Sunday 29 September 2019

How to cope with insomnia.

Hey readers,

I have suffered from insomnia on and off my life to have had some ways that have really helped me and I thought I would share with you. You may find them helpful, obviously, everyone is different.


Caffeine.

One of the most obvious things to do is cut back on caffeine as that is a stimulant and that will keep you more alert. I recommend not having things like tea or coffee an hour before you go to bed as this can help slow down the mind and help you get you in a relaxed mood.

Cold bedroom.

A cold bedroom is recommended as your body needs to drop below your core temperature to help initiate sleep. It is much easier to get to sleep when it is cooler because your body eventually will warm up. I have always found this really helpful to do. I sometimes open the window half an hour before to get that breeze going through.

Write down how you are feeling.

With insomnia, there could be a psychological reason why you are struggling to sleep. I find writing down your thoughts in a constructive way to help as writing it down is concrete rather than festering and going round and round in your brain. When you wrote down I feel a release and it really does help reduce anxiety, I might not have a cure but seeing it on paper makes me feel less stressed.

Watch something relaxing.

I find if I watch something serious or scary then that can trigger thoughts and cause me to have a restless sleep. I now much prefer to watch something light-hearted and preferably something to do with comedy as laughing is good for the soul and it helps you relax too.

Electronics.

Leave your electronics in another room because they are a devil a keeping you wide awake and alert. Plus it is difficult especially late at night on eBay *ahem*. It is better to read a book in bed if you feel the need to do something (not an e-reader).

Bath.

Having a soak in the bath is a good way to relax and get you in a sleepy frame of mind. It allows you to soak your muscles.

Exercise

Doing exercise is a great way of getting rid of any frustration and can help make you feel sleepy by all the physical working out you do.

Avoid naps.

Now having naps during the day is glorious. However, if it becomes a habit then it can really affect your sleeping pattern and could stop you from drifting off easy when it comes to bedtime. It is best if you can avoid naps as it really makes you want to sleep when it comes round to going to bed.

Get up.

if you can't sleep get up because there is no point just lying around waiting to go back to sleep when we all know it is not going to happen. It is more practical to come back to bed when you are feeling more sleepy. They do stay clear of the electronic devices.

Doctors.

Now if you feel that you do have a long-term problem and it is affecting your life then your best option is to go to speak to the doctors as they are the professionals and they can help you on a medical term.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 29/09/2019



My eldest boy was super happy that he is gone from a  beaver into a cub the other day at Scouts :)


Wednesday 25 September 2019

Merlin attractions to visit in Blackpool.

Hey readers,

If you have a Merlin pass you might what to think about visiting Blackpool as they have several attractions in the same area, so you can visit a  load and save money. 

If you want to know more about Merlin Pass then you can check my post out here where I explain it all in more detail.


So, I visited Blackpool a couple of weeks and go and checked out some of the Merlin attractions. 

Here is what they are and well worth a visit if you are looking for something fun to do with you and your family.




The Blackpool Tower Circus. 

Within the Blackpool Tower is a circus where you can experience a circus performance. 

There is a variety of different performances from Bollywood dancing, to the jaw-dropping stunts and intermittent interaction from the hilarious Mr Moo and his slapstick humour. 



I really enjoyed this performance. I was a bit apprehensive beforehand but I am glad I went as I really enjoyed it as did my 5 and 7-year-old. 


Blackpool Tower. 

Of course one of the most popular tourist attractions in Blackpool is the Blackpool Tower. You clime right up to 380ft to the top of Blackpool Tower. 




In between levels, there is, of course, thrilling glass floor where you can walk on and look down below at the floor ground watching everyone go by. 



Not to mention the stunning views of Blackpool beach with the pier and see the Irish sea in all it's the glory. 



You can walk all the way around on each level and see all the skyline and the urban feel of Blackpool. 






Beforehand going up to the tower you can watch the 4D film at the cinema in the Blackpool Tower. 

The film follows a family and their experience of having a family day out in Blackpool and the history of Blackpool.  

Be warned there is water and bubbles but definitely lots of fun. 



Madame Tussauds. 

Madame Tussauds in Blackpool is a wax museum that showcases popular households names. There are different sections that showcase the skill and craft of making figures out of wax. 

You can get close up to the likes of Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole if that is your bag. 

Of course, being in Blackpool couldn't have a special section for Strictly Come Dancing where there are the hosts Claudia Winkman and Tesa Daly and the judges. Plus a room with disco balls and stairs to walk around like you are the show. 

