The PacaPod Almora Bag Review

PacaPod was created by Jacqueline Waggett, a clothing designer and mum of two girls. Jacqueline was disappointed by the range of changing bags on the market and soon got fed up of losing everything that she needed in the pitt of her bag. Jacqueline put her design skills into practice to create PacaPod.  

PacaPod is now a highly successful brand and is used by celebrities such as Jason Manford and Jo Whiley. PacaPod is sold nationwide in Mothercare, John Lewis and Amazon.

What does Jacqueline have to say?

'As a mum when I need something I want to reach it quickly, easily and with a degree of confidence. That may sound pretty obvious but how many times have you rooted around a bag looking for the elusive wipes or a poo bag only to be confronted with a half eaten sandwich, small Ted and handful of raisins? Life’s busy enough with the kids and when everything’s in place it means that we as a family are free to go and do the things we want. It can be something as simple as a trip to the park, playground or more adventurous travels to far-flung places but knowing that I’m organised is one less thing to worry about.'

I have been sent the rather lovely PacaPod Almora in the new Gunmetal shade, to aid my at times hectic lifestyle. I sometimes don't know whether I am coming or going, did I pack that snack or did I forget it? I can't see it...but that doesn't mean it is not in the changing bag... somewhere!?

I am sure we have all had these moments, the biggest culprit for me is the baby wipes. They are always, always hiding from me. So there has to be an easier way...

The Almora PacaPod comes in Five different designs:

- Gunmetal

-  Black

- Midnight

- Sand

- Highland

The PacPod Almora is a treasure trove of compartments, every mother's dream. It boasts 3 outer pockets one of which even has a key fob on elastic so you will always know where your keys are (another little item that ALWAYS disappears when you really need them). There is a smaller pocket on the back of the bag with a magnetic shutter. This makes it so easy to access as and when you need. The perfect pocket to keep your phone or a babies dummy.

There is a compartment for all your bit's and pieces such as your purse and hairbrush, whatever you would usually take along with you in your handbag that is completely seperate from everything baby. It is your compartment to do as you please.

So where does all the babies bit's and pieces go? 

Well that is the magic behind PacaPod. If you unzip the front of the bag you will find two pods. One pod is for all your babies feeding needs and the other is for changing purposes. Both the pods are the same size and very spacious. 

The Changer Pod

The Changer Pod is Grey and boasts it's own pockets and elastic straps to store nappies and wipes. You can put everything you would need for changing your little one's nappy in there such as creams and even a change of clothes. There is even a little pull tie wet bag should you need it, and let's face it with a little one it is bound to get lots of use!

On the outside of the changer pod is a separate compartment for dirty nappies, I thought this was fab as I have often been caught with Leo's nappies after we cannot find a suitable bin to dispose of them in. Having a designated area away from everything else is just what we needed.

In my changer pod I have managed to store four nappies, a  pack of wipes, an everyday pot of nappy cream, nappy bags and a change of clothes for Leo. 

The Feeder Pod

The Feeder Pod is Black, insulated and will hold up to a maximum of Four bottles, which is ideal if you are in the early days with a newborn. The Feeder Pod will keep the milk warm for up to 3 hours, and there is even a insulated bottle cover. We are at the point now where we take out cold cow's milk for Leo and we need it to stay cool for as long as possible, so the feeder pod is the perfect place for them. 

With Leo now being 15 months old, we are getting past the stage of needing milk during the day, but I tend to take one if we are going out for the day, just in case. Our Feeder Pod usually consists of snacks for Leo, lunch if he requires it and a drink. We have had no problem fitting everything in, even on the days where I do take out a bottle of milk.

The Two Pods attach inside the bag via velcro straps and sit securely together until you need them. If you didn't need to take out the entire bag, you can just take the pods and attach them to the buggy handle by looping the velcro around the bar.

In the same compartment as the Pods you will find a compartment directly in front. In this compartment is a padded changing mat. The mat is generously sized and is so easy to whip out when you need it, along with the Changing Pod of course.

