Keeping a family home clean can sometimes feel like a losing battle. Young kids, pets, and the general tramping-in of dirt from outdoor exploring can all make the germs build up surprisingly quickly. While I'm not fanatical about living in a sterile home, I do think it's important to keep areas like sinks, bathrooms and work surfaces hygienically clean. I've tended to use pretty basic disinfectants in the past, and have put up with the ...
Nature craft: making a miniature garden
We've been having a LOT of fun with our latest nature craft: making a miniature garden. This is a nature craft that I've been wanting to do with the kids for ages. It can be as simple or as complicated as you want, and you really don't need to buy any special materials; just head outside and see what you can find. We started off with a bit of a hunt around the garden, and came up with this haul. It's the first time I've been pleased ...
Win a Num Noms series 2 toy bundle
Welcome to a new toy giveaway. I've got a great prize on offer which will suit kids who love collectible toys, with a Num Noms series 2 bundle comprising a Deluxe Pack and two Mystery Pots up for grabs. Num Noms are scented mini characters inspired by foods and flavours, such as cupcakes and ice cream. They’re cute, quirky and highly collectible - and they smell pretty amazing! We reviewed them back in April and they were a big hit; my ...
Review: BuyDirect4U camping mattresses
I’m starting this camping equipment review with a confession: I’m not a natural camper. I love getting outside and exploring all that the great outdoors has to offer, but I also like my home comforts; things like running water, comfy mattresses, and hairdryers. Mr H, on the other hand, is never happier than when he’s pitching himself against the elements with the bare minimum of supplies. He’s camped, tramped and trekked, and just cannot ...
Giving Nature a Home in our Garden: RSPB Big Wild Sleepout & Food for Moths
If you’ve been reading the blog lately, you’ll know that we’re teaming up with the RSPB this year to support their ‘Give nature a home in your garden’ campaign. The campaign aims to address the decline of the UK’s wildlife species by encouraging us all to take small, achievable steps to help nature in our own gardens and green spaces. So far we’ve made our garden more wildlife-friendly by sowing wildflower seeds to attract pollinating insects, ...
Family fun for free: Great British Tennis Weekend
It’s that time of year when I become hopelessly unproductive for two weeks. The Wimbledon Tennis Championships have started! I certainly can’t be described as a big fan of watching sport, but tennis is the exception. Every year, the last week in June and the first week in July have me in a frenzy of excitement, as I try to juggle work and family commitments so I can watch as much tennis as possible. I’ve always loved tennis. My mum got me ...
Win a Num Noms toy bundle
Welcome to a new toy giveaway. I've got a great prize on offer which will suit kids who love collectible toys, with a Num Noms bundle comprising a Starter Pack and two Mystery Pots up for grabs. In case Num Noms aren't on your radar yet, they're scented mini characters inspired by foods and flavours, such as cupcakes and ice cream. They’re cute, quirky and highly collectible - and they smell pretty amazing! We reviewed them back in April ...
Ideas for creating privacy in a family garden
Do you think of your garden as an outdoor room? At this time of year in particular, our gardens work hard to give us extra space for outdoor dining, family garden games, entertaining, and simply relaxing in the sunshine. Using our gardens more can make us feel the need to create some privacy. Unless your house is situated in a large, detached plot, your garden is likely to be overlooked in some way. Even if you get on ...
Talking family gardening with Shedstore
Last week I had a lovely time chatting with Shedstore about family gardening. My interview was for the 'Garden Life' section of the Shedstore website, which shares articles from throughout the gardening community. Here's what we covered. When did you first form an interest in gardening? When I was about 7 years old; my dad gave me my own little patch at his allotment and I was hooked. I remember loving how hands-on it was, and finding the ...
Giving nature a home in our garden: growing flowers for butterflies
Welcome to my latest post supporting the RSPB ‘Give nature a home in your garden’ campaign. 60% of the UK’s wildlife species have seen a decline over the last fifty years, and the RSPB campaign aims to encourage us all to take small, achievable steps to help nature in our own green spaces. We’ve already started to make our garden more wildlife-friendly by sowing wildflower seeds to attract pollinating insects and provide shelter for small ...