The Power of Cuteness - Kitten Kollege

I love cats. The first thing I bought when I moved out of home and got my own place, was a cat. I'd wanted one since I was a kid, but was never allowed. That was a long time since ago and my girls are now 19 years old! 

Kittens are totally adorable, fun and mischievous. Our fur babies are only small for such a short time, then they turn into lovable adults. Getting a kitten is a big responsibility, but so totally worth it, they give so much love and joy. But, there are many things you will need to consider. 

Whiskers have made a series of very cute videos entitled Kitten Kollege. The videos are designed to give kitten owners a little help looking after their furry little friend. The videos are fun and full of helpful facts and information. Did you know that meowing by your cat will occur less often as they get older? They will also Purr when they're happy or comforting themselves and hiss when being defensive.

Keeping your Dog fit and Healthy

Healthy dogs are happy dogs.

We have two dogs, my little 10-year old Lhasa Apso who is healthy and fit, and our young 1-year old Beagle.   I enjoy and love both my dogs, they each have their individual characters and are very much part of the family.

Lhasa's is a toy breed of dog, albeit a sturdy one, but not a massively active breed. Beagles, on the other hand, are highly active dogs, and they are very much lead by food - they would eat anything and everything if they could get away with it.  Beagles are sturdy, strong and less prone to canine disease than many other dog breeds.

There are many things that you can do to keep your dog fit and healthy, and to keep them at their healthiest, it so very important. Below are some tips on how we keep our dogs fit and healthy.

Keep updated in regards to vaccinations: this will help prevent diseases and the spread of disease. Also, flea and worm your dog regularly.

Daily exercise to stay fit and healthy: Whether it is a walk (if they have a good recall, off the lead is best), or some quality time in the back garden playing fetch or another game.

Maintain a healthy weight: To avoid obesity. Obesity can lead to many other health issues in your dog. Proper exercise and a well-balanced diet are key to keeping your dog fit and trim.

Share the love: Dogs love us unconditionally. Just like us humans, dogs are happier when they feel loved and have relationships they can count on

Stay up-to-date: regarding known health problems with this breed, so that you can be aware of early symptoms.

Brits Abroad

Being a redhead with a pale complexion, you will often find me in the shaded area by the pool, wearing the biggest hat, covered in SPF50 suncream. I put tons of sun cream on, so much so, I end up blending in with the white plastic sunloungers!  and I still manage to burn!.

I'll be on my holiday in the sun not dealing with the heat very well, reading my kindle, attempting to play with the kids, and sipping on cocktails.

Being a redhead means I am crap at being a sunbather. 

My kids don't have my complexion, they have their fathers, thus, they very rarely burn, and they definitely enjoy the sun more than I do.  They even get to jump in and out of the pool without having to reapply a fresh application of sun lotion each time - unlike me, I only have to go in for a dip and a new full application is needed.

But I do love holidays abroad, there is something magical about jetting off to a hot climate, getting to sit by the pool everyday and drinking cocktails. 

A new survey from car rental company Auto Europe reveals some fascinating fun statistics on what the average fortnightly Brit’s holiday looks like. 

Did you know that the average person travels an average of 2,479 miles to reach their destination, and spend just under £2000 on a two-week holiday?!  During the holiday we average 2.6 books during the fortnight - this is totally me.  We average 56 alcoholic drinks and us brits have roughly 4 arguments - along with the moaning about it being too hot!

You can see more in the below infographic:

Contact Number UK

There isn't much more frustrating than having to call a service or business for whatever reason. 

I tend to put it off, I know I must call, but I am put off due to past experiences of calling companies.  With an inward groan I take the plunge and start the call, knowing I will get some annoying call options to choose and route my way through to get to the correct department. Then there is the wait - and I have been in a queue waiting to be answered for over an hour a few times before.

Dialling the company numbers can be expensive, especially when you are stuck on hold for ages, or in the queue waiting for your call to be answered. But, there is a better option available out there - it's a website called Contact Number UK.  The Contact Number UK website aim to provide people with a quicker way of getting through to all of the UK’s major companies and organizations, including companies like Sky, HMRC, and TalkTalk etc.

It is very simple to use, you just search the company you need to contact, it will give you a 0843 number, which costs no more than 7p per minute from a BT landline. You dial the number in your phone, and you will get straight through to the company you need to speak to.

As easy as that.

5 Apps for Meeting New People

Making friends can be difficult, especially if you work from home and you are a bit of a house hermit. That can be lonely sometimes and if you want to turn that around than it has never been easier, there are many ways to meet new people now adays.

