Alphabet Project - C

I recently discovered a lovely linky, The  Alphabet Project, over at www.podcastdove.com. So here's my contribution for this weeks letter C.

C is for Cuddles.

I have an "owl" baby! She is nocturnal and I am not. But in order to  see the silver lining... I am grateful for these night time cuddles.

***Joining  up with Podcast Dove ***

Thankful Thursday Week 21

Welcome back and thank you to last weeks lovely linkers! I was very cheered to see your posts, I loved Max face-diving his cake over at Family Fever, and this weeks list from Beckey at My Really Real Reality contained some really lovely things, cold ginger beer and warm cookies would definitely get my vote  

Thankful Thursday is my weekly linky for us all to share our silver linings, brags, boasts or just something that made us smile. Be it a picture, a word, a sentence or a great big essay lets share what we are thankful for this week. It can be a new post just for this linky, a picture, a video, one word or a thousand this linky is all about thankfulness so whatever has made you grateful this week I would love to know

If you would like to link up I would  love for you to grab the badge below and spread a little linky love to some of the others taking part, my thankful post can now be found in the linky list. Don't forget to spread the word, invite lots of people and help me grow this and make Thursdays a happier place.

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1. Tinterweb	2. Spirit of Gratitude: May 15
3. ups & downs, smiles & frowns	4. Thankful Today
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My Good Girl

This week Peanut went off on a day trip with the school, some of the mums went along to help but unfortunately I couldn't volunteer as I had no childminder. She had a great day and returned home full of stories, it was really lovely to hear of her adventure.

After she had gone to bed I received this text from one of the mums who had helped out during the trip

It made me puff with pride, I'm really very lucky to have such lovely children and this week I'm thankful that others got to see how lovely my girl is, and what a joy it is to spend time with her.

Read With Me - Oxford Reading Tree

This isn't really a review as such but I really wanted to share with you how wonderfully my Peanut is coming along with her reading.

She  is coming to the last term of Reception and has always done really well with her letters and numbers so I wasn't surprised when her teacher told us that she was excelling in reading group, her school chooses to use Oxford Reading Tree system which has a great resource for helping at home called Oxford Owl with loads of free ebooks and activities to support your child's learning.

Three weeks ago Peanut was on level 4 and this week she came home on level 7 ! This weeks book is called The Jigsaw Puzzle, part of The Biff Chip and Kipper stories, in this adventure the children travel to a far away time depicted in their jigsaw. we are relly looking forward to reading this one. Peanut has really enjoyed all of these books and found some of them very funny especially Monkeys Magic Pipe which she read last week, about a clever monkey who rescued his friends from a mean monster by making the monster dance and tricking him into releasing the animals from his bag.

Courtesy of www.oup.com

 If you have a little person learning to read these books are a great place to start. They have really helped build peanut's confidence in reading.

Green Earth Friying Pan By Ozeri Review

I've loved the look of these pans ever since I read a review over on Outnumbered Mum so I was very excited to be asked to test one.

The pan has a really heavy feel to it, which made me think immediately it will be great for making my Roti bread. It's a really cool colour and totally matches my current colour scheme! 

I decided to try making an omelette in it mostly because I'm really rubbish at making decent looking omelettes. They always stick and end up in several bits, normally the pan gets the blame!

I set to making my current favourite of Red Pepper and Feta. First I fried off some onion and pepper in few squirts of Fry Light Olive Oil. Then while they were softening I whisked up 6 eggs and crumbled in some feta. When the onions and peppers were soft I poured over the eggy mix, stirring it in the pan for a few minutes then left it to cook flipped it halfway and they sliced it to serve three of us for lunch.

 Well I'm pleased to say the omelette made it in one piece and the pan is still non stick, it wiped clean effortlessly with a soft cloth looked as good as new and was ready to go again in no time!

The price is comparable with many big brands on the market and at £23.99 I think it's worth the money, I would really like to collect a set of these now especially this Wok 

Termites Tales -9 months

Yoohoo, well I've now be out almost as long as I was in! Can you imagine? 

This month has been a bit of a crazy one for me, I now have 7, yes I said SEVEN, teeth through and growing rapidly. I can eat pretty much anything Mummy does my favourite is curry and rice or mummy's paella. 

