At the weekend Isla and I went to an event for Tesco Real Food at Maggie & Rose (yes, I know, lucky to go there twice in one week!) and we both had such a good time! The theme was 'Cooking with Kids' and we were going to cook two yummy, quick and healthy recipes together.
Isla and I have done some baking together, biscuits and cakes being what we've achieved so far. The only thing that puts me off cooking with her is the amount of mess it makes! So the idea that we were going to someone else's kitchen to make mess really appealed.
Our trip to London went smoothly and we arrived to meet the other bloggers and their kids, everyone was super friendly and once all had arrived we rolled up our sleeves and got stuck in!
First up was Super Spinach Filo Tarts (another post will follow with the two recipes we made on the day and some kids nutritional tips). These were so easy to make (especially when the onion is already fried, the spinach already cooked by someone else - hahaha!) and on tasting them later they were delicious. Isla got to spoon everything into her bowl and mix it up, she also crumbled the feta cheese (immediately wanting her hands cleaned!) and then finally used the brush to put the butter on the filo and wrapped it all up into a parcel and here she is proudly showing it off before it went in the oven....
Next up we made a beetroot and chocolate muffin and this was the tricky one. Not from the point of view that it was hard to make, but that it was difficult to stop Isla from constantly putting the spoon in her mouth or sticking her finger in the mixture knowing it was a chocolate cake we were making. The addition of beetroot to this muffin is such a great idea, chopped up really small (which ours wasn't as it was Isla doing the chopping!) no one would even guess it was in there, so a really good way of getting some five a day in your kids.
While we waited for the food to cook the kids got to make their own chefs hat:
Now I have to be honest and say that Isla didn't eat the Spinach Filo Tart. She's only just starting to venture away from her staple diet of pasta and I'm so proud of her when she tries new foods but this was just a bit too different for her at the moment. She did get stuck into the muffin though. For me, I loved both! Cooking with Isla was really fun and it's made me think that we can do a bit more than just biscuits and cakes. We could also make a few savoury things, homemade pizza is the first thing that springs to mind, we could make faces and really have fun with the toppings.
Tesco Real Food are encouraging anyone to upload their own recipes to the Real Food site and if you submit a Cooking with Kids recipe it at the moment you are in with a chance to win a cooking weekend at Augill Castle - it looks absolutely divine! I'm sure you've all got a recipe in you that could stand you a chance of winning such a fantastic prize.
Thank you to Tesco for inviting us to this event, I love getting to spend time with Isla on her own, a rarer thing now that Noah is on the scene and she really enjoyed the experience. She especially loved the little baking case that she was given at the end of the session:
And here are all the bloggers and kids looking happy after all that cooking!
I was invited to this event in order to help me write this blog post about Tesco Real Food. All opinions are my own.
Last week I was invited to the launch of New JOHNSON'S Skin Perfecting Oil. By the time I'd done all my usual morning rushing around, getting Isla to nursery, getting home doing mine and Noah's breakfast and then hurrying into the shower the minute he had a nap, getting him dressed, having a play, getting us both some lunch, I set off exhausted but happy as it was such a sunny day. Southern trains did it's best to thwart my afternoon in London but we got to the launch at Maggie & Rose on time and we had such a lovely couple of hours!
Noah was being all shy at first and then he just started majorly flirting with all the ladies! Here he is in the ball pit:
While we waited for the presentation to start we all chatted and there were some delicious things to eat. There were also two masseurs on hand to treat us to a massage. Noah is at that clingy stage where he gets all anxious when away from me, so I was just lucky enough to get half a massage before he made it known he wanted mummy!
After all that loveliness we got to hear about JOHNSON'S new skincare product. Skin Perfecting Oil has been developed to improve skin suppleness and help to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and it is claimed that there are visible results in 4 weeks! I'm a big fan of using oils on my skin and I did this religiously during both pregnancies. I was lucky to escape stretch marks on my tummy when I was pregnant with Isla but with Noah my body gave me a few very tiny ones. The thing is these aren't my only stretch marks, I got some when I was in my late teens due to putting on weight when I took the contraceptive pill. These are now very faint silvery lines on my upper thighs and bum. I would be lying if I said they didn't bother me because they do and they probably always will but if I can use a product to get my skin feeling and looking better then I will always give it a try!
The way I feel about my stretch marks is so normal, and according to research 70% of mums with children aged 0 - 3 months experience stretch marks (vs 44% of the general population). JOHNSON'S understand that it can be hard for new mums to feel like themselves again and get confidence back in their own skin. With this new product they hope that women will say "Hello Me" to the skin they love, celebrating feeling good in life, body and self.
