Bedtime routines are so important, and a massive part of Lilli and Olli's routine is a bedtime story, we love to read and look at the bright illustrations, it's so relaxing for them to read or listen to me read and it's such an important and beautiful family time we share together.

In The Book mentioned to us about having a personalised book and I instantly thought it was such a cute idea, having their names in the story sounded like so much fun and I couldn't wait to see their faces, so I ordered a book each for Lilli and Olli, one being Toy Story and the other was Babrie but there's so many to choose from wirh so many different personalisations. 

The books arrived boxed in the most adorable little case that protects them and is a really lovely keepsake. Lilli and Olli were so incredibly excited and were so surprised to see their names on the cover of the books, The first page has a printed message (chosen by you) for them and it's such a nice touch, their name is all the way through the story and makes it so magical and to top it off right at the end you can include a photo of them which Lilli thought was absolutely incredible! 

I have to say the barbie book threw me off as it wasn't a story, and just had Barbie's you can be anything dream career options in it, but Lilli still loves it and is so excited its hers because it has her name inside it. 

The Toy Story book is my favourite and I absolutely love the story inside it really Involved Olli and he was so excited to be part of his own Toy Story.

Im so Impressed with the books and how they turned out, I'd definitely recommend these as a gift or even just a bedtime story they're so easy to personalise and put a beaming smile on children's faces. 

In The Book gifted us two personalised books in exchange for this review, all opinions are honest and my own. 

Giving birth is the most magical thing any woman can ever do. Think about it, you are literally bringing another life into this world - how crazy is that!? Having a baby is a blessing, but let's not act like everything will be perfect. You'll come across some troubling times, mainly in the weeks following the baby's birth. 

Any parent will tell you to prepare for sleepless nights with a newborn in the house. They can stay up crying all night long, meaning you can barely get any sleep. Still, with the right advice, it's possible to get plenty of sleep as a new parent. 

Credit (CC0 License)

Work out a shift pattern with your partner

There's no 'I' in parents, but there is a tean - which is very close to team! This describes what you two will be when the baby comes home. You have to work together, or else neither one of you will have a good night's sleep. Work out some sort of shift pattern where one of you will deal with the baby on one night, then the other takes over the next day. You can also set specific hours during the night where one of you sleeps, and the other stays with the baby just in case it wakes up. This should mean that at least one of you can get a few hours of sleep each night. 

Take any opportunity to sleep

Normally, you're used to a relatively structured sleeping pattern. You go to sleep in the evening and wake up in the morning. With a newborn, you have to adjust this. Don't think of the night as the only time to sleep - get some shuteye whenever there's a chance! A good rule of thumb is to sleep when your baby sleeps. If they've gone down for a nap, sleep with them! This ensures you can get a decent bit of sleep during the day. You might need the assistance of your partner or some family members if there's work to do. They'll be happy to help if it means you can sleep for a bit. 

Take sleep supplements

Do whatever you can to avoid being too alert. There's nothing worse than having a quiet night and being unable to sleep. Consider things like CBD gummies for sleep that will help you relax and drift off. Avoid caffeine as much as possible, and do a brief bit of yoga before bedtime. All of this will move you to a more relaxed state where sleep is just a few moments away. It ensures that, when you have a chance to sleep, you grasp it with both hands and sleep deeply. 

The hardest thing about having a newborn is that you have no control over their sleep cycle. Nothing you do will guarantee if they sleep through the night or not. It largely depends on the baby and how they're feeling. Some parents enjoy quiet nights, others barely get a wink of sleep. With these tips, you should be able to increase your time asleep and avoid feeling exhausted.

 The world can feel very overwhelming when you are parenting. You are managing your life, the house and the lives of small children. When you only have one set of hands, it can become difficult and that difficulty can turn into anxiety and postpartum worries that really don't feel like they’re going to go away. 

No one is perfectly in control of every aspect of their lives, and yet so many parents believe that perfection is necessary to be good at looking after the small people they created. It can be very easy to lose your grip on everything that is going in your life, and while you can read all of the CBD oil tips to reduce anxiety in the world, if you don't believe that there is a problem it will be hard to fix the issues in the first place! You’re a parent, which means that the first person you think of isn't you anymore, and yet you have to give yourself an element of care - especially when parenting gets tough. Children are unpredictable and they’re feisty and they have no control over their emotions.

