Roary the Racing Car Load a Raceday truck

Both my boys at some point have been fixated on Roary the Racing Car, Maxi not so much now, but Mini definitely is, so when we received a Roary Load a Raceday Truck Mini was at in in a flash.

The Truck is a good size and not only does it come with its own Roary, it also makes truck noises too, which went down very well with Mini and he joined in making the noises too (both truck sounds and phrases from the show).  I have to say that the noises did get on my nerves a little bit, especially as they made them all the time even when I was picking it up to pop it away!

We already have some die cast Roray cars and figures, so this was a welcome addition to our collection and the boys both spent time racing all the car's to the Silver Hatch Racetrack in the truck.

The truck and Roary are very well made and not only withstood Maxi and Mini, but they also managed to withstand a very very excited 2 and half year old too, who is besoted with Roary and ended up taking the truck home with him, where it is played with everyday.

The truck's RRP is £24.95, but it is currently on sale at Toys R Us for £19.99

Review based on a Free Sample

Build a Bear Worklshop A boys Perspective

I think that I must have been living under a stone for the last 5 years, as I had never heard of build a bear workshop and I wasn't sure that it would be something that the boys would be interested in.  I couldn't have been more wrong.

We went to the Build a Bear Workshop at the Metro centre and I have to say I have not seen Mini as animated over something, as he was about building and making his own bear.

We were aided on our bear making quest by the wonderful Jade and she really did make the experience wonderful for the boys.  Not only was nothing too much trouble, but see made sure that she remembered the boys names and she got down to their level to talk with them.

Mini unsurprisingly chose a star wars bear and a Darth Vader outfit and was ever so serious about kissing his bears heart and making his wish (just take a look at the video)!  Maxi surprised me by choosing a lovely looking bear and dressing it in an outfit he chose too.

My Mum came with us too and she purchased a set of pajamas for each of the boys bears and they are both cuddling them in bed tonight.  We had a wonderful experience and I wold like to say thank you to Estelle at Publicasity for arranging for us to visit Build a Bear, you really did make the boys half term.

Ladybird Books

Sometimes I think there should be a 12 step program for people like me who love books and are keen to pass on that love of books to our children.  We have books everywhere round the house, the boys have a bookcase in the conservatory, one each in their rooms and one on the landing too.

So when I was asked to be a Gurgle Girl and offered some lovely  ladybird books, I did a great big jump and said yes please.

Ladybird books have come on a lot since I was younger, but saying that I still love them and do collect the old ones from charity shops when ever I see them and I have some from my childhood too.

Reading Topsy and Tim - A real blast from the past

We were sent a selection of age appropriate self readers and also Topsy and Tim go to school sticker book and Topsy and Tim go green.  Mini adored the Topsy and Tim books, they were a great big hit and I would recommend them to anyone.

In fact we loved all the Ladybird books, I especially liked the Read it Yourself range which has traditional titles like The Gingerbread Man and Jack and the Beanstalk and Maxi read all of them with ease.  Mini loved listening to the story's and also read some of the level 1 book himself, but as they are well know story, he could pick up any of the books and tell us the story from looking at the images.

Ladybird books have moved with the times and have bright and bold illustrations and a great weight to them, but they are traditional enough to really appeal to parents and grandparents buying them and reading them with their children.  

I liked the fact that the Read it yourself books all had a page of questions about the story, so you can tests your child comprehension of the story.

A real great addition to any child bookcase.

Penny and the Pirates

Penny and the Pirates is a book which is is produced by Guernsey Post and tells the story of Penny The Positie and what happens when she comes across a strange old post box.

I have to say that both the boys really enjoyed this, it might not be the best written children's story book, but Maxi enjoyed reading it, although it does have a couple of tricky words in it (island and Fierce), he managed to read it all and loved the treasure map and then was delighted by the Guernsey stamps at the end of the book (which you can use).  I am not sure if there is such a thing as a bad book as long as it encourages children to read and enjoy reading.

