Make Your Garden Gorgeous For Autumn With Gardens2you.co.uk

It being early autumn, it is time to venture forth into my small and compact garden to tidy up the falling foliage and inspect the slightly overgrown rows of geraniums, recalcitrant roses (they still haven't bloomed) and my palm tree (slightly stunted).

Our Lovely Cast Iron Hanging Heart Bird Feeder From Gardens2you

I must confess I had big plans for the garden this year, none of which have really materialised but since our visit last week to a local garden centre where the kids enjoyed planting poppy seeds and crocuses, I've been bitten by the bug again.

Thankfully, a lot of sweeping and filling of garden refuse bags, plus some general 'prettification' will see us through the coming cold months. There is nothing more fun than adding a lovely ornament or two - particularly when you have children.  Our solar powered fairies have now folded their wings for winter sadly, but I have already mentioned the words "outdoor Christmas lights" to the Husband.

The good thing about the Rugby World Cup is that the Husband will agree to practically anything whilst watching just to keep me quiet.

Whilst the garden is preparing for its winter rest, we are mindful that the birds will need feeding and last week the kids learned how to make fat balls for the birds.

Nothing could be simpler.

Take a paper cup and cut a small hole in the top through which you need to thread sufficient string to suspend from a branch.  Then you need

*suet
*lard
*bird seed
*sultanas

which you mix together and push into a paper cup. The birds will swoop and eat from underneath. Make sure, of course, that you hang well out of the way of any neighbourhood cats!

There are a whole host of bird feeders on the market and we were sent a lovely one from Gardens2you who have a great range of ornaments, accessories and bird care items and pride themselves on offering products that are unique and high quality.

Cast Iron Hanging Heart Bird Feeder With Welcome Sign - £14.95

This is easy to assemble but quite heavy so watch little toes when you go to hang it.  It has a seed cup with "welcome" on which detaches so it is easy to clean out. Fill with bird seed or you could make your own mix, as above.

We were also sent two adorable little characters who the kids have named Bernard and George even though their real names are Max and Mason - yes, they are "gardening garden gnomes".

Max & Mason - The Gardening Garden Gnome Ornaments - £24.95

These two are really sweet and they stand at 22cm tall and are coated with a weather resistant finish.

I have been promising the kids a fairy garden for ages (actually it's really for me) and Gardens2you have a great range of ornamental toad stools, fairy doors and fairies.  Or if Zen is more your thing, there is also a good selection of Buddha figurines and wall art.  All products have free UK delivery and 30 days to return.

Whilst you're waiting for life to return to the garden, it's good to know it can still be a pretty place, at a reasonable cost.

For further information visit the Gardens2you website or you can talk to them on Facebook or Twitter.

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3 Ways To Keep Your Kids Entertained On The Weekend

For many parents, the weekend is seen as a tricky task. It’s the time of the week where your kids are home from school and will be stuck in the house all day. This means it’s very easy for them to get bored and become grouchy. No parent wants to deal with this! So, I’ve got three tips that will keep your kids entertained on the weekend:

Image via pixabay https://goo.gl/ySGVfk

Invite Their Friends Over 

One way to ensure your kids are entertained is to invite their friends over to play! Weekends can get boring for a child if they don’t get to spend any time with their friends. Invite a couple over to play and have lunch on Saturday. You could arrange some cool games for them to play, or just let them play by themselves. Either way, your child will be having lots of fun! If you’re up for it, you could even arrange a sleepover! Kids absolutely love sleepovers, and it's a sure-fire way to make sure they’re entertained over the weekend.

Go On A Weekend Trip

If you’re looking to have some fun with your kids, then a weekend trip is a brilliant idea. I can guarantee it will keep them entertained throughout the whole two days. There are a couple of trips you can go on. You could go for a nice relaxing trip, or you could go on an adventure! There are plenty of family adventure ideas out there that will be great fun to do on the weekend. You could go to an adventure park and spend two days having fun and getting messy in the mud. Or, you could go camping and try and come up with your own adventure. Of course, as I mentioned, you could just take a relaxing trip if adventure isn’t your thing. There are plenty of nice seaside towns that will make a lovely change of pace at the weekend. Going away anywhere is an excellent way to keep your kids entertained, they love a little trip!

