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Wedding & Honeymoon



WEDDING 

Overlooking the breathtakingly stunning views at Westmill Farm, Three Lakes in Ware, Hertfordshire, Adam and I married each other on August 19th 2012 at 3pm. It was just the best day of my life. Every single thing was perfect and even when it wasn't, it was, because I got to marry the man of my dreams. Also I would like to say a big thank you to the sun for shining so brightly that my legs were drenched with sweat underneath all of the millions of layers of my dress and my make-up that had been applied and re-applied a thousand times melted off of my face. Dear sun, I am so grateful for this because you allowed my dreams to come true, I got to marry my love outside in the most beautiful setting. So thank you.

If you would be interested in reading more and taking a look at some of our pictures from the big day then take a look >here<. Oh and our wonderful photographer even blogged about our special day on her own blog: francescadb.com. She is such an amazing photographer.




HONEYMOON

We ventured off on our honeymoon to the beautiful Lake District, staying in Lake Windermere. We stayed >here< at 'The Hideout' and let me tell you it was ah-ma-zing! Ultra-modern, ultra-relaxing, it was completely perfect. And the good old Lake District did not fail to provide for us Veggies, oh no, we ate like kings! So if you're veggie yourself and you're stressing about where to Honeymoon or go on your Hols then seriously you will be absolutely fine amongst amongst the beauty that is the Lake District.

Also, if you'd like have a watch of our Honeymoon in the Lake District video you can do. It was put together by my Hubby, and I love it! Brings back such happy memories.



xo

The problem with Blogging.


The problem with blogging is, 

  • There's always one more thing to do. 
  • One hours worth of blogging feels like just ten minutes
  • All inspiration/energy for witty blog posts comes at the most ridiculous, unsociable times, generally this seems to be midnight.
  • Blogger has it's own mind. Dearest Blogger, For info when I say align text to the left, I don't mean align text to the centre..
  • There are too many amazing blogs, and often it is hard to keep up with them all.
  • There's not enough time, and when there is time - those times when baby is sleeping, jobs are done, shower has been achieved, belly is full, cup of tea (or wine) has been poured and feet are up with finger totally ready to click on 'New Post', and then you draw a blank and suddenly there's nothing to blog about. Yeah, those times suck.
  • The addiction, how long can someone hold their pee for whilst they finish off the last part of their blog post? And on that note..



If you don't already please consider following me on Bloglovin, Thanks :)

Alex xo
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I'd like a Pink Lining Bag changing bag. Is that OK?


Oh they are just so pretty, they really really are; the Pink Lining changing bags. Hold on a sec whilst I just wipe away my drool. I have decided (as of two weeks ago), that I would very much like one for myself and so I plan to get one for my Birthday in September. Yes, I did just say that I want a baby changing bag for my Birthday...

I actually found 'the one', I adore it, a light blue and totally eye pleasing beauty from their 'Blooming Gorgeous' range, which is in my opinion just that, blooming gorgeous. But sadly, it was not to be, after receiving a reply back from the Pink Lining customer relations it appears that this particular design is no longer being made /sadface. But, lets not dwell there are plenty of others, so I shall move on and pick myself out another. The real reason I'd like a blue bag (though I can't currently seem to find one on their website), is because as much as the changing bag is mostly for Mama's use, it does need to go on the pram of my little boy which will at times be pushed by my Husband, also a male. So I don't feel that a bright pink nappy-changing bag is me being particularly fair to them. And so, I have come to the conclusion that blue is a good compromise, I will get the pretty changing bag but it'll be in the more commonly related to boys colour -  blue (or a less girly colour).


This post has made me sound like a bag-freak hasn't it?! And you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you that I'm not a bag person whatsoever, in fact the word 'handbag' makes me cringe a little. However, there's just something about the prettier changing bags that I just seem to love. I wonder if other Mummy's feel this way or maybe I've just lost the plot a little?

So anyway, in conclusion, what I'm trying to say is - I'd like a pretty changing bag, I've just got to find the right one. And to aid me on my changing-bag quest I'd be very grateful if you could tell me about your own, or even leave me a link to it. I'm nosey and very interested to see what you use. Currently I have a very boring, although enormously practical totally black bag from Mothercare, it's spacious and everything I need, just not very attractive. It blends into the black frame of my the pram and I am looking for something to give the pram a little bit of popping eye-candy.

