Maintain Your Car

Spending hours upon end in the car is something the majority of us find ourselves doing over the summer months.  Many of us parents dread spending a long period of time in the car how are we going to entertain the little ones that amount of time or like me you may worry about them been sick. Jess suffers from car sickness however, usually it is shorter journeys which she struggles on rather than longer ones.

The majority of us do not think about the dangers of driving in the summer and how to avoid them. As someone travels in the car daily on short trips as well as undertaking longer road trips regularly I will admit I do not even think about the dangers when getting into the car. As someone who worries a lot about things this is very surprising.

Recently I have noticed more people broken down at the side of the road maybe this is due to the fact that I have been travelling further or because there are more people out in cars enjoying the nice sunny weather.  So, in this post I am going to highlight 3 problems which could occur to you this summer and then you can make sure you check them before going on a road trip. We don’t want a day out with the family ruined because of car trouble.

Flat tyres are a common problem many of us do not actually go and check that we have the correct pressure in them before travelling. Don’t forget if you are driving fully loaded the pressure may need to be higher make sure you check your book for the pressure that your tyres need. Make sure that you check them regularly because you do not want to end up with a flat tyre and end up broken down. Make sure that they are not over filled because of the problem of exploding so make sure that you do not have them too over filled or under filled. You can purchase tyres with no online payment at Point S for reserving tyres in Surrey

You need to also make sure that your tyres are not too bald because this could cause your problems with the police which could see you having a fine which is not something which you would want. The balder your tyres are as well the more likely you are likely to get something in them which could cause a flat tire. The legal limit is 1.6 millimeters but for safety reasons you could replace them before they reach the legal limit. Make sure you check your tread once a month so you do not get caught for a fine we do now want that or it could ruin the day out.

The final thing which I would chance before going on a road trip is making sure that there is no chips in your windscreen because if there is and you are travelling at speed or long distance there is a chance that the chip could get larger. This could end up with you having to fork out for a replacement windscreen and hours of waiting for someone to come out and mend it for you a quick check of the windscreen.  Once maybe ever few days make sure that there are no cracks and if there is maybe you should get someone out to replace it there is nothing worse than putting your family and your own life at risk because you was too lazy to do a simple job.

Do you maintain your car regularly?

Charlotte x

This post is in collaboration with Point S

Mum Guilt- Skipping Two Trimesters

You must have know you was pregnant? I thought it only happened in the films and TV shows where people did not know there were pregnant for a long period of time? No I can tell you that it doesn't only happen in these settings I did not know that I was pregnant till 26 weeks. 

It is not something that I will ever forgot I knew I had been getting more tired but I put this down to working part time being in the last few weeks of the second year of my degree. Meaning a lot of late nights making sure that the deadlines were completed so I thought nothing about it is and just took more naps during the day which is normal for students to do anyway.

Due to the fact I had been working on a project instead of going on work experience it meant that I had not seen a couple of friends for a few weeks I think it was about 4 weeks. One of them when I saw them said oh wow when did that happen I knew I had gained a little bit of weight but it was only a small amount and I put that again down to the poor diet I had because I was so busy and too tired to cook. I thought she was referring to the weight that I had gained in the last couple of months and ignored it. It wasn't until a few days later that I felt some almost like pops of air in the bottom of my stomach that I started to be concerned. I realised that this point that it had been about 2 months since I had a period TMI I know but because of stress I did not think anything of it.

I remember vividly going to superdrug purchasing a pregnancy test and then going to the university library because that was were my friends were at the time to do the test. I text one of my friends to come to the toilet with me to do the test because I was scared to do it alone. I purchased one of the the ones which tells you how many weeks I remember it saying 3+ weeks my first thoughts were OH SHIT.

I had been out partying only that week because I was a student who was enjoying been care free and having a few drinks and a few more was part of my life back then. It was a good way to socialise with friends. One of the first things which came into my head was like I am going to have to sort this I can't have a baby I need to finish my degree and be more settled before I can have a child. As some of you might know if you have read my birth story I told Joe on his 21st Birthday which meant he got really drunk. We spoke about everything and decided that our best option was to try and have an abortion or have give the little one up for adoption

At the time we didn't know how far along I was or anything so I booked in to see a doctor as soon as I could be cause of the situation I was in I wanted to have an abortion should it be possible. I didn't think I would be past the 12 week cut off.  I booked my appointment with the abortion people and a lovely friend who I am so thankful for them through the whole of my pregnancy because  I don't know if I could have done it without them. I went for a scan so that they could see how far gone I was I remember them saying are you sure you have not had any feelings of movements and I explained about the ones the popping of air. The lady I clearly remember saying well you can not have an abortion your over the legal limit you are around 26 weeks.

This is when we went down the route of speaking to the relevant people about adoption. I spent a lot of my pregnancy with social workers because I had to do all of the medial forms and everything ready for the when baby was born. There was a foster family ready so that there was people to look after her before a forever family was found.

This is where the mum guilt gets me because I didn't want to be pregnant I wanted the baby to be born so I could go back to my own life as horrible as it sounds. I didn't take pictures of my bump I don't have any scan pictures because I made them turn the screen away from me. I feel guilty because of the fact that that I had been drinking I know how dangerous that could have been. I blame myself now when she is crazy it is because she know she has all ready been drunk.

