The Decade that Changed my Life 2010-2020

Being the end of a decade it has made me reflect on the changes in my life over the past ten years. My life now is pretty much unrecognisable from that of ten years ago. Come join me for a trip down memory lane won’t you?

2010 Party girl

This year was absolutely rammed full of parties and holidaying. Belgium in March, Glastonbury Festival in June, Malia in August where I nearly got in the Inbetweeners movie! I rounded it off with a girls trip to New York! In December I started dating someone new and landed my dream promotion!

2011 New year New job

I started the year off in my new job and absolutely loved it. I was starting to calm down the partying lifestyle. Still I went to a couple of gigs. Saw the Foo Fighters in Milton Keynes Bowl and Kasabian in Cardiff. Also had a girly trip to London in November. The romance had fizzled out over the summer and by October I had started dating again. I had a brief fling with someone until December when I realised we wanted different things in life and so ended it. I also rescued my dog Dexter in October.

2012 Became a Mother

Early this year I found out I was pregnant, a bit of a surprise. Was a bit scared of being a single parent. I spent a large portion of this year vomiting or walking the dog! Found out that morning sickness does not bugger off in the afternoon. Apart from a low lying placenta it was a fairly straightforward pregnancy. My son Isaac was born 7th September by elective C section. I learned this year that some babies don’t like to sleep and that you cannot die from sleep deprivation!

2013 Motherhood and mat leave

I found that being a mother quite suited me. Good job really ha. I walked a lot. Having a baby that will only sleep whilst in motion does wonders for losing the baby weight! Of course the maternity leave went by too fast and I wondered how I would cope working 30 hours and being a single parent. But I did manage very well actually and life was good. My free time was spent doing family things and I wondered what the f*** I used to do with all my time before.

2014 A Blast From the Past

Life continued to be sweet. We booked our first holiday to a Caravan park for June with my parents and my sister. Around this time I had just started chatting to an old friend via Facebook. He used to live back to back with me on the council estate I grew up on and we had lost touch. After finding out I hadn’t been on a date in 2 years he invited me on a pity date (joke) and we had always got on well as teenagers so I went. If nothing else it would be lovely to see an old friend. After waiting 20 years to ask me out on a date we hit it off!

2015 A year of 2 halves

I was pretty determined not to fall in love. Being a single parent I had complete control over everything. I had to to keep the ship running smoothly. I couldn’t have any complications and I was juggling all the balls. I was scared if I let someone take one of those balls I would drop the lot. Anyway, there’s not much you can do when the heart wants what it wants you just have to go with it. So I did. Towards the end of the year however I noticed that my mood had started to become low. I think I would have probably been ok but my mum fell and broke her shoulder in December. I pushed on with work up until the end of the year but the stress was all catching up with me.

2016 A surprise proposal

The year started with me breaking down and taking some time off work. I went back on to antidepressants and paid for some private therapy. I actually don’t know how my partner put up with me at this time and I think I pretty much tried to push him away but he was an amazing support. By February I realised what a good man he was and that I should probably hang on to him. He kept making jokes about it being a leap year so on February 29th I proposed and he said yes. I also got to pick my own ring! In order for our 2 families to live together we needed a bigger house so the attic conversion was planned for the summer. We should have all been able to live together by August. Of course builders being builders the start date was delayed until Jan 2017!

2017 New attic, new baby

On January 4th Isaac and I packed up and moved to my mum’s for 2 weeks while they pulled all the ceilings down. Two weeks turned in to six, as they do. It was only meant to take 8 weeks in total. With a few setbacks on the way it wasn’t until about May that the builders were out of there. Earlier in the year we had talked about adding to our family when we were all settled. I just assumed that as I was near to 40 years old it would take some time to get pregnant. Oh no not fertile Frances here. I reckon it was the first bonk after we had discussed it that I got pregnant. So by April I was up to my eyeballs in building work and up the duff. It was so much fun redecorating the whole of the upstairs amidst morning sickness I tell you. This slowed us up somewhat and it wasn’t until October that finally we were all together at last! It was an eventful pregnancy and Ezra was born 21st December by elective C section. I was discharged from hospital at 4pm Christmas Eve. My mum was the hero that year cooking Christmas dinner for all of us as I was in no shape for anything. I barely remember that day. I was quite ill after having Ezra.

