Sleep Well At Ibis? Oh Yes!

As the husband had gone on his little trip abroad that I won and where I couldn't go with him, and the children were each going on their own little holiday, I happily accepted and looked forward to a one night break away at an Ibis hotel to try out their new Sweet Bed system. As someone who lacks sleep due to many reasons I had to attend this sleep related event as I desperately wanted to learn lots of new tips and tricks for getting a good nights kip. I was also very excited to hear there would be a talk from leading physiotherapist and sleep expert Sammy Margo who really knows her stuff. I was invited along with 9 other bloggers to the newly opened Hotel Ibis Shepherds Bush This particular Ibis has 128 rooms all featuring the new and revolutionary bedding concept that Accor unveiled, and with an in-house committee comprising sleep experts and outside researchers worked together for several months to develop. This bedding system has been designed to deliver the perfect nights sleep so my expectations were already very high. 

The new Sweet Bed system has been incorporated throughout all Hotel Ibis's and more than 66,000 beds are already in place. This short video details all the components to the Sweet bed....

* Support- provided by the bed frame and mattress

* Comfort- provided by the mattress and topper

Oh I couldn't way to try it out. On arrival at the newly opened Ibis in Shepherd's Bush you could really feel a fresh contemporary vibe and everywhere was so clean and tidy....

The open plan ground floor incorporates the reception, bar and restaurant and has a modern décor with very stylish touches and creative lighting which I really liked as well as the business corner....

 Then it was up to the my room to drop my bags off and it really was lovely, being a very calm, uncluttered and well designed room and which I looked forward to spending the night in. Of course I couldn't resist trying out the new bed system, with it's hollow-fibre pillows, smart foam and spring mattress and uniquely designed 'S' duvet ;) I almost climbed in and fell asleep right there and then.

 However after a quick brush of the hair etc off I went back downstairs for the event sessions which I was looking forward to, along with a lovely cup of peppermint tea....

First up was a tour of the hotel with the general manager, who was helpful and friendly in answering our many questions about the hotel. I really liked that here our towels help plant trees....

And the pod style en suite bathrooms were great....

After our tour is was time for lunch....

And being a very enthusiastic cake lover I was delighted to see this plate of delicious offerings....

Next up after lunch it was time for Sammy's 'The Art Of A Good Night's Sleep' talk, and which I have to say was fantastic and a real eye opener. As I am someone who finds it hard getting to sleep I shall now be taking a banana to bed with me everynight ;) For sleep inducing purposes of course as they contain melatonin and serotonin as well as the muscle relaxant magnesium. We learnt why sleep is important for a healthy lifestyle and even that separate bedrooms from partners can be a real worthwhile decision, also how pillows can break and here is Sammy doing the shoe test....

Then it was time for Sammy to climb on board her pretend bed to share some tips on sleeping positions....

Apparently green is the perfect colour choice for a bedroom due to its calming influence, I however pointed out I couldn't think of a worse colour as green reminds me of hospitals and that certainly wouldn't have a calming influence on me ;) Bedtime routines can be very important, there should be no electrical gadgets near by, sleeping positions are very important and further on in this post you can see Sammy and I in our practical session to find my perfect sleeping position. A milky drink really does help before sleep as does trying to empty ones mind of all those worrisome thoughts, something that effects me being a natural worrier. After a short break it was indeed time for the practical session on one of the Ibis hotel's Sweet Bed's. I was asked if I didn't mind our session being recorded. At this point I did wonder what sort of event I had indeed come to ;)

It was a very valuable experience. Being a front sleeper, I now know why I often wake up with neck pain and my sleeping position has been improved since coming home. I am occasionally finding that I keep rolling over on to my front during sleep so a little more practice at my new sleeping position is probably needed. 

So, after we had all had our one to one practical, it was time for some Q&A's which again I found very useful. I really learnt lots at the event and I couldn't wait to do my very own shoe test to see if any of our pillows at home are indeed broken. After a lovely dinner which was a short walk away from the hotel it was time to head back to my room and get into my bed....

Oh it was lovely, perfect for me and that 7cm topper a delight to sleep on. so I did indeed wake up refreshed after a good nights sleep and was all ready for breakfast before heading home. I made a fond farewell to my sweet bed....

  

And a lovely big hello to breakfast....

I can't resist a bit of Nutella in the mornings and the breakfast on offer for a small charge at Ibis was super, I couldn't resist going back for more and more....

