May 2013 | Mum In The Madhouse

May 2013

My smile is the mask I wear every day

22 Comments / me / By

In the past I have struggled with depression and I still have numerous health issues, but I do not want these to define me. I worked hard to overcome my depression and it is not something that I often dwell on. Most of the time I am a pretty positive person.

Recently I made an error and I fear that I have lost one of the people that I used to call a good friend. This fills me with deep sadness and I do not know how to make things better, in fact I do not think there is anything I can do to make it better. Hopefully time will heal things , either that or I will just have to let go and mourn the loss of a good friend from my own stupidity.

I am at my happiest when I am with my family. When I am surrounded with MadDad and the boys on a weekend. I love having them around and I love doing things together with them. I am putting myself out a little bit more and have been enjoying my weekly sewing class, even if I am the youngest by two generations!

I am currently trying to pluck up the courage to go to the local WI group tonight, but worry that I will be the only one under 50! I have left four messages for them, but they have not got back to me, so wondering if I should just go.

Sometimes I just wonder if it is me that feels this way or if I am just feeling a little down in the dumps?

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Five Essential Pieces for a Summer City Break

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Five Essential Pieces for a Summer City Break

When it comes to summer we don’t all want to rush to the beach for a lazy fortnight in the sun. Some of us prefer to explore the sights and sounds of new cities across the world. City breaks offer shopping, museums, arts and culture as well as fantastic new cuisine to discover. These days with budget airlines it’s often a good idea to pack as little as possible so that you can carry on your luggage. A few key pieces will see you through your break in style, whether you’re pounding the pavements exploring the sights or enjoying a night out in style.

Linen Blend Shorts
It’s good news for those of us who prefer not to reveal too much leg that this year, longer shorts are on trend. A great pair of shorts is your ideal partner for a summer city break. They’re comfortable and cool and look ideal paired with relaxed jersey T-shirts. Bonmarché’s Linen Blend Shorts [link to – www.bonmarche.co.uk/shorts/icat/trouser-shorts/
] are a longer length style available in a selection of colours. With a drawstring waist they’re comfortable as well as classic so a good choice for your flight too.

Monochrome Print Jersey Maxi Dress
Sometimes you want to feel feminine or just that little bit glamorous. The fabulous maxi dress is a real winner here. In relaxed jersey fabric they are easy to dress up or down for whatever your break brings. For daytime wear pair yours with a smart pair of plimsolls and a fine knit cardigan to keep out any sign of a chill. For evenings simply add a little touch of bling from your jewellery box and pretty sandals and you’re ready for a meal out in style. The Monochrome Print Jersey Maxi Dress by Bonmarché is a good choice and in neutral monochrome it’s easy to add a splash of colour in your accessories if you feel like it.

Stretch Cotton Capri Trousers
Cropped trousers are a key length for the season and they’re effortlessly chic too. To take you comfortably from day to night Bonmarché’s Stretch Cotton Capri Trousers are a great option. Capri’s can be paired with flats and a simple jersey T-shirt for a chic daytime look that is perfect for touring museums and art galleries. For evening just switch pumps for heels and a blouse and you have a new look in an instant.

Embroidered and Beaded Scoop Neck T-Shirt Jersey T-shirts are an all-time classic for any situation. They’re flattering on every figure, comfortable and, even better, easy to pack. If you like clothing with a little more detail then choose something with a pattern or embroidery such as a the Embroidered and Beaded Scoop Neck T-Shirt by Bonmarché. Take a selection along on your city break and you can’t go far wrong.

Sleeveless Frill Front Blouse
Most city breaks offer the chance of a night on the tiles or two whether it’s enjoying an opera or dining out at an elegant restaurant. A blouse is lightweight to pack but adds a touch of glamour in an instant. Choose something that flatters your figure to have you oozing with confidence. A blouse with a detail in the centre is a failsafe way to bring attention to the middle of your body and in so doing create the illusion of a slimmer you. Try the Sleeveless Frill Front Blouse by Bonmarché with its pretty ruffle front. It’s perfect to pair with a delicate knit cardigan or fitted jacket if the evenings are cooler. Try with the Capri Trousers for a practical yet chic look and for added glamour add a chunky bracelet.

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Meal Plan – The Fresh Week Pledge Edition

12 Comments / frugal food / By

As part of the Tefal innovation panel I was asked if I would take the fresh week pledge to commit to giving up processed food from Monday 13 May – Sunday 19 May 2013 in favour of fresh, unprocessed food. For me this is a bit of a no brainer as I cook from scratch most days.

Since getting cancer I have been wary of processed foods. I know that not everything processed is bad, but I make the effort to give myself and my family the best food I can and for me this means cooking from scratch.

As a perk of being a Tefal Innovator they sent me a Fresh Express and a riverford food box this week, so kick starting my menu planning for next week. So I am going to share with you my menu for this week and see if you would be willing to take the pledge. If you do there is a chance that you too could win a Fresh Express and a Vegetable Box.

Bank holiday Monday

Homemade pancakes and fruit

Salad Sandwiches with homemade bread

BBQ with Fish, fennel, salad and homemade flatbreads

Tuesday

Scrambled egg with chopped tomato

The boys are back at school so school lunch for them.

