The Gallery: Animals

This weeks theme for The Gallery is Animals. Apologies Tara I know you said to try to avoid using photos of pets but I couldn't resist sharing the story of how Ben and Coco's relationship has developed over the past twenty three months. The two of them really are partners in crime!

Ben and Coco the chihuahua

From the beginning Coco watched Ben

...and Ben watched Coco

They fell asleep together

They hung out together

They played together nicely

..and not so nicely

But one thing is for sure they really are the best of friends :)

Chocolate Beetroot Brownies: you have to try this recipe!

Ben and I decided to do a little experiment today and try out a Beetroot Chocolate Brownies recipe. The results were so yummy I felt I had to share the recipe. Over the past few weeks I have gotten beetroots in my vegetable box delivery so I thought it was time to get a bit more creative than pickling them and using them in various savoury dishes. I had come across some recipes for chocolate beetroot cake and brownies online and someone even recommended trying it on twitter but I have to say I wasn't completely convinced but I am so glad we gave them a go today. They are delicious!

The recipe I followed is a bit of a combination of a few recipes online as it was dependent on what I had in the kitchen cupboards so here it is:

Ingredients

• 4 medium sized whole raw beetroots 
• half a cup of sunflower oil
• 200g bar plain chocolate (70% cocoa)is the recommended amount but I only had about 120 g in total
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 100g plain flour
• 10g cocoa powder (I used Green & Blacks)
•  15g drinking chocolate (again Green & Blacks)

Method:

1.  Top and tail and peel the beetroots and cut them in to about 4 chunks each. Place in a bowl and cover with cling film. Then pop in the microwave for 12 minutes until they are tender. (Be careful removing the clingfilm as the steam is very hot - I managed to burn my finger).
2. Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 20 x 30cm baking tin (I use a silicone one so just give it a quick spray with Bake Easy spray). Chop the chocolate into rough chunks
3.  When the beetroot is cooked, drain and trip into a food processor along with the chocolate, oil and vanilla and whizz until as smooth as you can get it.
4. Put the sugar and eggs into a large bowl, then beat using an electric hand whisk until thick, pale and foamy, about 2 mins. Spoon the beetroot mix into the bowl, then use a large metal spoon to fold it into the whisked eggs. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, then gently fold these in to make a smooth batter. 
5. Pour into the prepared tin. The recommended time to bake it is for 25 mins but I left mine for about 40 minutes as when I tested it a few times with a toothpick it just wasn't ready. It is supposed to just have a slight quiver under the centre of the crust when you shake the pan. Cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares (we couldn't wait for it to completely cool though :)).

So that is it. A simple scrummy recipe and a perfect way to get one of your five a day especially on a day you think a treat is in order. I totally recommend trying it and I bet no one will guess your secret ingredient! 

 

Our fun at the I Love My Lunchbox Picnic

On Sunday we went along to the I Love My Lunchbox picnic with Nick Coffer aka My Daddy Cooks and TOTAL Greek Yoghurt which was held in a fantastic location, Potters Fields which is right by London Bridge and City Hall. Unfortunately we were a little late arriving (it was one of those mornings :() and missed Nick's demo but when arrived the party was in full swing! To Ben's delight we were greeted by a large dancing Zebra and Cow which he was fascinated by.

Inside the marquee there was so much yummy food on offer it was quite hard to know where to start! There were plates of Lamb Gyrow with Tzatzki, Feta Bacon and Greek Yoghurt Filo Triangles, Spinach and Cheddar Muffins, Marinated Chicken Wings, Roasted Vegetables, Bacon and Pasta Salad, Ben's favourite the Blueberry Muffins, Scones, Smoothies and yummy Chocolate Mousse - I never knew you could use greek yoghurt in so many recipes! There was a fun party atmosphere about and the fantastic Yumettes kept everyone entertained with their singing, my hubby was especially impressed with them - perhaps it was the catchy TOTAL Greek songs they were singing ;). It was so sweet to see some of the little kids joining the Yumettes on stage, there definitely was a few budding stars there who were loving the limelight :).

Where to start?

Yum Yum Yum Chocolate Mousse!

Yummy Blueberry Muffin :)

The highlight of the day for Ben was most definitely sitting with the Zebra and colouring. He looked a bit starstruck at first to see the Zebra drawing a pink sun but with a bit of encouragement from his new friend he was quickly joining in. There was also a little girl there who was a bit older than Ben, she turned to me and said she never knew zebras had fingers inside their hooves. I wasn't quite sure how to answer that one so just said he was a special zebra.

