The school summer holidays are a whirlwind. At any given moment I'm on hand to make things happen – whether it's painting, baking or firing bows and arrows in the park. It's full-on, and I'm here, there and everywhere. Which calls for practical dressing. My pretty dresses aren't ideal when the ...
Things to do in the summer holidays: make a boredom jar
The summer holidays are upon us! I'm trying to be organised this year and plan lots of activities and get-togethers. But there's always going to be some slack time when everyone gets a little bored. For these moments, make a boredom jar. All you need to do is write down lots of activities on bits ...
Big blue skies
Someone, somewhere, has switched on the summer switch. It's amazing isn't it? After a weekend of basking in the sunshine, a Monday morning has a completely different hue. I had a big to-list waiting for me after I'd dropped the boys off at school, but there's something about warm, summer days that ...
Wildlife spotting in the garden, plus a vlog!
There's so much going on in the garden at this time of year. In even the smallest outdoor space you can spot all sorts of bugs, insects and other wildlife. You don't have to look hard: just pause for a moment and it will come wiggling, buzzing, creeping or fluttering its way to you. This summer ...
Life lately: trying not to let summer pass us by
You'd be forgiven for thinking the summer hadn't started yet. I can't believe it's already nearly the end of term. We're spending so long shivering under our umbrellas, checking the forecast and waiting for the warm summer to begin...if we're not careful it'll pass us by altogether. Round here ...
Five perfect present ideas for a teacher
It's nearly the end of term. Time to find the perfect thank you gift for your child's teacher! Here are my top five ways to show your appreciation for someone who has worked their socks off all year and deserves a treat.... Stationery... teachers write an awful lot of lists and mark a lot of ...
What can you do on a bus?
When was the last time you caught a bus? Catching a bus isn't always the most glamorous way to travel, but I actually rather like it. Unlike driving by car, I enjoy the fact that I can sit back and relax while someone else does the hard work. And I don't have to find a parking space when I get ...
The perfect party bag
What goes into a perfect party bag? If you ask my children they'd always say, 'sweets, sweets, sweets, oh and maybe a toy'. And that really is the magic formula. Making party bags is one of my favourite bits of organising parties for my children. You don't have to spend much to make it ...
#OnePerfectThing in June
Perfection often feels out of reach. But however imperfect you’re finding life, you can make an effort to find #OnePerfectThing. Something which makes you pause, smile and feel thankful. So, farewell June. You seem to be over almost before you've begun. This month has been unusually tumultuous ...
When your child doesn’t talk
When you become a parent for the first time, life becomes punctuated by lots of little milestones. Reassuring little beacons in what can otherwise be an exhausting and confusing landscape. But what happens when your baby fails to reach one of those milestones? Today I'd like to share my ...
A country bike ride and a bit of thinking time
I don't normally write about politics on this blog, but even I can't avoid it today. I woke up on Friday morning feeling shocked with the result of the EU referendum. I wasn't a fervent supporter of either side. My strongest feelings during the whole conflicting, bewildering campaign, was that I ...
Three things I’m loving this week…
A new dress... This dress caught my eye in H&M last week. I love the print and the loose, trapeze style shape of the dress. At £14.99 I snapped it up immediately and have barely taken it off since! It'll be great for hot weather, but is also working well with leggings and cardigans in this ...