Review of The Gorgeous Buddy Box from The Blurt Foundation

I have bored everyone for quite a while with the devastion caused by the death of my best friend, but, as I mentioned in my previous post, a few good things came out of it too, not least the kindness of others. Many of my friends came through with all kinds of offers of help and support and it amazed me how thoughtful and understanding everyone was when I needed them most. Although, it shouldn't have done, because friends are amazing. One particular act of kindness made me smile so much, though, I've decided to give it a post of its own. Introducing the Buddy Box, from the mental health charity The Blurt Foundation. It's a hug in a box! 

SS Great Britain Summer Events Programme

School is finally out for us and the last few weeks have been crazy busy. Along with school plays, leavers' celebrations and other events, we somehow managed to squeeze in a visit to one of our favourite Bristol tourist attractions to find out what's on over the summer. The SS Great Britain is somewhere we have always been fond of, as it has a way of growing with children. Each time we go, we discover something different that we hadn't appreciated before. During the summer break, you can get even more for your ticket price with the addition of some amazing extras that will amuse your brood, whatever their age.

Win a Creature Peeper and Get to Know Your Critters!

Smoking - How I Nailed Giving Up with No Substitutes

I am proud to say that my husband has finally managed to give up smoking and the amazing part is, there was virtually no trauma involved! I've always known him as a smoker and I've always accepted it as part of life. As a non-smoker, I've never felt able to judge something I haven't experienced, so I never questioned it. I remember when he first admitted he was a smoker, on our first date. He was clearly embarrassed about it, but it never really bothered me. There have been massive advantages to him giving up smoking though, not least to our bank balance and you won't believe how he did it. This guest post, in his own words, explains it all.

My Sunday Photo: Clash of Ages

Globenfeld Men's Rose Gold Automatic Watch Review

We have reviewed a Globenfeld sports watch before and the husband was very pleased with it, so when I was offered this limited edition, rose gold automatic watch to review, I was thrilled. It looked beautiful in the picture and I was really looking forward to receiving it. I was not disappointed, it is truly stunning. I have never seen anything quite like it, as it doesn't have a battery, but also doesn't need winding. It works through a complicated network of 110 tiny moving parts, some of which can be seen through the windows, which give the watch its unique look and old-style charm. It's a real homage to traditional watch makers of old and has a great deal of appeal as a gift purchase, or treat for yourself.

Win a Disney Travel Easel - Ends 30/07

20 Ways to Encourage Children to be More Active

We all know how important it is to encourage our children to be active, and the summer sunshine makes it all the more obvious, but not all children appreciate it. This might be open to a bit of a 'nature versus nurture' debate, but, in my opinion, all children are different and this aspect is no exception. There are some children who would prefer to be indoors, probably, shock, horror, on their playstations. So, I've made a list of 20 ways to encourage your child to get outside and be more active. I've tried to include different age groups in this, as it does get harder as they get older, but some ideas will overlap anyway.