Thats cool - no its a cold and it won't go!

Eeeeurrrgggghhhhh its October - its chilly one day warm the next, the heating is on and then off etc... and the whole Tsamplakos clan have got colds!!!

Honey has had this horrible cold for a few weeks now and it just won't shift!!!

So i've decided we all need to be taking vitamins in this house (Nick included) I just can't deal with all the snot, calpol, thermometers, worrying!

So i've been doing a bit of research on the best vitamins for us as individuals!

For Honey (age 4) I am going to order

Floradix Kindervital from hollandandbarrett.com £9.05 for 250ml

Floradix Kindervital fruity is a delicious food supplement for children providing vital calcium and vitamin D which are needed for normal growth and bone development as well as the maintenance of normal teeth. Furthermore, the essential vitamins contained help with many important functions in the body, including the role of vitamins C, B6 and B12 in contributing to normal immune system.
As these nutrients are already dissolved, they are absorbed more quickly by the digestive system compared to tablets.

Floradix Kindervital fruity contains no alcohol, preservatives, colourings, artificial flavourings and is lactose free, gluten free and suitable for vegetarians.

The reviews look good - i didn't want to go down the chewy vitamin route i wanted something that was quickly absorbed!

For Rocco (age 2) I am going to order

Abidec Multivitamin Drops from chemistdirect.co.uk £3.89

Abidec Multiviamin Drops have been specially formulated to help meet the nutritional requirements of your children. It is particularly beneficial in the prevention of vitamin deficiencies. Given daily with the easy to use syringe, Abidec Multivitamin Drops provide the correct balance of vitamins to help maintain your child’s healthy growth and help prevent vitamin deficiencies. Given daily, Abidec provides the correct balance of vitamins to maintain your child's healthy growth.

I bought these for Honey when she was small but I didn't give them to her as i was hell bent on getting her all the vitamins in her food.  She didn't go to nursery and we were quite lucky really! However now Rocco and Honey are at Nursery i need to get some extra vitamins double quick! 

For Nick (age 34) I am going to order 

Wellman Original from vitabiotics.com £8.55

Wellman® Original contains a comprehensive formulation of over 29 essential bio-elements. Wellman® has been specially developed for men who want to maintain optimum nutrition levels while training, who want to help support reproductive health, or help maintain general health and vitality in an otherwise hectic lifestyle. Wellman® represents a simple solution as the advanced one-a-day tablets, unlike general multivitamins have safe and effective nutrient levels formulated especially for men.

I've heard lots of good things about Wellman - so i think we will try these first and see if Nick starts to get more energy!


And for Me i'm going for this

Floradix Floravital from hollandandbarrett.com £16.09 500ml

Floravital contains iron (in the form of iron gluconate), vitamins B2, B6, B12 and C which contribute to the reduction of tiredness and to normal energy yielding metabolism. Iron also contributes to normal red blood cell and haemoglobin formation which is supported by vitamins B6 and B12. Furthermore, vitamin C increases iron absorption.

As these nutrients are already dissolved, they are absorbed more quickly by the digestive system compared to tablets. Extracts from selected herbs and several fruit juices give Floravital a pleasant taste.

Floravital contains no alcohol, preservatives, colourings or artificial flavourings and is free from lactose, gluten and yeast.

Floradix is particularly beneficial for expectant and lactating mothers      and people with an active lifestyle.

To be fair after researching i think i will put Nick on Floradix liquid iron too! I think i prefer it and i like the fact that its a liquid! 

So my top choices for the whole family are Floradix and Abidec (until Rocco is 3) then it will be Floradix all the way! 

I will do a monthly update from when these arrive and let you know how we are all feeling! 

If any of you have any favourites or think theres something better out there id love to know! 

Love J 

x

Waterstones

I've decided Waterstones is one of my favourite places!!! 

Many book shops have closed down due to internet shopping / kindles etc which is so sad! I order my books online when i have to for convenience but actually going to a book shop is so much fun.

There is a big Waterstones near us and we went there the other day.  Granted we went in for specific items the feel of a book shop is lovely! There were children sat in the childrens corner reading books and playing and mums browsing the shelves for anything from cookbooks to how to get your toddler to sleep to 50 shades of grey.  

I love giving books for presents - for young and old - they are the present thats last long after the book has been read! 

Some great bookshops have little coffee shops in them which is just heaven! 

I am planning to go to Waterstones one Sunday when my hubby will have the children just to escape the world and be in this magical bubble! Thousands of books filled with secrets and history and love and magic - the world is literally your oyster. 

I really wanted The Great Gatsby (i loved the film but i want to read it).  They had one by the till and i asked "do you have any other covers?" hahaha writing that down makes me feel a little crazy! I mean a books a book isn't it?? NO it isn't he showed me to a plethora of different covers! Of course i went for the Tiffany designed one and it is now in pride of place on my bedside table! 

