Collaboration
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Our Top Tips For Staying Safe In The Sun

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You may have read our recent post about our favourite places to go on holiday, one of the things that we always plan very well for when going abroad is the heat.  Whether it be Florida, Majorca, or even at home in the UK, its always important to stay safe when the sun is out.  The last thing you want to happen on holiday to either yourself or your little ones is Sunburn.  You can lose a good few days from your holiday to the effects of sunburn and it can be easily avoided.  

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Favourite Holiday Destinations

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Disclosure - This is a collaborative post

Summer is almost upon us and for most people that means they will be heading off on their Summer holidays. Whether it's in the UK, Europe or further afield, getting away is something we all love to do. It's nice to know that we can 'switch off' for a week or two and forget about the real world and just float about in our holiday bubble. When it comes to choosing where to go we all have different ideas of the perfect holiday. Whether it's somewhere you've visited before, a recommendation from a friend or through browsing sites online.

city skyline

We tend to visit places we have already been to before. We like the familiarity and also the no stress worrying whether it is okay, as we've been before. I recently asked a few blogger friends what their favourite holiday destination is and why? The results are fab and it has actually given me a few new places to take a look at.

Long Haul Destinations

We have been over to America twice now, first we went to New York and earlier this year we went to Walt Disney World. They are 2 of our favourite destinations and I'm glad to see that others think so too.

Carrie from Flying With a Baby loves Cape Town. " outdoor fun, stunning beaches, amazing food, penguins, sharks, whales all in the wild. There is just so much to see and do. It's (only 12 hours away - I say only as we are used to 24 hours as hubby is Australian) hardly any time difference and perfect for Winter sun too "

Angela from The Life Of Spicers chose Walt Disney World. " there is something for everyone. Our once in a lifetime trip three years ago sees us revisiting for the third time this year. It's truly magical "

Ann from Rainbows Are Too Beautiful also chose Florida. " especially in the Spring . . because it's good weather and has the best Disney park "

I have to agree with Laura from Mama Eden & Me about New York.  " It's magical. The energy, the people, the theatres. I love the place. Hopefully going back next year "

Lynne from New Mummy Blog loves holidaying in the UK however . . . " my favourite holidays (other than honeymoon) were always the American road trips hubby and I did pre-kids, we can't wait for the little ones to be a bit older so we can go back and do more, including Disneyland " 

Michelle from Mummy2Monkeys loves America. " Everything is just so big and better. We went to see our first ever basketball game and I absolutely loved it seeing all the cheerleaders doing their half time dance routines in their cheerleading uniform."

the canaries

The Canaries

I have visited Lanzarote and Gran Canaria and both are stunning. The weather is always lovely, people are friendly and they are real family friendly resorts.

Suzy from Our Bucket List Lives also loved her holiday this year to Gran Canaria.  " The weather was lovely in January/February. There's lots to do there as a family and we loved the hotels that we stayed in. We'd not been there before and we would love to go back "

Becky from Mummy Est 2014 has visited Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands  " It was amazing. We took our little man when he was 20 months and he loved the beach, the pool, and the lights and fun of the evening entertainment. I loved the fact it was hot, all inclusive (so nice not to have to worry about food and drink) and family friendly. Travel time was only about 4 hours which wasn't as horrendous as I thought it would be "

Africa

Not a place I have visited yet but somewhere I would love to try. 

Naomi from Not A Perfect Parent tells us why she loves Tunisia. " There are so many amazing places I've been to including Florida, Lanzarote and other places but Tunisia has totally stolen my heart "

" I've been twice and the culture and history is so interesting. Both times I was given tours of the markets and that was a whole new experience. It is so rich in history and culture that many people don't know about and I loved learning all about it! We were taken around Mosques and a Mausoleum and the Tunisian People showed us so much respect for being interested in it all "

 " Tunisia has such a bad reputation and is a country that many either love or hate "

" Added bonus is that it's only about a 3 hour flight but it's North Africa so amazing temperatures "

harbour

The Balearics

I have to agree with both Laura and Kerry on their choices. Both beautiful and lots to see and do. We have stayed in Alcudia, C'an Picafort and Sa Coma in Majorca. Sa Coma is by far our favourite and hopefully we will visit again next year.

