Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Adventure | Review

03/11/201826/05/2020 Lisa 1 Comment

Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Adventure Review

Oregon Scientific Smart Globe Adventure – We were really excited when we knew that we were going to receive a Smart Globe to review. Isabelle is now eight and laps up facts and will quote back things that she’s learnt at school such as determining what the Romans ate by analysing their pooh which she found extremely interesting. Last school term she was learning about continents so the Smart Globe was a great way to be able to show her where all the continents and countries were that she knew.

The Smart Globe Adventure has many features which you can explore using the smart pen such as continents, countries, geography, cultures and age appropriate games including some in French.

Features:

Smart Learning Pen
The Smart Globe has five games plus 19 English language challenges + six French language activities
In touch mode, tap on a country to discover facts about continents, capitals, population and more
Local map to look at the United Kingdom and Ireland in more detail
Lots of quizzes
Download the 3D App to unlock further interaction

The Smart Globe Adventure was ready to use as soon as it was unboxed since the batteries were included and already installed which as a parent is always a good thing.

Isabelle was able to use the globe before I’d even had a chance to look at the instructions as it is very self explanatory. All the features are clearly labelled and activated using the smart pen.

The first challenge that we did was to find countries which for the first couple of goes were tricky, but once she’d played this a few times she was faster than me with some of them.

The Globe is a nice size and will look lovely displayed her in bedroom so that she can use it when she likes. The smart pen is attached by a wire which is great in terms of it getting misplaced or lost.

The voice was rather loud when it is first switched on but there is volume control, but it’s nice and clear for you to be able to hear.

Here are some of the facts that Isabelle found particularly interesting:

Bulgaria has bears and big wild cats in the mountains.

Cuba grows coffee, sugar cane, tobacco and citrus fruits and is especially famous for its cigars.

Greenland has lots of polar bears which can be over 8 feet long, and are the largest hunting animal in the world.

There are more sheep in Australia than people.

The App

We found the app quite cool and easy to use, although you do need to have good lighting in the area that the globe is being used. This can be downloaded onto a smartphone or tablet but does take up quite a lot of space.

Our Thoughts

Isabelle couldn’t miss this when it arrived and wanted to open it straight away. Thankfully the packaging was easily removed and it was set up to use as soon as it was out of the box, with the batteries already inserted. I looked for the instructions whilst Isabelle got started with the globe without a second thought. You didn’t really need the instructions as the globe is very self-explanatory and easy to use.

Isabelle’s favourite features are finding the countries and the random facts which she found quite amusing. She thought that this would be something that would be good to use at school so we’re arranging for her to take it into school so that her class can all have a go with it at show and tell time.

The globe from Oregon Scientific retails at £59.99 and would make a great Christmas present.

*We were sent Smart Globe for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are our own. This post contains affiliate links

Getting Busy at Halloween with Little Brian Fabric Sticks

26/10/201825/01/2024 Lisa 8 Comments

Getting Busy at Halloween with Little Brian Fabric Sticks

Getting Busy at Halloween with Little Brian Fabric Sticks – You only have to take a look around our house to know that we’re crafty so n so’s. We bought craft drawers for Isabelle, but these are fit to bursting so there are random deposits of bits and bobs around the house.

Craft stuff is the one thing that I really don’t think you can have too much of when you have children. Rainy days are made for craft projects, and great for an after school activity.

We were sent two packs of paint sticks, one that you use on paper or card and another that you use on fabric. We were given the Bumper 24 pack which includes primary colours, neon colours and metallic colours.

Paint Sticks

Little Brian Paint Sticks look like glue sticks, and are used in the same way with a twistable bottom which pushes up the colour. The paints are water soluble and child friendly as well as drying in just a couple of minutes. No brushes or water are required to use these paints. The colours are really bright and the sticks are easy for small hands to handle.

Isabelle was very excited to use these since we’ve never seen anything like them before. The colours are really bright so there’s no need to press very hard at all to get a lovely bright colour. The age recommendation for the paint sticks is three, but I think these would be a great introduction for Freddie when he’s a bit bigger.

I feel that we gave the paint sticks a good testing since we now have a good stack of new drawings for the fridge. Freddie and I (ok, maybe just me) painted a butterfly and Isabelle gave blending a little go with a little bit of water and a brush to create flowers.

