The surprising way a TonieBox can help if your children suffer with nightmares

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One of the first things we ever bought our son when we found out I was pregnant was a book - Each Peach, Pear Plum to be exact so books and reading were always going to be very present in our lives. I'm a huge book worm and recently found myself reaching for audiobooks more and more so the idea of a TonieBox came quite naturally for us. 

The TonieBox is a really cool way for children to listen to audiobooks - it works by placing audio figurines aka Tonies on top of the box where they'll then play the chosen audio. Children can then sit back and listen or have it in the background while they play. There's a huge variety of Tonies available including Paw Patrol, Thomas the Tank Engine and Disney. Thomas the Tank Engine has been a huge hit for our train-loving little boy.

The TonieBox also comes in a variety of colours making it a great and colourful addition to any book lover's home. 

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Upcircle Brand Showcase with Latest in Beauty

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You only need to search 'Latest in Beauty' on this blog to see how much I adore them, they're one of the best beauty boxes around and so their first brand showcase was hotly anticipated. First in the hot seat is UpCircle, a brand that ticks all the boxes when it comes to sustainability, product formulation and ingredients. It's also a skincare brand I bloody love and one I've written about a number of times. 

If you're unfamiliar with Upcircle, they deliver high-performance skincare with high-quality cruelty-free, vegan and organic formulas made from upcycled and by-product ingredients that they repurpose. It launched just six years ago after a conversation with a barista about how much coffee ground is sent to landfills. Fast forward to now and they upcycle more than ten other by-product ingredients from varied industries including argan, tea, date, olive and wood industries into their skincare. 

It's a fascinating journey and this is such an incredible way to get to know the brand more. The Upcircle Brand Showcase (£60.00) features seven full-size beauty heroes, from cleansing and exfoliating products to treatments and serums. Worth £120, it can be yours for £60 and if you're already a LiB Pro member you'll get 15% off! 

Shall we take a closer look at the products?

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Three products from Dr Jackson's you must try

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Skincare is my passion so it has been great to revisit science-led cosmetics company, Dr Jackson's again over the last few months. They create sustainable, natural skincare products and organic herbal teas with a belief that beauty should be clean, safe and most importantly, effective. Their products combine meticulous research with the finest ingredients nature has to offer, protecting skin and enabling it to look its best. 

The brand was launched in 2012 by way of Sub-Saharan Africa and London's Shoreditch after its founder pharmacognosist, Dr S. J. Jackson developed a particular interest in Kigelia, the “sausage tree” found in Sub-Saharan Africa. The fruit has long been revered by local tribes for its incredible medicinal properties. It was this that sparked his dream to establish a forward-thinking skincare brand based on natural remedies that have stood the test of time.

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5 Things you need to know about P&O Cruises new ship Arvia

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With P&O Cruises Iona finally sailing the Norwegian Fjords, the countdown is on for her sister ship to join the fleet later this year. Arriving in December 2022, P&O Cruises Arvia will sail from Southampton for a series of fourteen night holidays visiting popular ports in Italy, Spain and France before heading to the Caribbean sunshine. From October 2023, Arvia will then sail her first full season of Caribbean fly/cruise holidays from the home port of Barbados until the end of March 2024. 

Like Iona, Arvia is another Excel Class cruise ship with even more freedom, innovation and variety than ever before and will also be powered by liquefied natural gas; which will significantly reduce carbon emissions. Responsible travel is so important as we take care of our planet. 

It's a really exciting time for the cruise industry especially after being hit so hard during the pandemic so here are five things you need to know about P&O Cruises' new ship Arvia. 

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Introducing Virgin Voyage's Latest Ship Valiant Lady

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It seems no sooner had Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady arrived, Valiant Lady was hot on her bow! The launch of Virgin Voyages was hotly anticipated by many, it saw Sir Richard Branson's first step into the world of cruising, completely shaking up the cruise world as we know it. I was invited to spend a night on Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady back in February 2020, my last time on a cruise ship so it seemed perfect that the first ship I'd step on once the world reopened would be her sister ship, Valiant Lady.

Virgin Voyages saw a tremendous uptake in cruises as Scarlet Lady sailed out of Portsmouth last summer and it seems the opinion has finally changed after an extremely controversial start. Personally, I adored Virgin Voyages from the second I stepped on - they tore up the rule book and created something so different it seemed as though people just didn't want to accept and you know what? That's okay, if we all enjoyed the same things it would be boring right? 

Virgin Voyages' first fleet will be known as the Lady Ships, a play on the term ‘your ladyship’ giving a nod to Virgin's British heritage. Scarlet Lady is the first of four Lady Ships being launched by the brand, with their third ship Resilient Lady making her debut later this year. 

Ship facts

Maiden voyage 18th March 2022

Builder Fincantieri

Tonnage 110,000

Length 278m

Beam 38m

Decks 17

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Mini Mio - Why you need to buy it for your baby

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When it comes to your children's skin, you want the best for them so choosing the right skincare, especially for those first few weeks is really important. Award-winning skincare brand, Mama Mio has something from pregnancy through to those first few months with your baby and with their Mini Mio range launching just a few months ago, now is the perfect time to give you a rundown. 

Mama Mio is created for mamas by mamas, providing pregnant people with the support they need for strong, healthy skin throughout their pregnancy journeys. I've used the range throughout both of my pregnancies and Cooling Legs and the Tummy Rub are my favourite products from the collection.

They have over fifteen years of pregnancy skincare experience and the effective, unique and nourishing formulas they use really do protect and support your skin stretching throughout your experience. 

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Five Happy Things // March '22

March has been a funny old month, it was also the month that was all change for us and then we had the rug pulled from our feet when we finally contracted covid a few weeks ago! We started off full of hope, new routines and plenty of plans - it was exciting after so long of being trapped or nervous about going out. We had events again, food reviews, saw friends and I finally stepped back on a cruise ship!

And then the four year old contracted covid at preschool... 

Thankfully he wasn't too poorly - it was just the two of us at first so we stayed in isolation to protect the other two but unfortunately they also contracted it. We are just hanging on for the final member to test negative and then hopefully we'll be free. Well, until the next time which I imagine will happen at some point. I have been able to pull together some positives though so here are five happy things from March.

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A Lebanese Foodie Dream in the heart of Southampton - Beity Restaurant

(Reviewed as part of a press visit - see disclaimer)

There are a lot of great things to shout out about in Southampton and the fabulous foodie scene we have is definitely one of them. Last summer, I was invited to try out Beity and completely fell in love, so much so I've been back a few more times since so it was about time I put something out there with a little more detail. 

Beity Restaurant is a family-run Lebanese restaurant serving the most beautifully authentic food - found on Southampton's High Street or the more commonly known QE2 Mile, it has to be on your must-visit list. 

As soon as you walk through the door the atmosphere is warm and welcoming - the word Beity means My Home in Arabic and the family behind the restaurant like to think that they're welcoming you into their home which is a lovely sentiment and something I found to be true upon each of my visits.

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