Pop Up Poker Restaurant

From time to time some of us like to have a gamble whether that is buying a lotto ticket, placing a bet on the horses or even a friendly game of poker. 

Also I know quiet a lot of you love eating out and treating yourselves to a delicious meal. 
So why not combine the two and join Pokerstars and Jones & Son with the "All in Kitchen"
the worlds first pay by poker restaurant!



With the pop up restaurant popping up sometime in July (location currently unknown)  many of you will probably be wondering how it is going to work.  

You'll basically play poker to determine how much you will pay for your meal. So first of all you will have to play three hands of poker. Then, you will pay for your meal based on how many chips you'll have at the end of those three hands. That could be £10, £5 or absolutely nothing, all complements of PokerStars.

So if you are bust out in the first hand than all you would  have to pay is £10. 
You will be able to choose from a poker style menu of 3 courses washed down with a cocktail which will be worth £50. With the maximum you would have to pay being £10 you can have fun and enjoy a delicious meal without breaking the bank. 



* The event is for customers to have fun and the poker at the  restaurant is going to be optional. 
You can turn up and soak up the atmosphere and pay full price for your meal if you wish to do so.



Great family days out in London

If you’re looking for the perfect place to spend a family day out, it’s hard to beat London. The English capital is brimming with attractions that are bound to appeal to your brood. From top-class museums to spectacular feats of engineering, there is certainly no shortage of visitor spots to choose from - and here are some of the best.

Get an insight into aviation
Located just 30 minutes from the centre of the city on the historic site of Hendon’s London Aerodrome in Colindale, the Royal Air Force Museum tells the story of military aviation in Britain and it’s filled with exhibitions and artefacts that appeal to adults and kids alike. There’s even a section created specifically for young children. While in the visitor centre, you can explore an array of aircraft ranging from some of the very earliest designs right through to the most modern jets. There’s a 3D cinema too, and if you feel inspired by your trip you can make your way to the RAF Museum Shop in the Historic Hangars to pick up some keepsakes. The best thing is, the museum is free to enter.


Explore the world of science
Another budget-friendly attraction is the Science Museum on Exhibition Road. Also free to enter, this visitor centre is spread over seven floors and it’s home to an impressive range of exhibits that are both entertaining and educational. For under-eights, there’s the Pattern Pod, which introduces young minds to the importance of patterns in contemporary science. Another highlight is the Launch Pad. This hands-on gallery allows kids to explore the basic principles of science. Meanwhile, be sure not to miss the flight simulator and the Apollo 10 command module.

Take a trip to the zoo
Animals are always a hit with kids, and so it’s well worth adding London Zoo to your sightseeing itinerary. Located in Regent’s Park, the attraction is home to over 800 species of animals, including penguins, gorillas, giraffes, hippos, tigers, komodo dragons and many more. If you time your trip right, you’ll also get to witness displays, feedings and talks.

Get a bird's eye view
If your family members have a head for heights, don’t miss the Coca-Cola London Eye. Standing at 135 metres tall, this impressive structure is the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel. Designed by Marks Barfield Architects and opened to the public in 2000, it has proved a popular tourist attraction ever since. Situated on the banks of the River Thames opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, it offers spectacular views over the city. It takes 30 minutes to make a full rotation in one of the high-tech glass capsules.

By "nongpimmyFreeDigitalPhotos.net

GumiGem Giveaway

When it comes to baby proof Mummy jewelry GumiGem are the brand to go for. 
I love the necklace that I was sent last month as Blake loves playing with it
and I know that it is safe for him to do so. 

I have a Gumigem pendant to giveaway to one lucky reader the Heart Pendant Hope which is currently out of stock. 
A  classic shape with a nice point for getting to the sides of sore gums.polish finished giving it a lovely shimmer. 
Its on a silky clasp that breaks away giving comfort. 



Blake's Favourite Toys (at 4 months)

In Blake's 4 month update you which you can read here, I mentioned that Blake now has 
some favourite toys that he chooses more over the other toys that he owns to play with. 
I decided to share those toys with you in case you are in need of some ideas for gifts
for a new baby or for your own child.


First up I'll mention an item that I forgot to photograph which is the Lamaze wrist and foot rattles.
Blake was given these as a gift from one of my School friends and loves them! 
He loves to wiggle and kick about so when I put these on he is able to have fun listening to the noise 
that they make.
They are a fab gift which I highly recommend as they are suitable from birth although the foot ones would be far too big if you have a small baby like Blake was. 



