Hip, hip hooray Spring is finally arriving. There are
gorgeous yellow daffodils all over my house, the sun has been out more days
than not this week and Easter is only five weeks away. Spring is my favourite
season of the year, the days get longer, it’s sunny without being too hot and I
just adore seeing the cherry blossom everywhere.
It, therefore, seems perfect to share this round-up of Spring
and Easter inspiration from loads of amazing bloggers. Read on....
Crafts
1. Fancy some fun with Easter
crafts with the kids, then Cat has nine great ones for you, including chick bookmark
corners and paper bunny ornaments.
These amazing rocks were painted by the super talented Helen at The Crafty Norman, our local craft shop
In the middle of last year, I read a post over on The Holy Mess about Kindness Rocks. I loved the idea and saved the link, thinking that at some point I'd write a post about it and maybe do something similar where we live and then I forgot all about it, until last week when I saw a friend post on her FB timeline that her daughter had been rock hunting in our home town, here in East Sussex.
It turns out that Kindness Rocks and rock hunting, in general, have become big news over the last year. It looks like the initiative started in the USA but I could also find early evidence in Australia too. But no matter where it started, it is wonderful fun and a really positive initiative that I wanted to be involved with.
Basically, it is a pay it forward project where you paint a rock with a positive picture or phrase, such as breath, be kind, you matter, be brave, laugh often etc and then you hide it in your local area for others to find. When they find the rock there's a message on the back asking them to share a picture on the local FB page so others can see what has been found and so the creator can enjoy the joy of it being found.
These are all rocks we have found in our local town Battle
They can then either re-hide the rock for someone else to enjoy or take it home and ideally put one into the project themselves, paying the kindness forward.
"One message at just the right time can change your entire day... outlook... life!" Megan Murphy, founder of The Kindness Rocks Project
If you put #Kindnessrocks or #TheKindnessRocksProject into Instagram or a search engine you'll find loads of information and so many amazing pictures and tutorials for painting stones. But it is super simple to be honest.
Making your own Kindness Rock
1. Find a good rock to use. If you don't have any in your local area then please buy some from a home store or on Amazon. Don't take from another persons garden or such.
2. Ensure your rock is clean and dry.
3. Paint on it or draw with something like sharpies. There needs to be a good strong colour, so it will last.
4. Put a message on the back so that the finder knows what to do with the rock. You can write on the rock but as I don't have great handwriting, I have printed out small labels to stick on the back. (They say - This is a #Battlerock, please take a photo and share it in the Battle Rocks FB group, then re-hid this stone, thanks.)
5. Varnish the rock on both sides so it is weatherproof. I use DecoArt DuraClear varnish and a small tub goes a very long way.
Search on FB for the name of your town and then Rocks, so my group is Battle Rocks and if there is one there, great you can join and get straight on and hide your rock. If not you might have to be the pioneer and start the group and drop a few rocks and see if it will catch on in your area and people will join in.
You need to be respectful as to where you put your rock as they should not be a nuisance.
Don't put in the grass as they will damage lawnmowers
Don't put one too far into a large flower bed as you don't want people to have to tread on the bed to get it
Make sure it is not a trip hazard wherever you leave it
Make sure they are just in public areas, you don't want to encourage people onto private property
Now go rock hunting! We hope you enjoy it. Our best day has seen 14 rocks found so far and we took one home as my daughter loved it and we re-hid all the others for more people to enjoy. We are currently making some new rocks to put out so we can pass on the kindness too.
If you or your kids enjoy making slime and you need recipes that use ingredients readily available in the UK then you are in the right place as my kids adore making slime and we have loads of tutorials over on Youtube.
Great, stretchy slime is not difficult to make and all you need are some basic ingredients - PVA glue (the white stuff is far easier to use than clear which tends to be much more runny), bicarbonate of soda and something to activate it. I use contact lens solution, saline solution or eye wash (but it must contain boric acid, so check the ingredients). You can also use Lidl Foril washing detergent, Aldi Almat washing detergent or Kershaws washing starch, all readily available in the UK and not too expensive.