Build A Den With Them 

The weekend presents you with the perfect opportunity to spend a bit more time with your kids. You can do things that you wouldn’t normally be able to do. One of those things is having the time to sit down and play with them. You can take part in all their great imagination games. Or, you can help them create a super awesome den that’s amazing and will make all other kids jealous! Kids love to create dens and forts with pillows and bedsheets. If you want to take up some time on the weekend, and stop them from getting bored, why not help them build one? To be honest, it’s actually quite fun! After you’ve finished, you can crawl inside and play with them in their new den. A word of warning, don’t get too attached to the den you helped create. It will probably be around for the weekend and then get torn down on Monday. Kids tend to move on to bigger and better things very quickly!

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.

For loads more parenting advice, just visit the parenting section of my blog.

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My Guide To Getting In Touch With Your Food

Eating healthily is important to my family and I, so I pay close attention to what we eat. I think a lot of people don't think much about their food and where it comes from, which for me is an important thing to do. Being in touch with your food makes you buy more responsibly and eat more healthily. It's not difficult to learn more about your food so that you can base your diet on what you know. If you think it's important to know all about your food too, I have some tips for becoming more knowledgeable. Try these methods to become one with your food choices.

Mikhail Esteves

Read the Labels

Checking the labels on your food has to be one of the easiest ways to learn more about it. There are several things that manufacturers and shops are required to put on their products. Many items will say where they originated from, which will have a country or perhaps county of origin. You can also look at the list of ingredients. They might reveal some surprising information about what's in your food. Products also need to have nutritional information, so you can see how many calories everything has, as well as sugar, protein, and more.

Shop in the Right Places

Where you shop can make a significant difference to how much you know about your food. In a supermarket, you can check labels and perhaps talk to someone at the meat or fish counter. But ask a random member of staff about a random product and they won't know much. At your local butchers or fishmongers, they should be able to tell you all about where their produce comes from. The same goes for farmers' markets and other independent shops.

Grow Your Own

If you want to know even more about your food, the best thing to do is grow it yourself. If you have space in your garden, you can plant some fruit trees or vegetables to harvest. Even without a lot of space, you can grow herbs on your kitchen windowsill or a tomato plant in a pot. You could be surprised at how easy it is to grow fruit and vegetables at home. Once you have harvested what you've grown, you can preserve some of it so that it lasts you longer. Different methods are appropriate for various things, so check you're using the right one.

Cook It Yourself

If you are not very green-fingered, you can get in touch with your food through cooking. Cooking is an excellent way to learn about what you eat and how to prepare it in a healthy way. You can explore different flavours and work out the best produce to buy for the tastiest food. You could learn more by taking a cooking class. Or get some books with recipes or information about how to get the most from your food.

Learning more about your food can help to improve your diet. I believe that it's one of the best things you can do for a healthy lifestyle.

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.

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My Guide To Thinking About Your Child's Education

My kids are all in school now, and I have been thinking about their education for a long time. It's something you start thinking about almost right away, once you're not quite as much of a zombie after the baby's born. Education begins at home, but eventually (for most children) it will move to a classroom too. Of course, they'll continue to learn at home. But their school will influence them significantly. From picking a preschool to sending them to university, there are some significant decisions to make. The younger they are, the less able they are to have their own input. So how they're educated is entirely up to you, their parents. Here are some of the things I think you should take into account.

School Philosophy 

One of the things you should consider when you're looking at schools is their philosophy. This might be something that you need to think about more with private schools than with state ones. However, even state schools are run by individuals. And they will have different approaches to education. Figure out what the school is all about, what their aims are and how they inspire their pupils to learn. Of course, it shouldn't take a lot of figuring out. Good schools will make these things clear on their website and in their literature.

woodleywonderworks

Study Options 

Many parents accept the standard path set out for pupils in the UK. In primary school, they complete their SATs. Then they do their GCSEs and possibly move on to A Levels or another qualification. Remember that students now have to stay in education or training until they're 18. However, there are other options for their study. For example, some schools offer the International Baccalaureate, while others provide vocational qualifications. If you are temporarily in the UK or intend to move abroad soon, some international schools offer foreign qualifications.

