top 11 tips for visiting Thorpe Park.

Hey readers, 

Thrope park is a great place to take the family and have a good day out. In this post, I am going to going to give you my top 11 tips that I have found really beneficial when visiting Thorpe park. 

1. Tickets. 

It is much cheaper to book online for tickets then paying at the door. Alternatively, what I did was I purchased a Merlin pass which cost £11.99 plus £34.99 per person a month. This allows me to get into other popular attractions (38 in total around England). I also don't have to queue as I have the added benefit of fast track and I don't have to pay for parking as that is all included in the membership fee. 

2. Fast track. 

It can be a pain waiting for the fast track which in some cases be over an hour for a ride so might be worth thinking of paying for a fast track. There are different packages, to find out more click here.

3. Supermarkets 

Check out the local supermarket nearby for food. If you are eating at the park then check out places further afield from the main entrance. They also have a children's meal offer which makes it a lot cheaper and there is also eateries like KFC. 

4. Take a picnic.

A cheaper way to reduce food costs is to bring your own picnic as there are plenty of places to sit and enjoy your food. 

5. Refill. 

A good investment is to get the drinks vessel from the park which cost £10. I shared that with my husband and two children. You can refill as much as you want and there are over 100 different flavours so the is a variety of drink flavour to chose from. 

6. Clothing.

Bring spare clothing as there are wet rides and might be a good idea to bring raincoats/poncho. However, you can buy from the store but come with a cost. 

6. Heights.

Check children's hight beforehand and to make it easier to plan the day with what rides you want to visit. 

7. Storage. 

There are lockers throughout the park at a cost of £2 for a one time go. This is a good idea if you want to store and collect at the end of the day so you have to hurdle loads of bags with you all day. 

8. Lost.

A good tip if you are a parent is to write down your contact details on a piece of paper and put them in your child's pocket. Therefore if your child does get lost then it is easier for someone to help your child get in touch.

9. Planning. 

When choosing where to start it might be a good idea to start at the back of the park where there are fewer cues because people normally just head straight to the first ride that they see. 

10. Strollers.

 There are plenty of strollers if you need them as it is a lot of walking for a little child. 

11. Early bird.

Go early as the car park charges £10 a flat rate all day. Plus if you get earlier more change of getting more rides. 

Cheers for reading X 

How to make gratitude paper chains

Hey readers,

A fab little mindful activity to do with children is called gratitude paperchains. Where you make paper chains and write about something you are grateful for. You could ask your child what they think something that you are good at or what they do well in. These are great types of questions to ask. If they are struggling with ideas then you can give examples such as having a warm bed, being kind, playing and swimming. 

What you will need. 

- Coloured paper

- Scissors 

- Glue 

- Pens. 

Method.

1. Cut some colour strips of coloured paper. 

2. Write something that you are grateful for. 

3. Make a ring (make sure you glue one end and turn over the other end to glue and join both ends together to form a ring shape. 

4. Loop the ring into each ring to make a paper chain.

Cheers for reading X 

My Sunday Photo 02/06/2019

Holidays.

Hey readers,

My word of the week is

As you probably guessed why to bring half term holidays hence the name of my word of the week.

We had a mini break down south. We went to visit Thorpe Park which was great fun but also challenging for me and my son due to autism. However, we still had good times and went on lots of rides. I am just glad we had a fast track pass thingie.

The next day not far we went to Legoland which the boys loved and were more suitable for younger children as my sons are 5 and 7.

The second was better as it was really warm compared to the day before which was pouring it down. Legoland was packed but we are planning going back when we have our next teacher's training day.

Hope you have had a good week.

Cheers for reading X 

10 reasons to do a staycation.

Hey readers, 

Have you heard of this buzzword that is flying around called staycation if not it then the term means to choose to stay where you live or travel in your own country as appose to going on holiday abroad. Down below I have given 10 reasons why you should consider a staycation. 

1  Greener. 

Opting to chose to have a staycation is greenery because you are not traveling by airplane can contribute to the air emissions and using more than 4 months of driving just in one flight. 

2. Stress.

Of course, opting to stay in your own country means less stress with not having travel, going somewhere that is foreign speaking and trying to communicate and generally navigating around a country that you are not familiar with. It is so much easy staying local because you know where you are and less stress travellin. 

