Slimline Wine Review

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Slimline Wine –

Remember the ronseal adverts – does what it says on the tin. Well this week I’ve been sent some Slimline wine. Does what it says on the bottle!

slimline wine

Quite often as a blogger I will kindly get offered things or sent things to review and/or write about. However I don’t want my blog audience to just keep seeing reviews. Thats not what I’m about. I will only ever write about things that I’d actually buy and use.

Since I’m on slimming world at the moment and also love a bottle of red wine, when this arrived I thought perfect!

It’s a simple designed bottle and is new on the market. It claims to be a zero sugar, zero carb wine.

slimline wine

 

 

 

 

It’s available in white, red,rose and also very recently sparkling too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I’m no wine expert. My credentials are only that I have been drinking wine since around 21 years of age (thats about 15 years….cough cough!) I only started really liking red at around age 25 so roughly 10 years. I know what I like wine wise. I’m not a red meat eater so tend to just drink red on its own rather than with a meal as many people do. I couldn’t tell you the ‘underlying flavours’ or what vintage is what. I just no if a wine tastes nice to me and is easy to drink.

So with a little trepidation I thought I’d give the Slimline Wine a whirl as my weekend drink.

slimlinewine

 

 

The website has this description “A proper Red, with all the depth and flavour you expect although a little lighter on the tongue. Made from Barbera grapes.” For those counting calories there are 55 per 100ml in the white wine. So much less than normal wine.

Did I like it?

Yes – I was really surprised! I was expecting it to be a different taste to regular red wine. It absolutely does not have any taste in it that would give it away as a low cal wine. I honestly didn’t expect it to be as nice as it is. I thought that perhaps it would be a little like no alcohol wine in that it’s an ok substitute. How wrong I was. In a blind taste test I’d never be able to tell that there is a difference at all. To me it was easy to drink….a little too easy. I was soon on a lovely second glass! It needs to be pointed out that its 10% vol alcohol wine so similar to usual wines. Again a fact I was surprised by.

Where can I buy it?

Currently its available to order on the website.

You can also find out more about the wine on the website too.

Having some me time with Milton

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milton

I love breastfeeding my baby. I’ve written about it lots of times on my blog. It’s not always been easy. However when it’s going well it’s amazing. Breastfeeding obviously requires me to be around baby all the time. In order for me to get a break from baby I need to express some milk for other people to feed him.

milton

The best time to express is after feeding has been established. So I waited until baby is eight weeks old knowing that my supply has now properly established. For expressing milk I use a mixture of an electric breast pump and a small one piece manual one.

For the first two boys I had an electric steam steriliser. It took up a lot of room on our kitchen counter and constantly needed descaling. I also needed to be organised and make sure everything fit inside properly and I’d allowed enough time to get it sterilised.

With this baby I haven’t bought a steriliser. I’d already decided this time to try Milton tablets, because I’ve been using them to clean and sterilise the boys school water bottles on the weekend in the sink. So when Milton approached me a couple of weeks ago I was happy to give their new products a whirl with the aim of being able to go to the cinema with my mum.

milton

Milton kindly sent me a Combi steriliser and a mini portable soother steriliser to test out and this week was the perfect time.

The Combi works with both cold water sterilisation which takes 15 minutes and is super easy. Also microwave sterilisation which takes just two minutes.

If you’re not familiar with Milton cold water sterilising it works by dissolving a Milton tablet in water then submerging the already clean items you want to sterilise in the water. After 15 minutes the process is complete. The combo steriliser can hold 5 bottles of any make at a time. When it’s done there no need to rinse just drain and go.

As I am using breast milk I also want to make sure the pump is lovely and sterile too so I popped it into the combo with no problem at all.

As baby hasn’t had a bottle at all yet I’m starting with just the very cheapest ones I can find. No point in paying lots of money when I don’t know if he’ll even take a bottle yet!

Milton Portable Soother Steriliser

When he was born both wrists had skin peeling off where he had been sucking his curled up fists whilst inside my uterus. I should have known this was a sign that he was a sucky baby. This means thought that he likes to settle himself by sucking on something. Usually this means breastfeeding but if I’m not around or I’m somewhere I can’t feed then I carry a dummy to try to settle him. Neither of my other two boys had a dummy, not through lack of trying but they just wouldn’t take one they wanted the real thing! Roo will only take one now if he’s super tired and it’s useful to try to calm him down. So carrying dummies out and about is totally new to me with this baby.

