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. 

Piccolo - Organic Baby food - Taste test & review

Pouched baby food isn't just for babies as Bodhi & i found out after being sent a box full of the Piccolo range to test out, piccolo is an amazing brand with fanatic values , They give back via 10% of all profits to help fund food education, in partnership with the NCT , they provide practical support to parents when it comes to baby and child nutrition. 

The range starts with stage 1 from 6 months plus, these are 1st taste with a huge range of mix of flavours from mango,pear & kale and cherry & yoghurt. Bodhi really enjoyed the yoghurt based pouches and these become great for after school or after swimming for a on the go snack, No mess or fuss. They also have a pure range within stage one, these are much more simple flavours with mango, pear, plum and banana these i feel are more for the younger market, we added ours to Bodhi's morning porridge and he loved it !

Stage 2 starts to introduce a much wider range of flavours and textures with some fantastic menu options from lamb ratatouille, sweet potato beef ragu we didn't test any of these options as Bodhi is way past this stage in his eating, They look full of flavour and something i would have brought for him when he was at the right age for them. 

Piccolo is now stocked online and in stores you can find a full list of where to by on the website where-to-buy with prices from £1-£1.60* I would like to thank Piccolo for sending us pouches to try and letting us share our feedback with you guys. 

*Prices taken from Morrison's 16/11/17 

Tarquin and Troops Etsy shop prints * REVIEW *

I find the best way to make over a room with little cost and effort is art work, These prints from Tarquin and Troops are for our hallway and landing i love the range of animals in different outfits i had so many to pick from it was hard work picking five ! i went for these ones are they are the ones that made me smile the most. 

Alligator B-Ball player 

Bert the Beaver Cowboy

Kari the Koala outback policeman

Reginald the Rhino Solider at Buckingham Palace.

Clancy the Emu Australian Solider 

we love how the animals has a recognisable occupation and its own personality i feel this adds an educational dimension to the images.

they can be found via etsy shop Tarquin and Troops you can download them and print at home A4 in size i find this perfect for framing ( the frame in the photo below was from pound land of all places and yes it was a £1 ) 

Each animal comes with a back story this is Clancy the Emu 

Clancy the Emu Australian Solider poster art for your child's bedroom, playroom or nursery wall. A digital poster printable that will enthrall your child's imagination.  

Clancy never wanted to work in an office, wearing a suit. He wanted to see the world. Be in the great Australian outdoors. So what better way to see the great Oz outback and beyond other than becoming a solider in the Australian army. He is a funny bird. Making everyone laugh with his jokes and is a real team player. That's why he quickly rose up the ranks and now is a Lieutenant colonel. 

They also have a range of animals without clothes on , these would be perfect for a new borns nursery. These prints over all would look amazing in a childrens waiting area or in a class room. 

Art work like this is fun and that little bit different , don't get me wrong i love ikea and b & m but its nice to have something that is uqnice to your on personal tastes. 

Thank you to Tarquin and Troops for sending us these prints to review, We love them and they have brighten up our hallway. 

Fentimans * taste test & review *

I don't drink ... like at all ! my last alcoholic drink was back in 2007 that's 10 years ago 10 years!! I don't drink for reasons that are my own but over the years i have become a lover of none-alcoholic drink options and over the last few years more and more options have come into the market.

I first tried a rose lemonade by Fentimans last year while out for dinner , It was delicious and i was hooked. So when i had the opportunity to try out other flavours from the range i couldn't say no. The delivery man turned up with my crate of glass bottle and i was like a kid at Christmas not knowing what one to try first.



We hosted a late summer BBQ and i shared my drinks with my friends any family, they all commented on the taste and packaging and just how refreshing all of the flavours were.

We even made mock tails with a few flavours with five year old son Bodhi.

pink drink

x1 bottle of rose lemonade

x1 cup of fresh raspberries 

lemonade

ice

mix all of the ingredients together in a jug, mash up the raspberries and place into glasses, finish with ice , straw and if you must an umbrella. and enjoy ! Bodhi loved the mashing up the berries and feeling grown up with his mock tail drink. 

