Paper Towns is my third favourite John Green Book. Looking for Alaska is my first, The-Book-That-We-Are-Not-Mentioning is the second. That’s not to say I don’t love it, I actually really enjoyed it, I just preferred the other two. That said, I was very concerned that the film wouldn’t do it justice…
Forward Slash – Louise Voss & Mark Edwards: Review
I never, ever read thriller/crime books. For a start, I am far too anxious for anything like that, my imagination runs away with me and I cannot handle it. I’ve also never thought it would be something I could find myself interested in. So I have no idea how I ended up with this on my Kindle but after reading it I am so glad I did!
I’ll Give you the Sun – Jandy Nelson: Review
I wasn’t sure what to read after my current run of books was going so well, so it took a little while to find, but after perusing my Goodread’s bookshelf I decided I liked the look of this one (literally judging the book by the cover!).
My Heart and Other Black Holes: Review
A review of My Heart & Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga. Here be spoilers!
Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O’Porter: A review
First things first, I love Dawn. She is one of my favourite TV journalists and all-round heroes, so I am surprised it took me so long to get round to reading her first novel. Reading the blurb I thought it sounded interesting but it was the fact that it was her that really compelled me to read it. The story, …
Why books are better than people
Happy World Book Day! I loved this day as a kid! Today, I am working so I’m subtly wearing my TFiOS top, and book earrings and I unintentionally look like every Young Adult protagonist ever! Anyhow, I was thinking about how much I love books (I love books so much!!!) and how they are so much better than people! (Spoken …
My Favourite Ever Book
Our story begins with pure, unadulterated hunger. A hunger for food, of course, but perhaps a deeper hunger, for life, love, growth. A feeling that resounds with us all; of never being full.
Butter – A Review
“Butter’’ is one of those books that you’re not really sure how it ended up on your Kindle but you’re glad. I knew I wanted to read something less ‘heavy’ than a lot of the things I’ve read recently, and this seemed quite interesting. The plot is quite unusual, Butter is a morbidly obese teenager, who, fed up with being known for nothing other than his huge appetite, decides to eat himself to death, live on the internet on New Year’s Eve.
Girl Online: A Review
I’ve only ever seen a few of Zoella’s vlogs and they’re fine. I don’t think I am the target audience, so she is certainly not my favourite vloggers, however as an avid fan of all Youtube culture, it was never in doubt that I would end up reading her debut novel, Girl Online. I read the whole thing in less than 12 hours, and I’m surprised to say that I didn’t hate it.
Attachment: A Review
I loved Eleanor & Park and I’m not sure any Rainbow Rowell book will ever live up to it in my eyes, but of course I wanted to give her others ago. I was really not sure about Attachments until after I had gotten past the half-way mark, which is exactly how I’d felt about Landline.
AD| Teenage Girl Gift Guide
It’s been a long time since I’ve been a teenage girl, and I am very out of touch. Thankfully I had a helper or two to give me some advice on this one! Soph x Skinnydip Astro Wash Bag This wash bag is so beautiful and would make such a cute gift for a special teen in your life – …
Tween Christmas Gift Guide*
Disney The Little Mermaid Kiss The Girl Pink Sweater With Sleeve Print I love this sweater, but there is no way I could pull it off. I imagine as a tween you could absolute rock this while filming Tiktoks and singing along to Ariana Grande (my knowledge of Tweens is limited as you can imagine). I love that the image …
Children’s Gift Guide*
We buy for a LOT of Children for Christmas. Between niblings, Godchildren and little besties there are around 16, ranging from 1-16! So not all of them will fall in this category, but a lot do! Here are some things we recommend. How to Spot an Artist This book is stunning! It’s visually beautiful, as you would expect, but also …
Toddler Christmas Gift Guide*
I can’t believe my little Roo is going to be 2 just before Christmas! A lot of the presents we got him are from the Aldi wooden toy sale but here are some other bits and bobs that I think would be great for a toddler.
Baby Christmas Gift Guide*
For Ruben’s first Christmas, he was only 10 days old, and so his main Christmas present was the gift of life after a 3 day back-to-back labour. We did get him a few little bits, and last Christmas we did buy quite a few more presents. Here are some of the best gifts for a baby in your life this year.
AD| Using SVGs for Crafting
This is a sponsored post but all words and opinions are mine. One thing you might not know about me, is that I love to craft. Whether that’s decoupaging anything that stays in one place for too long, trying out some Pinterest painting techniques, or upcycling odds and ends from around the house, to create a DIY Music wall. That’s …
Life after Lockdown: A “When This is Over” Bucket list
The lovely Victoria from The Manifestation Collective mentioned writing a life after lockdown, When This is Over bucket list, and I thought it was a really lovely idea. I’ve been adding to it for a few days and I finally think I’m ready to share it. What will Life after Lockdown even be like?! I’m quite lucky on one hand, …
AD| Things I’ve learnt about getting through lockdown*
The photos in this blogpost feature paid-for sponsored items, however all of the thoughts, opinions and words are my own. I know that every blogger and their dog has posted a similar post to this, and it almost put me off doing it, but one reason I keep this blog, is fo ray own memories and reflections. I absolutely love …
AD| Imagining my Dream Office
My current working space is either on the sofa, or in bed, working (physically) around my children. Occasionally, if I’m really lucky, I’ll find myself working at a table at a soft play centre with a luke-warm coffee. I’ve not worked in a proper office for such a long time, but I’ve recently had a cheeky promotion in my “real” …
In 2021 we will FINALLY buy a house – I hope.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that we have been trying to buy a house for YEARS. Due to being self-employed, getting pregnant and a casual global pandemic, it’s certainly not been easy, and every Christmas I tell myself “This will be the last time we have Christmas in this house” – before another year of …
The Best Board games to Beat Lockdown Boredom
In these weird, lockdown days, I feel like boardgames are finally having their day, and as such, I wanted to share with you some of my favorites.
