20/05/201326/03/2018 by Karen

MAM – Learn to Drink Cup

I’ll never forget the first time I saw a MAM bottle. What struck me straightaway was how pretty they were. Usually ‘first’ bottles seem to be very boring and practical, whilst these were colourful and had lovely designs on them.

MAM 4

I had by that point invested in baby bottles, sterilisers and such like, so didn’t have the need to get any more. However, I was keen to hear what other people thought of them, which always seemed to be very positive.

I was sent the MAM Learn to Drink 190ml cup to review. The cup has the very handy options of ‘free flow’ or ‘non spill’ all the with the help of a removable attachment.

At 19 months Jacob still has one bottle of milk in the evening after his dinner and before bed. We plan to wean him off this in the very near future but for now it’s a comfort to him and a great way of topping up his calcium. We have tried to move him on to beakers and whilst this has worked with water since he was six months old he has remained very stubborn with his beloved milk. This is where I have found the MAM cup to be amazing. Out of curiosity one evening I gave him his milk in this cup and he drank it as normal… something that has never happened before (normally it ends up with him screaming, throwing said cup and refusing to drink from it). I tried it the next night to make sure the previous night wasn’t a fluke and he drank it again. I believe this is very much to do with the cup looking like a baby bottle and having a softish spout. All I can say is I wish that we had discovered this cup sooner as it would have proved very useful, something to bear in mind for next time maybe?

MAM 3

I think this product is great and only have two minor quibbles. Firstly within 10 minutes of drinking from the bottle there were already little teeth marks in the spout. Not necessarily a problem as such, as one would expect a certain amount of wear and tear when there is a soft spout, but did make me wonder how long this would hold up against my little terror. Secondly it is a shame there is no measurement guide against the side. This isn’t the end of the world as most sippy cups don’t but it would be nice.

Those little niggles aside I would highly recommend this cup, especially as a transitional ‘bottle to cup’ product. The cup retails at £5.99, which I believe it good value, and extras such as handles also fit this product so it is easy to mix and match.

I was sent this item for the purpose of review, all opinions are my own

17/05/201328/01/2014 by jo

3M’s Damage-Free Hanging

We rent, and already I look in pain at the door which has a load of blu-tack stains on it – we like putting pictures on our walls, and I hate banging nails in (though they’re more acceptable than blu-tack stains, I’m sure).

So there’s this ad on tv. I keep seeing it, and after H made a lovely picture on a canvas of her hand and foot prints, and had decided where it was going to live on the walls, I knew I had to do something about it so bought some, which arrived a few days later.

These hangers don’t come cheap – but oh, they work.

It’s essentially two pieces of sticky velcro which stick together, which you can move if you’re like me and do everything by eye rather than measure it (it drives Shaun mad), but most importantly of all, there’s no left over sticky residue (I checked after a few days to make sure). That and once your picture is fixed/velcroed to the wall, it’s pretty secure. I’ve not tried it with anything heavy yet, but so far I’m impressed – I just wish they were a bit cheaper as I’ve a LOT of photos need putting onto the walls…!

In my pack I received 4 sets of small strips (enough for the canvas) and 8 sets of medium strips (enough for two heavier pictures or one very heavy one – I’m too scared to try it out though!) – I feel like when I get around to ordering a canvas or two, these are the perfect solution – plus your picture stays close to the wall.

It’s definitely an option worth looking into if you too are living in blu-tack stain-hell!

15/05/201326/01/2014 by jo

My Morphy Richards Soup Maker Six Months On

My most popular post on here is easily my gushing about my soup maker. It was bought last October/November time and has been used a minimum of two times a week since. We love our soup! Especially when it’s so easy.

There’s been a few things that I thought were worth mentioning as a follow-up.

I’ve had times when the blade of the soup maker hasn’t gone down all the way – and at the first whizz about fifteen minutes in, it’ll make the lid of the soup maker open, breaking the cycle. My solution? Before you start the cycle give your veg a quick blend on that setting for about five seconds, while holding the lid firmly – then if anything is likely to block it, it’ll be a bit mashed up. So far every time I’ve done that it hasn’t popped open.

The soup is hot. Very hot – though I’ve found pouring H’s portion when it has finished, then ours at the time we’ll eat means it’s just right. I’ve also come to my portion an hour and a half later and it has still been warm (as long as the lid is kept on!).

