Playdays and Runways: October 2014

I Always Choose Quorn

I am a big fan of Quorn and I have managed to convince Daddy, big J and little J to try some of the range and they do like like some of the products. I am not a vegetarian but I have mentioned it before that I'm just not a big fan of meat. I like dishes that include meat such as lasagne and casserole so I love the fact I can use Quorn products and they taste just as nice.

These are probably the most popular products we buy. We use the mince for lasagne and spaghetti bolognese, sausages as part of a meal or maybe a casserole and the chicken pieces in a curry.

Now I am not the greatest cook so when I make a lasagne I will use sauces in a jar such as ragu or dolmio.

Our Quorn Lasagne is extremely easy to make. I brown the Quorn mince for 5-8 minutes first in the frying pan using a spray of fry light first. Then I add the Dolmio Lasagne sauce and stir for a further 5 minutes.

Then I scoop some Quorn Mince into my lasagne dish and add some Lasagne Pasta sheets on top. Add some Creamy Lasagne White Sauce and repeat until you have used all you mince. When you get to the last layer sprinkle on some cheese.
Put in the oven for 40 mins on 180. I usually pre heat for 10 mins and switch off after 30 minutes.

Our Quorn Lasagne will feed all four of us for Dinner and I usually reheat the rest the next day for little J's lunch and sometimes we can get another lunch too.
Quorn is a great tasting range, perfect for if you're trying to eat healthier as part of an active lifestyle, watching your weight or if you want some meal free meal inspiration.
Have you tried Quorn? What do you think?

VELUX & Disney Dream Collection

I often think to myself that if I could I would have a Disney house. A house just filled with Disney items. If you read my blog you know I am just Disney mad and although my collection of Disney items and memorabilia is expanding all the time there is just so much out there to choose from. I don't think it will ever end. You can literally get a Disney version of everything and I love it. Whether you want to decorate your house with Disney wallpaper, Disney bedding or Disney furniture it's out there to buy. Today I spotted something I haven't seen before and I'm a little excited. Disney has teamed up with VELUX to create a Disney & VELUX Dream Blind Collection

There are 12 exciting designs to choose from and although I love Mickey, Minnie, Bambi and Winnie the Pooh I would have to choose a Princess blind. I had a browse through the collection and they are so lovely. I don't think Daddy would be happy with a princess blind on our bedroom window but I know little J would love a Mickey one. Each VELUX & Disney Dream Collection blackout blind design is unique and tailored specifically to the size and shape of the window. The fact that it's a blackout blind is perfect for daytime naps. Little J doesn't like sleeping with the light shining through so this would be great for his room. It's important to note that no harmful chemicals are used while creating the VELUX & Disney blind. Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 material testing goes far beyond existing national legislation for health protection. After reading about the blind I clicked on the link to configure my dream blind and it was really simple to use. I chose my window type and window size. There is a guide to help with this if required. Once that was done, it brought up the options for the design. On the right hand side it generated the price, based on what I asked for. I am so impressed with the blinds and I will definitely consider one for little J's room. Which one would you choose?

Closed Giveaways · Drink

#Win a Personalised 5L Beer Keg Competition

I am so excited about this competition. As you will already know I absolutely love unique gifts and I just love the prize that I have on offer. I have teamed with Personalised Bottles to offer one lucky winner the chance to win a Personalised 5L Beer Keg

Personalised Bottles are the only online retailer to sell personalised beer kegs so this will be such a great gift for someone. I have someone here who would love to own one of these so maybe he might get lucky and Father Christmas might put one in his stocking.

The ale is a light amber ale with a floral aroma and a subtle bitter finish. 4% ABV and 5L in size.

The keg can be personalised by adding a message and a photograph to make it as unique as you wish.

If you are not lucky enough to be the winner you can buy online for just £39.99 by clicking the link below.

I have a special 10% discount off any item so if you would like to buy please use mummonk

To view many more personalised gifts you can click HERE to view their sister website Caledonian Hampers So to enter all you need to do is answer this easy peasy question.
How much is the keg worth? A) £9.99 B) £24.99 C) £39.99
Write your answer as a comment and once you have done that lots more options will open up for you to get some extra entries.
GOOD LUCK

Autumn · Baking · Food and Drink · Halloween · Rainy Day Activities · recipe · Things To Do With The Kids At Home

Spooky Ghost Cake Pops Recipe

Disclosure - We went sent ingredients to try out this recipe. Any thoughts and opinions are our own.

