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Need some Christmas gift ideas? Check out my Gift Guide!

Friday 30 October 2015

With November coming to greet us this Weekend, thoughts will inevitably start to turn to Christmas. The shops are full of Decorations and the Christmas songs will soon begin - exciting times! What is not exciting however is coming up with the perfect gift for loved ones. Never fear, I have some great idea's for you below. Enjoy!

For the sentimental one.

How about a fantastic photo on wood from Albelli? I have lots of canvases and framed photographs but I had never heard of a photo on wood before Albelli contacted me.

We chose one of our wedding pictures to be added to 2 pieces of smooth wood measuring 30 x 20cm and priced at £37.95 



It was very easy to order, the website is very easy to use. You simply upload your image, choose the size, shape and finish (smooth or rough wood)

There are many variations on size and shape, right up to 120 x 80 cm for £199.95.

We love ours and everyone that has seen it has remarked how lovely it is and that they have not seen anything like it before. A brilliant Christmas gift!

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For the candle lover.

This Heart and Home Christmas burner soon had our whole house smelling of Christmas! 


It looks beautiful in clean white, is very easy to use - simply place your tart in the top, light your candle inside,  admire the beautiful lighting and wait for the aroma to make you feel all Chritmassey! With the Wax Melt Warmer priced from £6.99 - £14.99, there is one for every budget.

I have already asked Santa for some new wax melts. I hope they are in my stocking on the big day!


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Alcoholic Beverages.

Whether you are stocking up or buying gifts, you can't go wrong with the Aldi drinks range!

Very competitively priced, beautifully labelled and delicious to drink, there is a huge range of drinks to choose from. 



We are very lucky to have been sent the delicious Port (£6.49) we always make sure we have a few bottles in over Christmas as all of our Family and Friends love to partake in a glass or two with some cheese and biscuits. My Mum isn't a lover of Port so luckily her we also her favourite wine, a classic Pinot Noir (£4.39) also perfect for cheese and biscuits.

The Champagne (£9.97) is of course a tradition with Christmas lunch, back before Olivia was born, Daddy tried to start a new tradition of having Champagne with breakfast on Christmas morning. That tradition lasted one year I can tell you!

This Highland reserve Whisky (£12.99) is one of my Husbands favourites. He loves nothing more than finding a bottle wrapped under the Christmas tree. Who knows, maybe he will get lucky this year!


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For the Golfer.

Do you have a huge golf lover to buy a gift for? Would they love to play head off to play Golf in Dubai? I bet they would!

Copyright Golfscape.com
With courses from just £29 per player, you could be relaxing by a beautiful pool while your other half is off playing his favourite sport, or maybe even a joint gift for your Parents? You could book your Mum into a spa, or send her off shopping to Souks while your Dad hits the golf course - what a Christmas Gift!

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The Wild Card!

Now I know some people would not appreciate an appliance as a gift but I would be more than happy to receive an upgrade that matches my kitchen!

Once upon a time everything matched in my kitchen, now when something breaks it is replaced with what we can afford at the time. So it makes me so happy to see a lovely matching set that I have before and will again had such things on my Christmas list.





Did you know?
It has been 60 years since Bill Russell and Peter Hobbs introduced families to the world’s first electric kettle with automatic switch off?

This lovely Russell Hobbs legacy kettle not only looks ever so stylish, but it is also very good at it's job. It can even rapid boil enough water for one delicious hot drink in just 45 seconds!


This is ideal if you need a hot drink fast or you’re just making one cup. The kettle has a perfect pour spout, making sure all of the water goes into the cup with fewer splashes and a lovely soft grip handle. I really love the look and efficiency of this kettle and will definitely be adding the toaster and coffee machine to my list for Santa.

Priced at £39.99




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For the puzzle lovers.


Liv loves jigsaw puzzles, so when we were offered the chance to review a Wentworth Christmas Friends Jigsaw PuzzleI jumped at the chance!


When the box arrived it became clear that this was a box of traditional wooden puzzles - with a twist!

You see the shapes are very different from standard puzzles. They have snowflakes, Reindeers, Teddy bears and more. The pieces around the whimsically shaped ones are shaped to fit around them, making the puzzle even more interesting!


If I am honest it was too difficult for Liv to complete on her own, but we had great fun doing them together and I'm sure she will soon be able to do them alone.

These are fantastic quality and will last for years unlike many cheaper versions. 

Highly recommended by us!

Priced at £25.95 for four 25 piece puzzles.





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Keep your eyes peeled for my next Gift Guide for more ideas.

Livs new Micro Scooter - review.

