Seven Seas Perfect 7 Blogger Challenge!

SEVEN SEAS PERFECT7 ANTI-AGEING BLOGGER CHALLENGE

 

The study on visual ageing, which examined the lifestyle habits of 100 men and women, found 7 healthy habits in the younger-looking group

1.    They drank more than 2 litres of water a day

2.    They didn’t smoke

3.    They ate a lot of oily fish (2 or more portions a week)

4.    They drank less alcohol

5.    They ate less refined sugar

6.    They ate high levels of fruit and vegetables

7.    Thay had a positive attitude

Now Seven Seas' are asking 7 bloggers to take part in this anti ageing challenge.

Each blogger has been assigned one of the magic 7 habits.

My challenge is to reduce my refined sugar intake for 7 whole weeks 

I practically live on refined sugars

So I know it will be trying at times but it's time I kicked my sugar addiction to the curb!

Along with reducing my sugar intake I'll also be taking Sea Seas' Perfect 7 duo pack which have scientifically been shown to support ::

Skin & Nails - Zinc

Hair - Biotin 

Energy - Magnesium

Brain - DHA

Vision - Vitamin B2

Heart - EPA & DHA

Hormonal Activity - Vitamin B6

The Challange is focused on achieving younger looking skin and if just doing one  out of the 7 has any sort of effect or if you really need to be doing all 7 to really see a change! 

I guess time will tell!

I'm not brave enough to share my before photo with you, but I've taken one and will compare it to the photo I take at the end of the challenge - by then I may be so ecstatic at the result I'll be more than happy to share!!

My daily diet consists of, lots of cups of sugary coffee and a silly amount of chocolate then dinner followed by even more chocolate!

As you can probably guess my moods are. Not. So. Great!

Sugar highs and lows play a big part in those moods. 

Something Jon absolutely hates.

My skin doesn't "glow" like it once used too.

My skin is dull and tired looking, but that doesn't surprise me I don't fuel it enough with the right sort of fuel, when it comes to myself I'd rather take a back seat and make sure the boys are eating and doing what they should be doing.

Which is of course is what everyother mother does, but if you don't look after yourself who else is going too?!?!

So with the hope of younger looking skin at the end of all this I am also hoping that it improves my diet! 

I've been out and bought some nuts and seeds to replace my chocolate snacks and some granola to eat for breakfast, along with sweetners to add to my coffee, as I don't think I could handle it without a sweetness.

I shall be tweeting and instagram'in how I'm going and I'll probably do some blog updates on how I'm doing.

If I come across as a moody cow please forgive me.

Have you reduced your refined sugar intake? 

How did you do it?

How did it go?  

#MySundayPhoto

Park all to ourselves,

Suns out, 

Perfect sunday!!! 

:) 

Love Your Mouth Challange

What are you like at brushing your teeth?

What about your children's teeth?

I'm pretty regimented when it comes to the boys but I'll be truthful I have on occasion gone to bed without brushing!!

*hangs head in shame!*

I have taken part in the Love Your Mouth Challange over at

http://www.loveyourmouth.co.uk/love-your-mouth-challenge. 

It's a quick questionnaire about your teeth and at the end it recommends what oral products you should be using!

For myself it recommended: 

Sensodyne pronamel toothpaste 

Sensodyne pronamel mouthwash

Normally when buying toothpaste for myself I usually pick up whatever is on offer and don't put too much thought into it and as for mouth wash that's once in a blue moon.

I will be trying out what was recommended for me and seeing if it makes a difference to my teeth. 

Also making sure I brush my teeth before flopping down into bed.

For the boys it recommended:

Ru - Aqua fresh milk teeth

The wildlings - Aqua fresh little teeth

Noah - Aqua fresh big teeth 

All of those are what I have been using already. So I feel like awarding myself some good mum points!

So why should we love our mouths??  

A new study has revealed that thousands of people could be putting their oral health at risk by not brushing their teeth in the evening because they are too tired.

 

The survey of 10,000 UK adults, commissioned by GSK, as part of its Love Your Mouth campaign (LoveYourMouth.co.uk), found that 45% of people questioned say they have gone to bed without brushing their teeth, which could increase their chances of cavities, gum disease and even tooth loss.

 

When asked why they don’t stick to a daily oral healthcare regime, 40% of respondents blamed being too tired, 30% said  it’s because they’re lazy and 28% admitted they forget to brush or floss.

