Home Made Kids Alarm Clock

Last week I saw this amazing idea somewhere on the web and for the life of me I can`t find it again so can`t credit the creator..sorry!!

With the lighter mornings the 3 boys have been gradually getting up earlier and earlier over the last few weeks and don`t think my sanity can take another 5am wake up call so have made this really easy kids alarm clock.

All you need is

• a cheap plain clock, I nabbed one from Asda for £2 but am sure you could find one cheaper somewhere. 
• A green, yellow and red pen or you could even use paints.
• Some sellotape 
• 5 minutes to spare!!

All you need to do take the plastic cover off of the clock, section off a section of time on the clock with sellotape and colour it in with the pen/paint. The section that you colour in depends on which suits your family best.

Its so easy to make and the boys can easily understand the rules........

If the little hand is in the red then they have to go back to sleep, its not time to get up. If the little hand is in the yellow then they can get up and play quietly but can`t go downstairs and if the little hand is in the green then they can get up and go downstairs.

Jacob is 5 and can`t really tell the time that well yet but can easily see if its time to get up!!!

Food Offer - Co-Op 28/06/15

I am always on the lookout for a bargain and am getting quite good at finding them and now feel that I should be passing these deals on to you guys!!

After popping into my local Co-Op this afternoon, I decided to take a quick look around and saw this amazing bargain...a family meal deal of £13.84 worth of food for £5.

Included in the offer is -

• Bird`s Eye Crispy Chicken x 4 - £4.20
• Co-Op American Oven Fries - £1.95
• Co-Op Briish Garden Peas - £1.00                                   ALL FOR £5!!
• Co-Op Sweetcorn - £1.50
• Haagen-Dazs Cookies and Cream - £5.19

 

Kiqplan Slim and Trim Giveaway

Last year I was offered a Fitbug Orb to review and I loved it!! I thought there was nothing that could improve the usefulness of the Orb...I was wrong.



The creators of the Orb have released Kiqplan. A personalised training app that is like having a nutritionist, personal trainer and personal lifestyle guru in the palm of your hand. The 12 week programmes can help the way you look and feel.

The plans motivate you to eat healthier and exercise more with the daily hints and tips, helping you hit your targets and goals along the way.

Kiqplan isn`t just restricted for use with just the Fitbug Orb; it is compatible with many other devices and apps that are available on both android, windows and Iphone platforms.

Click HERE to see if your device is compatible with Kiqplan.

I have just registered my details with Kiqplan and paired my Fitbug Orb to the app, it was so straight forward. I`m already able to see how many steps I have done and what exercises the plan has recommneded for me. I am trying the Slim and Trim plan, but there are 8 different plans to choose from including plan that is safe to use when pregnant...Healthy Baby Bump.

Thanks to the lovely people at Fitbug I have a Slim and Trim programme up for grabs worth £19.99.
To be in with a chance of getting this great plan just fill out the widget below.

Also check back in a few weeks for my full review of the plan.


Kiqplan Slim and Trim Plan Giveaway

NHS Vs Private

Before I go any further with this post I want to make it clear now that I am not slating the NHS; I`m very appreciative of the NHS. This post just lets you know about the differences I have witnessed today.

Regular readers of my blog will know that back in March I had my gallbladder removed, after many months and numerous medical investigations it was deemed that my gall bladder should be removed. I went and had the procedure done and couldn`t say a bad word about my treatment....until now.

Today my husband went into hospital to have an inguinal hernia repaired. When he was first referred by our GP to the specialist we had to choose where to been seen and were very surprised to have the choice of being seen at a private hospital. We chose the private hospital as the waiting list to bee seen was almost 4 months shorter than the regular NHS hospitals. Yes we went to a private hospital but the NHS have paid for all treatments.

Like I said hubby went into hospital today and his experience couldn`t be as opposite to mine if it tried.

My experience involved having a 3 hour wait sat in a overcrowded room of other people who were also waiting for surgery whilst wearing a very flimsy see-through gown. To say I was a nervous wreck is an understatement!!! Why couldn`t I have someone to keep me company?

I was ushered into a room by a rather flustered nurse to be anaesthetised and had the op..on recovery I awoke in a busy ward and sent to another ward way before I was ready. Then was forced to eat a greasy fish and chip dinner within 30 minutes of waking which resulted in me feeling and being very sick. I thought this was normal.

I was left to fend for myself, I never saw a doctor after my op, and only saw a nurse if I called for one, on dismissal my notes were thrown and me and told to go home...no post op advice, nothing. Again I thought this is how it was.

Today my eyes were opened.

On admission my husband was taken into a lovely private room; we met his nurse who would be in charge of his individual care, his anaesthetist, chef and lastly his surgeon. The whole process was seamless and stress free. He got to choose what he wanted to eat on recovery and when he wanted to eat, once he felt ready. If it was me having the op this time I would of been fine. Not a nervous wreck; alone and shaking from head to toe. I was allowed to stay in hubby`s room with him right up until he walked down to theatre and was allowed to stay in his room watching TV whilst he had the op so I was there when he awoke.

