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......

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Make it Matter & Making a difference Locally

You may already know that I have been working with Marks and Spencer on their Make It Matter campaign and I recently wrote about the small things that make the days matter to me and my family. I truly believe that happiness and worth comes from our actions we do for ourselves and others and rarely from material objects we own and as a collective people can do amazing things for one another.  I was recently invited to see this in action last week as a group of store workers volunteered their time to bringing an otherwise empty yard at a homeless shelter in Merthyr, one of the most deprived areas of South Wales, into a space for the residents to relax, unwind, open up as well as socialise by bringing in colourful plants, re-painting, redecorating and providing garden furniture and flower beds. While I was there I had the chance to talk to on of the social workers who described how excited she was to finally have a useable outdoor space not only for the residents......

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A family guide to the South of France

Enjoying ice-cream in Antibes  The French Riviera is one of those places that is just perfect for those looking to get away to warmer climates, take in the stylish and laid back Riveria culture, French food and of course stunning beaches. There is also a wonderful combination of countryside and city adventures from small hilltop villages to explore to the designer shops in Cannes, it has it all. It's also a place that makes for a fantastic family break and it's somewhere I keep going back too. I was lucky enough to live and work in Nice for a few months before having children and on my days off I often headed further afield to Antibes, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, St Paul De Vence and Eze Village so it made sense look at a holiday in France with the kids and share this breath-taking coastline with them. For my 30th birthday two years ago I decided that I wanted to spend this milestone birthday on the Riviera and we opted for a stay in a James  Villa in Valbonn......

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Healthy snacking with Googly Fruit

If you read my blog regularly you will know we are pretty keen on healthy eating, especially when it comes to snacks which help to keep hangry kids at bay. I find when my children start to get a little peckish but it's in-between meal time, it's easy to make unhealthy choices simple because your looking for something quick and easy. At home we usually opt for something out of the fruit bowl but this isn't always the case when you are on the go. Thats why having something you can pop into your bag that you know they are going to eat but are also packed with goodness is a win win all round. So when Googly fruit  which despite the name actually combines fruit and veg together got in touch asking us to try out their new organic snacks we thought it was perfect as we can pop these into our bag when heading out and they have a longer self life than fresh fruit. I know there is a fair amount of pouches on the market but I love the interesting flavour combinations th......

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