I have been really impressed with the pods and I have found it  a very effective way to get everything you need around with you, and let's face it there is so much extra baggage when you have a little one in tow, so you do need somewhere to organise everything. 

I have managed to fit absolutely everything for a full day out in my PacaPod, you could even compare it to Mary Poppins magical bag. What I really love about the PacaPod is ultimately that everything has it's place, and you know exactly where to locate your packed lunch to Leo's nappy's. 

The pods eliminate clutter in the bag and do a great job of keeping everything as you packed it, and when you are out and about, in a rush to find your keys or the baby wipes for a toddler emergency...You know exactly where to find them.

There is an extensive PacaPod collection that you can view over at the official PacaPod website but if you have set your sights on the beautiful Almora, you can pick one up from PacaPod for £75.00 and even benefit from free delivery if you are within the United Kingdom.

Disclaimer: I was sent the PacaPod Almora Changing bag for the purpose of this review. However all views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.

Silent Sunday

How To Carve a Pumpkin

Last Halloween Leo was just a tiny dot compared to the monster he is establishing himself as this year. This year he is going to know that something very unusual is going on, something spooky and I am sure that he is going to want to take part.

Leo will be donning a little Halloween costume all of his own, and completing pumpkin carving (hollowing at least), I can just see the mess he is going to make with all of the pumpkin seeds in my minds eye right now, but I can see the fun that he is going to have too!

I always loved Halloween as a child, I loved the thought that anything spooktacular could happen on this one night of the year. I want to make sure Leo finds the magic in Halloween, and enjoys all of the fun that comes with it. I don’t think I will ever outgrow the buzz that comes with Halloween and I must confess, I love to dress up and display a few tricks, I have even discovered that I can carve a mean looking pumpkin.

For Leo’s very first Halloween I bought 4 juicy pumpkins from a local farmer and attempted to carve a ménage of pumpkins to display on the front porch. After hollowing out the first one I was shocked at how much effort went into just one pumpkin, and instantly regretted buying four! I stuck at it though, and eventually had four pumpkins, hollowed out and ready to be carved. I had to work quickly having Leo as a small baby, with time ticking by quickly Leo would soon be wanting his next feed!

My finished pumpkin’s for 2011 consisted of a witch riding on her broomstick, one very spooky looking ghost, a crescent moon and of course you’re traditional Jacko Lantern.

There are so many other designs that you could attempt, I chose the above designs as I am no artist and after discovering just how time consuming carving a pumpkin can be….. I decided to take the easy road!

How to carve your own pumpkin

What you will need to carve your spooky pumpkin?

- A pumpkin (obviously!)

- A small sharp knife

- A marker pen

- A pair of hands (preferably your own)

- A tea light candle

To start the carving process you are going to need a small sharp knife. With the knife you will need to carve around the top of the pumpkin to take the top off. When cutting around the top (later known as the lid), try and cut it so it stays as one piece. You will need this at a later point when putting the finishing touches to your spooktacular pumpkin.

Once you have the lid off you will see just how much guts and seeds are inside. All of this…Well it needs to come out! I found the most effective way to get everything out was to scoop it up with my hands.

With your hollowed out pumpkin ready to go, you can either draw your design on or print a template to draw around on the pumpkin flesh. This is where your marker pen comes into play!

With your design now prominently on the pumpkin you are ready to get carving. Take your knife again and begin to go around the edges of your template. I found that by applying pressure to the area that I was working on made it easier to loosen up the pumpkin flesh, and eventually enabled me to push out the desired section.

With your template now replaced by the desired holes in the pumpkin flesh, the time has come to insert your tea light candle, light it, place the lid back on top and put it out on the front porch for all of your trick or treaters to marvel at!

Happy pumpkin carving everyone and happy Halloween!

Autumn Adventures

The leaves are starting to change their colour from luscious Green to a golden haze; some are now relinquishing their hold on the tree and floating down to the ground. A sure sign that the seasons are changing and autumn is officially here.

