Reviews

Days Out- Hamerton Zoo {AD}

- cupsofcharlotte Leave a comment

Over the Easter period we were kindly invited to Hamerton Zoo in order to give a review. Hamerton Zoo Park is just on the outskirts of Peterborough it is very well sign posted from the A1. So do not worry if you are like us and not local to Peterborough.  I have to admit I’d not heard of it before and speaking to the other people I am not the only one.

As we pulled into the car park I did think it looked more like a little farm. But it is actually a lot bigger than it looks. Hamerton Zoo is actually home to 100 different species of animals within the 25 acre zoo park. There are some which are exclusive to them in the UK. So there are going to be animals which you have not see at other zoo’s you have visited in the past. It may not be home to Lions, Rhinos, Giraffes and Elephants but do not let that put you off if you are thinking about visiting.

We arrived at Hamerton Zoo at around 11am we had planned getting there early but as you know with children this does not always work. We found it very easy to get into the zoo there was a short que but we did not have to wait for very long. Of course, because we visited during the Easter Weekend this could have meant that it was a lot busy than a normal weekend.  Hamerton Zoo is open every day except Christmas and boxing days and tickets can be brought at the gate or in advance online. Tickets are £14.99 for adults and £9.99 for 3-12 year olds. This is a fraction of the price we have paid for similar zoos and wildlife park.

One thing which I would recommend is purchasing a guide book. This is something which we did not do and we did not realise the only way to get a map of the zoo was to do this. In turn this did mean that we did miss some of the animals when we went around first.

One thing you will notice as you walk around is the space that the animals have to roam around. One thing Hamerton Zoo does try to make clear is that the animals are not shut in or out. They have the freedom to be either inside or outside if they choose. This does mean that some of the animals may not easily seen because they may be hiding in their houses.

Lemurs

When you arrive one of the first animals you will see are the ring tailed lemurs.However, there was a lot of people around this area. They could have been more people because there is more of a one way system in the zoo. The reason behind this is because if you turn left you would end up in the shop, cafe and play area.  They had just been fed which always attracts people. I noticed that one of the lemurs looked like it was pregnant as well. So in the future there may be more additions to this enclosure.

Wallabies

The first animal we spent a lot time at was the wallabies. As you can see they some Joey’s which is amazing because baby animals are so cute. There was a number of them which they looked like they could be pregnant. So if you manage to go in the next couple of months they may have even more babies. There was such number of wallabies they were a pleasure to watch. For sure I think they are one of my favourite animals on show at the Zoo.

Tigers

The big cats are always my thing when we are visiting a zoo. Hamerton Zoo is home to 2 beautiful Malaysian Tiger and 2 white Bengal Tigers.I found I learn at fair bit at Hamerton Zoo for example about the white Bengal Tigers. All white Tigers in the world are decedents from one called “Mohan” who was captured and kept in a Palace in India. It wasn’t until Mohan was paired with his daughter did they have more white cubs. The white of the Bengal tiger is just a colour mutation. This does mean that all of the white Bengal tigers are direct descendants from this pair. It a nice to see the shear size of the tigers. Usually you do not get to be up close and personal to a tiger.

Stroll through Safari

There is also a stroll through safari which allows you to touch the animals. This is home to Pygmy goats, Alpacas, Camels, Chickens and Sheep. You can pay 20p for a handful of feed which you can share with these animals. This is something we opted against because there was so many people feeding them we thought they would not be that bothered. Jess actually decided that she was going to stroke the Pygmy Goats.

Train

There is an Express Railroad Train which runs every weekend and everyday throughout the school holidays. You can catch it from the Donkey Enclosure  and it runs to the tiger enclosure and back. You can actually walk this route and it does not take that long at all. The train does not go that fast that you could walk next to it. We did see a mum who was walking alongside the train and her daughter was on the train. The train is £2 per person and I will be honest I found it a little overpriced for the length of time you are on there. It doesn’t cover the entire park, I think this would have been better if it had done.

Cheetahs

There is also a number of cheetah’s I think we saw a three at least, however it is home to 7 cheetah’s.  Hamerton want to be one of the first zoo in the UK to actually breed cheetah’s most are unable to do this due to space. Hamerton actual have 5 enclosures which they have access to and then they are planning on building 3 more. This is going to help aid the breading programme which they have.

Another criticism I would have of the zoo is that it is does not tell you the name of the animals which you can see. It tells you where the animals are from and a bit about them however, I do like to know the name of the animals I can see in front of me.