I feel guilty that the majority of the clothes which she got when she was a baby were picked by other people. I only actually purchase her one outfit and then after we decided to not go through with the adoption my cousin went out and purchase everything. Don't worry my family actually paid her to do it and it is something which I am forever grateful for.

One thing which eats me is that Jess is never going to be able to see the scans of her or what she was like as a bump. If we should go on to have another child I think I would take bump pictures and have scan pictures.

Has anyone else found out there where pregnant later than normal. If so do you have this mum guilt?

Charlotte x

Use 17 in 17 Update 2

As you may remember way back at the start of the year I wanted to use up 17 products in 2017. I didn't do an update in February due to the fact that I did not manage to use as much of the products as I thought I might and I felt like there was no progress. I will admit I have managed to lose one of the products because Jess has been playing with my makeup which means I lose it easily.  These pictures were actually taken at the start of the month however, I have just not had time to put them up on my blog so they have been progressing since on some of them.

The first product which I am going to share with you is the Revlon Colour Stay this is a foundation which I have been using because it is my winter shade, This is one which I have now have to really shake to get any product out so it is really close to being actually finished. I have been using this a lot however, I can not wait to repurchase this one and then I will have the pump because this is something which my doesn't have due to its age. I think I will only be able to use this if I mix it with a foundation which is too dark for me because I have a slight tan now and this would be way to light for me.

The next item is one which I can see the difference in and it is the Sleek Rose Gold Blush the pan on this has grown a lot to the left and on the top. The product is getting really thin and I can see this crumbling a lot soon because of this. I have only been using this blush for the past few months which shows when I put my mind to it I can use some serious amount of product. This is one I can see myself using a lot more now because I seem to be wearing more makeup. I can see myself hitting pan completely on the left side by the next update which I aim to make in August.

The urban decay primer potion is one which has had a little bit of love recently maybe this is because of the warm weather I have wanted to make sure that my eyeshadow is going to stay in place. This has gone from been around the d of decay to around the a of urban. I think this is going to be a product which I end up using more while the weather is so warm. I think that I might actually be able to use this product up before the end of the year my target for the next 3 months is the u in urban.

Porefessional I do not think I have made a secret is not one of my favourite products because of the film that it seems to leave on my skin. I do not think I have not used this product since around April I might have used it a couple of times since then but due to the really small amount that you need to use you can hardly see any progress. I hope to use this product a lot more because I really want it to go and if I do not start using it soon it is not going to be gone before the end of the year.

High beam is a product which there does not look like a lot of progress has been made on however the progress has actually been on clearing out the bit behind where I had made progress and you can now see through the packaging. Even though the product has not gone down it has made a massive dent into clearing the product which is something I am proud of. I really need to use high beam more because since adding it into this project I have really enjoyed using it. I think if I put my mind to it I could have this product completed in the next couple of months.

This pallete is one which I know that I am not going to complete because I have realised how much I actually do not like this product. The pigmentation is so poor I have to use so much of it when I use the pallete and also it has so much fallout and at the moment I do not have the time to be dealing with it. I do not think I have used this product since the last update and I think I am highly unlikely to use it again I might actually end up throwing this one away. Or actually having to force myself to use it at least once a week so that I do make some progress.

ELF SPF 15 Lip Balm is a product which I will admit I have actually been using a little bit but due to the amount that you need it takes a while for progress to be made and be seen easily. I think that I have been using this a couple of times a week but I know I need to use more of the lip balm to keep my lips in good condition anyway while we are having this warm weather so this maybe the perfect time to do this. I aim by Sepetember to have less than I currently do maybe have used  1/4 of what is left.  This is a product which I have been loving and I rarely use any other lipbalm because of how easy this product is.

The last time I did an update the Essence say matte powder had the tiniest bit of pan however, this has expanded over the last couple of months as you can see and the area around the pan has got a lot thinner. This powder has not been used that much in the last month or so because I have fallen in love with a Nars one which I purchased at the end of last year.  I really need to focus on this one because the packaging has broken and now I can not travel with it while it is warm and I am needing to powder more I should see a huge change in this product.

This is the NYC lip stain in smooch proof and for some reason like the idiot I am I have taken this picture the wrong way around.l I think I am up to the S in Stain however it can be pretty hard due to the packaging to see how much of this you have used. I have found myself having to twist this product up a lot more maybe this is because the product is drying out it could be for another reason. I have been using this one for days when I just want something subtle to wear to university. I would love to get to the end of the word stain before the next update but I am unsure how possible that is because I have been loving a lot of different lip shades recently.

Again it is hard to see how much of the stain I have used but I was about the same as the one in smooch proof but I think I am actually up to the A in stain. I have not been reaching for this one as much for some reason maybe it is because I have been loving some other shades a hell of a lot more and I have found the staying power on these is not great. I hope again to get to the end of the word stain with this before I do my next update I must remember to put them in my bag and then I will actually reach for them more.

The Rimmel scandleyes in Nude is another one which I do not think I have sharpened which means that it will not have got any smaller. I am unsure if I actually reached for this item this is something which I really need to change because I loved it so much.I do not know the reason that I have not reached for it I think I might have to hide the new one of this product so I make sure that I am actually using the same one every time rather than using one which could be a different pencil. I think that I need to actually start using it because then I may see some progress.

Another product which I have not used because I lost it for a few months and obviously when it is lost I can not use the product.  I am talking about the Essence  Long Lasting Eye Pencil in Black Fever. I seem to remember that this was not the greatest eyeliner and have ones which I prefer so reach for them when I want eyeliner. It is not a thing which I usually apply every day anymore because I want to be out the door as quickly as possible now because I fear to missing my train.

The body shop shimmer lip gloss in Cranberry is one which I have only used a handful of times because I have found that it is too sticky for me. I hate sticky lipgloss when you have long hair you hate this kind because they seem to always too sticky with you hair. I think the packaging does not entice me a lot I have put this next to my bed now and may apply it when I go to bed in order to hydrate my lips and actually get some of the product used up. I would love to make some more visible progress with this product in the next few months because I really do want it to be used up.

I think that I have halved the size of the Essence concealer I can not actually think of the name of it and it has rubbed off I think it is antispot. I am amazed how much progress I have managed to make on this because at the start of the project I thought this would be one which I would struggle with due to it being a stick form. I think that if I continue to use the product at the rate which I have been doing it could be one of the next products to be used up. I think I am just going to continue because shock this is one of the only items I am happy with the progress of on.

The final item in this update because I have managed to miss place my soap and glory lipstick and on and on bronze cream eyeshadow that is what you get when you let Jess play near your make up. The final item is the Lush Santa Baby lip scrub the dip in this has got a lot deeper than it was when I put this in the project. This is one which I know for sure I will be using more in the next few months because I wear more matte colours as I am at work and I need them to last and for that you need amazing lips. I do not aim to finish this product I just aim to make some decent progress on this scrub. I would love to hit pan on the bottom of the jar.

I have only used one item in the whole of these 6 months but I have decent progress on a couple of them I do not think I am going to be able to finish 17 because I have been taking far too many make up free days but who knows it may change and I might make some amazing progress in the last 6 months of the year.

Have you tried to finish any make up off recently?

Charlotte x

Dear Dada- Billy Big Feet

Dear Dada

Wow this week has been a busy old one for us we have has a lot of fun. The week saw us having a Monday at home which means mummy going through my wardrobe looking what I have outgrown now and putting anything in good condition on eBay to sell. You would be proud because she has managed to sell some bits which she really loves rather than keep them in case I have a sister in the future.  While she did this I got to watch some Netflix because I was been such a good girl like I always am see there is a bonus of behaving.

Then I had to Tuesday to Friday at nursery which is more than I have been doing because since mummy finished uni I haven't been going Monday or Friday but mummy had to work for Granddad this week and earn some pennies for a special trip when you get home.  Granddad actually picked me up with mummy on Friday which was strange it reminded me of when you come to pick me up on a Friday I miss that maybe that's why mummy doesn't make me do Friday's anymore. I think they also went to do a little bit of shopping and went out for lunch which sounds exactly like you and mummy do.

It was great Nan's birthday on Saturday so on Friday morning while on the train to York me and Mummy played on Moonpig and managed to make a special card for her because we know how much she loves having pictures of me on the front. Don't worry we even put your name on the card and then we organised some flowers because she is so special she deserves something but they are only from me because we all know that I am her favourite.

To make up for not having a extra day with Mummy I got treated to a girls day with mummy and grandma on saturday which was nice just been with them too. We went into town which  as you know is something we really do not do very often. I got my feet measured because my shoes has become tight and I didn't want them on anymore I now have size 6 feet. Everyone keeps calling me billy big feet for some reason is that another strange northern thing? Zara is also closing down here which meant that mummy had to pop in and then I managed to get a hell of a lot more clothes a lot of them are Disney. Don't worry I will make mummy do a haul on here soon so you can see what I got. I think she spent about £70 on me which makes me a spoilt princess.

Next have opened an outlet now as well which is even more dangerous for mummy's bank balance because it is staying and you know how much mummy loves next.  I can see mummy visiting the town more because she always seems to get some amazing bargains in there and I love trying to look my best. I even got to go out for lunch at ASK and I managed to demolish a 3 course meal you would be so proud of me because I am doing so well with my eating.

Today we are just having another chill day before another week of crazy times. I do not know what we have planned yet but I am sure that it is going to be jam packed because Mummy likes to keep busy because then the time seems to pass even quicker.

I miss and love you so much

Jess xxxxxx

Mini Club, Gap Mothercare Summer Clothing Haul

I am sorry that the first picture of this haul is not actually everything that we have purchased that is because these items have been purchased over a long time and they have been put away so I could not do this like I would normally do. I have had to purchase Jess a lot of clothing over the last few months because of the fact that Jess does not have any clothing which is suitable for this time of year because obviously, she has grown so much since last summer. Some of these items are more for the cooler days and some are for if it is boiling hot again,  The majority of the clothing in this haul is from Boots, Mothercare and I think there is some GAP thrown in as well. 

