Paradise Wildlife Park, Family reivew #AD

We were invited to spend the day at Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne. it’s one of the most popular  in Hertfordshire, and Europe’s leading zoo,  

Bodhi being an only child asked if he could invite a friend to join us and they were both very excited to check it all out, most of all the soft play and the World of Dinosaurs. Myself and Daddy also were looking forward to this as when we visited back in 2016 this wasn't open and we were all keen to see how the park had changed from our last visit. 

we were really looking forward to our visit, We are very lucky that we have both  Whipsnade zoo and Woburn safari park on our door step, but like all good things if you do them too often they don't seen as special. The journey only took around 45  for us by car.  The park is  situated in Broxbourne Woods, There is plenty of car parking space and parking is free ( paying for parking when paying to visit a venue is a pet peeve of mine so thumbs up for free parking ) 

If you’re getting the train to Broxbourne, there is a pick-up service which costs £3 per person (free for under twos) – they’ll also bring you back. There is a number to call at the station.

The park is split into two, with most of the animals on one side, and the adventure playgrounds and World of Dinosaurs soft play , splash park and restaurants on the other. ( the only down side of this is your drive down the middle of both sides for the car park and can very clearly see all of the outside playgrounds so this is then ALL the boys wanted to do) 

We came up with a plan for the day and mapped out our time to fit around the talks and shows ( these chance depending on what time of year you visit but can be found on the maps ) some of the areas are closed of the off season winter months such as the splash park and the mini golf, The mini golf is an extra add on cost so isn't something we would have done unless the boys really wanted to have ago, the splash park would be lovely in the summer tho and i can imagine that most of the local family will make the most of the year passes for this and the play side alone.

Annual Membership ( family costs for x2 adults and x2 children £300 ) with your passes you will also get all of these benefits , i think this is a really good deal if you would visit often. more details can be found on the website

• One Free Ride on the Rex Express Train per visit

• One Free Round of On Safari Golf per visit

• Free Monthly E-News (ZOO NEWS)

• Discounts on Animal Adoptions

• Complimentary ZSH Calendar (One per household)

• 20% Discount on Animal Experiences, Animal Tours & Certain Events

• Half price entry to selected attractions

Another thing that the park offers is animal experiences getting up and close with the animals for an extra cost for this you need to be over certain age for example over the age of 10 to meet the red panda and the cost of this experience would be £99 this also covers your entry into the park. more information can be found on the website. i visited the park for my 21 birthday and fed the ring tailed lemurs and it is something i was always remember.

We set off to the animal side of the park first as we had arrived when the park opened and it was lovely to get such clear views of all of the animals before the park got busy and we also had to keep an eye on the weather, The main draw of the park for myself and Chris is all of the big cats. The park is very well designed so you can see into the enclosures from all different angels but also still giving the animals privacy. ( we think the leopards may well have some cubs on the way after what we saw today!! )

All of the animals looked happy and lots of workers around cleaning out and feeding. They are also making some improvements to the big cats area and we all said we will have to go back to see how it looks once finished.  We listen to the otter talk and the zoo keeper gave us lots of information and took his time after wards talking with us all about the animals, I wanted to listen to more of the animal talks but both of the boys wanted to visit the petting farm, so off we went. 

This was a huge hit with us all and you could buy bags of farm food to feed the goats, pigs and sheep. The goats soon learnt who had food and who didn't and they all enjoyed the fuss the boys gave them. After we had feed the animals it was getting close to lunch time so we headed across the road to safari Sam's Diner to get something hot to eat for lunch. The park offers lots of places to eat a packed lunch but as it was a rather chilly January day we all agreed that we needed a hot lunch.

The boys both had the children hotdog meal this came with a drink , side and chips for £4.60 i thought this was great value and i also had a children meal of jacket potato , Chris went for a burger meal this also came with a drink , side and chips for £7.50. We all enjoyed the food and as we went early ( just after 12 ) we found a table no problem, while we was eating tho the restaurant filled up and people needed to wait for tables. 

