Thinking Slimmer SlimPod & MuTu System Week 3 update

Well, after failing miserably to get sweaty last week, my internet connection was back this week and I seriously tackled MuTu System week 3. This week, as well as the core exercises that you do every day (and that take very little effort, it has to be said), the first of the more intensive workouts is introduced. But however unfit you are, the way that it is broken down into bite (or should that be nibble?)-sized segments makes it all seem accessible and pretty easy, whatever your level. You only have to do each exercise for 45 seconds, interspersing each new move with 15 seconds of jogging on the spot to get your heart rate up, and the whole thing only takes about 15 minutes, stretches (or yoga moves as Wendy calls them, but that sounds a bit too daunting !) included. Be honest - who can't find 15 minutes in the day at some point ? I even did one group session with the kids, Sophie joining in and Juliette yelling out the numbers on the timer when it got to 45 and 00 each time ! I used a few extra stomach muscles in that workout because I was laughing so much !

Still feeling a bit cynical, I thought to myself "OK, I got sweaty, but how effective can quarter of an hour of sport actually really be ?". Well, next day when I got up and my bum/backs of my thighs were aching like mad, I think that gave me my answer ! It may take minimum effort but certainly goes for maximum efficiency. MuTu creator Wendy knows what she's doing, even if you don't !!

Food-wise and weight-wise, I wasn't sure what this week would bring. I'd been challenged to try the Farmhouse Breakfast Week Shake Up Your Wake Up campaign so needed to add breakfast into my meal plans every day this week. As I'm usually a naughty breakfast-skipper, this meant eating more rather than less so I was expecting a bit of a weight-gain this week. Part of the MuTu Food advice is to make sure you eat breakfast though so - in for a penny, in for a pound - I decided to go the whole hog and reassess at the end of the week ! I blogged about the Breakfast Week Challenge here.

Well, I've just weighed myself and the scales said 86.3kg. Last week when I weighed myself I'd got back to my pre-Christmas weight of 87.1kg after putting 1kg back on over the festive period. So despite eating more, I've lost almost a kilo this week - woohoo ! That's almost 5kg total weight loss since I started with the SlimPod at the end of October, which I'm very impressed with.

I told you I'd added in the "Keep Losing Weight" and "Make Sport Fun" parts of the SlimPod but I haven't actually been listening to them much, probably only twice for each, with the odd listen to the original "Lose 2 jeans sizes or more" SlimPod which is on my mp3 player for the bus ride to work. I'm still making healthy choices automatically - fruit for dessert at the canteen, sensible breakfasts, avoiding butter on malt loaf (whereas I'd usully slather it on), buying loads of fruit & veg at the farmers' market ...

A couple of new changes I've noticed this week : I've gone off chocolate - eeeek ! I don't hate it but I don't crave it any more. If I'm offered some, I might have one square but just don't fancy any more after that. And I'm turning into a chocolate snob ! While I will happily eat Galaxy or Belgian truffles, I don't eat the kids' rubbish chocolate any more, thinking it's a waste of calories for chocolate that doesn't taste particularly nice ! Don't get me wrong, I'm not dieting or depriving myself - I've still had the odd handful of jelly beans in the evening and I treated myself to a Magnum ice cream bar earlier in the week, but I just haven't fancied sweet, biscuits, cakes or chocolate in the way I usually would have. I took the kids to the bakers as a special treat on Wednesday and just couldn't see anything in the entire shop that I felt like eating, so I came home and had a satsuma instead ! Freaky, I know !

Another "moment" this week was cooking sausages in the Actifry. I was stunned by how much fat came out of them, as I showed you here. Well, I didn't want to throw the liquid fat down the sink because I know it clogs up the pipes so I put it in the sink to cool. Scooping out three huge handfuls of gooey, greasy, congealed fat to throw in the bin made me think about what this must do to your arteries - yuck ! So I didn't have a second's hesitation when choosing a Seafood Salad in place of a burger when we took the kids to McDonalds on Saturday. SlimPod effect or not ? I honestly don't know any more, and I don't even care ! I'm making healthy choices and losing weight so that's all that matters ! 