3. Local attractions. 

Staying locally is a fantastic opportunity to check out somewhere new that you haven't been locally and it also helps local businesses as your putting the money into the local economy which will benefit businesses and services greatly. 

4. No plan. 

If you stay locally where you are familiar then you don't have to plan ahead. You can be spontaneous and it won't take a long time to get there as you are more likely to know where you are going.

5. Save money.

Because you can save money on staying locally you don't have to pay for accommodation, travel flights and the like means it is a great chance to save some money which is always a winner.

6. Tourist. 

You don't have to go anywhere special to be a tourist as you can be your own tourist in your own city and check out what the local attractions are. You may even surprise yourself by finding something new that you haven't heard or tried out yet. 

7. Relaxing. 

When you stay local it means your relaxed as you have less stress from traveling to another country, For instance, you don't have to wait in massive ques, or finding your way to your hotel in a new country. It all adds to additional stress whereas staying in your home or traveling not far means you can relax and have not much to worry about compared to somewhere new or in a different country where it is different to what you are used to. 

8. Time.

 You don't have to go long holidays it can be a day out because even though holidays are meant to be relaxing going away say for two weeks is a long time it can be exhausting doing things constantly where if your at home you can relax more and not feel as much pressure to constantly go, go, go. 

9. Packing.

Of course one the best elements of a staycation is not having to pack and make sure that your suitcase is the right weight with all the things you need.

10. Family/friends. 

Having a staycation means it allows you to incorporate if you wish to see friends and family.

What do you think about a staycation? Love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. 

Cheers for reading X 

dream home improvements wish list. **AD**

Hey readers,

Thinking about ideas that I would love to incorporate into home improvements would be first to choose aluminium windows. 

This is because of the quality that is given with A-rated efficiency, making it value for money in the long term. With the windows comes a 10-year guarantee so you have that security knowing they will be of good quality.

 Also, with the windows, there are high-security locks given you that peace of mind especially if I am away on holiday, for instance, I can relax that bit more.

If I had the money I would invest in underfloor heading all around my flat because it is comforting and luxurious. It helps the floors keep warm and just generally feel more homey with it incorporated into my dream home improvements. 

Within my kitchen, I would upgrade my home appliances to be more energy efficiency with star rated meaning it is more environmentally friendly.

 Not to mention that it cuts costs down your energy bill by using less energy meaning I would save money. 

If money was no object then I would choose to update my outdated kitchen with a new one. The kitchen is the centre of our home and gets used every day so deserves a little update.

 I would look into good storage as we don't have a lot of space.  I would choose good solid oak worktops, I would rip out the old cupboard and go for a light colour kitchen unit that draws the light in but is easy to clean with. 

Regarding the cupboard hands, I would probably add some quirky handles to stamp my own design on it to add character to the room.

I would paint the kitchen as well something light and airy and not to mention more lighting strips so there is more light which is practical as well when it comes to cooking in the kitchen. 

I would consider incorporating into the kitchen area a breakfast bar. The kitchen is a place to come together for my children and husband and vice versa to sit and be sociable in the kitchen whilst someone is working away in there. 

My kitchen floor is not perfect nor is it straight so it would be lovely to add fresh new tiles like these ones and get them professionally fitted. I like the pattern and I think again they are easy to clean as I think being practical when it comes to working space is also key. 

With regards to my bedroom, I would like to take off all the wallpaper, make the walls all smooth and then decorate all the walls including the ceiling with a new lick of paint. I would like the ceiling wall to be painted in a colour that is white as it would give a fresh feel. Then the other walls I would paint them a light blue colour.  I find the colour very calming which would be perfect for helping me get to sleep or be a place where I can go to chill out. 

Finally, I would invest in getting a new mattress to help with my quality of sleep. I think making sure the small things are taken care of are important. 

Cheers for reading X

This is an AD for Three Countries LTD. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. 

It's a causal thing **AD**

Hey readers,

Sometimes in life, we want a bit of fun? Some people just simply want no strings attached fun. This allows the person to enjoy some time together with another like-minded person but without the commitment where you are looking for casual adult dating.