The oil contains some wonderfully beneficial ingredients, soybean oil, sweet almond oil, rose hip oil, blackcurrant seed oil, vitamin e, bisabolol. The oil is dispensed in a spray making it so easy to use and ensuring good coverage. The way it works is to moisturise, nourish, protect and smooth your skin and help it maintain an ideal condition. I'm really looking forward to using this product and seeing if it makes a difference to the appearance of my stretch marks.
Here is a video that was made of 4 new mums recording their experiences using JOHNSON'S Skin Perfecting Oil:
At the end of the presentation there was a draw to win a Spa voucher to enable one of us to mums to have a "Hello Me" moment of our own and I'm so over the moon that I won it - Sanderson Hotel here I come!! I had such a fun couple of hours, so big thank you to the PR team also the guys from JOHNSON'S and hello to the other lovely blogging ladies Liz, Sabina and Alice who were there and helped to keep Noah a cheerful little bunny all afternoon.
JOHNSON'S Skin Perfecting Oil comes in two sizes 100ml (£9.99) & 150ml (£14.99) and is available in stores now. Check out Johnson's Beauty for info on Johnson's skincare products
In order to help me write this blog post I attended a product launch event with the JOHNSON'S Brand team and received a free sample of new JOHNSON'S Skin Perfecting Oil to try.
The Day Baby Was Born is a free service offered by Tommee Tippee that automatically gathers information about the day your baby was born based on your selections, to create a storybook that you can share with family and friends.
You start during pregnancy, recording bits of information and even scan pictures. It also pulls through well wishes from people on Facebook. Once you've had your baby you can add photos of him and all sorts of information is included like the headline news on that day and the weather! Information that I would love to have known about the day I was born, like popular songs of the day and famous people they share their birthday with. I wish I'd been able to do this with my two, it's such a great record to keep. Not only is it online you can also print it out.
It's so easy to do, you just sign in using Facebook and get started creating a digital memory book of your special day! Check it out here:
Thedaybabywasborn
At the top of the long list of equipment needed for a new baby is a reliable car seat. Most parents remember the anxiety of their first car journey with a newborn. The responsibility of protecting a child in a fast-moving vehicle can seem daunting, so the first step is to find a baby seat you know is safe and complies with the law.
As your child grows, it’s just as important to make sure they are sitting comfortably and safely, whether it’s on the school run or a family day out.
Safety standards
Cost, comfort and colour might all be factors when it comes to buying a car seat, but it’s essential to put safety first.
There are strict safety standards for all child seats and restraints sold in the UK – from baby seats to booster cushions for older children. Double check that any seat you buy conforms to these official guidelines.
Which type of car seat?
If you’re buying a child seat for the first time, the choice can seem confusing. It is essential to know the weight of your child when choosing which type of seat to buy.
Babies up to around 15 months or 13kg, require rearward facing seats, as they provide protection for the baby’s head, neck and spine. They can be put in the front or rear of the car, but parents are advised to opt for the rear. Never put a child seat in the front passenger seat if there is an activated airbag.
Forward facing child seats are designed for children aged up to about four years, or weighing 18kg. These have an integral harness, which helps reduce the risk of injury if there is a crash.
When your child has outgrown a forward facing seat – usually at four to six years, or 15kg to 25kg – they can move on to a booster seat and, later, a booster cushion. These seats don’t have an integral harness – the child is held in place by an adult seat belt which goes around the child and the seat. The seat belt needs to be correctly adjusted, so that it is as tight as comfortably possible, with the lap belt going over the pelvic region and the diagonal strap resting on the shoulder, not the neck.
Accidents and insurance
Experts insist that any child car seat that has been involved in a car accident should be replaced, even if there is no outward sign of damage.
Some car insurance policies will cover the cost of replacements – make sure you find adequate insurance for all your family’s needs.
This is a guest post by Sainsbury's Money Matters Blog
I've blogged about Natureshop before here and when they asked me to pick something else from their gorgeous organic 'nature inspired' baby range, I had to go for this cosy Nature Baby winter sleeping cocoon.
The blue and white stripes look so cool on Noah, and the other benefit is that he's not wearing another one of his sister's flowery or pink sleeping bags for a change!
The inner of this sleeping bag is 100% Merino Wool, which is an insulating fibre which absorbs body moisture and allows for maximum airflow. It means Noah will stay all cosy and warm but will not run the risk of overheating. This particular sleeping bag also features a seat belt slot, so baby can be transported without taking them out of the sleeping bag. There are also two zips running round the sleeping bag making it easier to do those night time nappy changes. It comes in a cute, matching drawstring bag.
And if you go over to Natureshop at the moment there is a massive 50% off loads of their baby items. Go on then, go......!
We were sent the Nature Baby Sleeping Cocoon free of charge.