Don't forget to click on the "SlimPod" and "MuTu" labels at the bottom of the post to see all my updates right from Day 1 (when I was a total cynic).

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Thinking Slimmer SlimPod & MuTu System Week 2 update

Thinking Slimmer Slimpod update : week 11

MuTu System update : Week 1 

Love is in the air for Swizzels Matlow this Valentine's Day

I know a box of chocolates or a bunch of roses is the traditional gift for Valentine's Day but I think the new range from Love Hearts is much more fun and original. What do you think ? I'd be more impressed with one of these !

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Roses are red, violets are blue, give your partner a Love Heart tin that says ‘I love you.’ Swizzels Matlow, the makers of Love Hearts, are launching a new Valentine’s Day collection including a limited edition heart-shaped retro tin full of Mini Love Hearts and an ‘I Love You’ tube of sweets.

The British confectionery giant has produced just 100,000 vintage style tins that are destined to become a collector’s item. The tins are available nationwide at a recommended retail of £1.99 while stocks lasts.

Following the success of the Christmas Mini Love Hearts, New Refreshers and Drumstick Lollies tubes, a 108g Love Hearts tube that reads ‘I Love You’ has been launched. This is available nationally for £1.

Sarah-Louise Heslop, Marketing Manager at Swizzels Matlow, said:

“Valentine’s Day excitement is building and we’ve already had lots of enquiries about our new product range. We decided to develop the Love Hearts collection after hearing so many quirky stories from happy couples telling us how they used packets our sweets to propose. Our retro treats offer a range of quirky gifts as an alternative to chocolate. Romantic partners can even hide diamond engagement rings in our tins and tubes. Say I love you the sweet way.”

Swizzels Matlow’s other new romantic gifts include:

• An exclusive long tube full of Love Hearts that reads ‘I Love You This Much’ available in Tesco for £3

• Love Hearts Mini Roll bags which are available nationally for £1.

• Giant Love Hearts four pack which are available nationally for £1.09.

Log onto the Love Hearts Love Calculator to find out how compatible you and your partner are:

www.lovehearts.com/love_calc.php

To buy a range of Love Hearts sweets and gifts visit:

www.lovehearts.com

Facts about Valentine’s Day

• 2.75 billion Love Hearts are produced every year, that’s enough to stretch 1.5 times around the world
• The heart may symbolise love because the ancient Greeks believed if Eros, known as Cupid to the Romans, shot you in the heart with one of his arrows you would fall hopelessly in love
• Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D
• The first Valentine’s Day gift was sent by Duke of Orleans to his wife, after he was captured in 1415
• Since the 19th century mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards have become popular.

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Valentine's Day gift ideas from Find Me A Gift

Fantastic deals at Table Table and Beefeater Grill for Feb and Valentines day

Firefly Love Potion review

Keeping your kids entertained in the car

When I received an email from Chevrolet telling us about their best small car and asking us to blog about how we keep the kids entertained in the car, my immediate reaction was "piece of cake" ! As we quite regularly undertake an 8-hour drive down to Brittany to see the grandparents, we certainly have a few tricks up our sleeves !

First of all, there are a few things to avoid. Reading, for example, often causes travel sickness so is best avoided. Eating chocolate is also another thing prone to bring on travel sickness and leaving drinks in the back of the car for the kids to help themselves to will result in unwanted "Mummmmm I need a weeeeee" stops ! (I'm not suggesting you keep them dehydrated - just don't leave a 2 litre bottle of water in the back "for the journey" - trust me on this, we know !!)

Now, one thing that we have invested in that cost a fair amount but has made the journeys much less arduous is a portable DVD player, so the kids can watch a film in the back. This would also work with a laptop or iPad, if you have one.

