Bosch Athlet Cracker Challenge

You know me dearest reader
I can't turn down a dare
To make, create, do something daft
I'm happy to be there.

So when I was invited
To make crackers and a mess
I was really quite delighted
As if you couldn't guess

So with my Squeaky helper

We started to create
Though Christmas is now over
We're actually not late

We rolled and stuffed and twisted

Crepe paper wrapped and tied

Sticky taped and decorated

And put sweets and hats inside

Our crafting was quite tidy
As you can clearly see
Though we still need to clean a mess
The mess that's soon to be

Coz our crackers aren't for Christmas
Squeaky's birthday's coming soon
And her friends are coming over
To mess up my living room

With crackers, fun, and movies
Popcorn, pizza, cheese
My mess is in the future
Help me Bosch Athlet, please

I can't yet give a hashtag
#showUSyourmess still to come
But I promise to save a piece of cake
If you let me be the one!

Disclosure: 

This post and awesome poem

Form my blogging entry

To the #showUSyourmess challenge

The kit was complementary

Provided to me free of charge

To help me spin my tale

And stand a chance of winning

A Bosch Athlet vacuum, £239.99 for sale

The words are all my own

And I have not been paid

Links are for convenience

No affiliate scheme made.

The Real Effect - Adding a little sparkle to your day

Nothing makes my eyes light up quite as much as the chance to open up one of those magical little boxes, to find something beautiful, shiny, sparkly, and oh so perfect inside.  Trouble is, that's usually just a little bit expensive.  Or a lot expensive if you know what I mean.  That's where The Real Effect come in.  With over 20 years experience, they team sterling silver (my favourite) with cubic zirconia gemstones to make jewellery that looks every bit as stunning as diamonds and precious stones, but at a price to make your pocket smile too!  Even my bank manager would be happy with that.

I hope right now you're reaching for your credit card, scratching your head and wondering to yourself, "What should I buy for my favourite blogger for Christmas?"  Well, look no further, because I've put together a mini wishlist, and I'll be happy to accept these tokens of your appreciation for my time, effort and assaults on the English language.

First up, this gorgeous channel set ring.  My engagement ring is a trilogy ring, and I love the sentiment that the three stones represent the past, the present & the future.  This ring is kind of a triple trilogy with three sets of three stones, which would symbolise me, Daddy and Squeaky, and our past, present & future together.   Sentimental old fool I am some days, I know, but that's just me.  The simplicity of this ring means that I could wear it every day without worrying about catching the stones on something, but it's an unusual style, which would stand out amongst the solitaire crowd at the school gates.  And with purple hair, I'm never going to blend in with them, am I?  £43.70 to make sure I don't fade into a background of peroxide and designer labels (and that's just the kids)

My second choice is this curved sterling silver pendant.  To me, it's a chilli pepper.  It is, isn't it?  Now, don't panic, I'm not going to get all oversharey about the state of my relationship, but I do love a bit of spicy food every now & then, who doesn't?  And one of my friends goes by the nickname Chilli, so it would remind me of her every time I wore it, which would fix a smile on my face as I thought of all sorts of bad behaviour and good times!  No, I'm not telling you what, statute of limitations and all that, I can't be held responsible any more, or at least not without a certain, shiny gift.  £33.50 is a bargain price for an insight into my psyche and misspent youth.

OK. So now you know what to buy me, I want you to think very hard about how you're going to wrap these lovely shinies.  I'd suggest a red gift bag, with the boxes inside, slipped under the Christmas tree around about midnight.  I'll leave a glass of sherry out for Santa, and a carrot for Rudolph, you do your bit and I'll do mine.  Bonus points for humming "Have yourself a merry little Christmas", or leaving me a bacon sarnie & glass of bucks fizz, because no-one else will remember.

For my part, I will make sure my eyes light up like the Blackpool illuminations, and do my best surprised look when you've given me exactly what I asked for!  You love me, don't you?

My eyes. From the top deck of a number 1 bus.

Disclosure: This post is my entry to a competition hosted by Diary of a Jewellery Lover, where I have the chance of winning vouchers to spend on items from The Real Effect. I have not been paid for my post, and there is no guarantee I will receive a prize.  Links are provided for convenience, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use. My competition entry is not judged on the number of clicks to the above links.

As One Door Closes...

After a whole year of part time nursery class, Squeaky's broken up for the summer holidays, and is moving upstairs to reception full time in September.  While she knows the children and the teachers, and it's exactly where she goes to Breakfast Club every day, it's still a pretty big change, and she's been showing some anxiety about it all.  Clingier than I've seen her in a very long time, wanting to stay with me rather than go to activities and join in with other children.  Sometimes I think we forget how much our children know, and what seems insignificant to us can be huge to them.  Nursery is all the school she's experienced, so it must be pretty big.

