Review | Zuru Smashers Series 2

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When I was asked if little J would like to try and test Zuru Smashers Series 2 I obviously said yes. He loves blind bag type toys and these are advertised as Gross so I knew he would love them. I wasn't wrong. The Smashers are actually quite fun because instead of opening a bag to find out what's inside, you have to smash an eye ball!!!

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Spending Time Together As A Couple

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John and I make sure that we spend time together as a couple as often as we can. When you become a parent it's sometimes hard to be anything else except for a Mum or Dad. You have to remember that before baby came along you were you, and if you are in a relationship or you are married you are a couple. Sometimes we lose the chance to be a couple and do couple things but its so important not to. Date nights can be tough but with some planning and a good babysitter they won't be as hard as you think.

I've popped down a few date ideas that John and I have enjoyed so far this year. They are not crazy nights out just simple ideas that will get you out of the house for a few hours away from the kids to enjoy each others company.

Cinema

We love going to see a movie but rather than just going to the local cinema we will head to Odeon and pay for the Gallery experience.

It's not available in all Odeon's but if there is one by you that offers Gallery screening then I would definitely recommend.

The gallery is available for those over the age of 18. There is a separate bar area with comfy seats and unlimited soft drinks, popcorn and nachos for those who purchase a gallery ticket. You then get to watch the movie from a sofa for two.

It makes going to the cinema a bit more exciting and we would definitely recommend it.

Break Out

Last week we visited our local Break Out. You may have heard of something similar basically we were locked in a motel room for one hour and we had to find clues to help us escape.

I wasn't sure what to expect and whether I would actually enjoy it but I did, it was so much fun.

When we arrived at our chosen game we were shown inside the room. There was a TV screen that had a countdown timer on. You get just one hour to escape. It was tough at times and you are literally on your hands and knees searching for clues to help you unlock padlocks, solve clues and eventually escape. We did with just 39 seconds to go.

It was a completely different idea for a usual date night but it was lots of fun and we laughed so much.

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Concert/Theatre

John and I like to visit the theatre at least four or five times a year and we are always looking for concerts to attend too.

The theatre is probably my favourite date night and we are lucky to have a few theatres close by. We have watched Ghost, Dirty Dancing, Sister Act, Hairspray to name a few. Then we planned a more exciting date day/date night by visiting Birmingham to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and London to watch Wicked. We just went for the day on the train to help reduce costs and we didn't need the boys to be watched overnight.

Going to a concert together is lots of fun too. Unfortunately for John he has had to watch Steps, 5ive, Spice Girls, the Vengaboys and more cheesy pop which wouldn't be something he chooses to watch but he does it so we can have  good night together and we always do.

John's concerts are artists like Coldplay, The Script, Snow Patrol, Jimmy Eat World which aren't as fun for me but I will always go along too.

Everyones idea of a date night will be completely different. For us we are not interested in going out drinking at the weekend till all hours and feeling ill all Sunday. It's just not us. We've done all that when we were younger, nowadays we would much prefer PJ's, Baileys and a Movie.

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Michelle

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About Me | I Found A Lump

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It's day two of Blogtober and today's topic is boobs as its Breast Cancer Awareness month. I know some people have gone off topic today because this subject is either too sensitive for them or they don't feel they can write about it as it hasn't affected them or someone close. For me I wanted to write about it for two reasons the first I have had someone close to me diagnosed with breast cancer and because of that it made me become more aware of my boobs and what they felt like. It also made me realise one day that they didn't feel their normal usual self which led me to have a mammogram.

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Review | Kinetic Sand Beach Sand Kingdom

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Summer may be over but we have been trying out Kinetic Beach Sand for the last few weeks and its made us feel like we are back in Cyprus. The Kinetic Sand actually feels like wet beach sand and the set includes a variety of moulds and tools so perfect for making lots of sandcastles.

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Review | Ready 2 Robot

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When we were asked if we wanted to review Ready 2 Robot I said yes straight away as I had already read about the range and knew little J would love them. Ready 2 Robot is a very similar to LOL dolls in where there are lots of different surprises as you unwrap. Little J is really into bling bag type toys and if he's not buying similar toys with his pocket money he's watching kids open them on You Tube Kids.

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Review | Oonies Inflator Starter Pack and Orbeez Wowzer Surprise

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I love this time of year for lots of reasons and one of those reasons is that darker evenings means we 'play' inside a lot more. Little J has already started choosing to play games inside rather than playing in the garden. So we have been swopping football and trampolining for lots of indoor play. The past few weeks we have been playing with the Oonies Inflator Starter Kit and The Orbeez Wow World Wowzer Surprise Magical Pets.