2018 Post natal depression, turning 40 and a broken arm

I have gone into details on my other posts about my post natal depression but to summarise it was a wonderful time having a new baby it’s just I had this black cloud over me. It was particularly bad depression and with good support from the GP I was feeling better by the summer. I was set to return to work in September. Fate however had other ideas and the week before I was due to return I fell and broke my arm. I had another 12 weeks off because of that. I honestly think it was a good thing because while I felt ok in August I was still pretty fragile mentally. In the November I started CBT and through that started this blog. I had already started my Instagram account which was really helpful as I was talking to people who could understand what I was going through. By December I felt on top of my game again and ready to take on the next year ahead.

2019 Phoenix rising

I returned to work the first week of January. I did feel nervous but I was eased back into it gently and slowly returned to my normal workload. I was really pleased to be put forward for a leadership course which I am really enjoying. That is ongoing until September 2020. Family life has been great and we have been on some awesome family adventures. I am pleased with how my Instagram and blog have grown and the opportunities they open up for my family. I even won an award for one of my blogs in December! Imagine that! Christmas has been just perfect a mixture of fun, excitement and relaxation. It has been one fantastic year!

As I sit here writting this on New year’s Eve 2019 and reflecting on all the changes in my life. Ten years ago I was getting ready to go clubbing in Cardiff. Tonight I will be sat at home in my PJ’s with a takeaway and everything I need around me. I couldn’t be happier.

Wishing you all the best for 2020 my lovelies. Hope it’s the best!

Love and peace xxx

We Visited Santa!

This is not a sponsored post.

It was about 9 years ago and in my pre children life that I first discovered the Winter Wonderland at Poundffald Farm, Three Crosses, Gower. I was browsing the internet and I happened upon the website. I had never seen anything like it. Christmas lights, Christmas scenes, Reindeer and the most Santa-y looking Santa ever. I had to go. Except one little problem I didn’t have kids.

That wasn’t going to stop me and I arranged to take my friend and her young daughter to visit this amazing wonderland. I was honestly captivated by the festive feels there. There were elves and reindeer and snow…ok not real snow but a snow machine! My friends daughter loved it although possibly not as much as me!

When I had my first son I just couldn’t wait to take him to see it. He was 1 the first time we went. He loved all the singing and dancing characters and the pretty lights and as he has got older it’s become a bit of a tradition to go there. It never gets tired as things change and evolve from one year to the next.

First time with my oldest son.

Another year with my eldest.

And another year…a week before my due date!

We took my youngest last year when he was just shy of 1. He seemed to enjoy but this year he absolutely LOVED it! The lights, the singing and moving characters, the elves. My older son enjoyed watching the new characters and feeding the reindeer some magic reindeer food.

When we got to see Santa this year the toddler was oblivious as to who he was of course but was quite happy babbling away to him. My older son was in awe at first. He then chatted away with him telling him all sorts about computer games! We didn’t feel rushed and they both had lovely presents. I also got an amazing picture!

There is a beautiful little shop that you can visit as you are leaving to pick up any other festive items you may need.

Swansea Winter Wonderland at Gower Fresh Christmas tree website can give you all the details. I highly recommend it if you are in the local area.

This is my last post for 2019. I will be back Jan 2020.

I wish you all peace, love and joy xxx

We’re Off To Find A Unicorn. Book tour.

This book was gifted for us to review. All the thoughts and views contained in this blog are my own.

