Heroes Of The City Giveaway!

So I have teamed up with Heroes Of The City and finally get to host my first giveaway - I am very excited!

Heroes of the City is a television cartoon about rescue vehicles in a small town where everyone can be a hero!

Emphasizing friendship, Heroes of the City contains a great deal of warmth and what may be accomplished by helping each other. The cartoon is primarily targeted at children age 3 – 7. 

So if you have young children enter this giveaway and you can win all this:

The prize includes:

 Heroes Of The City Book - The Hot Air Balloon

Heroes Of The City DVD - Ready To Rescue

Heroes Of The City Die Cast Cars x 2

There is also an amazing free Heroes Of The City App which you can download too.  

To download the Heroes Of The City App for yourself follow these links: 

GooglePlay or  Apple ITunes

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway ends on 10th March 2014 at 12pm - Good Luck!

Love Sophie...xxx

This is a sponsored post in conjunction with Heroes Of The City. 

Terms and Conditions:

1. Competition Starts: 26th February at 1.30pm. 2. Competition Ends: 3rd March at 9pm. 3. All entries will be checked (so no cheating please) 4. Winner will be chosen at random. 5. Winner will be chosen within 24 hours. 6. Winner will be announced on Yummy Mummy Survival Facebook Page. 7. Winner must reply to my e-mail within 48 hours otherwise another winner will be chosen. 8. Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England ONLY.

Workout At Home..No Excuses!

If like me you are a busy mum I know exercise is the last thing you want to be thinking about! However if you are feeling lathargic and low of energy, uncomfortable in your own skin or just generally unfit and you know you should do something about it then why not build up your will power and really try and make some changes!  

It might not be right for you, but for me going to the gym or external classes is too expensive and I also don't really have the time to factor in the travelling to and from.  Therefore I prefer to do my exercise at home, on my own turf, in my own time.  If you think this might be for you why not try some DVD's that you can stick on after the kids have gone to bed or before they wake up even?  Anytime that suits you is fine.  

Exercise DVD's are great, you can choose how long you exercise for and when you want to do it by varying the DVD's you use.  Personally I like to work out 3/4 times a week usually doing 3 x 1 hour work outs and 1 x 1/2 hour work out, you can do this too, or you could just 30 mins a day for 5/6 days a week - basically whatever is most convenient for YOU!

Although it might be a pain in the arse when your knackered to get up and start exercising,  I promise you that you will feel so much better for doing it in the short term and the long term.  Here is a selection of workout DVD's I have put together for you ranging from beginners up to a more advanced level:

Click Here For A Selection Of Davina DVDs

Click Here For A Selection Of Jillian Michaels DVDs

Click Here For A Selection Of Bob Harper DVDs

Other DVDs To Try

As you know I am a huge fan of Jillian Michaels who not only provides great workouts but also helps and encourages in other ways too. Click here to see Jillian Michaels answer your questions.  Another way to grab yourself a bit of inspiration to workout is to by some new clothes click here and here to see some of my reviews!

Love Sophie...xxx

P.S: Don't forget you can find me on Bloglovin too! 

Go Vintage At Home With BHS

I am loving these Vintage inspired pieces from BHS and the best bit is they are currently in the up to 50% off home event! Check out my top 10 picks below for some lovely home inspiration!

1. Everleigh Bedset - Was £35 Now £17.50

2. Waffle Jacquard Throw - Was £25 Now £20

3. Bird Top Jar - £18

4. Cordelia 5 Light Cluster - £95

5. Teacup Tea Towels - £5.99

6. Papillion Bedspread - Was £90 Now £45

7. Vintage Floral Print Vase - £12

8. Vintage Everleigh Cushion - Was £20 Now £10

9. Ditsy Butterfly Stick Lamp - £20

10. Teacup Mugs - £12

I appear to be in a shopping frame of mind at the moment.  All my recent posts seem to revolve around great things to buy! Ha! 