You can then add in all sorts of fun things to make different kinds of slime if that is your bag. Shaving foam is a great addition as that makes your slime all fluffy and of course different colours can be added via food colouring or paint. Then you have glitter, sequins, foam balls, beads, bands, gems, instant snow and anything else you fancy really!
Check out my YouTube channel - Michelle Twin Mum if you want to see all our slime tutorials. Glow in the Dark Slime - Made by miss E using ingredients from Hobbycraft.
Are you one of those people who get a bit excited when they
discover something fantastic? Do you find yourself waxing lyrical about your
discovery or the
amazing service you’ve received and by the end of the week every one of
your friends knows?
That’s me, I just can’t help it. When I make a discovery
about something fabulous, be it a bargain bath bomb that smells divine, the AA
man (or our
angel in yellow as I dubbed him) who rescues your family or an
airline that makes sure everything is perfect I just have to shout about
it, both via my blog and in real life too.
I don’t want any of my friends to miss out and this is how I
feel about Simpson Travel. Despite not yet having travelled with them I feel
fully confident that they are the kind of company who will fulfil and even
exceed every one of my expectations.
“The road less travelled is about making an effort and going
the extra mile” Graham Simpson, Chairman of Simpson Travel
And I have lots of them. It was only two years ago that we
first travelled abroad with the children. Prior to having them my husband and I
travelled extensively and we loved staying in a gorgeous villa in an exotic Mediterranean
destination but then along came three (expensive) children so we stayed in the
UK and of course if the kids were having fun then so were we. However once you’ve
experienced that glorious sunshine, the deep blue sea, the friendly locals in a
Greek taverna and all that amazing fresh food you can never keep that longing
at bay for too long.
We are now well in to February and
my year has started off well. January was all about having my operation for menorrhagia
and then healing from that and now I feel like life can really take-off. I no
longer have a lack of energy, nor am I anaemic. 2018 is a year that I plan to believe more in
myself and in God’s great plans for me, I wrote about it at the beginning of the year and posted my first
update last week. The area of my life that I really need to get a grip on
is my health and specifically my weight, which sadly, is affecting my health
and not in a good way.
However, I am feeling very positive
and I am going to take lots of little steps that all add up and will make a
difference. If I’m honest many of these steps (or changes) are things I have
committed to before and then they’ve not happened or I’ve let them slip but I’m
not going to let that stop me. I have to believe that mentally I am now in the
right place and that since I have been freed from my terrible (and constant)
bleeding that things in my life can change for the better.
The fear of failure must no longer
stop me. I’ve been reading a book recently (yet another one) called ‘The Year
of Saying Yes’ by Helen Doyle and it is just a fiction book. A great story about
a woman called Isobel who changes her life by saying yes to a series of monthly
dares and it has been so helpful to me. I have come to realise that often I say
no or I am passive in my actions because I am scared it won’t all work out.
What the book has made me realise is that it is better to try, better to take
one step, better to do it imperfectly, than not at all.
It felt like a God-moment when Boots
recently got in touch and asked if I’d like to take part in their
#BootsLittleBoosts campaign as this is all about how I am boosting my health
and wellness routine for this New Year. They want to know how I’m going to shake
off the excess of the winter festivities and to embrace the year ahead with new
vigour. It fits in perfectly with my new ‘Believe’ philosophy.
So here goes, I know that Little
Steps = Big Changes if I’m consistent and I’m going to set my focus in four key
areas -
At the beginning of the year I decided on the word 'Believe' as my guiding word for the year. The aim is that when I am stuck and not sure what I am doing or where I am going I need to believe that I'm on the right path, that God has got my back and that I can do this (whatever this may be).
January generally has been a really good month, I have been very gentle with myself and my expectations of what I'd achieve have been low, so there has been plenty of downtime to think, pray and read. It's amazing with all that time to ponder I have been thinking about work and what I want from life and I feel like I have some clarity.
Work and Volunteering
I've made the decision to finish another one of my voluntary roles at Easter and this will free up time to either find paid work or do other voluntary work that better meets my needs and skills. I've realised that I don't enjoy directly working with kids and I am much better in a HR, training, coaching or organisational role. I don't want to settle for something that doesn't set my heart on fire any more.
