Reviews

Days Out- Cannon Hall Farm

- cupsofcharlotte Leave a comment

 

I realised that I had done a review of Cannon Hall Farm which we visited way back in May however, I had not actually got around to posting. So today I am going to share with you my thoughts and feelings about Cannon Hall Farm which is close to Barnsley so this meant that it was not too much of a trek for us. We decided that we was going to visit Cannon Hall because I had found out that Chase and Marshall from Paw Patrol were going to be there and Jess loved both Paw patrol and animals.

The first thing which pleased me about cannon hall was the fact that they did not charge extra as a result of having an event on. This is something which we have found does occur at other places so this is such a big thumbs up from us. The pups you could meet every hour and we did actually manage to get to meet both of them because Jess loves them so much, we did not choose the best place to wait though which meant that we did have to wait a whole hour nearly.

Something which I think may be unique or different to other farms which we have visited was the fact that cannon hall had sheep racing as well as ferret racing. Sheep racing is now something I know which occurs at York Maze as well but I am sure people are screaming at me saying other places that do these events. You could have a free bet on which animal was going to win at both the sheep and the ferret racing and you won a prize if your colour and raffle ticket number was called. I seem to remember the prize was something like being able to return to Cannon Hall for free. Both types of racing occur several times a day which means that there was plenty of opportunities to see these events.

You are able to purchase animal feed when you can actually purchase when you arrive. Bags are only around 50p I think this is so cheap because it does mean that you can feed the animals you are unable to hand feed the animals but you do put them down the shoots which do allow feed the animals. This is one thing I do not think that you are able to do at other farms so well done to cannon hall for making you feel more hands on. For sure I know this is an element which Jess loved to be able to do. I would recommend saving some feed thought and not giving it to all the cute sheep and goats because we regretted it after we ran out before visiting the cows. We managed to go when the lambs were still very cute as well which for me is always a bonus.

Around this area, there are also shetland ponies and goats which are very adorable. I think anything that is small is very cute apart from rats, to be honest. You can be very close to these animals if this is something which you like if you are like Jess your children will adore this. Sercetly I think she wanted to ride the pony but this is something which you are not able to do.

Talking of cute little animals there were some little piglets we saw some which were only one day old. Pigs are not something which you think that are going to be cute but there are. There were hundreds of little piggs spread over the three sheds which are home to the pigs I could not believe how small some of them compare to how big they actually become in the end. This was an area in which Jess seemed to enjoy she loved watching what they were doing something that all ways interests me as well. They were a couple who were due to have some babies any time so I am sure if you go now they may have some new arrivals as well.  The pigs are actually one of the animals which you can not actually feed if I remember correctly and do remember it is natural for the pigs do not have the best smell something which Jess dealt with really well when we as at cannon hall farm.

In the last barn, there was a lot of cows which you can watch been milked at various times of the year.  There is also some misc animals in there was well these do actually include the donkeys, a horse, and Llamas. These again you can pour the feed which you have purchased down the tubes in order to feed the animals.  This is why I would recommend saving some of the feed because these ones may be more interested in having some of the treats which you are giving them as fewer people feed them.

Cannon Hall also have a tractor ride which is free for you to go on there may be a long wait. I think in total we waited for around 30 minutes this is because of the fact that the there is only one tractor and then this does the whole tour. The ride is around 30 mintues and this does allow you to see all of the animals in the barns which are open and learn a little bit more about the farm. This is on top of being able to see the amazing views at cannon hall.

We did actually have food here as well because we did not have time to pack a lunch up before we left. This is something which I wished we had done because of the fact that there was a long queue for food and also a wait which occurs after, I think in total it took between an hour and an hour and a half for us to be able to eat. This is not always the greatest when you have a hungry toddler in tow.  The food was of high quality though and a reasonable price compared to other attractions which we have visited in the past.  I think that should I return may take my own food due to the fact that the wait can be that long.

