The Ion8 Leakproof Water Bottle I didn't know I needed!

Every parent is fully aware it is back to school time and we've all been getting our kids kitted out with all the things they lost or had stolen before term finished back in March. If my twin teens had their way they would have everything new, every time a new terms starts but, of course, that would be super expensive and not very eco either, so I put my foot down and with some things that are still in good condition they have to make do.

This new term has been an expensive one as they had both grown out of their blazers, one needed new school skirts and the other shoes. Add on PE kit, some stationery, calculators and face masks and I'm a few hundred pounds down. I was therefore super pleased when Ion8 offered to send me a couple of water bottles for the girls, as they didn't really need any but I knew they'd like them.

Naughty mummy that I am though, I haven't given the girls the bottles as theirs were fine and I have fallen in love with the pastel-coloured leakproof water bottles that were sent to us. So I now have one for taking out in my handbag and when I'm walking and one beside my bed for in the night when I need a drink.

I've often seen Ion8 bottles and they've always looked stylish and we already have a Friends of the Earth steel water bottle so I know they are good quality and last well too. I genuinely had no idea I'd like these ones sent to us so much. Looking on the website they are sold as a child's bottle, but I really like them for me and here are 9 reasons why

1. At 350ml they are the perfect size to carry with you, without being too heavy or cumbersome. 
2. There is a lock to keep the kid closed and make them leakproof
3. You can open the lid with one hand and it is super easy
4. The opaque bottle with white lid looks so stylish
5. Easy to drink out of, as there is a vented smooth liquid flow
6. Made from BPA free, phthalate-free, non-toxic TRITAN
7. It's just the right width for my cup holder in my car
8. It's odour resist
9. It can be used for hot or cold liquids (-10 c to 96c)

I think you can tell I'm a bit taken with my new Ion8 bottles and I've been using them every day since they arrived with us. They retail for £11.99 and for a sturdy bottle that will last a long time I think that is OK. I was able to find various Ion8 bottle of this size and shape on Amazon with prices from as low as £8.99, so have a good shop around. 

Disclosure: We received these water bottles free of charge for the purpose of an honest review. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.

Back to School with Maped Helix

Well here we are just a week into the school holidays and all bar a pencil case the kids are completely ready for back to school. Uniform purchased and size checked, everything labelled and shoes worn in.

JJ was super excited last week when a delivery arrived for him from Maped Helix with the stationary he needs to start Secondary school in September. Starting in year 7 is a special time and the equipment he needs for school is quite different to the years gone by, we've purchased a french dictionary and a gum shield to name just a couple of things.

Maped Helix have also sorted JJ out with an Oxford maths set and he is very excited to start doing the kind of maths that requires compasses, set squares and a protractor. He left Primary school with amazing results in maths and apparently his SAT results translate to a D grade in GCSE if he had taken it aged 11 years, that was all I got aged 15! He doesn't get his maths smarts from me, that is for sure!

I've known the name Helix for as long as I've been alive and even had my own Oxford maths set when I was young so I'm glad JJ is starting school with equipment I know will last him a long time and is reliable. Little features like the safety screw sharpener and compass will give me peace of mind too. JJ also received some very nice Helix Oxford colouring pencils in a tin and the prices are super reasonable as well, I found these for as little as £3.99 when I searched online.

The Maped part of the Maped Helix name I am not so familiar with, so I was interested to read that Maped is the world leading supplier of school supplies and they offer a comprehensive range of writing instruments and education equipment with exceptional design, quality and innovation. JJ also received a few of their items as part of his gift package from Maped Helix.

He received the 0.7mm fluid roller free writer pen with erasable ink, perfect for if he makes a mistake, 3 x 0.4mm graph pens in beautiful bright colours for precision art work and an easy loading mechanical pencil with easily replaceable leads. I think he is all set now.

Maped Helix products are available from all good stationers and many of the big supermarkets. When you go to buy your back to school stationary, why don't you take a look at their excellent range - there is so much to choose from.

Many thanks Maped Helix, JJ is a happy lad now.

Disclosure: We received this stationary in order to undertake this honest review. I have not been instructed what to write.

Back to school with BHS

We are literally round the corner from being back at school now and it has been an amazing summer but it is time for the kids to get back into routine I can see that. The summer holiday is gone is such a flash that it is important to really embrace and enjoy it and I think we have done that with some wonderful holidays, family days out and even just some downtime alone and with friends.

I’ve mentioned before that I am super organised with uniform and I generally like to have it all long before now. I had thought I was sorted but then BHS contacted me and asked if we would like to trial some of their uniform. I’ve not bought BHS school uniform for the kids before and I’m not really sure why as I like BHS as a shop and have some of their clothes myself.

Generous Fit

The thing that appealed to me about BHS uniform is that they have a generous fit as well as the standard fit. My 10 year old son is very tall for his age and a bit more rounded in the middle than the average child and we struggle to find trousers to suit him. The current trend of slim or skinny cut trousers does nothing for him and generally he likes an elasticated waist for comfort. That was fine when he was younger but hardly anywhere makes trousers for 13 year old boys (about the size he wears) with elasticated waists and I understand why as most are fashion conscious by that point and don’t want to be wearing them.

Senior boys school trousers

This is where BHS have come up trumps for us. Their generous cut trousers are bigger in width but not in length and this means an age 12 trousers fits JJ perfectly. The waits has a secret stretch panel at the side hidden into the pocket and this means they can move and stretch with him. We have already tried them out and JJ is calling them his smart trousers as he has worn them to help out at Daddy’s work for a day or two in the summer.

