Snowflake USB microphone review

Hello, it's hubby here, moonlighting from Daddacool to review the rather fab Snowflake USB microphone for wifey.

You might wonder what use a separate microphone is for a desktop or laptop computer. I certainly did before I got my mitts on the Snowflake USB microphone. I'm typing this on my Asus EEE 1215 netbook. It's got a built in microphone and webcam, so I thought it wouldn't have benefited from another microphone. Boy, was I wrong. You know how you can make a "telephone" with two yoghurt pots and a piece of string but it's not exactly an iPhone is it? That's the difference between a built in microphone and something like the Snowflake USB microphone. It's a portable device, which fits into its own case (shame there's no drawstring bag though) which holds a small usb cable. The actual microphone as you see it to the right folds flat in the case.

The design is robust and the sound quality is excellent. It really shines with something like Skype, but I've also used it for making Audioboo's, podcasts and recording interviews. It's small enough to slip into a bag (and even a handbag, I've checked for the thoroughness of this review). All you have to do is simply plug it into a computer and it automagically works. We've been using to to record elderly relatives war time memories. It's brilliant because you don't have to have the microphone right in their face to pick everything up with crystal clarity.

The Snowflake USB microphone retails for £59.99 but if you shop around, you can pick it up for around £40. It's a lot for a microphone but not a lot for a robust device that gives such audio clarity.

Snowflake USB microphone review

The Dahlicious Dress Up Day

We love Roald Dahl in our house and one of our favourite places to visit is the Roald Dahl museum in Great Missenden. I'm slowly introducing the kids to the stories, they love Fantastic Mr Fox and Matilda. Anyway, I was recently sent some information about this fun charity event for school kids which I think it might be worth encouraging your school to get involved in.

Taking place on Friday 30^th September 2011, The Dahlicious Dress Up Day is a fun way for school children up and down the country to get creative and raise money for a fantastic cause by going to school dressed as their favourite Roald Dahl character.

From Oompa-Loompas to the BFG, The Twits, Willy Wonka, Matilda, Fantastic Mr. Fox and all those other phizz-whizzing folk from Roald Dahl’s stories, there are plenty of characters for children to choose from. Children will be asked to donate just £1 to dress up and wow their friends and teachers with their splendiferous costumes, masks or face paint - all for a good cause. 

The money raised will go to Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity to help fund much needed specialist nurses, support and equipment for seriously ill children with lifelong and life-limiting neurological or blood conditions.

Taking part in The Dahlicious Dress Up Day couldn’t be easier. From dressing up tips and inspiration to fun activities, there is plenty of help available. If your child’s school isn’t already taking part, encourage them to sign up for an event pack at www.roalddahlcharity.org/schools, email schools@roalddahlcharity.org

The Dahlicious Dress Up Day

Review: Zoob Junior

Zoob Junior appeared out of the blue and proved itself to be a miracle heaven sent. This kept my four year old and two year old entertained for several mornings during the school holidays and the amount of role playing and building that they did was remarkable. I am very impressed, so impressed that I have been recommending it to all my real life friends.

I have never seen Zoob before probably because its no been available in the UK for long, but apparently there is a large range available which is suitable for older kids, this stuff (Zoob Junior) is suitable for 3- 6 year olds as it has larger pieces and is slightly softer and easier to manipulate. It's great stuff and provides an alternative building system to Lego and Duplo using balls and sockets to join pieces together.

Another great thing about Zoob is that its dishwasher proof, this has to be one of the best features of a toy I have seen so far!

I know its a bit soon, but some people are already thinking about Christmas and I think this is a brilliant system for any small child. We will almost certainly be adding to our collection. If you want to get hold of some I suggest doing a few Internet searches as there is a wide range out there.

Review: Zoob Junior

Single Parenting Adventures

For those of you who follow me on Twitter (you may well have unfollowed me), you'll know just how hard I found the four days of parenting without the husband. When I say hard, it seems like it turned into a full blown parenting disaster. Our house descended into one of those child hell houses you see on Supernanny. You know, the ones where the children bully the parents and the parents are standing outside the front door sobbing into their coffee at midnight, head in hands.

It started off promising, I had a few things in mind to do. But then I felt a bit tired and lethargic and pregnant so I sort of let these ideas slip. I didn't fancy driving for miles to go to various events and places on my own. The children sensed weaknesses and  demanded films. There was one epic day where I cooked four, yes four despite there being only three of us, separate dinners for none of them to be eaten. The living room was destroyed, sofas taken apart, food thrown onto the carpets and toys strewn everywhere. Fifi chose this time moment to try to potty train herself insisting on assistance in the toilet every few minutes and the boy took control of the television. I lost control. I knew it and I struggled to regain it.

As kids sense weakness I think they realised that I had lost control and from that moment onwards we slid into an epic descent into oblivion. Demands for constant films, sweets (which they took to helping themselves too) and a desire to make me get up from what I was doing on average every 3 minutes ground me down. Bedtime was the crunch point, they just would not go to sleep. By the fourth night it was ten o'clock in the evening before they finally agreed to even go into their bedrooms. Having been up several times in the night during the previous few nights and then fully up and about at 6 a.m with them everyday I was very pleased to think that this was my last night flying solo.

I have to admit, I think my children have become a bit spoilt. They get sent a lot of toys to try out and have the benefit of going to lots of exciting places which most children could only dream of. They also have a parent that desires an easy life. I have given into tantrums and allowed them to dictate what we do, what they wear and what they will eat. I think I have created two monsters. What is interesting is that they don't have like this with other people, in fact I'm often told how well behaved and angelic they are. It's clearly that I have no control over them myself.

