Category: Reviews

1. Date Night!

   Posted on 11:54am Sunday 21st Apr 2013

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   Date Night? It sounds so grown up, like something actual grown up's do when they have small children .... errm hang on, that would be me then! Eeek!! So when we were asked to try the sizzling new menu from Chiquito's, it was as good an excuse as any for a date night.

   Now we personally have a little history with Chiquito's and when I say we, I mean my gorgeous other half. He used to live very close to a Chiquito's and it was part of his staple diet. He has gone as far as to say that if he were on death row, it would be his meal of choice. (I am obviously hoping that he is never even any where close to death row but it kind of tells you how much he loves it!)

   He was intrigued to hear that they have introduced new dishes such as Blackened Salmon and Jambalaya added but happy that some of his favourites such as the Chiquito sharing platter remained. In saying that, he knew what he was having to eat even before we had sat down. Unfortunately when we looked at the new menu, his desired meal was no longer on offer! To their credit, the staff asked the chef if he would add steak to the chicken fajitas meal and he was happy to do so for a small charge, so all was not lost!

    

   I have to admit something here, I am not a huge fan of spicy food and the mexican menu was full of delicious sounding delights but I was worried about selecting something that was going to be too hot, so I tried to play it safe with my starter of chicken wings (but I was grateful for the bottle of water I had ordered) and a fully loaded burrito for my main meal. Guess what? I really enjoyed it and was halfway through it before I remembered to take a picture ......

   

   The menu has a massive selection from salads and sharing platters, to fajitas and steas, so there is something for everyone. Having never eaten at a Chiquito's before I was genuinely pleased to find that the staff were attentive, the food was delicious and the ambience really good. I also loved that my gorgeous man got to indulge in his passion for mexican food, which made him very happy indeed.

   Chiquito's was a great choice for our date night but it would be an ideal place to take the children too. It is not pretentious and the food certainly doesn't leave you feeling like you want more food, as some fine dining establishments can. The only thing my man is wanting now ..... is to know when we are going back!

    

   Disclaimer : We were offered a voucher to go and review the new menu but the recommendation is a natural one based on past and current experience.

2. Is learning to ride a bike important?

   Posted on 8:32pm Sunday 14th Apr 2013

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   I genuinely can't recall learning to ride a bike, it has just been something I have always known how to do isn't it? So why at the grand old age of "almost" 8 years old, can my eldest daughter not ride a bike? I was having this conversation with another mum in the playground last week and we were both talking about how our children have never learnt to ride. My daughter has had a bike of course but never quite confident enough to take the stabilisers off.

   It has made me wonder why she has never learnt, like I did as a child? Riding a bike should be as much part of your childhood as building a den or playing tig, so where in the last 8 years did I go wrong? Should I have persevered more or should she have tried a little harder? On reflection I think I have spent so much time filling our weekends with play dates and day's out, that somewhere along the line, we have forgotten the simple stuff.

   My youngest daughter is definately an adventurer and will, at the grand old age of 19 months, happily hide in a den made of blankets. She is a boistrous little character (which her angelic look belies) and I want to encourage her to enjoy the simple pleasure of riding down a hill with the wind in your face, without a care in the world (but a safety helmet on her head!!). So when is the right time to learn?

   

   After some deliberation, I then made a conscious decision to get them both Strider Balance Bikes from Learning Early. Having looked at what bikes are best, I love the philosophy behind the Strider bikes, in that children learn balance safely. Using a balance bike is now regarded to be the safest way to learn how to ride a bicycle, as stabilisers just teach the child to rock from one side to the other AND the child still needs parents assistance up curbs etc. This totally echos our experience. After the delivery of the little ones bike (suitable from 1 years old!!), I soon ordered the Super Strider for my eldest (designed for children aged 6+)

   The Learning Early experience has been a pleasure before the girls have even sat on their bicycles, as they offer a very personal service and an amazing one hour delivery slot! In this present economic climate, it is genuinely refreshing to find a Company who care about the customer, and not just about the sale.

   The Lilypad blog has always been about our journey as a family, so I have my fingers crossed that the next journey will be the one where we can all ride with the wind in our face, adrenalin in our veins ....... and not a stabiliser in sight!

3. Love Is .... seeing the smile on your child's face

   Posted on 7:45pm Sunday 10th Feb 2013

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   As parents, we always strive to provide our children with the essentials in life but also luxuries and treats that bring a smile to their faces. My eldest daughter is currently a huge fan of the "onesie", now love it or hate it, you cannot escape how popular the onesie has become, so when we were asked to review one from the www.kigs.co.uk website, I happily agreed.

   The Kigs website says that they sell kigurumi (animal onesies) for both children and adults and I have to admit that they have a fantastic range. I chose the kids giraffe costume (as I knew my daughter would love it), which comes in a spotted yellow giraffe hide pattern in an adorable warm fleece material.

   Now the kigurimi are essentially costumes which makes it a great website if you are going to a fancy dress party but in our house, they have been a favourite of the sleepovers! My daughter is currently enjoying the new craze in the world of a 7 year old for going (and having sleepovers) and the Giraffe Onesie has been the envy of her friends (and their mums).

   

   I have to be honest and say that at first, my daughter was a little unsure because of the baggy design and the fact it had "no feet" but once she put it on and felt how comfortable it was (not to mention how much her friends loved it too), I have struggled to get it off her to wash it! (thankfully it washes at 30 degrees!)

   So that's why this review is part of our Love Is .... series of posts, because what's not to love when a great product puts a big smile on your child's face?

    

4. Do you love Crocs ... but need wellingtons? New competition!

   Posted on 1:48pm Monday 21st Jan 2013

   Do you love Crocs but the current weather stops you and the little ones from wearing them? Did you know that Crocs do Wellingtons too? Perfect for this horrid weather!!

   They are:

   • Waterproof rain boot
   • Fully molded Croslite™ material for lightweight cushioning and comfort
   • Reflective heel logo
   • FREE UK Delivery

    

   Prepare for the winter - or get out and enjoy the typical British Summer weather! Now kids (and grown ups) can enjoy classic Crocs comfort – even on the rainiest days. They have a fabulous waterproof build that keeps puddle-jumping feet cozy and dry.

   We are delighted to be working with Jelly Egg to launch our first competition of 2013 to WIN a FAMILY set of Croc wellies ...... you just need to enter here.

   What are you waiting for? Go .....