Review - Animal UV Swim Shirts from The Beach Factory

Being fair skinned myself I am very careful with both my girls in the sun. Usually they are smothered in sun cream (making them even whiter than they normally are!) but at least I know they are protected.

 

Before going on holiday this year, I was searching for something suitable for the girls to wear...we were off to Majorca so I knew it would definitely be hotter than here! Not hard, to be honest!

I stumbled across The Beach Factory which stock a large range of UV shirts, sun suits and hats.  They offer a wide range for kids and even adults too - I'd definitely consider a sun shirt for me in time for next year's holiday, as my shoulders, back and chest always end up a little pink despite me smothering myself in cream!

 

I was lucky enough to receive these Animal UV shirts for my girls (currently on sale for £14.95, normally £18) and matching sun hats (normally £13, now £9.95) to review.

 

 

I used to think that as tops like this provided such good coverage, that they would be heavy.  These are certainly lightweight but still give confidence that your little one is protected.
They have long sleeves and a high funnel neck, giving as much coverage as possible. There is a handy zip at the back meaning they are easy to slip on and off especially when wet.

When we deviated away from the pool for snacks or drinks, we tended to put the girls in a dry cover up. As a result, these tops tended to be left on the sun loungers for half an hour or so to dry in the sun.  Due to the lightweight fabric,  they dried really quickly.

 

The hats are made from a thick cotton and have a wide brim...ideal for keeping sun off your little one's necks.
The designs on these are really funky and coordinated well with the tops...the only problem I had was the girls choosing which one they wanted to wear!

 

Overall, these were a great addition to our suitcase and definitely a summer essential.
I'm hoping the girls don't grow too much so we can dig them out again for our next sunny getaway!

  

Twinkly Mummy Loves...Summer Essentials

We're on countdown mode to our holiday (1 day to go!) and trying to get organized for some time away can be daunting, time consuming and downright stressful at times!

There's always so much to organize...clothes, toiletries, holiday money, shoes and things to entertain the little ones.

Normally I'm quite an organized person, and despite me having a load of stuff already, I still feel a bit stress and fear I miss something!

So if you're going away any time soon and are struggling to know what to buy, here are a few of my top essential items for taking away this year.

1. Animal UV Swim Shirt & Hats - from £13.00 at The Beach Factory

When we're away I'm always panicking whether I have enough sun cream on the girls, especially when they are playing in the pool. We're all fair skinned, so we really need to be careful we don't get burnt.
These Animal UV Swim Shirts from The Beach Factory are a welcome addition to our suitcase this year - they provide sun protection UPF50+ yet are still nice and light for wearing in the pool.
The hats are in a funky print to match the tops and look to provide good coverage.
The lovely people at The Beach Factory gave us these to try - the girls can't wait to sport them at the pool! Keep an eye out for a review of these after our holiday...

2. Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan & Gradual Glow - Light Matte - £6.99 from Boots

This is a great product for you to wear on the first day of holiday whilst you wait for some natural colour to develop. It is a light instant tan, which also gradually builds up on your skin - so if you miss a day applying it, you'll still have some lovely colour on your skin.
Again, as I am fair skinned, I need to make sure any fake tan I use is a natural colour. This definitely is and can always be built up if you want something a bit darker.
This doesn't protect against sunburn though, so you still need to ensure you have other sun protection on.

3. Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream - £7.99 from Superdrug

This 8-in-1 cream is light and provides a thin layer of coverage on your skin, evening out any imperfections you may have.
The reason I love this for going away, is that it contains SPF30, meaning that you can switch to this instead of suncream on your face and still be protected - just make sure you get up into your hairline to avoid any red lines!

4. Tangle Teezer Brush - from £10.99 at Boots

Being in an out the pool on holiday means tangled hair and as it dries so quickly in the heat, you want to make sure it's knot free.
We've had a Tangle Teezer brush for a while now and I have to say it is a life saver, especially with both of my girls' hair being curly. It literally glides through wet (or dry) hair and doesn't leave my little ones screaming when we come across a knot. Stress free, handy in size to carry about and it's sparkly so the girls love it.

5. Nautical Bikini Bag - £2 from Primark

This cute bikini bag is from Primark and at just £2 is a total bargain!  Handy for putting your valuables in when heading to the pool or beach so they don't get wet, or for chucking your swimsuit in when heading back to your hotel, it's definitely worth picking a few of these up.  Also loving the fab nautical colours too - can never go wrong with red, white and navy!

Off now to finish packing. To anyone about to jet off, have a fab time! Hoping the weather is lovely :)

Review - MoneySupermarket's Britain's Best Days Out - Amazonia

It’s winter. The weather is rubbish. And all anyone wants at the this time of year is a holiday. So when we had the chance to visit a tropical rainforest, we jumped at the chance! OK, so it wasn’t a lovely 2 week long holiday to some far flung place, but as part of MoneySupermarket’s Britain's Best Day Out. We were very lucky to receive MoneySupermarket Days Out Vouchers for a family pass to Amazonia, a Rainforest experience within M&Ds Theme Park near Motherwell, Scotland.

We have been to the zoo and farms with the girls before, so we were pretty certain they would enjoy seeing some animals and I was hopeful they would even take part in the handling sessions which are run.

On arriving at Amazonia, you access through M&Ds park, which can be quite costly if you don’t walk quickly! Lots of games to play, carousel, bowling and sweet machines.
The building which Amazonia itself is housed in, looks quite tired, however it is ultimately, a massive greenhouse so can't be too fancy.

