MUMMY TO THE MAX

You will need:

400g  minced beef

1 brown onion, peeled and chopped

100ml Heinz tomato ketchup

1 Stock Cube

 3 carrots, diced

 5 baking potatoes

100ml skimmed milk

100g Cheddar cheese, grated

50g of tinned sweetcorn

50g of peas

Cauliflower

Broccoli

Green Italian Paste Pot

Frying Pan

Pyrex Dish

Heat mince in frying pan and brown the mince, add water into the pan and slowly crumble the beef stock cube over the mince. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
.

Add the carrot and onion and continue cooking for a further 15 minutes or until the mince is tender.

Stir in Heinz Tomato Ketchup and your paste pot. Lastly add the sweetcorn and peas Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.



Cook potatoes in boiling water until soft. Drain well and mash with the milk and cheese.

Spoon mince and vegetables into Pyrex dish. Top with mashed potato and sprinkle with cheese.

Boil water and boil cauliflower and broccoli.

Cook at 200°C or Gas mark 6 for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are golden and mince is hot.

Serve this with cauliflower and broccoli on the side, I also decorated the top of my pie with veg.

Crazy Soap Bath Goo - It's a soap that looks like yellow goo. You are able to scoop it up and squidge it under running water and turn it into fruity fragranced bubbles for bath time fun that cleans little ones as they play.

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• Use 100% natural ingredients
• Are free from added salt and sugar
• Have no additives or preservatives in their meals
• All meals are taste tested and approved by a team of little testers
• Most of all they are very tasty

Chicken and Butternut Squash Pie

Since having Maxwell I have never had to go anywhere long distance with him by myself. I have always had Ben or my family to hold my hand. Next week it all changes, we are going to London.
We are going for a special event which no-one actually knows about yet but I couldn't be more scared if I tried.

The train journey is for one and a half hours each way and we are going from Southampton to London. We also have one stop to battle with.
I have done it a few times before without Maxwell but add a baby, a pushchair and a changing bag into the equation anything could happen.

Things I am scared about:

1. Being late for the train - We are booked on to the 9 am train leaving Southampton, however when I rang South West trains up they told me I would have to collect the train tickets from a machine, I have no clue where the machine is nor how to even get the tickets. I think we will leave our house early.
2. The journey - I rang South West trains up to ask was it possible to travel with Maxwell in his buggy. Its small and lightweight and I can not see him sitting still for a hour and a half. I was told I would either have to collapse it which I really do not want to do or if any disable places are free I am able to put his pushchair here but if anyone disabled gets on then I will have to move. I was also told they were unable to reserve seats which is irritating. Has anyone ever experienced taking there children on the train in a buggy? Any advice would be great!
3. The Change of train - We only have 10 mins to change trains, will this be enough time? If not we will be standing around waiting for the next train to come.
4. London - I have a 20 min walk when we get to London to our destination. I am going to print a route off before we go however I hope we do not get to lost if not ill be jumping in a cab.

I have decided I need to take minimal luggage but enough toys, food for Maxwell to be entertained. I have already decided we can stop off at Pret a Manger for lunch as I have a gift voucher.

I am excited but also very nervous! Look back soon to see how it all went! Did we have a successful trip or not?

For a while now Maxwell has been outgrowing his cot, so this week we decided it was time to invest in a new cot bed for him, not only was it time for a new cot bed it was also time for a brand new change in decor.
I'm board of his baby room, its just brown and cream. I wanted to add something bright and colourful to his room, something that would last him for a few years, something which he would enjoy and love just as much as we do.
We came to the conclusion we would love a Disney themed room for Maxwell. After searching high and low we were left disappointed as we were not able to find any Finding Nemo bedroom stuff so we had to change our plans and go for a Disney Cars Room.
I have spent a lot of time this week on the internet searching for things for his room. So far we have managed to buy the following:

1. Night Light
2. Wardrobe
3. Blanket
4. Duvet set
5. Toy box

When Maxwell was a newborn I swore by Huggies, however as he has got older we have had a few problems but we would still buy them now and again.
The good news to all Huggies fans is that Huggies will still continue to make wet wipes which we use a lot as well as there other great ranges which include Potty Training pants and DryNites pyjama pants & bed-wetting mats, pull ups and little swimmers, so not all is lost.

How many of you out there will this affect, we would love to know! What brand will you be buying in the future?
We wish Huggies all the best in the future and maybe one day hope to see the return of their nappys.

