Review: Songmics Large Folding Storage Ottoman Bench Box + Competition

Review: Songmics Large Folding Storage Ottoman Bench Box + Competition

Songmics Large Folding Storage Ottoman Bench Box – With Christmas not that long ago we always find ourselves having to do a reshuffle and reorganisation of the toys and books both old and new. Finding the right home storage is key to keeping it all under control.

Songmics Large Folding Storage Ottoman Bench Box

When Songmics, leading sellers on Amazon got in touch and asked us to review the Storage Ottoman Bench I bit their hands off (virtually of course). Songmics sell a range of household and storage solutions at great prices.

I like box style storage or multi-purpose storage in muted tones which is why I was drawn to this Grey Ottoman Bench box.

As you can see it doesn’t look like a toy box from the outside so fits in perfectly in the dining area.

It was really easy to put together with no fixtures or screws. It came in four pieces:

  • The Lid
  • The base
  • The bottom
  • A divider

All we had to do was unfold the base, add the bottom which was a thick plastic part that keeps the base box shaped, and then add the divider.

The lid is padded which means that it can also be used as a bench style seat, or a reading place as Isabelle has already claimed it to be.

Songmics Large Folding Storage Ottoman Bench Box

What’s inside?

As it’s quite large I thought it was perfect to store some of our ever growing collection of board games. We’ve put it in the dining area which means that if we were to have additional guests for dinner we could use it for extra seating at the table so it definitely has a multi-function purpose. You could of course use this for anything from a blanket box to shoe storage.

Songmics Large Folding Storage Ottoman Bench Box

What we think?

It gets a big thumbs up from me simply because it is multipurpose and doesn’t look like a toy box so fits in with the surrounding furniture. It also gets an additional thumbs up from Isabelle who has been lounging on it reading her books or playing on her tablet as she’s been full of a cold for the last couple of days. Our games have a great new home now which is easily accessible whilst looking stylish.

Songmics Large Folding Storage Ottoman Bench Box

Competition

Like what you see then enter our Competition to WIN one for yourself – Just fill in the rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Lisa x

*We were sent a Songmics Large Folding Storage Ottoman Bench Box for the purpose of review. All our thoughts and opinions are our own.

Chalkola – A Review

Chalkola Chalk Pen Review

We were really excited to be sent some Chalkola Chalk Pens which can be used on any non-porous surfaces such as chalkboards, whiteboards, glass, plastic, and windows. It is recommended that you do a test patch just in case.

We were sent a set of Chalkola Neon Colours which is a set of 10 and a set of Chalkola Earth Colours which is a set of 8.

Chalkola Review

As it is Christmas I thought we’d have a bit of fun with these and make some cool tea-light jars which could be used for a centre piece or placed on the fireplace.

When you first open the pens you have to give them a really good shake and then press down the nip so that the chalk comes through, and then you’re good to go.

Isabelle was really keen to get started with these.

Chalkola Review

We decided to make some tea-light candle jars which we could use as a centre piece for our Christmas table.

Chalkola Review

What you need:

Jars – Of any size or shape as long as you can drop a tea-light candle into them
Chalkola Pens
Creative imagination

Chalkola Review

This is Isabelle in action with the pens which could be used just like felt tip pins.

As it was on glass we just had to be careful that we didn’t smudge them, and also allow time to try (only a couple of minutes) or some of the colours run together.

Chalkola Review

These are our Christmas Tea-light jars which as you can see we have decorated with Christmas Trees and Christmas Lights.

Chalkola Review

Isabelle was keen to keep going with the pens so we decided to Jazz up our Dog’s Treat Jar which I think he quite likes.

What we thought

I think the Chalkola Pens would be really great if you’re using chalkboards for your wedding – you could make some really cool personalised table number plaques or use a large one to create a seating plan.

These pens get the thumbs up for both Isabelle and I. You can get your hands on a set for yourself and we have a Discount Code for you. Just add 20OFFSTR at the checkout to get 20% Off.

