Kitchen Wish List – Husband Guest Post

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We are going to move house soon (if all goes through, fingers crossed, touch wood) and I’m looking forward to having a larger kitchen, our current kitchen is a good size for cooking on your own but it’s not really big enough for cooking as a family and it’s certainly not big enough for all the kitchen gadgets that I absolutely, positively need in order to make mealtimes more technical and science based.

I’ve been spending a lot of time planning for the new kitchen and this post represents my more realistic plans for the new kitchen and I’ve omitted some of the more esoteric, single use gadgets that my wife will never ever let me have…

The Coffee Station

Taking my inspiration from Pinterest, I plan to dedicate a section of the kitchen to a coffee station. Two small children have made coffee a major part of my life and I recently took the decision to reduce the quantity of coffee I consume and improve the quality. I really appreciate a fantastic coffee, and good coffee is worth the effort!

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Wall Art

I love this print which can be found here, it will make it the centre piece of the my coffee station.

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The Coffee Machine

We have a popular coffee pod machine which will be coming with us and it’s great for quick and easy coffee but I’m now looking to have some fun and practice the art of coffee a little more. I’ve been researching coffee machines and after speaking to a Sage representative at the intu Trafford Centre, I’ve decided that the Sage Barista Express is the machine for me. It offers an inbuilt grinder that delivers the right dose of coffee directly into the portafilter and a thermocoil for heating the water and generating steam for the milk giving me an opportunity to try my hand at latte art. Plus it looks good, I like the brushed stainless steel look, and the reviews are great.

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To complete the barista experience, I’ll also be looking to buy a knock box and a stainless steel milk jug. I can’t wait to try and perfect my coffee and latte art!

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The Coffee

We’re big fans of Pact coffee and we currently use their service to provide us with small batch, freshly ground coffee for drinking at work (I use a Hario V60 dripper and my wife has ‘borrowed’ by aeropress), so I can see us adding beans to our subscription as we like the variety that pact gives us.

I’d also like to mimic the espressos served my favourite Manchester coffee houses, so I’ll be buying some Cult of Done espresso as served by Pot Kettle Black and Barnraiser  as served by Grindsmiths and North Tea Power’s Deerhunter house blend.

Knives

I’ve always wanted to own a set of Global knives but I’ve been a bit intimidated by the sharpness and precision of their Japanese steel but I think I’m old enough and proficient enough to now invest in some.

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Knife Block

As much as I love Globals, being a father to two young boys has made me a little more safety conscious and the Joseph Joseph LockBlock is a locking knife block while prevents little hands from being able to remove the knives.

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Chopping Board

I’m obsessed with Joseph Joseph and their innovative approach to design, so I’ve got my eye on their Index chopping boards which are stylish and space-saving.

Fridge Freezer

We’ll finally have space for an american style fridge freezer, this Samsung one is perfect,  and I’m sure the boy will love being able to access chilled water and ice on demand!

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Scales

I like the idea of the Drop scales which link to an iPad based recipe app and I think that fits well in my ‘smart home’ strategy (although I’m not sure about the iKettle)

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Other stuff

I want to make fresh pasta, so I’m going to need a pasta maker and our pots and pans could do with a refresh, why not leave a comment and give me some recommendations? I’ll keep you posted on the progress of the kitchen and I’ll write reviews of all the items listed above as and when we buy them.

An Emotional Start to School

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My beautiful boy has been in school for a week tomorrow. My lovely best friend and buddy has started school and its been an emotional start for him.

The boy is a very emotional little person, he always has been and it’s just him. It’s part of his personality and I love him for it. He shows empathy to other people who are upset or sad. He is very sensitive to being told off. On the odd occasion he would do something not quite right at nursery he’s be distraught if he got told off, even hours later when I’d pick him up he’d cry when the staff would tell me. He’s very tactile and tells me when he’s feeling sad and needs a hug. He’s just a perfect and gentle person (on the whole!) So I knew starting school would be hard for him.

