What Should You Do with Your Pet When Travelling?

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Travelling as a pet owner can sometimes be complicated. It is rarely feasible to take your pet travelling with you, which means that you will need to make appropriate arrangements to ensure it is being looked after whilst you are away. If you have never had to make these arrangements before, the sheer range of options open to you can often be overwhelming.

Find a Trusted Sitter

Having someone look after your pet while you are away can be an expensive undertaking. If there is someone you know and trust to look after your pet while you're not there, it is worth asking them if they would consider it. Choosing someone that you know and trust over a professional sitter can have a number of advantages.

The big advantage of a professional pet sitter is that they come with experience and knowledge that other people might not necessarily possess. However, if you know someone personally who has extensive experience in taking care of pets and is knowledgeable about looking after the type of pets that you have, then you should leap at the opportunity to have them sit your pets for you. Using someone that you know will usually be much cheaper than hiring a sitter, as you can easily afford to pay them and still be way ahead in terms of expenses.

Our 2020 Bucket List

I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. December was a busy month for the majority of us but with our winter wedding thrown in too it really was a crazy one - I'm only just starting to feel like we are getting back to some sort of normality and routine!

The Mini Mes went back to school last Tuesday and I'm back at work properly today so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to have a think about the year ahead and write our bucket list. The only resolutions I've set are to be kinder to myself and read 52 books but there are quite a few things I'd like to tick off as a family/couple, as you can see below.

From our break in East Meon 2019

5 Things To See And Do In Canada

*Collaborative Post*

If you're seeking a holiday destination with breathtaking views composed of beautiful lakes and snow-capped mountains Canada is the place to go. There's plenty to explore and so much to keep you occupied during your visit that you will probably be booking your return trip before you've even left! 

Here are a few of our favourite things to see and do whilst there...

Banff National Park

There's no doubt you will enjoy a trip to Canada with so many uninhabited natural spaces to witness. Niagara Falls is one of the most popular attractions, with around 14 million visitors each year, and it's not surprising to see why. These 3 iconic waterfalls are based between the province of Ontario and the state of New York. There are boat tours to get up close to the water, the Rainbow Bridge to venture across and also exciting tunnel trips to view the Horseshoe Falls (the largest) from behind. You can even book a helicopter ride above for some amazing photography opportunities.

With over 50 acres of land, available to access all year round, Butchart Gardens is a great attraction in Central Saanich. The variety of colours and aromas will captivate your senses regardless of the season or weather - with winter having the addition of an ice rink for skating and a carousel to ride. This is an ideal place for festive family fun with the pretty lights and decorations at the moment.

7 Top Tips for Spending Christmas Away from Home

*Collaborative Post*

Whether you're heading abroad, setting off for a getaway in the countryside or staying with relatives for the festive period these tips should make it a success - you can keep the spirit yet remove the stress from travel over Christmas.

• Before leaving home it's a good idea to ensure you have all the essentials to hand, just in case the weather causes any delays. Pop a box in the boot with some snacks, blankets, drinks and even pyjamas so if you're stuck at night you can transfer the little ones straight to bed with ease. You may also wish to take out one day insurance for your car if someone else wants to take the wheel for a change so you can make the most of your family break from the very start.

• If your little ones are believers allow them to write letters to Santa in advance so they don't worry that he wont know exactly where they are to deliver their gifts! It may sound simple but it will mean so much to them and remove any unnecessary upset. You can even receive a free letter back from Royal Mail if you post them to Santa’s Grotto, Reindeerland, XM4 5HQ before 6th December - something that will definitely put smiles on faces!

4 Clear Signs Your Tyres Need To Be Replaced

Cars have become an almost inseparable part of our lives and we are often totally dependent on them for our commute. But even when we know they are extremely important for our safety, we ignore our car tyres to a great extent and continue to use the old and worn out ones - just to avoid breaking the bank. But if we talk about long term, this negligence only magnifies the repair costs because if tyres are not performing, they tarnish the overall vehicle performance too. For example you live in Birmingham and you want to travel out of town by road for a business trip - you need to make sure your tyres are in good condition otherwise you will face inconvenience.

You can follow this simple 4 step checklist to know if this is the right time to make a tyre replacement.

Seeing Unusual Bulges

If you see uneven bulges in your tyres surface that means that they are in the depreciating state and continuing to drive with them will be very dangerous. Inspect the surface carefully and you should be able to find any bulges or cracks.

Making a House a Home with Desenio

We've been decorating the house room by room for the last couple of months and it's now at the stage where I can actually select the finishing touches for certain spaces *hooray*. I think it's the final few pieces like plants, candles and wall art that really transform a house into a home, and gives a room some style. It was therefore lovely to select some prints from Desenio - especially after gathering so much inspiration from their Instagram page!

