Life lately: Week One of the Summer holidays!

I haven't really done an update this past week and thats probably because life has been a little busy. Morgan broke up from school this time last week and so we've been busy doing lots of fun things.

Last Thursday started early as the boys came in like it was Christmas morning at 6am! We hadn't got in until 1am the night before and didn't get to sleep till even later. Ben and I both had lessons that morning mine at 9 and then his an hour later. While Ben was having his lesson I headed into town with the kiddies.

I had missed them so much so we headed to Jassies so I could spoil them a little. This has to be the nicest sweet shop ever and the owner is even nicer. The boys beg to go their whenever we're in town.
We headed back home to meet Ben after his lesson and then we had another treat planned with the kiddies. A new soft play area The Play Factory, had just opened in Louth and we haven't had anything like this nearby for the children. It was easy to lose a few hours there and the prices for food and entry where very reasonable. It isn't the biggest in size but it was big enough for the boys. I'm glad we went fairly early as around noon it started to get really busy and we decided to head off not long after.

 

We were heading to my Mum's that afternoon and the sun was shinning and it was really hot. We quickly made a detour back into town where we got the boys some water guns! They waited in the car while I nipped into Wilkos to gave them and the noise and faces from the car when they saw me head out with the water guns were amazing. Morgan said I was the coolest Mum ever! 

As you can imagine I ended up getting pretty wet but it was really enjoyable and nice because I didn't complain about the heat once!

Friday we headed strawberry picking and you can see the update about that HERE. That evening the kids and I made strawberry jam which was amazing! However not great when you are trying to diet.

Saturday morning was nice and relaxed and in the afternoon we headed to watch How to Train A Dragon 2 in 3D. It was Ewan and Rhys' first time watching a 3D movie and they loved it. The film was brilliant too and I found myself tearing up at parts. We spoilt ourselves with sweeties and popcorn. It was the perfect afternoon!

My mum came over on Sunday and we decided to take the kids to Woodthorpe Garden Centre. They have a lovely outside play area with trampolines, a massive sandpit and a large outdoor maze. Abby loved the sandpit and kept filling her shoes with sand. The boys loved the maze and were so pleased with themselves when they got to end. We finished the day with ice creams and watched the gliders in the sky.

This week has been much more relaxed and we've headed to the park a couple of times. We also went to Tesco's yesterday and did part of the school uniform shop. For 3 children it was crazily expensive even with all the deals and special offers. I came out over £100 lighter and I still don't have everything they need! I still have to get the jumpers with the school logo's which is another £40! Ouch!

Well I think that has pretty much got us up to date, it isn't that sunny out today so we are going to bake a Victoria Sponge and use how homemade jam! Again ore temptation while trying to diet! 

Review: Jacamo

Planning a trip away always seems to call for some new clothes! Well for me anyway, and because I do all the packing in our house it also meant Ben needed something new for our little holiday away.

How do I put this without sounding rude?! Ben isn't a small guy and so in some high street stores they don't also stock Ben's size 40. So when we found Jacamo who prides themselves on creating fashionable clothes for "proper men sizes" it was perfect! They have a really big range of sizes from medium to 5XL! From formal shirts to jogging bottoms so you can find anything and at reasonable prizes.

Jacamo asked us to browse their section and pick a couple of items to try. Ben wears a shirt 5 out of 7 days so I headed straight the the formal section. They had a huge range of shirts and they were all lovely. With us planning our little holiday I knew picking shirts would be prefect as we had planned to have meals out while we were there. I also loved the Joe Brown's section, I just love their clothes however in the end I picked two shirts that I thought would suit Ben.

The first one I picked was the Williams & Brown Grandad Shirt. I choose the white and loved that the cuffs were cream. It gave it just a little detail with remaining smart. Ben wore this on the first evening of our holiday and it was beautifully soft. He loved that it was a grandad shirt and didn't have a full collar as it didn't feel like he was heading to work. He looked great in it and its one of my favourite shirts to see him in.

The photo above is off Jacamo's website as it shows the cream cuffs.

Us with Ben's sister Sophie and her Fiancé Emil.

The second item I picked was another shirt. This time a pale blue striped one which is a a lot more casual than the white one. Again it was a William & Brown shirt I seem to really like their styles.

This is actually the shirt Ben was wearing when he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife so I love this shirt for more than one reason.

Yes I know I've used this photo a lot lately but I'm pretty impressed with my ring!

I love the colour and what I didn't notice so much from the picture was that a few of the stripes are red. You can see the hint of it in the picture but when I first opened it I was a little unsure as it seemed brighter but now I actually really like it and it blends in with the blue nicely.

