Judy Sparrow

#Ad|gifted So excited to FINALLY have an opportunity to play @bigpotatogames @meangirls game. Anonymous questions with scandalous answers? Count me in! Burn book is out now! Check it out on their website. #bigpotatogames #meangirls #boardgames #boardgamefun #burnbook #burnbookgame #funandgames #scandalous

Ad - PR Product Last week I visited the cinema for the first time since before lockdown to watch The Last Letter from your Lover as part of the #lastletterfromyourlover watchalong with @tandemcollectiveuk. Sadly no pictures exist (and if it wasn't photographed, did it even happen?!) as I dropped my phone the day before and didn't realise how much I'd damaged it until just before I left 🙈 oooooops! The film was amazing, based on the @jojomoyesofficial novel of the same name, it splits time between the 60s and modern day and follows the story of Ellie, a journalist who discovers some lost love letters and tries to uncover the story behind them. I absolutely loved the glamour of the Riveria in the 60s and the fashion was to die for, but the story was what really drew me in. I laughed and I cried and really felt for the characters - luckily, as I chose a daytime viewing, I didn't embarrass myself too much with my ugly crying 🤣 I will definitely be watching the film again and would strongly recommend it to anyone that loves an old fashioned love story ❤ Thanks for the chance to see it @tandemcollectiveuk, I'm so happy I did! @studiocanal @lastlettermovie #jojomoyes #cinemarelease #filmsfrombooks #bookish #booksofinstagram #booklover #booksbooksbooks #bookmovie #cinematrip #mustseemovie #movierecommendation #moviesilove #cinematrip

I wasn't able to start the @tandemcollectiveuk readalong for A Time for Mercy by @johngrisham last night due to an incredibly sleep resistant child, so I'm making the most of Squidge's car nap to get started. A Time to Kill is one of my all time favourite reads - I saw the film when I was still in school and it led to an obsession for all things Grisham, so I was really excited to hear that Jake Brigance would be making a return. I'll be posting my updates for the readalong in the stories, so keep an eye out and let me know if you'd like a copy of the readalong cards - a link to the book is in my bio. #atimeformercy #johngrisham #atimeformercyreadalong  #tandemcollectiveuk #fiction #tbr #nextread  #fictionbooks #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #tbr #julyreads #julytbr  #bookworm #bookaddict #manicmidweekparents #freshweekparents #parentlife #mumwhoreads #readingmum #booksbooksbooks #toberead #toread #futurereads #booklover

Ad|PR product My last read was Lost Property by Helen Paris and what a treat it was! I loved the character of Dot from the moment i started reading and although the book does deal with some dark themes (suicide, dementia, sexual assault) these were dealt with sensitively by the author. I loved the tags at the beginning of the chapter which made me guess how each item was going to feature and the backdrop of the Lost Property office, which wove together a tale of loss in many different forms. Dot Watson has lost her way. Twelve years ago her life veered off course, and the guilt over what happened still haunts her. Before then she was living in Paris, forging an exciting career; now her time is spent visiting her mother's care home, fielding interfering calls from her sister and working at the London Transport Lost Property office, diligently cataloguing items as misplaced as herself. But when elderly Mr Appleby arrives in search of his late wife's purse, his grief stirs something in Dot. Determined to help, she sets off on a mission - one that could start to heal Dot's own loss and let her find where she belongs once more... #lostproperty #helenparis #fiction #lastread  #fictionbooks #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #tbr #junetbr #junereads #bookworm #bookaddict #manicmidweekparents #freshweekparents #parentlife #mumwhoreads #readingmum #booksbooksbooks #toberead #toread #futurereads #booklover

