Category: Bathtime

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Our February…

by thejoyoffive2 Comments on Our February…

Well February has been a pretty funny one weather wise hasn’t it. We spent the beginning of the month with everything crossed that the snow flurries were going to settle and give us a couple of ‘snow days’ and then the end of the month stripping back to T-shirts and eating ice cream in the park.

The beginning of the month was actually a cause for celebration in our house as we celebrated granddaughter number two’s imminent arrival with a baby shower for Alice. I haven’t quite got my head around being a nanny to Isla yet and we already have another one on the way to add to the madness of the family.

We also spend a good few hours in the garden getting it ready for the warmer weather. The boys have been really lucky to have a new playhouse, slide and sandpit and we can’t wait to find the perfect paddling pool to make us completely summer ready!

It’s not to often that I socialise in the evenings anymore and I decided this new year that I was going to stop being such a misery and get out with my friends more.

I had a lovely evening with the mums from Oscar’s class. Ate to much a drank more than I should which made for an all round great evening.

Getting back into my fitness has been a great success this month thanks to Jemma’s Heath Hub. Jemma and I had found each other though the wonderful world of Instagram and she asked me to trial her online fitness program which had seen me out of bed super early three times a week to take part in an online exercise session with a whole load of other likeminded women. Go and check her out if you are looking to get back into fitness and want something to do in your own home.

My husband is the romantic one in our relationship and my lack of romantic is something that really gets to him. So this Valentine’s Day we both took a few hours out of our day to grab some lunch and randomly walk around a local museum…not really his idea of a good day out!

One of my first real jobs was working in the food hall at Marks and Spencer. I still have fond memories of this and they were an amazing company to work for. So fast forward a good few years my new job has landed me back at Marks and Spencer…but behind the scenes at head office.

It really is moments like this that make me realise all the hours I put in are most definitely worth it and it was so amazing to be behind the scenes of a place that is so close to my heart.

The boys were gifted scooters from the wonderful Micro Scooters this month and they literally haven’t got off them since. They have always been my first choice for scooters as they are so easy to use and look amazing. They came with use on a trip to the park the other day where we all enjoyed our first ice cream of the year.

We get to explore many parts of London with my job but Battersea is someone I don’t I have ever been and the children certainly haven’t. We had a more than pleasant surprise when we went along to the power station during half term and got to witness what an amazing job they are doing there.

They have some great shops and restaurants and lots of bits and pieces to keep the children occupied along the waterfront. We were actually there to try out a class at the über cool Boom Cycle whist the kids were kept occupied at the lovely ladies from Kids Table. It is definitely one to put on your list.

We actually did a lot of eating in town this half term with a trip to Yo Sushi and Las Iguanas who both offer great deals during the school holidays so keep this in mind for Easter.

Half term was actually a pretty packed one for us and aside from duties of dog sitting at mum and dads we got to enjoy some great events, including a trip to Neville’s in Belgravia for the launch of the new range of hair care from Child’s Farm.

The boys thought they were super models and spent the morning requesting exactly how they wanted their hair styled whilst me and Izzy were treated to some braids and of course a bit of glitter.

The end of month saw an event just for me which is always a welcome change and I attended the launch of the Emma Willis Collection from Next.

It was an amazing evening where I got to see the whole range which was a stylish and gorgeous as Emma herself.

I spent the evening catching up with friends, drinking way to much Prosecco and fan girling Emma for most of the night!

Bathtime, Beauty, Behavioural Problems, Children, Families, Family Life, Flowers, Reviews, Tolietries

A Restful Nights Sleep With Love Boo

by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment on A Restful Nights Sleep With Love Boo

A restful nights sleep and children don’t really go hand and hand in this house, in fact its the complete opposite. My eldest three were all pretty good but the last two have been a different story and bedtimes are a battle ground to say the least.

You name it we have tried it and to be honest the only thing that helps a little is getting into a good routine. When things are all up the wall and there is no set routine then things are certainly that bit harder.

Our routine always consists of bath and a bedtime story to try and get them as calm and relaxed as possible; so I was extremely happy when I was asked by Love Boo to try out their Sleep & Snuggle Room Spray.  The 100% natural spay is a combination of chamomile, patchouli and lavender which makes form the perfect combination to aid a restful sleep for you little ones.

Before seeing if this worked its magic though the boys enjoyed a warm bath with the gorgeous smelling Soft & Splashy Bubble, bubble bath that comes from the vast collection of goodies that Love Boo offer. They boys both suffer from eczema and can often be irritated by bath products but this left their skin silky smooth and not an itchy patch in sight.