Picnic/ Cafe

There is a lot of picnic benches which you can sit on and have a picnic. It is undercover should you not be as lucky as us when you visit and have nice weather. If you do not want to bring your own food like we did you can actually purchase food from the Cafe. Later in the day we did purchase a Ice cream which allowed me to look at the prices. I seem to remember that a rollover hot dog was around £3.90. It would cost you the same as meal out to eat at this cafe.

Play Area

I was unable to take any pictures of this area due to other children been around. There is a couple of parks on is aimed at under 6’s and the other over 6. However, Jess decided that she was going to play in the bigger one. There is a climbing pyramid,zip wire and a climbing frame. For sure this is an area which she spent a lot of time in. She loves the park and this is the way she burns a lot of energy. I think if we went back Jess would love to be able to go on the zip wire but she is a little bit too small.

Gift Shop

The Gift Shop sells a range of merchandise, cuddly teddies, toys, stationery and more. There is a wide range of products which if like us you do not mind purchasing a toy at the end of an amazing day out. They do have a range of items which could purchase. We did not actually purchase anything because we have enough cuddly toys. There was nothing that stood out which we had to purchase.

Toilets

Beware if you are going with little ones there is only one set of toilets. They are not that far off the enterance so it would be worth going when you pass them as there is no more. The toilets are old and really could do with a bit of an update. I think there are only 5 women toilets and a baby change. I seem to remember Joe said that there was one in the male toilets to.

Overall

We spent 5 and half hours at Hamerton Zoo. This was enough time to walk around the park twice. On the second lap we did it later and we saw animals which had not been out on the first time. This could have been as a result of it nearly been feeding time. Again we did have the a picnic and also we managed to spend a lot of time in the park as I have mentioned. I know Jess’ grandparents left after around 3 and half hours so we may have stayed longer than most people.

Have you visited Hammerton Zoo? If so what were your thoughts

 

Charlotte xx

Landal Sandybrook Review

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Just before Christmas which now seems like a lifetime ago. We had a four-night break close to Ashbourne in Derbyshire at Landal Sandybrook Lodges. This is the first time we have taken Jess to a lodge usually we have gone on our own for a weekend to Forest Holidays. We made this choice because it was a fraction of the price which we would be paying. I feel like this holiday to Landal Sandybrook was around £350 for four nights. Where on the other hand a trip to Forest would have cost us around the £700 mark. We actually stayed in the Tissington Classic Skyline Spa 2.

Today I am going to be sharing with you our views about the our stay at Landal Sandybrook Lodges. They are described as luxury self-catering lodge holiday accommodation. I will warn you that if you want one of the hot tubs in your cabin you have to book a spa one otherwise you will just have a balcony and a table and chairs. For us the hot tub is something which we do want. I know this may not be the case if for everyone, of course,this does reflect in the price of your stay.

For me I would not describe the lodges as luxury for me there were elements which were missing. These may have made it more luxurious for us. I know I am comparing it to a very expensive cabin in Forest however, they do both claim to be luxury cabins.

The lodge itself was ok but quite small, I am guessing it would be a squeeze for 4 people. I would have liked more room which would have allowed us to spread out to relax. In the main room there is not a lot of space and the bed is not actually a full size double bed. For me it was not comfortable either however, we have a very good bed at home. I may just be being really pick.  One thing which I did not like was the fact that our bedroom looked straight to the road which people were travelling on. This meant anyone travelling early may wake you up. When we visited we could hear work men from 7.30am, not ideal on a relaxing week away.  At least there was a lot of storage which mean that we could put things away.

Jess had her own room which had two single beds in a wardrobe and a bedside table. She managed to sleep in there which is all that matters. This would be fine if you had two young children if you had teenagers they may struggle however, this did for us. I even slept in one of the beds one night and found it to be more comfortable than ours.

The bathroom had a shower over the bath. It was handy to have a bath in case Jess needed one because she is still not a huge fan of the shower. I am sure this is something which will change over time. We found that there was enough space for everything we needed. This included if we had all three of us in the bathroom. I have no faults when it came to the bathroom at Landal Sandybrook.

Of course, with it been self catering there is a kitchen and a table which you can easy eat at. We found that the kitchen was well stocked and this is something which we were glad about. We managed to do some baking as well as cooking meals there.  There was nothing which we would not be able to cook I am sure you could manage a whole week using this kitchen. There is also a fridge and a freezer should you need them this makes it so easy for semi catered people.

We found the lounge to be cosy however, the sofas were not that comfortable. I wanted to be able to snuggle up and watch films when there weather was rubbish. You had to sit more straight which is very annoying they were. Again they were pretty low and this is something which I did not love however, I am sure if you visited in the summer you would not spend much time inside.