Ben colouring with Zebra

It was a great day so I would like to say a big thank you to all involved in organising it! All of the yummy recipes from the day by Nick can be found here - now to try out some...

*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I received a goody bag full of TOTAL Greek yoghurt and lots of recipes by My Daddy Cooks.

Silent Sunday

Review of Who Am I Animals iPhone / iPad app by Technolio

I downloaded Who Am I Animals iPad / iPhone app by Technolio for Ben to play with today and it has been such a massive hit with him I decided to video it. Technolio are the same people who brought us Toddler Puzzle Shapes which I reviewed a few weeks ago.

Who Am I Animals is an excellent app for teaching little ones about different animals and their sounds in a fun way. When you load the app you are presented with a picture of an animal and given a piece of information about it. You then have to select the correct animal from three partial pictures of animals also on screen. Another fun yet educational app great for young children.

This app is available to download from the App Store for both the iPad and iPhone and the great news is that Technolio are running a "back to school" promotion this weekend and it is free! So go check it out - it's a great app your little one will love and learn lots from. A win all round!


*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I have chosen to write about this app as I have found it really good and wanted to share it with others.

Saturday Snapshot: Hugs and Tickles

I love this picture. Ben was tickling me and there was lots of uncontrollable laughter at the time. I love those moments of pure happiness. It makes me smile every time I look at it :).



Feel free to join in on and post a Saturday Snapshot as well. Post a picture that makes you smile and leave me a comment to let me know. If enough people join in I might set up a linky next week so spread the word :). Thanks!

Ben's top iPad / iPhone app this week: Shapes Game HD by BabyTV

This week's featured app is Shapes Game HD by BabyTV which Ben enjoys playing. Those familiar with BabyTV will recognise the cute Tulli character who narrates the app. The aim of the app is to piece back the pieces of a picture together so it is great for teaching toddlers how pictures are made up of various shapes and it also helps to develop their visual perception.

When you load the app a picture such as a truck appears on screen, the shapes then come apart and Tulli says "Uh oh! Our picture has fallen apart. Let's click on it's parts and put it back together again!". You then just tap the various pieces and the picture comes back together and suddenly it becomes animated and makes a relevant sound while Tulli praises you. Ben especially loves the picture of the duck and how it starts quacking when back together, it is guaranteed to make him laugh! It is relatively simple to play but is a great way for little ones to learn about shapes and in turn how to put them together to draw their own pictures.

Shapes being put back together after they have fallen apart

Shapes put back together and animated

My only negative about this app is the location of the menu button on the lower left hand corner as it is too easy to touch it accidentally and then you are taken back to the menu and have to start all over again with the first picture. It would be much better if it was child proof similar to how the button on the BabyTV Mobile HD app has been implemented which requires you to touch the button for a few seconds and then a circle appears and you select an option - this is a great example of child friendly app buttons.

Ben really enjoys playing this app and the selection of pictures not to mention the familiar sight of Tulli. I like how it teaches him to recognise shapes in pictures.

Shapes Game HD for the iPad is available to download for free from the AppStore and there is also a version for the iPhone. Great little apps your little one is sure to enjoy playing.

Ben putting the shapes back together

Watching as the butterfly is animated

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I have chosen to write about this app as I have found it really good and wanted to share it with others.

My favourite baby item this week: Sangenic Hygiene Plus Nappy Disposal System

Today I am going to tell you about the Sangenic Hygiene Plus nappy disposal system by Tommee Tippee. This product is such a clever idea and makes disposing of nappies hygienic and hassle free. There is an endless supply of nappies in those first few years with some more stinky than others and I have found having a system such as this really is essential. It is not only hygienic and convenient but it also contains odours effectively. It means that you don't have to make frequent trips to the outside bin to dispose of nappies and is ideal if you live in an apartment or flat and don't have access to such things as a wheely bin outside for your rubbish.

The Sangenic Hygiene Plus is basically like a white plastic bin with a special top where a cartridge containing the wrapper film sits. The idea is you drop the nappy in, twist the top around using a little handle, close the lid where a plunger on the inside of the lid pushes the nappy into the bin below. The result is the trademark Twist and Locks system individually wraps the nappies so that they resemble a string of sausages which are wrapped in its multiple-layer, anti-bacterial film which seals in odour, locks away germs and stores them safely and discretely providing antibacterial protection which kills ninety nine percent of germs on contact. The bin stores approximately twenty eight nappies but that depends on the size. The following is a video on how to use the Sangenic Hygiene Plus.

