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Flower Power From Startrite

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I think my daughters already own more shoes than I do, mostly passed on from their cousins and the occasional impulse buy and I do try to ensure they have at least one pair at all times from a reputable brand which has comfort, style and support for little feet.

We were recently sent some floral canvas shoes to try out from Startrite. Izzy had a gorgeous blue pair and Chloe a pink pair in the same style. On the very first day they were worn Izzy stood in a very dirty puddle so they have already been washed ..twice. They have stood up to machine washing quite well and although they look slightly faded probably due to the vigorous initial wash I gave them as I swear she chose the blackest puddle ever to step in.

Pink floral canvas startrite

Blue floral canvas shoes

Startrite shoes review

Both girls love wearing them, I like that they are similar styles but not identical. I love that they are easy to put on so Izzy can put hers on with ease and Chloe tries very hard to do hers too.

These StartRite Posy Girls Shoes are £22 for the pair which I think is great value for a pair of very durable, machine washable pair of comfy yet pretty shoes.

* We were gifted these shoes for the purpose of a review.

Depression – The Everyday Battle

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If you are depressed you don’t smile right? Don’t go out for food or go on holiday? You don’t get on with your life, have friendships or laugh so hard you worry about your post second child pelvic floor?

Depression is when you wake up sad, you cry all day. You weep, you lie on the sofa eating ice cream and watching films which make you weep a little more. Right?

WRONG.

Depression is not like the flu. You don’t suddenly get over it. You may have a good day, you may laugh freely and enjoy a slice of cake for just what it is ..a slice of cake. However the next five days may make you feel like you have lost your footing and slipped into an icy cold lake, you can’t catch your breath and it’s too cold to swim BUT feeling like this ..floundering and trying to keep breathing you still have your everyday life to battle through. You may have children that you have to feed, dress and support each day, you may have a job or a relative that you care for. On those days where it hits you so hard you honestly don’t know how you can make it through the next ten minutes without crying. You do. You may even smile.

Yet you are still depressed. It hasn’t suddenly gone away, you may have got used to the way you are feeling but it’s still there. It may always be there. And that alone is frightening.

Just because someone with depression says they are fine doesn’t mean they are better. They may be fine that day, they probably aren’t. It’s normally just that they don’t want to talk about it.

It’s easy to judge a person with depression, it’s much harder to be the person they need you to be.

Be supportive. Be there. Don’t question their illness. If they seem like they are having a good day be happy for them but still be there.

Depression is not knowing when you go to bed what the next day will be like. It’s scary and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

Don’t judge.

Win A Pair Of Tickets To Taste Of London 2015

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I’m a huge fan of the Taste festivals. We have been to the Taste of London for the last two years and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the prosecco laden, food filled extravaganza.

Taste of London 2015

As well as the vast array of food, stalls and amazing drinks on offer there are as always exciting offerings from AEG including their Taste Theatre and AEG Let’s Taste Live Cooking which gives you the chance to pick up hints, tips and techniques, in a series of interactive cooking demonstrations with Jeremy Pang, head chef at the renowned School of Wok.
Having experienced their cooking classes previously I can tell you that you are in for a treat.

Restaurants include The Duck & Waffle, Barbecoa and Michel roux Jnrs Diner amongst many more..

Other than the above does the fact that there is a Casa Havana Mojito Shack make you realise you have to go??

Us at last years Taste, you can read my review here.

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I’m extremely disappointed that we can’t make it this year but I do have a pair of tickets to giveaway to one lucky person. Just enter my simple rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bazaar Bag Review

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I was sent a Bazaar bag from Beanbag Bazaar a while ago for inclusion in a feature but we love it so much that I felt it definitely deserved a standalone review. It’s been used daily since we received it which can only be a good thing.