The hot tub was also over looked which is not always great when your in your swimming suit. For sure this is not something which I liked. I would have had a little bit more private maybe this is just because I am not that confident. Plus it is supposed to be luxury I do not want to be over looked but hey.  The outdoor area would have been great in the summer for eating or having a BBQ. Something we may have done had we have gone in the summer months.

The site has some good facilities including a indoor swimming pool, restaurant, games room and also a playroom for children. This is a nice touch because it was nice to be able to take Jess somewhere to play. Of course, because we did not have a lot of toys with us. Also because we went in December it did mean that there was some days where we could not use the park because it was horrible weather. I think Jess managed to play in there for an hour our two during our 4 day stay. We did noticed that some of the toys had become broken over time, I understand that this is something which happens.

There is a nature walk however, it is really quite small. There are no trails which link to the park which is a little bit disappointing because we wanted to do some more exploring when we visited. Usually we would have a walk of an hour or a little bit longer. I know we could have drove and then gone for a walk however, we do not always want to be in the car when on holiday. For sure it would have been nice to be able to walk from the lodge and into the nature. I have read this is something which you can do at their sister site.

There is free wifi however, this is something which I wouldn’t recommend using. For it is kept disconnecting I found it a lot easier to use the 4G. I know you shouldn’t want to spend a lot of time on your phones when your away however, I wanted to be able to do a few bits. For example checking our food shop which we had done and what to do in the area. The day we actually checked out we went to White Post Farm and I needed to know the price and also opening times.

I would recommend doing a click and collect food shop this is what we did. There is a small shop which is part of reception. However, this only sells milk and drinks. Due to it been self catering we did not want to always eat out. We like to be able to have some meals which are home cooked. We did eat one night at the onsite restaurant and we was actually really disappointed. The meal was not that warm which is disappointing because for sure it was not cheap. Joe and I also both chose coke to drink and it was completely flat.  I would not recommend this restaurant I would go eat off site if I was you. Your more likely to have a better meal.  The staff seemed more bothered about their friends who were in the bar section than us the paying customers.

Overall Views

We enjoyed our stay at Landal Sandybrook however, we would not return. I feel like we had everything which there was to do. I feel like the park does need a bit of a fresher up if they are going to charge this price. We would not have enjoyed it even more if we did not have Jess. I do not think I would recommend this for December stays.

Have you ever stayed at Landal Sandybrook? If so what were your thoughts.

 

Charlotte xxx

Book Review- A Spark Of Light by Jodi Picoult

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As you may remember way back in January, I stated I wanted to read more books this year. So far I have managed to read 7 I actually aim to read 24. I think I had read 6 by the middle of February so I for sure have slowed down. Today I am going to share with you a book which I have recently finished. It is a spark of light by Jodi Picoult. It was actually the Book Group book for March however, it has taken me this long to finish it. I told you I have seriously lost my reading mojo.

The Blurb

The warm fall day starts like any other at the Center—a women’s reproductive health services clinic—its staff offering care to anyone who passes through its doors. Then, in late morning, a desperate and distraught gunman bursts in and opens fire, taking all inside hostage.

After rushing to the scene, Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, sets up a perimeter and begins making a plan to communicate with the gunman. As his phone vibrates with incoming text messages he glances at it and, to his horror, finds out that his fifteen-year-old daughter, Wren, is inside the clinic.

But Wren is not alone. She will share the next and tensest few hours of her young life with a cast of unforgettable characters: A nurse who calms her own panic in order save the life of a wounded woman. A doctor who does his work not in spite of his faith but because of it, and who will find that faith tested as never before. A pro-life protester disguised as a patient, who now stands in the cross hairs of the same rage she herself has felt. A young woman who has come to terminate her pregnancy. And the disturbed individual himself, vowing to be heard.

Told in a daring and enthralling narrative structure that counts backward through the hours of the standoff, this is a story that traces its way back to what brought each of these very different individuals to the same place on this fateful day.

My Thoughts 

The beginning of this one was just that, an explosive, heart-stopping moment that immediately grabbed my attention. Unfortunately, for me, the main body of the book slowed considerably and was more about abortion than the hostage situation. I also enjoyed reading the individual stories about the circumstances that brought each person to the clinic that fateful morning. But the story line lacked the momentum to hold my interest throughout the bulk of the book . I really struggled to get to the end. I have a feeling that this could be why it took me so long to get this book completed.

The story is also written with the chapters in reverse order. The most recent events are at the beginning of the book and going back in time. I didn’t care for this format as we learn the story ends in chapter one. This could have been another reason it took me so long to finish the book. I knew the ending I was not that bothered how come it happened. I am unsure if I have ever read a book where we have been told the ending at the start of a book it seemed strange to me.

