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

Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Pink Ribbon Bingo

I personally know three women - two work colleagues and one of  Sophie's friend's mums - who have lived through the trauma of being diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoing treatment and getting the all clear, all within the past couple of years. That's a scary statistic and really brings it home to you. This is therefore definitely a great cause to support, so if you're a bingo-lover - or even if you're not ! - you might want to check it out. This is also a timely reminder to follow the TLC (Touch, Look, Check) advice as it could save your life. Go on, go and have a grope right now !!

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BINGO-ING BEAUTIES, KATE THORNTON AND TAMZIN OUTHWAITE, HELP CHARITY BEAT BREAST CANCER Stars support partnership between online bingo site Pink Ribbon Bingo and Breakthrough Breast Cancer

TV presenter Kate Thornton and ex-Eastenders and West End star, Tamzin Outhwaite, are supporting the UK’s first online bingo site to be affiliated with a national charity; the groundbreaking Breakthrough Breast Cancer.   

Pink Ribbon Bingo has been working with Breakthrough Breast Cancer since October 2010 and has seen Breakthrough make some tremendous progress.  Kate and Tamzin’s support comes along with the news that the partnership will now also be supported and hosted by the www.dailymail.co.uk  which could result in a huge spike in fundraising for the charity’s life saving work.  

Pink Ribbon Bingo will be supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer all year round with 15% of the gross revenue accrued through online play on the site being donated to the charity.  Visitors also have the opportunity to donate a percentage of their winnings directly to the charity.  Along with the fundraising element, Pink Ribbon Bingo and the Daily Mail online will be helping the charity to raise awareness by promoting their vital health messages such as TLC (Touch, Look, Check). 

 

Tamzin Outhwaite says, “As a busy working mum, I find it difficult to get a moment to myself, let alone fundraise for a really important cause like Breast Cancer.  Pink Ribbon Bingo allows me not only to have a quick ‘time out’ in my day, it also helps me raise money in a fun and simple way.

“15 pence out of every pound goes to fund Breakthrough Breast Cancer,  helping them to support the 48,000 women, 300 men and their families who are diagnosed with the disease every year.”

Kate Thornton continues, “In the UK, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 11 minutes – a statistic that we can change.  We’re already well on the way to beating this disease for good; as a direct result of Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s work, fewer women die of breast cancer than 15 years ago. Just imagine where we could be in another 15 years time!

“Playing Pink Ribbon Bingo is easy – all you need to do is visit http://www.pinkribbonbingo.com/  and register to start playing today! People can enjoy playing, knowing that whether they win or loose, Breakthrough will benefit.”

About breast cancer:

• Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK – nearly 48,000 women and around 300 men are diagnosed every year.
• Breast cancer accounts for nearly 1 in 3 of all female cancers and one in eight women in the UK will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime.
• Around 1,000 women die of breast cancer every month in the UK.
• The good news is that more women than ever in the UK are surviving breast cancer thanks to better awareness, better treatments and better screening.

About Breakthrough Breast Cancer:

• Our vision is a future free from the fear of breast cancer.
• Breakthrough Breast Cancer is dedicated to improving and saving lives through finding the causes of breast cancer, enabling early detection, ensuring precise diagnosis, discovering new and better treatments and improving medical services.  
• We fund ground breaking research, campaign for better services and treatments and raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. Through this work the charity believes passionately that breast cancer can be beaten and the fear of the disease removed for good.

 Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Netmums Blogging Network Post - Netmums Bingo

Get your ‘Team Peppa’ Bag For Life and help support baby charity Tommy’s

HELP WHIP BREAST CANCER WITH THE PAMPERED CHEF LIMITED EDITION PINK PRODUCTS

 

We're seriously lusting after the Team GB bedding and towels !

As soon as I laid eyes on this picture, I absolutely loved the bedding showing Pride the Lion, the official mascot for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Sophie thinks it's fabulous too and as it only comes in single size, I may have to splash out on a set for her room. Or we may grab one of the matching towels then we can all use it !

But that's not the only gorgeous design. Sophie also loves this Queen's Guard quilt set. Decisions decisions !

Mums and Dads (or anyone else who sleeps in a double bed) don't have to miss out either. I would love to see these stylish Union Jack designs adorning our bed but I'm not sure what French Madhouse Daddy Mike would think of sleeping under the Union Jack ! Shame !

He might prefer this colourful design, featuring a matrix of all the official London 2012 Olympics pictograms, which represent the 38 Olympic sporting disciplines. Looking at all those sports would make you feel so tired you'd fall asleep in record time too !

The funky twin mascots Wenlock and Mandeville also put it an appearance.

As does the Team GB lion logo. There are so many funky designs, it makes it so hard to choose. (And part of my frugal side is saying oooh wait until it's all over and then buy the whole collection in the clearout sales !!)

If you prefer more discreet designs,  you could go vintage with the Historical cushion and bed linen.

It's nice but I have to admit, I have a serious weak point for the Union Jack designs. That must be my patriotic side coming out !

I've just headed off to see if I could find an online stockist and I'm pleased to see that some of them are available on amazon - result !