There is a music section with Freddie Mercury, Shirly Bass, and Lada Gaga to name a few.

There is the sports section with wax figures to get close up to like Mo Farah and Mohammad Ali. 

Thereof course film and television with the likes of James Bond and Coronation Street with the set of Rovers Return to get you in the mood of a bit of Corrie.

So, definitely something a bit different to experience and enjoy with the family. 


Blackpool Sea Life Centre.

Naturally, with Merlin, there is a sea life centre. I really enjoyed this sea life centre it is really calming because there is a lot of water features. 

Also, we came to the sea life centre an hour and a half before closing time so less busy. 

You can see all the sea life, you can touch the fish in the pool section. There is the gorgeous jellyfish which are stunning to observe in their natural habitat. 

There is a walkthrough so you can look up and see the sharks swimming around you. 

Also, you can take part in an activity sheet for the children so they go and the hunt and answers questions and in return. You get a free pop badge of your choice. 



Blackpool Dungeons.

I took my 5 and 7-year old on the tour of the Blackpool Dungeons and they were fine and not scared of the content that was talked about.

 Most of the time they found it funny as others were there and it was the light-hearted ambience. 

The tour takes you down to the dark dungeons where each room a different performance guides through what it was like in the olden times, with fun effects and different scenes to keep you entertained through the experience. 

What is the Dungeon?

Cheers for reading X 

Sunday 22 September 2019

50 autumnal activities.

Hey readers,

Autumn starts on 23 September this year and what better way to celebrate the new season than doing a list of 50 brilliant autumnal ideas to have fun in autumn, enjoy!



1. Go pumpkin picking. 


2. Carve a pumpkin. 


3. Kick the leaves. 


4. Collect conkers and use them as a decorative piece in your home.


5. Go apple picking. 

6. Go on a hike.

7. Watch an autumn sunset. 

8. Borrow a book from the library. 

9. Celebrate Oktoberfest with a beer and a sausage. 

10. Watch a scary movie.

11. Start Christmas shopping.

12. Build a bonfire. 

13. Make an apple pie. 

14. Drink hot chocolate. 

15. Collect pinecones. 

16. Use sparklers during bonfire night.

17. Make leave art.

18. Go stargazing. 

19. Fly a kite. 

20. Take a scenic drive. 

21. Use corn cob for art. 

22. Make homemade caramel apples. 

23. Plant autumn plants. 

24. Make some homemade soup. 

25. Open your window to let some crisp autumn air to circulate around your rooms.

26. Drink some apple cider or if you want to make your own.

27. Learn to cook something new.

28. Host a Halloween party. 

29. Read some scary stories. 

30. Collect autumn leaves and make a garland. 

31. Toast marshmallows on an open fire. 

32. Find an orchard to go apple picking. 

33. Dig out the slow cooker and start making hearty meals for when the weather cools down. 

34. Buy a new scented candle. 

35. Go to a bonfire display.

36. Do a scavenger hunt.

 37. Do an autumn deep clean of your home. 

38. Make some autumnal potpourri.

39. Visit a haunted house.

40. Decorate your home with Halloween decorations. 

41. Make a scar grow. 

42. Dress up spooky and go trick or treating.

43. Go to a harvest festival. 

44. Go on a welly walk. 

45. Make some s' mores. 

46. Change your wardrobe to suit an autumn season.

47. Get cosy in a knitted jumper. 

48. Visit a farmers market.

49. Cosy up to your home.

50. Roast pumpkin seeds. 


What are your favorite things to do in autumn? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section. 

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 22/09/2019


Mum life is where you allow the child to stick their stickers on your jumper haha X

Thursday 19 September 2019

How to stay safe when exploring BDSM dates **AD**

Hey readers,

Dating has many different ways in which people meet and explore one another. One such way would be the world of BDSM dates.

BDSM is short for is an acronym that refers to a specific type of erotic behavior or play, that may involve any of the following: bondage and discipline (B&D), dominance and submission (D&S), and sadism and masochism (S&M)  (Dictionary.com, 2019). 

Now, this is a grey regarding safety and risk so it is important to make sure that both parties are safe. So here are my tips to be safe when dating.



Nowadays it is very easy to meet like-minded people and the BDSM community is large. There are a variety of different BDSM partners on such as domination mistress to name but one. 

Safety tips.

To start with when it comes to searching for a date and using the internet it is wise to go for dating sites that have a good reputation. 

Also, make sure the company has a high value of safety for its clients. 

