9 Things To Do With The Kids During Summer Holidays

**Collaborative Post**

If like most of the other parents on the planet, you are dreading the six-week summer holidays then fear not. There are loads of things to do, some which cost a small amount and others that are free with a little forward planning. If you are feeling the pinch like a lot of families then always opt for the free things, you may be surprised at how many there are. Take a look below for a wide variety of activities that will keep the kids entertained all summer, hopefully you won’t hear the words 'I'm Bored’ come out of their mouths, well not too often anyway!

Supporting Your Child Against School Bullies

**Collaborative Post**

Bullying is an issue that, unfortunately, many children encounter during their school years and sometimes even as adults. As a parent, it can be distressing to discover that your child is being bullied, and it can actually be one of a parents biggest worries when children start school or start a new school year. However whilst we can't stop bullies all together, with your support and proactive steps can make a significant difference in their life. 

Here are some ways which might help with how you can help your child navigate and overcome this

Why im taking my child on a term time holiday.

Not many of you will have missed the whole term time holiday saga that has been plastered across the press lately, what with the Jon Platt case coming to a conclusion recently. However amongst a lot of parents, teachers and non parents this is still a huge debate.

Is it right to take your child out school for a holiday during term time?

For me there are a number of factors to consider, and there should be no cut and paste rule for all. Previous attendance should be a big part of that decision and how each child is coping at school and whether they are reaching expected levels at the time another.
I feel that head teachers should be given back some of that power to be able to assess each child as a individual and then decide themselves as to whether holiday should be granted. Not a government or council systems with fining parents at the front of their minds making the decisions.

This year I will be taking James out of school for a term time holiday and do I feel guilty... nope not one bit. I'm prepared for a fine if that does happen (and quite frankly a £60 fine doesn't seem half as bad as some of the holiday company price hikes for school holiday breaks!) but that's another rant all together!.

We will be going on a holiday that quite frankly I couldn't afford to do in school holidays, we will be doing it as a family and spending some quality family time together away from work, school and everything else that comes with our hectic daily routines. We will be exploring, learning and going on adventures. We will see things we can't see in our home town and learn things he can't find sat behind a desk. James will spend time learning about nature, climbing, swimming and being in a new environment where the opportunity to learn about things not taught in school will be plenty. At the end of our holiday I will be the parent there to help him catch up and I have already asked for work sheets which the school have happily provided so he won't be behind when he gets back!

Learning comes in all different forms any teacher can tell you that, some children thrive working in a  notebook whilst others need a more hands on experience. Of course I don't expect my child's teacher to be able to offer so many experiences and cater to ever childs individual needs. She works her very best to keep a class of 30 (very different) children happy, learning and educated within the school setting. However I also don't expect to be told no when I am able to offer these things for my own child!

James has a perfect attendance record, he is learning above the expected standard for all subjects and a super confident reader. Of course I have school to thank for that but (without blowing my own trumpet) I would like to think that some of that also came from me, his parent. The person who reads with him every night, the person who practises his spelling with him every week, the person who helps him complete homework sheets and times tables. The person who makes decisions based on the well being and the best choices for my son since the day he was born!

I'm the parent who taught him to count, to draw, to speak and even walk before he even bag school. I would like to think the government might want to give me a little credit that I am able to make the best choices for my child when it comes to taking him on holiday. This system in my mind is flawed it is stopping families from going on holiday, spending time together to bond away from day to day worries. It is forcing families in to a situation where they have to stress over a decision that should ultimately be theirs to make anyway.

I would just like to point out that in no way am I saying that we should just be able to pull our children out of school when we fancy all year round. I can see how disruptive this would be and how this could begin to effect a child's work. As I mentioned above there are several factors that need to be considered but the power definitely need to be shifted back to teachers, head teachers and parents the people who are teaching these children, parenting these children and want the best for them!

How do you feel about term time holidays? Would you ever take your child out of school for a holiday during term time?

xXx

BubbleBum Junkie **REVIEW**

Since having kids the back of our car looks like a busy table at a car boot sale! Every time we get in the car they both insist on bringing a toy, a drink often a snack, however there is nowhere to actually store these once in the car. They therefore usually end up on the floor or the drunks getting spilt on the back seats and crumbs scattered everywhere. So when we were recently offered a Junkie to try from the lovely people at BubbleBum I hoped this would solve our problem. 