We have found this a great solution for nappy disposal especially since Ben started on solids and the nappies got a bit more fragrant shall we say. As Ben's nappies didn't particularly smell in the first six months while he was just being breastfed we simply popped a shopping carrier bag in the bin part instead of using a cartridge and used it as a nappy bin. However it was once he started on solids that the system came into it's own, it really does contain the odour and is a very effective way to dispose of smelly nappies.

We purchased our Sangenic Hygiene Plus at The Baby Show but it is available online and in Tesco, Mothercare, Boots and other supermarkets and online stores. The nappy disposal system itself starts from about £24.99 with various starter packages available. The replacement cartridges are £5.49 each but it works out more economical to buy them in packs of three or six. I have found that each cartridge lasts about a month.

This is another one of my tried and tested items which I can highly recommend. Hygienic, convenient and effective!

Getting the balance right: Kids and Technology

My most recent HuffPost blog entry was all about children and the ever-present role of technology in their lives these days which I have some strong feelings about. A self-confessed girly geek, I come from a tech background and absolutely love all the advances that have been made over the past ten to fifteen years. I am therefore happy to embrace all that modern technology can offer me and my family. Regular readers of my blog and those who follow me on twitter will know that Ben is a little whizz when it comes to using the latest gadgets such as my iPhone and iPad and I have many apps installed for him to play with which we regularly review. It is my belief that he has learnt a lot from these and the evidence of it can be seen every day. I use these apps as a fun way to teach Ben colours, numbers, shapes, letters and so on, this can only be a good thing surely?

Yesterday we went to the park, on the way there Ben pointed to each and every car along the way and told me what colour it was. We sang our version of the Wheels on the Bus as we walked, substituting the wheels for animal names and he made all the correct noises for each animal, making me laugh with his funny sort impressions of the 'pigs on the bus'. He counted out the number of steps as he climbed up to the slide. He named the letters on a poster outside the cafe in the park and was especially excited by the letter B as he knows his name starts with it. While he also learns these things from the books we read and other more traditional forms of play, I believe the apps he uses are a powerful tool for teaching him in a fun easy and effective way.

So where does the role of technology in kids lives go wrong? When does it become detrimental and a problem? This happens when it is the only thing they do, when they are left to sit playing on games consoles for hours on end without balancing it with other activities such as riding a bike, getting involved in sport, reading a book and so on. It is my opinion that we as parents need to encourage children to get the most out of life by getting involved with all these other activities. Last nights episode of Jo Frost: Extreme Parental Guidance had a good example of this with a ten year old boy who was so obsessed with playing a fantasy computer game called World of Warcraft his mother even gave him his breakfast, lunch and dinner sitting at the computer so he could keep playing it. It got so bad the child had a fit in a cafe as a result of his obsession and when asked by the ambulance man if he had been playing computer games he admitted he had been for twelve hours the previous day. Not even this deterred his mother from letting him play on the computer the next day. She admitted she used technology to babysit her son while she dealt with her other two younger children. Thankfully as a result of Jo's help he managed to wean himself off the computer and start enjoying more family activities and days out.

This is an extreme example of the bad effects of technology on kids but the reason it happened is clear, the child was addicted and his obsession was perpetuated by his mother. It is a warning to parents to encourage their children to take part in a broad range of activities, that way they can get the benefits of the wonderful things technology can offer along with enjoying all that life has to offer. Just as Socrates said "everything in moderation".

Playing on the iPad

The Gallery: World Photography Day

This weeks theme for The Gallery is World Photography Day which was last Friday the 19th of August. I took lots of photographs that day but then Ben and I were messing with my iPad and took these using the Thermal camera effect in Photo Booth. I really like how they came out and I especially love Ben's cheeky smile in the first one and his eyes in the last. Ben thinks they are hillarious and says "Mama and Ben, blue hair" every time he sees them.

Dr Seuss iPad / iPhone apps

We are big Dr Seuss fans in this family. Ben loves having the books read to him and I love how fun they are to read to him with their great word play, character names and amusing stories. Having the books available in digital format on my iPhone and iPad has been a real lifesaver for me at times when I have needed to entertain a certain little toddler. I have already featured the Green Eggs and Ham - Dr Seuss iPhone / iPad app on my blog as one of Ben's weekly top apps but I wanted to tell you about some more Dr Seuss apps by Oceanhouse Media which are available including the newly released There's a Wocket in my Pocket! which is a big hit with Ben. What I especially love about these apps is that they are true to the original Dr Seuss books in that they maintain the original illustrations and words from the books.