 

My boys love anything to do with pirates, maps and stamps at the moment, so this was perfect timing for them.  Mini has recently been to the post office, sorting office and posted a letter home, so was very apt for him too.

There is also some sheets you can download to colour available on the website.

Review from a free sample

Boost Your Wash

Does your washing need a helping hand.  Mine does sometimes, especially with two rambunctious boys who just love to roll around in the mud and play about outside.  Plus Mini is know as "noise with muck on" in family circles.

So when I was offered the chance to review Boost Your Wash I decided I had nothing to lose.

Boost is designed to work in partnership with your washing solution and turn it in to "power cleanser" their words not mine.  Now I use a non-bio ecological product for our clothes and Maxi  and I have pretty sensitive skin, so I have to say I was pretty sceptical.  You use one to two capfuls in addition to your normal detergent and it is priced at £3.99, which makes it around 25p a wash.

I have been using the product for a number of weeks now and have found it to be pretty effective on mini's white school shirts, getting out the tomato stains and general grubbiness that he carries round with him.  It has had no issues moving grass stain from both the boys trousers too.  It had a pretty tough test on Saturday as the boys white football socks were covered in mud, which would usually require a pre-soaking and a scrub, but with Boost they came clean the first time.

But the test is will I buy it again?  I have still got a number of washes left in the bottle I have (16 washes per bottle), so will not need to buy it very often and if it gets the boys clothes clean then I am all for it.

Liz Earle Products

Back when I was a DINKY (Duel Income No Kids Yet) Liz Earle was my beauty brand of choice for a number of reasons.  I hadd very sensitive skin (at least I did have till I was pregnant) and Liz Earle worked really well for me.  I really agreed with their philosophy and also the fact that they do not use parabens and that they use organic whenever possible.

Believe it or not Maxi was first washed in their orange flower botanical body wash.  I still use their Cleanes and Polish every day, although I can not afford much else nowadays and I rely on birthdays and Christmas to keep me in stock.

Liz Earle kindly sent me a set of their Cleanse and Polish, Instant Boost Skin Tonic and a Skin Repair Moisturiser to try.  It has been a revelation to be using the whole system again.  My skin has visibly improved, even MadDad has noticed the difference and it feels smother, more moisturized and an even texture.

Not only has it made a real difference to my skin, but it has also been a great pick me up too.  Liz Earle products smell divine and using them is a real treat and I have got back in to a really good morning and evening routine.

They also sent me some botanical shine shampoo and Botanical shine conditioner for dry hair.  I have been using this for the last three weeks and it is wonderful.  Firstly, the smell is divine, making it a real treat to use.  I have been conditioning my hair and then cupping my hands to breath in the wonderful uplifting scent.

But smell isn't everything and yes I have seen improvements in the condition of my hair too.  It is more manageable and less frizzy.  At £7.50 a tube it is pricey, but it seems to last well, it lathers very well and the shampoo has no SLS in (which is great as Maxi has issues with SLS).

So I have made a decision, I am going to save my money and rescue the number of things I buy, but I am going to be purchasing Liz Earle's cleanse and moisturising products and also the haircare products and keep on enjoying this wonderful routine I have been using.

ZingZillas The Album - A MiniMad Dance along

Right before I start, I just wanted to answer a few questions with regards to review  and blog becoming too commercial, which have been raised amongst a number of the craft blogs at the moment.

Yes I do reviews, especially if they fit in with my blog and my family.  We do not have lots of money at the moment and reviews do make a difference with the household budget.  We get things we wouldn't have normally purchased, but no one can buy my opinion.  I am a tactless honest northern mother, I tell it as I see it and I will always give an honest review.

I actually think that reviews by real people can be invaluable and have become involved in The Great Toy Guide this year and become a Toys R Us Toyolgogist because I actually used The Great Toy Guide to help purchase toys for the boys last Christmas.  It helped me stop making expensive mistakes and please don't think that we keep everything because we certainly do not.  I am keen for the boys not to become spoilt and they know they are review toys and they have them for 2 weeks.

