Sunday, 29 May 2011
A New Hair Do - Regis
A couple of weeks ago I was on Facebook when I noticed a competition. It was in the run up to the Royal Wedding and Regis Salons were asking who would be the ultimate celeb bride. I said Lady Gaga *obviously*
..and I won!! The prize was a free cut and colour at my local Regis Salon worth up to £100!
Despite needing an immediate update I decided to wait until yesterday to go (it's Little E's Christening today so I wanted to save it for a special occasion.) As you all know, there have been a couple of hair disasters of late - namely due to the scissor happy hair dressers on two magazine shoots, the latter I didn't even share pics with anyone because I was so mortified!
Anyway, as you can imagine I was a little bit apprehensive having been butchered a couple of times by 'trusted' professionals, but when I arrived I immediately felt relaxed and at home. My stylist was Ben who had come over from the Preston salon. Luckily he didn't lose patience with my indecisiveness - why is it that you can book a hair appointment weeks in advance but then you still don't know what you want done when you get there!? I umm'd and aaah'd over colour and eventually decided to give my bonce a lift with a full head of blond highlights.
I've been brunette for over a year now but fancied a change ready for Summer. Ben and I had a good old natter about concerts, birthdays (it was his birthday on Friday 'Happy Birthday!') and Ben's application to go on Big Brother. I think he'd make a fab contestant by the way, so good luck with that Ben - I'll see you on the TV this Summer!
Soon my foils were in and I was under the lamp. Here's a really flattering pic...
and here's one of me now... (this is for you to see the colour only - I've been caught in the wind, rain and slept on this since Ben finished me!) The pic really doesn't do Ben any justice but I can tell you I'm really, really happy with it.
I had a great experience at Regis - Ben, Kim and Ashleigh were all lovely and i'll definetely be going back there again. Fabulous! Thank you guys!!
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| From left: Ashleigh Scott, Ben Heyes and Kim Mason, Regis Salon Ormskirk |
If you fancy a new barnet then head to www.regissalons.co.uk or if you're local to me then head to Regis Ormskirk for 20% off Monday to Thursday. Go!
Saturday, 28 May 2011
North Wales Borderlands - Half Term Fun
Struggling for things to do in the Half Term? Why not try North Wales? There's something for everyone..
Best for... Kids with a sense of adventure
Woods and Wildlife Family Trail
Date: 28th May – 5th June 2011
Time: 9am - 5.00pm
Admission: Normal admission prices apply
(Full castle: adult £9, child 4.50, family £22.50. Garden and tower only: adult £6.48, child £3.24, family £16.20)
Where: Chirk Castle, Chirk, near Wrexham
Explore Chirk Castle's historic parkland with this trail for all the family. Take a tracker pack with you and discover ancient trees and rare bugs.
Information: For more information visit www.northwalesborderlands.co.uk or call 01691 777701
Best for... Bringing history to life
Call to Arms at Wrexham County Borough Museum
Kids and adults will love this fun day of re-enacting medieval battles with Michael Roberts, medieval historian and professional re-enactor.
Date: 1st June 2011
Time: 10.30 - 12noon (7-10yrs) & 13.30 - 15.30 (9-12yrs)
Admission: £3. Advanced booking is required.
Where: Wrexham County Borough Museum and Archives
Information: For more information visit www.northwalesborderlands.co.uk or call 01978 297460
Best for... A vintage-style day out
1940’s Tea Dance
Date: 4th June 2011
Time: 1.30- 4.00PM
Admission: All inclusive: Adults £5, Concessions £4, Children £3
Where: Bodelwyddan Castle, Denbighshire
Dance to the sounds of the 1940s big bands with dance tutor Helen McGreary. Learn how to dance the waltz, foxtrot and lindy hop, then unwind with a home-made afternoon tea. Suitable for beginners and people of all ages.
Bodelwyddan Castle is situated in Denbighshire, North Wales. Set in 260 acres of magnificent parkland, the Castle is a partner of the National Portrait Gallery and is open to the public most days throughout the year.