The Junkie aims to eliminate everything I mentioned above with its funky, fun design and various compartments to cater for all your children's needs. The Junkie features 2 drinks holders, a large insulated tote style bag which can also be removed leaving a large collapsible pocket area for toys to be stored. The Junkie also has 2 fold down trays and even a "tech holder" to hold a tablet. 

Our first impressions of the Junkie were great, we loved the design and whilst quite bulky it felt sturdy and well made, which is great for kids as we all know they can be quite rough or boisterous. The black gloss and splashes of yellow on the Junkie meant it wasn't to garish and didn't look out of place once stored in the car. 

The "tech holder" is a great edition to the Junkie. We don't tend to have the tablet in the car for short journeys but for long trips such as holidays etc this will be perfect. It means both kids can watch something on the tablet without arguing over who gets to hold it. The tablet holder is at just the right level for them both to be able to watch too so this got a big thumbs up from us. 

The only cons we found with Junkie were that the fold down trays are quite small and as the Junkie is stored in the centre of the back seat with the trays are attached to the main Junkie body. This means that for us the trays didn't seem to come out far enough into James and Evelyn's lap to make it practical to use. It meant they had to lean in to the centre of the car to use it and since Evelyn has harness straps she found it quite frustrating she couldn't do this. 

The insulated tote bag that comes with the Junkie is a fantastic idea. Its perfect for storing snacks and drinks in when on a long journey (and no worrying about food melting or getting too warm!). Its also great for letting the kids pack their own snacks in and taking along for a picnic etc. Both kids loved the cute design on it.

For us the Junkie is perfect it means all the kids toys, drinks and snacks can be stored neatly away keeping the floor clear of everything, it can then be easily removed from the car when needed. Yes the Junkie could benefit from a few tweaks such as the distance and size of the trays however these are such small issues compared to how useful the Junkie has been for us. 

If you have kids who like to bring everything in to the car definitely check out the BubbleBum Junkie! 

xXx

**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item and we used the item to produce this honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Some days I want to "quit" being a parent!

Before I became a parent I worked in a local cafe for several years and believe me there were times then when I could have thrown off my apron and yelled I quit and a swiftly exited the building, I didn't. However since becoming a parent I have never felt the want to quit some days like I have now.

Don't get me wrong being at work has its own set of challenges and I am in no way saying it easy, but there is something about the 24/7 job of being a parent that makes me want to yell "I QUIT" as soon as my husband walks through the door.

I love my kids don't get me wrong, they make me smile on days I didn't think it possible they make me laugh and make me so proud all the time. However they also drive me mad sometimes! Take today for example I was awoken at 6am because James and Evelyn were bickering over who gets to play with the slimy plastic slug James had acquired free with a magazine first. I just led there for a moment thinking "really" is this really what my life has become im listening to people arguing over a slug!

Its the monotonous things like the never ending washing pile, the never ending school, swimming, after school club runs that seem to multiply each week. Its the loneliness and the fact the only person you have to hold a conversation with is a 2 year old who just wants Bing Bunny. Its the bickering over silly little things which you feel like burning just to end the shrieking. We don't quit though we keep going because we kind of have too.

So does that make me a bad parent? Maybe in some peoples eyes but do I mind no not really. Im not perfect, far from it in fact. Im just a mum trying to do her best and some days I want to quit I want to throw it all in and if that means I don't get to be in the "perfect mum brigade" so be it. I would much rather be honest and tell other mums that its ok to feel this way its ok to feel like you can't wait for the day to end. Its ok to want to quit sometimes and it doesn't make you a bad parent far from it it makes you real it makes you normal.

But really I will never quit! Being a mum is the hardest most emotionally challenging job I think I will ever be faced with but in reality its the most rewarding too. When they are all grown up and I think about those tough days when I wanted to throw in the towel I will wonder what all the fuss was about. When I gaze at these grown children I can take credit in the fact that I was there to watch them grow, to help them learn and in the future, I will be there to tell them that being a parent in hard and nobody is perfect and that is ok!

Chin up mums and dads we can do this!

xXx

Coping with an Age Gap!

There is an almost 5 year age gap between James and Evelyn with James being the oldest at 6 and a half and Evelyn almost 2. 

