Mother Distracted

Tuesday, 10 November 2015

Five Steps To The Most Wonderful Wedding

Every bride wants their wedding to be absolutely incredible - that’s perfectly normal. You’ll only have one wedding day, so making it the most wonderful experience is important. Not just for yourself and your groom to be, but also for your guests. You want everyone in attendance to have an amazing time, right?

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While most brides know that they want their wedding day to be spectacular, knowing how to go about it can be stressful. I can remember wondering how I would be able to plan every last detail of my wedding - I didn’t think it would be possible. However, by taking the right steps, I was able to plan the most amazing wedding, and you can too.

Here is my guide to five steps to the most wonderful wedding:

Step 1: Choose your venue

Before setting a date or sending out invitations, the first thing that you need to do is choose your venue. If you set a date before picking the venue, you may not be able to get married in the place that you want. That’s why, it’s important that the first step you take is looking at and choosing venues.

Step 2: Set a date

Once you have found the perfect place to say your vows and hold your reception, set a date. It’s important that you set your date at least six months in advance, so that your guests have lots of notice.

As well as being important for your guests, setting the date sooner rather than later is also crucial for your vendors. If you want to ensure that you get the vendors that you want, you need to book them in advance. Obviously, without having a date for your celebrations, this would be impossible.

Step 3: Choose your wedding party

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Before sending out the guest invitations for your big day, you need to select the wedding party. This means that you need to pick your bridesmaids and maid of honour, and your husband-to-be needs to pick his best man and groomsmen.

Choosing these can be difficult, especially if you have a large group of close friends and family. Pick who you want to help you plan your wedding - choose people who you think would be useful when it comes to planning your big day.

Step 4: Send out save the dates, followed by invitations

Once you have set a date and chosen your wedding party, the first thing that you need to do is send out save the dates. These simply tell your guests the date of your wedding, so that they can put it in their diaries. Ideally, these should coordinate in terms of design, with your invitations. So make sure to think the design and style of your save the dates through.

Around a month after sending out your save the dates, you then need to send out your wedding invitations. These should include all of the information about your wedding, including the date, time, location, and dress code. There are various designs of wedding invitations to choose from, what style you opt for is up to you. To get some inspiration, take a look at these classic wedding invitations by Paper Themes and have a browse.

Step 5: Get planning the details

Once you have done all of the above, all that’s left to plan is the ‘small details’ of your big day. This includes picking your colour scheme, wedding dress, flowers, and also, your wedding photography.

Leave yourself at least four months to get all these seemingly small details sorted out. As often, these things can take a while to get sorted. Write a list of everything that you need to do, from choosing a wedding dress to hiring the wedding cars, and tick each thing off as you do it. That way, you can ensure that you won’t forget to do anything.

Wedding planning can be incredibly stressful. However, if you are organised about it, you can make planning a fantastic wedding, much easier for yourself.

Thanks for reading Mother Distracted. I really appreciate your support and I'd love it if you could share this post across social media. If you’re new to Mother Distracted, why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

Teach Your Kids To Save & Understand Money With The Jangle App

If only there was a way of solving the pocket money problem. It's difficult to know when to give pocket money, how much and on what basis. What if there was a way to teach kids about the value of money and empower them to make their own (guided choices) whilst earning their treats?

I recently got the opportunity to meet entrepreneur Sarah Willingham (Dragons Den) and the lovely people at Experian and Pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group - part of Young Enterprise) who have been busy creating an app for children aged 7-11 which will teach them how to save and, more importantly to understand the value of money.

Jangle is a clever piece of software which allows the creation of savings pots for specific goals such as buying an iPad or yet another Lego collection. (Ieuan has recently spotted the Millennium Falcon Lego set and I really don't think I'm emotionally ready for that level of foot pain and general frustration).

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Caitlin, learning about coins

The child decides on a savings goal which is authorised by the parent. The child can watch the pot grow as they earn (yes - you read that right - earn) the money by completing tasks around the house or selling unwanted toys or clothing.

Rather than just hand out pocket money or succumb to pleading and all-out stropping in the supermarket, Jangle gives parents a valuable negotiation tool, and children a framework for understanding that there is a direct correlation between earning and spending.

It will also teach children how to be a critical consumer and how to get the most from the money they save.

