#BestTimesCaptured


I love taking photos and capturing the best times such as the kids starting the first day of school or a capturing a beautiful view. I love joining in with Instagram communities and I have always wanted my own for a while now and I have finally decided to start one. Best Times Captured sounded perfect for me to start. #Besttimescaptured is an Instagram community for all bloggers and non bloggers to join in to share your best photos {any photos!}

Six Weeks {The Ordinary Moments}


Oh, my sweet little boy. Six weeks old already. The past six weeks has been a challenge but it's been amazing. I wouldn't of changed a thing... Ok, maybe I would of preferred a few days where the girls could of been in school but otherwise it was all good. I really can't believe my little boy is now six weeks old. Six weeks seems like a big step as I remember when he was newborn I was just hoping the sixth week wouldn't come by so quickly because when the six weeks come by it's when the health visitor slowly cuts visits and the time for my six week post partum check up. 

It does make me feel sad that Freddie isn't really a newborn anymore. He's always been a big baby since the day he was born but to me he is little. He is my little boy. It did get on my nerves {a lot} when people would just repeat the words 'oh he's a big boy' and so on. Nothing I should get annoyed about, but I did and it still does when people say it over and over again. 

Just Another Linky | 27th August

Happy Saturday, again! This week has flown by. I hope you all had a great week. I turned 24 on Monday but didn't do nothing to celebrate. I stayed home with my kids and a friend came over to see me which was nice. This week has been up and down for me but hoping for a better week to come. I hope you all have a wonderful bank holiday weekend! Can't wait to read all your posts.

As always: This linky is for all bloggers. Link up any kind of posts but remember don't link and jump! Be sure to read the guidelines below before linking.

* PLEASE LINK UP A BLOG POST AND NO MORE THAN TWO POSTS*


*  G U I D E L I N E S *


- When you link up be sure you are linking up a blog post only

- If you are taking part, make sure you comment on the post before you AND two other posts
- When commenting be sure to leave #justanotherlinky at the end of your comment
- Feel free to leave a badge or link at the end of your post, but I would appreciate it somewhere on your blog {eg. on a linky page, side banner etc}
- ANY kind of post can be linked up
- ANY kind of blogger can link up and join in
- There is no theme to this linky
- Please do not link up any giveaways, UNLESS it is a part of a detailed post

When you comment on other posts remember to add #justanotherlinky at the end! 


- Please do not link up more than two posts

- Linky is now open from Saturday until Monday 11.55pm. 

* S O C I A L  M E D I A *


TWITTER

- Feel free to tweet your post to me @lifeasmumblog and @mylifeasamummyx and use the #justanotherlinky hashtag, we shall re-tweet you
- If we are not following you, please leave a comment on this page and let us know Or tweet us!
- If you would like to be reminded on the morning of when the linky is open, do let us know

FACEBOOK
We do have a Facebook page. Which you can find here. It would be great if you could all join, pretty please! It's basically a support page and a page you can share you posts. I will do a weekly thread too. More details to come on the page. 


POST COMMENTS

Each week I will link 3 people who are our top 3 commenters. This week there are 5 people! One person commented 11 posts {fantastic!} and 4 others commented 3 posts each {great!}. Sadly, there were still 7 posts that received no comments, which is disapointing but I am sure we can get that number down next week? Remember, the linky is open until Monday night so please come back and comment the newest posts after you.

Our top commenter this week was: Lizzie Daily Blog
{She commented 11 posts! Thank you so much!}

There was a tie for 2nd, in fact there were FOUR people who commented 3 posts each. So we won't have a 3rd this week and so these are the 4:
S and B Mama 2015 
Hello Archie
Diaries From Day Dot
Emma Plus Three

Thank you so much to you all and everyone else who commented!

The more you comment the higher chance you have to be in the top 3!

___________________________________________________


FAVOURITE POSTS

I couldn't choose just one favourite post this week. These two are my favourite posts from last week's #justanotherlinky :

 Emma's post Welcome to Holland | An Autism Poem

and

Hayley's post One of those days


___________________________________________________


Now all there is to do is, link up :) Enjoy! 




Baby Basket - What's Inside?


When you've just given birth the last thing you want to do is go up and downstairs getting the baby a new nappy, clothes or getting the creams. This is one of the reasons I decided to fill up a basket before Freddie arrived and I keep the basket in the living room. It has been so handy and I did the same thing with Mia and Elliw when they were babies too. It saves me having to go upstairs or into another room each time I needed something for them.

