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Monday 25 July 2011

Yummy Mummy Update

Yes, it's Tuesday morning, that means I had my weekly weigh in yesterday which in turn means I have to come clean with everyone and let you know how I did.  Well.....

I only lost 1lb.  But, a loss is still weight going in the right direction, plus people have starting noticing my weight loss now, which gives me a very warm, glowy feeling inside. Ooh, ooh- I got Slimmer of the Month too!  That means out of my entire weigh in group (there's around 40 of us) I lost the most weight in the month of July- chuffed!

I had to take Madam with me to group this week, and whilst everyone commented on how cute she is, I couldn't help noticing a few glares as she tore around the room, eventually upending a recipe book stand, whoops!  What can I say, she's 'inquisitive'! ;)

Only 2.5lb to go and I'll have lost my first stone, and I am determined to do it this week!  I was hoping for it last time, but a certain time of the month foiled those plans.

So, off I go for some fruit and exercise (not at the same time though, that could get messy...), see you next Tuesday for another Yummy Mummy Update!

Recipe of the Week:
You all know what a big fan I am of baking cupcakes (check out some of my work here), but cutting down on my sweetie intake has meant finding some low fat recipes.  This is one of my favourites, and makes 16 mini cupcakes.

3 eggs
60g low fat spread (like Flora Light)
6-8 tbsp artifical sweetener
110g self raising flour
2-3 drops of vanilla essence
½ tsp strawberry flavouring
To decorate
8 level tsp icing sugar plus extra for dusting
A couple of drops of food colouring
Fresh strawberries, halved
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Put paper case in a mini muffin tin. Whisk together the eggs, low-fat spread and sweetener. Sieve the flour then fold in the flour with the vanilla essence and the strawberry flavouring.
2. Spoon into the paper cases and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
3. Mix a few drops of water and the food colouring with the icing sugar. Spoon on the cakes. Garnish with halved strawberries and dust with icing sugar

Saturday 23 July 2011

10 Things I Love About You

I've been tagged by the lovely Mother On Mother Earth to do a warm, fuzzy feeling post about my wonderful Madam- not a problem!  After such a good nights sleep however, I'm in a brilliant mood, so the problem might be knowing when to stop!

  • Her manners- I'm so proud of her because she says 'please' and 'thank you' without fail and without prompting.  Well, it's more 'pweese' and 'fan-koo!' but it works for me.
  • Sense of humour- she has a wicked sense of humour, and a cheeky little giggle that is so infectious.
  • Curly hair. She has the same hair I did when I was knee high to a grasshopper, it's blonde and curly and I love it!  I let my mum cut her fringe when she needs it, but I dread the day I have to get Goldilocks snipped!
(it's actually about 2" longer now!)
  • Her trust- the way she cuddles up close to me if she's scared of something or a little nervous with new people.  And the way she reaches for my hand when trying to climb steep steps, or if we're crossing a road, even if she has her reins on she still wants my hand. :)
  • Madam has a fabulous imagination, always making her toys slide down the sofa or supping tea from her little teacups, I hope it only increases as she grows.
  • Cuddles!!  Always free flowing and often accompanied by a little wet kiss.
  • Her dancing- she actually has a great sense of rhythm for 19months old, and loves showing off her moves at any opportunity to any style of music.
  • Her eating habits- not only is she great at feeding herself, if given the choice she will choose fruit over chocolate!!
  • She has the most incredible features (yes, I realised I am biased but this is my blog so ner ner...), these include an adorable button nose, the cheekiest grin, plump/squeezable cheeks and looooong eyelashes overshadowing the bluest eyes.
  • Her short temper. I know this is an odd thing to love, but it just proves how much she really is like me!


Thursday 21 July 2011

Guest post from The Gingerbread House

Well my lovely readers, I've got a lovely surprise for you.  As part of a Britmums blog swap doodah (official term!), I get to host a post from the lovely Jenny from The Gingerbread House, who you can also find on Twitter at @gingerbread_mum.  Enjoy!