One of the stands on the bottom came off – I’m not sure how, and they’re not the easiest to get back in! With one missing it hasn’t made things noisier, though I’m keeping a close eye – it looks like the kind of thing that would go back in with the help of a narrow screwdriver.

I’ve not been very adventurous with recipes recently – we’re tired and it’s always a random concoction of vegetables. I need some inspiration! Having just passed the Cinco de Mayo maybe we should have had a mexican twist to our soup tonight (butternut squash, carrot and broccoli) – so I’m going to have a think – I’m thinking tomato, coriander, chili and some lime… mmm!

So, six months in was it worth the money? Definitely. It is used as much as our breadmaker (a minimum of two times a week) and makes meals after work so much easier as we always cook from fresh. I love the extra time I have with H, and the soup is almost always tasty (I had one disaster when I added an orange).

In summary, it still gets the thumbs up here – though I’ll be working on a gazpacho recipe – which will need to be prepared the night before I guess, to get it properly chilled!

13/05/201328/01/2014 by jo

Film Review – Playing For Keeps

This one for me has quite a mixed review. At first I quite liked the film – I’ve never seen anything with Gerard Butler in it and had to google him as I wasn’t sure if he really is scottish or if he was trying to do the accent (he is), but a film which is based on football is always a good thing in my book. The football matches with him edited in kind of amused me and I thought it was all set to go in a good way. He’s retired from the game and wants to be a sports presenter on tv.

BUT THEN

Enter three women, one of which you have had some respect for as an actress, playing dim, WAG-esque ladies throwing themselves at the footballers feet, and suddenly things aren’t so enjoyable any more.

The football takes a back seat. Catherine Zeta Jones was particularly annoying. Sorry Catherine. Uma Thurman I was disappointed in… Uma, you were fabulous in Pulp Fiction and all those other films around then – what are you doing?! Dennis Quaid is the husband who throws around cash to make sure his daughter is included and sweeps Gerard Butler off his feet with flash cars and more. As Shaun put it, “Dennis Quaid is going to be a moral quandary in this film” (which he was).

BUT

The football element of the film gets quite lovely at times – a former player who becomes coach for kids and shows them how to play. I wish it had been a bigger focus rather than one for the women – oh, and the three annoying women are married too, of course. Apart from the one who isn’t any more. Anyway, Gerard Butler was married and he’s trying to win his wife back (played by Jessica Biel who was quite good) who is about to marry someone else anyway.

Oh, and they have a child, who is in the football team of course.

There were funny moments, and I have to admit, were it not for the annoying women I would have enjoyed this much more – they were pointless, irritating and annoying and the story would have worked just fine without Gerard Butler having all the women throwing themselves at him.

So yes, a bit disappointing, not my kind of film. If you forget the bits with the married women are in there, it’s quite enjoyable!

Sorry.

Playing For Keeps is released on DVD on the 20th May 2013.

11/05/201328/01/2014 by jo

We Love Books – The Hueys in It Wasn’t Me by Oliver Jeffers

There isn’t an Oliver Jeffers book we don’t like, and his newest ‘The Hueys in It Wasn’t Me’ arrived and filled us full of happy as we loved ‘The New Jumper’ the previous book.

We met The Hueys for the first time last year – Gillespie wore a jumper and was different – and this year we’re coming across some arguments. What I love the most about this is how the arguments are illustrated – it made me smile.

See?

Genius.

Anyway, the book is wonderfully simple and gets a good message across – The Hueys end up forgetting what they’re actually arguing about and in the end are distracted…

I did end up having a little giggle. The book has already been read several times and at a time when H does love to argue and does indeed forget why, this feels like the perfect addition.

The Hueys in It Wasn’t Me is out now, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books

10/05/201328/01/2014 by jo

Monski Mouse – Coming to a Dancefloor Near You – and Soon!

Monski Mouse is the alter-ego of Monica Corduff Gonzalez who does discos for under 5’s around the world. She comes from Australia, and currently lives in the UK. She’s bringing her dance event to the London Wonderground this summer with Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall. We’re interviewing Monica, so we can find out loads more about the events – as well as reviewing it (and quite frankly I may be the most excited of all of us about this).

Two sold out Adelaide Fringe seasons (2012 & 2013), an Edinburgh Fringe and bookings at festivals such as Norfolk and Norwich Festival (Sold Out) and the Freedom Festival, Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall has been getting heads, shoulders, knees and toes bopping along since its launch in February 2012.

