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Say C’est La Vie to Oops Moments

Oops Moments Happen To Everyone!

I am always happy to discuss things that I am passionate about on this blog and today we’re talking Women’s Health. When referring to women or men’s health, we’re generally talking about the bits ‘down there’ although this piece is more about bladder control, which affects both men and women. But nobody really talks about it. Working in partnership with Tena Lady I am here to say C’est La Vie to Oops moments.

Being a women, after having a baby, I’m not really happy to admit it but my bladder just isn’t as good as it used to be. Every morning I get up and drink my water, coffee and have breakfast straight away. If I have anything past about 7.15am I know that throughout the entire walk to school I’m going to be cursing myself for not popping to the loo enough. Fair enough, it takes me an hour, but I never really had to worry before about being out the house and there not being a loo available. I don’t have any accidents, but when I need to go, I need to go. Pregnancy and birth really put a lot of pressure on the all the organs and so it’s quite natural to have a weaker pelvic floor and then, well, that’s when the Oops moments begin. I’m sure you all know what Tena Lady products do, and we are here to say that they are normal, natural and there are ways to prevent it from happening.

To talk about this a bit better and to go through a few other normal, annoying Oops moments, I have been sent a beautiful goodie bag to help me with daily Oops moments and struggles and to help me say C’est La Vie, it can be fixed!

The first item in this set was a set of fruity scented nail polish remover pads to fix any dodgy nails. These have a fair few multi purposes which makes it a great product. Handy for tidying up nails and any spells of polish that fall onto the carpet. What I love about these is they can also be used to sanitise and clean metal makeup tools be it for nail art or fixing up those brows with tweezers. Another item in the goody bag was dress tape to help keep everything in the right place and prevent any awkward slips!

The cutest item in the bag was the mini sewing kit which we’ve already put to good use using it to sew up any awkward holes and hems!

Other items included a lovely makeup fixing spray which instantly refreshes tired makeup looks, anti static spray to stop skirts and slips from riding up, very handy for the wedding I’m attending next week and some of my favourite makeup remover wipes from Soap and Glory. My favourite item in the bag was the gorgeous smelling St Tropez gradual tan face cream which is helping me build up a lovely glow and balancing out other tan products I’m using to stop streaks from appearing.

All of these products help fix those Oops moments throughout the day, they happen, that’s life! C’est La Vie!

The last item was a pack of Lights by Tena to help prevent any little leaks when laughing too hard, bouncing too much, excersising, walking or just, well, to help. To give more women a C’est La Vie attitude towards a weak bladder. With one in three women experiencing light bladder weakness at some point in their lives, lights by Tena has recently upgraded its range to make it even easier to wave goodbye to unexpected (and unwelcome!) leaks. For more information and a free sample head over to Lights by Tena.

If you’re brave enough feel free to share a funny Oops moment in the comments!

***Disclaimer: I received this goody bag in exchange for this post to help raise awareness for women’s health issues***

July 11, 2016
British Politics: How I Feel About Brexit

Politics is something I rarely write about on my blog but now a week has past since we cast our vote and I wanted to pen down some of my thoughts and feelings. This could be a mistake…mainly because I know recent politics have really divided our country and I know it’s a bit of a controversial topic to go in to. I will say that I am proud to be one of the 48% that voted to remain within the EU last week. But my household was divided, my family all had different views as I talked about in this post, and in the aftermath we’ve all been discussing it.

I was not shocked with David Cameron’s resignation either. He said he would and for once a politician has kept a pledge and I understand why. I wouldn’t be able to lead negotiations in something I thought was wrong either. At least in this one area he is sticking with his beliefs. He has also made a breakthrough with the LGBTQ community with making marriage legal. Despite being heterosexual, this means a lot to me and I am proud to support that. So we’re going to be getting a new PM and I am crying out for a general election.

