5 things to do in Cheltenham with Kids

We recently jumped in the car for a little road trip to the regency town of Cheltenham. I have done a few day trips here many years ago, all sans kids so I was keen to see what this beautiful town had on offer for families. En route we stopped off at Chepstow Castle before heading up the Wye Valley (a more scenic route) before arriving into Cheltenham and checking into the Cotswolds Grange Hotel which has family rooms and were extremely accommodating so do check out my review. While Cheltenham isn't the biggest town it's fairly easy to navigate and explore on foot for both adults and kids, there is also plenty to do in the surrounding areas but I wanted to focus on what there is to do within walking distance of the town centre for those who are visiting by train or are short on time.  1. Find Neptune's Fountain It is said that Neptune's fountain was modelled on the Trevi Fountain in Rome and while this isn't Rome this fountain is still very impressiv......

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Losing friends to Cancer, New Alternatives & Immunotherapy

Cancer. The word no one wants to hear but will at some point impact our lives in one way or another. My first realisation of the devastation that cancer can cause was when I was a teenager and a family friend, whose daughter was in school with me, fought hard against a brain tumour. She lost her fight. My mother and I visited her while she was ill, it was the first time I had seen what cancer does to a person and to a mother, and the effect cancer has on a family. When I was in my early twenties, my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. Again she fought hard, had endless bouts of chemo which made her incredibly ill from which she had very little rest. She unfortunately passed away. With both of these there was a level of acceptance, they were adults in their 50's and 60's which, of course, is still very young but was slightly easier to understand. What really stopped me in my tracks was what happened last year, I lost my two longest friends to cancer within 10 mont......

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Gratitude and the Balancing Act

So I've been a little quieter over on my blog for the past fortnight or so, there have been a few reasons for that, mainly I've been working on some great posts and projects coupled with the kids catching that awful stomach virus going around and also changing my youngest childcare, which in hindsight was not the best idea just before Christmas, my busiest time, as he is really struggling to settle, so much so that it's massively reduced my childcare at present. Working from home as a freelancer as well as being the main carer to my two active boys it's an easy task and occasionally the routine does go a little haywire and with the additional stress and chaos of Christmas it's been a balancing act to keep all the balls in the air thats for sure (I've dropped a fair few too lately). So I think it times like these when it's been less than smooth sailing, it's really important to practice some gratitude especially when I am aware how lucky I am to be ......

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Be ready for the outdoors with Simply Hike

I love getting outdoors, having always been active and one for an adventure I also know how important it is to make sure you have the right clothes for the occasion. Making sure your dress appropriately will mean enjoying what your doing that much more, no one likes being cold and wet on a hike or too hot for that matter so when it comes to outdoor pursuits investing in some decent clothing is key, also they tend to last much longer making it a much more economical choice long-term. I do think that outdoor clothing gets a bit of a bad wrap for not being cool, on trend or stylish and that simply isn't true! The people over at Simply Hike have asked me to put together an outdoor wish list of what looks great but will keep you outdoor ready this winter season so if you have some adventures planned to take a look. One of the most important things if your planning on heading outdoors for a few hours during the colder months is a good jacket and fleece and opting for a dec......

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