The thought of opting for a long haul trip can be daunting, and can be enough to put some families off visiting certain destinations. But it needn’t be this way! Take a look at this guide to help you work out how you can experience some far flung destinations with your little ones, with a lot less stress.

Prepare

Preparation is the key. There is no point in trying to book a last minute exotic trip to somewhere you haven't researched. It will turn into the most chaotic fortnight of your life! Instead, spend a few months honing where you want to go, what you want to see and the sorts of activities you would like to find. Make sure that you draft out a basic itinerary too, to make it less stressful when you arrive.

Boredom is usually the main reason for your children switching from angelic cherubs into little demons. Don’t allow them to get fidgety or frustrated, by filling up their days with new and exciting experiences. You might want to consider a trip to the Inca trails of Peru, a jaunt to the beautiful Maldives or a foray to the Far East. As long as you are prepared, you have half of the battle won.

Know what you need to pack early on too and make a list using some of the ideas mentioned on The Telegraph. If your darling daughter cannot go anywhere outside of your house without their security blanket or a favourite toy, make sure this is packed in hand luggage immediately (just be careful not to lose it!). Pack some games, toys, and snacks so that there is an air of familiarity for your little ones. You want them to experience something new and different, but you don't want them to fear travel due to culture shock.

Where To Stay

Heading long haul means that you place a lot more faith in where you end up staying for the duration of your vacation. If you are travelling somewhere where you plan on moving hotels more often, this is inevitably going to be more stressful with little ones. Try to ensure that you stay in a place for at least three nights to allow your family to become immersed in a place. Moving nightly causes untold amounts of stress and your little ones may find it difficult to settle and to sleep in an ever-changing environment.

Alternatively, if you are staying in a place long term, you might want to look at apartments rather than hotels. The homes away from home available on sites like https://rumahdijual.com/ can make worrying about accommodation less of a concern. Travel to Indonesia, put roots down at a base and enjoy exploring the region from your apartment. You will have a kitchen area to cook your own food, have somewhere to wash your clothes, and have a generally more comfortable time while you are away from home.

Where To Go

If you are keen to explore the great outdoors, then a trip to Iceland, snowshoeing across glaciers and trekking near frozen waterfalls, can be awe-inspiring. You might want to take a tour to try and spot the Northern Lights and tick this natural phenomenon off your bucket list. The people are friendly, the region is very family oriented, and it is a safe country to visit.

If physical endeavours aren’t really your thing, but you do fancy exploring a part of the globe relatively untouched by tourists, perhaps hot-footing it to the Far East could be an option. Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan each have their own personalities, culture, and ethos ready to explore. If you want to get a little off the beaten track, you don’t have to head to Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka. Instead, take a bullet train and ferry to the stunningly beautiful and awe-inspiring island of Miyajima. Here, your family can enjoy staying in a traditional ryokan, you can climb a mountain, do a spot of temple hopping and enjoy finding out about the wildlife on the island. Peaceful and off the tourist trail,  Miyajima could be just what your family is looking.

There’s nothing better than trying to teach your offspring about different cultures, people, and environments across the globe. The best way to show them these aspects of life is to go and visit and immerse yourself in these regions for an extended period of time. Enthuse your brood with a love of travel from an early age and don’t fear the long haul trip with kids. It can be done!

This is a collaborative post.

7 Ways to Save Money on Your Family Holidays

Going abroad can get expensive - especially with kids. However there are ways to cut costs! Here are just 7 ways to save money on family holidays abroad:

Take advantage of early bird deals - Booking a holiday early can get you access to early bird deals. When it comes to flights, this could include big discounts or even a free seat for a child. Booking early can also increase your likeliness of getting upgraded – many airlines will treat early bird customers to free upgrades to business class, whilst hotels may upgrade you to a family suite if you booked early. On top of this, booking early may allow you to pay off a holiday, in smaller instalments over a longer period, so that you have less saving up to do.

Take advantage of last minute deals - The alternative strategy if to book last minute. Many airlines offer cheap flights to last minute customers to fill empty seats, whilst you can also secure last minute cruises from Southampton for a steal. Some hotels meanwhile may also slash prices a couple weeks before to help book up empty rooms. Booking a last minute holiday can be difficult as your workplace may not allow you to take the time off last minute, although you could always book this time off in advance, and simply hope there are deals around a couple weeks before.