So, a thoroughly enjoyable event and I would like to thank, Ibis Shepherds Bush (who also kindly forwarded on my iphone charger that I left behind in my room) Kelly for her super organisational and friendly pr approach, Ellie for the heads up on the event, and lastly but by no means least Jeremy for bringing everyone together and being the main man on this.

As for now, I'm off to catch some more Zzzzzz's. I just wish it was on one of the Sweet Bed's ;) 

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Disclosure: I was provided with a one night stay at Hotel Ibis, including lunch, dinner and breakfast for the purposes of this blog post.   

A Winner, & Christmas Thoughts

Well we have a winner for the lovely Tassimo Coffee machine...

Thanks so much to everyone for joining in, I really did enjoy reading all your comments and would dearly loved you all to have won!

So comment 15 was drawn randomly and the winner is....

Sonia at This Mummy Loves Well done Sonia, your shiny new coffee machine shall be on your way to you asap. Enjoy and a lovely early Christmas present for you :)
I couldn't help but think of Christmas these past couple of days as I spied my little Master P doing his stuff for The Little White Company I just love this Christmas inspired photograph of him....

And not long after I saw this, my lovely friend over at Strawberry Lemonade Boutique was walking past a White Company store in Winchester due to be opened next week and sent me this photograph of the window display....

Awww. So seeing these is helping to get me in the Christmas mood and it shall soon (ish) be time to dec the halls....

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Tassimo Coffee Machine Giveaway!

I don't know about you but I love the lingering aroma of coffee in my kitchen and am delighted to offer you the opportunity to win a fantastic Tassimo Coffee machine so you can experience that wonderful aroma for yourselves. I love visiting Costa, who have a super and popular Facebook Page and I have to say Costa Coffee is one of my favorite meet up places with girlfriends for a good chinwag over a delicious Latte. What is extra exciting about this machine, the T40 is that you can now enjoy the great taste of Costa coffee in your own home and at the touch of a button....

Gennaro Pelliccia, master of coffee at Costa, has worked with the developers from Tassimo to provide customers with a quality cup of Costa coffee that can be enjoyed at home. This has resulted in Tassimo Costa TDISC's, which used together with the Tassimo coffee machine, creates the perfect cup of coffee. The Costa TDisc range comes in three of the most popular drink options, Cappuccino, Latte and Americano. The TDISC's are to be used with the Tassimo coffee machine and the Costa at home Roast and Ground range with cafetieres and filter machines. I love that I can now drink Costa coffee at home. The coffee machine is so easy to set up and after a little run of the water that is kept in the tank at the back of the machine we were ready to go.... 

  

That is Master Poppins' little hand, he just had to press the shiny button. As the water comes out very hot he was supervised by me at all times. I love the sleek design, and as coffee machines go, the T40 really is a good looking one....   

 Now we just had to choose our Costa TDISC's....

  And then choose our mugs....

I think it was obvious which DR. Who fan picked this one....

And there we have it, a lovely cup of Costa Coffee. I did make it extra milky for Master P's cappuccino and he loved it, it felt like a real treat. The coffee itself is delicious and I can't wait to try out some of the other TDISC's. It really is so nice to be able to drink Costa coffee at home and I can't wait to hunt out some pretty new coffee mugs ;) If you would like to try out some Costa Coffee at home yourselves, then all you have to do to be entered for this giveaway to win a fantastic Tassimo T40 coffee machine along with a selection of your very own Costa TDISC's to try out, is to leave a comment telling me why you would like this super coffee machine in your life? A winner shall be picked at random in one weeks time. 

I shall get in contact with the winner, who must have a valid email address, ask for your delivery details and then your shiny new Tassimo coffee machine along with Costa TDISC's shall be sent directly to a very lucky you.

Giveaway T&C's: This giveaway closes at midnight 25/10/12 and a winner shall be announced shortly after the closing date. On this occasion the giveaway is open to UK residents only. 

Good luck

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Thank you for entering, this is now closed, a winner has now been selected at random.

Polarn O. Pyret Childrenswear- Review

I love children's fashion, and I am always on the look out for fun, wearable items for my own children to wear. I like hearing of  brands that our new to me and one such brand I heard about not long ago was Polarn O. Pyret pronounced "Pole Arn Oh Peer Et". The brand, discovering the best in Swedish childrenswear was established in 1976, and makes practical, durable, stylish clothes for babies and children. Some of their key points are:

Clothes that grow with the child....