Chalkola Neon Colour Set 

Chalkola Earth Colour Set 

 Visit their site for their whole range and updates at www.chalkola.com

Lisa

*We were sent a range of Chalkola Pens for the purpose of this review. This post was originally posted in December 2016. This post also contains affiliate links which means I will receive a small fee if you click a link and make a purchase at no extra cost to you.

toucanBox Review

ToucanBox Review

I’m totally loving the concept of subscription boxes. Choose the box of your choice, set up a payment plan, and then BAM, every month a box appears through the post full of lovely goodies. Boxes range from everything from make-up, feel-good boxes and I’ve even seen some foodie-type boxes.

Isabelle loves to make things, colour, cut, draw, stick so we’ve built up quite a good craft collection and often use Pinterest for inspiration.

toucanBox Review

Toucan Box

We spotted toucanBox a few months ago which is perfect for Isabelle’s age range so when the opportunity to review the boxes came up we jumped at it.

toucanBox is aimed at children between 3 – 8 years. Each box comes with the complete kit and instructions to complete a crafty project.

There are three choices of subscription

  • Petite – contains one project and is shipped fortnightly
  • Grande – contains two themed projects and a reading book and are shipped monthly
  • Super Boxes – contains four themed projects and are shipped monthly

Payments are made when you first place the order and then monthly after that. There are no ties so you can cancel your subscription at any time and if you are away there’s even an option to pause your boxes and set them to come once you return.

toucanBox is addressed to your child which is lovely as all kids like to get post!

There’s a cool quiz that you can do on the site to find out your child’s personality. I did mine based on Isabelle and it came back with her being a Creator which I would totally agree with.

Isabelle is always making things. If she’s not drawing then she’s cutting things up or sticking things together.

So let’s get stuck in.

A little girl holding a toucan box and smiling

Isabelle was very excited to get the toucanBox through the post with her own name on it. I love the fact that it fits through the letter box so no waiting in or delivery cards through the door if you’re out.

Poor Isabelle is full of a cold in this video but doing some craft cheered her up.

The contents of the Toucan Box children's craft box

I love that you get everything included to make the project including a glue stick and crayons. You could easily pop one of these in your bag and take it on a train journey or away on holiday in case of rain.

What we got in our box – Treasure Map & Parrot Partner

As explained in the video the box contained:

  • A tea bag
  • Paper
  • A paintbrush
  • Stickers
  • Crayons
  • A Cardboard Parrot
  • Feathers
  • A Glue Stick
  • A wiggly eye
  • A Jumbo Lolly Stick

The instructions were very clear and even tell you the difficulty and messiness rating as well as some cool pirate facts. There was also a sheet with ideas on pirate-themed games once the project is complete.

First of all, we had to make a cup of tea – perfect.

Crumpled up piece of white paper

Crumple the paper into a ball and then flatten it. I should have taken a picture of Isabelle as she did this as she was quite surprised as I usually tell her off for wasting paper and screwing it up.

A girl painting paper with tea for staining

Using the cup of tea (no milk, no sugar), paint the piece of paper and set aside to dry.

toucanBox Review

toucanBox Review

Whilst the paper is drying, colour the parrot with the crayons.

toucanBox Review

Then add the feathers to make your parrot. Isabelle was starting to get tired again as she was a poorly girl but making this made the day bearable and fun for both of us.

Once the paper was dry, add the stickers to create your Treasure Map.

 

toucanBox Review

toucanBox Review

 

See what you like?

You can grab your own FREE toucanBox for your child or as a gift by visiting the site and adding the code BLOGGERSTREAT.

Any boxes ordered between 17th November – 15th December will include Christmas themed projects which will be nice to do on a cold day. They are also running a Christmas Advent Calendar with a surprise a day.

Happy Crafting.

Lisa x

*We were sent the toucanBox free of charge for the purpose of this review. All opinions and images are our own. This post was originally posted in November 2016.

 

Check your Meat and Veg – Check Testicular Cancer Campaign

Check your Meat and Veg – Check Testicular Cancer Campaign

Check Testicular Cancer Campaign – As a woman I think we get great support and coverage for female cancers such as breast cancer and cervical cancer, but there is still a long way to go where all cancers are concerned.

