Setting up your pool for the summer? Tips on keeping it maintained all summer long

A pool, whether a built-in or above-ground pool, such as a large summer paddling pool, is meant to be something that you can enjoy and hopefully use year after year. It's not something that you constantly want to think about fixing, but without regular care, it doesn't take very long for small issues to turn into some very big problems. My kids and I have a large 12-foot above-ground pool that we often set up for the summer months, keeping it up for 1-2 months at a time, which means we need to keep it maintained. That's why you need to stay on top of maintenance. Instead of letting things build up, having a consistent routine will assist you with keeping your pool in great condition with a lot less effort. Small issues add up quickly It's very easy to ignore a little bit of debris or slightly cloudy water, especially if you find that you're very busy. But all of these small issues won't stay small for very long. Consistency keeps things simple. Trying to clean y......

Read more »

5 Reasons Why The Maldives is The Number One Honeymoon Destination

When talking about potential honeymoon destinations, one cannot leave out the Maldives, which has been a firm favourite with young honeymoon couples for many years. In this brief blog, we take a closer look at why the Maldives has managed to maintain its top spot, making it a renowned honeymoon destination. Sheer luxury – Take the unique Maldives floating resort as a classic example; the level of luxury is off the charts, with your own private bartender who is available 24/7, as is your personal chef. Your luxury accommodation features every modern convenience imaginable, including a huge flat-screen TV and lightning-fast Internet to keep you connected to the world. Seclusion & privacy – When you and your soulmate are celebrating your union, you obviously want seclusion and some privacy, which you have in abundance when you book an overwater villa in the Maldives. You will have no neighbour issues, as your 5-star villa has full screening and a superb sea view, and even though yo......

Read more »

5 things to consider when purchasing a kids' swimming robe

As a parent, whenever we choose children’s clothing, it needs to be about comfort, safety, and practicality as much as style and I know first hand if my kids are not comfortable, they simply won't wear something. Kids are active and constantly on the move, and that means their clothes need to be durable and flexible enough to handle playtime, while still being soft and comfortable on their sensitive skin. Finding the right balance is the key to keeping the youngsters happy and delivering excellent value for money. A kids swimming robe is an excellent case in point, to ensure their little ones can move freely without irritation, with the choice being extremely important. After swimming sessions, whether at a pool, beach, or during lessons, a robe provides a protective layer that keeps children warm and comfortable, helping to maintain body temperature, especially after coming out of the water.  Here are 5 things to consider before purchasing a kid’s swimming robe. 1. A robe made fr......

Read more »

The Benefits of Choosing an Active Holiday

Planning your next holiday? Whether you’re going solo or you’ve been saving up for a family retreat, an active holiday could be more rewarding than you’d expect. From cycling through peaceful vineyards, kayaking down rivers or getting fiercely competitive on the tennis courts, there are so many reasons to ditch the sun loungers. Personally, I really struggle to sit still, even on holiday, being active brings me a lot of joy and is has positive impacts physically and mentally as well as the social benefits of keeping active on holiday as it opens up opportunities to meet like-minded people. Physical health benefits When you’re taking a break, it’s important to spend time relaxing and stepping away from things that cause you stress in your daily life, however, this doesn’t have to mean lounging by the pool all day, as nice as that is the novelty can wear off and you can also strike a good balance by both chilling out and getting active. Swimming, hiking, and cycling are usually easy to ......

Read more »

Getting back to nature - Family fun during the school holidays

*This post contains affiliate links  As we move through winter and edge towards the warmer months, the little ones and I are already thinking about half term and the Easter holidays which will no doubt be upon us in the blink of an eye. What I love most about half terms are all the possibilities for the kids to really reconnect with nature as part of a family; while they get plenty of outdoor time at school and on weekends - it's not quite the same. For this reason, I try to plan as many fun and exciting things to do that are budget-friendly and gets everyone outside enjoying the fresh air. Here is my mini school-break activity list. 1. Go Geocaching One of our new favourite pastimes is Geocaching; it's perfect for all ages from toddlers to grandparents and best of all, this global treasure hunt app is free to download. For those who don't know what Geocaching is, it's a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game in which you find containers or "caches......