Another bonus which we liked about cannon hall farm is the fact that it has a number of parks. Which allows your little ones to run off some of the steam which they have this is something which we took full benefit of Jess does love to be able to play in the park. There is a couple of them and we managed to spend a fair amount of time in them. This did mean that we did not get to go to the reptile house because it was closing as we were going to have a look around. This is something which if you are visiting I would recommend you check to avoid disappointment.

There is also a soft play area which is included in the price which is another way to make your kids tired which is always a sign of a good day out.  They do have an area which is designed for the under 5’s which is Jess spent the majority of her time. It has several layers which means that it is bigger than your average soft play.  This was something we only did towards the end of the day and it did mean that Jess was tired and was not happy when a child pushed her.

Overall

We enjoyed our day out at cannon hall farm and for sure it is a place were we may return next year. If Jess continues to love animals I do not see why it should not be a be place we return to there is always something new at the farm and it is not too far from our new house either, the price does not put me off returning either. With it only costing £9.95 for an adult and I seem to remember around £7.95 for a child but they regularly have offers which will save you money. One think to note though is that you do pay for parking which I did not really appreciate

If you have visited Cannon Hall farm what did you think?

Charlotte xx

 

 

 

Book Review- Faithful By Alice Hoffman

- cupsofcharlotte Leave a comment

It is rare that I get to go and purchase a book in a book store at the moment due to the fact I have so many to be read on my pile at home. However, a few weeks ago I found that I had finished the book which I was reading and time which I could be reading in. So I decided that I was going to read Faithful by Alice Hoffman, this book is something different to which I would normally read to be honest but this is something which I did enjoy.

The Blurb

Growing up on Long Island, Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl until one night an extraordinary tragedy changes her fate. Her best friend’s future is destroyed in an accident, while Shelby walks away with the burden of guilt.

What happens when a life is turned inside out? When love is something so distant it may as well be a star in the sky? Faithful is the story of a survivor, filled with emotion–from dark suffering to true happiness–a moving portrait of a young woman finding her way in the modern world. A fan of Chinese food, dogs, bookstores, and men she should stay away from, Shelby has to fight her way back to her own future. In New York City she finds a circle of lost and found souls–including an angel who’s been watching over her ever since that fateful icy night.

Here is a character you will fall in love with, so believable and real and endearing, that she captures both the ache of loneliness and the joy of finding yourself at last. For anyone who’s ever been a hurt teenager, for every mother of a daughter who has lost her way, Faithful is a roadmap.

My Thoughts

Wow . . . talk about a punch to the gut! This is not something which I thought was going to happen. This story is an emotional journey, from the first few pages to the final few words, it was kind of draining, but so thrilling. Sometimes a sad and poignant read just hits the spot. And much like life, there is tough times and better times.

It’s so easy for anyone sitting on the outside of a situation to pass judgment and say what they would do differently in your life. This is what happened to Shelby’s life. After a horrific accident leaves her best friend in a comma (this is a little bit of an odd situation) surely they would have not let her  be in a coma for this long. Shelby is able to walk away virtually unharmed, Shelby has tremendous guilt. Guilt that makes her jump into a pool of extreme self-destruction and not come up for air – for quite some time.

“I think I lost my soul.” 

She lands in New York, with a guy from high school, but she’s just going through the motions. She knows deep down, she doesn’t love him the way she should and it’s impossible to escape the niggling feeling that she’s destined for so much more. But does she deserve it? Everyone needs to figure things out at their own pace though and that’s exactly what lent this story credibility. Shelby made a ton of mistakes and pushed people away; until she couldn’t ignore what was right in front of her face. It was little things, coming together at just the right moments, that gave her the strength to find her way to the surface and let go. To forgive herself. Well, and a combination of tough love, angsty teenagers, stolen dogs (if you’re an animal lover, you’re in for a treat), anonymous postcards and a diet of chinese food, sans the fortune cookies.

“What is behind you is gone, what is in front of you awaits.” 

