We were recently invited to spend an afternoon at East Gate leisure complex in Llanelli. We were being treated to lunch, desert, coffee and the cinema so it was an offer we couldn't refuse. We live in Caerphilly, South Wales so the journey there took us about an hour.
First up on the agenda was lunch at the Red 10 Diner. As soon as you walk through the door you feel like you are transported stateside. Eva loved the decor and was fascinated by the traffic lights and various other things including the statue of liberty outside.
The diner is big with plenty of space between tables. It boasts a lovely, relaxed atmosphere with very friendly staff.
One thing that massively impressed us as parents was the small children's play area. This is such a blessing when you eat out as a family. Young children can get very bored sat at a table (and who can blame them). It was lovely to be able to sit at a booth and be able to see Eva enjoying herself. She played on a rocking horse, in a play tent and with colouring books. Ophelia enjoyed stacking cubes.
We ordered from the lunch menu which was pretty extensive. Both hubby and I opted to have wraps with a side of chips and onion rings. Mine was a sweet chilli wrap which was very tasty and quite filling. If i'm completely honest, I didn't need the onion rings as the wrap was ample enough for lunch but they tasted too good not to eat. Both girls had something from the children's menu. Ophelia had mac and cheese and Eva had corndogs. The dishes were a very good size and the girls enjoyed their meals.
We ordered 2 sundaes to share between all of us. They looked fantastic. It's made with Joe's original Welsh vanilla ice-cream, fresh raspberries and strawberries, red sprinkles and a hazelnut fudge praline sauce.
To say we enjoyed them would be an understatement. For all of us, the best part had to be the hazelnut fudge praline sauce. It blended in with the ice-cream beautifully. My mouth is salivating just writing about it.
Finally, we headed over to the Odeon cinema to watch 'The BFG'. Arwyn and I were treated to a large drink each and a rather big popcorn to share. The girls also had a children's box each which included a small popcorn, drink and snack.
If that wasn't enough we were also given plenty of treats from Costa to enjoy whilst watching the film. I don't know about you but I love the fact that I can now take my favourite latte into a film with me. It was a cold, wet day so warm drinks were fab for making us feel cosy and comfortable whilst inside the cinema. Eva loves a babycino so she was delighted to be able to take one with her. We also had a few cakes from there too.
All in all we had a lovely family day together. The fact that everything is in one place makes East Gate an ideal family day out for anyone in South Wales. It's very close to lots of other local attractions and areas. We will definitely be visiting again soon.
First up on the agenda was lunch at the Red 10 Diner. As soon as you walk through the door you feel like you are transported stateside. Eva loved the decor and was fascinated by the traffic lights and various other things including the statue of liberty outside.
The diner is big with plenty of space between tables. It boasts a lovely, relaxed atmosphere with very friendly staff.
One thing that massively impressed us as parents was the small children's play area. This is such a blessing when you eat out as a family. Young children can get very bored sat at a table (and who can blame them). It was lovely to be able to sit at a booth and be able to see Eva enjoying herself. She played on a rocking horse, in a play tent and with colouring books. Ophelia enjoyed stacking cubes.
We ordered from the lunch menu which was pretty extensive. Both hubby and I opted to have wraps with a side of chips and onion rings. Mine was a sweet chilli wrap which was very tasty and quite filling. If i'm completely honest, I didn't need the onion rings as the wrap was ample enough for lunch but they tasted too good not to eat. Both girls had something from the children's menu. Ophelia had mac and cheese and Eva had corndogs. The dishes were a very good size and the girls enjoyed their meals.
Next up we headed to Joe's Ice Cream to try out their brand new 'Scarlets Sundae'. The sundae was the suggestion of a local resident who came up with the idea after Joe's Ice-Cream and East Gate launched a competition on Facebook for suggestions for a sundae that would celebrate why Llanelli is a great place to be. The Scarlet's are a local rugby team so for those passionate rugby fans, this sundae is the perfect sweet treat.
We ordered 2 sundaes to share between all of us. They looked fantastic. It's made with Joe's original Welsh vanilla ice-cream, fresh raspberries and strawberries, red sprinkles and a hazelnut fudge praline sauce.
To say we enjoyed them would be an understatement. For all of us, the best part had to be the hazelnut fudge praline sauce. It blended in with the ice-cream beautifully. My mouth is salivating just writing about it.
Finally, we headed over to the Odeon cinema to watch 'The BFG'. Arwyn and I were treated to a large drink each and a rather big popcorn to share. The girls also had a children's box each which included a small popcorn, drink and snack.
If that wasn't enough we were also given plenty of treats from Costa to enjoy whilst watching the film. I don't know about you but I love the fact that I can now take my favourite latte into a film with me. It was a cold, wet day so warm drinks were fab for making us feel cosy and comfortable whilst inside the cinema. Eva loves a babycino so she was delighted to be able to take one with her. We also had a few cakes from there too.
All in all we had a lovely family day together. The fact that everything is in one place makes East Gate an ideal family day out for anyone in South Wales. It's very close to lots of other local attractions and areas. We will definitely be visiting again soon.
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As of today I can finally say I have filmed and published a vlog!!! I cannot begin to tell you how long this has been in the making for but I finally got around to doing it and hit publish today.
I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to film it. Probably a combination of various things such as life getting in the way, a messy house, no time and basically nerves.
I thought it would be a good idea to film a question and answer session for the first video as a way for people to get to know me better. I asked family, friends and bloggers for some questions. They were all quite varied which was great.
After filming, the next hurdle was editing the video clips. My goodness as a first timer this was mind boggling!! Then the real difficulties came into play when I tried to upload it to youtube. It's literally taken me 3 days. I have no idea why but it kept freezing when downloading. Honestly, hats off to all of you wonderful people that do this all the time as I could have thrown my macbook at the wall on quite a few occasions.
Anyway, it's up and even though I was very nervous, I am happy with the end product. I hope you enjoy it and if you do, please subscribe to my channel as there will be lots more videos to come.
I enjoyed the Q&A style format. Are there any topics you would like to see me talk about? Someone has already suggested Disney to me which I love!!!!! Watch this space for that one.
As a family we have experienced quite a bit of travelling this year from going abroad and staying in hotels to camping in a field. One thing we quite often feel guilty about is that Ophelia is always in a travel cot and let's face it they never look that appealing.
We were contacted and asked if we would like to review a travel cot liner from The Fine Bedding Company. With more travel plans between now and the end of the year, I thought it would be ideal to try it out.
I hadn't heard of the company before but they specialise in luxury bedding for adults and now children. I'll be honest and say I really wasn't sure what to expect for the Travel Cot Liner. I mean how luxurious can a travel cot liner be?
It arrived quickly although it didn't make it in time for our holiday to Turkey. However, we recently had a weekend of camping in Tenby and we knew this would be the perfect place to put the liner to the test inside Ophelia's pop up travel cot.
The liner comes in a handy bag which is great for storage and it keeps the liner nice and clean. It's also very light and compact.
When I pulled it out of the bag for the first time, I was genuinely blown away. It was quite possibly the softest piece of bedding I have ever touched. It makes you just want to rub your face in it and snuggle into it.
It was absolutely perfect for camping. It fitted well inside the pop up cot and because it has a non slip reverse it stayed still (hubby and I didn't on our air beds). The liner is made of a soft, polyester fleece layer which encases cushioning polyester microfibre. It was lovely and warm for Ophelia against the coldness inside the tent.
She honestly looked snug as a bug whilst she was sleeping in it. Hubby and I were extremely envious of her as she looked so cosy and peaceful. I didn't get any pictures of her sleeping in it as it was always pitch black when I tried to take one.
I am so happy with the liner. As I previously mentioned, I was unsure of what to expect and whether it would be useful to us but we love it. I'll definitely be taking it with us when we next go away. We would love an adult version for our camping trips! We are going to look at getting ourselves some of their bedding as we have been so impressed with the comfort and quality. Our current duvet on our bed is not luxurious at all and sleep is a crucial element of our lives so we need to be getting the best possible sleep we can.
You can buy the travel liner direct from the company for £32.50 here, Junior Travel Cot Liner
We were contacted and asked if we would like to review a travel cot liner from The Fine Bedding Company. With more travel plans between now and the end of the year, I thought it would be ideal to try it out.
I hadn't heard of the company before but they specialise in luxury bedding for adults and now children. I'll be honest and say I really wasn't sure what to expect for the Travel Cot Liner. I mean how luxurious can a travel cot liner be?
It arrived quickly although it didn't make it in time for our holiday to Turkey. However, we recently had a weekend of camping in Tenby and we knew this would be the perfect place to put the liner to the test inside Ophelia's pop up travel cot.
The liner comes in a handy bag which is great for storage and it keeps the liner nice and clean. It's also very light and compact.
When I pulled it out of the bag for the first time, I was genuinely blown away. It was quite possibly the softest piece of bedding I have ever touched. It makes you just want to rub your face in it and snuggle into it.
It was absolutely perfect for camping. It fitted well inside the pop up cot and because it has a non slip reverse it stayed still (hubby and I didn't on our air beds). The liner is made of a soft, polyester fleece layer which encases cushioning polyester microfibre. It was lovely and warm for Ophelia against the coldness inside the tent.
She honestly looked snug as a bug whilst she was sleeping in it. Hubby and I were extremely envious of her as she looked so cosy and peaceful. I didn't get any pictures of her sleeping in it as it was always pitch black when I tried to take one.
I am so happy with the liner. As I previously mentioned, I was unsure of what to expect and whether it would be useful to us but we love it. I'll definitely be taking it with us when we next go away. We would love an adult version for our camping trips! We are going to look at getting ourselves some of their bedding as we have been so impressed with the comfort and quality. Our current duvet on our bed is not luxurious at all and sleep is a crucial element of our lives so we need to be getting the best possible sleep we can.
You can buy the travel liner direct from the company for £32.50 here, Junior Travel Cot Liner
Dear Eva,
Today is your first day at preschool. I'm writing this whilst you are there. Ophelia is napping, you are not here. The house is very quiet. I was unsure of what to do with myself which is silly as I have a million and one things to do but at this moment I am a mixed bag of emotions and I just wanted to write them all down for you.
I thought I would cry today. I have nervously awaited this day with a sense of excitement and also dread. I welled up but to see how excited you were just made me beam with pride. I still feel now that I could cry but believe me when I say it's not because school is a scary place or that I am upset you won't be with me all of the time, it is because I love you.
You see I still remember the first time I saw you and held you close to my heart. I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember the people in the theatre. I remember feeling so physically drained but when I heard you cry, my heart melted. You were the smallest bundle of joy I had ever seen. I wrapped my arms around you and I instantly knew I would love you forever. I knew that we would have great adventures. I knew that parenting was going to be a challenge but it was something we were going to learn together.
You see I have been with you every step of the way. Every big moment in your life so far, I have been there to teach you and guide you. I remember the first time you smiled at me. I bottled that moment up and I have kept it engraved in my mind. It was such a rewarding moment for me.
I remember your first giggle. What an infectious sound that was. You would laugh at daddy blowing raspberries on your belly or laugh hysterically at Alfie chasing a ball. Your laugh would make me laugh.
From a young age you were always so determined to do everything. I should have known then you were going to be a force to be reckoned with. You rolled over very early on and that didn't stop you. You decided to crawl at just 6 months old. I encouraged you. Together we would chase after the dog or play with toys.
I remember the first time you spoke. Gosh I tried so hard to teach you to say mama first but of course the first word you said was dada. Next up was my name closely followed by dog.
There are so many moments in your life that I have been there to teach you something. I could write so much. I remember reading books with you, singing with you, teaching you to feed yourself, to brush your teeth, to ride a bike, to say please and thank you, to brush your hair. The list is endless.
I just want you to know that I am so proud of you. Sometimes you drive me crazy but I guess it's because you are a mini version of me which makes me so happy. I will continue to love you, care for you, guide you and teach you things the best way I can but it's now time for you to spread your wings.
School is a wonderful place. You will be taught so many great things by your teachers and you will also learn things from your new friends. It won't always be easy. Some days may be hard but these are life lessons which will help shape your personality in years to come. Soak up every moment. Live, learn and laugh. Believe me when I say your time at school will fly by so make the most of it.
Adventure is out there and this is just the beginning of yours. Enjoy.
All my love,
Mum xx
Today is your first day at preschool. I'm writing this whilst you are there. Ophelia is napping, you are not here. The house is very quiet. I was unsure of what to do with myself which is silly as I have a million and one things to do but at this moment I am a mixed bag of emotions and I just wanted to write them all down for you.
I thought I would cry today. I have nervously awaited this day with a sense of excitement and also dread. I welled up but to see how excited you were just made me beam with pride. I still feel now that I could cry but believe me when I say it's not because school is a scary place or that I am upset you won't be with me all of the time, it is because I love you.
You see I still remember the first time I saw you and held you close to my heart. I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember the people in the theatre. I remember feeling so physically drained but when I heard you cry, my heart melted. You were the smallest bundle of joy I had ever seen. I wrapped my arms around you and I instantly knew I would love you forever. I knew that we would have great adventures. I knew that parenting was going to be a challenge but it was something we were going to learn together.
You see I have been with you every step of the way. Every big moment in your life so far, I have been there to teach you and guide you. I remember the first time you smiled at me. I bottled that moment up and I have kept it engraved in my mind. It was such a rewarding moment for me.
I remember your first giggle. What an infectious sound that was. You would laugh at daddy blowing raspberries on your belly or laugh hysterically at Alfie chasing a ball. Your laugh would make me laugh.