Milton’s portable soother steraliser is just the thing for dummies on the go. It’s a simple concept but works really well.

milton

Inside the screw together ball shape are two sponges. When you first open them they are very hard and dry. They just need to be soaked for a little while so that they are ready for use. The portable soother steriliser uses tiny Milton tablets that you can buy separately (although it comes with some ready to use). Once its ready to use and the sponges have been dampened then you add the Milton tablet and a little more water. Inset the soother and wait 15 minutes and its sterile.

Out and About

However as a busy mum you’re more likely to want to take it out and about with you. That’s the thing I really love about it. It comes with an attachment for out and about. I’ve had it clipped onto the buggy and also the changing bag.

milton

If the soother has been used whilst out and about you can pop it back in the steriliser. As long as its clean. It will be sterile again in just 15 minutes.

milton

 

Thanks to Milton for sending the items for me to test out and write about. As always I only review items I would buy myself and all my opinions are my own.

Drying out the Playroom with Maplin – Dehumidifier Review

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Dehumidifier by Maplin

The week we’ve been testing out a Maplin dehumidifier.

We are lucky enough to have a playroom in our house, which is the conservatory.

The problem we have though is that it gets cold and damp in winter and hot in summer. Until we can afford to have a real roof put on to it we’ll have to find temporary solutions.

One such solution is a dehumidifier in there to make it less damp and to dry out the air.

They kindly sent us the Peltier mini dehumidifier which is a mini dehumidifier with a 2.2 litre capacity water holder.

It’s designed for smaller spaces so could be used within a closet or utility room if you wanted to. It’s also recommended for use in a caravan or outdoor workshop over the winter months when you wouldn’t necessarily be using the space. It helps to keep smaller areas damp free. It’s mains powered but only uses 72w of power so doesn’t cost much to run. ITs also quiet and only produces 43db. This to me sounds like a quiet fan gently whirring away.

I’ve had it running in the conservatory now for 3 days and I’m amazed at how much moisture it’s already managed to collect.

Even though its a mini dehumidifier it still has an automatic cut off when the tank is full. So you can leave it safely running without constantly checking the tank isn’t over flowing.

If you using it near to a water disposal area you also have the option of using the included hose. This helps by  continually emptying the water from the dehumidifier tank.

How it works

Dehumidifiers work by cooling the air so that it turns to moisture and the moisture then drains away to a tank (or in this case a hose)

With the aid of a small electric radiator we’ve been able to heat the playroom too and make it a much more pleasant environment to play in.

Previously the boys would avoid staying in very long due to how cold and damp it was. Instead choosing to drag the toys into the house, defeating the object of having a beautiful play space.

If your looking for a small space dehumidifier then I’d say this one is just the job. If it’s a larger space you need to dry out then Maplin also have a great selection of dehumidifiers  that would be perfect.

Winter Wonderland Manchester is Back!

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Winter Wonderland Manchester – Eventcity

Winter Wonderland Manchester is back and we’ve been to check it out!

Manchesters biggest indoor Christmas attraction is not to be missed!

This week we kindly invited to check out this years Winter Wonderland at Eventcity, right next to the Trafford Centre.

We’ve been before so knew what to expect but this year really is bigger and better!

Legendary children’s TV show Rainbow are the star attraction of this year’s Christmas extravaganza, Winter Wonderland 2017!

 Winner of the Best Family Day Out at the Raring 2 Go Awards 2015, the festive family favourite event is back for its fifth consecutive year.

 The fabulous festive event will return to Manchester from Saturday 9th December 2017 toMonday 1st January 2018.

The mammoth 22,000sqm exhibition space at EventCity will be transformed in to an unbelievable wonderland extravaganza, featuring over 50 family rides and attractions all under one roof – including new rides for 2017, and all included in one ticket price.

When you book you’re tickets you can chose a 4 hour time slot. During that 4 hours you can ride as many rides and see as many shows as you want to. Tickets are available to buy here. But be quick, it’s a popular event and some dates may sell out so it’s advisable to book online before you travel.

winter wonderland

We had so much fun in the fours hours we were there. I lost count of the amount of rides we went on. Theres rides suitable for everyone. Theres even a baby chill out zone for those little people who just want to play with some toys.

