Friday 29 May 2015

Find your Inner Freak: Why it is Important to be Who You Want to Be.

Another guest post from my friend Rebecca, who is doing a great job of looking after things while I'm on hols!

This is the advice I wish I had been given when in my twenties.
Old School Photo

You leave school, you get a job if you can, you earn some dosh and you try and work out what you are going to be when you grow up. Then you realise ten years have gone and you are still trying to work out which direction you are heading so you panic a bit and stress out when you look round at others whom you consider have ‘done something with their life’.
This is why that is all pointless. The secret is that you have already made it. Success is relevant only to who you are. Therefore you should forget trying to be what you think success is based on others and look into yourself. Give yourself a break.
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Wednesday 27 May 2015

Find Me Face Down on the Floor Behind the Sofa. A Narcoleptic’s Tale.

Our 'hidden illness' series continues with an amazingly insightful and frank post from my fabulous friend Rebecca on Narcolepsy.

If you ask somebody who is ill what the worst thing is about an illness, you will find pain is probably at the top. Followed closely by lethargy or exhaustion. So we know tiredness is awful yet we fail to recognise as a disability. This blog article for The Parent Game is to help you understand the rather odd life cycle of a narcoleptic. Please try and stay awake!

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Monday 25 May 2015

6 of the Worst Supermarket Crimes

A Shelf of Drinks with Title OverlaidSupermarket shopping is a necessary evil for most of us. I know, these days, if you are super-organised you can order everything online and have it delivered at your own convenience, but I'm really not that organised and I can't get used to working out in advance what I might fancy for tea. I also like to choose my own fruit and meat, etc, because I am picky. That said, I am not really a fan. There's just so much to annoy me. The trolley always wants to turn left, the shop is too big, with the most frequently purchased products are at the far end, and then there's the people. So I've made a little list of the most annoying people in supermarkets. Sorry if this is you, but, honestly, enough is enough! 

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Sunday 24 May 2015

Win JVC Flats Headphones! Compers welcome!!

I keep hearing from some competition providers that they don't want 'compers' to enter their competitions. The definition of 'comper' or 'competition account' is a little bit vague, as is the reason they are not welcome. It's something about them not being 'genuine' readers or likers or whatever. Anyway, this competition is offered to you, from me, to say thank you, comper or not, for all the support that I get from you. I offer competitions because I like making people happy and, to a lesser extent, because it helps my blog find its way to new readers. I provide nearly all my own prizes. I don't mind if you stay or not, but I really hope to see you again soon. Be lucky. Love, Me. x
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My Sunday Photo; Visitors to the Birdbox


A bluetit feeding her young through the opening of a bird box.
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Saturday 23 May 2015

Best Blogging Practice

Computer Keyboard with Title Overlaid
Since I first started blogging, three years ago, I always wanted to be a good blogger. I wanted people to actually read my blog and enjoy it. Not necessarily a lot of people, but those that did, I hoped would come because they liked what I wrote. During my time as a blogger, I have made mistakes and learned along the way. I thought I would share some observations and ideas I have come across during that time, in the hopes it might help someone else avoid the same pitfalls. Some people blog for profit, some just for fun and others a mix of the two. So not all of this applies to everyone. They are not rules, or rights and wrongs, just suggestions, based on my own experience.
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Wednesday 20 May 2015

Emergency Biscuit Replacement Hack!


Chocolate Biscuit Shape
Don't you just hate it, when it gets to the point in the evening where you really don't want to go out, and you suddenly realise, you've forgotten to buy something vital. So, this evening there was mass panic when the choccy biccies ran out and we had to think fast. I had some shortcrust pastry left over from a jam tart failure (don't ask) so we threw together this epic recipe, that will replace your biscuit supply easily and without having to go out. bonus!

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Nutritious, Low Cost, Three Minute Scrambled Egg!


Scrambled Egg on Toast with Title OverlaidThe humble egg often gets overlooked these days as part of a healthy diet, but, in terms of nutrition versus cost, you really can't 'beat it' (ahem). Containing just 70 calories each, along with high quality protein, there are also a host of B vitamins, minerals and even trace elements of Phosphorus, all packed into its relatively tiny shell. There are lots of different ways to create a healthy lunch, with hardly any effort, using eggs and it's a great way to fill you up and prevent that pesky mid-afternoon snack craving. There is a recipe for  Lazy Eggs with Ham here, but today, I thought I would share with you a favourite of mine, which takes just three ingredients and literally two minutes to cook.

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Saturday 16 May 2015

Tefal Fresh Express Review


Tefal Fresh Express
I have had my Fresh Express for a while now and I use it all the time. I have been meaning to do a review and just hadn't got around to it, but I've just spotted it's half price in Tesco at the moment, so thought this was as good a time as any! What I love about the Express is how small it is. It is solidly made, so it doesn't feel flimsy, but it is very efficiently designed. It is easy to assemble and all the pieces fit together, so storage is very straightforward and it doesn't take up any more space than is absolutely necessary, which is a huge bonus in a small kitchen. It is also very simple to use, with just one large button that is easy to access and press, even if you have messy hands from cooking.

