Author: Scottish Mum

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God versus Santa

Now there’s a question.

It did come up in conversation.  You know the type.  You’re standing at the sink peeling spuds, and out comes a voice from behind you demanding to know the difference between God and Santa.

Turning round, with three pairs of eyes looking at you, you instantly become conscious that the voice is no longer of the age that platitudes can keep it happy for the next year, so, it went like this:

“Can you wait until I’ve finished the spuds, I really need to concentrate when I use a sharp knife.”

Any hope I had that the conversation would be forgotten amidst Minecraft and X-box challenges was useless.

At the supper table, out came the question again.

“So, Santa and God.”

“Yes,” says I, dreading how this is going.

“They’re the same.”

“How’s that then?”

“Well, nobody living has ever seen God, but plenty people living have seen Santa.”

“How does that make them the same?”

A serious pout comes over an exasperated face as he thinks how to answer.

“They both have white hair and white beards, and I think God turns into Santa for Christmas and he looks happier as Santa so I think he should stay Santa all the time.”

I have to say I was speechless….

Thankfully the phone rang and the conversation was diverted, but I know it’s going to come up again very soon…………..

 

 

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Review – Ask Her Friends… A Novel Way to Shop

Jimmy Choo1

Ask her friends is run by Ben.

He has this to say:

“Buying a gift for someone special should be one of the most natural things in the world, right?  So why when we try to get something for our wife, girlfriend, sister, friend or mum is it such a struggle – with countless hours of searching, browsing and agonising?”

I can certainly empathise with that problem situation.

He explains:

“The way I see it there are 3 KEY problems:

  1. A lack of ideas of what to get. Where do I actually start?
  2. Lots of ideas but no clue as to what to go for! The agony of choice!
  3. Will she like it? Will she hate it? Fear!”

With a novel method of crowd sourcing ideas from women, Ask Her Friends has chosen to feature items that those of us who have pretty normal lives would actually like to receive.

Having things that women would want, rather than some design board decide what they will give us to choose from, gives us a better choice, and more confidence that any gift we spend our hard earned money and time on getting and sending will be well received with a smile, rather than a tolerating grimace while the receiver mentally plans who to give that to next year.

There’s a lovely ideas map that asks you questions to get to the best choices for a gift and tailored to the person you are buying for.

With a limited range, the quality of goods on offer is higher than I expected.  As part of my trial of the service, I chose to try out the Jimmy Choo perfume.

It’s definitely the only Jimmy Choo product that I am likely to wear.  As much as I love shoes, I am way past the ability to wear skyscrapers and not break my legs on the way down and it was really good to get something that I really really wanted.

Jimmy Choo3

The fact that my kids have said that the smell is beautiful just made my day even more.  My scent came with a gorgeous Jimmy Choo Make-Up bag and I think the perfume is now going to be used in preference to any I have on my bathroom shelf.

If you’re struggling to choose, even with all the advice you can get, there is an online live chat facility which is always a good customer service selling point.

Give them a whirl, you might just find what you’ve been looking for.

 

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A Kindle Fire HD up for grabs with SSE – Closes 18th December at 4pm. Get your skates on.

A featured competition, brought to you from SSE.

As a festive thank you to customers and social media followers, SSE is offering everyone the chance to win a brand new Kindle Fire HD tablet!  All you need to do to enter is like the SSE Facebook page and help the Christmas Elves charge their Kindle in the competition App.

The competition will end Tuesday 18 December at 4pm, with winner being informed the next day.  This gives you the chance to win a great gift just in time for Christmas.

To play the game all you have to do is :

  • Head over to the SSE Facebook Page and like it before you play the game.
  • Click on the actual game to start it off.  There is also a like button to hit on this page.
  • The object is to use your right and left arrow keys to make the Elf run fast……
  • Then you use your up and down arrow keys to help the Elf charge up the Kindle Fire HD.
  • Then we have to follow a couple more instructions to fully charge the animated battery, then we can leave our name, address and e-mail to enter the competition.
ps, it’s a little harder than you realise at first.
Good luck.

 

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Review: Notcutts Indoor and Outdoor Christmas Lights

Notcutts sent me a lovely box of 200 indoor and outdoor lights to use for our tree.