I met with the Volunteer Co-ordinator of the local Children's Centre and I am going along at the end of February for a course and hopefully afterwards there will be some volunteering opportunities that I am really interested in, things like running parenting courses or supporting new parents. I'm also keeping my eyes open for paid jobs but I have quite specific requirements as I can't see the point of working for really low pay in the wrong kind of role when I can earn decent money writing.
My Health
I had the operation I've been waiting for and I believe it has been a success. I felt like I was in limbo before it, just waiting to feel better and to have some energy again. I'm now a couple of weeks after my operation and life feels different. I really do feel invigorated again and I'm looking forward to it being at least a month after so I can see what my future cycles might be like.
My custom-made orthotic insoles arrived and they are fairly comfortable, although I had conflicting advise from the Podiatrist I saw this time as he felt I didn't need them and I just had to work on my stretching to loosen my calf and ankle muscles. He felt if three months of intensive stretching every day doesn't work then I will need an operation to lengthen the muscles. I am however believing that if I am consistent in my stretching that an operation will not be necessary.
I started to read a very good book called Believing God by Beth Moore, I found it hard to get in to at first but then it started to become more practical and spoke to me. So I am wearing a blue ribbon round my wrist for the next six months as a gentle reminder to make choices that are kind to me. I'm also trying to journal daily about where I have seen God working.
Losing Weight
Monday I have started to take Orlistat, which are fat blockers prescribed by the doctor, they are to aid my weight loss but are not for one minute an easy option. I need to be incredibly careful what I am eating whilst taking them or I could have very violent reactions, which would not be fun. I also have an induction at a new gym (right close to my house) on 22nd February and then I'll be exercising there twice a week on a Tuesday and Thursday evening whilst my girls are at clubs.
So for February I am believing -
That my TCRE operation worked and I'll now have normal bleeding for the future
That if I consistently keep stretching my leg issues and foot pains will go away
That the right work for my skills will come along and I have to believe in God's incredible timing and not take things into my own hands (and get it wrong no doubt)
That I will lose weight by eating sensibly and exercising regularly
I'm linking this post up with Becky at Lakes Single Mum for this weeks Reasons to be Cheerful linky.
We'd all like to start
the New Year with no debt, and no cash worries to speak of. Unfortunately, for
most of us, that simply isn't a possibility. Though it would be nice to start the
new year with no interest fees to worry about, if you can't pay off your debt
just in time for Christmas, that doesn't mean that you can't start 2018 in a
better financial situation than you were in the year before.
Debt consolidation
could be the ultimate way to bring some structure into your payments, reducing
the amount of interest you need to pay over time, and potentially keeping your
stress levels to a minimum too.
Here, we're going to look at just some of the reasons why a debt consolidation loan could be a great
way to start the New Year!
It Moves All your Loans into a Single Payment
Paying off debt can be
a serious headache, particularly when you've got money owned to various lenders, in countless different
places. A debt consolidation loan simply involves using a personal loan to pay
off all the other accounts that you might have taken out with other providers.
This means that you can instantly get rid of all the credit cards and overdrawn
bank accounts that have been haunting you over the last few years. With a debt
consolidation loan, instead of having to worry about multiple payment deadlines
and other issues, you can simply make a single payment once a month towards
your debt. This should allow you to focus entirely on that singular debt so that you can pay it off much faster.
Instead of wondering which account you need to pay off first, you can also
ensure that you're making a dent in all the money you owe each month too. It Keeps Your Stress to a Minimum
Who doesn't want to
live a happier, more stress-free life? Debt consolidation can help you to
accomplish that goal because you no longer must worry about keeping track of
multiple accounts at once. When you've got multiple debts in various places it
can feel far more overwhelming than having a single owed balance - even when
the amount you owe is the same either way.
