Last weekend we were very fortunate to be included in the celebrations of our good friends as they were married, and the next day had their youngest son christened.  The two occasions were as joyous as we expected and we had an amazing time.

There is however a number of things that gets me panicky on such occasions: My constant fear of being late (this was tested by an unexpected road closure close to our hotel – ARRRGH!) and my lack of ANYTHING decent to wear to such events.

The first problem was solved by a very helpful minibus driver who was able to give us accurate directions through the centre of the town which enabled us to get to the hotel in good time (traffic was not kind!).  The second was made very simple thanks to www.zalando.co.uk

Zalando (the UK's largest online wardrobe) challenged me to kit me and my children out in outfits that would suit both occasions, and my budget!  With a wedding AND a christening to dress for I needed something that was formal, comfortable and also travelled well (we don’t go to these posh events often enough to invest in any kind of suit bags!).

With my mouse hovering over the SALE option of the easy to use website I was able to take my pick!
PictureNot quite "church" length!
My first choice for the wedding was this gorgeous red wine wine cocktail dress from their Even & Odd range (£15.00).  This comes in a size small, medium and large and the medium size fit my size 12 perfectly.  Unfortunately, despite the colour and the style being ideal it was not quite “church length” on my 5ft 9 frame!

I had already found the perfect pair of shoes (see my previous post) in their Anna Field Peep toe heels (£19.00). So I teamed these up with an old dress hiding at the back of my wardrobe.  These black shoes complimented this dress beautifully. 

Occasion one – sorted!


PicturePerfection!
The first dress for the christening which caught my eye was this amazing brown Pier One Summer dress (£11.00). Again medium size fit me wonderfully and this was dressed up with a perfect little bronze pebble necklace from Asda (£6). To my joy, the peep toe shoes went really well with this dress as they have a golden edged flower detail on the front.

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My two boys (ages 6 and 4) were
dressed in their shirts and ties for the
wedding, but for the christening I
wanted something a little more casual
yet stylish (and comfortable for them to jump around in!).

For my eldest, to compliment his big brown puppy-dog eyes I chose this vibrant green Penguin Earl Polo Shirt
(£14.00). My youngest with his baby blues carried off this stylish blue

Joules Tom Polo Shirt (13.00 ) beautifully.  Teamed with smart jeans and shoes they got lots of attention from the ladies of the congregation (old and young!). Both shirts sizes were for their age and fitted them well.

The most inportant thing for me during this occasions was to feel comfortable and stylish.  I was able to comfortably perch on a pew in the church without adjusting my dress to accomodate industrial strength underwear. The dress travelled well and was easy to slip on when I was in a hurry to get ready that morning (no zips to get myself into!). My shoes also allowed me to dance the night away without aching feet or blisters!  And the bonus? My whole weekend wardrobe cost just £30, which left plenty of money for more champagne (...hic...!).

Make sure you take a look at www.zalando.co.uk, you really will NOT be disappointed!
This is a sponsored post for zalando.co.uk who provided me with clothing for an honest review of their products.
 
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A perfect solution

There is a great little product hiding at the bottom of my first aid kit (and also swimming about in a very cluttered handbag).  This handy device has saved many a small child this summer and this product is called Splinter Out.

I think it is safe to say that we have had a pretty good summer this year.  I am happy that my two boys have been able to create the memories they deserve by spending their days sitting on slightly burnt grass, chatting with their friends under the gentle sway of a willow tree (sounds idyllic eh? But this has ACTUALLY been happening – British Summertime at last – YAY!).

Of course with lots of outdoor play comes lots of running about barefoot.  This is especially the case when there is an ice cold paddling pool to dip in and out of.

I try and keep my garden as tidy as I can.  The grass is kept short (needs to be with the cricket, football, rounder’s pitch and running track my children use it for!) and the trees are cut back.  But it is not as safe as I would like it to be.  This is why, this summer my children (and their friends) have had lots of splinters, and it has been down to me to try and prise them out.

Typically, many of us would use a pair of tweezers and a bit of cotton wool to do this.  For me, this would mean running up the stairs to my make-up bag, getting the tweezers, running them under a hot tap (not sterile), grabbing some cotton wool out of the drawer and then running back down again.  All the while my child (or someone else’s) screams blue murder in the back garden.

This is where Splinter Out comes into its own.

The 10 individual sterile lancets are packed conveniently into a small plastic case.  This means that they can be stored and carried around easily.  The case is also extremely easy to open one-handed (which is a must whilst having a sobbing little one hanging on to you!).

Once you remove the lancet from its packaging you will then be able to extract the splinter easily with a sterile instrument (not a make-up clogged pair of tweezers!).  The process is quick, clean meaning minimum amount of distress for the child (or the squeamish adult!).

Splinter Out is available from Henleys Medical Supplies and you can order online or over the phone on 01707 333164.