Men (most men) are ridiculous when it comes to going to the doctor when it comes to genuine medical concerns. They’re all ready to claim near death when it comes to a bout of man flu, but in general they tend to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to genuine concerns.

We’ve all heard of Movember where men grow all kinds of mustaches in support of Prostate Cancer, Testicular Cancer and Mental Health in men.

Check Testicular Cancer Campaign

The Check Testicular Cancer Campaign

Heck Sausages have changed their name to Check for the duration of November to support men who are affected with Testicular Cancer encouraging them to Check for lumps in their testicles, and for women to Check their partners too.

The Heck family have a personal story for their support and want to break the silence of the men of this earth.

Jamie Keeble says, “I found a small lump, immediately went to my GP, and received my diagnosis. Even though a lot of stigma surrounds going to the doctor for such an intimate area, it is key to be proactive if you find a lump.

“Our research shows that too many men would ignore it if they found something and that many are unsure how to correctly check themselves.”

“Too many men are dying young from ignorance and lack of quick action. This disease needs to be openly discussed so that more guys will check themselves and feel they can talk to someone if something doesn’t feel right.

“60% don’t even know what a cancerous lump would feel like. In this day and age, this has to stop! People need to be educated so that we can start making a difference.”

Check Sausages are available to buy in ASDA, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose at £2.99 for a pack of six.

Check Testicular Cancer Campaign

The Facts

  • Did you know more than three-quarters (76%) of women admitted they wouldn’t know what a cancerous lump would feel like on their partner’s testicles. Whereas almost half of men (46.6%) said they would know what a lump on their partner’s breast would feel like!
  • Heck’s research revealed 82% of blokes are unwilling to talk to their doctor about any issues with their genitals. It seems that our men are too embarrassed to discuss their testicles with their GP, alarming new research has revealed.
  • A survey of 2,000 people has discovered the true extent of the taboo subject, with 82% of blokes unwilling to talk to their doctor about any issues with their genitals. The worrying results were commissioned by HECK – a Yorkshire-based sausage brand that is working alongside the world-leading men’s health charity The Movember Foundation.

Commenting on the poll findings, a spokesperson for The Movember Foundation said:

“Unfortunately this latest polling from HECK is accurate.
Too many men are not checking themselves, not knowing what to look for, and being too embarrassed to discuss the subject.
Tackling these taboos head-on, getting more men educated on the health risks they face, taking action when needed, and talking when things get tough, is exactly why The Movember Foundation exists.”

The survey also showed that almost one in 10 (9.8%) of men between the ages of 18 and 24 would do nothing if they felt a lump on their testicles.

Testicular cancer is often described as a small pea-like lump on one testicle, but many men are unaware of this. Two-thirds of men had no idea this was a sign of deadly cancer.
One in five blokes (18.4%) of men incorrectly assumed that a cancerous lump feels ‘like a flat coin’.

The research also found that three-quarters of women (76%) would have no idea what a cancerous lump would feel like on their partner’s testicles.
In contrast, slightly less than half of the men (46.6%) said they’d know when to be concerned about a lump on their partner’s breast.

The research was carried out by the brand’s founder, Jamie Keeble, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer two years ago. He said, “If men don’t know what testicular cancer might feel like, how can they possibly check themselves? Testicular cancer is on the rise and men can reduce their chances of dying simply by knowing what to feel for.”

Check Testicular Cancer Campaign

Other results from the research include:

• The three UK cities where men are most likely to know what a cancerous lump feels like are: Warrington at 71%, Portsmouth at 61%, and Sunderland at 57%

• More than one-quarter of men (26.7%) in Scotland say they’d wait a few days before doing anything if they discovered a lump on their testicle, compared to just 12% of men in the South-West

• Almost one in 10 (9.8%) of 18-24-year-old men say they’d do nothing if they felt a lump on a testicle; by contrast, just 3% of women would do nothing if they felt a lump on a breast.