But you do. And it’s for this reason that you need to learn to stay calm when children get too tough to handle. Let’s check out some tips that will help you.

Image Source: Pexels

• Embracing self-care is the first thing that you can do. When your kids are screaming and crying a lot more than usual, your day becomes more difficult to handle. You forget that there is a “you” in the equation and you forget how to handle yourself. When you start your day with something just for you, you start it grounded and prepared for anything.

• You need to be as organised as possible when you’re a parent. Lists will help you to do that, and you can keep track of what everyone is going to be doing when you have lists to follow. Bullet journals are an excellent help when you are trying to organise the kids, so invest in some today.

• You need something for you to focus on after bedtime. Parenting is not always easy - but you need something to ground your mood afterwards. A hobby can help you to do it. Many parents turn to exercise to burn off frustration or colouring books to calm their minds. No matter what is, you need to do something that doesn't involve anyone else.

• In the middle of the chaos, turn up the music and start dancing. It doesn't matter if it’s the wrong time of day and it doesn't matter if you perplex the kids. The chances are you’re all going to snap out of a bad mood with the hormones released when you dance. A dance party will entertain the kids and it will help you to get your blood flowing.

• Manage your time as much as possible with rotas, activities and exercises that will ensure the kids learn how to manage their own emotions. You are their role model for how to control themselves, and how you behave is how they will behave. Remember that on the hard days.

* This is a collaborative post*

Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure Gifted us a day out in the park in exchange for an open and honest review.

Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure was on the top of our trip list for 2020 but due to the coronavirus we were unable to visit til mid-August but wow were we in for a treat! 

We took advantage of the discount with ABC taxis from Norwich city centre meaning it was a flat rate of £15, as we don't drive and it was the easiest way to get there.
We had booked a time slot for 11am and arrived at the park right on time, there was a lovely greeter who politely asked us to sanitize our hands then head to the desks to check our booking in, the staff were so friendly and helpful telling us about the booking times for both the splash park and high ropes.

We entered the park and I was very impressed with the social distancing measures that had been taken to make sure the guest were all safe and comfortable, we headed straight for the outdoor park, there was so much space to sit and have picnics in the sun or shade and such a lovely outdoor atmosphere too.

Although we didn't go and book the Dippy's Splash Zone we did have a look and it looked fantastic and so much fun, We tried Dippys Raceway and had so much fun racing around the track with each other. We watched dippy on the stage doing some dancing and a game and had a lovely picture with him too!

After that we had our picnic lunch we walked the Dinosaur trail and it was lovely and shaded perfect for the afternoon sun, the trail led us down towards the Predator High Ropes where we booked in Lilli to have a go, she was so excited that she was tall enough to go by herself (secretly I was too because it looked scary), So while we waited for the High ropes booking we walked the Neanderthal Walk and went to the Petrodactlys Treehouse to play a little more.

While Lilli took the High Ropes we then queued for half an hour for drinks and ice cream (i know these times sound a lot but it was 34c and everyone wanted drinks) we then sat in the shade and had our ice creams and drinks to chill out and cool down.

* TOP TIP * Around the park there is water fountains you can fill up bottles with so remember to bring a bottle to fill!

After a very long hot day we decided to call it quits and call for our taxi back to the city, we then went to the gift shop and took a look around, I was very delighted with the prices of the gifts and toys it was so affordable and had a lot of range after we left the gift shop we exited the park and collected our medals from dippy which the kids were so happy with and got our taxi back.

I definitely recommend the park for a day out even if you don't drive its easy to get to and is so worth it, myself and my children totally loved it and I was so impressed with the amount of hand sanitizing stations around during this time. Although we didn't try everything we wanted to because of the heat I was still completely satisfied with our trip and would 100% go back again!

If you want to know more about the Covid-19 rules and regulations in the park CLICK HERE!

As a mother of two, there's one thing that really keeps me going on a busy day and that's a good cuppa joe! Coffee is one of my most important day to day beverages to keep me functioning and awake, I discovered the Blue Coffee Box; a simple gourmet subscription box with some of the most amazing coffee inside.

