by jo

New Peppa Pig Episodes on Nick Jr in November!

 

Peppa Pig Logo
You may have seen the trailers – we certainly have. Actually, even saying Peppa Pig is back is a bit wrong, as Peppa Pig and her friends never ever go away – you’ve always a good chance of turning on the tv and they’ll be on!

So we’re set to see another batch of new episodes – and here’s the info! (and interestingly enough, none of the new episodes we saw at the BFI are included in this batch – though we were told they’d air around December time)

The episodes will air at 8am and 6 pm from November 5th 2012 on Nick Jr – and here’s what to expect…

November 5th
Madame Gazelle’s Leaving Party
Madame Gazelle announces she is leaving the playgroup. The children are very sad to lose their favourite teacher and decide to throw her a leaving party.

6th
Desert Island
When a fishing trip goes wrong, leaving Grandpa Pig and Grampy Rabbit stranded on a desert island, Captain Daddy Dog is the only one able to save them. He soon realises he misses the sea after all.

7th
Perfume
After smelling Granny Pig’s perfume de lavender, Peppa experiments with the flowers in the garden to create her own special smell.

8th
Children’s Fete
The school roof has a leak, again! The children organise a fete to raise money for a new roof.

9th
The Aquarium
Goldie the Goldfish is feeling a little lonely, so Peppa takes her to the aquarium. With all the different fish surely Peppa can find a new friend for Goldie?

12th
George’s Racing Car
Peppa, George and Grandpa Pig are sitting inside watching motor racing on the television, Granny Pig tells them all to go out and enjoy the sunshine. Inspired by the racing, Grandpa Pig builds George his own racing car.

13th
The Little Boat
Daddy Pig is left behind when everyone takes Grampy Rabbit’s little boat to the riverside picnic spot. Will someone remember him and save him some cake?

14th
The Sandpit
Peppa and her friends are building a desert island, in the sandpit. They add a forest, a lake, houses, and shops. It’s all going very well until George and Richard’s dinosaurs turn up…

15th
Night Animals
It is night-time at Grandpa and Granny Pig’s house, Peppa and George have stayed up late to help hunt for slugs and snails. But what other night animals will they find?

by jo

Review – Lindam Safe & Secure Soft Folding Bed Rail

H recently – finally – got her big girl bed after it became obvious she didn’t have much longer in her cotbed thanks to being so tall. It was a huge relief – however – we forgot about one thing. She does tend to fall out of bed occasionally.

We had some friends kindly donate their bed guard which was great – but I did struggle changing bed sheets as it would often fall between the slats on her bed base and not sit quite right – also it was wedged in a bit due to H having a wooden bed frame rather than a divan-style one.

As luck would have it, a chance to review the Lindam Safe & Secure Folding Bed Rail came about – and oh my – it’s perfect for a slatted base.

Lindam Soft Folding Bed Rail

It arrived and isn’t too bulky – it has just the one side but that side folds down (the buttons are quite stiff which isn’t a problem as I’d like to think it wouldn’t accidentally pop down in the night!) – the bed rail requires assembly which I managed to do on my own successfully in under ten minutes, following the instructions which were straightforward.

Lindam Soft Folding Bed Rail

So all that was left was to fit it on the bed. There’s plenty of width on it, so it should fit wide beds, and indeed smaller ones – I think it would definitely fit a cot bed comfortably too. It was just a case of placing it, fitting it and putting the mattress back.

THEN the big test – putting a clean sheet on H’s bed – which was made a bazillion times simpler with the bed rail folded down – and took half the time. The mattress laid flat on the bed, and we’re really pleased with it. Pop the rail back up in time for sleep, and voila, you’re ready.

Lindam Soft Folding Bed Rail

The instructions recommend the bed rail is used between the ages of 18 months to 5 years – and that it’s recommended for mattresses that have a thickness of 25cm maximum. It is suitable for beds with mattress widths from 76 to 100cm and mattress lengths from 141cm to 210cm.

It should also not be used on a sleeping surface which is more than 600mm from the floor and is definitely not suitable for upper bunk beds. Also, when fitting the bed rail you must make sure that you fit it with a gap of 250mm to avoid the risk of strangulation – the end of the bed rail should be level with your child’s shoulder.