 

Natty Burgess, a London Dental Practitioner comments: “People think that missing one brush won’t be a problem, but over time a lack of good hygiene can cause a whole host of unwanted oral health conditions. Not brushing at least twice a day can cause the build-up of plaque and calculus (hardened plaque), as well as tooth decay which can lead to sensitivity and cavities that require fillings. In a 24 hour period, we are awake for around 17 hours, equivalent to 1,020 minutes. You only need to spend around four minutes brushing, and a couple of extra minutes per day flossing to avoid having problems.”

 

 

Natty Burgess’ top tips for maintaining happy and healthy teeth:

 

1. Brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time.

The ideal times to brush your teeth are before bedtime and at least once more during the day (first thing in the morning is recommended). If you choose to brush after a meal or drink, wait around 40 minutes before your brush as this helps to avoid rubbing off the enamel which is softened after consuming acidic foods and drinks.

 

2. Use a suitable toothpaste

Most people are never taught how to brush or floss properly (if at all), and aren’t aware that you need to use an appropriate toothpaste.

 

3. Use floss or other interdental cleaning aids. 

Ask your dentist to advise you on the right aid and size for your mouth. Your toothbrush will not reach areas where the teeth contact each other, so if you don’t use interdental cleaning products, you’re not completely cleaning your mouth and this can lead to decay, inflammation of gums and many other issues. It is in the gaps between your teeth where you mainly trap food when you eat. Regular flossing especially at night is imperative in maintaining a happy and healthy mouth.

 

4. Use mouthwash, at least once a day at a different time from brushing, eg after lunch.

Mouthwash helps protect your mouth between brushing by maintaining lower levels of bacteria. Importantly though, mouthwash only compliments brushing and flossing but does not replace either. Mouthwash helps rinse out food particles from your mouth and helps deter bad breath as it is designed to leave your mouth with a fresh (normally minty) smell. For best results, no food or drink should be consumed for 30 minutes after it is used. Sploosh well, spit and don’t rinse.

 

5. Spit, don’t rinse.  Leaving toothpaste in your mouth helps protect your teeth.

Fluoride is a mineral which helps to strengthen tooth enamel, helps increase resistance to tooth decay and can also reduce the amount of acid produced by bacteria in your mouth. Therefore try not to rinse your mouth out with water after brushing as you’ll wash away all the fluoride.”

 

6. Use disclosing tablets to see how well you are cleaning your teeth.

They will temporarily stain any plaque so you can see what areas you’re missing.

 

7. Use a small headed toothbrush with soft, rounded bristles and a comfortable easy grip handle.

The approach should be to slowly and carefully follow a routine ensuring that they cover all areas, making sure no food remains in the mouth, and that no tooth has beenmissed.

 

8. Prevention is key

Ask your dentist to teach you how to maintain a routine with correct oral hygiene procedures suitable for your individual needs as this is the key to long term success. Historically, people have grown up watching their parents put a toothbrush in their mouth and simply brushing around, assuming it is quick and that’s all that is needed.  I regularly encourage my patients to go back to the basics and start with easy instructions on how to use a toothbrush and floss properly. 

 

9. Make brushing part of your bedtime routine

It can help if you connect the routine of brushing to the last thing you do before sleeping. If you like to take a relaxing bath or shower before bed, connect brushing your teeth with this relaxing part of your routine. To make sure you don’t forget to brush, it’s a good idea to set at least two daily reminder alarms on your mobile.

 

10.                Visit your dentist for regular professional cleaning and check-ups

If you notice any unexpected changes in your gums or teeth (such as bleeding, redness or sensitivity), or feel something just isn’t right in your mouth (perhaps a lump, sharp edge on a tooth or other pain), book an appointment as soon as possible before the problem becomes bigger and painful.  Small issues will regularly get sorted out easily and relatively cheaply by a dentist.  The longer you leave a problem, the more time, effort and cost it will take to deal with, and you may suffer unnecessarily and for no good reason in the meantime.

Why not head over to http://www.loveyourmouth.co.uk/love-your-mouth-challenge and take the Challange yourself!!

Mum life!

As a child / early teen I feared I'd never become a mother as I felt I was too different to be loved enough for someone to make me a mother.

As late teen early 20s I detested children and didn't want anything to do with them.

Becoming a mother has been the best thing that's ever happened to me and I truly believe it's what I was born to do.

Of course it's trying at times but the rewards of seeing your baby happy or achieving something on their own makes you beam from the inside out.

You made them, you helped them achieve that goal, you imparted some sort of wisdom onto them. 

Having your child run out of class with a massive grin on their face because they got 10/10 on their spelling test and of course it's because of you and your nagging but you praise them for being such a child genius! 