Read more »

How to Pick the Perfect Villa for a Family Holiday

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will probably already know that we love to travel and we are also a big fan of self-catering because with children being able to cook for yourself whenever you want is a major plus as it's less restrictive and more flexible for kids which is what you want when you're on a break away from the day to day routine and hustle bustle of daily life. What we also love about a Villa property is that you can opt for ones that accommodated extended family members as well or even friends, that way you can travel and stay together as a group and also share the cost between more people but not compromise on facilities and location. Why a Villa ? So I have already shared a few good reasons above but personally, the major pluses of a Villa is that it's self-catering and the perfect option for larger groups but it also makes a great home base when you're traveling somewhere new and provides a level of privacy you dont get in a hotel......

Read more »

Classic swimwear that never goes out of fashion

We all love summer, the heat, the outdoor barbecues, the 9pm sunsets. But one thing that’s a little trickier is trying to find the perfect swimsuit. With so many styles, cuts, colours and prices and to choose from, it can be completely overwhelming – especially if you want to be on-trend. Luckily, there are some classic swimwear options out there that are truly timeless and will look great on all body shapes. So let’s get back to the basics and this year find ourselves a classic bathing suit that we can feel confident wearing year after year. The one piece Yes I said it, the one piece is in. It’s timeless and classic and is sure to look good on a variety of body shapes. If you’re worried about all those extra calories you consumed during the winter months you can rest easy, as wearing a well-made, well-fitting one piece can accentuate your curves, down-play your trouble areas and make you look fantastic. If it’s good enough for Marilyn it’s good enough for me. After all......

Read more »

How to Always be Beach Ready this summer

For families, the summer is a great time of the year. The fact that the weather is better gives you the chance to get out and about more, and spend more time together. One of the nicest things to do as a family is to visit the beach. We take the kids all the time. They love it and so do we, which is why we are always beach ready. As soon as there is a hint of sun we grab our swimming costumes and swim shorts , pile in the car, and head to the beach. We tend to go on weekdays, when there are fewer people, but at a push we will brave the crowds and go on the weekend. Especially if it has been a while since we had a sunny day. We are always beach ready, so that we can take every opportunity to get out there, and enjoy ourselves. To make sure that we are we keep a beach bag packed, and have a checklist on hand to use so that we do not leave anything vital at home. Sun protection Top of the list is sun protection for us and the kids. That means sun hats, sungla......

Read more »

Northern France with P&O and Hotel Du Parc

If you follow our family travel adventures on Instagram you may have already noticed that at the beginning of summer we spent a long weekend exploring the small village of Hardelot in Northern France as well as the fascinating sea centre Nausicaa in Boulogne-sur-Mer.  We have done a fair few short European breaks taking either the Eurostar or Ferry although always as foot passengers so my eldest was extremely excited at the prospect of driving our car onto a ferry and driving off again in another country. The journey from South Wales to Dover  is just over 4hrs so we decided to stay at a Premier Inn on the way down from Cardiff to split up the journey. This meant we were only an hour away from the ferry terminal in the morning making for a far more relaxed start to what would be a long day. Once we arrived into Dover, the check-in service for our P&O Ferry   was very quick and straight forward despite there being cues later in the season our experience......

Read more »

Bosinver Farm Cottages, Cornwall Part 2

Last month we had the chance to spend a few amazing days down in Cornwall at the luxury self catering Bosinver Farm Cottages near St Austell, in my first post I focused on the accommodation and outdoor activities on offer, in this my second post I want to share what there is to do indoors, wether it be a rainy day or you fancy a dip in their heated pool, there is plenty to do. No stone has been left unturned at Bosinver when it comes to family friendly facilities and what's best is everything is included in the price, from the wifi to gym equipment, wellies, umbrellas and a film library, it's all free to use. What was a real hit with both of the boys was the designated Play bar which had something for everyone including treadmills and a cross-trainer should you feel the need to get fit while the kids have fun. The play barn was particularly useful when we had a very wet day and after a mid-morning adventure we headed back to the farm and I had a ch......

Read more »

Free Range fun at Bluestones Resort

Earlier this month we were lucky enough to have a 4 night break at Bluestones National Park Resort in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, a welcomed relaxing trip after the mania that was Christmas. Unfortunately John had to work but my mother was more than happy to come along which was lovely as both Mr A and I got to spend some quality time with both her before the baby arrives next month. It took us just under two hours to reach Bluestone although we were in no rush and enjoyed driving along some pretty country lanes. Once we arrived and checked into our Ramsey Lodge it was already dark but that didn't stop us having a night time walk to explore our surroundings and get our bearings. The next morning we were up bright and early as it was going to be the driest day of our stay. We walked down to the village where we enjoyed some fresh pastries from the bakery before having some fun in the treetops treehouse which is a little wooden playpark that encourages natural p......

Read more »