How To Help Your Teen With Their Exam Revision [AD]

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Disclosure - This is a paid post in collaboration with Mount House School 

Last year was probably big J's toughest school year so far. Everything he had worked for throughout his entire school years came down to his GCSE examinations. He was so nervous and although he was prepared he kept thinking he hadn't done enough, which then got us thinking had we done enough as his parents. You don’t have to be a mathlete or a science whizz to help your teen with their exam revision there are other things you can do to take the pressure off them a little bit. I have teamed up with Mount House School, a Sixth Form in Hertfordshire, who offer the following advice for helping teenagers with their exam revision.

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AD | How To Get A Perfect Nights Sleep

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Disclosure - This is a paid post in collaboration with Julian Charles

As a parent I am always talking about routines and how they are important for children especially a bedtime routine. We mastered the bedroom routine with little J and he is a really good sleeper, enjoying up to 12 hours a night. So if we know routines are good then why as adults do we not practice what we preach? I know I don't have a good bedtime routine, neither does John and that can sometimes cause us to have less than the recommend 8 hours sleep a night. This obviously effects us massively the next day with us often feeling tired and wanting to head back to bed rather than go to work. I've been thinking about ways that I can get the perfect nights sleep so I thought I would share my tips.

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AD | Donated Blood Saved My Life ... Twice!

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Disclosure - This is a paid post in collaboration with Smart Cells 

If I am honest I had never given much thought to donating blood in the past. I knew you could do it and I knew it was important but I was petrified of needles so it was something I would never put myself through. My thoughts all changed after I needed a blood transfusion and I had to rely on donated blood to help save my life.

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AD | How To Beat A Cold

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Disclosure - This is a paid post in collaboration with Coldzyme

You many have read recently that I was struck down last week with cold/flu symptoms and it completely wiped me out. I felt so ill and although I did need antibiotics in the end there are ways that you can try and beat cold / flu symptoms at home. Here are our top tips on how to beat the common cold.

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AD | My Dream Car

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Disclosure - This is a paid post in collaboration with Scuderia 

For many years I have been interested in cars. When I was younger, and still to this day I dreamed of owning a high performance car, whether it be a classic Ferrari 308 or the more modern Lamborghini Huracan. Sadly, the cost of buying a supercar puts limitations on what I can do, however I have been saving and will continue to save to see what I can afford when I come to retirement and don't need to spend all my pennies on everyone else! 

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AD | I Love My Kitchen

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Disclosure - This is a paid post in collaboration with Fishpools 

We have had our new kitchen now for over 12 months but I still love it as much as I did the first time I saw it. Our previous  kitchen was somewhere I used to cook in, do the dishes and not much else. I didn't like it at all. It was old, out of date and I would try and spend as little time in there as possible. When it was time to have a kitchen makeover I wanted to create a space that I would enjoy spending time in. Somewhere that was bright, fresh and modern. I am so happy to say that after 16 years of living in our home I finally love my kitchen.

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Snow White Disneybound Outfit

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Disclosure - This is a paid post in collaboration with Simply Be

I have started writing down some Disneybound ideas for our visit to Walt Disney World this year and first on my list is Snow White. For those that don't know what Disneybounding is, let me explain. As an adult you are not allowed to wear any Disney costumes whilst visiting the parks so the  idea behind Disneybounding is you choose 'normal' clothes that are the same colours as your favourite characters. You are then able to dress up as a character of your choice without wearing a costume.

When you think of Snow White what colours do you see? Most say red and yellow when actually Snow wears a blue top and yellow skirt. The colour red is only on the bow/headband and the belt around her waist.

Here are a few ideas for the perfect Snow White Disneybound.

The red headband with bow is the perfect start to a Snow White Disneybound. I think above everything else she wears this is what everyone remembers. 

Finding the perfect colour blue was hard but I love this from Simply Be. The Colbalt Blue Top has strap detail at the front, is the perfect colour and I love the length. It will allow you to tuck in to the skirt and add a nice red belt too.

The Junarose Pleated Velvet Skirt is the perfect choice for a Snow White Disneybound. I absolutely love the detail on this skirt. It's elasticated waist too so will sit nicely on your hips. It's mid length so would be ideal for all visits to Disney whatever the season. 

Finishing off with a pair of red flats. When visiting Disney its important to wear comfortable shoes and in my opinion flats are a must. I love how these also have a red bow on the front too. 

To finish I would probably add a red belt. If you are heading to Disney in the Winter Season you could always add white gloves too.

Have you ever visited Disney and created a Disneybound outfit? I am really looking forward to sharing some more of my Disneybound ideas with you soon.

Michelle

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Collaboration | The Perfect Mums Night In

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Christmas can be a stressful time for everyone but I personally find it so tiring. I don't know whether it's a Mum thing but I like to take charge and make sure everything is perfect for the big day. If like me you need to have a relaxing evening before the festivities begin then check out my recommendations for the perfect Mums night in.

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Collaboration | What We Will Be Watching This December

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There is nothing better than curling up on the sofa on a cold Winter's evening catching up with your favourite TV programmes. I want to have everything sorted for Christmas soon so that we can just sit back and relax in December. I have a few Christmas movies on my watch list but I also want to start a new series too.

At the moment we have so many series on the go that have either finished for this year so we have to wait till next year or we are waiting for the current series to finish so we can binge watch.

We are looking forward to watching West World Season 2 although I think we may have to have a quick watch of season 1 again because I've forgot what happened at the end.

We never did watch the last season of Once Upon A Time so that is something we could consider.

We will have to wait till 2019 to see the final season of Game of Thrones but that will definitely be worth the wait.

At the moment we are waiting for the current season of This is us to finish so we can watch that. It's probably one of my favourite programmes ever, I love it.