I have a lot of personal opinions when it comes to politics and I do not support and will never vote for the Conservatives. I am a Labour lady, I am proud of that and I am actually a big fan of Jeremy Corbyn. I know there are people that disagree with me, and I do not want him to resign from his leadership. I know that he wasn’t at the forefront of the campaign to remain, which doesn’t really bother me. I wasn’t voting for a politician, I was adding my voice to help our government make a decision. The entire referendum campaign on both sides was just awful. Both parties wanted to control people through fear and that is not something I will ever condone. Brexit was lead by two politicians who’s views I just don’t agree with, they do not sit well with me and I don’t think they ever will.

So my vote didn’t win but then again I can’t really say it’s a clear majority for those that voted to leave either. In the grand scheme of things it was around a million more votes to the leave side, but I don’t see that as a majority. I would have seen a majority vote being 80% more on the leave side but it wasn’t. Either way, a vote has been cast and the only change I’ve seen is a lot of poor, xenophobic and racist behaviour. No longer are Brits keeping their stiff upper lip and moaning about whatever they want behind closed doors, keeping their hatred rational and private but they are outwardly shaming people in the street. Whats more some of these vile outbursts have been towards children and it absolutely disgusts me. I want to be clear, I know that not every leave voter is a racist xenophobe with nothing but hate in their heart, just as I know not every remain voter is moaning and bitter about the result – a lot of us are just sat here, getting the kids ready for school and fighting the usual daily battles that come with life. But their are some that are making Britain feel like an unsafe place to live.

I honestly thought racism was behind us. I mean, I agree, that if people choose to come and live and work here then they need to appreciate that we are a western country with a Christian foundation – I am not religious at all, I mean, the Church of England was founded so that the King could get divorced, says a lot about us doesn’t it…anyway, I digress…I have no problem with a multicultural society but I also think political correctness has gone a bit too far and we’re so focused by pleasing everybody. I respect that when I visit other countries I need to adapt, and I think that should be expected of people that choose to migrate or visit here.

Politics is a funny thing but the idea behind Brexit was not to form a racist nation. What I will never, ever do is want to make this country unsafe and it seems that a minority of people are doing just that to others and that is not right. I never thought that I would wake up one day and be ashamed of living in a country so full of hate for migrants. It’s ridiculous!

Instead of blaming migrants for coming here and “taking all our jobs” that companies exploit by paying lower wages, why don’t we blame the lazy that can’t be bothered to work – trust me, there are some, and what makes me ashamed is that they are people my age or younger. Instead of blaming migrants for claiming all our benefits, why aren’t we trying to change our welfare system so that people stop having kids to get bigger houses? A certain interview on This Morning a few weeks ago with a mum of like, 12 kids comes to mind, or Josie Cunningham, didn’t she get a boob job on the NHS by playing the system? Surely the system is wrong then, rather than people that just want to come and live here?

I am not scared of change, I am not scared for my daughters future, well, I am, but not because of Brexit – which is a horrible threat to make, by the way, saying you have ruined your children’s lives…what I’m worried about is this behaviour from others as a result of the referendum, especially when we haven’t actually left the EU yet, and all this let’s call 24th June Independence Day, what a dickish thing to say. I’m also concerned that the few that are wanting to run for Tory leadership do not sit right with me at all. They’re not going to move this country forward. Perhaps it’s time for a major shake up within British politics. MP’s need to reconnect with their constituencies and the people that live in them rather than making up assumptions. Politicians need to stop controlling this nation with fear and using scaremongering tactics. Everyone needs to pull together and move forward united.

***Politics can be a controversial subject. Before commenting, please appreciate that this is my own personal view, I am not trying to force what I think on anyone. I am happy to discuss and debate but I will not tolerate any abuse posted on this blog. Please respect that. If you have nothing healthy, happy or balanced to say, then it’s best not to say anything. Thank you.***

June 30, 2016
Top 7 things to do on Isle of Wight

What is Isle of Wight like?