We have some lights, but the boys were determined to put them on the tree as they have several flashing functions on them.  We put the tree up last night, and the kids are highly delighted with it, but tonight our lights for outside blew, so tomorrow is likely to be a day where we take the lights off the tree and put them outside so that we have some bling on the house this year.

The lights we had have 200 multifunction, cool white led chaser lights.  They have a memory controller and with a length of 13.93m + a 5 metre lead cable, they are long enough to do most houses.

My lights are £19.99 from the Notcutts Online Store, and they have lots of other variations.  Considering the RRP of these is £13.99, they are a good bargain to stock up on for next year too.  Notcutts has Christmas Trees, free  delivery over £30, and have a larger product range for a Garden Centre with indoor furniture, some pet items, and lots of Christmas goodies.

Important:  Please read the instruction leaflets when you are putting Christmas lights onto your house.

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Our Christmas Package from Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. came up with a couple of grown up DVD’s that 2 of my boys will watch.

In the little pack, I have:

  • The Dark Knight Rises
  • New Year’s Eve
  • Christmas Stocking
  • Three Candy Canes
  • Three Chocolate Figures.

It’s always nice that Warner Bros. remembers I have three boys.

The Dark Knight Rises also comes with Ultraviolet that allows me to take the film with me, and not leave me tied to a DVD player.

As always, the DVD’s are available reasonably from Amazon.

A little bit about them.

The Dark Knight Rises

It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.

 But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.

New Years Eve

“New Year’s Eve” celebrates love, hope, forgiveness, second chances and fresh starts, with intertwining stories told amidst the pulse and promise of New York City on the most dazzling night of the year.  With Ashton Kutcher, Zac Efron, Robert De Niro, Jon Bon Jovi, Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Katherine Heigl, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hillari Swank – and even more, it certainly is full of big names.

 

 

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Guest Post from Cancer Research Uk: Tips for Surviving the Flu Season

Autumn is officially upon us now – we’ve dug our winter coats out, turned up the heating and said goodbye to our sunnies for a while. And with the new season, it is inevitable that soon enough we shall all be under threat from colds and flu. But how can we prepare for this and start battling off the symptoms of runny noses, sneezing and sore throats? Take a look at our top tips for surviving the flu season and then sit smugly as you watch everyone else succumb to illness.

Image CC via Flickr

1. Stay Indoors

Okay, so obviously we don’t mean that you have lock yourself away from the outside world, but why not consider switching your mad Friday night drinking session for a cosy night in front of the TV? We all know that alcohol isn’t great for us, but cutting down around this time of year can significantly improve our chances of avoiding the flu as it weakens your immune system, giving nasty viruses the opportunity to take advantage. Plus, clubs and bars are an absolute haven for viruses. Anyway, with weather like this, a nice hot chocolate and a bad film sounds somewhat more appealing that a chilled glass of Pinot!

2. Stay Hygienic

Again, let’s not get over the top with this one. There is no need to freak out everytime somebody with a slightly red looking nose comes near you, but at the same time, it doesn’t hurt to take a few extra precautions around this time of year. Try keeping a small travel sized bottle of antibacterial gel in your bag, and make sure you’re using it at times when you come potentially pick up a bug, for example after you’ve been on a train with lots of people, or if you have been eating in a communal area. Just try to find the right balance between squalor and germophobia!

3. Know Your Vitamins

Understanding the correct vitamins to take can significantly boost your immune system and improve your chances of resisting illness as long as you remember to keep taking them. To avoid colds and flu, try vitamin C or the lesser known Echinacea, which helps strengthen your immune system. You can get it in both drops and tablets, depending on your preference, from all good health stores.

CC via Flickr

4. Sleep, sleep, sleep

This may sound like simple advice, but it is amazing how many people fail to get enough sleep on a regular basis. Of course a lack of sleep can make you feel run down as it is, but recent studies have also shown a link between sleep and the production of disease-fighting white blood cells. So, next time you feel bad about having too much of a lie in, just remember that it’s for the sake of your health!

5. Avoid the Gym

Okay, so most of us don’t need an excuse to skip a visit to the gym, but the fact is that, if you’re not feeling great, it’s a place to avoid. To start with, it’s a pretty close environment and there’s a real risk of either picking up a bug from someone else. If you’re already feeling rough, there might be a temptation to exercise through it, in the hope that it’ll speed up the healing process. Truth is, you’ll just risk infecting other people and making yourself feel worse. Listen to what your body is telling you: if you’re ill, rest is the fastest way to recovery.