The facts speak for themselves really.

Come on Fella’s GET CHECKED! Better safe than sorry.

Check Testicular Cancer Campaign

About HECK

HECK is a family run business making farmers market quality sausages for Britain’s supermarkets. They have since increased their range to include burgers, meatballs, gluten-free and vegetarian sausages. All their products are made using ethical meat and ingredient choices to achieve award-winning quality at affordable every day prices.

We were asked by HECK to produce a Meat and Two Veg Recipe in support of the Check Campaign.

Sausage, Bacon & Bean One Pot

Ingredients:

  • 2 Packs of Check Sausages (12 sausages)
  • 1 Packet smoked Bacon
  • 1 sliced red pepper
  • 400g tin Butter Beans
  • 200g tinned tomatoes (half a tin)
  • 700g Jar passata
  • 400g ton of beans
  • 2 Teaspoons English Mustard
  • 2 Teaspoons Barvarian Sweet mustard (can use wholegrain mustard)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • A couple of sprigs of rosemary
  • A handful of parsley
  • A squirt of barbeque sauce
  • 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Roughly chop the bacon and fry in a little bit of oil and set to one side.

Brown off the sausages and add in the rosemary.

Put in the beans and add the bacon back in.

Add all the remaining ingredients and leave on the hob on a low heat for 30 – 40 minutes.

Towards the end add in the fresh parsley.

We had ours with buttery mashed potatoes and broccoli.

Check Testicular Cancer Campaign

Our Comments

We’re big fans of one-pot meals, and both of our kids are fans of sausages. We were really impressed by the quality of the sausages with very little fat coming out during cooking. They stayed intact as well which not all sausages do when added into a saucy one pot. The meal went down very well with all of us enjoying it, and as an added bonus there are plenty of leftovers to make another meal.

SO COME ON FELLA’S – CHECK YOUR MEAT AND VEG!

For more sausage recipes head on over to HECK where they have loads of suggestions. You can also check out the rest of our Family Recipes on our Family Recipes Page.

Our family has recently been hit by the reality of male cancer so we were more than happy to help promote the CHECK Campaign. We were sent two packets of sausages for the purpose of this post but all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Check Testicular Cancer Campaign

 

 

Boohoo Kids – A Review

Boohoo Kids – A Review

Boohoo Kids – I know you’ve heard of www.boohoo.com – if you haven’t’ where the heck have you been?

Isabelle is 6 now going on 16 and has an annoying interest and input into what she will and won’t wear.

So on we popped onto the Boo Hoo website to have a look at their new kids range.

I thought I would do something a bit different and let Isabelle loose to choose what she liked and added it to a wish list and then pick an outfit at the end (within reason).

This is what Isabelle Chose:

Read More

Theatre Royal – Big The Musical

Theatre Royal – Big The Musical

Exciting news! My sidekick (Isabelle) and I have been selected to be resident bloggers for the Theatre Royal Plymouth which is really exciting.

The programme is much much more than attending and reviewing the many shows that they host there. We’ll be going behind the scenes, finding out about how the shows are put together, meeting the cast, checking out the cool costumes and props and getting knee-deep in the excitement surrounding the whole theatre experience.

We had our very first meet-up on Tuesday which was really lovely, and there was a real mix of personalities and reasons for wanting to get involved. Isabelle wasn’t able to attend on this occasion with it being a school night but she’s eager to get stuck in.

I’m not one for getting star-struck but it is nice spotting people that you recognise from the telly, but for Isabelle and I it’s the Witch from The Room on the Broom that drew us in the first place.

Having all of Julia Donaldson’s children’s books we’re huge fans, and have already seen ‘What the Ladybird Heard’ in theatre and loved it. If we were to meet ‘The Witch’ that would be totally awesome.

We were fortunate to be able to go along and watch Big The Musical starring Jay McGuiness, Diana Vickers and Gary Wilmot based on the film with Tom Hanks (definitely worth a watch if you haven’t already).