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Thursday 14 May 2015

Exciting Holiday News with Roebeck Country Park!!


Tipi at Robeck Country Park
We have had the best news ever this week! News so exciting, L cried tears of happiness and has talked of nothing else since I told him! We are going on holiday!! This is the first holiday we've had in quite a while, so it's a fairly major event and we are really looking forward to it. L is growing up so fast and he has been mentioning for some time now that he would love to go 'proper' camping. For the uninitiated in the language of small boys, 'proper' camping must take place a significant distance from the place where you live, ie; not in the garden or under the dining table. it must involve an atual tent and there will be no corner-cutting when it comes to cooking and eating al fresco. 
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Monday 11 May 2015

Are You Retiresavvy?


Cubes
Um... no. I am not. I can't deny it, I am woefully unprepared. I have been thinking about it a lot lately, though. Which is why I was more than happy to be given the task of critiquing the new Retiresavvy website. Pension provision effects everyone and I think a lot of us, like me, tend to bury their heads in the sand and hope for the best. However, options for retirement and pensions are changing and it is really important to stay in the loop of what's available and how to prepare for the future.
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Friday 8 May 2015

Win: Evo Cycle Helmet Kit for Global Road Safety Week


This week's competition features an essential element for keeping your child safe on the road. Did you know that around 186,300 children under 18 years die every year on the world's roads? Children in developing countries are three times more likely to die in a road traffic accident than those in developed countries. The Third UN Global Road Safety Week - #SaveKidsLives - aims to highlight and hopefully change this statistic, by raising awareness and finding ways to tackle the problem. By entering this competition, you can help, because every tweet hashtags to this important cause. 
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Living with Asthma from a Young Age - How to Help


Child with Ihaler Illustration
This guest post is written by my daughter Jade, who would like to tell you about her experiences as an Asthma sufferer. She was first diagnosed at the age of 2 and has lots of advice to help young people cope with asthma, based on her own experience. If you know a young asthma sufferer, you might find this post helpful, because no one knows this illness better than someone who has battled it for 20 years. Asthma is dangerous and prolific and it costs lives. Many people are affected by it and the charity Asthma UK is campaigning for Change to improve the lives of the millions of sufferers in this country. Please click the links to find out how you can help. Over to Jade, who I'd like to thank for writing such a lovely post!
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Thursday 7 May 2015

Ode to Too Much Junk Mail!

Close Up of Letter BoxStop shoving stuff through my door,
It’s really becoming a bore,
All kinds of media tat,
Arrives on my mat
And I really can’t take anymore!

Every day with a sure certainty,
There arrives, more or less, half a tree,
Of leaflets and bumf,
Political gumf,
And an advert for podiatry.
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Tuesday 5 May 2015

Remedies for the Common Cold


Hiding under a duvetI have a cold. And like anyone else cursed with the evil ailment, I can think about nothing else. So I might as well blog about it, because I have reached that stage of desperation, where I will try pretty much ANYTHING to be able to taste things again. To be able to speak like a normal person, who doesn't sound like they have their head jammed in a pumpkin. Most importantly, though, what I would really like, right now, more than anything else in the world, just for a little while at least, is to not look like Gollum. There is really nothing I don't want to complain about right now, and I am not alone. So, whether you have a cold yourself, or are tolerating a snuffling, moaning whingebag of your own, this post may just help you out!
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Sunday 3 May 2015

Avengers: Age of Ultron Parent's Guide


At the cinema in an Iron Man costume
Avengers: Age of Ultron has a 12A certificate, which, according to the British Board of Classification means: "Containing material that is not generally suitable for children aged under 12. No one younger than 12 may see a 12A film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. Adults planning to take a child under 12 to view a 12A film should consider whether the film is suitable for that child." However, as this is a Marvel film and, therefore, heavily marketed at children with costumes widely available for under 10s and Lego set for 6-12 year olds, you may find yourself pestered by a small person to see this film. I saw it today with my 9 year old and thought I would publish this guide, based solely on my opinions. I hope you find it helpful.
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My Sunday Photo; Iron Man at the Cinema


Boy Dressed as Iron Man
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Saturday 2 May 2015

Win Philips SHE8000 In-Ear Headphones RRP £25

This week's giveaway is a pair of Philips in-ear headphones, with noise isolation and superior bass. Perfect for some well-earned me-time! Zone out for a while with your favourite tunes and let the world pass you by. Possibly for about five minutes if you have children in the house! make your way through the super-easy Rafflecopter and I hope you win!
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Friday 1 May 2015

Living with MS, Lorna's Story


Beaver Scout Leader in Uniform
I have a lovely friend called Lorna, who I have known for a number of years. I am constantly in awe of her, since she is the sort of mum other mums are jealous of. She bakes amazing cakes, she is super-organised, holds down a demanding job and even finds time to be a fantastic Beaver Scout leader! She is amazing. However, one thing you may not notice about Lorna is that she has a Multiple Sclerosis, a serious medical condition that can effect all kinds of areas of function within the body. She has kindly agreed to spend a little time telling you more about it. Her words a truly inspirational and I may just love her a little bit more after reading them! 
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