Sweet Dreams with Baby Annabell*

Let me introduce you to the newest member of our family. This is Baby Rainbow, yes Rainbow... (more commonly known as Baby Annabell’s Little Baby Fun). She arrived in our house a few weeks ago now to shrieks of excitement from her new Mummy, Darcy.

Darcy has been a fan of the Baby Annabell range for a while and even attended the launch of Baby Annabell Learns To Swim. One thing that I like about the Baby Annabell range is how realistic looking they are, I have come across a few scary looking dolls in my time. In terms of her size and weight, she feels very much like a real baby in your arms. Yes, Darcy has trusted me to hold her whilst she went to make her some lunch. The body is soft, which makes it perfect for cuddling in bed, she even says Mama when you press her tummy, she can be burped and snores in her sleep, along with other typical baby noises.

 

 
When i'm struggling to get Darcy to sleep, I use Rainbow as part of our bedtime routine, Darcy put baby Rainbow to bed exactly how she gets put to bed. Darcy loved getting her into her PJs, reading her a bedtime story and tucking her into bed. Which makes the process a lot smoother for sure. I told Darcy she needed to sleep so then in the morning she could get up and get her baby up too.

In the morning Darcy came into my bedroom with her baby in her arms. It was great to see that she had remembered and wanted to carry on playing with her baby. I love toys that encourage imaginative role play and helps Darcy be more responsible and empathic. 

There are also many accessories available to buy separately. Darcy received an extra outfit and a sweet dreams bed. Which comes with a musical mobile that plays "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" lullaby and starlight tulle canopy, and a beautiful pillow and blanket with the signature sheep print.

I definitely think more outfits are going to be on Darcy’s Christmas list this year! She has loved including her into her bedtime routine. I think Baby Annabell Little Baby Fun would make a fantastic Christmas gift! (It's never too early to plan for Christmas!)

The Baby Annabell Sweet Dreams range can be bought from stores such as Smiths Toys and other high street stores.

*We were sent the Baby Annabell brother doll for the purpose of review however all thoughts and opinions remain our own.

Afternoon Tea with Whittard of Chelsea*

Did you know that June 8th is National Best Friends Day? I am truly blessed to have a really wonderful circle of friends around me, especially Karina who has always been so supportive of me. Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting Whittard Tea Bar in Covent Garden for an Afternoon tea experience with her.

The Tea Bar is a great space for a tea, coffee or afternoon tea stop amidst the bustling Covent Garden Piazza. Its a cosy space with lovely decor. We started with tea-infused Pimm’s whilst we browsed through teas, coffees or flavoured hot chocolates on the menu. There’s a huge range on offer (100 teas!), including black, green, as well as fruit and herbal infusions. If you're not sure what to drink, don't be afraid to ask for suggestions - the staff are great and helped us choose. I went for the Ceylon Orange Tea and Karina opted for Masala Chai Tea both were perfectly brewed thanks to a lovely Tea Timer.

We went for The Grocer's Tea, which consisted of a selection of sandwiches, savouries and some sweet treats too. It was presented like your typical afternoon tea should be, on three tiers. We started on the sandwiches and savouries (of course), which were lush. There are other options available too, such as The Whittard Tea (a traditional afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones and desserts) The Chelsea Tea and The Piccadilly.

The mini sweet treats were an ideal size too, given that we were stuffed from the sandwiches and spinach and feta tart, spinach rolls and beef rolls already!

Whittard’s also gifted us a few treats to take home with us - including a beautiful Aqua Freya mug, Apple & Elderflower and Sleepy Tea. Overall, the afternoon tea experience was really good. The food came out quickly and generally, it was really tasty. If you’re in Covent Garden, I’d highly recommend.

*We were provided with a complimentary meal in exchange for this review but all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Toby Carvery Snaresbrook | Review*

Last week we were invited to Toby Carvery Snaresbrook which has recently been renovated, we love a carvery and I fancied a day off cooking so of course we jumped at the chance.

We have never been to the Snaresbrook branch, which is suprising as it is only a 25 minute drive away from us. Located a stone's throw from Epping Forest and only 2 minutes' walk from Snaresbrook Tube Station, it is really easy to get to.

When we arrived the restaurant was buzzing, there was a wide mix of people. From friends meeting up for a drink in the bar, to families having dinner. Even though it was busy we were greeted and shown to our table straight away.