In addition to moving upstairs, and going full time, there's more changes going on at school.  Rather than being the last remaining separate Infants school in the borough, the school is merging with the linked Junior school that pretty much all the Year 3's move on to.  The head of the Infants is retiring after over 20 years at the school, and both schools are getting a new name, motto and uniform.  It's quite the end of an era, as the Infants school has been there for 112 years.  Forget parents having gone to the school, we're talking Great Grandparents, and beyond!  That's something I fell in love with when we first visited, the real sense of history and place.

The new headmaster is doing a good job of involving parents in being an active part of the new school though.  We've been invited to make suggestions for the school name, logo and motto.  And I'm secretly more than a little bit proud that my motto suggestion has been adopted by the school, so we're already making our mark on the future.  You can dress it up any way you like, but it's still a tie-breaker competition, and my inner comper can't resist a good tie-break.

The challenge of full time school, for us, is going to be all about the food.  I'm confident Squeaky will cope with the hours and the work, but the big question is will she eat?  And if so, what?

We're trying our hardest to get her to expand her diet, with some small successes, but she's what can be politely described as a stubborn creature - it's the Capricorn in her.  I've looked over the school dinner menus, and over the three week cycle, she'd probably eat about 5 meals, and that's being optimistic.  The alternative, obviously, is packed lunches.  Again, a battle.  When she eats only a limited range of foods, I'm terrified of falling foul of the lunchbox police & having my marmite sandwiches and babybels confiscated.  I have enough trouble getting us up and dressed in time for school in the mornings, never mind making a packed lunch as well (as you can tell by the rubbish I eat in the office). And really, bento?  No offence to those who can, but this is my reality. I have neither the time nor inclination to make pretty garden scenes out of cress, carved tomatoes and pasta shapes.  Which will only get swapped for someone else's squashed jam sandwich anyway.  If I had time for that in the morning, maybe I'd have time to blog more often!

Kellogg's Give A Child A Breakfast - Competition

You've read my recent post about the Kellogg's Give A Child A Breakfast campaign, haven't you?  Well, how would you like to help your local school's Breakfast Club, by giving them an amazing £50 of vouchers to help provide children with a healthy & nutritious breakfast?

That's right, I've got £50 of Kellogg's vouchers right here in my hot & sweaty hand, ready to send out for you to give to your school's breakfast club.  And if your children aren't in school, or your school doesn't have a breakfast club, there's sure to be another school nearby that does.  And they'd be more than happy to accept these vouchers.  (And if you still don't know of a school, I know plenty!)

Not this Breakfast Club!

Breakfast clubs are amazing.  I visit families every day who struggle to make ends meet, and have to go without basics to keep the house warm, to pay the rent, to have school uniforms. Breakfast clubs can ease a little bit of that pressure.

So, you want to help? And you want to win?  Here's what you need to do:

Leave a comment telling me your favourite breakfast, and a way to contact you.

Simple as that!  Nothing complicated.

Entries are open now, and will close on Friday 1st November 2013 at 11.59pm.  Any comments left after this time will not be counted.  Worldwide entries accepted, but the prize is only valid for donation to a UK school - so if you're overseas, think about where the vouchers are going!

A winner will be picked at random after the closing date.  My decision is final.

Best of luck!

Interviews. We love them!

I used to give Interview Skills training quite frequently in a former job, it turned out to be something I really enjoyed, seeing people who you knew were more than capable of doing a job, but didn't come across well in an interview develop the skills to sell themselves.  It's a vital skill in the job market, being able to come across well in an interview, and to give the best of yourself in the hope of scoring that top job.  If you want to learn more about interviewing, and hone your own skills (and I'm too far away for you to bribe me with cake), you could do far worse than to visit the Total Jobs Job Academy and pick up some tips. (My personal number 1 tip is to give yourself that one last look over in the bathroom mirrors before your interview - there's nothing worse than a dodgy looking stain)

There's been a vital vacancy in our house for a little while.  Since the retirement of Upsy Daisy, the important position of Most Beloved Nighttime Cuddly Toy has been filled with a series of temporary replacements, but now it's time to recruit a permanent team member.  So, I've held an interview with one of the likely candidates – Spanish Dolly.

Spanish Dolly takes the hotseat

So, Spanish Dolly, what special skills can you bring to the role of Squeaky’s Cuddly?

Well, I speak Spanish, I can count up to ten and say “Buenos Dias” and “Adios”, so we can talk in Spanish and learn new words.  And I know lots of songs from the Mini Disco.  I’ve got a bunny on my dress because bunnies are soft and cuddly, and most importantly I’m very squishy, so I’m really good for cuddles & cwtches.  That’s a Welsh word.  I know some Welsh words too.

OK.  What would you do if Squeaky had a nightmare?

I’d give her a big hug, and tell her about when I lived in Spain, with my brother and sister, Steve and Ponty.  I can’t close my eyes so I don’t go to sleep, so I’d always be there in case she woke up in the night, and I don’t get tired.

What about daytime then?  Nighttime Cuddly Toys don’t get daytimes off, unfortunately.

I’m good at dancing, I can fly, and I like going to new places.  Did you know that I went to Spain with Squeaky last year to find my friend Daisy (not Upsy Daisy).  I don’t mind getting messy, because I’ve even had a trip in the washing machine before, and I just come out smelling nice. I love having adventures, as long as there aren’t any animals that might try to eat me.  I’m a bit scared of being eaten.

Thanks Spanish Dolly. Have you got any questions for me, or Squeaky?

Yes.  Can I have some milk and a biccie now please?

So, would Spanish Dolly get the job, do you think? The final decision is up to Squeaky, but I think Spanish Dolly's in with a good chance, the other candidates include a hobby horse called Moo-Moo, a large Broccoli called Broccoli, and a slowly deflating balloon from a pizza restaurant.

This is my entry into the Total Jobs & I Am Typecast Interview competition.

Lunch Less Ordinary Challenge Week 3

This week, Mission Deli Wraps have set their Lunch Less Ordinary bloggers a really fun challenge, and for once I had the time to get involved.  It's the third week of the challenges, but the first time I've had the chance and the braincells to enter.

The challenge was to make a wrap inspired by your favourite film or book.  I thought, and thought, and thought a bit more.  Dirty Dancing?  Not really appropriate for a 3 year old, and it's quite difficult to put a tortilla wrap around a watermelon!  Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy?  I didn't have the ingredients for a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, Tesco had sold out of Arcturian Mega-gin.  So I decided it would be a better idea if I asked Squeaky for her choices.

We couldn't come up with a Toy Story sandwich, or at least not an edible one, there's not much food in the film.  And so we turned to her favourite book, and that's when inspiration struck.  The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Who says that wraps have to be savoury?  Sadly there was a lack of appetising looking plums & strawberries in the supermarket, so we had to improvise slightly from the original, but we took an apple, pear, orange, banana, melon, pineapple and grapes, and got wrapping.

The starting point for our Hungry Caterpillar wraps

 

On Friday he ate through five oranges, but he was still hungry!

A wrap in progress

It's a wrap!  We even found our Hungry Caterpillar plate.

The sweet wraps were really tasty, and a healthy treat for lunchtime, or a change from the usual supper time biscuit.  I think next time I'll cut the fruit a little smaller to make the wraps easier to hold, but the taste was amazing.  The tortillas went very well with the fruit, just a little touch of flavour (I used the plain ones, Mediterranean Herb didn't sound right for this, somehow!)

Om nom nom!

What do you think?  Is fruit the future? We think so!

This is our entry for the Mission Deli Lunch Less Ordinary Challenge.

Preparing for Denmark

Way back in time (May, actually), I was sat watching the Eurovision Song Contest with my beloved husband, and keeping up with the snarky comments on twitter (how did we watch the Eurovision before twitter came along?), when a tweet went past my eye that I couldn't look away from. Kenco Millicano were running a twitter competition during the Eurovision to win a trip to the winning country. Wild horses couldn't keep me from that one.  So I was amazed when I had a tweet a few days later telling me I'd won a trip to Denmark!  Copenhagen here we come!  (Secretly I was slightly relieved that Azerbaijan didn't win, I can't see them having a big tourism industry)

We've picked our dates, arranged a sleepover for Squeaky, and preparation is firmly afoot.  I'm not great at geography, but I've figured out where Denmark is, and a few important facts.  Denmark is the home of Danish Bacon, Danish Pastries, Carlsberg, and Hans Christian Andersen.  We're off to Copenhagen, the capital city, home of the Little Mermaid statue, and the Tivoli Gardens which seem to be a mix of theme park, showground, concert venue & everything else you can imagine!

I'm in the middle of researching places to go & see, so if you've got any suggestions, or know anyone who knows anyone, if you know what I mean, please do tell!

In the meantime, if you want me, I'll be here, getting in the mood...

Fresh Gourmet - Sesame beef & noodle salad. Review & Recipe

I was recently sent a selection of Fresh Gourmet salad sprinkles (I'm sure there's a better term), to try out for you, my lucky readers.  Fresh Gourmet are the leading brand in the US for salad toppings, and have now launched in the UK.  I received 4 bags to try out:  Crispy Onions, Cheese & Garlic Croutons, Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper Croutons, and Basil Pesto Ciabatta Croutons.

I set to making a special summer salad to try out some of my new noms... why not give it a try yourself?

Sesame Beef & Noodle Salad
Serves 1 as a main meal, or 2 as a side
Ingredients
100g beef strips
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp sesame seeds
60g rice vermicelli
Half red pepper, diced
Handful lambs lettuce
Splash of olive oil for cooking.
Fresh Gourmet crispy onions to taste
Fresh Gourmet cheese & garlic croutons to taste

Pour the maple syrup into a bowl, add the beef strips & toss to coat well.
Add the sesame seeds & coat the beef strips well.
Heat a frying pan with a small amount of olive oil, add the beef strips & cook on a medium heat until cooked through.  Place to one side to cool.
Boil the kettle.
Place the vermicelli in a large bowl, and cover with boiling water, cooking to the instructions on the pack (mine said 3 minutes)
Rinse the cooked vermicelli under cold water to cool down, and place into a serving bowl
Place the lambs lettuce & diced pepper on top of the vermicelli.
Add the beef strips, you can use some of the maple sesame glaze as a salad dressing if you like.
Sprinkle on the crispy onions & croutons.

I enjoyed putting together something a bit different, all too often my salads are just a boring mix of lettuce, tomato & cucumber, which is why I don't bother with them all that often!  If you've met me, that will be all too obvious.

The crispy onions were great, they added a lovely hit of flavour, the only danger is I can see myself tucking into them straight from the bag, and I'm sure that's not what they're designed for!  The croutons are baked, rather than fried, which gives them a slightly softer texture than fried croutons, which is quite welcome.  I find many commercially bought fried croutons are too hard and rip my mouth to pieces.  And the flavour of the cheese & garlic were lovely, they really added something extra to the salad.

I haven't yet tried out the sea salt & cracked black pepper, I'm thinking that they will go well with some homemade tomato soup, and the basil pesto ciabatta croutons are waiting for me to do some sort of chicken caesar salad, they'll work well with the flavours in that I think.

Fresh Gourmet toppings are now available in Tesco stores in the UK for around £2.00 a pack, which I think is really good value, the packs will last for ages (unless, like me, you decide to eat them instead of crisps!)

Disclosure: I was provided with the above 4 packs of Fresh Gourment toppings free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own. Links are provided for convenience, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme & will not receive payment for their use.  By producing my own unique recipe using the ingredients I was provided, I have been given the opportunity to enter a prize draw to win kitchen utensils.

Discovery Instagram Competition

You know me by now, dear reader. There are two things I like (aside from cocktails!), competitions and food.  What better way to make me smile than something that combines the two?

Well, Discovery Foods, the fab Mexican food people, have just launched an Instagram channel, and to celebrate, they want people to upload their Mexican food creations, made with Discovery ingredients.  The competition runs for 4 weeks from 1st July 2013, and each week there's 10 chances to win £25 of Amazon vouchers.  And you know what Dale Winton says, you've got to be in it to win it!

Lacking in inspiration?  Well, take a look at their recipe page, there's plenty of ideas there.  I rustled up a Spanish/Cajun fusion dinner over the weekend, of Cajun Chicken & Chorizo wraps with soured cream & salsa, and had enough of the filling left over for tea the next day with some rice & veggies.  I'm not going to show you my final creation - that's my entry for the competition, but here's the work in progress!

Think you can do better?  Well, whip up something amazing, get your camera out, and upload it to instagram, using the caption "My #deliciousdiscovery entry for a chance to win a £25 Amazon voucher with @Discoveryfoods"

What are you waiting for? Get to it!

Disclosure: I was provided with a selection of ingredients from Discovery Foods in order to be able to take part in the competition in return for this post. I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own.  Links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use.

Retail Royalty Challenge with Money Supermarket

Money Supermarket.  You know them, the price comparison people that DON'T have a really annoying advert.  Well, they've set a challenge to bloggers.  On signing up, and picking a charity, they sent me £30 and challenged me to get shopping.

It was a difficult decision to pick a charity to support.  After all there's so many.  I work for a charity myself, it would be so easy to find ways to spend that money on our services, but they get my time, and the sweat of my brow on a daily basis, I couldn't do that!  People might get the wrong idea!  So I thought a bit wider, and about some of the charities that support the work we do.  That's when it came to me, and I paid a visit to the Merthyr Cynon Foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust.

The work they do amazes me.  This is the 21st Century, we're a developed nation, filled with internet, mobile phones, satellite tv, cars, double glazing, and the kind of comforts people in the developing world aspire to, comforts that only a couple of generations ago wouldn't even have been dreamt of.  And yet every night, here in the UK people are going to bed hungry, parents are going without food to make sure their children are fed, people are relying on local foodbanks in order to get a decent meal.  In the 18 months since the Merthyr Cynon Foodbank opened their doors, they've fed over 3,500 people.  Over 1200 children.  And that's just in one small area of South Wales.  There's over 350 foodbanks in the UK, and they fed over 350,000 people last year.

The foodbank provides 3 days worth of emergency food, non-perishable & nutritious food to get people through a crisis - losing a job, benefit delays, banking problems.  And they're amazing people too.  Whenever you visit our local foodbank centre, they greet you at the door with a smile and a free cuppa, a chat, advice, a friendly welcoming place to go when the world seems a bit greyer than usual.  They're a ray of sunshine.

As I said, I paid the foodbank a visit, and asked them for their wishlist, which items were they most in need of?  They hold collections at the local supermarkets & through churches, but obviously what they receive through that can be a bit hit & miss, so I wanted to make sure I spent my £30 on the items they needed the most.  I was asked for variety packs of breakfast cereal (so they can split them up for single people, rather than giving huge boxes), 500g bags of sugar, and tinned fruit.

So, armed with my shopping list, I hit the internet, and browsed mysupermarket.co.uk to see who had the best deals, and marched around the local discounter stores to see if they could beat them.  I found my best bargains, and popped out to fill my car.  And fill it I did!  What you can see in the picture below is: 12 variety packs of breakfast cereal, each containing 8 boxes, 16 500 gram bags of sugar, and 11 tins of mandarin oranges.

My haul!

I got some rather odd looks in the supermarket when I filled my trolley up with this little lot, let me tell you!  But it came to a grand total of £30.08.  I subbed them the 8p, it's the least I can do.

I was amazed how much I could get for my £30.  I really didn't think I'd get a trolley load.  It sounds like an insignificant sum, I know I spend way more than that a week on our shopping, but I managed to buy so much food, that will make a real difference to people in crisis.  Someone will be able to go to bed tonight having eaten well, be able to get up in the morning & have a decent breakfast, and that could make all the difference.

Many thanks to Money Supermarket for giving me the opportunity to support their work.

This is my entry to the Retail Royalty Challenge, from Money Supermarket.

Splish Splash

I started writing this post a few days ago, you know.  And it was so bad that I tried to scrunch up the monitor & throw it in the bin.  Really, it was awful.  So I gave up, but I didn't stop thinking.

This is my bathroom... Inoffensive, bland, with horrible swaggy blinds that weren't fashionable even when the house was being a showhouse in 1991.  (Please ignore the large number of toys at the end of the bath, and assorted cosmetics on the windowsill).  It's a massive improvement on the bathroom in my old house, which I don't even have photos of.  It was chocolate brown.  Need I say more?  This one, at least, is white.

Tots100 and Bathshop321 have joined up to ask about our dream bathrooms.  This was the point where I got a bit carried away the other day, and went off into a crazy fantasy world of built in tellies, self-filling wine fridges, and a view of the ocean.  I even drew a picture.  No-one needed to see it, it was terrible.  I can't draw for toffee.  And it wasn't true.  OK, there was a heated towel rail included too, and that is my One True Ambition in life.  I SO want a heated towel rail.  I get all excited when I stay in a hotel and there's a heated towel rail there, I'm like a kid at Christmas.  I know radiators warm towels up just as well, but they're not the same, or not in my head anyway.

The truth of my ideal bathroom is much simpler.  I want to get rid of the horrible blinds, the beige carpet (and the green mats), the wood, and the beigey wallpaper.  In its place, I want clean lines, simple blue & white, with a Greek Key design.  Something that reminds me of holidays, lazing by the pool. Somewhere I can relax & let the stress float away.

I didn't draw you a picture of this.  Instead, I took a stroll through my photos, through my memories, and found the picture that serves as my inspiration.  So this, then, is what inspires my dream bathroom.  I took this photo a good few years ago now, in Neos Marmaras in Greece.  That shade of blue is so evocative of Greece, and makes me feel so at peace, I'd love to have that in my bathroom.  In fact, I'd probably get this picture blown up to put on the wall above the bath.

So there you have it, my simple vision for my dream bathroom.  Greek blue & white, with a heated towel rail.  A girl's got to have a dream, right?

As well as asking about our dream bathrooms, Tots100 and Bathshop321 are giving one lucky blogger the chance to win a new bathroom suite.  If I was that person, I think I'd choose the Galaxia showerbath suite, and be able to bathe or shower in style.  The lines fit well with my blue dream, and it's modern but comfortable, everything I need.

The Daxon VIP Challenge

Those folk at Daxon have challenged their VIP bloggers again.  This time, we've been challenged to pick an outfit, for up to £200, and someone will win their choices.  Sounds good to me.

Well.  Some friends of ours have just announced their engagement (and about time too, if you ask me!).  So, in anticipation of the date being set, I've got to choose an outfit for a wedding.

First off, I've chosen this Anne Weyburn dress for £69.00.  It's pretty, it's unusual, and the flower on the front adds a lovely bit of detail perfect for a summer wedding.  I think it'd work quite nicely on holiday as well, strolling along a foreign beach as the sun goes down, sitting by the beach bar with a cocktail in hand.  Sorry, I forgot I was a parent for a minute then.  Ah well, dream on.

Then, to go with the dress, I've gone for these silver sandals for £24.00.  I'm not very good at heels, and like shoes that look pretty but are still sensible & practical.  These tick all my boxes, and I could dance the night away in them.  Wedding disco.  That means the Cha Cha Slide and a bit of shuffling round in circles with your loved one, doesn't it?

Being paranoid about the British weather, I'd need a jacket to go with the dress in case of sudden downpours.  I've opted for this Anne Weyburn jacket at £55.00.  It's light enough to not weigh you down, but will take the chill off shoulders in the evening, and keep the dress pretty if the British summer plays its usual games!

What good is a new outfit without a new handbag?  Especially if there's a wedding to go to.  That's why I've chosen this gorgeous little zip bag for £23.00.  Just big enough for a lipstick, purse, phone, and the all-important confetti!

So, what do you think guys? Will I be the most glamorous guest at the wedding?  Or should I worry about outshining the bride?  Let me know what you think of my choices.

Worst Window Views

I had an email land in my inbox recently, asking about my worst ever window view.  My mind was immediately cast back to last summer, when I spent the evening after Cybher with Helen from Petitmom, Di from Superlucky and Claire from Ninja Killer Cat, in a hotel room with a view of a semi-naked 50-something bloke watching tv in his living room.

Not a flashback I really needed, to be honest.  And not a picture anyone needs to see.

So I thought a bit harder.  And had a good old look through my photo collection.  I rarely think to take photos from hotel windows, which is a shame, because my room in the same hotel as above had a wonderful view of, err, some scaffolding.    I normally only take photos of particularly attractive views from windows.  The boring views I tend to ignore & leave the curtains shut.  But then I hit the proverbial goldmine.

Room with a view, Toronto style

This is genuinely the view that greeted me from a hotel window in Toronto.  It wasn't the most salubrious area of Toronto, to tell the truth.  I didn't really see much of it the evening I arrived, and I was pretty shattered after my flight.  When my friend joined me a couple of hours later, we ventured across the road to a 24-hour supermarket for essential coffee & snacks, and collapsed without checking out the view.  It was only the following morning that I opened the curtains to find, well, judge for yourself.  A wall, a wheelbarrow, some scaffold poles, and I don't even want to consider what was in that box.

Room with a view, Niagara style

Fortunately, this was strictly a one night stay.  We moved on to Niagara that morning, where we had a much more exciting view of, errrr, a car park.  Seriously.  But it's Niagara.  You're not there to look out of your hotel window.  You're there to look at the falls, which even a couple of streets back from the main attraction still provides the most incredible soundtrack to your stay imaginable.

Despite really not hitting the jackpot with my hotel views in Canada, I still had a fantastic week with old & new friends (and got asked for ID going into a casino, at the ripe old age of 31!)

This post is my entry to the Wooden Blinds Direct worst window view competition.  If you want your chance to win a Kindle Fire, share your own view, but get in quick, the competition closes on 12 April!

Our entry to the Tots100 Printerpix Competition

I have many talents. Apparently.  I'm not all that convinced photography is one of them.  I like taking photos, and occasionally I'll take one I'm really proud of, but there's an awful lot of misses compared to the number of hits.

Tots100 have teamed up with Printerpix to showcase our family photography talents, with one lucky winner taking home a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 bridge camera (that's the big clever camera, but not as complicated as a DSLR to us mortals) worth £500, and £100 to spend on prints & gifts at Printerpix.  4 others will also win a large framed photo or canvas print.  You can find out more, and all the rules at Tots100.