The Crowd2Fund IFISA Allows Families To Diversfy Their Investment Strategy In A Post Brexit Environment.

The UK’s decision to vote for Brexit on 23 June was unexpected. In the interim, the pound has fallen to a thirty-year low, the UK has been downgraded by two different credit ratings agencies, and the FTSE 250 has suffered. It is unclear what the repercussions are and whether they will be long or term. 

This uncertainty calls for a new investment strategy. In order to counter any bumps and unexpected turns the markets take families are encouraged to diversify their investments in order to have a balanced portfolio to counter any potential risks.

The current economic outlook makes it look likely that interest rates will be slashed even lower than the historic 0.5% rate, which they have been set at since 2009. In order to beat inflation, approximately 3%, families will need to take their cash out of banks, and many high savings bank accounts, in order for their assets to not deteriorate in value.

Additionally, the cost of living is increasing as are many essentials for families such as school fees. The Good Schools Guide recently revealed that it now costs £16,500 a year to send a child to a private school in London. This is an increase of more than 20% over the last five years, and easily outstrips inflation and the minimal growth of the average salaries.

One effective way to counter against this perfect storm is through the implementation of the Government’s new innovative finance ISA, or IFISA. Introduced in April of this year, it differs to the standard ISA product as it allows savers to invest money on P2P platforms which are then lent out to third party businesses.  

In simple terms, this allows investors to lend money to credit worthy businesses seeking debt funds. Crowd2Fund, one of only a handful of IFISA products on the market allows savers to enjoy gross returns of up to around 8%. Within Crowd2Fund’s IFISA investors are able to invest in a number of growing and exciting British businesses, with the addition of enjoying tax free returns.

In order to diversify, and spread the chance of risk, families are encouraged to invest in a number of different sectors. Current opportunities on the platform include Genpower, an award winning distributor of power equipment, and Genie9, an innovative provider of cloud data storage backup services.

Crowd2Fund also have an ios and Android app, which means you can even review opportunities and invest on your phone whilst you are on the school run.

As well as utilising the current year’s ISA allowance, currently £15,240, investors are able to move historic holdings in third party providers into Crowd2Fund’s IFISA. This is a very easy process, and families would be wise to do this if funds are held in cash ISA’s due to low returns which they currently offer.

When doing this it is important that you do not fall foul of losing your tax wrapper. For simple instructions how to do this securely read the instructions on Crowd2Fund’s website.

Taking action now will help counter against future uncertainty and risk from Brexit, and will help you prepare and safeguard for your family’s future.

* Written by Crowd2Fund *

My Three Sweet Babies


Although Freddie is 5 weeks old now I am still trying to get used to certain things on being a Mum of 3. I still find myself saying 'my girls' instead of 'my children' as I'm not just a mum to my girls anymore, I'm a mum to my little boy too. The past 5 weeks has been amazing but it hasn't been easy. I recently wrote a post on how I feel and if I am honest I am hoping these next couple of weeks go pretty quickly so we can get back into routine but I do plan to make some more memories with the girls before they start school.

"Why Do You Cry Everyday Mam?"

"Why do you cry everyday Mam?"

Are the words of my four year old daughter.

Words no child should ask a parent. 

But in reality sometimes you just can't hide those tears even if you try. Sometimes it can just become too much and it's fine to just let it all out and cry. But when you have your child in front of you, cuddling you and wiping your tears away it kind of makes it harder to stop because by then you are feeling that guilt, you don't feel strong and you feel like a cr*p Mum because you're supposed to be strong in front of your children, you're not supposed to cry.

But sometimes, you just can't stop the tears.

The times you are just so scared of leaving the house because you feel like you will be judged by everyone who passes you. When you hear people talking or looking at you, you instantly think they are talking about you in a negative kind of way. Your mind goes mad with all kinds of confusing thoughts about wondering what they are saying but they're not even saying anything about you. 

The times you feel scared to leave the house to take the kids for a walk or even to the hairdressers. Pulling off getting your own hair done and even the girls hair done for so many months because you're just too nervous to go there. Scared for no reason at all. But when you finally booked, your stomach is full of nerves, you want to throw up but you manage to get there and you feel like you've achieved something. That feeling is good.

The times when the kids have a bad day doesn't help your bad day. You end up shouting, screaming and just breaking down. You end up letting them do what they want because you just don't have that energy, you feel like a failure of a parent and you just feel useless. 

