• Lanhydrock House in Cornwall
    Cornwall - days out - parenting

    A week in Cornwall

    September 23, 2016 - By 

    Cornwall is a long way from where we live in West London but we always have a great time when we go. A few years ago the whole extended family rented a lovely old house in the picturesque village of Looe. It was a great base to explore that part of Cornwall and pretty much the perfect family holiday. We’ve always been National Trust members. They look after some of the most beautiful countryside, stately homes, buildings, art collections and more. I love knowing our membership fee helps contribute (in a tiny way) to saving and preserving some of these…

  • churros at the Handmade Fair
    crafts - days out - Local Review - London

    Our day at The Handmade Fair {2016}

    September 21, 2016 - By 

    This weekend I had my annual trip to The Handmade Fair. I went with my sister last year and had a brilliant time so was really keen to go again. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a bit like a festival for crafty people, about appreciating the beauty of handmade, and learning the skills to become a maker yourself. The price of your ticket includes The Super Theatre, a Skills Workshop and Grand Make and there are also huge tents full of crafty shops to look around and buy from. Some of the workshops book up really quickly but…

  • crafts - days out - Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy List – Week 104

    September 19, 2016 - By 

    My children have settled really well into the new school year. My 4 year old has just started Reception but only went for morning last week. She has been really happy every day I picked her up which was a huge relief. The only thing she didn’t like was drinking her milk so I have to cancel this for her! The weather was certainly full of extremes last week. The first half of the week was unseasonally hot and we didn’t really want to do much. Luckily some school friends invited us over for a playdate and the children all…

  • days out - homestyle - Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy List – Week 103

    September 12, 2016 - By 

    It’s Monday again and for once I am sitting in silence, listening to the radio all on my own. Time for my weekly Monday Happy List post! Monday was the last day of the school holidays when we were all together so we celebrated by visiting Northala Fields,  local country park. Unfortunately the boating pond was out of action but they have an amazing play park and we took a model car too. It was really quiet and we almost had the place to ourselves. It was also a great way for the children to use up some of their…

  • Avebury Stone Circle with kids
    days out - parenting - Wiltshire

    Exploring Avebury Stone Circle with children

    September 10, 2016 - By 

    Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles, around the pretty village of Avebury in Wiltshire. It also happens to be between my Mum’s house and ours so we often stop off on the way home. Exploring Avebury Stone Circle with children is a great day out as there is so much to see and do so I thought I would tell you about our latest trip. Exploring Avebury Stone Circle with children Avebury comprises of a large henge (a bank and a ditch) with a large outer stone circle and two separate smaller stone circles inside the…

  • Fit To Dance
    competition - days out - parenting

    Could you be Disney On Ice’s Fit To Dance champion?

    September 7, 2016 - By 

    Last week we received a special invitation from Disney On Ice to attend an exclusive VIP Fit To Dance class event with Disney On Ice skaters and Disney On Ice super fan Peter Andre! I’m not sure my children know who Peter Andre is but I quite like him so off we went to the Dominion Theatre in the West End. Disney On Ice’s Fit To Dance Fir To Dance is a new programme that gives your children a chance to share in the magical world of Disney On Ice by creating their own wonderful stories, and then telling them through dance. We’ve…

  • vintage Sindy furniture
    crafts - days out - mindfulness - Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy List – Week 102

    September 5, 2016 - By 

    Last week was our last full week of the summer holidays. We seemed to pack a lot in to our week, making happy memories and enjoying some weather (not sure where that has gone now though!). I’m enjoying one last day with my son before he starts school tomorrow so I’m keeping my weekly Monday Happy List brief. Whilst we were away we finally managed to sit down and watch The BFG film. I had been looking forward to seeing this film all summer and it was amazing. Some parts of the story had been added, which my 6 year old…

  • Westwood Manor Wiltshire
    days out - National Trust - parenting - Wiltshire

    Westwood Manor {a National Trust day out}

    September 3, 2016 - By 

    Last week we had a few days with my mum in Wiltshire. We’ve always wanted to visit Westwood Manor, a small National Trust property near Bradford on Avon. Although owned by the NT it has live in tenants so is only open for a few days in the year. We usually travel home on Sundays but thanks to the Bank Holiday we were staying for the long weekend so could visit! With two youngish children I have to admit that this year we haven’t renewed our National Trust membership for the first time in about 10 years. We usually visit Hughenden…

  • The Great Big Rhino Project and Trail
    days out - holidays - parenting - Sculpture trails - Summer

    The Great Big Rhino Project and Trail

    August 28, 2016 - By 

    We’ve finally been able to leave London behind and visit family and friends in Devon. We come a couple of times each year so always have our favourite places to re-visit around Exeter. This year we stayed in a fab hotel in central Exeter which was  a great base for exploring the city. The weather has been perfect so we spent a fun afternoon down by the Quay as well as walking around the Cathedral, City walls and historic buildings. On our first day we discovered a colourful life-sized painted rhino and quickly realised this was a really fun public…