27 June 2017

Pregnancy & Hair Loss - What you can do to make it better

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When I was pregnant with my first child I remember vividly one friend explaining to me how after she had given birth massive clumps of her hair started falling out. She even showed me a bald patch she had on the side of her head. My first reaction was oh my goodness!! And then the fear set in. What if after I had given birth my hair would start falling out too! I did a bit of investigating and asking around and was relieved to note it didn't happen to everyone but there were ways in which you could help the hair loss and future hair growth.

The proper name for hair loss after pregnancy is Telogen Effluvium. What happens is that a fall in your estrogen levels after you've given birth slowly leads to you losing some hair. It mostly happens in the 3 to 6 months after pregnancy and is a very common cause of hair loss among us ladies. An average of between 40% to 50% of women experience hair loss for a thankfully temporary period of time post pregnancy. There are steps that can be taken to help reduce the hair loss though. Read on to see what you can do.

Coconut Oil Massage
I'm told you can warm up some coconut oil and use it to massage your scalp with your fingers. Coconut oil is totally fab for everything and anything these days but the massage will also help to increase blood flow to the hair follicles hopefully strengthening and conditioning then.

Cold Wash
Now not everyone agrees that this will work however some people claim that giving your thinning and fine hair a blast with a cool or cold water final rinse will close the cuticle and help hair to plump up slightly so that it looks thicker.

Stress
Most people will know that stress can increase hair loss so if anything's been stressing you out lately then you don't need that kind of negativity in your life anymore. Hopefully it's something you can just brush off but it it's not then go and see the doctor who will refer you for the proper help and care you deserve.

Minoxidil
There is actually a product on the market from Minoxidil2U, which can be used as a hair loss treatment. It's called Minoxidil and is repetitively used for hair loss treatment. It comes in the form of a liquid or foam, which you have to rub on your scalp around two times a day. It helps in the regrowth of hair and also prevents further hair loss. Normally results can be seen after regular use of the cream for months but not before. This is a long term product but it does seem to work.

Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is used for everything these days as well and contains various enzymes that help in the healthy growth of hair. Some people either directly apply the gel to their scalp or you can drink it. Think of these recent diet trends of Aloe Vera well it seems it's not only good for the waist line but the hair line too. And if you needed any more prompting it can control dandruff and itching.

Hair Extensions
I know they're not ideal but they might help boost your confidence and your hair thickness whilst your natural hair is doing it's very best to grow back. If they're applied properly they'll look amazing and won't do any extra damage to your hair.

Vitamins and Minerals
Without these your hair's not going to recover very well so make sure you're not low on Iron and also make sure you have a healthy dose of Vitamin B in your body to help that hair replenish. A specific form of vitamin B, called biotin, is extremely important in the growth and health of you hair. A lot of people feed back that this is very effective at regrowing hair.

This is a collaborative post.

24 June 2017

A Family Friendly Scottish Cottage

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Back in January I wrote about the importance of family holidays. I really believe travel is a great learning opportunity for little ones but this doesn’t necessarily mean going aboard. There are lots of lovely places to visit in the UK and being in Scotland myself means there’s plenty of countryside to roam and explore up here.

One of our favourite places to visit, discovered back in 2016, has to be the little cottage we frequent up near Wick in the Scottish Highlands. It’s a row of old fisherman’s cottages which have been beautiful restored and converted into classic accommodation for 6 people. It’s owned by the Landmark Trust who do an amazing job of rescuing old and dilapidated  historic buildings up and down the country. Next door (attached) to the cottage we normally rent is a little 1 bedroom cottage owned by the Landmark Trust that sleeps two. Perfect for a couple.

What I really like about the cottage we hire is that there’s no TV, no wifi and you get literally no mobile signal what so ever! I know if you’re like me you’ll be having palpitations about not being able to contact the outside world but it’s honestly the best thing that could ever happen to you. When you swing open the cottage door you have a beautiful picturesque pebble beach right there, it’s only two steps away and you’re on the beach. There’s lots of rocks to climb, ponds to dip and seal watching to be had not to mention the birds on the cliffs or the trout rushing up the river. This is what it’s all about people, getting yourself and the kids back into nature and actually enjoying it.

