Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Massive Under £5 Clothing Sale!
For the kids...
A few great steals in the kids section. I've selected a few but there's plenty more bargains to be had...
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| Ladybird 3 piece set (3/6 or 6/9 mths) |
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| Ladybird Summer Dress (4/5 yrs) |
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| Umbro Turf Trainers (Junior sizes 3, 4 & 5) |
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| FreeSpirit Ballerina Shoe (Junior Size 6) |
For Us Mums...
Again just a selection - there's lots of bargains for you to seek out yourself. Here's my picks...
This jacket is available in red or purple and only £4.99, it'd be rude not too!
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| Textured Jacket (Purple or Red Sizes 10-28) |
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| Shock Absorber Sports Bra |
For those of you that love fashionable names but hate the price tags this one is for you. This Fuse by Preen shrug was £55.00 and is now only £4.99! Immense!
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| Fuse by Preen Crop Jacket (Sizes 8-18) |
For the Man in Your Life...
There's a couple of bits in the 'under a fiver' section for the men too. I've just picked one but go see for yourself.
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| Umbro England Tee (S, M or XL) |
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
DVT: What Am I Supposed To Do Next?
Today I got the call I've been waiting a long time for... "Your blood results are back, you'll be pleased to know that everything is fine, you're now on the correct dose of Clexane. We'll keep you on the 60mg now until your treatment ends on the 6th February."
Well that's good news isn't it? After 7 months of taking these bloody injections they manage to get me on the correct dose just 3 weeks before I stop taking them altogether. Well thanks very much NHS - what a sterling job you have done over that time. Much appreciated.
"So what happens after the 6th February?" I ask. "Nothing, that's it, your treatment is complete. Ok, well, it was nice to have met you... bye." I was stunned.
Fabulous. No ones told me what I'm to do next.
Do I just wear the sexy DVT tights forever? Or can I stop them too? Am I allowed to fly? Can I do long haul flights? Am I at risk of another DVT?
NOTHING.
Anyone else know? Or shall I just hope for the best?!
Monday, 10 January 2011
I love you Manolo Blahnik and now you are MINE!
I sit here writing this post with THE biggest smile on my face - something amazing has happened, something that I could never have imagined would ever happen - I am about to become the proud owner of one pair of Manolo Blahnik heels.
This morning was just like any other day, I woke up to a child clambering over the bed, I checked the clock and realised I'd forgotten to set the alarm - again - damn you 9.30am, you always take me by surprise.
I scrambled out of the duvet and headed downstairs to make breakfast. Mister A ate whilst I jumped in the shower, little did I know what was about to unfold.
Once dry and dressed I logged on to Facebook, you know, just to see where everyone was at on this fine Monday morning.. and there it was...
My heart started pounding out of my chest. I had only entered to win late last night and didn't think I'd have a chance against over 10,000 other possible entrants. I was wrong though, I won. The smile that spread across my face still remains.
Just look at them....
... I can't stop staring at them, they are just beautiful.
I'm am one very happy lady, words cannot describe the feeling that a woman gets when Manolo Blahnik comes in to their life. I am about to become fashionable, my feet won't know what's going on, will they ever go back to wearing New Look pumps? I think not. I fear I may have started something that I will not be able to control.
They arrive tomorrow - expect more posts.
Now I know you're probably wondering what I had to do to win them, and just because I am so happy, I'll share my reply... but don't laugh, after all I did win.
My winning status...
My winning status...
I'm am one very happy lady, words cannot describe the feeling that a woman gets when Manolo Blahnik comes in to their life. I am about to become fashionable, my feet won't know what's going on, will they ever go back to wearing New Look pumps? I think not. I fear I may have started something that I will not be able to control.
They arrive tomorrow - expect more posts.
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Victoria is Pregnant! Will It Be A Girl for the Beckhams?
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| Picture sourced from DailyMail.co.uk |
Another celeb pregnancy has been announced! David & Victoria have announced that they are expecting their 4th child in the Summer.
Congratulations to them! They already have 3 boys Brooklyn (11) Romeo (8) and Cruz, (5) and it is reported that they are crossing their fingers for that longed for baby girl.
The Beckham's have said they're excited about a baby brother or sister for the boys but it has got me thinking about a programme I watched several months ago. It was about women that are so desperate to have a baby of a certain sex. There was a woman that had 6 boys and she was pregnant with her 7th child. We saw her lie down and await the results of her scan, when it was revealed that the lady was carrying yet another boy the woman cried her heart out. She was so upset and so desperate to have a girl.
