A Reflective Sunday

This week I have been loving so many things, I thought I would share with you my reflective thoughts...

I have been loving how Darcie and Lady have been interacting with each other this week, they have been so playful! Darcie went through a faze where she was constantly telling her off, but this week she is all about the love!!

Speaking of love, its not just Lady who has been receiving lots of attention from Darcie, she has been very affectionate towards everyone lately. Full of cuddles and kisses, she even said "I love you mummy" tonight. I'm sure its because I have gone back to work so she is a little clingy, but I'm secretly loving it!

Its all about blues and braids for me at the moment! I LOVE this skirt from NEXT, I think its going to be a staple for me this summer. I have also been having a little fun with my hair.

I have found a couple of bargains this week, including this lovely kitchen scale, it was £3.50 from Morrisons! I also happened to purchase Darcie's bridesmaid dress which had 70% off in a mid season sale!! I was so chuffed as I was going to purchase it when it was full price so it was such a lovely surprise!

I have also been organising our house a little more. I created a little play space for Darcie and have been thinking of ways we can improve our house (more on that in another post), I feel like im nesting again (no no, don't get your hopes up people!)!

One last thing that has been occupying my mind a lot this week, is this little miracle, baby Stanley. Chloe, my bestest and oldest friend has had a very scary pregnancy and this little fighter, though born 10 weeks early proved that you can beat all the odds against you. Born on Easter Sunday, weighing no more than 3lb is now even breathing without oxygen! I finally got to meet him today and he is absolutely perfect.

Hope you have all had a wonderful week.

Mummy B xoxox

Green People's Organic Makeup Review

           

  I was recently asked by the amazing people at Green People whether or not I would be interested in trying a couple of things from their Organic makeup line,  immediately I said yes. I LOVE their skin care products for both Darcie and I and so its only natural that I would be interested in their make-up.

I love my make-up, experimenting with the latest products, trying to hide sleepless nights... but one thing that I have never taken much notice of, until now, is whats IN these products. 

Mica is an ingredient that brings shimmer to many makeup products from eye shadows to nail polish, whilst its a natural mineral product many, many companies can not guarantee how they're obtaining the mineral.  Unfortunately a lot of the Mica Mineral is obtained by using child labour in illegal Indian mines. Children as young as five climb down narrow, fragile mine shafts, constantly at risk of being trapped underground. As a mother I can't even contemplate, under any circumstances, the use of child labour. So I now will think twice about where my makeup is coming from. Green People were one of only four out of sixteen companies questioned which cold prove they don't use Mica that has been involved child labour in its extractions. 

SO what about the products themselves? I was kindly sent the Gold Shimmer Bronzer and the Night Forest Eye Duo and Green People doesn't disappoint.

The Gold Shimmer Bronzer is very similar to another product I use, but had been finding that it was too orangey and glittery. This one though, is perfect! It is not over the top at all, gives a lovely glow without feeling like you look like a glitter ball, in fact its the perfect bronzer! This one is priced at £20 but I think its worth every penny and I'm super pleased with the results!

The Night Forest Eye Duo has made a welcome addition to my eye shadow collection. I adore the natural shimmery colours so this was a superb choice for me. I love how these two shades work together, they blend beautifully but and important point to note is that they ideally need a primer for all day ware. This doesn't bother me as I always wear one underneath shadow. This is priced at £17.50.

I have been so happy with these products that I want to try out some more, like the Mineral Blush Powder in Rose and the Concealer. 

Have you tired anything from Green People's Organic Makeup Range?

Mummy B xoxox

Toddler Play Space

Last week, when I was feeling full of energy, I decided to move our living room round a little. In actual fact I moved the sofa completely forward to clean behind and underneath and decided  quite liked it away from the wall. We have a corner sofa which is brilliant for helping to divide rooms, and that's exactly what it was done. It has allowed us to have an adult space, where we can relax without having to look at toys all evening and Darcie now also has her own area in the room where her toys can live and she can play too! I even managed to create a little reading corner!

Now I have done this, I really want to work on the space to make it a really functional (and a little bit more organised!) space. The sofa can be moved forward even more to allow more space, I'm thinking of getting a few things to really make this a toddler heaven!

Here is my shopping list from Ikea...

1. A chalkboard. Because what toddler doesn't like drawing! Very reasonably priced at£16.

2. Expedit shelves, for storing away her toy boxes keeping everything nice a tidy, making for a happy mumma! £20.

3. Kitchen play area, I have wanted to get this for a while! Darcie likes to playing in our own kitchen so this would be perfect. I'm thinking of getting this for her birthday! £45.