Outdoor bazaar bag

The giant bean bag which you may have spotted on some TV shows such as X Factor is suitable for indoor and outdoor use and can be used in 4 different ways for lying down, sitting up like a chair and using as recliner. It’s incredibly comfortable which can be the only reason I fell asleep on it the first day it arrived in the middle of the day – the first time I had had a daytime nap in quite a long time. My girls use it to lounge on at home or jump upon, it’s great for them to eat snacks on as it’s wipe clean and we have also used it outside on the odd sunny day we have had recently.

Beanbag bazaar

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My favourite way to use it is turned onto its side so I can relax on it fully supported to read a book. It’s half price at the moment and it has free delivery so I would definitely recommend buying now!

* We were sent this for inclusion in a guide, I was not obliged to write a review.

Party Time With Iggle Piggle & Friends..

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Last week we were invited to the birthday party that all children dream of. The In The Night Garden Birthday Party celebrating 1 year of the ride at Cbeebies Land in Alton Towers.

Iggle Piggle, known by millions of children for his little red comfort blanket, unfurled the world’s largest polar fleece blanket in order to set a new Guinness World Records title. The record breaking attempt was organised to celebrate the first anniversary of the In the Night Garden Magical Boat ride.

Iggle Piggle record breaking blanket

The children were ridiculously excited on arrival at the party to see life size versions of their favourite characters Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy wandering around! They had photos with them, danced along with them to party tunes and enjoyed a slice of their birthday cake as well as leaving with a goodie bag of Night Garden treats. Truly spoilt.

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We spent the rest of the day at Cbeebies Land enjoying the rides and experiences on offer. Unfortunately it was incredibly busy with an average wait time of 40 minutes but we did manage to get in Charlie & Lolas house as well as on the Night Garden ride – most importantly of course. We also took a ride with the Numtums and some of other children’s rides in other areas of the park. Andrew braved the queues for a turn on Smiler – the ride which unfortunately had an accident yesterday and he loved it.

Thanks to Night Garden HQ and Alton Towers for inviting us to this one in a lifetime party and to Iggle Piggle for hosting it of course.

7 Days To A Healthier You With BBC Good Food

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On June 7th BBC Good Food launch their 7 day summer diet plan.

Bbc good food 7 day summer diet plan

The plan is all about eating clean, food writer Sara Buenfeld and nutritional therapist Kerry Torrens will bring you seven days of fresh, healthy meals that also taste great. Every recipe is analysed along with each day’s plan to ensure that you’ll get all the nutrition you need. You can mix and match the dishes you love and avoid the ones that don’t appeal and there are also vegetarian alternatives.

After the week of eating in this manner you can expect to feel a lot brighter and I’ve been told it can also help you sleep a little better – something I desperately need!

You can sign up to the 7 day plan for free here . Obviously 7 days is just a kick start to the new healthier you and tips for maintaining this lifestyle will be sent to you at the end of the week.

I’m excited to see the recipes that are in store for us!

Bluestone National Park Resort

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You may remember that last month I posted a photo diary of our stay in Bluestone National Park Resort. Now it’s time for our full review of our stay.

This was our 4th ( or possibly ) 5th visit to Bluestone so it’s no surprise to hear that we loved it. After all the sign of an excellent holiday is that you want to return again and again and I definitely see more visits in our future. I thought rather than a standard review it would be fun to tell you 10 reasons why we love Bluestone.

Ten Reasons We Love Bluestone

1. The accommodation – the lodges are certainly one of the highlights of the holiday. Modern, airy and an abundance of space. Even the smallest lodge has plenty of room and a fully stocked kitchen with all of the gadgets, pans and utensils that you need for an easy holiday. Towels and white crisp bedding is included as well as all of the basic cleaning products you need such as dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid and bin bags. There are TV and DVD players in each lodge and also WIFI for those that wish to stay connected.

How I loved to fall into this bed at night…
Bluestone bedrooms

2. The Blue Lagoon Waterpark – an all season waterpark with slides, children’s pools and a lazy river. The waterpark has great facilities for families including large changing rooms so you don’t have to squish into a tiny cubicle.