At nursery the staff understood him and how emotionally sensitive he is, they’d hug him when he needed it, I know at school teachers can’t do that. They have too many other things to do and all the other children to consider.

He’s been going into school fine in the morning with no problems but it’s the evenings when the strain on him is showing. Everyday after school once we are home there have been tears and sobbing. It’s been breaking my heart to see him so upset. I’ve tried talking it out with him but I don’t think he has the words to explain it at the moment so just says he doesn’t know why he’s so upset. I love this little guy so much but I don’t know how best to help him.

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(First day, after school shot – hence the untucked shirt!)

I have to remember he’s only just turned 4 (he’s an August baby) and school is a massive change for him. Even though he’s used to long days at nursery, school is a completely different environment and peer group.

I hope dear sweet boy that you can make some friends at school and that you start to enjoy it. I’m sure you will, it’s just going to take time to adjust to everything. It’s a new environment, new peer group and new adults to care for you, new routines, new rules and new lessons to learn.

For now though as always I’m here for you, to hold you and hug you and wipe those tears away. We can get through this together xxxx

 

NHS Expo 2015

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I don’t talk about my day job on my blog as I like to try to keep my work and personal life separate. However today I felt like I needed to write a little bit about where I have been.

I work for the NHS, I always have, ever since I left school, doing various roles, working my way up and learning new skills all the time. For the last few years I’ve been comfortable in my job, just plodded along and done my best. I’ve had gaps to have my beautiful babies but now I feel much more ready to step up a notch within work. I’m engaged, I want to help, I like getting involved with things that are going on.

Today I attended the NHS Expo in Manchester, which is on for two days at Manchester Central. I have come away feeling amazed, enthused and so fired up to be the best I can be at work. I want to help lead change at work, the NHS as an organisation is always changing, always evolving, always going forward. I want to be a part of that. I’ve attended lots of different sessions today covering a broad range of subjects. I was able to listen to talks about ‘devomanc’ the devolution of Manchester health and social care. I listened to other people who had built change platforms, on purpose and by accident. I was so inspired to get involved with the #matexp programme. If you haven’t heard about #matexp just look it up on twitter, the people driving it forward are an inspiration and today I was lucky enough to share the room with them and listen to them talk.

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I went to a talk about the language of motivation within a team which was also fascinating, and I’d love to learn more to take back to the team that I work within. There are so many incredible people out there, driving forward with so many incredible plans and I want to be onboard!

It was standing room only at Jeremy Hunt’s speech and even then you’d have to stand 5 or so people back from the viewing window or screen, interesting to hear him talk about the future of the NHS and particularly the technology and access to your own patient records.

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(My view of Jeremy Hunt from behind the viewing window!)

The expo itself has been so well organised, it’s a credit to the people behind the scenes who are making the experience seamless, there is almost too much choice! There are so many things I wanted to hear about but had to pick my priority areas. I’m looking forward to returning tomorrow to listen and join in with conversations going on throughout the NHS, after all it is the people’s NHS, lets drive it forward into the future together!

School Eve

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Well here it is, it’s finally here. School Eve, the evening before my tiny baby starts school.

How have we got to this?

Where has the last 4 years gone?

My beautiful little baby is going to school tomorrow and starting a new chapter in his life.

I’m not sure how I feel?

Excited that he’s growing up.

Nervous that he’ll be scared and will miss me.

Sad that our time together on weekdays is over and that I should have appreciated it more.

Angry that school are stealing him away from me.

Anxious that he’ll not get lost in a sea of other children. I know that teachers are very used to the receptions starting and that it’s all new so I’m sure he’ll be in good hands and the school is lovely, I’m so pleased he’s going there.

It’s a massive mixed bag of emotions, it only seems like a week ago I was watching other mums take their children to school on the first day and now all of a sudden its us. I can’t take him tomorrow or Thursday due to work commitments but I will be there to take him on Friday for his first full day. I won’t cry because I don’t want him to see me upset and it’s not what I do! But inside I’m sure the tears will be flowing.