Love Sophie...xxx

Sportswear From Asda George

I know I have recently posted a sportswear/workout wear post from H&M but following a recent online browse through Asda George I found these bargain pieces not to be missed! 

1. Reversible Sports Bra - £5.00

2. Sports Zip-Through - £12.00 

3. Reversible Bralet - £5.00

4. Panelled T Shirt - £10.00 

5. Joggers - £12.00 

6. Cropped Leggings - £10.00 

One of the best tricks to staying motivated in your workout is to get some new threads and at these crazy cheap prices there really is no excuse! 

Love Sophie...xxx 

Boys Fancy Dress @ Asda

As promised here are some of the Boy's options from Asda's fancy dress range!  All of the costumes start from £10.00 and there is loads of choice but here are my top 9:

1. Where's Wally

2. Horrid Henry

3. Thor

4. Superman

5. Hulk

6. Jake & The Neverland Pirates

7. Harry Potter

8. Policeman

9. Power Ranger

I hope this gives you some inspiration click here for all the boy's fancy dress costumes at Asda.

Love Sophie...xxx

Happy Birthday Me!

I don't know about you but I tend to get a bit tense towards my Birthday.  This year I have turned 31 (does this classify as being in my thirties - eek?) As it is the half term today I will mostly be staying in my bed for a little bit longer than the norm then we are going to Pizza Express for lunch with my girls and watching Mr Peabody & Sherman at the cinema. Tomorrow we are going out for more pizza at a local restaurant followed by Birthday drinks (adults only).  I can't wait! xxx

Cadbury World

Last weekend we went all the way to Manchester on a 4 1/2 hour trip to visit some friends which was absolutely great! I always love a good road trip and my two girls were quite happy watching DVD's and colouring in the back which is always good! 

On our way home the following day we decided to stop in at Cadbury World.  This is somewhere I have always wanted to visit (for obvious reasons) but have never had the chance to go to Birmingham where Bournville resides.  We probably spent about 3 hours there all in all.  It was quite busy when we arrived but our tour was booked for mid afternoon so  by this time the busyness had started to die down which I think was good.  

The girls loved the play area outside which you don't even have to pay for to use you can just park in the free car park and walk round the side to reach the play area.  After burning off some energy we then went inside and visited the largest Cadbury shop in the world where we were able to buy Cadbury's Misfits and every other Cadbury product under the sun - the girls had a blast! After this it was time for our tour of the factory.  This includes an introduction to the history of chocolate moving on to how Mr Cadbury managed to make his fortune etc. We then got to see the Dairy Milk bars being processed and packaged in the actual factory and also got to taste melted chocolate topped with a choice of sweets which was very indulgent indeed.  There is a little ride inside the factory perfect for the kids which takes you around a little cocoa bean world with mini talking cocoa beans - very sweet (excuse the pun).

Near the end of the tour there is an interactive area which my girls loved and we stayed there for quite a while as they happily played.  

While you walk around the factory there is a very strong smell of chocolate which is really good if you're a chocoholic like me but can get very sickly by the end especially during the warm areas of the factory.

All in all we really enjoyed our visit to Cadbury World and have only good things to say.  If you are passing I would definitely recommend you pay a visit! 

Love Sophie...xxx

Girls Fancy Dress @ Asda

I was recently browsing the Asda George website (as you do) and couldn''t believe what a great selection of fancy dress they have for children and at such a great price too, all from £12.50!  

We have an awful lot of fancy dress in our house so much so that we now have a dedicated clothes rail for the fancy dress clothes.  We have a range of outfits from all over the place mostly from the Disney Store but also from shops such as Asda and Argos too and I must say the Asda options are very good quality and not to be sniffed at.  The only bug bear I have with the non Disney Store costumes is that they often have the princess' pictures sewn onto them and obviously as my girls want to pretend to be the actual princess I see this as a little silly as the princesses themselves do not walk around with their own faces on them (if you see what I mean)?!  

