Congratulations!

Today i have a winners to announce.... picked at random by the rafflecopter widget! 

The Wayfair £50 shopping voucher winner..... (drumroll...)

JAYNE TOWNSON 

If this is you an email is now winging its way to you with details of what will happen next :) 

Congratulations!! 

Lots more competitions coming up soon plus more reviews, baking and a whole host of new recipes!! 

TTFN

Debbie

x

Best Friends and a winning streak!

I think by now everyone knows how inseperable Crunchie and Evie are! 

Crunchie fell asleep on the windowsill and Evie spent ages looking at him, willing him to wake up for a cuddle! 

 He woke, had a cuddle and a tickle under the chin....and fell back asleep. 

One happy kitty and one happy girly! 

Another reason shes happy this week is she seems to be on a bit of a winning streak! 

When i enter competitions i only enter ones that we would really like, not like when i first started and entered everything in sight! 

Now we work out who things would be for, do we really need it (space is very limited here!) and will it get used? 

Facebook, Twitter and blogs have been going mad with Easter competitions lately - giveaways for everything from a Lindt bunny to cars and everything in between. 

We have entered some fabulous competitions and have received 3 emails this past week that have made little lady so happy! 

1. From Activity Toys Direct where we won a sand and water table for the garden - we really need to work on the garden this year so this will be fabulous for the kids to play with while we are all outside. 

It was delivered and built up within a matter of minutes as little miss wanted it straight away! lol 

Needless to say it required a special dress to wear too - such a diva!! lol 

2. Green Toys emailed and let us know we had won £50 worth of vouchers to spend on their recycled plastic toys (this was the day after we won the sand and water table so was a perfect fit!!) Evie chose a pink dumper truck, pink car, some stacking water cups (for Amelia!) and a tug boat. 

Again more to play with outside so hoping for a nice summer this year! 

3. Kelloggs let us know we had won a case of cereal! Anyone who has children knows how much cereal kids can get through - yes and its never just for breakfast! 

One case of Coco Pops then it is please :) Very happy children!! 

Ooh and i dont think i told you that i won a fabulous buggy and car seat at the beginning of the year! 

I have been a member of Pushchair Trader for around 3 years now and never won anything but in January got an email letting me know i had won first prize of a Quinney Moodd pushchair and Pebble carseat - worth a total of £765! 

This is exactly what i received but in black :) 

Baby number 6 just got some special treatment as we have always used hand me down pushchairs from family members (..we even had my sisters pushchair here and had to take it back through!) lol 

I know we are blessed!

We are truly greatful for all the luck we have and hopefully it will continue for a little while yet! :) 

TTFN 

Debbie 

x

Wayfair £50 Giveaway and Review!

I was lucky enough to be sent some goodies from Wayfair to review over the Easter holidays with the kids AND they have kindly offered a giveaway to my readers too!!

We were sent 2 hamper baskets and a tee-pee to review and from ordering to getting the items it was less than 24 hours! I was amazed at the efficiency of the company and the customer service was superb all the way through choosing the items and working together on this project!

The larger of the 2 hampers is supplied empty which makes it ideal for storing blankets and bits needed for picnics etc.  So much space and was large enough to hold both the smaller basket, glass jars, blankets, frame and picnic food!  Sturdy enough to sit on which is of course a bonus too for those of us who cant get up from the floor anymore! ;)

The smaller hamper is filled for 2 people - containing plates, knives, forks, spoons and a corkscrew attached to the inside of the lid.  The base is foil lined and zippered ready to work as a cool box for drinks and chilled foodstuff. So much nicer than carrying your picnic in a backpack and it getting squished and warm (yes we have all been there!) lol

We intended to use the Tee-pee for the Easter picnic last weekend but thanks to the typical english weather it was wet and not ideal for setting up - we did manage a couple of quick shots but Evie wasnt happy being out in the rain so we scooped everything back up and headed indoors!

When the sun was shining on Thursday we ventured out to the park for the kids to play football and for Evie to finally have a proper play in her tee-pee.  She loves the fact it is big enough to fit mummy and daddy in too!  (no pictures of that one thankfully!) lol

The tee-pee has fold open doors that are lined with the cutest fabric on the inside so it gives more impact when they are thrown open.  This fabric is also what the base is made out of - with eyelets in all sides of the tee-pee, the base fastens securely meaning the kids can scurry in and out without worry of having to keep rearranging the ground cover.

