MUMMY TO THE MAX

It's Mummy To The Max's three-year birthday! Mummy To The Max is bringing you a set of fun set of competitions for the occasion, that have been running all month. For our seventh competition, you are in with the chance of winning a fantastic Hippychick Wheelybugs Small Bumble Bee toy.

The Hippychick Wheelybugs Bumble Bee toy has been donated to Mummy To The Max by Baby's Mart who are lovely, family run on-line retail specialists (www.babys-mart.co.uk). Baby's Mart ensure that their customers have the best experience, whether you call their sales team, ask for advice or put an order through the website - they are there every step of the way.

Baby's Mart is dedicated to sourcing only the leading quality brands that parents can trust. They are stockists of: Silver Cross, Britax, Kiddy, Joolz, Maxi Cosi, Quinny, Cosatto, Hauck and Baby Style. They also have a wide range of nursery furniture. A lovely thing that Baby's Mart also has is a repairs workshop where they undertake most repairs in-house to provide their customers the most complete and thorough service that they can possibly offer.

To celebrate Mummy To The Max's birthday, Baby's Mart is giving one lucky reader of Mummy To The Max the chance to win a Hippychick Wheelybugs Small Bumble Bee. Please note that the prize can be subject to change and another Wheelybugs design may be sent.

To be in with a chance of winning all you simply need to do is enter the rafflecopter below.

Good Luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Recently we were sent a iCandy Raspberry Pushchair to review. We have had the pushchair for a month now and we adore it. You are able to see our introduction to the pushchair here however today I wanted to write a post about our day out with the pushchair.

We took the iCandy  Raspberry Pushchair for a trip in the New Forest. We met my parents and decided to go for a walk in the forest, shortly after our walk we visited a lovely holiday park for a bite to eat.


The iCandy Raspberry Pushchair was easy to fit into the boot of the car. I was a little worried to see how it would fit in the car due to the fact we have a Ford Focus ST which I think has quite a small boot however it folded up neatly and fitted well. Due to us having a small boot, I feel this pushchair will fit in a arrange of boots so transportation is not a problem.

When we arrived at our destination, we got the pushchair out and put Maxwell into it straight away. The pushchair takes seconds to put up and the process of doing this is very easy. You simply push a button on the handle and a button on the chaise and this releases the pushchair.

As a family, we headed off on our walk. We had a brilliant time and Maxwell adored walking around the forest. After our walk we passed the holiday park and explored.We went to the park, went over a lot of speed bumps, went to the soft play and had fun in the arcades.

Throughout our whole day out, we were pleasantly surprised at how well the iCandy Raspberry pushchair handled itself. We found that the pushchair handled different terrains well. Although it did struggle over some grass areas where the grass was long, it handled speed bumps, concrete, wood and managed to handle bark - the type you get in the park well.


We found that the iCandy has some amazing features that really make it a massive hit in our household. We love the fact that the iCandy has a secret compartment which can hold keys, my phone and other items that need to be secured safely. The basket is designed well, it is large in size and can hold my handbag, Maxwell's bag along with a bag of shopping. I also adore the fact that the handle can be adjusted to suit your height, as I am very short this is a massive blessing in disguise.I was able to walk with ease when handling the pushchair.

We felt Maxwell had a comfy journey in the iCandy, the seat was big enough for him to sit in - despite him being a 3 year old and we found that the straps adjusted well to suit his size. The iCandy has a small footprint which is fantastic as it meant Maxwell and the pushchair could fit through small doors. With a older pushchair we found that Maxwell would have to often get out to fit through some doorways which can often be a pain.


Since having the pushchair we have taken it on day trips to the Isle Of Wight. We found that the pushchair was great to use on the ferry due to it being lightweight and easy to get through the aisle that people we sitting in. We have also taken the pushchair on bus journeys. Having hated taking my old pushchair on bus journeys, the iCandy is a dream to use on the bus. It fits well into pushchair spaces and if needs be it is easy to fold. It is compact enough to fit in storage areas or by your feet if there is enough space.

If you are looking for a pushchair which handles the city well but also can handle the country well, this pushchair is for you!

This holiday I have been looking around for some promotions that Maxwell and I can use to keep him entertained over the holidays. I have come up with 5 money saving deals that will help you keep your children entertained however keeping your children entertained will not break the bank balance.

This summer why not order your child a free Toucan Box. Inside the box you are able to find fun craft ideas. The box is ideal to keep your child entertained on a wet, windy day. To order your box simply sign up to Toucan here. You need to add the code "jmc2" and your address and add payment details. Once you receive your first box you need to ensure you cancel your subscription to the service or you will be made to pay for the box subscription.

