• 7 travel essentials for car journeys with kids
    Family Life - parenting

    7 travel essentials for car journeys with kids

    February 4, 2018 - By 

    We’ve enjoyed a few long car journeys over the summer holidays. As my children have got older they need different things to keep them busy. Gone are the days of a dummy and a cuddly toy. Now my 6 and 7 year olds demand iPads and endless snacks. We’ve always said they can only have screen time in moderation so we balance the use of iPads with other things. With half term in sight I thought it was a good time to pull together my 7 travel essentials for car journeys with kids. 7 travel essentials for car journeys with kids…

  • peter rabbit film london preview
    Family Life - film review

    The Peter Rabbit Movie

    February 4, 2018 - By 

    I’ve mentioned before how much I love the stories of Beatrix Potter. My sister and I shared a beautiful set of her stories which we still have, although I have to admit a few of the pages might have our scribbles on them. We both loved the stories and have re-read them with our own children, and we have 5 between us. The books are simply magical, and the illustrations really bring each character to life. Now, did you know that Peter Rabbit is the oldest licensed character in the world? Beatrix Potter registered him at the Patent Office in…

  • Nerf N-Strike Surgefire from Hasbro review
    Family Life - Hasbro Toy Tribe - toy review

    Nerf N-Strike Elite SurgeFire blaster from Hasbro review

    February 1, 2018 - By 

    My son absolutely loves his Nerf blasters. He has quite a few now and I think they’re a really fun toy. Of course we gave it a lot of thought about whether Nerf was appropriate for our children. I’m pleased to say it’s one of their favourite toy brands. Nerf N-Strike Elite SurgeFire blaster from Hasbro We have a few other Nerf blasters and my children really enjoy blasting each other (and me) with the foam bullets. The Nerf N-Strike Elite SurgeFire blaster is the latest in the range and my son was delighted to try it out. Slam the competition…

  • 5 Creative Date Night Ideas for Busy Parents
    Family Life - parenting

    6 Creative Date Night Ideas for Busy Parents

    January 31, 2018 - By 

    With Valentine’s Day now just 2 weeks away my thoughts have been turning to how to mark the occasion. I’m not a huge fan of overly commercialised days. Instead my husband and I try to make time for each other through the month, rather than go all out on one day each year. We’re huge Netflix fans round here. Lack of a baby sitter means we often watch a film when the children have gone to bed. Sometimes it’s good to plan something which doesn’t revolve around a screen though, so I thought I’d share 5 creative date night ideas…

  • Family Life - homestyle

    My garden lighting shopping guide

    January 30, 2018 - By 

    Photo by Wyatt Ryan on Unsplash Lighting is an important element of any home. Using it in the right way really matters. The way a space is lit can make a huge difference to how it looks and feels, as well as affect how practical it is. This is also true of your garden. Using LED garden lights from LED Hut or another retailer, in the right way, can have a transformative effect. It can turn a space that is dark and unwelcoming, at night, into one where you long to go to relax at the end of a hard day. However, you do…

  • Family Life - Monday Happy List

    Monday mindfulness – 5 Happy Things

    January 29, 2018 - By 

    Happy Monday everyone! I’m looking forward to the end of January and a new month. January has flown by but I admit to being excited by warmer weather, longer days and February. We’re decorating my daughter’s bedroom this week which I’m quite excited about. I had a major clear out today and although I’m sad to get rid of the toys she no longer plays with, I’m excited to give her a lovely bedroom. Monday mindfulness – 5 Happy Things We were lucky to go and see two great films this weekend. The first was Darkest Hour which my husband…

  • Celebrating National Chocolate Cake Day
    Family Life

    Celebrating National Chocolate Cake Day

    January 27, 2018 - By 

    Did you know that today, Saturday 27th January, is National Chocolate Cake Day? My children were so excited when I told them this and couldn’t wait to make something special to celebrate. To celebrate Chocolate Cake Day my daughter was sent a bundle of Series 4 Num Noms and all the ingredients she needed to bake some delicious Num Noms-inspired chocolate cakes. Have you heard of Num Noms? You can mix and match Num Noms to create sweet, scented recipes! There are 120 Num Noms in Series 4! Scented Nums are adorable, squishy characters with tons of personality. Noms are scented nail polish or…

  • Family Life - homestyle

    Top 3 family-friendly floors

    January 26, 2018 - By 

    Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash As a parent there are often a lot of things to consider, have you safety-proofed your home? Are they getting enough vitamins? All the usual palaver. But have you ever considered your floor? Flooring has been overlooked by a lot of people, so if you are one of those, we’re here to inform you of the choices you can make when it comes to child-friendly flooring. Bamboo: Yes, you read that correctly, bamboo – it’s not just for pandas you know! Over the past decade this material has seen a huge increase in usage due to its ability to handle a…

  • Family Life - homestyle

    Planning my dream craft space

    January 25, 2018 - By 

    Photo by Giulia Bertelli on Unsplash I’ve been sorting out some of my craft supplies this morning. Everything has spilled into our spare room and as we are about to re-decorate my daughters room, she will need to move into the spare room for a week or two, I really need to tidy it up. You may remember that one of my craft goals for this year was to organise my craft stash and books, and plan a craft space for me. Somehow my husband has ended up with the spare room as an office (even though he rarely works from home) as…