My favorite part of the entire story was the postcards, of course. All with different messages urging her to do things like – say something, do something, be something, feel something, want something, save something, believe something, love something. Those little cards gave this heartbreaking story a touch of mystery. I was anxious to figure out who was behind the words. I would be lying if I said the love story junkie within me wasn’t completely smitten. I kind of thought things were headed in a different direction, but it just goes to show that things come along where or when you least expect them to. And might be even better than what you initially hoped for.

“Love is a mystery. It’s like an alien abduction. You think you’re on earth, and there you are among the stars.” 

Final Thoughts

This for sure is one of those books which I would recommend this is one which I would not have picked but for sure this is one which I have enjoy reading. I think I did actually manage to read this in a few days which is a sign which that it is one which I could not put down because at the moment time to read is something which I have been neglecting.

Have you read this book if so what did you think?

 

Charlotte xx

Day’s Out- Getting Lost In York Maze

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York maze is a place which I have heard so much about and living at the moment in the city. I thought that there was not a better time to visit the maze and get lost than this summer. This year they have decided to do the maze in the theme of dinosaurs as it is 25 Years since the release of Jurassic Park. If I am honest the reason why we have not visited before this time is due to the fact that I thought it was expensive for a maze at £14.95 for adults. This visit has changed my mind on the York Maze.

We visited on a warm Sunday afternoon so I expected it to be busy with people wanting to make the most of the nice weather. We arrived at York Maze around 1pm and actually did not end up leaving till close to when it was closing at 6.30 and would have loved more time which is always a sign of a good day. There was plenty which we did not manage to get done including the The House of Cornfusion, The Pig Racing and the shows. These are something which I think we are going to have to go back and do one day.

Of course, we did manage to do a lot of things during the afternoon at the maze. We completed the whole maze without getting too lost in which is a bonus we went to every check point which there are 6 of in around an hour of been in the maze. I have been told by a member of staff it should take you around an hour and half with a map which is available when you buy your ticket  for £1.50 which has a map and compass so I am pretty proud we managed to do it without.  A couple of tips which I would give you before entering the maze is making sure that you have been to the toilet there is nothing worse than needing a wee half way around and also make sure you have enough water in order to stay hydrated you could be in there for a while.

There is plenty to do which does not include using the actual maze this is where we spent a lot of our time Jess as you may know loves spending a lot of time in the sand pit. Due to it been a very warm day we let her play in the water element of the sand pit and this did mean that she came back drenched but this is the sign that she did have a really good day out. Jess also decided that she wanted to do some building with bricks which she has basically to herself which she enjoyed they are like the foam bricks which you find at soft play centres and this for sure is somewhere which she could have spent a lot more time.

We spent some time in the different kinds of mazes as well including the mineshaft maze which makes you crawl through the maze like a mineshaft which is great fun for kids. However, as an adult it can really hurt your knees which is something which happened to me. Of course, if it is wet before you visit this is an area which your child may come back from super muddy but this is something which risk. I did notice as a result of this Jess had a number of bruises on her knees the next day as well the joys of having a toddler.

I think that my favourite part of the maze was actually the Crowmania ride this is something which you my have to que for however it is well worth the wait. We managed to get the last ride of the day which I am very glad about to be honest. The ride is around 30 minutes long and goes around the fields while your sat on a tractor which is always enjoyable. There is a story with it and there is so many fun jokes its very interactive and at times a bit like a pantomine. Beware you will get wet on this ride however, if it is a hot day like when we went you will actually love this.  I wanted to be even wet her which would have been even more amazing.

There is also a chance to hold some of the animals which the maze is home to which included the tortoise which we managed to stroke. This is something which I have never done before and I think was not what I expected. There was also a millipede out when we were around this section and of course Jess been the kind of child she is had to hold it. I personally found it super tickly and then we held a snake which I think it is the first time I have done this. I sure may do this again it even started to wrap itself around my arm I must have been warm.