Lindam Soft Folding Bed Rail

There are three different colours for the Folding Bed Rail – neutral, pink and blue. They retail for around £20-£25 at various stores (Argos, Amazon, Supermarkets etc). Lindam’s page can be found here.

We were sent the bed rail for the purpose of review – all opinions are our own.

by jo

Halloween Fun with the National Trust

Children in Halloween costume ©National Trust Images Andreas von EinsiedelEnjoy Halloween with the National Trust and experience spine-chilling thrills at some of the most hauntingly atmospheric houses and castles across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

From terrifying trails and spooky story-telling to fearsome face painting and frightening fancy dress, there’s something to give the whole family the jitters.

Here’s a spooktacular selection of Halloween events on offer with the National Trust:

Houghton Mill, Cambridgeshire
Halloween at the Mill, 27 October 5.30pm-7.30pm
Are you brave enough to visit our spooky mill after dark? Enjoy a Halloween supper of jacket spuds, bangers and beans in the tea room. Then make your own lantern to light your way around the spooky Halloween trail in the mill.
£6.50 per person. Booking is essential.
For more information, please call 01480 301494.

Flatford: Bridge Cottage, Suffolk
All Hallows’ Eve, 28 October 11am-4pm
Spooky fun at Valley Farm. Do your best to scare us with your frightening Halloween costumes and enter into our Scary fancy dress competition. Bring a pumpkin or jam jar to make your own lantern. There’ll be pumpkin soup in the tearoom – this is one ghostly day not to be missed.
Normal admission charges apply, plus £1 per child for activities. Booking not needed.
For more information, please call 01206 297201.

Speke Hall, Garden and Estate, Liverpool
Halloween, 28 and 31 October 6.30pm-10pm
Darkness descends over Speke Hall…test your nerves and face your fears in Liverpool’s premier spooky setting! Negotiate the Mayhem Maze and stumble through the Gruesome Graveyard before arriving at the House itself. If you emerge relatively unscathed, perhaps you could brave the wild woodlands, or other terrifying tests and awful ordeals.
Ghosts, ghouls, and other creatures of the night welcome you to the House interior. Crazy corridors and creaky stairways lead to abandoned rooms and forgotten doors, dare you open them?
£12 per adult and £10 per child. Booking early is essential.
For more information, please call 0151 728 5833.

Quarry Bank Mill and Styal Estate, Cheshire
Spooky Tours, 26-27 October 6.30pm-9.30pm
Join us if you dare for a ghostly and haunting trip through the Mill performed by the Academy of Live and Performing Arts North. Not suitable for children under 12yrs.
Booking essential. £7 per person. 01625 445845.
Ssspooky Halloween, 22-26 October, 12pm-4pm
Sssomethings sssslithering through the Mill… Come and make a spooky snake of your own at one of our free workshops and follow the snake trail through the Mill (50p per trail).
Normal admission charges apply. Booking not needed.
Ssspooky Science, 27 October, 12pm-4pm
Enter the Mad Professor’s lab and experiment with potions, slime and all sorts at our free workshops!
Normal admission charges apply. Booking Not Needed

Plas Newydd Country House and Gardens, Anglesey
Spooky Halloween, 31 October 11am-4pm
Come and join us for some spine tingling fun in our ‘spooky house’. Also children’s trails in the main house. We’ll be opening a special spooky house for those who dare to enter – you never know what you might see or touch. Great fun for all the family – children in Halloween outfits enter for free.
Normal admission charges apply. Booking not needed.
For more information, please call 01248 714795.

Stowe, Buckinghamshire
Hunt the haunted, 31 October 10am-4pm
Find the bats hidden in each of the Parlour Rooms at New Inn. Join us for spine-tingling scary stories at 11am and 2pm.
Normal admission charges apply. Booking not needed.
For more information, please call 01280 822850.

Chartwell, Kent
Hallowe’en Twilight Trails, 31 October and 1-2 November 4pm-7pm
Only the brave should embark on this! But beware and be careful and you will make it back for a warming Hallowe’en supper
£10.95 per person. Booking is essential.
For more information, please call 01732 861161.