I’m glad that after his first full day I’ll be able to spend the weekend with him before it all starts properly next week.

Good luck baby boy, as I’ve told you tonight, it doesn’t matter how much you get right or wrong at school as long as you always try your best that’s all we ask of you. I’m looking forward to watching you grow and learn but I’m also grieving for what has passed and that my little pre-schooler is now at school. Love you always xxxx

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Dear Boys

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Dear Boys,

Everything Changes and the world keeps on moving…..

This letter is mainly aimed at you my dear sweet boy, on the eve of your 4th birthday on this wonderful world. So much has come before this day, so many mountains you’ve had to climb and the fun we’ve had sliding down the other side to face the next challenge together. In some ways the last 4 years have been so long but in many and most other ways they have been so very, very short. I cannot remember a time without you in the world, yet just 4 years ago I had not set eyes upon your face yet or smelled the sweetness of your breath of the familiar softness of your touch and the fluffiness of your young hair. I had carried you inside me for 10 months yet didn’t even know you.

Here we are 4 years later and you’ve changed our world for the better. I hope that tomorrow and everyday you realise how loved you are not just by myself and daddy but by the extended wider family too. I hope you realise how your touch the lives of those that you meet with your funny comments and sweet little ways. Each day I can’t wait for you to wake up so you will give me a hug and a kiss so I can tell you how much I love you. The next few months will see changes in all aspects of your little life and I hope that you can easily adapt to everything. I will be by your side each step of the way and together I will guide you through. Next month you start school. Having only just turned 4 you’re still my baby yet are expected to be in school 5 days a week. I hope that you face the challenge head on and settle in quickly, making new friends along the way. I am trying so very hard to keep mentioning how exciting school will be for you but I’m not sure you’ve grasped the concept that it’s everyday for many years to come. I’ll miss you on Mondays and Tuesdays (my days off), I’ll miss your company and how funny you are. I’ll miss how sweet you are with Flixster and how entertained you can keep him while I try to get on with a few housework jobs. He’ll miss you too. His face lights up when you enter the room.

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As we prepare to leave nursery behind and move on to pastures new I hope that your enthusiasts for new things and excitement don’t get lost in a classroom full of your peers. I will however make sure that our weekends really do count; we’ll have family time and do lovely things together even if it’s just picnics in the park and feeding the ducks. I’m looking forward to seeing how you learn and grow at school and will be as involved as I can with your school journey.

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There is another change on the horizon for us as a family too. We are going to be moving house in the next few months. When I explained it to you I wrongly assumed you would understand what that meant but from our conversations since, you were clearly worried about it and didn’t grasp that when you move house you take all your belongings and furniture with you to the next house. One morning you said to me first thing that you didn’t want to move because you loved playing with the ‘Toot toot’ drivers toys with your brother. I felt sad that you’d been worried about it and we had a proper chat about what moving house means. I explained that when you move house you take all your belongings with you as well as the furniture. At random times you now keep questioning me on things that we will be taking.

‘Even Mummy will we take the films?’

‘Yes, we’ll defiantly take the films’

‘Even Mummy will we take the bubble machine, because I really like it?’

‘Oh yes I’ll make sure I pack that’

‘Even Mummy will we take the doors, because I like them?’

‘Errrmm………’

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I’m excited about moving too because the home we are moving too (providing all goes through ok, touch wood, fingers crossed, please universe!) will give you and Flixster much more room to spread out, play and be silly together. The house has everything we ever wanted on our wish list and I can already see that we’ll be very happy there. I can’t wait to make it our home and make many many years of happy memories for you both to carry with you through life once you’ve grown and flown the nest.