Cherry ice cream float

x1 bottle of cherry cola

x1 tub of vanilla ice cream 

very simple add the ice cream to the glass and then top with the cherry cola ( this would also work with the rest of the range ) we love ice cream floats in our house and bodhi said this was the best one he has had so far! 

You can view the whole range in more detail on the fentimans website, they also sell mixers and pre mixed alcoholic drinks. I love that the drinks come in glass bottles but it felt a shame to stick them in the recycling bin so i cleaned them out and added chalk stickers to them and made myself new herb jars for my kitchen. 

part of the none alcoholic range can now also be brought in can size, these would be perfect for talking out on a picnic or a day at the beach, Over all i love these drinks and they are now my go to end of the week treat. my favourite is still the rose lemonade and i am also now very keen on the cola and cherry cola.

A big thank you to Fentimans for sending me these drinks to try and review. 

EvoShave - Fathers Day Gift Idea- * REVIEW*

Shaving is a daily chore for most of do , but it doesn't have to be one we put off! My husband Chris likes to think he can pull off a beard but to be very honest he really can't ! The whole family had to sit him down and tell him how much of a fool he looked. ** see photo ** So Thanks to his lovely new razor the beard was no more !! 

So when EvoShave got in touch asking if we wanted to review a fathers day designed razor i jumped at the chance. so if  your struggling for a last minute fathers day idea for him or looking for the perfect gift ides for the future. Evo Shave is a new concept razor that has a unique design, created to achieve a close shave with it’s smart designed Evogrip and dual edge cartridge, you can pick from a range of colours and even add images and text. We was sent the blue/green & Gray super dad design 

The idea is so simple behind the razor, The finger grip handle gives your more control and feel while shaving. Chris was very pleased with his overall shave using for the 1st time He did say that it felt strange on the 1st day as its a whole new way of holding the razor but as the days passed its become more and more natural and has reduced his overall shaving time. The bright colours and smart packaging make this an eye catching an fun product perfect for any man in your life. 

You can find out more about Evoshave by visiting the website and can be brought on line via eBay and amazon prices start from £4.99 for the single starter pack unto £24.99 for a pack of 3 handles and  x12 replacement blade packs, The single start packs comes with the single blade already fitted these can last for 2 weeks worth of shaving making them ideal for holiday use. 

Thank you to Evoshave for sending me these items to (make) Chris shave with, I will also be giving the other 2 starter packs to my dad & father in law as part of their fathers day gift. These items have been sent to me in exchange for this review but all views are that of my own. 

Go ahead - Perfect mum snacks for on the GO !

Being a mum is hard work I'm not going to lie it really is! when you first have your baby you look after yourself ( even more so if breast feeding ) I remember when i was breast feeding i was always eating ( To help with milk supply ill have you know ! ) But once your baby becomes a toddler you will find more often then not you are either sharing your food or forgetting to feed yourself all together, I always make sure i take snacks out for nearly five year old Bodhi but i never take anything for myself. until now that it ! When Go-Ahead got in touch wanting the snack range reviewing i knew it would be a perfect mum snack or mum breakfast on the go.



The range has something to suit all tastes and each smart snack also comes in a choice of flavours, From snacks i have tried before such as the yogurt breaks ( crispy biscuits with fruit fillings each slice coated in a layer of yogurt topping ) these come in strawberry,forest fruits,raspberry,cherry & also tropical the RRP is £1.99 for a pack of 5 ( each pack has 2 slices ) so if you do end up sharing it isn't so bad! these are great for taking out on the go or leaving a few packets in your desk as work for a little 11am pick me up.

