Starting my New Job wearing Hotter Sol Sandals (Review & Giveaway)

I started my new job last week and I had a great time. It was so nice to feel part of a team again and to be doing something that is feeding into a goal that I believe in. As well as that, it was great to be able to dress a bit smarter again, and with it being summer I needed some sandals to complete my outfits.

As if by perfect timing I won a pair of Hotter Sol sandals and I knew these would be good for work as I still have a pair from two years ago. Back in April 2017 I went shopping at my local Hotter shop in Eastbourne and came away with metallic gold Sol sandals and they are still going strong now. Yes they have discoloured inside (that will be my sweaty feet!) but the actual shoe itself has hardly aged in two years.

I had a look on the Hotter site to see what the latest colours are for the Sol sandals and I had a choice of platinum multi-coloured, truffle multi and jet black multi in standard and wide fit. Or blood orange, royal blue multi or white in standard fit. I absolutely adored the orange pair but I saw that my old ones were the wide fit, so I ordered the orange in standard fit and the jet black multi in wide, both in a size 7.

Give Blood: Do Something Amazing

I gave blood recently, it was my 26th donation and you know what?  I'm pretty darn proud of that. I love giving blood, it only takes about an hour and I know that I help someone, without any cost to myself.

Each time you give blood you get a text to tell you where your blood has gone, so this time around I'm helping someone at the Cheltenham General Hospital. In January my blood went to St Bartholomew's, London and last September it was Salisbury Hospital. I pray it made a difference.

As humans and for me as a Christian, we're supposed to be there for each other and to do what we can to help. We may not have an abundance of money that we can give away, but I have had the gift for time the last few years, and this is one of the ways I have made the best of that time.

I made my first blood donation in about 1997; a friend where I was working was going to give blood and she convinced me to go with her. No-one I knew gave blood and to be frank I wondered why it was my issue. I recall being quite worried, but it all went seamlessly and in fact I give blood very quickly and without any consequence to me. I've never felt ill after donating and to be honest, what I tend to feel is elated.

So I continued to give blood but as my career took off and I worked more hours it became more patchy as I was never around when the donation sessions were taking place. It was only once I'd had the children that I started to have some time again to be able to donate and it's only in the last three or four years that I've become a regular thrice a year donor (women can donate every 16 weeks).

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GIVING BLOOD // If I don't do anything else today it won't matter. 💉❤️💉❤️💉 . This is my 25th donation, I think that means I get a silver pin, which is a nice bonus. 💉❤️💉❤️💉 . What I really love is getting the text to tell me where my blood went to and knowing I helped. I actually feel a bit teary writing this. It's an amazing feeling and I'm blessed to be able to donate. I know there are lots of people who'd like to but can't. 💉❤️💉❤️💉 . Oh and I was excited to see posh popcorn on this visit! Super yum!!

A post shared by Michelle Pannell (@michelletwinmum) on Sep 10, 2018 at 6:19am PDT

Last year I wrote a post, titled a Beginners Guide to Giving Blood in the UK, why not take a look if you have not donated yet.  There are a few things you need to think through and of course you need to check you are fit and well, and can donate.

The Blood.co.uk website is very informative and easy to use. You need to register before you can donate and you can book your sessions online, so that you don't have to wait long. I've found my sessions to be super efficient since they introduced the online booking system quite a number of years back.

Each day roughly 5,000 people give blood but there still isn't enough blood all of the time, for everyone who needs it. There needs to be around another 400 new blood donors every day to ensure that all needs can be met. This is why it is important that YOU consider giving blood. You might just be that person who has a rare blood group, who can help someone with sickle cell or who provides the O negative blood that has fallen in short supply.

You can make a difference. You can do something amazing. So why not investigate today and start your blood donation journey?

Reasons to be Cheerful - Great First Week!

Loving this photo from our visit last week to NT East Riddlesden Hall. I think Miss M looks
like a winner up there and I feel like a winner at the moment!

It's the weekend, Yay!  We've not got anything planned and I'm quite happy with that. My parents arrive on Monday for a week, so I'm sure next week will be a busy one with plenty going on.

This week I started my new job with Spring Harvest and it has been great. Here are a few reasons why I'm feeling cheery about my new job -

• Not only is my job share partner very nice, she also seems efficient and capable. Things that are super important to me!
• I'm part of a great team, really diverse and I think we'll have fun.
• I'll be helping to organise the big Christian Spring Harvest breaks that I've been going to for the last 14 years, I feel very privileged to be a part of the organisation now, and the work seems interesting. 
• Each week we have prayers and it was good to join with everyone to pray for both work and personal situations.

Weddings And Technology: A Match Made In Heaven

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

{This is a collaborative post}

Technology has an uncanny ability to transform our lives in ways that we never expected. Who would have thought that we'd all be glued to small, handheld computer screens checking status updates twenty years ago?