Best for... Kids with a sense of adventure
Dipping in the Dell
Date: 4th June 2011
Time: 11am – 12:30pm
Admission: Free of charge for all ages
Where: Plas Newydd Hill Street, Llangollen
Children who are wild about insects will love this chance to explore as families are taken on a minibeast safari to discover what lives on the land and in the river. Wellies recommended.
Best for... An eerie evening
Ghost Hunt
Date: 11th June 2011
Time: 8pm – 2:30am (adults)
Admission: £59 per person. Advanced booking is required.
Where: Ruthin Gaol, Denbighshire, Wales
Adults wanting to feel the chills of paranormal activity are invited to an evening at Ruthin Gaol – the only Pentonville style prison open to the public.
Your evening will include a tour of the Gaol with ghostly tales and a history talk about life in the Victorian prison system, platform readings from spiritualist mediums, a late night ghost hunt and supernatural investigation.
Information: For more information visit www.eerie-evenings.com or call 0845 201 3994
Best for... Bird and nature lovers
Birdmania!
Date: 11th June 2011
Time: 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Where: Plas Newydd Hill Street, Llangollen
Bird enthusiasts will love this day of bird watching and afternoon of tales from renowned storyteller, Andy Harrop-Smith, in the beautiful gardens at Plas Newydd. The gardens are quaintly nestled within the stunning North Borderlands countryside.
Sunday, 22 May 2011
The One Where I'm Half Naked With A Hoover
It's no secret that I love a bargain and friends of mine will know that every once in a while I get a little bit addicted to something - whether that's zig zag partings, a certain Gypsy Kings CD or collecting ring pulls from coke cans, there's always something on the go.
Well now the bargain loving and the addictions have combined and I have officially gone mad with it! Yes, my name's Leanne and I'm a daily deal site addict.
Where's the problem in that I here you ask? Well, the problem is I buy things I don't really want or need - hence me spending yesterday half naked with someone hoovering my love handles at a session of lipo massage. I didn't even find out what lipo massage was - I just clicked buy!
Next week Chris and I are off on an aerial rope course - another one of my buy before you think purchases.
In the hall sits a huge box of sunglasses that I bought in the hope that they'd last me through the Summer - none of them fit and even if they did they'd make me look like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly.
I bought my entire family go-karting vouchers at Christmas - yeah, I bet they were thrilled! -We still haven't been.
There are too many more to name and this has to stop. Do you have any strange addictions? Share them to make me feel better. I promise to try and stop making silly purchases but I'll just go see what's on offer today though first!
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Brilliant FREE Stories For Your Little Ones
If you've got a spare 5 minutes today then can I suggest you go watch a collection of 4 short stories that I've found on YouTube. Mister A can't get enough of them. Here's the first of 4. You can find the rest at thelittlemonsters channel on YouTube.
Monday, 16 May 2011
Review: Lego Duplo Play With Letters Set
Here at Second Time Mummy we are lucky enough to be Lego Duplo Experts. In fact Lego Duplo are even sponsoring us to go to CyberMummy 2011 in June.
This week we had an email telling us we were getting sent some more goodies to review. Mister A was so excited, he loves Duplo, so I showed him the Play With Letters set on the Lego website.
It arrived the very next day and he couldn't wait to get it open. We love toys in our house but when there's an educational aspect that's even better. Mister A is great with letters and his writing is coming on in leaps and bounds.
Here's what Lego say about the set: "Build a bigger vocabulary with LEGO® DUPLO® bricks! It has never been more fun to learn the alphabet! Big, colourful LEGO® DUPLO® bricks with matching letters and pictures, let children will have a great time learning letters."
Here's what Mister A thought of the set...
After unpacking Mister A decided to set himself a challenge. He wanted to lay out all the letters of the alphabet. It was great watching him hunt for all the letters and soon the alphabet began to emerge...
As boys do, he quickly tore the letters apart and started plotting an alphabet tower...
and soon the 'flowers' that are included in the set were being used as propellers...