Laura from Mum On A Mission favourite holiday is Mallorca. " Anywhere on the island. Many reasons but primarily because it is beautiful. It's also only 2 hours away and there are plenty of cheap flights. I lived there for 5 years and it still feels like my second home. I'd recommend it to anyone "

Kerry from Kerry Shaw Mummy Of Four loves Ibiza " One of the most beautiful Islands I have ever been to, especially when you fly in just after the sunrise, on a really quick and very cheap flight "

Europe

Proving to be quite popular for the perfect holiday destination.

mickey, minnie, donald and goofy

France

Beth from Twinderelmo and Jade from Mummies Waiting both agree that Disneyland Paris is the perfect getaway. 

Beth " not too far to travel and pure magic from start to end "

Jade I love to get away, but completely away from everything with so many distractions to take in. It makes our whole family so happy and the experiences always bring a tear to my eye"

Italy

Kate from Five Little Stars likes to get away to Lake Garda (specifically Desenzano and up around the west of the lake). " It's beautiful, so easy with children, and the food is immense. We have been several times, pre and post babies, and always have a lovely time. And we are off to Corsica in September and I have high hopes that it will be a top holiday location contender for us too "

Louise from Pink Pear Bear also is a fan of Northern Italy " Amazing food, stunning scenery, lush weather, some of the most breathtaking art and architecture on the planet, less then 2 hours flight AND super duper child friendly! We love it "

Joy from The Sensory Seeker is also a fan of Italy " We loved our trip to Italy - Gelato and culture what's not to love. It was a place where the whole family loved with our various ages and the public transport system is fantastic "

Denmark

Nadia from Scandi Mummy loves Copenhagen " especially in the summer months. There is so much to do whether you are going for a childfree romantic getaway or for a family trip. Some of the best restaurants in the world, fantastic attractions and it's close to the sea and great beaches "

beach

UK

We love visiting different parts of the UK. It is a beautiful country and if you get the right weather it is definitely a perfect holiday destination. 

Katy from Katy Kicker enjoys a visit to CenterParcs " One hour from home, lots of activities and lovely facilities "

Hollie from Thrifty Mum chose The Isle of Scilly " Amazing. Only off the coast of Cornwall by small plane or ferry, they're beautiful islands, some are free of traffic and that low in crime no-one locks their doors. Perfect for an Enid Blyton friendly childhood. They have the best weather in the British Isles so you're guaranteed a nice tan too "

Emma from Me and B Make Tea would have to say good old Blighty. " Specifically Devon. We holidayed abroad with the little one but i've found I had a better time at Center Parcs and places like Ladram Bay and Cofton Holiday Park. We love Haven too. They are so geared for kids and there is so much to do even in rainy weather. Often when we go abroad the pools are freezing even though the heat is 30. So the UK - don't underestimate what you have on your doorstep "

*****

I have absolutely loved reading everyones 'perfect holiday' destinations and it doesn't seem to matter whether its a long haul trip to America, a villa in the Canaries, or a weekend in the UK we all love to get away and we all have our own favourite destination. 

Michelle


*collaborative post - all images thanks to Clickstay*

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The App Map Of Britain

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We all use apps every day.  Lots of apps, on lots of different devices doing lots of different things. Carphone Warehouse have compiled an app map of Great Britain, shortlisting the most used apps in 2016 with lots of different variables from location, age, sex, earnings and lots of others including the top used apps in the entire British Isles. 

The map really does give an interesting insight into the usage of apps and shows how many of the 2 million plus apps that are available on the App Store and for Android are actually used. I wasn't hugely surprised by the top 10 overall, but once you add the extra dimension of location or age the results really did surprise me. 
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Little J's First Tennis Coaching Session #ParkLives

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This weekend we wanted to try something new with little J. We are always looking for new activities to keep him entertained, especially with the summer holidays close by. We recently heard about  Coca Cola GB ParkLives and it looked great. Coca Cola ParkLives offers a wide range of free activities at your local park. There are all types of activities to get involved in, all you need to do is pop your postcode in to the website and a list of sessions popped up. We did just that on Sunday and the closest session for us was Tennis in Birkenhead Park. It was a very wet Sunday but we still popped along and lucky for us the rain stayed off. 