As I said previously, there was elements which we did not do due to time, also there is bits we did not do because Jess is too young currently. This includes a climbing frame which you have to climb up a volcano and then you can travel down the slide. There is also a race which would be great if Jess was a lot older because I am competitive and would love to race against her, there was a long que when we had been visit and there is only two allowed on at a time so this is something to bare in mind.  For sure there is plenty to do for the children and you could easy spend all day the maze.

If you are like us who do not always take food out with us, you will be glad to hear that the food at the maze is actually a reasonably price and the food is actually really tasty as well. Drinks for coke is around £1.80 which is so cheap for a attraction. I think a meal for  3 of us including ice cream came to less than £30 so this is something to bare in mind you do not have to take a picnic with you if you do not want to.

York Maze is open till the 3rd September so plenty of time for a visit. Tickets are £15.75 for adults and £14.75 for children however, there are discounts for booking online. You can also get a family of 4 ticket for £59 something we would have done but Jess is under 3 and you do not pay for these. Despite the price I would recommend it there is so much for all of the family we went with Grandma who also enjoyed it, one tip is make sure you give your self enough a minimum of 3 hours if not all day if you want to experience the maze and all it has to offer.

Have you been to York Maze if so what were your thoughts?

 

Charlotte xxx

Making Trips So Much Easier With Micro Trike Review

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Jess is like any two year old who is closer to three she wants to be able to walk however, this is not always possible.  Regular Jess will have a tantrum if we have to put her in the pram now she claims she wants to be a big girl. Recently we were lucky to be sent a micro trike to test out and promote.

Micro trike is something which we had so many questions about from people when we have been out and about with it.  I think this is because it is so much different from a normal toddler trike this does not have pedals like a standard trike would have.  Instead, it has a parent handle and you push your child like you would in a buggy and this is without the battle of them not wanting to go into the buggy. The Micro Trike is suitable from 18 months and up to a maximum weight of 20kg which is great. However, I know Jess is close to this weight so may only be able to use it for a few more months maximum a year.

The micro trike is something which we have taken on the nursery run when we want to get there fast. To be honest, we have been using it every day since we got it, Jess has been around outlets, shops and even Ikea on it.  One of the bonuses is that it is so light so if Jess wants to get off the micro trike she can and we can either continue to push it until she wants to get back on or carry it. It does fold flat which is always a bonus one less bulky thing to carry. Also, this is good for storage as space when you have children can be golden ours lives in either the footwell of the set we do not use in the car or in the boot depending on how full the boot is.

The trike is so simple to put up and down all you need to do is one movement to push the seat to flatten, in order for your child to be able to sit on it. Then you have to extend the one-handed push handle one of the benefits of this been one handed is you still have on arm free. We have found it actually makes me walk to nursery a lot quicker because I can swing my arms.  You could use the extra arm for carrying shopping bags or holding your child’s hand when they are not on it.

The push handle on the micro trike can be adjusted if you need it to be meaning different heights could push it.  The footrest for the child can also be adapted however, this is something which we have not yet had to do with Jess.

We now have tantrums is we do not use the trike it is so easy to push just glides.  It really is so easy to manoeuvre you just need to be careful if there are holes in the path not to get the small wheels caught. This has happened a couple of times to use and Jess has gone over the handlebars. I know I should really have the harness on but Jess wants to be a big girl and get on and off when she pleases.  I will warn you as well about going on and off the pavement this can be a bit of a hassle and something you need to take care of doing.

Micro Trike claim that this could replace your buggy, for us it has at the moment but I do not think I will be in any rush to sell the buggy. The reason behind this yes at the moment we have had a lot of nice weather, however, when it changes there is no protection from the elements for your child.  There is also the fact if your child does fall asleep a lot this is not really possible on this trike, we try and avoid using it when Jess is really tired.

Where can you purchase?

Micro Trikes can be purchased on Amazon for £80 and come in a range of 4 colours, Black , White, Pink, and Blue.  I would recommend them and can see them been very popular in the next couple of months to a year, if the amount of people who have asked me about it purchase one.

Do you have a micro trike if so what are your thoughts on it?

