My boys and the bluebells! - Renishaw Hall

Since going back to work we're finding it hard to have family days out at the weekend. Craig often works Saturdays and working Sunday is part of my contract. So when we do get the chance, like this bank holiday weekend, we really do like to make the most of it!

Regular readers of my blog will already known that we like to explore and discover new places but we actually stumbled across Renishaw Hall on google maps, of all places! And within about 20 minutes of being there it became one of our favourite places, one I know we will revisit over and over again as a family like we do with Potteric carr etc.

We were lucky enough to visit when the bluebells were in bloom and my gosh was it a magical sight.

The walks/garden weren't the most pushchair friendly in places but as this is an award winning garden we didn't expect them to be. There was something new to discover around every corner and I have a feeling we didn't even find half of it.

The courtyard, shops and café are so quaint and totally me. So much so I let my healthy eating guard down and had a slice/slab of coffee cake..it didn't disappoint!

Happy 3rd Birthday Rio!

On Friday Rio turned three. I was going to write a sentimental post but words don't do the last three years any justice at all. The truth is life didn't change that day..it started!

We couldn't decide whether to celebrate the day by going to Chester Zoo or heading to the Peak District for a spot of horse riding. The weather was glorious and in the end we just dug out our National Trust pass and stuck to an old favourite...Clumber Park!

Craig and Rio played football for the majority of the day, while me and Niall watched from the comfort of a picnic blanket. It doesn't sound much in the terms of birthday celebrations but for our family it was perfect.

The birthday boy and his bubbles :)

I love how this picture captures our family. I'm always behind the camera so its nice to have a moment froze in time for me to remember forever ..even if I am wearing Craig's hoody and sporting a top knot..but again, that captures us brilliantly as i'm so nesh!

And a birthday isn't a birthday without a cake!

Avene Cleanance Mat review

I love the dewy look as much as the next women, but my oily skin has been known to take that to a whole new level. During my teens my make up melted off my face quicker than Olaf on a summers day. How I found my other half and the father to my children during this time I will never know!

I outgrew it, for a while, then Niall came along and with him a whole new batch of crazy hormones. To combat the problem id been using a mattifying powder on top of my usual makeup. But I know with summer fast approaching this isn't the best or a light weight solution. The only cake I want in summer is on my picnic blanket! And that's why, even though new products can irritate my skin, I took the risk and jumped at the chance to try out these two Avene mattifying products!

I should start by saying that both products were extremely gentle on my skin. The toner made my skin extra clean after cleansing, and along with the smell, left me feeling refreshed. Ideal for a morning skincare routine! Being Paraben free is always and added bonus too.

Using the two products together helped my make up to stay in place and keep oil at bay virtually all day. On one accidental occasion even after a gym class! I found it was the moisturiser that gave my make up the staying power and that I only actually needed to use a pee sized amount. Which is great as, in my opinion, you need to purchase both products (at £10 each) to get the best results.

If you've got oily/combination skin id really recommend giving this range a try!

An early Mothers day!

Now that I'm a parent and a 'grown up', other than play dates, there's nothing I love more than quaint little places that serve coffee and cake!

That, and family days out, so combining the two for an early Mothers day treat as I work Sundays was a bonus!

I vlogged the day for the first time if anyone is interested..please be gentle with me I didn't realise how hard filming and editing actually was!!

Spring craft/mothers day idea!

Today while Niall was having his morning nap, me and Rio spent our one on one time doing some spring craft.

We ended up making a potted flower which I think is an amazing handmade gift idea for Mother's day, sneakily to yourself like mine, or for a grandparent.

I started off with toilet tubes. If your like me your far more likely to have these hanging round the house than actual plant pots.

I then cut them in half to make them smaller and  Rio reminded me that scissors 'are sharp' in the meantime, thank you Mr Maker!

You could now decorate/paint these but as Niall's morning nap is very unpredictable we made the most of the time and moved straight onto the next step...curling strips of paper around your finger!!

If you have an older child you could get them to do scissor trick for that step. But Rio found this way just as fun.

Once we had a few we then added them, and some more, to the inside of the toilet tube with cellotape!

I was planning on adding flowers next but Rio asked if we could include a butterfly so I dug one, some eyes and a straw out of the crafting drawer.

A lovely added extra :) .. Now back to the flowers.

We ripped  up tissue paper and scrunched it into little balls, pva glueing it to the plant as we went. I used a lolly pop stick dipped into the bottle to save any wastage as Niall was stirring and I knew our crafting session was about to be cut short.

And VOILA!

Rio seems to know when a photo is for blog purposes and does this fake smile face. Little cracker jack! I wonder what his school photo's will end up like. I know it isn't the norm to be there when Mothers day presents are being bought/made but every time I look at it sat on the fireplace I smile at the memory of us doing it together. Parcel's keep arriving that I'm not allowed to open so I know for certain that Craig hasn't forgotten about me. How could he? I've hinted weekly for the past month!

Yesterday: A normal day in photos

We're the type of family that likes to make the most of the weekends, whenever possible we try to have a family day out. But during the week, as I don't drive, its a little harder to do anything much more exciting than a visit to the park, a few hours at playgroup or a new activity from Pinterest. Sometimes we just have normal days. The days where nothing is planned, where the kids just play as they please and I try to master the art of drinking a cuppa while it is still hot!

Yesterday was one of those days. Yesterday: A normal day in photos

I woke myself up with a morning coffee while they boys had their breakfast. Toast and banana for Niall, porridge for Rio.

 

Rio tried to do his alphabet puzzles but little Niall wanted to see what his brother was up to and join in!

I then got a parcel I forgot I'd even ordered and got the boys dressed for the day.

 

Rio made fun out of tidying a messy hallway and Niall ran around for a while whilst me and Rio used our matching hoovers to clean up.

 

 

Rio chose mushrooms and mackerel for lunch, followed by fruit and fromage frais. I forgot to photograph Niall's but he had sweet potato mash, quickly followed by a bottle as nap time was overdue and he was doing his little dinosaur noise.

 

 All winter we have been telling Rio he can play on the trampoline again when it gets sunny. He certainly didn't fail to tell me the sun was out yesterday, and had fun burning off some energy.

 

 

I love sitting back with a cuppa (hot this time - result!) and watching them play together. They have such a bond already and the older Niall gets the more it grows. Nothing makes him laugh like his big brother. I love how in a morning, he naughtily tries to wake him up on purpose.. Niall is an early riser in comparison to Rio, and while he wakes with a smile now..im sure in a few years that will all change!

 

 

I so wish that I could capture on camera his eye colour difference properly, I wonder if it will change? Rio discovered that cups sound like horse hooves and had lots of fun clip clopping around. He then had a rare afternoon nap.. that's what fresh air and a trampoline does to you!

 

Craig got home from work and cooked tea (chicken, sweet chilli rice and peppers) while I went to the gym. I read Niall a story and got him to sleep while Rio was unwinding downstairs and having quality time with Daddy. I then hopped in the shower and into bed leaving Craig to watch Frozen while Rio drifted off.

 

A normal day, a normal family, but I couldn't be happier!