On entering we were told we could attend a handling session, where the girls could handle tarantulas, snakes, frogs and lizards to name a few. At only £1 each per session (a paying adult must accompany any children), this was quite reasonable, however it’s possibly something which Amazonia could look to include in their overall ticket cost. We arrived at around 11.45am and the next handling session was at 1.30pm.

At the entrance, everyone is encouraged to leave any jackets in lockers provided – these aren’t secure, so I would recommend removing anything of value and ensure you take this with you.

On entering the ‘rainforest’, its lovely and warm with a selection of animals to see. The ground can be a little wet due to the watering of the plants etc, so hold onto any little ones hands as you go round.
Our girls were interested in seeing the snakes and spiders, which we saw as soon as we went in.

In addition, there were parrots, turtles, caymens, monkeys and a gorgeous toucan with his brightly coloured beak and feathers – this was my favourite!

We also saw leaf cutting ants marching back and forward and there was a separate nocturnal section for those animals who preferred the dark.
The girls were a bit wary of going in here as it was so dark, however once in, they were interested to know what was inside.

We managed to see the fruit bats just at feeding time, which meant we learned some facts about them. Did you know there are 3 types of bat – insect eating bats, fruit bats and vampire bats – luckily the ones we saw were fruit bats and we were able to see them tucking into a selection of fresh fruit.

One of my girls doesn’t particularly like loud noises, so she was finding the squawking of the parrots a little too much and after about an hour, we were ready to leave.

To be honest, I think we would have struggled to spend much more time here, as you really only go and see all of the animals once.

We were disappointed that it was still a while to wait before the next handling session – this is something which would have been good to do, however due to the time we went to Amazonia, we would have had to wait another 45 minutes for the session.
This is worth bearing in mind when you go along – try to time your visit so you can also attend a handling session when you’re there, as after you have paid your extra £1 per person, it is non refundable.

After seeing the animals, there is also a small gift shop, which the girls enjoyed having a look around in.

Overall we enjoyed our visit, however I wouldn’t base a full day out around Amazonia alone. We struggled to fill the hour we were there and I would suggest that if finances allow, you incorporate your visit with perhaps some bowling, or a go on a few of the rides, as this will also allow you flexibility for attending the handling sessions if they are later in the day.

An apple a day...

It's a new year, and everyone always starts the year with lots of resolutions - the most popular one to be more healthy and get fit in the coming year.

I try it every year.  Do a fad diet for a few weeks, think I am doing really well by losing a few pounds and then get bored of it and end up back at my starting weight again. Sigh....

If only there was something to keep you motivated and interested.  I'm not promising wonders, but I spied this little Apple Design Lunch Bag at only £4.95 on dotcomgiftshop.com and thought that by filling this with lovely healthy treats, it might be a bit more of a pleasure taking a packed lunch into work - what do you think?

Also came across these scrummy looking Snack Boxes for £6.95 for keeping your treats all nice and fresh.  And I'm sure the smallest one could hold at least 6 Maltesers - that's got to sway it, right?

GIveaway - Win a Set of Trunkisaurus Chums!

Following the launch of Trunkisaurus Rex and Rox, the lovely people at Trunki have given me a set of Trunkisaurus Travel Chums to give away.

These are a perfect addition to Rex or Rox and include a wash bag, pencil case and purse. They all feature felt teeth and a clip, which means they can be handily clipped onto a belt loop, bag, car seat, or your Trunkisaurus!   And at £12.99, this is a fab accessory pack for keeping all of your child's bits and bobs safe.

To enter, all you have to do is one of the following:

1.  Leave a comment below telling me what your dinosaur name would be and why,

2.  Like this post on Facebook and leave a comment telling me what your dinosaur name would be and why ,

3.  Follow me on Twitter and tweet  'I want to #win a Trunkisaurus Chums Set from @mrsmo80'



And I will give you an additional entry if you share this link to my blog on your Facebook page!

The giveaway closes on Friday 9th September at 7pm, when the winner will be chosen at random. This is open to all UK residents, 18 and over.

Good luck!


And the winner is...

Rachael Fratson, who was picked at random.  Rachael said her dinosaur name would be 'TyrannoLaceysaurus' as it was one of the biggest and best dinosaurs, just like her daughter Lacey.  Rachael entered after commenting on my Facebook post.

Congratulations Rachael!  Please get in touch with me with your address details.

Thanks to everyone else for entering.

Raawrrrr! It's a Trunkisaurus!

Trunki are launching their latest addition to the Trunki family - the Trunkisaurus! Introducing Rex and Rox...two new designs for their range of durable, ride on, pull along, child friendly suitcases.

The Trunkisaurus is ideal for weekends away, sleepovers at friends' and overnight stays at Grandma's. It is spacious, with plenty of room for clothes, books and beloved teddy bears.  The Trunkisaurus features carry handles, locking catches and even has a seatbelt for Teddy.

They are available to order from the Trunki website and if you pre-order, there's even a free canvas bag and sticker pack too!

Take a look at their fab video.  Now, if only they did them in adult sizes...

Scrummy baby clothes

When my girls were babies, I used to dress them quite plainly.  I think if I were to do it all over again, I'd have a bit more fun.  I am not a big fan of slogan t-shirts and the sorts, however these Toast and Jam baby vests are just adorable!

I found these on Etsy.com in the Letters By Lindsay shop. They are based in the US but ship to the UK, with very reasonable shipping rates. And with this two pack of vests coming in at $17.99, they would make a great gift for newborn twins.

They also do French Toast & Jam, Peas & Carrots and Peanut Butter & Jelly sets, in sizes 0-3mths right up to 24mths.   The also have toddler t-shirts that range from 24mths to 5yrs.  So cute!

You can also follow Letters By Lindsay on Facebook by clicking here.