This half term you are able to get a 'free' cinema ticket on Sundays at participating cinemas when you buy promotional chocolate pouches before 14th October 2015. The bags include M&M's, Maltesers, Minstrels, Galaxy Counters and Revels. In order to get your "free" ticket you need to buy four small pouches or two large pouches. Our local cinema is a Cineworld cinema. At the moment some of the pouches are on promotion at the supermarket meaning a Sunday ticket will cost you around £4 once you have bought 4 small pouches. We have asked friends and family who may not want to take part in the promotion to save us there pouches. This summer you are able to get 2 tickets per person. If you buy chocolate in your household, this deal is fab for you!

One of the best deals that I have seen with Tesco Clubcard this summer is their fantastic deal where you are able to get a pizza, pasta or salad from Pizza Express for just £2 with their Clubcard deals. You are able to get 3 meals per visit which is fantastic when you are a smaller family like us. The offer is only avaliable on a Tuesday or a Wednesday however seeing as a pizza is normally £10+, 3 meals will cost you less than 1 meal at Pizza  Express regular price. All vouchers that are bought for this deal must be redeemed by Wednesday 16th September 2015

If you are on O2, download O2 priority. Luckily for us, Ben and I are both on O2 priority which means every Monday we benefit from their £1 lunch. Recently we have been going to Boots on a Monday and picking up a £1 lunch deal. We try and buy the packs of sandwiches where you get 3 sandwiches in. This in turn allows us to give Maxwell 2 sandwiches which means we can all eat for £2 and enjoy a little picnic at our local beach. You can also benefit from getting the £1 Dominos deal where you are able to get a personalised size pizza with one topping as well as the £1 WHSMITH deal.
This year the NHS is offering you and your child a fun Disney shake up pack to enjoy. You are able to choose from a Toy Story pack, A Frozen pack, A Monsters Inc pack or a Big Hero 6 pack. The pack includes a A 10 Minute Shake Up team wristband with timer, a Disney team poster and stickers, some 10 Minute Shake Up activity cards and wild cards and a very special team move to practice your shake up. This is a fun freebie which will keep the children entertained this summer.

For a long while I had a obsession with fizzy drinks however over time I weaned myself off them. Slowly but surely I have gone back to drinking water and juice and have decided against drinking sugary drinks and energy drinks. Since Maxwell has been born he has always enjoyed juice or water and has been stuck in his ways about what he wants to drink however recently he has started wanting to try different drinks. With the holidays and hot summer days around the corner I was excited to try the Infruitation bottles with Maxwell.

Recently we were asked by Infruitation if we would like to try their bottles. For anyone that has not heard of Infruitation, Infruitation bottles are a smart way of staying hydrated. Opting out of buying expensive fruit juices along with expensive flavored bottle water, you are now able to make your own flavored drinks thanks to the Infruitation bottle.

The Infruitation bottle is like a regular flask that your or your child are able to drink out of however there is a little extra. Inside the bottle there is a chamber which is large enough to house fruit, herbs or veggies. When you have added your required ingredient along with water, the ingredient releases its flavour into the water. Depending on what ingredient you use, the flavour can be as strong or as weak as you would like it to be. Because of this, it ensures you have healthy water. You are able to choose what ingredients you want in your drink and no sugars, chemicals or any other nasty ingredients are added into your drinks.

Maxwell and I both decided on having strawberries in our bottles. We cut around 7 strawberries each and added them to the chamber of our bottles. We found that we needed to leave the strawberries for over a hour in the water to start getting a good taste of flavoring in our water. Since trying the strawberries we have since had cucumber, raspberries and blackberries in our bottles however we have found that our favourite ingredient so far is the raspberries.

The bottles are a great size to take to school, have at home or have on days out. The bottles come in a variety of colours which suit everyone's tastes. Maxwell has a red one and I have a yellow bottle however the bottles also come in the colours blue and green.

I have always had a massive love for pushchairs. Whilst out and about I always take a good look at what other pushchairs people are using. I love to browse shops and look at the latest designs, colours and styles that pushchair company's have bought out. Recently Maxwell and I were sent a new iCandy Raspberry pushchair to review.

Maxwell and  I were thrilled to get the iCandy Raspberry to review. Although Maxwell is not a baby that is in need of being pushed around all the time in a pushchair, he is a small child that can get tired on long journeys or on long days out. Maxwell and I have been reviewing the iCandy Raspberry pushchair for the last month and we are looking forward to bringing you 3 blog post's about our thoughts and feelings on the iCandy Raspberry pushchair.

The iCandy Raspberry is described as the smart choice for families who enjoy urban adventures. Due to this Maxwell and I were looking forward to using the iCandy on buses, cafes, in the city but also in our local country side. We wanted to make sure we tested the iCandy in different settings to see if it fitted up to its name. The iCandy Raspberry promises to have an agile chassis, ease of fold and innovative, spacious storage capsule the iCandy is also promised to be the quick and lightweight stroller.