Basildon Park, Berkshire
Fang-tastic Halloween, 27 October – 4 November 10am-5pm
Prepare to be spooked at Basildon Park! Lots of Jack-o-lanterns have been hidden in the garden and we need your help to find them, don’t forget to claim your reward!
Normal admission charges apply, plus £2 per trail. Booking not needed.
For more information, please call 0118 984 3040.

Hughenden Manor, Buckinghamshire
Hallowe’en witchery, 27 October – 4 November 11am-4pm
Spooky activities for all your family. Wear your creepiest costume!
Normal admission charges apply. Booking not needed.
For more information, please call 01494 755573.

Croome, Worcestershire
Activity Day – Halloween, 28 and 31 October 12pm-4pm
Have a go at our spooky activities and carve a pumpkin too! Activities include brewing potion, wand making, woodland play, potion to banish homework blues, pumpkin carving.
Normal admission charges apply, plus £3 for activities. Booking not needed.
For more information, please call 01905 370005.

Dudmaston Estate, Shropshire
Halloween Activity Day, 28 October 12pm-5pm
Take a spooky trail around the garden and have a go at the themed craft activities. Head to the tea-room for some Halloween treats, from toffee apples to bat biscuits, and end the day by going on our lantern walk through the woods, to really soak up the atmosphere.
Normal admission charges apply, plus charges for activities. Booking not needed.
For more information, please call 01746 780866.

Dudmaston Estate, Shropshire
Lantern Making Workshop, 20 and 27 October 10am-12pm
Why not learn some new skills as a family? Make willow lanterns and paint glass lanterns, then come back and join us on Sunday, 28th October at Dudmaston Hall for our Autumn Colours event where we will end the day with our spooky lantern walk through the woods. The more lanterns we’ve got the more spooks we will scare away.
£20 per lantern. Booking is essential.
For more information, please call 01746 780838.

Canons Ashby House, Northamptonshire
Halloween – if you dare! 29-31 October 5pm-7pm
As darkness falls and the house settles down for the night will you dare to enter? You’ll hear ghostly tales of the past and stories of the family who lived at Canons Ashby. Who knows, they may join in…
£15 per adult and £7.50 per child, including supper. Booking is essential.
For more information, please call 01327 861900.

Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire
Halloween Walk, 31 October 6pm-8pm
Come along and experience spooky stories and tales from Hardwick’s past. Encounter eerie characters as you explore the grounds of Hardwick Hall. Wrap up warm and bring a torch.
£5 per person. Booking not needed.
For more information, please call 01246 850430.

Hanbury Hall and Gardens, Worcestershire
Hallowe’en Family Activity Days, 30 October – 1 November 11am-4.30pm
Enjoy Halloween themed trails, activities, and face painting. Trail only also available Monday 29 October.
Normal admission charges apply. Small charge for activities. Booking not needed. 01527 821214

Baddesley Clinton, West Midlands
Family Fun Days – Halloween, 27 October – 4 November 11am-3.30pm
Enjoy our spooky outdoor trail around the grounds with activities to take home. See how many pumpkins you can spot in the house.
Normal admission charges apply. £2 per trail. Booking not needed. 01564 783294

Croft Castle and Parkland, Herefordshire
Hallowe’en Trails, 20 October – 4 November 10am-4.30pm
Take part in one of our spooky trails around the gardens, find all the clues to win a prize. In the castle keep a look out for the bats.
Normal admission charges apply, booking not needed. £2 per trail. 01568 780246

Brockhampton Estate, Herefordshire
Hallowe’en trails, 20 October – 4 November, 11am-4pm
Tis wiching season and there are spooky goings on at each of our sites in Herefordshire. Solve the clues on our Hallowe’en trail to win a prize.
Normal admission. Booking not needed. £2 per trail. 01885 482077

Lanhydrock

Lanhydrock – photo courtesy of the National Trust

Lanhydrock, Cornwall
Spooky garden trail, 27-31 October 10am-5pm
Prize trail in the garden with a spooky theme.
Normal admission charges apply, plus £1.50 per trail. Booking not needed.
For more information, please call 01208 265950.

by jo

We Love Our National Trust Membership

We’ve been National Trust membersNational Trust logo for two and a half years now. We’re really lucky in that we have tons of places that aren’t too far away – Morden Hall Park is reachable by bus, for example.