Being away from all technology is pretty empowering and not once when we’re at this cottage do the kids ask for the TV or wifi to watch YouTube and we’ve visited 3 times so far. We’ve normally only ever been in Winter months but our latest trip saw us booking up for the beginning of June to celebrate the other half’s birthday. The journey up was a bit stressful as I was grumpy and the kids wouldn’t stop annoying each other but once there all that pressure and stress washed away. A quick walk along the beach to listen to the waves and calm was restored.

We took the dogs with us again as the cottage is dog friendly (up to two dogs) and the other half’s parents and granny came along too. The sun shone the whole weekend we were there and it really couldn’t have been better. We caught crabs from the rock pools, let the dogs and kids explore everywhere they could, visited family and Granda managed to take Logan on his first fishing trip. They didn’t catch any fish sadly but Logan was super excited and can’t wait to go fishing again.

I really can’t wait to book up for our next trip to the cottage but in the meantime check out some of the lovely photos I got from our recent visit.













21 June 2017

Can You Help Fife Zoo?

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Would you like to be part of something very exciting!? Something that could be such a valuable resource on many levels right here in Fife! You would! That’s amazing. Let me explain to you exactly what you can get involved with here. I’m talking Fife Zoo to be precise. Some of you in my age bracket *cough* might remember an animal park near Cupar. That was closed a good few years ago however after a rocky start the lovely Briony and Michael managed to acquire the sight and have been working tirelessly to plan and develop a zoo from scratch.

Briony and Mike
As you can imagine, the construction of a modern zoo is a huge project and the guys and gals at Fife Zoo have had a few delays along the way. They’ve been working constantly with teams of volunteers and local people  to develop the site as a new home for endangered species, as well as surveying and improving the habitats on site for native wildlife - including BioBlitz projects and building insect hotels, renovations and demolitions.

You might be thinking “well where do I come in?” but it’s so super easy for you to get involved with building this fantastic new zoo by simply donating towards the #CrowdfundFifeZoo campaign. Fife Zoo have already created a lovely café, play park and soft play centre onsite to help generate revenue however they would love your help to create new, purpose-built, natural habitats for their animals.

Map of the planned zoo
The plan is to include mixed species exhibits and walkthrough and immersive exhibits, whereby visitors can become immersed in a series of mini-safaris, with people and animals brought together in the same habitat. The zoo will be split into geographic zones, allowing people to explore a variety of habitats, from the African savannah to Asian rainforests and the South American Pantanal.

It honestly all sounds like an amazing adventure to me and how fantastic would it be to have our very own zoo right here in Fife! The café, play park and soft play which Fife Zoo currently provide are pretty great but having an actual zoo added to the mix would be the icing on the cake. As a Fifer I know we’re pretty loyal creatures so if you can spare a few pennies to get behind this project then I’m sure you won’t regret it.

Africafe for drinks and somewhere to refuel
To entice you further to help with the project Fife Zoo are offering some lovely rewards for all donations made to the cause. Some examples of goodies to be had are; afternoon tea for two in Africafe, Friend of Fife Zoo t-shirt, 1 Year Pass to Sloth Play (soft play centre onsite), Sponsor Marty or Jez the Zebra, Annual Membership, Sponsor and Exhibit, become a Keeper for the Day and so much more.

Just to go into a little bit of detail around the sponsorships. If you sponsor one of the Zebras you get a cuddly Marty or Jez the zebra, zebra pen, signed photograph of Marty or Jez, a plaque on the zebra house, two free admission tickets to come and visit them and more. How awesome a birthday gift would this make!

Sloth Play for the kids
Fife Zoo are trying their hardest to do everything in their power to make the best little zoo in Scotland. They has such a brilliant attitude towards the environment around them too and have already won a Silver Award from Green Tourism. They’re basically almost 100% waste free and recycle everything they can. Even the packing they use for food and drinks in Africafe can be put in the compost recycling bin.

Marty and Jez and their enclosure
Briony and Michael have plans to become members of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). This will allow them to become members of all of the breeding programmes for animals living at the zoo, as well as making sure they get the best care and husbandry and be part of a huge variety of field conservation projects!

Rewards for donating
So far, they’ve had no funding for the zoo. Everything done has been funded by Briony and Michael, the Africafé and Sloth Play. It honestly amazes me that Fife Zoo has had no funding and has been built by the hard graft of two young entrepreneurs. It really goes to show the hard work and dedicated these individuals have towards their zoo.

Anyway enough of my waffling. If you can help towards the building of this fantastic little zoo then please donate straight away on their crowd funding page. And spread they word! Sharing is caring.


