Time for a Bigger House? Or Just Need more Space? (AD)

 Time for a Bigger House? Or Just Need more Space? 

With my children getting older, we seem to be acquiring more 'stuff' and lately the storage in our home, or lack of it, is becoming a bit of an issue. The kids are getting bigger which seems to make our house feel smaller. Maybe it's because of all the things they now have and need. The school equipment, the sports team kits, the holidays accessories and so on. 

Most of their 'stuff' gets used every day so doesn't need storing but then there's this pile that just sits there with no where to go. The memory boxes, the childhood treats and the toys they no longer play with but are too attached to, to throw away. What do you actually do with it all?

That is the question I've been thinking a lot about lately. I don't want to throw it away as that would make the kids feel sad but there simply isn't room in our house to store it for much longer. We can't afford to move to a bigger house and we can't really afford to extend our current house either so that's why I've had to think outside of the box for a different sort of solution to our problem. Now Storage self storage could solve all our problems. They're a  family run business that offers personal storage with the added peace of mind that all of their storage units are fully insulated to protect your items from the elements and keep them in pristine condition. Somewhere safe to store our keepsakes and special belongings safe and secure, that sounds like a great solution or definitely one to be considered.

How do you make room for all the 'stuff' in your house? I'd love to know. I'm so useless at making room for things that we don't need. I'm always watching those DIY programmes to make storage myself but I'm just no good at it so I guess this is the best kind of solution for me. I'd still love to hear what you do in your home though. Where do you store your 'stuff'?

Disclosure: This post is written in association with Now Storage Self Storage.

Fathers Day Gifts - The Gift Guide For All.

 Fathers Day Gifts  - The Gift Guide For All. 

Fathers Day is on it's way! Sunday June 20th is just over 2 weeks away so I'm here with my Fathers Day Gift Guide for All to help you find the perfect gift for your Father/Dad/Loved one.

I have something for every budget, from pocket money spenders to big spenders.

I've got a lot of 'personalised' gifts this year because they're my favourite kind of gifts.

First up, I have the Big Boys Box Food Hamper from Buyagift - £26.99

I love a good hamper and this one is no different. It's a well wrapped gift box of assorted tasty sweets and savoury snacks for the man in your life. It contains: Crunch Craving Chilli Coated Peanuts 100g, Ten Acre The Amazing Adventures of Salt and Vinegar Hand Cooked Crisps 135g, GNAW Milk Chocolate Buttons 150g, Mighty Fine Milk Chocolate Honeycomb Bar 30g, Radfords Handmade West Country Vanilla Fudge 85g, Yorkshire Popcorn Salted 40g, Wold Top Scarborough Fair IPA 500ml and Wold Top Hello Velo 500ml. It's a nice selection!

Next up, I have Wells Thea Silver Tone & Grey Aviator Sunglasses from Trend Him - £45.

These Classic aviator sunglasses have a stainless steel frame and offer 100% UV protection. They're very snazzy and come in a cute tri fold storage box, with a nice pouch and cleaning cloth included too. They're the perfect gift for Fathers Day and the upcoming Summer time.

Next up, a selection of Personalised Gifts from Printster. Prices start from £4.99.

I absolutely love these and they're so affordable. The Photo mug with message (£5.49) and the Magic mug (£6.99) are both so lovely and make perfect gifts that will last. The 'In Your Face' wrapping paper (£4.99) is so funny. I can't wait to see Daddy's face when he sees it.

Printster have everything from personalised wrapping paper, to coasters and socks!

Next up, HARIBO Starmix and Football Mix - from £1 a bag.

If you want a gift that is as sweet as Starmix, their cute gift box packed with the iconic Egg, Ring, Bear, Cola Bottle and Heart shaped pieces is a real treat. A family favourite for over 25 years, the Starmix gift box will certainly deliver a moment of childlike happiness for Dad.

And just in time for the EURO's - The Football Mix. With its football shaped, fruity pieces you’ll be sure to score with this pocket money gesture for all those footy fans out there! 

Both products are stocked in Heron Foods, B&M, Sainsbury’s, Spar and Co-op.