Mister A really enjoys buildingg with Lego Duplo, it's great to see his thought process when he's playing and deciding what to buld next.
This set is great because he's having fun but also learning the alphabet too. It's using his creative side but also thinking about the different letters, shapes and colours.
Mister A is 4 and a half now so he's almost ready for 'big boys Lego' - that's not a problem though because Duplo fits Lego perfectly.
I can highly recommend this set for many, many hours of fun!
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Review: Leap Frog Maths Adeventure To The Moon DVD
For the past few weeks we have been watching a preview of a brand new DVD - Maths Adventure To The Moon from well known toy brand, Leap Frog.
As you know, Mister A has quite an obsession with his Ben 10 DVDs so I wasn't sure he'd take to watching a DVD based on a couple of frog characters that feature on his baby sister's toys. I explained that this DVD, was a special number DVD, and given that Maths appears to be Mister A's preferred subject he was intrigued.
We put it in the player and sat together to watch. He seemed to take it all in and enjoy it but he didn't really interact with it.
A couple of days later it was DVD time again and he actually asked for 'frogs adventure to the moon'. I put it in the player again and went about trying to tidy the house. When I peaked my head around the door he was engrossed and a couple of minutes later I heard him singing along. At the time I hadn't noticed what exactly he was singing to. I presumed it was the alphabet section but now I realise it was actually the number songs he was singing.
So What's it all about?
Well, Tad and Lily (the frogs) blast off in to space on a big adventure. They have to collect everything they need for their maths project. Throughout the DVD Tad and Lily count, sort and use patterns and numbers and the rhythm of the number songs means that they are quite easy to remember.
What's the Verdict?
After 3 weeks of watching the disc every couple of days I am very pleased and proud to say that Mister A can now sing a number of times tables at the grand old age of 4 and a half - even without the DVD on.
This week when I went to pick the children up from nursery they were pleased as punch - apparently Mister A had been teaching his entire class how to count in 10s! I am so, so happy with this DVD and the affect it has had on my little boy. He thinks it's so much fun to watch and sing along and probably doesn't even realise how clever it's making him.
Leap Frog really has made learning fun with this brilliant curriculum based DVD and I'm confident that when Mister A starts school in September they'll be really impressed with his mathematical skills. I would definitely recommend this to all of you! Go, buy one now, you won't regret it.
The Science Bit...
MATHS ADVENTURE TO THE MOON:
DVD Technical Information
• Number of discs: 1
• RRP: £9.99
• Certificate U
• Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
• Running time: 37 Mins Approx
• Special features: The Sorting Game, 4 Sing-along Songs,The Alphabet Song from Let’s Go To School
My Dad x
This post is dedicated to my amazing Dad - thank you for everything you and Mum do for us and the children, thank you for being so brave, thank you for being you. We don't tell you enough how much we love you, but we do love you... millions!. xxx
My Dad was diagnosed with a form of skin cancer early this year and had to have a cancerous mole removed from his forehead. We were all really shocked and worried to hear the words cancer. We're no stranger to the word - my Nan died from terminal cancer and my sister in law has been affected by it too. For Dad to be told he had skin cancer came as a surprise because he is always so careful in the Sun.
When we were growing up we holidayed in Majorca every year, Dad would always be under the parasol with a cap on reading a book and if he went in the water he's be wearing Factor 50 and a hat. It was a shock to here that word and it certainly scared us all.
Dad has had to have specialist chemotherapy drugs to prevent any further development . Unfortunately as the drugs work on destroying the cancerous cells they also destroy healthy cells too. The drugs are essentially burning away all of the skin on his face leaving him with weeping wounds and he's extremely tender. He is so brave and just continuing with his life as normal whilst the drug works it's magic on him. We're almost at the end of the treatment now - the tumor disintegration phase - so hopefully he's be fully mended by the time we go off on holiday in July. It's made us all sit up and appreciate what we have though- life is so short. I love my family so much and my mid years resolution is to spend more quality time with everyone and tell them all how much I love them... you should tell yours too.