Blue Coffee gives you the choice to have either a bag of coffee or a signature box with 2 bags of single-origin coffee inside, you can choose if the subscription is for a friend as a gift or just for yourself, you can choose between Full beans, Cafetiere, Dripper, Aeropress or Espresso, and even if you want light, medium or dark roasted, but my favourite bit was to choose if I wanted decaf or 1 bag of each.

You can also decide if you want the subscription 2 weekly, monthly or every 2 months, I drink a lot of coffee so I think 1 box every month would be fine for me!

The coffee box I received was incredible and they both tasted so amazing, normally id use just standard freezer dried instant coffee so this was such a nice change and the flavours were beautiful!

Would you like to win a free 1-month subscription?! if so Enter below or just use the code: MM3 for £3 off any product on the Blue Coffee Box Website! GOOD LUCK!

competition ends on 6th September 2020 at 11:59pm

Blue Coffee Box Giveaway

Pexels - CC0 Licence

While we know that it's important to look after our mental health and our faculties we can sometimes forget about looking after our senses. After all, it can be something that we think that we don't really have to look after as we get older, especially because there's hearing aids and support out there. But there are things that we need to do to look after our deteriorating senses. But what are the best ways to look after each one?

For your eyes, do eye exercises

As we get older it is likely we will have to get glasses and there are varying strengths of glasses from bifocals to progressive lenses (which you can read about here). But what we can do to ensure that we are giving our eyes a little bit more strength is to do some eye exercises to help our vision and improve reading speeds. Eye exercises are amazingly straightforward. All you need to do is warm up your eyes, roll them, do some focusing exercises, and massage your temples.

For your ears, listen to music

As we get older our hearing might deteriorate somewhat. But science shows that listening to music can sharpen our sense of hearing. While you need to have the music at a respectable volume, using different genres like dance music or jazz can help train our ears. But if you have problems with your hearing and are exhibiting signs of tinnitus it's important to go to a specialist.

For your nose, inhale strong scents

You can engage the receptors in your nose which can improve your sense of smell over time by using a strong sense like grounded coffee beans or essential oils. If you have issues with your sense of smell you may want to try hayfever medication if you haven't done so already. A good quality nasal spray with menthol can help you you to engage your sense of smell again.

For your taste, have a diverse diet

One of the main concerns associated with COVID-19 is the lack of taste and smell afterwards. It could take months for some people to regain their sense of taste again. But you can stimulate your taste buds by adding variety to your diet through incorporating new recipes and spices. It's important to eat fresh ingredients and avoid processed foods because they contain a lot of artificial ingredients that can affect your taste buds.

To improve your sense of touch, focus on mindfulness

You might not think of being able to improve your sense of touch but engaging with what you are touching can help to stimulate a part of your brain associated with sensory recognition. But it's all about being conscious of the thought of touch in everyday circumstances. By focusing on the things you are touching, even though you do these things every day, you are helping to stimulate the brain.

As we get older we may find our senses deteriorating slightly or significantly. But there are things that we can do, not just to minimise damage, but to improve our lives as a result.

*Disclosure: this is a collaborative post*

For lots of couples, getting pregnant is simple and straightforward, however those are the lucky couples. For plenty of couples, getting pregnant isn’t an easy or straightforward process - in fact, it can be downright difficult. When this is the case and getting pregnant isn’t happening as easily as you might have hoped, it can begin to feel like the struggle to conceive is taking over your entire life. This is especially true when the process of getting pregnant takes longer than you expected or doesn’t look how you imagined it would. 

The truth is that when you struggle with your fertility, it can come with a range of emotional impacts for you and your partner. Your concerns about getting pregnant and the state of yours’ and your partner’s fertility can cause stress, panic and even obsessing. It’s also not uncommon for couples who are unsuccessfully trying to conceive to struggle with their mental health due to feelings of depression. 

What it’s important to remember when it comes to your fertility is the fact that you cannot always change your circumstances. However, what you can control is the way in which you face the situation that you’re in, and that is what matters. 

Photo credit: Pixabay

To help you to do that, below are some tips and pieces of advice for making coping when struggling to conceive a little easier. 

Try not to obsess 

It’s oh so easy to obsess about every aspect of getting pregnant, from the two-week wait to do a pregnancy test to the wait to see whether you notice any symptoms of pregnancy starting to develop. However, obsessing isn’t healthy and it’s important to learn not to obsess. Obsessing about getting pregnant will just make coping that much harder. 