Backstage Tour

We were given a backstage tour by Gary Wilmot, who was absolutely lovely and his love of performance and the credit he gave to the whole production team was lovely to see.

There were people everywhere, checking, cleaning and checking to make sure that everything was set for the night. I had thought that it would be totally manic with loads of stressy people dashing about, but it was very calm (even with just an hour to go).

We got to go on stage and have a look at Josh and Billy’s stage houses, as well as the toy shop. They have this enormous screen that weighs about 4 tons which provides the backdrops for the scenes and is rotated around from scene to scene. It’s not until you watch the show that you see how amazing this is.

So onto BIG The Musical.

Big The Musical

The Show

The story is based in the 80’s about a boy who is just about to turn thirteen wanting to be ‘Big’. His wish is granted by the Zoltar machine at the Carnival when he wakes up trapped inside the body of a man. The only person who knows who he really is, is his best friend He finds himself alone and grown-up in New York to fend for himself until he befriends the local toy shop owner who likes his  kid-like knowledge of cool toys. He then finds himself with a job and an apartment and all is great and exciting, even meeting a ‘grown-up woman’ who seems to have taken a liking to him. Life in the boardroom is fun but he’s ruffling feathers amongst the ‘real’ grown-ups and their lack of imagination and fun needed to make toys. Josh opens up the eyes of the ‘grown-ups’ and makes them remember what fun they had as kids before realising that being a kid himself wasn’t so bad and his quest to find a Zoltar machine to return to life as it once was.

I loved it from beginning to end! There was lots of humour and it was exciting throughout.

Big The Musical

My favourite part was when the stage was turned into a giant piano and both Josh (Jay McGuiness) and George Macmillan (Gary Wilmot) danced on the keys.

Overall it was a great show and I actually had cheek ache from grinning.

I cannot wait to find out whats in store for us next.

Big The Musical is running at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth until the 12th November before it heads to the to Dublin and then onto the West End and is definitely worth a watch if you get the chance.

Lisa

*This post was originally posted in November 2016.

Thrive – Feel Stress-Free App – Competition & Review

Thrive – Feel Stress-Free App – Competition & Review

I was asked to review the Feel Stress-Free App which was quite apt as over the last few months I’ve been overwhelmed with feeling stressed which has affected everyday life.

My stress is attributed to being unhappy in a previous job and then starting not one but two new jobs. I’m not sure that I’m doing a particularly great job since I feel unable to retain any information which in a new job is vital.

Feel Stress Free App

I currently feel that I’ve lost grip on both my home and my work life. The house is a tip and we’re attempting a huge clear out of outgrown clothes, toys, books, etc. I’m starting things but not completing them which means there is ‘STUFF’ everywhere.

What I need is a huge brain dump of all the silly things that are waking me up in the night such as have I given the dog his flea treatment or did I remember to add something to the calendar. Stupid everyday stuff that shouldn’t be reason enough to wake me up.

I also really need to get organised so that I can stop fretting about the things I’ve got to do and just do them.

The Feel Stress-Free App

I was really pleased when Thrive got in touch and I’m hoping that using the app as well as giving myself a manageable to-do list will get me back on track.

I downloaded the app which was really simple. You can pop over to the Thrive site or through your app store.

Once you’ve signed up there is a simple questionnaire around how you are feeling good and bad about at the moment and the way that it makes you feel.

I’m feeling pretty good today but that could be more to do with it being my day off and I had a bit of a lay in this morning.

These were my results which say that I manage my stress well but some risk factors have been detected. The app then gives you some suggestions.

All of this took a matter of minutes and I think I’m going to use my bus ride time to complete this as I’m completely on my own (aside from the other people).

It’s a good idea to check in with the app a few times a day. Not only does it give you useful suggestions but it also tracks your progress and gives you words of encouragement.

I got a notification of a message in a bottle.

These are words of wisdom and quotes which you can reciprocate to encourage other users.

I headed to the wellbeing section which gives you loads of tips for things that can help with depression, anxiety, relaxation, and making sure you get enough sleep.

