Jakemans

It is now officially winter , it is now officially the season of colds/coughs/flu and general yuckiness . Most of my family have been struck down lately , so what better time than to buy some throat sweets ?



Jakemans is an independent, privately owned company specialising in the manufacture and distribution of quality, menthol based confectionery. It was established in 1907 and has been operating in the Boston, Lincolnshire area since that date. Today Jakemans is one of the fastest growing brands in the functional confectionery sector.

Jakemans are

* Carefully blended with menthol to provide a soothing vapour action
* Made with only the finest ingredients
* 5 exciting and mouth watering flavours
* Suitable for vegetarians
* Contains no artificial colours or flavours
* Available in 100g packet format

I am not a big throat sweet fan , i normally find the flavour to much and although i could handle these sweets for a minute or so i did have to spit it out before the end . I sent them up to my mum (the throat sweet addict ) who was able to test them out for me.

She enjoyed them , she has been suffering from a terrible cold and chesty cough and find they helped when she needed them . Her biggest problem with them (and of this i do agree) was that the initial flavour was not strong enough . They do they job though so are recommended .

Maclaren Junior Quest Activity Centre Part 3

This is the third and final part in my Maclaren Junior Quest Activity Centre review .

The product has now been around for a few weeks , it has been played with over and over and is used daily by the children.

The kids love the pram and the cot , the rest seem to be put aside only pulled out now and then but the pram and cot are used every day . We have discovered one problem which seems to be the straps on the pram come loose all the time and mummy has to constantly fix them , it is annoying but does not destroy the joy the kids get from the product .

Mummy was happy with the product , something which is suitable for all the children to play with that does not make noise or require my presence is always a winner in my book . I love the colours on it and how easy it was all to put together , it does not look cheap unlike some of these other sets but it is a great deal (it seems to be about £29.99 most places which is for 5 products )

I can see this toy still being played with for a long long time.

Happy Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

And a happy New Year.

Glad tidings we bring

To you and your kin;

Glad tidings for Christmas

And a happy New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE XXXX

Soreen

A few weeks back i was having a rubbish Saturday , it had been a hard and long week and i was stuck at home all day while the kids were out having fun ( normally i would of enjoyed the break but i had planned a nice day at home and was sad it did not happen) . The door went and i received two lovely loafs of Soreen .



We received two brand new flavours - Banana and Apple and both were delicious .

Soreen have been baking fantastic fruity malt bread for 70 years!

The uniquely soft & sticky recipe was created by a family whose surname was Sorenson - hence the brand name Soreen! Soreen became famous for their original fruity malt loaf and since then the company and the brand just keeps on growing!

Low in fat , tasty and healthy . It is the perfect snack .

I love toasting mine and topping with butter and serving with a cup of tea . How do you eat yours ?

Win New Year’s Eve costumes with AllFancyDress

Celebrate this New Year’s Eve in style with the help of All Fancy Dress, who are offering the opportunity to win two costumes of your choice for New Year’s Eve. You will find an extraordinary amount of costumes ideal for New Year’s Eve and all you need to do is answer a simple question.

AllFancyDress is the UK’s leading online discount fancy dress retailer, with an amazing array of fancy dress costumes that are ideal for any occasion and special event. You will also find a great range of accessories to match every fancy dress outfit found on the online store.

This is a great opportunity for you to take a look at what New Year’s Eve costumes are available online for you and your friends. Here are a few that we think you
will love and have the chance of winning yourselves:

Sexy Wonder Woman Costume



Save the party from being boring, when you wear this super sexy costume. Superheroes are a popular theme for New Year’s Eve parties, but no one will look as
hot as you when you walk in wearing this outfit.

Banana Man Costume



Share a few laughs this New Year and wear this hilarious Banana Man costume. Everyone will be falling on the floor laughing as soon as you walk into the party wearing this. All the attention will be yours.

Gangster Costume



Gangster fancy dress is one of the biggest fancy dress themes of all time, so why not continue the trend and wear this sexy and commanding gangster costume?

