Three by Nine Meme - Monica

We’ve been tagged by the lovely Joanne Dewberry on this meme, thank you, I do love memes, specially like these that are easy to do and it lets you know a little bit more about me!

I did cheat on some of the answers by giving more than 3 answers but hey, what's the worst that could happen right?!

Three names I go by: Monica, Mon (Not particularly fond of it but all my friends call me this so what can I do?! ;) ) and Mama/ Mummy/ Angel (1st one is what BooBoo calls me, 2nd is what My Funny Bunny calls me as he's older and 3rd is what my husband has always called me, although I am for from an angel! ;) )  There are more names I go by but they are very embarrassing!!

Three places I’ve lived: Portugal, West London and now Essex

Three places I’ve worked: Planet Organic, Joslin Rowe and My Funny Bunny of course!

Three things I love to watch: Cougar Town, Raising Hope, True Blood (and I'm a sucker for Disney movies!!)

Three places I’ve been and love: Spain, Portugal and South Africa…. I'm a sun addict!

Three people that email me regularly: My mum, PRs and SPAM!

Three things I love to eat: Stuffed Squid my mums style, Torta de Cenoura da Avo Nene and Cozido a Portuguesa! Here I am really showing my Portugueseness! Lol

Three people I think will respond: Emily, Gadget Dad and FunnyBanana (Authors on this Blog!)

Three things I’m looking forward to: Our next family trip to South Africa and to Portugal, seeing my business grow and my kids thrive and grow! And my mum and dad's wedding!! (finally!!!!)

Monica xx

A Special Peppa Pig World Preview

Back in November we told you that Peppa Pig World was coming to the UK and opening on the 9th of April and now we have come to tell you that we have been to the preview of it on Saturday!!!

It's only because we are A list don't you know? ;) Ahem, *flicks hair* really, we were invited along with celebrities and the like so we could tell you all about it!

We are in Essex so it took about 3 hours to get there and pee pee breaks because of the kids. I got up at 5:30am to start making our lunch and get things ready, I was really excited as we haven't gone on a proper outing for a while, last time we went somewhere was Legoland before BooBoo was born.

When we eventually got everything ready including leaving food and water for our beasts of the canine kind, I finally managed to get out the door.
ROAD TRIP Woo hooo!!! Before you think it,yes, I did act like a mother the kids would be ashamed of  by putting my hand in "rock" sign and shouting that. If only they were older to actually complain how I was making a fool out of myself, really, even my husband looked at me funny and laughed! A girl's gotta have fun you know?!

Eventually we got there after a very long journey. When walked through a section in Paultons Park we saw some beautiful flamingos, pelicans and my favourite, a family of albino wallabies! Then just by the entrance to Peppa Pig World (part of Paultons Park) there is a wonderful painted wall which the kids loved and it got them even more excited!!

We went through a tent which was there specially for the preview day where we got our VIP passes with our names on which the kids were particularly proud of and we are going to keep them as keepsakes after all this was the preview of Peppa Pig World, the first in the world and this one is exclusive to Paultons Park in the UK!

This place really was heaven, I mean everything everywhere was Peppa Pig, I squealed with excitement and I am a grown woman never mind the kids! As we walked around the 'grass' and the dolls would speak to you, we heard Peppa laugh various times while walking around which was really fun, it added to the whole atmosphere. It wasn't just a park with a few rides... it was a real experience.

We went into Peppa Pig's House where we saw a life sized Peppa Pig and her family talking about pancakes. If you are a Peppa Pig fan you would have seen the episode where Daddy Pig flips the pancakes and they get stuck to the ceiling? That was it except you can see it in real life size, mega cool, the kids adored it!

We also went on George's Dinosaur Adventure, Daddy Pigs Car Ride, Grandpa Pig's Boat Ride and Peppa's Big Balloon Ride, the kids had tons of fun and we were super pleased because there was plenty of rides and stuff for BooBoo our 22 month old to do, so we were all winners!

We also had pictures taken at George's Dinosaur Adventure ride which we got one to keep from Pedro Pony's Ride Photos!