From a young age you were always so determined to do everything. I should have known then you were going to be a force to be reckoned with. You rolled over very early on and that didn't stop you. You decided to crawl at just 6 months old. I encouraged you. Together we would chase after the dog or play with toys.
I remember the first time you spoke. Gosh I tried so hard to teach you to say mama first but of course the first word you said was dada. Next up was my name closely followed by dog.
There are so many moments in your life that I have been there to teach you something. I could write so much. I remember reading books with you, singing with you, teaching you to feed yourself, to brush your teeth, to ride a bike, to say please and thank you, to brush your hair. The list is endless.
I just want you to know that I am so proud of you. Sometimes you drive me crazy but I guess it's because you are a mini version of me which makes me so happy. I will continue to love you, care for you, guide you and teach you things the best way I can but it's now time for you to spread your wings.
School is a wonderful place. You will be taught so many great things by your teachers and you will also learn things from your new friends. It won't always be easy. Some days may be hard but these are life lessons which will help shape your personality in years to come. Soak up every moment. Live, learn and laugh. Believe me when I say your time at school will fly by so make the most of it.
Adventure is out there and this is just the beginning of yours. Enjoy.
All my love,
Mum xx
One thing that I have loved to do since becoming a parent 3.5 years ago is to carry my children. I carried Eva everywhere in my BabyBjorn original carrier so it was only natural that I would do the same with Ophelia.
Carrying my girls is an amazing feeling. I think it helps with our bonding, it's very natural and it brings us closer together. It's been one of my favourite things to do.
I've been carrying Ophelia in the same BabyBjorn carrier that we used for Eva so it is over 3 years old but it's still in a great condition.
Their carriers have evolved greatly since we bought that one so I was delighted to be asked if I would like to review their We Air Carrier for our recent holiday to Turkey. I jumped at the chance as I knew the carrier had an airy mesh fabric which I thought would be perfect for a hot climate.
We were sent a white carrier but it is also available in black. The white colour was ideal for travelling abroad as it doesn't absorb the sunlight.The carrier can be used from birth to approximately 3 years old.
The carrier is approved by the International Hip Dyslexia Institute as baby is carried in the correct, ergonomic wide leg position (also known as frog leg). This mean's babies hips get the support that they need to encourage good development.
I'll admit that when I first took the carrier out of the box, I was confused as to how to put it on. It looked a lot different to my old BabyBjorn carrier. However, after reading the instructions it was actually pretty straightforward.
The carrier can be used for facing-in front and back carrying although the recommended age for back carrying is 12 months plus, so we haven't tried that yet. Ophelia loves facing me (or hubby) as she gets to view the world and still be reassured that we are there.
The first thing I noticed when using the carrier is how much more comfortable it is to my old one. I think this is because of the waist belt. The waist belt allows the weight to be carried on your hips rather than your back and shoulders. I didn't feel a pull on my shoulders whilst carrying her or a back pain. The weight seemed to be more evenly distributed. My husband also said the same.
The shoulder straps are padded which again makes it a more comfortable wear. Ophelia isn't exactly the heaviest of babies but we both agree that this carrier is a more relaxed, comfy fit than our old one.
Ophelia loved having the ability to freely move her arms and legs. She was quite happy attempting to bounce and dance around. One thing that both us parents noticed was how much room/space there was between our bodies and Ophelia's head. This meant we could always see that she was ok.
The temperature in Turkey was always over 35 degrees centigrade in the day and always over 30 degrees at night. At no point did we feel too hot carrying her. The mesh fabric is very breathable which helped both of us to stay as cool as we could be.
We had to wash it whilst we were there and it dried very quickly which is always handy. We've used the carrier daily since we've been home and therefore it has been washed numerous times but it still looks brand new. If it's anything like our old BabyBjorn carrier then it will last us years.
The carrier is very easy to transport. It rolls up easily into our change bag when it isn't in use. It's very portable due to its lightweight nature.
Overall, we have been over the moon with the carrier. As previously mentioned we use it daily. It gets used in all aspects of our lives whether it is during the food shop or whilst walking the dog.I can't wait to use it on the upcoming school runs. I can hold Eva's hand and carry Ophelia in the We Air. It is ideal for travelling as it's light, durable and very comfortable to wear for both you and your baby.
I am yet to try and carry Eva in it but I will give it a go soon.
You can buy the carrier here, We Air for £99.99. This is definitely worth every penny as they are long-lasting.
Do/did you carry your children? Have you used BabyBjorn products before?
*We were gifted the carrier for the purpose of this review, however all opinions are truthful and our own*
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