But the world of tech isn't just affecting our work and social lives; it's also having an outsized impact on weddings too. The modern wedding just wouldn't be complete without the use of tech.
Technologies make the whole process so much easier. Here's why weddings and tech are a match made in heaven.

Say Goodbye To Paper Cuts

Preparing wedding invitations used to be an unbelievably drawn out process. You had not only to find somebody to print out all the cards, but you also had to deliver them by hand to the post office, and pay a small fortune for the privilege.

Now, though, there's an app for that. All of a sudden the vast machinery of the postal service is redundant: with a simple click of a button, you can import your contact list, filter the people invited to your wedding and click "send." Then all that's left to do is wait for the RSVP - no more dealing with lost replies in the post.

Stop Searching For Wedding Entertainment

Finding a great entertainer was a challenge in the past. Most couples relied on local ads or the recommendations of their friends. But today, it's easier than ever. This awesome website, for instance, categorises entertainment options by type, including for weddings. These platforms let you browse your options, read reviews, and then pay for the band you want online. It's about as easy as using Airbnb.

The Highs and Lows of my Pregnancies

This post is in conjunction with Rennie® but all thoughts are my own and I remain honest.

Rennie Peppermint for heartburn and indigestion. Rennie Liquid Heartburn Relief Oral Suspension. Rennie Heartburn, Indigestion & Wind Relief Chewable Tablets. Always read the label. Medicines can affect the unborn baby. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor before taking any medicine in pregnancy. This medicine is not intended for children under the age of 12 years of age.

(#Ad - This post has been commissioned by Rennie®)

This summer my girls turn twelve and that means it is twelve years since I was last pregnant, I can’t quite believe that if I am honest, it feels like it was only a couple of years back; the memories are so vivid. Despite not having the easiest pregnancies or best birth experiences either time, I absolutely loved being pregnant as I felt so special. Growing a small human is an absolute privilege that not everyone gets to enjoy.

I so clearly remember being at work in 2003 and this veil of tiredness fell over me as I sat at my desk. I immediately went out to buy a pregnancy test and recall sitting in the loo silently screaming and thumping the air with elation when the two little lines appeared! My pregnancy with JJ was a good one generally, I was a model student, attending all the classes, reading all the literature, chatting to other pregnant women and mothers, and I think I knew nearly as much as the midwives.

Then for some silly reason a few days before JJ was due to arrive, I got impatient and I decided to see if I could help him along a little by cleaning the garage top to bottom. Straight after I had my routine midwife appointment and found that I had pre-eclampsia; high blood pressure, protein in my urine and terrible oedema (water retention) on my legs. I was sent straight up to the hospital to spend the night on the antenatal ward so they could get my blood pressure under control.

As I’d had such a good pregnancy and done all the things I was supposed to do, I truly believed that I’d have this idyllic water birth. We’d been encouraged in our classes to write a birth plan and mine was full of ideas of soothing music, easing the pain in the warm water and my husband by my side. The reality was quite different; I forced to have an induction as I had pre-eclampsia, that then failing and my baby getting distressed, so I was whizzed through for a C section, but the spinal blocks and epidural didn’t work so I ended up with a crash section under general anaesthetic.

Northern Reasons to be Cheerful #R2BC

We headed off up north this week, and that's a very rare occurrence for us. I was pondering if the kids have ever been up north and we realised they had once, back in 2011. We stayed in a holiday village near Hull and didn't really enjoy ourselves, so it's probably a good thing I had forgotten that before I booked this break.

This time we stayed in an Air BnB and I'd happily recommend Squirrel Court, which is close to Thornton village, Bronte Country. We were around 20 minutes outside the centre of Bradford, but it felt like it was a lifetime away, as we were in the countryside, with amazing hill views, a farm shop at the end of the lane and tons of local pubs.

*  We've enjoyed lots of family time, doing all sorts, from just chilling in the wonderful cottage to heading into major cities.

Review: Yorkshire Wildlife Park, A Fabulous Family Day Out

Earlier this week we visited the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster, and we had an amazing day out. It's probably my favourite walk through animal park that we have visited, as it is relatively flat, super easy to get to, the large animals all appeared to have fabulous large enclosures and they have worked very hard to ensure that you are able to see the animals, without encroaching on their space.

We planned a break in Yorkshire so we could visit the park as Miss E has been polar bear crazy for some years now and this is one of only two places in the UK where you can view them. The weather was fine, but overcast on the bank holiday Monday that we visited and this seemed to be conducive to the animals being happy to have a walk around and be visible for all the visitors.

Nobby, the shy polar bear

How my Meg & Bee Handbag Helped me to be Bold Again

As a larger lady, shopping isn't always fun for me. I know many of the BBW (big beautiful women) or the body confidence, plus-size community would tell me there are loads of fabulous clothes out there, in far beyond my size. I should embrace who I am and how I look, and just shop to suit me and no-one else.

And I do. I shop for me but the reality is that I don't like being a size 22/24. I'm not healthy at this size. I need to lose weight and this will happen, but right now I'm a bit stagnant in that quest. I don't like my shape and for me, it doesn't feel flattering in clothes. I have a truly enormous stomach, like a great big air balloon on my front.