We’re off to find a Unicorn. A mystical, magical unicorn…

We are super excited to be part of the Unicorn Hunt blog book tour with this fantastic children’s book. Written by Eloise White and with illustrations form Corey Reid it is a fun and engaging book that takes the reader on an adventure searching for a Unicorn.

The family in the book set out on their unicorn hunt searching through different environments and meeting different creatures along the way. My toddler loved the colourful pages and was excited to turn the page to see if the unicorn was hiding there.

Each page you get the chance to find out if the Unicorn with the shiny horn and the swishy tail is there. My seven year old was interested in the different animals which gave us the chance to learn more about them.

We’re off to find a Unicorn…Will the family find it? You will have to read the book to find out but you will get to meet endangered wildlife along the way. It has a ‘Bear Hunt’ feel to it and if your children enjoy that book I’m sure they will love this one too.

You can purchase the book here. It would make a lovely stocking filler for younger children.

Let me know in the comments your favourite family books.

Love and peace xxx

Christmas Gift Guide-mini version

Hey guys, I’m probably a bit late to the party but I had never thought of doing a Christmas gift guide before so this is a mini version. Here are some of my favourite things I have bought or been gifted over the past year. If the item is gifted I will state clearly in the description otherwise it is something I have bought myself. There may be affiliate links within the blog post which means if you purchase something through the link I may receive a commission.

Zimply kids

These have a whole range of fun and sensory play gifts. From slime baff to chocolate emojis they have a great range. We have tried most of their products which were kindly gifted to review. Links to posts here and here.

WatAdventurers Personalised book

Beautifully illustrated and personalised book that inspires and empowers our children to save the planet. Gifted book. You can read the full review on my blog.

Shower in a can

For the busy lives we lead. Early session at the gym and off to the office? Try shower in a can. No water needed. I think it would be ideal for festival goers or camping. Gifted product. Get yours here.

FM Perfumes

These are not fakes or copies but beautiful fragrances that smell like your favourite brand. I was sent some samples to try and they really do smell so good! It’s like having your favourite perfume without the designer price tag. Head over to the Instagram page for more details.

RC Car

Gostock sent us this fab off road car to review. The littles loved it as well as the bigs (me and hubster). Great fun for any age. It’s available on Amazon.

Positive Wellbeing Zine for Mums

I was so lucky to have won a years subscription in a giveaway. It is such an uplifting publication focusing on motherhood, wellbeing and self care. You can get your copy over at Isabella and Us.

Gift in a Tin

We were gifted a couple of tins to try out and we absolutely loved the Teddy in a tin. Check out what I had to say about it over on my Instagram.

Lift a friend Gift boxes

I received one of these as a birthday present this year and I loved it. A perfect gift. There are a few different ones to choose from. Here’s the link to the Instagram page. I particularly love that they focus on self care.

Zuru Toys surprise balls

We were gifted Dino strike and Unicorn Squad surprise balls to check out recently. Isaac had so much fun opening them up to discover what was inside. They would make the perfect stocking filler for all. You can check out their full range here.

LSW Mind cards

LSW Mind Cards are a pack of 45 individually designed cards each with a tool or task to help you increase your wellbeing, boost your mood and help you move towards a more fulfilled life. By introducing positive habits into your everyday, Mind Cards will give you the power to create the healthiest and happiest life for you. This is something I am trying to incorporate into my self care and mindfulness routine. Take a peek on the website.

We’re Off To Find a Unicorn

Another fantastic gifted book to enjoy with the children. The toddler and my 7 year old enjoyed listening to the adventure. We’ve hunted for bears, elves and eggs… now we’re hunting for everyone’s favourite – unicorns! But you will not only enjoy looking for the hiding unicorn in the pages, you also learn about our world’s endangered wildlife along the way. Full blog review coming soon.

Lapland Letters

Now this isn’t really a Christmas gift more a pre Christmas gift but 100% worth it to see the look of awe in my sons eyes as I read him the letter. There are a whole bunch of goodies too in the package. We were given this as a gift but I will be buying it next year for sure. See my post on Instagram for more pictures and my review. Website here.