Blue lagoon family changing

3. Eating In/Out – during all of our stays we have tried most of the food options on offer at Bluestone from The Wildwood cafe to the pizza takeaway service whilst lazing in our lodge and we have thoroughly enjoyed each one. There is something great after a long day of swimming, cycling and general running around to be able to just laze on the sofa and order in.

4. Bike Hire – we have a small car without a bike rack so we can’t take our own bikes on holiday but Bluestone have got you covered with bike, child seat and trailer hire available to book prior to your stay and directly at the resort (subject to availability). On our last stay we hired 2 adult bikes along with a trailer for the girls and we had an absolute whale of a time with them.

Bike trailer

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5. The Surroundings – set in 500 acres of picturesque Pembrokeshire countryside, there are lakes and woodland in abundance. Aside from the immediate area you then also have the incredibly beautiful area of West Wales to explore with beaches galore, pretty little towns, petting farms and theme parks practically on your doorstep.

Bluestone forest

6. The Well Spa – I can’t actually say we loved this as only I visited but I certainly do. The luxurious spa is a haven for adults who need a little break and don’t we all? I spend an incredibly peaceful two hours in the spa during my last stay and I will definitely rebook next time I go. From the relaxation rooms and thermal spa rooms to the outdoor pool each area is perfectly designed and wraps you up in a warm ( or cool ) embrace. I felt so much more relaxed on leaving.

7. The Adventure Centre – we visited this area at least once a day. It houses a bouncy castle, soft play, mini golf course, climbing frames, baby sensory and much more.

Bluestone adventure centre

8. Ever friendly staff – people often underestimate the power of great customer service but every time we have stayed there this is exactly what we have received. First class service, happy, caring and knowledgeable staff. Every person we encountered from the cleaners to the management and the incredibly cheerful shuttle driver seem to take enormous pride in their work.

9. Camp Smokey – I know I’ve already mentioned the food and drink but Camp Smokey is an experience more than a restaurant. Set in the middle of the woodland it is a treehouse style dining area with an enclosed fire pit for you to toast your own marshmallows. We visited twice on our last stay for s’mores and marshmallow kebabs and it was just perfect. Izzys face lit up when she saw it and it just felt like we were in a different world.

Camp smokey s'mores

Camp smokey marshmallow

Camp smokey bluestone

10. FREE RANGE FUN – this is possibly the most important of all of the 10 reasons to love Bluestone. To see your children run around in the fresh air away from all the fuss of modern technology to not hear them moan about watching another episode of Peppa Pig and instead be happy to just tire themselves out completely in the fresh air, cycling, playing, exploring and discovering. I know you can do this at home but it’s so much more fun at Bluestone and for your children it’s new and exciting.

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There are a hundred and one more reasons why you should go to Bluestone and as always with any of my blog posts if you have any questions feel free to pop me a message or leave me a comment.

* Our stay at Bluestone was free for the purpose of a review.

Summer Drinks Guide & Bella Pro Extract Blender Giveaway

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Summer is coming..finally. I can smell it. The smoky scent of a BBQ close by, the light fragrance of cucumber diced ready for summer cups and strawberries with fresh cream. I’m sure most of you will have summer BBQ’s and picnics planned as well as maybe some camping or festival trips so I’m here to share with you my favourite drinks so far this season.

Starting with…

Alcoholic:

Marks & Spencer rise to the occasion as always with a great selection of seasonal drinks. Mojito Fizz is an absolutely delicious ready to serve cocktail. Add it a glass of crushed ice and a wedge of lime to take it up a notch. The Summer Cup is a combination of gin, cucumber, melon, spices & lemon peel with a lovely citrus hint of earl grey tea – great served in the same way as Pimms with berries, lemonade and mint of make it a bit different and serve as am iced tea or with ginger ale instead of lemonade. M&S also have some really delicious Farmhouse ciders, some traditional and others a little fruity.

Mojito fizz

Lindemans Rose – crisp, fruity and perfectly suited to a posh picnic or just lunch al fresco.