I'm not writing this for you to tell me I am OK as I am, or that I look good. I know I look presentable and sometimes I feel beautiful, but a lot of the time I just feel uncomfortable and like I'd like to slice my enormous belly off the front of me. Not in an unhealthy kind of way, just in a wishful... I'd look so much better and everyday tasks would be a lot easier kind of way.

I like to be comfortable and that is more important to me than being trendy or stylish, so I go for clothes in the same kind of cut and I like longer tops that cover most of my belly. I often fall back on black or navy, despite the fact that I love reds, pinks, bright blues and greens, as they are safe colours. Ones I don't have to stand out in.

How to Get Bargain Price West End Theatre/ Musical Tickets

9 to 5, the Musical

I absolutely love going to the theatre in London's West End but we all know that it can end up pricey. Before having my children I had seen most every musical that was out and my husband and I would think nothing of spending £80 or a £100 on each ticket. After the children came along, that just wasn't practical anymore and my trips up to London for the theatre became few and far between.

A few years back I realised how much I was missing out and started to find out how I could see some of the big name shows without spending a fortune. I have been lucky enough to see some crackers in the last few years - 42nd Street, Wicked, The School of Rock, Dream Girls, Thriller Live and the Curious Incident, all for a great price.

So I'm going to share with you how you can bag great price tickets too, but don't worry, you won't be sat up in the upper circle, I only like to be in the stalls or front of the Royal Circle, so I always get good seats.

1. Enter the Ticket Lottery for the Show you fancy
Have you heard of a ticket lottery?  I think many people haven't yet and they are great. You can enter online to be part of a lottery (lucky dip) to get one or two top price tickets for a much reduced rate. Of course many times you won't win but it is super easy to enter and costs nothing, so why not give it a go. I've entered a couple of times and won tickets for Matilda once. Sadly I couldn't use them as I got the week wrong, but I was able to pass them on for someone else to enjoy.

Matilda the Musical - up to 2 £25 band A tickets, drawn 3-5 days before the performance.

The School of Rock - up to 2 £15 band A tickets, drawn 3-5 days before the performance.

Hamilton the Musical - up to 2 £10 tickets, drawn the day prior. There is a 22 hour entry window.

Aladdin the Musical - up to 2 £20 tickets, the lottery opens at 11am on Mondays and closes at 11am on Tuesdays. Entrants can select up to 3 choices of performance for the next week

Aladdin

The Book of Mormon - up to 2 £20 tickets, entries accepted from 12 noon each Wednesday for performances the following week. Also there is a daily lottery in person, you can enter 2.5 hours before the performance.

Reasons to be Cheerful - The New Job Edition!

Whoop, whoop. I think the title gives away my main reason to be cheerful this week. I am super chuffed that I am starting a new job on 3rd June. I'll be working 2 or 3 days a week helping to put together the adult programme for Spring Harvest, the Christian holiday that I've attended at Easter for the last fourteen years.

But next year I'll be part of the team working there and making sure that the 3,000 or so other people have an amazing time. I am so excited to be taking on this role and being a part of this amazing company.

I've had to make some changes to take on my role and commit to the hours but I think they will all be good changes.

• I've given notice at my gym and will join a new one just moments away from my new work, to start in September. The new one looks much better and I hope is cleaner!
• I'll have a 35 minute drive to work and back each day. Great time to think, sing, listen to podcasts and generally have my God time.
• The kids will have to get themselves up in the morning and it will be a good thing that they'll have less reliance on me calling them. The worst culprit nowadays is JJ!
• The kids will cook dinner two nights a week for when I get home late and again this is great for them to develop skills and independence. 
• I had to stop the breastfeeding peer supporter course that I had started as I can't commit to the hours that requires, along with my new work. 
• I've stopped Slimming World, as truth be told I was just paying lips service to it. There is no denying that I need to lose weight and get healthier, but I need to find what works for me and I'm hoping that a new challenge will be the catalyst I need for change. 

I am so pleased that my new work have been flexible and allowed me to do differing days in the next couple of months whilst I had lots of commitments already in the diary and then in September, I'll move to three shorter days and start my new normal.

Wish me luck!

I'm linking this post up with Becky at Lakes Single Mum for the Reasons to be Cheerful linky. She is hosting it for the month of May and I'll be the host again in June. 

Getting a Better Nights Sleep to Help your Mental Health

Image Credit: Photo by Alexander Possingham on Unsplash

{This post has been commissioned by TEMPUR®}

The average British adult gets 6 hours and 42 minutes sleep per night (1), making me very much average. I had to chuckle when I looked at my FitBit and saw that lasts weeks average was 6 hours and 46 minutes, and yet I still feel tired many days. I’m not alone though, as us Brits are trying all sorts to help us improve our sleep quality – meditation, exercise or seeking professional help for our mental health or sleep issues.  