Fabric Sticks

Again, the Fabric Sticks work in the same way as a glue stick, are easy to glide onto fabric leaving a vibrant colour. We thought we’d give t-shirt designing for Isabelle a go as well as designing a cute halloween vest for Freddie to wear as well.

To make your t-shirt design, you need a plain t-shirt and a piece of card which you insert in the middle of the t-shirt so that the colour doesn’t bleed through onto the back of the t-shirt. Get as creative as you like and then seal the design by ironing the reverse of the t-shirt. Once complete these can be washed in a normal 40 degree wash.

Both the Paint Sticks and the Fabric Sticks can be bought from Amazon and Tesco’s and would make a great Christmas present. Oh and just to put your mind at ease, the casings and lids of the paint sticks are fully recyclable which is always good to know.

Little Brian Fabric Sticks 12 pack – £12.99

Little Brian Pain t Sticks 24 pack – £14.99

Our thoughts

The Paint Sticks went down a storm with Isabelle. They were easy to use and achieved a lovely bright colour. It was great that we didn’t have to use brushes and water, although we did give the blending a go to make a flower picture.

The Fabric sticks took a few attempts to get the hang of since the material kept bunching up so we used bulldog clips to keep the t-shirt in place.

The colour choices in both packs were great and we had a lot of fun making our halloween costumes. The proof is in the pudding – look at these two cuties!

*We were sent both paint sticks and fabric sticks for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

Singing Gummy Bear Review

09/10/201813/11/2023 Lisa 8 Comments

Singing Gummy Bear Review

Singing Gummy Bear Review – Isabelle is always super excited when she is asked to review new products and finding out that it’s a plush to add to her ever growing collection is even better. The Singing Gummy Bear sings the catchy ‘I’m a Gummy Bear Song’ which once you’ve heard it you’re guaranteed to be singing or humming along to at some point (usually for me in the middle of a shop or in the street).

The Bear is from Posh Paws who are the makers of many well know characters including Minnie Mouse and the Incredibles. The Bear is super soft and has been given prime position in Isabelle’s bed at night time which is something to aspire to in the world of teddies.

By pressing the bears hand, it sings the Gummy Bear tune which we’ve been singing and dancing to for the last few days. It also captured the attention of four month old Freddie who seems to favour the left ear to chew on. I think they might have to timeshare the bear (Freddie during the day when Isabelle’s at school).

Isabelle also received a bag full of Gummy Bear goodies including notepads, stickers, a t-shirt, pens, pencils and tattoos and badges all inside a Gummy Bear drawstring bag.

She was very pleased with this since she’s just started running club so is going to use the drawstring bag to put her kit in.

Overall the Gummy Bear was a total hit with both of children and would make a lovely gift for a teddy bear lover.

You can buy your own Gummy Bear over on Amazon for £21.99

Lisa x

*we received this item for the purpose of this review. All our thoughts and opinions are our own.

6 Ways to use Coconut Oil on your Baby | Cocobelle Baby Coconut Oil

29/09/201829/01/2024 Lisa 17 Comments

6 Ways to use Coconut Oil on your baby + Review Cocobelle Baby Coconut Oil

6 Ways to use Coconut Oil on your baby with Cocobelle Baby Coconut Oil- We all know that babies skin is delicate and sensitive and use products as such.

Our daughter had eczema as a baby and we were really restricted with what we could and couldn’t use on her which we’ve now taken on board with Freddie.

I would say that as a starting point, the best advice was not to bathe your baby every day which strips the skin of it’s natural oils. When our eldest was a baby a bath was an every day occurrence and helped him to wind down towards bed time. It also meant that we had a structured routine every single day.

As we were advised not to bath Isabelle everyday, every third day we replaced the bath with a baby massage to help her relax before bed.

So far Freddie hasn’t shown any signs of eczema but since bathing every day can dry out the skin we’re sticking to the same routine as Isabelle.

One thing we didn’t try with Isabelle was coconut oil so when we were asked to review the Cocobelle Baby Coconut Oil we were more than happy to give it a go.

Cocobelle Baby Coconut Oil

Cocobelle Baby Coconut Oil is 100% organic and chemical free making it the perfect choice for baby’s delicate skin.

The coconuts used are ethically sourced and organically farmed to ensure a premium quality.

Ways to use Coconut Oil on your Baby

The packaging is in keeping with the product and is 100% recyclable.