When buying your iCandy Raspberry you are able to choose from either a black or brush aluminium chassis. You are also  able to choose from one of seven flavour pack colours. After having a browse on iCandy website I was amazed at the selection of colours that they offered for the iCandy Raspberry. It took me a while to decide but in the end I decided on the beetle colour pack. I choose this along with the black chassis as I thought that it would not only look stylish but it would also hide any dirt that comes with a excitable, clumsy, messy toddler.

1. Maxwell has a new obsession with Lego
2. Maxwell is excited for my sisters wedding
3. Maxwell is prepared to start his new preschool in September
4. Maxwell is enjoying the hot weather.
5. Maxwell's is making lots of improvements with his speech

Recently I was sent a beautiful treat. I was sent a Cotton Candy Yankee Candle. For anyone that reads my blog, knows for a fact that I adore Yankee Candles. The Cotton Candy Yankee Candle was a massive treat for me to receive and I was thrilled to receive it. I was sent a large jar which at the present moment is making a special appearance in the UK.

Normally I would not choose a candle such as the Cotton Candy Yankee Candle. I normally enjoy the smell of floral candles and I normally buy candles which are neutral colours that tend to fit with my decor at home however I feel this time around, it was a pleasant surprise and treat to get my hands on something different.


When the candle arrived, it came in a medium pink colour. I thought the pink would be pretty neural and would be a pale pink however this was not the case. I thought the candle would make a perfect gift for any girly girl, anyone who loves pretty pink colours or adores the smell of Cotton Candy.

Upon opening the lid of the Cotton Candy candle I was hit by a sweet smell immediately. I thought that the smell would take a while to drift around my home however even before lighting the candle the smell managed to fill my room.  Ben commented on how sweet it smelt and said he loved the smell.

The scent that the Cotton Candy Yankee gives off would be perfect to freshen your home or use as a fragrance to make your home smell beautiful. I also fell that the candle would be perfect to relax with.

The candle has a burning time of up to 150 hours meaning that the candle will last a long time. The candle is priced at £21.99 which I feel is a reasonable price for a special appearance candle. You can buy the Cotton Candy Yankee  Candle here.

Whilst visiting Yankee Candles website why not check out there fantastic summer sale. There is 50% off certain items! Why not take a peek?

Recently I have seen a few blog posts floating around from other bloggers stating the "A-Z" of me, I thought it was about time I joined in with the fun. Here is the A-Z Of Me.

I am a person who appreciates things - I am always thankful of what I have around me and daily I thank my lucky stars that I have such a lovely family, a roof over my head and we have food on the table to eat.

I adore blogging. I have been blogging for just over 3 years now and I have learnt so much. I have made the most incredible friends who I love and I have been given some amazing opportunities.

I spend half my life doing chores. I obsess over making my home a perfect home and can spend hours a day rearranging things, cleaning and binning stuff. I spend around 2 hours a day cleaning, mainly when Max is in bed at night.

I seem to spend my life having and creating many dreams, mainly when it comes to making money and setting a business up. I have never been much of a risk taker and I would never put my family in a awful financial situation hense why my dreams have not become a reality as of yet.

I get excited over things that make my family and others happy. I love seeing others happy and when this occurs I often get over excited.

I have a love and hate relationship with food. After I had Maxwell all I seemed to do was indulge and managed to balloon in size however for a while now I have been eating less and eating better food. I am a massive fan of eating tasty food, healthy or unhealthy I am a massive fan.

I never take anything in life for granted. You never know what is around the corner. Take the most precious things in life and make sure they know that they are loved.

I am a home bird and love the routine I have created at home. I do not feel comfortable with change. At home I believe most of the fantastic memories with my family have been created. Home is where I feel safe, loved and warm.

I adore Instagram. Not only do I love sharing my photo's on their I also love noising at other people on their. It is a great way to keep up to date with what other's are up to.

One of my favourite deserts is jelly. It is a childhood favourite and I adore the fact that Maxwell also enjoys eating it. I love making new flavours and setting it in fun molds so that Maxwell can enjoy eating it.

I love being around people who are kind. There are a lot of people in the world today that can be hurtful, hurtful people have no space in my life.

I love to hear laughter. Laughter means happiness and I am happy if I hear it in our home, whilst out and about or within our family. Happiness means happy times, happy times where memories are created and stories are made.


I have a lovely little boy called Maxwell. Since Maxwell came into my life in 2011, my life has changed for the better. He is the most magical, incredible human ever and he makes me proud to be his Mummy every single Day.

I love living in the New Forest. Time and time again we have wanted to move due to the heavy cost of living in the lovely area that we live however we are still in this area and feel we can never move. It is our home and we adore the country life however the city life nearby which we can also experience.