As I put you to bed tonight you told me that you’d decided what you’d like for your birthday, I enthusiastically listened, hoping it was something we could source this evening…….you said a parachute. So I’m sorry to let you down and not provide a parachute but you will be getting lots of lovely presents and so much love from us both.

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So’ Happy Birthday’ little man, another year older, another year together, another year of memories have been made.

Please always remember I love you both unconditionally….forever.
Mummy xxxxxx

Nappy Grab Bag Review and Giveaway

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I was recently sent some ‘Nappy Grab Bags’ to have a look at and review. I was quite excited by the concept as I am a person who likes to plan for every eventuality, I love packing the nappy change bag and making sure we have everything so these are a great idea. It’s a small package that comes wrapped up complete with one nappy, four wipes and some cream. The packet turns into the change mat as well as doubling as a disposable bag.

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As a mainly cloth nappy mummy it’s important to me that the plastic used is biodegradable which it is. Once you open the perforated seam at the back, the packet is unwrapped to reveal an eco-responsible Naty by Nature Babycare nappy, 4 Kinder by Nature Natural Wipes and a small sachet of Weleda Calendula nappy change cream.

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The grab bags are available to buy currently from Ocado, Waitrose and Amazon and can be purchased in size’s 1 through 6.

As a baby wearing mummy I think this will lighten the load on short trips too, I won’t even need a bag now that I can slip one of these into my back pocket and off I go! I made a short video so that you can see mine being unwrapped, I think this was the best way to show the contents.

Becky Mantin has offered one lucky reader of my blog the chance to win a months supply of nappy grab bags, just enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Time

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Sometimes just sometimes I wish there was more time. I know more time is never going to happen but I can carry on wishing for it. I probably spend too much time doing meaningless jobs around the house and not enough time noticing the world around me.

I don’t spend enough time with the boys.

I’m guilty of spending too much time cleaning the house but in the moment I’m doing yet it feels important to me.

I’d love to have more time to spend exercising and pursuing hobbies or painting, reading or drawing but those times never seem to come.

Other days I just want to turn back time to see your children as little babies again, to relive our wedding day or to speak to people that we have lost. But never a truer word has been spoken when it was said that tomorrow never comes and yesterday is the past. There is only one day and that’s today, so I need to stop wishing for more time and try to make every minute meaningful and have purpose.
I’m back at work doing my usual hours now and have made a real effort to throw myself into every opportunity that comes my way. I want to do as much as possible to be helpful at work and make a change. This has had the surprising effect of making me enjoy work so much more. I’ve turned positives into even more positives.

SJCAM SJ4000 Review – Hubby blog takeover

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It’s time to hand over to my husband again for a review of the SJCam SJ4000 which we recently purchased for our family, this is not a product we have been given to review.

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I love the idea of a GoPro, the design, the durability, the features but mostly I love the marketing, it’s an amazing example of lifestyle marketing, buy a GoPro and you can film yourself surfing, diving, climbing into volcanos and jumping out of helicopters to ski down a mountain.

The only problem is that I don’t really do any of those things and I because I don’t really do any of those things, I could never really justify the purchase of a GoPro.

I know that last year, GoPro launched an entry-level camera at a slightly more justifiable £109.99 but I felt that the compromises made to achieve the price point (no wi-fi, built-in battery and you can’t remove it from the waterproof housing) reduced the camera’s appeal to me, so thought I’d wait until I had suitable justification to buy a higher spec’d one.

A couple of week’s ago, I was reading lifehacker’s roundup of the five best action cameras when I noticed the SJCAM SJ4000 which at $99/£66 seemed like something I could use and not worry too much about it getting lost, stolen or eaten by one of my children. So I set about buying one.

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Beware of the clones

The SJCAM SJ4000 is a very popular clone of the GoPro, so popular in fact, it’s attracted it’s own clones and there are numerous cameras of differing (frequently lesser) quality all selling under the SJ4000 name but there are several suppliers of genuine SJ4000s that deliver to the UK.