We haven't started a new series for ages so we've been looking at the possible choices. I quite fancy The Walking Dead as I know it's up to season 9 so we can binge watch it over the Christmas period.

There have been so many brilliant reviews of the show that I think it would definitely be worth a watch. There are so many TV apps nowadays that you can have access to all the episodes of your favourites shows just waiting for you when you're ready to watch.

We recently came across TVPlayer and for a limited time only, customers will be able to get a year’s subscription to TVPlayer from as little as £41.90 saving nearly £42. Buying just one TV DVD boxset would be more than a full years subscription, I love a bargain!

Catching up on the latest shows on MTV to Keeping Up with the Kardashians on E! – subscribers can stream 19 channels not available on Freeview, plus 61 other channels, through Fire TV.  I think our Christmas TV is sorted.

Michelle

This is a collaborative post. 

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Collaboration | Steps to Make a Bed Look Plush and Beautiful Like a Dream Bedroom

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Chic sheets, plump pillows and sumptuous luxury throws are all crucial elements of a perfectly plush bedroom. But simply putting all these components together will not automatically create a ‘beautiful dream bedroom’. You will need to follow a few certain style steps to achieve a luxurious and exquisite bedtime resting place. Have a look at our steps below

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Collaboration | Tattoos Are Not For Life Anymore

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John has been talking for some time now about getting a tattoo. He only wants a subtle one on his lower arm near his wrist. He wants the black flag logo from the game Assassins Creed. He has asked my opinion and I have been very honest in saying that tattoos are not for me but it's his body and if he wants one then he should go ahead and get one. Times have moved on with regards to tattoos and they are not for life anymore. If you change your mind you can have laser tattoo removal done. I think knowing that this is available is making a tattoo more appealing to John right now.

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Parenting | Preparing For Year One

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It only seems like yesterday that little J was starting Reception but fast forward a year and we are almost at the beginning of his second half term of year one. For me this is when school really starts. I think it's been a big shock for him as in Reception it is mostly learning through play, however his classroom is very different now. There are almost no toys but lots of desks. He still seems so young and although he has lots of energy he does get tired quite easily as I've mentioned before. He's usually in bed before 7pm and needs his 12/13 hours sleep. John and I have discussed whether he may need to take a multivitamin as he is quite fussy when it comes to eating foods that are good for him. We were delighted when Bassetts vitamins sent over their Omega-3 + Multivitamins Orange Pastilles. They were just what we needed.

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Collaboration | How To Create A Warm And Cosy Home This Winter

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This year will be our first winter since our whole house had a makeover. Everywhere feels so fresh and new but it just needs some finishing touches to help create a nice warm and cosy feeling for the winter. We have already started buying a few little bits and pieces and Christmas decorations too. There is nothing better than snuggling up on the sofa while the weather is cold outside. We have created some tips for you all on how to create a warm and cosy home this winter.

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Collaboration | How To Keep Your Home Safe

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There's been a chill in the air the past few weeks and we've already noticed that it's getting darker much earlier than it was before our Summer holiday. It's always this time of year I start to feel a little anxious and probably more aware of keeping our home safe. We are very good at making sure our home is secure and we still use our Piper camera however darker nights and mornings attract opportunists so I've created a list of top tips for keeping your home safe.

1. Keep All Your Windows And Doors Locked. 
So this may seem obvious but I am almost certain that we have all left the house in a rush and maybe not locked the door behind us or we've left a top window open. Any unlocked windows or doors attract burglars and if they can gain easy access then they will take it. If any of your windows are damaged or do not lock properly now is the time to think about getting replacement windows.

2. Keep All Valuables Out Of Sight.
Again obvious but most people will start thinking about Christmas around this time of year, maybe picking up little bits here and there. It's normal to leave shopping bags or boxes on the floor by the door or on the sofa until you've found a place to store them. If these are on show when you are out the house anyone could look through your window and see exactly where you've been shopping.

3. If You Are Unsure About A Knock At The Door, Don't Open It. 
Whenever someone is at the door that I am not expecting or don't know, I don't open it. I pop upstairs and open a top window. If they tell me who they are and I'm happy to open the door to them I will. If it's someone I'm unsure about then I speak from the window. Make an excuse, tell them you're putting the baby down to nap or you're in the middle of ironing.

4. Use Timers For Your Lights
As the darker nights creep in, its always obvious in our road who is home and who is not. Even if you only work till 5 or 6pm it's dark then so more than likely if you haven't left a timer on your lights, your home will be in darkness when you return.

5. Avoid Putting Plans On Social Media
This applies all year round, you should never put where you are planning to go or where you are on public social media. You are basically telling anyone who wants to know that your house is empty. Lots of people talk about holidays, days out, concerts etc they are going to online and this is an easy way for an opportunist to know you aren't home.

Do you have any tips on how to keep your home safe?

Michelle

This is a collaboration

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Collaboration | Creating A Space Themed Bedroom

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You may have read my post yesterday about Little J's ambition to be an Astronaut when he grows up. He's really into Space at the moment and is always trying to make rockets out of plastic bottles or building spaceships out of Lego. I love how creative he can be at times and he will sit for hours trying to perfect his latest model. I hope his love of Space stays, as he now wants a Space themed bedroom. We have not long decorated his room however we just painted it, we didn't give it any type of theme as he wasn't really passionate about anything at the time.

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How To Educate Your Child Through Gardening?

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I have to admit that I never been been a huge fan of the garden. Although my mum and dad love gardening, planting flowers or just sitting out it's never been my thing. I've always said they could have been professional gardeners because they definitely have an eye for garden design. When I became a nursery nurse I found that a huge part of my job is outdoor play and how important it is especially with children spending more time indoors now on consoles and tablets, it’s important for them to know that enjoyment can be found outdoors, too.

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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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