Thursday 29 October 2015

Being the Daughter of a Blogger, Liv is used to receiving new toys to try out. Some we keep, some are gifted and others go to the local Charity shop. So as you can imagine it's not often she gets really attached to something.

That was until I was asked to review a Micro Scooter from Skatehut. As soon as it arrived and she saw the image on the box she started squealing with excitement and jumping up and down, I have honestly never seen her react that way!

I quickly set about building it - which was very easy to do, even with a 3 year old "helping"

The scooter itself is different to any other I have seen. It has 3 wheel, with a brake pedal over the back wheel, which restricts the wheel turning when pressure is applied. It is a 3 wheel scooter but with two wheels in the front. However, the really unique thing about this scooter is the steering. 

The handlebars don't rotate like other scooters, instead they lean left or right, moving the direction of the two front wheels.


It took Liv a little while to get used to the steering, having been used to a standard 2 wheel scooter. However once she did, there has been no stopping her! She whizzes around like a pro now and has even started doing some jumps with the scooter!

She has used it a lot when we are out and about as it is more fund for her than walking and burns some of her copious amounts of energy too.

She loves it so much that she has already made a list of Micro scooter accessories she would like to ask Santa for.

I have also heard on the grapevine that Santa may be thinking of bringing a Micro Balance Bike if she is a good Girl, we will have to wait and see!

Disclaimer - I was sent a scooter for the purpose of the review however all opinion and images are my own.

BT Video Baby Monitor 7500 Lightshow review.

For most new Parents a baby monitor is definitely a must have purchase and boy have they evolved over the years.

When Liv was born we had a monitor with a sensor pad which we quickly realised was more worry than it was help because it kept going off constantly. We decided then to upgrade to a video monitor. We didn't have a big budget so just bought what we could afford. It has a tiny little grainy screen and if your little one moves out of sight you find yourself going upstairs to check in them anyway.


When we were asked to review the BT Lightshow monitor I jumped at the chance and I am so glad I did!








What's in the box:

The Camera/Microphone/Light show unit,
Parent unit & base
Two mains cables
Screws - for wall mounting the camera if required.

Assembly:
Couldn't possibly be any easier, plug in the cable and turn on! 










The camera unit includes an audio monitor allowing you to talk to your Child, pan and tilt camera, lightshow and music / sound player. 

The picture on the Parent unit is fantastic. The screen is colour, 3.5 inches and produces a very clear true time image - even at night thanks to the integrated infrared technology. Once charged, the parent unit can used unplugged for around 6 hours

The camera can be moved by the touch screen Parent unit - almost 360 degree horizontally and vertically - so if like us you have a 3 year old that likes to get out of bed and play when she should be going to sleep, you can find them in their room and use the talk back feature to ask (beg!) them to get back into bed! 

For younger babies you can remotely turn on the nightlight, lightshow, music or sound effects - including classical, nursery rhymes, sounds of the womb or white noise like a hairdryer or vacuum cleaner. This should help to soothe them back to sleep without you running up and downstairs every 5 minutes to turn music or projectors on like we did.

The unit also has various timers to helps with feeding and also monitors the temperature of the room, alerting the Parent if the room has become either too cold or too hot. 

There is even a ‘Cry’ alarm which warns the parents if the child is crying, either by vibrating the Parent unit or sounding an alarm.

Daddy reading Liv her bedtime story.
We genuinely love this monitor and wish we had it from Birth. All of the extra features like the white noise sounds would be fantastic with a Newborn.

BT really have done a great job with this system. It is very clear that it has been tried and tested as little touches have been added like the integrated stand on the Parent unit and being able to charge the unit in a cradle so it isn't falling over during the night.

Great work BT, 10/10 from us!

This monitor is priced at £179.98 and available from www.shop.bt.com

Disclaimer - we were sent the BT monitor for the purpose of the review, however all opinion and images are our own.

Poundland - for all of your Halloween needs.

Monday 26 October 2015

As some of you might know, it is an annual thing for My Mother, Brother and Sister in Law, Nieces, Nephews and ourselves to have a Halloween party on the big night.

The Children get dressed up and are taken Trick or treating around the Family before we head off to our Brother and Sister in Laws for a buffet, some games and a few alcoholic beverages once the kiddies are in bed.

Every year we head off to Poundland to add some new decorations and stock up on plates, bowls and napkins.

This year when I was asked if I would like to review some Halloween goodies from Poundland I jumped at the chance! It got even better when I was asked to try out the new online ordering system - Poundland goodies straight to your door!

