A Day In My Life With iCandy

The lovely people at iCandy kindly sent me one of their new Raspberry Urban Strollers with the instructions to show you a day in my life with my puschair in toe.

Now I do an awful lot of walking so this was a great task for me to partake in. I will apologise in advance and say that my life may not be the most interesting but do keep reading if only for the pushchair wonders you are about to witness….

6 Months of Healthier Living

I can't believe we are half way through the year??!! 6 months that I've been trying to stick to healthier living and believe me that's the longest I've ever stuck to any sort of diet.

The thing is I know I was never over weight and not even fat really but as I've talked about so often, I'm just not comfortable in my own skin. Like anyone else, I've been on my own personal journey both with my weight and my attitude to my body and the food I consume.

So I think in my most recent update I was talking about maintaining my weight rather than trying to lose anymore. Well this is where I am seriously struggling.

The scales aren't my main port of call anymore but I do step on them every couple of weeks and they seem to fluctuate quite a lot rather than staying steady. I mentioned in a post about holiday indulgence but I think because of my slip up in the half term old eating habits are trying to creep in.

Read With Me #26

Hey there lovely people, welcome to this weeks Read With Me. How are you all, managing to get some reading time in?

So how many of you went ahead and bought Grey by E L James a couple of weeks ago??

I haven't yet, going by reviews I'm not sure it would be worth my money.

One of the books that I really enjoyed is one that I have review to write for and that is A Dark Dark Wood by debut author Ruth Ware.

This a psycological thriller which is superbly written, you can read my full review next week but I just wanted to share my recommendation with you all now.

I have another library haul video to share with you all if you'd like to take a look too.

Silent Sunday

Project 365 2015 Week 26

Who else thinks the weather has been rather rubbish considering it is meant to be Summer time?? This week I got a new pushchair in the house much to the husbands horror, however I did sell my other buggies so I am down to one pushchair which hasn't been the case since I had Layla!!

This week also saw the hubby starting on a different shift at work, better hours as it means he gets every weekend with us for a little while but it is a drop in wages as the job is nearing an end so time to tighten the purse strings.

Last week my older brother and his wife had their second child so we are off to see them this morning, got to love baby cuddles but for now check out this weeks project 365 round up...

Day 172

Father's day and daddy did what he does best and treated the girls instead of himself. New swingball set up in the garden.

Cinema, Dinner Dates and Falling To My Death

Cinema, dinner dates and falling to my death, sounds like a typical weekend doesn't it?? Well last weekend I actually got some much needed alone time with my husband. It had been planned for a while but as we all know, plans change. We were due to go and watch Foo Fighters in concert on the Saturday however as I'm sure you're aware, the gig unfortunately got cancelled, much to my disappointment. Infact I have to admit I was more than annoyed because I'd missed out on a blogging conference, Britmums because I had really wanted to see Foo Fighters instead.

But as they say, the show must go on and after a re jig of babysitters, we were off on our travels, which of course means a car journey selfie (you'll notice a running theme in this post).

Oreo Cookie Surprise Cupcakes

One thing I really love doing with my girls is baking and even better when we can find new recipes to experiment with. The recipe I'm about to share with you comes from the official Jacqueline Wilson magazine. Now they actually named them coffee & cookies cupcakes but I prefer the name oreo cookie surprise cupcakes.

These cakes are a delight to the tastebuds. With the mix of soft, moist sponge and crumbly, sweet cookie, the textures were made to go together.

Easy Waxing With Veet

I have to admit as a woman I am quite lucky. I'm a natural blonde therefore the hairs on my legs are blonde too so I don't have to shave my legs as often as some because the hairs just aren't that noticeable.  My problem is that I have sensitive skin (including eczema) so certain methods of hair removal cause my skin to become either covered in rashes or red and sore. I admit to dry shaving once and the results were definitely less than to be desired!!

This is where Veet want to lend a helping hand, they already had many waxing kits available but they now have their Natural Inspirations line which is dermologically tested. I was kindly sent the EasyWax Electric Roll on Kit to try and I can tell you now that it's definitely a good product, well for me anyway.