Even when they are wiping their snotty faces on you, you smile because hey you made that snot bag and they are pretty gorgeous even with that green stuff dripping from their noses! 

Being a mother you do things that you would never have dream of doing before kids. 

Catching sick with your hands..... Before kids you would have probably thrown up yourself if you had to do it.

Hey you made that walking sick bag, it's ok to use your hands as a convenient sick bag! 

Laughing when your new born baby wee's / poo's all over you. It's alright as its baby poop/wee and that's completely not at all like real human poop/wee :/

Of course it is but we fool ourselves it to making it ok! 

Even when they show you up in the middle of a shop by having the biggest ever tantrum and you are getting the awful judgemental stares from passers by its ok because you know when they are older you'll be able to embarrass the hell out of them and you'll have great pleasure in doing so! 

Just think when they are teens and have finally understood the joys of lay ins, you can get up super early and bang pots and pans around to get your own back for all those years of 'muuummmmmmmmmy the Suns awake it's playtime now' at bloody 5am!!! 

I think if you don't look on the bright side of being a mum it could really break you at times.

They do say being a mum is the hardest job in the world and they are correct!

All you mums should give yourself a pat on the back!

You're doing alright don't let anyone else tell you differently! 

Enjoy the hugs, kisses and snotty nose rubs because it doesn't last long as those little baby's grow far far to quickly! 

And remember being a mother is a gift, treasure it!!! 

Chocolate snotty toddler 1 - mummy 0

One should never leave a snotty child alone with a bowl of chocolate biscuits! 

It's never going to end pretty! 

A mini Zara Kids clothing Haul.

I've never bought clothing for the boys from Zara before but I thought I'd give it ago.

I normally get their stuff from Next but sometimes that can get a bit too expensive.

From first impressions I was impressed.

Next usually just stuff all the clothing inside a plastic bag and ship it out.

It looks like someone has actually put some care and effort into this packing.

Something like you get from online boutiques. 

I did this haul for Rupert but I'm definitely going to be going back online and ordering more for the rest of the boys.

I ordered two tops from their 'basic' range. When I think of a basic range I normally think plain and a bit boring, these tops are far from that.

Also at only £2.99 they are a great bargain! 

And

And

And they're organic cotton too!!

I then got two pairs of leggings at just £6.99 each.

One with printed knee patches and the other with a geometric print.

On the waste band they each have a funky little label. 

I do really love the little touches when it comes to clothes. So these may only be small things but it's a big win for me. 

Last but not least, this very funky monster hat. 

At £6.99

It's Stupidly perfect for my little terror! 

This whole haul cost £30.90 which is including postage.

I did the order yesterday morning and it turned up this afternoon.

Amazeballs! 

Zara you have been put into my good books, and I'm slapping myself to why I have never bought from you before! 

Please forgive me! 

http://m.zara.com/uk 

The Leas

If we are having a bit of a bum day nothing cheers us up more than heading out to The Leas

Nothing really beats being able to pop down to the beach to have an ice cream and a stroll.

The boys love nothing more than being out in the fresh air and dipping their toes in the sea.

I do normally try to fight a losing battle of trying to get them to keep their clothes on and stay out of the sea specially on cold days. 

My boys are nudists at heart and would be naked 24/7

Ru loves to have his own little adventure by people watching and running in the opposite direction to which we are trying to head.

A walk along the beach front always clears away our cobwebs and cheers up everyone the moment we open the car doors. 

It's like the sea air washes over us and makes us all fresh and new, ready to start again. 

Oh I really do love to be beside the sea side.

What do you do as a family for an instant pick me up?

Decorating my week - Planner Love

Today I thought I would go through how I decorate my planner .....

It isn't going to be as amazing as some you may have seen this is my first post like this, so we shall see how it goes. I'm also still experimenting with how I like my set up!

This week I've gone for a pinkish theme!

Firstly I pick my main washi then build up from there. 

The 4 washi I picked were a white with mint green triangles, white with pink polka dots, a thin light pink and a dark pink one.

Once I have placed my main washi tape I then add more on top - such as thinner washi on thicker washi.

Then out come the stickers, I'll just then randomly add whatever stickers jump out at me.

The telephone dial in the middle was from some paper that I got in my first Brimbles box. 

I like to have a "to do" box at the top which I usually add what blog posts need to be done that week or what needs to be paid - such as school dinners or whatever clubs Noah is doing that week. 

I will add any bits of info that I need to remember, I usually use really thin nibbed pens as I just like the look and it makes my handwriting neater. 

A lot of my stickers are from either Amazon or etsy. 

SwciStationery being on of my favourite etsy shop. 