We love baking and we recently tried this fun recipe to make Spooky Ghost Cake Pops. They are perfect for Halloween or a rainy day activity to do with the kids.

ghost pops

SPOOKY GHOST CAKE POPS

Preparation time: 2 hours plus cooling and chilling

Cooking time: 40 minutes plus 10 minutes to melt 2 lots of chocolate

Ingredients

For the cake balls

120g Cocoa Extra Dark Fine Cooks Chocolate

150g soft unsalted butter at room temp

200g Light Muscovado Sugar

3 medium free range eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp Madagascan Vanilla extract

125g Organic Plain White Flour

For the cake pops:

2 X 100g bags White Chocolate Chips melted for sticking the balls onto the sticks & coating the cake pops

Teaspoon of vegetable oil

To decorate the ghosts:

1 x pack of Dr. Oetker White Regal Ice

Icing sugar for rolling out

Dr. Oetker White Designer Icing for sticking the regal ice to the cake pops

Dr. Oetker Jet Black Gel Food Colour.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 140°C (275°F, gas mark 1). Grease and line an 18cm (7 inch) square cake tin.

To make the fudge brownie mix melt the extra dark chocolate in a microwave on medium power for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time until melted, or in a heat proof bowl on a gentle heat over a bain marie. Leave to cool.

Beat the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand beater for approx. 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. If you haven’t got an electric mixer you can do this with a wooden spoon in a bowl .

TIP: if you are in a rush or the butter is quite cold, the addition of a couple of tablespoons of boiling water at this stage, beaten on slow until mixed will speed up this process.

Add your eggs on a slow speed about a third at a time, mixing until combined.

Add your cooled chocolate stirring continuously. Add the vanilla Extract and stir. On slow speed mix in the flour until just combined. Do not over beat. Alternatively fold in by hand.

Pour the mix into your cake tin and bake for approx 40 mins. Check it with a sharp knife or metal skewer. You want this to be slightly under baked, so the knife should come out pasty, with a nice paste on the knife.

Leave to cool, then turn out into a bowl and crumble with your hands to fine fudgy crumb.

To make the cake balls, take a handful of fudge cake mix and squeeze together tightly - you are aiming for little balls about the size of a large walnut, approx. 30g each. If the mixture is dry, the addition of a little chocolate or vanilla butter cream will help the mixture stick

Once you have all of your balls ready, dip the end of your stick into the melted chocolate chips and push the stick into each ball, about half way in. Hold the ball to stop it splitting open when the stick goes in

Once all the cake pops are ready, refrigerate them for 1-2 hours before dipping them, or pop into the freezer for 30 mins, so the balls are firm enough to hold when dipping in the coating

To coat the cake pops melt Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks White Chocolate on low power in a microwave bowl until just melted - stirring occasionally.

Plunge each cake pop into the chocolate coating until completely covered. Tap the cake pop gently on the side of the bowl to shake off the excess. Once all are covered, dip each cake pop again

To decorate the ghosts roll out half the white regal icing into a large rectangle using plenty of icing sugar and a large plastic rolling pin. Roll fairly thinly – 2 to 3mm thick. Squeeze a little Dr. Oetker White Designer Icing onto the tops of the cake pops or brush with some melted white chocolate, to aid sticking of the sugar paste

Using a cake cutter or small bowl, cut out circles of regal icing and place on each of the pops, smoothing down with your fingers to create the white sheet effect. Allow a little wavy movement by using your fingers to create smooth.

Give them a try and we would love to see your creations. Tag us on socials @PlaydaysRunways.

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Michelle

Energy Drinks - Do our kids really need them?

I remember when I was little, me and my mum walked to the chemist to buy a bottle of lucozade for a relative who was sick in hospital. When we got to the hospital I remember seeing the brown cabinets next to the hospital beds on the ward and pretty much every one of them all had a bottle of Lucozade on top. How did it go from being available in just chemists and giving to loved ones when sick to being available for our kids to buy in every shop. I am not a fan of energy drinks at all. Whenever we are in a shop and big J asks for a lucozade or something similar I say no. I don't like them and although this causes quite a lot of arguments between me and big J I am sticking to my opinion on this one and I won't be budged. Big J does some sporting activities in school and he does play football on our local astro turf pitches but for me that is not enough for him to need a full bottle of an energy drink. He tells me that the footballers drink it, but the footballers train or play football probably 7 days a week, he doesn't An average bottle or can of energy drinks can have up to 14 times more caffeine than a can of cola. That's like drinking over 7 cups of coffee in one go. I wouldn't drink that much in one go so why would I let me child? It isn't just Lucozade that bothers me. Actually Lucozade isn't the worst one it's drinks like Monster and a Relentless. They do display warning saying high caffeine, but shops still sell them to youngsters? Why? Like everything it's down to choice. You are either happy to let your child drink an energy drink because it's cool and their peers do or like me you put up with the arguments and sulking knowing that you have done the right thing. Do you agree with youngsters drinking energy drinks?

Closed Giveaways

#Win a Barry M Loud Mouth Lip Gloss

Are you a lover of lipgloss? If so you will love my competition. I have a Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Lip Colour to giveaway in the colour SCREAMER

All you have to do is answer the following question as a blog comment. Q: what is the name of the colour of the lip gloss I am giving away? Remember you must leave the answer as a blog comment to be entered in to the draw.
GOOD LUCK Terms and Conditions
Competition closes on Wednesday 5th November 2014 at 11:59PM Entrants must have a valid UK address Bulk, third party or any other entries using automated software will be disqualified All entrants and entries are checked and verified. All entrants must follow the mandatory step and answer the question as a blog comment. 1 lucky winner will be chosen at random by the Gleam application. Mummy2Monkeys will contact the lucky winner within 1 day of the competition closing The winner must respond within 28 days. If no response a new winner will be chosen. The prize is a Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Lip Colour In Screamer There is no cash alternative.

Bitesized Belters from Sugarpoke

We are big fans of Sugarpoke already and recently we were sent a treat to try from their letterbox range. Bitesized Belters are exactly how they sound. Bitesize treats that are just so yummy. Like I mentioned they are letterbox friendly so no need to worry about waiting for the postman to arrive.

Included in the Bitesized Belters are 2 x Lemony Snacket The shortbread snacks are bake with a layer of lemon curd. I am not a fan of anything lemon flavour really so it was up to Daddy and little J to try these and they loved them. I did have a little nibble on one just out of curiosity and they were full of flavour. 2 x Billionaires Bite Very similar to a millionaires shortbread. Chocolate, shortbread and caramel in one little bitesize package, delicious. We actually buy something similar from Costa and I have to say Billionaires Bites are tastier. 2 x Honeyjack Bite Flapjack with honeycomb and chocolate squiggles. I scoffed these before anyone had a chance to have a try...oops. What can I say? Very tasty. 2 x Fruitjack Bite A five fruit flapjack with sunflowers seeds. Again I enjoyed BOTH of these with a cup of tea. I sound really greedy, don't I? Oh well they were tasty and Mummy doesn't share when it comes to flapjacks. Currently priced at just £7.99 including a lovely card and first class delivery.

Little J tucking in. As many will know I love christmas so I did have a peek to see if there is any christmas goodies yet. I did spot this and as soon as I spot anymore I will keep you all informed.

October Degustabox Delivered

I think you will all know by now that I am a big fan of Degustabox and I know I will continue to enjoy the surprise of opening the box each month to see what is inside. I think over the months the boxes have become bigger and better and with the new Degustabox Fridge vouchers too it really is great value for money.

So in this month there were a few familiar brands that I knew of or we had received in previous boxes.

Kents Kitchen - Meal Kits

Three steps in three simple pots to make a delicious meal in under 20 minutes. We haven't tried this yet but it looks great.

Blue Dragon - Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce

I absolutely love Sweet Chilli dipping sauce and although I hadn't heard of this one before its now my favourite. Its so tasty and I love it with prawn crackers.

Special K - BBQ Cracker Crisps

I am not a fan of crisps, I much prefer chocolate but I have tried something similar to these before and they are very tasty. Daddy and big J aren't too fussed on these but at 60% less fat than the average packet of crisps they get a thumbs up from me.

Get Buzzing - All Natural Bars

I've actually just ate this as I have been typing. It was delicious. For me it had more of a buttery flavour than a nutty flavour and it was very filling.

Enhance

Again there are a few different products in the supermarket like this but this isn't one we have tried before. I do love the idea of it, being able to have a nice juice on the go when your out and about.

Solo - Marshmallow

We were sent a toasted fudge version of this and it was so yummy. I have to admit I am not actually sure how you are supposed to eat it but we just grabbed a spoon and tucked in.

Bear - Bear Paws

We have had these before in a Degustabox I think and they are perfect for little J. A nice and juicy fruit snack in paw prints shapes.

Brioche Pasquier - Sliced Brioche Loaf

We are big fans of Brioche Pasquier and it is a regular on our shopping list but mainly the croissants and Brioches, we haven't tried the loaf before. I wasn't sure whether it was to be toasted or just used as bread so we tried both. It didn't have much of a flavour to it but little J liked it. Jelly Belly - Jelly Beans I love the handy size of this bag. Sometimes the Jelly Belly packets are really big but this is ideal for a snack. Bear - Alphabites Again we have tried these before but unfortunately we are not to keen on them although I usually give these to my mum so they are not wasted. If you fancy giving Degustabox a try then make sure you visit their website and enter my special code which will give you a £3.00 discount WAOQG *we were sent a Degustabox to try - all thoughts above are our own*

review · Toddler Must Haves

Tesco Loves Toddler Range

Little J has been trying out some of the Tesco Loves Toddler Range recently. When it arrived I was drawn to the bright colours and animal pictures. Very cute and very appealing to toddlers.

We were sent a variety of items including

Easy Scoop Plate
This for me was just a perfect design for little J. The rim around the edge meant he could push his food towards the side using the cutlery set (see below) and scoop it up. We had very little mess to which was a bonus.

Easy Hold Cutlery
Little J still uses a plastic spoon and we hadn't introduced a fork yet but I let him have a go at the both of these and they were great. They are quite light but with a nice chunky easy to grip handle. He can feed himself with a spoon already but he hasn't mastered the fork yet.. but he will in time.

Easy Grip Sipper
Little J has used a bottle like this before and if I am honest we had to stop because it would leak everywhere if he tipped it or left it on the side. This however is different as it has a valve inside which prevents spills so perfect for my little J who likes to tip the bottle upside down.

Snack Box
Again this is another that is perfect for us. I actually have so many boxes but I use them all the time. They are just perfect for days out or a visit to friends and family. The box isn't to big either so great for just a sandwich or snack. It will hold the cutlery set too. Catch It All Bib
We have something very similar to this already but its made of material (like an apron) rather than plastic. The design is so cute and bright but for little J I thought it was a little too young. He also really doesn't like anything round his neck while he is eating we have to hold him down to get his bib on. He wasn't keen on the plastic feel around his neck.

Finished off using some Tesco Loves Toddler Apple scented wipes. As you will see from the photographs the Tesco Loves Toddler Range comes in variety of colours and designs. You can view more details around each product by visiting HERE

*we were sent the selection of tesco loves toddler range for a review. All thoughts above are our own*

Gallstones

Lots of people have gallstones and don't even know about but if you have an attack, trust me you'll know about. It's been three years since my last gallstone attack and my goodness it was bad. The horror of what I went through is still so fresh in my mind as if it was yesterday.

review · TV and Film

We had a DVD weekend with Fireman Sam and Q Pootle 5

Little J likes to watch TV and is starting to have a few firm favourites. He won't sit and watch a programme from start to finish just yet but he is certainly starting to enjoy it. He will glance over every now and then and if there is something in particular he likes then he will sit and stare whilst fiddling with a toy in his hand, but not for to long before he's off playing. I usually find myself still watching children's programmes even when he's not around. We have recently been watching two DVDs which were sent for little J. Fireman Sam - Ocean Rescue
I am a fan of Fireman Sam myself. We have been watching him for years since big J was little and it's nice to see Fireman Sam has stood the test of time and is still a favourite of little ones. I have to say we really enjoyed this. Little J has watched Fireman Sam before and he seems to like it. I thought the episodes were really good. I loved the fact they were on the ocean and I have been looking at the range of toys to go with this.

New coastguard Ben works alongside the Rescue Team to keep everyone safe with heroics on the high seas. Mike takes on the choppy seas alone as he attempts to set up some fireworks but they accidentally all go off at once. Meanwhile Norman and Mandy row out to sea in search of a rare turtle. Its not long before they are lost and the waves keep getting bigger. Will Fireman Sam be able to find them before disaster strikes? Find out all this and more in this collection of new, daring Ocean Rescues. The DVD features six episodes All at Sea Whale Watch The Pontypandy Cup Turtle Hunt The Treasure Trap Stage Fright running time is 70 mins approx. Q Pootle 5 - The Great Space Race and other adventures
If I am honest I hadn't heard of Q Pootle 5 before which i'm shocked at really because as you may already know we are huge fans of cBeebies. I was eager to give the DVD a try because after watching the trailer ( which you can below) it looked great. Again little J seemed to really enjoy it. We watched two episodes over the weekend and its a really cute show.

Join Q Pootle 5 and his friends in 13 of your favourite episodes The Great Space Race Pootle's House Guest Groobie's Spacewash A day with Ray The Biggest Picture Ever Maurice Rocket Bird Oopsy Flower Power Hitting The High Note The Singing Valley Runaway Rocket Eddi's Hat It Came From Outer Space\ Also includes extras
Okidoki Karaoke The Making of Q Pootle 5
So both DVD's got big thumbs up from us here and I am sure they will stay in our dvd collection as little J gets older. *we were sent the dvd's for review purposes. All opinions are our own*

Blast From the Past - #AngelDelightMoments

When I was younger I always remember Angel Delight being a treat we would have on a Sunday after our roast dinner. My mum would make I and I would eagerly wait for it to set in the fridge. It only took minutes but it felt like forever. Sometimes we would have it with jelly which was another after dinner treat. I don't remember having any other flavours except for strawberry. Maybe strawberry was the only flavour available back then.
Not there are five classic flavours to choose from chocolate, raspberry, butterscotch, banana and strawberry. There is also a no added sugar option in butter witch, chocolate and strawberry. A new flavour which has been introduced to the classic five is Bubblegum and we have been trying it out. Bubblegum is probably big J's favourite flavour in anything. Ice cream, lolly-ices, lollipops anything he can find in that flavour really.

When I told him angel delight had brought out bubblegum his first words were "can we buy some?" So today I got our sachet of angel delight and milk and made the new bubblegum flavour.

We were sent some bubblegum angel delight to try out so I got big j to give me a hand mixing it together.

When you open the packet the flavour is really strong and smells delicious.

If you have never made angel delight before it is really simple you just add milk and whip. That's it. Pop in the fridge for five minutes and it's done.

After dinner big J and little J gave it a try. They both really enjoyed it. There are other ways to enjoy angel delight you can make ice lollies, smoothies and milkshakes but big J just wanted to try something different.

He wanted to make angel delight ice cubes? So we poured the mix into the ice cube trays and waited for them to freeze. Big J enjoyed a glass of milk with angel delight ice cubes. He said it was delicious and definitely worth a try if you are an angel delight fan. "This post is entry for #AngelDelightMoments Linky Challenge"

Hello

Clothing · Collaboration · Fashion · Woolovers

Wool Overs Celebrates 25 Years

I have said it before but Autumn / Winter is my most favourite time of year. I love shopping for new clothes when the cold weather starts to creep in because it means I can buy nice warm jumpers, cardigans and jumper dresses to keep me warm and cosy. I love wrapping up warm on a cold wintery day. I recently found Woolovers website and I was so impressed with their choice of knitwear.

Have You Tried Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal is becoming more and more popular nowadays. Its safe to do and its virtually painless so maybe that's why people are choosing to remove any unwanted hair this way. I have heard many celebrities have chose laser hair removal but I have never tried it, have you? I was browsing Sk:n and I came across the section on laser hair removal. They have a process they follow to help review your progress and ensure you know how to maintain hair-free skin.

Its done in steps as shown above. First you are invited to a consultation including test patches and a personalised treatment plan. Then you will receive your treatments At your 4th treatment appointment you will receive a review of your progress. After your last treatment you will then be invited back for a +1 reward treatment where they will assess the results and give you a free deep exfoliating glycolic peel which is value at £80. The process is very simple. An experienced member of staff will provide goggles for you to wear to protect your eyes. The laser is attracted to the dark pigment in hair called melanin. The hair must be at a certain stage of growth cycle for it to be effective. Once done cold air of gel will be applied to the skin. Lasering can take between 15-45 minutes depending on the area. Repeat treatments will be every 4-6 weeks for around 8 months. this is to achieve the best results. Laser hair removal is available for any unwanted hair including Eyebrows, Earlobes, Fingers, Upper Lip, Cheeks, Chin, Sideburns, Nipples, Jawline, Underarms, Feet. With the most popular treatment prices starting at from £45 you can visit the website HERE to view the full range, including venues and prices. *in collaboration with sk:n*

review · Toys and Games

Little J Loves His Read Along Woolly

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know we have always been a big fan of Cbeebies and since having little J we have been watching it more and more. Little J has started to have a few favourites including In The Night Garden and he loves Squidge but he's just started to enjoy Woolly and Tig too.

When we were sent Read Along With Woolly I knew little J would love him and I wasn't wrong.

As soon as I took him out the box little J just dived on him.

I managed to get him for a minute so I could take a photo.

Read Along Woolly comes with his own story book and within the story book is symbols that represent a sound.

When you come to the part in the story with a symbol you look on Woollys leg for the symbol, press it and he will play the sound. It's made story time so much more fun for little J and i have been reading the story and getting him to press the correct sound.

Although even with the story book Woolly's leg can just be pressed for fun which little J enjoys too.

And of course he is soft and cuddly for you to snuggle up to or jump on if you are little J.

Woolly has become a firm favourite for bedtime alongside little J's taggy (which is in his mouth)

You can see more of Read Along Woolly in the above video.

Woolly is available from Golden Bear Toys and can be viewed HERE. He is currently priced at £29.99 and is suitable from 10 months +

I also just wanted to mention too that there is currently a Christmas bundle offer on Golden Bear Toys website which offers a 6 Woolly and Tig toys all for £50 which is a bargain. Saving of £53

*we were sent woolly in return for a full honest review. If you choose to buy either of the products i have listed - please note I wil not receive any sort of compensation *

Experiences · Family Day out · review · Technology

Daddy and Big J go to Play Expo

Last weekend daddy and big J had a great time at their first games convention. We had been invited to review Play Expo at Event City, Manchester.

I would class Big J and Daddy as 'gamers', big J loves FIFA and daddy likes lots of different games and has been playing since he had his first zx spectrum - a long time ago! Although they both love games, they had never been to an event, and both where looking forward to it.

Daddy's post
When we arrived, the queues looked huge! Luckily we had press passes and manger to squeeze through to the front of the queue to get in. When we first walked in bumblebee and barricade - the actual cars from the transformers films, where on show protected by some guards with guns, that anyone could handle - hopefully replicas!

The cars are very impressive, whether you like the films or not, and everyone was talking a photo or two.

We had a look at the size of the event as we walked in. The place was enormous. It really was difficult to know where to go first as there really was so much on show.

The first thing little J saw that he wanted to look at was a stall full of all types of t-shirts, collectibles, toys and all kinds relating to games. He liked the look of some of the minecraft bits, but decided to wait before parting with his money.

Next was a section with approximately 100 ps4 consoles showing new and older games for anyone to play. Driveclub is a new ps4 exclusive racing game and we enjoyed a few goes on this. Big J is definitely a FIFA fan, whereas I grew up with PES being the only football game to play, back when FIFA was a game that allowed you to score easily from the halfway line! A match was due and PES 2015 was on show. After 3 games, I was the 2-1 victor overall.

After this is was time for some pinball. I have honestly never seen so many machines in one place, and all free to play. We both had a good few games of some classic machines, the Addams family, lord of the rings and nba basketball to name a few.

Next to the pinball was a large arcade with, again, more machines than I have ever seen in one place. All free to play, and we played the classics, outrun, afterburner, hard drivin' even virtual striker ( which little J comprehensively battered me on with a 3-1 score line). SCI was next - for those who remember chase hq, this was chase hq2. I loved this game when I was younger but never managed to get past level 5. Now that I had lots of free credits, I managed to get to the end - and got the high score,

There was a large retro console area, which didn't really excite little J too much, although I was impressed and so many stalls selling all manner of gaming goodies.