In thinking about how to regain the control, yes it's easier now the husband is back, I have no idea how people manage to do it on their own. Sticker charts don't seem to work in our house, removal of privileges and toys seems to now have a limited effect. I feel a bit like my life is being taken over by children, along with my house. I realise this is inevitable but the daily grind of demands and tantrums seems to out weigh the fun times at the moment. These last four days, which on reflection had some hilarious scenarios to look back on, have I think become a turning point. It's just which way to turn!

Oh, and if that was you and your dog standing in the exit of a large shop in St Albans, blatantly blocking my way on purpose with a smirk, whilst I had two children clamped to my leg tantruming. I can only say that you are very lucky not to have ended up in the hospital, you were living very dangerously...

Single Parenting Adventures

Guest Post: Ellie from Wild Ivy on Being a Mummy

This weeks guest post comes from my real life friend Ellie, who has such an interesting life as a mum and a florist that I finally managed to persuade her to tell us all about it!

photo by Chris Douglas Photography

My first thought when I was asked to be a guest blogger was just how I was going to find the time to sit down with the laptop, my week already being full to capacity with the long promised visit to the uniform shop to kit out my eager four year old for his first day at school next month and the post-holiday unpacking/washing/ironing that has been waiting since we returned from Cornwall over a fortnight ago? Because on top of all the mummy things that are always waiting, I run my own business.
 
I am a freelance wedding florist - Wild Ivy - which I run from my home in St. Albans, Hertfordshire. I love what I do, as it gives me flexibility with my children, allows me to be creative and to meet people who are generally at a very different stage of their lives. ln fact if they got much of a glimpse of my life it might give them a foretaste of things to come that just might make them stop and think!

Running your own business does take a great deal of planning, organisation and compromise.My day can start at 4 am if I need to get to the flower market. The flowers I use are always as fresh as possible, and pre-ordered.But that early start can be the most difficult part of the job, especially if my daughter is teething or the monsters have been visiting my son in the night.And it means that my partner has to be solely responsible for the getting up and breakfasting before he leaves for work. But the pleasures are wonderful: working with beautiful flowers, meeting happy people and helping them to create their perfect wedding day is a very rewarding way of making a living.
 

My first meeting with brides is usually at a wedding fair. These are usually in lovely surroundings: a recent fair was held in the Elizabethan setting of....... I take with me several sample bouquets, buttonholes and table arrangements, and my (books of pictures?) so that people can see the kind of work I have done.Although I cater for a range of tastes, my style leans very much towards the natural, working when I can with English garden flowers to produce a country influenced look. I always enjoy chatting to brides, many of whom are just starting to plan their wedding. Some have very definite ideas about themes and colours, others want me to suggest styles.The next step is to visit the bride at home, spending longer looking through my portfolio, perhaps looking at fabric swatches she may have, and getting a much closer idea of what she would like. I then submit a quotation, and if she is happy, a deposit secures the day.
 
 
Producing the bouquets, button holes and arrangements on the wedding day takes a lot of planning, and with two small children I have to rely on family to help out. Luckily, this suits both the children and the grandparents who seem to quite like each others‘ company! This informal arrangement isn’t always perfect, but things should become easier once my son is at school and the little one starts pre-school. And of course most weddings are at the weekend, so my partner takes over the childcare as soon as he sets foot through the door on a Friday evening.
 

photo by Chris Douglas Photography

I recently did a country church wedding in a village in Leicestershire, followed by a reception in a marquee on the cricket field. The backdrop set the look for the day. At either side of the church door I put a vintage French wine crate on top of which were enamel jugs filled with seasonal garden flowers like delphinium and hydrangeas. The pew ends were really pretty posies tied with old white lace which looked striking against the dark wood.The bride wanted the altar to be decorated with real impact, so the centrepiece was a huge pedestal brimming with early summer flowers.Afterwards, there was an afternoon tea complete with vintage cups, saucers, plates and pretty jugs of flowers on the tables.
 
Sometimes I think how much more simple life would be if I was still working in the City, and could leave my work behind at the end of the day.But I wouldn’t really want to swap.  The chance to work from home while my children are still small at a job I find so rewarding is fantastic. And I have great plans for the expansion of my business once the children are older. And in the meantime, I’ve just seen my son’s new school’s diary of forthcoming events.  An auction of promises... I’m sure a hand-tied bouquet of seasonal flowers will be a winner!

Guest Post: Ellie from Wild Ivy on Being a Mummy

Review; Crock-Pot and news of a fab competition

The Being a Mummy household were lucky enough to be offered  a Crock-Pot, knowing how useful @annieqpr and @mediocre_mum find theirs I thought it might be well worth a go.  We were sent this one to try out a few recipes. Crock-Pot are the original makers of slow cookers, they have been doing them since the 1970's. I've not really embraced the whole world of slow cooking in any great way, so I thought this might be a good chance to have a go!

I decided to make a really simple casserole using ingredients that we had readily available: chicke, potatoes, vegetables and some stock. There are a load of recipes on the Crock-Pot website which I may well slowly work my way through, but I wanted to start off with something really basic. Not such a bad idea though as Crock-Pot have launched their own recipe competition ‘Crocktober’ which asks members of the  public to submit their favourite slow cooker recipes to be in with a chance of winning some fab prizes including £3,500 for the winner. Runners up will get Crock-Pots and Abel and Cole produce. So its really worth checking out their Facebook Pages!