My washi is from trips out and about or from the ideal owl 

Then they're are some bits from my first brimbles box used on this set up. 

Cuddles with Ray - My Sunday Photo

Ray is a very affectionate dog and is always wanting to be touched.

Always wanting reassurance that he really is wanted.

He must have had such a sad life before he was rescued.

My big soppy crazy dog <3

A Hannah catch up

I haven't done many personal posts recently, because 1. not much has been going on and 2. I had a ridiculous back log of sponsored posts and reviews to do! 

I can now do my  *happy dance* As I have completed all the posts that I needed to do and I can now chillaxe a little.

To do lists really do kick you into gear!

Soooooo I shall update you all with what little has been going on, because I'm sure you have all been dying to know! (Ahem maybe not, but you are here now so you might as well find out!) 

Since Noah is back at school and the twins are in nursery 5 hrs everyday apart from Wednesday we haven't really done much, other than the usual day to day stuff. 

Saying that on Tuesday I had the great pleasure of heading up to London to have a press meeting with the gooooorgeous Dr Ranj and have breakfast In the very posh Connaught Hotel. 

Whist I was there I got to meet the lovely Hannah who was also at the meeting  she has a great blog over at //zombiiemummy and I love following her family over on her instagram.

Don't you just hate it when you head out thinking you look semi ok and then when you see pictures you think for god sake what was I thinking .....

 Well that happened! Of course it would happen when meeting a celebrity! 

So Sorry for the face cover up but I was just blaaaah!

Can we all agree Dr Ranj's eyebrows are just amazingly perfect!?!

  

London Victoria has a lush shop, so on my way home I couldn't help but treat myself to some lovelies.

(Robot was for the boys!)

We have become Brand Enthusiasts for the lovely Etsy shop - /BlueberryBooKids     

I updated my laptop to Windows 10, and I am loving it!  

I hated windows 8 so much so that I hardly used my laptop. 

So yay for windows 10.

I have also just ordered my ticket for britmums live 2016. I thought I'd get in early and grab an early bird ticket rather than buy one last minute like I did this year. 

I have also treated myself to two new necklaces, one is a branch with 4 leaves with the boys first letter of their names on. Which I got from - www.raspberryripplejewellery.com 

Then the #MamaMakes Mama necklace from - 

/mamamakesjewellery 

So that's about it really. 

Have you been up to anything fun this week? 

Last but not least! 

I saw this on Facebook and thought it was very appropriate for every mummy out there! 

Have a lovely weekend! 

xXx 

Care For Your Bear - The new campaign from Dettol!

If like my boys, your children have a beloved thousand or so teddy bears dotted around their room you'll want to pay close attention! 

New laboratory research conducted by Dettol has revealed cuddly toys have the highest levels of bacteria in the family laundry basket!!

• 66% of Teddy bears contained staphylococcus aureus, a microbe linked to skin infections, respiratory disease and food poisoning,.

• Almost 50% of mums worry about germs on soft toys 

• Nearly half of parents mistakenly put teddy bears in the wash with contaminated items such as dirty underwear and tea towels. 

• 1 in 5 teddy bears have never been washed. 

• Almost 25% of teddy bears contained bacteria linked to faeces.

• 3/4 of teddies are not washes after a child is ill! 

The Dettol Care For Your Bear campaign, supported by hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley, aims to raise awareness of germs and bacteria found on teddies and soft toys. 

I have to say I'm pretty good at washing teddies when they get grubby or when the boys get sick, but I do just chuck them in with what ever else needs to be washed at that moment in time. Cross contamination has never really crossed my mind! 

Until now.

After listening to the lovely Dr Ranj over breakfast in a fancy London hotel I came home and shoved Jon's old Mr Scotty dog straight in the wash on low with a cap full of Dettols Anti-Bacterial Laundry Cleanser!

The twins found him the last time we went to Nana's house and was then sneaked home by Jon and the twins. 

Naughty boys!

Jon is nearly 30 so this poor dog hasn't seen love for some time and god knows what germs were crawling around on him! 

Washing on a low temp will protect the teddy but it won't kill the germs so adding Dettols Laundry Cleanser to the wash will do just that! 

Before :

After:

As you can see, he's amazingly white and I now have no issue with Oscar taking him to bed. 

Scotty also smells 1000x better! 

 Dettol Care For Your Bear guide - 

1. Wash at a low temperature with an anti-bacterial laundry cleanser - to prevent damage. Dettol Anti-Bacterial Laundry Cleanser kills 99.9% of bacteria.

