LOVE these – just fantastic!

And not only these – the whole Bawbags range is a stroke of genius in underwear design.

And by buying them you’re supporting Everyman, the UK’s leading prostate and testicular cancer campaign.

Get yer Bawbags (and bawbags for Birds too) for ages 10+ from our pals at the Wee Gooseberry for £10 berzackly.

No related posts.

There are certain key things a family needs to look for in a washing machine. Obviously price plays an important role, as families have a million and one other things to pay for and don’t want to fork out hundred of pounds on washing machines. But there are more things to consider beside price; the capacity needs to be large; it needs to have a quick wash facility and a high energy-efficiency rating is also beneficial as this helps bring down the running costs. Finding this perfect washing machine is actually not as hard as you may think. There is a huge amount of choice out there; but sometimes too much choice makes it hard to decide. So we have narrowed it down for you. Here are three of the best family-friendly washing machines currently available at Dixons:

The Indesit PWE91672W

The Indesit PWE91672W washing machine is a real find. It can take 9kg of laundry and still packs a spin speed of 1600 rpm. This means you can do a lot of washing in one go and not worry that it’s going to come out wet and need an extra spin. Additionally, this neat and tidy machine has an energy rating of A++, the second highest it can be, so it will definitely help lower your energy bills. Finally, it also boasts a number of settings, including the much sought-after quick wash setting and even when spinning it is relatively quiet at 51 decibels. So what’s the catch? Surely this is going to cost an arm and a leg? Nope, this value-packed machine costs just £288.

The Hotpoint AQ113D697

Our next pick is more than twice the price of the Indesit, however, it does pack a real punch in terms of quality. The Hotpoint AQ113D697 has a maximum load capacity of 11kg and still has a spin speed of 1600rpm. There are 16 programmes to choose from including wool and quickwash and you can even go for half-load and anti-crease washes depending on your needs and requirements. This machine really stands out because despite the large load capacity and 1600rpm speed, it still scores maximum energy rating points with A+++. You can find out more about energy ratings from the Energy Saving Trust.

The Samsung Ecobubble WF1124XAC

Our final pick is from Samsung. The Ecobubble WF1124XAC machine is £699, but it does come with plenty of extras that make the extra spend worthwhile. It has a capacity of 12kg, a spin speed of 1400rpm, half load option, a 15°C cold water wash that can save up to 70% in energy. It also produces fine bubbles that penetrate clothes more easily and it uses Samsung’s Vibration Reduction Technology to deliver a quiet and economical wash. It has the maximum A+++ rating too.

Related posts:

1. LG Steam Direct Washing Machine Okay, so the washing machine is making a really scary...
2. WasItAnyGoods – LG Steam Direct Washing Machine review We’ve had this machine for a year now. It has,...
3. LG Steam Direct Washing Machine review for large families his is one of the biggest items we’ve ever had...

The Canary Islands may seem like a fairly standard holiday destination, but have you ever thought about exploring all seven? The smaller islands of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro all have airports, and you can fly between islands with Binter Canarias from just €14, but for more flexibility the inter islands ferry service offer regular crossings, allowing you to see all seven islands in seven days.
Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote offer volcanic parks, vineyards and tourist hubs, whilst Fuerteventura is a beach lover’s paradise.

In-between the islands you are likely to see pods of pilot whales and dolphins racing alongside the boats. The smaller islands offer a haven of forests and fishing villages that feel untouched by time. The longest ferry journey would be the five hour crossing from Tenerife to El Hierro, which has seen recent volcanic activity, turning the sea a vibrant green colour (the locals want to reassure you that it is still safe to visit!). By flying you will be able to fit in the seven islands in a week, but you can easily stretch it to a two week holiday and still not have fully explored all that the Canaries have to offer.

This island hopping adventure works best starting from Tenerife, which is a short four hour flight from the UK, from around £100pp from UK airports.
Children will love the feeling of being a true explorer and the chance to discover volcanoes, and play at pirates on the ferry crossing will have them talking about this holiday for years to come.

**Sponsored Post**

Related posts:

1. Competiton Now Closed – Advent Calendar Door Twenty-Four – A KEYCAMP FAMILY HOLIDAY TO WIN! Behind our last  Christmas 2011 Advent Calendar door,  number twenty-four, ...
2. Family Holidays with a twist – A Guide to Marrakech This week we’re looking at Family Friendly holidays – with...
3. Cottage escapes – how to tailor your family holiday Traditionally, British families have tended to travel abroad for their...

Al Fresco Holidays are running a Young Travel Writer competition for budding travel writers in two categories – age 10 and under, and 11 and over.  To enter, children are invited to write up to 300 words about their holiday – telling readers where they went, what they did, and why it was great (and maybe sending a picture or two along with the article).