If you don't already please consider following me on Bloglovin, Thanks :)

Alex xo
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I've got that Royal-fever.


All this royal talk has made me come over all royal-obsessed. I now want to get on a train, head to London and visit all the royal touristy places, i.e Buckingham Palace. I've been googling and youTubing the royals a lot today, I find them so interesting and I'm proud that we have a royal family in our country. I think it's nice, I know some people don't like them for whatever reasons, but I like all the history they bring. To me, it's exciting. 

So the royal baby has been born, a little boy, a future king. It's a lot of pressure and responsibility, and the little baby just has no idea does he? Judging by the way William and Kate are as people I think he'll one day make a really great King.


I like William and Kate, a lot. I think they make a lovely couple and are a brilliant face to the royal family. Charles and Camilla not so much, sorry, they're just not my cup of tea. William and Kate are modern and they allow for the royals to move with the times. Going back to the royal baby, I really liked how William put his Sons car seat in the car and then drove his family home from the hospital yesterday. He's a normal Dad, doing normal Dad things. I think he'll probably be a brilliant, hands-on Father.

So anyway, that's it, I've decided. I am going to go to London, probably for my birthday (in September) or at some point in the near future to indulge and immerse myself in the royal history our country has to offer.

What do you think of the new Princes name? Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge.

OXO Tot GIVEAWAY! Win a product of your choice



If you didn't catch it first time around, I reviewed their Bottle drying rack and their Bottle brush cleaner, both of which I absolutely adore, I use both every single day and they are a life saver. OXO sell innovative products that make everyday life easier, their products are practical, high quality and they all look ultra-modern, the perfect combo. 

This time I'm taking a look at their Mini 4 in 1 Screwdriver for Toys from the Tot range again and to please the clean-freak in me I'm also reviewing their Microfiber Hand Duster which is from the main OXO range. And that is not all.. I'm also hosting a giveaway, giving the chance for one of my readers to win any one product of your choice from the amazing OXO Tot range (The only exclusion being the sprout chair).



The OXO Tot Mini 4 in 1 Screwdriver for Toys is the perfect compact tool for opening small battery compartments on children's toys. It has 4 different sized attachments some of which are magnetic and it has a soft, non-slip handle for a comfortable grip. I use this on Ethan's battery-operated swing and play mat when the batteries need changing. It's not bulky at all and so it sits nicely in our pen pot until it's next use. 


KEY FEATURES


  • Four screwdrivers in one compact tool
  • Ideal for small screws in electrical items, spectacles, watches and more
  • Screwdriver spins for smooth turning
  • Screwdriver bits include: 1/16 inch slotted (2mm), 1/8 inch slotted (4mm), #000 Phillips, #1 Phillips

  • It's a fab little product to have in the house, it's really handy, 4 screwdrivers in one tiny tool!
    It's priced at £6.13 and available in three bright, fun colours here.





    Why am I reviewing a duster you ask? Well, if you own blinds you are probably very well acquainted with all of the very annoying disgusting amounts of dust that love to gather between your blind which personally I find ULTRA hard to clean. Now, I've tried too many so called 'duster's' previous to the OXO hand duster and absolutely all of them have been a total waste of money! You will laugh, but I've actually, up until I got this, been hoovering my blinds! (I have four cats - there's a lot of cat hair okay.)


    This double-sided duster is brilliant and works like a treat! It features a flexible head with long, fluffy fibres that get into those annoying nooks and crannies, it easily fits into tight spaces and the head covers a large surface with every swipe. It actually picks up dust rather then moving it around! 




    KEY FEATURES
    • Traps and holds dust without cleaning chemicals
    • Generous Micro fibre head covers a large surface with every swipe
    • Slim profile for easy manoeuvring in or around tight spaces
    • Micro fibre unsnaps from handle for convenient machine washing
    • Soft, comfortable non-slip grip
    • Replacement head available to buy
    Buy here for just £10. 



    OXO Tot Giveaway!



    I've teamed up with the lovely people at OXO Tot to bring my readers a fantastic giveaway! 
    You could win any one product of your choice from their 'Tot' range (excluding the sprout chair).