So, how did I get on with the Crock-pot? Well, I have to say its brilliant for organised people. You can literally put something in during the morning and come home to a freshly cooked meal. For me that meant a bit more planning than usual (I chopped the veg up the night before). All the meat I have tried in it has been very tender and its very simple easy one pot cooking which reduces the washing up dramatically. The inside pot lifts out and can be put into the dishwasher which is a total god-send. The only criticism of the one we got is that its too small for a family of four who eat a lot of veg, so it's been donated to my parents. We liked it so much though, we are on the look out for a bigger one!

Review; Crock-Pot and news of a fab competition

Tesco Baby has a new website

I was quite interested to hear that Tesco Baby have just launched a brand new website. I quite like the Tesco Baby products, in particular their nappies as I have found that they are the cheapest and most leak-proof nappies for Fifi and we have tried them all...

Anyway, this is not a sponsored post, I wanted to let you know about the website because it has some really handy features and I liked it. For example, the BabySafe tab takes you to a whole series of free on line videos which give you first aid training with experts from the British Red Cross. I think this is wonderful as I remember when I first had boy I couldn't get onto a baby first aid course and I had no idea where to get the information from. It's without doubt essential viewing!

There's sections on products and a fab  discussion board full of tips. I like the fact they have a blog, in fact I've offered my services as a guest blogger. Now to think of a topic... hmmm..

Tesco Baby has a new website

Review: Back to School with Matalan

I'll be honest, I've only ever bought one item of clothing from Matalan in my life. I was surprised how many comments I got about it though. I have bought homewares before and the kids have been handed down a lot of clothes which has suggested to me that they are very hard wearing. So when they offered me fifty quid to buy Boys school uniform I couldn't really turn down the offer.

Did you even know Matalan did school stuff? I didn't but it's very reasonably priced and seems to be good quality, we got loads of it for the cash and I had money left over to splurge on hairclips, socks and an umbrella for Fifi. Gosh, they sell a surprising amount of stuff in their shop. I really like the girls range of school stuff in particular this pinafore which retails between £6 and £7: 50, I shall be looking here for Fifi when shes old enough. Lets face it boys stuff, is boys stuff so I bought all the appropriate items for the little fella but I'm not going to go into the details because frankly who wants to see a pair of school trousers! The quality seems as good as anything else I have bought so I am pleased with it all and what was really great was that I could buy the whole lot in one shop, job done, brilliant.

I had a little look at the womens clothes, but at five months pregnant there wasn't a lot for me at the moment, although there was some  nice stuff and I shall be taking the hubby along when we have the baby to treat me to some new outfits. I do really like this bag though so I'm adding that to my wish list.

In terms of other stuff which I think is great value, you need to check out their wellies. They have some great Ben 10 ones at the moment which Boy is desperate for. There are some really lovely picture frames and cushions in the homeware section and I have to admit I indulged Fifi's girliness by letting her go mad in the hair accessory section which has a three for one deal.

All in all, I was actually very surprised at what they have in store and if you are looking for a cheap way to update your wardrobe I don't think you can go too far wrong. That's obviously why they always  have such a long queue! If you want to avoid the queues  don't forget they have a website which also provides lots of ideas on complete outfits, something that is very handy...

Review: Back to School with Matalan

Charity Guest Post: Raising Money for Charity is Music to Our Ears

When I heard about this charity initiative I thought it was really good, so I've donated this guest post free of charge. I hope its of interest to you!

Did you know that exchanging your second-hand, unwanted DVD’s, CDs and video games is a fantastic way of raising money for charity? Music Magpie has launched a great fundraising program to help Breast Cancer Care and The Children’s Trust Society through a totally free fundraising initiative, delivering fantastic results throughout the year.

How do you go about collecting CDs or DVDs? Raising money for charities by selling your old CDs, DVDs and video games is really easy. From the comfort of your home, you can simply enter the barcodes of your unwanted CDs, DVDs and video games online to receive their valued price and then select the charity you wish to donate to. After you have packaged and sent them all off, Music Magpie will then donate the full fee to your chosen charity. Remember, the money donated from the sale of your unwanted CDs, DVDs and games will make a huge difference to the charities involved. They do an amazing job for two fantastic charities that help vulnerable children and people affected by Cancer all facing different and significant challenges. Who are the charities? Breast Cancer Care Breast Cancer Care helps raise money specifically to fund information and support whilst also offering a life changing difference to people  affected by breast cancer. The Children’s Society The Children’s Society charity helps unfortunate children of all faiths, including children at risk on the streets, disabled children, young refugees and young carers or those within the youth justice system.  Through research they seek to influence policy and perceptions at all levels so young people have a better chance in life. Final thought… So, if you’re looking at getting rid of those unwanted, CDs, DVDs and video games, why not dust them off, log onto the Internet and why not put the proceeds towards charity and make a difference to the lives of people less fortunate.

Charity Guest Post: Raising Money for Charity is Music to Our Ears

Review; Disney Winnie the Pooh on DVD

Every child loves Winnie the Pooh and my two are no exception. This may or may not be because we have read them some of the stories since they were tiny. When the chance came along to review a copy of the latest film in DVD I was quite interested to see how it compared to the original stories. Very favourably is the answer! If you like Winnie the Pooh's adventures then you will love this one, it's full of drama, wit and a tale of friendship which is simply a joy to watch.