Learning Styles 

It's important to think about your child and how they learn, and not just about the school. There needs to be a good match between you, your child and the school. You should consider how your child learns and how you want them to learn. For example, when choosing a nursery you might think about Montessori or a forest school, where they learn outside. Chilton Cantelo School and other independent establishments tailor learning towards each pupil. They will often provide dedicated support for children with learning difficulties. And they will have support available for those who are considered gifted and talented.

Socialisation

Another thing to consider is your child's social skills and opportunities. Some parents think about homeschooling their children. If you think you might want to do this, do you have ways they can socialise with others their age? Other parents opt for boarding school, which means they would be learning to socialise outside of their family. Are large classroom sizes in state schools right for your child? Or would they make friends better in smaller classes?

There's a lot to think about when you're deciding on your child's education. There are some life-changing decisions to make, so try to start thinking about it as soon as you can.

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.

For loads more parenting advice, just visit the parenting section of my blog.

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5 Films I Absolutely Adore

Now that the nights are drawing in (which begins, according to my dad, on the day after Midsummer's eve), and since the chances of getting a babysitter on the night they're actually needed is remote, the Husband and I will be snuggled up watching our favourite films on DVD.

It makes a nice change, I have to say, to watch something that does not involve a superhero, a Disney princess or ghoulish school pupils.  This is, of course, the lull before the storm since Frozen 2 is rumored to be in production and Ieuan has been promised "Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron" for Christmas.

No.  It's TV on, wine decanted and a bowl of crisps. We're saving our pennies for a decent TV, such as the Panasonic Viera  which has the new 4K definition.  These TVs have four times the resolution of a standard HD TV with 8 million pixels on screen as opposed to the usual 2 million.

Most of our 2 million pixels are generally secreted between a variety of sticky hand-prints and dust so I imagine that much could be done to improve our viewing experience!

Don't you find, though, that you end up watching the same films over and over again?  These are my all time top 5 and I heartily recommend you check them out.

Woody Allen: Love & Death (1975)
(Woody Allen, Diane Keaton)

Woody Allen's Love & Death

Boris: "Isn't all mankind ultimately executed for a crime it never committed? The difference is that all men go eventually, but I go six o'clock tomorrow morning. I was supposed to go at five o'clock, but I have a smart lawyer. Got leniency."

In the film, which is set in 19th-century Russia, Boris (Woody Allen) is a simple Russian villager who is in love with his beautiful cousin Sonja (Diane Keaton). Forced against his will into joining the Russian army during the Napoleonic Wars, the cowardly Boris accidentally becomes a military hero. But when his beloved Sonja comes to him with a dangerous patriotic scheme, the resulting action leads Boris to question his desires and beliefs.

This is my all time favourite Allen movie.  It's considered to be a spoof of the Russian Novel, particularly those by Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.  As usual Allen's wit never lets up and you watch with either a wry smile or laughing out loud.

Mel Brooks: Young Frankenstein (1974)
(Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder)

Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder): "You know, I'm a rather brilliant surgeon. Perhaps I can help you with that hump."

Igor (Marty Feldman): "What hump?"

When respected medical lecturer Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) discovers he has inherited his infamous grandfather's estate in Transylvania, he goes to take possession of the castle. There, he begins to recreate his grandfather's experiments with the help of servants Igor (Marty Feldman), Inga (Teri Garr) and the terrifying Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman). Dr. Frankenstein creates his own monster and things get complicated when the monster falls in love with the doctor's fiancée, Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn).

Much as I love Blazing Saddles, I love Young Frankenstein for its complete lunacy and sense of the ridiculous.  It's a wonderful mickey-take of the old Hammer Horror films with a Dr Frankenstein who loves himself far too much, an Igor who isn't the full shilling and a monster whose dance routines leave a lot to be desired.

