The Great Outdoors

There are many things that both myself and Aalliyah love to do, but our most favorite past time has to be enjoying the great outdoors. Whether its a trip to the park, a nature reserve, a stroll through the woods or even walking to my weekly Weight Watchers meeting! (Don't worry, we do pass some beautiful scenery, even a river and some horses too!) 

There is just something magnificent about being outside. Its healing, it's therapeutic, it's the perfect way to let off steam after a hard day at work and the guaranteed way tire out the kids and let them go wild when they are bursting with energy (Which lets face it is pretty much 24/7) But my all time favorite thing about the great outdoors?..

It doesn't cost a thing! All you need is your imagination and you can let that take you to far away lands when you are outdoors. Lets face it, there are not many things in life that are free anymore, but this is something that will always be available to us. So get out there and enjoy it! There are literally thousands of beautiful places around, so get the family, get your shoes on and go explore!

We recently visited a local park called Salcey Forest. It was wonderful. There were tree top walks, nature trails, adventure playgrounds plenty of beautiful picnicking areas. We had so much fun being outdoors. Whatever the weather we always make sure we have a fun filled day. Planet earth is our playground and come rain or shine we will always find new wonderful places to explore.

This is my entry to the Center Parcs and Tots100 May challenge and if I am chosen I would like to visit Sherwood Forest.

Where will your outdoor adventures take you?

Center Parcs Family Blogger Club - #CPFamilyBreaks.

Center Parcs has always been a place I wanted to visit, In particular their Sherwood Forest village. There is just something magical about that place! With all the activities you are able to do at a Center Parcs resort I know it would make for a perfect holiday for Aalliyah, who likes nothing better than activity and adventure. Which is something I love too! But I fear I may enjoy the spa just a tad more :) Well I need to relax somehow after all the non stop action throughout the day. Bike rides, nature, sports... Fantastic!

We would love to become an official Center Parcs Family Blogger and have made a video showing how we like to have fun as a family. This is our entry into the Tot100 Center Parcs Family Blogger Challenge which you can find out more about by clicking here.

What ways do you like to have fun as a family?

Spending My Winnings - The #Spend20k Challenge

Everyone of us has at some point daydreamed about what it would be like to win the lottery and fantasized about all the wonderful things we would buy with our winnings. With changes to the National Lottery taking effect in October, Britmums have been asking "How would you spend 20k"?

This is an unbelievable amount of money and when you are virtually spending your winnings, its very easy to spend it.. So here goes.. This is how I would flitter my windfall away.

First things first. A new TV! Yes you heard me right, not a holiday, champagne or a jacuzzi but a television. I have had mine for over 10 years now and it is seriously on its last legs. Turns itself off when it feels like it, turns different colours on screen and now and then the screen decides to shift left so you can't even enjoy your Eastenders! With a nice big budget too then I'd go for simply the best!

64" F8500 Series 8 Smart 3D Full HD Plasma TV

£2999

The next thing I would buy is a new sofa. Like a lot of things when I got my first place my sofa was donated to me. It was only through donations and 2nd hand sales that I was able to fully furnish my property. I have a floral velvet horror with broken handles and ripped cushions. Sounds great doesn't it? I am a single mum struggling to return to work so sometimes we just have to make do, so if I could choose ANY sofa? Then it would definitely be this one!

Palatial 3 Seater Electric Recliner Leather Sofas x 2

£2198

The next thing would be an intensive driving course! I love doing things with Aalliyah even if its just a walk round a country park or adventure trail, but sometimes Its just so restricting not being able to drive and not being able to just get up and go somewhere on a whim.

One Week Pass Intensive Course

£760

So what next... Well how about a car? After all I am now fully qualified to drive! I have always fancy cruising around, with my sidekick in tow in a mini cooper convertible.

Mini Cooper Convertable

£4500

Aalliyah always loves it when we go anywhere and she has her own money to shop. Her last birthday, all she wanted was money, so we went to London and she had an amazing time shopping with her own money. So I would love to give her a lump sum to go on a fabulous shopping trip where she could buy all her favorite things.

Shopping Spree For Aalliyah

£1000

The next thing I would purchase would be a few gadgets. Aalliyah has been droning on about getting a phone for so long now and with secondary school just around the corner I think this would be the perfect time to get her one. I would also love an iPhone 5! No particular reason other than a selfish "I want one" . I would love a kindle so I could get back into reading and would love to update my camera to a more advanced model so I can really start enjoying my passion for photography.

