AD REVIEW | CASDON DYSON BALL VACUUM REVIEW

My youngest is petrified of the vacuum at home, whenever I contemplate having a quick run around with it, I have to declare it loudly so he can jump onto the sofa for 'protection'. I'm not sure if it's the noise, or the thought my boys have to tidy their toys away for me to do it that scares them, but alas, they don't like it. Their requests usually vary from asking me not to do it (believe me I would take them up on that if I could) or to sit with them on the sofa whilst I vacuum and while I pride myself on my ability to multitask - I'm not quite that good sons. So, when I was kindly asked if I'd like to review the Casdon Dyson Vacuum of course I jumped at the chance, I'm a real firm believer in learning through play and whilst this isn't your ordinary educational toy, it's definitely helped learn my boys that there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of when it comes to vacuuming.

AD REVIEW | PAW PATROL MIGHTY PUPS MIGHTY JET COMMAND CENTRE

Paw Patrol has always been a big hit in this household, with both of my boys actually, even at ages five and three, they both always lust after their toys whilst we're shopping. Quite a few are already on their Christmas list, however one that we've now ticked off is the Mighty Jet Command Centre from the Mighty Pups range. It's obviously going to be a massive hit this festive time, as even just by looking at the back of the box when it arrived I was pretty impressed.

IN RETURN FOR A FREE PRODUCT

Blogging as a career is pretty new, blogging in general however isn't, people have been writing online since online existed, it's only now with the rising popularity of social media that companies see the worth and influence that people online can have. I love this being my job, it's truly one of the best choices I made, but it doesn't come without it's pitfalls and annoyances, just like every other career. For me and I'd put a lot of money on it being an issue for many other bloggers too, is people and brands acting dismissive of your worth, it's not that they don't know because they do - that's why they're contacting you, but it's simply having the ignorance to think you wont realise what they're trying to do. Free products. If I had a tenner for every time I'm asked if I can do something 'in return for a free XYZ' it drives me up the wall, the statement itself is so incredibly contradictory yet it's somehow still probably one of the most common amongst my inbox.

REAL MOTHERHOOD

I think it's refreshing these days that across social media, as parents we are seeing more and more very honest portrayals of motherhood. It's relatable and it makes you feel a lot less alone when you notice that actually, not everyone has it together all of the time and yes, you're not the only parent with a huge wash pile that never ends. But it seems that the scales have tipped so much from one extreme to the other and now I'm actively seeing people both online and off, vilified for seeming to cope just fine with being a Mum, as if in some way if they're not seen to be struggling, or documenting those struggles, then their version of motherhood isn't 'real'. So while I champion talking about the realities of what parenthood is like, both the highs and lows, I'm really not liking this drastic move into labelling something that isn't your reality not 'real'.

GIFTED | WRAPPING UP WITH NEXT

It's snuggle season here for us, the windows are closed, the hats and scarves are out of the box and the coats are always in the car boot ready for the next adventure. I was already eyeing up some pieces in Next, like I do every time a new season hits and they got in touch asking us to pick out our favourite bits and they'd send them over. With the colder weather now setting in, I knew that knits and winter wear was the way to go, we've purchased pretty much every type of clothing from Next and they always last so well, they end up being passed on from Noah to Patrick because they're still in great shape even after a year of wear.

HELLO AUTUMN

It's soggy, cold and miserable outside, that can mean only one thing, it's autumn! Like almost every other blogger on the planet, it's my favourite season. The build up to Christmas, the cold and crisp evenings and just wrapping up in chunky knits or thick blankets on the sofa - I can't get enough, so despite life being a little bit chaotic right now, I'm definitely happy that we're well and truly into autumn. This past month probably looked a little ad heavy over here and on Instagram, and granted it has been a busier work month for me but it hasn't been helped by the fact I haven't put my own standalone content up in between. So my aim from now until the end of the year for sure, is to keep doing that, my blog is my career but it is also a place for me to ramble, share memories and moments and generally just blow of some steam if I wish to do so.

