Sylvanian Families Adventure Treasure Ship - Review

First of all allow me to introduce you to my childhood friend, Hedgehog. He is an old man now and he doesn't have any clothes any more but somehow he has managed to stick by me for 25 years. I've had him since I was a child and he is one of the only memento's I've managed to keep a hold of. I have to admit that I do treasure him dearly!

I've always loved Sylvanian Families and it delights me that they are still a household name all these years later. With this in mind when I was offered the chance to review the Adventure Treasure ship and many more products leading up to Christmas I was ever so excited. I couldn't wait to introduce Noah to Sylvanian Families and I hoped that he would treasure them just as much as I did and still do.

The Adventure Ship is ideal for starting your own Sylvanian Families collection as it can clip on to other sets but it's also great on it's own. Suitable from 3 years+ it takes your Sylvanian Families on an adventure into the blue. It doesn't come with any characters but there are 20 pieces included; a slide, swing, treasure chest, climbing net and much more. For just £16.99 you can't grumble at that.

The Adventure Treasure Ship is lovingly crafted as is every Sylvanian product. There are so many hidden nooks and crannies to explore and it's a toy that I would of adored to play with as a child and now one my son will do too. There are hours of fun to be had with the Adventure Treasure Ship and I can't wait to watch our Sylvanian collection grow.

I wondered how Noah would get on with the Adventure Treasure Ship because usually he is very heavy handed but he soon realised if you be careful you can lift the little trap doors to discover treasure. He's smitten with it at the moment and as soon as he spots it he shouts "boat!" I am so glad that he appears to love Sylvanian Families just as much as I do.

I'm so happy to have Sylvanian Families back in our home and not only does Noah adore his new Adventure Treasure Ship but Hedgehog finally has a home too! From jewellery box to knicker drawer, Hedgehog has been moving from pillar to post all these years but that is until today! Now we have the Sylvanian Families Adventure Treasure Ship and finally Hedgehog has a home!

- We were sent this product for the purpose of this review. However all opinions are my own.

My Sunday Photo - 41/52

Project 365 - Week 41 - 41/52

4th October - 10th October / Week 41

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We took a spontaneous trip to Blackpool on Sunday as it's Noah's favourite place. If you ever ask him where he would like to go today he usually says Blackpool or park! We went to the arcades, had tea in the pirate restaurant and even had a paddle in the sea! It was a glorious day but the water was still cold. Noah absolutely loved being able to dip his feet in the sea though, it was his very first time doing so.

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On Monday Noah and I had a very lazy day and played with trains, read some books and took some review photographs too. A very laid back sort of day.

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This week should be named "The week my good sleeping toddler decided to never sleep again!" We've been having issues with him going to bed at night for the past two weeks now. He is fine come nap time but when it comes to going down at night he cries his eyes out. Us Mother's know the difference between fussy and whiny cries but this cry is sheer terror. As he's getting older and his imagination is developing he has realised he is scared to go to bed. He wouldn't even sleep in bed with us.

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I won this book on twitter a few weeks ago and it only arrived at the most perfect time. We had tried everything to settle and to soothe Noah this week but he literally would only sleep if you stayed in the room until he nodded off. Sounds easy but by staying in the room with him he wouldn't sleep, so it's like catch 22. 

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On Thursday, after roughly 10 hours sleep all week I decided to invest in Ewan the Dreamsheep. I wanted to buy one for Noah when he was newborn but opted for the Fisher Price Seahorse instead, bad move. We've only had Ewan a few days and we LOVE him. His soothing music really calms and soothe's Noah as he's winding down for the night. It also acts as a noise buffer when you are trying to sneak out the room! Can't recommend him enough. Going to be keeping him / buying another for any future babies we may have.

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On Friday we decided to skip Noah's afternoon nap to see if it helped him sleep through the night. A long with a banana and milk before bed and Ewan it worked a treat. He fell asleep downstairs straight after we brushed his teeth. Skipping the nap helped but he was terribly crammed come tea time so he does still need it. Going to work on giving him an earlier nap in the day and see if that works.

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On Saturday we visited one of our favourite places, Thornton Hall Farm. We all love it there, especially Noah as there is so much for him to do. It's a working farm so you are able to visit, handle and feed the animals. You can be driven around on tractors or on quad bikes. There's a little mini tractor race course for the little ones, a park, a cafe, a barn full of hay for the kids to climb on. It's excellent. Noah adores animals and when visiting the lambs he ran down the line of them stroking each one while saying "awwww!" So very cute!