I didn't plan to have such an age gap in fact I didn't really plan at all. I fell pregnant with James when I was just 18 and whilst unexpected I now wouldn't change him for the world! Being so young made me realise I didn't want to rush in to having more kids just because of an age gap. I wanted to wait until I was ready, until I felt ready to make that big leap in to becoming a mum of 2. 

It took us quite a while to conceive Evelyn when we finally decided we were ready, which also widened the gap between them and when she eventually came along it was the summer before James was due to start Primary school. 

Of course with James being a little older it was nice that he could understand a little more about the fact he was going to become a big brother and he was so excited to meet his new baby sister. I worried the whole time I was pregnant though about him feeling pushed out, it had been just him for so long how would he feel about sharing me. 

When Evelyn came along James was amazing with her, he couldn't wait to meet her and was so gentle and protective over her whenever he was around. You could just tell how proud he was at being a big brother which did make me feel much better about the situation. We also always made sure we made some time that he have one on one time with just us when Evelyn was in bed so he knew he still had our attention too which definitely helped. 

I am not going to lie though having the age gap is tough especially now at this sort of age. Evelyn is at an age where she wants to be involved in everything everyone else is doing, mostly her brother! Whereas James wants a bit of Independence he is much older and doesn't want to play the baby games that Evelyn is able to do. As a parent its trying to waiver on that thin line between encouraging them to play together and letting them have their own time and space. 

For example we went to a soft play a few days ago, this posed another problem. The soft play centres James likes are huge, high and pretty dangerous for Evelyn, of course they have baby sections but Evelyn doesn't want to be in those if James isn't. However the soft play's that are suitable for Evelyn are much to babyish for James who then bores easily in them. Such a simple thing such as soft play becomes a nightmare of feeling like someone if missing out, its toughie but we have managed to find a few places that meet in the middle and keep them both happy. 

James is also at school now and with school comes after school clubs including swimming clubs and Beaver scouts. I do feel for Evelyn a little and she often gets carted along to these as her dad is at work and I have to take James. As there is such an age gap none of these clubs are suitable for Evelyn which means she is often bored and spends more time than I would like her to in the pushchair whilst we watch or wait around for James. 

Of course there are perks to the age gap too. As James is older is easier to explain to him about why we have to do things. He helps play with Evelyn so I can do the washing up and watching him be so protective over her is so beautiful. Evelyn dotes on her big brother which is so wonderful and I think this is partly because hes that bit older than her and she looks up to him. 

I have found there doesn't seem to be as much arguing between them either. Perhaps because the toys Evelyn has James doesn't want and the toys James has Evelyn doesn't know how to use! I am certain the arguing with come later though and of course they do still argue usually over food or bed time! 

People ask would I change the age gap and my simply answer is no! Yes its hard, really hard sometimes actually but I definitely didn't feel ready for another when James was younger and I am glad I didn't push myself to have another just for a small age gap. I think for me I feel it would have been even harder with 2 when I wasn't mentally prepared for another child than it is with a bigger age gap. 

Whilst there are tough days there are amazing days too though! James is adorable with his sister when they are getting on and watching him teach her and her intently listening fills me with pride. Knowing that she has a brother that little bit older to guide her through the world with that little bit of extra knowledge behind him makes me love them both a little more. 

When people ask the question "whats the best age gap?" my answer is there is no "perfect" age gap. With any age gap will come hard days and situations as well as positives. You just have to do what feels right for you and your family. 

xXx

Snackeez Cup **REVIEW**

Snackeez is a brand new all in one solution to drinks and snacks on the go.

The clever design which features a flip top snack container inside a drinks cup means kids can take their favourite drink and snack out and about in one handy cup. 

The flip top snack container which fits snugly within the cup holds around 115ml of your childs favourite snack, whilst the cup itself holds up to 450ml liquid. 

Those of you will know that when heading out with kids ensuring you are armed with snacks and a drink is essential and this cup means you can do both in one handy container. James attends several after school activities such as swimming and Beavers and there is often little time between school and these clubs but he is always hungry! The cup has been great for ensuring he can grab a quick drink and snack before heading of to his next activity.