Monski Mouse has made a career from DJ-ing quirky retro tracks, while dressed as a glamour-girl-mouse, for the last ten years, at arts festivals and clubs including Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Edinburgh Fringe. Since becoming a Mum in 2010, Monski Mouse expanded her focus to the morning audience, of bubs, toddlers and parents/carers, in a career move that fits in with her current role as a working Mum.

“I count myself really lucky to able to adapt my performance career to make work my daughter can enjoy, and I am totally blown away by how much she absolutely loves the Baby Disco Dance Hall.” says Monski Mouse,”Plus its so much fun to have dance before tea time, what an absolutely wonderful way to spend your day!”

The event features Monski Mouse hosting and DJing, two experienced early childhood performers as ‘dancers’, who work with the audience, and a ‘baby area’ where the non walkers can roll around to the music.

“I feel extremely privileged to be performing this disco, the delight I get to see in young children’s eyes and their parents faces is incredibly special, I am a very, very lucky mouse.” says Monski Mouse.

Designed for children under 5 and their parents and carers, to dance and have fun together, Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall runs every second Sunday from 26 May through to 15 September, tickets are available through londonwonderground.co.uk

“Children were dancing, parents were singing and EVERYONE was smiling” Radelaide Rover

“Monski Mouse is the best DJ in the world” James Campbell – Comedy for Kids
“Creates a unique atmosphere and allows friends, parents, carers, grandparents (you name it) to join together by dancing ” ★★★★ Three Weeks
“This quirky event was clearly a hit.” ★★★ Broadway Baby

Web: monskimouse.com Twitter: @MonskiMouse Facebook: @MonskiMouse

LISTING INFORMATION
Venue: London Wonderground Spiegeltent
Time: 15:00 Running Time: 45 minutes
Dates: 26 May, 9 &23 June, 7 & 21 July, 4 & 18 August, 1 & 15 September 2013
Tickets: £8 – bubs under six months free!
Bookings: londonwonderground.co.uk or call 0844 545 8282

Do you fancy an idea of what Monski Mouse plays? Here you go…

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/91526697″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

10/05/2013 by jo

Ecover – Message In Our Bottle

Ecover have started a campaign, as our drinking water in this country, from plastic bottles is getting out of hand. I know as a family we’re constantly trying to find ways to be more ecologically better (my love letter to Method will appear in the near future), and one huge think I need to look at right now is my use of plastic bottles. I drink a lot of water every day, and tend to fill it up using the water cooler at work – which isn’t a bad usage, but I could be better.

This infographic spells it out much better than I ever could. Ecover are developing a new plastic which is to be fully sustainable and recyclable and minimises the use of raw materials.

Cleaning the seas, one bottle at a time. Visit The-Splash for more information and to read our pledge.As for me? I need to find myself a nice new bottle for my water. Something that will last, is mine (so it doesn’t go walkabouts when I’m away from work) and means I’ll no longer be buying bottled water. I’m starting from tomorrow – will you?

09/05/201328/01/2014 by jo

App Time – Read With Biff, Chip and Kipper

Read With Biff, Chip and Kipper is a new app from Gazoob to complement early learning at school.

I jumped at the chance to review the Read With Biff, Chip and Kipper app – H is starting in reception this September and I know they’ll be reading their books, I’d been looking at buying the books or picking some up at Car Boot Sales. Shaun regularly points out we have too many books (I know, that sounds bad but once she’s reading we can box away a lot – I bought lots of ‘That’s Not My…’ books when she was a baby and they take up space) so having all of them within an iPad app is possibly the perfect solution. Plus H enjoys reading books on there – we’ve had the Mog app for a while now and she often reads it without me, doing it in her own time.

I was keen to see the books as things have changed since I was little, I learnt using ITA – these days it’s far more sensible and uses phonics. Read With Biff, Chip and Kipper comes in six levels –

Level 1: Getting ready to read. Age 4-5 years
Level 2: Starting to read. Age 4-5 years
Level 3: Becoming a reader. Age 4-5 years
Level 4: Developing as a reader. Age 5-6 years
Level 5: Building confidence as a reader. Age 5-6 years
Level 6: Reading with confidence. Age 5-6 years

There are 48 books in total. I spotted on the Gazoob website that the books go to a higher level – their response to the question is as follows : There are two parallel Biff, Chip & Kipper series from Oxford University Press.
Ours is a home reading series and is designed to complement the 9 level Classic series which is used in schools.
The classic series is not currently available as apps.

