• book review

    {Book review} Spaghetti with the Yeti

    I know I shared a book review with you yesterday but it’s time for another – Spaghetti with the Yeti by Adam and Charlotte Guillain. “Hurrah!” shouted George, “At last it is you. I’ve been looking so hard for the Yeti.” The monster looked down with a horrible howl… “Are you bonkers? My name is Netty!” Join George, a young and courageous explorer, determined to track down the elusive Yeti against all the odds. With only a map, a woolly hat and a tin of spaghetti in his rucksack, George sets off on his quest up the steep mountain path…

  • cooking

    Jumbo Italian Spiced Chickpea Burgers

    I love a challenge so was pretty excited to be asked to try out TOTAL Greek Yoghurt. Apparently the recipe hasn’t changed a smidge since 1926 when it was first made in Athens. TOTAL Greek Yoghurt can be used in lots of recipes – whether it’s used as a replacement for cream in a fresh, strawberry gateaux or transformed in to a zingy slaw to accompany juicy pork chops or burgers! I was sent a tub of TOTAL Greek Yoghurt and the ingredients to make Jumbo Italian Spiced Chickpea Burgers. Now a meal without meat is a bit of an anathema…

  • nursery - potty training

    Lots of firsts

    The last week has been very busy in the gingerbread household. I’m not sure why everything has happened at once but the toddler was finally potty trained, started at his new pre-school and Little Sis has given up her dummy (during the day) and had a haircut. All this happened with quite a lot of screams, shouts and tears. The toddler finally started at his pre-school and I’m pleased to say he was potty trained by the time he went. Potty training took up a surprising amount of time and it feels like we tried everything – books, reward charts,…

  • competition

    Win 1 of 5 Carbon Monoxide alarms

    Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is easily preventable, yet every year it needlessly kills and injures people across the UK. As carbon monoxide has no smell, taste or colour, the most important way to identify it is with a carbon monoxide alarm. Currently, however, only 1 in 10 households has one. Young children and elderly people are particularly at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning because their bodies are less able to withstand the effects. There is also a risk to women who are pregnant and their unborn child. According to the Department of Health, more than 50 people in England and…

  • baby products - Britax Affinity - Britax Mumbassador

    Britax DUALFIX car seat

    Over the last couple of weeks we’ve been busy testing the latest car seat from Britax, the dual-position seat called DUALFIX, due to my role as a Britax Mumbassador. Little Sis has been very comfortable in her new car seat, the colour compliments her fab Britax Affinity perfectly. This is a very padded seat so it’s perhaps no surprise Little Sis is more than happy to go out in the car! The carseat is suitable from birth and grows with your child. It offers  rearward or forward facing and rotates to make it easier getting little ones in and out of…

  • eating - holidays

    {Review} Morrisons M Kitchen range

    In 2011 Morrisons launched its M Kitchen range, a range of convenience meals that is named after the real life kitchen that sits at the heart of Morrisons HQ in Bradford. Here, a team of expert chefs, under the guidance of Morrisons executive chef of product development, Neil Nugent, work hard to bring you those tasty meals and sauces that are popped into the trolley. The M Kitchen team is continuously coming up with new ideas for tasty, quality dishes to satisfy all those customers which come through Morrisons’ doors each week. Now, almost exactly two years on, there are over…

  • Gingerbread house finds - vintage

    Gingerbread house finds

    It’s been months since I’ve written about my favourite hobby but this weekend we’ve been away in Wiltshire which means fresh charity shopping hunting ground. The pickings have been pretty slim although I did find a Playmobil take along modern dolls house. We have a growing Playmobil addiction and I knew this would be great for storing our Playmobil and taking away with us. It was empty but only cost £4 and we have plenty of figures and furniture to fill it. I was surprised to see it’s still for sale and for a lot more than we paid for…

  • days out - Local Review - London - potty training

    Enjoying a different view of London with London Open House

    London Open House weekend has to be one of my favourite weekends in London. Hundreds of buildings throw open their doors and over the years I’ve visited some brilliant ones, from the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices to the Old Operating Theatre, Barnardo’s Village in Barkingside to Ally Pally and the London Eye. Since having children we’ve visited less buildings but we’ve still managed to get out and about. Now the children are that little bit easier to manage and we live in a different part of London it feels like we have so many new places to visit. I look…

  • eating

    Full tummies here!

    At 22 months Little Sis is a very fussy eater. Despite phasing out her lunchtime bottle her appetite is still pretty hit and miss and there is no pattern to the amount she eats. She does seem to prefer ready meals to my own cooking (!) so I was happy to try the new meals from Ella’s Kitchen. The range is called my little BIG meals, are 100% organic and designed for 12 months+. There are 6 varieties and each includes at least 5 different types of fruit and veg. Each meal contains 200g of food which means they are…