Agatha Christie's Death On The Nile (1978)
(Peter Ustinov, David Niven)

Agatha Christie's Death On The Nile

Jacqueline De Bellefort (Mia Farrow): "...sometimes, I just want to put this gun right against her head, and ever so gently, pull the trigger. When I hear that sound more and more... "

Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov): "I know how you feel. We all feel like that at times. However, I must warn you, mademoiselle: Do not allow evil into your heart, it will make a home there."

This is the story of a wealthy heiress, Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) who steals her best friend's fiance (Mia Farrow and Simon MacCorkindale) and marries him after a whirlwind romance.  On a luxurious honeymoon cruise on the Nile River, Linnet is murdered and it is up to Poirot (David Niven) to solve the mystery, along with his trusted companion, Colonel Race (David Niven). But just as Poirot identifies several would-be murderers, the suspects also start to meet their demise.

This is an adaptation of one of the best known Agatha Christie novels and I actually saw this film in the cinema when it first came out. I remember the stellar cast which includes Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Angela Lansbury and Jane Birkin, among others, and I love the sweeping musical score which adds to the beauty of the Egyptian scenery.

I am a huge fan of David Suchet as Poirot but, for me, this version of "Death On The Nile" is still the best.

Monty Python & The Holy Grail (1975)

Monty Python & The Holy Grail

French Soldier: "I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty-headed animal food trough wiper! I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!"

This film is a hilarious send-up of the grim Middle Ages told through the story of King Arthur and framed by a modern-day murder investigation. When Arthur goes on a quest to find the Holy Grail, he and his knights face a number of horrors, including the persistent Black Knight, a three-headed giant, some shrubbery-challenged knights, the dangerous Castle Anthrax, a killer rabbit, a house of virgins, and a handful of rude Frenchmen.

This is another film I saw in the cinema on its release - at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff in the days when it was a newly renovated school and not the great art space it is today!  I guess you either 'get' Monty Python or you don't and I laughed like a drain from start to finish.  Anybody who can substitute a horse for somebody banging two coconut shells together to make a clip clop sound and get away with it is pretty smart I think.

Again, although "Life of Brian" is equally loved, "Holy Grail" has the extra touch of madcap Python lunacy and feels more raw and experimental than the team's later films.

Babette's Feast (1987)

Babette's Feast

Adapted from the novel by Karen Blixen (whose memoirs formed the basis of the film "Out of Africa", Babette's Feast is the story of two sisters who live in a remote 19th Danish century village. Their life centres around their father, the local minister, and their church. When their father dies, they take in a French refugee, Babette, who works for them as their servant.  When Babette wins the lottery she decides to pay the sisters back for their kindness and cooks a French meal for them and their friends to mark the 100th anniversary of their father's death.  After Babette's feast, everything and everyone changes in ways they would never have expected.

This film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1988 and was another one I saw in the Chapter Arts Centre when it came out.  It is a really touching tale, despite being subtitled and you are left feeling uplifted and reminded how powerful kindness can be.

So those are my favourite 5.  Are any of them on your list?


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I will only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.

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A True Story Of Discovering And Dealing With Fibromyalgia

Recently, I’ve been speaking to a friend who had been coping with her daughter having peculiar symptoms. When the symptoms started, it seemed like it might have been a serious illness. But, after much deliberation, three months later, she was still none the wiser. If you have been in this situation, it can be incredibly stressful and difficult to understand what is happening. You want to help, but there seems to be nothing you can do. However, my friend took great steps to ensure they got to the bottom of this difficult illness and eventually discovered the truth. Here are steps she took.

1. Watch And Wait 

After the symptoms had started to develop, my friend watched her daughter carefully. She believed it might have been something to do with passing through puberty. She decided to wait and see if the symptoms worsened or the problems increased. The symptoms in question were a severe back pain and difficulty walking. As peculiar as this sounds, this can happen when a teenager passes through puberty. Growing pains can be incredibly nasty.