Jacamo's website was really easy to browse and I found myself searching through their items for ages. I was surprised at the large range of not only sizes but the items they have. I could honestly find clothes for Ben, my brother, my father and even a grandfather. It really has everything and most items I came across were on sale. I've since ordered Ben a pair of new work shoes which should be arriving any day now.

Jacamo even offers credit accounts which is great if you need an item and can't wait till payday.

Overall these are both great shirts and are of brilliant quality. I would and have used Jacamo since and I think I'll continue to shop there for items for Ben.

Jacamo even has a Youtube channel, with useful "how to" video's!

I was sent these items free in return of an honest review.

Personal Planner Giveaway!!

Being a Mum of four, fiancé of one, studying for a degree and taking driving lessons. It can be a little hard to keep on track of things! Which is why I never leave home without my trusty diary.

I was lucky enough to have won a Personal Planner on a fellow bloggers blog. I was over the moon as I had planned that come September when Uni gets busy again I was going to treat myself.

I blogged a review on my planner that can be found HERE. I've also added a few of my comments below.

There are 3 designs to choose from and I went for a medium as I thought it would probably fit in handbag easier than the large! There is also a section where you can add all of your family and friends birthdays and other special occasions! Which then get printed on their days. A great way not to forget anymore birthdays! 

The first thing I noticed was how great the quality of the photo is. 

I'm now in love with the wall planners as I'm forever forgetting when Morgan has his guitar lessons or when Abby has a check up. I love that they have little sections for each member of the family.

After having my planner for around a month now I'm still raving about it. I write down blog ideas in the back where there are extra pages and I work out how many bills I have to pay that week with the little squared section at the bottom of the page. It is the handy-ist diary I've had and is really user friendly.

As you can see from the previous review I wrote I was over the moon with my personal planner. Since writing that review, the lovely people from Personal Planner have got in touch and I'm super excited to be able to offer you, my readers the chance to have one of your very own!

Simply fill in and complete all the tasks on the Rafflecopter to be in with a chance!

  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Strawberry Picking

For weeks now the boys have been begging me to go strawberry picking, whenever we planned to go it always started raining! So three weeks later we finally got to go.

We went last year however Abby was just a little baby so she stayed with her aunt and uncle. The boys remember it well though and were running straight for the baskets to start collecting.

We gave Abby her own little basket and showed her to pop her strawberries in it. HOWEVER not many ended up in her basket! As you can tell they may have ended up going straight to the mouth instead!

She loved it! She thought it was amazing that I was letting her eat off the floor and that she could find these little red gems everywhere! Abby thought it was Christmas!

The boys managed to pick two punnets full which in total came to £10. So you can imagine how many we have! We do plan on making jam tomorrow so they are so excited! We also got some blackcurrents for a small batch of blackcurrent jam so we're going to be pretty busy!

I love berry picking it is a great activity for barely any expense. The people who run the place were lovely too and were encouraging the children to eat as they go! We ended up stocking up on cream and meringue nest as you just have to have Eton mess afterwards!

Now I just have to figure out how to get out strawberry stains!

Updating a Newborn's Wardrobe

Updating a Newborn’s Wardrobe: Perfect Outfits for a Baby Boy

When you have a new baby on the way, you’ll probably spend hours upon hours preparing for their arrival. After all, a baby is a big deal and there’s lots to be sorted out before their birth; the nursery, the labour bag, baby girl or baby boy clothes for them to wear so that they don’t get cold… these are just a few things that you need to think about in advance, and we haven’t even mentioned the minefield that is choosing a pushchair!

While you will undoubtedly be lavished with plenty of gifts from family and friends once baby has arrived – many of which will be clothes – you will probably want to pick up a few bits for yourself. Whether you have chosen to stay firmly in Team Yellow until the birth, or you have decided to find out the gender at the 20 week scan, you can stock up on some bits and pieces throughout the pregnancy, so that there’s plenty to go at once baby is here. Plus, with baby boy clothes at George being reasonably priced and fantastic quality, you don’t have to worry about spending too much of your maternity pay on their goodies, either. Here are some perfect wardrobe essentials if you’re having a baby boy, so that he looks like a prince every single day.

Bodysuits & Sleepsuits

These are essential during the first few months, and are an easy alternative if you don’t want to put them in ‘proper’ outfits all the time. During the summer months, you will find that full sleepsuits can be a little too sweltering, so make sure you have a good selection of long sleeved and short sleeved bodysuits, as well as sleepsuits and rompers. You know, as their parent, what they will be best suited to, depending on the weather.