 That is why if this is your thing you should check out this site called no strings dating . Sometimes, life can be stressful and that is why it is important to do something that you enjoy that is why connected to like-minded people is an awesome way to go because you know what is happening and that you ok with that. 

I know in the UK there is quite a taboo that sex outside a relationship is odd but sometimes people want and have needs that are just simply friendship and sex. They don't want to get tied down or they just want a bit of fun that is why sex dating sites have emerged. There is a selection of people that seek out to find like-minded people who want casual adult dating.

I think sometimes in modern society people assume that sex is linked to love which is not the case. We as humans have sexual needs and they may just be physiological rather than have the emotional connection. 

 Some people can be friends and have a sexual element in their relationship but they don't want it to be limited to a long term relationship which is absolutely fine if this is what you agree on. 

I think being more open and breaking down stigma can mean better quality of life. This then allows the person to get enjoyment without feeling ashamed or feared that you are viewed negatively because of your decisions of choosing a causal relationship. 

We need to remember that as an adult we can make our own decisions. We can choose what we want as long as it is not hurting anyone. If both parties are happy with the arrangement then go ahead and do what makes you happy because life to short to worry just embrace your designs and do what feels right for you.

 You have a choice to say yes or no and if you say yes then check out sex dating site to find similar like-minded people. 

Other times individuals have just come out of a relationship and don't want that commitment but just want a bit of fun. A fun thing to do is to check out dating sites because they give you a chance to meet the right sort of person for you especially. as we live in busy times and there is a lot more variety online for you to choose the best.

I know that some people who have had the no strings set up can actually change their mind and they may go more committed down the line where they have good friendships or even stronger have a more committed relationship, which is absolutely fine because life is never black and white and we can feel different at different times. You may get to know the person more and your views change and vice versa.

Cheers for reading X 

This is an ad for No Strings Dating. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. 

We Love Dates **AD**

Hey readers, 

In this modern age, it is more common to meet people through the internet. Dating online is so convenient when we are living in a busy world and meeting people especially as an adult can be tough so that is why free dating sites are the way forward. 

The beauty with internet dating is it allows you to have access to a more diverse range of people that may tickle your interest. The world is your oyster especially when it comes to online dating. 

What is better than online dating having a platform that is free and doesn't cost you anything and allowing you the opportunity to meet new people.  

We love dates is a brilliant WeLoveDates to check out if you want an easy way to meet new people. However, there is more to these dating sites as there are people who work at We Love Dates who can help match you up to the right person best for your needs and desires. 

Now as I sit here and consider what I would do if I would choose to be a professional matchmaker I would think about getting the right two people to connect with. 

I would not focus on perfection because we all know that doesn't exist. Sometimes you hit a hard rock in the journey of dating. I feel it is important to know that it is ok and to encourage the individual to stick at it even though they want to quit. 

Sometimes you have to take make mistakes to find the right person for you. It is a little known fact that mistakes are the best way of learning. 

I think when it comes to matchmaking you may think too much about the chemistry between two people but sometimes you just have to do it like Nike would say.

This is because if you don't test out you don't know where the baseline is. You will never know what success is if you don't try. At least if mistakes happen when dating you can learn and move forward with your journey. Just remember that a diamond doesn't start of polished and you need to work hard to reap the reward at a later date. 

I think to be a matchmaker takes a lot of dedication and you might know the individual you are helping more than my own partner. 

This is because of the lengths that I would go to make sure that the individual has the best chance to catch the right fish for them. 

It would be a big commitment to be a matchmaker because you need to get to know the individual. 

It is like a cheap therapy session potentially for the matchmaker and client especially if the individual has trauma from past experiences. 

They may naturally have anxiety especially with vanity apps such as Tinder. It can be hard so you have to learn to build the confidence of the person so that they can go forth and date. 

I think having a sense of humour and not taking the situation too seriously when being a matchmaker helps. 

This theory would help therefore ease the client and be more open with you about their needs and desires. 

I think having an open and honest communication when it comes to dating is key to get the best results for the individual.

I imagine that being a matchmaker is time-consuming and the key is being there for the client.

 Hey, you never know spending more time with a client can be more refreshing than having to listen to a boring chat with my husband. 
It would be almost like I am having an affair minus the sexual element. I would have to get to know the client well and make sure I was their personal Godmother being there for them through the roller coaster ride of the dating game. 