19 June 2017

Review & Giveaway: Carlton Kids Books

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We do love a good book in our house and the habit has happily rubbed off on the kids which I'm very pleased about. There's not a month goes by that I don't end up purchasing a new book for the kids and I'd rather spend my pennies on that than some cheap plastic toy. Recently Harlow and Logan were sent a book each from Carlton Kids to review so please read on to see what we all thought.


Here's a little bit about Carlton Books: "Welcome to Carlton Publishing – the leading International publisher based in London. We publish beautifully illustrated books for adults and children, and specialise in popular topics such as entertainment, history, sport, arts, lifestyle, puzzles and pastimes. There is passion in everything we do – from concept, content and design to the unexpected extras, which make our books the perfect gift. We are proud of our creativity and are known for products that are ‘More than just a Book’. Carlton is a world leader in Augmented Reality books, which bring to life off-the-page celebrated brands like My Little Pony and Transformers, with technology Powered by Digital Magic™."


First up is the 3D Jungle Animals Masks book which Harlow received. This is of course a craft book and allows you to make 4 cool animal masks which are 3D. There's a choice between a chimp, elephant, parrot or tiger and since Harlow's a massive bird fan we chose to make the parrot first. The book comes in a little protective sleeve and you simply pull it out to start creating your mask. Inside the book there are a few pages of step by step instructions on how to create the mask of your choice and of course pop out cardboard piece which can be stuck together to form the 3D mask.


Harlow is only 2 years old so definitely needed my help for this craft however I'm sure a child of 6+ would probably be able to do this with minimal help. You'll need to make sure you have good glue for sticking all the masks pieces together and some elastic so the mask can be worn but apart from that you're good to go.

We really enjoyed making our parrot mask and at £8.99 it's a good investment to keep the kids busy for a couple of hours or for a rainy day activity. On one side you've got the animal graphic and on the other is a colouring in pattern for your kids to design their own colourful alternative! The kids will get hours of enjoyment and pretend play out of these masks after making them. The possibilities are endless.


Next up is the Extreme Machines book which Logan received. He absolutely loved it! It's basically a book packed full of awesome photos and facts about the world's extreme machines. There's things in there such as; spy planes, road trains, ice vehicles, roller coasters, jet packs and much more. If your child is a mad facts fan then this is the book for them. Logan loves his facts so he couldn't put this book down. It's even better that it's about machines as well as he really likes things with wheels.


The Extreme Machines book is a sturdy hard back and priced at £14.99. It has 160 different coloured photographs inside and is well worth a purchase for your vehicle mad kid.

Both of these lovely books won't be published until 13th July 2017 so that gives you plenty of time to add them to your child's wish list. Or you could enter my amazing giveaway below and win them for your child. All you have to do is enter via the rafflecopter widget and keep your fingers crossed. It's that simple.



Mudpie Fridays
Family Fever

16 June 2017

Looking for a New Cleaner? Bidvine Can Help

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A few years ago I used to have a cleaner come round and clean up the house all nice and shiny for me. It was fabulous and well worth every penny but in my wisdom after having my daughter I decided I’d do the cleaning myself since I would be on maternity leave and to save some money. What a rubbish decision that was to make!

I went back to work part time after my maternity leave finished but I of course still had all the cleaning to do. Fine you might think since I don’t work full time but when I’m not at work I have to look after my daughter. Those of you with toddlers running around will know that there’s not a hope in hell’s chance of cleaning properly and efficiently with a tiny tyrant undoing all your amazing work just as you’ve completed.

So I really need to start looking for a cleaner again but honestly have no idea where to start? Step in Bidvine. They’re a brilliant online company who gather all kinds of trade people together in one lovely sight and allow you to hand pick at your leisure. Here’s a bit more about them: “While looking to achieve personal goals, find a language tutor for our kids, renovate our house and even clear a wasp nest from our front door, we were spending more time on legwork than on the things we love. We would rather take our kids to the park than hunt for an electrician that can come next Tuesday. We would rather take our journal to the café than search for a quality Arabic language tutor. This is why we started Bidvine. We wanted a better way to find local service providers who could do what we needed, were available when we needed them, and were interested to help. With a background in marketing and marketplaces, as a team we felt uniquely positioned to tackle this challenge and build a business that could be everyone's first and best choice for getting from to-do to done as quickly as possible.”