Any way what I am trying to say is that if people think that my blog is too commercial that that is their issue, not mine.  I started this blog as a record of family and my crafting and the boys artwork and it has changed and grown just like my family has.  The small income I have gained has been invaluable in keeping us afloat during hard times.

Anyway on to the main event, which is MiniMad as it should be.  We were given an advance copy of ZingZillas the Album on Monday and this clip is Mini's first time listening to it.

Since then it hasn't been off, in fact it is playing this morning as I type this and will be going in to the car for our Sunday Family trip out.  It is a children's CD which we all like, which is says it all really.

Edited to add - I am now stuck singing ZingZillas songs and the CD is in MadDad's car - I bet he listened to it again this morning!

Quality Time with Mini - Face Painting!

Mini and Maxi usually got to football practice on a Saturday morning, but mini has a bit of a cold after starting school, so we decided that we would spend the morning together and let MadDad and Maxi go off to Saturday Club together, whilst we had some quality time together.

So we got out the face paints we had been given as part of the TRU Toyologist programme and had a morning of painting and fun.

Mini decided that he wanted to try out some different ones for Halloween, so I give you the skeleton and vampire looks.

But before you think I got out of this scot free, just being the painter, then think again.  Mini decided that it was only fair that he have a go at painting mummy..............  So let me present Mrs Mad the wicked witch of the North.

The paints are so easy to use and watch off very easily and I removed Mini's first design with baby wipes.  We had such a fun morning.  Plus we are going to look really good at this years Halloween Party.

Review

We were provided with a set of boys Snazaroo Face Paints from Toys R Us which retail at  £9.99.  They are really easy to use and the accompanying booklet gives you loads of ideas for images which you can copy and step by step instructions.  The only issue is the booklet uses both the girl and boy pains which contain different colours and paints.

The pack comes with both a sponge applicator and also a brush and both are very easy tiouse, as you can see from the photo of me, which Mini did all my himself from the book.

Citroen C3 Picasso 1.6 HDI - Review

We were given the opportunity by Citroen to test drive the C3 Picasso for a week during the Mad awards. We drove the car to Bognor Regis from where we live in North Yorkshire, which is a journey in excess of 340 miles each way!

The Citroen C3 Picasso is substantially smaller than what both MadDad and I drive, but it didn't feel it. The inside feels just like a bug car and the boys car seats fitted very well in the back and they travelled to Bognor in real style with their portable DVD players on the back of our headrests, which plugged directly in to a power socket in the rear leaving the front one free for our Sat Nav or Ipod charger, as the radio had a connector for the MP3 player.

The technical specification is here.

What I thought of the Citroen C3 Picasso

I found driving the C3 a real dream, the only gripes I had was the handbrake seemed really low and it could have done with a sixth gear (but then that is what I am used to). It was great on the motorway as it had cruise control and it was very economical too.  It was nippy round town too and handled the twisty village roads well.  It was great to park, as it was smaller than mine, but the back looked a little like a van!

The boot space was brilliant and we had all our bags in with lots of space to spare and as a passenger the room in the front was brill and there are lots of storage space and cubby holes in the car.  I loved the fact that there was a storage area on the top of the dash board, as the sat nav fitted really well in to the space.

What MadDad thought of the Citroen C3 Picasso

MadDad was pleasantly surprised by the size, the internal space was deceptively large.  He thought the front seats could have been stiffer, as he did feel a kick in the back quite often from behind (Maxi).  Overall the drive was quite responsive, however, he agreed with me that it lacked a sixth gear for the motorway (which is something he always said about his 307 which had the same engine.  

This is car we would consider buying in the future, as it is a good compromise between a full sized MPV and a small runaround.

What the MiniMads thought of the Citroen C3 Picasso

C
hildren really do look at things differently from adults and their opinions on the C3 were that the blacked out windows and built in blinds made watching the DVD player much easier and that they could also see the screens on their leapsters better.

The loved the lights above the trays in the back of the seats in front, however, would have liked holes in the trays to pop their drinks in and the little indentation didn't keep them upright.