The only downside we found was that the cup is quite large, James is 6 and found he had to hold it with 2 hands however there is a very handy grip to help children keep hold of the cup securely. The lid for the snack section is easy to open and close and James was able to do this by himself with ease. The straw is a hard plastic straw and we personally would have preferred a softer/bendy straw with a lid to keep this safely closed, this is just a personal preference for us though.

Taking apart the cup for washing is easy and as it all comes apart in sections you can get to every bit of the cup to ensure it is thoroughly cleaned, it is also dishwasher safe for an easy clean. The only part I couldn't get to fully was the hard plastic straw but as James only has water in his it wasn't to much of an issue, however this may become an issue if you were to use it with juice or milk etc.

James gave the Snackeez cup a big thumbs up! He loves that he is able to have his snack and drink in one place without the need for multiple bowls and bottles etc. We loved that the cup was large enough to fit a substantial snack and drink inside meaning it would last a good duration without needing refilling. As a parent my only real concern with the Snackeez cup is the washing of the straw section but this aside I think they are a great idea! We have also used the snack bowl by itself for Evelyn and its a great size for popping it  a bag without the drinks cup attached.

Snackeez are available to purchase from Character Online and are priced at £9.99 which we thought was a very fair price for a cup which can be reused time and time again.

Do you think your child would find a Snackeez cup useful?

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Toddler Valentines Day Crafts!

As I have had both kids home this week for half term we decided to have a go at some toddler/child friendly valentines craft ideas. All of the below we attempted ourselves and they were all simple to do. Some were quite messy so be prepared for some mess and perhaps lay an old sheet or plenty of newspaper down before hand.

Here are some of the valentines crafts we had a go at this week -

Love Bug Valentines cards

These were really simple to make just paint most of the foot red and leave the heel of the foot, paint the heel of the foot black for the bugs head. Carefully place your childs foot on to the card and hold for a few seconds. For smaller children an adult can add in the legs and eyes etc, older children can do this themselves. Then just add your message on to the back. 

Valentines heart shaped cookies

If your kids love baking then they will love making these simple cookies (I used a basic shortbread recipe). Let them get their hands messy helping mix the biscuit dough and then once baked and cooled let them decorate. We used a basic red icing and then the kids went wild with the sprinkles and decorations!

"Love" Canvas picture

This is a lovely idea that can be displayed all year around. We purchased a basic canvas and I painted on the L and E. I thought it would be a lovely idea to have both kids involved in the same picture so James provide the hand print O and Evelyn's feet provided the V. It was really simple to do once you can get the kids to stay still (I would recommend purchasing a back up canvas lol!). We added some glitter to the paint whilst it was still a little wet for an added sparkle. 

Do you have any fun Valentines themed crafts you do with your toddler/children? I would to hear your ideas! 

xXx

Colours Colours Everywhere book **REVIEW**

Evelyn adores books and whilst she can't read herself, yet reading is something we have done together for quite some time now. However, she does like to browse books herself and so we are always on the lookout for bright simple board books that she can look at herself.

We were recently given the opportunity to try out a new book called "Colours Colours Everywhere" which is illustrated by Samantha Meredith and is packed full of beautiful colour images. I knew Evelyn would love this and we eagerly awaiting the books arrival.

When it arrived, the book was an instant hit with Evelyn! The thick board pages are perfect for her as she can be quite rough, and these don't rip or tear when she turns the pages. The colours pop out of the book right from the front page which make the book really eye catching especially for young children.

Each page inside the book features a different colour and a whole range or corresponding objects and animals that match that colour. Evelyn is now talking with single words and loved being able to point out each object/animal and learn its name then repeat it back to us. The book also features some raised 3D pieces to which children can run their fingers over and feel the raised shapes which Evelyn enjoyed.

Colours Colours Everywhere is aimed at children aged 0-3 years and is priced at £8.99 which we think is great value. The book is sturdy and strong to withstand lots of toddler reading. The colours are bright and really pop out of the book. There are not many words in the book which again make it great for toddlers who may wish to look at books themselves. This book helps children discover the wonders of the rainbow through fun pictures and short simple rhymes and gets a big thumbs up from myself and Evelyn.

If you want to check out this book a little more or purchase your own copy you can do so via the Little Tiger website here - www.littletiger.co.uk.

Do your young children like books too or do you read together?

