Monday 27 November 2017

Christmas gift guide for children: Buddies electric toothbrush kit

Brushing teeth has always been a little hit and miss with L. On some days she would happily do it by herself, on other days I would have to take over. Having said that, I have never made a big deal out of L not being able to do it or not wanting to do it as I thought that the more we push it the more she might rebel!

A couple of weeks ago I came across a fun electric toothbrush kit (£34.99, suitable from 3+ years) from a range called Buddies, which makes brushing easier, independent and fun!
"In my personal experience, my eldest son hated brushing his teeth because he couldn't stand the taste of any toothpastes, especially mint. I got frustrated by the lack of good fluoride alternatives available and wondered whether I was the only parent in this situation. My research through an agency showed that approx 15% of the 200 parents questioned had kids with similar issues. Hence Buddies toothpaste was born.

Buddies is an innovative range of oral care products designed by a mum for children aged from 2 years and above".

Once L saw funny green character on the packaging I knew it would be a winner!
The kit contains:

- vibrating toothbrush (very gentle introduction to movement in the mouth)
- base charger (also a nightlight)
- UK plug
- USB charger
- face stickers
- instruction leaflet
- 3 Buddies mint toothpaste cartridges

My husband and I used to have electric toothbrushes so when L received her own it made her feel just like us as it's so comforting for kids to be able to copy parents and be able to do things like a big girl or boy.
What makes Buddies toothbrushing products different? 

- toothbrush works as a timer as vibrates for 2 minutes giving your child an indication of a start and finish of the brushing time; 
- toothpaste cartridge (supplied in the kit) can be inserted into the toothbrush and releases the right amount of toothpaste directly onto bristles of the brush once the green collar is pressed down (you can of course opt out and use the toothbrush as it is);
- individual toothpaste pump dispensers come in 2 flavours allowing fussy kids to choose which one is the yummiest: apple or mint flavours; 
- the toothpaste tub has a pump dispenser, which once pressed delivers the right amount of paste ("portion controlled dispensing") that allows your child to independently use the pump dispenser (please remember to supervise brushing to minimise swallowing);

- Buddies fun character used as lid on both toothpastes and a nightlight aka toothbrush base or charger, make brushing fun and more entertaining (L has been playing with her apple toothpaste lid for ages) if you add a funny smiley face from the sticker set included in the kit.


"When developing Buddies toothpaste, we worked hard to make the best product we could, whilst avoiding ‘nasties’ such as SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) and certain sweeteners. Our toothpaste is made in the UK, by a company that also manufactures toothpaste suitable for babies".

My 3 year old would insist on pumping toothpaste by herself and likes alternating zingy apple toothpaste flavour with gentle buttery mint flavour. I am yet to work out which one she prefers the most but for those kids who are fussier in that sense it is certainly a nice choice to have. 
Toothpaste itself  (£4.99 for 100ml pump dispenser) is not too foamy comparing to the competitive brands. The night light charger could be an intriguing factor for those learning about day and night/nocturnal and diurnal. L has been using the pump dispenser toothpaste every other day for about 3 weeks now and it still feels full, even though I think I would prefer to have a see through line along the height of the toothpaste to know for sure.

Buddies products could be a great alternative, fun and practical Christmas present for children. If you wish to support and learn more about the brand or to buy Buddies product please visit the store here.

Disclaimer: We have received this product for the purpose of this review/feature. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tuesday 21 November 2017

Christmas gift guide for Foodies and Health & Wellness concerned: JML Nutri Blitzer

For the passed year all our family members have tried to improve their well- being. I personally had many days where I would enjoy my new lifestyle and days where I wanted to "spoil" myself to something that I have craved so my journey and progress perhaps was slower than I wanted. 
I decided to cut down on carbs and swap brown rice for boiled broccoli and cauliflower as I felt bloated in the evening and then few days later, I have tried to stay away from bread and other wheat products and introduced some gluten-free products, one of them is my new favourite gluten- free vegetable lasagne that even L enjoys eating too (proud moment as L normally wouldn't eat vegetables at all) and my last change- lots of freshly made fruit smoothies with the help of my new gadget- JML Nutri Blitzer (£49.99) courtesy of Superdrug.
I have previously used a basic jug blender which was poor in comparison to Nutri Blitzer. To start with Nutri Blitzer has a shiny black base, comes with 2 different type of blades (for smoothie making or grinding nuts and even leaves), power base can be used with either 1 large 900ml cup with the handle and or one of the 2 small 650ml cups with handles, all 3 can be used with resealable lids. Seems too perfect for a little clever machine! But I think I have found my new little helper and my motivator for yet another healthy year (or years) ahead of me! 