After lunch we let the boys have a run around and play in the outdoors play areas and then we walked around the woodland animal walk, from the animal walk you could see the dinosaurs so we made our way over to see what it was all about. 

world of dinosaurs is one of the UK’s biggest and most spectacular animatronic dinosaur attractions, set in acres of natural woodland. It features 30 life-size, moving and roaring dinosaurs the boys loved this, as it seemed did all the other visitors in the park. its a great idea to add something else within the animals, If the park only had the animal side we would have been finished by lunch time but the other side of the park kept us until closing time.

After seeing the dinosaurs the boys asked to go back to play on the slide and park within the animal side so off we went and we also walked up to visit the birds, when we visited the lorikeet walk way was closed due to the risk of bird flu. we let the boys have 1/2 hour to play in the park while chris and i both enjoyed a sit down and a hot drink. 

as it was close to the end of the day we braved the soft play and told the boys they could have 1/2 hour then we could pop into the gift shop before we left, again Chris and i enjoyed a sit down! the boys both enjoyed the soft play and were keen to check out the gift shop. I was pleased to see lots of pocket money type toys for them to pick along side soft toys, key rings and other gift shop items. they both picked out a wolf claw grabber they only cost £3 each so i was fine with that! we had a visit to the toilets before we left ( one draw back only one block of toilets on the animal side of the park ) and then back into the car for the journey home. 

we all really enjoyed the day and all said we would love to come back in the summer time to enjoy the splash park and bring a picnic lunch with us. 

The tickets were kindly gifted to us in return for this honest review. Thank you Paradise park for having us. 

festive family games ( ‘When in Rome’ Alexa is Gamemaster )

So its that time of the year once again time when once all of the gifts have been opened and the turkey and stuffing has been eaten you can watch the queens speech or you could play a game ( to be fair you could do both! ) 

The travel trivia game where real people ask the questions! Visit twenty cities, meet the locals and make new friends... without ever leaving home. Alexa is your game show host, teaching you how to play, asking questions, introducing you to locals in each city and keeping score.

You can buy your own copy of the game via Amazon 

When In Rome is now fully compatible with Echo Buttons. Go head to head with your opponents using Buttons for even more drama and excitement!

Try the game for free with the When In Rome Question of the Day. Travel to a new city and meet a new local each week and answer a new question every day. Just ask "Alexa, open When In Rome"!

*** Full game requires "When in Rome" board game (£24.99) to play. Out now on Amazon.co.uk ***

*** Toy of the Year Finalist & Parents Choice Award Winner 2019! ***

At first i was a little worried as most go the time our Alexa will say " hmm i don't know " when i ask her a question ! and to be honest we use her mostly for a radio, So i was very pleased at just how easy it was to set up the game and to play. 

Not only is the game app free , Alexa will keep score and this stops anyone from cheating ( something my family is known for! ) She is also game master so no need to pick a player to always read out the questions. 

We all found the game really fun and the children ( and i ) learnt a lot from our quizmaster Alexa . The aim of the game is to travel around the world making friends with the locals and picking up souvenirs along the way, the  questions  come in a range of categories (from slang and language to food and drink, and even random and strange)! Answering questions correctly will reward players with valuable souvenirs and earn them Explorer Points. 

 (Smart speaker not included)

The game is targeted at over 13 but i think if under 13 year olds are paired with adults they will do fine and also enjoy this game, its definitely impressive alone with the fact that your speaker can become quizmaster i enjoyed this game and i can see us playing it lots over the christmas period, This game would also make a great gift for a travel fan or as an add on gift if you have brought an Alexa product for an loved one this year, 

( I received a review copy of When in Rome, all opinions are my own.)

festive family games 2018 ( Frenetic )

So its that time of the year once again time when once all of the gifts have been opened and the turkey and stuffing has been eaten you can watch the queens speech or you could play a game ( to be fair you could do both! ) 

So its that time of year when families and friends get together and the board games come out, This game Frenetic is a fast paced word game race to the finish line, all you will need is two or more people ( suggested age is 8 plus and i feel this is right as my six year old did struggle and ended up joining me and we made a little team ) You don't take turns everyone plays at once this made it much more fun when playing in a large group as sometime people can get fed up while waiting for a turn. within the game box you will find letter tiles, pencils, timer, board and paper pads. 

FReNeTiC combines skills, strategy and a little bit of luck. Now i was a little bit skeptical when we first played as i thought the game looked really hard , it’s really easy to play tho. The board is actually the Periodic table and you have to make words using the letters within the chemical element symbols.