Bidvine is really simple and easy to use, even I managed to do it. You just visit the website, enter your location and the services you require (such as domestic cleaning) and click on the “Get Started” button. You’ll then be asked a series of questions which will help tailor your quotes to your exact specifications. Questions I had included things like, how big is my house, how often I wanted it cleaned, what time of day suited etc. Then you just sit back and watch the quotes roll in from local business people. You can choose to receive the quotes via text or email and it really is quick.

I found the website super easy to navigate even my granny could do it. Just punch your info into the search bar, answer some quick questions and you’re away. Plus the site is fully mobile optimised which is great for when you’re on the go or between play dates/football training/Judo lessons with the kids. It’s always available when you need it.

I thought maybe living in Scotland would limit my quotes but I was happy to note that lots of towns around Fife had signed up and there were at least 166 business in the next town willing to provide their services! It made me really optimistic and quite hopefully for my cleaner search.

So if you're looking for your own cleaner or maybe a plumber for that leaky tap or even someone to give your child guitar lessons then Bidvine is for you.


This is a collaborative post.

14 June 2017

Review & Discount Code: GlassesShop.com

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I’ve been itching for a new pair of sunglasses for months now as even though I have three pairs at the moment one was totally destroyed when my toddler got her hands on them and another pair have scratches from being dropped. So I effectively only have one pair left which is fine but I like to have two pairs just in case. Especially since I keep a pair in the car and a pair in my handbag. Lucky for me the Glasses Shop got in touch and offered me a fabulous pair of their stylish sunglasses. Read on to see what I thought.


Here’s a little bit about the Glasses Shop: “GlassesShop is an American owned and operated online retailer of eyeglasses. Since the website launch in 2004, we have delivered over a million pairs of eyeglasses while maintaining our standard of providing the highest quality at affordable prices. We are a group of eye doctors that understands your struggle with the high cost of eyeglasses. We strive to make your experience with GlassesShop.com one that is not only user-friendly but also professional and reliable. Being able to deliver superior eyeglasses at an unbeatably-low price has allowed us to help people all over the world see clearly and, in turn, has provided our team with a more rewarding experience than we could have ever anticipated. We guarantee your satisfaction.”


The sunglasses I received are very deep red in colour and have big glasses frames which I really like. They have a lovely diamanté detail on the legs as you can see from the photos and they’re so comfortable to wear. The tint on the lenses themselves doesn’t look that dark but when you wear them they block out the sun quite effectively. I’ve mostly been wearing them whilst driving and walking the dogs and I’m really happy with them. They definitely do what they’re supposed to and I love that they come with a handy hard plastic clip case with wiping cloth included. The glasses don’t take up much room in my handbag or in the car plus the case keeps them clean and scratch free.


As well as offering sunglasses the Glasses Shop offer eyeglasses and prescription sunglasses.  There’s a wide variety to choose from and something to suit everyone, even the kids. If you check out the website you’ll see there is also big discounts this June so well worth a browse. I even have a fabulous discount for all my readers with 50% Off eyeglasses and sunglasses (free lenses only) when using code: GSHOT50 at the checkout.

So what are you waiting for? Go have a nosey and get your eyes summer ready.


13 June 2017

Our Amazing Family Holiday to Majorca

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The family and I recently had a lovely little family holiday to the sunny island of Majorca. This was our main holiday abroad for the year for two reasons. We normally go away during the school holidays however it’s just so busy for Logan, who’s autistic, so he can’t enjoy himself as much and the second reason being cost. Everything during the school holidays costs a total fortune so I made an executive decision and took Logan out of school for a few days to enjoy some sun and relaxation in Alcudia, Majorca.


Whilst trawling the web for fabulous family holiday deals in January (Winter blues and all that) I spotted a great deal through Tots to Travel. They’re a luxury travel company who specialise in fantastic villas and resorts for young families. The amount of gorgeous accommodation and great locations they have on their website instantly drew me in. Not to mention they are totally catered towards helping families with very young tots. Instantly I was captured by the luxury and beauty of the Viva Zafiro 5* Hotel resort and when I noticed they had a further exclusive discount I was sold. So I booked the hotel through Tots to Travel, booked the flights through Ryanair and booked my transfers through Viva Incoming Plus. It’s part of the Viva Hotel group and the prices are reasonable considering the hotel in situated in Alcudia which is at the other side of the island from the airport.