The Isle of Wight is an island of the coast of Hampshire with direct ferry access from Southampton and Portsmouth. It’s very easy to get to and for me, it’s like another little world. We had our first family holiday there with Park Resorts in October 2014 despite living in the county for the majority of my life. I want to introduce my daughter to plenty of different places that I never went to as a child, especially places quite local to home. My partner used to visit the Isle of Wight a lot as a child and loved each of his trips there. As it’s part of England, of course it has our beautiful British weather but it also has lots of wildlife, beaches, hills and fun attractions for families. It’s a really beautiful place and features lots of exciting things to do.

Getting Cosy in our Caravan

We stayed in Shanklin when we stayed with Park Resorts and it was a great holiday. We were there for a week and took advantage of seeing as many sights as we possibly could which can be tricky without a car. There are plenty of bus routes around the Island throughout the summer but this dwindle down in the colder months and the train only runs from Ryde down to Shanklin. As you can come over by passenger and car ferry having access to a car is really helpful as it means you can see a lot more if the Island without relying on public transport. When we went in October the train was running fine down to Shanklin however the buses were a little less frequent. We were still able to use the bus transport to get to Newport.

Top Attractions for Families

Isle of Wight Zoo

We had an amazing time at the Isle of Wight zoo after a walk along the beautiful coastline from Shanklin all the way up to Sandown. It was a really long walk but we enjoyed exploring the zoo and seeing all the animals there. Zoo’s are always great for families and a chance to get up close and personal with the animals.

Owl & Monkey Sanctuary

This is located near Newport and is a large, open space. It was incredibly quiet when we went due to the rain but it was a really lovely place and a great chance to see a huge variety of monkeys and owls in all their enclosures. Throughout the day lots of demo’s go on and on our visit we had a lot of chats with the keepers who were very knowledgeable. They also had some very tasty cream teas in the on site cafe.

Coastline and Beaches

When we visited the tide was right in and splashing up the sides of the path however there was a great stretch of coastline which is beautiful to walk across in the sunshine and plenty of midway stops for ice cream. Shanklin to Sandown has plenty of sandy bays for a quick play.

Robin Hill Adventure Park

This is one place we will be heading to on our next holiday to the Isle of Wight, it sounds beautiful and is a place my partner absolutely loved to go to as a child. Plenty of attractions, animals and places to explore all over the national park.

Blackgang Chine

The place of imagination, according to their website, and my partner. This was another big hit for him as a child and a place I think my daughter will absolutely love. Definitely on our destination wish list.

Isle of Wight Attractions & Events

Shanklin Chine

This was one of my favourite places to visit on our trip. It’s a beautiful walkway filled with trees, beautiful flowers and waterfalls. We really loved it and my daughter firmly believes it’s a place to look for fairies.

Isle of Wight Festival

If you love music festivals then the Isle of Wight has one every year and it’s such a beautiful place it’s worth going and making a holiday out of it. You can camp or stay in some of the nearby hotels.

Where is your favourite holiday and what do you love to do as a family?

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June 15, 2016
Are Cruises for Young Couples?
I wouldn’t exactly describe myself as ‘young’ anymore now that I am steadily approaching my thirties but I do appreciate that there are things I enjoy doing which typically cater to an older demographic – cruise holidays being one of them. My partner and I are both in our mid-late twenties now and whilst some may still say we are young and have a lot to learn about the ways of the world we don’t quite feel like we’re in that category anymore. Nor are we an ‘old’ couple, really, we are sort of stuck in this inbetween place where you’re not quite sure what kind of leisure activities we ‘should’ be doing if we wanted to fit into our stereotypes.

We have never been interested in pubs and clubs, or 18 to 30 holidays…as the years go by I favour a glass of water or a cup of tea over a glass of wine and hangovers take far too long to get over if we’ve had a night out. We are also finding our feet and enjoy exploring the world, our holiday destinations are not based on typical young choices such as big cities, great nightlife or amazing shopping. I suppose some of that comes with having a child in the household however we are lucky enough to have plenty of time together as a couple which means we want to see what the world has to offer us. Even so, with or without children, we are the sort of people that favours good food, amazing scenery and a comfy bed when it comes to our trips and holidays.