Next we have the crispy slices, these are a lot like the yogurt breaks just without the yogurt! these are bigger pack sizes tho with x3 slices per pack and 5 packs in each box and a RRP of only £1.65 ! they also come in a huge range of flavours with apple, forest fruit, raspberry , orange , cherry , blueberry and also strawberry ! I've been enjoying these with a cup of tea after the morning school run.

fruity bakes are a golden baked bar with more fruit filling inside these are more cake like then biscuits i have even warmed them up and enjoyed with ice-cream for a after dinner treat the apple ones warmed up taste just like apple pie ( Lush ) they also come in strawberry for me these are a little too sweet ( the filling is a little like jam ? ) but Bodhi loves then, and have had them in his packed lunches. RRP £1.99 for x6 bars

Lastly we have the new cookie bites these are amazing and i am hooked, little bags of mini sized cookies in either white chocolate & raspberry or chocolate & orange the RRP is £1.99 for x6 bags these are perfect on the go snacks we took some with us to our local zoo last weekend and the whole family enjoyed them. Bodhi loves the chocolate & orange and always bugs me for them if i ask if he would like a snack! kids!!

So thank you Go-Ahead! my morning eating habits are much better now and we have found a range of snacks that as a family we all enjoy. 

( Items have been sent to be used for review , ALL words/views are that of my own ) 

Brightlings * Play and Review * tested by Jess & Bodhi

Bodhi was so excited when his Brightling arrived via the postman, Brightlings are made by Spin master they are a interactive toy , they come in three different colours ( Pink / Teal & purple ) I do think its a shame that they are very much aimed towards girls with the colours. The dolls are soft bodies , arms & legs but the head is hard plastic her face lights up in different colours while she talks and sings, she is a little top heavy! 

She has a tone of play ideas, she says over 100 things such as ' i love you ' ' how are you feeling ' and much much more, Bodhi loves this as he little chats with her ( He has called her Ella ) She can also sing in a range of styles from pop/ rock / jazz / opera and she can even yodel & beat box !! if you press the button on her ear you can record for 15 seconds then press the button on her tummy and she will repeat it back to you.  They do require x3 AAA batteries for use  and they RRP is £29.99 but i am sure coming up to Christmas you will find them on offer and special deals. 

Ella's face lights up in different colours and her mouth moves while she talks, she is a very smart toy and i can see why some many children have a Brightlings on 2016 Christmas gift list, I do feel the body is a little light seeing at the head is so heavy and solid. Body has spent lots of time playing with Ella, they have had a sleepover, Afternoon tea and she has also come out food shopping with us. 

I feel the toy is good value for money the only thing i wish she could learn maybe? only few simple things like your child's name and a few other bits maybe? Bodhi had this to say about Ella 

" I love Ella , she is a fab toy and i know that my girlfriend Leah will love to play with her when she comes over for a play date soon " 

Thank you to spin master for giving Bodhi the chance to check out this toy in exchange for our review. 

Urban Armor Gear UAG - iPhone 5sc case * REVIEW *

As a blogger my iPhone is very important to me add into that I'm also a mum its REALLY important ! I have an iPhone 5C in the colour yellow and i really do love it its linked to my iPad and my iMac and makes my life simple , I often use my phone for Photos and keeping Bodhi happy by letting him play games on it, So to me its safety is really important i don't want to jinx myself but i am yet to drop my phone and have it damaged and thats how id like it to stay !

When asked to review a urban armour gear case i had to say yes! when the cased arrived i was very happy with the design and over all look of the phone ( only down side for me was the range of colours )

Urban armor gear features 

* Impact resistant - My phone has been dropped a few times from my pocket and once thanks to Bodhi , It has stayed safe and in one piece thankful

* Easy side access - volume buttons and mute switch are uncovered 

* skid pads - extra protection on the corners 

* feather light - the case is light weight and easy to pop over your phone

* Glare free flash - the camera is left uncovered by the case

* HD screen protector - perfect add on to keep the screen safe from scratches 

I wouldn't go back to a fashion phone cover now after using the UAG you can buy them online via the website they also stock a range for other phones such as samsung / microsoft / LG / HTC / motorola and they also do covers for iPads & MacBooks the cost of my phone case was $34.95 ( thats £28.18 ) this may seen a high price for a phone case but when you think about how much a new phone would cost it really isn't a bad price! 