For example : Ba Na Na = Banana = 78 points! Amazingly there are over 10,000 words that can be created using combinations of the element symbols of the FReNeTiC game board.

We played for oven an hour and i can tell this will become a family favourite  within our house hold, the game is fairly priced at £22.99 via john lewis the game would also make the perfect gift for for any game lover or science wiz ! FReNeTic will definitely be coming out on christmas day for some festive family fun. 

I was sent a cope of the game in exchange for a honest review. 

#MyAquaphor Challenge

"This post is an entry for the BritMums #MyAquaphor Challenge, sponsored by Eucerin. Discover the benefits of Eucerin https://www.eucerin.co.uk/products/aquaphor/soothing-skin-balm-45ml" 

I have to be so careful with my skin due to having Eczema , the skin on my hands in the winter can become very dry and sore if I don't look after them. But I don't really have much of a skincare routine or any kind of go to products. I started testing out the Aquaphor soothing skin balm with a pretty open mind, I found the balm was better for my to use before going to bed as I didn't have time in the mornings to let the balm soak into my skin, it's a very thick balm and it has no smell at all but this for me is a plus point. I have been using the product for nearly two weeks now and I have noticed that my hands feel softer and I havnt had any kind of reaction to the balm. It's been really nice to get myself into a very basic skin care bedtime routine, I keep my balm next to the sink in the bathroom and once I've brushed my teeth and gotten into my pjs I use the product. You only need a very small blob of balm as like I said it's very thick. 

This is a product I would use again and I would also recommend it to friends and family with sensitive skin like myself. 

The balm can also be used on nails, lips, face and even on new born babies skin. It only had x7 ingredients, Aquaphor is gentle enough to be used on highly sensitive skin, irritated skin and also nappy area on the wee ones. Eucerins Aquaphor soothing skin balm protects the skin by creating a breathable protective barrier, this allows oxygen and water vapour to circulate to and from the skin, allowing the skin to 'breathe' and strengthen its natural barrier function. 

Gross science - Zombie hand kit by John Adams * test & Review *

My son Bodhi LOVES anything a little gross and grim, He also loves science at very nearly 7 years old this is a passion i really want to encourage, When given the chance to test out a kit from John Adam's gross science range i knew that i had to pick the zombie hand kit, i kept it for doing over the October half term and the whole family got involved with the project.

The only down side of the kit is i didn't know until Bodhi was reading the instructions that one we needed lip balm ( most home would have this tho ) and also the hand needs to be placed in the freezer over night ! I did have to do a super quick freezer rearrange so we could fit it in. This really wasn't an issue tho and it made the project last longer and Bodhi really looked forward to carrying on with the kit the next day. 

All of the items are clearly labelled and the instructions are clears and simple to follow , the kit is aimed at ages 7 plus i definitely think this is the right age range group for these kits, Bodhi clipped all of the hand bones together and we added the gel to the hand mould and into the freezer for its over night stay! 

Fast forward to the next evening and this was the part Bodhi had been looking forward too the most, Making the green zombie skin! Again he could read the step by step instructions and told me and dad what we needed to do next to help him out.

The template within the instructions was really handy ( get it handy! ) and let Bodhi do the part he really wanted to do without any grown up help, He did need some help in placing the green zombie skin onto the zombie hand! He zombie hand once out of the freezer starts to defrost pretty fast so you can't hang around with it ! 

John Adams is a house hold known brand and one i would would by again and again ! these would make perfect gifts ideas for harder to by for children and i know that Bodhi will be adding a few more Gross Science kits onto his Christmas list. you can check out the rest of the range on the John Adams website

This blog post was written in exchange for the product all photos & views are real and honest. 

Family games night in with Hedbanz by spinmaster

Family time is really important to our house as i would image it is in most homes? So we try to once a week to either play a new game , do a puzzle or have family movie night. This week we had a brand new game to try out thanks to Spinmaster the game is Hedbanz and we all LOVED it ! The game its self its based off the old classic post it note stuck to the forehead game but this family addition is way better, Not only do you get x6 headbands the cards come with images along side the word perfect to help younger players without them having to ask for help on what the word says. 