Each book has some Tips for Reading Together – which has helpful hints of things to do when reading. I know I rush when I read books and it’s teaching me to slow down a bit, and spend more time talking about the pictures as well as pointing out each word. Most of this is about repetition and encouraging your child to join in – as well as having an activity to do on each picture – the first book you need to find a shell in each picture, and so on.

The phonics option is brilliant – so far we’ve barely gone into any depth, but having an I-spy game so the child has to work out which object starts (or ends!) with a letter is genius – and one H puzzled over for a good twenty minutes today – and tracing over the letters is always fun and good practice – I’m looking forward to more on the phonics side of things and how we’ll progress as you can almost feel it clicking somewhere with it being done properly.

Within the story side you have three options – Read by myself, Read to me and Auto play. Right now we’re doing the second stage quite a lot, though H does read it herself – you can press each word and it tells you what it is. At the end of each book are questions about the story and a puzzle.

Read With Biff, Chip and Kipper comes from a new company called Gazoob who aim to develop, publish and recommend educational materials, be it Apps, Games, Videos or Teaching materials. They already have a few titles under their belt, and will be adding a lot more as the year goes on.

How have we found it? I’ve been impressed. H’s word recognition has definitely improved and she’s much more confident – they don’t use these books at her nursery preschool but will in her school from September. Phonics-wise I think this is where she’s made the biggest jump and can now spell words and work them out much easier than two or three months ago.

I think Read With Biff, Chip and Kipper is an excellent app – it’s free to download with the 48 books being an additional purchase at £149.99 – which is a lot of money, although you can buy individual books at £3.99 each (so it works out cheaper overall to buy the books in one lot – a lot would depend on the stage your child is at). I love how H asks to play apps on the iPad and sees these books as fun, to me that’s half the battle with learning. It’s also something we’ll get a lot of use from, and isn’t going to be something that’s ignored in six months time – potentially taking H up to her sixth birthday which is still two and a half years away. The design of Read With Biff, Chip and Kipper is nice and clean, the fonts are good (and yes, comic sans is present, grrrrr!) and instructions are clear.

It is Mac and Windows compatible – for more information head to their website.
There’s a giveaway on their site to win the full app – you need to head to their Facebook page, and quick – the giveaway ends on the 31st May 2013!

We were sent a code to review the full app with all books – all opinions are our own.

08/05/201326/03/2018 by jo

A Special K ‘Pinch More Than An Inch’ Special

BritMums have a competition with Special K and this is my entry. We were sent a box to try (H “this is SPECIAL – it belongs to Mummy!”) and to see how much we have changed in the last thirty years, since Special K was first launched.

I remember 1983 well. ‘Can you pinch more than an inch?’ was Special K’s catchphrase and it stuck with me through the years. At school we’d often try to pinch more than an inch, almost nipping and pulling our skin to make sure we could. These days I almost certainly could but that’s part of having had a baby, stretchy skin, you know?

Memories of 1983 have several key things – music, football and television programmes. Back in 1983 Grange Hill was easily my obsession – it was the Roland, Jonah and Zammo years – see here :

These days I get my keys cut at our local key cutting shop… recognise that chap? The one on the left that is. The other is me a couple of years ago…

Zammo Mentor

Okay, let’s try music. From 1981 until 1987-ish (when I got sick of Stock, Aitken and Waterman taking over the charts) I wrote down the Top 40 every week. Here’s the chart from this week in 1983, complete with handy colour code that only a thirteen year old could possibly do. It’s a bloody good chart in 1983 too, I’d say I like at least 50% of the Top 40 which is 50% more than I like of the current one. (click to enlarge, it’s worth it – and Spandau Ballet’s ‘True’ was number one!)

These days I get my Top 200 on a spreadsheet… and it isn’t colour coded.