A few weeks ago I popped to the designer outlet in York and we went to the GAP outlet because as you know Jess goes to nursery which means that if you can save some money on clothing which could possibly get ruined.  While in there I saw one random pair of Disney leggings they were these oatmeal coloured with Belle on the front holding the rose. These are actually in the size 2-3 which means that they are not going to fit her for a long time but Disney never gets old. These were reduced to around £4 when I got to the till which I thought was super cheap for GAP and Disney. I am going to team them with some plain t-shirts because of how busy these leggings already are. 

For some reason, I have no clue why the photo of this dress has a stupid black line down it I promise you on the actual dress it does not have this at all.  This item is a 12-18 months navy strappy skater dress with white dots from GAP. I picked this up because I love how simple this dress looks because she can either team it with a cardigan and tights should it be cooler and bare legs should it be warm enough for this to occur. This dress was only a bargain of £2.99 so this is one which I do not mind if this would get ruined a little bit at nursery.  I love how there is some darker coloured dresses for the summer months because they do not get ruined as easy as some of the lighter colours.

One of the first items which I purchased from Mini Club which is the kids clothing section from Boots. They do an amazing multi-buy offer which is almost like Next you can get 3 items for £12. When I first saw this dress I thought of the autumn months which is why I purchased it in the size 1 1/2-2 years the reason behind this is because I think it will look great paired with tights and maybe boots as well. It is long sleeved and it does have I think it is sunflower pattern. These dresses are of great quality and I know that this is going to be a dress which you are going to see on her a lot.

Another item which I purchase when in GAP was these blue flamingo leggings these are actually a little bit shorter than normal leggings I think these are Capi style. I loved how summery these look be she's I find it harder to find bottoms which are not too dark in colour when the weather is nice but not nice enough to wear shorts. I can not remember how much these were as they had money off what it says on the tag however I think they were around the £6 mark. These for sure are going to get plenty of wear out of them.

These long sleeved tops where something which I purchased two sizes to big because of the fact that they are long sleeved which means that Jess is going to wear them more in the autumn and for the cooler summer months. I adored these because of the floral pattern I have very rarely found really bright coloured and putting Jess in bright coloured items is something I love to do even on dull days because I love letting her  brighten other peoples days. These wear only £5 I think for both of these and these are going to get plenty of wear under either pinafore dresses and then also with leggings.

This is an item which my mum actually picked up for us this is a £2.99 dress from H&M this is a beautiful coral coloured dress which has a hell of a lot fruity on the front. Jess is someone who really loves fruit which means this is perfect for her. It is a simply dress which I think she is going to be wearing with bare legs while the warm summer days stay here. This is one which again I do not mind if she ruins at nursery with paint or something similar I think I might have to take a trip to H&M and see if they have anymore of these £2.99 dresses which I like.

In GAP I spied out these leggings which for anyone who knows Jess will know that she loves Ice cream she even eats it when it is a really cold day so I thought what would be more perfect for my little one than ice cream leggings. I love how these are dark and then they have a lovely bright pattern on them which means that they can be teamed with either bright tshirts or a plain light coloured tshirt. These were only around the £4 mark which is great because I think that they are such an unusual pair of leggings. I can not wait to put her in these because I think they could be one of my favourite pairs in the next size up which Jess will be going into very soon.

This dress is one which the camera is not picking up amazing I am sorry about this. This is a dress from one of the designers in Mothercare I can not remember who exactly so I am sorry about that. It has a velvet top half which is actually grey in colour and super soft to touch. Then the bottom half is a netted lace  over the top of a thin skirt. When I saw this I knew I had to get it so that Jess could wear it to any family occasion such as a family meal because I think it is a beautiful slightly smarter dress and it was actually reduced from £25 to £10 so it was bargain for the price.

The next item which is these pair of leggings which were only £3.50 for both of them. Leggings I have found are something which you can never have enough of our this may only be me. These are going to be great for the days when I want to put Jess in a top which you could class as busy or something which is bright. As these leggings are in a grey colour and then they are a pair which are a black/ navy colour. These were in 18-24 months due to the fact that they did not have any in a smaller size but these are going to be something which she is going to get a lot of wear out of anyway no matter the time of year that she fits into them.

I know this is a summer haul but we all know how cold it can be in the UK in the summer when the sun is not out so I picked her up another set of long sleeved tops which she can wear either under a pinafore or on their own.  I purchased these because I adore the rabbit one I think they kind of look a little bit like miffy anyone else remember that from their childhood. I think that the dark one will be one which will be used under the pinafores more. I think the rabbit one is one which I am going to get her wear on its own because it is so beautiful I think these both were around the £5 mark. These I can gee using them a lot for nursery because they look like they are going to wash so well and they are so easy to wear.

I apoligse for the random box which is on this picture for some reason when I came to edit it the box was there and I can not get it deleted. This dress is from mini club as well it is a long sleeved royal blue loveheart swing dress. As you may know if you follow me on Instagram you will know that I love these kind of dresses for Jess. I picked this one up because I love the colour I rarely see anything in the royal blue colour for girls which is really shocking. I actually got this in a couple of sizes too big because I have a feeling that Jess could shoot up again soon however if she doesn't it will come in handy for the autumn with tights instead of bare legs. This again was one of them which was on the multibuy offer. 