Our flights from Edinburgh were uneventful as always, just how I like them, and the Additional Needs Team where fantastic in helping us navigate the airport with Logan. Honestly use them if you need them. They’re fantastic. Arriving at Palma airport was fine too and we found our transfer bus no bother. The only thing that was a bit of a pain was the 1hr 30min bus journey to the hotel since we had to share. Logan was fine but Harlow was like an octopus climbing up the seats and refusing to put her seatbelt on!


When we arrived at the resort we were met with very friendly attentive staff who produced a glass of pink bubbly for the adults and fresh orange juice on request for the kids. I didn’t realise how big the resort was and could have cried when our room was at the other end as I thought we’d have to lug our bags but of course not. The lovely reception staff organised for our bags to be whisked to our room and we followed behind. Our room was massive and had an amazing view onto the swimming pools. There’s 6 different pools in total. Two of them are very much catered towards children with slides, a pirate ship and water features in one and a giant bouncy pillow in the other. The pool with the slide etc is also very shallow so easy for kids to walk around in.


Anyway back to the room. It was gorgeous. I had booked a Junior Penthouse Suite which was perfect. It had a massive bed which could literally fit all of us in. There was a sofa bed which Logan used, it just pulled out from underneath, and I asked for a cot for Harlow. She can sleep in a bed fine but in the cot it stops her climbing over me and I know she can’t fall out. The bathroom is directly behind the bed partitioned by a wall. There’s his and hers sinks and the toilet and bathroom are separate behind closed doors. There is a huge deep bath for the kids too so all avenues covered. We had a terraced rooftop all to ourselves too which had a lovely jacuzzi, perfect.


Like I mentioned the resort is big but you get used to it very quickly and it’s great for pushing a buggy around to get your wee one to sleep. Myself and loads of other parents and grandparents were doing this with their babies. There’s a big play park which is next to the kids club so really handy. Plus there’s a bouncy castle and a trampoline there as well. There’s a few restaurants onsite however we never ventured from the buffet as it had everything and the kids could eat instantly. The food really was first class and they even had a kids selection in case they weren’t partial to lobster or veal.


Going to Majorca at the start of May I thought we’d maybe miss the good weather however it was beautiful. It must have been at least 23c every day apart from one day which was a bit over cast so we went for a walk instead. I think we were just very lucky. The hotel is literally a 2 minute walk from the beach front. You can go out a back gate at the hotel and walk through a little car park and you’re at the shops and can see the beach. It’s fantastic. There’s lots of little restaurants in case you fancy lunch out but the bar at the hotel is reasonably priced so we stayed in a couple of days.


All in all it was a brilliant holiday and one which I’d definitely repeat for the kids. Just take a look at my photos to see how much they enjoyed themselves.



9 June 2017

Father's Day Gift Guide: What to Get for Dad

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It's almost that time of year again when it's Dad's turn to shine. Father's Day is literally around the corner so here's some great ideas for what to get Dad on his special day. I've tried to pick a few things that maybe you wouldn't have thought of and are a little bit different but still pretty awesome. Read on to see what I've selected.


My Geek Box
If your Dad is a bit on the geeky side (like my other half) then he's sure to appreciate a little subscription to the My Geek Box. You can have a 1, 3, 6 or 12 month subscription to this service and a box will arrive on your doorstep full of geektastic goodies! Boxes start from £8.49 and it's an unusually cool present to give.

Man Cave Blackspice Beard Set
Dad's with beards are all the fashion now so chances are your Dad may have grown one. There's no better gift to give then than this fab Beard Set from Man Cave. It contains Beard Wash, Beard Control and the all important Beard Oil for keeping Dad's beard fresh and looking fine. Currently £17.99 on Amazon.

Filthy Sentiments Dad Bank Mug
I don't know about you but we love a good mug in our house so this one from Filthy Sentiments would go down a storm, especially since it's true! My other half really is the Bank of Dad when it comes to the kids. I'm so getting him this. It's only £11.99 and well worth getting just to see Dad's face.

The MoGuard
As well as a fetching beard, moustaches seem to be gaining popularity again and would you know the other half has both. So if your Dad (or your children's father) has a moustache then The MoGuard will be the perfect present for him. It's basically a little silicone shaped moustahce which sits on top of a glass or cup to prevent the gentleman's moustache from getting wet. It's a brilliant idea and the amount of times my other half complains about getting drinks in his moustache is starting to irritate. He'll be getting some of these as well.

