If you follow me on instagram you will have seen how in love I am with my new lace tee from Next. For the past four years I haven't bought a lot of clothes for myself, mainly because most of our money goes on buying clothes for the kids but also partly because I haven't felt very confident in my mum body.
Years ago (pre kids) I'd have worn this tee with a pair of shorts no questions asked but since having kids, I've had to adapt my style. I am definitely not as body confident as I used to be. There's no denying that I have hang ups about my body and how I look.
However, I am learning to embrace my motherhood figure to feel confident in what I wear. Just because I don't feel confident in a pair of shorts or a short skirt anymore doesn't mean I have to sacrifice style in the fashion stakes. I've learnt to try new things on and become a bit more inventive with what i'm wearing.
The tee instantly caught my eye. I've always been a fan of lace but it's usually something I would wear to go out rather than for a casual outfit in the day. This is why I was instantly drawn to it. The lace detailed gives the relaxed, loose fit t-shirt a feminine, pretty touch.
It's perfect for summer as it's quite thin so you won't swelter in the heat. The fit is just right as even though it is loose, it hugs the right places.
They also have it in pink and navy so they are next on my wishlist.
Ordinally I would have teamed it with a pair of trousers but it was a sunny day and I knew I had the perfect skirt to match.
The skirt is also from Next and again is the ideal summer holiday addition to your wardrobe. It's cotton so it's great to be paired with strappy vests, tees or even with swimwear at the beach. It could then be transferred to an evening outfit.
It actually looks like a maxi on me but it's not supposed to be that long. I'm only 5 foot which is why it appears that way. I adore it. It hides my mum tum and is a very flattering shape. It's also available in quite a few other colours so again I will be getting more.
My shoe choice even surprised me. I'm usually in flips flops or sandals but I was aiming for a more sporty, casual look so I opted for my good old faithful Converse. I didn't actually get them from Next but you can purchase the exact pair from there.
This outfit is definitely not the style I would normally wear but I loved it. It looked cool, relaxed and above all was very comfy. I wore it on the school run and then for an afternoon at the park.
The whole outfit can be purchased from Next and all the links are below.
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My next guest post is by First Time Valley Mam which explains why she hasn't taken a holiday since 2011.
Holidays. The last time I went on holiday was in 2011 that was before I was married, kinda like a pre honeymoon as we had work straight after. We flew with my nan to spend the week at my uncles who at the time was living In lanzarotte.
2012 and along came Z, being an ivf baby we knew he was coming! The first year was so hot in the uk didn't even think of a holiday. We were going to visit my uncle again, but we were worried about car seats and a buggy like you do.
Then they moved back to the uk. Now holidays worry me. Why? Autism. I worry how Z will be.
There would be 6 main things I'd need:
1) iPad
2) Wifi
3) A pool
4) Possibly our own place
5) Space. Safe space
6) Innocent smoothies and cheese spread.
Would he even manage on a plane? With the new law coming in on screen size on certain planes, there's no way he'd cope without his iPad. Of course the iPad would need wifi to be able to watch Timmy time that's currently his new favourite thing to watch. Over and over and over again!
He's so fussy with his food, would he actually eat? Ok, he'll eat chips but he's on the gluten free bread would he eat normal bread? If not there goes his toast and cheese spread sarnies!
If Innocent smoothies weren't there he wouldn't have any thing to drink in the morning or before he went to bed.
A pool would be on my list of things I'd need, just to keep him entertained, beaches would be too busy, same as children's entertainment, he'd never cope. We would need a place of our own so he wouldn't keep everyone up all night! Somewhere with space, lots of safe space would be a must for him to run and burn off his excess energy!
Thank you for your guest post. You can follow First Time Valley Mam on these social media sites:
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Holidays. The last time I went on holiday was in 2011 that was before I was married, kinda like a pre honeymoon as we had work straight after. We flew with my nan to spend the week at my uncles who at the time was living In lanzarotte.
2012 and along came Z, being an ivf baby we knew he was coming! The first year was so hot in the uk didn't even think of a holiday. We were going to visit my uncle again, but we were worried about car seats and a buggy like you do.
Then they moved back to the uk. Now holidays worry me. Why? Autism. I worry how Z will be.
There would be 6 main things I'd need:
1) iPad
2) Wifi
3) A pool
4) Possibly our own place
5) Space. Safe space
6) Innocent smoothies and cheese spread.