It's really important that children learn about finance at a young age because, by the time they reach their teens, spending patterns are generally firmly entrenched.

We all know students who have blown their student loan on nights out, beer and clothing before the end of the first term.

And we probably all have friends who live hand to mouth and struggle to put anything by for a rainy day, even though they don't deny themselves any treats.

To me, parenting is about teaching your offspring to survive and thrive in life - and educating them about finance is pretty key in my book.

Did you know that many adult money habits are set from the age of seven (Cambridge University/Money Advice Service (MAS) Research 2013), yet there is no statutory provision for financial education across UK primary schools (PFEG).

Pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group part of Young Enterprise) have found that, on average, children begin to receive pocket money aged seven, own their first mobile phone at eight, and purchase items online at 10, with one in five having used their parents’ or older siblings’ credit or debit card to purchase these items.

Children can open a bank account and have a debit card at 11. At 18 they can apply for a credit card or loan, and before they leave school they have to make crucial decisions about jobs, student loans, and living independently.

Now more so than ever, parents need to be able to talk to their children about how to manage money well but it’s not something that parents often find easy ·

Parents of young children are less likely than the average population to feel like they are good at managing their money (Experian Consumer Affairs TNT Research April 2015). “Rather than waiting until their son or daughter has 'earned' the privilege of being treated to something new, six in ten parents admit they buy their children the latest trends and collectables as soon as they ask for them” (Skipton Building Society Research 2012).

It's so easy to cave in sometimes just for peace and quiet - but we are not helping our kids by doing this.

Actually it's already working. Ieuan announced he wanted a transformable bat cave (a mere snip at £40) but then paused and said he was going to 'jangle it'.

The family cars are going to be spotless next year and I'm hoping the pocket money problem will be solved.

The Jangle app for iPad is available to download free from the IOS app store.

You can find out more about Jangle HERE.

Think You're Forgetful? I Took My Son To Start Nursery A Week Early

I was born a week early. According to my mother, anyway, whose memories of my induced birth, due to sky high blood pressure are sketchy to say the least.

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Ieuan

I've been early for things ever since. Meetings, conferences, seminars, exhibitions, theatre performances, I've been early for them all. I have spent countless hours sat in lobbies looking at dreadful carpet, listening to the sort of piped music that makes you yearn for death. I have shelled out hundreds for unnecessary coffees and Danish. I have read acres of dull newsprint and flimsy celebrity magazines.

Whether this is a strange streak of perfectionism (Freud would use a less polite word) or an inherent love of organisation is debatable.

When I was still working, I prided myself on my multitasking and organising skills. I'd arrange numerous events, write and proof-read numerous newsletters and maintain databases without any problem.

In Law, as in any other field, time is money and each unit of time is measured and, if you're a lawyer, billed.

Since I gave up work to have my children (July 2007), it appears all these skills have gone out of the window. Now that 'deadlines' and 'targets' have been removed, I seem to have lost all impetus and the smallest task takes on a Herculean perspective.

You might have thought that with something as important (to me at any rate) as my son's first day at nursery I would, in true helicopter mummy fashion, be there on time, in a non-stained dress with infant duly spruced and perky.

Unfortunately I am mortified to report that, although these 'critical success factors' were partly met, today I took my son to start nursery a WEEK early.

Admittedly I am not 'without form' in the area of the curricular cock-up, having missed a dressing up day and book fair. It doesn't help, I know, that my Parentmail email address is the one I don't really use and I am not really in the 'mummy gang' who congregate there serenely each morning while we bomb up breathless and dishevelled.

It wouldn't have been so bad if Ieuan hadn't practically run in to start playing without so much as a backwards glance. The staff probably think I have some form of dementia or that I drink. The correct date for Ieuan's induction was, it turned out, written at the back of an information leaflet I hadn't fully read. (Why at the blummin' back?!).

So I had to drag him screaming his head off OUT of the school and march back home.

Hubby of course was his usual sanguine self. "Hmm", he said "I should probably have read the leaflet too". My worries about Ieuan now being psychologically scarred were duly dismissed. "He's fine about it", said Hubby, "why aren't you"? Um.... because after 20 years of organisation and method I'm becoming scattier than ... I can't remember what!

So, roll on next week's induction. At least we had a dummy run. A dummy mummy run!

