Author: Oana

Professor Scrubbigton’s Fab Giveaway!

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Once in a while, I get to work with a brand I really love, not only for their products but also for their ethic! Professor Scrubbington ticks, hands down, all the boxes for me as a brand. Their luscious products are designed with the children who use them in mind (and make them smell divine, too!). Their professionalism is exemplary. Their prices are more than reasonable. And their branding is so much fun, it makes children want to scrub up, for real! But on top of everything, they do things that make my heart beat. They are mindful not only of the environment and their little customers’ skin. They have also been aware of the humanitarian crisis taking place in Europe this year and  they have been donating discreetly yet generously, “to preserve the dignity of the young people of Syria”, as they put it so beautifully on their Instagram page. So, what are Professor Scrubbington’s magical concoctions? The full emporium kit is comprised of five items (each priced at £5), which can also be …

A good night sleep…

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As you all know, I have been suffering on and off from insomnia, for the past two and a half years, since I got pregnant with Georgie. Recently, it has become so bad that it did affect my capacity to function well and work and I have had to take a bit of time off my day job. Sleep is extremely important to any of us and it is one of those things we never realise the importance of, until we go without for a length of time, just like our health or our holidays. I have recently been invited by MattressNextDay to look into UK’s sleeping facts and figures and I must admit, it left me wanting to make some drastic changes to the way I unwind each night. I am partially self-employed so I spend my evenings working in front of the laptop and, to my shame, I carry work into the bedroom when the pressure is there to do so! Looking at the below infographic, using your tablet or mobile phone in …

Easy Weeknight Meals with Old El Paso

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Which family does not strive to make the most of their time together while, at the same time, aiming not to compromise on health or great taste? We live fast-paced lives, to the tempo of school bells, train schedules, after school activities and tight deadlines and more often than not, family meal times become also rushed and an end of line rather than a nourishing time, both for body and soul. We were invited to make the most of our weeknights by Old El Paso and put their new Smoky BBQ soft taco kits to the test. As luck has it, the day the package arrived, I had planned on this slow cooker quinoa and  turkey mince recipe so using my soft tacos seemed like the logical thing to do! I found the tangy combination so tasty and versatile that every time I had a chance, I reached for my Old El Paso. And it never stopped at tacos, I did put the sauces to good use with a burger, as you can see below …

Blogging Edge Blog Awards

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Once again, I have had the great honour to be shortlisted for a bloggers’ award. The Blogging Edge Parenting blog award, this time. I have been campaigning shamelessly on my Facebook after I recovered from the shock of being nominated as one of the 5 best parent bloggers in the UK but now, I need to take this publicly and invite you all to spare 30 seconds and cast a vote in my direction: This blog has seen me go through the hell and back in the last year and a half. And even if numbers do not always mean everything, right now, and this time, I do need this public recognition so, so badly. I need to know that to you all, Mama’s Haven has been and continues to be an encouragement and beacon of light. To you on the dark road of cancer diagnosis, loss, bereavement and beyond the funeral service. To the rest of you, I need to know that it is an inspiration and not only a source of amusement, a …

Emma’s October Reviews

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The weather has been absolutely glorious in Northern Ireland this October, to make up for the horrid summer, they say :-), so I was absolutely thrilled when Emma was offered the opportunity to review this brilliant sandpit from Wickey, a great German company, of which I had not heard before, to my shame! The communication with the brand was swift and extremely professional, from the very beginning, and the wooden sandpit flip, measuring 110x125cm, was send out as soon as we agreed on the review terms and arrived within two days, by courier, all the way from Germany and smelling wonderfully of pine and forest adventures! Alex was a bit reluctant when he realised that it hadn’t come assembled and had to be put together manually but with a bit of encouragement, he proceeded, all to Emma’s delight and excitement! The instructions were clear and simple to follow, the wood cut perfectly and packed helpfully and before we knew it, we had a beautiful sandpit sitting in our back garden and a deliriously excited young …