I was driving home from work the other day and there were children playing with conkers and I was reminded of all those autumn adventures from my childhood.

I have always been lucky and lived in areas full of space to run around. Our house currently backs on to a nature reserve full of wildlife and trees to climb. In my younger days I used to spend every waking hour down there kitted out in pretty dresses I swore blind I would keep clean and wellington boots, much to my Mother’s dismay…

I really was a sight for sore eyes.

I loved the great outdoors and I made it my personal mission to collect as many conkers as possible. My brother and I gathered them by the bucket load, not for any particular reason other than just because we could.

There were times I think my Mum wondered if I would ever outgrow my tomboyish ways, especially when I came home one day completely covered in mud. It was just after she had put me in a dress and specifically told me ‘do not get dirty’. I guess I may have taken that as a guideline as to how dirty I could really get, and when I got stuck in the biggest, stickiest mud I could find, lost my wellington boot and was given a little push by the local joker, I went head over heels.

Walking home with my feet squelching in my socks, I knew I was in big trouble. It was November and it was not the warmest day around in the area of Yorkshire we were then living. I was not expecting my Mum to deny my entry into the house though, but that is what happened. She grabbed the hose pipe and began to wash away the sticky mud.

I was filthy and she was not inviting all of that mud inside!

When we first moved into the house we now occupy, our next door neighbours actually thought they had a family of gypsies moving in next door, and they meant us. This was all thanks to my brother and me, running about on the mud where the lawn was yet to be laid, completely filthy despite our parent’s greatest efforts.

It really was a losing battle for them. We were absolutely determined to just get as filthy as humanly possible.

Luckily… Somewhere along the path of growing up I did outgrow my tomboyish ways, and I even bought an alternative pair of shoes to the wellies I used to wear day in, day out. Now though, I know it won’t be long before I am trying to keep up with Leo and his autumn adventures. Trying to keep his clothes as mud free as possible and letting him know of the situations that may come around. There will be many occasions where he will get his feet stuck in a big puddle of mud, and if he pulls too hard then he may just loose a boot!

This again is life experience talking…

I cannot wait to collect some conkers with Leo and show him the joy of making a great old pile of them, of course now I am the responsible adult, I will have to make sure we get rid of them before they begin to decompose…

I have to admit that I am very excited at the prospect of pulling the wellington boots out of retirement and taking Leo on an autumn walk. I am excited to show him all of the things I used to get up to as a child, and I have a sneaky suspicion that Granny will be telling Leo and I ‘not to get dirty’ and the hose pipe experience form my past may just become Leo’s future…

Wait until I show Leo the marvellous way to make mud pies!

Recipe to follow…

The Panasonic EW-DS11 - Vibrating Toothbrush Review

I recently visited the Panasonic head office as an Intelligent Living Mum.

This means that over the next 12 months I will be taking part in interactive work shops hosted by Panasonic themselves, and also putting their products through there paces in a series of product reviews.

At the end of our first session we were presented with a bowl, this bowl was a lucky dip in order to determine which product we would each be taking home to test on this occasion. In the bowl were pieces of paper with our fate documented on the front There were bread machines, men’s shavers, women’s epilators and vibrating toothbrushes all to be picked in this prize draw, you could see the horror in the eyes of the ladies who had just pulled out the epilator for review purposes!

I outstretched my hand into the bowl and pulled out my fate.

I was to take home a shiny Red Panasonic EW-DS11 vibrating toothbrush.

We had already been shown the toothbrush in a demonstration a little earlier, and I had been impressed by the nifty little toothbrush’s capability.

The Panasonic EW-DS11 is a compact electronic toothbrush that runs on battery power (1 x AAA - batteries not included). The toothbrush makes the perfect travelling companion with it’s matching lid that keeps the brush it’s self clean and hygienic, ready for the next use. When you see the toothbrush in it’s casing you probably wouldn’t guess that it is actually a toothbrush hiding away in there.