AD | LEARNING TO LOVE MY HAIR WITH LYDIA LOVE LOCKS VITAMINS

Since having babies my hair just isn't what it was. I'm well out of the postpartum period now, with a three and five year old but still my hair just wont be the same again, it's something I'd more or less accepted. After all I was never really having the time to put in as much effort into anything to do with myself as I was before, my make up routine was something more slapdash that I could rush into the five minutes while the boys ate breakfast and my hair was filled with more dry shampoo than I'd care to admit. But now my two are older, I really am wanting to put a bit more effort in, I do have more time and I want it to be reflected in how I look.

SKIN SOS

Ever since I was younger I've always had on and off flare ups of bad skin, weirdly enough I've never been someone who suffered with spots or acne, I'm not allergic to anything and my skin generally doesn't react badly to any products, it's pretty tough. However I remember as a child have psoriasis at times little patches, usually on my elbows or scalp, it could have been eczema but as I was a little one I only ever went off what my parents told me, as I'm sure they were given the diagnosis by a doctor. Even having two children and with hormones being awry, I never had any kind of flare up, only now at a time when nothing is changing and life is super relaxed, does my skin go absolutely crazy.

AD | CLEANING THE NATURAL WAY WITH ALKIMI

I'll be honest, cleaning isn't my forte, If we had the budget for a cleaner then I'd be investing for sure, there really isn't much that gets me excited about wanting to clean my house apart from obviously the results. However I am a sucker for a good product, we all have those go-to's that make the mundane tasks that little bit more enjoyable, I have laundry detergent I love, fabric softener I couldn't live without etc. But I didn't really have any specific cleaning products in terms of windows, sides, sinks, that got me excited or raring to go, that was until I discovered Alkimi. I'm pretty brand loyal and I stick with what I'm getting good results from, so after giving Alkimi cleaning products a solid month of testing, I could rest happy knowing how many boxes they ticked before talking about them here.

AD | MY LITTLE BOYS ROOM WITH DESENIO

If you caught my post a few weeks ago, I spoke about how Noahs room really needed a refresh and update. He hasn't had anything more than a few new trinkets and a new bed added, since he moved into the room when he was two and a half, it was all very much dated and toddler-esqe. But my big boy is exactly that, a big boy (contradictory I know given the title of this post, but he'll always be a little boy in my heart) and he needed a switch up to reflect that in his own little space in our house. When it came to having a little revamp, I knew a few brands that were going to be a must to make his room that extra bit special, and of course, first to my mind was Desenio, a brand we've worked with on numerous occasions before and who can really brighten up any room in your home.

TRICK OR TREATING ISN'T FOR US

Halloween is just around the corner, crazy really as it still feels like we're in the midst of summer in my head. Alas, we're not, and before we know it we'll be really into the festive season. But first, all Hallows Eve. In the UK we really don't celebrate it all that much, sure we have pumpkin picking now which is more and more popular every single year, but compared to the USA and Canada, it's on the smaller side of the celebration scale. There are quiet a lot of traditions that come with Halloween though, with trick or treating being probably the most commonly associated, however for us it's really not something I can ever see me taking our little ones to do. Even though I grew up doing it, I loved it so much, I just feel so differently now I'm a parent myself and so I thought I'd talk about why.

A THIRD BABY

In a word, no. I get asked about having a third baby probably more than I get asked how my day has been, I'm pretty sure every single parent gets these questions, even those who are yet to have kids wont be immune to the 'when are you going to have...' quizzes. Boy does it drive me crazy. While I'm pretty used to it, and have canned responses, it doesn't really get any less invasive and as someone who really wouldn't ask those questions herself, I find it really odd to be constantly questioned on if I'm going to expand my brood. Somehow I feel as though if I had one of each gender, this wouldn't arise so much but regardless of my current family make up, I and more importantly we, are very confident in the decision we don't want another baby.