Next up, Barrington Watch Winders - £149

Barrington Watch Winders are my highest priced gift but they are a special gift for the watch lovers in your life. Barrington create a wide range of watch winders for luxury automatic watches which can be operated either by AC mains or two AA batteries, feature an ultra-quiet Japanese motor, multiple rotation settings (clockwise, counterclockwise or alternating) and multiple turns per day (TPD) settings from 650, 750, 850, 1000 or 1950 to suit any weight of watch. Not only are these watch winders an amazing way to care for and store your watches, but they come in a variety of beautiful colours, in a sleek and minimal design so they look great on every desk, shelf, or bedside table. I think you’ll agree that good quality watches are something of an investment, and that it’s important to protect that investment. Watch winders are a pretty niche product in the wider world but of course are more well known amongst watch enthusiasts. They’re intended to care for automatic watches by keeping them in perpetual movement, like they would be on your wrist, when they’re not in use. This not only ensures that your watch will keep ticking on forever, but also means you don’t have to set the date and time every time you pick it up after a little while without wear. Sounds awesome.

Next Up, Wise(ish) Words By Dennis from The Book of Everyone - £20.

Wise(ish) Words By Dennis is a personalised book that will have you chuckling from cover to cover. It’s full of stunning Beano illustrations all set to Dennis’s Wise(ish) Words on life.

After the last year, perhaps Dennis’s spirit is just the respite we need. Especially those Dads who’ve been through so much. Reconnecting with your inner child is good for the soul and what kids adore about their dads. I love that you can add photographs of your Dad inside.

Next up, a Personalised Plant Pot from Cool Pots - £18.99.

This one's a quirky personalised plant pot from Cool Pots where you can upload a photo to put your dads face on it. Cool Pots also give the option of adding multiple faces on the design, so you can even upload yours or perhaps include the dogs face! They have 36 fun and colourful designs, so there is no doubt that you will find the perfect pot for your dad.

I can't wait to grow a Sunflower in this to give Daddy some bright yellow hair!

Next up, Chocolate Coated Nibble Collection from Conscious Chocolate - £6.99

This little gift set includes an Award Winning collection of three amazing 50g Nibbles.

Chocolate Brazil Nuts, Salted Chocolate Dates, Chocolate Orange Figs.

This collection Conscious Organic, Vegan and Raw Coated Chocolate nuts are fruits are the ultimate in Conscious sharing & nibbles! This will blow you away and you will find yourself coming back for more! The range are all free from gluten, soya, dairy and refined sugars.

It's a nice lower priced gift for the chocolate lovers out there.

Next up, Daim and Toblerone Cheesecakes - £3.50 each.

If you are inviting Dad over for a celebratory lunch in the garden then how about having one of these amazing Cheesecakes in the freezer ready? These have been combined with two of our favourite chocolate bars to create delicious desserts which are ready to serve. Yummy!

The newest Daim product, which you’ll find in the freezer of your nearest Tesco, is a delicious, handcrafted baked cheesecake on a chocolate flavoured biscuit base, topped with smooth milk chocolate ganache and those familiar crunchy Daim pieces.  And The Toblerone Cheesecake is a delicious, handcrafted, creamy cheesecake on a chocolate flavoured biscuit base, topped with Toblerone’s smooth milk chocolate. Now available from the freezer aisle of your nearest Asda, B&M Stores, Morrisons and Tesco. They both sound delicious!

Well that's it. That;s my choice of Fathers Day Gifts for this year. I really hope it helped you find a gift you liked or at least gave you some ideas for what you'd like to buy your Father.

Happy Fathers Day Everyone! xox

Disclosure: I received some samples for inclusion in my Fathers Day Gift Guide. 

All the Opinions expressed within it are my own and 100% honest as always. 

#WIN a Hotel Chocolat The Everything Sleekster Box

 WIN a Hotel Chocolat The Everything Sleekster Box

Hi Everyone! This month I fancied a change from my usual cadbury's chocolate giveaway so I've picked you a different prize this time. Who fancies a delicious treat on me? I've got one Hotel Chocolat, The Everything Sleekster Box to give away to one of you, my lovely readers. 

It has 27 filled chocolates in 15 different recipe varieties of milk, dark and white chocolates. 

To WIN - Simply use the Rafflecopter Form below to complete as many or as few of the entry options as you like. It's completely up to you how many you do but remember, the more entries you do, the more chances you have to win. 1 lucky winner will be chosen at random after it closes on Thursday July 1st  - This Giveaway is Open to the UK Only - Good Luck x 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is not a sponsored Giveaway - The Prize is supplied by myself. Terms and Conditions: One winner will be drawn at random using the Rafflecopter App. This Giveaway is only open to the UK. The giveaways ends on Thursday July 1st. Winner contacted shortly after.