Moisturise

Melt a small amount in your hands and apply to your baby’s skin head to toe for lovely moisturised soft skin.

Cradle Cap

Most babies have a bit of cradle cap. To help this, smooth a small amount of coconut oil onto the scalp and leave for around 20 minutes. Brush gently with a baby brush to remove the flakes and then rinse with warm water.

Baby Massage

Baby massage is soothing for a range of things such as colic and constipation as well as being something lovely to do at the end of each day to wind down as part of the bedtime routine. Use coconut oil as the massage oil which will also moisturise the skin and smells yummy.

Nappy rash

Coconut oil has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties which can help prevent and treat nappy rash. Even better news is that you can use coconut oil if you use washable nappies since it doesn’t affect the absorbency.

Insect Bites

Coconut oil has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which can help reduce the redness and swelling. Just pop a small amount on the affected area.

Teething

Rubbing a small amount on your babies gums is thought to help ease the pain of teething.

It’s basically an all round product that can be used for many things for both big and small people.

Our Thoughts

The Cocobelle Baby Coconut Oil is a nice big sized jar (250g) which is available from Amazon as well as their own site. The coconut oil was easy to get out of the jar, and melted easily in the palm of my hands before using.

Freddie has a bit of cradle cap on his head and between his eyebrows which is always worse when he’s had a bath. I put a small amount on his head and left for about 15 minutes before using his soft brush to dust off any flakes that had come away. It made his hair extra fluffy on his head which was super cute.

After his bath he gets quite chatty and smiley so it was the perfect opportunity to be able to put some on this arms, legs and tummy. I then put him on his tummy and rubbed some into his back which he seemed to enjoy. At the moment he’s not showing any signs of having eczema but it’s nice to use natural products that also smell so yummy as well.

I may have used a bit on my hair as well since pregnancy seems to have left it quite dry.

We also use washable nappies and most nappy rash creams aren’t recommended since they reduce the absorbency of the cloth and builds up whereas coconut oil is perfectly fine to use. This hasn’t been an issue so far but it’s good to know that we have something to help sooth him should we need to.

Having not really used Coconut Oil very much I think I might be a convert. I can definitely see it becoming a staple in our skincare for Freddie. It’s a huge thumbs up from us as a lovely fresh smelling multi-use product.

What do you use Coconut Oil for? Leave us your suggestions in the comments box.

The Cocobelle Organic Baby Coconut Oil is £12.99 for a 250g jar which will last ages since we’ve used daily and have barely scratched the surface.

Lisa x

*we were sent a jar of Cocobelle Coconut Oil for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are our own. This post contains affiliate links.

Eco by Naty Review

16/08/201821/10/2022 Lisa 16 Comments

Eco by Naty Review

Eco by Naty Review – during your pregnancy there are lots of things to think about for the arrival of your baby. One of these things are products that you will use that will have contact with your baby’s new fragile skin. This is everything from washing powder to shampoo and wet wipes.

The decision to use washable nappies was made early on, but Chris is not onboard with the decision and so we’ve come to a compromise that we’ll use both which as I’m at home with Freddie will predominantly be washable nappies. I’m also going to give washable Wipes ago which didn’t work out last time.

Isabelle had eczema as a baby which guided our decisions on skincare, making sure that we used gentle and sensitive products. The less chemicals and overall ingredients the better!

We were sent a selection of Eco by Naty products. Eco by Naty is a Swedish brand which makes a selection of baby products including nappies, wet wipes, baby bath and skin care. The brand was developed by Marlene Sandberg a former Corporate Lawyer who saw a gap in the market for environmentally friendly nappies when she became a parent. Eco by Naty is one of the leading brands in eco-friendly nappies and baby products, and as such have received certification by several eco organisations.

Eco by Naty Nappies

Eco by Naty is the first nappy with OK Biobased Certification from one of the world’s most demanding independent non-profit organisations based on natural and compostable materials. The nappies are non-perfumed with a soft cloth like feel which has been certified by the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association. There are no nasty harsh chemicals used making them a great choice for newborn and infant skin.

