Benjoy

Here is my son, Cash, trying Benjoy Munchcups.

This isn't a standard review though. I took the boys on a picnic with my NCT friends. One of them is the brother of Michelle, who set up Benjoy. He turned up with a big box of Benjoy Munchcups and all of us - adults and children alike - descended on them like lions on a fresh kill! So, not only I am writing this review for a friend, but also because I think the product is fantastic.

Benjoy Munchcups are ingenious no-spill snack pots containing delicious 100% natural nibbles for children.

There are currently five nutritious snacks to choose from: mini vegetable crisps, crunchy strawberries, multigrain bites, multigrain munchers and crunchy grapes.

They are currently available from Morrisons, Waitrose, Ocado, Amazon and Little Chef (£2.59 for four).

They have become a staple in my handbag, even when I'm out and about on my own! They would also be ideal in lunch boxes.

LEGO Duplo Police Station 5681

I love LEGO and Duplo.

There's something so satisfying about the way it fits together, perfectly, every time.

We were sent the LEGO Duplo Police Station 5681 (£49.99) to review.

There was much excitement when we put it together. There are two rooms connected by a bridge. One room is a cell, containing a toilet and a bath. The other is an office with a computer. The set comes with several vehicles and figures so you get a lot for your money.

As you can see from the photograph both of my boys (aged 4 and 3) could play with the set at the same time. There is enough going on to keep them both occupied. There is plenty of scope for imaginative play.

We have had the set for a few months now (apologies LEGO for the late review) and I can say that every time the Duplo comes out Presley, 4, will build the cell. The helicopter is very popular too.

As with all LEGO and Duplo products this set fits with everything else in the entire range and is a wonderful investment. We love it (in case you couldn't tell).

Lancome Hypnose Mascara

Many of us are constantly searching for that elusive wonder mascara.

When John Lewis sent me a Lancome Hypnose Mascara to review I hoped my search would be over.

My first impressions were positive. The product is comfortable to hold and there is little smell.

I found that the first sweep of the brush was a little clumpy, there was too much mascara on the brush. I carefully blotted the excess with a tissue and didn't have to re-do those lashes.

Without putting the wand back in the bottle I was able to apply the mascara to both sets of lashes, top and bottom. The coverage was even. There was no further clumping.

The brush is long and thin and this helps you to apply mascara right to the lash line.

My eyes looked so open with just one coat. I don't normally wear black mascara, but I really liked this look. I may have to get one in brown too now!

For full-on glamour I tried adding a second coat, this was too much for me. I'm a minimalist when it comes to make-up, but for a special occasion I would consider adding more. Even with the second coat my eye lashes felt light and comfortable.

So, have I found that elusive wonder mascara? Yes, I think I have!

Lancome Hypnose Mascara is £20.50.


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Leapfrog Launches Facebook Competition with Mother and Baby

CAPTURE THE MOMENT!

LEAPFROG LAUNCHES FACEBOOK COMPETITION WITH MOTHER AND BABY

Educational toy brand LeapFrog has launched its first ever national social media competition, giving UK families the opportunity to take part in an exclusive opportunity with Mother and Baby magazine.

The competition will encourage parents from all over the country to submit a photo of their baby. Three winning babies will be selected each month to be the faces of LeapFrog’s Development feature, which focuses on key achievements in child development and learning.  The details on how to enter will be located on the LeapFrog Facebook Fan Page.

The competition is open to babies aged from newborn to 24 months and will run until October 31^st 2011. Finalists will be notified by email and will be invited to attend a photo shoot in London.

To kick start the campaign, the first winning baby will be announced live at the prestigious CyberMummy conference on June 25^th .

Douwe Egberts Aromettes

I was sent some Douwe Egberts Aromettes to try. I was also sent a cafetière to test them in.

I was keen to try the coffee bean shaped Aromettes as the smell wafting from the tins was amazing. 

Here is the blurb:

"The Secret of Aromettes®

By naturally compressing ground coffee into a unique bean shape straight after roasting, Douwe Egberts Aromettes® lock in the best of the taste and aroma. Simply add Aromettes® to your cafetière or filter machine in place of ground coffee. As soon as the Aromettes® come into contact with hot water, the fresh taste and aroma is released, giving you a delicious coffee full of flavour. With Douwe Egberts Aromettes®, you can be sure of a delicious, perfectly brewed cup of coffee every time."

The reality is a perfectly brewed cup of coffee. I have to say that I'm not a coffee geek. I occasionally have a 'proper' coffee when I'm out, an Americano, but have never bothered with coffee machines at home because of the cost, the hassle and the mess. There is none of that with this ground coffee.

The only thing that confused me was the instruction of one bean = one cup. How big is a cup? How big is my cafetière? After a little experiment and one very strong cup of coffee I worked it out! 

There are currently two flavours: smooth and intense. I prefer the smooth. 

Each tin contains 30 Aromettes and costs £3.79. That's *gets out calculator* less than 13p per cup. Wow! My only concern is where to buy them. My usual supermarket doesn't sell them. I hope this changes soon.

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Photo Books from Bonusprint

I was offered the opportunity to create a photo book by Bonusprint.

Sorting out your digital photographs can be daunting. I had always fancied creating a photo book, but didn't relish the thought of sorting through thousands of digital images. Now I am a convert and will be taking the time to find my best photographs to convert into photo books.

Quite simply, this is one of the best products I have ever reviewed.


As a test I chose my favourite photographs from our honeymoon. The online upload process is simple. The wizard guides you through each stage. You are offered optional extras, such as extra glossy prints or one of your photographs on the front cover. The pricing is clear for any additional prints or other extras. Photo books start at just £9.99.

You can choose the layout of your photographs and there is an excellent onscreen preview that instantly updates when you make any changes. I managed to put some photographs together on a double page and make them look panoramic.

When the photo book arrived it exceeded all my expectations. The hard-cover book is very well made. The glossy pages are tough and show off the photographs beautifully. In very little time and for a relatively small outlay, you can create a stunning coffee table book.

I can't emphasise how much I love my Bonusprint photo book!

Less bulky than a traditional photo album, photo books are perfect for weddings, honeymoons, babies, your first trip to Disney or just for everyday family photographs. I hope my family aren't reading this, but if they are they will now know that they are all getting photo books for Christmas.

Thank you, Bonusprint!



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Chad Valley Playhouse

The excitement in our house when this Chad Valley Playhouse arrived was enormous! If there's ever a playhouse at a toddler group you can guarantee my children will be in there like a shot.

The injection moulded panels click into place really easily, it only took a few minutes to put together. It also comes apart for flat storage.

My husband and I usually set a timer when a new toy arrives. We both then guess how long it will be before there is an argument and we have to threaten to take the toy away if the children can't play together nicely. The timer ran for almost three hours, even then we only turned it off because it was lunch time. 

My boys were happily occupied for ages. There are endless possibilities for imaginative independent play with a toy like this. We put their little chairs inside and they sat on them, chatting away in their new home. Then they opened and closed the door five thousand times.  They ran around the garden pretending to go shopping before returning home. They looked out of the window. They opened and closed the door again. At this point I intervened and played alongside them for a while. I suggested they park their trikes outside, this they did - over and over and over again.

This playhouse is the best toy for summer. Even if it rains we can all huddle inside and pretend we're really on holiday or on the moon.

This gets a huge thumbs up from all of us at Calico Towers.

The Chad Valley Playhouse is available from Argos for £69.99.