    All you have to do is head over to their website http://www.oxouk.com/Tot, have a look at the items they sell and choose a product that you would like to win, then enter via the Rafflecopter tool below. Oh, and don't forget to leave me a comment with your choice of OXO tot product and your email address or twitter name in case you win! Easy peasey!

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    Please note: 

    • Open to UK residents only. 
    • Prize excludes the 'sprout chair'.
    • Prize must be selected from the 'TOT' UK range.
    • Winner will be selected at random in one weeks time using Rafflecopter and then contacted via email or twitter, I will then inform OXO Tot of the winners name and address, they will then send on the prize.
    • I'm sure this won't happen but I cannot be held responsible for prizes being lost in the post or arriving late. 

    Good luck! :)


    If you don't already please consider following me on Bloglovin, Thanks :)

    Alex xo
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    10 Reasons Why We Love Method




    1. Method are cruelty-free! BUAV, leaping bunny approved! That means that they have never tested their products nor their ingredients on animals and they do not endorse, request nor commission any animal testing on their behalf. Yay!

    2. Method products work! Their cleaners use powerful formula's made with naturally derived surfactants that work by dissolving and removing dirt. 
    3. The product smells gorgeous. You know that, 'Oo my house smells really clean smell', well yeah that.

    4. The bottles are BIG. You get loads of product for your money. Always a bonus!



    5. All of their bottles look modern. You may laugh, but to me, this matters! Never before have I wanted to 'display' a cleaning product like I do with Method. Their products are gorgeous!


    6. They're safe! Stinging eyes, burning lungs and headaches aren’t just unfortunate side effects of a well-kept home. They’re warning signs. That’s your body telling you, “Don’t use this. This is bad for you.” Method rigorously assesses every ingredient they use, to ensure complete safety. That’s why method’s entire product line is both people- and pet-friendly, specially formulated to put the hurt on dirt without harming a hair on you or your loved ones’ heads. Nice!



    7. Method are 'green'. They make their bottles from 100% recycled plastic.

    8. Cleaning is fun with Method - no more gagging on yucky bleach and having to have every single window in the house open to get rid of over-powering harmful smells. 

    9. Did I mention that they're all this and cruelty free?!! Oh yeah I did, refer back to point 1. 

    10 They are my favourite ever cleaning product company! They work, they look great, they don't test on animals, they smell GORGEOUS, they're safe to use around my baby and my kitties! Seriously, what is not to love?


    All Method cleaning products can be found here : http://www.methodproducts.co.uk/prod_all.html


    If you don't already please consider following me on Bloglovin, Thanks :)

    Alex xo
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    Introducing and Using a Comforter

    I'm interested to know if any of you use comforters with your baby? I know some parents do and some don't. After hearing that they can be a great comfort to babies by helping to settle them I thought I'd give them a go with Ethan. A comforter can be as simple as a muslin cloth that has mum/dad's smell on to help with separation anxiety at bedtime. But if you want something a bit more flashier than there's absolutely loads of lovely comforters out there to choose from. For example on a recent trip to London Adam and I brought this adorable Mickey Mouse one from the Disney Store.


    We also we're lucky enough to get the opportunity to review Daisy Roots and we opted for their tabbeez comforter and slippers combo set in blue because not only do you get a super-soft comforter, you get it personalised which I just absolutely love AND you get a lovely pair of adorable soft slippers! The set comes packaged beautifully (as seen below) and the items are of the highest quality! I actually love personalised items and even more so for Ethan, it just adds so much sentiment. This is something that'll stay with him throughout his childhood I hope. See below for more pictures of this beautiful set, which would make the perfect gift for any new baby!


    Top tips for introducing and using a comforter with baby:
    • Pick something small, that they can easily hold on to. The above comforter has little textured tabs on to help baby hold on to it and stimulate their senses. 
    • Choose something soft, the softer the better. 
    • Consider personalising the comforter for extra cute factor.
    • Choose something that is machine washable in case there are any accidents or baby is sick.
    • Mum or Dad try sleeping with the comforter before giving to baby, so that it smells of you.
    • Use the comforter whilst feeding, let baby hold it as that's when baby is most relaxed. 
    • Introduce the comfort for all nap/sleep times.
    If you're looking for an adorable personalised comforter like the one above, why not check out Daisy Roots . They also sell other little gifts/items for babies.