Colours by Alain Gree Book Review

Colours, they are all around us and are a very important part of our day to day lives. We start seeing them when we are born and we start to learn about them from a very young age but sometimes it can be a struggle, which is what I am finding with my youngest daughter. I'm finding it difficult to know how to make her recognise and understand them all.

A book that has come in handy is Colours by Alain Gree. Priced at £9.99, this book isn't just for younger children and infact it can even be useful for adults too.

Magic Notebook Review

My kids love to draw, write and colour. We go through copious amounts of paper in the process and as much as I'd like to keep all of their creations, I just don't have room so their drawings always head to the recycling bin.

That was until I was introduced to the magic notebook.

Go Away Hunger

One of the problems that I have one it comes to eating right/better is that horrid hunger feeling. I'm sure you've all had the same issues one time or another. It's strange really because there are some days when I just don't seem to feel hungry at all yet other days it doesn't seem to matter how much I eat, I just can't get myself to feel full.

One of the main times that I tend to think I'm feeling hungry is when I'm bored. The worst times are of an evening when my husband is working and the kids are in bed, I find myself at a lose end and all I can think about is food, items in the fridge start calling to me, well metaphorically speaking that is.

I've been trying to make a conscious effort to stop giving in to these cravings and I now how a few methods that are starting to help when I feel the hunger pains kicking in.

Water

Drinking a glass of water before I jump for the chocolate. This does actually work sometimes as it turns out in some cases that I was actually thirsty not hungry, I am awful for getting enough fluids in my system as unlike hunger, I don't ever seem to get the feeling of thirst.

LeapPad Platinum and LeapFrog Imagicard

LeapFrog have only gone and done it again, they've gone and made an even better LeapPad. Now whilst I can't bring you a proper review yet I thought I'd tell you a little bit about the brand new LeapPad Platinum and the compatible LeapFrog Imagicard.

The Imagicard cleverly brings characters and learning to life with a simple snap of a picture. The Imagicard games can be played on Leapfrog's most advance LeapPad, the Platinum but they are also backwards compatible with all other LeapPads excluding LeapPad 1.

Read With Me #25

Hello. Welcome to this weeks Read With Me. How are we all this week?? Did you get much reading done??

I have another library haul to share with you all which you can find here.

A real mixture of books again.

I didn't manage to read an awful lot again last week.

 This was because I was busy with birthday celebrations for my husband however I did make time to read one book which I had preordered some time ago.

King by T M Frazier.

This is dark romance at its best and I highly recommend not only this book but also other novels by this author too!!

Silent Sunday

Project 365 2015 Week 25

A busy and somewhat half disappointing week this week. It was the hubby' birthday on Thursday so we've had lots of visitors etc. We managed to get out with friends on Wednesday, dinner out with the kids on Thursday and now I'm part way through what was meant to be a long weekend away with the husband whilst the kids were being spoilt rotten with their nannie. However we came back earlier than originally planned as the Foo Fighters concert I was meant to be watching got cancelled booooo!!!

Day 165

This about sums up my Sunday.

Dining Out For Father's Day

Father's day, a day where dads get celebrated. And what better way to treat your dad than taking them out for dinner, saves on you washing up too!!

I recently took the girls and their dad out for dinner at our local Brewer's Fayre restaurant which happens to be a 5 minute drive from our house so extremely nearby.

#Summerdaysout With Petits Filous

My kids are ruled by the stomachs, even when they are not at home they've come to expect food at certain times of the day. Snacks on the go are a must, especially on days out and now that Summer is slowly making an appearance time out of the house is becoming more frequent.

We were recently provided with vouchers to purchase some of the new Petits Filous pouches. Available in three different flavours : apricot, raspberry and strawberry, these yogurts are packed full of yummy goodness.

And what goodness is that I hear you ask?!!

Vitamin D and calcium to help build strong bones, no artificial colours or sweetneres, no added preservatives, gluten free and suitable for vegetarians, this is the snack that is perfect for any child (or parent).

So what's new? Well the yogurt is still the same (hooray) however the packaging has changed. Don't worry you can still buy their convinient pots but the new pouches have been designed to make outdoor snacking easier.

