What I am looking forward to this summer.

I hate the winter, I don't do well in the cold and it makes me grumpy and moody when it's grey out. I am not much of a fan of the spring either although I do love getting out in the garden. What I do love is the summer. I can't wait for it but I will of course complain about being too hot if we have another of those silly heatwaves that we had last year. 

These are the things I am looking forward to over the summer:

Longer days and sunny evenings.

It is such a chore to get up when it is still almost dark and I always feel tired earlier when it's dark outside and I am cosy inside. I love the longer days and sitting outside on an evening. Ellie likes them to so she can go out and hang with her friends.

Blue skies.

The sky seems to have been grey and cloudy for months. The blue skies seem to really lift my mood. We have had a couple recently but not enough for my liking.

Visiting somewhere by the sea.

Last year we went for a day out with my dad and partner but this year we're having a little holiday by the sea and I can't wait!! I can't wait to smell the sea air and of course get fish and chips.

No more school! 
Ellie leaves school this summer and I will no longer be parent of school children. Eek! It seems scary to think about but Ellie is taking it all in her stride.

Wearing less clothes. 

I love being cosy in my snuddie or oversized woollies but sometimes I feel claustrophobic in too many layers. I can't wait to get back to wearing vest tops and shorts even if I hate my legs.

Growing things in my garden.

I had success last year growing flowers, sunflowers, pumpkins and tomatoes last year but this year I am determined to grow some peppers and maybe sweetcorn too! It might end up saving us money if I manage to grow enough.

Sitting in a pub garden.

There is nothing better than a pint of something in a beer garden on a sunny evening!

Fruit! 

I seem to go crazy for fruit over the summer. Strawberries, raspberries, melon and the more normal fruit like bananas and grapes. I love to eat fruit or have them in smoothies, the Breville blender which I got years ago is still going strong.

A more positive mood.

When it is bright and sunny out my mood really lifts. I feel happier and I have a lot more motivation.

Reading in the garden.

Last year I got into the habit of having half an hour sitting in the garden reading and it got me back into reading.

Festivals!

I would love to go to one but I will make do with watching them on the TV. My girls are so into their music and love watching along either on the TV or YouTube.

Having a barbeque.

BBQ's are fun and it means that I don't have to cook. hehehe 

Hearing an ice cream van.

I love it when the ice cream van comes around now, the kids don't bug me for money for an ice cream as they have their own money now. Becky her wages and Ellie her pocket money.  Sometimes they even buy me an ice cream.

What are you looking forward to over the summer?

(Ad - Gifted) NOMO, the UK’s no.1 vegan and free from chocolate! - Review!

January has of course seen lots of people joining in with Veganuary and although we are almost at the end of the month I am betting a lot of people will be continuing eating vegan and looking for new things to try.

I was recently sent a selection of NOMO Vegan chocolate to try out. It is a brand that I had never heard of so I was interested to see what it was all about.

For a long time many vegans and those with a food allergy or intolerance were excluded from mainstream chocolate,  alienated from the same options that everyone else could enjoy. NOMO wanted to fix this problem, so that instead of feeling FOMO people could finally feel NOMO - No Missing Out!

NOMO is the UK’s number one free from chocolate brand from Kinnerton. With six flavours, Creamy Choc, Dark, Caramel & Sea Salt, Fruit & Crunch, Not Hazelnut Crunch and Caramel. NOMO is dairy, gluten, egg, and nut free and is produced in Kinnerton’s pioneering ‘nut free’ factory. 

NOMO is lovingly made in a factory in Norfolk, England. Set in a small market town, the factory supports the local community and causes close to their hearts. They are passionate about sustainability. They use a plant based substitute for milk powder, the cocoa is Rainforest Alliance Certified, and no palm oil is used in any of their products.

New for Veganuary is the Caramelised Biscuit Chocolate Bar. A delicious fusion of creamy choc, biscuit-y crumbs, plus a hint of warming spice. The Caramelised Biscuit Chocolate Bar is of course free from dairy, gluten, egg, and nuts making it suitable for free from, vegan and non vegan consumers alike.