Lindemans bin rose

King Bloom are a new brand to me but one I will revisit over and over again I think! They make the most stylish ready to serve cocktails in glass jars which are perfectly on trend.. They taste incredibly good too. With flavours like Vodka, Raspberry & Kiwi or Vodka, White Cranberry & Coconut all with added milk thistle – make your party just a little bit cooler with these fashionable drinks.

King bloom cocktails

Alska Fruity Ciders are some of my very favourite drinks. I first tasted them about a year ago in my local Aldi and the price and flavour quickly sucked me in. My favourite is strawberry and lime but they come in a variety such as Nordic Berries and Lemon & Ginger..at a bargain £1.29 for a 500ml bottle you won’t get a better bargain.

Aldi Alska cider, gin and tonic in a tin, limoncello

On the subject of Aldi they have a great Limoncello which would be great to serve freezing cold at the end of a long summery meal.

Gin ..because who doesn’t need Gin. In a can of course for maximum flexibility when camping and at festivals. Aldi have cans of pre mixed Gin & Tonic ( for your convenience).

Finally if you have a special occasion it definitely calls for some bubbles and I’m a huge fan of Prosecco.. Apparently it’s in short supply 😉 this Casa Defra from Norton Wines promises a beautifully fruity frizzante.

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Some delicious recipe from fellow bloggers:

Rhubarb Gin
Gin Melon Slushie
Peach & Basil White Sangria
Polish Style Beer with Raspberry Syrup
Gin Cocktails
Mango Margarita
Summer Vodka Lemon Spritzer
Spiced Apple Cocktail
Strawberry & Elderflower Cocktail

Non Alcoholic:

M&S have a beautiful Rhubarb Presse which is just so so good. Mocktails need never be boring again. You could also turn this into a cocktail with a little vodka or rum 😉

M&S rhubarb presse

This wine alternative which has been around for years – Shloer, have a great strawberry punch which is perfect for friends who are pregnant or breastfeeding or just don’t like to drink. A great option to serve at a meal.

Shloer strawberry punch

Heartsease Farm also have a presse – this time an Elderflower one which is light and fragrant and rather delightful to drink. Serve very cold. Perfect with cucumber sandwiches and cupcakes for ladies ( and gents ) who lunch.

Heartsease farm elderflower

Pomegranate Juice from POM, wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice from concentrate! With its unique polyphenol antioxidant profile, which helps protect the body against free radicals*, the delicious ruby-red drink is a good source of potassium and naturally gluten free plus it’s pretty tasty:

pom

Juice from Mello the UK’s first and only range of raw, fresh melon juice and which is set to be the must have drink of summer 2015. It’s so refreshing and it’s always nice to know there are no nasties in your drink. Would make great slushies or smoothies too.

Mello juice

Some alcohol free recipes from fellow bloggers:

Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie
Orange & Raspberry Detox Water
Guava Coconut Mocktail
Sunshine Grapefruit Smoothie
Strawberry and Watermelon Cooler

Now it’s easy enough to buy your own drinks ready made but how about adding them to a fruit concoction made by you in a Bella Extract Pro Blender – we have been trying one out at home and it’s great for crushing ice and extracting the maximum amount of juice out of your fruits. Just think of how good a freshly made strawberry daiquiri would be… The Extract Pro Blender comes with two separate blades: a unique Extraction Blade, designed to extract maximum goodness and nutrients from a multitude of foods; together with a Grinding Blade ideal for nuts, spices, herbs, chocolate, coffee beans. There’s also three lidded tumblers which can be used on the base in place of the jug blender attachment for smaller quantities, or for drinks on the go. If you read onto the end of this post you could even be in the running to win one of your own!

Bella extract pro blender

Then you have to decide how to serve it and how amazing would your cocktails look served up on a personalised cocktail paddle? I absolutely love this paddle and glass set I was sent recently from Getting Personal and can’t wait to show it off.

Cocktail paddle board

And if you feel like getting creative you could create your own flavoured vodkas using this Vodka Zinger. It’s a really cool product which helps you create flavoured vodka drinks in a short space of time. I’m thinking mango vodka sounds good? What would you try?