I have trouble relaxing. My brain never switches off, but it doesn’t mean that I’m more productive as I tend to procrastinate and worry about things I have to do rather than actually doing the do.

I also need to improve my sleep as this has been shocking recently. We don’t have a TV in our room but I do check my social media before I go to sleep and I also read from my kindle every night without fail. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to put a stop to either of these but I do need to improve it.

The process of asking how you feel and what you feel good about happens daily and recommendations are made based on the answers given.

Breathing Exercises

I like the breathing exercises, but at the beginning, I was finding myself urging to click on other apps or checking emails whilst I was completing the exercise which is totally not the point.

The more that I have done these exercises the better I’ve become at focusing on the exercise and zoning out everything else. This is huge progress for me.

Meditation

There are several options in this section and you will either require headphones or be in a room that allows you to focus on the words. The point of these exercises is to make you aware of your surroundings which include sounds of the sea, the sensations within your body (body scan), and make you aware of your tensions to enable you to let them go.

Zen Challenge

One of the features of the app is a Zen Garden game. You have to rake between the coloured buckets making sure that the paths do not cross. I’m quite good at that and can easily do several levels at a time.

There are so many aspects to this app that also links to the NHS exercise plan which is free for everybody to use.

Goals are set for you which you can do at your own pace. One of mine was to cut down on the amount of caffeine I drink. I do drink quite a few cups of tea during any given day so have changed a few of these to peppermint tea. You can keep track of your progress as well to see how far you’ve come.

You can of course download the app for £5.99 a month by popping over to the Thrive website or via the app store.

Do you feel stressed and need a hand to get back on track?

Enter our competition to WIN a month’s access to the Thrive Feel Stress-Free App. Just fill in the  Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck.

Lisa x

Bluestone Wales Resort

Bluestone Wales Resort

So following on from arrival and first impressions, today is our first full day at Bluestone Wales Resort. The weather today is nothing like yesterday. We have blue skies and the wind has thankfully died down. The wind in Wales even made the news as it was compared to the storms in Ireland which were much worse.

The Park

There is an awesome park at Bluestone with fake grass which is lovely and bouncy underfoot. It feels a bit like being in Teletubby land. All the equipment is made out of sturdy wooden structures with bright colours. There’s something for all ages with big slides, little slides, ride on bouncy bugs, swings and a strange thing that looks like a colander that you sit in and it spins around.

Bluestone Wales Resort

The park is just above the coffee shop which is perfect for us mums and dads that need a bit of extra fuel to keep up with the little ones.

Bluestone Wales Resort

Just off the park there are wooden tree houses which all have games in them such as noughts and crosses, pinball and ball mazes.

Bluestone Wales Resort

We also discovered a giant chair which was left behind by a local welsh giant.

Bluestone Wales Resort

The Lake

After we’d had a mooch around the village we went for a wander around the lake. We bumped into some odd looking locals along the way.

Bluestone Wales Resort

The lake was lovely although there was a distinct eggy smell which I’m guessing is something to do with the sewerage system, but we could only smell it for part of the way round.

We also saw lots of birds, ducks and proper lily pads which Isabelle thought were only made up in films.

Narbeth

We also popped into local Narbeth to have a look around. There we found the most amazing deli which had so many yummy things to choose from.

Isabelle was amazed at the size of the onions and found the biggest jacket potato EVER….

Bluestone Wales Resort

We also found a shop that sells specialist alcohol including every kind of flavoured gin imaginable. Nothing unusual about that you would think, but alongside the alcohol they sell ice creams, gelato and sorbet (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). It seemed like a bit of an odd combination. Isabelle had a vanilla ice cream which the lady claimed to be the BEST vanilla ice cream ever. Isabelle being quite the ice cream connoisseur put the ice cream to the test and confirmed it as being THE BEST IN THE WORLD. It was made locally from local Welsh cows milk. As well as the ice cream, Chris bought two pints of local cider which came in a milk carton. It looked a lot like a cows urine sample and didn’t smell much better either.