Ad|PR Product I haven't done a book update in a while, but my next read is Dear Mrs Bird by @ajpearcewrites which was gifted by @tandemcollectiveuk in celebration of the recent release of the sequel Yours Cheerfully. I've heard really great things about Dear Mrs Bird and I can't wait to get started! I've included links to both books in my Linktree. Have you read these yet? London, 1941. Emmeline Lake and her best friend Bunty are trying to stay cheerful despite the Luftwaffe making life thoroughly annoying for everyone. Emmy dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent and when she spots a job advertisement in the newspaper she seizes her chance – but after a rather unfortunate misunderstanding, she finds herself typing letters for the formidable Henrietta Bird, the renowned agony aunt of Woman’s Friend magazine. Mrs Bird is very clear: letters containing any form of Unpleasantness must go straight into the bin. But as Emmy reads the desperate pleas from women who may have Gone Too Far with the wrong man, or can't bear to let their children be evacuated, she decides the only thing for it is to secretly write back . . . Irresistibly funny and enormously moving, Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce is a love letter to the enduring power of friendship, the kindness of strangers and the courage of ordinary people in extraordinary #dearmrsbird #yourscheerfully #ajpearce #tandemcollectiveuk #fiction #tbr #nextread  #fictionbooks #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #tbr #julyreads #julytbr  #bookworm #bookaddict #manicmidweekparents #freshweekparents #parentlife #mumwhoreads #readingmum #booksbooksbooks #toberead #toread #futurereads #booklover

#ad The only member of the household that gets away with more than Squidge is our cat Monkey. She definitely has moments where she lives up to her name but mostly she's happy as long as she has somewhere warm (usually my lap) to snuggle up on and something good to eat. She loves these salmon loin treats from @applawspetfood, and I love giving her a treat that's 100% natural, a source of Omega fatty acids and low in fat. Do you have any pets? #MonkeySparrowbum #applaws #catsofinstagram #catscatscats #catstagram #catlife #cats #catfood #healthycatfood #naturalcattreats #cattreats #cattreataddict #cattreattime #happycat #happycatsonline #happycatlife #familytime #happyfamiliestribe #mumsofinstagram #mumlifeuk #catmum #catmumlife

Ad|Gifted Sundays are always busy days for us, as we have to work around swimming, so we have to be organised. That's where our gorgeous and practical #gifted items from @wearesmidge come into their own. The insulated bottle means that we can give Squidge a lovely cool drink, even after our bag has been sat on a steamy poolside for a while and the snack box is small enough to slip into the swimming bag, but big enough to keep a contrary toddler happy. Squidge had come to recognise the snack box and will hand it to me when she's hungry - luckily the catches on the side are enough to stop her helping herself (for now!). I'm not left out either, we also have beewax wraps which are amazing for our sandwiches and a matching coffee cup, which I fill with hot chocolate to keep me toasty warm on cooler days - obviously I didn't need that today! 😂 I absolutely love their sustainable ethos and simple but so effective designs - check out them out on the link in my bio 🥰 #wearesmidge #ecofriendly #ecofriendlyproducts #ecofriendlyliving #ecoliving #ecofriendlyparenting #toddlerlife #snacktime #snackmonster #parentlife #mumlife #mumlifeuk #sundayfunparents #sundayvibes #notadayofrest #weekend #mumbloggeruk #mumsofinstagram

Ad As someone who takes a LOT of photos, it can sometimes feel like a bit of a chore sharing them with everyone, so I was excited when @officialparentsquad asked me to try out the @familyalbumapp. FamilyAlbum was created to give parents a secure and easy way to share photos and videos with loved ones. It is free to download and come with free unlimited storage. You can share your photos at the touch of a button and even order prints, photobooks, DVDs, and calendars through the app! I've found it so easy to upload photos and choose who to share it with - definitely no more spending evenings WhatsApping photos to all our different groups, this way, our family can not only choose when they want to enjoy baby spam, they can add their own, giving us an amazing ongoing album of our moments with Squidge. You can find the app on App store or Play store and find out more at http://family-album.com. #parentsquad #familyalbumuk #familyalbumapp #familyalbum #familymoments #parentlife #toddlersofinstagram #parentsxassemble #toddlerlife #mumlifeuk #mumbloggeruk