Who Knew Fuller Bust Lingerie could Be So Pretty - Tutti Rouge #Review

 Who Knew Fuller Bust Lingerie could Be So Pretty.

My Tutti Rouge Review.

Growing up in the 90's with a fuller bust often meant that my lingerie was big, bulky and very boring. I don't think I ever owned anything that I though was remotely 'pretty'. My lingerie was  more practical than pretty. Just getting my size was often a challenge so beggars couldn't be choosers, you just had to take what you were lucky enough to find in your size.

But all that times have changed now and I am so happy to say that Fuller Bust Lingerie CAN be pretty! Just take a look at what I found at Tutti Rouge. Com - Aren't they lovely?

This is the Hallie Bralette and kit's absolutely gorgeous. Mine is in a size 32FF but it's available in all sizes ranging from a 30DD to a 48FF/G which is perfect for me. I really love the feel of the Lace and mesh cups, they're so soft and I love the super the thick underband too which gives it extra support. It also has the cutest Adjustable straps with gold hearts on.

It fits so well and feels so good on. I absolutely love this bralette.

There's also the matching pair of Hallie Brazilian's for the full set. Again they come in the signature Rougette lace with a Scalloped edging and a deep waistband for added comfort. They're available in sizes Small to 6XL. I love the detail on the lace, it makes them so pretty.

For something a little more practical but still just as pretty, I found this Easy Tee T Shirt Bra which also has matching Easy Tee Brazilians. It's super smooth feel not only gives fabulous shape but amazing comfort too. It's graduated pads give a little uplift whilst offering that everyday comfort and support that you need. I love that it's smooth on the front yet has gorgeous lace on the back. It really makes it different and so much more pretty than my usual lingerie. Again it has the cutest adjustable straps with those little gold hearts which I love.

My cute set, shown above, are in a size 32FF and a Small but again this gorgeous set comes in a whole range of sizes from a 30D to a 38G and a size Extra Small to 6XL. 

It's so nice to finally have affordable lingerie that feels good looks pretty on. So for me, thanks to Tutti Rouge, it's goodbye dull and boring and hello cute, pretty and fresh! Pretty lingerie makes me so happy.Tutti Rouge has some gorgeous lingerie, you should go check it all out.

Disclosure: I received my samples in return for a honest review of them.

ZeroWater’s 12 Cup Water Filter Jug + It's 5 Stage Ion Exchange Filtration System #Review

 ZeroWater’s 12 Cup Water Filter Jug + 

It's 5 Stage Ion Exchange Filtration System Review.

The sun has got it's hat on, hip hip hip hooray! The sun has got his hat on and I'm coming out to play! More sun for me means feeling hotter which in turn means I need to drink water.

I'm not a huge fan of drinking tap water as it doesn't always taste very nice so I always add a drop of orange or blackcurrant cordial to make it taste better but now I don't have to as I've found a way to make my tap water taste better all by itself. Let me introduce you to my new best friend, my new 5 stage Ion Exchange Filtration system - ZeroWater's Filter Jug.

ZeroWater’s 12-cup water filter jug is the first in its class to benefit from a sealed lid and reservoir which allows filtered water to be poured while water which hasn’t yet been filtered remains in the reservoir. This adds a further 2 cups of capacity to the 10 cups of filtered water in the jug. It also features a one handed, pull and pour button spout for easy pouring from the fridge or for filling bottles. Unlike other leading water filter jugs, ZeroWater benefits from a patented, 5 stage Ion Exchange Filtration system which removes virtually all dissolved solids from your water. This provides great tasting water without the dissolved solids which may include Minerals, Salts, Metals, Chemicals and Runoff. Moreover, it reduces 99% of all Fluoride and other inorganics, such as Nitrates, from your water.

Four additional stages of water filtration ensure larger particles and other contaminants are removed, ensuring the filter delivers a “000” reading on the included laboratory grade water quality meter. I used the TDS Meter which is included with the jug to test my normal tap water and it read 055 which according to the chart is in the 'Typical' Range as most water in the UK falls into this grouping. The water looked fine and tasted ok but then I put it in the jug.