How to enter

It is so easy to enter this competition; all you need to do is answer this simple question (below) by leaving a comment on this blog and you will automatically be entered into the prize draw. Choose your two costumes before 27th December on any AllFancyDress products to ensure they arrive before the big event.

London is one of the biggest venues for New Years Eve, but what is the main attraction, seen across the countries televisions?

• Fireworks
• Night clubs
• House parties

Also why not become a fan of All Fancy Dress on Facebook with a chance of winning £5 off your order with our daily Facebook fiver competition.

Extra entries

1 - Follow /Subscribe to this blog and let me know in the comments
2 - Tweet this competition including @lauracmcintyre in the tweet so i can see it .

The competion will close at 10pm on Sunday the 26th December so you can get your order in time for new years .

Good luck everyone.

Maclaren Junior Quest Activity Centre Part 2

(Find first part here )

 The holidays are almost upon us and while most of your shopping may be done you may be on the look out for a certain something for a certain someone .



What little girl would not love this set ? (Or little boy , we don't discriminate around here )

It is reasonably priced , pretty and will offer hours of play for anyone lucky enough to receive it .

So what are you waiting for ? Go buy now maybe from here or here or one of the many other sites that offer it for sale .

Shloer

Make your Christmas sparkle with Shloer

Christmas is the time of year to enjoy delicious food and drink. Add Shloer to your Christmas shopping list so that whether you’re entertaining friends and family at home, hosting a ‘Sunday Social’, or going to someone else’s festivities you can share some sparkle.

Shloer uses only the best ingredients to create a delicious non-alcoholic sparkling drink. All varieties make a tasty grape-based alternative to wine, suitable for all the family - especially those who don’t want to indulge in alcohol while enjoying the festive season’s social circuit. Shloer contains no preservatives, artificial colours, sweeteners or flavours and is available from all major supermarkets.

It is available in White Grape, Red Grape, Rose, Apple and White Grape, White Grape, Raspberry and Cranberry Grape and Elderflower - RRP £1.97

We (well i mean i) have been trying out the White and Red grapes flavour and i may have a new favorite drink . They are delicious and i almost felt like i was sitting back enjoying a glass of wine without the not so nice side effects . These would make a great addition not to only Christmas meals but any meals , it was lovely to finally have a grown up drink that tasted nice and looked the part . 

I have liked their facebook page , will you ?

Maclaren Junior Quest Activity Centre

We (or should i say the children) were chosen to test the Maclaren Junior Quest Activity centre . Does it not look like great fun ?



It arrived when only the two older girls were home from school and they could not wait to get it open and play with it .



It was packaged well in a small box and i was expecting lots of pieces to put together . I was so pleased that only the travel cot had to be put together and that was easily done (by my 8 year old niece lol )

The kids all thought it was great and loved how it all came with the matching changing bag and have been playing mummy ever since arrived (yes even the boy....) .

The toys have all been well played with , the pram has made a few treks out in the snow and fared better than the pram *i* use . The changing bag is carried with pride and the travel cot is holding my daughters teddies at night when she goes to bed .
If i had one complaint it would be the fabric coming loose from the pram all the time
and needing fixed back on - this seems to be a problem with every pram of this design i have ever seen so not blaming Maclaren .

So far we all think it is a great ,fun and pretty new toy .

Merry Christmas

From All About Mummy , i hope your holidays are wonderful and Santa is good to you all

(Apart from some review posts i still need to do All About Mummy is taken a little break and will be back in the new year)

Wordless Wednesday: Guess What Is Not Working

Ella's Kitchen

Described as "Organic baby food &kid's food made from natural ingredients, the best way for weaning babies. Our range of baby food is 100% pure and nutritious" . The offer a huge range of food through meals (stages 1 , 2 and 3) ,snacks , smoothies , pasta and sauces and there are new products due to launch in the new year .
It is a hard review to write as i know alot of people that like their products and from what i can see of the company they are great .They seem to have such a nice range to suit every age all at a decent price . Only problem was no one liked them .