This is a official email I received off Huggies earlier:

Hi Helen, Sadly, today you will receive your last monthly update from Huggies® Club. We are sorry for any disappointment this may cause, however, you can continue to find nappy change tips and advice by visiting Huggies® Club. We will also continue to keep you up to date by e-mail on great offers in store, promotions and news from Huggies®. From spring 2013, Huggies® nappies will no longer be available to buy in the UK and Ireland. However, you'll still be able to buy Huggies® nappies in most retailers over the next couple of months – we will keep you updated on where you can still find them from January. If you have any questions, or would like more information, please visit Huggies® Club. We will continue to make Huggies® wipes to keep your little one fresh and clean and care for your baby's skin. We will also continue to sell our great range of Little Swimmers® swim nappies, Pull-Ups® Potty Training Pants and DryNites® Pyjama Pants & Bed Mats. Thank you for your continued support, Love Huggies

Are you looking for some new footwear that celebs love? Then I have the perfect shoes for you.
Recently Cloggs have brought their own Merino wool boots out as part of their signature range.
There are two styles to choose from, The Catherine, a short boot and The Victoria, a tall boot.  Both styles are available in chestnut or black.
I chose to review The Catherine in Black which retail at  just £59.99.
Celebrities such as Frankie Essex from the hit series The Only Way Is Essex is a huge fan!


Over the years I have tried many boots like Ugg's and have never found anything better than the original. The high-street fashion stores such as Primark, New Look and Peacocks do a cheap copy and the soles would wear away after a few weeks. Blow fish and other branded names boots would fold down at the back so I would be unable to wear them.

The Catherine boots I was sent looked great. They have a crown stamped back plate on the back which shows their identity to the Cloggs brand but also makes them stand out. They look very fashionable. They were lovely to walk in. The sole is a snowflake anti-slip sole which is great as we live on 2 big hills which get quite icy and slippery in the winter. I feel confident walking in these boots unlike I feel when I wear other footwear.


The boots have a thick, Merino Wool Lining to keep your feet warm and cozy. Whilst walking around in them my feet were just as warm as they are in my Ugg boots. I managed to wear thick socks with these and a pair of tights and the boots still remained comfy on my feet.
For £59.99 I feel these boots by Cloggs are great value for money. They are made well and very fashionable too. They are in the same league as the Ugg boots that I have and at half the price, I think they are a good bargain to complete any wardrobe. The look great and are incredibly comfy.
These would be a great treat to yourself to start the new year or perhaps would make a great present for a loved one for there birthday or perhaps a valentines day treat.

Everything written in this post is my own, honest opinion 

At the moment I am feeling like the most unluckiest person in the world. The number 13 has always been a lucky number to me especially as I was born on Friday the 13th however maybe my luck is changing and its starting to bite me in the bottom.

This week Ben was told some news that turned our world upside down.
Ben has been working for the last 7 months, a 40 hour contract. Yesterday he was told due to his employers not making enough money he has had his hours cut down to just 15. Not only this he was given 3 days notice this would happen. At the moment the future is unclear for us. Its a horrible feeling of the unknown and its a scary feeling.

A few weeks ago I ordered a cupcake maker, it was something I had wanted for ages and had been patiently awaiting its arrival. Finally it arrived today, only to find that it is broken. A whole lot of use to me. I was left feeling so disappointed as I had planned to try and bake a few cupcakes with Maxwell this weekend.

The final topping on the cake was today, we went out and whilst out I must have managed to drop my bank card somewhere. I'm so annoyed at myself for losing it and of course I rang up the bank ASAP to cancel it but it now being the weekend I can not access money without asking Ben to go and get it which is a pain!

2013 was full of aims and goals for me, but these are slowly disappearing. I hope we can overcome the huge setback of Ben losing so many hours at his job and I hope he manages with my help to find another job soon. Lets hope 2013 improves for us all.

I just want to wish all my friends, followers and companies I have worked with in 2012 a happy 2013.
Thanks for all the comments and the support you all gave to me in 2012.
I'm looking forward to the coming year.

I have written a list of 20 things that I aim to do in 2013 and I hope to say this time in a year, I have achieved all these goals.

1. Go on holiday
2. Buy at least another 4 Pandora Charms
3. Get back to size 10
4. Turn Maxwell's room into Disney Cars theme
5. Spend less time on Facebook and blog and comp more
6. Drink less fizzy drinks
7. Visit the farm with Maxwell
8. Cut down on takeaways
9. Buy at least 6 new fancy dress outfits for Maxwell
10. Go to bed earlier
11. Learn something new
12. Buy myself something expensive
13. Save £££
14. Sell more things on Ebay
15. Create a masterpiece with Maxwell and hang it on my landing
16. Attend more groups at the Childrens Centre
17. Watch at least 1 film a week
18. Spend more time with Ben
19. Spend a summers day on the Isle Of Wight
20. Keep blogging