Britax Versafix

With all of my family living across an ocean we are very lucky to have NotBlondeHusband's parents (and their respective spouses) able to help with Blondie Boy. They both help out with NBH's Dad picking up or dropping off BB from school or his Mum taking him overnight so we can attend an event--we couldn't get by without their help and Blondie Boy LOVES spending time at both Grandma's and Grandad's. It also means that Blondie Boy is effectively being swapped around three different cars--exciting for him (if you didn't know he was cars daft where have you been?) but potentially a pain in the butt switching around carseats all the time. Luckily we were sent the Versafix from Britax!

Designed for busy families juggling childcare and getting to and from all the activities children love to do, the lightweight and stylish VERSAFIX has three different fixing options.  Compatible with a three point seatbelt fitting in older cars, as well as newer models with ISOFIX or Top Tether anchorage points, it can be easily and quickly swapped between cars - and because it’s from BRITAX you can be confident it will fix securely every time.

To ensure the little ones are as safe and secure as possible, the VERSAFIX car seat has a five-point safety harness.  

The VERSAFIX seat also boasts a number of practical features:

·      Deep, softly padded side wings to ensure greater protection and comfort for your child
·      A cover that is quick removable and washable (LOVE this!)
·      A buckle that stays in the forward position so it is easy to put your child in the seat
·      Multiple recline positions for when your little one is sleeping 
·      Lightweight and stylish design (SO easy to lift in and out!)

We've used the Versafix using a seatbelt fitting and Isofix and it couldn't be easier. Swapping it between our car, Grandad's or Grandma's car takes barely any time at all and we know that it will be safe and secure no matter which car it is in. Blondie Boy loves his red seat and it's so comfy even at age three he can still fall asleep in it if we are driving home late at night which is a nice wee bonus! 

The VERSAFIX is suitable from 9 months to 4 years (or 9-18kgs), retails at £225 and is available in a range of colours.

For more information and details of where to buy visit www.britax.co.uk or call 01264 386 034.

Follow us at www.facebook.com/britaxUK or www.twitter.com/babyonboardUK

Transatlantic Blonde was provided the Britax Versafix for review but all opinions are our own.

What I Wore Wednesday: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

This week was NotBlondeHusband's 33rd birthday. I made him a Malted Chocolate Buttercream Devil's Food Cake with Marshmallow Filling and then gave him a present that I don't think anyone was really expecting; if I'm honest not even me: twin haircuts.

What a difference 4-5 inches makes huh? I loved Blondie Boy's long hair but it just wasn't practical any more. It was always in his eyes (I don't like boys with bangs/fringe don't ask me why I just don't) or had boogers or paint or play-doh stuck in it. We talked about it and he wasn't that bothered so he and his Daddy got matching haircuts on NBH's birthday.

The stylists couldn't believe how still he sat for almost 30 minutes and gave him a special certificate to say what a good boy he was. My inspiration for his hair was David Beckham's haircut---yes I know Blondie Boy is only three but I wanted him to have a cool haircut. You could also just say it's a longer version of his Dad's haircut. I haven't really played with it yet but I think he could probably rock a pretty sweet faux-hawk.

After the haircuts we had two birthday dinners, one on Friday with NBH's Dad and his wife and another on Saturday with NBH's Mum and her husband. Both dinners were super yummy (I ate far too much) and we finished both meals off with the aforementioned cake. On Saturday after dinner NBH and I went to a charity concert one of his friend's from work was throwing so I wanted to make sure I had on comfy shoes. I was really struggling with something that would work and I'm not 100% with what I came up with if I'm honest.

Black Sequin Loft Top

Old Navy Sweetheart Jeans

Next Studded Flats

Children's Place Embellished Button Down

Cherokee Jeans

Disney Cars Flasher Gym Shoes

I think part of the reason I couldn't find something I liked to wear was that I'm not happy with my body right now. I've put on a ridiculous amount of weight (I've been on the scale so trust me) and things are fitting the way they should and honestly it isn't healthy. I loved my eye-makeup (thanks Pinterest!) and my hair but I'm not comfortable in my own skin right now. 

