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 - Hotel Chocolat Easter Pick Me Up

It's the time of year where all the supermarkets have a tonne of chocolate in, everyone is tired and looking forward to the better weather and what a great way to bring a spring to your step than Hotel Chocolat's Easter Pick Me Up.

The lovely people at Hotel Chocolat sent me this lovely little treat set for us to review. There was a great selection inside...Raspberry Zinger Egglets, Salted Caramel Egglets and White Praline Bunnies.

Normally I'm a praline kinda girl but I really enjoyed both types of egglets...it was nice to try something a bit different for a change and the raspberry within them was really refreshing.

The girls' favourite were the praline bunnies. They were really rich and of course nutty, which I love!

This set would make a lovely gift for adults and children alike and certainly lifted our spirits on a dull and wet spring day!

This retails at £13 and what makes this even better is that it was completely gluten free. What more could I ask for?!

TGI Fridays Goes Gluten Free

So excited to hear that TGI Fridays will soon be offering gluten free burger buns on their new menu which will be launched over the next few days.

I was lucky enough to sample one of their new buns on my recent visit and have to say it was lovely being able to eat a burger without having to be 'bunless'! I had a French Canadian burger which was delicious.

Looking forward to seeing what their new menu has to offer!

Review - The Enchanted Forest, Pitlochry

We're continually looking for new fun things to do with the girls and had made a promise to ourselves that we would get out and about to see more of the country we live in.
When we saw The Enchanted Forest advertised, it seemed right up our street!

The Enchanted Forest is a multi award winning light and sound show set in Faskally Wood in Pitlochry, Perthshire. It has been running for the past few years and we were lucky enough to go along to this years show, absorb.

The first show starts at 6.30pm - this is the one we opted for, as we weren't sure how tired the girls would be (they're 5 now), so we thought we would err on the side of caution.
At around 6pm, we started to wait outside Fishers Hotel on the main drag within Pitlochry. Included in your ticket price is a return coach transfer to the forest itself - this is so cars with their noisy engines and headlights don't ruin your experience.

There were plenty of stewards on hand at the hotel to direct us into line, out tickets were taken and our hands stamped with a cute little leaf, before we boarded the comfy bus for our short journey.  A nice touch was a short 'Health & Safety' CD which was played - a humorous way to remind everyone not to be silly!

We were the first ones off the bus and were greeted by friendly stewards at the entrance to the forest.  It was still quite light when we got there, however was starting to slowly get darker as we walked in.

On our approach, we got a waft of hot dogs and burgers coming from a discreet stall set further down the path - all very reasonably priced. The lentil soup comes highly recommended :)
The girls also noticed some light up balloons, which gave them something to lead the way when it started to get dark - again well priced at £1.

The forest itself, was very pretty. This year the show is called absorb - with the theme being centred around orbs. The music and lights together, just worked so well. Very mesmerising.  The light and sound show is spectacular and my photos don't seem to do it justice.

As we walked round the paths (which are all lit so you don't fall into the loch!), it started to become dark and we could appreciate the light show even more.
Across the centre of the forest is an illuminated bridge - the girls called this the Fairy Bridge and apparently was their favourite part.

We were informed by one of the stewards that there was a Storytelling Yurt located further round the path, so we headed here to be welcomed into a lovely cosy tent, where we made ourselves comfy and listened to a tall tale of a giant and a hero prince. The girls really enjoyed this little time out before we set on our way again.
Outside the yurt was another small food stall selling hot chocolates, coffees, muffins and even mulled wine. So definitely something to warm your bones :)

Within another 45 mins or so, our girls were getting tired, so we left the forest around 8.30pm (after squeezing in another visit to the Fairy Bridge and catching the Orb show in the middle of the loch)

The bus picked us up right where it had dropped us off and took us back to the hotel, again with a humorous 'de-brief CD' played :)
On arriving back at the hotel, the queue for the buses was enormous - mostly adults at this time of night, however I dare say the buses don't manage to transport as quickly as they're also picking visitors up and bringing them back.
We made the short walk back to the car, and changed into our PJs (well at least the girls did - wish I had done the same!) before we made the 2hr journey home.

Overall, this is a great attraction to visit and at the time of year, when not much else is on (after the summer and before Panto season at Christmas). Its all outdoors, meaning you get lots of lovely fresh air too.

We were lucky enough to receive complimentary tickets to the show, however family ticket prices start at £35 for a family of four (2 adults and 2 kids under 16) and can be purchased on the Enchanted Forest website here.

We'll definitely be returning in the future and look forward to seeing whats on offer next year.

Hints:

• Try to find a parking space near the Fishers Hotel, so you don't have too far to walk when you get off the bus.
• Go nice and early if you have children - it gives plenty of time to wander about the forest before it gets busier.
• There are only 2 lots of toilets in the forest - one at the entrance, the other at the yurt, so make sure your little ones make a pitstop to avoid any mad running in the dark to prevent an accident!
• Fishers Hotel also appear to do a meal deal in conjunction with the Enchanted Forest -  £9.95 for adults and half price for kids. We didn't eat here, however noticed this on the welcome board outside the front door.
• Dress appropriately for the weather - we luckily had it dry but did have wellies with us and can imagine the paths may get a bit muddy if it had to rain.