The kids loved George's Spaceship Play Zone but we all absolutely had a blast over at Mr Potato's Playground!! This was absolutely stunning, colourful and different things for all ages, we actually spent a lot of our time here and we had our lunch here too, there are picnic tables so you can have a chat and eat while the kids are playing around. The only down side to this I found was that there wasn't a gate on the actual playground... we were always with an eye on the kids but my little one wandered off to the exit of the playground a few times (we always got her just before she managed to leave though ;) ). Being a big fan of colours (as you can tell by My Funny Bunny!) I really loved the rainbow walkway, I would really love to have something like that done in my garden one day!

 Muddy Puddles is also in Mr Potato's Playground and it's a fab place where the kids can go with their swim suits and splash around! But fear not because if you forget the kids swimwear at home you can always buy some in Peppa's Toy Shop!

Peppa's Toy Shop is a mine field beware your pockets!! Not only will the kids go crazy but you will too... pitty I didn't have that much to spend this time because I would have bought half of the shop, I specially loved their limited edition prints of Peppa and her family, but seriously if you think it, they had it Peppa Pig!!

We had tea and cake at Daddy Pig's Big Tummy Cafe with the lovely Joanne, Sam and their families. It was a lovely sunny day so we really enjoyed sitting at the tables outside just next to the Peppa's Duck Pond which ironically has a sign saying 'Don't feed the ducks' but the ducks are plastic!! We found that hilarious and I am sure it's meant to be.  There are also tables inside where you can watch the kids play in George's Spaceship Play Zone while you have a rest and a chat over some yummy food.

After all that we went out of the Peppa Pig World area into Paultons Park, the day was almost over... but before we left we had to have a go in Wave Runner, which was a massive thrill!!! We had loads of fun and my normally scaredy cat son went on this an amazing 4 times! We couldn't believe it. I mean look at our faces! Definitely one for the thrill seekers.

At the Wave Runner while in the queue we spoke to a visitor and she said that their was plenty of rides for little ones so as we left the park (with a big car journey ahead of us), we saw at the entrance a big list of rides that BooBoo could actually go on at Paultons Park so now we are really excited about going to there again to explore the rest of the park!!

We had a fabulous and much needed family day out and it's all thanks to Paultons Park/ Peppa Pig World, it was worth the long car journeys, there and back!

Although I am not sure if they do birthday parties... I am looking forward to finding out as this is definitely a great venue to do it in!

Monica x

PS.To see more photo's of Peppa Pig World have a look here on the Peppa Pig World News.

The arrival of the Graco Fusio Pushchair

We were chosen as one of five to test out the Graco Fusio, the newest pushchair from Graco (apparently pronounced Grey-Co! all these years I have been saying it wrong!! Lol).

When we first looked at the prospect of doing this I went looking for information on this pushchair, after all why would I want to test something that isn't appropriate for our life style? Even if it's free!

So I read the information and looked at the pushchair and it all looked good, although I had a pramette before with my son (almost 5 years ago now) from a leading brand that cost a fortune and wasn't totally impressed with the system once it was put on pushchair mode, so I was hoping for this to be better and looking forward to trying it out.

When it arrived I was desperate to get into the box to check the colour, my last two pushchairs have been red, so I have red accessories to go with it and would be disappointed if these didn't go with the new one! I opened the top of the box and to my amazement it was RED! Yaaay, I was so pleased and relieved!

I waited until my hubby got home so we could  unpack it and take pictures so we could show you, but this was very hard as I am mighty inpatient as you may know by now!

So here it is, I thought it was a small box considering what was supposed to be inside and once we did take out all the stuff we wondered how they managed to fit it all in!

In the box came a cover for use when in pram mode (on the right hand side  in the pic above), a comfy padded liner for when using with a small baby (one on top), the pushchair, full rain cover and best of all a full foot muff! 

The foot muff caught me by complete surprise as I wasn't expecting this to be included! At this point I thought this is good value for money but of course I was yet to test out the pushchair.

Once we clicked the wheels in, yes literally clicked in (no faffing about with instructions), the Fusio was ready to go! One thing that bugged me when I first had a look at this pushchair was "how on earth does a pushchair that is umbrella style fold, stand by itself?" but it was dead easy, just literally stand it up! No levers or bicycle style stand up bits as I had imagined. It just simply stands on its own!