The Knights Tafarn

In the evening we ventured out to the knights Tafarn for a drink. There was a lovely atmosphere in the pub, and we’re hoping to go back on Thursday for the pub quiz.

Bluestone Wales Resort

There were also a couple of pumpkin people sat outside which you can see a clip of on our Instagram stories.

Blue Lagoon and Adventure Centre

A good fun swimming pool is a must when booking a family holiday, and a trip there almost daily is a great way to get the kids up and out for the day or something fun to do before getting ready for dinner. The pool was definitely no disappointment with waves, a lazy river and slides to play on. Isabelle and even Ryan had a great time.

Lisa x

*disclaimer – we were given a mid-week stay at Bluestone in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

 

Our Midweek Break at Bluestone Wales

Our midweek break at Bluestone Wales

I’m writing this post on the second day of our midweek break at Bluestone Wales. We arrived yesterday so this is our official full day at the resort.

The Drive Up

We set off from Exeter yesterday whilst the sky was a strange yellow colour and the sun looked like it was on fire. I think from all of our friend’s Facebook statuses’ that we were the only people in the whole of Exeter that hadn’t taken a picture and posted it.

The drive was pretty uneventful until we got closer to Wales. The closer we got to the resort the windier it became. There were leaves and bits of bush and twigs whirling around outside the car, and we could feel the wind against the car which swayed a little bit.

We arrived slightly early for check-in and as the weather was pretty grim we sat in the carpark to wait. Some other people were slightly braver than we were and got out to take a bit of a walk. I think we were far more sensible as we watched them try to keep hold of their hoods, umbrellas, and children.

A bit about Bluestone

Bluestone which will be celebrating its tenth birthday in 2018 is set in the middle of Pembrokeshire National Park surrounded by beaches and countryside with lots of historic features.

It’s a luxury resort where the kids can roam free, explore with lots of both indoor and outdoor activities for all ages.

There is a range of lodges and cottages to stay, and whilst the resort has a fantastic village vibe going on, it’s extremely spacious.

Bluestone does everything it can to remain an environmentally friendly business by following the Green Dragon Environmental Management System. Just from our first reccy around the resort we could see that a lot of love and attention to detail has been put into creating the Bluestone experience.

The Lodge

Once we were given the keys to the lodge we made our way down there to drop off our luggage. Once you have checked in and done the drop-off, Bluestone is a car-free zone which is great for little ones. There are golf buggies and bikes to hire and of course, there is the option to use your legs as well, oh and a bus service around the resort.

We were staying in a Dinas Lodge which sleeps, eight people. My first impression was a good one. The lodge is huge. There is a living area where there is a TV and sofas which leads onto the kitchen/dining area. Again the kitchen/diner is massive with high ceilings and french doors that lead to a patio area. it’s decorated in natural tones with dark wood and leather sofas.

Bluestone Wales

The kitchen is fully equipped with everything you would need to cook for a family of eight all week long. We have two fridges with a small freezer compartment in each fridge, a full-sized oven and hob, a dishwasher and all the necessary kitchen gadgets such as toaster, kettle, and cafetiere.

Bluestone Wales

The bedrooms are all of a good size with plenty of space for our clothes. Most importantly we have two bathrooms which is always a bit of a deal-breaker when there are eight people all staying in the same space for a week.

Bluestone Wales

Once we unpacked we went for a wander around the village which is just up the road from us. We found a lovely coffee place, the Pub (of course), the Orchard Restaurant, the park (the other of course), The Firehouse Grill, and some shops all to explore in more depth.

Bluestone Wales

Our Thoughts

Our first impression is very positive. I love the high ceilings and the open-plan layout of the lodge. We really like that everything is on one level which isn’t as big a deal for us since our youngest is seven. Having the large dining table which seats all of us was great for our first night which was curry night.

Can’t wait to have a proper look around tomorrow. You can also keep up to date with what we’re up to by checking out our Instagram feed.

Lisa

*disclaimer – we were given a mid-week stay at Bluestone Wales in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

Learning to Relax – An Epsom Salt Bath

Epsom Salt Bath

Learning to Relax with an Epsom Salt Bath.