I can do a real proper big kid crawl without looking like a caterpillar and I'm super fast, I mean speedy as can be mummy watches me like a hawk. Better than that though I can pull  myself up, not just on my cot like last month, but on anything. I can climb up Furniture, people, prams, even on the toilet when mummy was running my bath. She didn't seem too impressed with that though! I can also 'cruise' this sounded funny to me when mummy said it but she means I can work my way around the furniture by moving those wriggly things at the end of my legs! I not too keen on put those flat on the floor yet mummy says I have to because walking on my tippitoes isn't very comfy.

I can clap, wave, use my pincer grasp and shake my head to tell mummy I no longer want food.  I still don't like to sleep all night though, mummy has taken me for something called Bowen which has really stopped my reflux pain. But I'm so used to seeing her through the night that I still like her to come give me a few cuddles! 

Wonders of Life App Review and Giveaway

We are BIG Professor Cox fans in Monkeyfeet HQ so I was really excited to be given a chance to review The Wonders Of Life App . A new app from Harper Collins, this is loaded with features, videos and information about, well Life and our World and all of its wonders.

The pictures and videos are super quality and you can zoom around the world looking at Different areas,creatures and insects, there is bucket loads of information under the headings of  North America, Australasia, Sensory, Microscopic and Elements and Processes, there are loads and loads of videos and information and the app is really easy to navigate, its sort of like going on a tour of Life with Professor Cox as your personal guide. I think this will come in really handy when The big kids are looking to research their sciences and geography at school, but for now,its just a remarkably interesting app filled with great features and  priced at £3.99 it really is bargain for the wealth of knowledge that  it comes with.

 You can follow Professor Cox on Facebook or you can read more by visiting Haper Collins

And amazingly Ive managed to get my hands on some downlad codes for for this app for five of my lovely readers. Simply fill out the rafflecopter below and winners will be drawn from all the CORRECT entries.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thankful Thursday Week 20

Welcome back and thankyou again for another week of lovely link ups, please keep sharing and inviting people along to link up thier posts, anything they are thankful for, its always lovely to read.

Thankful Thursday is my weekly linky for us all to share our silver linings, brags, boasts or just something that made us smile. Be it a picture, a word, a sentence or a great big essay lets share what we are thankful for this week. It can be a new post just for this linky, a picture, a video, one word or a thousand this linky is all about thankfulness so whatever has made you grateful this week I would love to know

If you would like to link up I would  love for you to grab the badge below and spread a little linky love to some of the others taking part, my thankful post can now be found in the linky list. Don't forget to spread the word, invite lots of people and help me grow this and make Thursdays a happier place.

This week I'm giving thanks for the internet you can read my post here

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Tinterweb!

I remember a conversation when I was around 15 (thats around 20 years ago you nosey lot)  with an IT Manager, who was the Dad of one of my friends. He described the Internet as boring and slow with not much to offer! Can you imagine?

I also remember hearing the dial up tone waiting to connect to try to research my university work, and the feeling of dread if you got disconnected, that wait all over again!

This week I have written reviews, planned holidays, booked appointments, done banking, shopped, helped with homework, and connected with friends. All thanks to the Internet ! So this week I'm going to say a great big thankyou for the internet, it makes the world a smaller place and an easier one to manage when you have a busy life.

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Home Made Pitta

Ever since I saw  Paul Hollywood (swoon) on TV throw together pitta breads as easy as you would a salad I have been looking for the perfect fool proof recipe. I have tried many and just couldnt get them quite right. I really wanted to find one that was easy quick and works every time. 

Such a thing has not yet made itself available on my search, so I have tinkered around and made up my own recipe....

3 cups of Plain Flour

1 cup of warm water

1 tablespoon fast acting Yeast

1 Teaspoon Salt

2 Teaspoons Olive Oil

• Put the yeast and water in a bowl 
• Add salt and oil
• Gradually mix in flour until it begins to form a dough, sticky but firm

• Knead gently for about 5-7 minutes

• Form into evenly sized balls (about 6)

• Cover and leave for 30 minutes
• Roll out into ovals

• Cover and leave for a further 30 minutes
• Pre heat the oven to about 220 and pop your oven trays in 
• Carefully place the pitta's on the hot trays ensuring you flip them so the flatter side (the one that was on the underneath) is now facing up this will make for  less chance of 'pitta popping'
• Put them in the oven for about 8 minutes until golden brown and hopefully they should have puffed up to form the perfect pocket 

 

These go down a storm in Monkeyfeet HQ, espeiall nice with Chicken Feta and Peppers

Sili Squeeze Review

Termite is happily feeding herself with just about everything you pop in front of her, but I must admit that my one issue with Baby Led Weaning is Yoghurt, well not just yoghurt, fromage frais, custard, you get the picture. The stuff you would normally spoon feed to them becomes a difficult and messy mealtime.