    Read about what's been making me laugh this week here!

    If you don't already please consider following me on Bloglovin, Thanks :)

    Alex xo
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    Hidden Pictures



                   

    hidden pictures 
    We all do it, (well I certainly do anyway) take hundreds and hundreds of photographs on smart phones and digital cameras only to find that very often that is exactly where they stay. Or if we're 'good' about it, some of us actually do get round to uploading them onto our computers, but again, that is usually where they stay.. millions of beautiful photos sitting hidden in files on phones and computers all around the world. Surely, it's about time we started displaying these beautiful snaps?

    introducing SnapBox 
    One of the ways we can choose to display our pics is by thinking about displaying canvases. Okay, so I know that traditionally canvases aren't exactly cheap but I've been in recent contact with a company called SnapBox UK and I think that they can provide a solution for this. First off let me tell you a little me about what I know..


    Snapbox launched in the UK last month, they say that they offer an innovative digital photography service which allow their customers to free their images from the confines of their mobile phones and digital cameras by providing them with a high quality and affordable canvas print. Sounds good, but what about the prices? Well, below are their canvas sizes and their prices:

    • 5x5” - £13.99
    • 5x7” - £17.99
    • 8x10” - £24.99
    • 9x9” -  £27.99
    • 10x13” - £34.99

    Not bad, don't you think?

    Their website explains that their canvases are engineered to be the ideal size for your mobile phone photos and are hand-made when ordered. The canvas frame is matte black baked enamel finish on 100% real wood. The box frame used allows for the canvas to be displayed wherever you want it to be and not just on the wall. It is ideal for work desks, shelves at home, windows sills etc etc. And of course, if you wish it to be it can also be hung up and displayed on your wall as it comes with pre-installed hanging hardware. Pics of example canvases seen below.




    in review
    In my opinion, this is a service to be excited about, there's no doubt about that whatsoever. This company are making high-quality canvas prints for the price it would cost me to buy a nice frame. But what they sent me wasn't a nice frame.. through the SnapBox service I recieved a surprisingly high quality canvas from a photograph that was taken from my phone, that came in a practical size with a slick modern frame. I feel that SnapBox are the company that are really going to be able to bring smart phone pictures to life and this truly is something to excited about. 

    We received our canvas last week (we opted for the 10x13") and from the moment it arrived I've not been able to stop admiring it. First off, the process of actually ordering the canvas was totally easy, then it was a quick delivery with the canvas packaged with total care as not to cause any accidental damage to it during transit. The canvas itself was, if I'm totally honest (which I always am), much better than I had imagined it would be. Here was a high-quality canvas print from a photograph that I had taken with my phone! Impressed was not the word - I was pretty astounded actually. If you don't get the idea already then I'll just say it: I love this canvas. My personal thoughts are that SnapBox appear to be a great company who very clearly put a lot of care, effort and time into their products. If you're interested to find out more about their canvas services you'll find their details listed below. 


    More from SnapBox UK


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    Weighing Baby at Home.. READ MORE



    Alex xo

    Weighing your Baby at Home


     As parents we all know just how important it is to ensure that our babies are gaining a healthy amount of weight. Often during those early Doctors visits, the Doctor may want to weigh our babies and record any weight increases or decreases in the little red development book that we are given post child birth. It's also recommended that we take our babies along to 'weighing clinics' - which are usually run by midwives and often take place at community centres. This is so that we can keep a record of baby's weight development and make sure that they are growing as they should be. There are, however, alternatives to this and one of those alternatives is weighing baby at home -  which is what I have opted to do with my own Son, Ethan. To do this I use the Withings Smart Kid Scales.

    Owning these scales has made life a hell of a lot easier for me when it comes to keeping on top of tracking Ethan's weight development. I weigh Ethan probably around once a week and instantly get an accurate reading, the data is then automatically transferred onto my Withings app ready for me to review later on after I've got Ethan dressed and settled. I really like the modern LCD display which makes the scales easily readable. I've come to realise that it is vital that these scales are on a completely flat surface whilst in use.. When I first got them I (stupidly) tried to weigh Ethan with the scales sitting on carpet - I got completely different and inaccurate readings each time. That was until the light bulb clicked in my head and I moved the scales to a totally flat and even surface, after which I have had no problems whatsoever! 

