Collaboration
Showing posts with label Collaboration. Show all posts

Learning To Love My Body

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I wrote a post recently about when we take little J to the swimming pool it is mostly dad's in the water with the kids. Whenever I look around it is mainly women watching from the viewing area, me included.  I know how much little J enjoys swimming and going to our local pool so I have promised to make more of an effort and visit the pool with him.

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Dealing With Unexpected Expenses

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I am really looking forward to the Summer holidays this year and being off with the boys. Although we haven't booked a holiday or got any days out planned, we will be hoping to book something shortly. We have had lots of unexpected bills and expenses recently so unfortunately our savings had to come to the rescue. We often have months like this when we seem to pay out more than we expect and it is something that I do try and plan for because obviously you never know what's going to happen but unfortunately I hadn't planned well enough.
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Exploring Cheshire This Summer

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The Summer Holidays is one of my favourite times of year. I get the whole school holidays off with the boys and together we love planning all the things we want to get up to. Days out is usually top of the list as we love being out and about and this Summer we are going to be #ExploringCheshire. We are so lucky to live close to Cheshire as we get to experience all the fantastic things to do and see.
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Designing My Home Office

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You may have read my post recently about the pros and cons of working from home. Whilst I love having the opportunity to be able to work from home unfortunately at the moment I don't have a work space or office. As I don't have a desk I tend to just sit at the kitchen table which frustrates me sometimes as all my 'stuff' is spread about everywhere and I don't have anywhere to store it. I would absolutely love my own space in our home to sit at and do my work and I have lots of ideas on how I would decorate it.
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What To Prepare and Pack Before Taking The Kids Abroad

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This time of year, most of us are thinking about holidays. I love preparing for a holiday as I like to be organised and have everything ready quite early on. I think the earlier you prepare, the less stressful it can be. especially if travelling with little ones. I am one of those parents who has a huge tick off list of all the things I need to do, prepare and pack for the trip. These are my top 5 tips of things I prepare and pack before taking the kids abroad.
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Limassol Wine Festival, Cyprus 2018

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We have visited Cyprus a few times now and have another holiday planned. Other than the Disney parks its our favourite place to visit. Whenever you visit a new country or resort you are naturally a little nervous about what it will be like but as soon as we went to Cyprus we fell in love. Everyone is so friendly and families are more than welcome on the island. John and I were actually thinking about going to Cyprus, just the two of us for a little break and to experience one of it's many festivals it celebrates throughout the year. The Limassol Wine Festival looks amazing and it's the perfect time of year for us too in August / September.
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The Pros and Cons of Working From Home

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John and I are both lucky that we have the opportunity to work from home some of time. It has proved to be quite convenient at times however like most things it has it's pro's and con's. Most of our friends are now taking advantage of home working as and when they can, so it seems to be a choice some employers are giving to their staff.
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Why A Hotel's First Impression Is So Important

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Disclosure - this is a collaborative post 
Last weekend we visited a hotel that we have never been to before. I am always wary visiting new hotels as you never know what they are gong to be like. Obviously like most people, I visit trip advisor to check out other peoples views but for me first impressions are so important. The outside of the hotel and the reception are usually the first thing you see and it sets the tone for the rest of the hotel.
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The Costs Of Married Life

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Last weekend we were guests at a family wedding and it was a really lovely day. We know how much planning had gone in to making it the perfect day. It's took years, some stress, quite a few sleepless nights and lots of money. The planning for a wedding begins with an engagement ring and usually ends after the vows. Now that the day is over it's time to start life as a married couple. Most will go on a honeymoon but some will start planning their new life and then time to save money starts again.
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Ways To Keep The Costs Down

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Around this time of year I start thinking about cutting down on our spends in preparation for Christmas. I know it is still 6 months away but I feel once the school Summer holidays start, Christmas creeps up very fast and I like to be prepared and sure that we have enough money to enjoy Christmas. There is also a time every year when we seem to have lots of unexpected expenses that like to crop up at once. So now is the time for us to try and keep our spending to a minimum, here are some tips to keeping the costs down.
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Getting Your Body Summer Ready

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As soon as the weather starts to get a little warmer I start thinking about my body and how I can get it ready for Summer. Being overweight doesn't bother in the Winter as loose leggings and baggy jumpers hide my lumps and bumps, during the warmer months there is nowhere for them to hide. I have been doing Slimming World which I am enjoying, I feel like I have lots more energy and I am definitely eating healthier now than ever. The thing that worries me is that since having the boys my tummy definitely has some stubborn fat that just does not want to shift. I recently came across an advert for CoolSculpting which is a Fat Freezing Treatment. I thought it sounded crazy but I was intrigued and after reading about it in depth it is something I think I would consider.
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Half Term Travel With Virgin Trains

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I know a lot of my readers will be enjoying Half Term this week although up in the North of England a lot of schools enjoyed their autumn break last week. We had lots of plans for half term but as you may have read little J got a stomach bug so all our plans went on hold. However as we missed out on a week of adventures we are planning a weekend away and I can't wait. You may have read recently that John and I headed to London for the day to see Wicked The Musical. We got the train bright and early and we were in the capital in no time. I love sitting on the train knowing that we will be in a new city soon, it's now one of my favourite things to do. We are lucky to be able to get a Virgin Trains Pendolino train and it's so nice to sit back and relax and let someone else do the driving. For our next break we will be taking advantage of the Virgin Trains family ticket at a fixed price for up to 2 adults and 4 children.
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Keeping The Boys Active This Summer

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At the beginning of the Summer I spoke to the boys about keeping active over the school holidays. I know that the Summer is time to relax and enjoy yourself without the pressure of having to get up early but I wanted to make sure that we didn't just laze around for 6 weeks. Not so much little J but big J would sit online on his Xbox all day if you let him so I had to have a plan. I asked the boys to go in the shed and choose all the things they could find that could help us stay active this Summer. Typical boys just dumped everything on the grass but then they did make a nice arrangement in the end.
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Travelling To Majorca With The Kids

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Majorca was the first holiday we went to as a family of 3 way back in 2003. As we had never had to plan a holiday with a baby before we relied heavily on recommendations from our family and friends and whoever we spoke to Majorca always came up as a possible destination. If you are a parent, when it comes to booking a holiday to Majorca you want to know that it is suitable for your children and what we have found over the years is Majorca ticks every box.
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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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