Kids Style for All Weathers

If you are a regular reader to my blog you will know we believe in spending time outdoors everyday no matter what the weather (well except storms or Gail force wind) but to do that you need to be prepared and dress suitably which is easier said than done when it comes to kids and clothes that are both practical, stylish and long lasting. If your kids are anything like mine and love to run and jump, climb and basically get covered in mud than you need something that is kid-proof so we were really excited to collaborate with Muddy Puddles again as we really loved their summer waterproof jacket from last season. This time my eldest is putting the Puddleflex jacket to the test and it's great for these slightly colder months as it's lined with a light fleece adding an extra layer of warmth on these wintery days. As some of you may already know I am on a minimalism mission and we are collectively trying to reduce, re-use and only invest in good quality long lasting ......

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Work from home? Here are some ideas on making it happen

Not long after I had my first child I made the conscious decision to try and stay at home as long as possible but like most tI needed to have some kind of stable income. I was already blogging at this point as well as doing some freelance writing and photo editing but I needed to approach it with a more business like manner to make it work. With the opportunities that are available on the Internet today, it’s only logical to consider using it as an opportunity to make some money online and possibly a new career. It’s no longer just for business owners and sellers, anyone can utilise it for their own advantage. You never know your business may take off and you need to employ people to work for you, if this is the case you will need to use the best HR software .  Here are 5 ways people are doing just that.    Freelance Writing If you’re an excellent writer, a good living can be made from online writing. There are literally hundreds of websites paying writer......

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Inspiring a world view with simply toys + giveaway

1. Plan Toys Musical Band Planwood £34 2. Plan Toys sailing boat £10 3. Manny and Simon Red truck push toy £31 4. Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug £44 5. Melissa and Doug Jumbo crayons £5 6. Fat Brain Toy Tobbles £20 There are a variety of views and studies on the idea of simple toys being far more educational and beneficial for children over highly detailed flashing plastic ones which offer everything and leave nothing to the imagination. In simple terms if you take a stick it offers so much opportunity for the child to use his imagination as it can be a sword, a paddle for a boat, a flag, a pillar to keep up a tent, a musical instrument - in fact pretty much anything and it allows for the user to connect with nature and the world around them in a more organic way. My sons love their simple train track As some of you may already know it was my youngest birthday this week and I am taking on a minimalism challenge this year to get rid of 50% of everyth......

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Now your Two

When your a child birthdays are always joyous occasions full of excitement and the same when your a parent but there is also a hint of the bittersweet. As a mother of course I want my boys to grow up to be strong confident young men but equally its hard to wave goodbye to my baby and enter toddlerhood which is quickly followed by a young adventurous boy and then suddenly pre-teens are around the corner and so it goes on but not to wish the time away, in fact that is the exact opposite because right now I'd like to press a pause button for a while. 2 is such an exciting age, my littlest is full of character and personality and is like a parrot when it comes to talking and copying everything we say and it's been such a pleasure and gift to parent this happy little boy. To not be to melancholy about my baby turning a year older I am actually really excited about what this year holds for all of us. Already he has been on so many adventures with us from France to Finl......

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A New York Bucket list

I love nothing more than planning trips, what we are going to see and do, working out the best way to navigate local transport systems and staring at maps for hours while imagining what is going to be like actually walking the streets of that destination. I still cannot believe that even though I have been to 25+ countries, including the US and even far flung islands like St Helena, I have never been to New York City. John however has been three times and I know it would be fantastic to go with him which and the plan is to celebrate his 40th at Toms Diner which is in just over 2yrs time. As we do a fair amount of travel there is a good likelihood we may visit this amazing city before than but either way its time to start planning what I would love to see and do. We plan to have around a week in the city and while both John and I have similar interests he is a huge fan of The Warriors movie as well as shows like Seinfeld and have been to Coney Island, Greenwich Village, downt......