Because of this, we really do favour cruising as our way to travel and I have quite a few reasons why.
1. Check-In is less stressful at a Cruise terminal than an Airport.
  It really, really is. On our last cruise we waited around twenty minutes to check in and as soon as that was done we breezed through security and we were on board the ship. Our holiday began as soon as we walked on. I love that. I love that we could go and check out our cabin straight away and get stuff put away before grabbing a coffee. Check In was so straightforward.When you arrive at the departure lounge, ours was in Southampton, you are given an embarkation letter and when that letter is called you join the queue for the Check In desks. This is staggered throughout the afternoon so you’re not left waiting around too long. However in Dock 10 there was plenty of seating, clean toilets and refreshments available whilst you do wait. When you reach the Check In desk you hand in your tickets, show your passports and have your photo taken for your cruise card. This is all with P&O Cruises but I assume most others have a similar embarkation routine. This was less stressful for me than any other mode of transport I’ve ever used, and I’ve used a lot in my time.
2. Great Food 24/7
  On our last cruise we had some amazing food from the restaurants on board the ship. Food is available all day, every day and with P&O pretty much everything is included in the price, it it isn’t you’ll see how much it is and you simply charge it to your on board spend account which is settled at the end of the cruise. For us we had breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and five course dinners. There’s a buffet restaurant available throughout the day for snacks, hot and cold meals and even late night treats. Even room service is included. Drinks are what will cost you but with P&O everything was in £’s and it was what we would expect to pay in our local pub or restaurant anyway. It was really, really affordable. Plus there’s good quality tea in your cabin anyway.
3. Ability to Explore
  What we really love about cruising as a young couple is the ability to see lots of different places in a short amount of time and whats more there are excursions at every port to cater to everyone. Or, you can just go and explore on your own which is what we really love to do. Just having a wonder around, taking in a new culture, trying new food, enjoying our day really. Our next cruise is in August and as well as a few coach tours there is the chance to ride a cable car up a mountain and ride in a RIB boat along the Fjord.
4. Kids Club for young families
  We’ve yet to take Mini Kat on board a cruise with us but we will be next year knowing that she can have loads of fun with us, eat whatever she wants, whenever she wants and have a great time playing and making new friends in the kids clubs, which are supervised so they can stay there whilst you’re on the ship. If you do disembark at port you do need to take them with you! Lots of our friends have young children and the idea of a kids club appeals to them. An area where they can have fun whilst you relax.
5. A chance to dress up
  With P&O cruises they have a couple of casual and black tie events so it gives everyone a chance to dress up for dinner in glamorous attire. I love getting ready for a great night and with cruises that can include pre-dinner drinks in a cocktail bar, a five course meal followed by a live show in their on board theatre. Or perhaps there will be a comedy gig you want to make, or a film you want to see – our next cruise has an open air cinema and I love the idea of relaxing under the stars with a great film. I love a chance to get glammed up and feel good about myself and a gala dinner is a great reason to do so.
Adam and I on our recent cruise for our Anniversary

So there you have it, five reasons why I think cruises are for young, or at least in our case, younger couples. They’re also a really affordable way of holidaying. Mainly because all of your food is included in the price you pay and each time we’ve booked a select price with P&O we’ve gotten free on board spending money to go towards drinks and other purchases. It gave me and my partner a chance to get away and enjoy ourselves for a couple of nights and we can not wait to go on our next cruise. Two months and counting!
June 7, 2016
Pizza Express – Andover – Review

With my boyfriend turning 25 on Monday we started our celebrations last night at Pizza Express. It’s been open in our town for a couple of months now and it’s the second time I’ve been but the first time we’ve all been as a family. Adam was pretty keen to try it and Mini Kat just wanted dough balls. It seemed like a win-win for us all. It’s sort of felt like a ‘last meal’ for me as well as today I am healthy all the way. Well, except for a few things I’m sure but I’m making much more effort to be healthy from now on. Good thing about pizza express is they have plenty of light options on their menu so we can easily return! Adam loves pizza and so it was fitting that we had his favourite cuisine to begin celebrating his birthday weekend.

