Wednesday 31 May 2017

REVIEW: Cadbury Dairy Milk Big Taste Peanut Caramel Crisp (DXB)

I was sent the Cadbury Dairy Milk BIG TASTE Peanut Caramel Crisp bar to review and boy have I got a lot to say about it.


Firstly I would like to tell you the back story of this chocolate. It is inspired by the nations love of nuts. It was launched on the 1st of April as a new addition to the Dairy Milk family.

It features a peanut paste with rice crisps layered with caramel and chopped peanuts and to top it all of it is smothered in chocolate. Yum!


Weighing in at 278g the question you'll be asking yourself is to share or not to share. I didn't want to share! It is delicious!

ADVERT: FREE Food From UberEATS (YB)

UberEATS is now in Liverpool as well as lots of other places (see locations below) in the UK - use my code eats-qm5llc to get £5 off your first order!

Added trick for Liverpool only - when you've entered my code in your promotions section of your account eats-qm5llc - if you then also type in LIVERPOOLEATS you'll also get another £10 off your first order - so a good size free meal!

You can order on the website or download the app on Play Store or iTunes (Android or iOS):

LIVERPOOL, LONDON, MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW, LEEDS, NOTTINGHAM, SOUTHAMPTON

Wednesday 10 May 2017

REVIEW: Hallmark Star Wars Range (YB)

I was sent a great big box of Star Wars goodies to review from Hallmark celebrating Star Wars month.

Here is our unboxing video starring Paul and Marley...



We are big Star Wars fans in our household, so we were mega excited to be offered this review opportunity for Hallmark! As you can probably tell...



Hallmark do a huge selection of Star Wars goodies - a fantastic range of greetings cards for any occasion, the ones that particularly caught my eye are the 3D 'shelfie' style Chewbacca & Darth Vader cards, as well as the pop out box card. Most importantly, they feature all of your favourite characters. I'd say they are ageless too, not just for kids, so suitable for fans of all ages.



Then there are their fab new Itty Bitty's - the Itty Bitty's are a really fun range of Star Wars soft toys - perfect for your little Star Wars fans - Marley is loving his Itty Bitty toys and they're the perfect size for little hands. He's had lots of fun with them! Again, you'll find all of yours and your children's favourite Star Wars characters.



And so you've got your Star Wars fan some Itty Bitty's & a card from the range, but what to give them in... Well, Hallmark even offer some fab gift bags in varying sizes too. They've really thought of everything!



They even do bottle holders - look at this fab Darth Vader bottle holder...



Basically, if you're a fan of Star Wars, or know a fan, you're bound to find some fantastic Star Wars gifts at Hallmark, irrelevant of if you're a fan of The Dark Side or The Light Side!

I was very impressed with all the Star Wars goodies available, so fellow fans will love the gifts on offer.

You can see the range on the Hallmark website and they are all available to buy at Amazon.


REVIEW: PAIRFUM London Large Reed Diffuser Bell (YB)

I was sent a PAIRFUM London Large Reed Diffuser Bell to review...



I was really glad to be able to be involved in reviewing the PAIRFUM London reed diffuser - because their diffusers sounded special.

There are lots of reed diffusers available, but a lot of them are cheap ones and I worry about what is in them.

PAIRFUM London offered something special - natural/organic essential oils, a fragrance that lasts for 6-9 months and is free from carrier solvents. They are also lovingly handmade in the United Kingdom by PAIRFUM London Artisans.

From the moment your diffuser is delivered, you get a sense of something special, the box it is packaged in itself is quite beautiful and come with a scent button so you can instantly grasp the depth of scent the diffuser will provide.



I've been using the diffuser for over a week now and every morning, our living room smells beautiful. The scent is as amazing as the first day I used it.

Tuesday 2 May 2017

REVIEW: Hape Eggspressions (YB)

I was sent Hape Eggspressions to review with Marley and this is what I thought...



Eggspressions is an educational toy for 24m+ children. It comes with 6 eggs and 6 stands as well as a book to read along with them.



The point in Eggspressions is to teach your child what people are feeling and this is a really fun way of doing it. The book tells a story that allows your child to match the eggs expressions to their bit of the story. The story is engaging and the illustrations are captivating.
Humpty's cousins are invited to a party but they need a plan to get over the castle wall. By sharing their feelings and working together, they find a happy solution.
The six eggs are Happy, Sad, Shy, Angry, Excited and Afraid. Marley enjoyed learning about their expressions and he quickly got the hang of which was which, and even tried mimicking them. I made up stories for him too, to correspond to each egg which he enjoyed.