I find it quite hard to find nice, non violent films which capture both children's interest and keep them engaged but this was actually (surprisingly for me) one of them. They have asked to watch it a couple of times since the first screening and now sing along to the songs. It's also watch-able for adults and some of the phrases that characters in the film really strike a chord. We loved it, its a brilliant film for toddlers and I can whole-heartedly recommend it to you

This is actually the first big-screen Pooh adventure from Disney animation in more than 35 years. Narrated by John Cleese, featuring all-star voices including Jim Cummings and Craig Ferguson and music from US superstar Zooey Deschamel, Winnie the Pooh is inspired by five stories from AA Milne’s books in Disney’s classic hand-drawn art style.

You can buy the DVD at all the usual outlets and if you are on the lookout for some fab kids activities then make sure you check these out on the Disney website

© Disney. Based on the "Winnie the Pooh" works, by A.A. Milne and E. H. Shepard.

RELEASE DATE: 22 AUGUST  .  CERTIFICATE: U

Bonus Features:

·         Three Deleted scenes

o    The Tummy Song

o    Rabbit’s Friends and Relations

o    Pooh searches for a Tail

·         Two bonus short films

o    The Ballad of Nessie

o    Mini-adventures of Winnie the Pooh: “Pooh’s balloon”

Review; Disney Winnie the Pooh on DVD

Did you find out?

So we had our scan and found out the sex of the baby. This was something I was deliberating about for ages as I did find out with Fifi and Boy. I remember the absolute joy when we discovered Fifi was a girl, it was like time stood still and all my hopes had come true, purely because we wanted one of each. This time, since we had one of each it didn't really matter. Or did it? I'm not sure, now I know, I know what is to come, what I can expect and what could lie ahead of me. Purely from experience. Perhaps I shouldn't have asked. Too late now.

Still, the children can be prepared, so perhaps it is a good thing and I now have an understanding of what our family dynamics will be like in the future. Again I find myself shell-shocked. The whole pregnancy has been rather odd and I still cant quite believe that in not so many months there will be another little person making demands on my time. I hope it likes Cbeebies...

Did you find out? Is it different finding out third time around?

Did you find out?

Review: Lancome Hypnose Dolls Eyes Mascara aka the one where I get something for ME!

I don't have many indulgences, I mean, I really don't at all. I don't have a flashy phone or computer or clothes or anything really. BUT I do very occasionally treat myself to really nice make-up and my preferred brand happens to be Lancome, its the one I've always used. Then a miracle happened (do you like the perfume related pun?) and John Lewis really kindly asked me if I would like to do a review of the new Lancome Hypnose Dolls Eyes Mascara. I have to admit, I could have cried because I never get asked to review stuff for me, its all baby stuff.

Lancome's Hypnose mascara is without doubt brilliant, that's why one gets sold worldwide every four seconds. Its what I usually use. This new version is supposed to give you a 'doll lash' effect and I think I can safely say it does make your lashes look longer and more separated than the standard version. I initially liked it and I think you can see the difference. However after a week of using it I did find that it dried out a little bit and created a bit of a clumped effect, which isn't such a good look and is a bit fiddly to rectify. The brush is really good though, so if you clean it regularly that helps. Personally I think I will stick with my standard Hypnose mascara,but if I had a special occasion it might be worth splashing out and treating myself with this.

Now, something I found out recently; If you ask at the John Lewis Lancome counter you can put your name down for special free make-up courses that they run (well at the Welwyn branch anyhow). You'll learn how to put make-up on properly, what suits you and get a bit of time to yourself. I have my name down

Review: Lancome Hypnose Dolls Eyes Mascara aka the one where I get something for ME!

Zhu Zhu Pets e-cards and competitions

The other day, thanks to my involvement in UKMums.tv a little ZhuZhu hamster appeared in the post! But why? Well, they wanted me to let you all know that for the whole of August children can visit www.thinkingofzhu.co.uk and send cute and quirky e-cards for free to their friends and family. With each card sent your little ZhuZhu fan will be entered into a prize draw with five winners a day.

I think this is quite a cute idea and anything that encourages kids to use the computer, think about what they are doing has to be a good thing. I have to admit, I've also fallen in love with my ZhuZhu pet and he will be coming to the office with me...

Zhu Zhu Pets e-cards and competitions

Our Trip to HMS Belfast

Despite having a migraine I bravely went to the South Bank with the husband and kids because we had planned a day on HMS Belfast. It's something we have been looking forward to for ages and as the kids are keen visitors to the Imperial War Museum's aircraft museum at Duxford we thought this might make a nice change.

It is possible to drive and park in this part of London for free on a Sunday so that's what we did and that's what I would recommend every single time! Lunch was provided by Strada, pizza's all around. It wasn't all that cheap, but it was near and easy and the kids were hungry and we wanted an easy life... Still this restaurant has to have some of the best views of London; overlooking the Thames and Tower Bridge.

Boy took this picture of his view from the restaurant

HMS Belfast is an amazing landmark on this part of the river and it was very exciting to go aboard. We spent most of the afternoon wandering about and exploring the ship. I think it's a brilliant experience for all kids, however I would suggest that the age of 6 is probably around when they will get the most out of it. Not least because at 2 and 4 the kids couldn't climb down the ladders (they were alright going up them) to access the floors. If I had not been with the husband who picked them up and carried them about, it would have been a nightmare!