Travel out of season - Avoiding peak holiday times can also allow you access to cheaper deals, plus you won’t have to deal with the crowds on the beaches or the queues for attractions. This may be better suited to families with young children that aren’t in school yet though. You should make sure that you choose somewhere that’s still hot out of season. Destinations such as the Canary Islands or Turkey are ideal as they can remain pretty warm all year round.

Avoid tourist traps - Certain destinations are naturally more expensive such as Paris and Barcelona. Unless you’ve got your heart set on travelling to these places, consider trying somewhere off the beaten track. There are many upcoming holiday destinations that are cheaper simply for not being the traditional destinations – these upcoming places include Croatia, Turkey and Bulgaria. Of course, you may still be able to find a cheap place in France or Spain simply by avoiding the big resort areas.

Break up long flights - If you’re looking to travel somewhere further afield, you may want to consider breaking up the flight, rather than taking one long direct flight. Whilst you can get to Florida or Thailand in a single stint, such flights can be very expensive. Booking two shorter flights could cut the price by as much as half. If you’re worried the longer travel time will take its toll on the kids, you could always stop over somewhere and book a hotel for the night – even with the added cost of a hotel, you’re likely to save money.

Go all inclusive - All Inclusive holiday deals save stress and money in most cases. Such packages generally include flights, accommodation, food and drink and airport transfers. To get these all inclusive bundles, you will have to generally go through a travel company. You can shop for many of these deals online.

Try alternative accommodation - Whilst many people like the luxury of staying in a hotel, there are other accommodation options worth considering. For example, you could try staying on a campsite – even if you don’t fancy roughing it out in a tent, you could still save money compared to a hotel by staying in a caravan or lodge. For a big family, you could also look into renting out a holiday home. This could be much cheaper than renting out multiple rooms in a hotel and you’ll all be much closer together for the duration of your holiday. You can even find family hostels in many cities that could be perfect for a family city break – these contain more basic room amenities but as a result are a fraction of the price of city hotels.

This is a collaborative post.

Lilah at Seven Months

I'm pretty sure I was just typing up Lilah's 6 month update, and now she is 7 months old. I've almost lost track of how many weeks she is (it's 32, I had to google it!), as they all just blur into one these days. They go too fast!

I popped back to the clinic the day Lilah turned 7 months, expecting her to have put on quite a bit of weight. But she's still a teeny tot, at just 16lbs 12oz. She's now in a combination of 3-6 and 6-9 month clothing, and size 4 nappies. Although she is slowly growing out of the smaller bits. She's now got both of her bottom teeth too, giving her the cutest little grin.

This month we finally dropped the 10pm dreamfeed, meaning she has a total of four 8oz bottles a day. She's eating three meals a day now too, which she is absolutely loving! I don't think we've found anything she doesn't like yet, and just like the older two, fruit is her favourite at the moment. She's properly chewing and swallowing the food now too, which I was really surprised about - especially only a month into baby led weaning. But I think it just shows how ready she was to starting her weaning journey!

This last month has been a huge developmental leap for Lilah. She is now sitting steadily, and can get from this position down to crawling with ease. After a week of rocking, she crawls on her knees properly most of the time too. And her newest trick is pulling to stand... and cruising!

There is absolutely no stopping our little bear anymore. She crawls around after you, climbs on everything and everyone, and loves getting into mischief. Thankfully we hadn't taken down the stairgates yet, so we can contain her a little bit! And with her standing, it was time to pack away our beloved Huddle co-sleeper. She's now sleeping in her cotbed, sharing a room with the older two. And for now it's going really well.

Toys such as her jumper, bouncer and snug seat are all tucked away in the corner now, as she just wants to stand instead. And we really don't think walking is too many months away, as she's already taking steps when you hold her hands. She's just too big.

Oh and guess what her first word was? Da-Da of course!

5 Simple Hacks to Sell your Home Fast

If you are planning on selling up anytime soon, you will no doubt have had pangs of worry that your humble abode will end up staying on the market for months. While you love your home, because you have made many wonderful memories within the four walls, potential buyers will need to fall in love with its charm, location, and vibe for the first time. Take a look at these five simple hacks that can have you seducing any potential buyers that walk through your door:

• It sounds crazy, but the smell of a home can be one of the first things to attract or put off any potential purchasers. If you have a dog or a couple of cats, they need to be somewhere else while you are conducting a viewing. While you may be used to their pet scent, buyers will not find this odour at all appealing. Light some candles, bake some bread and perpetuate a more homely scent to fill the air.