I adore the ocean. Since I was a baby I have been bought up around the ocean. The ocean is a beautiful force, something that I take for granted, something which I see most days.

I have a secret love for pop music. You can often see me listening to hits from Justin Beiber and One Direction. I am sure some people think that I am weird but I love cheesy pop music and adore 90's hits.

I hate queuing. Depending on what que I have to join I often feel anxious and sometimes scared. I like spending my time wisely and queuing is a time consuming process.

One of my favorite colours is red. I adore the colour but I despise the fact that I am unable to wear red clothing as it colour clashes with my "red" coloured hair.

I love to see people focus on their strengths and not there weaknesses. I often find people get fixated on the negatives rather than the positives.

A shocking secret about me is I find it hard to tell the time. It is not the fact that I do not know the time but I often get confused when using manual clocks.

I have a massive love for Ugg Boots. Most people either love or hate them but I adore them. They keep my feet nice and snug in the winter and I often manage to find a nice pair of summer shoes from their stores also.

I love buying items that are great value for money. I refuse to buy items at full price and often use coupons and money off vouchers on a regular basis. I scrimp and save on what I can so we never get in debt and can afford nice things in life.

I am obsessed with the smell of wet rain. It is one of my favourite smells in the whole wide world.

I can play basic songs on the xylophone. I used to love playing music at school and taught myself a few easy songs. Maxwell is impressed when I play him songs on his xylophone.

I spend a awful lot of my life yawning. I am tired out 70% of the time due to always wanting to stay busy.

My favorite place to visit is the zoo. I always find its educational for Maxwell to visit them and I love seeing all the animals which live at the zoo.

It is Mummy To The Max's 3 year Birthday! Mummy To The Max is bringing you a set of fun competitions for the occasion. For our sixth competition you are in with the chance of winning a fantastic hamper of Encona goodies.

Encona has a range of over 20 delicious sauces and marinades to enjoy with your family and friends. In addition to all your Caribbean favourites, you can now enjoy a variety of flavours from across the globe such as Indian Sweet Mango Chilli, Thai Chilli and Garlic, African Peri Peri, Texan Chilli BBQ and Louisiana Cajun Hot Sauce.

Encona best selling range is available in a variety of different pack formats and heat levels, from mild to extra hot, there’s something for everyone!

Encona Sauces are wonderfully versatile. Great as a dipping sauce, a marinade, a cooking ingredient or as a delicious, everyday table sauce for all your favourite foods! Why not try drizzled into stir-fries, rice dishes, dips and salad dressings. Also great brushed onto food during grilling or barbecuing, and stirred into soups and stews.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post has been a post that I have wanted to write for the last few months however I have been unable to find the correct words to explain my thoughts and even my feelings on the topic that I want to speak about. I feel that we have been through a tough time, a time which has been stressful. I wanted to write this post to make other parents aware, to let them know they are not the only one's going through what they are going through and they are not alone. There is light at the end of the tunnel, even if the tunnel is a long one.

We are just a few days into the month. I thought this would be a great opportunity to write about my 3 thrifty favs from last month. Last month was a quiet months in terms of things such as competition prizes however I did manage to get some other freebies which I am more than happy with.

Favorite bargain: For Christmas, I have been desperate to get Maxwell a few Playmobil sets. Playmobil is something which Maxwell adores, moving on from Happyland to something a little more grown up, I knew it was about time I started to source some sets. I was over the moon when I found out that Toys R Us were selling some Playmobil sets off for just £5. We decided to go and take a look around our local Toys R Us and were impressed to find quite a few bargains. In the end we managed to pick up £100 of  Playmobil for just £34 which is a fantastic saving. I can not wait to find more bargains and start the Christmas countdown, something which is far to early for some.

Summer has arrived which means the lighter mornings have also arrived. For a while now Maxwell has been getting up at 5.50am.  Although this may not seem early for some, it was unusual for Maxwell to get up so early and we believed it was due to the lighter mornings we were experiencing.

Maxwell has blackout curtains in his room however the light would find a way of seeping through any small opening that may appear around the edges of the curtains. Maxwell is a child who sleeps far better in the dark allowing only a nightlight to comfort him. Due to our early wake up morning calls we were thrilled when we got the chance to review a Gro Anywhere Blind recently.



When the Gro Anywhere Blind arrived, I was surprised at how small it was. It came folded in a little travel bag which makes it not only perfect to use around the house but suitable and practical to take with you if you are going away or staying anywhere other than your own home and are wanting dark settings at bedtime or nap time for your child.

When opened out of its travel bag, the Gro Anywhere Blind is a large rectangular piece of blackout material with stars on. The stars are a nice little addition to the blind which Maxwell loves. The stars are plain which makes the blind perfect for either a little girl or boys room.