Review: Catan Board Game

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Catan used to be marketed as the Settlers of Catan and it is a well-established strategy game where you are seeking to be the first settler to conquer the island and make it yours! I have to admit that I had never heard of it, despite all the awards it has won and many of my friends who love board games told me it was a firm favourite from their games cupboard.

The Premise
After a long voyage, you reach the uncharted island of Catan and you need to collect resources like wool, ore, brick, grain and lumber, which you can then use to build roads, new settlements, or even cities. But you are not the only new settler, you are racing against the other players, who have also just landed on the island. You are then encouraged to trade and bargain for resources and the savviest player will prevail. As you build you will gain victory points and the winner is the first to reach 10 victory points.

Learning the Game
There is a large and very clear rule book with the game. It has full pictures of the board set up, very detailed descriptions on turn order, and an almanack for more advanced rules and clarifications. I have to admit that I did feel a bit overwhelmed at first as there is a lot of writing to read but the Catan website is fab and it has a Prof Easy tutorial that takes you right through gameplay in a very easy to understand fashion. It certainly helped my 10-year-old's to understand.

Christmas Gift Guide - 9 Ideas for the Hard to Buy for Man!

 {Many of the items in this post have been gifted to me in exchange for inclusion in my gift guide. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, any affiliate links will be marked with #ad}

If you have a man in your life who is hard to buy for I've put this gift guide together with you in mind. Both my husband and dad are hard to buy for, the main reason being that neither is really interested in presents. They are both quite content in life with what they have and of course, that's wonderful but it's a bit tricky for me, as I'm someone who likes to give gifts. So I hope you find these nine ideas useful -

A Trip to Hogwarts in the Snow

If you've never been to the Making of Harry Potter, Warner Bros Studio Tour in Watford, Herts then I'd definitely recommend it. We've had a couple of wonderful visits in the last few years and you're normally there for around four hours, although you're free to stay longer if you wish. Over the Christmas period (from 18th November 2017 - 28th January 2018) the whole experience is dressed up for the winter season and it really is a beautiful sight to see. If the man you're buying for has enjoyed the Harry Potter films then he is sure to love this gift. Or look on Amazon for Harry Potter gifts (*ad). 

For more photos check out my review from last year and you can book over here.

Armani Slippers

I think everyone enjoys a bit of comfort and what better than some cosy slippers for a cold day. Slippers of course are a bit of a cliche though and are something you might buy for your Granddad but instead of shopping at Clarks or M&S why not have a look at a more exclusive online shop like Mainline Menswear and shop for some really special slippers, like these gorgeous ones from Armani that I'll be giving to my husband. They are super soft to the touch, come in a drawstring bag and retail for £55 with free delivery. Armani slippers (*ad) are sure to be a hit!

How to Create a Family Photography Competition (Kid Friendly)

The next school holiday is fast approaching and if you’re anything Iike me you'll be searching for ways to keep the kids entertained without it costing you a fortune. Well here is a cost-free and simple idea to add to your repertoire and it is sure to be fun.

A couple of weeks ago we headed to Bexhill-on-sea as a family and the kids spent the afternoon taking photos of their choice around a prompt (or theme) I had chosen for them. I told them in advance that one child would be the winner and would receive a prize, but didn't reveal what the prize was. This was because I didn't want them to put in effort according to how good they each felt the prize was. I just said it would be something they liked and different for each of them.

If you fancy creating your own photo walk or competition here are the things to think through -

1.  Choose your date and check the weather. Some children won't mind if it is pouring down outside but of course, others will hate that and it does make taking good photos much harder, so try to pick a fine day. It doesn't matter if it is cold or frosty, you can just wrap up and of course, you can get some fab photos in the frost or snow.

10 Ways to Improve your Relationship with your Teen

It's hard to believe that the hulking big lad of 14 who won't come out of your son's bedroom without a suitable enticement is the same little boy who used to hold onto your legs and cry when you left him, right? Well, fear not, as your little soldier is still hiding in there and you just need to employ a few tactics to help him (or her, this isn't limited to boys only) be able to show that he still loves you.

1.  Stop underestimating your teen
Your child is more capable, more resilient and more full of ideas than you have ever considered. I think that most parents are guilty of underestimating their child. We see a problem and we want to solve it for them. We have a problem of our own and we try to hide it from them. They show a few emotions and we tiptoe around them. of course, we do these things with the very best of intentions but we actually end up robbing them of important opportunities to learn the skill of problem-solving, to be able to feel useful and to be fully seen, acknowledged and accepted.