Thanks for reading Mother Distracted. I really appreciate your support and I'd love it if you could share this post across social media. If you’re new to Mother Distracted, why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

iFlowerGift.Com - Fresh Flowers Direct From The Growers

You might think that there is nothing new under the sun in terms of buying fresh flowers. There are so many outlets to buy them - supermarkets, garages and loads of online sites offering next day bouquets.

My lovely pink and yellow blooms

But have you ever stopped to think about how supported the flower growers are? Or the carbon footprint of your bouquet?

Some supermarket roses, for example, have flown half way around the world and spend up to 2 weeks in cool cells before you get them.

iFlowerGift.Com is a new company which works directly with the growers to ensure that they get a fair price for their flowers. Flower farm workers are often paid a pittance so this is similar to a Fair Trade scheme. And, to keep the carbon footprint low, they use existing postal services to send them.

They offer fresh flower gifts and floristry supplies with the added incentive of free UK postage. Most of their flowers come from a sustainable flower farm in The Netherlands and are cut on the morning of the day they are sent.

I was invited to try out their service and I chose some lovely pink and yellow blooms.

I chose the "pick a flower colour" option where you choose one basic colour and the price rises incrementally depending on how many other colours you choose. My bouquet came in at under £22.00 which is very good value for postal flowers.

You can add a personalised message (up to 140 characters) on satin ribbon at an extra £2.88.

There is also a range of monthly flower subscriptions starting at £14.40 per month which would make a lovely Christmas gift.

I opted to pay via PayPal, which I am using more and more these days. There is nothing more annoying than having to hunt for your purse when you want to buy something on line and my payment went through with no problems.

The flowers arrived in a tall cardboard box but when I removed them, I was surprised at the clever way they were packaged.

Each bunch of flowers was wrapped separately, laid end to end on a piece of card and tied down with yellow twine.

Does anyone know what these beautiful pink flowers are?

On the end of each bunch was a moist protective packaging which will keep the blooms fresh for up to 5 days.

You do have to arrange the flowers yourself and I am no Jane Packer but the flowers came with sufficient foliage to do a decent enough job, if I do say so myself.

Although I had picked colours, the actual choice of flower is made by iFlowerGift.com and whilst I recognise yellow carnations (I think!), the pink flowers are highly unusual. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like them.

That element of surprise made the flowers even more special.

I ordered flowers on a Tuesday and although the site said they would arrive Saturday / Monday, they arrived a day early on Friday.

I did take a few minutes to find my way around the iFlowerGift.com website as there are few pre-arranged bouquet choices. It is very much up to you to use your own creativity and purchase the seasonal flowers available to arrange into your own displays.

This does mean, though, that you can control the cost of your bouquet. Prices are really reasonable with a dozen long stemmed red and white roses at under £25.00.

I think flowers from iFlowerGift.com are certainly worth a try for someone who really knows their flowers and enjoys arranging them.

I found the quality of both the flowers and the packaging to be much higher than flowers I have previously received from other online outlets - at a reduced cost.

iFlowerGift.com has certainly thrown down the gauntlet to the other big flower 'names.

Further information is available at www.iFlowerGift.com.

UPDATE: The foliage is Aspidistra leaves, the yellow flowers are mini gerberas and the unusual pink flowers are celiosa!

Thanks for reading Mother Distracted. I really appreciate your support and I'd love it if you could share this post across social media. If you’re new to Mother Distracted, why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

Teach Your Children The Real Spirit Of Christmas

The Christmas countdown begins earlier and earlier every year. The shops have already filled their shelves with gift ideas, wrapping paper and chocolate selection boxes. Don’t get me wrong it’s one of my favourite times of the year. I just get concerned that the true meaning of Christmas is getting lost in the mass advertising and commercial side of the holiday.

The advertising companies are clever and will target our children. This can often mean they are filled with sometimes unrealistic expectations. We all want our children to love Christmas, and there are some easy ways we can teach them what it’s really all about. You never know you may learn something new yourself.

Image from Flickr

Gift giving is a huge part of Christmas celebrations. Every child gets excited by the promise of gifts from Santa Claus. I'm sure being the wonderful parents you are, you undoubtedly shower your children with everything they desire. Not every child is as lucky as yours, and it’s important that your children realise how lucky they are. To teach them this why not introduce them to charity. Encourage your children to sort through some of their toys from last Christmas. Explain to them, in whichever way you see fit that Santa sometimes doesn’t have time visit every child, and their presents get lost. Suggest donating their old toys to a children’s charity where they can be given to less fortunate boys and girls.