We booked a table for eight people which included the three of us, my dad and his fiance, my sister and her girlfriend and my younger sister who was going to be taking Mini Kat back to my mums after dinner for a sleepover. We booked for quite late in the afternoon but before the dinner rush so that Adam and I could head over to the cinema afterwards. The table we were given was in the middle of the left side of the entrance and it was a lovely long booth so we could all sit together comfortably and chat.

I loved that a menu for Mini Kat was already out which included some colouring pencils for her which really helped to keep her occupied whilst we were chatting and waiting for our food. As the three of us were the last to arrive I’m not sure if that’s because my dad asked for the child’s menu as I hadn’t told them a child would be coming myself but the fact that it was there before the three of us was great. After we were sat down and a few minutes of saying hellos our drinks order was taken. Adam and I had a bottle of red between us and adding a drink on to the child’s menu was very low cost. This included most of the soft drinks available but as it was a treat my daughter was allowed a coke. We did ask for a straw but unfortunately they were all out.

Our drinks came fairly quickly and then there was a bit of a wait for our food order to be taken but we were all pretty busy chatting away. The young man that took our order was very friendly and helpful however he did forget one of our parties starter and main course order which lead to a slight delay on her food. He did rectify it with some complimentary olives to nibble on however as he admitted and acknowledged that it was his error. Any new drinks ordered came pretty quickly too. We also brought in a cake which they kindly brought out for us and provided with plates for the order after our main meal plates had been taken away.

For our food Adam and I shared the Antipasti Platter as a starter which is just delicious. You can double up and share for just under £13 and you get a big platter of cold meats, dips, cheesy dough slices, olives and tomatoes. We really enjoyed that as a starter, it was really quite filling actually. Mini Kat had dough balls which is the only option on the child’s menu but as she loves them she was happy. It also came with a few salad bits which she could probably give or take. She did happily help herself to our mozzarella and olives though! Our starter did come on a sort of tower thing with the plates underneath so we could share easily. It was a little big but we kind of new what we were going to get as we’ve been to other Pizza Express restaurants before.

Our main meals came very quickly after our starters which I’m sure those of the party that didn’t have a starter were grateful for. I opted for the new Hawaiin pizza which was really delicious. It came with a pineapple chutney which was really sweet alongside the smokey bacon and the cheese. Each pizza came with an individual pizza slicer too which was great although it made them all very accessible to my daughter and one turn of my head saw her waving one around and we helped her cut up her small pizza which was ham, olives and mushroom – Mini Kat really loves her olives! Quite a few went for the American hot pizza which looked good. My dad had the American Hottest as one type of chilli clearly isn’t enough for him! All the pizzas looked great and tasted better.

We were there for around two hours chatting, eating and drinking and had a really great meal. Apart from the small hiccup with the food delay I have no other complaints. The setting inside is lovely and as it’s only been opened for a few months now the decor inside is still new and fresh. It’s comfortable and the service has been pleasant for me each time I’ve been there. As Pizza Express is a chain all the prices are pretty similar around the country and they have plenty of special offers and discounts if you sign up to email updates on their website. Pizza Express is also experimenting with delivery options however this isn’t available in our town yet. For the eight of us our bill totaled £156 which included a few starters, drinks, all main meals and the child’s menu which is priced at just under £7. We enjoyed our meal and it’s really nice to see more places open up in our town. I really hope it stays because we would happily become regulars.

May 1, 2016