They also do some fabulous little gifts and stationary! 

They had some pads called Knock Knock

I've found a selection at Utility Design - some of them are really useful others hilarious!!! 

The other books i found were called Listography Journals - they do Film, Music, Friends.  My favourite is My Future Listography 

This is a fabulous book to plan and keep all your future dreams! 

They also have the most amazing Childrens books - books you don't know about - books you didn't think about - books you didn't know you needed! 

I'm going to plan to take Honey to a bookshop for a mummy honey date every few months - just us two.  I want her to love the magic of books like i do.

So todays something cool in a nut shell is book shops!!! A free place to escape avec enfants!!! And a fabulous place to buy fabulous books that last a lifetime!! 

Happy Reading

J xxx

Tuesday's child is full of Grace

So its birthday month in our house- which means Party month!!

How hard is birthday party planning!!! From the theme, to who you invite, to the cake its all big decisions!!!

I remember my birthday parties when i was small - in the village hall, disco, magicians, cabbage patch kid cakes - and i remember them being so magical that i've always thought i want my children's parties to be filled with great memories!!

So as Rocco and Honey are a day apart i can easily have a joint party which is a big relief - however they are into completely different things! I toyed with a cupcake decoration party - but then this would only be for the older children - magicians again only for the 4 year olds - petting zoo again Rocco wouldn't be that bothered.

The Cakes - do they share a cake? have a cake each? just have cupcakes?

Party Bags - do you fill it with bits and bobs? get one nice thing? a book? a cupcake?

Bouncy Castle - do you get one with a slide? one with a roof for rain? a pink one?

Food - sandwiches? Hot Dogs? Picnic? Will the other mums think theres too many sweets?

Activities - Pass the Parcel (ends in tears), Fancy dress competition? Races? treasure Hunt?

Entertainment - Cupcake decorating? Magician? Enchanted Fairy? Disney Princess? Clown?

Dads have it kind of easy really Nicks just like get 1 cake, they don't need a party bag, any bouncy castle, sandwiches and crisps, pass the parcel and thats it! Job Done! Invite anyone. Alternatively lets just go to Euro Disney!

But as a mum .............. Can they have 1 cake if there are 2 of them? i wouldn't like to share a cake haha! They do need a party bag but what can i buy thats good quality for like £3 per child? we need a bouncy castle with a slide and roof and it needs to be red realistically , we need activities and we need a children's entertainer! Must invite long lost cousins aunt incase they see it on Facebook and get upset they didn't get the invitation! And the worrying doesn't end there!!! Even when they are opening their gifts from the party guests theres the mum manically writing who bought what so the thank you cards can be sent out the next day!

Its such a huge pressure!!!! But still generation after generation we still do it!!! And we still love it deep down!!!!

The look on Honey's face the morning of her party will be priceless and worth all the huge decisions that realistically we are the only ones that care about! I mean Honey doesn't care what bouncy castle it is or if theres 1 or 2 cakes! She would be happy with a bowl of ice cream and sprinkles and a candle in it! But me at the mum would feel guilty if there was no party!

Sooooooooooo this is what i've decided on!

We are having a party
We will have 2 cakes and Cupcakes! (i love cake!)
Party Bags will consist of 1 cool gift and a lovely cookie (well over budget but ho hum)
Bouncy Castle i have left to Nick to arrange (eeeek)
Food will be Hot dogs, sandwiches and picnic food and a plethora of sweets
I have arranged an entertainer (well 2)

I feel happy with my decisions - i hope everything goes to plan and i hope above all the Children enjoy it and have a magical day!

They are only young for such a short amount of time and when they are 10/12 are they really going to want a magician? So i say make the most of being in charge of the party before they can tell us what they want and what they don't hahah!!!

Can't wait to show you some pictures in 2 weeks time!!!

Love
J xxx

Elf on the Shelf

Ok so don't hate me but its 4 months today until Christmas day!! And in the Tsamplakos and Andrews houses we LOVE Christmas!!!! 

One of our ways to build excitement and good behaviour in our homes is "Elf on the Shelf"  Ours is called Elvis and Lee's is called Buddy. 

So our Elf's arrive on 1st December from Lapland - sent directly from the big man himself Father Christmas! Elvis flys off to Lapland every night once the children go to sleep to report on their behaviour and inform Father C of any naughtiness. Elvis then flys back to our house in the early hours of the morning and causes havoc in our house!! The children then have to find him the next morning! On Christmas Eve the children say goodbye to Elvis and hope they made the good list and Elvis goes home - to return the following year! 

Its all about mummy survival and childrens imaginations and the excitement on their faces! The simple words of "Elvis is watching you" makes Honey instantly rethink being naughty haha!!! 

So the world is your oyster when it comes to creating fun scenarios for your elf!!! 

Here are a few of mine from last year

We've seen that theres going to be a Birthday Elf which is released in October!!!! We can't wait for that!!! 

Do you have any fun traditions that you do with your children?

Have you already got Elf on the Shelf - share your best pics xxx

Happy 4 months to go 

Love J xxx

Perfect Childrens Books

Last year i was round my friend Lauren's house, and she knows i love meaningful books etc and she said "have you heard of Nancy Tillman?"

Well no i hadn't but i LOVE her now!!!

I love buying things for my children for them to keep forever! I have cards, books, letters etc from my mum and i love reading them now.  You simply can't replace those kind of memories and i will have them forever and pass them down to Honey!

So after reading Caius's Nancy Tillman books i was straight on Amazon and hey presto they arrived the next day!! I put both books in Honey and Rocco's Christmas Stockings!

This book is such a lovely present to buy your children or for any new mum.  The words on the first page are simply perfect: 

"On the night you were born, the moon smiled with such wonder that the stars peeked in to see you and the night wind whispered, "Life will never be the same." Because there had never been anyone like you ..... ever in the world" 

Such beautiful words! I love reading this story to Honey! 

On the Night you were born 

by Nancy Tillman

The second book is amazing for your child at any age! If my mum gave me this book now i would cry cry cry! Its so magical! 

Heres a little peek

"So hold your head high and don't be afraid to march to the front of your own parade.  

If you're still my small babe or you're all the way grown, my promise to you is you're never alone"

Wherever you are my love with find you 

by Nancy Tillman 

Whilst writing this blog i've just found another Nancy Tillman gem!!!!

Wow i love this one!! This is going on order for my children's birthday! Here is  a snippet from it:

 "There are things about you quite unlike any other…

things always known by your father or mother.So if you decide to be different one day,no worries…I'd know you anyway."

I'd know you anywhere, My Love 

by Nancy Tillman

 coming August 2013

If any of you have some amazing books that you read to your children and think are must haves please let us know!!!

I really hope you and your children love these books as much as we do!

be sure to write a little message in the front for your children to read back in years to come

Thank you Lolly xxx

Love
J xxx

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Cardboard Fun!

I'm always trying to find fun things to do to keep my little ones entertained! They are so easily bored of playing with the same toys and doing the same activities all the time.

I was browsing for Siennas 4th birthday party ideas when i came across this fab cardboard boat!

I thought wow that would be something fun to do with the kids over the weekend so off to the garage for the 1 million empty Amazon (you have got to love Amazon prime) and Zara boxes i go!

So its no where near as good as the original picture but this was to have fun with not to win a beauty contest! The kids loved it and when i say loved it i mean Sienna loved being a pirate and Tate loved to try and pull the sail out! 

It was pretty easy i just used the centre 4 sides of 2 cardboard boxes laid flat out for either side of the boat and the extra pieces i cut off to make the top. Then a cardboard tube and some tissue paper for the sail. Oh and stuck together with my hubby's carpet tape (shhh don't tell him)

There's heaps of fun things you could make with cardboard the possibilities are endless! This drive in movie theatre idea looks brilliant and so easy!!

Have you ever made anything for your little people with cardboard we would love to hear about it if you have!

Love 

L xx

Sunday Book Club!

Book Club!

I sooooo want to join a book club!!! You know those book clubs with wine and nibbles and white picket fences !! I’ve searched but can’t find one in my area!! Boooo hissssss

I love a good read! I’m not embarrassed about reading chick lit as with 2 children I need something I can pick up and put down every 2 seconds!! You know as soon as I sit down and look comfortable someone wants something!!!

I would love to read long literary greats but alas that’s just not me!!! I do however LOVE Pride and Prejudice its my favourite ever book!!! But its hardly a holiday read!!

So I’m currently in Spain and before I left I saw that Lauren Conrad had bought another trilogy out! Hooray!!! The first 3 LA Candy series I Loved!! I had to wait months for the next one to come out but they were so good!  

So when I saw she had The Fame Game trilogy out I thought they would be perfect holiday reads!

So ...................... Hahahaha well the first 6 chapters of the first book is great! But that's as far as I got!  I must of been delusional thinking I would be able to read 1 book let alone 3 whilst having 2 children on my own in Spain! I literally haven't had a moment for myself! Haven't showered, brushed my teeth or been to the toilet without one of my little shadows if not both of them in tow!! 

I can't wait to get home and hand them over to my husband so I can finish the books and have a shower solo!!!

If you've read them let me know what you think x 

Another of my favourite authors is Paige Toon! If you love an easy read that you cant put down her books are ace!!! These 3 are my fave fave!!! 

If anyone in the Surrey area knows of a good book club please let me know!!!!

Love

J x