Better yet why not let your children make a Christmas hamper? Fill it with old and new toys and chocolates and donate it. They could also bake cookies or make Christmas cards for the residents at your local nursing home. If you have the time, you can also volunteer your whole family to help out at an animal sanctuary or charity. Helping others will be an important thing to instill in your children, and they will love the extra responsibility you are giving to them.

Christmas should also encourage togetherness and quality family time. Instead of giving them just toys this year, why not give them the promise of a fun family weekend break or day trip. You could take them to the FUN PARKS in Blackpool or a trip to your local safari park. It will help your spread the cost and show your children that you want to spend quality time with them having fun. If you like, you can make some fake tickets to give to them on Christmas day, so they feel like it’s a physical gift.

You can also visit elderly family members and getting your children to play a game with them. Encourage them to get to know each other better by talking or playing together. It’s a wonderful way of bringing your family together and will make the everyone feel closer. Plus the memories created will mean more than a toy ever could.

I hope these tips have given you some ideas you can use with your own children. Christmas is a wonderful holiday, and it’s a shame that the true spirit of it can get overshadowed. Spend quality time together with your loved ones and give back what you can. These are lifelong lessons your children will never forget.

Thanks for reading Mother Distracted. I really appreciate your support and I'd love it if you could share this post across social media. If you’re new to Mother Distracted, why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

Mix Up A Cocktail With Microbarbox & Giveaway [closed]

There are so many subscription boxes on the market now, it's becoming a little confusing to know which is which.

But I have come across a subscription box that I think is unique and would make a really special Christmas or birthday present - particularly for stressed parents!

Microbarbox is a monthly tasting club designed for those who want to try different alcoholic drinks and cocktails without investing in full-sized bottles.

Each Microbarbox contains a carefully chosen selection of wines, spirits, mixers and snacks.

October's Microbarbox

I was sent the October box to review and it came beautifully packaged in a black box with the contents wrapped in bright lime green tissue on a bed of hot pink paper shavings.

You can't immediately see what's in the box as you have to unwrap everything which adds an extra element of surprise.

My box contained:-

* Cawston Press Cloudy Apple Sparkling Apple Soft Juice Drink x 330 ml
* Funkin Mixer Mojito x 120g
* La Perle by Paul Sapin Merlot Pay d'Oc x 187 ml
* Bacardi white rum x 50 ml
* Coole Swan Irish Cream Liqueur x 50 ml
* Feigling's Apple Pie Liqueur x 20 ml
* Raisthorpe Wild Vodka Toffee/Caramel Liqueur x 5 cl
* Cambrook Sesame Peanuts x 45g
* Schwermer Zombie Liqueur Chocolates x 50g

The box contains information cards which show you how to combine the drinks to make a variety of cocktails.

For example, you can combine the vodka, apple liqueur to make a Toffee Apple cocktail.

or you could combine the vodka with the Coole Swan cream liqueur to make a Toffeetini.

Microbarbox offer 3, 6 and 12 month gift subscriptions and have a great range of single boxes available in their online store for people who are generally tricky to buy for.

Each box is £24 + £3.50 p&p which, given that one large glass of wine in Cardiff Bay is around the £9 mark is good value. Single boxes are themed, such as the Birthday Box for £29 and the Christmas Gin Box at £35. There are some great Christmas present ideas which are far more exciting than socks!

I won't spoil the fun of discovering the other cocktail combinations in my box because I have an October Microbarbox to give away.

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget and the giveaway is for UK entrants only. Entrants must be over age 18. Terms and conditions can be viewed on my competitions page. The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Friday 20th November.

And, if you aren't lucky enough to win, then I am able to offer a special discount code which will give you your first box for only £12 when you sign up to the monthly tasting club subscription box. Just enter the code MOTHER at the checkout. You can cancel your subscription at any time.

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Have you seen my other giveaways? Just click HERE.

Thanks for reading Mother Distracted. I really appreciate your support and I'd love it if you could share this post across social media. If you’re new to Mother Distracted, why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

More Free Competitions at www.theprizefinder.com

New In Fashion & Accessory Treats

These are some of my favourite fashion and accessory treats - just out now, in time for the approaching Christmas party season.