When I first clicked onto the website I was offered the ability to shop in sections, after choosing Halloween I very easily found what I was looking for.

The selection was brilliant and I easily filled up my basket with bowls, napkins, a tablecloth, serving platters and serving bowls. I then added a few decorations, some snacks, sweets, drinks and dress up items like a witches hat, black nail polish and lipstick (not forgetting the make up wipes to take it all off with at the end of the night.
























I easily navigated my way around the site and used the search bar to hunt down anything I couldn't already see.

As I was placing the order, I was offered an online scratchcard which I excitedly scratched and won! My prize was £1 off my next £10 order woo hoo!



Delivery is £4 however if you don't drive like us, that is less than a return bus fare for one Adult to our local town center. Definitely worth it for the ability to sit at home in the warm away from the crowds - especially with Christmas coming up.

I will definitely be placing another order!

Disclaimer - I was provided with credit to use on the website for the purpose of the review, however all images and opinion are my own.

Getting Halloween ready!

Since Liv has been born, we have taken part in the fun of Halloween and dressed her up. She had a skelton onesie the year she was born, and has also been a witch and a bad fairy. This year she has been sent a rather fabulous Vampiress outfit from the lovely Sainsbury's.


Priced at just £11 this outfit is by far my favourite she has had. It is made of a mixture of black velvet and red satin type material with lashings of black lace. The first thing I thought was that it would be warmer than most Halloween outfits. Liv loves the hoop in the skirt and twirls round asking if she looks like the Ladies on Strictly ever time she wears it!

Her favourite part though is the jewelled button on the belt that plays a scary laugh when pressed - great fun! It does come with a lovely glittery bat face mask but because she is only 4 (in size 6/7 outfits) the eye holes are a little too far apart for her so she has decided to wear it in her hair which looks equally as pretty.

The quality and fit of the dress is lovely and she can't wait to wear it.

Thank you Sainsburys!

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To keep us entertained after Trick or Treating, we have this Ghost Hunt Game priced at £26.49 from Megableu.

This game has brought hours of fun to our household already and I can truly it see it bringing lots more at the Family Halloween party next Weekend.

What's in the box:
1 electronic projector (Billy Bones), 
1 electronic gun, 
1 pair of multi vision glasses
1 manual
(Requires batteries: 4 x AA, 3 x AAA - not included)


The premise of the game is to shoot the projected ghost with the gun. The gun has a counter facing you so you can keep track of how many you have shot - and who is winning of course!

The fun really starts when you play while wearing the multi vision glasses as you then see 3 other ghosts circling the one you need to shoot!

With three difficulty settings; Easy, Medium and Hard, all the Family can play.

A must have for any Halloween parties this Weekend!

Happy Halloween everyone!


Barbie Saddle N Ride horse review.

This is not Barbie and her horse as we know it! This is a whole other level! 

Why? After a quick setup, and the press of a button Barbie will mount her horse while the horse begins to trot off, beginning their ride together!

To set up you simply need to clip Barbies gloved pink hand into her horses mane, move the arm that is clipped in to the left, stand Barbie on the ground then simply push the button on the top of her horse's mane. Barbie will then flick up into the pink saddle while the horse starts walking on her own.


Simply press the pink button to release Barbies hand and she could take the horse for a walk on foot.

Barbie - as always - is dressed perfectly for the occasion, wearing a patterned tunic, denim waistcoat, pink trousers (non-removable), knee length brown riding boots and of course a pink safety helmet. Not to be outdone, the beautiful horse is sporting a fuschia pink saddle and reins.

The initial set up takes a couple of tries to get used to but once you know how it can be set up in a few seconds. Liv has just turned 4 and she is easily able to do it by herself once she was shown how.

This Barbie play set has been a hit in our house, Liv has played with both Barbie and Horse daily since they arrived.

A must have Christmas gift for any Barbie lovers!

Ages: 3+ I RRP: £49.99


Visit BeSuper.com for exciting videos and activities

Through the power of imagination, Barbie allows girls to explore their limitless potential. Check out this super sweet video of young Girls doing just that. Click here to view https://www.youtube.com/user/barbie

Preparing for Halloween with Morrisons.

Thursday 22 October 2015

With Halloween just over a week away, Liv was very excited to recieve a fabulous delivery from Morrisons. She couldn't wait to get started with the decorate your own gingerbread bats! She loves doing things like this and had great fun squeezing on the icing and adding the black sugar balls and black and orange sprinkles for decorations. Priced at just £1.47 and with 5 in the box there are plenty to go around

Also in the box were some very moreish gingerbread biscuits decorated like Mummy's, complete with iced bandages and one creepy eye peeking out. These are priced at £1.47 for a box of 6.