So that wraps up my Christmas mini gift guide. Hope you find it helpful in filling a few stockings. Talking about wrapping I need to crack on with mine!

Let me know in the comments if there’s anything you recommend as a gift so I can share.

Festive love and peace xx

If you like this Gift guide check out this fantastic Gift guide by Mummymitchell.

Luminate Wales

This was a gifted event. All the thoughts and opinions contained in this blog are my own.

Anyone else find it really tricky to find activities for the family in the winter? I’m always on the look out for anything to peel them away from a screen. We were extremely fortunate to be gifted a family pass to go to the event. Now I had seen some pictures on the site and it looked really great. So last Thursday we went for our visit.

I was not prepared for the amazing visual experience I was about to enter into. From the moment you walk in through the arch the experience begins. I’m finding it tricky to write about the experience in such detail without spoiling the experience for you, if you are going to visit this is your spoiler warning!

Ok you have been warned!

A mighty wizard introduces you to the event and the magical feel begins. You have to follow the path around the park where there are various different light displays. Some are even interactive.

In through the beautiful tunnel of light towards what felt like a woods of twinkling stars.

Pop into the cabin and make your wishes ready for the wishing tree.

You won’t find it yet but there are some fun interactive things to do along the way. You can play the piano or ring the bells. I’m not going to post pictures about that part I will let you discover for yourselves. Then you will arrive at the wishing tree.

Watch out you don’t get lost in the light maze!

When you get to the steps be wary because at the top is a Troll! Answer the riddles correctly to safely pass over the trolls bridge.


You don’t want to go passed when he is angry!


If you manage to get safe passage you will enter the land of fairies. I think this was my favourite part.


Now whatever you do don’t pass by the next cabin without popping in. You can get some marshmallows to toast or for the non driving mammy (me!) you can get a glass of mulled wine.


Don’t forget to stop for a selfie on the way to the courtyard.

The cafe was open and there was one of those amazing pizza vans. There are also toilets for those of you who are like me with the bladder of a gnat.

The finale was spectacular and I’m not posting pictures of it but just trust me you will not be disappointed.

The whole experience made me feel like I was Alice in Wonderland. There were such different light displays everywhere that just amazed me and it really felt magical from start to finish. Oh and the kids loved it too! Be sure to get your pictures by the giant LUMINATE display before heading back down.


I thought this was a fantastic family activity for all ages. Young and old. We didn’t use our pushchair but we saw that plenty were going round the path without a problem. I would recommend wellies or at least old shoes as it’s pretty muddy in patches. The marshmallows were £2 for 4 on a skewer which I did think was a bit steep particularly for larger families though I can’t see any reason why you couldn’t take your own.

Hope you enjoyed reading about our visit. Let me know your experience if you do decide to visit as I would love to hear about it.

Love and peace xxx

WatAdventurers Personalised book

This post is a review of a gifted book. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

We love books in this house and if you follow my Instagram you will have seen how many we have here! So I am always super excited when we get asked to review another book.

WatAdventurers offer a personalised hardback book with the child’s name. My son really loves personalised books but what was even more special was that he was able to pick his own avatar when ordering the book and was super excited waiting for it to arrive. The book is aimed to inspire your child to save the Earth from environmental disasters.

The book is aimed at children aged 6 – 12 years old. It is 66 pages long and features your child as Blue Fox the hero of the stories who embarks on two epic adventures. From the Sewers to the Stars the WatAdventurers will save the Earth from corruption and evil.

The book features two graphic novels ‘Saving Slime Town’ and ‘Planet B’. The stories are fantastic adventures and my 7 year old thoroughly enjoyed reading them together. The illustrated graphics are fun and colourful. There were also some creative and STEM activities which my son always enjoys. We haven’t build the recycling centre for his bedroom yet but we will when we have gathered all the materials.