There is a net window with drop down flap at the back which means the whole thing can be closed if quiet reading time is needed.  Everyone needs somewhere to hide! 

The poles are a tough plastic and very easy to put together, concertinas up to easily fit in the car or for storage.  I was surprised how light it was to lift and set up, yet it is sturdy enough to withstand some roughness from kids running in and out.  

I can see this getting a lot of use and Evie even has a little collection of books she wants to read to Amelia when shes here as its going to be their reading area!  I think its going to be permantly set up in her room! lol 

This particular Tee-Pee is Currently on offer for half price too! 

Playhouses and Tents

Picnic Baskets

To win a £50 voucher to spend online with Wayfair simply enter via the Rafflecopter widget below - the more you do the more entries you will receive - the more chance you have to win!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck

TTFN

Debbie

x

When the sun is out....

...we head to the park!

The dress and cardigan were a birthday present Evie received on Monday from Nana Sue - doesnt she look gorgeous!  

Theyre from Sainsburys too and ive had a look at the new lines out for summer ... theres one dress better than the next...good news for little princesses!! 

Taking a break in her Tee-Pee with her jar of milk (...and paper straw!) haha

Giant Jenga - pastel colours for Easter of course from Hen & Hammock!   Comes in plain white wood inside a hessian bag - we painted ours to use for Easter!  It would be fabulous to theme for each occassion! £45 available here...

*sigh*  

Happy days! 

TTFN

Debbie

x

Giant Jenga from Hen & Hammock 

Kilner Glass Jars

Tee-Pee  (blog post review and giveaway coming soon)

I received items free of charge to review and promote on my blog based on our experiences with them.  All opinions are my own, all photos are my own and i was not paid for this post. 

Pipii Giveaway! Party in Style!

I would love to introduce you to a fabulous store - youve probably already heard of it, but incase you havent .....here is Pipii!!

Pipii is a world full of ideas, inspiration and fun products for your party, wedding, birthday, or any special occasion.

You all know how i feel about creating memories and making parties something to remember - this is a little piece from the Pipii website which sums up their site...

Create memorable moments

It's all about celebrating life, and at Pipii, no matter what your creative ability or budget, you'll find inspiration to make your party one to remember. Seasonal ideas are updated regularly, and you'll discover an Aladdin's Cave of creative gems in the Pipii crafts archive.

I was lucky enough to be sent some goodies to decorate the Egg Hunt at the weekend ...

These fabulous brown paper cups are ideal for drinks but also ideal for presenting foods too - fill them with candy and fasten with a ribbon to replace goodie bags!  We used them for little houmous pots which went down a storm :)

These gorgeous paper fans really do create a stunning backdrop - we had to move the picnic inside but previously they had been hanging in the trees outside and looked beautiful!  Available in lots of different sizes and colours - perfect for any occassion and simply fold back up when not in use ready for next time - easy storage!

If i have one weakness when it comes to parties its paper straws!  

There is something so perfect about them that using plastic straws just doesnt give - whether its the throwback memories to school milk or the feel of the paper im not sure but these are a must for any party!!  Lots of different styles and colours so perfect for everything from weddings to halloween and everything in between! 

(...once youve tried paper straws you wont go back to plastic i promise!)

Pipii have kindly offered to allow me to host A PIPII SPRING GIVEAWAY on my blog for YOU TOO where you can win £30 worth of vouchers to spend on their site to help with your next party!!

All you have to do is enter  via the rafflecopter widget below - the more you like, share, tag and do, the more entries into the competition you will receive!   

Just imagine some of the lovely Pipii Products helping make your party one to remember!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner will be drawn at random by Rafflecopter in 2 weeks time!

Good Luck

TTFN

Debbie

x

Little Miss E - model in the making! NEXT summer clothes review.

Despite having 4 older brothers and the fear she would turn out to be a tom boy we needn't have worried!  Evie is a complete girly girl who loves dresses and lip gloss and everything pink!!

 

When we were looking through the new Next directory we were letting out little squeals over the new range of summer clothes....tea dresses, patchwork dresses, tshirts with lace and ribbons and everything just looks so shabby chic/50s/pretty!!