So now we had put it up and our first thoughts were:
Very sturdy frame, ginormous (gigantic & enormous ;) ) basket, wheels with smooth swivelling action, strong hood, handles can be moved 360 degrees in any angle you want for comfort, you can lock the wheels straight at hand height and the break is super easy to use, no need to push on different sides for locking and unlocking, just one stepping "button" to push for either function, super easy & convenient.

Now the handles sparked a bit of parody with my husband and I, we adjusted them so they were outwards (very comfy way to push in

The Graco Fusio can also be used with the child facing me which particularly interests me.

So just from opening the box and checking out the Fusio, it gets 10/10 from us but we have yet to tell you about using it!

Will it be all so easy and pleasant as it looks?
You'll just have to wait and see on our next Graco Fusio post!

Monica x

Meet our newest author - Nicki

I was recently given a copy of Time Management For Dummies, and so far haven’t had time to read it. In fact, it is in my bathroom, as the only spare minutes I seem to have at the moment is when on the loo. Taking on anything else might seem crazy but when the lovely Monica casually mentioned she was looking for regular guest-posters I jumped at the chance, rescued the book from the loo, and got myself sorted, as this is a fantastic place for me to blog. Fresh, modern, quirky, a little mad – I will fit in here nicely I think.

So here I am, your newest “resident” guest poster. Monica thought it might be nice for you to know a little more about me so I’ll start at the top.

THE BOYS

I am the very lucky Mum to two fabulous boys, Kieran who is 4yrs old and Taylor who is 16 weeks old (ok he is 4 months to the day very soon but for now, I am sticking to 16 weeks!).

Kieran is possibly the funniest, cutest and most fearless 4yr old known to man (especially the fearless part) and I adore him! He has been at school since September ’10 and loves it! Taylor’s personality is already starting to shine through and if I had to use one word to describe it... mischievous. Oh joy! This one will keep me on my toes. A complete giggle-pot. Best of all, they are smitten with each other. Yes one very lucky and proud Mummy here!

The LSH

The Long-Suffering Husband (Roy) is a gem, he is a hands on Dad, knows how to use the washing machine, makes egg fried rice from scratch that would make our local Chinese takeaway sob in frustration and is a great support. I work from home full-time, writing, blogging and other miscellaneous things, AND am a full-time Mum, housewife, cook, accountant, personal shopper.... (basically the same as every other Mum really) and Roy is great because he recognises this and appreciates what I do, as I do with him. We’ve been married 8 years and we fit perfectly. One very lucky and happy wife here!

Oh yeah, ME!

Well, with me you pretty much get what’s written on the packet; 2 scoops of children, one of husband, a smidge of sarcasm, a pinch of wit, a handful of humour, a portion of craziness, a touch of wannabe-interior-designer , a slice of freelance writer and blogger... and I love to cook too!

You’ll get to know lot’s more about me, my kids and the hubby over the next few months, and I’m looking forward to finding out more about the My Funny Bunny Blog readers!

Nicki x

Edifier Sound To Go Portable USB Audio Speaker - A Gadget Dad Review

Edifier introduces their ultimate portable USB speaker to take anywhere with you. This cleverly designed sound bar was crafted out of brushed aluminium and houses full range 30mm x 70mm magnetically shielded speaker drivers with an elaborately designed bass reflection port.

The sound bar connects to your desktop or laptop via AUX input and it gets power from a additional usb cable that comes supplied.

You are supplied with a elagent soft carry pouch to protect the sound bar during transit.

Edifier Sound To Go is available for the RRP of £39.99 directly from Edifier and Amazon.

Gadget Dad Verdict:

I'll take my sound to go please! Edifier just released this fabulous USB sound bar to take along where ever you go with your laptop and of course you can also use this with your desktop as well.

I opened up the box and was met with a black velvet pouch that housed the brushed aluminium sound bar. This was very sleek package presentation from Edifier and it felt more like this was a more expensive product than it actually is. The sound from this sound bar was very impressive considering the cost. For the RRP of £39.99 this is truly very good bang for the buck.

Set up was very easy and it is a simple matter of plugging the cable into the USB port and whoooop there it is! You can also connect other mp3 devices to the sound bar via the supplied 3.5mm-3.5mm audio cable.