A ROOM FOR A BOY

Noah will soon be six and I've realised over the past few months that he has definitely outgrown his room, not in terms of size but style. It's not really changed much since we redecorated when Patrick was born and given over three and a half years have passed, it's time for a change. I've spent quite a while looking online and even got a couple of ideas from some show home rooms I saw recently with my Mum, so I think I know exactly the style I'm going for. It's going to be pretty versatile and easily adaptable, just like his room now. I will never be going all in with wallpapers or crazy feature walls as I think they can be such a pain to replace to redecorate when tastes change.

A YEAR LEFT

I keep thinking about it more and more, perhaps because he's my last baby and he really has felt so small for so long, maybe it's because he's only really just hit three and it still feels too soon, I'm not sure, but it's only one year till Patrick heads to school. I know that because Noah was a December baby, we got that whole extra year with him, whereas Pip really is going to be one of the youngest in his class. Though I know while he'll be tiny in stature and smaller in age, he absolutely will not be a shrinking violet, because he's bursting at the brim with personality and I can't wait for everyone else to get a slice of him, even though it means we will be waving him off every morning.

SUNDOWN ADVENTURELAND

If you haven't heard of Sundown Advventureland before then you're missing out, it's out favourite place to go with the boys so it helps that it's literally fifteen-twenty minutes away in the Lincolnshire countryside and we're so excited to hear they're expanding and looking to build lodges on their site. In our five years of visiting there have been lots of changes at Sundown, all for the better, with two new rides being added in that time and a giant new play area named Fort Apache. It's a brilliant day out for the whole family and there is something for everyone to do, no matter the weather. With no hidden additional costs once you're inside the park, it can be a purse friendly day out, especially if you bring along a picnic which we love to do when the weather is as warm as it has been lately. If you haven't checked out our previous review, definitely do so here.

WHY SO LITTLE CLOTHING CHOICE FOR BOYS?

I have always loved buying clothes for my boys as they have been growing up, even before they were born I adored scouring the baby clothes section of stores. My Mum would always roll her eyes at me and tell me that 'they have enough', but the pieces at home never seem to compare when you're looking at all the beautiful bits in front of you right? It doesn't matter how many cute jumpers they might have, I just have to grab that one more. However the older the boys have become, the less enjoyable I've found shopping for them, I find it more difficult with each new season because the clothing on offer for little boys just isn't up to scratch, especially when you compare it to that for little girls.

4 THINGS BOY MUMS ARE TIRED OF HEARING

Being a boy mama is a badge I'm proud to wear, I love raising boys and I couldn't really imagine life any other way. Yes there's mud pies, tractors, diggers and winky talk but there's also sofa snuggles, chubby hands to hold and the sweetest 'I love yous' life can offer. Whilst I was pregnant with Patrick, it seemed to be everyone's assumption that I was disappointed I was womb-hosting another son. That couldn't have been further from the truth, I know boys, it's my safety zone and one I'm pretty content in staying well within the confines of. As much as I love the idea of shopping for pretty dresses and frilly socks, I can now fulfil that urge with my niece and I would never wish that either of my boys had been any different, just for the simple sake of shopping in the girls section of a store.

Reading together… it’s a Bing thing! | AD & GIVEAWAY

Reading for us in our house is truly one of my favourite things to do with the boys, it doesn't matter whether it's first thing in a morning, last thing at night or the middle of the day, there's something pretty magical about coming together and getting lost in a story. Reading always has such a calming effect on both of my children, it doesn't matter if they're at the height of a sugar rush or the depths of a tantrum, sitting and flicking through pictures or hanging onto narratives always helps them come back down to earth and it's almost as if I've pushed a little reset button and normality can restore. It's no secret too that Bing bunny has always been a firm favourite under our roof, ever since Noah was old enough to pay attention to the television, Bing was a must watch so when we were asked to have a look some new 2019 Bing titles from Harper Collins, we absolutely jumped at the chance.

MY THREE TRAVEL BUG BEARS

I've never really had massive opinions on flying, I love travelling but the actual action of flying on a plane is one I find a little mundane and especially now I have children, it adds extra complications to the mix and is never really smooth sailing. I know all of these are incredibly fortunate problems to have, to get to complain about travelling, but after recently heading on a press trip that involved a nine hour flight, I definitely got time to think about some things that really irk me when I fly. I think having little ones too really does heighten your awareness to absolutely everything so that when I was without my boys on the long haul flight recently, I so much time on my hands to really have a look at what was going on around me, without the distraction of them.