The kids loved pressing the buttons!

I would also say that as a museum professional I felt that the interpretation could have been radically improved, we didn't buy a guidebook and so frankly we didn't actually learn an awful lot about the ship. Lots more information signs etc are needed. Yes, an audio guide is good, but it's impossible to use one when visiting with 2 young children.

Boy exploring the ship

My other major gripe was with the cafe. At five months pregnant and having hauled 2 children (with the help of the husband) around the boat on a very hot summers day I needed a drink. I mean, really needed a drink and possibly a bit of cake. We promised the kids ice-creams and took them to the well signposted cafe, only to see a tiny sign which stated no credit cards (which also meant no debit cards). We pooled our resources, as you do, one pound seventeen pence wasn't going to get us far. We had spent all our change at lunch. We didn't see a sign before boarding about the inability to take cards at the cafe, which must be the only place in London which doesn't accept them. The kids had a meltdown, I asked why there wasn't a sign earlier and was told that the cafe was separate from the museum and there was no cross working. It's an integrated visitor experience though isn't it? Anyway, that was that, we had to leave the ship. At five months pregnant when you want a drink, you want a drink and the kids were not happy about their lack of ice-creams.

random view

Overall, despite the cafe we had a really nice time, although it was hard work. The South Bank is very beautiful and you do get some lovely views of Tower Bridge. The kids loved the inter-actives and exploring the ship and the husband liked looking at the guns, mainly. If you have slightly older kids than me it comes highly recommended, just remember to take some cash with you!

There was a Tall (pirate) Ship parked (moored) next to the boat

Our Trip to HMS Belfast

Sponsored Post: How to Bath Your Baby

Did you know Johnsons baby have a whole YouTube Channel? I didn't, but I really thought it would be worth highlighting it. I reckon its a brilliant idea for  new mums and dads, or even an experienced parents who can't remember a lot of it (like me) as there are lots of videos which explain how to do stuff and give you a much better than you can get from reading books.

When boy first came along it was all a mystery to me. For example, I puzzled over  how to put the nappy on. This  required a midwife to come and assist me in the hospital at night as I had no idea. The other things we were both worried about was how to bath your baby. It seems a straightforward thing, but believe me, when it's actually your screaming, wriggly baby it's one of the most frightening things you have to do.That's why I thought this video was particularly good:



Our first bath-time with boy was no-where near as calm as this one, I remember the hubby filling the baby bath in the bedroom on the floor- why? I ask myself on reflection. This entailed gargantuan efforts. The boy sensed what might be coming and began writhing and wriggling and screaming before we had even undressed him. He then adopted the planking position at various moments and resembled a slippery ice-cube. I got soaked, the husband got soaked, I think the boy remained unscathed. If only we had seen this video....

Here is another one, about bedtime routines, just because I thought they were so good!

Sponsored Post: How to Bath Your Baby

When an egg looks like some Y-fronts...

Yesterday we had brilliant fun making some egg people. It's all part of a promotion that Fairy are doing to try to get kids crafy and active. You basically make a little egg person and then have an egg and spoon race. It's a great idea for the school holidays. The boy chose to make the karate man and we really did our best to achieve this. Now, at just two and four I think that really we should have gone freestyle rather than copying designs, nevermind on that, lesson learn't!

Anyway, we half finshished the karate man painted egg  and I could not help but think we have somehow created the visial representation of a pair of y-fronts channelled via the medium of egg person. The boy took this picture for us:

When an egg looks like some Y-fronts...

Review: Miamoo Baby Products

Fifi was sent a selection of the Miamoo range of baby skincare products to test. Normally I insist that she uses organic baby products but I thought in this case I would make an exception. Partly because I was very interested to test the latest venture from Saira Khan of The Apprentice fame. However, I should say that Miamoo products don't use petrochemicals, parabens, sls, pegs or synthetic colours which means they are pretty wholesome!

Miamoo offers a three step routine for your baby, I have to admit that idea is not for us as Fifi is not really all that keen on pampering. However, she does have eczema and dry, sensitive skin which Miamoo is designed for, so I gave the huggy lotion, baba oil and splashy wash a really good trial on her. I can report that its actually very good stuff.

Our favourite was the Huggy lotion which smelt divine and which I have taken to using myself as I really like the consistency of it. The Spritz and Wipe is also a handy little product which actually really helps to clear up a smelly nappy.

For me, the packaging of a product is also really important and I  liked the duck egg blue colour scheme and little cow logo.

All in all I think this is a great range of  products, I notice its been shortlisted for a Mother and Baby Award and I can see why! If you want to find out more have a look at the Miamoo website which has loads of information and a handy shop.

Review: Miamoo Baby Products

Things not to say to a pregnant woman

• I feel very weary myself
• This wine is particularly good
• Are you sure its not twins?
• You need to rest a bit, you know
• You know you don't need to eat for two
• Lets stay up late and watch (insert random television rubbish)
• Make sure you don't neglect your other children
• I don't like that name
• It will only get harder
• The baby might be early/ late
• You're really all out there all ready aren't you...

Need I say more...

