MUMMY TO THE MAX

I'm so exciting to be attending Britmums Live in June, I am counting down the days! I thought I would join in the linky which you can find over on the Britmums site and introduce myself to anyone who was going to Britmums so they can look out for me. I also wanted to inform my readers why I am super excited to be attending, what I am looking forward to and i wanted to share a little more information about me. I just wanted take the time again to thank Nelsons Arnicare for sponsoring me, without you guys I would not be attending this event.


Name: Helen

Blog: http://www.mummytothemax.co.uk/

Last week Ben and I were lucky enough to spend a day together. Maxwell went to my Mum and Dad's, so Ben and I decided we would take a trip to London as Ben had never been and he was desperate to see the sights that he often had seen on the TV. He decided that he would love to go on the London Eye, however I was not convinced. I am terrified of heights!


Getting off the train at Waterloo station we made our way to the London Eye. It was a short 5 minute walk and it was easy to find. As soon as we arrived at the London Eye I was amazed at the lively atmosphere that was all around. I was so excited to be at a landmark which is well known all around the world.


Me and Ben headed to the ticket office to collect our tickets. We were given a fast track ticket to cut the que which I was glad about as the que was huge. We were searched by security and went straight to the front of the que where we were greeted by the only orange pod on the wheel which Ben had joked about us going on.


The pod moved slowly and it was our turn to get on. I was a little scared as the pod doesn't actually stop. Luckily all was fine and it was actually Ben who nearly missed the pod! In the pod, we found it to be very spacious and although there were around 20 people in the pod, (children and adults) I was able to move around freely. The pod had suggested viewing points and a small tab which gave us info about the sights we could see. From the eye you can see landmarks such as Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, The Shard, St Paul's Cathedral, and Wembley Stadium.


I have to admit being so scared of heights I could barely move at first. I sat on the bench in the pod with one hand gripping it as hard as I could with my mobile in my other hand.The pod was quite wobbly and I thought I was going to die! Luckily I managed to calm down and take in the breathe taking views.

Me and Ben had a fab day out and even visited the 4D cinema in the visitor centre. I would love to go again in a few years to see how London has transformed.

For general information on the EDF Energy London Eye

I am always excited to try new foods and when I went to London for Britmums Live 2013, I had something to look forward to. I was lucky enough to visit Nandos for dinner which was a real treat for me and I was accompanied by the lovely Jada from Unique Young Mum. I have tried many foods in the past but I was a Nandos virgin and after hearing lots of positive things, I could not wait to try there food which so many people talk about.


After a busy day, me and Jada headed back to our hotel to get ready for our exciting date night. We checked on the Nandos handy app on my iPhone for the nearest Nandos restaurant and found that we were closest to Nando's Spitalfields. We were pleased to see the restaurant closed at midnight so this gave us plenty of time to get ready and eat our food with plenty of time to spare.

When we arrived we were greeted by cheerful staff. I looked round and was surprised at how great the restaurant looked. It was smarter than I thought and I loved the red and black colour schemes it had which matched everything down to the staffs uniform. Me and Jada were shown our seats and were given our menus. The tables were clean as were the floors and we were placed in the middle of the restaurant around other people which made a change from being stuck in a corner which I have experienced at so many other restaurants.

After having a look at the menu I was drawn to having the double chicken breast fillet wrap with added cheese and two regular sides; a side salad and chips. I also ordered a drink of coke which was a unlimited refill and I was treated to a selection of sauces. My meal came to £13.25 and my drink was just £2.45 and I was excited to see what it tasted like.



Our meals came quickly and we waited around 15 minutes. Whilst my food was being cooked I was impressed to see that the kitchen was open planned. I was able to see how my food was being prepared and cooked. When our food arrived I noticed it was beautifully presented, hot, fresh and smelt wonderful. After taking my first bite I instantly fell in love and I will definitely be visiting again. The food was simply delicious.

The chicken tasted wonderful and melted in my mouth. I loved the taste that it gave off. I liked the fact I was able to choose sides and I found that my salad was a quite generous potion. The chips were also lovely and I was really impressed.



Whilst at the Spitalfields restaurant I was happy to see that it was clean and that all the visitors were made to feel welcome. Everything was perfect and even upon visiting the toilets I was happy to report they had enough toilet roll and soap. The restaurant also had disabled facilities and baby changing.

I was surprised to see that Nandos offer a takeaway option and one day I would love to go to my local store and pick up a takeaway for me and Ben to enjoy.

To find your nearest Nando's and find out information please visit their website, alternatively you can find them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

When I was preparing for Britmums Live I found I had a problem, the problem being I did not have a suitcase to take to London with me. I searched high and low for something that was small, fashionable and something that was practical for me to get on and off of trains and tubes with but I could not find anything. Luckily Revelation by Antler came to my rescue and provided me with a Revelation Zygo Animal Print 2 Wheel Cabin Suitcase which fitted all the categories I needed it for.


The Revelation Zygo Animal Print 2 Wheel Cabin Suitcase comes in either a snow leopard design or a golden leopard design. It features a locking trolley system for easy travelling and control and has a tough ABS construction to provide strength. The case is quite small at 55 x 35 x 20 cm but I managed to fit 3 days worth of clothes as well as 4 pairs of shoes in my case. The case I was sent retails at just £60.