The Enchanted Forest is running from Friday 4th until Sunday 27th October 2013, so still lots of time to book tickets to go!

Review - Palmer's Dark Chocolate & Peppermint Lip Butter

Winter makes my lips horribly dry and I feel I always need to apply lip balms continuously to keep any sort of moisture in them.

So when a friend on Twitter recommended Palmer's Dark Chocolate & Peppermint lip butter, I was keen to try.

The lip butter comes in a handy tube, which oozes out really slowly meaning you don't squirt out more than you need. The butter itself, has an amazing taste - think After Eight mints all squished up - so yummy!

It's very moisturising and as it says on the tube, leaves your lips lovely, soft and glossy.

A great find and very long lasting. I've certainly found a trusty little companion for this winter.

And now that I am on a health kick, it's great to have that little chocolate fix without ruining my diet!

Review - Genius Gluten Free Mince Pies

As you know, I've been trying to cut gluten out of my diet as much as I can, and I've really noticed a difference.

I've tried a few of the gluten free range from Genius (including their tasty afternoon tea in conjunction with the Scotsman Hotel!), so when I heard they had mince pies available for Christmas time, I was excited!

I just love mince pies and how Christmassy they make me feel, so when the lovely people at Genuis sent me a box to try, I couldn't wait.

I had mine warm with a little squirt of cream (you've got to have some cream, right?!) and they were delicious. The pastry was light and the filling was rich and fruity. These are far too easy to eat - I scoffed two in the one go!

I noticed these were also available in both my local Tesco and Asda, but are also available to order online direct from the Genius website, along with the rest of their gluten free range.

Review - InStyler Styling Tool

I struggle with my hair every morning...it's naturally curly so trying to get it straight and smooth (and keeping it that's way), can be a challenge!

The lovely people at InStyler kindly sent my an InStyler Styling Tool to try out.

It is a lovely glossy red colour and comes with an instructional DVD and booklet which is really useful.

I've used hair straighteners for as long as I can remember but never ones with an in built brush and rotating plate.

The tool heats up in a few minutes...a bit longer than my usual straighteners however there are three separate heat settings dependant on your hair type and what you want to do with your hair.

I find my own hair fairly easy to straighten, as I've been doing it so long. However as soon as any sort of heat or moisture gets to it, it curls again!

Recently my twin daughters who are 5, are taking more notice of how they want to look and with the number of parties they go to at the weekends, it's nice to do something different with their hair.

The InStyler promises to add volume and make your hair sleek and shiny, which it does. However you can also use it to curl your hair. I tried this on my daughters hair and it worked a treat. Lauren's hair is normally a bit wavy but always a bit all over the place. Using the InStyler gave her a lovely 50s style curl in her hair...very grown up looking.

Olivia's hair is naturally quite curly, but unless I use lots of product on it, it can tend to frizz. Again I used the InStyler to curl her hair, in a bit of a tighter curl. It defined her curls more and made them shiny and sleek...she loved it! 

We'll definitely be using this more often, especially over the summer to create pretty summer hairstyles.

More info can be found at http://www.instyler.co.uk

Review - Pizza Hut Gluten Free Pizza

A friend on Twitter recently posted that they had been to Pizza Hut for their new gluten free pizza base. I had no idea Pizza Hut were offering gluten free food, so since we hadn't been for a while, we decided to go and check it out.

Whilst I'm not on an entirely gluten free diet, the majority of things I now eat are restricted in the gluten they contain.
Previously going to Pizza Hut, would've meant enjoying a delicious pepperoni pizza but then suffering afterwards with stomach pains, so we haven't been for ages.

We went at 3pm as we knew this is when Pizza Hut did their Happy Hour...pizza/pasta plus a side, unlimited salad and a bottomless drink for £6 - bargain!

On being seated in the restaurant, we were handed the menus and I asked if it would be a problem to have a gluten free base on this deal. The waitress went to check and was disappointed to be told they couldn't do the gluten free base in the happy hour deal. Unsure why, as it's the same size of pizza offered, however I ordered from the main menu whilst my husband ate from the Happy Hour menu.

I ordered the BBQ Meat Feast pizza without cheese, on a gluten free base.
Having eaten a base similar to this before, I wasn't expecting much, but the base was lovely and thin, and not overly dry or crispy. It was similar to the Italian base and the topping was tasty.

Overall I was really impressed and will definitely go back again. It would have been good for this to be included in their deals as gluten intolerant customers should be able to enjoy this as any other diner. However I do understand that Pizza Hut are still trialling the gluten free base and hopefully will be introduced as standard across all their options.

Review - The Scotsman Hotel Afternoon Tea...Gluten Free

As I've mentioned before, I am trying to cut down on the amount of gluten I eat. When I heard that The Scotsman Hotel in Edinburgh were now doing a gluten free afternoon tea, I was really excited!

I love cakes but usually after eating them I feel a bit yucky. So when the lovely team at The Scotsman gave me the opportunity to sample a complimentary gluten free afternoon tea, I jumped at the chance!