If you ask me " Should I invest in Nutri Blitzer for Christmas or any other occasion for that matter?!" I would say a definite "YES". It has been an eye-opener how technology has moved on and how easy it is to "receive" nutrients with a nifty gadget such as Nutri Blizer! 


 "So if nutrition and healthy living are at the top of your wish list for a new, happier, healthier you, look no further than the incredible Nutri Blitzer. The original nutrition extractor to get the essential ingredients your body needs".

Disclaimer: I have received the product mentioned above for the purpose of these review/feature. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wednesday 15 November 2017

Christmas gift for GIN lovers

I have never been an alcohol enthusiast but I do like to see what's trendy and why people are having obsessions over a certain alcoholic drink! The latter would be more referred to the sparkling beverage which seemed to be quite popular but I want to talk about a slightly different drink, some would call it even more sophisticated and modern- Gin! 

Believe it or not, I have tried gin for the first time about a year ago or so which was served with tonic water and a rosemary in my glass, which was a really nice touch and a delightful drink in general!
Once the "C" word started to slowly creep into our lives I came across a unique gift idea for gin lovers, for those who appreciate the drink, perhaps for those who like novelty drinks or those looking for an alternative presents. Would you like to know what it is? It's Gin Baubles from Master of Malt (£29.95)! 
Gin baubles come in a little themed cardboard secured into a foam style insert. Six colourful baubles come with a red ribbon attached to the top of the plastic bauble, which makes it a safe and a thought through gift! 

I have received compliments about the gin baubles and according to feedback/comments from Master of Malt website the gift set was sold out last year within minutes! I would certainly be over the moon with the present like that- unique, stylish, practical and tasty!! 

Disclaimer: I received the product mentioned above for the purpose of this feature. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Friday 10 November 2017

Our half term holiday week in pictures

Since L started receiving 15 hour free funding at nursery we decided not to pay for a holiday club and spend some time together. With L not napping anymore it was a bit of a mission for me to find things to do!
Unfortunately most Halloween themed parties had a late start (6:30pm) or were sold out weeks before holidays which made me panic a little bit as I felt really restricted with me not being able to drive. But as I was determined to have some fun and do different things every day I (perhaps too eagerly) decided to book few local taxi trips for us to see a show "Hairy Maclary and Friends" and to visit a local farm.
                                         
Oh and we saw a gorgeous pheasant in our garden! I was so worried about him so had to call few RSPB offices but unfortunately no one picked up the phone nor called me back so I can only hope he is safe and sound!
Hairy Maclary show has been mentioned many times after watching the show as L was really impressed with characters and especially a cat! So here are few more pictures from our autumn half term holiday week:








How did you spend halt term break?

Monday 6 November 2017

Christmas gift guide: Fabulous Christmas Hamper by Prestige Hampers

Since L started pre-school I always had an idea in mind that one of the best gift's for a teacher could be a hamper full of useful and delicious treats! 
Now that we are heading towards Christmas I have few gift guides scheduled and I wanted to begin the series with a lavish Luxury Hamper from Prestige Hampers


"Prestige Hampers are a leading online retailer of hampers & gifts with an enviable reputation in the industry for quality & service".
I have received Fabulous Christmas Hamper (£49.99) which comes in a tall wicker basket and contains:

- Founders Stone Merlot (187ml)

- Founders Stone White Zinfandel  (187ml)
- Founders Stone Pinot Grigio (187ml )
- Natural Sea Salt Yorkshire Crisps
- Pumpkin Seed and Cranberry Biscuits for Cheese
- Matthew Walker Luxury Gold Christmas Pudding
- English Afternoon Tea 20 Teabags
- Honey Blond Chocolate Bar
- Belgian Marc de Champagne Fancy Truffles
- Belgian Chocolate Caramel Thins
- Mackays Scottish Strawberry Preserve
- Mackays Dundee Orange Marmalade 

Delivery took around 2 working days from the moment of first contact to delivery to the door which is a really good for those rushing to make last minute arrangements. You can also add personalised message on a card and choose preferred delivery date. Hampers are being delivered by Royal Mail so if you are not home it can be left in your safe place if you have such an agreement with a postman or can be collected from the post office.
I could resist and tried Honey Blond Chocolate bar which was a very tasty white chocolate bar with a bit of honeycomb crisp to it, I have also tried Belgian Chocolate Caramel Thins (I am guilty of not sharing it with anyone) and found the chocolate to be rich but not too much. I can only assume that the rest of the items from the hamper are as delicious as the ones I have tried! 

I can envisage that this Luxury Hamper could be popular amongst those who want to buy a shared present for teachers and teaching assistant as a snack or stress time snacks or perhaps could be perfect for a larger family as the hamper included 3 mini bottle of wine which could be shared between grown ups.

