• cover of Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay by Ali McNamara
    competition - What I'm reading

    Win a copy of Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay

    July 2, 2019 - By 

    We’re counting down through these last few weeks of term. I can’t wait to finish my school job and spend 6 weeks with my children. We have a family holiday booked at Duinrell in The Netherlands as well as some weeks at home to relax. The kids can’t wait to sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge at our local library, I really wish there was something similar for us adults! Last week I told you about Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay by Ali McNamara. It’s a classic rags to riches tale, all about Amelia, who discovers she is…

  • boy without cast
    Monday Happy List

    Five Happy Things {Week 247}

    July 1, 2019 - By 

    I love to start the week by writing Five Happy Things. It’s a chance for me to sit down and reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures – it’s a post I always enjoy writing. I found last week a little tough. I had an interview for a job I really wanted, but didn’t get. Rejection can be so tough, especially professionally. Onwards and upwards though, today is another week. Five Happy Things {Week 247} Thanks to Sports Day and an Inset Day, I only worked…

  • girl making plaster
    Bandai STEM Ambassador - Crafts for kids - STEM activity - Uncategorized

    Build Your Own Volcano {STEM at home}

    June 30, 2019 - By 

    We’ve been working with Bandai to review some of their fun STEM kits. My children love the STEM subjects and I’m always keen to encourage them at home. We were recently #gifted the Build Your Own Volcano National Geographic STEM kit to try. Build Your Own Volcano {STEM at home} The Build Your Own Volcano kit lets you create an eruption with the National Geographic volcano science kit. Your child will get to cast their own volcano (plaster and mould included), paint it (paint and brush provided), and then make it erupt (includes eruption powder). You can also learn about…

  • cover of Boy oh Boy book
    Family Life - What I'm reading

    Boy oh Boy: 30 coming-of-age stories {book review}

    June 29, 2019 - By 

    I love being sent books to review. We’ve been really fortunate recently and I have a lovely pile of books to tell you about over the coming weeks. Today I wanted to tell you about Boy oh Boy: from boys to men, be inspired by 30 coming-of-age stories of sportsmen, artists, politicians, educators and scientists, written by Dr. Cliff Leek, illustrated by Bene Rohlmann. I bought my daughter a book of stories about inspirational women for Christmas but couldn’t find anything similar for my son, so I was delighted to be gifted a copy for review. Boy oh Boy: 30…

  • girl playing in water
    competition - Family Life

    Zuru Bunch O Balloons review and giveaway

    June 29, 2019 - By 

    Thankfully the weather has been amazing over the last few days. My children love to play outside, especially with water whenever they can. The tuff spot has been used for all kinds of water play, it definitely helps keep the children cool on a hot day. Self-sealing water balloons are a firm favourite, especially the Bunch O Balloons ones where 100 water balloons can be filled in just 60 seconds. Bunch O Balloons review and giveaway We were sent a lovely bundle of Bunch o Balloons items to have fun with at home. These included a Bunch O Balloons Towel,…

  • girl holding a Zuru Series 2 Rainbocorns
    Family Life

    Zuru Series 2 Rainbocorns – hatching today!

    June 28, 2019 - By 

    Today is Global Hatching Day for Zuru Series 2 Rainbocorns! Have you heard of Rainbocorns before? Rainbocorns are the latest adorable sparkly, sequin surprises to hatch this year!  Combining even more surprises and sequin magic, Rainbocorns Series 2 brings 10 layers of wonder for an array of sparkling adventures. Zuru Series 2 Rainbocorns Little Sis just loves a sparkly toy and was happy to be #gifted one of the new Series 2 Rainbocorns top open on National Hatching Day. The Rainbocorn Sequin Surprise comes in a huge egg with a unicorn horn! Inside are 10 surprises to hatch. She couldn’t wait to…

  • photo of a road sign featuring elderly people crossing
    Family Life

    Top tips for making your house more accessible

    June 27, 2019 - By 

    Photo by Stéphane Juban on Unsplash We are off to visit my mum this weekend. I can’t wait to get away for a few days. She lives in one of the prettiest villages in Wiltshire and we are never short of anything to do with the kids when we are there. She’s done a lot of work on her house recently. As she’s getting older she’s been adapting her house to make everything more accessible for her. I thought I would share some top tips for making your house more accessible. Top tips for making your house more accessible Top of my list…

  • cover of Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay by Ali McNamara
    Family Life - What I'm reading

    Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay by Ali McNamara

    June 26, 2019 - By 

    A few weeks ago I was sent an early copy of the latest book from Ali McNamara. You may remember that I’ve reviewed some of her previous books including The Summer of Serendipity and Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van. Tomorrow Sphere will be publishing Ali’s latest book, Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay! They are also celebrating 10 years of publishing Ali’s fantastic books. About Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay Amelia is a single mother, doing her very best to look after her young son, Charlie – but money is tight and times are tough. When she first hears that…

  • Recycled milk jug lantern
    Bostik Family Craft Bloggers Network - Crafts for kids - Recycled crafts

    Recycled milk jug lantern

    June 25, 2019 - By 

    We’ve been doing a lot of junk modelling recently. It’s a great activity to keep the kids busy after school, and also encourages them to learn about what can and can’t be recycled. Today we raided the recycling for empty milk bottles for our latest craft. Recycled milk jug lantern materials Empty milk jug (washed and dried, label removed) Bostik PVA Glue patterned tissue paper beads Bakers twine Scissors How to make a recycled milk jug lantern First of all I removed the top half of the milk jug. I pierced the bottom to make two holes, which I threaded…