What stands out is that each pouch is resealable, no need to worry about yogurt escaping and covering any items you may have in your bag/changing bag, this has happened to me before and I'm sure many of you know that this isn't the easiest mess to clean up.

Another plus for parents is that a spoon isn't needed, the yogurt is consumed by squeezing the pouch and sucking it out of the spout at the top. This in turn means no washing up and fingers crossed less spillage. I can't tell you how many times yogurt has been dropped off the spoon onto clothes or the carpet.

Now I wouldn't be testing these pouches out properly if I didn't take the kids out with them, so just where have we been with our Petits Filous pouches??

Well even Summer days can be rainy days so my youngest daughter actually had her first try sat at our dining room table at home. Layla is coming up to three and needed a little help squeezing the last bit of the yogurt out of the pouch.

A real test was letting her have one whilst she was sat in her pushchair when we went for a walk. The yogurt definitely got the thumbs up from me in the instance, no pesky crumbs left over the seat and with the lid screwed back on it was no bother waiting to find a bin to throw away the empty pouch.

Our last stop, the library. It was nice not having to rush off, with the Petits Filous pouch with us I was able to sit and read Layla a book whilst she filled her tummy, no fuss and no mess.

I think my only real problem with these pouches is that because the contents need to ideally be kept refrigerated you should really have some sort of cool bag/ice pack with you to keep them cool, especially on really hot days.

Overall I can see these becoming a family favourite. Perfect not only for snacks but ideal to pack in a scrummy picnic/lunch. Tasty yet healthy, appealing to everyone, not just kids!!

xxxx

My Favourite Salad Tuna Nicoise

I love a good salad and you should know by now that salads needn't be boring.

There are so many different combinations, these days fruit can even be used as an ingredient, don't knock it till you've tried it!!

And with the Summer months finally arriving I thought this was the perfect opportunity to share with you my all time favourite salad recipe.

My go to salad happens to be the tuna nicoise, however I will admit I don't like the normal sauce that accompanies it.

It is fairly simple to prepare, wonderfully colourful and is packed full of protein, perfect for a post workout meal!!!

Dork Diaries Drama Queen Book Review

In April my eldest daughter was given the chance to review the latest Dork Diaries book. These books are the personal diaries of 14 year old Nikki Maxwell and they feature a mix of drawings, doodles and comic strips, showcasing all of her daily dramas.

Well Rachel Renee Russell has been busy because the newest installment to the Dork Diaries series has already arrived, introducing Drama Queen!!!

TOTAL DISASTER!!! Mean girl Mackenzie has stolen Nikki's diary! What if she tells everyone Nikki's totally secret thoughts?!

But reading Nikki's doary isn't the only thing Mackenzie's interested in. Get ready for Dork Diaries with a twist as Mackenzie takes over and tells all about her GLAMFABULOUS life! What does the queen bee really think about Nikki and her dorky friends?

I will leave you in the capable hands of Elise to tell you what she thinks of the book :

This Months Degustabox Update

I have to admit I get a little excited around the end of the month because I know my next Degustabox will be arriving soon. Last month we actually got them a little early as they wanted to make sure we received them before the bank holiday weekend.

Giving Is Better Than Receiving

Now I won't lie, I do like receiving presents and it is a bit disappointing that as I've got older my present pile has got siginificantly smaller however I do also like giving presents. You can't beat seeing the look on someones face when they open a gift. Whether it is something that they've wanted for a long time or a complete surprise, something totally unexpected, I definitely get a sense of joy for putting a smile on someones face.

Recently I was contacted by Characterwise and asked if I'd like to receive a Me to You bear but not for myself but to give to a person of my choosing, this wasn't an opportunity to pass up. The question was who was I going to give my bear to??

Switching Foods

I think every knows that to lose weight or maintain a certain weight you have to have a good mix of exercising and eating right. Obviously we all have our off days and treats are most definitely allowed, I'm not giving up cake for anyone!! But I've found switching certain foods definitely helps when it comes to not only my weight but my general well being too. So this week I thought I'd share with you just five of switches that I've made in my diet.