Great Personal Service at the Mercure, London Kensington

Last weekend to celebrate Mothers Day, my lovely Mum and I headed up to London for 24 hours together, just us, no kids and no real agenda. We've done it before and had an amazing time and we vowed this year that it will become an annual thing.

24 hours (or 27 to be precise) doesn't sound much but it is amazing what you can fit in. I met Mum at Waterloo and we headed straight over to Leicester Square to the official half-price theatre ticket booth to see if we could bag some good ticket for an evening performance. After success booking for Beautiful. the Carole King musical we enjoyed a toastie and coffee together watching the world go by in this busy part of London.

The rest of our Saturday was filled with checking into our hotel and having a relax there, some serious shopping on Kensington High Street, a fabulous dinner at Prezzo over on New Oxford Street and of course seeing the amazing West-end production of Beautiful. It really is an amazing show and both Mum and I highly recommend it.

Sunday was a much more chilled day where we got up late, enjoyed a full English breakfast at the hotel and then had a walk around Kensington with a little shopping and of course coffee before I dropped Mum back at Waterloo and headed back to my family.

Mercure, London Kensington
But enough about our time together this post is actually about our stay at the small and intimate Mercure Hotel in Kensington. This 82 bedroom hotel is situated on the Cromwell Road and that makes it super easy to access. It you are travelling by tube it is between Gloucester Road and Earls Court and then around a 7 minute walk from either but because you are in the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea it is a really pleasant stroll as the buildings and area are so beautiful.

8 Reasons Not to Take Part in a Shoe Box Appeal (Operation Christmas Child)

Christmas, it is a time for giving and for receiving but for me, much more than that it is a time of goodwill, for thinking of others, for being generous and for reaching out.

You'll see lots of blog posts at this time of year from people taking part in shoe box Christmas gift schemes (particularly Operation Christmas Child) and your children might come home from school, church or something like brownies with a leaflet asking you to help and make a shoebox of gifts for a child, family or elderly person in need.

What do you do with this leaflet? That request from your children? Because let's be honest most kids want to get involved, their heart is to do something kind.

Do you bin the leaflet and hope your kid will forget? Do you tell them 'No, we are not getting involved as that charity is making kids become Christians'? Do you quickly remember how low your bank balance is and decide that £10 would be better off spent on your own child? Or maybe you adopt that age-old opinion, that charity starts at home.

Let's be honest, it is completely up to you what you do. No-one has to do anything they do not want to and no-one has the right to judge you for your choices. You just have to be happy yourself with what you choose to do or as the case may be, don't do.

Reviewing the Vileda Easy Wring and Clean Turbo Mop

Over the last couple of weeks I have been trying out the new Vileda Easy Wring and Clean Turbo Mop and it is fab. What has really surprised me is that the kids love it too and are eager to mop the floor. Let me tell you, this has never happened before! I don't know if it is because the new easy wring bucket makes it so simple to get a near-day mop to be able to clean the floor without too much fuss or because they are currently earning points for one-on-one time with either me or my husband but it is a big hit. The floor has never been so clean.

The easy wring and clean turbo mop has an RRP of £34.99 but I have seen it for £29.99 at Argos and you get everything you need in that price. My personal recommendation would be to buy direct from Vileda at the moment though as they are chucking in a free replacement head (worth £5.99) with the set for the RRP.  The mop and bucket arrive neatly packaged in a box and are super quick to put together. I'm impressed that it is a sturdy product built to last and that you can buy replacement heads.

8 Top Ideas for Sensational Summer Holidays Activities

Thanks to my husband for this fab photo

{This is a collaborative post}

The summer holidays are fabulous but they can also be a little challenging when thinking about how to entertain the kids for six (or more) long weeks.

It is great to go on holiday and have some days out but realistically you don't want to be spending tons of money every day, so some thrifty ways to enjoy time at home or locally are important.

1.  Go open air swimming -
We are super lucky to have a lake where we live but even in our old house there was a great stream where everyone met in the Summer months and as a kid I swam in the local Ford. If you google your local area you are bound to come up with some great places to go swimming or paddling with the kids but remember to play it safe.