When we were growing up we holidayed in Majorca every year, Dad would always be under the parasol with a cap on reading a book and if he went in the water he's be wearing Factor 50 and a hat. It was a shock to here that word and it certainly scared us all.
Dad has had to have specialist chemotherapy drugs to prevent any further development . Unfortunately as the drugs work on destroying the cancerous cells they also destroy healthy cells too. The drugs are essentially burning away all of the skin on his face leaving him with weeping wounds and he's extremely tender. He is so brave and just continuing with his life as normal whilst the drug works it's magic on him. We're almost at the end of the treatment now - the tumor disintegration phase - so hopefully he's be fully mended by the time we go off on holiday in July. It's made us all sit up and appreciate what we have though- life is so short. I love my family so much and my mid years resolution is to spend more quality time with everyone and tell them all how much I love them... you should tell yours too.
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Tight Issues!
Those who work with me may have seen me walking a little differently today. I was struggling with my tights, I pulled them on in the morning rush straight from the drawer. I did think at the time that there was something 'not quite right' but who has time to mess around thinking at that time in the morning - especially when you have children to handover before making the long drive to work?
Not me.
It was fine during the commute but on the walk from the car to the office, I discovered that the cut of the tights felt a little different than Id usually expect. Normally you just wear tights, you don't think about them they're just 'there'.
However, today my tights seemed to taunt me. Every time I took a step, my tights may as well have been singing "some thing's not right, some thing's not right" in time with my walk.
I went to the toilet in case it was just a case of 'twisted leg' - you know when you put your tights on right on one side but then one leg twists as you put your leg in so the top of the foot part of the tight should really be at the bottom? Oh dear... you don't know what I mean do you? God, I'm clearly completely inept and seem to be able to dress myself even less successfully than Chris' attempts to dress the kids!
Anyway, having had such a busy day I had to wait until I got home to investigate the real cause of the issue and it now appears that the problem was...
However, today my tights seemed to taunt me. Every time I took a step, my tights may as well have been singing "some thing's not right, some thing's not right" in time with my walk.
I went to the toilet in case it was just a case of 'twisted leg' - you know when you put your tights on right on one side but then one leg twists as you put your leg in so the top of the foot part of the tight should really be at the bottom? Oh dear... you don't know what I mean do you? God, I'm clearly completely inept and seem to be able to dress myself even less successfully than Chris' attempts to dress the kids!
Anyway, having had such a busy day I had to wait until I got home to investigate the real cause of the issue and it now appears that the problem was...
I was wearing maternity tights... BACKWARDS.
What a numpty! Hopefully this will count as a lucky inside out type mishap and I'm destined to win the lottery on Saturday night.
For now though, I think I'll have to go back to my childhood and get my Mum to come round each night and lay out my clothes ready for the next day.
What a numpty! Hopefully this will count as a lucky inside out type mishap and I'm destined to win the lottery on Saturday night.
For now though, I think I'll have to go back to my childhood and get my Mum to come round each night and lay out my clothes ready for the next day.
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Review: Willvin of Sweden Changing Bag
A good few months ago I was contacted by Willvin of Sweden about the opportunity to review one of their changing bags. As you know I have a changing bag obsession and will grab any chance to get my hands on a new bag. I scoured their site but couldn’t decide which bag I wanted. I’d been on the site before and was spoilt for choice then so I did something I don’t usually do when buying a bag - I consulted Chris. I knew that he’d love the fact that Willvin make bags that men can carry too - no zebra print or hearts here – just great looking, quality changing bags.
Eventually, we settled on the Willvin Leatherette in beige and I couldn't wait for it to arrive. As soon as I opened the packaging I fell in love with it and couldn't wait to test drive it.
The Leatherette is described as "an extremely well thought-out bag with lots of compartments and handy features making it easier to pack for a day away." So let's put it to the test...