Mental health is an area of keen interest now, and I am so pleased to find that some of the stigma and secrecy is being shed. It is of course OK to admit you have depression, anxiety or any other number of mental health disorders, and to seek help for them. As someone who had late-onset postnatal depression after having my twins and occasionally suffers with bouts of anxiety, I know that I feel much better and more in control I feel when I am sleeping well. The benefits of good quality sleep really can’t be under-estimated, and it’s easy to recognise when I am deficient in sleep as I am irritable, lack concentration and the simplest things can phase me.

This week is the UK’s Mental Health Awareness week (13 – 19^th May 2019) and this year they have chosen to focus on mental health and body image. Another hot topic, and in this image driven society, one that can be challenging. I was interested to read the findings of the mental health surveycommissioned by TEMPUR®, which found that only 38% of Brits say the quality of their sleep is good or excellent (1) and 30% recognise that poor quality sleep impacts their mental health.

Living your Children’s Lives

JJ at his happiest, with a big pizza in front of him!

Sometimes it can be really tricky not to try and impose your world view and to live your child’s life for them. And I don’t mean the extremes, we all know parents who are a failed musician or weren’t encouraged in their desire to be a model and now have a child who is excelling in that hobby or career.

I’ve always been keen for my children to be unique, just the way God created them to be. So whilst in my heart I had this desire that JJ would be an amazing musician and would lead worship in our church, I knew from an early age it probably wouldn’t happen as he didn’t show any interest in playing an instrument. I could have signed him up for lessons and bought a guitar or keyboard, putting all my energy into him mastering his craft, but that would have been about me, not him, and that’s not fair.

So despite my unfulfilled aspirations (singer, runner, artist) I let my kids be and waited to see where their personalities would take them. If you asked me I’d probably have told you that I had this part of parenting nailed, I wasn’t projecting my desires onto the kids and they were free to do what they fancied.

However, as I was chatting with JJ during the recent Easter break I realised this isn’t quite true. I do have expectations and norms that I was subconsciously expecting them to conform to. Not to attend clubs, master hobbies or attain beyond their means but just in regard to how their life might look, how they spend their time. I’ll explain.

Knockhatch Meerkat Experience: My Girls had the Best Fun! (Review)

During the Easter holiday we took a trip over to Knockhatch Adventure Park in Hailsham, East Sussex.  We've been before (check out my review here) and the girls had a fabulous time, but I'd never been on a weekend or on a school holiday before and wow, it was busy. As we drove up we were directed to an overflow car park and if I'm honest, I started to feel a bit of dread at how busy it might be, but despite it being super busy I have to so I was pleasantly surprised and we had a great day. The girls were able to get one everything they wanted and the queues were nothing like I've experienced at theme parks like Legoland.

I won't go into all the attractions that are available at Knockhatch (you can have a look at my review, I've linked to above if you fancy more insight), but there are loads and they seem to be really good at adding extra attractions and offering more value. This year they've added a great new wooden Dragons play castle and high wire experience. The basic ticket on an orange day (high season) is £12.99 before any discount is applied and if you book online, you get 20% discount, or my favourite is to use our local 1066/ Town City Card and get 25% off. 

Costs and Booking

The great news is that when you are going along to take part in one of their experiences the entrance to the park is included and you can use the park for the whole day. We got a 2 for 1 Meerkat experience via Red Letters Days and the cost for this currently is £49, which is a super bargain, as this allowed both girls entry to do their experience and up to two adults (17 years plus) can go along as their responsible adults/ spectators. So that is £49 for entry for four and two of those got to spend 30 minutes hands on with the meerkats.  They have a few experiences available and we would definitely book for another one as we found the meerkat one excellent. 

When I booked last year, I had to ring but I see now you can book online for the experiences. To get a weekend date I needed to book about 3 months in advance. There are two slots for the meerkat experience each day 10.30am and 4pm, each lasts for half an hour and it will only be your party, which feels really exclusive.  The price to book direct with Knockhatch is £48 for one person and £64 for two people. 

Once booked you're advised to wear long trousers, sleeves and closed in shoes for the experience.

Updating your Tween Girls Bedroom with Minimum Effort but Maximum Impact

Photo by Mister M on Unsplash

{Collaborative post}

I don't know about you but as soon as Spring arrives and the sun makes an appearance, I feel like I want to get the house in order and give it a big spring clean. Maybe it is the sunlight highlighting my cobwebs or shining through the windows that now look grubby, I don't know, but I do know that I have an urge to clean it all up and make changes.

Of course, I don't have the money to change every room, every year and realistically it would be wasteful to make too many changes, too often, but it is nice to give a room a fresh look, without spending too much.  I tend to update one room a year, so that the redecoration doesn't all come at once.

This year it is the turn of Miss M, she has a modest sized bedroom and her tastes have very much changed from when it was first decorated five years ago. We bought her some functional furniture at the end of last year but now it is time for those extra accessories, the touches that make a room personal and yours.