• Many buyers will head straight to the windows to check out the views from your home. At the same time, they’ll be checking out the casings, the glazing, and the fixtures too. Instead of a pair of old curtains, maximise the natural light within your rooms as well as adding a modern touch with some blinds. When looking at how to install roller blinds or Venetian blinds, ensure that you order them to your bespoke measurements. This can add a clean look to your home that can tempt buyers.

• If your sofa is a little old and beaten up, no amount of soft furnishings is going to enhance its appeal. Although buyers won’t be purchasing your furniture, they will want to see your lifestyle in action. Instead, hire some top quality furniture specifically for your house viewings. There’s no long term commitment to buying it, and you can sell your home quicker by exuding an appealing lifestyle.

• Get rid of clutter. Put your ‘things’ away in drawers, clean up the kids toys and don’t have random ornaments and pictures cluttering up your shelf space. This sends a message to your potential buyers that the house is small and they will outgrow it quickly. Instead, you want clean lines, space and natural light to envelop your rooms.

• Even if you don’t have a green-fingered bone in your body, you should at least ensure that your flora and fauna is pruned, the lawn is well coiffed, and that there are some colourful hanging baskets adorning your porch. The drive and garden leading up to your home is the first thing potential buyers see, so make sure it is welcoming and homely.

Selling your home sounds easy, but with a wealth of other properties on the market, it can be a fierce competition to sell quickly. But if you use these hacks, hopefully yours will be off the market as soon as possible!

This is a collaborative post.

The Best of Ireland this Autumn

Ireland is a fantastic place to visit at any time of year, as whilst it isn’t known for its sunny weather, it’s incredibly atmospheric and the people are fantastically friendly. There’s also a lot of variety to be found in Ireland - on the one hand, you can be in the modern metropolis of Dublin which is quaint yet packed with things to do, then on the other hand, you could find yourself in a tiny little village where the accent will be so broad, you’ll struggle to understand what they’re saying.

The thing with Ireland however, is that there are many 'hidden gems' that you’re unlikely to know about, unless you go on a tour with a company such as https://loveirishtours.com/. Although if this isn’t for you, a good option would be to rent a car and explore for yourself! Ireland is a rugged, rustic and rural place that really does require a car to squeeze the most out of it.

With the Summer drawing to a close, I think all of us are getting excited for the cooler months, and special events ahead. So I am going to be sharing three fun things to do in Ireland this Autumn.

Celebrate Halloween

Did you know that Halloween was actually invented in Ireland? It was voted in a poll by USA Today as the best Halloween spot in the world! The Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival in Derry even beat the world famous Halloween spots such as Salem and Transylvania.

Get Locked in a Pub

Irish traditional music session tends to take place in a pub, with a copious flow of alcohol and a bunch of merry men playing a variety of instruments, and the local crowd all joining in the atmosphere by dancing and clapping. And although this sounds like an adults only kind of affair, these environments are perfectly friendly places for kids to hang out - in fact, they’re likely to get a lot of warm attention from the locals, and it’s a great way to build their social confidence in a warm and friendly environment.

These gatherings are often extend into the early hours - way beyond closing time. With a blazing open fire to keep you cosy from the howling wind and rain, it really is the very spirit of Ireland. You’re sure to make some new friends!

Celebrate the Harvest Festival

In Ireland, you’ll have access to a variety of farmers markets, some big and some small, where you’ll have the chance to pick up fresh food, straight from the farm. These farmers markets can be found throughout Ireland, yet one of the best is the English Market in Cork.

This is a collaborative post.

The Siblings Project | August 2018

Who knew getting pictures of three little people was such a challenge? This month's Siblings Projects pictures aren't the greatest, and they're incredibly late, but I know I'll still treasure these in years to come! My three little Peachicks, now aged 4.5, 3 and 7 months.

These last fews weeks have been full of wonderful moments, stressful moments and some of my absolute favourite moments since we've had all three. When the Summer holidays began I admit I was nervous to have all three at home for 6 whole weeks. But now we're reaching the start of September, I actually don't want them them to end.

It's been oh so lovely to have lazy mornings all snuggled in bed together. No running around to get dressed, or rushing to finish breakfast. We've been able to do as we please and take each day as it comes - something I know will definitely be off the cards once September arrives, and school runs will run our lives.