The casing is entirely plastic and comes in a variety of colourings.

- Red

- Black

- Pink

I have a fantastic Red one that just looks great. It is something that you could keep in your bag and no one would actually recognise it as a tooth brush. It could easily pass as an item of makeup that would not look out of place, and because of it’s size it is so easy to transport around with you.

The batteries will last for approximately 90 days based on a consistent usage of around 2 minutes per day, but then if you take into consideration morning and night time brushing then this will most likely be less than the forecast 90 days. I know that I spend longer than this brushing my teeth so I will be popping batteries on a more regular basis. Although I have been using this toothbrush for over a week now and so far the battery is holding up nicely. It is still nifty and I haven’t noticed any change in the operating speed, so I will keep note of how long it lasts before a replacement is required.

I do really like the fact that it runs on batteries as when you are going abroad the last thing you want to do is cart the charging base to your electronic toothbrush with you. And if you were worried that the battery for the toothbrush may run flat while you are away all you need to do is have 1 AAA battery at hand. This is something you could easily take along with you with no added hassle or inconvenience.

The toothbrush boasts 16,000 sonic-vibration brush strokes per minute which helps you work toward cleaner teeth and fresher breath. When I was first introduced to this brush last week, it was on and you could not hear a thing. It was silent all except for a tiny whisper. When it was eventually passed to me, it was only then apparent to me how powerful this little toothbrush was. Many electric toothbrushes that I have used in the past are pretty loud, and in comparison the Panasonic EW-DS11 is nothing at just 37 dBa.

Upon getting home I instantly put my old toothbrush in the bin and switched over to using my new Panasonic brush. Prior to my Panasonic EW-DS11 I was using a simple disposable toothbrush. The first thing I noticed about the Panasonic was that the brush was substantially smaller than on my disposable brush, and the first few uses did feel a little strange due to this.  After a few days of using the Panasonic I soon adapted to the smaller brush and I now feel extremely confident with what the brush can do. In fact because the brush is smaller it can reach to the very back of my mouth and to all the hard to reach tooth surfaces. You do still have to brush effectively or you may miss areas but over all I am very pleased with the range of this tooth brush.

I feel more confident that I am getting a more thorough brushing with the Panasonic. After I have brushed my teeth they do feel fresh and clean, but I have been spending longer brushing my teeth just to make sure I don’t miss an area.

What I really love about this toothbrush is just how stylish it is and that un-like other electronic toothbrushes I have tried at other points the head does not suddenly fall off during mid brushing. Some people may prefer this toothbrush if it featured a rechargeable battery, but for me I was very pleased with the battery and this would not put me off purchasing.

You can purchase your own Panasonic EW-DS11 vibrating toothbrush directly from Panasonic for £40.99.

Disclaimer: I was provided with the Panasonic EW-DS11 for the purpose of this review, however all views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.

The Pink Lining - Yummy Mummy Bag Review

When I was pregnant one of the most exciting buys for me, cot and pushchair aside...was my changing bag. I wanted something that I would not be ashamed to take out and about with me, something that was unique and something that did not look like your everyday changing bag. 

There are so many different options out there, in different colours and styles but only one very special brand has the most vibrant pink, water resistant lining. 

Pink Lining.

The Pink Lining changing bags have always turned my head when I have seen them going past me in the street, draped provocatively over someone else's pushchair prompting that little green eyed monster to rear his ugly head. I dropped a number of hints to Luke in the hope that he may make one appear, but my not so tactile hints of leaving the computer screen open on the coveted Yummy Mummy bag did not work. 

Pink Lining must have got wind of my passion for their bags, as they kindly sent me their new Yummy Mummy Blue Bouquet bag from their just released Autumn Winter range. 

The Yummy Mummy changing bag is Pink Lining's most popular bag, and it comes in Four unique designs. 

The bag arrived really well packaged, in a official Pink Lining box giving a clue as to what treasures were to be found as I delved inside. Inside the box I was greeted with the trademark Pink. The bag had been wrapped up in vibrant Pink paper which I thought was a lovely touch.