I tried this bar before the kids got their hands on the rest of the NOMO bars and it was obviously different than dairy chocolate but it was really nice which surprised me as in the past the vegan chocolate that I have tried has been OK but not as good as this. I am not vegan but I could see myself buying this just for a change.

The kids tried the other bars and said they were strange but really good. Ellie had a bite of the caramel bar and initially said she didn't like it but continued to eat it and by the end asked if I had any more. lol She is a fan. It turns out the NOMO caramel bar was voted 2020’s Best Vegan Chocolate by Vegan Food UK and 25,000 vegan consumers! 

We really do love NOMO and I feel like I have been missing out on a yummy treat. They are something that I will be buying in the future.

NOMO is available to buy from Tesco, Waitrose, ASDA, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Co-op, Holland & Barrett, Amazon, The Vegan Kind Supermarket, and the NOMO Online store. 

I was sent a selection of NOMO bars free of charge in exchange for this blog post.

Our weekly meal plan! 30th January - 5th February. #MealPlanningMonday

Last weeks meal plan went brilliantly. We ate just about everything. The turkey breast roast served us well and we got the 3 meals out of and even had leftovers which Stu took to work. We decided over the weekend to get a Chinese takeaway instead of having shop bought pizza. It was almost the end of the month and we hadn't had a takeaway in ages and I think the last time we had a Chinese takeaway was Ellie's birthday in August.

Every week when I am doing the food shop online order and meal planning I ask my family what they want for the following week and they are usually no help but this time they actually made suggestions. It takes some of the pressure off me when they help out by even just telling me what they want to eat.

I don't have much on this week. The landlord is on about coming to do some work on the house. The front wall, around the window in the living room is always freezing. There is no insulation as there is no cavity, it's just brick and then plaster on the inside so we're getting some insulated wall of some sort put up. From what I gather it's just special plasterboard which will be put on the inside wall. Hopefully it will make it warmer in here.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Stu is cooking. The kids wanted the creamy chicken, leek and potato bake which he hasn't made in ages.

Tuesday - Beef and garlic mushroom En Croute with mashed potato, carrots and onion gravy.

Wednesday - Carrot & coriander soup with mango chutney twists. It is a recipe that I got from Gousto when we were using them.

Thursday - Hot dogs in buns with fries.

Friday - Scampi, chips and peas.

Saturday - Pizza.

Sunday - A roast dinner of some sort.

What are you eating this week?

I've been playing with Lego. #MySundaySnapshot

I finally got around to doing a Lego set which I've had for quite a while. The Harry Potter Hedwig one. I found it quite challenging but I was so happy with it when it was complete. It's now on one of my shelves in the living room. 

A photo every day for a year! 21st - 27th January. Week 4 of #Project365

We're so close to the end of January and I'm glad. It really is the longest month and I go between wanting to just sit and do nothing to being really motivated, I don't have any inbetween. Like yesterday, I had all the housework done by 10am, I'd put the food shop delivery away, opened my parcel from Wilko's and sorted that out, took photos for a couple of blog posts and started writing this one. Yesterday was a good day but during the week I was feeling meh! I am blaming the cold weather and the fact I have had some rotten sleep despite going to bed earlier. Ugh! I am sure when January is over my mood will improve.

I am looking forward to this weekend. It's the weekend where Becky is off work, Stu finishes work early and we're all home to spend tonight in front of the TV. I think we might be getting a takeaway too, a Chinese. I can't remember the last time we had a Chinese takeaway so it seems like a real treat.

Now for a photo every day!

21/365 - 21st January

My dad gave me this oil heater a couple of months ago and it's my favourite thing in the house at the moment. It is great if I don't want to put the central heating on to heat the whole house. I put it on in the living room and it's warm pretty quickly. I don't know about the cost of it yet as we haven't had an electric bill since we started using it but it has to be cheaper than heating the whole house when it doesn't need heating.