    I love owning the Withings Smart Kid scales. Having these scales in the house, ready to hand whenever I feel the need to check Ethan's weight means no queueing on 'weighing day' at the baby clinic. I get to weigh Ethan when I want to. 

    How do you weigh your little one?

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    Fridays Finest: Faves of the week! - 2



    Happy Friday everyone! Sorry today's post is a bit late, I've been ultra-busy today and have had to try and cram everything in! I'm just about to to head out of the door for hopefully what will be a lovely meal at our all time favourite Chinese restaurant. My Mum and family will be taking care of Ethan, so this will be what is more commonly known as 'date night'! 

    Anyway, look at me, I digress..

    1. SnapBox



    Okay, first up on my list of favourites from the week are http://snapboxprints.com. I've been lucky enough to be given the chance to review their services and oh my gosh was I totally impressed when this lovely canvas arrived through the door! It's pretty amazing! I'm not going to go into too much detail as I haven't yet written up my review on it yet, but expect a gushing and glowing review coming to your screens very soon! I'm totally in love with this canvas!

    2. The Murder Trial 



    I know from Twitter, that some of you saw this real-life documentary which aired on Channel 4 on Wednesday evening. The above male is a man called Nat Fraser who was accused of killing/ordering the killing of his Wife, Arlene, in 1998 (her body has never actually been found) and basically Channel 4 were given the permission to film his nail-biting completely intriguing court trial. In two words the documentary was: utterly fascinating. I know it's a bit of a strange entry to have as a 'Friday Favourite', but seriously - I got totally immersed with it at the time and to tell the truth, I still am. I won't go into any further details as some of you that want to, may not yet have seen it. 


    3. The summer sales


    Wahoo! The Summer sales are on! I've been loving all the amazing sales in the shops this week! I've picked up so many lovely things for Ethan, Adam and I and even a few sneaky presents for the family. Seriously, if you haven't been already, it's totally worth a wander into town to see if you can pick yourself up a few quality items for a fraction of the original price. P.S. For all the lovely Mummy's and even Daddy's out there, Mothercare have got some gorgeous baby and kids clothes on sale at the moment!

    4. Cooking




    Cheat alert! This actually should have featured in last weeks post, since it was last week that I cooked my first-ever proper meal (terrible, I know). I cooked Mushroom risotto - from scratch! I'm a terrible lazy cook hence the 'first-ever' part to that last sentence, but I made the effort, I want to make the effort and when I did it was actually absolutely gorgeous! And because I'm far too honest I won't take full credit, my Husband, who is also a bit of a novice, helped on the cooking front, but together we made a mouth-wateringingly completely delicious dish! And I shall be making it again this week, I may even take pics and post the recipe if anyone would be interested in that. 

    And that is it for this weeks finest from me! Hopefully you've enjoyed reading it, I wish you all a lovely sunny completely chillaxed weekend! Enjoy! 
    And as always, thank you so much for reading!

    If you don't already please consider following me on Bloglovin, Thanks :)

    Alex xo
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    Thought Provoker: Do Ghosts Exist?




    We see it so much these days all over various television channels, amateur ghost hunters across the country heading out late at night into old buildings, cemeteries and various other spooky-like places such as abandoned hospitals to look for none other than the ever elusive 'ghost'. They often bring along fancy electronic equipment that they say helps them to locate any sort of ghostly going-ons.
    But despite their very best efforts we still do not have any real proof that these 'ghosts' do in fact exist
    So that brings me nicely on to toady's rather spooky thought provoker.. today I'm asking the question...Do ghosts really exist?


    My personal thoughts

    My view on this one is that realistically it's totally impossible to say whether ghosts are real or not. The whole ghost theory mostly appears to be down to the beliefs of the person themselves. Personally, I've never seen any evidence of any sort of ghost or any type of ghostly going-on's.  I'm not completely sceptical, I just don't have anything to base my judgements on, therefore my answer to this is that I just don't know. I'm certainly not the type of person to say that just because I haven't had any spooky-experiences myself then they must not exist, I reserve my judgement and my opinions stay open to any new evidence. 