TopThat Publishing

I love books, let me say that again for effect, I love books.  I adore the smell, feel and joy you get from books and I am hoping to instill that in both the boys.

I am lucky that both the both the boys adore visits to the library and having books read to them, but even better they are both really starting to enjoy the ability to read themselves too.

So when Top That! publishing got in touch asking if the boys would like a couple of books I jumped at the chance.

We received Magnetic Mission to Space (£6.99) and Learn with Neddy Teddy and His Phonic Friends. (£5.39)

The first thing I notices is how wonderful and firm the books feel, which really does make a difference where children are concerned, They are well made and are bright and colourful too.

Magnetic mission to the stars really captivated Maxi, he loved naming the planets (even though the names are not in the book), whilst Mini had loads of fun turning the rocket through the pages. 

This book has been picked up again and again since we received it.  A wonderful boy to received and give.

Neddy Teddy and His Phonic fiends is a great book for any child starting to learn phonetically, but it is a little easy for my boys and didn't hold there attention once they had read it once. But saying that it is a wonderful concept for a book with spiny wheels which reveal words and images which link to the phonic sound and then a poem which uses all those words that the child has revealed.

It supports UK national literacy standards and contains all Reception age high frequency words and also includes year 1 and 2 key words too.

Would we buy from Top That! Publishing? - yes I would, they are lovely books, something to really treasure and enjoy.

Peter Rabbit Organic Juices

The nice people at Peter Rabbit Organics sent us some of their fruit juices for the minimads to try.  Now I don't have the resources to often buy prepackaged drinks, so this was a real treat for the boys and we took them with us when we travelled to Bucklebury for the TRU Toyologist meet up.

The juices come in three flavours Apple & Grape, Apple & Blackcurrant and Pear and are a blend of water and organic fruit juice, with no added sugar or other artificial nasties.  They come in 150ml sized tetra pak cartons with a mini expandable straw.

After giving the boys Peter Rabbit pasta and sauces in the past I held out high hopes for these juices, but I have to say that the boys just didn't like them.

The main complaint was that they were too watered down for them.  I tried them too and found all bar the Apple & Blackcurrant very weak indeed.  The thing is both the boys will drink water with no issue and also drink diluted fruit juice and squash, but they just wouldn't drink the Peter Rabbit Organic Juices.

Maybe they will be better for a younger child who's palate has not yet been exposed to other fruit based drinks.

I actually have 2 Blackcurrant and 1 Apple juice drink left and the first person to comment that they would like it, I will post them out too.

Mungai Mirrors

The boys were lucky enough to previously receive some safety mirrors from Mungai to review and they loved them and still do, so when we were offered some more to review we jumped at the chance.

Children's acrylic safety mirror manufacturers Mungai Mirrors of Durham, uses the latest precision laser technology to create fun and imaginatively shaped acrylic safety mirrors. Our famous Splash Mirror launched us to become world leaders in the design of safety acrylic mirrors in 1999. Acrylic mirrors have the same brilliant, highly reflective surface as glass mirrors but are much lighter, shatterproof, and therefore safer.

I had said that I fancied some letters for the bathroom and we were sent SPLASH and some water drops, in additional to some smaller letters to make up the boys names.

The first thing I noticed when I got the letters (£7.25 each) where just how large they are.  They are over 20cm tall.  They fill the whole wall.  You adhere them to the wall or ceiling with pads that come with the mirrors.

Also as a parent or should that be a responsible parent I wanted to know that the mirrors are safe.   Well acrylic mirrors do not shatter and they are also 10 times stronger than glass.

We also received some smaller letters (£2.95), which are approx 10cm in height for each of the boys, again these adhere with the supplied pads. 

The verdict

Yet again the mirrors are a real success.  We have had so many comments from people who have used the bathroom asking where we got them from.  

They are brilliant for bouncing the light around and adding some interest to the bathroom, plus the fact is they are totally safe and I do not need to worry about them shattering in the bath when the boys are throwing toys around (I would never put a normal mirror above the bath). 