All the Olympics merchandise, including bed linen and towels, is available throughout the UK at a variety of stockists. For full stockists' information, go to www.ashleywildegroup.com

RRP : £30 for the single quilt cover/pillowcase set, £18 for the sports towels

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Inch Blue Union Jack Leather Toddler Slippers 

Natural Empathy - Beautifully British Luxury Hand & Body Lotion and Top-to-Toe Wash 

Firefly Tonics - Britannia

 

Latest Money-Saving Deals from Tesco Baby

Tesco's biggest ever baby event is now in full swing and I just wanted to let you know about some more great deals which are valid until 5^th Feb:

 

·         Pampers Active Fit Jumbo Pack: was £12.99 each, now £10 each

·         Johnson’s Baby Wipes 64-Pack: was £2.44 each, now 95p each

·         Buy One Get One Free on Johnson’s Baby Toiletries

·         SMA Follow on Milk 6m+ 900g: was £8.99, now £7

·         Tommee Tippee Closer To Nature Electronic Steam Steriliser: was £47.99, now half price £23.99

Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Steam Steriliser was £26.99 >£13.49 now and amazing £10.00 until 14th Feb

Don't forget, if you haven't already entered, there's still a chance to win a £100 Tesco voucher right here on my blog. (If you have your own blog, you can also win a £100 amazon voucher by blogging your child's drawing of their favourite Yummy Food - find out how to enter here.) 


Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Tesco's Biggest Ever Baby Bargains Event !

 Tesco Baby & Toddler Club free BabySafe courses

 The Big January Sale – Beefeater Grill, Brewers Fayre, Table Table

UKMums.tv Blogging Challenge - Beat the January Blues

UKMums.tv has just launched a new fortnightly blogger challenge so I thought I'd put my thinking cap on and join in. (If you want to get involved too, check out the details here.) They have asked us to use the gloomy month of January as our inspiration and come up with a nice positive story to cheer us up. They suggest a progress report on our resolutions or reasons why 2012 is going to be a fantastic year for our family.

Well, this instantly made me think of the Reasons To Be Cheerful bloghop that Mummy From The Heart posts on her wonderful blog and that I have been meaning to enter forever without ever finding the time to do it. That sounds perfect so I'll do a Top Ten Reasons To Be Cheerful in the Madhouse for 2012. There are ALWAYS things to look forward to and zillions of reasons to be cheerful and it's actually a really good idea to sit down and make a list like this every now and then so that we remember !

1) We're getting a new car ! Our leasing/loan jobby needs to be redrawn up every four years and February 2012 was the magic date. After looking at the options - basically selling the car back to the garage for the guaranteed price, paying the balance and keeping/selling it ourselves or continuing to pay the balance but upgrading to a new car (or something like that, Madhouse Daddy Mike dealt with all the paperwork as I don't even drive so it all went a bit over my head !), we went for the new car option. We'll be getting a  Peugeot 5008 which has three real seats in the back so Sophie won't be eternally squished between Pierre's and Juliette's car seats. That's good news for us too as it'll mean less squabbling in the back ! It also has two extra seats that can be installed in the back to make it into a 7-seater so if the girls ever want to invite a friend out with us for the day, we will now be able to say yes. Slightly scarier is that my usual reply of "no, we're not having any more kids because we couldn't fit any more in the car" now no longer stands. Eek !!

2) We've booked a fab fortnight in Tunisia for the summer. We always like to get in on the early bird deals and bag a family room before they all get snapped up and this August we're off to Zarzis. White sand beaches, palm trees, camels ... the kids are sooooo excited already- and they're not the only ones !

3) Spring is on the way ! Now, this could be down to global warming or just a particularly mild winter but I was gobsmacked to see daffodils in bloom in the week after Christmas ! All that greenery and sunshine can only be around the corner so we can look forward to long walks and trips to the park again. Those thick baggy jumpers and scarves will soon be packed away for another year.

4) Now, I know we were very slow off the mark here but we have discovered the joys of Skype ! It started off at work, where the kids in my class loved having a live webchat with a class in Kentucky, and carried on at home. The Madhouse is even madder than user when Madhouse Grandad pops up on the screen !! It's hilarious listening to the kids relating in minute detail everything that has been going on since the last chat !

5) I'm still amazed to see that the SlimPod is doing its stuff. I was so cynical about it at the start and still can't understand how listening to a 10-minute mp3 every now and then (after listening to it every day for 21 days on the trot) can have such an effect on the way you eat and ultimately your waistline. It's not a sudden drastic effect - I've lost 4kg in a couple of months - but it is working, there's no doubt about it ! (Follow my updates here.)

6) I've also discovered the ... well, I wouldn't say the joys but it's not as torturous as I feared !! - of MuTu System and the lovely Wendy who has devised a whole system to get your Mummy Tummy back in shape, however long ago you had kids and however little time you have in the day to do sport. I'm only on week 3 of a 12 week programme but I'm still on track so far :) (Progress reports here.)

7) There are so many babies on the way amongst my bloggy and tweety friends, some of them after the sadness of losing a child which just makes it all the more special, especially having been there myself. I saw that Amanda Holden has just had her baby today too so that's another sad story that found its happy ending. Yay !

8) I've made a real effort to get more fresh fruit and veg into our diet recently. We have a fabulous local market literally at the end of our road every Sunday so we've been heading off to see what we can find. We came back this week armed with one bag full of fruit (mangoes, bananas, apples, pears, kakis, ...) and one full of veg (cauliflower, endives, mushrooms, peppers, leeks, carrots, courgettes, ...). Just seeing all the bright colours gets the kids interested in trying out new flavours and it's more inspiring for cooking from scratch than opening an empty fridge ! 

9) We're still married and we have three happy kids. It seems that every week brings news of yet another one of those supposedly rock solid celeb marriages breaking up. After Brad & Jen, J-Lo & Marc and Demi & Ashton, I was slightly shocked to see Seal and Heidi Klum going their separate ways this week. I know they're celebs but they always seemed so normal and down-to-earth with all the right values. Here at The Madhouse, all I need to do is look at the huge smiles on Sophie, Juliette & Pierre's faces most days and any thoughts of the January blues just go flying out of the window. The rest is all immaterial !

10) And the final Reason to Be Cheerful ... there are only 334 days until Christmas ! Woohoo can I start getting excited already ?!!

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday