Village Urban Resorts Cardiff

It doesn't happen very often that Daddy and I get a weekend to ourselves, and actually have something to do with our time.  Squeaky does visit my parents for sleepovers, but normally we've got nothing planned other than a swift pint in the local, and an undisturbed lie in.  However, some times, things just come together, and so it happened that we had the opportunity to visit the Village's Cardiff Urban Resort.  Even better when school announced an inset day to coincide with our trip, so Squeaky got longer with my folks, and we got more time to enjoy the facilities.

Now, I've eaten here a couple of times, but never had the chance to stay overnight before.  It's pretty close to home, but who says an escape has to be a long journey?  A retreat on your doorstep can be a really valuable concept.  And so, the Village.  The part of me that lives close by wonders why the hotel is just off the motorway, and just off the dual carriageway that forms my main route into the city centre. But then the sensible part of me remembers that hotels are located in places that are accessible for people who are travelling to them, and so the location is actually pretty much spot on.  It's a couple of miles out of the centre of Cardiff, which means it's not going to fill up with party-goers running up and down the corridors all night looking for their friends (and I've stayed in enough of those kind of hotels over the years), though it is a popular wedding venue, so it can get quite busy with groups over the weekend.

I love these cushions

We checked in on Friday lunchtime, and found plenty of parking space - always a good sign, and something of a rarity for city hotels, another bonus of being outside the city centre.  The hotel is pretty popular for business conferences and training events too, and they've clearly planned well with the large car park.  Our room was ready for us, even though we were earlier than the advertised check in of 3pm, and I was worryingly excited about the fact that we were staying in the "adults only" Upper Deck - the second (and top) floor of the hotel, with upgraded rooms, sky movies, a Starbucks hospitality tray, and lots of little touches to make this a real treat.  We don't get a night away from Squeaky all that often, so it was great to be just ourselves.  The room appeared newly decorated in a subtle modern style, and had everything you'd expect from a quality hotel - large flat-screen TV, plenty of seating space, hairdryer, an iron & ironing board, even an iPod dock, and a very special little welcome.

What a welcome

We set off from our room to experience the Viva spa, situated in the lower ground floor (I'm sure these floors used to be called basements!).  Due to errr, privacy, child protection, and risk of damage to your eyeballs, there are no pictures of me having a massage or in a swimming costume.  But just to make you jealous, I had a glorious 40 minute Lifesaving Back Treatment, my therapist Jessica was friendly and made the world of difference to my aching shoulders, and I floated out on cloud nine in a waft of Espa scented oils.  Life is good some days.  From the spa it was a couple of steps, wrapped up in my fluffy robe to the Velocity health club.  A gym (but I was really not feeling that energetic), pool, with jacuzzi, sauna and steam room.  I could spend all day in a steam room, given the choice.

That sadly wasn't possible, for the best reason, of course.  Dinner.  Our dinner reservation in the Verve restaurant had me slightly confused because there seems to be some rebranding between Verve and Vinny and Vito's, and I can't quite tell which way it's going.  Anyway, Verve is what our reservation said, so Verve it is.  The menu was kept simple, but with loads of intense and varied flavours.  With at least 4 vegetarian starters and main courses, there was a good choice, and I couldn't wait to get stuck in.  I opted for the caramelised onion & feta tartlet to start with, and couldn't have picked better if I'd been in the kitchen.  (At this point I have to apologise because I really couldn't take photos of Daddy's dinner across the table before he tucked in.)

Caramelised onion and feta tartlet

The buttery pastry of the tart, along with the generous amount of cheese was washed down with a crisp, dry New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, as I eyed up the meals arriving at the tables around me. The steaks definitely appeared to be popular, Daddy opted for the sirloin steak and chips which he declared to be perfect, whilst I pretended to be health conscious and chose a salmon fillet with new potatoes.  I was quite torn before I ordered this as the salsa contains coriander, and I'm really not a fan.  I'm glad I did though, because the coriander was light and didn't overpower the other flavours, giving the salmon a fresh edge and a really attractive presentation.

Salmon fillet with mango, coriander and chilli salsa

After a very relaxed night's sleep, we headed back to the Verve restaurant for breakfast.  I was only disappointed that I couldn't sit within view of the toast machine, because that is by far my favourite thing about buffet breakfasts.  However, the clientèle of the Village seemed to be a touch more competent than most, and there wasn't even a hint of flame coming out of it.  There was, on the other hand, a lovely selection of cooked breakfast, plus cereals, pastries, fruit, yogurts, and mini chocolate muffins which seemed to be going down a storm with the younger guests.  I was worryingly excited to be sat under one of the quirky light fittings I'd spotted the evening before, and took the opportunity for a cheeky photo.  Now I want to redecorate my kitchen.  I need these lights in my life.

Cool lighting

The Village is in a great location for exploring the scenery to the north of Cardiff. As well as being a spit away from Daddy's former employers, and only a mile away from his current work, it sits in the shadow of Castell Coch, a 19th Century Gothic Revival castle built on the ruins of an older castle on side of the mountain, and a regular location for TV filming.  Dr Who, The Worst Witch and Merlin have all filmed there, amongst others.  It rises up like a red fairy tale (Castell Coch is Welsh for Red Castle, you can see why) from the trees, and never fails to take my breath away.  Caerphilly is also only a stone's thrown away, as well as the sights of Cardiff, and the Brecon Beacons slightly further north.  And if you head that way, call in for a cuppa on your way past my house, and I'll tell you all the best places to go for bargains and cake!

Castell Coch

I loved the consistency of the V theme throughout the hotel. something that could be cheesy. but it's so well done with a hint of humour, and carried on through hashtags on their twitter feed as well.  A little bit of fun goes a long way.  We had a great night at Village's Cardiff hotel, and I'd be absolutely over the moon to go back, now I just need to find an excuse!

Disclosure: I was invited to be a guest at the hotel free of charge, and provided with a spa treatment and meal in the restaurant for the purposes of this review. 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.

Cake Angels

Before I start with this review, I need to give a mammoth apology.  This post has been bubbling under forever.  Seriously, I mean like ages.  And just when I didn't think I could feel any more guilty, I used some more of their lovely stuff and realised I still hadn't written a post.  So I am officially a Bad Blogger today, slap my wrist and send me to bed without supper.

Right. Now that's out of they way, let me introduce you to my newest lovely friends, Cake Angels.  They are responsible for a percentage of my ever-increasing waistline, as well as some gorgeous treats, which I'd love to share with you in person - except for the fact that we ate them - so pictures will have to do instead! Many pictures. You know me.

Goodies!

 Well, first off, way back in the mists of time, I received a parcel from the angels, with a load of cake decorating items,  Perfect timing, as it was just before PirateGirl's birthday, and she was having a tea party at home, including decorating their own cakes.

As you can see, this was a major hit - small girls, cake and sprinkles.  All we needed was a unicorn or a special guest appearance from Sophia The First, and they would have actually exploded.  There were marshmallows, many many chocolate sprinkles, a load of royal icing designs, all piled on top of the most delicious vanilla frosting I've ever eaten straight from the tub.  Ooops.  It was leftovers, that doesn't count.

I'm not sure I'd've paid for one of their cupcakes, but they were pretty pleased with themselves.  (please ignore the look on my face, I am not the most photogenic of cooks)

Then came summer. And I still hadn't written this post, when through my door came some more goodies, including the most inspired Ice Cream Cone cupcakes I've ever seen.  I used to work for a bakery, a long long time ago, and they sold ice cream cone cakes, but they were nowhere near as impressive as these.

We took to the garden, see, that's how you can tell it was summer.  And Squeaky got on with the important task of cleaning out the bowl, while keeping a close eye on the kitchen timer.  They really were so easy to make, I was demoted to reading instructions and dealing with hot ovens, while Chef Squeaky took over.

But even having lost my place in the cake-making pecking order of our house couldn't stop me trying to be arty with the finished product.  The packet made six, but we'd slightly already eaten two when I realised it would be a good idea to take some photos.  It was a hot day, ok?

I am a real blogger, see!

And finally, if that wasn't enough cake for you already.  Just to prove it's not all for children, and grown-ups can get the benefit of the Cake Angels' wisdom and sprinkles too, here's the cake I made for our office's Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning.

Cake Angels Chocolate Fudge frosting, and milk and white chocolate hearts, sprinkled on top of a very chocolatey cake, held together with choc fingers.  The purple glitter was edible too, but came from the back of my cupboard and had lost its label.

Cake Angels have a huge range of kits and decorating products to make your baking a little bit of heaven.  Their website also has a load of recipes, so if you need more inspiration, or want to torment yourself if you're on a diet, there's something for everyone.

You can buy Cake Angels online, and I've also seen them in most supermarkets.

Disclosure: I was provided with the above items free of charge for the purposes of writing a review. 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.

Astral Cream - When will it take you?

Olfactory memory, scent memory, is an amazing thing.  A single sniff of certain scents can transport you to times and places you wouldn't otherwise have thought of.  With that in mind, I was happy to see when and where Astral moisturiser would take me.

Astral has been around for over 60 years, and while the pot has undergone a little bit of a makeover, the formula remains the same soft and creamy moisturiser it's always been.  With a scent that takes me back to playing supermodels in my childhood friend's kitchen (though I think they were just called "models" back then), caking ourselves in makeup, teetering around in high heels and the kind of early 80's fashion mistakes that no revival is ever going to bring back.  Once we'd finished our show, we were restored to our infant school glory by liberal application of Astral on a cotton wool ball to remove the make up and leave us fresh and moisturised.  The scent lifts me there in seconds, close my eyes and there are 7 year old giggles ringing in my ears.  And I'm sorry to disappoint, but I was young long before digital cameras were readily available, and there are no photos for you to laugh at.  Instead, look at my finger!

I love the little pots, they are so handy for in the car and at work. While the cream doesn't have an SPF, so I wouldn't replace my facial moisturiser with it in the daytime, it's a great product to have around after washing up, running from place to place, or to deal with itchy dry knees and elbows all year round.  Miss Squeaky is away at my folks' for a few days, but I've no doubt when she returns she'll love the idea of a grown-up cream that she can share as well. That's the thing I really like, I'm confident that Astral is safe on her skin, as it's tried and tested through time, and I can maybe give her the same olfactory memory I have of growing up with it.

Would I buy Astral again? Definitely, it's so soft & gentle on my skin, and the smell is so reassuring and calming, just what I need when work is getting too much.

Astral is available from many high street retailers in 50ml (pictured), 200ml and value 500ml sizes.

Disclosure: I was provided with the above pictured products 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 only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use.

Feeling hot, hot, Hotter!

What a lucky blogger am I. I spent last Tuesday evening in somewhere akin to heaven. Daddy's idea of purgatory. A shoe shop.  Not just any shoe shop though. I was in the Cardiff branch of Hotter Shoes, along with some other very lucky bloggers, making the most of our chance to get to know the brand.

Now, I had heard of Hotter Shoes before, but I'd only ever seen them in a very old fashioned independent shoe shop. The kind of shoe shop that has a wide range of granny slippers, orthopaedic shoes and the kind of footwear that bears more than a passing resemblance to a Cornish Pasty.  I wondered therefore, what they wanted with me. I know I'm cracking on a bit, but really?

Well, it turns out that Hotter are so much more than granny shoes. While the company started out making slippers, they've applied the Comfort Concept to shoes, making fashionable yet practical and Very Very comfortable shoes for everyone, not just the bingo brigade.

Soles that are bonded to the uppers, to make the shoes more durable. Millions of little bubbles in the sole to give flexibility and bounce.  Gore-tex®   linings in their outdoor shoes to keep water out but allow feet to breathe.  A range of different uppers using the same soles, so when you find one that is right for you, there's a whole selection of different looks that will feel just as good.  Design details inside and out. And the majority of shoes made in the UK.  The UK 's biggest shoe manufacturer, at that.  And still a family business, which makes me really happy, to see that sort of commitment to the business and getting it right.

Hotter pride themselves on giving you a great fit, and their in-store staff are trained to help you find your "Hotter Moment", that time when you try on a pair of shoes and they are so perfect and do comfortable you never want to take them off.  As opposed to a "Hotter Flush", which is something people of a certain age suffer from, or what happened when Squeaky asked to use the staff toilet!  That's right, I took Squeaky along with me (occupational hazard when Daddy works shifts), and even she got in on the act trying on shoes.

I was really surprised by the colour ranges, summer is all about ice cream pastels, and some of the shoes looked simply good enough to eat.  All I needed was a cone,  and a drizzle of strawberry sauce!

I selected a beautiful pair of baby pink vintage style shoes, the Valetta, with an RRP of £72.  While not the cheapest pair of shoes I've ever owned, the quality and the fit are superb.  I've got a wedding to go to in a couple of weeks, and a vintage village fete. I think these will be perfect, and they'll look just as good with skinny jeans as a full skirt. And I definitely had my Hotter Moment.

Yes, these really are my feet.

Disclosure: I was invited to attend this event free of charge, and gifted with a pair of shoes of my choice. 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 payment for their use.

Bunny Loves To Learn - Parragon Book Buddies

After a short break (a dinosaur book that I simply couldn't get Squeaky to be interested in - though her new boyfriend over the road was much more impressed, and a month off), we're back with the Parragon Book Buddies, and our latest new story, Bunny Loves To Learn by Peter Bently.

Squeaky, as a new-ish schooly (the description they use at the nursery/out of school provision we use) really loves this book. The idea of school, learning, and dressing up tick almost all of her boxes.  If there were mermaids or chocolate ice cream, that's probably the only way she'd be any more excited.  It was very well timed as well, as her class in school have been looking at castles, knights, princes and princesses, so she was able to compare a little with the things they had learned at school and how they had dressed up in costumes as well.

I loved the illustrations, they had a huge amount of realistic texture (though it's not a touchy-feely book), and I really liked the use of books and computers within the pictures to share the information the animals were learning, and make their classroom more like the one Squeaky spends her days in.

One question Squeaky had for me, that I simply couldn't answer was "Why is it called Bunny Loves To Learn, when the rabbit is called Buster?".  Do you know, I'd asked myself the same question.  Buster, the bunny of the title, along with his friends Max, Sam and Francine are all small and furry (except for Francine the frog), but there is no mention of their animal status, and they are just referred to throughout the book by their names, not their animals.  So why is the book called Bunny Loves To Learn and not Buster Loves To Learn?

If you can answer that, I'll buy you an ice cream.

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the above book 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 only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use.

Bank Holiday Monday as a #MorrisonsMum

I'm Cheaper, are you?

Having spent my student years, and a fair few years after graduating living in the wilds of West Yorkshire, I have to admit to having a bit of a soft spot for Morrison's, as much as it's possible to like a supermarket in that way.  They're the reason why I call the reduced cans display "Bent Bargains", the source of all sorts of odd products I can't find anywhere else, and slightly more logical than the average supermarket.  I was quite upset when I moved south and they hadn't yet expanded to the rest of the UK.  However, those days are long gone, I've grown up, and Morrison's are everywhere now.  There's even a rumour they might be planning to build a new store in our town, where the bus station is at present, if and when the roadworks finally finish (I'm taking this with a pinch of salt, mind you, there have been rumours about Markses going in every big bit of vacant land in town for the last ten years and it still hasn't happened) The likelihood of the roadworks finishing this side of the next millennium is pretty slim considering the speed they're working, so I'm not holding my breath.

Well, this isn't meant to be me wittering on about my long-lost youth, or the state of the Merthyr Tydfil road network, this is me talking about Morrison's now.  Morrison's have taken on the country's economic what-have-you, and introduced a huge range of savings across the store.  Not for a day, or a week, but permanent reductions on over 1000 everyday items, as well as some treats, in order to put a bit of cash back into our pockets.  I was given the chance to have a look for myself, and I'm never one to say no to a trip to Morrison's, even if it's a 15 minute drive, past 3 other supermarkets on the way, and through more roadworks than you'd really believe possible.  I'm going to stop talking about roadworks in a minute, honestly.

Scary Knife lady

Armed with a shopping list (quite unusual for me), Squeaky and I hit the aisles in Ebbw Vale, our nearest store, and one I enjoy popping in when I'm passing. I'd been told to look out for the "I'm Cheaper" stickers, and I was expecting to see a few scattered through the store, but they were everywhere.  Fruit & veg, coffee, cereals, bread, freezer section, everywhere.  I managed to resist the siren call of the deli counters, though I'm a bit upset about that, because I missed out on a couple of my favourite things, though I'm not sure I would have had the chance to eat the huge amount of pork pie or blackberry tart along with everything else I bought.

We stocked up the cupboards to siege levels, ready to withstand any invading zombie hordes, took advantage of the 3 for £10 meat offers to get our weekend roast, chicken for a Mexican Saturday lunch, and some mince for a spag bol later in the week, watched a knife demonstration (and came away with a free garnish knife), filled the freezer with the important things in life (or turkey aeroplanes and Arctic Roll to you & me), bought Daddy some razor blades, and even picked up a few treats.  And still came out to just under £70!  This is the point where I would normally have made a mad dash to the wines & spirits section and grabbed some vitally important Pinot Grigio, but I'm meant to be being healthy at the moment, so I resisted.  I don't do a "big shop" all that often, and when I do it tends to be at a discount supermarket, so I was pleasantly surprised how much I was able to get for my money.

Instead of buying enough wine to pickle myself for the rest of the weekend, we rewarded ourselves with a trip to the cafe, where Squeaky had what she declared to be the most delicious teacake she has ever tasted (and she's tasted a LOT of teacakes!), and I stuck to coffee.  I've still got some voucher money left over, so I'm going to have a word with our local foodbank and see if they have any special requests for the leftover balance - I think that would be a good thing to do, don't you?

The most delicious teacake ever

Bank Holidays throw my timing out of the window, especially when coupled with a Sunday afternoon birthday party, and Daddy working shifts.  So we had Sunday On A Monday roast dinner.  Would you like to join us?

Try my Perfect Roast Potatoes, and Never Failed Yorkshire Puddings  (Honestly, this is not just an excuse to link to a couple of my old posts, they are the recipes I use every week because they really work, and are far better than any others I've tried)  However, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how to throw a chicken in the oven, and you've already seen my Yorkshire Puds & Roasties, so instead I've decided to share with you the recipe for the Totally Amazebowls Tomato Soup I made as a starter.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the supermarket

Totally Amazebowls Tomato Soup - serves 4. Cost per serving 35p
Ingredients:
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 medium sized potatoes (or 1 baking potato, depending on what's to hand)
1 sweet potato
1 onion
3/4 pint of veg stock
2 tablespoons Soured Cream, and a little more to serve.

Method:
Peel and dice the potatoes, sweet potato and onion, and place these, along with the stock and tinned tomatoes into a large saucepan.
Bring to the boil and simmer for around 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through.
Blend with a stick blender, or potato masher if you are more patient than me.
Stir through the sourced cream.
Pour into bowls and add a swirl of soured cream to each bowl to serve.

Totally Amazebowls!

Disclosure: I was provided with £80 of vouchers to carry out a shopping trip in order to write 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.

Doctor Who Monster Family Day Out

It didn't make it to my Guilty Pleasures list the other week, because there's nothing to feel guilty about, but over the last couple of years, I've become a bit of a Doctor Who fan.  Not so far as to be a Whovian, and way too slow to watch any given episode, seeing as they don't yet show it on Disney Junior, but a fan all the same.  So when we were offered the chance to visit the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff as part of their Monster Family Day Out, we were pretty pleased. I've been meaning to go for ages, since they moved to their new home in Porth Teigr (Tiger Bay to you and me).  Actually, to be honest, the last time I went to the exhibition, it was a room in the back of Longleat House, and was nothing more than a couple of coats, K9, and a shop selling postcards.

Looking out for Daleks

Well, it's nothing like that now.  I shan't spoil the adventure for you, but there's an interactive walk through, lead by none less than The Doctor himself, with Daleks, 3D, and actual adventuring.  It might be a little scary for some small folk, but it's fast moving and the scary bits soon pass.  Squeaky said it was "really terrifying" in places, but I think she's just showing off some new words.  She joined in, and loved the Daleks, no matter how scary they're meant to be.  I wasn't allowed to take photos in that part of our trip, so as not to spoil it for anyone else, but trust me, it's great.

Then, after the interactive experience we moved on to the exhibition.  Squeaky was a bit less impressed with the first half, with costumes and TARDIS controls panels through the eras, but as she doesn't remember any of them, I can kinda understand that.  Upstairs however, it was much more to her taste.  There were activities going on, including face painting,and the chance to make your very own Dalek, lots of other Daleks, TARDISes (what is the plural of TARDIS anyway?) and props to look at, and one Dalek you could even control!

Busy making Daleky-Dalek the Dalek

The one thing that I found a little disappointing was that, aside from one mention of Clara as a Dalek, the experience stopped at the Amy and Rory era of Doctor Who, as if the last year or so, a new companion, and the latest regeneration had never happened.  It would have been good to see a couple of things relating to the current shows, especially for me as a fairly new viewer.  But that's me, isn't it?  For the dedicated Whovian, it would make much more sense.

Lego Dalek

We had a MONSTER fun day out at the Doctor Who Experience, and with the extra activities for children over the school holidays, it's a great choice for a different day out for the whole family.

Disclosure: I was given free entry for myself and Squeaky to the Doctor Who Experience for the purposes of this review 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.

Hot Dogs bite back! With Jungle Dogs

I know I'm boring you, because I'm boring myself, when I start yet another post telling you how Squeaky is what's politely termed a "fussy eater".  Believe me, we have many more creative terms in our house.  Truth is, she's picky in the extreme.  However, one thing she's guaranteed to tuck into is hot dogs.  So when Jungle Dogs got in touch and asked us to try out some of their dogs, we were happy to oblige.

Jungle Dogs are fresh hot dog sausages, kept in the fridge section of the supermarket.  They're smaller than canned hot dogs, just right for smaller appetites.  And most importantly for us, they come in a pack of 6, which is split into two smaller packs of three.  So no need to eat hot dogs for 3 days in a row, no bowl of brined sausages sitting in the fridge threatening to fall out every time you open it for milk.  Simple ideas are often the best, and this is a great one.  The dogs are able to be cooked in a pan or in the microwave - very convenient, though I did find when I microwaved them the ends expanded to look like something a bit ruder than a hot dog!  Made no difference to the flavour though!

Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog!

I was quite impressed that Jungle Dogs are made from 85% pork, with no mechanically recovered meat.  That might not sound too surprising, but I looked at a tin of "normal" hot dogs to discover that they are mostly chicken, and mostly mechanically recovered (i.e. all the nasty slurry bits after the real meat has been taken off for other foods)  Makes me feel a bit wobbly, so Jungle Dogs get a thumbs up from me for being real food.  They taste great to me as well, a bit meatier than canned hot dogs, for obvious reasons.

The Squeaky verdict is obviously all-important.  We tried the hot dogs as hot dogs, in a bun, and they went down a treat.  We tried them alongside pasta (alongside, not mixed in, this is important!), and they went down a treat this way too.  I think we can comfortably call them a success!  In fact, if you want a confession, we ate them all so fast I had to go out & buy some more for these photos, and because Squeaky's enjoying them so much.  They've taken up a regular spot in my weekly shopping list.

A success!

Jungle Dogs are available in the chiller section of most major supermarkets, priced around £1.00 per pack.

Disclosure: I was provided with two packs of Jungle Dogs sausages 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 only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not be rewarded for their use.

Muddypaws' New Friends - Parragon Book Buddies

I love being a member of Parragon's Book Buddies, it's introduced Squeaky and I to all sorts of books that we may not otherwise have found, and they've matched so well with her interests it's like they can read our minds.  In fact she took last month's book, Everybody Loves Butterflies in to school a couple of weeks ago for a book day where the children all shared their favourite bedtime stories & the teacher declared it the prettiest book in the class.  That might be because she hasn't yet seen this month's book - Muddypaws' New Friends.

 Muddypaws, our hero, is an adorable Labrador or Golden Retriever type puppy (I'm never too sure), and the book follows his adventures with his best friend, Ben, when Ben takes him to Puppy School, where he meets two more very cute and cheeky puppies.  Mischief and hilarity inevitably ensue.

What really surprised me about this book was how accurate the illustrations are.  Full page illustrations throughout the book, and they are far from the cartoon style pictures you usually expect from children's books, the dogs look real.  Not photography real, but like actual art type illustrations, I can't think of another way to describe them.  I almost thought this might put Squeaky off a little, maybe being a bit too old for her, but I was wrong. She loves Muddypaws and his friends, and we've spent even more time than normal playing puppies and puppy training.  It's a great book for lighting up her imagination, and she adores imaginative and pretend play

The only drawback I can see with this gorgeous book is the increasing demands for a puppy of her own. It's certainly helping her get over her fear of dogs, and helping her understanding that different people (puppies, etc) learn at different paces, and that's just fine.  The difficulty with bringing up a bright spark is they can struggle to understand why others can't keep up, and it's led to a few uncomfortable questions about why so-and-so can't do this when she can and it's really easy.

I am learning so much from being a parent, and reading with Squeaky. As a child, I believed almost all books, with the exception of very obviously non-fiction books, were just for entertainment.  Now I'm sharing books with Squeaky I can see how the vast majority are a learning opportunity, not just learning to read, but learning about different subjects, relationships, people. Where it's hard sometimes to spark a conversation on a subject, there's undoubtedly a book on the shelf that will help.  One of Muddypaws' friends is a Bassett puppy, so we had a chat about how I had a Bassett Hound just like that when I was a little girl.  Cue questions about "where was I when you were a little girl, Mummy?"  Ah well, that was inevitable I guess.  Stick to easier subjects next time, Mummy!

(Oh, and a quick explanation for some slightly looking photos this time around.  I got a new phone last week, I'm still working out how it all works, but it certainly seems to have some interesting ideas about what shape a photo should be.  Any experts on LG phones, please help!)

Nom Nom Kids reuseable pouches

Squeaky is a fussy child. I might have said that once or twice before.  She drives me to distraction with the foods she will or won't eat, and the way she'll eat them.  She does love a good "squeezy yogurt" though, or "squeezy fruit", and while these are available in the supermarket, they cost a good deal more than the more traditionally packaged equivalents, which adds another few quid to an already stretched budget.

So when I heard about Nom Nom Kids, and their refillable, reuseable pouches, I was really excited.  I know, I know.

It's such a simple idea.  The kind of thing where you think "why didn't I think of that".  The pouches look just like the supermarket ones, the caps are identical, but they have a zipper seal on the one side, and are able to be personalised to identify exactly what's inside, and any serving or storage instructions.  Designed by a mum frustrated with children's eating issues, they're a simple solution to a problem many of us face.

For Squeaky, they mean I can buy supermarket value yogurts, or make my own fruit purees, and serve them up in a squeezy pouch, meaning she doesn't make a mess and is more inclined to eat them.  For younger children, it means home made veg purees and weaning foods are easier to take out & about, rather than buying the expensive ready made pouches - especially important if your child has a food allergy or intolerance.

Nom Nom indeed!

The pouches are DBC, Phthalate and PVC free, and freezer and dishwasher safe.  Even though we haven't got a dishwasher (no space in our kitchen, sadly) they're still really easy to clean, as the inside of the pouch slopes so there are no awkward corners to trap bits of food in.  And because the pouch opens out on the side, it's stable when you're filling it, so no mess in the kitchen.

Squeaky loves the animal design, especially the giraffe (because of her ongoing obsession with giraffes & their bodily functions), and the bright colours make the pouch easy to spot should she suddenly decide to be tidy & put the empty pouch in the bin rather than the washing up bowl.  I love being able to quickly prepare something she sees as a real treat by simply pouring a pot of yogurt or chocolate pudding into a pouch - I feel like SuperMum!

Nom Nom Kids pouches are available to buy online at £6.95 for a pack of three reusable pouches.  Single pouches and replacement lids are also available.

Disclosure: I was provided with a set of three pouches 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.

Everybody Loves Butterflies - Parragon Book Buddies

Everybody Loves Butterflies.  That's actually true, you know.  Last summer, in Spain, we were lucky enough to visit a butterfly sanctuary, where they nurture and protect butterflies from all over the world, and help educate visitors in the lifecycle and importance of butterflies.  Squeaky was fascinated, especially when one butterfly decided to be her friend and landed on her arm for a photo.  She was fascinated, albeit a tiny bit frightened to start with, but when she realised that the butterfly's feet only tickled and didn't hurt she was much happier and had a chat with her new friend.  I'm not sure the butterfly understood, but it did waggle its antennae in a happy manner, so that was good.

Aside from making friends, we had the opportunity to see all the stages of the butterfly lifecycle, from eggs underneath leaves, to crawling caterpillars, cocoons (I can't work out the plural for chrysalis), hatching butterflies, and then flying away to enjoy the butterfly version of a really good time.  This handsome fella had just hatched, and was busy drying out his new wings

Tanis Taylor's book, Everybody Loves Butterflies was a great reminder for Squeaky of our holiday, and the butterflies that she had seen and fallen in love with.  The book follows Little Caterpillar, who doesn't want to become a butterfly, because he's too happy being a caterpillar.  He consults with his friends, but nothing can convince him that life as a butterfly will be just as much fun. Until nature takes the upper hand...

The book contains information about the life cycle of butterflies at the end, which Squeaky was possibly even more interested in than the story, and insists that we read 2 or 3 times each time we read the book.  I'm not sure what's so fascinating, but she's loving it.

Evverybody Loves Butterflies, by Tanis Taylor and illustrated by Masumi Furukawa is available from amazon and other retailers.

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the above book free of charge for the purposes of this review as part of the Parragon Book Buddies scheme.  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.

Reczema, Eczema

Eczema, and eczema relief, is a very personal thing. What works for one has no guarantee of working for someone else.  We've been very lucky to have been able to try out a range of eczema products on Squeaky, rather than having to bother our doctor or pharmacist all the time in search of "the one".  With this in mind, we were offered the chance to try out Reczema, and weren't likely to say no.

Reczema is made in Sweden by Secuvie.  It's a natural product designed for use on skin problems such as eczema, irritations & rashes.  Amongst the ingredients, it contains Jojoba, Linseed, Castor and Olive Oils, and a few things I don't recognise & can't spell. According to their information it's tested for allergic reactions & is safe to use on things like insect bites as well because it stops itching.

First reactions - the pump action bottle is a good idea & one pump dispenses roughly one Squeaky-limb's worth of cream.  (That's a standard measure, you know!)  The cream is a slightly off-white & sort of medicinally thick - definitely cream rather than lotion.  I had a quick sniff, in order to give you a full review, and kind of wished I hadn't.  The best description I can give is that it's slightly reminiscent of PVA glue.  Squeaky wasn't that detailed, she just said it smelled yucky.  I couldn't bring myself to disagree.  Smell isn't everything though, and we gave the cream a try.

On her arms & torso, which aren't too bad for eczema at the moment, just a couple of slightly dry patches, we were fine.  The cream is absorbed easily, and doesn't leave the skin sticky or slippy.

Then we moved on to her legs.  Right now they're quite pink with eczema.  The skin's not badly broken or bleeding, but it's decidedly pink & itchy.  We got halfway down the first leg before she started to complain that the cream was hurting her "bruises" (she hasn't managed to differentiate between bruises & eczema patches).  I asked her to show me where, and noticed that the patches where I had applied the cream were already looking redder than those I hadn't yet got to.  I rinsed the cream off, calmed her down & applied some of our tried & tested boring cream from the GP to her legs, which she said stopped the stinging.

Sadly, based on that stinging, she's not let me try the cream on her since (we had a similar reaction to a calamine based cream last year on holiday, the tears are more than I can bear), so this one's not for us.  That's not to say it's not for you, as I said at the start, eczema & eczema relief is a very personal thing.

After trying out Reczema, I spoke to the company, and learned a couple of things that might help you out.  The distinctive smell is from Fulvic Acid, one of the other ingredients.  Basically, the more the smell, the more Fulvic Acid, and the greater chance that it will control the eczema.  As I said, while the smell is noticeable, it's one of those things you can get used to.  They also told me that the cream *does* sting on broken skin, an effect of the active ingredients which are working to soothe and calm the eczema symptoms.  For an adult this probably wouldn't present an issue, but for an impatient 3 year old, it's quite a challenge.  I wanted to include this information to provide you with some balance, and to twist the clichéd break-up line, "It's not Reczema, it's me"!

You can buy Reczema direct from Secuvie via their online store, where a 50ml tube costs £26.99.

Disclosure: We were provided with a tube of Reczema 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 reward for their use.

Winter Itch Relief with Grahams Skincare

I know I've written before about Squeaky's itchy skin.  She's following in my footsteps with eczema in the summer and winter - we get a little light relief in the spring & autumn, but not as much as she or I would like.  Well, the kind people at Grahams Skincare got in touch with me, and asked if Squeaky would like to try out a couple of their products to help her with her winter itchies.  What parent could say no?

We received the Eczema Cream and Bath Oil to try out.  Unlike most of the brands we've tried in the past, these are very natural products, which makes me much happier to use them on Squeaky's delicate skin.  The bath oil contains Olive Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, and the cream includes Colloidal Oatmeal, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter & Olive Oil.

Let's start with the Bath Oil.  Being an "oil" oil, rather than one with other stuff in it, it doesn't disperse very well in the water, and sits on the top.  That makes it cling to the skin really well - and the bath.  It's a definite case of clean the bath straight after, and be very careful as it's slippy.  The oil itself has very little scent, you'd barely know it was there, but it leaves Squeaky's skin feeling so soft & smooth, I'm tempted to try it out in my bath as well!

And the cream?  Well, honestly, I'm in love.  All that good stuff, and it smells of cocoa butter.  It's absorbed really easily, and somehow counteracts the slipperiness left by the bath oil, so she's not so greasy I can't catch her when she decides that running round naked as the day she was born is a really good game.  I'm definitely impressed, the cream's thick enough not to fall off your finger, but easy to rub in, and the squeezy tube is handy with a trainee escapologist in the house!

To give you some idea, I don't know the precise cause - it was either swimming pools or different washing powder, but Squeaky had a major eczema attack a fortnight ago, while we were away for a couple of days.  On returning home she was grouchy and itching like crazy on her arms, legs & back, all red & sore.  We broke out the Grahams, and while the patches haven't completely gone, I'm not being asked for scritches 24/7, she's not complaining about it, and the redness has gone away.

Grahams Skincare is available in the UK through their online shop.

Disclosure: I was provided with the products as detailed above 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 only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme & will not receive reward for their use.

Ding dong! Santa Calling!

This year, Squeaky has been lucky enough to receive a special message from the big man himself. The great FC, Father Christmas.  He's called her from his Portable North Pole to give her a personal Christmas message!  What a lucky girl she is!

Ho ho ho!

Well, I say she's had it. She hasn't just YET, because right now she's in her bed (or at least she should be, but a cheeky face has appeared round the corner of the door at least 4 times this evening, and she's heading rapidly towards Santa's naughty list!), and I'm keeping the video back as a special surprise for tomorrow.  I'm mean like that sometimes.

I've watched the video though, after creating it, and I was spellbound. It's so cute.  I was able to check the pronunciation of Squeaky's name (clue: it's not actually Squeaky!), add photos, personal information, and her own challenge of the year.  Ad the premium version adds even more options.  There's choices for adults as well as children, both of the naughty and nice variety.  I'm tempted to make one for Squeaky's daddy, but I'm not sure which list he's on!

Has Squeaky been good enough for the Nice List?  Well, you'll have to join Santa's elves & wait and see.

Oh, the suspense!

You can create your very own personal video message from Santa at PNP - Portable North Pole, and make Christmas magic for a child (or adult!) in your life.

You can even get a 20% discount off digital items on the website until 1 January 2014, using my code BLG20BKP.

We also had a play with PNP's other release for the year - Santa Sprint.  This is an app which we downloaded to the iThing, featuring Santa's helpful elves collecting cookies & other Christmas items in return for a story from the Big Man Himself.  The self same Santa (being the only one, it would be!) reads a special Christmas story - though this one's not personalised.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin

Much as I love the content of both the personal video, and the Santa Sprint game, I've got a couple of little niggles, though they might say more about my technical ineptitude than anything else.  It took me a good couple of attempts to create the video - so much so that I let my upgrade code expire because I just couldn't make it work.  And even now, having managed to successfully add the Santa Sprint app to my iThing, I can't actually give you a link to it in the app store, because I simply can't find it!  I know it's there, I know it exists, but it must be in a kind of electronic Bermuda Triangle, as I can't see it anywhere.  If you do find it, let me know!

PNP - Portable North Pole, and the Santa Sprint game are really adorable, and I'm sure you know a child or two who would love their own message.  As long as you're not as technologically incapable as me, I'm sure you can make Christmas magic for the believers in your life.

Disclosure: I was provided with a free download of the Santa Sprint app, and an upgrade code for the PNP - Portable North Pole video (unused) 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 only, I will not receive reward for their use, nor use of the discount code featured in this post.

The Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and like each night that week
Not a creature was stirring, not even a Squeak

Tucked up in her bed, with a new picture book
I couldn't help myself but to take a quick look

An old rhyming tale, about meeting Saint Nick
With bright colourful pages, she fell in love quick

Words from Clement C Moore, drawings by Henry Fisher
Each page illustrated with a beautiful picture

Santa and reindeers, she knew each one's name
And asked me "where's Rudolph", I had to explain

He was feeling quite poorly, nose snotty and red
When Henry drew these pictures, he was sleeping in bed

Now after that rest, Rudy's feeling alright
Ready to guide Santa's sleigh through the night

She started to yawn, her eyes closing too
A fabulous sight for a parent, it's true

So I tiptoed away, and left on the nightlight
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of this book free of charge as part of the Parragon Book Buddies programme. I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own, as is the very poor rhyming, inspired by Clement C. Moore's poem, as featured in the above book.  Links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme & will not receive reward for their use.

Scooby-Doo Adventures - The Mystery Map Review

Time.  Progress.  It's a weird old thing, getting older.  Things you thought you knew just aren't the same any more.  Not just Wagon Wheels getting smaller, the whole world moves on.  I thought I knew what Scooby-Doo was about, and then we received a copy of Scooby-Doo Adeventures - The Mystery Map to review!

Rather than the animation of old, with Casey Kasem's dulcet tones for Shaggy, The Mystery Map is a whole new departure for Scooby-Doo & pals.  They're puppets!  Actually really really well animated puppets, and more Sesame Street than I was expecting.  They definitely look like the original characters, so there was no trouble distinguishing who was who, to Squeaky's demands of "who's that?" for the first ten minutes or so.  It was good to see Daphne & Velma develop a bit of actual personality, though Fred was still a bit of a drip.  More importantly than that though, I am happy to confirm there was no Scrappy-Doo.  Let me say that again, No Scrappy-Doo.  This is vitally important, and I know there are many people who will be greatly relieved to learn that.

At just over an hour, it was the perfect length to keep Squeaky's attention, and the film would comfortably break up into two separate episodes, as the story divides quite nicely into two distinct parts, so if you're not so good at staying still for an hour, you can split it up to match the attention span of your mini audience.

The story is a great Scooby-Doo adventure, with all the features you'd expect - Scooby Snacks, running round randomly & screaming, hiding behind curtains, and the all important un-masking, complete with "I would've got away with it if it weren't for you pesky kids", which of course kept Daddy & I in stitches.  Squeaky just looked at us as if we'd gone mad.  Maybe we had!

For an easily scared child, as Squeaky is at present, it still wasn't too scary, and so full of silliness any momentary worries were quickly forgotten when the next laugh came along.  A great choice for curling up on the sofa on a chilly winter's afternoon, with a bag of popcorn.

Scooby-Doo Adventures - The Mystery Map wa released on 21 October 2013, and is available from Amazon and other retailers.

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the DVD 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 only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme & will not receive reward for their use.