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How Natural Playgrounds Help Children’s Development

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Both boys have visited our local parks and playgrounds since they were very young. They both really enjoy being outdoors and whilst I wasn't one for swings or slides when I was younger I wanted to make sure the boys were comfortable using outdoor equipment from a early age. Playgrounds aren’t just about entertainment – they’re a key part of a child’s development. From confronting danger with climbing structures to social skills garnered by interaction in a play environment, playing outside helps children grow. I think the 'confronting danger' part for me was why I didn't like playgrounds as I never felt confident. Fortunately both boys love climbing and it's nice to see them taking risks because it is all part of development. 
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The Beginning Of Our Home Improvements

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Over the next few months we are having a makeover on our house. It's something we have wanted to do for a long time but it never seemed the right time to start. Money is a huge factor when it comes to totally revamping your house and it's taken us quite a few years to save mainly because we still like our holidays and weekends away. The main jobs are our bedroom, the bathroom and the front and back gardens however it's been a good few years since our kitchen was last changed, and the tell tale signs of wear have been starting to show recently.
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Kaspersky Kids Safe App

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I have to admit that both boys are regular online users. It's the world we live in now and with so many devices around our hime having instant access to the world wide web it is impossible to stop them. Little J is a big fan of You Tube Kids and it's perfect for little ones as it has videos and adverts that are designed just for children. Big J however is a teenager and is able to access all sorts of information online which sometimes can be quite worrying.  In a recent European study* of 5040 children aged 10-15 conducted by global cyber security company, Kaspersky, discovered some alarming stats about how children are using the internet, and how they may not be protecting themselves as they should. 
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What Are Your #LovelyMoments?

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I have just been reading about Swizzels and how they would like the nation to share their #LovelyMoments for the chance to win a dream day. I suppose owning my own blog I already do share my #LovelyMoments with you all already but if I could pick just one moment from my life I wouldn't know which one to pick. 
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What Would You Choose? #ImpossibleExperiences

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If you could do anything or go anywhere in the world what would you choose? For me it would be a family holiday to Disney World in Florida. I've dreamt about going there all my life but what if I could do something even better. What if I could create #ImpossibleExperiences. Have you ever thought "I wish I could do that?' or "If I won the lottery I would...". We have all had those thoughts at some point but what would your impossible experience be?
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Switch It Up and Drink Smart

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As soon as the Christmas season begins we usually have lots of invites for nights out, get togethers, and meals and to me this means lots of fun but others its an excuse to have lots of alcohol. I am not a big drinker in fact whenever I go out I am usually the driver and would much rather drink water or a glass of diet coke than wine or vodka. To me drinking is a social thing and people use it to have great time but I don't need it. Don't get me wrong when I was younger I would party all weekend but I was younger then and had no responsibilities but I now one night of partying would make me feel ill for a week after and with two kids and a husband to look after I much prefer to to stay alcohol free. Recent research commissioned by AB InBev was done to demonstrate the benefits of smart drinking encouraging Brits to 'Switch It Up' 
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Our Top Five Takeaway Apps

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*collaboration
Its nearly time to decorate our home ready for the Christmas celebrations. We have a tradition that every year on decoration day, we will tidy up, then get the decorations from the loft. After that the usual ornaments and pictures take their turn up in the loft for a month or so, and then the decorating begins. At about the time we are sorting the teddies and ornaments, we will usually order a takeaway meal to be delivered. Now I remember when we first started the tradition of decoration day we would go out for something to eat, but we would find ourselves short of time and rushed. Over the years that we have been ordering in I think that Pizza has been the most popular choice, but then is that because until recently Pizza was one of the only things you could get delivered?
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Pampers-UNICEF #1Photo1Vaccine Campaign

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All babies are amazing and they bring their own special form of magical happiness to everyone around them, and they always know how to somehow put a smile on your face or make you laugh. But did you know – babies can even help save lives by doing nothing more than wearing Pampers. Pampers donates 1 vaccine against maternal and newborn tetanus for every pack of Pampers nappies and wipes sold through the “1 Pack = 1 Vaccine” Pampers-UNICEF campaign.