Our thoughts

The nappies look like any other disposable nappy on the market but have a more papery feel to them. In terms of use, they fasten and look like any other nappy. They aren’t any bulkier and fitted well onto Freddie. As Freddie is a newborn he has his nappy changed quite often and is a heavy wetter. The nappies lasted well with no leaks and no odours between changes. The wet nappy felt quite squidgy which is the only noticeable difference. Overall the nappies did exactly what they are intended for with the added knowledge that they aren’t full of chemicals and are environmentally friendly.

Unscented Wet Wipes

The unscented wipes are made from a renewable plant based material which is 100% natural, GM-Free and 100% compostable. They contain 98.5% water as well as soothing chamomile and aloe extract which help to prevent the causes of nappy rash even on sensitive skin.

Our thoughts

I really liked the wet wipes. We had both a large pack and a travel pack ideal for the changing bag. The wipes were a good size and I liked that they were quite wet which made cleaning Freddie up really easy. They were unscented, but there was a lovely fresh water smell to them which I liked.

Nappy Rash Cream

The healing organic rash cream is made from tried and tested natural ingredients that soothes irritated skin and reduces redness often caused by trapped moisture. The cream is hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested and can be used daily. It is also fragrance free and includes NO parabens and NO mineral oils. The balm is an effective recipe infused with organically farmed botanicals such as rich shea butter and cooling aloe. Shea butter on its own is a natural baby-care product renowned for its intense concentration of natural vitamins. The infused aloe vera and sunflower oils are adept at calming dry and itching skin.

Our thoughts

Freddie thankfully hasn’t suffered with nappy rash, but on the occasional day has had a little bit of redness on his bottom so I put on a little bit of cream at each nappy change which cleared up within the day. The cream is really soft and smooth and does exactly as it’s intended.

Baby Shampoo

The Eco by Naty Organic Shampoo is fragrance free, contains No parabens and No mineral oils. It is hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested made from plant based natural and certified organic materials. It gently cleanses delicate hair and skin and can be used daily.

Our thoughts

As with all of our baby skincare products, we choose our baby shampoo with skin sensitivities in mind. The Naty Shampoo worked really well with only a tiny amount. Freddie is just starting to get cradle cap on his scalp so we’re pleased that this, like the rest of the range is dermatologically tested with no nasty chemicals. The shampoo lathered up well and gave Freddie a clean baby smell following his bath. As we only use a tiny amount the bottle is going to go a long way.

Nappy Bags

The nappy bags are made of natural cornstarch film only so are fully biodegradable and can be composted with the nappy inside. They come packaged inside a cardboard box which is recyclable and contains 50 bags.

Our thoughts

The nappy bags are easy to use as they dispense through the cardboard box so don’t all unravel if you’re trying to grab one mid nappy change. They have handles for tying the bag once the nappy is inside. I like that you can pop these straight into the compost bin.

Hand Cream

This organically formulated Eco by Naty organic hand cream so it is naturally rich and deeply moisturising with high doses of aloe vera, shea butter (Butryospermum Parkii), Vitamin B5 and olive oil (Olea Europaea Fruit Oil). Naturally derived hydrolyzed keratin, the same protein that serves as the skin’s building block, is also a key ingredient. It strengthens skin by protecting it from free radicals and softens it. An extra bonus is healthier and stronger nails.

Our thoughts

I thought this was a nice touch since you seem to wash your hands an excessive amount of times during the day when you have a newborn. The cream is really lightweight with only the slightest flowery type smell with no greasiness. I’ve been using this every day as I do get a bit of dry skin if I wash my hands a lot and none of the usual dryness has appeared so far which is always a bonus. I’ve kept this on the changing table so that I remember to do it.

Overall I’m impressed with the Eco by Naty range which is widely available in the big supermarkets and you can also sign up for a Nappy Subscription which is delivered direct to you every 3, 4 or 5 weeks. The nappies are more expensive than other disposable nappies, but you are getting what you pay for with the overall production and quality of the nappies. If you want to try them out you can order a trial box to see what you think.

Since single use plastic is a hot topic at the moment it’s definitely worth considering the switch as the benefits for both your baby and the environment are huge.

Discount Code

Fancy giving Naty Nappies a go? Pop over to the Eco by Naty website and just for you we have a 15% Discount Code. Just add babynotincluded at the checkout (this excludes the subscription service and trial box).