Then there is Blake's Slumber buddies Eddie the elephant. 
I got him this  when he was about 5 weeks old I think it was, after noticing that he loved lights 
and started borrowing a star projector at night from my Mum. 
Eddie the elephant Slumber buddie has a multi-colour star and moon display that projects around the room.
The coloured lights are red, green and blue and you can choose for it to change between each of the colours 
or stay on one colour. 
It also has a choice of 5 different sounds which Blake only likes 2 of but we mainly use the 
stars rather than the music. 
The Slumber buddie has a timer switch so you can choose how long you have it on for
either 15, 30 or 45 mins we choose the 45 mins as Blake use to take awhile to settle so this helps if he drops off but then wakes up 20 mins or so later. 

Next up we have the Little singing Alfie by Vetch.
We brought him this last month and he loves it.
I had been wanting to get it for awhile but was waiting til after Christmas was over
in case someone brought one for him. 
As they didn't I chose to wait a little longer as its suitable from 3 months and up. 
You press the 3 light up buttons on the singing Alfie's tummy to hear fun phases and sound effects that teach 
emotions, numbers and counting with popular tunes. 




For Christmas my sister brought him this cute little George the giraffe chime toy. 
He loves it to bits and loves giving it cuddles its a toy that I will be putting in his memory box as it
is such a lovely toy that I don't want to get dirty as he gets older. 


We then move on to his favourite toy of all the Freddie the Firefly by Lamaze.
Stuart and I got this for Blake as a Christmas present and we are so glad that we did. 
He plays with this all the time he has it attached to his car seat, pram and even on the branch of the bouncer. 
Freddie the firefly seems to entertain Blake for long periods of time when playing and he always 
seems to go for him over other toys the majority of the time. 

After Blake was born my cousin made a nappy cake for us which included this cute
elephant toy. It is very similar to the Freddie the firefly as it has solid bold colours and sounds that squeak, clink and crinkle. He loves giving this a cuddle but I wish it had a link clip like the freddie the firefly does.



We had to get Blake a Sophie la Giraffe if you read Blake's 4 month update post than you will know
that he has been beginning to teeth. 
I know that £13 for a teething toy is quiet expensive, however it is a best seller and have heard so many good things about them.Each Sophie la Giraffe is individually hand painted plus Blake loves it so
it's kind of worth it. 


We then have his blue blankie which he loves cuddling during the day to help him fall asleep at nap time. 
I brought this for him as he had originally had a different one which was stolen from the pram at the Drs surgery. 
I was disappointed as I tucked it away at the bottom so the only way it would have been found was if someone had actually gone looking through the pram. 
Luckily Blake hadn't got attached to it so I just got him a different one. He is now
getting attached to this one though so I am going to buy another as a spare. 


Last of all is this activity ball I brought this for him last week. 
I had popped into the shop I had been working at previously and was chatting to my old boss
and gave this him to play with he loved it so I decided to buy it for him. 
I love that it makes noises and is just generally fun for him to play with. 


Well that is it Blake of course has tones of toys that were given to him as presents but these ones
are all the main ones that he just loves playing with at the moment and chooses more over his other ones. 

Does your little one have a range of toys he/she chooses to play with more off?
If so I'd love to know what! 

What's In My Changing Bag

I love being nosey and reading about what other Mum's carry around in their changing bag.
Today I have decided to share with you what I keep in my changing bag.
As a fairly new Mum I'll admit when I was pregnant with Blake I did read some 
"What's in my changing bag? "posts to give me an idea of the things I would need. 



I'll start off with the bag itself which I reviewed last year which you can read about here.
 It is the Mama et Bebe Messenger by Pink Lining in the Wise Owl design. 
This is the only changing bag that I use I do have a Silver Cross one that came with our travel system 
but its only been used once as it isn't big enough for our needs. 




3 Nappies, Nappy bags, Wipes

Most days I carry 3 nappies with me I've never needed that many though but if I am going to have a
long day out than I'll probably add more to be on safe side. 
I use Aldi's Mamia disposables when out and about just for ease rather than using cloth and they are great quality for the price that they are.

I always make sure I take nappy sacks with me as I have found a few places don't have bins for you to put used nappies in so I have to take the nappies with me home sometimes. 

Wipes are very important as they can be used for everything from wiping down changing tables, toys and other things that are in close contact with your baby. 
I use a range of brands at the moment I have got Morrisons little big wipes but mainly
I use Aldi Mamia ones. 