We normally go for the traditional four roast which includes; roast gammon, roast beef, roast turkey and roast pork. Alongside roast potatoes, Yorkshire puds and unlimited veg. On Sundays they also offer Slow cooked Lamb. 

However this time we decided that we would order off the menu for a change. The starter menu was packed with choices.We opted for the Toby taster platter (£9.99), which is new on the menu. We were shocked when it arrived as it was huge!! Mini pigs in blankets, southern fried chicken strips, cheesy garlic ciabatta, stuffing balls, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings served with gravy and BBQ sauce. All three of us shared the platter and still left some food on the plate.

For our meals Darcy choose nuggets and garlic bread (£4.99) from the children's menu, her Dad went for the new Toby Signature Sliced Roast Beef Burger, sliced roast beef from the carvery in a bap with lettuce, tomato, burger sauce and topped with aged Cheddar cheese sauce. Skewered with a mini pig in blanket and served with roast potatoes which was really cheap at £5.49.

I was stuffed so fancied something light (so I thought) and went for the Ploughman's (£7.99). Sliced gammon with a pork pie and sliced Cheddar, served with salad, free range boiled egg, pickled onion, bread, pickle and English mustard. My eyes were too big for my belly and the waitress, suggested that I take it home with me.

 

 After our main course, we were full to the brim however we were offered puddings. Darcy of course has always got room for pudding and went for her favourite Raspberry Arctic Roll (£3.89) which is coated in raspberry crunch served with raspberries in sauce and freshly whipped cream. I opted for a Giant Sticky Salted Caramel Cake Cakeaway (£4.49). Less than 5 minutes later,it arrived, carefully boxed up, ready for us to take home.

As well as great food, we received fantastic service from all the staff especially Lucy, who was such a joy to be around and was amazing with Darcy. She is a credit to Toby Carvery.

Our meal came to just over £40 for the three of us, which I think is amazing value. We are lucky enough to have two Toby Carvery's local to us, but we will definitely be coming back to Snaresbrook again.

*We were provided with a complimentary meal in exchange for this review but all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Dexa Scan for Osteoporosis*

Osteoporosis leaves bones brittle and prone to fractures. A large proportion of people who suffer with fibromyalgia may develop osteoporosis. The bone density is lower especially at sites like necks, spinal columns, and hips.

Those who have family history of osteoporosis are generally at a greater risk of getting the condition, also people of the BAME community are in addition at a greater risk.

Your doctor may recommend that you have a DEXA scan if they suspect you may have osteoporosis.



So what is a DEXA scan? you may be asking yourself. Also know as‘dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry’ uses x-ray technology to determine the distribution of lean muscle, fat, water and bone in your body. The DEXA results are highly accurate and highly reproducible. It essentially works by passing two safe and very low dose x-ray beams at differing energy levels through the tissues of the body. The amount of radiation that passes through the tissue is measured by a detector.

The computer then determines how much of your tissue is muscle fat water or bone and where it’s all stored.

If you have any concerns about, or are simply curious about getting a scan that gives you a fully accurate picture of your bone health and your body fat ratio, a DEXA Scan is the way to forward.

You can read more about DEXA Scans, including the available locations and pricing here.

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Moj Moj – Itty and Crunch Series – Review*

Welcome to the world of Moj Moj, the latest in collectables toys from MGA - the same people who brought us NumNoms and LOL Surprise. Darcy has watched her favourite Youtubers unbox Moj Mojs so you can imagine her excitement when we were sent some to review.

First off we unboxed the The Moj Moj Ittys which are miniature squishys! With 5 tiny little characters in each colourful pack openng these are guaranteed to be exciting. Darcy loved opening them up and giving them a big ole squish.

There are 150+ to collect and each jelly squishy comes in a mini form. There are also rares and ultra rares that you can find. Darcy found the BIG KAHUNA ultra rare that is part of this itty series.

The new Moj Moj Crunch series! Each Moj Moj surprise container transforms into a house for your Moj Moj that can be pinned to a wall or stacked in a tower. These collectible cuties come from Scrunchies, Cosmic Crunch, Krispitties, Star Beams, The Captains, and Softees clubs. There are over 30 Moj Moj Crunch characters to collect filled with glitter, crunch, foam, sand, or jelly balls

The Crunch series are Darcy's favourite, she loves the sound of them and said they felt very relaxing. I love that the Crunch series come with little cube, so they can be stored away nicely.

Do your kids like blind bags and mystery toys? Yes? Then Moj Moj are the toy for you!