A few people have suggested that you should  try reading it backwards, starting with the last chapter headed by a time. Then maybe A Spark of Light will actually make a lot better. I have a couple more books by Jodi Picooult and this book does not make me want to reach for them.

It is very unusual for a book to take me 6 weeks to finish. When this is book is only around 350 pages. It would take me around a couple of weeks maximum. I found it to be very against the anti-abortion, pro-life people as well. I feel like these arguments could have been more researched. There was a number of characters in a spark of light who I felt where there so it had more characters. They needed some more development they felt like they had almost been rushed.

Another element which I was not a huge fan of was the characters telling us the same things over and over again. This occurred because the different characters within a spark of light did the different hours in the book. By the end I was unsure if I was bothered.  They had bored me that much repeating the same story.

These are just my thoughts, I know other people have loved this book. Have you read a spark of light if so what where your thoughts on the book?

 

Charlotte xxx

Glasses Repair Kit- Snapit Review and Giveaway

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Recently I was give the opportunity to try out a glasses repair kit called Snapit. As someone who wears prescription glasses all the time even sunglasses’s. I know how easy glasses can become broken even more so when you have a bouncy three year old. Put the fact that Joe also wears glasses this increase the risk of there been a broken pair of glasses.

I need something which allows me to repair glasses fast. I now don’t have a spare pair and it can take days to get them fixed. You can not always wear sunglasses because everyone knows Yorkshire is not always sunny.  So Snapit is ideal for me. I have had similar kits before in the past they have usually contained small screws which I have ended up losing. This usually means that my glasses are not properly fixed. Over the years I have had to have them fixed a lot and a lot of DIY jobs. I have been wearing glasses since I was 4 which is nearly 20 years now.

Snapit are different they have 1.5cm long screws with a snappable end. This means  you do not have to hunt for small screwdrivers. Usually the only way you can get one small enough is if you get them in a Christmas cracker.  Usually you have to hunt through the random draw in the kitchen where all the junk is stored to find them well you do if your anything like us.

The snapit is so simple after a couple of seconds your glasses will be as good as new. All you need to do is insert the screw into the part which is missing. Screw in with the provided screwdriver, tighten the screw and snap off the end.The screws can easily be inserted from the top or bottom this means it is even easier to use right. Then the job is done which is always a bonus because it take longer to get to go out and get them fixed. I like that these are so small you could have the packet in your junk draw. Ready in case your glasses do break because you never plan on this happening.

The Snapit Kit comes with 5 screws of varying lengths & thickness this means that it is compatible with over 99% of glasses and sunglasses. This is a huge bonus for us because we have several pairs so no matter which one should become broken we can get them fixed. They are all kept together in a small container which is ideal because this means it is harder to lose in the junk draw.

Snapit kit is available to purchase on Amazon, It’s really affordable. They are lower than the amount you would spend on a meal deal for your lunch. Considering the cost of new frames, this fab little glasses repair kit is a great buy and worth having. I am actually giving away some snapit kit to a lucky winner this means your going to be sorted should you have a glasses emergency.

Win A Snapit Glasses Repair Kit #13

Do you have something to hand should your glasses break?

 

Charlotte xxx

This post is sponsored by snapit

*Terms and Conditions – The prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. The winner will be selected at random via gleam from all valid entries . They will be notified by the Review Directory by email within 7 days. Open to all UK entrants aged 18 or over only. Facebook and Twitter are in no way associated with the giveaways.

Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose and will be shared directly with the Review Directory. 

Eco Laundry Egg Review

- cupsofcharlotte Leave a comment

The Eco Laundry Egg is something which we have been using for close to 6 months. So I am able to give an honest about my experience with this product.  Being eco-friendly is something which I would love to do a bit more after all we only have one planet.  Anything I can do to help is always a bonus. I heard about the Eco Laundry Egg because I saw it on The Organised Motherhood Instagram. I decided to purchase one because it helps me save money because they are £12.99 for 210 washes. Which is a fraction of the price I bought them even from Aldi they would be more expensive than this for 210 washes I can not remember how much I used to pay.

If you have not heard of the eco laundry egg it is a complete replacement for laundry detergent and fabric conditioner. All you have to do is stick it in the drum of the washer on top of all the washing. This does mean that you do not have to purchase any powder, liquid or gel. You do not even have to add fabric softener even though this is something which I sometimes do if I want the washing to smell extra nice. This is something I usually only end up doing when I am washing things such as bedding.