I work from home as a Project Manager, thus I’m not exactly the kind of person who has a group of work friends, its the little things like the Christmas office parties I miss. But you can take matters into my own hands—or rather, on your phone.

To revive your social life, you need to start actively looking for new people. And, there are a few mobile apps out there that can help.

The apps that are designed to bring people together for platonic purposes, not just for romance.

Meetup:

This is self-explanatory. The advantage of using it on your phone is that you can be notified of nearby events or follow your favorite groups, and know when they’re organizing something. The more you’re notified about social activities, the more likely you’re going to participate in them.

Mush:

A fun, free way for mums to meet local mums with kids the same age. the simple, like-minded mums with kids the same age. It tells you which mums are living in the nearby area and it also says how old their children are.

Meet my dog:

Meet My Dog is a free, private social network for you and your dog. You can find people with pets, get your pet to find new friends, and meet the owners in the process. 

Grip:

Based on Linkedin, this app finds professionals around your location and gives you a chance to connect with them. It’s like a Tinder for professional connections.

Badoo:

A social discovery app, used for meeting and connecting with people, whether that’s for dating or social reasons. This is the largest discovery app with over 311 million users worldwide. 

......

Here is a lovely post on why friendship is so very important Girls Gospel blog

Confessions of a Summer Parent with Anchor

Next week is the end of school and the start of the summer holidays. I always look forward to when the kids are off, it means I get to spend more time with them , but, it also means more mess, more whining and sibling battles, and more demands.

"I'm bored". "I'm hungry". "I want a drink"....  

I would love to be that parent, the one where I keep the kids perfectly entertained throughout each day of the holidays; reading stories, doing crafts, playing toys etc.  but the reality is that it isn't always like that, I just don't have the time to give them my full attention 24/7. Don't get me wrong, I spend a lot of time with them, doing arts and crafts, down the park and so on, but there are times where they need to keep themselves entertained, or sometimes I will just need 10 minutes on myself.

The biggest challenge I find is the constant demand for something to eat or something to drink.

"There is nothing to eat/drink". "When you going shopping". "I can't wait until dinner"

So through the holidays I always make it as easiest as possible for all.  I do this by making sure there is juice ready and available without me having to go to the kitchen every 10 minutes to make one.  I do this by making sure there is a large jug filled up with juice and stick it in the fridge as it will be nice and cool for them too. And, I always have lots of single juice cartons available in the cupboard.

I stock up on snacks, fruit, lots of cereal and some nice treats too. For the teens and their lunch time I also make sure we have plenty of tinned ravioli and small pizzas in the freezer.

Apart from keeping the kids well feed and juiced, to help keep them entertained throughout the holiday, I stock up on arts and crafts. My kids love doing arty bits and bobs, and play-doh keeps them occupied for hours too.

The garden -the kids love to play in the garden, so I make sure they have water guns, a mini pool and other garden toys.

Finally, for me and hubby, a nice cold glass of wine in the evening. 

“This post is an entry for BritMums Confessions of a Summer Parent Challenge, sponsored by Anchor”.

Organizing Catering for a Childs Birthday Parties

It's Summer's birthday next month and she hasn't stopped going on about it, to say she is excited is an understatement - the past few months she has been going to lots of her nursery friends parties and cousins birthdays. Being she was born in the summer, it makes her one of the youngest in her class, thus, one of the last to celebrate her birthday.

She would love a party with all her friends coming - she wants it at home ("a princess BBQ party"), but due to all the building work with our house going on at the moment it is not really a good idea, thus, I am looking to hire the local village hall and a child's entertainer where all her friends and family can come and have fun!

With doing her party this way, it does mean I have to arrange and sort out the catering and party bags.  

So what are my options?

I can spend all day in the kitchen making all the food for 30+ kids, or I can look at paying a catering company to do it for us. But, I would prefer to avoid spending all day in the kitchen so I can spend the day with Summer playing with her new toys, etc.;  I'm considering the catering option, as it is a fuss-free and easier option. 

I normally enjoy cooking and putting food together for guests, but when it is my little girls birthday, I want to be able to give her my full attention and not being stuck making sandwiches and cakes.

I can order per head, sit back and not worry about it - they will deliver it to the location. Easy Peasy!

Her birthday is well into school holidays so I need to pull my finger out and organize it before they break up from school!

Have you ordered catering before for a child's birthday?

Halfords - Tour de France Competition

The Tour de France is underway and the riders are currently making their way through the 21 stages of the event. 