Desenio have a large collection of posters and prints, which are primarily Scandinavian, that help you to create the atmosphere you desire - whether that be a sassy teen bedroom or a relaxing bathroom. If you're seeking classic black and white, retro items, bold quotes or something cute for a nursery, they have some great quality products and they of course have the perfect frames and accessories to enable you to get your purchases up and on the walls or shelves quickly. 

Your Wedding Aesthetic: Why It's Important And How To Choose One

Let’s not beat around the bush - wedding planning can be a bit of a slog. Between finding a venue, working out a guest list, choosing your dress, and deciding on wedding flowers, there can be a seemingly endless list of things to do in preparation for your big day. Another critical step is settling on a wedding aesthetic. This is essentially the overall style of your wedding, which represents the look and feel you want for your big day, incorporating decorations, colour palette, and dress code. By tying all these elements into one wider design narrative, your wedding will have a cohesive feel which embodies you and your partner’s styles and personalities. They could be broader themes, whether rustic, vintage, or whimsical, or even something zanier and more specific - perhaps take ideas from the fantasy world of The Wizard of Oz or the opulence of

Marie Antoinette.

But with so many things to consider, it can be difficult to make up your mind on a single aesthetic, let alone bring it to life. Here are a few things to bear in mind as you try to make a decision...

Christmas Gift Giveaway #8

Cuddling up before bed with a book is part of the evening routine for many children and this giveaway is a great way to extend your home library. 

Poptropica, the self-discovery app for kids, allows them to learn as they play! It has become a global sensation that reaches more than 100 countries across the world and the brand has since branched out into books which accompany the game, and take kids on an adventure beyond the incredibly popular online role-playing world. 

Filled with beautiful illustrations and gripping storylines, these are perfect for young girls and boys who love reading and amazing adventures. The first book, Mystery of the Map, even made it on to the New York Times bestseller list. 

Magical Family Fun for Halloween

Gross Magic is a much sought after favourite of tricksters everywhere! This set features props and ideas for more than forty revolting magic tricks and illusions so your little ones can impress their audience (or should we say victims) this Halloween with the practised use of a ‘clean to dirty’ toilet and ‘poo paper’, hatching cockroach eggs, slime in a dustbin, jumping and vanishing bogies, pretend veins and a squidgy telepathic brain, to name but a few.

These conjuring feats are guaranteed, with a bit of preparation, to produce groans of nausea from friends and family.

Celebrating National Organic Month

September is National Organic Month and to celebrate we will have a number of giveaways where you can win organic goodies right up until the start of October.

The first prize comes from Discount Supplements and we have four fabulous products up for grabs!

Children's Storage Solutions from Minene (Plus Your Chance to WIN)

As we are in the process of decorating Minxy's and Jamster's bedrooms we've been on the look out for new furniture, beds and accessories to get some inspiration. I'm fairly clueless when it comes to things like design, I could certainly do with all the help I can get, and although the Mr is a handy man at heart he doesn't have an eye for interiors either! I thought it would therefore be the best option to ask the Mini Mes exactly what they want and to just go with that. After all, I know how excited they are about having a more attractive space of their own and it makes them feel involved with the transformations.

Jamster is after a modern skater theme with cool graffiti style artwork whereas Minxy is seeking a more feminine and classic look with floral designs, floaty drapes and big fluffy cushions. Regardless of the style, we definitely need more storage for their belongings and Minene stepped in to help in that department. They sent us some pretty baskets to kick-start our projects and these have already been very useful.

7 Useful Tips For Your First Holiday With A Baby

We spend so much time planning for the arrival of our bundles of joy. After all, in the best possible way, our beautiful babies can turn our world upside down. But amid the raft of changes they bring to your sleeping patterns, your house, the size of your car and everything else, it’s easy to forget to take care of number one, and your special someone too.

You need your R&R, and having a baby shouldn’t mean you miss out on your holiday when summer rolls around. So how to ensure that your first trip away with the new addition to your family is a trip to remember, at a suitable location, and that a relaxing and enjoyable experience for everyone results? Here are seven bits of advice which should hopefully go some way to helping you out…

Look far and wide

If your dream is to go afar, and your baby is not yet mobile, this may be your time to go long distance. Flying with a very small child is a good deal easier (and more affordable) than doing so when they are a crawling (or walking) toddler, so there’s no time like the present to go to Santiago or Sydney.

Meal Planning Monday

This past week I've booked a few holidays, been to Ikea for some decorating inspiration (while filling my face with 60p hot dogs) and played taxi to the Mini Mes on several occasions. I swear they have better social lives than I do with three parties to attend! The week ahead is equally as busy with the return of swimming lessons for Jamster, a trip to Liverpool and hopefully a romantic getaway for Valentine's, so there are quite a few quick and slow cooked meals on the planner for convenience.