Of course these last few weeks have been full of arguments, fighting and constant competition for my attention too. But all that aside, I know they've loved having each other to play with! Indie and Parker have been playing PJ Masks together most days, and now Lilah is so mobile, she loves to follow them around and watch what they're up to.

Speaking of Lilah being on the move, I feel as if they dynamic of our trio is definitely going to be changing soon. She is crawling, standing, and almost cruising; so gone are the days where the big two can play and she can't get to them. She's already destroying train tracks and trying to get her hands on their Lego! I just hope she becomes a new little play mate, and they don't find their baby sister too annoying...

Setting Up Your Own Online Shop

The idea of running your own online shop is something most people don’t give much thought to. You have your job, your partner has theirs, and you spend the rest of your time facing up to family responsibilities. But it’s something that could really help you out if you're up for the job!

If you’re someone like me, who spends a lot of time online, and already has an assured online presence to go with it, then why not use this as your opportunity to set up your own little shop? It can be a store entirely crafted by your own hand, and every decision you make involves you and you alone. A small time enterprise can have a big impact after all! So here’s a couple of tips on getting started.

Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash

Talk to Someone Who Already Sells - If you’ve got the opinions and advice of someone who already uses the online world to sell, you’re going to be in a much better position for starting your own shop than before. You can get an inside look at what’s challenging about ecommerce, and whether or not it’s really worth it. They might have some handy tips and advice for starting out too.

Make a Website - You can of course use your already running blog to get started, however if you use a dedicated website for your ecommerce option, both you and any customers are going to find it easier to shop with you! You can use dedicated servers with an SSL lock here, and have an easy link back and forth between your blog, and your brand without mixing the two up. And it’s actually a lot easier to make a website than you think, especially with all the free tutorials there are out there to get you started.

Find a Worthy Shipping Option - It’s very unlikely that anyone buying from you is going to be able to pick up their products by themselves. So you’re going to have to find a shipping option that works for your budget (and with prices that don’t drive customers away!). You could always offer your own delivery service (using your own vehicle) for those customers that live close by. It would be a great way to network with customers face to face, as well as a way to drop off any business cards or leaflets to local businesses. If you have no idea where to start, you can always look up Shiply courier to find where to start.

Running your own little shop online is going to be hard, there’s no doubt about that. But you can get into the groove and really build an online reputation for yourself if you try it. Good luck!

This is a collaborative post.

Parker's 3 Year Update

I cannot believe our beautiful baby boy is already 3! We celebrated with a wonderful day out at Legoland on his actual birthday, and had a little family party at home the weekend before. Parker had the best time celebrating, and hasn't stopped talking about his birthday since.

I last shared an update on Parker at 2 1/2, and he has changed and grown so much since then. He's roughly 0.9 metres tall (according to the measuring charts at theme parks!), and fitting nicely in 2-3 and some 3-4 year old clothing. I have absolutely no idea how much he weighs, but we have no concerns.

He's lost most of his 'babyness' though and has developed such a grown up face. It makes me so sad that he does have his chubby cheeks and baby squish anymore. But he has got the most gorgeous little freckles now, which are something I'm a little glad he's got from me.

After a bit of a regression when Lilah was born, Parker has done soo well with potty training. He is completely dry both day and night, and he has no issues telling you when he needs to go - not having to worry about being near a loo when out is such a good feeling!

Parker still eats like an absolute trooper too, although he has started to become fussier about certain foods - including things he used to enjoy! His favourite meal of the day is probably breakfast, followed closely by pudding (although I don't blame him for that one). He would snack all day long if we let him too, which is exactly what I expected from our cheeky boy.

Development wise Parker is really blossoming now. He loves to sing and dance, and he is starting to play independently really well too. He is still a little shy around adults, but makes friends with other children really well - although sharing is still a pretty big issue! His favourite playmates at the moment are his sisters. He really looks up to Indiana and wants to do everything she does, and he loves showing Lilah all of his toys and snuggling her. 

Parker loves to chat (he never stops talking!), riding his scooter, building train and Toot Toot tracks, PJ Masks and Paw Patrol, dancing, watching Youtube Kids, getting messy, exploring and getting into mischief.

Parker hates talking to strangers, creepy crawlies (he's not a spider fan!), being made to share, not being able to do something (he's rather upset he's not starting big school), and having the iPad taken away.