All the apps follow the same format. When you load the app you are given three options, Read To Me, Read It Myself and Auto Play. Each of these modes come in useful in different situations whether it is the Read It Myself option where you or your child want to read the book in a traditional format or Read To Me and Auto Play which is great to keep your child entertained in the car etc. Ben loves how the pages are interactive with the words appearing and spoken when an object is touched on screen and this is great for word association. Another feature I like is that in the Read To Me mode words are underlined as the story is read which is good when learning to read.

Three options available to select from

Some of the apps available in the AppStore which Ben enjoys playing include:

There's a Wocket in my Pocket! - Ben loves the funny creatures in this app especially that Zelf up on that Shelf and the Zlock behind the Clock. It is a fun way to help little ones learn the names of things around the house.

There's a Wocket in my Pocket!

Horton Hear A Who - I have always loved the story of Horton the elephant and the tiny speck of dust which is home to the people who live in the city of Who-ville so I am glad Ben loves it too. Having this app on my iPhone and iPad really is fantastic and we have spent many lovely moments reading it, it is such a lovely story!

Horton Hear A Who

The Sneetches - Ben loves the characters in the Sneetches, some who have Plain-Bellys and some who have Star-Bellys. That is, until Sylvester McMonkey McBean arrives to cause all kinds of trouble. I love the fact that there is a moral to be learnt from this story in that Prejudices are pointless and costly in the end.

The Sneetches

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish - Ben loves all the rhyming in this and I find it lots of fun to read to him. It is a classic Dr Seuss story which poses lots of questions. It is one of those books that kids are sure to love reading over and over again - indeed Ben does!

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

There's a Wocket in my Pocket!, Horton Hear A Who, The Sneetches and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish are all available to download from the AppStore with prices starting at £1.99. The great thing about these apps is that they are universal which means you buy them once and can then download them to all your Apple devices which is great as you can always have a book to read to your child on your iphone or iPad without having to carry around a mini library of books. A big win for me!

* I received promo codes to review these apps but this has in no way biased my opinion of them - both Ben and I love them and read them all the time!

Review of Boots Bath Squirters and Boots Bath Book

Ben loves playing in the bath and would quite happily stay splashing about for hours on end if he got the chance therefore I was more than happy to review the Boots Baby Bathtime Squirters and the Boots Bathtime Book.

The Boots Bath Squirters are four fun and brightly coloured toys which includes an octopus, a whale, a fish and a turtle. They are really soft and easy to squeeze in comparison to other squirters Ben has which means he had no problem using them himself and absolutely loves squirting them at me.  They really are great for little hands and are very cute little characters. My favourite is the octopus and Ben's is definitely the little fish. For such simple toys they really are a lot of fun!

Ben loves books so I really liked the idea of a bath book for him. The Boots Bath Book has a picture of a different underwater creatures on each page. It is a fun little book perfect for the bath which Ben enjoyed flicking through and looking at the pictures. We used it to make up a story about all the underwater animals which he really enjoyed.

These two items are reasonably priced at £3.99 for  the book and £2.49 for the squirters and are great for some bath time entertainment. Both are available online and in store. Well worth picking up some to add some fun to your little ones bath time!

Ben enjoying his Bath Book!

*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I received the Boots Bath Squirters and Boots Bath Book for free but this has in no way biased my opinion of them.

Finally he Sleeps!

Last night was the first night Ben has ever slept right though the night in his cot, in his own room. I couldn't quite believe it when I woke just before 8am, looked at the clock and realised he was still asleep. Finally at twenty three months he had done it and slept a whole night!

Tonight however has not been so good. It's now gone 2am and Ben was in full swing 'party baby' mode up to not so long ago. At last he is finally snuggled up to me and dropping off again after a few failed attempts to move him into his cot already. He was funny earlier, he had spotted a 'daddy long legs' spider and thought it was hilarious to watch it dance about the room. Thankfully it settled in one spot eventually so stopped distracting him. I, on the other hand, am now trying not to freak out and hoping the scary winged creature will stay where I can see it in the corner visible only by a chink of light that is escaping into the room.

Late as it is, tonight I don't mind being awake with Ben because I know he can do it now. He can and will sleep through the night. He may not tonight but I know he will again and I feel really positive about it.

