Lola Pug Book | Giveaway

Good evening guys, is your little one book mad like our little girl? If the answer is yes then stick around as you may just be able to get your hands on one beautiful illustrated children's  book in my latest giveaway. 

I was kindly sent a really cute illustrated book all about a rather adorable little Pug called Lola. Lola Pug is a story is written by Lola's real-life owner Carina Lagnado and illustrated by Emily Colenso. It follows how a pet mad family that live on a farm and focuses on Isabel, who wants her very own puppy. But what kind of puppy? Isabel is introduced to a variety of dogs, until she chooses Lola, the delightful pug. 

This story is a perfect one for  book mad children, especially those who are dog mad too! From a parental point of view it also touches upon the topic of bullying. Lola Pug, while loved by his new family, is mocked by the other animals on the farm. But the pug eventually wins everyone over just by being himself. Which is always such a great message for our little ones. 

Darcie, who has her own dog Lady, will thoroughly enjoy the book (just as much as I have) when we give it to her on Tuesday (her 3rd birthday!) and it will be our bedtime story that evening. 

Now to the exciting part. The lovely people behind this wonderful book have given you guys the opportunity to win one of three copies for your own little ones to treasure. If you would like a chance to get your hands one of three a copies, be sure to enter below. Competition closes on Sunday 7th June 2015.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mummy B xoxox

Becoming a Mum of Two

Today I realised I just have a little over three months left until Baby Boy Burgess arrives and I become a mum of two. I'm not sure if I'm being a little relaxed about the whole thing, but I have to admit I am not worried about becoming a mum of two. Before I actually fell pregnant, despite desperately wanting another baby, I did find the whole notion of another baby a little daunting. Now that Baby Boy Burgess is just around the corner I am excited for this new chapter to begin. 

SUNUVA | Kids UV Swimwear & Beachwear | Review

After this afternoon, I well and truly feel like summer is here. Enjoying the sunshine is something we (of course) all love to do, especially our little girl who loves to play outside as much as she can. But, with the gorgeous summer sun all parents look to make sure that their little ones are protected whilst they are having lots of fun and purchasing your little ones some UV protective summer items is just the ticket.

SUNUVA is a brand that specialise in uv protective gear for children, their designs are bright and beautiful and perfect for days in the sunshine. SUNUVA was formed by two like minded mums who where frustrated with the lack of stylish UV protective gear for kids - it's safe to say that they have successfully changed this! When browsing their site I was love in everything, and found it hard to not want to go a little crazy! But I settled on the gorgeous Indian Paisley Rash Vest (£39), Swim Shorts (£36) and Hat (£22).

The quality of the items are incredible, which is what you would expect with (what I would say is) higher end swim gear. I love the brightly coloured designs and the beautiful little features each item has, like the wooden buttons on the sleeves of the rash vest, everything about it screamed quality.

I have to admit, I had never herd of 'rash vests' before, but they are super soft tops that children (and adults) wear on tropical beaches to keep them protected. SUNUVA's range keeps out more than 97% of the suns harmful rays, which helps puts us mums at ease. The fabric used is of breathable  to help keep the little ones cool in the sun, it's also very quick drying for when you're in and out of the pool. The hat and shorts also offers 50+ UPF protection. Perfect.

With a range that covers all that you need from babies to toddlers right through to teens, SUNUVA really does have everything that you need for your summer holiday wear.

Are you off on holiday this year?

Mummy B xoxox

*We were kindly sent these items for the purpose of the review. All thoughts, opinions and images are my own.

The Wedding Book of Everyone | Review

Trying to find the perfect wedding gift can sometimes be a pain. Finding that gift thats personal, that the newly weds can treasure and something not in the form of electrical kitchen goods. Well,  let me introduce you to "The Wedding Book of Everyone", guaranteed to make the happy couple smile for years to come.

The Book of Everyone is a cleverly designed keepsake book in which is completely personal to the happy couple. You simply enter their names, date of birth and their wedding date and you let them do the rest. The site then generates a preview of the book which you can go through and then personalise further. At my own wedding I loved the personalised gifts that we received, a lot of our guests used their (some hidden) talents and expertise to make us some truly wonderful and thoughtful gifts. However, if you're anything like me and lack creative skills, then this is a perfect option for you. I decided that this would be the perfect gift for my Husband on our first anniversary (which is paper don't you know!) and had lots of fun putting it together. I'm looking forward to having a look over it together on our 1st anniversary - I can't believe its almost been a year!