The boys helped put their names on the wall and as long as you make sure that they go in  the right place first time round that is OK.  Once the pads are on the wall they are not easy to get down, which for me with two mischievous boys is a real bonus!

I also have to say that over 8 months later our original mirrors look as good as new, they have not come off the wall or had to be cleaned other than a gentle rub with a soft duster twice.

We love Mungai Mirrors, they really do put the finishing touch to a room and they have so many different selections to chose from, so there is something suitable for every occasion.

Personalised Lunch Boxes from Getting Personal - Review

Review Post

We were sent two personalised lunch boxes from Getting Personal to review.  They costs £9.95 each.  Maxi received a rocket-ship one in red and Mini an animal one in Blue.

What we liked:  The lunch boxes are a good size, larger than some on the market and the name is on both sides.  The boys loved the fact that they have their names on and even though neither has packed lunch at school they have both been used a lot over the summer.

Maxi took his on a couple of school trips and the lunch box was large enough to hold a good sized lunch (Maxi eats a lot)!  The name is on both side so you can always see it.

What we didn't like: The personalisation and image is a sticker stuck on the side of the lunch box, so you can only wipe the outside with a damp cloth. In order for them to last a little longer I covered all the stickers with clear sticky backed plastic (yes I had a Blue Peter moment too)!

Overview:  We really like these lunch boxes and will get a lot of use out of them.  We would like personalised water bottles to match please!  Oh  and it would be much better if the personalisation was water resistant.

Review Post

Kerwhizz Magazine from CBeebies - Review

Review Post

We were sent 2 copies of the new Kerwhizz Magazine from CBeebies to review.  I have bought the standard Cbeebies Magazine for Maxi in the past, but stopped as he is getting too old for it and Mini has never really been in to magazines, so I had an idea of what format the magazine would be.

The Magazine is monthly and prices £1.99 and comes with  stickers to collect and a free gift in every issue.  I actually think this is pretty reasonable, must better than the cost of a weekly Cbeebies Magazine.

The boys are also avid Kerwhizz watchers (KerwizzKids) on Cbeebies and we actually have 4 episodes on Sky+, as they love the format of the show.

The Magazine has been designed to give kids confidence at school with quizzes and puzzles based on the National Curriculum. 

I have to say that the magazine appealed to both the boys, but it was far too easy for Maxi  (5, but he is a bit of a whizz).  It held his attention for all of 30 minutes and then it was all done and completed too, with every question right!

Mini (4), however, got much more out of it.  I loved the fact that the stickers meant that he didn't have to write (he hates even attempting to at the moment).  We spent a couple of evenings sitting together with the magazine after bath time and really enjoyed the time and the questions.

If you have seen the show then the format will be familiar to you and the magazine has all the same characters in, like King Pong and Cat Cool.  There is a good mixture of questions and activities, including colouring, mazes and a story, which meant that Mini didn't get board.  In fact he has kept coming back to it and reading it on his own.

I will be buying this for Mini again.

There is also a game you can play here, with  10,000 copies and 5 annual subscriptions  of the magazine to win.

To find out more about my disclosure and review policy click here.

Review - 3 Mobile MiFi

Review Post

A while back Liz at Violet Posy did a review on Mifi in car wifi from 3 mobile and I commented that we would love to give this a try, so guess what the lovely people at 3 mobile sent one of their MiFi systems for me to review too.

I have to say I didn't know what to expect, as I am not all that techie, but I was super surprised.  The wireless modem is about half the size of a mobile phone and really easy to connect and use.

MadDad has an ipod touch and we had both the laptop and the ipod touch connected to it whilst we were in London.  I also used it on the train to and from London for the John Lewis Christmas event.

But do I need one?  for every day use I would have to say no.  I can not justify the £50 one off cost or the top up fees, as we have wireless broadband at home, but as it looks like another hospital stay in on the horizon for me again I would love one and would use it all the time.  If I had one of these the last time I was in, then I would have been a much happy mummy.  It would have allowed me access to twitter, my blog, but more importantly I could have seen my boys without them having to come in and see me, we could have chatted by Skype and web cam, which would have made everything much less traumatic for both them me.