Many other ideas are much cheaper though so don't panic if you're working to a tight budget. One of the kids favourite travel games is my now legendary travel treasure hunt, which keeps them amused and giggling in the back for literally hours but does take a lot of effort to prepare. As we have three kids to keep amused, I come up with three sheets of items to spot on the way - some easier than others (orange car, open topped bus, man in a red coat, bike on top of a car, lorry carrying bread, etc ...) and some just plain silly, such as someone picking their nose, a dog doing a poo, roadkill, ... The sillier/yuckier they are, the more the kids love it ! Each item to be spotted has a number next to it and the kids have a carrier bag full of numbered little gifts so they have to rummage through and find the corresponding prize each time they tick off an item. It doesn't have to cost much at all for the prizes because you can wrap up silly things - penny sweets, favourite trinkets from home that they thought they'd left behind, a lone grape, 2p coins, ...

An easier version of this game that is still pretty cheap and takes much less work is the collection of I-Spy books which are brilliant too.

Other collective travel games are trying to make phrases using the letters on car registration plates as the initial letter of each word ; trying to spot every letter of the alphabet in order on adverts, number plates, etc ; first person to see ... ; pub cricket; and the old classics such as I-Spy and "Mrs Brown went shopping and she bought ...". 

Older kids also love marking off the route on a map so either buy them a cheap road map (or give them an old one) or print off the whole route online so that they can look out for landmarks and road numbers on the way. Map-reading is actually a great skill for them to learn. For a slightly easier version, print out the itinerary from Mappy and let them mark off the steps as you go. They'll see the remaining journey geting shorter so it doesn't seem as long for them and this avoids endless "are we nearly there yet ?" calls from the back.

While I don't like mp3 players for teens/tweens on a day-to-day basis, they can be a Godsend on a long journey as it avoids a lot of squabbling in the back ! Headphones for the DVD player also work well and avoid distracting the driver. Audio-books and CDs for everyone to share on the car stereo can also be good but may get on your nerves after a while, depending on what your kids like listening to !

Buying a tube of tiny sweets like midget gems, jelly tots or jelly beans and telling them to share them out but make sure everyone gets the same number and the same colours will keep them busy for a while too !

Crossword books for older kids and activity/colouring books for smaller kids can be a good idea too but be warned that they'll end up dropping their pencils/felt tips on the floor and want to unbuckle their seatbelts to go and retrieve them, which is a definite no-no.

And finally, make the most of your time in a confined space together to really catch up with each other and talk. In our hectic day-to-day lives, we often don't have (or take) the time to really sit down and have a good heart-to-heart so make up for lost time. Come up with a series of questions that you wouldn't normally think to ask - what job would you love, where would you go if you could go to any country in the world, if you were a millionaire what would you buy, what's your favourite and least favourite thing about every member of the family, etc ... Be prepared to let the kids pick your brains too ! It can bring up some surprising questions and answers ! You can actually buy decks of cards with conversation-starter questions too, if you're lacking in inspiration.

Happy travelling !

Other blogposts you may be interested in :


Our fabulous Christmas Shopping Day Trip with P&O Ferries
Meet The Cuties and Pals – the latest must-have in children’s luggage for kids
Wired Kidzgear headphones for kids review

Kids' app review : Max & Ruby Max’s Mole Mash

Max & Ruby are brother and sister rabbits who feature in a Canadian cartoon of the same name, aimed at preschoolers. It apparently exists in both France and the UK, as well as various other countries, but I have to admit that it's a programme that has totally passed me by so far. Nevertheless, when the opportunity came up on Mom Fuse to try out a new app based on the loveable bunnies, I jumped at the chance because it looked just the sort of thing to appeal to the kids.

Sure enough, despite not knowing the characters, 2-year-old Pierre (who blows my mind by being a total pro on the iPad, knowing how to turn it on, choose his app and play all by himself !) was instantly attracted to the little picture of rabbits and clicked through to play. The game is incredibly simple - you just have to bash the little moles on the head as they pop up, just like the game you sometimes see in amusement arcades - so Pierre worked out immediately what you had to do.

He was giggling his head off and I noticed that his coordination and speed were getting much better as he played. The first few times, he kept missing the moles and hitting the wrong places or being too slow but within a few minutes, he was bashing them like nobody's business, hence the giggling !

