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We love shoes. We love giveaways. So we love being able to combine the two!

The Little Lilypad Co have teamed up with

Shoetique

 to give you the opportunity to win a pair of LIMITED EDITION Fit Flop Cuddler Supernavy Slippers, which are exclusive to Shoetique. Shoetique is an independent footwear retailer based just on the outskirts of Manchester.  They have over 30 years of experience and hand-pick designs from their approved suppliers (and it is worth checking out their deals of the day!)

 

But back to our giveaway, the Cuddler re no ordinary slippers, they are FitFlop's super cosy mule slippers that are so snuggly and warm you may never want to take them off you feet! You will feel on cloud 9 with FitFlop's Classic Microwobbleboard midsole to cushion your feet with every step and a pillow soft padded lining to caress and hug your feet helping to hold in heat.

The FitFlop Cuddler is built on FitFlop's Classic Microwobbleboard midsole for a generous fit (which is music to my ears, with my awkward wide feet!).

So at a cost of £74.95, these slippers would be an amazing Christmas gift for someone, all you need to do is enter below!

Good luck!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Today is cold. It is getting colder and given that we apparently live in the middle of nowhere, we have no gas supply so making sure that we get the right price on our electricity is an important decision for the Lilypad family. Energy prices are always topical but as we are always determined to find the best deals about, we are delighted to share this infographic with you about switching energy supplier.

This post is brought to you in association with Ovo Energy the cheaper, greener and simpler energy supplier

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As part of our Baby Blog, our new mum blogger has been reviewing the Kelo-Stretch Cream. Kelo-Stretch™ (125ml, £25.99) launched in April 2013 by speciality pharmaceutical company Sinclair IS Pharma and it has been specifically formulated to prevent and correct stretch marks. Stretch marks affect as many as 75% to 90% of pregnant women.¹ They can also appear during adolescence or be a consequence of rapid weight gain or weight loss. Stretch marks may also be caused by hormonal disorders

So after months of testing, here is what she thought .....

Pitter-patter of tiny feet, a new bundle of joy that you can’t wait to meet;  what a dream to be a new mum.  Stretch Marks…. not such a dream! But, there is help at hand, in fact there are a lot of products out there that claim to prevent or help existing stretch marks and I am sure that like me, most pregnant woman are rubbing lotions and potions into their growing bumps religiously (and mine was definately growing).

So how do we know what really works, why do some pregnant woman get stretch marks and some don’t? I put KELO-STRETCH cream to the test through my pregnancy, it features a unique dual formula to address the main causes of stretch mark formation and there is a LOT of science and evidence behind it.

I applied it as per the instructions twice a day from the 4^th month of pregnancy. It sank easily into the skin on application which was a blessing when dressing for work in the morning as you don’t want to be hanging around waiting for your skin to dry off.  It’s also fragrance free, which for me was a true positive because I had made the decision in my pregnancy to be as ‘organic’ as possible and stopped wearing perfumes etc.  For this reason it does have a slightly ‘medicated’ smell about it but that doesn’t stay around for long and gave me confidence that the product had been developed to work rather than just smell good. It claims to increase elasticity and hydrate the skin and I must say that my skin always felt plump and smooth.

 

So, the million dollar question – did it work? I can happily report I have zero stretch marks! I am still using it now post pregnancy just to be sure, but not one in sight. Will I ever truly know if it was the KELO- STRETCH cream preventing them? Possibly not, but if I am ever blessed with another pregnancy I certainly won’t be taking a chance – KELO-STRETCH cream will be top of my list!

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Now, I can understand your eyebrow raising at my suggestion to take the kids to a densely populated capital city with expensive tourist attractions, busy public transport system and the worst traffic of any UK city. You could also be forgiven for questioning why anyone would want to take a family trip to a city where you can never guarantee the weather.

However, London is actually a great place to take kids; it has countless family-friendly restaurants, loads of child-orientated activities, and even the odd free event for your little ones. Once you’ve mastered the capital’s public transport system, it is actually very easy to get around. Plus, kids under five can travel totally free!

Here are some days out I know all the family will enjoy, along with some top tips for coping with kids in the UK’s buzzing capital, and most importantly, keeping them safe.

Step back through time

London has one of the densest collections of mind broadening museums and galleries, however, a sure-fire option to keep curious minds occupied is the Natural History Museum. With dinosaurs, wildlife and even a 1000 square-meter ice rink come winter, it’s a great day out for all the family. I wonder if you could get any little kids believing the exhibitions come alive at night.

See some heroes

Fancy standing shoulder to shoulder with the Queen? How about an A-list celebrity or one of the Marvel superheroes? Madame Tussauds have a waxwork to please every member of the family, and if anyone has a teenage daughter screwing up her face at the idea, the new One Direction waxworks are sure to change her mind.

Spot of tea

Fairy cakes, little sandwiches, jam and scones – what kid, or big kid for that matter, wouldn’t enjoy that? There are countless hotels and bakeries that offer up a very British afternoon tea option, all ranging in price. A must when in England’s historical capital.

Holiday in style, and comfort

A key element to any family holiday is accommodation. Kids can become bored in cramped hotel rooms, especially if there is no TV, and central hotels can be extremely pricey for a family room. If you’d rather have your own space at a cheaper price, why not consider these short stay apartments in London, where your little ones can make loads of mess, and no one will know!

There is simply so much on offer in London, I could go on for hours, but those are my top recommendations. One last thing however is making sure the kids have a safe, and enjoyable trip. A good option for any parent is to create a little pack for them, including any accommodation details, your phone number and a little bit cash should they get separated from you or lost. This simply means they can easily phone you should you lose sight of one another. I’m sure it won’t happen but better to be safe than sorry. ]

Now go and enjoy ....