Silent Sunday

Ben's top iPad app this week: Teddy's Day and Teddy's Night

This week I want to tell you about not one but two apps called Teddy's Day and Teddy's Night by Auryn Inc which Ben loves. The apps, which are digital books are beautifully illustrated, cleverly interactive and pleasantly narrated. Both apps are based on storybooks by the author Bruno Hachler, Teddy's Day is based on 'What does my Teddy Bear do all Day?' and Teddy's Night is based on 'What does my Teddy Bear do All Night?'. The story is about a girl who imagines the various things that her Teddy might be getting up to while she is not around.

Teddy's Day

Teddy's Night - the interactive feature highlighted

The thing that I love the most about these apps is the subtleness of the interactive features which add such a fun element without detracting from the story and really keep Ben engaged throughout. On each page the words are read first and then the interactive parts are highlighted. Such examples include being able to help the girl complete a jigsaw, tap the crayons to draw pictures which then appear on the wall and remain there when you play it next time, build blocks, turn on and off the light switch and many more.

Interactive feature: Drawing

Interactive feature: Balancing blocks

Ben loves the "Teddy Bear" apps as he refers to them. He seems to be very taken with the Teddy and the two little mice in it who are fantastically brought to life by the beautiful illustrations. His really enjoys the interactive parts in particular where he gets to draw and loves playing with the blocks and balancing them to build a tower. It is safe to say these apps are a big hit with him and the great thing is he keeps finding new cool things to do in it.

Teddy's Day is priced at £2.49 and Teddy's Night is £1.99 and both are available to download for the iPad from the AppStore.

Ben playing Teddy's Day

*Disclaimer: I received a promo code to review these apps but this has in no way biased my opinion of them - both Ben and I love them!

My favourite Baby Item this week: Stokke Xplory

This week I am going to tell you about our stroller which is the fantastic Stokke Xplory. Ever since I saw it demonstrated at the Baby Show back in 2009 I have been impressed by it. My husband and I had gone there with the intention of buying another well known brand but quickly changed our minds when we saw the Xplory in action and got to test drive it. I immediately loved how high up from the ground it is, the fact the seat is reversible, how easy it is to collapse not to mention the fantastic colours and unique style.

Pushing the Xplory is a joy and it is amazing how you can swivel it about in the smallest of spaces with such ease especially when you are trying to manovure around a crowded store or on a busy tube or bus where space is limited. I love how easily you can adjust the handle to suit whoever is pushing it whether they are tall or small with one simple action. This was important to us as my husband is 6' 4" and I'm 5' 4 (and a half!) so it is great that we can both find a comfortable height to suit us both while avoiding any strain on either of our backs.

The fact that Ben is so high up is a major advantage, he is out of the way of any road dust or potential hazards such as dogs that might bite little hands who grab at things they like. Ben is a huge chatterbox and I love how we can interact when we are out for a stroll which the reversible seat option allows as he can face me. I am a firm believer that having a parent facing stroller improves speech development and communication skills. As Ben has grown from the newborn days in the BabyBag (Carry cot) to the seat with the wedge for support and now without, the stroller has grown with him, the footrest has been adjusted to suit the length of his legs as they have grown longer and the straps on the seat raised higher. Often the only way I can get Ben to nap during the day is to take him out in his Xplory so it is great that the seat reclines completely flat if he does drop off and he can enjoy a comfortable nap.

We bought the Xplory in orange but have since then have purchased the yellow and Forest Green textile sets which are so easy to whip on when you fancy a change or need to wash them which as most parents would agree is a massive bonus. My favourite colour at the moment is definitely the yellow, I love how bright it is but I think come autumn I will change it to the Forest Green as it will suit the season better. Yes, my days of accessorising with shoes and handbags are long gone, now it is all about Ben and making sure he is happy, comfortable and looking great along with it is a big bonus, all of which the Xplory allows for. I can honestly say every time I take Ben out in his Xplory at least one person comments on how wonderful and high up it is and how comfortable Ben looks in it. I've had older people come up to me admiring it saying how modern and space age it looks, teenagers declaring it is "one cool buggy" and little kiddies saying "wow!".

There has been a new model released since we bought ours with some new features and a new range of colours including a gorgeous limited edition pink which I'm sure lots of mummies with baby girls would adore. Beautiful Summer and Winter kits are also available which ensure you can make the most of your stroller in all seasons.

The Xplory is available from various retailers including Mothercare, Kiddicare, Back In Action and Kiddisave with some places offering a package which includes the Baby Bag (suitable from birth to about six months) along with the seat (also suitable from birth when used with the wedge), change bag, shopping bag, blanket, rain cover, mosquito net and parasol. If you are interested a quick google search will show you your options.