The Space Test
The Leatherette has plenty of space. The main 'bag' has 2 zipped compartments (which I can confirm can be opened with one hand). It has two front velco fastening pockets and a further compartment underneath as well as 2 side netted paockets and a back easy access pocket.
The most important thing for me is that everthing in the bag is easily accessible, nappies and wipes need to be easy to grab when there's an 'uh-oh poo' moment, and there can't be too many pockets that you get confused in a rush. I only want to take one bag out with me - I don't want to have to take a handbag too to carry my things. The Leatherette is perfect for me as I keep my purse, my keys and all MY things in the front section of the main bag, nappies and wipes are in the other half along with a change of clothes. Bottles or cups fit easily in the side netted pockets and my mobile goes in the front pocket. The underneath part of the bag stays empty other than a carrier bag for those moments when there's an accident and a complete change of clothes is required (this is a regular occurance for me!) and I just put the 'wet' clothes in to the carrier and zip 'em underneath.
The Pushchair Test
I'm currently using the Quinny Zapp Xtra to whisk Little E around and I've talked before about the struggles to find a bag that works well with it. The Leatherette is perfect- it has a carry strap (as you would expect) but this unclips to make way for the intelligent stroller clips. You just clip the bag directly to your pram or pushchair which is great - I hate a bag that just hangs and slips down the handles.
The Shopping Test
Eventually, we settled on the Willvin Leatherette in beige and I couldn't wait for it to arrive. As soon as I opened the packaging I fell in love with it and couldn't wait to test drive it.
The Leatherette is described as "an extremely well thought-out bag with lots of compartments and handy features making it easier to pack for a day away." So let's put it to the test...
The Space Test
The Leatherette has plenty of space. The main 'bag' has 2 zipped compartments (which I can confirm can be opened with one hand). It has two front velco fastening pockets and a further compartment underneath as well as 2 side netted paockets and a back easy access pocket.
The most important thing for me is that everthing in the bag is easily accessible, nappies and wipes need to be easy to grab when there's an 'uh-oh poo' moment, and there can't be too many pockets that you get confused in a rush. I only want to take one bag out with me - I don't want to have to take a handbag too to carry my things. The Leatherette is perfect for me as I keep my purse, my keys and all MY things in the front section of the main bag, nappies and wipes are in the other half along with a change of clothes. Bottles or cups fit easily in the side netted pockets and my mobile goes in the front pocket. The underneath part of the bag stays empty other than a carrier bag for those moments when there's an accident and a complete change of clothes is required (this is a regular occurance for me!) and I just put the 'wet' clothes in to the carrier and zip 'em underneath.
The Pushchair TestI'm currently using the Quinny Zapp Xtra to whisk Little E around and I've talked before about the struggles to find a bag that works well with it. The Leatherette is perfect- it has a carry strap (as you would expect) but this unclips to make way for the intelligent stroller clips. You just clip the bag directly to your pram or pushchair which is great - I hate a bag that just hangs and slips down the handles.
The Shopping Test
Those intelligent stroller clips I mentioned are also perfect when you're out shopping. I just clip the bag directly to the trolley rather than carrying it around on my shoulder like my old bag.
The Verdict
I’ve got tons of changing bags and I used to swap and change between them quite a bit. For the past few months though my Willvin has always been on my arm/pram/pushchair/shopping trolley, I love it we love it. In fact I love it so much that I even take it out with me when I'm on my own! Remember when I went for my Lee Stafford makeover?- I took that bag down to the big smoke for my trip and even the magazine girls loved it! Not only that it comes with lots of extra stuff too, like a changing mat so check out 'The Science Bit' below to find out about those.
All in all, a perfect bag; fashionable, sturdy, great quality, wipe clean and plenty of room to carry anything you might need. Go get one - I can't live without mine!
The Science BitAll in all, a perfect bag; fashionable, sturdy, great quality, wipe clean and plenty of room to carry anything you might need. Go get one - I can't live without mine!