2.  Cook with the Kids -
Are there any children that don't like to get messy in the kitchen and of course, they all love to taste their bakes afterwards? We love to use up overripe bananas by cooking Banana muffins or bread but sometimes it is just too hot and you need cooling down and this BFG-inspired Snoozecumber ice cream would hit the mark. My girls are pestering me to make these ice-cream cone cupcakes for their next birthday and I have to say they look amazing.

3.  Take a day out to a National Trust Property -
There are some great deals to be had on National Trust family membership and I'd seriously say don't knock it until you have tried it. My three kids are all of the hyper sorts and they adore running around the grounds and exploring the great play areas. Sites we have particularly loved have been Chartwell, Kent, Attingham Park, Shropshire and Dunster Castle, Somerset.

4.  Get Crafting -
Myself and the kids do enjoy crafting but we are not the image-perfect kind of crafters you see on Pinterest. We often love to just empty out the bag of recycling and do some junk modelling or sit with a floor full of papercrafts and make some greeting cards, It doesn't have to be complex to engage the kids. If you are one of those more crafty types then why not try out making a mosaic tray, I think this one is just stunning.

5.  Camp in your Back Garden -
I think all kids love camping outside, or at least the idea of it, so pitch your tent in the back garden and grab a good book and some snacks and have an outdoor sleepover. If your child can't face the great outdoors then have an indoor camp. My girls adore taking over the lounge and making it into a huge camp that I let them sleep the night in. For a different camping adventure, send them to a summer track and field camp. These camps offer structured programs where children can learn and develop skills in various track and field events, such as running, jumping, and throwing. It's a fantastic way for kids to stay active, make new friends, and build confidence in a supportive environment. Plus, the excitement of participating in track and field activities can be a refreshing change from more traditional summer pastimes.

6.  Travel further afield for a couple of days -
There have been some summers when we haven't been able to take a long family holiday for one reason or another but we have had many great 2 or 3-day breaks away. To help make these super affordable we normally book a long time in advance and go for one of the budget hotels like Premier Inn or Travelodge. We used to live in Herts and often go back up there to visit friends and family and it is great to re-visit our favourite days out like Willows Activity Farm or the Harry Potter Studios Tour. Somewhere that we never did visit when we were local as Hitchin Lavender, but I see so many people sharing photos from there that it is on my hit list for the next time we visit.

7.  Get their Imaginations Going in the Garden -
Your garden really can be a playground for your children. As long as you don't mind some clutter and a bit of a muddy mess then the kids will have a ball I assure you. At age 9 my girls still love to make mud pies with their little neighbours and I delight in watching them all run around together. Rope, old tyres, pallets, buckets and spades and plain old mud make for super fun times.

8.  Go out for a Photo Walk -
This is one of my girl's favourite things to do. Miss E opted for a good camera for her birthday but Miss M is happy with my old point-and-click. I adore watching them find all the little things in nature that make my heart sing. You don't need to live in the beautiful countryside like I do, town walks and even industrial walks can be fun if you set some challenges about what photos to capture.

Of course, the queen of fabulous ideas which won't break the bank is Cass at Diary of a Frugal Family and here she shares 100 fun and frugal ideas, go take a peek.

I bet you are feeling a bit more confident now and ready to tackle the rest of the summer, enjoy!

The August Break - A Month of Slowing Down

Back in July, I gave myself permission to have a blogging break, to dump the commitments, the guilt and the constant need to write.  My blogging mojo had been missing for a while so I figured I needed some time to just be and see if it would return.

I've enjoyed the last couple of weeks and now August has arrived I feel free for a month as there is lots of fun ahead of us. I came across the August Break yesterday on Susannah Conway's blog and I thought why not join in.

It is a slow month of August where you can take a photo a day to record your downtime over summer. I'm going to be sharing my photos over on Instagram and I'm trying very hard not to be intimidated by all the perfect images over there that are using the #AugustBreak2016. I want to do this for me though, so I'll press on and share my life in my normal real, messy, from the heart way.

Above is the list of prompts that you can use if you so wish but basically this is a no-rules kind of project, so the idea is to snap a photo every day and share (or don't share) in your own way.

I wasn't going to use the prompts but actually, both of my pictures so far have fit the theme (but not in an aesthetically pleasing Instagram kind of way!). Day 1 was morning light and whilst it was a picture taken in the evening the theme of the festival this week is 'New Day Dawning' and that seemed just perfect.

Then day 2's theme is leaf and there was plenty of those in my joyful jumping photo!