The way the eco laundry egg does work is there are two types of mineral pellets inside the egg get to work. They produce powerful – but natural – cleaning foam which powers through the fibres lifting off the dirt and grime. The Eco Egg is supported by Allergy UK and the National Eczema Society, the Laundry Egg is dermatologically tested and perfect for even the most sensitive skin. This is amazing if you have newborns or also have someone who has sensitive skin.

As you can imagine we have some dirty clothes with Jess attending nursery and she comes home so dirty. As you can imagine which means that I do get a lot of time to test out the washing powders. I have noticed that some of the other brands which I had been used were unable to clean them. Even though they did have some stain remover in with them I have been using Tesco own I have found it the best. However, when I have been using the eco egg I have noticed that they are managed to clean them. Of course, there are some things which we have not been coming clean because Jess gets filthy for sure.

You can use them up to 60c and as low as 30c depending on what you watch. I have used these and a range of different temperatures in the last 6 months. I noticed that there is also no detergent residue left on your clothes. This is something which has happened before to us but this has not happened at all which is a bonus. There are no harsh chemicals which you actually end up on the clothes which could cause you more problems if you have sensitive skin lucky we are a family who this does not affect.

I actually love that there is no mess, no scooping, slopping, pouring or measuring. Even Jess loves to be able to throw the egg in the washer. When I originally got the eco egg set up was pretty easy, one packet of black pellets and three packs of white pellets, leaving two packs spare. This means that I can top off the white pellets when I am needing to. I think looking at it will be very soon. It tells you to replace the white pellets when they are half of the size which they were originally.

Another element which we love of the eco egg is that we can actually purchase them on Amazon and the refills. Due to us having prime this means we can get them nearly as quick as normal washing powder. You can even buy the refills because it does mean that you can get more of them without having to replace the egg. This does mean you do not have to have as much plastic consumption.  The 210 washes do actually claim to do this for you for a year. This is actually based on doing 2-3 washes a week which I think is the average. I know we do not do too many more than this. This works out at around 6p per wash which is so cheap much cheaper and cost-effective than other alternatives.

The Ecoegg comes in three scents; you can have 100% fragrance free, soft cotton or spring blossom. I actually have the spring blossom one which is very lightly scented you may want to add a fabric conditioner if you like your washing to be heavily scented.  They also come in different quantities if you didn’t want to commit to 720 washes straight away. You can choose from 54, 210 or 720 washes and the prices start from £7.99.

Have you tried the eco egg? If so what did you think?

Charlotte xx

Boom25 – Shop Online & Win Your Order Back

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When I am shopping online I am always looking to save money. Whether it be getting money off vouchers and been able to save that way. Or using cashback and getting money back from my purchases. Well this was until I was introduce to Boom25. This is a new cashback site hitting the UK with a twist you have a 1 in 25 chance of actually winning back your full purchase for your items.

Making sure I get the best deal on something is one of my passions I hate spending more money than I need. One of the best things which I have found about Boom25 is the fact that there no sign up fee. This does mean it is not costing you to earn money. You have a 1 in 25 chance of winning you whole shop back which means essential you getting things you need for free.

For me this is a fun experience while online shopping because let’s face it we all do everything online now. You have to be the 25th person to order from that retailer. They also have daily booms on which means that you may only have to be the 10th person. This mean that you have 1 in 10 chance of getting your purchase for free. As you can see today Groupon is a 1 in 15 chance of winning. Even if you do not manage to win you get a small bonus so when you do win you get even more money.

One thing which I have found when I have used cashback sites in the past is sometimes the lack of retailers on it. This is not a problem which Boom25 have there are over 900 stores to be earning from. These are from a range of different sectors as well. It also includes Ebay now you will know if you have been following me for a while this is something I use regular. I would love to win some of the purchases which I make back. Something which I think I am going to do is any purchase I do win put the money towards Christmas presents. You do not even have to share bank details or anything as you get your money through paypal. This does mean it is even more secure which I know for me is a huge bonus.

It is so simple to set up because who wants the hassle of lots of forms when they are wanting to do some shopping. Boom25 only need your email address a password and your name. This means that you can have your account set up in a couple of moments.

Once you have your account set up you can either click through the categories to find the one you want. There are hundreds of course, ranging from travel, sport and health and beauty. You can also keep scrolling down and find the popular area. This has the brands which people are using the most so currently companies such as Justeat, eBay and deliveroo. This makes it even easier for you to be able to get cashback on the companies you love the most.