Tech/Gadgets

£2000

My laptop has broken buttons, crashes over 10 times a days, overheats, doesn't work without being plugged in and take hours to uploads photos. How I manage to blog on it is a miracle so the next thing I would buy would definitely be a shiny new laptop thats gonna load pages at the click of a button (that isn't broken)

ASUS Zenbook Touch Screen Laptop

£1499.99

I can't remember the day when I woke up and didn't have a back ache, so the next thing on my list without question would be a new bed and memory foam mattress  Like the sofa, my bed was given to me when I moved in and although it has served its purpose and saved me from sleeping on the floor, it is thread bare and showing springs. It's got to go! So I would buy this beauty instead.

Aspen Walnut Bedstead and Elixur Memory Foam Mattress 

£2000

Well I have racked up quite a bill so far haven't I? I have so far spent £16,956.99p. This leaves me with £3,043.01p. There really is only one more thing that I would like to do with my remaining windfall and that is a holiday. Aalliyah is ten years old and we have never had a holiday together. I would love more than anything to give her the holiday of a life time. I am talking about 2 weeks all inclusive in Florida, swimming with dolphins, visiting every water park, every theme park and really giving her the time of her life! That would be amazing!

I have had a blast being able to escape into the land of make believe and spend my virtual winnings. It would be amazing to be able to do so but for now its back to reality. Yes I struggle at times, yes its hard and we don't always get to enjoy as many luxuries as I'd like to but I am grateful for what we do have. I have a wonderful daughter who is appreciative and grateful for everything she has. We have our health, a roof over our heads and when I look at others less fortunate than us I realise how lucky we are. But most of all we have love. Money can buy a lot of things but it definitely cannot buy true love and happiness. I would swap all the riches in the world in a heart beat for the love I share with my daughter. Nothing comes close...

This post is an entry for BritMums #Spend20K Challenge sponsored by The National Lottery, with more ways to win more money on the new Lotto game. Find out more about new Lotto, which starts in October, here –  www.national-lottery.co.uk

Blackpool Bound..

As much as I would love to be going on a "proper" holiday in the summer holidays (and by proper I mean abroad and for at least a week) sadly its just not going to happen yet. Among other things money just isn't flowing too much right now. So while most of the summer holidays is going to be filled with swimming, cinema, picnics and country parks, I did want to have at least a night away somewhere just me and Aalliyah.

I decided on Blackpool as I havent been for years and Aalliyah has never been and with so many local attractions making Blackpool a very appealing choice we are all booked up for a 2 night break. We are really looking forward to all that Blackpool has to offer. Can you believe that Aalliyah is 10 years old and this will be the first time we have actually been to a beach together?? MADNESS!!

We will be visiting the Pleasure Beach and the Blackpool Tower and then the rest of the time I'm sure will be spent relaxing in the sunshine watching the waves. Being a MASSIVE Spongebob fan Aalliyah is super excited to visit Nickelodeon Land and we are both pretty nervous about going to visit the tower with its remarkable glass floor.

We are setting off on the 22nd of August and already counting down the sleeps...

Are you planning a trip to Blackpool? How about winning a ticket for 2 people for the Blackpool Tower!!

Valid until December so plenty of time to use it.

Fill in the rafflecopter below and best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bath Vs Shower

Are you a bath or shower person? I personally love them both but if I could only ever use one for the rest of my life then I'd have to choose a bath. As much as I love a refreshing shower I don't think I could go without

enjoying a steaming hot bubble bath ever again. I do miss not having a shower in the flat. Getting up in the morning and having a bath really doesn't wake you up and leave you refreshed and ready to start the day. If anything it leaves you tired and wanting to get back into bed and curl up. Once my bathroom has been redecorated I will definitely be getting a shower put in. I would never be without my long soaks but having a shower installed is the smart choice, with me (hopefully) starting work soon and Aalliyah moving to upper school in a little over a year a shower is definitely going to make our morning routines quicker and easier.

So until I get my lovely new shower, I have to stick to the baths which are great but don't leave me feeling very energized in the mornings which is why I get a little extra help with all the lovely shower gels and bath salts out there. Us ladies run a bath like we are making a cocktail, using just the right amount of ingredients. Using our essential oils and salts in the evening and a jazzy, fruity shower gel for the mornings!