What I liked about the book is that it opens up the conversation on the eco challenges faced by us on the planet right now. When we read through the challenges my son asked lots of questions about each one as he became more aware of what was happening on the planet. The thing that most impressed me about the book was the mindfulness diary. From my own personal experience I know how important this tool is for life in the 21st century. Introducing children to this from a young age is invaluable. I was so pleased to get the chance to talk about this with my son in a way that interested him.

WatAdventurers book would make a fantastic Christmas gift for any young planet savers in your family. You get a free digital membership to WatAdventure kids with every purchase. Here your child can join a gang of children from all over the world to work together to save the world from destruction.

I loved the book so much I am adding it in as an entry to my Christmas gift guide which will go live very soon.

Have you joined the WatAdventurers yet? You can find more information on their Facebook page, Twitter or Instagram. You can also purchase a copy from their website.

Let’s save the planet together!

Love and peace xxx

Slow Cooker Christmas cake

Hey guys. I was wanting to make my own Christmas cake this year so took to Google to find a straight forward recipe as Delia I am not! There were so many Christmas cake recipes but the one that caught my eye was for a slow cooker recipe. Now if you follow me on Instagram you will know how much I love my slow cooker. So a 4 ingredient Christmas cake in the slow cooker was right up my street.

The recipe was originally posted from the Facebook page Slow Cooker Recipes and Tips but I found it via this article here. I couldn’t wait to get cracking. There are thousands of comments on the Facebook page from people who have tried it and the response seems to be an overwhelming thumbs up.

Ingredients

*1kg mixed fruit (I add a packet of glacé cherries)

* 2 cups chocolate milk

* 1/2 – 3/4 cup Baileys (my preference)

* 2 cups self-raising flour

Method

1. Soak fruit in milk & Baileys for 24 hours.

2. Fold in flour.

3. Line slow cooker with 2 layers of baking paper on bottom and sides. (I also double a long strip and put in first so easier to pull out when cooked).

4. Pour batter in and even out.

5. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Tea towel under lid.

Original recipe can be found here.

So I got my smaller slow cooker out and got my ingredients. I couldn’t find any plain mixed fruit at Lidl so I bought a bag or Brandy soaked mixed fruit. I also forgot to soak my fruit in the Bailey’s and milk but figured that it was already brandy soaked so should be fine.

Then I folded in the flour and voila it was cake mix consistency.

I lined the slow cooker with 2 layers of baking paper as advised and popped the mix into the slow cooker. When I had evened it all out I put the lid on with a tea towel underneath. This is to catch any condensation.

I cooked it on low for 7 hours and it seemed ready then do took it out to cool.

We did have a slight ‘technical difficulty’ as the base was a bit crispy. Well more like concrete in fact.

When we cut the bottom of and tried some it was amazingly moist and delicious though. I think part of the problem may have been that my small slow cooker cooks on the hotter side so I probably should have taken it out sooner.

I 100% would recommend you try this recipe as it is so easy to make and was deliciously moist. You do need to keep an eye on it if your slow cooker runs on the hot side like mine (it’s old and has worked very hard). I will be making this again though and will update this post with the results.

Let me know if you have any other winning recipes and I will pop the links in here.

Love and peace xxx

Hey Instagram, leave those likes alone!

This post was originally written for and published by House 21 during the summer. I have updated it Nov 2019.

Recently Instagram has made the move towards removing likes and video views. It has been piloted in several countries and there has been a mixed reaction from the Instagram community. Instagram’s explanation for this is that it wants users to focus more on the content, enjoying others pictures as opposed to the amount of likes or views a post gets. It has described the change as a test emphasising that they want to promote well being for their platforms users. They hope it will remove the ‘pressure’ to get likes. So that can only be a good thing right?

No likey, no lighty?