Miss M's favourite colourway at the moment is grey and pink, so we have gone for soft grey on the walls and grey bedding to keep the room light and then accents of pink and rose gold to give colour and make the room feel girly, yet grown up, She has been collecting some small items for a while now, ready for her make over - rose gold wire baskets, plants in pretty pots, white twinkle lights and some beautiful stationary to display on her desk.

Reasons to be Cheerful: Work, Gym and Gorgeous Views

Isn't the Wisteria gorgeous? My home looks so fab right now

Happy Thursday friends. It is time for a cheery post and to focus on what has made me grateful this week. I'm not hosting Reasons to be Cheerful this month, it is over with Becky at Lakes Single Mum but it's still important to stay in the good habit of being grateful each week, so I am aiming to continue sharing weekly, until the linky is back with me in June.

Back to the Gym - It was hard to go over Easter with the kids being off, but I've enjoyed being back this week and have been in the gym and swam a couple of times.

Some ace opportunities - I've had some great paid blogging work come up the last few weeks and it makes such a difference to be paid well to research and write content.

A spot of shopping - I had to take JJ to Cadets last night and this means I hang around Hastings for a couple of hours, normally I go to McDonalds with my laptop and work, but last night I went to Sainsburys and came back with a couple of skirts, a top and a cardie. Now to see if they go with the rest of my wardrobe!

Family meal out - We had a 50% off voucher for Harvester so we all enjoyed a meal there earlier in the week. It was great as the kids weren't bickering and the food was excellent. I do like being able to fill up on salad.

The History of Harry Potter

{Collaborative post}

You’d need to have been living in a remote cave, devoid of Internet and any contact with the outside world for at least 12 years not to be aware of Harry Potter. The huge impact it's had on our cultural landscape is fascinating, and the brand has numerous exciting spin-offs, such as films, live theatre productions and even a tour of the studios where the films were made. But how did everything fall into place? That really IS a magical tale…

The inspiration behind the stories

JK Rowling says she first stumbled upon the idea for Harry Potter when she was stuck on a delayed train, leaving Manchester for London King’s Cross. This was back in 1990, which feels like a lifetime ago – and for many fans, it actually is.

Drawing inspiration from a number of sources, including classical texts, folklore and contemporary children’s literature, Rowling spent five years note-making and idea compiling before she started reaching out to literary agents. That’s no easy feat with a new baby daughter in tow.

Rowling finished the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, while she was training to be a teacher. But she shelved those plans when Bloomsbury accepted the story for publication in 1997. The rest, as they say, is history.

Spending Time with my Girl at Arlington Bluebell Walk, East Sussex

A couple of years ago we visited Arlington bluebell walk as it a family. It was mid-May and the bluebell season was coming to an end but we loved our visit and I've been meaning to go back ever since. This year I was ahead of the game and we visited on 20th April just as the bluebells were really coming into their own, but there was still evidence of the beautiful white wood anemones. So it made for some interesting pictures with both the white and blue flowers.

This year the bluebell walk and farm trail is open from 11th April to 19th May (10am - 5pm each day). I'd definitely recommend a visit, and it is so much more than just pretty woods with lots of bluebells.  You can choose from five walks of differing lengths, and each has a unique view and some pass through local working farms so you may see horses, cows, sheep and chickens. The walks are really varied with lake views, fields, rivers, woodland and farms.

Reasons to be Cheerful - Bluebells, Dog Walking and Easter

What is it with procrastination? Why do I do it? It's not very often thankfully, but here I am at just gone midnight and I am so tired and I haven't written my R2BC post as yet and it is due to go live in 7 hours! I know you'd say leave it, do it tomorrow but I have a feeling if I left it, it would be the afternoon before I even got round to it!

It's been an eventful week, good in the main but also with an incident that I can't really go into, but could prove to cause some issues, so I have to see how that pans out. There has been lots of good in the week, so here are some snippets of what has made me super grateful this week -

1.   Getting to spend one on one time with Miss M when we went for a bluebell walk together last weekend.

Review: Premier Inn, County Hall, South Bank, London

Image Credit: Premier Inn

We love Premier Inn

I’ve been a Premier Inn fan for a very long time. We stay in their hotels at least four or five times a year, Sometimes many more. I really like the fact that I know exactly what I’m getting with a Premier Inn and they can sleep four to a room, which is good. Of course as a mum of three it would be perfect if they slept five of us in one room, but alas we’re still to find an affordable hotel that can do that. If all five of us are travelling together, I’ll book for two rooms and I find that as long as I’m booking around 3-6 months in advance I can get a great price - anywhere between about £24.50 - £39.50 per room.

Of course I haven’t actually found the London County Hall Premier Inn that cheap, as it is situated right on the South Bank by the London Eye, Shreks Adventure and the Sealife Aquarium. It’s also just a few minutes walk from Waterloo and Charing Cross mainline stations and Embankment and Westminster tube stops. I stayed at this hotel for two Friday nights in March, I paid £59 for one of the nights and £69 for the other.