With all the paper removed it looked like Christmas had come early, and I was now face to face with my new changing bag. 

I knew I would already love the design, there was never any doubt about this. It is sky Blue with colourful flower bouquets, tied with a Red ribbon. On the front you have the Yummy Mummy slogan and famous cupcake on the front pocket. Pink stars and Yellow hearts accompany the lovely colour's and make this a great bag for those winter's day's when we all just need a little bit of colour in our lives.

Aside from the beautiful design of the bag, I was instantly impressed by the bag's size. It is bigger than I first thought it would be, but not too big. It offers you a means to get everything you need inside while still being practical. In those early days when you cannot leave the house without the kitchen sink, you will be very thankful for all the room that comes with this bag.

The outer Fabric on the bag is a cotton canvas which is then coated in PEVA laminate which enables you to just wipe clean with a damp cloth. You would never guess that it was laminate just by looking at it, and I have to admit this is a feature I did not know about. From all the Pink Lining bag's I have seen whisk past me in the street, and that I have sat staring at online, I had just automatically assumed that it was an entirely canvas material used on the bag.

I could have jumped for joy when I realised that I could just wipe this bag clean, and keep it looking pretty. 

My old bag is now stained and has certainly seen better days after boasting just a material finish.  

The vibrant pink lining inside the bag is water resistant and absolutely perfect for carrying around sippy cups and bottles of milk. Leo's drinks are always leaking and the fact I have just been able to grab a towel and dry it out has made getting in and out in a hurry so much easier.

When it comes to babies you are bound to have spillages being as prepared as possible is defiantly the way forward.

Inside the bag are a number of different pockets for all of the many things that you need as a parent. There are 2 insulated bottle holders, which are absolutely fabulous. I still tend to take a bottle of milk out and about with me as sometimes Leo may just need a rare bottle of milk before he has a nap, and I just like to be prepared. The bottle insulators allow me to keep the milk cooler for longer and just keep the bottles out of the way so that they don't free fall around the bag. 

My old changing bag featured a separate milk insulator that I was forever losing. I much prefer having everything together and on hand for exactly when I need it. 

There are two long nappy pockets which allow me to put Leo's nappy's in standing up right. It keeps them neat and together and they don't come out looking battered and bruised as they usually do when you have squeezed them into a pocket.

Have you ever put your car keys in your changing bag, and then come back 5 minutes later and you cannot find them for love nor money? I know I have. So this next feature really put a smile on my face. There is a key fob on stretchy elastic, enabling you to always know where your key is. If I had a £1 for everytime I have lost my key in my changing bag on past occasions I would be a millionaire, hopefully this will now be a thing of the past...As I really don't have an excuse any more!

Now for anyone who has ever ooo'd and arrh'd over a Pink Lining bag, you will be very familiar with the padded cupcake changing mat and wet bag. The changing mat follows suit in being wipe clean and water resistant, which is exactly what you need from a changing mat. It is a great size as Leo fits comfortably on it (legs permitted of course) and if he does dirty the mat it is so easy to clean there on the spot with a baby wipe.

My old changing mat had to be machine washed if it got dirty, and this was not always practical and meant I had to bring it home with me dirty.

Of course if your little one is anything like Leo then you may still find yourself dealing with mucky pups. Leo is always dirtying clothes, and he is always dirtying my clothes. Having a wet bag with a zip is something that I would classify as essential. Somewhere to lock away those dirty clothes from the rest of the bag and the spare change of clothes that you always have to take out with you for such emergencies!

For everything that I have to carry around with me on a day to day basis, the Yummy Mummy Pink Lining bag keeps everything exactly where you put it and above all else organised. Organisation is exactly what you need when everything else about having a baby is so un-organised...Or is that just me!?