Chocolate Weetabix - Review

We were sent a pre-release box of new chocolate Weetabix (which will be available in Sainsburys from 12 July) this week.

Now I don't know about your children, but my two are chalk and cheese when it comes to breakfasts (even though they were weaned the same).  Maxi is a porridge every morning without fail chap, but Mini, well he is a whole other story.  He just isn't in to eating first thing in the morning and we often resort to anything to get him to eat, including boiled eggs, pastries and chocolate cereals.

Well I was pleased to find out that Chocolate Weetabix has all the goodness of wholegrain in normal Weetabix, but contains half the sugar of the average chocolate flavoured breakfast cereal (yes I did check all the boxes we have in the cupboard, I have tried all sorts to get Mini to eat on a morning).

So did he eat it?   The answer is yes he did 2 out of 3 mornings, but then that is an achievement for us.  Maxi wasn't keen, he did try it, but couldn't eat it and asked for a bowl of his normal porridge (but he doesn't like standard Weetabix either).

Will I be buying it?  Yes, I will do anything to get Mini to eat breakfast as I know and understand the benefits of a heathly breakfast and this is  a great healthier alternative to other "chocolate" cereals on the market.

This is a review post

Chocolate Weetabix - Review

We were sent a pre-release box of new chocolate Weetabix (which will be available in Sainsburys from 12 July) this week.

Now I don't know about your children, but my two are chalk and cheese when it comes to breakfasts (even though they were weaned the same).  Maxi is a porridge every morning without fail chap, but Mini, well he is a whole other story.  He just isn't in to eating first thing in the morning and we often resort to anything to get him to eat, including boiled eggs, pastries and chocolate cereals.

Well I was pleased to find out that Chocolate Weetabix has all the goodness of wholegrain in normal Weetabix, but contains half the sugar of the average chocolate flavoured breakfast cereal (yes I did check all the boxes we have in the cupboard, I have tried all sorts to get Mini to eat on a morning).

So did he eat it?   The answer is yes he did 2 out of 3 mornings, but then that is an achievement for us.  Maxi wasn't keen, he did try it, but couldn't eat it and asked for a bowl of his normal porridge (but he doesn't like standard Weetabix either).

Will I be buying it?  Yes, I will do anything to get Mini to eat breakfast as I know and understand the benefits of a heathly breakfast and this is  a great healthier alternative to other "chocolate" cereals on the market.

This is a review post

Christmas with John Lewis

The institution that is John Lewis invited me to their Autumn/Winter and Christmas launch this week and I had a great big glimpse into what they think might be the next big thing and guess what I love it!

From a toy perspective, I was really pleased to see that there was a focus on traditional role play and musical instruments.  I have earmarked the fantastic electric guitar for Mini a snip at £35 when they get them in stock (well Grannie will be purchasing it for his Christmas present).  There was a lot of toy story on display too, in addition to a fab Lego camera and MP3 player.

I have always been a fan of John Lewis' Christmas section and was very impressed with their offerings for Christmas 2010.  I was really inspired by the crackers made from recycled newspaper.

I have to say though it was the home section that totally blew me away.  I loved the retro vibe of the connections fabrics and prints, which they had actually gone in to the JL archives for. 

The furniture was stunning, I especially liked the Mr Bright Chair, each of the buttons were a different colour.  If made my heart sing!  Rob Ryan has also done a fantastic collaboration too and they his and hers mugs are on my Christmas list.

Then  there was the haberdashery, how wonderful, so much eye candy.  Beautiful buttons, ribbon, fabric and  rickrack.  John Lewis are going to start stocking fat quarters and quilting fabric too.

So thank you to John Lewis for a great day.