4. Picture rail, perfect for keeping her books in order and in easy each! £8.25.

5. Children's chair, £10

6. Which goes perfectly with this table, £22.

I'm hoping this will tidy the area up and give her more of an opportunity to play and explore. I can't believe I never really thought of arranging our living room like this, it is almost like having a play room!

Mummy B xoxox

Gorgeous Cushions & Throws From George At Asda

I'm at it again. Wanting to decorate! This time its our living room, other than putting furniture in there and occasionally moving it round, we haven't done anything in there! 

I was doing some browsing online when I came across George at Asda's home range and I was instantly in love with a lot of items for our living room in particular their cushions and throws. I'm loving anything yellow, we have yellow in our room, a yellow car, I have a yellow coat and yesterday I very nearly bought another yellow coat! Its clear, I'm obsessed with yellow! 

These cushions and throws seem lovely, nice and cosey with a pop of colour! They are also very reasonably priced, from £4-£12. 

Mummy B xoxox

My Mum Has Released A Very Special Book

I have been looking forward to writing this post ever since Darcie was "brand new". My Mum, a very talented writer, started to work on a story especially for Darcie. 

The story  is for us to read to her as she grows and eventually for her to enjoy all be herself, a very special keepsake inspired by her.

Just after Darcie's first Birthday my mum finished the book, titled The Chronicles of Prudence, the Foundling Fairy: Volume 1; The Gatekeeper. The story is to be a trilogy, which means we get lots more enjoyment from this special story! Now Darcie is almost two and after lots of hard work taking the self publishing route, my mum has released this story and is available to buy on Amazon for £1.89!

So whats it all about??

"Prudence leads a very simple life; she spends most of her time at the very prestigious King Leofric School and, in the holidays returns to the only place she has ever known as home - an orphanage in the southern half of the Elven country of Ealdhun. It is a routine she is content with until one summer her guardian, someone she has never met and knows little about, decides to send her to the palace with the elven prince, Rupert. Although the Prince attends her school he is two years older than Prudence and all she knows about him is that he is a bit of a snob who only mixes with a select few friends. Not at all happy with this decision Prudence has no choice but to go along with her Guardian's plans and she starts preparing herself for a very long and boring summer holiday. 
As a backdrop to all this the faery world is not a very settled place to be. The fairy kingdom of Breena is recovering from a bitter civil war and there is political unrest within the hill country of the Goblins. Prudence is blissfully unaware of just how all of this is likely to affect her until she arrives at the palace to make some startling discoveries regarding the identities of both herself and her guardian. 
Then, when her best friend is kidnapped by goblins Prudence and her new found friends at the palace embark on a dangerous and desperate attempt to rescue her........"

This is a magical story is one that I'm thoroughly enjoying reading even if its not aimed at adults as such. Just like the Harry Potter stories its a book everyone can enjoy!

I'm so so so proud of my mum and really wanted to share with you our family excitement.

Well done mum!

Mummy B xoxox

 

Blog Button Swap!

These past two weeks, whilst I have been off work, I have been busy trying to organise my blog and do things which have been on my 'to do list' for far too long. One of these things was to set up a blog button. I have been blogging for two years and I still can't believe it has taken me this long! The joys of being a full time working mum and blogger (if only blogging could be my full time job...). 

So if you want to take part in a blog button swap, please click HERE for more details. I have discovered so many lovely blogs by clicking on blog buttons on other blogs and thought I might do the same here.

Mummy B xoxox

Easter Egg Hunt!

This morning we had our very first family Easter Egg Hunt!! It was super exciting, especially as we have never done one before. Its funny how when you have children your world opens up to so many exciting things!

Before we could begin me and my dad had the small task of setting up the Hunt whilst Jamie distracted Darcie. I had purchased a gorgeous set of signs especially for today and we were very kindly sent the chocolate from Lint. 

Even the bunnies had come out to play and left some of their carrots behind!

Once we were all set I gave Darcie her "bucket" as she called it and showed her the first sign. I explained to her that we needed to follow the signs and look out for eggs and bunnies and off she went!

We were so surprised how well she got the concept, she kept finding them and saying "hooray I got it!!", it was so unbelievably cute!

Of course once we had found all the eggs and bunnies, it was only fair to inspect the goodies...

Its fair to say, Darcie was a BIG fan of all the goodies! I'm so glad we decided to do one, it was the perfect morning!

After this we chilled in the sun, drinking tea and my Mum gave Darcie her Easter present, which included a fantastic Easter Bonnet which she demanded we make right there!

A big thank you to my dad  & step-mum, Sarah for hosting! It really was better than I imagined, already planning an egg and spoon race for next years!

Hope you're all have an amazing Easter weekend.

Mummy B xoxox

Organic Babies Collection - Review

This month is Green People's Skin Sensitive month and they asked me and Darcie to test out the Organic Babies sensitive skin range. Darcie has suffered with eczema ever since she was born, but it definitely gets worse during the warmer months. With this in mind it really was a no brainier and immediately said yes! 

