Showing posts with label Winter. Show all posts

Hi-Tec Dubois 200 Waterproof Women's Winter Boots


At Christmas I always love to receive new shoes. In the past I have always been after shoes which are stylish but are not practical to wear on a daily basis. Since Maxwell is set to attend preschool a lot more in January, this Christmas I have been in search for a pair of shoes which will protect my feet in the colder weather. Recently I was lucky enough to receive a pair of Hi-Tech Dubois 200 Waterproof women's winter boots.

Hi-Tech pride themselves on producing lightweight, quality, comfortable footwear. They also produce a wide range of footwear to suit individual needs. When creating footwear Hi-Tech focus on styles that are practical, stylish, colourful and great value.

I decided to pick the Dubois 200 Waterproof women's winter boots due to there fabulous features. I was impressed with the colour of them and the style of them. The coal and charcoal colour goes with most of my outfits that I wear and due to the boots being dark in colour I do not think they will show any mud or dirt up easily. I liked the style of the boots as they were the perfect style to allow me to tuck my leggings in and they were also the perfect style to keep my feet warm and dry in bad weather and icy and snowy conditions.

The Dubois 200 I Waterproof boot feature Thinsulate Insulation which traps in the heat to keep your feet warm during the colder months. This is one of the best features for me as I often get cold feet in the winter and I end up not being able to feel my toes. The boots feature Dri-Tec waterproof membrane will keep you feet and socks dry, this feature is perfect when it is snowing and raining, I find there is nothing worse than having to walk around with wet socks. The boots lastly feature winter traction outsole which help you stay grounded in wet or icy conditions. This feature is great, in the winter I have to walk through a walkway which is often filled with leaves. I have recently slipped more than once on these leaves so I am glad that  I now have a pair of shoes which will help me stay grounded.

Since wearing the boots I have been extremely impressed. Not only do I wear these boots to preschool but I have also worn them around the New Forest when out on walks and I have also worn them to the shops and to visit relatives. When the colder weather settles in I will be wearing these every time I go out.

These boots are priced at just £69.99 which I think is impressive. I personally would be happy to pay more for these boots due to their fabulous style and features. When Hi-Tec made these boots, I honestly believe they thought of everything. I have found that these boots are not just great for walkers but they are also great for Mums on the school run, on the supermarket trip and the busy Mum who is on her toes all day.
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I did not receive any financial reward for writing this review.
However we did receive the above products for review purposes. Everything written in this post is my own, honest opinion.

A Week Of Learning And New Experiences

  1. Maxwell is a lot more affectionate
  2. Maxwell's speech continues to improve
  3. We are preparing for our Birthdays and Christmas
  4. Maxwell has a new coat and shoes
  5. Maxwell  has learnt to skid
This week has seen Maxwell be a lot more affectionate. Maxwell will come up and give you a kiss and cuddle, especially at bedtime. It is such a nice thing to see and for him to do. This week has also seen a new side of Maxwell which means he has been sharing a lot.

I have always worried that Maxwell was slow at speaking however this week has showed us that Maxwell is picking up speaking well. Maxwell has always understood what we say to him however he is very lazy at speaking. I hope by Christmas he will be saying a lot more words. I can not wait to have a full conversation with him.

As some of our readers know mine and Maxwell's birthdays fall in December. We have spent the weekend writing our gift lists and I have been buying wrapping paper and cards for Maxwell. December also brings Christmas which I must say I am already well prepared for. I  have been shopping and buying all year for the big special occasion so I have not got a lot more to buy. We are really excited about December.

This week I went out and bought Maxwell some new shoes and a new coat for the winter. If there is one thing I like to see in the winter is a child well dressed and not cold. Maxwell has some new shoes which are trainer/boot style which will keep his feet very warm and he has a new red coat which looks fantastic with his jeans.

This week Maxwell had a lot of fun skidding around our home using a DVD case. I am sure he would love a scooter but due to the cold weather I think I will hold off buying him one until the summer. View the video below to see all Maxwell's fun!

Bargain Hunting #26


Its that time of year where it gets dark at 4pm, the nights and days are cold and bills can get expensive because you are trying to keep warm, however I have some money saving tips this week to keep the bills low.

Keep the thermostat down
Last year we managed to run up a large heating bill because we left the heating on day and night. This year we are going to be a lot more money savvy. This year we have decided we will keep rooms like the lounge warm in the day time and turn the radiators off in the bedrooms and at night not put the heating on at all unless it is very cold. We will also leave the thermostat on at 20 degrees instead of putting it up high. If you turn your thermostat down by just 1 degree you could slash your heating bills by 10%. 