Headbanz is for 2-6 players and is aimed at ages 7 and over, ( Bodhi is 6 and he did just fine )   In the box you get 72 different cards with various objects on them from food and drink to vehicles and animals, You also get easy and harder words to suit the ages of your players. You get 24 scoring chips, 6 headbands and a timer. The rules are pretty simple, start with 3 scoring chips each and the idea is to get rid of your chips by the end of the game.  After picking a card from the pack and placing it in your headband you start asking the other players only yes or no questions about your card to help you try to guess the object. ( this part Bodhi did struggle with a little )  If you manage to guess your object within the time then you give up one of your chips but if you don’t manage to guess then you take an extra chip from the bank.  The winner is the person with the least chips at the end of 5 rounds.

Over all this game is a winner and i love how it could suit a whole range of ages not just the children, We are off on holiday in august with 9 family members and i will be packing Hedbanz in the suitcase as i know everyone will enjoy playing it ( maybe once the children are into bed it could be turned into  a drinking game take a shot every time you don't guess who you are in time ?? ) just for fun mind ! 

You can pick the game up online via the normal places like amazon and argos , smythstoys have it in stock for only £9.99 this would also be a great birthday party gift or a Christmas present for gifting to a family with a few children. 

we would like to thank spin master for sending us out a cope of the game to test out, This was done in exchange for the review. 

Fathers day gift ideas , thinking out of the box

Fathers day is just around the corner and i for one do feel that the dads get a little bit left out ! I mean when it comes to mothers day the shops are full of gift ideas, but with dads? its pretty much socks, chocolates smellies or a hobby that just doesn't fit your dad ( Fishing / golf ? ) so i thought i would ask around with some PR contacts to see what amazing items they could offer for fathers day ideas! and boy did they impress me! my dad also has his birthday on the 9th of June so the week before UK fathers day, so i find it even hard to spoil my dad. this year tho i am pretty sure he will be very pleased with his gifts , so shall we begin ? 

Alcohol - My dad isn't a huge sprit drinker he is more of a beer or wine kind of guy, These bottles of Wine from kingsland-wines the willow stone in rose and white wine are the perfect gift to give this fathers day, fingers crossed on some lovely sunny weather. Willow and Stone Rosé British Wine is refreshing and easy drinking, bursting with delicious flavours of ripe strawberry and raspberry. Enjoy well-chilled. you can pick up a bottle in your local Co-op for only £4.99 to me this would also be a great item for making up a fathers day hamper full of items you know your dad loves. 

Moose hair products - Australis's number one hair care range Mosse has a product to suit all hair types and they all smell lush, I think this could be a great gift idea paired with a hair cut voucher as we all know that some men need a little push sometimes when it comes to hair care. You can buy Moose products via waitrose with your weekly shop or even on amazon with a RRP of £5 a tub and with a little going a long way with these products you can't really go wrong. ( unless your dad is bald!! ) 

Epson TW650 - The TW650 is the perfect projector for gathering friends and family to enjoy the big screen, whether it’s to watch films or sporting events! imaging gifting this to your dad so he can watch the world cup in style , all you need is a blank wall or you could buy a screen, this is an amazing bit of kit and you would definitively be number one off spring if you gifted this to your dad 

• Enjoy the big screen experience: Super size your favourite films, games and sporting events at home
• Easy to set up: Keystone correction, built-in Wi-Fi and iProjection app
• Long-lasting solution: Watch a film every day for 11 years¹
• Affordable, high-tech equipment: Enjoy this Full HD 1080p projector
• Impressive, bright display: Equally high White and Colour Light Output of 3,100 lumen's

Watch - now my dad is more your DIY then golfing kind of dad but one of his hobbies is collecting watches and its something i have always wanted to gift to him, This watch from krug-baumen is perfect for my dad's taste they have a huge range on the website to suit all styles, I love how you can see the workings of this watch and it is just beautiful, you can find this watch on the Website A item like this is at the top end of the budget but it would be a fathers day gift to remember. 