We were kindly sent,

1. Dry Baby Skin Lotion - a gentle natural baby lotion which is suitable for the most sensitive skin. Rich in Omega-6 fatty acids to soothe dry and irritated skin. Can even be used to cleanse the nappy area! £9.95

2. Baby Wash  & Shampoo - a pure and natural formula that helps to keep bath time free from tears, suitable for washing body, hair and nappy area. This scent-free product helps to protect delicate skin from dryness and irritation. £7.25

3. Mum & Baby Rescue Balm - the organic Shea butter nourishes dry skin for mum and baby. It helps to sooth sore and cracked nipples before and after breastfeeding. £9.95

4.Soothing Baby Oil - softens and soothes your babies very sensitive skin. Contains a beautiful blend of natural oils that balance and restores dry skin. Can be used on cradle cap by softening and releasing flaky skin, also can help to keep mum's stomachs supple by improving skins elasticity, which may help to reduce stretchmarks. £10.95

We have been testing these products out for just over a month now and generally we were happy with the products. We have almost used up the Baby Skin Lotion and the Baby Wash & Shampoo has now completely gone, so we have well and truly put them to the test!

So what did we think??

We really enjoyed trying out the products, I'm already a big fan of the Green People due to their natural and organic ingredients. In particular we thought the Baby Wash & Shampoo was brilliant! Darcie, like me, gets eczema around her neck and hairline which can be a big problem when trying to find a good shampoo that gives nice clean and shiny hair without irritating the skin. The Baby Wash & Shampoo does exactly that!

The Soothing Baby Oil was perfect for after bath massage (yes we still do that at almost two!) and found it really helped around problem areas like her neck. 

The Dry Baby Skin Lotion was nice for top ups during the day. We tend to keep this in her changing bag for on the go use. I did find that it wasn't so effective on very dry skin, but it was nice all the same as a general lotion.

The Mum & Baby Rescue Balm is brilliant for very dry patches. Darcie does get quite a few patches around her neck, chest and arms and it has helped to calm these outbreaks down. 

I feel what worked really well was using all of these products together, since we ran out of the Baby Wash & Shampoo the patches around her neck have returned (the shampoo we're using must be irritating her!), so I really want to repurchase this again!

If you're interested in trying out some of these great products now's the time to try! As a part of Green People's Skin Sensitive month this April, they're offering 10% off everything in the scent free range, including  their scent free baby and suncare range (all products in this post too!)

Mummy B xoxox

We love trying out blog ideas!

I love to read blogs that inspire me to do activities with Darcie. Sometimes I have so many things buzzing around my head I fail to even think up the simplest of ideas! This weekend was no different, Mummy Daddy Me posted an awesome sweetie and chocolate treat that littleies would love and so simply couldn't resist giving it ago ourselves! 

Darcie loved to squidge all the pieces into place and of course pinching a few sweeties here and there and licking her fingers! This was the perfect and quick activity to set up with relatively little mess which means a happy mummy as well as a happy tot!

When my mum popped over, she told me how she had seen so many of these slabs of chocolate goodies sell for ridiculous prices when packaged as a gift. So I'm thinking of experimenting and creating different versions, maybe mixing milk and white chocolate to create pretty swirls and adding some of my favourite sweets or chocolates like mini Reese's cups! My mouth is watering at the thought!! You could personalise these slabs to a friend or family members likes to make THE perfect gift for chocoholics!

Be sure to check out the original post HERE to learn more about this great activity!

Mummy B xoxox

Sneak Peak Of Our Engagement Photos

Yesterday we had our engagement shoot with the lovely Liz Bishop. We decided to have a few pictures of the three of us and then some with just Jamie and I. It was a relaxed affair, I think me and Jamie were a little nervous, me in particular as I'm usually the one behind the camera but Liz was great with offering advice and had lots of patience with Darcie! We went to Lopham Fen on one of our most loved walks, the day was perfect and the sun was shining! Liz gave us a sneak peak on her Facebook page last night and I'm so excited to see the rest! 

If you would like to take a little peak click HERE & HERE.

Mummy B xoxox

#Nextkids Blogger Event 2014

When I received an email from Gemma at Next as to whether I wanted to attend the Next Kids Blogger Event, I couldn't help but jump at the chance! Next are one of my favourite brands, I have been apart of their blogger network for nearly two years and they have really looked after me, boosting my confidence in the blogging world- that is all down to the wonderful Gemma!

When we arrived at Next HQ in Leicester, we were greeted and made to feel very welcome. They had kitted out a great play area for the children (of all ages) and had a mock shop for us to browse. 