Vodka zinger

Now who wants to win a Bella Extract Pro? Hands up…

Just fill in my easy rafflecopter form below for your chance to win. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Some items in this guide were gifted for the purpose of this feature.

In The Ideas Kitchen With Rachel Allen & Panasonic

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A few weeks ago I was invited to an event with Panasonic to test out their new Slimline Combi Microwave Oven and SD-ZB2512 Breadmaker. Having had a Panasonic breadmaker quite a few years ago that had been passed onto me by a family member who had it for a long time previously I can already vouch for their durability and great results but the new machine is on another level. The microwave is also pretty exciting with a slimline design but no compromise on what it can deliver. You can cook such a wide variety of food in it that it makes me wonder if you would even need a standard oven anymore!

The lovely Rachel Allen was demonstrating a few recipes for us in The Ideas Kitchen including the most incredible Dulce De Leche Brownies. Everything from Roast Beef, Foccacia, Baked Potatoes, Brownies as well as Lemon Drizzle Cake were made in front of us ( and by us ) in less than an hour using just the microwave and bread maker. Yes a joint of beef in the microwave and it tasted incredible.

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The event was held at the truly gorgeous Cactus Kitchen in London which is famous for being the set for Saturday Kitchen Live and we even had a chance to take a sneak peek at the set which felt very strange when it was completely empty. I kept expecting James Martin to pop his head out from somewhere.

Cactus kitchen london

There were 6 bloggers at the event and we were placed in pairs to create two dishes for us all to enjoy at the end of the event. Myself and Gail from One Million Gold Stars were tasked with making Lemon Drizzle Cake and Roast Beef with Salsa Verde and it was all incredibly simple. I was incredibly impressed with both of the new machines and their ease of use. I was particularly excited to learn that the new breadmaker can be used to create artisan bread, rustic loaves and sourdough from start to finish..yes you can even use the machine to make your sourdough starter.

These were the end results:

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It was a delicious meal with great company between my fellow bloggers, finally putting names to faces of people whose blogs I enjoy such as Karen from Lavender & Lovage and Sarah from Maison Cupcake as well as the lovely staff from Panasonic and Rachel Allen who I had met previously on a cooking weekend several years ago and I was touched that she both remembered me and asked after my daughters – such a warm, friendly woman.

I’m looking forward to my breadmaker arriving shortly and I will be sure to share what I think with you as well as my recipes I come up with.

* I was invited to this event by Panasonic and will receive a Breadmaker to review.

Bristol Foodies Festival Preview And Giveaway

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Foodies Festival is moving this year from The Harbourside in Bristol to The Downs for 10th Anniversary Celebrations on June 26th, 27th and 28th.

Foodies festival

The UK’s biggest celebration of food and drink has theatres, artisan producers and more street food than ever before.

Street food pizza

You can see Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite at The Aga Rangemaster Chefs Theatre, he will be sharing his favourite summer recipes and baking tips.

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MasterChef champion of 2014 Ping Coombes will also be cooking alongside MasterChef winners Tim Anderson and Matt Follas, MasterChef runner-up Jackie Kearney, Romy Gill from Romy’s Kitchen, Harvey Nichols head chef Louise McCrimmon and food writer Xanthe Clay.

Festival-goers can also enjoy the New Wine and Champagne Theatre, where experts Laura Clay and Charles Metcalfe will guide visitors through this season’s best bubbles from both the UK and the rest of the world. There will be Beer masterclasses in the New Craft Beer Theatre and Harvey Nichols share their summer cocktail secrets.

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As well as this you have the cake and bake theatre, the street food avenue, an artisans producers market and children cooking skills with picnic in the park themed classes.

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Oh and did I forget the Pimms teapot and the Mojito bar?

Now that I’ve made you all drool in anticipation how do you fancy winning a pair of tickets for you and a friend to go?

a Rafflecopter giveaway