This project is open to all and a great way to find new blogs and Instagram accounts, so why don't you join in too? You don't even have to complete the whole month and you are welcome to start anytime.

Have a blessed week, Mich x

3 East Sussex Seaside Towns to Visit with the Kids in Half-Term

I know some people are put off visiting the seaside when the weather is not so good but actually, we just go for it. Of course, it helps that we are only 20-30 minutes from numerous beaches nowadays but even when we lived further afield we used to take a day trip and enjoy the fun of the seaside whatever the weather. The big pull of visiting in the Winter of course is that there aren't any crowds and you really can enjoy all that space with your kids.

There are loads of great seaside towns to visit in our home country of East Sussex and you can take your pick but the three I am giving a shout-out to today are Bexhill-on-Sea, Eastbourne and Hastings.

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Booked via TodayTix

My lucky, lucky boys got to have a wonderful day together this weekend; it is so important for JJ to spend time one on one with his Dad and for them to have the opportunity to be guys together.

They headed up to London to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane courtesy of TodayTix, a new (for the UK) mobile app that allows users to buy the best priced West End theatre tickets in around 30 seconds between one day and one week before the performance.

I got to use the TodayTix app to procure the tickets for my husband and son and it really was very simple. The app is available to download for iOS, Android and Amazon and just took a minute. Once you open the app you can start to browse straight away for the shows that take your fancy and you get an indication of the kind of price you might pay. Of course, there are various pricing options for each show depending where you want to sit.

Parenting with Grace

The terrible twosome laughing together for once!

As I undertook the mundane (but quite enjoyable to me) tasks of tidying the kid's bedrooms and changing my bed the other morning I listened to a podcast from the God Centered Mom. I've been subscribed to this channel for a while but not really listened before but after the podcasts, I listened to today I'll be back and I'd say check it out if Godly parenting is your kind of thing.

More and more as I grow as a Christian I've been thinking about how I shine my light and demonstrate Gods love to all those I meet. Of course, this needs to start with me - being kind and forgiving of myself and then with those closest to me. None of them is perfect so I must not expect that from them and when I speak tenderly to my husband even though he may have annoyed me or lovingly to my children even though they may be screaming at each other I'm doing the right thing and emulating Christ.

Let me assure you it is not at all easy to be as Jesus was. He was the son of God made into man and sent here to experience our world, he was perfect and wholesome. I am broken and flawed but I have given my life to him and now I am dead to my old selfish ways and Jesus lives in me, I just need to let him and not fight it.

Driving myself crazy

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I know some people adore driving, they find it relaxing and could happily do it all day. Some do it as their job of course; there are plenty of delivery drivers and sales reps travelling around and spending more time in their vehicle than out of it each day. Never, ever could I do that! Last week I had to collect one of my daughters from my parents, this is just a 80-mile journey, so not far in the scheme of things but the round trip of just under 5 hours, much of that spent on the M25 absolutely wrecked me. All I wanted to do when I got home was sleep.

I’m a bit of a conundrum nowadays really as I think I am both an excellent and terrible driver all rolled into one. When More Than asked me to write about the worst driver I know, the only person that came to mind was me. This may well be because I don’t trust many people to drive me around and as such I am rarely a passenger to experience their driving nowadays. I’m not a terrible actual driver though, I consider myself to be an astute and cautious driver, even better since I had to go on the road awareness course for speeding and it even made me think about signing up for an advanced driver course. I think too many people underestimate the skill needed to drive really well.

Why Paris is guaranteed to keep you busy in November

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I love Paris, I've not been there that many times but for me, it is the city of love. I know that is cliche but I don't mind, the last time I stayed in Paris was December 1998 and my (now) husband had secretly booked a romantic break for us. At the time we were both managers in a hotel and one of the staff who worked for me in reception had come over to the UK from the French arm of the company.

Jerome helped my husband secure a really exclusive hotel for us and with his French-speaking skills and contacts at the hotel we got five star luxury for staff rates, it was a serious bargain. Nowadays if we were to visit Paris we would definitely head to the Hotel Direct site and have a look through what they could offer as then no French language skills would be necessary and I could rest easy.

Start your day the Dolce Gusto Way... #DolceGustoBlogger

My morning routine has taken a turn for the better over the last couple of weeks.  In days gone by I have always started the day with a large cup of tea but now it is all about the coffee, more specifically cappuccino if I'm honest.