Hi everyone. My name is Jenny and I blog at The Gingerbread House. I love Betty’s blog and am so happy to be appearing! As Betty writes about life with her daughter I thought I would write a post about bringing up a boy.


For as long as I've thought about having a family I've wanted a boy. When I was pregnant and people asked me if I wanted a boy or a girl they seemed surprised when I said a boy. Mums of boys told me I was wrong and should want a girl instead. However, I remember growing up with an older sister who never wanted to play with me or do the things I was interested in (I was a bit of a tomboy!). I also saw my sister bring up her three daughters. All I longed for was a boy!


With my second pregnancy people again ask me if I have a preference, many assume I must want a girl as I already have a boy. I want another boy. I feel I know how to bring up a boy and wonder how I’ll cope if I have a girl. I thought I would put together my top tips for dealing with a boy…


My top tips for dealing with a boy
* buy quality clothes which will stand up to puddles, mud, climbing, etc
* don't ever expect to sit down for a minute
* ensure plenty of entertainment with easy and quick access to a playground or large open spaces
* don’t forget they need extra love and cuddles when ill (just like daddy)
* make sure you always have plenty of food as they eat like a horse
* don't invest in books or toys which you want them to cherish, wait until they’ve got through the destructive phase
* don’t waste your time or money on pointless mother and baby classes (I signed up to a term of appreciating classical music when the only bit he enjoyed was the bubbles)
* routine is important, by 6pm all we can cope with is CBeebies Bedtime Hour and a bottle of milk.


I love my son and would not swap him for a girl! I love everything about him, his cheekiness, his boldness, his constant need to climb, explore and generally push boundaries. I wouldn't have it any other way.


Thanks for reading my tongue in cheek look at bringing up a boy. Follow my adventures and see if I'm successful over at The Gingerbread House


Jenny

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Askeys Butterscotch Sauce- review and experiments!

The fabulous people at Baking Mad sent lucky Madam a bottle of Askey's NEW Butterscotch flavoured Treat sauce.  This delicious sauce claims to magically transform any dessert into an even tastier treat, feel free to use this sauce how you please- the more creative the better!

First we went the traditional route and Madam had some sauce over a bowl of ice cream.  Not too runny, but also not so thick that is wouldn't come out of the bottle.  It has a lovely smell, not chemical, and the taste is just right, certainly not over powering.  It helps that the sauce is free from artificial colours and flavours, also free from preservatives.


I thought the sweetness of the sauce might be good in coffee, but had to try it out on my mum as I don't drink the stuff myself (I have enough trouble sleeping as it is!).  She had about 2 teaspoons of Butterscotch sauce in a regular sized mug of black coffee, and said it smelt lovely, and also had a nice after taste to it, the sweetness staying in her mouth rather than bitter coffee.  So, that's a thumbs up from mother dearest, she even tried to pinch the bottle of sauce on her way out!

Following on from the positive coffee experiment, I tried a teaspoonful of the sauce in a mug of hot chocolate.  Except I picked up the wrong sachet of chocolate- Butterscotch sauce does not mix well with Mint Chocolate drink, yuck!

I whipped up some pancakes as a weekend breakfast treat (and by 'whipped up', I actually mean 'went to the shop and bought some') and drizzled the sauce over those, Mr B had 4 so they tasted rather good too apparently!  I felt that the sauce gave them a nice sweet hit, but I couldn't eat more than one without feeling like I weighed about 1000lbs for the rest of the day!

On the whole, my family really enjoyed the adding the sauce to our favourites puddings and drinks, and I plan on making sure I have a bottle in the cupboard for special treats. 

I certainly recommend that you pop over to Baking Mad's Facebook page here, a fantastic place where you can swap recipes, share advice, show off your own creations or ask questions.

Tuesday 19 July 2011

Yummy Mummy Update

If you happened to clock my recent post starting my weight loss journey, you'll know I owe an update this morning.  Well, I am VERY pleased to announce that I lost another 3lb!!  Tht's 10.5lb in 3 weeks, I've never done that before, so am really rather pleased with myself.


I didn't manage to up my exercise last week though, it's been a bit difficult what with miserable weather that's been hanging around like a bad smell.  I could attempt to go on our dusty Wii tucked away in the corner, but Madam always insists on joining me on the balance board, that makes it a wee bit more tricky...

I'd love to lose 3.5lb this week, as that would get me my first stone lost award, in just 4 weeks- I'd be grinning for days!  But, I realise that's a big number so won't be holding my breath.  I think a slightly more achievable goal would be just 2lb loss, that would drop me down into the next stone bracket, just as nice methinks.

I thought I'd share a recipe with you, I'm currently on the Slimming World plan and these ice lollies are a mere 0.5syn each!  They're handy to have around as Madam loves them and they're a great sweet fix.

6 Raspberry Ripple Lollies:
340g raspberries
375g fat free natural yoghurt
2 tbsp artificial sweetener
Blend the raspberries down until smooth and mix in half of the sweetener.  Mix the rest of the sweetener into the yoghurt.  Alternate spooning the raspberries with the yoghurt into 6 lolly moulds until it's all used up, then freeze for 6-8 hours.  Enjoy!

Saturday 16 July 2011

And The Winner Is.....

Chosen randomly by (the clue is in the name!) random.org, the winner is....

kate_strickland

Congratulations to you, and I'm sorry I couldn't give a set to each of you lovely readers who took part.  But keep an eye on my blog, I have more give-aways coming up, are ya feeling lucky?! 

Friday 15 July 2011

From Slummy to Yummy

I thought if I let you all in on what I've been calling (in my head) 'Operation Yummy Mummy', my public praise/humiliation would be more than enough motivation to stay strong.  Be gentle with me on my off days though!

Before:


Almost a month ago, we returned from a lovely family holiday.  What wasn't lovely about it was sitting on the sidelines whilst Mr B took Madam swimming, all because I'm too embarrassed to be seen in a swimming cossie, in public.  Without a very large towel wrapped around me anyway.  I did swallow my shame long enough to be the proudest mummy in the pool, beside my baby girl as she swam by herself for the first time ever!  But it made me realise, I am FED UP.  Fed up of being ashamed of my body, fed up of not having the energy to run around with Madam, fed up of changing an outfit several times and still not being happy with what I see in the mirror.  So I made up my mind, I would rejoin (yes REjoin, I've attempted this before, several times) a local slimming club and shift the ugly weight once and for all.

So I rejoined, I spent a not totally unpleasant first week on the diet, then I jumped on the official club scales.....6lb off! I admit it, I did my happy dance.  But I thought, don't take this for granted, it won't be like this every week, you still need to work at it.  So I worked for the second week, still not hating it, but starting to get bored of the same meals every day (my imagination doesn't work without chocolate, I'm sure...) and get this: 1.5lb off!  I got a certificate for my first half stone weight loss, and it has been proudly displayed in the kitchen, near the treat cupboard for 'scaring-off' purposes.

Anyhoo, I'm now half way through week three, and hoping for a loss as often as I can.  Even just 1lb at a time, it's all still going in the right direction- OFF!  This week my plan is to up my exercise.  Not easy with Madam around, I can't think she take too kindly to amusing herself on the rowing machine at the gym, but I will try nonetheless.  Watch this space, I weigh in on Monday evenings so if you don't see a progress report on Tuesday mornings, feel free kick my butt into gear, you lovely readers!

Right, I'm off for a salad.

Wednesday 13 July 2011

Organix Goodies

We received some lovelies from Organix Foods for Madam to be further spoiled with, including a fruit pouch and fruit juices.  I already love Organix, especially their little boxes of Californian Raisins, I never go out without a box or two in my bag to keep Madam happy.

The fruit pouch is a new flavour that Organix have added to their Goodies Squeezy range, 'Blueberry, Blackberry and Pear'.  A completely, 100% organic blend of fruit purées, this is a great way for your (12 month old and up) toddler to get some yummy fruit in them, and one pouch is also one of their '5 a day'.  




As with all of Organix's food and drink, the Squeezy comes with the 'No Junk' promise, so you know that what your little precious is consuming is full of only the best quality ingredients, with no artificial colours, flavours or added sugar.  I particularly loved the cap on the pouch, resealable- so if Madam doesn't feel like downing it in one go, I can pop it back in my bag without fear of everything else getting covered in purple goo!
You can grab these delicious, guilt free Goodies at Boots, The Co-operative and Asda, to name a few stockists, at a RRP of 89p for the 100g pouches.


The juices also went down very well, and very quickly!  Gulped down were the Apple, Grape and Peach, 
and then the Apple and Blackcurrant.
Madam is fussy in that she refuses to drink plain water, so these juices are perfect for her.  They are simply a blend of water and organic fruit juices, delicious and again with the 'no-junk' promise.  The mini bottles are also the perfect bag size, and you can find them in most major supermarkets at a RRP of 89p each.


You can also find an Organix Mighty Meals review here, plus a fantastic give away competition.  Good luck!

Angelic bath time- Halos n Horns review

The lovely people at Halos and Horns have sent Madam some bathtime goodies to try out.  I'm not sure if she has horns or a halo lately though; let's just say she's certainly discovering her independent streak!

First she jumped in the bath with some Zingy orange shampoo, which doubles up as a body wash.
The twin function is particularly useful for those bath times when she's a bit tired and grouchy and wants out asap.  It has a lovely orange smell, that's not overpowering, and lasted on my hands after I'd washed Madam's hair, my skin also felt really soft.  I also loved that, while the bubbles were plentiful, they didn't remain for ages after the water had drained, making my job of cleaning the bath that much easier!

Then she got to brush her teeth with the Toothy Fruity toothpaste.  I wasn't too sure about this, as in my head toothpaste always equals minty fresh smell and taste.  But Madam liked it, she actually seemed to brush her teeth properly rather than just sucking the water off the brush.  I think the taste made teeth brushing a more enjoyable experience (for us both!).

The toothpaste is SLS free, which is known to be a skin irritant, so you can rest assured your little one isn't swallowing nasty chemicals.

You can find Halos n Horns at Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Boots, to name a few!  They have lots of fantastic products in their range, and knowing it's all good for sensitive skin can really put your mind at ease.

A Breath of Fresh Air

When Retardex offered to send me a sample of their oral spray, which claims to combat bad breath for up to 8 hours, I couldn't help but feel a little offended.  I mean, I clean my teeth, I'm not a huge fan of garlic, could they really smell my breath from there?!

But in the name of blogging, I bravely accepted and popped it in my bag, thinking I wouldn't need it for a while, maybe not until Mr B surprises me with a delicious Italian meal.... Ahem, yeah right!


I actually found it came into use a lot sooner than I expected (hoped?!), as one morning I had an unplanned job crop up (if you're interested, my first EVER blog post was about my new job!).  So my mother dearest came to the rescue to babysit, and I got togged up in my work clothes (black, no foods stains a bonus).  Unfortunately, as I rushed to my car, I realised I'd not had a chance to brush my teeth that morning- ugh!! The last thing you want to inflict on mourners is a blast of breakfast cereal, but en route to the church whilst I was starting to panic, I remembered the spray!  Two quick blasts into my mouth when I arrived, and voila!  Minty fresh breath that lasted until my lunch, which unfortunately was tuna based.