I even had the sound bar connected to my iPhone without a desktop or laptop using the Freeloader Classic Solar Charger for mobile phones and ipads. This was very handy for those that wanted to take their sound bar with them to the park during summer for a picnic for example and still be able to enjoy their music while on the go without the need to take their laptop along.

Pros:

• Sleek and stylish brushed aluminium design
• Comes with carry pouch to protect unit
• Very easy set up

Cons:

• Would have complemented the design even better if the connection points could have been at the back of the unit some how as this spoils the design of the unit having the cables coming out of the side
• Also would have been nice to have two more rubber bits under the unit in the centre so that it could fit under a iMac without being directly on the aluminium 

Rating: 9.5/10

Till next time
Gadget Dad

Work Life Balance...

As my daughter (now 5 months) gets bigger and more interested in things and demands more attention I am feeling ever more guilty that I am not spending as much quality time with her as I would like to.

But as I sit doing my work and take time out to go see the other mums from my NCT group, I realise that when they go back to work shortly, I will still be with my baby and see her all day, everyday – so should I feel guilty?

I try and spend as much time as possible and entertain her and she is such a good little girl who plays and laughs (mainly at me) and doesn’t seem to be missing out on anything, but it is so hard to try and get the balance right throughout the day, spending enough time on work and enough time on the children.

So, what does everyone think is right? Should I take an hour out of each day to go for a walk? Should I take 2 hours out, and have activity time? What is the right thing to do? And, would I feel like this if I spent 6 months to a year with my baby, then went back to work? Probably not, I would put her in nursery and spend evenings and weekends with her, so am I being too harsh on myself?

Comments and advise please? Do any of you struggle to get the work, life balance right as self-employed mums?

Emily x

Radiopaq Flex Sports Earphones - A Gadget Dad Review

Radiopaq Flex Sports Earphones were designed to be unnoticed while you walk, run or train. The ear clips were specially designed to feel virtually weightless and comfortable at the same time.

The rear facing flow away cables reduces tangle and doesn't get in your way while training. It comes with two interchangeable cable lengths, for training and pocket use. They are fully compatible with the iPhone and the iTouch and come with a gold plated 3.5mm audio jack. 


Radiopaq even added a genuine Apple remote chip and Mic to make skipping tracks and taking calls a breeze without interrupting your exercise routine. Also included in the packaging is three sizes of soft silicone earphone cushions to make sure you get the perfect fit to enjoy superb noise isolation.


Radiopaq Flex Sports Earphones are available now at radiopaqproducts.com and other good retailers for £24.99. They are available in three different colours: Graphite White, Graphite Black and Graphite Orange.


Gadget Dad Verdict:


The problem I have with most earphones is how they always get in the way or the way they always get pulled out of your ears when you are running or doing a workout with weights. Radiopaq seems to have come up with a very comfortable solution to get over this annoying obstacle so that you can get on with your workout. 


Switching tracks and taking calls are very easy as Radiopaq used a genuine Apple remote chip and Mic so that you can use your iPhone and iTouch the way you are used to with the earphones originally supplied with the unit.


The rear facing flow-away ear clips are super comfortable and you barely notice that they are there due to their weightless design. I especially liked the two interchangeable cable lengths idea so that you can use it with and arm band without having the need to have a log wire hanging from your arm. If you want to keep your unit (eg. iPhone) in your pocket you simply add the extra cable length to it which comes with the earphones.


The design quality is good considering to the price tag of £24.99 and the sound quality match some rivals that are a lot dearer to the wallet! 


Pros:

• Ultra comfortable ear clips and rear flow-away cable design
• Comes in three different colours
• 2 interchangeable cable lengths
• Built in genuine Apple remote chip and Mic 

Cons:

• Some aspects of the design could have been a little bit less bulky and more stylish to compliment the stylish and streamline design of the ear clips and earphone jack, for example the Radiopaq branded plastic bit where the two wires separate into two and the female connection point for the extra lenght cable.

Rating: 8.5/10

Till next time

Gadget Dad

MumsClub.co.uk Article Feature!

We are pleased to say our Founder and Director Monica Strydom was quoted in an article on www.mumsclub.co.uk about things working mums wish they knew earlier. Mums Club is a great website for mums in business to network.

Thanks Mums Club!