Check out my top 12 below: 

1. Merida
2. Girl Pirate
3. Belle

4. Red Riding Hood
5. Goldilocks
6. Alice In Wonderland

7. Ariel
8. Snow White
9. Cinderella

10. Dorothy
11. Rapunzel
12. Tinkerbell








For many more costumes click here. I have also been looking at the Boy's range of fancy dress from Asda which I will be posting soon.

Love Sophie...xxx

Lost & Found - Book Review

I received Lost & Found: True tales of love and rescue from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home from Penguin Publishers to review and must admit I was totally sucked in by the emotional stories inside.  If you are a lover of animals then why not give this book a try and with profits going direct to Battersea you can't go wrong!

There is a sweet foreword by the beloved Paul O'Grady followed by 12 real life stories of course my favourites belong to the kitty stories! I also love books with photos in the middle which is exactly what you get with Lost & Found.

As you may already know we have four cats two of which were adopted from our local Cats Protection. Battersea care for around 190 cats and kittens and 400 dogs at any one time.  All in all 3.1million cats and dogs have been helped since Battersea was founded in 1871.

So if you are a lover of these furry creatures why not buy this book and help towards Battersea's ongoing goal to look after all dogs and cats who need help.  

Love Sophie...xxx

Happy Valentines Day - It's Not Too Late!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! If you have left it too late to get a present for your loved one or you just want to treat yourself why not try one of these great Valentine's Day inspired recipes?!

1) Cherry Coke Float Cupcakes - http://belleofthekitchen.com/2014/02/06/cherry-coke-float-cupcakes/

2) Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies - http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/01/23/strawberry-chocolate-chip-cookies/

3) Chocolate Strawberry Crisps - http://www.caramelpotatoes.com/2014/02/06/chocolate-strawberry-crisps/

4) Chocolate Strawberry Hearts - http://loramore.com/chocolate-strawberry-hearts.html 

Some of these recipes are American so the ingredients list is slightly different to ours in the UK. Click here for a guide on how to convert US recipes for the UK.

Love Sophie...xxx

Winter Little Adventures Challenge

This post is an entry for BritMums ‘Winter Little Adventures Challenge’ sponsored by Barny, individually wrapped bear-shaped sponges with a hidden filling Find out more about Barny here. 

My girls were very pleased when we received our Barny sponges.  We haven't had these before in our house but according to my six year old they are very popular at the school lunch table! We received the apple and strawberry flavours and both girls really enjoyed eating them, so much so that they were gone before you could say Barny! The great thing about these little Barny sponges is that they contain no added  colours or preservatives and they are individually wrapped so are perfect for lunch boxes and snacks when out and about too! 

Lulworth Cove

We have also been on a little family adventure to Lulworth recently.  If you didn't already know, Lulworth is in Dorset (which is where we live).  There is a beautiful little cove called Lulworth Cove funnily enough and a tiny village too.  A short walk along the Jurassic coast also brings you to Durdle Door.  This is a beautiful place to visit if you ever have the chance.  The last time I visited was when I was at school so we thought it a nice idea to take the girls.  

Being January the weather was bitterly cold but the sun was out (a bit) and we had a really lovely day taking in the sights and adventuring around the village.   As it was out of season it meant there was hardly any people or tourists so we were free to roam around as we pleased checking out the pebbles and shells on the beach.  We found a tiny mollusc which the children 'saved' by returning it to the sea.  We also found a lot of tiny waterfalls coming from the white cliff's and running down along the pebble beach into the sea which the girls loved jumping over and inspecting.  

Although we looked hard we didn't find any fossils but the girls collected a lot if shells and interesting shaped pebbles.  They also found an awful lot of washed up seaweed but my three year old was positively not keen on being anywhere near it and would run screaming in the opposite direction when her big sister teased her about it! Ha! 

We finished our adventure off with an ice cream for the girls (crazy children!) and hot drinks for the adults and also popped into Lulworth Castle for a very quick wonder around the grounds before heading home! 