Charlotte xx

We were gifted this Micro Trike but I was not required to write about it, I just wanted to share our thoughts as we are really impressed.

Review: Hopster TV & Learning App

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There is a time when Jess wants a little bit of time when she has quiet time. Sometimes she will use YouTube but that does mean that she can access anything because I do not have any parental control on the app. However, recently we were contacted by Hopster who is a learning and TV app for children who are between the ages of 2-5 years.

Screen time has allowed Jess to be able to learn a lot of her numbers and colours . It also gives me a break when maybe she has been a little bit full on and I do not want her to push me too much or the fact that I need to do something which means she needs to actually entertain herself.  Hopster is also a great app to download if you happen to be traveling this is something which Jess used so much when we used to commute.

We have been using Hopster for a couple of months now this has allowed us to form actual opinions.  We have used previous apps in the past, however, even when you have paid for them we have noticed that it has still had adverts.  This is something which you do not have on Hopster it is 100% advert free this does mean that Jess that on the app rather than actually getting on something else which causes her to get annoyed.

The app is far from basic they have so much on it including

  • Shows
  • Music
  • Books
  • Games
  • Create
  • Plus a themed area which changes regularly

The shows can be downloaded which means there is no need to use up your data when you out and about. This is something which I love because there is nothing worse than having no data left.  The choices of shows on there include Pingu, Ben and Holly, Thomas and also Fireman Sam.  I have actually downloaded some of them to my phone so that when Jess is losing her mind and needs to wait for something such as food I can give her this to ease the meltdown. I think there are around 800 shows which means that Jess should not get bored of the same episodes.

The books section is one which we love this is because Jess loves books and not always been at home means reading can be hard.  There are some of our favourite stories on the app including the tiger who came to tea which is one that I have loved since my own childhood.  There are also a number of books which I have not heard of on the app because it is always amazing to be able to find more books. Again there is such a good selection which means your child can not get bored with the books.

Painting is something which Jess adores but she is only able to do at nursery. This is because we do not have the space to be able to paint when we are at Daddy’s I can not wait till we can craft at the new house.  Jess for sure loves to be able to paint and create artwork on Hopster regular I find Jess has saved pictures onto my camera roll. She even has used it in the car when I do not want Jess to nap because the trip is not too far. I think that this is great should you not be able to do traditional arts and crafts.

I have had a lot of fun on the games with Jess. A couple of our favourites on Hopster include the app where you have to collect the flies and feed them to the frog. I know this is one which Jess enjoys playing on as well. I know that another game which Jess loves on the game is the alphabet hotel which is where you have find the same letter as your playing on, trace the letter and make words using the letter. This is something which Jess can spend hours playing on and I think this is the way she has learned a lot of the alphabet along with attending nursery. I am glad to see that over the time which we have been using Hopster Jess’s knowledge has increased and I do put this down to the fact that she has been playing games which are educational.

Hopster is available via a paid subscription for £3.99 a month, £19.99 for 6 months or £34.99 for 12 months. There is no contract and you can cancel the subscription at any point. You do get 1 month free trail which means that you can see if the app is for you before forking out anymore for it.  Personally I feel for the amount of quality content and the variety you get, the prices are great value for money. Once subscribed you can then access Hopster on multiple devices. This is something which I need to do but it on Joe’s phone so I do not always lose my phone to Jess.

Have you used Hopster with your child? If so what did you think?

 

Charlotte xxx

We were given a subscription to Hopster in exchange for review, however, all thoughts as my own.

Review: Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie

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A couple of weekends ago now you may remember that we took Jess to the cinema for the first time. We actually went to see Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie. As a result of my blog and all you amazing people reading we was allowed to got to the preview of the film. This means that I can give you my thoughts on this film and tell you weather it is worth spending some time going to see Thomas & Friends.