22/365 - 22nd January

My dad got us a big turkey breast roast from Iceland when they were on offer after Christmas and it did us for 3 meals. 

23/365 - 23rd January

I was sent a kids baking set to feature on my blog and I took some of the photos on Monday. It really is a cute set, the post will be up next week.

24/365 - 24th January

I finally got around to starting the Harry Potter Hedwig Lego set.

25/365 - 25th January

I carried on with the Lego set and it was quite the challenge. 90% of the instructions were easy to understand until it came to putting the wings on. 

26/365 - 26th January

We tried out some vegan and free from chocolate. It was different but really nice. 

27/365 - 27th January

My delivery from Wilko's arrived. It was all stuff for the garden. Seeds, compost and a new little greenhouse.

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This week my Word of the Week is: Chatter! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

Most weeks when writing my Word of the Week blog post I have a word in mind when I start typing but not this week. It has been one of those weeks where not much has happened, we have just been plodding on with life. I don't mean that in a bad way, we've all had a good week but there didn't seem much to write about until I started typing so I am going to chatter a little bit and catch you up on what's gone on over the past week.

Both of my arms are better after having my contraceptive implant replaced. I took the dressing off on Monday while Stu was here as I had a thought in my head that when I took the sticky plaster off I would pull the implant out. Thinking about it rationally I doubt that could happen but I was catastrophising, everything was fine. Phew!

I have spent most of the week playing with Lego. lol I got a Harry Potter Hedwig Lego set ages ago and haven't got around to putting it together until this week. I have only ever done kids Lego, when I was a kid or the girls were little. This set was for ages 10 plus and it was quite the challenge. There were several times that I had bits put together and then realised something was the wrong way around so had to start that little section again. I am writing this before I've finished Hedwig so you can expect to see a photo sometime over the next couple of days.

On her driving lesson this week Becky was learning all about roundabouts. She hates them and has said that when she passes her test that she will avoid them, good luck with that as there's one at the end of our street. lol She said there is too much to think about, I am sure in time she will feel less panicked but for now they scare her. Next week the driving instructor is taking her to the outskirts of town where there are tons of roundabouts. Eek.

The GCSE's are becoming very real for Ellie. She will be starting them in just over 3 months which seems really scary! Not for her though, she is taking everything in her stride. She has everything that she needs to do well, the textbooks, revision websites, her hearing aids and extra time in the exams because of her hearing loss. I am worrying more than Ellie. It doesn't seem two minutes since she was picking the GCSE subjects that she will be studying and now she's so close to the exams and leaving school.

Stu had a funny experience at work. There was about 5 people picked to go and speak to some investors, Stu was one of them and asked his manager why he was picked thinking it was because he was doing his job really well but it was because the manager didn't trust some of the younger staff not to complain about the company and put the investors off. lol Stu is doing well at work though, he had an amazing week last week. His targets on phone calls are 1 of one thing and 2 of something else per week and he got 6 of one thing and about 10 of the other thing. He just struck it lucky on his calls. It's a shame it can't be like that every week but it means he will get his bonus this month.

January is lasting forever!! I said to Becky the other day how has it only been a month since Christmas. It really is the longest month and Becky is feeling it. She got paid early and payday can't come soon enough for her. Stu and I have learned that lesson over the years so we've been tight with our money and have actually managed to save some money this month. hehehe

I hope you have all had a good week!

Tips to help your child get out of bed during the winter!

It is always a struggle to get out of bed during the winter. It's dark and cold. We don't have the heating on during the night or on a morning as it tends to make us even sleepier.

Did you know that there’s a scientific explanation for our struggles. Our body clock is designed to wake us with the rising sun so with no sunlight there during winter mornings we find it even harder to get out of bed and start our day on the right foot. 

How can we make this easier for our kids? Here are some tips for helping children get up, get out, and get ready for a positive day.