Musically, the albums I received for Christmas were New Order’s ‘Power, Corruption and Lies’, Aztec Camera’s ‘High Land Hard Rain’ and the Cocteau Twins ‘Head Over Heels’. I still have and love them all, but these days I own them on CD…

Football – I was a Tottenham supporter (still am), and 30 years ago we finished fourth in the league. There’s still two games before we know for sure (we’re playing Chelsea right now and are 1-1) but I’m keeping everything crossed we’ll also finish fourth this year…. Sadly Tottenham haven’t had an opportunity to make a record these last few years, nor any of their players. (the world will now breathe a collective sigh of relief as Glenn and Chris recorded in 1987)

Okay, school. I’m obviously no longer at school, and here’s our class photo from 1983, what a lovely lot we are!

I do actually have a different hairstyle. This time last year it was the same as 1983 though. I’m sensing a theme here. Special K may have changed, but have I? There’s only one set of people I can ask for their honest opinion – some of the ladies on the picture above that I’m still in touch with.

Lisa: Still passionate about music – no change there! (”,) x
Nicky: When you stayed last year it took me back to being 12… Not changed a bit xx
Lisa : You don’t look that different either!
Lynn : You still look like Jo Indie Pop with your stripey shirts!
Sheena : There are one or two of my school friends who quite honestly barely have changed at all. And you Jo are one of those! You look the same you are listen to the same music (and share it which is lovely) and no one would be surprised at your life! You have not changed!
Debbie : Presumably you still write the Top 40 down each week?
Mel : Bet you havent done a home perm again though?
Lisa : you are lucky miss peter pan. I don’t think you are any different. bar fringe x
Catherine : You haven’t changed a bit! And you’ve turned your passion for music into a career and the writing is still going too.

I can confirm I will never have a home perm in my life ever again. I blame my mum. At LAST! I have changed!!!!

So, Special K, how much have you changed? Gone are the ‘pinch more than an inch’ days, and the new recipe now contains three grains – rice, wheat and barley. Wholegrains are in now too which are a source of fibre and there’s eight vitamins and minerals – and it’s a box of cereal I’m finding myself sharing with H on a morning – and I like the new variety – I just wish I had more for myself!

At least something has changed in here….

specialk30

We received a box of Special K to take part in this challenge.

06/05/201329/01/2014 by jo

Walkers Hoops and Crosses – a review

Today we had a trip to Nymans – it’s only 45 minutes from our house so one of the places I’d class as local to us – plus it was a gloriously sunny day (though I had my doubts when I saw black clouds and no blue sky until we arrived in the Gatwick area) – and it proved to be popular with us waiting to park for at least fifteen minutes!

Armed with a picnic we headed out to the largest grassy area to find space to play and more importantly, eat. It was hot so you don’t want things which are heavy on the stomach, you want light things such as tasty pittas stuffed with salad and for crisps we tried a pack of Walkers new Hoops and Crosses which I’ve been sent to review.

Actually, we were sent just the one packet, along with a toy monkey called Monty who H has formally adopted and allowed to enter the hallowed turf of her toy collection which is always a good sign! Yesterday we were buying picnic supplies so bought a multipack in salt and vinegar flavour so we could all try.

I’m reminded of crisps I’ve tasted of H when she was little – you know those corn rings that Organix do? Sort of crumbly? Now imagine those for older people – you know, when you don’t want to look silly eating kids crisps – and let’s face it, since I’ve done WeightWatchers I’ve found there’s plenty of crisps out there which are lower calories – and this one qualifies coming in at two points. There’s 30% less fat in them (compared to everyday crisps), they’re made from 56% wholegrain and have no artificial colours or preservatives.

My main criticisms are the flavours on offer – I’d love a cheesy one (the ones on offer are prawn cocktail, roast beef and salt & vinegar) plus actually knowing if they’re vegetarian or not, I couldn’t tell (edited to add – it has since been confirmed they are suitable for vegetarians), Walkers didn’t put it on either variety we tried and checking the ingredients nothing jumped out so it looks like they are (there was plenty of dietary information telling you what it does contain which is good), but it would be nice to know for sure. The flavours we tried were nice – just not necessarily ones I’d buy for my lunch.

Walkers Hoops and Crosses sharing

Having a healthy range of snacks and them being Walkers ones is going to help with supermarket and meal deal choices as well – so many times there’s only one healthy option available, so with this being a big brand hopefully they’ll be everywhere…

Would we buy again? We already have… they’re handy to keep in the cupboard, and hopefully more flavours will come soon.

We were sent a pack of crisps for the purpose of this sponsored review, all opinions are that of us and H.

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