When you feel like you have to please everyone and it just gets a little too much to handle but you have to put that brave face on. You know, that smile or that laugh but inside you feel like you're breaking. The time you arrive home you just sit down and let it all out, again.

Anything can set you off. Someone telling you that you've done something wrong, even if it's the smallest thing can make you feel worthless. It can make you feel like you always do things wrong and nothing is ever good enough.

You look in the mirror and all thoughts come to your head. You then end up hating looking at yourself in the mirror, you hate your appearance and you want to change but you just don't have that strength or energy. 

That feeling of not being good enough for your children or anyone else will bring you down. 

You can't handle big groups of people. Loud noises such as a group of people talking can be a little too much at times. So you just blank everyone out and find yourself in the world of your own by staring blankly until someone asks you if you're ok. 

Are you okay

Are sometimes the words you need to hear.

You want someone to ask you how you feel. 

You try your damn hardest to be the best parent to your children. Although you feel like you're failing, hearing those three special words, "I Love You" from your own children makes all the pain worth it and you know one day, you'll be just fine because at the end of the day in your children's eyes, you are a super human! 

But for now, letting all those tears out in the bathroom or when you fall asleep at night is the best way to cope. 

This is me. 

#ParentOn Baby Milestone Cards By Tommee Tippee / Giveaway


Parenting can be pretty challenging at times and comes with its highs and lows such as capturing that first step, hearing their first giggle and the lows {which can sometimes be hilarious!} by an exploding nappy, you know that one that goes right up their back? or even those bad temper tantrums they have in the middle of the shop. But, we wouldn't change them for the world.

Just Another Linky 20/08

Happy Saturday! Hope you've all had a wonderful week. The linky wasn't busy last week but thank you so much to all who linked up. I am really hoping this linky picks up in the next few weeks so we can all have a big range of blogs to read again like a few months ago. I plan to give it a good few weeks again to try our best to pick it up and get it popular again.

I've had quite a busy week work wise and I am glad I have come back on the blog wagon again. I'm still trying to find the time to do it but I've also started comping. I find that it's something to do when Freddie is feeding. I look forward to read all your posts this week. 

As always: This linky is for all bloggers. Link up any kind of posts but remember don't link and jump! Be sure to read the guidelines below before linking.


*  G U I D E L I N E S *


- When you link up be sure you are linking up a blog post only

- If you are taking part, make sure you comment on the post before you AND two other posts
- When commenting be sure to leave #justanotherlinky at the end of your comment
- Feel free to leave a badge or link at the end of your post, but I would appreciate it somewhere on your blog {eg. on a linky page, side banner etc}
- ANY kind of post can be linked up
- ANY kind of blogger can link up and join in
- There is no theme to this linky
- Please do not link up any giveaways, UNLESS it is a part of a detailed post

When you comment on other posts remember to add #justanotherlinky at the end! 


- Please do not link up more than two posts

- Linky is now open from Saturday until Monday 11.55pm. 

* S O C I A L  M E D I A *


TWITTER

- Feel free to tweet your post to me @lifeasmumblog and @mylifeasamummyx and use the #justanotherlinky hashtage, we shall re-tweet you
- If we are not following you, please leave a comment on this page and let us know Or tweet us!
- If you would like to be reminded on the morning of when the linky is open, do let us know

FACEBOOK
We do have a Facebook page. Which you can find here. It would be great if you could all join, pretty please! It's basically a support page and a page you can share you posts. I will do a weekly thread too. More details to come on the page. 


Other new things to come to this linky is: Post with most comments, Blogger who's commented the most and my favourite post. 

POST COMMENTS
This is new to #justanotherlinky and I thought it was a good idea to add it to the linky so people don't link drop and run. Last week's linky wasn't busy at all but I was still happy with the people who did comment on other posts {this does not include the host posts!}. Sadly, there was 1 post which had no comments and only from Laura and myself. So please remember that the linky is open until Monday and there will be new posts since you linked up. So please come back and share the love!

Each week we will let you all know who our top 3 commenters were. From last week our top commenters were:

Our top commenter was the lovely Jenny from Midwife and Life

Our second top commenter was the lovely Lisa from The Working Mummy

Lastly, our third top commenter was Toni from Gym Bunny Mummy

Thank you so much to you 3 and everyone else who commented!

The more you comment the higher chance you have to be in the top 3!

FAVOURITE POSTS
Laura and I loved reading your posts from last week. Each week we will both choose our favourite post of the week and share it on the following week's linky.

