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August 17, 2015 by lambandbear

Holiday shopping with George

I don’t know about you, but I find holiday shopping pretty stressful. So much pretty stuff to choose from in a million of places! Why, oh why do us girls feel the need to buy brand new bikinis for every holiday AND take one for each day (if not more!) This obviously isn’t great for our bank balances.

Personally, I never spend a lot on bikinis. You can find some amazing ones for budget prices. Don’t get me wrong, when I find a winner that is a MUST, I’ll spend a little more, but I’m not overly confident with my figure so I’m not too fussed with spending loads on flaunting it in a bikini.

For our summer holiday this year I was given the opportunity to choose some bits from the holiday shop at George. I’ve bought bikinis from George in the past and the one thing I love about them is they are sold in separates! I have a pear shape figure, and am completely out of proportion so I can never buy bikinis in sets.

Firstly I got myself a new suitcase. Growing up I always borrowed my mums, but now I’m the mummy I thought I better grab one of my own! This super lightweight one is amazing. I’ve seen these around but never used one. Seriously, they are so lightweight, you really do get to take plenty of stuff without going over the weight limit. I definitely recommend getting one of these, I ended buying myself a cabin sized one too to take as hand luggage. hey are really easy to push and great value. the medium size was £30 and the cabin size was £25.

Shopping for bikinis from George was quite the task; they had so many available! I really struggled to narrow down to a couple. I love black/gold ones, but also brightly coloured ones. I decided to go for bright ones and loved the ones they sent me.

Growing up I’ve always had a flat tummy. All my weight goes to my bum, hips and thighs. So I’ve never had any problems with bikini tops, as long as they aren’t underwired. Fast forward to after giving birth and my tummy is no so flat anymore. It’s not terrible, but there are rolls when I’m sat down, and this just isn’t something i’m used to.

Enter the tankini.

This is honestly the first tankini i’ve owned, other that one when I was pregnant and I really love it. The coral colour is super summery and the crochet detailing is really pretty. I bought a size 10 and it fit me really well.

The second bikini I bought is in a really cool coral and white tie dye. The coral is much brighter then the photo looks, almost neon, and if you know me well, you know I love neon.

To my joy both bikinis I chose were sold as separates, giving me the opportunity to buy small tops and bigger bottoms (I’m a bit of a Kardashian). They were both such amazing value too. The tankini top was £8 and the bottoms were £4, and the bikini is £6 in total! I think if you’re quick, you might even grab them in the sale…

As well as the bikini I also grabbed myself a cover up, towel and some flip flops. All great items and even greater prices. Of course, I couldn’t go holiday shopping without getting something for Lamb…

* I was sent these products free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

July 2, 2015 by lambandbear 9 Comments

What’s in Lambs suitcase? Packing for a holiday with a toddler

So we are off on holiday to Gran Canaria today! In fact, as this blog post goes live I’ll be at the airport drinking an (very) early morning cocktail! When I say cocktail, I mean mocktail of course 😉

As Lamb is over 2 years old we had to pay for his own seat on the flight. Last year he was young enough to sit on our lap. With his own seat he gets his own hand luggage, so rather than paying for an extra case, I’m determined to fit the majority of his belongings into a cabin size suitcase, and guess what, I did it!

You don’t actually need a lot of clothing for a toddler, as the majority of the time they will be in swimwear! Most of the stuff packed is everything else that is needed with the toddler territory.

To help you out, I’ve photographed everything I’ve squeezed into his case that’s allowed on the plane as hand luggage. I think (fingers crossed) I’ve covered everything, but anything I’ve missed can easily be bought while we are there.

Clothing

I’ve packed Lamb 6 t-shirts, 4 pairs of shorts, 3 pairs of leggings, and 6 pairs of socks. As you cans see I’ve packed him his most colourful and summery clothes. He wore the pink holiday t-shirt on the plane last year, so he will be wearing it tomorrow too! Lambs style is very playful so I’m not concerned about outfits as I love to mix and match and clash colours.