• Available in 3 different durable and beautiful materials
• Works equally well at work as on the playground
• Can also hold a laptop
• Highest quality materials, design and function
• Smart extra compartments for diapers or clothes
• Practical zip bag for ointments, medications or cotton buds.
The following matching accessories are included:
• Changing mat
• Nappy or clothing nylon bag
• Bottle holder
• Zip bag
Find out more over at Willvin's main site.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
A Funny Moment On The Train
Written earlier today...
I’m currently sat on a train on the way back from London. I need to do work but I can’t get online to access my emails. Even if I could get on, I can’t hear myself think. There are 3 girls (probably around the age of 18) on the table adjacent to me that are screeching so much about their night out last night.
They’re name dropping, talking about what a great time they had and they’ve mentioned they were staying at the Mayfair about a hundred times. It’s becoming apparent that they’ve met Chipmunk and someone by the name of Trey. From what I can gather it was Trey's concert but they were sat opposite him at one point, chatting to him. They only drank Grey Goose Vodka and champagne - nothing else. And they got pretty wasted last night – the blond one has been sick twice during the journey – she had a chicken salad sandwich last night and now apparently it’s on the wall of the train toilet. The short haired brunette appears to pining over a lad called Jay-Jay – she’s so fed up with the way he’s been treating her and the other night she just got up, took her computer and left.
She's seems a bit down and proceeds to don a very large pair of white headphones, then starts singing extremely louly to Judas by Lady Gaga. They are all wearing MASSIVE false eyelashes and they orginate from Warrington - the same place as Kerry Katona - nuff said. They're already planning Friday night's jaunt to the big smoke but one of them can't make it 'cause she's going to a party.
I'm still taking it all in, my brain feels like it's going to explode from the noise level of these people. and their sheer lack of any need for privacy. There's a rather large man sat next to me and I sense he's unable to zone out either. The lady opposite is reading through pages and pages of photocopied sheets and obviously needs to be able to focus. It's clear that none of us on this opposite table have ever experienced anything like this on a train before but we don't acknowledge each other.
They’re name dropping, talking about what a great time they had and they’ve mentioned they were staying at the Mayfair about a hundred times. It’s becoming apparent that they’ve met Chipmunk and someone by the name of Trey. From what I can gather it was Trey's concert but they were sat opposite him at one point, chatting to him. They only drank Grey Goose Vodka and champagne - nothing else. And they got pretty wasted last night – the blond one has been sick twice during the journey – she had a chicken salad sandwich last night and now apparently it’s on the wall of the train toilet. The short haired brunette appears to pining over a lad called Jay-Jay – she’s so fed up with the way he’s been treating her and the other night she just got up, took her computer and left.
She's seems a bit down and proceeds to don a very large pair of white headphones, then starts singing extremely louly to Judas by Lady Gaga. They are all wearing MASSIVE false eyelashes and they orginate from Warrington - the same place as Kerry Katona - nuff said. They're already planning Friday night's jaunt to the big smoke but one of them can't make it 'cause she's going to a party.
I'm still taking it all in, my brain feels like it's going to explode from the noise level of these people. and their sheer lack of any need for privacy. There's a rather large man sat next to me and I sense he's unable to zone out either. The lady opposite is reading through pages and pages of photocopied sheets and obviously needs to be able to focus. It's clear that none of us on this opposite table have ever experienced anything like this on a train before but we don't acknowledge each other.
UNTIL NOW
The girls are now talking about where 'headphone girl' ended up the previous night. The blond girl screams and makes a very rude un-postable comment along the lines of "I don't know but she certainly had her mouth full." The large man proceeds to spit half a bottle of Ribena out in shock, covering his shirt and tie and spraying the woman in front.
OH.NO.
I am not very good with trying not to laugh in these kind of circumstances. I couldn't help myself, I laughed. Loud. The lady in front laughed. The girls laughed. The man laughed.
Then we all went back to what we were doing as if nothing had happened, some of us a little bit more berry coloured than before.
Brilliant.