I'm told that I'm lucky that I now have 'one of each' and I guess it's impossible to know how I'd feel if I was in a similar situation but is having one of each sex really the perfect outcome? Surely having children of the same sex makes the financial burden less - siblings can share clothes and toys and maybe even have a greater bond. In my heart I believe I am lucky to have such beautiful children but I really don't think I'd mind whether they were boys or girls.
What do you think? How has your family panned out so far? Are you longing for a baby of the opposite sex?
Congratulations to them! They already have 3 boys Brooklyn (11) Romeo (8) and Cruz, (5) and it is reported that they are crossing their fingers for that longed for baby girl.
The Beckham's have said they're excited about a baby brother or sister for the boys but it has got me thinking about a programme I watched several months ago. It was about women that are so desperate to have a baby of a certain sex. There was a woman that had 6 boys and she was pregnant with her 7th child. We saw her lie down and await the results of her scan, when it was revealed that the lady was carrying yet another boy the woman cried her heart out. She was so upset and so desperate to have a girl.
I'm told that I'm lucky that I now have 'one of each' and I guess it's impossible to know how I'd feel if I was in a similar situation but is having one of each sex really the perfect outcome? Surely having children of the same sex makes the financial burden less - siblings can share clothes and toys and maybe even have a greater bond. In my heart I believe I am lucky to have such beautiful children but I really don't think I'd mind whether they were boys or girls.
What do you think? How has your family panned out so far? Are you longing for a baby of the opposite sex?
And the Winner is... (The Second Baby Survival Guide)
As usual the lucky winner was selected via random.org. We had exactly 100 entries for this one. And the lucky winner is...
Congratulations! I will email you for your details xx
Saturday, 8 January 2011
Lego Duplo Expert: Caravan Set
As some of you may know, last year Mister A was lucky enough to be chosen as one of 20 Lego Duplo Experts and over the course of the year we will hopefully be reviewing lots of lovely Duplo.
Our first parcel arrived just before Christmas and Mister A couldn't wait to get his hands on it. The Lego Duplo Caravan...
Our first parcel arrived just before Christmas and Mister A couldn't wait to get his hands on it. The Lego Duplo Caravan...
When I saw it I was a bit dubious and that he might get bored of it easily because he does have some quite 'advanced' toys but he's loved it so far. It's so great to watch him playing with toys like this because it seems to really open up his imagination. He loves driving the car around with 'Daddy' in the front seat...
At first he was a bit concerned that the Mummy, Daddy and Baby wouldn't all fit in the car at once but he has since learned how to get them all in. He loves sitting them all down for their BBQ meal...
I particularly love that the set comes with sleeping bags - a lovely little touch. When they've had enough for the day they can head back in to the caravan for a good nights sleep.
At £30.99 it's quite pricey, but it's a great little set with 21 pieces in total and you know that when you buy Duplo it is built to last (we still have Duplo from 20 years ago when we were younger!) Mister A seems to enjoy playing with it on every occasion and loves deciding where the family are going on their holidays - sometimes they go alien hunting, sometimes they go to France - make of that what you will!
So Mister A - thumbs up or thumbs down?
Overall, we love it and we would recommend - although we'll be buying more Duplo so that Mister A can build some new places for the family to visit.
The Lego Duplo Caravan costs £30.99 and is available at Lego.com
Friday, 7 January 2011
Fashion Friday: The Best Maternity Sale Finds...
Before we start, I would like to apologise to my bump rocking friends - I've been a bit naughty of late and haven't posted any maternity finds for a while. I'm back now though for my regular Friday feature and I've got a couple of good 'uns for every occasion.
For Work...
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| ASOS Winter Floral Bodycon Dress WAS £28.00 NOW £8.00 |
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| ASOS Long Sleeve Yoke Dress WAS £30.00 NOW £9.00 |
Lunch With The Girls...
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| Ruffle Gypsy Blouse WAS £22.00 NOW £8.00 |
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| ASOS 3/4 Sleeve Scoop Neck Top £4.00 |
A Walk In the Park...
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| ASOS Cowl Front Bow Detail Jersey Dress WAS £26.00 NOW £10.00 |
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As usual, if you need something specific the comment below or let me know on Facebook and I'll do my best. x
Thursday, 6 January 2011
I will be thin - WeightWatchers, Wii, DVDs and Slendertone!
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| Image source: Channel4.com |
Last November we had returned from a month visiting Chris' parents in Singapore. I had lost over a stone while we were there, thanks to the gym, healthy food and lots of walking and I finally had some confidence my body. One month later the pregnancy test read positive, Little E arrived in August and I appear to have put on around 2 stone. Damn!
So yet again, I'm making a pledge to lose weight. I started my new 'regime' this morning by doing 6 dances on the Just Dance game that Chris got me for Christmas. I did a couple of Wii Fit games and I've dug out the Slendertone that I was sent a few months ago ready to begin my 4 week trial.