I've lost weight before and I'm angry at myself that I've gotten this heavy again. I could blame it on a number of changes and frankly shitty things going on right now but that's not fair. So I've started SlimFast; it isn't something I've tried before but a 2 weeks supply was on sale at Costco and it seemed like an easy way to try and get my butt in gear. It isn't a long term solution but hopefully it is a way to start losing some weight and motivate me to start exercising, eat better and keep losing weight until I'm happy with myself.

Has anyone done SlimFast before? Any tips or tricks?

What I Wore Wednesday: Secret Sales The Secret Launch

I love to shop. LOVE. It's in my genes. The only thing I love better than shopping is shopping a sale. Who doesn't love getting any amazing deal on an outfit? So I was super excited to be invited to the launch of SecretSales The Secret last week in Notting Hill. The past few weeks have been a bit stressful so I was really looking forward to it!

SecretSales is a designer fashion and homeware flash sales site which offers up to 70 per cent discounts on over 600 brands and The Secret is their new bespoke blog with posts on make-up tips from top make-up artists, day-in-the-life spots with their experts, trendspotting and more! 

To celebrate the launch of The Secret several of us were invited to the SecretSales studio for make-up tips, cupcakes (what event is complete without them?) and our own chance to style a model with some of the amazing clothing, shoes and accessory in the SecretSales closet.

I spied a Hugo Boss brown leather jacket on the men's clothing rack and knew I had to base my outfit around it. I'm a sucker for a good leather jacket what can I say. From there I held up about half a dozen different shirts to the very cooperative (and very handsome) model Paul to find one that popped with his eyes. I don't often put men's outfits together but I'm pretty happy with the results.

Image by Dom Aleandri Photography

Image by Dom Aleandri Photography

Brown Leather Jacket-Hugo Boss

Blue Shirt- Hugo Boss

(both available from SecretSales from 19/4)

So what do you wear to the launch where you will be surrounded by fashion bloggers, journalists and models? Yea I struggled with that one too! Especially since I was flying down to London and back the same day plus trains and tube to get there. So as much as part of me wanted to go a bit avant-garde I aired on the side of practical. 

Xhilaration High Low Striped Dress

Black Loft Cardigan

Hot Pink HM Hoop Earrings

Black Folded Trim New Look Ankle Boots

Probably not my first outfit choice but stripes and monochromatic are in this season so it worked in a pinch. I do have a chance to really increase my stylishness but I need all y'all to help out please!

If you visit SecretSales Facebook page and "like" the photo of Paul in the outfit I styled I could win a Dolce and Gabbana handbag!

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. This is probably the only chance I'll ever have at owning anything by Dolce and Gabanna (one of my favourite designers-no one does leopard print better) so I'd freak out if I won! I feel like I'm asking a lot of favours lately but it literally takes one second to like the photo and I'd really appreciate your help!

What I Wore Wednesday: Polarn O. Pyret

Jet lag is a bitch. I'm struggling and that is a fact. I've not had anywhere to be or anywhere to go so I've been lounging around the house in sweats pretty much this whole week. Luckily for me Blondie Boy has picked up the slack and is stylish as always. He is really into hats and picked this one out on his own to go with his outfit.

HM Hat

Polarn O. Pyret Block Stripe T-Shirt

J. Crew Green Long Sleeve Top

Polarn O. Pyret Cargo Trousers

Converse Slip Ons

He is so his mother's son he had such a fun time with our little faux photo shoot. He was doing poses and dancing around and having an all together good time!

Are your children posers or are they camera shy?




Nominations for the BIB Awards close this Friday at midnight BST. If you like What I Wore Wednesday and fancy nominating me in any of the categories this is the information you need to know and fill in:

Blog Name: Transatlantic Blonde Blog URL: http://transatlanticblonde.blogspot.co.uk Blog Twitter ID: @Melaina25 Blogger Email: M e l a i n a 2 5 at Gmail dot com

I greatly appreciate anyone who nominates me but if you don't want to no biggie!
  Transatlantic Blonde was provided a POP outfit for review but the cuteness and opinions are all our own.