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Keep your heart healthy & support National No Smoking Day

I don't smoke and luckily none of our immediate family does either as personally, I wouldn't be comfortable with it around the kids. One or two extended family members do however as well as a few friends, some of whom are parents and are really trying to lessen the habit or quit altogether. Being a parent has certainly made me more passionate about being more conscious of how we treat each other and the planet and keeping the air clean is something that affects us all. The thing with any kind of addiction is that it's not easy to walk away or let go, you need to have support and full support at that without guilt or judgement. The question should never be why you started as there are so many reasons to this, peer pressure, wanting to be accepted or you may have parents or family members who smoke and it simply became a natural progression. What we can do as friends is be supportive to those who are trying to make the change to a healthier and happier way of living, e......

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3 unique sunny European Destinations for Spring

I always find coming out of winter into spring is the time I start to long for sunshine the most as the slightly warmer days seem to remind one of feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin more than ever. While the UK doesn't really warm up until the middle of the year there are many wonderful and easily accessible places across Europe that make for the perfect break away to top up on your tan and Vitamin D, also travelling this time of the year is perfect for families with young kids as you can benefit from the out of season savings as well as avoiding the stifling summer heat. When passing local travel agents you see loads of specials for places like Palma, Lagos, Ibiza and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with these destinations some may be seeking a more cultural, historical and relaxing break which focuses on reconnecting as a family, exploring somewhere new and enjoying good food in inspiring surroundings. I thought I would share a mini Wishlist of 3 European d......

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Exploring Tenby & Pembroke Castle

At this time of the year its easy to feel the drag of winter and I always find January and February especially long months and I think if it's possible getting away even just for a few hours can do you a world of good. Last month we decided to bundle the kids in the car and head to Tenby in West Wales for a night, it's one of our favourite places and when the sun is out it's a truly spectacular place to be. It's only around a 2hr drive and we booked ourselves in at the Premier Inn, we have actually stayed at this one before when I was 38weeks pregnant with my youngest, it was our last trip as a family of three and even since then has had a special place in our heart. The hotel is pretty new to the area, about 2yrs old, the other options are mainly B&B's which are not always the best option when you have two young children running around. It's also located right in the centre of town and close to both of the beaches and all the cafes and restaurants. ......

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Street style and my favourite Dr Martens

It's been a while since I did a street style post and that is mainly because I have been attempting to minimalise my wardrobe and put together a more streamline capsule wardrobe of my favourite pieces - I am getting there slowly, I also want to update my wardrobe somewhat, which I like to do at the start of each year, so on the style front everything is having some what of an overhaul. I met up with the wonderful Fritha from Tigerlilly Quinn and the talented photographer Sarah Lou in Stoke Croft, the creative district of Bristol for coffee, cake and a wander around this visually inspiring place. You may remember last year I did a little work with Dr Martens and their Kids school range, my eldest absolutely loves his Docs and seriously can you get cooler school shoes? I think not. I have a few pairs, in fact I picked up some a few weeks ago, they are just so long lasting and never go our of style. I wanted to share one of my favourite pairs, while I love the clas......

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Homemade Cypriot Potato and Leek pasties

As I've said before I find cooking and making wholesome family meals very therapeutic and I love to try new things. In general our meals have a healthy focus and I have never been a big fan of shop bought pasties and pies but I did like the idea of making my own and cramming them filled with lovely veggies and creating a portable snack when we are outdoors on our adventures. So when I was set a challenge to create something tasty and would hopefully be a hit with the family, using in season Cypriot New Potatoes from Tesco's, I thought it was the perfect time to try out some cheesy leek and potato pasties - the perfect vegetarian family friendly snack. Of course you can use any potatoes in this recipe but I have to say the Cypriot ones are very tasty and versatile as you can bake, roast, boil or steam them and they are only available in stores until March. I also used Tesco's lighter shortcrust pastry, I have in the past made my own pastry for a variety of differe......

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