So I was really pleased to stumble across The Sili Squeeze it seemed like this could be the answer to our fromage frais fling fest's!

What They Say

 

 

It's not a bottle

The Sili Squeeze™ is a reusable, silicone food pouch intended for pureed foods, smoothies and ready-made snacks like yogurt and applesauce. Developed by a parent, for parents, the Sili Squeeze™ allows portable eating to be healthful, nutritious and wholesome. Parents can prepare homemade snacks and meals in the Sili Squeeze™, then head out the door for road trips, play dates, and appointments. Little ones should be able to get the nutrients they need, no matter where they go… mommy hands free.

A spill-proof and squeeze-controlled spout

Your little ones’ natural instinct will provide them the skills to use the Sili Squeeze™ on their own. They will soon discover that squeezing the soft, silicone body, while simultaneously gumming the tip of the nipple, will give them the result they want – food. The patent-pending, spill-proof design keeps the food in your child’s mouth… not all over their clothes.

What is the Sili Squeeze™ made of?

Our reusable dispensers are eco-friendly and encourage healthy eating habits for individuals of all ages. The soft silicone body is a comforting and tactile experience for children of all ages.

Helping the earth, it's not so silly

Caretakers of our children, caretakers of our world.  The Sili Company takes environmental responsibility seriously.  We use minimal packaging for our products and recyclable shipping materials. Our reusable products encourage the elimination of single-use, disposable products.

Social responsibility

At The Sili Company, we actively participate in environmental and social responsibility. Taking care of our children and the community around us is a crucial step in squeezing the goodness out of what we are given®. The production of our product line involves many communities both in the U.S.A. and overseas – All of whom are provided safe, ethical, and healthy work environments with fair wages.

What We Say

We received the 2oz squeeze and my initial thoughts were that is was very small, but looked very cool. Its a lovely red colour and its squidgy, but not flimsy. Termite loved it instantly as its very tactile so we let her play for a little while. Now we were about to embark on a holiday and I was short of time so I flung the squeeze in our bags deciding holiday was the perfect place to test. First morning we pop in some fruity yogurhurt and I hand it to Termite. Please note at this point I hadn't read any of the info that was sent with it!

 So I was a bit disappointed that we encountered some frustration from termite and she didn't seem to be 'getting it'. So after a couple of attempts from me I declared it must be faulty I had to put real effort into using it so Termite was never going to get it. I would like to now say if I had researched first I would know that grown ups do find it hard because, well, we don't really use our sucking reflex that way, kids however just need a bit of practice....

What is this?

What do you mean 'not that way' ?

Oh I see, This is fun!

THE INFO I SHOULD HAVE READ

First time Sili Squeezers

Like any new feeding utensil or product on the market, it can take our little ones a few tries before they have the Sili Squeeze™ figured out completely. Every child is different and learns new things at his or her own pace. Some little ones pick up the new skill on the first day, others the next month. There is no specific time frame we can apply to the diverse array of little ones using our reusable pouches.

Your child will discover that by gumming (pinching) the nipple valve with their mouth, while simultaneously squeezing the silicone body of the Sili Squeeze, will give them the results they want - food!

For first-time Sili Squeezer’s, we recommend putting your little one’s favorite puree (applesauce, yogurt, berry blend etc.) inside the Sili Squeeze to make your child’s first experience an exciting learning process.

Sure enough Termite now loves it, and I find it really handy for snacks on the go. Like on swim night when we are waiting for the big kids to finish, she can sit with me and have some yoghurt with no muss and no fuss! I would have liked a larger squeeze because my girl has a big appetite and I know she will grow out of this size soon, actually if I'm honest she could eat more than the two ounces now. So my recommendation would be if your little one enjoys their grub go for a bigger size to get more use from it.