Purple Long Sleeve Lace Dress from Glamorous.com

Purple Long Sleeve Lace Dress With Tie Up Detail - Glamorous.com £38.00

Leaf Clutter Ear Cuff - Diva at Miss Selfridge - £8.50

Dune - Aimey Court £79

La Redoute Lace Dress - £26.25

Elvi Sequin Tassel Dress - Simply Be - £129.00

Folli Follie Earrings

Triple Layer Fringed Clutch - Very - £28

Shoe Box North Platform Graduated Glitter Court - Very - £28.00

Black Sparkle Wrap Jumpsuit - Wallis - £38.40

There are some gorgeous pieces on the high street now. Which is your favourite?

There's loads more fashion info and tips on my fashion page. Just click HERE.

Thanks for reading Mother Distracted. I really appreciate your support and I'd love it if you could share this post across social media. If you’re new to Mother Distracted, why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

Win A Festive Degustabox In Time For Christmas

I have another fabulous giveaway from the lovely people at Degustabox - a surprise festive Degustabox.

As you might remember from my last post, Degustabox is a monthly subscription food box service with each box containing between 9 and 14 products from well known and / or up-and-coming brands.

The contents of my October Degustabox

Each box costs £12.99 including delivery and the value of the box contents is promised to be far greater than this, based on what you would expect to pay if you bought the items in the shops.

Once you have received your box, you are encouraged to review the products and let the brands know what you thought - whether you liked the item or not.

I was sent the October box to try and it contains a lovely mix of sweet and savoury treats. There is a selected list of products for each month published on the website but not everyone receives the same combination.

Here's what was in mine. This is not the festive box - the contents will be a surprise!

Once again, there was a mixture of brands I already knew but quite a few I'd heard of but not got round to trying - which is really the point of Degustabox.

There were 11 products from October's selection and 2 which Degustabox call their "Db's Discoveries".

9Bar Original Carob Hit Bars - £2.49

9BAR Original Carob Hit is a delicious, natural source of good energy for people who lead active lives. The bars are packed with naturally nutritious sunflower, pumpkin, sesame and hemp seeds with a smooth carob topping.

Cirio Passata & Chopped Tomatoes - £2.25

These are really useful, given the volume of pasta we get through in this house - Cirio La Classica Passata and Cirio Chopped Tomatoes. Great to have as storecupboard staples, we make sure we have a stockpile to hand!

Lorena Premium French Lemonade - Coconut-Lime - £1.49

There was a bottle of Lorena Premium French Lemonade in Coconut-Lime flavour. Lorina has been making lemonade since 1895 and use 100% natural ingredients with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. It comes in a range of flavours and this one, Coconut & Lime would taste delicious with a splash of rum.

Rice Crackers - £1.00 and Freeze Dried Fruit - £1,00

These are two products from The Snack Organisation. We have rice crackers, which come in Lightly Salted, Sweet Chilli and Teriyaki flavours which are baked, not fried and are gluten free. The second product is Freeze Dried Fruit which comes in Strawberry, Apricot, Apple and Pineapple. Freeze drying preserves the fruits nutrition without any unhealthy oils. The fruit can be snacked, crunched and sprinkled and, again, a gluten free and suitable for vegetarians.

Fair Trade Nuts From Liberation Foods at £2.00 per pack

These nuts are from Liberation Foods, owned by small-scale nut farmer co-ops in Africa, India and Latin America, Liberation's mission as a Fair Trade nut company is to bring producers and consumers together so that everyone gets a better deal. Flavours include Fairtrade Oven Baked Salted Cashews & Peanuts, Fairtrade Oven Baked Chilli & Lime Cashews with Peanuts and Roasted Corn and Oven Baked Mixed Peppercorn Peanuts with Cashews & Habas Fritas.

Kabuto Noodles with coconut, chicken, chilli and coriander

Kabuto Noodles - £1.99

Kabuto Noodles are a fresh tasting noodle dish with coconut, chicken, chilli and coriander, inspired by the warm coconut laksa dishes of Malaysia. There are no additives or preservatives and to eat you simply top up with boiling water.

Chip Strips - £2.00

There was also Chipstrips savoury potato snacks and a voucher for £2.00 for President Unsalted Butter.