Being a huge cycling brand Halfords have created a real-time competition following the Tour De France whilst it winds its way to the finishing line down the Champs Elysees in Paris on the 24th of July.

To enter the competition for a chance to win a Boardman SLR bike worth £1,799 which is drawn at the end of the race, and for a chance to win unique prizes every day of the tour click here. Don't delay though, as Tour De France is already underway, so get entering now!

And, to celebrate their love for cycling Halford are offering exclusive offers every time there is a British stage winner! And today, as Chris Froome took the stage (9) and the yellow jersey, Halfords celebrated with a 10% off all road bikes with an exclusive discount code that finished midnight - so watch out for more stage wins and exciting Halfords offers this Tour De France.

If you want to read some fun facts about Tour De France and its history, have a look at the inforgraphic below:

Money on the Mind

Money, Money, Money.. it is never ending.. there is always something to do, to buy, or some emergency.

We have a lot on at the moment, building an extension, renovations, on top of everyday life bits and bobs. My oldest is starting college, the bus pass costs nearly £300!  Then he would like to buy a moped so he can get back and forth from his new job - but he will pay us back for that..  

And, our oldest just had his prom night - £250 later....  kids are so damn expensive.

Then there are school trips to Belgium, our family holiday in August, and all the small things like clothes, and shoes etc.. Not forgetting the dreaded school uniform this summer which cost me near on £400 last year!

At the moment we're piling all our money into the extension, but I desperately want a new front door. Our current one is worn and on its last legs.

With all this I've been saying a lot to myseIf "we need more money.” or “I wish I had more money.” It’s natural to think these thoughts, however, doing so only creates more stress around money. At the end of the day money we need to remember that, money is nothing more than a tool that we use to trade with, it is a concept. But there are options out there available and we've been looking at available loans to help finish the work on our house (and for my new front door)

“Bob Marley — ‘Money is numbers and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end.’”

As long as I have a roof over my head, my kids are clean, healthy and they have food in the kitchen. This is what is most important. But, when you have dreams and aspirations, like the extension, or a new front door - this is when money can start to take over your thoughts and becomes a bit of a headache.

Euro 2016 fun continues without England

After England’s humiliation against Iceland you may have lost interest in Euro 2016, but you shouldn’t have. There is still a British interest with Wales going strong, as well as the chance to watch some formidable sides such as Germany, Italy and France. Plus, now we are out you can cheer on Iceland, the underdogs, as they try and compete with some of the stellar footballing countries despite only having a population the same size as Leicester, it really is fairy-tale stuff. Now the big games will be coming thick and fast and we have many ideas for how you can enjoy them.

Firstly, the remainder of the tournament will be played with later kick-offs, so there’s no need to worry about getting time of work like when England played Wales. On that day, Bedstar had given you the perfect guide to pulling a sickie and getting the day off work and whilst that’s not needed you could still turn to them for a way to enjoy the Euro’s. What better way than watching on one of their TV Beds. The TV pops out of the bottom of the bed and it will feel natural, comfortable and easy to watch the football from your own bed. Even though the idea of being wrapped up nice and warm and relaxed in bed watching the football is appealing there are also many other ways we can enjoy Euro 2016.

It involves getting your family and friends involved. Even though the weather is unpredictable, why not plan for a barbecue. Sun, food, beers and football, you will certainly be keeping a lot of people happy! If the weather fails those plans then why not some finger-food as you all can sit, chat and enjoy the football. That way, even if we get another Portugal, Croatia game that bores us all to sleep, then at least you can chat to your friends! Of course, if you don’t need the hassle of preparing everything and cleaning the house up for guests then why not head down to the local pub, particularly when Wales are playing as their might be a bit of an atmosphere with the British rivalry, especially after Wales players were caught celebrating England’s exit. Again you could incorporate it with a meal, so you could take all the family out, even if some aren’t too interested in the result. If spending around two hours watching football with your family isn’t appealing then you could always stay at home and enjoy a quiet night on the sofa, feet up and watch as the drama unfolds.

Whatever you choose, there are many ways to watch the remainder of Euro 2016 and for some it will be the last football fix for a month until the Premier League comes round, so why not enjoy it in style. Whether it’s from your own TV bed, or having a gathering of all your close ones, just because England are out, the Euro 2016 fun can still continue.

How To Pick The Perfect Pair of Glasses

A guide on how to pick the perfect glasses!

Have you always dreaded having to wear your glasses outside your home or office? Wearing glasses does not have to detract from your looks. In fact, if you play your cards right, you can end up enhancing or complimenting your facial features with the right pair of glasses. Because we can't always wear our contacts for various reasons, we need to keep a pair or two of glasses handy. With the following tips, you can invest in a pair of glasses that will always make you look good in any situation.