Here is the menu for the week ahead:

• I do love a good pie and this chicken and gammon recipe is one that I always return to as everyone enjoys it. I've started making the filling on the hob while cooking the pastry by itself on a tray in the oven to save time.
  

WIN a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Door Jumper and Backpack Harness

Toddlers will love being able to dance and bounce around in the new Cozy Coupe Door Jumper (£49.99). This fun entertainer gives baby hours of bouncing play and promotes healthy activity. 

It easily attaches to door frames to provide jumping fun and features a removable play dashboard with music, horn button, mirror and a clicking key to keep baby entertained. 

The jumper features a padded and washable seat cover and is suitable for children up to 11.5kg.

As small children set off for their first adventure make sure they are well prepared with the brand new Cozy Coupe Backpack Harness (£14.99). The Backpack allows little ones to keep all their precious things together and features a removable strap, so you can hold on to them as they grow in confidence. 

The colourful Cozy Backpack even features a name tag with emergency contact details on, perfect for nursery or school trips.

Meal Planning Monday

Is it just me or is this year whizzing by? I'm in shock a little that we have reached February already when it feels like just yesterday we were counting down to Christmas! I am however looking forward to the arrival of spring, enjoying more time outdoors as a family, going on holidays and eating fresh salads al fresco. Hopefully Valentine's Day and half term will bring some excitement too. Bring on that sunshine.

Here is the menu for the week ahead

• The Mini Mes have chicken burgers quite frequently at their dad's house so I decided these would be good to try at home too. I've not had one in a very long time so I'm rather looking forward to a 'fakeaway'

Haslet Recipe

Variety is the spice of life and this comes down to sandwich fillings too, apparently. The Mr loves a nice mixture for his lunch so I decided to make haslet as an alternative to the chicken, egg, tuna mayo etc that he would normally have between two slices of bread. It was a real success and the Mini Mes have enjoyed eating this too!

Ingredients

Meal Planning Monday

The weather hasn't been great with both snow and rain this week so I thought it was better to be prepared, and save myself from venturing out into the cold, by ordering online. Especially as my Morrisons shop last week was so successful. I had a rummage through the freezer beforehand and as we have overflowing drawers quite a lot in already I thought it would be a good idea to use that rather than spending a small fortune on food when it wasn't necessary. 

The Mr would be proud of my frugal ways!

Here is the menu this week:

• We bought quite a lot of party food over the Christmas period for when family and friends visited and the plait is something that was popped in the freezer for another day. I must admit it looks rather delicious but I will be sticking with my New You Plan again this week (only 3 weeks to go!).

Willow and Honey Candle Collection (PLUS Your Chance to Win!)

With Valentine's Day fast approaching it's time to seek out unique and beautiful gifts for your loved one and this new luxury candle collection may be the ideal treat this February. 

Handmade in the heart of the English countryside Willow and Honey is a luxury home fragrance brand designed to breathe a daily dose of serenity into every home.  Founded and run by two sisters, born out of love and a desire to create beautiful products with unique vegan and vegetarian fragrance oil combinations inspired by nature.


This elegant trio of soy candles features three fruity fragrances - Sweet Orange & Chilli, French Pear & Freesia and Fig & Cassis. Each is 60g in size with a burn time of around 15 hours so they will last for your romantic evening meal and far beyond. The candles can be burnt individually or together for a wonderful blended scent and being white they will match most interiors well if used for decorative purposes.

Mr Big Tops - Sweets By Post (WIN 1 of 10 Boxes)

Would you like to come home from a busy day to discover a box of delicious sweets to devour? 

With Mr Big Tops you can order a delivery for yourself, send someone a surprise gift or arrange a box subscription - it's such a great idea!

There are over 60 retro style sweets to choose from on the website and it's a simple process of scrolling through the list and ticking your favourites when ordering. Six varieties from your selection will be sent, with loose ones wrapped within sealed bags for maximum freshness, inside an easy to open and recyclable cardboard box. You don't even need to worry about being at home as the box slides nicely through standard letterboxes. 

There are squishy marshmallows, gums, jellies, bars, lollipops and much more. 

Something to suit everyone.

Just a few of the sweets available

Siblings (January)

We haven't done a great deal so far this month as the weather has been so miserable but we did manage to have a lovely woodland walk at Everdon. Getting out in the cold can be so refreshing, especially after indulging over Christmas, and it was of course great fun to jump in muddy puddles, climb trees and build dens with the Mini Mes.

Like any siblings, Minxy and Jamster bicker over the littlest of things at the moment and tell tales on one another daily. Usually it's down to something as small as what song is on the radio, who's sitting in the front of the car or who has left their fruit at lunch, but it's also great to stand back and watch their relationship flourish too. They seem to be communicating nicely and a lot of disputes are sorted between themselves. They have bonded a lot more recently which I think is mainly due to the fact that they have similar interests and because they are getting so grown up. 

They will soon be 10 and 12 in a few months!