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Review: Brother Max Scoop High Chair
It's Easter Sunday so I thought I'd celebrate by sharing my review of the egg shaped Brother Max Scoop Highchair, with it's sleek and modern design and unique 'no strap' system, will it live up to my expectations? Read on to find out...
The Assembly Test
When I saw the size of the box I immediately freaked out, thinking that it would be really difficult to put together. I needn't have worried though, it came with really easy to understand, clear instructions with images of every detail so there were no issues. Here's how we put ours up...
As you can see, it's quite simple and more importantly - it only needs one person to construct.
The Baby Test
The Scoop is suitable from 6 months although it is recommended that babies should use the chair with the removable seat insert which is sold separately. The seat insert just makes the highchair more snug and secure for smaller babies as it reduces the interior size of the seat.
I did feel a little down-hearted when I realised that the insert wasn't included but I was confident that with the optional harness, 8 month old Little E wouldn't have any problems.
The only issue we had in not using the insert was that Little E is still a little bit wobbly. She is prone to jerking backwards and therefore would bang her head on the back of the seat so we just pop a towel on the back, just in case.
You can see from the image below how Little E fits in to the highchair - she's quite petite for 8 months old but she's secure and she loves being high up in the chair.
The Cleaning Test
In the past I've struggled with high chairs as they can be so hard to clean. This is where the Scoop excels on every other high chair I've used. There's no cloth to be stained, no straps to be soiled, no difficult cover to remove and wash in the middle of the night so that baby can still use the high chair again the next day. Every part of the chair can just be wiped clean. There aren't even any nooks and cranny's to cause any issues. The addition of a table insert could be good as it would allow for a thorough clean in the dishwasher but it's still perfect without.
Special Feature Testing
The scoop has lots of added features that you don't usually expect from a highchair.
Sliding Tray Table
The Scoop has a small lever handle just under the table attachment which allows the table to slide clear of the seat. This means that it was really easy to put Little E in to the highchair and secure her simply by holding on to her with one hand and moving the table up to her body with the other.
360 degree Rotation
The Scoop rotates through 360 degrees which I thought would mean Mister A would attempt to spin Little E around and around. Don't worry though, the chair swivels and locks every 90 degrees.
Height Adjusting
Due to the gas mechanism you just press the large button on the base with your foot to lifetthe chair to your desired height. The great thing about the height adjuster is that you can use it to adjust to the height of any table, sofa or breakfast bar so you won't have a moment like we did one Christmas where Mister A's legs wouldn't fit under the table! The poor child had to sit about a metre away from the rest of us. With the Scoop there'll be no issue.
Gliding Castors
The Scoop is quite a hefty high chair so it's castors are a must. There are 2 castors and 4 height adjustable legs on the base so if your floor's uneven you can adjust the legs to compensate.
Conversion for use up to 5 years
So you're probably wondering why there isn't a beaming picture of Mister A trialling the high chair. The truth is, we just can't tell him that if we removed the table he could use it as a stool because he'd want to sit in it all the time - Thus leaving Little E without a high chair. It's great that we'll be able to use it for many years to come but so as not to cause any sibling squabbles I think we'll just keep schtum!
The Verdict
We really love the Scoop with it's clean lines and modern look, we're proud to have it in our home. It's easy to clean, easy to put baby in to, easy everything. The only down side to it is that it's so large. I'm used to having a high chair that can be folded and stored out of sight and clearly this can't be put away but the practicality of this chair makes for a winning product. I can highly recommend the Brother Max Scoop.
Don't just trust my judgement though, check out all the awards that the Scoop has won...
The Science Bit
Don't just trust my judgement though, check out all the awards that the Scoop has won...
The Science Bit
* Suitable from 6 months to 5 years old, extra support for smaller babies* Converts in to stool, incredibly comfortable for all ages
* Height adjustable for table, sofa or breakfast-bar and smooth gliding wheels for easy movement
* Ultra hygienic and much safer as can work without a harness
* Table moves right back out of the way for easy access and chair rotates 360 degrees
Boxed-product Weight: 19 Kg
The Brother Max Scoop is available now at Amazon.co.uk
Disclosure: We received the Brother Max Scoop High Chair at no charge, to enable us to post this review.