1. Set a strict bedtime routine.

Bedtime routines for kids are important at anytime of the year but especially in the winter. The last thing you want to do is make it much tougher for kids to get out of bed in the dark of the morning by letting them run wild the night before.

According to their age you can work out what time your child should go to bed and how many hours of sleep that they need but you also need to consider your child's routine, daily schedule and general attitude.

For instance a 10-year-old need between nine and eleven hours of sleep each night. If your child must get up by 7:00 and you are aware that they require the most sleep possible, they ought to be in bed by 20:00. This indicates that it could be a good idea to begin "winding them down" at around 7pm and have them showered, cleaned their teeth, dressed in their children's pyjamas and ready for bed at about quarter to eight.

2. Affirmations.

It's never too early to introduce daily affirmations to your child, especially when they could mean the difference between a happy morning and a sad one. The welfare, self-esteem, and general outlook of your child can all be enhanced by affirmations (positive remarks). Before they get out of bed, say your chosen affirmations aloud to them as they awaken and start to acclimatise to a new day.

3. Give them something to look forward to.

Similar to adults, your child has a list of tasks to complete as soon as they wake up before the day can begin. This might make it more tougher for some people to get out of bed in the morning because it can feel very routine and like a chore. Even though your child can't escape taking a shower, brushing their teeth, getting dressed, and eating breakfast every morning you could try to offer them something to look forward to.

Incorporate your child's latest interest into their morning routine by carving out 15 to 30 minutes of free time between the chores. With something to look forward to, they may feel that push to get out of bed despite the wintry atmosphere.

4. Use rewards and incentives. 

Children enjoy receiving rewards for good behaviour, and this might motivate them to continue exhibiting it. Try rewarding your child with something they'll enjoy later in the day, it will be a great encouragement to get them out of bed on a gloomy morning. There's no need for expensive incentives. Give them their favourite tea when they come home from school, let them choose the playlist for the car's school drive, or give them an extra 15 minutes of screen time before dinner. Continuously rewarding your child for good behaviour should motivate them to repeat these positive actions until they become a habit.

5. Set a good example.

Last but not least but most important make sure you're leading by example. Don't underestimate your child's capacity to detect hypocrisy in you! How can you teach your child about the importance of routines, optimistic attitudes, and positive thinking if you don’t practice these qualities yourself?

Do you struggle to get out of bed in the winter?

(Ad - Gifted) Active Iron Supplement! - Review!

Iron helps the body to make healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. Some things such as blood loss, pregnancy or too little iron in your diet can make your iron supply drop too low, leading to anaemia. I had a feeling I was a little anaemic at the end of last year and over the last few weeks. I was due to get my contraceptive implant changed and my periods always go a little haywire when it is that time. My doctor says it's completely normal but it's no fun when I am feeling blah and have no energy.

Recently I was sent an iron supplement called Active Iron to try out. When I was getting my contraceptive implant changed at the start of last week I showed my doctor the iron supplement and he said something like that is great for taking if you have heavy periods. I knew that but just wanted some reassurance.

Clinically proven to increase iron levels, the Active Iron supplement decreases fatigue and improves energy.

Inadequate iron levels resulting from menstrual blood loss can cause lower energy levels. 49% of women experience tiredness and fatigue, according to an Active Iron survey of 2,400 women in the UK and Ireland. Monthly periods are the most common cause of iron loss worldwide and research shows that women of childbearing age need up to 2X more daily iron than men.

Iron Supports:

Blood Building - Formation of haemoglobin & red blood cells.

Energy -  Normal energy yielding metabolism and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Cognitive Function - Normal cognitive function.

Immunity - Normal function of the immune system.

Oxygen Transport - Oxygen transport in the body.

I have been trying out the Active Iron supplement for just over a week and so far so good. The capsules don't look that appealing but they are easy to swallow. I have had no side effects at all I have read that they take a few weeks to have an effect on energy levels so I am keeping my fingers crossed for that. 