It was only two of us staying on both occasions, but the price would have been the same if it was four, and the bedrooms I had were a really generous size with two king size beds. So as twins, they feel really luxurious, as space is normally limited in London hotels, unless you are staying in a decent five star, I’ve found in the past. It appears that most of the bedrooms have a view onto the rear street, rather than onto the Thames, but the last time I stayed I had a side view, it was very nice to be able to glimpse the London Eye right from my bedroom.

Side view of the Thames from my room

6 Signs Your Marriage May Need Help

Photo by Ben Rosett on Unsplash

{Collaborative post}

Although it's devastating to admit, sometimes a marriage doesn't always last. A divorce is one of the hardest things you may have to go through but for the sake of you and your family, it's important that you do what you feel is the right thing. If you're sitting there wondering if your marriage is coming to an end and you're just not sure, here are six things to look out for -

1.  You No Longer Have Anything in Common

If you now find that you no longer have anything in common and your personalities have changed since you first fell in love, it may be that you're no longer a perfect match like you used to be. Whilst having the same hobbies and interests isn't essential in a marriage, for some it can be the glue that holds them together. The best thing to do is sit down and discuss how you move forward from here. Have a think about how you can compromise and get involved in each other’s interests.

2.  You Feel as Though You Can Do No Right

 Another common reason for a lot of marriages coming to an end is that either one or both of you feel as though you can do no right. Sometimes a marriage can get to a point where neither of you is making the other happy and no matter what you do, you feel as though everything you're doing is making it worse. Whilst this is a horrible stage to get to, it's important you've recognising it. For a guide to identifying if something is fundamentally wrong in your marriage, you can visit this site here.

More Quickfire Reasons to be Cheerful #R2BC

Due to popular demand Reasons to be Cheerful is changing to be a Saturday linky. Well, let's be honest there are only a handful of us who join in nowadays so we can do what we like and suit ourselves, and it turns out the weekend is better for most people.

Continuing on from last week. I'm sticking with my super long list of things that are making me cheery. Counting the small blessings really does make a difference -

1. We all had an amazing week at Spring Harvest and I can't wait to go back again next year, in fact I saw a p/t job vacancy local to my home with the company who put on the event, so if I'm really lucky I might even be working the event next year!
2. JJ had a fab time with my parents and they seemed to enjoy having him too
3. I'm so pleased we had a week at home after the holiday to have some fun together
4. I have loved being back in my big bed with super comfy duvet and pillow, you can't underestimate great sleep
5. The new washing machine has done a fabulous job and I'm all up to date with the washing, drying and ironing
6. I'm reading a great book at the moment, about making your dreams come true and I've been able to grab time each day to read a bit
7. Miss M has been doing an Easter raffle this week to raise money for our local hospice, she is always really kind and community minded with things like this
8. The cat had definitely missed us, so we've been enjoying some cuddles and even got his yearly jab done at the vets
9. We love the McDonalds Monopoly game and I've covered my NOW TV subscriptions for the year in ins!
10. On the same note, we enjoyed a free McDonalds breakfast with wins from their Monopoly game before the vets
11. The kids uniforms are all washed and ready for back to school on Tuesday. The girls also have new shoes (which cost far too much money)
12. I went back to Slimming World after a couple of weeks off and yes, I'd put on 2.5lb but I'm feeling fully motivated and have been good ever since
13. I'm loving not having any of the kids evening clubs, I've been able to stay in, watch some good TV, read and get work done
14. The girls had an ace time at Knockhatch, taking part in a Meerkat experience, enjoying waffles, experiencing the death drop slides, playing crazy golf and so much more
15. I'm enjoying having home cooked meals again with plenty of vegetables and salad
16. We went to visit my aunt and had a nice few hours with her and she sent me home with gorgeous white roses
17. Great Good Friday service at the church in my garden (yes literally, it is a few hundred yards behind my house)
18. The ironing is all done...... for now!

Come and Join In!

I'd love to read your Reasons to be Cheerful and it is as easy as 1, 2, 3 to join in -

1. Link up a post about something that is making you super happy/ grateful. It can be in this style or it can be anything you like - a recipe, a tutorial, a from the heart, a list - it's your blog, you choose

2. Add the #R2BC badge onto your post or blog so that people can easily find the linky and join in too if they fancy

3.  Share the love. This is the really important bit. Please don't just link and run, comment on at least a couple of posts and why not share with #R2BC too?

I'll stop by all linked up posts to comment and I'll share on twitter too

<center> <a href="http://mummyfromtheheart.com"><img width="200" alt="R2BC at Mummy from the Heart" src=" http://notperfection.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/R2BC-badge-2016-1024x683.jpg" height="150" /></a></center>

Review: The Royal Mint Experience, Cardiff

Miss E has been avidly collecting 50p and £2 coins for nearly a year now. This is the kind of collection that I am right behind, as basically I see it as a great way to save money. Where other kids might collect rubbers, Beanie Boo teddies or football cards, Miss E’s collection isn’t really costing her anything, as all the time the coins remain legal tender, they are still worth the same.