We took little Roo who is only 10 days old and he was really good. I even saw a few friends I know who were more than happy to have cuddles with Roo!

winter wonderland

With food stalls a plenty, a visit to Father Christmas included and a whole host of fun. Winter Wonderland is once again sure to be a great day out for the whole family this Christmas. Have you been yet? If you have let me know what you thought!

With thanks to Winter Wonderland for inviting us to come and have some highly recommend festive fun!

Power Rippers – Competition Set and Double Pack

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Power Rippers – No batteries needed!

This week we’ve been testing out a new toy called Power Rippers! Despite what you might think this toy needs no batteries, hurrah! The power for the Power Ripper comes from your own hand. The faster you pull, the faster your ripper will go!

power rippers

There’s 16 fab Power Rippers to collect in the first set. With lots of different characters available from sharks to robots. With single Power Rippers starting at a RRP of £4.99 theres something for everyone’s budget.

power rippers

The way they work is with a rip cord which slides easily inside the ripper and you pull and pull until you’re happy with the speed, then let it rip!

Want to race the Power Rippers with friends then you can with the 2 in 1 Competition Play set which also opens up into a battle arena!

power rippers

Rev up your Power Ripper and watch it loop the loop on a long track. Or battle with friends for the best time against each other in a head to head loop the loop. Set up the track however you want and add a fantastic jump at the end. Be quick though to catch the action. These Power Rippers don’t hang around long!

power rippers

In battle mode you can go head to head with friends to battle the Power Rippers in the arena, think robot wars on a mini scale. Will your Power Ripper win the ultimate battle and keep going longer than the other rippers?

When you’re finished for the day, pack everything back up in the case and it’s ready to travel anywhere!

Overall Experience

power rippers

What we loved:

  • Theres no batteries needed so it’s just set up and go
  • Theres lots of way to play, we liked the long track best
  • The battle arena was fun to watch and more a game of luck than skill which is great for smaller children
  • We got quite a lot of play from the set and the boys were keen to play again the next few days
  • The track set up is pretty easy to do with lots of configurations possible

Other thoughts:

  • It can be tricky to get the hang of starting the power ripper on the track so be sure to practice lots before you agree to battle with friends (unless you want to lose!)
  • Mind your fingers! Power rippers are powerful so keep your fingers well out-of-the-way of the fast spinning wheel!

Power Ripper Video

Most of our video footage had to be shot in slow motion as the Power Rippers are just so quick!

If you want to find out more visit the Power Ripper website.

Power Rippers are available now in many toy shops across the UK.

We were kindly sent the toy for review but were not paid for the content, all our views are our own.

Despicable Me 3 – Radio Controlled Minions Toy Review

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Radio Controlled Minion – Mel

This week we are celebrating all things minion. With the release of Despicable Me 3 on DVD and Blu-ray it’s time to rekindle the minion love in time for Christmas.

radio controlled minion

Bladez toyz kindly sent us our very own radio controlled Mel Minion to test out. If you like me have minion mad people in your house this little guy makes a fantastic gift.

radio controlled minion

Aimed at ages 3+ he comes with a simple remote control. The remote control features just one large button with just two options.

radio controlled minion

Even little hands are able to grasp the concept of moving Mel around the room. The two controls are forward and spin. So you have to spin Mel to the direction you want then move him forwards.

All the inflatable r/c toys in the Bladez range do need inflating once you get them out of the box. But don’t worry you won’t need a pump. I managed to do this in just a few breathes without feeling dizzy! Far easier than inflating some party balloons that’s for sure!

radio controlled minion

Look out in the box too for a small repair patch incase any minor accidents happen with the inflatable you’ll be able to repair him. I did have to stop my youngest from trying to ride the minion!

We loved playing with the radio controlled minion, he is a great first introduction for little people to remote control toys as he’s just so easy to control. He worked well on both carpet and hard wood floors. So whatever you have he’s fun to control.

radio controlled minion

The Workings

You will need 6 AA batteries to power him, 4 for the minion and two for the remote control.

radio controlled minion

So be prepared on Christmas day with the batteries if it’s a gift as they are not included. He comes with a switch on his base with a choice of “Off”, “On with sounds” or “On without sounds”. The sounds on Mel are minion noises which do repeat after a while so if you get fed up of hearing it (which my boys didn’t!) then you can always run him without them!

Available to buy at The Entertainer and other toy shops.

With thanks to Bladez for sending Mel. I was not paid for this review, as always opinions are my own.