**We were sent a selection of Eco by Naty products for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BabyHub SleepSpace Travel Cot Review

02/08/201821/10/2022 Lisa 3 Comments

SleepSpace Travel Cot Review

SleepSpace Travel Cot Review – Over the past year or so we’ve tried to make the most of our family time. It’s really easy to get caught up in the day to day hustle and bustle of work and school, and if you throw in housework and a dog it can be really time consuming. We’ve decided as a family that the time that we do get together should be spent doing fun stuff, one of these things being taking the opportunity to venture outside of the house with day trips as well as the odd family holiday.

Saying that we haven’t got anything booked as yet since little Freddie was due at any time and we didn’t want to commit ourselves to anything until we’d got into our new family routine. Now that Freddie is very much here and making his presence known we can start thinking about our family adventures.

Previous experience of holidays where some things are provided such as cots, highchairs and prams have not been great so we like to take our own things so that we know they are safe and clean to use.

When we were asked to review the SleepSpace Travel Cot I was very excited. You may wonder why, but the SleepSpace is no ordinary travel cot as it is multifunctional, and doubles up as a play teepee or den if you’re seven.

The SleepSpace Travel cot is lightweight (6kg) and comes in it’s own zippable bag for easy carrying. It comes with its own padded mattress, 67 x 94 x 2cm which all standard travel cot fitted sheets can be fitted.

it has an umbrella style mechanism for folding/unfolding which makes it easy to put up and down with just a few clicks.

it also comes with a mosquito net perfect for our unusually hot weather, and a teepee which fits over the top to transform the cot into a safe play space.

The SleepSpace Travel Cot has fully padded edges to avoid bumps and has breathable mesh sides making it a safe place for your baby to sleep and play.

The SleepSpace Travel Cot is suitable from birth to 3 years and is available in 4 colours (Tangerine, Pebble, Kiwi and Ruby).

Our thoughts

We took a few close up shots on Instagram to see if you guys could work out what we’d had delivered since this is no ordinary ‘run of the mill’ travel cot and quite a few of you savvy mums and dads had it sussed fairly quickly.

Assembling the SleepSpace Travel Cot was extremely easy with just a few clicks. We liked the mosquito net feature since the weather has been unusually hot so there are a lot of flying nasties to contend with. It’s got plenty of padding covering the frame to prevent any bumps.

Most importantly this was deemed ‘cool’ by our seven year old daughter once it was transformed into a teepee den. With a seven year old and a newborn there are few things that are appealing to both age groups but this definitely got the thumbs up from Isabelle who had this in her room for a few night to ‘try out’.

Freddie is obsessed with lights so we turned it into a little sensory light show with the help of Isabelle.

The SleepSpace Travel Cot has also won several awards which in my book always goes a long way since they use Mum and Dad reviewers to help make these decisions.

The test of all tests is whether or not the travel cot would go back in it’s bag. Don’t you just hate it when you buy something, take it out of the box and then it never goes back in there unless you squash it or sit on it. This went down and back in its bag like a dream.

Overall we were really impressed with the SleepSpace travel cot not only for its functionality as a safe place for Freddie to sleep but also the multifunctional use of a cool play space for both Freddie and Isabelle to enjoy.

The SleepSpace Travel Cot is available to buy at the BabyHub Shop for £149. To keep up to date with all the news and special offers sign up to their Newsletter.

Disclosure: We were sent a SleepSpace Travel Cot free of charge for the purpose of this review. All opinions and images are my own.

The Bshirt Breastfeeding Top Review + Giveaway

30/07/201821/10/2022 Lisa 55 Comments

The Bshirt Breastfeeding Top Review + Giveaway

The Bshirt Breastfeeding Top Review + Giveaway – My Breastfeeding Journey when Isabelle wasn’t what I’d expected so this time round I did a lot of reading in preparation for our third baby and felt that it would be different. Apart from the pain that I experienced I didn’t feel particular comfortable feeding in front of people and felt that I was in a constant state of undress which left me feeling all hot and sweaty most of the time.

Did you know that stress can hinder your milk production so taking the time to find a comfortable place to feed your baby is advisable. Finding suitable clothes to wear is a big factor when breastfeeding, and I still think that maternity and nursing wear has a long way to go in terms of being both wearable and looking nice.

I also felt that I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on clothes that I wouldn’t get much use out of which looking back seems silly since a lot of people breastfeed for 6 – 12 months or longer so you would get quite a lot of wear out of them.