He is almost 3, so he does grasp the concept of some feelings, but some he was unfamiliar with and so this helped him understand feelings he had not encountered before.


The Eggspressions from Hape are sure to provoke hours of egg-citement within your little one this Easter. Enjoy the 6 characterful eggheads as you follow their journey through the scrambled feelings idea book. Watch as children learn to identify and express their feelings while developing hand and eye co-ordination, perfect for any early explorer. The Eggspressions are suitable from 24 months + and are available to buy online for Argos for £19.99.

Friday 28 April 2017

REVIEW: Deluxe Travel Centre (YB)

I was sent a Deluxe Travel Centre to review and this is what I thought...




When I was contacted about this, I was very excited about reviewing it. Me & Paul were discussing where Marley would sleep when we go on holiday this summer. He seems too big for a travel cot but too small to sleep in a full size single bed (well, without bed rails anyway). So we were left with a dilemma - where is he going to sleep?

The Deluxe Travel Centre is the perfect travel companion if you have a baby or toddler. It's basically a small person (baby/toddler) tent that comes with a self-inflating mattress, quilted sleeping mat and tent pegs. Not to mention it all fits into a relatively small carrying bag to make it easily portable. It is also British Standards Travel Cot approved!


But it's so much more than your average travel cot - firstly, it is useable up to 4 years old. But as well as using it as a bed - you can use it as a play zone. For example, in the park or at the beach on a sunny day - as it is also a tried & tested UPF35+ sun shelter! So that makes it even more ideal for your family holiday.

Maybe you've heard tent and thought 'far too much effort' - it really isn't! You hold it as you remove the securing elastic from around it, then let it go and it instantly pings into shape - literally in a flash, your travel centre is up & ready to go in seconds!


And equally, you've heard inflatable mattress and thought 'oh no, that means taking a pump or spending ages doing it manually' - again, that's not the case. The mattress is self-inflating - you simply open the valve and it sucks the air in - at most you need to give it a little manual blow up in order to get it just how you want it.

All in all, it took me less than 5 minutes - I didn't time, but I think it was probably actually only 2-3 minutes - quick & easy, just what you want on holiday. Nothing too fiddly, time consuming or frustrating.


We obviously just tested it out at home in the living room - and it also makes a fun little play area - Marley decided it was his "tree house" and has enjoyed playing in it. So it really is multi-functional.


It has a zip-up mesh net to prevent insects getting in - you can see in and your little one can see out. There's also the outer zip-up layer too. The zips are on the outside meaning your little one can't easily escape. On the opposite side is another zip-up outer layer, with a non-zip mesh net underneath providing an extra window and/or extra ventilation. There are also a further two smaller mesh net windows either side. Plenty of ways for you to look in on your little one and for them to see you and feel reassured.


Overall, I am very impressed with this. It is much smaller than a normal travel cot, takes only a couple of minutes to set up and has several uses too! I would highly recommend it!

The Deluxe Travel Centre costs just £89.99 and comes in 6 different colours - blue, ocean, pistachio, purple, red & yellow. There's currently an offer - 15% off all Travel Centres up to midnight April 30th. Includes free shipping, use code APRIL  at checkout.
  • Suitable for 0-4 years
  • Travel Cot approved
  • UV sun protection
  • Versatile indoor/outdoor use
  • Compact & portable
  • Self inflating mattress
  • Sleeping mat included
  • 4 tent pegs included


Monday 24 April 2017

REVIEW: Del Monte Squeezies (YB)

I was sent some Del Monte Squeezie's to review with my little man...



The Del Monte Squeezie's are available with fun Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse characters and are available in several flavours:

- Apple, strawberry & blueberry
- Apple & mango
- Apple, banana & strawberry

The first one Marley tried was the apple, banana & strawberry and this is what he thought...



He thoroughly enjoyed this and it was nice to think he was having an enjoyable, yet healthy treat. 



As well as being a nice healthy treat, he found it easy to hold and consume and he found it fun too!

It doesn't need to be stored in the fridge until it's open (then it can be refrigerated for 24 hours), meaning it's something you can pop in your bag when you're going out & about!

It's a nice treat I can feel good about giving to him as it's helping get some of his 5-a-day - 1 portion of fruit is in each pouch, so a fun little treat, turns into a very healthy 1 of his 5-a-day!