I know what your thinking, It doesn't matter how much exercise you do, if your still eating like a horse you won't lose weight.
Well, lucky for me WeightWatchers have asked me to follow their new ProPoints plan. I've got all the details here and I'll be following it online. I'm not fully up to speed with on it yet, I'll be getting to grips with that tonight, but I'll keep you updated on my progress.
So here's my pledge...
I vow to do daily exercise, eat healthier, follow the Weight Watchers plan and hopefully lose at least 1 stone by April 1st.
Wish me luck!!
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Review: Tefal ActiFry
A few weeks ago I got an email asking if we would like to review the Tefal Actifry - I was really excited because I'd seen one on This Morning or Something For The Weekend (one of the two) and it looked fabulous. At the time I pestered Chris like a small child because I wanted one for our tiny kitchen, but he said no because we didn't have the money or the space.
I replied to the email with a yes and did my evil laugh in response to Chris' earlier 'NO' (mmmwahahahaaa) - I always get my own way in the end!
A bit about the ActiFry...
"The Tefal ActiFry is a revolutionary new gadget that allows all your favourite foods to be cooked using just one spoonful of oil. Whether it be light, fluffy chips or crisp, succulent chicken drumsticks, the ActiFry uses a unique rotating mixing paddle, so that food is coated in oil to give the best crisp finish with only 3% fat.
The specially designed paddle gently stirs the food, coating the outside each with a fine mist of oil to deliver delicious, low-fat results each time.
Mums on the go will love the innovative ActiFry as one spoonful of oil cooks enough chips for a family of four. The removable aluminium bowl has a non-stick coating for easy cleaning, and the bowl, lid and paddle are all dishwasher-safe making it the essential item in any family kitchen or chip loving bachelor pad."
The Trial...
We've been using the Actifry for a couple of weeks now and me and the man are both really impressed. I'll be honest, when we heard we were getting one our immediate thought was chips, chips, chips but we haven't really used it for that - instead we've we've cooked loads of really delicious stuff but not that many chips!
We've cooked everything from stir-fry's to bolognese, chicken nuggets and even our Christmas Day brussel sprouts(!) but my absolute favourite dish so far has to be....
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| Sausage Casserole |
We have hardly used the oven since it arrived - it's a great little gadget - well I say little, it's actually quite large in our oopa loompa sized kitchen but nevertheless, we use it so often that we allow it to take pide of place on our work-top.
You don't need to preheat it which is always a winner in my house - whenever I cook anything I always forget I've put the oven on and then an hour later wonder why it's so hot in the kitchen - oh yeah I was supposed to making dinner!
The Cleaning Test
The bowl is really easy to clean as it detaches from the fryer along with the paddle. I found that the paddle was a bit trickier in the cleaning stakes. After we'd used it to cook bolognese, food did get wedged in the underside of the paddle and I found myself stood at the sink with the dish-brush thing-a-me-jig for a good ten minutes.
Both the bowl and the paddle can be put in the dishwasher if you're lucky enough to have one.
The Science Bit
Specifications HxWxD: 22cm x 32cm x 43cm
Cable Length: 125cm
Cooking Capacity: 1000g
Recipe Book Included
It is rather pricey at the RRP of £199.99 and if you were only going to use it for chips it then it's probably not worth the bother (although the chips are good!) If like us, you plan to use it most evenings for your family meals then it's well worth the money and I happen to know that there are some really great deals on the ActiFry at the moment - Amazon had them for £99.99 last time I looked.
If you're worried that you won't know how or what to cook in it then use the recipe book that comes with it for inspiration... We did and we love it.
We're giving it 4.5/5
The Tefal ActiFry is available from Lakeland, John Lewis, as well as electrical and independent retailers. (RRP £199.99 ) For further information on ActiFry or any of Tefal’s innovative product range, visit: www.tefal.co.uk
Disclosure: I received a free product to keep, for the purposes of this review
Monday, 3 January 2011
I don't really know what to say...
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| It's January 3rd... |
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| ...and this is on the shelves in M&S! |
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Amanda Holden Keeps Her Pregnancy Secret for 6 Months!
What an amazing woman she must be to have hidden her bump from the paparazzi for that length of time! No doubt she will have told family and close friends and it's great that no one has given in and 'leaked' her news to the media - sadly that happens all too often these days with so-called friends of the stars.
When I found out I was pregnant with Little E, I just couldn't wait to tell everyone one the news although we did wait until our 12 week scan before we revealed our secret. There is no way I could have kept my bump concealed for 6 months though - it was huge by that point!
What about you? Did you tell everyone as soon as you found out or did you hang on to share because of health issues? Share your story...