Determine your face shape

The first thing you need to think about is the shape of your face, since it largely determines how you will look with the glasses you select. There five face shapes—oval, triangle, heart, square, and round. These shapes are determined by the bones of our face and the placement of our features. Oval-shaped faces work best with large, angular frames. Heavy frames with eye-catching detailing balance triangular faces with wide jaws that taper down to a pointed chin. Round frames balance heart-shaped faces with narrow and bony features. Square faces do best with thin, round frames that soften the sharp angles of the face. Lastly, a round face can be balanced by large, cubic frames.

Provide contrast and proportion to your features

As you may have figured out, you can set off your features by having your glasses provide contrast. For soft, rounded features, you should get boxy, angular frames. Sharp features do well with rounded frames. You should also avoid frames that draw attention to your forehead. The main thing you want to focus on are your facial features and how they look with your glasses. Make sure that your frames do not overwhelm your eye shape and size, and that they don't make your nose look too big or disproportionate.

Keep your proportions in mind

Make sure to avoid frames that make some of your features look out of place or make your face look too thin or too round. Frames that are too large can upset the natural balance and symmetry of your face. They can also dwarf your cheekbones and make your face took too narrow. Meanwhile, bottom-heavy frames can make a narrow face look wider. Study the planes and proportions of your face before settling on a frame shape.

Find out what your best feature is

Do you have large, expressive eyes? Do you have a straight, defined nose? Do you have luscious, pouty lips? Your glasses can showcase your best features while drawing attention away from any problems areas. Thin black frames are good for outlining and emphasizing your eyes. 

Choose the right color

Glasses come in many colors, details, and patterns. As such, you can take advantage of the variety available to you and choose colors and patterns that work best for your hair color and skin tone. Warm skin tones—ones that have a golden or bronze tint—don't do very well with pastel colors. People with a warm skin tone should also avoid white and black frames, and instead go with shades of brown, gold, and olive green.

A cool skin tone, meanwhile, has a blue or pink tint. This skin tone can easily look washed out with the wrong colors. People with cool skin tones do best with black, gray, pink, purple, and blue.

Take your personality and the vibe you want into consideration

Ideally, we can have an entire collection of glasses that come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. However, it is mostly more practical to keep one or two pairs of glasses. A pair of glasses can showcase your personality and can befit different situations. A fun, colorful, patterned frame can reflect a fun personality. Simple frames in somber, solid colors can be good for meetings and professional situations. Sporty and active people can choose sturdy or bendable frames so they won't have to worry about breaking their glasses while on the go. If you're not in need to expensive prescription glasses, you can build a small collection where you can pick and choose glasses that suit any occasion you might find yourself in.

Keep your budget in mind

 Prescription lenses and high-quality frames can be a little expensive. Lenses can also come with perks such as scratch-resistant surfaces or triple coating. Think about whether or not you really need these additional features before spending on them. If you can make do with basic prescription lenses, then you can buy those instead. Also, your frames don't need to be designer. You may want to stick to local, trusted brands who design bespoke handmade glasses. Sturdiness and longevity are just as important as style and flair. Also, if you want to embellish your frames to give them a little more flair, you can buy some supplies and decorate them to your tastes yourself.

You can also check to see if your insurance covers eye exams and prescription glasses. If you have a couple of hours on your hands, you can hunt for coupons in magazines and newspapers so you can get amazing discounts on the pair of glasses that you want the most.

Take note of your lifestyle

Your glasses should aid you instead of being a burden. As such, you should take note of your lifestyle and your routines when choosing your frames. If you're on your eighth pair of glasses because you keep losing them, you might want to buy cheap pairs or attach a lace to your existing pair. You can choose lightweight frames if you're always on the move. If you spend most of your time in the office and in meetings, you can impress your bosses by choosing a stylish but professional-looking pair of glasses.

If you keep these tips in mind, you can get the best pair of glasses for you. Your glasses can be the most flattering pair for your face shape, skin tone, personality, and lifestyle. 

Cystitis: how to tackle a bladder infection

Cystitis is a bacterial infection that causes your bladder to become inflamed, leading to a host of unpleasant symptoms such as discomfort when passing urine, a feeling of needing to go to the toilet more frequently, abdomen pain, feeling feverish and tiredness. For some people, the pain from cystitis can be mild while for others it can be severe enough to have an impact on their daily lives. Fortunately, there are a range of effective ways you can tackle a bladder infection. To learn how you can keep this condition from holding you back, keep reading.