Struggling to pack the perfect lunchbox for your kids? Want to give them a tasty snack after school but not over indulge a sweet tooth? Del Monte’s NEW Squeezie range is here to put a smile on the whole family’s face. Not only do they taste delicious, but Squeezies come with fun collectable caps which can be made into lots of cool shapes; from your very own castle to a pretty flower.
New Squeezies from Del Monte are terrific snacks for toddlers and older children - full of vitaminsand minerals and bursting with flavour. As every pack counts as one of your five a day, thesepouches are a great way to get picky eaters eating fruit. Plus, with no added sugar or artificialingredients, you can be confident that you are giving your little ones nothing but 100% naturalgoodness!
The new Squeezie kids snacking range, made from 100% real fruit, comes in three fantastic flavours:
  • Apple, Banana & Strawberry – the perfect blend for an energyboosting snack bursting with vitamin C and E. Apple, strawberry and banana are a fruity match made in Squeezie heaven!
  • Apple & Mango – known as the “king of the fruits," mango is nutritionally rich and an excellent source of vitamin A, making this an ideal snack for your little prince or princess.
  • Apple, Strawberry & Blueberry – they say all good things come in small packages, and blueberries are just that! Packed with vitamin C, fibre and other antioxidants, your kids are sure to love this as much as you do.
Each pack also has a wicked app with a fun card game and even more shape inspiration,
meaning your kids will be healthy and happy. So, thanks to Del Monte®, healthy snacking
has just been made easy peasy super Squeezie!
Del Monte® Squeezies are now available in Asda stores nationwide. RRP 79p per pouch.

REVIEW: ASDA Little Angels Nappies (YB)

I was sent some ASDA Little Angels nappies to review...


I usually use Pampers as my 'tried & tested' brand as I often like to stick to what I know I can trust. But if there's a special offer, or in this case, a review, I am more than willing to try out a different brand.

Upon opening the packet, the feel and quality was definitely comparable to my usual brand.

Putting the nappy on Marley was just as easy as my usual brand and fitted just as well.

Of course, the major test here is absorbency. Because, a nappy is not much good if it can't keep your baby dry and free of leaks.

Well, the ASDA Little Angels nappies fitted very well and Marley seemed comfortable in them. And as for absorbency, I tried them on him both during the day and during the night and they definitely were equally, if not moreso, absorbent as Pampers. I'm pleased to say there were no leaks, even when he was running around.


Another positive point is, the tape on the waist is nice & strong, so this helped prevent drooping during the day when he was running around, as that was always a problem with normal nappies and why we switch to pants style nappies.

It's easy to believe that 'own brand' products aren't as good as the big brand you know of, but this isn't the first time I've been impressed by own brand products and have made a fair few changes in the past. I would have to say, ASDA is definitely one of the best supermarkets for offering at least like-for-like quality with the big brands, and in my opinion, they are even better for some of their own items!

Overall, I would say I was pleasantly surprised and very happy with ASDA Little Angels nappies, and I would definitely recommend them!

ASDA Little Angels have up to 12 hours dryness, to ensure a restful, dry nights sleep for your little one. The secure flexi-fit helps prevent leaks. Super-soft, feather-like softness is perfect for babies skin and super absorbent gel beads absorb up to 30 times their own weight.

Their big packs (containing 54-98 nappies depending on size) of nappies cost just £5 per packet, which in my opinion, is very cheap for a pack of this size.

Saturday 22 April 2017

COMPETITION: Win A Black & White Swarovski Crystal Elements Necklace (YB)

At  My Random Family Blurb, we love to spoil you, our readers! As a thank you for your support during our change into a family, we're giving you another chance to win!

This time, we have a beautiful Black & White Swarovski Elements Necklace up for grabs.




We're going to make you work for this one though, and you will need a Twitter account to participate, as you need to complete ALL of the Twitter follows and the tweet in order to be entered into the competition! There will be additional, optional entry routes too - but when you go to the Rafflecopter app below, all the mandatory entries you can see, MUST be completed in order to enter.


Want even more chances to win? Visit our MRFB Competitions page!


Terms & Conditions
- Open to UK residents, aged 18+
- Entry period is 00:00 22/04/2017 - 23:59 31/05/2017
- Winner will be notified on 01/08/2017 and has 7 days to contact me with the address & phone number or a new winner will be chosen. Prize will be despatched within 30 days of receiving the winners details.