This gorgeous book comes with a handy little box which is a nice little extra touch, but also keeps the book in perfect condition - Ideal for us with curious little hands (not mentioning names here Darcie!). The Wedding Book of Everyone comes in a hard back edition (£44.50) or a deluxe edition (£64.50) for something a little more luxurious, it really would make the perfect, slightly off centre, gift.

Did you receive any personalised gifts for your wedding? What were your favourites? 

Mummy B xoxox

 *Product sent in purpose of review, however, thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

Weekly Shop in just 25 mins | Aldi

The weekly shop is always something I dread. I take far too long, I'm never organised, I always forget something and above all I usually spend far too much. Occasionally when I have a little time on my hands, I will sit down and plan out our weekly shop. This always leads to a better experience but at as a full time working mum, pregnant and blogger my time is very limited!

Aldi are celebrating their 25th anniversary and they set me a challenge to do my weekly shop in 25 mins. When discussing this with others they have said 'oh, that's easy", but normally I spend between 45 mins to an hour doing mine! I always spend too long looking at offers and mentally trying to plan meals as I shop. If I'm honest as well, I never normally do my full weekly shop in Aldi, I just pop in to get my midweek bits and bibs, so I was actually quite excited to see what I could get (in 25 mins) for a full weekly shop.

I had great intentions of planning out my meals, but alas, life just simply got in the way and it ended up being a mad dash one evening after work when I had a window in my schedule (nothing new there!). Thoughts? I was utterly impressed. Not only did I manage to do my shop in 25 mins, the prices were so fantastic along with the vartiey and quality, I ended up doing a two week shop for the price of my normal weekly shop (£80)!

As I mentioned, I didn't go in with a meal plan, but I have managed to create some fantastic meals. So far this week we have had;

Stone baked pizza with salad, sundried tomatoes, olives and balsamic glaze.


Jacket potato with coleslaw, cheese and salad.


Chilli with home made potato wedges.


Lamb Kebabs, cous cous, corn on the cob and salad.


Lasagne with salad and garlic flat bread.




My fridge and freezer are still packed with plenty of meal options to keep us going next week. I also want to mention that they have some great products for pack lunches as well. I always make myself and Darcie (when she is at her childminders) a pack lunch, but I always struggle to find a variety of snacks that do not cost the earth. Some of our favourite finds includes their dried fruit and snack bars.




 Do you shop at Aldi? I would love to know your favourite buys. Also, I think from Thursday (28th May) there is a Baby Event which I am looking forward to picking up a few bits for baby no. 2!


Mummy B xoxox

The Importance of Dog Tags

All dog owners know that sometimes, despite your very best efforts, dogs can get out. It is vital that if this does happen, that anyone coming across your dog knows where they live or can contact you. It may seem like a no-brainer, but having a dog tag for your dog is incredibly important (even if they're microchipped). Most dog owners would agree and a study by the RSPCA in 2010 found that while 80% of pet owners thought dog tags were important, only 33% of them said that their own dog wears a dog tag all the time. 

One of the biggest pro's to having a dog tag is being able to engrave contact information clearly, ultimately, having your phone number on your dog tag is the best way for anyone who comes across your dog to return them to you almost immediately.  This stops the possibility of your dog being sent to a shelter or vets which could lead to you being separated from your pet longer than necessary and causing more stress on you and your pet. 

Another area of importance with dog tags is that you could list any conditions your dogs may have, such as being deaf, blind or an allergy. This means that whoever does find your dog can take the necessary steps to help comfort your pet and keep them safe. It's all about making it easy for those who may find your dog to keep them safe and get them returned as soon as possible.

Dog tags don't cost an awful lot, but it is worth getting a good quality one in order for the engraving to stand your doggy's adventures! Our dog tag is from Collar's and Tags, which is of lovely quality and will stand the test of time. 