2. Avoid cross contamination - avoid washing teddy bear with regular laundry, especially dirty tea towels and underwear. 

3. Dry teddy naturally - when possible dry teddy naturally, tumble dryers can be too harsh on most soft toys and increase the risk of damage to the shape, fur and smaller parts like the eyes. 

4. For extra protection you can pop teddy in a nettled bag or pillow case before he goes in the wash to provide a protective layer.

5. Give teddy a sponge bath - small smudges and build ups of dirt are common and expected for a well loved teddy. For a quick wash dilute 1 cap of Dettol Anti-bacterial laundry cleanser to 2.5L of warm water and sponge clean. 

If you want to join in with this campaign share pictures of your little ones teddy on the Dettol Care for Your Bear Twitter page  @dettolteddy #careforyourbear.

All entrants will automatically be in with a chance to win a Dettol Antibacterial laundry Cleanser. 

The Rabbit Who Wants To Fall Asleep • Book Review •

Welcome to the new way of getting your children to sleep.....or so they say.....

Written by Carl-Johan Forssén Ehelin who is a physicologist from Sweden.

Parents are advised to read slowly and methodically and to yawn throughout the narrative. It is believed that these psychological reinforcement techniques transfer to the child who then mimics their parents’ sleepy behaviour.

Roger the Rabbit can't sleep so take a visit 'Uncle Yawn' with your child along the way they bumb into Sleepy Snail and Heavy-Eyed Own who share they're tips on falling to sleep. Once at Uncle Yawn's they have magic sleeping powder sprinkled over them and then are sent back home, where they will fall asleep Now! 

Did it work for us?

The first time I read it to the boys they were having none of it.

Looking back I hadn't set the right tone, Rupert was making noise and I had a family friend over. 

So I gave up and read something else.

I gave it another go this evening and have to say I'm amazed. 

From the get go I set the right tone, I took the time to read to them calmly, quietly and slowly.

Taking the time that the book needs really paid off, both boys were drifting off half way through. Alex had his head on my shoulder and I could feel his head getting heavier and heavier.

As soon as his head was on the pillow he was out.

Oscar was still half awake at the end of the book but I'm putting this down to having the big light on ( I haven't found them a nice little side light yet) as soon as the light was out, he was out too!

" Out like a light! "

*** Mr Forssen Ehrlin claims to use language patterns and complementary images to lull even the most energetic child to sleep over the course of its 26 pages.

He claims: "This is an innovative and groundbreaking type of bedtime story that uses sophisticated psychological techniques.

"These are formed in a way to help the child relax, fall asleep faster and sleep calmer every night. The tale gives suggestions to the child's unconscious mind to sleep." ***

Published by Ladybird books, in paperback, ebook and audiobook.

Pre order/buy here: http://amzn.to/1iiKm0o

• we were sent The Rabbit Who Wants To Fall Asleep for free in return for an honest review! •

~~in case you were thinking why the hell do they still having dummies and bottles, well because they do...... Theory about to go, I'm just working up to it!!!~~

DANGER IS still EVERYWHERE • Book Review •

A new handbook for avoiding EVEN BIGGER DANGER!!!

"Docter Noel is facing his most terrifying situation Ever - a little dog called Napkin has come to stay. That may not sound particularly dangerous, but every POD (Pupil of Dangerology) knows the only safe pet is a pet rock. 

Written by David O'Doherty - who is a multi award winning stand up comedian 

Illustrations by Chris Judge - is the Award winning author/illustrator of The Lonely Beast.

Noah really enjoyed reading this book and loved how it was set out as a silly survival guide. 

He's already taken it into school to

Show and Tell it as his new favourite book. 

Written by the brilliantly funny O'Doherty it's sure to make anyone laugh out loud. 

Funny abbreviations through out the book set to make you giggle because .... there isn't enough time to use full words!!! 

Pretty much Docter Noel Zone try's to convince you everything is dangerous and how to beat that danger with his special danger fighting equipment such as - 

*Eye googles for reading books

*Danger Boots to protect your feet from falling books!

*Book Gloves

In the book Docter Noel Zone will teach you to become a full on Dangerologist and take you through all the dangers of life, such as reading books to the scary danger zone also know as Bus Stops!!!!

We both enjoyed taking the DETBAFOD 

(Dangerology Examination To Become A Full On Dangerologist)

We are now both full fledge Dangerologist .... Be jealous be very jealous!!!!

A must read for both boys and girls alike everyone will enjoy this book! 

Easy to read and keeps your attention throughout as it's just so silly and fun! 

You can buy it over on Amazon  Now!!!!

What are you waiting for???!!!