Tuesday 18 April 2017

REVIEW: TrackR Bravo (DXB)

I was given the opportunity to review the TrackR Bravo (Silver). Within 3 days of having it, I made great use of it 3 times to find my keys and 2 times to find my phone.



The TrackR Bravo is a small 50 pence piece size item finder:



All you have to do is attach it to an item you lose often by either using the keyring or the double sided sticker to attach it to your: keys, bike, water bottle, phone, tablet or car then download the app available for App Store or Google Play (Compatible with: iPhone 4s or later, iPad with retina display or later and Android 4.4 or later with Bluetooth 4.0) and follow the simple steps and in under 5 minutes you will be set up to use your TrackR.


Now when you go on the app you will see this screen: 



Now if you press the green button at the the bottom of the screen it will play a loud and noticeable alarm to alert you of where it is and also the button will flash blue for extra find ability. 

At the the start of the post I mentioned that I used the TrackR to find my phone, this is possible by pressing the button on the TrackR which even during silent and do not disturb mode which sounds a customisable alarm sound on your phone. 

This is everything included with the TrackR Bravo:


Overall I have found the TrackR Bravo to be very useful especially if you are very clumsy and lose everything.

Some facts and interesting stuff you need to know from TrackR about their product:
  • More than 4.5 units have been shipped worldwide 
  • Sold in more than 4000 retailers
  • TrackR's Crowd Locate network finds over a million items every day 
  • Named #155 on Inc.'s 500 Fastest Growing Companies in 2015
  • Ranked #1 Fastest Growing Company by Pacific Coast Business Times in 2016


The top 5 items people put the TrackR Bravo on:
  1. Keys
  2. Wallets
  3. Laptop Bags
  4. Remotes
  5. Pets

Do you have an Amazon Alexa? Can't Find your phone? Just say: "Alexa, find my phone." 

The TrackR Bravo has a slim, sleek design made from anodized aluminium for thin and discreet tracking. 

Want it to be be more personal add laser engraving or have your favourite photo printed on one using UV-LED technology so it won't rub off. See pictures below: 


Does your family often need to find the keys, remotes or even the family pet? Just use the Family Sharing feature on the app and up to 10 people can track the same item. 

What's your favourite colour? Choose your TrackR in: silver, blue, black and rose gold. 



Friday 14 April 2017

BLOG: A New Era - My Random Family Blurb (YB)

For my regular readers, you may now have noticed it hasn't just been me blogging anymore.

I've now renamed the blog My Random Family Blurb (instead of My Random Blurb), however the domain name remains the same - www.MyRandomBlurb.co.uk - the difference being, it is not just me blogging on here anymore.

My Random Blurb has now become My Random Family Blurb...

After almost 8 years of blogging, I decided to make the blog into a family blog, so now my husband, Paul aged 36, son David, aged 14 and my sisters Yasmin, aged 23 & Latisha, aged 15 will also be blogging on here. Making for a much broader set of posts & reviews.

Since the arrival of little man in July 2014, I've not had as much time as I'd like to blog, so sadly, there have not been so many posts, but that is about to change. I've got a few reviews, competitions and regular posts lined up very soon.

Whenever you see a post now, the title will end with the initials of the writer:
(YB) will be my posts
(PB) will be posts by Paul
(DXB) will be posts by David
(YE) will be posts by Yasmin
(LME) will be posts by Latisha

Meet our family of bloggers and choose who you want to do a review (if you're not sure who to approach for a review, just e-mail here to the main blog account & I'll decide)...

     YVONNE (me)

I am Yvonne, 34, from Liverpool. I am a Mum of 2 boys - David aged 14 and Marley aged 2 years. I enjoy writing which is why I started this blog back in May 2009. I also like writing poetry and short stories and would like to write a novel one day when I have the time. My other interests are entering competitions, watching TV (particularly sci-fi, drama and comedies), listening to music (I like all sorts - 60s, 70s, reggae, glam rock etc.), lifelong fan of Liverpool FC (sadly never been to a match!), love horse racing, bingo, board games, puzzles, all things to do with Ancient Egypt, boxing, badminton, travelling, eating out, cooking, grow your own gardening, days out, going to the cinema, and loads more! But the most important of all to me is my family.

For reviews, please e-mail me

    PAUL (husband)


Here is an introduction from Paul...