In all my time of admiring Pink Lining from a far, there were features of the changing bag that I did not know about. I based my initial views on a Pink Lining bag completely on the look of the bag, and never even considered the practicality value which has really stepped the Pink Lining range up even higher in my books.  

I can fit absolutely everything in this bag. Leo's juice, milk, snacks, spare change of clothes and I can even fit in everything that I will then need for me throughout the day. Stepping out with my Yummy Mummy changing bag not only puts a big smile on my face but it also reassures me that I have absolutely everything that I could possibly need throughout the day, and that I know exactly where everything is.

They say that beauty is only skin deep but Pink Lining changes all of that.

I would highly recommend Pink Lining to Mummy's to be, new Mummy's and Mummy's! Not only is this bag stunning but it has everything that you could possibly need in a changing bag, and I love that they have taken everything into consideration. 

When I was pregnant I gave my changing bag so much thought and that is because it is something that I was going to be using for the foreseeable future, so if you are looking for the perfect treat for yourself, or are very good at dropping hints to your better half....Think Pink Lining.

The Pink Lining Yummy Mummy bag retails at £79.00 and you can purchase your's here.

If you wanted to read more you can read another review by fellow blogger U Me And The Kids for the Mama et Bebe Changing Bag.

Disclaimer: I was sent the Pink Lining Yummy Mummy bag for the purpose of this review, however all views and opinions are completely honest and my own.

Oopsy Daisy...

As parent’s I am sure we have all shared similar moments at one point or another.

There are the moments of complete excitement when your little one achieves that next pivotal milestone, when pure happiness just washes over you. But then there are the moments that nightmares are made of, moments that will bind your body tight and you can do nothing but watch the scenario unfold.

Yesterday Leo was sat at the table in his booster seat enjoying a full English breakfast. Well a small sausage and hash brown anyway! He was sat on the opposite side of the table to me next to his Aunty, and he was having a great time using his cutlery and attempting to get the food onto the end of his fork.

Leo was doing so well, and was thoroughly enjoying his breakfast, but as usual he had soon had his fill and was getting fractious. He started to push his feet against the table causing him to teeter on his chair. I called out to Alice to grab the chair but she was oblivious to the goings on and continued to eat her breakfast.

I called out again, but it was too late.

My heart was beating so fast but at the same time it had stopped all together. I watched Leo’s chair falling backwards to the floor and I could do nothing to help him. I saw Luke lunge forward to try and catch the chair before impact, but everything had just happened way too quickly.

The chair continued falling in slow motion until it hit the floor, and it hit the floor with a bang, and the bang was followed by the screams of my little man. Daddy picked Leo out of the chair and the tears were falling down his little cheeks. A mixture of fear and pain.

I gave him the biggest cuddle as only Mummy cuddles would do at this moment in time. I could feel my heart beating over time, and I was shaking head to foot. I checked his head all over and felt a small lump forming on the back of his head.

My poor little man.

I felt awful that Leo took such a tumble in his booster seat, and I still do. He has been fine ever since and the not so great adventure had been completely forgotten on his part after a few minutes.

I have foreseen this accident happening for a while now, and that is why we always push the chair away from the table if we have to move away from him at any time. We never leave him on his own in it and we always make sure someone is sat next to him.

I usually sit right next to Leo and keep my foot firmly on the bottom of the chair, so should he kick away I can prevent anything from happening. On this occasion though, for some un-known reason I did not do this. I thought with his Aunty Alice there she would be able to grab him if anything was to happen, but sometimes accidents do happen and there is nothing that you can do to stop them no matter how hard you want to.

I hated feeling powerless and unable to help Leo when he needed me most. There was no time for me to get around the table and grab him, and Daddy was just that little bit to far away too.

Lessons have been learnt from this experience though, and we will be extra careful in future. Mummy or Daddy must be the one’s to sit next to Leo in case he decides to take another flying lesson, and hopefully Leo will not be so quick to repeat this in the future.

I think this will have to be chalked down to experiential learning on all parts. As at the end of the day, we are all still learning and we will all make mistakes.