Here Comes Series 4 Num Noms

Num Noms have been around for quite some time now, I've had the pleasure of reviewing them before, we've previously been inspired to get creative in the kitchen using their scents as inspiration and now they're back with series 4 along with a brand new magazine.

The new series has changed things up again with the following Nums and Noms:

Nums

Cookies - Wafer, Chip and Fortune cookies

Creamery - Cafe Drinks, Smoothies, Milkshakes and Fro-Yos

Fancy Cakes - Tea Cakes and Bundt Cakes

Creme Filled - Macarons and Sandwich cookies

Baked Goods - Pies and Donuts

Pasta

Read With Me #35 2017

Hello and welcome to this weeks Read With Me, the last one of August I might add, where did that month go?

I actually didn't manage to read any books last week, shocking I know but this week I'm trying to get the kids back into reading a little bit each evening in preparation for going back to school next week, anyone else thinking that's going to be a tough time?

My Sunday Photo 2017 #35

We've been trying to grow our own plants, herbs and vegetables for a little while now and this right here is the first ripe tomato, fresh off the plant. 

Little Loves August

I can't believe we are coming to the end of August, I'm not ready for the Summer holidays to be over just yet. But of course nearing the end of the month, it must be time for this month's Little Loves post.

Read

I have been completely obsessed with the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, if you haven't read them yet and you are a fan of series such as Twilight and The Hunger Games then you will love these even more. A strong female protagonist and a story line that gets better with each book.

Step Into an Augmented Reality and Enter a Smurftastic Giveaway

Imagination is a powerful tool that we should encourage our children to use and with the release of Smurfs: The Lost Village we want you guys to step away from reality and make use of your imaginations by spotting some Smurfs in your own back garden. 

My girls were keen to join in with this activity. We were kindly sent a Smurf house, a set of instructions, some summoning tools to make and a guide on just how to spot those sneaky Smurfs, just where would they be hiding?

Pie Face Sky High Review

When Pie Face first came out it was a huge hit, not just in my house but everywhere, it was one of the must have games so when I was given the opportunity to review the latest edition, Pie Face Sky High, I knew my kids would be rather happy with me.

What is Pie Face Sky High?

The concept of the game is still the same, the aim is to get pie on your opponents face in order to score points but this time instead of turning a dial, this time you get to hit a target to see if you can actually pie your friend.

New Book Releases From Little Tiger

I love a good bit of book post and I was recently sent some fantastic new releases from Little Tiger. The first a book aimed at children aged 1-4 introducing them to counting and colours and the second is an interactive adventures book aimed at 3-6 year olds packed with puzzle and activities.

Both books are filled with wonderful illustrations and are just perfect for a little bit of learning whilst reading.

Dinner Time Treats at Frankie & Benny's

As a family we love eating out but being a family of six it can be quite an expense, especially when the children decide they want desserts as well as a main meal. Although I can't blame them because well I can't resist a good pudding either. So when you find somewhere that not only delivers delicious food but is good value for money, you end up becoming a frequent visitor and this is definitely the case for Frankie & Benny's.

We were recently invited to our local Frankie & Benny's restaurant to see what their new kids menu had to offer and I was more than happy to oblige because we've always enjoyed what they have to offer. Our nearest branch is one at Westwood Cross in Thanet and the staff there are wonderfully friendly and always brilliant with my girls, offering them colouring to keep them them entertained while they waited for their meals and balloons to take away when they finish eating. But what about the food I hear you cry.

Read With Me #34 2017

Hello everyone and welcome to this weeks Read With Me. I hope you're all enjoying the Summer holidays, they're going a bit too quick now aren't they!

I have to admit we've failed a bit on the reading front. We have done a bit of reading but the library challenge hasn't quite gone to plan as we just haven't had the time to get down there and get more books out, anyone else struggling with that?

My Sunday Photo 2017 #34

Couldn't resist putting up another photo from Leeds Castle. Such a picturesque area, and even though the place is always busy it seems to look oh so peaceful.

Trust By Kylie Scott - August Book of the Month

Kylie Scott is an author that I really like, having read her previous novels including Lick and Stage Dive, I was excited to see her latest book, Trust, show up on Netgalley and even more excited when I was approved to get an advanced reading copy.

After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen-year-old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers.

While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight—getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.

On Tour With Tsum Tsum #TsumTsumTravels

It's the Summer holidays and even though we haven't actually gone abroad this year, the kids and I have been making the most of our time away from school and this year we've had a bit of company. 