The 2 "DB's Discoveries" this month were Provena Gluten Free Oat Muesli, suitable for those suffering from gluten intolerance and Coeliacs, and Appy Drinks, award winning juices which contain 50% less sugar and calories than regular fruit juice, making them a better choice for children than some juices.

Proven Gluten Free Oat Muesli - £3.79

Degustabox also include a cheat sheet detailing all the brands and what you could expect to pay for them in the supermarket and a couple of handy recipes to try out the contents of the box.

The total retail value of the box is £22.00, good value given the cost of the box was £12.99. If you like the excitement of a monthly present and enjoy trying out new brands, I think Degustabox is a great scheme. I'd place it firmly in the 'treat' category but the price is low enough to make it attractive. Currently, if the four of us go for a coffee and a bun, for example, we usually end up paying around the £15 mark. (Yes I know, find the thermos!). A Degustabox subscription would also make a great gift. You can cancel at any time, as long as you give them sufficient notice to stop next month's box.

Please note, though that Degustabox can only deliver to Mainland UK and not to Northern Ireland, the Scottish Highlands and Islands and you must be over 18 to order.

I have a festive December Degustabox to give away to one lucky winner and no, I can't tell you the contents because it will be a surprise. Simply enter via the Rafflecopter below. Sorry, but Mainland UK entrants only. The giveaway will end at 11:59 pm on Sunday 15th November 2015.

If you don't win but would like to give Degustabox a try, I also have a discount code for first time subscribers for a very generous £6 off your first box. Simply enter BLDEG15 at checkout.

Reminder: all entrants need to be resident in mainland UK (excluding Northern Ireland and Scottish Highlands and Islands) and over 18.

In order to receive your box in time for Christmas, Degustabox will need the name and address of the winner no later than 20th November.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you entered my other competitions? Just click HERE.

Further information is available at the Degustabox UK website, or you can talk to them on Facebook or on Twitter.

Fantastic Weekend Break Ideas For You & The Kids

We all need a weekend getaway once in awhile. So, let’s take Monday and Friday off work, and set out on a long weekend! All parents know that holidays get a little trickier when you’ve got little ones along for the ride.

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It used to be simple. Choose a city, and a nice hotel. Easy! Now, you’ve got to think about keeping the kids entertained, and finding something you can all enjoy. I’ve had plenty of experience (7 years in fact!) of taking the kids away. Today, I’ll share some of my best weekend getaways with you.

Centre Parcs - If you’ve never stumbled across Centre Parcs before, it’s a woodland dream for the children! You rent a small wooden cabin in the woods, all built around a central hub of entertainment. You’ll rent bikes, and ride around the lake every day. There are kids clubs in the main centre, as well as swimming pools and leisure centres. You’ll have barbecues in the evening, and play in the Great Outdoors all day. The kids love it, and I’ve got a feeling you will as well!

River Cruises - The UK is full of fascinating rivers and canals. They meander through some of the country’s most beautiful countryside. You can choose anywhere from the Norfolk Broads to the North York Moors. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could venture into Europe. Take a look at some of the best river cruises on the continent, and find somewhere you can all enjoy. You’ll get to relax on the winding rivers, and the children will love every second of the boat life.

Theme Parks - It’s no secret that the kids go wild at the theme park! And, well, the adults love it too. Many of the biggest theme parks now have accommodation on site. So you can stay over the weekend, and make sure you go on every ride! One of our favourite attractions for the kids is LegoLand. You’ll find it in Windsor, and it’s a playful paradise for the children. There are one or two treats for the grown ups too. You could also try Chessington World of Adventure, which also has a zoo.

Camping - Camping with children is always a hit and miss activity. But, if you think your kids will enjoy it, it’s a wonderful idea. Our little ones love getting out and about, and playing in nature.It gives them a sense of freedom, and you can teach them more about the world around them. Just make sure you take plenty of warm blankets!

The beach - You can’t go wrong with a traditional beach holiday. If you don’t want to stray too far from home, the UK has some fantastic beaches. Here in Wales, we have the beautiful Llyn Peninsula and the Snowdonia Coast to visit. Cornwall is also a brilliant beach destination for families. If you’re looking for somewhere warmer, the European beaches are just a short flight away.

We all need to get away for a weekend. Start planning your trip, and get the kids involved too!