I highly recommend the Stokke Xplory, I have tried others since using it and always find myself longing for my Xplory when I do. This is another one of my tried and tested products which I love!

Our first trip out

Ben's first time in the Xplory

Happy in his Xplory

Meeting a friend :)

Loving being so high up he can press the button

Our visit to the Bentall Centre

Today I was lucky enough to have been invited to an event at the Bentall Centre along with some other Mummy Bloggers (who it was lovely to finally meet in person). The Bentall Centre is in Kingston and is really easy to get to via train or bus and if you are going by car you will be glad to hear it has loads of parking.

Once you get inside the centre you will be amazed by the number of shops under one roof, I know I was! They really do have a shop for everything, loads of restaurants, a World of Children crèche and even a Virgin Active health centre which boasts a swimming pool. Check out the full list of stores here. It's a great place to come if you have children and need to do some shopping as you will be sure to get everything you need here without the stress of dragging them about a multitude of various shopping centres. I couldn't possibly tell you about all the stores in this post so I will mention the ones we got to visit on the tour given to us by Emma Pullen, the centre's PR and Communications Manager.

We started our visit with a coffee and snack in the new Costa on the lower ground floor which is one of two Costa's along with lots of other coffee shops and restaurants in the centre. Then after a visit to the World of Children creche which has lovely staff and is well equipped with a broad range of toys, we headed to the Waterstones which is fantastically laid out with a fabulous area for kids with a brightly coloured table and chairs, perfect to bring your little one to come and browse the books they would like. Ben was in his element when he spotted a stand with Charley Bear books which, of course we ended up getting before we left, he just adores Charley!

Having fun in Waterstones

We then had a tour of the impressive Virgin Active Health club, it has all the top of the range equipment which Ben was very eager to try saying "run, run" and attempting to escape from my arms and make a dash for the treadmill; studios, including one set up specifically for spinning classes which the fitness instructor told us is fantastic for getting in shape and losing weight, they also run a host of additional classes in these studios which are included in your membership and details of which can be found on their website; a swimming pool which I really had not expected to see in such a location and there was a fun looking aqua aerobics class going on while we were there.

Our next stop was possibly one of the most interesting toy shops I have seen in a while called Fun Learning. It is packed full of educational and fun creative and imagination inspiring products. The lady who we spoke to there was so passionate about their products it was clear these people are interested in the children and how to inspire them through play. While there are items for all ages here I think children over the age of six would absolutely love the stuff here.

Some of the wonderful stuff in Fun Learning

The final store on our tour was one of my all time favourite children's clothes stores called Polarn O Pyret. We fell in love with the funky patterned tops from here when we came across their store in Westfields last year while shopping for Ben's first birthday outfit. They are a Swedish clothes brand and I cannot speak highly enough of the quality of their clothes. Coincidentally Ben was sporting one of their tops today as his wardrobe contains quite a few! Ben loved the shop and didn't want to leave as it has a tunnel which he had so much fun playing in, not to mention the other toys which included blocks to keep the kids entertained. If every childrens clothes stores had such child friendly things and pleasant helpful staff it would make shopping so much easier for parents.

Ben playing in the tunnel :)

I could not talk about this centre without mentioning the wonderful Bentalls department store. I would happily spend hours looking about this store, amongst everything it has the most fabulous stuff for the home including Cath Kidston goodies and a fantastic beauty section where you can get a range of beauty treatments including eyebrow threading, a facial or even try out the latest trend that is a Zoola Fish massage and pedicure if you're brave enough! It is also worth mentioning that Bentalls run a host of events including some fabulous kids events such as Kids Cookery Classes with Malcolm Harradine and Glee inspired Dance Workshops.

I thouroghly enjoyed my visit to the Bentall Centre and now that I know what a great place it is to visit I will definitely be going back again and again. I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thanks to Emma and all the staff we met on the day who were so friendly and helpful. If you are looking for hassle free shopping with everything you want and more under one roof make sure you take a visit - you won't be disappointed!

* Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I recieved a fantastic goody bag but this has in no way biased my post - It really is a great place to visit!

The Gallery: Black and White

This weeks theme for The Gallery is Black and White. I took this picture of Ben asleep in our bed early one morning. I loved how he was lying with his bum high in the air, it made me laugh so I wanted to capture it. Unfortunately as it was a quick iPad photo the quality was not great and it didn't work very well in colour but thanks to the some Pixlr-o-matic app magic I was able to transform it into this black and white version which I am quite happy with.