For her the excitement is finding the coins and getting others to look out for them too. Of course you can buy coins to complete your collection but she isn’t interested in doing that as it is about the thrill of the hunt. Due to her collection she has developed an interest in coins in general and as we were heading to Minehead for our yearly Spring Harvest holiday I said to my hubby we could, perhaps, do a little detour on the way to stop off at the Royal Mint experience, just outside of Cardiff.

Royal Mint Experience
Newport Premier Inn was only £24.50 for the four of us for a Sunday night, so you can’t go wrong with that and it’s only about 15 miles away from Bristol, were we normally break our journey and stay. This was around a 30 minute journey along the M4 down past the outskirts of Cardiff and stopping at Llantrisant, Pontyclun for the Royal Mint Experience. It was an easy drive and there is plenty of free parking at the venue.

An Attitude of Gratitude #R2BC

Minehead Prom

Good morning and happy Thursday friends. This post was put together in a hurry as I'm away at Butlins in Minehead on holiday and I had totally lost track of what day it is! I'd got all organised and had the skeleton post ready but its a bit hard to schedule what you're feeling thankful for, when the days haven't even happened yet.

So what am I feeling thankful for? Gosh I can hardly even come up with the answer to that, as I'm in a bit of a negative mind frame right now and that is why #R2BC is so perfect, as it is making me think about what is good in life. So I'm going for a quickfire, as many reasons as I can think of kind of post, to remind me that life is good!

1. Our journeys down to Somerset have all been good, we haven't ended up in any nasty traffic and that really is a massive reason to be cheerful
2. We stayed two nights at Premier Inns and had yummy full breakfasts at both. One night was pretty bad as it was so hot but they have refunded me the money, which is good
3. We visited the Royal Mint Experience in Cardiff on Monday and as Miss E is a coin collector, she was super happy
4. I'm away on holiday at Spring Harvest (the big Christian holiday we go on each year) with dh and my girls
5. My lovely parents are looking after JJ and he tells me he is having a good time
6. The girls have stopped bickering as they are super happy to be here, enjoying the youth sessions, funfair, arcade and swimming pool
7. Dh seems really carefree and happy, it's so nice to see him like this
8. I'm sat all alone right now, enjoying some peace watching a repeat of this mornings bible teaching
9. I had a fabulous breakfast muffin this morning, and they gave me a free coffee to go with it
10. There were a couple of small issues with our room and Butlins got them sorted quickly and even reimbursed me for the food their fridge spoilt
11. I got Miss M a fab top when we were in Minehead, it was £2.49, you can't go wrong with that!
12. Dh and I went to a Gospel choir performance last night and it was excellent, we were up singing and dancing away
13. I'm looking forward to worshipping with around 3000 other Christians tonight 
14. I've got an extra duvet to keep me warm and snug tonight
15. Although the sun has come out and we have a blue sky now! yay
16. We have another three days here before we head home
17. Even then, there is still a week before the kids go back to school
18. and, and, and, I am so pleased. I have a new washing machine. Mine broke about 6 weeks ago and I've been waiting (patiently) and it got replaced under warranty last Friday, so this means when I get home from holiday I can get all the washing done easily.

‘Hunt the Double Yolker’ in limited-edition packs of HARIBO Starmix to Win a Holiday

This post has been commissioned by HARIBO

Have you heard about the new limited edition packs of HARIBO Starmix that are out in time for Easter?

They have hidden 20 hand-crafted double yolker sweets in with the traditional Starmix shapes of heart, cola bottle, egg, ring and bear, so make sure you check any eggs before they get eaten!

Anyone lucky enough to find one of those double yolker sweets will win a fabulous family holiday with Forest Holidays. ‘Hunt the Double Yolker’ runs until 21st April 2019 and shoppers have until 31st May 2019 to claim their prize, so get hunting!

Review & Giveaway | Gorgeous Faux Fur Beanbag from Beanbag Bazaar

As the kids get bigger it feels as if my sofas are shrinking. There was a time when all five us of could happily sit on the one 3 seater sofa and watch a movie. Now we struggle to accommodate just four of us (the teen mostly likes to disappear to his bedroom, when his sisters are about) on two sofas.

We don't have the biggest lounge and we're quite restricted on where our TV can go due to a large fireplace, door and double aspect windows, so there is no easy solution by buying a complementary chair.

Thankfully the answer has come in the form of am ICON large faux fur beanbag; big enough and comfy enough to seat even the biggest adult. The beanbag is 70cm height, 84cm width and 84cm depth. The super soft faux fur feels gorgeous to the touch and I think it looks very luxurious. The outer fur fabric is a modacrylic, acrylic, polyester mix and the base is 100% polyester. Of course it meets all the relevant fire safety standards.