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Viewing the world through the eyes of our Children

As a mum of two with one who is at school I often find myself with plenty to do to keep me busy and often leaves me unable to see past our day to day needs, this means we are often rushing places like the school run and doctors appointments. Whilst Evelyn was little this wasn't really an issue she would either be in the pushchair or in the sling and I could continue at my normal pace. However now that she can walk its all she wants to do and of course I want to encourage her so things have been taking a little while longer recently.

Whilst running some of our usually errands I realised something, I had been so busy rushing along scooping Evelyn up in my arms when we had been in a rush and she was taking a little too long looking at another leaf or stone, I hadn't really thought about how the world looks through her eyes.

The simple things that I pass each day that don't seem important to me are all brand new to Evelyn, they are interesting and fun and I had been dragging her away from all these things taking away the opportunity to explore and learn!
That tree that you pass most days might be a mighty oak with a story to tell to a child who marvels at how tall the tree is and how big the branches are that stretch up to the sky. The leaves she wants to crunch in for an extra few minutes are crunchy and beautiful with all of their different colours but we just breeze through them on our way. The noises we hear, the animals we pass and the smells we all take for granted, a child wants to know, wants to explore and whats to sense and experience what these things are and who are we to stop them. After all isn't that part of life shouldn't we be encouraging them and supporting them in finding out about the world we live in and all that it offers us.

I love hearing my children's tales of their day which may often for us adults have just been an ordinary day but for a child it could have been magical and amazing. Listening to James tell me stories of his day has made me realise I need to listen more, ask more and talk less. I want to hear about the world through his eyes and perhaps we as adults can learn something about the magic of the world through the eyes of our children.

Children can often teach us things we don't even realise we are lacking, the joys in simple things like sand in our toes the smell of fresh grass and laughter for no apparent reason. They make us realise there is beauty in the most ordinary objects and they make us realise that taking time to just breathe, enjoy and laugh can make us feel like a whole new person inside and out.

I have promised myself and the kids that from now on I will try and leave a little more time for our journey so that we can appreciate the world together. I want to crunch in the leaves, marvel at the trees, stare at the swooping birds and appreciate the daisies that we see each day. Just because we see something all of the time doesn't make it any less special. I want to make our journeys adventures as each day is a new adventure for a toddler like Evelyn and hand in hand we will enjoy it together.

Have you ever thought about how the world must appear to your child?

xXx

LEGO Speed Champions set **REVIEW**

LEGO is one of those classic toys that never seems to go out of fashion and nobody seems to tire of.
I remember playing with LEGO when I was little and I am so pleased that James enjoys playing it now too as it means I get to play with LEGO again!

Since LEGO is one of James favourite toys he received several sets over Christmas including the LEGO speed champion Mclaren set, so this weekend we sat down together and got building and I have to tell you it was so much fun and really therapeutic!

The set comes complete with everything you need to build what is in the picture including tiny traffic cones, stickers and changeable wheel alloys. The LEGO comes packaged in clear bags with the wheel trim pieces in a separate bag.

As well as the bricks needed there are 2 clear instruction booklets included in the box to help you build the vehicle. This is one of the things I love about LEGO sets, the instructions that come with them. They are incredible easy to use with each step being broken down into 3 or 4 bricks at a time so they can easily be followed and nothing gets to confusing. James is 6 and with a little bit of guidance he is able to follow along with the instructions by himself.

Making the car took around 25-30 minutes, taking our time and adding the stickers as we went which I don't think is to bad. I think 30 minutes is long enough to make it a good project for a child but not so long that it loses their imagination so this makes a great set for kids to have a go at. The dimensions of the finished car are L - 14cm X W - 5cm X H - 4cm.

Here are some pictures of our finished car.

The set even comes with its very own little LEGO driver/ mechanic (the tool he is holding can be used to easily change the wheel trims on the car, the set comes with 2 different designs), as well as some racing props such as these cute cones and racing barrier!

Me and James had lots of fun building the Mclaren Speed Champions LEGO set and we think it looks great too! The instructions were clear and easy to follow clearly showing each brick to use and where to put it at each step. The sets aren't huge so a perfect little kit for anyone thinking about a kit for their child who likes to have a go at following the instructions themselves but won't take forever to build. Once built James had had lots of fun racing his car around and we have found that once built the car is actually very sturdy and holds together well.