All in all we had a wonderful adventure and really enjoyed getting out on a crisp winters day, especially as it wasn't raining for a change.  There was no arguing or bickering between the girls for the entire day and we all got home feeling happy and refreshed!

 

Love Sophie...xxx

Valentine Ideas From Not On The High Street

It's not too late to buy the perfect token of love for your Valentine! Check out these brilliant ideas from Not On The High Street - perfect for your true love!

,

1) 'Moon And Back' Keyring - £10 Click Here.

2) Worlds Hottest Chilli Powders In A Matchbox - £5 Click Here.

3) 'I Love Your Face' Valentine's Mug - £10 Click Here.

4) Personalised Polaroid Style Photo Cards - £9.99 Click Here.

5) Personalised Valentine's Coffee Stencil - £12.50 Click Here.

6) Message Beanstalk Seeds - £3 Click Here.


Love Sophie...xxx

Girls Hairstyles - Cross Overs

I absolutely love this hairstyle technique!  it is really easy to achieve and very versatile.  it is also good for younger girls who have quite fine hair.  You can basically do as many 'cross-overs' as you like or as many as you can fit! 








1) Section the hair into a middle parting. Using some small rubber bands make a square shape at the front of the head and tie into a mini ponytail - one on each side.









2) Create a second 'square' behind one of the first ponytails and take the first ponytail made diagonal to the parting of hair you are working on and tie the original ponytail into the new ponytail.  Repeat on the other side of the parting.

3) Repeat process 2 as many times as you like.  You can use coloured hair bands or just plain ones which match the colour of your child's hair.






Have Fun! 

Love Sophie...xxx

This Week I'm loving...

...Sports Luxe...

So with the Sports Luxe theme going no where fast I have fallen for this gorgeous pair of Limited Edition Slip-On Trainers from none other than Marks & Spencer! 

At only £25.00 and available in three colour options you really can't go wrong with a pair of these. Available in Lace (pictured), Leopard and Black.  Wear them with skinnys this spring to give a really current look to your outfit! 

I also noticed this week that M&S are now delivering to America & Australia free with any order placed over £30! Bargain! 

Love Sophie..xxx

Body Shop - Vitamin E Range

Have you seen the latest offering from the Body Shop yet? If the answer is no then let me introduce you to Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil!  Claiming to be just as good as 8 hours sleep for your skin with a unique texture offering a non-greasy, fast absorbing formula.  The link above will take you to The Body Shop's dedicated page to this new product with instructions and videos on how to use which I love!

Other products in the range include  Body Butter, Body Lotion, Cool BB Cream, Cream Cleanser, Cream Exfoliator, Eye Cream, Facial Cleansing Bar, Facial Oil, Cleansing Wipes, Facial Wash, Hand & Nail Treatment, Hydrating Toner, Iluminating Moisture Cream, Intense Moisture Cream, Lip Care, Moisture Serum, Night Cream. Moisture Mask, Moisture Lotion, Tinted Moisture Lotion and Face Mist...Phew!!  To see more information and the prices of any of these products please click here.

I have had the chance to test the Face Mist and Night Cream and this is what I have found:

Vitamin E Face Mist: This is a great addition to your beauty cabinet!  It has a light rose fragrance and is not too over powering.  I have been using to set my makeup and it really helps your look last! You can also use to freshen up through the day.  The spray is very light and you don't feel like you've just stepped out of the shower with a dripping wet face which is good.  This also means it drys very quickly leaving you to get on with your day.

Vitamin E Moisture Cream: The thing I love most about this range is that the products are very light and easy to apply.  This cream is great it goes on smoothly and absorbs into your skin really quickly and easily, perfect for when you ar about to apply your makeup. The scent is very subtle too and doesnt make your eyes sting like some stronger smelling products can do.  