An extract from the article:
'That’s a sentiment shared by Monica Strydom, from Essex, who runs www.myfunnybunny.com, an online baby boutique. “I wish I had realised that the house doesn’t clean itself, that only an octopus could get everything done, and that you can easily end up working 24/7 between work and home,” she says.'

You know you are a mother when...

..."Your mascara is smeared over the sofa :-(" @EO_NYROrganic

..."You go in your handbag to get your purse and find a half eaten gingerbread man and a pack of baby wipes" @Dawnie_Brown

..."You have a handbag full of raisins" @zooarchaelogis

..."You find a crayon in your make up bag! (happened to me today!)" My Funny Bunny


..."You dig around in your handbag and get a handful of crumbs :0" N. Mcarthur


..."Your once tidy and clean house now resembles a quagmire!" E. Newman


..."You can't keep clothes clean for more than 5 minutes without a mucky hand or snotty nose ending up all over it but you still wear it all day!" C. Carlin


..."The last book you read was about purée." L. Benn


..."You have never seen a fifty pound note" Y Redbourn


..."You take your car for an MOT with a tractor sticker stuck to your left breast" L. Shonfeld


..."You take a 30 min biz call in a changing room whilst BF'ing a baby in the dark (lack of movement sensor kicked in)" @bwebsites


..."Your hairdresser finds bogies in your hair :(" @saralotay


Collaboration of some of our fab followers on twitter and fans on facebook! Thanks for your help :)

Parenting is a lot of hard work and a lot of fun too... you just have to look at the funny and bright side of things!


What is your favourite quote from above or have you got one of your own that you would like to share with the rest of us?


Monica x

We were featured on SusanKMann.com!

We are proud to have been featured on susankmann.com here.

Susan picked her favourites of our website and these were the Paperpod Den, Wicked Wizard Costume, BigBookLittleBookCardboardBox and our very own Tooth Fairy Pillow!

Thanks so much for taking the time to write a lovely long post on us! 

susankmann.com extract

The Gallery: Gifts

My chosen word is Gift for this weeks The Gallery challenge.

Yesterday I was looking for a category image for our new skincare range on our website, I looked everywhere but I couldn't find anything that suited, I'm very picky so I spent ages looking for that perfect image only to think at the end... Hold on! I have beautiful kids, a wicked photographer husband and the cream right here!!

I asked my husband to get snapping and tried to convince my almost 5 year old to let me put a dollop of cream on his face for the photos by putting cream on my own face and doing silly faces.
Well that didn't work!! But the promise of a little chocolate did the trick! Can you see the smile on his face? Its the though of chocolate!

Yes I know, BAD MUMMY *slaps own hand* using bribes to get what I want!

But now I look at this photo and many other that we took on this mini session (including the one here) and I think what a gift my son is, what a gift being beautiful is and what a gift my family is to me.

I have a tear in my eye as I am writing this, but I am blessed is so many ways as most of us are. The problem is we often concentrate on the negative things in our lives, the things that are in our face, problems we encounter, things that annoy us... when we should be focused on the positive in our lives.

So this picture highlights one of the gifts in my life and I wanted to share it with you. I am so proud of my family and the joy they bring to my life and heart.

Monica x

Top 10 tips for a better nights sleep

Did you know that more than 10 million people in the UK suffer from insomnia*? That’s almost a fifth of the country’s population...and I bet all of those are parents!

Last week I didn't have such a great time sleeping so my husband kindly offered to give me a nice massage and who am I to say no to a no strings attached massage?? Nobody that is who!!

My dear husband has a broken toe so for his comfort he gave me a back massage while we were both laying on the bed which meant I had to switch sides to get both my shoulders massaged. This resulted in me falling asleep on his pillow and I had a lovely night's sleep!

In the morning I figured that our pillows had been switched since we had changed the bed, so my problem all along was that I had the wrong pillow, something as simple as that!

Monica x

If you are having trouble sleeping you can can try these top 10 tips to getting a better nights sleep:

1. Always get up at the same time - even at the weekend.
It might seem like you need a lie in to make up for the sleep you haven’t got, but to break a cycle of sleeping problems you need to train your body into a good sleeping pattern.