Would he even manage on a plane? With the new law coming in on screen size on certain planes, there's no way he'd cope without his iPad. Of course the iPad would need wifi to be able to watch Timmy time that's currently his new favourite thing to watch. Over and over and over again!
He's so fussy with his food, would he actually eat? Ok, he'll eat chips but he's on the gluten free bread would he eat normal bread? If not there goes his toast and cheese spread sarnies!
If Innocent smoothies weren't there he wouldn't have any thing to drink in the morning or before he went to bed.
A pool would be on my list of things I'd need, just to keep him entertained, beaches would be too busy, same as children's entertainment, he'd never cope. We would need a place of our own so he wouldn't keep everyone up all night! Somewhere with space, lots of safe space would be a must for him to run and burn off his excess energy!
Thank you for your guest post. You can follow First Time Valley Mam on these social media sites:
We've recently returned from a 15 night holiday to Walt Disney World in Orlando. Lots of people have asked what we'd recommend on things to do and where to eat etc so I thought i'd put together a post of our top 3's of everything. This includes mine and my husbands top 3's and not what our children think.
I'll be writing about these in more detail on separate blog posts soon, but for now here is our brief roundup.
Disney Hotels to stay in:
1) Animal Kingdom Lodge
2) Yacht Club Resort
3) Caribbean Beach Resort
2) Saana - Animal kingdom lodge
3) T-Rex - Disney Springs
2) Be our Guest Breakfast - Magic Kingdom
2) Akershaus - Epcot
3) 1900 Park Fare - Grand Floridian
I'll be writing about these in more detail on separate blog posts soon, but for now here is our brief roundup.
Disney Hotels to stay in:
1) Animal Kingdom Lodge
Table service dining:
1) Tiffins - Animal kingdom
2) Saana - Animal kingdom lodge
3) T-Rex - Disney Springs
Quick service restaurants:
1) Earl of Sandwich - Disney Springs
1) Earl of Sandwich - Disney Springs
2) Be our Guest Breakfast - Magic Kingdom
3) Flame Tree BBQ - Animal Kingdom
Character dining:
1) Ohana Breakfast - Polynesian
1) Ohana Breakfast - Polynesian
2) Akershaus - Epcot
3) 1900 Park Fare - Grand Floridian
Evening shows:
1) Fantasmic - Hollywood Studios
2) Wishes - Magic Kingdom
3) Rivers of light - Animal Kingdom
1) Fantasmic - Hollywood Studios
2) Wishes - Magic Kingdom
3) Rivers of light - Animal Kingdom
Magic kingdom:
1) Meeting the talking Mickey Mouse
2) Splash Mountain
3) Enchanted Tales with Belle
1) Meeting the talking Mickey Mouse
2) Splash Mountain
3) Enchanted Tales with Belle
Epcot:
1) Soarin
2) Mission Space
3) Meeting Anna and Elsa
1) Soarin
2) Mission Space
3) Meeting Anna and Elsa
Animal kingdom:
1) Kilimanjaro Safaris
2) Expedition Everest
3) Rivers of Light
1) Kilimanjaro Safaris
2) Expedition Everest
3) Rivers of Light
Hollywood Studios:
1) Rockin Roller Coaster
2) Frozen Show
3) Toy Story Ride
1) Rockin Roller Coaster
2) Frozen Show
3) Toy Story Ride
What are your favourites? Don't forget to pop back for more detailed reviews of each experience.
The Wenallt Woods in Cardiff is a place that we regularly visit. We have been enjoying family walks there with our dogs for many years. Before we had Alfie (our latest dog) we had Tia. This was before we had children. Tia loved her walks in those woods. Even though she was very old, she seemed to transform back into a pup when she was there. She'd run as fast as she could and she'd leap everywhere. We have lots of happy memories there which is why we make such an effort to keep returning.
You may have read my 'me and mine' post from January which showed photos of our family shoot at these woods with Sweet Whimsy Photography. If you haven't read it and want to see some more pics then click here, January.
One of our favourite times to visit is towards the end of April when the woods are transformed into a fairytale with carpets upon carpets of fresh bluebells on show. It's a great place to get some photographs as the view is breathtaking.
We managed to get one visit in during bluebell season this year before we headed off on holiday. Here are our favourite pictures that we captured.