The photo I've chosen is one I took on our recent visit to Cheddar Showcaves.  This naturally formed raised pool is just inside the entrance to Gough's cave.  Squeaky was a bit scared about the idea of going into the cave underground at the time, until she spotted this little pool.  We'd been talking about people living in the caves, and she decided that this pool was the Cave Baby's bath, and had to test the temperature of the water to see what it was like for the Cave Baby.  (It was cold. Very cold. Poor Cave Baby.)

I love that this photo captures the innocence and imagination of a pre-schooler.  Would *you* have said it was a baby's bath?  Or would it just have been a pretty puddle?  We've got lots of posed photos, but I like that this was just a natural moment, and wonder what the Cave Baby would have thought of us.

I'm entering the Children Aged 2-4 category of the competition, though I suspect the Cave Baby is considerably older than that!

This post is Lorraine's entry into the Printerpix Photo competition

CLOSED A Matter of Life And Death - Book Giveaway

WIN A SIGNED COPY!

BUYING THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS PRESENT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE…

A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

If, by Christmas Day, you’ve had enough ‘festive cheer’ for one year, then fill your stockings with presents with a darker edge.

If woolly jumpers, over-indulgent hampers and a box of old-lady soaps are not your thing, then how does ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ sound?

This must-have debut novel by Paul Carroll is a satirical reflection of contemporary Britain. A witty, black comedy with a thought-provoking core.

Paul draws upon the age-old saying: “Everybody should be famous for fifteen minutes. After they die” and questions if society has gone too far.

Both entertaining and shocking, this book is a perfect present for those looking to add a bit of depth to this year’s Christmas stocking.

For a chance to win a signed copy of A Matter Of Life and Death, simply tell us the name of the debut author in a comment below, along with a way to contact you (email or twitter):

1. Paul Carroll
2. Caroll Paul
3. Lewis Carroll

For a bonus entry tweet: "Stuff the tinsel & glad tidings, I wanna #win a copy of A Matter of Life & Death with @meedja & Squeakybaby http://squeakybaby.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-matter-of-life-and-death-book-giveaway.html" and leave me a second comment to let me know. Max 2 entries per person.

For more information visit www.amolad.co.uk

Closes 31/12/12, at midnight - as the fireworks go off!  3 copies to be won.  Standard terms & conditions apply, see the above tab.

Disclosure: I have been provided with a copy of this book free of charge, review to follow!

The Perfect Christmas Breakfast Competition

A sprinkling of magic over your corn flakes?  Smoked salmon on toast?  Or are you just going to overdose on chocolates?

Christmas dinner is the main event, there's no doubt about that.  But what keeps you going until the turkey is carved?  How do you get the energy to tear through all the wrapping paper, and phonecalls to Auntie Maureen to thank her for that talc & hanky set?

That's what the Russell Hobbs blog team want to ask.  What makes your perfect Christmas breakfast?  Or who?  (I'd love to see what Heston would make for Christmas breakfast, I'm just not so sure I could eat it!)

You could win a toaster and kettle in this very cool competition.  All you need to do is tell the Russell Hobbs team what makes your perfect Christmas breakfast, who you share your Christmas breakfast with, or some of your favourite Christmas breakfast memories.

Send them off by email to  RussellHobbsXmasCompetition@gmail.com by 9am on Monday 17th December 2012, and you could be in it to win it, as Dale Winton would have it.  Entries will be judged & a winner announced on the 18th December.  You could be toasting up a storm in time for Christmas day!

For full details and terms & conditions, please see the Russell Hobbs website.

Or, in fact, please don't!  My toaster and kettle are both showing their age, and I could really do with winning this one myself.  Think of me this Christmas, and let me win!

CLOSED Friends Giveaway!

The theme tune to Friends is one of those songs that's instantly recognisable, from the first jangly guitar notes, to the clapping bit, to the "I'll be there for yooooooooooooou" chorus.  It's so cute & jaunty & guaranteed to put a smile on my face.

I wasn't immediately a Friends fan, it started when I was at uni, and I couldn't quite empathise with a bunch of glamorous New York 20-somethings with their perfect haircuts and imperfect love lives.  But then I grew up a bit, and became a somewhat less glamorous Yorkshire 20-something myself.  With an imperfect haircut and a non-existant lovelife, hence why I had the time to watch, and I discovered what I'd been missing.

Well, to celebrate the release of the complete series of Friends on Blu-Ray on November 12th, Warner Brothers have come up with an amazing prize for me to share with you.  How would you like to recreate the set of Friends in your own home?  Two oversized cappucino mugs to pretend you're in Central Perk, and a picture frame like the one on the back of Monica's apartment door.  (How I ever resisted the temptation to do this, when I lived in a flat with a peephole, I still don't know!)