2. Avoid catnaps during the day. It’ll only make it harder to get into good sleeping habits.

3. Replace caffeine and alcohol with hot milky drinks. Alcohol won’t help you sleep properly. If you are having trouble cutting out caffeine, set yourself a time in the day past which you don’t have it.

4. Unwind with a hot bath and lavender bubbles. Both will aid sleep by helping you feel more relaxed.

5. Exercise during the day. Exercising at night will actually make you more awake and you’ll find it harder to get to sleep.

6. Get to bed at the same time every night. It’ll help your body prepare itself for sleep.

7. Make your bedroom a shrine to sleep. No TV, no reading.

8. Alleviate your worries. Try writing them down before you go to bed.

9. Invest in a decent bed. You spend a third of your life in it!

10. Don’t lie there frustrated. If you can’t sleep, get up and do something for a while.

If you are one of the many people who suffer from sporadic or regular sleeplessness, then new Kalms Night One-A-Night natural remedy could help restore your natural sleep patterns and offer relief from disturbed nights. It contains dry extract of the herb valerian, which is often used to help relieve stress, anxiety and sleeplessness due to its natural sedative qualities. As the product is herbal there are no drowsy side effects the next day, allowing you to wake feeling refreshed and ready to tackle work, chores or children!

Kalms Night One-A-Night is available in blister packs containing 21 tablets (RRP £4.99).
It is not recommended for children under the age of 18 or for use while pregnant or breastfeeding, for further information on natural remedies visit www.laneshealth.com.
*TGI Q3 data, covering April 2009 to March 2010
Image: graur codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Apple iPad 2 Arrives- A Gadget Dad Preview

Images curtesy of Apple.com

Bring on 11th and 25th March!!

Apple released the iPad 2 on 2nd March and there has been some mighty good changes. Sadly for some peoples wish list's there is certain changes that did not make it to the iPad 2 like the USB port, SD card slot and Flash player.

Despite the shortcomings from the fans wish lists the new iPad 2 is truly remarkable.

I mean how did Apple manage to take the iPad and make it 33% thinner, 2 times faster, 9 times better graphics, lighter and also managed to give it the same 10 hours battery life!

Apple just amaze me each year when they bring out a new product for the current line and make it better.
The iPad 2 is aso thinner than the iPhone 4!!

The 4.3 iOs update will also be coming out with the release of the iPad 2 on the 11th March.

It will bring improved Safari browsing that runs twice as fast, wireless streaming through iTunes Home sharing, AirPlay improvements to help find your Apple TV with no configuration needed, PhotoBooth software for the cameras (back and front facing), FaceTime between most iOS devices (iPhone, Mac, iPad).

Apple also showcased a new type of case called the Smart Cover, these look really awesome and will be available in a rainbow of colours and finishes. The new Smart Cover attaches itself to the iPad by means of magnets and folds open so that the user can use it as a video stand for FaceTime or even as a perfect stand to do typing, it even puts the iPad to sleep when you cover the screen and wakes it up when opened. Unfortunately this will cover only the front of the screen.

Images courtesy of Apple.com

The new iPad 2 will be available in Black or White, this time we are promised that we will be getting the white one unlike the white iPhone 4 that was a bit like a white elephant, maybe they surprise us with the iPhone 5?

This is going to be a truly amazing device for 2011 and i dont think any other tablet is going to beat it.

For a more in depth specs please visit the Apple here where you can see a cool video of the Smart Cover in action.

Till next time
Gadget Dad

*All images courtesy of Apple.com

Phone and wi-fi Shields - A Gadget Dad Review

Protection for the family

Using a mobile phone and using the computer at the office and at home adds up to hours of exposure each day to electro magnetic radiation (EMR) and scientific reports and tests show that over half an hour a day is seen as high usage. Many of us use a computer all day at work and then spend our leisure time surfing the internet at home. Radiation from mobiles, computers, laptops and other wire-less technology cannot be seen, heard or smelled yet is all around us. Scientifically proven, the Phoneshield product makes it really easy for you to take some precautionary action for yourself and your family against the dangers of EMR and give a loved one a conscientious gift this festive season. The quartz crystal technology aids to diffuse and eliminate some of the dangerous effects of EMR and give peace of mind. The PhoneShield works by emitting its own low frequency signal, which intercepts and cancels the phone's pulsed frequency pattern alleviating its harmful effect on the brain and the body's biological system.