The Brother Max Scoop is available now at Amazon.co.uk
Disclosure: We received the Brother Max Scoop High Chair at no charge, to enable us to post this review.
Sunday, 17 April 2011
I Am Still Here, I'm just Quiet
So I'm gonna go now, probably for a couple more weeks. I'll continue to review because I want to keep the blog going and there's little emotion going on in those little old posts. Hey, I'll call it 'Review Month' and pretend it's an intentional silence.
Don't worry about me though, I'm fine, we're all fine... I'll see you one the other side of this grey cloud.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
WIN 1 of 3 RoC Retin-Ox Wrinkle Fillers
As you may already know, you can also find me blogging over at Parenting Resources for Babywear Brands.
Babywear Brands is a leading Irish & UK online shop for lovely clothes for babies, kids & maternity, baby products, toys, books & now cosmetics!
To celebrate the launch of cosmetics on their site Babywear Brands have given me 3 RoC Retin-Ox Wrinkle Fillers to give away...
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is head over to Babywear Brands have a look around and tell me what other Health & Beauty items you think that they should stock.
Leave a comment below telling me what you'd like to see and 3 of you will be randomly selected to win!
For an extra entry tweet "I've entered to win 1 of 3 RoC Retin-Ox Wrinkle Fillers at @second_time_mum's blog - you should too! http://bit.ly/hT3qU4 " and leave an extra comment telling me that you've tweeted.
Leave a comment below telling me what you'd like to see and 3 of you will be randomly selected to win!
For an extra entry tweet "I've entered to win 1 of 3 RoC Retin-Ox Wrinkle Fillers at @second_time_mum's blog - you should too! http://bit.ly/hT3qU4 " and leave an extra comment telling me that you've tweeted.
GOOD LUCK!
Prizedraw closes at midnight on Friday 22nd April 2011. Find more prizes at ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions. Loquax Competitions
Monday, 11 April 2011
Matalan: Cheap Holiday Clothes For the Kids
As you know I'm a lover of fashion but I'm also a lover of bargains too. My mum regularly laughs at the fact that I have a maximum amount that I'll spend on any one item - you won't find me spending £60 on a pair of shoes - what a waste - I'd expect at least 4 pairs for that! In fact, most of my purchases are all sale buys, for the kids I buy a season ahead. At the end of last Summer - just after Little E was born, I was already buying the clothes that she's wearing now. All in perfect condition, just end of the season stuff. Baby clothes can be expensive and while they are so young, clothes only last a couple of months before they end up in the loft so it seems daft to go mad buying designer labels. Now that the Summers here and a holiday is planned, I need to make sure that we can all look great on a budget.
Yesterday I hit my local Matalan store, with a £50 voucher to spend I wasn't sure exactly how many items I could get but I was surprised by how far the money went. Take a look at what I bought...
For Little E...
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| Navy Spot Summer Dress £6.00 |
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| Multi Colour Tiered Swimsuit £6.00 |
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| 3 Piece Sundress Set £8.00 |
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| Mini Nautical Romper £6.00 |
and for Mister A...
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| 2 Piece Brazil Football Set £5.00 |
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| 3 Pack of Surf Vests £5.00 |
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| 2 pack Swim Shorts £5.00 |
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| Boys Short Sleeved Stripe Shirt £7.00 |
All of that for just £49!!! I was amazed but, as per, I couldn't leave the store without finding a little gem of a bargain for myself. I managed to get these Summer sandals for just £2 in the sale!
So many great pieces and all really great value. We do shop at Matalan a lot and the clothes wash well and last too - there aren't many places you can get all of that for such a great price. We'll be heading back for more through the Summer - well it's only fair - I need holiday clothes too!
Disclosure: I received a £50 voucher from Matalan to enable me to post this feature.
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