    What about peoples testimonies?

    What often leaves my mind slightly boggled is that throughout my life I have heard numerous stories from people that I know and trust, who have reported that they themselves have had seemingly supernatural contact. These stories repeatedly leave my spine tingling and the hairs standing up on my body. Their experiences are often hard to explain scientifically and mostly leave me feeling that they must have had some sort of communication from the supernatural.

     My Mum for example, told me that she once saw a young girl dressed in old maid's clothing standing at her bedroom door with a tray in her hand, in the middle of the night after the old TV she used to have in her room 'popped' loudly. She initially thought that it was me standing there, before she realised it couldn't have been. The girl at the door quickly vanished, leaving my Mum feeling rather unsure as to what she had just seen. So was this 'young girl' a ghost? Or was it a figment of my Mums imagination? 

    Are all of the ghosts that people have reportedly seen just a figment of their over-active imaginations? Do people create 'ghosts' in their minds un-knowingly because they don't want to believe that when we die, we really are gone. Do we find comfort in believing that a loved one is still watching over us in the form of a spirit? And if so, is this where the whole concept of 'ghosts' was stems from? Or do they truly exist? Do you believe in all of the 'evidence', in the form of photographs and the experiences of others? Maybe you've have you had your own experiences? 


    How about the photographic evidence?


    Of course, another thing that surely needs to be considered when answering this question, is the fact that there are so many photographs of so called ghosts floating about all over the Internet and throughout some books and magazines. A quick Google search on the subject provides an impressive array of some of the most famous ghostly photographs, some of which are seen throughout this blog post. 

    So what do we think of these? 

    Sure, we now know that some of them are later found out to be purpose camera trickery by those wanting to create a spooky-hoax. It's also completely plausible that some of these photographs are just a trick-of-the-light or simply a problem with the camera lens taken by people with innocent intentions. And in some cases this has been able to be proved by people who have been able to re-create such photographs with these theories in mind. But some of the more popular photographs taken that we find ourselves coming across truly are very hard to try and explain logically without allowing our minds to wander and consider that what our eyes are seeing may well be something completely supernatural. 




    So what do you think? 

    I'd love to know your views on this subject, so if you'd like to get involved in this debate please join in and leave a comment below. 



    15 Things I'd Tell My 15 Year Old Self


    Dearest 15 year old Me, 

    Hi! How are you? Well, you're a lot better than that now! Y'know - It's funny how much things can change in the space of just 10 years. You think you know yourself right now, well listen up, and listen closely because I'm going to tell you a few things that may, um, shock you a little.. So, yeah, whatever you do make sure you hold on tight - Life's a roller coaster baby!

    Expectations Of A First Time Mummy-To-Be REVISITED

    At 32 weeks pregnant with Ethan I wrote this post: Expectations of a First Time Mummy-to-Be. I was excited, scared, nervous, totally petrified of childbirth. I had my own ideas and expectations of what my life would be like when I became a Mum for the first time and I documented those thoughts. This morning I re-read that post and it was interesting to see just how many of my expectations were correct.

    Here's the reality..

    Tips for starting a Blog

    A Beautiful Day for a Picnic


    What beautiful weather we had here in the UK yesterday! Honestly, I think it was almost close to impossible to want to stay in all day yesterday - I mean how often do we get weather like that?!

    Along with my Husbands family, we took ourselves off for a summers picnic to a beautiful place close by to us called Ashridge for the day, it was just so lovely and peaceful. Packing up a picnic and going to find a beautiful national trust area is such a enjoyable thing to do if you're like me and perhaps don't have the type of garden you can really sit in or if you don't have a garden at all. We had such a lovely time and so will definitely be doing it again! 

    Today is set to be another beautiful day in the UK again, so whatever you choose to do- have heaps of fun enjoying the sunshine and relaxing for the rest of your weekend! I look forward to reading some of your fun-in-the-sun blog posts during the week!



    With Grandpop







    Ethan and his Grandma




    Find out which cot mobile we have for Ethan here.

    Alex xo
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