Project 365 - Week 45 - 45/52

1st November - 7th November / Week 45

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On Sunday we took Noah to his favourite place in the whole world, Blackpool! He literally asks to go to Blackpool every day and if he spots anything that resembles the tower he shouts "BLACKPOOOOOOL!" We took him to the arcades, on the rides, had tea out at Coral Island again and even won him a Peppa Pig toy on the grabbers! Such a great day! 

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Monday we had a bake day making bread and shortbread stars, a pretty lazy and easy going day! 

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Tuesday is dedicated to these gorgeous Reindeer leggings from Blade & Rose!

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On Wednesday my Mum came over to visit and we had lunch and then made out way into town. We went shopping and had a pit stop at Rhode Island where Noah had his first Babychino! It was such a lovely day and I can't wait to do it again soon. 

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Bonfire night! Last year we took Noah to a bonfire and firework display and it was a disaster as it was so hectic. This year we decided to watch the fireworks from our garden and light a couple of sparklers, so much better! 

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Friday was a funny old day, we didn't get up to much bar a bit of shopping. Come night time the fireworks were still going off so Noah couldn't sleep and was a little frightened. He came downstairs with Mummy and Daddy for a while and he learnt how to do an impression of a firework! 

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The weather was awful today so we decided that our weekly family day out needed to be indoors. We decided to drive over to Yorkshire to spend a couple of hours at Eureka. Noah loves it there, especially the little shop, garage and kitchen. We took a photo booth photo while we were there and I was hysterically laughing because we couldn't fit our big heads in the frame, sums up our day to a tee!


Did you have a nice week?

A visit to the new and improved Brewers Fayre

Last week we were invited to visit our local Brewers Fayre as recently it had had a revamp with a new menu and refurbishment. The last time we visited this particular branch we didn't have a pleasant experience so I was really interested to see if it had improved and if we would leave with a different opinion of the place. To be honest with you I didn't feel very confident about it but I went in with a clean slate and an open mind. 

On arrival we only had to wait a couple of minutes until we were greeted by a polite member of staff (a ghoul who was dressed accordingly for Halloween!) who showed us to our seats. Noah was being a bit of a handful for Nick took him to play in the fantastic soft play area while I ordered our food and drink. 

We decided to have just mains and deserts and ordering was quick and easy. We didn't have to wait long until our food arrived which is a godsend when you have a cranky and hungry toddler. When the food arrived it all looked so appetising. 

I ordered the ultimate sausage and mash which came served in a giant yorkshire pudding with cabbage and a pot of gravy. I really fancied something homely and filling and this dish ticked all the boxes. Everything was spot on and I would certainly order that again.  

Nick had the steak pie, mash, peas and gravy as he also fancied something heavy and filling. He thought the portion size was great as there wasn't too much or too little. The meat was delicious with lots of filling and the meat was tender. He is also very fussy when he comes to his mash but he thought it was great, creamy and the right consistency. 

We ordered sausage, mash with peas so Noah as this meal usually goes down a storm with him at home and it did at Brewers Fayre too. His portion was fantastic for a children's meal as it came with three sausages and plenty of mash. He wolfed the sausages down and there's wasn't much left on his plate when he was done.

After our meals we didn't have much room left for a big desert each so we opted for the family sharing platter instead. Included in the platter is a selection of waffles, donuts, brownies, marshmallows, strawberries and a pot of both chocolate and caramel. It was good but it would of been even better if more fruit was included. 

We walked into this meal with reservations but upon leaving our opinion had totally changed. The service that was provided was great, the revamp is fantastic and the food was excellent! The biggest improvement has got to be the refurbishment. The whole place had been rejuvenated, mainly the bar but of course we didn't spend much time there but it did look great! The family drinks machine was great as there was over 30 combinations of drinks that you can opt for. I honestly can't believe this was the same place we visited a few months ago as the improvement all around is outstanding. We will certainly be visiting again in the near future!


- We were given a voucher to use at Brewers Fayre for the purpose of this review. However all opinions are my own and true. 

Updating our bedroom for Autumn

We've been home owners for over a year now and with all the renovations complete I am finally able to enjoy the interior design side for our home rather than the DIY and it's a breath of fresh air. I am forever looking at new bits and pieces for our home from little ornaments through to big accent pieces as I do like to change things a lot.

Now we are in Autumn I have been toying with the idea of sprucing up our bedroom and making it feel a little warmer for the colder months. Here are some of the idea's I've had and some bits and pieces I would like to buy.

Go darker.
If you have seen my renovation updates you will know that our bedroom already has purple hues but they are quite light. At the moment I like the idea of using darker shades of purple to warm the room and with it being so dark you don't need a lot of pieces in that colour, little is a lot. We currently have white blinds in our room but I love the idea of using an accent colour blind to add a bit on contrast to the decor of the room as well as keeping more warmth in. These plum blinds from Duette would be ideal in our bedroom and the colour always seems to be in trend so I wouldn't worry about it going out of style. 