Relaxing isn’t something that I’m used to doing. I’ve been a Mum my entire adult life, and there is always something to do. My brain never switches off and the scarce times that I do get some kid-free time I end up doing the ironing, washing or working on my business which isn’t really relaxing.

Having said that, I love my website and now more recently my blog so these never feel a chore as such, but in recent months my ever overworking brain has started not to switch into sleep mode.

I find myself thinking about keywords, search terms, blog topics, which new brands to buy, ooh must remember to order printer cartridges at stupid o’clock in the morning.

This isn’t really doing me much good, as I suffer with neck pain which by some miracle reduced somewhat during my pregnancy with Isabelle, but it’s never completely gone. I still get the tired achiness at the end of the day and at the moment it is particularly bad.

Stress and probably overdoing things contribute hugely to this pain, and once the pain kicks in so do the headaches and overwhelming tiredness, which leaves me in a vicious circle of trying to combat.

I hate taking painkillers and will only do it if absolutely necessary. After being on all sorts of tablets all with nasty side effects, I opted to try alternatives such as acupuncture, seeing a chiropractor, wheat bags, pulse point aromatherapy things, a TENS machine and LOTS of Ibuprofen gel.

Once I’ve pulled myself out of this bout of pain, I need to look at keeping a balance on a day to day basis by trying to avoid stress, getting enough sleep and not taking on too much.

Ha, saying that as a Mum is a bit of a joke.

I used to have baths (pre-Isabelle) after a long day at work but a non-sleeping baby put paid to that and I never really got back into it. On the odd occasion that I do have a bath, I can’t seem to relax and am almost counting down the time that counts as long enough before I get out.

See! I can’t relax.

I need to retrain my brain.

I took part in #Mumshour a few weeks ago where the topic was self-care and somebody mentioned having an  Epsom Salt Bath.

I thought Epsom Salts were what old people used and wasn’t really sure what they were really.

So I had a look and here’s are the benefits:

“Himalayan salt is also known for being an excellent regular body detoxifier, and assisting in waste elimination. It helps to stimulate our digestive and nervous system, as well as working to remove toxins from the body through osmosis via the salt bath. Westlab Himalayan salt also helps leave our skin feeling radiant and smooth, and improves skin tone”.

Himalayan salt contains over 80 minerals, including MagnesiumPotassium and Calcium, which are essential to human life. Who knew! Not me!

Magnesium

Soothes and repairs damaged skin
Anti allergens that protect the skin from rashes caused by allergies
Penetrates skin for a soothing effect on the nervous system
Muscle Relaxation

Calcium 

Benefits include cell renewal
Helps regulation of lipid barrier function
Is an anti oxidant to help protect from DNA damage

Potassium 

Helps muscles to keep their control over the body
Helps with the growth of new cells
Helps reduce stress / anxiety
Reduces risk of high blood pressure

So with all those benefits it was worth a shot.

The recommendation is 250g for a relaxing bath or up to 1kg for a detoxifying soak. The recommended time was 20 minutes.

The salts were pink but didn’t really smell of anything. I added about three handfuls which I think may equate to between a general soak and a detoxifying one.

WARNING

Get in carefully as I nearly went flying as the bottom of the bath was uber slippery.

I was armed with a book (real paper as not to risk dropping my kindle) and a glass of wine. This may be contradictory with the detoxifying powers but who knows.

The salts made the water very silky feeling but after about 10 (probably 5) I was really itching to get out. However, I was committed to this so I persevered and actually probably was in there for longer than the recommended 20 minutes.

After the bath my skin was really soft. I was still really achy but I felt warm and sleepy. I did sleep all night which hasn’t been happening lately so I’m willing to persevere with this and will continue to have a salt bath maybe once every 7 – 10 days.

Do you have any everyday relaxation tips for us Busy Mums? Leave me a comment.

Lisa x

•This post includes affiliate links for which I may receive a small payment but the post and thoughts are from my very own frazzled head.