5 Second Rule Junior – Board Game Review

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5 second rule junior

This week we’ve been playing 5 Second Rule Junior kindly sent to us by University Games. 5 second rule junior

5 Second Rule Junior is aimed at children aged 6 and up and is a junior version of the already popular 5 Second Rule game. You do need a minimum of 3 players for this game so its worth remembering that if you’re going to be buying it as a gift.

5 Second Rule Junior has a simple concept to play but is harder than you first think. 5 seconds really isn’t that much time when you’re against a clock!

How to play 5 Second Rule Junior

The winner is the first player to get to the finish line of the relatively small game board. Which on first glance seems easy. But it’s not all that easy to think quickly and stay focussed in 5 seconds!

5 second rule junior

To advance forward on the game board you have to answer the question on the card and name 3 examples of the question asked. Younger players are allowed to just give 2 answers. An example fo this would be “Name 3 things you take on a car journey”.

5 second rule junior

If the player answering the question names the 3 things within the 5 seconds then play passes to the next player to answer the same question. You can’t name the same things though. As you can imagine this gets harder and harder as the question goes round. Someone at some point will lose! For those players that have successfully managed to name 3 things (or 2 if they are younger) then they all move forward a space on the board. Or two spaces if the question has gone round that many times!

In addition to the plain spaces on the board there’s some helping hand spaces too which allow you 10 seconds for your question if you land on them.

5 second rule junior

What did we think?

We really enjoyed playing 5 Second Rule Junior. So much so we’ve had it out each time we’ve had visitors over half term. It’s a fun way to keep the children entertained. The concept is easy to understand and game play has lasted just long enough to keep everyone’s attention. As most of the players get to have a go at each question you really do have to concentrate on game play. This avoids duplicating someone elses answers.

My 6-year-old was quick to get in a sulk if he couldn’t get his 2 answers. However he was easily pleased with being allowed to use the timer. The timer makes a silly sort of mooing noise each time it’s turned over! Be sure to use the timer though on a flat surface. If you don’t all the tiny ball bearings won’t move down and time 5 seconds properly…and nobody likes a cheat!

5 second rule junior

We were not paid to review this item, as always all opinions are our own.

Yeti in my Spaghetti – Board Game Review

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yeti in my spaghetti

This week we’ve been playing ‘Yeti in my Spaghetti’ board game so that we can write a little review.
Yeti in my spaghetti

Yeti in my Spaghetti is a board games aged at ages 4 and up however my 3 and half year old did enjoy joining in and understood how to play.

yeti in my spaghetti

You’ll need two or more players for the game and by gaming standards it’s pretty easy to understand how to play.

Theres only 3 main components to the game, the yeti (now he’s pretty cute!).

The bowl and the spaghetti. The aim of the game is simple. Don’t let the Yeti fall all the way into the bowl if you want to be the winner! The rules are simple to, just take it in turns to remove single pieces of spaghetti. Easy you might be thinking. Well yes easy to understand, difficult to be the one to not topple that cute yeti!

yeti in my spaghetti

Pros:

We loved how simple it was
We also loved how even little people can join in
Game play is relatively short so it keeps small peoples attention span
Easy to set up, even for small people
Theres only one thing to focus on and thats the Yeti
No potential choking hazards like similar games with smaller marble sizer pieces
Easy to put away
If you just want to fill a few short minutes its quick and easy to play!

Cons:

The spaghetti needs keeping together when you remove it or you’ll end up loosing it
Other players will endure the grumps if the loser doesn’t like the fact they’ve lost!

My 6 year old desperately wanted to make a video review of the game so here it is (it’s only short but it gives you a good idea of the game!)

Thanks to University Games for sending us the game to review. I was not paid for the review and as always we are free to write are own honest opinion.

Planning ahead for Christmas – Sending flowers as a gift

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This week we were offered the chance to review a bunch of flowers from Prestige flowers.

prestige flowers

Of course I couldn’t say no to a bunch of flowers being delivered. I love getting flowers. Flowers really brighten up the house. Part of the reason I also said I’d love to review a bunch is because I’ve been thinking about sending flowers as Christmas gifts this year to family and friends who live far away. When you order online prestige flowers will arrange to deliver the flowers via Royal Mail to the chosen recipient in a beautiful packaged box.

prestige flowers

I think a bunch of flowers would be lovely to receive just before Christmas because it would last through the festive season. We always have people popping in and out at Christmas and having fresh flowers would be lovely. When you do you’re mad last minute shop for fresh food a few days before Christmas I never think to get flowers for the house too. To receive a bunch as an early Christmas present would be fab. Which is why I’m going to be sending some myself this year.