Gillette - I always think that a really great gift idea for fathers day or any male gifting is to buy health and beauty items for them, they don't tend to buy them themselves so why not treat them this fathers day to a new razor? Fusion5 Pro Glide men's razor fits all Fusion5 blade refills. Gillette razors, formerly called Fusion Pro Glide. You can buy via boots.com

Features and benefits:

• Men's razor with Flex Ball technology that responds to contours and gets virtually every hair
• Gillette razors for men with 5 Anti-Friction Blades; a shave you barely feel
• Precision Trimmer on back, great for edging tough areas (nose and sideburns)
• Enhanced Lubrastrip with more lubricants (vs. Fusion5)
• 1 razor blade refill equals up to one month of shaves
• Fits all Fusion5 and Fusion5 Power blade refills
• Premium Chrome effect handle

Sugru - Rebel tech kit, My dad loves Sugru he was the one that 1st told me about it, This stuff is pretty cool they can be brought in kit form via the website online you will find lots of how to guides and tips and ideas on what to use the product for, my person favourite has got to be fixing my for ever splitting phone charger lead! sugru is mouldable, flexible , waterproof ,durable and comes in a range of colours. 

Seba med - Back to health and beauty this time with skin care, what i love about the seba med products is that they combine hair and body wash while still being for sensitive skin. at £6.49 for 200ml that's a pretty good deal to me , paired with the after shave balm ( new product )  at  £5.95 you have got yet another item perfect for a hamper or stand alone gift. To find out more visit the website they also have baby and other skin care products. 

Wilkinson sword - Now hold on.. didn't i already talk about a razor? yes yes i did ... but isn't it great to have options? Wilkinson sword is the razor brand i grew up seeing in my dads bathroom cupboard ( I remember using it to shave my legs with when i was 12 and my dad going nuts at me !! ) they have stepped up the game with the the new Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5 Sense, the razor will do the thinking for dad thanks to shock-absorb technology which auto-adjusts the amount of pressure it is putting on his face. Giving him the ultimate customised shave. check it out in more detail along with the rest of the hydro range on the website

Jewellery - I fell in love with this personalised leather bracelet from Giftpup, the stylish men's brown leather bracelet features two rows of braiding with a personalised metal clasp. High-quality with a versatile smart-casual appeal which makes it suitable for all occasions.Comes complete with a fantastic presentation gift box, the personalisation can be up too 9 letters long i went with a special date for my choice , I love the over all look of this item. you can find a wide range of gift ideas via the website

Fair trade - my last item i wanted to talk about buying fair trade, I am and ill admit it a lover of a bargain and throw away items, but over the last few months i have been trying to re-use and recycle more so when i was told about buying fair trade products to give as gifts i thought it was a great idea, and its surprising what you can buy, from chocolates , coffee , clothing and much more! With Fairtrade you can support more farmers and workers in supporting their families. Fairtrade guarantees they will be paid at least the Fairtrade Minimum Price plus an additional Fairtrade Premium which will help change their lives, communities and future. Fairtrade gives fathers the opportunity to head their homes with dignity, hope and purpose. Visit fair-trade website for more information , Keep an eye out for the logo when buying gifts. 

Once again a huge thank you to all of the brands that have sent items to be placed within this father day blog post, The exchange has been for the products and my options are that of my own. 

SquiDivers Spin master Wiggle, jiggle, giggle! swim toy review

Bodhi is a water baby ! We are very lucky that my parents own a villa in the south of Spain with a family sized swimming pool. From a young age Bodhi has been jumping in and out of the water enjoying every moment. When he turned 5 we started him with swimming lessons back in the UK once a week at our local leisure centre. He boy spends most of his time under the water rather then on top! So when we was offered the chance to review swim ways squidivers i knew they would be a huge hit for us. 

From opening the packaging i knew they would be a fun pool toy for all ages,  The SquiDivers float upright making them easy to grab. Squidivers are soft and flexible dive toys, they come in the pack of three as shown in the photo above. They are all the same weight and have a loop within the head. We took them with us to the fun swim lesson over the half term holidays ( sorry no photos the swimming pool is VERY strict on this ) the whole class loved sitting on the side of the pool while the teacher threw them into different areas of the pool for them to then chase to catch the squids first. They have even asked me for the link as they want to buy a few sets of the classes! 