The Bshirt

The Bshirt has definitely been a key piece since Freddie was born as it’s a simple black top that will go with anything from jeans, leggings, shorts and skirts.

Unlike other nursing clothes the Bshirt looks like a normal top with no hooks or clasps to fiddle about with. It has a built in layer which you just pull up for access to your bra. As you don’t have to lift the entire top up your tummy remains covered which can be an area that many of us are self-conscious about.

The Bshirt is made from 95% Organic cotton 5% lycra to make it stretchy. Its lightweight which is great for layering and also drying once washed.

You will be pleased to know that the Bshirt is available in several different colours in sizes from 6 – 20.

About the Bshirt

The Bshirt Breastfeeding Vest was developed by two fellow Devon mums, Lisa and Philippa who understand the difficulties that mothers face when breastfeeding in public. Essentially the Bshirt was designed to allow women to wear their pre-pregnancy clothes whilst having easy access to breastfeed. They are keen to encourage breastfeeding within the UK where current rates are pretty poor by supporting charities that promote and support women through this journey.

You can also find out about the Breastfeed with Confidence campaign and find out which local retailers, cafes, restaurants and attractions local to you are in support of this.

Our thoughts

I’m not a fan of a lot of maternity or nursing clothes because as a size 8 most of them drown me or are generally quite frumpy but the Bshirt ticks all the boxes in terms of look and fit. Most maternity vest tops that I’ve tried have been baggy rather than fitted which I don’t like.

This exceptionally hot weather we’ve had recently has made breastfeeding that little bit harder in terms of feeling hot and sweaty so it’s great that it’s lightweight and can be easily dried.

I’ve worn the Bshirt underneath clothing and also on it’s own as a vest top as it looks like a normal black top. It gave Chris and I had a bit of a giggle as when you lift the flap it is a bit ‘peek-a-boo’ but that might just be our childish sense of humour.

I would definitely recommend the Bshirt to other Mums and feel that I’m going to get a lot of use out of mine.

Competition

You can get your own Bshirt Breastfeeding Top by popping over to the website or try your luck at winning a Bshirt by filling in the rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*We were gifted a Bshirt for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own.

A Father’s Day Gift Guide

07/06/201811/01/2024 Lisa

A Father’s Day Gift Guide

A Father’s Day Gift Guide – Father’s Day is nearly upon us and all our thoughts are on what do we buy that shows that we care about the great jobs that they’re doing. Gone are the days where the Dad went out to work and the Mum’s stayed at home and looked after the children and the house.

We have way more choices in this day and age with regards to the splitting of childcare, work patterns and household duties. Dad’s work relentlessly to make our lives easier and expect little in return so selecting a Father’s Day Gift can be a challenge.

I like many find it quite tricky to buy for men so I’ve put together a few gifts that I know will go down well with the menfolk in my family.

Personalised Leather Notebook Cover

Daddy is a Salesman and giving a first impression makes a huge difference when meeting with potential new clients. He goes through quite a lot of notebooks for taking details so this Personalised Leather Notebook Cover would be perfect for turning any usually supermarket notepad into a much more professional finish.

A Subscription Box

Subscription boxes have become the thing to do since it’s lovely having treats tailored to you sent through the post and it’s quite exciting when you open them to see what’s inside. There are loads to choose from, but this Coffee Subscription Box caught my eye since Daddy doesn’t even function in the mornings until he’s had his second cup of coffee. Plus this Three Month Coffee Subscription Box can be personalised with messages on each coffee packet. You also get to choose what the brew and if you want the beans whole or ground.

A Tomahawk Steak

What is it with men and huge hunks of meat! Daddy very unsubtly mentioned that this would be the perfect Father’s Day Gift. A Tomohawk Steak is one of the largest steak cuts that you can buy. It looks like something you would see on the Flinstones. The steak has it’s French-trimmed rib bone attached and is marbled which makes it a juicy if not pricey option. This is definitely something you would only buy as a treat. They aren’t readily available but we’re lucky in Devon that we have a lot of lovely Farm Shops around that sell locally sourced Tomohawk Steaks and there’s also the option of having one delivered.