You find out if you have been the lucky winner when Boom25 send a spin the wheel email out. This will show you who the lucky people are to have won there purchases. It its worth noting that when you win your purchase back you do not get the paypal fees which I seem to remember are 3.4% + 20p.

This is a good way to save money on your purchases. For me it is going to be a cashback site which I use regular. It may not replace the one which I use completely but it is a contender. For sure, I will be using it for sites which I can not get cashback on otherwise. The biggest win someone has had is £4.445 which is amazing I would not be complaining at that back.

Why not try Boom25 out for yourself and see if it can work for you. You may be able to get all of a purchase back rather than 1% which some other sites may offer you. It could be worth having a good it’s money you would never have had. That is the way I actually see it.

Have you tried Boom25? If so what where you thoughts.

 

Charlotte xxx

This is a collaboration post however, all words are my own.

Making Bath Time Special with Slimebaff

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Bath time is an event which Jess looks forward to every single time. For sure she is an actually water baby. We are always looking for different products to make it even more fun and special. So when the lovely people at zimplikids contacted me and asked if I would like to review a range of their products I jumped at the chance. I have seen gellibaff advertised when it first came out however, I have never actually tried any of their products.

Slime is a product which I have not let Jess try at home for a couple of reasons. One I really can not stand the mess which it makes so I thought it would be perfect for her to do in the bath. For some reason, in my head, I thought it was going to be super hard to do. I have no reason why I thought this at all. It could not be more simple all you need to do is sprinkle the powder in the bath water . Then simply watch as the water magically turns into gooey slime. This is the same for the gellibaff version as well.

It is so simple to make however, it does take about 15 minutes to thicken so you may want to take this into account. For example if your child does not take long baths you might want to do it so when they get in it’s as thick. This is what I did for Jess and she still spent around 25/30 minutes in the slime bath. It did take her a while to get used to the feel she did keep screaming and saying it felt strange so this is something else to be aware of. You really need to keep an eye on your child while using this product. More than you normally would when they are in the bath I would say.

Jess adored it however, it can be very slippy and this is an element which she did end up struggling with. I had to keep picking her up and this did cause her to be a little bit stressful for her. The worst part of the slime baff for us was actually how slippy she was when she got out. She did have to shower which is something which she hates to do. This is something which you need to be aware of if your child hates the shower as well.

Unlike gellibaff slime baff does not actually need anything to disolve this. You only need to add about 30l of water I think it said to remove it from the bath. For us who only used half a packet and half the amount of water because Jess is not a fan of very deep baths still due to her age. It still look us around the half an hour mark to disolve this. This may put me off purchasing it in the future because it seems to take a lot time to have a bath even though Jess enjoyed it. It took around an hour to run the bath and remove it. If Jess asks to use it in the future I am not going to refuse and deny her.

If you are worried about it not been safe I know some people have problems with products like this. Gellibaff and Slime Baff are 100% safe. They can be purchased from a range of retailers including supermarkets, the entertainer and Amazon.

Have you tried Slime Baff if so what did you think?

Charlotte xx

We were sent this in order to give our thoughts on it however, all views are our own.

 

Bear Kitchen Wakefield Review

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I know it is Monday which means that usually, I would be sharing with you a recipe. However, as I stated in my February Goals I have not been cooking as much and with Valentine’s day coming up today I thought I would share a place to eat which we love in Wakefield. It is called Bear Kitchen. I actually found out about the place when someone I follow on Instagram visit. I since have recommended to a couple of people and they have made visits.

Bear Kitchen is an amazing burger and fast food joint with a twist. Everything is locally and ethically sourced produce in environmentally friendly packaging. This is something which is rare to find and the price is not expensive for the quality of the food.

If you are familiar with Wakefield it is not far from Westgate train station going away from town. This does mean that it has no parking which is a shame if like us you have to go in the car. You can park at the retail park and walk and this does not take to long to get to Bear Kitchen. You will not be disappointed the food makes it worth the travel. Delivery is available but I am unsure how far the travel I know we are out of area. The Bear Kitchen is a small restaurant with around 3 tables which each seat 4. This does mean that you may have to wait when you arrive for a table. You can always take out if this does not bother you. This is something for us which is not ideal due to having a Jess.

At Bear Kitchen you do actually get to almost create your own burger. So you can have whatever you want. You choose either beef, chicken, mac n cheese or hot dogs. These are known as bear grills then you add the bear toppers which makes it your own. These make your burger your own so these include the likes of cheese, gucamole, pulled pork, chilli con carne. No matter what kind of burger you like you will be able to find it at the bear kitchen.