The staff couldn`t of been more helpful and nothing was enough for them. It was like a visit to a hotel rather than having an operation. When I was in hospital I felt like a piece of meat on a production line.

Thankfully hubby is now at home with loads of pain medication if he needs it. Another thing that I wasn`t offered from the NHS. I was told to go to the shops and get some paracetamol. Hubby had been given morphine if the pain gets too much, something I would of loved after my op!!

Like I said at the beginning of this post I appreciate everything that the NHS does but now know how different your treatment can be. We are seriously considering trying to budget our monthly finances to allow private healthcare for the family.

What I`m Wearing to Britmum`s 2015

OMG...Britmum`s 2015 is only 2 days away!!!!!!!!

I am so excited and nervous at the same time...I`m not a very confident person so am somewhat daunted at the thought of being at an event with over 500 bloggers attending. I know I need to suck it up and get out there but its easier said then done.

A great outfit always helps with my confidence and am delighted to say that I have had not one but 4 outfits offered to me by Salt Rock Surf Wear...I`m a VERY lucky girl.

I only recently learnt about Salt Rock but already half of my households wardrobes are Salt Rock clothes!!!!

The casual surfer look is right up mine and my hubby`s street. The dresses I will be wearing are smart but also sooo comfy and that is key when you are active all day.

I am planning to ream up the dresses with some cropped leggings as sadly my legs are not what I would expose to anyone after being bitten to death whilst camping last weekend!

On my feet I going to wear either my t-bar sandals or comfy pumps....smart but casual, the look I always go for. I wish that I could say I love to get all dressed up but with 3 young boys to sort out sadly what I am wearing is at the bottom of the list.

If you are going to Britmum`s as well, let me know what you are wearing so I can spot you and say Hi!!

Making New Friends and Memories in the New Forest

Last weekend we were invited to attend a bloggers camping get together in the New Forest by Camping In The Forest.

We literally jumped at the chance, now we are not what I would call `seasoned` campers but have been a fair few times and have most of the kit needed for fun and comfort.

Seeing as we haven`t camped in the New Forest for a long time we didn`t know what to expect, plus I had read the campsite`s website and was a little worried with some of the reviews that had been left. I shouldn`t of worried about a single thing!!

The car was packed up Friday afternoon, the kids were collected from school and we were off.

We were camping at Holmsley Campsite near Christchurch, just inside the New Forest national park and were met by the lovely Abi from The Camping and Caravanning Club, who explained where we were to pitch up and get settled.

Literally as soon as we got there the weather had decided to challenge us and the heavens opened...trying to pitch a tent in the rain is more fun, right??

After pitching the tent in what I am sure was the quickest time ever that we`ve done it ,we finished unpacking and waited to see who else was coming along for the weekend.

In total 13 bloggers attended with only us and Elaine Croft from Canvas Pretty having camped before; all the rest were first timers. And boy did they have a baptism of fire...it started to rain early evening and didn`t stop till the early hours. Luckily their tents had been set up ready for them with all the essentials sorted.





Now then the camp site was beautiful. Being a WWII airstrip there are large open pitching areas dotted with trees and wide and smooth roads (the old runways) snaking around the site.


There is a large reception area with a shop and small cafe/take-away attached to it. The shop is very reasonably priced; so too is the take-away and cafe. Plus a lovely play area for the kids.

The toilet and shower facilities were one of the cleanest we have ever seen, every time we were there (which is very often with 3 boys!) we saw a member of staff checking the condition of the blocks. With the wet weather the floors can become very muddy and slippery but they were constantly being cleaned by the staff.





There are only 3 toilet blocks for the whole site so if you pitch up on the outer areas of the site it might get a bit annoying having to walk a fair way to go to the loo. We were pitched in the rally area which was next to the reception/shop and toilet blocks so only had to dash across the main road to get to them.

On Saturday morning we were left to get to know each other a little better and feel very privileged to of met such a lovely bunch of people. We felt at home straight away and the kids played with each other so well.

Saturday afternoon was earmarked for forest activities and lunch. A very posh looking catering van appeared in camp and provided us all with the most amazing bbq lunch.

A forest ranger then came in their cute little van and set up some educational activities for the kids. My 3 boys loved them and were transfixed by the ranger, drinking in all the knowledge. A bug hunt ensued and everyone was sent off to find some creepy crawlies. Alfie and Jacob were very proud of their finds...a woodlouse and a worm!!

The rest of the weekend was left for us to explore the site and forest. Bikes were provided for us allowing us to all roam free in the forest.

The New Forest is a stunningly beautiful place and the camp site is perfectly located with the forest literally just over the boundary of the site with horses and cows roaming past.