Swimming

For the pool we are taking an inflatable all in one swim suit, 2 pairs of shorts and a happy nappy. We’ll also be taking a float vest, but it arrived in the post after I took the photos!

As you can see Lamb likes a hat, in fact there’s also Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse hats going in! Lamb insisted. He needs 5 hats. His clarks sandals which are waterproof so perfect for when he’s at the beach. We will also be taking a pair of plimsols and a pair of crocs.

We are taking his minion towel, which is hooded, and also a standard rectangular towel for him to sit on (I have an obsession with having at least 2 towels each at the beach or pool!) We are also throwing in his minion rubber ring for him to play with in the pool. We also have a Snooze Shade. Probably my favourite product to take on holiday. I’ll make sure I write up about it for those who haven’t seen one before. Check out my Instagram for updates on when we use it while we’re away.

Toiletries

I really don’t see the point in taking a separate shampoo and body wash on holiday as it’s just too heavy, so I always buy the travel size head to toe wash from Asda. He’s got a new toothbrush and 2 different toothpastes (he can be quite fussy so I like to have 2). Factor 50 suncream of course. Body lotion for after being in the sun. Face cream and 2 dummies. Oh and I’ve also got a huge bottle of baby powder. We use loads on holiday because we use it to brush the sand off our feet.

Earlier this year we reviewed the Ouch Pouch and Spilly Spoon. Such amazing products. The Ouch Pouch holds all of the medicine we need for a trip away. It has a selection of stuff (you can read my review here) but I also add a small bottle of sun cream, spot on antiseptic cream and sachets of calpol.

Although we don’t need to sterilise Lambs stuff anymore, when we are abroad I don’t like to take any risks so always carry a packet of child friendly antibacterial wipes. I aso make sure I take a thermometer with us. You never know when your little one can get poorly and it’s vital you can check their temperature if they seem unwell. The Braun Thermoscan is amazing. We reviewed it last year and haven’t stopped using it. I highly recommend you have something like this at home. You can read my review here.

A good tip from my sister-in-law was to take pull ups rather than nappies. This was we don’t have to worry about laying Lamb down to change his nappy. We were hoping to have him potty trained this summer, there’s still time, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to be anytime soon. I’ll also take normal nappies, wipes and of course swim nappies. Of course we are using the Mamia range of nappies as I’m on the parent panel, but I’m a huge fan and recommend them to everyone.

Last but not least is his well loved Mickey Mouse bowl and cup and his cutlery. If you read my blog regularly you will know Lamb is a seriously fussy eater, so 90% of the time he doesn’t need cutlery. We do try to encourage him to use it even if he’s not properly eating. Yesterday he was eating hula hoops with a fork! At least he’s learning he skills he needs later! 😉

So that’s everything in his case. I think I’ve done pretty well! Obviously anything that is over 100ml has gone in to the hold luggage as his cad swill be in the cabin. This includes his formula and suncream. He also has a selection of toys and goodies for the plane which I haven’t featured. I’ll make sure I take some photos and blog about it when I get home.

I hope you’ve found this useful and see you when I’m back!

April 30, 2015 by Vicky 2 Comments

Tips for your 1st holiday abroad with a baby

I’m craving sunshine. Lots of it. The British summer has been teasing us for a couple of weeks with a day or two of decent sunshine here and there.

It’s got me thinking about holidays. Oh I love a holiday. It’s the chance once a year to go somewhere different and just slow everything down.

We were lucky enough last year to take Bear on her first holiday abroad, she had just turned 1.

I know a lot of you will be planning your first holiday abroad with a monster (I mean baby), so here’s a few tips I hope you find helpful.

First up

Babysitters (aka Grandparents): We went away with my parents. Not only did this mean we had an extra pair of hand with Bear (I needed to attempt some kind of tan), it also meant we could treat ourselves to a baby-free night – filled with adult conversations, bloody good steaks and enough gin, wine and cocktails to get Mr Hangover slightly excited. (On that note, remember to pack paracetamol too).