Once all treats are shared and eaten the wicker basket could be a great storage container for arty supplies or even make up products, as it's such a useful and a very practical item!

Visit Prestige Hampers website to view the full range of hampers.

Disclaimer: I was sent the item mentioned above for the purpose of this feature. All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own. 

Saturday 4 November 2017

Review: CabinZero Classic 44L cabin bag

We have been planning a trip to Moscow this winter and needed a good cabin bag for the flight. Our tendency is to pack last minute and struggle to find a suitable case/bag, so we end up dividing the close amongst several small bags.

Let me introduce you to the CabinZero Classic 44L (£60) bag we have received for this review. CabinZero cabin and travel bag has a 44 litre capacity, which is an excellent size for our family. Finally a bag which allows us to fill it up with all of the items (time saver).
                            
The cabin bag also has side traps and two further hands on the top and side. This allows for different carrying methods, rucksack style or by hand.
                           
There are several zipped pockets, one at the front, one inside zipped and a further mesh pocket (for internal items/goods).
                           
The CabinZero bag is designed to be exact measurements for a lot of airline requirements, such as BA, Easyjet and RyanAir, so ideal for anyone looking for a perfect and lightweight cabin bag.
                          
                        

The bag is waterproof, so rest assured that CabinZero items are protected (and the bag also) and comes with a massive 10 year warranty!
Most items in general have a 2 year standard warranty at best, but 10 years, really!? You have to admit, that is incredibly generous!
                         
Here is another brilliant little selling point, it has a built in tracker! Yep a tracker, to keep track of your bag should it go missing at any time. This is all done through Okoban, in which the user registers with them and they keep track of your CabinZero bag. The great thing is that Okoban is integrated into WorldTracer which is the central lost and found system used by airlines.
                     
The Cabin Zero bag also comes in several cool and classic colours and capacity sizes, which offers great variety. We opted for the Classic Navy 44L as it is neutral and practical colour for what we needed, but I also like the limited edition flags one as it simply looks cool and very travel orientated.

I can promise one thing- I will be using this cabin bag on our up and coming trip to Moscow and any future trips me and my family take (even nationally)!

A massive thank you to CabinZero for allowing us to review this superb cabin bag.

Thanks for all for reading my review and I hope it inspired you to go out and purchase this exceptional cabin bag, you will not be disappointing!



Disclaimer: We were sent the item above for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thursday 2 November 2017

Review: Mi-Mic Bluetooth karaoke microphone speaker

Our family like to sing a lot, it could be from singing in the shower,  out of boredom or to finish the sentences mid conversation. When we were offered to review Mi-Mic Bluetooth karaoke speaker (£14.99) I knew it will be well used mainly my curious L but by adults too once the time is right and I think Halloween parties or Bonfire Night good be a good reason to have some fun! 

Mi-Mic Bluetooth karaoke speaker allows you to play any song direct from your device. This is great if you want an all in one karaoke microphone, without the need to plug it into a speak or karaoke system.
                                  
The Mi-Mic allows you to stream songs from your bluetooth 3.0 enabled device (such as iPhone, tablet, PC etc.) and add your voice to the song being played. The microphone also allows the user to adjust the volume or add an echo to their voice, as part of the performance.

The microphone offers 7 LED colours which flash to the music beat, offering a nice colourful show.

                            
The microphone has several buttons:

  • Play/Pause/Previous & next flick switch
  • Echo button for added affects
  • Volume button to change the sound
  • LED/Power push button
The microphone has a user manual, but it is easy to use/setup and a USB charge cable (in which there is a charger port on the microphone). In fact it's so easy that I didn't look at manual once! To connect it to the device you need to activate Bluetooth on your phone or other device, find the Mi-Mic Bluetooth name on the list and you are ready to play the music.

The microphone takes up to 2.5 hours to charge, but in turn offers the performer up 4 hours worth of performance. More than enough time to showcase your talents! We have been using it on and off for a month and didn't need to charge it at all!
                               
This is truly a one of a kind karaoke microphone, which allows the performer to change track and voice settings at the touch of a button (even if you use Youtube you can pause/play, choose the next or previous video). Easy to hold, easy to use and easy to perform.. what is not to like!

L has been singing/performing like mad since she got her hands on the Mi-Mic and her nanny seemed to like it too!

A party must, I certainly think so!So if your a budding singer/performer or just someone who wants to sing until your hearts content (and you can be of any age at all- young or old), grab one of these mi-mic microphones with the knowledge that it is well worth the money.


Disclaimer: We were sent the item mentioned above for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.