6 ways to prepare your car for a family road trip

I love a good road trip! Having grown up in South Africa where the nearest city was a 7hr drive away you get used to long distance trips and besides driving in South African I have also done the length of the UK from the West Coast of Scotland to Cornwall as well as across France and Italy and I've learnt a few things along the way. I've had the experience of breaking down more than once with the kids in tow and navigating country roads, getting lost, taking the car on ferries and the Eurostar and even with all the ups and downs we have always enjoyed the journey because it's all apart of the adventure that is travel. It's really important to have your car in tip-top shape before heading out on a road trip not only to reduce stress but also save you money. If your car breaks down while on a road trip it can end up costing you a whole lot more especially if you need to get it towed. 1. Make sure your MOT is up to date Not only is having a valid MOT essential......

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Top tips for learning from home

As some of you may already know I work from home but prior to this while studying for my degree, in the last year I had to do a large portion of it from home, having had my son 6 weeks before the first day back of my final year at university. I learnt a lot about self-driven learning and creating a space conducive for learning and creativity. It's not something that comes overnight and it does have to be worked on. Also as I continually work on gaining more skills I am looking to doing a course at home, like many parents, online learning has opened a gateway to being able to improve employment opportunities and gain new skills around having a family. Today, jobs rely on learning more than ever before. Shifts in the economy mean that more people occupy knowledge jobs - like consulting, management and digital and IT-based roles more than ever before. People in these positions need to learn the skill of learning to stay up to date with the latest developments in their field. It’s......

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Bournemouth Beach - The perfect family day out

Collaborative Post  On the way back from our trip to Guernsey in the Channel Islands, we arrived late into Poole Ferry Port (around midnight) so there was no way we were going to head back to Cardiff that night and instead checked into a Travelodge in Poole although there are plenty of hotels in Bournemouth and decided to extend our holiday by one more day and explore a part of the coast we hadn't really been to before. I had heard really good things about Bournemouth and it's been somewhere I have wanted to take the kids for a while so this was a great opportunity to do just that.  As soon as we got to our hotel we headed straight to bed as it had been a very long day and woke up ready to explore. As Poole is only a 20 min drive from Bournemouth it seemed like it was going to be a pretty easy place to get too but what we hadn't taken into account was it being a Bank Holiday Friday and not just any Bank Holiday but one with glorious warm and sunny weather so......

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Making a Loft Bathroom Extension Feel Spacious with VELUX Roof Windows

*This is a paid partnership with VELUX and BritMums We all know that natural daylight and fresh air are really good for our overall wellbeing and the more we can bring these two things into our home, the better. When we were doing our loft bathroom I wanted it to make it light and airy even though the space is very small. It now feels spacious and airy due to our VELUX roof window, which floods this small space with an abundance of natural daylight, making it one of my favourite rooms in the house. I find it incredible how one small change can have such a big impact on a room but it really can! I know sometimes people overlook bathrooms but surprisingly we spend a lot of our time each day in one and stepping into a light and airy room first thing in the morning can really help lift the spirits and prepare you for a busy day ahead. The Scandinavians are well known for their minimalist and well-designed homes that have a real focus on bringing the outdoors in, using VELUX roof......

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Little Freddie Organic Food - their Journey so Far

If your a regular reader you may already know that for the past year I have been working as an ambassador with the family-run organic baby and toddler food brand called Little Freddie and have seen it flourish and go from strength to strength. Having met up with the small but passionate team last year in London, trying out some flavours before they were even on the market, adding feedback to packaging and seeing that being taken onboard and hearing the fantastic news that they had taken massive steps to make all of their pouches fully recyclable, watching my toddler gulp down their organic snacks with so much delight and seeing their range grow from pouches to smoothies and fingers foods, has been a really special experience for me. This time last year Little Freddie was only available online and with Ocado so walking into my local Sainsburys last month and seeing their range in store was a bit of a proud moment even if I only played a very small part in their journey. ......