One such recommended website is bdsm dates
which are protected by online dating protector, VeriSign secured and Norton Secured. 

Be careful what you download and make sure when it comes to using a password to have a strong with capital letters and symbols.  

When thinking about personal information regarding the profile name you use on a dating site. 

It is important to use a neutral name that is not associated with you as a person or connected to other profile names used on other sites. 

Consider when thinking about the location being vague so you can feel safe knowing that the bigger location further away you are is less easy to track down. 

Don't rush to meet someone, take your time to know who they are as a person and that you get to a stage where you feel comfortable with them. 

One tip maybe would be is to have a separate email address used for BDSM websites so less likely to find out other information found associated with personal information. 

When the time comes if you feel comfortable to hook up with someone then it is best on the first date to meet up with someone in a public area. 

This will give you that security that you are safe and it means you can relax and get to know the person.

 When you leave it would be best to drive yourself home or take public transport, though you may feel comfortable later on in the evening it is important to put safety at the top of your priority. 

Remember at any point you can say no and it is your right to have them wishes be heard. 

It is ok to make someone feel uncomfortable or offend as it best to get out what you want. Then this leaves everyone clear and knows what is happening from the start without the upset at a later date. 
Communication is really important when it comes to BDSM because then everyone is happy and they know what each other wants. It is important that boundaries are clearly set from the start. 

Don't be afraid to say what you like and what you don't like at the end of the day you are an adult and you can participate in anything as long as it is legal and the other person is happy with it. 

Finally, if you plan to participate with risky behavior that could cause safety issues when in a dominating role then it is best to beforehand to establish with your date a safe word or hand gesture. 

Therefore if a situation does occur the person is safe and something can be done about it straight away. 

Cheers for reading X 

This is a sponsored post. However, all opinions expressed are entirely my own.



Wednesday 18 September 2019

Lessons you learn as a parent.

Hey readers,

I have been parenting for over 7 years now EEK and can hand on heart say is one hell of a learning experience and has taught me so much through it. So,  in this post, I am going to write about some of the lessons I have learned as a parent. 



1. Admit mistakes. 

It is ok to get things wrong because I sure have made a lot along the way of motherhood. In actual fact sometimes the best lessons are the ones that we make. Let's face it we are all human after all and error will occur. No one is perfect so it is ok to admit you know what I made mistakes. 

2. Patience. 

Once you have children you soon need to the art of patience (all as much as possible) because it can be really frustrating and time-consuming. 

I definitely have learned to be more patient, not saying I am the most patient person in the world. That being said my tolerance levels have improved especially waiting for my son to finish is never-ending poo or waiting to get to the end of the story about finding a stone on the floor at school. (Turns out it got wet in the rain next to the door, the important information here people). 

3. Unconditional love.

This is the best bit of being a parent in my eyes is the unconditional love from your child. Regardless of what you can and can not do in my child's eyes, they love me all and warts included. I feel blessed and having that love is something that is not easy to find. 

4. Learning to be unmaterialistic.

Of course, it is lovely to have the stuff to enjoy but I think you can learn a lot from children. My sons have helped me appreciate the moments and happiness over materialistic things. My boys have taught me how to just have fun at the moment and be creative with my time instead of just throwing money here and there. 

5. Compromise. 

As soon as you have a child you quickly grasp the concept of compromise. I think learning this skill is really important in the relationship with my children because it is about listening to the needs of me and my son and working through how to come up with a solution that is right for both people. It has taught me that you can't control everything and sometimes you have to give and get a bit back to work out the dilemma.

6. Sleep.

Suddenly once hitting parenthood you see sleep in a new light. It is sexy and something I fantasize about a lot especially when on holiday when let's face it sleep is disrupted. 

7. Criticism. 

It is important to learn to listen to your child, something that I don't always do. I get it wrong or I am on a short fuse. But over the 8 years, I have grown to be calmer and listen to the voices of others and try my best to take on board. Parenting is a constant learning journey and you never stop envolving. 

What things have you learned as a parent? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section. 

Cheers for reading X 

Sunday 15 September 2019

All you need to know about a Merlin Pass.


Hey readers,

If you like going to the top attractions in the UK then one way to save money on days out is to purchase a Merlin Pass. 


What is a Merlin Pass? 

A merlin pass is a pass that you pay for to enter 30 top attractions (see further down of all the attractions available on the merlin pass). You can either pay monthly or annual and each type of pass opens up different offers to you such as reduced food, car parking costs. 


How much does it cost?