We were sent a selection of smoothies and pack o snacks . Ru (2 years old) liked none of them but that is not a huge shock , he has never liked smoothies and accept for raisins nothing in the snacks are something he would eat . The girls eat a few of the snacks but mostly picked the raisins and sultanas out of them ( i actually really liked these though ,my favorite was the chewy ones with included raisins , cherries , strawberries and mango's. )

We normally like smoothies , 4 year old is currently an expert in them since her nursery got a smoothie machine and they make them daily. We have been known to buy other pre made smoothies from time to time to . Ru thought it was fun to pour them everywhere and my girls (5 ,4 and my 8 year old niece) all thought they tasted weird and could only manage a few sips . I sort of had to agree , i felt they all tasted similar and the banana taste was very over powering .

So there you go , i think it is a great company and i would buy from them . Our kids just didn't happen to like what they tried...

White (Out)

When white was requested as this weeks gallery topic i was determined not to go down the predictable snow path but in the end nothing else called to me

It snowed today , i mean it really snowed today.

I have never seen snow like it , it just fell for hours getting heavier and heavier. The whole country is shutting down. No buses , no trains , no roads safe to travel. People are stranded everywhere , many people spending the night stuck in work . People are arriving home 6+ hours after leaving home and many abandoning there car and walking the remaining distance . My husband is stuck at a friends house unable to return home . Scotland is not a nice place to be right now.







(This fence was clear of snow this morning)

It Snowed Last Night

Oh, it snowed last night
It snowed last night.
The sky bears had a pillow fight,
Tore up all the clouds in sight, tossed down all the feathers white.
Oh, it snowed last night,
It snowed last night.

(http://www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/snow/songs.htm)

Friday

Children - "Is it snowing yet ? We want SNOW NOW. " (Looking at ice on grass) "Its snow "
Mummy - "I cannot wait for the snow , everyone else in the UK seems to have some"

Saturday

Children - "Its snowing YEAH YEAH YEAH " "We love the snow" "Lets go build a snowman"
Mummy - "Aww i love the snow , so pretty and the kids love it"

Sunday

Children - "More snow yah , lets play"
Mummy - "More snow yah , lets play"

Monday

Children- "We want the snow to stay forever and ever , can we go out and play again?"
Mummy - " The snow is really coming down , they better not shut the schools"

Tuesday

Children - "Snowing again , is it going to stay forever ? "
Mummy - "Darn it they are shutting the school , plus cannot take the pram out in the weather so have to let the two year old walk"

Wednesday

Children - " SNOW DAY :)"
Mummy - "snow day :( "

Thursday

Children - "Another Snow Day ? We are bored "
Mummy - " F****** snow"

Friday

Children - " Can the snow go away now ? Its to cooooooold"
Mummy - "Schools ON , still want the snow to bugger off"

(This was written as part of the writing workshop on Sleep Is For The Weak)

Celebrate

(It seems a little snow has shut down the whole of the country , no schools or nursery's which means no time to blog boo hoo)

This week we were asked for a celebration and what is a bigger than a celebration that a wedding. There are not many photos from the big day , due to budget and my own dislike of being in pictures we did not have a photographer (there is more than these but don't have them on the computer)

It was a lovely sunny but cold February when i became Mrs McIntyre.Was it the best day of my life ? Honestly no because nothing can compare to birthing my babies or bringing my daughter home after a month in hospital . It was perfect though and i cannot believe it will be 6 years since that day.

(Ignore the dates on the photos , right month/day but the wrong year)

The groom and his best men before getting ready



Outside the registry office



Me arriving



Signing the register



Leaving as man and wife



Cutting the cake



Dinner time



The happy couple

Snowflake

Would could more appropriate to review than a CD called Snowflake ? Scotland is snowy central just now and it is forecast all week . My kids are thrilled.

From the makers of Lullaby, a children’s bedtime CD, and Toybox, a collection of nursery rhymes for playtime, the Rainbow Collections is proud to announce the release of the final album in its trilogy – Snowflake.


Snowflake brings to life traditional Christmas songs recreated by the voice of trip-hop band, Zero 7, lead singer Sophie Barker and producer KK who has worked with many famous artists including Bjork and Brian Eno.