* we were sent these Moj Moj in exchange for a honest review

A Fun Day Out At Carters Steam Fair*

Last weekend Darcy and I visited Carters Steam Fair at Lloyds Park. If you havent heard of Carters Stream Fair they are a vintage travelling funfair, It’s completely free to enter the fair, so you can take your time, wander around and soak in the atmosphere.

Here are some of the rides Carter’s have to offer;

There were rides available for every age group. Some rides did have height restrictions or required children to be accompanied by an adult.

The rides are reasonably priced, and actually lasted longer than most theme park rides. There was also vintage inspired food stalls, slot machines, dodgems and amusements. And looked who won not once but twice on the Hook a Duck!.

If you book online in advance you get free ride tickets! You can take advantage of this fab offer up until midnight the night before you visit. You then collect your tokens and free ride tickets from the big yellow ticket booth at the fair.

The fair next stop is Clissold Park, Green Lanes,Stoke Newington, N16 9JH, opening  times are Saturday 15th 11am till 9pm and Sunday 16th 11am till 8pm. Make sure you check out their website to see if it is coming near you soon.

Have you visited a stream fair before? What is your favourite ride? 

*We were kindly gifted tickets to Carter’s Fair in exchange for an honest review*

How to Avoid Being Overcharged for Your Mobile Phone*

As surprising as it may sound, millions of Britons are overcharged for their mobile phone contracts every year. Recent research by Citizens Advice and the consumer regulator Ofcom has revealed two key ways in which networks overcharge. In this article, we take a look at how overcharging happens and what you can do to avoid it.


1. A lack of price transparency
Mobile phone contracts are complicated, because the monthly payment includes the fee for your tariff – or allowance of minutes, text and data, and a payment towards the handset. This is called a bundled phone contract and very few networks provide a detailed breakdown of what that monthly cost covers, i.e. the exact amount you are paying for the phone itself.

This bundling can cause a great deal of confusion amongst consumers. Many people believe a bundled contract is cheaper than buying the phone outright and going SIM-only. But in fact the opposite is true in the vast majority of cases (73% according to Citizen’s Advice). Without price transparency, it becomes very difficult for consumers to make informed decisions about their purchases.

While networks will argue charging more for bundled contracts is only fair, what happens at the end of the contract certainly is not. When your fixed term contract ends after 12 or 24 months, you have officially paid off the handset. However, three of the main four networks do not automatically move you to a cheaper monthly payment that covers just the cost of your tariff. In fact, if you don’t call them and expressly ask for a SIM-only deal or an upgrade, they will continue charging you the same amount until you do. This is how four million Britons are overcharged every year. 1 in 3 customers are paying an average of £22 a month more than they need to, for up to six months after their contract has ended.

Ofcom have taken some steps to prevent this gross overcharging. As of July 2018, companies must give 40-70 days notice of a contract ending. This gives customers ample opportunity to call customer services and secure a better deal.

To ensure you’re not overcharged for your handset, be sure to call your network at least 30 days before your contract ends. You can then ask to be moved to a SIM-only tariff if you wish to keep your handset, cancel your contract if you’d like to switch, or upgrade if you want a new phone. It is vital that you do this with notice to ensure you don’t continue paying for a device you already own.


2.Paying for more than you need
The second way in which consumers are overcharged is through the tariff itself. Research by billmonitor.com suggests only 30% of people use their full allowance, which means 70% are paying more than they need to.

Networks tend to promote the deals which will make them the most money. Deals with huge allowances of data like Three’s All You Can Eat packages or add-ons few of us actually need. These tariffs often seem like a great bargain, but if you’re not going to use 8GB of data and 3 months of BT Sport, you’re paying too much at any price. You wouldn’t buy clothes or food you don’t need just because they were on offer, so don’t do the same with your phone contract. The only person who wins in this scenario is the network.

To avoid being overcharged for your tariff, simply get to know your usage. You can do this in one of two ways; you can check past bills yourself to see how many texts, minutes and GB of data you use. Or you can use an online tool to analyse your bills for you. These tools will usually then show you deals based on your usage.

When you know your usage, be sure to compare tariffs from a range of networks and phone providers. Prices can vary widely from one network to the next so don’t be afraid to switch (or ask your network to price match) if you see a better deal elsewhere. Don’t expect your network to automatically offer you a deal based on your past usage; it’s not in their interest to do that. Instead take action for every member of your household and get each one of you set up with exactly the right tariff for you. 

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