His big sisters (aged 6 and 10) also wanted to play and had great fun with it too. To keep things interesting, you can choose between 8 different Max & Ruby themed mole mash machines and there are also two different modes, arcade or puzzle mode. There are apparently an unlimited number of levels to play and you can collect 8 Max & Ruby Wallpapers, as well as unlock a mini version of the racing game, Speedy Max.

The Madhouse mini-testers all loved it and had great fun with it, despite being unfamilair with the TV programme, so whether or not your children are fans of the cartoon, it's sure to get a good welcome. I bet the grown-ups will while away a few sneaky moments playing it too because it's strangely addicitve ! It's a good price too.

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £1.49

for more information : http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/max-ruby-maxs-mole-mash/id494622884?mt=8

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Kids' app review : Patchy

Free iphone/ipad app : StoneFace

Kids' app review : Big Nate - Comix By U!

Boo Boo Mummy & Me Pamper Kit review & discount code

*** Don't miss out on an exclusive discount for Madhouse Family Reviews readers - 20% off using the code MHF20 from now until March 18th, Mother's Day ***

Boo Boo is a British brand (yay, buy British !) who have made a real name for themselves creating luxurious, paraben-free skincare for mums and babies. The company was created in 2008 by two ex-magazine editors and mums, Jennifer and Corinna. After failing to find skin care that was natural, luxurious and effective, they launched their own range of mother and baby toiletries that became an instant success, thanks to the highest quality ingredients and the luxurious packaging. I reviewed their lovely Baby Soft & Splashy Bubbles last year (a review you can read here).

They have just announced the launch of three gorgeous gift boxes for Mother's Day 2012 : 

Luxury Mummy Spa Kit, £39.99

For Mummies of all ages, our take-home spa kit will leave her skin feeling soft, supple and glowing (not to mention seeing off those stretch marks!) Contains three of our best-selling products: Award-winning Bosom Buddy, Miracle Oil and Silky Soft Body Wash. Packaged in a beautiful glossy box.

Mummy and Me Pamper Kit, £32.99

Boo Boo have the perfect gift for Mum and Baby all wrapped up in a gorgeous gift box.

Contains: Splendidly Soothing Bath Soak, Super Stretchy Miracle Oil, Very Gentle Top to Toe Wash, Kind & Creamy Baby lotion and Soothing Bottom Butter.

Congratulations Mummy Kit, £36.99

Spoil that Mummy rotten, whether she's growing a bump or nursing a bundle, her body will get the VIP treatment with Splendidly Soothing Bath Soak, Super Stretchy Miracle Oil and Soft & Creamy Body Smoother.

They kindly sent us a Mummy & Me Pamper Kit to review. I still love the understated but elegant packaging that is perfect for babies with its pastel colours but not too cutesy for mums either. I lined all the products up on the bathroom shelf where they look very classy and chic.

Right, time for a pamper session to get reviewing ! The Splendidly Soothing Bath Soak sounded like a good place to start. The website promises that it is great for soothing tired muscles and I did find it incredibly relaxing and soothing after a long day at work. It left my skin soft and delicately fragranced and I was totally chilled out and ready for bed after my bath, so this would a great "before bed" bath product to use on babies and children too, to get them in the right frame of mind for sleep. The Super Stretchy Miracle Oil promises to perfectly hydrate skin and help prevent stretch marks. I always find this type of product a bit greasy to my tastes but it's an oil so that's hardly surprising. It reminded me of Bio-Oil which has been declared the cure for a thousand ills so I'm sure this is just as effective.

Moving on to the baby products, the Very gentle Top-to-Toe Wash can be used for washing baby's body and hair and a little goes a long way so even if the bottle only contains 50ml, it will last for quite some time. It smells gorgeous. The Kind & Creamy Baby Lotion and the Soothing Bottom Butter both left Pierre's skin incredibly soft and the small sizes (50ml and 10g) are perfect for weekends away or for stashing in the changing bag.

Whenever I want to buy a present for a brand new mum, I never know whether to buy something for baby or mum so these gift sets are the absolutely perfect compromise, offering lovely pampering products for both.

