight - £24.99

The Bear Carry & Hang Nightlight is a more than just a nightlight and is a friend who can hang from any door handle or hook or can sit on a bedside table or dresser. He has color-changing LEDs, which can be set in single or colour changing mode, whichever your little one prefers. Bear lasts 12 hours on one charge from his rechargeable base and features daylight sensing on-off mode which is great for energy saving! 

4. 6 in 1 Thermometer - £59.99

The Brother Max 6-in-1 Projection thermometer is a no-contact, silent and easy to use, making it perfect for the whole family. It can be used to take your child’s temperature sight without contact and it projects the temperature reading on their forehead. The 6-in-1 thermometer can also be used to measure bath water, liquid, room, food or skin or body temperature and measures from 1-80 C. If that wasn't enough the handy memory function also stores the last nine previous readings too! The 6-in-1 Thermometer should be on every parents wishlist.

- I was sent some products for the purpose of this post however all opinions are my own.

Alvinn!!! And The Chipmunks: Summer of Sport DVD - Competition

Following its launch on Nick Jr. STUDIOCANAL is pleased to announce that the brand new CGI animated TV series ALVINNN!!! AND THE CHIPMUNKS is coming to DVD this summer!

Season One consists of 52 episodes with Volume 1 containing 14 episodes, which will release on DVD 13th June 2016 as Summer of Sport. Three more volumes in Season One will follow over the coming months, including Back to School and Who Ghosts There and every episode in the series includes a brand new Chipmunks song.

The new animated series, ALVINNN!!! AND THE CHIPMUNKS, takes us on a roller coaster ride of music, laughter and stories. Featuring international super stars Alvin, Simon and Theodore and the sassy Chipettes – Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor - the series encounters the trials and tribulations of a single parent, David Seville, trying to raise six hyper-active Chipmunks. Like most parents, Dave’s patience will be pushed to the limit, forcing him to end most sentences in “ALVINNN!!!”

A Bagdasarian Production – owner of the rights to the Chipmunks franchise – the series is created by

Janice Karman, who voices Theodore, Brittany, Jeanette and Miss Smith, and produced by Ross

Bagdasarian Jr. – the son of the Alvin and the Chipmunks’ creator and President of Bagdasarian Production – who voices Dave Seville, Alvin and Simon. ALVINNN!!! AND THE CHIPMUNKS: SUMMER OF SPORT will be available on DVD from 13TH JUNE 2016.

How would you like to win a copy on DVD? To enter all you need to do is use the Gleam form below. Good luck and don't forget to enter my other blog competitions!

Alvinn!!! And The Chipmunks: Summer of Sport DVD

Terms & Conditions.                                                                                                 
1. 1 winner will receive a copy of this film on DVD.
2. Prize supplied directly from the PR. 
3. Competition ends 22/07/16 
4. Incomplete entries will be disqualified. 
5. UK entries only.

Our Bedroom Renovation

It's been a long time coming, two years to be precise since we started the renovation on our house. The bedroom in particular was one of those rooms which needed a full face lift and you can read about the first stages of the bedroom renovation here.

Just like the rest of the work we did on the house it took a lot of time, money and hard work. At one point we had every room in the house on the go at the same time and it felt like we weren't getting anywhere fast.

Hands down my favourite room to design has to be the bedroom because from day one I could visualise exactly what I wanted. Having full control of design can be a little scary but if you know what you want then it's really a piece of cake, it just requires a lot of planning and preparation.

With the bedroom I knew I wanted a chic and mellow theme as I'm not a fan of bold colours in a bedroom as I don't find them relaxing at all. With my idea I chose to paint the walls Mellow Mocha from Dulux which is a subtle and clean colour and I chose a silver grey carpet which really compliments the colour of the walls.

Once we'd fully decorated the room it was time to furnish and thankfully we had the majority of what we needed from our previous property which we rented but what we didn't have and needed was wardrobes and storage space. We decided to opt for made-to-measure fitted wardrobes as we already had a bespoke walk in wardrobe adjoined to Noah's room. We now have them running across the whole of the back wall and the amount of storage space they've given us is incredible.

This weekend we ticked the bedroom off our renovation list when we finally bought a headboard. This may sound silly but it was the last thing we needed to buy and it's just completed the room. It's such a relief to finally say that the bedroom is now complete and we couldn't be happier with the finished result!  

Have you ever thought of investing in fitted or walk in wardrobes? 

- This is a PR Collaboration. 

Morse Toad - Review & Competition

With Fathers Day around the corner I'd been looking for something a little different to buy this year and that's where Morse Toad came in. Morse Toad sell messages made out of chocolate, fantastic idea or what?

So what’s Morse Toad Messaging about?

These days everything is digital. That's why the post is a great way to communicate for those special occasions. It’s so much nicer to have something in your hand. But who has time to write a card? That’s why we’re building Morse Toad's Marvellous Messaging Service, a tool that combines instant digital technology with amazing products.

More details:

- You can add a photo to the giftcard from social or your phone 

- You can write up to 44 characters in chocolate

- Our boxes fit through the letterbox (no trips to the Post Office)

- They use the best quality Belgian chocolate - yum! 

- The photo card can be kept in a wallet forever (great for baby shots, weddings, anything really)

- Prices start at 8.00 and go through to £16.75, depending on the number of chocolates you want. 
- FREE DELIVERY

I can't wait to surprise my Dad and my Partner with their Morse Toad Chocolate's this Father's Day and I'm also excited to say I have a £15 voucher to give away too! Do you have a special occasion coming up or perhaps you would just like to send someone a big Morse Toad thank you message? Either way, make sure to enter the competition below and also take a look at my other blog competitions! 

£15 Morse Toad Voucher

Terms & Conditions.                                                                                                 
1. 1 winner will receive a £15 voucher.
2. The winner will be emailed a voucher code to use on the website. 
3. Competition ends 20/07/16 
4. Incomplete entries will be disqualified. 
5. UK entries only.