Head chef Paul Hart, has teamed up with Genius, who do a range of gluten free breads, to offer this delicious afternoon tea.

My husband and I were in Edinburgh for an overnight to celebrate our anniversary and decided to visit The Scotsman during our trip.

                               

The Scotsman itself, is a lovely hotel and The North Bridge Brasserie is equally as stunning. With rich wood panelling on the walls and small cosy tables, it's the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for some yummy treats.

The attentive waiting staff showed us to a perfectly set table and we opted for the gluten free afternoon tea as well as a regular one for my husband.

On arrival, the stands were both filled with a fabulous selection of crustless sandwiches, cakes, scones, clotted cream and a choice of Wilkin & Sons preserves on the table.

I have tried gluten free products before and to be honest, have thought they were pretty dry and bland, so I wasn't sure what to expect. However, I wasn't to be disappointed.

On the bottom tier of the stand were a selection of sandwiches on both white and brown breads...cheddar cheese & pickle, honey roast Ayrshire ham & Arran mustard, egg mayonnaise with watercress and delicious smoked Scottish salmon with a herb cream cheese.

On the middle and top tiers a variety of mouth watering cakes...a moist strawberry & ginger cake decorated with a chocolate curl, a big slice of mocha & dark chocolate loaf, a delicate lemon curd meringue, a caramelised banana macaron, lemon & raisin pancakes and a fresh from the oven fruit scone. Strawberry and raspberry jams and a pot of clotted cream were the perfect accompaniments.

My husband too had the same selection of sandwiches on regular bread, as well as a fruit scone, lemon curd meringue, but also had lemon & poppyseed loaf, chocolate cupcake and a few others too. An absolute feast for both of us!

Under normal circumstances if I had eaten this amount of cakes and sandwiches, my stomach would be beginning to suffer, however after eating all of this (despite feeling I would have to roll out of the hotel) I felt great!

The afternoon teas are priced at £16.95 per person served with a selection of teas & coffees, however there is also the option of adding a glass of Prosecco or Champagne for an extra special treat.

It's great to see hotels and restaurants catering for those intolerant to gluten and we will definitely be returning to the Scotsman for another afternoon tea in the near future. My birthday is coming up at the end of October, so a perfect excuse!

Sweet & Savoury...a heavenly combination

So I've been on a diet recently, which has been quite challenging at times and have not always managed to stay on the wagon.

One of the days I fell of that wagon was yesterday. Not a very diet friendly day, including a McDonalds breakfast, some doughnuts and later a trip to Tesco, just meant disaster.

I've been introduced recently to (and I'm now a lover of) Sweet & Salted popcorn , so when I saw this bar of Lindt Milk Chocolate with a Touch of Sea Salt, I just had to try it.

Lindt is one of my favourite chocolates...there is just never enough of it! This newly released flavour is just amazing. Squares of creamy milk chocolate, with small flakes of sea salt throughout. The perfect combination of sweet and savoury.

If you haven't tried it yet, you have to. I promise you won't regret it (but your diet might!)

Tyrrells Tasty Treats

So everyone loves going to the cinema, but the thing I hate is choosing between popcorn. Sweet. Or salted. Sweet. Or salted. Normally I end up going salted (and then munch my way through a bag of Minstrels too) so when I came across this bag of Tyrrells Sweet & Salty popcorn, my taste buds started a-tingling.

Now this doesn't solve the whole sweet/salted dilemma at the cinema, as it's nice to have a nice big box to share when you're there. But for those cosy nights in, in front of the tv, this bag is perfect.

The popcorn is light and crisp, with just the right balance of both sweet and savoury. It makes it very more'ish and before you know it, the whole bag is finished.

Now my only problem, is two sets of tiny popcorn loving hands who try to get their mitts on some. I really must work on finding a better hiding place for these the next time I buy some. Or wait until the cover of darkness before I munch my way through my next bag.

Summer Scents Good Enough to Eat!

So I've been away from blogging for a while, but I've been very busy...making cupcakes, getting a new job, going to Disneyland - just the usual!

On our recent trip to Disneyland Paris (more on that later), we had some time to spend in Duty Free in Charles de Gaulle airport.  With spare Euros in my purse and time to kill, I went to the Fragrance section and perused the hundreds of perfumes they had available.  It was Paris after all, so I expected a good selection.

I have already had two DKNY fragrances before, however this pretty pastel coloured box caught my eye. DKNY have introduced this Creamy Meringue Limited Edition EDP, in their iconic apple shaped bottle, to their Delicious range.  With a vibrant and fresh lemony scent, this is perfect for summer. Lovely, light and not overly citrusy, this is definitely one I will be keeping in my handbag over the next few months.

Also as part of this 'Sweet Delicious' range is 'Tart Key Lime' and 'Pink Macaroon', both in pretty pastel green and pink bottles.  This range is inspired by cupcakes and general cakey goodness - in my opinion they have managed to capture the 'flavour' and smell of Lemon Meringue Pie perfectly in this fragrance.

Yummy!