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Planning Our Next Holiday To Cyprus

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You may already know that we visited Cyprus in August for the 2nd time and it was amazing. Cyprus was never on my destination list until I won a holiday back in 2014. There was a huge list of places we could choose from and after months of deliberating we chose Cyprus - best decision ever. We stayed at the Malama Beach Holiday Village and it is perfect.
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Frontline Plus - Protection For Your Pets

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You may already know from previous posts that when I was younger we had two dogs. They were so much fun and I helped out when it came to looking after them. I would feed them, take them for walks and I would give them a bath. The only thing I didn't get involved with was keeping them healthy, that was my parents’ job. They would make sure they had their vaccinations done, their nails cut and took them to the vets for regular checkups. I remember one time my Mum sat me down and told me that one of our dogs had fleas and needed a treatment. I could see something black on her beautiful white coat, it was a flea. She was scratching and looked quite distressed and so uncomfortable. It's important as a pet owner to know that there are preventive treatments out there to help protect your dog or cat, including new FRONTLINE® Plus. When it comes to fleas, prevention is definitely better than cure!
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What Kind Of Sleeper Is Your Baby?

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I remember when I was having little J all I could think about was whether he would be a good sleeper or not. It sounds bad but after big J being awake 22 hours of the day when he was young, I had a feeling that little J would be the same. As parents looking after a newborn, toddler or a child sleep is so important and when you don't get any it is all you can think about. Luckily for us little J loves his sleep so we haven't really had any sleepless nights in the whole 3 years, really hope he never changes.

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Celebrating #NationalTeddyBearDay with Build-A-Bear Workshop

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As it is #NationalTeddyBearDay this week it got me thinking about big and little J and their favourite teddies. Both boys love teddies, big J when he was younger had so many and little J is just the same. For me there is something special about teddies and I too had a few favourites. They are always there for you when you need them whether its to comfort you when you are sad, to take on special days out or to snuggle at night.
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Little J's Bed Time

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When it comes to sleeping my two boys are completely the opposite, they couldn't be more different if they tried. When big J was younger he wouldn't sleep at all. He was awake all day and most of the night. We tried everything from getting in to bed with him to sleeping on his floor, anything to try and get a few hours sleep. He was permanently tired and so were we. Little J on the other hand is awake all day and sleeps all night and has done since he was a baby. He went in his own room in his cot and would quite happily fall asleep on his own and still does now. He goes to bed awake and within 10-15 minutes he is snoring.
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Daddy Gets Handy In The Kitchen

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Daddy has been making himself useful in the kitchen recently making us some yummy meals and treats. He's actually really good at cooking and I know its something he really wants to start making more of an effort on. Keep an eye out for some yummy posts showing off Daddy's talents but for now I'll pass you over to Daddy who is keen to tell you about what he is up to next.

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Pampers Little Champions

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Disclosure - This is a paid post

My boys have always been outgoing and even from a young age they both had so much energy to get up and go. I do love that they are happy being out and about and active. Little J is taking after his big brother and is constantly kicking a ball around or bouncing on the trampoline. He will stay on the trampoline for hours if I let him, just bouncing away or running round in circles.

children on a race track

I am so pleased to let you know that Pampers are teaming up with our very own sporting hero, Jessica Ennis-Hill (also mum to her own little champion, Reggie) to launch the Pampers Little Champions Campaign - shining a light on the next generation of little athletes and encouraging parents to celebrate their own little champions too.

Little J has always enjoyed moving around and he was one of those babies that would be sat somewhere one minute and the next he would be somewhere else. Whether he was bum shuffling, crawling or walking he was constantly on the go.

I read recently

A walking baby in one day can travel the distance of 29 football fields.                                   