AD: 3 digital side hustles which can boost your income
ome of you might know this, but I’m actually a Virtual Assistant and Copywriter as my main form of income (as well as working 3 night a week for a well-known children’s charity) and one thing I’m really passionate about is empowering other people to make money from home. I co-run Flourishing Business Mums where we help Mums set up, or grow, their own businesses away from the MLM world, and today I’m going to chat about some digital side hustles to help you grow your income.
AD| #StandwithSmall – My Etsy Picks for Post-Lockdown
These items are affiliate links which means if you click through them and buy something, I get a few pennies back and it costs you nothing extra. Thanks, friends! As part of Etsy’s #StandwithSmall campaign, I wanted to celebrate the small businesses I love, so that when life goes back to normal (or at least something close!) we can all …
I think I’m doing Isolation Wrong.
I’m not sure really where to start right now. In the past few weeks, everything has gone to shit (excuse my French), and we appear to be in a sort-of, not-quite-but-pretty-much Lockdown. While everyone else seems to be baking bread, learning Mandarin, renovating their houses and binge watching Tiger King, I… am not.
Ultimate Etsy Mothers’ Day Gift Guide*
This is your reminder that Mothers’ Day is coming up! Here are some cute and quirky gift ideas for the special woman in your life.
The Best Gifts for a One-year-old
Hilariously, it’s taken me 6 months+ 9 months to write this guide to the best gifts for a one-year-old, because having a baby is super busy. I started this when he’d just had his first birthday, and although it’s massively out of date now, I still wanted to finish it as I think it’ll be really useful for people looking …
Visiting Center Parcs after Lockdown (With a toddler and children)
We’ve just come back from a lovely weekend in Center Parcs – our third time visiting Center Parcs but first time staying in Sherwood. I’d love to try one of the other locations next. I was a little worried about going to Center Parcs after lockdown, and for a while I wasn’t sure if our little holiday was even going …
Precious Keepsake Ideas for your Babies
Some of these products were gifted, but the words and opinions are all my own! I’m a sentimental person – even more so since having a baby. Just last week it was Ruben’s first hair cut and you better believe that I chose a salon specifically based on the fact that they provide you with a certificate and a lock …
AD| My Favourite Easy Veggie Meal for the Whole Family
This is a sponsored post with the supermarket, Jacks. But all words and opinions are my own. When it comes to deciding on weekly meals, I always try to find at least a few dishes that we can all have together – partially because it’s nice to all have the same thing, and it encourages Steven and I to eat …
Yes, I’m Still Breastfeeding my Toddler
I love breastfeeding (most of the time, but deffo not always!), but this post isn’t to shame anyone who didn’t want to/couldn’t breastfeed, or who hasn’t carried it on as long as I’ve chosen to. I’m not about that, boo. On the 15th of June, I will have been feeding Ruben for 18 whole months. That is around 547 days …
DIY Music Wall
I’ve seen these cute music walls all over the lockdown parenting groups and I kept just writing them off as something nice, but that I won’t ever own. But then I suddenly thought – well why not? I’m a strong independent woman. My baby LOVES music. Why can’t I make him a music wall? And so it began! When it …
The Best Board games to Beat Lockdown Boredom
In these weird, lockdown days, I feel like boardgames are finally having their day, and as such, I wanted to share with you some of my favorites.
AD| Roo Rocks Spanish Style with La Coqueta
I was gifted this little outfit before lockdown (remember those times?!) and I’ve been trying to find a good time to post. I figured that actually, I want to share my little ray of sunshine looking super adorable and Corona isn’t going to stop me. So here goes. As Ruben grows older, he is really growing into his own little …
I think I’m doing Isolation Wrong.
I’m not sure really where to start right now. In the past few weeks, everything has gone to shit (excuse my French), and we appear to be in a sort-of, not-quite-but-pretty-much Lockdown. While everyone else seems to be baking bread, learning Mandarin, renovating their houses and binge watching Tiger King, I… am not.
Ultimate Etsy Mothers’ Day Gift Guide*
This is your reminder that Mothers’ Day is coming up! Here are some cute and quirky gift ideas for the special woman in your life.
Best things to see and do in Las Vegas
We did some pretty amazing things while in Vegas for our honeymoon! Some obvious, and some not so – check them out here!