Ad|Gifted I've featured Lyra's incredibly yellow room on here previously - we are trying to include a colourful vibe so it was perfect when @desenio offered us a #gifted print from their New In section. Obviously we had to go for this rainbow space print - it's so perfect for the rest of the room and I love the retro feel. As you can see Squidge loves it too. We absolutely love the range they have on their site, they have something for everyone and we will definitely be purchasing more to add to the gallery wall of dreams (pictures of that to come!) You can get 30% off until 4th June using code XSQUIDGE (not valid on frames or handpicked & personalised posters) on their website! #ad #desenio #nurserydecor #nurseryideas #nurseryinspo #rainbowcolours #spaceprint #rainbowprint #childsro #motherhood #mumbloggeruk #bhmmamas #parentxsunfun #mumlife #toddlerlife #framedprints #framedprint #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerroom #toddlerroomdecor #toddlerroomideas

Ad| Gifted One of my favourite things about Squidge learning to walk is that she now goes and gets us books when she wants to be read to. It makes my heart melt every time, especially watching her and Mr Sparrowbum read together, so I was really excited when @hoorayheroes_uk sent us You'll Always Be My Little Girl, their book based on the special bond between fathers and their daughters. Personalising the book was really easy, I just put in Lyra's name and used the settings to create a character for each of them and chose the stories I wanted to include, which was lovely as it meant I could tailor it to their daredevil personalities! It has made it so much more special that they now have a book to read together that is just theirs and it's definitely going to be a favourite for years to come 🥰 #gifted #ad #hoorayheroes #hoorayheroesuk #fathersdaygifts #fathersdaygiftideas #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerreadingtime #toddlerreading #parentlife #daddydaughtertime #personalisedgifts #personalisedbooks #sundaymumaday #mumsofinstagram #mumlifeuk #dadlife #readingtime #toddlerlife #booksforkids #giftsfordads

Ad|Gifted As you may know, we have been working with @easytots_ as affiliates for a while now and we absolutely love our two mats, so we were really excited to hear that they will be featured on Dragon's Den this Thursday, 27th May on BBC1 at 8pm. They have kindly sent us this lovely supporters pack and we will definitely be waving our flag and raising a glass to support them. Good luck Helen! You can use code SQUIDGE on the Easytots website to receive 10% off and a free cutlery set. #easytots #dragonsden  #baby #babyledweaning #blw #babyledweaningideas #blwideas #blwinspiration #weaningjourney #babyledeating #babyledfeeding #weaningbaby #blwrecipes #whatmybabyeats #blwmeals #newstartparents #babyfood #firstfoods #blwmenu #babyweaning #toddlerfood #babyfoodideas #whatifeedmybaby #blwinspo #weaningrecipes #blwbaby #babyledweaninguk #toddlermeals

Ad - PR Product I was recently involved with the @tandemcollectiveuk readalong for the Letters of Note series and received this #gifted copy, which is themed around Space. Initially I wasn't sure I would be as interested in this as some of the other topics that were available, but I ended up sitting and reading half the book in one go as I found it so entertaining. A couple of the letters were a bit hard going (Yuri Gagarin I'm looking at you!) but on the whole there was a great mix of heartwarming notes and unique perspectives on historical events which was a thought provoking and enjoyable read. The series has a wide range of topics, such as mothers, cats, grief and dogs, so there is something for everyone. I've already ordered the one on Fathers for my husband for Father's day and have a couple of others earmarked for future gifts. #LoNReadalong #LetterofNote  #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #booklover #MumWhoReads #booklover #bookish #booknerd #instabook #bookaholic #bookobsessed #booksofig #readingmum #bookstagram #books #booksbooksbooks #mayreads #bookworm #bookaddict #bookish #booknerd #bibliophile #booksofinstagram #reading #instabook #sundaymumaday #bookaholic #bookphotography  #booklovers  #nonfictionbooks #nonfiction

