Mother's Day Treats at Victoria Retail Park plus Competition to Win £100 Next Voucher

Finding that perfect place to shop as a mum isn't always easy, but with out of town retail parks such as Victoria Retail Park in Netherfield, there are not only plenty of shops and free parking spaces but also plenty of places to eat too.

With stores such as Next, TK Maxx and B&M to name but a few there are plenty of fashion, home stores and food shops to satisfy every shopping craving and to even find that perfect Mother's Day gift.

I love Next & TK Maxx and with the summer fashion slowly working its way through the winter ones, then there is no better time to look for some new items for your wardrobe.

I love these pretty summer dresses and shoes, perfect for days out, weddings or simply wanting that something special.

Next & TK Maxx on Polyvore

"Superdry" Lace & Chambray Dress - TK Maxx / Buy Blush Vintage Caged Prom Printed Dress from the Next UK online... / Buy Nude Mini Across-The-Body Bag from the Next UK online shop / "Replay" Tan & Silver Clog Sandals - TK Maxx / Buy Blush Vintage Caged Prom Printed Dress from the Next UK online...

With other stores including M&S Food, Argos, B&Q, Boots and Halfords there are plenty of places for that full on retail experience no matter what you are looking for.

Along with shops there are also several food outlets, including Frankie and Bennies, McDonalds, Greggs, and KFC, meaning you can grab some lunch whilst you are there too

With Colwick Park just down the road this makes it a great place to pop and get some retail therapy after a visit to the park.

So if you haven't thought of a Mother's Day gift and are in the Nottingham area then why not pop over to Victoria Retail Park to find some perfect pressies for that special lady in your life, makeup from Boots, clothes from Next or simply some flowers from M&S Food.

And if you are feeling lucky, then why not try entering the competition below to win £100 worth of Next vouchers from the lovely people over at Victoria Retail Park.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is a collaborative post, all words are my own.

Looking After Little Eyes

We all know that eyes are important, but do we do enough to look after them?

This week is National Eye Health Week and I have been talking to our children about their eyes, how we can look after and protect them, as well as what would make them even better.

With iPads, computer screens and other mobile devices becoming more prominent in our daily lives it is important now, more than ever that we put in place ways of protecting our children’s eyes. We need to ensure that they are kept up to date with eye checks at the opticians and make sure we limit their time spent playing on these devices.

To help promote National Eye Health Week, Boots Opticians asked me and my children to talk about our eyes.

To start off, we talked about our eyes and the colours of them, how they worked and what we could do to make them even better, here's what they thought.


My son: Would like eyes like a chameleon so that he can see all around him, as well as eyes that could pick out a specific piece of lego from a box. Personally I think both of these things are genius, especially the lego thing. 

My daughter, she wanted eyes that could see a castle and everything else, being four i'm not entirely sure she understands the question but I love that she put some thought into the idea, castles are after all one of her favourite things.

I asked them what colour they thought there eyes were, both being blue meant they already knew this easily, I asked them what they though the black part of their eye was, my son knew what it was and that if we closed our eyes it got bigger and if we looked at the light it got very small. Then ensued at least five minutes of looking at each others eyes in fits of giggles.

Wearing glasses myself, I know how important it is for the children to look after there eyes if not just for now but in the future. We always enjoy reading one of our favourite Topsy & Tim books, which is story about going to the opticians, it has been much loved and when we visited the opticians a few months back the children weren't worried or scared and took everything in their stride.

I think that reading a book such as this together is a great way to help give young children an idea about what happens, after all, the dark room and big instruments they face during a visit could we be scary, it is also great opportunity to talk together about your eyes.

Recent research shows 1 in 4 parents admitting their child has never had an eye check and whilst over 90% of children visit a dentist regularly, only 53% of children have ever had an eye check there has never been a better time to think about getting those little peepers checked and ensuring that they are well looked after and seeing everything perfectly.

In the mean time though, Russell Peake, Eye Health Condition Manager at Boots Opticians shares his top tips for kid’s eye health.

• After being way from the classroom for the summer holidays, signs such as your child rubbing their eye, blinking excessively or clumsiness may indicate a sight issue

• Kids won’t always articulate they are struggling to see and will often adapt their behaviour. Keep an eye out for signs such as sitting closer to the television, holding their book closer or squinting at text in the distance

• It’s a myth that children need to be able to read to have any eye check. Children should have their eyes checked at least every 2 years from the age of three - but you can take them sooner.

• Regular eye checks up to the age of eight are recommended as a child’s eyes are still developing and this can help improve the outcome if they have a sight problem. For example, treatment for a lazy eye is most successful before the age of 7 so early intervention is vital

• If your child is in front of a screen for prolonged periods of time – such as a computer or ipad – use the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes get them to look 20 feet away (six metres) for 20 seconds to help give their eye muscles a break

• Depending on where you live in the UK your child may have their eyesight checked via a local vision screening programme but it is no longer a guarantee.  Remember these should not replace a full eye check at your local optician. Eye health checks are free on the NHS until a child is 16 years old. If your child needs glasses, you can also get an NHS voucher towards the cost, so often they are free of charge

• An eye health check can tell you more about your child’s eyes than just their sight. An eye check can detect diabetes, some cancers and although rare, can also detect some tumours. At Boots Opticians, all eye checks include digital retinal photography as standard which can help us to identify serious health conditions.

To book an eye health check, speak to your Boots Optician or make an appointment by calling 0345 125 3752 or visit www.boots.com/en/Opticians/Eye-Health.

NB: This is a collaborative post.

Autumn/Winter Boot Wishlist

A pair of good boots are a staple for your autumn and winter wardrobe, whether for work, wearing with your favourite comfy jeans or dressing up with a skirt. Now more than ever, there are a vast selection of ladies boots out there to enjoy.

I love these Timberland boots, they would look absolutely fabulous with skinny jeans and a big chunky coat, a stylish look for cool dry autumn days.

Next up, another great pair, these boots are a classic chelsea boot and a staple for wearing with jeans, trousers or skirts, this dark rich brown is the perfect colour for autumn.

And finally, I have never owned a pair of knee high boots, I would love to though and I adore these Rieker Boots, the buckle detail is great and the not overly big heel is ideal for someone tall like me, great for busy mums on the school run or for a day out shopping.

Nothing says autumn more than boots, snuggly coats, scarves, gloves and hats and with these boots then the cool days are sure to be even more stylish.

NB: This is a collaborative post.

Gorgeous Boots for Winter

We live on a huge hill, in fact in the middle of a street with two huge hills at either end, although we haven't had snow yet I am pretty sure it is going happen soon and as much as I love my Fly boots they are not waterproof in the slightest and well wellies are damned cold unless you have a pair of welly socks on!

So when we were in Bakewell at the weekend I got looking at some of the gorgeous Hi-Tec range in the walking shop so thought i'd share them.

I love these Harmony boots, I think they look great and not particularly like snow/walking boots which I think makes them perfect for every day use, from icy days to full on snow days. With 200gsm Thinsulate to keep you warm and a Vibram sole to give great non slip action I love these.

Next up are these fab Talia boots, I think they would look great teamed up with skinny jeans, again perfect as every day wear boots and ensure you stay looking good on the school run without falling on your bum ;) Super warm and non slip Vibram sole, plus a super soft lining for comfort.

And finally these gorgeous Sierra Pamir 200, again with 200gm Thinsulate, what could be better to keep you feet toasty and warm whilst still being stylish, oh and dry

So will the snow come? We have certainly already had some frosty mornings and moss covered pavements only add to the drama, so could these stand up to moss and frost? I wonder :)