My favourite post of the week was Nige's post Children: OMG! The Cost! talking about how expensive kids really are as they grow older.

Laura's favourite post of the week was the same as me!


Now all there is to do is, link up :) Enjoy! 




Do You Love or Hate The Summer Holidays?


When January comes I get all excited for the school summer holidays. The sun is out {sometimes}, spending time with the kids and not having to get up so early to do the early morning school runs. I love it! The first week and maybe second week it's not bad. I tell people that I have been looking forward to have them off, I plan to do as much as I can with the kids whilst they are off before heading back to school in September. But then the third week comes...

Baby Style Friday









When I fell pregnant with Freddie I was offered loads of clothes by two close friends and I was so greatful of all the lovely clothes I received. Although I had many clothes for Freddie I still wanted to go out and buy more. Baby fashion has changed so much since both my girls were babies/toddlers and being able to buy for a little boy this time, I just had to go out and buy my own things for him too. He was also given a few clothes after he was born too.

Breastfeeding Journey | 1 Month


I've decided to start writing about my breastfeeding journey each month as I am hoping to breastfeed until Freddie is at least 1 years old, unless he has weaned off before then. I am lucky that I am a working from home mum and get the chance to breastfeed Freddie for however long I want and for however long he wants to also. From when I found out I was pregnant with Freddie I just knew I wanted to breastfeed this time after formula feeding my girls.

Activities Kids Can Do In The Back Garden


There are many places to visit with kids but sometimes kids can have even more fun in their own back garden. There are so many things the kids can do in the garden which can keep them entertained for hours on end. There are a few good reasons to have a day at home and let the kids play in the garden. You don't have to make yourself of the kids presentable. You can all just chill out in the back without worrying about things like you would have to sometimes when you visit places. It's free and you can just sit back with your cuppa and relax whilst the kids play. If you've got a back garden for the kids to play and can't think of many things for them to do, here is a list of things kids can do to keep themselves entertained in the back garden. 

Why Vietnam is the perfect place for a family holiday

When it comes to family holidays what springs to mind? All inclusive package deals in Gran Canaria? Wet weekends on the British coastline? There are so many different holidays you can go on with children, so why not choose somewhere a little more exotic like, say, Vietnam?

The country is the perfect place for small explorers (although it’s a good idea to note that such a trip is best for children from around the age of six and above) and those who love to soak up the sun. It’s full of culture, great food and picture perfect landscapes to enjoy.

The bustling streets are full of interesting sights for kids to marvel at – motorbikes are one of the main forms of transportation and are regularly loaded up with everything from whole families to pigs and goods to sell!

Hoi An is a popular destination for families and is considered one of the safest locations in the country. It’s great for those who love shopping, as you can have clothes handmade for you at really reasonable prices and the end results are stunning – perfect if you want to take a little slice of Vietnam home with you and show it off to friends and family when you return.

Zoos aren’t recommended in Vietnam, many of the animals are packed into small cages and not tended for properly but if you are staying in the area the Cuc Phuong National Park and Endangered Primate Rescue Centre is definitely worth visiting. A guide takes you through the trees to see the monkeys swinging through their large cages where they are housed to keep them safe from poaching and extinction. It’s a great way of teaching kids about the environment and the importance of caring for animals alongside your fun family holiday.

The Mekong Delta is another recommended area of Vietnam to plan a visit to. It’s a great location for kids to learn about how other people live. You can visit the traditional villages and see how people work in the rice fields, as well as experience children riding on the back of water buffalos and explore the vast floating markets. It’s a great destination if you want to experience a snapshot of another way of life and is beautiful too.

For the family who loves nothing more than spending their days with sand between their toes and the sun on their backs, a visit to An Bang beach is recommended. With a strip of restaurants and bars gracing the sandy strip it’s great for those who like to fill up at lunchtime and have somewhere to go during the day to grab drinks.

For kids who enjoy water parks the Vinpearl Amusement Park based in Nha Trang is a must visit. Accessible via cable car or boat it’s a great place to spend the day with water slides, wave machines and lazy rivers to enjoy. There is also a 4D cinema show that kids will love, as well as an arcade and a carnival.


So this year, forget about the traditional Spanish holiday, book a trip to Vietnam and go on a real adventure as a family! 

A Brother & His Sisters {August}


When I was pregnant with Freddie I couldn't wait to do a monthly sibling post that included Freddie too. Last month I wrote the first ever sibling post that included Freddie but I couldn't really write how the girls had been with him properly as he was only born on the 16th of July. Freddie is now over a month old and it has been a very hard but amazing month and I wouldn't change a thing.