6. Wrap up Warm

There’s a persistent myth that colds and flu can actually be caused by being too cold. In reality, both are caused by a virus that you can only pick up from someone who already has it, or from coming into contact with something they’ve been using. If you’re already ill, though, nothing will make you feel worse like being cold, and you’ll soon see your symptoms exacerbated.

This was a post from the health bloggers at Cancer Research UK, providing information and support to those suffering with breast cancer and those who know someone who is.

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Baker Days – Letterbox Cake Review

Baker Days sent us an early Christmas cake to review.  It came speedily, and in the form of a quirky letterbox cake.  It is perfect for small occasions, or when you want to send someone something a little special, but also know they won’t be able to answer the door for it.

There is an outer white box, which holds a cake inside a neatly made tin.

Our box also had a lovely little cracker and leaflets telling us about Baker Days.

Cakes are personalised and you can add your own message to them.   Ours simply said, Happy Christmas to the Scottish Mum Kids.

There are a few different recipes that you can choose from, and as a carrot cake loving family, we really had to stick to what we like best.  There are also options for plain sponge or for double chocolate, along with fruit cake, and even a gluten-free version.

I was quite surprised when I cut it up, that I naturally cut it into 8 pieces.  Not huge pieces obviously, but just enough for everyone to have a decent bite of cake.  It’s a perfect solution to send someone a little gift if you can’t get there for a special occasion.  I was also surprised that the cake was so moist.

I don’t know what I was expecting, but we loved it.  Although these cakes fit through the letterbox, they do also do larger versions, so give them a look if you are thinking of party cakes too.   With almost every type of occasion covered, I  like the fact that I can use the personalisation tool and see how it would fit on my cake of choice.

I do think it’s quite a lot of money for cake, but I was happy with the ability to send it, so I’ve just ordered one to be sent to my dad who starts his chemotherapy this week, with a prescription of cake portions.

It sure beats sending him a get well card.   There was also a delivery charge, so the small cake cost £17.98 to send in total and I could also pay by Paypal which is very important to me when I buy from smaller website businesses.

I’ve just bought one after trying it, so I guess I could say that it was a very successful review for me, and it is a bit of putting my money where my mouth is.

 

 

 

 

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Harry Potter Xbox 360 Review – On Kinect

After a disaster where our Kinect seemed to have vanished into thin air, we had to wait on a new one arriving to be able to use any of our Kinect games.

Warner Bros. had sent us a Harry Potter Xbox 360 promotional copy, and my boys were itching to get their fingers on it and play in a new world.

The day came that the new Kinect finally came and Harry Potter has seen a fair few outings in the lounge with boys fighting by using their wands to cast spells and find new things to unlock.

Here are a few words from the littlest controller:

“It’s fun, challenging and it gets you to like Harry Potter.   I have to cast spells, hit pixies and look for fairies while I look for a key pixie, which is a key with wings.”

To play the game, new players have to learn how to cast their spells in Professor Flitwicks Class and take lessons.  The wingardium leviosa is the first one they have to learn, and teaches them how to levitate.   The arm and hand motions mean that kids can identify with how they have grown up with wizards in their lives.

Players need to wait until their wand chooses them, just like in the films and then they are sorted into which house they will be in.

Using the Kinect means that there is much more involvement with the game, and players can really feel part of the experience with hand and foot movements.    Once they can cast spells they are ready to try getting into the full game.

I’d definitely say it helps to have watched a few of the films to play this game and it might be difficult for some to follow the story otherwise, but as a stand alone, the segments are easily playable whether you know the films or not.

Would I have paid for this, yes, I would.   The Kinect is great for winter and getting couch potato Xbox fans up onto their feet and doing a little interaction.   It can be played with 2 players which is always a boost with Xbox games.

 

 

 

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Traditional Scottish Stovies with Oatcakes and Beetroot – Slow Cooked & with the Kids Baked Beans to serve.

What better cold weather fare could there be.   Stovies used to be made in generations gone by in our ancestors family when it was washing day, or when the nets had to be hauled down to the boats and the women didn’t have time to make a big meal for the family.

They stayed close to home on stovie days as they had to carry their men onto the fishing boats to keep them dry.  We’re talking little women carrying huge strapping 6 + footers from the side of the piers right into their boats.  With their skirts and feet soaking and cold in the North Sea, it was a hard, miserable and tough life.