If we head towards Dorking we’ve got Polesden Lacey which has so much going on and loads of outdoors to walk around, as well as Box Hill, as seen on the cycling during the Olympics.

There’s loads more, but what we’ve loved the most is that you only need to visit four or five places to have made your money back – and having the freedom to visit different places and do activities is something we enjoy doing.

When we stayed in Exeter we made a visit to Killerton House for a wander around the grounds – and I know if we were to ever go to Cornwall on holiday then we’d make the most of our membership as the National Trust own a lot of the car parks there – which would save us a lot.

I’m from York and without realising I hadn’t been to our most famous National Trust place – The Treasurer’s House – that was put to rights this year when a proper visit was made, though no ghosts were to be seen unfortunately.

I love that you can visit properties – famous and not. Chartwell is the family home of Winston Churchill complete with fabulous grounds to walk around and explore.

The best thing I’ve found with having the membership is knowing we’re in a safe place – you’ve generally got grounds to walk around plus activities to do at various points in the year – just this year the National Trust have brought out the ‘50 Things To Do Before You’re 11 and 3/4‘ activities – something I hadn’t really looked at and assumed it was for older kids – yet actually a lot of the things suggested in there we have done. It’s worth a look anyway – you’d be surprised.

There’s lots of National Trust activities coming up, so stay tuned as we’ll be mentioning them a lot more!

by jo

Review – WigWam from Garden Games

Once upon a time we had a Peppa Pig wendy house. It took up a lot of space and eventually was moved into the under stairs cupboard – mainly due to H having too many toys and us running out of space to put them in. Actually, the wendy house had also got a bit bent, as it had a lightweight metal frame and had several of her friends fighting inside it.

Big Game Hunters (part of the Garden Games group of websites) offered us a chance to review their wigwam, and after careful checking with Shaun if he would be okay with this (he was!), one arrived on my day off.

It’s quite a small package, so I assumed it wouldn’t be too big – oh how wrong I was! It’s huge!! I assembled it easily on my own putting the two parts of wood together with plastic joiner (technical term there), then slotting them into the tent outer. Then it was a case of threading the cord around the top of the tent, using a ball to space it out a bit, pull it tight, stand it up and voila! We have a ginormous wigwam in our living room! (extra bonus – no tools are required to assemble it)

Garden Games Wigwam

Everyone who has seen it has been impressed – it’s a really hardwearing fabric, definitely suitable for outdoor use (though not waterproof, you’ve that big hole in the top!). The wigwam has had two children and most toys inside it whenever any of H’s friends have come to play, and is currently ‘the hospital’ (according to H). She loves it – and will often sit in there with her friends chatting – a proper little den and loads of space. The patterns on the outside are great too.

The best bit? We can pack it away and it doesn’t take up much space at all – something we’re running very short of as it is. The tent’s dimensions are H 120cm x W 172cm x L 146cm

As far as play dens go, we can highly recommend this wigwam – it costs £49.99 and is available here.

We were sent a wigwam to review, all opinions are our own.

by jo

We Love Books – Room on the Broom – coming to the West End soon!

Julia Donaldson is one of those authors you’re pretty much guaranteed to have in your book collection, or to have read a book of – aside from The Gruffalo there’s a bazillion other books out there – a good chunk of which we own.

Room on the Broom is one we’ve bought recently – a story of a witch on her broom who keeps losing things due to the wind – as she picks up friends (a daft dog, a beautiful bird and a friendly frog) along the way – ‘is there room on the broom for me?’ they ask. Eventually the broom breaks, the witch ends up in a scary incident, but of course as it is with all books targeted at this age, there’s a happy ending thanks to her new friends. An added bonus, it’s also illustrated by Axel Scheffler who needs no introduction should you be familiar with Donaldson’s work – he illustrated The Gruffalo (and many more).

The best thing of all is how the rhymes flow – H has been reading this at nursery for a couple of months now (in fact just after we’d bought it), and joins in when we read – there’s plenty of scope for reading and letting your little one finish the sentence or indeed letting them read it to you – the rhyming is simple and tells the story perfectly.

