An Italian dream

Everyone has a wish list or dreams they want to see be fulfilled, I have always liked the idea of having a place to call my own overseas, maybe because I am an expat living in the UK but my mind and soul always wonders to thoughts of warmer Mediterranean climates such as the stunning countryside and coast of Italy. I am not one who needs to put down roots, in fact I like the feeling of freedom which is why a property overseas suits my longterm ideals as it could be a bolt hole or a building project, just somewhere different or inspiring. So why Italy? Well I have been lucky enough to do some travelling around this truly beautiful country with main highlights being Venice, Milan and Bologna but I hope to go back soon and explore Tuscany and the South more. There is something so right about the Italian lifestyle, the food, wine, long lazy warm summer days spent eating outside with friends and the strong family community feel. I think it would be the perfect place to invest......

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Mothers Day Gift Guide

A framed photograph from Wall Snaps Are you struggling to find something a little different for that very special lady in your life (your mum of course) this Mothers Day? Then have no fear here are few ideas for those who are still scrambling to find a gift that expresses how much you care. First of all I thought I would start with something that is not only visually stunning but also sentimental - then a beautifully framed photograph or canvas is a good choice and is something my mother has been asking for for year. The creative people at Wall Snaps offer some fantastic choices including some colourful and cool patterned boarders and high end printing as well as a fast turn around time. I feel when it comes to celebrations such as Mothers Day thinking a little bit out of the box and picking up something else besides chocolates and flowers (which are lovely too) always goes down well. Why not have something a fun, quirky or just a real treat such as the BuyAGift sm......

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Winter Warriors with Kozi Kids

As you may already know we truly love the outdoors, growing up in a warm country meant that my childhood was pretty much spent barefoot running around in the garden which was on the slopes of table mountain, climbing rocks, trees and basically enjoying a wild and free existence. Life however is not exactly the same here, in rather wet and windy Wales but I certainly won't let that damped our sense of adventure, it simple means we have to be more prepared. The lovely people at Kozi Kids - a Swedish outdoor kids clothing company sent my eldest, Mr A a  Alaska Parka Jacket  which is both warm and waterproof and for Baby G a Snowflake Baby Snow-suit which is both breathable and water resistant. These are both from their winter collection and will see us through the colder months of winter and spring and I love the ethos that by having the right kind of clothing your children are able to enjoy nature no matter what the weather. We have had loads of mini outd......

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Spring Spritz and Kilner Giveaway

The past few days there has certainly still been that wintery chill in the air but with the sun out buds are starting to show, crocuses have grown, the daffodils have opened up and the days are getting that little bit longer each day. You can sense the change and the feeling of spring is slowly starting to filter into my soul. I really want to get out of the gloominess of winter and burst into colour and thought a nice little Spring Sprtiz would be perfect for that so I had some fun in the kitchen today and came up with this refreshing little number. Green Spring Spritz 1 Apple 1/3 of a Cucumber 1/4 lime Mint leaves Lemon slice Ice cubes Sparkling water. Place an apple (I used a Gala), 1/3 of a cucumber, quarter lime and a few mint leaves into a juicer. Pour into a glass with some ice and top up with sparkling water, add some slices of lemon and there you go - simple as anything. This drink is wonderfully refreshing, full of goodness and is great for those in nee......

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Now you are one

This week you turned one my little man and I always find moments like this one needs to sit down and put pen to paper or keyboard to screen and make a note of whats going through my mind before I forget this feeling, the pride, how my heart bursts with love, how absolutely exhausted I feel as a year on and you have not graced us with an uninterrupted night for months.  The picture above pretty much sums you up right now, it's not the best picture but your testing your voice, your trying to communicate and laughing and shouting at various things with all that you have and it makes me smile. I cannot believe how two brothers, two siblings can be so different and that difference is so apparent even at 1. You are such a happy and cheeky chappy, you love food and baby-led weaning has really worked for us and our breast feeding journey has been far smoother than the first time around. We have embraced all the changes that came with going from a family of three to a f......

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The George Home

 A few weeks ago both John and I plus the kids headed off on a mini-adventure to North London to have a sneak peak of the new range homewares and furniture from George at Asda and unlike normal press reviews that showcase a small selection this was a far more interactive and inspiring affair. The creative people at George loaned out a stunning home in the leafy London suburb of Finchley and together with their expert designers had dressed the house in top to toe of pieces from their new collection and with real attention to detail including painting the walls in George paint . John and I and four other lovely blogging families ( Fritha , Katie , Jessica and Caro ) were invited to make ourselves at home for the day and get to see first hand what the new collection looks like within a real home setting while the wonderful people at George had organised some fun crafts for all the kids, including the popular biscuit decorating, to keep them entertained and happy. Al......