Did you visit any bluebell woods this year? Is there a special place you go to for family walks?
You may have read my 'me and mine' post from January which showed photos of our family shoot at these woods with Sweet Whimsy Photography. If you haven't read it and want to see some more pics then click here, January.
One of our favourite times to visit is towards the end of April when the woods are transformed into a fairytale with carpets upon carpets of fresh bluebells on show. It's a great place to get some photographs as the view is breathtaking.
We managed to get one visit in during bluebell season this year before we headed off on holiday. Here are our favourite pictures that we captured.
Did you visit any bluebell woods this year? Is there a special place you go to for family walks?
Next to provide a Disney guest post is the lovely Cardiff Mummy Says.
We are big Disney fans in our household, but aside from the
modern favourites such as Moana, Frozen, we also enjoy watching the older
animated films too. Many of these are films I grew up watching, so it’s been
lovely to share them with my children and see them loving them as much as I do.
Here, in no particular order, are 7 vintage Disney movies my
children love to watch. All of the films are older than me, never mind my
children, just going to show Disney’s enduring appeal.
Do you have a favourite vintage Disney film?
1.
Peter Pan
Based on JM Barrie’s original story, Peter
Pan dates back to 1953 yet the adventutes of the three children, Wendy, John
and Michael as they meet Peter, the little boy who didn’t want to grow up, and
fly off to Neverland still captivates my children more than 60 years later. My
three-year-old loves Captain Hook and the crocodile; my seven-year-old daughter
used to be obsessed with Tinkerbell but now loves Wendy; while my five year old
son loves the Lost Boys and the Indians. We all love playing Following The
Leader and singing the song.
2.
Robin Hood
Both my husband and I loved this as
children so we couldn’t wait to watch it with our three. The 1973 animation
introduces the legend of Robin Hood but using a cast of animals. Robin and
Marian are foxes; Little John is a bear; Friar Tuck is a badger; The Sheriff of
Nottingham is a wolf; and Marian’s lady in waiting Lady Kluck is a hen. It
doesn’t have the big blockbuster songs of other Disney films, but we love The
Phony King of England and Oo De Lally. We love the scene where the children of
the rabbit family accidentally fire an arrow into the grounds of Maid Marian’s
castle and meet Marian and Lady Kluck, who pretends to be the nasty Prince
John.
3.
The Jungle Book
Released in 1967, this contains some of my
favourite Disney songs including The Bare Necessities, I Wanna Be Like You and
Colonol Hathi’s March. We regularly have the soundtrack on in the car. I’m so
pleased my children love this film and the music as much as I did as a child.
It tells of the little boy Mowgli, who was raised by wolves in the jungle but
who is convinved by his friends Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear to
leave before the evil tiger Shere Khan arrives.
4.
Alice in Wonderland
I was amazed to discover recently that the
film was initially panned by the critics when it was first released in 1951.
Fans of Lewis Carroll were upset that Disney had Americanised a great work of
English literature. It wasn’t until the psychedelic 1970s that the film found
favour again. My children love the surreal adventures of Alice, the Mad Hatter,
the Cheshire Cat, and the scary Queen of Hearts – “Off with their heads”. They
also love the idea of having an ‘unbirthday’ on every day that isn’t their
actual birthday.
5.
Dumbo
I see this 1941 film so differently now I
am a mother. My eyes can’t help but well up with tears for Mrs Jumbo, the mummy
elephant who loses her temper when the other elephants laugh at her baby’s big
ears and nickname him Dumbo. My children love Dumbo doing his circus acts and
accidentally getting drunk on champagne and seeing hallucinations of pink
elephants. Plus it’s only an hour in length, so it’s a good one when we don’t have
time to watch a long film.
6.
Pinocchio
Disney’s second animated film dates back to
1940. My children used to be a bit scared of some scenes, such as all the boys
turning into donkeys, but now they’re older, the tale of the wooden puppet who
wants to become a real boy is one of their favourites. We love the songs I’ve
Got No Strings and Give A Little Whistle.
7.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
It might have been the first ever animated
musical film made by Disney way back in 1937, but it’s still a much-loved
classic. My children found the Wicked Queen scary to begin with, but there are plenty
of happy and delightful scenes too, such as the dwarfs going off to work in the
mines and singing Heigh-Ho; and Whistle While You Work as Snow White does the
housework with the help of the animals of the forest.
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