Room on the Broom was first released back in 2002 – so it’s ten years old now! There’s all kinds of great things out there – how about a reading of it by Sanjeev Bhaskar over on Jackanory Junior? I found some educational resources for downloading over here – flashcards, sequence cards and matching cards to download and print. However, the most exciting thing for us is that it’s coming to the stage! (actually, I say coming, it’s been around a while now, it’s just new to us – and will be in the West End from the 21st November 2012 until the 13th January 2013).

Room on the Broom LiveThe company behind it are Tall Stories – and it’s a magical musical adaptation! Tall Stories’ also brought The Gruffalo to the stage, so its going to be a good ‘un.

Room on the Broom is aimed at ages 3-8 and is a great introduction to theatre for kids and their families – expect puppetry, sing-a-long songs and plenty of fun for everyone.

Room on the Broom LiveRoom on the Broom is presented by Kenny Wax and Nick Brooke, in association with Tall Stories. Directed by Olivia Jacobs, alongside Toby Mitchell as Creative Producer (both founders of Tall Stories), Room On The Broom has lighting design by James Whiteside, design by Morgan Large, puppet design by Yvonne Stone and sound & music design by Jon Fiber and Andy Shaw of Shock Productions.

The cast is as follows: Witch: Morag Cross, Cat: Emma MacLennan, Dog/Frog: David Garrud, Bird/Dragon: Sam Donovan, Understudy: Owen Guerin.

Room on the Broom Live

LISTINGS INFORMATION –  ROOM ON THE BROOM – LIVE ON STAGE!

Dates: 21 November 2012 – 13 January 2013
Address: Lyric Theatre, 29 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7ES

Box Office: 0844 412 4661

Website: www.nimaxtheatres.com  www.roomonthebroomlive.co.uk
Ticket prices: £12.50 – £15.50 (plus 50p restoration levy)
Family ticket top price only: £58 (excludes premium and level 3 prices)
Premium seats £20 (includes free postergramme)
School and group bookings of 10+: £9.50 (includes 50p restoration levy) buy 10 tickets get the 11th ticket free.
For Schools & Group bookings call 020 7494 5837

Performances:

Wednesday 21 November 2012 11am
Thursday 22 November 2012 11am
Friday 23 November 2012 11am
Saturday 24 November 2012 10am & 12pm
Sunday 25 November 2012 10am & 12pm
Wednesday 28 November 2012 11am
Thursday 29 November 2012 11am
Friday 30 November 2012 11am
Saturday 01 December 2012 10am & 12pm
Sunday 02 December 2012 10am & 12pm
Tuesday 04 December 2012 11am
Wednesday 05 December 2012 11am
Thursday 06 December 2012 11am
Friday 07 December 2012 11am
Saturday 08 December 2012 10am & 12pm
Sunday 09 December 2012 10am & 12pm
Tuesday 11 December 2012 11am
Wednesday 12 December 2012 11am
Thursday 13 December 2012 11am
Friday 14 December 2012 11am
Saturday 15 December 2012 10am  & 12pm
Sunday 16 December 2012 10am & 12pm
Tuesday 18 December 2012 11am and 2pm
Wednesday 19 December 2012 11am and 2pm
Thursday 20 December 2012 10am and 12pm
Saturday 22 December 2012 10am & 12pn
Sunday 23 December 2012 10am & 12pm
Monday 24 December 2012 10am & 12pm
Thursday 27 December 2012 11am & 2pm
Friday 28 December 2012 10am and 12pm
Saturday 29 December 2012 10am and 12pm
Sunday 30 December 2012 10am and 12pm
Monday 31 December 2012 10am & 12pm
Tuesday 01 January 2013 Day off
Wednesday 02 January 2013 11am & 2pm
Thursday 03 January 2013 11am & 2pm
Friday 04 January 2013 11am
Saturday 05 January 2013 10am & 12pm
Sunday 06 January 2013 10am & 12pm
Thursday 10 January 2013 11am
Friday 11 January 2013 11am
Saturday 12 January 2013 10am  & 12pm
Sunday 13 January 2013 10am & 12pm
by Karen

Messy Tunic from Messy Me – Review

Food times almost always equals messy times, therefore I was excited to get the chance to review the Messy Tunic from a company called Messy Me.

