Easter bonnet.
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Monday, 26 March 2012
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Saturday, 24 March 2012
tag*a*long review
After I interviewed Stephanie Arnold, Director of Naptime Industries, for our StorkUp blog, she sent me a tag*a*long to try out with Little J. After using it for several weeks, I really do recommend it to all mums who have a tot in a buggy and an older child who still needs to be kept a close eye on.
Here's why...
The tag*a*long is a flexible plastic handle that fits easily on to the majority of prams and buggies (as well as shopping trolleys and suitcases with long handles). I managed to pop it onto Littlest J's buggy in seconds.
On our first outing with the tag*a*long, we took a walk down to the beach. Even though we're only one street back from the sea front, it's a busy road. Cars whizz up and down it far too fast and I'm always really anxious about being crossing it with the kids in tow. My main concern was that Little J wouldn't want to hold onto it, but as soon as he spotted it his curiosity got the better of him and he quickly grabbed. I told him it was his special handle, that it was there to keep him safe and that because he is such a big grown up boy he didn't have to hold Mummy's hand anymore!
Since then, we've used the tag*a*long every time we've been out for a walk with the buggy and Little J now just reaches for it automatically.
The tag*a*long comes in six colours (lime, grape, blueberry, raspberry, tangerine and lemon) and retails at around £5.
This product was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own.
Friday, 23 March 2012
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Friday, 16 March 2012
Toy Review - Djeco Ludo & Co
Merry from Patch of Puddles very kindly sent me Djeco Ludo & Co from her Play Merrily toy retail website to play with Little J and then review on my blog.
I chose this because he is really into playing games at the moment, and Ludo is one of those traditional games I remember from my own childhood.
I'm not sure how well I explained the rules to him (like any version of Ludo, each player has a number of counters and has to move these along a specific route on the board according to the throw of the dice, with the winner being the person who gets all their counters into the centre of the board). I didn't bother with the more complicated rules as I didn't want to confuse him, such as moving two of your pieces at once (i.e. one dice per piece).
We played the "Little Horses" version of the game.You can play another game if you turn the board over - "Game of Goose." The object of this game is to be the first player to reach space 63 and certain spaces on the board and "special" spaces, e.g. space 19 (the pillow) makes you miss a turn. We didn't play this version, because I knew I would have to explain every single step and that Little J was likely to lose interest. But it looks like fun and we will definitely play it when he's a bit older.
Little J loved playing this game, but I think he was playing a different game entirely! However, I think in a few months time he will be exactly the right age to play it properly and on that basis I think it makes a great game for 5 years plus. It would make a lovely gift, as it is beautifully illustrated and comes in a sweet little box with a handle. (After the game, Little J put lots of his little animals into the box and carried it around the house for the rest of the night.)
This toy was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own.
I chose this because he is really into playing games at the moment, and Ludo is one of those traditional games I remember from my own childhood.
As soon as Ludo & Co arrived Little J was incredibly excited because it had a goose and a horse on the box (he's obsessed with animals - all animals!). Even though it is for 5 years plus, I thought he would be ok with it as he's pretty good at concentrating on games and is always very determined to win!
I'm not sure how well I explained the rules to him (like any version of Ludo, each player has a number of counters and has to move these along a specific route on the board according to the throw of the dice, with the winner being the person who gets all their counters into the centre of the board). I didn't bother with the more complicated rules as I didn't want to confuse him, such as moving two of your pieces at once (i.e. one dice per piece).
We played the "Little Horses" version of the game.You can play another game if you turn the board over - "Game of Goose." The object of this game is to be the first player to reach space 63 and certain spaces on the board and "special" spaces, e.g. space 19 (the pillow) makes you miss a turn. We didn't play this version, because I knew I would have to explain every single step and that Little J was likely to lose interest. But it looks like fun and we will definitely play it when he's a bit older.
Little J loved playing this game, but I think he was playing a different game entirely! However, I think in a few months time he will be exactly the right age to play it properly and on that basis I think it makes a great game for 5 years plus. It would make a lovely gift, as it is beautifully illustrated and comes in a sweet little box with a handle. (After the game, Little J put lots of his little animals into the box and carried it around the house for the rest of the night.)
This toy was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own.
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Monday, 12 March 2012
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Saturday, 10 March 2012
Friday, 9 March 2012
A Difficult Dozen
So I was tagged in this meme AGES ago and I've been feeling guilty for not doing it ever since. I have finally got round to answering the questions from the lovely Blue at bluebirdsunshine and I hope she forgives my blatant disregard of the other rules.
Here are the rules:
1) You must post the rules.
2) Post 12 fun facts about yourself in the blog post.
3) Answer the questions the tagger has set for you in their post and then create 12 new questions for the fellow bloggers you plan to tag.