We have some big changes coming up in the next few months. He'll be going to preschool 3 full days a week from September, and all on his own too. He's already agreed to send his dummy to Father Christmas this year too - I don't think he'll be letting go of his muzzies anytime soon though!

You can see how Indiana was getting on at three here.

Is it the End of the British Summer?

So as quickly as it arrived, it looks like the British heatwave is over - for now at least! And while some people remain optimistic and continue to wear their summer sandals (hoping it might encourage the sun to come back), more and more of us have been forced to dig out our Autumn wardrobes again. Families who are flying abroad for their holidays can still enjoy some sunny, hot days around the Med thankfully, but even there the weather is nothing like what it was only a few weeks ago! So is it already time to pay your respects to the end of the British summer?

The drop in temperatures has not been drastic, but it’s happened so quickly it's harder for our bodies to acclimatise. You might find yourself feeling cold at 20°C! But before you start shopping for cosy jumpers, there are a few tips you can follow to wrap up warmly and enjoy your day out. For a start, you might want to keep your wellies in the boot - it might not rain, but it’s best not to take any chances when the sky is grey. Make sure to add some spare clothes too, so that if you get soaked you can change into dry and warm clothes easily. This is definitely important if you're going out and about with puddle loving children.

The end of Summer usually means heading to the shops for back-to-school wardrobes too. The choice for children is usually easy - school uniforms and quality shoes. But why not add a little something to put yourself in the mood too? You’ll find more inclined to forgive the cool temperatures after you’ve updated your collection of autumnal women's blouses, for instance. When the weather gets cold and rainy, it's the perfect time to update everyone's wardrobe!

The end of Summer if the best time to prepare your garden for the change in weather too. If you’ve been lucky enough to avoid the thunderstorms and intense rain in your area for now, you may need to keep an eye on the weather forecast (The East Midlands, East Anglia, Yorkshire and Humber regions have all been placed under a weather warning for risks of flooding). After several weeks of drought, you can expect the soil to be too dry to absorb the water, so you should prepare your garden for what there is to come. A compact soil will increase flood potential. Improve soil drainage and add a layer of gravel to take the pounding from the rain.

After such an intense heatwave, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed by the sudden weather change. But I find it gives me more motivation to think of the next few months. Back to school, Autumn wardrobes and before you know it, the Christmas season will be upon us!

This is a collaborative post.

5 Amazing Pregnancy Milestones

Pregnancy is the most wonderful journey, but my goodness is it hard. Your body goes through so many changes and you go through lots of new experiences. Towards the end of your pregnancy, you might start to get fed up with all of the back pain and sleepless nights, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get excited about it.

There are plenty of amazing things to look forward to though, and you will honestly never have another experience like it in your life. If you’re expecting for the first time, these are the pregnancy milestones that you can look forward to!

The First Positive Test 

Getting pregnant can be a struggle, and it can take some people a long time before it happens. That’s why the first positive test is such an incredible moment! After so many months of trying to get pregnant, it’s amazing when it finally happens. There’s no other feeling like it in the world when you see that positive test for the first time. And I'm sure if you're anything like me, the second, third and fourth with be just as exciting too.

The First Symptoms 

You wouldn’t think that you would celebrating those first yucky symptoms of pregnancy, but it is a good moment really, promise! It’s different for everybody, you might get morning sickness, constantly need the loo, or feel insationably hungry. Whatever it is though, it will probably be the first time that the pregnancy starts to feel real. And it's usually a positive sign that things are developing with the pregnancy.

The End of the First Trimester 

Most people keep their exciting news a secret for those first few weeks. But once you reach the end of the first trimester, you can start shouting about your pregnancy and buying all of the bits that you’ll need. Most people will tell you that this is the best period of pregnancy, because you aren’t too big and uncomfortable yet and the early pregnancy symptoms start to subside.

The First Scan 

Things will really start to feel exciting when you go for your first scan! Up until now, you haven’t been able to see your baby, but this is your first chance to get a look at your new baby, and maybe even listen to their heartbeat. It’s a momentous occasion that you will definitely remember forever. And the picture is so special some people even pop them in a personalised baby scan photo frame. 

The First Contraction 

After 9 months of strange symptoms, waiting and preparing, it’s finally time to meet your beautiful baby! Feeling that first contraction can be can scary, especially as you don't know what's to come. But you'll be wanting to do it a million times again to meet that baby of yours.

What are you most looking forward to? Congratulations and good luck!

This is a collaborative post.