The Boo Boo Promise is : "All our goodies are made in the UK and are free from parabens, sulphates, TEA petrochemicals, phenoxyethanol, synethic colours and DEA. We never test on animals." They could also add :  And our products are guaranteed to make you smile, relax and feel thoroughly pampered !

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £32.99

for more information : http://www.boobooshop.com/luxury-gift-sets/mummy-and-me-pamper-kit-41.html

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Vote for your favourite baby skincare brand and have the chance to win a free family holiday 

Tommee Tippee free app : Capturing those first special moments forever

How To Swaddle Your Baby

Mrs Crimble's Teams Up with Breast Cancer Campaign

The whole blogosphere seems to be full of news about the Breast Cancer Campaign at the moment with numerous ways of getting involved to help raise important funds. I told you about Pink Ribbon Bingo here earlier in the week but here's an even more enjoyable way of doing your bit for charity - eating cranberry macaroons! Read on for more details :

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Mrs Crimble’s, the much loved British bakery brand, is set to raise at least £25,000 for Breast Cancer Campaign in 2012 by giving 10p from every sale of its suitably pink and extremely yummy Cranberry Macaroons, available in shops from the 13^th February 2012. (I reviewed them here and was amazed at how moist and juicy they were.)

The battle against breast cancer is being won but too slowly.  While treatment and survival rates are improving, each year 12,000 women die from the disease.  Every year 48,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed - that’s 130 a day.

Researchers have recently made some important breakthroughs in understanding more about breast cancer and there is every hope that one day we can find a cure.  That’s why Mrs Crimble’s is working with Breast Cancer Campaign to help fund vital research into the disease.

We will be using Mrs Crimble’s oven thermometer to show exactly how much we have raised for Breast Cancer Campaign on our Facebook page.  Every time we reach another thousand pounds we celebrate.  So think pink, support Breast Cancer Campaign and help us reach the next milestone.  All you need to do is treat yourself to a pack of scrumptious Mrs Crimble’s Cranberry Macaroons and pop the kettle on. 

Mrs Crimble’s started over 20 years ago and today their products can be found in all good independent farm shops, health stores, delicatessens and supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrisons, Co-op and Tesco.

 

Breast Cancer Campaign aims to beat breast cancer by funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure.  For more information, visit www.breastcancercampaign.org

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Mrs Crimble's Pancake Mix review 
Mrs Crimble's Mini Choc Orange Macaroons 
Mrs Crimble’s Cheese Bites and Cheese Crackers review 

Fantastic deals at Table Table and Beefeater Grill for Feb and Valentines day

If you are dreaming of a romantic dinner for two on Valentine's Day but your bank balance is still recovering from Christmas and the January sales, I have some fab news for you -  Table Table and Beefeater Grill have some great money-saving deals available for Valentines day and the start of February. Just click through and print off the vouchers below.

Beefeater grill

50% off total food bill

Valid: 6^th – 9^th February

www.beefeatergrill.co.uk/content/dam/beefeater/Vouchers/BG-food-bill-voucher.pdf

 

Table Table

50% off total food bill

Valid: 3^rd – 5^th Feb 2012

www.tabletable.co.uk/content/dam/tabletable/Vouchers/TT-food-bill-voucher.pdf

  
There is also a special low-priced Valentine's meal at Table Table which is perfect for romance on a budget.

And you can even get a bottle of bubbly without breaking the bank.

If you're planning a meal this weekend, the dicount vouchers that I posted here are still valid until the 31st January.


Other blogposts you may be interested in :



The Big January Sale – Beefeater Grill, Brewers Fayre, Table Table
Brewers Fayre family-friendly dining
The Handpicked Collection

Vosene Kids Afterswim Hair & Body Wash review

Sophie has just started swimming at school again this term. They only go for about twelve sessions before it moves on to another class and last year she was a bit disappointed because she was in the lowest group. Using a system that, in my opinion, defies all logic, those who don't know how to swim are left to their own devices in the shallow end while those who do know how to swim are given training to get better. Hmmm.