Find out what you are entitled to
Insulating your home can make a lot of difference. If you are able to keep your home warm it means you are able to save a lot of money on bills. Loft and cavity wall insulation can help you keep warm. There are grants available from gas/electricity companies and you may find you are eligible for free insulation especially if you are on low income. Ring up your provider to see what they may be able to offer.

Add layers
Last winter I spent a lot of my time walking around in a T-shirt as the heating was on a lot. This year I will be wrapping up warm, turning the heating off and I will be wearing 3 or 4 layers. You can start off with laying with vests, t shirts and then go on to warm jumpers.

Go out and keep warm
Instead of sitting in all day worrying about the energy you are using why not go out? There are plenty of places which will be warm this year that are free to go to. You could take the children to a local play group for a few hours, take the window shopping at the local shopping centre, take them to the library or even take them to the park for a run about.  

Crock Pot Rice Cooker Review

I have to admit, I am not the best cook however I do enjoy cooking when I can and making meals for our family to enjoy. Maxwell has just started to eat variety of food so when we were sent a Rice Crock Pot to review I was excited to see what unusual recipes I could make.


The Crock Pot rice cooker has a 0.6L capacity, and makes enough rice portions for 2-3 people which is the perfect size for our family. It has 2 heat settings and an keep warm feature. This feature is brilliant in these cold winter months to keep food warm whilst preparing the rest of your meal and it is also handy for us as we seem to eat at different times to each other.


The Crock pot is surprisingly easy to use. All you need to do is add the rice and water with the help of a measuring cup which is included, turn the machine on and wait for the rice to cook. The only stirring you rice will require is after 15 minutes if it cooking . Once the rice has cooked the cooker automatically reduces the temperature and keeps it warm.


When serving the rice I found it to be quite light and fluffy. I enjoyed eating the rice and so did Ben and Max. Ben and I teamed the rice with some curry which I had already made at a earlier date and Maxwell enjoyed eating his rice with some chicken that I had cooked for him. You can also use the Crock Pot to steam vegetables which I look forward to doing in the winter months for Maxwell. 


This little gadget is perfect for our family and I look forward to using it more, especially in the winter when I am looking for quick meals to make. The best feature on the machine is that it keeps your rice warm weather you are wanting to eat straight away or later on.

 This size of rice cooker is available in multiple colour options (Red, Blue and Grey). RRP £29.99

I did not receive any financial reward for writing this review.
However we did receive the product for review purposes. Everything written in this post is my own, honest opinion.

Slugs and Snails Boys Tights Review


On Sunday Maxwell, A.Rachel and I are going to a bonfire night at our local recreation ground. I am really looking forward to it as it is the first time Maxwell will have seen any type of fireworks however I have been a little scared about what he will be wearing.

I was finding it hard to come up with a outfit suitable for Maxwell to wear. I was looking for something which would keep him warm and snug however I also wanted something which would keep him looking trendy. Katheleen came to my rescue when she emailed me asking would Maxwell like to try some Slugs and Snail boys tights.


We were sent a pair of Spooked tights in age 2-3. The tights arrived in a small box with a transparent plastic window showing off there bright design. They looked fantastic, featuring brightly coloured monsters on a dark backing they defiantly stood out. I was excited to get them on Maxwell and see what he thought of them.

The tights were easy to get on and off Maxwell, I simply was able to roll them on to his feet and pull them up his legs, it took a matter of seconds which I was happy about as Maxwell loves to wriggle.

The tights themselves were soft to touch and also quite thick which is fantastic in the cold weather. They feature anti slip soles which are useful for Maxwell as he is forever sliding around in just socks as we have laminate flooring. The tights are extremely hard wearing due to being stitched well which means they do not go out of shape after washing. I also found they do not bubble after washing.


For bonfire night Maxwell will be wearing his slug and snail tights to keep himself warm. Although I could add some jeans or other trousers over the top of the tights for extra warmth I have found that most other trousers do not fit well into Maxwell's Wellington boots which will cause him to be uncomfortable. I can not wait for people to see Maxwell's tights.

Slugs and Snails is the first company in the UK and Ireland to design and produce tights just for boys. The designs are great and the idea behind them is fantastic. I can not wait for some more designs to come out and get a few more pairs of tights for Maxwell this winter.


You are able to purchase the tights from the Slugs & Snails website.

I did not receive any financial reward for writing this review.
However we did receive the product for review purposes. Everything written in this post is my own, honest opinion.