The reason behind I purchased this item was because of the shorts I adore them denim shorts and tights are something which I love to wear myself anyway. I thought these were so cute because of the flowers which I know is so on trend and this outfit was only around the £8 mark which made me think it does not matter if I only use the shorts and the tights and Jess use them with the with a different top. I am not a huge fan of the huge bow however, this may change when I put the outfit on Jess I am sure it is one which would look great for days at the park and the beach. I am sure we will have a few of them this summer. 

I adore the colour of this dress because it is such a bright pink colour and swans are not something which you see on a lot of items. For some reason this just screams summer to me it may be because of the colour. I am imagine Jess running around in this with bare legs and I think this is going to be one of the first items from this haul that I put her in because it might actually be my favourite. It reminds me of the chevron dress which Jess has in the size smaller because every time it came out of the wash Jess would wear it.  This was another one which was in the multibuy offer which makes me want it to got to Boots because I love there designs so much. 

  

The final item I purchased where these adoreable PJ's they were only £8 for both pairs I loved the that they had a woodland theme due to them been long sleeved I purchased them in the size which Jess is going to be in the autumn because I think they will be the best then. These feel like the most soft and cosy pj's which almost makes me wish they did them in my size because they are that amazing. I am sure that Jess is going to get so much wear out of these because pj's for sure are one thing which a girl can never have enough of. 

What have you purchased recently?

Charlotte x

The June Melt Box- Flamingo Candles '17

Another month has started well I know it started a while ago but that means that there is a new melt box. This months theme was tropic like it's hot as June is officially the start of the summer which as I write this is true because the UK is experience a heatwave it has been getting as hot as 30. No doubt next week we will be back to rain.  I am going to apologise for the quality of the pictures for some reason when I have uploaded them to blogger some of them have really random lines and there is nothing I can do with it. So I am very sorry about that. 

If you are unsure what the melt box is it is a monthly subscription box from flamingo candles each box has 8 wax tart melts. They are a combination of old favourites, current scents and some which are still yet to be launched as well as some exclusives to the melt crowd. As a member you receive a wax burner with your first box which allows you to burn the wax as well as a 20% discount code with every box which is useful for us candle addicts.

The first scent which I picked up was Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream which to me smells so much of summer because ice cream is something which I adore in the warm months. This really is one which I think I may have to burn in short periods of time because it is sweet which means that it could give me a headache if I have it in for too long,  However, this is one which I can not wait to burn this one because it does smell amazing like the actual ice cream but I am sure it will save me calories because I can not eat candles.

Cola Ice Pops is only a little bit of the cola scent and it is not one which smells like fake/cheap coke if you know what I mean, This does smell a little bit of the cola sweets which you get from Haribo I glad it is only light scent of cola because otherwise it may give me a horrible headache and not actually want to burn it if it was way to strong. This is going to be one which I think I may wait a while to burn maybe more when it is the actual summer months so more July/August will I burn this tart.

Gin and Tonic scent is not one which I love at all I think this is because to me it smells really like a perfume and it is not one which I actually like, I don't think I have actually tried gin & tonic but this scent I think would be one which people would love if they love gin and tonic. This is going to be one which I will not burn for a long period of time because it is not one of my favourites I might even end up giving this one away to someone who might love it more than I do. It could be one which does surprise me and I might love it when it comes to burning it this wax.

Lemon Sorbet was the next one which I picked out of the box this is one again to me which screams summer to me. I think because you seem to have a lot more lemon things in the summer months such as lemon in your drinks and you eat more sorbet. I think I would have to say that this is one of my favourites because I love how clean it smells rather than a super sweet one. I think this is one which I could burn so easy when I am cleaning or when I need hint of summer on those dull rainy horrible days which no doubt will appear at some stage in the near future. 

Palm Tree is another one which we received in this box this is something which you always think of if you go a on as a warm summer holiday abroad you will see that the and smell them. This smells a little bit of natural and is smells like the summer to me for some reason maybe this is because I have not been on holiday in the longest time abroad. I am sure that that this is going to be one which I am going to burn very soon while it is very warm. I think this is because I can dream that I am actually on a sunny beach somewhere. 

As you may know if you have read any of these posts you know that I actually love the fruity and clean scents. This one is scent is Pineapple & Lime this is one which I adore it smells like a lot of the fruit coolers like they do in Costa I think it is the tropical one. I know I have said a couple of these have been my favourites however, I am sure that this is my ultimate and maybe on of the favourite which we have had in the recent boxes. This is going to be one of the first ones which I burn when I get some spacer in my wax burners because they are currently full. I might have to research if they have this in a candle because for sure this is one which I would love to purchase in a huge candle size. 

The final item which I recieved in the box this month is the Strawberry Candy tart this is not one which I love. The reason behind this is because of the fact that it smells super sweet and this is not one which I like at all because it is to sweet for me I think that this would be on which you would adore should you like the sweeter scents. I think this is one which I might break up into chunks so that I do end up burning it and then it may not be too sweet for me. 

Overall I thought this box was actually a pretty good box I think this has been one of my favourite boxes in the last couple of months. I think there is only maybe 2 tarts which I am not looking forward to burning immediately.

What is your favourite from this box?