The winning entry will win a holiday for the whole family to a fun-packed Al Fresco holiday park of your choice – it’s a great opportunity to win a family holiday with up to £500 in travel expenses (as well as helping the children to get creative and improve their writing skills – and a huge incentive for them to check their spelling!).

Al Fresco aren’t your usual family camping holiday – this is outdoor living in style. With Al Fresco, you’ll find home-from-home comforts in luxury mobile homes, on 54 of Europe’s top ranked holiday parks in Spain, France, Italy, Holland, Croatia and Austria. There’s plenty of activities to keep the whole family entertained, including on-site water parks, children’s entertainment clubs and even spas for Mum and Dad.

To enter the competition, simply visit the Al Fresco blog here and fill in your details and your story. Simples!

Related posts:

1. Competition Now Closed – Jellycat Bashful Travel Sets to Win We have teamed up with the UK’s premier specialist baby...
2. Competition Now Closed – Jellycat Bashful Travel Sets We have teamed up with the UK’s premier specialist baby...
3. Spotted! Writing Set For Children – Total Bargain! Yes. that’s Right. The iconic ‘Guess How Much I Love...

We are delighted to be giving away five fantastic GUMIGEM teething necklaces, one each to five lucky winners in this competition.

GUMIGEM have a range of fantastic necklaces that are designed to look amazing, whilst helping your baby through the teething process.

Click here for further details and entry form.

Related posts:

1. Ingenious Gumigem – gnaw gnaw gnaw…. Babies and teething. Such a difficult time when all they...
2. Competition Now Closed – Cuddledry Cuddlemoo Toddler Bath Towels Our competition to give away two fantastic Cuddledry Cuddlemoo Toddler...
3. Competition Now Closed – Cuddledry Cuddlemoo Toddler Bath Towels to Win! The good folk at the Award-Winning Cuddledry are letting us...

Happiness is a Bunny Rabbit Baby Mug

Our competition to give away a £50 Emma Bridgewater Voucher closes today. Don’t miss out!

60 Years a Queen Tea Towel

Click here for further details and entry form.

Related posts:

1. New Competition – £50 Emma Bridgewater Voucher to Win! To celebrate the launch of the new Emma Bridgewater designs...
2. Competition Now Closed – Advent Calendar Door Eight – £75 Emma Bridgewater Gift Voucher to Win! Behind our Christmas 2011 Advent Calendar door number eight you...
3. Competition Closing Alert – It’s a Book by Lane Smith Our competition to give away 10 copies of Lane Smith’s...

I admit it.

I find a very simple pleasure and a huge amount of fun in re-arranging words on the fridge to make silly, rude or ridiculous sentences. Thankfully, I have a family if similarly easily-amused minds, so a trip to the kitchen is never complete without a quick glance to see what someone has created (or said about their brother’s bottom).

This tin form the Literary Gift Company is excellent for children to use – mixing the useful little words like ‘get’ and ‘up’ (a message for the teen in its own right) with far more fun options like ‘dinosaur’ and ‘imagine’.

Every home should have a set!

Available for a cow under £14 from the addictively-marvellous Literary Gift Company

No related posts.

Online Dating. Once the preserve of the sad and the social-skill-less yes?

Not so any more.

Just one dating agency in the US can lay claim to arranging 2 percent of all new U.S. marriages in 2008. All by itself.

Let’s face it – we’re all so damned busy. And when your personal life falls apart, it’s very easy to be consumed by the day-to-day task of survival and holding the family together. Finding time to get out, be sociable, and actually, y’know, DATE? *shudder*. Who has time for THAT?

But then of course stuff like Valentines Day rolls around, and you start to think that, well, maybe, it might be nice to have someone to share your glass of wine with of an evening. Someone else to take a turn at making dinner when you’ve had the day from hell. Someone who’ll actually laugh at your jokes instead of rolling their eyes in that unique patronising/condescending 10yr old manner.

Three years ago I knew no one who had tried online dating. I now have two friends deeply happy with partners they found online, and two more who are thoroughly enjoying trying it out. These are not sad and social-skill-less individuals. Far from it. These are independent, intelligent, interesting women who’s life circumstances have left them as single parents finding it difficult to meet a new partner. And who are probably not into heading out for their local speed dating night at the pub on the corner.