Featuring popular all time Christmas classics including ‘Jingle bells’, ‘Frosty the Snowman’, ‘Deck the halls’, ‘Little Donkey’ and ‘We wish you a Merry Christmas’, Snowflake includes 16 tracks of stunning new arrangements and festive favourites the whole family can enjoy over the festive period. The album also features a brand new Christmas song called 'Santa's Little Helpers' sung by Sophie and accompanied by the London children's choir.


Snowflake is available from November 6th at Amazon.co.uk, Play.com and HMV.


We have been big funs since the first listen , the kids all love to get up and sign/dance along . It is really the perfect kids Christmas CD and i am sure it will be a well used CD around here every year. It is a great sing along CD for the car also . I admit the slow tempo Jingle Bells gets us each time and the girls have been requesting i skip it lately (when it is normal there favorite ) , but apart from that one song its as perfect as perfect gets.

Snowman

Like It Matters

I don't get why parenting is so competitive (but i feel the pull myself)

I don't know why it matters it a child walks at 9 months or 19 (there must be something wrong with the late walkers , the parent must be doing something wrong so the pre mother me once said)

First words , when they start sitting , when they crawl why does it all matter ?

Why did people look at me in horror when i mentioned my 18 month old daughter was not walking yet?
Why did the same people a few months down the line act so shocked when i said my 9 month old daughter was walking . Why would there child who you know was not walking till there birthday suddenly of started at 8 months ?

Maybe i am getting my bitch on now

But you can look at my daughters and you could not tell which one was the late walker and which one the early .
________________________________________________________________________________

I don't get why it matters if your child toilet trains early or moves into a bed before its first birthday . I got that look today (you must know that look) when i mention my son now a whole 26 months still sleeps in his cot and is not toilet trained . "Oh " the mother so nicely commented "my dd was out of nappies by 18 months and in a bed by 1" . My response (in my head) was WHO GIVES A F*** . We are happy and don't want to rock the boat..

Parents should pay more attention to the child - are they loved ? are they kissed and cuddled each and every day ? are they sick of the constant "i love yous" and attention . That is what matters ...not when they walked or talked .

(And god forbid the oh so proud parent talking about there 16 week old child and how much solids she takes every day . That to me does matter)

this has been a post bought to you in conjunction with Sleep is for the weak and the lovely writing workshop. It is jumbled thoughts in my head and not very well written but i wanted it out there

That Photo

"Black and White"

I imagine most parents have a similar picture to the one i am going to share this week for the gallery . Not in contents but in the way it makes you feel - an innocent moment was captured but looking at the picture later my breath caught in my throat . The girl captured on camera was not a baby , she was a beautiful young girl and for the first time i really understood that . I cried over this picture then and now 3.5 years later is still evokes those emotions .



She was a little over 2 years old there , i still thought of her as a baby. She was a little girl and in this picture i saw for the first time the big girl she was becoming.

CBeebies Song Time

Are you a Cbeebies fan ? More importantly is your child ?

At this time of year especially i definitely prefer Cbeebies over other channels for the children (no adverts if you don't know what i mean) , all three adore many of the shows and get excited when watching them .

When we were asked to review the CBeebies song time album (Out NOW priced only £8.93)we jumped at the chance .

The album is described as

CBeebies ‘Song Time’ is a 2CD album featuring 50 tracks from the BBC’s popular children’s channel. CBeebies is the largest kids brand in the UK, with over 90 programmes on the channel.

‘Song Time’ is set to be a hugely popular album in the run up to Christmas and it makes perfect stocking filler. Fantastic for entertaining young fans and parents / grandparents can join in and sing along too!

The album has instantly recognisable tracks from the channel including theme tunes from current shows including ZingZillas, LazyTown, Gigglebiz, Show Me Show Me to classics such as Balamory, Tellytubbies and In The Night Garden.

My kids were confused at first , my 2 year old  was annoyed because he though the TV shows were coming on . They soon got over that though and had a great time dancing away to the album , the girls had great fun guessing what show each song came from . It was a bit of a novelty and i think will make the perfect in the car cd .
It is a great CD, something for all the Cbeebies fans and with over 50 tracks it will last the distance . I guess if i was to say something negative about it would be i think it would be slightly boring for those who had no idea what Cbeebies is - but then again why would someone who had never watched Cbeebies by a Cbeebies CD?