The inner is filled with EPS polystyrene balls and I was pleased to see that by opening the outer zip, you're not going to send balls everywhere, there is an inner zip too before you access them and this is fabulous child proofing. Talking of kids, due to the nature or the faux fur fabric it does warn there can be some shedding, but we've had it a week now and been using it every day and I've not seen any evidence of that.

Feeling Cheery for the Future #R2BC

Hello friends. Happy Thursday. How is it possibly April already?  I had a bit of a shock when I realised today I was hosting #R2BC for this month.  I think we say it every year but it does feel as if time is whizzing by!

I've titled this post feeling cheery for the future, as I'm focusing on what will come to pass and I'm feeling very happy about it. I had an amazing walk with this wonderful lady who I chat to about everything and anything last week, and I poured my heart out, tears and all. It was very freeing and cathartic. We meet again this Friday, which will be a great follow up too. She is an amazing coach and challenges my thinking.

Then on Saturday last week I attended the Premier Woman to Woman conference with my friend Annie and it was fabulous. We had four amazing speakers and a great worship leader and I came away feeling inspired to change, to grow and to be who God created me to be.

I've been reading a book recently called Dream Culture and it has been about unlocking all the dreams that reside within me, it's been a great step forward. I realised I had stopped dreaming and was just sitting waiting to see how God wants to use me. I now realise He has already planted the passion in me for what I'm supposed to do and I just have to unlock it, equip myself and be brave enough to walk into it.

One of the speakers (Terri Savelle Foy) at the conference spoke on fulfilling your dreams too and that felt very pertinent. I've just purchased her book "Make Your Dreams Bigger Than Your Memories: Don't Let Your Past Keep You From Your Future" and I'm looking forward to taking that on holiday with me Sunday.

Review: Toby Carvery, Not Just for Sundays!

Everyone in my family is a big fan of Toby Carvery. I visited my first one with my husband when we were just 21 years old, so that's 24 years ago and we've been going regularly ever since. We love their format and truly think they are the best carvery chain out there. You get served the meat but the potatoes, yorkshire puds, vegetables, stuffing, crackling, gravy and condiments are all help yourself and that makes them perfect for a family who have a big apetitite and love their veg!

Our local Toby Carvery is in Eastbourne and we probably go there at least once a month. A short while back it was refurbished and today was our third visit since it has re-opened. I have to say that I feel as if they have really upped their game along with the new decor. We've always had pleasant staff serving us there but it's as if they all have an extra smile and are enjoying their job more since the place has had a makeover, and their sunny personalities are matching the new smart interior.

As well as the hearty meal, another reason we regularly visit Toby Carvery is because you can often get great discount vouchers to be used on weekdays. Take today for instance, I'm using a 50% off main courses voucher and often I can find 33% or 40% off. Sign up to the Toby Carvery mailing list (or download the app) and you'll be sent great deals.

My dinner (the meat is hiding under the veggies) and bottomless soft drink

Sunday is of course the most popular day for people to traditionally enjoy a roast dinner and for this reason we always avoid Sundays, as we like the restaurant to be a bit quieter when we go there. My recommendation would be to go early evening on a weekday, around 5.30/6pm or late afternoon on a Saturday, around 3/4pm as you'll then find the restaurant quieter but thankfully, we never have any problem with dry meat or old vegetables like you might in some restaurants for the non-peak times.

Deliciously Light Wines from Black Tower (Slimming World Friendly)

{This post has been commissioned by Black Tower}

As a woman in my 40's I rarely drink alcohol nowadays. I don't like to feel out of control, I live in the middle of nowhere and it means I can't drive, I'd rather eat the calories than drink them and I want to wake feeling fresh and ready to take on the day, rather than headachy and sluggish.

I do miss it sometimes though; when I go round a friends for a BBQ and they are all drinking lovely long coolers or a glass of wine, I sometimes pine for the days of old, before children when I could drink and not worry about the effect it has on me. For this reason, I was very excited to learn that Black Tower have launched a new range called Deliciously Light. It has the same great taste as the full alcohol versions but there is only 29 calories per 125ml glass and it only had 0.5% ABV, so it's a winner.

You see that big glass I'm holding in the picture above that was 125ml of Black Tower Deliciously Light white wine mixed with soda water, so that's just 29 calories, or for me as someone who is currently doing Slimming World, it is 1.5 syns. How great is that?

The new Deliciously Light range offers red, white, rosé and sparkling varietals, so something to suit every taste, and of course for someone like me who is following the Slimming World plan at the moment, they are very welcome low calorie drinks.

The range is available from Ocado and costs between £3.50 - £4.00 per bottle, so they are super affordable too.

Black Tower holds many fond memories for me as it is one of the first wines that I discovered I really liked. I can remember being in my late teens and always ordering a bottle of Black Tower when we had a meal out. French wine was all the rage back then, but I always preferred German and the Black Tower Reisling was my favourite of the time.  After the meal I'd always take the iconic black bottle home and place a candle in it; we had loads of those in our student home for a number of years.