"I am Paul originally from Hampshire, I met Yvonne nearly 18 years ago and moved to Liverpool. I am a dad of a 2½ year old monster and a 14 year old horror. I don't know which is worse. I like messing with computers (Yvonne tells me I am a geek). I like it when things don't work as they should as it's interesting to fix things. I like music (rock 'n roll, 60's, punk, metal and more). I like telly (sci-fi, horror and drama). I enjoy cycling and walking. I listen to a lot of audio books and audio drama, again mostly sci-fi, horror, fantasy and mystery. It's a great hobby that makes housework bearable and travelling fun. Reading books is good; mostly sci-fi, horror & fantasy [There is a bit of a theme going on isn't there!]. I like peace and quiet... not that I remember what that is."

For reviews, e-mail him


    DAVID (son)

Here is an introduction from David...


"Hi! I'm David, 14 from Liverpool. I'm going to college in September and my main course will be Hospitality & Catering as I want to be a chef. I enjoy cooking, food, gaming, watching Netflix and NOW TV, listening to top 40 music & 90s music, chocolate, technology, cinema, mountain biking and tennis. I like wolves and foxes. I'm interested in men's fashion & footwear. I support Liverpool FC, but I've only ever been to 2 matches. I also like going to rugby matches."

For reviews, e-mail him

     YASMIN (sister)

Here is an introduction from Yasmin...



For reviews, e-mail her

  LATISHA (sister)

Here is an introduction from Latisha...



For reviews, e-mail her

Wednesday 12 April 2017

REVIEW & COMPETITION: Bob The Builder: Dig This DVD (YB)

I was sent a copy of the new Bob The Builder: Dig This DVD to review 🔨



Bob is back! With tools at the ready, the nation’s favourite builder returns with a new DVD collection of tales of teamwork and friendship “Bob the Builder – Dig This”, released by Abbey Home Media on Monday 17th April.
Grab your tool belt and hardhat and join Bob and his team as they construct projects using a foundation of determination and working together. With his business partner Wendy, apprentice builder Leo, and a team of machines, Bob is ready to get to work in Fixham and Spring City.
This team digs into any project, hammering out solutions to problems, all while building confidence along the way. No project is too big or too small – from fixing a leaky roof to repairing a skyscraper. After all, the fun is in getting it done!
In Dig This, Team Bob are digging the foundations for a skyscraper in Spring City’s new business zone, but work has to stop when they come across some ancient Roman ruins. 
This new collection features seven fun episodes: Dig This; Saffi’s Treehouse; Out of the Woods; Stormy Weather; Bear Mountain; Bentley’s Bones and Home on the Range.


My little man loves Bob The Builder, so when I was offered the opportunity to review the new DVD, I knew he'd be excited!

The DVD has 7 episodes - Dig This, Saffi's Treehouse, Out Of The Woods, Stormy Weather, Bear Mountain, Bentley's Bones and Home On The Range. That's approximately 77 minutes of exciting fun!

Bob The Builder has changed a lot! I remember watching it with David when he was little (he's 14 now) and it's changed so much since I last saw it!

Marley had previously watched Bob The Builder on his iPad having a little down time, so I'd not really paid much attention to it, because as I'm sure most parents would agree, you end up seeing so much kids telly, it's nice to switch off from it when you can!

But with it being on DVD and therefore on the main TV 📺, I saw it properly for the first time and it really has changed so much over the years. David complains that's it's different, but that's because he's nostalgic about how it was when he was little 😜

Being obsessed with dinosaurs, Marley loves the episode where they  have finished building, but need to fit a complete dinosaur skeleton in, but they have the wrong measurements and take the dinosaur apart! Then they're stuck on how to put it back together, until Bob realises there's a photo of it before it was taken apart and they use it to put the dinosaur skeleton back together like a jigsaw!

He loved all of the episodes and enjoyed watching Bob and his team on all their jobs!

The characters are fun, colourful and exciting. Children will love it!

Bob The Builder: Dig This is available on DVD from Monday 17th April 2017!



I've kindly been allowed to run a competition to offer a copy of the DVD to one of my very lucky readers for their little Bob The Builder fan! If you'd like to enter, just follow the steps in the Gleam app below to enter. 

Terms & Conditions
- Open to UK residents, aged 18+
- Closing date 23:59 30/04/2017
- Winner will be notified by e-mail and posted on social media, winner has 7 days to claim prize or a new winner will be chosen