The flowers that Prestige flowers sent for me were a stunning bouquet of autumnal colours.

Prestige flowers

As I opened the box I was blowed away by the beautiful combination of like pinks, autumnal yellows and pretty red touches.

Fresh from the Box Flowers

I lifted them out carefully and was amazed that they opened up into a gorgeous bunch. They had survived a journey in the postal service thanks to the robust packaging.
Prestige flowers

As with all flowers they will last longer with proper care and attention. It is recommended to cut their stems at a 45 degree angle every few days so that they can soak up lots of water. Be sure to top the water up daily too and use the flower food included. When someone has taken the time and money to send such a thoughtful gift its important to make the most of them.

I almost didn’t want to remove the beautiful wrapping from the outside of the flowers. It was clearly wrapped with care and hand tied before sending. All the stems were beautifully lined up and symmetrical. I know though to keep them at their best the care is vital.

Thankfully it was easy to trim them and make them look just as beautiful as they did when they arrived.

Prestige flowers really are stunning. You can tell that they are passionate about creating a great looking product. A product that arrives with the intended recipient in perfect condition. I hope my bunch last a long time. They look fab brightening up the kitchen table during the current rainy weather.

Thanks again to Prestige flowers for sending the bunch to review. I was gifted the product in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid to write about the flowers. As always I would only review items I really like or should by myself.

Prestige flowers

National Stationery Week 24th-30th April 2017 -How to get involved!

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National Stationery Week

When I found out it was national stationery week I was very excited. To me holding a week to celebrate all things stationery is to many the same as ‘Eat as much chocolate as you can week’. My mum has always said I was born with a pen in my hand. From the moment I could draw I would. I’ve always loved writing from an early age.

national stationery week

I remember one of the jobs at school was to tidy the stationery cupboard, my hand couldn’t go up quick enough. I was in my element getting close to lots and lots of stationery! There something special about the smell of a fresh box or pencils or a pad of paper.

Since growing up and being able to afford my own little luxuries I can often be found online browsing youtube videos of pens and other items. Things I can add to wish lists for when birthdays come around.

Bullet Journal

In the last couple of years I have discovered something called Bullet Journal. If you don’t know what it is then just google it, or look on youtube. Its a paper way of keeping your life organised. I now always carry with me a dotted notebook and keep my whole life in it. List, lists lists! Lists help to keep me organised. I’ve yet to find an app as good a a pen and paper. To me a list or plan on pen and paper is real. An app can easily be closed and ignored. Once pen hits paper it almost becomes more real. My bullet journal is decorated on the outside with wash tape and stickers.

national stationery week

My worst habit it probably buying notepads. I have a whole shelf at home on the bookcase dedicated to notepads. I put myself on a self imposed ban for a while. One person can not possibly need so many notepads…can they?


In the fantastic package I was sent to celebrate National Stationary Week there were lots of fun things including this beautiful dog page markers which I adore!

national stationery week

Favourite Pen

The thing that I really wanted to try was the fountain pen, I’ve not used a fountain pen in many years. Probably since I was at school.

Theres something very special about pushing an ink into the end of a fountain pen, hearing the click as it pops the end so the ink can flow through down to the nib. The shiney nib with its tiny rounded end.

The way it flows on the paper as the ink comes out, its something I’ve fallen in love with all over again.

national stationery week

The Week Ahead

Each day during national stationary week theres a different theme:

Monday 24th April – Pen and Pencil day

Tuesday 25th April – Get Crafty

Wednesday 26th April – World Stationery Day

Thursday 27th April – Thank you Thursday

Friday 28th April – Fountain Pen Friday

Saturday 29th April – Signature Saturday

Sunday 30th April – Write a letter day

All the information about National Stationery week can be found on the website. There’s loads of ideas of how you can get involved and get children involved too. My eldest needs lots of encouragement when it comes to writing. Its not his strongest subject at school but with all the fun things in our package I don’t think it will take him long join in when he’s using rainbow pencils!

Finally why not join in by showing everyone your stationery love or ideas, use the hashtag #NatStatWeek to share!