I've always liked coffee but I've never been able to make a cup as good as those you get when out but now I do get a really decent cappuccino and for a fraction of the price. Actually, my morning cappuccino now costs me about 47p per cup (or £3.77 for a box of 8) and I've ordered the Cafe Au Lait with this weeks shopping and they are even more cost-efficient as I need just one pod to make a cup and that is 24p for a seriously well-brewed cup of coffee.

So what am I using to make my delicious coffee?  A NESCAFE Dolce Gusto Mini Me machine made by quality manufacturer De'Longhi.  I see these retail for £59.99 at John Lewis and I think that is a good price for a machine with a 2-year warranty that has no fuss required. I just op in the pod of my choosing, select the volume I want (to match that suggested or to my own desire) and hey presto the machine regulates the pressure to ensure I have my coffee come out just the way I like it, be that a strong and sultry espresso or a frothy Latte Macchiato.

The Thermoblock heating system means that the cold water I put into the machine is heated in under a minute and thus I have drinks quicker than when I use a regular kettle! It is also really good that the machine kicks into standby mode after 5 minutes of inactivity and thus even if I have forgotten to switch it off it is energy efficient and safe.

I'm trying to limit myself to one cup a day as I like to add sugar to coffee and the regular cappuccino is 84 calories per cup although I've also spotted today there is a light version which is just 20 calories so I'll be trying that next. It's funny that I'm thinking about the calories when you look at the next picture though as I have found the cappuccino is super with cake!

I'll tell you what else is pretty cool, it is the Facebook page for NESCAFE Dolce Gusto as there is a real community feel there, you can chat, upload photos, be in with a chance to win pods, give feedback and even find fabulous recipes like this one below, I WILL be making this very soon...

They have also launched a new fun app called The Pod and this allows you to play games and collect stamps for fun and there is also the chance to win prizes when you complete the mini-tasks to earn the stamps. There is nothing laborious, it might just be giving your feedback on literally one question or saying what your favourite pod is etc.

It is always good to have a browse and see what is about and I've just found out that there is a code in each one of my pod boxes and by entering these on the website I can be in with a chance to win a years free coffee - result!

Anyway, I'm sure this will be the first of many NESCAFE Dolce Gusto posts as I've been selected to be a #DolceGustoblogger and that means I will get to try out all sorts of flavours and fun things.


Disclosure:  The mini me machine and a starter pack was sent to me free of charge for the purpose of trying out the products and writing this post. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.

How much does it cost to feed a 10 year old?

My son JJ is 10 years old, nearly 11 and he is a big, tall strapping lad, practically as tall as me and he even has the same size feet. So it stands to reason that he wants to eat nearly as much as I do and it can be hard at times to rationalise whether I should be putting as much on his plate as I have or not. I don't want him to end up overweight like me so I tend to go with giving him less and then he can ask if he is still hungry and wants a little more.

NatWest asked me to look at my spending habits and to work out how much I spend on JJ's food each week. Their Child Cost Calculator estimates that JJ will cost me about £40 a week in food (as he is in the 4 - 12-year-old age group) and I was a bit flabbergasted at this initially but upon thinking about it a bit more I realise it depends on what is happening in that week.

An average food shop for the five of us is about £100 a week and then I will sometimes top this up with extra bread, milk, fruit and vegetables so you might be looking as high as £120 but that will include all cleaning products, toiletries and household items. So the true cost of the food is about £100 and if you divide that by the 5 of us then that is £20 each, add in maybe one or two school meals a week and that's another £4 and a Twix after swimming and 50p sweets in the shop once a week is another £1. So now I am up to £25 in a week and fairly often we will have a meal out, sometimes it will just be a MacDonald's for convenience and that's about another £4 or if we are heading out somewhere nicer then it could be more like £10, which would then get it closer to the £40 mark that the NatWest calculator suggests.

I had a lot of fun using the calculator and seeing what it believes the cost of bringing up a child is, the estimated cost before you put any of your own edits in is just over £307K and that seems crazy to me but I suppose if you are paying school fees and hefty amounts in childcare it soon adds up and if you are earning a city salary, maybe that does not seem that much. I chose to adjust the calculator to suit our family's lifestyle and using educated guesses it looks as if my kids are costing me about £52K each over the course of the first 17 years of their lives. As I have three children that is in excess of £150K to bring up the kids and it worked out to £9100 per year in child-related costs. That seems pretty scary to me, as it does not even take into account your housing, utility bills or others essentials like that but I would not change it for anything.