Plot

When a mischievous little racing car called Ace passes through the isle of Sodor on his way around the world. Thomas is inspired to embark on his own ambitious trip. Travelling full steam ahead across five continents.  Thomas discovers magnificent new sights and experiences exciting places and cultures. Along the way, he makes friends with an inspiring and fun Kenyan engine called Nia. With so much for Thomas to learn about the world, will Nia be successful in teaching him a lesson about the true meaning of friendship? Featuring a world of wonder, curiosity and amazing animal friends, join Thomas on an epic adventure, fulfilling his dream of seeing the world!

My Thoughts

It was great to see Thomas explore another island apart from Sodor, for sure he does see a lot of the world. Which shows little people who are watching that if you put your mind to it when you are older you can explore the world. This means that you will experience new cultures just like you see within the film.

Thomas gets to visit 5 continents which you see some of the cultures from the countries which he does actually get to visit on his travels. The main one which we do get to see is Africa this is where Thomas does actually meet his friend Nia she does teach us some elements of the culture. We also do also see Asia a little bit with Thomas going to see China however, we do not see the cities like you might think you would we see the mountains which have snow on instead.  South America we see in lot of detail however, this is just typical Amazon however ,this may make some children want to help save the planet so we do not damage areas which we saw Thomas visit in the film.

One element which I think this film should have done better is make us see elements of different cultures from the continents which I think they did well in.  I think that they could have also made sure that they did more of North America because there was only a short period of time spent there as well as Europe which they did actually fly through. This may have helped other children to see the cultures which may be different to theirs through Thomas.

This film also has a nice message that you can not do everything on your own sometimes you do have to ask your friends for help. You should not be afraid to have to ask your friends for some help in order to be able to achieve something which you want. This is something which Thomas learns throughout the film and he also sees who is actually his friend.

Overall

I think this film was good and Jess did actually enjoy the film and since she has spoken to me about when she went to see Thomas at the cinema.  However, I do think that 80 minutes running time is a long time for children who this film is aimed at to sit.  This means that on top of the adverts and trailers could be way too long, I think this could be one of the reasons why the ending to me seemed very rushed

Will you be going to see Thomas this summer?

 

Charlotte xxx

We were gifted tickets to go and see Thomas

Book Review- Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

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Recently a book I have heard a lot about is Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine this is one which I have seen in a number of people’s favourites. I saw it in my friend Hayley’s June favourites when Joe wanted me to order a book off amazon which I noticed was in the the 2 books for £7 offer I knew it was fate. I had to order this book and I can not say that this is something I regret I actually managed to complete this book in about 6 hours for sure it was a page turner.

Blurb

Eleanor Oliphant has learned how to survive – but not how to live

She leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend. Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything.

One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself.

Now she must learn how to navigate the world that everyone else seems to take for granted – whilst searching for the courage to face the dark corners she’s avoided all her life.

Change can be good. Change can be bad. But surely any change is better than… fine?

Thoughts

Well as a I stated this is a book which I really could not put down due to the fact that I did manage to read it so quickly. It had me gripped I needed to know what happened to Eleanor this was not a typical book which I would read. Usually I read a lot of romance kind of stories however, this is a book to some element which I could actually relate to.

The main character of the story is Eleanor who is a 30 year old who has been working the same job since finishing university. She also speaks to Mummy on the phone once a week and drinks two liters of vodka every weekend.  We soon realise that she is awkward when it comes to social encounters and she has a reliance on alcohol because this is the way in which she buries her feelings and past grievances.. This book for sure highlights the fact that there are people who are struggling with loneliness, alcoholism and depression.

Eleanor does has never been loved we find out that she has received third degree burns as a child which has result in a scar on her face. Since the age of 10 years old she has been in the foster care system and society has kept her fed, clothed and educated but never fully loved.  Even the relationship which she has with her mum is hurtful and abusive.

This makes you think about the relationships in your life,it show you the highs, the bad and the medium. This story really makes you realise how valuable one friend can be. Eleanor had been stuck in ways she didn’t even have the eyes to see how abusive her mum was been to her let alone done anything about it.

For sure this is a book which I would recommend people reading this summer.I could not put it down and it is rare for me to actually be able to finish a book in the same day as I start reading it.  Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine is scheduled to come out as a film I can not wait to see how this book gets portrayed as a film.