Joe and I decided to go for two completely different burgers I seem to remember he went for a beef grizzly which means it came with cheese, fried onions BBQ sauce and bacon. While I on the other hand opted for a chicken Gringo which had gucamole, pico salsa, sour cream, nachos and jalpeno jam. The burgers with one set of toppers which is what we choose is £7.50 or it was when we visited. You do not get fries with them these are a side which you need to order. We opted for Haloumi fries which where so tasty and we got them to share as there we two of us. It also works out better value for money if you do this.

There is also deli rolls and chicken boxes, alongside salads and kebearbs if you do not fancy a burger. If you choose to visit on a Sunday you could have a yorkshire pudding wrap which is something which has become so popular last year. As you can tell the bear kitchen do have a wide range of options. I think this is amazing seen as the fact that they do locally source everything.

Taking your children is not an issue either I know that sometimes you are unsure about these places. I took Jess and was amazed how well they were able to cater for children she actually got a small hot dog with any topping which she wanted a drink and fries for £5. She did have a choice of any of the burgers on the menu and they would have made them to her size.

We found the staff really helpful and they took us through the menu because it can be daunting when you go for the first time. This is something which you can not fault. I have noticed that there are now a ton of vegan and veggie options available. Which I think is amazing as sometimes you can be limited when you go to eat out if you have dietary needs. Due to it all been cooked to order you can be waiting for a short while for you food. Jess did not get bored and our wait was around 30-40 minutes which I did not think was too bad at all.

I would recommend trying out one of there shakes they are so worth the money. I had a chocolate brownie one and it did have chunks of homemade brownie in it. It was a little bit sickly you would not want to have more than one. They are very filling as well which combined when the burgers are so tasty and filling made me full. The portion sizes are something which are not skimpt on at all they are very large. As you can see from the pictures.

Overall

There are so many more pieces on the menu which I want to try so I know we are going to have to make another visit. The food is amazing for the price point that it is. It is worth noting that bear kitchen is open Wednesday- Sunday 12-9pm. So do not try and go on a Monday or Tuesday. I would say this is value for money and as some other people I have recommend it to can not believe how cheap it is for the quality. For sure this is going to be a place we go again during 2019. See as we live not too far from the bear kitchen.

Have you visited Bear Kitchen if so what did you think?

Charlotte xxx

50 Fantastic Ideas for Engaging Dads Review

- cupsofcharlotte Leave a comment

We all know the feeling there is so much that we want to do this year with our children. We want to create memories with them which are going to last a life time. This time of year can be tight for money but you still want to have some amazing times. I know this is personally something which me and my family want to do. As you know Joe works away a lot which makes family time even more special . Jess loves spending time doing things with her Dad.

Just before Christmas, I was contacted to see if I would like to review a new book. Full of ideas for Dad’s to do with their children, of course, I said yes because we are always looking for ideas of new things to do with Jess. 50 fantastic ideas for engaging dads is it sounds it is a book which has 50 ideas of what do to with your children. All of the activities which are in the book are very engaging meaning that you have to be hands-on.

There is a range of activities some which we are going to have to wait till the weather becomes warmer. However, there are plenty of the activities that Jess has done already. Even though the book does say for Dad’s we all know Mum’s can do it as well. The reason it is aimed at Dad’s is because they can find it harder to think of ways to engage with their children. When it comes to a fun and educational side of play. There are some activities in the book which I would never have thought about doing. Such as discount shopper allowing your child to go into bargain stores with a budget and allowing them to purchase items. Another one is a door colour challenge find doors which are the colour you say.

The activities tell you what you are going to need don’t worry if you don’t have them all. We have improvised with some elements and still had as much fun. The book also tells you what the children get out of it apart from spending quality time with their parents. One part which I think is the great is the way that it tells you how to develop it to make it even harder. We all know that children can get bored when something becomes too easy for them. It has progressions some of them we are going to be using as Jess is finding some of the activities easy now.

We have been doing the read me a story activity most evenings before bed. This is something which has been part of our routine for a while now and we find it seems to settle Jess before drifting off to sleep. She also will speak about the book in the morning and sometimes for days after. We will let Jess point to things within the book for example where is the frog . This is helping her learn the different animals and also be interactive with the story. For sure, this is something which we can keep up because books is something we have a lot of .

Block tower is another one which we have been enjoying this is something which we can do as a family. We use megablocks which is something that Jess has owned for a while and we have a race to see how can build the highest tower. Then we will ask her to count how many bricks there is again enhancing her learning. This is something I love doing in fun ways where it is possible. Another way we have done this is that you can only use a certain colour to build your tower this incorporates Jess learning her colours. Of course this is also teaching her hand eye cordination fan which is vital for when she starts writing.