The Good Stuff

• Really handy, its so portable
• It really is spill proof
• Looks Cool
• Feels Nice
• Dishwasher safe
• easy to put together
• Spillproof!!!
• The price is around the £11 mark which may seem steep, but look at the 'fill up yourself' disposable food pouches at around 60p each the cost soon mounts up. Or alternatively the pre packed pouches which arent all too tasty! When you consider we've used this about 5 times a week since we got the hang of it it works out fair value for money.

Room For Improvement

•  It would be handy to have a wee funnel with it, spooning yoghurt in was a bit tricky

• I wasn't so fussed on the lid being attached to the squeeze with elastic, it won't be long before that's showing the signs of much grubby handedness and washing. 

Overall though I like it, and I think we will invest in the larger size really soon. They are great for holidays and its not long until we jet off again! 

You can connect with Sili on Facebook or Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sili Squeeze™ is a reusable food pouch that lets your little one enjoy delicious blends of freshly pureed food, in addition to ready-made favorites like yogurt and applesauce, while on-the-go! - See more at: http://thesilisqueeze.co.uk/#sthash.UhCZf6OI.dpuf

The Sili Squeeze™ is a reusable food pouch that lets your little one enjoy delicious blends of freshly pureed food, in addition to ready-made favorites like yogurt and applesauce, while on-the-go! Order the patent-pending, spill-proof Sili Squeeze™, the Sili Squeeze with Eeeze™ and Replacement Nipple Spouts for each style. - See more at: http://thesilisqueeze.co.uk/#sthash.w4mnKrEb.dpuf

The Sili Squeeze™ is a reusable food pouch that lets your little one enjoy delicious blends of freshly pureed food, in addition to ready-made favorites like yogurt and applesauce, while on-the-go! Order the patent-pending, spill-proof Sili Squeeze™, the Sili Squeeze with Eeeze™ and Replacement Nipple Spouts for each style. - See more at: http://thesilisqueeze.co.uk/#sthash.w4mnKrEb.dpuf

Thankful Thursday Week 19

Welcome back My lovelies, thankyou again for taking part. This week I'm giving thanks for my right to vote, you can read my post here

Thankful Thursday is my weekly linky for us all to share our silver linings, brags, boasts or just something that made us smile. Be it a picture, a word, a sentence or a great big essay lets share what we are thankful for this week. It can be a new post just for this linky, a picture, a video, one word or a thousand this linky is all about thankfulness so whatever has made you grateful this week I would love to know

If you would like to link up I would  love for you to grab the badge below and spread a little linky love to some of the others taking part, my thankful post can now be found in the linky list. Don't forget to spread the word, invite lots of people and help me grow this and make Thursdays a happier place.

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The Political Post

For this weeks Thankful Thursday I was going to write about how grateful I am to have a wealth of activities available for my children to attend. Then a conversation on Facebook got me thinking about how lucky we are to have a vote!

Yes folks I'm going all political and a little bit feminist. You see its all well and good bandying about the old adage 'women died to get you that vote' but its true, and its not just about The Suffragettes stories we all know, yes Emily Davison threw herself in front of the kings horse, we learn that in history. But did you know many more women died in Prison, yes they were sent to prison for fighting to have a vote, where they went on hunger strike and were force fed. This involves having a tube rammed down your throat into your stomach to pump in food! And they died because they were fighting for OUR right to walk to a polling station and write a cross in a box.

We have no excuse not to vote, we have the Internet at our finger tips and can find out a wealth of information about all the political parties with just a tiny bit of work. It is truly unforgivable not to have your say. It's a waste of the lives of women who frankly were no different to you and I except they stood up and fought, FOR US.

Lets remember as well there are countries in the world where women are forbidden from voting, they have no say, in some places they can't drive.Women all over the world are oppressed and silenced  but Thanks to great women in our history we are not

If you don't vote you can't complain about taxes or roads or health care or rising costs or house prices, or pretty much anything public really because you wasted your chance to exercise your right to CHOOSE. So please please do your research and make your choice.  Regardless of who it is for we should be thankful for the sacrifices that made it possible I know I am, so this Thursday my Thanks go to the brave history makers who changed our lives and helped us have a say.

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Mabyland Blogging

I'm so pleased to have been chosen to write for MaByland recently

When I was invited to write an article for their parenting section I decided to talk about my decision to Birth at home you can check out my article here