Many people complain of side effects from poorly absorbed iron supplements. One way to combat this problem is taking vitamin C along with your iron supplement. However, Active Iron doesn’t have this issue. Active Iron works synergistically with your body to ensure you get the right amount of iron while being gentle on your stomach. In the past when I have taken iron supplements I have felt a little constipated but so far with these I have had no issues at all.

Active Iron is also perfect for those who have restricted diets including vegetarians to keep iron levels up. Free from artificial colours and preservatives, gluten and sugar it is suitable for vegetarians, coeliacs and during pregnancy.

Active Iron can be purchased directly from their website, priced at £16 for a 30 pack of capsules. 

I was sent some packets of Active Iron free of charge in exchange for this blog post.

How my youngest is getting on with her hearing aids.

Ellie finally got her hearing aids a couple of weeks before Christmas. They were a long time coming, she was waiting for them for around 10 months because the doctor didn't refer her to the right department but they have been worth the wait and she has taken to them like a duck to water.

The hearing aids that Ellie has are CROS hearing aids. A CROS hearing aid is a special type of hearing aid for people who have little to no hearing in one ear and have normal hearing in the other ear. CROS stands for Contralateral Routing of Sound.

With CROS hearing aids, sound is wirelessly transmitted from the deaf ear into the better ear. What looks like a conventional hearing aid is worn on the deaf ear, but this is a microphone only. This microphone picks up sound from your poorer side and sends it wirelessly into a conventional hearing aid on your better ear. It is then heard and processed by the brain. 

Ellie's appointment with the audiologist to get her hearing aids took around 40 minutes. The man went over everything we needed to know about them. We were shown how to change the tubes which need changing every few months and the batteries which need changing every 4 or so days in one side and about once a week in the other. Ellie was shown how to clean them and most importantly how to put them on. She did it first try which doesn't usually happen. hehehe When she put them in and they were switched on it was emotional to see. She described it perfectly, it was like sitting in a dark room and someone switching on a light. Everything became clear and made a little more sense.

Wearing the hearing aid now means that Ellie can hear sounds from both sides without her turning her head, they don't help her realise where a sound is coming from but she can at least hear the sound now.

Apparently Ellie was supposed to start off wearing the hearing aids as long as she could and then give herself a break from them when everything became too much but she hasn't hit that point yet. She takes them off for bed, when she is in the bath and when she's on her computer with headphones on but she has been wearing them all day with no problems, headaches or having any sensory overload issues.

It sounds dramatic to say these hearing aids have changed Ellie's life already but they have. She is hearing much more and it makes conversations with her much easier. If we were on a bus and she had her bad ear towards me she would struggle to have a conversation. Now she doesn't miss a word. She was at school and her teacher was stood at her deaf side speaking and the teacher is a good one, when she finished speaking she went to make sure that Ellie knew what she was doing but because of hearing aid she had heard everything, clearly! I am sure the hearing aids will really help her at school. She came home on the last day of school before the Christmas holidays and said she had to turn her hearing aid down because she didn't realise how loud people were when they were typing on the keyboard on the computer.

I am so happy for Ellie and it is amazing how some wires and a little bit of plastic can change her life so much. We are back at the hospital in February for a check up and to see how she's getting on with the hearing aids but I can't see there being any problems apart from sometimes forgetting to put them on.

Our weekly meal plan! 23rd - 29th January. #MealPlanningMonday

Last weeks meal plan was a bit hit and miss. It went more to plan than not and despite swapping and scrapping a meal or two so I am happy. I had a right palaver with the doctors and getting my contraceptive implant changed but it's all done now and hopefully I won't be back there for 3 years. I really do hate going to the doctors.

Becky and Ellie ended up cooking tea on Thursday night as both of my arms were sore. We had home made fish, chips and mushy peas, just out of the freezer but they did a great job. It was nice to have someone do the cooking for me. Food always seems to taste better when someone else cooks.

