The app is a GPS tracking tool which enables it to track your mileage exactly. To get started you need to create your avatar, which is basically a photo of you superimposed on an athletic frame which you choose from a number of different styles.

You can join different teams and compare how you are doing against other people taking part. You can also see how your town is doing in comparison to other towns and most importantly it also shows you how much money you have raised.You can share information about your runs on facebook and twitter so that everyone can see how you are doing. The Samsung tour bus will also be following the Olympic torch on its journey though out the UK and you may see your avatar used on the bus.

If you are looking for a way to get fit this summer this app will give you an incentive to do so. It encourages you to complete a full mile in order to make the charity donation and you feel that you want to complete the challenge for the sake of your team. You do not need to run, walking is fine so why not download the app now and start logging the miles.

You can find more information here:  http://www.samsung.com/uk/london2012/samsung-hope-relay/

The app is available for both Android and ios so if you have a smart phone you can start using it straight away. It is a free app and you can find it in the Android Marketplace or iTunes. The Samsung Hope Relay runs between now and 12 Aug 2012 so get moving now for a good cause.

• Android download link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samsung.torch
• iTunes download link: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/samsung-hope-relay/id523627660

When I was asked to review a favourite book as part of the tots100 book club I thought instantly of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. This is a book that spans the generations, my mum introduced me to it when I was a child and it was one of her favourite books while growing up. I still enjoy it today and hopefully my son will enjoy it when he is a bit older. It is a book that most of us will be familiar with but it is a classic that should be kept and enjoyed again and again.

The book tells the story of Mary Lennox who is a spoiled ten year old girl who has been living in India. Her parents are very wealthy but have little time for her as they are busy with parties and entertaining.  she has been dumped on the servants who are scared to contradict her. She has become a spiteful and bad tempered child  and expects the servants  to do everything for her, even get her dressed.

After a Cholera outbreak which has killed her parents and many of the servants she almost goes unnoticed. She is sent to live with her uncle,a reclusive hunchback,  Archibald Craven who lives in a large house in Yorkshire. He spends a lot of his time travelling so Mary is left to amuse herself.

Mary is not happy and dislikes the large house and vast bleak moors outside and is her usual unpleasant sour self. She is given two rooms in the house and the run of the gardens. Her maid servant, Martha Sowerby does not do everything the way for her. Mary has to learn to fend for herself and she is lonely.

The house has many secrets, there is the secret hidden garden that was locked many years ago and the key thrown away. A tragic accident befell her uncle’s wife there and he can not bear to go into it again. No one knows where it is. There is the crying that Mary hears in the night time that the servants swear is the wind and dreams. Mary begins to explore the house and garden and some of these secrets will be revealed.

The book is a magical story of friendship and fresh air working miracles. As Mary begins to interact with those around her the sour attitude that got her everything she wanted while in India no longer works. As her attitude changes she loses the yellowness of complexion and begins to fill out and become softer around the edges. Mary is transformed and the lives of those around her are also changed for the better.

The book also gives a glimpse into life in the days when big houses and servants were common place. The adage children should be seen and not heard certainly rings true though out the book and the way they are left to amuse themselves is at odds with parenting today. It is a fascinating book that will keep you enthralled and entertained and if you have not read it you definitely should.

I am recommending this book to Cheryl at Mad House Family Reviews as I know that her daughter is the right age to enjoy it.

Other reviews you may be interested in:

A Twist of Fate by Joanna Rees

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

This picture shows the gadget in the packet before we opened it. It was easy to open. I often find that these plastic packets can be a nightmare and involve locating scissors, this actually had an easy to rip section on the packet which was really handy.

it really is just as described, a small plastic gadget that can read your mind. My son was incredibly intrigued and wanted to try it out straight away.  He did not believe that it would work and was busy thinking of things that he could think of that it would  be impossible to guess.

It is really simple to use. First of all you think of something, anything at all, the harder the better. The 20Q Version 3 then asks a series of 20 questions in scrolling writing across the screen. You answer the questions by pressing one of the four buttons,”yes”, “no”, “sometimes” or “unknown”. At the end of the 20 questions it gives an answer and if it is right it wins. If the answer is wrong it gets a chance to ask five more questions and guess again before it admits defeat.