Developed and manufactured in the UK, the Phoneshield (rrp £12.50) and the Wi-fi (rrp £14.99) Shields are available online from www.phoneshield.co.uk where you can also find lots of useful information and research on radiation and more.

Gadget Dad Verdict:

My wife was suffering from a lot of headaches and hair loss and we got these two products to review, they claim that this product will work against harmfull EMR.

Installation was very quick and easy, all you need to do is peel off the sticker from the back of the shield and stick it on the back of your phone or computer. One of the things that did not appeal to me was the size of the shield for the mobile phone, it would be nice if there could be a way to reduce the size for the next line of mobile shields. We have been testing these two products for about two months now and my wife's head aches and hair loss have stopped!

Its amazing that she is feeling better although this wasn't a scientific experiment or anything but we believe that it is related to the shields.

Pros:

• Really easy to install just peel and stick
• Comes in blue and pink
• It seems to have worked with my wife's head aches and hair loss

Cons:

• Could have been a bit smaller

Rating: 9/10

Till next time

Gadget Dad

Freecom Data Bar XXS 2GB -A Gadget Dad Review

Super Small Slick Stick!

Freecom's DataBar XXS is an ultra-compact USB stick that is perfect for computer users who want to keep important music, photos, documents and even videos within arm's reach wherever they go. Measuring up at just 3cm x 1.2cm, the stick is both waterproof and durable, and can easily be slipped into a wallet or onto a keyring to make carrying information around more convenient than ever before.

Gadget Dad Verdict:

I received his little usb stick and was wondering... where is the other bits to go with it, surely this cant be it?!? They claim that this super small and indeed it is. There is no problem in slipping this into your pocket and wallet and forgetting about it. Putting it into the USB port takes a bit getting use to as it doesn't have the usual surrounding metal bit that usually guides it into the usb port.

After it is inserted it gets picked up very fast by your computer. It can also be used with USB 3.0 although the data transfer speed is limited to USB 2.0 specifications and no drivers are needed.

Pros:

• Super small
• Super easy to use
• Comes with a keyring attachement
• Still cant get over the size!!

Cons:

• Takes a bit getting use to without the metal surrounding but it tininess makes up for that anyway
• So small you might loose it (but i guess thats why it comes with the keyring)

Rating: 9/10

Till next time

Gadget Dad

A Business Mums Journal - Press Releases

Today I had a conversation with my husband where we decided that if we could find some PR services that we could afford, we should take them up. I don't have much time to do much of it and to be sincere I am rubbish at finding newsworthy angles and not much of a writer either to be able to write a story in a way that would make journalists interested.

In my mind I need a pr person that has been a journalist or a journalist that knows what they are doing but here is the catch.... they have to be great at what they do but I can't afford much.

Impossible right!!!

No I can't afford to spend hundreds and I certainly don't want to pay for something that I don't think is spantabulous (spectacular and fabulous), so kind of hard really. As a small business I have very little budget to work with and it's tough to place the small budget you do have in the hands of someone not knowing what you are going to get in return.

Everyone seems to charge not less than about £50 but its hard to say to someone... OK go ahead and then you end up with something that you don't think is spantabulous, so if you don't think it is, how is anyone else going to think it's great? Then what do you tell that writer? "sorry that sucks"?

You can't just turn around and say "That's no good so I am not going pay you for it, because I'm not going to use it!", that person is going to think you're a nutter as they have spent time writing for you and they are going to thing you are going to thief their writing!!!

Arrrgh!!!

I can't just find a writer, I need to find someone that can help brainstorm ideas of newsworthy angles or stories. Oh and did I mention at a mouse budget?!

Impossible!!!!

Any journalists out there that care to help me find newsworthy angles for no particular reason?! Maybe just a general love for bunnies??

No? Right off to my desperation corner again.

This dilemma coupled with the fact that my son is off school with an ear infection (started just before he had to go back to school!) so he's in a very annoying kind of mood and a toddler that wont leave me alone.... I am having an awesome day!!! (did you notice the sarcastic tone at all?)

If you do know anyone that could help me, please do let me know.

Until next time.

Monica x