Carex Aroma Gel and Hand and Surface Spray - Review and Giveaway

Review

For me hand hygiene is all about balance.  Having suffered from Sepsis in hospital I understand all too well the need for clean hands, but with two little boys I also know how hard getting them to wash their hands can be.  So when Carex asked me to be their brand ambassador at CyberMummy 2010 and to send me some of their new Aroma Gel and Hand and Surface Spray to review, I was more than happy to oblige.

Carex Aromatic HandGel

 

First the science bit from Carex themselves "Carex Hand Gel is an ethanol-based hand rub with high alcohol content. Ethanol is known to be effective against most bacteria such as S.aureus, E.coli and many viruses, and has been proven to kill more than 99.9% of these bacteria in less than 15 seconds. Ethanol quickly evaporates off the skin leaving your hands feeling cool and fresh. Our hand gels also contain glycerin, a widely used skin conditioner, to help leave your skin feel soft and moisturised."

The Aroma Gels that I tried  both leave your hands spelling of either Lavender and Rosewood or Grapefruit and Lime.  So one the alcohol smell evaporates you are left wit h wonderful smelling hands.

What I liked

I like the fact that these are pocket sized, easy to pop in your handbag, picnic basket or nappy bag (in fact I carried something similar in m nappy bag for the whole time the mini''s were still in nappies).

I also like that the scents are universal, so there is not issue in the boys using them and use them they do especially when we are out.  Most public toilets have the sinks far too high up for the boys to use and I no longer have the strength to lift them, so we use these after public toilets.  They are also great for before we have a picnic, as again often our favourite place don't have sinks and you can imagine how mucky the boys hands get in fact I have often said that Mini is just "noise with muck on".

What I am not so keen on

I am not trying to push the fact the as a mother everything must be disinfected, because I believe a little muck never hurt anyone, but there are times when I feel that hand hygiene is imperative.  don't want anyone to read this and feel that they are not doing there best by not using them.  don't want t perpetuate the need for another product.

Hand and Surface Spray

The hand and surface spray is Alcohol free and comes in a handbag, nappy bag friendly 75ml pump size.  Yo don't nee water, you can just spray on your hands an allow to dry or you can spray on to any hard surface and wipe.

What I liked

I wish that this had been about when the boys were smaller as it would have saved me carrying a hand gel and a pack of disinfectant wipes.  I always found that high chairs in some places were pretty dirty and I would clean them before giving the boys their food especially as did not tend to use plates (if I did they used them like Frisbee's).  

Again this would be fantastic for sanitising nappy changing areas and for cleaning your hands after.  

It is great to have in the car, as it doesn't dry as fast as the handgel, so the boys can give their hands a spray and then wipe clean with a tissue to remove stickiness.

What didn't Like so Much

This is a little more expensive than the handgel at a RRP of £2.99, but a little goes a long way.

Overview

I have to say I have found these products to really just fit in with our lifestyle.  They do not remove the need for handwashing, but in places that you can not access it they are great.  Perfect for any busy mums, a must for new mums and also would be great for anyone going to a festival too!

Giveaway


I have 10 sets of carex products (1 spray and one each of the hard gels) to giveaway to any UK based bloggers who can not make it to CyberMummy (I will have plenty of samples available at CyberMummy, you just need to ask, so that we comply with the conference rules).  So if you are interested in receiving them, then please leave me a comment and I will use the random number generator to allocate them on Thursday 1 July.

Disney Blu-ray Ambassador and Alice in Wonderland

Thanks to Kerry at Think Parents, we have been given the opportunity to become Disney Blu-ray Ambassadors, which means that we have been lucky enough to receive a copy of  Alice In Wonderland on Blu-ray/DVD Combi Pack - not only does it contain the movie on Disney Blu-ray disc but it also contains the film on Disney DVD as an added bonus! So it's great for parents who may not have a Blu-ray player but are considering getting one as they will have the film on both Blu-ray and DVD for their families to enjoy.