Oils

Cooking foods and baking can be made a lot healthier if you switch normal oils for coconut oil. I use coconut oil when making cakes, frying any foods etc. The difference is that this oil contains a lot of the good fats instead of those bad ones. This oil can also be great if you suffer with dry skin conditions too.

Bread

Bread is something that I have always loved, I eat a lot of toast and sandwiches and in recent weeks I've discovered that the best bread to eat isn't wholemeal/brown like most people tell you, it is infact rye bread. I find this to be a little bit more doughy in texture but it has definitely stopped the bloating affect I always got after eating bread and because the loaves tend to be smaller, you end up eating less of it too.

Milk

Another thing I 've switched up is milk. Now I've never been a huge fan of milk but since changing my diet at the start of the year I use it a lot in porridges and smoothies. However instead of using semi skimmed, these days I opt for almond or coconut milk. These provide great added flavours to foods and are brilliant if you have problems with things like lactose.

Sugar

I don't use a lot of sugar but I do like to put a couple of spoonfuls in my coffee. The best alternative I've found to this is sweetener. I now use only one tsp of this in my coffee compared to the two tsps I was using of sugar. Another good alternative to sugar is honey or maple syrup.

Spreads

I mentioned I like to have a lot of sandwiches and toast, I also like to have a lot of smoothies. Something that I use in these is spreads. Now instead of chocolate, jam etc, I opt for nut butters such as peanut butter or almond butter or cheese alternatives such as cottage cheese or quark. All of these are full of protein, great to eat pre or post workout to help build muscles and also help them recover.

So there are just a few ways I've tried to improve my diet, I'd love for you to comment with any other tips you have.

xxxx

Read With Me #24

Hello lovely readers, welcome to this weeks Read With Me. I hope you have some fab posts to share with me this week.

Following on from last week you can check out my latest library haul video here.

I seemed to have slowed down my pace with reading the past couple of months, I've gone from reading almost one a day to maybe 2 or 3 a week.

However this hasn't stopped me from buying more. Amazon's one click is lethal, I've purchased so many books in recent months and this causes problems because when I do get time to read I just don't know which one to read first!! #bookwormproblems

Well I managed to decide on a couple to read last week and my favourite had to be After Hours by Cara McKenna.

This romantic and at times emotional but a nice easy read. It was the first one I've read by this author but I will certainly be reading more of her stories now!!

Silent Sunday

Project 365 2015 Week 24

Another week has flown by and we almost had Summer. Typical British weather was on good form, we had a mix of wind, sun, rain and thunderstorms, I even managed to get sunburnt.

I can't day that it's been an awfully exciting week as I'm sure you'll see from the pictures for this weeks project 365…

Day 158

It was a nice sunny morning so we decided to go and have a stroll in the sunshine and feed the ducks at the same time.

Banish The Small Print

I don't know about you but I am thoroughly fed up with the dreaded small print that can be found on letters, online, even on adverts that you see on the TV.

Personally I think that the small print should be made redundant.

I'm sure I am not the only one that has been caught out for not reading through policies as closely as I should and of course companies take advantage of this, it's like their "get out of jail" card.

Nutty Oat Bars Recipe

There are days when I have next to no time in the mornings and then there are the afternoons where I feel like I'm in need of a nap. Apart from my regular hit of caffeine from my bucket of coffee, sometimes I need something else to either run out the door with or do give me a bit of a pick me up to keep me going with the kids. (where do they find their energy?)

These nutty oat bars which I'm about to introduce to you have a great mix of a salty and sweet taste and because of the oats you are kept full for quite a while which is why they are the perfect on the go breakfast food. And as I've found great for anyone on a diet as you won't find yourself craving more food after eating them.

Ingredients

* 1 cup of rolled oats
* 1 cup chopped salted peanuts
* 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
* 1/2 cup wholemeal self raising flour
* 2/3 cup soft brown sugar
* 150g butter

Cinderella, The Heart That Believes Book Review

I absolutely love being a LeapFrog amabassador and the girls have really benefited from this too. A couple of weeks ago my youngest daughter was extremely excited because we received Cindrella, The Heart That Believes in the post. Cinderella is currently her favourite Disney Princess so she promptly walked off with the book. 