Love Sophie...xxx

n-greasy, fast-absorbing formula delivers fuss-free, instant skin
comfort! This technical innovation combines power an

d indulgence to replenish and recharge
skin with moisture overnight. With a unique texture, this non-greasy, fast-absorbing formula delivers fuss-free, instant skin
comfort! This technical innovation combines power and indulgence to replenish and recharge
skin with moisture overnight.With a unique texture, this non-greasy, fast-absorbing formula delivers fuss-free, instant skin
comfort! This technical innovation combines power and indulgence to replenish and recharge
skin with moisture overnight.

5 Things You Didn't Reallised Before Having Children

I often think to myself why didn't someone tell me about these things before I had children?  So I'm just going to get right down to the nitty gritty, here goes:

1. You are no longer able to jump on a trampoline or blow up a balloon.  The mere suggestion leaves you with sweaty palms.  Unless you were very, very good at carrying out your pelvic floor exercises whilst pregnant you will know that you are not as strong downstairs as you used to be (if you know what I mean).

2. You don't only have to worry about your own bottom's cleanliness but of another human's too!  As a first timer I remember actually asking a friend how I should go about making sure my potty trained child's bum was cleaned satisfactorily!  The answer I got was "tell your child to touch their toes"!  This works by the way! 

3. It takes forever to get in & out of the car!  In fact it can take so long some days that you may as well walk! Getting your children to just sit in the actual car seat poses your 1st challenge whether they be babies or bigger kids,  followed by your 2nd challenge,  getting the seat belt fastened.   On the occasion when I am getting into the car alone I actually cherish the speed in which I can do so...ahh bliss!

4. You can never be ill again. As a mum it doesn't seem to matter how bad you feel you have to carry on with your everyday routine when really all you want to do is curl up into a ball with the lights off!  You will still be required to entertain, clean feed and wash (and that's just your Husband)! Seriously there is never a day off when you are a parent.

5. You get wet (a lot)! I have never been caught in the rain as much as I have since my daughter started school! It appears that at the exact same time every day between 8.30am and 9.00am and between 2.45pm and 3.15pm (the school run) the heavens open and us parents get soaked.  Be prepared for this, as when your children are still babies the wettest you'll get is travelling between the front door and the car.  You do not realise that when standing around waiting for the school bell that the rain will come and you will end up looking like a drowned rat.  Also be prepared for the rain to stop the minute you are safe and dry!

I hope this has thrown up a few insightful ideas of what to expect now that you have children - be warned! Ha!

Love Sophie...xxx

Sorgenfresser Worry Eaters

Have you seen these Worry Eaters advertised lately? As the winner of the Editors Choice awards at The London Toy Fair and winners of a series of awards around Europe and the UK these toys shouldn't be left on the shelf!  

Sorgenfresser is a German man who came up with this fantastic idea after having his own personal worries about his business.  The idea is for children to write down any worries they may have and put them into the zippable Worry Eater's mouth.  Once the zip is closed the worry will hopefully be put to rest. The Sorgenfresser's motto is 'We eat your worries', and sometimes with just a little bit of help, this is exactly what they do.

As a parent we do not always know what our children are thinking and by checking the Worry eater periodically you may find a worry that you can discuss with your child and hopefully resolve any problems.  

According to a survey carried out by Coiledspring Games a third of parents believe that children today are under so much pressure they worry more than they did.  Personally I think this is true and am constantly worried about my daughter and the worries and pressures she maybe under so I have invested in Polli the Worry Eater in hope that my kids can symbollically zip away their fears.

To read more check out this article by The Mail Online.

Love Sophie...xxx

DIY Bath Paints

 I Love this great idea on how to create your own home made bath paints! My girls love painting in the bath and shop bought paints are expensive and not always what they are cracked up to be! We have tried quite a few bought paints and have found some are not very colourful and others get dropped in the bath and dissolve quicker than you can say 'paint'! 

Why not try using this recipe to concoct your own = 1tbsp cornstarch, 4-6 pumps baby shampoo, 2-3 drops of food colouring, 1tsp of water. Good Luck!

Love Sophie...xxx