4) Tag 12 people and link to them on your blog.
5) Let them know you tagged them.
The questions from bluebirdsunshine:
1. What’s your favourite cheese?
Ooh, this is a tough one. Cheese is one of my favourite things in the whole world. I'd go for a good old reliable white cheddar - I would never, ever not be in the mood for a chunk of this!
2. Where in Europe would you go, or have you been lucky enough to have been, on a romantic weekend getaway?
I'd go to Paris. I've been twice, once as a toddler and once as a teenager. I'd love to see if it lives up to my expectations as an adult.
3. Do you have a beauty regime, if so what is it?
A face wipe and ton of moisturiser before bed and that's about it!
4. What song would you do at karaoke?
I would never, ever subject anyone to my singing. It's strictly for the shower, in the car and while hoovering the house. (If I could hold a tune, it would be Kylie's Can't Get You Out of my Head…la la la, la la la la la…)
5. Name something you dread doing.
My taxes, renewing my insurance, filling out forms - I have a completely irrational fear of any sort of official paperwork.
6. Post your favourite photo, of anything, from any time.
I love this impromptu shot, I took it with Photo Booth on the Mac. Two happy faces, waiting for the (enormous!) bump to become a little sister.
7. If you suddenly had an extra hour in the day today, what would you do with it?
I'd love to say I'd go for a nice long walk on the beach to get some fresh air, clear my head, get some perspective on life etc etc. But in reality, I'd probably procrastinate for half an hour and then spend the rest of the time publicly berating myself for it on social networking sites.
8. What’s your favourite family tradition?
Can I say drinking?!
9. Do you believe in ghosts or spirits?
No, but I'm open to hearing why I should...
10. If you could choose anyone at all to write a guest post on your blog, who would it be?
Ruby Wax. Love her.
11. What are your top three girls and top three boys names?
Apart from my children's names, I love Olivia, Rose and Ramona for girls and Matthew, Max and Thomas for boys.
12. Tell me one thing you really want to do before the year is over.
Running (and surviving) a half marathon is one of many on my list.
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Can Mummy Make Pad Thai?
There are a few dishes I'm desperate to know how to make, simply because I love eating them so much! Pad Thai is one of them. Thailand is one of my favourite places in the world. The first time I tried it, I wasn't as adventurous with food as I am now, and I was blown away by the flavours. I've been reluctant to order it in the UK after forcing my way through a really disappointing interpretation of this classic Thai dish from a local Chinese takeaway restaurant.
I looked at loads of Pad Thai recipes - in books and online - to decide what ingredients I wanted to use.
(to serve 2-3)
2 tbsp oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Small bunch spring onions
Raw tiger prawns
500g egg noodles
3 tbsp caster sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
150g beansprouts
Handful of peanuts
2 small red chilies
2 small green chilies
3 tbsp taramind paste
1/2 a lime
1. Trim and slice the spring onions and chop the chilies.
2. Toast the peanuts in a pan for a couple of minutes, roughly crush on a chopping board and set aside.
3. Add oil to a small frying pan and crack in the eggs. Break up the yolks and whites and swirl them around to make a thin omelette. Transfer onto a plate, slice into thin strips and set aside.
4. Add oil to a wok, add the spring onions and cook for a couple of minutes. Add a little more oil and add the prawns. Cook until they start to turn pink.
5. Add the noodles and around 100ml of water. Cook noodles until they soften.
6. Add the sugar, salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce, beansprouts, peanuts, chilies and tamarind paste. Cook for a few minutes, mixing gently.
7. Add the omelette strips and mix.
8. Add a squeeze of lime juice.
I was so pleased with how this turned out! As you can see, I wasn't the only one...Little J's first taste of Thailand!
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Homeopathy: The cure I've been looking for? Or a big fat con?
I attended a psoriasis clinic at my doctor's surgery recently, dragging my heels like a child going to the dentist. I've been to lots of these things. My days of expecting to be told of an amazing new treatment that would clear my skin once and for all are long gone. There's no psoriasis treatment I haven't read about, researched and considered.
The first thing I noticed at the clinic was that I was the youngest person there - by about 30 years. Since when have only old people had psoriasis? I was bloody 19 when it first invaded my life. I felt like I had gatecrashed a senior coffee morning. They quickly took me under their wing, keen to pass on their nuggets of wisdom ("psoriasis is hereditary, but it skips a generation"…"psoriasis shampoo makes my hair so dry!")
Two things I've never tried to treat my psoriasis are systemic therapy and biologics. These are remedies taken either orally or by injection, which work in different ways depending on the specific medicine. They may decrease the rate of cell division or alter the immune responses of the body. I've heard they can work really well and in some cases have completely cleared the patient's skin. But the list of potential side effects is scary. One of the women at the clinic had to stop taking her medication because it damaged her liver. As soon as she stopped it, her psoriasis came back worse than ever. I'm just not willing to take those risks - yet.