Getting a dog tag really is so easy to do, and there is no excuse not to have one made. We would be heart broken if we were ever parted from our labrador, Lady. She is a vital part of our little family unit and brings so much joy to our daughter, Darcie. 

Mummy B xoxox

*PR Collaboration. 

The Right to Shared Parental Leave

My maternity leave is just round the corner and even though I love my job, I am very much looking forward to playing the 'stay at home mum'. If you are due to go on maternity leave soon, you might want to explore some of the options available to you - especially since on the 5th April of this year something new was thrown into the mix. Shared Parental Leave.

The Ordinary Moments | The Best Husband

When pregnant and hormones are flying all over the place it's not really hard to imagine some of the arguments I have had with my poor husband. They are totally irrational, pointless and always full of emotion. I hope I am not the only one, but when I'm pregnant I become, well, slightly bitch-tastic and my husband is (thankfully) the only one who has to deal with it. Being pregnant is a crazy ride, one in which I am slightly more prepared for second time round. Emotions are constantly all over the place from feeling intense love for my hubby to wanting to walk out of the door because he left a towel on the bed. Yes, really (and this is despite the fact my side of the bed has turned into a floorobe - but hey I'm pregnant, it's acceptable, what's his excuse?!). All jokes aside, when I'm feeling rational (yes, you do get those occasionally when pregnant) I can't help but feel sorry for him having to deal with my absurd emotions.

Deep Cleaning with VAX Dual Power Reach Carpet Cleaner | Review

Today I am here with something that has literally changed my life for the better and yes, that life changing item is the VAX Dual Power Reach Carpet Cleaner. You may be wondering why I have become so excited over something so ordinary, so let me give you a little background...

We bought our home back in 2011, when we were dog free and childless. We were convinced that cream carpets were going to look beautiful in our brand new home and whilst I was right, three months later that all changed. We rescued our dog, Lady and then another three months later I fell pregnant with our daughter. Over the last few years our poor carpets have really been put to the test with dog hair, reflux, juice spills, mud and colourful drawings, I have tried my best to keep them as clean as I could but my once cream carpets were now more of a greyish tone and actually looked rather embarrassing. Over Easter we even looked into replacing our living room and hallway carpet, knowing another baby will be gracing us in September we felt our carpets probably wouldn't be suitable for a baby to explore on. We priced up new flooring and were surprised at the cost, so we decided to hold out a little longer. I then received an email asking whether I would be interested in trying this wonderful machine out, I of course jumped at the chance in order to try and save my carpets one last time.

Baby Essentials - Wish List

With Jamie working till later on in the evening that can only mean one thing, I'm browsing baby items online. I remember doing this when pregnant with Darcie and I would spend ages creating lists of items I would need in order to be prepared for when little one arrives. It's fair to say that with Darcie I was very obsessed about getting everything ready straight away, but second time round I have been slightly more relaxed - even if I still enjoy looking around for bits and bobs. 

Baby Boy Nursery Ideas

Cloud Bunting | Cloud Mobile | Ikea Unit | Ikea Basket | Ikea Chest of Drawers | Could Stickers | Cloud Cot Sheet 

Now we have been told the wonderful news that we are expecting a little boy, my thoughts have immediately turned into "right, lets get organised". One thing which is relatively high on the list is sorting out baby boys nursery. He will be going into Darcie's old nursery (the smaller of our three bedrooms) and it is currently decorated in a fairly girly way, so I think it only fair we give him a proper little space that is his.

It's a....

BOY! 

Yes, you may have seen on social media that we're expecting a little boy! My inkling was right and we will now even up the numbers adding a little boy to our household. Darcie has taken to the news of a little brother so well, despite her trying to correct the sonographer by saying that her baby brother was in fact a girl! She did make us chuckle! But baby boy turned his face to the screen and started (well it looked like he was) blowing kisses, she then went all mushy and boasted that it indeed was her baby brother! She has even picked out a name for the little chap too (though me and Jamie are still trying to figure out whether we like the name or not!)

Finding out we are expecting a boy has been lovely, it now makes everything feel more real and I'm so excited to meet him and see him with his sister. 

September can't come quick enough!

Mummy B xoxox