Now i don't normal let Bodhi wear his swimming goggles in the bath but for the sake of the blog and you guys i let him, He spent no joke over an hour in the bath playing with these three little squids, making up little games and back stories for them all ( they are brothers if you didn't know ) 

You can see in the photo about how the head of the squids will sink down with the weights and the tentacles wiggles around , Bodhi said that they looked like corals, I can't wait to take these away with us this summer to our holiday in Florida , Bodhi and his cousins will all have hours of fun playing together with these in the family pool. 

Thank you to spinmaster for sending us a pack of squiDivers to try out, This was in exchange for this blog post. 

Molkky ! Wooden garden game review

We love to spend time out in the garden and always looking for new family based games for outdoor use, Molkky fits the bill for us this wooden throwing game is simple to set up and also to play!

Mölkky is a Finnish throwing game invented by Lahden Paikka company in 1996. It is reminiscent of kyykkä, a centuries-old throwing game with Karelian roots, our version is by game makers Tactic and was sent to use to try out and review.

With all the lovely sunny weather we have been having lately it was a perfect time to try out our new game, The game set up is so simple all you need to do is set the wooden pins up in the order shown in the instructions and then take turn in throwing the 'Molkky" to knock down the number pins. the winner is the 1st person to reach 50 points, but if you go over 50 your points drop down to 25 ( so not as easy as it 1st seems ) 

Bodhi who is six loved playing this game and i liked that he was also practising his adding skills, as you need to add up the points from each throw , be careful tho as the pins need to be fully knocked over to count.  I can see this game getting a lot of use over the summer and we will take it with us to friends and family. 

You can by Molkky on line via argos and this version comes in a little wooden crate, This will last well and be an investment game due to it being wooden. I really enjoyed playing this game as did the rest of the family. 

This was sent to us in return for a blog post and review. Thank you 

Read More - Book review - James and the birthday balloon by Nicola J. Rowley

In our house we all love books, we love to read as a family or alone. I even work in a library the love is that real! so when we was asked if we wanted to read a new children book i knew i had to say yes.
Bodhi was very excited when Nicola J Rowley's cope of James and the birthday balloon turned up on our door mat and we read it that night.

The book has clear and simple text lay out and this makes life so much easier for everyone! Bodhi is six years old and in year 1 of school, when books have text all over the place and on dark coloured backgrounds it can make it very hard for them to follow the words, Bodhi read to me and then we spoke about how the book made us feel and what we thought might happen next. ( I don't want to give too much away with the plot line )

Bodhi was even more pleased when he saw that the author had signed the book just for him even if he did say " you shouldn't write in books" and well he isn't wrong is he?? The story is based around a birthday party that ends up with a hospital trip but it all works out in the end, This book would be perfect to gift to a child who has an upcoming hospital trip or is spending time in hospital.

Also you can scan the QR code for a free audio copy of the of story read by Dr Ranj ( from get well soon) Bodhi loves to fall asleep listening to a audio story as this is a big plus for us, You can order the book via amazon and every copy sold will help support Evelina London children's hospital, which provides care and life saving treatment for children in south London and beyond.

P.S who else thinks that if James had glasses he could pass as Bodhi's twin ? 

i have x3 copies of the book to give away, just enter the Rafflecopter giveaway to be within a chance of winning a copy of your own. Thank you to Nicola for sending us our copy its taken pride of place in the bookcase.   (( a Rafflecopter giveaway ))

When plans get cancelled, Make your own fun #OreoCookieQuest

When you make plans after having kids it seems you need to make them so far in advance that you then sometimes forget they have even been made or worse outside factors come in to ruin them! these can be things such as sickness, travel & weather!

We are taking part in the  #OreoCookieQuest Challenge! this is all about creating, capturing and sharing joyful family moments with Oreo in celebration of the Great Oreo cookie quest ( more info about the Quest can be found via the Oreo website )

This weekend we had plans to get out to our local woods for a lovely spring walk and to take part in our own  #OreoCookieQuest Challenge! Seeing as how lovely the afternoon weather had been in the week ! but then BAM! snow ( again ) BUT this doesn't mean all hope is lost !

Bodhi our six year old son loves getting out side and enjoying every moment ! so we wrapped up warm and played out in the snow in our little garden. We played cops and robbers and then i was mummy polar bear and Bodhi was my Cub. We played until our hands went numb and i could no longer feel my face!