Benjamin loved the trailer and we went for a lovely long ride together. Now I made a rookie mistake of bringing my camera fully charged but in the panic of making sure everything we needed was packed I forgot to pack my memory card....doh! My phone was my only means of taking photos so I apologise for the quality of the photos I managed to take before my battery ran out. I have to say a huge thank you to Elaine from Canvas Pretty who charged my phone for me but alas the battery isnt great and it died again on the Sunday morning.

The New Forest is a beautiful place to stay, a definite must-stay if you are a new camper or a seasoned expert!!

No camping trip is complete without toasting marshmallows over coals!!!

Thank you to the Camping and Caravanning Club for including us in this amazing weekend. We loved every second and have made some amazing memories and friends xxx

My Britmum`s Live 2015 Sponsor/s Revealed!!

Regular readers will know that I have been searching and searching for sponsors to allow me to attend Britmums in 2 weeks time. Being a mum of 3 young boys I can`t afford to pay for the ticket, travel expenses and accommodation so the only way I could even dream to attend is by sponsorship.

Well I am so happy and proud to now be able to show and tell you who has been kind enough to offer me sponsorship!!

I have been lucky enough to find not one but TWO sponsors!!

Please meet my sponsors....

Mi Local For Mum`s App, is a free app that allows you to view activities in your local/chosen area to do with your children.

Available on both android and iPhone platforms there is no reason I can think of as to why you shouldn`t have this app on your phone....it is a MUST HAVE!

Android link - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.milocal.mums.MiLocal
iPhone link -   https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/mi-local-for-mums/id814502615?mt=8

The Mi Local team are passionate about helping other users find what they want when they want it. With just a few clicks you can find an activity of your choice with specific criteria....say age range of children involved, cost of activity, distance of activity from you, indoor or outdoor activities. And not only can you now chat and meet up with mums local to you, but call, message and find directions all from the app. The app covers most of the country with new coverage areas and new activities/events being added all the time.

I have had this app since it was released and have found it a life saver. I`ve found and attended loads of different events that I would of never of even know about being held without the help Mi Local.

Try it to day and I`m sure you`ll love it....a new and updated version is due for release in the next few weeks so it is a very exciting time for the team at Mi Local.

Check out my full review of Mi Local HERE.

They thinks it`s all over....It isn`t now!!!

Open Goaaal is a revolutionary garden solution to that ever so annoying problem of stray footballs!!

The Open Goaaal`s design is unique in the fact it allows a normal functioning and looking garden to be transformed into a football haven in seconds. It works by using a white netted goal area and a black netted safe zone around the outside. You have two poles and top line spanning the width of your garden and just like drawing your curtains, you pull it out and peg down your goal net when you need it. The black outer net creates a safe zone which allows any stray footballs to be rebounded back into your garden.

No more needing to go knocking on the next door neighbours doors asking for your balls back or having to replace expensive border shrubs that have been used as a goal post!!!

My boys were sent this Open Goaaal to try out last year and I have to say that this has to be one of the best things invented for your garden, it has been used literally every day since last September in rain, wind and even snow. I can now let the boys out in the garden without worrying about them damaging our neighbours flowers and garden.

My full review and video of the boys using the Open Goaal is HERE.

I have to say a HUGE thank you to both sponsors for allowing me to attend Britmum`s this year, I will be using my time there very carefully and plan to come back with some exciting ideas for Poolemamma; improving the blog in all aspects xxx

Goodbye Fab Food Friday`s

Sadly after 6 weeks to trying to get Fab Food Friday`s up and running I have decided to stop doing this linky. :-(

But don`t be too disheartened as I am in the process of creating an new one. I think that FFF was too much of a niche for everyone to join in with so alienated a lot of you. My new linky will be easy for everyone to take part in, and hopefully will be more successful because of this.

Keep checking back to see what its all about!!!

Xxx

Father`s Day Mini-Hamper Competition Worth over £100!!

Following on from yesterday`s Father`s Day Gift Guide I am delighted to be able to offer you the chance to win a mini-hamper of some of the products featured in the guide worth in excess of a stonking £100!!!

I have to say a huge thank you to the companies that have supplied to goodies for you - Gillette, Salt Rock, Qwerkity, From You To Me, Times To Treasure, and Fat Buddah.

All you need to do is fill out the rafflecopter widget below to be in with a chance of winning this amazing prize.

Rules of Entry:

• Fill in the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries
• Please read the rules below
• Closing Date: 19th June 2015
• If there is no form hit refresh (F5) and it should appear
• If still not working please check that your computer is running Javascript
• You need to complete the mandatory entries first – Leave a comment**
• Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf making it really easy to enter
• Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries via twitter
• Terms and Conditions can be found in the Rafflecopter form below

This hamper will not be delivered in time for Father`s Day

**Comments may not appear immediately due to moderation

a Rafflecopter giveaway