Embracing a No-spend Weekend

As much as we love to explore further afield it can become pricey so during our down time we love to embrace simple weekends staying close to home and taking advantage of all the amazing things on our doorstep here in South Wales. Living a stone's throw away from the city can mean that even local days out can end up costing a fair amount so taking steps to be more frugal especially on the weekends is important. Luckily we have plenty of outdoor places to explore in and around Cardiff which makes a great base for low-cost days out. We had recently been set a challenge by Scottish Friendly to get as much out of a weekend for as little as possible and who doesn't like a challenge? I thought the main thing we would struggle with was the little extras we pick up when we are out and about, such as coffee, a cheeky piece of cake or a sandwich. I always pack some apples, snacks and water but as we are often out over lunch time we do end up spending on food. This usua......

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A weekend exploring London's West End with Kids

I still remember like it was yesterday my own excitement as a child heading into London to see Starlight Express on the West End with my parents, it was a big deal and I was captivated from start to finish, it is one of my favourite childhood memories and I was thrilled to be reliving this experience with my kids. We boarded the train early in the morning and I'm not sure who was more excited, me or the kids about our trip to the Capital, either way I knew it was going to be a fantastic weekend away and  wasn't wrong. As soon as we arrived at Paddington station we made our way to the Lyric Theatre in the West End, picked up our tickets and stood in line as the atmosphere started to build as more families joined. August is the best time to introduce the wonderful world of theatre to your kids as it's Kids Week in London, a month long initiative that allows kids to go to an array of West End productions for free with a full paying adult. Being Julia Donaldson......

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Weekend adventures with the KA+ Part 2

We were set a challenge by Ford to get as much out of a weekend on a very small budget while trying out the new KA+. You may have read our first post about this weekend were we explored Tredegar House, a National Trust Property we had yet to visit and gave us a chance to use our family pass. On the Sunday we had planned to drive up to the Brecon Beacons but after a jaunt into the city and the changeable weather we decided to stay local and go to a nearby country park which was not only fun but also very budget friendly. So we packed the car up with the boys two scooters, a few snacks and headed off to have some outdoor fun. I was really pleasantly surprised at how much the boot of the car can fit in, we had no issues getting in both scooters, our wellies, backpack and bag of snacks and still have plenty of room left. Two days before this I tried out getting my youngest pram into the boot as my mother use to have an old KA and I could never get it in but good news is t......

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A weekend in Cardiff, Good Food & Castle fun

Having been away so much lately I thought it was time to do a post closer to home, highlighting a simple weekend in the Welsh capital of Cardiff. I have mentioned it a few times before on the blog but there is a real food revolution happening in the city and so many new places popping up one is really spoilt for choice. Our weekends are of course set aside for quality family time and we often find ourselves in the city, usually running around Bute Park or talking a stroll down the bay and then on the hunt for a bite to eat. I was invited to the opening of The Stable a while back but unfortunately couldn't make on the night but had heard great things about their Pizza's so we thought as a treat we would check it out. First of all I love the open plan interior and large floor to ceiling windows which let in so much natural light. Also the large communal tables and benches provide a cool and informal dinning experience. I opted for the salad which was fres......

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A place to relax

It's been a pretty long and hard week with the baby waking up around twice every night and then Mr A being up ready for the day at 7am it's no wonder I am feeling a little bit under the weather this weekend. I know some downtime, restful sleep and good food will do the world of good. This weekend I am going to make time to relax, have a cup of tea, ready some magazines and cosy up with some blankets on the sofa. Love this simple scandi interior style  Unfortunately our sofa is on the way out, one of the feet has bent in a way that cannot be fixed and is being propped up by my sewing case which is not ideal but does the job, although now it's also starting to go in the middle so on this occasion I may have to over-ride my "make do and mend" mentality and start looking around of a new one. In a way thats not a bad thing as neither of us really loved the sofa when we bought it a few years ago, it was just practical at the time but thinking about how muc......

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What to Wear for a family Outdoor Adventure

Everyone loves the summer, and this year we've been pretty fortunate in actually getting to see some real sunshine. The warm days and long nights are perfect for a weekend of outdoor adventures, when you can blow away the cobwebs, unwind from work and partake in some good old fashioned family bonding. But what to wear for said family fun? Being outdoorsy definitely doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on style. 1. A waterproof We are in the UK after all, so a waterproof jacket is an absolute must for any outdoor activity. Thankfully, there’s some amazing macs on the market just now for men and women. Make sure it is lightweight and not too loose-fitting -– you want it to be snug to avoid that, ’wearing a tent’ look! 2. Hiking shoes You only need to wander into any outdoor clothing shop these days to see just how far hiking and climbing shoes have come style-wise since the days of basic clunky brown boots. You’ll find everything from walking sandals to full-duty tr......

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Weekends with a Giggle

So last weekend on Easter Sunday, after the hunt and lots of chocolate we decided we needed to get out in the fresh air so heading into the city for a bit of fun. As you can probably tell I am feeling a lot better, 6 week posts c-seciton and my energy levels are back up and so are out mini adventures and its also given me time to really test drive our new stroller The Cosatto Giggle 2. With Mr A we struggled to find a stroller that worked for all of us, we wanted something nippy, easy to control with one hand, that folds down quickly and doesn't make you want to cry every time it takes you 10 frustrating minutes to unfold again and luckily I can say the Giggle has changed our perspective on strollers as it's so easy to use as well as being super stylish and it collapses and folds in literally seconds so no more frustrated faces here. Best of all is Mr G is so very comfy in it that he often falls of straight to sleep, allowing for myself to have a bit more tim......

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