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.

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

Back to School Shoes with Toughees - Review

Mention new school shoes and every parent groans, in fact nothing makes a parents heart sink like the thought of shopping for children's shoes, let alone school ones.

This time of year means queues for days just to get fitted and then if they have them in their size you're one of the lucky ones, ok, so it isn't always that bad but it can be.

So this year when I was approached by Toughees to try out their range of school shoes, it meant that not only would I not have to venture out to the shops, but I also had high hopes that in a months time I wouldn't be looking at my daughters shoes, with such disappointment that they hadn't even lasted a term.

The Toughees range are made with high quality non-polish leather, so you simply need to wipe them clean with a damp cloth to keep your children and teenagers looking smart in their school shoes. All Toughees children’s school shoes come protected for durability whilst providing cool breathable comfort for young feet.

So how do they fit? Using the template on the Toughees website we were able to check what size the children's feet were, obviously it was always going to be a rough estimate as the shoes themselves will always fit slightly differently for each child.

However when they came they fitted pretty much perfectly, my daughters shoes are a brogue style shoe with t-bar and velcro strap, they are really easy for her to put on and they look great too. They look pretty from the top and the bottom, with the sole of the shoe being detailed with flowers, they have been well thought in every aspect.

Although to me they seemed a little loose around the sides, they don't slip off. I used a few of the techniques I have seen when having their feet fitted previously, to make sure they fit as well as possible. They don't hurt her and her toes have plenty of room, so I think we are fine. If you are unsure though, you can always find a local stockist of the Toughees range.

My sons shoes not only look tough but feel it too, they they are the perfect shoe for all of the running, football kicking and the general monkey business that he gets up too.

The velcro straps on the Chivers shoe ensure they pull tight and fit well, they aren't overly smart and offer a more casual shoe which for us is perfect. My son hasn't quite mastered laces yet, so I am glad they still have some velcro fastening ones for us to choose from.

I am looking forward to seeing how these shoes hold up to my adventurous five and eight year olds, so far they have worn them for two days and seem very happy with how they fit. They look really lovely on and complete the uniform perfectly.

The shoes in the Toughees range start from about £34, which for us is cheaper than the ones we've had in previous years. I hope they live up to their name and stand up to all that the children throw at them, I will be sure to keep you updated.

Toughees are available direct from the Toughees website or from stockists around the country.

NB: We were sent these shoes for the purpose of the review, all words and opinions are my own.

Flamingo Fun this Summer

I really love Flamingos, in fact it seems the high street is loving them too, so if you also enjoy these pink beauties then here are a few of my favourite picks.

First up is this fabulous bag, spotted in the kids section at Fat Face, I love it. Perfect size for your phone, money and a few other bits and great for the beach, just £16.

They also had this great flamingo scarf, a bargain at £8. They did have one in the womens section but actually I preferred this one as it's much brighter.

Boden have these amazing espadrilles, they go up to a size 42 so even though they are in the girls section they still fit an adult, £20-£24.

Rocket Dog have these fabulous pumps, perfect for wearing with jeans on holiday, £38.00

For just a hint of flamingo how about these cute socks from Marks & Spencer, £3.00

Or for the home and would be great for picnics and bbq's these fabulous melamine cups also from Marks & Spencer are just so cute, £3.50

So much flamingo loveliness about at the moment, who else loves flamingos?

Springtime Footwear with Mastershoe Myshu

A few weeks ago, I was approached by Mastershoe Myshu, to see if I was interested in trying out some of their range.

I chose the Puma Classics trainers in a fab, bright and perfect for spring, Monaco Blue and Sunny Lime.

They are a great pop of colour and great for wearing with turned up jeans, leggings or shorts, they are  not too wide which is great for my feet, however they did rub a bit on the back of one of my heels.

I really love the colours, there were several great options available from the Mastershoe Myshu website and all with free UK delivery.  

With several other fabulous brands to choose from including Joules, Camper, Merrel, Hunter and Geox to name just a few, there is a huge range for whatever your tastes.

The website was easy to navigate, with the option to search by brand, gender and size making it easy to find all the pairs they have in your size, then dispatch and delivery within a few days making shopping with them super easy. 

NB: I was sent the shoes for the purpose of this post, all words and opinions are my own.

Follow The Mummy Diary's board Shoes for Spring on Pinterest.

Little Herbert Shoe Shop Southwell - Shop Local

I recently visited a beautiful little shoe shop in the gorgeous town of Southwell in Nottinghamshire.

Now this post will only really be relevant to those local to the area but I felt the need to shout about this little shop.

Not only are the shoes all beautiful, the shop is owned by Amy, a knowledgable and helpful lady who loves shoes and making sure you get the right ones for your child.

For me, my children's shoes are an important investment and one that I take seriously, knowing how important feet are for a healthy back and to support your whole body.

Stocking everything from Ava & Luc to Bobux, Crocs and more it is a little haven for trying on shoes, there is no feeling rushed and like you can't give them a proper try!

Southwell has some lovely coffee shops and other independent boutiques with everything from clothing to gifts, so it is well worth a trip to this lovely little town.

Here are my daughters lovely Ava & Luc boots, I was only a little bit jealous!

You can find Little Herbert Shoe Shop on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Hotter Shoes - Comfort and Style

My relationship with shoes is one of those love/hate type deals, with size 8 feet I either walk into shop to find the biggest size they've got is a 7, or they pinch, hurt and don't come in bigger sizes.

So when I was invited to find my dream pair of shoes from Hotter, I was both excited and apprehensive.