Antibiotics

If you visit your GP, they may prescribe you a course of antibiotics, such as trimethoprim. This treatment, which can also be accessed through online pharmacies, works to prevent the spread of bacteria, and it can clear up the infection within a couple of days. Trimethoprim comes in tablet form. Usually, one tablet is required to be taken twice a day. You can take this medicine on either an empty stomach or with a meal, and for best results, you should aim to take the tablets at the same time each day. Like with most medicines, there are some side effects connected with taking this treatment. For example, you may experience nausea, diarrhoea and loss of appetite. If you require more information about trimethoprim, you should speak to a medical professional.

Fluids

Some people believe that drinking plenty of fluids can help relieve the discomfort that often accompanies cystitis. Although there is a lack of evidence to prove how effective this is, increasing your water intake is said to flush the infection out of your bladder. You could also try drinking cranberry juice. Again, there is little proof that this actually works, but it’s unlikely to make the condition any worse. Ideally, you should avoid drinking anything that is caffeinated, such as tea, coffee and certain fizzy drinks, as caffeine can irritate your bladder.

Painkillers

To ease the pain, you could try using painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. These medicines can help keep your discomfort at bay, allowing you to carry on with your day as normal. You can buy over-the-counter painkillers like this from your local pharmacy or supermarket, however to check that they’re suitable for you to use, you should speak to a pharmacist or your doctor first, especially if you have any other medical conditions.

Heat

Applying heat can help soothe your discomfort. For example, you could place a hot bottle on your stomach or have a bath. The warm sensation should relieve any aches and pains you might be experiencing. However, if you try this out, you should be extra careful to ensure you don’t scald yourself.

Putting some of these suggestions into practice should help you combat the effects of a bladder infection. However, if you find these don’t work or if you keep getting cystitis, you should speak to your GP for further advice.

HC Slingsby: True British business heritage

Apart from my family and my blog, business is another passion of mine.  I studied business and work in business. My job for the past 8 years is working in a B2B environment. Thus, this post is a little different from my other posts, but it's a subject I find interesting.

The lure of true British business heritage can vary from sector to sector, with some industries and companies relying more on trust and familiarity such as HC Slingsby. Especially in an age where technology companies are the babies of business, but lead in many ways.

Businesses with a long history that embrace their heritage is a powerful tool that can be used to generate, or rather regenerate loyalty for a business. True British businesses that have a rich heritage can use their legacy to generate strong emotional connects about value and performance in consumers minds. Nostalgia is a positive reflection.

From humble beginnings in 1893 HC Slingsby have been on a journey where they are considered to be a highly trusted true British business with the heritage to back it up.

It all started in Bradford in 1883 with Harry Crowther Slingsby, where he originally worked for his family’s company, Wholesale Bottlers. As he worked, he began considering what he could use as labour-saving devices to help haul raw materials and make the lives of employees easier. Thus, a decade later HC Slingsby was born. 

They started out as a manufacturer of labour saving trucks and trolleys and now we are one of the UK's market leaders in the distance selling of industrial and commercial equipment. They currently manufacture and distribute over 35,000 high-quality products covering everything for the workplace; from handling and lifting and premises equipment to retail and office supplies.

HC Slingsby hasn’t forgotten Harry Crowther Slingsby’s commitment to family though — there are still members of the Slingsby family on the company’s Board of Directors.

HC Slingsby are a business that proudly flaunts their heritage. And, so they should, it shows that they have knowledge and expertise within their industry.

Adding a Bit of Hollywood Glamour to your Home

Your home should be a place of sanctuary from the stresses of everyday life. Once you walk through the door, you can begin to unwind and enjoy all the nice things you’ve worked so hard for. So, why not invest some time into making your space somewhere you can pamper yourself?

Here’s our guide to adding a little Hollywood glamour to your home, so you rest and rejuvenate ready for tomorrow’s challenges.

Luxury

You might think you have the comfiest sofa around but you haven’t truly kicked back and relaxed until you’ve stretched yourself out on a chaise longue. This piece of furniture is iconic as a place to relax (and possibly be fed grapes…) and conjures images of luxury and decadence. It is the ideal place to read a book, take a nap or simply rest a while.

Whether you opt for a modern and contemporary design or something more vintage, be sure to purchase the tiny rolled cushion that usually goes with it to finish off the look. The chaise longue is also a people-pleaser, with your guests making an immediate beeline for it as they walk through your living room door.

