10 Lies I've Told my Children (republished)

When your little bundles of joy first arrive in the world, you probably make the same promises that most new parents do. To love them, protect them, be patient, be kind and an overall perfect parent. It can't be that hard, surely? Look how small and cute they are! There's no way you will ever want or need to do anything else other than gaze at your new amazing creation. Then it happens. They grow. They learn to talk and move around, at speed, in directions you'd rather they didn't. They learn to memorise adverts and the toy pages of the Argos catalogue. Those first few moments of solitude before they discovered the full capacity of their lungs are a lifetime away as you think up ever-more inventive ways to outwit the little angels.

My Sunday Photo: View of Cardiff Castle

FInding a Photographer in Bristol with Bidvine

It's been bothering me for a little while that I do not have a really good profile picture. This might not sound like a big deal, but, being a blogger, I use social media A LOT, and get just a tiny bit jealous of some of the more professional profile pictures I see. Where the lighting is flattering and they are taken from a better angle by someone who has a clue what they are doing. It might sound a bit vain, but when you see your face all the time, as part of your day, you want it to be a good one! So, I've often wondered what it would cost to get a few professional shots done. So, when Bidvine asked me to try out their service, which puts consumers in touch with professionals, it was a great time to test it out!

Christmas Gift Guide: Teenagers

One of the trickiest groups of people to buy for at Christmas has to be older children, who have got to an age where they know what they want and aren't impressed anymore just because it's shiny or makes a funny noise. Once they reach their teens, all they seem to want is tech, tech, tech. Or, clothes with labels that defy the laws of punctuation and grammar. If it's not designer, expensive, or in constant need of charging, it's not going to cut the mustard. Money is sometimes tight, though, so we've put together a list of alternative gifts, that replace the obvious with the imaginative. Because, sometimes, the best gift is one you didn't even know you wanted. 

A Guest Post on Tantrums, by Tracey from One Frazzled Mum

When your children get older, like mine have, it's easy to get wrapped up in the new challenges life brings and forget how tricky things could be when little ones roamed the household. Sometimes I think we need a little reminder that the grass isn't always greener and, ok, toddlers don't answer back, or hog the remote, or argue with you about the benefits of having their own Youtube channel, but not being able to formulate an argument brings its own problems. As documented by Tracey, who is guest posting today, from One Frazzled Mum. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

A Christmas Gift Guide Blog Linky for the Best Gift Ideas!

 Welcome to the #ChristmasGiftGuide linky, the place for bloggers to link up their gift guides and wish lists for the festive season. The 2016 Christmas Gift Guide Linky makes it really easy to get all of your gift inspiration in one place! Mo, from Adventures of a Novice Mum, and I, are hosting this linky and welcome any current gift guides to provide inspiration and ideas for Christmas shopping. The #ChristmasmasGiftGuide linky will be open from Friday 11th November until Monday 5th December.

Scruffs Workwear: Warm and Comfortable Jacket

For ladies who do a manual job outdoors, it can be really hard to find hardwearing, comfortable clothing, suitable for the environment you work in. There are lots of options for men, but not so many for women. In fact, and I'm not sure if it might be a reflection on our society, but if you search for 'women's workwear' online, you get an awful lot of results giving options for outfits for the office. Not quite, sexist search engines! So, when Scruffs Workwear offered to send me one of their jackets to review, I was really happy to oblige, as it seems this area of necessary apparel has been a little bit overlooked. Obviously, workwear isn't just ideal for those who do a manual job, it's perfect for dog walking, rambling and other outdoor pursuits where a warm, robust exterior is essential for your comfort.