My son was absolutely fascinated by this gadget and it is a brilliant way to secure a little bit of peace and quiet. He spent ages thinking of very obscure things and was absolutely baffled how the 20Q version 3 managed to guess the answer. He even sat with his dad getting his dad to think up things and the two of them were engrossed for ages.

The 20Q version 3 rarely loses and what is more it taunts you with phrases like “I know everything” and “you can do better than that”. This makes you want to beat it at every turn. It is a very clever little gadget  and would make a novel and intriguing gift.

It uses two AAA batteries and these are included so you can get started using it straight away. RRP £9.95 but you can currently get it in the Spring sale for £6.97. Get it fast though as the sale ends on the 1st June 2012.

You can find more information about the 20Q version 3 at Prezzybox: http://www.prezzybox.com/20q-version-3.aspx

Disclosure: I was sent a 20Q version 3 to review but the opinions expressed are my own

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Chocolate Pizza! What else needs to be said?

• Morrighani

Well done. I have sent an email to get your details.

I was sent the 7″ Crunchy Munchy Pizza which is described as a chocolate taste explosion.

The pizza arrived in a stylish cardboard box, just like a real pizza. I loved the fact that it had “the gourmet chocolate pizza company” on the label and the ingredients were described on the inset label. It made the pizza experience a little bit more authentic. Opening the box I found the pizza.

It is wrapped in red tissue paper and carefully protected with a plastic cover so that it does not get damaged during transportation.  It is also easy to wrap back up and store in the box in the fridge, assuming that you do not demolish it all in one go. It does have a shelf life of 6 months so you can keep it and stare at it lovingly for a while. The pizza is pre-cut into eight slices just like a real pizza. It also means you do not have problems trying to cut it into slices yourself, you can just grab one from the box and eat it.

The crunchy munchy pizza consists of a Belgium chocolate base. Loving placed on top of the slices you will find creamy vanilla fudge pieces, crunchy chocolate brownie biscuit and white chocolate curls. Just to tantalise you, here is a close up picture of one of the slices:

This slice shows the fudge pieces but not the brownie biscuit. I shared out the pizza with the family so that we could all review it, although I must admit that I was rather tempted to hide it away and keep it for myself. The pizza is absolutely gorgeous. The Belgium chocolate tastes very luxurious and is perfectly complemented by the white chocolate curls on the top which add a touch of texture. The vanilla fudge pieces add a lovely sweeter taste and the brownie pieces are very crunchy but exquisite. Each slice is the perfect size for a chocolate treat and it is very rich so you are not tempted to eat it all at once. (Well you are, but one slice is definitely a treat). The chocolate pizza got a thumbs up from my son and my husband as well, they both loved it.

If you have man that you find it difficult to get presents for he will definitely love this for Fathers day. It would also make a great birthday or Christmas gift as well as it is unique and unusual.

RRP £12.95

For more information visit Prezzyboxhttp://www.prezzybox.com/chocolate-pizza-crunchy-munchy7.aspx

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The Witcher 2

It seems odd to be talking about boots in May, normally by now I am into my summer shoes. The weather has been so miserable recently that I am still wearing my boots. I believe I have finally found a brand that solves all my woes, and its Caterpillar.

If you are like me you think of Caterpillar and you think of diggers. What I didn’t realise was that they had also moved into fashion and created a range of boots that are actually very stylish. Given their industrial background the boots are also very hard wearing which is ideal for me.

How about these Caterpillar Liv boots in black? I love the little silver studs and the detailing on the heel. It makes them look a little more special. They definitely have a sturdy look about them. They are not at all what I expected from a brand that makes diggers and  work boots, they are a lot more fashionable and I would be happy to be seen wearing these.

These Caterpillar Anna boots are the pair I currently own  and I have to say I love them. The furry inside makes them very warm and cosy to wear and you can actually wear them with the sides rolled down giving them a different look. Amazingly these boots have lasted me all winter and they are still going strong.

The heels are hardly worn down at all, which I think is due to the clever rubber soles. The design of these also made it easier to walk when it was icy outside.

They have stood up to long walks with the dog in all sorts of weather and still look good while keeping my feet warm and dry. I shall be wearing these for a while to come, at least until the weather improves and I can finally bring out my summer shoes.