Things not to say to a pregnant woman

Guest Post: Kelly from A Place of my Own on Being a Mummy

This weeks guest post comes from one of my favourite bloggers and someone who I have had the pleasure to meet several times over the years at various blogging events. Kelly writes at A Place of my Own her blog is a wonderful mixture of honest experiences of parenting and reviews coupled with some lovely photographs of her crafty activities. I hope you enjoy her post and it encourages you to visit her blog. I think her post sums up the experiences that many of us have particularly after the birth of a child and I know I can identify with a lot of it:

One of the things that I am finding it hardest to deal with at the moment, while suffering from postnatal depression, is how quickly a day can go from good to bad. The smallest thing can flip me from a positive mood into a downward spiral that I might not come out of for days. Last week it was a simple mistake regarding a swimming lesson that took me a whole weekend to recover from. Yesterday it was a simple as one single tweet.

A well known brand was running a Twitter competition to win some lovely beauty goodies. All that you had to do to be in with a chance of winning was tweet "The best thing about being a mum is....." and finish the sentence. 

I sat in my front room, with the baby playing on the floor and her brother laughing and chatting and I just couldn't finish that sentence. I could think of many things that I could say, and each would have been valid, but the truth of the matter was that these were just cliches with no genuine feeling behind them. What was even sadder was that this was a good day, the baby had rolled over for the first time and I had managed to get through a day without anything going majorly wrong. I just couldn't find something to tweet that I believed in. 

It just broke my heart to realise, at this point in time, the best part of being a mummy for me is getting to the end of the day and feeling that I survived. That I didn't walk out, no matter how hard it is, that I am still standing. It makes me feel so very sad that this is the case, but in a roundabout way it also gives me hope. In the past when I have had a hard time or life has got difficult I have run away or I have hidden from my problems. This time, I am standing firm and tackling my problems head on. Because it is not just about me any more. And so, if I have to complete that sentence today I will go with this:

The best thing about being a mum is having something worth fighting for, and knowing that two people love me regardless of how I am feeling.

Guest Post: Kelly from A Place of my Own on Being a Mummy

Cooking Brownies and CupCakes thanks to Dr Oetker

I do try to do a fair amount of cookery with my kids. Sometimes its a disaster, sometimes its reasonable and sometimes, normally those times when I do it alone, its really good even though I say so myself. So when I was asked if I wanted to review anything from the Dr Oetker range I was quite happy to do so, provided it was in the form of cake mixtures and sprinkles.

We tried the Chocolate Brownie cake mixture. Or rather the 4 year old boy and 2 year old girl did with very minimal supervision from mummy but lots of chocolately enthusiasm. This cake mixture requires very little additional things just an egg, oil and water. All of which they were capable of working out themselves. Brilliant. Here they are mixing it all up.

We served the brownies with chocolate ice-cream, the kids were proud. I have to say they were nicest when warm, but not bad at all for a cake mix.

The next day we made fairy cakes, you know, the standard mixture of 4 oz sugar, 4 oz butter, 2 eggs, 4 oz of self raising flour and a teaspoon of vanilla essence. 180 degrees in the oven for about quarter of an hour. The kids love making this recipe and its so quick any easy you can whip them up in minutes.

I then piped some butter cream icing on them and let the kids have free rein with the sprinkles and these wonderful wafer flowers. I am really really impressed with these sprinkles and daisy's, they made my cupcakes look 100 times better than usual. I think these will be a regular purchase for our baking cupboard...

If you want to find out what else they make (including some very tempting recipes) check out the Dr Oetker website

Cooking Brownies and CupCakes thanks to Dr Oetker

Rango: Film review

Hello, its hubby Alex here, writing a film review for the rather great Rango!

There are animated films and there are animated films. Rango definitely falls into the former category. Not all animated films are cartoons and not all animated films are suitable for tots. Rango is a great film, it has a really sly and dark sense of humour underlying it all. Jonny Depp plays the titular character Rango very well, more deadpan than usual but with his typical comic timing.

Rango at heart is a Western, following the progess of a chameleon called Rango as he takes up an epic quest from a somewhat flattened armadillo. Through a series of mishaps Rango ends up as sheriff of a drought ridden town, with all the residents thinking he's a dead eye dick. Of course as with all tales of dishonesty, Rango is eventually found out but in the end he redeems himself spectacularly. Of course there is plenty of slapstick along the way, including some entertaining chicken riding but at heart Rango isn't really a kids film, it just happens to be animated.

That's not to say kids won't enjoy it, our 4 year old laughed out loud on several occasions and it kept his attention for it's full length (it's not a short film either). It is a PG and I would advise watching it first to see if you think it's suitable for younger children but I'd probably advise you watch it for yourself anyway :)

Rango: Film review

Review; Rastamouse the Album; Makin' a bad ting good

We were lucky enough to be asked to be ambassadors for kids festival Lollibop, which was ace. It featured all of my childrens favourite celebrities *ahem*. Anyway, anyone who follows my tweets will see that we are big fans of Rastamouse in this house, growing up in London I have to admit I do find it quite amusing and since it engages the kids nicely I'm happy for them to watch it. Its great to find a programme that introduces kids to other genres of music. Of course the boy is already a big Bob Marley fan, along with Cat Stevens, he used to get a bit of Bob to send him to sleep when he was very little.

And that's where Rastamouse and the Easy Crew fit in so well. It's not a novelty album and really works without the visuals from the TV show. It actually does work as a reggae album for kids. Of course kids will recognise the tunes from the TV show and probably do some seriously funky dancing but the important thing is, it won't drive you up the wall at the same time. So if you're a fan of this enchanting and very harmless TV show, you can't really go wrong with the Rastamouse album.