Of course, not all online dating agencies are equal – some charge you a pretty penny for finding your perfect partner. But there is such a thing as trying online dating free. Whether you’re looking for Aberdeen dating up north or Bristol Dating down south, it won’t cost you anything to meander over to the Dating Agency and see who you might find to spend next Valentines Day with…

**Sponsored Post**

Related posts:

1. Eden Project Review is Online The review is now live online in our Family Days...
2. SALE at Happy Tiny Babies! Happy Tiny Babies have a Sale on! They are running...
3. So who loves a freebie? Come on, we know you do. And those really rather...

It’s Friday, so it’s time to spread a little more Blog Love. This week we’ve fired our insightful, thoughtful intelligent questioning (!) at Nickie, who you can find opinionating on… well, just about anything, actually… over at I Am Typecast.  Now, here’s a little-known factet – Nickie was one of the very first people I talked to when I dabbled a little toe in the scary ocean that is Twitter (she’s @nickie72 ) – I spoke to her just because her bio made me laugh. And she only went and spoke back to Newbie-Twitter-Virgin me *proud*. Turns out she’s a bit of a fably person, and unfailingly friendly, helpful (and knows all manner of handy Sh… Stuff)… So – over to Nickie;

Describe yourself in 20 words:
39 year old grandparent with an opinion on everything.  Blog writer, Twitter-holic, Quiz freak, Wine lover. Comes with profanity warning.
(NB In the picture I’m the one with short, fat, hairy legs…)

1. Name three things you like that start with the letter B.
Blogging (naturally), Baking (I’ve just discovered a love of baking but it’s finding time to do it), Books (all hail the Kindle)

2. A web site you visit frequently that we might not have heard of:
http://www.flightradar24.com/ a live flight tracker.  It’s fascinating and a bit geeky.

3. Tell us one beauty product you can’t live without:
Black eyeliner and black mascara.  I know that’s two but I can’t have one without the other.  I can forgo anything else but I feel naked without my black circles around my eyes.

4. Tell us about your pet(s) and/or share a photo.
We have an 11 week old Japanese Akita called Yoshi.  He is trying to convince me to open a Twitter account for him…
We also have two goldfish called Bob and Oi

5. What are five of your favourite books?

• Maggie and the Roundabout by Jane Hollowood  - this is the first book I remember from my childhood other than the Peter & Jane books (showing my age there)
• Children of the Dust by Louise Lawrence – originally read in high school
• Forever by Judy Blume – I still have my own original book complete with sticker of Tom Cruise in Cocktail on the back
• Echoes by Maeve Binchey – this book makes me want to move to Ireland
• The Time Traveller’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger

(but seriously, this doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what I have read and what I enjoy reading.  I’m also trying to find a book that I read about 15 years ago but no-one seems to have heard of it.  It’s another time travel story and I know I didn’t imagine it!!)

6. If you could cross-breed two animals, which ones would you choose and why? What would you name your new hybrid?
Really?  Anything…. oohhhh I’d cross a hedgehog with a kangaroo.  I’d call it Albert.
(PS.  do you ever get sensible answers for that?)
(Ed: No… )

7. Tell us an embarrassing story, something that happened to “your friend” is okay OR
Share a photo you’ve taken that you’re proud of OR
Share a delicious but simple recipe…

I have LOTS of embarrassing stories (see here for the best one on my blog ) but as I’m getting a bit more into photography you can have a look at this photo of Morecambe Bay which fits in with the picture of me that I’ve included.

Do go and visit Nickie’s blog, it’s a fab read. Don’t forget to say hello, and tell her we sent you – she’ll no doubt put the kettle on…

Related posts:

1. Blog Love – BMB’s Why do women blog? This weeks Blog Love is a rather convoluted one –...
2. The Blog Hop – *HAPPY*. The all new spin on Blog Love. Blog Love is something we love to do. Spotting a...
3. Blog Love – Blonde Mom Blog This week I love this post from the Blonde Mom...

Iceland. It’s not somewhere I’d ever thought much about visiting, if I’m honest. Not really.

How wrong was I?

And a driving holiday – dull, dull DULL for small people yes?

Wrong again.

I. Know. NOTHING. It’s official.

And I want to go to Iceland NOW, dammit. *stamps foot*

This package from Nordic Visitor is ideal for the whole family, taking you the whole circle around Iceland and to many of its biggest attractions. The package includes activities aimed at the whole family, such as bathing in the Blue Lagoon, whale watching, visiting a farm animal zoo, a tractor-tour to a puffin colony and sailing among icebergs.

Did you read that?

There’s PUFFINS!

Prices start at around £1100 per adult, with under 2′s free and children at just over £200 extra each, and includes B&B accommodation (you choose the level from budget, comfort or quality), Car Rental. and activities.

For more info and the full itinerary, go see the details of the Family Self drive Tour of Iceland for yourself on the Nordic Visitor Site

No related posts.