Personal Grooming

Personal grooming is serious business with men as well as women and Daddy has always looked after his skin. He has really dry skin so uses a variation of products to help with this. One of the problems that he’s always had is shaving which leaves his face red and sore. He has a love hate relationship with shaving and has tried so many products to alleviate shaving burn and redness. Spending a little bit more on his shaving tools definitely makes a difference. He only really likes to shave in the shower as the steam seems to help reduce redness so the Braun Series 3 ProSkin is a great choice. Braun creates industry-leading grooming tools that combine state of the art technology and sleek design. No matter what his look, there is a Braun shaver for him. The Series 3 ProSkin can be used wet or dry and the way it’s designed will capture more hairs therefore reducing the chances of redness. Once charged it should give a week’s worth of shaving capability which makes it a great choice. Braun is designed for what matters just like Dad.

Xbox Headphones

One of the things that Daddy does like to do to chill out is have a gaming session which he usually does when the rest of us are in bed. There’s nothing worse than having to listen to the sound on the games so a nice pair of sound controlling Xbox Headphones like these Turtle Beach ones would be the perfect present both for Daddy and us.

Craft Beer

Beer or in fact any kind of alcohol always seem to go down well. There are loads of craft beers available which are readily available even in your local supermarket. I found Father’s Day Beer Gift Bundle which has 12 varieties of beer and comes with a glass and a bar blade. This would go down very well on a nice sunny day with a BBQ.

Trainers

It’s fair to say that when it comes to spending money on ourselves or the kids, the kids definitely get the better deal. The kids are the ones walking around in the brands and we tend to spend very little on ourselves when it comes to clothes and shoes. Daddy likes his trainers and it’s been a while since he’s bought a pair just because he likes them that aren’t on sale. He’s quite picky when it comes to footwear so it would have to be a family trip into town so that he can try on a gazillion pairs but I like these Nike Trainers from Schuch.

Chocolate Gift Hamper

I love the selection of Chocolate Hampers that you can buy from Hotel Chocolat. As well as chocolate they also have a range of other things including cocoa beer and Salted Caramel Vodka. Isabelle would definitely pick something fun like this ‘His Nibs’ Chocolate Dog but I would choose the Beer and Chocolate Hamper which has a lovely selection of chocolates and a bottle of Cocoa Beer.

A Desktop Charging Station

Probably like most households you have oodles of plugs sticking out of plug sockets for the various tablets, phones and watches that we all have. Daddy has everything from his phone to his kindle all in need of charging so this Bamboo 5-Port Fast USB Desktop Charging Station would make a great gift. Not only is it super useful but it would look stylish in any home.

Whatever you choose as a gift make sure that you let them know how special they are and that you appreciate the things they do whether they be big or small.

Here are a few words that Isabelle had to say about her Daddy.

*This post was developed in collaboration with Braun and we received a Braun Series 3 ProSkin for the purpose of inclusion.

Fingerlings Review + Giveaway

24/05/201811/01/2024 Lisa 94 Comments

Fingerlings Review + Giveaway

Fingerlings Review + Giveaway – Isabelle was very excited when she came home from school to find that she had been sent a new pet in the form of a Fingerlings Monkey to look after.

We were sent Candi who is a pink monkey with a little tuft of turquoise hair as well as turquoise wrists, ankles and the end of her tail. There are 19 monkeys to collect, some of which are two-tone like ours. You can pop over to the Fingerlings website where you can log which fingerlings you have, watch little videos and find out how to play with your Fingerling.

As well as Candi we have Gemma who is a unicorn so the two of them now hang out together in Isabelle’s room.

What can Candi do?

Candi is pretty impressive with the actions that she can do. She can blow you a kiss, makes several different sounds be touching the sensors on the top of her head and she really likes to hang upside down where she makes different sounds. In total there are around 40 sounds that she makes which I’m not sure we’ve heard all of them yet.

She also likes to have a little snooze and will close her eyes if you put her in the cradle position. We found that she quite likes to chill out on a bunch of bananas.

I think Isabelle prefers the monkey over her unicorn because the tail means that she can hang her upside down so we’ve found her everywhere from the kitchen units to the bannister on the stairs.

The Best Bit

If you have a Fingerling or seen the advert for the Fingerlings then you will already know what the ‘best bit is’.

Of course, at seven years old the funniest thing possibly on the planet is the fact that Candi can fart and burp. It never fails to get a chuckle out of Isabelle. If she’s grumpy or sad, any mention of anything to do with burping or farting is always going to get a reaction.