Focus on what you love 

Instead of obsessing, try and find a way to get back to doing the things that you love. Of course, this is far easier said than done, but if you want to make coping with struggling to conceive that little bit easier, you need to think about the ways in which you can stop obsessing and start living. That’s why it’s so important that you make time to focus on the things that you love doing - the hobbies that you enjoy and spending time with the people that you love. It might be hard at first but you will feel far better for it. 

Consider your options 

If you’ve been trying to get pregnant for over nine months and nothing has happened, then it’s time to start thinking about your options. Your first port of call is to book an appointment with your doctor to discuss your options - the chances are that your doctor will refer you to a fertility clinic for further testing and to look at what your options are if you’re unable to conceive naturally. 

Be open and honest with your partner 

When it comes to coping with your fertility, don’t shut your partner out. Aim to be as open and honest with them as possible. The chances are that they’re feeling exactly the same as you are, which is why it’s important to be open with your feelings and talk about your fertility. You will both feel better for it. 

The truth is that there’s no easy fix when you’re struggling to conceive. However, the steps above can help to make managing your situation and feeling more positive about it, a little easier.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post

Summer 2020 is going to be an odd one, it's going to be so different for our younger ones and us too but some things don't have to change, like the rainy day activities we used to do as kids! Crafting and sewing is something I regularly use to do when I was little, painting and making sequin arts were so much fun for rainy day activities.

LoveCrafts have amazing sets for days just like to this, to get the imagination going as well as learning skills like hand-eye coordination and other artistic skills, the sets include sew your own sloth, Hook and eye rug kits or even paint your own tea set.

LoveCrafts have a whole section dedicated to just kids crafts and there's even a bit for teens too, you'll find lots of different kid-friendly characters like this diamond painting kit with Minnie mouse! how adorable! 

LoveCrafts Kindly gifted us a paint your own tea set and a Sloth felt decoration kit, we had so much fun doing both of the crafts and the tea set went down a hit! we spent the morning painting the tea set with all the paint and brushes provided we set them down to dry and had some lunch, after lunch, they were fully dry and we grabbed some teddys and had a teddy tea party with some real cake too!

So we're teaming up with LoveCrafts and were giving away a £20 voucher to spend at www.lovecrafts.com and all you need to do is enter below via gleam! T's&C's Apply. Good luck!

Lovecratfs

Summer is here and its time for the men in your life you update their wardrobe, but instead of throwing those jean shorts away why not just refresh them with some accessories like a belt or some clip-on braces,

Trendhim have a wide selection of men's accessories including their sunglasses which are the perfect fashion trend and compliment any outfit in summer, Their new folding sunglasses are perfect with their spring hinge frame and sleek design they can fold up and go straight into your pocket or carry case.

If sunglasses are not your thing you could always go for a classic timepiece for that perfect outfit staple, the selection of watches available is incredible and there's one to suit your style. Imagine holding an ice-cold beer at the bar with your classic wristwatch feeling like a million dollars! 

Trendhim have a wide variety of great accessories to spruce up your wardrobe or even just to make a statement and don't forget to have a look through their amazing articles too for great ideas and inspiration!

Well, We're teaming up with Trendhim to give away £50 of products to one lucky winner!! 

All you have to do is enter below via gleam*, GOOD LUCK!

trendhim

*Giveaway ends 26/07/20 11:59pm

Spring and summertime in the UK mean warmer weather and walks in the sunshine for many people, however, it has been estimated that over 10 million people in the UK suffer from hay fever, causing itchy eyes, runny noses, sneezing, headaches and drowsiness.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

For those who still suffer, despite taking medication and remedies to help fight against the never-ending streaming and sneezing, smart thermostat company tado° has put together eight handy practical steps to minimise exposure and can thus enjoy the summer months.

1.  Keep your home allergen-free. Staying indoors may seem like the best way to manage symptoms of hay fever; however, triggers can also be present in the home. Dust mites, pet hair and indoor moulds can also prompt symptoms, so the indoor environments should be vacuumed and kept as clean as possible as a precaution.*

2. Put your smart thermostat to work. According to WebMD, the pollen count is at its highest between 5-10 am and at dusk, making it better to open the non-bedroom windows during the day to help ventilate the house. If you forget to close the window, giving pollen-free rein, tado°’s Open Window Detection will recognise that a window has been opened due to sudden changes in temperature and switch off the heating or air conditioning for a short time to save energy. You will also receive a notification of this, to remember to close your window, keep the pollen outside and save energy and costs. The smart thermostat from tado° also has a Climate Comfort Skill that is available to all tado° users of the V3 + app which provides insight into the air quality in your home. 