Last year, we said it didn't matter and that within a couple of days on holiday in Turkey, she'd have spent more hours in the pool than for her whole term's worth of lessons at school. Sure enough, she made great progress last summer and got quite confident at swimming, managing to go right across the pool, out of her depth, from one end to the other, without arm bands or anything.

So fast forward a year and there she was, all excited about going swimming again to show her swimming teacher how much progress she'd made. When I picked her up at hometime, I could see how crestfallen she was as soon as she came out and sure enough, she informed me that she was in the bottom group again. The "test" for putting them in groups had been to go under water and sit on the bottom of the pool and Sophie apparently had come up too quickly. What's that got to do with knowing how to swim ?! It didn't matter, we gave her the same pep talk as last year and told her to just enjoy splashing about in the shallow end with her friends. But last week, she came bouncing out of school, bursting to tell me that the new lifeguard looking after their end of the pool told her she should move up a group because she'd get bored in the bottom level so now she's back with the swimmers ! Yay ! (I couldn't care less which level she's in but I hated seeing her so disappointed.)

Well, this was the perfect time to give her the Vosene Kids After Swim Hair & Body Wash to review. We used it in the bath the first time, so that I could review it properly, but now she proudly puts it in her swim bag each week ! 

Now, I have to say, it looks, smells and feels like any normal body wash but Vosene kids after swim hair and body wash apparently has an advanced formula which has been specially developed to gently yet effectively clean, condition and remove chlorine, salt and other impurities from hair and body after swimming.The fruity melon fragrance is absolutely gorgeous and the kids all love it. It doesn't lather up much but that's good news for kids getting clean after swimming by themselves. As a body wash, it left Sophie's skin feeling soft and hydrated (and smelling lovely) but as hair wash, it did need a conditioner to keep Sophie's hair in tiptop condition.

My only slight niggle is the packaging. It comes in a tube which is easy to squish so is highly likely to come open and squirt all over everything in a swim bag, for example. As this is a product designed for use after swimming, and therefore presumably for taking to the swimming pool, I think this could certainly be improved by using a twist lid and a sturdier bottle that would be less likely to come open by accident.

That's the only negative point though. I love the Aromaguard technology that effectively neutralises the smell of chlorine, the fabulous fruity fragrance and the fact that it is free from soap, SLS, SLES and parabens, as well as being dermatologically tested and paediatrician approved. It's suitable for the whole family, from babies to adults, and has been developed with kids' delicate skin in mind.

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £2.49 for 200ml

for more information : http://www.vosenekids.co.uk/product-range/

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Vosene Kids Advanced Conditioning Defence Spray review 

Vosene Nitwatch ! Reactions from the school gate

Thanks Vosene for helping us to ease into Back to School time !

Our "Shake Up Your Wake Up" Breakfast Week Challenge

As I told you last week (here), we were challenged to take part in the annual Farmhouse Breakfast Week Challenge and Shake Up Our Wake Up, even receiving a lovely hamper of breakfast goodies to help us on our way. For me, improving my usual breakfast habits wouldn't be hard at all, as - although I make sure the kids don't leave for school with an empty tummy - my best effort at consuming something myself is a hasty swig of orange juice as I head out of the door. Not good, I know, but I never find the time (I get up at 6.15, get everyone organised and leave the house at 7am) and I always make it through to lunch at the school canteen with no problems (or snacking). But I was determined to give this a fair trial and make the time for breakfast for a whole week to see if it made any difference to how we all felt.

 

Monday is always a day when everyone's feeling slightly groggy and getting back into the school/work routine after the weekend, so time and enthusiasm levels were low. Breakfast was therefore a hastily thrown together glass of orange juice and plate of malt loaf, followed by a banana. Usually I'd smother the malt loaf in butter, but I'm still trying to eat healthily and lose weight so I just ate it plain. I was actually intrigued to see if I would put on weight over the week, as I'm adding breakfast in to my routine without changing my other meals. Time will tell. I actually felt hungrier mid-morning than I usually do when I haven't eaten breakfast, which is something that I've actually noticed before and seems to defy all logic ! Hmm !