BANFF NATIONAL PARK | #AD

If you had asked me three months ago about Banff I'd have given you a funny look and told you I'd never heard of it or seen it, but I'd be wrong, while I definitely hadn't heard of Banff before, I most certainly would have seen it across Pinterest. That's to me what Banff National Park is, a pinterest perfect location, 'insta worthy', a just completely beautiful and serene place that honestly I didn't think really existed apart from in movie scenes. I was wrong however, as just last week I was lucky enough to be taken on a pretty exciting trip that lead me right up to these picturesque views myself.

WHAT I WISH I'D KNOW ABOUT BLOGGING

When you start blogging it's so difficult to wade through all of the should's and should not's to find exactly what you need to focus on. If you're looking to make money from this, then that's a whole other kettle of fish. I think a lot of bloggers that are fortunate enough to use blogging as a means of income today didn't really start out for that reason, we didn't know the career possibilities and thus it's all been a bit of a learning curve. Things are a little different now, with the blogging market becoming more and more saturated with each day, it's definitely harder than ever to be seen, though I'm sure that will only continue as more realise you can make money in what a lot of us define as a hobby.

THE BLOGGING MISCONCEPTION

Although blogging has been around since the dawn of time, in a variety of forms, it's still incredibly new in terms of careers. Bloggers are forging new ways and setting new standards every single day and it can be really difficult for anyone outside of blogging to actually understand what it is we do. I couldn't tell you the amount of times I've heard 'So you just get sent free stuff to write about?' I'm not exactly great at responding to it, I usually just agree because most of the time, people aren't actually demeaning what I do, they just don't understand it. Who can blame them, the world wide web hasn't even been around for thirty years so it's an extremely new path.

SUMMER TIME WITH SIMPLY BE | AD

So it's summer, right? It's actually summer, does the weather want to get with the programme? I've been wanting to talk about some cute pieces I snapped up from simply be for a little while now but the good old British weather has not played ball one bit. It's like as soon as you but summer clothing, the rain clouds appear and decide to go away on a day when you're wearing the most amount of layers. Am I right? So after a couple of weeks of dashed hope, I decided to just ignore the weather and get on with showing off the perfect summer bits from Simply Be, and let's hope maybe we can just use our imagination and pretend the UK actually will have some warmer days coming up.

POUND TOY | AD REVIEW

If your household is anything like mine then you'll know there is pretty much always something or someone to buy for, I always find the first half of the year the busiest and after Noahs' and Johns' birthdays along with Christmas all within a month of each other, you can imagine how stuck for ideas and budget we can get over here. It's not only that but I seem to enjoy making life harder for myself, with Easter and Valentine baskets, I just love throwing things together for the boys to make life that little bit more exciting (and difficult yes). Plus Noah is at school now and pretty much every school age parent will know what that means, parties, I like to be organised now and keep a small stash of presents in the cupboard and thanks to PoundToy, I can now be that extra bit ahead of the game as they kindly asked us to, in exchange for a voucher have a nosy around their website and share our thoughts.

SELF CARE AS A PARENT

Everyone seems to be talking about self care these days, encouraging spa days, trips out, spending time focusing on yourself and generally just doing 'you', it all sounds fantastic right? But when you're a parent sometimes thinking about yourself is the very last thing you do, we usually put ourselves at the end of any list and when you have dishes to do, clothes to wash, family meals to cook and littles to get to bed, self care can really pale into insignificance. But that's so wrong, even though it feels right to get absolutely everything else done first, I feel like I should share just why discovering self care as a parent is so important and why it doesn't have to always be face masks and meditation.