I think this would make a lovely little stocking stuffer for any of our little pre-schoolers .

Ecover

Over the part year or so i have trialled various Ecover products , i admit i have not actually wrote about them and i still feel guilty about it. When the company got in touch again and asked if i would like some laundry products i was so happy they would want to work with me again.

Firstly what is Ecover?
It is the UK’s leading manufacturer of effective and ecological cleaning and washing products. Not only do they provide excellent cleaning products but they are chemical free and environmentally safe. Ecover actually care about the environment and try to help .

I truly love there products , not only do they smell lovely but they do the job just as well as other similar products . I have no problems with the kids helping me clean when i use them , i have no worries about the chemicals getting on there delicate skin.

Lately we have been using the Stain remover , laundry liquid and fabric softener.
All work great , at first i admit i though the laundry liquid was a little strange. It is thick (think bubble mixture , washing up liquid)and leaves a distinct smell on the clothes . My bed has not been washed in a few days and you can still smell it . It is lucky as i do love the smell but if you didn't then it could be an issue.

Overall i can not really say a bad thing about any of the Ecover products , i love the company and what they stand for and i love the products.

They save the earth but they don't cost the earth :)

Think Yourself Slim

I am overweight . It is not a secret and i have mentioned it before .

This fact depresses me , it makes me feel ugly and can make leaving the house hard. It is hard but i am fat and i know it . I am technically classified as obese (although i don't know if it that bad , i am a size 18) .

I want to loose weight and have started and failed many diets this year alone , i sometimes drop a stone or so then just fall back into bad habits again. I have no will power and food makes me happy. I am very much off the diet just now , with Christmas coming i have gave up . To many (children) parties and outings coming up and these normal always end with selection boxes .

When i first heard about Slimpods i admit i brushed it aside - being able to loose weight just by listening to a recording - not likely.
Then i though about it and realised how does it really differ from the Natal Hypnotherapy cds i used to prepare myself for the birth of my son ? . I found they helped then so why could they not work now ?

I admit i am still not sure but at this point i am willing to try anything, if it works it works but if it doest i have not lost anything. I am going to be trialling this program in the next few days so will be able to let everyone know how it works then. Has anyone else ever used Hypnotherapy (for anything really) and found it works ?


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Haunted Toilets

I cannot tell you how old we were .

I am guessing around 8-9 . We were young girls and had the imaginations of such.

We were also convinced our school toilets were haunted.

I wish i could remember more about the situation but its just small scary flashes now and i can still remember being terrified of going in there .

How did the rumour start ? I don't know
Who started it ? I don't know

I remember taps that seemed to go on and off themselves , teeth marks on the door and the colour red . I remember a window in the roof and the dark shadow crossing it. I remember steamed up windows and girls screeching.... and i am not not sure if i can actually trust my memories.

We girls would also go in pairs , terrified each time but there was safety in numbers (at least we 8 year olds thought so) .I remember once being forced to go alone , i sat in the toilet unable to move with fear . When the door went it took ever ounce of my strength not to scream (it was just another girl coming in) .

The teachers knew of our fears and i think it annoyed them , i remember at times being told we were not allowed to talk about it. Then it seemed to add to the mystery of it all.

Looking back i think it was nothing , i don't think the toilets were haunted and i think we were a bunch of young girls just freaking each other out. But i still remember the fear i felt during those trips ...

Written as part of the writers workshop over at Sleep is for the weak . I choose prompt 


2. Paranormal Activity
- Have you got a spooky story you can share?

Before And After

This week we are asked for Before and After . I really thought about this one - first going with baby/child then maybe pregnancy/baby. Then moved on to rooms and maybe one of a messy room then tidy room but could not find the pictures i really wanted. Then was looking for art/work or baking but again could not seem to find a good few shots. So here it is my finally choice.