Super clean and ready for story time the boys excitedly took the Sleep & Snuggle Srpay and spritzed it around the room whilst I informed them it had magical powers to help them get off to sleep. A gorgeous smell engulfed the room and amazingly the boys settled with ease.

I think a combination of the spray and the promises I had implanted in their tiny minds allowed them to settle really well and has now become an important part of our bedtime routine.

Love Boo isn’t just about the children either and once they were all settled I treated myself to a long soak in the bath with their Splendidly Soothing Bath soak full of rose geranium oil, white water lily and mallow followed by soothing myself in their Body Smoother which has my favourite shea butter with its hugely mosterisiing properties it was just what I needed.

I also added a few squirts of the Sleep & Snuggle Spay to my own pillow as I often have trouble with switching off at bedtime and it was a great help.

So if you are in need of some help at bedtime or you want to give yourself a little treat then head over and take a look at the whole range as I can assure you there will be something there you will all love.

*I was gifted these products for the purpose of this review.

Allergies, Bathtime, Beauty, Children, Eczema, Families, Family Life, Reviews

Cetraben Skincare:Review

by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment on Cetraben Skincare:Review

This house is home to a few sensitive soles of the skin variety and this has come with its challenges over the years.

My skin causes problems with seasonal changes but is pretty easy to manage even if it can be a bit of a pain. A good thick moisturiser usually gets the problem sorted and I don’t have to worry to much about it.

My husband and youngest two however have extremely problematic skin that has caused them a huge host of problems from itchiness that is so bad they can’t sleep, weeping skin that has lead to infections and for Frankie even the extremes of hospitalisation to get the problems sorted.

I actually thought that we must have tried every single emollient on the market until Cetraben asked me if I would like to try out some products from their range.

This actually couldn’t have come at a better time as this harsh weather has caused all of us to have varying degrees of problems that need some attention.

Cetraben is a range that has been developed especially for dry, problematic, eczema prone skins and works by re-hydrating the skin and protecting it from all those nasties that can cause irritation.

The mixture of light paraffin wax, white, soft paraffin wax and glycerin work together to replace lost oils from the skin, provide deep moisturisation and form a protective barrier across the surface of the skin.

The first product we tried was the Cetraben Daily Cleansing Cream that can be used either as a body wash in the bath or applied afterwards like a moisturiser.

I found this perfect to use during bath time for the boys as they are not fans of having to stand there and have a moisturiser applied after their bath and this can be applied whilst they are playing with them barely noticing.

The cream absorbed well and left them with very moistened and less itchy skin which is exactly what we were looking for.

I tried it as a moisturiser after my bath and although my skin was noticeably softer and my dry patches completely disappeared I wasn’t so keen on the clinical smell, although this did fade pretty quickly.

Frankie had a pretty bad flare up of his eczema after an unsuccessful allergy challenge last week and was suffering pretty badly with very angry, red patches of eczema that needed something a little stronger so I tired out the Cetraben Lotion on these localised areas.

It worked wonders on this very irritating skin by getting deep into the skin and giving a really deep and long lasting moisturisation; in fact during these times emollients have to be applied to Frankie several times a day but morning and evening was all it took to keep him happy.

We were all really pleased with the results we got from both of these products and it is certainly something that is going to be a staple in our bathroom cabinet from now on!

*We were sent these products for the proof this review and they are all my own, honest opinions.

Bathtime, Families, Family Life

Finally Getting That New Bathroom

by thejoyoffive4 Comments on Finally Getting That New Bathroom

I have been driving my husband mad for months or actually more like years with my constant moaning about the state of our bathroom.

When we moved in I tried to spruce it up a little with a lick of tile paint, some cheap lino and a few fluffy towels.

Years down the line the tiredness is showing through, cracks are appearing in even more places, and a few pots of paints are no longer going to stand up to this job!

My head has been whirling and my Pinterest has been filling with more and more ideas everyday.

I have really fallen for the clean subway tile look with contrasting black grout. I want to keep everything sleek and uncluttered so it is easy to keep clean and tidy as we have a very busy family life.


With five children the bathroom is a much used room in the house and three boys means dirt and muck is a daily battle!

But aside from being somewhere to clean dirty children I wanted to create a little haven that I can escape to and relax once the children are finally in bed.

Its something I’ve not been able to do for many years and I’m really looking forward to being able to light a few candles and soaking away the stresses of the day.

I have had a vision of what I would like to see but this job has now been taken from my unskilled hands and is being passed over to the professionals.  