Consolidating your
debts can help you to feel as though you have more control over your finances,
and it also cuts down on the number of frustrating letters you get through the
door each month reminding you of how much you owe. You Could Benefit from a Lower Interest Rate Perhaps the top
benefit of debt consolidation is that it allows you to stop falling victim to
the high-interest rates of credit cards
and badly-chosen loans. Depending on your credit score, you might find that you
can choose a personal loan with a much lower APR, bringing the amount you need
to pay back to an absolute minimum. A lot of people don't realise that a maxed-out credit card can cost
them a lot more in the long-run than a personal loan. You can use sites like Readies.co.uk to see specifically how different loan types
compare with regards to annual interest rates. At the same time,
because personal loans can be quite flexible in the right circumstances, you
might also be able to spread your payments out over a longer period too. This
means that you don't have to spend as much of your monthly wages on paying off
your debt. Although reducing the amount you pay each month will mean that you
do stay in debt for longer, this can be an easier way for some people to manage
their money, particularly when you're struggling with other expenses like
rents, mortgages, or utility bills. You Might Improve Your Credit Score Finally, when you're
constantly making late payments on your accounts because you can't keep track
of all the money you owe, your credit score takes a serious beating. This means
that even if you do end up paying back everything you owe, you might struggle
to convince lenders that they should let you borrow from them in the future. A
consolidated loan can make it easier for you to pay back the money you owe on time so that you can begin to build your credit. Of course, the key to
success with a consolidated loan in 2018 is making sure that you choose a
structure that works for you. Ensure that you don't sign up for any loans that
you can't afford to pay off on time, and make sure that you read all the fine
print before you agree to any terms.
I've lived in East Sussex for coming on five years now and The Lamb Inn at Hooe, or Pevensey Marsh as they call it is a pub that I've heard a lot about. When I've asked the question 'where is good to eat locally?' I've had the The Lamb Inn recommended quite a number of times before and as such I have no idea why I have never been there.
My husband has been there before for a leaving do and he said it was great too and it was with this in mind that I said a very quick yes when I was asked to come and try out the new menus and check out the pub after a recent refurbishment. The Lamb Inn is part of the Vintage Inns chain, which I knew from when we lived in Herts and used to frequent a couple of their pub restaurants there.
Our family (minus JJ as he was working) headed over to the Lamb Inn for Saturday lunch. Despite it being a very miserable and grey February day the building is still beautiful and you can tell parts of it date back to 1084, where it got a mention in the Doomsday book as a shepherds cottage. Then in 1520 the cottage became an inn and there was a charter decreed to allow shepherds to bring their sick lambs in to warm by the fire. My girls were enthralled to learn this little piece of history about where we were to eat our lunch.
Feeling Welcomed
As soon as we entered the building we were greeted by a lady serving behind the bar. It was good to get such prompt attention as she was already busy with a customer but it gave an indication that customer satisfaction is important to the staff at the lamb Inn. Within just a couple of minutes Sarah came over to greet us and show us to our table and she was our waitress for the whole meal and what a great one she was. I'd definitely employ her.
I think they have done a really great job refurbishing the pub, it looks clean, well appointed and is very comfortable. There is nothing stark or corporate about it, it has a very homely feel with each table being a little different and the chairs being mismatched but equally comfy. There are two distinct sections to the pub with the area to the left of the bar being much more light and open plan and the part we went in to was full of character with lower ceiling beams and plenty of cosy nooks.
Earlier this week I enjoyed a leisure day at The Grand Hotel Spa in Eastbourne with my friend Annie. I had some spa vouchers to
use and it seemed a good idea to gift Annie half as her Christmas present. I
choose the Grand Hotel as it isn't far from our homes and as it
is a 5 star hotel I expected the spa to be pretty luxurious and it certainly
looked good in the photos on the website.
We arrived to the hotel about half an hour
before I had booked our treatment times and our first struggle was finding some
free parking. The streets round the hotel generally have free on-street parking
but it was super busy. You can park in the grounds of the Grand but that's £25
a day and you pay to park on the seafront as well. Luckily just as I was about
to give in and pay we found a space close by and headed in to the hotel. We
were greeted by a lovely jolly doorman who gave us instructions were to go. Let the fun commence!
The first impression of the hotel is fabulous,
it's not called the Grand for nothing but as we headed in the lift to the
basement the view gets consistently more grotty. Old carpet, plain cream walls
and not a touch of glamour in the corridors or reception areas. Thankfully the
staff were in total contrast to the look of the area and they were great.
Really friendly, super professional and nothing was too much trouble for them.