Review; Rastamouse the Album; Makin' a bad ting good

Review: Play-Doh Fairytales: The Story of the Three Little Pigs

I'm really mean in this house and I hardly ever allow Play-Doh to enter. Mainly because somehow it gets ground into my carpets. I have cream carpets I quite like them cream and not fluorescent pink, or yellow or green. However, I have made an exception for this little kit, mainly because the kids absolutely love the stuff. They love squishing it, moulding it and smelling it. We make all sorts of monsters and aliens and animals and people.

Fairytale Play-Doh is educational and fun, this is what the press release has to say:

"Aimed at ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ (EYFS) children, the ‘Handy Learning’ initiative has been produced by education experts to aid teachers in delivering National Curriculum objectives through fun and creative activities with the Play-Doh brand, while inspiring parents to introduce educational play at home too.  

 Combining the creative properties of the Play-Doh brand with classic fairytale stories, teachers can create a range of fun and exciting activities for children to engage with using the popular colourful moulding compound.  Each Play-Doh Fairytale creativity set encourages hands-on fun as little artists read the classic story and create the characters of out Play-Doh compound. The Fairytale Assortment includes favourite tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel & Gretel and The Three Little Pigs.  Each set comes with 105g of Play-Doh modeling compound, a storybook style play mat, character figures and plenty of accessories so little ones can shape, mould and more! "

We thought the kit was great, although it simply isn't big enough for more than one child and we did have a bit of a fight to sort out. In the end Boy won out, mainly because Fifi is young enough to distract with other things to make. Lucky I had some spare Play-Doh from elsewhere so we manufactured armies of pigs and talked about the story. We also made a crocodile and a sheep, and added them into the story!

I think this is the ideal gift to take along to a birthday party, its about the right size, price range and to be honest you cant really go wrong. We liked it, so much so that I have my eye out for the other story kits. You can find out lots more here www.playdohhandylearning.co.uk

Review: Play-Doh Fairytales: The Story of the Three Little Pigs

Review: Armouron the best role playing toy we have...

Armouron is without doubt THE best dressing up for small boys that I have come across. Mainly because its proper armour and includes a proper helmet which is easy to fit to them. The only downside  is that it takes ages to put it together. Thus, if you get some, pre-assemble it before wrapping up/ showing your child or you'll be wrestling with it as they get increasingly impatient. Alternatively you can do what you are supposed to do and get them to construct it themselves... (good luck if they are under five)

The best part of the armour is without doubt the helmet and with Armouron you can get loads of additional bits to add on like these wings. Thus transforming our child into Mercury quite quickly. See look, a history lesson as well!

Oh, you can also get add on bits for the rest of the armour and shiny buttons and stuff. Its all perfect for kids who can endlessly model and remodel their armour depending on what role they are playing. My two loved this feature. I mean LOVED it. I got a bit fed up after the seven millionth re-modelling one afternoon, but I'm grumpy and my kids are quite small, it would be different if they were old enough to do it themselves!

If your child likes to role play a bit of violence, well, (lets face it which child doesn't? ) you can also get these nifty, surprisingly safe swords and daggers which again my kids thought were brilliant. In fact, I have actually made the mistake of buying them gladiator Playmobil and explaining some of the gladiatorial combat moves and those of the Roman Army. So you can just imagine how they used their short daggers....

It was just the greatest fun though. We have had our Armouron since last Christmas and the PR company sent us a load more so Fifi could wear it too. It has been the best thing we have been sent in a long time, if your kids like role playing I can't recommend this more highly. We love it. Apologies for the lack of personal images, I'm having camera nightmares at the moment! However, I may just get the Flip out and film them, watch this space... You can get some here

Review: Armouron the best role playing toy we have...

Review; Bold 2 in 1 Rose Blush and Peony

OK, I've said it before I am on a quest to try out all sorts of lovely washing powders and liquids as I quite like checking out the smells. This is probably a pregnancy thing, but one thing is for sure I am totally hooked on this little indulgence. There is something satisfying about sorting out the washing when it smells fresh and clean. Never again will I be buying supermarket own brand, well, at least till we hit our overdraft limit anyway!

I quite liked this Bold 2 in 1 Rose Blush and Peony, but then to be honest I really like the smell of roses. I know that for some people the worry would be that clothes might smell a little bit old ladyish but I can assure you this is far, far removed from being the case. Instead, its quite a floral designer perfume fragrance which they claim will last for three weeks in your wardrobe. I've not tested that, but it doesn't seem an unreasonable claim. I'll be honest, I did like it enough for me to re-order another box of it in our Internet shopping, which isn't a bad measure from someone as mean as me...

Now, I was really lucky because not only did I get sent the washing powder I also got a beautiful Olivia Ruben limited edition scarf. Very pink, I must admit it was totally up my street as I quite often wear scarf's to work to try to smarten up my jeans and t-shirt uniform. The minute I walked into the office I was told I looked smart and even my mum who is very fashion critical said it was beautiful. So, I feel it is my duty to let you know that you will be able to get hold of them through various competitions on the web (do some searches)  and keep an eye on:  www.supersavvyme.com/bold where you can also get some money off vouchers for washing powders and loads of other products...

Review; Bold 2 in 1 Rose Blush and Peony

Guest Post: Three go to Top Golf

I used to love Top Golf before kids so was very excited to hear that they are setting up some summer camps for children. Unfortunately my two are too small at the moment to join, so I sent along my friend (and mummy reviews contributor) Louise to sample what they have to offer:

This week, Myself, small boy and his best mate (both 6), went to TopGolf in Watford for a taste of
the TopGolf Junior Summer Camps. For those of you who haven’t heard of TopGolf – it’s a sort of
technologically advanced driving range which can recognise your balls and keeps score for you. It’s a
bit like bowling – but with golf clubs!