Simply Sweets Mega Retro Sweet Hamper
Father's Day wouldn't be complete without some sweeties thrown in there and they don't get much better than this Mega Retro Sweet Hamper from Simply Sweets. It has all the old favourites you can imagine and will have Dad reliving his youth. Definitely worth a purchase at £24.99.



8 June 2017

Teething Tips: How to Soothe Sore Gums

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Teething grumpiness is normally something all of us parents have come to expect for our babies when they're cutting new teeth. There's lots of drool, red cheeks, hand nibbling, screeching and lets not forget the icky explosive poonami nappies! Unfortunately it's something we can't avoid but there are ways to make your little one feel better until that pesky tooth pops through. Read on to find out my top teething tips for soothing those sore gums.

Medicine
Good old Calpol never goes wrong when you're little one is teething. I'm not a big fan of dishing the painkillers out as I believe they should only be used when really needed. You know what it's like when you have tooth ache or are cutting a wisdom tooth so the chances are your baby will definitely need some pain relief. If the Calpol isn't helping then maybe get some advice from your local pharmacy.

Teething Toys
There's tons of teething toys on the market at the moment but I particularly like the Matchstick Monkey. He's a cute little guy perfectly shaped to be gripped by small wondering hands. He's made from FDA Approved food grade silicone and has toothbrush style soft bumps on the back of his head. Perfect for relieving those painful gums. I like him even more because he's dishwasher and freezer friendly meaning he's easy to keep clean and can be cooled for extra relief.


Fingers to the Rescue
If your baby isn't quite old enough or able to hold a teething toy then try using your finger to rub their gums. Make sure you thoroughly clean your hands first of course then gently rub the gums. Rubbing the gums with a little pressure can help ease the discomfort. That's why teething toys are fab when your baby is ready for one.

Dry the Drool
As mentioned drooling is a big part of teething, my two were big droolers, so make sure and dry the drool up to prevent sore cracked skin around the mouth, chin and neck. My kids often worse dribble bibs of some sort as these really helped. I also applied cream to the sore parts in they because quite red and irritated.

Hard Foods
If your baby is 6 months and older and starting to wean then why not give them one of those little baby ice lollies to suck on. They're nice and cold and quite hard so can help those sore gums when teeth are popping through. I know my daughter likes those little milky moo ones but why not even make your own?

Do you have any good teething tips to help soothe sore gums? Get in touch and let me know.


This is a collaborative post.

6 June 2017

World Environment Day - Reducing Waste

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Yesterday was World Environment Day and although this years theme is all about being one #WithNature I thought I'd write a little post on reducing waste. I'm sure there's things we can all think of to reduce our waste and thus reducing environmental impact especially on nature. It's a big world but it's slowly filling up so we really need to start looking after it.

Here are some of my suggestions on reducing waste and helping nature along the way.

Disposable Cups
It's estimated that around 2.5 billion paper cups are discarded in the UK every year. That honestly shocked me when I read it. It's a crazy number and we should really all know better. When I'm at home I use ceramic mugs for teas and coffee but at work I always go for a disposable paper cup. I think it's about time I changed my ways and tried to convert my colleagues to a reusable mug of some sort. This really is one of the easiest things we can all do and is a step in the right direction to reducing waste.

Reusing Paper
I'm sometimes terrible at only using one side of a piece of paper before throwing it in the recycle bin. I should really be using both sides and if there's any space left after that cut it down and use for lists. I'm big at making lists so this would be perfect. I've recently been making the kids use both side of an A4 sheet of paper when drawing and colouring. Then when that's finished we can use it to stick stickers on. Only then after it's totally done and the kids have had enough will I be putting in the recycle bin.

Clean Up
Recently I've seen a few people carry bags with them when out for a walk along beaches and in woods and they've been picking up litter as they go. How great an idea is that. Out for a walk with the kids or dog and it only takes a few minutes of your time to pick up a few items of rubbish on your way. This really does help the environment tons especially when you pick up nasty things like plastic.

Batteries
In the US 3 billion batteries are thrown away every year which is crazy! We should all try swapping to rechargeable if possible. My experience of rechargeable batteries has always been great. They charge quickly, hold a charge for longer and the actually battery can last years. I remember only having to change the rechargeable batteries in my sons baby monitor after 5 years of use because they just wouldn't charge anymore. And you've got to remember that these batteries were used almost 24hrs a day. Definitely something to think about swapping to.