2. Contact The GP

The symptoms did not fade after two weeks, and my friend was forced to take further action. If anything, the symptoms appeared to be getting worse. The pain was becoming more frequent and was severely limiting how well her daughter was coping. Her mother decided it was time to get in touch with the GP. You may have recently read about whether or not a GP can diagnose you in ten minutes. Well, in this case, the GP was completely stumped and could only offer her daughter painkillers. This was not a long term plan on dealing with the issue, and they were told the situation would be reassessed in a couple of weeks.

3) A&E

The painkillers did not work and one worrying night the girl had to be rushed to A&E. She was unable to walk with agonising pain down her entire back. She also could no longer move any of limbs. If you think this is a nightmare scenario, you would be right. It was terrifying for both her and her daughter. But, after several hours in A&E they were still no closer to finding out what was wrong. They were only offered stronger painkillers.

4) The Specialist 

After the incident with A&E, my friend’s daughters condition was passed onto a specialist. The quickly diagnosed the condition as fibromyalgia.

Image Credit

This is a condition that causes severe chronic pain, often for the rest of a sufferer's life. There is no cure and worse still, no known cause. Although it was a relief to find out what was wrong, they were still stuck with no remedy except putting the girl on painkillers for the rest of her life.

5) Clinical Trials 

Due to the mystery surrounding fibromyalgia there are constant clinical trials to attempt to fix the issue. A clinical trial involves a collection of patients being given drugs that could work to cure their illness. There are different phases of clinical trials that you pass through. It is possible to enquire about this option when you are dealing with a difficult illness. My friend asked for this option for her daughter. Five months later they were granted the request.

6) The Road To Recovery

Since the clinical trials, my friend has seen success in the treatment of her daughter. Although the pain is still there, the situation is improving. She hopes these trials will bring the end to the suffering of those who have been diagnosed with this and other similar conditions.

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.

For loads more health advice, just visit my health page.

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8 Ways To Look Younger Right Now

Do you gaze into the mirror, longing for your old youthful appearance to return? So many people hate getting older, and wish they could make themselves look younger right now.

Luckily for you, there are ways you can do just that! It might take some commitment and practice, but anybody can turn back the clock with these tips:

1. Get More Sleep 

Perhaps you’re not getting enough sleep, and this is affecting your looks. Make sure you’re getting as much sleep as you need every night, and that it’s quality. You should feel well rested after 8 hours of quality sleep. Any more and you might be doing just as much damage as having too little.

2. Eat Better 

You could probably stand to overhaul your diet and make it a little better for you. See if there are ways you can replace your favourite foods with healthier versions, and try to make your meals vegetable based. The better you eat, the younger you’ll look. We’re made from what we eat!

3. Exercise 

Exercise might make you sweaty and questionable looking for a while, but, in the long run, it has a great effect on the body and skin. This means that we usually look much younger than we are, and feel amazing to boot! Find ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine and make sure you enjoy it.

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4. Invest in Your Skin 

There’s nothing wrong with splashing out a little when it comes to your skin. This might mean treating yourself to a luxury product, or even going for a luxury silhouette face lift. There are lots of treatments you can look into to make your skin look more youthful.

5. De-stress 

Stress can make us gain/lose weight, make our hair fall out, stop our periods, and make us look older. It’s no good for anybody! Many of us lead very stressful lives these days, so we need to make sure we’re de-stressing. Take some time to breathe and a nice bath. Go for a walk. Do things you enjoy and try not to worry about things out of your control!

6. Apply a Mask 

Apply a mask every so often, perhaps once a week to brighten up your skin. There are lots of masks out there for maturing skin, so you’re bound to find something you like.

7. Drink Lots of Water 

Water is beneficial in multiple ways. It flushes toxins, helps to shed fat, and, of course, clears the skin. Try drinking more for a few days and notice how much better you look and feel. Soon enough you’ll be in a routine and won’t even need to think about it!

8. Practice Your Makeup

Clever makeup techniques can help us to look younger too. Using suitable products and tools is a great help, but make sure you watch Youtube for guidance too.

Try these 8 techniques and you should look younger in a flash. Not only that, you’ll feel great about yourself too! Leave your thoughts below. See you again soon!

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.

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