OUR SUMMER BUCKET LIST

I used to do seasonal bucket lists a lot more often but in the end I was sat thinking of things to do as I wrote them, before I figured it's not exactly a bucket list if I can't even remember the stuff I am supposed to want to do so badly. So this year I laid off and unless I really had plans or wanted to make them, I wasn't going to be making a list and discussing it. However summer is a little different, especially as it's Noahs' first summer since being at school full time, I know we have to make the most and honestly I really want to do as much as we can.

PATRICK YOU'RE THREE

It's come a bit of a tradition now for me to write a post on each of the boys birthdays, so of course this year is no different, my baby is turning three and it doesn't feel three moments since he was born never mind a whole three years. You're the youngest, the last one but yet somehow you're the feistiest too, there isn't a chance you're fading into the background nor that anyone could call you a wallflower. We've been hearing about your birthday for weeks now as you're completely at the perfect age to be so over excited, you're really a proper little lad and as sad as it makes me, it's the most rewarding job in the world to be your Mummy and see you grow up right before my eyes.

THE JAMES CHARLES EFFECT

Unless you've been hidden under a rock this month (like I was for the first five of this year) then you will almost certainly know what I'm talking about by just the title of this post, and that is this culture that seems to have emerged for indulging in drama and gossip online. If you're thinking this is something that solely happens amongst the 'beauty community' you'd be very wrong, I'd class myself as sitting slap bang in the middle of a parenting world across social media, yet I see this thing every single day, it's sad, especially when it's coming from those of us raising little ones. But I think it's a big part of our world today and I really wanted to address it on my blog given how the James Charles saga has really brought it all to the forefront.

FINDING MY IDENTITY AS A MUM

Becoming a Mum for the first time is overwhelming, of course it is, it doesn't matter how many months of cooking a baby in your belly you've had, how many antenatal classes you attended or however many little blobs of black and white scan photos you collected, it still somehow comes as a shock doesn't it? I remember pinning all these mood boards on Pinterest to cover exactly how I envisioned myself as a parent, of course it didn't quite go to plan and I'm not sure if I could look further away from any of those images I had in my head. The truth is you never really know how motherhood is going to affect or change you, until you're amongst the waves and suddenly you're not really too sure who you're meant to be anymore.

THE NATIONAL SPACE CENTRE FOR KIDS

The National Space Centre isn't too far from us, situated in Leicester but we've always gave it a miss before of fear the boys are too young and there wouldn't be much to do. However when the lovely guys at License to PR invited us along for a PJ Masks Supermoon Adventures day, we just couldn't pass up on the chance for the boys to meet their favourite superheros again, as well as joining in on all the spacey fun. So we made the small journey and hoped that now aged 5 and almost 3 they would have a little bit more to do and play with, Noah is well into everything space right now as they've touched upon it at school so I knew it would be a great chance for him to learn a little more.

BANISH BOUNTY REPS AFTER BIRTH

In the hours leading up to and then following child birth I think it's probably a time when as women we're most vulnerable, we're hormonal, emotional, tired and generally don't really have a grasp on much. Who can blame us, it's the toughest thing we go through right? So what baffles me is why the NHS deem it appropriate to bring what is effectively doorstep sellers, to your hospital bed, with your precious newborn bundle used as a tool to lure you into spending hundreds of pounds. I honestly don't even know where to begin with this post, it's one I uhm'ed and ahh'ed over writing for so long, because I do think the NHS is an invaluable service. However when I touched upon it in a previous post, it seemed fitting to explain just exactly why I detest Bounty reps on maternity wards.

MY WILD CHILD

Patrick is three next month, which still seems pretty unreal to him, didn't I just give birth to him a few months ago? We're at the stage now when I can look at older pictures of him and really see the difference, he's lost all of that baby chub and he's taller, thinner and has a mouth that never seems to close. But there is one thing about my little sweet Pip that hasn't changed from day one, actually who am I kidding, he caused havoc before he was born as you'll know if you've been around long enough. He is our wild card, the baby that I truly didn't see myself being a parent of, after having Noah we really thought the fact we had such a sweet and calm child must be a reflection on our fantastic parenting (I'm rolling my eyes at former me too). Turns out it's absolute pot luck and if Pip had of been our first child, he'd have probably been our only child because he is crazy. Would we have him any other way? Absolutely not.