As well as the Mclaren set we built above you can also get similar sets with Porsche and Ferrari vechicles. These sets are priced at around £13.00 each which we felt was a really fair price. You can check out the full range of Speed Champion vehicles on the LEGO website.

Do your children love LEGO? Do they have a favourite set or thing to build?

xXx

Santa's little Elf **REVIEW**

As Christmas looms ever closer the countdowns have begun, advent calender's brought and ready to open I have something a little different to show you to make the Christmas countdown even more fun this year! 

A Santa's little elf! 

Why not let this little elf join your children this Christmas on his quest to help Santa see who is naughty and who is nice. 

Each elf pack includes:
A soft toy elf
Elf passport
Personalised letter from Santa himself
Behaviour chart and stickers
Set of task/behaviour cards
Nice List certificate
Personalised goodbye letter from your elf
All encased in a customisable travel trunk box which can be turned in to the elf's bed.

The full elf pack listed above is priced at £24.99 hwoever if you have more than 1 child thanks to the sibling pack there is no need to buy 2 kits. You can purchase a sibling pack for just £5 extra per sibling when purchased with a full elf kit and this includes a behavior chart, stickers and a nice list certificate. Helping to not only keep costs down but ensure each child feels special. 

Each elf comes with their very own passport too, which gives you their name and some other info such as likes and dislikes which we think is very cute! 

Our very own little Elf will be coming out to stay from 1st December and he will arrive on our door step in his little travel trunk ready for James to personalise. I love the addition of the nice list certificate and also the goodbye letter which helps to explain to children why and where the elf has gone. 

The elf teddy itself is a lovely soft toy with bright vibrant colours and is very good quality (especially important when he may be pulled around by children!). The elf is 31cm long and features velcro on the palms of the hands to help pose your little elf. 
Our elf will be getting up to all sorts of mischief during the night ready for the kids to find when they wake in the morning to bring a little fun to our Christmas countdown. However your elf can do and be whatever you like, there are lots of ideas on Pinterest and all over the internet or you could just have your elf to stay for your child to cuddle up to!

So can you give a little elf a home this Christmas? There is no rule as to when your little elf has to come if you think the 1st December may be a little far away from Christmas why not have your elf come along for the 12 days before Christmas, making his time with your child even more special in the run up to Christmas day!  

You can order your own elf pack via the Santa's little elf Facebook page.




xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 

All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Time to slow down and live life!

Hurry Up, Come on, Lets go are words that seem to regularly leave my mouth especially where the kids are concerned. I am rushing them out the door, rushing them along the path or in to the car we just always seem to be rushing.

You see when you become a mum its a whole new way of life, a whole new schedule and with another little person to look after as well as doctors appointments, play dates, baby classes, music classes and later on school runs, after school clubs and so on you become a bit of a machine. Always with somewhere to be or something to do, a schedule to adhere to and a place to be.

Both James and Evelyn are observant children they like to look around noticing things that I may otherwise have breezed past in my schedule fueled frenzy. James especially now he is a little older loves taking his time to peruse the world at his leisure and I actually found myself getting frustrated. Why?... I have no idea and when I look back now I feel annoyed and shamed of myself for feeling this way. For putting a schedule above my children's enjoyment of life!

This is when I decided I needed to slow down, I needed to story hurrying them along, let them enjoy life at their pace and let them discover the world and all it has to offer.
So we are late for a play date, our friends will still be there when we arrive and I am sure will totally understand and love to hear James' story about how we stopped to watch a squirrel leaping through the trees or to pet a lovely dog.

I needed to stop getting frustrated when James wanted to talk to a dog or pick up some brightly coloured leaves, I needed to listen to his stories but not just listen REALLY listen! I need to remember that appointments can be rearranged, friends will understand but discovering the world with so much joy that a child has simply cannot be replaced or hurried.

After all the world is still so new to them James is just 6 and Evelyn not even 2 yet. There are every day things they are still discovering, exploring and marveling at. I forget how exciting it is to see a squirrel or crunch in crispy leaves as a child. I forgot how exciting a park or a walk along the river can be for a child for whom the world is so new, so exciting so mind boggling that they are just trying to work it all out.