The final one which I am going to share with you is the den building. Of course, we have not been able to go outside and do this one yet as it may be a bit too cold and windy. However, we have been using our home to do it we have blankets often around in our house so we have been throwing them over the sofa and footstool. Jess usually demands that I crawl around and she giggles her head off. I think this is one of her favourites from the book because it is one she demands even after nursery. Daddy I am sure will get roped in to play when he is back as well.

I know that we are going to have so much fun doing more of the activities. Another thing which I love about this book is the fact that the ideas in this are not that expensive. A lot of the things which are required you will usually have if you have children. For sure this is a book which is going to get a lot of love in our house. It would be a great present for some who has a toddler as well.

The book is available on Amazon, for £9.99 and can be found here. 

What activities do you like doing which engage with your children?

Charlotte xx

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

Fitbit Alta HR Review

- cupsofcharlotte Leave a comment

I know that it January and this is a month which a lot of people start to change their lives. Some manage to make it long term and see huge benefits others go back to their old ways. I have been motivated to go back to the gym after having a membership for 3 months. I have also dug out my Fitbit Alta HR which is something which I neglected for the past few months.

It became neglected it because I was sick of it moaning at me for not doing enough steps. I did not care if I was doing the recommended 10,000 steps a day because I was busy. Even though I was unhappy with how I looked I was focusing on eating better. I used my Fitbit constantly from around April to September when we moved house.

If you do not know what a Fitbit is it is an activity tracker it does not matter on your activity level. It adds everything you do up from walking around the house to running on a treadmill at the gym. If you are anything like me you like knowing how many steps you have done. I really at the moment hate it if I do not hit my 10k steps. I have been averaging around 15k a day. My phone tracks steps however, there will be times where I am not carrying it. So it makes it look like I have not done that much exercise. I also like to know how much I have done and find my phone not that accurate.

This is not a problem which I have with my fitbit because it is always strapped to my wrist. So if I go somewhere it comes with me too and can track my steps. I have noticed because of the fact that it is so small I sometimes forget that it is on. It is a very sleek piece of kit almost smaller than having a watch. It does have a build in clock which also removes the need to have a watch on as well.

You can also see how many calories you have burnt off that day which coild be very useful. I know you can use apps like myfitness pal to see how much food you have consumed and this would be an indicator if you are doing enough exercise to burn the calories you have had. Calorie counting is not something which I am actively doing however, I am enjoying seeing how many I have burnt. It also sometimes motivated me into having another piece of chocolate if I have worked hard enough that day.

Due to me having Fitbit Alta HR it does mean that it is always checking my heart rate. This is something which I find amazing looking at how it changes depending on what I am doing. Of course, this may not interest that many people and it may only me because of my sports science background. I love to be able to see my heart rate when I am out on one of my fitness walks because then it means that I can see if I am working hard enough. If this is something which would not really interest you then you would be better with a normal fitbit alta which are slightly cheaper.

I find the feature which I love the most apart from been able to see how many steps I have done. And comparing it to previous days when I think I have done the same amount of activity. Is the sleep tracker this is something which I love because I like to see if I actually had a good sleep when I think it was poor. It shows you the amount of time which you have spent in different stages of sleep. Sometimes it will even tell you that you have been awake and this is something which you can not remember. Another part for me which I enjoy is looking when I actually fell asleep compared to when I think I did.

I have never found the battery life to be an issue for me personally. I find that it lasts around a week with a full charge. Usually, what I will do is make sure that one evening a week I do not sleep with it and allow it to charge over night. Of course, if you do not want to lose out on a night of tracked sleep you can always charge in short burst when have time during the week.

The only problem which I have had in the 10 months of using my fitbit is the strap has broken. It has come away from the actually unit this is something which you can keep reconnecting. However, if you actually contact Fitbit themselves they will send you a replacement strap which is a huge bonus. I did not want to have to fork out for a new strap after having mine for less than a year. It also arrived free of charge and pretty fast which I also call a bonus.

Personally, the Fitbit Alta HR is a piece of technology which I would recommend. More so if you are looking at becoming a little bit more healthy in 2019. It helps motivate me because sometimes when I am in the zone for too long I will not move for hours and this reminds me to move. I have set it to remind me between 8-8 to move 250 steps an hour.

Currrently Argos, have the fitbit alta HR on offer for £79.99 which is cheaper than I think even I paid for mine. I would recommend taking up this offer if you are thinking about getting a fitbit because personally I do not think they will come any cheaper for a while.

Do you have a fitbit if so are you in love with yours?

Charlotte xxx