Milk storage dispensers, Tommee Tippee bottle, Milton Wipes

Since I formula feed Blake I use the Tommee Tippee powder dispensers when out and about for ease. 
I also make up a bottle of boiled water to take with me I make sure that I have it quiet warm as it is easier to cool it down than it is to heat it up as Blake is very fussy about the temperature of his milk. 

I occasionally take Milton wipes with me to clean toys when I go to Mum and baby groups
as Blake dribbles loads at the moment. To save room in my bag most of the time I 
just use baby wipes for this kind of thing. 

Muslin, Bib, Sleep suit, vest

Blake is a very sicky and dribbly baby at the moment so I always take a Muslin with me 
they are so handy and have some many different uses.
I always pack a bib for when feeding Blake as not always a muslin on its own will do. 

A spare sleepsuit and vest is essentail when out and about as you never know when you will need them. 
I've not yet had a poo explosion when out with Blake but I bet if I forgot spare clothing than he would. 


Keys, changing mat, purse

The changing mat is from our Silver Cross changing bag that came with our travel system. 
I chose to swap the pink lining one with this one as it is more space saving and folds more smaller. 
I also like that it goes well with the colour of our changing bag too which is a bonus. 


x2 make up bags, nappy cream, hand gel, tissues, lip balm, dummy.

I seem to have lost the clear bag that came with the pink linging changing bag so have used these 2 spare make up bags that I own to put a few bits and bobs in. 

The nappy cream I am using at the moment is Sudocream. We own so many nappy creams in both full and sample sizes but I always have one in my bag.  

Hand gel is great when you are out and about and can't always wash your hands I have always 
had a hand gel in my bag even before becoming a Mum its so handy. 

Tissues are also very handy to have in your bag as you never know when they could come in handy. 

 I always carry around lip balm as my lips get very dry and sore since having Blake.

last of all I carry around a spare dummy, Blake loves his dummy and is always dropping it 
so its wise that I have a spare one on me. 


What are your changing bag essentials? Do you have anything different in from mine? 



Blake 4 months

A year ago today both mine and Stuart's lives changed forever when I found out that I was pregnant. 
Today I have a cheeky, happy and healthy 4 month old! 
The time really is going incredibly fast and Blake is growing up way too quickly. 

Last week we booked the church for Blake's Christening for the end of July. 
So we now need to find a place for the after party that is available for the date we have booked. 
Once that is sorted we can have fun planning the rest of it, I have pinned some ideas up on
Pinterest already though. 



Clothing
Blake is still wearing 3-6 months clothing although I have found that the sleep suits are
getting too small already near his feet!
Luckily his vests, tops, trousers and socks all seem to be fine at the moment. 

Teething
Blake has already started teething I spoke to my health visitor about it, as I had noticed that he has started to dribble an awful lot but also has been biting his hands a lot too. 
His gums also feel harder and he has been irritable and is having other symptoms which made me think this was the case. 
I have started giving him calpol every now and then when I think he needs it. 

I also make sure that I have his Sophie la Giraffe nearby or his Nuby keys teether which I 
keep in the fridge. 
I have yet to try him with anything else but I do have some teething gel ready and considering using an 
amber necklace or bracelet. 
I'd love to know your thoughts on using amber for teething. 

Sleep
He is still sleeping well, we have started to put him to bed more earlier too meaning he wakes
up earlier. This  isn't too much of a problem as the earliest he has woken up has been 6:30am but on 
average its normally 7am.  
I am not keeping my hopes up with sleep to be honest as he is starting to get too big for his 
moses basket and will have to move into his cot in his own room soon. 
I have a feeling this is going to mean less sleep and also some getting use to for him (and me) 
with him being in his own room. 
Any tips on moving him would be muchly appreciated. 


Feeding
I had to start giving him 210ml of Milk earlier than four months as he was still hungry after feeds and
I was giving him more feeds than he would normally have. 
So he is now having 210 ml every 3 hours during the day of the cow and gate for hungrier babies formula.

I have also now started to look into weaning and have been trying to decide whether to go the traditional purees
route starting him at 5 months so that by the time he is 6 months he can go onto finger foods or go straight and do baby led weaning at 6 months. 