Glamour

Your bathroom is a multi-functional area. In the morning, it is used as a place to wake yourself up with a shower and get yourself ready (and presentable) for the day. But, come the evening, it switches focus from merely being functional and becomes a place of relaxation and pampering.

First up is the bath. A long soak with lots of bubbles can aid your unwinding as well as getting you all fresh and clean for bed. You can opt for a classic roll top bath if you have the space, or an elegant shower bath to conserve space – either one can add a bit of glamour to the home and have you never skipping bath time.

Other key items in this room are bathroom wall cabinets. In these, you can see yourself while washing your face, brushing your teeth, putting makeup on or as a guide to shaving correctly. It has multiple uses including its storage capabilities for all your bathroom items, and it also creates the illusion of a larger space. In terms of Hollywood glamour, there’s no better option than the illuminated bathroom cabinet, perfect for giving you an exceptional light for your face - you’ll feel like a leading woman or man in no time!

Fancy

After lazing on the chaise longue, soaking in a tub full of bubbles and implementing your face care routine in front of the bathroom cabinet, you can now retire to the bedroom.

If you have to space, then a dressing table is a must for the Hollywood theme. Here, you can have all the lotions and potions at hand to keep up your beauty regime and maybe some light bulbs surrounding the mirror to give your face just the right lighting.

There’s lots of different styles to choose from and Pinterest is a great place to browse what’s available. You could opt for the French antique white finish for an elegant and timeless look, or a darker wood for a more vintage feel filled with a sense of history. A fancy dressing table signifies wealth, opulence and a teensy bit of vanity!

Decadent

The piece de resistance for your home, to top off all of the glamorous additions, has to be a sparkly chandelier. Even if your budget won’t quite stretch to crystals, you can either opt for a contemporary chrome look or even go it alone with some thrifty upcycling with your basics from charity shops and household items. Even on a tight budget, you can still achieve some truly breath-taking results.

Chandeliers are perfect for entrance ways and hallways as one of the first things anyone sees as they enter your home. This aspirational piece will be the best first impression to your home, setting the precedent for what is to come.

A glamorous look and feel to your place can be easily achieved with a selection of carefully chosen furniture additions. And, as well as looking the part, your home will become even more appealing to you as a place to kick back and relax after a hard day at work or a busy day entertaining the children.

Preparing for Driving Lessons for My Son

In less than 6 month's time, my oldest will be 17-years-old. He is at that age and time in his life where he is transitioning from youth to becoming a young adult, and there will be big changes for him. He plans to start college in September to study Law and Economics and he is hoping to have a part-time job ASAP (he has an interview this week).

One thing he has wanted and asked for is a moped. To give him the freedom to travel without having to rely on us taking and picking him up.  So in the next couple of week's we are looking to buy him a second hand one. The moped will be a temporary solution, roughly for a year - he plans to get himself a car next year (after he has passed his lessons). Thus, we need to start looking at driving lessons for him as a birthday present for his 17th.

As we will be spending money on driving lessons for my son, it’s important that I take my time over choosing a qualified driving instructor or driving school and one that I feel confident with and that my son will feel comfortable with.

I want to make sure we choose a DSA Approved Driving Instructor (ADIs). However, I want to be able to do this quickly and with ease and what better way than doing it with a reputable company online? A place where I can search, book and check his progress. Pass'N'Go  offer such a service which would be perfect - it meets all our needs. 

I learnt to drive in my mid-30s, and that was due to my hubby encouraging me as I had no intentions of ever driving, I didn't feel I would like it, I was not confident at all. But, with some nudging from hubby, and after my second child, I took the first step and started my lessons - I've never looked back (although, it took me 3 attempts to pass and get my license) and enjoy the freedom and opportunities driving gives me. And, this is what I want for my son. Driving lessons I feel is important for him.

Male Grooming

With my hubby and two teenage sons, male grooming is a big thing in our home.

We have all sorts of grooming products and gadgets, my boys even have their own hair dryer.

It has changed over the years. My two teenage sons and their friends couldn’t be further away from the boys of my youth. I grew up in the 80s and my brothers and their friends very much cared about how they looked and the image they were portraying - the clothes had to be right and the hair had to look cool. However, they didn't have all the 'products' that modern teens have. It is very different now-adays and comparing to a couple of decades ago, there is a lot more involved in the modern teens morning routine.

My boys get up in the morning, spend (just as much time as I do) preening and fretting over clothes/hair/skin/shoes etc. They won't leave the house unless their hair is styled perfectly, their clothes are smart, and they've moisturised, cleaned teeth, mouth washed and smelling like a walking deodorant parlour - the amount of body sprays and antiperspirants they get through is crazy. Hubby keeps a backup spary in the car otherwise, it's a gonna.