Before (A busy day out)



After (On the bus home)

The Phone Done It

(Edited to add...)
While i was out with the children celebrating the arrival of Santa , my phone (which was in my pocket) decided to blog for me . Not only did it blog for me but it added a video in the post. So enjoy some music courtesy of Laura's phone.

Breathing Space

It was one of the most difficult times of my life.

My eldest daughter then just 3 year old was in hospital fighting for her life . At times we were unsure when or if she would wake up and be ours again . It was the second time we went through this , as a newborn we had a similar experience .

The 2nd time seems to have left a much deeper scar , it was a much darker time . This was not a baby i did not know but my girl , the girl i had spent 3 years loving and she was so very sick . I also could not devote all my time to her , her sister then only 1 years old needed me...needed her mum, as did the baby i was carrying inside me.


I look back on that month with horror and pride , the help we received from family and friends made the experience just a little less horrid . My one year old was spoiled and cared for even if i could not be around

There is one bright day that stands out from the rest . I cannot remember the reason but i was not going to the hospital till later that day and i got to spend the morning with Eilidh . We went to our local country park and ran around , we saw animals and played in the park and most importantly enjoyed each other . Her life had changed so much and so suddenly and this was just a normal morning .

I found joy in her laughter and antics , i found happiness in the chatter and freedom. I got to breath that day , i enjoyed the sun and being mum again .

I held my baby close and just had to have faith in my *other* baby being ok.

------------------

It always comes back to the same thing , for me (even if they are the source of my problems) nothing helps me relax and re-charge like the amazing hugs and kisses from my children . In the darkest times i seek them and i need them , they can always make everything better .


This was part of the Writing Workshop i choose prompt 2

. Coming Up For Air (by George Orwell)
- Write about a time you found peace after a difficult time. Or, alternatively, write about breathing spaces. What helps you re-charge?

Seasons

I am not sure i am completely filling the brief for this weeks Gallery post which asks for pictures of seasons . I am could not find a Autumn type picture in my archive and have no camera batteries just now to snap one .

I love seasons , i find them not extreme enough in Scotland . Autumn is lovely , the golden leaves and the crisp air . Spring with the cold but sunny days , Summer with the rain and more rain and winter with more of the same (unless last year with its non stop snow becomes a trend . I want a hot , long dry summer . I want a cold , snow filled winter and for Autumn and Spring to bridge those gaps .

For my pictures i have went from one extreme to the other.

Enjoying the summer sun



Enjoying the winter snow

Cold

How are you ?

Are you as cold as me ? I sure hope not because i am freezing . Two cardigans , gloves and hot chocolate are not helping . I think i am turning blue .

It is about 6degrees outside (about 41F) , it is very wet and windy and we have no windows . I wish hubby had listened to everyone and arranged for new windows in the summer .

I remember viewing this flat for the first time almost 7 years ago , the decor was terrible and all the rooms needed fixed up . That was all fine but the windows were the one thing that almost made me decide against it .They were old , single glazing with peeling metal frames. 5 years ago the housing market was in a completely different place and flats were being sold as soon as they got on the market . I was young (21) and single (sort of ) and only had a limited amount to spend . I made an offer and it was accepted , we fixed up the place and replaced what we could but new windows were just outwith that current budget . Next year we said...

Then came the baby and the wedding , the the other baby and the other baby and it was just sort of forgotten

Now finally 7 years later we are getting around to it , i am hoping it will make a difference with selling the place but also protect us a little better against the winter weather .

Who knew new windows could get me so excited :)

Show Me The Funny

Week 32 of The Gallery and what can i post today ?

These were posted on my other blog but i just thought they fit the promt perfectly .


Me - "Stand next to each other girls , let me get a picture of you both in you Halloween costumes"
Girls - "We don't want to"



Me - " Come on girls , just one quick picture"
Becca - "Ok " cuddles her sister
Eilidh " I don't want to"



Me - "Why not give each other a little kiss
Becca - "Ok"
Eilidh - (Screams) "I DON'T WANT TO "



Me - "Come on"
Becca stands annoyed
Eilidh laughs and quickly kisses her sister



Then they got to party..