Tuesday was a bit less hectic so I made some porridge, which everyone - even the kids - loved. Now, I don't know if you're old enough to remember the Reddy-Brek adverts where the little boy used to walk out into the cold glowing with warmth from inside but that was exactly how I felt. It was drizzly and cold at the bus stop but I didn't feel the cold anywhere near as much as usual, which I'm sure is down to the porridge. Everyone seemed in a much better mood than usual, maybe because we all sat down to eat together (albeit briefly) instead of munching separately in between getting dressed, washed and ready for school/work. I weighed myself and noticed I'd put on a few hundred grams since the start of the week - nothing major but I'm hoping it won't go up any more than that. I definitely set off for work in a happier mood and feeling more awake, ready to take on the world (not to mention the bad weather). This was helped down with some delicious Copella apple juice - and Juliette even splashed a bit on her porridge to help cool it down, declaring it yummy !

Now Wednesday is my day off so I made a real effort and offered people the choice of bacon sarnies or banana sandwiches. I was actually really surprised to see that everyone chose the latter - either as straight banana, banana and Nutella or banana and peanut butter on chunky slices of proper bread. I put the bacon away for another day ! Do you like my artistic heart-shaped banana skin ? You can tell I'm feeling more energetic and good-humoured in the mornings ! Seriously though, I'm used to getting off to a good start in the morning even without breakfast but I have been noticing that my energy levels have been flagging less mid afternoon when I finish work. Usually, I rush home from work, pick the kids up from school, supervise the homework, cook them something to eat then feel ready to flop into bed. This week, I've been cooking proper home-cooked food, playing games and reading bedtime stories which are often relegated to the weekend or holidays when I'm not so tired. Definitely an unexpected bonus ! This lack of tiredness also means I've been less grumpy with the kids, which in turn rubs off on them so we've all been laughing and joking a lot more and sniping at each other a lot less.

Thursday, getting into the swing of things now. Actually finding time for breakfast really isn't as complicated as I imagined, as long as you're organised and sort everything out in advance so you hit the kitchen in the morning already knowing what you're going to prepare. After buying loads of fresh fruit at the farmers' market, we prepared a fab fruit salad with kakis, pears, apples, banana, mango and satsumas.

We topped this off with toast (the kids prefer the sliced white to the "real" bread which is a shame, especially as I make my own most of the time) but the grown-ups love thick doorsteps, toasted under the grill. I gave the Madhouse mini-testers free choice of toppings and the favourites were soft cheese, butter and homemade plum and rhubarb jam made by Mamie, their French Nanny. They also tried the little pots of jam from the hamper, which they said was nearly as good as Mamie's, and the Marmite which had me in fits of giggles as they ran around the room yellling "eeeuurrggghhhhh" rubbing at their tongues with a tissue ! 10-year-old Sophie was so excited about being allowed to put the bread in the toaster and turn it on too - a great timesaver for me and she felt so important and grown-up that there was no squabbling. Or maybe this is another one of the  unexpected benefits of eating breakfast - everyone's in a better mood ?

Friday (today) was the final day of the challenge so I served up boiled eggs with soldiers, much to the kids' delight ! They also attacked the innocent smoothies that they have had their eyes on all week in the fridge ! Both the strawberry & banana and mango & passion fruit varieities were declared delicious and are certainly a very easy way of getting their daily 5-a-day off to a good start.

As Pierre doesn't like boiled egg, he was allowed a choc dipper as a special treat, but he also guzzled down a beaker full of innocent smoothie !

And are you wondering if I put on weight ? Well, no, I actually ending up losing a pound, despite eating exactly the same as I would at the other meals and just adding in an extra meal a day ! I never believed the experts who always said that eating breakfast could help you lose weight but maybe they were right then !!

Energy wise, I didn't feel any difference in the morning but I did manage to fit in breakfast without getting up any earlier. I think the knock-on effects made themselves known at the end of the day though as I have certainly been feeling less tired after work. And I don't know if it's the fact that we were eating more or actually finding the time to sit down together as a family each morning but we all certainly seemed to be in a better mood.