Darcie loves to look at clothes, so I knew that she would love this event. She made herself at home playing with the toys, chatting to children and picking out her favourite pieces.

I found so many things that I loved that would be perfect for our honeymoon for Darcie (she s coming with us!!) from pretty florals...

Right through to the nautical trend...

We also had the opportunity to view some of the Autumn line and again I was in love with everything I saw! Of course I wasn't able to photograph the line, but you most certainly will not be disappointed! The Next Buyers were also on hand to answer any questions as well. 

It was amazing to visit Next HQ, to see and feel the vibe of the whole company - the day was soo much fun!

After we spent time viewing the line we headed to a local restaurant Cini's where the older children made pizza's and we were left to relax, mingle and eat lots of yummy food!

I managed to meet one of my favourite bloggers, Katie from Mummy Daddy Me who made me feel really comfortable (I do tend to go quite shy when meeting people for the first time) and was super friendly. I was also introduced to some new bloggers Mummy Constant and The Mummy Adventure. 

Thank you so much to Next for organising another fantastic event and thank you for our goodies... Darcie is loving her shades...

 Mummy B xoxox

Easter Basket

So I have finally got round to posting Darcie's Easter Basket! My main reason for delay was down to not being able to find a big enough basket... and well I still haven't found a suitable one! BUT I have managed find a really sweet gift bag that was big enough for her treats, the little egg on the front lifts to the gift tag section... so sweet!

I haven't got Darcie lots of Easter eggs, I decided to get her activity books and I saved her personalised story book we were so kindly sent for this basket too. 

So lets take a closer look...

At work we often get a box from the Book People and I always like to have a rummage as they often have brilliant children's books at fantastic prices. Low and behold I found the bumper pack of Gruffalo activity books, 10 in total all for £10 (rrp is £39.99!!). It was a bargain I just couldn't refuse! Darcie loves her sticker books and at her nursery they also ran a Graffalo week so its a character she is now quite familiar with.

Keeping in with the activity book theme, we found this beautiful spring activity and sticker book. She is going to have so much fun with these books!!

I know, I said I wasn't buying her Easter eggs but Jamie saw this and he couldn't resist! Its mainly a mealtime set anyway with a tiny egg... so not that naughty really!

We were ever-so kindly sent a box full of Lint Goodies including this gorgeous Lint Gold bunny which I have added to her basket (along with a chocolate bunny too!) The rest of our goodies from Lint are going to be used on our Easter Egg (or rabbit!) hunt we are having on Sunday (so be sure to stay tuned!).

Lastly is this very gorgeous little dress which my Mum got Darcie when she took her to Wroxham Barns. Its so sweet and felt it was completely a spring dress so thought it would be the perfect outfit for Easter!

I hope you have enjoyed this post, its taken a little while to get up so my apologies!!

Hope you're having a fab week, me and Darcie are off to the Next Kids event tomorrow, so if you're attending too please do come and say hey!

Mummy B xoxox

Picnic at Knettleshall Heath and thoughts on YouTube...

As this blog was a place to keep our memories safe, here is another post about a lovely, yet simple day out we had today.

This morning when we woke we had no plans at all. But my mum decided to pop over and we decided to make a little picnic and head over to a local beauty spot Knettleshall Heath. With our picnic in tow, wellies and jumpers we took the short car journey to our destination. Whilst in the car I shared with mum a couple of ideas we have had for our ceremony music for the wedding... who knew that could be such a hard task!!

As if was lunch time, we decided to have our little picnic first.

I made some pasta and we had very traditional picnic stuff like Scotch Eggs! We were so very organised we even brought green tea with us!! (Normally me and my mum spend a day out saying "wouldn't it have been nice if we were a little bit more organised if.." but today we were seemingly on fire!).

After our little lunch we headed for a walk along the river. Going for walks are literally one of my favourite things to do. Its such a good activity to do with tots, they can learn so much from different surroundings and above all the fresh air and exercise does everybody the world of good. 

We don't walk for the distance, we just like to take our time and let Darcie explore. Its nice to see things through little ones eyes.

Darcie is obsessed with flowers at the moment. She goes around and collects them to make her own bouquet, today her choice of flowers were seemingly Dandelions. Her new wellies have been getting lots of use over the Easter holidays! 

This afternoon whilst waiting for Jamie to get home from work, I have been thinking lots about setting up my own YouTube channel. I love watching family vlogs such as Sacconejoly and think its such an awesome way of capturing moments in ways that perhaps blogging can't. Today there were so many funny moments that would of been a perfect vlog and I keep thinking of our Honeymoon, what an amazing way it would be to keep our memories alive! The big question is, do I have the confidence? 

I'm not sure, what do you guys think of the vlogging community?

Mummy B xoxox