Breastfeeding Tips


I have been breastfeeding for just over a month now and I am so glad I decided to breastfeed this time and actually stuck to it too. I formula bottle fed my other two children but I regretted not trying to breastfeed with my second child, so I knew the minute I found out I was pregnant with my third baby that I wanted to breastfeed. But all the way through my pregnancy I was nervous as I had no clue about breastfeeding. I didn't know how often they fed, how to get baby to latch properly, if there was any pains, how it would be feeding in front of others and so on. But with just over a month of breastfeeding it is the best decision I have ever made.

Bathroom On A Budget


When my partner and I moved into our home just over 2 years ago we couldn't wait to get things finished and sorted. The room that we have only recently started to work on is the bathroom. August last year our kitchen ceiling collapsed and we had noticed there was a leak from the bathroom which is on top of the kitchen so we had to get rid of the current bath and buy a whole new bath and re-do the tile walls. We finally decided on the tiles we wanted but have left the other half of the bathroom and it still needs to doing to this day.

How to Prevent Brain Drain Over the Summer Holidays

The school holidays are here! For many of us, that means tons more quality time with our kids, which is always a great thing. However, it can also mean there’s more you need to do to keep the kids entertained so they don’t destroy the house or upset their siblings!

With our baby boy joining our family this month, our efforts are going to be very much focussed on getting used to the new dynamic and enjoying lots of quality time together. But, we’ll also be giving a bit of thought to what we can do to keep the girls occupied specifically, and – just importantly – how to help them keep learning and exploring.

Hope Education have come up with ten ideas that parents can do to prevent ‘brain drain’ happening to kids over the summer, and I was surprised to see that some of them are things we already do. What about you? Do you do any of these things with your children, and is there anything you’ll do this from this list to keep their little brains sharp until September?   


1 Month Update {Freddie & Me}


I can not believe I am actually writing Freddie's 1 month update. How is he 1 whole month already? Where has the time gone? This past month has been amazing, there has been a few ups and downs but I really wouldn't want it any other way. My little boy has really completed our little family and we are all so happy. Couldn't imagine my life without him now.

It Won't Last Forever {The Ordinary Moments}


My Freddie has been here for a month tomorrow and I have loved every single minute of it. I am trying my best to enjoy every single minute and take in every minute and everything that he does because he is my last baby and I will never be experiencing any of his 'firsts' again. It does make me sad that he is my last baby but he is just that extra special because he is my last. I am not going to lie, the last 4 weeks have been tiring, well, exhausting but also amazing.

Grow Your Family With UPPAbaby VISTA Pram


When I fell pregnant with Elliw one of my first thoughts were how was I going to get about with a 2 year old and a newborn baby? I had never looked at double prams or strollers before and I was really worried about the price. One of my biggest worries was spending double and having to buy one double pram and one single pram because Mia goes to her Dad's once a week on the weekends.

Managing Your Finances with a Young Family


Are you struggling to keep on top of your finances with a young family? Well, you’re not alone. The average family with two children bring in £31,000 a year after tax, but if you fall below that number, have more children or have debt to clear, it can be hard to make ends meet. Here’s how to mange your finances with a young family, however much you earn:

Budget Christmas | Win £50

I've said it! I've said that 'C' word. Christmas! There isn't long to wait now and Christmas will be here. This time last year I had already bought more than half of the kids' Christmas presents and I think it saved me a lot of money as I did find a lot of the prices went up the following month or two as Christmas was getting closer. Christmas is a very expensive time of the year for parents especially. But there are ways you can budget for Christmas and not go overboard with presents.

Let The Kids Choose
Sit down with the children, get some magazines and catalogues together and let the kids decide what they would like for Christmas. You could make this as a craft activity. all you will need is a piece of paper or card, glue or selotape, scissors and a catalogue/magazine. Then all the kids have to do is cut out the toys/clothes/accessories they would like from Santa for Christmas. 

Have A Budget
You will never budget if you don't have a set budget. Try and think how much money you want to spend on each child and stick to the budget. 

Shop Online
By shopping online you know how much you are spending and if you were in a shop you would be more tempted to put extra things that you don't need into your basket. Also, with online shopping you can be on different sites at the same time which means you have a better chance for finding bargains and better offers - which saves you money! 