LET PARTNERS STAY ON MATERNITY WARDS

When we give birth it's without a doubt one of the most memorable moments of our lives. I know not everyone has it easy and there's a lot of Mums' out there with some stories that they'd rather forget, but for the most part if you ask a parent the best day of their life they're going to tell you the day their child was born. I say parents because I don't think that those magical moments differentiate between Mum and Dad, or anyone else that's in the room when their loved one gives birth, I think those minutes and hours change everyone involved incomprehensibly and if we could remove the little problem of pain - I'm sure we'd all relive it over and over again. But unfortunately for some of us, myself included, it's a time lottery on whether or not you can bask in that joy with your partner in the hours after giving birth, thanks to quite honestly outdated rules on partners remaining in hospital outside 'visiting hours'.

MAKING THE MOST OF TIME WITH A NEWBORN

Time seems to pass by at an alarming pace when you have a newborn and every moment should be cherished. You want to get the most out of every single day so if you’re looking for ways to make the most out of your time, here are a few suggestions!

I'LL NEVER HAVE THE PATIENCE OF FLOP!

Children's television shows are unavoidable as part of our parenting lives, if you manage to get to having your little ones the same age as mine, without endured the likes of Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol, I can say with confidence you're probably a better parent than me. I'm pretty sure I probably tried to lure the boys into watching some form of cartoons at three weeks old just for a seconds peace. But we all know the day they do start tuning in and you can finally fold the washing without a shadow, is swiftly followed by the complete intolerance for said shows by you, and there seems to be a direct correlation between how much you hate a show, with how much they love it.

LOGGING OFF VS LOGGING OUT

It's no secret that I am all aboard the train of having time away from social media, ironically that now it's a large part of my job, I'm more aware than ever on how it can affect day to day life and just how incredibly important it is to differentiate between work and home. Which when your job can be accessed through your mobile, it means putting down the phone and closing down the apps for a while. Iphones now have the delightful feature so we can see just how much time we're using, or wasting depending how you want to look at it, and in what places. Obviously for me Instagram was the biggest culprit when I first started reading into the numbers last year and it's easy to see why, with a simple click of the little icon you can get lost in a world of metro tiles and idealistic quotes, it's very easy to see the highlights of everyone else's lives and compare it to the reality of your own.

IS FEBRUARY THE NEW JANUARY?

Each year I think as someone who is self employed, a parent, works from home, the list is endless, I feel January is the longest month in existence. It impacts all of those roles in different ways, but especially because of the ebb after Christmas, January just feels, well honestly, a little bit rubbish. Last year we can all probably remember that every month had thirty or thirty one days bar January which seemed to have roughly three hundred and thirty, it lasted forever, so I was secretly relieved when this year it seemed to pass just like every other month before and after it. However, I think something has taken it's place - February, every time I sleep I'm sure I wake up in the day before, February is fast becoming the month that never ends.

THE WEEKLY LIES

You know we go through parenthood telling our kids not to lie, to be honest and tell the truth and yet here I am sharing the lies that I most definitely tell on a weekly basis. I think telling little sneaky lies as parents is pretty standard and so I'm sure I'm not alone. There are so many pointless alternate facts that are weaved into childhood as almost unwritten rules, that eating crusts will make your hair curly, and carrots make you see in the dark - it just seems part and parcel that sometimes, we have to tell untruths to basically get what we want. Let's not sugar coat it, it's out and out blackmail and I don't know if I'd get through the weeks as easily if I didn't use some of these classics.

UPDATING YOUR HOUSE ON A BUDGET

We naturally all get a little tired of our surroundings from time to time, I think as new seasons come and go, trends fade in and out, it's pretty normal to want to redecorate parts of your home. However it's not always as easy done as it's said, redecorating can be incredibly pricey and I don't know many people that can afford to keep switching up their home to be in tune with the latest Pinterest craze. I score through my Instagram feed daily, searching hashtags and pondering over houses I'll never own and decors that I will never achieve, but a girl can dream right? I'm pretty sure if I had my way, and a wallet size I dream of, I'd have painters in every other week changing up my house, last year alone I wandered the paint aisle of b&q more times than I thought was humanly possible. But whilst redecorating your house every month isn't realistic, making small changes that give big differences is.

