Tenby and Kidwelly Castle

Every year during the colder months since I was 37 weeks pregnant with my now 3yr old we have visited Tenby for a weekend break, just to get away from the city and enjoy what has got to be one of the best coastlines in the UK. The pretty pastel houses that line the harbour and overlook the beaches never fail to make me feel joyful not matter how wintery it may feel. West Wales in general just seems to have this element of slowness to it, it seems less rushed and I find it's a great place to just recalibrate and enjoy some quality time with the boys. We have been lucky that each time we have gone the sun has always shined and even though the temperatures are low at this time of the year seeing the sunshine is always an added bonus and meant two full days outdoors, on the beach, climbing rocks, eating good food and even though its only around two hours from Cardiff it really feels much further away. We arrived just in time to catch the sunset from the beach and......

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Amazon Fire - The Perfect Tablet for Low Screen Families

I have mentioned many times on the blog that we are a pretty low screen family and while we do embrace technology when it comes to our kids its done in a very moderate and measured way. We aim for little to no screens Monday to Friday but we are somewhat more relaxed on the weekends allowing for a movie night or if it's pouring down and we have exhausted our creative outlets than some educational apps. As a family we have always been passionate about getting outdoors and not being tempted to stay in to watch something although I do see the benefits of allowing some screen time but the idea of my 7yr old having access to the internet and user uploaded sites such as YouTube despite parental controls does make me break out into a sweat - so where is the middle ground when it comes to allowing your child some freedom as well as opportunities for online learning but still keeping them safe? Well we have been reviewing the Amazon Fire for Kids tablet and for the first time I feel......

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Feeling Overwhelmed? A Minimalist Lifestyle May Help

There are many people who believe that cutting down on the clutter in your surroundings can help you to cut down on the chaos you feel in your mind. If you have a home that is filled to the brim with belongings, you may be overwhelmed and feel trapped without even knowing it. The following guide walks you through a few things to know about living a minimalist lifestyle. Why Do People Choose a Minimalist Lifestyle ? There are some people who choose to live a minimalist lifestyle so that they can focus on things that they feel are important in their lives. The fewer items you have to take care of, the more time you can focus on other things. Some people choose to live as minimalists so that they can use their money more efficiently. Being able to save their money and allows people to be able to go and do things that they would not be able to do if they lived a lavish lifestyle that required them to spend massive amounts of money on belongings instead of experiences. How C......

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5 Family Travel Bloggers you should follow

Travelling with kids is a unique experience and is certainly different to my free soloing backing days around Europe. There are logistics and practicalities that need to be taken into account as well as having an itinerary planned that is suitable for everyone. No country or city is off bounds all you need is a little inspiration and these 5 fantastic family travel bloggers will give you all the wanderlust you need while showing you family travel is possible from long-haul to short haul, city breaks, rural adventures, staycation, camping and everything in between so make sure to check them out. One Tiny Leap One Tiny Leap is an award-winning family travel blog charting the world adventures of Maria, her partner Rob, and their son. Maria, a marketing manager in the travel industry, has been blogging since 2013, when the family decided to pack up their bags, live in Lisbon for a year, and then embark on a year-long round-the-world trip . Now based back in Brighton in ......

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Getting Married? A guide to finding the perfect venue

As we move into spring and slowly closer to summer there are many looking ahead to their Big Day, having worked for a while as a wedding photographer after graduating and having attended a variety of weddings I thought I would put together some things I learnt about what does and doesn't work. Planning your wedding is an exciting time but there’s always a lot to organise for the Big Day. One of the first decisions you’ll have to take is where to get married. Your choice of venue will usually be determined by 3 key factors:  What sort of ceremony are you hoping for?   According to recent figures, just under a third of couples choose a religious ceremony so if you don’t want to get married in a church, you could have a civil, humanist or another type of ceremony or blessing.  The format of the day will set the tone for the mood you want to create. Generally speaking, formal wedding receptions are better suited to hotels or country house settings, while ......

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Let them Be Bored Challenge with Petit Filous

If your a regular reader to my blog you may remember a couple of weeks ago I wrote about how important free play is for our children especially as screens are becoming more prevalent in daily life. If your not sure what Free Play is all about it's pretty simple, you turn off the screens and let your children enjoy some unstructured play without you being tempted to dive in to direct it (of course if it's becoming unsafe you do need to step in), allowing them to learn through play. All you need to do is simply provide them with a safe space that will allow their imaginations to run wild, whether this be inside or out. We are pretty low screen in our household as it is with having little to none Monday to Friday and a movie or two on the weekends. Outdoor play is something I am very passionate about although lately even I have felt screens have been creeping into our lives more than usual mainly due to all the wet wintery weather. So taking on this challenge I really want......

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Great Weekend Reads for Home or On Your Travels

I found last year I just didn't make enough time to read and I think there is something very relaxing, calming and positive about picking up a book and being immersed into a story and with this ever increasing manic world we live in taking a moment to just step back and detach yourself from the now and get lost in a book is very important. I have put together a small reading list which I feel is doable even around working from home, travel and running after two small children. I have included a mix of fiction and non-fiction as well as one or two books to help keep me inspired and help with different areas of my life. So I thought I would share my reading list for 2018 with you and perhaps encourage you to take some time out and enjoy reading. 1. The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway This is such a fantastic pocket sized book perfect for when your travelling, it's lightweight and less than 100 pages long and great if your taking a train across country or just goi......

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How to keep your home Pest free

The occasional bug, spider or little insect invading your home isn't anything too alarming. The warmer environment after we move from winter into spring, weather changes or an open door could have given them the perfect opportunity to rummage and explore. It's when they're frequent your home that you should show concern. As long as you deal with the issue early on and don't let it become a problem but you and your home will be fine, saying that however if you allow pests of any kind to run rampant in your home not only do you risk the spreading of diseases but also possible structural damage to your house. Having gone through many home renovations with my parents as I grew up and having helped John finished off his last home as well as nearly completing the house we currently own I thought I would share a few facts about possible pests you need to look out for and provide some solutions on how to keep them at bay, especially if you travel a lot and your not a......

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Positivity and the Power of using a Life Planner

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #CollectiveBias I'm going to level with you here between losing of good friends to illnesses last year as well as during the latter months struggling with stress, anxiety and anaemia I felt really burnt out by December and very much on edge. Christmas felt a bit like a tipping point, I had been working towards a calmer more minimalist approach to things and it felt like I was railroaded by others in so many ways, I felt I had to compromise way to much for others with little return, I put everyone else's needs before my own and my body suffered because of it.  At the start of January, I had another emotional rollercoaster as I faced losing another one of my longest friends to a terminal illness and saying goodbye almost broke me but in reflection, I know events like this show how resilient we really are, as woman, as mothers, to carry on. I took a much need......

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