Read With Me #33 2017

Hey everyone and welcome to this weeks Read With Me. I've stepped away from the blog a little bit for the Summer holidays but I have been continuing to read along with the kids. 

My youngest has still been enjoying using Reading Eggs and we've been trying to continue practicing her phonics and tricky words so when she goes back to school it won't like be going back to the beginning.

My Sunday Photo 2017 #33

Last week my husband happened to have a rare weekend off of work. We tried to make the most of our time by filling in to the max with outings, generic things like the park and swimming as well as places we hadn't been before. 

One of those places happened to be Leeds Castle. Considering t is only a 45 minute drive from us I'm not sure why we hadn't been before. Pay once and you have entry for the whole year so we've already decided we will be making our way back for the Christmas markets in December.

Gin, Lime and White Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

There are two things in life that I really quite like, food and alcohol so what could be better than combining the two? The guys over at 31Dover.com recently sent a rather delicious bottle of gin and I thought rather than just doing a quickie review to let you all know just how refreshing a G&T it can make, I'd go the extra mile and get a little creative and that's when I came up with the idea for the gin, lime and white chocolate cheesecake.

Now I'm no master baker so the good news with this recipe is that it is there aren't a lot of ingredients, it is super easy to prepare and it requires no baking whatsoever, the only downside is that you need to wait for it to set bbboooooo. Now considering the alcohol content this isn't a dessert for the kiddies, oh no, this one is just for us adults and guess what it's jolly nice when enjoyed with a refreshing glass of gin and tonic accompanying it....

MOKURU - Fidget Toy Giveaway

Last months the kids and I had the opportunity to review the latest fidget toy to sweep the nation, MOKURU. This wooden desk toy is the latest invention to come from Japan, it aims to test an individual's focus and motor skills and for something that looks quite simple, it's extremely addictive once you get going.

You can see from my You Tube video that it takes some getting used to however the frustration from not mastering it initially just spurs you on to keep trying, it's like you're fighting with yourself to do better each time you pick it up. I'm still attempting to flip it up and catch it (I've never been good at using both hands at the same time) but what I love is that has kept the kids quiet for hours at a time as they concentrate on flipping it over.

The Children's Garden Book Review

I've recently got into gardening, I mean I'm no expert but I have attempted to grow some things and so far I've managed to keep them alive, so I thought the book The Children's Garden was quite appropriate for my kids to read right now.

Down the road from Woodlawn Avenue, on a street called Sunnyside, there's a garden patch grown by children who live in the neighbourhood. A sign on the garden's gate says: Children's Garden, WELCOME! That means: Come in, please. Listen, see, smell, touch - even taste!

Read With Me #32 2017

Hello everyone and welcome to this weeks Read With Me. The Summer holidays are speeding by and I've been so busy enjoying them with the kids that blogging has taken a bit of a back burner. 

We have however had time for a spot of reading. My youngest opted for two David Walliams books for her reading challenge and she's been reading them with some help from me, he's an author that we all love in our house.

My Sunday Photo 2017 #32

This was a gorgeous bunch of flowers given to my by one of the pupils I worked whilst I was volunteering at my girls school. I was beyond grateful to receive them and they've last a long time which is even better. 

What I Read in July

July was a whirl wind of a month, so much packed in what with sports day, proms and leavers assemblies but funnily enough because of everything going on I was struggling to sleep so I actually had more time to read.

Flight of a Starling by Lisa Heathfield

Rita and Lo, sisters and best friends, have spent their lives on the wing – flying through the air in their trapeze act, never staying in one place for long. Behind the greasepaint and the glitter, they know that the true magic is the family they travel with.

Until Lo meets a boy. Suddenly, she wants nothing more than to stay still. And as secrets start to tear apart the close-knit circus community, how far will Lo go to keep her feet on the ground?

This novel is from an author I love, I reviewed one of her previous books Paper Butterflies and in comparison this one is just as good. Her stories are so thought provoking.

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

Mila & Pheebs June Stationery Box

In March this year I was able to review the fantastic Mila & Pheebs stationery subscription box. Filled with kids stationery (ok adults can use it too) and plenty of activities for entertainment, this is a sub box that we all genuinely loved so when I was asked if I'd like to review June's box as well, I couldn't say no now could I.

The theme of this box was Super Safari and what we found as we opened the box was a brightly coloured paper which held all sorts of surprises inside and these included: