World of Dinosaurs at Paradise Wildlife Park in Hertfordshire

Today I'm sharing with you an amazing day out not be missed if you're within a few hours travelling distance of Hertfordshire. 

I've written previously here about our love of the brilliant Paradise Wildlife Park, but today saw the launch of their World of Dinosaurs. It is one of the UK's biggest & most spectacular dinosaur attractions. If you've got a dino-mad little one (or big one for that matter) then read on. 

Set across acres of natural woodland World of Dinosaurs features 30 life-size, moving and roaring animatronic dinosaurs – a real thrill for any dinosaur adventurer! And on Saturday we were lucky enough to be part of the official launch day. The best news is that it is now open to the public (from Sunday 25th April 2018) just in time for the Easter Holidays!!

So, here's a little sneak peak of what you'll find in the Jurassic woods of Hertfordshire...

Actually first, lets talk about CAKE. Specifically this ABSOLUTELY AMAZING T-Rex cake by Mrs R Bakes. I genuinely thought it was a statue at first, but no, it's a cake!! Bert was mesmerised by it and kept sniffing it?! In fact, I put him to bed tonight still disgruntled that he didn't get a slice (they're cutting it for the public tomorrow). I did try to explain that he may not have had cake, but he did get to see the amazing dinosaurs before anyone else, then got to spend the rest of his day among all the incredible animals at the zoo, play on all the amazing play equipment, have a hotdog and chips for lunch and bring home a new toy dinosaur, but apparently there's no pleasing some 4 year olds! Ha! 

T-Rex cake of DREAMS

So, back to World of Dinosaurs...here is a sneak peek of what you can expect if you bring your family along...lifesize, moving, roaring and just amazing dino beasts set among natural woodland...enjoy...

Triceratops - my favourite dinosaur, because, you've got to have a favourite with a dino-mad son!

You can meander through the dinosaurs on a purpose built sandy pathway which is really wide and allows for many people to walk round freely without crowding. You follow a clear route which means you can't miss anything, and the paths are ideal for pushchairs and wheelchairs too.

They even have the Jurassic Park theme music playing as you go round...I mean talk about perfection! 

As you can see you can also get the train right through the World of Dinosaurs as well as experiencing it on-foot. 

The movements and sound effects of the dinosaurs are so realistic and set an amazing atmosphere. Both Liam and I said it is the sort of attraction that will really grow with time too, as the bushes, trees and shrubbery come to life around the animatronic figures, the dino-world will only become more exciting and intense to experience. 

This is as 'graphic' as it gets, for those worried about little ones getting too scared!

Scary? Me?

The route ends with a rather mischievous dinosaur who gives you a squirt of water if you stand too close, which of course proved endlessly entertaining for all the little ones. 

There's also a brand new dinosaur shop - stocked full of gorgeous toys, stationery books and more - it's an absolute dino-lovers dream with prices to suit all budgets, as well as a small cafe/kiosk section to get snacks and drinks. 

It's worth noting for those who haven't visited Paradise before that you don't pay any extra  to see the dinosaurs, it would be part of the standard admission price (this goes for all of the attractions/play areas within Paradise, excluding the train ride and a couple of ride on toys!) 

More than ever now that the Dinos have arrived, Paradise offers incredible value for money in terms of bang for your buck for a family day out. 

Dinosaurs...check

Amazing array of zoo animals...check

Farm animals...check

Big Cats walkway...check

Outdoor play areas (in abundance)...check

Outdoor Lagoon splash pool...check

Soft play...check

Train ride...check

Sandpit...check

Tractor/Trailer ride...check

Safari Golf...check 

Speedway Museum...check

Woodland Walk...check

Stage shows running throughout the day at the Jungle Theatre...check

Birds and bird shows ... check

Gift shop, cafes, food vendors, picnic areas, Discovery Centre, Animal Resource Centre, face painting...you get the gist! 

There is something for everyone at Paradise Wildlife Park. 

We all throughly enjoyed it, but of course my dino-loving boy was the most ecstatic about our day...one of the park keepers even commented that Bert should change places with him as he clearly knew far more about the dinosaurs than he did. (Bert was SO chuffed at this comment!)

Bert spent the whole time as we were going round shouting things like...

 "WOW!! It's a PACHYCEPHALOSAURUS!"

I can't even pronounce it, let alone tell you a fact about it! 

So, if you're looking for a day out to suit the whole family this Easter, then Paradise Wildlife Park has your back! 

For more info and to book head to their website at www.pwpark.com

Mrs B

xxx

We were gifted a day at the launch of World of Dinosaurs in return for this honest review.

^^ Why not PIN THIS for later ^^

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Little Jem's Kitchen - Energy Balls *REVIEW*

Hey folks! 

Today I want to introduce you to fabulous Janna, Bedford local and all-round lovely who runs Little Jem's Kitchen: which has been selling an amazing range of free from delicious treats including her famous energy balls as well as classics such as brownies & cheesecakes since 2016.

Janna kindly hand delivered a mixed box of 20 of her energy balls to try - and I couldn't wait to report back to you guys here on the blog with my thoughts. 

The energy ball/power ball/fat ball/protein ball revolution hit a few years ago, and it isn't going anywhere fast: it seems these little balls of goodness are firmly here to stay and I for one am thrilled. I often opt for one of these as my healthy daytime or evening snack when I'm being particularly nutritionally conscious or before/after a workout. 

I've made my own may times over the years - and I do enjoy the process and end result - however, I always make a big batch of the same flavour (usually chocolate/almond) and I quickly find I'm bored of that particular one a week or so into eating them. They usually last for a month in the fridge, and I always waste some of the batch, which is a shame as they are not cheap to make (nuts, dates, cacao etc... expensive ingredients!) It is not realistic or  The answer to this wasteful dilemma is to order a whole variety of flavours from Little Jem's, and then you'll never get bored! 

Jan's energy balls are all naturally vegan, vegetarian, refined sugar free, dairy & gluten free. 

And oh my goodness does Jan know how to do flavour!! I've actually never tasted such a delicious array of flavours in energy balls before (and I've tried quite a few let me tell you!)

Here's a list of the flavours I was lucky enough to try... 

Chocolate Almond dipped in dark chocolate
Chocolate Orange dipped in dark chocolate
Matcha & Pistachio dipped in dark chocolate
Organic Chocolate Almond
Organic Chocolate Orange
Pistachio, Strawberry & Cardamom 
Organic Chocolate Chilli
Matcha & Pistachio 
Organic Mint Chocolate Crunch
Toffee Apple

My top three from this selection (in order) were:

1. Pistachio, Strawberry & Cardamom  - OH MY GOODNESS, these are truly scrumptious - so fruity, with a gorgeous crunch from freeze dried strawberry, the subtle perfume of cardamom and rich creaminess of pistachio: I could have happily eaten a whole box of just this flavour and never gotten bored!

2. Toffee Apple - comfort food in an energy ball - these taste bad for you, which is turn makes them taste even better. Caramel notes mixed with tangy apple: basically bonfire night in an energy ball. 

3. Chocolate Orange dipped in dark chocolate - I never used to like chocolate orange flavoured things, but recently my tastes have begun to change, and this flavour was divine. The orange flavour tasted real - not synthetic and overly sweet as other orange flavoured chocolate products often do. The added luxury of being dipped in dark chocolate was the icing on the cake (energy ball). 

But they were honestly all delicious - even the flavours I thought I wouldn't be so keen on (Matcha/Green Tea and Chocolate Chilli) were very tasty and had really exciting flavour profiles. 

I loved the variation in textures between the balls, and that each one really was completely different to the next - it felt like I was choosing from a posh box of chocolates rather than opting an uber-healthy snack! WIN! 

They were packaged beautifully in a white box with cello window, in colour coded paper cases and were labelled well, so it was clear which flavour each ball was. The label also advised me on how I should store them (a sealed container in the fridge) and how long they would last (up to one month from date made). 

PRICES

~ 6 balls for £5 (pick one flavour)

~ 12 balls for £9.50 (pick up to two flavours)

~ 24 balls for £18 (pick up to four flavours)

~ 48 balls for £33 (pick any of the 6 flavours)

Jan also sells her matcha (green tea) and pistachio energy balls with their added antioxidant benefits. These are great for that extra boost and helping aid mental stimulation and concentration. 

Matcha Green Tea & Pistachio prices, as follows:

~ 6 balls for £6.00

~ 12 balls for £11.00

~ 24 balls for £21.00

~ 48 balls for £39.00

As well as boxed energy balls Jan has come up with these absolutely adorable energy ball flower stems to give as gifts. You could create a beautiful flower bouquet or add them to your existing flower arrangements as an added edible extra! A perfect alternative to an Easter egg for the health conscious, or for a gift for a birthday, anniversary or even a stocking filler! 

If you'd like to try some of Janna's energy balls, or her other products including cupcakes, brownies, cheesecakes, relishes and jams then you can contact her below to order, or visit her at local markets/artisan/maker events around Bedfordshire (see her Facebook page for details of her next event). 

Janna offers local pick up (she's in Bedford), local hand delivery (depending on location) or postage starting from £4.00 (depending on the size and weight of the package). 

Janna says there is also a website coming soon, so watch out for that! 

Contact Janna to order: 

Little Jem's Kitchen on Facebook
@littlejemskitchen on Instagram
@ljkitchen on Twitter
littlejemskitchen@gmail.com by Email 

Bye for now lovelies and happy healthy snacking! 

Mrs B

xxx

What was in our February 2018 Degustabox?

Oh my goodness, this is by far the best Degustabox we've had, and we've had a fair few good'uns. I loved pretty much every item included in the Feb box, and I'm excited to share them with you! 

Dr Karg's Organic Emmental Cheese & Pumpkin Seed Crispbread

£2.00

FROM THE BRAND: Our organic delight with wholegrain natural fibre and no additives. A crispy and crunchy combination   of an extra big helping of pumpkin seeds with aromatic, nutty Emmental cheese. Find us in Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsburys, Wholefoods Markets and Planet Organic, or your local independent deli, farm shop or health food store. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: I LOVED these crackers, they are so substantial and actually full of strong flavour unlike other crackers. Great on their own or with a topping. I also dunked one into soup, which was really tasty. I'd definitely buy these again if I saw them while shopping. 

KITKAT Chunky New York Cheesecake

£0.65

FROM THE BRAND: An indulgent layer of creamy New York Cheesecake combined with a crispy wafer and thick milk chocolate. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: I didn't get a look in with this one, KITKAT Chunky is one of my husband Liam's favourite chocolate bars, incidentally he had already tried this variety when it came out, so he already knew that he loved it. It made a perfect evening treat for him with a cup of coffee. A big thumbs up from him. His main feedback was "I wish it was bigger". 

Indie Bay Snacks Pretzel Bites: Sunflower Superseeds

£2.49 

FROM THE BRAND: A bit like pretzels, but better! Indie Bay Snacks have reinvented the classics with ingredients such as spelt and quinoa, so they're crunchier, tastier and better for you. These baked little bites are a delicious source of fibre and protein, and contain fewer than 100 calories per portion. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: Oh my goodness, you know when you discover a brand-new to you snack and you just can't stop eating it? That's me with these - I had to be really restrained and measure out each portion, otherwise I'd have happily polished off the whole bag. Liam loved these too - we're both big pretzel fans, and they taste extremely pretzel-y. It is also nice to know they're healthier and lower in calories too. 

Delicious Pretzel Bites from Indie Bay Snacks

Primrose's Kitchen Raw Beetroot and Ginger Muesli 

£4.99 

FROM THE BRAND: A vital and delicious combination of fresh English beetroot, zingy ginger, British gluten free oats and a virgin coconut oil. Balanced with a combination of nuts, seeds and extra love in the form of psyllium husk and chia. Our muesli is handmade and slowly dehydrated at low temperatures to preserve nutrients and flavour. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: I devoured this whole box in a week and a half. Hands down the nicest actually healthy muesli I've ever eaten. I loved the super strong and zingy ginger flavour, it was so punchy and the background sweetness and earthiness of the beetroot, very usual but a delicious combination. It had great texture too. I loved how pink in turned the milk or yoghurt when I ate it too! (I'm such a child!). Liam really dislikes beetroot, which meant I got to scoff the whole lot - hurrah! 

Yummy breakfast thanks to Primrose's Kitchen!! 

The Protein Ball Co. Cherry & Almond

2 x £1.99

FROM THE BRAND: A sweet handful of raw pitted dates, free-range egg white protein, juicy sultanas and sour cherries. If you like Cherry Bakewell and want high protein - then these protein balls really are the cherry on top of the cake! 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: No one else in the family got a look in with these, actually I tell a lie, I let Liam try one or two, but they were mostly mine!! I love protein balls and use them a lot as a healthy pre or post workout snack. I find them very filling and I'm always interested in trying new flavours. This one really hit the spot as I'm a huge Cherry Bakewell fan! Yummy! I also loved how convenient the little packs were, perfect for throwing in your handbag or gym bag. 

HARIBO Fruitilicious 

2 x £1.29

FROM THE BRAND: Fruitilicious is an exciting addition to HARIBO's range. Bursting with fruit flavour, this treat contains 30% less sugar than regular fruit gum sweets and offers the same great taste loved and expected from HARIBO. Fruitilicious features fruit shaped, smiley faces pieces in strawberry, raspberry, pineapple, orange, apple and lemon flavours. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: As expected, none of the adults in the house got even close to these sweets - they've gone straight into Bert's sweetie jar and he is throughly enjoying them. He is allowed 6-8 sweets at a time, depending on how generous I'm feeling, haha! And it is  reassuring to know they have 30% less sugar, he hasn't noticed at all, so I feel like that's a little mini parenting win. 

Emily Crisps: Pineapple

£0.99

FROM THE BRAND: It's time to seriously up your crunch game with Emily Crisps, the range of premium fruit and vegetable crisps made from only the finest and freshest produce, and now available across the whole of the UK!

WHAT WE THOUGHT: I LOVE this brand, I first discovered them through Degustabox when they sent their bananas crisps as part of a box in 2017, I loved them so much that I bought a whole box direct from the website, before they were stocked in supermarkets. This was my first time of trying the pineapple ones, and they were really scrumptious. My favourite thing about these crisps is that they are actually crispy - most preserved or dried fruit is chewy/gummy and sticky, these are perfectly crunchy and a really satisfying snack. I regularly buy them when I see them in the shops, they're perfect for lunch boxes too! 

True Nopal Cactus Water

£3.49

FROM THE BRAND: Ever tried cactus water? If not, well now's your chance! Don't just survive, thrive this winter with true nopal cactus water. Inspired by the desert and made from the prickly pear which grows on the Nopal cactus. True nopal cactus water provides 100% natural hydration, with no added sugar. Not to mention it also has half the calories of coconut water. True nopal has a clean, crisp, refreshing and light taste, with berry undertones. An ideal alternative to water and sugary drinks. It contains no sweeteners, preservatives, sodium, fat and is even suitable for vegans and is gluten free. What's not to like?

WHAT WE THOUGHT: Honestly, I'm always pretty sceptical about these 'health' drinks - and usually find they are either a) not as healthy as you think or b) have very little flavour. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this drink. I really enjoyed it, and at 9 calories per glass, it really isn't unhealthy at all. I drink mostly water, coffee and tea - and this cactus water became a lovely alternative for a glass of water when I fancied something different - I particularly enjoyed a glass with my meals. I loved the subtle fruitiness, and found it very refreshing. I'd definitely buy this again - especially in the summer! 

Tootsie Roll Midgees

£2.50

FROM THE BRAND: Authentic American candy, Tootsie Roll chews, have been making the world sweeter since 1896! Enjoy this share bag of Tootsie Roll Midgees with all the family and get transported to the US, with a retro-style treat!

WHAT WE THOUGHT: I tried one of these and really didn't enjoy them. They have a very synthetic chocolatey flavour which I found underwhelming, and they are so super chewy and got stuck in my teeth. That being said, I am not a sweetie person, so it's no surprise I didn't enjoy them. They were too hard and chewy for me to give to Bert, he's only 4.5 and I still worry all the time about him choking, so instead we sent them into work with Liam, and his office buddies enjoyed them. 

^^ Degustabox February 2018 Contents ^^

As usual I've picked my 3 top picks from this months box, it was actually so hard to choose, and I could easily have included most of them! 

If you'd like to give Degustabox a try then you can receive a whopping £5.00 off your first box by using code:

1VRVA

at the checkout! 

Enjoy you lovely lot...

Mrs B

xxx

For more info on Degustabox follow them on their social media channels:

If you would like to know more about the individual brands then you can find them on social media at:

Primrose's Kitchen Beetroot and Ginger Muesli 

Facebook: @primroseskitchen

Instagram:  @primroseskitchen

Twitter:  @primroseskit

KitKat New York Cheesecake 

Facebook: @kitkatuk

Twitter: @kitkat

Emily Crisps

Facebook: @emilycrisps

Instagram: @emilycrisps

Twitter: @emily_crisps

The Protein Ball Co.

Facebook: @theproteinball

Instagram: @theproteinballco

Twitter: @theproteinball

True Nopal Cactus Water 

Facebook: @truenopaluk

Instagram: @truenopaluk

Twitter: @truenopaluk

Haribo 

Facebook: @HariboUK

Twitter: @OfficialHARIBO

Indie Bay Snacks

Facebook: @indiebaysnacks

Instagram: @indiebaysnacks

Twitter: @indiebaysnacks

DR Karg

Facebook: @drkargs

Instagram: @drkargs

Tootsie Roll 

Facebook: @tootsieroll

Instagram: @tootsieroll

Twitter: @tootsieroll

We were sent a Degustabox in return for our honest review.

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#ThisIsMe Campaign - International Women's Day - 8th March

Hey lovelies! Today I'm sharing with you a campaign that is very close to my heart, and something I'm super proud to have been a part of. Lovely Aby & Ceri are the brilliant women behind it, and when they asked me to jump on board by recording a song to go along with the campaign, I jumped at the chance!

Those of you who have read my blog for a while will know that I feel very strongly about body confidence, being body-positive, building up others instead of knocking them down. 

This Social media age is a highly curated one, which can be dangerous if taken out of context we can believe that somebody's social media is an absolute representation of someone's exact life. 

It is not real though - it is curated, edited, and because of that we often get a skewed sense of reality. Everyone else is thinner than us, prettier than us, has better behaved children, a nicer home, a better husband, earns more money, has swankier holidays, eats healthier food, works out more than you do..........and so it goes on. As an "influencer" with a following I've built up over the past 6 years, I feel very strongly about showing the "real me" online, as well as the curated 'best bits'. I hope my readers will agree with that - and if you too feel strongly about supporting women to be confidently themselves: warts and all, then this campaign is for you. 

About the campaign (from Ceri & Aby)
An insanely well-organised kitchen, a monochrome house complete with bouncing baby and absolutely no aggressively bright plastic toys, snap back bodies that are enough to send you over the edge. That's what makes up a good 80% of my Instagram feed.

Our personal photo's. Ceri's rough-around-the-edges home, still no pictures up on the walls two years after the renovation. Dinner. Standard. Of course, the odd selfie taken from the best possible angle and our kids. We never could find the right filter for real life.

When we talk to women about social media they tend to fall into two camps. The ones who want to crack it and the ones who want to run from it and the runners are actually a higher number than you would imagine.

In 2017 a report carried out by The Royal Society for Public Health surveyed adults in the UK about the mental and emotional effects of social media. The survey found that Instagram users reported that they often depressed, anxious and struggled with body image.

We don't need Sherlock Holmes on hand to see that the curated feeds that we follow and like on Instagram are affecting the way we look at ourselves and every little facet of our lives but surely social media can't be all bad right?

When Aby was in the midst of PND, social media became a lifeline to this new mum who was struggling to get through the day. When I had Fred I was a self-confessed workaholic. All of a sudden the work life I had most identified with carried on and I was living in a building site in South Wales, feeling very alone. The friends I made online in those years are some of the very best I have.

When Aby & I met in 2016 we chatted, like you do with your good mates, about all things in life. Our families, our mother-struggles, work, you name it. Slowly as our businesses have grown we've tried to show real life. The un-filtered goodness that we all have around us. But at times, you'll know that doesn't come easily. When we use social channels for work it becomes imperative for an image to do well, so we want to make it as good as we can. We want to reach more people with our message so we need to grow and sometimes that can take over. Who wants to see real when flat lays, peonies and the perfect angle can send the numbers skyrocketing?

Well, we do. And we are damn sure other women just like us do too, because we started to ask them and the more real we are with what we do and present online the better it makes the online space for other women just like us and the ones who come after them.

It's International Women's Day on March the 8th and it’s a special one celebrating 100 years since women got the right to vote. This year we are asking Women to join together start spreading the message that who we are right now is ENOUGH. We will be approaching key influencers and celebrities to get the hashtag spread far and wide.

To be involved all you need to do is post a selfie on March 8th and use tag #thisisme - We want to reach as many women as possible and empower them to really embrace their own personality online instead of lusting after the small squares of someone else's feed. We want to drop the clique and encourage people to get online, communicate, make friends but most of all love what they already have. We'd be absolutely honoured if you'd consider spreading our message.

Ceri & Aby Biography

Ceri & Aby run online businesses that empower women, particularly Mothers to build a business online.

Both Award nominated bloggers, Ceri runs www.thiswelshmother.co.uk a parenting blogzine for Welsh Mums with lively online groups and in -person meet ups across Wales. Aby is the creator of the Number 1 family Lifestyle blog in the UK www.youbabymemummy.com and also teaches women how to launch profitable blogs. 

Ceri lives in South Wales where she runs three businesses & juggles life with a toddler. Aby relocated to France in 2017 with her husband & daughter and is about to launch her first book ‘Blogs Change Lives’ in March 2018.

THE MISSION!

Our mission is to collaborate with 1000 women online, with the intention of impacting 1 million more women on International Women’s Day Thursday, 8 March 2018. We want you to post a picture of your face on social media with #ThisIsMe as our stand against a culture of perfection. Of feelings of inadequacy. 
Of stopping ourselves because we feel as if we're not good enough. Slim enough. Pretty enough. Put together enough.
Of feelings that we don’t fit the mould of what female success looks like. It’s our time to rise. 
To say that we are enough.  
Please add you voice & pledge to add your face on 8th March 2018.

Check out the promo video ^^ Link: http://bit.ly/videothisisme 

The song was specially recorded for this campaign by me - it is not perfect and polished, it has not been edited...it is as raw as it comes, there are flaws and mistakes, but it is me - doing me, which is all I can do! A beautiful song, perfectly fitting for this amazing campaign. Please use #ThisIsMe hashtag on all social media and JOIN US on the 8th March.

Authenticity over perfection - this is a call to action for all women, everywhere.

Mrs B

xxx