Personally I have mixed feelings on the subject. I couldn’t care less personally whether you can see my likes or not. I can see the reasoning for promoting positive wellbeing and that it’s an honourable motive but I can help but wonder if Instagram actually has a hidden agenda here. I mean users will still be able to view their own likes so they will be able to judge if they feel a post is doing well. If that is the case then no I don’t agree with removing likes. Let me explain a little more below.

I do love a good theory!

Up until a few months ago I didn’t know that there were algorithms to do with social media sites, that some people used robots to get likes and I had never even heard of an influencer. In fact my Instagram was occasionally used but I didn’t really understand it. Rewind to Sept 2018 and in my bid to battle post natal depression I set up an Instagram as a hobby. It was to be my therapy. There are a wonderful insta community on there and I have made some genuine friends from all over the world. Some of the lovely people I connected with were more clued up on this insta world. Fast forward to today and I have theories about algorithms and the reason why Instagram may really be hiding likes.

Instagram is a favourite platform for influencers and content creators. Brands can connect with influencers to offer them collaborations in exchange for gifted items or payment. This transaction takes place solely between the influencer and the brand. I suspect that Instagram can see it’s platform being successfully used to promote products. Basically advertising and they are not getting a slice of the pie. I think Instagram wants in on a piece of the action.

But why?

What has been happening is that brands review the number of likes a post has and use this to calculate a rate of engagement for the influencer. Could hiding the likes be some way of getting into the loop with the brand and the influencer? Some say this signals the end for influencers and others believe it won’t actually matter as true engagement is more than just a bunch of likes. The influencers I spoke to hoped that it would have a positive impact overall as they will be able to focus on the quality of the content they are creating as opposed to the number of likes a post would get. Although one had a concern that it would harm the way brands do business with them

I guess we will have to wait and see how this all pans out. I hope that it genuinely is to make the platform less of a competition and more about enjoying each others post. However, the sceptical part of me believes that Instagram is a business. It had a strategy and businesses aim to make money. I think someone has seen an untapped market here and are trying to find a way to get into it. If that’s the master plan then no likes should not be hidden.

Update

Since I wrote this post over the summer they have extended the hiding of likes and are currently testing it in the UK. I am one of the people it is being trialled on. I can’t say it makes any difference to me whatsoever but there are 2 things I have noticed.

1. Instagram isn’t completely hiding the amounts of likes. Where likes amounts are it simply says others or thousands of others. so I’m curious why the need for that. Some people will still be comparing themselves to that instead.

2. You can actually click onto others and manually see how many likes a person has. So in fact likes are not really hidden at all.

Let’s face it. If Instagram really cared about your mental health and wellbeing they would ditch the algorithm and go back to chronological order.

Love and peace xx

Christmas Traditions

Hey guys, hope you’re having a great week so far! I have been thinking lots this week about Christmas traditions and how we don’t really have any set Christmas traditions since we became a blended family. I think we both had our own separate Christmas traditions but now it’s time we came up with some new Christmas traditions for us as a whole.

Part of the difficulty in setting a Christmas tradition is that we alternate Christmas day and Boxing day for my partner’s children. Last year it was our year to have Christmas with them on Boxing day. As the 2 littlest aren’t really bothered about Christmas dinner and we didn’t really want to do a whole Christmas dinner twice we decided last year that on Christmas day we would forget about Christmas dinner and do the full Christmas dinner trimmings on Boxing day when we were all together.

We cooked the turkey and beef on Christmas Eve so we would have the smell in the house and cold cuts of meat. We also cooked some buffet food to have on Christmas Day. It was so much more relaxing not having to worry about getting the dinner done. My family came around to give gifts and we just enjoyed their company without having to dive back and fore to the kitchen. We could just enjoy playing with the children.

In the afternoon we went for a walk around the lake which is just across the road from us and called into the family friendly pub on the lake for a couple of beverages. It was lovely and quiet in there as their lunch customers had gone home. I don’t think we actually are a meal all day just grazed from the buffet we had made. I think it was my best Christmas ever!