Babies and planes: I started a little tradition last year. To help keep Bear busy and as a little treat, every time she goes on a plane, we’ll give her a ‘holiday present’. Last year I wrapped up a couple of sticker books and a pack of crayons. She spent a good 10 minutes unwrapping it (yes, I purposely done a few layers) and then ta-dah, she was presented with a book full of shiny stickers! SHE BLOODY LOVES STICKERS.

CHILL OUT: Remember this is your holiday as well. I found it quite hard to switch off for the first day and night. I was so concerned about Bear falling out of her routine, I panicked when she was still awake at 7pm on the first night, so took her back to the hotel. #Fail.

Luckily, I decided to chill out more the next night, and let Bear stay up and eat dinner with us. She was in heaven. As soon as she started to get tired (sometimes it wasn’t until 9pm), she’d go in her buggy and go to sleep. We’d then transfer her to her cot once we were back at the hotel. Win/win.

We went back to ‘normal’ routine once we were home straight away, and she settled back into it amazingly well. WIN/WIN/WIN.

Booking your holiday

Research the best hotels/apartments: You want to see the words ‘baby friendly’. Not just ‘child friendly’. Trip Advisor is your friend. Because of the fantastic Trip Advisor reviews we booked Sa Marina in Cala D’or, Majorca. It had won Trip Advisor awards for being really family friendly. And it really met our expectations. Family friendly, and SO SHINY CLEAN.

Flights: We had a selection of flight times we could choose over different days. Choose carefully. As we all know, routine for a 1 year old is very important. We don’t want them cranky on that plane. Length of flight is important as well. I really wanted to go to Greece, but the flight times can be up to 5 hours (shudder). Majorca was just over two hours. This meant that once we’d had a couple of walks up the aisle to the loo, chatted to the old dears cooing over Bear we were almost half way through the flight.

Know the area: Have a google of the local area, read up on reviews on family friendly restaurants and beaches. Also note down addresses of chemists and local doctors. You know, just in case.

Holiday friendly baby gear

Blackout blind for buggy: Our SnoozeShade is the best thing ever. I can’t recommend it enough. It meant we never needed to go to our hotel room for naps. And it meant we could stay out at night time and put Bear to bed in her buggy… hello 2nd jug of Sangria.

Holiday friendly highchair: Our Totseat meant we could eat in more places (not everywhere has highchairs) and Bear loved it. It packs away really small, so excellent for beach bags AND it’s washable.

Airconditioning in a can: I can’t live without a can of my Magicool Hot Weather Cooling Spray. Perfect for Bear, but also for me! Boots and Sainsburys sell it, but it seems cheaper on Amazon at the moment.

Spray suncream: I opted for suncream in a spray can for Bear, and I’m so glad I did. It mad it easier to put on a wriggling baby. Though it ran out pretty quickly, so if going away for a week or more, take at least two.

Well, that’s enough for now… I hope you find this post helpful. Feel free to share your tips with us, as I’d love to write another blog post in the coming weeks with tips from other families.

V x

August 22, 2014 by lambandbear 1 Comment

Summer holiday with the GroCompany

Earlier this year we were given the opportunity to review products by the GroCompany, which was really exciting as we are huge fans of the brand.

We decided to review products ideal for our summer holiday, so we chose the 0.5 tog Travel GroBag, and the Gro Anywhere Blind. What amazing choices these were!

0.5 tog Travel GroBag

Our British Summer has been so amazing this year, I’ve been putting Lamb in his Summer GroBag at home, and it’s made our bedtime routine so much easier! I’ve always found Lamb sleeps better in a sleeping bag. We’ve used one since he was a few months old (they are suitable from 8lbs) as I found them so much safer than blankets; it really stopped me worrying. No matter what the weather is like, a sleeping bag always helps Lamb sleep through, as it helps regulate his body temperature.