Enter Competitions/Giveaways
Spend a couple of hours a day (or more if you can) and enter giveaways through Facebook, Blogs, Twitter and Instagram. There are hundreds and hundreds of giveaways around these days. The more you enter the more chance you have to win something. 



Are you ready for Christmas?

I am giving £50 away to one lucky winner. You can either have the £50 sent to you via PayPal or as £50 Amazon vouchers {online}. Please read the terms and conditions.

This giveaway is open worldwide. The £50 will be sent to the winner via PayPal - IF you do not have Paypal then I will be happy to exchange the £50 cash to a £50 Amazon online evoucher. The winner will be notified within 48 hours of giveaway ending. Giveaway ends 11th September 2016 at 11.55PM. Please enter the Rafflecopter correctly. Any questions please e-mail me : bethmiaelliw@outlook.com


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Just Another Linky | 13/08

Hello! Just Another Linky is back! I decided to take a couple of weeks off and in between that we have a brand new co-host! Welcome to the lovely Laura over at My Life as a Mummy. I really hope this linky will get as popular as it did a couple of months ago. Before I start, I'd like you all to say hello to our newest addition - my little boy, Freddie who was born on the 16th of July :)



As always: This linky is for all bloggers. Link up any kind of posts but remember don't link and jump! Be sure to read the guidelines below before linking.


*  G U I D E L I N E S *


- When you link up be sure you are linking up a blog post only

- If you are taking part, make sure you comment on the post before you AND two other posts
- When commenting be sure to leave #justanotherlinky at the end of your comment
- Feel free to leave a badge or link at the end of your post, but I would appreciate it somewhere on your blog {eg. on a linky page, side banner etc}
- ANY kind of post can be linked up
- ANY kind of blogger can link up and join in
- There is no theme to this linky
- Please do not link up any giveaways, UNLESS it is a part of a detailed post


- Please do not link up more than two posts

- Linky is now open from Saturday until Sunday 11.55pm. 

* S O C I A L  M E D I A *


TWITTER

- Feel free to tweet your post to me @lifeasmumblog and @mylifeasamummyx and use the #justanotherlinky hashtage, we shall re-tweet you
- If we are not following you, please leave a comment on this page and let us know Or tweet us!
- If you would like to be reminded on the morning of when the linky is open, do let us know

FACEBOOK
We do have a Facebook page. Which you can find here. It would be great if you could all join, pretty please! It's basically a support page and a page you can share you posts. I will do a weekly thread too. More details to come on the page. 


Other new things to come to this linky is: Post with most comments, Blogger who's commented the most and my favourite post. 



Now all there is to do is, link up :) Enjoy! 






How to take your own wedding photos


When planning a wedding, you might find your eyes watering at the costs of ‘necessary’ elements of your big day, such as the cake, dress alterations and the DJ. But sometimes these can be done by yourself with some clever planning and perhaps some persuasion skills…

Sometimes the biggest cost comes with hiring a photographer, so let’s take a look at how you can save a lot of cash, by taking your own wedding photos:

Pregnancy Scans


A few weeks after finding out I was pregnant with Freddie I decided that I really wanted a private 3D scan. I remember that I wanted one when I was pregnant with Elliw but I just never got round to it. I found somewhere that did a gender scan before 16 weeks. So at 14 weeks 5 days I went to HelloBaby near Liverpool and got my 3D gender scan done. The woman saw that I had two girls and asked if I would like a boy this time - I am not going to lie, I did want a boy. Not long after, she told me I was carrying a little boy! At first I thought she was joking around until I saw the screen and it was just very obvious he was boy. I was over the moon. No words could describe how happy I was at that time. 

The Last Few Weeks Of My Third Pregnancy


It feels like such a long time ago that I was pregnant but I still remember how I felt during those last couple of weeks of pregnancy. I must admit my third pregnancy was the hardest out of all three and I think the main reason is because I had two other children to look after too, so I couldn't rest as much as I wanted and I had to move around and do things every day. What didn't help was the two day hospital trips every week since I was 27 weeks pregnant. But it was all worth it.

Are All 'Natural' Cleaning Products Better For Your Home?


Your weekly trip to the supermarket, as well as food and toiletries is likely to include cleaning products, but did you know that every time you scrub the toilet and wash the floors, you could actually be doing more harm than good?

We all use a wide assortment of cleaners specifically designed to clean bathrooms, drains and glass, as well as bleaches and polishes to ensure our homes stay smelling great and looking sparkly. While they do clean our surfaces and leave them germ-free, they also contribute to indoor air-pollution, are poisonous if ingested and can even be harmful if inhaled or touched. 