5 Ways To Update Your House For Christmas

With only a couple of months until Christmas now is the time to start preparing your house for any extra guests, and ensure you aren’t worrying about the cold. It’s wise to make a start on the bigger renovation projects in the autumn while it’s still not too cold, before adding the finishing touches as the year progresses for a warm, (if not fireside) Christmas day with the family. 


Update Your Windows 
If you live in an older property, it might be worth taking the time this year to check your windows and consider upgrading them. In order to minimise heat escaping from your house, you should check the sealants and fixings on all glass windows and doors in your property, and repair them if needed, for which Barrier Components have a range of door and window glass hardware supplies. Otherwise, if you find your home unbearably cold in the winter, it’s worth upgrading your windows to double glazing, which magnifies sunlight entering your home. 

Insulate Your Loft 
Since heat rises, the next best thing to do to minimise heat loss from your home is to insulate your loft, as this will keep that precious warm air in. If you have concerns about asbestos in your property, be sure to get it tested before you commence work, but today’s insulation is very safe and effective, while allowing for storage space. This is also one home improvement that can actually add value to your home, by improving its energy efficiency rating - so it’s a gift that keeps on giving. 

Clear That Clutter 
Between the madness of returning to school or from a summer holiday and Christmas, now’s the perfect time to do a quick declutter. Go through your wardrobe and put your summer clothes away until next year, retrieve your winter warmers and note any repairs or replacements; and have a good clean of your gutters and radiators to clear them of any blockage or fire risks. 

Hack Your Hallway 
This serves as the second step to your autumn cleaning - and ensure that the main rooms of your house stay nice and dry. By making a changing station in your hallway or front entrance, you can keep tidy and mud-free simply by having a coat hook for coats and hats, pockets for scarves and gloves, and a draining tray for sopping wet shoes. 

Redecorate 
Finally, unpack and add some extra bits and pieces to make your home more cosy for the winter: fluffy blankets add texture and keep you warm, while candles with autumnal scents add a relaxing vibe perfect for Christmas. You’ll be ready to put tinsel up in no time.

Protecting your roof in Winter

A few weeks ago we came home from a day out to a leak through our kitchen ceiling. The water was dripping through one of the lights and pooling in the centre of the kitchen floor. My instant reaction was panic! What has happened? Is it going to cost me a fortune? Up on future inspection we realised that the lead flashing on our kitchen roof had come loose and it was rain water that was coming through.

With this in mind and with winter approaching I thought I would put together a post of ways you can protect your roof, especially in winter.


Pay attention-
Every so often have a good look at your roof as it's easy to forget about it. Go our in your garden and look up, check all the gutters are clear so they do their job properly when it rains. I also look out the upstairs window down at my kitchen extension roof as it gives me a bird eye view of every nook and cranny. Last but not least we often get up on the roof ourselves to check up close for any wear and tear. 

TLC-
Give it a little TLC every now and then as simple tasks can help take care of your roof. Keep your roof clean and free from any leaves, moss, and debris because not only does it not like nice but it also damages your roof over time and gives it less protection from the elements.

Upkeep- 
We bought our house last year and it needed a lot of work and hadn't been looked after properly in decades. The roof was one of the many issues we had to correct and we are still working on it. I was recently told that the roof or led flashing had no protective layer so we are currently looking into liquid coatings.

Maintain-
It really pays to have a qualified roofer come and inspect your roof before Winter hits. Like any household maintenance job it's important to catch problems just as they are starting as it reduces the risk of damage to your roof and will cost you less too.


Do you have any tips that you would like to share?

Miffy's Adventures Big and Small - Competition

I have many fond childhood memories of Miffy. I remember visiting my local library with my Mum and the Miffy books were always one of the first that I searched for. She is a little icon in her own right and it's lovely to still see her around.

In case you didn't know Miffy made her big return to our television screens on the 2nd of October. It was great taking part in all the excited buzz on social media and the first episode was a great success. Noah and I sat on the sofa, cuddled up and really enjoyed it, a nice first introduction to Miffy. 

To celebrate Miffy's big return I've been given the chance to give away one of these absolutely adorable Miffy sensory toys to one lucky winner! To enter all you need to do is use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck and don't forget to enter the other competitions on the blog! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

t&c-

1. 1 prize.

2. Prize supplied directly from the PR.

3. Competition ends 3/11/15

4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified.

5. UK entries only.