Winter Skin Care

So back to the main purpose of this blog, which was to help all us mummy's be simultaneously yummy.  It's not an easy task at this time of year, when the heating systems are turned on, windows are closed and the falling temperatures outside strip our skin of moisture.  So it's moisture we need, and lots of it.

For the face, I swear by Clarin's Extra Firming Day Cream (and the matching night cream!)  50ml will set you back £46 (Boots.com)

But I have been somewhat ensnared by Clarins products having tried their great samples (Just pop into Boots and ask if you can try out a couple of products. Our local store is usually very accommodating, and they certainly get enough sales from me as a result!)

For other great products at more sensible prices try one of these great offers.  These are products I have in my trusty bathroom cabinet and love, many of which are currently reduced.

For Body:  

• Olay Double Action Nourishing and Regenerating Night Cream for Normal or Dry Skin 50ml £4.79
• 1/2 price Bio Oil (ideal to keep stretch marks at bay, and hydrate dry skin) 60ml £4.49 (Reduced from £8.99)
• Vaseline Intensive Rescue Lotion £1.99  (Reduced from £2.99) 
• E45 Dermatological Cream 350g £6.69
• Nivea Lotion for Dry Skin 250ml £1.99 (reduced from £2.99)

For Hands:  I swear by - 

• Vaseline Health Hand and Nail Conditioning Lotion 75ml £1.73 (Reduced from £2.59)

For Lips:

• Lypsyl Original (for gorgeous pouts) £0.78 (reduced from £1.17)
• Blistex Relief Healing Cream 5g £2.25  (It's £2.85 at Boots at the moment, so try Lloyds Pharmacy to save!)

I get all of my beauty gear from either Boots or the local Pharmacy, Lloyds, so those are the suppliers I've linked to here.

Please note that I am completely independent in my recommendations of goods, services and suppliers, and am not paid to recommend highly any particular product, service or supplier.

Christmas Assembly Confusion! You need to take 'what?' to school?

My eldest girl (5 yrs) came home with instructions yesterday.  
 

“Mummy…..” she said in that slightly irritating whiny way that 5 year olds have perfected and which you know will precede a question that involves you doing something, or that presents you with a new complicated job to do.

“Mummy…….. I need a costume for school for the Christmas assembly”

“OK luv, what do you need?” I say overly cheerily to suppress the groan that is threatening.

“I need a quilt, mummy”

“A quilt?”  I frown.

“Yes” she says seeing the doubt in my eyes and nodding her little head furiously.   “A quilt”.  Obviously I am doubtful.  I have an image in my head of a small child swamped with her winter quilt, over her head, wrapped around her like Mary’s shawl in the nativity, a large belt strapping it all together.  Ahhhh... I think I may be on to something.

“Is it to dress up as Mary?  Or a Shepherd?”  I ask thinking I’ve worked it out.  But she’s not at all happy with that suggestion and I can see very quickly that she is disgusted with my apparent stupidity.

“NO Mummy”   At one point I think she’s going to tut at me and she says very slowly and slightly loudly..  “We have to dress up like the Countries.” 

“Countries?”

“Yes Mummy.” I can tell she’s getting exasperated now.  “So I need a quilt.  Like they wear in bonny Scotland…………”

And so it transpires that the children have been learning about the Olympics and are doing a Christmas assembly on this subject, in which my daughter is supporting Scotland.  I am not sure which made my laugh more in the next 10 minutes until I finally came up for air, the ‘quilt’ or the fact that my daughter had used the word ‘bonny’.  A word we have never used in any context previously before!

Thinking about it though; it’ll be harder to get hold of a kilt for this assembly than it would be to supply a quilt, so maybe she’s on to something!

Christmas budgets: How much 'should' you spend?

I've been thinking alot about spending recently.  This is to be expected in the run up to Christmas, especially in the current financial climate.*   My hubby and I have set ourselves strict budgets, as we did last year, and although I feel somewhat cruel monitoring our spend so closely, it is unfortunately the way it has to be to ensure we don't end up in debt.

But, through casual conversations with other mums, I have realised that everyone has 'completely ridiculous different' ideas as to how much they should spend on their children.

So it got me to thinking.  What is an appropriate total spend per child for this magical day?



*Translation:  cash-strapped, debt-ridden nation, that spent far more than we could afford and are now having to pay for it.

Great Gift for New Dads

I have just discovered a great gift for new dads.  The Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox!  It's from America, but they do free shipping to the UK.  The inventors, Valrico residents Chris Hatzfield and Julie Etzkom, came up with the idea at their third baby shower, where Chris noticed that all the focus was on showering the new mum with gifts.  What about Dad?

I agree, and with baby showers taking off in the UK, it's a great idea to shower both new mum and dad in helpful gifts in preparation for their new arrival.

The kit includes; among other things, a mask ("toxic fume filter"), goggles, a poop poncho, tongs, ear/nose plugs, pacifier (dummy, or "scream plug"), baby wipes, diaper, bio hazard bag and rubber gloves, among other things.  Check out the link above for full details.

I have to say though..... nose plugs?  Are we saying that dad's are really that wimpy!?

Today's Lesson Learnt..

It's not a good idea to walk to school if you haven't left extra time to put on the required coats, hats, scarfs and gloves.  My eldest arrived at school a good five minutes late this morning to an empty playground.  The secretary did a marvellous job of not looking too disapproving and I scuttled off like the failure of a mum I must be.

My excuse (if needed) and reason for feeling more smug than embarrassed is this:-  we walked.  A greener, healthier method than driving.  Less stressful too...IF you leave enough time!

Note to self: - when it snows sleep in coat, hat and scarf or leave house before 8am!