The Disney Blu-ray disc is known as ‘magic in high definition’ – the picture quality is far superior to that of a DVD and the capacity for interactive extras is greater (basically you get more to play around with!).  Blu-ray Players have what’s known as ‘backwards capability’ which means you can watch your old DVD’s on them too – so if you do decide you’re ready to upgrade from your DVD player you won’t have stacks of unwanted DVD’s lying around.  

This is great for us, as we have a high definition television in the conservatory (which is the playroom) and a standard old CRT TV in the sitting room, so we have the option to use either disc.  Although we would love to embrace all new technology finances don't allow it, so we only replace when we have to!

So lets talk about Alice in Wonderland.  I was dubious about this being suitable for the minimads, especially Mini.  We had seen the trailer at the cinema and it left him in tears, so it was with some apprehension that I allowed us all to watch this together.

The thing is my fears were unfounded, it kept them transfixed from beginning to end.  Neither of the boys were scared of any of the characters and we realised that it was the sound which upset him at the cinema.

The boys had already seen the original Disney Alice in Wonderland, so had an idea of the story, but this version was difference enough to keep them enthralled without them realising all the twists and turns.

I have to say that I adored the Mad Hatter and he was the highlight of the movie for me, even MadDad thought it was "quite entertaining".

Overview

I think that this is a great film, there is so much to see, a real visual feast and it is all the better that it is based on a book that I really like.

MadDad summed it up as a movie worth watching as it kept the MiniMads quite for an hour and a half and had something for each of us.  I am so glad that we saw this o Blu-ray, as it really highlighted the whole imagery.  So a big thumbs up from all of us.

Our Opinions on Blu-ray

I have to say I was somewhat sceptical before trying Blu-ray, I was under the impression that it was just a way to get us to part with hard earned cash for a different format DVD, kind of the whole VHS and Betamax thing all over again.  How wrong was I.

The image quality was far superior to our DVD player, crisper, brighter and truer to life. What a great way to watch a movie in your own home, akin to a cinema in your own house.

However the best part for me is that we don't have to part with any of the DVD's we already have as it plays them and even better it makes the images look better than when played in a DVD player.  So we have been wowed by Blu-ray.  Even GrannyMad is impressed and has already said that if her DVD player breaks she will be buying Blu-ray.

YuuWaa Flash Drive and Online Storage - Review and Giveaway

I was asked to review YuuWaa, which is a 4gb flash drive (or USB memory stick as I know them), but the thing about the YuuWaa is that it also comes with 20 GB of online storage free for the first six month.

Firstly, let talk about the technical bits, from YuuWaa themselves:

YuuWaa can sort out three things:

Storage: Digital photos and videos getting out of control? YuuWaa gives you somewhere neat and tidy to organise all of your digital files

Backup: Easy online back-up for all of your photos, videos and important documents. Makes digital memories safe and secure; should you ever lose your laptop or camera; your photos are safe. Once backed up you can access these files from anywhere in the world. Visiting friends or family and want to show them a video that’s on your home system? Just log-in to YuuWaa

Share: Send your files to friends and relatives securely through YuuWaa. Want to share pictures of your children, without making them public through sites like facebook, or clogging up your inbox? Send through YuuWaa – it’s private and there’s no file size limit.

I have to say that it really is a product that does all it says it does, a real winner to me.

Positives

What can I say, how many times do you hear of people accidentally deleting their images, with the YuuWuu, this is a thing of the past, it is simple to use and store your images on line.

It is easy and pretty self explanatory to use and acts just like an additional hard drive when installed.

Once you register for your on-line storage (which is free for 6 months) your YuuWaa automatically backs up.

Negatives

The only negative for me is the lid, I don't like the fact it has a tiny lid, I would rather it retracted, as I loose things.

Overall Thoughts

This is an excellent product and both I and MadDad were really impressed with ti, it really does what it says and does it in an easy usable and impressive.

Fathers Day

Just a reminder that Fathers Day is on 20 June, I have some ideas for cards and gifts here, the YuuWaa would also make a great gift and DotComGiftShop, have a fantastic range of Fathers Day gifts to choose from.

Also Snaffles Mummy is holding a Fathers Day Carnival.