Often battling against misery and exhaustion, they would come back to their stovies simmering on the pot, and ready to fill empty bellies.

Unable to stray far from the home while they were cooking, this was a method of slow cooking that needed regular stirring couldn’t be made on market days when the women would have to carry the catch in a creel on their backs for miles to sell it at market.

Most people who make stovies today, are really only  making a type of hash with boiled potatoes and meat mixed in.  For real stovies, the potatoes need to be stoved.  They are dry and not waxy, and they break apart in the mouth when you eat them.

I’ve only ever made them in a thick bottomed pan before, so this method is a new (and easier) way of doing it for me.

The quantities mentioned in this recipe are for guidance only.  This would generally have been Monday’s meal, after the Sunday roast, and using up the leftovers of meat, potatoes and sometimes other vegetables would be added in a sort of bubble and squeak effect.

My stovies are wickedly tasty ones, made with the meat and gravy from nice large chunks of a fillet steak joint that I got from Andrew Gordon  Butchery in Aberdeen.  I am always spoiled for choice when I go in there and good meat really makes a difference to the taste of a finished dish.

Lesley Smith

Slow Cooked Traditional Scottish Stovies with Oatcakes and Beetroot (and the kids beans)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Mains
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 KG Potatoes Maris Pipers, King Edwards or Roosters - Peeled and Chopped
  • 1 - 2 Onions Chopped
  • 100 Grams Dripping Beef Dripping, Goose Fat or Vegetable Dripping
  • 1 KG Meat Usually Pork or Beef - Already Cooked
  • 200 Grams Gravy From the Pork or Beef
  • Salt & Pepper For cooking.

Method
 

  1. In a saucepan, melt approximately 100g of your lard. This will be quicker than you expect.

  2. Add the onions to the pan and lightly fry.

  3. Make sure that the onions are still white and are not cooked long enough to begin turning brown.



  4. Add the onions, lard and your potatoes to the slow cooker and stir until all the potatoes are coated in lard. If you have to add some more, add it a teaspoon at a time, as it is easy to use too much lard.

  5. Add a few spoons of the gravy from your meat, a couple of tablespoons of water, and a couple of pinches of salt.



  6. Cook for 8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high.

  7. You will need to check the pot every hour and if you need to add a little extra water, do it a teaspoon at a time. You only want just enough to stop the potatoes from burning into the pot.

  8. Don't mash the potatoes as when they are ready, they will break down with the stirring.

  9. Add in your meat with a few more spoonfuls of gravy.

  10. Cook until the meat is thoroughly heated.

  11. Normally, you would shred your meat or cut it really small, but my boys like their meat in hunky chunks so my pictures are not the effect you would get if you shredded your meat before adding it.




  13. Serve with oatcakes and beetroot with a glass of milk for the traditional fare, or add beans like the Scottish Mum Kids.


If you want to make your own oatcakes, try Traditional Scottish Oatcakes.

 

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Giveaway: Multi-Coloured Xmas Lights Worth £17.99 – 2 Sets to Give Away – Ends 15th Dec 2012

Who can resist the lure of pretty lights when it’s coming up to some lovely time off work, and the planning for Christmas and all it’s celebrations?

There is just something magical about seeing lots of different coloured lights twinkling away in windows on the cold wintry nights.  They bring thoughts of warmth, cheer, and the excitement of Christmas yet to come.

How many kids eyes pop open in wonder as they see the pretty light strung up?  I know I still love to come home and see lights showing me the way home.

I quite like inspirational ideas, and Xmas Direct has a nifty way of decorating stairs that I wouldn’t have thought of.  It just makes me wish I had a power socket in a handy place to be able to copy this idea.

The giveaway announcement today, is for two lucky people to win a set of multi coloured Xmas lights from Xmas Direct each.

To enter, simply follow the rafflecopter steps, and give yourself higher chances of entry by completing each step.  If you are already doing one of the steps, that’s fine, it still applies.

The lights on offer are multi coloured battery operated LED fairy lights in the traditional colours of red, blue, amber and green.

The lights are set on green cable that means they can blend into dark backgrounds.   Xmas Direct suggests winding them through a wreath or a garland, which seems a fairly neat thing to do.   With a small battery pack that takes three AA batteries, these lights could well last up to 100 hours if you use high-powered batteries.