Why I Will Always Worry About Our Income

As an older parent, I am well aware that my retirement age will need to be extended if my kids choose to stay in education. I’m in good health right now so I can’t imagine wanting to stop earning. I’m sure both of us will do what’s necessary to keep the money coming in for as long as necessary.

Man, woman and child playing on the beach

Pic provided by Flickr.com

Having kids late meant that I was able to enjoy a good career and ensure I had the means to take on the commitment of parenting. But there will always be that worry that I’ve not done enough.

We always check we’re covered for every eventuality.We certainly have learned the value of insurance over the years. Obviously, nobody is keen on the cost of insurance, but without it, you could find yourself in dire financial straits.

The mortgage terms demanded that we both have life insurance cover, for example. It means the mortgage will be paid off if anything happened to either of us.

Making sure my kids are provided for is really important to me.

Yes, we are older than other parents, so yes we may have to deal with ill health while the kids are still young and dependent on us.

Fortunately, the Husband is in a relatively risk-free job and I work from home.

I feel for those parents who work in roles that are more dangerous, like the emergency services. I can understand why it is so important for police officers to have law enforcement life insurance that covers those extra risks when it’s needed. These insurances can also cover part of your salary if you are unable to work due to ill health. In high-stress jobs like the medical profession, this could be essential.

Image credit: Ken Teegardin

You never know what’s around the corner, whatever age you are, but there is so much more you can do to protect yourself financially.

Avoid extra financial commitments as much as you can.

Car loans, credit cards, and TV subscriptions are among the things we are tied to in life that can be a burden if you lost your income.

Careful budgeting so you can see where your essential spending goes is a good idea too.

If something does go wrong, you can strip out what isn’t necessary quickly and easily. It also highlights the minimum income needed to cover your bills.

That makes it handy for working out the kind of pension you want, and the salary you would need if you lost your job.

We also do our best to save. The savings can sit there and earn almost nothing in interest, but at least it’s there. It’s something to dip into if a big bill comes up, or you need a break from working. Even if you can’t save much, every little helps in a financial crisis.

We’re old enough to remember financial disasters and recessions.

We know there is no job for life, and we know our property value could decrease as well as increase.

There is no certainty.

I will always worry about our financial future, but I know I will take care of my kids no matter what.

Win A Copy of Reole's New CD & Recipes "Cook Music Cook Food"

Hybrid music producer Reole is cooking up a storm with new album! ‘What’s Cookin’ set for release on December 4th.

Funkmaster general Reole is following up his recent acclaimed album ‘Hear Come The Drums’ with an equally strong offering ‘What’s Cookin.’

The album is a warm homely feeling album that is honest and not over spiced.

The cooking music part is equally influenced by cooking food.

Reole suggests cooking up one of his fantastic recipes while blasting this brilliant record on full volume.

Reole started his musical life playing brass in Mardi Gras parades.

Later, once back in Scotland, he then set about the airwaves with Ritchie Ruftone on pirate radio and pioneered the introduction of illicit underground Broadcasting across Europe – from Scotland, Germany and beyond.

A harmonious multiculturist, Reole is a huge American football fan and that energy and passion comes across in his music.

The number 13 has always been his address, is his lucky number and his albums all have 13 tracks.

Reole also runs Turntable Training Wax which demonstrates his dedication not only to the performance of music but to its preservation of vinyl for future generations.

‘What’s Cookin’ is sure to set ears twitching and tummy’s rumbling everywhere with its blend of instrumental funk, jazz and classic rock.

The CD jacket contains 7 recipes to cook along to the music. They include:-

*Spicy Celery, Apple, Pear & Stilton Soup
*Cayenne Polo La Sopa Con Aquacate
*Mean Muffuletta
*Gris-gris Jerk Chicken
*Creole Slow Cooked Lamb And Sweet Potato With Minty Cabbage Pesto
*Jambalaya Fire
*Swamp Braised Lamb Neck, Asparagus, Peas And Creamed Loch Garlic

We really enjoyed the album and the jerk chicken and jambalaya are on our must cook list.

You can get hold of what Reole’s been cooking up on December 4th and I have one copy to give away.

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget below and the usual terms and conditions apply. UK entrants only. The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 15th November 2015.

Further information is available at Reole Music.Com, on Facebook, Twitter or Youtube.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you entered my other competitions? Just click HERE.