• Family Life - parenting

    Boosting my body confidence

    August 12, 2018 - By 

    Photo by Pierre BEST on Unsplash I mentioned the other day that we were really looking forward to our holiday in Holland. Our holiday park had a water park and was near to the sea. As much as I was excited for our family to have all these experiences my thoughts also began to turn to what that meant – summer clothes and swimming costumes. I am not at all body confident, especially after two children, but I knew I had to do something about it. Boosting my body confidence Body confidence is a funny thing. Body image is a major factor in…

  • Top tips for keeping kids occupied on car journeys
    competition - Family Life - parenting

    Top tips for keeping kids occupied on car journeys {i-SPY giveaway}

    August 9, 2018 - By 

    Later this month we are driving through the UK, taking the Eurotunnel to France and then driving on through Belgium to the Netherlands. We are so excited about our week away and have been planning and packing for what feels like weeks. Our holiday involves a long car journey so we will be packing items to keep the kids occupied in the car. They are 6 and 8 and we’ve done quite a few long car journeys so I thought I would share my top tips for keeping kids occupied on car journeys. Read on for an i-SPY giveaway too.…

  • Family Life - parenting

    Returning to work and finding the right childcare

    July 4, 2018 - By 

    Photo by Joseph Chan on Unsplash I mentioned the other day that after 8 years as a freelancer and full-time blogger I’ll be returning to the world of work. Over the last 12 months I’ve dipped my toes in the world of working outside the home and now I’ve got a proper job. I’m ridiculously excited about all the changes that this will bring. For a start I obviously require a whole new wardrobe of clothes and a new Orla Kiely handbag. I’ll be making one more packed lunch every day, to add to the mountain that I already make. And the children will…

  • Great days out with Capri-Sun Original 50% Less Sugar
    days out - Family Life - parenting

    Great days out with Capri-Sun Original range {with 50% Less Sugar!}

    July 3, 2018 - By 

    My children are really enjoying the mini-heatwave we’re currently experiencing. I have to admit that my fair English skin is struggling but with two kids full of energy we are making the most of the good weather by getting out and about. Our family calendar is booked with play dates, picnics and parties which is lovely. Great days out with Capri-Sun Original 50% Less Sugar I’m pretty good at packing a picnic for family days out now. At the weekend we visited Paradise Wildlife Park and with the temperatures soaring I had to make sure to pack plenty of drinks.…

  • BOYING UP: How to be Brave, Bold and Brilliant
    competition - Family Life - parenting

    {Giveaway} BOYING UP: How to be Brave, Bold and Brilliant

    June 28, 2018 - By 

    Mayim Bialik, star of The Big Bang Theory and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Girling Up: How to be Strong, Smart and Spectacular, is turning her attention to teen boys in a new book about the science, pressures, and pitfalls of growing up male in today’s world. In BOYING UP: How to be Brave, Bold and Brilliant, Mayim Bialik uses scientific information from her life as a neuroscientist along with personal anecdotes as a mother of two boys to explain what it means to grow from a boy to a man biologically, psychologically, and sociologically. BOYING UP: How to be Brave, Bold and…

  • Family Life - parenting

    Top tips for saving money and protecting your finances when you have kids

    June 20, 2018 - By 

    As I said in a previous post, I’m always looking for ways to save money.  If you google the cost of raising a child in the UK, the figure that you get is an incredibly scary £230,000.  OK, that’s to the age of twenty-one and it does include the cost of sending them to university, but even so, how do any of us ever manage to do it?  No wonder that money is always tight.  It makes you realise just how important it is to protect your family financially, so here are my suggestions for making your money go as…

  • coping with new parent worries
    baby - Family Life - parenting

    Coping with new parent worries

    May 14, 2018 - By 

    I’ve been pretty emotional lately, realising that my children are growing up so quickly right in front of my eyes. Last week they were going through their toy boxes and decided to give away so many of their toys they loved when they were younger. I’m not ready for them to be growing up so quickly and really wish I could slow down time. It’s funny that those baby magazines I used to obsessively read before I started my maternity leave were full of pregnancy and baby advice. They never seemed to mentioned that babies would grow into toddlers, be…

  • baby products - Family Life - parenting

    Everything you need with Smyths 2018 Baby Catalogue

    March 17, 2018 - By 

    If you’re a parent then you’re probably familiar with Smyths. It’s a huge toy store and we regularly visit our local one as they have a great selection of toys. Whereas me and my husband are happy to shop online it’s no surprise that my children love to visit an actual toy shop. Nothing beats the excitement of walking down an aisle stuffed with the latest toys and choosing a toy to buy. Everything you need with Smyths 2018 Baby Catalogue I find Smyths toys a great experience. They’re big, with wide aisles and it’s easy to find everything. I’m excited…

  • 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…