Since then, I've tried the spray twice more whilst out, both times after lunch, and I'm very pleased to say that my breath remained inoffensive until bedtime!  The spray size is perfect for on-the-go handiness, I would recommend it to anyone.

You can find the Retardex Oral Hygiene spray in Boots for a mere £3.25.

Sterimar Nasal Spray

I was sent a nose clearing spray a while ago, at the time I thought "Oh no, won't need this until next winter, my Madam is soooo healthy!"  Yes, well.... A short while later and fresh from a fortnight's lovely holiday; Madam has summer cold!

This nasal hygiene spray is a sea water and purified water diffusion, and is medically recommended for clearing little noses from 0-3 years old.  The small (perfect pocket size really, so you can always have it to hand) 50ml bottle holds approximately 150 doses, which is more than enough for several colds!



I found it really got to work in less than a week, but getting it into Madam's nose- well, that was the fun part!  The best way to use this is to lie your baby on their side and gently tilt their head up to one side.  Then carefully put the nozzle up each nostril in turn and press down briefly.  You can then wipe away any excess solution, done!

The spray seemed to work best for Madam at night, she likes to sleep with her dummy in, so having a clear nose was quite essential for breathing purposes!  She got used to Mummy squirting something funny up her poor little nose after a few days, but she certainly never liked it.  I am definitely going to be keeping this spray around at all times though, I was very impressed with how it worked.  And Madam's grateful for being able to smell again!

Sterimar Nasal Sprays are also available for adult use, they are great for relief from hay fever and other allergies.  You can find the sprays at Boots, with a RRP of £4.07 for the baby version and a RRP of £6.75 for the 100ml isotonic.

Thursday 7 July 2011

Mighty Meals Give-away!

Lucky Madam has been sent a lovely selection of Mighty Meals from Organix to try out.  With scrummy fillings like Pork Meatballs, Spinach Falafels and Hearty Lamb Hotpot, they certainly put my old faithful spag bol to shame!


I found these meals really handy on those days when Mr B and I were having something Madam wouldn't eat, such as hot chilli or curry, or if I wanted to give her dinner earlier than us.  You simply remove the cardboard sleeve (which gave amused Madam for five minutes by putting them on her arms!), puncture the plastic lid a few times and pop it in the microwave for around 40 seconds, or put it in a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes; done!

She first tried the Tomatoey Beef Bolognaise, and didn't waste any time with her cutlery...

but unfortunately, after a few bites, she turned her nose up and wouldn't eat anymore.  

So the next one we tried was the Creamy Chicken Pasta.  Madam is a huge fan of pasta and chicken, so I assumed this one would be a winner.  For once, I assumed correctly- it was gone before I could grab the camera!

We're going away this weekend and I'll be taking the rest of the meals with us for speedy tea time solutions.  They're so quick and easy to prepare, and being from Organix you know there is the guarantee that there is nothing added you wouldn't use in your own kitchen.  That’s nothing artificial, they’re just full of goodness so they taste as they should - of their real ingredients, so your little one has a nutritious and tasty dinner.  These are a definite must on my shopping list from now on, even though I love cooking Madam's food myself, they are certainly handy to have around.

Organix Mighty Meals cost £1.99 each (for a 200g portion, which I found was a great size for even Madam's healthy appetite) and are ideal for toddlers from 1-3 years.


You'll find Organix Mighty Meals in Boots and all major supermarkets, in the baby food aisle.  For more on Organix baby and toddler food, visit www.organix.com, or see what other mums think at www.facebook.com/organixfood.

To be in with a chance of winning a set of 5 of these fabulous meals, simply:
  • Like my Facebook page here
  • Like Organix's Facebook page here, or follow them on Twitter here 
  • Leave a comment below saying which you've done and leaving a contact email/Twitter i.d
  • And make sure you are following my blog to keep updated- simple!
You have until midnight on Friday the 15th to enter and you're more than welcome to get your friends and/or family to enter on your behalf.  Good luck!