Lentil bolognese (diced peppers, onions, passata, herbs)

Wednesday

Dippy eggs

Spelt pizza bases with lentil sauce topping and vegetables, served with salad

Thursday

Banana Muffins

Chickpea daah and homemade naan bread

Friday

Fruit and yogurt

Boys are at a party, but me and MadDad will be having homemade fish and chips

Saturday

Pancakes with fruit and yogurt

Poached eggs with smoked haddock

Sunday

Breakfast Muffins

Roast Chicken with yorkshire puddings and vegetables

Homemade roast vegetables soup and homemade bread

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How to Stop Kids Getting Bored on a Family Holiday

Featured and Guest, travelling with kids / By

We also pack family board games, card and domino’s. We try to limit screen time whilst we are on holiday and we love family games night. The boys will write league tables and keep a record of who wins what so that we can have a family winner at the end of the holiday. We introduced the boys to Scrabble and Boggle whist we were on holiday. It is so much fun to revisit games that you used to play as a child.
Provide your children with an adventure pack with binoculars, compass and handbooks so they can explore the area you are holidaying.
I also pack pencils and colouring pads for creative moments.
Let your child chose a number of new books before you go on holiday. We have quiet time after dinner and reading is a great way to ensure that children do got get board.
Allow a day or so for decompression, especially if your childrens days are packed with activities at home. Places such as Richardson’s Holiday Parks have onsite entertainment. Click here for more information.
Headphone are essential – my children never agree on music, so I make sure they take headphones with them so they can play their own music in the car.
See if you can take a pup tent, so they can have their own adventures.
Encourage them to make friends. Take a ball and a kite. Things like this usually attract all the children nearby and veola friends for the holiday.
Be unselfish with your time. Children crave the company of their parents. Holidays are the perfect time to give it to them freely. Why not join in with them rolling down hills. You might be surprised d at just how much fun it can me.
I would love to know how you react when you hear “I’m bored”!

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What is Home Legal Expenses Insurance and why do I need it?

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What is Home Legal Expenses Insurance and why do I need it?
Legal Expenses Insurance (LEI) can provide cover for legal costs if you have to go to court for a claim. Generally, the most common scenarios involve what is known in legal parlance as pursuing a claim, which means trying to get compensation from a third party for causing loss or damage to you or your property. In other circumstances you may be defending a claim – if for example you have crashed into another person’s car – and in fact many LEI policies are sold alongside or included in car and home insurance packages.
Home LEI policies, includes cover for things like personal injury and compensation claims, and consumer disputes over the buying and selling of goods and services. Home Legal Expenses Insurance can also meet the cost of pursuing a claim against your employer for breach of contract, such as unfair dismissal, and can also provide funds to finance the mediation of disputes with your neighbours – this can be issues like access to your home, or the boundaries of your land, or complaints about noise.
So just how important is it to have Home Legal Expenses Insurance? Like all insurance, a sensible way to look at the situation is to consider the alternative to taking out cover. This could mean having to cover the cost of legal action on your own, if you end up in court for a claim that would have been covered by a Home LEI policy.
Perhaps a comparison could be useful here. Home insurance is considered a necessity because of the massive cost of rebuilding your home, should a disaster such a house fire occur. When you consider that the cost of legal action can run to tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of pounds, Home LEI starts to look like an essential type of cover.
You may find that the basic LEI provided through your home insurance leaves you underinsured, and that you need additional cover. However, it is also important not to over insure – most Home LEI policies cover the whole family, so unlike car insurance, two partners don’t usually need separate policies.
At Allianz Your Cover (www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk) you can add Home Legal Expenses insurance to your current Allianz Your Cover home insurance policy at any time.

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Three Special Family Holidays

Holidays abroad, parenting / By

Three Special Family Holidays
Your children are only going to be young once, so you should treat them to a magical holiday before they consider themselves too old for family breaks. Create memories to treasure for decades to come, and fill up at least some of the weeks when they are out of school and clamouring for activities to keep them occupied. From a trip to Lapland before Christmas to a Hawaiian paradise during the summer months, here are three destinations that are sure to give you some inspiration for 2013.
Hula Your Worries Away in Hawaii
For a completely different pace of life and beautiful scenery, check out Hawaii this summer. With pleasant tropical temperatures all year round, families can pack light and enjoy T-shirt and beach weather. There are plenty of family-oriented tour packages and resorts in Hawaii that have child-friendly activities. Make sure that you choose a resort that includes a bit of luxury and chill-out time for parents, as well as plenty of amusements for the kids. Camp Menehune at the Hilton Waikoloa Village includes fun activities such as exploring tide-pools and tropical gardens, water sports, interactive dolphin programmes and feeding local wildlife.
Go Totally Wild in Orlando Florida
Another option is the Animal Kingdom Lodge, a part of DisneyWorld in Florida. Little animal enthusiasts can experience the wilds of Africa, within the safe and comfortable environment of a Disney resort. The Animal Kingdom Lodge is a 33 acre property that offers views from all of the rooms onto the Serengeti style zoo outside. There are over 200 animals from 100 different species, such as antelopes and gazelles. Each room is tastefully decorated in African style décor and the resort’s restaurants, Jiko and Boma, cook African-style food in wood-burning ovens.
A Lapland Trip into the Arctic Wilderness
Later on in the year, Finnish Lapland is the traditional hangout of Santa, his wife, the elves, plus of course his reindeer. Make sure that you go there kitted out in thermals and ski gear. Bracing cold isn’t the right way to describe the place, below freezing is more appropriate.
As a wonderful consolation, there’s a flurry of Christmas activity in Lapland. Mulled wine and Finnish saunas are brilliant for the adults while husky-led forays into the icy wilderness keep the kids occupied. The occasional appearance of the hypnotic and truly remarkable Northern Lights is nature’s way of lighting up the sky. During the winter time the sun barely peaks over the horizon.
There are plenty of tour operators that offer families some face time with the jolly red man, comfortable digs and amazing food to stave off the Arctic cold. For the traditional Christmas memory that will go down in family history, a Lapland trip is the ultimate in Christmas merriment and magic.
A well-planned, fun and relaxing family holiday is very feasible when you know where to go! Find a good mix of kid-friendly activities, and the chance for parents to get some well-deserved R&R.

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