There are two types of Merlin pass that you can buy - standard annual pass and premium annual pass, each comes with a set of their own perks that you can use during the time at a merlin attraction. 

Standard annual pass. 

Annual prices. 

Individual price (adult or child) - £179.00 or family price per person. 3+ ( max 3 adults. Adults aged 12+).

Renewal price - prices from  £109.00  per person. 

Monthly prices. 

Individual monthly price - £8.99 per person plus joining fee £29.99 per person.

12-month minimal term. Total of 12 months cost £137.87.

Perks.

Entry into UK attractions.

FREE Royal Mail Delivery (3-5 Working Days) 2

Up to 20% discount on food, beverage, and retail.

Short Breaks offers and discounts with Merlin Holiday Club.

Invites to exclusive Passholder Preview Events.

Discounted entry for family & friends.

Premium annual pass. 

Annual price.

 (adult or child) £229.00 per person. 

Family - 3+ (max 3 adults 12+) £189 per person.

Monthly price.

 £11.99 per person plus £34.99 joining fee per person. 

12-month minimal term, a total of 12 months cost £178.87. 

Perks.

Entry into UK attractions.

FREE Royal Mail Delivery (3-5 Working Days).

Up to 20% discount on food, beverage and retail.

Short Breaks offers and discounts with Merlin Holiday Club.

Invites to exclusive Passholder Preview Events.

Discounted entry for family & friends.

FREE car parking at our Theme Parks and Warwick Castle.

Visit anytime without restrictions (Subject to T&Cs).

Exclusive Passholder pack.

Priority entry to UK attractions (subject to availability).

Additional bits.

 A complimentary carer pass
 - this is a pass for any carer to help assist with a disabled person. It is not allocated specifically to one person but to the carer at that time of visiting. 

 This pass is free so you don't have to pay any cost towards the ticket. There must be at least one responsible adult in the visiting party (the party means the disabled guest and the guest using the carer Pass) in order for the party to enter an attraction.

To apply for the carer pass you will need to provide proof of disability when getting the pass issued, this can be any of the following documentation:

* Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
* Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
* Blue Badge (photo ID required).
* Signed letter from GP (photo ID required).

Documentation should be dated within the last 24 months, documentation dated later than this maybe rejected.




Type Talk.

When speaking to us via the telephone we accept all TypeTalk calls. All of our agents are fully trained to use this service.


Hearing and Assistance.



Many of our attractions have the hearing assistance service for anyone using a hearing aid.

Ride Acess Pass.

Guests with certain disabilities are able to get a disabled access pass which means they can enter via the ride exit to avoid the queuing.



Buggie hire.

There are a limited amount of buggies to hire at Merlin attractions. You would be wise to come early so you won't be disappointed. The cost of hiring out a pushchair for the day is £10 and a refundable deposit of £10 is required. 

Buggies must be returned, at the very latest, 30 minutes prior to the advertised Park closing time to guarantee that the deposit is returned.

Buggies cannot be taken through any queue lines and therefore must be left outside the entrance of the rides, keeping the entry point clear.
Please note items left in buggies or prams are left at the owner's risk. 

Wheelchair hire.

There are a limited number of wheelchairs and not all Merlin attractions due them such as Madame Tussauds. However, the theme park based ones do. 

The cost to hire out a wheelchair is  A £20 refundable deposit is required and a rental charge of £10 applies to guests who cannot show documentation confirming their eligibility. 

You can hire them at the box office on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Pop badges. 

Pop badges are collectible badges that you can collect at different Merlin attractions and put them on your pass holder lanyard.  

They all have different designs and different ways to get them. I have only got a few but I explain below the ways in which I got them. 

Legoland Windsor - can get a Legoland pop badge when you purchase a kids meal at any restaurant within the resort. 

Thorpe Park - Didn't have any in the shop they claimed so don't know how you get them. 

Alton Towers - didn't bother been told you can get them from a machine in the sea life centre within the resort at a cost of £2. 

We are planning on going back in a few weeks and test out that theory and shall update to let you know. 

After Thorpe park and visit to Legoland, I was so disheartened trying to get pop badges for my two little children bu the time we visited Alton Towers I had completely given up pon the idea of getting them. 



Circus, Blackpool - Main tower reception you can pick a circus pop badge up. 

Blackpool Tower - Tower shop you can pick up a badge with no purchase needed. 

The Blackpool Tower Dungeon - You need to purchase a dungeon guide for £2.60 with a Merlin pass and the assistant will give you a set of for each Merin pass holder.