Positives about the suitcase:

• The suitcase is lightweight weighing just 2.7 kg without having anything in it. This definitely helped me travel with ease as it would have been a nightmare having to carry heavy loads of clothes as well as having a heavy suitcase on public transport.
• The suitcase has a nice mesh design in the lid. I kept my shoes in this so they were separate from everything else in my suitcase. 
• There was a lock which was attached to the case. This made me feel like my stuff was safer when traveling in London. I had a 3 number password and I was able to change the password with ease. 
• The suitcase is fashionable and stands out, If you were at a airport you would be able to identify your case easily as it has a unique design.
• The case has an internal pocket which can separate your clothes from your toiletries if you choose to. This made me feel confident that my stuff in the case would not get damaged say if something was to leak.
• The suitcase comes with a 5 year warranty which makes me feel that the suitcase was built to last. 
• The suitcase can carry quite a lot considering its size. It has a packing capacity of 30 ltr.

Negatives about the suitcase:

• I found the lining of the suitcase got stuck in the zip at times. This panicked me a little as I had to push open the suitcase with force and I was scared the zip on the suitcase may break. 
• I think the suitcase would benefit from having a small handle on the side so it is easy to pick up instead of having to pick it up with the handle at the top of the case. 

Coca-Cola and WWF have joined forces to launch Arctic Home, a new project focused on raising awareness and funds to help conserve the home of the polar bear and create a positive future for the Arctic.


A long-standing icon across Coca-Cola advertising for 90 years, the polar represents family and togetherness for the brand. This is why Coca-Cola is pledging €3 million over the next three years towards conserving their Arctic home as well as bringing their plight closer to home for millions of consumers. The funds raised through the campaign will allow WWF to use their extensive scientific network and conservation expertise in a variety of ways, including conservation planning for the Last Ice Area - an area of over 1.4 million sq km in northern Greenland and northern Canada – a region bigger than France and Spain combined.

Arctic Home launched at The Science Museum, London on 17th January with an augmented reality experience, where guests saw the polar bears brought to life and which allowed them to observe some of the challenges facing them and the Arctic. The campaign will also bring the Arctic into millions of families’ homes; with more than 300 million Coca-Cola packs and cans featuring a mother polar and two cubs making their way across the Arctic for the first time. A new television advert around the Arctic Home campaign will also see the polar bears in their Arctic environment brought to life from February as well as a buzz across social media activity around the launch.

The Arctic Home project will see the largest number of European countries ever come together to support an initiative to raise awareness and funds for a common cause, with 16 launching in the coming weeks.

Arctic Home forms part of a global partnership between Coca-Cola and WWF, which focuses on working towards cutting the Company’s carbon emissions, water conservation and sustainable agriculture. The project will also raise awareness of how the Arctic is being affected by climate change, with it currently warming twice as fast as the global average and sea ice is disappearing at a rate of about 11% each decade. This shrinking sea ice is threatening the future of the polar bear.


Coca-Cola and WWF are calling for everyone to find out more, get involved or donate by visiting the Arctic home website no amount of money donated is too big or too small!

HOW THE MONEY FROM THE ARCTIC HOME CAMPAIGN WILL BE USED:

CREATING A SAFE HOME

- The polar bear needs help to give it a safe, sustainable home. It lives, hunts, mates and breeds on the sea ice, but with that rapidly shrinking, WWF is working to protect and manage what is still there.

UNDERSTANDING POLAR BEARS

- Before we can work out how best to protect the polar bear population, we need a better understanding of them. Due to the challenges of the Arctic environment it’s difficult and expensive to even get an accurate count of how many bears are left. Part of the money raised by the Arctic Home campaign will be used to fill in the gaps, allowing us to study the polar bear population and habitat.

CONFLICT BETWEEN BEARS AND PEOPLE

- As the ice retreats, polar bears are being forced to spend more time on land hunting for food. People in several Arctic communities are reporting an increase of bears in and around their communities. This is dangerous for people, and dangerous for bears.

- To reduce that risk, part of the funds raised by the Arctic Home campaign will go towards WWF research and actions to help communities live in harmony with the polar bear population.

POLAR BEAR SUMMIT

- WWF is encouraging Arctic governments to hold a polar bear summit this year to put a spotlight on the polar bear and the issues it faces. Held with the help of funds from the Arctic Home campaign, a major event like this will attract high-level interest from government leaders. While WWF’s efforts can help sustain an Arctic home for polar bears, government support will also be needed.

TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE

- WWF works with communities, businesses, governments and international organisations (like the United Nations and the European Union) to help them reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing deforestation, by making much smarter and more efficient use of energy, and by moving to clean renewable sources of energy. Even if we reduce greenhouse gas emissions very quickly, some climate change will continue through the coming decades because of the greenhouse gases we have already emitted. So WWF helps communities, organisations and governments to understand the interdependence of people and nature and to adapt to a changing world, working in new ways to build resilience into the natural systems that support our lives and livelihoods. Part of the funds raised through Arctic Home will support WWF’s work to tackle global climate change with the goal of slowing change in the Arctic and globally. It will also help WWF understand how climate change will affect the Arctic so that we can help people and wildlife adapt to their changing world.

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?