 

Have you read this book? If so what did you think?

 

Charlotte xxx

 

Review- My Personalised Case

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Taking photo is something which has been a passion of mine since I have had Jess. I must have over 2000 pictures of her if not more, however, displaying them is something which I fail to do but then I remembered that I could have a personalised phone case with one of my images.  I thought this was a subtle way of having Jess with me at all times.

Phone cases  protect your phone from drops and knocks now and they are a good way of showing your personality and art work. I used to change my phone case a lot but I think I have only had 1 in the last 18 months since I got my iPhone 7.

I have never had a personalised phone case before I have always had just a bog standard one from either the high street or Amazon.  It is now so easy to be able to have anything personalised I have done it for members of my family a gift.  A personalised case is something which I can see me purchasing for my family this year because they always have their phones on them and want to protect them from breaking.

When I found My Personalised Case I could not believe how cheap they were because I know when you start customizing items it can become very expensive. However, the one which I have actually only come in at around the £12 mark which is not going to break the bank and is considerably lower than some of them which I have had in the past.  I decided to choose the full hard case because this would give my phone more protection when either me or Jess drop it.

I found the website so easy to use and could customise my design as much as I wanted. Sometimes I have found it very hard to be able to get what I want when I have a vision in my head.  All you have to do is choose the phone or tablet which you want the case for. There are so many different types including Samsung and Apple you are sure to find the phone you are looking for.  They also have a number of styles which you can have for example silicon, hand shell, and even wallet options.

When personalising the case you can either add one photo or several and make a collage and even add text like I have chosen to do.  For sure you can have a lot of fun playing around with the site but it is so simple when I had finalised my design all I had to do is add payment and shipping details, this was the most simple part of creating my personalised phone case.

I seem to remember that my case arrived within 3 days which was amazing as you never want to have to wait.  When I got my hands on it I realised how hard wearing the case is and it seems like it is made to a high quality. There is no chance of my phone falling out of my phone case or it breaking which is something you want from a phone case.

I have had my phone case on for a month now  I wanted to give it a real test. My phone has been dropped several times due to me and Jess. I can not feel any scratches which have occurred as a result of the drops which is amazing as usually, I can on phone cases.   Jess loves getting hold of my phone and saying Mummy it’s me.

Conclusion

The quality of these cases are amazing and I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for a personalised case you can make your own phone case so easy and stand out. They are so cheap compared to others on the market and you are not compromising on the quality. This for sure is a company who I would recommend if you are looking for a personalised phone case I know when I upgrade in November I will be purchasing another one

What photo or design would you get if you got a personalised case

Charlotte xx

This post includes a PR sample however, all views are my own

Book Review- Wilde Like Me

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Recently when I was feeling under the weather and browsing Morrison’s I remembered that Louise Pentland’s book was now available in paperback, I managed to be able to get in store there and then because I had only heard good things about it from those who had read it include Emily who states it is her favourite book at the moment. I was skeptical about this book as it is a youtuber book but to be honest I forgot about that when I was reading the book and my review is on the book not Louise.

Blurb

Meet Robin Wilde! You’ll make a friend for life and she’ll take you on a journey you’ll never forget …

Single mum Robin Wilde adores her six-year-old daughter and loves her job as a make up artist’s assistant. She has a wonderful best friend and an auntie who is bonkers, yes, but loves her to the moon and back.

But Robin has a secret. Behind the mask she carefully applies every day, things just feel … grey. And lonely. She struggles to fit in with the school mum crew. Online dating is totally despair-inducing, and she worries every day about raising her little girl with self-confidence, courage and joy.

What Robin longs for is someone (over the age of six) to share with – someone who’s always on her team.

After 4 years (2 months, and 15 days!) of single-mum-dom, it’s time for Robin Wilde to Change. Her. Life.

Exciting new opportunities are about to come Robin’s way … Perhaps a man, perhaps the chance of a lifetime …

What will Robin do with the possibilities she creates for herself? And what potential will she unlock if she takes the leap?