Roll down cuffs.

Adjustable waists.

Dresses that become smocks.

Clothes for children, not mini adults....

Withstand wear and tear.

Wash at stain and bacteria busting temperatures.

Unisex prints and patterns designed to preserve childhood.

Clothes that can be worn outside in any weather....

Hi-tech breathable fabrics that are hard wearing yet flexible.

Smart layer solutions that adapt to activity levels and weather.

Of course the proof is in the pudding so Master P was delighted when he was offered a Polarn O. Pyret sample to try out and see what we thought. With the weather turning a little chilly a sample from their thermal layers range was suggested and Master P loved the Moose print.

When the package arrived it was beautifully wrapped....

The team at Polarn O. Pyret also sent along the matching thermal trousers too, so it was lovely that he had the matching set to try out. Well, we LOVE them, the quality is of such a high standard, he has worn them every day since they arrived 5 days ago (we can't bring ourselves to wash them just yet ;) and look just as perfect as when he first tried the set on. The Moose design itself is just wonderful, and definitely down my street. Although these are thermals, the fabric absorbs moisture and they are ideal for sports underwear, in my opinion they are just too lovely to hide. Master P has been wearing them at night and loves to put his little moose outfit on pretty much as soon as gets back from school. Snuggling up with him is lovely, and the thermal fabric is so soft and cosy....

The price does reflect the high quality, designer brand, and in my opinion, in terms of how often he shall wear the outfit, and the generous sizing which he has room to grow into, I think worth the cost and shall certainly myself be looking into purchasing other items. In fact they have a little mid-season sale on right now, so am off for a mooch!

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Disclosure: We were provided with one thermal top and trouser set for the purposes of this review blog post. All words and opinions are my own.  

Precious

When it comes to favourite baby photographs of our little Master Poppins, there is only one photograph that I am always reminded of. It was taken at a very emotional time. With him having been born 11 weeks early, and myself being asleep for his birth which was via an emergency caesarean, it wasn't exactly a 'normal' pregnancy and birth. I really didn't know when I signed those papers to agree to the section that I would see my son alive. I awoke to the face of my husband telling me he was here, safe, and although being ventilated, was downstairs in the SCBU unit being looked after by the wonderful team of doctors and nurses. I cried many a tear of relief after hearing the news and couldn't wait to meet him, my precious and much longed for son. Even now, 6 years later I can't believe I have this little man in my life and his arrival was so much the more poignant having lost his special big, brave brother only 14 months earlier, when he was born so very prematurely himself at nearly 26 weeks gestation.

Master Poppins weighed 3lbs 1oz, was a little fighter and soon he was off the ventilator and coping well. All in all he was in hospital for over 40 days. I used to take my milk in everyday to feed him, like a protective bird feeding her poorly chick. When they finally told me, when he was nearly 5lbs in weight that we could take our little chick home I don't think I could believe it. Only the year before I had had to leave my first little son in hospital, never to come home. The pain of leaving with your baby not in your arms, knowing you shall never see them grow up never leaves you, and walking through those hospital doors without my son is a memory etched in my mind forever. I must have been the happiest woman on the earth when, at last I was told Master Poppins could come home, his beautiful big sister finally had her wish of a younger sibling to love and help mummy look after.

The extra poignancy of this photograph I took of him when he first came home from hospital, is that only days later I thought we had lost him. He suffered an ALTE and it truly gives me the shivers just thinking about it. He stopped breathing, went limp like a rag doll, and went the most awful grey colour. My wonderful, wonderful husband took over and helped bring him back to us. I shall be eternally grateful to him for coping the way he did in that situation when I just went into panic mode. The ambulance turned up, blue lights flashing and after a short spell in hospital was back home with us again. Something like that never leaves you and even now, as a big strong 6 year old, I often find myself having a little check on him in bed. So here is my most favourite photograph of Master Poppins, one that is truly treasured....

Over protective is probably an understatement when it comes to how I feel about Master Poppins, and I am not ashamed or embarrassed that I feel this way. I know he shall have to be let loose of my apron strings one day and when that day comes I shall wave him off proudly and thankful that he was given to me. He is of course not mine to keep but must make his own way in life. These short years I have him at home I shall indeed enjoy and relish the cuddles, the connection we have, the relationships he has with his sister and daddy.

And when the time comes for him to leave home and make his own footsteps in life I shall look at this precious photograph of him and smile....

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