So off we went to Devon. A long 6 hour drive. I was dreading the journey. Jaxson isn’t a baby anymore and doesn’t sleep as much in the car, so we prepared ourselves with plenty of snacks, juice and toys. We knew we would have to stop a few times for him to stretch his legs. To our surprise he was really well behaved! I think we only stopped twice. Once for breakfast, and once at Puxton Park, which is an amazing family farm and play area. I highly recommend a visit if you are in the west country.

As we were reviewing for our summer holiday, which was to a lovely holiday park in Devon, I chose the Sandcastle Bay design. What better than a holiday theme sleeping bag to take on a summer holiday! Staying in a caravan can be a little bit difficult with a baby or toddler. One minute it’s really hot, the next it’s freezing. The curtains are usually pretty thin, and the radiators aren’t great. So having the GroBag and Gro Anywhere Blind, really made bedtime much easier. I can honestly say they are 2 of my most recommended items to take on holiday, especially in a caravan!

I have never thought of using a sleeping bag during the day (other than for naps in the cot). The travel grobag offers the ability to fasten your little one into their pram safely, while also being zipped up in their GroBag. This was great for long walks on the beach, or in the countryside, when the weather was a bit cooler. We didn’t have to worry about lambs little legs getting cold, or more importantly, him kicking the blanket off onto the floor!

Features of the Travel GroBag

100% cotton – single layer.
Available up to the age of 6 years.
Chin guard over zip to prevent rubbing.
Easy access opening for use when travelling.
‘ZipClick’ cover to prevent little ones opening the zip.
Machine washable and suitable for tumble dryer on a low heat.

The Travel GroBag comes in it’s own matching carry bag, making it really easy to transport around when you’re out and about, as well as easy to store when it’s not in use. This made it so easy for me to take out with us each day while we were on holiday. It didn’t take up much room in the pram, or if I had limited storage space, I was able to hang it over the pram handle.

Gro Anywhere Blind

We have also spent all summer using our Travel GroBlind. This is 100% one of my most recommended products to have at home as well as on holiday. If, like us, you invested in a ‘blackout blind’, you will know that they are, in fact, not ‘blackout’. As soon as the clocks changed and the evenings became lighter, we really struggled to get Lamb to sleep at his normal bedtime. He went through a stage of thinking it was OK to stay up until 9pm. No, Lamb, it is not OK.

The Gro Anywhere Blind is really easy to put up. It has rubber suction cups that stick directly to the glass, ensuring no light will sneak in. What’s even better, the blind width can be reduced using the velcro attached, meaning holidays in a caravan (with small windows) can also benefit from the Gro Anywhere Blind.

Like the Travel GroBag, the Gro Anywhere Blind also comes in it’s own travel bag, which makes packing it into a suitcase that little bit easier. The blind is quite large, so it’s well worth folding up neatly and putting into it’s bag if you plan on taking it away with you.

Features of the Gro Anywhere Blind

Adapts to any window (up to a maximum of 130cm x 200cm).
Can be reduced in size to fit smaller windows.
Comes with it’s own travel bag.
Premium black out material.
New moons and stars design.

I literally use this every night in Lambs bedroom. I’m scared not to! Unfortunately for us, Lamb’s bedroom is south facing so is exposed to the sun from dawn until dusk, so a Gro Anywhere Blind is an absolute essential in his bedroom. Otherwise, we will have long nights ahead of us!

We have just booked our first holiday abroad, we are off to Spain in a few days, so both the Travel GroBag and Gro Anywhere Blind will be coming with us. I can’t imagine a holiday without them! In fact, I can’t imagine any bedtime without them, no matter where in the world we are!

Alex xx

To find out more about any of the GroComany products visit gro.co.uk or to purchase a product visit gro-store.co.uk.

We were sent these products free of charge in return for our honest opinion and review.

August 21, 2014 by lambandbear Leave a Comment

Summer Holiday Wish List

The last time we went on holiday abroad I conceived Jaxson! It’s been soooooooooo long! But holidays have not been a priority to us since Jaxson came along. We just couldn’t afford it. We recently sold our other property (after it being on the market for over 2 years!) so now have a little bit of money in the bank (it won’t last long, we have to pay for our wedding with it!) Daddy Lamb is being very kind and paying for us to go away for 5 nights at the end of the month. This will be Lambs first time on a plane, so we have decided to go on the shortest flight possible, so have opted for somewhere in Spain. Cheap and cheerful!