Blackpool Sea Life centre - one at the rock pool area and completing an activity sheet with children (answers are upside down on the sheet). You can collect the pop badge from the shop at the end. 

Blackpool Madame Tussauds - visit at the nice assistant at the shop and she will give you a few pop badges with your choice of the image such as Groot or Spiderman, etc. 



When to buy a Merlin Pass.

The best time to buy a Merlin Pass is in January as they have a sale on and you grab a fab deal. 

Friends and family ticket.

With being a Merlin pass holder you can save up to 50% with getting day tickets for family and friends. You can even book the tickets online to any of the resort theme parks. 

Each valid Merlin Annual Pass allows for the purchase of up to 5 friends and family tickets. Failure to present a valid Merlin Annual Pass when collecting your friends and family rickets will result in a non-refundable the ticket being charged at full gate price. 

Terms and Conditions. 

* This is collect at the attraction ONLY ticket. 
* Tickets must be booked at least 24 hours in advance. 
* The friends and family ticket is for standard entry only. 
* Tickets are valid for one visit to the specified attraction.
* Prices are subject to availability.
* A valid standard, premium or V.I.P. Merlin pass holder must be present when collecting the tickets. 
* Failure to present a valid Merlin annual pass when collecting your friends/family ticket will result in a non-refundable ticket being charged ar full gate price.

Attractions.

Chessington World of Adventure. 

The London Eye. 

Thorpe Park Resort. 

Alton Towers Resort.

Warwick Castle.

National Sea Life Centre Birmingham. 

Sea Life Brighton. 

Legoland Discovery Centre Manchester.

Legoland Windsor resort.

Blackpool Tower.

Legoland Discovery Centre Birmingham.

Madame Tussauds Blackpool.

Madame Tussauds London.

Sea Life Blackpool.

Sea Life Bray.

Sea Life Great Yarmouth.

Sea life Loch Lomond.

Sea Life London.

Sea Life Manchester.

Sea Life Sanctuary Hunstanton.

Sea Life Scarborough.

Shrek's Adventure.

The Blackpool Tower Dungeon.

The Edinburgh Dungeon.

The London Dungeon.

The Warwick Castle Dungeon. 

The York dungeon.

Weymouth Sea Life Adventure Park. 

  Attractions in order of location. 

North England. 

Blackpool - Sea Life Centre, The Blackpool Tower Dungeon, Blackpool Tower, Madame Tussauds. 

Manchester - Legoland Discovery Centre.

Scarbrough - Sea Life Centre. 

Weymouth  - Sea Life Adventure Park

York - The York Dungeons. 

East England. 

Great Yarmouth - Sea Life Centre.

Sanitary Hunstanton (Norfolk) - Sea Life Sanctuary.

South-West England. 

Weymouth - Sea Life Adventure Park.

South England. 

Bray - Sea Life Centre.

Brighton - Sea Life Centre.

Cherstsey - Thorpe Park Resort.

London - Chessington World of Adventure, Madame Tussauds, Shrek's Adventure, The London Dungeon, Sea Life Centre, The London Eye. 

Windsor - Legoland Resort.

West Midlands. 

Birmingham - National Sea Life Centre, Legoland Discovery Centre. 

Alton (Staffordshire)  - Alton Towers Resort. 

Warwick - Warwick Castle, The Warwick Castle dungeons. 

Scotland.

Edinburgh  - The Edinburgh Dungeon. 

Loch Lomond - Sea Life Centre.


Is it worth it?

You need to add up the total and then work out how many attractions can you get to which will determine whether it is value for money. 

I live in the midlands so better lengths to travel and more options as a pose to someone who lives in Edinburgh say. 



 Blackpool

The other week we went to Blackpool as there is were six merlin attractions in the area so makes a lovely trip away with the family. 



In the Blackpool Tower, there is a circus there which is really good and definitely recommend. 


You do not need to book but it would be advised so you don't miss out. You can pay for tickets on the day however Merlin advise that it can take 60 minutes queuing for the tickets. Alternatively, you can book online and guarantee to have tickets for the day you visit. 

However, it does come with an extra cost on top of the Merlin Pass costing £5 for standard seats or £5.75 for second-row or £7.95 for front row seats. 

Both the £5.75 and £7.95 come with complimentary ice cream or popcorn (the popcorn is really good quality and comes with a sealed back with a weight of 170g ish, which is a lot and definitely not expecting such a huge amount). Along with a soft drink of your choice.

Cheers for reading X