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Finding some ‘me’ time – my favourite podcasts and how I fit in listening around parenting
This year I have been focusing on getting ‘me’ back. I used to listen to so much, read some much and watch so much that I always had things to talk about with people – other than parenting. Yet during 2018/19 I discovered this wasn’t the case any more. I wanted to do more to be me. I started slowly with dance during the start of 2019, then started hoop when we moved. Slowly I’d been reading more and more too. But my latest love is podcasts. I have learnt so much and discovered so many new people from my podcasts lately. So I thought I would share my favourite…
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Our June in pictures
I think time sped up when lockdown begun. Do you agree? I can’t believe we’re at the end of June. But with lockdown no on the wind down and me facing the prospect of returning to work, I thought I might start reflecting on our months. June 2020 June was a lot of the same as previous months. We worked on our lockdown project a little. Spike started playing with some friends on our estate and because social bubbles are a thing we got a visit in with Auntie K and a socially distanced garden day with grandma. Natures playground We have made the most of the slow pace and…
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Managing money and starting to save – top tips for forecasting your spend and stop living month by month
If you had mentioned the idea of doing a post about money on my blog just a couple of years ago, I probably would have laughed in your face. Me and T have never been overly careful with money. We lived month by month and had credit cards and store cards. A few years ago, just after we had Spike in fact, we started talking about saving for a house. But it seemed so unrealistic at the time. Managing money wasn’t even in our vocabulary! Our situation when we started saving Renting our house, paying off old debt and spending more than we made. They are all traps that get…
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Sitting down together at the table for mealtimes – what we’ve noticed since we changed our ways
Growing up our dining room table wasn’t used. It was an extension of the shop that my parents owned. Often covered in newspapers, magazines or stock that needed to go out into the shop. I think I just about managed to eat breakfast on it most mornings. But that was it. And I can only remember eating together as a family around it at Christmas. Breakfast would often be eaten alone, tea time was spent in the living room around the TV. Or in my bedroom. Even when I spent mealtimes in the living room, my meals were often at different times to my parents once I was in my…
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Our Post-Lockdown Wishlist – Days out and things Spike is looking forward to when we can start the new normal
Early on in Lockdown Spike was asking a lot of questions about the things that we could not do. It was devastating to hear her ask to visit people, see friends and go on her favourite days out and have to say no. While the questions have stopped, the wishing has started. Spike refers to the lockdown period we are in as the ‘Nasty Bug Days’. She often wishes to do things as soon as these days are over. I have told her we’ll keep a list of all the things she wants to do and try and get to them as soon as we can. Here’s just a few…
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Meal planning to save money, stress and time – feeding a family of three including one fussy eater
As a working woman in charge of cooking and food shopping, I learnt early on that meal planning was the way forward. It saved my sanity and stopped arguments almost instantly after me and T moved in together way back when. Why meal planning is important Meal planning for me means I know what to buy when I go food shopping. I do my plan before I write my shopping list on a Saturday morning. Because of this it saves us money too. When I am working, it means that I don’t have the stress of coming home and figuring out what to cook. Not that that matters at the…
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A Letter to Spike – on your 5th Birthday
Dear Spike, Well this year’s birthday is a little different isn’t it? Yesterday we went for a socially distanced walk with Auntie K. At some point today or tomorrow, Grandma is driving up to drop your presents off at the end of the drive. Your birthday will be mostly celebrated with mummy and daddy at home. There are no fun days out. No birthday parties and no friends to have over for tea. Your past 12 months This year couldn’t be more different from the last 4. But we’ll make the most of it and you’ll end the day with a smile on your face just like you usually do.…
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Planning a birthday in lockdown – How we’re going to be spending Spike’s 5th birthday
Spike has had a birthday party and a special family day out on her birthday since her very first birthday. It’s always a special day for her, and we always make sure there are memories made. Usually the days out feature the zoo but last year it was Coral Island where she felt very lucky all day! This years expected party and day out plans This year she asked to go back to Chester Zoo, where we spent her 3rd birthday. She also was nearly the very lucky recipient of a birthday party at the Butterfly House and Mini Zoo in Lancaster. (Can you sense the theme – the girl…
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Gift guide for a 5 year old – What we’re treating Spike to and what she is wishing for this year
It’s May, which in our family means lots of birthdays. There are so many that when I found out I was due with Spike in the middle of the month, I thought there was no chance she wouldn’t share a birthday. She kept us waiting though and was born right at the end of the month. The day after her cousin’s birthday! Gift buying amid lockdown This year I started her birthday shopping early as I was worried that lockdown would affect shops delivering. So she hadn’t even started asking for things. Starting with the shopping in March meant I could gather interest in toys without her even questioning…
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Learning to ride a bike – from ‘watch where you are going!’ to ‘its only a hill’
Spike is quite late to the learning to ride a bike thing. She’s coming up to 5 and is still on stabilisers, with only a few outings on the bike she has because the weather over winter was awful. But I thought I’d share a little bit about her learning so far. A little late in starting Before we moved last August she had a balance bike but that was barely used. We lived on a main road and there weren’t many safe spaces to learn. She also HATED her helmet and I refused to let her ride without one. When we moved we got rid of the balance bike…