Firstly, and I am sure this is the same for a few of us, Hotter weren't exactly first on my shoe shop list. Not because I thought they'd be rubbish but because a shop who's philosophy was comfort was probably in my mind for the older generations of a family.

However I could not of been more wrong, with a mix of traditional and modern shoes there is something for all the family (minus the kids). I chose several pairs to try on, why not when I am child and husband free, and with some honest ladies surrounding me I had nothing to lose.

Last year, I had tried on a pair of ankle boots from one of my favourite clothing stores, but the 8 was too small and left me walking like an arthritic giraffe, so I had abandoned all hope of finding such a shoe.

But here I was, faced with a selection of shoes up to a 9!!! This was exciting, this was a hopeful few hours of my life where I might actually find a shoe that fits, out came my choices, the fabulous Shawbury, Lavish and Erica.

And true to their word, the shoes were so comfy, like slipping on a familiar pair of slippers. Each pair felt amazing and my choice came down to which I would wear the most?!

In the end though, I went for the Shawbury, they fit well, looked good with jeans or a dress, and was right on style for autumn.

On Sunday, I went down to London for the day. I was, as with any new shoe, a little dubious about wearing them for such a long day so soon after buying them, but I am glad I did. I had no sores, no blisters, not a single one. I spent a whole 12 hours in those shoes and although my feet ached a little (thank you fibromyalgia) it was nothing to do with the shoes.

The lovely people at Hotter are also offering my readers the chance to win a choice of either a £20 gift voucher or a Delamore Handbag, these bags are the perfect size for a night out and come in four stunning colours.

And if you can't wait to buy some new shoes they have also given me a 10% off plus free delivery with code PLATEN (T&Cs apply -10% off plus FREE delivery is for first orders only. You are entitled to 10% off the total order value of any full priced items in the Hotter range (excluding shoe care products) plus FREE delivery.  This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offer or on Sale or Factory Clearance items and gift vouchers.)

T&Cs apply, see the rafflecopter widget for more information.

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Sun Jellies Giveaway

I have raved about Sun Jellies a lot on the blog recently, the reason being is they are super colourful, very comfy and bring back memories of the 80s.

So I am oober excited to be able to offer you this super great prize of a Mum (or Dad) and Me pack, this includes one adult and one child pair of Sun Jellies. 

They are the perfect way to welcome in summer with some of the most spectacular colours ever, I already have two pairs and may have to add another to the set when I order my daughter some.

You can go all matchy, matchy or be completely different it's entirely up to you....what colour will you choose?

T&Cs Apply, entry is via the Rafflecopter form below. Closing date is 19th May at 10am, UK only giveaway.

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Learning to Tie a Shoe - Childhood Milestones

This weekend my son got his first pair of lace up shoes, it is a momentous milestone for any child.

As I sat teaching my son to tie his laces it bought back memories of nursery and the wooden shoelace board that I learnt on.

I remember doing it for the first time and I got a big star sticker, it was such a wonderful feeling so I wanted to make sure he had the same experience.

As I sat behind him we slowly went through the process, he got a little frustrated but we persevered and eventually he had it nailed.

We had lot's of clapping and high fives, I hope that this made him understand how important it is to keep trying in order to achieve something.

I certainly was a very proud mummy,  I had managed to teach him something and he had achieved a huge milestone in his development, I am sure there will be a lot more practice required though ;)

Sun Jellies Review

A few weeks ago I was approached by the lovely people at Sun Jellies to see if I would like to review a pair of gorgeous Méduse jelly shoes.

Sun Jellies are a proud stockist of Méduse original French jellies. Based on the south coast of England they are the leading retailer of Méduse jellies.

Méduse is a French brand of jellies and wellies with a heritage dating back to 40's with the creation of the original fisherman Sun Jellies. Java jellies were created in the 70's. Both styles have been rockin' the same original designs for decades! They are the authentic retro classics. Much imitated but never bettered. All Méduse jellies are designed and made in France from 100% recyclable, soft PVC.

So what makes them great, first of all the colours, their website is like a rainbow of gorgeousness and with sizes up to 8 in most colours and up to 12 in the unisex colours there is something for everyone. If you have children they also do them from size 4 upwards so you can get all matchy matchy ;)

I went for the cyan in a size 8, normally finding shoes that fit my feet is a nightmare they are either too narrow or not long enough, these on the other hand were a perfect fit and comfy too which for a shoe made of PVC I think is pretty good going.

They also made my feet look all girly, another great bonus as far as I am concerned.

They are perfect for summer, autumn and spring. Here I have teamed them up with jeans and a long sleeved tee but with skirts, skinny jeans, 3/4 length trousers or tights they would work equally as well. You only have to look at their Facebook page for inspiration, so many ways of wearing them.

The Méduse range conjure up images of the 80s, especially the lattice jellies, they are gorgeous and I remember having a pair myself.

Best of all they are only £14.00 plus £2.00 shipping (for orders under £35), which I think is very reasonably priced so there is nothing stopping you having a pair in each colour.

I love finding a comfy pair of shoes that I look forward to wearing and I am so desperate for spring to arrive so I can wear these lots (it's just a little bit cold to go bare foot at the moment).

I'm also looking forward to getting me and my daughter a matching pair, she spent last year in 'jelly beans' as she calls them and so this year we can get matching pairs, i'll she'll love that.

So overall I love these shoes, I am waiting for pay day to buy my next pair….although I am not sure which colour to go for.

I think this could be the year of the jelly shoe, they are versatile, comfy, bright and easy to wear so which colour would you choose?

NB I was sent a pair free of charge to review, however all thoughts and words are my own.

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 :)