The two sets of lights on offer are the 5 meter lengths, which are valued at £17.99 each.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions
The promoter reserves the right to change or cancel this giveaway at any time.  The winning selection will be made by random selection. Winners will be notified after the end of the entry period. If the winners don’t claim their giveaway after 48 hours, it will be redrawn. While we will try to deliver the winners goods by Christmas, we cannot absolutely guarantee that the giveaway goods will arrive in time for Christmas Day. While we will endeavour to get the lights to the winner on time, the delivery time will be dependant on how long it takes to be claimed and delivery schedules.  Giveaway open to UK entrants only.

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Giveaway – 5 Sets of More Big Machines DVD & Activity Book – ends 15th December 2012

Perfect for Christmas presents, and up for a lovely giveaway is 5 sets of More Big Machines (the DVD) and an activity book from Tractor Ted?  Follow the rafflecopter instructions on this post to submit your entries and be in with a chance of winning.

This Christmas Tractor Ted has lots of new products and ideas to delight and inspire two to six year old tractor fans.   No self-respecting toddler will want to get out of their Tractor Ted bed (£370) which even has its own steering wheel, especially if it comes with the new Tractor Ted duvet set (£35) comprising a pillow case and duvet cover. And the Tractor Ted pencil tin (£8.99) makes an ideal stocking filler.

With lots of gift ideas to consider, the site is really worth a look.  Along with breakfast sets, lunch boxes, jigsaws and wellies, any child can really feel at home in the countryside with Tractor Ted goodies.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The new range complements the much-loved existing Tractor Ted DVDs, books, clothes, toys and gifts.   There are now more than 15 DVDs featuring big machines, how our food is made, the seasons and looking after animals.   The latest is Tractor Ted, and the one up for giveaway on Scottish Mum Blog is More Big Machines.  Each copy retails for £9.99, so it would make a perfect stocking filler.

For all tractor fans, there is also a fan club that children can join, they can play games on the website.

So what do you have to do to enter?

Check off your answers on the rafflecopter widget and check back on the 16th December to see if you have won.  Remember to leave a comment so that I can get in touch with you if you win.

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Sponsored: Are You Driving Home for Christmas?

As December gets ever closer there is one thing we can be sure off, the weather is going to make driving pretty dangerous. But for the vast majority of people the school run and getting to work are essential journeys, which just can’t be avoided no matter what the weather is like. So here are some top tips for making driving in the snow and ice as safe as possible.

 Plan Ahead

The busier roads are always the first to get gritted, so plan your journeys around them. On a day to day basis minor roads may save you an extra few minutes on your daily commute, but trying to traverse down a country lane which is covered in snow is the fastest way to find yourself stuck. Although you obviously want to avoid situation like this it’s a good idea to keep a supply of salt in your car just in case. It’s also a good idea to be patient while on the roads, if you are travelling down the motorway don’t be tempted to get into the outside lane and end the journey as fast as possible, find the lane with least amount of slush and ice and remain in previous tyre tracks if possible.

 Accelerating

Start gently and avoid high revs when setting off, try to get the car moving when in second gear and ease your foot of the clutch as slow as possible, this will minimise the possibility of wheel spin. Snowy conditions make choosing an adequate speed even more important than usual. Going too fast can result in your wheels losing traction resulting in your car sliding, losing control, and possibly spinning; on the other hand though going too slow can cause you to lose momentum and coming to a halt.

 Braking

When it comes to braking you want to be gentle, slowing down should be as smooth as possible. Increasing you stopping distance is another top tip, you should think about doubling or tripling the stopping distance you would you use on a dry road. Although braking is necessary try and use the gears to slow down, braking can cause the wheels to lose traction and slide, but if the tyres are constantly turning they will have better grip on the road. If you do lose control try and steer out of the way rather than trying to come to a complete stop. In icy conditions ABS systems should not be relied on, so remember to slow down far more cautiously than usual.

 Remember to be courteous to other road users, if snow is falling turn on your fog lights or dipped headlights, but remember if visibility improves fog lights have the potential to dazzle other road users.

 This was a guest post by Simon Howarth on behalf of Remote Asset Management, providers of vehicle tracking solutions for businesses of all sizes across the UK.