I hate the word FART so it’s quite nice that they’re referred to as TOOTING which again brings on the chuckles.

The Fingerlings retail at £14.99 so not an expensive toy and you can buy optional accessories such as monkey bar playset where they can hang out.

As well as Monkeys there are Unicorns and Sloths which are equally as cute.

What we think

As a mum the Fingerlings are a great toy to buy for your children. They are collectable which seems to be the only type of toy that Isabelle wants at the moment. They are portable so we can take the Fingerlings out and about if she wants to and the batteries last ages which is always a plus for us Mums and Dads.

Isabelle has played with her Fingerling monkey a lot since she arrived alongside her unicorn which she bought herself with her pocket money. She’s already decided that the next one that she wants is Marge the Sloth so that she has one of each type.

So with that the Fingerlings two tone Monkeys get a big thumbs up from both of us!

If you have a little boy or girl who would like a Fingerlings Monkey then please do enter our competition to WIN a Fingerlings Two-tone Monkey via our Rafflecopter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck.

Lisa x

*We were sent a Fingerlings Monkey for the purpose of this review. All opinions and thoughts are our own.

Mothers Select Pre-natal Vitamin Review

02/03/201813/01/2024 Lisa 1 Comment

Mother’s Select Pre-natal Vitamin Review

Mother’s Select Pre-natal Vitamin Review – When you’re trying to conceive or have just found out that you’re pregnant there are a few things that are top of the list that you do, and one of them is making sure that you’re taking the necessary vitamins to ensure your baby has the best start.

It’s important to get enough of the following:

Folic Acid
Vitamin D
Iron
Vitamin C
Calcium

Whilst it’s important to try and gain these from a healthy balanced diet, there are lots of supplements that are available to ensure that you get the recommended doses which will help to put your mind at rest.

I was sent some Mother’s Select Prenatal Vitamins to try which is a brand that I hadn’t previously heard of. Mother’s Select make a range of Vitamin supplements to help support women right through from conception to breastfeeding, and also a range for babies and children. The whole Mother’s Select range is available via Amazon which I think is convenient for most of us. Mother’s Select range is made in the USA but shipped FREE to the UK. Yey!

What’s so great about these vitamins?

These vitamins can be taken before you are pregnant, during pregnancy and throughout your breastfeeding journey which is great.
You only have to take them once a day
They include all essential vitamins including Methyl Folate which is a natural version of folic acid, DHA and Omega 3 for Brain Support, Eye and Nerve Development, Mutivitamins, Antioxidants and Minerals for bones, immune support, and hair growth.
They come in capsules which are really easy to swallow and free from common allergens including wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts and eggs.
Made with only the highest quality ingredients with no fillers or chemicals.
They also have an unconditional money back guarantee. No questions asked.

So as you can see they have everything you need to take you right through to the end of your pregnancy and breastfeeding journey.

You get 60 capsules in the bottle and since they retail at £14.77 per bottle, taking two a day that works out at 49p per day which is nothing for the comfort of knowing that all the vitamins you need are covered.

My thoughts on Mother’s Select Prenatal Vitamins

I know it’s really important to stay as healthy and do everything possible to ensure my baby can be born as healthy as possible. during the first five months of my pregnancy my eating habit wasn’t the best. I wasn’t able to eat a huge variety of food and was sick a LOT so it’s a worry that you aren’t getting enough to keep the baby healthy. Taking vitamins makes me feel better in the knowledge that by taking them I’m at least providing the essential nutritional vitamins that both the baby and I need.

The tablets are really easy to swallow. You have to take them after you’ve eaten so I take mine after my evening meal and I’m getting really bad heartburn at the moment and I get a bit of a tablety taste afterwards, but that may just be because I’ve eaten rather than the vitamins exacerbating the heartburn and causing me to burp (the joys of pregnancy). The price of these is around the same as other leading brands, but the difference with the Mother’s Select brand is that you can take the same tablets all the way through.

Where can you buy them from?

You can buy theMother’s Select range from Amazon or directly from the Mother’s Select website where there is also a 5% off discount code.

Hope you’re having a healthy and happy pregnancy. You can follow my week by week progress via my Pregnancy Diary updates.

Lisa x

*We were sent a 60 capsule bottle of Mother’s Select Pre-natal Vitamins for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*