The creative side of things is something I love but a professional is a must for a job like this as things such a gas safety inspections that can be carried out after the work has taken place are so important for my peace of mind and the safely of my family.

I am hoping that all the work will be done before Christmas and will be able to show you all how we get along.
*collaborative post

Allergies, Bathtime, Beauty, Children, Eczema, Families, Family Life, Ikea

Skinfix:Eczema And Sensitive Skincare Launch

by thejoyoffive4 Comments on Skinfix:Eczema And Sensitive Skincare Launch

We were asked along to have brunch at The Riding House Cafe in London the other week to celebrate the launch of the Canadian skincare brand Skinfix in Boots stores.


We were treated to some good food and copious amounts of coffee whilst hearing all about the new range that I was hoping to be of great benefit to my family.


My husband and my two youngest boys all suffer from eczema and for well over a year we had a horrendous time with number three backwards and forwards to the doctors and several hospital stays because of his condition.

I really feel that I’m a bit of an expert when it comes to both prescribed and over the counter treatments for skin conditions as in desperation we have tried anything we could get our hands on.

At first glance of the Skinfix range I was very impressed by the attractive packaging.  They have steered clear of the clinical approach and gone for something that is gender-neutral and would look great on any bathroom shelf.

This award winning range that is based around using natural ingredients keeping it free from fragrance, sulphates, parabens and phthalates is mid range in price but with the most expensive product coming it at under £18 I don’t think this is to heftier a price tag.

With my mind racing with all this fresh information we set of home to see how they held up on my itchy little ones.


I tried the soothing wash and lotion from the adult range which unfortunately wasn’t suitable for my husband as it contains nuts but worked really well on my dry hands that are worn down due to the everyday ups and downs of parenting.

The real test was the new baby range that is set to hit the shelves soon. 

 Number four still gets large areas of eczema that irritate him day and night. After a couple of weeks of using the gentle eczema balm the areas because less red in appearance and the itching was greatly soothed.  It was easy to apply and the squeezable tube was much better to use than having to scrape from a large pot that tends to get messy with the thicker creams.

Number five has more generalised dry skin that give him terrible problems with sleeping at night.  The gentle lotion was easily absorbed and kept his skin soothed all night.

My favourite product by far though was the hair and body wash.  I always found it a struggle to keep shampooing seperate from the bath water.  This combination allowed me to bath them so much quicker as there was no separate hair washing to be done.

This range is suitable for day to day dryness of the skin to more serious skin conditions.  It really is a fabulous range that I will most definitely be stocking up on!  

Arts And Crafts, Bathtime, Fish, Foam Play, Garden Centres, Kids Days Out, Wallington

Lemonade The Goldfish And Foamy Bathtime

by thejoyoffive1 Comment on Lemonade The Goldfish And Foamy Bathtime

Today bought the dreaded question I somehow thought I had managed to avoid “where is my fish?”

A few months ago I got up to the terrible sight of a floating ‘Goldie’ in the fish tank.  I swiftly removed him before he was seen by little eyes, but before I knew it number four was by my side asking where Goldie was!!  In a state of panic I said that he was having a rest in the shed.  To this day I have no idea why this ludicrous thought came into my head.

Weeks passed and the replacement fish was never bought and no more questions were asked.  So instead of doing the sensible thing and teaching him about the unfortunate death and grieving process I now how to keep up this ridiculous facade and decided to tell him he had swam away, but we could go and see if we could go and find another lovely fish just like Goldie.


We took a trip to Woodcote Green garden centre in Wallington.  This really is the Rolls Royce of garden centres.  They have all the usual things you would expect plus a fantasic farm shop with a beautiful deli, butchers and bakery.  An extentsive gift selection, aquarium, two cafes which are nice but slightly over priced and a small outdoor play area for the youngsters.

After spending a while taking in the afternoons beautiful sunshine in the play area we made our way to the aquarium where Frankie very carefully picked out the exact lemon goldfish he wanted.  We set  on the name of Lemonade due to his colour and carefully took him home to the safety of his new tank, with the thought clearly in my mind that when the inevitable happens to poor Lemonade I will deal with it in a much more appropriate way than last time.


As we were on a watery theme today I thought that we could have some fun at bath time tonight with some colours shaving foam.


Number four has suffered with severe eczema over the past few years so bubble baths have been a no no for a long time.


This easy mixture of cheap shaving foam with a few drops or sprinkling of food colouring gave loads of fun to number three, four and five and are plain enough to not affect sensitive skin.