So I have decided to make an active try at change, less hurrying more enjoyment! I want to watch my children marvel at the world and relive it all through them. I want to take them camping so we can toast marshmallows on an open fire and spend time just talking and listening to each other. I want to spend that extra bit of time looking at the caterpillar on the way home from school rather than just hurrying James along. I want to crunch in those crunchy leaves, listen to his tales from school and take time to just enjoy life.

I want my children to know that lie is for living, for enjoying, for discovering. Its not for rushing or hurrying its about taking the simply joys that are all around them and really noticing them. I hope that my change will reflect in our life as a family and that together we can become more relaxed and chilled out.

xXx

Pixie Dixie PJs **REVIEW**

There is something about new bedding and new pyjama's that everyone including myself seems to love. Especially now as the darker and colder autumn/winter nights start rolling in we all start snuggling back in to our warm cosy pyjama's. 

So when the lovely people at Pixie Dixie offered both James and Evelyn some new pyjama's from their iconic British designs range I knew they would be perfect for the colder nights! 

Pixie Dixie is a British company established in 2006 making Kids' PJs that they love to wear and mums love to buy. All of our Boys' Pyjamas and Girls' Nightwear and Baby Gifts are made from high quality, 100% cotton jersey. Pixie Dixie Kids' PJs feature iconic British designs such as London taxis and buses, princesses crowns, marching soldiers and gliding swans. 

I chose the knights on horse back design for James and the pink gliding swans design for Evelyn. 

When they arrived I hurriedly pulled them out of the packaging and was amazed at the softness of them! The PJs are 100% jersey cotton which makes them really soft, incredibly warm and require NO ironing (extra thumbs up!). 

I chose the crew neck design for both James and Evelyn with both tops featuring a classic crew neck and long sleeves and the full length trousers have an elasticated waistband so are not too restricting as they move around in the night. 

I have to admit I was a little apprehensive at washing them as as the colours in the designs are lovely and vibrant and the background a crisp white. I thought the design may fade or bleed in to the white, however I was pleasantly surprised to find this was not the case. The PJs washed incredibly well and the colours are still bright after several washes, they also both kept there shape well and look as good as new with no signs of bobbling or shrinkage. 

Priced at £29.99 each these PJs are a little more expensive than I would usually pay out for nightwear but you can really tell the quality of these PJs and I am sure they are going to last ages (well until one of them has a growth spurt!). These would make a lovely gift or if you are putting together a Christmas eve box these would make a fantastic addition as Christmas PJs!

Pixie Dixie PJs come in a great size range with pyjama's and nightwear available in sizes 1-10 years and if the crew neck design isn't for you they also sell the same designs in a classic pyjamas style too! 

If you want to check out more of the Pixie Dixie designs or order your own then check out the Pixie Dixie website for the full range - www.pixiedixie.co.uk. 

What is your favourite design from the website? 

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 

All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

My reality of being a stay at home parent.

Before I start I would just like to say this isn't a post about bashing a person about the way they parent. It isn't a post about which way is best it is just my thoughts as a stay at home mum! As mums we all make decisions that are best for our families at the time whether it be staying at home or going to work.

From the outside it may look like I have it pretty good. My husband goes off to work whilst I get to stay home and look after the kids.

I have all that precious time with my babies and don't get my wrong I feel so truly blessed to be able to have that time and that connection with them. However its not all days at the park and sunshine, sometimes I feel totally lost in my world of being "mum". My days are often ruled my meal times, nap times, tantrums and school runs and whilst it is extremely rewarding it can be lonely sometimes too.

I miss the conversation with actual adults, now don't get me wrong I do see other adults, I have conversations with other adults. However these are usual "play dates" with our children and our conversations are more rants about how little sleep we have had as we try and dislodge our child from the ball pit they have become stuck in at the soft play, or a half-hearted conversation which can barely be heard over the screams of your over tired, possibly hungry child.

I am also always wondering whether I am doing a good enough job! This may sound silly but at work if your doing well or not so well you get told and you know about it, you can put it right and get back on track. However being a stay at home mum means I don't really have that reassurance which certainly makes way for the insecurity and doubt in my parenting abilities. Sometimes I just want someone to tell me im doing OK or my children are right on track.