It is vital I imagine if I was a matchmaker being reliable for the person seeking love so that they know that they could trust me with their fate and happiness.

 I think if I had success with matchmaking it would make me feel like I am buzzing because I got a match right and I contributed to not just one but two peoples happiness and future.

It is a big commitment in which a big part of helping with this one wish that the person has in wanting to find that one special person in their life.

 I feel that matchmaking is a unique kind of job opportunity that can be challenging and rewarding in good measure and I am sure along the line I would also learn a lot about myself on the job.

Cheers for reading X 

This is an ad for We Love Dates. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

50 June blog ideas

Hey readers,

Are you a blogger stuck for ideas for June? Then you need to check out my top 50 blog ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

1. How to have a summer party. 

2. On a tight budget June's best 5k race.

3. Musical festival survival tips.

4. Tips for bearing summer boredom.

5. How to have an ace BBQ.

6. A  collection of your best blog post and link at our faviroure ones.

7. Summer bucket list.

8. Host a giveaway.

9. Tips for decorating with seashells.

10. Fathers day gift guide.

11. Write about your current favorite TV show and summarise it.

12. Share a recipe.

13. Beach day beauty tips.

14. How to survive a road trip with kids.

15. Your best Road trip destinations. 

16. Best festival gigs. 

17. Festival clothing wish list.

18. Ways to save money on summer sports.

19. How to organise your nail polish collection.

20. Tips for having a baby in June.

21. Self-care ideas for fathers.

22. June photography challenge.

23. June homeschooling ideas.

24. A list of  June twitter chats.

25. June gardening ideas.

26. International yoga day and local yoga events near you.

27. Last minute summer holiday saving tips.

28. Share tips and advice about potty training for potty training awareness month.

29. Last minute father's day gift guide.

30. Summer cocktail recipe.

31. Summer playlist.

33. Local events on in June.

34. Picnic tips.

35. Create a roundup of bbq recipes.

36. Make what's in my beach bag post.

37. How to stay safe in the sun.

38. How to deal with kids not winning at the school sports day.

39. Write about the great outdoors.

40. A recipe on how to make homemade lemonade.

41. Ways on how to do acts of kindness.

42. How to get a perfect tan.

43. Write about national donut day.

44. Write a July blog post ideas post.

45. Reasons to blog.

46. Do an A to Z of all things summer.

47.  A list of your best parenting hacks.

48. 10 reasons to ride a bicycle.

49. Teaching children the importance of recycling.

50. Why it is important if you can to donate blood.

Have I missed any blog ideas that you think are great? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 26/05/2019

Sleepyhead

Hey readers,

My word of the week is:

I don't know what happened over the weekend but I was bone tired and my body felt exhausted.

 I believe this is a time that I should listen to my body and take a res. This is because I think I had overdone it the past few days beforehand with anxiety and suchlike.

In other news, the boys did a Beaver sponsored walk and they walked over 5 miles and they raised a lot of money for Beavers. I was really proud of them and what they had achieved.

I had a lovely time on Sunday evening cuddling my eldest and taking it in turns to read Fantastic Mr Fox. 

Which sometimes is hard to get my eldest motivated to read so that was rather lovely because he was quite relaxed as well.

Both my boys also have been loving their new panda soft onesies and I am rather envious of them as I too would love to have one.

Hope, you have had a good week.

Cheers for reading X

Ways to embrace change

Hey readers, 

In life, there are going to be times when the change will occur and it can be hard but here are my top tips to help adjust to change in your life.

1. Personal growth. 

Sometimes to move on with your life and envolve change has to occur. Learning something new or having change your environment can have a positive impact on your personal growth. 

2. New Beginnings. 

Change can be good because it means you are open to new directions and allowing things to happen rather than being closed off and staying in the same life. We don't know what the future has to hold but trying something new means you are open and you never quite know what is around the corner. 

3. Acceptance.

Acceptance can be really calming because you have accepted the situation and allowing change to occur means that you have let go and allow the anxiety to sleep away. Being prepared and open allows you to keep hold of the positive energy and give you a better chance of succeeding with the change. 

4. Question your fears. 

Sometimes reflecting on the reasons why you feel anxious and going through positive affirmations to help ease anxiety when dealing with change. 