We haven’t decided what we are doing for our honeymoon yet, but if we do decide to go somewhere long haul, I think it’s a good idea to give Jaxson the experience of travelling on a plane before we stick him on one for 10 hours!

As it’s been so long since I was on holiday abroad my wardrobe is just not up to scratch. Plus, since being pregnant my body shape has changed (when I say body shape I mean my boobs have shrunk – a lot). So none of my bikinis or tops fit. My taste has also changed. Before Lamb I was more quirky and playful, but I have toned this down and have recently become more casual and sophisticated (with a hint of quirky of course).

I have decided to put together a little post of my summer holiday wish list, which will most likely be mainly from ASOS (Vicky and I are a tad addicted to ASOS).

1. After about 5 seconds of browsing on ASOS I stumbled across this winner. LOVE. This is exactly my taste as the moment. Sophisticated with a hint of quirky. Plus I’m obsessed with mix match prints. It retails at £50, which is a little pricey, but it’s something I can wear to work as well as on holiday, so I’ll definitely get a lot of use out of it The one issue I have with jumpsuits, is fitting them on my hips. I’m really pear shaped so I have to go up a size for my hips (most likely a 12), but then the top is way too big. So as much as I love this, I’ll have to wait and see what the fit is like before I buy it.

2. My next item is this amazing leopard print maxi dress. Everyone who knows me, knows I love animal prints, in particular, leopard print. It’s just such an easy print to wear and is really easy to accessorise. For a boho look just add a crochet kimono, plenty of bangles and gladiator sandals. Perfect summer look whether you’re on holiday or not!

If I buy this, maybe I should throw away the 3 others I have? Do I really need 4 leopard print maxi dresses?? Errrrr…. yeah!!

3. A pair of denim shorts is an absolute essential for a summer holiday. It’s taken me a while to get the courage to buy myself a pair this summer, but I lost the baby weight and feel like it’s time I got some. These are exactly what I want. Love the ripped detailing and fringed edges.

4. I’ve got a slight obsession with unicorns at the mo, and luckily for me, so do ASOS! SO I’ve snapped up this winning tee perfect for chucking on when my shoulders are burning (which they will be, I’m an English rose!)

4. I absolutely love these sandals. Don’t really need to sell them to you. They sell themselves. Perfect for holidays, days out, work, home, wherever, as long as it’s sunny!

5. OMG. This is my favourite find. What an amazing bikini! This is literally perfect for me. Combines 2 of my fave trends. Black & white and neon.

6. What’s even more exciting, I’ve found the perfect cover up. A bright white crochet, waterfall cardigan. Mixing trends is huge right now. Wear this over the bright zig-zag bikini to combine graphic print with boho chic. Love it.

7. I’m not a huge jewellry girl. I like jewelry, but I’m a bit lazy with it. I find something Ilike and wear it to death. So I’ll probably only take one set of bracelts with me, to finish off my looks with a bit of bling. I love these mixed bracelets because they offer something for all of my looks. I can mix and match, wear one or wear all of them. Plus theres a bit of neon in there. Have you noticed I like a bit of neon? 😉

8. To finish off my summer holiday wish list, I need the perfect beach bag. Now my holidays include a toddler, there’s loads more stuff to take. This one from Wildfox is exactly what I need. Big and spacious with a zip fastening so I don’t lose any valuables (or so Little Lamb can’t steal them), and the colourings work perfectly with the rest of my wish list.

So where are we off to?

We have just booked a 5 night All Inclusive holiday to Costa Del Sol and I can’t wait!! Now to order everything on my wish list…

This blog post is my entry for The Blogger’s Lounge and Eurobreakdown.com “Tell us what’s in your suitcase this summer” competition.

I’ve got my fingers crossed!! Wish me luck.

Alex xx

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