 

 

When we were given the chance to review some items from the range I don't know who was more excited - me or Evie!! haha

 

We sat and worked out what would be perfect for an Easter Egg hunt and picnic and decided upon this gorgeous dress, jacket and shoe combo.

 

 

 The pink scene dress is £24-£26   The denim jacket is £13-£14  The pink bloom shoes are £10-£12

 

 As always, the quality from Next is second to none and this dress was so much more pretty than we expected!  Fully lined with a button up back and little glitter belt it was fitted enough to allow movement and spot on age 4/5 sizing for Evie.

 

 

As the rain was imminent we popped on the jacket and headed outside to hunt for eggs.  Not once did she complain of being cold and this little jacket with turned up sleeves (with ditsy blue print flower lining) is an ideal spring/summer cover up!

 

She said she felt all grown up too and I have to admit she did look older than her 4 years! Even with her little pink bucket and excited egg finding grin! ;)

 

 

Im a bare foot girl and im constantly getting told off for not wearing shoes or socks or a combo of both.  Evie is the same and loves to be free, the fact that these canvas shoes are comfortable without socks is a blessing as theres nothing worse in the summer than sweaty shoes!  

 

 

 With the adorable pictures on them and wipe clean surface you can bet she will be wearing these throughout the summer :)

 

Then she went into full model mode!  Twirls, dancing, flicking her hair back.....

 

 

this girl knows how to work the pretty clothes! haha

 

 

 

 Thank you so much to Next for this opportunity and Evie has a list and birthday money ready to spend next time we are in town! 

 

Watch out Paris Hilton - you have a new rival!

 

TTFN

Debbie

x

 Evie was sent 3 items of clothing to review, all opinions are our own and honest. We are part of the Next Blogger Network and received no payment for this review.

Poundland Easter Supplies!

I think this has to be everyone favourite one stop shop for bits and pieces and Easter decorations are no exception! 

 

We had a fabulous Easter Egg hunt at my mums at the weekend and all of the eggs that were hidden were from Poundland.... £1 for £18 fillable eggs and you cant go wrong!  We even bought the bags of sweets from there too to keep the costs down - with 100 eggs to fill it starts getting pricey but not if you know where to shop!

 

We gave all of the children their own buckets (£1 each) and told them to go forage! lol 

 

 

The picnic tables were out but the rain came and we moved indoors, this didn't dampen the spirit and we had lots of fabulous fluffy eggs on sticks (which were planted around the garden to indicate where the egg hunt was), Bunny pompom salad jar toppers and sequin eggs etc to give indoors a whole Easter theme!  (fluffy eggs, pom pom bunnies etc £1 pack of 10/12)  

 

 

The kids enjoyed making masks with the foam precut kits (£1 per 4 mask pack) - we ended up with chicks, rabbits and lambs, the kids loved gluing and sticking!!

 

 

 

 

As there was going to be lots of candy for the kids to take home from the eggs we decided on something different for the goodie bags ... having found these adorable cookie cutters (£1 for 4) we decided to create some of our homemade play doh in orange to represent carrots :)  They went down a storm!!

 

 

We also used the bunny and egg cutters to make the kids sandwiches (I say kids but you know everyone loved them shaped and without crusts!!) haha

 

 

There was so many goodies to choose from in our local Poundland that im sure any event could be catered for - picnic, egg hunt, party etc....the good thing is too we can store all the eggs etc and use them again next year!

 

TTFN

Debbie

x

 

 

I was sent vouchers to purchase Easter products from Poundland as part of the Ambassador programme.  All opinions and photographs are my own and are not influenced at all by my being on the programme.

4 years old!!

I cant believe its been 4 years since this little princess entered our lives... and turned everything upside down!!

 

She is completely doted on by everyone and knows how to work those eyes to get what she wants! 

 

As we were still asleep when daddy went to work we waited until he got back in before opening pressies and cards etc....she got LOTS! 

 

Mainly because we visited family at the weekend so she had presents from both Nanas, my sister and us (our presents are the ones in the bag and the ones wrapped in Christmas paper! 

 

Boxing day we found lots of presents that had been missed in the wardrobe so kept those for her birthday - think I might try this one again as it saved pulling out again this month and I felt prepared! lol  

 

A beautiful dress and cardigan from Nana Sue & Grandad Alan.  Thank you Nana & Grandad xx

Busy opening pressies from Nana Webb...