This week we will mostly be eating turkey! My dad was in the shop Iceland a couple of weeks ago and saw that they had the frozen turkey breast roasts on sale. The same one over Christmas I paid about £22 for and he got for £11 with the money off and his pensioners discount on a Tuesday. He dropped it off and it's been sat in my freezer since. I cooked it on Sunday and Stu and I had a couple of turkey sandwiches, it's so nice.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Sweet and sour turkey with salt and pepper chips and spring rolls. If I can find some prawn crackers in the shop locally we will have those too.

Tuesday - A lazy chicken curry but with turkey instead. We will have it along with rice and naan bread.

Wednesday - Turkey, broccoli, pea and tomato pasta.

Thursday - Spam fritters, chips and baked beans.

Friday - Cod steaks in butter sauce (shop bought, not homemade), new potatoes, peas and sweetcorn.

Saturday - Pizza.

Sunday - A roast dinner of some sort.

What are you eating this week?

Hot Chocolate! #MySundaySnapshot

When I am feeling stressed or anxious I tend to stay away from the coffee so for the past week with everything that has gone on with getting a new contraceptive implant in my arm I have been drinking a lot of hot chocolate. It's been freezing out so the hot chocolate has really helped to warm me up too.

At Christmas Becky got me about 6 boxes of Galaxy Hot chocolate all in different flavours, I have been working my way through them and the others that we have in the house. During the day I have been having them normally but on an evening I've been adding cream and marshmallows. Yum, yum!

A photo every day for a year! 14th - 20th January. Week 3 of #Project365

This past week did not really go to plan. I had budgeted in a couple of days of my arm feeling sore when I got my contraceptive implant changed and had planned on getting stuff done at the end of the week. The receptionist didn't process the prescription for the new implant so I spent Monday and Tuesday in pain in one arm where the implant was removed and Thursday and Friday in pain in the arm where the new implant was put in. Ugh. I've been in a foul mood for most of the week but I am starting to feel happier now and one of my arms is just about back to normal.

I don't have any plans for the weekend apart from the usual housework and watching TV today and films and having a lazy day tomorrow.

Now for a photo every day!

14/365 - 14th January

I got on with the housework and ended up cleaning out the cleaning cupboard. It's amazing how much I can get done when I am woken by the builders next door at 8am.

15/365 - 15th January

The girls were both watching the same video off YouTube laughing their heads off at it. It was some gamer guy playing a game, apparently he's really funny. I had a quick look and I just don't get the attraction.

16/365 - 16th January

We had snow! It didn't last for long, maybe about 10 minutes and it didn't lay. Phew! Just as well as I had my first appointment of the week at the doctors. It was freezing out when we were in the shade but the sun did have some heat in it. 

17/365 - 17th January

There was frost in the back garden for most of the day. It was so cold. I hate the cold weather but the frost does make everything look so pretty.

18/365 - 18th January

The sun was shining, of course it was still cold but blue skies and sunshine were so nice to see.

19/365 - 19th January

I finally got my new contraceptive implant put in! I got all the paperwork to go with it but the doctor just laughed as he knew I knew all about it but still had to give me it anyway. I have had an implant in longer than he's even been a doctor. hehehe.

20/365 - 20th January

I bought myself some flowers which came with the food shop to cheer myself up. I was cheerful until I pricked myself on the pesky thorns from the roses. lol

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This week my Word of the Week is: Pain! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is: 

I said in my meal plan post how anxious I was feeling about getting the contraceptive implant changed in my arm and how I would probably be laughing at the end of the day about how silly I was for worrying. Well I wasn't laughing by Monday evening. Why can't anything be straightforward?

I went to the doctors on Monday afternoon and was seeing the same doctor who couldn't get my last implant out without the help of another doctor 3 years ago so I wasn't feeling that confident. I went in the room and he said I was getting the implant removed and asked why I wasn't getting a new one put in? I was planning to so he looked at his computer and could see the prescription that I was supposed to have been given by the receptionist to get the implant from the pharmacy next door wasn't issued. The receptionist should have ordered the implant ready for me to pick up when I made the appointment 3 weeks ago but hadn't.