If you have a little one that doesn't like ginger bread - don't worry! Morrisons also have Witch shortbread biscuits - a bargain at just 77p each.

The orange skull shaped tray you can see above was perfect for displaying Livs wonderfully spooky bat biscuits. It will also come in very hand for party food on the night itself.

Of course no Halloween party would be complete without some spooky plates, cups and party bags, there are 8 of each priced at £1 each.

Now for the most important part - the outfit!

Liv was kindly sent this Ghoulish Bride costume, priced at £10.


With long lace sleeves, small train and black lace veil headband she certainly looks the part! She especially loved the lace panels on the skirt, they are great for twirling apparently.

Thanks to Morissons our Halloween party is well on the way!

Click here for everything you need for Halloween at Morrisons.

Disclaimer - we were sent these items for the purpose of the review, however all images and opinion are our own.

Getting ready for Halloween!

When the lovely Asda team got in touch to ask if Liv would like a Halloween outfit we happily agreed and eagerly awaited the parcel!

Sadly with Liv being such a Giant the cute witches outfit that arrived didn't fit. Luckily it fits my beautiful Niece - who is the same age but definitely not the same size as Liv! 

Priced at a bargain £6 for the sparkly pink dress and pink trimmed witches hat, I think her trick or treat bag will soon be overflowing.

Copyright www.mummy2five.com

They were also kind enough to send some Facepaint complete with applicator, eyeliner, make up sponge, stick on spider web, spiders and glitter. They also included some really cute hanging decorations and a safety conscious battery operated light up pumpkin.


Why not pop over and check out Asda's Halloween range yourself?

Have a Happy Halloween everyone!

Starting Christmas shopping!

Monday 19 October 2015

Recently we were offered the chance to spend £30 on toys at House of Fraser. My first thought was that House of Fraser are known for high quality/designer products and I wondered how far it would stretch, my second thought was well I won't know unless I give it a try!!

The first thing I noticed was that the website was very easy to navigate, everything was clearly set out and you are able to sort the toys in various ways including price, or toy type etc. Items are easily added to your basket and clearly displayed there allowing you to add or remove them easily and also keep an eye on your total.

Looking through the vast toy section, I found some items that are on Olivias Birthday or Christmas list and the prices were surprisingly the same as I had seen elsewhere - I learnt a valuable lesson not to make assumptions right there.

With the budget I was set I managed to get:

  • Play Doh Sweet Shoppe cookie creations set - £10
  • Play Doh Sweet shoppe swirl and scoop ice cream set - £15
  • And a set of 8 tubs of Play Doh Plus - £7
I'm sure you have noticed that I was £2 over budget but it was definitely worth paying for the Play Doh Plus given how fast it ends up going that inevitable green/brown colour.


Delivery for these items was £3.50 (delivery is free if you spend over £50) They arrived 3 days after the order was placed, well packed in a sturdy cardboard box.

I have since seen these items for more elsewhere and have already made some toy purchases from House of Fraser.

Top Christmas shopping Tips:
Shop around for the best prices.
Don't discount shops you assume are more expensive - trust me!

Disclaimer - all images and opinions are our own.

Planning for Livs Birthday.

Monday 5 October 2015

I can hardly believe it but The little baby Girl I had about 5 minutes ago is going to be 4 this week. Four! Where the time has gone I really don't know - I'm sure it actually speeds up when you become a Parent.

Now that she is in nursery and interacting with a lot more Children, she is more aware of what others are having for their Birthday parties, so she is wanting more input this year.

The theme - of course - is My Little Pony, they have been her absolute favourite toys and TV program for the last 18 months, in fact our house looks suspiciously like a Hasbro aisle in a toy shop - and I have a feeling it is about to become much worse!

I allowed her to choose the theme but I have bought everything without her input so she will still have a surprise on the day.

We have My Little Pony plates, cups, straws, napkins, table cloth, banners, balloons and party bags all ready for the big day. I just can't wait to set it all up and see her little face now!

The Children's food is all planned and half bought, right down to the PiƱata. With a lot of Adult Family members popping in too, I am planning a special little Adult area in the kitchen (well out of reach of little hands!) with Adult drinks, snacks and some amazing retro sweets.




What more could you ask for at a kiddies party than a quiet area, your favourite tipple and some retro sweets taking you back to your own Childhood? I hope it goes down well!

I remember going to the local corner shop with 50p for a brown bag of aniseed cough candy twists, they never fail to take me right back to primary school. What was your favourite Childhood sweet?