ESSENTIAL INTERACTIONS YOUR BABY NEEDS

So you’ve brought the most amazing little human into the world, and the love you have for it is unconditional. You can’t help but look at your baby in amazement, and wonder how you created something so small and delicate, and so beautiful. You feed them, change them, watch them sleep, and listen out for the slightest noise that they make in case something is wrong with them. As a first time parent, or any parent at all for that matter, you become a little hyper sensitive to the noises they’re making and wonder if the slightest thing you’re doing is going to hurt them. After all, they are so small and precious, and you just think that the tiniest of knocks is going to hurt them. But what you will find is that babies are actually super robust, and all of the things you’re worried about are most likely going to be thoughts in your head. What you do really need to worry about, is the interactions you’re giving them. They’re literally essential to development, which is why we want you to have a read of the tips we’ve got below!

How Do You Find The Perfect Home?

Getting to the point in your life where you're actually in a position to buy your own home is one of the most exciting things in the world. After all, in the modern era, the idea of being able to buy a home in the first place is something that a lot of people would consider to be a fantasy more than anything else. With rising house prices and stagnating wages, many of us grow up assuming that we'll never be able to buy a home at all, let alone the kind of home that we could really love. However, that's simply not the case and being able to make the right financial and personal choices to get the kind of home that you really want is entirely possible. Of course, you've then got to deal with a whole bunch of other questions that you might not have considered before that point. For one thing, you need to think about how you're going to find a home that you and your family are really going to love. After all, the last thing you want is to go through all of the stress if you're just going to end up moving again before too long. With that in mind, here are some things that you can do to ensure that you find the perfect home.

NOAH YOU ARE FIVE

My oh my, you're five. It's a little bit of a pinch me moment that I suddenly have a five year old, you've existed in our lives for five whole years and they've been the best years any Mum could ask for. This year was the first year you got a big party, we must have heard about it every single day from the moment we suggested it, the classic soft play party where the smell of sweaty feet and sausage rolls linger in the air but exactly the kind that a five year old wants. You had the best time and I'm so glad because you truly deserve it, you're growing up to be such a caring, sensitive little boy and I couldn't be prouder to be your Mummy.

Why You Should Invest in Designer Clothes for Your Children

Despite not talking about it too often on the blog, I have a great appreciation for fashion and beauty. While I’ve talked about it for myself on a few occasions, I’ve also cultivated a love for designer clothes for children. Some may believe that spending wads of cash on clothes your kids will quickly outgrow is crazy, but I think there are so many wonderful childrens’ clothes designers out there and so many designs to consider. But, of course, purchasing from a designer brand also means spending a little more money. So why do I still think it’s worth it?

LOOKING BACK ON 2018

Another typical blog post for the start of the year but it seems like the best way is to get them all over with in one week, plus I don't really want to be reflecting on the last year when we're already a solid month into this one. Last year was pretty incredible, it had highs and lows but overall it was probably one of my happiest to date, it would have felt as though I was doing myself a disservice by not reflecting on some of the most important aspects. The years don't always feel like they fly by but when I think that 2010 was almost a decade ago, I realise just how fleeting time is and the memories that seem set in stone now, will soon be forgotten so now is my time to document them.

WHAT I WANT TO ACHIEVE IN 2019

Let's get all the cliche over and done with from the off, can we believe it's 2019? I certainly can't, it feels like just moments ago we still had all the heavy snowfall, or the summer that didn't want to end, I can't quite believe that I'm sat here writing about 2019 already. But here we are and I'm obviously going to be doing the cliche thing to do by talking about everything I want to achieve blog and business wise during twenty nineteen. Last year was huge for Babies and Beauty and my first full year of self employment, I couldn't be happier with the things I managed to achieve and only hope that this year continues on the same level.