Wentworth Personalised Wooden Puzzle Review

I love a good jigsaw puzzle, it is another one of those things, along with colouring that I find relaxing, almost therapeutic so when I was asked if I'd like to review a personalised puzzle from Wentworth I was eager to accept.

Each puzzle is made to order and can be created as a 50 piece (£25.95) or a 100 piece (£30.95). Ordering is simple, the only hard part is deciding which photo you'd like to use. Your image must be a jpeg which is between 1mb and 5mb to ensure that it prints clearly on the puzzle.

I chose the below photograph of my kids.

Caseapp iPhone Case Review + Giveaway

Last year I was given the chance to make a custom iPad case and review it thanks to Caseapp. Months on and my case is still going strong and in this time Caseapp have managed to develop even more cases and skins for various phones and tablets.

I recently upgraded my mobile to one of the newest iPhones, the iPhone 6 so when I was approached to see if I'd like to review one of Caseapp's newer cases, it was what I'd like to call perfect timing.

The process is still just as easy, you can pick from pre-designed cases of create a personalised one of your own. Last time I chose a collage which included images of my children. I wanted to do something a little different this time.

One of my obssessions is stars, not sure why but I love them, so I thought why not have them on my phone case. After finding a picture that was good enough resolution (Caseapp do tell you if they think the image won't be suitable), I also decided to add a few words. You can choose what colour you'd like the letters printed in, my only complaint with the wording is that I wish more font choice was available.

Got My Bikini So I'm #BeachBodyReady Right?

I think when a lot of us try to lose weight, tone up etc, we have an ultimate goal in mind. Infact I didn't just have a singular goal, I kind of had a bit of a list but ultimately it all added up to wanting to feel comfortable in my own skin. One of my targets was to be confident enough to wear a bikini on holiday, to get rid of that feeling of wanting to cover up.

Now I'm sure it didn't escape your attention when there was a media frenzy over a particular image and slogan.

Winx Club The Mystery of The Abyss DVD Giveaway

Winx Club is a programme my kids have recently started watching having found it over on Netflix. Turns out the Winx Club are celebrating their 10th anniversary, who knew it had been around so long??

Well to celebrate they are back with a brand new feature film, Winx Club : The Mystery of the Abyss which is out now on Digital download and DVD.

The Mystery of the Abyss follows the Winx fairies as they battle against the Trix and evil Nymph Politea both of whom are getting too close to gaining more power than they've ever had in their lives.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Book Giveaway

I don't know about you but I love the classic books and I especially love being able to introduce them to my kids, infact I just borrowed the Secret Garden from the library for them.

Alma books have recently started publishing some wonderful children's classics including Peter Pan and The Little Prince. Another classic which they've published of late is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll.

Read With Me #23

Hello there lovely readers. How are we all? What have you managed to read this week??

Last week saw me getting into the last third of my Good Reads reading challenge and we are only half way through the year.

I'm quietly pleased and wondering just how many I'm going to read by the end of the year.

I've also started something new over on my you tube channel.

Each week I am going to be vlogging about the books I'e picked for the girls from the library.

Please do have a look at my latest video here.

My favourite post from last week came from Let Them Be Small, she reviewed Eddie's Tent by Sarah Garland. This is actually part of a series of books. It looks both fun yet educational and has a really classic vibe about it, definitely going to be keeping my eye out for these.

Silent Sunday

Project 365 2015 Week 23

So June has arrived and it could have finally bought Summer with it, I mean apart from the Thunder storm we had yesterday. It was the girls first week back at school after half term and hubby was back on nights, back to normality.

We were told that the car had been written off and unfortunately we weren't offered as much as we'd like for our car so ended up having to put money towards another one, so what do we get.? Well the same car really just a couple of years younger, that's as far as our budget would stretch. We've now just got to go through the process of getting our excess back…

Enough of my moaning onto this weeks pictures.

Day 151

An utterly miserable day spent being lazy.

