Stationery essentials for 6th Form and College

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

September is one of my favourite months, not just because the kids go back to school and we welcome routine back into our lives, but you get the joy of purchasing shiny new stationery. Being a blogger, I always have a few notebooks on the go, but September is a pretty good excuse to stock up on a few more. And not only do I get the thrill of buying new stationery for myself, but I also get the joy of ‘helping’ the kids buy their things for the new school year.

Stationery essentials for 6th form and college

Now my 12 year old daughter is always organised for her return to school, but the teen boy is slightly different.… Continue reading

Dressing for Autumn – Plus Size dresses

by ⋅ 4 Comments

I am a creature of habit, and when it comes to fashion I tend to stick to what I know, and what I feel comfortable in. My staple Autumn outfit will usually be a pair of jeans, comfy jumper, and my trusty boots from Hotter. But after returning from Mexico just under a week ago, I am not quite ready to start living in jeans again. Plus have you ever tried to put your trusty jeans back on, after a week of indulgent eating and drinking in an all-inclusive hotel.

Plus Size Autumn Dresses

So this Autumn I am going to throw caution to the wind, step outside my comfort zone, and order a few dresses that I can wear as the nights get darker and the days get cooler.… Continue reading

What to know when you are relocating

by ⋅ 2 Comments

If you’re about to make a big move, be it relocating for a new job, moving to start a family, or retiring and looking for a calmer atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle of city life, there are many factors you should consider before making the move.

Relocating

Firstly, you should decide if the move you’re about to make will improve your life and that of your family. Will you be moving away from family and friends? Is the cost of living higher?

Answering these questions will allow you to make a strategic decision.

Location, location, location

On making your decision to relocate, one of the first factors you should research is the area in which you will be moving to.… Continue reading

Little Loves (July) – Safe, Nights Away and Summer

by ⋅ 10 Comments

Two weeks into the school holidays and so far so good. Though I must admit as the kids are getting older they make their own entertainment, and I am a glorified taxi driver and bank clerk. But I can’t complain as I am currently sat in Starbucks, with an overpriced drink and my laptop.

Little Loves

Looking back, July was a pretty good month. The teen finished his NCS experience, Katie broke up for the summer, we said goodbye to year 7 and year 11, there was a romantic night away with the husband, I went on a Spa night away to Ribby Hall with 2 girlfriends, meals out, catching up with friends, and of course wall to wall sunshine for weeks on end.… Continue reading

Raising teenagers and how to save for their future

by ⋅ 2 Comments

My teenager turns 16 in a few weeks, and I am well aware that over the next few years, raising him will get more and more expensive. Learning to drive, heading off to University, buying a car, getting on the property ladder, I can see the future and it’s not cheap.

Raising teenagers and how to save for their future

He has already started looking for a little summer job, but many places won’t take him on until he turns 16. Though I suspect when he starts to earn a little money for himself, his first thought won’t be about saving for a deposit for a house, instead opting to buy a book or the latest music.… Continue reading

Little Loves (June) Prom, Goodbye GCSEs, and a Trip to Center Parcs

by ⋅ 32 Comments

I can’t believe the last time I wrote my Little Loves post was at the end of April, and life has certainly been a rollercoaster over the past 2 months. GCSEs have been and gone, the teen has finished High School, I left my job of 6 years, Prom has happened, and we have just returned from a chilled trip to Center Parcs which was very much needed.

Little Loves - June

Read

I am making the effort to read every night, as for me it’s the perfect chance to switch my brain off. I am currently about two thirds through The Keeper of Lost Things, and last week I finished Friend Request which my lovely blogging friend Angela from Adventures in Websterland lent me.… Continue reading

Are 24 exams too much for our teenagers ?

by ⋅ 13 Comments

Today my teenager completed his penultimate GCSE exam. Exam number 23 out of 24, with his final exam being taken next Wednesday. 24 exams between the 14th May and the 20th June, 24 exams to revise for, 24 exams to feel anxious over, 24 times to walk into the school hall under exam conditions, and to remember everything you have been taught over the past 3 years.

Are 24 Exams too much for our Teenagers

I remember looking at the exam timetable a few months ago. I naively thought that the 2 page document in my hand was every single GCSE, not just the ones my son would be taking.… Continue reading

Being made redundant

by ⋅ 16 Comments

I never thought I would be sat here, writing a post about being made redundant, and if truth be told that is probably quite naïve of me. Losing my part-time job, working as an administrator in a children’s nursery, was never at the forefront of my mind. But on the 12th March it became a reality for me. The job that I had loved doing for 6 years was being taken away from me.

Being made redundant

I am not going to lie, the past 3 months have been tough. I know that I am extremely lucky that we don’t rely on my salary to pay the mortgage and bills, but I have found losing my job an emotional rollercoaster.… Continue reading

17 years of being married

by ⋅ 14 Comments

The country might be all getting excited about the forthcoming wedding of Meghan and Harry, but rewind 17 years and I was getting ready to marry my very own ginger prince.

17 years of being married

I know it’s a huge cliché, but the past 17 years have gone in the blink of an eye. I still remember our wedding day like it was yesterday, getting married in the hotel where Hywel had proposed to me 14 months before. We were surrounded by friends and family (and John McCardle who used to be in Brookside) , on one of the hottest days of the year. And just like Meghan and Harry, we also got married on FA Cup final day.… Continue reading

Little Loves – Prom Suits, Zip Wires and GCSE Exams

by ⋅ 8 Comments

It is always my intention to get my Little Loves post out on a Friday, but I have spectacularly failed this week as it’s now Sunday evening. Looking back it has been a pretty ‘normal’ few weeks, and I can tell from the lack of pictures I have taken that life has been filled with school, work, and just the usual life stuff.

Little Loves

Read

I read a lovely message from one of the teen’s teachers, who said that Morgan was extremely lucky to have such a supportive family, and that it shone through in him. Parenting teens is HARD WORK, and parenting teens going through GCSEs is even harder, so it was lovely to hear that we are getting parts of this parenting journey right.… Continue reading