I love how quick the water filters through the jug, it hardly takes any time at all and is so easy to do. I took the jug out of the box, removed the lid from the filter and then screwed it into place. That was literally all there was to it, assembly wise and then I added my water.

I then tested my new filtered cup of water with the TDS Meter and it read 000. 

ZeroWater Technology is the only water filtration system to remove 99.6% of TDS, equivalent to TDS in purified bottled water. But what is TDS I hear you ask? TDS stands for = Total Dissolved Solids which refers to minerals, salts, metals including lead, chemicals, fluoride and runoff polluting your drinking water. My new ZeroWater jug is now sitting in my fridge.

At £39.99 it won't be long before you harvest the benefits of your investment. It's compact design means it will fit neatly into your fridge door. Just think of the reduction in your plastic consumption, the positive impact on the planet and your pocket. No more plastic waste.

With Summer just beginning, now's the perfect time to think about the water you drink. I'm so glad I tried the ZeroWater Filter Jug as it's benefits are fantastic and now I can even drink water on it's own with nothing added to it as it tastes great just by itself, that's pretty cool.

The ZeroWater 12 Cup Water Filter Jug gets a firm thumbs up from us here!

Disclosure: I received my Filter Jug for free in return for an honest review.

Treetop Adventure Golf Opens in Birmingham #Review

 Treetop Adventure Golf Opens in Birmingham

Last night I had the pleasure of a sneak peak inside Birmingham's newest Treetop Adventure Golf attraction which opens to the public from tomorrow, Monday May 31st at 10am. You'll find it all bright and welcoming on the lower mall of the Bullring.

My first impressions were of surprise, at how big it actually was inside, as the building goes back way further than you'd ever imagine. Once inside, it's very dark and atmospheric and pretty cool if I'm honest. There's no booking, so it's just turn up and play. There's two different 18 hole courses to choose from, so you can play one or both like us if you want. We love golf.

Opening Hours are: 

Mon – Wed: 10am to 10pm

Thurs & Fri: 10am to 11pm

Sat: 10am to 11pm

Sun: 10am to 10pm

Price List: 18 holes (1 course)

Adventurers £9.50 

Senior masters (60+) £8 

Young'uns (under 5s) £4.50 

Student putters £8 

Family of 4 £31.50

36 holes (2 courses)

Adventurers £15 

Senior masters (60+) £12 

Young'uns (under 5s) £7.50 

Student putters (+FREE bottled beer, cider, 125ml wine or soft drink) £12 

Family of 4 £48

The Tropical Trail is all about Amazonian jungle wildlife, it's filled with mysterious creatures and tropical nature. Birds, trees, frogs, bugs and more. Navigate your way through the Mystic Wood meeting The Mighty Oracle and showing off your putting skills. Avoid the toadstools of the Forbidden Funghi - they’re bewitched! I won't drop any spoiler but that tree is absolutely hilarious! Watch out if you miss that shot as that tree has an interesting reaction.

I loved the neon features and the cool effects. The golf holes were quite simple and short which made them quite easy (for us) but the extra features and surprises really made up for that so we still had an amazing time. There's lots of lumps and bumps, holes and bridges to navigate around, over and under. If you love mini golf or crazy golf, then you'll love this.

There's lots of little nods to Birmingham too which is great. I loved that.

Everything's so bright and colourful and those frogs sang to us for ages which was fun.

The Tropical Trail was definitely my favourite out of the two but both are pretty cool and each has it's own special points about it. For me, the Tree was the highlight of this Tropical Trail.

The Ancient Explorer is a trek through crumbling temples, past cryptic carvings, stone serpents, monkey royalty and a hidden gem mine. You get to navigate through the Jungle Heritage Site and putt carefully through ancient ruins until reaching The Toppled Obelisk.

Once inside the Inner Temple, you'll take on the Sleepy Head which made me laugh so much. As daddy was just bending over to take his shot, it decided to let out the loudest 

fart' noise. It was hilarious and totally unexpected but that's what I loved best about this place. There's so much that happens unexpectedly. Noises, Songs, Lights and more.

Both 18 hole courses are great fun but that's not all this place has to offer. As when you've had enough of playing golf or even if you just fancy a break in between courses, there's a really cool place you can hang out, to eat and drink too. There's delicious freshly made pizzas served from the Pizza Cabana and awesome cocktails from available from the Thirsty Toucan bar. We tried out a few and can happily give them a firm thumbs up from us.