The best part of staying at home is you never have to worry about a parking space or the price of the refreshments ! I came inside to make us both a hot chocolate to warm us back up, x2 Oreos are the perfect treat to enjoy with a hot chocolate. It really is all about spending time together as a family. 

You can pick up the promotional packs in store now with these packs Oreo fans will also have the chance to win a once in a life time trip to California, wouldn't that be an amazing holiday and definitely one that you would make life long memories on.

Oreos are a fun and taste occasional treat that the whole family can enjoy in our house we all love the mint cream flavours and we are looking forward to trying out new and wild flavours when we visit Florida later on this year.

This is an entry for BritMums #OreoCookieQuest , Sponsored by Oreo

Mother's day 2018 few ideas to keep mum happy

Mothers day can be a really hard day if you ask me.... as a mum myself i wonder what i will receive from my child ( He is six now so lucky i know he will atlas make a card at school ) as the husbands point of view is " well your not my mum are you? " no I'm not ..... but do you think our six year old will hop on the bus into town to pick me up a gift on his own??? so this year i put out a very vague request to PR companies asking if they had any products that they thought mums would like to receive this year for a mothers day gift,

1st bath products 

 you can't go wrong with something that smells nice and also gift it with the promise of a child free evening to enjoy said products? BLISS !! I was very kindly sent a bottle of Lavender pure castile liquid soap by Dr Bronner's the sent of this filled the whole house and left me feeling so relaxed, perfect for any stressed mum who has problems switching off in the evenings, comes in a range of scents and bottles sizes this size has a RRP of £7.69 a little goes a very long way tho , so i can see this bottle lasting me a while. 

2nd crafts 

I am a huge lover of crafts, i enjoying making and doing. these kits from The Makery are a great way to try something new without a huge outlay of cost, they have a range of kits to chose from my personal favourite has to be the purse kit , This has a RRP of £14.95 , I was also sent the letter embroidery hoop kit and the felt cuckoo clock craft kit these can both be found on the same website, I am looking forward to spending a afternoon with my mum making these crafts together.

3rd Gin

Now I'm not a big drinker but i know a lot of mums that enjoy a drink or two at the weekends, This Gin is amazing its  orange marmalade flavour and comes in a 70l bottle RRP is £23.95 , The Gin comes from the small Welsh village of Abergwyngregyn ( try saying that after you've had a few drinks! with a Celtic design on the orange bottle and it bold orange colour is a stand out from the crowd drink in style and taste. The drink uses the citrus flavours to offset the juniper, this leaves a balanced taste of sweet and bitter orange flavours, The drink has a warming aftertaste, And i was pleased that it was still clear in colour ( like all good Gin should be ) 

4th Self care

 I am a strong believer in self care and i have been enjoying relaxing after a bath with my new Gel gloves and socks on These are from JML and can be ordered online for £14.99 simply pop on the gloves and socks sit back and relax and after 15/20 minutes  of use you will feel softer , smother skin they also smell lovely thanks to being Infused with Olive Oil, Jojoba Oil and lavender. these would be a perfect gift for any mum, as who doesn't want softer skin ? I just wish these came in a less female colour as i know my dad would love to try these out for the hard skin on his feet!! ( I'm sure he wouldn't be too put off by the pink tho ) 

5th Gardening 

I enjoy spending time in our little garden but i would hate for this lovely William Morris hand trowel to get muddy, So i think it will be given light duties very much looking forward to warmer days to enjoy a cup of tea sitting out enjoying the outside space. 

6th plants

I love to have flowers in the house, But i find giving them as a gift can be very costly for something that just doesn't last. I would much rather gift or be gifted a plant, This houseplant ( azalea ) that comes with a ceramic pot is a steal at £9.99 from Dobbies garden centre they have a huge range to suit all tastes and budgets this would also be an idea for those who no longer have their mums to celebrate mother's day with, Either to place on a resting place or to keep in own sight to remember them by. 

7th homemade 

In my opinion homemade is the best way to go for mothers day, Bodhi came home from school on Friday with this beautiful drawing of me and daffodil plant, Now I'm not suggesting that i myself will be copying this idea for my mum or my mother in-law but from a young child i do think homemade/handmade is best. 

But please Bodhi ..... let mummy sleep past 8am .... okay?? 

** all items have been gifted to myself to be included within this mothers day blog post **