Before having the children I had lots of disposable income, nice cars, abroad holidays and a massive wardrobe but their cries of Mummy when I arrive home after being away mean far more to me now than the money did.

Why don't you check out the NatWest Child Cost Calculator and see if your costs match up to what the research says a child will cost? It breaks the costs down into four age groups - 0-12 months, 1-3 years, 4-12 years and then 13-17 years which is good as it reflects that costings in various areas do change depending on the child's abilities and needs.

Let me know how much your cost comes out at for the first 17 years. Can you beat my £52K per child?  I think I did quite well getting it down to that and my kids certainly aren't missing out on anything.

Disclosure: NatWest have kindly sent me some Sainsburys vouchers to spend on my shopping and test out how much I spend on JJ's food. They have not instructed me what to write and I remain honest.

A family trip to Belfast?

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I love to get away with the family and to experience somewhere new. I'm ashamed to say that I've never been to Northern Ireland and only a couple of times to Southern Ireland, so surely it must be high time for this to be rectified.

Belfast seems the perfect place to travel to for a first visit, it is the capital city after all. So what can Belfast offer to a family like mine with primary school-aged kids who like variety, fun and somewhere new to explore?

Loads is the answer I found when I started to investigate.  There is everything you would expect of a big city, like fabulous and varied shops, nice gardens and grounds to walk around and superb quality hotels, like the Fitzwilliam Hotel from Hotel Direct. There are also loads of places to explore -

Belfast Zoo
Like most kids, mine love to see the animals and enjoy a zoo experience and I'm sure this 55-acre zoo won't disappoint. I was super glad to see that there are giraffes, elephants, bears and other large animals there. Of course, there are lots of small ones too with over 150 species and 1000 animals. The newest of which are baby twin pygmy marmosets.

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Botanic Gardens
I love looking around gardens and seeing all the different flower species and of course, the beauty of gardens is that they have loads of space and the kids can run free and enjoy exploring and just being young. Also during June they can enjoy some children's entertainment sessions including face painting, balloon modelling, music performances and a bouncy castle.

Titantic Belfast
You can visit the worlds largest Titantic state-of-the-art visitor experience and discover the story of Belfast's most famous creation. This iconic six-story building is easily assessable and not to be missed, it has won various industry awards in the last couple of years.

T13 Urban Sports Park
My 10-year-old son JJ might think I'm the coolest parent ever if I take him to T13. Here he can discover a world of BMX, Skateboarding, Kick Scooter, Break Dancing, Urban Art & DJing. You can get involved by grabbing a BMX or Skateboard and having a go, joining in with a Break Dance or Free Running class, or just popping in to check out the live DJ's and the amazing space and art galleries.

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Peace Walls
I think it is really important for our children to learn about their countries history and at the moment over 60 peace walls still stand in parts of Belfast. Many were built to be temporary protection between the catholic and protestant fighting of years gone by but they still stand over 15 years after the Good Friday Agreement which ended the troubles.

This just gives you a taster of the kind of things you can find in Belfast, there is so much more and it is worth checking out the Discover Northern Ireland and the Visit Belfast websites.

I hope you have a great visit if you decide to travel to Belfast.

Top tips for safe driving in the winter months

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I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to driving in the snow I'm afraid. It is not something I'm proud of and I'm trying to become more confident. My fears stemmed from a couple of bad snowfalls back in early 2003 and 2004. In the first one, I was pregnant and my usual 45-minute commute took me 11 hours to trawl. Then in January the following year, I had a four-month-old baby in the car with me and again Hertfordshire was hit with snow and the roads gridlocked. It took us 1.5 hours to travel under a mile and we pulled into a local hotel and they took pity on us with our small baby and gave us a room for the night, I still believe it was the most sensible option, thank goodness I always packed a very good change bag for my baby JJ.