Gigaset SL910A Touch Screen Phone

When you’re looking at stylish tech items for your home, you probably think smart TVs, Macbook Airs, espresso machines and BluRay players. A new fixed line phone might not be one of the first things you think of but you might be surprised at how far phones have come recently, especially now Gigaset have released the SL910A  their first touch screen home telephone.

At first glance the Gigaset SL910A seems more like a mobile phone than a land line. It’s stylish metal and black handset looks more like the latest smart phone than what you would normally think a home phone looks like. It has a large touch screen interface and a sleek design. Bluetooth and miniUSB connectivity allow you to upload photos to the phone and use them as a screensaver or for picture caller ID. When you’re not using it as a phone, it is effectively an extra digital photo frame.

On top of all the extra features you wouldn’t expect it has a lot of great ones you would. There’s an answering machine with masses of recording space, an extra big battery allowing you plenty of standby time and talk time and a missed call list which lets you know who has called you when you’ve been out and about.

We loved the option to add photos. Like anyone with a young family the amount of pictures of your little one in the home is only limited by the number of places you have to put them. We just found some new space! The call quality and battery life are great, we haven’t had any problems there. If you were to push for a negative, there’s a limited number of ringtones and they’re all a little annoying after a while. A simple “ring ring”, classic phone option would not go amiss.

If you’re chic but tech savvy, this could well be the phone for you. What’s the point of spending a fortune kitting out your house with all the latest hip tech products and then sitting them next to an ugly old telephone? And the SL910A is definitely not style over substance, its features put it right up there with the best phones available.

The Gigaset SL910A Touch Screen phone retails for £139.99 and it’s available to buy from John Lewis, Dixons, Ligo and Amazon.

Transatlantic Blonde was provided a phone for review but all views are our own. 

What I Wore Wednesday: Cincinnati Reds Opening Day

When I found out I was going to be able to come home I checked to see if I'd be home in time for any baseball and I decided to book my flight for the day after Opening Day. The Cincinnati Reds are the only team in baseball who always have Opening Day at home (we were the first professional baseball team don'tcha know) and the Opening Day parade is a 94 year old tradition in Cincinnati. Shockingly enough neither I, nor my Dad, had ever been to the parade! So we decided to go!

It is crazy how many people were down around Fountain Square and the parade route and there was lots of free stuff and fun going on around the parade. It was SO freaking cold though. It had snowed earlier in the day and while it was dry for us it was so cold until the sun came out at the very end! The parade was some old baseball players from The Big Red Machine, current players (including my favourite Bronson Arroyo), marching bands, Senators, council members and a whole bunch of other random stuff! Everyone seemed really excited about the Budweiser Clydesdales for some reason as well even though Bob Evans and some others had Clydesdales, too.

We wanted to get tickets but scalpers were selling standing room only tickets for $100 each so we decided to head back home. We did stop at Skyline Chili first which was INSANE because it was free coney day. Normally when you go to Skyline you get your food literally in under 5 minutes. We probably waited close to 45 minutes it was crazy! The staff were handling it all really well though and it was, as always, delicious. The Reds ended up losing 3-1 after 13 innings so it was probably best we didn't stay for the game anyway.

Like I mentioned it was freezing so my outfit was more practical, if you can call not wearing a coat practical, than stylish:

St. Patrick's Day Cincinnati Reds Hat

Cincinnati Reds V-Neck (hidden under 2 layers)

Cincinnati Bearcats Hoodie

Gap Puffy Vest

Old Navy Sweetheart Jeans

New Balance Gym Shoes

What baseball team do you support? Does your team have big opening day celebrations? Apologies if I don't reply to comments/posts asap but I will be on a plane home to Glasgow as this goes live tonight!

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