Win Fab Prizes in the Blogerversary Giveaway
To celebrate my 1 year blogerversary I have some lovely goodies for you to win. Just follow the entry instructions for each prize. Simples!!
Frontcover Wide Eyed Set
To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous set - the same as the one I reviewed a couple of weeks ago (it's amazing by the way) all you need to do is
Subscribe to Second Time Mummy by Email but remember you MUST confirm the subscription when you receive the email!
Disney Sing It Family Hits Game
To be in with a chance of winning Disney Sing It Family Hits just make sure you 'like' Second Time Mummy on Facebook - the game will go to one lucky liker!
A Rachel's Farm Cooler Bag Filled with Goodies
To win the Rachel's Organics Hamper you need to be following Second Time Mummy on Google Friend Connect.
and finally....
5 x Schwarzkopf OSiS Shine Dusters
I will be giving away Shine Dusters to 5 lucky twitter followers - just make sure you are following @second_time_mum and to be extra nice tweet...
I want to win an OSiS Shine Duster in the fabulous @second_time_mum blogerversary giveaway. More prizes to be won at http://bit.ly/gGGJMi
I want to win an OSiS Shine Duster in the fabulous @second_time_mum blogerversary giveaway. More prizes to be won at http://bit.ly/gGGJMi
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Prizedraws close on Sunday 30th January at midnight. Random draws will be made for each item(s).
Good luck and thank you for supporting me over the past year!
Find more prizes at ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions. Loquax Competitions
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Review: The Dodo Pad Desk Diary
Anyway Lord Dodo must have heard how terrible my baby brain had become and he sent us one of his fabulous Dodo Pad Spiral Bound Desk Diaries...
Never heard of them? Well you should...
The Dodo Pad diary is Britain's best loved family organiser / planner - printed every year since 1966. Ideal for a family of up to five people (extra family members may, at your discretion, be marginalised). It's designed so that each person’s activities can be seen on a weekly to view basis with plenty of room on the opposite page for notes and the occasional (or regular) doodle. Lord Dodo warns you however that this style of family organiser is highly addictive; a few long-term users are known to have tried to kick the habit, only to return (much relieved) to this most desirable organizer after just a few fleeting months away.
It may only be the 1st January but I can see that this little book is going to be my new best friend for 2011. I've already added all of our names and a couple of appointments and I've also had a bit of a doodle too - well it'd be rude not to!
I've never seen a diary in this format before - my mum used to have a 'family calender' on her wall which was always good when we were growing up but it's not exactly handy is it? You can't carry that around with you! I know that this is advertised as a desk calender but I'll be keeping mine in Little E's changing bag so it's with me at all times and with my brain the way it is I can't really afford not to!
And if that wasn't enough it's also full of fun facts, quotes and little poems to keep you smiling through the year. I think it's great. Thanks Lord Dodo!!
Happy New Year - No Resolutions for me!
Happy 2011 everyone!
I can not actually believe I'm saying that already. 2010 seems to have just flown by - this time last year I was in the early stages of pregnancy and just 6 days in to my blogging adventure. A year on, I'm sat here everyday blogging away, whilst rocking the baby bouncer with my foot and feeling so lucky to have 2 beautiful children.
So, it's January 1st and I would usually be thinking about New Years Resolutions but let's face it - none of us ever really stick to those do we?! Instead I have written a list of my hopes and to-do's for 2011 so I thought I'd share...
Hopes...
I hope that when I'm forced back to work in February I won't miss my children too much and be forced to cry at my desk everyday staring at their picture.
I hope that I will be able to stop injecting the nasty Clexane in to my tummy every single day by the end of February - the DVT nurse said six months after Little E was born I should *fingers crossed* be able to stop.
I hope that Mister A gets in to the school that we want him to go to and that come September we are all ready for his first day at 'big school'.
I hope that we can have a holiday this year - even just a weekend away somewhere as a family - before I head back to the office.
I hope for health, wealth and a new fridge freezer!
To-do's...
Eat dinner at the table, as a family, every single day.
Lose the baby weight - I'm not sure how I'm going to do this, but I must - at the moment I'm thinking WeightWatchers and Wii games.
Arrange the best ever 4th Birthday party for Mister A.
Successfully wean Little E off the boob and on to solids ensuring that she doesn't evolve in to the fussy eater that Mister A has suddenly become.
Get to Cybermummy and meet up with all of my wonderful blogger friends - without the children!
Make the house look better!
and finally...
Be the best Mum that I can be and maybe, just maybe persuade Chris to make me his wife after THE longest engagement in history! - although maybe I should have added a 'dreams' section for that one!!
Best Wishes to everyone!!
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