The Messy Tunic is made of oilcloth and slips over the arms and fastens with Velcro at the back. There are four designs that are available: Dusty Rose, Olive Grey, True Blue and Vintage Rose. Whilst the selection isn’t huge the designs are very classy and pretty, which makes a pleasant change from some of the loud designs out there. I especially loved the Vintage Rose, which was beautiful, though I don’t think my boy would have shared my enthusiasm!

Messy Me Messy Tunic

My son is a famously messy eater, because of this I am always enthusiastic to give anything a go that will make food time a cleaner experience! The tunic covers the torso, fitting under the high chair, this means that there is no chance of food getting behind the material, which I am very grateful for. I am so happy with this product that I am using it for most meal times. I also like the fact that it could also be used for arts and crafts and such like, making it very versatile. The tunic was very easy to clean, a quick wipe and food and mess came off very easily. It could even be machine washed at 30 degrees (though the website states that this should only be done occasionally). When done the tunic dried very quickly, which was very convenient.

Messy Me Messy Tunic

At £11.99 this product was a bit on the pricey side for me personally, but if I were to see these on offer I would snap these up immediately, as they do such a good job!

A Messy Me Tunic was sent for the purpose of review – all opinions are our own

by jo

Review – Reading Eggs

We first heard about Reading Eggs back in February – I received an email, signed up but didn’t take it much further as H was two and a half, and was just starting to get her head around the alphabet. However, now she’s older we’ve started to look into it and begin our journey (as well as me feeling less paranoid about her starting school next September!).

Reading Eggs - games with the letter SReading Eggs comes from ABC Kids in Australia – they have UK and US offices too. The lessons in Reading Eggs complement what they’re taught in schools – and are also used by homeschoolers. It’s a good straightforward programme and is browser-based, which means anyone with a PC or Mac, and an internet connection can use it. The programmes range from age 3 to age 13 – which go on to Reading Eggspress, aimed at 7-13 year olds.

The lessons work on a one-to-one basis – your child goes at their own pace rather than being timed to complete a level – though on some sections I’ve seen you’re encouraged to join the dots faster – which she is still a bit wobbly with!  Each programme has been developed by a highly experienced team of educational teachers, writers and developers. The Reading Eggs programme focuses on a core reading curriculum of phonics and sight words using skills and strategies essential for sustained reading success. It supports what children learn at school and will help to improve your child’s results at school.

Reading Eggs - joining the dots to make an S

Moving forward to now, she’s three and she’s pretty good at identifying letters (especially her name) and we’ve a few games on the iPad which help to write letters, so I felt she was ready to try out Reading Eggs. They have a computer in her preschool room at nursery which has similar games to this, so we felt it complemented what she’s learning perfectly.

H doing Reading Eggs

There’s just one minor problem – we’ve never let her use the laptop before! But after a quick lesson she was pretty whizzy on the touchpad – though we kept it really simple. She started in the easiest sections – identifying letters and playing games or choosing words relating to that letter. H’s development means she often knows the letter, but when she doesn’t she tends to guess – and get frustrated when she can’t work it out. In the context of the Reading Eggs site she puzzled and worked it out herself, with minimal frustration.

Reading Eggs - identifying the letter S

I liked that even though she can’t read, if you place the cursor over a picture it will tell you what it is. This helped H a lot especially with her confidence.

Generally we tend to play more iPad Apps than anything else, so to see that Reading Eggs have some apps available is great – I really want H’s learning to be fun and while she’s had a head start by going to nursery, anything which helps with her development is a very good thing – and this definitely is.

If you like the sound of this, I have a special code which means you can try it out for five weeks – rather than the regular two. You need to add the code UKB24MBT when registering.
I’ve also had a few emails recently offering me fantastic discounts for a years membership – so it’s worth signing up and trying it out!  

Reading Eggs - identifying the letter S

We were provided with a code to give us five weeks free use of Reading Eggs for the purpose of this review. All opinions are our own.

by jo

Review – USB Cup Warmer and Instant Heat Pad

Okay, it sounds a bit daft, but I’ll let you in on a secret. Actually, it’s no secret, I moan about it (quietly) all the time – I have the coldest desk in the office at work* – and I’ve been feeling it a lot lately. Short of wearing a slanket at my desk (I don’t own one yet, I’m working on that) there aren’t many ways to beat the chills. Usually by mid-afternoon the room and I are a good temperature, though in the mornings you can guarantee I’ll feel the chills.