** i was sent my phone case in return for a blog post review ** 

Caketoppers unboxing * TASTE & REVIEW & GIVEAWAY *

So who doesn't love cake? We sure do in our house , So when i was asked to review some cupcakes i jumped at the chance As you can see from the youtube Bodhi & i both really enjoyed our personalised cupcakes , the service and the taste of these cupcakes is amazing and they are delivered to your door !

The ordering is super easy you visit the website https://www.caketoppers.co.uk pick how many cupcakes your like ( They also do photo cakes these would be prefect for parties ) They start at a box of 6 for £12.99 thats just over £2 a cupcake and i think that is a fab prize seeing as they are 100% personal to your order and they cake super good ! you can order a mixed box of both chocolate or vanilla or pick just one flavour. The better the photo you send the clearer the image will come out on the icing.

Once you order is placed you can sit back and relax and keep an eye out for the postman they can be delivered next working day or you can pick you chosen date, These would be a great gift idea for just about anything, New baby, Birthdays, Wedding, Moving house the list could go on !

I have bookmarked the website as i know i will be back again to order lot more cakes, And for one lucky reader i have a box of x9 cupcakes with pink sugar flowers to give away please enter via the rafflecopter below and good luck .

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can also follow cake toppers on social media to keep unto date with all the lovely cakes they are making.

Heavenly Organics Superfoods * Tasting testing & review *

When our parcel from Heavenly Organics Superfoods turned up i think i was more excited then Bodhi ! I have heard such great things about this new small children's food brand. We both couldn't wait to get tasting and testing, The box was fit to burst with products this is what we was very kindly sent.

: Halo Bites ( These are brand new and come in two flavours apple or banana they come in 75g bags and are perfect for children as young as 10 months, The little multi-grain bites melt in the mouth and Bodhi loved them mixed with dried fruit as a after school snack )
: Coconut squishes ( each pouch is 1 of your child's 5 a day for fruit & veg these are a great size for on the go snacks and over the summer months i was putting these in the freezer for an hour or so before giving to Bodhi ) They come in a range of flavours with coconut milk being the base

: Crisp veggie waffles ( these come in a share size box of 30g and I've been popping a few into bodhi's School bag for his afternoon snack either in carrot & cumin or sweetmeat & shallot Bodhi also loves these with a side of dip ) 

: wafer wisps ( again in a chose of flavours pumpkin & banana or spinach , apple & kale these handy size bars contain no hidden ingredients no sugar or salt just goodness , We all love these wafers and i keep a stock of them in my bag for snacks on the go.

: Mini Italian bread sticks ( these are amazing ! we are a big bread stick eating family and i was so impressed when we taste tested these (( see our youtube video )) Bodhi will often ask for these with his lunch or for a snack, These mini Italian bread sticks are the latest edition to the heavenly range. 

Heavenly is the brainchild of Shauna McCarney-Blair , A mum herself to 4 children as well as a lover of all things organic & nutritious. Shana came up with the idea for Heavenly when frustrated by the poor choice of baby food products in Northern Ireland for babies & children. Shana began by creating a guilt free range of organic baby weaning meals for the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland market and now Heavenly has moved into snacks with availability across mainland UK & Ireland. 

Heavenly products are available from Ocado, Tescos , Morrisons Waitress and on line via Heavenly's website www.heavenlytasty.com

I now always make sure i have stock of Heavenly products they are a huge hit in our house hold, They feel like a much more grown up children snacks with a great range of flavours and products. 

Would like to thank them again for sending us our snacks and getting us hooked! 

The ultimate bathroom book * REVIEW *

Thinking of Bathroom books i often think of the joke/fun fact type ones that often my dad would end up getting as a Christmas gift, Due to the age of the smart phone the bathroom book has become out dated, When Soakology ( one of the uk leading bathroom specialists ) wanted bloggers to read & review the book i thought why not , I am happy that i did the book is full of interesting facts and imagery of bathrooms across the ages and world. 