My hubby is a little more relaxed than my boys and that is because he is from a different generation but he still takes great care in his appearance. It is a little different for hubby as he is older, for starters, he doesn't have any hair on his head, thus, he doesn't need to spend time styling his hair each day like the boys do, but he does have hair growing places he would rather that didn't i.e, nose hair which he preens and frets over - oh and his eyebrows need trimming back. These are things my boys will have to consider as they get older, but in the meantime they have got off to a good positive start.

I am glad they take care of their appearance, and they take pride in that.  It takes time and effort to pull it off, which doesn't always come naturally to some teens, but if they do, they’ll create an overall positive impression.

How to Host a BBQ

After a wet and windy half term, the weekend before the kids returned back to school, the sun finally decided to make an appearance, thus, what better way than to celebrate the nice weather than to organize impromptu BBQ. 

I love a good BBQ, you can't beat that - when the family get together and enjoy each others company, the kids running around screaming with laughter, lots of food and drink.  And, next month sees hubby's birthday where every year we host a BBQ and invite family and friends around. Which I am already planning and looking forward too.

I love to cook many different dishes, from making my red cabbage coleslaw, roasted vegetables, sweet potato chips, couscouse salad, and more, which means on the day a lot of my time is spent cooking. Then, the next morning, the big clean up commences, plates, cutlery, dishes, bowls, glass everywhere, and 10 dishwasher cycles later.... (over exaggeration slightly there)

Thus, in preparation for our next BBQ I have been looking at ideas and ways to save time.

Use disposable cups, plates, cutlery - not the cheap ones that break easily and make eating or drinking more difficult than it should be, I would opt for the good quality disposable and biodegradable plastic bits.

Everyone to contribute - When friends and family ask 'what should we bring', I not only suggest beer or wine, I suggest the option to bring an appetizer or dessert. This gives the BBQ some delicious surprises, and it will help you keep the cost down. It will also removes some of the pressure from me trying to cook all the dishes.

Fill a large bucket of ice - and everyone can place the cans of beer and pop in the ice to keep them nice and cool. Much easier than trying to find spaces in your fridge and cram it up.

Have a designated bin for recyclables - When people are finished drinking their can of beer or pop, and they have finished eating with the disposable plates etc. everyone can chuck them away in the large designated box - saving time for the big clear up the next morning.

Drink Dispenses set up and ready to go - use the ones with taps making it easier for everyone, especially the kids to top up their juice whenever they want.  You can make some great mocktails and fill them with fruit and have fun with them.

To Vape Or Not To Vape

I haven't smoked in over 10 years, I consider myself as lucky, I was able to just quit and since then I've never looked back - it was the best thing I ever did and I did it not only for me but for my children. I had started smoking when I was a teen, secretly and behind my parents back, I used to take all the measures to disguise my smoking habit, but it was my little sister that grassed me up in the end - and I got in rather a lot of trouble, but this didn't deter me, and I continued to smoke well into my mid twenties.

Since I quit friends and family that do smoke continued. Then vaping hit the markets and it grew in popularity and more and more people around me started turning to vaping and turning away from smoking cigarettes. Their motivations and reasons are different, from wanting to quit the cigarette, or because vaping simply is hell of a lot cheaper, or they can vape inside without causing too much of a stink.

Speaking to my teenage son recently I was surprised to discover that some of his friends and other students are vaping, it made me think, are students picking up on the vaping trend, and choosing to vape rather than smoking cigarettes? I am not sure...

Is this the e-cigarette / vaping generation? and is it a good thing?  

Well, I wish I had the option when I was a teen. Vaping would have done wonders for my health (not destroying my lungs) over the years and would have saved enough money to buy a small house. It isn't the best thing, but it's a lot better than smoking. And a subset of kids are always going to do that thing they are told not to. - if not vaping, they most likely would be smoking. 

As smoking is subject to regulation and social pressure, discovering and taking up smoking makes sense for teenagers to gravitate towards vaping instead of smoking due to the social stigma cigarettes have now-a-days. 

When Should You Take A Child To The Doctor?

 It's the age-old parenting dilemma. Your child is sick, and you suspect it's more than a cold, but you're not sure whether to take them to the doctor. While it's always best to go with your intuition and do what you think is best, there are certain situations where a trip to the doctor or even A&E is recommended. Here are a few things to consider when you're deciding whether to book an appointment or simply treat the illness at home. 