BabyZen Zen Pram {My First Thoughts}


A couple of weeks ago I received the gorgeous Zen pram by BabyZen. I have been given the pram to test out for a few weeks and I can't wait too share my full thoughts on the pram once we have finished testing. I was given the 3 wheeler, all terrain Zen pram to test out and I was really looking forward to test it out. Firstly, I am going to share my first thoughts on this pram.

5 Simple Ways To Get Your Kids To Enjoy The Outdoors


About 30 per cent of parents worry that their child is not spending enough time playing outside. A roughly similar amount worry that games consoles and technology are negatively impacting upon their development.

But what do you about this? How, as a parent, can you get the children to venture outside and enjoy the outdoors? Here are five positive things to help you on your way…

Bumpbix Pregnancy Cookies | Review


When I was pregnant with Freddie I went through a few stages of losing my appettite with food and then at times all I wanted to do was snack, but I always snacked on the wrong things. I always ended up going to the shop and buying some chocolate eclairs - craving! When I was asked if I wanted to review some pregnancy cookies from Bumpbix I was interested to try them out and see if it would help my snacking.

Twinkle Star {The Ordinary Moments}


How is my little boy 3 weeks old already? I really do wish time would slow down, just a little. The past three weeks have been super amazing, I wouldn't change anything for the world. Freddie really has completed our family. He is just an amazing little boy, an amazing son. Many times he stops crying when he hears my voice or when I pick him up to have a cuddle. I do think breastfeeding has made the bond even closer. I can not wait until he gets to that stage when he starts looking up at me. He is slowly looking around and is extremely nosy - it's funny!

Freddie & Me {Week 3}


POSTPARTUM
HOW I FEEL
I was dreading this third week as it's the week my partner returned to work and I was home alone with 3 kids. Don't get me wrong, I know I have to get used to it but I was just worrying about things going wrong and how was I going to cope. There has been 3 days where I have found it hard, where the girls haven't listened and constantly argued. I was lucky enough for my partners Mum to have the girls one morning and my Nain and Taid took the girls out to the beach on Thursday for a few hours for me.

Kids Clothing With House of Fraser


One of my favourite things to do is buying new clothes for the kids. Especially now that I can look in both sections, boys and girls. The girls really needed a new summer wardrobe as most of their summer clothes from last year have gone to small. House of Fraser have a fantastic range of kids clothing to choose from. There are many great brand such as Pumpkin Patch, DKNY, Joules and many more. I had the chance to choose some clothing from their kids clothing range to review.

The 3 Fashion Tips Every New Dad Should Know


Since there are so many tips for new mom fashion, I thought it might be nice to do a little something for the dads. These suggestions are intended to inspire you to create the wardrobe you've aspired to own as you settle into your new fatherly role. Whether you've been planning on tweaking your wardrobe for quite some time, or haven't really thought much about it, these tips will be simple, straightforward, and stylish. Now you can look forward to a fashionable family weekend outing.

Creating the Perfect Summer Garden in 2016


Summer has arrived! A back garden is the perfect place for a glass of wine in the evening, a BBQ with friends or a fun filled Saturday afternoon with the kids, but is yours in tip top condition and ready to be enjoyed? If not, here’s how you can create the perfect summer garden in 2016. 

Freddie and Me {The First Two Weeks}


As I have many posts ready to write up I thought it may be best to write a post about Freddie and myself together instead of separately. The first two weeks have flown by, a little too fast but I have loved every single minute of it with my boy. I must admit having a boy is different {so far} than having a girl. The amount of times he has pee'd on me since the day he was born, ha ha. I wouldn't change him for the world.

POSTPARTUM
HOW I FEEL
I had awful after pains in the first week after giving birth to Freddie. I never had bad after pains with my girls so it was different this time round. Paracetamol only worked a little bit but I just got on with the day and didn't really complain about the pains unless they were really hurting or very uncomfortable. It was hard breastfeeding whilst having the pains because breastfeeding was quite painful the first week too. My after pains soon calmed down and stopped half way through the second week - thankfully. 

I was told that I lost a litre of blood after giving birth and I was quite heavy then for the next few days but it soon went to a normal like period after 3-4 days. The same happened after I had my second too, so I was glad for that. I do realise that I bleed more if I have moved around alot during the day or if I have gone for a long walk. I have had days where I haven't bled at all - yay! 

