Bristol Bits: M Shed

M Shed is somewhere we've been planning to go to for a while, but just haven't got around to it. The easiest way to travel into Bristol is by bus, but it's no fun if the weather is bad, so we haven't been into the city for a little while now. Hopefully, this is the first of many sunnier jaunts! Although it's a great indoor activity, M Shed has some outside exhibits, so it does help to have the weather on your side. There are a wealth of hands-on exhibits within, though, and something to interest everybody. This place really brings local history to life. It's very large, and very free, so you can while away as long as you like walking around, experiancing a bygone age. 

Why Pay More for Hot Chocolate?

I recently ran out of hot chocolate and was surprised to find out just how easy it is to make a really delicious hot chocolate, using just milk, sugar and Cocoa. This particularly appealed to me, because I don't get on well with dairy and try to avoid it if I can. The shop-bought hot chocolate I was used to was one you made with water, so the milk was already added. Not only does this mean you have to suffer the dairy content, but also, like all processed foods, there are lots of other ingredients too that aren't strictly necessary. Take this example from Tesco. This is a list of ingredients for their Value hot chocolate;

Space Age Strawberries; Making Fruit Exciting for Children!

My daughter has been the big sister to a fussy eating younger brother for years and during that time she has come up with lots of fun ways to encourage him to try new foods. I don't know why she is so good at it, I think it's partly the imagination of youth and partly the fact that she is close enough in age to him to still remember what it was like to be suspicious of food! Her latest invention is a novel way to jazz up some strawberries. This simple recipe makes them more appealing to little, and bigger, picky eaters and it involves a product I am a huge fan of. It's not especially cheap, contrary to my normal food posts, but it does last a long time, as a little goes a long way. Dr Oetker Shimmer Spray is so much fun, your food will never be the same again! 

My Captured Moment: Easter; Collecting Easter Bunny Treasure

A Picture Says a Thousand Words

I really want to do more with my photography. I feel the blog would benefit from better quality photos and I actually really enjoy taking them. I also need an excuse to walk more, as it's one of the best exercises for me and it's free! If you are going to walk and you don't have anyone to go with, I think it helps to have a prop. Dogs are great, but a bit of a commitment. After all, they are for life, not just for walkies. So, the next best thing is a camera. I find if I have something to focus on, I walk further without even realising and it doesn't feel like exercise.

The Toothbrush Truth with Toilettree!

I am a bit fanatical about dental health, as I am not actually a fan of the dentist, so I was very interested when Toilettree got in touch to ask if I would like to review their electric toothbrush, with (and this is the best bit, in my opinion!) a free travel electric toothbrush! How inspired is that? I hate having to switch back to a manual toothbrush for travelling and the beauty of this one is it has a cap, so you don't have to throw a wet toothbrush in your luggage, to get covered in fluff and other stuff! I was a little unsure how I would get on with a new electric toothbrush, as I have used the same brand for a long time, but I'm actually really pleased with it.

Remembering Jack: The Final Chapter

For those of you with a really good memory, you may remember how myself and my friend Lisa had a great deal of support from a lot of amazing people in order to raise £2,000 for Addenbrookes Hospital. We started the fundraising to honour the memory of Lisa's beautiful son who lived just two days. If you would like to, you can read the original story here. Lisa recently travelled to Cambridge to hand over the cheque and meet some of the wonderful staff who do such a brilliant job looking after some of the most vulnerable of the hospital's patients. There follows a short post from Lisa, who wanted an opportunity to thank everyone who made this possible, so I will leave the final word to her.