5 Ask for help. 

If you're really struggling sometimes asking for help such as having someone to talk to or getting someone to do something while you adjust to the situation can help adjust to the change in your life. 

6. You are not alone. 

I know sometimes dealing with anxiety regarding change can feel like you are the only person in the world to feel like this. However, you have to remember that everyone has fear over change and you not alone. 

 7. Victories.

When going through change it is important to celebrate the little victories to help you can confidence to move forward. 

8. Positives. 

A clear and defined way to help with change is to write down the positives that have come as a result of the change to help with the acceptance of the new direction that you are travelling down. 

9.  Back up plan. 

Always good to have a backup plan if you are scared then it might be useful to have something in place. You can slowly build your confidence by taking small steps to move forward. 

10. Vulnerability. 

It is ok to allow yourself to be vulnerable because we can't all be strong and have our sh*t together all the time. Sometimes, it is ok to vulnerable and not know what is happening with the time you will get through it and overcome the fear of the change and hey you may even be thankful of the change at a later date.

How do you deal with change? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section. 

Cheers for reading X 

Purple swirl meringues recipe.

Hey readers, 

Check out this twist to the classic meringues with these fun and colourful swirl meringues.

Ingredients. 

★ Blue and purple colouring. 

★ 4 eggs. 

★ Caster sugar (we have golden as it is what we bake sponges with but use any you have).

**The sugar should be the same weight as what the eggs (with the shell on) are**. 

Method.  

1. Heat oven 150°c fan or equivalent. 

2. Make sure that everything is washed with a load of detergent even if you think it is clean as a tiny bit of oil/grease will stop the egg white from whisking. Wiping the bowls with lemon juice works a treat as a degreaser and speeds up the whisking later.

3. Measure out the same weight of caster sugar as your whole unbroken eggs. 

being stuck with golden castor doesn't matter because it only slightly dulls the white colour of the meringues. 

4. Separate the eggs and keep hold of the whites. Separate one egg at a time then put that white in the main bowl, this way if one yolk breaks you only lose one egg, not all the ones already separated (doing it this way with our children resulted in two individual eggs lost but thankfully not the whole batch each time) 

5. Put the sugar in a bowl with the eggs white. 

6. Whisk the mixture - a couple of minutes slow speed, couple of minutes medium speed and then medium or high speed until you get 'stiff' peaks. 

When you pull the whisk out the peaks should pull up and fold down on themselves gently. This is when you should be able to tip the bowl upside down. 

7. For the colour, take out a spoonful of the mix and put in one bowl and the same again in another bowl. 

8. In each colour bowl and a good squidge of colour and mix in a little. 

9. Put the blue mixture down one side of the piping bag. This was messy but we just did the best then laid the bag flat and squashed to the side with a silicone spatula on the outside of the bag. 

10. Repeat on the other side with the purple mixture - much messier.



11. Add all the white mixture in the centre of the bag the best you can, we used a tall jug to stand the bag in but a pint glass or vase works well too.

12. Pipe the mixture on the baking tray. Make sure that there is space between each meringue as they expand a little when baking in the oven. A little tip- put a tiny bit of meringue mixture on all the corners of the baking tray to help stick the greaseproof paper down.

13. Put the meringues into the oven on a low shelf and turn the oven down to 140°c - bake like this for 50 minutes. 

14. After 50 minutes, turn the oven off but leave the meringues in there and the door closed for a few hours until they are dried out and cold.
  

15. Put the meringues on a rack and melt some chocolate whichever way you find best - we use supermarket own milk 30%  cocoa and dark 70% cocoa mixed together- very nice. The easiest way for us is to break the chocolate up and place it in a bowl in the oven at either 40°c or 50°c for a few minutes.

16. Finally, the children dipped their bottoms into the chocolate then into either sprinkles or chopped hazelnuts. (the meringue bottoms, not their own!)

17. This produced a lovely light crisp meringue, if you want chewy or soft on the inside then you can experiment with a softer whisk consistency for chewy or couple of drops of vinegar and a small amount of cornflour for softer innards. Another method of bake we used to use was 120°c for 2 hours then turn the oven off, this seems to leave the meringue less 'hollow'.

Cheers for reading X