For that reason alone, I will be making a determined effort to keep the proper breakfasts going even after the challenge comes to an end !

for more information : www.facebook.com/shakeupyourwakeup

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Are you taking the Breakfast Challenge next week ? Get ready to shake up your wake up !

Farmhouse Breakfast Week Recipes from Denhay Bacon

Anchor Butter is bringing back Elevenses !

New product launched offering UK Mothers breast feeding pain relief

An interesting press release popped into my inbox today, extolling the benefits of a new product designed to help prevent and cure problems including mastitis, engorgement, blocked ducts and nipple vasospasm that may cause discomfort and pain for breastfeeding mums. Well, having read the press release, I can see how it may be useful but I also wanted to reassure new mums and mums-to-be deciding whether to breastfeed or not. It doesn't necessarily always end in tears ! I breastfed Sophie for 6 months, Juliette for 9 months and Pierre for 15 months so that's a grand total of two and a half years breastfeeding. (Wow, that's the first time I've added it all up and I impressed myself then !) In all of that time, I never once suffered from any of the ailments described above - and I don't even have any idea what the scary-sounding nipple vasospasm is ! Now, don't get me wrong - it's not always plain sailing, but I do feel that some mums love to really lay it on thick about their breastfeeding horror stories, just as they do with their birth stories, which can be very scary for new mums. If you've ever heard a man telling his mates about watching you have an epidural, you'll know exactly what I mean!! (A two-foot long needle according to Madhouse Daddy Mike !) Without further ado, here's the press release, but don't let it put you off breastfeeding !

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Swedes know breast; innovative new product launches in the UK as a safe and natural way to ease the pain and discomfort in breasts, associated with the birth of a new born baby.

When it comes to the health and nutrition of a new born baby, the mantra has long been ‘breast is best’. Expert help is on hand to assist with positioning; latching on, appropriate clothing and a healthy diet; but even with the best made plans, pain and discomfort is a frequent problem.

Innovative breast warming pads researched and developed in Sweden and the UK, have been helping to protect and support tens of thousands of Swedish mothers every year from the pains and conditions associated with breast feeding. 

The pads utilises NASA technology and uses a mother’s natural body heat, to help prevent and cure problems including mastitis, engorgement, blocked ducts and nipple vasospasm. They also provides fast and effective relief from hard, sore or lumpy breasts and can help with expressing and blocked ducks. They are also ideal for new mothers choosing not to breast feed and having to deal with milk reduction.

Prevention is better than cure, the pads are also recommended to be used immediately after birth as a protection against any potential breast pain problems.  

The pads slip inside the mother’s bra and need no other equipment such as electricity, microwaves or other heat producing assistance to work. They are light, slim and very comfortable to wear. Ideal for mums on the go.    

Since launching in Sweden, the breast pads, which are manufactured in the UK, are now being used as far away as Australia.

Launching as Breast Aid in the UK, the pads are now available to UK mothers, distributed by Enviro-Pod Ltd. Enviro-Pod Director Valerie Bullard said: “The Breast Aid pads are an ingenious solution to a range of problems which can beset new mums. We are delighted that we can play a part in alleviating the discomfort and ensuring that this magical period is as special and comfortable as possible for mother and baby”.

The pads, which are shaped for maximum comfort and can be worn day and night, they have received the backing of midwives, including Dr Jill Bruce who highly recommends the breast warmers to her patients.

“Breast-Warmers have been used on the Maternity Ward at Bunbury Regional Hospital since 2001. Midwives have found them particularly helpful with women who may have engorged or uncomfortable breasts. Breast-Warmers then became a stock item in the hospital due to the increase in the demand. The midwives from the ward conduct a postnatal visiting service in women's homes following discharge from the hospital. Midwives report that the breast-warmers are a valuable item to assist with breastfeeding” said Jill Banks Nurse Unit Manager Midwifery & Paediatrics.

Breast Aids are currently available to buy online. Further information on Breast Aid can be found at www.enviro-pod.co.uk

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump
Bravado - The Essential Nursing Bra Tank Top
Milkies Milk-Saver - for Breastfeeding Mums