• Hotel Chocolat cocoa bar cafe
    Five Happy Things

    Five Happy Things {Week 36/2025}

    September 8, 2025 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Happy List is something I’ve been doing for the last few years. It’s my chance to sit down and reflect on the things that made me smile in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures. Five Happy Things {Week 36/2025} We started last week using our National Trust membership cards to visit Stourhead in Wiltshire. This was a place we visited many years ago when the kids were little and it was fun to visit again now they are older. We managed a walk around the beautiful lake…

  • travel

    eSIM Morocco: the smart traveller’s secret weapon

    September 3, 2025 - By 

    Morocco borders the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Travellers have many reasons to visit Morocco, including exploring the culture, cities, and diverse landscapes. When visiting this country for the first time, know that the official languages are Arabic and Standard Moroccan Berber. This requires you to have sufficient translation tools to move without issues. Therefore, you’ll need an eSIM for Morocco with enough data for a seamless experience. Keep reading as we dive deeper into Morocco and why an eSIM is a tool that must be your priority when entering Morocco. Source…

  • parenting

    Gear Up for Adventure: Making Family Outings Easier

    September 1, 2025 - By 

    Anyone with young children knows that a simple trip to the park or shops can feel like a major expedition. The planning, the packing, the snack preparation… it’s a logistical puzzle. Yet, these shared moments are what family life is all about. Getting out and about, exploring the world together, and making memories is priceless. The secret to making these adventures more joyful and less stressful often comes down to having the right equipment on hand. Navigating the Toddler Years There’s a special stage in parenting when your little one discovers their independence. They want to walk everywhere, which is…

  • Gaia in Sherborne Abbey, a touring artwork by UK artist, Luke Jerram
    Five Happy Things

    Five Happy Things {Week 35/2025}

    August 31, 2025 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Happy List is something I’ve been doing for the last few years. It’s my chance to sit down and reflect on the things that made me smile in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures. Five Happy Things {Week 35/2025} The teens have been enjoying the last full week of their school summer holidays. We went to Putt Shack and played a few rounds of golf, and then went to Social Dough for some delicious pizza. We spent the weekend in Sherborne and managed to go and see Gaia…

  • Crafts for adults

    What I made: August 2025

    August 30, 2025 - By 

    Looking back over August and it feels like I had a lot of time for stitching, despite having two teenagers hanging around all month. What I made in August 2025 At the beginning of the month I completed the MakeBox Modern English Paper Piecing Ladybird kit. I made half of the ladybird a while ago and placed it on a large banner so I could see it all the time. I got tired of seeing half a ladybird so was happy to complete it. I stitched around the EPP ladybird, stitching it to the banner, with its leg slightly hanging…

  • Five Happy Things

    Five Happy Things {Week 34/2025}

    August 24, 2025 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Happy List is something I’ve been doing for the last few years. It’s my chance to sit down and reflect on the things that made me smile in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures. Five Happy Things {Week 34/2025} We spent last week on our summer holiday. We spent half a day in the pretty city of Trier exploring the many Roman ruins of Germanys oldest city, known to the Romans as Augusta Treverorum. As well as the beautiful Porta Nigra, we were able to visit the…

  • Our trip to Eurocamp at Wirfttal, Germany
    exploring - holidays

    Our trip to Eurocamp at Wirfttal, Germany

    August 23, 2025 - By 

    We’ve just returned from a road trip around France, Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg. Our trip included a few days with Eurocamp in Wirfttal, Germany. The site is very pretty as the park is in the Eifel National Park in the North Rhine-Westphalia region. We went swimming, played mini golf, explored the local area – as well as ate schnitzel, apple strudel and drank German beer. Our trip to Eurocamp at Wirfttal, Stadtkyll, Germany We picked to stay at Wirfttal, Stadtkyll because we had previous enjoyed our time at Eurocamp in the Netherlands at Duinrell. The sites are always very family-friendly…

  • Make your own crochet cactus coasters
    Crafts for adults - Crochet - Handmade gifts

    Make your own crochet cactus coasters

    August 20, 2025 - By 

    It seems a while since I last shared a crochet craft. Our crochet cherries tutorial has proved really popular over on Pinterest, so today I thought I would share my tutorial for crochet cactus coasters. They are quite straightforward to make and are a fun craft for the summer months. List of supplies: Yarn Crochet hook 3.5 mm A pair of scissors Tapestry needle How to make your own crochet cactus coasters: Select a colour for the coaster and hold the open end of the yarn bundle without cutting it from the bundle. We’ll start our crochet with a magic…

  • Five Happy Things

    Five Happy Things {Week 33/2025}

    August 17, 2025 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Happy List is something I’ve been doing for the last few years. It’s my chance to sit down and reflect on the things that made me smile in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures. Five Happy Things {Week 33/2025} My husband and I love going to the theatre and booked last minute tickets to watch The Book of Mormon at The Prince of Wales Theatre in London. It was very funny and a little bit naughty so I was glad we left the kids at home. I…