Get the best of both worlds with this little bundle. Some fresh and fruity original source shower gels guaranteed to revitalize and put a spring in your step and for when you want to relax with a nice long soak in the tub, some yummy chocolates to indulge in. (Yes, Dolly the duck is along for the prize ride too!)

Simply fill in the rafflecopter form below. Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Eco-Straws Review

Eco-Straws offer a fantastic innovative new product, the 100% eco friendly straw. Being a parent, I buy my fair share of straws, mostly for my daughter and any picnic or tea parties that may crop up, but also for those lovely special "mummy" drinks we wait all week long for. So I was excited to test out these drinking straws.

Eco-Straws offer 3 different types of drinking straws. 

Straw with a bend - One of the most common types of drinking straw used and suitable for a wide variety of drinks.

Straight up straw - Again suitable for a variety of different drinks, but most favoured for use with those frozen drinks, smoothies and milkshakes.

Straw spoon - Exactly as it sounds, a straight straw with the added bonus of a spoon which is perfect for the slush puppy style iced drinks/cocktails as well as those yummy milkshakes and ice cream floats!

These straws are manufactured using the highest quality stainless steel which is food safe, allowing them to be used with hot and cold drinks. They can be used time and time again without any signs of deterioration and are also freezer and dishwasher safe.

And if you're thinking, "Hmm.. But how would I clean it?" Then never fear as they also sell these super cute and very nifty cleaners which are perfect at cleaning them every time.

As you can see Aalliyah has already nabbed her favourite straw from the bunch! We both give eco-straws a massive thumbs up and highly recommend them.

Fancy checking them out for yourself? Then head on over to "eco-straws" and have a look around their site. The straws are available in different sized packs to suit your needs and at a great price!

Fancy winning some for free? 

The fabulous people over at "eco-straws" are giving one lucky person the chance to win a 4 pack of straws (of your choice) All you have to do is fill in the raffle copter below. Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

S-Wipe Cleaning Cloth - Review

Nearly all of us own some sort of smart device, weather its an iPad, a kindle, an iPhone or some other form of smart phone, and with daily use our devices can get grubby in no time. If you are anything like me I am constantly giving my iPhone screen a little rub or wipe down with my cuff or what ever I have handy.

Even with a screen protector on , I find my phone is forever collecting prints and smears, so I was happy to receive a great handy little cleaning cloth called the S- Wipe. It is specifically designed to remove dirt, finger prints and smudges from your devices. The cloth itself is made from 100% premium microfibre and unlike a lot of cheaper cloths on the market doesn't leave any fibres on your screen. Its super soft and really does leave your screen dazzling and clean. 
I recommend the S-Wipe to anyone who likes to keep their devices looking clean, shiny and new!

Fancy getting your hands on one yourself? Be sure to enter below for your chance to win one! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

First place - "Egg-cellent"

I was so pleased when I heard that Aalliyahs school were holding an egg decorating competition as this is something that was never done in her old school and she had so much fun (as she does with anything crafty) making it.
Aalliyah decided early on that she wanted to do something in keeping with the traditional Easter story of Christ's Resurrection. 
So who better to model your egg on that the Lord himself! Very surprisingly (given that she attends a Catholic school) she seemed to be the only pupil who chose something remotely linked to Jesus and the story of Easter.

So here is the finished product!

She had a blast making it, using odds and ends from her craft box and then raiding my first aid kit for some bandages (Robes) Making this also inspired her to go online and read a little more on the story of Easter which is fab, I remember re-learning the story every year at school, so it was nice to read it together.

Another bonus was that her egg came in first place which she was over the moon about. She was grinning from ear to ear when I picked her up from school and managed to bag herself a yummy Easter egg and some cool Easter pens.

I am also entering Aalliyahs egg into another competition over at the Polarn O.Pyret Facebook page. Click the link below to find out more about their competition where you could win a gorgeous bunny and maybe a £50 shopping spree with them :-)

Best of luck!

Click here to win with Polarn O.Pyret

Have you been egg decorating yourselves? I am looking forward to Easter Sunday and to doing more crafty things with Aalliyah as well as her making her tradition Easter bonnet!