The Package

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The SJ4000 comes with a good collection of mounts to get you started, included with in the box with the camera and battery are;

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1 x Waterproof Housing
1 x Quick Release Buckle
1 x Housing Backdoor with Holes
1 x Handlebar Seatpost Pole Mount
1 x Curved Adhesive Mount
1 x Flat Adhesive Mount
1 x 3-Way Pivot Arm Mount
2 x 3M Adhesive Tape
1 x Frame Mount
1 x Quick Release Clip for The Frame
1 x Vertical Quick Release J-Hook Buckle
1 x Universal 1/4″ Camera Tripod Mount
1 x Tripod Mount Adapter
1 x Bandage Set
1 x Stainless Steel Safety Tether
4 x Nylon Cable Ties
1 x Cleaning Cloth
1 x USB Cable
1 x Power Adapter

Overall Impressions

The camera feels solid and well made, as do the mounts although the battery case is a little hard to open, on the front of the camera is the on/off/menu button, on the top is the record / stop / select button. on the right hand side is the up and down buttons, pressing the up button turns on the camera’s wi-fi and shows a screen with the access point name and password. On the left hand side of the camera is the MicroSD slot, micro-usb and micro HDMI ports.

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Overall, This is a great little camera for the money, the included mounts mean that, as long as you have a microSD card ready, you can get started filming interesting stuff straight away. The LCD screen on the back is decent enough and lets you frame your shots, cutting out after a few minutes to save power but after a few day’s use you get a good enough understanding of where to point the camera without having to use the screen, so I’m not sure about the long-term benefits of the screen.

The video quality is great in good light, reducing in quality when the light fades or you start videoing indoors, nighttime footage is pretty poor quality but you can still make out what you’re trying to film. The auto exposure isn’t the fastest and the camera sometimes take’s a while to correct itself when the light changes and in most cases the video white balance seems to be a little cool and on the blue side.

The camera has a time-lapse function which takes 1 frame of footage every 3, 5, 10, 30 or 60 seconds, results from this are very good.

Video is recorded at 1080p (full HD) @ 30 frames per second by default and can be set to 720p @ 30 or 60fps (which isn’t a true 60 frames per second, rather than record 60 unique frames per second, it each frame twice, so it’s more like 30fps x2)

When inside the waterproof case; sound is practically non-existent with the camera’s microphone only picking up knocks and vibrations affecting the case itself, there’s no easy way to add an external microphone, so take into account if you’re considering buying this camera but since all GoPro style videos have a banging techno soundtrack this shouldn’t be an issue, right?

The firmware on the camera isn’t the greatest and it took me a while to understand how to navigate the menu structure and change the settings but if you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to fiddle then the default 1080p@30 fps should be fine for you.

The Wi-Fi built into the camera acts as a wireless access point that you can connect your Android phone / tablet or iPhone / iPad to, then you can use the SJCAM app to act as a remote screen for the camera, start and stop recoding, alter settings and transfer video from the camera to your phone.

Battery life is fairly disappointing with the camera only running for a couple of hours using the supplied battery, fortunately it is removable and additional batteries can be bought pretty cheaper from all the usual places.

The supplied mounts are useful and the SJCAM uses the same mounting method as the GoPro, so there’s many additional mounting options available, I picked up a carry case and a party bag of mounts for about £25, allowing me to strap the camera to my wrist, my chest or mount it to my head (which I’m not sure I can do in public).

Conclusion

 

For £67, I knew that I’d be making some compromises over a more expensive GoPro and I strongly feel that the positives of this camera more than outweigh the negatives, but when looking at cheaper alternatives to popular devices you always need to do your homework and know exactly what those compromises are otherwise you run the risk of being disappointed.

I’m very happy with the camera and it will suit our family nicely and will allow us to record holidays, bike rides and all the kind of things that you’d worry about exposing your phone or video camera to.

Although if I ever jump out of a helicopter and ski down a mountain, I’m definitely buying a GoPro.