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8 things to do before a Family trip to a hot destination

* Contains Affiliate links As we head towards summer many people are planning family trips abroad to warm and sunny destinations, travelling overseas is something we all look forward too, visiting beautiful countries such as Spain or Italy and enjoying fascinating cultures and people. However while this comes with a lot of excitement there are also some essential preparations we need to take to ensure everyone stays safe, healthy and has a good time. I thought I would share eight critical things that you and your family can do to prepare for a holiday in the sun.    1. Pack loose-fitting clothes Yes I know many pack outfits and styles for a breakaway (Instagram pictures come to mind) but do make sure you also take some practical and loose fitting clothes that help keep you cool and help you from overheating and feeling the effect of the heat, this is especially important for young children who just want to be comfortable and run around.  2. Pack ext......

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Travelling Abroad? Why you should learn the local language

Travelling, especially as a family can be an exciting time, discovering new cultures, experiencing new places, trying out the local food and opening your mind to a different way of life. Travel, however, can at times also be fairly stressful so planning in advance I find is always key, knowing where you are staying and get acquainted with the map of the area can help you feel less disorientated but what I find the biggest help is having a basic grasp of the local language. I remember once when I was a young girl travelling with my parents in Paris, one evening, them with a phrasebook in hand trying to negotiate buying some baguettes from a small bakery in the Montmartre district for a budget dinner on the go. I remember there being a lot of back and forth and misunderstanding but they persevered and in the end managed to communicate enough to be successful. My parents always instilled in me that we are guests in another country and should never expect them to speak our lan......

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Easter Adventures to be had across the UK

The days are getting longer, and the kids are on their Easter holiday break so if you’re stuck for ideas when it comes to keeping the kids entertained over the school break, don't worry, I have it sorted. There are eggs-cellent events for families taking place across the Easter school break all over the UK – and they don't all involve eating chocolate! Whether you want to take the family to an Easter-egg hunt or take a trip to a museum, check out my top Easter activities for kids in the UK. Whether you want to take it slow, wake up, get the waffle mix out and whip up a batch of waffles and have no plans or you want to pack as much in as possible, here are a few ideas.  RHS Flower Show Cardiff 12-14th April For the past three years I have taken my boys to the RHS Flower show and have always had a blast as there is an array of things to see and do and makes for a great day out. Located in Bute Park in the heart of the city, it the perfect way to get some garden insp......

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Letting my kids do my makeup with Cosmetify

*In Collaboration with Cosmetify I have a pretty straight forward and simple makeup routine, in fact on most days when I am doing the school run I go out with little more than some foundation or BB cream , concealer (to hide those day eyes) and some lip balm. Of course when I attend a work event, special occasion or drinks out I make more of an effort and certainly have a safe go-to look with my favourite red lipstick. I think on reflection, I have just become a little stuck in my ways because I'm time short at the moment and it's easy to forget that makeup should be fun and to experiment with it a little more. So I was really excited when Cosmetify got in touch and asked if I wanted to do something super fun which involved choosing a few new makeup items and getting the kids to be creative, on me, I thought why not and needless to say the kids were onboard! For those who don't know who or what Cosmetify is, it's a website that brings together all th......

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Simple ways to bring more nature into your life

*Contains Affiliate links Spring is now upon us and it feels like we are all waking up from a winter hibernation and it's time to make up for the long cold winter and get outdoors and embrace everything is has to offer. The great thing about the outdoors is for the most part it's free and has huge wellbeing benefits for all ages. Of course you don't always have to be on some big adventure or challenge but simply spending time pottering around your own garden is good for you and can be a great lesson for children on how to bring more nature into your garden space. When it comes to anything like this it's important to just focus on works best for your family or lifestyle and not get too caught up with whatever everyone else is doing, ignore your neighbours neatly clipped lawns and tamed beds, as long as what your doing is bringing joy and happiness to you and your family then that's all that matters. So in this post I am going to focus on simple and fun wa......

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