The best parts of the show for me have to be getting my picture taken in the delorean from back to the future

and on the iron throne from game of thrones.
Although these needing paying for, well worth a fiver each in my opinion.

We finished by visiting the same stall as we looked at when we first went in, little J sticking by his initial thoughts of minecraft stuff. One foam sword and cardboard box later - and he looks like he is from the game!

Then it was another look at barricade and bumblebee, and home, after a really good day. We will definitely be attending another gaming convention!

To find out more about Play Expo you can visit the website HERE

*we were invited to review Play Expo all thought are our own*

Lena Dunham - Girls

A few weeks ago I didn't feel to good, well it was just a cough and cold but it took me out. I was really bad with it and it lasted almost a week which is really rare for me. I usually just have it for a day or two and still able to do my normal things, this wiped me out completely. I looked after little J as normal during the day which was okay although he had his usual appointments so I just made sure I had lots of tissues with me. When Daddy came home he took over and I was able to go to bed. I just couldn't sleep, which didn't help me get better. Instead I was flicking through some TV Shows and I couldn't believe it when I realised the third season of GIRLS was out.

I'm not quite sure how I came about watching GIRLS I think I had read an article about it when it had just premiered on HBO in America. I watched the very first episode and I was hooked. It is such a great programme and I can relate with all the GIRLS in different ways. If you have never seen it, GIRLS was created by Lena Dunham who also stars in the show. It follows the lives of four friends in their twenties living in New York City. It reminds me of Sex in the City but more realistic and genuine. Anyway so I wasn't feeling well and found season 3 of GIRLS to watch. Now all parents will know it is hard to get a few minutes to yourself and it normally takes me a long time to get through a series of a TV programme but once I started watching it I couldn't stop. Although I felt like rubbish I was enjoying my chill time and I watched a whole season in less than a day. I really enjoyed it and I'm gutted I have to wait till next year for season four.

Do you watch GIRLS?

Closed Giveaways · Technology

#Win Gioteck EX3-R Inline Messenger Headset

Daddy has been trying out the Gioteck EX3-R and you can read all about it HERE If you would like to win one then all you need to do is answer the question and leave the answer as a blog comment.

Q: If you won, who would you give the headset to? Good luck To view more Gioteck Products please visit the website HERE Terms and Conditions Competition closes on Sunday 26th October 2014 at 12AM Entrants must have a valid UK address Bulk, third party or any other entries using automated software will be disqualified All entrants and entries are checked and verified. All entrants must follow the mandatory step and answer the question as a blog comment. 1 lucky winner will be chosen at random by the Gleam application. Mummy2Monkeys will contact the lucky winner within 1 day of the competition closing The winner must respond within 28 days. If no response a new winner will be chosen. The prize is a Gioteck EX3-R Inline Messenger Headset There is no cash alternative.

review · Technology

Gioteck EX3-R Inline Messenger Headset

You may have already read that Daddy and big J love their console games.

Daddy has wrote a post for me based on a review of the Gioteck EX3-R Inline Messenger Headset

Gioteck recently sent us the EX3-R inline messenger headset to try, as a quality alternative to the usual range of headsets on offer for ps4.

The headset arrived in a well packaged and typically blue and black box, with some of the headsets key features shown.

Inside, the headset is of good sturdy quality, simple and easy to set up with your ps4 controller - it really is plug and play (or plug and talk I should say!)

The set fits nicely around your ear to keep it in place and the earphone fits into your ear like any other in ear headphone would. You can adjust the set to get the right fit for you. The voice piece is nice and short and doesn't get in your way at all, but picks up very clearly what you are saying.

You can hear clearly what your friends (or enemies depending on the game) are saying and the quality does rival some of the more expensive sets outs there.

If I was to sum up the EX3-R inline messenger headset, I would say simple, inexpensive, and good quality headset. If you are looking for a cheaper chat headset, but don't want to lose the quality then I would recommend the set.

As an added bonus, I have also discovered that this set works on Xbox one too, when used with the controller and adapter.

Thanks Gioteck, I am now looking at buying my next gaming chair from your site.
***************** To view the Gioteck range you can visit the website HERE If you would like to own a Gioteck EX3-R Inline Messenger Headset make sure you check out my competition HERE

*we were sent the gioteck headset in return for a full honest review - thought and any opinions as always are our own*

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