I find that if I take some practical steps before the really bad weather comes then I feel happier and calmer about driving and that makes a big difference.  I'll share with you my tips for safer winter driving -

• Make sure that your car was topped up with anti-freeze at your last service and if realistically you know that you don't get your car serviced as often as you should then check this and top up as necessary.
• Having moved to the countryside I can't believe just how dirty my car gets in winter, so I'm having to wash my windscreen far more frequently. It is thus important to make sure your screenwash is topped up and also that the product you are using can cope with freezing weather.
• I'd also say treat your wipers kindly, don't expect them to try to clear ice, you may damage the blade and also blow the mechanism as you try to make it work too hard.
• Previously I wondered if winter tyres were just a ploy for garages to make money but having spent a week in Belarus last year in the deep snow I now realise they really do make a difference. So if you can afford to change your tyres and have the room to store your spare set this is great for peace of mind.
• If you choose not to change your tyres then just keep an eye on the depth of your tread and also make sure they are properly inflated as this will give you the best chance of gripping a snowy or icy road.
• Before travel, especially in the morning allow yourself time to get your car ready, it does take a while to de-ice the car.  Remember to do all glass, mirrors and lights so so you can see and are visible to other drivers. Never ever use boiling water to de-ice windows like my old neighbour used to, the risk of the glass cracking is high.
• You can buy winter car kits to keep in your boot or easily make your own up. It is a good idea to have a spade/ snow shovel, wellies, blanket, drinking water and high energy/ long life snacks, first-aid kit, torch and de-icer with scraper.
• If you don't have the knowledge to be able to fix your car yourself then make sure you have adequate breakdown cover. Currently, I'm fully covered with the AA and I've used the call out service quite a number of times in the years I have been a member. I'll happily recommend the AA as they have arrived quickly, been able to fix my car, give great advice and even entertained my kids!
• Then most importantly remember that if you are driving on a road covered in ice or snow it will take far longer to brake safely; the stopping distance can be up to ten times the normal. You will to slow right down and steer and break gently, especially at bends in the road. Make sure you apply your breaks lightly and use your gears to slow down and avoid skidding. Then for me it always seems counter-intuitive but you should use the highest gear possible at a low speed when driving in icy conditions as this will help avoid quick acceleration and wheel spin.

Don't forget if the weather looks really bad outside check the news or the met office website before you travel and if you can stay off the roads and don't put yourself at risk.

What makes a good marriage?

At the end of December, I posted some photos showing my husband and I through our nineteen-year relationship. I didn’t really share any words, except to mention that life is very different now to how we ever imagined but that we are happy with that.

One of the comments on that post said they would love to hear my views on what makes a successful marriage and I thought why not, it is something I am very passionate about. Last summer I wrote a post titled ‘No one said it would be easy’ and I outlined in that what a strong and lasting marriage is for me –

“I didn't go into my marriage thinking that every day would be a dream, nor that I would always feel 'in love' with my husband every day. I fully realise that a good marriage is about hard work, compromise, upset, difficult decisions and angst as well as the flip side of joy, delight, companionship, support, respect and contentment.”

I also said that I realised my version of a good marriage is not what most people want to hear, they want to know that marriage is filled with passion and exuberant times and of course, it is not at all doom and gloom. Getting married is one of the best things I have ever done, it turned my world upside down and led me into opportunities and new choices that I never knew were possible. For me, it is extra special as it was marrying that led my husband and I to become Christians and to find a way to live life differently.

While I was musing what it is that makes a good marriage I put the question out to some blogger friends, both Christians and those not overtly of any faith. It seems that people like to share on this subject and I ended up with a whole wealth of useful information and perspectives. 

In fact I ended up with so much that I need to split this into two posts, so this first instalment will be what makes a good marriage and then tomorrow I’ll post what makes a good Christian marriage and it will be interesting to see if perspectives differ.

For now I'll hand you over to some prominent bloggers, who share their advice for a successful marriage -

The American Resident - I think never taking the marriage, the partnership, the friendship or each other as individuals for granted is the key. When we start to do that we start to get unhappy and stressed and have to slow down, make time for each other and get back on track. 

DorkyMum - Never ever stop communicating, but be aware that you may have different ways of doing that.

Being Mrs C - Making time for each other without children, date nights make such a difference.

Thinly Spread - Knowing when to shut up. Space for each other's individual stuff - it's a partnership not joined at the hip. Realistic expectations - that mad bit has to mellow or life would grind (!) to a halt. At the end of the day I like him, he makes me laugh, I would rather spend time with him than anyone else.

Pink Oddy – Always stop to look at things from their perspective.

Mari’s World – My husband is also my best friend, there is a mutual respect between us and a desire to make the other happy. Also when we disagree we never harbour the grudge. On the whole try to go to bed with a discussion solved, an apology made and ready to start a new day

Little Lilypad blog - BE SILLY… don’t take yourself too seriously. Laughing always makes everything else easier. 