Serious symptoms

 It can often be difficult to work out the severity of an illness in a child. This is because they can't always communicate how sick they are, so you may need to play detective and work out how serious their illness is. However, there are some symptoms that are serious and mean you should seek urgent medical attention. They include, but aren't limited to:

·      High fever in babies – over 38c for babies under three months, or over 39c for a baby aged three to six months

·      Floppiness or drowsiness

·      Severe headaches or aversion to light

·      Rashes that don't change colour when pressed with a glass

·      Stiff neck – when combined with other symptoms such as fever or vomiting

·      Dehydration – if your child is drinking but not passing urine for example

 These are the kind of symptoms that it's important to get checked out right away. When your child has these sorts of symptoms, your first instinct will probably be to call 111 and get professional advice. However, if they are having a seizure or trouble breathing, then call 999 as it's a medical emergency at that point. 

Ongoing illnesses

Another situation where you might be wondering whether to see a doctor is when your child can't seem to shake a certain illness. In certain seasons, it's quite common to get back-to-back illnesses, but when is it time to book a doctor's appointment? Again, it's often a case of using your intuition. You might decide to get online medical advice at https://onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com or call 111 first to see if they recommend a visit to the GP. Alternatively, you can take your child to see a private doctor for quicker services and tests. A broken bone, for example, can't usually be seen very well from the outside, so it's important to get your child to a hospital as quickly as possible. Broken bones will require x-ray imaging in Rockaway, NJ (or in your own hometown), as will other internal issues that may indicate an ongoing illness.

Children often bounce back quickly from things like coughs and colds, but if they haven't gotten better in a couple of weeks, or are showing worrying symptoms like wheezing, it's time to see a doctor. 

Care at home

 Many simple conditions can be taken care of at home, and it's a good idea to have some basic over the counter medications on hand for when illness strikes. As a parent, you'll no doubt have to deal with more than one sickness and diarrhoea outbreak a year, for example, and usually, that just means ensuring your child gets plenty of rest and fluids. However, things can change quickly, and if you have any concerns then you should get medical advice as soon as possible.

If you're a parent taking care of a sick child, you usually have intuition, that tells you whether it's serious or not. You know your child's usual behaviour and can judge what's normal for them. Therefore, if you have any concerns it's worth getting medical attention as soon as you can, so don't be embarrassed about seeking help when you feel it's needed. 

Hiring Home Fitness Equipment

For some people going to the gym can become second nature, but for must of us (including me) it's a task that becomes just that, a task, and if we wannabe gym goer achieves a quick half-an-hour one afternoon, we feel pretty proud of ourselves.

As a fellow wannabe gym goer I would love to tone up my wobbly bits, but as a busy mum of 4 children, working full time I just don't have the time, and logic and reason go out the door especially when the sofa and TV look so much more inviting. Thus, I have avoided joining a membership gym when I know it is impossible for me to get value out of it.

The thing is I know I would enjoy it, I enjoy working out and one day when the kids are older, I look forward to joining my local gym and becoming a full member. But in the meantime what are my options?  How can I train and exercise to keep fit, and tone up? 

So what is the alternative to the gym... is to hire home fitness equipment.

You can hire fitness equipment so that you can workout within the comfort and convenience of your own home. If you love the idea of getting fit, exercising daily and making the most of your body, but you don't have the time to get to the gym, then bring the gym to you. And, it can give you the perfect balance between keeping fit and ensuring that you can work out on your favourite pieces of equipment. You can hire the following machines:

• Treadmills
• Cross trainers
• Exercise bikes
• Rowing machines
• and more...

Hiring fitness equipment is easy too; you simply pay a monthly fee for your kit and keep it until you want to return it. As simple as that!

Below are 4 top reasons why we all should be working out.

Improve your body: Not only will working out tone and strengthen your body, it also strengthens your heart and bones, lowers your blood pressure and of course, reduces your body fat. Also it will improve your posture.

Improve your confidence: Exercising gives you a sense of accomplishment and achievement and each workout takes you a step closer to the ideal look you want to have for yourself, making you feel as good on the inside as you do on the outside.

It makes you feel good: When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins trigger a positive feeling in the body, relieve stress and can improve your mood.

Improve your night sleep: Exercise tires the body naturally giving you a sounder, deeper sleep. You'll pass out when you hit the pillow if you've had a busy day along with some added exercise.

If you would like to hire your own gym equipment, 

Hirefitness.co.uk are giving my readers 20% off the first months rent on any hires of 12 weeks or longer.  Using code:  CNASE2016