Charlotte x 

SENSSE Silicone Facial Cleansing Brush And Exfoliator

As some of you may know I have a Magnitone Cleansing I think it is the Lucid one I have have been using it for a couple of years, however, one of the things which annoy me about the brush is that I have to change the heads and they are around £6 per head. They need changing every couple of months as well. Recently I was contacted as asked if I would like to review the SenseSiliconee Facial Cleansing Brush and Exfoliator.

As soon as it arrived I was shocked it comes in the most gorgeous packaging it reminded me of when you purchase a new Apple product and you get the satisfaction of unboxing it. With this product, you get the facial brush, a USB charger and a bag where you can store the brush when it is not in use. You do not get the plug for the USB but this is not a problem I have so many of them. 

The brush as the name suggests is made of silicone which means that it is antibacterial and antifungal this means that there are no changing heads like with other cleansing brushes which are a bonus. This brush is actually great for all skin types at the moment my skin is a little bit more sensitive this could be due to the amount of sun that it has been getting and I now it is not used to it. 

The device flashes when it has a full charge which lets you know when it needs to be taken off charge which is helpful for me because I always forget to take things of charge. On the front of the device, you can turn the brush to a more intend setting which for me is something I always tend to do because I like a deeper clean. There are 6 speeds which you can use and you can change them depending on where you are using it. If that makes sense, for example, I use a higher intensity on my t zone than I do on my cheeks. I think this is because my skin is less sensitive or it seems to be. I have noticed that after the period of time where your skin breaks out because you have changed your skincare that my skin actually is clearer this could be for a number of reasons however I am putting it down to cleansing my face better than I have put down to this clever device. I have noticed I break out a lot less and some of the pores which I could see clogging no longer do look as clogged. 

I don't have to put any product on the brush head unlike with then magnitude I just use warm water thinks the same when I am done and want to.clean the brush after use.  The device notifies you after 15 seconds allowing you to know that it is time to move on to the next section of your face. On the back of the brush is the anti-ageing element which is harder you are meant to use this on areas where fine lines will appear and on your neck. It is supposed to reduce the fine lines by plumping the skin, however, this is over a period of time so I couldn't tell you yet if this element of the brush works, 

Another element which I really like is that after 3 minutes of not using the device it goes to sleep which is great because we have all forgotten to turn something like a toothbrush off and then come back next day to use it and it is dead so thanks to this element this can not occur.  Another element which in love is the device is waterproof which means you use it in the shower like I do every single morning. This knows you do not forget to do it and also it doesn't take a long time to do which for me is a bonus as a busy mum. 

The facial brush is £90 however currently is on offer on Amazon for £49.99. The outlay is only once as you do not have to purchase any extras for the device it is all included in the box when the device arrives. I am giving one lucky winner the chance to win their own facial brush For your chance to win enter below.

Win A Sensse Silicone Facial Cleansing Brush and Exfoliator #1

The giveaway will end on the 20th July and the brand will contact the winner. 

Have you ever tried a facial brush like this if so what did you think?

Charlotte x

Dear Dada- Happy Father's Day

Dear Dada

Another week has passed can you believe that we are already about 6 weeks into the 6 months I think there is only about another 20 weeks if that and you hopefully will be home for a long period of time because I miss you so much.  I can't wait to be able to get my hands on you and give you a big cuddle but knowing me I will end up killing it because I will burp in your face or pump because mummy says I am your girl.

This week start with a day at home on Monday because we are not doing 5 whole days at nursery at the moment because mummy doesn't need to be in uni anymore We have decided that we are going to have Monday's well most of them until September as Mummy and Jess days even though at the moment all we seem to do is chill and watch tv during them because we can be so tired from the weekend. This week we managed to play in the garden for a while and while I napped I know mummy took some pictures for the blog on her new camera. It has only taken her a few months to finally use it.

Shock horror I actually went back to nursery on Tuesday after 3 weeks off I finally managed to go and you should be proud I managed to do 3 whole days. I could have done 4 but Mummy told me I had to have the day at home with her on Friday because she would be working all weekend and she wanted to do a few things before. I was that excited about going back to nursery I managed to wake up at 5.15am which is 30 minutes before I needed to be awake I don't think this pleased mummy very much. I told her I was too excited to see my little friends I was glad they hadn't forgotten about me and they still all wanted to play with me. It was good to play with them and toys which are not at home. Do not worry nursery even asked about you see you are loved and they haven't forgotten all about you, unlike some people.

On Wednesday I thought I was a big girl because I got to go upstairs at nursery because they were not a lot of my friends and I was the first one in and I did not get in any earlier than normal. Due to the fact me been the first one in and the big ones were painting they let me go upstairs but nobody put the apron on me and instead of actually painting the paper like a normal person I painted my t-shirt. I think mummy was glad that it was one of my old t-shirts because she might have been super grumpy if it had been one of my newer ones.

Don't worry I made Mummy got to lush because you ordered some to be sent to you I picked out a few products which I thought you should try while it is the winter out there. I am sure you will like them and mummy even let me go in her stash and pick some items for you and 3 of them were actually limited edition stuff that must mean that she likes you a little bit because you know what she is like with the limited stuff. On Friday I finally found a box which I gave so many kisses and then I gave it to the nice lady at the post office who hopefully will have sent it to you it might take a while to get to you but make sure you keep your eye open for my parcel. It tells you what my secret project which is I keep mentioning. Don't worry you should know in the next month what it is o like to keep you waiting.