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Street Style - Infinities Menswear

It's not often I catch John laughing or smiling on camera, not that he is a grumpy guy but rather just a very reserved person although he has a very dry sense of humour, in this shot he was making fun of how I stand for outfit posts and was doing some pretty hilarious versions, although it's nice to show a lighthearted moment. I may have mentioned this before on the blog but John is extremely meticulous and particular about what he wears, his style and wardrobe is far more curated than mine, I am at times not sure of what direction I want to go in but there is something good about knowing what works for you and feeling comfortable in that style. He approach is a very simple one, less is more, quality over quantity and looking after your clothes properly - he has a pair of Red Wings which are more than 15yrs old but they certainly don't look it. So when Infinities got in touch asking what John would actually like for Valentines day over chocolate or stuffed a......

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Spring interior inspiration

Oh how I do love the change of the seasons and the one we wait with most anticipation for year after year is spring. There is really nothing more wonderful than seeing the countryside burst into a variety of different colours after the cold winter had left it bare. We often do a spring clean of sorts and find this is a perfect time of the year to change it up in the home and add touches of colour and nature into your heart and soul. I personally love having fresh flowers in the home and take advantage of the pocket friendly daffodils that are in abundance in stores, often at a pound for a bunch and watching them open up in bright yellow is a great way to add a pop of colour to our kitchen and hallway. Simple, clean and stylish spring kitchen What is also a very popular trend this year is wooden furniture, pine and exposed wood. People are starting to appreciate the beauty of natural wood, it's flaws, indentations, the way it can be hand carved to it's desired s......

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Brod, Danish Bakery, Cardiff

We love nothing more than checking out new places to eat in and around Cardiff, with breakfast and brunch being our favourite time of the day. We were at a lose end one Sunday morning and as we are planning a trip to a northern European country next month (more to come about that) we thought it was time to pop into Brod, a Danish inspired bakery in the heart of Pontcanna. The simple and stylish scandi interior is welcoming as is the staff and even in the morning there is a buzz around the place with nearly all the tables taken, luckily we managed to find a spot for all four of us while we decided which baked delight to try. The menu is very simple and uncomplicated and everything is baked fresh on site. I opted for a Flat white while and as a real treat Mr A indulged in a warming hot chocolate. We decided to share a few different pastries including a Danish pastry of course and Copenhagen slice as well as their savoury tomato swirl which Baby G wolfed down. ......

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Finding the perfect fit

The struggle for finding the perfect pair of jeans is real and something I have always encountered as being just under 5ft has meant standard jeans are always too long making it no easy task to find a pair that just fit's without having to alter them in some way. After asking my readers if they have ever faced a denim dilemma it was very clear that most women in some way also struggle to find the perfect fit, many with similar problems to mine in terms of length as the standard size is really not one size fit's all and is equally a problem for not only petite women but also taller ones. Some of the other common issue which were apparent is having a different size around the thighs and waist leaving gaps and ill fitted sections or skinny jeans becoming baggy in certain areas or simply not knowing how to pick the right style for the look you are trying to achieve or for your body shape. Marks and Spencer 's got in touch to see if I could find the perfect pair for......

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Breakfast, tea and a good read

The weekend to us is all about taking it slow, enjoying a good breakfast, family time and all those simple pleasures that make life wonderful. This weekend however was a bit of a strange one for us, we had planned to have a very relaxed Valentines morning exchanging homemade cards over some oven fresh croissants but instead we were getting over a somewhat stressful and eventful evening the night before which involved finding our elderly neighbour had fallen off the pavement into the road and broken his hip on what was one of the coldest nights of the year, we had to wait nearly 3hrs and into the early hours of the morning before the ambulance arrived and get him to the hospital out of the cold. Both the kids had woken up during all of this as we ran back and forth taking him blankets and warm drinks, so to say we were shattered would be an understatement and therefore we skipped breakfast all together while the rest of the day passed in a sleep deprived daze. I did however m......

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Street Style - My PacaPod

Last week we packed our bags for a mini adventure and one night away with both of the kids in tow and what is always important with very short breaks like this is to keep packing to a minimum and preferably having everything you need in one bag. This however is not alway easy when you need to take into consideration all the things required for a baby when travelling such as nappies, wipes, creams, spare clothes etc so having a bag built for purpose is key and this mini-trip gave me the chance to put my PacaPod Prescott satchel to the test. First of all when looking for a changing bag I wanted something that was stylish, well designed and not too mumsy and that will fit into my busy life. I am glad to say this bag does just that and it's unisex as well with John using it on occasion. It has different compartments and a convenient cold bag compartment which is handy for keeping his snacks at the right temperature while on the road. We spent a few hours in Newbury befor......

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