We tried it! Batteries, a fryer and a book

Mami and I are very grateful when we are asked to review products. What we like the best is the different variety of things we get to test out and then we get to tell you all about them.

And we sure have a variety for you this week: batteries, a fryer and a book!

So here we go!

Tefal ActiFry

We don't really make too many fried foods. Mostly because smell lingers in our small flat and because mami is afraid of the hot oil. So when Tefal, the makers of ActiFry offered for us to try their low fat "deep fat" fryer, mami thought, "why not? It's got a top"

Mami and papi decided to make seafood empanadas, a Chilean like pasty. Normally you would have to fry them in a pan of oil, but with the ActiFry all you need is one spoonful of oil!

No mess. Easy to use and yummy golden empanadas

The fryer has a see through lid and it prevents any hot oil jumping up at you. There is a paddle that stirs the food so that is doesn't burn and to coat the outside of the pastry.

It can be used to fry chips, potato wedges, sausages, or even stir fries and many other recipes.

But our empanadas came out golden! Really! They were gently toasted, cooked all the way through and didn't have that heavy oily taste that fried foods can have.

Mami and papi are genuinely impressed. They normally don't buy too many kitchen appliances, but would recommend this fryer to busy families who want delicious low fat foods.

Papi says "Even easier than using the oven".

Mami says "Certainly worth investing in, especially for fast, healthy, great tasting meals"

Duracell Ultra Power Batteries

I wondered what had happened to all my toys. They suddenly all went quiet. I tried to turn them on and nothing would happen.

Turns out, the batteries had all run out and mami had never replaced them! She could have replaced them, but she just didn't like all the "noise" they made.

Sneaky mami!

It became clear when Duracell sent us a selection of their new Ultra Power batteries and papi put them into my toys.

Wow! They all lit up and I could now sing along with my tool bench, my choo-choo train moved on its own and my Dora the Explorer music box worked again! I'm not going to let the batteries run out ever again.

Besides, they have a little tester on the side, so I can see for myself how much power is left. But I have a feeling they will last a very long time.

Thank you Duracell for making my toys work again!


Ping and Pong

I love books. I also like to taste them too (sorry mami, I can't help it).

This month, one of mami's twitter friends Amy Trevaskus asked us if we wanted to review HER book Ping and Pong: Splash.

Can you believe it? She wrote the book. So cool!

I think it is for older kids, but mami reads it to me in parts. The pictures are very colourful and I like to look at the drawings.

Amy said another book about grandparents would be out soon. I can't wait for that one because I love my grandma and grandpa very much, I have four of them you know!

This book is all about a girl named Lucy who has two friends named Ping and Pong who live in a clock in her house. She takes them to the park in her pocket and they like to do what I like to do, splash!

My favourite line is "I love the rain and I love the park and I love PUDDLES!" Hey, just like me!

When mami reads me the book she pretends to splash around, but I know it's not for real (but it is very funny).

I give this book two hands up. Thanks Amy for letting us read this!


And that's all from us for today, let us know if you have tried any of these or want more details.

I know that mami has some other things she wants me to blog about, and possibly some giveaways too, so stay tuned.

Bye bye for now!

Just a Gleek!

It's Monday again.

That means it's GLEE day!

Last week mami had a special competition to win series one on DVD and the lucky winner is:

@BabesAboutTown

Felicidades! and thank you to everyone for entering.

Now, this week we just have a picture showing just how much of a Gleek she is.

Yes! That is a poster up behind the door to the laundry room. It's the only place papi would let her put it up.

And if you too are a Glee Mama then take our badge and spread the word!

<center><a href="http://mummysbusyworld.blogspot.com/"><img width="150" alt="I'm a Glee Mama" src="http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/ac230/RebaMc/GleeMamaBadge.jpg" height="150" /></a></center>

Mami wants YOU!

If you have a "Glee-ful" picture or post, or just love Glee then link up at the bottom and find other Glee Mamas!

Mami's running report

Big news, mami got a new pair of running trainers. Despite the cold she still went out for a long run. 1 hour and 30 min to be exact.

There's a mouse in our house!

I don't know what all the screaming and shouting was about.

We came home from nursery yesterday, mami turned on the lights and I ran into the living room like I do everyday.

