LIFE: Do we ever really know what happens behind closed doors?

Do we ever really know what happens behind closed doors? The simple answer is no, not even the start of it. Miscarriage, the breakdown of a marriage, abuse, mental health issues...the list could go on, which is both heartbreaking and reality. Our friends, loved ones and those we follow, even admire, on social media. Any of these things could be happening to them and we could be completely oblivious. Blissfully wittering on about holiday plans, what they did at their Grandma's last week, watching the children play and commenting on how quickly they are growing up, how the weather has been etc., without a thought that something may not be quite right. That actually inside, behind closed doors, their heart is breaking, they are experiencing yet another loss, they are being subjected to physical/ emotional/ domestic/ sexual abuse, mental health issues that see them hiding away crying silent tears for hours on end. In reality, how well do we know those we are about? Do we know everything about their lives or do we only know what they choose to share?

PARENTHOOD: Making life with two children more affordable

Life as a family is expensive, if it isn't the seemingly endless nappies for babies then its the bottomless pit of food children grow up to become. However there are many ways you can adapt your family life to make life with children that bit more affordable. As I have recently become a stay at home mum/blogger we are really keeping an eye on our finances at the moment, so I thought I'd share some of the ways we can all make family life more affordable without losing the fun, meals out or exciting adventures.

PARENTHOOD: All the Emotions about my First Child starting School

I've lost count how many tears I've already cried about Isabella going to school and it's not for another year yet. The thought of her spending more time with someone else honestly breaks my heart at the moment; I just can't imagine what it will be like. As Isabella is our first child she is always the one we experience milestones with first, which makes each and every one so much more emotional. By Christmas this year we will have applied for her primary school place and by her fourth birthday we will know where she is going to be spending the next seven years of primary school life. Just typing that makes my heart beat faster and brings a lump to my throat; how are we already here?

BREAKFAST: Three Caribbean Inspired Recipes for Children

Today marks the start of Caribbean Food Week and to help celebrate it I have put together three delicious recipes that make a totally tropical breakfast or even sweet treats for dessert. Caribbean food is full of flavour with ingredients such as coconut, mango, pineapple and jerk seasoning all working together to create refreshingly flavoursome meals. A lot of the Caribbean recipes you find on the internet are full of spice, which is absolutely delicious for us adults but children may not appreciate it so much. This is why I decided to put together a Caribbean breakfast for Isabella and Poppy, filled with Caribbean fruits and flavours they love.

SUMMER: How to Prepare for your Family Holidays

If you're lucky enough to be heading away as a family this summer then there is a high chance you have lists all over your house, on your phone and stuck to the fridge door with things you need to do before going away. As soon as you become a parent you say goodbye to spending hours browsing for the perfect peaceful accommodation (priorities being the number of sun loungers, minimal children around and a well stocked bar), instead you find yourself drawn towards the places that have entertainment for the children, swimming pool with some sort of sea creature inspired slide and anywhere that isn't too far away. For many of us, just the idea of flying 10+ hours with young children is enough to shut down your computer and stop the holiday searches there and then. Places like France, Majorca, Spain, Germany, Holland, Ibiza and Italy seem so much more feasible or there is always the good old staycation option.

PHOTOGRAPHY: A Seasonal Outdoor Calendar

Taking photographs has quickly become a passion of mine and something I love to learn more about. As a blogger I have taken countless photos over the past five years, from documenting the run up to our wedding day, through pregnancy and onto parenthood. But my real love for capturing those special moments came when we had children. These days children are incredibly lucky to have so much of their lives captured through photos, films and memory books; they'll quite literally be able to relive their childhood when they're older. How amazing is that? My childhood is contained within a handful of photo albums and there are almost no moving pictures, so I take it upon myself to really try hard to take beautiful pictures of my daughters. I want them to be able to look back at all of our family adventures with fondness and gratefulness that so much was captured.

FAMILY: What are your must-have features for travelling in a car?

As a family we love going on adventures; we spend our weekends exploring new places, having picnics and enjoying quality time together. This is us all year round, we'll be that family braving the cold weather in January to have a picnic in what are usually pretty gardens. But we wouldn't be able to go on any of these adventures without our cars, for us they are an essential. We live in a small village, which only has one bus leaving to the nearest town each day, so driving is an almost everyday occurrence. However, when it comes to travelling around as a family there are some features of cars that we need, look for or aspire to have to make life that bit easier.

FAMILY: What does the Aldi Baby & Toddler Specialbuys Event August 2018 have to offer?

It's that time of year again - the Aldi Baby & Toddler Specialbuys Event! The event that many parents brave taking their children to the food shop in order to stock up on the essentials, gifts and/or fun things to do during the summer holidays. Aldi is the shop you walk into planning to buy a loaf of bread and pint of milk, yet leave with a garden chair, waterproof coat and paddling pool. That's why we all love shopping there I think; you never quite know what you'll be able to pick up that week. 

TRAVEL: New York - CitizenM in Central Manhattan

If you're spending a few days in New York then staying in Central Manhattan is ideal, as you're close to many tourist attractions, incredible shopping, as well as the general hustle and bustle of the buzzing city. There's plenty to do within walking distance, so you can pack as much or as little as you want.

NURSERY: Ways to Support your Child to Settle in Quickly

Sending your little one off to nursery or any form of childcare can be a really scary and big step for parents, especially as it usually coincides with returning to work after maternity leave. Leaving your baby in someone else's care can be hard, but once you've found a nursery that you're happy with it can bring some level of reassurance. When we looked around at nurseries for Isabella we settled on two we liked in our local area and made enquires about her starting at both. Once we had access to all the relevant information (fees, holidays, policies, menus and structure of the day) we were then able to make a decision on which was best for us. We did in fact originally really want Isabella to go to a nursery a few villages away, but they didn't have the right days available so she ended up at a different nursery. It ended up being a blessing in disguise because she absolutely loves her nursery now, as do we.