Development/Milestones

- He loves laughing out loud and squealing with delight.
- he is able to grasp his toys and has been doing so for awhile now. 
- He knows mummy and daddy's voices and turns in the direction of our voices. 
- He is also able to bear some weight on his legs and likes to stand up on our legs
when we are sat holding him. 
- He is able to lift his head and shoulders up using his arms for support when placed on his tummy. 
- He is also able to roll over one way



Other

- He has started to have favourite toys and prefers to play with some more than others.
- In disposable nappies he has now moved onto size 3.
- He is very chatty making cute cooing sounds
- We have started baby massage classes as of Monday and he loves it! 
- He has started to like baths now, we made the temperature a little warmer and
now he loves it! 
- He loves sitting up so in the last week we have tried him out in a bumbo seat, which
he loves to be in but only for a short time as he prefers to be in the bouncer. 


Blake's 1st Easter Basket

First of all how is it Easter tomorrow already? 
This time last year I didn't even know I was pregnant, now I have an adorably cute little boy who is
4 months old in just under two weeks time. 

I have decided to as a tradition make up an Easter basket for Blake. 
I have decided to show you what I have chosen for Blake's basket as I had such fun putting it together. 
I love the idea of being able to put little baskets together for different holidays/occasions. 

The basket I used is a blue plastic one which I found in Tesco but I think next year 
I will look out for a wicker one as I have found this basket to be a little flimsy. 


With Blake being so young I decided to choose items for his basket that I know
he would find useful in the coming months and some items that I know he can enjoy/use now.
As after all he is unable to have chocolate. 



First up I chose one of my favourite children's books
"Guess How Much I love You". 
Having worked in childcare in the past I have read this book many times before
and love the story of little and big nut brown hares efforts to show how much they love each other. 
This book also comes with a DVD which will be fab when he is much older. 



Next up I chose the "Peter Rabbit, My first little library". 
The set contains 4 chunky board books: 
- Words
- Numbers
-Shapes
and 
- Colours
I am huge fan of Beatrix Potter and so this set is ideal as I can read them 
to him now and then they will help with his learning as he gets older. 


Two pairs of Sock Ons in 0-6 months had to be included his socks are always falling off or 
he kicks them off. 
I have heard only good things about Sock On's and can't wait to use these.
They are made from soft woven blend of elasticised material with matching coloured stitching. 
They come in a range of colours too but I chose white as they will go with most of his outfits.


I've not had a chance to do any hand and feet prints of Blake's yet so I have decided
to give these inkless wipe hand and foot print kit a go. 
It looks pretty simple to do and also looks less messy than when using ink or paint when 
making hand prints. 
The kit can make approx 8 baby sized prints with a single wipe. 


Last of all I got the Bright Starts Activity Balls. 
When I went to a Mum and baby group in my local area the other week Blake 
loved holding one of these balls whilst we were there so I thought it would be a great 
idea to get him some of his own. 
The set has 5 balls that are designed to entertain and stimulate your baby as part of their development. 
Each ball in the set is different and features a fun activity such as a rattle, a spinner or making clicky sounds. 

So what do you think of what I have put in Blake's Easter basket? 
I hope this gives you some ideas. 

Lindt Easter Story Book

When it comes to Easter I don't normally get an Easter egg any more this is purely out of choice though. 

This year though I am excited that I was sent some yummy Lindt chocolate as an extra little something
in my Degustabox as I was chosen as one of the bloggers to get an extra little something since I have
been writing about their  boxes for a good 7 months or so now. 

So as the extra in my box this month I was given a 100g  gold bunny (not pictured).
The Lindt gold bunny is a yummy hollow bunny shaped chocolate egg which is made from yummy
Lindt milk chocolate inspired by a secret recipe from the Master Chocolatiers of Lindt have created. 
The reason for their being no photo is due to it being crushed during delivery of my Degustabox so I felt 
that you my readers wouldn't want to see a photo of smashed up gold bunny. 

I also received the Lindt gold bunny storybook. 
The Lindt golden bunny storybook  is the ideal gift to give the magic of Easter. 
The dazzling Lindt golden bunny storybook brings the bunny to life in an engaging and interactive story. 
The gift contains 15 yummy Lindt chocolate treats to enjoy at story time: 

1 x Lindt Gold Bunny Milk Chocolate 10g
2 x Lindt Mini Lamb Milk Chocolate 10g
2 x Lindt Mini Chick Milk Chocolate 10g
3 x Lindt Hollow Milk Chocolate Eggs 10g
5 x Lindt Solid Mini Eggs Milk Chocolate


The Lindt Storybook is a lovely idea for older children and grown ups. 
I can see myself buying one for Blake when he is older as an Easter treat. 
It reminds me of an advent calendar in a way as you open little doors to get the chocolate.
All of the chocolate's in the box are wrapped in foil paper and the bunny one of course is in a special golden wrapper as usual. 