There’s something for everyone, from family days out to student hangouts, date nights, work get togethers and celebrations. The trees are fully grown, the jungle residents have moved in, the pizza oven’s fired up and the Thirsty Toucan bar is fully stocked with tropical flavours.

We had such a fun time on our first visit that we're going to go back real soon with the kids for our second. I already know the kids are going to love it all just as much as I did and I can't wait to see their reactions to some of the things that we saw and heard on our visit.

If you're in Birmingham, I'd definitely recommend giving the Treetop Adventure a visit.

Disclosure: I was invited as a guest to play golf at the Treetop Adventure before it opens tomorrow in return for some honest feedback. All opinions expressed are all my own.

Sensory Play with the Bandai National Geographic STEM Range #Review

AD|  Sensory Play with the Bandai 

National Geographic STEM Range.

This month as part of the Bandai National Geographic Stem blogger club, we've been playing with a new set of toys and activities. Inside our box this month, we have the following:

National Geographic Explorer Science Sensory Kit 

National Geographic Glow In The Dark Mega Science Kit

National Geographic Bug Dig Kit

National Geographic Dino Poop Mini Dig Kit

As always I'm going to start with our favourite, and this month it had to be the National Geographic Explorer Science Sensory Kit which is so much fun. With 10 activities to do and 5 varieties of sands, slimes and putty's, there's a whole load of fun to be had with this kit. The box includes 2 sand kits, 2 slime kits and a colour changing putty. As well as instruction.

The snotty slime and liquid slime come pre made so they're ready to play right out of the box. The Colour changing putty is specially formulated to change colours when warmed or cooled and also comes ready to play with. You get a plastic container and a big bag of sand to play with and a bag full of little sandcastles to play with too. We've been building sandcastles for hours. The Hydrophobic sand that comes in the kit is amazing. It’s great for conducting experiments with because it doesn't get wet, which is so fascinating to watch. The kids absolutely love laying with it ad have BOTH been sitting there with it for hours. It's ace!

For the price tag of £24.99, we think it's worth every penny.

Next up we have the National Geographic Glow In The Dark Mega Science Kit which contains four awesome science activities that will illuminate your child's imagination. This kit includes two glow in the dark slime kits, a glow in the dark putty, and so much more. 

This box includes 2 glow in the dark slime kits which you have to make yourself this time. It's really easy to make and only takes around 5 minutes to do so. Both Lily and Ryan love slimes so this was right up their street. These kits are aimed at children aged 8 years and above but my two are 10 and 14 and love playing with them. It's not very often I get something that they actually want to play with and put down their phones and ipads to do so. The glow in the dark putty comes with a little UV light that lets you draw glowing images or words in the putty, that shows up in the dark, It's pretty cool. There's also a grow your own glow in the dark crystal

Fluorescent wernerite specimen that glows up bright when you shine your UV light on it.

Ryan loves the slime and I love that it has it's own container to stay in so it doesn't make any mess around the house. He's had his slime out several times to play with and then puts it back into it's storage tub when he's done. It's nice to have a storage container so it'll last.

Next up we had something a bit different to the last two with some digging kits. The first one is the National Geographic Bug Dig Kit which costs £9.99 and contains 1 digging brick containing 3 preserved bugs, a fortune beetle, scorpion and spiny spider. You also get a set of archaeological digging tools, a full colour learning guide and a magnifying glass.

The National Geographic’s full colour learning guide will teach your children all about a fascinating variety of insects, arachnids and arthropods. With this exciting Dig Kit you get to dig up, explore and keep 3 amazing insects. Ryan was so fascinated by them all.

Last but not least we have the National Geographic Dino Poop Mini Dig Kit which comes with a genuine specimen inside each kit! It's a smaller kit but no less fun. You get to excavate soft dig brick material to find your specimen. All the tools you'll need are included in the kit.

Ryan liked digging but sadly broke his specimen by cutting it in half - oops. 

We've enjoyed doing all of the activities this month but have to say that the slime and the sand have been our favourites. Ryan loves playing with slime as it keeps him happy for hours. Lily has taken a liking to the sand and is currently sat at the table building mini sandcastles as I speak. Our National Geographic STEM kits have sure kept us all entertained this week.

We can't wait to see what we get to play with for our final month. Watch this space . .

Disclosure: We received our NG Stem Sets for free in return for honest reviews.