We've been to zoo, zoo, zoo! Yesterday, like the big kid that I am, I went to the zoo to celebrate my birthday with my Mum and step-dad and as it was their anniversary (25 years! 🥰) I treated us all to an elephant feed. It was a lovely day and it's so lovely to see Squidge getting excited about the animals. It also gave me an opportunity to FINALLY get a picture of Squidge and I using our #gifted @tushbabyshop hip carrier. We've used it a few times now we can get out and about and it's so handy... Squidge struggles to see things in her pram but I get a sore arm and back from carrying her round all the time, so the 'baby shelf' as we call it, is perfect as it allows me to carry her for longer periods of time, whilst being able to put her down easily if she wants to walk, or if I want to put her back in the pram for a while. It also has a bum bag style compartment for your essentials, a drink holder and a handy mesh pocket on the front, which I use to keep my mask and sanitiser easily accessible. I feel like Squidge really associates it with comfort and being close to me, she beams every time she sees me put it on, and sometimes she picks it up and brings it to me at home if she wants to be involved in what I am doing, which is so cute! They come in a range of colours, check out their website for more details. #ad #tushbabyshop #hipcarrier #hipcarrying #babywearing #backpainrelief #colchesterzoo #babydaysout #toddlerlife #toddlersofinstagram #mumbloggeruk #mumlife #mumlifeuk #mamamaysupport #mumsofinstagram #toddlersofinstagram #littleposer #birthdaydayout #toddleratthezoo

#ad One of the positives of lockdown has been that people have found new ways to show others they care and have been going out of their way to do so. Even though things are easing up a little, it's still hard to see everyone, so what better way to show someone that you are thinking of them than by sending a beautiful gift, that is even letter-box friendly, so can be delivered completely contact free? The Thinking of You Letterbox gift from @moonpig is packed full of a mix of delicious treats, pamper products and motivational and mindfulness messages, so is ideal to celebrate a friendship, as a pick-me-up for someone you know is struggling or just to show you care. They have a range of gifts for any occasion, so check out the full range on their website. Who would you send a letterbox gift to? #MoonpigMoments #GiftIdea #GiftIdeasUk #LetterboxGifts #FlowerDelivery #GiftIdeaForHer #GiftIdeasForWomen #GiftIdeasForMum #LetterboxGiftsUk #ShowYouCare #parentsmiletribe #parentlife #randomactsofkindness #RAOK #GiftsForAll #ContactFreeDelivery #LockdownGifting #LockdownGiftIdeas #Lockdown2021 #LockdownLife #GiftsByPost #FlowersByPost

As I think I've mentioned before on here, I love a scary movie, so I'm really excited to read my #gifted copy of The Last Girl by @goldywrites. I love exciting book mail and this didn't disappoint, the book came with a horror bingo card to complete while reading and a gorgeous pack of @joeandseph popcorn, that sadly didn't last the day. I'll definitely be buying myself some more - it was sooooo delicious. Thank you @tandemcollectiveuk and @electricmonkeybooks . I'll do a full review once I've finished reading, but for now, the blurb is below. Now for a quick this or that...? Horror or Romance Books or movies Sweet or savoury popcorn Mine would be horror (although I love both), Books (again I love both though) And 100% Sweet. What about you? When it comes to horror movies, the rules are clear: - Avoid abandoned buildings, warehouses, and cabins at all times. - Stay together: don't split up, not even just to "check something out.… - If there's a murderer on the loose, do NOT make out with anyone … New girl Rachel Chavez turns to horror movies for comfort, preferring them to the bored rich kids of her fancy New York High School. But then Rachel is recruited by the Mary Shelley Club, a mysterious student club that sets up terrifying Fear Tests; elaborate pranks inspired by urban legends and horror movies. But when a sinister masked figure appears, Rachel realises that her past has caught up with her. It's time for the ultimate prank to play out … #TheLastGirl #GoldyMoldavsky #tandemcollectiveuk #YA #horrorbooks #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #tbr #maytbr #themaryshelleyclub #bookworm #bookaddict #mamainstacrew #readingmum #booksbooksbooks #toberead #toread #futurereads #booklover #MumWhoReads #booklover #bookish #booknerd #instabook #bookaholic #bookobsessed #booksofig #fictionbooks