Mami was talking to papi on the phone when suddenly she just started screaming "Ahhhhhhh, oh no, Little M, ven aqui, come here! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek! There is a mouse! Little M ven, ven" and she jumped on the sofa.

I had no idea what the fuss was about.

I thought "what is she yelling about now? I haven't done anything" and I just stood there staring at her. She looked different, almost crazy. I didn't want to move, I was happy were I was.

She kept saying there was a mouse. A mouse? I don't think I've ever seen one of those. She yelled at papi on the phone to "come home now. I'm leaving the house and not coming back until its gone!"

And so we put our jackets back on and hurried out the door. Mami was super jumpy and nervous and when a branch brushed her leg outside she squealed out loud! Geez, not again!

What was going on? This mouse business really scares mami.

We headed to our local Starbucks but had to leave because they were closing.

So we went to a better place....McDonald's! I had never been there before, but mami ordered a chicken sandwich for her and I had my very own FRIES! They were so delicious!

Thanks to that mouse, I got to have McDonald's!

I still haven't seen this mouse and I know it scares mami a lot, but if it means going to McDonald's again, then I don't have a problem with them!

But don't tell mami that.

P.S. this morning mami called "pest control" Does that mean no McDonald's for me??

It's GLEE day!

It's Monday. And not only does that mean that mami was late to work, but that GLEE is on tonight!

Mami is a self proclaimed Glee Mama, and along with Rock and Roll Baby World, Transatlantic Blonde, Mom on a Wire, Where's my Glow? and The Wicked Mama they are all joining forces to make sure everyone is singing along to Glee every Monday night.

You'll know a Glee Mama when you see one because of this badge:






If you want to be one too, just take the code from the sidebar and let us know to include you in the next update.

Okay, now for some big news.

Some of you may know this, but back in November mami went to a Glee party hosted by Pringles and won tickets to LA for five days in March which includes a visit to the set of Glee!

Not only did she dress up like a geek, but she got to sing and learn the dance routine to Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance", just like it was done on the show.

Bad Romance

She really got into it!

Ain't no party like a Glee party

So at the end of March, mami and papi are taking off to la la land and leaving me with grandma and grandpa.

And even though there is no guarantee of being able to actually meet Mr Shue, mami is going to try her hardest to talk her way into a picture or two. Or three, or four.

And maybe some video too. And possibly go out to lunch with them? Who knows.

All I know is that when mami wants something, she usually makes it happen.

So in honour of her trip and just because Glee makes us happy, mami has teamed up with UK Glee DVD to give one lucky reader the complete first series on DVD!

Not only that, but you can pre-order to the second series and get it before everyone else!

Here's what you have to do to enter:

1) Follow mami and me on Google Connect

2) Follow mami on twitter @verybusymama

3) Leave us a comment telling us you are following and

4) Tell us which song on Glee has been your favourite so far

For one extra entry you can tweet:

I'm a GLEEK! I want to win Glee Series One on DVD with @UKGleeDVD and @verybusymama http://bit.ly/ebyGcU

One entry per person

UK Only

Winner selected at random

Closes Sunday 30th of January

Training day and papi day!

Two important things happened yesterday:

1) Mami had her first London marathon training day with the Nestle Pure Life team and Full Potential

2) I got to spend the WHOLE day alone with papi. Yep! Just the two of us and it was great!

Okay, so the first point is very important for mami because she means business. She is dedicating lots of time to training for the marathon and yesterday she realised just how much she loves to run (even though it hurts sometimes) and that she needs to lose weight.

She met up with Emma from Me the Man and the Baby and Mirka from All Baby Advice who are both running with her.

By the looks of it I don't think the workout was hard enough because they are all smiling in the pictures! (that's them with their trainer Karen who is super fit)

Mami, Mirka, Karen and Emma

They learned all about running techniques, stretching (which mami is not very good at) what to eat (she is very good at that) and that it IS possible to train around a busy schedule!

Let's hope she remembers to stretch

They were even interviewed for a video so keep an eye out for that.

She has her running kit thanks to Pure Life and next on the list is to get a proper pair of running shoes.

As for papi and me, we had lots of fun.  I missed mami, but only at the very end.

Shhhh, don't tell her that!

Silent Sunday - Rare moments

Have you seen our Thank You vlog? Have a look!