Well, apart from this great prize, they've come up with all sorts of fun to get involved, and get back in touch with your Friends roots.  There's a daily quiz, so come back again tomorrow to take part again!  There's a whole load of Friends memes, for your amusement.  And a weekly video mashup of some of the best moments across the series.





So. I reckon you want to know how to win now, don't you?  Well, it's dead simple, just use the rafflecopter widget below, (you might need to use a laptop or desktop, sorry mobile people.)  The giveaway is open now, and closes at 5am on Saturday 24th November (blame Rafflecopter's timezones).  Open to UK residents aged 18 or over only.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck people.  I'll be there for you...

If I won a Guardian Pro...

The fabulous Mellow Mummy has set us a challenge.  She's got a Guardian Pro car seat for someone to win, and in return for this amazing prize, she wants a limerick.

Now, limericks have never been my strongest point.  I may have won a competition at the start of this year with a poem, but that was a piece of poorly rhymed doggerel featuring the words "love-handles".  You don't need to know any more than that!

There's a couple of starting lines, so let's see which one I get on best with, eh?

If I won a Guardian Pro
On adventures Squeaky would go
Strapped safe in her seat
Who knows who we'll meet
The fun would leave US all Mellow!

The other starting line was When taking our "kiddy" on trips, but my brain went to bed half an hour before the rest of me, and I honestly can't think of more than one word to rhyme with "trips" right now.  So I guess that decision's been made for me.  (ps, I know there ARE more words, but they're just not in my brain right now. They'll be there in the morning, no doubt, along with a lingering feeling of embarrassment, and a cold.) Blame it on brain flips & blips! Ah-hahahaha! I'm not as daft as I look.

If you think you can do better than me, and that's not hard, why not pop over to Mellow Mummy's blog and have a go yourself?

CLOSED Win Dark Shadows on Blu-Ray (Johnny Depp, yum yum!)

Now, I know, I'm being far too good to you.  How do the words Johnny Depp strike you?  Well, sadly I can't arrange for the man himself to make a personal appearance in your living room, but what about the next best thing?  Johnny Depp in Dark Shadows, on Blu-Ray, for you?

Warner Bros. Pictures is proud to announce the release of Dark Shadows on DVD and Blu-Ray October 15th 2012; along with the Dark Shadows Blog App! 

From the incredible mind of Tim Burton comes the hit film Dark Shadows, based on the classic US television series!  Barnabas Collins has been trapped for two centuries by an evil witch (Eva Green) who just happens to be an ex lover.  Barnabas now has to struggle with the ever changing 1970s and save his family’s business!  With an all star cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jonny Lee Miller and more, Dark Shadows will be sure to whet your appetite for fun.

There's even a fun app to join in with, to get you right in the mood.  Perfect for your Hallowe'en preparations!

So, how does that grab you? Want to win it?


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, and don't get too frightened!

CLOSED Win Tickets to Sid's Show!

If you've got children in the house, this will be a very familiar face.  Sid Sloane, CBeebies' longest serving presenter, often to be found leaping around rapping about the number 4.  Well, this autumn, Sid's making the leap from the small screen to the big stage, with his very own live show!  And you could win tickets right here!

The Sid's Show tour has its official premiere in Brighton on 30th October, so I hope he's busy rehearsing now, in between episodes of Balamory!  There's a first cluster of shows in the autumn before a break (theatres full of  panto, I would guess) and the tour continues well into the new year, calling at over 30 venues.  Join Sid as he sets out on the quest to find where his favourite shoes & socks have gone - follow his adventures to the bottom of the ocean, outer space & deep in the jungle, in an interactive show filled with games & songs.

This sounds right up Squeaky's street.  We've taken her to a few live shows in the past and she's loved every minute of them - glowsticks at the ready!

And as if that wasn't enough, Sid's also going to be presenting his own show "Let's Play" on CBeebies later in the year.  Along with Rebecca Keatley, the show's all about encouraging children to discover the world around them through dressing up & creative role play.  Again, this is right on target for Squeaky at the moment, she's just discovered the joys of the dressing-up box, and spent a happy hour yesterday bouncing around the living room saying "I'm a rabbit! Hop Hop Hop!"  And then eating me, because apparently I'm a carrot.  The minds of children are fascinating!

If you'd like to join Sid on his adventure, it couldn't be easier.  I've got a family ticket to give away (2 adults & 2 children or 1 adult & 3 children) for Sid's tour, and I'd like you to win it!  (October dates are excluded, tickets subject to availability)  Just follow the instructions on the rafflecopter widget below, and you'll be in with a chance of seeing Sid's Show live, in a theatre near you.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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