All-in-Ones

All-in-one romper suits are a superb option if you’re after something cute and funky. The t shirt top is sewn into the shorts, with poppers underneath for easy changing. Fabulous for a summer day, rompers are easy to use and come in a range of fantastic prints and colours. Take the cute animal and vehicle printed all-in-one from George, for example; it would make a perfect addition to any little lad’s wardrobe, and at £6, it won’t break the bank either.

Dungarees

What little prince doesn’t look cute in a pair of dungarees? Denim dungarees would be ideal for cooler months, while cotton ones are perfect for when it’s a little warm outside. No matter how old they are, dungarees teamed with a t shirt are a durable outfit that will have friends and family cooing for ages.

It’s understandable if you want to keep your youngster in sleepsuits and babygros for as long as possible. However, if you do want to expand their wardrobe a little, there are plenty of options available. Don’t overbuy though – they’ll be in the next size up in next to no time!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Ireland Day 3

Our flight home wasn't until the evening which meant we were still able to enjoy most of the day.

In the morning the guys and girls went their separate ways. Myself, Sophie (Ben's sister) and Nadia (Ben's step mum) Went horse riding while the men went and played boring golf!

We got in the taxi and headed to Eagle Rock Equestrian Centre which is located near a stunning beach. We were quickly given boots and helmets and where taken to our horses. I had a beauty called Suzie though she had a bit of a wind problem and was trumping every few seconds! But thankfully she was a very well behaved horse. Sophie's horse tried to stop and have a snack at every grassy bank.

We started down the narrow little road towards the beach and it was lovely. I didn't like when cars had to come past though as they seemed so close but Suzie and the other horses were so calm and used to it. The scenery was beautiful and it was such a relaxing experience.

When we got down to the beach we tried a trot and although it is one of the slower runs it was very fast for me. I hadn't been on a horse since my early teens and I guess I have a much bigger value on my life these days! Slow was definitely more relaxing!

We headed back to the equestrian center after an horse of riding and once I got off I felt like John Wayne! My legs ached in places I didn't know could ache but it was totally worth the aches.

We headed back to the hotel and went for lunch as everyone wouldn't be back from golf until mid afternoon. The food at hotel was just amazing and I had the best blue cheese burger ever!

After we had ate and nattered for a while we headed back to the villa and the next thing I knew Ben was waking me when he arrived back from golf. We then only had an hour with Ben's family until we had to make the two hour journey to Cork Airport

After leaving Sneem at 4pm we finally got home near 1am. We sneaked into the kids rooms to just steal a cuddle off them all and at 6am then came running in like Christmas morning. I missed them so much and although it was lovely to get away and have some grown up time I don't think we'll be heading off again for a few years!

Ireland Day 2... BEST DAY EVER!

Tuesday we were meant to be heading sea fishing with the rest of Ben's family. However we woke to Ben having a bad tummy. I blamed the baileys cheesecake from the night before as I told him it was the worst idea ever with his lactose intolerance. He said there was no way he could spend the day on the boat so I obviously offered to stay with him even being disappointed I'd miss my first fishing trip.

Shortly after everyone left Ben perked up and asked whether I wanted to go for a walk. There were plenty of walks around the hotel all in beautiful places. I had mentioned the first day that I would like to do the seal walk as I would love to see some wild seals!

So we headed off and I was surprised at how quick Ben got over his tummy ache. I thought maybe he didn't want to go fishing and lied to get out of it. Little did I know what he was planning.

Around the hotel where loads of private little coves and Ben lead in into one, we were watching the water waiting and hoping for a seal to pop up out of the sea. When all of a sudden Ben got down on one knee!!! So silly me didn't realised what was happening at first so I told him to get up cos he'd get his jeans dirty! haha! THEN it dawned on me when he pulled out this little black box! I couldn't tell you half of the lovely things he said purely because it became an emotional blur. It was perfect and I'll be honest I welded up with tears. The photo above was taken seconds before this happened.

I of course said YES!

Afterwards we sat on a rock in the cove just chatting and watching the world go by. We headed back to the hotel where they called a taxi for us to head into the nearby town, Sneem. Ben had planned a lovely lunch for us at a restaurant and we did a little bit of gift shopping for the boys while we were out.

Sneem's waterfall.

We got back to the hotel then headed to the dock as Ben had also planned for us to go kayaking. Just as we got there Ben's family all arrived back from the fishing trip and it turns out they all knew!

Kayaking was amazing though, we saw even more seals, loads of jelly fish and salmon jumping out of the water! I think I could have done it the whole holiday. It was even easier as it was a motorised kayak!

We were brave and took some photos. We were scared we were going to drop the phone overboard!

It was the perfect day and I can't believe I'm going to get married! Eeeek!!!