3. Have a shower before going to bed. Not only will a night time shower rid you of all the dirt from the day, it will also wash off any stray pollen. If you have been outside at all during the day during a high pollen count, your hair, skin and clothes will be covered in micro-particles of dust and pollen so a quick shower before bed will help remove these allergens before you sleep, reducing nighttime symptoms.

4. Cut down on caffeine and increase vitamin C intake. If you’re partial to a cup of breakfast tea or an iced coffee, it may be time to cut back. Excess caffeine is thought to increase your body’s histamine levels, intensifying symptoms of hay fever. Foods that are rich in vitamin C are great natural antihistamines, making oranges, grapefruit, red peppers and berries a great option for a snack on days with a high pollen count.**

5. Take local honey and garlic. Start taking a spoonful of local honey as early in the season as possible. The idea is that locally produced honey, made from pollen from local plants, works as a natural vaccine because you eventually become immune to it. Another option is garlic because it is a natural anti-inflammatory and gives your immune system a boost. Crush it, leave it for fifteen minutes and eat it raw, for example in a salad dressing or homemade pesto. The core of pineapple also has an anti-inflammatory effect. ***

6. Use Vaseline around the nose and eyes. Applying a small amount of Vaseline in and around the nostrils helps to catch some of the allergens before they pass into the nose. The jelly works as a barrier to trap pollen before you breathe it in. It also works under the eyes to prevent them from getting runny and itchy too.*

7. Wear wraparound sunglasses. It may not be the coolest look but for those who suffer from itchy, streaming eyes, wraparound sunglasses are a godsend as they stop pollen and allergens making their way directly into your eyes. They can also be effective at protecting your eyes from dust and wind and help to keep them well moisturised.

8. Dry clothes and bedding indoors. Where possible avoiding drying clothes outdoors as the pollen will stick to the clothes or bedding and may cause a reaction later when you wear them. If drying indoors is a problem, then avoid hanging them outside in the early morning and evening when there is more pollen in the air.

Hey Guys And Gals,

I've totally neglected my blog for literally months, I've had so much going on personally and mentally and its just crazy, then on top of that were in this huge pandemic and it seems like its never going to end!!

My house on ACNH

So in November 2019 myself and my husband broke up, it was my choice but a huge one that I've been regretting ever since, and even though we were separated we lived together until he got a place in February 2020, also in that month I got a notice of possession from my landlord to have his house back; I had 2 months to sort a new place to live, pack and move, unfortunately, every house i went for fell through and i was back to square one until the council called offering me a place.

Shortly after i got the call, the announcement for the Covid-19 lockdown started, i got put on furlough from my job, my kids had no school and we couldn't see our loved ones and to be honest its been hell for us! I miss my mum so much it hurts me so bad, i miss my sister and my little nieces, i miss seeing my best friend with her little boy and the school run! (never thought id say that lol) So after all of that, i knew i wouldn't be in my new place for at least a little while :( and now my house looks like a bomb site of cardboard and black bags haha

So its been about 11 weeks since good ol' Borris announced the 3-week lockdown and although im happy we're safe and healthy im bored as shit!!

The only person i see regularly is mike (my ex-husband) when he see's our boy and my mum through my window once a week when she drops off Olli's nappies! 

Anywho, i had been suffering bad with my mental health alot since my break up, my sister sent me a really good deal to buy the Nintendo Switch and i was so excited that i bought it, along with Animal Crossing New Horizons and i have to say its been my saviour, i've felt amazing playing this game, i've been able to virtually visit my sister and make new friends that share my love for this game!

So with so much going on and my head not being in the right frame of mind i haven't blogged at all and i feel so crap about it because i feel like im letting you down, but i promise i will be back to it and i will be creating some great content for you so soon!

if you've read this far then you must be so bored and i feel ya there! i hope we all stay safe and healthy and i'll see you soon!

Vic x