I know the NHS is under pressure and I am no way bashing them but when receptionists are not doing their job properly it really adds to the strain! Instead of having just one 30 minute appointment to get the implant replaced, I had the old one removed on Monday and then had another 30 minute appointment yesterday to get the new one put in. That's 30 minutes that someone else or several people could have used!

Thankfully the doctor got the old implant out quite quickly but of course my arm was still sore. In fact on Monday night I didn't sleep well so on Tuesday I was in a right grump. Just as my arm started to feel better I was back at the doctors yesterday to get the new implant put in the other arm so that started the whole pain process again. I know it's nothing compared to the pain that some people go through on a daily basis but I can't help but feel that if someone had done their job properly I wouldn't still be in pain now. 

I have come to realise that it hurts more getting a new implant in a new arm than getting one removed or replaced. My family has been very sympathetic and I might be milking this whole drama a little getting them to fetch and carry for me. hehehe

The builders next door are being a right pain too. When they first started working on the house next door they were really considerate but now they only work one full day a week and 2 half days, the half days starting at 8am on a Saturday and Sunday which is really starting to annoy me. I can't understand what they have left to hammer and drill, especially on the walls joined to our house and why they have to do it on a weekend morning when it's the only time I get to have a lie in. Grr! I am just trying to think that one day all of the work will be done and someone will move in, I just hope they aren't noisy on a weekend morning too. lol

How has your week been?

(Ad - Gifted) Jamu Wild Water! - Review!

My girls are good at drinking plenty. One sometimes gets bored of water and isn't keen on fizzy pop and the other is a little too keen on the sugary, fizzy pop and doesn't drink enough water! Recently we were sent a selection of some naturally flavoured, gut friendly sparkling drinks which contain no added sugar or artificial sweeteners and are suitable for the whole family to enjoy guilt free from Jamu Wild Water.

Knowing that young people can get bored with water and often want to hydrate with something a bit different the Jamu Wild Water range contains natural fruit flavours, nourishing botanicals and a gentle fizz that makes it suitable for the whole family without compromising on flavour or health.

The creators of Jamu Wild Water had a nagging feeling that drink options for young people could be so much better. Not least because their own kids would often complain about the lack of choice, especially on trips out or special occasions. It was frustrating that they couldn’t find anything that wasn’t loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners and additives.

As a trained chef and proud Maori with close ties to the natural world, Tahi knew she could draw on mother nature’s larder to create something young people would enjoy. Better still, parents would be happy for them to drink! Jamu Wild Water was born. With its interesting flavours, lower sweetness profile, and added benefits, it soon became apparent that adults really enjoy Jamu too either on its own or as a mixer with spirits!

Each 250ml serve contains prebiotic plant fibre, which nourishes healthy gut bacteria as well as supports the immune system with Vitamin C and Zinc, whilst being completely free of sugar, artificial sweeteners, additives and preservatives. All of the ingredients are 100% natural.

Dandelion.

Dandelion has been used by herbalists for centuries because of its many benefits, including support for the immune system, detoxification and to aid the digestive system.

Marshmallow Root.

Marshmallow Root is an important herb in Ayurvedic Medicine. It has traditionally been used by many cultures to reduce inflammation and sooth irritated cell membranes, thanks to the soothing mucilage it produces. Consisting of polysaccharides, it acts as a prebiotic for gut bacteria.

Chicory Root Inulin.

Inulin is an indigestible plant fibre. It passes through the gut undergoing prebiotic fermentation – a process which feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut. These helpful bacteria play a role in reducing inflammation, fighting harmful bacteria, and improving mineral absorption. Inulin also supports digestive health by keeping us regular.

Echinacea.