Bodhi ( who is 4 1/2 ) Also loves this book and we will sit and look at the picture together while his bath is running. It covers chapters such as time line of the modern bathroom design , the worlds best & worst bathrooms , and our favourite the craziest bathroom ever ( did you know that in Taiwan they have a restaurant that is bathroom themed ! ) 

We have had lots of comments on our new bathroom book and it does now live by our toilet for reading material, You can buy the book online direct from soakology at £14.99 with free shipping. Its as great fun book full of useful bathroom information. A perfect gift or something to just buy for yourself for in your bathroom, I also feel the book will come in handy for Bodhi while he is at school as the book has lots of facts and sats about history and bathrooms across the world. 

Long live the bathroom book ! 

Fab ! fun arty box * REVIEW *

When we got in touch with Fab, fun art box about testing out the monthly subscription box.  both Bodhi & i couldn't wait for it to arrive via the post. The box was personalised to Bodhi with his name, Once opened we found the box was full of arty goodness. We had been sent the Create clay creative box 

Your F.A.B. Creative Clay Creations Include…

• Model your own funky key rings including your own a cup-cake design
• Design your own long legged giraffe or a creative elephant!
• Make your own ‘Easter Island’ inspired stone clay sculptures (– slightly smaller than the real life ones!)
• Make your own fabulous foam clay bowl
• Create your own 3D canvas art
• Make a magical mighty mouse and some crazy clay creatures
• Design your own clay pencil toppers and pencil holder
• Build your own rocky and rolly clay creatures and picture holders.

…plus lots more cool creative clay ideas to enjoy.

The magazine is full of pictures and step by step guides for all of the projects, Bodhi wanted to make clay creatures picture holders. He did struggle with this and needed my help with bending the wires are they are pretty thick. He was very pleased with the outcome and it has now been gifted to nanny for her desk at work. 

The boxes come monthly and in a huge range of themes , from dinosaurs to selfies the boxes work out like this for payment 

Product	Total
Monthly Subscription   × 1	£14.99 / month for 12 months
Subtotal	£ 14.99 now then £ 14.99 per month
Shipping	£ 3.95 per month
Total	£ 18.94 now then £ 18.94 per month

( prices taken from the website ) also check out the site for more details on the other boxes and information ) Bodhi is 4 1/2 and i do feel he was a little young for some of these projects but it was a good craft box for a shared project, I would say its more suited for 8+ or for a younger child who is happy to be helped out. 

Thank you to Fab fun arty box for letting Bodhi & I test out your subscription box. 

Fuzzikins Craft Dozy Dogs *REVIEW*

Over the summer we have had some very wet rainy days, The Dozydogs Fuzzikins was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. The kit comes with everything you will need to make and create a a family of dogs, They are covered in a fuzzy felt this is the base for the dogs fur , Bodhi really enjoyed  using the felt tip pens and giving the dogs different colours furs. 

The kit states for ages 5+ Bodhi is 4 1/2 and got on just fine with this project and was soon finished with the colouring part, The next step was to make the sleeping bags and sleep masks for the little family.

This stage i showed Bodhi what do to ( its a very simple poking and pushing ) He only needed showing once and was really pleased that he didn't need my help, Its lovely to give him a project and let him have the freedom to do it pretty much solo. 

The project took Bodhi just over an hour, once finished he then spent the of the afternoon playing with the dogs, waking them up and putting them to bed. The kit also comes in a cat  & rabbit version and RRP is £12.99 i feel think would make a great birthday gift or a kit to keep for a rainy day / sick day. 

The kit are coming soon to shops and on line , The craft box range via interplay has a huge range of making and doing kits. 

Huge thank you as always to Interplay for sending us this kit to test out and review. Body has given it two thumbs up and has said " It was a really fun thing to do while it was raining and we couldn't play in the garden "