A baby crawls as many steps as an adult walks in one day.

A crawling baby moves 8 times more than an adult just to get to the same place.

A cruising baby in one day can take as many steps as a marathon runner in a race.

To do all of the above our little ones need to be comfortable and as a mummy to her little boy Reggie, Jessica knows how important it is to have the right kit and also our babies need the freedom to move.

Pampers are the only nappies with the NEW revolutionary Magical Pods which are  absorbing channels that help to distribute wetness evenly giving a sag free fit and superior dryness so little ones can show off their champion moves.

Jessica says: ‘As a mum I love being active with Reggie – we have so much fun together and I know that it’s great for his development – that’s why I’ve teamed up with Pampers to encourage mums to celebrate their little one’s champion moves! Our babies are the future generation of medal winning athletes after all…’

Pampers understand that being able to move freely, and in comfort, is beneficial towards babies’ development. Pampers Love, Sleep & Play expert, Dr. Ellie Cannon knows that research shows that an opportunity to move is an opportunity for movement development to happen.

‘Feeling physically free and uninhibited whilst being supported and safe is an important part of a baby’s exploration of the world and physical development. Babies don’t need instructions to learn – they learn through self-discovery and encouragement from those around them. That encouragement comes in all forms: not just a clap from mum and dad, but also being unrestricted in their clothes and nappy. Freedom to move without restriction is a key aspect of your baby’s development environment’

Do you have a little champion at home? I would love to see their champion moves. Tweet me on twitter

Michelle
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How Often Do You Take Your Pet For A Checkup? | AD

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Disclosure - This is a paid post

I remember the day when my friend brought home a little puppy. The kids had grown up and weren't as dependant on her any more and she felt a little lost. She was torn between having a baby or getting a dog, the dog won. I couldn't understand it at first because to me a baby and a dog are two completely different things and of course they are but the idea of having something or someone to look after was the same. Someone or thing to need you and rely on you. I guess dogs and babies are quite similar when you think about it. 

Jump around
Being a Mum myself,  I know looking after a baby can be tough, you have to make sure you keep them safe and away from harm as best you can. They can't tell you how they are feeling, even when they are crying we are never 100% sure what they actually want, need or feel. Having a dog is the same. Being an owner of a pet it is your job, your responsibility to make sure your pet is cared for to the best of your ability. 

Just like babies, pets get unwell and it is important to know what could be causing your pet to feel like this and who to turn to if you need help. I know when we had our two dogs, both my Mum and Dad would make regular visits to the vets to get them checked out and if they needed any treatment it could be given. 


Parasites can hurt our pets both inside and out and we might not be able to see them. Merial Animal Health have created a fun but serious short video called 'The Parasite Party' about the more common parasites that could be found on or in your pet. 

It's important to remember that if your pets are infected then you and your family could be at risk too. I don't remember our dogs having anything really serious but I do remember them having fleas. I remember seeing them in the fur of one of our dogs, Kim. They were only small but you could see them clearly as she had white fur. The fleas lay eggs which fall off into the environment and develop into new adult fleas (did you know that the fleas you can see on your dog or cat only represent 5% of the problem- the rest of the flea population is in the environment in carpets, bedding etc). These new fleas can then jump on to us. Flea bites on humans can be serious so I know we took our dog to the vet and she was treated and sent home with a flea collar on. 

Internal parasites such as worms can also affect pets. Some of these worms can affect people too if they accidentally ingest the eggs, and it’s important to know that children are especially at risk because they often play on the floor or in soil where worm eggs may be found.

If you are unsure about the parasites that could be living on your pet you can visit the Parasite Party website and take a short questionnaire. 6 questions that could provide you with some information on what type of parasites your dog or pet could be exposed to. 

When caring for any pet it’s important to remember these top five tips. 

Wash your hands regularly.

Clean up your pet’s droppings daily.

Do not give your pet uncooked meat/offal.

Treat your pet regularly against parasites as instructed by your vet.

If you have several pets, make sure to treat all of them.

So just like babies, pets need check ups to. They need your help because they rely on you to care for them.

Michelle
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