Valued most highly by Native Americans for its multiple uses, Echinacea is traditionally used to support immune health and relieve symptoms of cold and flu.

Nettle.

Nettle is traditionally used to relieve inflammation and is a source of Vitamin C, D, K, Zinc and Selenium.

Elderberry.

Described by Hippocrates as his ‘Medicine Chest’, Elderberries have been known throughout the centuries to support health in many ways. They are a rich source of Vitamin C and Flavonoids, including the antioxidant, 

The three flavours are available from the Jamu Wild Water website, priced at £20 for a case of 12 x 250ml cans (plus £4.50 shipping.) Choose from a pack containing just one variety or go for the Explorer Pack which contains four of each flavour.

Natural Sparkling Raspberry - boosted with Elderberry and Marshmallow Root Extracts. It is a rich source of Vitamin C and prebiotic fibre, its mellow sweet flavour sparkles with juicy ripe raspberries.

Natural Sparkling Blood Orange - with delicious berry like sweetness of Blood Orange and immune boosting properties of Echinacea, this bright and tangy drop also has chicory root fibre to support digestive health.

 Natural Sparkling Lemon - lively with the pithy green flavour found in lemon skin. Nettle and Dandelion extracts add wild health benefits to our take on ‘lemonade’. Used traditionally to relieve inflammation, boost immunity and aid digestive health.

We really like these drinks, I am not usually a fan of raspberry drinks but that one was my favourite. The three different varieties are refreshing and are full of flavour. The girls liked all of the drinks and they were all gone before I knew it. It is good to know there is an alternative to fizzy, sugary drinks out there for all of the family.

I was sent a selection of Jamu Wild Water free of charge in exchange for this blog post.

What I used to decorate the bathroom.

At the start of the month I decorated our bathroom, it needed doing. It hadn't painted for a couple of years and it was starting to look tatty. I certainly enjoyed planning and buying what I needed more than the actual painting.

I wouldn't normally have bought the paint from Argos but Stu had credit to use from a website which he uses through his work. Stu gets bonuses from work and with the points we can convert them to vouchers for high street stores, supermarkets and things like that. When he sells an upgrade he also gets a spin of a wheel game thing to win more money. We usually get the odd £5 or £10 at the most. I went online to convert some of his winnings to a voucher to buy the paint and saw he had loads of unused codes, he saves them for me to do. While I was waiting for the voucher to be sent to my email I spun and ended up winning a few £5s, a couple of £10s and the jackpot of £300. That'll pay for even more paint to decorate the rest of the house. 

So with winning that money I decided to spend a little more than I would have normally spent on the bathroom.

This is what I bought from Argos, the paint, some new brushes and rollers, a new bin, some accessories and bathmats. I was really going for the grey theme.

I then had a look at the Asda George website and found a few things which took my fancy, especially for the walls.

Grey Foil Effect Shade - £12.00

Hand Love Framed Wall Art - Set of 3 - £14.00

Black Bathroom Slogan Framed Print 3-Pack - £8.00

Black Lunar Phases Horizontal Print - £7.00

I randomly got the grey paint for the wood on the walls and the shelf from the grocery part of the Asda website along with my food shop.

Then I decided that I needed some storage. We have a couple of shelves which run right around the bathroom but they always looked so cluttered so I was looking for some drawers of some sort and came across the Bathroom Floor Storage Cabinet from Amazon which was on sale for 30 something pounds. It's gone back up to £43 now. It took a lot of putting together and I still got it wrong but you can't really tell that the front is supposed to be the back. I wouldn't say it's worth the £43 even with the screws in properly the drawers do have a habit of dropping off their runners. It'll do though.

I also got a Slimline Wooden Bathroom Storage Unit from Amazon too for £21.00 of course in grey too. It is perfect for the loo rolls although I did notice on the Amazon page it could be used for cleaning products too.

Now all I am missing is a grey toilet seat, the wood coloured one does not seem to go with the rest of the bathroom now.

What was the last room that you decorated?