The first week I felt good. I felt ill with after pains and bruised below but otherwise I felt good in myself. The second week was up and down. I was mixed with emotions and the worries of my partner going back to work the following week. In fact, I was dreading it. I was getting miserable with people visiting in the evenings as those were the times Freddie cluster fed and I just didn't feel comfortable with visitors around during the evenings as I was feeding constantly. Visiting has calmed down now - thankfully. 


WEIGHT LOSS
I have been really looking forward to starting my weight loss journey again. I haven't been 100% on my plan with my slimming world journey but I am slowly getting there and getting used to eating salad, fruit and all the right choices again. My partner has also joined Slimming World which is a great big help. 

First week I lost 14lbs

Second week I lost 5.5lbs

I am really pleased that I have lost 19.5lbs so far, I couldn't be more happier actually. I have a very long way to go again but I do have a goal, and I would love to be back into a size 14 by Christmas time. I also only have just over 1 stone to lose to be back to my pre-pregnancy weight, which I am extremely happy about. 

{first pic: 38 weeks pregnant // second pic: roughly 2 or 3 days post partum}

FREDDIE GEORGE

BREASTFEEDING
Although Freddie tongue-tie he is latching on and feeding extremely well from day one. He has started to cluster feed which can be a pain at times because you're constantly stuck and unable to do thing but I do love mam and son time. Breastfeeding has been pretty painful but there have been days where it's not been bad at all. I will not be stopping anytime soon. It's going much better than I thought. 

SLEEPING
He is still newborn so having wake up calls during the night is expected. The first few days were pretty bad, he was waking up many times. I have noticed since my milk supply has been coming in more he has been sleeping better during the night. He goes down to sleep around 11pm - midnight {sometimes 1am} and wakes up every 2-3 hours. Once or twice he slept for 4 hours. He then cluster feeds from 8am - 9 am until his next nap around 12pm-1pm. 



FREDDIE
Two or so times during the day Freddie will be really alert, eyes going everywhere being nosy, listening to sounds and just acting very interested in what is going on around him. He fills his nappy a lot! Many of times he has pee'd and poo'd on me - oops! He absolutely loves his cuddles and falling asleep on my chest. I have noticed he does recognise my voice and calms down pretty quickly when I hold him and speak to him. These two weeks have been amazing. He has grown so much.

At birth he weighed 9lbs 2oz. His first visit with the midwife he went down to 8lbs 6oz which I got pretty worried about but the midwife told me not to worry. 2 days later he got weighed again and he went back to 8lbs 15oz! We had our first visit from the Health visitor and he is now currently 9lbs 9oz which is past his birth weight, so I must be doing something right with feeding. 





Income Report {July}


In June I wrote my first income report on my blog. I wasn't quite sure how people were going to take it. I was worried that some would think I was writing it to 'show off' but that's not the case. I decided to share what I earn each month because there are so many people who have asked me 'how do you earn money through your blog?' and so on. I wanted to show them that an income through a blog can be up and down. I also just wanted to show how proud I actually am of myself. Never have I been proud of myself about something before but knowing it is me that worked hard to get my blog to where it is right now, I am pretty proud of myself. 

All my income is from sponsored posts and guest posts. I need to learn how to affiliate programmes and so on, but that will come in time as I just never have the time to read more into it. Last month I gave tips on how to get work coming into your blog and the main thing was to do what you love and just carry on blogging - the work will come to you! This month I've decided to talk about why it is good to keep in contact with a PR. This month I had quite a bit of work from the same PR and it's because I have a good relationship with this PR. So, how do you keep a good relationship with a PR and why is it good to keep in contact?

- It's always good to keep in contact with everyone you work with because you never know, one day they will come back to you with more work.

- Always and I mean always keep to deadline dates, they will more than likely come back to you if you do! 

- Don't be scared to e-mail everyone you have worked with every now and then {every few months} and ask if they have any work going on at the moment. You won't get if you don't ask. 

- Be polite. Be kind. Ask how their day is. Just be nice. 

Now, back to my income report for July. Like I said above, all my work through July has been guest post and sponsored posts. Here is my report: 

INCOME: £1048.08

OUTCOME: £67

TOTAL INCOME: £981.00

I am really happy with this month's income. I couldn't be happier, as never would I have thought I'd receive that much through my blog in one month. Esepcially that July was a hard month for me because I was heavily pregnant and gave birth to my beautiful baby boy on the 16th. I am not expecting this much for August but I would still love to reach £500 or over.