Mail Recycling
Being a blogger you tend to get quite a lot of post with review items and goodies which means you also end up with tons of packaging. Some of the packaging you receive is really good so I've started keeping mine and recycling it for when I'm sending my own letters and parcels. Bubble wrap always comes in handy and padded envelopes can be used over and over. This is great for reducing waste but also saying pennies. Another fab tip is using junk mail to pad out fragile parcels. Just scrunch it up and shove it in there.

Clothes Clear Out
If like me and you've recently had a big clothes clear out then don't automatically think bin. I bet lots of the clothes if not most of them are in great condition and can be used by someone else. I tend to give a lot of our clothes away to neighbours, friends and family but it's worth remembering you can give them to local schools, nurseries and even childminders as they will be used again and again and again. I love knowing that our clothes are getting a new lease of life and not sitting in a landfill some where. Even if some clothes are quite tatty they can be cut up into cloths for house work or maybe you know someone in the building trade who would appreciate them as they'll get dirty anyway.

Cards
I've mentioned this before on another post but keeping old birthday and Christmas cards is a brilliant idea. You can cut them down to size for lovely unique gift tags and use the rest for crafting with the kids. I have very fond memories of being at my Grans and her pulling out all the old cards for us kids to craft with. We loved it and it kept us busy for hours. If you can't be bothered to do this yourself then why not pop them to your local school or nursery as they'll definitely use them for crafting.

So that's my top tips to help reduce waste and help mother nature at the same time. Do you have any fab tips you think people need to know? If you do then leave me a little comment below and I'll share the best on Twitter.

1 June 2017

Fabulous Aldi Finds

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Every year it seems that the purse strings get squeezed just that wee bit tighter. If it's not another mouth to feed (after having a baby) then it's the older kids joining new clubs and groups. Everything comes at a cost and if us parents can save precious pennies then we're totally down for it, well I am anyway. So I've taken it upon myself to list some of the fabulous buys you can find at Aldi which are usually a fraction of the cost when it comes to other supermarkets.

I know that quite a few of the Aldi products tend to be seasonal so aren't always available which is devastating when you find something you really like however there's always something new and exciting that comes along. So without further ado here's some of the products we're currently enjoying from Aldi.

Frozen Pizza
Their frozen pizza's are super tasty and superbly priced at around 89p. I tend to go for the thin crust ones myself and stick to their cheese or pepperoni. I've tried the other flavours on offer but these two are by far the yummiest. Well I think so anyway. It's handy having these in the freezer especially on the days I'm working. They literally take 15 minutes in the oven.

Baby Wipes
I love Aldi's fragrance free sensitive baby wipes. You get 64 wipes in one packet and they're quite thick and not overly moist like some wipes. They also cost a fraction of what some leading brands do and you can purchase a 4 pack for £2.29! Brilliant.

Orange Juice
We go through so much fresh orange juice in our house and after having watched that documentary programme on how orange juice is all the same from concentrate or not I'm grudged to spend a penny more than I have to. That's why I'm pleased that a litre of fresh orange juice from Aldi only costs 65p. I buy a few to keep us going.

Anti Bac Wipes
I use anti bac wipes all the time. They're so convienient and easy to use around the house at a moments notice. Normally they come with a hideous price tag but not at Aldi. Try 59p on for size.

Fruit & Veg
The kids and us adults tend to consume copious amounts of fruit and veg, well mostly fruit for the kids, but it's so expensive. My son has a favouritism for strawberries and lucky for me Aldi are currently doing a massive 600g pack of strawberries for £1.89. I'm going to enjoy this offer whilst it lasts. Aldi also do quite a few offers on their veg and sell packs for ridiculously low prices.

Nappies
One unavoidable expense for us at the moment is nappies. I know we've only really got a year or so left of them thankfully but it's something I have to spend the pennies on. Aldi nappies are great though. I've been using them on my daughter since she was little with no issues what so ever. A big box will cost you a measly £5.79 and with around 60 nappies that's a great buy.

Crisps
My son loves a packet of crisps for his school break time snack and I honestly never realised how much blooming crisps costs until I'm buying 3 or 4 multi bags a week. Not just for my son of course (before you think he's eating too much) but for the whole family. We're a bunch of crisp lovers. I'm grateful then that Aldi have a massive 30 multi pack bag of crisps for a brilliant £2.49. That's almost 12p a bag of crisps!

I'd love to hear what you guys have found in Aldi recently that was totally yummy or a complete bargain. Send me a tweet on Twitter - @BreastestNews.


 

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