I’ll often make a hot drink to keep my hands warm – and more often than not I’ll forget it’s there and end up with some freezing coffee at the bottom. It’s annoying, especially when I’ve drunk it without realising.

USB cup warmerSo the opportunity arose via Fuel My Blog to review the USB cup warmer and the Funky Instant Heat Pads from Paramount Zone, I applied and I got lucky; so I put it to the test… and found it works! However, my regular cup is a little bit too wide for it – though there’s no shortage of cups and mugs at work, so I did find one that fit. It plugged into the USB port in the side of my keyboard (which in turn is plugged into my MacBook Pro), and worked perfectly. There’s a little light in the front so you know it’s on, and it doesn’t boil your cuppa, just keeps it nice and warm.

USB Cup Warmer from Paramount Zone

I was also sent a mini hot water bottle-a-like which you can leave to soak in some boiling water for ten minutes, then get up to 30 minutes of warmth – it’s great! Not too hot and warm enough to tuck into my handwarmers and still be able to type. The first time you use it you just click the element, once you have you can no longer use that method, though it is reusable so you can do it the way I originally described – so yet another thing to help keep me toasty.

Hand Warmer from Paramount Zone

So yes, what may seem like the kind of gadgets you’d think you don’t need, are actually really useful for me – if you’re in a similar situation I’d recommend trying it out – especially if you’re like me and your cuppa often goes cold – I had no idea they exist.

Both of these are great stocking fillers for Christmas – and are suggested on the site as presents for your boyfriend or men in general – but being female and someone who feels the cold (and who is now thinking this could be excellent for an afternoon at the football), they’re pretty good unisex presents, especially if you’re not too girly like me and spend most of your working day at your desk sipping hot drinks (which go cold).

Both are available from Paramount Zone – the USB cup warmer is £4.99, and the Instant Heat Pads are £2.99.

* to be fair, work did offer to put a radiator in our part of the room, so I’m not in any way criticising.

by jo

Review – What To Expect When You’re Expecting

What To Expect When You're Expecting

We were given the opportunity to review this film, and I’ve been intrigued as to how you can make a (fairly serious) textbook into a comedy, as the two seem a million miles apart.

Starring Cameron Diaz and Matthew Morrison, we get straight into their story – they’re dance partners on a tv show, which is where Cheryl Cole makes her appearance as a judge. They win, and Cameron promptly pukes into the trophy, commencing their journey into parenthood.

You meet other couples, as well as the pair who meet over their burger vans – and it all seems quite nice and jolly, everyone goes for their scans and gets to find out the gender of their child (but as we know you never truly know if it’s 100% correct until you meet the child) – when I started to get a little bit cross.

See, while I wasn’t wishing it, I hoped one of the couples would have a miscarriage, as not everyone is successful – within ten seconds of thinking it, a couple had. It was dealt with pretty quickly, with very little explanation other than the girl didn’t want to see the boy afterwards – I kind of wish they’d gone into it in a bit more depth.

The other couples continue their journey – the Baby Guru’s husband meets other dads in the park, one of them being Chris Rock who delivers a monologue about fatherhood with the other dads nodding in agreement. There was a quite sweet moment where they all lined up between the buggies to pick up each side and take them down the stairs. Very practical.

The couples all have their babies, and of course if you’ve been there yourself you’ll know it’s almost always never as you plan it – which is quite well shown in this film – the mother who was adamant she wouldn’t have a c-section has one, and so on.

So really, the verdict? It’s an odd topic for a light and fluffy comedy, and I’m afraid to say I didn’t laugh once. It’s a tricky subject to cover in a limited amount of time – I wish it had been set around, say, an antenatal class – cut out the bits at the start so you get to know a group of friends thrown together for their own journeys into parenthood – that might have warmed me to the characters a little more. I felt like the majority of the characters weren’t that likeable, and that’s half the battle with enjoying a film.

Ultimately, making a comedy from a book which covers almost every aspect when you’re pregnant may have been an ambitious move, but actually, it fails. It tries to do too much and delivers too little.

What To Expect When You’re Expecting is released on Monday 22nd October on DVD and Blu-Ray, certificate 12.