My Sunday Photo: Bristol Harbour at Night

Bristol Harbourside at Night

Creating a Bedroom for a Nine Year Old Boy on a Budget

We've been planning L's room move for some time now. Recently, The Husband had some time off, so we thought we had better go for it. As this was a low budget venture, it was going to take a lot of time and consideration to get it right. We didn't want to spend a lot, because L is at an indecisive age and it probably won't be long before he has set his heart on a whole different colour scheme. Like black, or something. So we endeavoured to create the ideal boys boudoir for under £100. Here's how we got on, including the tricky task of moving his precious sticker collection from his old bedroom wall to the new one!

10 Lies I've Told My Children

At-Bristol, Where Science gets Interesting

I have been to At-Bristol before, on a school trip. The problem with school trips, though, is that you are always very short of time to try to fit everything in, so it never feels like you've seen all there is to see. Nevertheless, I was unsure how much there would be to do. I needn't have been concerned, we arrived at 12:45 and I had to drag him out, under protest, over five hours later! There was just so much there to interest him. It covered all of his favourite hobbies. Animation, stop motion, film-making, construction, with lots of other hands on science exhibits that he had no idea he was interested in!

Christmas Dinner in a Pie with Pieminister

Did you know, the Christmas season begins with your first Christmas pie? You didn't? Neither did I, because I think I just made that up. I might make it a Christmas tradition though, because when I met up with some fellow bloggers in Bristol recently, the arrival of the Pieminister Christmas pies had us all feeling decidely Christmassy. We went along to St Nicholas Market to enjoy our pies and it was bustling with people and excitement, anticipating the Christmas lights switch on. There was even a rooftop band. I swear, only Bristol could have a market so small, you have to put your live band on a roof! 

Why I Hate Black Friday

We live in a society where poverty and desperation are everywhere. From the young man begging next to Bristol Bus Station (nice lad, always says 'good morning'), to the child, enviously eyeing his friend's new tablet, phone, jacket, trainers, whatever. This is the truth of Britain today. It's horrible, but it is something we have had to come to terms with. As a nation we have coped, pulled together, made do and mended as only Britain can. We come together on Facebook, to share bargains and coupons we've found, we come together in life to support foodbanks, do our bit for charities and organise clothes-swapping and other similar events to share what we do have (if you are not doing any of this, try it, it's fun!).

How to Prepare Children for Their Financial Future

It's a hard life being a blogger. Sometimes I spend whole days writing poems and eating biscuits. Other times I go to the seaside to take pictures of the sunset while the children play in the waves. It's a trial, it really is. I'm a very committed blogger, though, so I don't shy away from the work that needs doing. Like when I was invited to attend a gourmet lunch at a swanky hotel in Clifton recently, to discuss a new app aimed at teaching children to manage money responsibly. This is a subject we are very keen on dscussing, as it seems to be getting harder to budget and I think it's so important that children learn the importance of saving and spending wisely. And there were profiteroles. Enough said.

Is Christmas Too Commercialised?

A Guest Post by the Husband

My favourite Christmas song without question is Wizzard's I Wish it Could be Christmas Every Day, because I love to hear the part where the children are singing. My all-time favourite song, which nobody will have heard of, is Snowbound by Genesis because it tells the story of when the snow arrives and all the children build their snowmen. It may sound corny but to me life is all about watching and hearing children play.

Well Fitted Bras Galore!

"A friend is like a good bra: hard to find, comfortable, supportive and never leaves you hanging."

I'm a bit obsessed with well-fitting bras. There is just nothing worse than a badly fitting bra and after having children, it becomes even more important to get the right fit. When you have children, not only can your boobage fluctuate in size quite significantly, due to hormone changes, weight gain, etc, but also comfort becomes a really big deal. You may find yourself having to attempt running, when your toddler makes a break for freedom in the supermarket.