The weekend saw me spend a lot of time in doors with grandma because it was way too hot for me to play outside. Mummy was at work which meant I couldn't play with her so I decided to play with some of my toys and have a few long naps because this hot weather makes me sleepy because I'm not used to it. I think Mummy will have shown you how brown she is I am so jealous I know you will be. At least she earnt some money which she will be able to spend some on amazing times for me and maybe for you when you finally come back. Hope you loved my father's day card I spent a little bit of time playing on moonpig it's hard for us to choose out favourite pictures.

This week see's me being in nursery 4 days this week because mummy is working for Grandad in the mornings which means that she can not have me so I have to go on Friday too. Bonus though Grandad is actually going to pick me up on Friday I think it is because Mummy is buying him lunch for father's day on Friday.  We actually have a weekend free with no long plans yet t which is great because sometimes these are the best kind of times because we end up going and doing things randomly. I know Mummy wants to go strawberry picking but I don't know if that will happen this weekend or not.

Hope you have a good week Daddy I miss you so much

Love Jess xxxxxx

Choosing The Right Nursery For Us

As I am sure many of you know if you have read my blog previously Jess goes to nursery full time and has done since September.  She was a year old when she actually went into childcare that she did not go earlier was the fact that I had to wait for the start of the next academic year to be able to continue my studies.

I made the choice after Jess was born that I wanted to return back to university to finish my degree at this stage I had already completed 2 years. I think I was 3 weeks of returning to complete my final year when Jess was born if you don't know we were thinking about getting her adopted it was not until I saw her for the first time I realised that I could not longer do it.

It was about this time last year when I heard back from York St John telling me that I had a place there to complete the rest of my degree. I transferred from Chester as there was no way I could look after a one-year-old with no support from my family while I would be in the final year. Hull was the ideal option for me as I do not live that far from the campus told me I would have to start again completely and do all 3 years where York St John told me that I could just do two years and graduate.

Then came the problem thatYork St John, unlike some university, did not have a nursery which Jess could attend which mean that I had to research where Jess would be going when I had lectures.
The first issue did I have her in a nursery in Hull or York. I could have had her at nursery in Hull which would have meant that Jess would not have to commute with me every single day, however, if I had a 9 am lecture it means I have to get the train at 7 am and nurseries do not open before 7 am. This would have meant my mum would have had to drop her off which would not have been fair.Also, should Jess become ill it meant that I would have to leave university and have to travel an hour home before I could pick her up this is not something I would have wanted. Looking back and seeing how many times she has been sent home since starting I think she has been sent home around 3 times which could have cause problems should she have been based in Hull.

When I decided that she was going to have to commute to York with me this means me googling nursery because I had no clue where the nursery where and I needed them in the city centre because I needed to be able to drop Jess off easy. I started emailing nursery and could not believe that some of them had huge waiting lists of around 6 months I think I was told.

I found two nurseries which would have been suitable locations I would recommend going to visit them because you can a feel of the nursery make sure go when the children are in as you can see how it is every single day.By visiting them we found that we liked one a lot more than the other due to the fact that in the nursery she is in the under 2's are actually allowed to go and play in their outside session whereas at the other nursery they did not have an outdoor section which means they had to take them on walks to get fresh air and they were not available to play out.  Being able to go outside is something which Jess now loves as you know so this is a huge benefit she can play out.

Another thing which swung it for us it the fact that she actually gets her meals included in the price of a day which may sound really stupid to some people but when you are paying around the £45 mark and it does not include food it meant that it was going to be another £2 for food per day which we was in it means that it soon adds up. For us both of the nurseries which we looked are were going to include wipes however, we have to provide the nappies and any cream which we want to use on Jess. We also have to provide suncream in the summer months as well.

Another factor which put me off the other nursery which we did not choose was that the under 2's would have been upstairs which for some of you may not seem a huge issue but when you do not have a lot of time in a morning.  The last thing you want to have to do is go to another room which is full of children. Also they did not have a separate sleep room which meant that when the nursery put them down to sleep it was basically like putting them on yoga mats which is something which did not please me massively. I love that Jess has a variety of rooms to play in and I always find her in a different one. The staff at the nursery are amazing and help so much like they even said to me that if I didn't want her to make a Father's Day card with Joe been away she could just do a picture.

Hopefully, this post is helped you if you are looking for nursery to send your little one. These are just some things which helped me decide which nursery we sent Jess to and I love our nursery so if your looking for one in the York area let me know and I will tell you which one it is

Do you have any tips for helping choose a nursery?

Charlotte x

Top Alternative Father's Day 5 Ideas 2017

This post is a reminder for some of you that it is Father's Day this Sunday don't worry I hear you all panic there is still time to get an awesome gift and get it delivered in time. Don't worry there is a range of different items because I know not all Dad's are the same because I know I could not get the same present for Joe as I would my own Dad.