Honeymoonin’ – Viva Las Vegas: Our Hotel
As you can imagine, a 2 week long Honeymoon USA Road Trip means a whole load of blog posts are coming up! This is the first about our hotel in Las Vegas!
Virgin V-Room Lounge – is it worth it?
Is it worth booking the Virgin V-room when you go on a long-haul flight? We tested it out during our honeymoon!
YeeRah Liverpool – Restaurant Review*
I’ll be honest, when YeeRah slid into my inbox and asked if I wanted to review their new menu (note to companies: always yes!), I couldn’t for the life of me recall having ever seen them before. It wasn’t until we went the escalators in Liverpool One and I saw the restaurant that I remember passing by so many times thinking “Ooh, that place looks good”, before being boring and going with a trusty often-visited place instead.
Pizza Express Formby: Review* (All the food!)
On Friday, Steven and I were lucky enough to be invited by Pizza Express (total babes) to check out their new restaurant in Formby. So, Slimming World be damned, we headed off (dressed far too fancily for pizza, but we don’t go out much…!), ready to eat all the food.
30 James Street: The Titanic Hotel
For my birthday, we went to a fantastic hotel in Liverpool, 30 James Street. Read my review here – featuring gratuitous mirror selfies.
Summer in the City – Creator Day
Summer in the City is the UK’s biggest Youtube gathering and I was lucky enough to go to the first day, which is the Creator Day. I also beat Steven dressed as a sumo.
New York: Spend or Save? – Free Things to do in the Big Apple
Although New York is known for being pretty pricey-beans, there are some great things you can do for free.
New York: Spend or Save? Part 1
Even as a small child, I have always wanted to go to New York. It’s where things happened. Where the cool kids lived. From the cast of Friends, to characters in my YA angsty books (Princess Diaries, Nick and Norah Judy Blume books etc), New York was always The Dream. So when I got the chance to go in Summer 2013, as part of an epic cross country trip, I couldn’t believe it. Actual, real-life New York.
Chester Roomzzz Review*
impression that hotels should be nice and fancy (& a little pretentious), with an over priced restaurant and unnecessary room service. However, after staying in two Roomzzz apart-hotels, I am actually gutted that they’re not in more cities – I love them! (They are also incredibly priced if you’re on a budget!)
How to support a nursing partner with breastfeeding
Just because you’re not lactating yourself, doesn’t mean that the process is nothing to do with you! Even if your partner isn’t planning on expressing or combi-feeding, which means you can’t help by giving bottled milk, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything you can do to help. My husband was super helpful, especially in those incredibly difficult early days, and …
Simple Self-care for Busy Mums
When you’re a mum (which I have been for over 6 months now and still can’t believe it!), self-care is the last thing on your mind, behind feeding the baby, changing the baby, winding the baby, naps, cleaning, developmental milestones, sensory play, potential dangers, future schools, and attempting to leave the house with the least amount of vomit on your clothes.
How to celebrate your birthday during COVID-19*
Birthday parties are great excuses to meet your friends after a long time, and have a whale of a time with them as you party all night. However, in the current times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had very quiet birthday celebrations just within the four walls of our homes. Why let the pandemic dampen our spirits when we …
Being a Mum: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
I can’t believe that this Mother’s Day, I’m an actual Mum. Last year I was a bit sad as we had been trying to conceive and it felt as though it was never going to happen. Thankfully, this year I am writing this while Baby Roo sleeps next to me, looking precious and making my heart want to burst. Obviously it’s a bittersweet one, as it’s my first one as a Mum, but also my first without my own Mum. But today, I want to focus on my first 3.5 months of Mum’ing and what it’s really been like.
How to shop for everyone on your Christmas list using only Etsy
Think you can’t buy something for everyone on Etsy? Challenge accepted!
The Basic Tag
I’m basic and proud! SpookyKiah started this tag so here are 10 reasons I’m basic AF!
The (Broken) Vagina Monologues: Part 5 – A Vaginal Video Game
Hello again friends! It’s been a while! My broken vagina and I have actually been busy growing a little human (I am aware that it’s my womb doing the growing, but it makes more sense poetically to say it’s my vag), and in a few months time (December to be exact) I will be pushing him out of it too! If I thought sex was painful, I feel like childbirth is going to be a whole other level… However, I realise I left you on a bit of a cliffhanger (or a clit-hanger as my pals at My Dad Wrote A Porno blog would say), and it’s time to catch up!
Why I Deleted my most Popular Blog Post Ever
My most popular post ever was raking in thousands of views a month. But I deleted it.
Why I Overshare…
If you have spoken to me in real life, it will come as no surprise that I am a bit of an over sharer. My broken vagina updates come up as a regular topic at various blog events and if I take a particularly noteworthy poop, I’m more than happy to offer a detailed description. Hey – I have never pretended to be classy!
Mind, Body Soul Experience Manchester Giveaway
Win one of 2 pairs of weekend tickets for the Mind, Body, Soul Experience in Manchester!
A bit of a ‘Poo’ Video
After a brief hiatus, I finally find a topic worth vlogging about, IBS.