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Parenting | When Your Child Doesn't Want To Eat

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It's okay to let children eat with their hands

I recently went on a course all about children and their eating habits or lack of them. It really did open my eyes to just how many children out there either refuse to eat or will only eat certain things. I suppose we have been lucky that both our children are good eaters, I can't imagine what it must be like for parents whose children don't. Hopefully the tips below will help you deal with 'when your child doesn't want to eat'.

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Closed Giveaway | £100 M & S Voucher

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When John and I have a movie night we usually curl up on the sofa with a nice takeaway. It was only recently that we realised that we could actually grab a meal at our local M&S,  not only does it taste better than a takeaway but works out so much cheaper too. M&S food has just opened by us and throughout the year they offer lots of special offers on their food range for example Dine for Two for just £10. This month you can choose from Pizza which includes two mains and two sides or an Indian again two mains with two sides all for just a tenner.

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Review | Schleich Dino Set With Cave

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Little J loves playing with Dinosaurs and why not? They are big, scary and cool and playing dinosaurs gives you the chance to roar loudly, stomp your feet and pretend you are the most powerful creature to ever roam the Earth. When we were sent the Schleich Dino Set With Cave I knew little J would love it. He already has dinosaur figures so adding more to his collection and also a play set would definitely enhance his play.

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Review | We Have Adopted A Fuggler

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Have you ever wanted to open a letter or parcel but you know that you shouldn't because the circumstances could be catastrophic. Well last week a parcel arrived and we were desperate to take a peek inside but the box was clearly marked with a warning. Did we package the parcel back up and return to sender? Nope, however looking back now that could have been the better option. Inside our package was a Fuggler, I don't think I have seen anything as ugly in my life and those teeth... they are  insane. It is quite clear that our Fuggler was sent to us to turn our normal happy home into chaos.

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Collaboration | How To Keep Your Home Safe

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There's been a chill in the air the past few weeks and we've already noticed that it's getting darker much earlier than it was before our Summer holiday. It's always this time of year I start to feel a little anxious and probably more aware of keeping our home safe. We are very good at making sure our home is secure and we still use our Piper camera however darker nights and mornings attract opportunists so I've created a list of top tips for keeping your home safe.

1. Keep All Your Windows And Doors Locked. 
So this may seem obvious but I am almost certain that we have all left the house in a rush and maybe not locked the door behind us or we've left a top window open. Any unlocked windows or doors attract burglars and if they can gain easy access then they will take it. If any of your windows are damaged or do not lock properly now is the time to think about getting replacement windows.

2. Keep All Valuables Out Of Sight.
Again obvious but most people will start thinking about Christmas around this time of year, maybe picking up little bits here and there. It's normal to leave shopping bags or boxes on the floor by the door or on the sofa until you've found a place to store them. If these are on show when you are out the house anyone could look through your window and see exactly where you've been shopping.

3. If You Are Unsure About A Knock At The Door, Don't Open It. 
Whenever someone is at the door that I am not expecting or don't know, I don't open it. I pop upstairs and open a top window. If they tell me who they are and I'm happy to open the door to them I will. If it's someone I'm unsure about then I speak from the window. Make an excuse, tell them you're putting the baby down to nap or you're in the middle of ironing.

4. Use Timers For Your Lights
As the darker nights creep in, its always obvious in our road who is home and who is not. Even if you only work till 5 or 6pm it's dark then so more than likely if you haven't left a timer on your lights, your home will be in darkness when you return.

5. Avoid Putting Plans On Social Media
This applies all year round, you should never put where you are planning to go or where you are on public social media. You are basically telling anyone who wants to know that your house is empty. Lots of people talk about holidays, days out, concerts etc they are going to online and this is an easy way for an opportunist to know you aren't home.

Do you have any tips on how to keep your home safe?

Michelle

This is a collaboration

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Closed Giveaway | Win An Amazon Echo

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We have a fantastic giveaway for you on our blog - we are giving away an Amazon Echo.  The Amazon Echo connects to Alexa-a cloud-based voice service-to play music, make calls, set alarms and timers, ask questions, check your calendar, weather, traffic and sports scores, manage to-do and shopping lists, control compatible smart home devices, and more.

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Travel | Planning A Ski Trip

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Before big J left primary school he was offered the chance to go Skiing with the school to the French Alps. I remember being shocked at first because our little boy wanted to go somewhere he had never been before doing something so different than he had ever experienced, without us. It took a lot of persuading and tears before we said yes, but looking back now I am so glad we did. As expected he had an amazing time with his friends and recently we have spoken about maybe going skiing as a family.

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