On Boxing day the 6 of us were together and we had our traditional Christmas dinner that day. I think it was also the best Boxing day ever too. It was also very relaxed and we played some games after food.

So I really want to start some traditions this year for us. I would really like to stick to not doing the dinner on Christmas Day. I also think a walk to feed the ducks Christmas afternoon is a keeper. I’ve never done a Christmas Eve box but we do get new PJ’s for Christmas Eve so I’m thinking of doing PJ’s, sweets and hot chocolate and watching a family Christmas movie ( Aldi chocolate liqueur for the grown ups).

I’d love to hear about the traditions you have at Christmas time. Let me know in the comments what traditions you have.

Love and peace xxx

October Half Term

Hey you guys! I had BIG plans for October half term particularly after getting together and sharing blog ideas with a group of other bloggers. I was excited to write it all up and let you know what fun things we got up to! However my littlest was really poorly so we didn’t get much done. I will tell you what happened with little little and show you what we did end up doing.

Friday before the school holidays started we took little little to soft play. I like to take a day off before the holidays start so I get some time just with him. He had a cough for the past few weeks but was fine in himself. We were having a great time. You would never have thought 24 hours later we would be in the hospital with him as poorly as he was.

Sometimes the hubster has to work a sleep shift where he goes in at 4pm and finishes at 10am the next morning. That’s the shift he was doing that night. The little was very restless and by 9.30 he had a really high temperature so I brought him downstairs to keep an eye on him. He was so hot over 40°c, he was shivering and then vomited. I gave him some medicine and tried to cool him down. When he had settled a bit I took him off to bed. His cough basically kept waking him every 30 mins so by 4.30am I gave up trying to sleep and brought him back downstairs. By 7am I noticed he was breathing more heavily and heard a slight wheeze. By 8.30am I was on the phone to the out of hours GP and booked for 10.30. As I dressed him I noticed that he had started struggling and was sucking his stomache in a bit. The GP also noticed that issue on examination and arranged for him to be seen on the paediatric unit at the General Hospital. He had a lower respiratory tract infection which was causing him difficulty in breathing. The Dr said it was probably a virus and the treatment was inhalers. He had to have 10 puffs of inhaler. He had this treatment hourly and couldn’t be discharged until he could go 4 hours between inhalers. The inhaler really helped but you could tell when the hour was coming to an end as the wheeze and cough started back up.

Late that night he managed 4 hours and we were allowed home with rapid access to return if there were any problems. He did fairly well until Sunday night where he was really unwell again and I was having to give the inhaler 3 hourly. We saw the Dr again Monday morning and he was started on antibiotics and steroids and told to increase the inhalers. After a day or so on that regime he slowly started to perk up and by Wednesday we were seeing a glimpse of the cheeky Ezra we are used to.

I did manage to get big little out for a bit of fresh air on Tuesday at Burry Port Harbour Park. We love it down there and it was a beautiful day for it.

That was also the night that we carved our pumpkins.

And the night we did not make pumpkin slime. You can find that blog here.

On the Wednesday I took the middle two children to Limitless which is a inflatable and trampoline park. I of course paid for a pass for myself as we all know I’m the biggest kid! I have never been before and it was fantastic. I would definitely recommend going. That particular day they also had reptiles on display there.

Check me out holding a snake!

Thursday was Halloween so we all dressed up to take the littles trick or treating. Ezra was much better so we bundled him up in the pushchair and took him out. He loved seeing all the other children and people greeting him from the doors.

We had a chilled weekend and caught up on lots of neglected housework. We did manage to bake a cake though.

Our final day was on the Monday and as a treat we took the two smallest off to the play area. It was little littles first time on the inflatable play section and he absolutely loved it! It was so nice to see him all better and running around.

So that was our half term. Completely different to what I had planned but sometimes you have got to just roll with it.Let me know in the comments what you got up to over half term, I would love to know.

Love and peace xxx