My Thoughts 

Well I managed to read all of this book in three days which I think says something that I could not put this book down. I was hooked I needed to know what happened to Robin and Lyla along with the rest of the characters.

This story really showed all the ups and downs in life. It didn’t sugar coat anything. Sometimes life sucks and you let it get you down for a bit, but then you have to get back up and move on. I should know because times at the moment have not been amazing.  I loved Robin’s journey through this whole book, how in the beginning she was on the look out for someone else to come in and fix things and how through out the book she found herself and found out that she was and will always be able to fix shit for herself. This is something which I know I have to do and this is for sure something which I could relate to.

I loved the characters. I loved Robin and her little girl Lyla. I loved how female driven this book was there was not a knight in shining amour needed at all in this book. We have so many wonderful and different woman in this book. I love the different relationships Robin has with all of them. Women supporting each other through all the ups and downs in ones life. I LOVED IT.

The book had a really good ending and would have been fine as a stand alone. But knowing, that there will be a second book, I can’t wait to get back to these characters again. I am glad I have waited to read it as I only have about  6 weeks to wait till I can read the second  Cause even though, Robin and Lyla are a amazing team on their own, I kinda wanna see how things turn out with the man who she is interested in at the end of the book.

Conclusion

Just because this is a youtuber book does not mean that it is going to be poor for me it was a page turner I lost hours within this book. I could not put it down always wanting more from the characters that much that within 10 minutes of finishing this book I had preordered the second book. I think that we all could take something from the book whether it is how amazing single mums are, how friends are always there for us and also how we feel like we don’t belong somewhere when we actually do.

Have you read this book if so what are you thoughts?

Charlotte x

 

Review- Appy Kids Co Drinks

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Jess recently has become obsessed with the gruffolo which really hard because of the fact that you struggle to find much with this on it when it is not Christmas time. However, recently we were contacted by the lovely people at Appy Drinks Co asking use if we would like to try some of their drinks. One of them included the Gruffolo, Matilda and a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

If you have not heard of Appy Drinks Co they are a company who are on a mission to create healthy drinks which are affordable for children. To make children want to do to drink this they have used well-known characters to encourage children to do drink these instead of wanting fizzy or unhealthy drinks. Jess when she is at home usually has a small amount of no-added sugar cordial into her water which she loves but when we are not at home she ends up having to drink fruit shoots when she is travelling or on a day out.

They come in a range of flavours we were kindly sent the orange and carrot, mixed berries and also an orange. I was actually worried that Jess was not going to enjoy the gruffolo ones due to the fact that they were the orange and carrot. However, I can report that she really did end up loving them because they were the ones which she ran out of first. This reminds me I need to order her some. I have actually tried some of the juice and can admit that it is very nice to be honest I thought that they would be weak and not full of flavour. I for sure can see why Jess really enjoys them.

They come in cartoons which means that they are very easy to be able to put in the bag when you are going on days out or if you are like us we do have some in the boot of the car. However, we need to make sure that we open the for Jess because she can’t actually open them by herself because it is a little bit tricky to pierce the pouches with the straw even for me.

The Appy Kids Co drinks are available to buy from Tesco, B&M,  Wholesale Foods Market, Spar and Poundland. If you are like me and like to shop online you can actually purchase them from Amazon as well there even on Prime which means that you do not have to wait.  For 24 of the 200ml cartoons they are between £15 and £24 depending n the flavour and the pouches which they also do are around £18 for 40 on amazon.

Overall Thoughts

I’m really pleased with these drinks! They taste nice and Jess seems to enjoy them a lot too. Appy Kids Co have a huge range of juice drinks available and you can find where to buy them here, and they’re all healthy. These drinks are perfect for the whole family and I would definitely buy them myself in the future.

 

Have you tried these drink?, If so what were your thoughts

Charlotte xxx

Disclaimer: We received products for the purposed of this post. All opinions are our own.