I loved my Girls World when I was little and seeing the look on her face when she opened this I can tell shes going to love it too!!

PJs from Nana Webb too (cute bunny ones that she wont wear yet incase she creases them!) Yes shes a diva!! lol  Shes looking forward to going to the shops though to spend her pennies!  Thank you Nana xx

 

Jake and the Neverland Pirates interactive book, jigsaws, squinkies princess carriage and Monsters High doll from mummy and daddy.

 

Lots of fabulous pressies including some new cute bowls, plates etc from my sis and a spotty top and chocolates from my Auntie Sue - Thank you everyone she loves it all! :)

 

Blowing out the candles (but not wanting us to sing happy birthday - Jakes the same, for some reason they hate being sung to on their birthdays!) lol

 

 

 

I was going to bake her cake but she wanted to choose her own so a Disney Princess Castle it was :)

 

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

All our love always

Mummy & Daddy

 

x

 

TTFN

Debbie

x 

Eek!! Brave boy!

Ethan has gone to stay with my cousin for a couple of days (he adores Abi and Mark so jumped at the chance of a mini holiday!)

 

Abi just sent me a couple of pictures of what they have been up to today......

 

 

...hes braver than I am!!

 

Nice one son but don't be thinking about asking for one when you get home! *shudder*

 

 

TTFN

Debbie

x

10 copies of Eye See A Dragon - Optical Express Book giveaway!

I am delighted to be able to bring you the chance of winning one of 10 Eye See A Dragon books from Optical Express!! 

 

Not only is this a giveaway for my reader but also a tool for promoting eye examinations and testing in young children. 

 

It is a story of a little Troll hunting in the Highlands!

Can Dragons and Trolls unite as friends for the first time? When he hurts his eyes, Lochy the Troll is helped to see again by some surprising new friends. A beautiful story about vision and friendship.

 

With a set of 3D glasses in the back of the book and instructions to follow through the pages of the book it really does make for an interesting little read.  Evie loved it and enjoyed taking part in the challenges contained - its nice to have something to interact with within the book.

Here is a news report about the launch of ESADITG which gives a little more information on the background of the book etc.

All you need to do to enter our giveaway is follow the instructions on the rafflecopter widget below

- the more you do, the more times you enter.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

TTFN and Good Luck!

Debbie

x

My Week (...kinda) via Instagram!

OK so im cheating a little as some of these are pre last week, some are this week but what with the gap in between of no internet its just a little catch up of the pics ive shared lately put it that way! lol

 

The time has come for the bags to be packed, after a scare when the midwife said I was measuring 38 wks and someone suggested twins I caved and packed my bag! lol 

 

 I did have a scan though and Amelia was measuring 34 wks and 3lb 15oz which means she may be a couple of weeks early like Evie - so exciting!! :)

 

My 33 week bump!

 Jacob bought me a huge box of chocolates with his birthday money and said I had to only eat one per day and they would hopefully last until Amelia got here (needless to say the kids couldn't resist and we now have an empty box and no little sister yet!!) haha

 Packing 100 easter eggs with sweets ready for the hunt this weekend - we are having it a week early at mums so that I can edit the posts and get up lots of lovely giveaways for my fab readers :)

 29th saw Jacobs 11th birthday, I completely blame this little man for getting me into crafting all those years ago as it was his birth that had me searching the internet for how to make my own birth announcements....the rest is history and this boy has my heart! :) 

 My lifesaver at the minute - I swear if heartburn is an indication of hair on a baby - im having a MONKEY!!

 This was me wearing make up and leaving the house for the first time in SO long - SPD is a nightmare and means I don't get out much anymore, the pain of walking is just too much after a little while so its easier to stay indoors.  To get out was lovely though and it needed celebrating with a little make up!! lol

 I took this picture of Evie playing minecraft in bed one night and it was only when I looked at the picture of me above and this one of her that I realised how much alike we both are.  I adore this little girl so much and just know shes going to be a fabulous big sister soon :)

 

That about sums up my last couple of weeks, I have lots of giveaways coming up and some fabulous promotions so hope you stick around :)

 

TTFN

Debbie

x