When we got there, the boys were whisked off to be introduced to their instructor and the other
children in the exclusive Summer Camp area, and to start their day with warm up and coaching
sessions. I warmed up, (or rather cooled down!) with a nice refreshing drink and a chat and was then
invited to try TopGolf for myself.

Heading upstairs – my idea, as I thought starting off higher up might just make my ball go further,
we were all given a bucket of uniquely identified balls and shown to our tee. All equipment is
provided and I was soon whacking away, trying to hit the target areas, and I did – entirely by luck,
not judgement – which goes to prove that anyone can do this! After I had had my fill on the driving
range we headed out to try Adventure Golf – in my day it was crazy golf but that’s probably an
offensive term now – and had a jolly good time negotiating the hazards and getting a little bit
sunburned.

Before I knew it, it was lunchtime and time to collect the boys – I had forgotten all about them! They
were full of chatter about how far they had hit the ball and who had scored most and both had had a
really enjoyable morning. Neither have any prior golf experience and they both managed to hit a ball
into the Green target – which at 90 yards is, I think, a pretty good achievement.

We had to leave at lunchtime – much to the boys disappointment – (mainly from Small Boys point
of view because he missed out on chips!) but children who attend the Summer Camp get to choose
from the lunch menu and then go on to do an afternoon of quizzes, adventure golf and more
training and competitions on the driving range. The day rate for 9am to 3.30pm is £25 or £35 until
5.30pm and includes food, drinks, instruction and equipment and there are discounts for weekly
bookings. I think that’s pretty good value. So, if you have a budding Darren Clark (aged 6 to 12ish) at
home in the holidays, book them in for the day. I will certainly think about booking Small Boy in for
another day and then I get to have another go too!

Guest Post: Three go to Top Golf

Garmin GTU 10 Review

Hello, its Alex here, doting husband of Beingamummy. Wifey recently tasked me with setting her Garmin GTU 10 up so we could take it along to Lollibop and monitor the moments of small boy, just in case he should get lost.

But lets take a step back here. What is the Garmin GTU 10? The name Garmin might be a bit of a give away if you've got a satnav because they're one of the top manufacturers of satnav devices. But the Garmin GTU 10 isn't a satnav, it's cleverer than that. The Garmin GTU is about the size of a chunky cigarette lighter, and slightly curved like a banana. It also comes with a little pouch with a lanyard attached, you'll see that this comes in useful later.

The Garmin GTU 10 is actually a personal locator device. Once you've set it up, you can clip it to anyone/anything and track them when they're out and about. The great example that Garmin give is attaching it to your child and making sure they get to and from school okay (you can set up something called a geofence, which is really just an area or location which the device will let you know once it's entered). That's why we thought it would be perfect for festival going!

I'm not entirely sure how the technology works, it must have some sort of mobile phone style data chip in it, because once you've set it up on the rather fiddly website (it doesn't like Firefox v5.0 for example), the device can communicate with your computer or smartphone wirelessly. We eschewed the web interface since you have to download a plugin, and it's all a bit clunky, and installed the app onto my iPhone and wifey's android phone.

Once you have the app on your phone, it's dead easy to connect to the Garmin GTU10, all you have to do is enter the username and password that you registered the device with on the Garmin website. Turning the GTU10 on and off is simple, holding the button down for a couple of seconds causes a green blinking light to flash, indicating it's being turned on and it goes red for off.

Once you've turned your Garmin GTU10 on, it takes about 2 or three minutes to get a good satellite lock outside. As we didn't actually lose the boy at Lollibop (thank goodness) we thought it would be great to give it a proper test of an appropriate lost scenario. Thus, it was strapped to me on a trip to work! I set off with the device clipped to my man bag whilst wifey kept tabs on me.

There are several power settings you can set via the website or your phone app which alter how often the device location updates and consequently how long the battery lasts- the more often it updates the shorter the battery life. On the plus side, you'll get an email when the battery life drops below 10%!

Wifey was able to keep an eye on me relatively easily while I was out, which was good. I'm not so sure I'd attach it to a child to make sure they get to and from school though, even if ours were a bit older. the sticking point is really the price. Don't get me wrong, the Garmin GTU10 isn't overpriced for what it is- after all it's a satnav like device with wireless communication built in, but at £179.99 (which include a free years service plan, this will need renewing after the first 12 months), most of the physical possessions I own (netbook included) cost less than the tracking device. I'm not terribly sure I'd like it knocking around at school all day either. Having said that, as soon as someone plugs it in to charge, you'll find out where it is!

Perhaps the best use for the Garmin GTU10 is as a proximity alarm. Attach it to you child and set a geofence round your house/street and if they wonder off whilst playing, you'll get an alarm message allowing you to haul them back.

Would we buy one? Not entirely sure at that price, however once the children get bigger and do go out and about it might be worthwhile. Provided you could make sure they couldn't remove it!

Garmin are currently running a competition on their Facebook page to give some lucky followers a Garmin GTU10 for free, so why not head over to Facebook and enter it? You can also keep up to date with what they're up to on twitter, via @GarminUK and the hashtag #trackwhatyoulove

Garmin GTU 10 Review