I love how the story meadow will get children talking about the different areas in the picture and what they 
can see which means that whilst interacting with the Lindt storybook they are learning all at the same time. 



Have you ever brought the Lindt Storybook? or would you consider buying it for 
your little one? 

Degustabox: March

For those of you not familiar with Degustabox they are a food box subscription service and 
every month they select and send out an exciting range of new and limited edition products from
a range of fab foodie brands.

This months box has 10 fab brands. 
2 of which are drinks and 8 of which are foodie items. 


So as like last month I am starting off with the drinks in the box. 

First of all I'll start off with the alcohol which is Crabbies Fruits I have mentioned 
Crabbies before as they have been in a few of degustabox's that I have had over the last 
6/7 months. Those of you that read my blog will know that I am not much of a drinker
but will have the occasional drop of alcohol now and again am not too sure about trying these
though as it turns out I wasn't too keen on them last time I gave them ago. 
The flavours in this months box are Black Cherry and Raspberry and Rhubarb. 

Moving on to the non alcohol drinks in the box which are by Juiceburst. 
Juiceburst has 14 different flavours of juice and 3 skinny drinks. 
The 500ml cranberry flavour is made using 57 berries and is very tasty so if your 
a fan cranberry juice you will love this flavour. 
The mango and lime skinny juice is only 99 calories and was delicious it reminded me of mixed fruit flavoured
opal fruits. 


Crabbie's Fruits x2 £1.50
Juiceburst x2 £1.25

Kents Kitchen Posh Noodles are perfect for lunch on the go or for a hot snack. 
They are made with all natural ingredients, these noodles are tasty, low in fat and low calorie. 
Just add water to the pot, stir well and wait a few minutes. 
I love noodles but wasn't too keen on the flavour of the one I had which is 
due to personal preference. 


I am really looking forward to trying out BBQUE original Bavarian barbecue sauces. 
They are available in 4 unique flavours: 
- grill and beachwood
- original
- honey and mustard
- chilli and horseradish 
The original Bavarian delicacy of cranberries, beer, honey and apples is ideal for barbecue, marinades and dips. 

Brioche Pasquire's new baked bread bites are the new alternative snack to potato crisps. 
Made with real french bread each 20g bag contains under 90 calories. 
They are also low in saturated fat, free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. 
Launching in stores soon, in one of the nations favourite flavours, bacon. 



Kents Kitchen Posh Noodles £1.75
BBQUE £3.99
Baked Bread Bites x2 50p

If your a fan of sweeter (like me) rather than sugar than you will love Nativa.
Nativa is a 100% naturally sourced alternative to artificial sweeteners and sugars. 
Nativia was created using a natural sweetener derived from stevia because they wanted a healthy and natural way for you to enjoy a little sweetness in your life. 

Jordans Granola have come up with a new lighter granola. 
They chose a recipe which has only natural ingrediants so the new granola has
30% less fat than standard granola's and is higher in fibre too. 
I have got the strawebbery and blueberry flavour which I am looking forward to trying out. 

Nativa £2.00
Jordan's Granola £3.69

Last of all we have some yummy sweet treats in the box. 

Bassettes Jelly Babies Berry Mix is available in the favourite flavours:
Blackcurrent, raspberry and strawberry. 
The bag says ideal for sharing whoops. 

Sour Patch kids first there sour then they are sweet the mischievous sweets bring on a sour sensation before
revealing a sweet and soft jelly side. 
There are six different flavours in the pack on offer too. 
These I'm giving to the hubby after all sharing is caring.

Last of all is Lindt Assorted Mini Eggs a perfect Easter treat.
Delightfully smooth milk, white and dark chocolate assortment provides a moment of bliss with every bite. 
Enjoy not one but two bags for a fab and yummy Easter. 

Jelly Babies Berry Mix £1.48
Sour Patch Kids £1.00
Lindt mini egss x2 packs £2.00

I am pleased that this box contained chocolate with it being so close to Easter. 
I am also pleased with this months box as I know most of the contents are going to get used. 

This months discount coupon for £3.00 off is OM8OV.