Being a stay at home mum can be lonely! Whilst I am sure people have visions of us stay at home mums visiting parks and soft plays in large groups all having a coffee and a get together that's really not very realistic, well for me anyway. In the early days I spent most of my days in the house, alone and counting down the hours til my husband got home from work just for a bit of company.

Of course don't get me wrong I adore being able to be at home with my children, watching them hit their milestones and being able to watch them grow and I am extremely grateful for that, it can be and really is so rewarding. I have met some fantastic other mummy friends and if I could give anyone one bit of advice it would be to push yourself to get out to baby groups/ parenting meet ups etc, you will be surprised at how much better you can feel talking to other mums and realising you are not alone in how you feel.

I just want people to realise its not always as good as what it may seem. Being a stay at home mum can be a lonely, daunting and stressful job too!.

Are you a stay at home mum? Do you have any tips for other mums?

xXx

Thomas & Friends - My First Rail Rollers Spiral Station **REVIEW**

Now that Evelyn has turned 1 and is now on the move we have had a big overhaul of her toys and its been out with the "baby" toys and in with the noisy, musical, light up, stand up toddler toys which has been met with shrieks of excitement from Evelyn!

One new toy Evelyn has been trying out is the Thomas and Friends - My first rail rollers spiral station.

This rail rollers spiral station allows children to drop their favourite engines into the top of Tidmouth sheds and watch them zoom down the spiral tracks. As they speed past the track signs which spins as the rail rollers hit it they then reach the bottom and are greeted by the fat controller who guides them into the clear lift tube to start the journey over again!

The track comes in several pieces which are really easy to put together and are just clicked in to place. I also liked the fact this toy doesn't require any batteries or fiddly bits to assemble so you don't have to worry about the batteries running out or replacing them etc.

Evelyn loves watching the rail rollers speed down the track and even her brother who is 5 has been having lots of fun racing them down the track with his little sister. The rail rollers are a good size perfect for little hands and can be easily gripped, Evelyn is able to pick them up unaided. She did struggle to master the lift handle at first but once we had shown her a few times she had it masters and was soon whizzing the rail rollers up and down the engine lift.

There are several ways the rail rollers can get around they can either spin around the track, drop down the centre (there a windows on the side so you can see it traveling down) or they can go up and down in the lift.

The Thomas and Friends - My first rail rollers spiral station makes a fantastic toddler toy as the bright colours are eye catching and the chunky parts and ease of use make it easy for toddlers to handle and master by themselves.

We would definitely give the Rail rollers spiral station a big thumbs up as it definitely kept Evelyn (and her big brother) entertained and both were giggling and encouraging their rollers as they watching the rail rollers whizz down the track. It feels sturdy, strong and built to last which is a must with toddler toys especially.

The Thomas and Friends - My first rail rollers spiral station is aimed at children 12 months + and is priced at £32.99. The set comes with two rail rollers (Thomas and a diesel engine) although more rail rollers can be brought separately. It is available to purchase from many stores and online include Argos.

Check out the range over at the Fisher Price website here - www.fisher-price.com.

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Starting Year 1!

Last week James went back to school after the 6 week summer holidays but this time he was heading into Year 1, no longer part of reception, in fact it was 1 year today that he started school for the very first time.

As we headed through the school gates we saw all of the new children who would be starting reception and they all looked so small! I can't believe that was my James just last year, I still remember the nerves and emotions running wild but this year was slightly different.

Knowing just how much James loves being in school made heading back for the start of Year 1 much easier. I didn't have that emotional feeling I had before because I knew he was going to be so happy to be back with his friends. Of course I still had some nerves for him, it is a new teacher, new classroom and lots more work but I hope that he will take that all in his stride just as he did with reception year.

Here he is in Reception (left) and Year 1 (right) one year apart exactly -


























James finished reception last year on such a high with an excellent report and excelling at lots of the criteria and subjects. He left with a flare for reading that certainly didn't leave during the summer holidays and a passion for learning.

My hopes for James this year are that he continues to enjoy school and makes lots of new friends. I hope that he continues his flare for reading and his passion for learning new things and always trying his hardest. When I asked him what he wanted to be when he grows up he said he wants to be a policeman on a motorbike, it will be interesting to see how that changes through the years!

Did your little ones start school this week or head off in to a different school year?

xXx