Books, Kids and Colouring #youtuberoundup

A lot of you probably wouldn't have noticed by I am delving into the world of blogging. Admittedly I'm not very good at, I mean I am normally the one behind the camera but I thought I'd pop up a round up of the videos I have been sharing with the world this week.

First up is a good old library haul. Have a look at what Layla and I borrowed from the library this week. Includes books from Gwyneth Rees and Julia Donaldson.

Too Many Kids Not Enough Time

I chose to have four children and if I am honest, if the husband hadn't gone and had the snip I would have liked to have had two more. What can I say, I love babies and kids, I've mentioned in previous posts how I feel like I was born to be a mum.

However there are days where I feel like there isn't enough time in the day, as though I don't have the chance to spend quality time with each of my kids and I think they feel the same if their attitudes are anything to go by.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Protein Muffins

I think I mention on a weekly basis just how much I love cake and even though I'm trying to be healthy I really can't live without it. So what's better than cake? A healthy cake packed full of protein, that's what!!

My latest recipe combines peanut butter, chocolate and protein oh and banana because fruit definitely means that these delicious muffins are indeed good for you.

Party Bags and Supplies Review

My youngest third birthday seems to be just around the corner, ok it's in July but I am definitely starting to get ready for it, the organiser in me likes to be prepared. The theme I have in mind for her is Cinderella/Disney Princess, she has developed a real obssession with Cinderella in particular so I'd like to surprise her with a day filled with princess goodies when the day arrives.

Party Bags and Supplies where kind enough to send me a Cinderella party pack to review. The set worth £20.20 includes a tablecloth, napkins, cups, plates and pre-filled party bags.

Secrets of The River by Jess McGlynn Book Review

I love supporting new authors and even better when one of those authors is also a feloow blogger. Jess McGlynn recently released her debut novel, Secrets of the River and I have been lucky enough to get my hands on a copy to review.

Some secrets simply can't remain hidden…

When Isabelle moves to a sleepy riverside village in France she thinks she is being given a second chance.

Keen to leave behind the secrets of her past, she throws herself into village life where she meets cute American journalist Ed, rugged vineyard worker Matteo, and the dark and mysterious Hugo.

Life should be good, but Isabelle's arrival acts as a catalyst in the village and she soon disovers she isn't the only one trying to escape her past and that sometimes there are things which simply can't remain hidden.

Isabelle must face her mistakes and rediscover herself in this wonderful romance set against an idyllic backdrop.

All Dads Can Be #TruprintDads

Father's day is getting closer and I already shared with you guys my gift guide for all the different dads out there but I saved my best ideas for last and they all have to do with Truprint.

I'm a huge sucker for a personalised gift and what better way to personalise something than with photos of loved ones. And this is something that Truprint can help with as not only do they print high quality photos, they also produce gifts such as magnets, calendars, mugs and puzzles.

The only problem is deciding just what to ordered. I opted for a few different items which are pictured below :

Fridge magnets costing £2.99 each

Holiday Indulgence

Up until now I think I've been doing a pretty good job at losing/maintaining the weight. That is until the half term holidays hit last week.

I'm quite sure I'm not the only one that struggles with food over the holidays. Whether staying at home or holidaying abroad, it is hard not to over indulge.

Days out, ice creams on hot days, take aways as treats and then of course alcohol comes into play too, well it was a bank holiday too.

I've tried to maintain an attitude of not feeling guilty for allowing myself a week off the healthy eating and if I am honest I've not been overly bad, but my efforts have slipped. The 80 to 20 ratio went to a more 50 to 50 ratio and for the first time in weeks I missed a days exercise on Sunday.

Read With Me #22

Welcome to this weeks Read With Me. The kids were on half term last week so my time for reading was few and far between.

The kids however had lots of time for reading and we even took a trip down to the library to get some new books to read together they included :

The Pencil by Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman

Bears Bears Bears by Martin Waddell

Dragons at Crumbling Castle by Terry Pratchett

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Marshmallow Skye by Cathy Cassidy

The Pigeon Needs a Bath by Mo Williams

Miley The Stylist Fairy by Daisy Meadows