Go neutral.
As well as going darker I also like the idea of using neutrals around the house, especially in the bedroom. The bedding we use at the moment is pretty boring as they are all white of cream so I think we are due an update. I've recently been shopping about for an eye catching set and the Blenheim Gold set from Julian Charles is just that. I love the colour as it just screams Autumn and the jacquard print is right up my street.

Go rugged.
Get it? Sorry, couldn't help it! Although we finished decorating our bedroom months ago I've had it in the back of my mind that it's been missing something. It's taken me a while to realise what that is but it's a rug! A faux fur rug really adds some warmth to the room and makes it feel so cosy too.

Go all out.
Last but certainly not least it's all about storage and wardrobe space. Our bedroom is rather large and at the moment we don't have much furniture in there let alone storage space. For as long as I can remember I've wanted bespoke fitted wardrobes and storage as not only are they the perfect storage solution but they look so stylish too. 


Do you have any tips for updating you bedroom for Autumn?

aden + anais toddler towel - review & competition

I have been a fan of and have been following aden + anais ever since I fell pregnant with Noah over two years ago now. They are a brand known for creating beautifully crafted pieces which are so gentle on your child skin. When you buy from aden + anais you know you are investing in quality.

aden + anais was founded by a Mother and initially sold muslin wraps but over the years the brand has branched out and now you can buy towels, baby clothes, sleeping bags and much more.

I was recently asked if I would like to review an aden + anais toddler towel. I chose the twinkle design as the delicate stars really appealed to me and being gender neutral it would be perfect to pass down to any future babies too. I was really looking forward to it's arrival being such a fan of the brand already. We had only tried the muslin wraps so I was very interested to see if the towels matched up to the same high standard.

On opening I noted how fine the quality was! The terry towel was so soft to touch and I couldn't wait to wrap Noah up in it. I loved how it was already pre washed so I could use it straight away and know it will only get softer the more it is washed.

The toddler towel costs £28.95 which is a lot more than I would usually pay for just one towel but with it being from aden + anais, with it being so high quality I do think it's worth it. Another product from the brand which has ticked every box for us.

Do you like the sound of this toddler towel? Well here is your chance to win one of your own, in your choice of design! To enter all you need to do is use the rafflecopter form below. Good luck and don't forger to enter all my other competitions too.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

t&c-

1. There is 1 prize.

2. Prize supplied directly from the PR.

3. Competition ends 30/11/15

4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified.

5. UK entries only.

Turn your child’s bedroom into a sleep sanctuary in 3 easy steps

Kids need sleep, and plenty of it. In fact, experts suggest that the average three-year-old should get between 11 and 12 hours sleep a night, and babies require even more shut eye than this. So, when you’re designing a bedroom for your little one, you’ll need to make sure you create an environment that’s ideal for drifting off. To help you achieve the best results, it’s worth following these three simple steps.


1) Set the perfect lighting levels
Especially during the summer when the days are long, it can be tricky trying to get youngsters to stick to healthy sleeping patterns. However, there is a simple way around this problem. By investing in blackout curtains or blinds, you can ensure you have total control over the level of brightness in your kid’s bedroom. Even if the sun’s shining outside, you can ensure your youngster has a cosy den to snuggle up in. So things aren’t too dark during the night though, consider adding a nightlight or two for added reassurance. There’s no shortage of fun kids’ lights to choose from and you can get ideas online by visiting websites like thelightingsuperstore.co.uk. For total convenience, you could opt for a special LED nightlight that has a built-in sensor, meaning it comes on at dusk and switches itself off at dawn.


2) Keep clutter to a minimum
If you’re not careful, your kid’s room could end up looking like a department store after a sales rush. The sheer number of toys and clothes that children have can make keeping these spaces tidy a real challenge. This is a problem, because too much clutter can be big distraction for youngsters. If you want your child to relax and unwind at bedtime, it’s best if you can restore order in their rooms. To help you do this, make sure you include plenty of storage in your design. To squeeze more into the space available, consider including full-height drawers and shelves. On a related point, try to keep this as a screen-free zone. Your kids might be glued to their tech during the day, but when it’s time for lights out, there’s no place for TVs, tablets and other devices.


3) Choose the best possible bed
Arguably the most important step is choosing the perfect bed. Unless your child feels comfortable and secure when they lie down at night, they won’t be able to sleep soundly. This means it’s worth putting plenty of time and effort into choosing a model that perfectly matches your youngsters’ practical needs. As well as getting a good frame, make sure you select a high-quality mattress that gives their growing body all the support it needs. For added comfort and luxury, top the bed with a soft, sumptuous duvet and sheets.


Creating a sleep sanctuary for your child by following these steps could help them to get more shuteye - which, let’s face it, should be good news all round.

My Sunday Photo - 44/52