Kiddy Charts - Don't over analyse what your man says to you - by and large men are simple creatures, and usually what they say is exactly what they mean, unlike us ladies!  

Cambridge Mummy - Go into marriage expecting it to be work - it's not easy, it's not simple, it's hard work and is something that always has to be worked at. There's no coasting. There's no easy option. And I know that this sounds really negative, but I believe that after nearly 10 years together, we are only just starting to scratch the surface of making it work. And as hard as I find it - and I do find it hard, being a grown up and being married - I don't regret it one bit. It's the best thing I ever did.  

Actually Mummy - Tolerance, not expecting romance and passion.  In fact she wrote a fab post on this very subject here.

Boo, Roo and Tigger too - Understanding what is important to either one of you. I love to tell Mr Boo all about my day as soon as he gets home as I've missed my best friend, whilst I know he may have had a long busy day he lets me chat away knowing that once I have told him everything I will relax and unwind for the evening. 

The Crazy kitchen - My mum once said to me "Helen, you just have to learn to live with it" ...referring to the annoying things that both my husband & dad do...she's been married for 48 years so I suppose it works..

Keynko - An understanding that normal life is not a Hollywood romance, it is dull and difficult - but always strive to reach a happy ending.

Mums The Word - My advice would be to try and see the positives in each other. Yes, it bugs me that my Husband doesn't put his washing in the basket and he's practically allergic to washing up, but he's very kind and does everything he can to make me and Sausage happy, which is so much more important than the small, stupid things. 

I think we have some real gems in there. Of course, every marriage is different and my stance would be to establish with your partner what is important to you both, as long as fundamentally you both like each other and you go into your marriage knowing who you are and who they are with realistic expectations then you should be able to make it work but it will take work, never ever expect it to be an easy ride!

Thanks so much to everyone for their input, tomorrow I'll post the next instalment with all the advice shared by my Christian blogger friends.

Have a blessed week, Mich x

Christmas is coming.. 33 more sleeps

The excitement is already building in our house. I know some people do not like mention of Christmas too early but as we have been making Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes since early September it feels like we really are in full swing with the festive season. Today nearly 100 boxes have gone off to be delivered to underprivileged children across the globe and the kids school has had its Christmas fete.


Christmas is such an important time to us as Christians and we will be enjoying lots of worship and time with family and friends. The Christian Centre where we live is closed for two and a half days and those days will be spent with us all (about 75/80 of us in total) in the Great Hall worshipping, playing games, watching movies, cooking for each other and sharing gifts. To say that the children are excited is the biggest understatement there is. Already they are looking at my calendar and working out how many sleeps it is until the fun starts.

The kids have started to learn their lines and songs for the Christmas performances at school and at church and I am pleased to say that my shopping is well underway. It will be great this year to be celebrating Christmas with our community as it means I do not have to get sucked into the trap of having to go out and do a silly £200 food shop for the festive couple of days.

I've been inspired by Debbie at Johnson Babies to make some gifts for the kids teachers and the lovely Mary of Keynko who has made the kids a knitted elf ready for us to play elf on the shelf in December but more about these activities as they happen. The children have their advent calendars at the ready (just the bog standard chocolate ones) and now I have enough skills to sew them some beautiful ones for next year (did I tell you I've been taking sewing classes?).

To start getting the kids into the Christmas mood (like it was difficult) Mothercare sent the girls a beautiful padded onesie each, sadly JJ is too much of a giant and cannot fit in their clothes anymore. Such a shame, he would have loved these tartan PJs -

and looking at these little PJ's bought back memories of when I could dress the girls in mix and match clothing. In fact they has some Christmas PJ's similar to this many years back now -

Here they are the very day they received their Mothercare onesies, they literally ran upstairs and put them on and they have been on every night since (excepting wash days).

Mothercare '25 Sleeps' Competition

Ohh and while I am talking Mothercare you might be interested to hear about their '25 sleeps' advent competition.  Go and visit their Facebook page for the full details but basically, you need to upload a picture of your sleeping child and 24 will be picked to feature in the online advent calendar, you'll also bag yourself some Mothercare vouchers if your child is picked.

Here is a picture I could upload for the competition, weren't they cute?

Disclosure: Mothercare have sent us some PJs and vouchers to join in with their '25 sleeps' countdown to Christmas. I'll be posting about what our family gets up to in our preparations for Christmas. They have no instructed me what to write and I'll remain honest.