The first item which I am going to share with you in this gift guide is are Panasonic Multi Room Speakers these are something which I am sure that Dad’s who are technical would actually like or those who are into music.  These clever speakers allow you to fill a whole room with the music which you want to listen to you can take them out into the garden as well use to a number of them including the SC-All05 having a 9-hour battery life. This allows your dad to have music playing while you all have a nice family summer BBQ this summer. They are also waterproof which means you can have the music playing in the rain should you continue to BBQ when the weather changes.

Panasonic do a range of different wireless multiroom speakers including the SC-All7CD which allow your dad to have the whole of his CD collection, itunes library or any online subscription such as Spotify on this one device. It allows the whole collection to be saved on the memory which the speakers have allowing you to stream that any time when requires meaning your house could always be connected. With the music you adore always playing out. Obviously the speakers may not be in everyone’s budget this fathers day as they range from £170 to £380  you could maybe chip in with other siblings and get this gift.  This is a gift I can imagine giving Joe and end up using a hell of a lot more because I love my music a lot more than he does I think.  

Raging Bull is a clothing brand that I was introduced to by David from DadVWorld if you haven't checked him out you should do. Raging Bull is a company which is part owned ex-England Rugby Player Phil Vickery. They do some amazing clothing however, the items which I love the most are these polo shirts they remind me of Hollister if you think your dad would like the Hollister but you do not think that he is cool enough to rock them. These raging bull ones are amazing they look so smart you could wear them to events such as family meals when you need to look a little smarter than you may normally do.

They also do a huge range of different clothing some of the other items such as the rugby shirts remind me of the ones which you seen in stores such as cotton traders if you have ever visited that store.I personal think that they are something which I know a few of the males in my life would like.
You can purchase Raging Bull from their website they do a wide range of clothing so if polo shirts or rugby shirts are not something your Dad wears you might find something. These polo shirts are £45 however, from the reviews I have heard they sure are worth the money. I think they are going to be something which I may purchase Joe for Christmas hopefully he will forget about this post before. I would have purchase for my Dad however, I am unsure if he would like them due to been picky with styles.

This is a picture of something which we have done previously for the grand parents we have made them photo albums of Jess. Apoligises for the poor quality picture bit it is the only one which I have of the photo albums. Last year for Father's Day I made Joe a memory stick full of pictures of Jess which he could load on his digital photo frame. So depending on the age of your Dad/ Grandad you could do either option. Personally, I love this idea should you be like us who have Grandparents who do not see their Grandchildren a lot because things like this mean more even to the men who may not admit it as often. You can use apps such as Freeprints which I have mentioned previously and you can purchase photo albums or even make your own scrapbook. You do not have to make them Winnie the Pooh theme like the ones in the picture I am sure if you look you can get some which are a little bit more masculine.

You could make a album full of memories which you have had with this person for example I have done scrapbooks as well of Jess's first year of life as well as one which have been full of Jess's cake smash which she did for her first birthday. We have done this so that people can remember the occasion and I am sure will love looking back at herself when she is older. This gift would not break the bank and sometimes the gifts which have had a lot of thought put into them are the ones which go down the best. This reminds me I need to update Joe's memory stick when he comes back as all the pictures are at least a year old now.

Another idea for Father's Day is to take your Dad out for a meal beware some places may make you actually book in advance if you want Sunday. Depending on what kind of food your family like there are a range of places you could go to eat. I back in February did a review of Wildwood which would be an amazing restaurant to eat and would not actually break the bank. They do some amazing Italian food as well as burgers this is a place that you could easy have just a main meal or have a three course meal. I seem to remember when I have been previously a 3 course meal for 2 people came to around the £50 mark. I know not every city has a Wildwood I am just lucky that we have one in York however, you could take your Dad to his favourite restaurant it could even be somewhere that does a nice carvery. 

This is an option which I would do with my own Dad however, we are both working on Sunday together which means that it could be very late and we will just want food as soon as we get home rather than having to wait in a restaurant which could be very busy. You do not have to take him for food on Sunday if you are like us and could be busy you could do it whenever it actually suits you. Another option is order a takeaway and maybe watch some tv or a film you both like as it will give you the quality time together which is sometimes what means more than spending £100's on an physical gift. This is what I have found from my past experiences. 

The final item of this is on going in this round up which is these shave by touch shavers from EvoShave. These amazing shavers are designed for Men but I am not ashamed to admit that I used these. I was lucky to receive some just before Christmas and I have never had a problem with them I must admit. The have a touch strip which you rest your fingertips on and it gives you control and also it is meant to give you perfect precision,  These would be great for the Men in your life who love to actually maintain there beards as you could use these shavers to make sure everything looks neat. 

Instead of having multiple blades like a lot of the regular shavers which you see on the market do evoshave only have one blade which means that the blade gives you the ultimate sharpness, strength and durable. I have had one of mine which I have been using for 2 months however, I know that I will not use it as much as Men do because I don't shave my legs till I need to benefits of not going on dates and tights hide your leg hair.  The top of the shaver has been personalised for father's day they actually say super dad on the top where you put fingers they also say it underneath.  These shavers are so cheap they are only £4.99 and available on Amazon 

What do you plan on getting your Dad for Fathers's Day 

Charlotte x

This post contains a paid for advert by Panosonic and also may feature a PR sample however, all views are my own