The trousers are a thick material and at first feel a bit stiff but after a wash they are fine and I think they will last a good amount of time due to the quality of the 65% polyester and 35% acrylic fabric. I also like the fact they can be machine washed and tumble dried without the need for any ironing, this makes my life much easier.

Other good features of the trousers are well secured hems so I don’t have to keep re-hemming trousers that fall apart (I’ve had that before!), large front and back pockets and a Teflon coating to help repel stains and keep the trousers looking smart. They are available in black and charcoal (which is a very dark grey).

Senior boys school shirts

We also requested some generous fit white shirts as JJ is going into year 6 he has decided he would like to look smarter and wear a tie sometimes and of course cotton polo shirts don’t really work with a tie. As I was ordering near the end of the summer I had trouble getting the size I wanted for JJ but looking on the website I see they are now back in stock. We received a pack of two long sleeved white shirts in generous fit, age 14 and they really do look enormous, far too big for JJ. So we will take these to our local store and swap them for some smaller ones.

In regards to the shirts themselves they look nice quality, that fabric used is 65% polyester and 35% cotton which is probably a higher polyester content than I would ideally like. I know this makes them better for washing and tumbling and less need for ironing but as JJ is heading into puberty years I suspect he would be better in a shirt with a higher cotton content to keep him cool and with minimal sweat. This two pack of non-iron stain release shirts is £12 and each has a reinforced collar, so the tie will look smart with them, a front breast pocket and long button cuff sleeves. There are also a variety of other senior boys shirts available and prices start from £9 for a two pack, they come in white or pale blue.

Boys winter coat

The last thing we received for JJ was a winter coat. We did in fact buy JJ’s last coat from BHS and it lasted the season really well and for a boy who batters his coat and really puts it through the mill I was super pleased. The coat we received this time is grey with a green lining and it looks really stylish.

JJ was laughing at me when I made him try it on as it was one of the only beautiful days we have had in the last two weeks, this week I can fully believe that he will be wearing this to school every day soon as the cooler weather is arriving. You can buy a basic winter coat from BHS from £18 for an older boy and I think this is a great price, it was just this basic one we bought last year.

This year’s coat that we have received starts at £28 for age 8 upwards and goes up to £32 for a 15/16 years. It features panel stitching, contrast lime panels and reflective trims. Two front pockets with snap flaps and two chest zip pockets will keep valuables safe. Contrast lime polar fleece lining is used throughout and JJ loves that it feels so snug. There is also has a snap closed chin guard and rib storm cuffs and velcro tabs on the sleeves keep arms warm and dry for when the cold winds and snow comes. Again the coat is machine washable which is a necessity with my messy boy.

Overall we are very pleased with the uniform we have received from BHS and I would happily shop there again for both the kids and I. If you need generous fit uniform this is the place to visit as it is still stylish but also practical for your child’s size.

Disclosure: We received these items free of charge for the purpose of this review. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.

Back to School with Nutmeg at Morrisons (Review)

I'm always keen to get sorted for the back to school time as soon as the summer holidays start, I know some people think that is a bit sad but for me it just means I can then enjoy the six weeks off with the kids and really have some fun.

This year Morrisons have helped me with my getting organised mission and sent me some uniform for my girls to review. To be honest, until they contacted me I had no idea that Morrisons sold school uniform but then I suppose I've never really been to one of their big stores. Before we moved last year my closest supermarket was a Morrisons but it never had uniform, I'm now keen to travel to a big store and see the full Nutmeg range and what it has on offer.

The first thing I'd say about the Nutmeg range is that it appears to be really good prices. The 2 packs of polo shirts (sold in white, blue or red) start from just £2 per pack or £3 if you need the larger sizes like my girls and they are really soft.  Not as thick as some we have had previously but then at that price I don't really expect anymore. The good thing is that at £1.00 or £1.50 per top if the girls totally trash it then I'm not too worried. Have you ever tried to get that black dry wipe marker from a white polo shirt?  It's not easy, I'll tell you.

I thought the plimsolls were great value at £2.50 per pair and they have a good firm velcro fastening to keep them on little feet. The rubber round the edges seemed good too and I think they would last although Miss E felt they were a bit boyish for her but I'll soon sort that with some fabric paint!

Miss M liked the charcoal woven trousers and she especially like the fact that they had pockets and a bow detail on each pocket. These trousers for girls are £3 or £4 each depending on size and again that is a good price. They are quite a thick and rigid material rather than being a lighter flowing one, so I think they would wear well and the knees should not get worn through too easily.

We were sent the woven skirt, which again is a good price at either £3 or £4 each and it comes in either charcoal or black colours. Again it was a good thick material that is Teflon coated but I have to be honest and say I would not buy it as the pleats did not stay in. The items were sent to me via post so they were quite creased but even with ironing the pleats did not stay in nicely and this is one of my musts for a school skirt, I'd rather pay more for stay-pleats. On the plus size both the skirt and trousers had adjustable waists so you can make sure they are a good fit.

Finally the girls received a cardigan each and these are 100% cotton and feel super nice to the touch. The cardigans are available in cobalt blue, navy and red and retail for £3 or £4 (can you see a theme?).  They ironed well and looked really nice on but I did notice how easily they creased and this means by the end of the day the girls might look a mess after sitting on them or stuffing them in their bags. One of the really good things was that the cute little heart shaped buttons are really easy to do up and the girls commented on how cool these were.

In conclusion Nutmeg appear to have a good range of school uniform for both boys and girls, it does not appear to be available online and only up to about an age 13 years. They are not the best quality uniform out there, seams might not be perfectly matched and it is not the highest quality fabrics but in general they look like they will wear well and are very good value for money.

Disclosure: We received the school uniform free of charge for the purpose of this review. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.