I've believed for years that stress is a trigger for psoriasis, and this was confirmed at the clinic. Listening to the rest of the group talk about how their lives are affected by their condition made me realise that I may have to change my approach. I've made lots of dietary changes lately following my food tolerance test, but to be honest I don't think they have made much difference to my skin.
I've read a few reports and articles over the years about treating psoriasis with homeopathy, but have always regarded it with a healthy dose of cynicism. I'm open-minded when it comes to natural alternatives to conventional medicine, but homeopathy is a whole different story.
According to The Society of Homeopaths, homeopathy is:
"a system of medicine which involves treating the individual with highly diluted substances, given mainly in tablet form, with the aim of triggering the body’s natural system of healing. Based on their specific symptoms, a homeopath will match the most appropriate medicine to each patient."
Homeopathic medicine works on a "like cures like" basis, i.e. a substance that would cause certain symptoms if consumed in large doses can treat those exact symptoms if taken in very small doses (using caffeine to treat chronic insomnia, for example).
Homeopathic remedies are diluted to the highest possible degree in order for them to reach their maximum potency. This goes against the rule of science at the core of conventional medicine: the more concentrated a dissolved substance is, the stronger and more powerful it becomes. So there is absolutely no common ground between conventional medicine and homeopathy.
I was lucky enough to get a referral to the nearest NHS Homeopathic Hospital* from my GP, who understood that conventional psoriasis treatments were simply not working for me. Or perhaps he just wanted to get rid of me for being in his office yet again.
So I drove the 30 miles to my appointment with some trepidation. I had no idea what to expect. Certainly, I had no idea that my 90-minute session with the kind Irish doctor would involve me talking about my childhood and my relationships, and have me in tears (homeopathy focuses on treating the "whole person" and not just the diagnosis of the disease or condition). Even if the little vial of powder she prescribed me has no effect, it was the best therapy session I've ever had.
*Yes, this is controversial - there is little support for NHS funded homeopathy due to the lack of evidence that it actually works. Those who oppose homeopathy claim that so-called "success stories" can be put down to the placebo effect.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Can Mummy Make Coconut Noodles?
I had loads of coconut milk in the cupboard so I asked around for a good savoury recipe and one of my friends gave me this one.
(to serve 2-3)
Rice noodles, enough for 2-3 people
2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 can coconut milk
Chicken stock
1 shallot or small red onion
3 cloves garlic
1 2-inch piece of ginger
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp hot chili powder
1 red chili
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp fish sauce
2-3 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp brown sugar
Fresh coriander, to garnish
1. Finely chop the onion, ginger and red chili. Chop and crush the garlic.
2. Add the stock to a wok and bring it to the boil. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, ground coriander, chili powder, red chili and bay leaf, and boil for another few minutes.
3. Add the chicken strips and bring the heat down to medium. As it simmers, turn the chicken occasionally until cooked.
4. Reduce heat further and add the fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and coconut milk. Stir well.
5. Cook the rice noodles according to the packet directions. Aim to have them not quite al dente (still a little undercooked in the middle). Drain and rinse with cold water.
6. Add noodles to the wok and gently mix them with the sauce until hot.
7. Taste! Add to your sauce until it is to your liking. Mine tasted too fishy (I had forgotten how strong fish sauce is!) so I added more lime juice. If it's too spicy, add more coconut milk.
8. Garnish with fresh coriander.
(to serve 2-3)
Rice noodles, enough for 2-3 people
2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 can coconut milk
Chicken stock
1 shallot or small red onion
3 cloves garlic
1 2-inch piece of ginger
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp hot chili powder
1 red chili
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp fish sauce
2-3 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp brown sugar
Fresh coriander, to garnish
1. Finely chop the onion, ginger and red chili. Chop and crush the garlic.
2. Add the stock to a wok and bring it to the boil. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, ground coriander, chili powder, red chili and bay leaf, and boil for another few minutes.
3. Add the chicken strips and bring the heat down to medium. As it simmers, turn the chicken occasionally until cooked.
4. Reduce heat further and add the fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and coconut milk. Stir well.
5. Cook the rice noodles according to the packet directions. Aim to have them not quite al dente (still a little undercooked in the middle). Drain and rinse with cold water.
6. Add noodles to the wok and gently mix them with the sauce until hot.
7. Taste! Add to your sauce until it is to your liking. Mine tasted too fishy (I had forgotten how strong fish sauce is!) so I added more lime juice. If it's too spicy, add more coconut milk.
8. Garnish with fresh coriander.
Monday, 5 March 2012
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Saturday, 3 March 2012
Friday, 2 March 2012
Thursday, 1 March 2012
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